Nah he said expect supriseInb4 Nunnally exalts as a Solar and becomes our ultimate nemesis. For our own good.
. Which clearly means Sayako is a Sidereal exalt.
Green Sun, Black Shadows (CG/Exalted)
- Thread starter Alexander89
- Start date
- Crossover
. Which clearly means Sayako is a Sidereal exalt.
burningclaw2
The Power of the Tomato!
Sayako is a Celestial Secretary?
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I certainly didn't have a problem with it. It needed to happen, and it shouldn't have been a preteen boy that had to do it.
Yeah, Lelouch is not exactly one to hold deep respect for fatherhood and the sanctity of familial bonds. It's how Suzaku got screwed up by it that's the problem.
Yeah. Plus this is SV controlling Lelouch, I fully expect you to aim for "God Emperor of the Universe" anyway.
Anyway, I finally decided for an Ascendancy Mantle of Oramus:
Oramus: When the Infernal is left with zero temporary willpower he loses all benefit from his excess Essence dot (high-Essence Charms, superhuman Attributes and Abilities, larger Essence pool, etc) for a day or when his temporary willpower bar is full again, whichever is longer.
Update in the writing...expect surprise
What do you mean by excess Essence dot? Do you mean ones we got through exaltation?
Once you reach Essence 5 you can get a Charm to get Essence 6, of course you have to pay something to do that.
Ascendency Mantle of (Yozi) allows you to get an extra dot of Essence beyond what your age normally allows. This means that the Infernal wouldn't have to wait until they are 100 years old to get Essence 6 if they took this Charm, and once they are 100 they wouldn't have to wait until they are 250 to get Essence 7, and when 250 they wouldn't have to wait until they are 500, and when they are 500 they wouldn't have to wait until they were 1000 years old to get Essence 9. (at 1000 you can get Essence 9 and 10, so at that point the Charm is replaced with another Charm of the Infernal's choice)
In exchange for this though you have to meet some condition. For Malfeas this is keeping your Limit track at a minimum of five full, for Cecylne you have to keep a Cult rating of 4 minimum to keep the benefit active, for She Who Lives In Her Name you only get one die for rolls on Acts of Villainy no matter what, for Adjoran violating one's Urge automatically get (Essence) points of Limit rather than rolling, for the Ebon Dragon you can't channel Virtues, and for Kimbery you need to be in proximity to the sea.
The benefits of Essence 6+ are not only more motes and access to higher level Charms, but also that you can raise your Attributes and Abilities to truly superhuman levels without the aid of Artifacts or things like that. An Essence 6 character can raise their Attributes and Abilities to 6, 7 to 7, and so on and so forth. This is why Elder Exalts are truly terrifying opponents - even when they run out of motes, they have capabilities that are superhuman.
Ashford 1.1
Alexander89
Pet the pretty kitty? Y/N
- Location
- Italy
[X] Plan Be Thorough
You think about it. First and foremost, you need to know the general history of Creation, the Yozis, and everything else. "No, I want to hear the whole story before. I'll make my question at the end."
"Very well. Then there is one piece of info you need to know first. Us Anuhles?"
"Yes?"
"We're demons."
That, makes you pause. "Demons. Demons, as beings from hell?"
"The correct name is Malfeas, which is also one of the Yozi, but yeah."
You open and close your mouth a couple of times before you settle for just facepalming and fall down on the bed again. "I thought I was ready to even sell my soul to the devil for my ambitions, but I never expected it to be literal!"
"Nah Boss, you didn't sell your soul: those are the Akuma, and nowadays nobody is stupid enough to accept that bargain." Seyrun says. "And 'devil' isn't even a real being. In the old days you called a truly energetic, mischievous, daring, or clever person a 'devil', and that was a compliment."
You grumble. "Glad to know I struck the better deal."
"You totally did Boss. Where I was? Oh yeah, the beginning. In the beginning there was the Wyld, formless and chaotic…."
"...And then they finally managed to slay all Solars. After losing thousands of troops and destroying most of Meru trying to subdue 300 unarmed, drunk guys. Which say a lot about how outmatched they were, don't you think so?"
You gape. You haven't done anything else in the last half hour, listening to a creation myth that wouldn't have sounded out of place coming from a new-age movement. Except fuck science and fuck faith, because you now work for those who were there to see and make it happen. "The Big Bang is called Cytherea?"
"Dunno what a Big Bang is, except for the literal sense, but blessed Cytherea is the Mother of Creation, The Divine Ignition, she who woke up the other Primordials and made Creation out of the Wyld."
"And here I have been an agnostic most of my life." You cradle your head in your hands.
"Don't worry Boss, you will grow out of it quickly."
"Splendid." You sarcastically reply. You take a few minutes to put your thoughts in order. Once you're sufficiently calm you continue. "That's not the end of the story, isn't it?"
"Nope. The Sidereals managed to capture all 300 Solar Exaltations and seal them in a secret place, but they committed so many crimes that death penalty was a given...so they sought to conceal every proof of their involvement. They did some of their Fate mumbo-jumbo, but...things didn't go as planned. Creation partially broke. By the time the gods fixed it, the Sidereals got what they wanted...and more: it's called the Arcane Fate."
