[Exalted] Academy of Legends IC: Growing Up is Never Easy

[Inspector Valin]

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23rd of Resplendent Air, RY Unknown. Carnival of Glory

School, as they say, is out.

Today is the first day of your yearly holiday. It's the end of summer at the Academy of Legends, the fifth year of this strange school's operation drawing to a close. And the mood could not be happier. The student body have been relieved of study for the duration of the cold times. Descending Air and Ascending Water. The students are relieved of duties for the full two month period, whilst the instructors calculate the results of the past year, preparing new replicates to join you as freshmen, and readying a more exacting syllabus for the rest of you.

It's a relief at first, but two months is a long time. It can get really damned boring, being shut up in the school for fifty six days with next to nothing to do. Some of the young Exalts find ways of entertaining themselves, even when effectively confined to quarters but a good number are glad when Resplendent Water rolls around. The rains mean they'll at least have something to do.

Still, the weeks leading up to the Long Holiday are the best time of the year for students. No lessons to deal with, unless you seek out an instructor for private tuition. Waymount's open to you until the end of the month, and for most of the next week, the entire Academy will be in full celebratory swing. Parties, tournaments... these are three hundred young Exalted who have spent a year doing little other than studying studying, finally being presented with the chance to cut loose and have fun. The results can be as glorious and terrible as anything their Creation-born counterparts ever achieved.

And today, the first day of the holidays to many, is the biggest day by far. The Carnival of Glory. The biggest events, the loudest celebrations... this is where the fun begins, from now, up until the Ball of All Peers next week, which marks the official end of the Academy year. Everywhere you go, you'll find brightly coloured banners hung, first years chattering animatedly to themselves, and a couple of Alchemicals looking on with a quiet yet approving eye. Even the Machine Chosen understand something of the concept of fun.

You're together in the cafeteria, seated around your table, making plans for the day, as the thrum of other students around you drown out as much noise as possible, the poor serving autometa trying desperately to hear what the few Terrestrials still in the line are saying. Events are taking place all over the Academy, some sponsored by student clubs, others by tutors. Your Circle Mentor, Glorious Blade of Justice, has sent each of you a small white pamphlet with a list of today's events, a few of particular interest to each of you circled in red. You're under no obligations to enter a single one... technically. But at the Academy, your skill and abilities are pretty important socially. Most students will end up taking part in at least a couple. And they all tend to come with trophies, literal or metaphorical, for the greatest amongst you.

Fun, prizes, and a chance to show off in front of your peers. What more could a young Exalt want in life?

There's a lot of activities going on that target individuals, and you can feel free to have a crack at them. But you're fairly tight at least as far as circles go, and the group events tend to be the big stuff. You'll want to focus on these.

1: Race of the Five Winds: A five section relay race, starting just outside Waymount. The five sections are different each year, but the race always begins with a Warstrider run through manufactured swampland, and ends on the Academy Roof. Overseen by Boundless Hope.
2: Conquest of the Invisible Fortress: New to this year, this event is one very few people know much about. Some of you are better read though, and as a circle, know the basic details. Delicate Whispered Words has used sorcery to create a facsimile of Kal Bax's famous Manse in Lecture Room 147. The first to reach its inner sanctum will receive its treasures.
3: Wyld Knight: The first student created and run group event, the Wyld Knight Exhibition Tournament pits a circle against automata forged by the Academy's Twilights. The most combative event of the day, Glaive of Shadow and Golden Sentinel both watch events closely to ensure none of their students suffer permanent harm. One of the senior students, Bright Shattered Ice oversees the tournament, and introduces each act; the sometimes surly Twilight growing more loud and cheerful whenever she assumes the announcer role. The Tournament is located in one of the larger pavilions on the grounds; its wide berth holding enough seats to ensure that as many students as possible are able to watch the games.
4: Memorial Hunt: A disappointment for Lunar students. the Memorial Hunt is fairly simple entertainment by the standards of the Academy. An item has been concealed somewhere in the Academy building by Disciple of Crystalline Wisdom himself, with a series of riddles and puzzles designed to lead to its location. Often the puzzles have a physical component to ensure that the smarter students and the physically capable have to unite in search of the eventual prize.
5: The Procession of Endless Glories. The Academy of Legends has a talent show. They only accept group entrants, though, and competition is fierce. The winning circle are generally favourites for Kings and Queens of the Realm. Entries are judged by a panel of five faculty members, alternating each year. It will conclude the day, and is being hosted in the same ballroom that will host the All Peers Ball next week.

[Ascension]

Oh joy. Party time. Whoop-dee-freakin'-doo.

The air in the cafeteria thrums with noise and excitement, practically enough to be felt as a physical force. It's even louder than it was last year, what with the new crop of first-year replicants crowding the room. According to the older students the student body just gets bigger every year... each brings a new batch of freshmen, but no one ever seems to have heard of anyone graduating. The whys of that little mystery aren't much of a concern to Whisper (if she wanted to hear theories she'd ask a Sidereal), but oh gods the noise. If she's gonna be in this school forever they're going to have to build a quieter (or at least bigger) cafeteria at some point.

She sinks further into her seat, shielding her eyes with a book. She's not reading; it's too loud for her to really read. When she tries the words just get lost in the babble, and she finds herself going over the same three or four sentences over and over again, failing each time to hold on to their meanings. It's a good prop, though. As long as her eyes are focused on those neat, even rows of sober ink she doesn't have to deal with the onslaught of over-bright festive banners which seems to have thoroughly overrun the campus, most painted by hands guided by more enthusiasm than skill (Who in their right minds would write "OF" in the largest letters on a sign promoting the Carnival of Glory?), and the appearance of reading allows her to easily excuse herself from most conversations (except the dreaded question "What are you reading?" and all further inquiries that it might bring).

The Long Holiday itself she appreciates (plenty of time to write), but the Carnival of Glory? As far as Whisper is concerned, it's simply something to be endured.

[Maugan Ra]

In stark contrast to the other Solar, Merela is enjoying herself immensely. A plate of food in one hand, the white pamphlet in the other, she wends her way through the crowded cafeteria and all but drops into her seat at the table.

"So... what do we think?" She asks cheerfully, flicking her dark red hair out of her face and tapping the pamphlet. "I know we could do well in the Wyld Knight tournament, and I'm interested to see if the Invisible Fortress lives up to it's reputation, but any of you have any preferences?"

[The_Snark]

The Carnival of Glory. A time for celebration, yes, but also a time to relax and unwind from the stresses of the year; a time for students to let their hair down, abandon restraint (or what passes for restraint among the Exalted) and just be themselves for a few

hahahahaha, yeah, right.

That's what it means to most of the student body, maybe. But most of the student body are suckers.

Elle is too absorbed in her study of the upcoming games and contests to pay any attention to Whisper. Five of the suggestions have been highlighted (overtly and otherwise) for their attention, a perfect match for the size of the circle. Coincidence? Maybe, but any Sidereal worth her salt knows better than to trust coincidences. An ersatz end-of-year assessment, perhaps? One event tailored for each of them, in order to see who can persuade the others to take part in their contest of choice? Possible, Elle decides, even plausible, though far from a worst-case scenario. It's just another dumb leadership test; she can deal with that, though she probably ought to throw the test and let Merela or Scarlet 'win' first choice for security's sake. Annoying.

Okay, so the Wyld Knight tourney's obviously for Merela, and the race is Ayana's pick, but which would Scarlet prefer, the Invisible Fortress or that dumb Memorial Hunt thing? Probably the Fortress... wait, that means they thought I'd like the Hunt!? Ugh! Bo-ring, they do that every year. I think I'm insulted. And which of these is Whisper supposed to go for, anyway? The talent show? Have they met this girl? Maybe they couldn't think of anything for her...

Merela's arrival interrupts her speculation. Elle glances up, oh s*** not ready, haven't finished working everything out - She settles for demurring. "Not sure yet. The Procession of Endless Glory is always good, and I'm kind of liking the sound of the Invisible Fortress."

[Maugan Ra]

"The talent show?" Merela manages to pack an amazing amount of doubt into those three words. "What would we even do for that? We're a pretty varied group, and I can't think of anything impressive that everyone could contribute to."

Merela has never made much secret of the fact that she knows Elle is smarter than her. More cunning, certainly. If the Chosen of Secrets has an interesting idea, prior experience indicates that the Dawn will probably go along with it.

[The_Snark]

"I didn't say we'd win," Elle rolls her eyes, "just that it's always a good target. It's the last event of the Carnival, and that means everyone remembers the people who shine. I don't think there are any scheduling conflicts with other contests, so there's no point in not entering unless we're seriously short on ideas." She puts derision into that last sentence, as if it's not a possibility worth considering... though in fact, she isn't quite sure what they'll do either. Whisper has a good singing voice when she chooses to use it, and of course Elle herself is one of the school's best dancers, but none of the others have much musical talent. Their fighting styles don't match, and nobody's going be impressed by an unharmonious mix of swordplay, martial arts and archery, that's pretty much the lamest fallback option ever...

