To Stand Against the Crimson Tide

[Psychie]

Garret gives Conrad a long look. "I must confess that I am new to the world of being an Exalt, and I can only speak for the events of the past day. I have been granted what was to me undreamed of power, and can now do things easily that were once impossible. I would hazard a guess that in any encounter between even a very skillful mortal and the Lady Droplets, she will have little to no difficulty in following through in her threats. Just keep that in mind when conversing with her in the future."

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Droplets' gaze hardens on the young man. She knew how persuasive she can be, and somehow this man seems to have thwarted her influence, so there might be more to him than meets the eye. She'll have to keep an eye out to him.

She gives Garret a nod of her head at his words. "I have single-handedly decimated an entire temple of heretics last night, do not think that my looks mean that I am weak and can't follow through on my promise." At her side, the restless Incheumon Hunter Thousandfold Wings is stirring, but is kept at bay from the young man by her mistress' force of will.

There's now suspicion in Droplets about this young man. And she will get to the bottom of who and what he is, she promises silently, her face breaking into a hideous smile.

 

[Equusheart]

Sayuri looked back and forth between Droplets and Conrad, becoming nervous at the tense shift in the air.

"Conrad did offer to help us and to join us in turning the tide," she said, stepping in to defuse the situation. Or at least to ease Droplet's thoughts. "I didn't think it would bring harm." Sayuri turned her gaze to Conrad, curious.

"Are you not an Exalted then?" she asked him.

 

[MasterDAF]

Conrad listened to the large armored man's testimony concerning the raw power provided through the process of exaltation. He responded to Garret's verbal cautioning with a shallow smile. "Thank you, sir, I shall keep your advisement in mind."

So he is an exalt as well? And fairly new to it, as seemingly indicated by his explanation. I wonder, by whom was he blessed?

The young Solar nodded along silently as Lady Droplets made mention of her previous night's accomplishments and reiterated her willingness to make good on her threat. He held his tongue in response, worried further pressing might lead to the large wasp-like creature stirring at her side to be allowed a chance to vent her frustration upon him. If that were to happen, Sabah would undoubtedly have something to say about it. There would be no hiding their true natures at that point.

"Unfortunately," Conrad directed his remarks to Sayuri, "I was never graced by the dragons." Considering the storied exigent exalts he had heard tales of from across the world in Great Forks, he added, "nor any other enterprising gods for that matter."

He continued to stroke Sabah nestled in his arm, and a reassuring smile spread across his face. "Yet I was gifted grace by my mother. Martial aptitude by my father. And a host of other natural talents and abilities honed under the watchful eyes of the best tutelage one could provide." He nodded to Sayuri. "Given time, I shall prove myself a worthy asset to you, Lady Akechi. Simply point me in the direction of your enemies, and you shall see what I am capable of."

 

[Sherwood]

Sjet thinks back to a time in her youth when she made her mother mad, and is now quite glad that she didn't get as angry then as she is now. She first looks over at Conrad and says, "You would do well to remember your place here, a mortal in the presence of multiple Exalts of various types. While you may have many useful skills, there is only so much you can do in comparison to the Chosen here." She then looks over at Droplets and says, "Mother, you could be a bit more . . . diplomatic in your dealings with Conrad. He may be only a mortal, but his skills as a leader of men can be of value against the Bronze Tide. Let us all try to remember that they are our true enemy, not one another."

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Droplets looks Sjet in the eyes. Can she not see that no mortal could have stayed stoic in the wake of her words? And then shakes her head. Perhaps it is the folly of youth, or maybe just her eagerness to find Artifacts of her own and to uncover the secrets of the Manse. Her features tone down, slightly and she turns to Conrad "Perhaps, as Sjet says, I should be more diplomatic with you. But I've lived for years in the wilds beyond the city's walls, so diplomacy isn't my strong suite." And she lets this half-assed sentence stand as a sort-of-but-not-quite-an-apology.

