Green Flame Rising (Exalted vs Dresden Files)

Hm. Let me give it a try @fictionfan:

The Splendor takes the form of something that is evocative of death. It might be a funeral
garment, or an old bone, or decorated with skulls. It might be smeared with crematory ash. This Element defines the Splendor's physical form and gives it a character, and that character is
aligned with the power of death. Other Elements may draw upon this fact.
The Splendor can be summoned directly into the Underworld when made to manifest, if its
owner desires.

So something evocative of death. Let's go with bone unless there are other reasons to pick something else.

The Splendor takes the form of something that is hot, or brightly-colored, or energetic. It might
be decorated with flame-like markings, it might actually be on fire, or it might simply be a free-
standing flame which does not burn its owner. This Element defines the Splendor's physical
form and gives it a character, and that character is aligned with the elemental power of fire.
Other Elements may draw upon this fact.

So something evocative of fire or passion. So the color red or something related to fire.

The Splendor takes the form of something that is graceful, or cold, or crackles with electricity, or
is marked with decorations evocative of winds and clouds. It might be made of ice. This Element
defines the Splendor's physical form and gives it a character, and that character is aligned with
the elemental power of air. Other Elements may draw upon this fact.

So grace, coldness, electricity or evocations of winds and clouds.

The Splendor takes the form of something that is solid and durable and sturdy. It might be made
of stone, metal, or mineral deposits. It might be a crystal or gemstone. It might be dirty and
roadworn. This Element defines the Splendor's physical form and gives it a character, and that
character is aligned with the elemental power of earth. Other Elements may draw upon this fact.

So something solid and durable and sturdy that might be stone, metal or mineral deposit or a crystal or a gemstone and it might be dirty and roadworn.

The Splendor takes the form of something that is vital, or lively, or green, or fecund, or, most
likely, something made of wood. It might even be a living plant. This Element defines the
Splendor's physical form and gives it a character, and that character is aligned with the
elemental power of wood. Other Elements may draw upon this fact.
The Splendor easily blends into natural surroundings when it would be useful for it to be hidden,
and immediately stands out when its owner is looking for it, or to those it wishes to attract. As an
Adornment, increases its user's Initiative modifier by two.
As the basis for a Fascination, it may
generate the creator's choice of: fragrant scents; an area encompassing (Splendor's rating x 5)
yards in which animals and insects will not attack; enticing fruit, which may act as the focus for
a Root Element; or an aura of peace and tranquility.

So vitality, greenness, liveliness, fecundness or most likely something made of wood.

The Splendor takes the form of something that is evocative of the fantastic. It might be a child's
toy, a brightly-decorated banner, a monster or carnival mask, or a treasure chest. It might be a
kaleidoscope, or a bundle of bright balloons. This Element defines the Splendor's physical form
and gives it a character, and that character is aligned with the power of the Dreaming. Other
Elements may draw upon this fact.
The Splendor stands out as a powerful work of magic when seen with chimerical eyes or mystic
scrutiny, but it seems nigh-impossible to credit it with any specific significance if observed with
purely mundane senses. Even when presented with compelling evidence that there's something
weird about the object, anyone who hasn't made a magical survey of the Splendor must make a
Willpower roll against difficulty (4 + Splendor's rating) to accept such a conclusion.
As an Adornment, it raises the difficulty to affect the user with hostile works of Glamour by one.

As the basis for a Fascination, it may have one minor impossible feature such as floating in
defiance of gravity, reflecting people's true selves when looked into, or aging backwards in time.

So something that is evocative of the fantastic.

So we need an armor made of Nero Marquina marble with Blue Rose climbers intertwined with it for joints and flexibility.

The Bitumen in Nero Maquina marble serves as our death evocation both for the coloring and because it is long dead and carbonized life. Also since this is a marble it covers the earth evocation as well.

Blue Roses gain their azure color from a blue dye placed into the bark of the roots of a white rose. So that is wood, fire, air and dreaming evocations covered. Roses are wooden plants, azure is the color of the sky on a clear day and a cold color at that, azure flames are themselves a thing that can happen but rarely outside of a lab and Blue Roses specifically symbolize mystery and wishes.