[Ascension]

Judging from what Whisper can hear over the din in the cafeteria, it's already begun. 'Oh what contest are we going to enter?' 'Whatever we can drag Whisper through.' That's not what they're actually saying, of course, but she'd wager good Jade that that's what they're thinking. She's Whisper-the-liability, after all. Meekest Exalt under the Sun.

'They wouldn't think that if they knew,' she thinks, but of course they can't know. They're the last she'd tell. Well, most of them, anyway.

She discreetly slips the Carnival flyer into the pages of her book, glances through the list of events they're talking about. 'Athletics, danger, violence, teamwork, crowds...' It would be easy for Whisper, the public Whisper, to dismiss each in turn, but there's an ember deep inside her, an ember called Crimson Promise, that says 'I could show them, I could show them all' and sends her back through the list.

They're missing the obvious for the talent show, at the very least. No, they don't have a unified talent, but that just means they need a framework that can give them each a role they can excel in. A play's the thing, obviously. Written for their Circle, giving every one a different part to play, one suited to their gifts... a tragedy, she thinks. A peerless warrior (Merela) undone by the vicissitudes of Fate (maybe literally... Elle?). That should play well to the crowd, plus she'd get to see Queen M die on stage. Win-win.

Oh, but she'd have to be in it too.

Crap.

And she'd have to volunteer to write it, because none of the rest of the Circle will think to ask.

Double crap.

She says nothing and continues to "read."

[Propagandist]

"What are you reading?"

Scarlet glanced up from her plate towards Whisper, voice barely audible over the racket of the cafeteria. She wasn't that hungry anyway. On paper, the Long Holiday was a good thing, much needed time to rest, recharge, and relax. In practice, it completely upended Scarlet's meticulously crafted schedule. Her days were filled to the brim with as many classes as she could fit into the time, and studying filled most of the rest. Things like food, sleep, and other people were grudgingly wedged in once all else had been attended to. The Long Holiday eliminated all of that, and it took Scarlet time to adjust. The removal of everything she was normally stressed about was actually causing more stress. At least there was plenty going on today.

Merela's arrival sent Scarlet fumbling for her pamphlet as she looked for an answer. Of course the Solar wanted to participate in the Wyld Knight. She could probably win it alone with one hand tied behind her back. The Invisible Fortress too? Battling our way into the sanctum of a legendary Manse? They expect me to participate in that, don't they? So much for 'it's your choice.' Maybe the reward is being made ruler of all Creation. "I agree, the Invisible Fortress looks interesting, I've read about it. The real one, I mean. That could be... fun." The last word leaves Scarlet's mouth like she's not totally clear on the concept. "The Memorial Hunt has my attention as well. Wonder how they'll change it from last year?" Matching wits with all the school's would-be spies, scholars, and tricksters appealed to her more than just carving up automata. Except the Wyld Knight was a group event, and Whisper and Merela were really good at carving up automata. There's no reason not to do it. Maybe they should just do everything? Would that work? Scarlet immediately starts checking the schedule.

She looks just as perplexed as Merela when Elle brings up the Procession of Endless Glory. "So there isn't anything stopping us, but Merela's right. What would we do? You need a talent to be part of a talent show. I don't qualify."

[Ascension]

"A play," Whisper blurts out, louder than usual, though still barely audible against the background cacophony of the cafeteria.

Dammit, it had to be Scarlet who asked. Anyone else she could shut out with a glare for daring to interrupt her, or just give a wordless flash of the book's spine or cover.

"I'm reading a play," she explains, but she knows Scarlet is smart, too smart. Chances are she'll pick up on the idea, on the other reason theater is on Whisper's mind. Worse, she might even glimpse the title of the novel in Whisper's hands and know that she was lying. Whisper wants to lay the book out flat on the table, blocking the title from view, but that would show the Carnival flyer tucked in the pages...

'How do I get myself into these situations...'

[Maugan Ra]

Merela is far from an expert on the subtleties of human interaction, but she knows a shield when she sees one. Whisper is using the book in her hands to defend herself, to deflect attention and provide a bulwark against the enthusiasm of... well, people like her.

"Hey, that might be a decent idea." The Dawn suggests, deciding that there isn't any real need to mention that she can easily see the book's name on the spine. "A play of some sort, if we have to enter the talent show. It's have to be fairly short, since I doubt we'd get a long slot, but that should be time for a scene or two."

She considers for a moment. "Whisper could probably write it, I think - that would probably count as her participation in the event, if the whole circle needs to be involved."

Sometimes, being well known for being guileless is an advantage. She knows the quiet Eclipse is reluctant to take the spotlight, so giving her an excuse to work with would be a decent way of getting her to take those first, small steps. And hey, everyone knows the Eclipse Caste are called the 'Quills of Heaven', so it's not like the assumption is unreasonable...

"Anyway, I'm pretty sure the Invisible Fortress won't be anything like the real thing... mostly because the real thing would kill us all... but it should still prove pretty interesting."

"The hunt and the race, though... the first just seems kind of boring, though if any of you want to enter, I'll help with the physical bits. And I'm not much of a racer without my equipment, with I'm pretty sure counts as cheating... being able to run on air kind of defeats the point of the rooftop and swamp segments, anyway."

[Phasm]

While the others were talking, Ayana was shoveling in her breakfast as if she hadn't eaten for days. Neatly- being messy is un-Exaltlike- but quickly. "Aww, nobody else wants to enter the race?" In some ways, Ayana is very predictable. "You could totally pilot a warstrider if you don't think they'll let you run on air, Merela! I think they probably would let us use our Charms at the very least, though. We're Exalts, what's the point of a contest where we can't use our Charms?" She takes a sip of water. "All the events sound like fun, really. We could kick some serious ass in the Wyld Knight event, we've got both brains and brawn for the Invisible Fortress... I'm not so fond of riddles, but I'm sure Elle and Scarlet can get us through that component of the Memorial Hunt. I'd be up for a play too, as long as I don't have to play the lead." With Merela, Elle, and Scarlet around, it's a pretty safe bet that one of them will want the lead if they end up doing that. "Why don't we just enter all of them? The more prizes and glory, the better!"

[Ascension]

...hm. Could she get away with just writing a play for the talent show and let the others handle all the nasty bits actually involving standing in front of large audiences? Would that really work? She looks over her book at Glorious Blade of Justice, willing the Alchemical to answer her question without her having to actually ask it. Do they have charms for that? Reading thoughts? Would he have, like, wires sticking out of his head if he'd learned (installed?) one? She... really doesn't get Alchemical Exalts. She knows a lot of them, and she likes 'em better than meat people sometimes, but she really doesn't get them.

'This is Gold Writer, paging Glorious Blade... Come in Glorious Blade, do you read me?' she thinks at the robot man Exalt, and then snickers softly at her own absurdity.

[Propagandist]

Scarlet raises an eyebrow at Whisper's strained response. She was pretty sure Dream of the Red Chamber wasn't a play, having a) restocked it in the library several dozen times and b) read it, but she said nothing. The Eclipse had something else on her mind, but Scarlet wasn't the sort to pry.

OK, that was a lie, but it was Whisper. Scarlet wasn't going to browbeat her into explaining. Besides, Merela just laid it all out anyway. The idea draws one of Scarlet's rare smiles. "A play? That's inspired. Certainly better than anything I've thought up. The other entrants are likely to be the usual singing, dancing, martial arts demonstrations, maybe fortune-telling like last year. Even if we don't win, it would be memorable, we'll have people talking. Whisper, you brought it up, would you be willing to write something for us?"


"Why don't we just enter all of them? The more prizes and glory, the better!"

"We could do that. There is enough time to participate in all five of these events. Does anyone have any serious objections? It's a lot of work, but think if we won." Her eyes traced around the table expectantly. Jumping into a full day of dangerous challenges with the goal of winning them all was the sort of thing Scarlet wouldn't think twice about loading herself down with, but putting it on the others still seemed unfair.

[Ascension]

Whisper ducks behind her book again, praying that she made it into cover before her cheeks began to color.

'Direct question, direct question, they're looking at you...'

Her hands holding the novel tremble, and her Carnival of Glory flyer falls from its erstwhile home in the pages of Dream of the Red Chamber and lands directly in her lap. Behind her little paper wall she turns a brighter shade of pink. She wishes she'd gotten up the nerve to ask that Night Caste girl, the little Djala one, what her trick was for disappearing.

"I... I-I..." she begins to stammer.

'...I didn't suggest that, I can't, I won't, I couldn't find the words, it wouldn't be any good, I...'

"I might be able to do that," she squeaks.

It's not a firm yes, and it's soft enough to be almost completely lost within the din of the cafeteria, but her agreement probably sends a couple design weavers dropping off the Caul in shock anyway.

[The_Snark]

Elle raises a hand. "Not objecting per say, Scarlet, but we've got to leave ourselves a little time to learn our lines and maybe rehearse if we're going to do a play. And Whisper needs some time to actually write it, unless she wants to try and get it done in the middle of another contest." Which would be pretty awesome, actually, but she doesn't think Whisper is up for trying a stunt like that. Poor girl looks like she's about to have a fit already.

