Unless zao is reaaly ketchup in disguise...
[Exalted, ?] Most High
- Thread starter Rihaku
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- exalted (white wolf)
Unless zao is reaaly ketchup in disguise...
Usernames
Merc gonna merc ya
Rihaku
The Internet
I did say Chejob was alive, didn't I!
Emerald Oracle
Chaos, yet harmony. Death, yet the Force
- Location
- The Else
My GOD! It all makes sense! The reason the Last Shogun could survive at all... the sheer power available to him... HE IS SECRETLY A CELESTIAL CONDIMENT!
Rihaku
The Internet
He's also the sifu of a Bronze Faction assassin!
Priest's Ulyssian Pic (1)
I didn't mean to try and draw ulyssean again????
i didn't mean to make him look so pretty
i didn't mean to make him look so pretty
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I kinda wanna see Ody/Uly go up to Pearl and bring up that conversation regarding how not all things have to end.
I forgot to mention it yesterday (I think it was yesterday), but I was very impressed when the update you said would be up in 5 was up in 5. The experience was dampened by me not seeing it live, but it was still cool.
Whatever @Priest wants him to look like. We have to make some sacrifices in control to feed the XP-engine.
Rihaku
The Internet
Well, he's App 3, so he's supposed to be attractive, though not spectacularly so. Though, Uly has black eyes in this quest.
Guile
Having a really great time right now
Remember the last time I beat everybody in Creation-spanning martial tournament in order to win the hand of the Fairest? Neither do I!
But you should come watch anyway.
Rihaku
The Internet
Hey, my update warnings have become very credible lately! Even the "up in 20" are almost always up in 20!
Well about 13 minutes left to go on the 'maybe an hour' prediction.
We won't lose faith in Rihaku. Do your Best.
In The Shadow of An Empress
Rihaku
The Internet
In The Shadow of An Empress
"It's so beautiful!" Tepet Nilul was hanging bodily outside the window of their carriage, her voice clear to Ulyssian's ears, despite the rosewood barrier of their carriage wall. All he saw of her was her back half, slippered feet working up and down with child-like enthusiasm, nearly thumping the seat.
That was all he saw, but he heard much more. Through the rattling of the carriage against the road he felt the presence of peasants in the rice fields, and faraway he listened to the distant caws and shrieks of milling birds, judging their numbers and location. The Blessed Isle had been so named for a reason, but the way Nilul was reacting, one would think she'd never been outside the Academy Grounds.
Ulyssian considered that for a moment. She was Anathema, sheltered by Zao, so perhaps that was an actual possibility. It seemed unlikely, though. The other Tepet students in the academy clearly knew her, so either her unknown powers allowed her to twist memory itself on a massive scale, or she had had some kind of life before. Regardless, he did not think her enthusiasm was unfeigned, even if some of her mannerisms often were. Which raised the question: why was she showing this, her genuine enthusiasm, to him?
Was there something she wished him to conclude, or did she simply trust him?
"Nilul," he said sharply, "come in."
Reluctantly she returned to her seat, shutting the window with a longing expression. Her hair was windblown and wild, a bird's nest pandemonium not at all appropriate to the composed young Dynast she often presented herself as. A great, broad, devilish smile was on her face, and remained there as she spoke.
"Despite your tyrannical demeanor," she importuned, "your faithful second obeys.
She adopted a squire-like eagerness, hands clasped, eyes upturned. "Yes, Ulyssian, what is it? Would you like me to help you put on your armor? Or perhaps oil your sword?"
He had a sense for voices now, heartbeats and lungs too, all the rhythms of human respiration. Long, long ago, Odyssial-that-was had been advised to become a better listener. Ulyssian was not at that level yet, but his powers of hearing had been honed sharply in the months prior. Nilul had thought it would be useful for the Tournament and its associated political maneuvering, and Zao had agreed.
Zao's voice was imperious, curt. It betrayed absolutely nothing, and suggested only what he intended. To hear it more clearly was merely to fear him more.
Pearl's was playful, more affectionate than she ever let on, but with an undertone of deadliness. Always ready - not to fight, but to end fights. To murder, to silence, to kill. There was no malice to it, though.