 

[MasterDAF]

Conrad waited quietly for a moment after Droplets finished speaking, expecting her to continue where she left off, then realized she had concluded her half-baked apology. "Oh. Well, perhaps we both started with the wrong foot forward." He forced himself to smile at the elderly woman. "I look forward to us finding better footing as we learn to work together," he motioned to Sjet, "just as the young lady mentioned."

Sabah released a content yawn and arched her back. The feline Lunar stretched in her mates's arms and flexed her claws so that they lightly skimmed across his skin without leaving a scratch in their wake. His eyes turned back onto Sjet, pondering her words. 'A mortal in the presence of multiple Exalts of various types.'

Lady Akechi's physical display of elemental characteristics seemed to mark her as a likely child of Sextes Jylis. Yet the others present did not seem to display similar elemental characteristics. He doubted an entire group of exigents would be active this far west from the Scavenger Lands. So where does that leave the rest of them? His gaze shifted across the group. First the undead woman's odd castemark, and now this admission that they include a variety of blessing-bearers within their ranks.

Perhaps my mystery Solar circle-mate is hidden among them? The possibility brought him a pleasant sense of warmth, but this was immediately extinguished by a subsequent dreadful thought. What if it's that horrific undead exalt? What if she cast some kind of wicked spell against the Bronze Tide's invasion, and now in the aftermath this unpleasant bloody wretch is all that remains of the former golden woman I am searching for? The thought was enough to tie his stomach in knots, but he willed himself to ignore the unsettling assumption. For now, his focus needed to be squared on pushing out the invaders. The truth of the matter can be revisited, and if necessary dealt with, later.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Droplets turns to Sjet "I understand you wish to explore more of the Manse, now that you've taken possession of it. We should learn more about it, and how it operates, so that we might make better use of it next time the Bronze Tide tries to attack. Granted, they will also be more prepared for the Exalts they know about."
She then turns her attention to Sayuri "And I understand your house's lands beyond the walls are dealing with some of the remnants of the fleet. We should deal with them also soon. While I am sure Conrad here is more than capable, it might be best if we can show them what Exalts do when faced with a ragtag army. And it would let me hone my very own newly awakened knowledge of warfare, and my knowledge of the wild lands around the city."
At last, she turns to Garret, and pauses a bit before she speaks, as their bond is new and both exciting and terrifying "And what do you wanna do? What is it you wish to accomplish?" And feeling sheepish she adds "You said we're bonded, but would you follow me to the Underworld if need be?" And while that remark was said to Garret, it was intended to gauge Conrad's reaction to this. Trying to see what he might feel about Lunars, if he could figure or suspect it.

OOC

If need be, Droplets will make a read intentions on Conrad, with full excellency, for 10 dice.{/OOC]

 

[Sherwood]

Sjet nods, saying, "I suspect that there is something in the Manse trying to communicate with me, and I am unsure as to what that is. I have also discovered much to my own chagrin that I cannot rely upon my own powers to defend myself against the swords and spears of the enemy, and I hope to find some armor that will be useable by me in there."

When the question came up of going into the Underworld, Sjet perks up. "I would love to go to the Underworld to see for myself as to what I have learned in both books and lessons at your feet. Mother, you can count me in." She looks over at Garret, wondering what his response to this question would be.

 

[Psychie]

Garret shrugs his shoulders and says, “Why not? I have to be somewhere, right? I just don’t know much about the place, so I might be more of a hindrance than a help until I learn the ropes of the underworld and who to not piss off.” He looks around at the assembled group and continues with, “I did say to Sjet that I would be willing to aid her in her efforts to explore the manse, and I am not a person to go back on my word. So I would hope that I can do one then the other instead of getting pulled in two directions at once.”

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Droplets smiles at him "Of course, I wouldn't force you to go back on your word. And as I said, I'd help Sjet explore the Manse as well. After that, I can take whomever wants, into the Underworld, and be your guide there. I think it would help if several Exalts show up there, and reiterate to the lord of the city's mirror that we're commited to the defense of both, as long as he keeps his side of the bargain to help the living."

