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Trial By Fire - Exalted 2e IC Thread

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Darian gives Annika a tired smile as she walks. "Uhng. I had heard about how taxing that transformation would be, but until now, I have never tried it myself. It does take a lot, not just to turn into the form, but to change back. The longer I stay like that, the harder it is to return to myself once more. More than one person has lost themselves in the dream and have never returned." She stumbles a bit, feeling totally drained before she catches her balance again. "Fear not for me, my friends. I am in no danger anymore of becoming lost, and these scratches are trivial compared to the arrow I took before."

"Let us get back to Gwynnin and where we can all rest and recover from our wounds."
 
Aredin motioned for the circle to gather around Annika, prisoners in tow. With a heave to lift Darian off her feet to relieve the pain he merely said, "We'll have to catch up with the bulk of the refugees once we've had a chance to recover. A bath and dinner sounds amazing right about now."
 
The battle was over. Ragnar took a deep breath, to try and calm his anger like a swordsman might shield his blade. It helped. Moving his focus away from the battle towards the exalted with him. The king was clearly a swordsman without peer, him and the exceptionally agile Annika. And his wife, certainly must have great power to take the form of such an avatar. The lunar, in her impressive and powerful beast state, was an equal sight to behold. And not to forget the young archer whose shot across the battlefield helped him break the Sidereal.

With his reflection of the battle, his anger subsided entirely.

And without it to sustain him, he began to feel the familiar sting of wounds. Minor wound to him, not even worth considering as they would be gone in a matter of hours.

"If you would have me, I would be honored to ride in your magic sphere." He said, smiling at Annika.

He addressed all of them, next, "I am not a man of many things, but when we return, please allow me to thank all of you in the way that we can for the help you have gave to us today."

"I do have a question. King Aredin, what is it you intend to do with... them?" He asked, gesturing to the captured Dragon Blooded. The distaste he had for them clear in his voice.
 
Though tired, Aredin spoke in a very matter of fact tone. "They will be shown the truth and given the chance to repent. Then they will become loyal vassals like the gods intended." Letting that thought sink in for a moment, he then spoke again to explain. "My wife and I are in a rather unique situation compared to most monarchs. Our authority is based on the power in our hearts. Try as we might, we cannot pass everything down to the next generation. At least, not like they can. As we expand and provincial governors are appointed, I will need a system of stable Exalted lineages that continue many generations into the future. They will be the host of Exalted that expand in numbers as we prosper those in our care. So we will make even these men, so full of hate, understand our longing to make a better world a reality." With that, Aredin tries to shove worries of a distant tomorrow aside and merely said. "So in short, I have a legitimate use for their continued survival."
 
Darian looks at the two Dynasts with some sympathy in her metal eyes. "I am confident that with some time, I can convince them to accept us as their rightful rulers and be willing to stay with us willingly. I can be very persuasive when I set my mind to it." She looks back to Ragnar with a smile. "We have lots of time to make our case to them, but I fully expect that it will not be long before I can have those chains taken off. Now, let us return home and treat our wounds, and prepare to receive the followers of our fellow Solar that are still on the road."

The slim woman lets out a wince as her side aches, then strides confidently to the Globe of Transport.
 
Ragnar gives the dragon blooded a murderous side eye. Not because of their exaltation, per se, but because they were part of the Wyld Hunt. If he had it his way, he would have had them executed. Villains they were, with no qualms about murdering anyone. Indoctrinated by propaganda they may be, but is indoctrinating them a different direction the answer to healing such major wound to their moral compass? Could they be trusted?

But, Ragnar had to admit, he did not know the methods of the King or Queen. Maybe she really could break the shackles that claimed their hearts and turned them into monsters, maybe they could repent. A larger question, perhaps, would be if Ragnar himself could bring himself to forgive a repentant one. Would he be able to separate them from the Wyld Hunt.

Regardless, that the King wished to use them, was something he would respect. "You wish to build a solid foundation of which to grow on. That is wise. A stable and prosperous future, that is something I hope I can help you achieve." But that is something they would be able to discuss later. Once things had settled down and Ragnar had tended to his flock, and the King and Queen have had time to discuss recent events. Ragnar hoped to have an audience with them of offering his service as their retainer.

With that, Ragnar too stepped into the sphere. Keeping a critical and watchful eye on the two prisoners.
 
Once everyone was gathered around her, Annika would channel her essence into the Globe of Transport, which would expand to envelop the group in a globe of crystal and essence.

"Back to Gwynnin." said Annika. The globe took off and started flying, and barring any complications during the journey, the Solars and their prisoners would soon see the town of Gwynnin getting ever closer.

Health:
-0: XX
-1: XX0
-2: 0000
-4: 0
Incapacitated
Willpower: 3/5
Personal Essence: 7/17
Peripheral Essence: 14/42

Buffs: Infinite Melee Mastery (6 extra dice), Flow like Blood (No DV penalties from onslaught or co-ordinated attack)
Debuffs: Wound Penalty (-1 dice)
 
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Over the course of the next hour, you make the trip back to Gwynnin and start to get your injuries treated, and you check up on the status of Ragnar's followers and the preparations that are being made to house them all. Everything is proceeding smoothly thanks to the efficient bureaucracy that has been put in place.

