With Lies Bequeathed
The moon was an opalescent orb that hung like a festival lantern in the clear, wide dark of the sky. The night had grown cloudless, and the stars were arrayed in a glittering wash across the heavens. The crisp, chill breeze of evening carried with it the scent of azaleas in blossom. Ulyssian sat in the furrow of a devastated hillside and gazed upwards. All of life since he'd become the Satrap of Luseng had been a constant and exacting rush of thoughts. It was rare that he had the opportunity to meditate in stillness, without an immediate problem at hand.
He thought of his friends. Empty Moon, Tepet Nilul, Mountain Hero, Nellens Saery - were any of them also, in this very moment, looking up at this very moon? It was unlikely, but the strangely melancholic sentiment pervaded him anyway. Odyssial had fought for years before meeting Lea, let alone Pearl. In all that time, he'd had comrades but no true friends. And he hadn't felt any particular need for companionship. Ulyssian himself had maintained an essentially solitary existence, free of any deep emotional connections, for all the long, grueling years of his pre-Academy training.
Beside him, the Lily murmured gently, then sat up and groaned. "Looks like you got me," she said softly, gathering the dark ink of her hair into a ponytail. It nestled gently against the striking curve of her cheek, reaching almost to her waist.
Ulyssian grunted in acknowledgement.
For a time, the two sat silently, looking out upon the shattered landscape that their battle had produced. Great yawning chasms of rent earth and shattered stone; trees hurled like toothpicks and fields ravaged by gargantuan lines of sheer force. If a hurricane could move dirt and loam as easily as wind and rain, the result may have looked something like this. The light of the moon gave all of it an otherworldly quality, as if the surreal landscape before them was no mortal clearing, but rather the entrance of some fantastic domain - the quicksilver gateway into a war-minded Raksha freehold, or the battlefield-ruin that was both entrance and warning sign to a Behemoth's burrowing lair.
"I can't believe I actually lost," The Lily said, mournfully. "I haven't lost since I died."
"My post-Exaltation win streak is still alive," Odyssial replied. Then he remembered the training fights with Zao. "In fights that matter, anyway." He scowled.
She giggled. "That's impressive! You're too strong to have Exalted any time soon. Being undefeated for several years, huh..."
"It was only six months ago," he admitted. "I haven't had that many serious fights. It was mostly luck, I think." Given how weak he was, it was assuredly luck. Only in this last contest, against The Lily, had he truly plumbed the depths of the desperation and skill that he'd summoned as a mortal. Exaltation had made him too complacent.
"Hmph!" She turned coquettishly away from him. "So it wasn't very many fights, but you got that strong in six months anyway? That sure makes me feel better!"
In retrospect, that hadn't quite come out the way he'd wanted. "I'm not particularly adept with words," he said. "That wasn't intentional."
"I know, I was just joking!" She said brightly, turning again to favor him with a heartstopping smile. "You're too serious, Odyssial. But, after fighting you... I don't think you're a bad person. You're the Realm Satrap for this region, aren't you? That's pretty rare."
"One can never be too serious, in this world," Odyssial replied haughtily. "And yes, Satraps are quite rare. There aren't that many satrapies."
"I take back what I said earlier," She answered playfully. "You're a terrible person! At least, if your sense of humor is anything to judge by."
"As was the last Satrap, you say?" He turned to regard her curiously. "I haven't heard anything particularly bad about him, besides his lack of martial skill."
"He liked caning people for sport," The Lily said darkly, "he had a big collection of different canes and cords and whips, and he'd try them out on villagers when he ranged to oversee the province."
"I see." Among Dynasts, an eccentricity of that level would be considered extremely restrained, not even worth the attention of the most stringent auditor. A small evil in the grand scope of things, but that hardly mattered to the people it was inflicted upon.
"I know the Realm does not have a good reputation here," he continued, "but I intend to change that. I want to protect the people of Luseng. I want them to be safe, prosperous, and happy. I think you may have similar goals. If that's the case, then we don't have to be enemies."
"We're enemies?" The Lily asked curiously, cocking her head.
There was a pause.
