[Exalted] The Dragon Blood, Never Born
- Thread starter VagueZ
- Start date
- Fantasy
- Location
- Nova Scotia
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] Help Ptheno find and stamp out the Fair Folk worshipers.
[X] Meet with Ari again, and ask for a sorcerous initiation.
[X] Meet with Solace, see how she is doing after her first Anathema fight.
[X] Meet with Ari again, and ask for a sorcerous initiation.
[X] Meet with Solace, see how she is doing after her first Anathema fight.
So entering the supplicant is likely to do some really bad stuff, and probably blow our cover to boot. But disobeying will pit us against our Deathlord.
- Location
- Bed
Lol she tried to tell us to disband our cult. Nice try, Waif. Gotta keep us dependent, huh?
That being said, actively supporting our cult right now strikes me as a risky proposition. With all the stuff we currently have to do, however, surely it would be unreasonable to expect us to prioritize that over our important businesses.
[X] Meet with Solace, see how she is doing after her first Anathema fight.
The elemental-blooded has seen how big the world is, how little she could stand up to something like a Lunar. How will that affect her breezy confidence? Or, perhaps, has she developed some tactic out of it?
- Mostly because I'm just curious and think maintaining a relationship with her will be useful, but if we can get an arrangement that allows us to better fight against Celestials, that will be a great boon. If and when we start needing to massacre Sidereals, this'll be key.
[X] Find the Mendicant, and try to get a straighter answer out of him.
It seems like he knows something. Is it worth it to try to follow up on that?
- This is PROBABLY nothing, maybe a slight touch of essence tasting (for lack of a better word) to notice the Abyssal flavor, but if we can glean some information from his ramblings then that's some free information. Honestly, though, this is the least solid of my three choices - if someone has a good case for the other options, I'll happily hear it.
[X] Follow up on your imminent betrothal.
House Peleps is in talks with House Ledaal and House Tepet in the hopes of marrying you off. This isn't too likely to get your new fiancee, whenever she's decided on, out here before the end of Calibration, but if you're planning for the future, it could be good to see what you can do with that. Anira would enjoy helping you with that, and probably would even be completely above-board.
- I smell shenanigans. And shenanigans are as amusing as they are incredibly aggravating when trying to plan the destruction of the world. I don't think we should leave this loose end to play out without us knowing what is going on.
That being said, actively supporting our cult right now strikes me as a risky proposition. With all the stuff we currently have to do, however, surely it would be unreasonable to expect us to prioritize that over our important businesses.
[X] Meet with Solace, see how she is doing after her first Anathema fight.
The elemental-blooded has seen how big the world is, how little she could stand up to something like a Lunar. How will that affect her breezy confidence? Or, perhaps, has she developed some tactic out of it?
- Mostly because I'm just curious and think maintaining a relationship with her will be useful, but if we can get an arrangement that allows us to better fight against Celestials, that will be a great boon. If and when we start needing to massacre Sidereals, this'll be key.
[X] Find the Mendicant, and try to get a straighter answer out of him.
It seems like he knows something. Is it worth it to try to follow up on that?
- This is PROBABLY nothing, maybe a slight touch of essence tasting (for lack of a better word) to notice the Abyssal flavor, but if we can glean some information from his ramblings then that's some free information. Honestly, though, this is the least solid of my three choices - if someone has a good case for the other options, I'll happily hear it.
[X] Follow up on your imminent betrothal.
House Peleps is in talks with House Ledaal and House Tepet in the hopes of marrying you off. This isn't too likely to get your new fiancee, whenever she's decided on, out here before the end of Calibration, but if you're planning for the future, it could be good to see what you can do with that. Anira would enjoy helping you with that, and probably would even be completely above-board.
- I smell shenanigans. And shenanigans are as amusing as they are incredibly aggravating when trying to plan the destruction of the world. I don't think we should leave this loose end to play out without us knowing what is going on.
[X] Help Ptheno find and stamp out the Fair Folk worshipers.
[X] Ask Avalanche Fury Roiling for instruction in Air Dragon Style.
[X] Meet with Solace, see how she is doing after her first Anathema fight.
[X] Ask Avalanche Fury Roiling for instruction in Air Dragon Style.
[X] Meet with Solace, see how she is doing after her first Anathema fight.
- Location
- Nova Scotia
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Belatedly, I'm going to get into some of my thought process here:
[] Help Ptheno find and stamp out the Fair Folk worshipers.
On the one hand, this just seems important, and the kind of thing that could very quickly get worse than we expect. There's a lot of shit up in the air right now, and we don't really know where it's going to come down. I also don't really like the thought of leaving either of the other Triumvirs to their own devices entirely.
[] Meet with Ari again, and ask for a sorcerous initiation.
My opinion here comes in two parts:
1) Shipping: I like Ari, he is fun to have around, Ari x Vessel would be very good
2) That aside, Ari is someone who we don't have a solid hold on, but who is drawn to us, and likes us, seemingly without wanting much in return. Solace works for money, our other potential allies are only situationally reliable. I would have preferred not to lie to him at all, but basically as I see it, the best way to avoid burning that bridge once things actually come out is to keep building the connection so that that won't matter as much. The sorcery will also be useful, because there's not going to be an option for something like that that's just "you fool, behind the door you picked is NOTHING." We can't have everything we might want, and we're going to miss out on stuff here, but I think we can safely assume that what we do end up on will be meaningful in its own right.
[] Meet with Solace, see how she is doing after her first Anathema fight.
1) Solace is a fun character and this will be an interesting conversation.
2) While Solace is working for us because we pay her, she's also an asset we have at our disposal who is actually loyal to us personally, and that is a relationship it wouldn't hurt to keep strengthening.
Basically, a large part of my position here is that, like...
[] Help Ptheno find and stamp out the Fair Folk worshipers.
On the one hand, this just seems important, and the kind of thing that could very quickly get worse than we expect. There's a lot of shit up in the air right now, and we don't really know where it's going to come down. I also don't really like the thought of leaving either of the other Triumvirs to their own devices entirely.
[] Meet with Ari again, and ask for a sorcerous initiation.
