Return of the Scarlet Empress III - The Lookshy War

[industrious]

Cavalry

They are heard before they are seen. The hoofbeats of hundreds of horse crash into the ground like thunder; hooves press into the ground in tireless gallop. The sound of a meticulously trained cavalry alone has been known to break the ranks of infantry, and these horsemen seem very well trained indeed.

They hold higher ground; from atop a shallow hill they can see into the village, can see the wreck of the Frostwind. A small group detaches from the front, and five mounted men begin their approach towards the village, lances at the ready.

[Ifni]

And they're out of time to discuss or plan or equivocate - but no hail of arrows, yet. Good. The shining around Ireva has subsided a little, a white-gold halo rather than a towering eruption of light. It remains unmistakable for anything but what it is.

She turns away from her conversation with Shimoko with a last abbreviated smile for the Earth Aspect, and glances up at Zhou. "Together, Chuzei?" If they didn't attack on seeing the animas, that implies at least some chance to talk. "Someone should stay with the scout, but otherwise - we may as well take the initiative."

As Ireva walks forward to meet the horsemen she turns her mind to her attire. No ballgowns here, on this smoking battleground - but her rather worn coat and trousers shimmer and shift, taking on more of the quality of a uniform, albeit not of the same cut as the Lookshyan uniforms she's seen. The fabric is flawless, the tailoring impeccable, but the greatest change is the air of dignity and authority that settles on the diminutive Solar like a cloak, and in a moment becomes unnoticeable, as if it were always there.

There is no hesitation in her step, no uncertainty in her face as she studies the oncoming riders, cataloguing information and tucking it away. She halts a few yards short of the five, hands folded loosely in front of her, any weapons she bears unseen for now. Her gaze roves over each of them once more, assessing, judging; after a moment she offers a short nod, and a small precisely-measured smile. Her voice is calm, but with a hint of steel in it, a quiet confidence that says louder than words I am in control of this situation.

"The day's greetings to you. Looking for something?"

Anima is probably down to the 8-10 or 4-7 level. Since concealment is impossible anyway, turning Infinite Resplendence Amulet up to App-7 mode.

Also, putting up Mastery of Small Manners from Personal to go to App 8, make people more inclined to do small favors, and avoid social screw-ups.

I'm not sure if I should be rolling anything?

[Maugan Ra]

"Seems sensible."

Walking besides his wife, Zhou looks almost plain, and to a certain extent that is a deliberate affection. Lacking the magical enhancements the Solar can add to her aura, he has to settle for what circumstance and natural skill can provide. Fortunately, that is quite a lot.

His uniform is dirty, his skin stained with smoke and grime, but these do not detract from his appearance. Rather, they enhance it - here is a soldier, fresh from the battlefield, marks of violence upon his person and the faint glimpse of fatigue in his eyes. Some would consider that a weakness, and become bold in the face of it, so the lack of concealment is in itself a statement - a kind of self-assurance that tells those who look that he remains confident of victory, should blows be exchanged.

And yet the fearsome blade at his side remains sheathed, and the dwindling sparks of his anima continue to slowly fade rather than flare up with further use. There is wariness there, as is to be expected when confronted with hundreds of unknown soldiers, but no fear or hostility.

"If it's about your scout, he's alive, and resting."

Of course, there is also no escaping the fact that everything about Kharal Zhou, from his uniform to his accent, declares his Lookshyan affiliations. Whether that is a good thing or not remains to be seen.

[Lix Lorn]

Husband? Husband?! And she... she seems genuinely... well, this sucks. This really...

...

Hooves. Oncoming hooves.
"I think I'm giving up on simple at this point." she murmurs, stepping back to let her - theoretically, at least - commander take point on the diplomacy.

[Aevylmar]

Skandi sees the horses, and grins. And then continues to grin, grinning much more widely, following a pace behind Ireva and Zhou. A young Lunar who doesn't want to be tattooed? He has no idea what to do. A gravely injured man who they had no intention of hurting? Also not part of his plan.

But a group of riders interrogating them about their location? Finally, he's at home.

He'll save the dramatic introduction for later. For now he simply looms behind his pack leaders, grinning like a wolf, his sword safely sheathed. There is either about to be a very enjoyable negotiation, or an even more enjoyable battle.

[Ascension]

The cavalry come on, great in number and sure in skill. No, this is no force his company could have evaded. But what a sight that company makes... dimming elemental auras paired with flashes of gold and silver, and Versino still circling overhead, aloft on crimson wings. That the horsemen do not strike at once is something of a pleasant surprise, though it may hint that their leader or employer is someone at least as strange, if not stranger, and that is hardly to be fathomed.

So many horsemen, of such skill... the Marukani ride in these parts, don't they? But wouldn't they advance with bows, not lances? Braga wishes he knew the land better, and its peoples, but to the Scarlet Empire the disposition of foreign powers is more an exercise for the general or for the diplomat than for the scholar. He glances upward, wondering if Versi can see any end to the oncoming host from her vantage.

[industrious]

The Advance Party

The vanguard tense visibly at the party's appearance. Weapons are leveled...not quite at them. But close.

"...Throw down your weapons," their leader says. "One of yours will escort our medics to him."


Charisma+Performance: [roll0]

[Ifni]

Ireva lays a restraining hand on Zhou's arm: she's seen his reaction to disrespect before. When she speaks again her voice is soft, but with a compelling cadence, drawing the listener in close.

"Sir. With all due respect, let me give you some friendly advice. Treating people as enemies easily becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. I know no reason, at present, that we should treat each other with hostility. So. Let me propose an alternative."

"My allies will not hand over or throw down their weapons, but will keep them sheathed." She shrugs, one-shouldered. "You can keep yours out, if you feel you really need them. I'll remain here with you: you see I'm unarmed. Your medics are free to tend to your scout -" She nods over to the rice paddy. "He's just over there, on the rise. He was accidentally injured by an anima while running away from us, and inhaled quite a lot of water from the rice paddy before we managed to get him clear. We've done what we can to help him, but I am sure the lady Xet would welcome aid from trained healers."

"And then we can talk. I imagine you have questions? I certainly do... but I suppose there's one that takes priority." Her voice stays soft, calm, encouraging, but her smile fades, and her green eyes harden. "Are you working with or allied to the beings we drove back to the Underworld, who murdered this village and poisoned the land?"

She's fairly confident of the answer, of course, or she wouldn't have asked the question: she doubts very much a detachment of Thornguard would have approached them this way. But the question holds answers within it, for the strangers: we oppose Thorns. We did not harm the village. We fought the deathknights. We understand your suspicion: can you understand ours?

And hopefully, we have a common foe.

Figured I would try to get this in before getting on my long flight.

Presence+Charisma at the leader, enhancing with Irresistible Salesman Spirit from Personal, trying to persuade him to follow the course of action (peaceful negotiation/discussion, medics check on the scout) that Ireva is suggesting.

-2 MDV if she's changing his opinions and beliefs. App is 8, firing Mastery of Small Manners to maintain the "no social screw-ups, make people more inclined to do small favors" effect.

Presence+Charisma, both honesty bonuses and Negotiation specialty really should apply here, but I'll roll them separately just in case.

[roll0] Presence+Charisma
[roll1] from Stone of Humble Glory
[roll2] from specialty
[roll3] from possible stunt

Double successes. 4m spent from Personal, so this is mote-neutral if I get a 2-die stunt. Also, if it lands, I'll take the 1WP regen from my Destiny, since this is honest.

[Maugan Ra]

"And quite aside from self-fulfilling prophecies, we just got shot down and then had a rather vicious fight with three Deathknights." Zhou says dryly, making absolutely no move to either draw or discard his weapon. "I'm sure you can understand how something like that would make a person wary about setting aside their weapon."

The support for his wife's suggestion is easy enough to read, as is the unstated confidence backing it up. This is a group that was ambushed by Deathknights and emerged victorious - not the kind a sane man wishes to fight if there is another option available.

"In the interests of perhaps reducing that wariness, introductions would seem to be in order." he continues after that momentary pause. "My name is Chuzei Kharal Zhou, of the Seventh Legion. These are my... Irregulars, for lack of a better term. Who might you be?"

[industrious]

Advance Party

"Well," the man says, much more cheerfully. "Aren't you perceptive?"

"And while I'm sure you're a very nice lady, ma'am - and well met, Chuzei, any officer of Lookshy's is a welcome sight - we do have our orders. Same with our commanders, who is going to be charging down with everyone we left behind to kill everyone - including us - very shortly, unless you disarm. Seeing as how we're only five, and you're all chosen by the dragons or cursed by demons or whatever, and can probably make any of us do anything, we can't really take too many chances. According to the Commander," and here the capital is emphasized "this is as friendly as we can get, given we don't know **** all - sorry about the language, ma'am - about anything. Your Exalted sirs."

The fang leader bows, as is proper before a Prince of the Earth.

"Unbroken Willow, leader of this piss-poor group of five. We get to do all the fun stuff like dealing with Exalts and sticking our necks out, and in return they give us pay and a half."

[Maugan Ra]

"Well met, Unbroken Willow. I guess it would be a shame if you got yourself killed on our account." Zhou says cheerfully, taking a moment to glance up the slope at the rest of the watching cavalry. Then he unbuckles the daiklaive at his waist and stands it, still sheathed, against a convenient nearby rock before taking a few steps away. "Skandi? Do likewise, please, and don't pretend it makes you entirely helpless or anything. I'd rather not have to kill anyone here today."

He looks back at Unbroken Willow. "You appreciate, of course, that setting aside my weapon isn't the same as surrendering or giving it to you. It is quite valuable, and I do believe my family would flay me if I lost it." He says, humour taking the edge off the quite serious concern.

[Aevylmar]

Skandi looks back and forth between them and sighs.

"Assume all the threats of shapeshifting wrath on those who would steal the treasures of Skandi the Wolf have already been made," he says, placing his still-sheathed sword near Zhou's, then firmly planting his moonsilver shield in the ground, trapping his sword against the rock. With luck, no-one unattuned could shift the shield to take the sword.

"I admit, the tactic of using your own men as hostages is interesting. May I ask who it is who introduced it here?

[Ifni]

"Pay and a half? Seriously?" Ireva's brow creases; she sounds faintly insulted. "You're getting scammed. Let me know if you want a hand next time you renegotiate your contract."

"That aside..." She studies the riders, still smiling as she measures the apparent relief in the leader's voice, as she listens for the subtle notes of deception. "If that's indeed your role, then you can't have any information your leaders want kept secret." Since an Exalt could force you to provide it as easily as they could force you to do anything else. "So as Skandi suggests - while we wait, why not just cut to the chase and tell us who you are, who you work for, and what you're doing here? It'll probably save time when we meet your... Commander."

Her voice takes on a faintly plaintive note. "And I have to say, it would be nice to get a straight answer for once. Is no, Ireva, we're not working with the deathknights so difficult?"

[Ascension]

The mercenaries' method of dealing with potentially hostile Exalts is bloody-minded, but practical. A Realm expeditionary force would have Immaculate monks or Dragon-Blooded officers to greet such threats, their souls safeguarded at least in theory by the Diligent Practices and Noble Insights, but this band... they seem well-trained to his ill-trained eye, but they must not have much magic in their ranks. If they had God-Bloods or Outcastes among them, they should be out here, not Unbroken Willow.

Of course... if they had their own Exalted, and yet they still sent Unbroken Willow instead...

He glances over the serried lines of horsemen, a chill running down his spine at the thought.

He considers retaining his grasp on Mela's breath, just in case, as his particular talent is not precisely a weapon, but after a moment more he thinks better of the idea. If it were his actions which brought those ranks of cavalry down on his comrades... He cannot bear the risk. The light goes out of his eyes, the sparks cease to dance across his skin. While the wind of his anima still blows, he can no longer call lightning at a mere whim... which is as thoroughly "disarmed" as he can easily make himself.

"Versi," he calls up to his daughter, still circling overhead, "set Skycutter down, if you would. These... gentlemen... desire a show of our peaceful intentions."

[DeafnotDumb]

Jade situates herself someplace away from the action, making busywork through organizing and reorganizing her bag, ensuring that her fireworks are hidden well within her dress, and in general doing a lot of things that involve her head being kept down and her body small and pressed in on itself. Three hours, five at the outside, until her Essence recharges and she can get up a proper disguise... three hours, five at the most...

This kind of thinking isn't helping. With one breath, the conwoman gathers up all her nervous energy and lets it out. Good. That's better. Now to start listening in - to look out for advantages, for tricks, for openings... and suddenly the old machinery of her mind is whirring again, putting plans and plots into place with marvellous precision.

She can do this. She's fooled them so far: she only needs to do it for a day more, and then she's out of here. Just one day more.

Two at the outside.

[Lix Lorn]

"...I don't really have weapons." mutters the veritable juggernaut of magical metal, rime and stone covering her form. Still, she decides she'd best look unthreatening.

...this is fairly difficult. After a few moments, she ends up sitting down on a piece of rubble, and trying to look nonchalant.

[The_Snark]

Tepet Xet hangs back as the soldiers approach, ostensibly to keep an eye on the unconscious scout. Her posture is straighter than it was a few minutes ago, chin raised and shoulders squared, conveying confidence - or arrogance - bred in the bone; that and the faint sea-spray whirl of her dying anima hint strongly at her Dynastic heritage. While she is watching the conversation (and listening, as her carelessly discarded weapon attests to), her interest seems casual, as though the army a few hundred yards away isn’t really a concern.

All a calculated mask, of course. Her cultural trappings and demeanor will serve to test their reactions, should eyes fall on her, while hanging back places her in a position to observe while others draw attention. A sensible approach, using relays to deal with Exalts and Anathema of unknown power and intent. Very prudent. But does this mean that the commander isn't confident in their ability to face down Exalts, or is he or she merely a cautious soul? Difficult to say. As Ireva has just noted, the men here aren't likely to know anything critical, but they may be able to answer that question, at least - they can hardly be completely ignorant of their leader. (And if they are, if the Commander keeps the rank and file completely in the dark... this alone is worth knowing.)

Ireva is holding up their side of the negotiations well, as expected; if the foreign soldiers are being honest (as her divinations suggest) then matters should go well. If not... Better to err on the side of caution. Xet opens her mind through the tiny Air-aspected hearthstone on her brow, attuning herself to the echoes of the man's thoughts and listening.

Using the Gem of Surface Thoughts on an NPC! A surprisingly rare occurrence. :small wink:

Perception+Awareness: [roll0]
Stunt: [roll1]

[Inspector Valin]

Slowly, a gentle beating of wings increases in speed. Anyone looking up would see a young girl, clad in silver plate with mighty red wings sprouted from her back. Versi descended towards to the earth, cutting through the air at first before coming to a halt slightly above the earth. She had started to muster the basics of flight, but was still a little unsure of how best to land.

Gingerly, the young brown haired girl placed one foot upon the ground, before slowly letting her wings fold back, falling to the ground with a light thump. The impact was comparably gentle, but Versi still sunk to her knees, the lack of support a surprise after the seeming weightlessness of flight. The light-headedness following her earlier blood loss didn't help. Still, she had her cannon in her hands, and Skycutter served well to prop herself up. Slowly, Versino dragged herself upright, grinning gingerly to Braga and Skandi, before turning her attention to the newcomers, smile swiftly fading.

Horsemen. Horses were still a little strange to Versi; it just seemed like an odd way to fight someone. She wasn't sure how well someone could fight whilst sitting down, but she'd seen their numbers from the air. The newcomers could've probably killed them if they wanted to. This was likely a genuine offer. But that didn't mean she had to like it. Or that the little Malfean trusted the strangers enough to treat them well.

Trying to adopt a threatening scowl (and largely failing) Versi stepped forward, placing her canon down gently by the other weapons before looking up towards the mercenaries. "Don't think I can't fight without Skycutter. If you try and hurt anyone, I'll..."

Threats are not exactly the young girl's strong suite. Instead, she took a step backwards, glancing towards her father with a frown, and muttering under her breath. "Dragons watch over us all."

[Aevylmar]

Skandi looks over Versi with a critical eye.

"She doesn't know how to intimidate people. This is a problem." For a moment he pictured himself giving the younger Lunar; instructions. "You'll rip his lungs out with your magical shapeshifter claws and let him run out of air," he could perhaps suggest. Or possibly, "You'll feed him his comrades' eyes." Too cruel? Some people - him, say - would take offense at a threat to theri friends where they'd ignore it to themselves...

Then he sighs. This is not the time to be intimidating a mortal, and especially not time to joke about torturing a mortal, especially not to a kid who's barely learned that she isn't Anathema. This is the time to wait, and watch, and be quiet.

[industrious]

Unbroken Willow

"...Course you don't," the man says to the armored juggernaut. His lips twitch once, twice. "Why would you need them?"

His eyes are drawn to the pile of stacked weapons, jade and moonsilver and some armament beyond his reckoning. He glances at his own weapon, well maintained, well cared for, incomparable to the bounty before him.

"I work with Commanding Teacher of Martial Readiness. and begging your pardon, ma'am, but you already got my name and my Commander's. And I've gotten the good Chuzei, I'd like to know who I'm dealing with here too, see. I given you my name, and the good Chuzei's given his. But I haven't had the pleasure of hearing yours."


Wow she is gorgeous. And probably doing something to my mind right now. She's making me think that, come on, keep your smile on and your guard up. She can't want me to be defensive so that has to be coming from me. She might be the most beautiful thing I've ever seen...



Yeah, he's still telling the truth.

[Ifni]

She can sense the terror in the tension of his shoulders, in the guardedness behind the smile, in the careful way he doesn't clutch his lance white-knuckled. But she'd always expected it would be like this, with the baleful brand of her caste burning on her brow, even if she might have hoped otherwise. A brief qualm of guilt goes through her, for the amulet that is surely only making it worse, with the shining glory about her to bedazzle merely human minds, but -

Unbroken Willow's fear was never her target, and it leaves a bitter taste, but she can't regret the decision. Not yet. She had made the judgement in a broken moment, back there - that when she met the commander who had sent forth these cavalry in thunderous waves that shook the ground and air, she would meet strength with strength. Weakness can be a weapon and a veil, but wreathed in their sevenfold animas - sun and twin-faced moon, fire and water, earth and wind - there had been no hope of feigning harmlessness.

And truth be told, she is tired of hiding, tired of denying. For Firada's gift and Isa's blessing, for Zhou's trust and Lupo's promise that her power might hold a chance to help...

She can only be what she is. And do Unbroken Willow the honor of not acknowledging his fear.

The diminutive Solar offers the rider a conceding nod, an understanding smile. "Fair enough. Although actually, you have heard it. My name is -" There is the briefest possible pause, but she managed it with Shimoko, and Willow isn't even Lookshyan, "Kharal Ireva." There is a faint emphasis on the first word. "I've also been known as Eris Stormcrow and Untimely Orchid -" She offers a one-shouldered shrug, a wry smile, "But they're not names I plan to use much anymore." And are either of those names you were told to look out for, soldier?

She glances up at Zhou, face lighting with a brief-burning smile, as she continues half to Willow and half to the group, "And since you were telling the truth about an officer of Lookshy being a welcome sight -"

Ireva folds her hands as she turns her attention back to the riders. Her green eyes are level, grave, but no longer cold or hard. "Chuzei Kharal is my husband. Those who rule Thorns are my enemies. And I've pledged myself to the defense of Lookshy until the Mask of Winters is defeated."

Her voice is clear and soft. The words are simple. They seem to resonate in the air, to hang there for a long moment.

After a moment, she clears her throat, and nods to the village behind them. Her voice grows cool, professional, clean of either condescension or threat, as if she's briefing colleagues. "We knew something of the Mask's goals before we left Lookshy. From the evidence of the village, we now have more of an idea of their tactics: it looks like they slaughtered the people there to seed a shadowland across the main road, cut Lookshy's lines of supply. I was searching the area before you got here: I do want to finish that, we might be able to learn something. There were three deathknights here, and about a score of Thornguard: not an insignificant investment."

Her tone grows a little less coolly businesslike; the edge of a smile reappears, tugging at the edge of her lips. "To answer the questions you're not asking - that's why we are here, at this village specifically, since one of the deathknights decided to take a potshot at us. But we were out here in the first place -" A brief glance at Zhou asks permission, "- because we had heard tell of an army that had emerged."

Her gaze on Willow is searching, thoughtful. "And it seems... we've found one."

"So. You now know who you're dealing with, beyond just names. You know who and what we are, and why we're here." A slight smile. "Which is something I would now like to know, reciprocally." She frowns slightly. "Also why, if you think well of Lookshy, your scout risked his life to flee in panic when my husband identified himself?"

She has her own suspicions. But better they be left unvoiced, for now.

Ireva opens a hand. "Now, if that means you take us, or some of us, to your Commander, rather than talk to us yourself and risk betraying some secret, that's fine. If he or she wants to maintain intermediaries, if you want to carry letters or messages back and forth, that would also work." A quick glance at Zhou checks his approval of these statements; she can feel herself slipping into the easy rhythm of negotiation, but she doesn't want to overstep her own authority and undermine his.

"I know you wanted to send medics here to look over your injured scout. I think we have no objections to that. We've laid down our weapons, as you requested. Are there other steps we can take, to make this easier for you and your commander?" The Solar shrugs. "Beyond information, our own immediate needs are probably rather simple. As I said, I want to investigate the village - your people may wish to do that, as well - and we have supplies to salvage from our ship, at the least. Possibly repairs to make."

We're all friends here. Aren't we being open and cooperative? Nobody needs to die.

She wonders if he'll realize that she's not pushing, or if he'll just think she's manipulating him so subtly it's hard to tell. All she can do is let actions speak as loudly as words bright with sunlit Essence, and leave the choices in his hands.

"So." She shrugs, and opens the other hand. "Your move, Unbroken Willow. Or your commander's, perhaps. Explain to us, or take us to someone who can. Or ask us questions, if you need more information. Or bring your medics and tell your cavalry to hold back while we check the town and our ship, and you see to your scout."

Her smile twists, turns a little fey. "Or you could try to kill us, I suppose. But I don't think anyone would benefit much from that."

Hmm. Let's go for a natural emotion effect this time, of Calm And Constructive. She's trying not to push him into something that will feel like a betrayal when he reflects on it.

Other players, I realize this is kind of lengthy. If you would rather bring up any of the points in here (e.g. why the scout ran), let me know and I can edit them out - I wanted to make sure someone said them given the posting limits, but if I've gone too far in the direction of "nobody else has anything to say", I can cut bits.

2m to the Presence Excellency, so:

[roll0] Presence+Charisma+Negotiation specialty + 1 sux

If this counts as without deception or exaggeration, [roll1] from the Gem of Humble Glory. (There is one significant omission, in that she didn't tell him their actual orders from Lookshy, because she thinks of those as secret. But "we knew you were out here" just fosters a general impression of omniscience and she can't imagine that compromising security information.)

App is 7, -2 to his MDV if changing opinions/beliefs.

[Maugan Ra]

"The Legion is moving to a war footing." Zhou says simply, lending support to his wife's identity and words through simple presence. "Inside of a year, we're expecting a full-scale invasion of Lookshy by the Mask of Winters, with everything he can bring to the field."

It is a prospect that should mean a great deal to any citizen of the Scavenger Lands. Lookshy has long stood as the bulwark of the Confederation, the uncontested military super-power and source of the world's finest mercenaries. The capabilities of the Mask are less well known, but his legend is great and his reputation terrible. News that the two will clash in open battle is in itself the herald of a changing future.

Zhou nods back at the village, or the ruin where once it stood. "Already, we see innocents massacred, patrols ambushed, Lookshyan vessels shot from the skies and the very land poisoned by necromancy. When faced with portents such as this, news of an unidentified army massing relatively nearby is... concerning."

He looks Unbroken Willow in the eye, voice level and serious. "I would speak to your commander, if such a thing is possible. At the very least, we should relay messages - you can take what I have said to them and ask yourself, if you have orders against revealing your current purpose here. "

[Ascension]

Braga places a gentle hand on Versi's shoulder, glad for her armor and his dwindling anima, glad he can make such a gesture. He does not seek to restrain her (he hardly could if he tried) but to remind her. This is a time for humility, not pride. Even the Wolf paces silently and holds in his boasts in the sight of the gathered host of horsemen.

[industrious]

Willow

"I'm glad you're saying these things."

The mortal's words are careful as he says them with a smile. Calm as the sea before a storm.

"My orders are to take you to my Commander. But I can't have so many Ana-so many Exalts with her at once. If yourself, Karal Zhou, and yourself, Karal Ireva, and the venerable Tepet Xet are willing, you'll be escorted to her. Myself and my men will wait here with the rest of your Irregulars."


Social Attack:[roll0]

Purpose: Get you to agree with his proposition.

[Maugan Ra]

"That seems reasonable." Zhou says evenly. "And we are reasonable people. And in that vein..."

Quite calmly, he moves over to the nearby rock and picks up Aurora once more, buckling the inherited blade back into place at his waist. "I trust you will understand my entirely reasonable concern at the prospect of walking into the middle of a largely unknown army entirely unarmed." He says simply. "I will meet with your Commander, and you have my word that I will not attempt treachery, but I go with my blade or not at all."

And in an OoC note... please don't make a thing of this, industrious. I want this to turn out peacefully, I want to see who is in command of the army and what they want, but Zhou is simply not going to walk into the middle of hundreds or even thousands of potentially hostile soldiers unarmed. I honestly cannot see a way to make it happen that would work even remotely well with his previously developed characterisation.

[The_Snark]

"Venerable?" Xet says, sounding faintly affronted. (The affectation of pique does a good job of covering any surprise she might feel at being singled out.) "I suppose I'll accept that in the spirit in which it was meant; but in future, sir, recall that few ladies appreciate being complimented on their advanced age. I trust you'll do better next time."

She nods, evidently taking the soldier's assent for granted, and walks forward to join Zhou and Ireva, "Well, then. Duty calls, and we'd best get it over with. Shall we?"

I think it's been long enough for Isa's anima to fade below the 8-10 level? She'll be donning her resplendent destiny again so the mortals don't forget her at an inconvenient/suspicious time.

[Ifni]

Ireva listens quietly, and behind wide green eyes, riffles rapidly through evidence and hypotheses, slotting tentative conclusions and projections into place.

Fact: He is being deliberately evasive.

Thrice she has asked, and thrice been ignored. And his phrasings are too careful, too well-chosen to reassure without offering any solid truth to her senses, to be mere coincidence.

Any officer of Lookshy's a welcome sight. I'm glad you're saying these things. But that could still be true if these troops are part of a trap laid for Zhou, and Willow's proclaimed gladness no more than relief that they seem to be taking the bait.

What are the possibilities, and what would they imply?

One. He is being evasive because he knows we won't like the answers. They're allied with Thorns, by contract or convenience. Catching an officer of Lookshy alone, without troops, is welcome. They will take us into the camp a few at a time, where we can be killed more easily, or separated from each other and taken to someone who can sway our thoughts, most likely a deathknight. The scout ran and set off the flare because he feared we might escape to carry word back to Lookshy of the Mask's plans; he needed to get reinforcements here before that could happen.

Two. He is being evasive because he doesn't trust our answers. He fears that everything we've said is a trap, a lie, that his confirmation that they're not working with Thorns might be our cue to kill him or warp his mind. The scout ran because he thought we might have caused the shadowland, because the implications of trusting wrongly were more fearsome than the consequences of suspicion.

Three. He's under orders not to reveal anything more than he has to, even if it would placate a possible ally. Maybe it's meant to pique our interest, to draw us in? The scout ran because secrecy was imperative, including - especially? - from Lookshy; he set off the flare in the hope that reinforcements would arrive before he could be questioned.

Or something she hasn't considered. But one, two, three... what would the right choices be?

One. This is a trap. But then you're already standing in it, and slaughtering a few extra mortals won't help Lookshy. And they didn't attack right away. His orders were to take us to his Commander. If they let you talk... any alliance can be broken, especially if one of the parties involved already wants out.

So, agree. Walk into the trap, stay watchful, be ready to act. And since you will be on your guard anyway, stop pressing questions that reveal your suspicions.

Two. Easiest case. All you need to do is convince them you're telling the truth. But Broken Willow isn't the man you need to convince.

Again, agree. Smile, cooperate, accept and then defuse their fears.

Three. They have a secret, and you think you know what it is. Anathema. But Lookshy knows that already, so is there another secret behind the first? Those discussions you had with Xet... could they have been correct? Is this all a false-flag operation, a political gambit?

And once more, agree. They want to talk to you. They want something from you. You won't learn any of the deep secrets from Willow, or he wouldn't have been sent out here.

Yet he apparently knows enough to make a decision. Zhou. Xet. Herself. Why those choices? Not the Dragon-Bloods, with Shimoko and Braga left behind, and accordingly not only those with or without communication magic. Not only the ones who'd been speaking, or Xet wouldn't have been invited.

It might be a division of the group into halves, for easier elimination, if they're underestimating Shard. It might be the official representatives from the Dragon-Blooded powers, with your invitation coming as a courtesy to Zhou. Or... it might be everyone who knows about Sidereals and isn't a Lunar, if the Gold has a hand in this.

Watch where you put your feet.

But Xet has agreed, without hesitation, perhaps making the same calculation only more quickly, perhaps with the aid of additional information. Ireva glances over at the disguised Sidereal, one eyebrow arching just slightly, questioning; listening for the subtle notes of warning or irony in Isa's voice within Xet's Realm-educated tones. But there's nothing there that she can discern.

"Sounds reasonable, subject to my husband's caveat," she says mildly, looking back at Unbroken Willow. "I presume you'll have your medics look over your scout while we're away, since Tepet Xet was caring for him? And I presume, likewise, that there will be no difficulty in having our colleagues work on our downed ship? Time is precious, and I doubt very much they'll leave without us." Her eyes flicker to catch Skandi and Braga's gaze at that last, and then pointedly toward Versino, and the perceptive would read You had better leave without us if necessary.

Her gaze focuses on the mortal soldiers again, green gaze and eloquently arched eyebrow pinning Unbroken Willow for a long moment. Easy simple requests, gestures of good faith granted and requested; no reason to deny them.

"So who will be escorting us," she asks after a moment, "if you'll be waiting here?"

Didn't get an answer on SRI, so I guess I'll save the motes. I think Xet was still reading his mind, though?

One more Presence+Charisma social attack, unassisted by Charms (but still App 7), compelling behavior, let the rest of the group work on the Frostwing if they wish while Ireva/Zhou/Xet are talking to the Commander.

[roll0] Presence+Charisma
[roll1] Negotiation
[roll2] Stone of Humble Glory
[roll3] possible stunt

EDIT: 11 sux before stunt, I think.

[industrious]

Willow

"Very reasonable indeed," he nods at Zhou. "Though if I had any objections, I'm not exactly in a position to disagree, am I?"

"...Is that what venerable means? I thought it meant wise, or some such thing. And I suppose you can work on the crash, seeing as I didn't have any specific orders. But we're still on blighted ground, and His Radiance* is going to be setting soon. I think it would be better for us to get back to the main group. I'm not staying in this place any longer than I have to, and you're welcome to join our fire. We ain't the whole group, but Old Hoof and Tail cooks a mean rabbit."

Willow makes a strange, twisting gesture with his hand, and one of the men at his side nods, dismounting and holding a firework. He makes another, and another man begins to set up his own incendiary."

"We'll send a signal to the rest of us, letting them know things are smooth, get the medic over. And with your Excellencies' permission, we'll get you three started heading for the main camp. Babbler will be leading you there."

*a term used for the Unconquered Sun, often misused to indicate the Daystar.

[Maugan Ra]

"Of course." Zhou says evenly, quietly pleased at the sight of some reason. Perhaps this isn't as dire as he fears. "Lead the way."

He glances over and meets his wife's eyes, considerable meaning conveyed in the simple gesture. Be watchful. We may need your skills soon.

Then he turns to the rest of the group. "Chozei Braga is in command until I get back. Get the ship fixed if possible, but don't take too many risks with the underworld so close." he says simply. That done, he turns and follows the guide up the slope.

[Ifni]

Ireva meets Zhou's gaze for a long moment, acknowledging the unspoken message. And then for a longer moment, just looking into her husband's eyes. They may be walking an unseen knife-edge, they may be walking into a trap - but selfish as it is she can't wish Zhou wasn't here, can't regret the surge of joy that still catches her by surprise.

She manages to break eye contact before the second meaningful cough from the bystanders. Carefully not looking at Zhou, she nods to Willow, a faint smile lingering on her lips despite the topic. "That makes sense. The deathknights only retreated into the Underworld, we didn't manage to kill them. And we didn't find the villagers' bodies, which probably means -" She glances at Versino, and swallows her words. "... anyway, they may have forces nearby in the Underworld, so getting further away from the shadowland before night falls is probably wise." She inclines her head to the mortal soldier. "It was nice to meet you, Unbroken Willow. Until later, then." She looks over at Skandi, grins. "Enjoy your lazy evening eating rabbit, apparently. Save some for us?"

With a quick wave to Braga, Versino and Shimoko, Ireva turns and hurries up the slope, taking long strides to catch up with the Fire Aspect.

[industrious]

Those Left Behind

Willow watches the four leave, and visibly relaxes as they pass over the horizon.

"So...you're probably going to go and mess with things I don't have a clue with, right? Get your flying machine repaired? If any of you want to take the much safer option of staying away from this damned ground...you're welcome to our fire, as I said. Not my problem if you lot get flayed by hungry ghosts, is it? Out of my hands."

The mortal bows to the gathered Exalts, mounts his horse, and wheels his group around. He doesn't gallop as far and fast from the shadowland as he's able to, but he's not setting an idle pace, either.

Ireva, Zhou, and Xet

"Babbler" is a tall, hulking individual, his face set in a grim expression. If any of the party attempts to greet him, or acknowledge him verbally, the man gives a tight smile, and opens his mouth to reveal a charred stump of a tongue. Further attempts at communication tend to go downhill from there.

It is past sundown when the three enter the main camp, marked with clear, rigid boundaries for latrines and dotted with the glow of campfires at neat, precise intervals. No mere collection of mercenaries but a single unit, and judging by the size(Perception+War, diff 2), the initial estimates of the unknown Exalts forces were far off. Not a dragon but something close to an entire legion, 5000 strong. They approach the commander's tent, guarded by 10 sentries bearing higher quality armor and weaponry than Willow's group; their mere presence causes blades to draw. Babbler merely shakes his head, and begrudgingly, the three Exalts are allowed to pass, as the mute is left behind.

The tent is dominated by a sand table, its contents cleared at the approach. Pondering the empty dunes and blank surface, though...

The woman at the head of the table is old - in her fifties at least. Wrinkles line her face, and her eyes have sunken into her wider face, but even still, they glimmer with cunning, and more dangerously, with wisdom. Her hair is cut short, in a legionnaire's cut identical to Zhou's (or what Zhou's ought to be, provided he has been away from shears for some time), the color of newly forged steel. She is girded in armor of a style fifty years behind current Seventh Legion techniques, bears a jian in the same manner as the young Dragon-Blood.

"Hello, cousin," come the words from a woman declared dead by the General Staff. "Welcome to the Eighth Legion."

[Inspector Valin]

Versi's eyes lingered on the three Exalts leaving together, her worry obvious, if unspoken. Even with their blades, this felt too much like a trap. They shouldn't have split up... but Ireva, Zhou and Xet had all agreed. And they didn't need an argument in front of (potentially) enemy soldiers. The young Lunar didn't turn as Willow spoke, but as the group made their way out of the Shadowland, she looked back towards Braga. "Father?"

Frowning, Versi gestured towards the Frostwing, an eyebrow raised at Willow's idea. "This ship's mostly burnt, missing large pieces, and is about to be swarmed by hungry ghosts. Can we repair it?" She'd trust Braga's judgement over her own, but the task seemed ludicrous to Versi. And after everything they'd been through, they didn't need much of a threat.

[Maugan Ra]

Zhou stops dead at the sight of the older woman, blinking as though to dispel a persistent illusion. Then he chuckles in an almost resigned fashion.

"Bloody hell. Nothing's ever simple, is it?" he says dryly. "Kharal Fire Orchid... you know you were declared dead? There was a funeral and everything. Apparently it was a bit premature."

[Ifni]

Ireva pauses, a half-step behind Zhou, studying the tent, the sand-table, the woman. Taking the time to put together the clues in her mind, knowing all she knows, remembering her conversation with Xet - Isa - on the Frostwing, remembering what Zhou told her in Yu-Shan and why she no longer goes by Untimely Orchid.

After a moment her face breaks into a brilliant smile. She steps up beside Zhou and bows to the older woman. The Lookshyan may or may not grasp the nuance, but the bow is not that of polite greeting, or even guest to host, but that of a junior family member to their elder. (The style is that of the Confederation, not the Realm; that means she can't add the subtle signals that specify an Exalted family member, but Dynastic styles seem... prone to misinterpretation.)

"Thank you for receiving us," she says as she rises, her voice warm. "Zhou has told me a little about you; it's a pleasure and an honor to meet you. And to see what you've built." The symbol of the eclipse still glitters faintly on her brow. "Since the reports of your death seem greatly exaggerated... I presume the other rumors were correct, and you are Sun-Chosen?"

[Ascension]

Command. Authority isn't something Braga is used to, even as a Prince of the Earth... not since he came back from the Heptagram, or even since he Exalted as one of Mela's sons and doubt crept into his family's eyes, never to relinquish its place again. Yet Karal Zhou shows him that trust, Karal Zhou who hardly knows him, Karal Zhou whose own authority he openly defied... what was it, just two weeks ago? Back at their first meeting. They had clashed then, the warrior and the scholar, but now...

Braga looks around the group the Chuzei left in his command, and the warmth of Zhou's imagined approval fades. More probably he seems to be the best of three bad options. Two others of his five hold official rank in Lookshy. Gochei Maheka is a proper Lookshyan, but inferior in rank and a total stranger to Zhou's company. And Bright Shard... well, Bright Shard has hardly seemed herself since the crash of the Frostwing. Literally, of course, with how she wore the face of the scout... how she bore Orichalcum in the fight... but in a general sense as well. Something in her seems... broken, somehow.

He wants to help his fellow artificer, but she is unlikely to desire any help offered by him, a fact he remembers with a sharp, sickening pain.

And then come his daughter's words, reflecting his own thoughts. Night is too near to allow ambition to overreach safety.

"We can repair it," he reassures, simply on the basis of principle, "We're Exalted. But not tonight. Because we're not foolish."

He glances meaningfully around his little band, hoping that his last statement is actually true.

"We do have a little while before nightfall, though," he says to himself, checking the peculiar device wrapped around the bracer on his left arm, listening to the whispers of time.

"Bright Shard, Skandi the Wolf," he calls out, nodding to each in turn, "Would you please go back to the ship? Chozei Shard, please check the engine. It's the piece of that airship we least understand, and would be most difficult to repair. Sir Skandi... keep her safe. And check the hold for salt; bring it back if you can. And both of you, both of you remember: Your highest duty is to get out of there by nightfall, okay? Do not linger. Do not try to engage any enemies by yourselves. Fly out of there at first sign of trouble. If you have any respect for the authority Chuzei Zhou invested in me, that's an order. You'll find us at Unbroken Willow's fire; meet us there."

And his eyes and thoughts turn back to the pair Shard and Skandi's departures will leave him with, presuming they heed the command to go: his daughter and the Gunzosha. This might be an opportunity to pick the latter's mind, to assess where her truest loyalties lie, and whether she is more an ally or a danger. Eyes trained to appraise the artifacts of lost ages turn on the Gochei, examining more than just the state of her armor.

[DeafnotDumb]

Shard listens to the commands with a distant nod, looking at Skandi with worry, but she timidly goes nearer him in a piecemeal, inching fashion. The conwoman is still scared of the hulking man, but not as scared as she is by the idea of being alone in the Shadowlands or surrounded by several pairs of inquisitive eyes. She can manage herself for a while in the engine room, she thinks, but she will have to be careful: Skandi's stories speak of him being rather clever, if in a barbarian fashion, and...

Well, everybody knows how Skandi the Wolf treats his enemies: in a rather barbarian fashion. He'd best not find out her deception. Swallowing her fear with the aid of her other, greater fears, the conwoman stumbles next to the fearsome Lunar. "Ready?" She asks, not meeting his eyes, an obvious display of avoiding any risk of aggression. ""And... c-can you..." a deep, calming breath. "...craft at all?"

[Lix Lorn]

The whole situation seemed like a sort of dream. Not the kind that makes you wake up with a smile, like you just ate candyfloss. But not the kind that ends in a cold sweat, and turning on a light, and swearing off of sleep for the next twenty-five hours or so.
No, this was the kind of dream which the word was made for. The kind of surreal events, linked together by confusion and co-incidence, than an air aspect would wake from, grab a pen, and then take it to the publishers.

Meeting a deathknight on patrol was quite one thing. It happened, occasionally. Bumping into a handful of your comrades ensorcelled by anathema immediately after - and then fighting alongside them - was quite a different matter. It was complicated and confusing and it left a sour taste in her mouth.

Shimoko, however, was a soldier. While her eyes might show a little strain, a casual viewer will see nothing of the turmoil within.
"Sir." she salutes to Braga, neatly. "What should I do?"

[Aevylmar]

Skandi gives Shard a hopeless look. More like a puppy-dog than a dangerous hungry people-eating monster.

"Not at all, I'm afraid. Where I come from, iron is the height of modern technology. Magitech? Not a hope. I've got no idea what to do with a ship; when I was on it, I just tried not to break anything."

He turns to Braga, meeting his eyes, speaking quietly but earnestly. The horsemen may be out of earshot, but he wants to be careful.

"Versino can fly as well as I can and lift at least as much as I can, but she doesn't have my full arsenal of forms. I can sneak after Ireva, Zhou, and Zet in some inconspicuous animal form, and if this is a trap, I might be able to tip the balance."

It is a question. Or a request.

[Ascension]

Braga has to fight back an instinct to immediately and completely refuse Skandi's suggestion. Even on further reflection, the scenario the barbarian proposes doesn't seem all that much more attractive: His daughter sent, wounded, into a Shadowland near nightfall in the company of shaky, unpredictable Shard; Skandi the Wolf breaking their hosts' trust to assuage his (admittedly justified) paranoia; himself left alone with an unfamiliar Gunzosha who may well think him enthralled by the Anathema all around him.

Possibilities dance in his head, making merry time with the grim spectre of imagined consequences, and he wishes he had Chuzei Zhou's tactical insight. By the Empress's scarlet hair, he even wishes he'd better heeded the instruction of his youth, bearded Sesus worthies droning on about the Thousand Correct Actions of the Upright Soldier. What would the Upright Soldier do now? ('Aside from smiting the Anathema.') He doesn't know. So he can only guess. It's probably the option where the Upright Soldier puts himself at greatest risk. Dragons do love a martyr, right? He swallows heavily.

"...yes," he hesitantly agrees, "Any unexpected factor may be a boon to the Chuzei, his wife, and the Immaculate, should this situation turn grim. You're right. But I caution you this: Do not pick a fight you can't win. The stories of Skandi the Wolf say he's cleverer than that. If they worst should befall them, return to us, tell us what's happened, and together we will respond as we must."

He turns to the others, a quieting finger raised on each hand, forestalling objections (at least in theory).

"And that shifts our plans. Bright Shard... accompany my daughter to Unbroken Willow's camp. See if anyone there can treat her wound. Watch them. If they would hurt her..."

He chokes off the sentence, unable to finish it, but trusts that Bright Shard can divine the sentiment. She did seem very protective of Versi when last they spoke. That will have to do.

"Gochei," he instructs the Gunzosha, "that leaves you accompanying me to the wreck of the airship. If any salt can be salvaged from the stores, I will require your strength to carry it."

And then he takes a step closer to the armored officer and his voice softens from a commander's bluster, real emotion suffusing his tone.

"And I should like to hear of your comrades-in-arms. Their sacrifice deserves our memory. I am truly sorry that the situation bars us from giving them the full rites that they are due."

[Inspector Valin]

"Father!"

Versi had been quiet as Shimoko and Skandi spoke, letting the discussion pass with eyes closed for the moment. But at Braga's suggested plan, the young Lunar's eyes snapped open. Something in what he'd said had struck a nerve with the small warrior. She met her father's gaze for several seconds, eyes tilted slightly, before speaking; somewhat more gently than might've been expected. "You don't need to send me to the camp. I can still help. And if something goes wrong, you're going to want everyone to help."

The little Exalt paused for a second, placing a hand to her forehead, trying to think the situation through. She wasn't leaving her father alone in a Shadowland, out of her sight, out of reach. Not ever. When she spoke again, her voice grew firmer, somewhat more certian. Now at least, she had an idea."Let Mr. Skandi go to help the others, but you and Bright Shard should work on the Frostwing together. You've got the best chance of working out the engine if you co-operate. Shimoko's armor makes her fast, and I can fly now. We'll be the best lookouts. And then we can all go back to the camp together." She glanced around the group, frowning slightly. She didn't think she'd overlooked anything, but her head was ringing slightly. It was hard to focus.

[industrious]

Kharal Fire Orchid

Her lips quirk in acknowledgement, but her expression remains hard.

"As it should be. Because Kharal Fire Orchid is dead, cousin. A demon entered her body, possessing all of her knowledge and memories, but who remains unspeakably evil and must be opposed at all costs."

Her eyes turn towards Xet, garbed in the robes of an Immaculate. Her smile is a drawn sword, her eyes arrows to piece flesh and spirit.

"Isn't that right, monk?"

She snorts at Ireva's words, her posturing, her flattery.

"The pleasure is entirely yours. Unless you'd like to tell me the purpose of your expedition?"

[The_Snark]

"It is," Xet replies affably, apparently oblivious to the hostility in the other woman's stance - or more likely choosing to ignore it. "I'm glad to find someone out here who remembers that. As for why we're here, it's funny you should mention that - I rather think Lookshy has sent us out here to kill you." She pauses for a second, long enough for it to sink in but not long enough to invite a reply, and continues, "Something about an army with unknown intentions marching in their direction, or so I'm given to understand? Lookshy can be very prickly about that kind of thing." She waves a hand dismissively.

"So! Now that I've answered your question, perhaps you could return the favor. What's the purpose of your expedition?"

Activating Telltale Symphony as we walk into the camp, and commencing mind-reading.

[roll0]

[Ifni]

She doesn't like what she sees as flattery. Confrontational. Suspicious. And her words are achingly familiar, the echo of Ireva's own words, the memory of a decade of exile and pain. Her brilliant smile fades with the rebuff; what replaces it, in her eyes, is something hard to define. Hope, maybe. A wincing empathy. I can't lie to this woman.

She's opening her mouth to reply - her hands open, her green eyes fixed on the older Solar, her body bracing just slightly in anticipation of violence - when Xet gets in first. She gives the Immaculate a wry glance. "Couldn't let me be first with the one-liner, could you?" she murmurs, sounding faintly amused.

The diminutive Eclipse turns her attention back to Fire Orchid. "In the annals of Heaven, and the ledgers of my family, Ireva perished ten years ago. You're not the only one who knows about being dead. But I've been recently persuaded to try to revive her." She reaches out, touches Zhou's hand.

"As our illustrious advisor says -" She casts a brief glance at Xet, almost affectionate, "We were ordered - by a member of Gens Teresu, which I mention in case you have a better handle on current Lookshy politics than we do - to deal with the Anathema commander of an army that threatened Lookshy. So." She opens her other hand. "Is Kharal Fire Orchid really gone?"

Let's have Mastery of Small Manners here in an attempt to damp down hostile reactions and see how high her Manip+Socialize is (if the total is 7 or lower, I get her emotions / motivation in the scene).

Let me know if I should roll something.

[Maugan Ra]

"I should point out that my party includes at least one Solar and a pair of Lunars." Zhou says dryly. "Although our honoured companion might have had a heart attack on discovering it, this is hardly a Wyld Hunt."

He shrugs. "Though yes, in the spirit of cooperation, my orders were to find and kill you. I'm not inclined to follow those orders, not least since I have reason to suspect someone was hoping this would be a suicide mission, but I am rather interested in why the... Eighth Legion, was it? Why you've mobilised in such strength. Lookshy is already facing one invasion in the near future, and we would much rather not have to deal with a second at the same time."

[industrious]

Kharal Fire Orchid

The elder-seeming Solar shakes her head at Zhou's allegations.