"...The point is, I don't think we should be," Ulyssian continued, "not if our goals align. We may not agree on how best to do certain things, so working together might be counterproductive, but we should coordinate and stay out of each other's way. I can post guards near the Mountain once I repel Ragmar's forces. The city is presently overcrowded, but I am working on infrastructure and food supply. Within two months, I think we should be able to take in your refugees and settle them, if they'd like. It would be faster, but the viziers are a bureaucratic nightmare, and I'm not well suited to navigating around their constant manipulations."
"You're not a very good liar," The Lily nodded. "But that's good, because I can believe what you say. It would really help these people a lot, to live near a city instead of out here..."
"Okay!" She decided. "Yes, let's be allies! Friends?" She held out a hand for him to shake.
He took it. "Do I have to also be your friend?"
"You don't want to?" She faux-wilted.
"I've been told that I'm a terrible friend," He said sardonically.
"Well, don't worry about that," She shrugged, cheerful. "I'm a great friend, so it'll make up for you and more!"
"As long as that's clear, then." They shook on it.
"Now, I've got two things to give you," The Lily said, standing up and unbuckling her gauntlet. "First, my armor. You won fair and square, but please don't attack the Mountain?"
He stood up to face her. "I don't intend to, but will you be alright without that armor?"
"I don't get hit much anyway," she said airily, waving it off. "Don't worry about me!"
The scale and plate receded into the shape of an egg on a choker around her neck, which she unbuckled and handed to him. Standing jauntily in the leathers and padding - also monochromatic - she wore below, she cut no less striking a figure.
He accepted the egg, as well as her statement, with equanimity. If there was anyone he could trust to take care of themselves, The Lily was, very much so.
"What about Ragmar's forces?" He asked. "Are they intent on exploiting the Mountain? Will they see the loss of your armor as weakness? If its insides are too dangerous for one Exalt to traverse, maybe the two of us together could clear it out?"
"Hmm," she tapped her foot thoughtfully, then shook her head. "No, it doesn't feel like we could. I'm sorry for being so vague! But, I really feel like I can trust my instincts in this case. And, If Ragmar thinks I'm weak because of some armor, I'll just send his soldiers packing again!"
"In that case, it seems my concern is entirely unnecessary," Ulyssian concluded, relieved that he had discharged any comradely duties. "I'll be seeing you, friend."
"Not so fast!" With liquid speed she darted forth. "I said I had two things to give you."
So saying, she stood on her tip-toes and kissed him - not on the lips, but right next to them, on the corner of his mouth.
"What- you-"
She giggled again. "It's good that you're honest, Odyssial, but a Satrap should be better at lying. So, there you go. See what a wonderful friend I am?"
Improbable as it sounded, whatever she'd done had worked. As he carefully schooled his features to conceal his embarrassment, he saw instantly the flaws in his previous social facade. It was as if a well of hidden devious potential had been unlocked within him.
His face and voice reacted with the fluidity of a master thespian. "I'm touched," he affected, channeling Nilul.
"Yes- indeed-" His voice trembled in an admixture of grimness and awe, like a devoted cynic whose shrunken heart had at last begun to beat. "I can feel it now, this power, coruscating within my veins - it is nothing less than the magic of friendship! I was blind, but now I can see clearly, as if for the very first time... There is no force, no evil in this Creation that can do anything but kneel, kneel before this pure, clear, earnest and endearing strength! So full of sound and fury! And yet signifying - nothing!"
"I give you power, and you use it to mock me," The Lily pouted.
"Well, there you go," Odyssial replied. "See what a terrible friend I am?"
---
They arranged to meet covertly in the future, and to stay in contact about each other's plans. The Satrap made his way back to his satrapy, and The Lily, to the valley where her small army of followers now resided.
So, we got a compromise vote this time. The Lily will not be hanging around Luseng, and will neither openly constrain your range of actions nor be able to stop you if you Limit Break. However, you do get Essence 5 and her friendship, though you'll have to seek her out if you want to change her buff or get Empowering Shout'ed for a roll. Her refugees are a good source of population and you are technically their lord, so you should really work on integrating them if you have the time. Also, you may Limit Break by choosing enough actions, below.