Soon enough, the refugees can be seen approaching the gates of the city, and they are being welcomed by the various people that are waiting for them. Food, water and medical attention for those that need it are being provided, along with rooms to be able to get some much needed rest for the weary travelers. It is almost a feeling of a celebration to the people of Gwynnin as the news of the defeat of the Dynast force spreads through the city.
 
Upon returning to Gwynnin and having her wounds treated, Annika would hand the Globe of Transportation back to Aredin and leave the other Solars and the refugees behind, making her way to her gang's headquarters. Taking a deep breath and giving a familiar smile as she lay eyes on the entrance for the first time in so many days, she reached forward and pushed open the doors.

"Everyone! The boss is back!"

Annika would grin as she was all but mobbed by her thieves, all of them glad to see her again, and eager to hear about what had happened in Rathess and the earlier battle with the Wyld Hunt. After a few seconds, she would hold up a hand in an unspoken call for quiet, after which the room became silent.

"I'll tell you all about it, but right now I need to go and write it down before I forget anything. But once I'm done with that, the drinks are on me."

This bought loud noises of approval, before Annika was able to make it to her office. Sitting down at her desk, she took out some paper and ink, and started to settle back into the surprisingly familiar rhythm of paperwork.
 
Aredin escorts his wife to the physician so the two of them can be treated while smothering pain and fatigue with wine. Once they seemed in decent shape to start the healing process, he'd spend the evening interacting with the people of Gwynnin after having been away for so long in recent times. He'd also make a point to see how the last two Dragon-blooded they added to the fold were doing.
 
Heaven allows himself to get lost in the crowd, enjoying the attention and cheers he receives. He especially appreciated the women grabbing hold of him on occasion, hugging him or pecking his cheek, but after awhile he wandered off on his own, looking into what was coming next for him.
 
I've already spent most of my banked xp on new Charms and being able to speak High Realm after the timeskip. Perhaps if Annika focuses on learning all of that, besides her usual duties and setting up spy networks in both Gwynnin and Chaing-Dav (for when we move to conquer the place).
 
Heaven would probably work on developing further his associations among the elemental spirits, seeking those with power and old forgotten knowledge, hopefully to find lost places of power in the land left unclaimed and take them for himself (and have powerful spirits on call to help dissuade potential threats from bothering him)

He would also help Sirocco through her first level of sorcery and the sacrifice, perhaps second as well, if time permits. And finally he would take on his final level of sorcery and I guess start learning new, reality shaking spells. Things are kind of awkward there, however, until they talk about things.
 
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Sirocco would train with Heaven on her Occult, Intelligence, and will unlock the first Circle.
In addition, she will train her Martial art, completing Dagger Wind Style, and gaining Instinctive Dexterity Unity, and one instance of Silver Lunar Resolution, to add 10 motes to her peripheral essence.
I haven't decided on what spell she will learn, but likely Death of Obsidian Butterflies.
 
Here are Aredin's agendas. I'm going to be leaning on several members of the circle over the course of these projects, feel free to respond as you want.

Internal Matters
Note: Special thanks to Darian and Annika, I couldn't pull these off without them.
Aredin wakes up the morning following the great battle against the hunt with great zeal. He was home with his dear friends, a community he shepherded by hand, and the loveliest wife he could ask for still by his side. Once the royal couple was prepared, he headed down to his conference room in which he had previously met with hostile terrestrials. "Bring them in Ram. We've about exceeded a reasonable grace period anyway." He'd wait as the two local peasants feeding information to foreign powers were escorted and subsequently seated after having their chains removed. Should they have time, Darian and Annika would be invited to meetings regarding Dragon-Blooded and those operating under their lies.

"I apologize for the extended delay of your audience. I hope your accommodations have been more than tolerable in our absence." The king looked at the slate board behind him, still dusted with a chalk illustration of the truth. It was one he didn't care to redraw each time new individuals arrived with ill intent inspired through various deceptions. "You know who I am, why you're here, and what has landed you in the seats in which you now sit. So I will keep my inquiries brief. I want to know what it is you expected to find here. What are your thoughts now that you have lived among us. I want you to confess your crime of espionage, who sent you, under what pretenses, and the content of all information you have divulged thus far. Depending upon your answers, I may have use for you. If you chose to remain defiant then I will have to complete the cycle of justice, and the sentence for such things is death. You've been among us long enough I would much prefer to pardon you and let you return to your families, but I am obligated to protect the community here from the whims of the deceived."

Should they comply, things would proceed as Aredin promised. They would be released to their homes as loyal subjects for purposes of counter-intelligence or potentially ambassadors.

Should they refuse, Aredin would see that they are brought on trial. Warrants would be issued, searches would be completed, and the judgment would be passed upon them once the evidence was in. Essence was best saved for the following meeting.
Once the decision was made for the spies from Lookshy and the Realm, Aredin took a recess by heading to the prison in person flanked preferably by Ram, Ragnar, Ragara Hax, and Mnemon Darma among various footmen of the guard. He stepped inside the prison and unlocked the doors to their cells and beckoned them forth with a gesture and proceeded to remove their bindings. He spoke to them in High Realm as a courtesy to ensure his words would not be misinterpreted. "It's time we take a pleasant little stroll. You will not be granted your weapons and armor at present, but I will allow you the dignity of walking as my casual guests." He offered with a smile. As his entourage surrounded them, he moved to the exit and out toward the streets of Gwynnin to take a slow lap of his growing domain.