"Lookshy birthed me. Lookshy raised me. My children, my grandchild...they live in the same manse that we grew up in, cousin. If they are threatened, I can do nothing less than strive to defend her."

Her throughts become wistful. Nostalgic. It's nice seeing family again. After so many years.

She turns towards Xet again, and her thoughts become hostile once more, a jumble of rage and grief.

"I'm glad you agree with my words, monk. For your politeness, I'll be generous with you."

She claps her hands together once, twice. Ten of her Honor Guard surround the tent; they do not enter, but their shadows darken the space enclosed by cloth; their blades are naked, raised. The woman draws her own, tip pointed squarely at the Immaculate.

"Would you prefer to die kneeling, or on your feet?"

[Maugan Ra]

Zhou pauses for a moment, then steps sideways, deliberately placing himself between the Solar and the Immaculate. His weapon remains sheathed, but there is no doubt in his eyes.

"While you doubtless have your reasons, I would ask that you not kill a member of my wife's family in front of me." He says calmly. "Especially not one that fought deathknights at my side not an hour ago."

He hesitates, then continues. "Lookshy is going to need all of it's allies in this fight, and I expect we will find it easier to convince the Realm to stand at our side... or at least not stab us in the back... if we don't make a policy of slaying their emissaries on sight."

[Ifni]

Ireva doesn't hesitate, not even for a moment, before stepping to interpose herself between Xet and the other Solar, at Zhou's side. Her hands too are empty, palms upward.

"Commander, I know - believe me, I do know - at least part of what the Immaculate teachings have cost you. I can't go home either." Although - children. That was a price she never had to pay.

She takes a slow breath, swallows down the lump in her throat, goes on. "I know you have cause. I know she's affiliated with our enemies. But she's not the one responsible for the Cleansing, or Lookshy's alliance with it. As Zhou said, she fought the deathknights with us, she kept one out of the fight almost single-handedly. While Thorns is the enemy, she's on our side. And Lookshy's side."

She takes another breath, and eyes Kharal Fire Orchid's bared blade, and shifts her stance slightly; it doesn't look like she intends to move.

"And she's my friend."

This is what Ireva's saying, and I'm going to get it up there before someone preempts me again, but I'll leave the mechanical resolution for the OOC, until I know how it should interact with Zhou's roll.

EDIT: After the social attack but before any stunt reward,
Personal Essence: 13/19 + 3 committed to Judge's Ear Technique
Peripheral Essence: 22/42 + 15 attuned

[Aevylmar]

Skandi nods. He knows Braga doesn't trust him, but with luck, Braga doesn't need to trust him. Zhou and Eris are the ones who he needs to help, and by Luna, he's going to.

"Thanks."

Then he's into the underbrush, and shortly afterwards, a housecat with somewhat odd-shaped teeth is really very close to the soldiers' tent, listening as closely as it can.

"In the annals of Heaven, and the ledgers of my family, Ireva perished ten years ago...

[The_Snark]

"If I were going to die," Xet remarks, her voice still blithely unconcerned, "and my murderer were courteous enough to ask my preferences, I think I'd be less concerned with my feet and more with my killer's reasons. An explanation isn't too much to ask, I believe. And it would be rather nice to know that I was dying for a good reason, not merely to sate someone else's anger and pain - "

Her mouth quirks into a slight smile. "Though I realize this may be too much to hope for. One rarely ends up being killed by reasonable people."

I'm not sure what to call this; limited teamwork? Investigate-based social attack? (Isa doesn't actually have high enough social stats to have any hope of succeeding on social attacks, annoyingly.) The point is to get Fire Orchid to explain herself, so that Zhou and Ireva can counter her arguments... or (if she doesn't have a reason beyond "Lookshy just joined the Cleansing and I'm angry" to try and get her to realize this.

[Ascension]

Braga scowls slightly, reflexively, as Skandi bounds away the very moment he agrees with the barbarian's proposal. 'So much for discussion...' The more experienced Lunar's absence does make his answer to Versino easier to give, though.

"No, Versi," he answers, curtly, but not harshly, "As you say, you can fly now. Unless I'm very mistaken, and when it comes to magitech I rarely am, Bright Shard can fly now as well. And you know wherever Mela breathes I can contact you. The Gochei and the Chuzei can as well, if I recall Lookshyan training correctly. Go to the camp, find their surgeon, and let him treat you, as long as they'll let Bright Shard watch over you. And if there's any trouble, of course, then you can fly. And you know where to find Gochei Maheka and myself."

He turns to Bright Shard and half raises a hand to touch her shoulder, to reassure, but thinks better of it, staying the gesture.

"Keep her safe," he says, simply.

And then he turns toward the Frostwing, back squared against any further complaint about his orders.

"Gochei Maheka," he says with a beckoning gesture, "this way. Follow me."

[DeafnotDumb]

And then there is her and the little Lunar, newly revealed. She looks as young as ever, terrible young to have fought so well and be so collected now. For the first time, Jade wonders what really happened to the girl and her father. Just being a dynastic bastard seems... lacking, now.

"You fought well." She says, much more a question than a compliment. Slowly, her thoughts turn towards the practical edge of things rather than the replay of her memories.

"I'm out of Essence - I can't fly there right now." She says. "I'll need an hour or two before.... so I guess we'd best start walking."

[Inspector Valin]

Versi stood there a second, glaring daggers into her father's back at first. This was wrong, she was supposed to stay with Braga, be ready to help him, even more so when there was danger. The shadow with the axe seemed to loom in the darkness behind Braga: there were a lot of shadows now that the sun was begining to set. She needed to stay with him. Be ready to fight, injury or no injury.

But Father was in command now. This wasn't just them, it was a Seventh Legion Opperation. And she couldn't argue with him in front of everyone. Gochei Shimoko was a war hero after all, and she hadn't tried to kill any of them, had she? Versi smiled nervously towards the heavily armored Dragon Chosen, bowing her head to the elder warrior upon turning to her, a mild gesture of respect. Keep him safe, Gochei. In the Dragons' name

That little bow made her feel like she was about to lose her balance. The young Lunar grimaced: she couldn't help anyone much like this. She needed to rest first, to try and pull herself together a bit. That was the smart decision. Even if it didn't feel like the right one.

Stretching upwards quickly, Versi put a hand to Braga's shoulder, whispering to him, trying to sound positive and hide the fear. "Stay safe. I can't protect you from over in the camp, Father." That small gesture done, the Lunar turned back to Bright Shard, smiling at her compliment. She didn't know just what the Craftswoman's true intent and purpose really was, but she'd been kind. At a time like this, that meant a lot. The young warrior echoed the spy's gesture towards the camp.

"Let's. If we need to fly...I'll try and carry you, or something." She wasn't sure if she felt up to that task like this, but... the whole day had been a parade of surprises. Best to be ready for more.

[Lix Lorn]

Maheka nods slowly. Her companions had done all they could, but stood no chance in combat with one of the dark anathema. She supposed remembrance was their right.
"You honour them." she replies, and will follow.

[Ascension]

As Braga and the Gunzosha step away toward the Frostwing and the slain village, the Dynast pulls on a coat from nowhere, bracing himself for the shadowland chill ahead. He is thankful for the small wonder of the fallen age he wears, even if it can't boast the majesty or strength of the Gochei's proud armor. The two Dragon-Bloods have not gone far (though at least far enough that he feels safe from Versi's curious ear) before he clears his throat and speaks.

"As you have no doubt guessed, I was not born in Lookshy. But I think at least this is the same anywhere you go. 'Resist the commands of the Anathema to the fullest degree of the abilities of your present incarnation,'" he quotes, "'and do not fall into despair.'"

He stops and gazes up into the sky, pale and discolored by the nearby blight. It's not a particularly comforting backdrop for this conversation, but he's unlikely to find a better one.

"Unless you already assume me to be so thoroughly tainted that you're about to shout the Fifth Noble Insight and then strike me down, I would guess that you have... questions."

With some difficulty he forces himself to tear his eyes off the sky and look back at Gochei Maheka, to look her in the eyes.

"I have nothing to hide from you, Daughter of Pasiap. Ask me how it can be that a brave son of Lookshy and a monk of the Immaculate Order can be leading a band of mongrel Anathema in service to your state. Ask me how a Prince of the Earth can bear to call a skin-changing demon 'daughter.' Ask me why you shouldn't strike me dead this instant. Go ahead. Ask or strike the blow, if that's what you're planning to do. Don't leave doubt to fester."

He stands, empty hands offered up open-palmed, a thin man armored only in thin fabric, waiting for, welcoming, her worst.

[industrious]

Braga and Maheka

Even in the dim, fading light, Braga can spot the contours of the great jade engine that had powered the Frostwing. While parts of the hull lie wrecked and burnt and the air sack and strings which kept it afloat is riddled with holes, the engine itself, the heart of the ship, remains intact. Perhaps some gears or portions of it require repair and redress, but given care and proper maintenance, the ship itself will fly again.

Mortal Camp

The encampment of riders has set up by the time Versino and Bright Shard arrive. The smell of rabbit stew wafts over the two, beckoning them closer.

Kharal Fire Orchid

"Were our positions reversed, monk, and I in the middle of your camp, would you be merciful? Would you dare let me live? The reason for your existence is to kill me and my kind."

The Commander's bodyguards enter the tent, forming a ring around the four Exalts.

"The Realm won't work with us, cousin. They could never work alongside Anathema. The monk can die fighting bravely against deathknights in your report. None will contradict you."

"And you..."

There is an expression greater than hatred on her face reserved for Ireva. Loathing and pity and and disgust, an expression reserved for the worst of traitors.

"You think this creature is your friend? Tell me, monk. What do your teachings say about forming friendships with Anathema? Tell me that you do not plan to kill her when it is convenient for you to do so."

"You are in my camp, cousin. Surrounded by my men. Stand down, or I will have you restrained."


Charisma+Presence against Xet (tell her what she wants to hear): [roll0]
Charisma+Presence against Zhou (stand aside): [roll1]

Both social attacks will be supplemented with Terrifying Apparition of Glory, rendering Dodge MDV's invalid.

[Inspector Valin]

Versi had been walking slowly by her standards, the child's former energy gone. Shard might've noticed the girl quietly scowling to herself on occasion as they went, the young Lunar pushing herself to ignore her own tiredness and keep up a faster pace. Still, soon enough the two have reached the camp, and Versi's frown fades quickly. The prospect of Rabbit stew can do that to a hungry young traveller. The little warrior walked into the campsite, smiling around at the mortal group. "Hello. Father ordered us over here. Even though I'm not in the Legion, he still tells me what to do, damn it."

She glanced between the mortals, leaning on Skycutter for a second, before asking her question. "I don't suppose any of you know medicine, do you? I... took a hit during our fight against the Deathknights." The young Lunar chuckled, looking down to the ground, face reddening slightly. She didn't like admitting that, even to a group of people she might never encounter again, but she didn't have much of a choice. Versi shook her head, trying to force a smile for their sakes. "My fault for thinking I could fight the Lords of Death in hand to hand without armour, I guess."

[DeafnotDumb]

People! Ah, people. Terrible and wonderful. Jade - Shard - whoever she was, she was in her element but without her armour. The machinery springs into life again as she tries to work out the right words to ingrate, to investigate and in - to in - alliteration was too difficult at this time of night. The point was, words.

"Hello." She says. "My name is Bright Shard and this is Versino. Since I am a crafter of some small talgent, I was wondering if there was anything that needs fixing around here."

She pauses.

"I will accept payment in drink." She adds.

[Maugan Ra]

"Do you understand what you are asking me to do, cousin?" Zhou says, his tone surprisingly mild given the situation. "To stand aside, and allow an ally and comrade in battle to be slain. To compromise an alliance that may yet save the lives of thousands of Lookshyan citizens. To lie to my commanders and my peers."

He shakes his head. "We grew up in the same manse, learned the same lessons. You cannot seriously expect a child of Gens Kharal to accept such a thing."

He leans forward, placing both hands on the table. "If you are anything like my wife, I expect you will be using a truth-seeking charm right now. So listen to what I say." He says, every word spoken with utmost sincerity. "I have seen Immaculate monks work alongside those they should call Anathaema, for the good of all. I have spoken with those who helped to design the Immaculate philosophies millennia ago, and they are not Dragon-Blooded. And I have seen the strength of the force that threatens to march upon our home, spoken with those who uncovered it."

"In the name of those truths, the blood we share and the home that needs our strength, I make one request of you now. Wait. Be patient. Listen to our explanation and our reasons, help me work out how best to defend Lookshy in her time of need."

He stands back, and spreads his hands. "If, after all that, you still feel the best course is to offer death to Tepet Xet... I will not say that I like it. But I will not oppose what happens next."

OK, I know that Snark was going to post, but it's been a few hours now and I've been itching to make my own argument.

So, first up, Zhou defeats that social roll with his Presence-based Parry MDV. He then makes a social attack with the fairly obvious stated goal of 'wait, and hear us out'. I vaguely suspect that Fire Orchid might have an intimacy-booster strengthening her hate or righteous anger at the Immaculate Order, but this should side-step that, and hopefully hit on any intimacies she has towards family and Lookshy, as well as Temperance and Compassion is she has those ranked at 3+.

Thinking about cooperation, it should be fairly easy for someone else to make a related but distinct social influence roll of their own, thus allowing (for example) Ireva to make full use of her own persuasiveness rather than limiting herself to an additional dice or two.

Zhou is going to stick the maximum number of dice onto this, and channel compassion again.

[roll0]
Stunt: [roll1]

[Ifni]

The look on Kharal Fire Orchid's face... oddly lacks the expected sting. Loathing and pity and disgust, but if she reads the other woman right, it's more for Ireva's opinions than her nature. She's seen horror in Firada's face, and more recently, Chejop Kejak's calm certain condemnation conveyed through Isa's violet eyes. Looks of hopelessness, one way or another. Anger is much easier to endure.

Ireva listens as Zhou speaks, nodding at appropriate moments. She glances at the bodyguards, acknowledging their presence. She doesn't move away from Xet.

When the Fire Aspect has finished, she nods once more to herself, and looks up at the taller Solar.

"You remind me of someone I admire very much, Kharal Fire Orchid," she says quietly. "Not flattery. She was a war-leader, too, who raised an army out of nothing, to try to save her city. And she now serves in the Order because if you're Dragon-Blooded born to the Realm and you want to fight monsters, the deathknights and their masters, that's where you go to learn."

"You say they could never work alongside Anathema... but as Zhou says, even setting aside today's events, we fought beside Immaculate monks in Nexus, less than a month ago, to protect a city of the Confederation from infernalists. Without a certain agent of the Order we wouldn't know about the planned attack on Lookshy, either." She pauses, and gestures briefly to the bodyguards ringing them. "And there is... more, as well, which I can tell you, reasons I expect more help than hindrance so long as Thorns is our enemy, I'd just prefer not to discuss them in front of witnesses. Never is a long time. And overdue."

She pauses again, and her voice softens. "If the real problem is that you don't feel you could ever work with them..." Those words could be taken a challenge, but they are not nearly as sharp as they might have been, as she remembers the raw grief in Fire Orchid’s eyes. "I can understand that. And yet - I'd like to be your ally. I'd like to be your cousin." So very much. "But not over the dead bodies of my family and my friends." She reaches out to take Xet's hand and draw her forward a step. "I'll let her speak for herself. But she is my friend, and -" She meets Kharal Fire Orchid's iron eyes, and Dragons I hope Zhou is right and she can't deny the truth of this, "I promise you: I do trust her, and I do have reason for it."

Last, she glances sideways at Xet. "You could just be honest, you know," she murmurs. "It might help."

This is a social attack to begin eroding Fire Orchid's apparent negative Intimacy toward the Order / the Realm. Spending 4m from Personal on the Excellency.

App 7, and now the -2 MDV from the Jewel of the Lawgiver's Authority should definitely apply.

[roll0] Presence+Charisma
[roll1] honesty bonus from Stone of Humble Glory
([roll2] Negotiation specialty in case it applies, but I don't think it does)
Possible stunt [roll3] and I'm requesting an upgrade for consonance with Motivation.
+ 2 successes
EDIT: 13 successes.

Personal: 9 + 3 committed to Judge's Ear Technique (+ stunt reward from previous action)
Peripheral: 22
Willpower: 8/10

[The_Snark]

Xet’s smile remains fixed in place, but the mask is thinning. Even a casual observer might note the way her stance has shifted from casual to poised, or the way her eyes linger on the Solar and her naked blade, measuring distances and observing the woman’s every movement. She is most certainly not indifferent to the danger, though she hasn’t dropped the pretense completely.

There is a certain poetic justice in this, Isa reflects; that a Sidereal of the Bronze should face an enemy who judges her for what she is and not who, an enemy who has already decided she must die and refuses to be swayed. In Kharal Fire Orchid’s mind her death is a matter of inarguable necessity. Reconciliation is unthinkable, cooperation impossible, and (truth be told) not really desirable. She is the enemy and that is all that need be said. How many Solars and Lunars have stood in just such a place over the centuries? Dozens? Hundreds? Thousands? How many died facing the Viziers’ lies?

Perhaps justice is the wrong word. She doesn’t expect to die here, after all. Those Solars and Lunars had nobody to speak on their behalf, no way to slip out of the net if and when reason should fail. But poetic, certainly. Isa spares a moment to send a rueful prayer of appreciation heavenward to the pattern spiders overseeing this skein of destiny.

(And it is Isa here in the tent, not just Xet. Fire Orchid cannot know it, but her words have pierced the mask she wears as armor. Orders. Upon completion of hostilities... If she were to say no, I wouldn’t kill her, would the Commander’s ears hear a lie?)

(Just as important, in a very different way, is Ireva’s presence. A carelessly given answer could hurt.)

Honest. She glances briefly sideways at Ireva, then forwards at Zhou standing between her and the commander's. (A moment of disorientation, as she recalls the opposite situation in Nexus. How things change.)

"The teachings say that friendship with Anathema is foolishness," Xet answers finally. "And blasphemy. Which of those is the greater sin, well, that depends on who you ask. A monk would give one answer. A general or politician might give a different one."

"I could speak of practicalities. You’re right that the Realm cannot formally ally with Anathema, of course. But Lookshy is not Anathema, and Thorns is; and if other Anathema should happen to march on Thorns at the same time, well, everyone knows they’re prone to wickedness and feuding amongst themselves. Not even the most zealous monk would expect the Realm to stand aside because of that, and I expect the Houses would be privately relieved to see Anathema-led armies clashing. Except..." She tilts her head. "I don't think it would do any good to argue that way."

"You’re not a fool. I suppose I could be wrong about that - it does happen on occasion - but I don’t think so.You must have given thought to this; nobody leads an army out to march without planning ahead. I believe a strictly unofficial alliance is possible, and likely the safest course for Lookshy. You don’t agree."

"That means one of two things." She holds out both hands, fingers curled, palms up. "Either our goals here are not the same" - she opens the left hand - "or you know something that I don’t." She opens the right. "So."

"Which is it, Teacher?" she asks softly, using the honorific without irony or accusation. Her eyes search the Lookshyan Solar's face for answers, straining for understanding. "Will you give me the courtesy of an explanation? I admit, I might not do the same were our positions reversed, but I would regret that."

A 1- or 2-die stunt should suffice to defend against that social attack, since she rolled poorly. I don't think Isa gets any MDV bonuses from Conviction or Intimacies here, given that her Intimacies are sort of in conflict, but I think Temperance might apply if the social attack is trying to force an answer that isn't entirely honest. (On which note, I'm currently trying to work out a good answer and may edit this post soon if I come up with one.)

I really want to model this as a Read Motive action, because Isa is good at that and it'd be useful to get a sense of the relevant Intimacy/Intimacies at play here, but... honestly, it feels like a classic Investigation-based social attack. I'll roll the larger dice pool in the event that you decide to be charitable and let it count as Read Motive, but feel free to take it the other way and discard the excess dice. It's being flurried with a miscellaneous action to read Fire Orchid's thoughts, in any case, and I think I'll go ahead and channel Temperance (keeping cool in a tense situation and trying to see where the other party is coming from).

If Socialize applies, Isa will be spending 4m on the Second Bureaucracy Socialize Excellency.

Perception+Socialize or Manip+Investigation: [roll0]
Stunt: [roll1]

Perception+Awareness: [roll2]
Stunt: [roll3]

By my count, Isa has 7 or 11* personal motes (5 of those spent are committed to Telltale Symphony), 1 peripheral (plus whatever stunt reward she gained for her last action) and 5 Willpower left.

*Depending on whether she can use an Excellency to enhance this action

[industrious]

Kharal Fire Orchid

"...seize her," she says at last. "Bind her in chains. Put her with the other prisoner, and if she tries to escape or be disruptive, you may do whatever you wish to her. Until then, she is not to be maltreated."

The Solar sheathes her sword, steps in close with the monk. Within range of one of the fabled Immaculate Martial Artists.

"You are alive right now because of the two deluded fools you've managed to swindle trust out of, one is family." she hisses, quiet enough that the fools couldn't hear. "I hope you try to escape and prove me right. I would enjoy hunting you down like the bitch you are."

I am sorry, my husband. Please be patient, now that you have all the time in the world. Time enough for the both of us.


Fire Orchid

"Now that that's been taken care of..."

Methodically, the older Solar begins to check the tent for spies and saboteurs.

"Perhaps you, girl, can tell me just why you want to be thought of as family. And then, when we are sure that this place is secure, we may yet be able to talk freely."


Perception+Investigation: [roll0] + 2 sux
Opposed by Skandi's Dex+Stealth + 1 sux for being a small cat


Improvised Prison

The monk is bound, with chains running from ankles to neck, and carried through the camp towards her goal. The men and women by the campfires see her, see an Immaculate monk, and begin jeering. Crudities and epithets are thrown her way, and her escorts don't bother to shut them up, even smiling at some of the more inventive (and most of the more explicit) ones.

The prison itself is composed of four wooden stakes circumscribed by jagged wire, like a pigpen designed by a sadist, albeit one with enough space for two or three to lie down comfortably in. An all too familiar form in a red robe has already done so.

"Oh come on," the Woman says, playing to the crowd. "You can't expect me to share this with a monk?"



2 die for Isa. 3 die for Zhou and Ireva due to Motivation upgrades for each.



People! Ah, people. Terrible and wonderful. Jade - Shard - whoever she was, she was in her element but without her armour. The machinery springs into life again as she tries to work out the right words to ingrate, to investigate and in - to in - alliteration was too difficult at this time of night. The point was, words.

"Hello." She says. "My name is Bright Shard and this is Versino. Since I am a crafter of some small talgent, I was wondering if there was anything that needs fixing around here."

She pauses.

"I will accept payment in drink." She adds.

Unbroken Willow

The man gives the pair a wave, and with his left hand throws a dark-shaped blur at Shard. A wineskin. Somewhere in the camp, someone begins to play a liuqin. Music and food and merriment, to drive away the chill of the shadowland.

"You're sharing our fire. It just be cruel to hoard our drink as well."

At Versino's words, the camp bursts into laughter.

"Yes!" Willow cries out. "The girl has the right of it. How dare she survive against the Lords of Death in hand to hand! And without armor! What a fool she is!"

"Aye!" comes the reply from the camp, the pattern strangely familiar, a call and response. Willow begins to clap his hands, matching the beat. "A fool! A fool!"

"And what price do we demand of fools?"

"A story! A story!"


Mass Social Attack Flurry against Versino.

Attack 1: [roll1] + 4 sux from Magnitude
Purpose: Have Versino see her battle as a triumph, not a defeat

Attack 2: [roll2] + 4 sux from Magnitude
Purpose: Give the camp the story of how Versino fought the Lords of Death and lived to tell the tale.

[Ifni]

Ireva relaxes slightly. "Thank you." She reaches out to clasp Xet's hands briefly, studying the other woman's eyes - although she's not sure what she will do if she sees panic there, or a plea for help. "Stay safe," she murmurs. "Hopefully this won't take too long."

The Eclipse bites her lip and forces herself to silence as the guards bind Isa and take her away. Intellectually, she knows that the Sidereal is almost certainly safer under the guard of mortals than here in the tent with Kharal Fire Orchid. And it's a situation of which the Xet-persona will easily make light. Still.

When the tent is empty except for the three Exalts, she nods at Fire Orchid's first words. "Ah. I suppose your troops didn't have any means to convey that much detail..."

Almost automatically, she steps in to help with the search, checking spots that Fire Orchid might have overlooked. There's not much for her to add; the Lookshyan Solar clearly knows what she's doing. She straightens up from examining a corner of the tent to smile at Zhou.

"Perhaps you could introduce us again, my husband?"

Sorry, Skandi, but Ireva doesn't know that he's the sneaky listener... industrious, Ireva will give Fire Orchid a limited teamwork die on the Perception+Investigation roll if she can.

(OOC, I kinda wanna see the sabertooth kitty. Although sabertooth kitty breaking our Immaculate/Sidereal out of jail would also be cutesome.)

[Aevylmar]

"Mrreow?" "No, wait, I should be quiet."

Skandi the Cat is a cute cat. He is not a very exciting cat; you get cats and other small animals around soldier camps.

Skandi the Cat is near the commander's tent, because there's a very interesting patch of sunlight. With dirt, too!

Skandi the Cat is certainly not a gigantic hungry wolf deep inside.

Skandi the Cat does not feel like he should be chasing himself. Well, maybe a little.


Base: [roll0]
Stunt: [roll1]
+1 success because small.

[DeafnotDumb]

Jade catches the wineskin offhand and smiles at the clapping. She's been around enough campfires and in enough armies to know what is coming, and she has to prevent herself from joining in. However, she does take an overlarge swing of the bottle and hand it towards Versino, the alcohol settling unsteadily on her overworked body.

Stories. An opportunity to boast, to listen, to trick and to tease. This is her place. Then again, it might not be Versino's. She sends a glance at the little Lunar, and in the camplight the girl can see the woman mouth a 'Should I?': an offer to take the lead, should it be needed.

It's fair trade, after all, and good sense to stay on the good side of the girl with the Essence cannon and no sense of collateral damage. She likes being in one piece.

[Maugan Ra]

"I suppose I should." Zhou says dryly, then turns to Fire Orchid. "My name is Chuzei Kharal Zhou. Kharal Jan is my father, though I'd have to get a genealogical record to accurately identify what precisely that makes you to me, General."

He indicates Ireva with a simple gesture, a faint smile on his face. "And this is Kharal Ireva, my wife as of... two weeks now, maybe? We actually got married in Yu-Shan of all places, which was not something I foresaw happening, but life is often full of those little surprises."

He grimaces slightly. "The rest of the family doesn't yet know about the marriage, which is one of the reasons I was willing to credit my current assignment as being a suicide mission. I'm expecting a great many interesting conversations when I get home and the secret gets out."

[Inspector Valin]

Versi took a second to realize what'd happened, and what the group were asking of her... before starting to smile as brightly as her silver anima. To not only be happy to see her, but to offer her the chance to tell a story? Her worries of a few minutes ago started to fade away as she drew closer to the campfire; grinning at each of the soldiers in turn, even the lightness and weariness disappearing into the back of her mind. She shook her head to Shard immediately, barely understanding the older woman's concern. Versino loved stories, had lived for them throughout her formative years and the chance to tell a couple of her own was not one she could've passed up for a moment.

Standing by the fire and with one hand on Skycutter to steady herself, Versi bowed to the group before beginning. "I don't know how many cycles I've lived through. I've had other things to worry about than Calibration. But you can tell that I'm not the oldest member of our party. Or the wisest." She winked to Shard at that before bowing her head, grinning a touch ruefully. "Perhaps I am a fool. But three times now, I've faced Death, close enough to feel its breath and lived. Even for a fool, that's luck I'm proud of."

Her grin faded a little after that; even Versi couldn't make a tale of three Deathknights an entirely cheery experiance. But she could do her best to sell them as they were; a mighty threat. Voice hushed, the young girl gestured behind her, towards the ruined village and burnt Frostwing. "The last time was just before you found us. The Thornguard had come to this village, and with them stood not one, not two, but three deathknights: strong as steel and cold as the grave. One, the Mask's Ambassador, clad in purple with a scarf around his neck and twin blades that burned green in hand. The second was a juggernaut; black armour heftier than mine, and wielding a cannon that downed our poor skyship with a single shot. Our party struck at him with golden light, and Hesiesh's fire, and not a single blow could dent his plate."

Versi paused, unfastening her chestplate with a few brief motions. Below it, the girl's tattered green robe remains, caked with blood, and slashed near the middle. The wound might've largely closed, but the pain remained. Versi didn't look down, eyes turning to the campfire as her tone lowered, the climax of her story finally reached. "And then, the last. A girl, no older than me, with innocent eyes and a scythe that stung like Oblivion itself."

The young Lunar placed a hand to her shoulderblade, not too far from the wound. She could still remember the chill of it; how it'd seemed to sap life and warmth straight out of her with a single blow. Versi's eyes glazed over slightly for a moment, before she blinked,returning to the rest of the group with a mildly apologetic look. "Where she struck, the shadow of the scythe-wound lingered. I had to rip myself free, straight down the edge of an impossible blade, even as the fighting raged around us." Silence, for a second, before Versi refastens her armor, bowing to the cavalrymen with a flourish and a wide grin. "But it takes more than being run through by an enchanted blade to kill Versino the Traveller! And even like this, I still helped fend her off. One lucky hit's not enough to take me down."

First part of her tale done, Versi leant forward for a few seconds, feeling the warmth of the fire running through her armor. Between the tale and the Shadowland, she still felt somewhat chill. Nodding her head to the group, the little Exalt rose again, starting to speak of a brighter tale. "Before that, we faced another Deathknight. A spy, within the walls of Lookshy, trying to make his way into places he shouldn't have gone" She gave a pause, turning towards Shard for a moment, lost in another thought. The instant passes soon enough however, as the little Lunar starts to explain their past adversary. "He was strange. A man, dressed in woman's veils and skirts, and hiding inside the shadows of passers-by. His magic was powerful, but he wasn't the wisest soldier the Mask ever chose.

The little warrior chuckled at that, eyes glinting for a moment at the memory. That'd been satisfying. "He thought that striking Father with a greataxe would be smart. Or that a blow to my leg would stop me chasing him. And that a Sworn Brotherhood of Guardians was something he could ignore." Versi grinned at that, eyes twinkling as she looked around the soldiers in the camp, tapping her cannon before gesturing to Shard. "We left him face down in a cesspool. With luck, it's improved his odour."

[DeafnotDumb]

The conwoman smiles as Versi starts her story, showing a firm grasp of the necessities of dramatic timing and pace and charm and how to use these to carry a story. It's a grand tale, even if it's one she'd rather close her ears to, some scars being too close to home, but it has a definite effect on the listening crowd.

Everyone is agag. Everyone is aghast. Everyone is impressed. Everyone is... not paying attention to their pockets. Bottle in hand, Shard takes it upon herself to go around offering people a drink and, as they take their mouthfuls and listen intently to the story, slip a hand inside and take-

-well, take valuables if there are any, of course. She's not going to pass down an opportunity. But what she's looking for is paperwork, forms, letters, identities, information, anything she can use to get a solid foothold on this new place. From that she can slip away from Lookshy and its war and into this camp, and from this camp... anywhere in Creation that does not have an army of the undead marching through it.

Pocket number one, sliced open with a hairpin. Pocket number three, filched with a friendly arm. Number five, masked with a stumble, and pockets six and seven have their contents switched, starting a fight as two innocents accuse each other of theft, allowing Jade to quietly look in pocket number eight.

What are their codes? Who do they obey? Where are they going, where are they staying, where are they from? What are their command structures, their ranks, their disputes and advantages and problems - and what, if anything, do the colours of their fireworks mean?

All very important questions. But let us not forget the most important:

Do they have any sapphires to flatter Shard's hair, or possibly gift to Xet? Let us not forget our priorities here.


Larceny+Dexterity = 10. [roll0]
Stunt die: [roll1]

The aim is to go on a quiet looting spree, prioritizing information/papers. I don't know if there are any bonuses for a distracted group, assuming they're listening to Versi.

[The_Snark]

Ah, Isa thinks, meeting the Solar’s eyes. Hatred. That would be it. She inclines her head slightly in acknowledgement, and says nothing. Sometimes silence is the best answer.

She glances briefly at Ireva, sees concern there but no warning - good; means the Commander probably isn't planning to have her executed as soon as she's out of sight - and allows herself to be bound and led away. Her orders are to assist Zhou and Ireva, and right now her presence can only be a hindrance. They can manage for themselves. As for her...

Xet is uncharacteristically serene as the soldiers haul her through the camp, apparently impervious to the invective and suggestions hurled at her. At another time Tepet Xet might answer their insults with mockery and suggestions of her own, or use condescension and amusement as her weapons, or even grow angry. Not now. Too delicate a situation for that - if one thing could still Tepet Xet's tongue it's her sense of self-preservation. And... it's easier to retreat into meditative silence, to turn her inner eye away. If she's going to be spat on for being a monk, she may as well play the part.

She feels only the faintest flicker of surprise upon recognizing the woman in red. (The High Madame, if she is not very much mistaken, if Ireva's friend's warning has any worth. Beware the Paradox Liberation. Errors in the Loom.) If she can appear unexpected in Nexus and Yu-Shan, why not here? The only question is whether she's here specifically for Isa, or if she has another purpose here in the camp. (The chance that the Madame is here by happenstance - or is actually a prisoner - is hardly worth considering.)

"Lovely," she mutters, playing along. "I don't even get a cell to myself." Her tone is sour but subdued. Show them what they expect to see - a Dynast with arrogance bred in the bone, someone they can spit on - but don't make waves. Let them think they've won, or at least intimidated you enough not to make trouble.

"May I at least know what manner of criminal I'm to share with?"

Isa still has Telltale Symphony up! It's quite possible the Madame has ways to occlude herself, I remember Nocturnals have access to things like that, but she should still be able to spot active Charms/Charm use. Let me know if her Essence rating and aspect are apparent, because I think it'd be Isa's first look at Nocturnal Essence.

Also, I'm forgetting Isa has Lotus Eye Tactics. I'm assuming the Madame shows up blank (just like last time) on account of some sort of magical disguise - but what combat Abilities did Fire Orchid have at 5? Can I get a vague impression of how many soldiers have Abilities rated at 5?

[industrious]

Ah, Isa thinks, meeting the Solar’s eyes. Hatred. That would be it. She inclines her head slightly in acknowledgement, and says nothing. Sometimes silence is the best answer.

She glances briefly at Ireva, sees concern there but no warning - good; means the Commander probably isn't planning to have her executed as soon as she's out of sight - and allows herself to be bound and led away. Her orders are to assist Zhou and Ireva, and right now her presence can only be a hindrance. They can manage for themselves. As for her...

Xet is uncharacteristically serene as the soldiers haul her through the camp, apparently impervious to the invective and suggestions hurled at her. At another time Tepet Xet might answer their insults with mockery and suggestions of her own, or use condescension and amusement as her weapons, or even grow angry. Not now. Too delicate a situation for that - if one thing could still Tepet Xet's tongue it's her sense of self-preservation. And... it's easier to retreat into meditative silence, to turn her inner eye away. If she's going to be spat on for being a monk, she may as well play the part.

She feels only the faintest flicker of surprise upon recognizing the woman in red. (The High Madame, if she is not very much mistaken, if Ireva's friend's warning has any worth. Beware the Paradox Liberation. Errors in the Loom.) If she can appear unexpected in Nexus and Yu-Shan, why not here? The only question is whether she's here specifically for Isa, or if she has another purpose here in the camp. (The chance that the Madame is here by happenstance - or is actually a prisoner - is hardly worth considering.)

"Lovely," she mutters, playing along. "I don't even get a cell to myself." Her tone is sour but subdued. Show them what they expect to see - a Dynast with arrogance bred in the bone, someone they can spit on - but don't make waves. Let them think they've won, or at least intimidated you enough not to make trouble.

"May I at least know what manner of criminal I'm to share with?"

Isa still has Telltale Symphony up! It's quite possible the Madame has ways to occlude herself, I remember Nocturnals have access to things like that, but she should still be able to spot active Charms/Charm use. Let me know if her Essence rating and aspect are apparent, because I think it'd be Isa's first look at Nocturnal Essence.

Also, I'm forgetting Isa has Lotus Eye Tactics. I'm assuming the Madame shows up blank (just like last time) on account of some sort of magical disguise - but what combat Abilities did Fire Orchid have at 5? Can I get a vague impression of how many soldiers have Abilities rated at 5?

The High Madame

"Oh, a bit of this, a bit of that," the woman drawls. "Sorry if I'm not eager to confess my sins to a monk. I much prefer that good old-time religion."

The High Madame seems to be...perfectly normal. Oh, the cloak she's wearing radiates and stores Essence, and the bracers hidden on her wrists chime as well, but the woman herself...to Isa's sight, she might as well be a mortal.

The soldiers all seem, aside from their taunts and jeers, exceedingly well trained. To Isa's sense's, perhaps one in ten are at the peak of swordsmanship.


If you want to know what her Artifacts are, roll Int+Occult for each. Unbroken Willow and Fire Orchid both possessed Melee 5.


Jade Lotus

Pocket number 1, reach in, reach out...

A hand grabs her by the wrist, and her would-be mark spins around.

"Well now," she says, slurring her words, eyes moving up and down Bright Shard's form. "Feeling frisky? I'm totally game."


Versi took a second to realize what'd happened, and what the group were asking of her... before starting to smile as brightly as her silver anima. To not only be happy to see her, but to offer her the chance to tell a story? Her worries of a few minutes ago started to fade away as she drew closer to the campfire; grinning at each of the soldiers in turn, even the lightness and weariness disappearing into the back of her mind. She shook her head to Shard immediately, barely understanding the older woman's concern. Versino loved stories, had lived for them throughout her formative years and the chance to tell a couple of her own was not one she could've passed up for a moment.

Standing by the fire and with one hand on Skycutter to steady herself, Versi bowed to the group before beginning. "I don't know how many cycles I've lived through. I've had other things to worry about than Calibration. But you can tell that I'm not the oldest member of our party. Or the wisest." She winked to Shard at that before bowing her head, grinning a touch ruefully. "Perhaps I am a fool. But three times now, I've faced Death, close enough to feel its breath and lived. Even for a fool, that's luck I'm proud of."

Her grin faded a little after that; even Versi couldn't make a tale of three Deathknights an entirely cheery experiance. But she could do her best to sell them as they were; a mighty threat. Voice hushed, the young girl gestured behind her, towards the ruined village and burnt Frostwing. "The last time was just before you found us. The Thornguard had come to this village, and with them stood not one, not two, but three deathknights: strong as steel and cold as the grave. One, the Mask's Ambassador, clad in purple with a scarf around his neck and twin blades that burned green in hand. The second was a juggernaut; black armour heftier than mine, and wielding a cannon that downed our poor skyship with a single shot. Our party struck at him with golden light, and Hesiesh's fire, and not a single blow could dent his plate."

Versi paused, unfastening her chestplate with a few brief motions. Below it, the girl's tattered green robe remains, caked with blood, and slashed near the middle. The wound might've largely closed, but the pain remained. Versi didn't look down, eyes turning to the campfire as her tone lowered, the climax of her story finally reached. "And then, the last. A girl, no older than me, with innocent eyes and a scythe that stung like Oblivion itself."

The young Lunar placed a hand to her shoulderblade, not too far from the wound. She could still remember the chill of it; how it'd seemed to sap life and warmth straight out of her with a single blow. Versi's eyes glazed over slightly for a moment, before she blinked,returning to the rest of the group with a mildly apologetic look. "Where she struck, the shadow of the scythe-wound lingered. I had to rip myself free, straight down the edge of an impossible blade, even as the fighting raged around us." Silence, for a second, before Versi refastens her armor, bowing to the cavalrymen with a flourish and a wide grin. "But it takes more than being run through by an enchanted blade to kill Versino the Traveller! And even like this, I still helped fend her off. One lucky hit's not enough to take me down."

First part of her tale done, Versi leant forward for a few seconds, feeling the warmth of the fire running through her armor. Between the tale and the Shadowland, she still felt somewhat chill. Nodding her head to the group, the little Exalt rose again, starting to speak of a brighter tale. "Before that, we faced another Deathknight. A spy, within the walls of Lookshy, trying to make his way into places he shouldn't have gone" She gave a pause, turning towards Shard for a moment, lost in another thought. The instant passes soon enough however, as the little Lunar starts to explain their past adversary. "He was strange. A man, dressed in woman's veils and skirts, and hiding inside the shadows of passers-by. His magic was powerful, but he wasn't the wisest soldier the Mask ever chose.

The little warrior chuckled at that, eyes glinting for a moment at the memory. That'd been satisfying. "He thought that striking Father with a greataxe would be smart. Or that a blow to my leg would stop me chasing him. And that a Sworn Brotherhood of Guardians was something he could ignore." Versi grinned at that, eyes twinkling as she looked around the soldiers in the camp, tapping her cannon before gesturing to Shard. "We left him face down in a cesspool. With luck, it's improved his odour."

Versino

Cheers and cries and applause ring out from the crowd at Versino's words. Another steps forward then, to tell an especially ribald tale involving Unbroken Willow, a nobleman's daughter (who was actually a nobleman's son) and an Immaculate priest. Willow himself shouts friendly obscenities and rude gestures at the storyteller, and the crowd jeers the two on.

Looking around the crowd, the Lunar sees Bright Shard close with another woman, exchanging words.

Kharal Fire Orchid

"It's a kitty!"

Kharal Fire Orchid breaks into a smile as she picks up the cat, placing it on her lap as she sits on her cot, motioning the two other Exalts to set in the ground in front of her.

"Who's a good kitty? Yes, you are. Yes you are!"

What is she doing with her hands? That spot, right behind the ear...yes. Yes. Skandi is good kitty. Good kitty...

"You're not a spy, are you kitty? No you're not. No, you're not!"

Skandi isn't a spy. Skandi is good kitty...

"Congratulations to the both of you on your nuptials. Even if you aren't formally part of the family yet, Ireva. Though tell me truthfully, cousin: now that you know who the 'dangerous Anathema with a legion' is, what do you think the real intent of your mission is?"


Fire Orchid is using Solar Survival Charms. 2 Social Attacks against Skandi.

Attack 1: Skandi is a good kitty. [roll0]
Purpose: +1 scene towards a positive Intimacy towards Fire Orchid


Attack 2: Skandi isn't a spy. [roll1]
Purpose: Skandi isn't going to listen closely to the conversation, and focus on getting more of Fire Orchid's fingers where he needs them. (man, that sounds dirty. He's a cat; get your mind out of the gutter people.)



http://xkcd.com/231/

[Maugan Ra]

Zhou can't help but raise an eyebrow at the sight of the dangerous Exalted general cooing over a small cat like an excited child. Still, after some consideration he decides that it's far from the strangest habit a commander has ever had, and turns his attention back towards answering her question.

"Honestly? I'm fairly sure it was intended to get me killed. Precisely why is unclear - though there are certainly half a dozens different reasons I can think of that might work - but I can't think of many other reasons why we were sent out here as we were."

His expression is grim. "We arrived in a skyship, but I had to trade a few favours and look up an old friend or two to get that much. Initially, our officially provided supplies consisted of precisely three horses, and nothing else. With that, a group of half a dozen or so individuals were expected to track down a potentially hostile force of unknown size, location and makeup, and find a way to stay their presumably rather powerful 'Anathaema warlord'."

"I figure I'd be hard pressed to come up with another reason as to why we'd be sent out in such a sorry state. Which was why I felt absolutely no compunction at all about passing on everything I knew about our enemy to the head of every Gens and military unit of appropriate size before I left."

He shrugs. "I'm sure whoever was behind it wouldn't have minded very much if we actually had succeeded in finding and killing you, ma'am, but I seriously doubt they really expected it."

[Aevylmar]

Kitty!

Skandi is a good kitty. The old lady is perfectly nice. This disguise is working perfectly.

He yawns, purrs, and settles down, watching and listening carefully.

His MDV blocks both attacks effortlessly, but he's inclined to like her *anyway*, just because she's petting him.

[Ifni]

Ireva tries very hard not to choke at the sight of the cat. The tiny, fluffy, adorable cat. With fangs she last saw adorning the cheerfully lethal grin of Skandi the Wolf. Dragons damn it, Skandi, I wanted you to take care of the others. But the thought is more affectionate than annoyed; she supposes she should have expected something like this. Her... pack-mate? Almost-brother? Friend, certainly - is not one to hang back from the front lines.

She sits down as indicated, but leans forward to scritch under the cat's chin while Zhou answers the question. A small revenge. Oh, I will have to tease him about this later...

"I had some other ideas, as well," she says carefully. "I contacted Tien Yu before we left, and didn't get a reply. But she knows about us, and about the threats to Lookshy. Which suggests either she'd been prevented from replying somehow... or that this mission was acceptable to her."

"If the latter, I'm almost sure it wasn't meant to get us killed. One possibility I considered..."

"I don't know enough about Lookshy politics to say how plausible this is, but from their recent decision to support the Cleansing, I'm guessing there's a non-negligible faction on the General Staff that regards Solars as threats that need to be destroyed. But Tien Yu has been working with... people who hold quite different opinions, and one of the things they told us was that our marriage would be beneficial for Lookshy's future."

She stops petting the cat for a moment to touch Zhou's hand.

"If there are conflicting views among the General Staff, it's possible we were sent out here with vague orders on the assumption that once we encountered each other, we would talk. If we came back to the city with the promise of a powerful new alliance for Lookshy, a defense against the Mask, a fait accompli - well, that could be a coup for the factions that don't like the alliance with the Cleansing, without having to ever directly order negotiations with the Anathema. Or a powerful talking point, anyway: here is a concrete example of what we would gain by working with Solars. And if you no longer felt any sympathy for Lookshy, if you just killed us out of hand... well, then that would be evidence that Solars are truly Anathema, and Zhou corrupted, and they'd just write us all off."

She shrugs, and leans back a little to meet Kharal Fire Orchid's eyes. "It's a test for all of us, in that picture. Mostly for you, though, Commander. Maybe for me, depending. I am good at reading people, and I... think Tien Yu knows the oaths I've sworn, regarding Lookshy. If she does, it might make sense to try to get me into close proximity to you, so I could try to discern your loyalties." She smiles briefly. "And perhaps vice versa, I suppose. You seem pretty perceptive to me."

"Another possibility is inter-House feuding, some move against Gens Kharal - I understand they have a rivalry with Gens Teresu, and I believe Zhou's orders came most immediately from a member of that Gens. If we had tried to carry out our original orders... Gens Kharal loses, either way. Although then Tien Yu's non-interference becomes more surprising. The probability of that might change depending on whether you still have any contact with your - our - family in Lookshy."

She tilts an inquisitive eyebrow at the older Solar.

"And then there's the bad option, that Tien Yu didn't reply because she couldn't, and this was just a ploy to get us out of the city, give the Mask's spies there more time to consolidate their strength. Even better if we'd managed to harm you, and remove a true threat. But Zhou did contact his superiors, and did manage to requisition the Frostwing, and those both... reassured me a little, that the likelihood of that scenario was lower."

"Much of this relies on guesses at the internal politics of a city I wasn't permitted to enter beyond the first ring, though. I'm extrapolating from the fact that I was allowed to live, that we were kept out of contact with Gens Kharal, the recent policy shift, Tien Yu's apparent alliances and unexplained silences. It feels like a test of some kind, whether we're expected to succeed or fail."

"So... I guess my questions for you are: do you have knowledge that would shed more light on this question? Why do you think we're here? And... how much do you know about Thorns' plans? You didn't seem very surprised when we mentioned deathknights, or a threat to Lookshy."

"Oh..." Her smile turns a little rueful. "And I suppose there's a personal question as well. How do I become formally part of the family, if marriage doesn't suffice?"

[Maugan Ra]

Zhou is quiet for a long moment. "Ah. If it is that first one... hmm. I may have made something of a mistake by sharing the intelligence we had without authorization." he frowns. "Then again, I'd be surprised if nobody considered the idea that I'd conclude this was a trap and... react poorly. Well, what's done is done."

He does smile a bit at that last question, though. "Right, it's never come up, has it? I expect what she means is that you'd have to be formally approved of by the Elders and officially announced, though how much pomp and ceremony goes into either of those varies depending on the circumstances. They'd have to write you into the records of the family tree, though, at the very least."