Moon's was gentle and clear, like her namesake on a cloudless night, or perhaps its reflection in the soft waters of an undisturbed lake. Hopelessly genuine, but with an intensity that was endearing to work besides, and terrifying to face.
Nilul's, though - every pitch and tone was carefully calibrated, an orchestra of vocal chords attuned in perfect synchronicity. Even when wheedling, she was somehow pleasant to listen to. Her voice gave off every impression of a spoiled Dynast princess, and yet it also compelled the listener to indulge that spoiled-ness, those capricious whims, for there was something arrestingly beautiful about them, about her.
Though he felt them just the same, Ulyssian was unfazed by such compulsions. Perhaps that was why they got along in their own particular way.
"Nilul," he answered, "I am your friend. You have done nothing but help me since we were accepted to Zao's class, even when I was only mortal. I would defend you against most reasonable and some unreasonable enemies. But you constantly lie, so I can't trust you fully. I want to resolve this, one way or another, before we reach the Tournament."
"How straightforward of you," she said, sitting back up and crossing her legs. Her foremost leg rocked gently, playing with the high-heeled slipper that hung by a toe. She was the incarnation of utter unconcern. "But do you really have to call it lying, Uly? Most of what I say, I mean. Or at least the meaning is clear. You're good at detecting lies, even if you're not good at telling them. This is simply how I am, you should know that by now."
"I don't know what your goals are," Ulyssian said, "or what enemies you might call down on us. I don't even know your true name."
"Nilul is the name I choose for myself," she answered, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "It's as true a name as I have, I suppose. I think I've been more genuine in these past months than I ever have in my entire life..."
He sat silently as Nilul mused. Minutes later, she spoke again, looking distantly out the window.
"I don't think my goals are very complicated. Find security. Try to make friends, maybe more. Try to be happy. My enemies are always searching for me, so I've had to take drastic measures. As for the rest... well, you'll just have to be patient with me, Uly. I'll promise you this, though. I'll never ask you to face an enemy that I don't think you can beat. And I'll always warn you ahead of time, as best I can, with all the tactical information I can give."
He started to speak, but Nilul reached out and placed her finger against his lips. "Don't," she said, "promise anything in return, or say anything that could be construed as a promise."
A blot, a sun of pure blackness, appeared then on her brow, a void that was the enemy of all light. "Like your Eclipse Caste, I have the power to seal pacts and agreements. Unlike them, I can renege on my agreements with no consequences, while the counterparty still has to uphold their end."
Well. That was not something Odyssial had ever encountered directly, as far as he knew.
"I was only going to say," he responded, "not to call me Uly."
Nilul smiled, and there was a gentle sentimentality to it that did not seem false.
"Now who's lying?" she said.
Ulyssian shrugged, but felt his face tugging itself into something between a grimace and a grin. It was a strange feeling, to have an in-joke between friends, like those his cousins paraded around to demonstrate his exclusion. He didn't remotely enjoy the thought of becoming more like them, though.
Nilul sighed, gaze returning to the window. "I really do enjoy this, you know," she began. "If I'd just wanted to be safe, I could disguise myself as a random groundskeeper, as easily and flawlessly as you could. No one would ever catch me. No one would ever know. But... I can't live like that."
She paused. "No. Rather, I refuse to live that way. That, that is everything I hate. To be trapped like a serpent in a cage, always seeking only to escape, ceaselessly plotting, pursuing only advantage, thinking of nothing else... Prowling, spiteful, hateful. I would be stronger like that, probably. But I would also hate myself, hate others, hate living."
"This..." she gestured vaguely, fingers fluttering, "this is my attempt to be happy, I suppose. It's harder than just surviving. I'm not suited for it. But, I don't regret it."
There were none of the tells that usually indicated she was lying, or even putting on a facade. Ulyssian knew that did not mean he could be sure she was telling the truth - she could just be a better actress than had previously been demonstrated - but it felt genuine to him.
At some point, he simply had to believe. That was what trust meant.
"I didn't expect that you'd actually tell me all this," he said, feeling at once a sort of connection, as well as extreme awkwardness.
"Well," her eyes met his. She seemed a bit surprised herself, but already the mask was returning, the spark of playfulness. "What can I say? My fellow Anathema. We're the only two of our kind, you know."
