I think she knew already, because Harry's deal was in place before anything kicked off that involved us. Or at least that's the implication I got anyway. There's a very limited window in which he could have met Mab without witnesses, and the way he and Bob talked about it didn't make it sound that recent.
Green Flame Rising (Exalted vs Dresden Files)
- Thread starter DragonParadox
- Start date
- Crossover Fantasy
Doubt it.
People think theyre slick putting wards and herbs against Fae around their homes to keep Fae spies out.
Not realizing that it singles out their home as being of interest.
Plus, Arawn is a death god. Thats got significance.
I suspect that anywhere with an active ghost scene always knows when someone with significant death resonance moves into the local neighborhood. Thats how Dresden figured out there were five necromancers in Chicago during Dead Beat; he spoke to an ectomancer and asked nicely.
There's also the matter that Arawn seems to still actively be using the mantle somehow.
My presumption prior to this was that he functionally set it aside in favor of his new one, because we've seen in the books that entities of this type can shift freely between forms like that.
Arawn is presumably not a complete idiot and therefore has some reason to believe he can stay ahead of Mab, but if he left his company phone on and in his back pocket the whole time I'm skeptical of how well that worked.
Eh, no. I dont think so.
Kattrin was a Seer with her own minions, and Chicago was the target of the last Darkhallow attempt by the Heirs of Kemmler.
She was entirely capable of digging up her own information,.
And there's good odds that if Mab knew where Kattrin was, it would have been worth far more to her as information to trade to Odin and his family for a favor.
This.
The antagonists of Summer Knight went to significant effort to be able to hide the location of the Summer Knight Mantle after murdering the previous holder. That suggests there's a sort of magical lojack in Mantles associated with a court, and the Court's rulers can track them.
Its entirely possible it was installed when Arawn swore fealty, and Mab never told him about it.
So he's looked it over, and thinks its mostly clean as long as he's careful.
While Mab says nothing and bides her time.
- Location
- Germany
You keep assuming that Arawn escaping Mab for century was all part of her plan, when there's absolutly no textual evidence for it and DP stated just two pages ago that Arawn could have propably stayed on the run by our best estimate.
I think you are seriously overrating Mab's influence and knowledge in this world.
Yeah, she's good but not that good. Or at least not on every possible topic.
I do think it's reasonable to say that she isn't easy to trick though, especially long term.
He probably managed to hide most of the time, but there's a difference between temporarily hiding a mantle from its court and blocking them for a century.
I wouldn't be surprised if she managed to start picking up at least vague hints after she'd been working the problem for a few years -to-decades.
Edit: autocorrupt
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No. Im assuming that:
1)Mab is paranoid enough to put magic Apple Air Tags in all her stuff in case it goes missing, and not tell anyone.
Not even the person that is using it.
EDIT Now it occurs to me we may have dodged a bullet with Slate, Winter Knight. Unless we had a charm to hide him
2)That Arawn escaping may or may not have been his idea(probably his, but again, Mab), but that Mab did not deem it of enough urgency to pursue. Then.
So she just kept tabs on him and bided her time.
3)DP was careful to characterize it as Molly's thinking, not objective fact.
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- Location
- Germany
I disagree.
It's much more likely that Arawn did manage to stay ahead of her for a century and while Mab occasionally got his trail it was never enough to capture him. Due to his skills, luck and some remaining allies in Winter.
Every bit of text from DP, inside and outside updates makes it look like that obvious conclusion not like some convulted plan.
Agree to disagree.
Incidentally, this is now Arawn in my mind:
Seeing as his mantle is apparently a lot more integral to his being than canon would imply for this sort of situation.
If he wakes up in the lifespan of the quest we should see if we can swing making his next fake ID's name Kevin.
Seeing as his mantle is apparently a lot more integral to his being than canon would imply for this sort of situation.
If he wakes up in the lifespan of the quest we should see if we can swing making his next fake ID's name Kevin.
@DragonParadox would stage magic fall under Larceny?
- Location
- Canada
This point in the quest is interesting. It looks like a lot of people have opinions I know I didn't vote in this segment because I was not sure what the "good guy" option would be. It felt to me like Mab is above Molly's pay grade but she was none the less the antagonist in this arc.
I'm not 100% sure why Arawn wanted to escape Mab, and why those same reasons would not apply to Matthew. It's also a little narrativly unsatisfying to have the NPCs make the final decision. That said, I think the Mantle transfer was the an idea that the thread came up with and the results are a pretty good compromise since no one wins:
- Mab does not get to mold a young mantle holder to mold to her will
- Arawn does not get to get away Scott free from Mab's service
The person best off is probably Harry since he gets to pay down his debt but does not need to do an evil thing to do so.