"What is it?"
"The source of the masquerade regarding magic. People tend to overlook most blatant uses of Essence and clearly supernatural beings, and once they aren't exposed to it anymore memories of it slip away, their minds rationalizing them with plausible but mundane alternative events unless they have very strong wills. Only beings incapable of using Essence are affected, but it has resulted in most of humanity forgetting about gods and magic. Which would have ended badly for most of them...except, it wasn't the end."
"It wasn't?"
"Nope. Then a super-plague killed 90% of all existing life in Creation."
You cringe.
"And then the Fair Folks invaded and destroyed 90% of Creation."
Your cringe deepens.
"Yeah, shit after shit after shit. Someone managed to activate an ancient superweapon and beat back the invading tides, but the damage was enormous. But then, something truly strange happened. With so many dead the Underworld was floored, but many more souls entered Lethe. I believe no one know how or why it happened, but what was initially just a mechanism to handle reincarnation gained a self-awareness of sort. A sort of hive mind of all the souls that enter Lethe and stay there before being reincarnated. Honestly, I have no idea how it works. And before everyone could react...well, that thing did something. I think nobody know exactly what. Some sort of change into reality. Fact is, Creation ceased to be flat and became a sphere, suspended in the void of space instead of the Wyld. The Wyld and the Raksha are still there, but there is a barrier, similar to what the Solars once made. Malfeas, Yu-shan and the Underworld are still there, but the rest...maybe the Yozi know, but if they do they aren't telling."
You try to wrap your head around so many facts, and only partially succeed. "When did this happen?"
"More than 5000 years ago. Since then history was mostly as you humans recorded it, with some editing here and there, and the various magical beings adapting to this new world. They even managed to seal the Underworld away, installing eight great magical foci around the world."
"And no more Solars."
"No more Solars. Until five years ago, when the servants of the Neverborn finally managed to open tiny cracks in the barrier sealing the Underworld, allowing for Shadowlands to appear again. Then the Yozi, who knew where the Exaltations were hidden, managed a deal with the Neverborn. The prison was found and cracked, but 150 of them flew away. Of the rest 100 went to the Neverborn and 50 to the Yozi, as per the pacts. And so were the Green Sun Princes, or Infernal Exalt, born. Got any questions?"
"Too many to count!" You shout, bolting up in a sitting position. "Do you realize you just destroyed my whole worldview?!"
"Would you have preferred to live in a lie?"
...He isn't wrong. Given a choice, you would still have picked up the same one. "Very well. First, I need some pertinent details about who I'm working for now. Since Oramus showed up during my Exaltation, is he my boss?"
"If he spoke with you, then yes. More accurately he's your Patron, meaning you can expect special support from the demons under him. But it's strange."
"What it is?"
"Oramus is...well, he hasn't made any signal of being interested in the Reclamation until now. What with being bound even worse than Malfeas."
"What can you tell me of him?"
"Oramus is the Eldest of the Primordials, existing even before Cytherea as a being of paradox and chaos. Not much else is know about him, save that his unusual harsh captivity is because the Exalts feared he was the only Yozi able to eventually escape Malfeas. I think that as his Chosen you're going to receive a lot of attention."
"Who else is important to note among the Yozis? Also, do they have any hierarchy among them or are they all more or less equal? You said I am a Peer, where do I fit in among the ranks?"
"Malfeas is the King, that's undeniable. But due to their nature most of the Yozi has always been more or less independent, focused on their own agenda. Losing the Primordial War exacerbated it."
Oh yeah, the whole multiple bodies and multiple souls. You aren't even going to guess how the mind of such a thing work.
"The founding architects of the Reclamation are: Malfeas, Cecelyne, She Who Live in Her Name, Adorjan and the Ebon Dragon, who proposed the idea first. They are to be considered first among equals, but you will do well to show all Third and Second Circle Demons the respect they deserve."
Considering you're talking of beings powerful enough to destroy armies by themselves and re-write reality, that sounds a magnificent idea.
"The position of Peer is unique among the hierarchy of the Demon City. You are not obligated to follow Cecelyne's laws, but you are still protected by them. Your status is considered to be equal with other citizens and Second Circle Demons, but the amount of respect you can expect or must show varies on who's stronger. All Third Circle Demons may give you orders, but you are considered first and foremost subordinate of your Yozi Patron and his Third Circle Demons, so you can defy orders if you have their backing. Actually you can defy any and all orders, but I don't think I need to tell you why that is a bad idea."
You nod. "I understand. It's similar to being a vassal under a king. There is a pact of mutual exchange."
"If you say so. Orders that don't advance the Reclamation's goals are to be considered secondary to goals that do, and the latter take precedence. For the minutiae, you need to go to Malfeas yourself."
"About the Reclamation. I know I'm expected to help the Yozis escape their prison and reclaim Creation. What does that entail? What is my specific role, how often can I expect my marching orders to be updated, and how will it be communicated? Also, what do the Yozis intend to do once they've won?"