---
And that, he felt, was about the sum of what he would get out of her, at least for the present. But with the hints she dropped, Odyssial felt he had a good enough idea of what she was associated with, and what she so fervently despised. The Shadow of a Dragon...
[ ] Trust Nilul - She has exposed more of herself than she ever has before, you will have to content yourself with that, and the strength of your friendship. Nilul has never betrayed you, despite her clear strengths in the area, even when it would have been convenient to do so. With the mental energy you spend managing your distrust for her freed up, and full faith in each other, you will be a far more effective team.
[ ] Don't Trust Nilul - The Dragon's Shadow is not to be trusted. That is the first and most fundamental rule when dealing with the Dragon's Shadow. Are you so arrogant as to believe that you can see through her most masterful lies? She may well have been telling the truth, and yet still lying with it - causing you to draw conclusions from implications that are not entirely correct, for example. And now she wants you to defend her from unspecified enemies, with such scarce information? No. You are no one's pawn, or fool. When the time comes, you will decide whether to turn her enemies aside - or turn her in. Ultimately, there can be no other way.
Also, it's time for the opening feast! Nilul wants to attend, mingle~, and make an impression! She believes it'll be good for your future endeavors if things start off on the right foot, and this is a rare chance where she'll be by your side to help manage and redeem your attempts at socializing. You don't have to be amazing, you don't even have to be likeable, you just have to be - memorable.
[ ] Attend the Feast - Why did you take her along, if not for occasions like this? Regardless of whether she can be trusted, her adeptness in the social arena is supreme. She wields her words like you wield a sword, and that is no light compliment to make. While you are still friends, it would be foolish not to seek advantage wherever you can. She is not Lea, but Lea is not here, and the absence of someone like Lea is keenly felt, to Odyssial.
[ ] Register and Get Out - Odyssial destroys his enemies before they know they are his enemy. Letting your name, face, tendencies, and location be observed for several hours is a massive and unnecessary security risk. All you will face is some social stigma, which is irrelevant in the face of true strength. No, you need to prepare, to reconnoiter, to arm yourself. Research your opponents as you always have - from distance, and with objective thoroughness. Then prepare to dismantle them.
"It's so beautiful!" Tepet Nilul was hanging bodily outside the window of their carriage, her voice clear to Ulyssian's ears, despite the rosewood barrier of their carriage wall. All he saw of her was her back half, slippered feet working up and down with child-like enthusiasm, nearly thumping the seat.
That was all he saw, but he heard much more. Through the rattling of the carriage against the road he felt the presence of peasants in the rice fields, and faraway he listened to the distant caws and shrieks of milling birds, judging their numbers and location. The Blessed Isle had been so named for a reason, but the way Nilul was reacting, one would think she'd never been outside the Academy Grounds.
Ulyssian considered that for a moment. She was Anathema, sheltered by Zao, so perhaps that was an actual possibility. It seemed unlikely, though. The other Tepet students in the academy clearly knew her, so either her unknown powers allowed her to twist memory itself on a massive scale, or she had had some kind of life before. Regardless, he did not think her enthusiasm was unfeigned, even if some of her mannerisms often were. Which raised the question: why was she showing this, her genuine enthusiasm, to him?
Was there something she wished him to conclude, or did she simply trust him?
"Nilul," he said sharply, "come in."
Reluctantly she returned to her seat, shutting the window with a longing expression. Her hair was windblown and wild, a bird's nest pandemonium not at all appropriate to the composed young Dynast she often presented herself as. A great, broad, devilish smile was on her face, and remained there as she spoke.
"Despite your tyrannical demeanor," she importuned, "your faithful second obeys.
She adopted a squire-like eagerness, hands clasped, eyes upturned. "Yes, Ulyssian, what is it? Would you like me to help you put on your armor? Or perhaps oil your sword?"
He had a sense for voices now, heartbeats and lungs too, all the rhythms of human respiration. Long, long ago, Odyssial-that-was had been advised to become a better listener. Ulyssian was not at that level yet, but his powers of hearing had been honed sharply in the months prior. Nilul had thought it would be useful for the Tournament and its associated political maneuvering, and Zao had agreed.
Zao's voice was imperious, curt. It betrayed absolutely nothing, and suggested only what he intended. To hear it more clearly was merely to fear him more.