[DeafnotDumb]

Jade Lotus

Pocket number 1, reach in, reach out...

A hand grabs her by the wrist, and her would-be mark spins around.

"Well now," she says, slurring her words, eyes moving up and down Bright Shard's form. "Feeling frisky? I'm totally game."

Drat drat drat. Better than getting caught in the actual act, but soldiers could be... difficult to dissuade. Especially if drunk. Best to take that old martial arts principle and redirect the force elsewhere, or let it expend itself uselessly. She can manage a drunk.

In fact, this might even be useful...

Shard spins, a dancer's twirl that does nicely to show of her form, and remembers the infinitely more pleasant dance and song on top of the Frostwing. "Oh, but who are you?" She says loud enough to be easily heard in the noise, teasing and challenging. "From the tale I'm hearing, it's the hands of Unbroken Willow that a lady should be anticipating."

[Ifni]

Ireva shakes her head at Zhou's first words. "I think it was the right call, love. I may not be a soldier the way you are, but some secrets are more dangerous in the keeping than in the sharing. In my mind, the risk that Lookshy might go unwarned outweighs the risk that the Mask might learn they've been warned, even if the odds of the former are greater." She looks back up at Fire Orchid. "Anyway, I suggested it, so if it turns out to be a mistake... on my head be it."

"And ah, I see. It's... funny, in a way, to think of officially existing again." Even if not for long - but she smiles, despite that thought. "Something to work on." Her hand lingers on Zhou's arm for a moment before she determinedly removes it and goes back to rubbing the little cat's furry belly.

[Inspector Valin]

Versi looks towards Shard, quizzical for a few seconds before starting to realize just what was going on. The clues were there, the two figures drawing close, Shard spinning away like that... she just wasn't used to reading those signs in her fellow Creation Born. The young Lunar grinned, raising an invisible glass to her comrade in arms across the bonfire. Well, guess she deserves it. Have fun, sister Exalt. They'd survived the Deathknights, the falling Frostwing, and were now seemingly among friends. It was the right time to have some fun, however you chose to do so. And for her, hearing the story of Willow's past adventures was more than enough. Versi chuckled along merrily with the rest of the group, the girl splitting her sides at joke after bawdy joke. It wasn't exactly helping her light-headedness, but in some way, she did feel better.

But not warmer, unfortunately. The young traveller leaned forward, shivering a little. She glanced around those to either side of her, speaking quietly to them as the adventurous tale started to wind down, the story splintering against interruptions and private asides. "Stupid Shadowland's still kinda cold. Anyone here up for a wrestling match?" She grinned, teeth and armour glinting silver in the firelight. "I'm half your size and left most of my blood in the field over there. So you might actually have a chance at winning. You never know?"

Versi's at Strength+MA 9. A mortal could theoretically be stronger... but not by much. She should be able to put on a pretty decent showing, even without essence use.

[The_Snark]

The High Madame's Essence echoes of nothing in particular, just the background hum of wood and earth, water and fire and air that composes all beings of Creation. Curious. Perhaps not wholly surprising. The woman's body language is just as opaque: no hint of martial arts training or a swordswoman's grace, no trace of the careful measuring gaze that marks the best archers and slingers... But Isa isn't about to take that at face value. Every disguise has its flaws, but the converse is also true - even the keenest eye can be fooled.

And it seems she's not interested in being helpful right now. Also unsurprising. I enjoy seeing young Viziers squirm. (Or she honestly can't recognize her beneath the mask of Tepet Xet, but Isa wouldn't stake money on that.) Well, then. If she's here for a purpose, let her make the first move. Isa shifts position, doing her best to make herself comfortable on the ground where the soldiers dumped her - between the chains wrapped around her body and the sharply limited space, her best isn't very good - and closes her eyes. Easier to do this without the distraction of sight. She tunes out the soldiers' chatter and insults, the crackling of the campfires, the distant night-sounds of cicadas and wind through the trees, and other distant sounds harder to identify, attuning herself to closer noises. The steady rhythm of her own breathing. The woman's breathing, much harder to pick out despite being only a foot or two away. The faint repetitive melodies of the woman's artifacts (those are rather difficult to conceal, as she knows well). Perhaps even the echoes of what the Madame is thinking, though Isa has never had any luck in that regard before. The memory of a windswept monastery high in the Dhorash Mountains crosses her mind, a place where idle thoughts can be carried away on the breeze for all to hear...

I'm assuming that Isa has been dumped into the cell/pen alongside the Madame; I can edit if they're still carrying her/holding her outside.

Int+Occult to identify cloak: [roll0]
Stunt: [roll1]

Int+Occult to identify bracers: [roll2]
Stunt: [roll3]

Perception+Awareness to read thoughts: [roll4]
Stunt: [roll5]

[industrious]

Drat drat drat. Better than getting caught in the actual act, but soldiers could be... difficult to dissuade. Especially if drunk. Best to take that old martial arts principle and redirect the force elsewhere, or let it expend itself uselessly. She can manage a drunk.

In fact, this might even be useful...

Shard spins, a dancer's twirl that does nicely to show of her form, and remembers the infinitely more pleasant dance and song on top of the Frostwing. "Oh, but who are you?" She says loud enough to be easily heard in the noise, teasing and challenging. "From the tale I'm hearing, it's the hands of Unbroken Willow that a lady should be anticipating."

Jade Lotus

"Hmm."

This line of reasoning seems to stop the drunk in her tracks.

"...We can both see him them!"

...Or not.

Kharal Fire Orchid

"I think your reasoning about Tien Yu misses a rather simple fact: that Lookshy still serves an Immaculate Faith, and under its laws, she cannot interfere with their internal politics. And given that Lookshy currently supports the Cleansing, if I were to have any sort of official contact with my mother, or it could be shown that we ever did...it would be grounds for her removal and execution."

Kharal Fire Orchid chooses her next words very carefully.

"So long as Lookshy supports the Cleansing, any non-hostile contact with Anathema is grounds for removal and execution for the crimes of treachery - supporting a declared foe of Lookshy. Were Lookshy to withdraw from the Cleansing, relations with the Realm would quickly sour, and the Realm would well be within its right to withdraw any military support it might commit."

The old Commander bears her teeth.

"And if Lookshy needs the Realm to survive, then we might as well lay down our arms and bend over for them already."

Versino

"Oh!"

The crowd roars at Versi's challenge, and unsurprisingly enough, Unbroken Willow is pushed to face the little Lunar.

"No permanent damage," he says with a grin and crack of his neck. "And no tapping into forces I can't understand."



The High Madame's Essence echoes of nothing in particular, just the background hum of wood and earth, water and fire and air that composes all beings of Creation. Curious. Perhaps not wholly surprising. The woman's body language is just as opaque: no hint of martial arts training or a swordswoman's grace, no trace of the careful measuring gaze that marks the best archers and slingers... But Isa isn't about to take that at face value. Every disguise has its flaws, but the converse is also true - even the keenest eye can be fooled.

And it seems she's not interested in being helpful right now. Also unsurprising. I enjoy seeing young Viziers squirm. (Or she honestly can't recognize her beneath the mask of Tepet Xet, but Isa wouldn't stake money on that.) Well, then. If she's here for a purpose, let her make the first move. Isa shifts position, doing her best to make herself comfortable on the ground where the soldiers dumped her - between the chains wrapped around her body and the sharply limited space, her best isn't very good - and closes her eyes. Easier to do this without the distraction of sight. She tunes out the soldiers' chatter and insults, the crackling of the campfires, the distant night-sounds of cicadas and wind through the trees, and other distant sounds harder to identify, attuning herself to closer noises. The steady rhythm of her own breathing. The woman's breathing, much harder to pick out despite being only a foot or two away. The faint repetitive melodies of the woman's artifacts (those are rather difficult to conceal, as she knows well). Perhaps even the echoes of what the Madame is thinking, though Isa has never had any luck in that regard before. The memory of a windswept monastery high in the Dhorash Mountains crosses her mind, a place where idle thoughts can be carried away on the breeze for all to hear...

I'm assuming that Isa has been dumped into the cell/pen alongside the Madame; I can edit if they're still carrying her/holding her outside.

Int+Occult to identify cloak: [roll0]
Stunt: [roll1]

Int+Occult to identify bracers: [roll2]
Stunt: [roll3]

Perception+Awareness to read thoughts: [roll4]
Stunt: [roll5]

Tepet Xet

Listening to the High Madame's artifacts, Isa learns many pieces of useful information.

The High Madame can leave at any time, for the red cloak she wears is a piece of mastercraft indeed; the High Madame may go where she wishes with little but a thought and concentration, perhaps a league away, perhaps less or more.

The bracers she wears are not of any make or signature that the Sidereal, even with her extensive knowledge and training can recognize, but they remind her of a more limited version of Ireva's amulet, tuned for weaponry alone.

And the thoughts of the High Madame are as guarded as ever, impenetrable, and this, too, suggests that she is far more than a mere mortal.

The High Madame chuckles at Xet's silence.

"Are you trying to read my mind?" she whispers, kneeling over the monk so that her nose is a mere inch from Xet's own. "It might go better if you didn't display your gem so blatantly."

With a fingernail sharpened to a single point, she taps against the gem in question, set into the Sidereal's tiara. clink. clink. clink.

[DeafnotDumb]

Jade Lotus

"Hmm."

This line of reasoning seems to stop the drunk in her tracks.

"...We can both see him them!"

...Or not.

Jade tries to find a logical way out of the drunk's unassailable enthusiasm, and spots the man in question gearing up for a fight with Versino, thank the dragons. He's a soldier - surely a soldier wouldn't pass up an opportunity for a good fight to get merely this? That was how soldiers worked, yes?

Unfortunately, the time she's spend thinking has been enough time for the woman to pull them both towards the man in question, and Jade can only stare in horror as the woman shouts in great detail what the man will win if he beats Versino.

Oh. Oh dear.

She's going to need to think fast.


Industrious, I hope you don't mind me taking a small piece of control over this NPC in order to make the whole situation worse for Jade.

[Maugan Ra]

"Lookshy doesn't need the Realm." Zhou says flatly, in an almost instinctive response. Then he pauses for a moment, before continuing. "That said, I have pretty much no objection to the idea of them spilling their blood a bit, rather than some of our men."

He sighs. "Still, you probably have a point about the need for indirect contact. Which would explain why I'm here, since I'm fairly thoroughly tainted by association anyway. Hmm. An unfortunate set of circumstances, but we'll just have to make the best of it."

He crosses his arms and raises one eyebrow at the old commander. "So, let's get the obvious out of the way first, shall we? You have an army, well trained and apparently very loyal to you, which seems to be en route to Lookshy. I'd like to have some idea of your intentions, seeing as even in the best circumstances the sudden appearance of a legion-strength forces is the sort of thing that makes a city nervous."

[Inspector Valin]

Versi grinned wide at the cheers and the hoots: this was life! This was fun! Pushing yourself with a challenge, in good company and with no threat of harm beyond a brief blow upon hitting the earth. "Fair enough. I'm too tired to throw essence at you anyway." She nodded emphatically to Willow as he stepped forward, unbuckling the first few straps of her armour. Best to make it totally even: no artifacts or tricks from either side.

Soon enough, Versino is out of her armour, and... the look did not improve her. From a proud Exalted warrior, clad in liquid silver plate had emerged a dishevelled little girl in a blood-caked green robe, that looked so tattered, the fact that it still clung to her body could be accounted a minor miracle. Still, a careful observer might note that the little one's arms and legs are both well muscled: proportionate to her size, but thick with training and exhaustion. This was not some innocent little ladyship, fresh from a dynastic salon.

Versi's blue eyes glinted wickedly across at Willow as she took a step back, bracing herself and raising her arms, just as she'd once seen blood apes do. She smirked, gesturing the commander forward with a tip of the head. "Ready when you are, soldier man. Let's see how strong those hands really are."

[Ifni]

"Not interfere, but... presumably Tien Yu can advise? Warn of dangers to the city, share pertinent information? The Order says gods should keep to their duties and not seek to rule mortals, nor incite unregulated worship, but it is a city-god's duty to defend their domain. And the Dragon-Blooded are sufficiently enlightened to deal with the gods without the risk of temptation or corruption, to either party, that's part of their job."

Ireva pauses. "Unless... is Lookshy's Immaculate faith different to that of the Realm, in that regard as well? Zhou told me they see the Anathema differently."

A slight shake of her head, dismissing the tangent her thoughts had taken. "I mean, all right, I suppose I shouldn't necessarily count her silence as a strike against the second hypothesis - trying to sow internal strife on the verge of a war strikes me as a danger to Lookshy, but she might not see it the same way. But surely she wouldn't withhold information pertinent to the safety and future of the city." Surely.

She nods at Fire Orchid's later words, listening thoughtfully. "So you think this is meant to be deniable contact? And that... we should join you, rather than return to the city? Or at least that I should, and the other Celestial Exalts, if our presence could put Zhou and our contacts in the city in danger? Are we sent to reinforce you, cousin?" She smiles, a little wryly. "Or is this part of a ploy between you and your mother and her sympathizers to provoke the end of the alliance with the Cleansing? I have to say, if so, it's a little baroque even for me."

The younger Solar tilts her head. "And you didn't answer my question, Commander, regarding how much you knew about Thorns' plans. I suppose there's a follow-up: do you know why Lookshy began supporting the Cleansing? Were they forewarned of this attack, and sought allies? I had another theory, as well, but... do you know?"

[Lix Lorn]

"I have nothing to hide from you, Daughter of Pasiap. Ask me how it can be that a brave son of Lookshy and a monk of the Immaculate Order can be leading a band of mongrel Anathema in service to your state. Ask me how a Prince of the Earth can bear to call a skin-changing demon 'daughter.' Ask me why you shouldn't strike me dead this instant. Go ahead. Ask or strike the blow, if that's what you're planning to do. Don't leave doubt to fester."

He stands, empty hands offered up open-palmed, a thin man armored only in thin fabric, waiting for, welcoming, her worst.
Whatever Shimoko expected, it wasn't this.
"...I'm not going to kill you for being bewitched, if that's what it is." she said, slowly. "But an explanation would be useful."
This is not a good time. There is no good time. Gah, why can't things be simple?

[Ascension]

"In truth," Braga admits, "I do not know Chuzei Karal Zhou very well, or his Solar wife, or the barbarian Lunar called Skandi the Wolf. I cannot vouch for them much in any way beyond what you yourself have seen: I can assure you that they will fight the deathknights of the Mask of Winters with every ounce of strength they have, and that they will fight in the name of Lookshy, but that's a pragmatic reassurance. The willingness of one monster, or even a small group of monsters, to fight against an even darker foe... it may be useful, even comforting, but it does nothing to answer metaphysical questions. Questions of faith. Questions of essential nature."

The Air Aspect crouches down amidst grey ash and black shadowland earth, tracing his fingers through the soil that is of a kin with Gochei Maheka's elemental spirit.

"I am a scholar," he says, "trained in the Heptagram, the Realm's infamous school of sorcery. I have read ancient manuscripts, texts which are illegal to possess in most of the world which lies outside the walls of that institution. I have, too, walked the paths of the Scavenger Lords, through ruined halls and buried keeps, the manses of the forgotten age. There's a history of the world that echoes through the oldest halls, that's written in the oldest texts. A blasphemous history, in the eyes of the modern world, but... it was written long before the Immaculate Truth."

He looks up sharply, meeting Shimoko's eyes.

"I believe in the Dragons," he blurts out, perhaps a little too defensively, "but you can't read the things I've read, see the things I've seen... without realizing that Anathema is not all the Celestial Exalted can be. Oh, they have wrought destruction, they have wrought death. But so have the children of the Dragons, have they not? You're Lookshyan born and bred, aren't you? Wouldn't you curse the Realm which has warred upon you for so long, even though we all spring from the same blood?"

Thin fingers draw lines in the dirt, chaotic, leading nowhere. The ground is cold. Graveyard earth. No, this isn't a good time, and it's a worse place. But a good time will never come.

"They aren't demons, and they aren't soulless. It's more complicated than that. Which is, of course, why that truth has been buried so deep. The world is so much simpler when there's no room for doubt. It's happier, they say; they speak of 'blissful ignorance.' But blindness... it may be easier, but it leaves you in darkness."

He smiles grimly, clenching a handful of earth in his fist.

"To learn to accept them... to not shudder whenever you see a Lunar change shape, to not doubt your own mind every time one of the Sun-Chosen speaks sweetly... that's not easy. That takes time, time and effort. And it's good to keep a little fear. They're not all friends to Creation. But what should be simpler is to see that they're essential. We need the best of them."

He reaches out to brush against the leg of Shimoko's armor with the back of his hand.

"That marvel you're wearing, was its design conceived of by a Dragon of Lookshy? How many fine suits of Gunzosha armor can the proud city of Lookshy build for itself?"

He shakes his head sadly.

"We stake our empires on the bare skeletons of their accomplishments. They built the world we live in, and without them it has slowly fallen to decay."

He stands, brushing the dirt from his hands.

"I love my daughter. She is a wonderful, clever girl, and just that, a human girl, no menace lurking within hollow flesh, but the rest? I know they can be better than what you and I were taught, but that's no guarantee. What I can promise you is this: Our survival as a species depends on their better natures. The Deathlords, the Fae, the simple inevitable march of time... We aren't greater than those things, not on our own. But they can be, and for the sake of us all they must be. And that means we need to find our peace with them, before the Order's vendetta and the Cleansing's war lead to the downfall of Creation."

He shakes his head again, more firmly, and there's steel in his tone.

"Ignorance isn't bliss. Ignorance is death, plain and simple. You keep on believing the world fits within the limits you were taught as a child and you may be able to greet that death with a smile, but it'll be death all the same."

[The_Snark]

"Actually, I thought I'd take the opportunity to get a bit of rest," Isa replies in Xet's Realm-accented tones. "It's been a long day. But thank you for the advice anyway, I'll keep it in mind."

It's an effort to keep her eyes closed; she can feel the other woman's breath on her face, far too close for comfort, and some primal instinct is whispering danger, be ready to run, don't let your guard down, as if the woman in red were a serpent or a tiger. But that's her way, isn't it? Distance is one of the weapons the Madame uses to keep others off-balance. Well, to keep Isa off-balance, at any rate; who knows what she's like with others? (Are there others, she wonders momentarily? Is she merely one of several people the Madame makes a habit of paying unexpected visits to? How do you keep a schedule like that running smoothly?)

Focus. Not the time for idle speculation. Isa opens her eyes to find the Madame leaning even closer than she thought. "Would you mind giving me a little space, please?" she asks politely. "You're a bit close."

[Lix Lorn]

It takes the gunzosha a while to reply, and she does so slowly. Scholarship and speech are both fairly strange for her, and to have both come together comes only with great effort.
"I think..." she says. "Something strange is going on. My commander has no knowledge of this mission. It could be outside of his area, but... things are rarely as simple as I'd like."

She takes a deep breath.
"You are a dragon. This is your area, not mine. If you tell me I can trust them, I will trust them."

Guess who has the 'instantly have an intimacy to a fellow dragonblood' charm?
This is too awesome not to work. I'm spending 4m on that to instantly obtain an intimacy of trust for Braga.

[Ifni]

In the few moments of silence that follow their words, broken only by Skandi-the-cat's purring, Ireva sits back - and inwardly, takes a mental step back. Look at the whole picture.

The immediate need to protect Isa, and the revelation of Fire Orchid's identity, had left her... not stumbling, but perhaps unbalanced. Saying whatever came to mind, promises and pledges and questions - all true, and easy on the tongue. But not carefully chosen, except by the ingrained reflexes that protect secrets old and new.

Kharal Fire Orchid reminds her of Zhou, of course, and the comparison to Firada was not facile. Those are favorable omens indeed - and the other Solar's apparent discomfort with flattery and formal etiquette suggests a soldierly bluntness, an openness that tantalizes with the hope that openness might not be scorned.

You want her to be trustworthy. But we don't always get what we want...

If nothing else, Yu-Shan had surely provided evidence enough on that point. Kharal Fire Orchid is family, but -

Are you still looking for parents to ride in and rescue you, Ireva? Still looking for a big sister to hold your hand?

... low blow, internal censor. Be quiet for a moment and let me think.

Hope and an eighth-yen will get you a cup of tea. This is a negotiation, friendly and casual though it may seem, and it won't do to ignore the basics.

What does she have, that you want?

An army?

... right. Apart from the army. And the fact that she's a Solar already known to the high command in Lookshy. Without the unfortunate encumbrance of certain oaths. And - you know, let's move on to the next question...

What do you have, that she wants?

Skills? Contacts? That's a case I'll need to make. But the first part to that question is...

What does she want?

Based on current evidence - to protect Lookshy. To be reunited with her family. To take revenge on the Immaculate Order.

... well, in terms of common goals, two out of three ain't bad. But that third may be a sticking point. What can you trade for it?

"I mean," the Eclipse says slowly, "I don't disagree with you, Fire Orchid, if I understand you correctly. It would be very unfortunate, if Lookshy were to feel after this war that it owed its survival to the alliance with the Cleansing, and I don't mean just from a personal perspective. To tie itself more tightly to the Realm, and close itself off from all other possible alliances -" Her eyes crinkle. "By all appearances I think rather more highly of the Realm than you do, but even I don't think that would serve Lookshy well."

She shakes her head slightly, not in disagreement but in thought. "I have some experience at getting disparate groups to work together, and everything I know says the best - strongest, most lasting - way to convince people of anything is to let them convince themselves. If we want to dissuade the General Staff from their current course of action at any point - any clues as to what persuaded them to it in the first place would be helpful."

[industrious]

The High Madame

"Why? Do you fear for your virtue, monk?"

A slender hand runs up Xet's leg. Pointed nails dig into her knee. The High Madame laughs softly, her breath washing over the monk's face.

"Don't worry, your Holiness. As much I as I would love to take it...I'm going to help you."

A twist, a clink, and Isa feels the chains the bind her loosen.

"Fall asleep now, and you will die before you awaken. The Commander's men are out for Immaculate blood; her husband fell to your kind not two weeks ago. Leave this place, or you will die in agony."

Kharal Fire Orchid

The elderly Solar's eyes flash at Zhou's words, the glint in her eye eerily familiar to Ireva. She's seen it on her husband's face before.

"I am going to march on Lookshy. I will protect my family. My children. My grandchildren. And I will cut down any who stand between me and their safety."

She runs her fingers through Skandi's fur, from top of his head to tail.

"...It is late. And we march at dawn. Guards. Escort my cousin and his wife to an empty tent. Assign a select group to watch over their tent. The monk may have friends."

[industrious]

Unbroken Willow

"I'll have you know," he remarks casually. "that that story was entirely fabricated, and"

He breaks off his speech as he lunges towards the Lunar, hands sweeping low to encircle her thighs and rising back, to knock her to the ground in a single swift movement.


Strength+Martial Arts: [roll0]

First to 10 successes wins.

[Inspector Valin]

Willow's first lunge catches Versi almost off-guard. She'd expected the man to go high, the more dramatic, visually impressive option. But no; he played the practical approach. Versi'd been a little woozy on her legs since the loss of blood, a good blow there might have downed her instantly if she'd been a touch worse off. But Versi was ready for this fight, and the early lunge was something she knew how to use. Versi dug both heels into the ground for just a few seconds as Willow pulled, feeling the loose Underworld-touched earth beneath her feet. As the soldier finally pulled her upwards, two mighty clouds of black dust followed, both drifting straight towards the eyes of Unbroken Willow.

As the mortal warrior staggered backwards, Versi seemed on the verge of falling, both feet now raised high above her head. But a life menouvering amidst barrels and bottles teaches you to be nimble; letting yourself knock over merchandise had been a fate worse than death under Kaneko's supervision. Thus even as she rose, Versi planted two palms upon the ground below her, supporting her new found vertical stance for just long enough to reclaim the upward motion. In a second, the little Lunar has pushed away, launching herself upwards and straight through the clouds of blackened soil, towards Unbroken Willow. Feet first.

It bordered on cheating, but Versi couldn't quite resist spreading her scarlet wings wide as her two little feet connected with the mortal's abdomen. She didn't need to fly to have them help her balance, even as she pulled upwards and over, turning the attck into an aireal loop and alighting on the ground with a smirk. The little Lunar's eyes looked towards Willow as the dust begun to clear, the grin on her face wide and heartfelt.

"Good start"

[roll0] Dex+MA. Using Parry speciality for redirection of force. Could've Virtue Channelled, but.... let's keep things interesting. ;)
[roll1]Stunt Dice

[Ascension]

Braga favors Shimoko with a thin smile. An open admission of ignorance is a step in the right direction, but the Gunzosha's last words do trouble him. Not just the unthinking deference to authority, but the way in which it's stated: "You are a dragon. This is your area, not mine." Is she not graced by Pasiap herself? The curious phrase suggests either that her guise is false, like his daughter's was (and perhaps Bright Shard's as well?), or that she has yet to accept her own birthright. Either possibility may become an issue, but neither is as pressing an issue as the issue her answer resolves: namely, the question of whether she will betray his allies. He lets her passive denial of her blood go unremarked.

Now, the other part, her commander's ignorance of their mission? That merits prompter discussion.

"Something is definitely strange about our errand," he confesses, "The Lookshyan who assigned me to this group bore himself with authority, and was obeyed by soldiers of the Legion, but he wore no sign of rank himself, and he would not call himself by any proper name. Salam-eul Hyeonhoghaneun, he named himself. 'Man of Illusion.' He sent us to face an army, sent us to kill an Anathema... and sent Anathema on the journey. I can't help but think that he knew. Skandi the Wolf, the barbarian Lunar, at the very least, makes no real attempt to hide his nature... he must have been known to that Man of Illusion. What's the game?"

He shakes his head, grimacing.

"I don't know. But there's definitely some game in play here. It's all a game, and no one saw fit to tell us pieces on the board if we're playing Gateway or Go."

He shakes his head again, harder, as if trying to shake his doubts and worries loose.

"We won't have the luxury of worrying about such things if the dead strip our bones first. Let's see if we can find any salt in the ship."

What would you like me to roll for searching the ship for salt? I'd like to find a nice sizable cask to help with warding in the night. And alternatively, if I can't find any substantial quantity of salt, would Shimoko be at all capable of lifting the airship engine? That's a pretty valuable artifact to leave lying in a shadowland overnight.

[The_Snark]

Isa swallows her first, almost instinctual Xet-ish answer before it can pass her lips. Flippancy and bravado might not hurt here, but they’re unlikely to help either.

"I’d gathered something of the sort had happened," she murmurs, letting the woman's proximity pass without further complaint. "Not that I don’t appreciate the warning - not to mention the help - but leaving right now would be... inconvenient. The Commander would feel obliged to hunt me down, which I imagine would disrupt my companions’ efforts to negotiate with her. I don't plan on dying here, but escape seems a clumsy solution. Not to mention temporary."

She pauses a moment, weighing questions and options. If past experience is any guide the Madame won't stay much longer, and she won't offer much in the way of explanation; but not much is not the same as nothing... "Can I ask why you want to help me? Or why I should trust your advice? No offense; you don’t seem too fond of - monks."

The pause before the word monks is infinitesimal, too small to be noticed - much less interpreted - unless one already knows what it means.

[industrious]

Unbroken Willow

"Now you're just cheating," he says, lunging at her again, fingers outstretched, ready to painfully pluck her feathers if it comes down to it.


[roll0]
And give yourself one last roll to get more sux than Willow to win. 2 die stunt for Versi, incidentally.


The High Madame

She gives a tight, pained smile.

"I'm in the same cell as you, monk. If they come for you with ill intent, do you think the lynch mob will be so considerate as to keep from venting their anger on one so near you and also a stranger?"

"Get out of here, monk. And leave me with at least one bruise, so that they won't kill me for aiding your escape."


Braga


Let's go with Perception+Investigation to search for salt. Alternatively, Perception+Survival.

[Ifni]

In The Tent of Kharal Fire Orchid

... yes, they're definitely family, aren't they? It seems the fiery temper isn't just due to Zhou's Exaltation. Although Zhou faces his problems head-on, rather than trying to bundle them out of his sight.

So say that. At least the first part. It would mean something to you, to have someone acknowledge a kinship.

"... you're definitely cousins," Ireva sighs, half-rueful and half-affectionate, and the affection is not reserved solely for Zhou, nor the rue for Fire Orchid. With a sideways glance at the set of her husband's jaw, she hides her own anger and frustration and worry beneath a surface calm: if she starts shouting, Zhou will feel no need for restraint, and while that might defuse the tension, it has too much chance to go wrong. Too much chance for someone to say something unforgivable.

Ireva stays seated, her hands on her knees. She's ignoring me. Why? Same reason, she wants to shout at me but doesn't want to set a spark to Zhou's temper? She mentioned the monk, is she still thinking about my defense of an Immaculate? Does she think I might betray them, betray Lookshy, is that why she won't answer my questions?

"Commanding Teacher of Martial Readiness," she says, choosing Fire Orchid's self-bestowed name. Not cousin, not Fire Orchid, although she abandons them with a twinge of regret: it's not reminders of her roots the Lookshyan needs, and if she's truly uncertain of Ireva's loyalties, it might be easy for those terms of address to seem manipulative.

Maybe one day she won't have to weigh those considerations. Maybe one day honesty and hope, love and loyalty, will be enough on their own. But by the evidence so far... not today. Careful.

"The hour is late, yes. But I think... you may be missing certain key pieces of information." She swallows. "Ten thousand swords, without intelligence, become ten thousand sacrifices to ignorance, ten thousand people whose trust you can betray in a moment, with a mistake that could have been avoided with better knowledge. You must know that, soldier of Lookshy. I'm not a soldier as you are, I don't know military strategy or tactics, I couldn't have raised this army. But I know something of war, and of regret." Of names for unmarked graves.

She looks up at Fire Orchid - after decades of exile, still clad and armed in the Lookshyan manner, even to the styling of her hair. The Eclipse's voice is calm, but the plea is unmistakable - as is the weight of painful knowledge behind it.

"You said we could talk freely; we have. If we have insulted or offended you in doing so, I apologize. Please don't cut us off for the sake of a half-hour's sleep."

Seated, looking up like a child at a teacher - an effect not mitigated by her size - Ireva still manages an unflinching poise. Her spine is very straight, her gaze steady.

"You want to save Lookshy, and you want us along, if you have to drag us there in chains -" She answers the unspoken thought, not the words, and meets the older Solar's eyes: I see you. "But you don't need to herd us or drag us or force us, Teacher. Saving Lookshy is our goal too. All you need to do -" She opens a hand, "- is persuade us that your current course of action is the best way to fulfill that goal. Wouldn't it be better to have allies than begrudging, resentful half-prisoners, half-pawns?"

Listen to me. Please, by the Dragons, listen.

"Maybe you can't trust me because I defended the Immaculates," she continues, almost forcing out the words. "Is that the yeddim in this tent? You've lost much to them, I know. I don't know how much, or how recently. And perhaps I've been ignorant, and made mistakes that could have been avoided with better knowledge: again, Teacher, I apologize for that." She bites her lip, and then adds, "Let it be said now, even if overdue: I am so sorry for your losses. I will listen if you want to tell us. I will respect your silence if you don't."

"But if it's a question of trust, and goals... by my sacred oath, this much is true."

She breathes, and lets the words out like a song, like a clarion. Truths, her truths, truths that rise from the depths of the heart, far more than the mere absence of falsehood.

"I love Kharal Zhou. I have sworn a binding oath to fight, to the best of my ability, to defend Lookshy from the Mask of Winters. And I want to see an end to the teachings that name Solars and Lunars Anathema, to the old enmities that divide us from our families, and set those who should be our world's defenders against each other."

Light and fire and brilliant words sear the air about her, outshining the lamps, silver-gold radiance bright as the noonday sun, centering on her hands where they are clasped together. The Eclipse mark shines on her brow, the promise (empty, for so long) of the unity of heaven.

"I Exalted because I brought together the Resistance in Thorns against our common foe," Ireva says, seated in the center of the eddying words, and in her voice there is a certainty of self, deeper than mere confidence. "Zhou and I have contacts in the Guild, in the Silver Pact, in Heaven, and yes, in the Realm. I have a dossier here on the Mask's forces, including his deathknights, and what we know about his plans - as well as my own personal knowledge of Thorns and its rulers. We know who created the Immaculate Faith and the Wyld Hunt, and why, and we have secured a binding oath from their leader, that he will not permit his faction's views to contribute to the fall of the East to the Deathlords, nor to destroy Lookshy's hopes. More, that he will do all in his power to aid in the liberation of Thorns."

More softly, looking down, she adds, "I will pay a price for that. But it's mine alone to pay."

Her gaze rises again to meet Kharal Fire Orchid's eyes, and her voice grows forceful again.

"By the oaths I have sworn, I cannot help you if I believe what you're doing will bring harm to Lookshy, even inadvertently. A Solar with a legion, marching on a city that's preparing for war? The Mask delights in setting those who should be friends against each other, in draining away the strength of his foes by making them forget who the real enemy is." Ireva rubs, half-consciously, at her arm - and then, realizing what she's doing, pauses. And winces. And concentrates.

The jacket fades away. The orichalcum breastplate beneath doesn't cover her arms, doesn't cover the wide white furrowed scar, or the hundred other scars. "It wasn't the Thornsguard that gave me these, Teacher."

"We have reason to think the Mask has agents in the city. Not to mention the infernalist who passed through Lookshy a few months ago, right before they began supporting the Cleansing: an infernalist who carried soulsteel, who sought to bring ruin to the East, and who possessed powerful Charms to turn people against those they should trust."

Ireva breathes in, and out, and closes her eyes for a moment. When she opens them, she unclasps her hands and opens them, resting them palms upward on her knees.

"Ignorance, Teacher, can kill. Or do worse than kill. So I'm asking... please. Convince us. Tell us what we don't yet understand. I will swear any oaths of secrecy you like, if you're worried about security. If you believe this is the way to save Lookshy..."

Her voice grows soft, and wistful; her eyes are distant, fixed on some faraway vision. Children playing in the gardens...

"I want to help. I want you to be able to go home, to play with your grandchildren or great-grandchildren - and when you're not catching up on time with family, to protect the city you love and hand the Mask of Winters a defeat such as he's never imagined." For a moment her voice becomes hard, before softening again. "I want to see what can be won, when the Solar Exalted and the Dragon-Blooded work side by side. And yes..." The yearning in her voice is plain to the most untrained ear. "I want your family to be my family too. I want children of my own, who can grow up in a city where they are cherished and safe, where nobody will kill them for who their mother is, where they'll never have to fear the Mask's harvesters or kill for a crust of bread." Her gaze returns to the present, her focus narrowing to Fire Orchid as if no one else existed in the world. "And the path to that future runs through your victory."

"But." The softness fades, cut off abruptly. "I can't help, not as I could, unless I believe in the plan as well as the goal. I swore to defend Lookshy to the best of my ability."

She raises one hand, palm open. "So - convince me? Tell me you knew all this already. Explain why my worries are groundless, and already accounted for." Her voice holds not doubt, but hope.

She raises the other hand. "Or if you'd prefer - plans should change as circumstances change. Let us work together, and figure out a plan that uses all our skills, all our knowledge." Maybe marching on Lookshy was the best you could manage alone, but now? Hopefully that's tactful enough, avoiding the implication that the original plan was necessarily a bad one. "It's hard to try to think of everything on your own. If you've lost... people you relied on..." Heartache, but old for her; is it fresh for Fire Orchid? She imagines losing Firada, or Zhou, and the compassion in her eyes is entirely unfeigned. "We can't bring them back, but maybe we can help, in our own ways."

She lets both hands fall. She shakes her head. Her voice turns flat. "Or, I guess, you can put me in chains beside the Realm emissary and drag me to the city that way." Her stance shifts slightly, as if she's steeling herself for something. "But by my oaths to Lookshy... you will have to fight me to do so."

Somehow, the younger Solar no longer looks like a child sitting before her teacher.

But after that pause, finally there is a smile, bright and heartbreaking as the first sunlight, after sixteen years in the dark.

"I can give Lookshy my best," Kharal Ireva finishes. Her voice is quiet, but to the trained ear it sings with a subtle and perfect melody, truth utterly unflawed. "I can't give less."

Irresistible Salesman Spirit + max Presence Excellency + Mastery of Small Manners and I'm paying 11m of this from Peripheral to get my oath power working again (the other 3m from Personal). I realize the resulting tent-lit-up-by-Solar-anima may get the guards excited, which I'm okay with, but I am assuming that the campfires of an entire legion are visible for miles in much the same way a Solar anima banner is, so it's unlikely to attract too much attention from outside the camp (especially since there were banners flaring in the area earlier anyway). If I'm wrong about this based on their IC view of the camp walking in, or if MoSM alerts me it would be a Bad Idea, Ireva would probably ask for permission before flaring her anima to a high level; she has enough Personal motes to pay all but 4m.

I'm attempting to tap Fire Orchid's Intimacies for Lookshy and/or her troops, possibly her Motivation, and... possibly Compassion and/or Temperance. (Conviction miiiight apply for defending Lookshy, but it's pretty borderline, as I'm not really asking her to do something difficult here, but since I'm also not asking her to abandon a committed cause or run away, hopefully Conviction and Valor won't apply in the wrong direction.) I'm requesting a stunt upgrade for Motivation myself.

The goal is to persuade Kharal Fire Orchid to re-work her plans in cooperation with Ireva and Zhou (this re-working could be very simple if she genuinely has already taken into account everything Ireva mentioned, but I'd be surprised).

And heh. I didn't actually realize until after writing this that Ireva's "Ignorance can kill" is very close to Braga's "Ignorance is death". This pleases me.

(I had more written on how much Ireva hates being left in ignorance by her ostensible allies, but I think this gets the message across well enough.)

Rolls:
Presence+Charisma: [roll0]
Negotiation specialty (I think it is one, now, since Ireva is offering her cooperation in exchange for information and a say in what they do): [rollv]3d10[rollv]
Stone of Humble Glory: [roll1]
Possible stunt: [roll2]
+5 sux from the Excellency.
All doubled due to ISS. Appearance is 8. -2 MDV for changing opinions may or may not apply.
EDIT: With my roll from the OOC, I think that's 34 sux.

If she ignores this outright I may just cry.

Essence tracking:
Personal: 7 + 3 committed to Unblinking Sentinel Gaze + 3 committed to Judge's Ear Technique
Peripheral: 14
Anima banner: 11

[Aevylmar]

Mrreow? Skandi the Kitty looks up at Kharal Fire Orchid's face, with a pleading tone. Skritch under the chin, nice lady?

The cat is soft, and pleasant, and warm, and the cat is starting to purr. It is a soft purr, warm and pleasant, and it is a nice, comfortable, we-are-all-friends-here, right? sort of purr. Nothing unfortunate is happening, despite the nice petting lady's harsh words. Everything is doing just fine, and she doesn't want to move…

If possible, I'd like to resolve this earlier on the tick than Orchid's attack, though I don't know if that would be possible. I don't think it would spoil her action.

For those who can speak cat, Skandi the Cat is saying good warm happy without much meaning. I think that applies to Kharal Fire Orchid and nobody else.

He's also making lots of social attacks.

First, he's channeling Compassion.

Next, he's going to use a Presence-based attack, which ought to be a surprise attack, on her to instill the Emotion of "Friendly". Isn't he cute? Aren't you filled with love? Weren't you not expecting the cat to enter the conversation, even in a totally nonverbal way?

Then he's going to use Mirror-Sight Dismay on the belief, "This conversation is over," inverting it to the factual belief, "This conversation is not over." In other words, they still need to keep talking.

In conclusion, he's going to purr to instill the emotion of "Calm", making her calm, so she doesn't do anything stupid.

His actions have penalties of -3/-4/-5, or for his social attacks. He has 23 motes to burn. He has to pay 5 motes to fuel his charms, giving him 18 motes. Spend 1 each on boosting his Appearance to 6 for the full bonus, he has 15 motes. Let's put 2 of them into the Presence roll, 6 of them into MSD, 7 into calmness.

If she has a Grannies Love Cats intimacy, or something along those lines, it pretty clearly applies. Other than that - some virtues apply, others don't. I can't imagine her motivation involves being persuaded to peacefulness by cats.

Surprise: 5+1 [roll0]
Stunt: [roll1]

Presence Attack: 5-3+4+2=8
[roll2]
Stunt: [roll3]
Appearance+Flurry Mod: -3 to DV.

MSD Attack: 5+5-4+5+6=17
[roll4]
Stunt: [roll5]
Appearance+Flurry: -4 to DV

Performance Attack: 5+5-5+5+7=17
[roll6]
Stunt: [roll7]
Appearance+Flurry: -5 to DV

[DeafnotDumb]

The fight seems to be going on the side of Versino, but the conwoman is doubtful that the Lunars victory will free her from the amorous attentions she'd gathered, and it would be hard to do her thieving with a pair of watching eyes. But the eyes came with a pair of ears and a mouth, and who knows what info there might be to be found?

"Go, Versi, go!" Shard cheers dutifully, throwing a punch at an imaginary foe. "Knock him flat!" She doesn't imagine it's going to be a long fight, unless Willow's secretly an Exalt under a mortal front: he should just be thankful the little girl wasn't using her Essence cannon here, or the he - and the whole camp, most likely - would have been hammered flat.

Her moral support (it being the best kind of support, costing nothing material) done, she turns her attentions fully onto the drunk, stretching her arm companionably around the shoulders. "So who are you and what heroic deeds have you done?" She purrs, imitating that infamous seductress Anathema from the Fires of the South play. Under the disguise of lust, her eyes rove about the woman's body for information on rank, on pouches and riches and letters tucked away, and to check if she's holding any of those firework signals - it'd be grand if she could work out what each colour meant.


Rolling a notice action: perception plus awareness, eight die. [roll0]
Stunt die: [roll1]
Essence: 2 Personal 1 Peripheral.

[Inspector Valin]

Versi laughed as the soldier-man lunged forward, shaking her head as she stepped forward, entering beneath the lunge. The horseman's focus was on her wings now, not her body. Grinning wide, the little Lunar pushed both of her own arms outwards, breaking the larger man's attack in two with the First Guard of Air and leaving him off balance. The young Exalt pushed him backwards with a simple shove, still chuckling as she answered the Commander. "Wings don't help me jump, Willow! No moaning."

Versino paused for a second, looking towards the larger man reeling back, time pausing in her mind as she begun to think. This wasn't something she'd had to do before; not even fighting someone to knock them out, but simply to bring them down to the earth. Her moves were mirrored from Immaculate stylings, and those tended to focus around beating the Anathema to death. Not something she could really use here. She could block as many times as she wanted, but so could Willow if she tried anything, and then she'd be on the ground.

But she'd seen Blood Apes fight before, once or twice at least. Witnessed the great hulking creatures push each other around, shattering tables as they went. The demons were powerful, simple creatures that lacked much refinement or fighting technique. But she could take a page out of their book here. The simple, direct approach, without giving Willow time to react, might be enough. First law of Cecelyne. Everything comes down to strength. And even like this, without essence burning through my veins...

Crying out, the little Lunar sprung forward as her opponent was still reeling, both hands spread into palm strikes, aimed once again at Willow's torso. For the moment, her injuries were forgotten and the young chosen moved as fast as ever she had. In her mind, memories were playing of dramatic stage confrontations, bloodpounding fistfights accompanied by the cheers of the audience. Versi met Willow's gaze, eyes filled with happiness and pride at her own strength.

I'm still pretty strong.

[roll0] Dex+MA
[roll1] Possible Stunt Dice

On the assumption Versi's got this won.
The young Lunar is still for a few seconds, panting gently, looming over Unbroken Willow, sweat dripping down her brow. Soon enough however, Versi kneels, offering a hand to the commander with an honest grin. "Well fought. I've never had to push myself like that before. Just... don't try wrestling an Erymanthoi any time soon, ok?"

[industrious]

Kharal Fire Orchid

Absently, Fire Orchid scratches the cat under the chin, thumb rubbing against his whiskers. Picking him up, she stares into his eyes for a second before fondly giving the animal a light headbutt.

As Ireva's anima flares, sending light dancing throughout the camp, armed soldiers rush in, spears and polearms and swords at the ready, eager to defend their commander. Fire Orchid holds up a hand, and they halt, though they do not relax. Another gesture, and slowly, reluctantly, they retreat.

"The Mask of Winters marches on Lookshy. He leads an army of unnatural horrors, fastened from the the corpses of his enemies, the like of which have not been seen in Creation."

"But the Mask's strength is also his weakness. His troops require no food but the mockery of life his forces require maintenance to keep from rotting. For his forces to survive the long march to Lookshy, they must move a certain distance each day. They do not tire but they cannot stop."

"Our march matches the Mask's. He will arrive at the city gates...and we will arrive behind them, trapping them between walls of stone and jade and steel and men. We don't need fancy words, and we don't need any special knowledge. If you want to help, all you need to do is march, follow orders, and fight. Respecting those under whose roof you sit would be a bonus. If you want me as an ally, start by being one."

"If you want to be part of Gens Kharal, understand the motto that I live by. Pax sufficiat, sed bellum parit gloriissiam.*"

*Peace suffices, but war gives birth to the greatest glory.

Unbroken Willow

He peers, slightly cross-eyed at the Lunar looming over him.

"...I'll try to keep that in mind," he croaks.

I'm ready to move to the next scene for Versino.

Bright Shard

The woman has two red bandannas tied around her right arm, and a bandolier containing at least one firework.

"Unrelenting Duck," she purrs, and shifts Bright Shard onto her lap entirely. "First Lance. And since Willow lost...come back to my tent, and I'll show you."

[Maugan Ra]

Zhou, having stayed quiet as his wife made her impassioned plea in the interests of not making the situation worse, now crosses his arms and considers the proposed strategy.

"Not a bad plan." he allows. "Effective, yet simple enough to adapt to changing circumstances and unexpected surprises."

He pauses for a moment before continuing. "That said? No. No way in all the thousand layers of hell am I marching with you. Lookshy is going to play the anvil in this strategy, and my home is about to be invaded by the most terrible army to walk the earth in centuries. Even if things go perfectly, friends and family are going to die on those walls, and I will be damned before I abandon the chance to be there alongside them."

His eyes narrow. "That you seem to think you have the right or authority to dictate marching orders to my squad, or to tell my wife how to be Gens Kharal... it does not elicite a positive reaction."

[DeafnotDumb]

Argh, this was feeling riskier by the second. There was a reason she tended to avoid starting with seduction. Couldn't she have something simple to deal with, like a falling airship or death - no, this was still much better than deathknights. But just having an engine to repair would be so much easier. Carefully, Jade tries to work out how to maintain Duck's interest without encouraging it, a confusing tightrope.

"Unrestrained?" Jade says coyly. "I hope that holds true."

Okay, Fires of the South was now a terrible play and she could stop following its example before she followed it somewhere complicated. She needed another model to work from. The seductress Fallen Willow would have cupped her hand and whispered poison into her lover's ear, but she didn't know any loyal friends of Duck she could make the woman betray. And the Master of the Seven Veils...

...She was not emulating the Master of the Seven Veils. If nothing else, she didn't have a pie, or anyone to bake into one.

So the dramas were a bad idea. Bawdy comedies also out. But comedies of manners? That might work - in A Simple Matter Involving A Fan, there had been an easily distracted artisan...

"I could teach you a few tricks of my-" Shard begins, tracing her finger down Duck's chest, and then her nail encounters the fireworks. Shard's gazes blur, and then focus. "Oh! What are these?" She asks, attention shifted from physical to academic luck. Before Duck can object, she takes out a red firework from the bandoleer, the only colour Jade doesn't have in her own robes. "I saw one of these burst overhead while we were fighting." She chatters on, happily in a artisan's world. "What do the colours mean? I wonder if you can mix them to create new ones..."

With just her eyes, Jade tries to create the impression that an answer to this question will divert Shard's attentions right back to where they should be.


In case it's needed, Charisma+Performance is 9 die. [roll0]
Stunt die [roll1]
Get information and delay Duck's... interest without losing it.

