The Return of the Scarlet Empress IC

[industrious]

At what point can we say that an Age has ended? What is the line by which we separate the periods of history? Do we apply rigorous principles to each period, or allow each one to be determined squarely on it's own merits. The events nearly a century ago can definitely have said to have ended the previous Age. The problem is which date. Through rigorous interviews with all relevant survivors of that period of incidents, and with rigid scholarship, I will attempt to argue that our current Age truly began in what was then know as Realm Year 790, on the Third Night of Calibration... - Opening of a Lecture given by Kruschadopolis V, Master Historian, PSE 92

Part I: A Carnival of Meetings

Waypoint is a small old fort at the edge of Lookshy's territory. Its stone walls are slightly worn down, and if its gear is years out of date, and its troop complement is barely more than a fang's worth, then none complain. It's about as non-military as Lookshy is capable of.

It's purpose nowadays is a trading post; situated near one of the more major trade routes to Lookshy proper, those seeking to move goods overland inevitably stop at Waypoint. Some days the fort bustles with energy as merchants and sell-swords spend a night (but never more, for there are more important places to be) there, and the jade and silver is plentiful. Tonight, the fort is quiet, for few dare to be on unfamiliar ground during Calibration. Familiar gods during this time of year, and a head near to the ground at all times.

Tonight, it was raining, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

Rose

"Now, look," said the Dragon-Blood at the barstool next to her, a drink strong enough that the alcohol stung her nostrils in his hand. "I see your point. I know that weapons are incredibly useful in a fight. I see how their needed. But still. But still."

He waves a shaking hand up from the counter. The two of them, plus the man tending bar, are the only ones in the largish inn.

"I still think that using a weapon-any weapon, ruins the...the...the purity of the martial arts. You see what I'm saying?"

The Exalt shakes his head and finishes his drink, nearly falling off as he does so.

"Now, anyway...I run a dojo in Lookshy proper; I was visiting a friend of mine out here, you see. And you seem like an alright sort. If you need anything...anything at all...here."

He takes a small piece of paper, and presses it into her hand. On one side, in neatly printed letters, is the name of a dojo in Lookshy, and rough directions to it from each of the city gates.

"Thanks for indulging me...'Scuse me."

He lurches up from his seat, and stumbles up the stairs and out of sight. On the other side of the bar, the only other man in the ground floor of the inn remains silent.

Sierra

This wasn't the first time that she had woken up in a strange inn.

This was not the first time that she was wearing something entirely different than she had last remembered.

This was not the first time that she felt almost-entirely-healed-but-still-twingy-bruises on her.

So. This again.

There's a note pinned to the door by a knife. It's unsigned. It always is.

Fort Waypoint. Edge of Lookshyian territory. Bartender owes you a drink.

Penumbra

Three targets.

Three targets, and it had taken time and it had taken planning to get herself in a position for a perfect kill. Three targets that had been sadistic to those they held enslaved in their grasp. Three deaths tailored in a manner that was near enough to an art form.

Three targets that had been dead when she had gotten in position.

Three consecutive targets who had been dead before she had gotten to them. Someone was copycatting. Or trying to upstage her. Show her up.

She had tagged the person responsible with an arrow, tracked them to this small fort, this Waypoint. She lay in wait in the long grasses on either side of the beaten path.

Time to meet the other interested party.

Skandi: En Route to Waypoint, Western Route

It looked small, and judging by the watch lights on the wall, ill-defended. The stonework was solid enough though, that most would think twice about making an attempt. Beseige it for long enough, though, and it would starve itself out. Especially if you tried to take it when it was filled with merchant trains.

But it wasn't and he wasn't interested in taking a small fort near Lookshy. Besides, there was the matter of his impromptu companion. Small and young and with a wiry build, wearing the insignia of a low-ranking soldier and carrying all the marks of an official messenger.

"...I don't know what's in it. Sealed orders that I'm to read to the garrison and everyone in the fort. Supposedly copied to everyone. No, I don't think I should open it early; it'll be my hide if I disobeyed orders."

And green. So very green.

But still. They'd be there in a few minutes, anyway.

Child of Steel and Ruby: Eastern Route

The Bureau had a phrase, coined by a particularly witty Joybringer millenia ago. Maiden's Holiday, it was called. Vacations taken simply for one's own pleasure that ended up being in places where that specific Vizier was needed. Where one ended up, inevitably, doing one's job off the job. Because it was necessary.

Thankfully, nothing like that had happened to Child of Steel and Ruby, or was going to happen to him, either. He'd been excellent and dutiful, and he was going to enjoy his vacation and spend time with Grass Lighting and her husband, and see that child of hers.

Yes, he was perfectly aware of that Loom disruption a month ago, thank you very much. Yes, it was the worst in centuries. Yes, there had been another one just before he had left. But he had submitted the forms, and filled out the necessary paperwork, and had enough time reserved to go ahead. He needed that time to think and reflect. Very much so.

Now then, Grass Lightning's child...what was her name, anyway? Or was she a she?

He's far too caught up in his thoughts, unfortunately...

Aya Crystalis: Eastern Route

Stay low, and stay hidden Smiling Rose had said before she had left. Well, here she was, middle of nowhere, at the edge of something resembling civilization during at night on Calibration, and someone had run into her, and knocked her into the ground. Despite the road being almost completely deserted.

Great. Just great.

Could anything else possibly go wrong?

The Wyld HuntCleansing

Ragara Besi

This wasn't a proper Sworn Brotherhood. This wasn't even a proper Wyld Hunt. This was a recruitment mission for the fifth member of what would be the sworn brotherhood.

Relations with Lookshy hadn't changed much, recently, and they couldn't exactly send a full on-Hunt into the Scavenger Lands. So they had started in Greyfalls, "visiting family," and meeting up with the fourth member of what would be their Brotherhood, and in search of their fifth.

Mnemon-Caras Pell was complaining about why they had to camp outside rather than go inside the fort. Born and raised rich and prosperous. Soft. But according to those who knew things (and who didn't, in the Realm?) a sorcerous prodigy and recent Heptagram graduate.

"Because we can't attract attention. And four Dragon-Blood are. Attention."

The fourth member of their party was from the Northeast by birth, though she had returned to the Realm seeking a Wyld Hunt to join to ride against the East nearly a year ago. She had jumped on the chance for the Cleansing, and had actually suggested the fifth member of their party. A rogue Dragon-Blood who knew the lay of the land and served, like her, as another wandering swordswoman.

Still...why had her family saddled her with that twit of an un-Exalted cousin?

Isa

This was her first Wyld Hunt alone.

She had been on one or two against deathknights, but only ever with other Sidereals that Chejop trusted utterly. Her mentor was fiercely protective of her. And he had the power to make sure she was never in any danger as she learnt how to supervise the Terrestials.

This wasn't even a Wyld Hunt. Just a recruitment mission before the Wyld Hunt. Right now, she was under the destiny of a young cousin Dynast of one of the members-she had been given briefings regarding the part to play, and Chejop had supervised its crafting personally.

This was an opportunity for her, she had been told. To show she was her own person, and not merely his shadow. Her chance for prestige and honor. But, and he had emphasized this most of all, only if she so desired it. He tutored her, and taught her, and gave her endless opportunities. But he never asked anything of her save that she do what she wished to do. He hadn't been able to see her off, unfortunately. The Loom disruption from a month ago was causing him to work even harder to catch up.

Right now, though, there were four Dragon-Bloods and a Sidereal needing to make camp. From her profiles, Sesus Meru, one of the two Fire Aspects present, was most knowledgeable about field work.

[Aevylmar]

"Well, of course you can't open it yet," the God-Blooded mercenary* smiled. ""But surely you have some guesses. Come on, what's been going on at Lookshy worth sending a messenger about? Something interesting's been happening, and I've got money riding on the outcome."

He grinned inwardly. In and out Lookshy lands safe and sound; any hunters still on his heels after that Port Calin debacle would be well off his tail by now, and within a month he'd be in striking distance of enough poorly-defended Guild caravans to recruit and fund a new army that would take the fight back to the Realm - provided that 'mysterious announcement' wouldn't be enough of a distraction to steal his attention...

"Really," he added with a cheerful smile, "It isn't as if you'd be telling me anything that half the militia in Lookshy didn't already know."

(OOC Note: Skandi is, of course, using a mundane disguise to make himself less distinctive, but he isn't trying to hide the armor or daiklaive.)

*: (Who certainly wasn't the famous Lunar bandit, Skandi the Wolf.)

[Incendius]

In normal circumstances, Penumbra would not have paid much thought to someone else following her example. In fact, she would have been quite pleased. Creation is a very large place and Penumbra can't hope to stalk it all in anything resembling a reasonable time frame. The thought that she had inspired others to murder slave owners is a very warming one. Such is how Penumbra reasoned when she had found the still warm body of her first target, killed in an a manner consistent with her own tactics. The time was wasted, but it was nice to know that she could range further afield, as someone else was already prowling that territory.

And so Penumbra had planned the destruction of another slave owner, one that was positioned a distance outside her usual kill zone. Again, the individual was dead when she arrived, body cooling on the floor when she had enacted her plans and put herself in the perfect place from which to strike. This time, Penumbra felt a tinge of annoyance at the individual who was copying her. She had tried very hard to give that person their own region to hunt it, and they had still managed to get in her way. Still, said individual's actions fulfilled Penumbra's mission, so she could forgive them one more time.

After this, Penumbra had moved on to a target a much greater distance from her previous two. She had skipped over several other likely ones, leaving her new compatriot in murder to destroy those. Her hunt had begun anew for a third time, and her quarry had followed all its usual habits, bringing itself into Penumbra's sights. Penumbra had drawn back her bow, ready to strike, finally allowing herself to feel pleased at the unrivaled thrill of murdering one who thought themselves a step above the other people in the world.

But then it happened; her target crumpling in a pool of its own blood, a third target destroyed before Penumbra had a chance to enact her vengeance. Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is deliberate, and it angered Penumbra much to know that someone was going out of their way to impede her. She would find them, stop them, and make them explain their reasoning. If such reasoning is to her liking... she might let them go. If it isn't... well, her arrows have killed more than slave owners, and this individual wouldn't be the last.

A shot in the dark had tagged Penumbra's target, her keen eyes catching the subtlest of movements, a stirring of wind that could only be caused by human motion. The individual in question had escaped, fleeing faster than Penumbra could follow, but it didn't matter. Said person left a trail; they always did, and there is no escaping Penumbra when she has a trail. This trail lead Penumbra to the small town of Waypoint, a place that Penumbra has no interest in entering. So now Penumbra lies in wait, crouching in the grass beside the road for a fifth consecutive hour, patiently scanning the horizon for her prey.


Penumbra has Entropic Awakening of Sight up, if that is possible. I seem to recall a scene being reckoned as 20 minutes when there is no other identifying factor. If that is right, her hearthstone makes this mote neutral. If it isn't right... then she is just waiting.

[Lix Lorn]

Sierra groans. Groans loudly.

She would really like an answer to this.
She would really like it to stop happening.
She would really like to know where her clothes are.

It takes about ten seconds to find an answer.
Sadly, it's the answer to the third question-her clothes are in a small bag, as they have been pretty much every time. She seems to appreciate the courtesy as she changes-and even goes as far as to put the mysterious clothes she was wearing into the bag.

After all, confusing as this is, it always leaves a note for her. She may as well be polite back.

Dressed, with her belongings, she goes down, intending to get a drink to wake up with.

[industrious]

Most Certifiably Not Skandi

"Well..."

Young. Mortal. Green. Poor kid never had a chance.

"It's about the Cleansing. We're..., well, rumor has it, anyway..."

He swallows, looks around, as if in belief that one of his superiors is lurking in the bushes just waiting to catch him breaking orders. He motions for the God-Blood to come closer anyway.

"...we're actually supporting it."

His voice cracks during the sentence, and he scuttles away almost immediately after he finishes his sentence. He's babbling, too.

"They just had the vote. It's crazy, I mean, that's we're working with the Realm now, and coordinating with them, and they're the Realm. I mean, you know. Tried to conquer us, and we fought them and they want to take over and we're working with them. I mean, yes the Anathema are a problem but that doesn't mean we work with the Realm. Right?"

He's been gesticulating wildly this whole time.

"And I have to deliver this message to everyone in the fort, and oh-what if they assign me to a group. I can't take on an Anathema, you can, probably, I mean, how else are you carrying those things-how did you get them by the way, and--"

"Halt!"

They're at the gates to Waypoint now. And at the sound of the sentry's greeting, the messenger all but jumps out of his skin.

Penumbra

Five hours, with her prey having a slim lead. It's in there, too; nobody's gone out of that fort in that time.

There are four others on the road; two of them on the Western route are at the gates. One of them was in considerable emotional distress, even at Penumbra's distance she could make out his wild gestures.

Patience. Four new people in. And if anyone left, she'd know. And she'd know if it was her quarry, too. It had been a good hit.


Make a Awareness + Perception roll, difficulty 4 to hear what the messenger just said


Sierra

The inn is worn and well-used. Stains of old spilled drinks and worse darken the floor, and the air smells of sawdust and sweat and the dirt road. One can hear a fire roaring in the fireplace and feel the heat as one approaches, but the wood says unconsumed and there are no flames to be seen.

There is a man behind the bar and a woman standing in front of both man and bar. The man turns to look at Sierra, a ceramic mug in hand, and nods. The mug is dunked in a barrel, and filled with cloudy beer.

[Incendius]

So. Lookshy is supporting The Cleansing. That means more Dragonblooded are going to be trying their hands at hunting. I wonder, could this be a trap? Penumbra ponders on the words of the messenger. ... No, they would have already had their chance at the last three targets. My quarry has shown the ability to predict my actions; the Dragonblooded hunters would have had ample opportunity to ambush me prior. Penumra reasons, still holding steady in her position, not even moving an inch. Those pathetic Dragonblooded might be worth my while, after I finish my business here. I'll show them what it really means to hunt.

[roll0]

[Illyceria]

Aya gave a soft moan and rubbed at her now sore bottom. That wasn't very nice, not in the slightest. After all she was trying to be as low and as hidden as one of her can be. Containing all of her in a subtleness that defies reason obvious came with its own dangers as she finds herself on the ground.

She stood and looked for the person who had not even checked to see if she was hurt from his careless singular rampage on the lonely road. "Not nice at all," she comments and she realizes that her voice in her head was chuckling at her. Pouting slightly she brushed dirt from her and sighed, this day was not going so well. Of course Calibration, while familiar, was strange to her and its this feeling that assures her that her day of misfortunes was just starting. Perhaps it was the cloudless rain.

[Aevylmar]

"Just cultists for me, actually," managed not-Skandi. "They were saving it for their boss; I'll tell you the story later if there's time."

His mind was a flurry of explicatives and intricate blasphemies (in four languages) as his most complicated plans burned to ash in the light of a single sentence. Complicated thoughts flashed through his head, mixed with the swearing.

"I'll need to get out of the Scavenger Lands, there's going to be a civil war in the Confederation of Rivers. But that could be my chance to change things. Maybe Great Forks needs a general. Maybe the Hundred Kingdoms is far enough to run. Maybe..."

He heard the sentry's call, and responded, the sober expression on his face not matching the tumult inside his head.

"Hello the walls! Any news out of the East?"

[horngeek]

Triumphant Rose Guardian

Rose looks up as the woman enters the main room of the tavern. "Ah, hello there."

She smiles at what the Dragon-Blooded said. That might be true for some martial arts, but she could garuantee any Even Blade stylists would disagree with him, and she disagreed as well. Her own martial art needed a weapon, for example.

[Lix Lorn]

She smiles thankfully, and sits down to drink it.

[Tavar]

Child

Stumbling, Child mentally curses. Running into someone else: if another of the bureau was here he'd never hear the end of it. It takes a bit due to to the large case on his back, but he finally rights himself and is greeted by the girl's statement.


"Ah, sorry. Quite a bit on my mind, and I wasn't watching where I was going. Nothing hurt, I hope?"


Lucky that she'll forget all of this soon enough.

Not in a Resplendent Destiny, as the people I'm interested in seeing are part of my acquaintance background.

[Illyceria]

Aya's eyes finds the guys who collided into her and she falls silent for a moment. "No, I'm fine, my pride is the only thing hurt." She shakes back her hair and nods to him with a slight frown that turns to a half smile. "Traveling alone too? Shall we travel together maybe?" She almost hoped he would be okay with that. Traveling this lonely road, alone, was well... lonely. But she didn't know him at all and she had already experienced what men do to women alone on lonely streets.

[Tavar]

Child

Child lets out a little chuckle at her words. It's nice to know that everyone isn't as prickly as those in Heaven.
"That's the trouble with pride: it bruises easily. As for traveling together, well, I wouldn't mind that, though I'm afraid I don't have far to travel: heading to Waypoint, and it's right over there."

[Illyceria]

Aya gives a warmer smile. "I'm heading there myself. I'm to meet a friend there actually. So we can accompany one another to Waypoint, its bound to be a little more enjoyable that way."

[Tavar]

Child

He turns to begin to walk to the fort, speaking over his shoulder as he does.
"Company is never a bad thing. Though, I must ask, what's your name? You can call me Child.

And what a coincidence, I'm hoping to see a friend there too."

[Guancyto]

"Because she's better than she lets on," Ragara Besi says to herself immediately, her scratchy little voice barely carrying above a whisper. She isn't exactly in the habit of responding to her thoughts out loud as though they were some strange cloudy wisps that occasionally entered her head of their own accord, but...

...well the truth is they are, so there. Idiots don't get sent halfway across the world on high-risk missions in small groups. If her cousin is here, there's probably a good reason for it. Even the whiny one is a proficient sorcerer.

"One Dragon-Blood and one mortal won't attract attention, will they?" she asks of no one in particular.

She's not exactly good at disguising herself, but nobody's likely to think twice about her so long as she keeps her jade under her cloak. Her bright red hair is tied into a ponytail under her broad, conical hat, her silver eyes masked just the same.

Hundreds of tiny little fires all burning on their own and doing their best not to congeal. That is to say, she expects people at the fort to be minding their own business. Not exactly a safe assumption but since when is life about safety?

[industrious]

City Gates

"Hello from the wall!"

The heavy wooden gates of the fort swing open ponderously, and while the dashing God-Blood and his new confidant enter first, the two other travelers are not far behind.

The interior of the fort is extremely spartan; the barracks and the one inn(displaying a sign so battered by the elements that its name has been lost forever) are pressed against the walls, leaving a dirt square barely illuminated by flickering torches. One surmises can get quite busy and crowded when the caravans come in, but little else otherwise. A small graveyard plot lies in one corner, worn and crooked gravemarkers showing that nothing has been buried there in quite some time.

A man in armor and baring a torch is at the foot of the gate.

"I'm Gochei Quintaine, leader of the troops stationed here. I believe you have a message for me?"

The messenger snaps to attention like a rubber band.

"Sir, I was ordered to read it out loud to everyone in the fort, sir."

"Understood."

A few flicking motions, and two soldiers approach the barracks and the inn.

The Inn With No Name

One of the Seventh Legion soldiers, a woman with sharp, angular features and a pronounced limp enters the inn.

"Right. You lot. The commander of this fort wants to speak to everyone."

The bartender nods, silent and inscrutable, and heads out of the bar, casting a meaningful look at the two women remaining.

Waypoint Square

When everyone (roughly 25 people total in the whole of the fort) is outside, the messenger swallows, unseals, and begins to read his message, voice trembling all the while.

"Bbby tthe authority of Chumyo Nefvarin Zane, and the General Staff of Lookshy, in response to the recent proclamation of the Realm..."

He's a terrible speaker. Mumbles and pauses for scans. He can't believe the content of his message.

"...render all aid and necessary assistance to the pursuance of the goals of the Cleansing..."

His hands are shaking so much that he can't finish, blind panic in his eyes.

"..."

Silence. Of the sort that was shortly about to become chaos. All it would take was someone doing something, anything other than stand there in shock.

Child

What?!

He was on what would have been the relevant sub-Conventions. He would have known this was likely to happen. He knew that it wasn't at all bloody likely to happen because this was the bloody Convention on Wood, Gold Faction territory, and there was no way that Ayesha would have let anything like this occur!