My opinion here comes in two parts:
1) Shipping: I like Ari, he is fun to have around, Ari x Vessel would be very good
2) That aside, Ari is someone who we don't have a solid hold on, but who is drawn to us, and likes us, seemingly without wanting much in return. Solace works for money, our other potential allies are only situationally reliable. I would have preferred not to lie to him at all, but basically as I see it, the best way to avoid burning that bridge once things actually come out is to keep building the connection so that that won't matter as much. The sorcery will also be useful, because there's not going to be an option for something like that that's just "you fool, behind the door you picked is NOTHING." We can't have everything we might want, and we're going to miss out on stuff here, but I think we can safely assume that what we do end up on will be meaningful in its own right.
[] Meet with Solace, see how she is doing after her first Anathema fight.
1) Solace is a fun character and this will be an interesting conversation.
2) While Solace is working for us because we pay her, she's also an asset we have at our disposal who is actually loyal to us personally, and that is a relationship it wouldn't hurt to keep strengthening.
Basically, a large part of my position here is that, like...
... this is triple ominous, and I see more value in consolidating what ties we've already invested in than spreading ourselves thin.
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- Location
- Too Deep in the Midnight Sea
[X] Help Ptheno find and stamp out the Fair Folk worshipers.
[X] Try to wake some evocations from Blizzard's Scourge.
[X] Ask Avalanche Fury Roiling for instruction in Air Dragon Style.
[X] Try to wake some evocations from Blizzard's Scourge.
[X] Ask Avalanche Fury Roiling for instruction in Air Dragon Style.
I'm not seeing anything I feel like we have to deal with. The closest things to needs are the fair folk and the cult. I don't want to deal with the cult though.
I feel like we could safely put off the Ari action, but sorcerous initiations are cool. Also, If magic isn't solving your problems, you just didn't use enough magic.
I like Solace and think she's one of the more interesting characters.
Sadly that doesn't leave enough actions for Blizzard, but I would like to get to it soon. Kind of worried our fanatic relative is going to splatter us without it, but oh well.
[X] Help Ptheno find and stamp out the Fair Folk worshipers.
[X] Meet with Ari again, and ask for a sorcerous initiation.
[X] Meet with Solace, see how she is doing after her first Anathema fight.
I really wanted the Air dragon style, but if we don't have enough time, we don't have enough time.
I feel like we could safely put off the Ari action, but sorcerous initiations are cool. Also, If magic isn't solving your problems, you just didn't use enough magic.
I like Solace and think she's one of the more interesting characters.
Sadly that doesn't leave enough actions for Blizzard, but I would like to get to it soon. Kind of worried our fanatic relative is going to splatter us without it, but oh well.
[X] Help Ptheno find and stamp out the Fair Folk worshipers.
[X] Meet with Ari again, and ask for a sorcerous initiation.
[X] Meet with Solace, see how she is doing after her first Anathema fight.
I really wanted the Air dragon style, but if we don't have enough time, we don't have enough time.
- Location
- Bed
I feel like hunting down the Fair Folk cult is actively detrimental to the slow degradation of the security of Creation, which is nominally our whole mission and all. Not that I don't support slaughtering anyone even tangentially related to those pathetic wannabe Mary Sues, but leaving them be will cause more harm than good, which is the whole point.
That's a fair point, but they're a wild card in an already unstable situation and I'd rather deal with them now than find ourselves having to deal with them later on without the help of the Realm when they're stronger later. I also don't trust Ptheno. Could probably be convinced to do something else with that slot though.
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- Location
- [REDACTED]
[X] Meet with Ari again, and ask for a sorcerous initiation.
[X] Meet with Solace, see how she is doing after her first Anathema fight.
[X] Ask Avalanche Fury Roiling for instruction in Air Dragon Style.
[X] Meet with Solace, see how she is doing after her first Anathema fight.
[X] Ask Avalanche Fury Roiling for instruction in Air Dragon Style.
A wargame
- Pronouns
- They/Them
[] Help Ptheno find and stamp out the Fair Folk worshipers.
[] Ask Avalanche Fury Roiling for instruction in Air Dragon Style.
[] Meet with Solace, see how she is doing after her first Anathema fight.
The days fly past. If it's not one thing, it's another, and you're on a very strict time table. Whenever you have a moment, you use it to be in the middle of something else new.
"Didn't really expect you to come yourself," Ptheno tells you.
"Why not?"
The Fire Aspect shrugs. "Dunno. I know you're no coward, but I was thinking... glory hound." The counterpart to Ptheno's blunt nastiness is that he's also willing to be very plain-spoken.
You've met with him outside the Ragara residence, as night falls.
"I have no love for those who consort with the Wyld. I'll strike them down if I can." In the back of your mind, Whispers stir, faintly murmuring their own hatred of the Wyld, but also of their suspicion that you may be here to protect the living. Let them. You're coming to realize that they can't fully read your heart.
"Hm." Ptheno gives you a smile. "Good attitude." He checks his swords. They rest loosely at his hips, hinting of the flames restrained in their scabbards. "We'll see what we can find."
"How do you want to work this?"
"We'll follow what we can sense." He heads out of the gate, and you follow, letting twilight begin to swallow up your presence, making it harder to recognize two Triumvirs for anyone who might see you as you go. "I fully expect tonight to be a waste. They would have to be truly bold to strike twice in two days. That said, we still have to begin somewhere. We can know something about where they will strike, however, as they will be looking for a small group to overwhelm, but not one that can call for help. We can completely eliminate anything with too much or too little traffic. We'll split up and cover more ground. Look for unexpected Essence use. There's not that many of us here in the Lap."
You nod. Ptheno's analysis and plan seems good to you. It might take a bit, but you will run these killers down.
The first night, however, ends up being just as boring as Ptheno predicted. You don't even find any interesting other crimes, just a handful of drunk middle-aged men and women who carouse a little harder than is really polite.
It's handy that a reasonably major Immaculate Temple like this has scrolls to explain all five of the Glorious Dragon Styles. It's not too surprising, as theoretically a temple like this could be a semi-permanent home for wandering monks or Wyld Hunt members on an extended chase, in which case a chance to review or try to expand their skills would come in handy.
