Green Flame Rising (Exalted vs Dresden Files)

31th of December 2006 A.D.

Gusts of wind throw up the soft, unsettled snow into wintry ghosts crowned with light and draped in smoke over Navy Pier: vivid crimson. blazing white, writ in flame onto sky and over water the exuberance of the crowds below made manifest upon the celestial plane, awaiting with hope with fear, with daring or with dread another year. All because on this day man had chosen to celebrate the turning of the year, the seasons to not change, the motions of the stars do not sanctify it and yet it's New Years, break out the champagne.


Hank is ridding around on Dad's shoulders proud as punch while Amanda judiciously guards a buttermilk doughnut from those, including yourself who had finished their sugary treats. Alas for everyone not riding as high as Hank it's hard to get a good shot without other people's phones and hands in the way, the crush of people such that that you would have to shove them out of the way. Or maybe... Hmm. A thought comes to you, wrapped in gauze, in the cobweb of ages. You nod along to the sound of distant music and smile, clearly having fun until your feet are not following the sound of the music any more, but some deeper rhythm. If people were fish in the ocean then you are the current moving unnoticed.

Lost 1 Essence (Anonymity Through Propriety) -> Now at 14/15

Without realizing why people get out of the way, letting you get closer to the shore. "Come on!" You glance back to see both your parents looking around confused. Oops, went a little too hard on that. "Mom, Dad, Daniel, Mathew, Leech, Amanda, Hope, Harry!" It is kind of funny the way their faces light up, their eyes, snap one by one in order, as you choose to interact with them and no sooner. "People can't notice me, but they still get out of the way, come on we can get closer to the water."

"Molly I don't think..."

"We can see fine from here..."

If it were up to just your parents maybe you would not have ended up parting the crowds, but Daniel and Leech do not need to be told twice and Mathew and Amanda are maybe five seconds slower, naturally falling into a kind of wedge formation that takes advantage of the spooky magic to get through...

All of you get some really good photos.

"Molly, that's not polite," your Dad says once that's done and the nine of you are a little further back.

"Well actually Dad," you give in to temptation. "That was supernaturally polite, so much so that people cannot notice me. I wasn't expecting it to work on you guys though, sorry. I got inspired."

"Well try to be less inspired from now on," Mom grouses, though her heart's not in it, as demonstrated by following it up with: "More coloring inside the lines lines sweetie."

That earns some laughs, including a giggle from the Hobbit who adds: "Molly you're a big girl you aught ta know how coloring works!"

You nod, not mentioning the feeling you get at the sight of people walking with champagne glasses by pyrotechnic light, serious businessmen, the kind usually so accustomed to drab suits, with their collars undone and singing off key. Over by the streetlamp a couple's kissing with the fervor of passion found, or maybe rekindled. A time of change and of transition. The name of it comes to mind, an old and jagged thing, yet light as snowflakes cast into the air: Calibration, when debts are settle,d pacts are made and all the world with chaos dances for a five-day. Say it the right way, in the right order and beyond all boundaries one might transgress.

"Ten..." the crowd around you begins to chant, your family joining in, each at his own speed. "Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four—" the sky booms, the crowds cheer and for a moment you wonder if something's going to happen, something big as it should with so many people inviting change, inviting chaos, into their lives— "three, two one..." You hold your breath.

"Happy New Year!"

Nothing but the sound of popping champagne and people toasting.

"I'd toast to a less eventful year, but I don't like to ask for the impossible," Dad jokes. "May the next year find us wiser and richer in spirit than this one left us."

You breathe a quiet sigh of relief... then turn your thoughts to what comes next.

What do you do on the first month of the new year?
6+2 AP Available (Extra AP from not sleeping may only be used to add progress)

School
Not that many months to go

[] Attend school you have friends at school and you would like the memories of senior year and graduation even if they won't be teaching you anything worthwhile (If neither School nor getting your GED is chosen Molly will systematically skip class)
[] Get your GED and get out, on the other hand you can think of better things to to with your time (Costs 2 AP, frees you from spending anymore actions on school)

Finances and Infrastructure
Though you are not tight for money you can think of places to make more

[] In the Sky a Thousand Eyes: If you see something you can stick a demon in it. It occurs to you that satellites are definitely something you can see with the right tools, though you are going to have to figure out which ones you want and what orders to give them.

[] A Big Score, your Crown isn't really made for picking out random numbers in a mundane draw, but it is still your power so you can push it that one time to win a lottery... any lottery. You will have to find the balance between payout and anonymity and some place to park the money but that seems reasonably doable with some help from mom and dad, and unlike some of your other plans they are unlikely to object to this form of cheating at gambling

[] Tools Redeemed: Thinking back on that paraphernalia you looted from the Fomori tantalizing insights come to mind... and more immediately relevant it will mean you can finally stop mooching of Harry's equipment. (Gain Alchemy Laboratory Halved XP price for reaching Alchemy 4)

[] NEW Sign of the Red Star: Get yo know your newest venture and how they might be integrated into the growing web of ownership and vassalage around you

[] NEW The Other side of the Mirror: Explore and secure Nevernever areas corresponding to the Last station

Investigations
At least the cannibal isn't around here anymore. Progress?

