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Mare Internum: An Exalted Quest

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I occasionally go back and edit posts when I spot a typo or an inconsistency with more recent material.

I promise that the numbers edit is the only plot-relevant edit I have made so far, and even that was mostly as a joke.

Just to spare you combing over the edit dates of older posts hoping to find clues that aren't there.
 
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Now That You Are Pure 29
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    • TenMoreMiles said:
    [x ] Keep it to broad strokes and externally verifiable facts as much as possible.
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    SunnySprings said:
    [X] Disclose that you found the imperial seal.
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    You relate your tale as sparsely as possible, leaving aside such details as discussions with your inner voices, drug cravings, rebellious fingers and the ship/boat controversy. Briefly, you consider including the gag thing just to see how these people react, but you decide that you probably had to be there.

    "And after that, I blacked out from dehydration and blood loss."

    FINCHER: "We managed to capture a good few horses and loot some much needed gear, and began the trek north. As far as we knew we were all that was left of the expedition, so we made to scout out Ashglass."

    MEI: "And did you?"

    FINCHER: "We did. It's a lot worse than we were expecting, eleven thousand in the camp, half under arms."

    CAPTAIN BRUSED FACE MAN: "That's impossible. That's more than half of the total population of the highlands."

    FINCHER: "That's what I said, captain, when my scouts reported it. We went to double check ourselves, and confirmed the figure."

    "And some of them were moving strange."

    CAPTAIN BLUE OWL WOMAN: "Strange in what way?"

    EMBASSY: It's odd that none of them are referring to you as magistrate. They must know who you are.

    "There was a group of six hundred and twenty heavy infantry at the front of the camp. They weren't moving, or at least not enough to see. Too well equipped to be decoys. The camp was also structured oddly, there were three large tents that nobody was entering. Figured they were maybe treasuries."

    Mei turns her gaze to Fincher, who nods confirmation.

    CAPTAIN BLUE OWL WOMAN: "Most concerning. Please continue."

    Fincher relates setting up camp at the farm house and your return to it.

    FINCHER: "Given that the lady had taken injuries earlier we thought it best that I give her a medical checkup."

    CAPTAIN BRUSED FACE MAN: "You are a physician?" His disbelief is plain on his face.

    FINCHER: "Surgeon, captain. Why, are you needing something taken out of you?"

    The man immediately tenses.

    MEI: "Captain Usamir has a brevet rank as auxilliary winglord, Fincher. Show him some respect."

    FINCHER: "Right. Apologies, captain."

    CAPTAIN BLUE OWL WOMAN: "Please continue."

    "We found that I was carrying this." you hold up the imperial seal. "So I guess I'm a magistrate."

    MEI: "No you're not. That's mine. You stole it."

    [ ] Oh, I'm sorry. Here, take it.
    [ ] No, it's mine now, I found it.
    [ ] Wait, how can you be a legion officer and a magistrate?
     
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    • [X] Oh, I'm sorry. Here, take it.
    Time to find out whether this is more of a 'you took the position that rightfully belongs to me and now youre taunting me by offering me something I cant legally take' thing or a 'no you really did steal it from me' thing.
     
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    Now That You Are Pure 30
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    • Parabola said:
    [X] Oh, I'm sorry. Here, take it.
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    BeepSmile said:
    [X] Disclose that you noticed that someone changed the numbers.
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    "Oh, I'm sorry. Here, take it."

    You hold out the ring to her. She makes no motion to take it.

    CAPTAIN BLUE OWL WOMAN: "Are you satisfied, dragonlord? It seems the memory loss is real."

    MEI: "She could still be lying."

    USAMIR: "To what end?"

    Mei has no answer.

    LOGRIS: "Well, magistrate, for the sake of introduction, my name is Peleps Logris, captain and expeditionary fleet commodore. Shall we continue?"

    EMBASSY: She acknowledges your title now. Maybe she was hoping you had forgotten for good?

    You put the ring back in your pocket.

    "Alright, let's continue. When Fincher and her scalelord were tallying a roster, I noticed that the numbers were different from the ones yesterday."

    USAMIR: "Because the scouts were dead."

    "No, accounting for that, there was an extra person. Nobody else seemed to notice."

    There is a pregnant pause.

    LOGRIS: "I must confess myself defeated. There was an extra person who you noticed but nobody else did?"

    "Not an extra person, at least not that I found, but an extra number. One of the people that everyone knew was not present the previous day, but I couldn't tell who it was."

    USAMIR: "Were you drunk?"

    "No. Haven't touched a drop."

    All three officers turn their attention to Fincher at the same time.

    FINCHER: "It's true. I offered her wine on the first day, she asked for water. Hasn't touched nothing else, neither."

    LOGRIS: "Well, I suppose that is a promising development."

    USAMIR: "What next?"

    MorDrakka said:
    [X] Ommit that you attacked Orison.
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    Mourning Glory said:
    [X] Ommit that Fincher knocked you out.
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    "Well, nothing came of that. We were preparing to move out because of the scouts being killed."