It's a little frustrating that the actual martial practices are so wrapped up in arcane nonsense. These styles aren't that complex to your eyes. Challenging, yes, but hardly worth the endless volumes of commentary on the impossibility of approaching them without proper spiritual growth and training.
Avalanche Fury Roiling sits with you, slowly eating a meal of steamed vegetables over rice. He woke up to do that when an acolyte placed the bowl in front of him.
"It is good that you are interested in studying such enlightened methods, Triumvir Peleps," Avalanche says, after catching up to what the situation is around him and having his meal. "However, I should caution you against trying to jump straight into such styles. The typical method to learn such techniques is to first spend a year or more in meditation, to purify your internal Essence so you can take in the world in a new way. You may see failure, even injury, if you do not follow the wisdom of those who have already mastered the path of the dragons."
"I appreciate that, sifu," you say. As long as you're trying to learn from him in this area, it only makes sense to use the typical courtesy title for one's martial art's teacher. "But my family has always been a little unusual, what with our late Exaltations. My elder sister took to the Water Dragon Style in less than the typical timeframe."
Avalanche spreads his arms in a gesture of resignation. "Very well, Triumvir. I shall not try to dissuade you when your mind is made up."
You spend a profitable little time talking over the scrolls with him. Avalanche has yet to move beyond his own, 'matching' Earth Dragon Style, but he tells you he has been preparing to try to learn Wood Dragon Style. This stays safely in the realm of theoretical, without you activating any Charms in front of him which may make him suspicious.
Avalanche seems surprised with how quickly you're able to follow his talks, but in a pleased fashion.
Eventually, you ask to see a little more of Earth Dragon Style in practice. "Very well," Avalanche agrees, looking graver than 'practicing forms' really probably warrants.
He walks a short distance from you, and turns to face you. He draws in a deep breath, spreads his stance wide and low, and you feel a sudden vibration run through the ground underneath you as he anchors himself. "Earth Dragon Form!" His skin takes on the sheen of stone, making him look more like the Penitent than normal. "Come," he says to you, with a gesture. "If you wish to master the Glorious Dragon Styles, you'll need to learn what that means."
You slip into an unarmed combat posture yourself, and slide up to him. He again gestures: you are to attack. You throw a punch at his nose. He doesn't even flinch. It's like punching a stone statue. You curse mildly and shake your hand out. "Unmoving Mountain Stance, Stone Dragon's Skin... you cannot hurt me like that! Your attack isn't even worth defending."
You're also not fighting in anything like your best style, but this is, after all, training.
You think back over the katas, posture, and Essence practices you had just been observing on the Air Dragon Style scroll. You throw another punch, and a third, aiming for open-palm thrusts that will be easier on your bones. After absorbing several of your attacks, Avalanche slowly shifts to a more active role, first aiming to block or knock aside your increasingly swift attacks, then counter-punching with slow and steady assurance that he will hit you eventually.
"If you're going to do this, do it right! Be like air!" He roars it and swings a haymaker you only just barely dodge. Was that a breath of wind with it? Was it you, or the stone the Waif gave? "Earthshaker attack!" Avalanche stomps one foot on the ground, and the training ground beneath you rocks as if in a quake. You just barely keep your feet, and there's his fist in front of you already.
You barely knock his punch aside, so it grazes your left arm instead of hitting you square in the ribcage, but it does give you an opening. You punch back, again, and this time there is no doubt: the very air is speeding your punch. A follow-up blow explodes out from you almost as soon as the first hits Avalanche's unyielding skin of stone.
"Dodge!" He pushes your acrobatics to its limit, huge and slow blows that nonetheless require you to respect them, twisting and gyrating to avoid the touch of his huge fists.
You're not sure how much time passes before he calls a halt, but eventually he does. It's only then that you realize you're shaking: his power is huge, even if given its slow speed you think you might be able to take him in a straight fight, given even slightly favorable start.
"Most impressive, Peleps _____," he says. "I did not believe I would ever see this, but I do not think there is any doubt you have internalized the foundation of Wind Dragon Speed, a basic Charm of Air Dragon Style, in only one day. You are truly a prodigy! I can see why you have been able to fight with Anathema so well. It is a true loss that you do not feel called to the monastic path."
"I appreciate your teaching, sifu." You give him a deep bow.
"I'll be watching your training with interest," he says, sitting back down in a lotus pose.
That's exactly what you'd rather he didn't do. Luckily... he's already asleep.
You're sitting quietly up in a high tree. You'd be prowling along the rooftops, but most of these buildings have rather slap-dash roofs that wouldn't take your weight, so tree it is. This one gives you a relatively commanding view of several streets. Individuals and small groups of people have passed by, but so far nothing has caught your eye. Just a few people on legitimate business, furtive people probably meeting with a dealer or lover, people out enjoying the minimal nightlife of the Lap, and a handful of workers who just actually have reason to be out this late.
It's another night out hunting for the Wyld cultists. Sooner or later, you'll find them. You watch two men and one woman as the trio staggers off together. They're laughing, probably slightly drunk, but not so much that they couldn't work in the morning, so that's all right.
A weird disharmony enters your perceptions. Seven--no, eight--figures in dark grey robes are drifting after them, in a slow encirclement that checks to be sure that no one is going to interfere from outside, either.
What drew your attention the most, however, is that one of them drew a blade of gossamer. The woven dream-stuff of the Fair Folk can be superior to any mundane craft, though it will dissolve at the touch of iron. It, too, touches on the world's Essence, so you can't help but notice it.
This is one area where you have an advantage Ptheno lacks. You don't exactly have heliographs to communicate with each other, so you've worked out a simpler system to alert the other. Yours is more subtle. You draw back your right hand, thusly, and punch straight skyward with a hard breath out. A cold breeze ripples outward from you. Maybe one of the grey-clad people briefly glance up, but how much attention does a breeze warrant? Ptheno, who knows to look for it, will be able to follow it to its source.
This was a little more subtle than Ptheno's version, which involves a flare of fire.