"If we can't scrounge up enough time in between contests, I vote we drop the race. Sorry, Ayana, but you're like the only one who'd be good at that."

I think these are all supposed to be happening in a single day? I have no OOC objection to tackling them all if that's feasible.

I feel compelled to apologize to any Latin-speakers reading this for the butchery of the phrase per se. But Elle has NO REGRETS.

[Propagandist]

"There are breaks for lunch and dinner, and I have a charm that might help... well, it would help me, at least." Scarlet is loathe to drop something, even for reasons as sensible as the ones Elle points out. "But yes, that's a good point. There's no point in participating in the show if we're not going to take it seriously, and if something must be dropped, the race is my choice too. Sorry Ayana, I- well, I'm just not very fast."

I read it the same way the Snark did, all this is happening on the same day. I'll change it if that's not right. And OOC, I'm down with doing everything.

[Maugan Ra]

Merela chuckles, a keen light in her eyes as she measures up the prospective challenge in front of them.

"I'm up for trying everything that Blade recommended." She says, a fierce grin on her face. "I reckon we can put in a decent showing in just about every event, even if we don't win, and I've always figured ambition is a virtue."

"Anyway, the talent show is last on the schedule, right? So Whisper does her best to write a decent play in the time available, between events and in breaks, and if she doesn't have it in time... well, we can just withdraw our entry. No harm, no foul."

[Phasm]

Ayana sighs, swallowing a bite of omelet. Scarlet's right, she isn't terribly fast, and Elle doesn't have much in the way of stamina. Three people (assuming Whisper would want to race, which she might not want to) do not a five-person relay make. "I suppose I can live without the race. You're right, Scarlet, not all of us are great runners and we should give Whisper more time than just breaks and meals to write an awesome play. But we're up for everything else, right?" She looks around the table hopefully.

[Ascension]

They're planning around her, deciding what she's willing and capable of doing, both for the play and for the other competitions, but Whisper can't manage to actually be upset by it. This is how she gets through most of her classes; not speaking up, not volunteering, just letting the current carry her along.

In any case, she doubts she could produce any speech loud enough to be heard over the beating of her heart right now, even if she were inclined to speak. Her whole body is flooded with adrenaline as the the full implications of her commitment to write for the talent show work their way through to conscious realization.

'What if someone recognizes my style? Maybe... maybe I can just say I'm adapting a work by Crimson Promise. But would the talent show require an original piece? And have I written anything that can be played with a cast of fiv- no, four! Four, four, I'm not going to get involved in this any more than I have to, right? A cast of four... Elle, Merela, Scarlet, Ayana... Elle, Merela, Scarlet, Ayana...'

Whisper can actually write at 30x normal speed thanks to Whirling Brush Method, so having time to write isn't a major concern. That said, the amount of time we have for these competitions would still be an issue due to the time needed for mote recovery potentially limiting our essence use.

I believe Valin's asleep right now, but hopefully we'll get a definitive answer on that in his morning.

[Maugan Ra]

"I guess I'm up for everything else." Merela allows, looking slightly disappointed for a moment before pushing past it. "So, which of them is up first..."

I think we're running out of things to go over, so I'd be happy enough for Valin just to move us into the first of the events whenever he's ready.

[The_Snark]

"The Race of the Five Winds starts in like half an hour, it's the first scheduled event, but if we're skipping that..." Elle glances back over her pamphlet to check. "Okay, so the Wyld Knight thing starts around midday, and the talent show is the very last event of the Carnival. The other two run all day, but the Memorial Hunt awards first prize to whoever finishes first, and it sounds like the Invisible Fortress is going to work the same way. Looks like you'll get to race after all, Ayana." She smiles at the Chosen of Journeys before sitting upright and lean back in her chair, letting the motion draw everyone's attention before she speaks.

"Here's what I'm thinking: whichever one we don't do first, there's a good chance some other circle will beat us to the end. The Memorial Hunt is probably going to be quicker, and we know somebody's going to finish it. We could try to run through it really fast and hope nobody else can beat the Invisible Fortress, so we can take first place in both, but honestly? I wouldn't bet on that. We're good, but not twice-as-fast-as-everyone-else good. And the Invisible Fortress is the new hotness. We win the Memorial Hunt? Big deal. They've run that one for the last three years, lots of people have done it. Nobody's ever done the Fortress before, and reading between the lines here?" Elle taps the pamphlet on the table in front of her. "I think it's going to be way harder."

After a moment she adds, "Though we might take a look at the first puzzle of the Hunt, so we can think it over while the other events go on. Sometimes riddles just take time."

[Ascension]

"I think it's going to be way harder."

'That's supposed to be a reason why we should be rushing to do it?'

"...way harder."

Oh gods, Elle's words are actually echoing in Whisper's head.

'There's no way this day is becoming anything but bad, is there?'

She should've asked Delicate Whispered Words about the Conquest of the Invisible Manse in advance. She should've counted on her Circle-mates being crazy enough to want to do it. 'Didn't everybody in the Invisible Fortress die or something?' She didn't even think to ask if Words has made sure their "Conquest" won't kill them or something. 'We might die or something.'

She buries her face in her book and then, with an audible thwack, the whole book-face assembly hits the surface of the cafeteria table.

"This is gonna suck."

[Phasm]

"Oh, come on, Whisper! Think positive!" Ayana leans over to give her a quick one-armed hug. "We're awesome! We're one of the more experienced Circles on campus, and we've got a wide range of abilities between us. We can totally do this." She smiles at the other girl, fairly radiating confidence and cheer. "And if worst comes to worst, the faculty isn't going to let us die. We might spend some time in the infirmary, but that's it... you know, it would be nice if one of you Solars learned some Medicine Charms eventually. Sidereal Medicine sucks so much. Or you, Scarlet, Dragon-Blooded Medicine Charms are good too."

[Ascension]

Whisper bristles at the sudden physical contact, raising her head enough to glare daggers at Ayana. If she'd been looking when the Sidereal had moved in on her Ayana might have been met with a book to the face, but instead the hug comes as an unpleasant surprise. (Note to self: learn to parry surprise attacks.)

Then the all-too-bubbly girl starts rambling about emergency medical care and all Whisper can think is 'This is supposed to be encouragement?'

She can just imagine what wonderful memories her Circle will have to reminisce back on in future years...

"Hey, remember that time we got all our bones smashed to bits during the Carnival of Glory and spent the Long Holiday in traction?"

"Yeah, totally. Sucks we missed the dance. I just know I would've been Queen of the Realm that year."

"Good times, though. Good times."

[Propagandist]

"They're... on the list. I've been busy." Scarlet grumbles. Medicine? Yes, it'd be useful, she's right. Maybe I can fit another class in before breakfast? Or after dinner? Maybe both?

"Ayana's right though, Whisper. This won't suck. We've got plenty of talent and skill, we know each other well. We have as good a chance as any Circle, and more than most, I imagine. Solving puzzles while exploring the Invisible Fortress! Yes, there's a chance of being hurt, but I think you might be overreacting a little bit based on the name? I mean, the other events are dangerous too, but nobody's been scared off by them."

Scarlet is not great at comforting people.

[Inspector Valin]

Lecture Room 147: Exterior

"Students. Greetings."

Soon enough, all assembled in the hallway, you stand before Delicate Whispered Words, the Starmetal caste professor of literature and history. Behind her is the seemingly mundane looking door to Lecture Room 147, a room mostly unused by the Academy, perhaps on grounds of obscurity. It'd taken you all quite a while to get up here, though only a part of that was navigating the byzantine layout of the Academy's upper floors. To even get that high, you had to get past a pretty large number of your fellow students and instructors. No classes meant that every Exalt on campus was seemingly thrumming through the corridors; everyone having to pass a little too close for comfort to get through the press of bodies, through the grand halls, up spiral staircases, squeezing past narrow passageways.

But at last you have arrived at one of the building's highest floors, the light of the small exterior window at the end of the corridor the one landmark that the passing Professor assured you denoted this seemingly unimportant room as one four seven. By all accounts, you've arrived early enough to be the first competitors at this strange challenge.

Yet you apparently weren't the only ones with that idea.

Alongside your group now stand a second circle; the combined half-score of Exalts filling the thankfully spacious corridor. The other five are the self-proclaimed Golden Roses. A near-entirely Solar Circle, they've traditionally been solid contenders, performing well in most group contests, though never quite to the standard of their individual work. They're still popular however, and all competent in their own rights. They might not be the strongest circle on campus, but they're still a far way from the easiest opponents you could've hoped for.

