Trial by Fire - IC Thread

[jaydude]

"I'm sure Dromond will understand us vanishing on him once he realizes the Wyld Hunt are here." said Kuaidao. "But whatever we do, we need to find Thallus first. Once we're all back together, we can get out of here at our leisure."

 

[Random Word]

Maja sighs, resigned, "Clearly we have differing definitions of 'leisure', but if we must. So, bookshops and libraries." Maja peers intently into the small bag in her hip, quickly searching her memories in the shining jewel for any likely destinations for Thallus. If she finds nothing, she accosts shopkeeps and passersby for directions and sets off as quickly as she can without attracting unwanted attention.

 

[jaydude]

Kuaidao looked surprised at that. "I'm just saying that once we're all gathered, we'll be able to leave this city whenever we want. I was assuming that would include 'as soon as possible'." he said.

 

[Random Word]

Maja smiles playfully, "I'm glad your idea of a relaxing afternoon doesn't involve staring down death. You never know with you heroic types."

 

[HumanPlus]

Rivers looks somewhat concerned at this suggestion. "Travel overland will be slower than by the river. Though I have a way we might be able to speed such a journey somewhat, and it would not be inconspicious, we might still find that the Enemy is waiting for us at our destination"

 

[jaydude]

Maja smiles playfully, "I'm glad your idea of a relaxing afternoon doesn't involve staring down death. You never know with you heroic types."

Kuaidao grinned at her. "Yeah, staring down death was how I earned my living. I'm gonna need some other way to relax."

 

[Random Word]

"I was enjoying the chance to sit back and relax on a boat, but unless you've got some magic up your sleeve," Maja looks at blonde-boy Rivers hopefully as she walks, "I don't see how we can get back on that boat and live. They must have seen it leave port and followed us, unless... do they only know where we are and not how we arrived?" She bites her lip, mulling it over.

 

[HumanPlus]

Rivers tilts her young face in thought and then gives an ominous wide grin. "Oh, i may have an idea"
She looks over the others "It might be an idea to get another look at the docks first, and all of you should consider getting your hands on a festival mask"

 

[Psychie]

Spider asks, "Any ideas on how many Exalts and regular troops we are dealing with here?"

 

[HumanPlus]

She gives a short shrug and answers "Ten of the Blooded from what i heard, some of which are currently spread around the city, supported by a warship full of soldiers"

Rivers then leads the others towards some other street stalls which sells festive carnival masks.

 

[Psychie]

Spider gets a wicked grin. "Well, if there are only a few in the city at the moment, we may be able to ambush them. They don't know we," she indicates Kuaidao and herself, "have our newfound weapons, and we might be able to take advantage of that fact, and maybe grab something more from them as they fall." She seems eager to give her new blades a try.

 

[Random Word]

Maja nods to Rivers, and then feels her heart race as she reports there are ten Dragons and a small army hunting them. At least there's a plan.

Maja looks at Spider with a complex mixture of incredulity, fear, and admiration, "There are ten, and you want to fight them? Even in detail there's a good chance some of us will die, and the city will certainly come to their aid. If we somehow kill or maim most of them we buy ourselves some time, but then we have to fight our way out of the city to escape. Anything less and we gain little at great cost."

 

[Psychie]

Spider looks a little pouty at that, then lets out a sigh. "I . . . guess you are right. Ok. We run. But I don't have to like it. But first we have to find Thallus at the library." She glances down at her new blades and thinks, You will get another chance to taste Dynast blood soon enough.

 

[Syvvaris]

A short dark woman shose face has seen better days sat down at the same table of Thallus as he sighed from the interruption of his favorite past time. Already having a guess of who it was after she spoke. "Why would you find me anywhere else, besides paradise? And I doubt after last night there would be many things that would alarm me." Thallus replied to Melinda. "You came, but we are not at the agreed upon place of meeting. So, besides the marvelous attraction of libraries; why are you here?" His eyes were only on her for a moment, just enough to get a good look at her and the Jupiter sign before they returned to the book he was reading. "Just to let you know, I may not be looking at you but I'm still listening."

 

[Sherwood]

She gives Thallus a sad smile. "I came to tell you that you are running out of time. One of my order discovered what I had done, and was able to gather a large group of Exalts to stop you. You must flee the city as soon as possible. I suggest you go by land, unless you can come up with a plan to deal with a Realm warship. Your Circle mates are already on their way here in search of you." She glances down at the various pieces of parchment and says, "I see your search to find a map was successful. Excellent. You'll need it to help you find the cache."

 

[Syvvaris]

Her words were cryptic and intriguing enough that he took his eyes off of the book he was reading and put it down on the table. "Hmmm... Are you going to do this every time I step into heaven?" He looked into her eyes with a blank face, "I would really like to hear what you did to wreck havoc in the lives of the others and mine." He crossed his legs and clasped his hands on his knee. "Better off, before you answer that, I would love to know how they're tracking us. Finding us docked in this city is not an incredible feat but more of how they know who we are and that we were aboard the Seagull?" He asked and was not willing to move without an explanation.

