A Spiral of Shadow and Light [IC]

[Kyeudo]

Here, the flows of Essence are a wellspring and a whirlpool. Dark Essence bubbles up from the stairwell and spills out into the room, flooding the room with an invisible black fog before slowly seeping out through the cracks between the stones of the mausoleum. In counterpoint, the myriad Essence flows of the city find their way in and spiral in on the stairwell before pouring down into the labyrinth below. If some sort of harmony between your Essence and the tomb's design exists, it isn't apparent.

[Cyranicles]

Wince maintains his focus for a minute, his face unreadable until he opens his eyes...nothing. The others can read it in his face as he speaks, "Well Jian, it was worth a try, but if I ever somehow had a connection to this place, well, I don't anymore. May as well try the hard way now. At least we know the correct turns for the first several chambers. Hopefully you can read the correct path for the next few. Ready guys?"

[Ridai]

"Ready." Once more into the maze.

[Cyranicles]

As he heads toward the tomb entrance with Red Wince cast an "are you coming" look over his shoulder toward Jian and Alanadel before he returns his gaze to the notes before him, trying to piece together exactly how far into the maze they'd gotten thus far.

[Horatio@Bridge]

Jian shakes his head. "I can't believe the plan is to walk into every death trap this place has to offer."

Alanadel shrugs. "They seemed determined to go ahead with it. We might as well follow behind them to be of what help we may. It's not as if we're getting nothing from this arrangement."

"I know, I know. It's just that we have no reason to think that this course of action is going to be better than anything else we might do. If I had reason to believe that the prize really was through the death traps, I could accept this decision as a risky but necessary step to get to our goal. But no, we haven't even gone so far as to eliminate the other paths. There's nothing guiding our decision but the assumption that "white leads to the entrance, therefore black, being opposite to white, must therefore lead to the exit since an exit is the opposite of the entrance!" I tell you, this is an offence to logicians everywhere."

Jian continues to grumble in this vein as he follows after the other two Celestial Exalts.



I must admit, I find this vexing as a player as well as a character.

[Cyranicles]

Wince flashes a small grin, accompanied by an eyeroll toward Red as he overhears Jian's grumbling. But Wince likes to keep things friendly so he replies to Jian with a comically exaggerated train of thought, "I don't know what a lodge-i-shun is but I think it makes sense to go this way. It's like this, essence comes from things, so essence trails/currents/whatevers must lead to things. Also, the poem upstairs told us there's something dangerous down here, dangerous things cause death, death is related to black, the essence trail is black, so the dangerous thing must be at the end of the trail."

"Now, it's getting complicated, so stick with me guys! See, I don't know why we're here, but tombs often hold ancient relics. Ancient relics are valuable. How do you defend valuable things? With something dangerous!! Therefore, whatever I'm here to find, must be guarded by something dangerous, which must be at the end of this dark essence trail!"

I know it's not the most "exalted" way to approach the game, but it's an in character decision for Wince. OOC, we've spent a couple weeks in this tomb and have only managed to get back to the entrance. I'd rather roll some dice, encounter some deathtraps, and possibly get past the maze phase of this scene.

[Horatio@Bridge]

"The simpler explanation is that the death essence is coming from the traps themselves, since they are indeed "things" which are associated with "death," therefore meeting all the criteria to produce "death essence" that we have laid out thus far. Unless we have a reason to believe otherwise?"

Jian's tone is slightly exasperated.

"In any case, there's no sense arguing about it any more. The only reason I'm even continuing the conversation is that you've proven that you possess a certain degree of intellect by mastering the Procedure I showed you earlier. Perhaps this lesson in logic will be useful to you in the future, assuming we survive these traps we're about to walk right into. For the record, the premise that "the simplest answer is likely the correct one" is known as Mela's Razor. Just in case you'd need to know."



Was going to write a non-answer to move things along, but then I realized that Wince has indeed shown himself to possess enough intelligence to make having the conversation worth it. The second paragraph is a bit pedantic, but I included it to make Jian's motivation for answering clear. He really does think Wince shows some promise, so he thinks it's worth his time to correct the boy even if it's not immediately important.

[Cyranicles]

See, that's a great idea Jian! We can test to see if the traps are giving off death essence as soon as we find one! Follow me people! Wince leads the way, GraveWaker coiled around one arm, notes in one hand. He watches carefully for traps as he follows the path suggested by the flow of dark essence.

[Ridai]

The nameless remains silent throughout the exchange, as she has nothing useful to add, and follows.

[Kyeudo]

I'm going to assume Jian's help, because otherwise the party would be being led by only Wince's 4 dice of Perception on each roll. That would be bad.


Jian's grasp of basic astrology and his thamaturgy leads your through the strange corridors of the labyrinth, sometimes taking you seemingly back the way you just came. Just as you start wondering if the labyrinth ever will end or if something will go wrong, you round a corner and step out into a room, different than the monotonous series of labyrinth chambers.

The room has three doors along the far wall, each identical. The doors are solid black granite with a golden starburst locking each door, flanked on either side by more candle-eyed skulls. In the center of the room is a pedestal of the same black marble, with silvery words in Old Realm inscribed around the top. Atop the pedestal is what looks like a steel key.

"You've come so far, so do not wait.
Pick a door, and choose your fate."


You've got four choices here: left, right, center, and whatever you can come up with.

Somehow, I suspect the last one.

[Ridai]

Honestly, I forgot about Abyssals being able to sense necrotic essence, but she doesn't know about it either. Given how much time she spent in Death Row, the underworld and the tomb, I think it might be appropiate to slowly let her discover that ability. I'll start with reflexive hunches.
On their way through the maze, the nameless sometimes feels a strange sensation, like she somehow knows for sure that the path Jian determines is the right one. It might just also be relief that they are finally making progress, so she doesn't read too much into it.

Once they safely arrive in the room, the more defiant part of her readies something along the lines of "told you so", but that wouldn't help anyone right now. "Unless there are any interesting essence flows in here, I'd say any door is as good as the others, so let's just pick one and be done with it."

[Horatio@Bridge]

Jian turns to Wince.

"Well? Are there any interesting essence flows here?"

Saying that, he hands Wince the pouch of iron filings.

[Cyranicles]

Wince grins, "Since when am I the thaumaturge here?" But not one to hold things up he casts the essence-charged fillings into the chamber.

[Kyeudo]

The iron filings glitter with Wince's Solar Essence as he flings them into the air, but almost all of them turn black in an instant. They whirl in clouds around the room, outlining a roiling fog of dark Essence all around you. The few still glowing sparks wink out after running into either of the three doors.


Welcome to the main halls of an Abyssal aspected Manse. Since it's not a Shadowland, our non-Abyssals can still regain Essence just fine, but the Nameless can regen at half rate here.

Thamaturgy attempting to read Essence flows in the manse will be harder, as its like trying to read ocean currents while drowning in them.

[Horatio@Bridge]

Jian's wide froggy eyes follow the swirl of essence, and he grins slightly.

"Well, whatever treasures we're looking for, we've already found one of note. A manse would be most useful..."

Jian watches the swirls carefully, trying to divine from the tiny differences in essence flows the way to the heart of the manse.



There's a Procedure specifically for this under Geomancy. Sadly, Jian doesn't have Geomancy. Just hope to get a good Perception + Occult roll.

[roll0]

Potential Stunt: [roll1]



-----------

Alanadel stands well back from the group as he has this whole time, sparing them any accidental injury from the flux of his anima. Glancing over, he notices Andrel sniffing at the base of the doors. He crouches down near the wolf and runs a hand along the rock near the doors.

"Smell something interesting, boy?"



Perception + Survival to track?

[roll2]

Potential Stunt/Help from Andrel's nose: [roll3]

[Kyeudo]

Andrel growls at the center door.

[Cyranicles]

Wince makes a note of Andrel's growling while addressing Jian with a sheepish grin, "Care to let me know what, exactly, a manse is?"

[Ridai]

"Probably an essence source or something."

Being in here definitely feels better than the rest of Nexus, which makes for a nice change. As she hears the wolf growl at the middle door, she steps near it. "Could be a good sign, given how much black essence floats around here."

Does the nameless sense anything different behind the central door?

[Kyeudo]

The nameless does not sense anything behind the door.

[Horatio@Bridge]

"There are places in the world called demesnes where essence pools naturally. Essence users can draw on that power while they're within the border of the demesne, but the power is wild and uncontrolled. It tends to mutate things that stay within the demesne for too long. People build manses on top of demesnes to cap and control that power, which has the side-effect of creating a hearth stone which allows an attuned user to access the essence of the demesne even while outside its borders. All essence flows through the central point where the hearth stone forms, so one should be able to find the central point by following the essence...if one can make anything out given the intensity of the essence within the manse."

Jian glances towards Andrel.

"Is that a good growl or a bad growl? The way forward, or some sort of guardian?"



I'm sure that Alanadel can interpret something of what Andrel's trying to communicate, but I have no clue why he'd be focusing on the central door. Fortunately Jian is similarly clueless, so I can ask what he's saying in character. :-p

[Kyeudo]

Alanadel shares Andrel's sense of smell for a moment, seeing just what has the wolf on edge. The scents of the tomb around him flood in, a strangely naunced mix of smells. The air smells of cold stone, with only a hint of dust in it, somewhat strange for a structure dating back at least eight centuries. Other scents, somewhat out of place, also hang in the air.

The air coming from beneath the eastern door smells damp, imperceptibly so to normal human senses, and is a hair colder. From beneath the west door comes a few stray wafts of the smell of soil, sandy and dry. But the smell that comes from beneath the central door is acrid and coppery, like faint amounts of acid mixed with blood.

[Horatio@Bridge]

"Blood," Alanadel shares tersely as he stands and readies Oaksplitter.

"Water," he says, pointing east, then "Earth" as he gestures west.

[Ridai]

"Blood sounds appropiate in this place. Anyone against opening the middle door?"

Are Ravening Mouth and Eye of the Tempest still running?

[Horatio@Bridge]

"I believe that my objection is understood, but 'forewarned is forearmed' as they say. If we're going to have to fight some sort of guardian beasty, I'd prefer to do it when we know it's coming."

[Cyranicles]

"Probably better to face it now than after the other directions have drained our resources anyway. Earth sure sounds more pleasant though..."

If our scene-long charms are still active, then groovy, I've been slowly recovering the motes spent on them. Otherwise I should probably activate them again.

[Kyeudo]

I have to say that more than 1 scene and more than 20 minutes have passed in the labyrinth. Charms are down.

[Ridai]

"Well then, get ready." The nameless feels her reflexes sharpen and the Siren's hunger grow again. She gives the others a minute to prepare and position themselves, directing them to not stand in front of the door so that whatever might be inside can't immediately see how many they are and shoot anything their way. Once people are ready, she moves to one side of the middle door and opens it from there.

The nameless activates Ravening Mouth of Melee and Eye of the Tempest.

Personal Essence: 10/18
Peripheral Essence: 37/44 (7 committed)
Willpower: 5/6

No onslaught penalties and all actions' DV penalties are lowered by 1.

[Horatio@Bridge]

Jian:

Personal: 15/15
Peripheral: 16/36
WP: 4/6

Alanadel:

Personal: 8/8
Peripheral: 7/16
WP: 5/6

Alanadel Hiding: [roll0]

Possible Ambush Specialty: [roll1]

Possible Stunt: [roll2]

Andrel will take a Defend Other action on Jian.



"Protect Jian," Alanadel directs Andrel, then slips into the shadow of the central pillar, minimizing his profile and hiding himself from whatever might come out of the central door. Jian nods and retreats into the corridor leading into the room, opening up some distance between himself and what is about to come. Andrel lopes back to stand in front of Jian, legs spread wide and body set low to leap out and intercept any attack against his charge.

[Kyeudo]

The key slides into the lock with a click and turns easily, but then disapears from your hand. Still, the door opens inward easily, swinging open silently to reveal a long room, about twenty-five yards long and fifteen yards wide, with a double row of collumns spaced about every five yards. Between the pillars stand silent suits of armor made of polished brass, gleaming softly in the light from the candle-eyed skulls lining the walls. A second door stands at the far end.

[Ridai]

Given that there are no immediate threats, the nameless signals Alanadel and Jian to come closer. "If anything is in there, it will have an advantage over us. Wince, you've got a knack for this, take point and watch for traps, I'll follow and make sure nothing tries to ambush us from behind or the sides. Alanadel, Jian, watch out for anything suspicious from here while we make sure the room's safe. If things get heated, support from here and use the door as chokepoint as needed." She directs the others out of an old habit and without ego, things tend to go a bit more smoothly when everyone knows their role and what everyone else is supposed to do. Losses from bandit attacks on the caravan were kept to a minimum that way in the past. With that out of the way, unless there are any objections, the nameless enters the room and slowly moves towards the opposite door with Wince the way she described.

[Kyeudo]

Assuming Jian is still in Warform . . .


Now that the doors are open, the scent becomes clear to Jian. The coppery, acidic tang of vitriol lingers in the room, an alchemical agent so very rare in Creation that you've only seen it once. The only sure source of that dangerous reagent is to deal with demons.

The odor wafts from the general direction of the brass suits of armor, a dangerous combination that reminds you that some demons prefer to possess armor and weapons instead of take corporeal form. The sharp swords and axes clutched in metalic hands take on a frightful edge in light of this new revelation.


The particular breed of demon in question is a Storyteller-created variety known as Ephramae. They naturally appear as man-sized clouds of pale blue mist, but are very vulnerable in such a form. Instead, they possess suits of armor to act as artifical bodies. An Ephramae has never been known to break a sworn promise and becomes enraged at deal-breakers. Ephramae are commonly summoned to act as soldiers and guards.

[Horatio@Bridge]

Yes! Five cookies for me!



"Watch it!" Jian exclaims. "The armor is evil!"



Cool custom demons, by the way. :-D

[Ridai]

"Good." The nameless rapidly crosses the distance between her and the nearest suit of armor and puts her momentum into a hard swipe into it's side, filling the room with the loud screech of soulsteel ramming into brass. If the armor is actually stumbling instead of just falling down, the Abyssal spins around while stepping forward before she delivers an upward strike into the armor's other side to exploit this. Keeping the forward motion going, the Siren is brought down onto her target after a quick jump in a resounding smash as if to cleave right through the armor and crack the ground below while sending bits and pieces crashing into the pillars and floor. The nameless fluidly continues her motion and directs it back a few steps towards her companions. Even though getting to fight feels incredibly liberating after those past few days, she doesn't fight alone and she can't just dive right into the middle of it all.

Join Battle [roll0] (8 successes)

Speed 5 Flurry, base Acc 17, Damage 12L (+ 1 automatic damage level and -4 essence motes on hit)
Parry DV 8, Dodge DV 6 (Eye of the Tempest)
Attack 1 [roll1] (7 successes)
Attack 2 [roll2] (8 successes)
Attack 3 [roll3] (8 successes)

Personal: 10/18
Peripheral: 37/44 (7 committed)
Willpower: 5/6

[Cyranicles]

Wince spent 5 motes on his form charm, boosting D-DV and stealth pools. 3 for monkey leap technique and 1 on For VAulting Method. 9 total. In this place he's going to let his anima show.

As Wince summoned the power to elevate himself to new levels of skill something was different...it was easier. Everyone here new that he was Chosen of the Unconquered Sun and he had no interest in appearing merely mortal, and the power came more easily. Putting his nature on full display is just simpler and the way the power flows tells him that it is somehow right.

As he follows Red into the chamber he is exhilarated, he is mastering his power. He barely hears the whispers of her sword as he places his fingers exactly where they need to be to enable Gravewaker to lash out in any direction. Then he's gone. Like a candleflame in a gale, he flickers and disappears, lost among the columns and the armor, brass men and the flying remnants of the one Red turned her attention to. Ducking and weaving amongst the armor and the pillars Wince slips in and out of view. He isn't sure these suits of armor are sentient yet, but he decides to conduct a test to find out. He launches GraveWaker around a pillar he has just passed, to slam into the back of the still and shining armor.

Wince hopes it is an enemy, this destruction would be shameful otherwise.


Join Battle: [roll0] (can't remember if the Form charm gives me bonus dice, and can't check at the moment)

Flurry of 2 actions, Reestablish Surprise and a single attack.

Surprise: (-2) [roll1]
Attack: (-3) [roll2]

Need to refresh myself on combat, not exactly sure of all my guys stats etc.. right now. Looks like I need to find a way to boost his attack pool though.

Status
Current DVs: Dodge 10 Parry 6 (-1 from the attack)
Motes: 15/15 personal 18/27 peripheral
WP: 5/6
Anima banner: 9 mote level
Wounds: None

[Horatio@Bridge]

"Here it goes..." Jian mutters to himself.

He pulls out a chakram and looks for a corner to stay out of the way in. In the meantime, Alanadel stays behind cover in the outer room, waiting for his moment to act.



Can Alanadel look through Andrel's eyes from a distance?

Join Battle:

Jian: [roll0]

Alanadel: [roll1]

[Kyeudo]

Yes, Alanadel can borrow Andrel's senses out to a range of 100 yards.

Stunt Dice:
Nameless:[roll0]
Wince:[roll1]

Join Battle:[roll2]

[Kyeudo]

Forgot the other stunt dice.
Stunt Dice:
Nameless:[roll0]
Nameless:[roll1]
Wince:[roll2]

[Kyeudo]

There is a shriek of soulsteel against brass and a shower of green and black sparks as the armor's animates, meeting your blade with expert skill and deflecting all three strikes. Wisps of pale blue mist begin to leak from the armor's joints and a blue glow emanates from inside the empty helm as it brings its sword up into a ready guard position.

Gravewaker's chain catches on the pillar, sending it scarab weight hurtling around to smash into the back of the armor's helmet. The suit starts to tip over, then it too animates, stumbling forward a few steps before turning to face the Solar. Blue mist begins to flow out from within the brass plate as it straightens its helmet, then hefts an oversized battleaxe in both hands.

At the far end of the room, two more suits of armor step from their places, wisps of mist floating around them, weapons raised as they march towards the circle.


Looks like the Nameless gets a second shot at her opponent before he gets to strike back.

Try not to get yourselves killed, guys. These demons were made when I was in the mood to twink out a concept.

Tick 0: Nameless
Tick 3: Wince
Tick 5: Nameless
Tick 6: Jian, Alanadel, Ephramae
Tick 8: Wince

[Ridai]

Seeing that this will actually be a challenge, the nameless goes for a different tactic. She follows up her previous attack with two more strikes, expecting them to be blocked, but suddenly turns her blade as soon as the blades collide a second time and forces her enemy's weapon around in a half-circle against a pillar while doing a quick tackle at the same time. The Abyssal rips the daiklave into the opposite direction, across the brass armor and steps around her enemy, doing the splits to duck under the blade striking at her. She is immediately back on her feet again, in the wake of the armor's blade, and thrusts the Siren into the armor, seeking to crush it against the pillar.

Speed 5 flurry, base Acc 17, damage 12L (+ 1 automatic damage level and -4 essence motes on hit)
Parry DV 8, Dodge DV 6 (Eye of the Tempest)
Attack 1 [roll0] + 2 successes from 2nd Excellency + 1 success from WP
Attack 2 [roll1] + 2 successes from 2nd Excellency

Personal: 4/18
Peripheral: 37/44 (7 committed)
Willpower: 4/6

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Humble Jian, Tick 6, Throw Iron Flecks, Speed 6, DV -1--

Jian watches the fight unfold before him. He's surprised to see the demon so easily deflect the Abyssal's attacks. He's no swordsman, so he isn't really able to gauge their relative abilities, but it seems like Red's attack was quite strong.

"Magic?" he muses to himself, but he's frustrated by the possibility. Demons, like spirits, have a mastery of their own mystical resources, so they never leave a telltale sign of their magic use like the Exalted do when their anima banners light up. Unless the demon uses something overtly magical, there's really no way to tell if their skill is natural or magically supplemented. One had to have a way to perceive essence flows to really know the difference, and Jian doubted that the demons would submit to an examination. Unless...yes, that could do it!

Reaching into the pouch at his side, Jian charges the iron filings within it using a mote of his essence. He quickly smears the charged iron filings over his chakram, the faint essence investing the flecks causing them to stick to the metal weapon. He waits a moment for the demon to attack Red, then throws his chakram to catch it just as it's committed to the assault and least able to defend itself.



Dexterity + Thrown - wound: [roll0]

If I can spend additional motes beyond the thaumaturgy, I'll spend 5 on 1st Dexterity: [roll1]

Potential Stunt: [roll2]

Personal: 15/15
Peripheral: 15/36 (10/36?)
WP: 4/6



--Alanadel, Tick 6, Archery Attack, Speed 6, DV -1--

Hearing the clash of arms, Alanadel stands from behind the pillar and rotates around it as he brings up Oaksplitter. He fires down the corridor as he stands, hoping to catch the demons before they're aware of his presence.



Shooting whomever he has the best shot on. I'll leave that up to the ST. Hopefully my previous hide successes were enough to catch them unawares. >.>

Attack: Dex + Archery - Wounds: [roll3]

Potential Stunt: [roll4]

Personal: 8/8
Peripheral: 7/16
WP: 5/6

[Kyeudo]

Ridai, I've been having alot of trouble in visualizing the Nameless's stunts lately. This latest one sounds like four attacks, the first two (as mere fluff) are feints used to trap the emphramae's sword against the pillar and create an opening. The Nameless then slashes across the demon's torso and follows up with a lunge to pin the demon to the pillar. That, however, took me about 5 minutes to puzzle out. I'll give you two stunt dice on the attacks (which gets you 1 more success on each attack), but its hard to give stunt dice for confusing actions.

1 stunt die for Alanadel and Jian.


Faced with a competent opponent for once, the Nameless steps up her game, pushing her Exalted reflexes beyond human limits in an effort to punch through the animated armor's guard, but her demonic opponent continues to match her stroke for stroke, each blow stopped in a shower of black and green sparks. The armor does not pause in its movements, flowing smoothly into a series of lightning fast counterattacks.

Attack1:[roll0] - 8 Successes
Attack2:[roll1] - 7 Successes
Attack3:[roll2] - 13 Successes
Attack4:[roll3] - 7 Successes


Wince's opponent similarly attacks, swinging its axe in wide, scything arcs with incredible speed, each one powerful enough to cleave a moral in two.

Attack1:[roll4] - 8 Successes
Attack2:[roll5] - 5 Successes
Attack3:[roll6] - 8 Successes
Attack4:[roll7] - 7 Successes


The two remaining demon armors advance down the hall towards Wince and the Nameless, brazen feet echoing hollowly on the marble floor. Within moments, they will be in range join their comrades in battle.