So does this work for your armor idea @Yog?
 
300 people dead a year in India and 600 people dead a year world-wide is a fucking rounding error. If a marauder kills someone and then returns to their funeral to desecrate their corpse the question needs to be asked what the fuck did that person do before being killed?

Seriously what the fuck have people been doing to elephants that they are killing at all in the first place? And on top of that even in the lowest populated states where people live alongside elephants human population is usually in 3-4 digits and you are telling me that Elephants killing people only reach those numbers globally?

How is this scary in any way?
All this is you getting away from the point of the comment you were replying to, which was, and I quote:
3)Surprise attack is only an equalizer among peers; a bunch of monkeys surprise-attacking an elephant isnt doing shit.
And if these were gods, they would outmass them significantly.
Monkeys, not human tribespeople.

An adult elephant weighs more than your average car at 2-7 tons.
The largest monkey in the world is the mandrill, which maxes out around 60 kg.
My point stands.

===
More generally, elephants evolved on the savannahs and forests of Africa, and are the alpha herbivore on land.
Africa is hard mode for most wildlife. The fact that some elephants are capable of remarkable kindness and empathy by no means disproves their capability for and willingness to engage in violence, especially out in the wild.

And honestly, the fact that you are exhibiting surprise at the capability of wild animals for violence suggests an undue romanticism of nature's denizens.
Its a literal dog eat dog world out there.
 
Current tally:
Adhoc vote count started by uju32 on Nov 23, 2023 at 1:05 AM, finished with 54 posts and 17 votes.

  • [X] Just call on Lilly and give her the Splendor
    [X] Ask someone for help on how to deal with the Summer Court
    -[X] Harry, he knows Fey and Bob knows even more
    [X] Call Titania and take it from there, she's sure to be paying attention
    [X] Ask someone for help on how to deal with the Summer Court
    -[X] Call Maeve, part of what you are doing here is screwing over the Enemy, you're sure she will approve
    [X] Ask someone for help on how to deal with the Summer Court
    -[X] Harry, he knows Fey and Bob knows even more
    --[X] Importantly, what are the duties of each of the Queen Triumvirate?
    --[X] Why are fae vulnerable to iron? Is it by design or a byproduct of something else?
    -[X] Dad and Mom. As a knight dad dealt with the fae, and mom, as evidenced by your rescue from Arctis Tor also had dealings with summer.
    [X] Ask someone for help on how to deal with the Summer Court
    -[X] Harry, he knows Fey and Bob knows even more
    --[X] Importantly, what are the duties of each of the Queen Triumvirate?
    --[X] Why are fae vulnerable to iron? Is it by design or a byproduct of something else?
    [X]
    [X] Plan Exalted Effort


The hell people? Dont fuck this up by not doing basic dilligence.
Interfering in a Fae Court without even pretending to do basic diplomacy is a great way to make unnecessary enemies, and our existing enemies, including the Nemesis agents in Summer, will be quick to seize on opportunities to make shit worse.

Harry has already made an enemy of Titania when he killed her daughter. We dont have to emulate him.

Furthermore, we have the identities of active Nemesis agents.
We NEED to talk to Titania.
She's the only person with the direct authority to deal with them.
 
Furthermore, we have the identities of active Nemesis agents.
We NEED to talk to Titania.
She's the only person with the direct authority to deal with them.
To be fair, I expect that we'll be given an opportunity to give the list of names to Lily, or call Titania during meeting Lily.

And if you count all vote variants, "talk to Harry" is tied with just talking to Lily.

[X] Ask someone for help on how to deal with the Summer Court
-[X] Harry, he knows Fey and Bob knows even more
 
Monkeys, not human tribespeople.

An adult elephant weighs more than your average car at 2-7 tons.
The largest monkey in the world is the mandrill, which maxes out around 60 kg.
My point stands.



Did you test it?

How do you think the monkeys would attack?

Do you really think Elephants have no vital parts the monkeys can reach?

How many monkeys?