 

[Sherwood]

Her words were cryptic and intriguing enough that he took his eyes off of the book he was reading and put it down on the table. "Hmmm... Are you going to do this every time I step into heaven?" He looked into her eyes with a blank face, "I would really like to hear what you did to wreck havoc in the lives of the others and mine." He crossed his legs and clasped his hands on his knee. "Better off, before you answer that, I would love to know how they're tracking us. Finding us docked in this city is not an incredible feat but more of how they know who we are and that we were aboard the Seagull?" He asked and was not willing to move without an explanation.

She lets out a sigh. "You are right; you are being tracked. The details of this are a bit of a long story, but I'll do my best to summarize. In the Celestial City of Yu-Shan, there is a great artifact made by Autochthon himself known as the Loom of Fate. Members of the Celestial Bureaucracy can gain access to the Loom and read in its threads the fate of various individuals in Creation. That is how I found you, and it is how a different member of the Fivescore Fellowship was able to find you. Since the day that your future was read that you were coming to Sijan, I made a sacrifice to protect you to keep them from being able to read the Loom to find you like this again."

"You need to understand that there are two major factions in the Celestial Bureaucracy. First and most powerful is the Bronze Faction. They were the ones to support the Dragon Blooded in the overthrow of the Solars and Lunars back during the Usurpation. The members of the Bronze Faction are the ones feeding intelligence to the Wyld Hunt, helping them to find newly Exalted Solars and Lunars to kill them before they can come to their rightful power. Then there is the Gold Faction, of which I am a member. We believe that the Usurpation was wrong, and actively seek to restore the Solars and the fallen Deliberative. We work from the shadows, because the very existence of our type of Exalted is hidden from Creation. That is why you have never heard of the Sidereals before."

She leans back in her seat and asks, "Is this enough information for you to be willing to be on the move? You are running out of time, and soon the rest of your Circle will be here looking for you."

 

[Syvvaris]

"I love your honesty, Melinda." Thallus spoke after listening intently and committed the entire conversation to memory. There were many nouns to look up when he gets back to a library such as Autochthon, Loom of Fate, Celestial Bureaucracy and many more. Pleased to have heard a brief explanation, Thallus stood up from the table and patted himself down. "The information you gave me is enough to satiate my hunger for knowledge, but next time we meet. I will need more information, since I can tell that was brief to get me out of this amazing place." He safely placed his journal into his buff jacket and buttoned it up from his usual open look. "Do you know where the others are? If they know that the Seagull is the ship that we are on and what the dangerous ones look like? Also, do they know what we look like?" He asked a series of question on his way out, hoping that Melinda was behind him.

 

[Sherwood]

Melinda falls into step with Thallus. "I suspect that they don't know the exact location of you and the Circle, just knowing that you are somewhere in the city. They will have some trouble finding you, but I strongly suspect that they will use various Essence-based powers to find you, harnessing sprits to help track you down." As you step out into the street, you can see that the festival is in full swing, with the street filled with people in celebration.


For the rest of the party, you are close to the library. As you approach, you can see Thallus standing out front with a woman with him, a short dark-skinned lady. She manages to catch sight of you as the Circle approaches, and she points you out to Thallus.

Everyone is now together once more. The question now is, what are you going to do?

 

[Random Word]

"Thallus!" Maja cries as she sweeps through the crowd of revellers to grab him by the shoulders, "Thank the Great Tusk we found you. The ship's about to depart! Right now. You must have lost track of time in that library." She fixes him with a get on the ship or we're all going to die look, then jumps straight up, grabs a horizontal bar bearing a great celebratory banner, and pulls herself up, swinging her legs over to sit atop it and look down upon the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and mortals, may I have your attention! I present to you the finest musician in the Northeast, here all the way from Great Forks for your entertainment on this fine festival day! Lend him your ear, and if you are as enchanted as I, perhaps your coin." Even where her voice does not carry over the music and revelry her sweeping gestures, brilliant smile, and skin that veritably glows with joie de vivre captures the eyes of everyone in the small market before the library and guides them unambiguously towards Bard, her intentions obvious to any who witness her.

She grins down at Rivers, the heady rush of essence in her veins eclipsing her fear [You wanted a distraction? We'll give you a distraction].

Spoiler: OOC

Perfect Symmetry, 5m personal for Appearance 6
Appearance Excellency, 4m

Instill a minor tie of Fascination in the crowd, Appearance 6 + Presence 3 + Appearance Bonus 4 - Crowd 3 + Stunt 2 + App Ex 4 = 16 dice

5 hits

 

[D. Rex]

Bard was picking his nose when Maja pointed his direction. Apparently having not been paying attention, almost as if Celestia worked against notifying him of the events going on.


But who cared about all of that, a distraction was called for! Dragon Bloods be damned, now was the time for music and cheer!

