Murder; an Exalted SI

[HioH]

Scraped from here.

Murder 1: Premeditated

I woke from the sharp pain of a boot impacting with my ribs and harsh, unintelligible words cutting through the air. My eyes shot open and I let out a pained groan. Curling in on myself, I rolled away from the source of my pain, covering my head with my arms.

More words I don't understand from behind me; but from the tone I guessed at their meaning. I pulled myself to my feet, and my slowly waking brain immediately began to scream at me that something was wrong. As a light breeze began to play across my face I snapped awake, the situation penetrating through the haze of pain and sleep. Hard ground instead of a soft bed, and a scuffed black stone wall in front of me instead of a window, this was not my bedroom. The wall in front of me doesn't help the situation, so I turned to face the source of the voice.

For a second I boggled. It's a man, heavily muscled, but dressed in thick leathers with a gleaming black metal helmet with an imposing face-mask and equally dark metal gauntlets instead of anything more normal. Seeing that he had my attention. He began to speak again, all the while tapping a solid looking wooden baton threateningly against his thigh. Whatever he was trying to say was lost on me but I tried to look interested and attentive, no need to antagonize him. After a short while he left, two people dressed the same way joining him at the mouth of the alley I was in, seemingly having taken my uncomprehending silence as acceptance.

When he turned a corner and left my sight, I raised my head and looked up towards the blazing sun framed by towering buildings constructed in a style I had never seen outside of Eastern inspired works of fiction.

Definitely not where I had fallen asleep yesterday.

-
I leaned against the wall of the alley I had woken in, carefully regulating my breath, panic was not conductive in this situation but it was a natural. So I was forced to fight the rising fear and dread from inside me. After a few minutes of wrestling with myself, I calmed down heart slowing to a more normal rate in my chest. Letting out a final breath, I began to take stock of my situation. While I lacked my glasses, something that while annoying was not crippling, I could easily enough see that whatever city I now found myself in was unlike any I had heard of back home. The Buildings reached towards the sky, not to the heights of the greatest Skyscrapers, but enough that they towered over me. Obsidian, or at least what I thought was obsidian, seemed to be the material of choice, often decoratively intershot with veins of some colored stone that I couldn't place.

And it was a city, the roaring sound and smell of a thousand people was quite distinctive; even if the lack of the usual sounds of cars or other powered vehicles was very conspicuous. From my empty alley I could see a throng of people moving along a street, all dressed in clothes that looked more like something you would find in a museum rather than on people. A quick glance at myself revealed that I was wearing my clothes from yesterday, a consequence of having fallen into bed and sleep after night classes; A simple black T-shirt and green pants that had been stained brown by the filthy ground of the alley. I sighed; dirty clothes were not fun, but perhaps it had been for the best, now at least they looked indescript enough to fit in almost anywhere.

Assuming this wasn't the Earth I knew and that I had been transplanted into some fictional universe, a more palatable thought than a random one where I would be completely without knowledge, then I needed to find out which one. Both to see if I had any useful information that could be of use, and because some places where rather inhospitable to normal people. In the Worst case scenario I might even have been on a 40k feudal world. A task that was made infinitely more difficult because I couldn't even speak the local language.

-
My first impression of the city, while broadly correct, didn't really even scratch the surface. I might not have been an Architect, but even with my layman's knowledge I could tell that no stone was strong enough to support the enormous buildings that rivaled the massive steel and glass creations of Earth. I almost hoped that there was magic involved; magic might be one of the few ways for me to actually survive some of the worse settings and might even be able to get me home.

As I moved amongst the crowd, I took note of more things that pointed to some sort of magic in play; small floating Objects, strange hair colors, and even some sort of mechanical automaton following a well dressed woman. Exotic smells of spices and incense filled the air, covering the more unpleasant odors of so many humans living together. Both sides of the street were choked to the brim with vendors and their wares, ranging from the common to the fantastical. It reminded me of the great markets I had sometimes visited. Annoyingly nothing stood out that could concretely mark the setting I was in.

The crowd around me crowd rippled. A purely instinctive action that spread through the pressing masses as people further down the street flinched away from something. The crowd parted, and I kept myself near the newly opened section to see what had provoked such a reaction.

It is a small party of four people, if that term could apply, the most normal of them was a nondescript young man engaged in deep conversation with a much older gentleman. but even the most cursory glance told me that the elder was something other than human; thin wisps of smoke rose from his mouth and nose as he spoke and drew breath, and his hair was a bright shining red, flickering slightly with small sparks and tongues of fire. I felt my knees weaken at the sight. I knew those signs. The two hulking blood-red ape creatures that served as their escort only cemented the truth.

As the slaughterhouse stench of the Erymanthoi washed over me I felt my body push itself back into the crowd with a strange sense of disconnection. Exalted. One of the worst places for a normal human to live, and from my surroundings it seemed like I had been dropped in the Imperial City itself. I turned a corner and, as if to mock me, I see the enormous peak of Mount Meru emerge from behind one of the tall buildings that had hidden it from my view before this.

I wove through the crowded street and into the darkened mouth of an alley, clenching my hands tight to prevent them from shaking. Depending on when in the timeline I was I could probably expect a civil war at best and the escape and enslavement of humanity to the Yozi at worst. Even worse, I had no resources, no knowledge of the language, no information that I could realistically use, and I was stuck in a city ruled by superhuman tyrants that could kill me or worse as a Side-effect of using their powers.

-
When I felt calm enough to think rationally again, I once more took stock of my situation. This time with the knowledge of where I was, both locally and more universally.

From what I had seen on my walk, I was most probably at the edges of the Empyrean Bazaar, the great shopping quarter of the Imperial city. There were worse places to end up but it was far from optimal. There were precious few roads to power open anywhere in Exalted for mortals and most of those weren't available in the heart of the Realm, or at least not available to any random person from the street.

In the end I had to set some goal to work towards or risk losing myself in despair. With nothing else coming to mind, I decided to work my way towards the Temple district. Joining up with the immaculate order might not be the ideal path but it is the simplest, and without anything else to help me, keeping things simple was key.

Stepping out of the alley I sublimated into the crowd, moving together with the pressing masses in a generally southerly direction. Or at least south according to the sun above. The buildings around me slowly shifted in style as I moved deeper into the city, becoming shorter and wider, a mark of age if I remembered correctly. Here and there I spotted the black helmets of the guard moving about their business, and the varied features of the different Dragon-Blood aspects. Something that was surprisingly obvious when you knew to look for it.