[Ascension]

Braga enters the broken ship and the full embrace of the shadowland's miasma. He keeps a weather eye on his Resplendent Personal Assistant as he searches the wreck's, the small hairs on the back of his neck prickling with dread as the Sun drops closer to the rim of the world. Of course, that swelling fear is all the more reason to get his errand done and get back to the relative safety and comfort of Willow's campfire. He made himself familiar with the Frostwing during its ill-fated voyage, and even in its wrecked and ruined state he has little trouble finding his way through its spaces. He'd been more concerned with the structure of the ship than the contents of its stores, though... and there's no telling what's still in usable condition after the fire and his flood. He requests a phantasm from his Recorder of Everlasting Glories (the memory of Ireva's sunlight anima) to brighten the dim hold as he tears through crates and kegs, seeing what he can discover.

Perception+Investigation and Perception+Survival are 7 for Braga, including the bonus from his Dragon Tear Tiara. Awareness is stronger for him, but I agree it's not the best fit for this situation. Let's add a success from Willpower, since he's determined to get this done before nightfall.

Perception+Investigation
[roll0] +1 Success

Maybe Stunt:
[roll1]

[Ifni]

Ireva reaches across to touch Zhou's arm. "Don't be offended for my sake. It's useful information." Despite the words, her voice is distinctly dry. She looks back up at Kharal Fire Orchid, and her eyes are cool and measuring. "I'll keep it in mind. But for myself... I'm not fighting for glory."

"How old are your grandchildren, Kharal Fire Orchid? I was four when Thorns fell. Twenty when I escaped. There was courage aplenty on that night of fire and blood and screams, but glory...? Maybe. Who knows? None remember it now, except in mockery." Her lips twist, and there is a slow-burning anger behind her words. "I know the names of Thorns' fallen. I'm not a soldier like you are, but without any of your Lookshyan training, I've been fighting this war for near twenty-six years. I'm not fighting for glory. I'm fighting to win."

"So with all due respect... tell me, Commander, how do you know what we'll need? I've seen reports on the Mask's forces, but if that was the full extent of his strength, Lookshy wouldn't require anyone's help, ours included."

Neither tact nor bluntness seems to have much impact on the other woman's disdain; bluntness is seen as disrespect, and tact as attempted manipulation. Ireva breathes in, and out, and falls into the level, practical, businesslike cadences of Untimely Orchid.

"What will you do if the gates to Lookshy are opened by treachery, and you find yourself trammelled outside the walls by the Mask's rear guard, while the battle rages within? What if the force you've gathered is not a match for whatever horror he's sculpted within the Shackle Maw? How much glory is there in dying outmatched, and watching your city die, because you didn't bother to gather allies or try to counter anything more than the most obvious brute-force approach? Just as one example - do you know why the Mask is sending deathknights to seed shadowlands along the main road? Apart from disrupting Lookshy's supply lines, and aiding his army's access to Creation for fresh meat?"

Ireva shakes her head. "I mean, Dragons send you're right -" there is utter sincerity in those words, "- and your plan will work marvelously, and the Mask's forces will be shattered between the hammer and the anvil, and you'll be feted in the streets of Lookshy. But what's the worst that can happen, trying to guard against other possibilities? That you have to share a little of the glory? That it looks like we over-planned?"

The Eclipse draws a slow breath. "You and Zhou know far more about the tactics of the battlefield than I do. If you say this is an optimal strategy for combat, I believe you. It clearly makes sense to try to get your army into position by the critical time. I am not saying you should change your own planned actions, especially since your plan involves matching your movements to those of the Mask." As opposed to inadvertently testing Lookshy's defenses for him. "But for us -"

She opens her hand, tilts it slightly; she doubts the commander will miss the sword-calluses there.

"I can handle myself in a fight, and Zhou can do more than that, but compared to what Lookshy can muster in terms of Exalted troops, and your forces here, I doubt we'll make the critical difference in an open battle. We'll fight nonetheless, of course, but... last information we had, the attack wasn't due for another six weeks or so, and even if the timetable has been moved up, there are surely more productive ways for us - and Zhou's squad - to spend the next few weeks than tagging along at the Mask's marching speed."

Ireva exhales. "You ask me to be an ally, to respect you. I'm trying." Probably harder than she should, hooked by the sweet and terrible bait of hope... "If it's unquestioning obedience you want... no, I don't give that to my allies, because to me it seems more like a poison than a prize. But I've offered you sensitive information, freely given and without obligation in return. I let your emissary keep his secrets, didn't push him to answer my questions. I have expressed, repeatedly, my genuine respect for your abilities and what you've built here. I have offered you my sworn word, and my honest advice, and my promise of aid."

She lowers her voice, not wanting the surrounding guards to hear. "I will note, in exchange you've separated your cousin from his command, threatened one of our party with death and then had her dragged away in chains, told us to speak freely and then tried to send us away when we had the temerity to take you seriously. Not to mention dismissing any aid we might give besides our swords as utterly irrelevant."

One hand closes abruptly, in a gesture of frustration. Ireva's gaze mingles that same frustration with respect and (Dragons damn it) still that elusive hope. She bows her head for a moment. "Your advice is good, Teacher. Worth heeding." For you as well as me. "But I'll add to it - if you genuinely want someone to prove their strengths, it helps if you allow them the opportunity."

She glances over at her husband, and then back to Fire Orchid. "I will swear, if you wish, to meet you outside the walls of Lookshy, on the day that you plan to arrive there," she says carefully. "To fight at your side against the Mask's forces, when the time comes, willingly and with all my strength. But in the meantime - unless Zhou has something different in mind? - I will ask you to let us rejoin our companions, and go where we will, knowing that we'll serve Lookshy to the best of our ability. Zhou and I both know the Wind-Carried Words Technique, we can keep you informed. If you've inferred the Mask's schedule - I can think of some Lunars who might be interested in helping out, for one thing. And I do mean all our companions: I will ask, as well, that you release... Tepet Xet... to Zhou's custody."

The pause before the Immaculate's name is noticeable. Deliberate. To a trained ear, those two words will ring with blaring tones of untruth. Ireva tilts her chin, just slightly, toward the guards. Not in front of witnesses. And I hope Zhou guessed right about your truth-reading.

"I will of course give you the dossier with our information on the Mask's forces," she adds, "in case it contains anything you didn't already know." Although that seems increasingly unlikely; Fire Orchid's missed at least two opportunities to follow up their hints about Sidereals. Is she that oblivious, or is she in direct contact with Ayesha's people?

Flurry of two Presence-based social attacks. First one is to make this scene count toward building a positive Intimacy toward Ireva, and I'll just spend 2m on the Presence Excellency. Second is to encourage her to accept Ireva's offer, and will have 2m on the Excellency + 3m to augment with Irresistible Salesman Spirit. Mastery of Small Manners for the action, again. Total cost is 8m.

I do not think the mention of "Tepet Xet" disqualifies this from being Charisma-based or gaining bonuses for honesty, as she's actively trying to make sure Fire Orchid realizes there's something off-key there (and she can't use Isa's true name because it wouldn't mean anything to Fire Orchid, it'd just be confusing, I think this is about the clearest she can be in context), but if you disagree, let me know and I'll rewrite that small section.

Rolls:
First attack: Presence + Charisma [roll0] (including multiple action penalty)
Honesty: [roll1]
Negotiation specialty if relevant: [roll2]
+1 sux from Excellency
EDIT: 9/10/12 sux with a 0/1/2-die stunt, MDV penalty probably -5 (3 from App and 2 from the Jewel of the Lawgiver's Authority).

Second attack: Presence + Charisma [roll3] (including multiple action penalty)
Honesty: [roll4]
Negotiation specialty: [roll5]
+1 sux from Excellency.
EDIT: 20/22/26 sux with a 0/1/2-die stunt. MDV penalty probably -4 (3 App + 1 onslaught).

Possible stunt [roll6]

Double all successes on the second attack, and remember the onslaught penalty (if not negated).

Appearance is 8. -2 MDV penalty from Jewel of the Lawgiver's Authority should apply to the first attack, it may or may not apply to the second. Negotiation specialty should definitely apply to the second attack, I'm guessing it doesn't apply to the first.

Essence tracking:
Personal: 5 + 3 committed to Unblinking Sentinel Gaze + 3 committed to Judge's Ear Technique
Peripheral: 14
Anima banner: 11

[industrious]

Fire Orchid

Fire Orchid takes a softer tone when speaking with Zhou; calmer, more respectful.

"Thorns is already marching, cousin. Our walls will be assaulted and our citizens will die. That is war."

"How do you expect to return to Lookshy, cousin? Your airship lies in ruins. You may scavenge supplies from the wreckage, but that will take time, and you will need to march all the same."

Fire Orchid smiles widely at the Chuzei's final demand, shuddering as he questions her right and authority. The iron lady reaches under her cot, her fist clenched around something in her palm.

"You are mistaken," she says quietly, regarding Ireva now. "You offer words. You tell me that you treated my emissary fairly, and expect this to mean anything less than basic courtesy. You are told to speak freely and you do so without thought of consequences. You tell me you respect me-and you raise doubts about my tactics, my ability to lead and plan even as you speak of your own sore inadequacy! You stand in my tent, and dictate terms to me-in my tent, surrounded by my men!"

"No," she says, mulling it over, and there is perhaps a hint of a smile at the thought. "You are bold, Ireva. A fool and wrong and naive. But you misunderstand what this is. You don't know who you sit before."

"I am Kharal Fire Orchid," she declares, the light of the Sun upon her brow. "Retired officer of the Seventh Legion. Order of the Elemental Dragons.*"

"The Mask of Winters is marching on Lookshy. Under General Order Six, I judge this situation a state of emergency, upon being informed by an active officer of the Seventh Legion. Under General Order Seven, I voluntarily reactivate my commission."

Her fist unclenches; her rank insignia is nestled in her palm. In a single motion, she pins it to her breast. She rises to her feet, hands clasped behind her back in parade-ground readiness; the cat drops to the floor. Her tone is harsh, barking out orders in that military manner which demands obedience and absolute discipline, the language of the general and drill sergeant. She speaks with the authority granted to her by the Unconquered Sun, with the surety of command, with righteousness of purpose.

"Chuzei! You sit before Kazei Kharal Fire Orchid, before a superior officer of the Seventh Legion! Stand up, Chuzei! Salute your superior officer! Semper Fo!**"

*The highest military decoration in the Seventh Legion which can be attained by a mortal soldier. The highest military decoration for an Exalted officer is the Order of the Five Dragons.

**Corrupted Old Realm meaning Ever Resolute, the Motto of the Second Field Force, the mainline combat unit of the Seventh Legion.


Charisma+Performance+Specialty. Using the Second Performance Excellency. Husband-Seducing Demon Dance, not to incite lust, but love and patriotism for the Seventh Legion, and dedication to Fire Orchid's cause.

I believe that a number of Zhou's Intimacies, Virtues, and Motivation apply here, among others.

Ireva's first social attack succeeds, annulling one of the negative Intimacy scene-buildings. Her second attack fails.

[roll0] + 5 sux

[Inspector Valin]

Versi blinked a little, not sure what was making Willow react in such a way before realizing that she still had her other hand pressed against his chest. The dark skinned Lunar glowed red with embarrassment, withdrawing the second hand as she pulled the mortal to his feet, muttering to herself. "Ah. Sorry!"

With the Commander back on his feet, and the mortal camp silent for the moment, Versi bowed her head towards the man before holding his hand aloft and gesturing about the fire, smiling as she spoke. "Brothers, Sisters, Unbroken Willow. A fine warrior and worthy foe, even for the Chosen" It was true, after all. And Versi had just beaten him in front of his friends and comrades. That much respect was the least she could offer Willow.

I'm ready to move on when you are. :smallwink:

[The_Snark]

Isa pauses for a moment. Does the Madame think Isa actually believes her a prisoner here? Even without sensing the cloak’s power, Isa wouldn’t have believed that. Or - maybe she hasn’t seen through the disguise? It would be a frankly improbable coincidence, but nothing she’s said so far confirms that she knows who she’s talking to... For a fleeting moment she wishes she had Ireva’s skill at sifting through words for meaning and intent.

"Sensible enough," she concedes, deciding not to call the woman out on her deception. "Give me a few minutes to come up with a plan, and then I’ll bruise you to your heart’s desire. I don’t suppose you’d care to come with instead?"

Without waiting for an answer - she fully expects refusal - she closes one eye, sighting along the branching paths of the Loom. Choices. The decision to stay or leave, the means, and most important of all the timing. How would events play out if I were to vanish into thin air right now? What if I waited a half-hour? An hour? Two?

Isa is using Wise Choice to evaluate the consequences of escape for Ireva and Zhou's negotiations (plus the personal safety evaluation built in). Choices include:
attempting to escape right now
attempting to escape in a half-hour or so
... an hour from now
... two hours from now
... and so on, at one-hour intervals until morning
not attempting to escape at all

Isa is focusing more on the timing of her escape than the means right now, but if it matters her default plan is to use Avoidance Kata and/or Underling Invisibility Practice to slip away; after losing pursuit she would either shadow the army from stealth or craft an appropriate resplendent destiny and disguise herself as a camp follower. If time allows, she'll use Wise Choice and possibly other Charms to refine the means of her escape, which probably increases her odds as the night goes on, but obviously if the soldiers are going to try and kill her in half an hour then it'd probably be a bad idea to wait longer than that. In no situation will she actually go to sleep, and remember that she has Prior Warning and Expected Pain to warn her of murder attempts.

Basically, she's trying to find out a) if the soldiers are actually going to try to kill her, b) if so, approximately when they'll make their move, c) if escaping is going to horribly screw up things for Zhou and Ireva, and d) if escaping is actually going to backfire and put her in more danger.

Essence tracking:
Personal: 5/16 (5 committed to Telltale Symphony)
Peripheral: 1/38

Willpower: 6/10

(Note that given Isa's low Essence reserves, it would be good to know stunt rewards, if any!)

[industrious]

Unrelenting Duck

"Careful!" quickly, the drunken soldier snatches the firework back. "It would be very, very bad if it went off."

Her grin soon returns, though, and a finger runs over Jade's lips.

"Speaking of getting off..."


She's drunk. Terrible, terrible puns.

Braga

Fortunately for the Air Aspect, the stock of salt in the hold is completely untouched; a small cask more than enough to ward off the lesser dead.

Unfortunately for the Air Aspect, the scarf-wearing Abyssal is sifting through the wreckage as well, though the deathknight has yet to see Braga.


Versi blinked a little, not sure what was making Willow react in such a way before realizing that she still had her other hand pressed against his chest. The dark skinned Lunar glowed red with embarrassment, withdrawing the second hand as she pulled the mortal to his feet, muttering to herself. "Ah. Sorry!"

With the Commander back on his feet, and the mortal camp silent for the moment, Versi bowed her head towards the man before holding his hand aloft and gesturing about the fire, smiling as she spoke. "Brothers, Sisters, Unbroken Willow. A fine warrior and worthy foe, even for the Chosen" It was true, after all. And Versi had just beaten him in front of his friends and comrades. That much respect was the least she could offer Willow.

I'm ready to move on when you are. :smallwink:

Versino, The Middle of the Night

Hours later, the little Lunar has dropped off to sleep, resting after a long day. But the dreams of the Malfean Traveler are soon disrupted by a small hand, shaking her awake.

"Hey! Wake up!"

The Maiden is dressed much as she was during the battle; a lace headband and armguards, short black dress (plated with soulsteel) and black stockings. Dried blood-Versino's blood, among others-is splattered on her face, leaves irregular trails across her garments. Her scythe is nowhere to be seen. She puts a finger to Versino's lips.

"Shhh! You'll wake everyone else up!

The High Madame

She shakes her head at Xet's suggestion.

"I can't. My daughter's in the camp, somewhere. I...I want to see her. Even if it means some danger."

Reading her own future...her chances don't seem pleasant. Now or half an hour for now, there is a chance of survival...delaying any further only ends poorly.

In the distance, Isa can see the ghostly image of a tree in pale gold; she knows not the context, merely that Ireva is the cause.



2 die stunt.

[Inspector Valin]

Versi's eyes cycle swiftly from tiredness, to shock, to wariness. At first, she dismissed the face before her as just a dream; an echo of when the Maiden and her had faced each other earlier in the day. She certainly hadn't forgotten how the deathknight looked. But... the words were different, and there was pressure on her leg. She could hear the faint crackle of the dying campfire. This was real. This was amazingly dangerous. Especially because once again, she was out of her armor.

She glanced around the campsite at the maiden's words, wondering what'd happened. She couldn't see Shard, Shimoko or Father at a glance. The others appeared unharmed, sleeping peacefully in the firelight. That mild assurance given, the little Lunar looked back towards her guest, smiling up at the Maiden with clenched teeth. "And I... shouldn't be doing that?"

The words were empty. Versi knew exactly why she shouldn't wake the soldiers. If a Deathknight had wanted to kill them all... she would've done it whilst Versi was sleeping. She had all the advantages right now. The little Abyssal likely could've slain Versi in the same way easily enough, the young Malfean hadn't stirred as she entered the tent. This was not an attack, it was... a conversation. Or something stranger.

Sighing, the young Lunar nodded her head gently. She couldn't do much else but play along, at least for now. She gestured behind her, away from the fire, towards... the village? The plains? She couldn't recall, but it didn't matter. "Ok. Do you want to go somewhere else? Less risk of one of the others stirring, and..." She couldn't quite bring herself to continue that sentence, trying to keep looking at the Maiden, and faking a bold smile. Willow's band had been kind to her. They were good people, in their way. They didn't deserve the little child of Oblivion unleashed upon them.

I'm assuming the Maiden hasn't slaughtered the entire camp. If she has, that'd change Versi's reaction quite a bit.

[Aevylmar]

The cat drops to the floor, landing precisely on its feet to look up at her with a reproachful expression.

"Meow!" it says, which translates to, "Why are you not petting me?" Clearly, the cat does not feel that dramatic declarations are sufficient excuse for a lack of snuggles.

This is *technically* a Presence-based social attack to get her to go back to petting Skandi, but he isn't spending any motes on it.

Base: [roll0]
Stunt: [roll1]

[Ascension]

Braga freezes stock still as he notices the deathknight. That one, the latecomer to the recent battle, had seemed much less fearsome than his comrades, but facing any deathknight alone is nearly enough to stop Braga's heart from beating. His mind races... personal panic, worry for Versi and the others, an absurd indignation that the Abyssals would profane the Frostwing's wreck with their presence, fearful curiosity as to what the Anathema's purpose might be... all those thoughts and feelings twine together in his head, threatening to strangle his conscious mind.

'Stop. Stop panicking. Think.'

The deathknight seems not to have noticed Braga's presence yet. He's always judged keenness of mind to be the greatest of Mela's gifts to her children, but he knows the wind is, by nature, a subtle force, and the art of stealth is also within the realm of her expertise. He wishes now that he was a better student of that art. Old half-neglected lessons drift up from his memories... here the drunken ramblings of a Cynis uncle who claimed to have been some kind of assassin in his younger days, there a long tense night spent sheltering with Versi from a stalking band of shikari, there a sublime moment of insight glimpsed as he meditated on the breeze and strove for enlightenment. There's so much more he could have learned throughout his life, if he'd had the mind to... but he'll have to make do with what he does know.

He shifts slowly, ever so painfully slowly, knowing that any sharp movement might draw the deathknight's eye, into the shadows of some of the packed hold's larger crates, a move which also shifts him closer to the nearest of the gashes in the Frostwing's hull, and closer to escape. Then, once out of the deathknight's line of sight, he snuffs the light of his phantasmal projected Ireva. The sudden dimming of the hold is sure to draw the Abyssal's attention, but Braga wagers, or at least hopes, that his affinity for death and darkness doesn't extend to perfect night vision.

Of course, hope is a fragile thing, and he doesn't expect to stay undiscovered for long. He prepares to call to Shimoko through the winds... whether to warn her away or to demand her assistance, he's not entirely decided.

I think stopping the Recorder of Everlasting Glories from projecting should be a reflexive action. I was going to throw a Wind-Carried Words Technique into this post, but it's a Simple Charm and thus can't be part of a flurry, and I suppose I should let Typhon's Eye Shadow have a chance to catch Braga before he can fire one off.

Braga's Dex+Stealth is 7 dice... he gets three bonus dice against tracking and pursuit from his Opal of the Hunted, but I don't suppose I can really argue that the guy who hasn't spotted him yet is actively hunting him. I'm tempted to try a Virtue Channel, but... I'll let this ride.
[roll0]

Possible stunt:
[roll1]

[The_Snark]

Daughter? For the second time in as many minutes, Isa wishes Ireva - or her lie-detecting Charms, at any rate - were here. Probably just a cover story, but...

No. Focus. She hasn't got much time. Whether she's feigning ignorance or not, the woman is telling the truth about one thing: staying in the camp is going to mean trouble, and leaving is unlikely to bring disaster down on Ireva and Zhou’s heads. Plan escape first, and then (if there's time) indulge her curiosity about the woman. Though come to think, these two things are not necessarily mutually exclusive...

Isa draws in a breath, feeling the weight of her hearthstones cool against her wrist and brow; even hours after the fight she is still all but spent, but it shouldn't take more than a trickle of Essence for this. She weaves thin skeins of Essence around herself, a veil to deflect casual attention, shielding her from contemptuous and uncaring eyes. The soldiers, with their jeering and hatred of Immaculates, surely look down on her - fear might outweigh loathing for some, but those planning her death are likely not among that group - and as for the Madame... a small test of character. (Or perhaps of her ability to pierce such deceptions - but no test is perfect.)

That done she lets her eyes drift upwards, looking towards the first stars unveiling themselves in the dusky sky. They say the Maidens leave signs there, to guide the pious and the fortunate...

(In truth they delegate those duties most of the time, but the principle holds true.)

So, first things first: Underling Invisibility Practice! Isa is now invisible to anyone who happens to think themselves better than her in some form. I'm not entirely sure this applies to the soldiers - hating Immaculate monks isn't quite the same thing as feeling that one is better then them - but I figure there's a good chance, and at the moment there aren't any consequences if any do see through it. Note that Lion Mouse Stratagem is not up. (Yet.)

Secondly, Isa is going to try using her Gem of Omens to see what, if anything, that tells her.
Int+Occult to interpret [roll0]
Stunt: [roll1]

Essence tracking:
Personal: 6/16 (5 committed to Telltale Symphony, 1 to Underling Invisibility Practice)
Peripheral: 0/38 (3 committed to Underling Invisibility Practice)
Anima is flaring at 1-3 level, which just means a hard-to-notice caste mark.

Willpower: 6/10

[Ifni]

Part of Ireva wants to cheer, at the sight of a Solar claiming who she is, naming herself once more part of the Seventh Legion. Part of her wants to salute, and fall into line. Fire Orchid's vision has an incandescent simplicity, of a world where the only skill needed is skill on the battlefield, where the outcome of a war matters less than that it was well-fought. She feels the upwelling of patriotism for a city she barely knows, of joy at the thought of serving Lookshy: it plucks at a string in her own heart, the memory of a vision of peace. For your family to be my family, and your home my home...

No.

It is a small and silent word, that inner denial. It comes from a part of her that distrusts easy answers. It comes from watch where you put your feet and the knowledge of the power that can lie in a Solar's words. And it comes from remembering Isa dragged away, and imagining her sister fallen into this woman's hands, in Xet's place.

(Did she miss the hint, the person you are holding prisoner is not who you think she is, or is she just ignoring it? Blindness, or a hatred that doesn't particularly care about accuracy, if it might get in the way? Either could be consistent with what she's seen so far...)

... when I give my loyalty, I want it to be real.

Her lips compress at Fire Orchid's accusations. But an answer can wait, for a moment anyway. She rises to her feet, and inclines her head respectfully, murmuring "Kazei," in quiet acknowledgement. And she watches Zhou, out of the corner of her eye.

This is just a defensive stunt, not her next action. I count 17 successes there. Ireva's DMDV is 13 base, 16 with the App bonus (assuming KFO's App is 5 or less). So I need a one-die stunt, modulo modifiers from other things.

She of course has more to say, but... we'll wait for Zhou's reaction first.

She does genuinely respect KFO's rank. She just, at this point, doesn't personally have much respect for KFO, although she's still going to try to be respectful because it's polite.

... and huh. Husband-Seducing Demon Dance is actually Obvious to those who successfully resist. That could be interesting.

[DeafnotDumb]

This was starting to get frustrating. And worrying. The longer she spent pulling Duck along, the narrower her chances for escape. What she needed was a distraction.

Shard takes the finger from her lips and leans in to plant a kiss on the soused soldier, adapting the forwardness of the Master of the Seven Veils after all. Her target is considerably more distracted by the intimacy than Jade is, and the conwoman's roving hands happen to rove over to where Duck keeps the fireworks and, after a moment's though, leave them where they were.

As distracted and drunk as Duck is, she has proven she will return to her attentions as soon as the kiss ends. So first, Jade keeps it going as long as she can, imagining herself an actor embracing on a stage for the benefit of a rowdy audience - something not far from the truth, given the appreciative cheers of nearby soldiers.

But then something else happens, and for a moment it seems that accompaniment has sprung up from an invisible band, a muted and whistling sound at odds with the warm scene. Muted vocals join in, like the distant sound of howling winds, and a prickling sensation tickles across every soldier's skin despite the nearby fire.

And then -

Shard screams, breaking off the kiss and pointing behind Duck. People turn, and she runs.

As the crowd looks on, a phantom rises from the soil of the Shadowlands and forms from mist into a faded image of a soldier long-dead. They are soon joined by their comrades, aching and ready to fight, and a squadron of ghosts hover slowly towards the celebrating soldiers and right through them, hunting a singular foe - hunting Shard.

In a panic their target runs through the camp until she is away from the attentions of Duck and finds a soldier with fireworks, grabbing them out of their bandolier. "Which one do I light?" She yells, juggling colours and pocketing the red one in the confusion. "There are ghosts! Which one calls the backup?.


Spending 4 Personal Essence on a Performance Excellency, allowing me to activate Phantom Conjuring Presence to conjure an image of ghostly enemies. The intention is to convince the camp that there is an attack, which is an entirely appropriate and proportionate plan for stealing a bunch of flares and escaping a bit of unwanted attention, and will not inconvenience any of the other PCs.

The roll for making a convincing attack is 13 dice. [roll0]
The roll for stealing the fireworks, Dex+Lar, 10 die [roll1]
Stunt die [roll2]

[Maugan Ra]

The glorious, enchanting siren-call of the Solar general is almost impossible to resist. By rights, he has little reason to even want to - she speaks of patriotism, of honour and glory and family, and those form the very bedrock of his identity and self image.

But then, it would not be the first time that someone has attempted to manipulate him in the past through reliance on his obvious loyalties. And he is no automaton, to be commanded with a press of a button. He is Kharal Zhou, and over the course of recent weeks he has developed many reasons to be wary of the sweet words of a Celestial Exalted.

The light of a golden caste mark spills across the table, and the power and authority in her voice washes over him like a wave. And then... then there is a flash of heat, and the distant sound of a powerful and angry roar.

Slowly, Kharal Zhou rises to his feet. With careful precision, he raises one hand and salutes the Solar before him, but there is only ritual in the gesture, no sign of love or loyalty.

"Welcome back, Kazai." he says in a voice as cold as winter's ice. "I do not contest the legitimacy of your rank, or the importance of your prior achievements. But try to bend my will like that again, and I will burn you to ash."

Yup. Inviolate Dragon Spirit. Perfect social parry, go.

I'll have to calculate Zhou's mote pools etc properly in a moment, but he regains 10 every hour from hearthstones and the like, and he's had a decent number of stunt rewards as well, so he's probably good there.

And... yeah, that would have been a reasonable enough course of action on Fire Orchid's part, and might have even worked to get Zhou on her side, were it not for Husband Seducing Demon Dance, which is an Obvious UMI effect.

Zhou has had a lot of people warn him that this right here is exactly what the Anathaema would do, and he is not best pleased at his cousin for fairly obvious reasons.

[Ifni]

Ireva's eyes flick sharply toward Zhou, and then toward Fire Orchid and the silhouettes of the guards. She does not frown, and her hands remain relaxed by her sides, but an edge of tension blooms almost imperceptibly in her stance. She steps slightly sideways, positioning herself to protect her husband's flank, a small deliberate movement that proclaims her allegiance as clearly as a banner.

(Somewhat more subtle is the downward sweep of her eyelashes after she meets Zhou's eyes; I'll defer to your decision. If Fire Orchid's insistence that they march with her is merely a demand that they initially head in the same direction... well, that was likely anyway, and it won't hurt to have a few days to try to build some better bridge with this Lookshyan officer, who bears a Solar Exaltation and commands a legion. Provided, of course, that the issue of Xet can be resolved.)

Ireva is just waiting for a response to that (if we were actually in social combat she'd be taking a Study action), since I really don't want to interrupt the dialogue at such a good dramatic point, but in the meantime, she's saying I'm On Zhou's Side with fairly unsubtle body language :smallwink: In somewhat more subtle body language, she's also signaling deference to Zhou's judgement (I expect Zhou can probably work it out due to experience, other people can probably also notice if they're observant).

[industrious]

Fire Orchid

"Threaten, raise a weapon to, or fail to obey an order from a superior officer again, Chuzei" she says with equal firmness and conviction. "and I will have you court-martialed. My aide will see to you and your wife's accommodations. You will report to this tent at dawn for briefing. Dismissed."

The aide is a physically unimpressive and unremarkable looking man.

"If you want to get anywhere with her," he whispers. "Don't insult or question her openly. She has lived on pride for the better part of three decades. Especially now."

A pause.

"We've met before. At another briefing."

The aged general draws the cat into her arms, cooing softly.

"Who's a terrifying little death machine? Who's a terrifying little death machine?"

The Camp of Unbroken Willow

"Stand down! Stand down!"

The bandolier-wearing individual attempts to snatch back the fireworks.

"We aren't to use those unless it's a true emergency! Sound the trumpets! Alert the guards! But don't set those off unless we've got something far worse than ghosts incoming!"

Frostwing

The deathknight doesn't appear to spot Braga; he seems entirely preoccupied with going through the supplies himself.

Versi

She claps her hands together, giggling.

"Okay! Yeah! Let's do that! Come on! Let's go!"

Grabbing the Lunar by the arm, she leads Versino to a more secluded spot.

"So...Hi! I'm Smile! What's your name? Do you wanna be friends?"

[DeafnotDumb]

Jade is happy to let the man snatch the rest of the fireworks back, the red one safely within her robes, even as she pretends to gibber and grasp for the precious flares. The ghosts draw closer, reaching out their hands towards Shard - and suddenly vanish.

After ten seconds, the woman uncovers her head and looks up at the guard with amazement in her eyes. "Where did they go?" She said.

[Inspector Valin]

Either you're younger than you look, crazier than you look or you're really talking down to me here

Versi's too tired at the moment to show frustration at the Maiden dragging her along: any irritation was met by her fears of the diminutive Abyssal. Her counterpart was more than capable of killing her, probably even without her scythe. Whatever she wanted, it was best to play along. And.... probably best to be honest as possible. The young traveller didn't know just what Abyssal charms could do, after all. Thus the little Lunar smiled across at the maniacally happy Deathknight. "Hey, Smile. I... kinda don't have a real name. But you can call me Versi."

It was strange to admit that, let alone to someone who'd been trying to kill her not too long ago. Still a little tired, Versi leant against a nearby tree, catching her breath a little before nodding to the young Smile. "Well, I don't have a lot of friends. It would be really nice to have someone to talk to. But we do kinda work for different people. You stab people for Thorns, I shoot people for Lookshy." The little Lunar chuckled, glancing back towards the camp. She wasn't just bluffing here. Smile was scary, but... that wasn't her fault, right? "Not sure they'd let us spend time together. Even if we promised to stab and shoot each other a bit."

[Aevylmar]

"I am," says Skandi, pouncing down from her arms onto a nearby writing desk, looking up at her with big kitty eyes. A glowing silver disk appears on his kitty forehead.

"My lady! I am Skandi the Wolf, called Templesmasher and Dragonsbane, Chosen of Ever-Changing Luna." He bows his head deeply; respectfully. "I heard that Lookshy was attacked, and I came to offer my aid to the enemies of the Realm wherever aid was welcome." His voice rings out clearly. To anyone other than her, it sounds like "Meow, meow, mew mew mreow!"

His head stays bowed for a heartbeat. Two. Then it rises, his tiny paw clenched by his heart. "To you I offer my sword and shield, my experience in warfare, and my heartfelt apology for my companions' behavior. I am greatly sorrowful that the spy has turned them against you, but my aid is promised to Lookshy, that the monsters of the Mask of Winters be forever destroyed."

This is a Performance-based social attack to convince her to accept his offer of aid as he intends it - as an ally. Technically, everything he's saying is true! Even the bit about being a terrifying little death machine. What he's saying is also very cute.

He's paying 1m peripheral for an Appearance success. This attack ought to hit her Conviction.

Base: [roll0]
Stunt: [roll1]
Appearance: -3 to DV

[Ifni]

Ireva stares at Fire Orchid for a long moment. She briefly tries to resist the urge, but... why not? It's unlikely to make things worse. And perhaps, just perhaps, it might pierce that shell of arrogant certainty...

She steps close to the other Solar and leans toward her, so her words will not be overheard by the guards.

"I had been told Lookshy valued honesty, and integrity," she murmurs. Her gaze rests on Fire Orchid's glowing caste mark, mirror but not twin to her own. She touches the bright symbol on her own forehead, and bows, very proper, student to teacher. There is no bitterness in her voice, no sarcasm, only earnest politeness. Somehow that makes it worse. "Thank you, my fellow Lawgiver, for teaching me that I was misinformed."

She rises, and follows the aide out of the tent.

---------------

A few long strides later she turns to the man, opening her mouth to speak, Essence gathering on her tongue with the weight of quicksilver as she looks out across the camp, searching for a clustering of troops, or the flare of a Water anima...

At his words, she stops.

"Right," she breathes, just as quietly. "Good. Although... is it a custom of your people to provide key information right after it would have been really useful?" But there's rueful amusement in her voice, no hint of anger or hostility. (At least, not directed at the aide.)

"What I need to know is, can you make sure Xet gets out safely? I was going to tell... the Kazei... that she's not what she thinks, but I'm not sure she'd consider murdering an innocent to be worse than admitting she made a mistake." Not that Isa's an innocent by Fire Orchid's standards, but she wasn't going to tell her that part. Ireva's voice is calm, even in its urgency, but her eyes are hard as green jade, condemning as an executioner's writ.

Actually... presumably they won't have dragged her more than ten miles away... and this is a makeshift camp, they probably don't have access to airtight prisons...

She covers her lips as she taps Air Essence and thinks of Xet, all sharp-edged elegance in her Immaculate robes and fashionable hairstyle; of Xet, pinning the Black Hand to the earth with cold-whitened hands, gritting her teeth and still holding on. And of Isa, reaching out to draw her into a close hug, with something like desperation in her violet eyes.

Commander wants obedience, no questions, attempted mind control. Plans to march to Lookshy, arrive just after Mask, hammer and anvil. Get out if you can.

No greeting or sign-off. Isa will recognize her voice. And probably recognize as well the subtle notes of disappointment and anger and condemnation in the first sentence, beneath the surface calm.

"... I've warned Xet," she continues, after the pause, "but if she can't get herself out - I do not think she will be safe here. Is the Kazei... aware of said briefing, and its attendees?" Does she know about Sidereals? Does she know what you are?

Ireva's feelings towards other Exalts are a little strange. I feel like she's converging on trusting Sidereals by default, feeling positively toward Lunars and the Dragon-Blooded and trusting on a case-by-case basis, and assuming the worst of all Solaroids :smalltongue:

(Seriously. Her experience so far is All Solars Are Jerks, All Immaculates And Sidereals Under A Thousand Years Old Are Lovely People. I would say this is all Isa's fault but it's actually not...)

To reflect that, I'm taking these scenes to start building positive Intimacies toward Sidereals and the Immaculate Order. (Her feelings toward the Order were always a mix of strongly positive and strongly negative, so I had that canceling out to "no Intimacy" despite the fact that the Immaculate faith is important to her, but at this point various interactions have done a good job of mitigating the negative feelings (which were mostly based around fear). She doesn't think any more that the Cleansing is going to be what kills her.)

I am... not sure how to implement the low blow at the start. If Fire Orchid has some kind of Intimacy toward her own pride or infallibility, I guess it would be erosion of that, trying to tap her Intimacy toward Lookshy and probably Temperance (although I have no idea if she's Temperance 3+ - she does seem to have some self-control). Success would be that she takes time to reconsider the way she's acting, even if she doesn't show any sign of it here (due to not wanting to show weakness), and that sounds like an Intimacy-erosion, or closer than any of the other standard uses of NMI.

So!
App 7, -2 MDV from the Jewel of the Lawgivers' Authority, spending 2m on the Excellency to avoid botches (Ireva's anticipating possibly having to break Xet out, so saving Essence). Of course, if she's already spent 5WP to ignore Ireva's last social attack, she doesn't need to spend any WP to reject this one.

Rolls:
[roll0] honest Presence+Charisma
(There's no way the Negotiation specialty applies here, I think, but just in case it falls under the ambit of the previous negotiation: [roll1])
Possible stunt: [roll2]
+1 sux from Excellency

EDIT: Heh, that was a pretty bad roll, but since she's probably taking -5 to MDV (from App and the Jewel), plus Intimacies/Virtues, it might still be enough that she can't just ignore it. If not, ah well, I didn't spend much on it.

Ireva was going to tell Fire Orchid that Xet isn't what she seems, but at this point it feels like that would risk Isa's cover for possibly no gain - she was going to say something like "she's not actually an Immaculate, she's a deep-cover agent infiltrating the Cleansing" (which is true), but she has no confidence that Fire Orchid would refrain from murder if it meant admitting in front of her troops that she was wrong/deceived. (Yes, this is a pretty awful thing to believe about someone, but Fire Orchid has given her reason to think it and no reason to think otherwise, and when it's Xet's life and Isa's cover at stake...) She feels like Isa would be safer just getting the hell out of here.

Essence:
Personal: 6 + 3 committed to Unblinking Sentinel Gaze + 3 committed to Judge's Ear Technique
Peripheral: 14
Anima banner: 11

(I assumed another 2+1 stunt for my last post. If I'm wrong, let me know; if it was 2 or 1+1, I have two fewer motes. Spending 2m on the social attack and 3m on Wind-Carried Words Technique to Tepet Xet.)

[Maugan Ra]

Zhou says nothing in response to Fire Orchid's final words, just turns and follows his wife and the aide out of the tent. He steps close to them both as words are exchanged, and it probably does not escape notice that his fists are clenched.

"So, I am having trouble thinking of reasons why I should do anything other than walk out of here." Zhou says quietly, though he nods when Ireva warns Xet. It is what he had been planning to do himself. "At the very least, I intend to pass on warning to my actual commanding officer about what is going on here. Though I don't know whether the Taimyo already knows her daughter is still alive."

[Ifni]

"She must know," Ireva says quietly. "And not just her - Fire Orchid implied fairly strongly that those who sent us knew. But Zhou, be careful: you can't report those suspicions in any official format. Remember what she said early on - under current policy, if it could be shown that Fire Orchid had official contact with Lookshyans, it would be grounds for their removal and execution. An informal warning would probably be all right, though." She glances inquiringly at their companion for confirmation.

"As for why we shouldn't try to walk out - well, our guide can probably give us a few." She nods to the aide. "Incidentally, how should we address you, sir?"

"But as one thing... I would like your Kazei to be effective against the Mask. I would also like her to be someone we can work with afterwards, if she survives. We may not be able to work toward that outcome here, but we'll surely lose any chance if we leave."

She pauses, and then adds slowly, "I... have some thoughts, as to what might be driving her behavior. Here isn't the best place to discuss it - and I might be wrong, or in any case it might not be something we can change. But I'm not quite convinced, yet."

Ireva has a Unified Theory of Fire Orchid (which belatedly occurred to me this morning). But she's not going to discourse on it a few steps outside Fire Orchid's tent :smallwink:

[Ascension]

Hidden (at least for the moment) among the crates stacked in the broken Frostwing's hold, Braga silently mouths words, a small charge of essence spiriting their sound away through the winds before it can escape his lips.

"Shimoko. Chuzei Braga speaking," he begins, then freezes. This is it. Warn her away? Ask (no, order) her to tell the others? Bring the others? Or... ask her to stand with him? Challenge her to face a deathknight again, for the second time in a single day?

"One deathknight aboard ship. Searching the hold."

He could run. They could both just run. It doesn't seem like the deathknight's seen him, and he knows the nearest breach in the hull isn't far... it would be easiest. It would be safest.

And a burning surety in his stomach reminds him it wouldn't be right. Deathknights are Anathema. Abominations, their Essence fueled by the Underworld's twisted perversion of death, death-without-Lethe. And this one is looking for something aboard ship. Something that belongs to Lookshy. What would it be if he just let the deathknight have whatever he might want? That would be sin, wouldn't it? True sin?

"Can't allow his escape. I'm sorry."

The apology's intended as much for himself, and for Versi, as for Gochei Maheka.

"Prepare to engage. Dragons be with you, Gochei."

That would be 1m from Personal for Wind-Carried Words Technique. It's explicitly stated that you don't have to speak the words audibly, you can just mouth them. I'm not actually intending to Join Battle yet, though Braga won't hesitate if Typhon/Shadow/Whoever forces his hand.

[Lix Lorn]

Shimoko had a lot to think about.
For that reason, she'd let the acting commander enter the ship first, on the excuse that she'd examine the outside of the ship, and check for anything thrown free from the wreckage. Her search was cut short, however, by a silent whisper, finding her ears from inside.

Deathknight he whispered, voice barely audible.

Her instinct was to go through the side of the ship to aid him. But... no. The words had come quietly. Either he hadn't been found yet, or he didn't want them to know she was around.
Plus, it was made of the magical materials. She'd probably bounce from the side, and that would just be embarrassing.

Instead, she made haste, moving as quietly as she could, for the entrance Braga had taken.

[Ascension]

Light flickers in the shadows of the Frostwing's hold. Braga flexes and tenses, preparing his body for the coming strife, drawing the essence of Mela within him up to the surface, his lifeblood answering where the shadowland's dying essence flows will not. Sparks flash from his eyes; thin thunderbolts arc across his skin. His stealth won't long endure such a display of power, but he is steeled to strike out at the deathknight (or as steeled as he can be, in the face of such a foe). He only needs his fragile concealment to last one moment more.

Putting Glorious Birthright Font up again, as I said I would. 3m from Personal. It doesn't technically specify any stealth penalties, but its fluff does describe that "While this Charm is active, Essence surges from the character’s eyes and flickers under her skin as it flows through her veins," so it... probably should. If I need to make another stealth roll to try to stay hidden long enough to get to my actual attack action, I've included it below. If there's a dice pool penalty, knock off the last rolled first. If I was absolutely certain this roll is necessary I'd probably hit it with a Conviction channel, but... well, we'll see if my streak of not-being-noticed holds up on its own.

Dex+Stealth
[roll0]

Maybe stunt:
[roll1]

[industrious]

Aide

The aide looks shocked at Ireva's assertion.

"...your contact was supposed to brief you," he notes quietly as he leads them through the camp. "Evidently, she has been lax with her duties, though I doubt she did so out of sloth or ignorance. And if the Chejop's Shadow is so incompetent as to be unable to extract herself, I'll eat my boots.

The couple is led to a small, modest tent, albeit one immaculately pressed and cared for. A bedroll and pack of rations are laid neatly inside.

"Your quarters, sir and madam. And before I must depart to attend to other matters...the Commander greatly desires to return home. Her other reasons notwithstanding, her honored husband's remains merit burial in the crypt of Gens Kharal. He fell bravely, despite his age, defending his wife against those professing to follow the true Immaculate Faith. But the Commander knows that Heaven supports her campaign, even if the nature of that aid may take unknown and unexpected forms. Good night."

With a bow, the aide excuses himself, and leaves the couple alone.

Kharal Fire Orchid

She smiles widely, laughs gaily.

"Silly kitty."

Picking Skandi up, she resumes petting him from ears to tail.

"You will be my little Flufferkins, and I will feed you and give you treats. Who's a good kitty?"

Raising the tiny Lunar to her face, she bumps noses, so that the two are eye to eye. Skandi can see the amusement reflected in her eyes, the humor...and the gratitude.

"Thank you for your aide, Chosen of Luna. If half of your legends are true, then I welcome your sword and your cunning."

The Solar replaces Skandi on her lap, ruffling the fur along his belly and head with her fingers. Her grin widens.

"...I'd probably enjoy this more if you changed back, you know."

Smile :smallsmile:

"Versi! That's a really pretty name!"

She nods throughout Versino's monologue, eyes wide and paying the utmost attention to the Lunar's story.

"I know," she says at the end of the Traveler's words. "It's not fair."

Angrily, the Abyssal stomps into the ground, grinding the soil with the ball of her foot.

"Not fair! Not fair! Not fair!"

"I keep telling Daddy that I want a friend, but he never lets me have one! I wanna play and have fun and be a good girl but I have to do what he says all the time and it's not fair!"


Well, combat implies conflict. Think of this more as "guiding how Smile will react and feel, using dice."

First off...Manipulation+Presence+Excellency, to create an Emotion effect towards Smile: "Sympathy"

[rollv]18d10


Jade is happy to let the man snatch the rest of the fireworks back, the red one safely within her robes, even as she pretends to gibber and grasp for the precious flares. The ghosts draw closer, reaching out their hands towards Shard - and suddenly vanish.

After ten seconds, the woman uncovers her head and looks up at the guard with amazement in her eyes. "Where did they go?" She said.

Guard

"I...don't know." she says. "But nobody is going to sleep until we find out. The First Lance"

"...Is right in front of you, soldier."

Unrelenting Duck marches grimly towards Shard and the other soldier. And if the march is a tad unsteady, her advice remains solid.

"The thaumaturges should have ointment for the sentries. Wake them if they aren't up already, and begin checking the camp. Shard, come with me to the officer's tent. It's been a long night, and you could some rest. Gods know I won't be getting any - feel free to use my bedroll."

[Ifni]

Aide

The aide looks shocked at Ireva's assertion.

"...your contact was supposed to brief you," he notes quietly as he leads them through the camp. "Evidently, she has been lax with her duties, though I doubt she did so out of sloth or ignorance. And if the Chejop's Shadow is so incompetent as to be unable to extract herself, I'll eat my boots.

The couple is led to a small, modest tent, albeit one immaculately pressed and cared for. A bedroll and pack of rations are laid neatly inside.

"Your quarters, sir and madam. And before I must depart to attend to other matters...the Commander greatly desires to return home. Her other reasons notwithstanding, her honored husband's remains merit burial in the crypt of Gens Kharal. He fell bravely, despite his age, defending his wife against those professing to follow the true Immaculate Faith. But the Commander knows that Heaven supports her campaign, even if the nature of that aid may take unknown and unexpected forms. Good night."

With a bow, the aide excuses himself, and leaves the couple alone.

Her husband. Right. And likely recently...

Ireva catches the aide's sleeve as he turns to leave. "Wait, sir. Please."

She takes a quick breath and then continues, "I won't keep you long, but... our presence here was arranged for a reason, presumably. Yet we've been offered nothing but silence and hostility since we left Yu-Shan. If I believe the Commander, she has no use for any skill I possess save the sword." Her voice is level, unemotional, although it would not be difficult to guess at her feelings.

"You have knowledge we don't. Do you mean Xet, when you refer to our contact? I honestly didn't feel she'd been given much more information than we had. And it would be much easier for us to help if we had some idea what you want from us." A hint of frustration leaks through the calm. "Or if it was just to get us out of the way and there are no further plans we might accidentally interfere with, that would also be useful to know."

[Inspector Valin]

Versi nodded at the Maiden's words, frowning in sympathy. Their situation was different, but she could understand the feeling behind it very well. The frustration at a situation that seemingly didn't have an answer, the longing for something more and someone to talk to. The two of them... might actually have a few things in common. Perhaps Abyssals weren't as different as they seemed. After the black clad girl concluded her tirade, the Malfean was silent for a few seconds before speaking, voice gentle, understanding. "I didn't have much of a chance to make friends back home either. I didn't have Father then, but Master Kaneko still bossed me around a lot."

Chuckling to herself at the realization that she was beyond the old Ghost's reach now, Versi pitched her voice into the supervisor's shrill whine. A part of her still flinched at the memories of the old one's crueller days... but better to laugh at him than fear him. "Take wine to the customers, Girl! Pray to the master, Girl! Move three more barrels up from the basement, while I float around doing nothing. I'd have gotten that job done yesterday whilst I was alive." The ex-slave snickered at her own impersonation, fears fading away. Both of Smile and of distant Kaneko. "Had to sneak away just to have any time to be myself. And even then, no one else around to talk to. Just me."