Jian's chakram flies straight at the Ephramae assaulting the nameless, but the attack is deflected with almost off-hand ease, the demon not even taking its gaze from Red as it sends the chakram richocheting away to clatter against one of the pillars. Thankfully, Jian's plan was not exactly to strike a killing blow. Glittering motes of silver light now cling to the Ephramae's weapon and armor.

In that fraction of a second between deflecting Jian's weapon and returning to a guard stance, Alanadel stands and fires. His shaft punches through the demon's breastplate in a burst of blue mist.


Tick 5: Nameless
Tick 6: Jian, Alanadel, Ephramae
Tick 8: Wince
Tick 10: Nameless
Tick 11: Ephramae
Tick 12: Jian, Alanadel

[Ridai]

The nameless is barely able to block the onslaught of strikes and has to stay near the pillar to at least not having to worry about attacks from her right. She moves around the structure after every attack until the third comes practically out of nowhere. The next moment the nameless finds her self bent backwards, both the armor's and her own sword about an inch away from her face as they both hit the column, saved only by reflexes and her Anathema nature. After deflecting the last blow while struggling to keep her balance, she dive-rolls behind the pillar, momentarily out of sight.

Instead of continuing into the direction she is facing, the nameless stops and turns around as soon as she gets up. In hopes of catching the demon off-guard, she thrusts the Siren back the way she just came from to impale the pesky armor.

Sorry about the descriptions.

+4 DV from 2nd Excellency.

Speed 5 Flurry, 8 PDV,
Reestablish Surprise [roll0] + 1 success from WP
Attack [roll1] (12L damage + 1 damage level and -4 motes on hit)

Personal: 0/18
Peripheral: 37/44 (7 committed)
Willpower: 3/6

[Horatio@Bridge]

Jian smiles slightly as his weapon is sent clattering away. He crouches near one wall, eyes fixed on the demon as it attacks and defends watching for any subtle shift in the iron filings.



Perception + Occult! Is this a reflexive action, or do I need to concentrate as a miscellaneous action?

[roll0]

Jian:

Personal: 15/15
Peripheral: 12/36
WP: 4/6

Alanadel:

Personal: 8/8
Peripheral: 9/16
WP: 5/6

[Cyranicles]

The speedy slashes of the demon's axe simply aren't enough to catch Wince. The first two sweeps of the blade are easily dodged as Wince back pedals away from his enemy, but the last two come dangerously close as Wince is backed into a pillar, where he dives to the side to avoid one blow, performing a handspring to clear himself of the last. Under this onslaught Wince deems it wisest to regroup with his allies.

Rushing toward Jian and Alanadel, Wince can't help but attempt an attack on the demon with it's back to him. A flick of his wrists wraps the scarab Weights around his forearms, giving him superior grip as Gravewaker's chain arcs up in a great "U" over the demon, to capture and crush it.




2 stunts here, the dodge and the attack. DV's on Wince's dodges should be 9,8,7,6 so a 1 die stunt there should keep him safe this round. For the attack, just one grapple attempt, nothin fancy :)

(Speed 5) Grapple: [roll0] + stunt Raw Dmg= 12B +successes though that might be Lethal Damage if the form charm allows it...don't have the pdf on this comp.

Status
Current DVs: Dodge 10 Parry 6
Motes: 15/15 personal 22/27 peripheral
WP: 5/6
Anima banner: 9 mote level (aura bright enough to read by)
Wounds: None

[Kyeudo]

Stunt Dice
2 stunt dice on both your dodges.
Nameless's Surprise roll:[roll0]
Nameless's attack roll:[roll1]
Wince's Clinch attack:[roll2]

[Kyeudo]

The possessed armor spots the Nameless's trick in time and slashes sideways, deflecting Ruinous Siren into the pillar as a wave of acid green and pale blue ripples through the glowing motes of iron clinging to its arm. It follows through with a lightning fast uppercut, then slashes twice, aiming to take your head straight from your shoulders, the filings glowing brighter with each move.

Attack1:[roll0]
Attack2:[roll1]
Attack3:[roll2]


Wince moves fast, incredibly fast, in his attempt to capture the demon, but the demon moves impossibly fast, deflecting Gravewaker in a spiral motion that wraps the fighting chain around the haft of the axe. It spins, pulling the chain around behind its body in a move that threatens to tear the chain from your hands and brings its battleaxe down upon you with lethal force.

Disarm:[roll3] - 2 external penalty. If this attack succeeds, you take no damage but need to roll (Wits + Martial Arts) against his extra successes or lose your weapon.
Attack:[roll4]


The other two animated suits of armor join the fray, one moving to strike at the Nameless from behind, bringing a battleaxe down with dizzying speed upon the Abyssal, the other charging straight for Alanadel, aiming a series of slashes at the Dragon-Blooded with its razor-sharp sword.

Nameless
The attack is perfect. Unless countered with a perfect, it will hit you with exactly one more success than your DV.

Alanadel
Attack1:[roll5]
Attack2:[roll6]
Attack3:[roll7]


Action Count:

Tick 8: Wince
Tick 10: Nameless
Tick 11: Ephramae
Tick 12: Jian, Alanadel
Tick 14: Wince
Tick 15: Nameless
Tick 16: Ephramae

[Horatio@Bridge]

I've got 7, 6, and 5 successes on those attacks. I have a DDV with wound and action penalties of 3, or a PDV of 5 if I can stunt it using Archery.



--Alanadel, Tick 12, Flurry Establish Surprise and Clinch, Speed 6, DV -2--

Alanadel fires an arrow into the demon's blade at point blank range, the massive force of the power-bow knocking the weapon backwards long enough for the Dragon-blooded warrior to duck behind the dais in the center of the room and use its stone bulk to deflect the next blow. The demon follows him around the dais to deliver a third attack, only to find that the Dragonblooded is not there. It looks up just in time to see Alanadel drop down onto its neck, having vaulted the dais to quickly get above and behind the demon. Alanadel's thighs clamp around the demon's shoulders and he locks Oaksplitter under the thing's chin, hanging on tightly as the whipping willow branches of his flaring anima banner rip into the demon below him.



Hopefully that's a 2 die stunt to allow me to use archery to deflect the first attack and that I get a +2 cover bonus from the dais. Otherwise, I hope 9L soak is enough to take care of the damage from this sword. o.o;

Establish surprise: Dex + Stealth - Wound - Multiple Action: [roll0]
Potential Stunt: [roll1]


Clinch: Dex + Martial Arts - Wound - Multiple Action: [roll2], + 1 success for spending a point of willpower
Potential Stunt: [roll3]

Personal: 8/8
Peripheral: 7/16
WP: 4/6
Anima: Spent 8 motes thus far, not sure what that puts it at

[Ridai]

Let's see how long you can keep this up. The nameless intercepts and redirects the demon's blade around her body. She quickly tilts the Siren upside-down, rendering the next strike useless, and batters her enemy's sword into the pillar with a downward strike during the last attack as she hears the footsteps behind her.

Having caught only a glimpse from the corner of her eye, the nameless moves even faster than her axe-wielding opponent, becoming a blur of impossible speed. The sound of the soulsteel blade hitting metal rings clearly throughout the room, accompanied by the faintest otherworldly scream. Time seems to have stopped for a heartbeat as the Abyssal stands between the armors, having intercepted the large axe above her head literally singlehandedly while still facing the other way. A sharp breeze caused by the whirlwind of motion follows and she steps aside, guiding the axe down onto the floor where she just stood.

She steps past the sword-wielder and turns, swinging the Siren from it's low position to hack the demon's legs right off. Immediately afterwards, the nameless hammers the blade right into the spot where the neck and shoulder would normally meet, again trying to limit her opponent's mobility by keeping it near (or, preferably, crushed against) the pillar.

Death-Deflecting Technique to block the perfect.
Does this manse count as a shadowland or the Underworld for the purposes of the Spectral keyword?

Speed 5 flurry, base acc 17, damage 12L (+1 automatic damage level and -4 motes on hit), PDV 8, DPV 6
Attack 1 [roll0]
Attack 2 [roll1]

Personal: 9/18
Peripheral: 37/44 (7 committed)
Willpower: 3/6

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Jian, Tick 12, Analyze Charm/Guard, Speed 5, DV -1/-0--

"Save your energy for defense!" Jian calls out. "They're using some sort of magic to stop your attacks!"

Then he watches in amazement as Red ducks the supernaturally potent blow of the last demon.

"Yes, exactly like that!"

Jian jumped to a far corner of the room and secreted himself in an upper corner, knowing that he could do little good in a straight-up fight. While he sat there, he went over what he'd seen from the filings and what he'd seen in the fight. Every magic had a weakness, especially potent magic like that required to deflect any attack. Perhaps he could find it.



Spending 4 motes on 2nd Intelligence Excellency for 2 automatic successes to try to determine the Flaw in their perfect defense.

Intelligence + Occult, [roll0]
Potential stunt: [roll1]

Personal: 15/15
Peripheral: 8/36
WP: 4/6
Anima: Has to be at full flower by now.

[Cyranicles]

Seeing the Demon's intent clearly, Wince casually releases one end of GraveWaker, causing the shadowy jade chain to alter it's course and swing away from both Demon and axe, slipping out of range of the Demon's attempt to capture the chain.

However, the Demon's tactic gives Wince an idea, and he follows the momentum of the chain, swinging it in a wide rapid circle to gather speed before he slams it across the haft of the axe that is still extended from the failed attempt to capture Wince's weapon. The young Solar can see how dangerous these opponent are. And he knows that the party's luck won't hold out forever. Convinced that lives are at stake if he doesn't find a way to overcome them, Wince draws on the power to outperform even his own limits.


5 sux on the Demon's attack shouldn't be enough to hit Wince's DV9. Wince responds with a disarm attempt using WP to channel conviction.

[roll0]-2 disarm penalty + stunts

Status
Current DVs: Dodge 10 Parry 6
Motes: 15/15 personal 27/27 peripheral
WP: 4/6 Conviction 2/3 Compassion 3/3
Anima banner: 9 mote level (aura bright enough to read by)
Wounds: None

[Kyeudo]

Stunt Dice:

Alanadel
2 Dice on the parry, and with the cover from the dias you're good.
2 dice for your stealth attempt and your clinch attack.

Jian
[roll0]

Wince
[roll1]

Nameless
I want to say that no, the manse doesn't count enough as a shadowland for the Spectral keyword.
2 stunt dice on your parry.
Attack1:[roll2]
Attack2:[roll3]


Alanadel comes crashing down atop the demon, taking it completely by surprise and driving it to its knees. A burst of blue smoke rises from underneath its helm as you pry upward, trying to choke the life out of the animated suit of armor. It drops its sword and reaches up with both hands to pull the bow away from its throat, fighting you for control.

Here's its Strength+Martial Arts roll for your next clinch roll:[roll4]


Jian watches as the others fight, anxious to help. He wracks his brain for a possible flaw in the demons' defenses, trying to spot some weakness that his allies can explot. Aided by what he knows of the demons' natures, he finds a few, put none that seem readily exploitable.

The demons have two flaws in their perfect defense. The first is that it can only be activated while they posess a suit of armor to act as a physical body. The other is the Flaw of Conviction.


Meanwhile, Wince recovers swiftly, turning his opponent's tactic into his oppourtunity, bringing Gravewaker down upon the demon's weapon in an attempt to knock the axe from its grasp, but the demon continues to move at inhuman speed, spinning about in an arc and hammering the scarab-carved weight back at you with a mighty blow.

You do remember that I houseruled away the willpower cost to channeling Virtues?

Your attack met a perfect parry and the demon's going to be making a melee attack at you with your own weapon. It just seemed appropriate for a stunt.
Attack:[roll5]


The Nameless again finds Ruinous Siren met with malfean brass as the iron filings blaze with eye-searing green and blue light before melting away into component motes. It pivots to put the pillar at its back and counters with another flurry of attacks, faster than a mortal could act, but you can see it starting to slow down.

Attack1:[roll6]
Attack2:[roll7]
Attack3:[roll8]
Attack3:[roll9]


The other animate armor, however, shows no signs of fatigue, sweeping in from the side with blow after mighty blow, apparently aiming to end this conflict immediately. Its speed is beyond comprehension, beyond all hope of defense with only mortal skill.

It flurries 4 perfect attacks. It would likely be a bad idea to let yourself get killed.


Action Count:

Tick 12: Jian, Alanadel
Tick 14: Wince
Tick 15: Nameless
Tick 16: Ephramae
Tick 17: Jian
Tick 18: Alanadel
Tick 20: Wince, Nameless
Tick 21: Ephramae

[Kyeudo]

Crap, forgot to use rollv. Here's the rerolls:

Emphramae's Clinch Roll: [roll0]

Attack against Wince: [roll1]

Flurry against the Nameless:
Attack1:[roll2]
Attack2:[roll3]
Attack3:[roll4]
Attack4:[roll5]

[Ridai]

For a few moments, the nameless becomes a hurricane of motion between the armors, perfect deadly grace accentuated by black and dark red afterimages around her. Even if she would argue against it, her intricate flow almost looks like a dance, the thunderous sound of denied blows and gusts sweeping outward as weapons collide adding rhythm and percussion to it, the attacks being unable to achieve anything else. The demon next to the pillar is cut by several sweeps of the dark blur that is the Siren, almost like a punishment for being in the way instead of strikes solely aiming to destroy the demon. Both armors are forced to step back during the last movement and the nameless stands perfectly still between them, anticipation and a feeling of dread thick in the air around her, as the storm and main act of this spectacle is yet to come.

I guess the next attacks will bring the big reveal of the nameless' nature when she uses her peripheral motes for the first time.

Regains 6 motes from stunts.

Perfectly blocks the swordfighter's last attack and all of the axefighter's attacks.

Speed 5 flurry against the swordfighter, base acc 17, 12L damage (+1 automatic damage level and -4 motes on hit), PDV 8, DPV 6
Attack 1 [roll0]
Attack 2 [roll1]
Attack 3 [roll2]

Personal: 0/18
Peripheral: 37/44 (7 committed)
Willpower: 1/6

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Humble Jian, Tick 17, Shape Terrestrial Circle Sorcery, Speed 5, DV -1--

Jian watches Nameless deflect each of demons' attacks, smiling slightly. "I'm glad she's on our side..." he mumbles, appreciating the irony of the statement.

Still, despite the pale woman's skill, two against one odds were not favorable. Even if she could outlast either of the demons alone, together they could probably launch devastating attacks far longer than she could defend against them. After all, was this not how the Anathema were overthrown? Someone had to do something to back her up, even if all it did was cause the demons to use up their resources. And he might be able to do a little more than use up their resources.

"Wince, Red, cluster them up!" he calls out, then begins to draw on his reserves of essence. Essence coalesces in his hands in the form of flames, their light dancing in his eyes as he prepares to unleash their full fury.



Flight of the Brilliant Raptor. Going to try to nail the one in the center so all three demons have to expend motes to defend themselves. Note that the spell cannot be parried, so unless their defense is specifically applicability trumping (which is not inherent in the "perfect" descriptor), they'll have to rely on their dodge DV. Spell will take effect on Tick 23, and I'll roll then since the situation may have changed by that point. It will cost 10 motes when it goes off.

Personal: 15/15
Peripheral: 10/36
WP: 4/6
Anima: Has to be at full flower by now.



--Alanadel, Tick 18, Clinch, Speed 6, DV -1--

Alanadel grits his teeth and squeezes all the tighter as the demon struggles below him. He wrenches the demons head sideways and shifts his weight, trying to force the demon to the ground where it will have less leverage to try to dislodge him. As he struggles with the demon, he channels energy into his anima banner, whipping the willow branches into a raging frenzy that tears into the demon below him.



Spending ten motes to bring the anima banner to full. Clinch, channeling conviction:

Strength + MA - Wound + Conviction: [roll0]
Potential Stunt: [roll1]

IIRC, the anima banner inflicts 1 die of lethal damage per tick, or 6 dice until the pair's next action. Alanadel's clinch would also inflict 3B damage, piercing, in case that matters.

Personal: 8/8
Peripheral: 5/16
WP: 4/6
Anima: Spent 18 motes thus far, should be at maximum

[Cyranicles]

The Demon's skill is impossible as it deflects Wince's attack, batting the scarab back at him. Luckily its attack was less effective than its defense and Wince is able to casually sidestep the incoming scarab.

Responding to Jian's plan, yet hoping to mimic Alanadel's successful tactic, Wince turns back toward the center of the room where Red is fighting, hoping his current opponent will follow. As he runs, Wince's fingers work furiously manipulating the links of Gravewaker into little knots and kinks all through it's length. As he reaches the fray Wince drops to one knee, sliding just past the animate armor and valiant swordswoman to disappear behind a chipped and battered marble column. His essence glows around him, bright enough to read by on the darkest night. His enemies cannot help knowing where he is, but that doesn't mean they know where Gravewaker is coming from...

And Red needs the help. Wince isn't sure if he's the only one who might care what happens to her, but he's determined to draw the attention of at least one of her opponents. As Red forces one demon against the pillar Wince begins to step around it to the right while casting Gravewaker back and left. The momentum of the throw pulls the chain tight and slowly each kink gives, causing a slight tremor and change of direction which cumulatively causes Gravewaker to wrap around the pillar from the opposite direction Wince would appear to be moving. If Wince can catch his opponent by surprise, and hold him for even a few more seconds, perhaps Red can escape Jian's incoming attack.

2 action flurry, reestablish surprise and grapple. Channeling compassion on the grapple attempt to protect Red.

Reestablish surprise: Dex+Stealth+(Ath+Ess)-2-2[roll0]

Grapple: Dex+MA+ACC-3+Comp: [roll1]

[Kyeudo]

Sorry to burst Jian's bubble, but the Scroll of Errata has other things to say.


Clarification: Where two effects make absolute statements which conflict, and one effect is an attack, and the other is a defense, the defense always takes priority. For this purpose, the statement “this attack is unblockable” and “this attack cannot be blocked” are considered equivalent, and would pierce certain 'perfect' defenses—for example, the Sidereal Charm Impeding the Flow will not stop an unblockable attack (Impeding the Flow specifically notes that it is fallible in the face of unblockable attacks, and so there is no conflict). However, the Solar Charm Heavenly Guardian Defense will block such attacks, because Heavenly Guardian Defense states that it is capable of doing so. These two statements (can't be blocked / can block even unblockable attacks) are in conflict, and since the first statement is an attack, and the second a defense, Heavenly Guardian Defense takes priority.


Stunt Dice:

Jian
Nice discription. I'll give you a stunt die even though you didn't take a dice action.

Alanadel
2 stunt dice on the clinch

Nameless
Very nice!
Attack1:[roll0]
Attack2:[roll1]
Attack3:[roll2]

Wince
Surprise:[roll3]
Attack:[roll4]


The animate suit of armor struggles in Alanadel's grip, but can't break free. Lashing willow branches pummel the possesed armor with a sound like a snare drum, covering once pristine brass with a thousand tiny dents. The blue wisps of mist leaking from every joint suddenly vanish, followed a moment later by the entire suit of armor collapsing in your arms, pieces scattering across the marble floor.

The deathknight's opponent strains, pushing itself to the limit of its abilities to try and stop her deadly assault, but to no avail. Ruinous Siren punches through the demon's armor as though it were tissue, leaving behind great rents that leak streamers of blue mist like blood.

The demon's fortune does not improve. Gravewaker wraps around both pillar and demon three times before the demon even notices, too late to do anything even as Wince catches both ends, plants a foot against the pillar, and pulls, crushing the demon in the chain's iron coils. Malfean brass buckles and groans as armor plates begin to collaps inward, forcing out a great puff of pale blue smoke.

[Kyeudo]

Caught in the chain, the demon struggles desperately to free itself, fighting your hold with a strength that seems impossible for such an exhausted and wounded warrior.

If you want to maintain your hold:
Strength+Martial Arts:[roll0]


Seeing its very best prove ineffective, the Nameless's axe-wielding attacker shifts stances, moving to a less aggressive posture, perhaps to better conserve its strength and avoid the same fate. It attacks again with the speed of a winter gale, brutal chopping blows coming at you from every angle, but not with the same thought-racing swiftness as before.

Attack1:[roll1]
Attack2:[roll2]
Attack3:[roll3]
Attack4:[roll4]


The last animate suit of armor follows Wince with far less grace, rushing in to take advantage of the distraction provided by its less fortunate comrade. It aims a downward slash like a brazen lightning bolt at your leg, perhaps hoping to leave you nothing to stand on.

Attack is perfect, so it will hit if you don't dodge. However, you are in a clinch, so you can't dodge without either letting go or performing some sort of stunt.


Action Count:

Tick 17: Jian
Tick 18: Alanadel
Tick 20: Wince, Nameless
Tick 21: Ephramae
Tick 23: Jian
Tick 24: Alanadel
Tick 25: Wince, Nameless
Tick 26: Ephramae

[Cyranicles]

As the Demon's deadly blow slices toward his leg Wince draws on the core of his power to become, for a moment, perfect. In that instant, unhittable. It is a moment of light and shadow amidst the cacophony of battle and the terrible screeching of metal against stone. Sparks fly while Wince moves impossibly fast. To most observers it would simply appear that he discorporated into a variety of shadow facsimiles of himself and reappeared a full quarter turn around the pillar. But that would fail to explain the way his opponent was likewise turned, crushed and drug around the pillar, sparks leaping off the stone the entire way.


This is Wince's dodge and his next action. Channeling Valor to control clinch and crush despite the obvious threat.

Dodge: SSE
Attack: Dex + MA + Chain Acc + Valor= 14 [roll0]

Status
Current DVs: Dodge 10 Parry 6
Motes: 15/15 personal 24/27 peripheral
WP: 6/6 Conviction 2/3 Compassion 3/3 Valor 1/2
Anima banner: 12 mote level
Wounds: None

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Humble Jian, Tick 23, Cast Sorcery, Speed ?, DV ?--

Jian's eyes flick from demon to demon, deciding where to launch his next attack. The one facing their resident Abyssal seemed to be running low on power, while the one tied up by Wince seemed like it was on the ropes. That left the one attacking Wince. The demon would likely stop the attack cold, but doing so would drain precious resources...plus, there were always the secondary effects.

Drawing the last few motes of energy together, Jian releases the flaming construct from between his hands. With a roar of rapidly consumed oxygen, the firebird flashes across the room and slams into the demon attacking Wince. Moments later it explodes, flames washing over Wince, the attacking demon, and the clinched demon.



Wits + Occult + Essence Accuracy - Wound: [roll0]
Potential Stunt: [roll1]

I checked the text of the spell, and it can be parried with any stunt or charm. Kind of like Fae attacks.

Damage is Perception + Occult, or 7L, with a number of automatic successes on the damage roll equal to my Essence (or 3).

Rejoin Battle: Wits + Awareness - Wound: [roll2]

As for secondary effects, the firebird explodes on tick 24. This causes 4L environmental damage to anyone within 2 yards (which should include the clinched demon), Trauma 3. The flames persist for 10 ticks, causing 1 environmental damage per tick.