As I walked I took the time to wonder at the strange place I found myself in. Now that the initial panic had settled, I found that I was almost excited. I had often wished for a more exciting life, and now something seemed to have granted that dream. As an flying ship briefly obscured the sun as it passed overhead, I made a silent promise to myself. I would take this as an opportunity, not a curse. A world of magic, even if most was out of my reach, was not something to dismiss.

-
Unfortunately I had forgotten the sheer size of the Imperial city, moving through the city took enough time that by the time the graceful buildings of the Temple district came into view the sun, which actually was an enormous battle station that knew kung-fu, had set. Lacking electric lights, the streets where a mish-mash of inky darkness and pools of lantern generated light. An entire day of walking without food or water had already taken its toll on me, and when the gate to the Temple district came into view I felt relief wash over me.

Relief that turned to ash in my mouth as I saw that the gates were shut and over a dozen heavily armed and armored soldiers stood in front of a towering construct that could only be a Warstrider rebuffing everyone who tried to approach.

For the third time this day I found myself in an alley, away from the still bustling streets, sitting against the wall and resting my head in my hands. After the initial rush of negative thoughts I composed myself. It was annoying, but not something that changed my course of action in any way. I simply needed a place to stay the night.

I was hesitant to simply sleep in an alley; I don't know if the Black Helm this morning had been acting out of compassion or if he was simple cruel. Getting thrown in jail would not be a good start to this "adventure".


-
It happened when I was cutting through a small alley from one street to the next. One moment everything was fine, the next my world spun and my skull ached as a blow to the head stunned me. Emaciated, but surprisingly strong, arms wrapped themselves around my neck and pulled me into a shadowed dead end shooting off from the alley. I catch sight of my assailant, a rangly man, dressed in rags and with an insane gleam in his eyes lit by the faint light of the moon far above. He dumped me in a corner and pulled out a knife. I freeze, as the danger becomes more than just an implied threat.

His face was lit by a twisted grin, and he begins to speak with a shifting tone. The words meant nothing to me, but the sheer vitriol behind them surprised me. Spewing hatred he began to approach me, and as he did, I chose. Half-remembered lessons on fighting swirled together with vague advice from manuals, all mixed together with the unrealistic reality of movies as I jumped to my feet and threw myself at him.

It was a primal thing, no real conscious thought except to wrest the knife away and gain control over the situation.

In the end it came down to simple truths. I was raised in a society of peace, slightly out of shape, and had never been in a fight for my life. He was armed, angry, insane, and hardened by a crueler world. My grip on his knife-hand's wrist was broken with a single wrenching pull, and the return attack was lethal.

Three stabs in quick succession descended and I screamed as first my arm, then my stomach, and finally my kidney was pierced by sharp metal. I collapsed, the pain worse than anything I had ever felt before. My attacker followed me down, pinning me with his legs as he raised the knife again.

My mind disconnected at the seventh stab, pain so overwhelming that it simply became a white haze. My blood shone on the hands and arms of my killer, the moonlight giving it a beautiful sheen. The last thing I saw with my greying vision was the moon far above, a distant comfort and the last thing I heard was the maddened laughter of death.

-
"Death… It is such a final thing, Is it not?"

I opened my eye's to the moon. It was the moment of my death in shades of grey. I could feel the blood-slicked ground beneath me and the wounds in my flesh, but no pain. It was glorious to not feel pain. A shadowed detached itself from the moon and approached, taking the form of of an old crone. It stood above me, cruel eyes sweeping over my prone form.

"But you are not dead. Not Yet. I am the Prioress of the Bloody Sands, and I offer you life."

If I had the breath I would laugh. A deathlord? An Exaltation? The Eye and Seven Despairs did not know it but I had already accepted.

"I will give you power, I will give you respect, and I will grant you your every wish. All you must give me in return is your eternal servitude. Accept and you will serve me and my masters until Creation falls, deny me and you will die here and now."

Perhaps it was nihilistic of me, but I had always been a selfish person and I did not know or especially care about anyone from Creation. It would grant me the power I had always dreamed of, and with my knowledge of the secrets of Exalted? Well power is only ever as good as where it is applied.

Color began to bleed back into the world as I answered, less a word and more of a death rattle. My last breath going into the selling of my soul.

"I accept."

"Then rise, and be Exalted!"

-----------------------------------------------------
Yes a Self insert. Didn't ever think I would write one, but here it is. Abyssal Exaltation in the middle of the Imperial City, which I hope squashed any accusations of Mary Sueism. For those wondering, there is a reasn I was chosen, which will be revealed later in the story.

Please don't hesitate to call me out on something if you think it's wrong or stupid. If I agree I will try to fix it, if not it'll bump my thread.

 

[HioH]

Manslaughter (1)

It was cold, as if every centimeter of my body was engulfed in icy water. It was hot, every nerve screaming that it was aflame. But most of all it was darkness, a screaming void of nothingness filling me from within. Perhaps it was my imagination expressing what I knew of the process, but I could feel myself be twisted by its influence. My vision faded, and a choking oblivion threatened to consume me.

Then there was the tiniest spark of light. A tiny thing that said "Live" even as I died, and as it did the impossible came into grasp. With a choking gasp my lungs expanded as I drew my first true breath. I could feel the energy all around me and I could feel it within me: Essence, the true form of reality itself.

My eyes snapped open, and as they did I could feel my caste mark unfold upon my brow. Blood began to run down my forehead as the dark mark manifested itself. The man that had killed me, still pinning me to the ground transfixed by my Exaltation, screamed in terror. I still couldn't understand the language, but I could guess his words.

"ANATHEMA!"

Cold power flooded my veins, carefully drawn only from the power within me, and I could feel my tendons protest as inhuman strength filled my body. With a growl I rose, one hand grabbing his throat the other locking around the knife bearing hand, pulling him into the air with ease. My grip tightened around his hand and I felt the bones break like brittle sticks. A wrenching twist snapped both his Ulna and Radius, and a slight motion caught the knife that fell from his now powerless hands.

In the moment before the blade reached my hand I knew something was different. I caught the descending weapon with an instinctive and effortless grace, settling it in a comfortable grip that positioned it perfectly for a series of rapid stabs into my immobilized foe.