"Now then... you see all these people here? Working... playing... smiling... Those over there, they are training. Why would I have the small people of my little slice of paradise prepare for something as brutish as war, one might ask. Well, I'm glad you're just grumpy enough to keep to your silence. I'll explain directly and quickly. I once had a family like a normal threshold peasant. I was but a young boy in Yane whose father took to the inland sea to harvest its bounty for our living. Both of my parents and my identical twin sibling perished due to a particularly nasty march of... hm... I guess you'd call them goblins... lesser fae, vermin, all the same really. Regardless, every living relative I had known was devoured before me at a very tender age. Now I want you to look back at each of these people and see their faces. Tell me, do you think many of them capable of warding off Fae? Ghosts? A hungry Tyrant Lizard? No? Well then, are you capable Exalts on hand out here to protect them? Oh, right, no you're here to kill him." Aredin stopped to point at Ragnar. "To kill me and everyone ever associated with this golden solar anathema farce you were fed by a pack of celestial desk jockeys with trust issues. Well damn, what good are you to them?" Aredin paused for a moment to let the grumbling commence.

As they reached about the halfway point he intentionally would interrupt their complaints, assuming they were still of a mind to voice their malice. "What we strive for here is unity of purpose. A place where we can come together and prosper. One where the strong stand up not only to lead but to protect their neighbors. One where everyone can channel their strengths for both personal and communal growth. Where the Mandate of Heaven is upheld and the host of the Exalted is complete. Sun, Moon, Stars... Earth. You might say that's rather lofty coming from a man that cut down half my unit and nearly murdered myself or my neighbor. I'd be inclined to agree. It's a rather high goal when most of your kin will summon demons to march them upon those you've been told are possessed... by demons." He finished his mocking jabs at their attitude and beliefs as they reached the tower and headed toward the conference room.

Aredin went through his spiel much as he had with Darma and Hax and allowed the former Dynasts to interact with these hunters as necessary. Ideally, Darian would be on hand to finish convincing the pair of prisoners to see the truth and join the new nation of a completed Exalted host.
The king spent the day following the judgment of the prisoners bringing the host at large in on a feast for the two liberated from their chains in the city of Rathess. "It's been extremely hectic and our battles hard won. It's past time we celebrated our new friends here, Rogosh and Voice. Both have been bound and restrained, either physically, magically or both. Now that you are both free, I'd like to formally and personally welcome you to our home. I hope you both are able to settle here in comfort as we have."

As the days went by among other works, Aredin would encourage Dunbar and Voice to research the nature and origin of the Abyssal Exalted. A conflict with Voice's previous master was inevitable and the circle's experience with the realm of death was very limited. Any findings that could be spread to the Exalted host would be vital in their preparations to defend their new ally. Heaven would be offered a generous retainer as a consultant should he chose to invest the time in this particular academic research.

Rogosh would be brought in council when willing and able to attend various meetings. For the time being, he thought it best not to ask him back to Rathess and give him a chance to spread his wings elsewhere. Aredin plans to involve Rogosh in diplomatic contact with other Lunars.
Aredin will endeavor to grow his own personal cult among his people, both in Gwynnin and in Rathess. He will also be dropping hints occasionally that he would like to see the formation of a new great gens/house among their number. If only there were a loyal family of Terrestrials within their borders. There is also a desire to hire a savvy steward to manage the personal affairs of the royal house and the financial administration of the city in Aredin's absence. [I am interested to see if there would be volunteers since Sherwood knows these NPCs better than we do.]

Infrastructure Projects
Note: Each project is delegated to a minister who is subject to the authority of Viktor, Lord Architect.
Aredin calls Viktor and various scribes and ministers to the conference hall. First order of business is to appoint a counselor experienced in the creation and manipulation of demesnes. Second is that all projects involving new construction are to go through Viktor's office for review. The goal is to enhance the essence channels of the city to yield a manse at Aredin and Darian's home, the Lord's Tower.

Hearthstone notes -OOC: I'm a little torn between the Song of Life Stone and Stone of Loyalty (both Oadenol's Codex p.100). If possible to foster multiple powerful demesnes in the area, that would be ideal, but possibly a bit excessive for how long-reaching this type of thing is. Any feedback from the circle is welcome.

Additional note -OOC: Later on when we start establishing named Terrestrial houses, we will likely need manses with the Dragon's Nest feature given how thinly blooded our population of Terrestrials will probably be. This is probably far down the list given the demand for new and potent hearthstones for the circle as a whole.
The day after the circle returned, Aredin will have given the order to construct new housing districts, both to accommodate population growth, as well as the myriad of refugees coming to the budding city. Financing is handled from the King's own coffers and is still subject to geomancy driven building codes.
In the same breath as the housing effort announcement, Aredin stresses the importance of implementing sanitation protocol outlined in the tomes recovered from the old crypts south of Chiaroscuro. All new homes are to be designed to conform to sanitation and plumbing standards and old homes which lack it are slated for retrofitting. This is to prevent plague and disease from decimating national operations. Financing is handled by the national budget.
With the knowledge both from the crypt and soon to be coming from Rathess, it is now more critical than ever to have a designated center of learning and research within the walls of Gwynnin. Finance is handled by the national budget.
In advisement of Ragnar, additional construction efforts will be underway with the help of military labor. As the city sprawl expands ever outward, so too must the walls and towers that shield the good hard-working people of Gwynnin. Building codes mandate Crenelated patterns with machicolations along the length of each wall and tower for the best possible counter-siege defenses available at present. Even military labor here is paid, so funding will cycle back through the local economy. Finance provided by the national budget.