Pearl's was playful, more affectionate than she ever let on, but with an undertone of deadliness. Always ready - not to fight, but to end fights. To murder, to silence, to kill. There was no malice to it, though.
Moon's was gentle and clear, like her namesake on a cloudless night, or perhaps its reflection in the soft waters of an undisturbed lake. Hopelessly genuine, but with an intensity that was endearing to work besides, and terrifying to face.
Nilul's, though - every pitch and tone was carefully calibrated, an orchestra of vocal chords attuned in perfect synchronicity. Even when wheedling, she was somehow pleasant to listen to. Her voice gave off every impression of a spoiled Dynast princess, and yet it also compelled the listener to indulge that spoiled-ness, those capricious whims, for there was something arrestingly beautiful about them, about her.
Though he felt them just the same, Ulyssian was unfazed by such compulsions. Perhaps that was why they got along in their own particular way.
"Nilul," he answered, "I am your friend. You have done nothing but help me since we were accepted to Zao's class, even when I was only mortal. I would defend you against most reasonable and some unreasonable enemies. But you constantly lie, so I can't trust you fully. I want to resolve this, one way or another, before we reach the Tournament."
"How straightforward of you," she said, sitting back up and crossing her legs. Her foremost leg rocked gently, playing with the high-heeled slipper that hung by a toe. She was the incarnation of utter unconcern. "But do you really have to call it lying, Uly? Most of what I say, I mean. Or at least the meaning is clear. You're good at detecting lies, even if you're not good at telling them. This is simply how I am, you should know that by now."
"I don't know what your goals are," Ulyssian said, "or what enemies you might call down on us. I don't even know your true name."
"Nilul is the name I choose for myself," she answered, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "It's as true a name as I have, I suppose. I think I've been more genuine in these past months than I ever have in my entire life..."
He sat silently as Nilul mused. Minutes later, she spoke again, looking distantly out the window.
"I don't think my goals are very complicated. Find security. Try to make friends, maybe more. Try to be happy. My enemies are always searching for me, so I've had to take drastic measures. As for the rest... well, you'll just have to be patient with me, Uly. I'll promise you this, though. I'll never ask you to face an enemy that I don't think you can beat. And I'll always warn you ahead of time, as best I can, with all the tactical information I can give."
He started to speak, but Nilul reached out and placed her finger against his lips. "Don't," she said, "promise anything in return, or say anything that could be construed as a promise."
A blot, a sun of pure blackness, appeared then on her brow, a void that was the enemy of all light. "Like your Eclipse Caste, I have the power to seal pacts and agreements. Unlike them, I can renege on my agreements with no consequences, while the counterparty still has to uphold their end."
Well. That was not something Odyssial had ever encountered directly, as far as he knew.
"I was only going to say," he responded, "not to call me Uly."
Nilul smiled, and there was a gentle sentimentality to it that did not seem false.
"Now who's lying?" she said.
Ulyssian shrugged, but felt his face tugging itself into something between a grimace and a grin. It was a strange feeling, to have an in-joke between friends, like those his cousins paraded around to demonstrate his exclusion. He didn't remotely enjoy the thought of becoming more like them, though.
Nilul sighed, gaze returning to the window. "I really do enjoy this, you know," she began. "If I'd just wanted to be safe, I could disguise myself as a random groundskeeper, as easily and flawlessly as you could. No one would ever catch me. No one would ever know. But... I can't live like that."
She paused. "No. Rather, I refuse to live that way. That, that is everything I hate. To be trapped like a serpent in a cage, always seeking only to escape, ceaselessly plotting, pursuing only advantage, thinking of nothing else... Prowling, spiteful, hateful. I would be stronger like that, probably. But I would also hate myself, hate others, hate living."
"This..." she gestured vaguely, fingers fluttering, "this is my attempt to be happy, I suppose. It's harder than just surviving. I'm not suited for it. But, I don't regret it."
There were none of the tells that usually indicated she was lying, or even putting on a facade. Ulyssian knew that did not mean he could be sure she was telling the truth - she could just be a better actress than had previously been demonstrated - but it felt genuine to him.
At some point, he simply had to believe. That was what trust meant.