I knew my way around a knife; I had gutted fish, I had carved wood, I cooked, but this was something else. It was so far beyond simple use as one could come. The knife was an extension of my will, another limb that I was as aware of as any other part of myself. In an entirely unpracticed yet perfect move I twirled the knife in my hand, and watched entranced as it became a quicksilver flash dancing according to my will.

Renewed struggles from my captive tore me away from my momentary distraction. A cruel smile danced across my face, and I drank the fear-filled expression of my victim with glee. I was going to enjoy this.

Guided once more by skills that were mine-yet-not-mine the knife slipped between his third and fourth ribs with a whisper. That whisper became a shout when the crossguard impacted with terrible force, shattering the two into pieces.

The blow had been carefully calculated, it avoided the heart, nicked the Gallbladder, and perforated one lung. In itself it was a lethal wound, the shrapnel of bone simply added to the agony that was his existence now. I pulled the blade from his body, negligently wiping it on his ragged clothes while half-formed whispers of what I should do next slithered through my mind. I let go and watched him fall to the ground in an delicious reversal of our previous struggle.

As I watched the pitiful creature struggle to breathe, rationality slowly began to creep back in. I needed to leave the city, and quickly, this was probably the worst place for a new celestial Exalt to be and I could only be thankful that my Anima hadn't flared when I exalted. But first I needed to finish of this man and regain my expended power. I ran a thoughtful tongue over my new fangs. Something that was easily combinable.

I descended.

-

The process of feeding was strange in some ways; there was no need to make any new, and distinctive, wounds. Instead I simply used where the blade had impacted to disguise the pinprick of my sharpened canines. Objectively the blood that washed through mouth should have disgusted me, made me gag or vomit, but instead it was soothing in a way I barely understood. But the blood was nothing, a mere veil over the true consumption, with every pull of blood I drew upon the Essence of his soul to empower myself.

"Already enjoying your new existence?"

I jolted back, mouth tearing away from my "meal", at the sudden intrusion of the Deathlord's voice. It echoed in my mind, each sound seemingly whispering damning secrets and promises of power if I simply accepted them into myself. Resisting their call, I spoke into the night air, flexing my free hand slightly.

"Yes. It is..." Terrifying? Exciting? Enlightening? It was all that and more. "...an experience unlike any other."

"You have been Exalted." He said as if it explained everything, and it did. "You have been given a Purpose. Now it is time to prove yourself worthy of it. Seven days from now one of my servants will retrieve you for your… Education. Survive until then, and you will have proven yourself competent enough to use."

Well… That was annoying. Yet it was also welcome safety net, keeping quiet seven days should not be an issue. I decided to bite the bullet and ask.

"My lady, may I ask one boon from you."

There was silence for a while, then my new liege (master?) spoke with a voice that was laden with threat if this was frivolous.

"Ask."

I almost sighed in relief, then forged ahead.

"I do not speak or read the language of this land, I ask that you grant me this knowledge so that I might better prove myself. If I lack my ability to communicate how can I show you all the skills at my disposal?" however meagre they may be…

"Ahh yes, She mentioned that this might be an Issue." Wait, what? "Very well. Be thankful, for I will grant you this boon. Am I not a gracious mistress?"

Whatever response I might have mustered and my train of thought was obliterated by pain in the moment she stopped speaking. A howling wind of cold and dark tore through my mind as my request was granted. As the understanding of Low realm began to percolate in my mind, I could remember short snippets of memories from hundreds of individuals that had been used to provide the knowledge. Thousands of snapshot moments constructing the language in my mind in the most painful way possible.

Then it was over, and I found myself on my knees and panting. Pulling myself to my feet I gasped out a ragged "Thank you Mistress." before leaning against the wall, exhausted from the experience. I stared at the moon above, wondering if I would ever meet her. It was a ridiculous thought, but here? With what I was now? One day I might; it was a heady thought. My introspection was broken by Eye and Seven Despairs' voice once more, still disguised as that of an old womans.

"Your old life is over. No matter what happens next, this is absolute. Your old name is dead, and so is your connection with it. From now on you shall be known as the Obsidian Tender of the Rotting Garden and, if you survive the coming days, your deeds will shape this world into a monument to Oblivion."

 

[HioH]

Manslaughter (2)
-
As the voice of my patron faded from my mind, I looked down on the corpse that I had made and the knife that had done it. For all that it was the ultimate taboo, I found I was curiously numb about it. Something that in itself triggered a sort of creeping horror in the back of my mind, I knew that Abyssal Exaltations messed with your head. But to have such blatant proof shoved in front of me? It was upsetting.

Less upsetting in a way was the physical changes. I had not immediately noticed, but now when I had the time to really look over myself I could see drastic changes. Pale skin from the distant sunlight of my homeland had become the chalky-white of a corpse. Excess fat all over my body had burned away, leaving nothing but muscle and bone, and my hair had become a deep, bloody, red. In my slight reflection in one of the puddles of blood where I once lay, I could see how my features had shifted as a result, cheekbones were pronounced and cheeks were hollow.

I looked emaciated. Not dead, but unhealthy and in dire need of sunlight. All my scars and blemishes had disappeared however, leaving only a single mark. Across the center of my chest were a series of thick ropy scars that reminded me of the way I had almost died.

Completing my self inspection, I knelt down next to the cooling body and began rifling through the dead man's pockets and clothes. Whereas before, such an activity might had been distasteful, now I found no fear or disgust for handling the corpse within me. It made for surprisingly good pickings; three coins I identified as Yen, Enough to keep me feed for the week if I was frugal, and a sheathe for the knife I now owned. The last thing I did was to take his ragged clothes.

I did so for three reasons. The first was to cover up more of my slightly inhuman skintone. The second was that the clothes of a dead man might function as makeshift trappings of death. Thirdly, and most importantly, I ripped of as much as I could and used it to mop up my blood. No arcane links for any enemies to track me with or worse.

When I was done, I carefully wrapped and tied the soaked cloth under the legs of my pants. It was disgusting, but there they would be hidden from casual inspection and safe until I could dispose of it properly. A last strip of cloth was used to clean my hands and face of viscera from the nights events before it too was hidden. Without even a last glance at the moonlit area that was the place of my rebirth and the mostly naked corpse within, I left.