 

[Equusheart]

Sayuri eyed Conrad with slight concern, but ultimately pushed the uncertain feelings away. Lord Paolo had said that he trusted the young man and Sayuri trust her vassal. She could only hope that trust wasn't misplaced.

Turning her attention back to the others, she listened as they spoke. Nodding when Droplets asked about the Akechi House's dealings with the barbarians. Yes, they will be dealt with.

The conversation shifted to the Underworld and Sayuri, while the idea of the place made her stomach twist, nodded to show her support.

 

[MasterDAF]

Conrad listened studiously as the group discussed the city's manse and its future application against attacks by the Bronze Tide. He took definite notice of the mention of Sjet's ownership of the manse and filed that away to the back of his mind for later consideration. Then, as the conversation turned to warfare, he offered a curt yet supportive nod to the elderly exalt's remarks concerning the assault of the remnant invader force.

It was not until Lady Droplets mentioned her bond with Garret and their possible journey together to the Underworld that the young Solar's eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise. What kind of bond does she speak of? Certainly they are not bonded as Sabah and I, as that only occurs between the chosen of sun and moon. His subconscious quickly pulled together details he had failed to connect earlier. Garret's armor is unmistakably moonsilver, just like the members of the Silver Pact I met who wear it to shift with their form-changing. If he uses it for the same purpose, it stands to reason Luna must be his patron. His confident smile faltered. And if she truly is some twisted parody of a Solar that now serves the Underworld, then perhaps the two of them are connected by a perverse version of the Solar-Lunar bond I share with Sabah?

Conrad immediately pictured himself and Sabah, both worn ragged in the midst of their escape from Faxai. Three days in, bodies tired and energy well past spent avoiding imagined shadows and anything else the Lunar deemed suspicious, they took a necessary break to rest. They made camp within a dense plot of marshland, hidden amongst the jutting cypress knees and overgrown swamp foliage. It was here she would divulge the details of their age-old bond.

At the time, Conrad had wanted to continue on to safety and hold the explanations for another day. Anxious at the possibility of being dragged back in chains and paraded as an anathema, he wanted to put distance between himself and the reach of his mother's Dynast handlers. The deadly shikari were close on their trail, and the newly exalted Solar feared stopping for even a short time would give the hunters a regrettable advantage.

"Worry not, sun-of-my-sky," Sabah had reassured him, "the Moon blesses us this night." The Lunar took him gently into her arms and used her exalted gifts to assuage his fears. "In pools of moonlight, darkness can do naught but flee, yes?" She then convinced him to rest and become familiar with their history-spanning companionship before their trek continued in the morning.

The sun steadily dipped beneath the horizon as she explained to her mate that their bond was an ancient esoteric binding between the champions of Sol and Luna. It had repeated endlessly since the gods had first sanctified the union, and the two of them had successfully found one another time and time again. As the conversation ran deeper, Sabah helped her bondmate understand and work through the drowning wave of conflicting emotions and hazy memories that flooded his mind. The chosen of Luna expressed she had not expected to find him in the manner that had befallen them, but the Fickle Lady was known to act in mysterious ways, and she viewed it as a positive omen for events to come. Yet she also impressed upon her reborn companion a warning; if she should perish, it would be on his shoulders that this shared history be relayed to her new incarnation, that they may continue the cycle together.

Conrad blinked several times in quick repetition, and the memory he had been swept up in faded from his vision. He was in Ombrelune, and his vision was once again filled with the group of exalts standing before him, seemingly discussing further exploration of the manse.

He looked down to Sabah with a surge of appreciation, an immense feeling of gratefulness washing over him as their gazes briefly locked. The road following his exaltation had been difficult, and at times lonely, but he would do it all again just to relive every last moment shared with the exciting and loyal Lunar Exalt he now lovingly cradled in his arms.