Ragnar is appointed the title of Warlord and is tasked with training militias into combat ready status.

Military Efforts
Note: Mostly information for Ragnar and Annika
Aside from preventing leaks by espionage, Aredin has a personal priority for reconnaissance. For the sake of magical artifice projects in the future, the King has requested the Lady Shade and Warlord Ragnar to investigate information on any nearby Orichalcum lodes and what forces are garrisoned to defend them. Once domestic matters stabilize, a campaign will be launched to root the occupiers out by force so that Viktor can use the supply for his projects.

Chiang Dav remains on the radar for assimilation into the budding nation.
It's been no secret that the circle has been eager to bring as many Exalts as possible into the fold of Gwynnin. Any rumors of Outcastes, especially lone ones, are priority targets to get recruited. The globe of transport will be employed to scoop them up depending on how precise intelligence on their location is. Dunbar, and by extension Aysik, are encouraged to keep eyes and ears out for potential candidates.
Presently, only the goddesses and Dragon Kings occupy Rathess, they will need support and a reliable means of travel to and from Gwynnin. Worth noting that current travels have all been by air in fairly small vehicles. Passage for ships and/or caravans is ideal. The Dragon Kings on the ground could also use the training of a Solar Exalt to help them hold what's theirs.

Diplomatic Outreach
Note: Special call for Darian, Siroco, and Heaven on this one
Given Ma-Ha-Suchi's proximity to the growing domain of the circle, Aredin opts to send a missive by sorcery requesting a formal parley. Rogosh's and Siroco's presence is requested.
It's been a solid year since the circle has erected a temple to the Most High in Gwynnin. It's victories in Rathess and against the Realm have grown its political stature and it's beyond time to interact with the territorial courts over the land Aredin and Darian now reign. Efforts will be taken to build a rapport with the gods, however, it will be made clear who truly runs this world. Holidays and prayer are bargaining chips in the circle's pocket for obtaining these gods' aid.
It seems so convenient that Nexus is immediately adjacent to the same river network that brings Gwynnin such an abundance of life. It is rather unfortunate, however, that the Marukan Redoubt, owned and occupied by the Seventh Legion stands between us and the great trade capital of the East. In the interim, alternative trading partners will need to be located. As an addition to the nearby kingdoms, Aredin will still spite the Seventh Legion's watch by inviting the Guildsmen of Nexus to trade at the post outside of the city. Aredin will stress that his nation is a slave free zone and violation of his laws, boundaries, and people will be met with overwhelming retaliation. For what it's worth, Aredin also sends a similar missive to the administrators of the Seventh Legion, offering a parley and trade negotiations and notably less threatening undertones.
 
Below will be what Ragnar has been focusing on the past nine months.

For the King and Queen
Once Ragnar could find the chance to have a personal audience with the King and Queen, the solar would extend a proper introduction, and explained to them who he was and how he got here.

He explained how he was a simple warrior to a Northland Tribe. He described to them his wife, Lorana and his son, Nathor, and the life they lived. It was a modest one, but they were happy, and largely outside of the politics and drama of the imperial lands.

Ragnar explained to them, that it was his son who exalted. Nathor was touched by the sun's peak. He was his father's pride, and the joy of the village. The neighboring villages, too, when they learned of this, sent their regards, and a peace was brought about between the tribes as they all put their faith they as Nathor grew, he would lead them to greatness.

However, word had spread too far, as the empire had learned of the boy. From what Ragnar had learned, they believed the Legend of the Golden Bull of the North, and sent a mighty hunt to quash such a myth before it could gain steam. And quash it they did.

The Wyld Hunt came in full force at night. They ripped through nearby villages, until they found Nathor. They made an example of the boy, they destroyed him and all those who sheltered or defended him. Lorana fell when the boy was taken, and Ragnar, trying to protect his son, was impaled and cast down a fissure in the ice and snow, left for dead. The Wyld Hunt left, leaving nothing but death and ruin.

Defeated, and mortally wounded, Ragnar forced himself to climb out of the fissure. And when he surfaced, he saw the deaths of his son and his wife. He crawled through the snow and embraced their now frozen bodies as the sun began to peek over the mountains.

The Ray's of the sun struck him as he mourned, and their warmth turned into heat, and that heat turned into a roaring fire. Everything burned, and everything hurt. Ragnar found it hard to explain what happened after, but he saw the Sun walk towards him. She touched his wife and his son, and they turned to ash. She touched him and all his wounds burned away, and he could feel the fire inside of him be stoked. He could feel a great power grow. She spoke to him in words, words he couldn't couldn't understand, could only feel, but visions of war and loss poured through his mind. Visions of pain and betrayal. Visions of himself in the first age. He could feel what the Sun felt in that moment and mirrored his own emotions. He shared the fury of the sun. He knew what he needed to do, he knew what he wanted to do. The Sun was gone as soon as it came, entrusting his soul with her power. And Ragnar would rise as an avatar of the Sun's Wrath. He would destroy the Wyld Hunt, and the system that created it. For himself, who lost his wife and children, and for the sun who lost hers.

Ragnar would gather the tribes who suffered, and would lead them south. He would protect them, as his son was meant to, and together they would make the Empire pay for the slaying of their loved ones.