What the hell was happening?

Ragara Besi

"It shouldn't, no."

The Threshold woman-Matsui was her name-shakes her head.

"Planning on scouting out the fort or something?"

[Aevylmar]

Skandi blends into the crowd of soldiers, Luna alone knows how, for a moment, then pulls himself away, leaving a shout hanging in the air with no clear source.

"They've sold us out to the Realm!"

Performance+Manipulation social attack to enhance the crowd's disapproval of this message and cast doubt in their superior officers. Not sure what I ought to roll to make them not notice that the mercenary is the source - but I doubt they're paying much attention to who's voicing what they're all thinking.

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3496490/
Stunt, if any.
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3496492/

[Guancyto]

Ragara Besi

"Yes."

There isn't much more to say than that!

[Tavar]

Child

This is a big enough of a shock that Child speaks his thoughts out loud, even if it is only mumbled.
"This isn't good. No more check to the Realm, the League could collapse, never mind what all the Chosen are going to do..."

Straightening, he shakes his head, as if to clear his thoughts, and then, pitching his voice to carry, speaks to the announcer.

"So, what does this mean to those who aren't part of Lookshy's forces?"

[Lix Lorn]

In the inn, Sierra blinks once or twice, and stands up. She briefly contemplates taking the mug, but decides regretfully against it.

Obediently, she walks through the door and outside.

Her reaction to the message is mostly one of shock! Regardless, she doesn't speak up yet-she has little at stake, as far as she knows. She hasn't done anything overt in the area, and...

Well, she hopes she hasn't done anything overt in the area over the last few days.

[Incendius]

That sounds like the start of a riot. I am not going to loose my target in all of this mess. I have better things to do with my time than to chase this individual halfway across Creation. Penumbra fumes silently as she hears the shouts.

Snarling, Penumbra closes her eyes and draws deep on the well of her power, forcing her cold essence to pump through her veins. Penumbra ripples as she infuses her body with power, tearing the fabric of reality apart and placing herself into the gaps.

It takes only a moment, but that makes the effect no less powerful. Penumbra stands without care, raising from the bushes and exposing herself to the harsh light of the sun. She regards the source of light with a small smile, her teeth barred at its majesty.

No shadow falls behind Penumbra. In fact, nothing seems to touch Penumbra at all. An observer would only see the bent leaves of the grasses; to the casual eye, there is no person standing in Penumbra's place.

Penumbra gathers her will once again, this time channeling it into the belt at her waist. She waves a hand over its clasp, her fingers imbuing essence into the onyx focal gem. The gem starts to whirl in place, and the links of the belt start to shake as the strands of air that connect them billow wider.

In an impossible movement, Penumbra steps into the air, walking upwards as if her feet were treading on a staircase. I shall never grow tired of this. Penumbra thinks to herself with childish glee, reveling in one of the few non-destructive sources of joy she had left in the world.

It is like this that Penumbra moves into the town, bypassing the walls by simply walking over it, and moving towards the source of commotion. As she roams above the town, Penumbra continuously sweeps her gaze over its entirety, searching for her prey.

She finally comes to a stop at a large tower near the center of the town, one that blocked the light of the sun in the direction of the square, casting a long shadow. Penumbra settles into position just under the tower's top, granting her vision of the whole town.

Her feet rest against the wall as if she was crouching, her body is shrouded in the darkness of the tower's shadow. No one sees her, no one knows she is there. She is separated from the world, but the world is not separated from her.


Penumbra is activating Unseen Wisp Technique for 4 motes and 1 wp, rending her invisible and granting her a few boni to stealth, and she is feeding 3 motes to her Girdle of Aerial Mobility so that she can walk on air. Both are from her peripheral pool, with 2 motes spent so that they don't contribute to her Anima

She is also making a stealth check so that nothing can betray her presence. The invisibility is probably enough, but it doesn't hurt to be careful. Shadow-Cloak Technique doubles any bonus dice she gets from stealth stunts while she is in darkness, so that is why I am rolling 6.

Entropic Awakening of Sight is on (which mirrors Unsurpassed Sight Discipline) so she can pretty much pick out anything happening within her range of vision.

Stealth
[roll0]

Stealth Stunt Dice
[roll1]

[The_Snark]

Isa Ragara Soras Maren

Honor isn't really what she wants.

She almost told him that, back in Yu-Shan beneath the vine-plaited ceiling of the Forbidding Manse. Isa doesn't mind standing in her master's shadow, doesn't mind that people dismiss her as too young and obedient to be anything more than an extension of the Old Man's will. She knows herself; she doesn't need to prove anything. But she isn't so naive as to think that it's only her self-esteem at stake here. People's opinions matter. You can't just ignore them, no matter how many platitudes you mouth about inner worth and confidence from within.

Too, there is a little part of her that wonders if he wants her to step out from his shadow. Not pushing, never that, but hoping she will. It's useful to be overlooked and underestimated, but she won't always be able to invoke Chejop Kejak's name whenever she wants to be listened to. It suits Isa to fade away and watch, but maybe it's time to start preparing.

But now is not the time to worry about Isa's future. Right now, Isa does not exist. There is only Ragara Soras Maren, third daughter of a Threshold bloodline that had not produced an Exalt in sixty years: young, a little rustic, and almost terminally shy in the presence of her Exalted cousins.

"You want me to come with you?" she asks, because Maren would say that. Then she looks down at the ground to hide a supposed blush (there isn't one, because blushing on command is hard) and picks up her walking stick without waiting for an answer. Maren is supposed to be shy, but not a complete idiot.

Then: noise from the fort. She's always had good ears. Playing her role—it wouldn't do to outshine the Princes of the Earth too obviously—she looks uncertainly at her companion. "Did you hear that?"

[Guancyto]

Ragara Besi

"Yes," Besi says again, heading swiftly down the road, the very end of her ponytail poking out of her hat and swishing back and forth as she walks.

Although not so swiftly as to leave her cousin in the dust. "Let's go investigate."

Danger is good. Either the un-Exalted one will finally have her breakthrough or she will die gloriously for the Dragons. Or perhaps something else will happen. She's open to being surprised.

[The_Snark]

Ragara Soras Maren

Maren hurries to catch up, reflecting ruefully that she'll need to be quick on her feet to manage this one. All action and no words; difficult. And Fire Aspects are already tricky to steer.

[Illyceria]

Aya smiled at Child as they walked, "I am Aya, Aya Crystalis." And so it went as she followed him into the heart of Waypoint. She listens to the proclamation, raises an eyebrow and glances to Child who had mumbled a few words. Turning her eyes back to the terrified man she crossed her arms and frowned slightly. Chaos was about to be born from this, a Riot right there on the verge of starting. But where the riot may come, this Cleansing may not be too far behind. This would serve the Cleansing and not the freedoms of Waypoint. People would get hurt or worse. But... she was supposed to be laying low, keeping a low profile.

"We should... be staying calm," she mutters her emerald green eyes scanning the crowd for the voice that was helping to instigate the chaos.

For now Per + Aware in a vain attempt to find Skandi. XD
[roll0]

[Tavar]

Child

Question lost in the growing murmurs and cat-calls from the crowd, he closes his eyes, shoulders sagging momentarily, before straightening. This time, his voice isn't just pitched to carry, it's pitched to overwhelm the noise from the crowd.

"This is the famed solidarity of Lookshy? The discipline that has withstood countless foes?" Pausing, he lets the contempt initially present in his voice to recede, replacing it with a calm, confidence. "Come now, this message isn't anything to be frightened about: Lookshy has long supported Wyld Hunts against Anathema, and this doesn't seem different. In fact, this annocement is the General Staff protecting you. Do you really wish to have another great war with them? One to allow the Mask of Winters to finish you off and pick your bones afterwards? Transforming the Shield of the East into another sack of horrors like Thorns? Of course not. Don't fall to doubt and despair till you are truly given cause to."


Spending 6 motes on the Second Bureaucracy excellency.
Performance +Charisma based Social attack:[roll0]+3 successes.

Aiming to get it resonating with motivations/intimacies towards Lookshy and stability.

10/16 peripheral left.

[horngeek]

Rose

Rose frowns in surprise at the announcement, then in alarm at the obvious attempt to provoke a riot.

She puts her hand near her sword, ready in case a riot actually breaks out, but right now, she doesn't say anything.

[industrious]

Waypoint Square

A key turns. A door opens

The gathered military and civilian population of Waypoint number perhaps 25 men in total, with additional 10 standing sentry upon the walls.

A voice comes to them from somewhere within the assembly, crying betrayal.

"They've sold us out to the Realm!"

Outrage as the words strike home. The beginnings of a riot. Anger trapped within walls of stone and seeking direction. Any direction.

The room is damp and quiet, and aside from a few all-important gaps in the brickwork, eminently isolated.

One of the new arrivals lambastes them, chides them for their outrage. They are Lookshy. They are proud.

"The Realm!" they begin to cry out now. "Lookshy and the Realm!"

He begins his hidden work, chanting Words of Power as the crowd begins to chant their rallying cry.

They dislike the Realm, but Anathema are worse. Caught between the Realm and Thorns, they have are convinced of the lesser evil and unite with it against a common foe.

The chanting can be heard beyond the walls of the fortress; a sign of solidarity between the Realm and Lookshy, in support of the Cleansing. It's good news to the party beyond the walls.

Let the Cleansing sweep forth across Lookshy, the sentiment rapidly becomes. Let them come, and us join with them to wipe them out. Let them...

Rise.

Everyone

A corrupt, sickly, and black anima sweeps forward from somewhere below ground, spreading rapidly and extending beyond the walls. As it touches the graves of those buried within and without the walls, the light-for it is light, by the most blasphemous and twisted interpretation of the word-pulses, and rotten and skeletal fists burst forth from the ground.

The Lookshy forces about face, stand facing the skeletal horde. But there are civilians here, too, and their discipline is not that of the military. They scatter and flee, disrupting the lines and formation of the troops. And for all their valor and skill, the mortals are outnumbered perhaps five to one.

Inside the walls, the skeletons and rotting corpses lurch towards the living now trapped inside. Outside the walls, a force of equal number moves to destroy the gates barring them from entrance.

Roll Join War.

There are 2 groups of 10 Lookshy forces-one infantry on the ground, and one group of archers on the battlements. There are 50 skeletons on either side of the walls.

[Guancyto]

Ragara Besi

"Stay close," Besi says to her companion immediately as the black anima engulfs the fort and the dead begin to rise from their graves. Her voice remains barely above a whisper, but carries through the din in spite of that. Or perhaps because of it.

Her face is lit up in the very beginning of excitement, and under her cloak she unsheathes her swords - one white jade, one black jade, both curved - and holds them low to the ground and close to herself. Someone has just made a very terrible mistake.

Joining War as a solo unit: [roll0]

[Incendius]

Penumbra

Penumbra's eyes flash as she sees the erupting Anima. With a quick jerking motion, she scans the town with her impossibly keen sight, trying to capture the necrotic eruption's focal point. She might not be able to deal with someone hiding underground, but she his hiding place should not be hard to find, and even the smallest trembles of the earth would reveal itself under Penumbra's vision.

As she does this, Penumbra rubs her finger back and forth over the grip of her bow, thinking as she takes in the new circumstances. So it was a trap, but from one of my colleagues instead of those pitiful dragonblooded. It isn't a very good one though. Does this idiot think I care about these people? Or is he trying to recruit me through some misguided effort?

Penumbra reaches behind her and takes an arrow out of her quiver, notching it onto her bow. Whatever it is, I don't really care. This is getting on my nerves. I will not be played like some fool. Let this arrogant bastard do without his army. Penumbra seethes, her face contorting into vicious snarl as she prepares for battle.


Penumbra is activating Superior Sight Focus for 3m personal, and is trying to locate where the anima came from, or anything that would tell her where it could have been sent from. She is basically on the lookout for anything that would point out where the Deathknight (what she thinks this is) responsible is.

Add four successes to this perception roll, and double any successes from the dice.
[roll0]
-12 Successes

Would Superior Sight Focus/Entropic Awakening of Sight apply to the join war roll, either as a situational thing or in general? Just curious, as I've had several storytellers rule different ways. If they do count, add 4 successes to the roll, and double any successes from the dice.

Roll for join war, joining as a solo unit.
[roll1]
-5 Successes, or 14 Successes if the charms apply.

[Aevylmar]

"Damn it. Is that deathknight trying to prove the Cleansing right? Either way..." Skandi drew his moonsilver daiklaive and held it aloft to catch the light, a beacon drawing the eyes of the troops inside the walls. "Men of Lookshy, to me! I took this blade from the slaves of one Anathema, and I'll use it to rout the slaves of another! If you want to live to cleanse anything, stand by me and we will break them!"

Using the 1st Wits excellency to add 5 dice to my Join War roll. If the stunt isn't enough to end up in charge of the Lookshy infantry, I'll use my first action to rally.

If my Awareness specialty in ambushes doesn't apply here, discard the last die.

Roll: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3500145/

Stunt: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3500146/

[Tavar]

Child

He was glad that he managed to avert the riot, but encouraging closer ties to the Realm isn't exactly what he had hoped to be doing. Oh well, little should come of such a minor outpost. And when he gets back, he can help the others run damage control. Maybe Star-

The black anima, and the undead that follow it, stun him for the second time today. But only a moment, before he snaps to a decision. He'd trust the soldiers to handle this normally, but 5 to one odds is high, even for elite troops. Not that Lookshy is in the habit of filling border outposts with commandos. And that's not even counting the abyssal who summoned them. The only hope now is that there are enough fighters in the fort to stop them: god-blooded, Dragonblooded, even less welcomed ones would be a boon now. Before his voice was pitched to carry, but it was weaker, holding contempt at first, the urging. Now it is simply the Clarion call of command.

"Anyone who isn't part of Lookshy's forces, and can fight, to me. We have to help clear them out of the fort!"

Join War: [roll0]+2 successes
I don't think our Terrestrials or Abyssal can join us, due to their position outside the fort, but everyone else is welcome to it.

Personal:10/16 peripheral left
Peripheral:

[The_Snark]

Maren

"Right." No need to feign nervousness. Somebody should investigate this, certainly, but there's a world of difference between quiet observation and walking into a battlefield. She knows her limits, and facing several dozen of the walking dead on an open field is a bit beyond her.

Besi has other ideas. Isa just hopes the young Dragon-Blooded isn't biting off more than she can chew.

Joining Besi's newly-Magnitude 1 unit. I think that, as a special character, I'm either supposed to use her Join War or roll Wits+Awareness like a solo character would? In case it's the latter:

[roll0]

[horngeek]

Rose

Rose looks around quickly as the call goes up, drawing her sword. Someone's trying to manipulate Lookshy. Or just us, even.

Might have to reveal myself here... but that might just be playing into their hands. If it's needed, though, I'll do it.

She quickly heads towards the men on the ground, intending to join in with them.

Join War: [roll0]

Stunt Dice: [roll1]

[Illyceria]

Aya was quite happy as things started to turn towards order. She was quite happy indeed that was until the voice in her head whispered at her. "Warning." Immediately after the dead was walking and chaos was reigning. The moonsilver wielding man drew her attention as too did Child both calm and collected as they attempted to arrange the frightened people into a force to fight the enemy. She had never been in a situation quite like this. She had to face multiple foes before, and generally with Smiling Rose with her, but this was thousands... well maybe hundreds. Child was the first to catch her attention snapping her attempting to figure out what she was to do next. She bounced over to him, she had no 'visible' weapons, and only the small protection of the bracelet around her wrist would provide her with defense. She would have to worry about using her power here later.

"I shall help you Sir Child. I am not too strong but I should be able to help in protecting those that cannot fight. Tell me what to do and I shall try to do it to the best of my abilities." So much for Laying Low. Hiding out.

Join Child's unit (or do I roll sololy like? Which might be: [roll0])

[Lix Lorn]

As scared mortals scatter and flee, someone hiding their nature would do best to flee too. An intelligent infiltrator would flee with them.

Sadly, Sierra is not an intelligent infiltrator.

Fortunately, she is scared. Undead are not her area-and nor is fighting.

If I stick around I will die. I flee with the civilians.

If I should roll it anyway... JB
[roll0]

[industrious]

Battle for Waypoint

Skandi's outburst sends the soldiers rallying to his cause; even those beyond the wall can hear his cry. The soldiers form in close against the dead as the civilians flee towards the barracks, and prepare.

This is their home. Some of them have families here.

They would not give in. They would not retreat. They would not abandon them.

Penumbra

The Abyssal's eyes pick out the epicenter of the now-gone anima barrier: it came from an area underground and at the edge of the barracks that served as home to those stationed or living in Waypoint. A storage room, undoubtably. There are some gaps in the stonework that would allow him to see through.

She also realizes that the barracks is where the majority of the civilian populace has just fled to.

Please Allow Me to Introduce Myself

The man sets his drink carefully down on the table in the foyer of the barracks, The bottom of the mug sends a small trickle of the blood on its surface dripping to the floor.

He's not particularly tall, and wearing richly embroidered robes of the deepest purest black, one can't make out much of his body structure either. His skin has an odd tint to it-tanned, but wrong, somehow, and his hair, cut short in the Lookshyian fashion, matches his robes.

Sierra was the first in the entryway. The others bunch up behind her, bumping into her when she stopped.

"I'll make this short," he drawls, twirling a short daiklave in his hand, jet black with writhing, twisted designs upon its surface. "And save you fatigue."

A moment later, the tip of his blade protrudes from Sierra's back.


He rolled a higher Join Battle than you did.

I'll give him a 2-dice stunt.
[roll0] - 9 Successes

[Aevylmar]

As the Lookshy troops rallied to his sword, Skandi glanced at the woman who joined them. Graceful, beautiful, expert with the blade she brandished, face serene as she charged into battle to fight the forces of darkness, rather than fleeing with the civilians. This wasn't her battle, yet she risked her life in it anyway. "No, damn it. I am not falling in love at first sight again. That is always a bad idea, and for Luna's sake you would think I would know that by now."

Oh, right, a distraction! Skandi pointed his sword at the undead lines. "Let's show those corpses why the Seventh Legion fortresses don't fall."

Blades held high, he and his thin line of soldiers charged the ragged formation of the zombies. Perfect discipline made mincemeat of the undisciplined horde. The shieldwall met the undead ranks face to face; as the zombies swirled in on the flanks the last of them in front of the soldiers were cut down. The unit separated for a second, repelling both sides of the enemy force, before coming together in a glorious arc that scythed the last of the undead down.

Fifteen seconds after Skandi finished speaking, twelve soldiers had just killed fifty zombies.

I'm assuming that these have standard Lookshy Foot statistics, given on page 58 of the Scavenger Lands book. Skandi, in charge of the Lookshy force, moves towards the undead, then flurries two attacks without using charms. I'm assuming his specialty in Heroism counts.

Roll for rout when engaging the enemy force
Base: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3501843/
Stunt: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3501855/
Difficulty is probably 1; base 1, -2 because of formation, +2 because the enemy unit is 'composed of supernatural creatures'.
6 successes, plus stunt.
Roll for endurance loss from the first attack:
Base: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3501833/
Stunt: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3501856/
4 successes, plus stunt.
Roll for endurance loss from the second attack:
Base: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3501835/
Stunt: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3501858/
4 successes, plus stunt.
Roll for the first attack:
Base: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3501851/
Stunt: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3501860/
Twelve successes from the unit: 5x2 from Close Combat Rating, plus two from Might.
Six successes from me, plus stunt.
So 18+ on attack #1.
Roll for the second attack:
Base: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3501853/
Stunt: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3501862/
Twelve successes from the unit: 5x2 from Close Combat Rating, plus two from Might.
Five successes from me, plus stunt.
So 17+ on attack #1.

I don't know their soak, so I can't roll damage, but I'm 99% sure that they're all dead. Lookshy troops are awesome.

Skandi has gotten whacked with an auto-intimacy of You Don't Know Her You Idiot aimed at Rose.

[industrious]

Battle for Waypoint

It took less than fifteen seconds. A perfect harmony of steel and moonsilver, cutting the horde of undead asunder. The corpses were of past allies and comrades, of civilians they had been sworn to protect. But their souls had been released long before, and those they cared for in the past were endangering those in the present. There was no choice.