After a moment, the Solar focused his attention back up at the task currently being discussed. Perhaps it was a mere trick of the light, or just an errant idle thought forcing its way forward. But for just the thinnest of seconds, he could almost believe that Lady Droplets had been watching him from the corner of her vision.

OOC

The gamer in me planned to spend essence to increase Conrad's defense and force a rolI...but as I was drafting the post, it occurred to me that this is too interesting/fun to risk being missed on a poor roll, lol. So instead I wrote the post in such a way that Droplets would notice a definite reaction from Conrad as he failed to fully cover his recognition/surprise to her+Garret's existing bond, and then after reacting to the bond looked obviously at the cat in his arms who's been acting out. Conrad has two intimacies related to Lunars, one being a major positive tie to his bondmate Sabah, and the other is a minor positive tie for the Silver Pact (which I'd imagine could be interpreted broadly as respect for Lunars in general). If you just want his opinion/stance on Lunars, I think revealing the minor Intimacy covers that. But I'd be open to Droplets perhaps suspecting 'something' to do with Sabah after that odd interaction, too, as another wrinkle to pursue as the story progresses.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Droplets continues with her conversation with the other exalts. "Then it is settled, we will head first to the Manse to investigate, and then harass the invaders in the countryside, and then those who wish, can come with me to the Underworld, so we can make a show of force there as well. I won't force any of you to go there, as it's not a terribly welcoming place, but I, at least, need to monitor it as well, lest the support of the ancestors is gone, and the Shadowland nearby might serve a new enemy."

While talking, she did keep an eye out on Conrad. Seeing his reaction, she suspected she guessed right, especially when she learned he seems to have some intimacy to a Lunar organization. That was an interesting tidbit. She might need to share that bit with Garret. If the Lunars are at least somewhat organized, they can bring him up to speed. And they all needed some help getting into their new roles. If the Lunars had a support network, best he can utilize it, as she planned to use the Black Heron's.

But she was puzzled by Conrad's look at the cat. Another mystery added. Was that a Familiar, like Thousandfold-Wings? Was Conrad a Lunar in disguise? If so, that's his warform like? And why hasn't he used it when attacking that invader in the forest?

OOC

I like that his actions actually made Droplets suspect that he's in fact a Lunar.

 

[Random Word]

Sabah hisses softly as Droplets' caste mark is revealed, fangs bared. Her back arches slightly and she almost leaps from Conrad's lap when Sjet addresses Droplets as mother, but with great effort Conrad can feel her freeze, muscles wire-taut under his fingers. Her fur bristles against Conrad's skin as Droplets' discusses her bond with Garret.

As they depart, Sabah nuzzles against Sjet's ankle and purrs, her tail twitching in Conrad's direction.


Fortress of Sunkissed Petals - Everyone - New Session (+10 XP, +10 SXP), New Scene

Sayuri, where did you tell your family you were going, and did you accept your customary honour guard?

Many make note of your passage through the city, especially towering Garret resplendent in his shining silver armour, but none dare stop you as you make your way through ruined streets up the hill towards the manse. A messenger politely delivers summons from the Counted to attend them and receive orders from the war council at your earliest convenience, but does not attempt to halt your progress. The sun glitters beautifully through the waterfalls descending from the Palace of Tears floating in the sky above the city, visible now as the haze and smoke of yesterday have been cleared by the morning sea breeze. Fire-gutted buildings still smolder, but the stonework buildings high on the hillside fared better than most, and the fighting was mostly confined to the lowland neighbourhoods. Some upland denizens have allowed many lowland families to shelter in some of their rooms. An intact roof goes a long way.