He wiped his hand off and grabbed his lute, putting on a big ole shit eating grin as he hopped onto a table.

"Friends. Do I gave a treat for you! Clap along, sing along. Dance! Dance! And let the music enter every fiber of your being so that we might make this festival truly something special! And fellow bards, feel free to join in!"



With a laugh, he plucked a few simple cords that ring through the air, a masterful sound that cut through all the noise and voices.

His foot started tapping as he set the rhythm. "When you move it, when you move it, when you move it now...

"Oh. You said you loved me baby, and you just walked away
Tore a piece of my heart and I get it now
Drop-kicked my life, took all my posessions
I'm sick of it, I'm sick of it,
And I keep getting so burned
I'm sick of it, I'm sick of it,
And I keep getting so burned
I'm sick of it, I'm sick of it
You said you loved me baby, and you just walked away."

His fingers tore into the lute with an unearthly skill. Its music itself as if magic. To pierce the ears and hearts and a sound to make ones body want to move of it's own accord. The strings creating music that was almost impossible to not listen to.

Spoiler

The song




Charms used, 8 personal motes

Masterful Performance Exercise
Cost: 2m; Mins: Performance 3, Essence 1
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Mute
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None

The Solar’s talent is not free or instinctual, but rather the hard-won excellence that comes from a lifetime of practice. This Charm supplements a Performance-based action, granting one automatic success and rerolling1s until 1s fail to appear. This Charm also makes the Exalt’s 1s unavailable to magic that might interfere with her performance.


Respect-Commanding Attitude
Cost: 5m; Mins: Performance 2, Essence 1
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: None
Duration: One Performance action
Prerequisite Charms: None

The return of the Solars is a miracle never before seen. The universe inclines to hear their voices once again. When this Charm supplements a Performance action of any length, characters are inclined to stop and listen. This does not guarantee that the Lawgiver is persuasive in her arguments, but it does guarantee that her audience listens respectfully to her entire performance. Characters may pay one Willpower to leave the performance, but if they wish to interrupt or attack the Lawgiver, they must pay two Willpower, and may only approach her by blending into her demonstration, capping the actions of each affected character by their individual (Charisma + Performance) ratings until one of them is able to successfully stop her act. This Charm does not function after combat has started, but if activated beforehand, it remains active after Join Battle has been rolled, up until the Solar is forced to stop her performance.



Perfect Harmony Technique
Cost: 1m; Mins: Performance 3, Essence 1
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Masterful Performance Exercise

The Solar can shape her voice, or the voice of her instrument, into a perfect harmony of sound. This Charm supplements musical performances, granting them double 9s.



Roll

11 die, double 9s, reroll 1s, +2 w stunt,

+1 successes w stunt, +1 success charm


5 successes

 

[Syvvaris]

"Good thing I'm spirit inclined. I'll know if a spirit spots us and has malicious intent." Thallus assured Melinda. "At least that's what I think the metallic taste in my mouth is."

Melinda pointed out the rest of his group and one of them weaved through the group to grab his shoulder and called out his name. He felt horrible, he did not know her name. "Oh Hi... I'm aware of the dangers." Thallus hesitantly spoke after she in 'code' about the arrival of the Realm's Warship. She nearly vanished before he could get anything out. Up onto a flagpole trying to draw attention to herself and the others. "Um... Wait...." He tried before Bard became involved. "That's not a smart move..."

He turned to the others and pointed at the two. "Are they and you guys trying to get found out?

 

[Random Word]

Maja drops down beside Thallus, whispering in his ear, "I may be mad, but there is method to my madness. Rivers has a plan to escape by sea, but if we're to set foot on those docks again, I'd rather do it lost in a crowd of a thousand revelers than out in the open. Better still if it's 'led' by someone who isn't us. Consider racking that prodigious mind of yours for a way to make that happen."

With a wink she sets off, the crowd parting like water around her, to corral, cajole, and tempt as many musicians as she can find to join Bard in the celebration with caresses, compliments, and butterfly eyes - the more musicians present the harder he will be to pick out, and the larger the crowd they can draw. Once she's swept as many as she can into the growing celebratory wave, she'll return to the group.

Spoiler: OOC

Let me know if you want me to roll for that.

 

[Sherwood]

Melinda looks at Thallus and says, "There are worse things to do. The Dynasts may be less inclined to undergo a pitched battle with so many civilians around to be hurt by it. Unless we are dealing with fanatical ones that would attack, no matter what. But I hope that this will be enough camouflage to get us to your ship unmolested."

It takes a moment for the crowd to warm up to Bard's performance, but as he sings, they begin to feel the magic of his music and are allowing themselves to be swept up in the excitement. Dancing and singing along, the people are really getting into the song.

Everyone, please give me a Perception + Awareness roll. HumanPlus , you get a bonus of +3 dice to your roll.

 

[D. Rex]

Perception + awareness

6 successes