As they traveled, into a land foreign to them, they began to meet others who were willing to follow. Others who knew of the destruction of the Wyld Hunt. They would confront Hunts when they could as they traveled farther. Ragnar guided by a tug. To a place he knew he should go once he heard its name. Gwynnin.

But the disruption of this group would not go unnoticed for long as small groups of the Hunt began to disappear. It wasnt long before a band was formed to Hunt Ragnar and his followers, to destroy them before they reached Gwynnin, but lo and behold... they failed.

After explaining how he came here, Ragnar wanted to learn more about what the King wanted, and he would eventually kneel before them and swear his service and his loyalty. As their vision appealed to him, and it ran along line with his. A future where these crimes would never happen again. Where the Wyld Hunt and its directors would not exist.

For Ram and Hax
Ram and Hax. Ragnar had spoke their names with distaste. He would gather the two in private, and discuss with then his plans. "I will not hide my displeasure of your ilk. You and your kin have taken more from me than can ever be repaid. The visions I have had of the ancient age, do you no favors. But the King and Queen had placed their faith in you. I have faith in them, so i will look past who you are to me until you give me reason to do otherwise." Ragnar said firmly. Ragnar was not going to hide his displeasure from them. They had served the King and Queen, and it was the least Ragnar could do to speak with them sincerely.

"The King and Queen wish to see your kind as part of their world. The only thing I will ask of you personally, right now, is to show me a reason I too can put my heart behind that belief. Do this for me, so that I can be unwavering in my dedication to better myself for you, along with OUR soldiers."

In their tent, Ragnar sat down, and lit a pipe, "To business now. You two have been in charge of the Gwynnin forces. This will remain. Both of you will now bear the title Commander. We will divide our current forces into two Talon. Each of you will split your Talon into two Scales. Given your familiarity with them, you will pick a Captain and Lieutenant for each Scale under your command. You will then task each Captain to split that quarter into four fangs, and they will appoint an appropriate leader to each."

"While the Army is being sorted over the next week, my focus will be on the two of you. I want reports from you about our military. I also intend to personally find out how capable you two are. He put the two of you in positions over the military for reason, I want to see what you can do so that I can apply you to the fullest. I want to become intimate with your martial and tactical prowess."

"Once I have sussed that out. The three of us will drill ourselves once a day. We will push each other to our limits, and make what we are about to put our soldiers through look like child's play. Beating each other to an inch of our lives if necessary. We are Exalts. As such we are the beacons that our soldiers look up to, and our devotion to our cause and the betterment of ourselves will serve as an example for them. We can not expect them to give their all for us, if we are not willing to give our all for them."

Once the Army has had time to sort and organize. Ragnar would summon for every military personnel of the city. He would speak to them from atop the wall, with Ram and Hax present each on the sides of their respective Talon.

"Men and Women of the Might of Gwynnin. Today we will mark a new day. The future of our ideals are upon us, and we will be the ones to assist our Royals to usher it in. It will be through our vigilance and our strength that we will defend their vision, and clear that path on which the foundation of the future shall rest."

"Look around us." Ragnar said loudly, gesturing to all the military forces. "These are our brothers and sisters. The ones that we entrust our lives to, and the lives of our families, and our aspirations. Today, this family is small, but under the leadership of King Aredin and Queen Darian, our numbers will only grow. Of this, there is no doubt. But more than our numbers must grow, we must as individuals as well."

"I declare right now, that these two Talons, will be the pillars of nations strength. Though more will join us, you all right now will become the shining example of what they shall be. All future recruits will look to you in awe, and the stories of our victories will be passed along by the lips of every child and every bard. And the very mention of our name will cause Empire to hesitate and shudder.

Ragnar lowered his hands."We have a great amount of work to do. Our Lord and Lady work tirelessly for us, so too must we. Over the next few months, we shall train like never before. Let us push onwards, and be the pride of our Nation. Let us gain the strength to show other nations that it is possible to break the shackles of the Empires lies. Let us show the Scarlet Empire that our valor is unshakable. We will become the Rays of the Sun, and we will penetrate that darkness that has fallen over creation."

Training
Ragnar was nothing if not practical. These drills exemplified that part of his nature. He would get permission from the King for regions that he could clear. With a focus on roads, trade routes and directions of city expansion.

By the Scale, he would send his soldiers into manual labor. To build up their bodies, and get them used to the labors of war. There would be times when they would need to clear land, dig trenches, or gather resources, or build forts. Engineers were a rare resources, and he wanted to make sure they were prepared to work, and that they could provide themselves raw materials to create fortifications as needed. This, was also to ensure that there would be resources for defense and weapons in town, so as not to put too much extra strain on the Grand Architect.

On permissible lands, the Scales would be tasked to work together to cut down trees. Working in full armor. The would remove logs, and dig up stone. Then haul unusable resources to a stockpile back at town. They would march to and from.

This would be done three times a week by two Scales, the next week a different Scale would take that place while the other busied with other tasks and training. The days that Ragnar was present, he would work alongside them, making sure to be seen working twice as hard as they did. His Commanders would also not be immune to this work.
A core part of the training, and what many would be familiar with. Ragnar started the training of the forces with the basics. Spears. During these drills, Ragnar would go through the basics and make sure that every single soldier would know how to effectively use a spear. He would lecture on formations where they are most effective and how to use them to effectively break cavalry charges.