The young Lunar sunk down against her tree, looking up slowly towards her newfound confidente. It was strange to trust Smile, to any degree, but... how much did she really know about Abyssals? Or Thorns? She'd mostly heard second hand accounts. Even if this was a trick though... having someone to talk to freely still felt good. "I kinda thought Lookshy might be better, but.... I don't think they're going to let me just wander around and have fun either. The war and everything. I'm going to need to train. Try and learn more Sorcery and stuff."

The thought was mixed for the blood stained traveller. She liked to learn, but... a chance to relax in the city would be nice. She was quiet briefly before chuckling, the difference between her and the Abyssal becoming more obvious. "Father wouldn't mind though. He's nice like that. Perhaps I can go to a party or something. Meet some Dragon Bloods, drink some sake..." The thought made Versi smile wistfully, gaze drifting for a few seconds before an idea came to her. The little Lunar turned back to Smile, gaze intent. "Do you have parties in Thorns? Perhaps your Father could let you go to some. You could meet people, make friends..." She frowned, unsure of herself. That might've been a foolish thing to suggest, but... well, she didn't know any better. You could only find things out by asking questions, right?

Not resisting this. Versi's feeling honestly sympathetic, and Smile's playing this dead on, especially with that being manipulation. :smallwink:Lady's a virtuoso.

[DeafnotDumb]

Shard forces a shaky smile to her face, still trembling from the excitement. It's not hard for Jade to think back to her reaction to the fight earlier today and bring it to the fore: the tricky part is reining it in and leaving enough control for Jade to do her own thing.

Thankfully, Duck's presence is calming, a isle of calm and command despite the drink, and right now Jade can admire that as she half-forgets that the threat is entirely invented. Hopefully entirely invented. She wouldn't put it past Heaven to taunt her here. "T-thanks, Lance." She mutters, and clears away her stammer with a swallow. The First Lance's tent is sure to have lots of useful information inside it, and that keeps the thread of her thought from unspooling. "It'd be good to sleep somewhere that feels safe. Sorry for the panic - I'm not too used to -"

A thought genuinely strikes, and Shard arches her head as she searches for the diminutive figure. "Where's Versi?" She asks. "The girl who fought Willow? I promised her father I'd keep an eye on her."

[Aevylmar]

“I’m sure you would,” Skandi agrees. “But even if your tent is warded, I’m sure some of the ghosts watching your army would hear about the handsome man who appeared in your tent out of nowhere, and some of them might let the Mask of Winters know where I disappeared to.”

He purrs.

“I don’t think anyone outside this camp even knows I have a cat form.”

All of these are true, incidentally.

[industrious]

Aide

"I'm sorry," he says quietly, with a faint smile. "But we are forbidden from interfering with the relations between the Realm and Lookshy. If we had any plans that could affect how the two saw each other, they'd be terribly illegal. But as for the Commander...the words cost nothing. Action - it's what you do, even with your words, that she looks for."

"And I wouldn't trust your contact. Even if she swore an oath. Maybe especially then; her mentor could outwit the entire Deliberative, with millenia of accumulated power and cunning and might. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get to Sijan before the dawn. Destiny waits for none, even her servants."

Smile

"We do. But nobody likes me."

"Oh, look, it's the Maiden of the Mirthless Smile!" Smile says, affecting an exaggerated tone for her peers. She kills people! She drinks their blood! She can't play with us! She's creepy and weird! Don't forget what happened to..."

Tears flow down Smile's face.

"...I had a friend. One, in the whole world, and he was nice and smart and we played games together and he told me about this super secret club that he was in...and then Daddy found out. He has spies everywhere, and even though I tried to keep him a secret he found out, and now...he's one of the faces in Daddy's armor! And then Daddy made it so everyone thinks I did it! That I..."

She bows her head, sits on a nearby stump.

"...Daddy doesn't want me to have friends. He just wants it to be me and him and the Mask of Winters and the other deathknights forever until the sun turns black and even then I won't get to play with anyone."

Lips trembling, she affects a smile, looking at Versino.

"..You're really nice, and funny, and you didn't try to kill me or call me names or anything even when I took you away from everyone. I don't want Daddy to find out about you. Maybe...I should just go, before Daddy finds out and you end up like him too. I'm sorry I woke you up, Versi."


Manipulation again. Versino is going to want to be friends with Smile, damn the costs!

[roll0]



Shard forces a shaky smile to her face, still trembling from the excitement. It's not hard for Jade to think back to her reaction to the fight earlier today and bring it to the fore: the tricky part is reining it in and leaving enough control for Jade to do her own thing.

Thankfully, Duck's presence is calming, a isle of calm and command despite the drink, and right now Jade can admire that as she half-forgets that the threat is entirely invented. Hopefully entirely invented. She wouldn't put it past Heaven to taunt her here. "T-thanks, Lance." She mutters, and clears away her stammer with a swallow. The First Lance's tent is sure to have lots of useful information inside it, and that keeps the thread of her thought from unspooling. "It'd be good to sleep somewhere that feels safe. Sorry for the panic - I'm not too used to -"

A thought genuinely strikes, and Shard arches her head as she searches for the diminutive figure. "Where's Versi?" She asks. "The girl who fought Willow? I promised her father I'd keep an eye on her."

Duck

"...I think she's sleeping in one of the tents over there," the First Lance gestures vaguely. "But she's Exalted; surely she can take care of herself?"

Isa

Isa renders herself beneath the notice of her would-be superiors and the other woman in the cage (whoever she is, someone boring almost assuredly). The guards, on the other hand, seem to spot the Sidereal just fine.

The Gem turns in her hand, and the stars reflected in its depths spin counterclockwise. Her fate is at a perilous balance indeed. The escape plan represents a chance, albeit a slim one. But the sheer Essence of the camp - the enlightened Martial Artists at least, not to say the 3 Exalts present, make the future very much up in the air.


Ireva's message can arrive just about now.

And the Madame has her own stealth Charms.

[Ifni]

"The Commander seems to share your opinion of sanctified oaths, too," Ireva replies, rather ruefully. Only rueful, not hinting - she hopes - at the seething hurt of that unhealed wound, to offer one's life to a cause and have the offering rebuffed as worthless trash.

The edge of her lips curls in a humorless smile. "As for actions - she seemed to prefer to drag us to Lookshy by main force, rather than risk any chance we might prove ourselves in the meantime." She raises both hands to her forehead, rubs her eyes. "But that's my problem, it appears, not yours."

She inclines her head to the aide, almost a bow, and offers a real smile, of appreciation and gratitude. "Thank you, for the advice and the background." More the latter than the former, if she reads his words correctly. Ah, deniability. But one can facilitate, without interfering. Although of course, it might also provides a convenient excuse for obliquity in which everyone can hear what they want to hear... "Travel safely."

Once the aide has gone, she turns to Zhou, managing a warmer smile and tone for her husband, albeit with a touch of... weariness? Heartsickness? "Talk over the situation first? Or try to find where Xet's being held? Fire Orchid only guaranteed her life until she'd listened to us, by your terms."

[DeafnotDumb]

"I, uh, made a promise." Shard says a touch uneasily. The woman behind her mask needs a brief walk alone - a little time to fix herself so that she's prepared to face Duck and this army of Lookshyian rejects. Versi is a good excuse. "I should at least check in. Sorry. I'll grab your tent afterwards - which way is it?"

Assuming a positive answer, the conwoman bows her leave and makes her way towards Versi's berth, and then stops at the tent flap, hesitant. Versi might be asleep and she doesn't want to wake the poor girl after today, but rather more importantly Jade's disguise is less firm than she'd like. Putting herself into the path of prying eyes...

"Versi?" She calls into the tent, compromising. "Just checking everythings okay?" She swallows, suppressing Shard's idiot maternal feelings. "Do you need anything?"


Ball's in your court, Valin.

Rolling a reflexive Perception+Awareness just in case it's needed at some point, 8 die:
[roll0]

[Inspector Valin]

Clearing
Versi shook her head emphatically at the last, face wreathed in sadness, heart aching at the tale. There were similarities between the two of them, their lives and pasts. But the Girl in the Cellar'd never had a chance like that, people to talk to, an honest friend. To have those things, after a life of isolation, only to see them snatched away... that was far worse than any pain the old ghost had ever made her feel. She wanted to pat the pale Maiden on the shoulder, to offer to be her friend no matter what.

Yet some quiet voice whispered in her ear. One that'd learned from her encounter with Xet and the Chuzei's party. She couldn't just let her feelings and wants dictate how she reacted to things. That wasn't best for anyone, including Smile. She couldn't offer too much, she still remembered Ireva's briefing. There was a war coming. And making promises she couldn't keep would only hurt more.

Tapping her finger gently against the bark, the young Lunar was silent for a few seconds longer before finally asking the question that'd started to pray on her mind. "Why do you listen to him then?" The young Malfean looked up towards the sky, expression softening a little as she thought back to happier times. "I love Mr. Braga. I'd stay with him no matter what. But that's because he's kind to me. He's the one who taught me how to speak Rivertongue, who kept me safe from the Cleansing. Most of what I know about Creation is because he taught me. He's nice, thoughtful and wise and he's saved my life a bunch of times. That's why I love him, and try to help him."

The dark skinned girl's face reddens a little, she wasn't being tactful speaking of Braga's kindness to Smile, given what she'd been through. Coughing, she tried to move on, looking back to the other child on the oak stump. "If your Daddy makes you so upset, and doesn't let you have friends then why do you stay with him and Mask of Winters?" Versi pointed back towrds herself, tone gentle, non-accusatory. She could understand what the Maiden was going through. Everyone you ever talked to treating you differently, as other, just because of what you were. And those who organized your life didn't want that to change. "Master Kaneko and Vahliz made me feel like that. But I ran away from them. Five days and five nights, I kept going to get away. And I wasn't even an Exalt then." She tried to smile encouragingly at Smile. Was there something she was missing here? A more complicated relationship between her and her father? Abyssals being different to other Exalted? All she could do was ask though.

DVs aren't affected by injury penalties AFAICT: those affect rolls, not static values. Even if they do though, Versi's got +5 from Sifu's Useful Fingers, which allows her to block that either way. That said, the sympathy from earlier is still in effect, so Versi isn't hostile, that suspicious, or even against being friends. She just stays a little calmer, a little more objective and detached. Although her question betrays her non-understanding of traditional family dynamics. :smallwink:

Earlier
No answer came at Shard's words. A furtive glance into the tent revealed the reson, Versi was sound asleep, eyes closed, smiling up towards the roof of the tent. Her bloody tattered green tunic still draped over her, the small Exalt seemingly oblivious to it. It'd been a long day for the young Lunar, and for now, she was happily dead to the world.

You can wake Versi up if you want to, but she doesn't have much to say. She's ok; this is a couple of hours before Maiden, IIRC.

[DeafnotDumb]

Twitching open the tent's curtain just enough so that her face is still in shadow, Jade catches sight of the sleeping Versi, sensibly dead to the world. An unwitting smile twitches across the conwoman's lips. Well, the girl had the right of it. It had been a long day - far, far too long - and she needed the Lance's tent in order to grasp her disguise again, not to mention her sanity and perhaps some useful little papers.

Leaving the Lunar to catch sheep in her sleep, Jade went to pilfer drawers before hers.

[Maugan Ra]

Zhou nods gravely. "True enough. I'd be surprised if she's still confined, honestly, but better to make sure."

He sighs. "I confess, I had hoped for a more... well, for more in general. Fire Orchid is still family, and I wish that was enough. But it's not. She has the legal authority to reclaim her old rank, but that doesn't mean I have to jump to her tune." He shakes his head. "As for the orders... how do you manage this kind of thing, love, without it driving you utterly insane? When they sent us out here without any supplies, I thought it might be a suicide mission, but it never even occurred to me that the intended message might be to defy the orders that sent us here."

[Ifni]

Ireva begins walking, then pauses at Zhou's words, and turns to wrap her arms around him.

"I think it's mostly that you're naturally honest, love, in a way I'm not," she murmurs, rather muffled, against his jade-armored chest. "Don't ever change."

She steps back from the hug after a moment, and tilts her head back to meet Zhou's eyes. "Although if you like, I can point it out when I think less-honest motivations are involved, try to help us both practice spotting them."

Her voice turns thoughtful. "This was orchestrated by the Bureau, you realize? Whether they worked through Tien Yu or someone else in the city, or directly through your Intelligence contact - that's presumably why 'Xet' ended up with us, as well. It makes a lot more sense now. And they knew Versi was a Lunar, from what Skandi said, so that lines up... they must have known Shard was a Solar, too." A pause. "That nobody countermanded your orders... hmm. Suggests they were subtle about it, at least. Which they'd need to be, given their constraints on intervening between Lookshy and the Realm."

Ireva reaches out to take Zhou's hand. "But so. Kazei. How high a rank is that? And what are your obligations, if you recognize it? To a superior officer, but one not in your direct chain of command, I mean." She shakes her head, a brief sharp gesture. "I had... hoped for more, too. Hope and an eighth-yen will get you a cup of tea..." She shrugs, trying to hide the pain. "But at least she's got her army pointed at the right target."

"Honestly, once we established that - it's by far the biggest issue. Part of me wonders why I should care, if she so badly wants to fight without help: if she's misjudged she'll get a lot of her troops killed, and maybe herself, but she'll take a chunk out of the Mask in doing so and that's a lot better than nothing."

[Ascension]

Another moment passes and Braga is not discovered. A laggard (no, a fearful) portion of his soul nags at him to stay longer, to prepare himself further, but he knows there must be some limit, some ending to his luck. His are not subtle magics; as a Prince of the Earth he's never felt an Anathema's need to conceal his nature, and in the halls of power he never anticipated that he would ever find himself in such a situation as this. He poises himself to strike...

...but, no. He stops himself again, bides his time another moment. He forces himself to think. That's what he is, isn't he? A man of reason first, not a man of action. He should think before he charges.

Am I ready for this? Have I done all I can do?

His mind races, summoning memories of the battle past, of the deathknight he knows lurks in the cramped hold, and midst his fear he finds some details to cling to.

Twin Daiklaves. Armor might have been artifact, too. Soulsteel. He should stink of it.

That, that is something he can use, and without calling a tempest up around him. He pauses a moment more, pauses and lets the stagnant stillness of the shadowland's essence flow over him, attunes himself to the deathly calm of its base elemental structures so that any unevenness, any irregularity in his solid surroundings might show as clearly to him as ripples in a silent pond. He should be able to feel the presence of any of the magical materials, even soulsteel, if he can immerse himself deeply enough.

Going to take just one more action before attacking, since you left me free to do so. This might also have the side effect of revealing if he's trying to pull off an ambush of his own, or if he's effected an escape while I/Braga have/has been dithering. Putting up Fivefold Resonance Sense, one of my favorites, with 2m from Personal. Braga should sense any magical materials within 200 yards on a difficulty 3 Perception+Occult roll, and any jade within 800 yards at that difficulty. Any blue jade is automatically detected. Attunement doesn't disrupt that detection, and even if the artifact or bearer of the artifact is concealed, even if by Celestial+ magic, regular roll-off rules apply. The Charm lasts for the duration of the scene.

Braga's Perception+Occult, with his Artifacts specialty to Occult and his Dragon Tear Tiara's full bonus to "occult sensitivity," totals to a 13 dice pool.
[roll0]
Stunt?
[roll1]

Assuming this turns up nothing unusual, an actual ambush attempt is coming next post, I promise!

[Lix Lorn]

Rapidly, whatever else he may feel, Braga will notice a veritable wall of jade and steel, moving quickly but carefully to the nearby doorway, and then waiting for him to act before she does.

[Maugan Ra]

"Hmm. If it is the work of the Bureau, that would make a degree of sense out of the whole thing. All right, I can work with that." Zhou says thoughtfully. "Though yes, some practice at reading beyond the obvious would probably be helpful. I keep missing things, and one of these days I'll miss something vital and wind up paying for it."

As for her rank..." He frowns. Kaizai is roughly equivalent to... Dragonlord, I think, in Realm parlance. I'd be obligated to show her some degree of respect, and obey her orders so long as they didn't conflict with those given by someone in my direct chain of command. In this case, given our nominal mission, she has precisely no grounds to exert any formal authority over me."

He pauses. 'You know, even laying aside the whole 'Solar leading a foreign army' thing. And the attempted mind control, let's not forget that. Legally, I could have attacked her right there and been immune to official reprisal or any court martial, no matter what she threatened. I didn't because I'm not actually suicidal, but it doesn't encourage much cooperation anyway."

Zhou sighs, and shakes his head. "In total, though... no, we have little reason to care. I mean, it would be fantastic if this could all be easily resolved, but in the end, this is so far above my pay-grade it's kind of ridiculous. I don't care if whoever sent us out here wanted a disposable method of communication, I don't know nearly enough about the wider situation to actually negotiate or interact in good faith with her. The best I can do is cancel our assassination mission on the grounds that it would be directly damaging to Lookshy's interests - which it would, given that she's effectively made herself a military ally in a time of war."

"Right now, I want to get Xet... whoever she actually is... and regroup with the rest of our team. Then we can work on getting back to Lookshy, and away from the Solar warlord and her army. Even if me and you could contribute the best by marching with her - which I doubt - I want Versino behind the walls when the enemy army arrives. A girl that young should not be forced into a meat-grinder, even if she is Exalted. Besides, her and her father are far more valuable to any war effort in a workshop rather than on the field."

[Ifni]

"Xet is Isa," Ireva says softly, pitching her voice for Zhou's ears alone. "And if you want an example of reading beyond the obvious... notice how our presumably-Gold contact was trying to sow distrust between us? Implying she had information she hadn't shared with us, and certainly the omission wasn't simple ignorance, no." She shakes her head. "He probably believes it - I didn't check - but I'm fairly sure he's wrong."

She taps her fingers together as Zhou goes on, pensively. "I did say part of me wonders. Another part says... that the Gold Faction cannot intervene between the Realm and Lookshy. But they placed us here, a Lookshyan and a Solar who have personal experience of the Order's value as allies, against those who are enemies to us all. I wonder... if their purpose in sending us here is to avert the next war, between the Realm and an Anathema-allied Lookshy. As well as to try to finesse a better victory in this one." She shrugs, and smiles up at Zhou, a little hesitantly. "That's... something worth working toward, for me. On both fronts. Maybe it's above our pay grade, but the Sidereals don't seem to think so."

"If we instead want to return to Lookshy - well." She frowns, in consideration more than disapproval. "I'd like to go back too, but if we've only seen the Gold's hand-picked contacts, we don't have much indication of how the leadership really views Solars and Lunars at present. I'd figured we'd be safe enough or the Gold wouldn't have sent us there in the first place, but now it looks like they'd orchestrated our reception pretty carefully. Although again, that the mission wasn't squashed when you reported it to others suggests they weren't just pulling the wool over everyone's eyes."

She looks down. "Still, I am worried that perhaps the Gold included Versi in the group because it would've been dangerous for her to remain in Lookshy. Fire Orchid meant it when she said any support of a Solar would be considered treason." Her voice wavers slightly, and guilt darkens her green eyes as she glances up at her husband.

"Do you know people in Lookshy who you could contact, in confidence, and expect to get advice untainted by politics, and a window on what's happening in the city? Maybe your father? I... suppose it might put them in danger too, just to know - but if they're in Lookshy and in no position to change your actions, they presumably can't be blamed for them." Her smile is deeply awkward, almost apologetic. "Just... maybe don't tell them about me, just yet?"

[Maugan Ra]

Zhou hesitates for a long moment, then sighs. "I might be too eager to just wash my hands of this whole mess. If we can do something that influences the future like that, well, it's certainly worth trying. But I have to admit, I don't see how."

He paces back and forth in the relatively narrow confines of their tent, his brow furrowed. "Fire Orchid is a military officer on campaign. We've been... commanded... to attend the briefing in the morning, but that's almost certainly going to focused on the purely practical matters associated with an army on the march and likely headed into battle. It's not even slightly the best time to talk about public relations or high-stakes diplomatic affairs, especially not in front of the other officers she'll probably summon."

"And like I said, I don't have anywhere near enough information and context to accurately advise her about those topics anyway." He turns to Ireva, and his tone becomes gentle and reassuring for a moment. "Fire Orchid might have meant what she said, but I meant what I said back in Nexus. Celestial Exalted have lived, acknowledged and unmolested, in Lookshy before. Placed under higher scrutiny for their potential power, perhaps, but it is possible, love. Or it was, anyway. This Cleansing support came right out of nowhere, and it's changed the political and domestic situation in ways I can't guess at without being there."

He bites his lip, thinking hard. "And... normally I would go to my father, you're right. And if I can get in contact with him, that remains my preferred option. It would have to be via Wind-Carried Words, if we didn't return to the city, but some kind of exchange would be possible. And... I have an old friend in the Sky Fleet. If I told him we'd been shot down, that we were stranded near a potentially hostile army and that we were on an important mission from the security directorate, he'd come and get us. I know he would, we owe each other too much, go back too far for him to do otherwise."

"But... that's a fairly irrevocable decision, and I don't know if dragging him into this mess would be any kind of way to repay his loyalty."

[Ifni]

Ireva nods. "Agreed. Let's keep that in mind as a potential future card, one Fire Orchid likely doesn't know you have, but not try to play it just yet. I wouldn't want to put your friend at risk."

A playful smile. "Stop pacing for a moment..." She reaches up to embrace her husband, stands on her tiptoes to offer a kiss. "I'm not giving up hope that it will be like that again, love - or even better. But you're right, it's hard to guess what's going on from outside the city."

She settles back onto the balls of her feet, and continues, "Let's go find Xet. If she hasn't managed to get herself free, that's one thing, and will keep us here unless we want to try to break her out, but if she's vanished... well, either of us can send a wind-carried message to let her know where we are, arrange a rendezvous. Same with Skandi, if we decide we do want to leave tonight."

"But I'm inclined to think we should take tonight to gather information, unless we have to spend it protecting Xet. Once my anima's down, I can change into something rather more unobtrusive -" She brushes a hand across her chest, where her amulet rests, "- and do some asking around. Try to find out what exactly happened with the Immaculates, make some contacts. Lay some groundwork. And once you have some Essence back, perhaps you can contact your father, try to learn more about what's been happening in the city? I know it's hard, with the Wind-Carried Words Technique, to get detailed information across, but as you say... some exchange might be possible." She pauses. "Although I guess earlier might be better than later for that, if you don't want to wake him up."

"It would make sense for Fire Orchid to invite our allies to the briefing tomorrow morning as well, since they're also Exalts. If she does that, well, it'll be much easier to get everyone back together. Although I suppose one of us could try contacting Braga in case they're still near the Frostwing, find out if they had any luck with repairs."

"And if we wait for the briefing... it'll be one more chance, at least, to get a sense of your cousin. Maybe tonight was atypical, maybe seeing Xet shook her that badly..." She shakes her head. "I don't know. I won't raise any issues relating to the Realm there, I think you're right about that. I suppose... I'm guessing the hope is that we can impress her, and from there sway her opinions. But in that order."

She shakes her head again, slowly.

"I did think... that perhaps it might be less arrogance, and more insecurity, that drives her. I know... how it can make you doubt yourself, to Exalt as a Solar when you were raised Immaculate, and yes I know the faith in Lookshy isn't the same, but still. But I can easily imagine - a desire to be useful, to prove oneself valuable, helpful, worthy of respect and trust -" She stumbles over the words a little. "To the point that you talk up your own best abilities as the only thing that matters, and denigrate any skill you don't yourself possess, and see any questioning of your judgement as a threat to your future and your self. Especially when dealing with a family member, someone you want to be proud of you -" She squeezes Zhou's hand, "- who's accompanied by a stranger of dubious affiliations."

"It may be better if we talk to her separately, down the track. If it is that kind of fear... I am not a threat, in isolation, she doesn't care what I think, which might make it less stressful for her to talk to me alone. And for you - she cares about you, half what she wanted in that meeting was a reunion with her family. And it might be easier for her to act like family if she didn't feel the need to keep reminding me of my place. If it's fear that is the root, not arrogance... the way to solve it is to salve the fear, not try to crack the shell that hides it."

A shrug, and her eyes grow less distant. "I don't insist on this interpretation. But it's something to think about."

[industrious]

Braga

The twin daiklaves the deathknight wears are soulsteel; the foul resonance of the material shuddering through the band the Air Aspect wears upon his brow. But as for armor...the deathknight has chosen starmetal and not more soulsteel instead. A curious choice, though perhaps a sign of ostentation; the material was by far the rarest of the five.


Starmetal is a known magical material. It isn't associated with any type of Anathema, and it has been conclusively proven that it is impossible for an Exaltation resonating with the known properties of starmetal to exist.

It is really hard to find, however, because dead gods are hard to find. The Immaculate Order keeps a stock of it from when gods go rogue, though. Somewhere.

Smile

She shakes her head.

"Where would I go?"

The girl spreads her arms wide, palms up, the world unfolding around her. Her voice gets more and more bitter with each word.

"Everyone knows what I am. I'm a deathknight. I'm evil. I'm Anathema. I kill people and I like it. I drink blood, and I serve the Mask of Winters. The sun hurts, and its too bright, and staying in Creation is like trying to tread water all the time."

"And maybe...maybe if I'm a good girl, if I'm good enough, they'll be better. They aren't all bad, always. Sometimes, they can be nice."

Smile tries to smile; her mouth twitches at the ends as tears crease the corner of her eyes. She drops her head, staring at the ground.

"...I'm glad your Daddy's nice. Even if it took you a long time to find him."


Poisoning the Well. Killing Words Technique, manifesting as soul-wearing weariness (which isn't Obvious).

You will have an argument with Braga. You will be unreasonable, and not make up afterwards.

[roll0]


“I’m sure you would,” Skandi agrees. “But even if your tent is warded, I’m sure some of the ghosts watching your army would hear about the handsome man who appeared in your tent out of nowhere, and some of them might let the Mask of Winters know where I disappeared to.”

He purrs.

“I don’t think anyone outside this camp even knows I have a cat form.”

All of these are true, incidentally.

Skandi

"Someone's got a high opinion of themselves," the aged Solar meows back. "Some of the tales of Skandi linger his ugly, scarred visage, a terror in battlefield and boudoir alike."

The Solar yawn, rubs at her eyes.

"...it is late, and we have briefings at dawn. Unless you plan on sharing a bed" she winks "out with you."

[Ascension]

'Starmetal.'

For a moment Braga almost delights in the apparent foppishness of his opponent before the flow of essence about his own body reminds him that the garments he wears are conjured from an artifact made of the same stuff.

'This is irony, is it not?'

He might laugh if he weren't living it, if this were a farce being enacted on the stage.

'Ah well, perhaps we're at least equally inept in the arts of war,' he says to himself, and then the moment is come. No more preparations, no more dithering, no more coward heart. That is an Anathema there lurking in the hold, and he is a Dragon of the Rea... Well, he's a member of the great host of the Exalted. It's his duty, the duty of his blood, to confront the enemies of Creation.

'...and do not fall into despair,' he thinks, recalling the scripture he so recently quoted.

His heart skips a beat as he throws himself out from the cover of the concealing crates, essence thundering from his fingertips before he's even properly sighted the deathknight. He allows his sense of his adversary's artifacts, the mingled souls of dead mortal and dead god which together adorn the Abyssal's profane flesh, to guide his hands, the essence unleashed from his body seeking out the essence stirring within the foeman's steel.

Braga is no scholar of battle, but the flow of essence he understands. Mela's pure wind bleeds from his veins, a tempest fit to overcome all stagnant shadowland miasmas, a living lightning fit to purge death of its darkness. It is enough, isn't it? He prays irreverent prayers to gods and Dragons.

'Let this bolt strike true.'

Successfully ambushing Black Ice Shadow Typhon that guy is Dex+Stealth vs. Wits+Awareness, though of course an anti-Unexpected charm would render that moot even if Braga succeeds. Braga's Dex+Stealth is still 7.
[roll0]
Stunt?
[roll1]

The actual attack itself is Elemental Bolt Attack, of course. And now comes the part where I futilely pay in essence on this attack because Braga doesn't IC know that this is BIS and that he's probably about to use a surprise negator and a perfect in order to remain a recurring character in this game. :smalltongue: 2m to the First Lore Excellency to raise my attack pool by 4 dice, 2m to Elemental Bolt Attack to raise its damage by 4L, all from peripheral.

Dex+Athletics+Specialty+Excellency is 17 dice.
[roll2]
Stunt?
[roll3]

Base damage, from Glorious Birthright Font and the essence paid into Elemental Bolt Attack, is 8L (Overwhelming 2).

Finally, Braga's Wits+Awareness for Join Battle is 6.
[roll4]
I guess I should still roll stunt dice for that?
[roll5]

[Aevylmar]

"Those tales," said Skandi smugly, "were told by people who did not know Lunar regeneration charms."

He hops out of her lap.

"We will meet again at dawn, then."

And, twitching his tail, Skandi the Kitty walks out of her tent, looking very dignified. Once he's out of sight of her guards, he scampers like hell in the direction he thinks Other Orchid went.

[Inspector Valin]

There is a whisper in Versi's head at those words, a quiet, shadowy thing carried up from the darkness below. But the young Exalt doesn't notice it for a second. Her focus has been on Smile, a young Exalt like her, but with a more painful fate and place in Creation. What was one more iota of unease, a brief chill across the nape of the neck? It was a chill night and they were discussing dark topics. Versi simply placed a hand to the back of her neck for a moment, barely thinking before looking back towards Maiden, frowning. "You deserve better than that. Than just hoping they'll get better."

Slowly, hesitantly at first, Versi took a step forward towards the Deathknight. Drawing close, the Lunar smiles, placing a hand upon the Abyssal's shoulder before drawing her arms around Smile, hugging the strange little figure. It wasn't much, and the young Lunar felt that keenly, but there was honest warmth behind it, a few tears gently dropping down her face. No one should feel that alone.

Versi lingers in the embrace for several long seconds, the source of her bloody wound forgotten. Smile was like her, another lonely Exalt, trying to make sense of the world. She'd just... chosen a darker path towards that. She shouldn't be blamed. This wasn't her fault. The young steward sniffed a little as she drew away, meeting Smile's gaze with a frown of sorrow and regret. What could she offer someone in this situation? The Maiden's life wouldn't improve with Versi just giving her a hug. The young traveller shook her head, a touch dejectedly. "I don't know what I can do to help yet. But I want to. I don't like being hated either. It's not just Deathknights no one trusts."

Sighing, the Lunar looks up towards the night sky, considering the points of light. She sighed, the sight was pleasant, but reminded her of that first night in Creation. And how far she still had to go in her objectives. The little Lunar looked across to Smile, trying to seem encouraging. "A lot of things are wrong in Creation. If we can learn about them, work out how we got to this point, perhaps we can make things better. Or at least work out where to start, perhaps?" She met Maiden's gaze, trying to see if she agreed with that idea at all. It seemed like one more thing they might have in common.

Can't find a good justification for any of Versi's virtues kicking in here. Compassion? Braga's not been hurt, or in direct need of sympathy. Conviction? Arguing with Braga, whilst something that's pretty OOC for Versi, doesn't act against her core beliefs. Temperance might work for emotional restraint, but it's Versi's lowest virtue and wouldn't boost things enough. And Valor... doesn't make sense for confronting Braga; he's not that powerful.

And... that eliminates Versi's chances of boosting this high enough to defend against it.

So yeah, Poisoning the Will now active on Versi. Industrious, can I get a confirmation on the duration? Versi will resist for the first day likely, have an argument the day after that, and then not apologize... until the end of the duration. One scene of erosion will be rebuilt fairly soon after this goes wrong, barring other interference

[Maugan Ra]

Zhou considers for a moment, then nods. "I... guess I can see that." he says slowly. "Not an interpretation I would have come up with, but then, I've never been in that situation."

"Alright, that works as a plan. Maybe not an ideal one, but I've always been told that being able to make the best of a bad situation is a useful goal. And... yes, staying for the moment probably works. We wouldn't get far in the night anyway, and I want to regroup with the others first. Hopefully they'll be invited to the meeting like you said, otherwise I'll contact Braga and get him to bring them up here. "

He smiles, and steps forwards to wrap his arms around his wife in a brief hug. "Always so thoughtful and considering. Thank you, for that." He says softly. "It's good for me to have someone there, to help provide direction. We'll make this work, you and I. First Fire Orchid, then Lookshy, then the world."

He grins. "The plan seems to have acquired another step somewhere, but I think we're up to the task."

[Ifni]

"Fire Orchid, Lookshy, Thorns, the world," Ireva corrects, with a grin. Her voice softens. "As for direction - well, I guess all we can do is keep stumbling along together. And remember where we're trying to go."

She shakes her head, and her tone lightens, her eyes dancing. "Now, as for being always so thoughtful and considering -" She returns the hug. "Curses. Now, if you're not being sarcastic, I have to live up to that..."

Stepping back, she reaches into her jacket, concentrates for a moment, and draws out a long narrow box-like shape swathed in red silk. She smiles up at her husband, but the laughter in her eyes has become something more solemn, almost wistful.

"I initially thought I'd give you this in Lookshy," she says quietly. "As a... wedding present, I suppose, and a dowry. To do honor to your family. I know -" She pauses, and shakes her head slightly, her smile crooking at the edge. "I suspect you're going to glare at me when I say this, but it's true; I know I'm not bringing very much to this marriage, love, except myself. In the Realm - and yes, I know, we are manifestly not in the Realm - for an outsider to marry into one of the great Houses of the Dynasty would cost the wealth of a Threshold kingdom, if it could be arranged at all."

"Anyway." She eyes Zhou's expression, and tosses her head, as if to cast away those thoughts. "I can't do much about that, except try to be worthy of your Gens. But as a symbol, at least -"

She twitches the red silk aside.

The scabbard is long and slender, forged from some finely polished metal, light in Ireva's hands despite its strength. It shades from a deep red-gold near the hilt to a flame-bright red near the tip, the colors glowing lucently in the clear white shining of the Eclipse's anima. Delicate lines in a darker metal criss-cross the region near the hilt in an interwoven geometric pattern, above a slender band set with tiny flowers. The main part of the scabbard is adorned with intricately detailed designs of dragons and phoenixes coiling and twisting through clouds (or are they fires? hard to tell) above a landscape of waves and mountains, worked in shimmering silver-gold. They catch the light and seem to fly in truth, leaping forever forward in a single frozen moment. The scabbard is a work of art, and yet also unmistakably functional. It could have been forged yesterday, but something in the style speaks of an older culture, a different time.

Inspiration pictures:
http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z394/shuanglong81/abc/1323.jpg
http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z394/shuanglong81/abc/1322.jpg

"... it's a relic of the Shogunate." Her voice is quiet, but beneath the surface there is a hopeful enthusiasm, do you like it? "I found it in Yu-Shan; it should fit Aurora pretty well, if the measurements I took were accurate, and if it's survived this long it's probably pretty resilient. The god in the shop didn't know its full provenance, but it was obviously made for an Exalt's daiklave. And given Lookshy's history, and heritage..."

She runs a finger along a flame-wrought wingtip, and smiles up at Zhou, the warmth in her eyes like a summer afternoon. Or a kindling fire.

"It reminded me of your anima. And it seemed to me that... whatever unknown soldier bore it once, whatever battles it's seen, they would be better honored by service to the Seventh Legion, than lying on a shelf in a Yu-Shan antiques shop."

Her shoulders straighten, and her voice becomes... not less warm, but more decisive.

"I said I thought I'd give it to you in Lookshy, to try to do honor to your family. I'm giving it to you now - to do honor to you. And because today reminded me that the war isn't imminent. The war is now. The war is here. It never ended, really, for me; I just hid from it for a while." Her eyes are distant, looking inward and faraway - to years past and gone, and to yesterday. "And I remember what regret tastes like - for little words unspoken, for simple gifts never given, for plans unfulfilled - and I've eaten enough ashes for one lifetime."

Her gaze comes back to her husband, and her smile grows fierce, and tinged with... anger? Irony?

"When your usual guide-posts are sending mixed signals, and it's hard to know what's wanted from you, or what course of action you should take -" She shakes her head. "I think it's a good time to remind yourself of where you came from, and who you are."

"Chuzei Kharal Zhou, of the Seventh Legion, it is my honor to be your wife." Ireva holds out the ancient scabbard, balanced across both hands, and bows over it - not a gesture of subservience, but one of acknowledgement, and pride. A brief bright joyous half-smile peeks out from behind the solemnity as she looks up again to meet Zhou's eyes. "Semper fo."

From Fire Orchid, the words had been a strident call to arms, demanding allegiance. From Ireva they are something quieter, warmer, a private affirmation. But for their calm, no less unyielding.

As discussed with industrious a while back, Ireva bought a Shogunate scabbard of unknown provenance in Yu-Shan. It's not magical, presumably, or she wouldn't have been able to afford it. It may or may not have historical significance: Ireva has no idea. For the moment, at least, it's just a very nice-looking scabbard designed for a reaper daiklave :smallwink:

[Maugan Ra]

Zhou is silent for a long moment. Then he smiles.

"And to think you once claimed not to understand our culture." he says softly, voice warm with barely suppressed emotion. "As gifts go, you would have to travel quite some way to find anything more appropriate."

With a smooth motion, he draws Aurora from it's current sheathe - a well made, but unadorned scabbard that he has rarely given much thought to. The scarlet Daiklaive gleams under the touch of the brilliant sunlight glow that surrounds his wife, the rolling flames under it's surface flaring bright in automatic response to the strength of the emotions surging through Zhou's body.

With his left hand, he reaches out and touches the scabbard, running his fingers gently over the elegantly inscribed patterns that cover it's surface, inspecting the beautiful craftsmanship, touch lingering for a moment when it reaches Ireva's own hand. Then he takes it in a firmer grip, reverses the hold on Aurora, and slides the blade home.

The sword makes no noise as it is sheathed, save for the faintest of clicks as the guard touches the edge of the scabbard, and at that noise Zhou closes his eyes.

"Semper Fo." He says quietly. Ever Resolute - the motto of the Second, which has in many ways become the rallying cry of the Legion as a whole. But he is not of the Second, has never worn their forest green armour. His uniform is red, the hue of the First Field Force, Kharal Linwei's own detachment of specialist forces - and isn't that a cruel irony, given where they now stand. And they have their own motto, once that comes easily to mind as he open his eyes once more and matches his gaze with his wife's.

"Blood and Fire." A simple phrase, but it means so much more to anyone who has ever served in the First. It is a reminder of who they are, of what they do, of everything that they stand for. And as Zhou takes the scabbard from his wife and affixes it to his side, for the first time in a long while he feels that certainty again.

[Aevylmar]

It is at around that point that Skandi the Kitty arrives, looking up at the lovebirds with big kitty eyes.

He turns to a relatively sandy place, scratches, "Talk alone", and, once he's sure they've seen it, obscures it again with his paw.

[Ifni]

"Blood and Fire," Ireva whispers in return, and reaches out to clasp her husband's hands.

(Albeit not without the tiniest possible flicker of hesitation. Blood and fire, and she's used very similar phrases before, to try to cage in words the horror of that night when she was four. Torchlight and pyreflame, and blood splattering the streets. The air heavy with that coppery scent, and smoke, and rot - the memories that flooded her mind, when Fire Orchid said war gives birth to the greatest glory.

But no. That's not what he means, not Zhou. The fire in his blood, his family's blood, the phoenix and dragon wedding. That's all. It must be. And that, she can celebrate.)

Any further distracting proceedings, however, are curtailed by the slight scratching noise from beyond the open tent-flap. Ireva looks around, spots the be-fanged cat and - a moment later - the message, and takes two quick strides to scoop Skandi into her arms. A careless sweep of her foot erases any traces of the message left after Skandi's paw-swipe.

"Oh, look, Zhou, a kitty!" she coos, in much the same tones that Fire Orchid had used. It's a deliberate signal; she's not sure if her husband had spotted the telltale signs. She turns back into the tent, absently releasing the rolled-up flap with one hand, to give them at least some privacy. Although given her still-bright anima...

"Silhouettes will likely show as shadows against the light, on the tent walls," she breathes into Skandi's ear, as she rubs her cheek against his fur. "Maybe not the best place to change back, if you want to hide your presence. We were going to go check on Xet, want to come?"

"Oh, you want to get down, kitty?" She sets Skandi down on the floor of the tent between herself and Zhou. "Let me put down some paper for you, just in case of accidents, we have to sleep here after all..."

A sheaf of well-worn parchment comes out of her pockets, and she picks the cat up again to set him down on top of it, at the same moment palming a small ink-vial and trailing a dribble of thick black ink across the paper.

The Eclipse looks up at her husband and mouths Skandi silently.

[Aevylmar]

Skandi purrs, nods, yes, he wants to come, and dips the tip of his paw in the ink and writes as quickly and cleanly as he can, as a kitty.

"Always spies in camp. Talk after dark. Cat isn't Skandi."

Then he looks up happily at them, ready to leave when they are.

[Ifni]

Ireva spends a few more moments petting the cat, stroking under his chin and behind his ears with murmured comments on his cuteness, and then smiles up at Zhou. "Shall we go find Xet, then?" She hoists the kitty up onto her shoulder, and makes the papers vanish back into her jacket. "Better not leave the cat here, if we don't want to come back to find our bedrolls shredded."

Outside the tent, Ireva walks up to the first soldier she sees. Still wreathed in white-gold light, still shining with a terrible beauty: the small cat riding happily on her shoulder only detracts a little from the image.

"Excuse me," she asks politely, "could you tell us where the prisoners are being kept? The Chuzei -" she nods to Zhou, "- and I would like to check on them."

If the bit in spoilers happens, Ireva will use Mastery of Small Manners, and if a social roll is called for, she will augment it with Irresistible Salesman Spirit.

I may not be able to post for the rest of the day, heading out with a friend.

[The_Snark]

No clear omens. Unfortunate, but not unexpected - and the omens if she doesn’t attempt escape are both clear and very inauspicious. Not much point in waiting further, Isa judges.

She adopts one of the first katas of Throne Shadow Style: eyes downcast, shoulders stooped, palms inwards. Not something most people would recognize as a combative stance - quite the opposite. Which, of course, is the whole point. And as she does she closes her eyes, envisioning the labyrinthine tangles of the Loom of Fate mirroring her surroundings. Somewhere in Yu-Shan, the spiders are watching…

She reaches out with a sense that has no name and pulls, rearranging those imaginary threads - I am not here. I left five minutes ago. Any evidence to the contrary is an error to be corrected - and the world changes. She can feel those phantom threads shifting all around her, accounting for the way things have suddenly always been; and before it finishes she shucks the strands of fate that tell everyone who sees her I am Tepet Xet, leaving only a well-dressed foreign woman cloaked in anonymity.

Isa is activating Lion Mouse Stratagem and Avoidance Kata, both of which are reflexive, and removing her resplendent destiny. Avoidance Kata doesn't give any control over where you end up, so let's see what happens!

Essence tracking: Isa currently has 1-3 personal motes left, depending on what the stunt rating for her last action was.

[industrious]

Ireva spends a few more moments petting the cat, stroking under his chin and behind his ears with murmured comments on his cuteness, and then smiles up at Zhou. "Shall we go find Xet, then?" She hoists the kitty up onto her shoulder, and makes the papers vanish back into her jacket. "Better not leave the cat here, if we don't want to come back to find our bedrolls shredded."

Outside the tent, Ireva walks up to the first soldier she sees. Still wreathed in white-gold light, still shining with a terrible beauty: the small cat riding happily on her shoulder only detracts a little from the image.

"Excuse me," she asks politely, "could you tell us where the prisoners are being kept? The Chuzei -" she nods to Zhou, "- and I would like to check on them."


If the bit in spoilers happens, Ireva will use Mastery of Small Manners, and if a social roll is called for, she will augment it with Irresistible Salesman Spirit.

I may not be able to post for the rest of the day, heading out with a friend.

Ireva

He snaps to a salute at their approach.

"Of course, ma'am. I'll escort you there myself."

They reach the prison to find a single prisoner idylly lounging on the grass, a faint smile on her face. Their escort shrugs.

"Don't know why you'd want to come here, though."


No clear omens. Unfortunate, but not unexpected - and the omens if she doesn’t attempt escape are both clear and very inauspicious. Not much point in waiting further, Isa judges.

She adopts one of the first katas of Throne Shadow Style: eyes downcast, shoulders stooped, palms inwards. Not something most people would recognize as a combative stance - quite the opposite. Which, of course, is the whole point. And as she does she closes her eyes, envisioning the labyrinthine tangles of the Loom of Fate mirroring her surroundings. Somewhere in Yu-Shan, the spiders are watching…

She reaches out with a sense that has no name and pulls, rearranging those imaginary threads - I am not here. I left five minutes ago. Any evidence to the contrary is an error to be corrected - and the world changes. She can feel those phantom threads shifting all around her, accounting for the way things have suddenly always been; and before it finishes she shucks the strands of fate that tell everyone who sees her I am Tepet Xet, leaving only a well-dressed foreign woman cloaked in anonymity.

Isa is activating Lion Mouse Stratagem and Avoidance Kata, both of which are reflexive, and removing her resplendent destiny. Avoidance Kata doesn't give any control over where you end up, so let's see what happens!

Essence tracking: Isa currently has 1-3 personal motes left, depending on what the stunt rating for her last action was.

Isa

The Sidereal vanishes, reappearing near the outside perimeter of the encampment. There doesn't seem to be an alarm.


2 die stunts.


Versino

There is a whisper in Versi's head at those words, a quiet, shadowy thing carried up from the darkness below. But the young Exalt doesn't notice it for a second. Her focus has been on Smile, a young Exalt like her, but with a more painful fate and place in Creation. What was one more iota of unease, a brief chill across the nape of the neck? It was a chill night and they were discussing dark topics. Versi simply placed a hand to the back of her neck for a moment, barely thinking before looking back towards Maiden, frowning. "You deserve better than that. Than just hoping they'll get better."

Slowly, hesitantly at first, Versi took a step forward towards the Deathknight. Drawing close, the Lunar smiles, placing a hand upon the Abyssal's shoulder before drawing her arms around Smile, hugging the strange little figure. It wasn't much, and the young Lunar felt that keenly, but there was honest warmth behind it, a few tears gently dropping down her face. No one should feel that alone.

Versi lingers in the embrace for several long seconds, the source of her bloody wound forgotten. Smile was like her, another lonely Exalt, trying to make sense of the world. She'd just... chosen a darker path towards that. She shouldn't be blamed. This wasn't her fault. The young steward sniffed a little as she drew away, meeting Smile's gaze with a frown of sorrow and regret. What could she offer someone in this situation? The Maiden's life wouldn't improve with Versi just giving her a hug. The young traveller shook her head, a touch dejectedly. "I don't know what I can do to help yet. But I want to. I don't like being hated either. It's not just Deathknights no one trusts."

Sighing, the Lunar looks up towards the night sky, considering the points of light. She sighed, the sight was pleasant, but reminded her of that first night in Creation. And how far she still had to go in her objectives. The little Lunar looked across to Smile, trying to seem encouraging. "A lot of things are wrong in Creation. If we can learn about them, work out how we got to this point, perhaps we can make things better. Or at least work out where to start, perhaps?" She met Maiden's gaze, trying to see if she agreed with that idea at all. It seemed like one more thing they might have in common.

Can't find a good justification for any of Versi's virtues kicking in here. Compassion? Braga's not been hurt, or in direct need of sympathy. Conviction? Arguing with Braga, whilst something that's pretty OOC for Versi, doesn't act against her core beliefs. Temperance might work for emotional restraint, but it's Versi's lowest virtue and wouldn't boost things enough. And Valor... doesn't make sense for confronting Braga; he's not that powerful.

And... that eliminates Versi's chances of boosting this high enough to defend against it.

So yeah, Poisoning the Will now active on Versi. Industrious, can I get a confirmation on the duration? Versi will resist for the first day likely, have an argument the day after that, and then not apologize... until the end of the duration. One scene of erosion will be rebuilt fairly soon after this goes wrong, barring other interference

Smile

She blinks, looks away.