"The answer is 'I don't know' for all of them."
"What?!"
"No Yozi has a specific plan, because nobody know what works. It is generally believed that you Green Sun Princes would do as all Exalts do and devise a method nobody else thought before, and made it works against impossible odds. Though I heard the demons under Malfeas think re-shaping Creation until it's a copy of Malfeas will work, but that's probably just Ligier being his usual narcissistic self."
So you're given an obstacle and being told to just find a solution, the only reason for it faith in the shard of super-divine essence in your soul to solve all problems?
That is so stupid.
"Your role and other info will be given to you once you reach Malfeas. I think you're going to receive a formal invitation soon. And, for what the Yozi will do once they're won...possibly, vengeance on the gods. Beyond that, what do I know?" You can imagine him shrugging. "The Yozi do what the Yozi are."
"What does that even mean?"
"You will see, you will see. Do you have other questions?"
"This isn't over." You warn him. "I have a Caste. You said it's called Fiend. And since the Yozi got 50 Exaltations, I suppose there are 49 other people gifted with the modified Solar Exaltations. What are the other castes, how many others like me are there, and will I be expected to work directly with them or is every agent independent? Also, do you know the identities of any other agents of the Reclamation in the area?"
"Yes, there are five different Caste: Slayer, Malefactor, Defiler, Scourge and Fiend."
"...Who is the dim-witted idiot that made up those names? It's like something a supervillains from a saturday morning cartoon would use!"
"No idea. A lot of demons find them cool. Anyway, there are 10 Exalt for every Caste. Slayers are warriors and generals, Malefactors are priests and leaders, Defilers are creators and sorcerers, Scourges are spies and assassins and, finally, Fiends are diplomats and administrators. That's just a rough representation through. Infernals are usually gathered into Covens, groups of five Infernals each with a different Caste, but those are made only when there is a goal that a single Exalt can't do alone, otherwise everyone is independent. And the only other agents of the Reclamation in the area I know of are the cultists that summoned me and my boys."
"...Cultists?"
"Yozi worshippers. You should go and meet them someday: as one of the Living Avatars of the Yozi I think you must give them a speech or something."
"...I have cultists?"
"You can ask to be included in their prayers, yes. It makes gaining spent Essence faster and gives other benefits, so I recommend it."
"Give me one moment." You pinch your nose's bridge. "I just never expected to become a religious figure. That is so outside my experience zone it's not even funny."
Luckily Seyrun shuts up. You shove more thoughts into the 'things to freak about later' mental list, and once you're ready resume your questions. "Next question: the Exalted. I know there are Solars, Lunars, Sidereals, Dragonblooded and now Infernals. I need a rundown of every type of Exalted, what kind of powers they have, if they also have their own castes, how many of each kind I can expect to exist, if the other types work for anyone in the same manner I do or have unified goals, what the conditions for receiving an Exaltation is and everything else you know."
"That's a lot Boss. Unfortunately I wasn't give much on the subject, but I will share what I have.
Solars are supposed to be good at everything, with various degrees. Their powers are all about succeeding and being perfect at what they do, from fighting to running an empire. They have five Caste, which fulfill more or less the same roles as the Infernal's. There are still 150 free Exaltations out there, and they generally choose people who have a great destiny but lack the power to reach it. I think their Chosens just receive their powers one day, without idea of what happened to them. Some may be contacted by a supernatural faction willing to assist the reborn Solars, but it's more probable they just do their own things alone.
Lunars are shapeshifters. They hunt animals and other creatures to drink their blood, which give them the ability to assume their shape. They only have three Castes and more general abilities. There are 300 Lunar Exaltations, and they choose survivors and people who make protecting something or someone their life missions. There is an organization of Elder Lunars called the Silver Pact to teach the newly Chosen, but they are divided into many factions with different agendas.
Sidereals are the Chosens of Fate, they make sure than the law of cause and effect is followed everywhere. They have five Caste based on the Five Maidens. They work for Heaven, but beside that they are divided into those against the Solars, those pro-Solars and those indifferent to both.
Dragonblooded embody the power of the five elements: Fire, Water, Air, Earth and Wood. They are weaker than the rest but have the ability to pass their powers to their children, increasing their numbers. Exalting for them occurs during puberty, but it may or may not happen depending on many factors. After Creation was changed the different lines scattered around the world. Currently, Britannia's nobility and royal family are the greatest concentration of Dragonblooded in the world."
"What?!" You jump up on your feet. "Britannia is-"
"Why do you think they are a superpower?" He interrupts you. "Every great empire in history had one or more Exalts behind it. This mean that, yes, you have Dragonblooded blood in you. It may have awakened in one or two years, and it may have not. You have a much better deal now, so it's a moot point. And the Dragon's blood have thinned with continuous interbreeding with mortals, so Exaltations are less common...even if I heard Britannia started some kind of genetic program to strengthen the bloodline, but not even the Yozi know much at this point."
"This..." You sit back."Did I even have a chance at my revenge?"