Like most cliques of note within the Academy, you can recognize their members easily enough. First was Yurgen Kaneko, the well built pale skinned jock of a Dawn who most just called Bull. He bore a massive golden Grand Daiklave, it's scabbard fastened to his back and had, as usual, gone without a shirt. Crimson Sunset stood behind him, the Zenith still clad in her habitual set of purple silken veils, her face still as much a mystery as ever. Ozandus Pal is at her side, the Twilight socialite resplendent in elaborate dark grey robes with a design of swirling brown and with a smile that could win love from stone itself. The two of them flank their circle leader, with the remainder of their circle standing to one side. On the left is the smiling Anja Silverclaws, a young First Year Lunar with cat-ears and tail, who seems to be in an irrepressible good mood. Perhaps as a counterbalance to her final circle-mate, the unendingly nervous seeming Eclipse caste, Desus, who looks as though he'd be quite happy to fade away from all existence. His auburn-red hair doesn't exactly help with that, however.

Whispered Words continues to address both groups, the white-metal woman smiling contentedly. If she noticed the glances both circles threw at each other, she gave no sign of it. The Alchemical teacher enjoyed a successfully completed work, and this degree of in-depth essence manipulation had taken her some time. "Beyond this door lies my recreation of Kal Bax's infamous Invisible Fortress. The Manse is one of Creation's little known treasures; built primarily after the Usurpation as a refuge for the master Geomancer, and ten of his apprentice Solars, as documented in Mithra's Letters. The buildings consists of four primary levels, and a fifth concealed area, known as the Last Redoubt."

Brief history lesson given, the Starmetal lady looks across her assembled challengers, one by one, as though taking their measure. "The ten of you may consider yourself Bax's apprentices. You have one hour to explore the Manse, and locate whatever items of interest you can. There are many treasures to discover, most of which are represented by small disks of the various magical materials, marked with Bax's name. Any one of those tokens represents a success on your part, and will contribute towards your circle's final reward. There are no objectives or rules beyond this." The Starmetal Caste's eyes twinkle in the dawn light as she glances between your two groups, smiling at you all. "Cooperation is not required, but I do encourage it. As Disciple teaches, only through unity do the Exalted Host show their true potential."

Kaneko snickers, the mighty white-haired fourth year shaking his head slowly as he looks across your ranks, voice dripping contempt. "Don't count on it, mates. We all know whose gonna win this one." He gestured behind him with a smile, before taking a step forward and stage-whispering to Merela. "Two on four? Yeah, we've got Dee-cey, but you've got the little bookmouse over there. Almost enough to make me feel sorry for you, queeny"

Words frowned, pausing for a moment, but made no further comment. Instead, she simply gave Scarlet and Whisper each a brief grin as a gesture of encouragement, before taking a step back, placing her hand to the door-handle. A circle of glowing white runes appeared at her touch, slowly orbitting the Alchemical's slender metal hand. "Are there any questions before we begin?"

That goes for OOC too, BTW. Sorry this one took a while, guys. Was.... not expecting you to go for this one first, TBH. ;)

Oh, almost forgot :smallwink:

Dex+Larceny [roll0] First Excellency combod with a second charm. ;)

Merela, Wits+Awareness please. Anyone else who can justify their paranoia can roll too. ;)

[Ascension]

Whisper isn't feeling much any better by the time the long trip up to room 147 is complete. Crowds, claustrophobia, heights, all had to be braved to reach this spot, with Ayana and Scarlet failing to reassure her the whole way. Finding the Golden Roses already there ahead of her circle is just the crap icing on top of the three-layer crap cake.

Of course, if the Roses weren't there she'd probably be begging Words for a way out of this, maybe to let the rest of her circle just go in there without her ('Would it really make that much of a difference?'), but she's not going to give Bull the satisfaction. He's like what would happen if Merela tried to be a jerk. (She doesn't try, Whisper realizes this, but it does seem to come naturally to Dawns.) As-is, she actually is making an effort to not seem scared out of her wits. She's better at it than Desus, even, though the degree to which her reputation proceeds her probably more than cancels that out.

She almost starts fiddling with the hilt of Red Guardian as she waits for whatever posturing is likely to transpire between the Dawns to transpire, but catches herself. 'That'd... probably look like an aggressive gesture, wouldn't it?' She settles for tugging at the sleeves of her jacket, letting her eyes wander somewhere into empty space over Words' shoulder, wishing for this whole stupid day to be over.

[Phasm]

Ayana scowls at Bull. Two on four? He only counts Solars as a real threat? What a jerk! What an idiot! What an idiotic jerk! But this isn't the time or place for a confrontation. Instead she keeps an eagle eye on the other students and Delicate Whispered Words. She wouldn't put it past some of their fellow students to try and get a head start by hindering the competition in some sneaky, subtle way, despite the Alchemical's urging to cooperate. And of course it's always a good idea to pay attention to the professor.

Hmm, I wonder if I can get a descending destiny onto him in a spar sometime? A Name-Destroying Curse with Temperance, perhaps, make him get into trouble that little bit easier... no, that will also erode what ability he has to keep himself from bullying people. Ruin Without Failure with the Pillar then; cause him to do poorly on written assignments. A pity I don't know the Ewer or the Spear yet, it would be fun to make him bumble in a spar. A mischievous urchin's grin appears on her face as Ayana contemplates the downfall of the jock, the expression that usually heralds trouble of one sort or another. Ooh, maybe Elle will help out, we can load him up with two descending destinies!

Honestly, you would think Bull would know better than to underestimate Sidereals by now.

[Propagandist]

Oh look, my daily reminder that the Usurpation was necessary. It's early today.

Pressing through the endless crush of bodies on the way here already had Scarlet irritable and on edge (moreso than usual). The presence of the Golden Roses does nothing to help. She expected competition, but did it have to be these five? Well, that was unfair. Four of them had some redeeming features. It was Bull. Everything about Kaneko made Scarlet grind her teeth and force down the little voices in her head. No, murder is not the answer. Murder is messy and makes the teachers mad. You suggest murder every time, little voices. Be more creative. She tries to tune him out, to focus on Whispered Words explanation, to start forming strategies. Then he insulted Whisper, all non-Solars, and his own Circle at the same time. Wow. Almost impressive. Instead of getting angry or confrontational, Scarlet smiles and spreads her arms wide.

"Your confidence in us is inspiring, Bull. Thank you for the kind words. You know, you came all the way up here, through the crowds, it seems a shame to leave after just a pep talk. Would you all like to come in and watch us win? Could be fun. Might even get a disk or two yourselves. You know, make it worth your while?"

Too subtle? Nah, he'll get it.

[Maugan Ra]

Merela, for her part, has taken the time to make sure she is properly attired before arriving. Fortunately, thanks to the wonders of versatile artifacts and elsewhere-storage charms, this took considerably less time than it otherwise might. Now she stands with her circle, the Crown of Thunders on her brow and a burnished suit of powered armour covering most of her body. The Solar carries no visible weapons, but anyone who's ever seen her fight is well aware that such appearances mean little in the end.

The Queen arches one eyebrow at the Bull's clumsy attempt at bantering, and smiles as Scarlet steps in with a well-chosen response. "Be kind, Scarlet." She says softly, studying the opposing team. "It's not their fault they got saddled with an incompetent barbarian. Really, it's impressive they manage to achieve as much as they do, with such a handicap."

She tuts. "Though really, Yurgen, I'd have thought you would have mastered basic numeracy by now at least. Too busy admiring yourself in the mirror, I suppose?"

[Inspector Valin]

Bull tensed at Scarlet's comment, clenching his oversized fists as though he'd forgotten the combat tournament wasn't until midday. At Merela's words, however, the mighty Dawn relaxed for a moment, laughing hard and heartily at his counterpart's comment, before throwing one of his own back, bowing his head in mock civility. "Aaww, c'mawn, Queeny! If you looked this good, wouldn't you check yourself out now'n then?"

The other members of his circle dutifully tittered, Desus guffawing a touch too hard. The kid knew what'd happen if he didn't laugh at the Bull's jokes. Yurgen grinned wide, shrugging his broad shoulders, before winking back to Merela. "But yeah, I know my numbers. You need to work on the whole 'regal command' thing though. I never liked titles, but you're supposed ta' be a Queen. Yet ya don't know how ta keep yer one little dragon in check, do ya, Me-rey?"

Yurgan turned back to Scarlet, staring the young Terrestrial down, his grin not faltering for a second. His eyes were icewater blue, and as cold as the Northlands his counterpart once strode. "Red, you like yer history, right? You've got tha book too, so you know who you were. Ruler of Creation, Empress o' the Dynasty, allat?" The Bull's eyes narrowed, and his voice grew lower as he continued, that irritating note of amusement never quite leaving his voice. "But when Other Me showed up, and kicked Tepet's ass to Malfeas, you ran. You ran as far, and as fast as ya could, and left the Realm an' everything else to me an' the Solars. 'Cause you know we're supposed to have it. 'Cause we're better'n you."

The mighty Dawn stepped back at that, not laughing, simply grinning at the young Empress. "S'not too late to do the same again, y'know Red. Door's that way. Follow yer roots, and leave this to the Chosen who matter."

Scarlet, Temperance roll not to lose your cool at this? His last comment did get to you, and this one is hitting a more personal note.

Also, for those wondering, Whispered Words hasn't intervened yet. She's watching this though, and doesn't look happy. Most of the parties trading blows have a thick skin, but this is getting close to unacceptable.