Personal: 15/15
Peripheral: 2/36
WP: 4/6
Anima: Has to be at full flower by now.



--Alanadel, Tick 24, Flurry Reestablish Surprise + Archery Attack, Speed 6, DV -2--

Alanadel releases the now defunct suit of armor and stands. He covers his face against the flash of light from Jian's spell, then swiftly brings up his bow and fires at the demon attacking Wince, hoping to catch it by surprise while it's temporarily blinded by the firebird.



Reestablish Surprise: [roll3]
Potential Stunt: [roll4]

Archery Attack: [roll5]
Potential Stunt: [roll6]

Personal: 8/8
Peripheral: 9/16
WP: 4/6
Anima: Spent 18 motes thus far, should be at maximum

[Ridai]

The nameless never felt more in tune with her whole being than right now. A perfect flow, action without thought. The feeling is liberating, allowing to go past simple efficiency and gracefully turn aside her enemy's blows, knowing that Wince is watching her back. Just as the Abyssal locks blades with the demon after making it's last attack useless, light from the resounding explosion floods the room. With her back turned to the explosion, the nameless' face is cast in shadow, except for an ominous shimmer in her red eyes. The screech of another demon getting ground to scrap against the pillar marks the start of her own assault, looking like a deadly shadow continuing it's dance. Several strikes rain down on the armor, aiming rip it apart for being in the way.

Recovers a WP because of the stunt and 5 motes due to Ravening Mouth.

Active charms: Ravening Mouth of Melee, Eye of the Tempest

Speed 5 flurry against the axe-wielder, base acc 17, 12L damage (+1 automatic damage level and -4 motes on hit), PDV 8, DPV 6
Attack 1 [roll0]
Attack 2 [roll1]
Attack 3 [roll2]

Personal: 5/18
Peripheral: 37/44 (7 committed)
Willpower: 2/6

[Kyeudo]

I just realized that Jian was out in the light of the full moon earlier and I didn't remember Limit.

Stunt Dice:

Jian
2 stunt dice

Alanadel
2 stunt dice

Wince
Two dice on the dodge. It was a perfect, but you needed the stunt to use the Charm..
Clinch:[roll0]

Nameless
[roll1]


With a gesture, Jian transmutes shimmering silver light into a red-gold firebird and sends it streaking towards the Ephramae attacking Wince, but the demon cleaves the bird in two with a single offhand swing, causing it to explode in a ball of flame. The flames wash over the two demons, Wince, and Red.

Demon's rolls to resist the flames:
Stamina+Resistance:[roll2]
Stamina+Resistance:[roll3]

Wince and Red should also roll one for themselves or defend appropriately.


Alanadel takes advantage of the distraction the explosion provides, sending an arrow streaking through the inferno to lodge in the demon's neck.

As Wince continues to crush one demon against the collum, the Nameless assaults her other opponent. The animate armor manages to block two of the Abyssal's strikes, but Ruinous Siren slips through his guard once, opening a long gouge down one of the armor's arms. (3 levels of damage)

[Kyeudo]

Forgot the stunt dice for the Nameless's last two attacks:
[roll0]
[roll1]

[Kyeudo]

The demon held by Wince continues to fight against the chain, bracing both feet against the collum and straining outward in a bid to pull free.

Strength+Martial Arts:[roll0]


The demon engaged with Red falls back under the force of her attack, wisps of blue mist curling around the jagged tear along its arm. It signals to the other demon, gesturing at the Nameless. In response, the second demon circles around the pillar to flank the Abyssal and attacks.

The first demon is using a Coordinate Attack action to set up an attack on tick 31.
Charisma+War:[roll1]

The other demon makes only a single attack.
Attack:[roll2]


Suddenly, blue mist begins to flow from the joints of one of the still-dormant suits of armor. It springs to life, lifting an oversized slashing sword in its hands as it turns to join the fight.

Action Count:

Tick 23: Jian
Tick 24: Alanadel
Tick 25: Wince, Nameless
Tick 26: Ephramae
Tick 28: Jian
Tick 29: Alanadel
Tick 30: Nameless
Tick 31: Ephramae, Wince

[Kyeudo]

I screwed up the Stamina+Resistance rolls for the demons.
[roll0]
[roll1]

[Cyranicles]

As the streaking firebird explodes Wince looks up to see the flames washing outward. Instinctively he knows he need to be standing elsewhere and in a flash, fast as thought, he disappears into a mass of discorporate shadows, warped and flickering in the crimson light of Jian's sorcery.

Now as before he's turned another 90 degrees around the pillar. He's now fully on the side where Red is fighting while the armored demon has been wrenched even closer to the flames. The repeated necessity of relying on his power to dodge near flawless attacks, those of his allies and his enemies, has left Wince glowing like the sun itself. His anima is on full display, and he is lost within it's brightness. The only things visible withing the pillar of light he has become, are wisps of violet and gray, and shadowy eyes casting furtive glances at his enemies.

As the demon struggles for freedom Wince begins twisting GraveWaker's ends around and around forming a cruel Jade vice to crush his enemy, hoping as he does so, that he can finish the demon off soon enough to aid Red against her many enemies.

Dodge: SSE (perfect)
Attack: Dex + MA + Chain Acc + Compassion= 15 [roll0]

Hopefully the perfect suffices to get out of the way of the flames.

Status
Current DVs: Dodge 10 Parry 6
Motes: 15/15 personal 24/27 peripheral
WP: 6/6 Conviction 2/3 Compassion 2/3 Valor 1/2
Anima banner: 15 mote level
Wounds: None

[Ridai]

The Siren is a blur of black color and lifeless reflected light, as the Abyssal fluidly steps around her enemy and away from the all-consuming flames, keeping close to it's body so that it can't bring it's axe to bear. The nameless' strikes seem like a foretelling of what she has in store for her foes, the first being directed at the gesturing arm to cleave it right off, telling it how futile it's plan is. The second aims to crush it's knee, to cripple and beat it down. And lastly, the third attack is a two-handed back-breaking blow sending it tumbling forward, signifying the killing blow once the demons have failed to defeat the Exalted.

Resistance check [roll0]
Stepping behind the axe-wielder will hopefully get the nameless out of the flames, given the Siren's range.
Recovers a WP because of the stunt and 3 motes due to Ravening Mouth.

Active charms: Ravening Mouth of Melee, Eye of the Tempest

Speed 5 flurry against the axe-wielder, base acc 17, 12L damage (+1 automatic damage level and -4 motes on hit), PDV 8, DPV 6
Attack 1 [roll1]
Attack 2 [roll2]
Attack 3 [roll3]

Personal: 8/18
Peripheral: 37/44 (7 committed)
Willpower: 3/6

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Jian, Tick 28, Wreck some armor, Speed 5, DV -1 --

Jian's head rocks back when he sees the suit of armor animate and his eyes widen slightly.

"Huh...didn't see that coming. Though in retrospect, I suppose it's rather obvious."

He raises his voice and calls to the others.

"They're probably spirits inhabiting the armor! Taking the armor apart only slows them down! Attack the spirit directly if you can!"

With that, Jian springs toward the inanimate armor furthest from the fight and scatters it into its component pieces with a well aimed kick. Even if destroying the armor doesn't kill the demon, that doesn't mean they should just leave vessels lying around...

Andrel follows, still determinedly protecting his charge.



Regaining WP with the stunt

Personal: 15/15
Peripheral: 2/36
WP: 5/6
Anima: Has to be at full flower by now.



--Alanadel, Tick 29, Flurry of Archery, Speed 5, DV -3--

Spirits? Alanadel frowns. He'd fought such enemies before, but those had been ghosts. He seemed to remember that salt was effective. Would the same hold true for demons? He'd brought some with him, expecting trouble with undead in the city's graveyard, but he was loath to waste it on an outside chance. No, better to stick with what he knew worked.

He raised his bow and sent a hail of arrows flying down the hall. He expected the demons to deflect each shot, but they would run out of energy eventually. After firing the shots, he stepped out of sight of the hallway, moving a yard to the right of the door. He didn't want another demon charging his position again.



Attacking Nameless's opponent, 3 shots

attack1: [roll0]
attack2: [roll1]
attack3: [roll2]

Potential Stunts:

attack1: [roll3]
attack2: [roll4]
attack3: [roll5]

I just realized that Alanadel's Jade Powerbow probably gets that -1 Speed benefit. I think Kyeudo's been giving it to me anyway, but I'll start keeping track of it.

Also recovering WP with the stunt

Personal: 8/8
Peripheral: 9/16
WP: 5/6
Anima: Spent 18 motes thus far, should be at maximum

[Kyeudo]

Stunt Dice:

Alanadel
1 stunt die.

Nameless
Resistance:[roll0]
Damage:[roll1] - Bashing if the stunt above yields a success, lethal otherwise.

Attack1:[roll2]
Attack2:[roll3]
Attack3:[roll4]

Wince
[roll5]


Pieces of armor scatter across the floor as Jian topples one of the remaining inactive suits. Meanwhile, Alanadel's rain of arrows meets the demon's impeccable defense, turning the deadly projectiles into no more than splinters.

That defense falters before the Nameless's assault. Her blows leave a gash in the armor's other arm to match the first and a gaping hole in its back. (4 levels of damage) Still, the posessed suit turns to face its attacker, only barely hampered by its injuries.

Wince's grip on the chain slips, allowing the Ephramae caught against the collum to break free. It tumbles forward and rolls back to its feet, the brass plating of its armor crumpled and bent but its sword still razor sharp.

The demons attack, weakened but unrelenting. Two assault the Nameless with coordinated precision, blows coming from all directions and angles at nearly the same moment.

The Nameless is at -2 DV against these attacks.

Attack1:[roll6]
Attack2:[roll7]
Attack3:[roll8]
Attack4:[roll9]

Attack1:[roll10]
Attack2:[roll11]
Attack3:[roll12]
Attack4:[roll13]


The freed Ephramae lashes out at Wince, damaged joints shrieking as it strikes.

Attack:[roll14]


The newest addition to the fight makes straight for the door and the archer hidden beyond it.

Action Count:

Tick 28: Jian
Tick 29: Alanadel
Tick 30: Nameless
Tick 31: Ephramae, Wince
Tick 33: Jian
Tick 34: Alanadel
Tick 35: Nameless
Tick 36: Ephramae
Tick 37: Wince

[Ridai]

Heh, figures. First wound caused by "friendly" fire. The nameless ignores the pain from the burns as much as she can, but it still flaws her movements, even though her face is still the pale mask it has been before. She braces herself as the announced storm comes in the form of a wall of hammering blows and vicious cuts, forced to put all her strength against it to not be driven back, refusing to yield. At first an observer might think that the wounded woman will succumb to the hail of attacks, seemingly almost being brought to her knees by a particularly harsh blow, until another one that should have hit her for sure is easily turned aside with perfect grace.

The clash of bronze upon soulsteel rings through the hall, marking the turning point in the struggle as the nameless starts to push back against the storm, far from being defeated. Battering the rest of the demons' attacks aside as she starts her assault, ferociously sending strike after strike crashing into the cut-open bronze armor. Let's see if they can handle the echo.

Three bashing damage levels, huh. Brings DV down to 5 against the coordinated attack. The nameless uses Death-Deflecting Technique against the third 15d10 attack.

Recovers a WP from Resistance stunt, 2 motes from attack stunt, 4 because of Ravening Mouth.

Active charms: Ravening Mouth of Melee, Eye of the Tempest

Speed 5 flurry against the axe-wielder, base acc 16, 11L damage (+1 automatic damage level and -4 motes on hit), PDV 7, DPV 5 (including wound penalties)
Attack 1 [roll0]
Attack 2 [roll1]
Attack 3 [roll2]

Health:
-0 [/]
-1 [/][/][ ]
-2 [ ][ ][ ][ ]
-4 [ ]
In [ ]

Personal: 11/18
Peripheral: 37/44 (7 committed)
Willpower: 3/6

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Humble Jian, Tick 33, Break Armor, Speed 5, DV -1--

Jian picks up the greaves from the armor he'd broken and hurls them into the two nearest suits of armor, knocking them over and scattering the pieces. He looks back toward the battle and sees that Red and Wince are outnumbered but are holding up. Any of the three demons facing them could succumb at any moment, and that was bad news if they still had other suits of armor to possess and renew the attack with. He glances around the room, counting up the remaining potential enemies.



How many stands of armor are left?

Personal: 15/15
Peripheral: 2/36
WP: 5/6
Anima: Has to be at full flower by now.



--Alanadel, Tick 34, Flurry Archery Attacks, Speed 5, DV -3--

Alanadel spotted the demon moving toward him through Andrel's eyes and cursed to himself. He'd managed to surprise one demon and overwhelm it, but he didn't have confidence he'd be able to repeat the performance. The demons had demonstrated a variability in skill against their various opponents, so it was possible that he could land a few attacks against this particular creature, but even as he has the thought Alanadel dismisses it. The foe was heavily armored, and even if he managed to place all three shots in vital locations it was tough enough survive whatever damage he might dish out. Then the demon would close and it would all be over. The demon was clearly superior in melee. But that thought gave Alanadel an idea. The demon wouldn't be superior if it were unarmed...

As quick as he has the though, Alanadel rounds the corner. He snaps off two shots at the weakest points in the demon's armor, one at the throat and the other at the shoulder piece, hoping that the demon would focus on defending its vitals, then suddenly shifts targets. Drawing on all of his Dragonblooded strength and skill, he fires an arrow at the demon's gloved hand to force the creature to drop its blade, the power of the shot driving the weapon backwards over the demon's shoulder and down the hallway. He moves steadily backward with each shot, putting as much distance as possible between himself and the demon.



I can move 4 yards a tick as a move action, so he'll move one yard over to fire, then take the other 19 yards to move backward, putting the dais between himself and the demon as well as moving to just within one of the other entrances to the room. Spending 4 motes to get 8 extra dice on the last attack, which is a disarm attempt.

Attack 1: [rollv]11d10[rollv]
Attack 2: [roll0]
Disarm: [roll1]

Potential Stunt:

1: [roll2]
2: [roll3]
3: [roll4]

Personal: 8/8
Peripheral: 7/16
WP: 5/6
Anima: Spent 18 motes thus far, should be at maximum

[Horatio@Bridge]

Fixing the first attack:

[roll0]

[Kyeudo]

Stunt Dice:

Jian
2 stunt dice.

Alanadel
2 stunt dice.

Nameless
2 stunt dice on the parry.
Attack1:[roll0]
Attack2:[roll1]
Attack3:[roll2]


Jian quickly topples two of the remaining four inanimate suits of plate armor, sending bits of metal clattering across the marble floor.

Alanadel's foe deflects his first arrow and his second scores a gouge across the demon's pauldron, releasing a thin trickle of pale smoke. His third knocks the demon's sword from its grasp, falling just behind the animate suit of armor.

The Nameless scythes into her opponent now that he has exhausted himself. Parries once beyond possible in speed now seem pittifully slow as the Abyssal moves in for the kill. Ruinous Siren tears open two more huge gashes in demon armor, adding even streamers of mist to the cloud of blue hanging around the shredded metal, before burying the blade to the hilt in the demon's chest. The cloud explodes outward in a sudden rush of wind and then vanishes (9 levels of damage :smalleek:).

The remaining demons do not mourn the passing of one of their own, instead continuing their assault. The ephramae still attacking the Nameless strikes even while she finishes off her primary target, chopping down on her currently exposed back, while the demon targeting Wince lunges for him desperately. The demon currently disarmed twists and grabs for his weapon.


Ephramae on the Namelesss:
Attack1:[roll3]
Attack2:[roll4]

Ephramae on Wince:
Attack1:[roll5]

Ephramae grabbing for sword (needs 1 success):
Wits+Melee:[roll6]


Action Count:

Tick 33: Jian
Tick 34: Alanadel
Tick 35: Nameless
Tick 36: Ephramae
Tick 37: Wince
Tick 28: Jian
Tick 39: Alanadel
Tick 40: Nameless
Tick 41: Ephramae

[Ridai]

Finally destroying the demon's body is a satisfying feeling shared by the Siren, the latter biting greedily into the brass, the ever hungry blade ecstatic from the pleasure the act of destruction causes in it. While her weapon is lost in her feast, the nameless easily predicts the attack, turning her body sideways in the very last moment so that the first attack barely misses it's mark. In the same motion, she pushes a larger piece of shredded armor between the demon's legs with her foot. The abyssal suddenly being so close to it, the attacking armor is forced to step away for it's second attack, stumbling slightly because of armor piece. Quickly exploiting that flaw, the nameless stops the attack dead by slamming the Siren against the other weapon, shredding the still impaled breastplate used to catch the weapon into a shower of brass pieces that flies towards her opponent.

Suddenly, she becomes a blur, surrounded by what at first looks like ghostly grey and dark-red flower petals serenely floating between the brass glimmering in the skulls' foreboding light. Soon, onlookers realize the petals are more like jagged glass trailing her motions as the demon is assaulted from seemingly every direction at once. Shards are flung everywhere, punctuated by numerous loud sounds that are caused with startling frequency, as the nameless aims to add the demon's body to them.

Recovers a WP from defensive stunt, 2 motes from attack stunt, 9 because of Ravening Mouth.

Active charms: Ravening Mouth of Melee, Eye of the Tempest

Five attacks with Unfurling Iron Lotus (speed 5)
Base acc 16, 11L damage (+1 automatic damage level and -4 motes on hit), PDV 7, DDV 5 (including wound penalties)
Attack 1 [roll0]
Attack 2 [roll1]
Attack 3 [roll2]
Attack 4 [roll3]
Attack 5 [roll4]

Health:
-0 [/]
-1 [/][/][ ]
-2 [ ][ ][ ][ ]
-4 [ ]
In [ ]

Personal: 8/18
Peripheral: 37/44 (7 committed)
Willpower: 4/6

[Cyranicles]

The demon's lunge is desperate. It would be deadly to a mortal, but to a Prince of the Earth it's pathetic, more an opportunity than a threat because the demon has temporarily sacrificed the ability to react quickly. As the desperate animate armor leaps forward Wince leaps forward as well. Forward and up. Leaping over the out-thrust weapon and it's off-balance wielder in a slow somersault through the air.

Holding Gravewaker's scarabs in each hand, Wince attacks from mid-air. He slams the scarabs down, mangling the collar of the brass armor as grey jade scarab legs pierce and hook into the empty suit. Then as he comes out of his spin and lands, Wince throws his weight against the chain, hoping to lift and throw the empty brass suit across the room.

Wince has a decent feats of strength score, figured it might be enough to throw an empty suit of armor. Failing that, he'd be satisfied to pull the thing off its feet and slam it to the ground.

For the Dodge, Wince's DV was at 9, so I doubt SSE will be necessary. Gonna use MA excellency for the attack, hoping I won't need to worry about the demon throwing out perfect attacks if it's on the ground across the room :P

Atk: 11d10 + 6 motes on 3 successes, channeling valor since this is an act of pure combat aggression :D

[roll0]

Status
Current DVs: Dodge 10 Parry 6
Motes: 15/15 personal 18/27 peripheral
WP: 6/6 Conviction 2/3 Compassion 2/3 Valor 0/2
Anima banner: 15 mote level
Wounds: None

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Humble Jian, Tick 38, Flurry Thrown Attack, Speed 5, DV -2--

Jian panics slightly when he sees Nameless fell the demon and goes into a frenzy of armor smashing vandalism. He takes his pouch of thaumaturgical supplies and hurls it at the one of the two remaining stands of armor, then dives onto the breastplate of the scattered armor next to him, rolls once, and comes up in another throw to take down the last remaining stand of armor. He then looks around frantically, trying to see if the demons were animating pieces of armor and trying to pull them back together.



Personal: 15/15
Peripheral: 6/36
WP: 5/6
Anima: Has to be at full flower by now.



--Alanadel, Tick 39, Flurry Dash + Clinch, Speed 6, DV -3--

As soon as the demon turns its back to retrieve the weapon, Alanadel roars and charges at full speed to try to tackle the suit of armor before it can re-arm itself. Yelling the whole way, he barrels across the room, vaults the podium in the center, and smashes into the demon at full speed.



Recovering WP with the stunt.

Dex + Martial Arts - Wound - Multiple Action, spending a willpower for an auto-success, channeling valor: [roll0]

Potential stunt: [roll1]

Personal: 8/8
Peripheral: 7/16
WP: 5/6
Valor: 1/3
Temperance: 2/2
Compassion: 1/1
Conviction: 2/3
Anima: Spent 18 motes thus far, should be at maximum

[Kyeudo]

Stunt Dice:

Wince
2 stunt dice on the dodge
Attack:[roll0]

Jian
2 stunt dice.

Alanadel
2 stunt dice.

Nameless
2 stunt dice on the parry
Attack1:[roll1]
Attack2:[roll2]
Attack3:[roll3]
Attack4:[roll4]
Attack5:[roll5]


Wince's opponent is sent flying across the room to crash against one of the pillars. It slumps to the ground, unmoving, wisps of blue smoke curling up from the battered suit of armor.

The last two suits of armor topple from Jian's quick work while Alanadel dives at the attacking demon, but the ephramae has recovered its sword and slashes at the Dragon-Blood, bringing him up short. Alanadel suddenly finds himself in a storm of sword blows.

Attack1:[roll6]
Attack2:[roll7]
Attack3:[roll8]
Attack4:[roll9]


The Nameless's blossom of jagged glass shatters against the possessed armor's defense, but the assault seems to have exhausted the demon. Its return strokes are merely skillful, executed with almost mechanical precision but lacking the supernal speed of moments before.


Attack1:[roll10]
Attack2:[roll11]

I goofed these rolls. The first should only be 11 dice and the second 10 dice. Ignore the last few dice from each roll.



Tick 37: Wince
Tick 38: Jian
Tick 39: Alanadel
Tick 40: Nameless
Tick 41: Ephramae
Tick 42: Wince
Tick 43: Jian
Tick 45: Alanadel, Nameless
Tick 46: Ephramae

[Ridai]

The nameless aggressively parries the demon's first strike, but the second seems to come out of nowhere. Unable to draw on her powers, the nameless puts every bit of effort against being stopped by the foul creature into blocking it. She succeeds, but struggles to keep her enemy's blade that is just inches away from cutting into her pale flesh, pushing hard against it with the Siren. "You aren't the first wicked creatures I wiped off the face of Creation and you won't be the LAST," she presses through clenched teeth as she is about to lose the struggle, but frees herself with a surge of strength fueled by sheer will and defiance, pushing the blade away. Abandoning finesse in favor of brutality, the nameless strikes right into the opening, unrelentingly hammering down again and again onto the demon with wide brutal swings.

Completely ran out of ideas how to make the slugfest interesting. Goes to show I'm more of a reactive than a proactive player, I guess.