"No unless you Exalted too. Which you did. Don't worry about it, only people that Exalt themselves are told the truth."
"But this mean..." You look out of the window, at the school, eyes narrowed. "That every Britannia's noble is a possible Dragonblooded?"
"Yes."
"Then I must take precautions. You!" The Anuhles gather at your command. "Can you smell any Exalted types other than Dragonblooded?"
"Exalts, gods, demons, spirits. You name it, we can smell it." One spider boasts. "Unless they are using a power to mask their nature, like a transformed Lunar."
"Then I want two of you to discreetly scout the school to see if any of the students or staff are Exalted or other non-humans. Avoid interactions with them, just report back after slipping away if they're noticed."
"Yes Boss!" Two spiders vanish. Two more appear to take their place.
"Paranoid much? I approve."
"Yes, you told me already. So, you said. Shinjuku was halfway to being a Shadowland. That doesn't sound good. What does that mean? Also, are there any similar concepts I should be aware of?"
"Shadowlands are patches of land that stand on the border between Creation and the Underworld. When inside one during the day you're in Creation, but during the night you're in the Underworld, which like I said is a dark mirror of Creation where the ghosts of those who don't enter Lethe because they are still attached to their mortal lives linger. They are more likely to pop up in places where a lot of violent deaths happen, like a battlefield. Ghosts themselves are not a real problem, some even work in Malfeas, but those are only the majority. The rest is composed of hungry ghosts, mad ghost thirsting for the blood of the living; war ghosts, the spirits of dead soldiers that want to keep fighting; nemissaries, ghosts that can possess dead bodies; and nephwracks, who are even madder ghosts who want to feed everything to Oblivion. And then there are the Deathlords."
"Deathlords?"
"Supposedly, they are the ghosts of thirteen Solars who died during the Usurpation. They made some kind of deal with the Neverborn for power, and now they fight for control over the Underworld. Since they kept 100 Exaltations, it's the opinion of many demons that soon we will see a new type of Exalt appear, one at the service of death itself. It doesn't need to be said, but all of Hell is opposed to the end goals of the Neverborn. Every effort to destroy Creation must be stopped, even if it pushes back the Reclamation."
"Oh joy, more impossible enemies." You groan. "Is there a way to destroy a Shadowland?"
"That's high-end Sorcery, something you aren't capable yet." Seyrun tells you. "However Dragonblooded, Sidereals and Lunars hate them too, so it's likely they will do the work for us. Just keep an eye on them so you can spot any possible army of the dead coming out of them."
You groan again. "And now there is a danger of zombie apocalypse. What happened to my normal life?"
"...Boss, I don't think normal is a concept that fit into an Exalt's life. Power always has a price."
"Yes. Yes, it does." You frown. "I hope the other Infernals are competent, because I can't deal with all of this alone!"
"Don't worry Boss, you have the whole might of Hell supporting you. There are millions of demons ready for a great battle anytime! You just need to summon them, which is the real problem."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence." You deadpan, before remembering a certain detail. "Say, Seyrun. Clovis had a green tint to his hair, but I remember otherwise. Given everything else that's happened, an oddity like that shouldn't be ignored. Do you have any idea what that might signify?"
"Green hair, but not always so? Then it could be he is a Dragonblooded. Maybe Wood aspected, since green is their color."
"But shouldn't the Anuhles have smelled that if he was?"
"No if he was wearing an artifact to conceal his nature. Given his background, it's something he may possesses. It doesn't make him invincible, since you manipulated him quite easily."
You hum. "Even then, I must discover if he is Exalted at the first opportunity. Let's talk about the Anuhles. You said they're good at sewing. How strong is your silk?"
"Stronger than steel. Once inside a cocoon you don't get out, period."
"Can they make me bulletproof clothing that I can wear around normally?"
"Sure thing! If I can say so you also need something more formal, for your parade when you visit the City."
"A parade?!"
"Standard procedure for every new Infernal. No demon pass over the opportunity of making a party!"
"Party. Right. Wasn't Hell supposed to be a gloomy place?" You grumble. "So, do you have any needs you should be aware of? Do you have to eat often, and can you restrict yourselves to hunting things like rats? I don't want a bored demon deciding it wants to eat a human who isn't an enemy."
"Don't worry about that Boss. Demons don't need to sleep, eat or rest. Essence is all we need. Eating is just a method to replenish our reserves faster. Just order them and they will never disobey...just don't let them, or me, near a dog."
You blink. "A dog? Why?"
"For us Anuhles a dog's bark is the most repellent thing there is." He growls. "Blasted thing is like a rusted, vitriol-coated blade right between the eyes. If you get rid of all of those filthy beasts living nearby you will have my eternal gratitude."
"Denied." You say immediately. "I am not going to start killing every dog in Tokyo for your sake."
"Daaamn." The other spiders groan.
"Speaking of killing and eating people." You turn to them. "In the warehouse, while I was out, did you eat the corpse of the green haired girl?"
The spiders look at each other. They confabulate for a while before one of them shakes his head. "Nobody did Boss. Some of us remember her, but didn't touch it: they assumed others ate her first."