No, no your point doesn't stand, it never did, surprise is more than able of equalization even with that kind of differences in weight.
 
To be fair, I expect that we'll be given an opportunity to give the list of names to Lily, or call Titania during meeting Lily.
And if you count all vote variants, "talk to Harry" is tied with just talking to Lily.

[X] Ask someone for help on how to deal with the Summer Court
-[X] Harry, he knows Fey and Bob knows even more
I wasnt counting all vote variants.

===
Doing research into the Summer Court's effective CEO is important for both the Lily issue, and the Nemesis issue.
I mean, this is why we didnt immediately make commitments when we talked to Lily about the issue last turn; we wanted to do some research around Titania and managing the aftermath.

Furthermore, if Titania is known to have a close relationship with one of the four Nfested Summer Fae?
If any of them is a close adviser to Titania, or even to Lily? Holds a critical position in the Court power structure?
Thats the kind of thing we might want to know about beforehand before talking to her about Nemesis.

Its the sort of thing that has a bearing on Molly offering Sapphire Circle Exorcism, for example.
 
I personally would not at all mind just auto winning most personal combat so we can focus on other things*. Besides the hard part about most combat is saving others including the people we are fighting against sometimes.

*Isn't that what the perfect defense advocates want as well?
If the idea of such an armor (i.e. something that essentially makes us immune to most, if not all, mundane threats, and means that in order to threaten us, enemies need either magic or multi-vector attacks) doesn't break gameplay @DragonParadox is setting up and likes writing, then yes, I would very much like to make this soon, possibly next turn for a three dot version (see below). It would be a very good substitute for a perfect defense, and a very good addition to our defense array in general.

My experience trying to make a description for @Yog 's super armor.
Yeah, this one I struggled with too. Great effort, and thank you!
So does this work for your armor idea @Yog?
Very possibly, yes

A three dot version is a bit simpler, and synergies with our Court thematics, actually.
The Splendor takes the form of something that is hot, or brightly-colored, or energetic. It might
be decorated with flame-like markings, it might actually be on fire, or it might simply be a free-
standing flame which does not burn its owner. This Element defines the Splendor's physical
form and gives it a character, and that character is aligned with the elemental power of fire.
Other Elements may draw upon this fact.
The Splendor cannot be burned. As an Adornment, it lowers the difficulty for its user to soak
damage from heat or fire by two, or allows them to soak their Stamina to soak such damage if
they're not normally able.
As the basis for a Fascination, it may generate the creator's choice of:
sufficient warmth to provide protection from freezing weather; sufficient light to see for
(Splendor's rating) x 10 yards around the Splendor; or may be literally ablaze with the intensity
of a bonfire.
The Splendor takes the form of something that is graceful, or cold, or crackles with electricity, or
is marked with decorations evocative of winds and clouds. It might be made of ice. This Element
defines the Splendor's physical form and gives it a character, and that character is aligned with
the elemental power of air. Other Elements may draw upon this fact.
The Splendor cannot be harmed by wind, cold, or electricity. As an Adornment, increases its
user's basic movement speed, before any multiplication by Charms or other powers, by
(Splendor's rating) yards per turn.
As the basis for a Fascination, it may generate the creator's
choice of: clear skies; specific constant (nonviolent) behavior of the wind (blowing north to
south at a brisk but not dangerous speed, for example); or specific whimsical behaviors of the
wind (whisking away people's hats, bookmark, or other loose items and depositing them next to
the Splendor, for example).
The Splendor takes the form of something that is solid and durable and sturdy. It might be made
of stone, metal, or mineral deposits. It might be a crystal or gemstone. It might be dirty and
roadworn. This Element defines the Splendor's physical form and gives it a character, and that
character is aligned with the elemental power of earth. Other Elements may draw upon this fact.
The Splendor is extremely rugged, and the first attempt to damage or destroy it in any scene
automatically fails. As an Adornment, it grants its user one extra die of soak.
As the basis for a
Fascination, it may generate the creator's choice of: useful tools for a certain kind of work; an
aura of quiet and serenity; periodic foreboding tremors in the earth.
This Splendor defines that which cannot threaten those within its influence, according to the
Splendor's character as defined by appropriate Form Elements.
It provides immunity to damage from wind, cold, and electricity (air); being crushed, cut, or
pierced by stone or metal (earth); being burned (fire); being drowned (water); being poisoned or
struck by wooden objects (wood); disease (death); possession (spirit); or the twisting of the mind
by supernatural powers (dreams). If its protection is bestowed by a Fascination, it lasts for a
number of hours equal to the Splendor's rating, and may be set to persist indefinitely while
within the Splendor's influence in the case of Forms such as Form of the Hearth.
If more than one characteristic is drawn upon when this Element grants its Protection, then
instead of invincibility, damage is simply downgraded from aggravated to lethal, lethal to
bashing, and bashing damage cut in half after soak (round down), while immunity to possession
and thought alteration become the ability to make a Willpower roll at difficulty (10 – Splendor's
rating) to immediately shake the effect off, and immunity to disease becomes the ability to make
a Stamina roll at difficulty (10 – Splendor's rating) to immediately shake the infection off.