Recovers a WP from defensive stunt, 2 motes from attack stunt. Channels Conviction (2 successes, see OOC) and uses a WP to add a total of 3 to PDV.

Active charms: Ravening Mouth of Melee, Eye of the Tempest

Three attack flurry, speed 5
Base acc 16, 11L damage (+1 automatic damage level and -4 motes on hit), PDV 10, DDV 5 (including wound penalties)
Attack 1 [roll0]
Attack 2 [roll1]
Attack 3 [roll2]

Health:
-0 [/]
-1 [/][/][ ]
-2 [ ][ ][ ][ ]
-4 [ ]
In [ ]

Personal: 10/18
Peripheral: 37/44 (7 committed)
Willpower: 4/6

[Kyeudo]

Problem: You can't activate Death Deflecting Technique. You used Unfurling Iron Lotus on your turn and the ephramae act before your current action. You have the option of stunting, willpower, and virtue channels, but not your other Chams. You'll need to find 4 points of DV if you want to dodge a rather hefty hit (19L pre-soak).

I do realize this fight has gone far too long. I'm not going to throw any more combat your way for at least a while, so once you finish off these guys we can move the story along a ways.

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Alanadel, Tick 41, Reaction to Attack--

Alanadel pulls himself short with surprising agility given the ferocity of his attack. While his charge had seemed reckless, the Dragon-Blooded archer faces his foe with remarkable calm. Coolly watching his opponent, he takes a casual step to the side to dodge the first downward blow, then suddenly puts on an amazing burst of speed and dashes past his foe and into the room, leaving a faint tinge of ozone and scorched earth behind him. He runs past the two Celestial Exalts and their downed foes, turning his head to calmly address Wince as he runs by.

"Do you think you could take care of this for me?" he asks, gesturing back toward the demon.



Spending 2 motes on Hopping Firecracker Evasion, plus 1 WP, a Temperance Channel, and hopefully at least a 1 die stunt to get past this guy and to safety.

Personal: 8/8
Peripheral: 5/16
WP: 4/6
Valor: 1/3
Temperance: 1/2
Compassion: 1/1
Conviction: 2/3
Anima: Spent 18 motes thus far, should be at maximum

[Cyranicles]

Wince wears a broad smile as he observes the mist slowly escaping from the crumpled pile of brass that had moments before been attempting to kill him. A moment and a blur later he finds Alanadel at his side casually seeking aid. Happy to chat, as well as oblige, Wince replies, "Not exactly confident I can take him out, but give me some cover and we'll see."

Wince dashes down the corridor toward Alanadel's foe. From the corner of his eye he saw it deliver the same sort of nigh-perfect attacks as its fellows and he realized this should not be permitted. Finally, one on one against an opponent, Wince begins to feel at ease. This is what he's good at...what he's MEANT to do. Drawing an eldritch sign in the air, channeling essence into the distraction, he charges into combat. Gravewaker spins circles above Wince's head as he runs. A low droning washes through the chamber as the scarab gains speed. The attack appears obvious until the moment before Wince runs into the waiting demon. Just as the demon readies its weapon to intercept the furious speed of Gravewaker, Wince steps sideways up the pillar. Gravewaker turns with him, instantly turning a horizontal blow into a vertical one and hopefully leaving the Demon unprepared to defend itself as Wince steps off of a candle-eyed skull and sails past.

DFGA to delay the ephramae's next action and prevent it from flurrying and one attack to make good on his offer to help Alanadel. Channeling compassion in order to assist an ally.

attack: [roll0]

Status
Current DVs: Dodge 10 Parry 6
Motes: 15/15 personal 24/27 peripheral
WP: 6/6 Conviction 2/3 Compassion 1/3 Valor 0/2
Anima banner: 15 mote level
Wounds: None

[Kyeudo]

Stunt Dice:

Wince
Attack:[roll0]
Very nice.

Alanadel
1 stunt die

Nameless
2 dice for the parry
Attack1:[roll1]
Attack2:[roll2]
Attack3:[roll3]

I'll post the results of your actions when I see Jian and Alanadel's actions.

Action Count:

Tick 42: Wince
Tick 43: Jian
Tick 45: Alanadel, Nameless
Tick 46: Ephramae

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Humble Jian, Tick 43, Smear Substance on Armor, Speed 5, DV -1--

The battle seems to be going well from what Jian can see, so long as none of the other suits of armor suddenly rise to join their brethren. The remaining demons were outnumbered two to one, and it seemed like it would only be a matter of time before the Abyssal tore through her last opponent and turned on the last demon. Still, no point in taking chances. He should help to bring this to as swift a conclusion as possible.

Jian sidles sideways to one of the other felled suits of armor and picks up the fallen breastplate. He reaches for his reagent bag, and then realizes that he'd tossed it across the room to knock over another one of the suits of armor. Looking around, he spots the fallen blade that went with the suit. He nods. For what he planned, this might actually work better.

He picks up the blade and presses his thumb to it just enough to draw a single drop of blood. Smearing it on the breastplate, he infuses it with a single mote of essence as if it had been one of his alchemical recipes. This wouldn't actually accomplish anything, but the demon wouldn't necessarily know that. Hopefully it would have to deal with the attack as if it were a serious threat.



Manipulation + Occult to fool the demon?

[roll0]

Potential Stunt:

[roll1]

Personal: 15/15
Peripheral: 5/36
WP: 5/6
Anima: Has to be at full flower by now.



--Alanadel, Tick 45, Flurry of Arrows, Speed 5, DV -3--

Finally having achieved a bit of breathing room, Alanadel quickly sizes up the situation in the room. They Abyssal's opponent was nearly finished, and Alanadel decided that he could leave that demon to her. The remaining demon still seemed to have some fight in it, so he turned his attention to it in an effort to quickly wear it down. A quick series of credible attacks would force it to expend whatever reserves it had left defending itself, and then Wince or the Abyssal would be able to finish it off fairly quickly. The decision took a mere fraction of a second, and just as Wince launches himself at the demon, Alanadel fires three arrows that strike at their common foe just as Gravewalker swings up towards its chin.



Attacks on the demon facing Wince:

[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]

Potential Stunt:

[roll5]
[roll6]
[roll7]

Personal: 8/8
Peripheral: 7/16
WP: 4/6
Valor: 1/3
Temperance: 1/2
Compassion: 1/1
Conviction: 2/3
Anima: Spent 18 motes thus far, should be at maximum

[Kyeudo]

I'll give Alanadel 1 stunt die and Jian 2 stunt dice.


Wince attacks as Alanadel rushes past, escaping a storm of sword blows unscathed. Gravewaker whips upward, under the demon's guard, and hammers into its helmet. The helm goes flying, but the demon doesn't seem at all hampered by the loss of its head, shattering Alanadel's arrows into splinters with ease.

Meanwhile, the Nameless crushes her opponent's defenses, Ruinous Siren cleaving through brass like a hot knife through butter as each attack finds its mark (12 levels of damage). Still not giving up, the demon brings its axe down from overhead.

Attack:[roll0]


Action Count:

Tick 42: Wince
Tick 43: Jian
Tick 45: Alanadel, Nameless
Tick 46: Ephramae
Tick 48: Wince, Jian
Tick 50: Alanadel, Nameless
Tick 51: Ephramae

[Ridai]

The nameless makes an almost complete full moon motion with the Siren, intercepting the axe in the air and bringing it down onto the ground with the added supernatural strength. She transfers the motion to the rest of her body, vaulting over the long handle and slashing the armor as she twists in the air. Without touching the ground, the Abyssal launches herself past her enemy again from the eerie wall of skulls, striking the demon as if the attack was the perfect mirror image of the first.

The Siren draws a wide, screeching half circle of sparks across the ground and up the nearest pillar as her master uses the architecture to stop her movement and vault onto the armor. After slamming the blade deep into the demon, from top to bottom, the nameless gracefully somersaults off it, twisting in the air to land in the exact same spot she parried the attack. Facing her next opponent, she listens to her previous foe crumbling into a pathetic pile of scrap metal.

Two extra successes from the 2nd Melee Excellency for parrying the attack (4 motes), two extra successes for the third attack (6 motes).

Recovers a WP from defensive stunt, 2 motes from attack stunt and 12 motes through Ravening Mouth.

Active charms: Ravening Mouth of Melee, Eye of the Tempest

Three attack flurry, speed 5
Base acc 16, 11L damage (+1 automatic damage level and -4 motes on hit), PDV 7, DDV 5 (including wound penalties)
Attack 1 [roll0]
Attack 2 [roll1]
Attack 3 [roll2] + 3 successes from 2nd Excellency

Health:
-0 [/]
-1 [/][/][ ]
-2 [ ][ ][ ][ ]
-4 [ ]
In [ ]

Personal: 8/18
Peripheral: 37/44 (7 committed)
Willpower: 5/6

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Humble Jian, Tick 48, Improvised Thrown Attack, Speed 5, DV -1--

The demon facing the Abyssal is exhausted and battered, so Jian turns his attention to the final suit of armor facing off against Wince. Seizing on a sudden last minute bit of inspiration, he spins the breastplate through the air like a stone sent to skip across a lake. It hits the ground just in front of the area still burning from his earlier spell, then ricochets through the half-melted stone and arcs toward the demon in the doorway followed by a comet trail of burning debris. The mote-infused spot of blood ignites as it passes through the super-heated air, and the entire flaming mass goes flying toward the last unexhausted demon.



Hoping to make the demon think this is a serious attack so he'll actually spend motes to stop it.

Dexterity + Thrown - Wound - 3 Improved Accuracy: [roll0]

Potential Stunt: [roll1]

Personal: 15/15
Peripheral: 9/36
WP: 5/6
Anima: Has to be at full flower by now.

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Alanadel, Tick 50, Coordinate Attack, Speed 5, DV -1--

Finally safe behind a line of fighters, Alanadel whistles for Andrel. The dog trots over from where it had been protecting Jian, and Alanadel raises his bow. Understanding completely, Andrel circles out around the combat, using Nameless's series of blows as cover to get a flanking position on the last remaining demon.



Alanadel is coordinating an attack with Andrel. Andrel is using these 5 ticks to make a stealth check. I don't know Andrel's stats, but I'll roll ten dice plus stunt dice and you can take whatever's appropriate.

Coordinate Attack, Cha + War: [roll0]

Potential Stunt: [roll1]

Andrel's Stealth: [roll2]

Potential Stunt: [roll3]

Personal: 8/8
Peripheral: 9/16
WP: 4/6
Valor: 1/3
Temperance: 1/2
Compassion: 1/1
Conviction: 2/3
Anima: Spent 18 motes thus far, should be at maximum

[Cyranicles]

Wince isn't sure how to surprise an opponent with no apparent sensory organs but he dismisses the thought with a shrug, "can't make it any harder" he muses, before moving into action. The demon, headless though it is, still must face only one direction at a time. While it reacts to the storm of arrows and the incoming burning breastplate, Wince slips directly behind the demon, slowly and quietly slipping the cool jade links of Gravewaker through his hands until he holds the middle yard of it's length across his midsection.

Ever so slowly he starts to spin first one end...then the other. His unnatural agility making it easy to spin the scarabs in opposite directions. Wince's patience is rewarded as the demon doesn't turn until it's far too late and Wince has already stepped forward, turning Gravewaker so that the jagged scarabs come across horizontally, high and low, wrapping the demons arms and it's legs and robbing it of the ability to attack or defend.

Flurry of reestablish surprise and grapple. Wince spends a WP for a success on the grapple roll as well as 8 motes for 4 successes since his opponent should not be able to flurry due to DFGA last action. If Wince successfully grapples hopefully he'll have enough extra successes to do some damage since he will elect to crush his opponent. Channeling conviction to prove his worth to Alanadel who asked for Aid.

Reestablish surprise: [roll0]

Grapple: [roll1] +5 successes

Status
Current DVs: Dodge 10 Parry 6 (flurry, -2)
Motes: 15/15 personal 19/27 peripheral
WP: 5/6 Conviction 1/3 Compassion 1/3 Valor 0/2
Anima banner: 15 mote level
Wounds: None

[Kyeudo]

Stunt Dice:

Alanadel
1 die
*note: Andrel has been using the statistics of an Omen Hound so far.*

Jian
2 dice

Nameless
1 stunt die on the parry.
Attack1:[roll0]
Attack2:[roll1]
Attack3:[roll2]

Wince
Stealth:[roll3]
Attack:[roll4]


Wince whips Gravewaker around to snare the demon, but an armored boot pins one scarab-weight against the ground as the ephramae pivots and deflects the other, counterattacking with the same stroke as it turns to face the Solar. The headless knight's sword snaps behind its back to stop the blazing breastplate before it can connect and flings it into the antechamber as it snaps back to a guard position.

Alanadel directs his companion into a flanking position as the Nameless continues her assault upon the other, wounded demon. It manages to parry her first two strikes in a shower of black and green sparks, but its defense falters just long enough for the Nameless to skewer the demon from head to groin. The formally possessed armor collapses into shredded plates of armor as the blue mist inside boils away.

Action Count:

Tick 48: Wince, Jian
Tick 50: Alanadel, Nameless
Tick 51: Ephramae
Tick 53: Jian
Tick 54: Wince
Tick 55: Nameless, Alanadel, Ephramae

[Kyeudo]

Ephramae's attack against Wince: [roll0]

[Ridai]

Looks like some more wearing down needs to be done. As the battle is mostly over and the group will swarm the last demon, the nameless decides that she might as well help things along a bit. Casually throwing the Siren in a slow arc towards the headless armor, the Abyssal soon chases after it and jumping into the air just as the light reflected from the blade shines towards the demon. She slices her enemy as she soars past it and twice again when she spins around it, ending up directly next to Wince. "Thought I'd assist, dear Prince."

Recovers 2 motes from defensive stunt, 2 motes from attack stunt and ? motes through Ravening Mouth.

Active charms: Ravening Mouth of Melee, Eye of the Tempest

Three attack flurry, speed 5
Base acc 16, 11L damage (+1 automatic damage level and -4 motes on hit), PDV 7, DDV 5 (including wound penalties)
Attack 1 [roll0]
Attack 2 [roll1]
Attack 3 [roll2]

Health:
-0 [/]
-1 [/][/][ ]
-2 [ ][ ][ ][ ]
-4 [ ]
In [ ]

Personal: 12+/18
Peripheral: 37/44 (7 committed)
Willpower: 5/6

[Cyranicles]

The Demon's attack is weak, off-target. Perhaps it's distracted by the fact that it is the only one left standing...regardless, a simple side-step is enough to move Wince out of danger.

Wince takes his time attempting to judge how best to free his weapon when his mind if briefly flooded with unwelcome whispers as Ruinous Siren hurtles through the air. Forcing the promises out of mind Wince realizes what's happening and jerks Gravewaker out from under his enemy just before Red strikes. As her blade descends Wince seizes Gravewaker by the middle, swinging the doubled chain taught. It is more like a massive stick than a fighting chain as it crashes into the outmatched demon.



Attack [roll0] WP for +1 sux

Status
Current DVs: Dodge 10 Parry 6 (atk, -1)
Motes: 15/15 personal 23/27 peripheral
WP: 4/6 Conviction 1/3 Compassion 1/3 Valor 0/2
Anima banner: 15 mote level
Wounds: None

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Jian, Tick 53, Retrieve Pouch, Speed 5, DV -1--

Satisfied that the demon had expended effort to deflect the improvised missile, Jian decided the best way he could continue to contribute was by keeping out of the way. Keeping an eye on the armor and on the demon in case it broke away from his companions, he sidled over to where he'd tossed his reagent pouch and picked it back up, checking to make sure nothing had fallen out.



Taking a miscellaneous action to pick up my gear.

Personal: 15/15
Peripheral: 13/36
WP: 5/6
Anima: Has to be at full flower by now.



--Alanadel + Andrel, Tick 55, Coordinated Attack, Speed 5, DV -1--

Andrel dodges to the side as Nameless bounds past him, then launches himself at the demon from the opposite side as Wince's attack. Just as the wolf slams into the demon, a trio of arrows cuts through the air towards the joints on its armor.



Demon is at -2 DV against these attacks

Alanadel's shots:

1st attack: [roll0]
2nd attack: [roll1]
3rd attack: [roll2]

Potential stunt: [roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]

Andrel's attack:

[roll6]

Potential Stunt: [roll7]

Personal: 8/8
Peripheral: 11/16
WP: 4/6
Valor: 1/3
Temperance: 1/2
Compassion: 1/1
Conviction: 2/3
Anima: Spent 18 motes thus far, should be at maximum

[Kyeudo]

Time to see how badly you pound this guy into the ground. He's probably gone this round.

Stunt Dice:

Alanadel
1 stunt die.

Nameless
Attack1:[roll0]
Attack2:[roll1]
Attack3:[roll2]
Oh, almost forgot: you did 4 levels of damage with your last attack.

Wince
Attack1:[roll3]

[Kyeudo]

The last remaining demon throws its all into holding out, deflecting several blows in a display of incredible skill, but the onslaught of three Exalts is too much for the animated suit of armor to keep up with. Several arrows punch through the ephrame's breastplate before Ruinous Siren carves into its back, sending the demon to the floor where it finally lays unmoving.


The Nameless deals another 3 levels of damage.

[Horatio@Bridge]

Jian watches the scattered bits of armor for several seconds after the last demon falls before relaxing and walking up to join his companions.

"Ok, I think we're good for now. We'll want to break these pieces of armor up, though. I don't think we actually killed any of the demons, just ran them out of essence. They were just inhabiting these suits of armor, and will be able to do so again once they've recovered from this battle. An hour at worst, maybe half a day at best. And they've probably got back-up armors secreted somewhere even if we do take care of these."

He glances sideways at the Abyssal.

"Also, next time I yell out that I'm about to throw a spell into the battle, it would probably be a good idea to get out of the way. It does take me a bit of time to get them ready, you know, so I gave you plenty of warning."

[Ridai]

The nameless sighs, rolls her eyes and shakes her head. I'll try to keep your unknown spells in mind the next time I'm flanked by demons, she thinks to herself, but doesn't say anything. He won't shut up anyway.

Instead, she decides to talk to Wince. "We're ready to go, I guess," the nameless says while casually puncturing the armor's breastplate and flinging it through the room.

Personal: 18/18
Peripheral: 37/44 (7 committed)
Willpower: 6/6

[Cyranicles]

"Well, I've just got to say that you all are a very strange lot!" Glancing toward Red Wince says, "Heh, "my prince" eh? Seems you're a tad more friendly when lives are in danger. And you Jian...can't muster an "I'm sorry for nearly setting you on fire"?

Wince stands for a moment taking in the scene then reaches down and gathers a few small of the scattered fragments of shattered and torn brass. He adds them to his pouch of mementos with the bone shards and wood chips.

He sees that despite the clear display of Red's power and her nature, there seems to be an understanding that she is an ally, at least for the moment. Wince smiles at his companions saying, "Yeah, let's scatter what's left of this armor, then move on."

Status
Current DVs: Dodge 10 Parry 6 ( )
Motes: 15/15 personal 27/27 peripheral
WP: 4/6 Conviction 1/3 Compassion 1/3 Valor 0/2
Anima banner: 15 mote level
Wounds: None

[Horatio@Bridge]

Jian rolls his large froggy eyes.

"The whole point of me calling out my attack and risking our enemies avoiding it completely was to attempt to coordinate our efforts. We're stuck together, for better or worse, so it only makes sense to try to leverage our strengths."

Alanadel ignores the exchange between the Celestial Exalts, instead focusing on scouring the battlefield for any arrows that might be reused. His war-quiver carried fifty of the arrows, but he'd already run through half of them in this battle alone. He collects even those that are slightly damaged, intending to take time later to fix them up.

"In any case, we've cleared the blood-room. Is whatever you're looking for in here, or do we need to go find some other way to inventively get ourselves killed?"

[Ridai]

The nameless chuckles. "I have no problems with you and the fight was pretty entertaining. Funny how it's 'my Prince' all of a sudden, though. Ah well, since you've aided me so valiantly, I guess I'll let it slide this time."

After ignoring Jian some more (since the Lunar doesnt want to be civil, she will have to do that) and scattering the armor pieces, the Abyssal follows Wince to the next room.

[Horatio@Bridge]

Alanadel stands next to Wince at the other two Celestials leave the room.

"I have to say, I do not relish the thought of facing her across the battlefield," Alanadel comments.

Jian snorts. "Why? We've defeated an Abyssal before, we could do it again."

"True," Alanadel says, but then winces and touches the bandages still wrapping around his chest from where the Bloody-Handed Saint had scored him. Jian grunts, accepting the Dragonblooded warrior's point. "At that time, though, we had Wince's aid. I don't know if we could count on that against this particular Abyssal."

Jian grimaces. "Well, at least now we know what we're dealing with. I haven't been comfortable with her since we ran into those assassins at the inn, and now we know why. Good news is, she's probably a lot higher up in the chain of command of whoever's behind all this than we thought before. That makes her an even more valuable lead. We'll have to stick this out. Maybe we can convince Wince to help out if this turns south."

Alanadel nods. "Or maybe, just maybe, we can get something useful out of her without a fight. Assuming you can keep yourself from provoking her." He glances at his companion with a wry grin.

Jian gets defensive. "What?! I gave them fair warning. It's not my fault she didn't get out of the way!"

"Mmmhmm," Alanadel remarks as he begins to follow the others out of the room.

"Really, it's not my fault!" Jian continues to protest as he follows the hunter out of the room. Andrel takes the rear position, settling into a comfortable lope as he ignores the noisy humans and focuses on the area around them.

[Ridai]

As the other two decide to hang back, the nameless asks Wince about something that confuses her about all of them. "Why are you guys glowing anyway?"

[Kyeudo]

Beyond the door at the end of the hall, the architechture shifts. The corridor before you is no long drab black, but white marble. The skulls are now polished obsidian and the flickering flames that light the way are blood red instead of pale blue.

At the end of the corridor is a door of black jade-steel, more moonsilver writing scrawled across both panels.

"Fate has brought thee to this darkened door
beyond which the unworthy breathe no more.
Thy fears thou wilt face within this room,
and thy sins may cause thee to meet thy doom.
Only those of bravest heart
can find their way though the silent dark.
Step forward hero and coward step back,
or lose thy soul in the inky black."

[Ridai]

"Great. Let's get this over with. You guys don't mind if I walk into the next deathtrap first, do you?" She waits a moment in case anyone absolutely needs to say something (or criticize her) and then steps through the door.

[Kyeudo]

The black metal doors aren't locked or sealed in any way and swing open easily. A foot beyond the door, all light seems to simply end, as though a wall of solid night had been placed in your way. Beyond that, you can see nothing.

[Ridai]

The nameless' eyes sweep over the total darkness only once before she steps into it without hesitation or looking back.