What? What could that possibly mea-
Someone taps at the window. It's one of the spiders you send in perlustration, the other behind him. Once the window is open they skitter inside and bow. "We're sorry Boss! We try to stop her, but she didn't listen."
That's when the door of your room slams open, a far-too-cheerful Milly Ashford rushing inside like the wind. "Lulu! It's true you're part of the gang too?" She asks with a huge grin and a blood red circle glowing on her forehead.
What.
What.
[] Mild freak out.
[] Strong freak out.
[] Eruption-level freak out!
[] Write-in (bonus if it's a form of freak out)
====
Surprise!
You think about it. First and foremost, you need to know the general history of Creation, the Yozis, and everything else. "No, I want to hear the whole story before. I'll make my question at the end."
"Very well. Then there is one piece of info you need to know first. Us Anuhles?"
"Yes?"
"We're demons."
That, makes you pause. "Demons. Demons, as beings from hell?"
"The correct name is Malfeas, which is also one of the Yozi, but yeah."
You open and close your mouth a couple of times before you settle for just facepalming and fall down on the bed again. "I thought I was ready to even sell my soul to the devil for my ambitions, but I never expected it to be literal!"
"Nah Boss, you didn't sell your soul: those are the Akuma, and nowadays nobody is stupid enough to accept that bargain." Seyrun says. "And 'devil' isn't even a real being. In the old days you called a truly energetic, mischievous, daring, or clever person a 'devil', and that was a compliment."
You grumble. "Glad to know I struck the better deal."
"You totally did Boss. Where I was? Oh yeah, the beginning. In the beginning there was the Wyld, formless and chaotic…."
"...And then they finally managed to slay all Solars. After losing thousands of troops and destroying most of Meru trying to subdue 300 unarmed, drunk guys. Which say a lot about how outmatched they were, don't you think so?"
You gape. You haven't done anything else in the last half hour, listening to a creation myth that wouldn't have sounded out of place coming from a new-age movement. Except fuck science and fuck faith, because you now work for those who were there to see and make it happen. "The Big Bang is called Cytherea?"
"Dunno what a Big Bang is, except for the literal sense, but blessed Cytherea is the Mother of Creation, The Divine Ignition, she who woke up the other Primordials and made Creation out of the Wyld."
"And here I have been an agnostic most of my life." You cradle your head in your hands.
"Don't worry Boss, you will grow out of it quickly."
"Splendid." You sarcastically reply. You take a few minutes to put your thoughts in order. Once you're sufficiently calm you continue. "That's not the end of the story, isn't it?"
"Nope. The Sidereals managed to capture all 300 Solar Exaltations and seal them in a secret place, but they committed so many crimes that death penalty was a given...so they sought to conceal every proof of their involvement. They did some of their Fate mumbo-jumbo, but...things didn't go as planned. Creation partially broke. By the time the gods fixed it, the Sidereals got what they wanted...and more: it's called the Arcane Fate."
"What is it?"
"The source of the masquerade regarding magic. People tend to overlook most blatant uses of Essence and clearly supernatural beings, and once they aren't exposed to it anymore memories of it slip away, their minds rationalizing them with plausible but mundane alternative events unless they have very strong wills. Only beings incapable of using Essence are affected, but it has resulted in most of humanity forgetting about gods and magic. Which would have ended badly for most of them...except, it wasn't the end."
"It wasn't?"
"Nope. Then a super-plague killed 90% of all existing life in Creation."
You cringe.
"And then the Fair Folks invaded and destroyed 90% of Creation."
Your cringe deepens.
"Yeah, shit after shit after shit. Someone managed to activate an ancient superweapon and beat back the invading tides, but the damage was enormous. But then, something truly strange happened. With so many dead the Underworld was floored, but many more souls entered Lethe. I believe no one know how or why it happened, but what was initially just a mechanism to handle reincarnation gained a self-awareness of sort. A sort of hive mind of all the souls that enter Lethe and stay there before being reincarnated. Honestly, I have no idea how it works. And before everyone could react...well, that thing did something. I think nobody know exactly what. Some sort of change into reality. Fact is, Creation ceased to be flat and became a sphere, suspended in the void of space instead of the Wyld. The Wyld and the Raksha are still there, but there is a barrier, similar to what the Solars once made. Malfeas, Yu-shan and the Underworld are still there, but the rest...maybe the Yozi know, but if they do they aren't telling."
You try to wrap your head around so many facts, and only partially succeed. "When did this happen?"
"More than 5000 years ago. Since then history was mostly as you humans recorded it, with some editing here and there, and the various magical beings adapting to this new world. They even managed to seal the Underworld away, installing eight great magical foci around the world."
"And no more Solars."
"No more Solars. Until five years ago, when the servants of the Neverborn finally managed to open tiny cracks in the barrier sealing the Underworld, allowing for Shadowlands to appear again. Then the Yozi, who knew where the Exaltations were hidden, managed a deal with the Neverborn. The prison was found and cracked, but 150 of them flew away. Of the rest 100 went to the Neverborn and 50 to the Yozi, as per the pacts. And so were the Green Sun Princes, or Infernal Exalt, born. Got any questions?"