One of the Splendor's snares or benefits is particularly wicked or potent. Modify one roll
associated with the Splendor by increasing or decreasing its difficulty by two, or modify one
value associated with activating or resisting its effects (such as the number of points of
Willpower that must be spent to shake off a Beautiful Lie) by two.
  1. Soak +5 (+3 base crastmanship, +1 prima metallum, +1 form of steadfast earth), soak is done at -2 DC discount, -4 DC when soaking heat and fire damage
  2. +3 yards per turn movement speed before any other multipliers or additions
  3. The Splendor cannot be burned, cannot be harmed by wind, cold, or electricity, the first attempt to damage or destroy it in any scene automatically fails
  4. provides immunity to damage from wind, cold, and electricity; being crushed, cut, or pierced by stone or metal; being burned If more than one characteristic is drawn upon when this Element grants its Protection, then instead of invincibility, damage is simply downgraded from aggravated to lethal, lethal to bashing, and bashing damage cut in half after soak (round down)
Description
Clinging to you like second skin, the armor of Frozen Fate is a masterpiece crafted from ice and brass, so symbolic of your courts. It is clear that it takes inspiration from both your shintai form, and the greatest and most advanced cybernetic body armor concepts to ever come from the minds of your artisanal subjects. It is a full-body glove, strands of filigree brass forming intricate muscle-like patterns, with crystal-clear unmelting ice forming a skin over the internal structure. Green and gold lines trace the main energy meridians of the body, inner fire that should have melted the whole structure existing in perfect harmony with it by your transcendent design.
Less purple prose description: A full-body set of form-fitting armor. It is woven out of brass strands, with a thin layer of flexible ice skin over it. Glowing green and golden lines trace major energy channels of the body.
@DragonParadox does this break the game design idea, or is this something that Molly should be able to make and use?
 
Soak +5, soak is done at -2 DC discount, -4 DC when soaking heat and fire damage rather breaks the game with your build, the others are still a bit on the powerful side, but I think they can work.
Hmm, so no applying Mystic Fortification to soak rolls, got it. So...

How about this instead:
soak +3 (equal to fey armor from C20, and highest Tough Hide garou get without penalty, essentially +2 from armor itself and +1 from form of steadfast Earth), -2 DC when soaking heat and fire damage (that's just how form of cracking fire works), and I will swap Mystic Fortification for Psychic Ward, so you have to pass Willpower 7 to try and damage armor (i.e. attacks that bypass armor like entropy curses, shaping, poison gas, etc, don't trigger this, but direct attacks on us that have to pass through armor, like shooting us, do) and spends a point of willpower each turn?
 
First since we are consolidating the vote:

[X] Ask someone for help on how to deal with the Summer Court
-[X] Harry, he knows Fey and Bob knows even more

Secondly:

All this is you getting away from the point of the comment you were replying to, which was, and I quote:

Monkeys, not human tribespeople.