The Lily has given you the benefit of her Favor-Conferring Prana, which now adds +2 to your Manipulation and Socialize scores. Be grateful, this costs her committed motes!
Next up:
It's timeskip time! I wonder what Anys Syn is up to...
Moon and Nilul will be visiting your province once Zao deems it safe. That will also mark the beginning of a new Story and the ability to use Wake the Sleeper again. Each update will cover a set period of time, though we may drop back into the thick of things if there's a crisis event.
Do note that Limit Breaking during a timeskip will cause much, much more wide-ranging consequences and may distort or alter your chosen actions. The personal consequences are not as likely to be relevant, though Talomar and your other officers aren't necessarily safe.
Choose two actions, then you may choose up to three additional actions at the cost of 2 Stress each. Your current Stress is 5.
[ ] Thaumaturgical Explorations - You must take either this or Training in order to take Upon the Crown. Talomar has taken the initiative to categorize and defend the assembled thaumaturges of the city. Having reviewed their abilities, he has found mostly unspectacular arts. But perhaps you can think of applications that he has missed? He notes that your "weird" mindset might help in this case. Counts as Training Time for the Occult skill, which you need at 5 in order to purchase Solar Circle Sorcery. Also, roll 5d10. For each success, find a mildly useful thaumaturgical application. For each 10, find an extremely useful thaumaturgical application.
[ ] Consolidate Power - With your newly acquired skill at manipulation, you see that the viziers have been even busier than you originally thought, and not in a manner beneficial to yourself. There is evidence that some have been conspiring with the Realm against you, and that talk is beginning to foment about reaching out to the Fae again. Restructure the government to rely on a different class of exam-certified mandarins, removing the current eunuch system, and make an example of those who believe that their competent administration excuses them of other faults. Do so before this rot has had a chance to sink in, and the entire business becomes much more difficult than it already is. [Increases public loyalty, removes the viziers from power once and for all. Channels any Limit Break acquired into a more... focused manifestation]
[ ] Govern Wisely, Govern Well - May be taken any number of times. Spend time and energy tending to the administration and defense of Luseng. Amplifies the effects of your economic restoration projects last turn and improves population mood. If taken multiple times, greatly improves population mood and other factors. However, you will only be able to use Prophecies sparingly, as you've drawn down your personal funds and Luseng isn't yet profitable to the degree that you can conduct extensive experimentation and censuses.
-[ ] Bankrupt your personal reserve to allow for intermittent use of Prophecies. Greatly enhances the effectiveness of this option, especially if taken 3 or more times.
-[ ] You may write in specific areas of government that you wish to focus on; for example, economics, or crime and safety, or recruiting troops for the local garrison / Legion
[ ] Upon the Crown - It has become clear that even superhuman administration cannot get the results you desire for Luseng. At least, not in the time window you desire. A more direct means to power is required. Though it will isolate you further from the populace and forever alter your nature, it is time for you to take up the study of Sorcery. An intensive program of will-working will allow you to harness the very energies of creation to your agenda... but at what cost? [Cost: You must fill out your Charm Cap from E4 and also buy Terrestrial, Celestial, and Solar Circle Sorcery. At least one Sorcery charm must be flash-bought. If you do not have enough XP, you will stop at a lower Circle of Sorcery this action. Population Loyalty and Mood will decrease as you lock yourself into your chambers to pursue this mad and dangerous path. If you are seen performing feats of Sorcery beyond Terrestrial Circle Sorcerers, such as completing a Solar Working within weeks, you will be known to be Anathema. Some of these downsides may be mitigated with stunting. Decreases loyalty of Uncle Pan, who disapproves heavily of Sorcerers. Counts as three (3) actions.]
[ ] Training [-2 Stress] - Training, that ever-necessary exercise. How you've missed having time to train! No matter, you will now make time. [You may train 240,000 XP.]
[ ] Write-In - All military activities are write-in for this phase. You may also write-in stunts for any of the given options, or come up with your own! For example, you may want to visit the Lily to get her help for a project you're attempting, or to change your buff.
I'm impressed at the guy above me!