"Too many to count!" You shout, bolting up in a sitting position. "Do you realize you just destroyed my whole worldview?!"
"Would you have preferred to live in a lie?"
...He isn't wrong. Given a choice, you would still have picked up the same one. "Very well. First, I need some pertinent details about who I'm working for now. Since Oramus showed up during my Exaltation, is he my boss?"
"If he spoke with you, then yes. More accurately he's your Patron, meaning you can expect special support from the demons under him. But it's strange."
"What it is?"
"Oramus is...well, he hasn't made any signal of being interested in the Reclamation until now. What with being bound even worse than Malfeas."
"What can you tell me of him?"
"Oramus is the Eldest of the Primordials, existing even before Cytherea as a being of paradox and chaos. Not much else is know about him, save that his unusual harsh captivity is because the Exalts feared he was the only Yozi able to eventually escape Malfeas. I think that as his Chosen you're going to receive a lot of attention."
"Who else is important to note among the Yozis? Also, do they have any hierarchy among them or are they all more or less equal? You said I am a Peer, where do I fit in among the ranks?"
"Malfeas is the King, that's undeniable. But due to their nature most of the Yozi has always been more or less independent, focused on their own agenda. Losing the Primordial War exacerbated it."
Oh yeah, the whole multiple bodies and multiple souls. You aren't even going to guess how the mind of such a thing work.
"The founding architects of the Reclamation are: Malfeas, Cecelyne, She Who Live in Her Name, Adorjan and the Ebon Dragon, who proposed the idea first. They are to be considered first among equals, but you will do well to show all Third and Second Circle Demons the respect they deserve."
Considering you're talking of beings powerful enough to destroy armies by themselves and re-write reality, that sounds a magnificent idea.
"The position of Peer is unique among the hierarchy of the Demon City. You are not obligated to follow Cecelyne's laws, but you are still protected by them. Your status is considered to be equal with other citizens and Second Circle Demons, but the amount of respect you can expect or must show varies on who's stronger. All Third Circle Demons may give you orders, but you are considered first and foremost subordinate of your Yozi Patron and his Third Circle Demons, so you can defy orders if you have their backing. Actually you can defy any and all orders, but I don't think I need to tell you why that is a bad idea."
You nod. "I understand. It's similar to being a vassal under a king. There is a pact of mutual exchange."
"If you say so. Orders that don't advance the Reclamation's goals are to be considered secondary to goals that do, and the latter take precedence. For the minutiae, you need to go to Malfeas yourself."
"About the Reclamation. I know I'm expected to help the Yozis escape their prison and reclaim Creation. What does that entail? What is my specific role, how often can I expect my marching orders to be updated, and how will it be communicated? Also, what do the Yozis intend to do once they've won?"
"The answer is 'I don't know' for all of them."
"What?!"
"No Yozi has a specific plan, because nobody know what works. It is generally believed that you Green Sun Princes would do as all Exalts do and devise a method nobody else thought before, and made it works against impossible odds. Though I heard the demons under Malfeas think re-shaping Creation until it's a copy of Malfeas will work, but that's probably just Ligier being his usual narcissistic self."
So you're given an obstacle and being told to just find a solution, the only reason for it faith in the shard of super-divine essence in your soul to solve all problems?
That is so stupid.
"Your role and other info will be given to you once you reach Malfeas. I think you're going to receive a formal invitation soon. And, for what the Yozi will do once they're won...possibly, vengeance on the gods. Beyond that, what do I know?" You can imagine him shrugging. "The Yozi do what the Yozi are."
"What does that even mean?"
"You will see, you will see. Do you have other questions?"
"This isn't over." You warn him. "I have a Caste. You said it's called Fiend. And since the Yozi got 50 Exaltations, I suppose there are 49 other people gifted with the modified Solar Exaltations. What are the other castes, how many others like me are there, and will I be expected to work directly with them or is every agent independent? Also, do you know the identities of any other agents of the Reclamation in the area?"
"Yes, there are five different Caste: Slayer, Malefactor, Defiler, Scourge and Fiend."
"...Who is the dim-witted idiot that made up those names? It's like something a supervillains from a saturday morning cartoon would use!"
"No idea. A lot of demons find them cool. Anyway, there are 10 Exalt for every Caste. Slayers are warriors and generals, Malefactors are priests and leaders, Defilers are creators and sorcerers, Scourges are spies and assassins and, finally, Fiends are diplomats and administrators. That's just a rough representation through. Infernals are usually gathered into Covens, groups of five Infernals each with a different Caste, but those are made only when there is a goal that a single Exalt can't do alone, otherwise everyone is independent. And the only other agents of the Reclamation in the area I know of are the cultists that summoned me and my boys."
"...Cultists?"
"Yozi worshippers. You should go and meet them someday: as one of the Living Avatars of the Yozi I think you must give them a speech or something."
"...I have cultists?"