"I...I don't know. Knowing where things come from doesn't really help me now."

She looks to one side, the other.

"I have to go back now; Daddy'll get suspicious if I don't come back. Please don't tell anyone about me? Daddy has spies everywhere, even when you think you're alone. And...if we have to fight and try to kill each other...I promise I'll only pretend to. Pinkie swear?"

Braga and Shimoko

The lightning arcs towards the target, whose eyes remain steady as he stares directly at Braga before raising his arms in a sweeping motion and

Braga's lightning crashes uselessly against the side of the hull; the man must be berating himself for doing so. Why attack an empty pile of crates? To impress the gunzoha? There was no enemy here, and if there was, he had just revealed...

The chilled edge of a soulsteel blade rests lightly against the Air Aspect's neck.

"Shhh..." Typhon whispers. "Don't move. I'd hate for my hand to slip; these are very sharp. Tell me your name."


Two die stunt.

Unfortunately, it missed. Fortunately, you players now know who's wearing the scarf.

[Ifni]

Ireva

He snaps to a salute at their approach.

"Of course, ma'am. I'll escort you there myself."

"Thank you, it's much appreciated. What's your name, soldier?"


They reach the prison to find a single prisoner idylly lounging on the grass, a faint smile on her face. Their escort shrugs.

"Don't know why you'd want to come here, though."

Ireva shrugs. "You can learn about a leader from how they treat their enemies, as well as how they treat their friends." But she's smiling, and her tone doesn't hold disapproval.

The prison genuinely doesn't look too bad; room to stretch out, as the current occupant is demonstrating. Although there's only the one occupant. Fire Orchid had mentioned another prisoner - has Isa been taken somewhere else? Were the other Solar's orders coded, designed to mislead listeners? Or has she managed to slip away, before or after reaching this cage? Isa might be able to manage it subtly enough to avoid an uproar - Ireva remembers the way she seemed to fade from notice in Nexus, radiating meek quiet unexceptionable pay no attention. Or the guards charged with holding her might even now be frantically searching, hoping to recover their prisoner before her escape becomes widely known. Or there's the possibility that this is Isa, wearing another face - Ireva peers in at the woman, searching for any kind of subtle signal.

After a long moment of examination she looks back at the guard, and indicates the prisoner with a tilt of her head, steadying the cat on her shoulder with her other hand at his protesting meow. "What did she do to end up in there?"

[Inspector Valin]

"What's a pinkie?"

Versi blinked a little puzzled, but nodded at Smile's words: the young Abyssal knew more about Black Hand's power than she did. Best not to take chances. She chuckled a little at the request, placing a hand back towards her earlier wound. "I don't think I could kill you anyway. You're good at fighting, damn it." There's no malice in the young Lunar's tone. It'd been a fair fight, barring the lack of armor thing. Grinning, Versi nodded a second time. "But all right. I promise, if we have to fight, I'll pretend too."

The little Lunar's smile faded a little. Her gaze grew distant, thinking back towards the camp, Skycutter... and Braga.Her mind wheeled through the other members of their party, smiling, friendly and dedicated to the service of Lookshy. Versi's eyes started to drip, the young chosen gently crying, her breath harsh. She tried to grin, just as Smile had a little time before. "I don't have a lot of friends. I.. don't know you that well, but I'd still hate it if you died."

[Ascension]

In one moment Braga faces death head on, with blazing essence and grim determination... in the next death has him by the throat, and it's a quiet, whispered, unanticipated death, quite removed from the roar of battle.

This shouldn't be possible, but it is happening, and Braga knows the wonders of Creation too well to rule out anything simply on grounds of impossibility. Somehow he was provoked to strike at shadows. Somehow he is ambushed. There's no escape from those facts. What remains is to deal with the situation those events have created.

"Do you seek power over me through my name, deathknight?" Braga asks. Not a whisper to match the deathknight's own; he wants Shimoko to hear as she approaches ('If she's approaching... if my call for aid wasn't delusion also...').

"You'll find no shades of my family to summon to fright me, if necromancy is your aim. All my forefathers were faithful to the Immaculate Creed; they are past Lethe and lost to you," he boasts. There's no sincere substance in his defiance: first, he knows no material power Oblivion's servants have through names; second, he knows that indirect manipulation through his family's shades would hold precious little purchase over him; and third, he doubts that this particular deathknight is the necromancer of his company. But the challenge might draw him out to further speech, and that might buy time... time for Shimoko to come, or some other miracle to transpire, time for something to spare him from facing the blade at his throat alone.

'Dragons defend me...'

[industrious]

Rising Glory

When the conwoman enters the First Lance's tent, she realizes she isn't alone. One of the common soldiers lies on the ground, genuflecting before the Night Caste.

"Oh most generous Rising Glory," he says. "I thank you for blessing me with the chance to see you twice in this lifetime."

Typhon

The deathknight makes an impatient clucking sound, tongue against palate.

"Manners, manners. Especially when speaking to more august persons, child of Mela."

His short daiklaves scrape just so, and the Air Aspect finds his throat and jaw clean-shaven.

"Are there any more of you skulking about? Or will I be forced to reenact all those terrible rumors the Immaculate Faith preaches about what my kind does? Which particular misdeed would you have me begin with?"

The tip of one daiklave is lowered, rests against Braga's navel.

"Disembowelment? Messy, messy, and the fun is over too quickly. Amputation? Your hands look soft, Dragon; you don't get much use from them. Or...what if I do nothing at all to you? And simply pay that sweet child a visit one night?"

"Your name, Dragon."

It is at this point that Shimoko arrives.


"What's a pinkie?"

Versi blinked a little puzzled, but nodded at Smile's words: the young Abyssal knew more about Black Hand's power than she did. Best not to take chances. She chuckled a little at the request, placing a hand back towards her earlier wound. "I don't think I could kill you anyway. You're good at fighting, damn it." There's no malice in the young Lunar's tone. It'd been a fair fight, barring the lack of armor thing. Grinning, Versi nodded a second time. "But all right. I promise, if we have to fight, I'll pretend too."

The little Lunar's smile faded a little. Her gaze grew distant, thinking back towards the camp, Skycutter... and Braga.Her mind wheeled through the other members of their party, smiling, friendly and dedicated to the service of Lookshy. Versi's eyes started to drip, the young chosen gently crying, her breath harsh. She tried to grin, just as Smile had a little time before. "I don't have a lot of friends. I.. don't know you that well, but I'd still hate it if you died."

She winks at the Lunar, the sudden shift in mood jarring even as Smile's eyes remain haunted.

"I'd hate it if I died too!"

Slowly, she reaches for Versino, giving the Lunar a hug of her own. And...sniffing her neck?

"...Sorry. Habit. But...try to slip away night after next?"

Ireva and Zhou

"Five Hounds Braying," the soldier says. He shrugs at Ireva's question. "No idea."


I'm kind of eager to move to the next scene in the morning? Just make rolls for the information you need, and I'll try to post it sometime this weekend.

[Lix Lorn]

Shimoko skids to a halt, watching and panicking. Two against one, where the one is a deathknight. Not good.

[Inspector Valin]

Versi grinned at Smile's laughter, happy to see the little Deathknight was capable of more positive emotions. Still the young Lunar frowned at her request; not at the idea itself, but more at the practicality of it. "I don't think we'll be here then. We're supposed to be heading back to Lookshy if we don't hear from the others." Still, Maiden probably knew that they weren't going to be staying in one spot. Smiling gently, Versi nodded.

"I'll try though, no matter where we end up. It'd be nice to talk some more."

[Ifni]

Kitty Skandi, Zhou and Ireva


"Five Hounds Braying," the soldier says. He shrugs at Ireva's question. "No idea."

"Fair enough. When the Commander mentioned prisoners I'd wondered..." Ireva purses her lips, thoughtfully. "I'd heard you suffered an attack by agents of the Immaculate Order, not long past? I gather none of them were taken captive?"

She leads the conversation on from there, as they walk back through the camp, "- although I think we can find our own way back, Five Hounds, if you have business elsewhere. It's kind of you to offer to guide us, but I don't want to presume on your time."

She gently tries to elicit information on the recent attack, on who was responsible and whether any survived, on casualties other than Fire Orchid's husband. Even more carefully, she probes for stories and memories of the dead, wanting to understand what their loss would mean to this army and the Solar who leads it. When that becomes too fraught, she asks after Five Hounds' own history, and his time with the Commanding Teacher.

And she looks around, casually, as they walk between the campfires, scanning faces for that indefinable sense of wrongness, of darkness hiding away from the sun. In one of those long glances, as Zhou picks up the conversation with Five Hounds, she takes the opportunity to cough into her hand, and mouth silently to the wind:

"Isa. If free, signal us please, when safe? If imprisoned, any clue to whereabouts would help. Walking to tent -" She murmurs distance and direction from the prison pen, a rough estimate but hopefully sufficient, especially combined with the (ebbing, but not yet quiescent) glow of her anima.

Ireva can walk quite slowly when she has a reason, and by the time they return to the tent, her anima has faded to mere glittering sparks on her brow. Even so she seems to shine, as if lit by some inner radiance.

She thanks Five Hounds again, bows politely to him and waits for him to depart, and then steps back inside the tent, dislodging the cat from her shoulder as she does so.

"Right," she breathes as she steps closer to her husband, barely loud enough for Zhou and Skandi's sharp feline ears to perceive, "I wanted to see what I can find out around the camp, before it gets too late and everyone's asleep. Cat, would you rather talk quickly now, or leave it for later?"

So, Wind-Carried Words Technique to Isa, and I'll try... I guess an Investigation+Charisma honest social attack to try to get Five Hounds to open up?
[roll0] Investigation+Charisma
[roll1] honesty bonus
[roll2] possible stunt

Ireva should have the motes for a WCWT and to put up Unblinking Sentinel Gaze again and have some Personal juice left over for judicious MoSM invocations, since she's presumably had some time for the hearthstones to recharge her since the social combat with Fire Orchid (my last update had her at 6m Personal before any stunt reward from her final social attack).

What follows could happen either before or after a conversation with Skandi and Zhou: I will assume before, for the moment.

A little later:

Ireva looks down, and the luminosity that seems to suffuse her fades. Her clothes become merely ordinary fabric, and then grow dull and dusty, the garb of a mercenary who's been marching or riding all day. A close match to the clothes the scout wore: she'd gotten a close look at them, in searching him and then in those desperate moments as she tried to help Isa save his life.

She unbraids her hair quickly and pulls it severely back from her face into a knot at the base of her neck, stretching skin over bone, sharpening her features. A simple helmet could fit above the knot easily enough: it's a style she's seen mercenaries wear before. For now, she wraps a bleached cotton dust-scarf around her head. Her bow is slung over her shoulder, a knife and short-sword sheathed at her side. Both bow and sword are well-kept, the bow the better crafted of the two; the sword is serviceable, but of indifferent make.

She does not look much like the shining lady who strode across the camp limned in sunlight, face brilliant with a terrible beauty, orichalcum gleaming from beneath her jacket. This is just a small woman, barely more than a girl, perhaps hoping the severe hairstyle will make her look older. A mercenary in dusty clothes and muddy boots from wading through rice paddies, her bow the best-kept thing about her. But just in case, she runs dirty fingers over her face as well, smudging her cheekbones, changing the contours of her eyes and mouth - at least to a casual glance. The disguise would never hold up to inspection by someone who knew her, but the vast majority of the soldiers in the camp haven't seen her, or only as a shining figure passing by.

She smiles at her companions, peers out from the crack in the closed tent-flap, and when no one is looking, slips out to explore.

--------

In an army this size, no one knows everyone else, or even close to everyone else. This is a blessing for Ireva, even as it would be equally exploitable by any other spy. Part of her goal here is to understand whether this is a weakness, and if so to what degree, and so she eases herself into the storytelling and singing around the campfires, tapping a little Essence to sail these unfamiliar waters just as if she were attending one of Nexus' polished poisonous parties. (It doesn't take long to convince herself that the company, at least, seems more congenial here.) She refrains from bringing out some of the more interesting herbs in her pockets, but she can offer tea-leaves for the common kettle and spices for the common pot, and once everyone is eating and drinking, it's easy to blend into the group, to fade into the general atmosphere of camaraderie.

She listens for hints that they know where they're going, and what they will be fighting, snippets of intelligence old or new. How good is their security? How tight-lipped are they about their plans?

When asked where she's been, she describes the area toward the blighted village, the new-made shadowland. From there, when she can do so subtly, she steers the conversation toward Thorns, tossing bleak half-true memories into the swirling roil of conversation - I was a Guildsman's guard, once, and you won't believe what I saw in those ever-dim streets...

Sometimes, as she wanders between fires, the topic - whether she seeds it or not - moves toward the Realm or the Order. She steps carefully, then, prodding at sore points, trying to understand whether the rage is deep-seated or superficial. But when the atmosphere begins to grow tense and painful, when soldiers' faces grow set and angry, then she tentatively offers up stories and jokes - so the tale I heard about Immaculates was... - to break the storm before it can do harm.

The Realm and the Order are the butt of these jokes, naturally. They summon much laughter, even if most of it's vindictive. But a very careful observer might note a common thread, in all the jokes and stories: butt of the joke does not mean villain. Again and again, the jokes depict the monk of the Order, or the Dynast of the Realm, as foolish or oblivious, ignorant or gullible, a figure to be mocked - but not evil, not intending vileness, merely easily deceived by a clever trickster.

And she listens, to the stories the soldiers tell of themselves, and the silent stories in the way they move, the shadows behind their eyes. Where did you come from, Fire Orchid's troops? What brought you here, to serve a Solar?

She notes the centers of conversation and attention, the people to whom others naturally turn. She doesn't approach those people directly - they are busy, and to be part of their orbit would be to attract attention - but instead those who watch them, a little further out toward the periphery. She has never found it hard to make friends.

OK, so the plan is to dial her IRA down to unobtrusive level, and then go explore the camp.

I'll roll Contacts to try to make a useful minor contact: [roll3] (standard difficulty, so need only one success)
Possible stunt: [roll4]
EDIT: Well, I guess I will see if that post amounted to a 2-die stunt, then :smallwink:

I based the description of the fires etc and evening activities on the riders' camp, and figured I could insert non-contradicted scene features (no guards directly outside their tent, etc) with a 2-die stunt, but let me know if I need to change things.

Int+Larceny (i.e. Int) Disguise check: [roll5]
Possible stunt: [roll6]
She's not trying to look like anyone else in particular, just to not be immediately recognizable as Gloriously Shiny Solar Ireva; she's banking on the fact that App 7 and App 3 do indeed look pretty different, very few people saw her up close anyway, and if she sees those people around any of the fires she will avoid those fires. I'll spend a WP here for a bonus success.
EDIT: And glad I spent the WP. Bad dice.

Should I roll something Investigation-based? Ireva is more or less trying to determine:
-If she WAS a spy, how much information would she be able to get out of the common soldiers? (optional extra: how easy would it be for a spy to poison the food or drink?)
-Are there any Creatures of Darkness around?
-What are the soldiers' attitudes towards Thorns, Lookshy and Immaculates?
-How did they end up in this position?

She is then trying to subtly encourage the attitudes (no mechanical impact yet, but I keep realizing I'll never be able to use Taboo-Inflicting Diatribe without several hours of setup, so I need to actually do the hours of setup whenever I'm in a situation where it might be relevant in future):
-The Mask of Winters is Bad and Evil and the Enemy, Priority Target Number One.
-Immaculates are misguided/ignorant/being manipulated, not evil.

She doesn't need to actually change anyone's mind with these, just plant the ideas. In particular, she's attempting the latter by jokes that mock the Order, to make it harder to accuse her of supporting them (but also harder to think of Immaculates as monsters rather than something you laugh at). Happy to roll a social roll if you like to try to ensure this goes over as intended.

EDIT: Also, as a note, her plan if someone publicly identifies her as a Solar is to claim she was testing their security (which is partly true), and congratulate them all on their alertness. It'd be mildly embarrassing but there's no reason for it to be a major problem.

[DeafnotDumb]

Rising Glory, Rising Glory. Oh, drat. What had she done as Rising Glory?

Well, theft, obviously. Grand Vandalism, once, and impersonation of the Scarlet Empress, twice (not her best plan, really. Why had she repeated it?). Several aborted seductions, since she’d been a hungry but easily bored noblewoman. Which one was –

-but no, he was thanking her. That had to mean something. But what?

Trap, obviously. Or a warning from Lookshy that she was being watched – they’d used Glory’s name. What Jade needed was Shard’s full disguise up again. What Jade needed was a night’s rest, three bottles of the strongest sake, and a good pound of opium. What Jade had was this.

“Oh…thank you…?” Shard says, bemused. Jade tries to pitch the words so it’s clear to her interrogator it’s a disguise, and clear to everyone else it’s a mistaken identity. Suffusing Shard’s natural uncertainty into the sentences should do the trick. “But I’m Bright Shard, actually. A craftswoman. I don’t know a Glory... and you are, humble sir?” Shard bows back, falling on the default etiquette, and lets her eyes skitter about the man, trying to read as much as she can from him. Who send him, why is he here… and what is he planning?


Spending 1m on Mastery of Small Manners to get the Motivation of this man – and other notable personages in the room, including Duck if she’s there. Appearance boosted to 6, left with just one mote in both pools.

[Ascension]

Any one of the deathknight's threats is enough to chill Braga's blood to ice, fear biting sharper than any natural cold the exalt has ever felt, but it's the threat to Versi that truly pierces his heart. The mere thought of Versi menaced by such a monster... of a deathknight slipping into her tent as she sleeps, when she's at her most vulnerable... Braga shivers, the movement drawing a thin trickle of blood from where Typhon's blade rests against his neck.

"Sesus Denerid Braga," he confesses, "and... and what 'august' personage might I be addressing, Sir Horror? Creation is graced by so many great enemies, I must confess I am not personally acquainted with Your Most Profane Majesty."

Even in the face of terror, deference to the sworn champions of Oblivion doesn't come particularly naturally to Braga.

[industrious]

Any one of the deathknight's threats is enough to chill Braga's blood to ice, fear biting sharper than any natural cold the exalt has ever felt, but it's the threat to Versi that truly pierces his heart. The mere thought of Versi menaced by such a monster... of a deathknight slipping into her tent as she sleeps, when she's at her most vulnerable... Braga shivers, the movement drawing a thin trickle of blood from where Typhon's blade rests against his neck.

"Sesus Denerid Braga," he confesses, "and... and what 'august' personage might I be addressing, Sir Horror? Creation is graced by so many great enemies, I must confess I am not personally acquainted with Your Most Profane Majesty."

Even in the face of terror, deference to the sworn champions of Oblivion doesn't come particularly naturally to Braga.

Typhon

"I am Typhon. Envoy of the Mask of Winters. Ambassador to the Confederation of Rivers."

Typhon chuckles, and steps back from Braga, his blades retreating from the Air Aspect. His eyes flick towards Shimoko; his tongue touches the corner of his mouth.

"And I think that peace is still possible, even at this late hour. Even if our dear general has quite the vendetta against your little golden child. So. You are going to let me leave, Sesus Denerid Braga. Gunzoha. And pray that we meet again under similar circumstances."

He turns to leave, his back facing the pair as he saunters away.

Avoiding the Truth Technique: "Peace is still possible"

[roll0] + 4 sux


Ireva

Her escort shakes his head, refuses to leave.

"Can't be too careful, ma'am. Commander wanted privacy, own way when she was alone with her husband, with the Good Sir. We agreed. The Immaculate bastards killed him. Not going to happen again. Not on our watch."

He grins.

"Don't want to know what happened to the bodies. Commander blessed them, too. No ghosts or nothing to worry about."

"Was a farmer. Fair Folk came. Burned crops. Took my daughter. My wife. Nearly killed me. Then she came with a hundred men. Saved me. Saved others. Offered us a chance to fight back. Trained us. She goes, we follow. She orders, we obey. She fights...we win."

"For her...everything."

Here and there, pockets of darkness dot the encampment, with a plurality clustered in an area sectioned off from everyone else. Even still, there are those the Sun's Face has turned from walking, talking, smiling amidst the camp. One of them nods to Five Hounds; and the man grins back, grasping his arm and thumping him affectionately on the back.

Later, as Ireva tries to discreetly escape, Five Hounds and a group of ten or so is gathered around a nearby fire. They spot her in the gloom, call out to her, to share their fire. If she refuses, two of them come with her; otherwise, they provide her a log to sit on. Either way, she is Ireva, and even if she isn't obviously a Solar, she obviously isn't one of them.

Her jokes about the Immaculates are met with mixed receptions. A few turn sullen, others laugh, one or two get angry for making light of the killers. Others pitch in their own jokes; those about the Immaculates are far more mean-spirited. And more bawdy. Five Hounds for his part, stirs when asked, and his words are met with applause.

"Don't know much about them. My town, we keep to ourselves, and the preacher tells us words and we pray. But they tried to kill the Commander, and they killed the Good Sir, and that makes them the enemy. Man tries to gut you or take your purse, don't matter if its because his kids need food or he ain't had food for a week."

Throughout Ireva's evening, the stories tend to repeat. The Commander saved me, perhaps seven in ten say. We owe her our lives. They trust her, they die for her, they kill for her. And they are proud to do so. They believe in her. Most don't know where, exactly they're going. To Nexus, the consensus seems to be. No, to Lookshy. No, to Thorns. There's a division and some talk over whether or not they would come to aid either city or to lay siege to it. Some of them lie even as they tell the truth, and others tell the truth even as they think themselves liars. But they all trust in their Commander.

Mister Flufferkins

The cat strolls through the base, and the Wolf takes note. For all its deceptive informality and chaos, there is a firm structure underneath. The Commander's men don't wear uniforms, wear no overt badges of rank, but as Skandi studies them carefully, he begins to note patterns. The way a belt is tied, or the arrangement of pouches. Subtle clues as to the chain of command. And while there aren't any other Exalts around, mention of "the damn magicians" is made, albeit quasi-affectionately.

[Aevylmar]

It isn't until after Ireva returns from her scouting mission that Skandi the Cat lets himself stretch out along the ground, then transforms again. Jade and steel and cloth grow around him, and then it is Skandi the Wolf lying along the ground, profile low so as not to cast any shadow against the tent walls. There would be little danger of that regardless, this late at night, but safety is paramount. His voice is a low whisper, so as not to carry. "Let me tell you a story."

"There was a time when I was out scouting, and I found the greatest cache of artifacts I had even seen, jade and moon silver and orichalcum, swords and giant armors and essence cannons, like those Versino wields. And i found that it was owned by a rather irascible god, who demanded tribute from the local villages, who had driven away his godly children by his arbitrary demands, who was justly hated and despised by all the realms of men."

"I, being desperately in need of resources, appealed to him to let me borrow his arsenal, and he responded by saying that he would, but only if I performed a -" He pauses. "I don't think there's a word in Riverspeak for it. A kind of formal women's' dance, done in a rather constricting outfit…"

He shakes his head. "I, mindful of my pride as a prince, refused, and so he took his artifacts and went away, and my cause failed and my army was destroyed."

Skandi waits a beat. "The ending is guesswork. The rest of the story is the story of last evening. This is the finest mortal army I have ever seen. Five thousand troops, all drilled to the peak of ability. There are no mortals in the world that could match them, man for man."

He raises a finger.

"Except that there is one Exalt in her army, and only one. Kharal Fire Orchid thus has men but no officers. We have - we are - a fine set of Exalted officers for her army, but we have no men. When I fought the Realm, their officers were their strength. Kill them, and the soldiers would fall prey to every ambush I set, would break and run, could be cut down. Let them live, and they had sorcery and charms sufficient to outweigh every trick I tried. If we wish to save Lookshy, we must dance in costume for Kharal Fire Orchid, or we and she and Lookshy will all face the fate of Thorns."

[Ifni]

Ireva

Her escort shakes his head, refuses to leave.

"Can't be too careful, ma'am. Commander wanted privacy, own way when she was alone with her husband, with the Good Sir. We agreed. The Immaculate bastards killed him. Not going to happen again. Not on our watch."

He grins.

"Don't want to know what happened to the bodies. Commander blessed them, too. No ghosts or nothing to worry about."

"Was a farmer. Fair Folk came. Burned crops. Took my daughter. My wife. Nearly killed me. Then she came with a hundred men. Saved me. Saved others. Offered us a chance to fight back. Trained us. She goes, we follow. She orders, we obey. She fights...we win."

"For her...everything."

Here and there, pockets of darkness dot the encampment, with a plurality clustered in an area sectioned off from everyone else. Even still, there are those the Sun's Face has turned from walking, talking, smiling amidst the camp. One of them nods to Five Hounds; and the man grins back, grasping his arm and thumping him affectionately on the back.

Ireva listens silently to Five Hounds' story, offering the occasional nod or murmur of heartfelt sympathy. Wife, daughter... she can imagine what it must have been like, and wishes she couldn't.

She smiles politely at Five Hounds' interlocutor, warmly enough for a casual meeting - but behind the easy courtesy studies him carefully, looking for any tell-tale hints of inhuman heritage. As Black Ice Shadow proves, the condemnation of the Sun doesn't necessary imply evil intent or deeds, but the number in the camp is... worrying. She can think of one benign explanation. She can think of many more alarming ones.

She would actually fire Mastery of Small Manners here, trying to pick up the CoD's emotional state and motivations. Depending on how CET works now and how much it costs, she might fire that too, trying to check for suspicious values of Resources/Backing, or an answer on the "how many allies does he consider himself to have in the vicinity" question (this is probably pretty different for a spy and a member of Fire Orchid's army).


Later, as Ireva tries to discreetly escape, Five Hounds and a group of ten or so is gathered around a nearby fire. They spot her in the gloom, call out to her, to share their fire. If she refuses, two of them come with her; otherwise, they provide her a log to sit on. Either way, she is Ireva, and even if she isn't obviously a Solar, she obviously isn't one of them.

Her jokes about the Immaculates are met with mixed receptions. A few turn sullen, others laugh, one or two get angry for making light of the killers. Others pitch in their own jokes; those about the Immaculates are far more mean-spirited. And more bawdy. Five Hounds for his part, stirs when asked, and his words are met with applause.

"Don't know much about them. My town, we keep to ourselves, and the preacher tells us words and we pray. But they tried to kill the Commander, and they killed the Good Sir, and that makes them the enemy. Man tries to gut you or take your purse, don't matter if its because his kids need food or he ain't had food for a week."

Throughout Ireva's evening, the stories tend to repeat. The Commander saved me, perhaps seven in ten say. We owe her our lives. They trust her, they die for her, they kill for her. And they are proud to do so. They believe in her. Most don't know where, exactly they're going. To Nexus, the consensus seems to be. No, to Lookshy. No, to Thorns. There's a division and some talk over whether or not they would come to aid either city or to lay siege to it. Some of them lie even as they tell the truth, and others tell the truth even as they think themselves liars. But they all trust in their Commander.

Ireva accepts the offer gracefully, walks over to share the fire's warmth with apparent pleasure. She listens far more than she talks, and she is a good listener - making appreciative noises at appropriate points in the soldiers' tales, grinning delightedly at their recounted triumphs, wincing or cursing under her breath at stories of betrayal or disaster. When they speak of the Commander she smiles, and largely holds her peace, only nodding slowly in respect or murmuring quiet words of understated but seeming-earnest praise. She laughs at some of the bawdy jokes; rolls her eyes at the worst of the mean-spirited ones, as if to say is that the best you can do?

(Firada would understand. Her sister had sent her into the Mask's court, after all, to laugh at far worse things.)

But she does speak up after Five Hounds, once the applause has died down. She's slipped down to the ground over the course of the evening and is leaning back against the log, comfortable, relaxed, a mug in her hand. Her voice is musing, pensive, the slow lazy tones of post-prandial thinking-out-loud. Not angry, or challenging the soldier's words - at least not directly. Her accent has shifted over the evening, growing less polished, closer to a street-dialect (and Five Hounds' own rural accent).

"Doesn't matter right then and there, no. You do what you gotta do, to keep yourself alive. But there are different kinds of enemies, don't y'think?"

She waves one hand in a direction that might be that of Thorns. "A gang boss sends a nine-year-old to stab you in the kidneys, tells them they'll get half a loaf of bread if they succeed, is the kid really the one you should be calling your enemy? I mean, you can cut 'em down, but is it gonna solve the problem?" She shakes her head. "Yeah, if you're dead, you won't care if your killer was doing it for bread, for medicine, to save a kid, to defend their city; out of ignorance, or passion; for wealth, or power, or revenge; for the fun of hurting you; to drink your blood and make your corpse into a puppet..."

She seems to lose her train of thought for a moment, staring into the dark. Then she shakes her head.

"Like you say, maybe it makes no mind, when it's down to knives in the dark, them or you." (She doesn't rub her arms, and one who knows Ireva very well might realize from that the iron control that lies beneath her casual demeanor, even as the scent of blood and roses floods back in memory, almost hallucinatory in its vividness.) "You do what's needed, to defend yourself and those who rely on you, and be proud of it - damn straight you do." She nods, almost angrily. "But before then - and after, if you win - there's a difference. You can help a starving kid, give them choices other than death or murder. You can talk a greedy Guildsman into a new line of business. You can challenge a fool's ignorance, or even a zealot's anger. But there are those in the world who just want to hurt you to feed on your screams, who'll kill you for the crime of living."

She shrugs, and stretches her arms as if to work a crick out of her shoulders, and as she settles back against the log murmurs softly, "It seems like a difference that matters, to me."

But she lets the subject drop easily enough, when the conversation turns to other less contentious stories, of a heroic commander and the troops who follow her with pride, of desperate rescues and glorious victory. It's a bright shining legend, worthy of a hundred songs, and Ireva seems to all appearances to relish it, offering up admiration and encouragement and approval both spoken and wordless.

I wanted - want? - to believe in her, too.

-----------------

She eventually takes her leave of the group and slips back into the tent, going to wrap herself into the curve of Zhou's arm, letting the hidden tension and the carefully-gauged cheeriness fall away together. Once again, she offers a wordless prayer of gratitude to the Dragons: it is so easy, with Zhou, to cast aside the masks and their burdens with them, easier than she could have imagined in those ten years of loneliness.

Unfortunately, she is given little time to cuddle with her husband and apologize for abandoning him for the evening, as Skandi the Cat promptly transforms back into human form and delivers his whispered story. The Solar's green eyes do widen slightly at the vision of Skandi attired in a 'constricting outfit' to dance for a god's delight, but she puts her hand to her mouth to stifle small squeaking noises, and suppresses any comment until after the Lunar is done. As he speaks, she moves slowly and quietly about the tent in the darkness, watching for moonlit shadows on the canvas walls, listening for the sound of half-stilled breathing, checking for inconsistencies in the floor; much as Fire Orchid had done, a few hours earlier.

By the end her eyes are serious again.

"First," she whispers, "Skandi, should you ever desire to dance this dance, you must let me know so I can advertise and sell tickets. I feel this would instantly resolve any financial shortfalls you might be facing." From her smile, she is joking - but perhaps only half-joking.

"Second - you cut straight to the chase, don't you?" She looks away, and shakes her head, but keeps speaking, quiet as a breath of wind. "This isn't about pride. You would be a good officer, in this army. Zhou would be a good officer. I... am not a soldier, and not qualified to command troops, and you heard Fire Orchid say very clearly that she had no use for any other skills of mine."

"The question is not can we help. The question is can we help better here than anywhere else. If you or she are trying to persuade me to spend the time leading up to the invasion dancing in costume, that's the question I will need answered."

And then, because Skandi is her friend, not merely a means to convey her intentions to Fire Orchid - she reaches into her jacket, and slides the hilt of Resolve clear, curling her body around to hide the distinctive silhouette from any watchers. She taps the blue gem set into the pommel and murmurs, "By the way. Did you catch the Kazei's mind-magic, at the end there?"

Ireva is actually more positive about staying than this makes it look, but she wants to hear Skandi's arguments, and she wants to know if and how the mind-control affected him before she reveals too much, since it was Obvious to her but she doesn't know exactly what it did. She also thinks that Zhou is still reluctant to stay, and doesn't want to undermine him.

(Also this lets me try to get more information on Five Hounds' CoD buddy before reporting :smallwink:)

EDIT: I'd meant to do a search for watchers, but forgot to write it in at first, so I'll roll it in the OOC. Also putting Unblinking Sentinel Gaze up again just in case it helps with spotting spying CoDs.

[Ascension]

"Villain," Braga mutters venomously under his breath as Typhon departs, glaring and rubbing his fresh-shaven jaw. He could strike, could hurl lightning at the man's retreating back, but... well, it did little enough good the first time. And Braga thinks perhaps it might be good to leave the deathknight with some notion that his ridiculous claims of peace have found purchase in the Dragons' ears, the better to rudely surprise him when next they meet.

As the Abyssal ambassador disappears, he turns toward Shimoko.

"Gochei, give me a hand with the salt," he says wearily, "We might not need it tonight, if they want to keep up this charade of peaceful intent, but we'll need it soon enough."

[Aevylmar]

Skandi sighs.

"No. What you can do is see creatures of darkness, detect infiltration among her soldiers, provide information on Thorns, and communicate along long distances instantly. One of those - one of them! - I'd be willing to eat crow for, literally or otherwise. And this is besides the fact that you were beside me in Nexus, when we carved our path to the mercenary-monster. A Solar with a daiklaive is worth more than a hundred men."

He paused. "You... mishandled that conversation. She hates the Immaculate Faith - she has good reason to hate the Immaculate Faith; it makes good men monsters - but once her head clears, she'll realize how useful you are. She'll never say she needs you, but she'll see it. Pride is her weakness. It can't be ours."

He reaches out to touch the gemstone. "I didn't notice anything, but I'm not very noticing."

[Maugan Ra]

"I'm not denying that we could help here." Zhou says quietly, looking down at the Lunar on the floor. "But I am not an officer in this army. I am an officer in the Seventh Legion. My oaths are sworn to Lookshy, not to Kharal Fire Orchid. Duty, honour, even blood... they all tell me I should be standing in Lookshy when the invasion comes, not marching with a foreign army."

His expression darkens. "Especially not one commanded by a general who insults my wife, assumes she can order me around and expect obedience, and attempts to bind me to her cause with mind-twisting magic."

"There are a lot of reasons I should leave now, and be damned to what Fire Orchid thinks or wants. I am having difficulty thinking of reasons to stay and fight under her command, especially when there is no guarantee that we would do nearly as much good here as back in Lookshy."

[Aevylmar]

He rests his head on his right hand, ticks off points with his left. "Several reasons. Here's the first. We probably wouldn't arrive in Lookshy before she did, and might not arrive in Lookshy at all." says Skandi, trying to be calm and rational. "When we tried to leave Lookshy, we were quickly attacked by two deathknights, with enough power to crash our airship. The Mask of Winters has excellent intelligence; I've been told that several times, and he clearly demonstrates it. He can use ghosts as scouts so that he will when we leave the encampment, and be able to track us." He raises a finger.

"Given the enemy's superior mobility and superior local numbers, they have perfect information and total control over the environment, except where Kharal Fire Orchid's army is. You're proposing that we walk into the midst of the enemy's scouts, making a journey that took days by airship on foot. We'll get exhausted if we try to press on without sleeping or taking off our armor, especially if they're willing to devote a few snipers to chasing us. They can deploy their two deathknights to attack us again, fresh, with full essence reserves, while we're exhausted and harried and possibly unarmored. If we can get the Frostwing working, they can shoot it down again. Our only choices are to remain with the army and accept that we utterly distrust our commanding officer, for perfectly good reasons - and to have quite a lot of fun fighting our way through an army of ghosts while we miss the battle for Lookshy."

He ticks off another finger and looks up at Zhou.

"Next point. Lookshy has a lot of Exalts. It has a lot of very smart, very powerful Exalts. It doesn't need a few more, except as more warm bodies. We can stand on the walls and be line soldiers, or we can do what no-one else can here." He sighs. "I understand that you hate her. I understand that you have good reason to hate her. I understand that she wronged the person you most care about in the world, and you'd do anything to protect her."

Skandi shakes his head. "Luna knows, I understand that much, at least. But don't think about what you want, think about what Lookshy needs. Good left and right flank commanders, plus intelligence, plus a real sorcerous expert, plus a siege weapon named Versi, could make the difference between the legion arriving intact at the walls of Lookshy to lend its strength to the siege, and a few stragglers barely making it after Kharal Fire Orchid is ambushed and assassinated."

[Maugan Ra]

"I seriously doubt the Mask's forces are as omnipresent as you imply, Skandi." Zhou says after a moment's consideration. "His numbers are not endless, and ghosts have limitations of their own that counterbalance their strengths. There is a strong chance that he will have a number of scouts in the area, but not nearly enough that he can totally control our movement."

"As for the Deathknights... I rather expect they'll have work of their own to do. The one who shot down our airship was his supreme military commander - there is no way he can hang around this far from his own forces on the off-chance of intercepting a small group of enemy agents."

He frowns. "We cannot let paranoia and our enemy's reputation frighten us into inaction."

[Ifni]

"Also, just to note," Ireva interjects quietly, "if Braga and Shard can get the Frostwing working - the weapon the Hand used seemed very similar to Versino's cannon. Which has a limited range, as I understand it. We were flying very low when we were shot down. Not hard to avoid making that mistake again."

"If we can't get the Frostwing working, then yes, staying with the army for the moment makes more sense, they're going in the right direction. But as Zhou says, Skandi, I don't think our options are as limited as you make them seem."

"As for the rest -" Ireva shakes her head, and her voice is tired. "Skandi, I didn't mention the Immaculates after Xet was taken away, except to apologize if I'd been disrespectful of her losses. I think that's a distraction - as you say, the issue is pride. She sees it as a challenge to imply that there might be any use for skills that she doesn't herself possess. We don't need fancy words, and we don't need any special knowledge. You think that's just surface bluster, that given time she'll realize she was wrong about that, and act on that realization even if she never admits it. And I do hope so. But I see no guarantee, and in the meantime, I'd be dealing with a commander who is actively trying to hamper me, and who is willing to use mind-twisting magic to quell dissent." She shrugs, and taps the gem herself. "I couldn't tell exactly what it did, but it seemed intended to get us to fall into line. Zhou and I both resisted it, it seems, and could tell that much." She leaves unspoken the obvious conclusion. "You're right, I do have skills she likely doesn't have. Some skills it's likely no one in Lookshy has, either. So again, the question is - will I serve better here, with a commander who for her own pride wants to prove me useless, or somewhere else?"

Her face is closed, showing little emotion: a trace of remembered unhappiness, of frustration. She tilts her head at Skandi. "Do you... hmm. You two talked after we left, I assume. Do you think you will be in a position to influence her opinions?"

Yeah, ok, CoD discussion will be in the next post :smallwink: Still deferring to try to give time for industrious to answer questions, since I had quite a bit of other stuff I wanted to say.

She is actually not being fully open and honest here, although she means everything she's said so far - she suspects a lot of what she says may get back to Fire Orchid, especially if it's in the form of: "Actually I'm planning to stay so I can try to persuade her the Realm isn't so bad, on instructions from a Gold Faction agent". She likes Skandi, she trusts him, but she realizes their goals do not necessarily quite coincide, especially when he's just been mind-whammied by a Realm-hating Solar. She'd rather give the impression she's about to walk out, and make "persuading her to stay" something that feels like a victory for Skandi and/or Fire Orchid.

[Aevylmar]

Skandi sighs, suppresses his urge to hit Zhou. "Your challenge aside, which I would be pleased to accept once the war to defend Lookshy is over - he doesn't need to be able to totally control our movement, he just needs to know where we are. He might be able to manage that with just sorcery, even if he doesn't want his scouts to follow us. But we're weeks' march from Lookshy; we'll have to sleep at some point, and probably to take off our armor in order to sleep. He just needs to drop off a pair of Abyssals while we're asleep and unarmored. It'll take them five minutes, plus transport time, even if he has no soldiers in the area to harass us."

He pauses. "I didn't notice anything when I touched the gem. Perhaps the mind control was only aimed at people who weren't cats? Or at people who don't have Lunar shaping-immunity tattoos?" And then considers... "If you're right about the Frostwing's climb, we may well be able to escape them. I don't think that's where we'll be the most useful, but you have a point. That does require that we could get it functional, though."

And a sigh.

"We did talk, and she has heard of me, and I do think that Skandi Dragonsbane can intercede for you. But I don't think it is bluster that made her say that, I think it was rage, and rage fades. When you said, we fought beside Immaculate monks in Nexus, less than a month ago, to protect a city of the Confederation from infernalists - and didn't mention it was only because we threatened to murder them all, he does not say - I think she decided that you were probably under Immaculate mind control yourself, especially if she knows about Sidereals, and that her own charm was an attempt to counter it. She doesn't have your gem, or know it exists, remember, and discovering that Xet vanished won't help. What will help is demonstrating that you're willing to risk your life for her soldiers. I don't think she'll put you to use as anything more than a sword-arm until the first battle, when you can throw yourself in the path of swords aimed at her soldiers and hack down enemies by the hundreds and prove you're reliable."

He gives them both serious looks.

"Also note that Lookshy sent you 'to kill her'. They want you here, for some reason. They have enough people on the walls; they need diplomats, not swords. What do we have that they need, that they can't get from all their exalts and gods and sorcerers?"

[Maugan Ra]

Zhou raises an eyebrow at the mention of a challenge, but puts it out of mind for the moment.

"That may be precisely the problem, Skandi." He says flatly. "Exactly why should we risk our lives for her soldiers? You keep speaking about how we need to prove ourselves and give her reason to trust us, but given that we were sent here to kill her - with no actual evidence save wild theorizing that maybe that wasn't the real intention behind our orders - I truly do not give two ****s whether she likes or trusts us. She tried to bend my mind. For that, I should kill her and spit on the corpse, and it is only because she is family and may be able to help Lookshy that I have not... well, that and I admit I would probably lose a one-on-one confrontation."

He shakes his head. "If Lookshy wanted an alliance, they would have sent an actual diplomat... or at the very least they would have told us that. Deniable operations are all very well and good, but you still give your operatives orders - you just lie about it later if required. You don't tell them to do precisely the opposite of what you actually want, and then hope that they'll piece things together out of a dozen fragmentary clues."

[Aevylmar]

"We should risk our lives for her soldiers because it isn't a risk," he says. "We aren't cowards. We can take the hits. They can't. Mortals die from an infected scratch. We regrow arms. If you can save someone's life, you do."

His eyes narrow.

"She tried to bend your mind? And so you should kill her? The woman you married successfully bent the minds of everyone in the city of Nexus."

He could continue, could respond to the rest of Zhou's argument. Instead he lets those words lie there. Far too late to take them back.

[Maugan Ra]

"Which is an excellent reason to be back in Lookshy, defending the civilians I am sworn to protect, and not out here risking my life for trained soldiers. I cannot protect everyone, so I protect those who matter the most to me,"

At the second point, his eyes narrow. "And when Ireva realised what she had done, she practically broke down." He says flatly. "Insults aside, are you truly trying to tell me that I should find the notion of being enslaved to someone else's goals and ideals acceptable?"

[Ifni]

Ireva reaches out to grab her husband's arm, but subsides at his response, more measured than she'd expected.

"You do not need to defend me here, love," she says mildly. But the tension that had subsided before has returned. Her back is very straight, her posture stiff, as she looks at Skandi.

"Yes. I did. So I know exactly what a Solar can do to people's minds, and how easy and how tempting it can be to impose your will with Charms, rather than doing things the slow hard way."

She bites off more words. Skandi doesn't know what happened on the Lucky Starr: doesn't know that she knelt before an Immaculate and asked Zhou to recount what had happened because she didn't trust herself to tell the story true. Doesn't know about the nightmares, and the details of the memories, and this is not the time to tell him.

She breathes out, slowly. "Skandi - if I thought there'd be a battle tomorrow, I'd gladly stay, and prove myself that way. I'd already asked Zhou, before you came here, to stay as long as the morning briefing, see how Fire Orchid behaves. If it was just a flash of anger - well, hopefully it will have cooled a little by then."

She turns to Zhou, her voice softening. "He does have a point, love. If these soldiers will fight against the Mask, every man they lose is a loss for Lookshy. Fire Orchid was speaking pure, undiluted truth when she spoke of her intentions, of her children, of her loyalty to her city. When she named herself Kazei. In that much, we can trust her. Think of her soldiers as Lookshy irregulars: it's probably very close to true, at least so long as Fire Orchid herself remains faithful."

Back to Skandi, face set in a mask of calm. "But Skandi, if you are asking me to wait for a month, more than a month, until she meets the Mask at the walls of Lookshy, if that is my first chance to win a chance to do more than march in line -" She shakes her head. "Then it will be too late, for my skills to change the outcome much at all. Which I cannot accept. Quite literally - it's a violation of a sanctified oath, as I informed Fire Orchid, and breaking it will ensure I am not worth a hundred swords at Lookshy, quite the contrary. It would be sabotage to my own side to have me fight, in those circumstances."

Her mouth twists. "An additional piece of information, for you both. This camp is full of creatures of darkness, condemned of the Sun. They're clustered in one particular area, but scattered through the camp as well - not ghosts, or if they are they're riding humans, our guard greeted one as a friend."

"Now, maybe Fire Orchid's just been recruiting every Ghost-Blood and Demon-Blood in this part of the Scavenger Lands - it would be sensible, if she wants officers who can use Essence. She would know what it can mean, to people outcast and shunned for their abilities, to be offered an honored place and a chance to make a difference."

"But... maybe not. Would the Mask interfere, do you think, with Fire Orchid escorting his agents safely to the walls of Lookshy? I'm sure she's in contact with her mother, however unofficial. Would the Mask object to Lookshy expecting reinforcements, that when they arrive, turn out to have a chain of command thoroughly infiltrated and suborned by his creatures? Or substitute 'Mask' with 'Yozi-Chosen' - I still don't know what Primal Elegance's role was in all this."

Her voice rises a little, rough with emotion inadequately suppressed. "Do you think I can afford to wait for Fire Orchid to trust me, Skandi, to believe that my skills might have value, when if you're right, the conditions for that trust are based entirely on choices our enemies make?"

She rubs her forehead, looking back and forward from Fire Aspect to Lunar. "I think this army is worth trying to save, Skandi, as you say. Zhou, I honestly think he's right about that - you can't throw away the potential gain to Lookshy of thousands of trained swords. It is more than you could accomplish by returning to Lookshy alone. And if we leave, I think we throw away that chance."

"But Skandi... that argument stops making sense if Fire Orchid is going to refuse to believe anything we say, and shut down anything we do to try to help."

[Aevylmar]

Skandi sighs. Takes three deep breaths.

"If it wasn't for the creatures of darkness, I wouldn't think there was any chance we wouldn't have to fight before we meet the Mask. If he doesn't intend to send skirmishers and light troops and mercenary allies to slow us down and prevent us from reaching Lookshy, it's only because he intends to pull extra supplies out of thin air using his sorcery so he can swing his main army down on us, to crush us before he turns on the city. But we can always listen to her briefing, meet up with our allies again, and then decide with all of us in council."

"But I don't know about the Creatures of Darkness. They may be demon- or ghost- bloods, or they may have their clothes haunted, but if your theory is right, and if he intends to let us arrive as part of his plans - we should find somewhere else in the region to look for allies and abandon the army in the middle of the night, vanishing as quickly and carefully as possible. If that wasn't just a flash of rage, and she does intend to shut us down completely, and we aren't going to have a chance to prove ourselves, it will only be because the Mask of Winters or his allies control her, and we want to be as far away from her as possible."

[Maugan Ra]

Zhou frowns thoughtfully, then nods. "All right. I don't advocate leaving right now in any case. So we attend this meeting at dawn, get another look at how Fire Orchid acts and what her plan is. Then we make our decision."

"And... I should probably contact Braga, update him on the situation and see if we can get the team back in one place. We'll need that regardless of what else happens."

[Aevylmar]

Skandi nods. "Agreed. See if you can get a report on how salvageable the Frostwing is? Our escape plans all rely on it being able to fly out of bowshot range."

[Ifni]

"Sounds good to me," Ireva says quietly, settling back against Zhou's arm.

"Although, Skandi - if she is controlled, I don't believe it's knowingly. She wants to help Lookshy. Even in the worst case, there might still be a way to save her and redeem the situation. Her mortal troops seem very loyal to her - many of them personally owe her their lives. Where she goes, they will follow. And we can't just ignore this many troops, on either side."