An adult elephant weighs more than your average car at 2-7 tons.
The largest monkey in the world is the mandrill, which maxes out around 60 kg.
My point stands.

===
More generally, elephants evolved on the savannahs and forests of Africa, and are the alpha herbivore on land.
Africa is hard mode for most wildlife. The fact that some elephants are capable of remarkable kindness and empathy by no means disproves their capability for and willingness to engage in violence, especially out in the wild.

And honestly, the fact that you are exhibiting surprise at the capability of wild animals for violence suggests an undue romanticism of nature's denizens.
Its a literal dog eat dog world out there.

For elephants their very size is their evolutionary advantage for survival. I'd be a lot more worried about Rhinos or Lions for myself because I'm not an asshole who likes to pick on animals. Hyenas are also nasty since they eat their prey alive unlike most predators who prefer their prey dead first.

Yes it is a literal dog eat dog world out there in some cases. For the literal dogs which are both prey and predators in their environments. We are talking about elephants here which are so large as adults and in some cases move in such large packs as to render any attack on an adult pointless. Baby elephants get killed and sometimes after that eaten by predators, but adult elephants don't have a reason to be all that aggressive outside of mating and territorial defense. And revenge for someone killing one of them.

You do get that every fight in the wild can seriously harm or maim a predator? And leave them open to dying from either infections or other predators even of their own species?

Elephants specifically are some of the most chill animals in Africa so long as you don't appear to be threatening or have the misfortune of not getting out of their way fast enough in some rare cases.

Horses are quite frankly more dangerous considering that horseback riding causes more injuries than motorcycle riding:

Article:
According to the research (2002) on horseback riding danger statistics, the rate of hospital admissions for equestrians is 11.8/1000 riders or, assuming one hour per day riding on average, 0.49/1000 hours of riding. (1)

Horseback Riding Hospital Admission 0.49/1000 hours Skiing Emergency Dept. 0.60/1000 hours Motorcycle Riding Hospital Admission 0.14/1000 hours

For comparison, the injury rate for motorcycle riding is 0.14/1000 hours of riding and the injury rate for skiing is 2.91/1000 days, or assuming five hours/day skiing, 0.6/1000 hours.


Also more callous:


View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/O4Bt92Q6IKY

You are the one idealizing the wild as somehow separate from human civilization, as if our civilization isn't just a part of it.
 
Hmm, so no applying Mystic Fortification to soak rolls, got it. So...

How about this instead:
soak +3 (equal to fey armor from C20, and highest Tough Hide garou get without penalty, essentially +2 from armor itself and +1 from form of steadfast Earth), -2 DC when soaking heat and fire damage (that's just how form of cracking fire works), and I will swap Mystic Fortification for Psychic Ward, so you have to pass Willpower 7 to try and damage armor (i.e. attacks that bypass armor like entropy curses, shaping, poison gas, etc, don't trigger this, but direct attacks on us that have to pass through armor, like shooting us, do) and spends a point of willpower each turn?

That will work, though I would argue that someone willing to take a called shot on some part of you that is not covered by the armor, with the afferent penalties would be able to avoid spending and rolling willpower.
 
That will work, though I would argue that someone willing to take a called shot on some part of you that is not covered by the armor, with the afferent penalties would be able to avoid spending and rolling willpower.
Yeah, that's fair. If we remove the helmet, we deserve that headshot.

So, final design:

The Splendor takes the form of something that is hot, or brightly-colored, or energetic. It might
be decorated with flame-like markings, it might actually be on fire, or it might simply be a free-
standing flame which does not burn its owner. This Element defines the Splendor's physical
form and gives it a character, and that character is aligned with the elemental power of fire.
Other Elements may draw upon this fact.
The Splendor cannot be burned. As an Adornment, it lowers the difficulty for its user to soak
damage from heat or fire by two, or allows them to soak their Stamina to soak such damage if
they're not normally able.
As the basis for a Fascination, it may generate the creator's choice of:
sufficient warmth to provide protection from freezing weather; sufficient light to see for
(Splendor's rating) x 10 yards around the Splendor; or may be literally ablaze with the intensity
of a bonfire.
The Splendor takes the form of something that is graceful, or cold, or crackles with electricity, or
is marked with decorations evocative of winds and clouds. It might be made of ice. This Element
defines the Splendor's physical form and gives it a character, and that character is aligned with
the elemental power of air. Other Elements may draw upon this fact.
The Splendor cannot be harmed by wind, cold, or electricity. As an Adornment, increases its
user's basic movement speed, before any multiplication by Charms or other powers, by
(Splendor's rating) yards per turn.
As the basis for a Fascination, it may generate the creator's
choice of: clear skies; specific constant (nonviolent) behavior of the wind (blowing north to
south at a brisk but not dangerous speed, for example); or specific whimsical behaviors of the
wind (whisking away people's hats, bookmark, or other loose items and depositing them next to
the Splendor, for example).
The Splendor takes the form of something that is solid and durable and sturdy. It might be made
of stone, metal, or mineral deposits. It might be a crystal or gemstone. It might be dirty and
roadworn. This Element defines the Splendor's physical form and gives it a character, and that
character is aligned with the elemental power of earth. Other Elements may draw upon this fact.
The Splendor is extremely rugged, and the first attempt to damage or destroy it in any scene
automatically fails. As an Adornment, it grants its user one extra die of soak.
As the basis for a
Fascination, it may generate the creator's choice of: useful tools for a certain kind of work; an
aura of quiet and serenity; periodic foreboding tremors in the earth.
This Splendor defines that which cannot threaten those within its influence, according to the
Splendor's character as defined by appropriate Form Elements.
It provides immunity to damage from wind, cold, and electricity (air); being crushed, cut, or
pierced by stone or metal (earth); being burned (fire); being drowned (water); being poisoned or
struck by wooden objects (wood); disease (death); possession (spirit); or the twisting of the mind
by supernatural powers (dreams). If its protection is bestowed by a Fascination, it lasts for a
number of hours equal to the Splendor's rating, and may be set to persist indefinitely while
within the Splendor's influence in the case of Forms such as Form of the Hearth.
If more than one characteristic is drawn upon when this Element grants its Protection, then
instead of invincibility, damage is simply downgraded from aggravated to lethal, lethal to
bashing, and bashing damage cut in half after soak (round down), while immunity to possession
and thought alteration become the ability to make a Willpower roll at difficulty (10 – Splendor's
rating) to immediately shake the effect off, and immunity to disease becomes the ability to make
a Stamina roll at difficulty (10 – Splendor's rating) to immediately shake the infection off.
The Splendor is shrouded in a psychic ward that makes it unthinkable to even consider harming
it in any way. Anyone attempting to do so must succeed at a Willpower roll against difficulty (4
+ Splendor's rating) and then spend a Willpower point on each turn in which they attempt to do
harm to the Splendor.
  1. Soak +3 (+2 base crastmanship, +1 form of steadfast earth), -2 DC when soaking heat and fire damage
  2. +3 yards per turn movement speed before any other multipliers or additions
  3. The Splendor cannot be burned, cannot be harmed by wind, cold, or electricity, the first attempt to damage or destroy it in any scene automatically fails
  4. provides immunity to damage from wind, cold, and electricity; being crushed, cut, or pierced by stone or metal; being burned If more than one characteristic is drawn upon when this Element grants its Protection, then instead of invincibility, damage is simply downgraded from aggravated to lethal, lethal to bashing, and bashing damage cut in half after soak (round down)
  5. Anyone attempting to damage the armor must succeed a Willpower roll against difficulty 7, and then spend a Willpower point on each turn in which they attempt to do harm to armor
Description
Clinging to you like second skin, the armor of Frozen Fate is a masterpiece crafted from ice and brass, so symbolic of your courts. It is clear that it takes inspiration from both your shintai form, and the greatest and most advanced cybernetic body armor concepts to ever come from the minds of your artisanal subjects. It is a full-body glove, strands of filigree brass forming intricate muscle-like patterns, with crystal-clear unmelting ice forming a skin over the internal structure. Green and gold lines trace the main energy meridians of the body, inner fire that should have melted the whole structure existing in perfect harmony with it by your transcendent design.
Less purple prose description: A full-body set of form-fitting armor. It is woven out of brass strands, with a thin layer of flexible ice skin over it. Glowing green and golden lines trace major energy channels of the body.