"You can ask to be included in their prayers, yes. It makes gaining spent Essence faster and gives other benefits, so I recommend it."
"Give me one moment." You pinch your nose's bridge. "I just never expected to become a religious figure. That is so outside my experience zone it's not even funny."
Luckily Seyrun shuts up. You shove more thoughts into the 'things to freak about later' mental list, and once you're ready resume your questions. "Next question: the Exalted. I know there are Solars, Lunars, Sidereals, Dragonblooded and now Infernals. I need a rundown of every type of Exalted, what kind of powers they have, if they also have their own castes, how many of each kind I can expect to exist, if the other types work for anyone in the same manner I do or have unified goals, what the conditions for receiving an Exaltation is and everything else you know."
"That's a lot Boss. Unfortunately I wasn't give much on the subject, but I will share what I have.
Solars are supposed to be good at everything, with various degrees. Their powers are all about succeeding and being perfect at what they do, from fighting to running an empire. They have five Caste, which fulfill more or less the same roles as the Infernal's. There are still 150 free Exaltations out there, and they generally choose people who have a great destiny but lack the power to reach it. I think their Chosens just receive their powers one day, without idea of what happened to them. Some may be contacted by a supernatural faction willing to assist the reborn Solars, but it's more probable they just do their own things alone.
Lunars are shapeshifters. They hunt animals and other creatures to drink their blood, which give them the ability to assume their shape. They only have three Castes and more general abilities. There are 300 Lunar Exaltations, and they choose survivors and people who make protecting something or someone their life missions. There is an organization of Elder Lunars called the Silver Pact to teach the newly Chosen, but they are divided into many factions with different agendas.
Sidereals are the Chosens of Fate, they make sure than the law of cause and effect is followed everywhere. They have five Caste based on the Five Maidens. They work for Heaven, but beside that they are divided into those against the Solars, those pro-Solars and those indifferent to both.
Dragonblooded embody the power of the five elements: Fire, Water, Air, Earth and Wood. They are weaker than the rest but have the ability to pass their powers to their children, increasing their numbers. Exalting for them occurs during puberty, but it may or may not happen depending on many factors. After Creation was changed the different lines scattered around the world. Currently, Britannia's nobility and royal family are the greatest concentration of Dragonblooded in the world."
"What?!" You jump up on your feet. "Britannia is-"
"Why do you think they are a superpower?" He interrupts you. "Every great empire in history had one or more Exalts behind it. This mean that, yes, you have Dragonblooded blood in you. It may have awakened in one or two years, and it may have not. You have a much better deal now, so it's a moot point. And the Dragon's blood have thinned with continuous interbreeding with mortals, so Exaltations are less common...even if I heard Britannia started some kind of genetic program to strengthen the bloodline, but not even the Yozi know much at this point."
"This..." You sit back."Did I even have a chance at my revenge?"
"No unless you Exalted too. Which you did. Don't worry about it, only people that Exalt themselves are told the truth."
"But this mean..." You look out of the window, at the school, eyes narrowed. "That every Britannia's noble is a possible Dragonblooded?"
"Yes."
"Then I must take precautions. You!" The Anuhles gather at your command. "Can you smell any Exalted types other than Dragonblooded?"
"Exalts, gods, demons, spirits. You name it, we can smell it." One spider boasts. "Unless they are using a power to mask their nature, like a transformed Lunar."
"Then I want two of you to discreetly scout the school to see if any of the students or staff are Exalted or other non-humans. Avoid interactions with them, just report back after slipping away if they're noticed."
"Yes Boss!" Two spiders vanish. Two more appear to take their place.
"Paranoid much? I approve."
"Yes, you told me already. So, you said. Shinjuku was halfway to being a Shadowland. That doesn't sound good. What does that mean? Also, are there any similar concepts I should be aware of?"
"Shadowlands are patches of land that stand on the border between Creation and the Underworld. When inside one during the day you're in Creation, but during the night you're in the Underworld, which like I said is a dark mirror of Creation where the ghosts of those who don't enter Lethe because they are still attached to their mortal lives linger. They are more likely to pop up in places where a lot of violent deaths happen, like a battlefield. Ghosts themselves are not a real problem, some even work in Malfeas, but those are only the majority. The rest is composed of hungry ghosts, mad ghost thirsting for the blood of the living; war ghosts, the spirits of dead soldiers that want to keep fighting; nemissaries, ghosts that can possess dead bodies; and nephwracks, who are even madder ghosts who want to feed everything to Oblivion. And then there are the Deathlords."
"Deathlords?"
"Supposedly, they are the ghosts of thirteen Solars who died during the Usurpation. They made some kind of deal with the Neverborn for power, and now they fight for control over the Underworld. Since they kept 100 Exaltations, it's the opinion of many demons that soon we will see a new type of Exalt appear, one at the service of death itself. It doesn't need to be said, but all of Hell is opposed to the end goals of the Neverborn. Every effort to destroy Creation must be stopped, even if it pushes back the Reclamation."
"Oh joy, more impossible enemies." You groan. "Is there a way to destroy a Shadowland?"