It was magnificent.

The young messenger is at Skandi's side.

"That was amazing, sir," he breathes. "What is your name, so that this day may be remembered forever?"

There are shrieks coming from the barracks, where most of the civilians are pressing in, trying to get in but unable to, and those outside the walls still report another force without.

Status:

It is now Tick 2 (Child's Turn). The Interior Zombies are gone. But there are still things that require we stay in combat.

Not revealing who he is would be against Skandi's Motivation.

[Aevylmar]

"You'll find out, kid. You'll find out. There's still more outside the fort, and I heard travelers out there - we need to hurry." He turns to Child and his group. "Hey, loudmouth. Can you take care of the civilians? It sounds like there's one of the zombies inside the barracks." Skandi led his troops at a fast trot out the gates, to rescue the travelers from the second group.


Moving is a free action that you can do when it isn't your turn, so he's going to move his troops outside the fort to try and rescue the other Exalts - he doesn't know that the Abyssal is an Abyssal. Rose ought to be able to attack the zombies in her turn, if the gate's open enough for us to get through.

Why This Is Not Against His Motivation: A true hero knows there's always a third option. If he sets himself up as a heroic Man With No Name until the crisis is over, he can pull off a much better dramatic reveal later, after they've already built up a positive Intimacy towards him and will be more inclined not to stone him.

Also, if the damage rolls hadn't been enough to kill the zombies, I was planning on using the Third Strength Excellency.

[Incendius]

So he's not another burrower. Good, that means he has to exit the building to get away. Too bad for him, I'm not stupid enough to walk into that trap. Let him have his play killing those civilians; I'll destroy him when he shows his face. Penumbra plots as she keeps her eyes locked on the barracks. Her bow remains knocked, pointed at the entrance of the barracks, ready to launch the projectile at a moments notice. Penumbra waits for her chance, giving the her colleague the chance to show himself. His nature made it all the more imperative that she acted cautiously. She would not indulge him by walking into an enclosed space with an unknown enemy when she could just as easily snipe him from far away.

[Lix Lorn]

Sierra blinks in surprise, and looks down at the cause of the angry throbbing in her stomach. The force of people behind her holds her up for a moment-and she thinks.

A war is not her place. A battle is not her place.
But... if she flees now-or dies now-these people die too. This... this man, necromancer, whatever he is.

Defending the little ones is her place.

She pushes back against the crowd, straining slightly.
And they push back. She reaches into the bag at her side, whipping out a card, diamond sharp edges glittering with a crystalline rainbow of colour.

She drives the edge right into his face.

I attack! Hopefully, defending innocents means I can channel compassion. 1wp spend, and 2m (personal) on an excellency. That gives me a terrifying fifteen dice!
[roll0]
Does +6L/2 damage if hits.

[industrious]

The Barracks

The card takes the black-robed man by surprise, breaking through his defense; red blood spurts from a deep gash now crossing his face.

He backpedals for a moment, regaining his footing...and reassessing Sierra. A shifty look comes over his eyes.

"What sort of woman are you!" he cries...and begins to sprint further into the barracks, retreating. Soon, he's out of sight.


He's moving away at dash speed.

[Lix Lorn]

Sierra blinks in surprise, not expecting him to run away, but quickly turns to the people behind her.
"Go!" she commands loudly. "This guy is dangerous, it's not safe to stick around here."

[Incendius]

Penumbra

Wait, dammit. How did my quarry get into the barracks in the first place? He might have an underground entrance. He may never come out. I'm going to need to chase him once more. Penumbra swears under her breath as she begins to slide through the air, rushing towards the barracks.

Penumbra's invisibility is more than enough to keep most individuals from being aware of her, but it fails against her deathly peers, so she must adjust to surprise them as well. She dances from shadow to shadow as she moves, moving from the tower's shadow, to that cast by a rooftop garden, and more as she moves towards the barracks. The shadows warp in her passage, subtly altering to disguise any other traces of Penumbra's appearance, making it seem as if there was nothing amiss about the town's sky.


I changed my mind about Penumbra's action, based on some better reasoning; it should have been obvious, but the Abyssal probably had some way to get into the Barracks that isn't directly visible to the skyline.

She is staying in Stealth on the way there. I've rolled for stealth here, her hearthstone adds 1 success to this, and her invisibility poses a whole ton of penalties to people that don't have whispers (as whispers lets them see through it).
[roll0]
- Six successes total.

Stunt Dice: Penumbra's stealth charms double stunt dice from stealth in shadows, which is why there are six.
[roll1]

[Tavar]

Child

The fact that Child's help seems to be unneeded is both welcomed and annoying. The former because it means he won't have to risk revealing himself, the latter because the apparent Lookshyian leader is being a bit of an ass. Oh well, perhaps he can arrange a couple annoying accidents for the man. Who said being in charge of Fate was a bad thing?

The fact that the barracks might well be a trap is worrying, though. He had thought that the creator of the undead would show up to lead his horde, but if he's simply waiting to slaughter the civilians...

No. He can't let that happen.

Running, he heads to the Barracks.

Join Battle: [rollv]6d10[rollv]

[Guancyto]

Ragara Besi

"I said close," Besi commands without raising her voice. Ensuring that Maren is on her heels, she descends into the army of the undead, hook swords stretched like wings, blades shredding undead flesh in a cleansing storm. There is no fire, nothing that would burn her companion with whom she does her best to keep at her back to avoid being surrounded. But the destruction will be thorough.

Right! Might 3, Close Combat Rating 4 (capped by my War), Close Combat Damage... 3, I think, in Close formation with a Magnitude 1 unit. Subtract or add successes as appropriate for enemy Magnitude/Formation/Kittens.

4 attacks, spending 4m on First MA Excellency to boost the first and second.

[roll0] 12 sux rolled +11 sux from mass
[roll1] 7 sux rolled +11 sux from mass
[roll2] 5 sux rolled +11 sux from mass
[roll3] 2 sux rolled +11 sux from mass

Raw damage is +8L/2, I think with another 3 dice added from Close Combat Damage.

[industrious]

Waypoint Exterior

The zombies fall before Ragara Besi's blade with ease. Her form is immaculate; her moves graceful and flowing. Her tutor would have been proud of her.

When her dance ends, she is surrounded by shredded corpses and her cousin.

The Barracks

Penumbra, unfortunately, is too far away to reach the barracks, much less enter them in time. But while Skandi cleaves through his foes, Child breaks off to protect the civilians.

Pushing himself through the crowd, he sees two dead bodies already, and pushes himself to run faster. He's following someone else soon, a young woman wearing armor made from a strange blue metal (Int + Lore, difficulty 3) and holding a card edged with the same material. But even though blood is running down from the card's edge, he knows it isn't her, for feet clatter ahead of them.

Eventually, the feet stop, and there is the sound of a door slamming; he's trapped himself inside one of the officer's quarters.

"Thorns sends it's greetings, young Exalt!"

...is something burning?

[The_Snark]

Maren

The ersatz Dynast does as bidden, following close on silver-haired Besi's heels. Luckily for Maren, her cousin has not overstretched herself today; the walking dead fall like chaff before the scythe. There's hardly anything left to do but follow and make sure that none of them come at Besi from behind... not that there's much chance of that. To an experienced eye the dead here are slow and feeble, rotted and crumbling before they were dragged unwillingly from the grave. No black will commands them. Hardly any unholy fury at all. The few who manage to avoid being instantly cut down shy from the talisman of bone around her neck, and a sound thwack or two with her staff holds them at bay.

"That was amazing," Maren says breathlessly to Besi as the last falls, her voice quietly shattering the silence outside the fort.

(Silence. What of the inside, wonders Isa? Why aren't there archers on the wall? Is everybody in there dead?)

[Guancyto]

Ragara Besi

"Mm," is all Besi says in reply before cleaning her swords on the edges of her cloak, stowing them once again and motioning for her cousin to follow to the gates of the fort.

No archers on the wall indeed. Considering a moment, she raised her hands slowly and gracefully; subtle flows of essence released within her, and a gentle peace washed over her.

Then, espying a pine tree near the fort, she hopped from branch to branch easily, not bending any of them with the force of her landing, until she reached one high enough to reach the fort walls. Not stopping to reconnoiter, she took a running start along the branch, and at the very edge which would have barely supported a mouse, leapt onto the top of the wall.

She would want to examine the situation inside before she could drop a rope to her cousin.

Rolling Dex+Martial Arts+spec to assume Crane Form. [roll0]

Personal Ess: 4/18 (6 committed)

Assuming that succeeds (it's a pretty safe assumption), edit: yes, a very safe assumption, hopping up to the fort.

[Aevylmar]

As the sound of limbs flying at a rapid rate and dozens of zombies dying reaches Skandi's ears from outside the fort, he pauses. There's no screams of pain; only the nonliving are suffering. Whoever or whatever is outside the fort, they can take care of themselves.

"Whoever's out there doesn't need our help, but it sounds as though there's more than just a couple undead within the barracks. Fan out, guard any other entrances to the barracks - we need to find this necromancer!

As the soldiers he's hijacked rush to obey his orders, Skandi silently grins to himself. He's headed for the barracks, to investigate that cry - and the Immaculate soldiers won't be able to see just what he's doing...

He's leaving Mass Combat and heading over to the barracks the next time he gets a chance, assuming there's still interesting things going on over there.

[horngeek]

As Skandi heads down, Rose goes to join him. "I'll go down there with you.

I'm Rose, by the way."

And Rose will follow him down when he does so. :smalltongue:

[Aevylmar]

Skandi smiles a sunny smile to Rose. Certainly! I'm pleased to meet you, Rose. I'm always glad to have some company when I'm foolishly risking my neck against necromancers vastly stronger than I am, especially when the aforesaid company is as gifted with the sword as you are."

With the sound of running men and zombies needing mopping-up, there's nothing at all suspicious about the fact that Rose is the only person near enough to easily hear him when he continues. "I'm Skandi, by the way."

Feel free to roll Perception+Awareness to hear, of course.

Also, Skandi really needs to get more Temperance if he wants to not be dead.

[Illyceria]

Aya found herself pretty much all alone. Sure the barracks over there was teeming with fearful citizens, and over at that one wall there was that loud commanding type, but where she stood, among the re-dead, she was pretty much alone. Crossing her arms she glances back to the barracks wondering if she should add to that bit of chaos or not. The major issue seems to have been dealt with after all, and she could still maintain her laying low condition.

[Lix Lorn]

Sierra blinks, not sure what to do. After all, she can't really force the door, and she's unlikely to be able to fight him if she manages it.

And the fire is dangerous! She considers, and tries to work out where it's coming from.

[industrious]

Sierra and Child

The door to the officer's quarters opens, and the necromancer is nowhere to be seen. Instead...

The whole office is in flames. And they are spreading down the corridor.

Everyone heading towards the barracks

There's smoke coming from one of the narrow windows in the barracks. A good amount of it, really.

Ragara Besi

You gaze upon Waypoint Square, and note the details. The dead, mangled corpses (obviously another squad of zombies). The panicked civilians. And the group of individuals rushing to the barracks, which seem to be on fire.

[Lix Lorn]

"Oh god."
She turns and runs.
"FIRE! FIIIIIRE!"

[Aevylmar]

Skandi stops dead, ignoring his conversation with Rose. Filling his lungs, he shouts as loud as he possibly can. "FIRE! Bucket chain, people! He points out several local-looking people in the panicked crowd. "You, you, you, you, you and you, lady, get every bucket you know and bring them to the well. You two soldiers - get the siege buckets of water and sand off the walls. Everyone else - form chain!"

I have no idea if this requires a roll, or if so, what the roll would be, but if the GM wants to roll it, assuming Skandi is excellencying for max.

[Incendius]

Penumbra growls under her breath and rises further into the air, running so that she can view the whole area around the barracks. The smoke doesn't matter to her; Penumbra's senses are too keen to be fooled by such things.


Continuing to move to the barracks, but getting a high enough vantage point that she can see the areas surrounding it. Awareness roll to try to see anything out of the ordinary, beyond the fire, such as the Abyssal fleeing.

Perception+Awareness, +4 Successes, any successes on the roll doubled.
[roll0]
14 total successes.

[Guancyto]

Ragara Besi

Searching through her things for a moment, Besi came up with a rope and lowered it down to her companion. It wasn't like she herself was going to be any use in putting out a fire...

[The_Snark]

Maren

Maren ascends the rope with only a little difficulty. Good news: the people inside the fort aren't all dead. Bad news: the fort is on fire. She bites her lip, glancing sideways at Besi before dismissing her. Shame they don't have one of the Children of Danaa'd here instead...

Oh well. "Should we go in and help?" Maren asks hesitantly. Someone, she noticed, was calling for a bucket chain. Not the Lookshy commander. Odd. "We could open the gates if they need to evacuate, at least."

[Tavar]

Child

Spares a moment to glance after his maybe-ally as she runs away. Well, at least she can hopefully get the other civilians out.

He won't be so lucky, though. This doesn't make sense; the Mask's been extremely non-confrontational, at least publicly. So why this? The Zombies were shocking, but without leadership they wouldn't have succeeded. The fact that someone was able to interrupt the other act was luck, but if the aim was really to make a massacre there would be more effective ways to do it. Maidens, if the Mask really wanted to strike at Lookshy, he could do so much more effectively, and with a larger return. All this would do it warn Lookshy without really weakening them. There's something else going on here.

So Child tries to approach the burning room, arm up to ward the smoke from his mouth. No sense in dying quite yet, but the fire didn't look quite that dangerous. Plus, something like this couldn't really be done on a moment's notice(well, okay, a Fire aspect could, but that doesn't seem likely, given thee zombies). So either this was planned and prepared, or there's a device causing it. Either way could tell him something.

Int+Lore regarding the material: [roll0]
I'd like to know roughly how bad the fire is. Is it at an inferno level, or simply heading in that direction.

The Awareness roll is to see if I can figure out if there are any clues. I'd use Investigation(I even have a specialty), but I don't think I have the time. If I do, add the dice of the second roll.
[roll1]
Possibly + [roll2]

Stunt Dice[roll3]

[industrious]

If you're in the building and near the officer's quarters, give me Stamina+Resistance rolls for smoke.

Smoke = 2B/1 minute, 2M, 2/5min, -1

Tavar: [roll0]


Child

The fire's largely in the officer's room at this point; with that in mind, though, the smoke is obscuring any indication of how rapidly it would spread across the building.

As for how the Fire occurred...Child's eyes spot a scorched mark on the officer's desk, of the sort caused by burning firedust atop wood; the charred remnants of a leather pouch at the side of the desk confirm this. But Child's eyes don't notice the pouch nearly as much as far too recognizable mark, even as flames cackle and crackle and begin to consume it.

It's the Sign of Mars.

Fort Waypoint

Sierra's outcries reach the civilians and soldiers of the fort; they quickly drop their weapons and begin heading to grab buckets of sand and water from the walls.

Skandi's outcry reinforces their actions; running becomes sprinting, urgency becomes extremity. A bucket chain is formed, and they begin passing the buckets.

Skandi also realizes one thing: that jerkass who tried to usurp his story is still in there.

Penumbra

Her keen eyes fail to notice anyone moving away from the fire, aside from those who initially went in. However, she does notice a small, thin trail of brick-red dust in an odd pattern (a circle around the barracks with an arrow) leading from the barracks into one of the walls...

Aya

The building is on fire. The homes of multiple families and individuals.

Lie low and stay hidden. But at what cost?


To not help (to the best of Aya's ability) will you to fail a Compassion check.

To help (to the best of Aya's ability) will require to fail a Conviction check due to NPC Rose's order. :smallbiggrin:

[Tavar]

Child

Child feels as though he just ran head first into a wall. This....

"Oh. Balls."

Moving quickly, he tries to quell the flames on the pouch: might give more information, even if it's a bit of a long shot. Granted, he doesn't waste much time trying, mindful of the flames spreading throughout the room. After that's done, he leaves through the safest path: though the door if it's not blocked yet, or through whatever manner the one they were chasing used if it is.

With that resistance roll, I should be fine, yes? If this takes more than one minute...
[roll0]

[industrious]

Child

The pouch is little more than ashes held together by the memory of its former form at this point; touching it does little more than scatter them to the roar of smoke and flame.

The only way out Child can see is through the door; the "window" of the quarters is little more than an arrow slit. He sprints through the door and outside, some smoldering embers on his clothes and a whirlwind of his own making at his back.

Outside, men and women are continuing to form a bucket brigade. Thankfully, for now, the area outside the barracks is safe.

[Tavar]

Child

Looking for the commander of the fort, he focuses on the loud one. He took command easily enough, and seems to be part of the military. He'll do.

Walking over, Child gives his report in measured tones. The man may be a bit annoying, but now is not the time. "There was someone in the Barracks: killed 2 before I got there, though a girl held him off. Ran to Officer's quarters, and set the fire with some firedust. Didn't see how he left, probably some sort of Anathema trick."

He doesn't mention the sign, or what the man said. He's technically still just a civilian: giving his real thoughts on the matter would be out of character, and he doesn't really want to draw attention to himself. Especially if the Bureau is involved.

[Aevylmar]

Skandi's passing buckets along as he talks to Child in a voice not a shout pitched to a crowd, but certainly loud enough to be heard by those near him.

"Thank you for the report. You say a girl held him off; not Dragon- or God- blooded? Then it doesn't sound like he's Anathema; just a ghoul of some sort. Now, then. If you're local, could you go look for more buckets? We could use more."

[Incendius]

Penumbra

Lets see what this is first and try the building later. If the Abyssal is still inside, they'll be flushed out by the fire eventually, if not, this might be their trail. Penumbra reasons as she moves towards the trail of dust. Staying in the air, she uses her vantage to look over the wall, to see if the trail continued past it. If it didn't, she was prepared to examine the line of dust where it met with the wall, looking for more clues as to what this was.


Another awareness roll for this.
[roll0]
10 Successes

[Guancyto]

Ragara Besi

Besi contemplated the situation a moment. "No water in your bloodline?" she asked as though she already knew the answer. And she did.

The sudden fire... intrigued her, though, perhaps the person they were there to meet was nearby. "Gates, yes. Do that. I trust you," she said to her cousin as she hopped down from the walls and headed toward the barracks, heedless of the cries of the Lookshyans around her.

[Tavar]

Getting into the bucket line, he helps, but doesn't go searching for more buckets.

"Only saw that she was female: didn't see the fight so I can't say anything else. Well, she did have an odd weapon, not made of steel or anything like that. And, sorry, not local. Can help move the buckets, though."

[Lix Lorn]

Sierra is torn-she wants to hide (as well as she can with her dress), but she has to help.

She tries to hide amongst those trying to help.

Wits+Stealth, I guess? Or Larceny, but both are 0.
[roll0]

[Illyceria]

Aya stands to the side, unhappy as she leans against a wall. She watches the bucket brigade and the fires. She winces as inefficient use of throwing water is employed, she shudders as some cough from the smoke, she covers her eyes and peeks through fingers as the building creaks and people continue on their way.

"No, no, a little more control, less fear.... Step away from that before it falls... gosh darn it at least cover your face with cloth!"

Infuriated she takes a step away from the wall but thinks about this a moment. She had no skill to actually help put out the fire... but she could tend to the wounded. And that alone would draw the eyes of Cleansing upon her. It was a well known fact that helping people when your potential enemy was nearby benefited those that need help but not you in the slightest.

Compassion Roll to avoid helping [roll0]
Should that not fail then Conviction roll to avoid helping extraordinarily, [roll1]

[horngeek]

As Skandi starts ordering people around to douse the fire, Rose sticks by him, carrying buckets herself. She feels the need to butt in. "That said, appearances can be deceiving. On the other hand... maybe this was an attempt to manipulate Lookshy in some way?"

[Tavar]

Child breathes a sigh of relief as someone else voices his concern. Getting too involved could be dangerous, especially if this is a bureau operation.

"It probably is. Everyone in the Scavenger Lands wants to manipulate them in some way."

Passing the buckets along though, Child notices something. "Wait. You ask if I was local. You aren't the commander of the base then? Where is he?"

[Aevylmar]

Skandi smiles at Rose and Child, still speaking in a comfortable audible voice. "It's obviously some attempt to manipulate Lookshy. An independent ghoul necromancer disguised as a Thorns deathknight might be able to divide the Confederation of Rivers into a Thorns-Lookshy civil war."