Swords were important, but it did not have the range of the spear, and when a spear proved ineffective, it was a lot easier to drop a spear and draw a sword than the other way around.

Shields were perhaps the next most important of the drills. And again, Ragnar insisted on pushing the refinement of the basics. Shields were one of the most important tools for a soldiers longevity. He would see to it that they familiarized with the different kinds they had available, and defense tactics with them.

Then came the last line of defense. When not going through the physical duress of Martial training, they would find time to rest while Ragnar explained to them the basics of hand to hand combat. He would eventually pair off soldiers to practice, different throws and punches and breaks. Ragnar would keep his eye out for any that showed promise or intrigue into furthering this skill.
Much like the training with heavy labor, this was also done three times a week and rotated between Scales. They would be sent into the wilderness, and would get used to marching through it quietly. While it was easy to write off as a "camping trip" it quickly became a bit more intense than that. This was done rain or shine, and through night and day. Soldiers would be shown how to Hunt and forage. How to start fires and build simple shelters. They become familiar with enduring the hardships of the wild.

More importantly, Ragnar would show them how to move effectively through the brush, how to move quietly and leave little evidence of your passing. All the while in full armor and in groups.

Soldiers designated as scouts would receive extra attention in this field. They would be shown how to hide and move quietly. Ragnars trappers and huntsman would assist the scouts by showing them ways of their trade.
Normal formation drills were an every other day occurence. Signals and and their meanings gone over daily so soldiers could respond quickly to their meanings. They would practicing changing and moving in formation. The officers would go over the various advantages and disadvantages of the formations, and be expected to their vulnerabilities as well. Officers were expected to study and be familiar with the arts of warfare, as any one was expected to take charge as needed.

In conjunction with the survival training, there were days that formation training was held exclusively in the wilderness. While it was more difficult, Scales were shown ways to communicate when lines of sight were obscured. And how to use combinations of tight and loose formations in cluttered environments to confuse the enemy. As well as how to take advantage of common mistakes Armie's use when keeping certain formations in woodlands.

This leads us to perhaps the most intense of the drills. Facing Exalts. Ragnar was aware that Exalts were one of the more intimidating things that they would face. He wanted to make sure they were prepared, and would not scatter at the first sign of power. This was played out in simple war games once a month. The method varied, but the one most commonly seen was as followed.

The day off would be given before hand, and officers would be expected to get together come up with their own strategy. They would be facing the three exalts in battle between the two talons. The soldiers would attempt to capture or immobilize the Exalts, while Ram, Hax, and Ragnar would simply try to rout the soldiers.

The process was of more value here than the outcome. This was a way that Ragnar could see first hand if they had grown, and to familiarize the soldiers with facing the power of exalts. He also wanted to show them that sticking together in formation gave them the advantage against Exalts. Normally these war games would last only an hour. But there was threat that the next wargame would last longer if soldiers did end up running away. And nobody wanted that, especially the medics.
True to his word, Ragnar would hunt down Ram and Hax every day. Where he would intend to put them through their paces, and encouragiled them to do the same to each other and himself. These sessions would be held in the main field that Ragnar usually used for training the soldiers. He wanted the soldiers to see that the exalted were training as hard, if not harder, than they were.

Thankfully, Ragnar alternated the focus along the days. So training would not always be physical. But when it was, he would see to it that it was intense. More cerebral training would focus on them discussing tactics and training methods, discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the scales, and discussing what areas they could best press the enemy for the greatest advantage.

Ragnar was counting on the assistance of Ram and Hax to help train these soldiers. That them combined would have the best chance of drilling the army effectively. And that the better the three of them were, so too would be the greater result.

Ram and Hax were also to be involved in the wargames. Sometimes, the talons would be put against each other. One would have two exalts, the other just one. The solo exalt being tasked to keep the two exalts from focusing on the troops of their respective talon, and to defend it. Ragnar wanted it to be witnessed the exalts were training to protect them, and explained tactics of how they could work together to better the odds. That it was soldiers and exalts working together to win, not just one fighting for the other.

Request for Heaven
Depending on the skills of Hax and Ram, training an army worthy to fulfill the collective vision was not something Ragnar could do alone. He would find Heaven and ask for his assistance, to personally assist in the training of Archers, or if Heaven could train Ragnar himself so that he could pass along that knowledge to others.

Personal
Every morning, when not summoned or on business from the King and Queen, Ragnar would sit by the river and watch the sun rise. He would take this time to smoke a pipe, as well as meditate and reflect on what was going on for the day. A small bit of time he took for himself, when not devoting it to his duties.
 
During these past nine months, Darian will spend some of the time traveling back and forth between Gwynnin and Chaing-Dav, plying her memory Charms to nudge the population away from the fanatical grip of the Scarlet Empire. She will start to do so during one of her performances of her dance, affecting everyone there with the quality of her show and the added benefit of steering their thoughts to be more accepting of the Solars. Anathama is a word that will be used less and less, and the words 'Celestial Exalt' no longer conjures up a image of the demon-creature that the Immaculate Order has labeled them.

Another project she will attempt to undertake is the initial contact with the Lunar to their south, Ma-Ha-Suchi in a diplomatic role. If their offered olive branch of peace is not immediately rejected, she would offer to show her trust by traveling to a location of his choice if he does not wish to come to Gwynnin to see for himself the good works that the Circle is building in the once small town.