"But we'll see what the dawn brings."

[Lix Lorn]

"Peace." the gunzosha spits, annoyed and hurt by failing yet again. She turns to Braga, uncomfortable.
"As you wish. The salt."

[The_Snark]

Isa stands stock-still for several seconds, head tilted as she listens for any sign of an outcry. Nothing; not from the guards back at the prison, not from the sentries standing watch at the edges of the encampment. Safe. For now. She turns and glides towards the perimeter, stepping softly, keeping . No point trusting her veil of invisibility

Her mind turns to the message she received just before leaving -

Commander wants obedience, no questions, attempted mind control. Plans to march to Lookshy, arrive just after Mask, hammer and anvil. Get out if you can.

Not the worst news, if the army is moving against the Mask, but not especially heartening either. Ireva does not sound happy. Hard to pin down why from just those few words; disappointed? Angry? Afraid? Get out if you can, she says, but nothing about what she plans to do. Are she and Zhou not permitted to leave? Should she leave to bring word back to the other half of the expedition? After a moment, she decides against it; Braga and the others are surrounded by soldiers too, and both Zhou and Ireva have the means to contact them without a three-hour round trip. Better to stay here, gather intelligence and lay plans.

But first: rest. She’s hardly had five minutes to recover since being ambushed by the deathknights, and before that she spent a good eight hours at the helm of the Frostwing. An hour or two of meditation should leave her better prepared.

I'll make Awareness and/or Stealth rolls if necessary, but given Isa's dice pools and the fact that she still has Lion Mouse Stratagem + Underling Invisibility Technique up, I assume she can find a place to sit down and meditate for a couple of hours. After two hours, her Essence pools will look like this -
Personal: 15/16 (1 committed)
Peripheral: 18/38 (20 committed)

Note that she has Telltale Symphony up as she walks out of the camp, so things like immaterial ghosts or Demon-Blooded soldiers would be noticeable. Some creatures of darkness wouldn't be, of course...

[Ifni]

A Week Ago, In Lookshy...

"Skandi? Can we talk for a moment?"

It's late evening, the shops beginning to close up and dim their lanterns. Zhou's gone out for a little while, to visit some old haunts; Ireva had been reading in the inn room, before tucking the biography into her coat pocket and going to find Skandi.

Skandi had eaten, and drunk, and touristed insofar as he could, keeping his tattoos concealed. There were limits as to how much he wanted to stretch himself in a theoretically Immaculate city.

And there was Karl.

He was in his room, staring morosely into an empty bottle, when Ireva tracked him down.

"Come in, Ireva. What do you want to talk about?"

The little Solar steps in and closes the door behind her, perching on a chair across from Skandi. She glances at the bottle, but doesn't comment.

"I wanted to ask about your friend, Karl." A slight frown. "Do you happen to know anything about his heritage and background? Because..." She hesitates, and then shakes her head abruptly. If it's nothing, Skandi might be able to clear this up quickly, and if not - well, he deserves to know. "I was running my Charm to look for creatures of darkness, like the akuma, or the deathknights - it works on anyone I can see, so I've had it active since we entered the city - and well, he triggered it."

A moment later, she adds, "It might be innocent. My understanding is that Ghost-Bloods can show up, for example."

"I know he was god-blooded, of some sort. Probably actual god; demon-bloods are rare outside sorcerer territory. I also know he's dead, or, at least, I thought he was."

He looks up, quite calmly. "And you absolutely shouldn't trust him, even if he's actually alive. He was my packmate, and he betrayed me and tried to kill me. An old friend and a new enemy." Skandi's voice is, for once, completely empty of emotion.

"Ah." Ireva absorbs that, and then adds, tone calm and conversational, "He was pleased to see you, today." One foot taps slowly on the floor. "So that's... a little ominous."

She sits back in the chair, and folds her hands together. "Where did he die, from what you'd heard? If he is a deathknight - which I assume is what you're getting at - he's probably not working independently of a Deathlord."

"And then - it's up to you, but if you're willing to tell the story, I would like to hear it. I prefer to know my enemies."

Skandi sighs. Alcohol wasn't working, anyway. It hadn't since Luna chose him. Perhaps, he wondered now, that was a message - get to work. No more fun. Given the way fun usually went, for him... just tell the story.

"This was shortly after I exalted. I was commanding around my homeland, on the border of the Realm threshold. They were pushing north, and so I was trying to push them south. I had an army of local farmers and Icewalkers and everyone I could convince to help me stop them. Karl was one of my chief commanders; smarter than he looked, ambitious, tough in a fight. Good at inspiring men. I was in love, and foolish, and so I led my army on a minor detour so I could go pick up the woman who I was in love with, who I thought would still run off with me even though I was Skandi Kinslayer, the Frenzied. I was wrong; her family supported the Realm; she outsmarted me, double-crossed me, and convinced Karl and his warband to switch sides for money and power and artifacts. I ended up in a trap, escaping with only part of my troops and a story."

He pauses.

"I heard that she eventually decided that anyone who'd betray one master would betray two, and that Karl - who always drank the deepest of any one of my pack - found himself with a full barrel of Isle silver mixed with powdered castor seed and yew bark, and they gave my sparring partner eight feet of dirt as his final reward. And now he turns up in Lookshy of all places." Skandi shakes his head.

"I don't know if I should be challenging him to a duel or trying to get more of a story out of him or assuming he's an imposter. But if someone's an imposter, why choose Karl to... impost?"

"... so you'd know it was a disguise, and ask who they really were?" Ireva shakes her head, thoughtful. "I'm just thinking out loud... it could be one of the Sidereals, trying to signal their identity in a way only you would recognize. But for my Charm to see him as a creature of darkness... it might be Black Ice Shadow, I suppose. He knew I had that Charm. And he might have been pleased to see you because he wasn't sure if you'd stick with me and Zhou, or leave to attend to your own business."

"Or if that's not the case - he could be trying to pique your curiosity or your anger, get you to come after him alone and draw you into a trap again. If he'd picked that disguise coincidentally, targeted at someone other than you, presumably he would've been... something other than pleased... to bump into you unexpectedly. If it's not a disguise..." She chews her lip, and goes silent for a long moment, thinking.

Then she shakes her head, and reaches out to touch Skandi's hand, and her eyes are dark with sympathy. "But in any case - I'm sorry, Skandi. It's always hard to lose a friend; harder when there's betrayal as well as loss."

Skandi nods, listening to her theories. "But all of that is so convoluted... He shrugs, lets her hand rest. "Thank you. I know. Death in battle is one thing, but when he was dead I could just let him be dead, remember the good and let the gods handle the bad. This is..."

Skandi sighs. "I don't know what to do, aside from not letting him get behind me."

"Convoluted, yes, but if there's a simple explanation for your allegedly deceased erstwhile betrayer showing up, condemned of the Sun, and being happy to see you, it's eluding me," Ireva replies ruefully. She shakes her head. "If it's really him... if he wasn't darkness-cursed all along, a question is whether he did it to himself, or someone changed him. If it's the latter, Karl may just be a pawn, with the question being what his backer wants."

"... sorry. Moving on. I guess... I don't know either." She shakes her head. "We had traitors, sometimes, in the Resistance. Everyone has a price. And it was sometimes hard to blame people, especially when it was to save someone else..."

"You... try not to let hatred or vengeance cloud your vision, I guess. That doesn't seem to be your problem, though. You do what you can to warn your allies, minimize the harm the traitor can do." She smiles, slightly wry - "Thank you, by the way."

"You remember that it's all right not to give the benefit of the doubt, to ask that people earn back your trust if they want it. That you don't owe them anything, after they've done that to you. And you try to keep an eye out for clues, hints, pieces of information that might grant more insight as to what's going on. If you think you can get more of a story out of him - well, I'd be happy to come along, if you like. Check for lies, and any hidden purpose behind his words."

She squeezes the wolf-Lunar's hand gently. "A bit long-winded, but that's about what I've got, at the moment."

Skandi sighs. "I know. I will want to keep my eyes open, and I would like it if someone who could detect lies was there -"

He sqeezes her hand, too, releases it, stands up. "And I don't mind long-winded. It works."

Then a smile, for once. "Thank you. Good night, Ireva. Give Zhou my best."

[industrious]

Dawn

The sun breaks over the horizon, and the horrors and uncertainties of the night fade before its brilliance. Two Dragon-Bloods camped and cowering behind a circle of salt breathe sights of relief as the Underworld recedes, and the nearby camp of scouts does much the same. For Unbroken Willow and the rest of the vanguard, it is time to pack up their camp, and make ready for the day's march. And for the main camp, it is time for morning prayer, and for a briefing.

The Previous Night, Jade Lotus

The would-be Intelligence agent returns to his tent, and unrolls a small prayer mat. He bows before a cheap, tin idol crudely fashioned to look like a woman, and lights a stick of incense.

"Oh, Rising Glory," he says, kneeling before the small statue. "Oh goddess of prosperity. Grant me luck and fortune, that I may offer unto you a greater sacrifice. Grant the Commander skill and cunning, that our foes shall be outwitted as you outwitted the magistrates. May we remain blessed by you, and by the Sun who rules all within his sight."

Fire Orchid

As Zhou and Ireva make their way once more towards the Commander's tent, they hear the woman speaking, see her on her knees through a tent flap.

"...and that I may understand your wisdom, and your choice of Chosen."

She steps out of the tent, still dressed in her armor, caste mark glowing faintly in tune with the rising sun.

"...We have all said words we regret, last evening. We cannot forget them, nor should we. We cannot forgive them, not while they remain fresh. But...we may strive to move past them, and to see past each other's flaws. Please, enter. There is much to speak of and much to do this day."

[Aevylmar]

Skandi the Cat, outside the tent, carefully watches the general and over his companions.

The night is over and the briefing will be soon, and it will, he trusts, be interesting. Time to see just what they'll be doing.

[Ifni]

Ireva - dressed simply beneath her orichalcum breastplate, and with faint shadows under her eyes from lack of sleep - inclines her head to the Zenith. "Gladly, Kazei," she says politely, her expression a study in neutral calm, before stepping into the tent.

No emotion. No openings. No weakness. Give her nothing more that can be used against you. Not until she sees where this is going, anyway. She won't rebuff the other Solar's attempts to mend the breach - and it is a good sign that she's trying, and moderately graciously as well - but let her make the overtures. Less chance for misinterpretation, that way.

[Maugan Ra]

Zhou for his part says nothing, though he nods with some degree of respect to the General as he enters the tent. He does not know what to expect here, but some degree of reconciliation would be nice, and while he will not pretend to be particular pleased by the general's earlier behavior...

Well, meeting her halfway seems fair enough.

[industrious]

Officer's Briefing

Her lips thin at Zhou's informality toward a Kazei, but she lets the slight, intended or not, go. There are other battles to pick here.

Her tent has a number of cushions, and Fire Orchid motions towards them, whistling for the cat to come and sit on her lap. She gives the adorable feline a good rub behind the ears, cooing softly.

Soon, two other soldiers enter, both mortal, dressed seemingly no differently than the rest of the encampment (though Skandi spots a few key differences...a red strip of cloth here, a knotted bandolier there...), and salute.

"Commander," one says after the formalities and salutations are finished. "I regret to inform you that the Immaculate prisoner is nowhere to be found in the camp!"

Fire Orchid doesn't blink at the statement.

"I never expected your men to hold her, Badger; if she was still here, I'd be commending you now. But I suppose we need to organize a response, hmm? A talon of cavalry to ride her down?"

Her eyes flick towards Ireva and Zhou.

"Unless either of you can propose viable alternatives to killing the monk? And no, we can't simply let her go. The Enemy might well find her and who knows what they'd glean from her?"

Bright Shard

When the crafter wakes up, she sees Unrelenting Duck crouched over her.

"...I'm sorry for my behavior last night," the First Lance apologizes. "Standard procedure in a shadowland is to fill oneself with as much zest for life as possible, to keep the dead away. I...might have been too aggressive in my pursuit."

[Ascension]

The Night Before...
Kneeling in the shadow of the Frostwing, Braga murmurs his report to the winds...

"Encountered deathknight in wreck of Frostwing. Gochei Maheka and myself unharmed. Deathknight escaped. Gave name as Typhon, Ambassador."

He pauses, letting those words fly away on the breeze, then charges the air with his essence once more.

"Frostwing engine intact, but fuel burned away. Returning to camp with salt from ship. We seem likely to need it, Chuzei."

[DeafnotDumb]

The First Lance is a welcome break from the face of the Maiden, smiling childishly as she swings her scythe at a statue that, in dream-logic, represents Jade and Bright Shard and Rising Glory and going to bed on a half-bottle of wine and no food. The sight of another person is enough to get Jade to channel her jump from nightmare into a mere waking start.

“That’s okay.” She says automatically, her machinery already working out how to play this. Bonce it off the other person and wing it is always a good start. “At least, uh, it should be… my memory’s not too clear. I hope I didn't do anything wrong...?”

Jade sits up from her roughmade bed and stretches, looking for something to wake her up, and finds a bowl of water nearby. It takes her a moment to work out that the face staring from the reflection is hers and she’s glad to disrupt it by splashing the water over her face. She needs to get her disguise back up. But first, there’s probably something she can do with this choice location…

“Is this your tent?” Bright Shard asks, spreading her arm at the surroundings while Jade tries to spot useful things – locked chests, important papers, small valuables… “It’s a nice place. Thanks for letting me sleep here.”

And then she smiles. The smile’s important: A First Lance who thinks she still has a chance might be… lucrative.

[Maugan Ra]

The Night Before


Zhou listens to Braga's report as it comes in on the wind, frowning slightly at the report of more skirmishes with the 'deathknight'. Then he nods, and speaks back, voice reaching across miles with essence-fueled strength.

"Acknowledged. Commander identified as mission target. Legion strength, but friendly to Lookshy. Mission... on hiatus, attempting negotiation."

A pause. "Your attendance appreciated, but not mandatory."

He has to trust in his subordinate's judgement, after all, and dictating his every action is unlikely to achieve much of worth. Choice is an important thing for a man to have.
[/spoiler]

Officer's Briefing

"You might want to pursue, Kaizai, but it's not really a viable option." Zhou says mildly, though his voice is at least appropriately respectful. You don't disrespect an officer in front of her men, after all. "Tepet Xet is not a clueless temple novice - she is an experienced agent, trained in espionage and going unnoticed. With such a large body of men to hide in, and so many directions to theoretically head? I doubt you'll find her even if you do pursue."

He pauses. "Also, you cannot really expect me to offer helpful suggestions on how to track down and either murder or imprison one of my subordinates. " He says at length, military discipline keeping tone and expression neutral. "On which note, I may have a few others arriving from their makeshift camp by our crash-site soon. Four Exalted, though I do not know how many will choose to attend. Please do not... impede them."

It is somewhat tiresome, having to make sure everything he says is perfectly true without revealing the whole story. An interesting game to play, though.

[Ifni]

Officers' Briefing

Ireva suppresses a wince. Please try to be conciliatory, love...

"Chuzei," she says quietly, with a small dip of her head, "may I suggest we avoid the topic of expectations and obligations? I suspect that was part of the problem last night; we were all looking for something specific, and not finding it. The situation is what it is. The Kazei asked us a question, and it's a fair question; she's right that it would not be in our interests or hers for Xet to be captured by the Mask."

She looks to Fire Orchid. "And I apologize, if we've erred in asking our companions to join us here, but the Gochei and Chozei in our company are not fools. They might have useful contributions to make, that we would lose by excluding them. And the Chozei was aware of my identity before the battle with the deathknights, and does not believe Solars or Lunars to be Anathema - the Gochei did not know, but she was willing to fight beside Anathema against the agents of Thorns." She opens a hand, a small deferential gesture. "I know this is your briefing, Kazei, and your camp: if they arrive and you decide they shouldn't be involved, I would be glad to send a message to them, and I'm sure they would be willing to wait outside. But it's some distance to where we left them, and we wanted to avoid unnecessary delays. Time is precious."

"As for Tepet Xet..." The Eclipse folds her hands together and regards the Zenith, her gaze neutral and unchallenging. "As you said, Kazei, you didn't expect your men to hold her. And I agree - it's no dishonor to them that an Exalt evaded them, and a wise leader knows the extent of her people's skills. Is there reason to think they'd be able to track her, after she disappeared from your camp?"

She continues, her voice level and calm, not colored by satisfaction or resentment, simply laying out options in answer to a question asked: "If not, it's possible Zhou or I could persuade her to return; if she escaped during the night and didn't take a horse, it's likely she's still within the range of the Wind-Carried Words Technique. But I think she'd need some reason to trust that she wouldn't be immediately executed." She tilts her head at the other Solar, questioning: is that something you can offer?

Hmm. JET might reveal a half-truth on "it's likely"; Ireva thinks it's certain that Isa is still in WCWT range. Likewise, when she talks about "persuading her to return" she means Isa taking up the Xet identity again, that might ping JET. Not sure?

Ireva isn't running JET herself, here.

[Ifni]

(Context: this scene occurs the previous night, after this post (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17833147&postcount=182). Isa entered the tent earlier under Underling Invisibility Technique + Lion Mouse Stratagem. The conversation is ebbing as people prepare to sleep; Skandi quietly leaves early on, to give Zhou and Ireva privacy.)

Part I: On Kharal Fire Orchid and Lookshy-Realm Relations
"I take it," says Isa, her hand resting atop Ireva's on the blue gem set in the pommel of Resolve, "that the meeting did not go particularly well."

Ireva had been laying out the bedrolls, while listening with one ear to any further planning: it's an excuse to be silent and withdraw into her own thoughts, disregarded except for the unremarkable woman in sober clothing watching from near the tent's entrance. Zhou's temper adds an unpredictable element to conversations. On the one hand, it's nice to be defended, but on the other... it means any hurt has to be hidden, shrugged off like a glancing blow rather than a knife to the gut, if she doesn't want matters to escalate. Good practice, she supposes. But it would be nice if she didn't have to practice so assiduously even among friends. She'd thought Skandi had forgiven her that night.

... there is a moment of confusion, of blurring thoughts. Like waking from a dream - but a dream that had perfectly mimicked the waking world, so that nothing had changed at all, except that she had been dreaming, and was now awake.

Isa's hand rests on hers.

The Eclipse blinks, once and twice, then glances at Zhou and Skandi. "They can't hear us?"

"They can hear us," Isa answers. "They just don't think I'm worth paying attention to, or remembering. Keep your voice down, and they shouldn't notice anything amiss - nor will the guards outside."

Ireva nods. Her voice is soft out of habit, but she lowers it further as she replies, "All right." She smiles, then, and shakes her head, relief lightening her expression. "I'm so glad you're safe. I didn't think you'd have much trouble escaping, but you never know." She squeezes the Sidereal's hand.

"As for the meeting -" She grimaces. "No, not particularly. Although Skandi might think otherwise. I don't think he got out of the way of the mind-control bolt at the end."

She opens her hand, turns it back and forward. "Anger at us for defending you, pride that brooks no disobedience or questioning, set-in-her-ways elderly martinet - I'm not sure how much of each, but a few things were clear. She wishes to protect Lookshy and reclaim her place there. She wants me and Zhou, at least, to remain with her forces, keeping us here by force or mind-shaping magic if necessary. But she also doesn't think I have anything useful to offer except my daiklave and my obedience, which... puts me in a bit of a quandary. Oh, and she hates the Order, wants to see the end of any alliance between Lookshy and the Realm." She shrugs one shoulder, smiles a wry half-smile. "It could've gone better. Or maybe it couldn't have; what had come before wasn't especially auspicious."

"No," Isa agrees. "Be careful of Unbroken Willow, if you meet him again."

She tilts her head, thinking. Soldiers, Solars. Both dangerous in their way. That Skandi is the only one arguing on Fire Orchid's behalf bodes poorly; the Wolf suffers from the love of battle and glory-in-war that plagues so many warriors, though not so badly as the warriors she'd grown up with. A Solar who wants to claim a place in Lookshy is dangerous. But with the Mask's invasion imminent...

"Did she share any of her plans? Why she wants you, what she aims to do when she reaches Lookshy? City is not a welcoming place for Solars right now."

Ireva pauses, and then nods slightly, as if confirming something to herself. "You weren't briefed on her, were you?" Her smile is... somewhere halfway between wry and sympathetic.

Isa shakes her head. "No. Information on her - on everyone in this camp - is restricted from general access. Not mentioned in briefing. Why?"

"Someone's telling lies, then. To induce distrust would be the obvious reason... might not be the real one." Ireva offers another half-shrug, another only-half-amused smile. "Fire Orchid's aide indicated he was... from Yu-Shan, and said you'd been briefed, and were supposed to share it with us. So either he was lying or the person who briefed him was lying. It could be either - I didn't bother to check, the exact point where the falsehood entered didn't seem to matter very much."

"Anyway. I expected as much; it doesn't signify."

She runs a hand over her forehead, thinking back. "To answer your question - she didn't give much detail, beyond what I already said in my message to you. If she was being honest, it looks like the basic plan just involves being a heroic savior. There may be more detail, but she didn't give it. Why she wants me and Zhou… I don't know, beyond the fact that Zhou is her family. Perhaps she thinks our marriage will advance her case for acceptance. What she said is that if I want to help, all I need to do is "march, follow orders and fight". Maybe she really is just looking for more Exalted warriors. Maybe her advisors have given her the impression we're important, and she's just following their advice - it was implied they want me to try to change her opinion of the Realm -" That should be safe enough to say, it's not forcing a conflict of interest on Isa; avoiding a Bull of the East would be to the Bronze's advantage as well - "although it was phrased broadly enough that I might just be reading what I want into it."

The Solar winces faintly. "Or maybe there's something else to it. I went for a walk, earlier. Chatted with the troops a bit. You know there are people... condemned of the sun? Creatures of darkness?" She weaves her fingers through each other. "There are... really quite a lot of them in this camp. Most in one area, but scattered around as well. The one I saw close up was just an ordinary soldier, to outward appearances; our guard was pretty friendly with him."

"Hm." Isa's brow creases in concern. "Worrisome. I can look at them when we're done here; most sources of such taint should be... distinctive."

"There was one in Lookshy, as well," Ireva says softly. "A man Skandi had known, a long time ago - Karl the Axe, a former friend, who'd betrayed him. Or at least someone wearing his face. Skandi had... heard reports of his death. He was pleased to see Skandi, though. Called him by name, in front of Lookshyan soldiers - I'm not sure if that was carelessness or malice. But he was... tainted, as you say."

"We talked about it in Lookshy, but we couldn't come up with a good explanation. He might have just been Demon-Blooded or the like - Skandi had thought he was God-Blooded, before. But... I wonder if there's a connection."

"Hard to check while we're out here. Did he mention what he was doing in Lookshy?"

"No. A guard called him away before we had much of a chance to talk." Ireva shakes her head, and rubs her hands together as if to warm them. "It may be nothing. But I tend to be skeptical of coincidences."

She smiles at Isa, although she still looks worried, to the Sidereal's perceptive gaze. "That would be very good, if you could check."

Isa nods. "When I can. In the meantime... I heard you talking with Zhou and Skandi, a little. Staying seems wise. We need to know more about what's happening here; going back to Lookshy after spending time and effort getting here would be inefficient. March, follow orders, fight. For now."

"For now," Ireva agrees. "Until we get Braga and Versi and Shard and Shimoko back, anyway. After that, well, we'll see." She tilts her head, reaches out to touch Isa's arm. "What are your plans? Just follow along unnoticed, or do you have a new cover in mind?"

There is a tightness around her eyes, although her voice is calm. For if Isa was meant to be briefed on this, if someone in the hierarchy of the Gold withheld that information deliberately when her original cover was being planned; if Xet was set up to walk unknowing into that tent...

No harm done, perhaps. Maybe it was planned that way deliberately, to force Ireva and Zhou to defend an Immaculate, to ensure Fire Orchid's hatred would be challenged. But it is still a betrayal, and one that might have been deadly.

"I don't know yet. I'll work something out as we learn more."

Isa studies the Eclipse a moment, hands laced quietly in her lap. Something in the set of her jaw, a look in her eye as she mentions cover identities... "I owe you an apology, I believe."

Ireva blinks. A look of genuine confusion flashes across her face, replaced a moment later by an expression of bleak realization. She tries to smile, with indifferent success. "I... don't think you do, Isa. You told me the truth. I..." She sighs. "Trying for more than that - it was foolishness on my part, not any fault of yours."

"Deceptive truths. If nothing else, you swore an oath under false pretenses. I... had not expected the Tepet name to mean as much as it did."

"False pretenses?" Ireva pales. "What do you -"

"... oh." She flushes, color rushing back into her brown skin. "Oh, you're talking about Xet."

She exhales with a sound that is almost like a chuckle. "Oh. No, that's fine, Isa. I don't regret that oath, not at all. And I know I said it was unkind, but -" She shakes her head. "It hurt to lose Xet, yes. I liked her. But it's... not so bad, to find out that someone you cared for was a friend in disguise. The caring can still be real, then. Not like finding out that they were a stranger or an enemy, and all you seemed to share was a false facade."

She reaches out to take the Sidereal's hands again. "I accept your apology. It's forgotten."

"I'm glad." Despite the words, Isa's tone remains somber. "Is there... something else I should be apologizing for?"

Ireva's breath catches - but of course Isa would ask that question. Ireva would herself, given such a blatant inadvertent clue.

"No," she says quietly. "As I said." But that's an unsatisfactory answer, and she knows it.

She looks down at their clasped hands, and says, low-voiced, "I thought you were talking about my meeting with your teacher."

"Ah." Ah indeed. Upon completion of hostilities, agent is to dissolve destiny and neutralize Karal Ireva, as per terms of agreement... What the hell happened in that meeting? But she can't very well ask, that would be... would be... it just isn't an option, that's all.

"I take it that meeting didn't go particularly well either, then," she says at last.

The corner of Ireva's mouth twitches, as if she's trying to smile but can't quite manage it. "It could've gone better." She pauses to swallow again, but it doesn't quite get rid of the wobble in her voice. "Or maybe it couldn't have." The words come slowly, painfully, struggling for lightness. "What had come before wasn't especially auspicious, after all."

She swallows once more, and looks down at their hands, and then back up to meet Isa's eyes. Her grip tightens. "He wore your face, Isa, spoke with your voice." Another one of those strained not-quite-smiles. "Keep trying, and... I did try." Why does it matter so much to you, that Isa believes that? There's more than one answer to that question, of course, from the pragmatic to the purely emotional: she's not sure which one she thinks should weigh heavier in the scales.

She pauses, and deliberately relaxes her hands around Isa's, forces herself not to breathe too quickly. Little paths into self-control. "It could have been worse. I didn't get what I wanted, but maybe... that hope was always a foolish hope." She swallows words that edge toward anger, words like he seemed to enjoy taunting me with it, and does he amuse himself by hurting other people, or just Solars? No. She will not criticize Isa's teacher uninvited, and in his absence. Not unless Isa needs to know.

She chooses her words carefully, like picking her way through thorns. "Everything has a price. I could have refused your teacher's offer. I chose not to. Provided he keeps his side of the deal - I don't regret the bargain." Fear it, yes, and resent the fear; lie sleepless in the depths of night; see its shadow lying across every possible future...

But not regret.

"You were told the terms," she says, only the faintest question in the words. "Right?"

It would feel vaguely treasonous to embrace Ireva now, like it would be taking sides somehow. Intellectually, Isa had known that Ireva's hopes had been dashed. No accord with the Bronze Faction, no role for Solars in the future, no search for a third path; only a temporary reprieve, acknowledging that she is unlikely to fall into madness and threaten the world in the next few months. Her orders had told her that much. She just hadn't quite grasped how that would feel until now, hadn't let herself grasp it. Ireva had made her arguments to Chejop Kejak and found no favor there, and now she would die.

I trust your judgment, she'd told her sifu, and she does. It's just... she can't help but wish that he'd judged the other way. It would be easier. Easy and right aren't always the same - usually aren't, in fact - but...

"Some," she answers. "My part in them, at least." She isn't going to ask who named her to that role. She wouldn't like the answer either way. And hiding from the truth is better...?

Zhou, she decides. Maybe she can ask Zhou about this. Less fraught that way.

"Ah." Ireva pauses, for a long moment, and closes her eyes. It is easier not to look at Isa. A little easier. A small measure of calm.

"Three things, in exchange." she says quietly. "Protection for my sister, both generally and specifically against reprisals for my nature or actions. A promise that he would not let partisanship contribute to the fall of the East, to the Yozi-Chosen or the Deathlords or any other threat. And that he would do all in his power, to aid in the liberation of Thorns."

She opens her eyes, and manages a somewhat more genuine smile. "Oh, and that your Faction wouldn't seek my death while I serve Lookshy in the war against the Mask. Which I do appreciate. But it's less important."

"I chose this, Isa. Freely." She gently squeezes the other woman's hands one more time, and then lets go.

"As for your role..." She hesitates for a moment, and then goes on. "I wondered, at the time, if you'd known this was coming, when you told me what trust felt like. You... don't need to answer that. It's probably better that you don't. But... I do trust you."

A faint grimace. "Of course, now it feels awfully self-serving, to say that. As if I'm trying to put a thumb on the scales. But -" She shakes her head. "If your teacher had named someone else to be my judge, I might have refused, taken my free temporary amnesty and relied on Lookshy to protect me when the war was done. As is..."

Isa leans forward, freeing a hand to lay a finger across Ireva's lips. "Shhhh." It's only a small step from there to a one-armed hug.

Well, that's probably a better way to say what you meant than the words you were stumbling over. Ireva returns the hug, resting her head on the taller woman's shoulder, and for a moment sets aside the tangled worries and fears of a future judgement.

On the far side of the tent, Zhou notices his wife has finished speaking. He doesn't know who she was whispering to on the wind, but it doesn't really matter, all things considered. Her demeanor indicated a desire for privacy, and that is not a request he has any problem granting.

"You about done, love?" he says softly, drawing nearer. "I've contacted Braga and the others, so they should be able to regroup with us before too long. We might want to get some rest - whatever else happens, tomorrow is probably going to be busy."

... ah, right. He can't perceive her. Um. This... may be awkward...

But despite the situation, Ireva can't help smiling as she looks at her husband over Isa's shoulder, some of the strain in her face relaxing.

"There is something more I need to tell you, then," she murmurs in Isa's ear. "Sooner rather than later. But..."

She gently disengages herself from the Sidereal's embrace, and shifts toward Zhou, adding over her shoulder, "Zhou can hear it too, for my part, it's not a secret from him. But if you'd rather stay hidden - come back and wake me after we're asleep?"

She already feels a little guilty over abandoning Zhou when she went out to scout - it made sense, gathering information isn't one of his particular skills, and his Aspect markings might have made the soldiers less forthcoming, but even so.

"Pretty much," Ireva answers her husband, wrapping an arm around his waist and leaning close against him. "I'm glad Braga's group is all right. Xet - Isa - got in touch with me: she escaped, and is fine."

"Did you... know who she was, earlier? You didn't seem very surprised."

"More... distracted, I suppose." Zhou responds after a moment's thought, leaning into the embrace a little. "The last few weeks have held one surprise after another, really. Eventually, one was bound to get somewhat jaded. And if I let every shock knock me off my guard, well, I won't have time to get anything else done."

He frowns slightly. "So, did she approach you while you were out scouting, then? To tell you she was safe, anyway."

Isa glances at Zhou, back at Ireva, and then kneels to pick up Resolve, stumbling a little under the weight of unattuned sun-gold. She finds Zhou's free hand, places the hilt and its purifying hearthstone there, and waits. She's trusted Ireva this far; time to take a step further.

"Not... exactly," Ireva replies with a smile, taking Resolve's hilt to lift its weight from Isa, pressing Zhou's fingers against the gem with her own. She nods to the Sidereal, just slightly, looking touched. To Isa's eyes there is a kind of wistful gratitude in her smile, as well as acknowledgement; Ireva is not oblivious to the meaning behind the gesture. It isn't easy, to give up one's masks, and... well, Isa and Zhou have more than one reason to be at odds.

As his hand touches the gemstone mounted in the hilt of his wife's sword, Zhou's eyes turn to the other figure that he can now freely notice. His response is the height of courtly grace and diplomatic sophistication.

"...huh."

A moment's pause, as his thoughts shift onto the new lines created by this fresh information, and then he nods thoughtfully. "That's a rather unsettling ability, I must say. Are there, well, limits to just how many people you can slide past?"

Ireva grins, and slides Resolve back into her coat. "I'm impressed," she murmurs to Zhou, "you didn't even blink."

"Good evening, Chuzei Zhou." Isa bows from the waist; If she's disappointed by his lack of reaction, she doesn't show it. "Theoretically, no. Practically? Any guise has flaws, and more people makes it more likely that someone will notice. But I should be able to move about the camp in relative safety."

"I understand you mean to stay a little while, to gauge the Commander's mettle."

It feels a little strange, to see Isa grow so formal again. Titles, bows, calm professional demeanor and polite guarded words, probing for insight. In some ways it's like looking into a mirror; in some ways, like looking back in time. (Zhou has been a bad influence on her, she's coming to realize, but it's hard to muster much regret.) But it is a mask, as much as Untimely Orchid ever was, or Tepet Xet: hard to deny that, when she remembers Isa pulling her close in the shadowland, something almost like desperation in her hug. The development of that closeness had been gradual: only now does the contrast throw it into sharp relief.

She is alone here, and her immediate superiors evidently have no qualms about risking her life without bothering to warn her first. Her closest ostensible allies are enemies of her faction and her teacher. Is it any wonder she's cautious? The marvel is that she's willing to trust this far at all...

"Have you eaten, Isa?" she interjects quietly. "Let's sit down -" She gestures to the bedrolls. "They left us rations, but I ate with the soldiers, so there's plenty left. I can't testify to their tastiness, but they've got to be better than lutefisk."

Come now, my husband, my friend. The thought comes easily now: Isa is her friend, whatever else they must be to each other. Maybe her closest friend, outside her family: Dragons know she's already shared confidences she wouldn't have - and hasn't - shared with anyone else. Sit down. Relax. Share bread and salt. She's not sure of Lookshyan hospitality customs, but even if there's no formal rule, friends talking over a meal is a very different context to the clipped almost-military discussion of skills and strategy that Isa and Zhou seem likely to fall into, left to themselves.

Isa nods and lowers herself to the ground, accepting the offered rations; she hasn't eaten, not since midday.

"That was the intent," Zhou says with a nod. "Leaving in the middle of the night is unlikely to be practical in any case, so staying to see this strategy meeting in the morning costs us little and at the least gives us another look at the General's character."

He sits alongside his wife and her (their? Perhaps) friend, frowning slightly. "Speaking of... have you managed to secure some kind of safety for yourself now? Given the General's views, being visibly an Immaculate around here might be... risky."

It is perhaps notable that, despite his acknowledgement of her legitimately obtained rank, Zhou still refers to Fire Orchid as 'General' rather than 'Kaizai'. For a Lookshyan, such decisions are always meaningful.

Isa nods. "Two solutions to that problem: don't be visible, or don't be Immaculate. I can pass unnoticed more or less indefinitely, I think, or I could find myself a new cover here. The latter would be slightly more difficult, I think. If I commit fully to a new identity, it will be harder to resume being Tepet Xet if that becomes necessary; if I don't, then the deception here will be flimsier. Either way, I should be able to avoid trouble."

Here is where she would lace her fingers together and wait, if she weren't eating. Hard to look dignified while tearing off a strip of cured meat with her teeth.

"It might be useful to have Tepet Xet alive in dealings with Lookshy," Ireva says thoughtfully, keeping her voice soft out of habit. "Fire Orchid implied she saw the alliance with the Cleansing as actively harmful to Lookshy, prejudicing its independence, not just distasteful-but-useful: she said something along the lines that if they needed the Realm's help, they'd already lost. I am... not sure exactly how the Realm's representatives in the city might react to her plans, or vice versa. If their embassy would recognize Xet as one of their own..." She shrugs one shoulder. "It might give us more of a chance to influence things on that front. What do you think, Zhou?" She pauses for a moment, then adds, "And it seems a little inefficient to discard a well-established cover if it's not necessary. But of course, Isa, it's up to you, and in many of the circumstances where resuming your identity as Xet would be useful, discarding your new cover might not matter so much." She opens a hand in a gesture of indecision. "If you're hiding, we could pass you food and water and any information you've missed, and you could tell us if you wanted us to try to influence Fire Orchid in any particular direction... but it's true it might be more straightforward if you had a new identity here."

"It's not an uncommon belief in Lookshy, which was one of the reasons I was surprised to learn about the Cleansing," Zhou says after a moment's thought. "I know my instinctive reaction was to insist that Lookshy would never need the Realm. I am not so foolish, however, to believe that Lookshy could never benefit from working with the Realm. It's a simple fact that they are larger and richer than we are, and even if we hold the military advantage they do still outnumber us significantly."

He sighs. "If Fire Orchid feels that strongly about this, then it's going to cause problems. If she tries to make the Legion choose between an alliance with her and an alliance with the Realm, chances are we're going to go with the Realm. They offer more, they don't pose nearly so many problems from a theological perspective, and it's never a good idea to demonstrate a willingness to drop an existing alliance as soon as a different one comes along."

"Mmm. Yes." The jerky finished, Isa glances around for a napkin or cloth to clean her hands. Finding none, she carefully wipes her fingertips on the ground next to her, then starts to clean the grime from them. Ireva wordlessly pulls a cloth from her pocket, and hands it to Isa, listening silently; Isa accepts with a nod of thanks. "The difficulty is, the reverse is likely also true: the Realm is unlikely to accept an open alliance with an Anathema warlord. She may see her refusal to tolerate the Realm as fair, or necessary. A tacit alliance would be easier to handle, but if she's not willing to settle for that..."

She shrugs, and after a moment adds, "It is worth considering where she plans to end up, when all of this is finished. Not our first concern, with the Mask on the way. But not something we should neglect either."

"... yes." Ireva rubs her forehead. "I'd been thinking about that last point, but now... I'm wondering if I was focusing on the long-term too much, and not seeing what was in front of me."

"Relations between Lookshy and the Realm is where Zhou and I are supposed to be deniable proxies for the Bureau of Destiny, since they are barred from acting -" She chuckles softly, glancing at Isa. "Of course, nobody ever suggested that to me, it's purely my own wild speculation. And I didn't say it anyway."

"The existence of the alliance with the Cleansing suggests there's some strong support for it in the city, and what you're saying makes sense, Zhou, that they wouldn't drop that support casually. But Fire Orchid clearly has contacts and allies within the city. If it comes to an open clash between Fire Orchid and the local Realm representatives, initiated by either side - and Fire Orchid may feel that's already happened, since her husband was killed by Immaculates not long ago - then it might act to divide Lookshy against itself, as well." She frowns. "Not really what they need, in wartime. It is... not uncharacteristic of the Mask, to seek, what did Skandi call it? Let's you and him fight?"

"Hammer and anvil, you said?" Isa asks. "That implies she plans to arrive after the Mask's forces, possibly to avoid exactly that."

"That's right. I was happy with that plan - if that's all she intends, then any problems from her side would only be likely to arise after the Mask is defeated, at which point, well -" Ireva stops abruptly, with a quick glance at Isa, before hurriedly continuing with, "Well, I'll be happy if we get that far, although that doesn't mean we shouldn't think about it. On Fire Orchid's side, I suppose I'm worried about her trying to do something to sabotage the alliance with the Cleansing in advance, but that's another thought that'd probably benefit from waiting for the morning briefing, it may be we can just dismiss it."

"On the other side, from the Realm's view..." She grimaces. "Well, we have less opportunity for influence there, except perhaps through Xet. And Fire Orchid is prideful. We were told... she's had little else for thirty years. I think that will make a tacit alliance hard to arrange. Maybe not impossible, but... hard. She wants to return to Lookshy, to be reunited with her family; she won't accept a solution which leaves her outside the walls, when all is said and done." She smiles faintly, a little wryly. "I have to say, I find it hard to argue against that perspective, myself."

She reaches over to take Zhou's hand, and looks at Isa. "Might it make it easier for the Realm to swallow if Lookshy officially regarded her troops as irregulars or mercenaries, reporting to a Lookshyan Dragon-Blooded liaison officer?" For which we have a convenient candidate... "I don't know if Fire Orchid's pride could tolerate that, when she's worked so hard to build up this force, but... I think what she really wants is to go home. She has children and grandchildren in Lookshy."

"... you have a better sense of Fire Orchid's pride than I." Isa folds her hands in her lap, picking her words carefully. They are straying very close to... certain topics, discussing a Solar's prospects for living in Lookshy. "I will only say that irregulars are seen as lesser in Lookshy, just as metics are less than citizens. It would be hard to live as a metic, I think, when one is used to being the daughter of a Gens. Harder still if the main reason for doing so is to appease a hated enemy. A bitter pill to swallow. And the Realm... would be less inclined to accept that sort of relationship in the long term, in any case. They have other enemies to worry about, but the Cleansing is being taken seriously."

"No, I don't think metic status would be satisfactory," Ireva agrees with a quick head-shake, "it wasn't what I meant to suggest." And if it wouldn't help in the long term anyway... Her smile grows crooked, and a little sad. "If a known Solar living quietly as a citizen within the walls of Lookshy were reason for the Realm and Cleansing to terminate all cooperation with Lookshy elsewhere in the Scavenger Lands..." She looks down at her hands. "Then I might have to agree with Fire Orchid, that the price of that cooperation really is Lookshy's independence, if the Realm gets to claim a veto on who is allowed to be Lookshyan." A slower shake of her head. "I meant ‘tacit' in the sense of not publicly declaring and celebrating Fire Orchid as an ally, just rolling her troops into the Lookshyan command structure under the nominal command of a Dragon-Blooded officer, and quietly restoring her citizenship as a reward - it might be possible to sell her on acceptance without acclaim - but..." She grimaces again. "I was going to say I don't think her troops want or expect to be declared Lookshyan, but then the obvious next question is what does she plan to do with her Eighth Legion once this conflict is over." The corner of her mouth tilts upward, not quite a smile. "You realize it might be considerably better for the Realm to have the Anathema warlord and her army affiliated with Lookshy, bound to their interests by personal loyalty, than free to go off and do whatever she likes." Which is the argument she made in Yu-Shan, of course, and it didn't go over well there either...

Ireva sighs, and reaches out to touch Isa's hand. "It's admittedly a bit hard for me to see this impartially. What I want in the short term - what I think we all want - is just that Lookshy, the Realm and Fire Orchid don't do the Mask's work for him by fighting each other. I'm happy to try to work to that end with Fire Orchid, although as you say it may be unnecessary, if she's already trying hard to avoid a clash before confronting the Mask. But if the more likely source of that kind of problem is the Realm, or the Cleansing, or the Order, if Lookshy will be made to choose between allies but Fire Orchid won't be the one forcing that choice... then there's only so much we'll ever be able to do out here. And in the long term..."

"... diverging goals, opposed beliefs. Yes. Not something we can address tonight, I think." Isa appears calm, but Ireva can feel the tension in her hands, clasped tight against one another. Perhaps she's doing them both a disservice by trying to avoid the topic, but she can't stand the thought of starting to argue right now, especially not with Zhou and his temper sitting right there, and Fire Orchid's army all around.

She takes a slow breath, lets it out. "Any alliance has conditions. If Lookshy welcomed a deathknight into its walls, you might withdraw your aid. In the eyes of many in the Realm, this is not so different." She tries to keep that reminder gentle, not a rebuke. Another breath. "The price is the Realm's to set, and the choice of whether to accept is Lookshy's. But we may be getting ahead of ourselves; we assume that Lookshy would be willing to accept a Solar, yet they've declared for the Cleansing. Something to look into, should we get the chance."

After a moment, she adds, "Remember that Fire Orchid is looking at this same dilemma, but with little reason to want acceptance by the Realm. Except to avoid a war, I suppose; but historically speaking Lookshy has never liked compromising to avoid war." And after another moment, "Remember, too, the name she chose for herself. What does that say to you?" She glances between the pair, the question addressed to Zhou as much as Ireva.

Ireva slides over to sit close to Isa, and puts an arm around the Sidereal's shoulders, trying to alleviate the tension she felt in the other woman's hands. Maybe she'd gotten a little carried away in the thread of the argument there, forgetting how hard this must be for Isa. Not much of a return for her trust.

Typhon lived in Nexus for years, and I still defended the city, she might say. Or there are people I trust to know what they're talking about, who believe Lookshy could be brought to accept Solars. Or Fire Orchid doesn't want acceptance from the Realm, but she does want it from Lookshy, and as Zhou said Lookshy has interests in preserving the alliance: there is leverage.

But she doesn't say those things, because they're not answers to the silent request Isa is making, to leave the arguments - and her own tacit question: could you exert influence to find a compromise, as Xet? Would you? - for another time. It may not even be a matter of choice: Isa's presumably bound by the Bureau's strictures against interference between Lookshy and the Realm, as well.

"You're right, Isa," she says after a moment, "I'd very much like to know the causes behind the alliance, and what Lookshy is gaining from it. Did they perceive a threat, from Fire Orchid or some other Anathema? Is the Realm planning to send concrete support, against the Mask?" She chews her lip. "I'd hoped the Houses might consider taking advantage of the Mask's distraction to try to free Thorns - at least the Order should know about the planned invasion, by now - but I have no idea if that's in the cards. It seems like a form of aid that might endure even if the current alliance is broken."

"As for your other question -" She opens a hand to Zhou, offering him the first reply.

"Commanding Teacher of Martial Readiness, or something, wasn't it?" Zhou says thoughtfully. "I don't know what she was thinking when she chose that name, but to my ears, it... well, it speaks to a certain Lookshyan tradition. Citizens, and families comprised of citizens, are supposed to sponsor particular families or villages of Helots and similar types. Pay for schools, provide specialists for repairs, look out for their interests in the political scene... that sort of thing."

"Officially, there's no kind of repayment required - it's a duty, not a transaction. In practice, though? If a man from Gens Kharal taught your daughter how to fight, and those lessons save her life one night, you'll probably feel something of a debt or at the very least gratitude to the family."

"So, if she's approaching it from a Lookshyan perspective - which she almost certainly is, given other behavior - it means she sees the education of her social and personal inferiors as a duty. Training the Helots in basic military strategy and fighting techniques is something Gens Kharal does all the time - it helps them defend themselves, encourages group cooperation, and gives a head start if they decide to enter the military."

"There are obviously a lot of other interpretations, but to me it suggests that she still sees herself as a citizen of Lookshy, even after all these years, with all the rights and responsibilities that implies."

He pauses for a moment. "The sponsorships can also be a venue for competition between Gens - prestige by proxy, as it were. A happy and prosperous Helot town reflects well on the family that sponsors it. And... a large, well trained and disciplined army will reflect well on the Solar that raised and leads it. Honestly, if Fire Orchid leads her forces to victory on behalf of Lookshy, that will probably resonate, give her a strong basis for a triumphant return to welcoming arms. It's probably what she's counting on."

"Hm. Interesting," Isa says after a moment. "Thank you, Kharal Zhou; I had not considered this from a purely Lookshyan perspective. I admit, what stood out to me is that the short form of the name would be Commander or Teacher; anyone addressing her must show a certain amount of deference, or subservience. I don't know if this was her conscious intent, but it implies someone... difficult to work with." Ireva, at least, will probably see the euphemism there: someone we would normally kill as soon as possible. And the Lookshyan perspective is hardly incompatible with that kind of thinking...

"But I spoke with her very little; all I could glean was that she hates the Immaculate Order, which is neither unexpected nor wholly unreasonable. You've both seen more of her."

Not wholly unreasonable? Isa, they killed her husband, that I love my sister doesn't mean I can't understand her grief... But Ireva doesn't say that, either; too easy for Isa to perceive it as an attack, especially when the Sidereal already seems tense, almost defensive. "Difficult to work with"... so tactful, Isa. Not like a Solar who'd meekly swear to turn up for her own execution, you mean?

But no, that's not fair. Isa had been open about her loyalties almost from the beginning; open about the reasons behind them, as well. Part of Ireva wishes the Bronze wouldn't offer reminders like that, even as another part appreciates the honesty.