The smile turns into a fanged grin at Child's question, his voice dropping to a private, confidential whisper that includes both Child and Rose. "I haven't the faintest notion where the commander is. I'm just a mercenary - I'm not in charge. People just agree with what I have to say."

Spotting his tell is still the usual difficulty, of course.

[industrious]

Fort Waypoint

Through the efforts of the bucket brigade, the fire is doused without further incident. The officer's quarters are beyond salvage, but it's better than the whole barracks being destroyed.

At Child's query, a woman moves towards their group, the formerly organized brigade now dissipating into a series of small cliques, as people discuss what just happened. Everyone gives her a wide berth.

"My husband is dead."

Her voice is tightly controlled, harshly so. She isn't particularly tall or muscular, and one of her legs is twisted, but her gaze is firm and her hands tighly grasp the staff that's kept her upright since the fall of Thorns.

Grass Lightning stares levelly at the group. Her eyes flicker over to Child, and her gaze becomes less stern.

"Child, it's good to see you again. It is unfortunate that you come on this day."

She continues to limp briskly towards them.

"I was one of the first ones to the barracks, but not the first. The necromancer was held off by some girl; he called her Exalt. Wore some sort of strange blue metal."

We should find and question her is strongly implied. And Grass Lightning's words carry far. Everyone living in Waypoint knows and respects her.

Penumbra

Examining the dust by the wall closer, she easily recognizes it. It's a trail of firedust, in the form of a circle (the barracks at the top of the circle), and a trail leading roughly northeast from the top towards the walls, where it stops...

Everybody

Another fire blazes briefly around them, a circle with a trail at another point. heading to the wall. It dies down quickly, though; stone and dirt don't burn like wood. More a mocking reminder than an attempt to cause harm.

Child, at least, recognizes it.

lower of Int or Wits + Occult, difficulty 2

It's the Sign of Mars again. Who'd have thunk it?


And after the flames die down, another individual is present among them.

That person is Ragara Besi.


Isa

Alone on the branches above, a scroll in a small wooden box appears floating before her. There is no pomp or effect; between one moment and the other it merely is. A message from the Bureau.

Contents:

To: Isa

Over the past three days, there have been three attacks on the mortal acquaintances and families of Sidereal Exalts. In all cases, the caste signs of the agent targeted were left at the scene. These attacks were caused by beings outside of fate. You are hereby instructed to meet with Child of Steel and Ruby, Head of the Convention on The Hundred Kingdoms, witness to the most recent attack, and investigate. His current location is...



The scroll is signed not with a name but with a symbol indicating either the letter O or the number 0; the normally precise lettering of a Loom-sent message is always ambiguous with this signature.

The missive came from the Convention on Oversight.

[Lix Lorn]

Meep.
Sierra attempts to find somewhere quiet, rearranging her dress to hide the armor under it, and then will attempt to return to her room and change clothes.

[Incendius]

Penumbra

Patience. Penumbra cautions herself as she rises back into the air, heading towards a perch on one of the guard towers, allowing her an unobstructed view of the town. She again pulls herself into shadow, making it nigh impossible to notice her presence. She would wait till her quarry was flushed out, and if he still managed to escape her sight, well, she would be able to lock right back onto his trail.


Another stealth check. +1 Success from her hearthstone. She's waiting to see if the guy tries to flee. If he has that Abyssal invisibility charm, she can see right through it.
[roll0]

[Tavar]

While still in the Bucket Brigade

"A nice theory, but whoever cast that spell was some kind of Exalt. That narrows the list quite considerably. But it also makes the motive all the more important."


After Grass Lightning

Some of the tension seems to drain out of Child when he see's Grass. He was worried: she might have been one of the bodies in the barracks, he didn't have time to check. Her words don't make this as effective as it might be, though. He quickly embraces her. He pitches his voice low: those close can still here, but this isn't something the whole fort needs to hear.

"I'm not sorry I came, just that I couldn't do more. I-"
The fire stops him mid sentence, and he whirls, putting his body between Grass and any perceived danger, stiffening when he sees the sign. The mysterious new figure doesn't help matters, and with his voice obviously tense, he addresses her, eyes roving over the crowd as he does so to pick out the girl with the Adamant.

What does it say that a girl using an artifact made of the rarest magical material is probably the least important mystery at the moment?


"Who are you?"

Perception +Awareness:[roll0]

Stunt:[roll1]

[Illyceria]

After all is said and done, fire out, the injured being lightly tended to, Aya found her curiosity piqued by the sudden flaring fire and the symbol it had crafted. She moved quickly around, tracing the lines in her mind, her eyes twinkling with curiosity. Finally at the end she pounced the last section and looked to the sky, her tongue slightly sticking out. Quite interesting indeed.

Int + Occult [roll0]

[Aevylmar]

Skandi surveyed his options as rapidly as he could as the storm of events unfoldeded, Child hurrying off to see his friend. "The symbol of Mars? Why would someone be scribbling it in the dust? Either way, that's low priority. This mystery girl is probably another Exalt or spirit incognito; I shouldn't blow her cover."

Decision made with hardly a pause, he turned to look at the assembly of soldiers, cupping his hands to be heard clearly. "All right, the fire may be over but that doesn't mean we're resting yet! Come on, men. Form into fangs; we've got to find this necromancer. We can't just let him try again."

Skandi hurried off with the troops to search. No need to let this Jade-attired lady get a good look at his face...

Roll for Wits+Occult, or in his case Wits, to recognize the Sign of Mars. http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3522830/

[industrious]

Sierra

Sierra easily slips back into the crowd, moving from clique to clique, hopping her way back into the inn.

*Clang*

...Crap.

Child

"...are you?"

*Clang*

Someone had, unintentionally, he was sure, banged into him.

Especially, turning around, considering that it was the Adamant-clad woman who had done it.

[Illyceria]

Aya glanced around her, should the symbol be the sign of the Chosen of Heaven, then that would bode even less good for her. She was hardly the paranoid type however and it appeared someone else had grabbed the attention of most people. A young woman all alone, much like she herself, had found herself slamming into Child. She debated who was the most poorest of the set, the one with a thousand eyes on her or the one who had become the obstacle. Ah well maybe neither and a simply misunderstanding was in progress?

Aya stepped away from the symbol's remains and approached crowd near the Inn. If nothing else, she could help the young lady if things looked bad for her, it never was good for a young woman to have no one to support her.

[Tavar]

Judging by her actions, she was trying to sneak away. Not really a bad idea, given the situation. But she could be much more helpful working with Child: together with the Loud One it might just give some stability to the situation. And so many saw what she did, well, everyone needs heroes. Though, where did the Loud One get off to, anyways? He's actually part of Lookshy's force. Why would he leave when strangers appear in the fort?

Pushing the thoughts aside, Child reaches out to stead her with his arm, and speaks with the most calming voice he can. He's conscious of the fact that this leaves his back wide open, but the newcomer doesn't really seem hostile.

"Ah, there you are. I wanted to thank you for stopping whatever was going on in the Barracks, and to talk to you about anything you saw. "

[Lix Lorn]

Freeze.
...he doesn't seem to be trying to stab her.

Well, that's good.
"Um. You're welcome." she says slowly.

[Guancyto]

"Names aren't important. The black anima," Besi turned suddenly to Child and Sierra, "did you see who it belonged to?"

[Tavar]

Did the idea of respect fall out of fashion recently? Child narrows his eyes as he addresses the demanding stranger.

"Names are very important, if one is a stranger standing in the middle of a fort that was just attacked. Identify yourself. Then perhaps information can be shared."

[Guancyto]

"Ah," Besi gives a small smile. The man recognizes her as not having been present for the altercation, despite the chaos and number of people. Interesting, although she is at least somewhat distinctive. "You're being thorough. Besi, then. Or Bess, whichever you prefer."

[Tavar]

Offering his hand for a shake, Child's eyes wander over her, taking in the details. Looks like a Dragonblooded, especially with the Jade weaponry. One from Lookshy would be taking control of things, so that means a Lost Egg or the Realm. Normally, he'd rule the latter right out, but with the recent announcement, it could be either one.

"Besi, then. You can call me Child, and yes, I know it's an odd name for a grown man. So, what brings a non-Lookshy Dragonblooded to this area? From the Realm, or somewhere else? As for what happened, I believe I heard the one who did this, and this girl right here, " saying this, Child indicates Sierra, "Saw a bit more. Whoever he was, he ran into a room, and by the time we opened the door, he was gone and the room was on fire."


I'm assuming that since she's Breeding 5, it's pretty obvious that she's a DB.

Also, from the description, I'm assuming that her Banner isn't flaring.

[Lix Lorn]

"He... was dressed pretty fancy, all in black, black hair too. His skin was... strange, I can't really describe how. He had a black daiklaive, and... I don't know, it was patterned with screaming faces or something. I think he was from Thorns? That's what he said. Thorns sends its greetings." she explains.

[Tavar]

Child grimaces at her words. He'd hoped that no one would remember that: given everything else, he just can't rationalize the Mask doing it. Someone else is trying to start a war, and while a Chosen of Battles isn't really adverse to that, there's a time and a place for everything.

"If he was actually sent by the Mask of Winters, then I'm the Empress. If the Mask wanted to start a war, he could do much more effective things. And the sign burned into the wall; I don't recognize it as relating to Thorns at all. It has to be someone else."

[The_Snark]

Maren... no, she isn't really Maren right now, is she? Isa contemplates the letter, reading it a second time to ensure she hasn't missed anything obvious. (She hasn't.) Well. That's... different. Not that the change is unwelcome; Isa can't help but think that the Crusade is simply the dying gasp of the Wyld Hunt, trying to dam a river in flood. The Solar Exalted are back, and it's simply not going to be possible to keep them under control through extermination anymore. Something will have to change.

She takes note of the sign of Mars, seared into the ground around one of the burning buildings. Good. She's in the right place, at least.

The question is, does she enter as Maren or somebody else? Besi will wonder why her cousin is so interested in a stranger, and may expect her to follow elsewhere. But a newly arrived stranger of about Maren's age and build, carrying the same weapon and wearing the same clothes... that strains even the broken Mask's ability to explain away. Quite aside from the mess of paperwork that being recognized would create, it could send the whole situation into chaos if Besi reacted wrong.

Hm.

Isa pulls out a translucent hearthstone hearthstone and holds it in front of her contemplatively, watching mirror-clouds drift across the reflection of the sky.

Isa is using her Gem of Omens (see Oadenol's Codex p. 104 for how it works). Int + Occult to interpret whatever it is she sees:

[roll0]

Stunt dice: [roll1]

[industrious]

Isa

The Shadow of an Old Man enters. A Child questions her motives. A Wolf Howls. Chaos.

Penumbra

The necromancer is nowhere to be seen. But perched on a treebranch and watching some sort of hearthstone is a young woman in Realm garb...

Skandi

No luck in finding the necromancer. But the Dragon-Blood doesn't see you, which is a plus.

And searching with a fang in the barrracks yield's something. A scrap of black cloth, sliced off a robe with some sort of extremely thin, sharp blade judging by both the cut of the cloth and the raggedness of the edge. On the reverse sign, part of what appears to be a secret pocket holds a triangular piece of paper, with the rest of the paper obviously with the rest of the robe.

The contents of the page appear to be some sort of list.

In Old Realm:

1. Lin Arba (Unmoving Voyager), - Port Calin
2. Ever-Growing Furor (Blazing Jubilant) - Lookshy, House Of The Painted
3. Grass Lightning (Child of Steel and Ruby) - Fort Waypoint.
4. Rosacarnis Stormwrack (Emerald Stormwrack) - Nex ((the piece of paper is cut off here))

[Aevylmar]

Skandi turns to the fang. "Well, this is interesting. Does anyone know a 'Grass Lightning' or 'Child of Steel and Ruby?'"

[industrious]

Skandi

The men all look at each other and after a second, one of them steps forward.

"Sir? Grass Lightning is...was...the Commander's wife. Though I have no idea who this 'Child of Iron and Whatsit' is."

[Aevylmar]

Skandi calculates rapidly, face calm and mind a blur. "This is a hit list. Grass Lightning is the commander's wife. That lady talking earlier 'My husband is dead.' 'Good to see you, Child' - to the loudmouth. Not a nickname, then. That Deathknight wasn't here for the fort - he's an assassin. He kills the commander - need to check if he was dragon-blooded - then stages a zombie attack as a diversion and goes for Grass Lightning. He fails because of Adamant Girl. Maybe Child was his second target? Whoever Child is, he's more than he seems, considering he could outshout me..."

"Thanks. Keep looking - I have something I need to take care of."

Skandi strides towards Child's group, picking up the tail end of their conversation. "That's the Sign of Mars, Maiden of Battles. Nothing to do with Thorns. My thanks to you for driving him off," he says to Sierra, before turning to Child."By the way - Child of Steel and Ruby? Do you have a moment to talk?"

Skandi isn't quite rude enough to bother a widow at the time of her uttermost grief. He is, however, rude enough to bother Child.

[Tavar]

Child relaxes. Huh. Always nice when they put the evidence together without getting to-

The use of his name, his full name, jars him a bit, and he takes a careful, half-step backwards, as if putting some distance between himself and Skandi.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize that we had been introduced. Please, though, just call me Child. As for talking, I doubt anything really needs to be hidden from the present company."

[Aevylmar]

Skandi smiles cheerfully, speaking in a voice that the circle of men and women around Child can hear. "You are most probably correct. Then for the company, I will simply say this: Our friend who would like us to think he is from Thorns is most probably here to kill you and your friend Grass Lightning, and it is only thanks to this young lady - " he bows to Sierra - "That Grass Lightning is still alive."

Skandi waits a moment to let that sink in, then holds up the scrap of cloth and piece of paper and shows it to the company, his thumb firmly covering the last name and place on the list, before slipping it back into his pocket, as he speaks.

"Our friend who would like us to think he's from Thorns seems to have accidentally left this behind. By the way, does anyone here know if a Lin Arba or Unmoving Voyager recently died in Port Calin, or an Ever-Growing Furor or Blazing Jubilant recently died in Lookshy?"

Skandi doesn't know Child is a Sidereal, but I vaguely feel as though he's going to smack himself for missing it when he finds out.

[industrious]

Fort Waypoint

Nobody responds affirmatively regarding Skandi's question. Likely, nobody's heard of those names.

Grass Lightning frowns. "But why would they go after me? Or Child? I mean he's just a...well...not someone especially important. Maybe Thorns is going after escapees? I don't recognize any of the other names, but they could be those who fled too."

Child:

Unmoving Voyager and Blazing Jubilant are Chosen of Journeys and Serenity, respectively, and work on the Convention of Wood. Blazing Jubilant actually serves with Child on the Committee on Lookshy; the other Sidereal is of slightly higher standing on that particular Committee. Both of them were born in the East, as well.

[Tavar]

The color seems to drain from Child's face as he realizes what this must mean. Someone's compromised the Bureau. And because of this, he's made Grass Lightning a target.

"They aren't targeting survivors, and I know of two of the names on that list: Blazing Jubilant and Unmoving Voyager are associates, of a sort. Were their other names on that list?"



After things calm down, Child's going to be hitting Efficient Secretary Technique, I guess.

Oh, and I might as well ask, what is Skandi's rank?

[Illyceria]

Aya approaches the men and Sierra with a cross look on her face, "If you are done interrogating the young lady it appears as if she needs a moment to catch her breath and a get a little breathing room. If none of you mind you men can 'talk' and we ladies will be getting our nerves calmed down." She nods to Sierra and then to the distraught looking Grass Lightning, "Shall we let the men talk, they are intent on being cryptic and I have found it is best to let Cryptic Men get that cryptic-ness out of their system before getting anything of clarity from them."

[Lix Lorn]

Aya approaches the men and Sierra with a cross look on her face, "If you are done interrogating the young lady it appears as if she needs a moment to catch her breath and a get a little breathing room. If none of you mind you men can 'talk' and we ladies will be getting our nerves calmed down." She nods to Sierra and then to the distraught looking Grass Lightning, "Shall we let the men talk, they are intent on being cryptic and I have found it is best to let Cryptic Men get that cryptic-ness out of their system before getting anything of clarity from them."
Sierra gives an appreciative nod, and shall try to flee to her room.

[Guancyto]

"If someone cares about you enough to assault a Lookshy redoubt with five-score dead," Ragara Besi says, having been caught up contemplating the smoking barracks. She continues to look at it, but who else would she be addressing but Child?

"don't you think you should hide?"

[Tavar]

Child rolls his eyes at Aya's interruption, and waves Sierra away. "She can probably go, but who ever takes command of the fort will likely want to speak with her. I do apologize if my trying to figure out what in the Hell happened here confused and bored you. I just thought I might try and actually help the situation, and protect those I care about."
The final bit is a bit overly vehement, and he pauses, taking and releasing a deep breath, before answering Besi's question.

"Hide from whom? And Why? We only know the apparent targets, and I'm not sure they suspected I would be here. If I do need to go into hiding, Grass Lighting and her family might as well. Especially if some kind of Anathema has it out for us."

[Aevylmar]

"What in Luna's name is Child? Some sort of mortal Essence-user, clearly. "My associates?" Rivals in the Guild? That would be something the Mask or Walker or Lover might risk a deathknight on. Either way..."

Skandi nods firmly, but his voice drops to a low, quiet tone. "Speaking as a soldier, just hiding never works. Everyone always leaves a trail, so your enemies can track you to your hiding spot - and that applies to Greetings From Thons as much as it does to us. Thanks to an error our necromancer friend made, I know where he's going next." He grins fiercely and wolfishly.

"Either that or it's a trap, which is why I say we bring along as much force as possible to break it from the inside. So, Child. Once your friend is safe, do you feel like getting revenge on our necromancer friend by beating him to his next target?"

[industrious]

Sierra's Room

Her room is as she's left it. Grass Lightning slumps onto the bed, numb with shock and grief.

"...Thank you," she says to a silent room. "...thank you."

She looks at the two other women before her, and sighs. Her voice trembles, and her words ramble, as if once she's started talking, she'd be able to sweep away her emotions with a torrent of words.

"How did you hold off that necromancer, young lady? I know it's rude to ask, but I have to know. I can't bear not knowing as much as I can about my surroundings, and the people around me. It's what happens, you see, when the biggest event of your childhood is the takeover of your city by monsters. I can still remember them at the city walls, you know, and now they've come again into my home and took what I cared for the most..."

She sobs silently, refusing to let a sound escape her. Her hand reaches towards her bad leg, clutching at a particular spot, her fingers tensing and relaxing rhythmically.

[horngeek]

While all this is going on, Rose listens, frowning and staying near Skandi.

She speaks up suddenly. "We need to decide what to do about this. Until we know why Child and Grass Lightning are important, I think it would unwise for either of them to be alone."

[Incendius]

Penumbra

Penumbra's eyes flash as she sees the realm woman with the hearthstone, but she does not react immediately. Are Realm hunters here as well? Hmm. No matter, I don't really care what they do. she decides. Filing the information away for later, Penumbra turns her gaze back to the burning building. The fire had just been put out, and now the building was simple left smoldering. A grim expression on her face, Penumbra starts to head down to the building, intent on picking up the trail of her foe. She strides on the air carefully, making as little noise as possible, and leaving no trace of her passage. She approaches the building, ready to enter through a shattered window, and prepared to avoid the scattered searchers so that she could beat them to her prey.


Stealth roll, enhanced with invisibility and +1 difficulty from hearthstone. Penumbra is going to look through the house for signs of her prey, and will likely activate Infallible Barghest's Mien to perfectly track him if she does not encounter any difficulties along the way.

Penumbra sticks to the shadows, and so spends 2 motes to gain 4 dice to her stealth roll, due to Shadow Cloak Technique. It also doubles stunt dice.

8 Successes +1 from Hearthstone = 9 Successes on Stealth.
[roll0]
[roll1]

[Tavar]

Interesting. This man would face an Anathema, without much support? Perhaps there is more to him than meets the eye.

"Normally, I'd be all for going after him, but he's some kind of anathema. Fighting him may be a tad above our capabilities."