[Ascension]

Whisper starts a little when Scarlet takes the first (verbal, metaphorical) swing at Bull. The Earth Aspect is intelligent enough and studious enough that Whisper sometimes has a tendency to think of her as one of her own crowd. You know, the sane, safe crowd. More at home in the library than on the battlefield. It's easy, sometimes, to forget just in talking with her that she ruled Creation too, in her former life. Where Merela was a divinely crowned queen, she was a self-made Empress.

Oh but it shows here, that confidence that allowed Scarlet's other self to claim the world. Whisper might be blushing just a little. 'Nope. Not blushing, totally not blushing. I'm, um, I'm red with anger. Because being insulted makes me super-pissed now. That's how normal people react, right? Right. That's what this is. Notblushing.'

Oh, but Merela doesn't disappoint in the [Richard]-measuring stakes, her own taunts following quickly on the Dragon's heels. And that, of course, means more escalation from He-of-the-Bulging-Pectoral-Muscles ('They are pretty impressive.') ('Dammit!'). Whisper starts to roll her eyes in preparation to glance toward Desus for a little sympathy ('Dawns, amirite?') before the boy starts laughing as if the Greatest Joke In The World has just been told.

Wow. Either he wants a piece of those muscles really badly or he's deathly afraid of the consequences of not laughing, and either option is pretty sad (for different reasons). There may actually be a Solar more pathetic than she is, and he's too pitiful for her to even enjoy it.

She tunes back into Yurgen's little rant just in time to hear him running Scarlet down and that, more than the (expected, repetitive) insults directed at her herself, is what starts to get Whisper actually upset. Of course, Whisper being actually upset doesn't change much... she doesn't step forward, doesn't place her hand on the hilt of her sword, doesn't slap Bull, doesn't even speak up. She doesn't really even consider any of these options (though in retrospect she will probably daydream about some mysterious redheaded hero with an actual spine doing each and every one, and maybe write a couple Crimson Promise stories about the more entertaining possibilities). She just... seethes silently. She's good at seething silently. Sometimes she imagines she has the power to kill people with her brain while she does it. Their heads mush in in the most entertaining ways while she's imaginarily thought-crushing them.

[Maugan Ra]

I apologise if this disrupts anything that Scarlet particularly wants to say, but I figured I might as well just post and get it out there.

"I recommend that you apologise." Merela asks, her voice dangerously soft, staring at the Bull with eyes like granite. "The original Scarlet Empress accomplished things that even the first Solars believed impossible. She is worthy of our respect, and I will not tolerate such arrogant contempt from one so blinkered as you."

One armoured hand wraps around the hilt of the sword belted at her waist, disregarding the fact that she was unarmed but a moment previously. "And more than that... Scarlet is my team-mate and friend, and you will not insult her in my presence. Not now, not ever."

Her voice is completely level, and filled with the same sincerity as a naked blade. "So, Yurgen Kaneko, Bull of the North... you will apologise for the words that spill from your poison tongue, or I will rip it from your skull. Which will it be?"

[Propagandist]

Scarlet waits for the Bull to finish, but before she can say anything, Merela is laying into Yurgen on her behalf. She doesn't interject. Quiet, level Merela is much more dangerous than shouty, boisterous Merela. When the Queen is finished laying down the law, Scarlet says her piece, holding out her hand and stepping between the two groups. "Merela, please, it's all right. I know the story. I know it better than him. No need for ripping out tongues. If he wants to apologize for his insult, I'll gladly accept. If he wants to apologize for telling such a great story so poorly, I'll accept that too."

She strides over (and cranes her neck) so she and the leader of the Roses are eye to eye, voice taking the same low, level quality that invaded Merela's. "I'm not her. You're not him. You would do well to remember that, next time you decide to boast about something you did not do."

She retakes her place with her Circle with a parting shot, her voice regaining its usual dry humor. "But if you're still obsessed with comparing everything to Creation, by all means, race the Scarlet Empress to the center of a great and deadly manse. I'm sure that will work out well for you."

Temperance rolled in other thread, 3 successes. Also sorry for the delay Maugan, I've been sidetracked all morning, didn't mean to keep you waiting!

[Inspector Valin]

The other members of the Roses wince at the exchange between what they assume are the two circles' respective leaders. Desus has gone ghostly white, and Anja's smile is long gone. Even Crimson Sunset seems on edge, though it's hard to tell beneath all those veils. Bull's responce though, is what you might've expected. The Icewalker's grin shatters at Merela's quiet words to be replaced by a scowl of fury. He seems to barely register Scarlet's intervention, growling under his breath, a hand now on his Daiklave. His own next words are surprisingly soft, his gaze meeting Merela's with the utmost sincerity and fury. "Ya wanna try something, Me-rey? Seriously?" He snickers, but there isn't a lot of humor in his face. Those iceblue eyes are cold, and his smile is razor-thin. "Ye've got all those fancy artifacts the instructors gave ya 'cause they think yer hot, but I'm two years ahead of ya and a whole lot stronger. I'm game to play if you are, li'l queen."

"Yurgen..." Pal takes a step forward, placing a hand to his circle leader's shoulder, face creased in worries of various kinds. None of the other Roses seemingly wanted this. It wasn't obvious before, but the Twilight is wearing leather gloves of some kind. The Bull doesn't move back, doesn't untense, his eyes fixed on Merela. There was only so much his circlemates could do.

"Students."

Seemingly both circles had forgotten the presence of Delicate Whispered Words. She evidently had not forgotten about the Exalts standing before her. The Starmetal Caste seems to be testing the limits of her name; voice strong, authoritative, her gaze encompassing Merela and the Bull at once. Neither are in her good books, it seems. "Lethal violence against other members of this school will not be tolerated. The Carnival does not release you from common ethics. If either of you escalate this further..."

Yurgen finally untenses at this, raising a hand dismissively towards the teacher. "Yeah, yeah, I don't get to really kill Me-rey. Relax, Dubyah. I ain't gonna try." The great Bull dips his head towards the instructor in respect before muttering under his breath. "No matter how bad she tempts me."

That done, he turns back to Scarlet. And oddly, there seemed to be a bit more of a twinkle in the massive jock's eyes now. He lowered his head into a bow, letting that long white mane of hair fall down all around him before looking back up at the Terrestrial, head tilted slightly to one side, grinning at her with a far less predatory look than before. "Anyways.... yeah. Challenge accepted, Red. Forget those other tokens and fath. It's first to the centre that gets the big prize. An' I'm game ta make it a race if you are. Sounds like fun, right?"

"That is one way of looking at it. I suppose." Words' voice is strange, hard to pin down. She returns to her position by the door. "Again, any questions?"

Just in case it needed to be stated.... yeah. Going for a kill on a fellow student is a big no-no. As is threatening them in anything other than a very obviously joking fashion. The Alchemicals don't have the power to intervene before, say, Yurgen cuts Desus down for being annoying. So murder is punished by the removal of the killer from the Academy. If that means death or imprisonment is unknown, but it's a safe bet it's not pleasant.

[Maugan Ra]

"No questions." Merela says evenly, removing her hand from the hilt of her weapon and turning back towards the door. There's certainly more she wishes to say, of course, but she has long since learned to restrain her less... sensible impulses.

Honestly, she's rather looking forwards to this... what challenges will there be, in a manse modeled after one of the most legendary death-traps in history?

[Propagandist]

"Very well. I won't turn you down after all that. First to the central chamber." Scarlet regards Yurgen with an equal mix of wariness, weariness and disdain. A minute ago I wasn't worth mentioning, now I get a bow and he's all smiles. What's the game? There's a plan behind that grin. Am I supposed to be swept off my feet by your charms? Heh.

Scarlet offers an apologetic smile to Words. "I'm sorry, teacher, I should have held my tongue. I have no questions."

[Phasm]

Ayana keeps smiling, that sharp-edged I've-just-had-the-most-scathingly-brilliant-idea smile that heralds trouble to anyone who knows her. Considering what just went down, it's probably unsettling to the Golden Roses too.

Which is half the point.

"No questions, Professor! Oh boy, this is going to be fun!" Hah, if the Roses aren't going to stop and hunt for tokens, more for us! Of course, there is the possibility that Ozandas Pal, Crimson Sunset, or most likely Anja Silverclaws may look on their own; Desus is too afraid to go against him. Poor guy, I wonder why the teachers put him with Bull of all people? That kind of personality needs a leader who inspires, not one who leads with the whip.

[The_Snark]

"I've got a question, actually," Elle pipes up. She has apparently tuned out the conversation with the Golden Roses as it (predictably) escalates towards a fight, after a quick bit of social calculus tells her that there's no possible way for her to step in and come out looking good. Playing to four different audiences - Yurgen, his circle, my circle, and the teacher? Yeah, no. I'll just ruin his life later. So she stands by and feigns disinterest in the confrontation, with only the occasional bored glance towards the Bull.