The interior of the manse is pristine, in contrast to the devastation outside, but as you pass through the stacks of the great library those most observant and sensitive amongst you can already feel something is off. The air here is slightly warmer than last time, and there are fewer of the tiny golden crabs that once seemed to continuously reorganize the books and scrolls under the watchful gaze of the great black control sphere at the top of the central spire, all according to some inscrutable design. Those that remain seem almost panicked in their movements, scuttling about from crevice to crevice at great speed as if hunted. The tiny golden crab in Sayuri's pocket quivers and digs itself deeper.

A small group of golden crabs quickly assembles at Sjet's feet, bowing and clicking their claws before scuttling off in a herd, periodically rotating their eye stalks to make sure you're following, pausing to wait if you are not. As in your dream they lead you down deeper into the manse, through lower levels of the library and into maintenance chambers and hallways no one has laid eyes on in living memory. There is no dust here, but there are signs of damage. Cracks in the wall, books toppled from shelves, eventually entire shelves toppled, great swarms of dismayed crabs attempting to right them with ingeniously constructed cranes and sheer force of numbers.

As you descend the air becomes hotter and thicker, heavier. It takes effort to draw breath, and when you do the air is is uncomfortably hot in your lungs. [Difficulty 2 Resistance + Stamina check or take 1 Fatigue. This hazard will mount until someone finds a clever solution.]

Finally you emerge from a side passage onto a grand staircase, broad enough for ten men to descend abreast, made of shining gold and luminous crystal. At its base is a round elaborately decorated chamber with three exits. The vaulted ceiling has a mosaic of the sun, the yellow crystal tiles shining almost as brightly as the real thing, blinding after the dim light of your descent. Two immense golden statues, regal and stately figures from some long forgotten past, stand watch over an ornate golden gate currently making a spirited effort to crush what remains of a golden statue between its doors. The grinding as the doors attempt to roll shut is a deep rumbling groan of protesting metal and stone. The statue has maintained a tight grip on its sword and shield, despite its predicament, caught as it is with legs on the far side and torso on the other, the doors slowly grinding its waist to dust. Its head and shoulders lay prostrate on the ground, unmoving.

Through the gap in the doorway cause by its body you can hear the distant sounds of pitched battle. No cries of pain or warrior screams, but the clash of weapons, the ring of metal, the stomping of feet, and violent and thundering crashes that shake the floor. The light spilling through the gap is brighter even than the mural above, the brilliant warm golden light of Solar essence, the strange figures clashing rendered as dark shadows obstructing the shafts of golden light.

To the right the passageway has largely collapsed, exposing what seems to be a large hallway running perpendicular below. Periodically it is filled with a raging firestorm, or rimed in ice as angry clouds arcing bolts of lightning glide through, with brief lulls of safety in between. To Sjet's gifted eyes this is clearly a massive channel for essence. Either its geomancy has become unstable and must be corrected or the flow needs to be routed elsewhere to make it navigable. This channel is the path Sjet took in her dream, though it was significantly less deadly.

The left hallway is, by comparison, quite mundane. The gates, less elaborately carved than those straight ahead, are closed. The scene depicted might be some sort of forge or workshop, but the door is hot to the touch.

The small group of crabs who led you here is scurrying about in all directions, seemingly torn on which direction to lead you. Periodically a plurality seems to form for one direction or another, then some number panic and abandon the group for a different cluster.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

As the temperature rises, Droplets looks at her companions. They all sweat, some more than others, and it's clear that if this continues, it might be too much for some of them. And so, she turns to them and says "This might get to be too hot for some of us, and if we want to all get there, I can make the temperatures drop."
As she says this, tendrils of her essence escape her form, as she subverts it to her will, attempting to summon a cold miserable weather in the area.

OOC

Spending 4m 1wp to activate Weeping Sky Lamentation and 3 m on Survival Excellency. Got 6 successes. Not sure what difficulty ST wants to set.

 

[Sherwood]

Before heading into the manse, the sorceress makes sure that her Virtuous Guardian of Flame spell has been cast, and sets the warding flame to hover above her head to grant an extra source of light to those that need it. Sjet looks around the lower chambers of the manse with wonder, looking at all the books that she had never seen before. She is careful to not to get distracted by all the new volumes to read but she does take note of the various tomes that will garner her attention at a later time.