[The_Snark]

Suspicion. Of course he'd suspect her motives; not many people outside the Bronze Faction really trusted Isa, and Child of Ruby and Steel was stubbornly independent. The wolf motif was what puzzled her. The necromancer, perhaps? Wolves were sometimes seen as harbingers of death.

She's taking too long. Chejop often chided her for being slow; acting in haste was unwise, but so was hesitating too long. If nothing else, Besi might wonder what was keeping her.

Maren tucks the note away and dropps awkwardly from the tree to the wall, circling around until she finds a stairway leading down into the fort. She keeps her staff on her back and her hands empty, in case someone sees and challenges her. None do. And look, a stroke of luck: there's Child, talking with Besi and several soldiers.

Maren approaches, halting a pace or two behind her supposed cousin and flashing Child an infinitesimally quick wink when she's sure nobody else is looking at her.

[Lix Lorn]

Sierra's Room

Her room is as she's left it. Grass Lightning slumps onto the bed, numb with shock and grief.

"...Thank you," she says to a silent room. "...thank you."

She looks at the two other women before her, and sighs. Her voice trembles, and her words ramble, as if once she's started talking, she'd be able to sweep away her emotions with a torrent of words.

"How did you hold off that necromancer, young lady? I know it's rude to ask, but I have to know. I can't bear not knowing as much as I can about my surroundings, and the people around me. It's what happens, you see, when the biggest event of your childhood is the takeover of your city by monsters. I can still remember them at the city walls, you know, and now they've come again into my home and took what I cared for the most..."

She sobs silently, refusing to let a sound escape her. Her hand reaches towards her bad leg, clutching at a particular spot, her fingers tensing and relaxing rhythmically.
Sierra takes a deep breath as she rapidly decides what to say.
"I... I think I just got lucky." she says, which is really true. "I have a powerful heirloom I can just about defend myself with, and... well, I guess he wasn't a good enough fighter to realise how bad of one I was."

[Aevylmar]

"Normally, I'd be all for going after him, but he's some kind of anathema. Fighting him may be a tad above our capabilities."

"He's hiding something, something key. I don't think he's as helpless as he looks..."

Skandi shrugs. "I'm God-Blooded, he's a fool, and" - he gestures to the starmetal bow - "we all know what you are."

Assuming the GM will accept it, using Mirror-Sight Dismay backed by 5 motes into the Manipulation excellency to convince the five people in closest earshot (one of whom must be Child) that the belief "The speaker does not know Child's secret" is false.

No, Skandi has no idea what Child's secret is, aside from vaguely suspecting he's an Exalt. Forward momentum!

Actual Dice: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3549947/
Specialty Dice: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3549950/
Stunt Dice: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3549945/

[Tavar]

Seeing the Shadow present is another of Child's mixed blessings. It could indicate the Bronze is responsible for some of these actions, but it could also simply be fate, or the bureau investigating the sudden attacks. Best get together and pool information quickly, then.

Skandi's pronouncement does send a jolt of panic down his spine.
He knows! Well, what does he know? The inner facade, or the deeper truth? Bluff, then, and see what comes out. More importantly

Taking a step backwards, Child looks at the Lookshy soldier with a level gaze, speaking calmly.
"You've said many things, but I don't know if I can trust any of it. You've said you know where he's going, but not where or how you know this. Nevermind the fact that, though you've taken command of the fort, you don't quite seem to have a rank on your uniform. I have my secrets, yes, but I'd wager the Empress's Purse that you do as well. If you want to put our secrets to to the test, I'll be over by the wall."

Child walks off, hopeful that the Old Man's Shadow(he really should learn her name) got his message. Two Sidereals meeting unplanned only happens rarely, and almost always for big events. Hopefully she knows more about what's going on: he feels as if he's barely treading water.

[The_Snark]

Maren glances curiously at the God-Blooded soldier. No, soldier wasn't quite the right word: warrior. To Isa's eye he stands out clearly. His stance, the practiced ease of his motions, the deference of the other soldiers, the way he looks at the world — it all conspires to say: here is someone who knows how to fight. Unless she misses her guess, he's in charge of the garrison here. Not wearing a Lookshy uniform, though. Interesting.

The woman standing a few paces away is almost as intriguing; she carries no weapon that Maren can see, but she has the look of someone who can fight with her bare hands, or a blade, or anything else that came to hand.

But she hasn't somehow ferreted out one of the Viziers. Who was the man, anyway? How would he know what to conclude even if Child had stumbled and given something away? Maren spares a moment to look after the retreating Child — if nobody else follows him, they could talk — but most of her attention goes to the God-Blooded.

Lotus Eye Tactics makes it Obvious that Skandi has Melee and War at 5 or higher; likewise for Rose and Martial Arts/Melee.

Also, Isa is using her Gemstone of Surface Thoughts to see what Skandi is thinking. Perception + Awareness:
[roll0]

[Aevylmar]

Skandi pauses and then apparently cheerfully follows Child, completely unaware that anyone can read his frantically scrambling mind...

"I told you, I'm not in charge. People just like my ideas," he said with a casual smile.

"Luna's legions of limbs, what have I gotten myself into? Guild official undercover doesn't explain this! Maybe I can still pose as part of his organization - probably not. He's a bad liar, I can use that, but sure as I'm Skandi the Wolf, I am in deep over my head. I need to find out what is going on."

"This could be a complicated trap for me or the other Exalt here. He could be another Deathknight, not the Solar or Terrestrial I guessed he was. Another Lunar, a renegade one? I haven't spotted his Tell, but that doesn't mean much..."

The dance of "I'm doomed and I love it" is so much fun.

[Tavar]

How delightfully vague. And he's following me. What to do, what to do....

Reaching the wall, Child leans back on it, taking some weight off his legs. He also takes the cloth cover out of his bag and begins covering the bow, before talking to Skandi without looking at him.
"But what is your position? Would the general Staff really allow you to go running off on a wild goose chase? And what is it that you really want?"

[Aevylmar]

Skandi looks around with a smile, making sure nobody else has followed them. Once he can see that the coast is clear, he begins speaking quietly.

"All right, then. I'll go first. Officially speaking, I have no rank. I am not, after all, a citizen of Lookshy, and even unofficially my 'position' is comfortably vague. I'm an investigator, you could say."

He continues speaking, keeping his eyes on Child's expression, and he radiates nothing but cheerful good will.

"I'm here to keep the Confederation of Rivers stable and at peace, and so long as I don't cause any international incidents, I don't think the General Staff have any objections to how I go about it."

And now we get to what matters: What do I want? I want to stop this deathknight from framing Thorns for an attack on Lookshy, starting a war within the Confederation that could lead to the Realm retaking the River Province. I want to catch him and make him say who gave the order.

I know where he's going because there's another name on the list, and I haven't told you who or where because I want in on your investigation of him. He tried to kill you and did kill your friend's husband. I know you're going to go to your associates and hunt him down, and I am going to be one of the hunters.

Skandi turns and smiles vaguely into the distance. "And if there's another reason for me going after him, it's one you won't believe: I don't like it when people get away with mass murder, even Exalts. We half-divine know exactly how limited our power is. You... don't always.

"Now, I've told you my part, and while I know your true name and what association you belong to, I don't know what, ah, branch, or who you report to, or what... flavor your powers have, or even if any of your associates are around. Are you willing to share?"

"And the funny part is, the only real lie is that I'm god-blooded. Well, and that I have no clue what he is, aside from 'Exalted'. Now let's see how he responds..."

[Illyceria]

Aya gives the two unsettled women a compassionate look. There was a familiar sense about this, if even slightly. Aya leans against the nearby window giving occasional glances outside.

"Perhaps it was to your benefit then that our enemy was a fool," she says gently, "his apparent escape worries me, but I hope our ambitious men will be good enough to keep him from making another strike." Her eyes drift to Glass Lightning and the apparent pain she was feeling.

"Were you injured milady? Should I get someone to tend to it?" She asks moving slightly from the window. If it was something she could fix with her power... would she tell the room just want she was to do it?

[industrious]

Grass Lightning

She looks at Aya, and slowly shakes her head.

"My leg wound happened a long time ago. During the fall of Thorns. It was one of them."

She slips into the story easily and effortlessly, still trying to seek comfort in past pain rather than confront present tragedy.

"I was barely twelve when it happened. I lived on the streets then, and when the horde came, slaughtering all in his wake, I ran as fast as I could. But not quite fast enough."

The woman stares at Sierra for a moment.

"You, though...have blood on your clothes. If you are a healer, she looks as if she needs it most."

Penumbra

The fire and the horde of the bucket brigade have eliminated a great deal of evidence. But even still, there are enough traces of evidence for her to come to some conclusions.

The first of which was that her prey had dropped some sort of partial sheet of paper; the blood spatter patterns while dried are still intact enough for her to see that. Someone else (whose footprints are not like Lookshy's standard boots) has taken the sheet as well.

The second of which concerns the room from which the fire originated. The necromancer had obviously dashed in the former officer's quarters, but there are no footprints or other sort of evidence showing him leaving; an utter lack of trail. And yet upon examination of the door, -the scratches of the key, which was somewhat ill-fitting, show that it had been locked, then quickly unlocked from the inside.

The third conclusion is that the same sign that had briefly flared up outside had been seared into the desk by the initial burst of firedust. This was done deliberately, too; it was too certain and precise to be otherwise.

[Tavar]

Hearing Skandi's little speech, Child begins to sport a wry grin.

"You're remarkably tight lipped about this organization that everyone seems to know I belong to. And I'm still not sure what exactly leads you to think I'm some kind of Chosen."

Offering his hand for a shake, Child continues.
"Still, if you're determined to go after this man, how could I not follow, after this last target. At the very least, I'd like to try and figure out why he's doing this."

How, exactly, do you know I'm Exalted again?

[horngeek]

Rose looks around, before spotting- "Matsui!"

Her eyes lighting up, the young swordswoman hurries over to the one who's like a mother to her. "It's been a long while, hasn't it?"

[Illyceria]

Aya looked to Sierra and nods, "Are you hurt as well, I can tend to your wounds if they are. We have time and now would be best to get stock of each and every scratch."

She glances to Grass Lightning and nods, "The lands of the dead are greedy, seeking the life they do not have. I'm sure that one day the Underworld and its blood hungry fiends will one day fear the living."

[Incendius]

Tch. How does he keep doing this? And what is this etching anyway, a calling card? Penumbra asks herself as she contemplates the symbol. Unable to discern its purpose, she simply commits the insignia to memory. She doesn't expect the knowledge to be useful, but maybe it would help in following this annoyingly evasive individual. Penumbra searches the room a second time to try to find a clue she may have missed the first time; nothing comes of the search, but she had to try.

This paper might be important. I can't chase two trails at once, so I'd better focus on someone that is still here. I won't be able to read the thing, but maybe I can overhear something relevant. Penumbra decides as she returns to the spot where the paper had been dropped and picked up by a second party. Penumbra hovers amidst the burnt beams of the building, avoiding the rest of the searchers, as she follows the dusty footprints back outside.

Penumbra floats closer to the ground as soon as she gets the less crowded outdoors, allowing herself to sink into the shadows of the town's buildings. She continues to follow the faint trail as far as she can, intent on finding a person who might have the information she needs.


Survival roll for tracking. Buying 1 success with her survival excellency.

Edit: Doh, I keep forgetting stunt dice.

[roll0]
3 Successes total, and this roll is probably aided by her insanely acute visual senses.


Stealth roll to go unnoticed. Augmented by +1 difficulty from hearthstone and invisibility.

[roll1]
8 Successes total.

[industrious]

Penumbra

She finds the bearer soon enough-he's talking to another man near one of the walls in the fort. And another woman, one of the newcomers is heading that way as well...


I'm assuming that Penumbra is listening in on Skandi and Child and soon Isa's conversation.



Rose looks around, before spotting- "Matsui!"

Her eyes lighting up, the young swordswoman hurries over to the one who's like a mother to her. "It's been a long while, hasn't it?"

Matsui

Rose had spotted Matsui just coming in with a small group of other people.

"Rose!"

Her voice is a combination of overjoyed, relieved, and worried. She grasps the other woman tightly in her arms, holding on as tightly as possible.

This wasn't just an excuse to show affection, though.

"The people I'm with are all with the Cleansing. They think you're Dragonblooded like I am. I'll explain more later."

[Lix Lorn]

Aya looked to Sierra and nods, "Are you hurt as well, I can tend to your wounds if they are. We have time and now would be best to get stock of each and every scratch."

She glances to Grass Lightning and nods, "The lands of the dead are greedy, seeking the life they do not have. I'm sure that one day the Underworld and its blood hungry fiends will one day fear the living."
"Oh, well... um. I'm a little hurt..." she nods slowly.

[Incendius]

Penumbra settles down on a nearby windowsill and intently listens in to the conversation. It looks like my intuition is right, these people aren't normal. Maybe one of them can shed some light on the situation.

[horngeek]

Rose hugs back, genuinely overjoyed to see Matsui again. She listens to her mentor and mother figure's comment, and nods. "All right. You came through the undead fine, I see."

She wants to ask Matsui what her opinion of the situation is... but she holds back for now. Later, when they're in private.

[Aevylmar]

Skandi accepts his handshake. "Well, we've got the team started. I don't suppose you have any associates in the area you could call on? I know your association's reach."

He pauses.

"Really, though, namedropping your organization is something that neither I nor you wants to do. You never know what ghosts he might have brought along."

"Up until now, Guild was my best theory, but this doesn't add up. Realm secret police, maybe? Of course, then I'm doomed, but Immaculate or not it's my job to stop that necromancer."

Is Penumbra eavesdropping on Skandi and Child, or on Aya, Sierra, and Grass Lightning?

[Tavar]

"How interesting: you'd adamant that I'm part of something bigger, but won't go into details. Yet you also imply that the attacker doesn't know anything about it. I'm beginning to wonder what you actually know, and what you simply suspect.

I don't think I can call in anyone. You should try talking to the dynast, though. If she's part of a cleansing then they would definitely be interested, and going through Lookshy channels would probably be best.

I'll try and talk to the girl with the Adamant stuff. Not sure if she'd be interested, but she might know other who are."


That first part is entirely serious. At the start, he did believe that you knew some serious stuff. He's been fishing for information, trying to figure out exactly what you know, but your evasiveness is bringing doubt into matters.

[Illyceria]

Aya nods frowning softly at the looks of blood. "Please remove your clothes, I'll need to check it out, it does... look rather bad from here. Hopefully I meager skill will be enough to keep you from other damages." She then reached into her back and removed from strips of cloth. Of course it may not matter, she had power at her finger tips, all she had to do was be subtle with her efforts if it came to using it.

[Aevylmar]

"Sounds good to me," Skandi says smilingly, waving goodbye to Child as he goes to look for Besi.

[The_Snark]

The whispers of the God-Blooded's thoughts trail away as he follows Child. Except he's not really a God-Blooded, is he? Isa almost laughs. For a minute she'd been horribly convinced that he had somehow learned what Child was, and perhaps her as well—but she can plainly see now that he's projecting confidence, trying to trick Child into letting something slip. Probably she ought to warn him, but there isn't a good way to do it discreetly. She'll have to find a way to talk to him privately later.

And intriguingly, the man's thoughts hint that he isn't what he claims either. Skandi the Wolf: a Lunar, perhaps? No tattoos or other signs, but that doesn't mean anything; Lunars are good at hiding. Not many Dragon-Bloods would think of the Solar Anathema as true Exalts; he's either an awfully well-informed renegade, or a Celestial himself. She'll have to look up the name when she gets a moment to herself.

The buzz of quiet conversation fills the air as the locals douse the last of the fires and start to clean up the aftermath. Booted feet tramp across the ground. Bodies as they're dragged back out to rest in their proper graves again. Maren listens to it all, glancing occasionally at Child or Besi but mostly keeping her eyes on passers-by or shading her eyes to look up at the sky. First rule of hunting: never let your prey know they're being watched...

Perception + Awareness to notice Besi listening in: [roll0]

Using Expected Pain to try and notice Penumbra, converting all dice to successes (so, 10 + stunt rating).

Stunt dice: [roll1]

[Guancyto]

Besi is checking over the ruins of the of barracks! Something about a smoldering wreck really occupied her attention for far longer than would have been considered healthy.

[industrious]

Isa

The Loom provides, and Isa's mind quickly fills with detail.

Her "cousin," at the corner of one of the buildings. She had overheard the conversation between the Wolf and Child. This was not ideal, but expected, given the short dossier on the woman she had received.

Far more pressing, though, is the Not lurking overhead. Something outside Fate and perhaps ten feet above. Not immediately hostile, but another eavesdropper. Curiouser and Curiouser.

The Courtyard

Skandi heads back to the courtyard, and immediately notices the new arrivals. Three of them, and all bearing artifacts of some sort or other. Two are conversing with one of the soldiers, though his ears can't pick out the details at this distance.

One of them, though, is talking to Rose, and is standing, well...too uncomfortably close for his liking. Which raised an entirely new set of questions about himself, but still. The newcomer puts her arm around Rose's shoulder, and they begin to walk to the inn.

Matsui

"...Right. I'll find us a room, and explain."

Her arm around Rose's shoulder is very familiar to the young Solar; this was one of her habits, a sign of familiarity and trust. Matsui had done it since Rose had been tall enough for her to do so without crouching.

Aya and Sierra

She begins to bandage Sierra's wound, but the moment that Aya touches the young Nocturnal's flesh, the Infernal grows dizzy, and


moved with fluid grace, striking hard and fast against the Ambassador, knowing that she'd only have a single free shot. Even as the battle raged around the two, armies of demons matched against desperate men and Exalts, the two fought for what would be the last time.

Her telekinetic blow sinks into the woman's thigh, slipping around the layer of adamant protecting her, and blood gushes from the wound. But it's too little to be lethal, and Aya knows what is next to come.

The Ambassador fades as the Armiger arrives, and his counterattack sends Aya flying through the air, too far to reengage in time. And this battle was little more than a delaying action on the part of the Resistance. Of the Rebellion. Already the signal for retreat sounds across the enemy forces.

Aya had failed. The Battle for the Fourth Divinity had been lost.


stares at a younger version of a woman she had tried to kill.

[Lix Lorn]

"Um. Are you alright?" Sierra worries a little.

[Tavar]

Child

He waits for a moment after Skandi leaves for the Shadow to arrive, but the other bureau agent seems to hold back. Best go about seeing to that Adamant girl. Getting out of the open might just be the key, too.

Taking quick, confident steps he heads towards the inn, asking the innkeeper which room Grass Lighting went into.

[The_Snark]

A whisper of motion catches Maren's attention, a faint stirring of breath where there shouldn't be one. There is somebody here who shouldn't be—subtly attuned to the Loom of Fate, she can tell that the thing is not merely unseen but not-here, an anomaly in the Loom.

Oh, very interesting. Demon? She focuses on that barely-there presence, letting the breeze carry the echoes of its thoughts to her ear.

On to step 2: read Penumbra's thoughts!
Perception + Awareness: [roll0]

Stunt dice: [roll1]

[horngeek]

Rose nods, letting herself be guided by Matsui's hand. "All right. Then we should probably head back down."

[Illyceria]

Aya was pale and still her eyes wide and her lips pressed tightly together while her hands slightly trembled. After a moment, a moment that felt like a painful eternity, she blinked and gave Sierra a warm smile and she continued with the bandaging.

"Its nothing," she says softly, "I must be tired or something, that last battle..." She shakes her head, "Too much traveling, not enough rest." She finishes sending the soft pulse of her essence to help the wound to heal better.

Still her thoughts began to drift away as she tied off the bandages. What was that? A fragment of the future or... a hint from the past. But... Her eyes fall upon Sierra and she begins to worry.

Using Wholeness Rightly Assumed to turn the lethal to bashing. She can heal the bashing without me. Regardless: Spending up to 15m to heal up to 3 Lhls, this potentially leaves me with 4 Personal motes.

[Lix Lorn]

She nods, and gives a quiet sigh as the pain soothes.

I had two lethal levels.

[Incendius]

It sounds like they're talking about gathering a group to track my stalker down. I don't think they are going to have much luck... but I've already lost the trail, and that never happens. I have no idea how that bastard escaped, but maybe they can figure it out. Penumba squats in quiet contemplation as she stares at the two retreating figures of Skandi and Child. Damn. It would help if they could find the room where he disappeared from, but how do I tell them without letting them know I am here?