... okay, a slightly worried glance when the insults escalate to death threats. Slightly. Not that I care or anything, her body language seems to say, I just don't want the Carnival ruined by people fussing over a murder. That's all.

"It's, like, about the scoring system? The description we all got made it sound like a race to find the inner sanctum, but you didn't mention that. Just the tokens." And you said those are the only objectives; don't think I missed that. "I just want to make sure we know what we're after before we start. Is everything weighted and calculated into a final score, or are the tokens just bonus prizes, or...?"

[Inspector Valin]

The Starmetal instructor looked closely at Ellie, pursing her lips slightly. When she spoke, her response was slow, carefully measured. "This challenge is not scored as such, Student Green. This is not an exam. If you are in search of prizes or accolades, I suggest you seek the centre of the Last Redoubt. If you are able to do so, you will have penetrated the defences Kal Bax and his students laboured for many years to build. That, of course, will come with a reward in recognition of your skill. "

The Professor of Literature smiled at that, before turning her attention to the second part of Ellie's question. The specifics of how the tokens worked. Words tilted her head slightly, considering how to explain it before beginning slowly to do so. "The tokens are unrelated to that central pursuit, and are more of a personal indulgence on my part, to ensure that there remains some incentive for those less confident in their abilities to participate. They can be ignored, if you so chose. They will not help you draw closer to the centre of the Fortress, they are simply an additional challenge, should you feel interested in them. As to prizes...." Words paused for a second, seemingly considering, before shaking her head, refusing to confirm. "That will depend on how many you gather, and how you go about it. We will speak further on this point once your hour has concluded."

Her instruction given, runes once more flared around the instructor's hand, starting to flare and intensify. She frowned, glancing between your two groups. "In order to maintain our scheduled, we need to begin now. I have one final gift for you before it does." With a gesture, she withdraws two scroll cases from her right sleeve, handing one to Sunset, and the other to Whisper. That done, she smiled towards both of the assembled Circles. Maps of the Fortress. Bar the Last Redoubt.

And with that, you are standing on the peak of an impossibly long stairway, a large building looming above you, its precise shape obscured by the deep chill mist that envelops this place. The cold wind hits you like a blow; this entire place is wreathed in snow, a far cry from the gentle warmth of the Academy come Carnival Day. Small flakes fall upon the stone as you stand there, though somehow each one melts in a matter of seconds. If you didn't know better, you would swear that you were indeed standing in Creation, before the Invisible Fortress.

The Roses glance around for a second, Desus and Anja is wonderment, Pal with more... difficult to read emotions. Yurgen however merely gritted his teeth, rubbing his hands together for a touch of warmth, before calling out to his comrades. "Come on, mates. We've got a contest to win." Following in the bare-chested barbarian's wake, his circle head through the large central entryway, into the interior of the Invisible Fortress.

Following in his wake, the other five young Exalts file into the Fortress' entry chamber. The vestibule is a fairly understated thing, at least by the standards a party of Exalted are used to. The floor is simple grey rock, the walls a purer white marble, divided into four bays by a pair of silver-grey pillars. To either side, passageways lead off into the two main wings of the building, and ahead of you, a small fight of steps lead upwards to a slightly raised area of the first floor. Each section of wall in this entry room holds a bas-relief; three lions prowling, carved of the same strange material as the pillars, with eyes wrought of gold and crystal focused on each of the passageways into the fortress proper.

The lions prowling at the gates.

http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m611/Croakamancer/InvisibleFortressFloor1_zps152e335b.png

This is just floor one. The basement, attic and floor two are available upon request.

[Ascension]

The seasons pass in a stately, even progression in the little realm within the Adjor river wherein Whisper has spent all her days, and her body itself, though a construct of Autochthonian artifice ('And that seems so much more creepy when you think about it that way.'), is of Southern stock, accustomed, in another time and place, to the heat of elemental Fire. The cold of the far North, so sudden and sharp, hurts. She huddles into her jacket, wrapping her arms tightly around herself and around the map scroll she was given. She glares daggers at anyone who might dare to suggest that she stop to check it before heading inside. She won't stop for anything until she's out of that damned icy wind.

The vestibule of the Fortress isn't much warmer, but at least it's out of the wind. This is what her morning's led to, freezing inside a false mountain conjured up out of a classroom by her favorite teacher ('...well, maybe not favorite anymore... Okay, no, sorry Words. Don't take it personally. You know I still love you.'), inside a facsimile of what may have been the most dangerous manse ever crafted in the sight of the Sun. And of course she's locked in here with one of the biggest douches in the entire school (who Merela, in her infinite queenly wisdom, has specifically provoked), and of course the statuary is already glaring at her.

Now she stops to read the map. The first sheet she peels out of the scroll case is the layout of this first floor. It's pretty clear which way they've just come in, even without a little "You Are Here," so she lets her eyes skim over the rest of the map, fanning out from the entry chamber.

"Oh, look there," she mutters to herself, "She's marked one of the traps as 'Trap.' What the hell even is that, reverse psychology?"

She glances around at the rest of her group. Are they looking at her? They're probably looking at her. She's got the maps, after all. What's she supposed to do, guide them? Lead them? 'Dammit Words, don't make me take back what I said about still loving you,' she mentally swears as she shrinks back toward one of the vestibule's walls. She fumbles with the map case, all physical coordination momentarily lost.

"Uh, um... there's four floors of maps here. I think this is a pretty big manse, even before the, uh, Last Redoubt," she stammers, feeling eyes burning on her whether anyone's actually staring or not, "And there's not a label saying 'all the treasure this way' or anything."

[Propagandist]

The breath catches in Scarlet's throat at the abrupt shift from cozy classroom to frigid mountain, though the scenery helps too. She sticks a hand out and watches the snowflakes gather and melt in her palm. Wow... Whispered Words outdid herself. I wonder if she'd let this stay up after the contest. I want to come back here when we're not dealing with the most annoying person in the world. An involuntary shiver runs down her spine, bringing the Dragon-Blooded out of her reverie. Oh yes, cold. It is incredibly cold. I am incredibly cold. I should do something about that.

She follows Whisper and the Roses into the relative shelter of the vestibule. "So, a plan? Preferences? If we spend the entire hour exploring, Yurgen will beat us to the Last Redoubt, and I'd love to win our "race." Forget the reward, it would be worth it just to rub his smarmy face in it."

"But..." Scarlet has managed to distract herself mid-speech, wandering over to one of the pillars and poking curiously at the strange silvery material. "This is the Invisible Fortress. It would be a crime to just rush through... and probably a good way to lose a limb or two... what is this stuff?"

[Maugan Ra]

As the two groups are transported to the exterior of the infamous manse, Merela has sudden cause to be exceptionally grateful for her sealed and powered suit of armour. The icy winds tug at her vibrant red hair, but beyond that, she is utterly unaffected by the inclement weather. Looking around carefully, she follows Whisper as the other Solar makes for the shelter of the main entrance hall.

Inside, she gazes about with a soldier's wariness, half-expecting a lethal trap to activate at any second, and as such only half paying attention to the Eclipse's words.

"Well, where are the stairs, then?" She asks absently. "If we need to be on a different level, that would seem to be the place to start."

She glances across at the Golden Roses. "If there's more than one route, that would be great as well."

[Phasm]

Ayana shivers like everyone else, but only for the moment it takes to focus on her infinite resplendence amulet. Her yellow silk tunic, burnt orange trousers and gold sandals waver like a mirage and reform into cozy softer-than-wool versions of what she was already wearing, plus calf-length boots, gloves, a scarf striped in every shade of amber, and a fur-trimmed coat. It's a bit more bulky than what she usually wears, but still flexible enough to fight in. "Best artifact ever." Suitably clad, she hangs back a bit, admiring the scenery. "Wow, real snow! They really pulled out all the stops for this." It's probably a good thing she left Corax behind. He wouldn't appreciate the artificial winter.

The Harbinger joins everyone else in the vestibule and peers over Whisper's shoulder at the map. "That's going to take a while." She looks up at Scarlet, lowering her voice in hopes that the enemy won't hear. "I'm all for beating the Roses too. However, I don't think a brute force approach is going to work all that well, given how much Words emphasized taking your time to smell the flowers, so to speak. The solution is most likely something subtle and tricky." Ayana frowns, thinking. "I could use Yellow Path toward the end of the hour... but there's no telling how fast Bull and his crew will find the center, and I can't make the Charm's deadline 'before the Golden Roses get there'; that's too vague. Plus it doesn't guarantee a safe path, only one that will get you to your destination on time."

[Ascension]

"I think there's four stairways?" Whisper answers. Her voice is still hesitant, but this is better. Direct questions, direct answers. She can handle that pretty well. "One to either side of this room... and two spiral stairs in the back, behind the grand salon. And that might be another staircase off the 'spinning room'... looks smaller, though."

It's all too big. What are they supposed to do, start smashing walls until one turns out to be a door? ('Merela and Bull would like that.') Maybe there are clues... but Words said that finding tokens wouldn't help them find the Last Redoubt. But maybe there are clues... that aren't in the Fortress itself.