You don't want to let any of the cultists get away, so you don't act immediately. You wait. There's a brief sound of surprise and a relatively quiet struggle as eight overpower three and haul them to an abandoned business, a tea house that simply didn't make enough money for its proprietor to keep bothering to show up.
Eleven people disappear into its sole entrance. The last of them glances both ways down the streeing assuring himself no one had turned the corner unexpectedly, as Ptheno finds your tree a street over and vaults easily into its lower branches.
You point at the target location. "Three victims, eight attackers, one entrance, no chance to start their ceremony yet." You have no idea what sort of ritual it is, but the fact that they truss up their victims means it can't be that quick. You have the time for this.
Ptheno grunts. "Watch the door. I'll deal with them myself. I'll let one or two escape for you to deal with." It was your catch. You don't press the point. He jumps back down out of the tree and saunters into the business as you instead rest to one side of the doorway.
There's a brief sound of raised voices. There's the sound of blades being drawn and the crackle of fire.
Then there's just screams. Quite a bit of screams, and other sounds of combat.
True to his word, Ptheno lets two escape, one after the other. The first one bolts out without even noticing you until your hands snake around his mouth and neck.
Your Essence is just a little more full by the time the second one comes out. This one has only one hand, and is the one who had drawn the gossamer blade before. He has a bare second of terror as he realizes he hasn't escaped as much as he thought.
This one is from somewhere in the East, by his complexion. At least one of the slaves had legitimately been in league with the Fair Folk, then.
His Essence has a weird, delightfully tangy additional spice to it. You're sure a real raksha would be even tastier.
You leave the bodies with an obvious fatal wound to hide their actual cause of death, and head inside as things quiet down there.
There's a scene of carnage all over the floor. It bothers you slightly that it doesn't bother you at all. The trio you've rescued huddle together in one corner, looking about as scared of Ptheno as of what he saved them from.
He, however, is covered in gore and smiling fiercely. The six cultists are thoroughly dead, and not in any way that would have given them a clean or swift death. "This was all of them," Ptheno tells you as he draws a red cloth from an interior pocket to carefully clean Sanguine Sinister and Sanguine Dexter. "They confessed as much."
Anything said while suffering that could hardly be trusted, but it's probably true.
And, thus, a happy ending was had for everyone. The three you rescued were sent on their way hardly the worse for wear, you had the chance to drain a couple of deserving, Ptheno had a chance to indulge his worse instincts while developing a slightly better opinion of you, and the cultists that you didn't stop from slipping into the Lap killed only a few people before being stopped hard. A little research later on suggests to you that they were using a thaumaturgic ritual to emulate some basic Fair Folk charms. A little taste of power and privilege is a dangerous thing for people the user doesn't regard as worth worrying about.
You find Solace Through the Night in a corner of the barracks. She's taken it over a sort of office.
She has her feet up on the plank she's using as a desk, and is idly twirling one flame piece around her finger, staring at the ceiling. When she notices you coming, she straightens up and sets the gun aside. It's not loaded, you can see. She uses her own Essence to reload, so probably she doesn't normally carry around much firedust.
"Triumvir!" She makes an effort to give you a smile. "Got more work for us to take care of?"
"I was actually checking on you." You pull up a chair and take your own seat, facing almost ninety degrees away from her, to give her space as you look at her. "You did well, but it might not feel that way."
Solace sighs, and the fake smile fades. "I'm not sure you really appreciate how rare Exalts are outside of your own circles," she says. "I've been fighting undead, protecting caravans, and driving away malevolent spirits since I was young. Even back with my mom's tribe, I fought. Up until I came here, I'd never met an actual Exalt. Meeting you Triumvirs and Avalanche Fury Roiling... that's all I've seen."
You nod. "You're used to being the big fish. Fighting Anathema without being an Exalt yourself... it's terrifying."
She cocks one eyebrow at you, a spark of fire drifting off with the motion. "What would you know about it?"
"I know you heard I just Exalted recently, within the last month. I was fighting a different Anathema, and he threw me off the Arm Forest." You gesture upward. The ceiling is in the way, but you both know exactly the rock overhang a couple miles up that you're referring to. "I Exalted on the way down."
Solace's eyes go very wide, then narrow in suspicion. "You're pulling my leg."
You make a common Southern hand gesture to indicate an oath. "Dragons' own truth." You might be omitting some details, but it's all true.
It does seem to help Solace. "Hm. Still... how would I even try to fight something like Strength of Many? I've always dealt with too powerful of threats by keeping mobile and sniping from range." She mock-glares at you. "Then you come in with your magic boomerang that outranges me. Then, when we fought with the Lunar, even with staying mobile and fighting from range... I could barely hurt him, and he could've caught up with me. What can I do about that?"
You give her a moment to think it over herself. It doesn't take long; she has been thinking about this since the event itself, and she just shares her thoughts now. "Danaro might be able to do something with his big spell, but that's hard to arrange and time-consuming. I'm... not sure how much more I can advance my own self." She hunches over a bit, and she again looks short, something you can so often overlook when she's being a big personality. "The only solution I've found to win without an Exalt on my side would be to sacrifice some of my people. Just let them be cut down to buy time; enough flame will eventually work. But I'd never do that."
"Well, for the remainder of your contract, that's at least something I can help with," you say. "You won't be fighting without an Exalt, I'd hope. I wanted back-up and help in training the local sepoys, not just meat to throw into the grinder. And, given a little more time, I'm sure you'll have some anti-Exalt tactics, too. We're not so invincible that we haven't fallen at times."
The eyebrow goes up again. "Could have fooled me. I'm still trying to find something you're not great at. How are you at small-group tactics?"
You shrug. "Only the very basics, I'm afraid. I've assumed I would either be at the front and fighting myself or further back, managing supply lines."
"Hm." She sits forward, a bit hungrily. "Then I do have one suggestion. Perhaps we should run a larger exercise, see who can compete best there. We'll each take a couple scales and see who can fight the best when I'm not using my flame pieces and you're not just the untouchable Dragon-Blood. A different sort of integration exercise."