-

I walked the streets of the Imperial City with new purpose. Wereas before I had been lost and powerless, I now had a goal. Seven days, while not said out loud, it had been implied that I was to stay in the city for the full seven days. Something I would have done anyways; staying hidden amongst millions is much easier than out in the farmlands and tight-knit villages.

But the largest change from before was probably the language. Now when I moved amongst the small crowds still out this late, I could actually understand their low murmur of conversation. Signs that before had been gibberish were now readable. It was surprising how much information was revealed when you could understand the local script.

I spotted a small jade exchange, a shop that sold herbs, and much more. All were closed this late, but I noted down some of the more interesting ones as places that might be good to visit later. Finally I found what I was looking for in a simple building, If that term could apply to any building in the Imperial city, with a sign announcing it as the Old Scepter Tavern.

Stepping inside, flinched slightly at the sudden shift in light levels. The inside of the building was lit by two large fires and several dozen lanterns hanging from the ceiling. The large main room was filled with merrymaking mortals who were boisterously drinking their wages away. Approaching the bar, I only needed to wait a moment before the worn but still healthy looking man behind it took notice. His voice was loud, easily cutting through the din of the room.

"Welcome to the Old Scepter! What can I get you? Room? Food? Drink?"

The key to staying inconspicuous was always to not attempt to look inconspicuous. So when I replied it was in an equally loud voice, meant to carry over the sound of the crowd.

"Room for the night, if you so please, and Dinner."

"Two-eights Yen for that, and I'll throw in some bread for the morning as well."

Pulling out a single Yen coin, I slid it over the countertop to the man. "I just got paid for today's work. could you break this for me?"

The coin disappeared quickly, and soon a small pile of return change and a key was pressed into my hand. With a smile he directed me to take a seat, one of his serving wenches would be over shortly.

Wenches… Really, it was surreal mix of stereotypes and strangeness. Like before, I made sure to seat myself in a relatively well lit area. Hiding in the shadows only invited scrutiny. Soon a rather buxom lady, if not especially pretty by modern standards, came by my table and dropped off a plate of lamb with a side of brown rice and a pitcher of ale to wash it down.

It was bland, uninspired, and after almost a full day without food or drink just what I needed. I wolfed the meal down quickly then walked to my room, the bloody scraps of cloth I had wound around my legs were starting to coagulate and itch.

The room itself was small, with a small bed, a chest to store things in, a small bowl of water to wash with, and a fireplace for warmth and light. Closing the door, I stripped of my clothes and began the arduous process of peeling of the bloody cloth around my legs. When I was done, I gathered the pile of cloth and began to feed it into the fire. Slowly inserting one strip after the other, confirming that each was consumed in its entirety.

After washing myself of the remaining blood I redressed, rather accepting the discomfort rather than potentially leave myself naked if I needed to leave quickly. I fell into the straw bed with an exhausted sigh. This day had felt like the longest day in my life, and I would be happy to leave it behind me. The dark embrace of sleep was quick to claim my tired mind.

-
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[HioH]

Manslaughter (3)
-

I woke with the sun. Not because I was especially punctual as a person, but because the second that the first rays of its warm light washed over the building I lay in my skin rebelled. It seemed to tighten all across my body, as if it was several sizes too small. Hovering just this side of pain. Then it faded, the rejection of creation fading as the symbolic darkness in the clothes I wore warded me. I rose from the bed, shaken from the experience. There was a distinct, and unpleasant, difference between reading about something and actually experiencing it.

After walking I Gratefully accepted a fist sized chunk of bread from the same woman from last night, before I stepped out into the Imperial city once more. I was not the first to have woken today, in fact I suspect that many people had been up since before the sun rose, so when I walked through the streets I found them packed and with most of the stores open as well. It was comforting in a way; even so far from home the basic life of a city seemed the same. Out of the corner of one eye I spotted a small street vendor selling brightly dyed clothes of the local fashion.

They were, even from a distance, easily identified as cheap knockoffs of more quality products but were probably the kind of thing someone poor would own as "fine" clothes. Perhaps not perfect for my needs, but better than looking like a beggar. Woven and dyed wool, it cost me a single yen for a full new set of clothes.

I ducked into another alley, an increasingly common occurrence, and began pulling my new purchase over my already worn clothes. It was uncomfortably bulky, but nothing compared to the reaction I had with the Essence of the world. The outfit was a dull earthy red and it, together with my strange features, could have been a mark of a lower ranked Dragon-blooded to those without any first hand knowledge of the Terrestrial exalted. Here in the Imperial city it wouldn't do that, but was enough for me to not stand out in most quarters of the city.

With most of my immediate problems solved, I decided to turn my attention to a more far reaching and ultimately more important subject. How much of my knowledge was actually viable? While much of the more esoteric lore would be beyond my reach, at least until I got access to my Deathlord's archive or something similar, I could confirm the basics rather simply. The Realm kept extensive libraries scattered across their holdings, and as I was now in the Heart of the Realm I would think that those I could find here would be the most extensive public sources of knowledge available in this time. Best of all, they were free.

Finding a library turned out to be a simple matter, I asked one of the shopkeepers who had set up on the street for directions and they directed me to a massive, squat, building in the centre of the the district. It was a monument to power. Built from a material so dark it seemed endless, Black Jade, and inlaid with beautiful patterns of golden Orichalum. Stepping through the constantly shifting doors of moonsilver, I entered.

-

Immediately, my teeth were set on edge and my skin crawled slightly. This was a place of power, a Manse. A large open room with dozens of long tables and chairs greeted me and graceful figures dressed in white robes moved around the tables. They were not men, but Elementals. Wood was the predominant aspect, thin men like creatures made from sticks, but I could see the other elements moving around as well. Air far above in the rafters, Fire tending to the countless candles and lanterns providing light, Earth collecting books from patrons, and Water scouring any dirt from the hall.

I stood frozen for a moment, the combined effect captivating beyond anything I had seen before, made more potent by the fact that this was real and not just words on a page or pictures on a screen. After a minute, I broke out of the trance like state and approached one of dozens of recessed cubbies along the wall. In it I found what I was looking for, a large tome with the word Index on the front, with a small green stick of jade next to it. Both were chained to the podium they rested on, but a quick glance at the elementals moving about the room told me that a chain was the least of any prospective thief's problems.