"Scarlet," she says quietly, taking a step toward the Terrestrial and swallowing hard. She's still uncomfortable with this whole situation, and she's still uncomfortable with taking the lead, but it's the desire to avoid helping Bull that shrinks her voice as much or even more than her fear. This is a discussion she doesn't want overheard. "This place... is history. Literally. I know you help Shining Record out in the library... do you remember anything about this manse? History remembers it... w-well enough for Words to make it like this. So... somebody wrote it all down."

[Propagandist]

"Oh, look at that. 'Trap.' I thought you were kidding." Scarlet glances through the maps as she tries to recall what she's learned about the Invisible Fortress. "Wish you had asked that before we began, there are several full copies of Mithra's Letters in the library, that's the main source of information, would definitely have made this easier, but yeah, I remember the basics."

Scarlet's voice matches Whisper's, er, whisper. No need for the Roses to overhear. "The Exalted here were all Solars, Kal Bax and his apprentices, ten of them. The manse was built as a hideaway after the Usurpation- they planned to wait out the Dragon-Blooded, then raise an army of their own. That didn't work out. They became more and more isolated, paranoid- they turned on each other, and as far as we know, none of them escaped this place alive."

"The Last Redoubt... it was added late in their time here, when the paranoia was starting to get to them." There's a subtle change in Scarlet's body language, a slight spark in her eyes as she shifts from reciting from memory to searching for leads. "It was a last-ditch measure, so we're likely not looking for something completely invisible or totally secure. The entrance... the entrance is probably something that already existed in the manse, and it's an emergency stronghold, so it's probably something that's easy to reach, not off behind 5 doors in some corner. I mean, the way the magic worked, the entrance could be almost anything, but the big question isn't 'how do we get to it', it's 'what did they choose'?"

[Ascension]

"Well they'd have needed room for it," Whisper adds, growing just a little in confidence. She certainly doesn't mind having Scarlet looking over her shoulder at the maps, though it might have brought just a little bit of color back to her cheeks. ('Damn pale skin!')

"The entrance shouldn't be in any of the interior walls, then? Unless... sorcery. B-but like you say, it was an emergency thing. I don't think it'd be in an interior wall..."

She looks around her, noticing the leonine gargoyles on the walls again and shrinking a bit into her heavy armored coat.

"But maybe we should just leave the Last Redoubt to them?" she squeaks, "L-like Words said, there's a lot of other stuff to find here."

[Maugan Ra]

Merela, content that nothing is about to attack them the moment she drops her guard, turns and glances over the maps. She purses her lips for a moment, then nods.

"There. The first floor - Bax's bedroom and workshop. If I was a paranoid genius growing to distrust the rest of my team, I'd put the entrance to my final redoubt somewhere I could access it quickly and easily, without the others knowing. The workshop makes sense for that."

She shrugs, keeping her voice quiet so that the other team can't overhear them. "And if absolutely nothing else, it's a good place to look for notes and other clues."

[Propagandist]

Scarlet shakes her head and speaks normally, not caring who overhears this part of the conversation. "No. I know what Words said, and I do really want to explore, but I also want the Bull to realize how wrong he is, and the only thing that will penetrate his thick skull is 'winning', even though Words said it wasn't really meant that way, and that means getting to the Last Redoubt before him."

She nods at Merela's idea. "It's as good a place as any to start." Up a floor, around the corner, and ...right past this area marked "Defenses". "Um, maybe you should lead the way."

[Maugan Ra]

Merela chuckles, easily seeing the cause for Scarlet's suggestion, but agreeing anyway. Of course the Dawn goes in the vanguard. It just made sense.

She concentrates for a moment, and her attire changes. In her left hand she holds a brilliant golden shield, etched with lightning bolts and eagle symbols, while in her right she grips a slender blade inscribed with flowing sutras and words of wisdom. A thick, fur-lined cloak of deep scarlet hangs from her shoulders, and an open helmet frames her attractive features.

"Let's go prove it to him, then." the reborn warrior-queen says in a voice of supreme confidence, and sets off for their first destination.

Dramatic descriptions are always necessary.

And yeah, let's get going. I mean, I expect some sort of trap or ambush before we reach our destination anyway, but we might as well make a start on it. Following the route that Scarlet described, if it makes a serious difference.

[Ascension]

"...or we can do that," Whisper mumbles after a moment, looking wide-eyed at Scarlet, and then adds, in a louder voice, "O-okay."

Her heart thumps faster in her chest, her fear mixing with... something else. Maybe more than one thing else.

'I'm standing in the shadow of the First Age... Solars created this. People like... people like... (Merela.) (Bull.) (...Desus?) Me. People like me. I'm about to see the personal rooms of one of the greatest architects in the history of Creation...'

"..."

"..."

'That's kinda cool.'

She lets the others go first, of course. She trembles and clutches the map case to her chest. But an uncertain smile flickers at the edges of her lips... 'This is... exciting.'

[Phasm]

"Sounds fine to me." Merela isn't very stealthy (isn't stealthy at all), but really, none of them are. Ayana is happy enough to see this new place from behind their heavily armored Dawn Caste. She slips a slender hand into her coat pocket, pulling Auspicious Strike out of Elsewhere. "Let's be about it, people!" It takes a great deal of self-control to keep from skipping out of pure joy as she follows Merela. A new place! A place that she hasn't explored ten times over, where there are no guards trying to shoo her away! Oh, sure, there are traps and hostile fellow students and probably hostile automata, but those don't matter nearly as much as this unprecedented opportunity to explore.

[Inspector Valin]

The Fortress is quiet as you trek up the stairs, the faint muttering of the Golden Roses fading behind the cold stone. The air is chill, and the atmosphere oppressive. This place is abandoned, save the two small groups of Exalted visitors. There are no creaks, no far off sounds. Total silence reigns, broken by footfalls and breath, and nothing else. Once a band of Solars had called this manse their home, but now they are gone. Dead for centuries. And you are walking through their Circle's tomb.

You are on high alert as you make your way through the parlour, the map's denotation of 'defences' preying on the mind. Yet there are no automata waiting for you, no flash of fire or glint of essence. The room seems strangely mundane. There are sofas upon either side, a set of fine portraits upon east and west walls, one on the far side from you at current, and a small red rug lies across the centre of the room. The only sign of magic within the place are ten marble pillars, five upon each side of the room, each one topped with a golden crystal. Even at this distance, as you pass to the other side of the room, you can feel the magic here. It doesn't take you long to pass through the room

Soon enough, you have navigated the parlour, and are now into the antechamber. A small room, with chairs and tables of stone, and a vase upon one table, still bearing a single white rose. The doors around you seem to each bear a mask at eye level, made of white porcelain, and closely moulded. Each a wordless indicator of who each room once belonged to. One of Kal Bax's students looks down on you, her gaze unending and uncompromising as your little group ducks into her bedroom door; the one that should hopefully lead to Bax's room.

The bedroom is perhaps the most decorated room you have seen so far. The bed, and chairs, like so many other items of furnature are made of stone; yet upon the walls lie tapestries. A glance around the room show you sights that before were only the stuff of description and hearsay. A blinding white city upon an impossibly tall mountain. A perfect golden figure, looking out across an endless landscape, a smile on his ancient face. A small band of figures clad in golden armor, standing tall above snarling demon-things, wreathed in the elements of Creation. Roaring fire, harsh stone, frigid air, swirling vines and unending lightning. The image took some liberties with reality, but the source is hard to mistake.

The little group passes through the second door on the far side of the bedroom, at last drawing close to their destination. Bax's workroom is quite austere, there are no fine furnishings here either, no engravings, hangings or decorations. Two grey stone tales with slanted tops bear sets of architectural drawings, and at the side of either one lie charcoal sticks. A couple of similarly rocky chairs are positioned about the room. However, there does not appear to be a door from here into the Master Geomancer's bedroom. Along the eastern wall, where the map implies the entrance to the master architect's bedroom should be, lies a sizeable marble dais. Atop it rests a large model of a building; a tall fortification of grey stone, surrounded by mountainous cliffs of a lighter hue. Closer inspection reveals the very steps and pillars that lined the entryway a young band of Exalts so recently walked upon. This is the Invisible Fortress, as seen with the Eye of the Sun

Upon a small plaque, on the centre edge of the dais, is carved a simple inscription.

Kal Bax
Builder of Manses
His Work is His Monument

Four rooms. You picked a path that took you through four rooms. And it would've been five if the bedroom had a door. :smalltongue:

Anyway, feel free to investigate this. But remember, you're on the clock. The Rosss aren't going to be standing around idle whilst you research everything

[Ascension]

Whisper sees the manse in glimpses, fearful and expectant. A life buried amidst her writings and her readings has taught her that paper and ink are a shield, and the Fortress maps serve well toward that end. She's supposed to be keeping an eye on them, isn't she? Someone's got to make sure they don't get lost. But... she's really hiding, and inside she knows that she is. Her eyes keep darting up from the scrolls... but it's all so much to take in. This was a home for her ancient ancestors, some of the last Solars of the First Age... their home and also their tomb. Much of its grandeur is suitably austere, matched to its morbid silence, everything hewn from cold stone, even the chairs, but here and there the mood is broken by signs of vibrant life: bright tapestries, proud portraits.