"That's high-end Sorcery, something you aren't capable yet." Seyrun tells you. "However Dragonblooded, Sidereals and Lunars hate them too, so it's likely they will do the work for us. Just keep an eye on them so you can spot any possible army of the dead coming out of them."
You groan again. "And now there is a danger of zombie apocalypse. What happened to my normal life?"
"...Boss, I don't think normal is a concept that fit into an Exalt's life. Power always has a price."
"Yes. Yes, it does." You frown. "I hope the other Infernals are competent, because I can't deal with all of this alone!"
"Don't worry Boss, you have the whole might of Hell supporting you. There are millions of demons ready for a great battle anytime! You just need to summon them, which is the real problem."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence." You deadpan, before remembering a certain detail. "Say, Seyrun. Clovis had a green tint to his hair, but I remember otherwise. Given everything else that's happened, an oddity like that shouldn't be ignored. Do you have any idea what that might signify?"
"Green hair, but not always so? Then it could be he is a Dragonblooded. Maybe Wood aspected, since green is their color."
"But shouldn't the Anuhles have smelled that if he was?"
"No if he was wearing an artifact to conceal his nature. Given his background, it's something he may possesses. It doesn't make him invincible, since you manipulated him quite easily."
You hum. "Even then, I must discover if he is Exalted at the first opportunity. Let's talk about the Anuhles. You said they're good at sewing. How strong is your silk?"
"Stronger than steel. Once inside a cocoon you don't get out, period."
"Can they make me bulletproof clothing that I can wear around normally?"
"Sure thing! If I can say so you also need something more formal, for your parade when you visit the City."
"A parade?!"
"Standard procedure for every new Infernal. No demon pass over the opportunity of making a party!"
"Party. Right. Wasn't Hell supposed to be a gloomy place?" You grumble. "So, do you have any needs you should be aware of? Do you have to eat often, and can you restrict yourselves to hunting things like rats? I don't want a bored demon deciding it wants to eat a human who isn't an enemy."
"Don't worry about that Boss. Demons don't need to sleep, eat or rest. Essence is all we need. Eating is just a method to replenish our reserves faster. Just order them and they will never disobey...just don't let them, or me, near a dog."
You blink. "A dog? Why?"
"For us Anuhles a dog's bark is the most repellent thing there is." He growls. "Blasted thing is like a rusted, vitriol-coated blade right between the eyes. If you get rid of all of those filthy beasts living nearby you will have my eternal gratitude."
"Denied." You say immediately. "I am not going to start killing every dog in Tokyo for your sake."
"Daaamn." The other spiders groan.
"Speaking of killing and eating people." You turn to them. "In the warehouse, while I was out, did you eat the corpse of the green haired girl?"
The spiders look at each other. They confabulate for a while before one of them shakes his head. "Nobody did Boss. Some of us remember her, but didn't touch it: they assumed others ate her first."
What? What could that possibly mea-
Someone taps at the window. It's one of the spiders you send in perlustration, the other behind him. Once the window is open they skitter inside and bow. "We're sorry Boss! We try to stop her, but she didn't listen."
That's when the door of your room slams open, a far-too-cheerful Milly Ashford rushing inside like the wind. "Lulu! It's true you're part of the gang too?" She asks with a huge grin and a blood red circle glowing on her forehead.
What.
What.
[] Mild freak out.
[] Strong freak out.
[] Eruption-level freak out!
[] Write-in (bonus if it's a form of freak out)
====
Surprise!
Last edited:
[X] Eruption-level freak out!
Look, there is only so much that we can take.
Look, there is only so much that we can take.
I wonder if this means Milly will step up her attempts to tease Lulu.
notthepenguins
Neither Spherical Nor Frictionless
- Pronouns
- He/She/They
[x] Nope. Nope nope. Not doing this. Enter closet, close closet, accept no visitors to your kingdom of nope.
- Location
- his hidden lair
Wow, spoiled for choice on this one, can't really see a bad choice here.
Gonna go with this one though, simply for the paradox factor and I like the idea of Lulu being absolutely serene as he somehow goes hysterical.
[X] Freak out so hard and so fast that you reach serenity about this.
Gonna go with this one though, simply for the paradox factor and I like the idea of Lulu being absolutely serene as he somehow goes hysterical.
[X] Freak out so hard and so fast that you reach serenity about this.
Jack_Trade
Chasing the Green Fairy
- Location
- Scotland
[x] Nope. Nope nope. Not doing this. Enter closet, close closet, accept no visitors to your kingdom of nope.
Da Boyz
The Cutest Apocalypse.
To be fair Milly being an agent of hell is probably more startling to him then some dead chick reappearing.
- Location
- [REDACTED]
[X] Freak out so hard and so fast that you reach serenity about this.
-[X] Clearly some other Exalt is doing something to mess with you.
--[X] Although Milly being an agent of Hell explains so much about your life...
-[X] Clearly some other Exalt is doing something to mess with you.
--[X] Although Milly being an agent of Hell explains so much about your life...