Helpfully, the first page of the book was instructions and rules for the use of the Index. The jade pointed was used to select books, which would be brought by elemental once retrieved to your seat, no books were allowed outside the Library, and no more than ten books at one time. The rules were mostly the same sort one found in any such institution with some more exotic ones like not throwing things at the elementals or the one about no active Essence use. A small though interesting note near the bottom indicated, in flowery and fawning words, that an essence user could channel Essence through the Jade pen to reveal and access restricted works. While I think I could do the same without alerting anyone, I did not feel the need to take the risk. As is I only needed general knowledge to cross reference with, and if users were somehow recorded things could get ugly. Lifting the pen, I began to flip through the pages of the index.

-

My quota of ten books was eaten away with frightening speed; books about the recent history of the realm, the distant history of the realm, The immaculate texts, an Atlas, and several other books on common enough subjects. After selecting ten, I walked to one of the central tables and took a seat; far enough away from my nearest neighbor to have some privacy while not seeming to hide.

Several minutes later, an Air elemental descended from above. Near invisible except for the ten books it carried in it's grasp. Murmuring a small thanks I accepted the books and spread them out before me. These were not the paperbacks and thinly bound things of home, but proper tomes, bound in leather with thick pages.

Reading had always been a passion, and no matter what had always been a pleasure. So it was with relish I pulled the first book, The Recent History of the Blessed Isles by one Nellens Pakoe, from the pile and cracked it open and lost myself in it's depths. For hours I stayed in the Library, the end of one book simply meaning the opening of another, ignoring small pangs of hunger with practiced ease.

Most of what I knew seemed to line up with history, the fall of Thorns to the Mask of Winters and the disappearance of the Scarlet Empress. But it did reveal a crucial gap; the knowledge I had was mostly broad strokes. The empty space left for storytellers to fill was not empty here, but teeming with life and purpose. Hundreds of cities, villages, and other assorted places were referenced that I had never heard of, and I soon found that keeping the atlas open to place these places was key.

But compared to the actual experience of reading it was all nothing. I knew that the Daybreak Caste favored Mental and Intellectual pursuits, but I had not truly understood what that meant until now. Every word I read burned itself into my mind, locked into a iron memory that I knew would never fade. Connections between the tiniest of details were as clear as day. My memories of the past were dragged into the ever expanding web of knowledge, and for an indeterminate amount of time I stared into space as my entire life slotted into place. I could remember things with a clarity I had never had before, tiny things that I had forgotten now obvious.

There was no Essence involved, no magic, simply the innate Perfection of the Exaltation become truly clear to me for the first time. To call it mere photographic memory was an insult, it was so much more. But best, or well most interesting to me, of all was that this wasn't some added feature. This was me. Refined, forged, and perfected. The tiny flaws that riddles a person burned out, and the true potential within allowed to shine bright.

My… Epiphany… was interrupted by the deep tone of a great horn shaking the hall. It was more than just sound, It was purpose refined into music. My heart beat faster for a moment, the thrill of the hunt overtaking me before reality reasserted itself. I panted lightly. All around me people were reacting.

Many rose, leaving their seats and half-walking, half-running out of the library. But many other's seemed content to ignore the noise, returning to their books. Equally many stayed, but kept glancing around, nervous for some reason. Deciding to get some answers I rose quietly, leaving my current book open to indicate I would be back, and approached one of the fidgeting people who had stayed.

The middle aged woman I approached almost jumped at my polite tap on her shoulder, but calmed down quickly when she saw me. Pulling herself together, she spoke in a low tone.

"Yes? Can I help you?"

I smiled, careful not to expose my teeth. My fangs were retracted, but better safe than sorry.

"Yes, you would be so kind. if y I'm new to the city, Arrived last night in fact, and was wondering. What was that sound?"

She looked at me strangely for a moment, then glanced around.

"You haven't heard? It's the Wyld Hunt-" Ohhh, shit. "-there have been almost a dozen Anathema found and killed in the Imperial City in the last few weeks. They've all been dealt with quickly, but that horn means they've found traces of another one."

Thanking her, I made my way back to my seat. I had thought I covered all or at least most traces last night and that Abyssal were almost untraceable by normal means. Perhaps there was a solar loose in the city? I dismissed the thought, better to plan for the worst. They knew of my presence in the city, and the Wyld Hunt was probably already out in force. I was starting to suspect that I wasn't the first person that had been exalted in the middle of the Imperial City by Eye and Seven Despairs.

Unfortunately, I had no idea how they were planning to track me and therefore no idea on how to prevent it. But I had been careful, and left little to no trace of my movements. If I kept low, I could probably weather this storm until the seven days are up and I can leave.

-

Hey, hope you like it. It was fun coming up with the concept and description of the Library Manse so please tell me what you think. As always, constructive criticism is wanted and if nothing else a word of support is always appreciated.

Edit: as some of you have noticed, three Ox-body purchases have been added to my charm list. This is from my converion to Sojiko's Exp tables where every Level of Essence grants one free purchase. Just an FYI.

 

[HioH]

Manslaughter (4)

-

Instead of panicking and rushing into the city without a plan I simply finished what I had come to do. I had replaced my ten books many times over when i felt the barely perceptible shift in my essence as the sun passed beneath the horizon, its scouring rays no longer illuminating Creation. When it did I closed the book I was reading and sat still for a moment, contemplating my next move.

I assumed the worst: that the Wyld Hunt could track me the moment I stepped outside whatever protections the Library Manse was sure to have. Assuming no experienced Sidereals were involved, something I had to do because if one was then I had already lost, constant movement was probably the best way to deal with the issue. At least until a more permanent solution could be found.

Leaving the books to be collected I rose from my seat, feeling just as good as when I had begun, and exited the library. Just outside the Manse, one could barely tell that the sun had fallen. Countless Essence lights and other sources of illumination kept the small square in front of the building well lit. Compared to last night, the crowd could barely be called that. The streets were mostly empty, and this still moving about could broadly be divided into two groups: those moving about with furtive fear, keeping heads low and strides long to minimize time spent outside, and the determined. Dozens of Dragon-blooded wandered the streets in full armor; some moving alone or in small groups, others in full scales. Some talked boisterously amongst themselves, gesturing wildly, others moved with military precision. I didn't think any of these groups were actually part of the Wyld Hunt, they seemed to ad hoc and ignorant of each other's movements.

No, they were dynasts out to play. All eager to find and slay an Anathema and bring glory to themselves and their families. Luckily, the Dragon-blooded themselves were the lesser threat in this case, they had no way to detect the presence of an Exaltation. The main issue would be avoiding any sorcerers or artifacts that could unveil me.