[Horatio@Bridge]

Jian and Alanadel walk up just as the Abyssal walks into the darkness.

"Right, then," Jian says. Alanadel nods, and the two Exalts walk into the darkness after her.

[Kyeudo]

As you step into the darkness, silence envelops you. Your feet make no sound upon a floor you cannot see, the faint rustle of your own clothing is gone, even the sound of your own breathing is muffled. No smell or taste lingers in the air. Only the floor beneath your feat lets you know you are still walking forward.

Your companions once so near may as well not exist for all that you can still sense them. The blackness is total, disorienting. Are you still walking forward? Have you veered to one side or the other? Perhaps you are now walking back the way you came? Shouldn't there be a wall somewhere, anywhere to bump into?

Then you hear it. Or rather, you don't. A voice echoes inside your skull, reverberating through your brain without passing your ears. The voice is deep and low, rough like the edge of a mountain against a glacier. "Who are you?"

[Ridai]

"Someone not worthy of having a name." The nameless keeps walking, unfazed by the voice and the situation she is in. If something will happen in this complete lack of anything other than a ground, it will happen. She must be able to adapt to it or die, like she had to in the past.

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Alanadel--

Alanadel pauses as he walks into the darkness, suddenly realizing that he can no longer sense any of his companions. Then he realizes that he can't even sense Andrel, even through their empathic link! The sudden loss of his closest companion throws him off balance, and when the voice suddenly speaks out of the darkness he jumps. His heart thuds loudly in the darkness as he turns about, his senses stretching to try to find the source of the voice.

"I am Alanadel, ranger in service to the Seventh Legion. Who are you?" he asks cagily, fishing for a response to gather further data about the room.

--Humble Jian--

Jian saunters into the darkness, outwardly heedless of his strange surroundings. When the voice speaks, he stops.

"Hmm, good question," he responds. "We identify ourselves by so many things--name, occupation, our affiliations, the stars we were born under--so it's a bit difficult to answer your question. But in this case, I suppose the really important thing is who I'm not, which is anybody that you'd know and would let pass without these tests." He turns around, ensuring that the area is relatively safe and clear from obstructions. "You mind if I sit down? Walking around doesn't seem to be accomplishing much."

[Cyranicles]

Wince would have to answer Red's question later, since stepping into sheer darkness didn't seem even to require a second thought for her.

Trotting in after her, reluctant to lose his companion in such a strange situation Wince finds himself quickly lost in the blackness. Suspecting that it's pointless, Wince nonetheless begin's calling out the names of his companions: "RED!"... "Alanadel"..."Frog-Man!"..."Ugly Mutt!"...

Wince begins to mutter "no answer" to himself, when the words roll like thunder through his mind, "Who are you?".

Wince begins to form his reply before he realizes....he's got very little idea who he is. He used to be an orphan, for awhile he was a son, a thief, a streetfighter, a killer, a fugitive, a rescuer. Now, what was he? He was an awakened mortal, granted power through Shin, the Spirit of Matashi. Then he became a hero, pursuing a superior foe heedless of his own well being. What are you when you slay a deathknight? What are you when you befriend one? Wince reflects that he is a god-slayer and an Anathema. He is a Prince of the Earth and a Demon slayer. He is a man who can leap 40 foot chasms and who fights like the shadow of a wind-tossed flame.

The question still echoes in his head as Wince says, "I am a man who has been many things, who IS many things, and who calls those many things: Wince."

[Kyeudo]

Nameless

Another step forward brings you suddenly out of the darkness and into a grimy alleyway, a place you recognize from childhood as an alleyway near your family's apartment. The Nighthammer alley is just as cluttered with trash and the broken remnants of everyday life as you remember it.

Your keen warrior's sense tells you someone is watching you, and when you turn, you see a young man. He's obviously not a fighter, but also not a weakling, with a lean wiry build that is not unused to athletic activity. A mop of brown hair, a thin nose, and a pair of intelligent eyes complete a mildly attractive face, a face you recognize. Suro.

His eyes widen with shock at seeing you and then fill with fear. He bolts down the alleyway, away from you, as fast as he can.

Alanadel

The darkness breaks apart, like a thick fog boiling away, leaving you standing on the battlements of Lookshy's walls, overlooking the Nys'Bana family manor. The manor house below is a rambling affair, expanded several times with rise the Yushoto branch family's fortunes. The sprawling grounds, filled with groves of trees, ponds, flower beds, and whatever else the gardeners thought tasteful, was where you played hide and seek as a child, honing skills you would eventually use as a ranger in service to Lookshy.

As you gaze down on your home, someone suddenly leaps out of one of the windows of the uppermost floor. Jian, already in his frogman shape, rolls to his webbed feet atop the roof and then leaps off into the garden. A pair of men jump out after him. One hurls a glob of smoking acid after the fleeing Lunar as the other sprouts a bramble lash from his hand as he leaps off the roof as well.

Jian

The darkness begins to lighten, revealing a landscape of hard planes and sharp edges. You sit just inches from the edge of a prepice; just one more step would have sent you plummeting into the inky abyss below. All around, spires stab upwards, irregular prisms with rectangluar facets, all made of what looks like polished black glass. The gloom, still thick and heavy, swallows the spires as they recede into the distance, making it impossible to tell how far this forest of spikes extends.

Wince

The ground beneath your feet suddenly vanishes, sending you freefalling in the darkness. The blackness becomes thick, choking smoke all around you and the sound of a woman screaming in pain pierces the silence. You plunge out of the smoke and land on a hard, cobblestone street, in front of an all-too-familiar burning building.

Somehow, the Lust for Life stands blazing before you once more, the screams of those trapped within echoing in your ears.

[Horatio@Bridge]

Alanadel instinctively raises his bow to join in the fight, but then he hesitates. Who is he fighting here? His family, or his companion? His Anathema companion! For the first time, Alanadel considered the company he'd fallen in with. Until this point he'd been to concerned with the larger forces in motion -- the bandits attacking Matashi, the death knights menacing Nexus -- to give much thought to those he fought beside. He'd just fallen in to thinking of them as his military companions, allies in the greater struggle. But how would his superiors view this? How would his family see it?

Uncertain, the Dragonblooded warrior lowered his bow. Then he shook his head. The vision had raised some important points, but now was not the time for doubts. Something here was presenting this vision to him, had pulled memories right out of his head. This was a trap of some sort, and he had to keep his wits about him to find his way out.

Having settled his mind somewhat, Alanadel sets out after the fleeing Lunar and the Dragonblooded to see what might happen.

-----------

"Hrm," Jian muses to himself. "Another landscape called from Elsewhere? Or some sort of illusion?" He stands, looking around for an exit. "And what might the purpose of this little test be?"

He bends over and runs a finger over the ground, picking up some dust and touching it to his tongue, testing to see if it behaves as real dirt would behave.

[Ridai]

Seeing her brother in the fake streets of Nighthammer again is a strange feeling and even though the nameless knows this is probably not real, she can't help but feel some measure of relief to see him alive and well. His reaction catches the Abyssal completely off-guard, leaving her stunned for a moment before she calls out after her brother: "Hey, wait!"

The nameless runs after Suro. She has always been stronger and faster than her little brother and knows the streets and alleys better, but a sense of forboding creeps up in her why he is running. She doesn't even know what she wants to say to him or ask him once she inevitably catches up to him, unsettled by her brother's fear.

[Cyranicles]

Wince rushes into the building as a thought rushes through his mind. "I know who died...I know where there bodies were...I can save them!"

It's impossible to recognize the place he grew up in through the smoke and the flames, but it's also impossible to forget the layout. Wince knows every detail of this place. He also knows that he is faster and stronger than ever. In seconds he grabs Noni,the only one to die on the first floor, from the kitchen. Then he heads for the stairs though he no longer needs them. Instead, Noni slung over one shoulder, Wince leaps straight up from the base of the stairs, placing a hand on the second floor railing as he swings his legs over into a kick that knocks the nearest door wide open.

Noni is yelling but Wince cannot hear as memories leap into his mind. Two bodies were found in here, one was Annabella, the other just some customer. In a split second Wince's focus comes back to the present as the frantic, still nude and panicking cusotmer races out the door as soon as Wince kicks it open. Annabella is on the floor, having been knocked aside by the coward as he fled. Wince lifts her up to his other shoulder, then spins, kicking her dresser through the window to clear it of glass before leaping out to set the two screaming and crying women down in the street.

The expression on his face is fierce as he turns back toward the flaming building. His outrage is fresh again and his anger fuels him as leaps back into the flaming building. Four left.

[Kyeudo]

Alanadel


In case you aren't familiar with Lookshy, the walls that seperate the different districts are about thirty feet high. Alanadel is on one of them that seperates the residential district from the river, 500 feet below.


Moving further down the wall gives you a better angle on the events playing out in the garden below. Jian hits the ground running and takes cover in an arbor of trees, barely dodging a second acid bolt. He continues running, heading for the wall as he weaves back and forth between the trees. The two Dragon-Blooded split up. The one with the lash continues to pursue the frogman through the trees, while the other races along the outside. Flames lick around his feet as he pushes himself to incredibles speeds, moving to cut the Lunar off.

Jian

The ground is more of the same black glass, smooth as silk to the touch. No dust or scratch seems to marr the surface, but you taste a faint oily tang on your finger.

Almost as though touching the ground was too much for it, the precipice groans. Tiny cracks begin to stretch around the cliff behind you, fragments of glass breaking away with small popping noises.

Nameless

Despite you being slightly faster, Suro manages to maintain his lead on you as he darts through the alleyways. He ignores your call as he sprints out of the alley and into a busy neighbourhood market, probably hoping to lose you in the crowd. He probably didn't count on the crowd parting in front of you. Women and children fall back, terrified at the sight of you.

Wince


That was so well done that I feel bad for what happens next. :smallfrown:


Inside, it's as though you were never here. The panicked john is nowhere to be seen and the door you kicked open is oncemore firmly stuck. The hungry flames continue to lick across the walls, peeling the wallpaper back in long blackened ribbons, and you hear the snap-crack of wooden beams collapsing in the rooms above. The brothel does not have much time left before it will all start falling in on itself.

[Horatio@Bridge]

Alanadel crouches on the wall, bow at the ready, and watches the pursuit play out below. Up to now he's found no flaw in the setting; everything was just as he remembered it, except for the presence of Jian. What was going on here? For a moment Alanadel wished that Jian really were here to help him figure out what was happening, and then a terrible thought occurred to the ranger. What if that really were Jian down there? And the others, might they be Wince and Red, somehow illusioned to look as if they were something else? What if all this was a trap to get them to fight and kill each other?

Alanadel couldn't risk doing nothing if that were the case, but he couldn't invest himself too fully for fear of falling into some other sort of trap. Moving quickly, he removes a length of rope from his pack and moves over the small arbor of trees. The first priority would be to get Jian away from the Hunt, and maybe slow things down enough to get an idea of what was going on. He tosses the rope into the arbor and whistles like a bird to get the fleeing Lunar's attention.

-----------

"Whoa!" Jian shouts, leaping from the collapsing plinth and landing on another nearby growth, clinging to it with his sticky hands and feet. "Real enough!"

[Ridai]

Despite that this world isn't the real Creation, the feeling of being exposed as what she is, every guise stripped away for all to see the monster wearing human skin, is still profound. Being reduced to her nature in the eyes of the people, especially in that of her family, is her punishment, but it still leaves a bad taste in her mouth. This is how it should be, but why is there still no sense of purpose? Feeling that catching up to (or, in his eyes, hunting) her brother will accomplish nothing, that it is too late for the goodbyes she had hoped for, the nameless decides to follow Suro more discreetly if that is even possible here.

The next time her brother takes a turn, she breaks line of sight and continues to stalk him from the roofs. Like she did in Deathrow. Hopefully without the desaster at the end.

[Cyranicles]

As the timbers creak and the smoke billows into his face, Wince realizes this obviously isn't reality...or maybe it is just a way to see the reality that the past cannot be changed.

Wince entertains the thought for only a moment before leaping into action. Sometimes when you're in over your head all you can do is try.

Foregoing the kitchen Wince leaps straight up the stairs, turning right and away from Annabella's room. Three of his mothers were in one room entertaining a merchant recently returned from a successful venture. The irony of the term "recently" occurs to Wince as he sprints down the hallway. Slamming shoulder-first into the door Wince follows the splintered mess into the room beyond.

It had been a room of pillows, sheets and curtains called A Taste of Heaven, meant to deliver the sense of absolute luxury. Within the smoke is thick and the floor is smoldering hot from the flames attempting to chew their way up through the floor. Feet burning and eyes stinging Wince searches the room for his mothers; it doesn't take long. The three of them, and the merchant, are huddled in the middle of the room under a sheet, trying to hide from the smoke while crawling toward the door.

Having no time for anything more delicate, Wince simply seizes the 4 corners of the sheet, too fast for the mortals (real or not) to react and straining from the effort, he hoists them onto his shoulder. There are no windows in the room so Wince heads to the next room over where he plans to leap off the porch that his mothers used to use for luring in customers, their giggles and enticements were the familiar refrain in that part of Nexus.

[Kyeudo]

Alanadel

Hearing your whistle, Jian spots you and the rope. "What took you so long?" He calls up as he takes hold of the rope. With his sticky feet and the aid of the rope, he powers up the wall in a few moments, but the Dragon-Blooded are right behind him. The one that tried to flank Jian is the first to reach the wall. He leaps halfway up the wall in a single bound and catches hold of the rope, right behind the Lunar. The other Dragon-Blood will be on the rope as well in another moment.

Jian

You clear the collapsing precipice with ease, landing effortlessly on the nearest spire. The massive glass shard plunges into the darkness, vanishing without a sound. However, you find you have merely traded one danger for another.The black glass turns slick and oily beneath your hands, sending you sliding down the spike towards the abyss below.

Nameless

After crossing the marketplace, Suro's lead has practically disapeared. Keeping pace with him from the rooftops is child's play, just a matter of waiting for him to make a mistake. He stumbles on a broken piece of board as he rounds a corner and that's all you need to drop down right in front of him. Breathing heavily, he's forced to backpedal to avoid crashing headlong into you. His eyes meet yours, still full of fear, and he turns to run once more.

Wince

You leap back out into the cool night air, your charges still weighing you down. As expected, though, neither Noni or Annabelle are anywhere to be seen. A ragged bucketline has been organized, hauling water from the nearest canal, but the bucket brigage isn't able to do more than keep the flames from spreading to other nearby buildings.

[Ridai]

The nameless grabs her brother by the shoulder and turns him around with a firm grip while making sure not to hurt him in the slightest. "Shh, I have no intentions to harm you, Suro. All I want to know and see is if our family is alright." The nameless has to resist the urge to hug her brother, seeing that he doesn't recognize her as his sister anymore, but her voice is still gentle.

[Horatio@Bridge]

Alanadel already has a knife ready when Jian reaches the top of the wall and he expediently cuts the rope as the Dragonblooded try to climb it. Wasting no time on words, he turns and races down the walls towards a hidden garden he knows had long been untended. Knowing he only has a moment before the Dragonblooded pursuers scale the wall, he quickly readies a diversion. Just before leaping down into the hidden garden, he removes his bedroll from his pack and tosses it over the wall toward the river. Hopefully that would give their pursuers the idea that they'd tried jumping into the river...a plainly suicidal move, but nonetheless a commonly tried evasion tactic for thieves and spies in this region. He'd fished many of their bodies out of the river later. Water is not very soft after a 300 foot fall.

-----------

"Whoa!" Jian exclaims as he slips further down the posts. With no time to think, he leaps over to another crystal spire, quickly rebounding from it to a third, then back to the second at a slightly higher elevation so he can grasp the top of the spire. The sharp edges at the spire's top cut into his hand, but it arrests his fall enough to give him a moment to think.

"As soon as I get back to Nexus, I'm hunting down a pigeon," he mutters to himself. Looking around, he sees little to help his situation. Just an endless forest of of crystal spires, an abyss below...his hand couldn't take it anymore. Screaming in frustration and defiance, Jian leaps for the neighboring crystal spire, bouncing from one to the next as he tries to get as far into the forest of crystal as he can. Hopefully he could get to the other side of the crystal forest before falling into the abyss below...

[Cyranicles]

Wince sets the bundle down, feeling it lose weight even as he does so.
As he releases his grip he sees the cloth fall away, revealing an empty, singed sheet.

Wince's surging anger collapses into a cold dark point in his heart. It is familiar, it's the same fierce calm that drove him as he set fire to a noble's estate and fled with the wealth, never to return. He could not save them, he could avenge them. His rage might be fueled by his impotence to save his mothers, but it was still fierce and dangerous.

Now, with his past raging in flames before him, he looks around for anybody that might be enjoying the spectacle, anybody who may have lit this fire...

[Kyeudo]

Sorry for the long wait. I had some writer's block on how to present a few of these scenarios.


Jian

Hands bleeding, you vault through the gloom from pillar to pillar, looking for an end to this forest of glass, but all you keep finding is more black spires. As you leap for the next pillar, it spontaneously shatters around its middle, toppling over in your direction, leaving you no choice but to grab hold or crash into it. It continues to fall, about to take you into the blackness below, when you see Red, hanging from the hilt of her sword, which is jammed into another glass pillar. She reaches out for you. "Take my hand!"

Alanadel

The Dragon-Blood falls when you cut the rope, but you know that won't slow him down for long. You race down the wall, Jian following behind, and jump down into the garden, hopefully fast enough to go unseen by your pursuers. You both drop into the thick foliage, your crash through the branches matched by a splash on the far side of the wall. Above, you hear one of the Dragon-Blooded giving orders. "I want those two found, alive or dead. Those documents can't be allowed to leave the city. Get the manor guards, get someone to fish the bodies out of the river, and have the rest start searching. Get the Security Directorate on it if you have to, but get those back now!"

Nameless

Suro's face contorts in pain at your touch and you quickly see why. Black rot spreads outward from your hand, corroding your brother's flesh to nothing in less than a few heartbeats. "Raluca . . ." He gasps out before he collapses, his chest now little more than ichor-stained bone.

Wince

He wasn't here that night, but this time you see him watching the flames burn down your childhood home. Obesian leans on a gilded cane, his silk shirt immaculate, but then he never liked to get his hands dirty. Obesian probably had some lackey set the fire for him.

[Cyranicles]

As he stalks toward the Vice-Lord, it occurs to Wince that harming Obesian may not do anything in this place. He pauses for just a moment before concluding that there's not reason to NOT harm Obesian.

Coming up behind the noble Wince violently snatches the gilded Cain, almost knocking the Vice-Lord to the ground, but using one hand to grasp Obesian's silken collar and hold him upright as he growls, "who lit the fire?", Wince's voice getting angrier with every word.

[Horatio@Bridge]

Jian has a brief moment to be dumbfounded by the unexpected source of help, but his lower brain doesn't wait for orders before reaching out to grab the proffered hand. The Lunar Exalt suddenly finds himself swinging in midair, held up by the iron grip of a woman who in all likelyhood intends to see the entire city burn.

"So...what brings you here?"

-----------

Alanadel turns to Jian.

"What's going on?" he whispers.

[Ridai]

"NO!" The nameless shouts in surprise and horror as she watches her brother's remains drop to the ground. Her eyes widen as she can do nothing more than stare at what she had done before drops down onto one knee next to the carcass, wanting to reach out but forcing herself not to, to not defile her brother even more. This isn't real. But it still hurts.

A lot.

The nameless' fingers dig into the ground, the bestial need to lash out against anyone, anything, screaming and burning in her chest, furious anger and hatred at herself she wants to take out on the world around her. Several minutes pass before she looks up into the sky. There is no tomorrow for me. Purgatory awaits and it will be eternal. The Abyssal stands up and turns away, unable to gather the courage to look at her brother again. Old wishes and hopes resurface again, despite having been crushed repeatedly by others and herself, slowly replacing the burning anger with cold emptyness. She doesn't know where to go, except away from her family, having no direction whatsoever. So the nameless just walks.

[Kyeudo]

Wince

"What does it matter? It won't change anything. Your friends will still be just as dead." Obesian smirks at you over his collar. "What would you do? Kill him like you did me?"

Jian

"Oh, not too much. I just decided to take a stroll in the dark. I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere, it seems. Any clue where to go from here?" She glances past you for a moment, down into the darkness below. "I mean, there's always down, but you seemed to be working so hard to stay away from there."

Alanadel

"Did you get hit on the head somewhere?" Jian whispers back. "I just grabbed all of your family's intelligence reports. If we can get them out of the city, maybe we can figure out just what is going on."

Nameless

Your wandering gradually brings you into the heart of the Nexus district. No one bothers you. Crowds part, travelers turn and take another route, even the hardest of Nexus's muggers stay in the shadows and let you pass.

"Raluca? What's happened to you?" Gao Shu is suddenly right there, staring at you, shocked and concerned.

[Ridai]

The way people react, fearing her, but not panicking, not fleeing, makes the nameless feel more isolated than truly terrifying, like she is known and a part of Nexus. The images still haunt her and she asks herself what happened to Wince (and the others) as she encounters Gao Shu. Why isn't she afraid of me like everyone else? The nameless keeps her distance, unwilling to inflict any harm upon her friend.

"I did many unforgivable things in my life and I got what I deserve, I guess." The nameless looks down onto her own hand. The ivory beauty of her reformed body even surpasses Gao Shu's by now, but it feels raw, cold and empty, her own body teasing the nameless now that this gift is useless to her. The Abyssal looks back up, at Gao Shu. "Go home and forget about me. You will only suffer if you stay near me."

Almost forgot that I raised Charisma and Appearance. Updating the sheet now and removing the concept.

[Cyranicles]

Wince concedes to Obesian's logic. What he does here clearly has no impact and nothing that he does anywhere, will return his loved ones to life. But destroying callous, hateful, and evil men like Obesian...that sounds like wisdom. If someone had killed Obesian sooner his mothers would have been spared...

"Good point Obesian, men like you need to be killed before they can bring more harm to others. Guess I've got my work cut out for me."

Wince leaves no room for further conversation, stalking quickly toward the burning building, Obesian in tow. Before the door Wince spins Obesian off of his feet in one quick circle, building momentum before throwing the Vice-Lord down the flaming entrance hall of the Lust for Life.

[Horatio@Bridge]

Jian glances down into the pit.

"I'd been considering it," he admits. "But that's a theory I'd prefer to avoid testing until we've eliminated all the other possibilities."

He looks around, still thinking about what to do next. "So what did you tell the voice? Did it ask who you were?"

-----------

Alanadel seems shocked. He reaches out and snatches the reports from Jian's hands. "Why do you think my family's intelligence reports would say anything about the situation in Nexus?" he asks as he begins to skim through them.