This essentially allows us to ignore mundane gunfire, swords and such. We ignore fire, cold, wind, electricity. We do not ignore claws, wooden weapons and such. We do not ignore liquid attacks (with this armor at least). The armor costs 1 mote to summon per week and can be dismissed at will.
 
[X] Ask someone for help on how to deal with the Summer Court
-[X] Harry, he knows Fey and Bob knows even more
 
[X] Ask someone for help on how to deal with the Summer Court
-[X] Dad has dealt with Fey, you're sure he has some idea how to get into contact with them

Titania hates Harry, let's not involve him.
 
Vote closed.
Adhoc vote count started by DragonParadox on Nov 23, 2023 at 5:33 AM, finished with 71 posts and 21 votes.

  • [X] Ask someone for help on how to deal with the Summer Court
    -[X] Harry, he knows Fey and Bob knows even more
    [X] Just call on Lilly and give her the Splendor
    [X] Call Titania and take it from there, she's sure to be paying attention
    [X] Ask someone for help on how to deal with the Summer Court
    -[X] Call Maeve, part of what you are doing here is screwing over the Enemy, you're sure she will approve
    [X]
    [X] Plan Exalted Effort
    [X] Ask someone for help on how to deal with the Summer Court
    -[X] Dad has dealt with Fey, you're sure he has some idea how to get into contact with them
 
Arc 11 Post 5: Sweet Rotten Slice
Sweet Rotten Slice

3rd of January 2007 A.D.

Regained all Essence

Class finishes early on Wednesday when the school is overcome with foul odors fit to make a ghoul gag. Alas attempts to manifest a way to kill your sense of smell go nowhere, though you do bend the power of the Crown to finding out what the hell is going on. Some kid apparently thought this was better than a math test he did not study for.

Lost 1 Essence -> Now at 14/15

"Isabela, there is a Kevin Foster somewhere in this school, make sure he gets caught," you hiss though bright red scarf tied around your nose and mouth, a prop finding sudden unpleasant use.

Looking particularly pale in contrast with the blue lipstick she had chosen to put on today your vampiric vassal asks a little too eagerly if you just want him caught.

Tempting but no. You nod.

***​

By two you are at Harry's door aknocking to be greeted by a Tiffany wearing a Cubs T-shirt large enough to almost count as a dress on her, one of his and a pair of yoga pants. I do not want to imagine how else she's been stretching, you tell yourself, but alas the mind will wander. "Hey do you know something about Titania," you ask cheerily.

"Queen of Summer rightly so. She's dangerously unpredictable, her passions burn bright as a forest fire and just as deadly. Unlike her sister who is perfectly content to instrumentalize the changing times in Winter's favor as shown by the Accords, Titania resents the changes of the last two hundred years, the 'madness of men' she calls it. The Summer fey draw strength from art, music and creativity and while there has been plenty of that of late it's changed and changed and changed again." She stops and taps her chin. "Imagine a pensioner complaining about musing these days crossed with the same old timer faced with the menu changing hourly at her favorite diner and you have the general mood of the Queen of Summer. Onto that add a layer of grief for the death of her daughter, giving her all the more reason to kindle anger into rash action. All things told not someone I would want Harry to be in the same postal code as."

You nod, thoughtfully as you sit down on the couch, scratching Mister behind the ear before he flicks it at you and moves on.

"What's this about me?" Harry asks, wandering in.

"I was just explaining why it's a bad idea for you to do what Molly here's probably come here to ask you," the former demon says airily.

"Hey I just wanted some information..."

"So you can go talk to her yourself?" she interjects. "Well then that practically guarantees he'll want to come."

"I'm right here you know," the wizard grumbles, sitting down heavily next to you.