'These little touches of home do more than anything else to make this place feel creepy,' she thinks, scuffing her boot against the parlor's cheerful little rug, 'People lived here before they died.'

She doesn't really want to see that. She doesn't want that particular reminder. She hurries on, too, past the unsettling hum of magic in the air, trying... and largely failing, but trying... not to think (and worry) too much about it, and the forces holding the manse together. ('Is this even a physical place where we really are, or is Words just giving us, like, a collective dream or something?')

Even as Whisper's eyes wander and her thoughts stray, the manse-maker's workroom approaches with alarming speed (well, alarming to Whisper... probably much less so to her less-hesitant circlemates). Soon she stands within it, before Bax's model of his own work, of his own... 'Monument?'

"That's... the Fortress... W-was this whole place actually intended to be... his tomb?" she wonders aloud, befuddled by the description.

[Propagandist]

In close quarters like this, blades instead of bow in hand, Scarlet knows she is easily the weakest fighter in the circle. A liability. That is unacceptable. The Scarlet Empress cannot be a liability to anyone. If she can't defend the others, she can at least warn them, and so she spends the entire trek up to Kal Bax's quarters on edge, watching every shadow and listening for the little noises that give warning to the wary. There aren't any, which itself is rather alarming. She tenses like a spring as the Circle move through the parlor, but they pass unscathed. As they reach the workshop, she relaxes for a moment with an audible sigh, closing her eyes and breathing deep before turning her attention to the dais and the model.

"It feels like a tomb. This place is... grim. I know it was more fortress than home, but I can't imagine people living here." She murmurs, half to Whisper and half to herself.

There should be a door here, but we aren't really in the Fortress, this is all Words' magic. Is there a secret passage? Did she change things? Are the maps deliberately wrong? Scarlet approaches the model curiously and cautiously, going inch by inch over the miniature manse. "The map says there should be a bedchamber here, but there's no door... or maybe there is. If I were a paranoid master architect, I'd be sure to hide the way into the place I slept." A rereading of the plaque causes her brows to furrow. "Or maybe you're right. History says nobody left this place alive. And if the Fortress is a tomb, than this might be a sarcophagus?"

The macabre thought doesn't actually stop Scarlet from searching for a way in, though.

My inexperience with Exalted rears its head. What would the proper roll be for a detailed, up close inspection of something? Perception+Investigation? Awareness?

[Phasm]

Ayana wants to whistle happily, even to skip as they explore this brand new place. But whistling could alert any guardians to their presence and skipping is just plain undignified, so she settles for a big grin as she idly swings Auspicious Strike on its chain and tries to commit every detail of the Invisible Fortress to memory. It's hard, so hard not to poke around in every room they pass through. But the thought of wiping that smug grin off of Kaneko's face is even more delicious than detailed exploration.

"A tomb, huh? Doesn't feel like that to me, more like a monument to a monumental ego. But hey, First Age Solar who was famous for his architecture, I would be shocked if it wasn't impressive." The Harbinger reels in her chain daiklave; it wouldn't do to accidentally hit something as she searches the room. Amber eyes flick across the austere stone furniture and marble dais, searching for something that might indicate a hidden door.


Perception + Awareness: [roll0]

[Propagandist]

"Ah, there you are." Scarlet allows herself a little smile as they spot the hinges hidden on the manse, which vanishes as a nagging little thought finally bubbles to the top of her mind. She stops short, leaving Ayana to open up the model, and walks back to the bedroom door to look out at the antechamber.

"We're being watched. Well, sort of. It just hit me. That mask, the third one down. That's Ozandus, or his twin at least. The Roses have a team member who lived here. We need to hurry."

[Ascension]

"Lived here?" Whisper echoes. That doesn't make any sen- Oh, wait. His original. That... makes sense. The original occupants of the Fortress were famous, after all. If not before their time in the manse, then certainly afterward. But does it make a difference?

"He... couldn't remember anything, could he? I don't... think we work that way," she begins, then blanches, realizing... "The book! His book he got about himself..."

'The book he received from Wisdom... it might have told him anything about this place. It might have told him everything.'

They might have lost this race before it even began.

[Phasm]

Ayana hums a little tune, examining the model fortress to see how it might open up. Hinges there, there, and over there... "Hmm, maybe if I pull here. The rest of you might want to stand back, just in case." Once anyone who wants to has moved out of the way, she gingerly tries to open the model...

[Maugan Ra]

Merela, for her part, simply stands guard with a wary expression on her face. She does not, to put it simply, trust this place.

"I'd like to think the instructors wouldn't give one student a step-by-step walkthrough to the maze." She says softly, her normally boistrous attitude stifled somewhat in this silent recreation of a tomb. "I mean, that sort of defeats the point of making it a challenge, doesn't it?"

[Inspector Valin]

The model opens swiftly and smoothly, not a single creak or snikt to be heard. The interior is as precise as the exterior: each floor is modelled down to the finest detail, floors sliding outwards to allow you to search the fortress room by room, detail by detail. But there is one difference between the model and reality: here and there stand small figurines, each held upon a base of Adamant. The top of each have been painted grey, whereas the bases each bear two characters, golden and shining. The figures are finely crafted, painted with a neigh impossibly fine brush, and fine hues for skin and fabric alike. Here lies a bronzed man, with white hair and dark robes, clutching a light blue staff, there lies a young pale skinned man with blue hair and an irrepressible grin, bowing to you.

They have but one thing in common. Each one has a tiny golden sigil on their brow, painted with some blend of Orichalcum that still glows. A Solar Caste Mark, recreated in miniature.

A brief search is sufficient for you to find all eleven figurines within the model. They're a varied group. Each one can be picked up and moved freely. In the distance, you hear footfalls. Soft, padded, but loud enough to make out. They're coming from the direction you came from.

Apologies for the delay. :smallfrown: Past week's been a harsh one for me, but catching up with everything now. In consequence, I've moved the plot up a bit :smallbiggrin:. Now, the figurines. The characters are High Realm. If you want specific descriptions, I can give them, but I felt it'd be best to get this out of the way first. Their existence is the important thing

Bax; Twilight
Pol: Twilight
Proles: Twilight
Quen: Twilight
Chas: Zenith
Meherrin: Zenith
Varos: Night
Chlurion: Night
Vazina: Night
Orchester: Eclipse
Jatrixian: Eclipse
Surin: Eclipse

[Propagandist]

"They're all marked with their Solar Caste. I wonder why?" Scarlet puzzles over the intricate little figures for a moment. Maybe it was just recording things for posterity? For fun? A little project for the master builder to let off steam? Or something more?

Footsteps. Soft. Someone trying to be quiet, but the Fortress was stone, and stone resonated with the Earth Aspect. Guarded, she stepped toward the door, swords at the ready. "We can hear you."

The writer's block, it stings. :smallfrown:

[Ascension]

Whisper nervously glances back and forth between the model and the door, seeming almost as expectant of trouble from the stone miniatures as from their approaching company. 'One of Bull's Circle... or something else? And with this timing... could we have triggered some type of security system? "You touch, you die"?'

"Um... um... the model!" she blurts out, thinking as she speaks, "If it... if it shows everything, maybe it shows the entrance to the Redoubt? Or, um, if somebody could... memorize it or something, then we could look for what's different in the, uh, big Fortress compared to the little Fortress."

[The_Snark]

Seriously? Elle thinks as Scarlet calls out. Am I the only one whose mind leaped instantly to 'evil robot clones'? It's so obvious. She withdraws a pair of starmetal-edged fans from beneath her voluminous fur cloak, flicking them open and closed and taking a step back from the doorway.

"They wouldn't just give us the answer like that, Whisper," she murmurs. "But comparing them's not a bad idea. If we can find any differences, that's probably a clue." This isn't a physical challenge, or even an intellectual puzzle, really; at heart it's psychological. Where would a group of paranoid, brilliant Solars choose to hide their final retreat? Or rather, where would Delicate Whispered Words pretending to be a group of paranoid, brilliant Solars choose to hide their final retreat? And what has she added or removed from the Fortress's original plan? (Faithful recreation, yeah right. The original was a literal deathtrap.) That comment about the Exalted Host working together, that smells suspiciously like a moral test to Elle. (Didn't everyone in the original Invisible Fortress end up killing one another?) Maybe they fail if they fight with or sabotage the other group...

She leans down to get a closer look at the model, trying to find the room they're in (while keeping one eye on the door). Is one of those figures positioned just outside, perhaps?

[Phasm]

Ayana frowns thoughtfully, examining the model from several angles. Up, down, all available sides. "It looks like we need to move the Solar figures around. There aren't any Dawns, so we can't make a traditional Perfect Circle out of them." Ugh, this is so not her specialty.

Footsteps! Is it one of the Roses? Or has someone else entered the Fortress? The Harbinger readies her chain daiklave and watches the door.