"I didn't expect that you'd actually tell me all this," he said, feeling at once a sort of connection, as well as extreme awkwardness.
"Well," her eyes met his. She seemed a bit surprised herself, but already the mask was returning, the spark of playfulness. "What can I say? My fellow Anathema. We're the only two of our kind, you know."
---
And that, he felt, was about the sum of what he would get out of her, at least for the present. But with the hints she dropped, Odyssial felt he had a good enough idea of what she was associated with, and what she so fervently despised. The Shadow of a Dragon...
[ ] Trust Nilul - She has exposed more of herself than she ever has before, you will have to content yourself with that, and the strength of your friendship. Nilul has never betrayed you, despite her clear strengths in the area, even when it would have been convenient to do so. With the mental energy you spend managing your distrust for her freed up, and full faith in each other, you will be a far more effective team.
[ ] Don't Trust Nilul - The Dragon's Shadow is not to be trusted. That is the first and most fundamental rule when dealing with the Dragon's Shadow. Are you so arrogant as to believe that you can see through her most masterful lies? She may well have been telling the truth, and yet still lying with it - causing you to draw conclusions from implications that are not entirely correct, for example. And now she wants you to defend her from unspecified enemies, with such scarce information? No. You are no one's pawn, or fool. When the time comes, you will decide whether to turn her enemies aside - or turn her in. Ultimately, there can be no other way.
Also, it's time for the opening feast! Nilul wants to attend, mingle~, and make an impression! She believes it'll be good for your future endeavors if things start off on the right foot, and this is a rare chance where she'll be by your side to help manage and redeem your attempts at socializing. You don't have to be amazing, you don't even have to be likeable, you just have to be - memorable.
[ ] Attend the Feast - Why did you take her along, if not for occasions like this? Regardless of whether she can be trusted, her adeptness in the social arena is supreme. She wields her words like you wield a sword, and that is no light compliment to make. While you are still friends, it would be foolish not to seek advantage wherever you can. She is not Lea, but Lea is not here, and the absence of someone like Lea is keenly felt, to Odyssial.
[ ] Register and Get Out - Odyssial destroys his enemies before they know they are his enemy. Letting your name, face, tendencies, and location be observed for several hours is a massive and unnecessary security risk. All you will face is some social stigma, which is irrelevant in the face of true strength. No, you need to prepare, to reconnoiter, to arm yourself. Research your opponents as you always have - from distance, and with objective thoroughness. Then prepare to dismantle them.
Man, Nilul won?
Sucks, and getting bored of it too.
Sucks, and getting bored of it too.
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Rihaku
The Internet
Everyone gets a chance to develop the arguments. She's popular, so if you don't want her to get screentime, then you have to speak up and argue.
And then I'd have to try to figure out what the hell Exalted is to do that. Greek is less alien to me than that system and its lore.
Something I have zero interest in forcing myself to do, thus I doubt my arguments would be of any use in garnering any measurable weight for voting.
[X] Don't Trust Nilul
[X] Register and Get Out
[X] Register and Get Out
[X] Trust Nilul - She has exposed more of herself than she ever has before, you will have to content yourself with that, and the strength of your friendship. Nilul has never betrayed you, despite her clear strengths in the area, even when it would have been convenient to do so. With the mental energy you spend managing your distrust for her freed up, and full faith in each other, you will be a far more effective team.
[X] Attend the Feast - Why did you take her along, if not for occasions like this? Regardless of whether she can be trusted, her adeptness in the social arena is supreme. She wields her words like you wield a sword, and that is no light compliment to make. While you are still friends, it would be foolish not to seek advantage wherever you can. She is not Lea, but Lea is not here, and the absence of someone like Lea is keenly felt, to Odyssial.
[X] Attend the Feast - Why did you take her along, if not for occasions like this? Regardless of whether she can be trusted, her adeptness in the social arena is supreme. She wields her words like you wield a sword, and that is no light compliment to make. While you are still friends, it would be foolish not to seek advantage wherever you can. She is not Lea, but Lea is not here, and the absence of someone like Lea is keenly felt, to Odyssial.
Rihaku
The Internet
*Shrug* What do you expect, then? The arguments and votes decide who wins.
What do you mean by picking out the competition?