Tiffany, or maybe Lash, this seems like more of a Lash kind of move, looks him over very carefully. "So you are."

Before Harry can work out a comeback you drop the red steel owl on the table with a clink of twined chains and start explaining from the beginning, from Lilly's unhappiness to Titania's attempts to make her more like the dead Aurora to your resolution to do something about it, from sympathy and practicality alike. Nemesis is watching and unfortunately it already has its claws in some of the Summer Fey.

No sooner had you finished explaining that Harry gets that familiar far away look in his eye, tilting his head this way and that, rubbing his eyes. "What...? How...? But when...?"

Lash shifts leans over to peer at it, her lips already forming into a joke that never materializes. Instead she says, slowly almost painfully: "I get the feeling I really should have more insight into how this works."

"It's a sunshade basically," you rush to explain and her her mind off pain and grief. "It does not change the nature of the being, the fey in his case, but it keeps the colors sharp, not washed out in the light of the mantle and of course if someone's throwing rocks at you, a sun shade can be a shield."

"Shed kibid," Tiffany mutters, curses under her breath. When Harry looks at her funny she just says something about the Sumerian having more satisfying profanity than English before explaining the reason for it. "The less one of the Tuath Dé is subsumed by their fae nature the more they seek their own agenda. Among the ruling nobility this often manifests as ambition, not being content with the power they have. So put yourselves in the Summer Queen's doubtless dazzling shoes. Someone engenders greater ambition in the Lady with whom you are already in conflict while calling out high nobles in good standing as agents of Corruption. If you remove them then who would be in the best position to knock the crown off your head if not the one the narrative of the court says should be your successor. The fact that you are associated with the man who killed her daughter and who is uncommonly close with the new Summer Lady does not help."

"I don't..." you start, but she cuts you off.

"Suspicion, dread, paranoia, all these are emotions too." The words have the ring of truth, hard to swallow though it might be. "My suggestion would be to find someone whom Titania already trusts and get them to carry the message about the infestation. Then offer that charm, it will make you seem presciently mercenary rather than treacherous which would probably match her first impression of your aura."

"First impression?" you ask exasperated. "I can talk to her about this."

This time it's Harry who shakes his head. "Titania isn't Mab, she works more off insight and instinct than reason. Usually she has very good insights but..." she sighs. "You saw how Mouse reacted to you."

The big fellow in question gives an apologetic woof at the words, but that isn't going to help. "What about proving the infection. Get the thing to tip its hand...?"

"Perhaps if," the word has a emphasis heavy as lead on the once demon's shapely lips, "you can do it in such a way as not to cause a loss of face for Summer, maybe guide the new Summer Knight herself to make the first move. He is if nothing else, sympathetic."

"High risk," you muse. "Do we know someone in Summer's good graces?"

As soon as you ask the question Harry's face falls. "I do." It does not take any great insight to add 'but I would rather not' to that.

"Let' see what Bob has to say about the people who have been infected first, maybe someone's an easy target," you offer delicately, though without much hope.

Alas your pessimism proves to be all too warranted, the lights of Bob's eyes grow brighter and brighter swirling furiously as you mention each name on the mental list. Ellawyn is responsible for the the worldwide effort to care for Changlings of Summer blood in the material world. Unlike Winter Summer does not leave its scions to fend for themselves, Lord Sathar is the Queen's stablemaster as his title implies while Lady Laoise is an ancient Dryad who makes her home among the branches of California's Redwoods close the vibrant artistic scene of the West Coast, one of the most coveted positions in the Seelie court. As for Fleeting Dawn on Deep Trods, Bob might know him only by reputation, but he is the Eldest of Summer's unicorns, a sage and warrior of renown.

What do you do?

[] Get in contact with Fix the Summer Knight about Nemesis, guide him into a confrontation in which it will reveal itself.

[] Ask Harry to contact his friend.

[] Speak to Titania directly at least now you know what the largest hurdle is likely to be and knowing is half the battle right?

[] Write in


OOC: For anyone wondering yes that is actual Summerian invective, literally 'shit ass', though more precisely it would be 'what fresh shit'.
 
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