Finally you emerge from a side passage onto a grand staircase, broad enough for ten men to descend abreast, made of shining gold and luminous crystal. At its base is a round elaborately decorated chamber with three exits. The vaulted ceiling has a mosaic of the sun, the yellow crystal tiles shining almost as brightly as the real thing, blinding after the dim light of your descent. Two immense golden statues, regal and stately figures from some distant past, stand watch over an ornately carven golden gate currently making a spirited effort to crush what remains of a golden statue between its doors. The grinding as the doors attempt to roll shut is a deep rumbling groan of protesting metal and stone. The statue has maintained a tight grip on its sword and shield, despite its predicament, caught as it is with legs on the far side and torso on the other, the doors slowly grinding its waist to dust. Its head and shoulders lay prostrate on the ground, unmoving.

Through the gap in the doorway cause by its body you can hear the distant sounds of pitched battle. No cries of pain or warrior screams, but the clash of weapons, the ring of metal, the stomping of feet, and violent and thundering crashes that shake the floor. The light spilling through the gap is brighter even than the mural above, the brilliant warm golden light of Solar essence, strange figures clashing rendered as dark shadows obstructing the shafts of golden light.

To the right the passageway has largely collapsed, exposing what seems to be a large hallway running perpendicular below. Periodically it is filled with a raging firestorm, or rimed in ice as clouds of shining ice crystals that arc bolts of lightning glide through, with brief lulls in between. To Sjet's gifted eyes this is clearly a massive channel for essence. Either its geomancy has become unstable and must be corrected or the flow needs to be routed elsewhere to make it navigable. This channel is the path Sjet took in her dream, though it was significantly less deadly.

The left hallway is, by comparison, quite mundane. The gates, less elaborately carved than those straight ahead, are closed. The scene depicted might be some sort of forge or workshop, but the door is hot to the touch.

Looking now at the three passages, Sjet points out the passage to the right. "That one is the passage that I took in my dream. It wasn't as deadly to travel then. I suspect that there is something of great import for me down in that direction, but until I can reset the geomancy or reroute the Essence to another path, we are clearly not going to be able to go that way. I wonder....." She looks at the broken stone and the lines of Essence flowing around, then closes her eyes for a moment. When she opens them again, Sjet activates her Charm All Encompassing Sorcerer's Sight, trying to see how hard it will be to try and repair the damage. Perhaps Garret would be strong enough to move the fallen stone to fix the Essence flows.

If no way to go in this direction can be readily discovered, she will then focus her attention on the passage with the sounds of fighting coming from it.

OOC Random Word Would it be possible to make an Int + Occult roll to try and Introduce Fact to say how the Essence flow can be repaired?

 

[Sherwood]

Sjet looks carefully, watching the bursts of uncontrolled Essence flash in the hallway and soon she thinks she can see a pattern to the deadly discharges. Looking down at the hefty pile of fallen stones she suddenly gets an epiphany. There were lines of magical materials forming faint but very important threads all over the face of the stones. When the stones were shifted, the threads were cut, and the normally orderly flow of power through the lines was building up in the hallway until it would discharge in the explosive display.

Kneeling down next to one of the fallen stones, she slips her hand over the face, feeling the fine lines of metal inlaid on it. With a nod, Sjet says, “It appears that the disruption to the Essence flow should be easier to fix than I had feared. These stones have lines of metal on them that controls the flow of Essence to the manse. If the stones are lifted back into place in the correct order and facing, the conduits will be able to channel the Essence safely once more.”

She then looks over at the hulking Lunar Exalt with a hopeful expression and asks, “Garret, if I direct you in how to place the stones, would you be able to lift them back up and into their proper position again? It may be that you will get a burn or two in the process, but you are the only one of us able to accomplish this task.”