It was very likely that the Wyld hunt had set up blockades/ detection point at most of the major thoroughfares in the city, assuming any basic competency and resources in the organisation, and lacking any stealth or disguising charms as I did I would be hard-pressed to slip past unnoticed. My best option was to get off the streets.

Keeping my head low, I moved into the city itself. I found myself unconsciously flinching away from the Dragon-Blooded as I moved amongst them. Both from fear of discovery and because of the Daiklaives. Daiklaives were beyond mere swords as swords were beyond sticks, the huge weapons were often longer than I was, but the true terror lay in that each and every one of them represented a force powerful enough to level a small village singlehandedly. Those blades probably weighed more than I did, but in the hands of one of the Exalted could be used as if it was made from styrofoam.

I really needed to get one for myself.

-

I moved through side-streets and alleys, away from the centre of district but carefully judging my movements as to not approach the edges either. It had only been fifteen minutes since I left the Library, but my constant fear of discovery made it feel like hours. Finally I managed to find an alley isolated enough to be completely empty and large enough to be useful for my purpose.

What I needed to do was get more mobility, and I had several different ideas on how to do that. The sewer system, might work but I had no idea how extensive it was or even how to access it. But before I went on a wild goose chase for something that might or might not be of use I decided to turn my search inward.

I knew of dozens of charms that could be of use in this situation, but there were several problems with that plan. I needed both the Essence and the ability to gain them, something that was hard to judge without hard numbers, and time to train and internalize the Charm itself. The charm I had used before to increase my strength, Corpse-Might Surge, was an athletics charm that if I knew meant several others were probably available to me.

While I lacked the time and the basic know-how of how to learn new charms I knew that at their core, charms were instinctive things. The natural abilities of the Exalted, and I suspected, possible to learn without any true study. That theory was one I was willing to put to the test.

Moving through the motions of loosening my leg muscles, I stared at the walls on both sides of me. I knew what I wanted. Taking that certainty and drive, I bent my knees in preparation for a jump. Pulling on the Essence resting within me I flushed it through my body, letting instinct guide both it and me in accordance to what I wanted.

For a second I wondered if I had accomplished anything except waste motes, then something clicked. With a blur of motion I jumped, launching myself into the air. I flew higher than was possible for any mortal, several meters into air in a single bound. I had angled my jump slightly, and just before reaching my apex, I collided with the wall. For a moment my feet scrambled for purchase, before a slight imperfection in the construction of the wall allowed me to gain a foothold.

It was a tiny crack, extending less than a millimeter from the surface, but beneath my feet it was like an immovable ledge. Two charms, Spider Pounce Technique to aid my jump and Raiton's Nimble Perch to let me stand. A vicious grin lit my face, In a single moment I had gone from a single general charm to three, all three perfect for aiding my movement and evasion.

In the Game they were limited to one Scene, and I had no idea to how that translated to reality so I made a mental note to keep an close eye on when they ended and memorize the duration. I couldn't help but let out a short laugh as I launched myself into the air again, this time aiming towards the opposite wall. Up I went, bouncing between the two buildings I had specifically chosen for their almost equal height.

I reached the top, or rather a small balcony near the top, and looked out over the city below. Lit in soft golden light, it was unlike anything I had seen before, structures that were grand from the ground level were stunning now that I could see them in their full glory. The darkness obscured much, but many of the more influential buildings were lit by various sources of light. The huge Imperial Palace dominated the city, and for a moment I thought of trying to sneak in before dismissing the thought.

With a sigh I stopped my eager sightseeing and instead returned to the issue at hand, I needed to keep moving. Tomorrow I could try procuring more funds and a more secure place to stay, but until then I would simply have to make do with my newfound mobility. With a glance I plotted my next goal, A building lit in multi hued light in the distance, and then I launched myself into the night once more.

End Manslaughter
-
Hope you like it, Next chapter is named Honor Kill and I hope will showcase just why one shouldn't underestimate the Wyld Hunt. As Always, a single word is better than nothing and feedback is food.
Stunt purchases cost 1wp and must be thematically appropriate for a given situation.

 

[HioH]

Honor Kill:

I kept on the move for the entire night, never stopping for more than a few minutes. My largest problem at the moment lay in the inexact nature of the information at my disposal. Exalted as written was a badly flawed system, with countless loopholes that could be used to break the setting in half by anyone with even the slightest of time and knowledge. Now seeing as the world I was in seemed to be very much like the one described in the books, that meant that most of the worst offenders were probably not possible.

But this left the smaller and perhaps more esoteric problems. The first that came to mind was Infallible messenger; it could, in theory be used to perfectly track me unless I managed to get some mystical protections. Yet the fact that I hadn't been bombarded by cherubs and their sorcerous masters meant that it probably didn't work that way here. The only other explanation would be that the people here were drooling morons, something I doubted.

As the sun began to rise from the horizon, I finally descended from the towering forest of buildings that I had been leaping between, touching down in an empty alley with a only the softest of sounds.

I Fucking loved being superhuman.

Perhaps it was my slightly sleep deprived state but it took me a few moments to notice that something was wrong. The streets around me were abandoned, with no people in sight and all the buildings securely locked. I barely had time to swear before a strong wind carrying the faintest hint of Essence blew through the empty streets.

I reacted instantly, almost throwing myself into an alley and franticly beginning to think of a way to escape the coming storm. Jumping back into the air was foolish, had been foolish, it disconnected me from what was happening on the ground isolated me when I needed to blend in. Now I was stuck out in the open with the Wyld Hunt on the way.

A quick glance around revealed nothing, stone road and obsidian walls providing no comfort. All the doors around were closed and probably barred. Breaking into a building would only be counterproductive, raising noise and attention when I really didn't need it. A second look showed me a possible way, two stories up on a building on the other side of the street from where I was standing there was a single window open. For a second I wondered at it, it was the only open entrance within sight, before I forced myself to move towards it.

Even if it was a trap, it was the only place I could hide before the Dragon-Blooded arrived. A quick leap and I was balancing on the entrance to a darkened room, and with a last glance at the rapidly lightening sky, I stepped inside.

It was a small and cramped common area of what I assumed to be servant's quarters from the multitude of doorways leading into it. I moved quietly and glanced inside one of the entrances. Sure enough, a series of empty beds and small cupboards lined the room. quick glances showed similar layouts in most of the other rooms, all empty, with one door opening into a hall leading deeper into the building.