It ends up being a mild headache to arrange, but you do it. You even swap command, to further things. This means that you are introduced to some of Solace's skirmishers who don't know your Realm commands, and Solace is put in command of not Realm regulars, but local Lap sepoys.
Some people say that a Dynast's life is one of idle hedonism, but in your experience it's mostly paperwork, fights, or preparing for fights. All things considered, you enjoy the preparation most. It can actually lend a sort of carnival air to things.
You and the two scales get to know each other and briefly go over the expected commands and hand signals for them. There's a few little sticking points, like the signal that you're used to using for 'hold fast' is their signal for 'provide cover fire'.
Still, you're all professionals and relatively veteran to boot, so merriment only lasts a moment before everyone is serious again.
You definitely got the better end of this swap; Solace is getting to handle Lap sepoys. They're basically irregulars, chosen from the Lap's workforce where there's no shortage of fit and healthy young people to pick among, and then used for breaking up bar fights, guarding low-danger caravans, and providing a shiny local appearance for the look of things. Not exactly the cream of the crop.
After all, until recently, it definitely wouldn't matter. If the Lap had needed to field an army, it would have been the Realm legion that took point. That was before the Realm picked apart its own satrapies to bring as much military power as possible back to the Blessed Isle, of course. Even beyond that military might, the Empress could have unquestionably leveled any attacker by using the Realm Defense Grid... which is also, presumably, very much offline.
The Lap is only one of scores of similar stories of satrapies all along the Threshold.
You shake off the woolgathering and get back to work.
The actual wargame is genuinely fun. A different team hung up some sheets, boards, and other barriers in one of the less productive orchards, creating an ad-hod labyrinth. Slingers have traded out actual sling bullets for beads with colored water, to help mark a hit. Five colorful vases are repurposed as targets of value. The aim is going to be for each team to secure as many of the targets as possible while wiping out the other team. The fighters have to respect the two-dimensional nature of the maze (so no vaulting or climbing) and you and Solace are forbidden from Essence use. There's a few other restrictions, but you let them sink into your mind without taking much conscious notice.
You rely on your sergeants to help you manage the two teams, and enter the maze as everyone not involved gets down to that old military standby: betting on outcomes. From what you overhear, you think you're the favorite.
The shade of the trees feels nice, and the artificially difficult maze ends up being interesting. It doesn't take long for the groups to establish contact, of course, and while you recover two of five targets without difficulty, the third ends up being harder to locate. A few warriors on each side end up taken out and leave the field.
Solace tries to have her sepoys spread out widely, which is what you anticipated and are positioned to take advantage of. She's used to that sort of loose-order fighting, but she's not directing her own forces today. You keep your team more together, able to cover a 'corridor' effectively and return larger volleys when a target appears.
You've whittle down their forces when your remaining sergeant taps you on the shoulder. "I think we've found the last target." You follow her guidance to see it. It's partially concealed by a tree root down a somewhat blind alley, in relatively clear firing range from both groups, which explains how it wasn't found immediately.
The simple answer would be to cover it and keep up pressure until you've knocked out the entire other side, but you feel an urge to be daring. "Cover me; I'm going to recover it."
She doesn't question it. Good. You wait for a break in the action before you dart across the no-man's-land toward the final target. You avoid the slinging shots, but before you can quite reach it you find a whirling dervish trying to knock you flat and beat you to it. It's Solace, unsurprisingly. She smiles as she tries to fight her way past you and claim it for herself.
It's not a terrible last-ditch plan, but without Essence or her flame pieces in the mix you're just better in the clinch than she is, so once you realize what's happening, her slim shot at beating you becomes almost none.
Although...
[] You decide to steal a kiss before you win the prize.
[] No, just win this. Keep things professional between you two.
[] Let her win. You won't be able to hide that you let her.
[] Ask Avalanche Fury Roiling for instruction in Air Dragon Style.
[] Meet with Solace, see how she is doing after her first Anathema fight.
The days fly past. If it's not one thing, it's another, and you're on a very strict time table. Whenever you have a moment, you use it to be in the middle of something else new.
* * *
"Didn't really expect you to come yourself," Ptheno tells you.
"Why not?"
The Fire Aspect shrugs. "Dunno. I know you're no coward, but I was thinking... glory hound." The counterpart to Ptheno's blunt nastiness is that he's also willing to be very plain-spoken.
You've met with him outside the Ragara residence, as night falls.
"I have no love for those who consort with the Wyld. I'll strike them down if I can." In the back of your mind, Whispers stir, faintly murmuring their own hatred of the Wyld, but also of their suspicion that you may be here to protect the living. Let them. You're coming to realize that they can't fully read your heart.
"Hm." Ptheno gives you a smile. "Good attitude." He checks his swords. They rest loosely at his hips, hinting of the flames restrained in their scabbards. "We'll see what we can find."
"How do you want to work this?"
"We'll follow what we can sense." He heads out of the gate, and you follow, letting twilight begin to swallow up your presence, making it harder to recognize two Triumvirs for anyone who might see you as you go. "I fully expect tonight to be a waste. They would have to be truly bold to strike twice in two days. That said, we still have to begin somewhere. We can know something about where they will strike, however, as they will be looking for a small group to overwhelm, but not one that can call for help. We can completely eliminate anything with too much or too little traffic. We'll split up and cover more ground. Look for unexpected Essence use. There's not that many of us here in the Lap."
You nod. Ptheno's analysis and plan seems good to you. It might take a bit, but you will run these killers down.
The first night, however, ends up being just as boring as Ptheno predicted. You don't even find any interesting other crimes, just a handful of drunk middle-aged men and women who carouse a little harder than is really polite.
* * *
It's handy that a reasonably major Immaculate Temple like this has scrolls to explain all five of the Glorious Dragon Styles. It's not too surprising, as theoretically a temple like this could be a semi-permanent home for wandering monks or Wyld Hunt members on an extended chase, in which case a chance to review or try to expand their skills would come in handy.
It's a little frustrating that the actual martial practices are so wrapped up in arcane nonsense. These styles aren't that complex to your eyes. Challenging, yes, but hardly worth the endless volumes of commentary on the impossibility of approaching them without proper spiritual growth and training.