    You glance to Fincher, letting her take over.

    FINCHER: "We were in the process of picking up some supplies from another farmhouse-"

    USAMIR: "Looting, you mean."

    FINCHER: "Yeah, looting, when we saw the dragonlord's anima beacon. We force marched all the way south, only just arrived."

    Mei nods.

    MEI: "You've done good work, Fincher."

    Fincher bows her head in salute, palpably relieved by the praise.

    FINCHER: "Thanks, dragonlord."

    Mei looks back to you.

    MEI: "And you... are here."

    [ ] Do you know what my mission is?
    [ ] Why are you so angry at me?
    [ ] Can you tell me anything about myself?
     
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    • Crumplepunch said:
    "Oh, I'm sorry. Here, take it."

    You hold out the ring to her. She makes no motion to take it.

    CAPTAIN BLUE OWL WOMAN: "Are you satisfied, dragonlord? It seems the memory loss is real."

    MEI: "She could still be lying."

    USAMIR: "To what end?"
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    I knew it! I knew it was a 'well i cant actually take it' situation. Worth the risk.
     
    Yeah, so, I strongly suspect we're piloting a Liminal Exalt, which is super cool and would explain how we're still "alive." Also the weird nature of our bodily repairs. But we could also just be a really beaten-up Terrestrial (or Sidereal? maybe?).
     
    Now That You Are Pure 31
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    • GAWR said:
    [X] Why are you so angry at me?
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    "Why are you so angry at me?"

    Mei bares her teeth in a snarl. A wave of heat hits you, as though you just opened the door of a burning building.

    MEI: "Because you deserve it."

    LOGRIS: "Please, dragonlord. This is unbecoming."

    MEI: "This is none of your business, Dynast."

    LOGRIS: "This mission is already a disaster. We all need to work together. I know you two have some personal history. Perhaps you could help her recover some of those memories?"

    Mei looks incredulously at Logris.

    MEI: "Help her. Help her?"

    The heat around her rises along with the pitch and volume of her voice.

    MEI: "I would not help this woman if she were the last person in Creation, and she could piss fine wine, and she had a magic coat with sleeves that could shoot truffles! Fuck you!"

    [ ] That is very specific but strangely hurtful.
    [ ] Hey, let's try to calm down.
    [ ] Man, I really want some truffles.
    [ ] Wait, why is pissing fine wine a positive here? Would you drink my wine piss in this scenario?
     
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    • etranger01 said:
    Yeah, so, I strongly suspect we're piloting a Liminal Exalt, which is super cool and would explain how we're still "alive." Also the weird nature of our bodily repairs. But we could also just be a really beaten-up Terrestrial (or Sidereal? maybe?).
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    We've speculated on the subject, and while DB is the most probable option, Liminal definitely feels like a possibility. We'd have to figure out just why the Empress thought it'd be cool for a Liminal became a magistrate, but it'd explain the body thing really easily - you wouldn't need even that much in terms of investment because you'd be sewing it up after every death. But DB, a Water DB, is the most likely option at this point - the simplest answer, one that explains how we didn't drown and were entrusted with this position.
     
    Parabola said:
    We've speculated on the subject, and while DB is the most probable option, Liminal definitely feels like a possibility. We'd have to figure out just why the Empress thought it'd be cool for a Liminal became a magistrate, but it'd explain the body thing really easily - you wouldn't need even that much in terms of investment because you'd be sewing it up after every death. But DB, a Water DB, is the most likely option at this point - the simplest answer, one that explains how we didn't drown and were entrusted with this position.
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    The Water Aspect explanation is definitely the simplest and easiest answer, but to go to bat for the zombie theory, Liminals are also incredibly hard to kill (re-kill?) and even though they're vulnerable to drowning, I don't think it's something that actively saps their power. I think a Liminal would also be the kind of person the Empress might actually trust more than a Terrestrial, since they wouldn't be able to potentially accumulate power in the same way a Dragon-Blood would. Anyway, all pure speculation, but a very interesting possibility for sure.

    That said, I'm holding out a faint hope for a Chosen of Journeys. I mean, look at those Caste Abilities. And what if we're the source of the wrong number? It'd be awesome.
     
    You are ignoring content by this member.
    I feel like the character being a Liminal isn't exactly probable, due to the fact that I don't think there was enough time to actually attempt any sort of ritual that would result in one being created. Sorcery and necromancy take weeks to perform.
     
    SunnySprings said:
    I feel like the character being a Liminal isn't exactly probable, due to the fact that I don't think there was enough time to actually attempt any sort of ritual that would result in one being created. Sorcery and necromancy take weeks to perform.
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    It's possible we could have been a Liminal for a long while and this recent amnesia is fully unrelated.
     
    You are ignoring content by this member.
    Parabola said:
    It's possible we could have been a Liminal for a long while and this recent amnesia is fully unrelated.
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    I don't think a Liminal would need all that stuff shoved in them, however; they regenerate in ways that surpass even Lunars, she wouldn't need what amounts to cybernetics to still be standing.
     
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