Thankfully, it seemed as if the Servants had already woken for the day and begun whatever tasks they had. But I don't think I could stay here for too long, someone was bound to come by at the most inopportune time. I froze.

The window!

I moved as fast as I could without making too much noise, almost running to the open window. A quick look outside showed me that it might be too late, five people and one large animal already gathered around where I had landed a short while ago. Hoping that they hadn't already seen, I carefully closed the window, keeping only the tiniest crack open to observe my pursuers.

It was a full circle of Dragonborn. Their leader seemed to be the wood aspect who, from the brown skin and green almost vine like hair, might actually be an elder. She was gesturing from her mount on what at first glance seemed to be an enormous lion. Then I spotted the hooves. It was a Simhata, a lion-horse, powerful creatures bred as mounts for the Exalted. She looked to be unarmed, In fact only one of the Dragon-Blooded was actually armed with a Daiklaive.

It was a massive Grand Daiklaive, and the woman wielding it was also armored in what I guessed to be Superheavy plate. While I couldn't say for sure, the her armor's and exposed hair's white color seemed to indicate an Air aspect.

The youngest in their group actually looked unarmored and unarmed, a man clad in blue robes with a soft smile on his face at something his leader was saying. I pegged him as either an martial artist or a Sorcerer and probably a water aspect, if only because of the clothes.

The fire aspect on the other hand was undoubtedly a sorcerer. Flanking him were two shifting figures made from fire, and in front of him was a single female form seemingly made from cloud. I think that the wind from earlier might have been that air elemental.

The last member of their group stood slightly apart- tensions in the group? - and was toying with a blue-green chakram and occasionally interjecting herself in the conversation.

I couldn't hear them from where I was standing, but it seemed as if they were talking about whatever the Elemental had said. For a few tense minutes they did nothing except talk, before backing away from the Fire aspect. As soon as they were outside some invisible radius, the Sorcer lit up with power. Fire erupted from his form, the Anima banner of a Terrestrial, his eyes lit with crimson light, and flickering runes seemed to form out of the flames around him.

I tensed.

Then the light faded, and in front of him a small floating creature appeared. Six wings supported a tiny body in the air, and as it approached it's summoner I recognized it as the manifestation of the Infallible Messenger spell. My musings from before came back with a vengeance, and I could feel my heart begin to speed up.

Then it accelerated, moving faster than I could track but away from me. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. It seemed that I was safe for now, but they knew I was in the district and seemed to have the city in lockdown. I really, really didn't want to stay in this damn place much longer.

"Just" six more days to go.

-
Ladies, gentlemen, and undetermined tentacled friends: our Heroes/Villains of this part of the story, please give them a big round of applause. Like always, feedback is ambrosia.

 

[HioH]

The small group of Terrestrials didn't move after the message had been sent, simply continuing their conversation while keeping out of their comrades fiery aura. I was had just managed to relax slightly when they all froze, heads cocking as if trying to listen to something. I tensed slightly. Looked like they were getting new orders.

They secured their equipment quickly then left, moving in a tight group down the street towards the temple district. I slumped against the wall next to me. What just happened? They had at least gotten one good "ping" from that elemental, I'm sure of it. Why would they just leave now… Reinforcements seems like the most logical explanation. Or perhaps politics.

The murmurs of approaching conversation cut of my line of thought. The servants were returning. Out of options that didn't begin and end with me killing all witnesses in a massacre, I opened the window and jumped. I was starting to get the feeling that a Day-caste exaltation would have been more useful. As I moved through the empty streets, I comforted myself with the thoughts of the Magitech abominations I might one day create. If I couldn't be a super-ninja-vampire-superweapon I would be satisfied with building a Jaeger.

That could do magic.

-

As time passed people returned to the streets, still cautious but eager to resume their lives. With the fact that they had my approximate position I judged it a good time to move to a different district. I needed someplace to get a good nights, or days, rest before I could resume trying to counteract any attempts to find me. This is the kind of thing that would go much smoother if I had more applicable skills other than "Spider-Man".

Even if Spider-man was a perfectly acceptable and incredibly fun powerset to play around with, it had a rather narrow band of applicable situations. Especially when I lacked any combat or defense charms. I would kill for some basic knowledge of sorcery.

Instead of wielding incredible cosmic power to solve my situation I was instead to work around it like a mortal. Mingling with the crowds I moved closer the exit to the redlight district or as it was called in The Imperial City; The Garden of Crimson Pleasures. A place where everyone had at least one good explanation to why they were trying to get there.

The walls separating the districts were nothing like the great granite ring around the city, they were white brick topped by stone tiles that encircled and defined each area of the city more as a formality than any actual physical deterrence. This "weakness" seemed much less pertinent when constant patrols of dragonblooded moved along the narrow top, keeping their balance perfectly on the thin area.

As soon as I saw the gate I knew I had no chance to leave the Empyrean Bazaar undetected, and if I was honest to myself, at all. The walls themselves, as mentioned, were constantly patrolled and the gates were even worse. I only checked one gate, but I didn't need any great insight to understand that all the others were probably the same or worse.

A full Scale of twenty-five Dragon-Blooded were in attendance, fully kitted with massive Daiklaives and equally formidable jade armor, just waiting for any enemy to be foolish enough to reveal themselves. The missing fingers of the Heptagram Sorcerers amongst their number told me that they could probably deploy anywhere within the city on short notice, and that I could expect Demons or Elementals if worst came to worst.

At least I didn't see any Sidereals. I slapped myself lightly, drawing odd looks from people around me that I ignored. Seeing Sidereals… Really, I needed to keep concentrated and trying to find fate ninjas would not be a productive use of my time. With my primary option out of commission I turned to other, less polished ideas. Or rather I turned to the time honored concept of: money is good, more money is better. I needed a job.

A task that turned out to be surprisingly simple. The lockdown of the district had caused many problems for shop owners, both large and small. With several hours of the day lost, and some of the more sensitive wares quickly becoming spoiled when unattended. It wasn't glamorous work, or even steady work, but simply moving through the district and asking those shop owners that seemed stressed turned a nice bounty of menial labor.