[industrious]

Child

The innkeeper looks surly; while Grass Lightning remembers him, the innkeeper did not, and he was loath to let a stranger into the room of a grieving widow. About a minute of arguing later, and he's let into the room, with the man assuring the Exalt that "should anything unseemly happen, you'll have to answer to my fists."

Grass Lightning's Room

Sierra feels as good as new, far better than any makeshift bandage or even field treatment could have given her. Thankfully for Aya, at least, the bandages are hiding the lack of wound. And thankfully for Sierra, the wounds that would have scarred a mortal are hidden by the bandages.

It's at this time that Child enters the room.

Matsui

Rose and Matsui head to a small room at the inn, and once the two are alone, the older Dragonblood begins to speak quickly and quietly.

"They've heard about you. Not that you're...whatever you are, but that you're someone who can do things. And I was in the Realm when your name was mentioned, so I decided to sign up, try to make sure you had at least one ally. I was able to fool them into thinking you're Dragonblooded like me. But that can't last very long. Three of them are fanatics; the other one...I can't get a read on her. And there's some mortal cousin tagging along that I wouldn't want to get hurt, either."

[Tavar]

Accepting the innkeeper's suspicion as just part of life, Child knocks on the indicated door. He's not fool enough to simply walk into a stranger's room.

[horngeek]

Rose sighs. "On the one hand, I knew I'd have to reveal the source of my abilities publicly at one point. On the other hand... I'd very much prefer to do it on my own terms.

...were they specifically going to investigate me?"

[Illyceria]

Aya stiffened slightly as she heard the door being knocked on before glancing to Sierra then to Grass Lightning. After a moment she moved to the door and stood against it. "Who is it and why are you here?" Her tone was not unfriendly but it held the hint of a guarded nature. As she awaited an answer she glanced to Sierra and Grass Lightning to see if either looked unwilling to talk with others.

[Lix Lorn]

Sierra gives a shrug. She doesn't really mind, by this point. What will be, will be.

[Tavar]

"It's Child. I'd like to talk to Grass Lightning, and the girl with the Adamant."

[Illyceria]

Aya gave a slight, and somewhat surprising to her, sigh of relief and opened the door allowing him inside. She gives him a respectful bow, and motions him to enter. "Shall I leave," she asks glancing to him.

[Tavar]

Stepping past the girl, Child waves his hand, as if to dismiss her concerns.
"That's not really necessary. In fact, the innkeeper would likely be more comfortable if you stayed, and who knows, you might even be interested. "
Leaning back against a wall, he folds his arms over his chest, before focusing on Grass Lighting.
"It looks like I'll be leaving soon: I'd hoped to stay longer, but the man who organized the soldiers against the zombies is organizing a hunt for the necromancer, and at the least I'll be joining him. We likely won't wait too much longer to leave, and I thought you should know."

Taking a deep breathe, he now looks at the others.

"Which brings me to my next point. If you know anyone who'd like to help, or if you'd like to help yourselves, we'd welcome the assistance."

Finally, he turns towards the adamant girl directly.
"I would also like to speak to you alone for a bit. I owe you, after all, and I might have some information you'd welcome."

[industrious]

Matsui

"They were going to investigate you as a possible Anathema. I managed to convince them you weren't one."

[Lix Lorn]

Sierra blinks in surprise.
"Oh. Um. Okay then..?"

[horngeek]

Rose nods. "Thanks... they're going to expect me to join in the Cleansing, aren't they?"

[Tavar]

Child waits for the other two women to leave the room before starting.


"You should probably be a bit more careful with those adamant artifacts: with Lookshy supporting the Cleansing, might make you more of a target for Anathema Hunts. In any case, remember Grass Lighting, especially if you need help. I move around too much, but I keep in touch with her. If I can help you, I will."

And, maybe, you can help me later on...

[industrious]

Grass Lightning

Grass Lightning reaches out with her staff, and raps Child on the head with it.

"Child, you're being a gods-damned fool. We only barely made it out of Thorns, and that was more due to luck than anything. You can't go up against a deathknight, Child. You're just...you."

She then storms out, muttering curses under her breath as she does so.

Once outside, she stares at Aya, the energy imparted by rage now gone.

"My friend is the only other survivor left that I know of. And now he's going to try to go after a deathknight because he has more courage than brains."

Matsui

She nods, lips thin.

"Once you're properly introduced to the group, the sorcerer there is going to make us all a proper 'sworn brotherhood.' Which would instantly reveal that you're not Dragonblooded."

She chooses her next words carefully.

"I was able to see through the lie that is the idea of 'Anathema' only because I knew you for so long. But they...they're fanatics. Well, three of them are. They won't see it that way. And we can't just run from them, since they now have Lookshy's backing. I always hear tales of Anathema slaughtering sworn brotherhoods. If I were to help..."

She trails off meaningfully.

[horngeek]

Rose sighs. "Looks like we're going to have to go for the violent approach, yes. I'd prefer not to draw steel on them first, though. Fortunately, my combat style allows for that.

I'm not sure how the rest of the fort will react, either."

[Aevylmar]

Skandi strolls over to the nearby Besi. When he gets close, he bows, sweeping an imaginary hat. His eye scans over the jade artifacts and over the bits of zombie remains that hadn't yet finished disintegrating.

"This woman just cut through a small army of zombies almost single-handedly then introduced herself using her personal name. She'd be taking charge if she was Lookshy. Child thinks she's a dynast, I have no reason to doubt him, so that means she's probably with the Cleansing..."

"Greetings, Dynast. I wanted to thank you for your help against the undead outside. My name is Kasdin - I'm working with Looskhy - and I was planning on hunting down the deathtouched Anathema who summoned them. Care to come with?" He smiles cheerfully.

How does Child know Skandi's name? I'm almost completely certain that he's never said it. The only person who knows it is Isa, and that's because she can read minds. He's still worried about the possibility that someone would connect it with the stories that have started springing up in the North.

[industrious]

Matsui

"Given that we heard the shouts from a while back, not well."

She sighs, dropping her shoulders, and unconsciously runs a hand over the hilt of her own daiklaive.

"Though that necromancer Anathema means that they've at least got some sort of target other than you."

[horngeek]

Rose absentmindedly corrects Matsui. "Exalted, not Anathema.

Looks like I'm going to have to reveal the nature of my Exaltation, then, or it's going to happen anyway."

[Illyceria]

Aya gives Grass Lightning a friendly smile as she stands outside of the room with her. "He will go regardless if you hit him again. However if it will put your mind at ease I can go with him, If he gets cut up I'm certain I can tend to him, if nothing else I'll be sure to bring him back, I have less courage and perhaps a bit more brains." She had only one other reason to go, and that was to ensure this necromancer didn't get further with his attacks against people. The East's stability might hinge on that.

[Guancyto]

"No," Besi says flatly, turning away from Skandi, "you are not. Someone with that blade, leading someone like me?" she pointed at Skandi's sword with her back still turned, "you'd be killed within the day."

Her ponytail bobbed as she walked away, "but you may come with me."

[industrious]

Matsui

Matsui looks at Rose, her eyes resigned and her smile wistful.

"You must do what you think is right, Rose. That's all I can really ask."

Grass Lightning

She manages a weak smile in return.

"Thanks. I'd...I'd appreciate that."

[The_Snark]

Fascinating.

Maren stands still for a few seconds, contemplating. The presence might still be a demon, though it didn't feel quite like one. Not alien enough. Ghost? That feels more likely, except that the Loom usually weaves ghosts into its tapestry with relative ease when they entered Creation. Only the strangest creatures of the Underworld fail to harmonize. A curious puzzle. Almost as intriguing—and considerably more practical right now—is the fact that the presence seems to be hunting the same quarry she is. It knows something useful.

After a moment, Maren slips into the building closest to the unseen stalker. Thankfully, nobody is home just now, its owners presumably out helping to clear away the remains of the battle. She pads up the stairs cautiously, avoiding the oldest and creakiest-looking steps, and raps on the inside of the second-story window.

She crooks a finger, beckoning it inside.

Dex + Stealth to move quietly: [roll0]

Continuing to scan Penumbra's thoughts: [roll1]

[Lix Lorn]

Child waits for the other two women to leave the room before starting.

"You should probably be a bit more careful with those adamant artifacts: with Lookshy supporting the Cleansing, might make you more of a target for Anathema Hunts. In any case, remember Grass Lighting, especially if you need help. I move around too much, but I keep in touch with her. If I can help you, I will."

And, maybe, you can help me later on...
"Oh... um. Yes." she nods. "That is a good point, thank you."

[Aevylmar]

"No," Besi says flatly, turning away from Skandi, "you are not. Someone with that blade, leading someone like me?" she pointed at Skandi's sword with her back still turned, "you'd be killed within the day."

Her ponytail bobbed as she walked away, "but you may come with me."

Skandi keeps step with her, looking serious. "That sounds reasonable, assuming you can take a break from the Cleansing long enough to hunt this one necromancer. I don't care who's in charge so long as he goes down."

[Guancyto]

"You misunderstand," Besi answers, casting her eyes over the other members of the Cleansing who had come in but not making any sort of gesture in their direction. Her would-be compatriot can figure it out, she's quite sure. "they're going to hunt him too. Otherwise I wouldn't care either."

[Tavar]

Satisfied that he's settled his possible debt, Child exits the room, running into the two ladies. Stopping for a moment, he tries to reassure Grass.

"Grass, I'm not going to confront who ever's responsible head on or anything. I'll probably just try to get in touch with the next target to warn them, and then help support the Cleansing. I'm not entirely stupid you know."

[Illyceria]

Aya gives him a playful smile and raises an eyebrow as she leans back slightly, "Then you will not mind if I help in this endeavor? That certainly seems far more fun than chasing down an undead loving horror." She shrugs though and glances to Grass Lightning for a slight moment. "Besides if the other men and Cleansing folks are busy with the necromancer, it might do to have at least one other with you when warning the other targets. Who knows if we can beat them to those others, yes?"

[Incendius]

Penumbra easily catches sight of Maren as she enters the building. Penumbra notices this with detached disregard, but quickly loses interest in keeping track of the woman. Considering how Maren tried to hide her furtive enrance, she was probably just a looter, and thus someone of no consequence. The petty crimes of other people are beneath Penumbra's concern. The possibility that Maren had spotted her and was entering the building for a confrontation never crossed her mind. After all, individuals that can keep track of Penumbra are very rare indeed.

If Penumbra were a lesser person, she would have fallen off of her perch in surprise when Maren rapped on the window behind her. Instead, she steps off of the windowsill and onto a solid piece of air, twirling as she does so, bringing her bow up so that it aimed directly at the window. She holds this pose for several heartbeats, cautious and wary, but Maren's invitation soon catches her curiosity. There is no way that Penumbra would go inside the building and potentially trap herself, but simply conversing with this mysterious stranger is fair game.

Penumbra slowly lowers her bow, watching Maren's expression as she does so. She notices that Maren isn't tracking her motion with her eyes, likely indicating that she can't actually see through Penumbra's invisibility; a useful thing to know. Penumbra pricks her finger on one of the iron tipped arrows in her quiver, drawing forth blood. She drags her bleeding finger up the glass window, visibly leaving a bloodtrail that forms a line, and then caps it off with two more slanted lines, completing an arrow that points up to the roof. With that done, Penumbra treads up the air to wait on a spot across from the roof's hatch.

[Aevylmar]

Skandi nods. "Of course." He glanced at the other members of the Cleansing for a moment, then looked at Besi with new respect.

"Ever-changing Luna, but this woman's got guts! She has no way of knowing that the Scavenger Lands or any fraction thereof support her, and she's planning to abandon any formal Wyld Hunt structure and backup to charge off after an expert-necromancer, probably-Thorns-backed, Abyssal with only one or two Dragon-Bloods as backup. I wonder if I can afford to let her live?"

[horngeek]

Rose sighs. "Thanks."

Golden Essence appears in the air, collecting and forming a long katana-like blade in its sheathe. "If I'm not going to be hiding anymore, I might as well bring this out..."

[industrious]

The Courtyard

Mnemon-Caras Pell looks at Besi, nods briefly, and head into the inn himself.

Second Floor Corridor

Grass Lightning raises an eyebrow at Child, clearly not having any of it.

"I hope you're leaving tomorrow, at least. You'd be even more of a fool to set out at night."

One of the Dragon-bloods from the courtyard stomps up the stairs, and grunts at the trio's presence, dismissing them all as merely mortal.

Outside Rose's Room

"...out."

There is a sharp rap on the door.

"If I'm not interrupting anything," a low voice comes from without. "I would like to join all of us in sworn brotherhood as quickly as possible. There are Anathema out there, after all."

[Tavar]

Child watches the dragonblooded go by: this many non-Lookshy definitely means a Wyld H-a Cleansing. Could be good, could be bad, really. It gives him a bit of time to think, though it doesn't really amount to anything: the only way he could really convince her that he stood a remote chance would be to reveal anything, and Child isn't nearly foolish enough to do that.

"Any help would be appreciated.

And, well, it mostly depends on when the others want to leave: it's clear I'm just a passenger here."

[Illyceria]

Aya nods as watches the Dragon Blooded walk by them annoyed. She glances to Child and smiles softly. "I guess then it is just a matter of time then. Might be good to time to get a nice hot meal before we leave. Waiting otherwise is going to get boring quickly." She tilts her head after a moment as she listens to the dragon blooded as he knocks on the door to one of the other rooms.

[The_Snark]

Maren is almost tempted to laugh as she feels the unseen watcher's thoughts dissipate in a flurry of shock and alarm. Almost. It recovers with surprising swiftness, surprise giving way to tightly controlled tension. Like a drawn bowstright, taut and ready to surge into motion. Maren is just as happy not to be holding a weapon just then; she can sense the threat in the air. She holds her breath.

But no attack comes, and after a second or two she's sure it won't. Faint zephyrs whisper echoes of caution into her ear: wariness, not active hostility.

Blood materializes on the window. Not a ghost. Not a demon, either—and belatedly Maren realizes that it was foolish to think it was; she never could have overheard an immaterial creature breathing. Whatever the watcher is, it's solidly present. Her face twitches in a grimace: stupid assumption. Can't do that again. Thinking you know more than you do can get you killed.

Time enough to chide herself later. Even if the message weren't clear, she can sense the watcher's intent clearly. Maren nods and ascends a small ladder into the loft, carefully unlatches a trapdoor in the ceiling, and pulls herself up, perching on the rim.

"Well," she said to the empty air, "here I am."

[Incendius]

"I'm not sure how you spotted me, but I doubt you'll tell me. I wanted to speak with one of you anyway." The empty air responds with a rough voice, like that of someone who doesn't speak very often, or whose vocal cords have been injured by some happenstance. "I should tell you now. Your little friends scurrying around down there looking for the necromancer aren't going to find anything. He disappeared from inside the officer's quarters. I never lose a trail, but his stops cold right there, and there was nothing left to follow. I have no idea what it means, but it looked like he used a key that didn't fit in the door's lock, walked through the door, and vanished."

Penumba remains wary, but she lets a little bit of excitement creep into her thoughts. She wants this bastard dead, but she has no way of carrying through on that idea. Maybe this individual, who almost certainly has some powerful magic to be able to notice her, understood what had happened and could give Penumbra the information she needed to track the necromancer down. She had been stupid to not pay attention to Shattered Mirror's attempts at teaching her, and she now regretted it deeply. There is much more to the world than she knows, and that includes people and powers that just aren't going to leave her alone. If she is to survive, she needs to learn more, so something like this can't happen again.

[horngeek]

Rose breathes in, gathering herself, then answers the door. "Gathering would be a good idea, yes. Lead the way."

[Tavar]

"Sounds like a plan to me, Miss...?"

[Illyceria]

Aya gives Child a friendly smile, "My name is Aya, Aya Crystalis, wandering traveler and a minor healer."

[The_Snark]

"Hm."

Isa considers how best to play this off; act as though she knows more than she does, and hope to intimidate or confuse the watcher into giving away enough to keep up the pretense? Or present her ignorance honestly, and hope that she can glean answers and keep up her cover?

"Where," she asked after a minute or so, "did he come from? Can you trace how he entered the fort?"

Continuing to read Penumbra's thoughts. I'm not sure if you want me to keep rolling with every post?

[Incendius]

"I don't know where he came from. He decided he had to interfere in my work, and so I tracked him her to find out why. I could retrace his trail into the town, but it would take me a few minutes; I only followed until I saw it lead here." Penumbra's thoughts reflect back on her stolen kills, the anger and the rage that this man was messing with her, and just how much she wanted him pinned down.

"I'm not sure it is relevant though. There are a hundred ways of entering this place without being seen. The real trick is how he escaped, and I'm unable to tell you that. The only reason I've accepted talking to you." Her own means of mobility float through Penumbra's thoughts: walking on air with all the ease that one would stride across a well beaten pathway.

"So do you have any idea how he did that, or was your spotting me just luck?" Penumbra's tone is a touch sarcastic. She is still a bit annoyed that someone found her out, and it has unsettled her.

[industrious]

Given the consistent number of successes Isa's been getting and for some time now, this doesn't seem like a leap to me. Penumbra's Occult 0 score kept her from figuring out what was happening, so no Wits+Integrity to resist, either.


Isa

It's at this point that certain pieces of information regarding her invisible informant click together.

The image of a portly man attempting to teach someone how to read, with the skeleton of a necrotech engine behind them both.

Her paranoia at being in an enclosed space, and familiarity with necromancy.

The belt around her waist, and the delicious knowledge of what fuels it.

She is, Isa realizes, talking to a deathknight.

Rose and Matsui

Pell leads them to the courtyard, where the last member of the Cleansing remains, and waves Ragara Besi over.

"Right," the young Heptagram graduate mutters. "This ritual is going to take some time. If anyone has any doubts about it, now is the time to speak."

Assuming no one does, he begins his chant, imploring the Elemental Dragons to bless their oath.


The ritual will take 5 hours. Since I'm assuming something will interrupt it given everyone here...

[Guancyto]

"One thing first," Besi holds up a hand, "this is Kasdin, god-blood, works with Lookshy. There was a necromancer-Anathema here, we'll hunt it, he'll help."

Assuming no one looks to have a problem with that, she nods to the new arrival she bows to the sorcerer and assumes a meditative position. Of course, she can easily break it to defend her sorcerer.

Continual Defend Other actions on the casting sorcerer, yay.

[The_Snark]

When she was younger, Isa once had the misfortune to stumble across a sleeping boar in the woods. She can still remember the shock of adrenaline, torn between the urge to raise her hands for defense and the desire to run for the nearest tree. (Thankfully, the boar had been just as surprised as she, and ran away rather than charging.)

She feels much the same way now. Dealing with regular Anathema is bad enough; deathknights are in their own category altogether. Hostile, enigmatic, dangerous. Not much she can do if this one decides she needs to die. And yet... there is an opportunity here, too. They know so little about deathknights. What might she learn, given the chance to pick this one's mind over for a little while?

"Luck, I guess," she hears herself say. "I have good ears." She is very conscious of the deathknight's irritation, listening intently for any sharpening that might precede an attack. Her muscles, Isa realizes, are tense; a giveaway? She forces herself to relax, sitting cross-legged instead of crouching on the edge of the trapdoor. (If she needs to escape, she can fall backwards quickly.)

"It sounds a little like sorcery to me. I don't think it matters exactly how he vanished; we can't follow him. But... we think we know where he's going to be next." She tilts her head, waiting for the deathknight's reaction.

[Incendius]

"Ah." Penumba voices when Isa explains how she had spotted her. A large portion of her annoyance shifts its focus to herself as she silently curses her own carelessness. She has been relying far too much on her invisibility and other magics, and has not paying enough attention to the basics. She needs to be more careful in the future, especially when dealing with powerful people like her target and this woman here. Breaking out of her reverie, Penumbra pushes these thoughts to the back of her mind, letting them stew for reflection later.