Avalanche Fury Roiling sits with you, slowly eating a meal of steamed vegetables over rice. He woke up to do that when an acolyte placed the bowl in front of him.
"It is good that you are interested in studying such enlightened methods, Triumvir Peleps," Avalanche says, after catching up to what the situation is around him and having his meal. "However, I should caution you against trying to jump straight into such styles. The typical method to learn such techniques is to first spend a year or more in meditation, to purify your internal Essence so you can take in the world in a new way. You may see failure, even injury, if you do not follow the wisdom of those who have already mastered the path of the dragons."
"I appreciate that, sifu," you say. As long as you're trying to learn from him in this area, it only makes sense to use the typical courtesy title for one's martial art's teacher. "But my family has always been a little unusual, what with our late Exaltations. My elder sister took to the Water Dragon Style in less than the typical timeframe."
Avalanche spreads his arms in a gesture of resignation. "Very well, Triumvir. I shall not try to dissuade you when your mind is made up."
You spend a profitable little time talking over the scrolls with him. Avalanche has yet to move beyond his own, 'matching' Earth Dragon Style, but he tells you he has been preparing to try to learn Wood Dragon Style. This stays safely in the realm of theoretical, without you activating any Charms in front of him which may make him suspicious.
Avalanche seems surprised with how quickly you're able to follow his talks, but in a pleased fashion.
Eventually, you ask to see a little more of Earth Dragon Style in practice. "Very well," Avalanche agrees, looking graver than 'practicing forms' really probably warrants.
He walks a short distance from you, and turns to face you. He draws in a deep breath, spreads his stance wide and low, and you feel a sudden vibration run through the ground underneath you as he anchors himself. "Earth Dragon Form!" His skin takes on the sheen of stone, making him look more like the Penitent than normal. "Come," he says to you, with a gesture. "If you wish to master the Glorious Dragon Styles, you'll need to learn what that means."
You slip into an unarmed combat posture yourself, and slide up to him. He again gestures: you are to attack. You throw a punch at his nose. He doesn't even flinch. It's like punching a stone statue. You curse mildly and shake your hand out. "Unmoving Mountain Stance, Stone Dragon's Skin... you cannot hurt me like that! Your attack isn't even worth defending."
You're also not fighting in anything like your best style, but this is, after all, training.
You think back over the katas, posture, and Essence practices you had just been observing on the Air Dragon Style scroll. You throw another punch, and a third, aiming for open-palm thrusts that will be easier on your bones. After absorbing several of your attacks, Avalanche slowly shifts to a more active role, first aiming to block or knock aside your increasingly swift attacks, then counter-punching with slow and steady assurance that he will hit you eventually.
"If you're going to do this, do it right! Be like air!" He roars it and swings a haymaker you only just barely dodge. Was that a breath of wind with it? Was it you, or the stone the Waif gave? "Earthshaker attack!" Avalanche stomps one foot on the ground, and the training ground beneath you rocks as if in a quake. You just barely keep your feet, and there's his fist in front of you already.
You barely knock his punch aside, so it grazes your left arm instead of hitting you square in the ribcage, but it does give you an opening. You punch back, again, and this time there is no doubt: the very air is speeding your punch. A follow-up blow explodes out from you almost as soon as the first hits Avalanche's unyielding skin of stone.
"Dodge!" He pushes your acrobatics to its limit, huge and slow blows that nonetheless require you to respect them, twisting and gyrating to avoid the touch of his huge fists.
You're not sure how much time passes before he calls a halt, but eventually he does. It's only then that you realize you're shaking: his power is huge, even if given its slow speed you think you might be able to take him in a straight fight, given even slightly favorable start.
"Most impressive, Peleps _____," he says. "I did not believe I would ever see this, but I do not think there is any doubt you have internalized the foundation of Wind Dragon Speed, a basic Charm of Air Dragon Style, in only one day. You are truly a prodigy! I can see why you have been able to fight with Anathema so well. It is a true loss that you do not feel called to the monastic path."
"I appreciate your teaching, sifu." You give him a deep bow.
"I'll be watching your training with interest," he says, sitting back down in a lotus pose.
That's exactly what you'd rather he didn't do. Luckily... he's already asleep.
* * *
You're sitting quietly up in a high tree. You'd be prowling along the rooftops, but most of these buildings have rather slap-dash roofs that wouldn't take your weight, so tree it is. This one gives you a relatively commanding view of several streets. Individuals and small groups of people have passed by, but so far nothing has caught your eye. Just a few people on legitimate business, furtive people probably meeting with a dealer or lover, people out enjoying the minimal nightlife of the Lap, and a handful of workers who just actually have reason to be out this late.
It's another night out hunting for the Wyld cultists. Sooner or later, you'll find them. You watch two men and one woman as the trio staggers off together. They're laughing, probably slightly drunk, but not so much that they couldn't work in the morning, so that's all right.
A weird disharmony enters your perceptions. Seven--no, eight--figures in dark grey robes are drifting after them, in a slow encirclement that checks to be sure that no one is going to interfere from outside, either.
What drew your attention the most, however, is that one of them drew a blade of gossamer. The woven dream-stuff of the Fair Folk can be superior to any mundane craft, though it will dissolve at the touch of iron. It, too, touches on the world's Essence, so you can't help but notice it.
This is one area where you have an advantage Ptheno lacks. You don't exactly have heliographs to communicate with each other, so you've worked out a simpler system to alert the other. Yours is more subtle. You draw back your right hand, thusly, and punch straight skyward with a hard breath out. A cold breeze ripples outward from you. Maybe one of the grey-clad people briefly glance up, but how much attention does a breeze warrant? Ptheno, who knows to look for it, will be able to follow it to its source.
This was a little more subtle than Ptheno's version, which involves a flare of fire.
You don't want to let any of the cultists get away, so you don't act immediately. You wait. There's a brief sound of surprise and a relatively quiet struggle as eight overpower three and haul them to an abandoned business, a tea house that simply didn't make enough money for its proprietor to keep bothering to show up.