[] Look into the Minor Talents of Chicago, so far you have been isolated from the supernatural scene of Chicago, now that you can get in touch with them without necessarily having your dad with you all the time the time has come to change that... though given how both Mouse and McCoy thought you were bad news at first maybe you should bring dad or Harry along to some of them just as an introduction
-[] Alphas, friends of Harry, close to you in age and they work to keep monsters off the street near the University, they sounds really cool
-[] Friends in Low places, she might work for Marcone but Grad was really cool and you are curious about her. Fortunately you remember the number dad dialed to get in touch with Marcone
-[] Spirit Speaker, Mortimer Lindquist is the real deal, a real medium among the fakes and unlike Pauline he is good enough at it, or just good enough at marketing to make a job of it. His books are pretty cool as well

[] A friend in need. You promised Rosie that you would help and so you will, with problems material and ethereal
-[] UPDATED Dreaming True, Rosie is doing great so far, but she still needs more training before she can get a proper hold of her powers (0/15 progress)
-[] NEW Welcoming your Godchild: Rosie is due to give birth on the 10th, help her welcome the baby and settle in
-[] Moving out, you are of age now and you certainly do not lack for funds, the sooner you get Rosie out of that house the better

[] Blackest Name: In the final ritual to help Arawn you invoked something old and hungry, something that seemed to resonate with the purpose of the ritual, its name writ in a long forgotten tongue. Thanks to Bob you now know it involves the would-be-Draculas of the supernatural world, the Black Court. Maybe Lydia can help

[] NEW Servants of Darkness: Between your own insights, Lash's and the body of the fallen Akuma it occurs to you that you are in a good position to practice the soul trade... ethically, you are in a good position to practice the soul trade ethically

[] Seek Siriothrax's hoard: Two decades ago your father was called to slay a Dragon, a being of incarnate power new mortals have faced and lived, by faith and by skill the creature was slain and your mother saved, but its treasure and its body were never claimed. Now... well now you have a place to stash said treasures out of sight of any who might look in askance of your claim to them

[] NEW Viva Las Vegas: Thanks to Maeve you now know where Sandra is, a pity that is not on a tropical island where you can bag her and have a party afterwards. Instead it's in some kind of supernatural fortress on top of what she called a fraying in the fabric of reality, or a thing that doesn't belong... bitch.
-[] Optional: The Southeast is skinwalker country, much as you hate to think it maybe its best to have the devil you know under your eye. See what Broken Seeker is up to and if he knows something about the Sin Eater, its steward and the thing they guard (Costs +1 AP)

[] Higher Education: According to Od... that is Donar Vadderung Cambridge Massachusetts is in in a power void at the moment, one that given the power and influence certain factions of the unseen world could acquire by getting their hooks into the students early could be a lot of trouble down the road. On the other hand that very fact could be of great use to you. Check it out, see if you can establish a presence there. After all it is quite close by water.

[] NEW The Queen and the Kingdom: Get to know one of your lands and peoples
-[] Join Isabela ton a Conan-esque jungle adventure, it's sure to be a blast
-[] Introduce the Jade Dogs in general to your kingdom, some of them will likely prefer a world where they do not have to hide what they are

[] NEW Crown and Scepter, see what good your unique talents can be put towards in Sanctuary

Personal Training
You have been progressing in leaps and bounds in the study of the Qiao and you have been... exploding bottles less often in the study of alchemy. In both cases you are eager to learn more.

[] The Bridges of the Spirit, continue your training with Brother Divsimar not in the ways of the spirit but the mind, the Bridge of Dreams

[] Trading in lore, you have started down the path of learning alchemy from Bob... and revealing some of the deepest secrets of Yomi Wan, both very good things as far as you are concerned. (0/25)

Arcane Allies
For better or for ill you are starting to get a reputation in Chicago, best make sure it is more the former than the latter, at least with the more reasonable and trustworthy powers. As for the people who are neither... well you certainly seem to have an impact on them

[] Cauldron Bubble, your new friends in the Ordo Lebetis could use more help, maybe not as... enthusiastic as the last time, but they are small fish in a very big and scary pond
-[] See what's up with Helen, there is something eating away at Helen you are sure of it, something dark and strange, dark and strange is your specialty
-[] Online presence, one of the few advantages of minor talents over more powerful magicians is that they are more up to date with technology and less likely to make it explode. See if you can convince the others to set up a strong online presence, maybe even recruiting

[] Contact the Librarians: Given that you are the sovereign of an interdenominational magical nation it might be worth having a talk with a branch of the federal government that is aware of magic, the one that didn't introduce itself by trying to frame Harry right in front of you.

[] UPDATED A Chat with Lady Winter: Maeve has proven herself helpful so far, if only for spite's sake. Maybe it would not hurt to spend some time with her. She's a lot better than some whose company you sought, though that is admittedly a low bar

Crafting
Dreams filled with brass and smoke, soul artifice of an impossible city, you reach for tools and so are made things wondrous and strange unseen in this Age of the world (Crafting may have as many AP assigned to it as you wish, success will depend on the rolls made during the action. One week of crafting time is worth 1 AP)

[] Prodigious Artefact: Whether it be for Daniel or some other 'mere' mortal caught up in the world of vampires, warlocks sorcerers and demons you've had a thought for a working... a ring perhaps to grant a power both flexible and strong
-[] Write in number of AP assigned

[] Wheels of Fire: As cool as Black Rider is you are sure you can make him cooler, look at what you had done with Mab's car with mere mundane means
-[] Write in number of AP assigned

[] NEW A Veil in Summer: Lilly is in a bad way, her memories of mortality, the things she loved and cherished slipping through her fingers, becoming more and more like the last Summer Lady, given what the last Summer Lady did there's more cause than just sympathy to stop her
-[] Write in number of AP assigned

Family time
As much else as you have to do, it's nice to spend some time with your family and it is rarely boring hanging out.

[] NEW Family Unknown, now that you know the full story your feelings towards your maternal grandparents are complicated to say the least, but people change right? And even if they didn't you have other more distant family in Boston that it would be cool to meet.

[] UPDATED Just relax: You can find some free time.... somewhere.

OOC: If you guys have other ideas you would like to add in do not hesitate to speak up.