"Sorcery makes sense, well, that or necromancy, considering he did raise a horde of zombies." She comments, a dash of morbid humor in her voice. Isa's next point is a bit more startling, but much more intriguing. It speaks of a chance to catch her prey and learn more about how he escaped her. It would mean working with others, of unknown dispositions, but Penumbra could deal with that. She hadn't worked with anyone in a long time... but that doesn't mean she has forgotten how.

Penumbra mulls over Isa's unvoiced offer. She is starting to relax a little, though she still hasn't let her guard down. "Now, I'm not saying I will agree to work with you, but I'll admit that I want this man as badly as you probably do. You also said 'we' know where he is going next, which means you aren't acting alone. So who is this 'we'?"

[The_Snark]

Isa considers how to answer this for several seconds. "Some people from the Lookshy fort, I think. And... a few hunters from the Realm, part of the Cleansing."

She eyes the deathknight, or at least the patch of air where she thinks the deathknight is. Time for a test. Besides, even timid Maren should be a little suspicious at this point. "If I may ask... what are you?"

[Incendius]

"I'm nobody and nothing important; just another filthy human. You can call me Pen, if you wish." Penumbra responds in an acerbic tone. Memories of a lifetime of slavery flash through her mind. Images of chains, physical and otherwise, occupy her thoughts. Phantom pain from regular beatings wracks her body, and the even more agonizing feeling of loneliness that she has struggled with for as long as she can remember attempts to surge forth, only to be crushed back down by her will.

At the mention of the Cleansing Penumbra's mind surges with glee; here is another chance to get back at those bastards. The endless cruelties of her former master, and the gross obscenities of the brotherhood that had burned her people alive occupy the forefront of her thoughts. "Okay. I'm not going to join you then, but I will help when you confront our target. You'll want me there, trust that. I've already bloodied him once, and that was when I wasn't prepared for him. So do we have a deal?" Of course Penumbra leaves unsaid that she will kill the dragonblooded when her prey is finally caught, but Isa doesn't need to know that.

[Aevylmar]

Skandi bows politely to the members of the Cleansing, shooting a quick smile at Rose when he sees her. "Kasdin, as she said. I'll gladly be your native guide."

He leans against a wall and waits for something to happen.

"So she's Dragon-Blooded? On the one hand, that's an explanation. On the other hand, it's a shame - I don't want to kill her, either..."

[horngeek]

Rose breathes in, preparing herself. "I'm afraid you're mistaken. Matsui was trying to protect me when she said I was one of the Terrestrial Exalted, and while I appreciate that, I don't want to deceive you, since I don't agree with the Cleansing on any level.

My birth name is Iliya. The name I took when I received the sun's blessing is Triumphant Rose Guardian. And I am a Solar Exalted. Out of respect for your defence of Creation, I'm willing to leave in peace, on condition that you don't attack me or Matsui.

But I will defend myself if I have to."

Her eyes stare at the Dragon-Blooded, waiting for their response.

[industrious]

The Cleansing

Mnemon-Caras Pell's eyes widen as he fights to safely end his ritual. The arcane energies rage and dance around his, and then, as he clenches his fists, vanish.

"Anathema," he whispers.

Sesus Meru's eyes narrow as she draws twin short daiklaves.

The two of them were fanatics. They were not bad people. They believed that they were the true Exalts, Princes of the Earth. They believed that the creature before them was a demon attempting to twist their minds.

And they believed that to aid the world, they had to destroy that demon.


All roll Join Battle who're going to Join Battle.

Pell: [roll0]
Meru: [roll1]

[horngeek]

Rose sighed. "I wish it didn't have to come to this."

Because no matter what happened, someone whose only crime was following their beliefs to the fullest of their ability might meet there end in this battle.

The Dawn Caste took hold of the sheathe of her blade, holding it in the ready position. She crouched down, a hand on her hilt.

Ready to draw, in one.

Perfect.

Moment of stillness.

"Come, then."

Rose is activating Wind-Cutting Blade Form on her first action. War And Peace Preperation interacts with Summoning The Loyal Blade to give her 2 bonus successes on Join Battle.

Join Battle: [roll0] +2 sucesses.

Stunt Dice: [roll1]

Essence:
Personal: 12/17
Peripheral: 29/34 (5 attuned)
Overdrive: 0/10

Health Levels:
0 [ ]
-1 [ ][ ]
-2 [ ][ ]
-4 [ ][ ]
X [ ]

[Guancyto]

"Cousins," Besi said quietly. Looking at Rose with a steely glint in her eye she set her hands to her daiklaves, "we are somewhat outmatched at the moment. Retreat would be wiser.

'Do not engage a Solar on her own terms,' I think they said?"

Join Batttleee.

[roll0]

[Aevylmar]

"If ever there was a moment..."

Skandi stood up, drew his sword and strapping on his shield. He speaks firmly, his voice steadily rising. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, Besi, but I lied to you when I told you my name. Lookshy didn't send me here - I came of my own will, to protect the people of Waypoint from the monsters of the Underworld and the tyrants of the Realm."

His voice is pitched to everyone in earshot, now, and drops an octave as he starts to grow. "I am Skandi the Wolf, called Dragonsbane in all the North, Temple-Smasher by the Realm, Kinslayer by my foes, Hero by my friends. I am he who won a bottomless purse from the Jade Court of Rakshastan and traded it for the blade Moonwrath, so that I might smite the Creatures of Darkness wherever they fled. I am chosen of Ever-Changing Luna, and bear Her most holy blessing."

His fangs are visible to everyone, and he's grown at least a foot. Short red-brown fur grows all over him, strong as steel, as his armor strains to cover his suddenly more visible muscles. The handsome young man is gone; the beastman has arisen.

"And if anyone wishes to lay a hand on Triumphant Rose Guardian, Lawgiver and chosen of Sol Invictus, they had better go through me, first."

Join Battle: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3583289/
Stunt Dice: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3583290/

[Guancyto]

Besi spared little more than a glance for Skandi; the corners of her lips turned downard, but she didn't look surprised. "Also somewhat outnumbered," she said in her trademark barely-over-a-whisper.

[Tavar]

Child

This isn't his fight, but one of those involved says he knows the next target. Even if he doesn't like him much, his help could be key. And getting him integrated with the Convention of Wood...

First things first, though. Picking up Grass in a fireman's carry, Child runs to the entrance of the building, calling out the one phrase guaranteed to empty a building.

"Fire! Fire in the Inn. Everyone out!"

Going to make sure that Grass Lightning is out of the building before I go back to the battle. Not sure how to handle this.


Join Battle:[roll0]+1 Success

[Illyceria]

Fire? Aya sighs to herself as she makes her way after Child. Whatever was going on she'd find out soon enough, but if she had to carry another bucket of water today to put out a fire it would be too soon! Its not too long before she finds to both her dismay and amusement, the answer to Child's actions, not a fire but well there was a Orihalcum wielding person and a Lunar. This was turning into quite the frier. Sadly she couldn't really afford intervening in this combat, she was already at her limits and any more essence would get her questioned as easily as the Solar. Doubtless the Lunar and the Solar could handle the entire affair.

Another sigh escapes her lips, she couldn't let well enough alone after all, and she takes a step towards the combatants. Ensuring to catch the Solar's eyes she calls out, "Take them alive if you can!" Cleansing... Wyld Hunts... one day they'll regret making enemies of the Solars, a day that she felt was on the horizon. She was Chosen after all, whatever that meant did not mean good for Creation's people.

[Aevylmar]

Skandi circles around to Rose's side, his back to the wall. "Besi gave you a chance to back down, and until the necromancer is dead, I have no quarrel with you. I advise that you accept your leader's offer. He bares his fangs.

Taking a Guard action and moving to near Rose. I'll want to un-guard and attack a Dynast probably the tick after one of them does something that isn't running away.

[industrious]

Sesus Meru

The vile games and power struggles of Anathema are of no interest to her. Whatever agenda the demon desires must be stopped.

They are evenly matched in size, and they have been told that superior numbers are to be employed as a matter of course. But she could not run, could not shame herself by retreating. Force, then, and not numbers would carry this day. She would have to strike swiftly before they could retaliate.

Child's cry of "Fire" quickly becomes true as the young Fire Aspect ignites, enveloping herself in flicking swirls of red flame. She dashes forward, and batters aside Rose's defenses, her glowing jade blades slicing into her flesh.


One die stunt for me. Ringing Anvil Onslaught for 8m(2 extra attacks). Channeling Valor.

First Attack: [roll0] Base Damage: [roll1]
Second Attack: [roll2] Base Damage:[roll3]
Third Attack: [roll4] Base Damage: [roll5]


It's also roughly about this time that Child unceremoniously throws Grass Lightning over his shoulder, and sprints her outside the inn. "Safely," isn't really a word that he could use at this time though. One couldn't call anyplace where at least six Exalts were fighting safe until you couldn't see them. And even then...

[Tavar]

Racing out of the building, Child glances around to see if he can catch sight of the Shadow.

Perception+Awareness:[roll0]

[industrious]

Creepy one, the Old Man's Shadow. Everyone knew that she was the Old Man's pawn, though they differed on the details. His secret assassin, some claimed. No, his spy, another. Forsaken Starfall claimed that she was his lover, but Forsaken Starfall usually thought that about anyone who was close with anyone.

And in typical Creepy Old Man's Shadow fashion, rather than stay nearby or hidden, she's standing on a roof.

...Why?

[Aevylmar]

"Leave her alone!"

Skandi broke his defensive stance as Meru charged, outmatching her speed as he himself charged as a Jade-attired juggernaut, dull-clawedfeet digging into the inn floor with each step. "That was not smart, Dynast," he hisses, catching her attention as she starts her stroke.

With Meru's blades committed to the barrage against Rose, he feinted a shield-bash to her skull, then brought the blade around under the shield, hitting her in the side with enough force to hurl her into a wall before immediately charging after her. "She's not your biggest problem," Skandi growled. "Your biggest problem is that you're an idiot," he said in a lighter tone as the armored warrior bounced off a wall.



I can break my guard at any point; I choose between Meru moving and Meru attacking, if that's acceptable - If not, I'll do it the tick after Meru attacks.

Skandi is attacking once with his Reaver Daiklaive. He is supplementing his attack with Burrowing Devil Strike, making it Piercing, and using the First Dexterity excellency to add five dice to the attack roll. I'm fairly certain his Heroism specialties apply. Should he act before Meru swings, he'll also add his Solar Bond pool of 4 dice to it and channel his Valor, since this is undeniably protecting his Solar valorously.

Base+Excellency: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3591822/
Specialties: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3591824/
Stunt Dice: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3591825/
Solar Bond & Valor: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3591826/
Edit - 12 successes base, +0 specialties, +0/1/1 stunt, +6 if I pull off an interrupt.

Base Damage is 14L, Piercing. Should the damage roll be below 40% successes, Skandi will use the Third Strength excellency to reroll it.

This attack should cause knockdown/knockback, since I'm fairly certain that Meru doesn't have (Stamina+Resistance) 14 or greater. :smalltongue:

Essence
Personal: 22/22
Peripherial: 29/48 (13 committed)

Health Levels
0 [ ]
-1 [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
-2 [ ][ ]
-4 [ ][ ]
X [ ]

[industrious]

Sesus Meru

The Dynast is sent flying by the force of Skandi's blow, a terrible wound cutting her open from left temple to right thigh, straight through the Dynast's armor. Her crumpled form shatters the wooden walls of the inn, and sends her tumbling to the dirt without, her breaths long and ragged.

Matsui

Skandi is fast.

In this case, however, Matsui reaches the Dynast first.

She kneels next to Meru, blade in hand, and whispers something in her ear, and stands up once more.

The Fire Aspect's head rolls off a second later.


Anyone capable of seeing this (Penumbra, Child, Isa, and Skandi) can make Int+Martial Arts to identify the technique.

Attack: [roll0]

[horngeek]

Triumphant Rose Guardian

Rose grimaces, as the first Dynast charges at her, and the first blow cuts deeply, leaving a nasty cut. Note: get some armor...

However, the Dawn Caste doesn't hesitate, shifting her stance, slightly, and gripping the hilt and sheath of Golden Edge... before drawing, the Orichalcum blade clearing the sheath, wailing at the speed of the draw. The sonic wail focuses into a cutting blade, speeding towards Pell in an instant.

Right. -2 penalty to all rolls, so...

Accuracy Roll: [roll0]

Damage: [roll1] Lethal Damage (and it's a Piercing Attack)

Stunt Dice: [roll2]

Essence:
Personal: 12/17
Peripheral: 29/34 (5 Attuned)
Overdrive: 7/10

Health Levels:
0 [X]
-1 [X][X][X]
-2 [X][ ][ ][ ]
-4 [ ]
X [ ]

[Guancyto]

Besi's eyes dart from the Solar to the Lunar to the other woman to the hole in the inn where the enemy Dragon-Blood and her cousin had smashed through, although she can't see the result of it. She raises her blades slowly, a nod and a shrug at the same time as her cloak and hat begin to fall. If she is required to end this fight...

"Very well."

With a sweeping gesture, her cloak is hung on the end of one of her blades, showing for the first time that she is not armored, save for her wrists. The blade of black jade is sharp enough to pierce steel, but her cloak is not cut. A quick motion flings it at Triumphant Rose Guardian, a wall of cloth to blind her as she dashes in under her guard, slamming bodily into her and throwing her off balance and off her feet. As the two of them fly through the air, Besi skids to a halt and in the split second before the two of them part, snaps back her foot and kicks her in the stomach.

Keeping her eye on both of them, she raises her blade to defend the sorcerer.

Two unarmed strikes against Rose (attacking her is just good sense, sorry. =P), followed by a Defend Other action on Pell. PDV for defending will be 5, action is Speed 5. 2 motes Martial Arts Excellency on the first kick, channeling Compassion on the second kick. If the first one Incaps her (yeah right), the second will be a coup-de-grace for some instructive bruise calligraphy instead of playing Russian Roulette with the damage dice.

[roll0] - 11 successes
[roll1] - 7 successes with -1 Onslaught penalty against Rose

Raw damage is +5B on the first hit, +10B on the second.

Assuming we've had time to recover Essence...

Personal: 16/18
Peripheral: 27/40 (13 commit)
Temp WP: 10/10

[Lix Lorn]

Sierra, hearing loud and dangerous noises, once more has a choice.
The sensible thing to do is to flee this place before she gets in any MORE trouble.

Obviously, she heads for the noise.

[The_Snark]

"Pen," Isa repeats thoughtfully. "Well. I don't suppose I can stop you from following, can I?" A small smile plays over her face, there and gone like a wisp of cloud passing across the sun.

"One more thing. You've seen him before? Do you know who —"

She is interrupted by the sound of splintering wood and hissing flames, as Sesus Meru crashes through a wall into open ground. Isa leaps to her feet, standing on tiptoe to get a better view. All of a sudden she looks... anxious? Annoyed?

[Incendius]

Penumbra reacts in approximately the same manner as Isa, twirling around to face the newly renovated inn. Her notched bow is brought up to bear, but she makes no move to shoot. Things are already going the way she wants them to, after all, what with the Dragonblooded dying.

"It looks like your friends are in a spot of trouble." Penumbra remarks drily. "You can go help them if you want, though by how hard that blow looked, I wouldn't advise it. I'll wait here for you if you do decide to jump into the fray."

[industrious]

The Second Battle of Waypoint

Pell nods a frantic thanks at Besi, as the sole surviving Fire Aspect knocks back Rose's blow.

"Keep them off me," he calls out, mystic patterns and cycles once more circling around him.

Besi follows up with a flurry of her own blows, and Rose crumples to the ground, breathing but unconscious.


Pell is taking a Shape Sorcery action. It is now...Child's turn, then Skandi, then Matsui, Besi and Pell again.

[Illyceria]

Aya grimaces as the combat gets deadly, quickly. With the blood of one dragon spill everywhere she decides it not a good idea to stay nearby. All of this for simply staying low! It was getting tiring, and there was little she could do to patch up the headless one. Slipping outside Aya begins to breath heavily her eyes now directed to the big ol' fight that could bring the entire building down. "I guess no takes to the plea that a good beating is good a killing is not," she grumbles.

[Guancyto]

Besi frowns slightly as the Dawn Caste goes down. With a disappointed look, she faces Skandi, redirecting her efforts into protecting the sorcerer. Nothing will get past her.

Reflexively activating Beak Spears Frog.
Personal Ess: 14/18 (4 commit)
Temp WP: 9/10

[Tavar]

Child
Seeing the woman launched through the wall, and the ever louder sounds of battle, Child plants his feet firmly, drawing his bow and firing an arrow up to Isa. But not a mortal arrow, of wood and steel, but one he seems to pull from his breathe, moving his mouth as he does so, but no audible words come out.

The arrow flies relatively true, bursting on the roof near Isa, allowing her and Penumbra to hear a message in Old Realm.
"Solar, Lunar, and one of the Cleansing Vs the Rest. We need to talk, now.
"


Flurry to draw bow, the shoot a GAT arrow message.
2 motes for one Success(No botch), [roll0]+1

[Aevylmar]

Skandi turns to Besi, interrupting his charge and turning to her. He grins to her, fangs visible.

"Let's see just how good you are."

Armored feet pounding dents into the floor, moving faster than a galloping horse, Skandi rushes at Besi apparently intent on chopping her into fishbait, then leaps well above her head, landing behind the sorceress and slicing her into four equal parts with two well-placed slashes.


Moving up to the two of them - the leap is just a stunt - and making a flurry of two attacks to the caster. Both attacks are supplemented with Burrowing Devil Strike just in case, making them Piercing, and First Dex for 5 motes. Assume use of Third Strength Excellency with below 40% damage as previously.

First Attack
Base Roll: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3593266/
Specialties: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3593270/
Stunt Dice: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3593274/

Second Attack:
Base Roll: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3593269/
Specialties: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3593271/
Stunt Dice: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3593275/

Base damage is 14LP.

By the way, what stunt did I get on my last attack?

Edit -
Personal: 22/22
Peripherial: 31/48
Committed: 13

[Guancyto]

He was fast.

He could have been the Wind herself.

He was strong.

He could have been the King himself.

He was clever.

He could have been the Dragon itself.

It would not have mattered in the least. His defeat was sealed the moment he attacked instead of running away. When he jumped, Besi jumped too, the two of them hurtling in concentric arcs. When Skandi landed, she landed too. When Skandi slashed, their blades rung as they collided, screeched as the moonsilver caught on the hooks of white and black jade. The floorboards tore as she flung him backward, away from his target.

She hadn't even broken a sweat yet. "Good enough."

On step 2 of each attack, activating Crossed Wings Denial to perfectly defend my sorcerer, and Empowering Justice Redirection. Beak Spears Frog provides two counterattacks; Empowering Justice Redirection provides seven and fourteen bonus successes to each counter, respectively, at the cost of all damage dealt by both counterattacks becoming bashing in Step 10 and not being able to wrap around into lethal. Also, he's knocked prone if he takes damage from either of these per EJR.

Full pool minus attacker's multi-action penalties, so:
[roll0] 9 sux plus 7 bonus sux = 16 sux plus any stunt
[roll1] 3 sux plus 14 bonus sux = 17 sux plus any stunt

Raw damage is +8L, converts to bashing in Step 10 (so is defended against with Lethal soak), can't spill over into lethal.

I'm rather hoping Skandi will toss some defensive Charms at this. ^^;

can't let you do that Fox, just one Crossed Wings Denial on the second attack then.

Personal Essence: 8/18 (4 commit)
Peripheral Essence: 27/40 (13 commit)

[Aevylmar]

Skandi raises his sword in salute to Besi as she drives him back. "So I see."

[industrious]

Pell

The Cleansing member smiles, and the swirls of arcane energy coalesce as he forms a Sign and a Gesture. The glowing web of light sprints towards Skandi the Wolf, forming into a vicious, whirling chain.

And Fort Waypoint is home to the second decapitation in nearly 40 minutes.


Attack Roll: [roll0] + 3 sux

Stunt or Charm away, Skandi.

[Aevylmar]

Skandi's sword continues in the logical path towards where his head was a second ago as he ducks. The bladed chain wraps around the invulnerable moonsilver sword, does its best to decapitate an object made of one of the Five Magical Materials, and then vanishes, its task complete.

Parrying with my sword. Paying 1 mote for the Dexterity excellency, just in case.