[Kyeudo]

Wince

You hear the sound of clapping from behind you. "Bravo, bravo." You turn to find the Bloody-Handed Saint behind you, watching the proceedings with interest. "A most excellent way of handling the problem. Now you get to watch the man burn."

Nameless

"But what about you? What could you have done to deserve this?" Gao Shu takes a step closer to you, hand outstretched to offer comfort.

Alanadel

"This whole thing is bigger than Nexus and we need to know just who is involved. Your family has one of the larger spy networks in the Scavenger Lands. While there are probably people better informed, we don't know where they keep their files. Thanks to you, so far we've only hit a minor snag." Looking through the documents, you see Jian is right about the scope of your family's spy network. There's reports from operatives in Thorns, Celeren, Greyfalls, and at least a dozen other cities across the Confederation of Rivers. If these fell into the wrong hands, dozens of operatives could wind up compromised, either dead or feeding false information right to your family.

Jian

"I told it that I'm a killer and nothing more. Next thing I know, I'm here." Cracks start spreading out from around Red's sword, showering you with small peices of glass. "Got any good ideas? Because if we don't move soon, our choice is going to be made for us."

[Ridai]

The nameless jerks back as Gao Shu moves forward. "I killed helpless men, women and children as commanded. Dozens of them. Often in their sleep or in front of their families or lovers. I burned down homes, lead raids, watched as people were captured, broken, abused and sold into slavery or prostitution. I deserve all of this. I touched my brother and saw his body rot in seconds and the same will happen to you if you come closer, Gao Shu. I can't prevent it. So please, I beg you, stay away from me." Even though she knows this isn't real, the nameless is utterly unwilling to harm Gao Shu in the slightest, refusing to even contemplate indifference in this matter. She can't help but rebel against part of her nature the Abyssal thought she had embraced when she was changed, for her friend's sake, and slowly starts to move away from Gao Shu. "Live and be happy."

[Horatio@Bridge]

Alanadel frowns at the words of praise. Flipping quickly through the documents, he pulls out a few regarding the situation in Nexus. Then he pulls out an arrow and ties the remaining documents to it.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Jian inquires, starting to stand.

"We have to return the documents that don't relate to the problem. My family has to know that they've retrieved most of the information before it could be reliably copied so that our sources remain safe. They'll know what we took, and hopefully they'll think to ask why. That might get them to put more effort into investigating Nexus."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on there. We can use that information. The more complete a picture we have of the situation, the better our chances of figuring out what's going on. And the faster we do that, the more lives we save. Is your family's spy network worth the thousands of lives that will be lost if the Deathlords have their way?"

Alanadel lifts his bow and pulls the arrow back to his ear.

"Of course not. But the lives of our agents aren't worthless either. We have to try to preserve them all if we can. Even if we fail, we'll know that we tried our best. Nothing more can be asked."

And with that he releases the arrow, firing the documents back toward the house where they'll soon be found by security agents.

-----------

"Good ideas? Probably not, but when has that stopped me?" He twists to get a look at the area deeper into the cavern. "Ok, you see that pillar over there? Jump over to it and land as low on it as you can. Hit the pillar just below where you land with that big sword of yours just before you impact and try to get it to fall toward that pillar behind it. Then run. That pillar should hit the next, then the one after that. If we're fast enough, the cascading pillars should make a short-lived bridge to get us to the other side."

Jian looks up, seeing Raluca's speculative face. He grins insanely. "Ready?"

[Cyranicles]

Upon seeing the Bloody-handed Saint Wince remarks aloud, "This fantasy conspires to free me of any remorse I might feel over killing evil men."

Gesturing magnanimously with both arms Wince says, "Welcome to my dreamworld Deathknight. How many lives were spared the day that you died?"

Wince ignores the Vice Lord, almost certain that Obesian disappeared the moment he entered the flaming Lust for Life.

[Kyeudo]

Nameless

"So you're just going to give up?" Tears fill her eyes. "You're just going to be a monster?"

Alanadel

"I wish you hadn't done that. Even if they find the documents, they still won't let us out of the city if they can help it." Jian sighs. "Well, no use crying over spilt milk. We still have to meet Wince at the docks and get out of here." Jian shape shifts into his tiny frog form and hops onto your leg and then up your armor to your shoulder. He looks at you expectantly with beady frog eyes.

Jian

"If I said no, do you think the pillar would wait?" With that, Red twists and hurls you skyward before bracing her feet against the pillar and leaping towards the other. Her sword flashes through the air, carving a huge gash through the black glass. The momentum of her swing carries her around and she hits the pillar with a strong kick. The pillar cracks and falls as hoped, crashing into another and causing it to crack and topple. Red lands on the tilted black glass running, not waiting for you.

Wince

Another voice joins the screaming behind you as Obesian catches fire. The Saint only smiles at your words. "Perhaps a handful, perhaps not so many. As you know, I was but a minor player upon a very large stage. Another will easily take my place. Perhaps they already have."

[Horatio@Bridge]

So, now he was responsible for getting them away. For opposing his family and getting them safely away. Well...this is the situation, then.

Alanadel slips under a bush leading out of the forgotten garden. He listens for a moment under the bush to make sure that no guards are nearby, then pulls himself through and stands. The docks were quite a distance, and his family would have eyes throughout the city by now. Still, there were a few places that were commonly overlooked. The chutes channeling waste from the estate to the river below, for instance...there was a bathroom near the gardens. Sighing at the necessity, Alanadel heads towards it.

-----------

Jian leaps after Raluca, half running and half climbing the falling crystal as he races to to reach the next in the cascade. The sticky pads on his hands and feet give him just enough purchase to propel him forward, though he's still hard pressed to keep up with the athletic deathknight. A pigeon, definitely, as soon as he got back to the city...

[Cyranicles]

Wince looks away briefly, unwilling to admit that his efforts have had no effect. Raising his eyes to meet those of The Saint, Wince says, "Lives were saved deathknight. When evil dies, the world flourishes. I know you have allies, in Nexus and beyond, which means only one thing to me: My work is not here..."

With this, Wince moves past the deathknight and toward a dark alley beyond, hoping to emerge within the Tomb again, to finish this quest and begin delivering justice to evil men.

[Ridai]

The nameless stops. "It's the only thing that makes sense. Everyone around me is doomed to suffer and die, what do you expect me to do? Settle down, pretend everything is fine, watch people I care for wither away and slowly become insane? The moment I became an Abyssal, it became impossible to lead a normal life and even before that it couldn't happen! What do you want me to do, what do you want from me?"

[Kyeudo]

Nameless

Gao Shu opens her mouth to speak, but whatever she was about to say is cut short by the point of a sword punching out of her chest. Ruinous Siren twists and withdraws, letting Gao Shu's corpse to fall to the ground at your feet.

The person who steps out of the shadows and wipes the blood off the blade of the Siren on Gao Shu's shirt is you. She tosses a lock of red hair back behind her shoulder as she turns to face you. "Oh, don't look so sad. She'd have died sooner or later anyway."

Jian

Red charges along the collapsing chain of pillars, clearing each one just moments before they slip and fall into the inky blackness below. You are but a few steps behind her, and that makes all the difference in the world when the impossible happens yet again.

The foremost pillar shatters into a hundred razor-edged shards the moment Red sets foot upon it, sending her plunging through the tumbling glass fragments towards the abyss below. She stabs out with her sword, trying to use it to arrest her fall, but the blade passes through the now-topless spire as though it were oil.

Alanadel

Thankfully, the toilet you find yourself in has been abandoned for much the same time as the garden itself but is still in good repair. This is not to say that the chute is clean, by any chance, just that the smell is not quite as oppressive as it could be.

The ride down is short, as you might expect, the chute greased with a combination of moss and excrement. The hardest part is slowing yourself enough that you don't break your legs hitting the river below, but you manage.

The river water is a murky brown and chill in the shadows of the river promentory. Keeping close to the sea wall that shields the Lower City from storms and raiders keeps you from being spotted from on top of the wall, but by the time you round its end, the docks are crawling with members of the Security Directorate. Somewhere in that mess, Wince is waiting, hopefully with a fast way out of the city.

Wince

The deathknight follows you at a leisurely stroll, staying a pace behind as you walk down the alleyway. You round a corner and are suddenly no longer in Nexus. Matashi burns all around you and screams echo in the night, some suddenly cut short. Marukani raiders, some with faces you recognize, ride through the darkness, swords slashing out at the running forms of men, women, and children. "It seems you are right, Sunchild. Your work isn't in Nexus. It probably should have been here." The Saint laughs.

[Horatio@Bridge]

Jian slides down the pillar of crystal as it falls past where it should have hit the next in line. He spins around the circumference of it, using the sticky pads on his feet to give him just enough hold that he doesn't go flying off into infinity, and snags Raluca's collar as she falls. His momentum whips them both to the top of the falling pillar, where he presses the woman against the glassy surface.

"Hold on!" he calls out, while the two of them ride the huge piece of glass towards whatever awaits at the bottom of this domain.

-----------

Alanadel pulls himself out of the river before getting to the wharf district. House Water Aspects would be searching the river near all critical places around the city, so it wasn't safe to float into the wharf itself. He checked the documents in the oiled water resistant satchel he carried with him to protect his flint and tinder, then looked around his surroundings to figure out what to do next.

"You should really hunt a pigeon or something whenever we get the chance to breath," Alanadel muses out loud to his companion. "Being able to assume an innocuous form would be really useful about now."

"Oh, well, no use thinking about what we don't have. Where did you say Wince was waiting in that mess?"

[Cyranicles]

Wince sees clearly in the flame-lit darkness of Matashi...and that's what bothers him. The raid on Matashi had happened during the day. The Saint was showing him something entirely different: People being slaughtered in the night by familiar Marukani faces.

Wince tries not to place the faces, afraid he'll see those of the very men he thought he'd convinced to fight a guerrilla effort against the Deathknights. Wince can only hope that this is an illusion like the Lust for Life, convincing, but ultimately unreal. Either way, nothing Wince does now will change the facts...not here at any rate.

Wince keeps on walking, speaking over his shoulder to the Saint. "I can't be everywhere at once...and if even if this were real, it would change nothing. I am the Dagger of Heaven and even though I cannot be in every shadow, your allies will learn to fear them nonetheless."

[Ridai]

The nameless looks shocked as she stares at her friend's corpse and her own cold reflection. The expression soon changes to that of barely restrained anger. "We will all die in time, but that is no reason to kill her. Don't even try to justify it, fake." This isn't real. Why is this affecting me so much?

[Kyeudo]

Nameless

"Fake? Talking to yourself now?" The other you walks around you in a slow circle as she speaks, sizing you up. "You sold out the world for power and vengance, yet here you are wallowing in self-pity, wishing for some idyllic dream life. You're a killing machine that doesn't kill. How much more fake can you get than that?"

She stops circling and turns to face you straight on."Honestly, I did you a favor. You already agreed to kill the girl. Now you don't have to do it yourself."

Wince

"But you were in this particular shadow, I do believe. You know, right after you and your friends killed me?" The Saint fingers his chin thoughfully. "Did you give these men any instructions? Put someone in charge? Or did you leave them leaderless and lost in the middle of nowhere, ripe for the picking as soon as my replacement could find them?"

He turns to watch something in the burning village with a smile. "Oh look. It seems they've found your mothers' house. This should be interesting."

Alanadel

Jian assumes his human form in a moment when no one seems to be looking. "He was going to see about stealing a boat to get us out of here. It didn't seem like we'd have much chance to get back out the gates if we ran into any trouble. He said he'd give us an hour and then send us a signal we wouldn't miss. Now that we've got the whole police force looking for us, I suddenly wish I'd asked what he had in mind."

Almost as if summoned by Jian's words, a sudden flare of brilliant golden light inundates the harbor, clearing away all doubts as to where Wince is. "Hurry! We need to get there before your family does!"

Jian

You ride the shard of black crystal down into the abyss below. It tumbles about, careening off the sides of the jagged spires again and again. Jagged slivers of glass slash across your skin and several times you barely miss being crushed. Below, you see a seething ocean of black oil, razored spikes of black crystal jutting above the waves like daggers, a split second before your ride collides with one such spike.

The shard explodes, flinging you and Red through the air along with a shower of crystal fragments. Somehow you hang onto her hand as you hurtle through the air, only to feel a sharp pain as you come down hard upon the top of a glass spike. The glass pierces through your gut and out your back, leaving you unable to free yourself without letting go of Red. Her feet dangle less than two yards above the black oil below and already liquid tendrils rise from the surface, sinisterly undulating as they lick the air beneath her boots.

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Jian--

"So much...for that theory..." Jian manages to wheeze out. Fumbling in his pouch, he pulls out a wad of the drug called qat. It makes its users insensate to pain, though it leaves nothing in their head but violence. Well, it wouldn't make his situation any worse. Stuffing it into his mouth, he chews until he feels the first rush of euphoria, then screams with rage and frustration as he pulls Raluca away from the oil and up onto his back. Braced between the crystal and his body, at least then she'd have a chance to try something else. Heh...if she were a necromancer, she might even be able to use his body for a boat. Shouldn't be too much longer now and he'd make a fine corpse...

--Alanadel--

"Into my pouch. It's easier to sneak one person through than two." Waiting a moment for Jian to assume his spirit form, Alanadel picks him up with a corner of a piece of cloth, making sure not to make skin contact with the frog's deadly poison. He drops his partner into one pouch along with the stolen documents, then begins to head toward the display of Solar power. He moves quickly, but with purpose, as if he's just one of the many Dragonblooded guards moving to put down this new threat.

[Ridai]

Whoever is doing this, he knows what he has to do. There is no thought about whether this is real or not left. The nameless hangs her head as her anger is again, like in all those last months, turned into frustration. She can't deny anything her other self said, as what she is right now is undeniably the consequence of her always taking what seemed like the least painful choice for herself not involving other people, always ignoring the repercussions. No resistance against being made into an assassin, no thought about what could happen to her family when she stole the Siren or killed Yoran Kor, naively returning to Nexus and endangering Gao Shu in the process. Worst of all, she desperately lied to herself and blindly accepted He Who Laughs offer, ultimately just so that she might be able to escape her conscience and her responsibilities, even that of having to make choices.

After the past weeks of running, self-deception and desperately wanting to believe in something, the realization nearly breaks her as her heart is flooded with long repressed guilt and shame. Raluca can't bring herself to even look at her other self, two single tears rolling down her cheeks, the first time in many, many years. The ideas of just surrendering completely to the other self or even just committing suicide are like sweet whispers in her mind, offering warm comfort and release. The pain could end right here, right now, forever.

Don't run away again. Impressions of Gao Shu, Wince, Jian and Alanadel flash through her mind. Examples to aspire to. Raluca's voice is weak and shaky when she finally speaks. "You are right. I always took the easy way out. But this has to end." She looks at her other self and lifts her sword so that the Siren's tip stops under the other's chin. "I don't want to be you." Raluca wishes she could say this with absolute certainty and strength instead of standing there shaking.

[Cyranicles]

When the Saint mentions his mothers, Wince's anger surges. He reaches back to uncoil Gravewaker from his hip and as he does so, he has a moment to consider his situation. The Saint never knew about his mothers. This dream must be coming from Wince's mind somehow and somehow preying on his fears. This is the second time Wince has been placed in a situation where he was helpless to save his mothers. Why? What is the point?

Regardless, the Saint makes a good point, Wince left those soldiers with instructions and assumed their leadership structure would work itself out. But what Wince can talk someone into, surely some silver-tongued enemy can talk them out of, if given the chance...

All the more reason to find and destroy the Saint's allies then. All this occurs to Wince as he sprints toward the building he'd bought to keep his mothers safe. Sure, this was likely a dream, but just in case this was somehow different Wince is going to take action.

The two Marukani pounding at the door are the first to go down, crushed by heavy jade scarabs as Wince swings Gravewaker by it's middle in a vertical arc, taking the warriors unaware. Looking for a way in and seeing a Marukani making for a nearby window, Wince seizes the opportunity. Leaping to intercept the Marukani, Wince kicks off the soldier's face, changing direction 90 degrees and diving through the window into his mothers' house, Gravewaker uncoiling in the air behind him and draping itself around the stunned Marukani. As Wince rolls to his feet inside, a sharp tug slams the helpless soldier into the window frame, the sound of breaking bone replacing his panicked yelling just before silence falls around the house.

[Kyeudo]

Wince

The Bloody-Handed Saint laughs as you rush off. "Remember, Solar. Finish what you start, or it will come back to haunt you."

After you dive through the window, you come to your feet in utter darkness. Everything, the fires, the fighting, the window you just came through, is gone. Only a single dot of light pierces the blackness around you.

Nameless

The world cracks around the point of your sword like a shattered mirror, the shards falling away and disintegrating to nothing, leaving you in pitch darkness once more. A point of light apears in the distance, the only feature in an otherwise lightless void.

Jian

The world fades into darkness and with so too does the pain. If this is dying, you had expected something much more, well, dramatic than just all this black. Then a tiny pinprick of light pierces it, a direction in which to head.

Jian, Nameless, and Wince

Stepping into the light, you find yourself back in the Tomb of Candle-Eyed Skulls. Behind you is a doorway back into the blackness. Ahead, another hall of white marble and obsidian skulls, ending at a set of golden double doors.

Alanadel

The crowds at the docks seem to move in two directions. Security Directorate personel move towards the blaze of golden light, while ordinary sailors and merchants stream away in droves, unwilling to get caught in a battle between Exalts.

You break through the crowd at the far end of one pier to see what must be Wince aboard a small millitary cutter of First Age design, knocking police forces from the deck with sweeping blows with Gravewaker. Wince's face is obscured by his blazing anima banner, hidden by shadows and blinding light, but he certainly recognizes you. "There you are! Hurry, before someone actually dangerous shows up!"

Gravewaker whips past your head as you jump aboard, coiling about a man's arm just before Wince heaves on the chain, sending the unlucky soldier flying out into the river. "You take the wheel while I keep these goons off our backs."

Suddenly, a Dragon-Blooded leaps aboard, one you recognize. Kelrus, your older brother, lands next to Wince and attacks with your family's ancestral weapon, a green jade daiklave called Ashfriend. Wince backflips over the railing to dodge a slash aimed at his leg, but then takes the return slice across his shoulder as the sword passes right through the wooden railing as though it wasn't even there, leaving the rail unmarked. Kelrus spots you even as he presses his attack and calls out to you. "Alanadel? What are you doing here?" He blocks one of Gravewaker's scarabs and counter attacks, a blow Wince manages to sidestep. "On second thought, never mind. Just give me a hand with this Anathema."

[Ridai]

Raluca remains as she is while the world collapses around her, surprised and unsure what is happening until she sees the point of light. At first stumbling, then slowly walking forward, the Abyssal reflexively takes a deep breath as she emerges from the darkness first, still shivering, the Siren's point hitting the floor. Her eyes race around, unsure what to even look at, and once she realizes they are there, the tears are wiped off. Having settled down enough to at least somewhat contain what is going on within her, Raluca looks back at Wince and Jian as they too step out of the black, unsuccessfully tries to spot Alanadel and quickly turns away from them again, still looking withdrawn and troubled.

Making it through the darkness doesn't fill her with relief, as she can see with complete clarity, for the very first time. This is the beginning of the most difficult and most significant part of her life and nothing she said and felt in the darkness will mean anything if she fails.

[Horatio@Bridge]

Alanadel steps into Kelrus, sweeping one leg behind his brother's knees and pushing him overboard with his shoulder. He yells over the rail to his sputtering sibling.

"Look to Nexus, brother! Greater Anathema than these have set their sights on it!"

-----------

Jian looks to Raluca, then feels his guts, then swears.

"Of course it wasn't real...

[Cyranicles]

Wince had been waiting for the dream to end, but he was almost disappointed to find his way out of it in the midst of such a cathartic endeavor. And sorrier still that he still hears the Saint's words in his ears, "Finish what you start, or it will come back to haunt you."

Odd of the Saint to give him advice...but it's not bad advice. Wince begins asking himself what tasks he might have left unfinished as he strides through the darkness, but he loses that strain of thought as he emerges into the light. His eyes adjust quickly, fast enough to catch the troubled look on Red's face before she turns away.

Hearing Jian's statement, Wince turns to him, sure that Red could live without the attention, Wince says firmly, "It wasn't real but parts of it seemed true." Then in retrospect, "I did not like being robbed of my allies...no sign of Alanadel?"

[Kyeudo]

Alanadel

As Kelrus splashes into the river, the air around you darkens and boils, transforming into black fog that envelops you and cuts off all light. The sounds and smells of the harbor dies away, leaving you once more in the same featureless void with one small difference: A shaft of light now knifes through the darkness in the distance.

[Horatio@Bridge]

Alanadel pauses for a moment, then walks out of the darkness. He's relieved to see that all of his companions have also come through the ordeal safely. He buries his hand in Andrel's fur, glad to be reunited.

"Ah, there he is," Jian says in greeting. "Now that we're all back together, what say we see what's through yonder door?"

[Cyranicles]

Surprised by Jian's readiness to continue so quickly, Wince says, "well, yeah, I guess we could, but...well...did we all experience the same thing in there? I mean, what happened to you Jian?"

[Horatio@Bridge]

I encountered another of this place's sadistic traps," Jian says, shrugging. "Why, did you run into something different?"

[Cyranicles]

Speaking to the group, Wince says, "I guess I'm not sure what happened to me in there. There were elements you might call sadistic...but I think I learned a couple of things too. Heh, I ended up getting advice from The Bloody-handed Saint in my dream. I mean, sure, it was a bit condescending but it wasn't actually bad advice. I don't think that was a trap even though I'm not sure what the exact purpose was. Red, what was it like for you?"

[Ridai]

Raluca looks back at the others for a moment. "It showed me who I am and what I truly want. It hurt, but it wasn't sadistic." Her presence, appearance and voice seem to have taken on a noticably warmer, softer quality, replacing the coldness that dominated all of her features before, making her seem more natural as well as, for the lack of better words, whole and pure (if such a thing is possible for an Abyssal). "Come, let us see this through." Raluca heads towards the golden doors.

[Cyranicles]

Seeing the others eager to progress, Wince begins making for the doors with them, hoping only that the dream-trap, or whatever it was, isn't the only beneficent thing in this place.

[Horatio@Bridge]

Alanadel approaches the door, looking it over carefully. Andrel sniffs around the edges of the door, seeking some clue as to what's behind it. Alanadel casually shares the wolf's senses while he's examining the door visually, taking in everything in a continuous flow.

Jian, meanwhile, looks over the door for any signs of magical traps.

"Well, they certainly have plenty of symbols to hide a trap in," he comments, looking over the door. "Why can't ancient tomb death-traps ever be straight-forward?"

[Kyeudo]

To Andrel's senses, the air smells only of cold stone and a trace of dust, hinting nothing about what lies on the other side of the door. No lock secures the doors and no tripwires or pressure plates are apparent to signal waiting doom.