Eleven people disappear into its sole entrance. The last of them glances both ways down the streeing assuring himself no one had turned the corner unexpectedly, as Ptheno finds your tree a street over and vaults easily into its lower branches.
You point at the target location. "Three victims, eight attackers, one entrance, no chance to start their ceremony yet." You have no idea what sort of ritual it is, but the fact that they truss up their victims means it can't be that quick. You have the time for this.
Ptheno grunts. "Watch the door. I'll deal with them myself. I'll let one or two escape for you to deal with." It was your catch. You don't press the point. He jumps back down out of the tree and saunters into the business as you instead rest to one side of the doorway.
There's a brief sound of raised voices. There's the sound of blades being drawn and the crackle of fire.
Then there's just screams. Quite a bit of screams, and other sounds of combat.
True to his word, Ptheno lets two escape, one after the other. The first one bolts out without even noticing you until your hands snake around his mouth and neck.
Your Essence is just a little more full by the time the second one comes out. This one has only one hand, and is the one who had drawn the gossamer blade before. He has a bare second of terror as he realizes he hasn't escaped as much as he thought.
This one is from somewhere in the East, by his complexion. At least one of the slaves had legitimately been in league with the Fair Folk, then.
His Essence has a weird, delightfully tangy additional spice to it. You're sure a real raksha would be even tastier.
You leave the bodies with an obvious fatal wound to hide their actual cause of death, and head inside as things quiet down there.
There's a scene of carnage all over the floor. It bothers you slightly that it doesn't bother you at all. The trio you've rescued huddle together in one corner, looking about as scared of Ptheno as of what he saved them from.
He, however, is covered in gore and smiling fiercely. The six cultists are thoroughly dead, and not in any way that would have given them a clean or swift death. "This was all of them," Ptheno tells you as he draws a red cloth from an interior pocket to carefully clean Sanguine Sinister and Sanguine Dexter. "They confessed as much."
Anything said while suffering that could hardly be trusted, but it's probably true.
And, thus, a happy ending was had for everyone. The three you rescued were sent on their way hardly the worse for wear, you had the chance to drain a couple of deserving, Ptheno had a chance to indulge his worse instincts while developing a slightly better opinion of you, and the cultists that you didn't stop from slipping into the Lap killed only a few people before being stopped hard. A little research later on suggests to you that they were using a thaumaturgic ritual to emulate some basic Fair Folk charms. A little taste of power and privilege is a dangerous thing for people the user doesn't regard as worth worrying about.
* * *
You find Solace Through the Night in a corner of the barracks. She's taken it over a sort of office.
She has her feet up on the plank she's using as a desk, and is idly twirling one flame piece around her finger, staring at the ceiling. When she notices you coming, she straightens up and sets the gun aside. It's not loaded, you can see. She uses her own Essence to reload, so probably she doesn't normally carry around much firedust.
"Triumvir!" She makes an effort to give you a smile. "Got more work for us to take care of?"
"I was actually checking on you." You pull up a chair and take your own seat, facing almost ninety degrees away from her, to give her space as you look at her. "You did well, but it might not feel that way."
Solace sighs, and the fake smile fades. "I'm not sure you really appreciate how rare Exalts are outside of your own circles," she says. "I've been fighting undead, protecting caravans, and driving away malevolent spirits since I was young. Even back with my mom's tribe, I fought. Up until I came here, I'd never met an actual Exalt. Meeting you Triumvirs and Avalanche Fury Roiling... that's all I've seen."
You nod. "You're used to being the big fish. Fighting Anathema without being an Exalt yourself... it's terrifying."
She cocks one eyebrow at you, a spark of fire drifting off with the motion. "What would you know about it?"
"I know you heard I just Exalted recently, within the last month. I was fighting a different Anathema, and he threw me off the Arm Forest." You gesture upward. The ceiling is in the way, but you both know exactly the rock overhang a couple miles up that you're referring to. "I Exalted on the way down."
Solace's eyes go very wide, then narrow in suspicion. "You're pulling my leg."
You make a common Southern hand gesture to indicate an oath. "Dragons' own truth." You might be omitting some details, but it's all true.
It does seem to help Solace. "Hm. Still... how would I even try to fight something like Strength of Many? I've always dealt with too powerful of threats by keeping mobile and sniping from range." She mock-glares at you. "Then you come in with your magic boomerang that outranges me. Then, when we fought with the Lunar, even with staying mobile and fighting from range... I could barely hurt him, and he could've caught up with me. What can I do about that?"
You give her a moment to think it over herself. It doesn't take long; she has been thinking about this since the event itself, and she just shares her thoughts now. "Danaro might be able to do something with his big spell, but that's hard to arrange and time-consuming. I'm... not sure how much more I can advance my own self." She hunches over a bit, and she again looks short, something you can so often overlook when she's being a big personality. "The only solution I've found to win without an Exalt on my side would be to sacrifice some of my people. Just let them be cut down to buy time; enough flame will eventually work. But I'd never do that."
"Well, for the remainder of your contract, that's at least something I can help with," you say. "You won't be fighting without an Exalt, I'd hope. I wanted back-up and help in training the local sepoys, not just meat to throw into the grinder. And, given a little more time, I'm sure you'll have some anti-Exalt tactics, too. We're not so invincible that we haven't fallen at times."
The eyebrow goes up again. "Could have fooled me. I'm still trying to find something you're not great at. How are you at small-group tactics?"
You shrug. "Only the very basics, I'm afraid. I've assumed I would either be at the front and fighting myself or further back, managing supply lines."
"Hm." She sits forward, a bit hungrily. "Then I do have one suggestion. Perhaps we should run a larger exercise, see who can compete best there. We'll each take a couple scales and see who can fight the best when I'm not using my flame pieces and you're not just the untouchable Dragon-Blood. A different sort of integration exercise."
It ends up being a mild headache to arrange, but you do it. You even swap command, to further things. This means that you are introduced to some of Solace's skirmishers who don't know your Realm commands, and Solace is put in command of not Realm regulars, but local Lap sepoys.