A eighth of a yen here from moving inventory, three-eighths there were my literacy allowed me to help take notes for a beleaguered shopkeeper. The small issues caused by the chaos I had caused turned out to be a gold mine where my money situation was concerned. With seemingly everyone eager to have my help with something. Six hours and eight yen later I decided that my bodies needs were greater than my monetary ones. The fact that every person I talked to seemed to comment on my usual skin tone was only a small part of my decision to quit.

With enough money to keep myself comfortably feed and quartered for the rest of the week, I decided to splurge a little. Picking out one of the ubiquitous, small but comfy looking, teahouses that could be found littered across the district I walked through the open screen door. A well dressed woman met me almost as soon as I stepped inside and, without commenting on my unusual complexion, ushered me into a packed main room. Small communal tables seemed to be the norm, and conversations were kept low as people mingled, ate, and drank tea.

It was only lacking Iroh to make it perfect.

The table I was seated at had four other patrons already there, an older couple speaking softly while ignoring the world around them, a young woman engrossed in a book who I took for a student, and like the punchline of some cosmic joke the blue-haired, blue clothed, Water Aspect that had been hunting me earlier.

-
Not sure about this snippet, but something is better than nothing. Also, if anyone with exalted knowledge is willing to talk and help me plan future plotlines and the like I would appreciate it. Just say in the thread or throw me a PM.

 

[HioH]

For a second I hesitated, then took the open seat that the smiling server was gesturing towards. I inclined my head slightly in greeting, and the water aspect returned it in kind. He was not the stereotypical Dragon-blooded, in fact his slight build and ever so feminine features marked him as someone that probably didn't fit in well amongst the aggressive culture of the Terrestrials. His long hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, and his voice was soft and cultured when he spoke.

"Don't worry, I don't care for formalities. My name is Dorlinor".

Apparently my pause had been noticed, if misconstrued.

"No, no. I'm just not used to seeing Dragon-Blooded up close like this. I'm Obsidian, I just arrived in the city."

True enough I suppose and hopefully enough to assuage him.

"Hmm? Where are you from? Your Realm is quite good but your name sounds Threshold.."

I picked a village I had seen on the map before, one not to far from the capitol and began to spin a story.

"Not that far from here actually but, as you can see-" I indicated my pale skin tone. "-I don't really fit in well. Mother never said, but I think my father is from the North. So I decided to seek my fortune in the city." My voice rose with enthusiasm that was only partially fake.

He smiled.

"Well you've chosen an exciting time to come here."

"I heard the horns! Are there really Anathema in the Imperial City itself?"

The others at our table quieted, and seemed interested in his answer as well. His lips pressed together in a thin line for a moment before he spoke.

"Those weak souls that fall to the demons are found everywhere, but it is almost unheard of for the Anathema to appear so often. But worry not! While it might seem terrifying, the fact is that the Imperial City is the best place for them to appear. We can easily root them out here before they grow in strength and cause to much destruction."

I would feel safer if it wasn't me being hunted. As the others returned to their respective distractions, the server came back to take my order. As I had been too busy talking to read the menu I instead deferred to my Watery table companion who recommended a dish made from rice noodles and pork with a cup of the house's traditional Tea.

As I waited for my order, we continued to converse. I played up the curious country boy angle and we were soon engrossed in tales of the distant lands around creation. I had read about them, but hearing it told from someone that had actually been to these places was something else.

In the middle of a tale about the endless forests of the East, we were interrupted once more. This time by a animal. I tentatively identified it as a Ferret, but it was much longer than any I had seen before and I could spot small patches of scales along it's body. It clambered up Dorlinor's body and wrapped itself around his neck with a satisfied purr. Reaching up to scratch it's tiny chin, he introduced our newest interruption.

"This is Isa. You must excuse her, she was just running an errand for me."

The ferret seemed to nod in agreement, then leaned into the the finger that was pampering it. Luckily my food arrived before we could pick up where we left off and spared us another interruption. Dorlinor and his circle were extremely well traveled. Apparently having journeyed almost across all of creation in their five years of service to the Wyld hunt.

He didn't say how they had managed to traverse the massive distances involved, but I suspected that they didn't walk much. When I asked about his circle mates he was more withdrawn, but I did manage to learn their names.

The Wood aspect leader was Supple Willow of house Cathak.

Their Daiklaive wielding Air aspect was Tokkan of house Sesus.

The sorcerous Fire aspect was named Jouen of house Nellens.

The nervous Earth aspect was Kidorui of house Cathak.

Dorlinor himself was of house Ledaal.

In retrospect, it was probably a rather stupid thing for me to do. Learning about the people hunting me would do nothing except make me hesitate when- If -It came time to kill them. In my defense, I was mostly running off movies and books right now. After the slight divergence into his circle, we returned to "safer" topics.

In the middle of a complex tale involving Raksha, Two cows, and rebellious grass, he broke off mid sentence and cocked his head in the strange manner I had seen before. After a few seconds he apologetically returned to our conversation.

"Please Excuse me, this has been fun but I need to go."

I hoped that meant that they had lost the trail. "It's no trouble at all, I'm the one who should be sorry. Taking so much of your time."

He smiled, waving my concerns off. "I had fun. after all, what use are adventures if they aren't shared?"

I found myself smiling in return. "Indeed."

I kept the smile as he rose and walked away, only letting it slip once he was outside the building. This could be very bad, I still don't know what resonance system was in play and "consorting" with the living like this might be enough to get me punished. A Resonance eruption was really the last thing I needed right now.

With a sigh I rose, meal finished, and drained the last of the bitter green tea with a grimace. Give me Earl Grey any day of the week instead of this stuff. Dropping my payment into the hands of the server, I left the Tea shop.

The city was still subdued but I spotted one large and, to me obvious, difference. All over the street I saw dozens of men and women that didn't fit in. They were clad in normal clothing, but the way they moved and held themselves told a different story. A quick scan of the street confirmed my theory.

There were covered wagons spread out along the street, each surrounded by a small contingent of the "Civilians". They were soldiers disguised and with their gear stashed in the wagons. The only question was if they were here to ambush me, or to search for me.

The easiest way to find out would be from the source. Picking out one woman who seemed isolated from the rest and near an alley, I began to move, weaving through the crowd with ease. My right hand lowered, drawing the knife and keeping it low to hide it. Soon I was within three paces of the disguised soldier.

Two

One.

-
Had some problems with this part, dialog has never been my strongest skill. Hope it turned out okay.