Jian quickly determines that there are wards upon the doors, but ones serving only to prevent them from being damaged by time. Nothing magically malevolent apears to be at work.

[Ridai]

Raluca looks to Wince and motions towards the door, not seeming wary of any possible traps or tests at all. Together with their leader, the Abyssal pushes the door open.

[Kyeudo]

The space beyond the door is cavernous, the cieling more than five times your height. The room needs the height because two massive armored statues kneel motionless across the room, flanking another pair of golden double doors.

One is golden metal and white jade, inlaid with red and blue jade to accentuate the plates of its armor and the fearsomeness of its warrior mask. The other is silver and detailess, the head a featureless mask of smooth metal, limbs organically curved. Both are torn and dented, as though still fresh from some great battle of titans.

The floor of the room is a massive mosaic, the sun and moon overlapping in the center surrounded by five stars, picked out in gemstones that glitter in the light from the candle-eyed skulls adorning the walls.

[Ridai]

Raluca examines the room and approaches the center. "Does... does this represent your kinds?", the Abyssal asks Wince and Jian, a bit embarrassed by her lack of knowledge about the Exalted in general. She can't seem to take her eyes of the center of the mosaic, feeling something forgotten stirring deep in her mind.

[Cyranicles]

Wince knows only very little about "his kind" but much of the imagery is clear enough. Still, Wince is more inclined to identify with his allies, than with his "kind".

"As far as I'm concerned Red, all of us in this room are the same kind. If we help eachother, that's all I care about. But, yeah, I'd say the golden one is Chosen of the Sun. The shapeless silver one must represent Luna's Chosen."

It's strange for Wince to talk so confidently about gods and their chosen. Small gods and narrow concerns had been more significant to him for so long, but no point denying that he was now a part of something much greater than himself. Getting back to the practical Wince says, "Hey Jian, those things look like they've got battle scars...you don't suppose we are about to deal with more demon armor do you?"

[Horatio@Bridge]

"If so, they'd have to be capable of animating warstriders. And if they're capable of that, they're at least of the Second Circle. It would be a very difficult fight..."

At this, Alanadel readies his power bow.

[Ridai]

Raluca nods at Wince's answer with an inscrutable expression. "Let's just try the doors for now and see what happens." After a last thoughtful look at the mosaic's center, the Abyssal walks over to the golden doors and tries to open them.

[Cyranicles]

"Well, no point in Red being the only one that get's ambushed by demons!" Wince trots up to help her with the doors throwing a question over his shoulder, "what is a "warstrider"?"

[Kyeudo]

The silent colossi do not wake as you cross a sun picked out in rubies and citrines to stand before the last pair of doors. They open inward at but a touch, revealing the splendors housed within.

No more candle-eyed skulls decorate the walls. Instead, the room before you is illuminated by torch-flames that glitter black and gold in place of mortal red. Their light reflects off of countless golden surfaces around the room, causing the air to almost shimmer in the torchlight.

Around the edges of the room stand all sorts of furniture: couches, chairs, cabinets, tables, chests, even a bed. All are carved from ebony, upholstered with white silk, and inlaid with gold. Several racks of weapons, made of gold and silver metal, stand with the furniture.

In the center of the room rest two sarcophogai, one of gold and the other silver. The sides of the coffins are unmarked, but an incredibly life-like relief sculpture adorns each lid, making it apear that someone sleeps partially inveloped by the metal.

Directly across the room is a half-pedestal carved from the wall, atop which rests a jagged, round stone about the size of a hen's egg.

[Ridai]

"Claim your prize," Raluca says to the others and motions towards the room, showing a faint smile but unable to hide a certain uncertainty. She begins to slowly wander the room, just taking in the atmosphere and the surroundings, feeling her nervousness build. After a quick look towards the others, she suddenly stops. Standing near one of the golden walls, Raluca sees her reflection, stunned to see a different image than just a few days ago.

Gone is the coldness that made her look like a pretty statue, replaced by warm, radiant beauty, the emotions visible on her face, the uncertainty and surprise, making the young woman look much more life-like and engaging. It is a subtle change, but the difference is like night and day for Raluca, making this the last sign needed to make her take the next step. After walking over to the sarcophagi, touching both of them and silently thanking both the Solar and Lunar this tomb is dedicated to, the deathknight walks over to the others.

Subtly shivering every now and then, Raluca places the Ruinous Siren, her short sword and the knife hidden in her boot in front of her on the ground and takes off the soulsteel armor, putting it next to her weapons that caused so much destruction and death. The young woman, her pale skin lightly tinted in a golden color, kneels down and remains silent for a moment, trying to calm herself. After taking a deep breath, Raluca speaks in a soft, slightly shaky voice, but doesn't stumble or stop.

"The deathlord He Who Laughs made the offer to become a deathknight only a few days ago. I had returned to Nexus after hiding in the wilderness for months because I stole this sword that slowly tore my family apart. I convinced myself I did it with only the best intentions for my family, but in truth I was just too much of a coward to actually help them. Bounty hunters found and crushed me, I lost hope, knowing I had failed in everything. I accepted the offer, desperately believing I could be a heartless killing machine, that this was my purpose and destiny all along. My transformation turned Riverlaine into Death Row and I butchered the Yoran Kor, the crime lord owning my family's trading caravan, and all of his servants as well as the bounty hunters the same night, reclaiming the sword."

"When I saw you two, Jian and Alanadel, in Death Row, I remembered... my last incarnation's last moments. I saw and felt how you killed the Bloody-Handed Saint and I was glad that you did, that you ended this monster. My... master... had given me no orders, no direction, I didn't even know I was an Abyssal until that moment and I still know next to nothing about what I am. I followed you, curious what you were planning, but I didn't know anything about the hit. I was uncertain whether I should help you or attack you, hoping you would be able to flee on your own. I went into hiding, until Wince found me." Raluca swallows, feeling her eyes watering at the thought what she will have to remember and tell now, lowering her head in shame.

"In the darkness, I was in the streets of Nexus. Everyone feared me, even my brother. When I touched him, his body rotted to the bone before my eyes." Her voice becomes shakier, but she still continues on, unable to stop the flow of words, memories and emotions. "I met my dear friend Gao Shu, begging me not to become a monster when she was suddenly killed in cold blood by another me. I... she confronted me, told me that she did me a favor, that I am a killing machine and that I had acted selfish all my life, in the end forsaking the world for vengeance and power, that I turned away from the truth and wished for an idyllic life I would never find."

Two solemn tears run down Raluca's cheeks again. "And she was right." She looks up to the others, her pain clearly visible on her face. "But I realized I couldn't become a monster, that I don't want to become a monster. I don't want to run away anymore. Gao Shu and every one of you is so much stronger than I ever was and I wish I could be more like all of you. I can't go on like this. I surrender myself completely to you, my fate is in your hands." Finally, Raluca's voice cracks and fails at the end of her confession. Ashamed of herself and frightened of what might come, her fingers dig into her knees, she hangs her head again, unable to look Wince, Jian and Alanadel in the eye. The defeated, shivering Abyssal silently awaits their judgment.

[Cyranicles]

Wince stands for a moment, contemplating the choice before him. Red expects judgement, and has judged herself harshly already. His mind made up, Wince kneels down in front of the deathknight, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Red, I have butchered those who have wronged me and mine. I murdered the Vice Lord Obesian and not content with my revenge, for he had hurt those I love, I infiltrated his estate, stole his wealth, and burnt it to the ground as I fled this city. You have caused death and destruction....and so have I, and your soul is no darker than mine."

"I hear the whispers of this blade, Red. That you have not given in to it's evil is testament to the strength inside you. Your will to defy the nature and purpose given to you by your master is evidence that you WILL overcome."

Wince looks around the room, very serious now, his voice slow and loaded with seething anger. "Let me tell you what I saw in the darkness... I am an orphan. I was taken in by the working women of a whore house here in Nexus. They were my mothers and they were good to me. Vice Lord Obesian set our home ablaze when they would not give in to his extortion. Many died. In the darkness, that is where I was, watching the house burn and unable to stop it. I murdered Obesian again and as he screamed...I heard the Bloody-Handed Saint laughing."

"Then we were back in Matashi. After we killed The Saint, I convinced his men to turn to good, to fighting as a rogue army against the forces of the deathknights. But in my dream, they were back to their old ways, and they were pillaging Matashi. And here is my secret, the one no one knows, and hearing it now means you all are sworn to keep it safe, as my allies and as my friends. In Matashi, those soldiers were trying to find my mothers. I took them from Nexus and hid them in that small town, thinking they'd be safe. But as those soldiers closed in around my mothers, the Saint said to me, "finish what you start, or it will come back to haunt you". We started our journey together as mortals in distant Matashi, we found eachother again in Nexus and once again stood as allies within this Tomb. Let us finish what we started, together, as we were meant to.

You see, Red, you are right. We cannot forsake the world because there is so much worth fighting for...my mothers, your brother. And if you fight by my side then it doesn't matter what long bitter road you traveled to stand with me; it matters only that we stand together. Do we?"

Wince's question is not a challenge, but an offer made with confidence and compassion. He offers his hand to Red as he stands, hoping that she will take it and stand with him.

[Horatio@Bridge]

Jian is looking over the artifacts in the room, and turns in surprise when Raluca starts to speak. When she finishes, he comments to himself.

"Well, that explains a lot."

He walks next to Alanadel as Wince makes his offer of alliance, and the two whisper to each other as Raluca is making up her mind.



Going to let Ridai respond.

[Ridai]

Raluca is stunned by the offer and takes Wince's hand, standing with him. "We do," she answers, showing a weak, but genuine smile. She feels the weight on her conscience lighten, thankful for the mercy offered to her, but Raluca feels (and looks) tired after everything she has been through. "I will be at your side until the end. I promise."

[Cyranicles]

Wince smiles back, "Glad to hear it. For my part, I will always stand by you, no matter what may come." Still holding Red's hand Wince turns to Jian and Alanadel to ask, "Well, what have you two determined?"

[Kyeudo]

Alanadel and Jian's search of the tomb has turned up a wealth of useful treasures, in addition to the incredible wealth of more mundane goods filling the room. These include:

A pair of three-bladed rings made of moonsilver, the blades elegantly curved and decorated with verdigrised copper vines and emerald leaves.

A moonsilver daiklave, its crossguards made in the shape of roaring lions and with a rampant lion in gold across the flat of the blade, resting in an elegant scabbard of moonsilver.

A long powerbow, made of orichalcum and ebony, alongside a quiver of orichalcum arrows, fletched with raiton featers and headed with razor-sharp obsidian broadheads.

The dark red stone from the pedestal, a round sphere made of fourteen square spikes jutting outward, each needle sharp.

A cabinet filled with books and scrolls. The titles include such notables as the Black Treatise, the White Treatise, the Scroll of Limbs, the Absissic Guide, and Celesnine's Book of Thoughts, amoung others.

A small handmirror made of moonsilver, with an orichalcum handle set with small jade buttons.

and a cloak made of a fabric too strange to be natural. It has the feel of silk, but is a strange black color, opaque when out of direct light but translucent in bright illumination.


To be clear: The sarcophogai have not yet been opened.


However, the strangest thing in the tomb is an ordinary, pale blue china plate on top of one of the tables. On top of the plate are five very stale cookies and a folded paper note.



5 cookies says it's Demons. :-p
:smallbiggrin:

[Cyranicles]

Looking over the assembled wealth of this place, Wince is amazed. Old instincts flutter briefly, telling him to grab what is his before someone else does...but times have changed, he has allies now, and a mystery to solve. Pulling his eyes away from the dark chain and the intriguing cloak, Wince focuses on the mysteries still unanswered. With a reassuring squeeze, Wince slowly releases Red's hand and steps up to the plate of stale cookies, lifting and reading the note aloud.

[Kyeudo]

"I'm sorry for all the trouble on your way in, but you wouldn't believe the number of tomb robbers that will try to get in here over the years.

If you are reading this, then I am dead. Don't worry too much about that. I'll die of a heart attack long before that plague kills everyone. I feel I owe you some explanation for everything that will happen. You were my friend, after all, and you died trying to make this world a better place.

The world is going mad. There is no doubt about that. The sun-kings daily find new ways to commit attrocities, in the name of peace or progress or sheer boredom. They squabble over petty things and thousands of lives are lost in the process. The few that do not do nothing, shut away from the world for whatever reasons they might have. We must do something, but what we will do will be terrible.

My brothers and sisters will see to it that the world survives until your day. That young idealist won't have it any other way, even if he has to kill others of the Maiden's Chosen with his own hands. Were there another way than the course we will take, but there is not. The Gold Faction will not understand their vision. They will mistake the timing of it. To try now would see the world burn forever.

So I leave it to you. You will live in a time of turmoil like never before, but you will have a chance to set things right. I cannot see beyond your day, so I can only hope you find some use for what I leave here for you. Good luck.

Samir Algaeto

P.S. I'm sorry the cookies won't be any good when you find them, but perhaps the thought counts for something. They were fresh when I left them."

[Cyranicles]

As he concludes the note Wince finds himself dealing with unexpected emotions. He addresses his quiet confusion by rereading the note, being sure he has extracted as much information as he can, so that he won't appear stupid when he begins to ask Jian questions.

But the other emotions that rise up are intertwined with his new memories. The name at the bottom of the note evokes a smile, while the reference to Sun-kings stirs up feelings of anger and betrayal.

Wince hopes his face has not given too much away to his companions, he doesn't want to have to answer questions about things he doesn't understand yet. Attempting to redirect the conversation, Wince jokes when he finishes reading the note a second time, "Guess there's nothing special about the cookies, heh."

[Ridai]

"I guess you were a leader then and you are a leader now," Raluca says, flashing an encouraging smile before she helps with focussing everyone's attention onto something more immediate. "I think we should see if we can use some of this stuff. I hate to ask, but do you think there might be something useful in the sarcophagi? We can probably use any advantage we can get."

[Cyranicles]

Wince is grateful to Red for shifting the topic to something more immediate. "Yeah, you've got a point. It's really weird to say it but...I guess this is my sarcophagus...so I guess I'll open it."

Stepping up to the golden sarcophagus Wince takes a moment to admire the workmanship before carefully removing the lid.

[Kyeudo]

The form atop the golden sarcophogus is that of an attractive young woman, brown haired and well tanned, sleeping peacefully. Her clothes, carved cunningly so that the cloth seems about to rustle from the slightest breeze from your hand, are loose fitting garments in black and white silk, draped across an athlete's body. The illusion is shattered as you slide the lid from the coffin, the sleeper's form remaining as frozen as ice. The lid is heavy and, even though set down with care, it comes to rest on the ground with a loud thud.

Time has not been kind to the body within the casket. Only yellowed bones and dust remain of what was once a proud Solar Exalt. The few artifacts buried with her, however, survived the centuries unharmed. The skeleton still wears a pair of orichalcum bracers around its wrists, inlaid with silver wire depicting sunrise and sunset and an expanse of stars between.

But the object that truly catches your eye is coiled next to the corpse like the snake in whose image it was made. Made of six black chains braided together and affixed to weights shaped like the head of a striking viper, the fighting chain is a stunning and deadly piece of art. Its eyes and fangs gleam gold and a single touch reveals that every link of each chain is covered in obsidian scales.


Just realized that it made far more dramatic sense to put Seven Shadows Serpent in the sarcophogus than outside it, so I moved it.

[Horatio@Bridge]

"Unless I miss my guess, that is a hearthstone, meaning that this is a hearth-room, meaning that we are in a manse. It's not too much to extrapolate that if one of us were to attune to the manse, we would be able to control it and have it let us out."

He examines the hearth-stone, trying to determine what powers it may have and what rating the manse might be.

"And once we're out, we can discuss what happens next. That was the deal, after all."



I think I need to take my Novice's initiation into Geomancy with some of that XP.

rolling to figure out the manse, Int + Occult, spending 4 motes for two auto successes.

[roll0]

[Ridai]

"To be honest, I wouldn't mind staying a bit longer, that bed looks awfully tempting," Raluca comments as she points at the silver sarcophagus and looks at Wince questioningly. Unless he objects, Raluca carefully slides the lid of the coffin and respectfully removes the artefacts inside.

[Cyranicles]

"Bed, eh?" Wince questions. Then, looking around at one of the luxuriant silken beds in the tomb Wince says, "I'd suppose of these might be more comfortable. I'd say "to each their own" but I'd first like to know whose sarcophagus this is before we find a new use for it..."

"Also Jian, I have a few questions for you. First, what is a hearthstone? Or a manse for that matter? Also, I get a few intuitions from this note here, but what can you make of it?"

"Also, regarding Red, I might agree that it is best to make our way out of this place before finishing our conversation from earlier, but please consider that she and I already have an understanding and we stand together."

[Ridai]

Raluca lets out a small chuckle. "I'm not talking about the coffins, silly. Anyway, if you think we should discuss our plans outside, that is fine with me."

[Cyranicles]

Wince laughs at his misunderstanding, "Oh, alright, good, I'm definitely prepared to relax a bit in here before we head out. Let's finish looking around first though." With that, Wince takes a close look at the silver sarcophagus before gesturing for Red to remove the lid.

[Kyeudo]

Atop the silver casket is the sculpted form of a bare-chested man, a huge mane of tawny gold hair cascading down around his head. His hands are clasped on top of his chest, revealing that in place of fingernails he has a lion's claws. Even though apearing asleep, his face is solemn and determined.

Within the sarcophogus you find more bones, brittle and crumbling with age, a polished moonsilver breastplate, and a pair of moonsilver bracers. Both artifacts are decorated with reliefs of stalking lions prowling fields of tall grass.


Jian realizes a two things:
First, the tomb rests on a demense much more powerful than the hearthstone it produces. The extra power is being funneled into all the traps and features that protect the tomb.
Second, the heathstone is a one dot Abyssal hearthstone that enhances the deadliness of any weapon it is set into. Call it the Stone of Sharp Edges if you will.

[Cyranicles]

Wince falls into silence as he contemplates the things he's learning from this tomb. While the others peer into the silver sarcophagus Wince quietly moves over to the golden one. Kneeling there, he runs his hand over the image of what must have been his former self.

After a few moments Wince breaks his silence to see what he can piece together, "Jian...how does this work? I think a part of me was once a part of this woman. I want to know her name." It is strange to think of part of himself having once been female, but Wince can find no shame in it, even though a few weeks ago he would have done just that.

"Also, there's a lot of gold and silver images and statues and what not in this tomb, is there something special about your kind and mine? I wish I knew these things."

[Ridai]

After removing the artefacts, Raluca carefully closes the silver sarcophagus again. "I remember short moments from the lives of the Bloody-Handed Saint and a tyrannical queen. Whatever makes us anathema seems to pass from host to host. Maybe I only became a deathknight because you killed the Saint. But the connection between your kinds intrigues me, it feels... familiar. Those entombed here seem like they might have been a couple."

[Horatio@Bridge]

Jian glances toward Raluca when she comments on the relationship between the two deceased, thinking briefly on his experiences in the dream trap.

Alanadel steps into the gap.

"Legend says that the souls of the Anathema had to be sealed away to prevent their return. The Immaculate Monks claim that we all reincarnate continuously. If the seal on the souls of the Anathema had failed, it could be that you have inherited that soul."

Jian nods. "That's seems about right, though what I've read about Exaltation is that it's more of an...addition to your soul rather than the hun itself. Still, the principle of how it's passed on is fairly similar."

"In any case, I've determined that the manse is actually Abyssal in nature. Raluca, I think it would probably be easiest for you to attune to it."

He watches her for a moment, seeing how she responds to the use of her name.



I had a long post on demesnes and manses, but the forum wouldn't let me post it. Presume that Jian explains them.

[Kyeudo]

Any number of people can attune to a manse.

[Ridai]

Raluca's head perks up as she hears her name, uncertain how to react, remembering He Who Laughs' words. Reluctantly nodding, continuing her rebellion against her former master, expecting a feeling like when she avoided the trap earlier, alien cold hatred and anger stinging her very soul. There is something, but it is so faint it might not even be there, leaving Raluca visibly confused. "Doesn't... He Who Laughs have power over my name?", she asks quietly, a little embarassed. Quickly turning towards the hearthstone, she follows Jian's instructions and her intuition, attuning to it and, on a hunch, puts it into the Siren.

[Cyranicles]

Wince replies..."Power over your name? I guess it's very different being chosen by the deathknights. There was no conversation when I gained my power, and no conditions. What was it like for you Red?" Wince doesn't want to speak this other name that Jian used unless it turns out to be wise.

[Ridai]

Raluca doesn't look at Wince while she explains, still working on the hearthstone and attunement, her expression darkening as she remembers the bleakest part of her life. "The deathlord appeared before me when I was dying from a caved-in chest. He offered me power so I could help my family and get revenge on the bounty hunters and the crimelord Yoran Kor. In turn, he wanted wanted me to give up my name, give up my destiny in Creation and wanted me to serve his masters, 'the rightful rulers of Creation, until their suffering ends'. I was supposed to lead armies and cut down their enemies until not one was left, I guess. You know the rest of the story."

[Horatio@Bridge]

"They didn't happen to mention who those enemies were, did they?"

[Ridai]

"Everyone who took Creation from them, in the deathlord's words. And presumably everyone serving them in one form or another. No specifics." Raluca stops for a moment, remembering something. "I saw some of the Saint's memories in my dreams. He Who Laughs plans to create fear in Nexus, make them paranoid, ready to lash out at anything resembling a danger by first creating fear in their leaders. Two Abyssals named Moonlight on a Rippling Pond and Reaper of the Grey Harvest had recruited a Marukani army for the Saint, another two named Dust and Echoes as well as Blood Stains the Stones were sent to help and serve him. And before you ask, I didn't meet one Abyssal yet."

[Horatio@Bridge]

Raluca's words bring both Jian and Alanadel to a halt.

"Dragons preserve..."

"Four Abyssal Exalted?" Jian says incredulously. "And those dedicated just to operations outside the city..."

He looks around. "I'd better get to identifying this stuff." He picks up some of the weapons, getting an idea of any special properties they might possess.

[Kyeudo]

After examining the weapons thoroughly, you are able to move on to the other odd items in the tomb. A few motes of Essence and several moments of fiddling with the jade buttons on the mirror causes the surface to liquify, shaping itself into a likeness of the city above. Every street in Nexus within about two miles of the tomb is exquisitely shaped in minature on the surface. A handful of adamant sand rushes out of the handle and flows through the streets, moving about as though actual people. Each grain glitters a different color as it moves.