With her small amount of influence and backing with the Guild, Darian will also try to increase the amount of trade coming their way, and try to send out feelers for other Exalts of all kinds that may be persuaded to relocate to their growing home.

Speaking of recruiting, she will spend a lot of her time in Gwynnin with the two Dynasts that were captured in the fight, working on their prejudices and slowly removing the layers of hatred, one by one. Darian wants to make sure that they see the good that the Circle is doing in the city, using Ragara Hax as an example of one of their own that has seen the light of the Unconquered Sun and has not had his soul sucked out by the 'evil Anathama'.
 
Here is a quick blurb about the results of your efforts:

With your efforts at building the military, your standing army has grown many times to be over 750 people with a further 150 reservists. The core force is working hard to train themselves up, especially with the large battle that took place between Exalts those many months back. With the hard work of Ragnar, Ram, and Hax the troops are getting better with their skills.


Annika's spy network has input several agents into the city of Chaing-Dav, and you are learning some interesting nuggets of information from them. The Vermillion Legion has a large force stationed in the city, upwards of 2,500 mortals, and many Dragon-Blooded. The troops are well armed, including many suits of powered armor for the mortal legionaries, and a Fang of Warstriders. They are aware of the buildup of forces in Gwynnin, along with the presence of the Circle of Exalts.

Darian's work of trying to alter opinions is making some progress, but the Legion itself is still a hard sell, especially with the military genius of Tepet Evaja present in the city. It is the general belief that it doesn't matter how many Exalts that Gwynnin has, with the Roseblack leading the forces, Gwynnin will have little chance against her.


Ma-Ha-Suchi is, at first, not very receptive of your efforts to make friends. It is at this time that Rogosh offers to go speak with him, saying that in his day, Elder Exalts were listened to by their younger counterparts, and since he is still alive, he still considers it to be in his day. After several trips made out to the other Lunar's holdfast, Ma-Ha-Suchi is now somewhat more open to the idea of meeting with the Circle, or at least, meeting with Darian. Rogosh is continuing to fly back and forth, trying to set up the meeting.


With the population of Gwynnin growing so fast, a great amount of effort is being put into expanding the city and its infrastructure. The city's defensive walls are being improved upon and expanded to encircle the outer ring of buildings that have sprung up to house the extra citizens that have moved to Gwynnin.


The Guild has begun to increase the number of transports that come and go to the city, with the bulk of the trade taking place along the Raerwin River using riverboats. The local river spirit is quite happy to have the extra attention that the Guild ships are giving it, and thanks to their devotions and those of the people of Gwynnin, the spirit has agreed to help control the flooding when the rainy season comes. There are plans in the works to expand the harbor to be able to handle the increased traffic.


The Dragon Kings in Rathess are working to maintain control of the city, and they are starting to work their way down level by level into the Undercity to clean out the dark, dank things that have made a home there. Sirocco's old friend K'rr'cheek is glad to see his student doing so well for herself, and is quite excited to hear of the resurgence of his people in the old city of Rathess. He takes on the effort of leading his fellow Awakened Dragon Kings on the long journey to join the others that you have found.


Dunbar and his mentor Aysik make frequent visits to Gwynnin and Rathess to offer up their support and advice. They bring with them knowledge and books from Yu-Shan to help with the basics of sanitation, clean water, and ways to maximize and expand the many fields around the city to keep enough food coming in.

Soon enough, we will begin the next arc of the story.
 
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Annika would find herself frequently busy over the next nine months, as she focused on serving Aredin and Darian as best as she could. She began scouring Gwynnin's citizenry for people who could keep an eye and ear out for information unlikely to be shared around the city guards. Finding such individuals wasn't hard; the vast majority of Gwynnin's people were heartily devoted to Aredin and Darian, and could be easily persuaded to put in a little extra effort in order to support them. Annika would do the same thing in Chaing-Dav in preparation for when Aredin moved to conquer it, frequently accompanying Darian on her trips to the town and finding informants among those won over by her beauty and "preaching".

With the knowledge that Aredin and Darian would inevitably go up against Tepet Ejava and the Vermillion Legion when they tried to take Chaing-Dav, and aware of their goal of assimilating the legion and its Dragon-blooded, Annika came up with an idea that she hoped would even the odds. Shortly after returning to Gwynnin, she convinced Idola, her loyal number two, to travel to Chaing-Dav and enlist in the legion, with the hope that Idola would be a source of information on its activities and those of its commander, and also be able to gain access to its intelligence.

Having provided the information that had led to the apprehension of the spies, Annika would sit in on Aredin's meetings with them, wanting to get some closure on the whole business. If the spies agreed to switch loyalty, Annika would try to convince Aredin and Darian to let them keep writing to their old masters, but with her people deciding what was written and what information was given away. This way, she reasoned, they could prevent the Realm and Lookshy from learning that their spies had been discovered, control the flow of information towards them, and potentially give them false information. Regardless of what choice the spies made, Annika and her people would question and interrogate them on what knowledge they had already passed to their masters, as well as information on how the spies of their respective nations generally operated, in order to aid in future counter-espionage.

Between her duties, Annika would learn High Realm from Aredin in what time the two Solars could spare for each other, in preparation for the next conflict with the Realm. As she was learning the language, she was also studying and learning Charms that had once been used by the Night Caste spymasters of the First Age. She became capable of leaping up to building roofs and across streets, changing her physical appearance with but a thought, and using her Essence to aid her in interrogations and investigating.