Some people say that a Dynast's life is one of idle hedonism, but in your experience it's mostly paperwork, fights, or preparing for fights. All things considered, you enjoy the preparation most. It can actually lend a sort of carnival air to things.
You and the two scales get to know each other and briefly go over the expected commands and hand signals for them. There's a few little sticking points, like the signal that you're used to using for 'hold fast' is their signal for 'provide cover fire'.
Still, you're all professionals and relatively veteran to boot, so merriment only lasts a moment before everyone is serious again.
You definitely got the better end of this swap; Solace is getting to handle Lap sepoys. They're basically irregulars, chosen from the Lap's workforce where there's no shortage of fit and healthy young people to pick among, and then used for breaking up bar fights, guarding low-danger caravans, and providing a shiny local appearance for the look of things. Not exactly the cream of the crop.
After all, until recently, it definitely wouldn't matter. If the Lap had needed to field an army, it would have been the Realm legion that took point. That was before the Realm picked apart its own satrapies to bring as much military power as possible back to the Blessed Isle, of course. Even beyond that military might, the Empress could have unquestionably leveled any attacker by using the Realm Defense Grid... which is also, presumably, very much offline.
The Lap is only one of scores of similar stories of satrapies all along the Threshold.
You shake off the woolgathering and get back to work.
The actual wargame is genuinely fun. A different team hung up some sheets, boards, and other barriers in one of the less productive orchards, creating an ad-hod labyrinth. Slingers have traded out actual sling bullets for beads with colored water, to help mark a hit. Five colorful vases are repurposed as targets of value. The aim is going to be for each team to secure as many of the targets as possible while wiping out the other team. The fighters have to respect the two-dimensional nature of the maze (so no vaulting or climbing) and you and Solace are forbidden from Essence use. There's a few other restrictions, but you let them sink into your mind without taking much conscious notice.
You rely on your sergeants to help you manage the two teams, and enter the maze as everyone not involved gets down to that old military standby: betting on outcomes. From what you overhear, you think you're the favorite.
The shade of the trees feels nice, and the artificially difficult maze ends up being interesting. It doesn't take long for the groups to establish contact, of course, and while you recover two of five targets without difficulty, the third ends up being harder to locate. A few warriors on each side end up taken out and leave the field.
Solace tries to have her sepoys spread out widely, which is what you anticipated and are positioned to take advantage of. She's used to that sort of loose-order fighting, but she's not directing her own forces today. You keep your team more together, able to cover a 'corridor' effectively and return larger volleys when a target appears.
You've whittle down their forces when your remaining sergeant taps you on the shoulder. "I think we've found the last target." You follow her guidance to see it. It's partially concealed by a tree root down a somewhat blind alley, in relatively clear firing range from both groups, which explains how it wasn't found immediately.
The simple answer would be to cover it and keep up pressure until you've knocked out the entire other side, but you feel an urge to be daring. "Cover me; I'm going to recover it."
She doesn't question it. Good. You wait for a break in the action before you dart across the no-man's-land toward the final target. You avoid the slinging shots, but before you can quite reach it you find a whirling dervish trying to knock you flat and beat you to it. It's Solace, unsurprisingly. She smiles as she tries to fight her way past you and claim it for herself.
It's not a terrible last-ditch plan, but without Essence or her flame pieces in the mix you're just better in the clinch than she is, so once you realize what's happening, her slim shot at beating you becomes almost none.
Although...
[] You decide to steal a kiss before you win the prize.
[] No, just win this. Keep things professional between you two.
[] Let her win. You won't be able to hide that you let her.
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- Location
- Bed
[X] No, just win this. Keep things professional between you two.
You really don't know how much it hurts me to not start complicated relationship drama here (ref cit the source material of my profile pic), but... No. No, we have more important things to do, and can you IMAGINE how embarrassing it would be if we abandon our mission to destroy the world for something as petty and foolish as love? Boy would we never hear the end of THAT one!
Although... Dammit that sounds cool and dramatic and fun! Argh! I can't make up my mind!
For now, at least, we have other bad decisions to make. But I'm very much on the fence.
You really don't know how much it hurts me to not start complicated relationship drama here (ref cit the source material of my profile pic), but... No. No, we have more important things to do, and can you IMAGINE how embarrassing it would be if we abandon our mission to destroy the world for something as petty and foolish as love? Boy would we never hear the end of THAT one!
Although... Dammit that sounds cool and dramatic and fun! Argh! I can't make up my mind!
For now, at least, we have other bad decisions to make. But I'm very much on the fence.
- Location
- Nova Scotia
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Well, you've convinced me.
[X] You decide to steal a kiss before you win the prize.
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Varder
Tired Cultist
- Location
- Hell
I think that going for the kiss has some practical benefits.
It gives people around us, including nobles, something to gossip about, so they won't be looking around for something else. Also, any strange behaviour would be attributed to the torrid forbidden romance we're having. Lastly, it gives us an understandable reason to try to postpone the marriage our family is going to push for.
P.S. Also, there is our fanatical family member incoming, if I recall? With any luck he will attack us about this improper relationship, letting us discredit him; so that if he finds out we're Anathema noone believes him.
It gives people around us, including nobles, something to gossip about, so they won't be looking around for something else. Also, any strange behaviour would be attributed to the torrid forbidden romance we're having. Lastly, it gives us an understandable reason to try to postpone the marriage our family is going to push for.
P.S. Also, there is our fanatical family member incoming, if I recall? With any luck he will attack us about this improper relationship, letting us discredit him; so that if he finds out we're Anathema noone believes him.
ThatGazzer
Minds Eye Bind
- Location
- PNW
- Pronouns
- They/Them
[X] You decide to steal a kiss before you win the prize.
Kissing is what Exalted is all about
Kissing is what Exalted is all about
- Location
- St. Petersburg
"contract"
...
No.
[x] No, just win this. Keep things professional between you two.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Fixed. Spellcheck was no help at all on that one!
Peleps Deled. He's actually been an Exalted iconic character since first edition, and one of the most notable of 'em. I've tried to keep a healthy mix of both original creations and source material things.
[X] You decide to steal a kiss before you win the prize.