I know I didn't vote in this segment because I was not sure what the "good guy" option would be. It felt to me like Mab is above Molly's pay grade but she was none the less the antagonist in this arc. I'm not 100% sure why Arawn wanted to escape Mab, and why those same reasons would not apply to Matthew. It's also a little narrativly unsatisfying to have the NPCs make the final decision. That said, I think the Mantle transfer was the an idea that the thread came up with and the results are a pretty good compromise since no one wins:
- Mab does not get to mold a young mantle holder to mold to her will
- Arawn does not get to get away Scott free from Mab's service
The person best off is probably Harry since he gets to pay down his debt but does not need to do an evil thing to do so.
- Pronouns
- She/Her
When we're an E5 Exalt with tons of Charms, massive dice pools, our own personal country that we rule in the NeverNever, and a ton of more conventional minions with loyalty bought with Charms like Mercy in Servitude and other stuff that makes it really attractive to work for us, we'll be a faction in our own right and be able to solve problems like these perfectly by calling Mab to the negotiating table with tons of stuff on offer that other people straight up can't get and doesn't cost us anything we'll notice losing.
As a baby Exalt that's still building our core charmset, this is the best we can reasonably hope to do right now, and gives us the chance to fix it later with future Exalted shenanigans. I'm willing to call that a win.
As a baby Exalt that's still building our core charmset, this is the best we can reasonably hope to do right now, and gives us the chance to fix it later with future Exalted shenanigans. I'm willing to call that a win.
- Location
- Earth
Harry has emphatically not fulfilled Mab's orders.
The consequences of that are still unclear, but Mab won't have a hard time arguing he didn't do as told.
Because he didn't.
- Location
- washington
Actually no consequences since he's able to decline any mission he just wouldnt get a favor off the list. Unless harry made additional promises in which case that's a harry fuck up. He has the right to decline anything mab asks for he just Has to fulfill a certain amount.
JayTar
Idea briefcase
Poor Lydia. I know we are just making the best of a bad situation, but it's still painful for her.
The harder half is still yet to come. Pitching this whole thing to Mab. Really put that Etiquette excellency to work. Maybe some Subterfuge too to cover up the more inconvenient parts.
Best case scenario would be convincing Mab that she got as good an outcome as could be expected from this mess and no further action is needed. Possibly even that she owes us enough to write off Harry's favor because we did kind of go beyond for making sure she got something.
None of which is really untrue, it's just a matter of framing. Did we participate in ensuring Mab didn't get precisely what she wanted, or was that inevitable and it was our quick thinking that made sure she got at least something.
All while dancing around the fact that we basically read her mind with our overpowered crown.
The harder half is still yet to come. Pitching this whole thing to Mab. Really put that Etiquette excellency to work. Maybe some Subterfuge too to cover up the more inconvenient parts.
Best case scenario would be convincing Mab that she got as good an outcome as could be expected from this mess and no further action is needed. Possibly even that she owes us enough to write off Harry's favor because we did kind of go beyond for making sure she got something.
None of which is really untrue, it's just a matter of framing. Did we participate in ensuring Mab didn't get precisely what she wanted, or was that inevitable and it was our quick thinking that made sure she got at least something.
All while dancing around the fact that we basically read her mind with our overpowered crown.
One point: Arawn doesn't know about a Dragon's Nest we'll be having available soon. I strongly suspect that being placed there will quicken his awakening by a lot. And if not that specific Dragon's Nest (due to misaligned essence), then we could find another. Possibly death aligned. Maybe taking him into our soul once we have the kingdom running would work.
We'll need to prevent Mab from taking his body away, though.
We'll need to prevent Mab from taking his body away, though.
Yzarc
The Spark of Madness
We don't. We still have to convince the Dragon to share, which is easier said then done.
- Location
- Earth
Exp spending Wishlist:
Ancient Sorcery:
Sapphire Ritual of Exorcism (10XP)
Kakuri:
False Spring Beckon °°° (9XP)
Lanka:
Ox-Body Technique ° (3XP)
Scar-Writ Saga Shield ° (3XP)
Viridian Legend Exoskeleton °° (6XP)
Total: 31 XP
Not sure if we'll make 4 more XP until we spend, but we might.
This'll give us a lot of tanking, a way to pay off Harry's debt/annoy denarians and a recruiting tool/heal Rosie tool.