Base DV is 7, +1 if specialties are applicable, +1 or 2 if this die comes out positive, +1 to 3 from stunting.
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3593366/

[Incendius]

Penumbra

"Did... that man just shoot words at us? What is he, an air aspect? He doesn't seem to care much for the others if he is, running away all like that. Is this really the quality of person you are sending after that necromancer?" Penumbra's mind races with the possibilities. "Well, anyway, sounds like your friends are in a bit of trouble there. It is a shame. I think I'm going to go watch the show. You might want to join me; it is likely to be the last you'll ever see of them. Penumbra's tone is deadpan, but she her thoughts are filled with delightful laughter. "On second thought... how about I help end this peacefully? You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Penumbra leaves this query hanging in the air as she starts to race through the air, not waiting for a reply.

She gracefully speeds off of the roof, her path slanted in the direction of the broken wall. It takes her no time to line herself so that she is directly facing the hole, but another problem presents itself: her altitude is so high that the only thing she can see is the a few inches of the floor. Shrouded with her invisibility, Penumbra smiles as she takes a small step forward. If someone was able to see her, this step would look the same as any other one she used to walk on air, but they would be surprised to see her drop, hurtling down through several yards of air, only to land on another windy patch, one across from the hole's middle, granting Penumbra full view of the combatants.


Moving into position, let me know when Penumbra is up.

[industrious]

Matsui

The older Dragonblood takes this distraction to smack Besi's wrists sharply with the flat of her blade; the younger Dynast wincing at the display. Her face is stern and betrays no emotion.

She then continues onward, the chisel-edged tip of her black daiklave cutting into Besi's flesh.


Using Floating Nymph Evasion(4m). Stumbling Inconvenience Attack(3m) for the first action, then supplementing the second with a 5 mote first excellency(5m), and a natural third attack.

Attack 1: [roll0]
Attack 2: [roll1]
Attack 3: [roll2]

[Guancyto]

For the briefest moment, Besi's silver eyes flared with anger as the blade bit into her skin. "You," she said. Her voice had never raised above a whisper, and yet it cut through the clamor as she caught the elder Dragon-Blood's blade in her own's guard and spun away from the strike. "You brought us to her, you miserable, wretched fool."

In a flash, she whirled, a screen of blades in a perfect aegis against what could have been the greatest swordswoman in Creation or a falling mountain range, "it will not be by my hand, and yet."

Her counterattack was terrifyingly swift, it might well have been a falling mountain range for all the Lost Egg could tell, a dizzying onslaught of blades and kicks alike, the fire finally letting itself out of her body and starting to catch the inn ablaze, kettles shattered from sheer heat and silverware starting to melt. "Everything you love will come to ruin."

DDV is 7 right now, hmm...

Gonna 2m excellency against the first attack, 2m Excellency and channelling Valor against the second and CWD'ing the third. Now we get some Empowering Justice Redirection counters; using that against all three of her attacks.

Dodge DV 7+[roll0] (plus stunt rating) vs 9
Dodge DV 6+[roll1] (plus stunt rating) vs 11

Meanwhile, I'm assuming that she isn't negating any multi-action penalties, so counterattacks are as follows:

[roll2] + 9 sux
[roll3] + 11 sux
[roll4] + 16 sux

Raw damage still +8L and converts to bashing w/o rollover in Step 10.

Anima at 11-15 level, hope the mortals have cleared out.

Personal Essence: 0/18 (4 committed)
Peripheral Essence: 15/40 (13 committed)
Temp WP: 8/10

[industrious]

Matsui

"No..."

She's extremely skilled for a Dragon-blooded. Nearly a century old, with most of her life spent perfecting the art of the Even Blade.

Yet Besi's art is the stronger, and though her blades fail to cut through her skin, it is Matsui's arms who are shaking by the end of it, whose hands now only barely grasp her sword.

[Incendius]

An arrow drawn from a quiver. A bowstring notched with wood and feathers. An arm pulled back in tension. A trajectory traced by a discerning eye. A puff of wind and a trail of shadow following a missile's passage. An icy tunnel burrowed through flame. A obsidian arc passing between a shield of earth and water. A frigid impact hurtling towards a bonfire's chest. With hope, a bolt of shadow and frost toppling a defender

Penumbra had said she would end this peacefully, and so she shall, for a certain definition of peace. She had drawn a blunt head arrow, not a pointed one, but that made her attack no less powerful. The shot's purpose is to remove Besi as a factor, quieting her inferno but not her life, and depriving the remaining Dragonblooded of his staunch defender. Besi had drawn a target on herself with her incredible sword work, and Penumbra fully intends to strike the bulls eye.


A single unexpected attack, using a Fowling Arrow to do bashing damage. It is enhanced with Splinter of the Void, which adds 2 raw damage and 2 post soak damage, and it is also enhanced with a 2m first archery excellency.

Attack: [roll0]
Stunt: [roll1]
10 Successes with a 3 die!

The attack does 13 Bashing Damage before successes, and adds 2 dice to its post soak damage roll.

Willpower: 8/10

Essence:
Permanent: ●●
Personal: 12/16
Peripheral: 14/37 (23 Committed)

[Guancyto]

The icy arrow catches the Dragon-Blood by surprise, biting into her and trying to extinguish her blazing inferno by overwhelming her. She grits her teeth, and although it burns with absolute chill and sears her nearly numb, she grits her teeth and blazes all the brighter, shattering it with a blazing fist as the fire pierces through the roof of the inn, phantasmal winds sweeping it about and crimson ribbons of fire trailing from the towering anima.

Through the blaze, Besi makes two motions. With two fingers, she points to her eyes. Then with the same, she points at the Abyssal. It's... not exactly spot-on, it's clear that she can't see exactly where Penumbra is, but she knows where that came from and that she's present.

"Skandi," she says without turning to him or acknowledging the newcomer, "where will he be?"

Lots of damage! Reflexively spending 3m to activate my anima power, kicking my anima level up to 16+; those who don't have hardness within (Essence) yards of me should probably back off, a lethal level every tick is not pretty. =P

I'm pretty sure that Penumbra has to reestablish surprise again to be stealthed or untargetable now that she's attacked. If this is incorrect let me know and I'll edit it!

-0 [X]
-1 [X] [\] [\] [\]
-2 [\] [\] [\] [\]
-4 [ ]
-X [ ]

Peripheral Ess: 10/40

[Tavar]

Having delivered his message, Child waits, allowing the other member to take the lead.

[Aevylmar]

The light of Luna shining from his brow, driven back but unbruised, Skandi began to resume the charge - then heard the warrior's words and stopped stock-still for a single second, torn in indecision.

"If I tell the Hunt, he's more likely to learn I'm coming for him and escape. Besi will flee, the fight will end, my plan will entirely fall through and we'll be facing the full wrath of the Cleansing when we arrive.

But if I don't tell her, he's much more likely to kill Rosacarnis and Emerald Stormwrack, and Besi is less likely to leave without killing Rose."

It was really quite simple. "Nexus," he whispered just loud enough for her to hear. "He's headed to Nexus. And I'll see you there."

Skandi bursts into movement for another brief second, to stand by Rose and Matsui, shield held high, ready to move again at a moment's notice as the light of Luna surrounds him.

Guarding.

[industrious]

Pell

"You'll see nothing, Anathema," the other Dynast hisses.

Making a grasping motion with his hand, the dirt floor of the inn erupts upwards, pelting Skandi with stone and earth.


Elemental Bolting Skandi. Channeling Conviction on this attack.
[roll0], 6L base damage.


Matsui

Battered and bruised, Matsui strides over to Rose, and picking her up, heads out of the inn.

Besi would pay. But Rose was more important.

[Aevylmar]

Skandi lowers his shield and the spray of rocks clatters harmlessly off it.

"Thank you for confirming my overall attitudes about the Immaculate Faith."

Skandi lunges at Pell to strike her down but reverses his grip at the last moment. The dull edge of the sword hits the ranting dynast once, twice, before Skandi returns to his position, leaving one opponent unconscious and one in a dedicated defensive stance.

After Pell's done attacking but on the same tick, I'm going to drop my Guard action and hit her twice with my sword, 'pulling my punches' to inflict Bashing damage both times, since Pell's still on my list of 'potential resources' instead of 'potential threats'. Using Burrowing Devil Strike and First Dex for 5, assume use of Third Strength to reroll damage as necessary.

First Attack: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3595502/
Specialty: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3595505/
Stunt: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3595507/

Second Attack: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3595503/
Specialty: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3595506/
Stunt: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3595508/

Personal: 6/22
Peripherial: 31/48
Committed: 13

Anima Banner: 10 motes

[Guancyto]

"Pell, there's even more of them. Get out," Besi hisses as well, her annoyance with him clear. There's being fanatical about his cause and there's just being an idiot...

...without seeing the result of Skandi's and Pell's exchange, she races toward where the arrow came from, bursting out of the inn in a shower of sparks and cinders. She can't see the archer, but she doesn't need to. Even an invisible enemy can fall to the towering flames of her anima.

Dashing toward Pen!

[Incendius]

Penumbra watches with amusement as Besi turns and rushes towards her position. She meets this assault with a contemptous walk diagonal walk up into the air, cresting to a height far above her previous position, and directly over Besi's path.


Yeah, sure. An invisible enemy can still die to Anima flare. But can an invisible FLYING enemy fall to that? :smallbiggrin:

Penumbra moves at 7 yards/tick, so she can get out of the radius very fast.

[Incendius]

Penumbra laughs inwardly as she dances under the shadow of a watchtower. Besi's blazing anima contrasts with the darkness, making it seem deeper and more sinister than it was before. Penumbra's movements are silent and unknowable; the air chills with her passage and refuses to carry any hint of her location. Even though others may know she is there, they cannot find her, for she is supreme in her own element.

Penumbra touches onto a flagpole, standing upside down on its bottom, just behind the Lookshian flag. She swings her bow to aim towards Besi and licks her lips in anticipation as she draws back the bowstring, savoring the tension for a few delicious moments. Almost regretfully, she lets her arrow forth, once more shrouded in its veil of ice and shadow. The arrow tears through the flag in its passage, defacing the symbol of dragonblooded power.


Penumbra is taking a flurry. First she is going to try to reastablish surprise. Since she is in shadow, bonus dice from her stunt is doubled. She will then do another attack at Besi, enhancing it with 2 motes from her archery excellency and 2 motes for Splinter of the Void, increasing raw and post soak damage by 2 each.

Re-establishing Surprise: [roll0]
Stealth Stunt: [roll1]

Add 3 successes on the roll of for her invisibility and hearthstone. So you have to beat 10 successes on the roll off, though you do get a 2 die bonus to it since you know that I am somewhere.

Attack: [roll2]
Attack Stunt: [roll3]

9 successes on the attack roll.

The attack does 13 Bashing Damage before successes, and adds 2 dice to its post soak damage roll.

Willpower: 8/10

Essence:
Permanent: ●●
Personal: 8/16
Peripheral: 14/37 (23 Committed)

[industrious]

Child

The Shadow nods, and begins to move down off the roof.

Still no idea why she was on it in the first place.

Sierra

Runs out of the building as it catches on fire. In the shadows case by the flames, she can see an eerily familiar figure, shaking his head in disappointment.

Pell

Ears ringing from Skandi's blow, Pell steels himself for what's to come, arms raised and protecting his head.

"Why do you want me alive, Anathema?"

[Tavar]

Child

Keeping his bow out, Child waits by the building. This isn't his fight. Better to stay out of it, if they'll let him.

[Aevylmar]

Skandi

Skandi sighs before bringing his sword around for a final swing. "Because it's wrong to kill the helpless."

Still pulling my punches to inflict Bashing damage. Not using the Dex excellency, still making the damage Piercing.

Base Dice: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3598185/
Specialties: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3598186/
Stunt: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3598187/
Base damage is 14BP
Edit - 10 successes base, or 12 if this is heroic.

Essence: 2
Personal: 5/22
Peripherial: 31/48
Committed: 13

[industrious]

The flat of Skandi's blade strikes Pell's temple, and the Dragon-blood goes limp upon the floor.

Unfortunately, though, part of the fort, namely the inn that the battle has been taking place in, is still on fire.

Again.

[Guancyto]

The dragon's fire rages unabated, seeking after the enemy that continues to pelt it with ice and rime. Flying, unseen, straight above.

It is too much. The dragon falls, her flame guttering out against the relentless onslaught. The chill of oblivion snuffs the flame, and she falls to the ground far beneath Penumbra, unconscious.

She really hopes that Pell decided to pay attention to her for once and get out of there...

Yeah that last hit would take me out with anything more than 1 success, and she's rolling a bundle of bashing dice. KO'd.

[Aevylmar]

Skandi

Skandi sheathes his sword and leans down, scooping up the unconscious Terrestrial in his arms as he walks out the hole in the wall of the burning inn. He takes a deep breath, and screams "Fight's over, inn's on fire. I know you've all got buckets somewhere!"

As the people of Waypoint reform the bucket brigade, he turns to the scattered collection of Exalts and possible Exalts, including the three unconscious bodies. "Anyone here know medicine? I'd like to make sure nobody *else* dies today."

[Illyceria]

Aya sighs softly and flicks back strands of hair that have gotten in her face. "Right, right, patching up both the sensible and non-sensible together. Really," she complains going first to Rose and checking her out. "First a Necromancer, now the Cleansing, then all the Anathema everywhere. This day has been one hell of a day, and it appears I'll be sleeping outside!" Despite her vocal complaining she works carefully and with some practice tending to the wounds of the living. There is an audible sigh at the minor glances to the dead.

[The_Snark]

"On second thought... how about I help end this peacefully? You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"That would be nice," Isa mutters, staring down at Meru's headless corpse. Everything is going terribly wrong. One of them is siding with the Anathema? How in Jupiter's name had her master missed that little detail? The Cleansing is too large to screen everyone, and maybe the Terrestrial directors don't even try, but for a mission like this...

She doesn't even know who the traitor is. Meru? Matsui? Likely the outcaste, she decides, but she doesn't know. Not for certain. Firelight flares within the inn. All happening too fast.

"Pen?" There is no answer. She looks down at her fellow Sidereal, nods, and drops through the trapdoor into the building.

A minute later Maren peeks out of the door, beckoning Child inside with a hissed, "What's going on down there?"

[Incendius]

Penumbra stares down at the fallen Dragonblooded with a smirk. The poor fool had had no chance against her. Penumbra hefts her bow around her shoulder and looks back towards the building where she had been talking to Isa. She sees Isa start to climb down. Ignoring the raging fire of the inn at her back, and Penumba strides over to where Isa meets with the strange man who could shoot words from his bow.

She silently slips through an open window, not caring to be spotted or heard by Isa again. Penumbra has no ill intent, but she doesn't feel like revealing herself to Child, and wants to hear their conversation when they don't know that she is there.


Stealth roll.
[roll0] +3 Successes

Stunt dice.
[roll1]

[Tavar]

Child

Speaking softly, Child tries to bring her up to speed.

"Five kinds of Pandemonium. One member of the Cleansing was covering for a Solar, your apparent 5th member. She revealed herself, and the one posing as a Godblood and trying to out me revealed himself as a Lunar. The result is pretty clear. "

Pausing, he looks around, not wanting to get into bureau business with listeners.
"Are we alone?"

[The_Snark]

"Don't know." Maren closes the door after one last look around. "Wouldn't count on it. Lot of ears here."

A grimace briefly mars her face as she turns to face her fellow Vizier. "Maybe fire will keep them busy. So. Skandi suspects you. Bluffing about most of it, but still suspicious. He tell you where to find the necromancer?"

Reading Child's mind, because why not?

Perception + Awareness: [rollv]10d10[/rollv

[Tavar]

Child

Child's grimace matchs Isa's, and answers.

"Pity. Thought he was bluffing, towards the end at least. He's just being an ass and kept leading me on.

Anyways, someone's targeting people who know about Us. There was a pouch with my Sign in the office, in addition to the wall. I'll try and get Skandi to reveal what's going on before he leaves, and he needs to leave now. If he stays, he endangers everyone in this fort. Did you get the other names on the list?"


Child's Thoughts

Can't risk confirming anyone's suspicions. Did the Shadow know about Lookshy's decision? Why is she here, now of all times? And what's her name, dammit I should know this. I hope her mission isn't going to involve me: I have enough trouble with this, on my first vacation, too Dammit.

[Aevylmar]

Shrinking back into his human shape, Skandi turns from helping the bucket chain to drop by Aya's side for a moment, offering her bandages just out her reach. "Thanks for your help. If anyone tries to hurt one of them, please, stop them if you can and call me if you can't."

"I'm revealed as a Lunar and this is an Immaculate town. Lookshy isn't as big on religion as the Realm, and they may remember that I helped save them, but I still need to get out of here as soon as possible - but I need to wait until Rose is awake, find the archer..."

This is going to be a long day.

[industrious]

Fort Waypoint

The bucket brigade responds quickly, channeling their anger at being summoned for the second time in an evening.

When the flames finally begin to die down, Grass Lightening approaches the Dragon-Blood, the Solar, the Infernal, the Nocturnal, and the Lunar.

"Technically speaking, we should be arresting you or trying to kill you. But you helped us against the necromancer, and kept our buildings from burning down. Even if your actions caused them in the first place."

She glares at them, leaning heavily on her wooden cane.

"I still want all of you gone. Even if you're going to kill me and everyone in this fort for saying so. But get out. Take your demons, and your Princes of the Earth, and leave us ordinary people alone."


She's speaking Riverspeak, and then Low Realm. She's pitched her voice so that everyone outside can here.

Charisma+Performance+Conviction: [roll0]. 10's don't count double.

That's hilarious.

[Aevylmar]

Skandi looks shocked, and speaks before Grass Lightning as if before a stage. "Not an hour ago we saved Fort Waypoint from a necromancer's undead army, which was attempting to raze this fort to the ground, kill you all, and steal your souls, and some of us are now cripplingly injured. We don't want to impose on your hospitality -" and for a moment there's an edge of outrage channeled into sarcasm concealed behind the plea in his voice - "But could we spend the rest of the night resting and tending to each other's wounds, at least, before we pursue him?"

Making a Performance+Manipulation attack, backed by 5 motes, to convince her and anyone else in earshot that we are, by justice, owed considerable favors for saving their town, with a night's rest here among them, playing on her Compassion if she has any.

Base: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3600700/
Specialties: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3600701/
Stunt: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3600702/
7 successes base, +2 specialty, +2/+2/+3 stunt.

[industrious]

Grass Lightening

"Is that a request, or a demand?"

But most of the people around her aren't on her side.

She looks her age. There are worn lines across her face. A crippled middle aged woman newly widowed and trying to step into her husband's role. And finding herself, though she has been loved and respected by his men, outmatched.

"...I want you gone in the morning. But then again, when Anathema are involved, what do our opinions matter?"

She walks away, hobbling, and vanishes alone into the darkness. A few moments later, a door opens and soon enough, closes.

[The_Snark]

"No. But easy enough to find out." Isa gazes at the ground, her obvious irritation vanishing beneath a pool of contemplative stillness. "Oversight wants that someone found. Need warriors to help once we find them. Would have been the Cleansing, but..." A faint shrug eloquently expresses the problem with that plan.

"So. Skandi and the others still planning to hunt down the necromancer?"

[Tavar]

Child

"Oversight is interested in this? That is bad. Skandi definitely seems interested, and a couple others were interested as well.
"

Halfturning, Child moves towards the door.

"We should probably return: you'll need to look after any survivors of your party, and I'll try and run a bit of damage control."

[Lix Lorn]

Sierra is standing on the very edge of the group, trying to be as quiet and unimportant as she can. By this point, this is likely pointless.

[industrious]

Sierra

Away from the others, and alone in the dark, Sierra tries her best to be invisible.

"I think you should join them. They could be...useful."

The voice resonates from behind Sierra, soft and seductive and sensual.

"No, no, don't turn around. We'll see each other soon enough.
"

"Don't be afraid, Sierra. I've got a good feeling about this."

When Sierra turns around, she sees only darkness behind her.

[Lix Lorn]

She tries to turn around of course, but nothing like fast enough.
And... she decides to listen. After all, what bad ever came from listening to the voices in the air?