As for the others:
The daiklave and power bow are exactly as they appear in the core book.
The books are as described in the White Treatise and the Roll of Glorious Divinity II. There is a rare minor plate in the Abyssic Guide, the Trickster, which I still need to type up.
Amoung the books are scrolls detailing the Charms from the Ebon Shadow, Snake, and Tiger styles of Celestial Martial Arts.
The bladed rings are Typhoon Wheels, detailed in Scroll of the Monk (I figured Jian would like a pair of artifact chakrams to replace his mundane one).
The quiver of arrows is detailed here (http://www.patternspider.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=6475).
Cyranicles already knows the qualities of his new fighting chain.
The cloak can be attuned for 5 motes and costs 3 motes to activate for a scene. It causes the wear to blend in with shadows, adding three dice to Stealth rolls and negating the need for cover, but only at night.

[Cyranicles]

Wince gapes as the mirror morphs and moves into an aerial view of the city. "These artifacts are incredible," he says as he fingers the smooth scales of the serpentine fighting chain, "I wonder what the purpose of this panic might be...and how best to respond."

[Ridai]

Raluca winces in pain as the hateful whispers grow into a roar for a moment, punishing her for acknowledging her name while she grits her teeth. "Damn it. I don't know why it didn't hurt when I answered Jian, guys, but please stick with Red for now."

After recovering, she gets to testing the equipment. "My guess would be that they want to control Nexus. He Who Laughs talked about not wanting to draw attention to the deathlords' and deathknights' activities as opposed to the ruler of Thorns. Maybe they plan to replace those in charge. Either we find their agents or we look for the Abyssals themselves."

Raluca grabs the silver armor and bracers and gives them to Jian. "Put them on, should be easy to conceal and help with keeping you alive." Afterwards, she picks up the silver daiklave, tries to attune to it and draws it from the scabbard.

[Cyranicles]

"Yeah, panic might make people easily swayed, but that could work against them just as easily as it could work for them. I wonder if they want Nexus in panic so it's distracted from some other threat..." Then Wince laughs, "heh, I wonder what they expect to scare the people of Nexus? A shadowland just popped up in the middle of town and no one even batted an eye! Nexusians are a pretty tough bunch to phase."

As Wince speaks he drops Gravewaker into his pack and tries connecting his essence with that of the new chain, which seems to twitch and move of it's own accord while Wince makes the attempt.

[Kyeudo]

Alright, someone propose a plan of action and tell me you are doing it. I don't care if it's "we sleep on it for now and deal with stuff in the morning." Everyone seems to have said their piece, so we'd best move the game along or we'll never get around to people getting to use the new toys.

[Ridai]

Finishing up with examining what they have found, the Siren secured in the silver scabbard and the spare daiklave left where it was before, Raluca lets out a small yawn. "Alright, lead on to wherever you want to discuss what's next. Could just stay here, but I guess I'm the only one comfortable in a tomb."

[Horatio@Bridge]

"I'm not quite sure what to do to get out of here again," Jian says. "Does your attunement give you any guidance?"

[Kyeudo]

Attuning the hearthstone does not give Red any sudden knowledge of the tomb. The only way out seems to be the way you came.

[Ridai]

Raluca shakes her head. "Looks like we have to find out." After a final look around, she leaves the room the way they came.

[Horatio@Bridge]

"I see," Jian remarks. "Well, in that case it's probably a good idea if we all attune to the manse before leaving. That might give us some protection against the death traps."

[Ridai]

"Sure, go ahead." Raluca leans against the open door while she waits for the others. "Wince, would you mind if I sleep here in the future, if we can exit safely? There is a constant itch when I'm outside of a shadowland or the underworld and I don't have that in here."

[Horatio@Bridge]

Jian and Alanadel begin to attune to the manse. Once finished, they gather up the artifacts and get ready to head to the surface.

[Kyeudo]

As Red steps out into the antechamber, the jeweled mosaic begins to glow from within. The amethysts, rubys, saphires, emeralds, and citrines that shape the forms of the Five Maidens glitter with starlight. The diamonds that form the face of Luna shine with silver light. The light of all of them is nothing compared to the blaze of light shining from the golden topaz that forms the likeness of the Unconquered Sun. It drowns out the flickering candle flames of the skulls on the walls, filling the room with a warm glow.

[Cyranicles]

Wince wraps the serpentine chain around his waist as he follows the others out of the room. His response to Red's question barely escapes his lips as a muffled "sure" as he steps into the room where the brilliantly lit mosaic twinkles before them.

[Ridai]

"Hmm." Raluca just takes in what she sees for a while and starts to examine the various gems, starting with the topaz, touching them to see if anything happens.

[Horatio@Bridge]

"Ah," Jian murmurs. "The manse seems to appreciate being attuned. I wonder what precisely this means, though." He kneels next to the mural, examining it closely.

[Kyeudo]

Tapping the gems seems to get no reaction from the mosaic. Jian's examination turns up nothing unexpected, only that Essence fuels the lights within the gemstones.

[Cyranicles]

Wince laughs at yet another inexplicable phenomenon. "Heh, what in creation were our past selves thinking when they made this place?" Shaking his head, Wince strolls directly across the center of the room toward the exit, saying "It was hard enough getting in here, we don't need MORE mysteries and challenges on the way out!"

[Ridai]

"Definitely. Maybe it was placed here to encourage you upon your return." Raluca walks alongside Wince, glad to feel the mood lightening, despite the task ahead of them. We are used to living in chaos, after all.

[Kyeudo]

As Red leaves the room, the glow dies inside the mosaic, returning the room to normal. Ahead, you see the wall of darkness, but as you aproach, it parts like a curtain, easily allowing you through.


Assuming you keep continuing forward . . .


The hallway where you battled demons is cleared of the results of battle. The suits of armor stand where they were, polished and unharmed, but also unmoving. Perhaps most thankful of all, that seemingly endless labyrinth of rooms has been reduced to a single chamber. You climb out the stairway into the mausoleum hall, the false sarcophogus closing behind you.


One piece of information that Jian probably couldn't help but figure out is that the warstriders in the antechamber are far too large to have entered the tomb by the same path as you. The doors, while large, are not accomodating enough for a twenty-five foot giant.

[Ridai]

"Lead on," Raluca says as she covers up the scabbard and adjusts it's position on her back with just a thought.

[Horatio@Bridge]

Once on the surface, Jian turns to Wince.

"Well, sir, a deal is a deal. We've helped you find your history and master the manse, and so now it's time to see what can be done about the city's problems."

[Cyranicles]

"The city does have problems. We have a number of problems as well. Somebody was sending assassins after you two. There are deathknights who must be stopped. I have a small group of soldiers in Matashi awaiting orders. And I need some time to study my new abilities so that I can use them to the fullest. Lastly, I do not believe we'd addressed the question of whether you accept Red as our ally. Suggestions on where we start?"

[The Blue Guard]

The city streets beyond the heavenly side of the seventeenth celestial gate was crowded by a thriving market. Exotic goods from Creation flowed through the gate, and into this market where they then spread out across Yu-Shan. All of this was currently conducted under the light of the Unconquered Sun's namesake, the bright noon-day glow basking the city for as long as he remained ahead in the games. Amidst the crowd of spirits buying and selling, Jania - Chosen of Mercury, and former self-declared Queen of Bandits - was making her way through to the celestial gate, its archway of four magical materials standing proud as it sat in an adamant wall.

A woman of middling height, with autumn hair, new bark skin, and a twenty-something's features all wrapped up in yellow-tinted cloth of unheavenly standard. The reason for her shabby attire - at least compared to her usual finery - was that she had recently received an assignment from Komino Xumafa, the head of the fate-planning committee she was a member of. The scroll was tucked into her tunic, but its gist was the usual gibe about Nexus: fate hadn't happened as was planned which caused a tangle in the weave, and now she had to go and try to mitigate possible future occurrences.

As she approached the gate the celestial lions all noted her on their plinths, but only one moved to aid her passage through the gate to Creation. "Nice, sunny day." Jania tried cheerfully as she fished the scroll out to show the celestial lion. A formality because of her residence in Yu-Shan, but ever since she'd seen what a celestial lion was capable of she aways felt it prudent to be polite if she could afford it. The orichalcum lion said nothing to show he appreciated the effort as he sat a paw against the door. "Thank you." She tried again with a more defeated tone, but the lion had already moved back to his place beside the gate. At least I try, she reasoned to herself as usual. Doesn't make me less of a putz, though.

Stepping through the gate into the fifty-foot hallway of opaque adamant her eyes caught the shifting of the skydome before she rushed off into Creation - Mercury had usurped the Unconquered Sun in the games.

Stepping through the adamant gate into the warehouse beyond Jania paid little attention to the surroundings she had seen many times before. Outside was the Firewander district which sat in the south-eastern corner of the city of Nexus. Fortunately for Jania she knew what had caused planned fate to go awry, a shadowland. Unfortunately she had no idea where in Nexus it is. This meant touching base with the locals, if there was a shadowland in Nexus then one of her contacts has to know where it is. With a flourish of mental control Jania pulled the strings of her resplendent destiny around her. In that instant she became Jubilant Rat, a local labourer.

With her disguise in place she shoved her starmetal amulet and its hearthstone down her tunic before heading out into the city to find her local contact in Nexus Nifesei, the Ebon Owl.

[Horatio@Bridge]

"I think Alanadel has some thoughts on the subject of Raluca," Jian says, nodding to his companion.

A little uncomfortable at being put on the spot, Alanadel steps forward to speak. "As far as I am concerned, you are all Anathema. Still, it is by your deeds that you are judged, not by a lifeless creed, and by your deeds, Jian and Wince, you have proven a deep desire to protect people and defeat this growing menace. This is a goal I share, and as long as your deeds show that it is your goal as well, we can work together to complete it. As for Red, I am willing to work with her so long as her deeds are consistent with our goals."

"Telling us everything she knows about deathknights, shadowlands, and the powers she answers to would be a good start," Jian chimes in.



Sorry for being a bit antagonistic with Jian, but there's just something about Raluca that rubs him the wrong way. :-p

[Ridai]

Raluca gives Alanadel a determined nod, appreciating the chance to prove herself. If only Jian would think similarly, but considering what she said and did in the past, it is probably her own fault. "I already told you almost everything I know. The only things I could add are that I feel better in that shadowland and the Underworld and can regain... strength there, as opposed to Creation and that deathlords seem to offer becoming a deathknight to wicked individuals when they are dying. At least that's how it was for the Saint and myself. Apart from that, nothing. Neither He Who Laughs nor any of his servants contacted me or told me anything and that one assassin seemed like he was under mind control or something as he couldn't remember a damn thing after you two were gone." Raluca explains to the best of her ability, but she knows her insights are very limited.

[Cyranicles]

Wince smiles broadly as Alanadel renders his judgement. If this strange crew could come together in common purpose, then there is good cause for hope.

After Raluca reiterates what little she knows Wince tries to take a serious tone, though he can't hide his smirk as he remarks to Alanadel, "I think what's most important right now, is that Jian has been Anathema longer than anybody else here. So if you start getting itchy to put stick some arrows in an Anathema...just sayin'."

Wince grins at Jian, confident the Lunar can take a joke.

[Horatio@Bridge]

Alanadel nods, a grave expression on his face.

"If it becomes necessary, his death will be as quick and merciful as I can provide."

Jian's eyes boggle at this.

"What! You can't seriously think...surely this is a joke...I've been fighting with you this whole time!"

Alanadel stands stoically under Jian's shocked rant for a few seconds, then slowly a smile begins to crack through. Jian pauses.

"Oh, ha ha, very funny."

[Ridai]

Raluca tries to keep herself from laughing out loud, but still can't suppress a lighthearted chuckle. She savored the chance to enjoy herself a little again. "But seriously, what I promised extends to all of you. I have lied to you, I said things I shouldn't have said, but if there is anything I can do to make you give me just one chance to prove myself, I'll gladly do it for you."

[Cyranicles]

"I suspect that you'll have plenty of opportunities to prove yourself, given what we're taking on..."

"So, while this may be inelegant, I think we basically need to find deathknights and kill them..." After a quick glance at Red, Wince adds, "OR redeem them."

"Ahem. So how do we find them? Where are they?"

[Horatio@Bridge]

"From what we've been able to gather, there's some force in Nexus trying to get people to declare war. They're stirring up paranoia and fear. The Bloody-Handed Saint was sent out to create a viable threat with the Marukani raiders, but that's just a tool to achieve some greater end. Gao Shu has been poking around high society to try to find out who supports and who's against raising troops and is trying to agitate against the idea. We're hoping that resistance will force the powers behind this to act a bit more openly.

The problem is, I'm not exactly sure what is to be gained by fomenting fear and violence in the area. Given that deathknights are involved, I doubt it's something as prosaic as the iron-mongers trying to drum up a bit of business."

A thought occurs to him.

"Raluca, you mentioned someone called "He Who Laughs." It sounds like he might be behind a bunch of this. At the very least, he's recruiting for whoever's actually pulling the strings. Do you know who he is, where he might be found, or anything like that? Is he another deathknight?"

[Cyranicles]

Wince interjects, "Red, Jian. Red is the name I'm familiar with."

[Ridai]

Raluca throws Jian a confused look, obviously still baffled why she can answer her name when Jian says it, but not when someone else does. She resolves to discuss this in private with him later. "I don't know anything about He Who Laughs except that he isn't a deathknight, but a deathlord."

[Horatio@Bridge]

Jian glances at Wince, but Raluca's comment distracts him from answering.

"Deathlord, deathlord...Guild alchemy really doesn't touch on the Underworld much...they're some sort of ruler of ghosts, right? Odd...why would they have much interest in Creation? A little outside their bailiwick." He frowns.

"Well, it seems like we need more information about the Underworld. Alanadel and I tried looking into that new shadowland, but we had to leave before sunset. Since you're a bit more at home there, maybe you could explore it a bit more fully? Find out some more about this He Who Laughs person, what his goals are, all that? Shouldn't be too hard, since technically you are supposed to be working for him," He says, addressing Raluca.

"In the meantime, we need to talk to some independent necromancers. The Sijan priests are pretty neutral in all these things, so we might be able to do a bit of fact checking with them. Also, we need to follow up on our leads in town. Gao Shu should have some information by now. We should meet with her to see what she's discovered."

[Ridai]

"The one who conquered Thorns is a deathlord, for example. They are probably way more powerful than deathknights if they can turn humans into them, but they are also servants, I think. Anyway, if you think it's for the best, I'll go to the Underworld, just tell me where I can find you once I'm done. And I trust that you will treat Gao Shu well and keep her safe." Raluca is a bit disappointed that she won't come with them to meet her dear friend.

[Horatio@Bridge]

"Hmm...no need to rush off. I suspect you'll get more information tomorrow night. Let's find a safe house and rest up a bit. We can meet Gao Shu at noon. In the meantime, do you know any place where I can find some extraordinary pigeons?"

[Ridai]

Raluca raises an eyebrow. "Sorry, no idea. But I think we won't find anything safer than this tomb right here, honestly."

[Horatio@Bridge]

"Eh, that's fine. I can find them myself. I suppose that's part of the point, after all.

Okay, so, I need to run a personal errand. I should be back in about six hours. I'll pick up Gao Shu on the way back here, and we can meet in our new hideout. Does that work for everyone?"

[Ridai]

"Yes, but.. do you have a moment? I'd like to discuss something in private with you. Just a minute or two."

[Horatio@Bridge]

Jian nods.

"Sure, as long as you don't mind talking while we walk to the park."

[Horatio@Bridge]

Alanadel watches the exchange, a little non-plussed at Jian's casual decision to wander away from the group. He clears his throat.

"You're heading out alone?"

Jian blinks.

"Well, no, Raluca is with me."

"And were you planning to stick together for the next six hours?"

Jian seems taken aback.

"Not really...I figured she had something else to do."

Alanadel frowns.

"I really don't think it's a good idea for us to split up. Our enemies are still out there, and there are dozens of assassins for hire in this town. Red, if you wanted to talk with Jian alone, I'll respect that, but I would prefer it if you two would stay together until we meet back here."

At this Jian's composure breaks.

"Hey, we're all Exalts here. I don't need a babysitter! Besides, if the idea is to have someone watching our backs, she's the last person I'd want for that! Or have you forgotten that she just stood by and watched while half a dozen thugs tried to off us?"



Ah, the joys of arguing with myself.

[Ridai]

"Fine with me," Raluca answers Alanadel before Jian protests. She sighs, knowing he won't give her a real chance any time in the near future. "Okay, okay, forget it, it was a dumb idea. I'll turn in for the night, then."

Got an internal server error while initially posting the message. I reposted it, as it didn't show up as a new post before. :smallconfused:

[Horatio@Bridge]

"No, you should go," Alanadel says. "Trust can't be earned if it's never given an opportunity."

Jian fumes, but can't debate the logic of this. He refuses to admit so out loud, though. Frowning, he jerks his head toward the park, inviting Raluca to come along.

[Cyranicles]

Wince appears bemused as he watches the exchange between his companions. It appears everyone has good intentions, so Wince smiles, confident that everything will work out soon. He remarks to Alanadel while shouldering his pack, "I'm just going to go ahead and assume any of that made sense. I'm going to take this time to go meet a friend I haven't seen in a while. Want to come along? We wouldn't want to be alone after all."

[Kyeudo]

Jania

Nobody pays much attention to the laborer walking the streets, not even the thieves. Too much muscle and too little money to be worth the trouble of robbing and not important enough or poor enough to look out of place in either the Firewander or the Nexus districts.

It takes you several hours of walking to reach Nifesei's abode on the north end of the Nexus district. The place is perhaps best described as nondescript. Its walls are simple plaster and devoid of any color but soot stains, the roof covered in ordinary wooden shingles, aged but in good repair, and the door is plain oak. Were you unaware of who it was who lived here, there would be nothing to mark this as anything special.

Of course, appearances are decieving. Nifesei, like most who deal in secrets, is somewhat paranoid about disgruntled clients and assassins. The plaster is over solid brick, the door is three inches thick, and every room probably contains at least three hidden weapons.

When you knock at the door, a small window opens, just a crack at first, then enough to see a pair of eyes on the other side. "Who is it?" a voice on the other side grumbles.

[Ridai]

Raluca follows Jian, but stays silent for a little while to let him cool off before she speaks. "Did you by any chance notice something strange when you first called me by my name in the tomb? I felt... hateful whispers, cutting like knives into me when I answered Wince, but nothing happened when I answered you. It was like... the whispers were still there, but frustrated, powerless..." Finding the right words is hard for her, but it is clear that this thoroughly confuses her. She closely observes Jian's reaction after she falls silent.

[Horatio@Bridge]

"Whispers?" Jian asks, raising an eyebrow. "I've had a few dreams of past lives, picked up a few new skills that seemed like I'd always known...is it like that? Perhaps memories of the Bloody-Handed Saint tormenting you from your subconscious?"

Jian's earlier antipathy seems to have been forgotten in his curiosity over this new puzzle.

[Ridai]

"I remember another life apart from the Saint, but it seems... much more ancient. And insane. I didn't really pick new skills, but I became much better at what I could already do. And, well, obviously my body changed a lot over the last few days." Raluca pauses for a moment, clenching her fist and relaxing it again, feeling the newfound strength she gained. "But the whispers... they were there when I changed and they react to what I do, like they are always, always watching... I don't think they are a part of me, they feel so alien and..." The deathknight stops at that point, probably saying much more with this than any further words. Still, she keeps her head up, her steps undeterred.

[Horatio@Bridge]

"So, you're saying you're walking around with a spy in your head?" Jian asks, rounding on his companion. "Great! There's no way that won't come around to bite us."



I apologize if I'm coming on too strong with Jian. I can tone it down a bit if it's too much.



-----------

"Of course," Alanadel agrees to Wince's suggestion. "I was about to suggest it."

He falls in beside his new ally. He'd seen Wince fight the Bloody Handed Saint, so was fairly comfortable with him. Still...

"So, did you resolve things satisfactorily in Matashi?"



I can't remember what Alanadel knows about Wince's post-Saint adventures.

[Ridai]

"What?" Raluca just stares for a moment. She opens her mouth, ready to let out the sudden anger, but she just closes it again tries to swallow her frustration. "I don't think it works that way. And why would they punish me for answering to my name, but not for betraying He Who Laughs?" She answers somewhat calmly, restraining herself even though she dislikes doing so.

It's fine. We'll see how Raluca handles ongoing accusations/mental abuse.

[Horatio@Bridge]

I must admit, there is some amusement in the fact that the Lunar half is heaping abuse on the Solar half rather than the other way around as is usually the case. The irony of this fact may be a subtle encouragement to Jian's continued bad behavior. >.>



"Hmph," Jian grouses, not quite convinced. "When you say they punish you, what does that mean?"

[Ridai]

"It feels like thousands of freezing cold knives, teeth and claws being thrust into my mind and soul and the whispers turn into hateful, furious screams. Apart from Wince calling me by my name, it also happened when I used my power to save myself from a trap. The whispers come from many sources. And they are much more frightening than He Who Laughs." The need to lash out rises, amplified by the bloodlust haunting her since she changed, making Raluca grit her teeth to keep it down.

It's the rough initial phase. Raluca has three points in Conviction and Temperance, so she'll probably endure for a while (depending on how abusive Jian is), given her being a Dusk caste Abyssal, not exactly a peaceful woman and their relationship already starting out strained quite a bit, the breaking point will be reached and Raluca will lash out violently (literally).

But I do want to see their relationship move beyond this stage, and Jian picking on her, in one way or another.

[Horatio@Bridge]

Jian frowns.

"Well, those two events certainly don't have much in common. Whoever set this up, their standards are hardly rational."

He thinks for a few moments.

"There are various magical means to enforce contracts and compulsions. You say that He Who Laughs recruited you...it may be that he laid some sort of curse on you when you accepted to ensure that you did what he told you. Though why preserving your life against a trap would be against the contract is beyond me." He shakes his head. "See, this is why it's a bad idea to make deals with creepy old men wielding eldritch powers from beyond the boundaries of space and time." He pauses for a moment. "I wonder if Luna would qualify under that description..."

[Ridai]

Raluca stays silent for a while again to calm herself down now that her companion is done with venting for now. "So, if I may ask, what was your change like?"

[Horatio@Bridge]

"Non-contractual, to start with," Jian quips. "I'm not even sure Luna knows that I have one of her Exaltations. Which avoids certain complications, I suppose." He pauses, thinking back on the experience. "It was a rush of power while protecting my family in Matashi. I say non-contractual, but I should also say it was non-consensual too. One moment I was fighting for my life, the next there was a wash of silver light and I was easily overmatching the bandits. Heh...and my abilities don't even naturally lend themselves to combat. There were...not memories, so much, but knowledge. I just knew that I could perform Sorcery, and I just knew a few helpful spells. And it was easy to call on that knowledge and power to throw back the attacks. Mostly, it was if I were born again into a new and greater existence. Though I'm not sure how appropriate that analogy is, since I don't properly remember what being born was like!" He chuckles, putting a hand behind his head in mild embarrassment as he laughs at himself.