The problem is that if Molly's Thousand and Oneth He'll follows the precedent of the other Thousand Hells we know of, they're festering bits of tainted energy they defiles anything they touch, most particularly including anything that tries to absorb their energy. They're the spiritual equivalent of the memetic Chernobyl exclusion zone.
The only things that can safely use them without being destroyed from within are the creatures of thr Yama Kings.
Some of the abilities are nice, but I'm reluctant to try fixing the problems we caused by forcing magic on Rosie with more magic. We still haven't explained to her that Molly basically raped her mind, and that she'll be struggling with the side effects of that for a long time.
We should have that conversation first, and I don't see us managing to talk her around into regularly getting additional magic used in her without exalted socials.
Which we shouldn't use to bend around people who we count as friends when they have cause to be upset with us. The ability to do things like that is part of what set the solars on such a dark path, even independent of the great curse.
It's also worth noting that we can't actually fix the problem like this, only suspend it. Doing so also basically hangs her derangement over her head as a punishment for disagreeing with us, even if we don't want to use it that way. That won't be good for either of them.
To me the appropriate thing to do here is to learn our lesson about trying to fix delicate problems with ham fisted applications of supernatural power. Instead we should get the best mental health support money can buy, and possibly hire a wizard with experience dealing with victims of this sort of attack to guide her recovery. At the very least get one to go over the pros and cons of different levels of supernatural assistance with us.
This is solidly territory where we need to take the L, acknowledge that we fucked up, and stop making it worse by trying to find one quick fix.
Arc 2 Post 56: A Bargain Sealed
A Bargain Sealed
22st of July 2006 A.D.
"Mortal man, know that you have walked upon a crumbling path, slow or swift death comes for you and it shall not come gently," the words sound more like a threat than an offer from the lips of the lord of the dead and fear they sow in the wavering gaze of the old man as he recoils fit to melt into the wall at his back. The shadows under those eyes hint at more than fear. What had they asked of you, what had you done for Cindy's sake?
"I have no quarrel with you Lord of the Grey Land," he sounds to weary. Almost you speak up to try to get him out of it, but before Arawn continues apace.
"You might be of use to me and in so doing turn from your own black fate, take thou my power as your captors had planned, not to gift to the Fallen Sister but to bear for thine own salvation against the coming of onrushing night."
"I... why would you give that to me?" The old man;s voice rises higher and higher with each word, not quite in a panic but near to it.
"The hand of winter is near and I will not be grasped in it. I need time and you swynwyr... you can no longer hide from those who bear the staff of Myrddin's judgement, not as you are. He bears the doom of each of us..." He motions at a startled and from the look of him slightly offended Harry, not that Arawn seems to care. "But you are old enough to know that doom is not death, that is it not oblivion."
Matthews shakes his head mutely, as though his tongue will not obey him.
"Leave him alone we can...' you start, but he just flinches more at the sepulchral echoes of your words. He's more scared of you than he is about Arawn, you realize with a sinking feeling.
"And what will I be then?" he manages to get out at last.
"More and less than you are, not a man, not wholly your own creature, but still, you will have breath and life, your limbs shall move, your will be done in matters small and great, more ever more than you would be a headless corpse in a shallow grave."
"Wait just a moment here, I'm not going to be cutting anyone's head," Harry cuts in angrily.
"Not all those who perished here did so at Katrina's hand," Gard points out softly. For just an instant her expressions softens into something that might perhaps be pity.
"So mortal what say you, shall we pull each other from the precipice or shall we simply tumble in?"
The old man swallows. "You speak with pride for one who needs the aid of a mortal in your schemes Arawn King."
"What of it? I am no follower of the White Christ to count it sin."
To be honest you are not sure if you should be offended by the implication that there is something wrong with counting pride a sin, or if you should just take it as a statement of fact.
"We will need a sacrifice and there are none left..." It is clear that Matthews is wavering.
"In that I have still a use for she whom I hunted." The death god clenches his left hand and then she slowly turns it to reveal a grey unlight trapped inside. It has the texture of light, but it casts no radiance upon the world.
"Excellent, the plan is coming together after all." The words, or perhaps the fact that it is Usum speaking them echo ominously in the mind. "Then why not offer your aid in the doing, yours is an understanding that draws back the veil of ages."
Do you offer to help with the transfer of the Mantle?
[] Yes maybe you can make the sleep last less or offer Arawn some means to speak in dreams
[] No, you do not want to mess with this... and from the way Usum's talking about this you suspect success would freak out Harry, more than he already is
OOC: The rolls in this update were terrible for everyone, race to the bottom bad so I struggled to represent them. In the end I went with Arawn defaulting to kingly command and Matthews hesitating a lot. Hope it works.