Her new skills opened up a ton of new possibilities for her. Using her ability to disguise herself and Aredin's Globe of Transportation, she would travel the nearby lands incognito, looking for magical material deposits that could be exploited by Aredin, Darian and Viktor, helping Sirocco search for communities of Dragon Kings, as well as trying to find Exalts who might be persuaded to join the circle. She had one major success in the latter, though ironically the Exalt in question came to Gwynnin, rather than being sought out by Annika. She was a Changing Moon Lunar named Gwen Nine-Tail, and after an appraisal period, she proved herself to be a trustworthy and capable spy with skill in seduction and trickery. Through her, Annika was able to learn some details about the Silver Pact, as well as the Lunars as a whole.

Near the end of a long night, as the Unconquered Sun began to rise back into the sky once again, Annika would be found sat on the roof of her gang's headquarters, watching the sunrise and thinking about everything that had happened since her exaltation, and how it had changed her. She would not deny it any longer; Aredin, Darian and the rest of the Circle had as good as become her family. They had all grown on her, as had the glorious new dominion they were all working to build. All of it had given her hope that the harsh world she had been born into and grown up in could be made better. She was determined to play her part in this process, and if she couldn't do anything directly, she would protect,and watch over the people who could, throughout the dark and shadow filled night.
 
As Annika is sitting in the sunlight, enjoying the morning, and a hawk comes arcing onto the roof and lands next to you, and it shifts forms to reveal Gwen Nine Tail. The last you had heard from her was two weeks ago when she was going to Chaing-Dav to check up on things there. But right now, she is breathing hard from the exertion of flying all the way back from the other city. Taking a moment to catch her breath, the Lunar finally speaks up. "Boss lady, I've just came from the command center of the Realm's forces in Chaing-Dav. There has been a slew of messages coming in and going out from there all night long, giving orders to Tepet Ejava, some contradicting one another. One calls for Ejava to immediately return to the Imperial City by herself. Another tells her to assemble the Legion and attack us here with everything they have got. Still another tells Ejava to return to the Imperial City, but with her troops. Finally, late in the night, the Roseblack received a message warning her that her life is in danger, and not to return to the Blessed Isle unless she plans to take the Throne by force."

"In response to these messages, Ejava has sent out several messages of her own, ordering the Vermillion Legion to assemble and to not to respond to anyone's orders except for her own. She has called for them to go to Paragon with all possible speed, using sorcerous means and airships to move troops as fast as possible. Since then, she has ordered the garrison at Chaing-Dav to be made ready to move. Apparently, the order is to clear the garrison completely, taking every man and women there. Finally, she has penned three messages and sealed them, sending them out with high speed messengers. I saw a part of one of these messages, and it was all about a tea party that Ejava had attended many years ago. I am betting that it was some sort of code. Tall and short of it, something big is going down."

jaydude jaydude
 
Sirocco wakes up slowly, her hand caressing the sweet form of Heaven. The Twilight is still asleep from their travel back to Gwynnin, after several months of staying in rathess and organizing efforts there. Sirocco is radiant, and caresses her belly, which barely shows, even though she's been pregnant for over 7 months now. But with her essence, she could feel the baby growing. Curiously, it seems that the baby is doing ok even when she changes forms, even though Heaven was at first perplexed, and was worried that there will be repercussion on the bay, but her motherly instinct told her otherwise.

Slowly, she entangles from him, and saunters over to the window, admiring the new vistas of Gwynnin growing. Who imagined that less than a year ago, when she and Heaven came to this city almost as beggars, with her attitude being more trying to intimidate, even though inside she was really fearful, both for herself, and for Heaven. She spares a glance back at Heaven. He is no longer the frightened boy she met. But was a man, and a powerful Sorcerer to boot. Probably one of, if not the only, Sorcerer wielding Solar Circle Sorcery. Oh, she knew well that the other Solars could also achieve this, but so far, they haven't made that effort.
 
"I see." replied Annika once her subordinate was done with her report. Her mind immediately got to work on analyzing the information, wondering what to make of it all. What was with the slew of orders Ejava had recieved last night? Who was the one supposedly targeting her? Why were she and her troops marching to Paragon, of all places? She thought about it, but she couldn't find any answers at the moment.

Reaching into her pocket, she took out a handful of silver coins and tossed them to the Lunar. "Thanks for the information, Gwen. Get yourself some rest and drinks, you've earned them both. Then wait in Gwynnin until I give you further instructions."

Having said that, she would stand up on the roof, intending to head over to Aredin and Darian and pass on the information. But at the last moment, she turned back to Gwen. "What of Idola? Is her cover still holding? Is she marching with the rest of Ejava's troops?"
 
jaydude said:
Having said that, she would stand up on the roof, intending to head over to Aredin and Darian and pass on the information. But at the last moment, she turned back to Gwen. "What of Idola? Is her cover still holding? Is she marching with the rest of Ejava's troops?"
Click to expand...
Gwen looks concerned, and says, "I am not sure, but I believe so. It will take the soldiers there a few days to be ready to move out, so she will have some time to decide to either go with them or slip out and come back here. I can try to slip into the barracks and see what her plan is, but things are getting a bit crazy there."
 
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