"Indeed," she says quietly, after a moment. "Honestly, I didn't take much from her name, although you both make very interesting points. I suppose I'd add that... I feel that she cares very much how people regard her, and I think she is not blind to the importance of morale. To her troops she is an infallible leader, a commander they'd follow anywhere; one of the points where she grew most angry was when she felt I'd questioned her abilities in front of her soldiers. I feel like her chosen name may be part of that public image. And - this may just be a rephrasing of what Zhou said, but it might imply that of all her accomplishments, it's those she's taught and trained that are her greatest pride, what she chooses first to announce to the world." Her voice grows faintly edged, her lips thinning a little - "Of course, it also specifies just what she considers important for a student to learn."

She pauses, and makes herself relax: Fire Orchid isn't here, and Isa doesn't know what transpired in the meeting, only what she could convey with hurried messages.

"To answer the question you didn't quite ask," she says, with a small smile for Isa and a gentle squeeze of her shoulders, "Fire Orchid strikes me as..." She stops, considering, and then shakes her head slightly. "Honestly, my impressions are mixed."

The woman sitting beside her is Chejop Kejak's student, and in a way it feels like a betrayal to give her information that her teacher and Faction might use against a Solar. Fire Orchid would almost certainly consider it so. Untimely Orchid hadn't helped Dace, but she hadn't spied on him for the Cleansing either; her sister would never have asked it of her.

But the woman sitting beside her is also Isa. The person who told her the truth behind the Doctrines, who was willing to try to chart a course to a better future, a dream both of them could believe in. Her opinions would be worth hearing. And she's earned Ireva's honesty.

"On one hand," she says, quietly but crisply, covering the moment of hesitation, "as I said, she seems proud. Touchy. Very sensitive to any insult to her dignity. As you said... I suppose it would be hard, having been the daughter of a Gens and a highly decorated officer of Lookshy, to be less." She grimaces. "I couldn't seem to put a foot right with her - any offer of help was an implication that she was weak, any suggestion that she share her plans was a sign that I doubted her competence, taking her invitation to speak openly at face value was insolence. She glorifies warfare - she said it was her motto, Peace suffices, but war gives birth to the greatest glory - and seemed, at least at face value, to regard any less-martial skills as useless." She shrugs, carefully not letting emotion show on her face, although the blankness is likely revealing in itself, to Isa's eyes. "Although that may just have been that she was angry, and trying to hurt me; Skandi thinks so."

"I studied her, a little - she's not skilled in manipulation or courtly arts, it was easy enough to track her emotions. When you were present as Xet, she wanted you dead, and she wanted a chance for a reunion with Zhou: nothing more. When I read her intentions, later, she wanted me and Zhou to accompany her to Lookshy - and she was willing to use physical force to accomplish that if necessary, and as I mentioned, she did try to use a Charm on us to bring us into line." There is a hard edge to her voice, a hint of unforgiving anger, as she glances over at Zhou. "It may have worked on Skandi. He didn't notice anything, and... had a somewhat more favorable impression of her than either of us did."

"Set against that..." She opens a hand. "She does genuinely want to help Lookshy, and not just for her own sake. She cares about her family. From her Lookshyan rank and the stories I heard from her soldiers, and the fact she's gathered this army in the first place, I gather she is probably very competent, at the skills she's practiced."

Ireva considers what she's just said, and laughs softly, sounding a little abashed. "It sounds more uneven than I'd thought, when I lay it out like that..."

"So no, I don't like her, from what I've seen so far. And respect, like trust, has a way of wanting to be returned -" A brief flickering smile at Isa, before she grows serious again. "But whether any of us like or respect or trust her isn't really the point. An army this size led by an Exalted general can't be ignored - Skandi said they were very well-trained, too. Fire Orchid and her troops could be an enormous asset or an equally great danger -" Both against the Mask, and after, "- and trying to ensure that it's the former probably isn't a waste of our time."

"No," Isa agrees, nodding. "It isn't." They seem to be talking in circles somehow, she muses, Ireva trying to persuade her of something she'd said earlier... no, wait. Had she actually said any of that? Thought it, yes, but Ireva and Skandi together had talked Zhou into agreeing to stay before she showed herself. No need to intercede, and no need to rehash the same points... but that means Ireva doesn't know that she's thinking along those lines. It makes sense, Ireva knows her, and heaven knows they think the same way often - but she hasn't said it. Looking back at what she has said, what it would look like from the outside... yes, that would sound sharp, wouldn't it? Under the circumstances, those words have an unpleasant kind of resonance. No wonder the conversation has taken a tense turn the last few minutes. She finds herself wondering if Ireva's close proximity is an effort to reassure her, as she'd first assumed... or trying to reach out?

Relax. Her shoulders slump a little, hidden tension leaking out, and she lets herself lean into Ireva. "I'm sorry. Tired. It's been a long day. Fire Orchid is an asset against the Mask, at the very least, which is our first concern right now. I just don't want to see Lookshy and the Realm thrown into another war right afterwards, and I think she could easily be the spark that sets that off, even if she doesn't mean to. But it doesn't sound like I need to convince you of that. Either of you." Might as well include Zhou in this. Credit where it's due, the tension here hasn't been his fault at all...

She catches her thoughts wandering. How long has it been when she slept, anyway? It's a chronic problem for Sidereals, who as a rule have more work to do every day than they could manage in three; but doing work badly because you're half-asleep from fatigue can be worse than not doing it at all. "Maybe we should call it a night. It will be easier to plan when we've heard what Fire Orchid has to say tomorrow, and when we've gotten some sleep."

[Ifni]

Part II: On the Incident in Nexus and Other Memories

"No, I don't think you need to convince us of that," Ireva agrees, a little dryly - but she smiles, warm and bright with a hint of relief, and leans into the one-armed hug in turn. "It's good to know we're all on the same page."

Her smile turns to sympathy as she looks at her friend's weary face. "And yeah. Long day, and longer for you, since you'd been on piloting duty... we can call it there and rest, if you like."

"Although..." She hesitates, undecided - she's tired, you've just gotten past the tension, is this really a good time? The pause stretches longer, and longer. Perhaps tomorrow would be better, when they're both rested, when the thorns and stones of this conversation are a little further behind them. It's not fair to burden her friend with more worries, more stress, on a day when she's fought deathknights and faced down a hostile Solar general. It's not fair to offer her truths that demand a reaction, when that reaction is constrained by the implicit threat of a legion's worth of hostile swords.

The excuses come so easily to her mind.

"There is... something else you need to know about. And sooner would be better than later. But if you need to sleep, we can defer it...?"

Despite herself, a faint hopeful note enters her voice with the question.

Isa goes still. Not stiff, not uncomfortably still, but still nonetheless. Something she should know about beyond what's been said already...? And from the sound of it, not something Ireva wants to talk about; she isn't usually shy of such things. Something she thinks Isa won't like? Something she'd prefer not to dwell on herself? She is tired, it might be better to let the matter lie. But she can't very well be sure if she doesn't know what it is...

"Your choice," she says after a few seconds. "If you think I need to know, I'm not falling asleep yet. I've a few other things to attend to before I rest, anyway."

Ireva nods acceptance, and lets her arm fall from Isa's shoulders, folding her hands in her lap. If Isa still wants to reach out to her after this - well, let that be her decision, not something awkwardly forced.

"Zhou already knows about this, or at least half of it," she begins, with a soft-eyed glance at her husband. "I'm sorry to make you sit through this again, love, but at least I won't ask you to tell the story this time..." She reaches out to rest her hand on Zhou's, drawing strength from the connection, from the memory of warmth that morning on the Lucky Starr. And wordlessly offering reassurance - Yes, I've thought about this. Yes, I think she needs to know. It will be all right.

If nothing else, with Firada and Lauren both gone, someone besides Zhou needs to know, in case it happens again.

When she goes on, her voice is stronger. "It's about what happened that night in Nexus, or at least, that's where it began for me. I know I've told you part of it, Isa: how much have you inferred?"

"A lot happened that night," Isa observes after a short pause, her brow creased faintly. Some of which you don't know about. Or do you...? "More specific? Which part should I be thinking of?"

"Ah -" Ireva winces, although fortunately Isa doesn't seem too upset. She doesn't think the Sidereal is that good at hiding her reactions. But it's a reminder that she's not the only one with bad memories of that night, and Isa's are surely more bitter; everyone Ireva loved had survived. "I apologize, Isa. I didn't mean to... well, I'm sorry, enough said."

"I'm only talking about my own actions. At the Councilor's estate, and afterward."

She's uncomfortably aware that she's not doing a good job of this, but what is the eloquent elegant way to say I deliberately hurt people, and I enjoyed it? To say I remember looking at the world like that through other eyes, a long time ago? Easier to set out the facts first, and then explain what it had looked like from the inside. And perhaps she is stalling, just a little, trying to gauge Isa's opinions before she leaps in. Watch where you put your feet...

"Ah." Defending the Councilor's estate, meeting Typhon, meeting us, the fight with the akuma, finding her sister and helping to capture Typhon... Nothing yet to explain the apprehension in Ireva's bearing. She tilts her head a fraction, makes a go-on gesture with her right hand, and belatedly thinks to add, "I'm afraid I'm still not sure what you're referring to. Start at the beginning?"

"... really?" Ireva sounds genuinely surprised, but the hints of nervousness in her face and demeanor do not diminish; if anything they grow more pronounced. She seems to realize that a moment later, as she manages a wry smile. "Sorry. I guess I was hoping you'd give me a starting point, but... beginnings, then."

She glances once more at Zhou, and it seems to take an effort to maintain her smile. "You were there when I swore that oath to Zhou, Isa. What you missed, earlier, was the reason he wanted it; Typhon was trying to deal with the Councilor for intelligence, so I - stopped him. There is a Charm I know, that can change the course of a village or a nation, weave a desire or an inhibition into the fabric of the society itself. People can act against it, of course, just like any other social pressure, but... most don't." Breathe in, breathe out. "I'd used it before, a handful of times in ten years, in little ways, gentle nudges that wouldn't be noticed. To help open up markets, get people to overcome their skepticism of something new; to encourage people to grant proper funeral rites to the dead... a few other things. In Nexus - I used it against the Midnight Queen, to bind her and her government against giving any aid to Thorns."

"Before that, I'd fought beside Skandi, killing the mercenaries who were threatening her estate. One of them Exalted as a Solar, fighting us -" A flash of pain across her expressive face, and... guilt? "We tried to get him to change sides, told him about the infernalists; he wasn't interested. Blood and gold, that was all he wanted… Lauren killed him."

"So much isn't a secret. There were plenty of witnesses." She takes another breath, and for a moment lowers her head to her hands. "But that's just what it looked like to everyone else. What it looked like to me..."

She grimaces. "After Lauren killed that Solar - I was so angry. Not at her. At him, for having all that power and acting... like an Anathema. At all those like him, vermin who were willing to wreck a city for money and because it was fun. At the disappointment, and the waste, and not being able to make a difference..."

"And I wanted... not just to kill them. To hurt them, mutilate them, strike fear into the heart of anyone who'd ever consider such a thing again. I cut them down when they turned to run, but I... didn't kill them, where I could avoid it. Not quickly. I didn't think they deserved it."

Her voice has grown very calm, very flat, drained of all affect. She is not looking at Isa, anymore: her gaze is focused somewhere in the middle distance.

"With the Councilor - again, I was angry, and afraid, for whoever Typhon was hunting. I don't -" She meets Isa's gaze again, just briefly, a flicker of vulnerable emotion showing through. The Sidereal's expression is grave, the polite concern of earlier replaced by something more somber. Ireva searches for understanding in that violet gaze as she goes on, haltingly, "I don't find it very easy to hate, you know?"

There's a brief flicker in Isa's eyes, something that might be sympathy or approval or a trick of the light - Ireva catches it, and seems to relax just slightly, and for a moment some of the life comes back to her voice. "Most people are trying to do what they think is right. There's usually some common ground, if you can just discover it. But Typhon -" The name is almost a hiss, and her eyes are faraway again, "He spoke of Thorns as peaceful, offered his aid. In front of me. And the Councilor was courteous to him, and..." She shakes her head. "Anyway. That doesn't matter. But by the end she understood what I could do, and what I could have done, and she was terrified of me - and that felt right. Satisfying."

"And later, down near the docks, I went off on my own to send a letter to a friend. I... meant to give it to a kid to carry, offer them a couple of coins and a smile to speed them on their way. Or that's what I should have meant." She shakes her head, as if trying to shake something loose. "I've done that before a hundred times, in Nexus; it's easy to find the words to make someone want to help you, with something as small as that. But that night - I don't even remember why, but the girl annoyed me somehow, and I felt that the right way to deal with it was to hurt her." She isn't smiling anymore, not even a grimace. "I didn't do anything permanent, Dragons be thanked - at least, if I'm not delusional as well as... well... but I was pleased by how frightened she was. It was amusing."

There is horror breaking through into her voice now, past the hard-held surface calm. Her eyes are almost closed, reliving memories old and new. "And then... then I went to sleep. And then I had a dream. And I remembered using that same Charm to hurt; I remembered smiling, just like that, at someone else's pain and terror. A... long time ago."

Her eyes snap open, cold and dark as a shadowland's depths, haunted with remembrance. "I told you, on the Lucky Starr, that I was grateful someone had killed him. That I wished they'd gotten there sooner." She turns to look at Zhou, and the words tumble out, rough with held-back tears: "She was a Fire Aspect, and she'd won an officer's rank and honors in the Deliberative navy despite that, and all she did was use her initiative in a way that saved her ship and crew, rather than obeying her orders mindlessly - and he used that Charm, my Charm, to cut her off from her family, to make her a reviled outcast, to bar her kin from giving her any aid or succor. And he thought it was entertaining. An example to others -"

Lemon and pepper, vanilla and smoke, and arms locked around her in a mockery of a hug, and fiery pain striking through her core, burning, screaming...

The Eclipse cuts off, and wraps her arms around herself, shivering. "Sorry," she mumbles, looking down. "This is bringing it all back and it's harder than I thought. I have more to say, but... need a moment." She tries to moderate her breathing; squeezing her eyes shut doesn't help, she discovers, as remembered images paint themselves in vivid color across the darkness.

A gap in her memory hovers over her like a ghost, whispering sutras of doom, but the intact visions are worse, bright with an almost hallucinatory clarity. The sound of screams and weeping and her own calm voice, the somatic memory of agony and the taste of fine cigars, the uniforms of the Deliberative and lifeblood on an orichalcum weapon...

A hand falls lightly on her shoulder, the wrong direction to be Zhou's. "There's no hurry," Isa's voice says, not quite gentle, but calm at least. Steady. "Take your time."

Acting instinctively, Zhou reaches over and pulls his wife into a one-armed hug, offering reassurance without choking off the flow of her words. He waits patiently for her to finish speaking, and for Isa's reassurance to find its mark, before reinforcing that with words of his own.

"Remember what we promised, love. It's a terrible thing that you were driven to those extremes, but we know what to watch for, now. We'll get through it," he says softly, before turning his gaze towards Isa.

"I... that is to say we... have something of a working theory on how and why that happened," he tells the Sidereal. "Or at least a place to start. It is something of an accepted fact that the Celestial Exalted sometimes hold memories of their past incarnations, traces of experience and knowledge not entirely washed away by Lethe. Even the Immaculate Order acknowledges this, if I remember right - too many newly Exalted Solars, and presumably Lunars, head in the direction of their ancient strongholds or the location of old allies and resources for it to be anything else."

A moment's thought. "Something similar can happen to the Dragon-Blooded, though with us it's not so much prior incarnations as ancestors. A blade passed down through the family feels comfortable in the hand, snippets of history evoke stronger emotional reactions than might otherwise be expected... sometimes we can even tap into a reserve of raw power if we act in accordance with the will of a particularly potent ancestor, but that's much less common."

He shakes his head, dismissing the tangent. "In any case, so much of who we are is shapes by our memories and experiences, I'd be more surprised if suddenly gaining a load of new memories left the personality unchanged. So in times of stress or great emotion, when your self control is lower than it might otherwise be, the old memories rise to the surface and start influencing your behavior."

He frowns. "Since Ireva's last incarnation... or the one who held her Exaltation last, maybe, I'm not sure of the precise mechanics surrounding Lethe and the Jade Prison... was apparently a monster and sadist of the highest order, his memories tilt her in the direction of casual cruelty and vindictiveness. And when the memories faded in the night, and she looked at what she'd done and thought without that context to influence her perception... well, you saw how she reacted. How she still reacts."

Ireva recoils reflexively from Isa's touch on her shoulder, panic flooding through her; Zhou's embrace keeps her from moving far, but she is stiff in his arms, tense and trembling, breathing hard. Too much alike - the Fire Aspect's arm around her holding her still, the Sidereal standing by, watching. Face and voice are a cipher in memory, but all too familiar now, the face and voice of that meeting in Yu-Shan...

You are Kharal Tepet Ireva. Zhou is your husband. Isa is your friend. It is not the same...

Those words are small things, against the memory of the spear that burned her eyes, the fire impaling her. But still she clings to them, like a talisman, like a prayer.

"I like that explanation - but of course, there are other possibilities," she says very softly, as Zhou finishes speaking, struggling for every bitter word. "Was I like this all along, and the reason it feels just like the memories is that my Exaltation seeks out similar people, not just in our strengths but in our deadly flaws? Am I Arkadi reborn by my own nature, and a Solar as a consequence of that?" Tears form and glitter in her green eyes. "Or does causality run the other way? Is the Immaculate Order half right, when they say demons enter into us at our Exaltations, evil to consume everything that makes us ourselves; is the sickness part of the third soul that Arkadi and I shared, or its bonding to the part of us that's human?"

She forces herself to draw Zhou closer, despite the instincts that scream at her betrayal, agony, death, that hold her tensed for a death-blow delivered centuries ago. Her voice is still a whisper, forced out into the darkness.

"That's not the only memory I have. I remember his wedding night, to his first wife, when he was young and in love... he laughed, then, teased her, smiled at another's joy not their pain. He loved her. And I compare that to the later memories, when he was older - he had Dragon-Blooded lovers and it was as if he didn't even consider them people, they were just there to serve him, no matter what they wanted - and it feels like someone entirely different. As different as this night, and that night in Nexus..."

She closes her eyes again, and the tears squeeze out from beneath her eyelids, trickling down her dust-stained cheeks. "If Arkadi wasn't always what he became... am I just retracing his path?"

Isa withdraws her hand as Ireva flinches. Give her space. She studies the Eclipse, noting the quiver in her hands and arms; her breathing, short and labored, like someone is trying to squeeze the air out of her chest; the way she clings to Zhou but finds no ease there. Too much? Ireva is normally so poised, letting the world see her smiles and laughter while veiling hurt and fear. Of course, Isa knows better than most how it can feel when the walls come down at last, and this is a hard thing to contemplate, but... still. Something feels off. Is she reliving those flashes of secondhand memory, or trying not to? All too easy to attune her inner ear to Ireva's thoughts. A little intrusive, maybe, but intrusive with the best of intentions, and...

Agony; a burning sensation in the gut, both literal and metaphorical. Shock and outrage and confusion, spiraling inward, like a cornered animal snapping at its own tail in its panic -

And fear. Defiance with it - but so much fear.

"Lie back," she instructs, her voice gentle. "You're curling in on yourself, like you're expecting to be struck at any moment. It's not good for you. Expectation shapes thoughts, makes you more tense still. Lie down, look at the ceiling a little while. Open your hands. Stretch your fingers and toes." She gives a little jerk of the head to Zhou, trying to indicate that he should help ease her down to the ground. The body directs the mind as much as the other way around; one of the first lessons any martial artist learns, no matter the style of their teacher or school.

"I wish I had answers for you," she continues, once Ireva has settled. "But I don't. That was the flaw with the Vision of Gold, near the end of the last age - the Fellowship couldn't tell why this was happening. Their foresight failed them, or they saw contradictory things. Is there a madness buried in the Solar Exaltations, as some believe, fanning the flames of heroism into wildfire? Do they simply burn too bright for a mortal to hold? Or was it just plain human decadence, the natural consequence of giving people too much power and too little oversight? Something else, beyond our sight entirely?" She shakes her head. "We don't know. There was no way to test any of the theories, short of staking the fate of the world on it, and we've had precious few chances since then."

"Your ideas seem... as plausible as any. If this is the echo of a past incarnation coming to the fore..." Isa purses her lips, thinking it over. "That would explain what's happening to Ireva, I suppose, why it felt natural one day and horrifying the next. But it doesn't tell us how the First Age Solars went wrong in the first place. Maybe they didn't need any help - Heaven knows people can be capricious and arrogant enough without any divine madness - but there are many among the Fellowship who feel otherwise, and some remember the Old Realm. And..."

She frowns, tapping a finger against her leg. "It doesn't sit right with what I know of Exaltation. It isn't supposed to change who you are; the gods chose mortal champions, not immortals. Partly as a symbolic gesture, gifting their power to humanity as a whole rather than raising a few to the level of gods, but also as a practical matter - if one of the Exalted was suborned or enslaved by their enemies, they wanted to be sure the next incarnation would be free of such things. The hun soul governs conscious thought, what you think of as your self. The po is the root of emotion, base desire and growth. The Exaltation, the third soul, is mostly blank - it amplifies and empowers what's already there, little more. There are sometimes residual scraps of memory in it, meant to guide a new Exalt or help them reclaim old skills and legacies, but they shouldn't be strong. Not like the stories you mention, Zhou; there's magic in those, Charms to bind and lend strength to blood kindred."

"As to the other..." Isa leans forward. "If you'd asked me to name your flaws before tonight, Ireva, I don't think I would have said cruelty. But you've known yourself longer. Can you remember anything like this from before you Exalted? Wanting to hurt people, or going too far and feeling remorseful after?"

Isa's calm words are something to cling to, something unrelated to the swirling whirlpool of the memories, and the all-too-present terror. Tiny things that Ireva can do, in the face of horror - to open her hands, to stretch her fingers and toes, to try to relax and let Zhou ease her down to the floor of the tent.

She looks up at the canvas ceiling through eyes blurred with tears, and imagines the stars beyond, and the city of Heaven. Remember your evening with Zhou, remember your marriage? Focus on those, try to displace the nightmares...

Open her hands. Stretch her fingers and toes.

Something helps, anyway. Her breathing slows, and shame and its lesser cousin embarrassment begin to creep in, displacing the panic and the pain, and the second-hand fury and contempt that she'd been so desperately trying to suppress. That seems like an improvement, of sorts.

The fear is still there, though; not fear of death, but of that future.

She tries to listen, tries to absorb what Isa is saying. It shouldn't be hard, but while she's come to a kind of equilibrium, it feels very fragile. Zhou will fill her in afterwards, if she asks.

Isa's last question threatens that fragile calm.

"I -" She tries to catch her breath, and thinks back. Unfortunately, some answers come all too quickly. "I've... wanted to hurt people, yes." She closes her eyes, not wanting to look at the Sidereal. Or at Zhou. Although... she thinks he would understand. Hopes, anyway. To me, they are a sign of strength...

"When I saw the Patchwork Regalia for the first time - or the second or the tenth, for that matter - when I watched the Thornsguard march by, when I saw the inside of the Shackle Maw..." Her lips draw back from her teeth in an expression that is not a smile. "Even when I was little... I wanted them to know every hurt they'd made us suffer."

"I don't remember ever regretting it, though." Her face twists, bleak and painful - "Or not in that way. Sins of omission, yes. Firi... sheltered me, from some things that needed to be done."

"Hate, a desire for justice, or even simple revenge... these are not solely the province of monsters," Zhou says quietly, wishing to reassure but not willing to simply dismiss his wife's worries outright. It would not help in any case. "I cannot truly imagine what it was like, in Thorns since it fell, but if even half the stories about it hold so much as a gram of truth, then hate is more than justified."

"Cruelty and sadism are something different. You are guilty of those when you prolong pain and suffering for no more reason than personal pleasure, when you eschew a path to victory because it will not make your enemies hurt as much as they otherwise might."

He shakes his head. "I will not tell you not to hate, Ireva. What is important is that you do not only hate, that you do not let it dominate your life and consume you. Do not let what was done to you, or what your predecessor did in the distant past, rob your life of all else that is good and worth living for."

Isa nods along with Zhou's words, surprised to find his sentiments mirroring hers so closely. Maybe she should have expected it; the Children of Hesiesh are taught to know their emotions, so they aren't ruled by them. But it sits oddly with her memories of Zhou that night in Nexus, wreathed in fire and determined to shed someone's blood for his fallen countrymen...

She clears her throat when he finishes, letting them know she has something to say, but it takes her a few moments longer to collect herself.

"One of my earliest memories is watching someone burn to death." The words are quiet, grave. "It was the festival of Ascending Earth, to mark the breaking of the ice and celebrate the first leaves of spring. It was a good start to the year, because we had Haltan redwood to burn in honor of the gods, and Haltan captives to burn on their sacred trees. My mother's people were Linowan, and they carry grudges deeper and hotter than any other people I know."

A pause. Isa's voice is measured, neither strained by emotion nor obviously masking it, but this is not a subject she speaks of often, and it's hard to find the proper words. "The screaming frightened me, I think; or maybe it was the way the screaming blended with the festival songs. My mother picked me up and told me it was all right, he was a bad man, he deserved it. I didn't start to understand what she meant until a few years later, when one of my uncles was lost on a raid. The Haltans ransom their captives, sometimes, but we weren't a wealthy tribe, and to give in to the enemy is a mark of shame... So they fed his soul to their Fair Folk allies and returned him as one of the dream-eaten, to taunt us." Her voice goes a little flat there. "He couldn't speak. He couldn't think. He didn't recognize us. When I looked into his eyes, there was nobody looking back. He would have starved without someone telling him to eat. He was dead in every way that mattered, a zombie that happened to still have a heartbeat. So we put him to rest, and prayed that what remained of his soul could find healing in Lethe."

"Looking at that, I could see why my kin wanted to hurt the Haltans, desecrate their gods and make them die in agony. But... I could imagine some Haltan child missing her uncle, and wishing the same fate on us. We'd done it first, as far as I could remember."

"The feud between Halta and Linowan is old, and bitter." An echo of something she said to Ireva once, about the Silver Pact and the Bureau of Destiny. "Bitter beyond belief. It's outlived whatever arguments or grievances gave rise to it - they don't even remember how it started, except in stories that are mostly lies. It's metastasized, become self-perpetuating and self-justifying. They hate and kill one another because they always have, because the other side hates and kills them. They need no other reason."

"I could see that, even as a girl, but I could never look my cousins in the eye and tell them they were wrong to hate the people who'd taken my uncle, my grandmother, my second cousin's sister. Even today, I don't know what I would say to them - how can I ask them to forgive or accept something like that? But even as a girl, I could look at my clan and see what it was costing us. We kept losing people, cousins and aunts and parents and children, and the survivors would draw closer together, united by shared grief and shared hate, and the feud grew stronger. I imagine the Haltan families near the border were much the same. It ate away at both peoples. It ate away at the land, too, though I didn't realize until later. There are shadowlands in Linowan to rival those left by the Great Contagion, the Uprising, even the Primordial War and the birth of the Neverborn. They weren't made by gods, or Exalts, or monsters from beyond the dawn of time. Just... simple, human hatred."

Another pause, as Isa surfaces from old memories. "Thorns isn't the same, I don't think. But the people there, the way it shapes them... some things don't change. I can't tell you the Mask doesn't deserve your hate, Ireva. I won't tell you to put it aside - it's not that easy, and I'm not even sure if I should. But I can tell you that it will hurt you, in the end, even if it's justified. Maybe especially if it's justified. Hatred is... like fire, in some ways," she glances at Zhou, "it burns out of control all too easily. Even if you keep it banked and controlled, to harness it and turn its power to your own ends, it's the kind of fire that burns too hot to be safe. It'll cost you something, take a little part of your heart as fuel."

She sits back a little, voice returning to something approaching normal. "Zhou is right when he says that cruelty and hate are not the same thing, too. My mother's kin hated their enemies beyond reason, but I never knew them to be callous towards friends or strangers. And from what you've said, the man you remember didn't hate the people he hurt."

"No," Ireva murmurs, after a moment of silence, "he didn't. Even at the end, when they were attacking him, crying out for vengeance, as he cut them down... even then he thought of them as an annoyance. Not important enough to hate."

She reaches out to clasp hands with Isa and Zhou. "Thank you. Both of you." The gratitude in her voice is heartfelt. "What you're saying makes sense. And maybe it should've been obvious, but -" Her hands tighten on theirs. "I needed to hear it from you, because if I was like that, or becoming that way - how would I know? Arkadi never saw what he'd become. I didn't recognize it, in Nexus." She swallows. "That's... something that frightens me, has always frightened me, the thought that I could change out of all recognition and not even realize it, until all that was left was a monster who thought she was Ireva, wearing a dead woman's skin."

"The only solution I've ever come up with is to listen to people I trust." She manages a half-smile, and looks up at Zhou. "And even in Nexus, you know - when you called me Anathema, it got through. I think it made a difference. You talked about eschewing victory in favor of causing more pain, but I don't think I would've done that even in Nexus, I still had a sense of self-interest. And I didn't want you to hate me."

Her gaze moves to Isa, her expression solemn, eyes full of sympathy. "And thank you, again, for telling us," she says simply. "I don't know very much about Linowan, or Halta. I didn't know about the shadowlands, or the depth of the feud. But I can... imagine that, that cycle, how hard it would be to break." Take a little part of your heart as fuel... She sets that thought aside, to ponder later. "It's part of what I fear, I guess, for the future of the Realm - you look at Fire Orchid and you can see it, they killed my husband and they must die. Or with the Pact and your Bureau - Skandi is a good man, but he told Ayesha he couldn't imagine any cooperation while the Bronze Elders were still alive, the ones who'd orchestrated the Uprising. Heads on spikes." She looks away, back up at the ceiling of the tent. "Although in some ways, it seems less bitter, less reciprocal - I don't think most people in the Realm, or even most Immaculates, hate the Anathema in the same way. Not yet. It's doctrinal, not personal, although if there are more battles like the Futile Blood…" She shakes her head. "But maybe it's still personal for the Bronze, or at least the Elders? I remember..."

She releases their hands, and sits up, with another grateful smile to them both; she is feeling better. It's easier to wall off the memories now, to speak as if they'd happened to someone else.

"I'm sorry for flinching away from you, Isa. It was... the last memory I have of Arkadi is his death in the Uprising. I think your teacher was there - it came back to me when I saw him, for the first time."

She looks down, and her words are stilted, awkward, carefully distant. "I remember Arkadi fighting, as I said, against his Dragon-Blooded officers. How he felt about them - he never imagined he'd lose. He thought it was a plot against him by another Solar; he couldn't imagine they'd made the decision themselves. He didn't realize they were just stalling him, sacrificing their lives to buy time." She nods at Isa. "Your teacher… brought the weapon. Immobilized him somehow. Gave it to - her. Arkadi's ‘favorite', one of his lovers. She was Fire-Aspected -" The Eclipse is very still, hands clasped tightly together. "She put her arms around him, embraced him. Then drove the spear through him. And into herself. Because she was, she was, with child, and that's how bad it had become..."

Her voice stutters, skips. Barely steadies. "They killed all the Solars' children, in the Uprising. Anyone connected to them, anyone who might serve as a rallying point. I'd known that. But... that is how bad it was, how bitter the hate, how powerful the fear: that a Dragon-Blooded parent would kill their own child because they were a Solar's child too -" Anguish wrenches her voice, and she cuts herself off.

In the silence she catches her breath, gathers her composure. Doesn't look at Zhou. It is a relief, of sorts, to have that out: the last of the horror, and in some ways the wound that aches most deeply. The words still weigh her down.

"Anyway, that's what I was remembering," she says very quietly. "With you holding me, Zhou, with Isa standing by... it was too close. I'm sorry. But I think I'm past it now. Thank you both. Again."

[Ifni]

Part III: In Which Isa Speaks of Family, And Ireva Shares a Secret

"They... burned people alive? And the Haltans fed people to Raksha?" Zhou says, looking at Isa with an incredulous expression. "That is... well, I suppose that just goes to show how little I understand about the history and culture up there. I can't even really imagine the reasons for something like that."

He sighs, and looks back to his wife. "And I'm not surprised at the level of hatred you remember. That's one part of the historical accounts that always seems to stay constant no matter who was telling it. The sacrifices necessary for the Uprising to take place, and the sheer hatred and fury that propelled it, to the point where everything associated with the old Solars was put to the torch. It takes a lot to convince people that an entire class of individuals are demons, especially when a true sorcerer can actually summon a demon themselves to verify things if they started doubting."

He hesitates, unsure whether he should embrace his wife in reassurance or back off to avoid triggering further memories. "I don't have definitive answers for you, no guaranteed solution that will absolutely work without fail. All I can say is that we can try, and put all those old assumptions and dire warnings to the test. Because I think it's worth it, I really do."

Ireva reaches out to pull the Fire Aspect close, resting her head on his shoulder. The thrumming tension, so evident a few minutes ago, has faded - although there are still faint traces of it, not entirely banished by Isa's advice despite Ireva's assurances. "I do too," she murmurs. "It really is all right now, love."

She looks up at Isa, a hint of apology in her eyes. Zhou's astonishment... could be seen as insulting, especially after Isa confided something so private. Her husband's life has been very sheltered in some ways, she's coming to realize - growing up as a favored son of the most powerful city-state in the Scavenger Lands, rising to rank as an Exalted officer of that city. How long has it been since Lookshyans had to contemplate a serious threat to their way of life? And Fire Orchid was raised the same way...

It's not a commonality she would have guessed at previously, but Isa's story resonates with her. A child in a war-torn community held close by grief and a dire external threat, with atrocities the stuff of personal experience - it's not the same, but it's alike enough that her instinctive reaction was recognition, not shock. Had Isa felt the same way, when Ireva spoke of growing up in Thorns?

"That kind of feud, between Linowan and Halta..." She hesitates, unsure whether to say what she's thinking. Risky, if Isa thinks she might be attempting manipulation, trying to bribe her - but surely they know each other well enough by now. "I don't know, but it... might be somewhere that the kind of Charms I know could be used to good purpose, just to put a wedge in the ever-turning wheel. They wouldn't last long enough for a long-term solution, but if you used them on both sides simultaneously, to encourage a temporary cease-fire and make them look at the cost of the status quo... maybe it would give a little space to look for something better."

"Maybe." Isa doesn't look confident. "They'd have to want to look, first, and I'm not they do. It wouldn't be quick, or easy, and there are always a thousand other places clamoring for attention..."

Ireva nods, accepting the dismissal. "It seems like an idea for another time, anyway. You said those were your mother's kin, Isa? Was your father not Linowan?" A less fraught subject, she hopes.

"No, he wasn't," Isa answers after a moment, a little thrown at the guess. Among the boat clans, it was natural to describe oneself by their mother's clan and kin, the omission of a father wouldn't mean anything; but of course that assumption doesn't hold true in Thorns, or Nexus, or the Realm. "He was from the Realm, one of the soldiers stationed at the border forts. Tepet legions, actually."

"Ah!" Ireva regards Isa with new interest. Did she...? But no, Isa hadn't known her heritage when she'd first offered to explain. Had she? "Was he - or is he - related to the House?" She smiles at the Sidereal, genuine lightness overtaking some of the remaining tension. "I suppose it doesn't matter much now, but... well, it's nice to find family I didn't know I had. Is he still posted there?"

She stops abruptly, and her smile falters - it's easy to think of Isa as a friend her own age, but she doesn't actually know. And even if they're near-matched in age, if Isa was with her mother's people from when she was very young...

"Or... was this before the Battle of Futile Blood? Was he...?"

Isa shakes her head. "Yes, and no. He lived, and returned to the Blessed Isle with the other survivors. House Tepet kept their veterans close after the battle, used them to start training replacements. He's still there, as I understand it. Retired now."

Her eyes go unfocused for a moment, but then she shakes her head again, goes on. Her voice is wry as she says, "We never had any Tepet blood that I knew about. I suppose there might be a Dragon's bastard hiding somewhere in my ancestors, the blood doesn't always show. But the great Houses and patrician families don't mingle much with country folk."

"It was a bit different in Thorns," Ireva answers, tone wry and bantering to match Isa's, "at least after the invasion. I'd say being Tepet didn't mean much, but Firi's early training saved us both, so... well, I guess it meant enough."

She tilts her head, and her voice softens, touched with sympathy and a hint of curiosity. "Does... the Bureau discourage you from seeing your family?" Those stories about her mother's kin, but only her feelings as a child; as I understand implies she doesn't speak from first-hand knowledge there, either. Another memory stirs, and she winces, lowering her eyes in apology. "Or - Shadow told me something of how the world can forget you. Is that...? That must be very hard."

Isa shrugs slightly. It is hard, though perhaps not so hard as Ireva imagines. She and Firada are very close; Isa and her father were more distant. The bond she lost is one that never quite existed. "There are worse fates. He's alive. He doesn't have to mourn me, or miss me. Many would pay a high price to secure that much for their loved ones."

She isn't sure why she finds it hard to talk about this, when she's confided in Ireva this far. Zhou? No; imagining him gone makes no difference. Something about the gap between her and Ireva's experiences. Not envy (though she does recall feeling that, a little, when she watched the sisters talk aboard the Lucky Star). No. A kind of shame, almost, that she doesn't prize her kin the same way Ireva does, as if that lack of connection signifies something missing or broken inside herself. Would Ireva judge her for that? No. (Probably.) But...

Ireva nods. "I... can see that, I guess. In a lot of ways that would've been better for Firada, to forget I existed, forget what she'd done to help me -" But she bites her lip, and there's a quaver in her voice she can't quite suppress. "Still. It's not an easy thought." She reaches out to touch Isa's hand, trying to offer comfort. Perhaps to apologize, for raising the topic in the first place. She's not quite sure herself.

"Don't feel too sorry on my behalf." Isa looks at Ireva, her eyes unfocused and yet somehow hard. "I had a choice. I walked away. He asked me to come home with him, after the battle, and I... felt called elsewhere. So I let him go back to the Isle alone. If I hadn't done that..." She shakes her head. "Sidereal Exaltation isn't sudden. It's something you're born with, something you were always destined to be. I can't say I wouldn't be here if I'd stayed with him instead - it doesn't work like that. But... if I hadn't been the sort of person who could walk away, I would not be Chosen. Or maybe it's the other way around, I don't know." A hint of bitterness enters her voice towards the end, despite her best efforts.

Hardness in Isa's eyes, bitterness in her voice - but neither, Ireva thinks, are aimed in her direction. Guilt?

"A sacrifice doesn't become less of a sacrifice because you chose to make it, Isa," she says softly. She slips out of Zhou's arms, reaches out to offer another one-armed hug to the Sidereal. "And I don't think there's any shame in leaving your kin behind to follow a calling - in some places, from what I've seen, that's just part of growing up. And you have to trust that those who love you wouldn't want you to be less than you are."

She frowns, unsatisfied with her words, and tries again, "In Nexus it was common to meet people from outside the city, sometimes from a long way away, who'd come looking for work, hoping for wealth, following a dream. They usually didn't have their families with them. It didn't mean they weren't loved, or cared less than those who stayed behind." She studies Isa's face, searching for a reaction. "So you followed the calling, not knowing on a conscious level what it was... and by doing so you've ended up protecting your father, and the Realm, and Creation. I... I don't know your father at all, obviously, but it's hard for me to imagine that he wouldn't be proud if he knew the truth of what you're trying to do."

Her face twists, in something between a wince and a grimace. "In the meeting with your teacher - I nearly refused his bargain, because it seemed like such a burden to put on you. And I am sorry for that, I never wanted to hurt you. But... in the end I thought you had the strength, and there didn't seem to be any good alternatives." She looks down, and repeats softly, "I'm sorry."

"But if your patrons are merciful, if they only choose those with the strength to bear the burdens they'll be given - it doesn't reflect badly on you that they found you worthy."

She grimaces again. "I'm probably being unhelpful. And presumptuous. I'm sorry. But... selfishly, I'm glad you found it in yourself to answer that call."

Isa smiles, a little rueful. She isn't normally so easy to read... "It's all right. Thank you for trying." She pulls Ireva closer. Even if the words themselves don't help, having someone who'll try to say them for her is... nice.

What she doesn't say: I left him alone. It's so easy for people like us to drift away from everyone, to find ourselves utterly alone. I get that from him. I don't know if he ever found anyone else.

But she's said enough for one night, she thinks. You can only bare so much of your heart at a time, and today has been long enough.

"Any time," Ireva murmurs in reply, and returns the hug. It's not enough, she can tell. Maybe... maybe she can find out what happened to the man, if she can get in touch with Firada. But that's enough of that topic for the evening, it seems.

After a moment she sits back, although she leaves her hand resting on Isa's arm. "Isa - Zhou - I guess we should get some sleep. But I want to thank you both again, for listening to me. Especially you, Isa - I know you've had a long day, and that this was new to you, and -" she winces, "- probably alarming. It... means a lot to me, that you didn't..." Her voice falters as too many words crowd their way forward: didn't recoil, didn't look at me with horror or fear or condemnation or disappointment in your eyes, didn't withdraw from me or turn your face away...

"... that you listened, and tried to give me answers, and to help me through the memories," she says, after a momentary pause. "Even if none of us have all the answers yet. You have no idea how much it helps to know you think it's not just... just who I am, even though that might seem simplest."

"You're welcome. And thank you, too, for the information. And the honesty." Isa touches Ireva's hand, recalling something she'd said to her earlier. Keep trying. The Eclipse has kept to that; here and now, and aboard the Frostwing with Xet. With Versino and Fire Orchid too, for better or worse.

Ireva squeezes Isa's hand, but stiffens faintly at honesty. A memory teases at her, There is nothing wrong with your Exaltation...

Pertinent information, no doubt, but she can't share it. Or perhaps she could share that, on the basis that the words were in front of witnesses and the meaning behind them was something she took, not something Lytek clearly offered, but... it feels thin. Against the spirit of her oath, if not the letter, since she suspects he meant her to recognize the lie. The secrets the god had offered later, and her worries inferred from them - all the Celestial Exaltations! - are even more strictly barred.

"We consulted with Divine Lytek, in Yu-Shan," she says carefully, after a moment. "What you said about memories, Isa, about how they shouldn't be strong, shouldn't influence personality - he concurred with that. So that's probably not just a misconception, anyway, although of course shouldn't isn't the same as can't." That, at least, should be safe enough: it was before Lytek asked them for their oaths, before he even sent the Celestial Lions away, and it sounds like it's just confirming common wisdom in Yu-Shan.

She shrugs, suppressing frustration. "The rest of that meeting is sealed, though - I don't think it's a secret that Lytek is not fond of your Bureau. I'm sorry." And she truly is. But that is as much as I can say, in all honesty, without breaking oaths I cannot break... wait, no.

Acting on that impulse, she reaches into her pocket, rummages for a moment, and hands a folded note to Isa. "Skandi shared this, though, not Lytek. He would probably be unhappy if he knew I'd given it to you, but well -" She shrugs again, an almost angry motion, "- I already slipped it to the Gold. I meant to give it to your teacher too, in case the Chairwoman didn't pass it on, but the way things turned out..." The small unhappy twist of her lips is eloquent. "I'd ask you don't use the contents in a way that would betray Skandi or the Pact, but... I'm trusting your judgement anyway." She manages a smile for Isa, with that last, trying to soften the inevitable hint of a question in the words.

Isa unfolds the parchment, scanning over it quickly. A small crease of the forehead is the only sign of consternation she shows, but from her even that much is significant. Some of it is opaque, a poetic vagueness characteristic of divination and prophesy; but the last few lines...

As I draw my last breath, Prison ancient opens wide /
Gods fall to their death; ghosts rise to match their stride /
Five score are the princes dead to the void once hurled /
Five by ten are the green sun princes to break the world

Ominous. Yet the numbers could be verified, perhaps, and green sun princes is prescient enough; if that much is true... She raises her gaze to meet Ireva's. "Thank you. May I... ask after the context? How did Skandi come by this?" The question is tentative; she doesn't see how this could be turned against the Pact, but Ireva evidently thinks it could be, and Ireva knows more of the matter than she. She wouldn't like Ireva to compound a perceived betrayal by explaining the weapon she's just handed to Isa...

"I can't tell you about the context in which it came up, but Skandi said they were among the last words of a certain Lunar Elder," Ireva answers, after a moment. "He learned them as part of his education by the Pact, I gather." She smiles a little sourly. "I was tempted to just mention the prophecy's existence to your Elders and let them apply to the Pact for anything more, but..." She sighs, and the bitter twist to her smile fades, leaving only weariness. "Too much risk that nobody would be willing to take the risk, and your Bureau would remain ignorant. It seemed... potentially important, at least, to me. Some secrets shouldn't be held close." But sometimes we don't have a choice.

"Yes." Isa looks back down at the note, distracted by its implications. "It doesn't seem like something that could be used against the Pact, if that helps," she adds after a moment. "Might have been better if we'd known earlier, but they have no formal obligation to share information with us, and we would have been surprised if they'd gone out of their way."

She rises to her feet, the note vanishing into a hidden pocket somewhere. "If that's all, I should be going? Early morning tomorrow."

"We've covered a fair bit," Ireva notes wryly. "Oaths and bargains, the future of Lookshy-Realm relations, madness, ancient memories, long-lost family, enigmatic prophecies... it'll be good to get some sleep before the sun comes up." She rises as well, with a sympathetic glance at Zhou - who has been watching and listening with eyes lidded, perhaps already half-drowsing, a soldier's trick of snatching rest while remaining aware of his surroundings - and steps forward to hug the taller woman tightly. "Take care. And let us know what you're planning, when you can? It's a little stressful when I have no idea where my friend is or whether she's safe." She smiles, warm and genuine and without any twist of ambiguity, as she steps back from the hug and looks up to meet Isa's violet eyes, her hands resting lightly on the Sidereal's arms. "I don't have a lot of friends, and even fewer people I could have trusted with... all this."

"I'll be in touch," Isa promises. "Let me know if you leave the camp. Sleep well, both of you."

[The_Snark]

Two Dynasts: a Fraud and a Traitor
(Three nights ago, aboard the Frostwing)
Braga broods aboard the Frostwing. There is a Cleansing representative on board the ship, a Cleansing representative in Chuzei Zhou’s impromptu hunting party... Versi’s nature seems to be becoming an open secret, with the barbarian and the Chuzei’s wife somehow knowing, and there’s a Cleansing representative aboard the ship. But... in appearance and in action she seems a noble dilettante, not an Immaculate monk.

Might that seeming be true? Might she be, in fact, some bored nobleman’s wife playing at being a priest? But then why send her into the field, on such a potentially perilous mission? Does she think hunting Anathema is as simple as hunting foxes? Did Lookshy intend the assignment as a gesture of contempt? Or… or is her semblance all a ruse, a disarming facade to sweetly veil a cunning knife? That plan seems ill suited to the Immaculate Order, but perhaps the All-Seeing Eye...

Tepet Xet is a cipher. Perhaps a patient threat, perhaps no danger at all. Unfortunately, Braga knows the surest way to tell which possibility lies closer to the truth is to assess her directly, to try her for traps himself. And it must be him and him alone who makes the assay; it would be far too risky to let Versino herself get near that woman.

He comes to her just after the Chuzei’s wife has relieved her at the ship’s wheel, greeting her in the corridors before she could reach her cabin.

"How fares the Realm?" he asks. "It’s been quite some time since last I saw the Isle."

"And it’ll be some time til you see it again, I’ll wager." The erstwhile monk pauses in the hall, eyeing Braga up and down. She looks tired but not unduly so by the day’s activities, worn down by tedium rather than exhausted by hard work. "The Realm still stands. Much the same as when you left, I’d expect, unless you’re a lot older than you look. Everyone has been expecting change or catastrophe since the Empress left, and yet after thirty years it’s still looming on the horizon, never now."

"And is that why Alcibiades proclaimed your Cleansing?" Braga asks with a small, knowing smile. "Because catastrophe hasn’t come?"

He waves off any immediate objection she might have, his smile fading, his tone growing more serious.

"I know, I know, you’re here to prevent it. But if you don’t mind me saying so, ma’am, I think Lookshy might be in need of a little more than a single… monk."

That last word, 'monk,' isn’t quite delayed enough to be a clear breach of etiquette, but the doubt is there, subtle but undeniable.

"Really?" Xet arches an eyebrow. "You don’t believe I can save Lookshy single-handedly? I think I’m insulted."

The words should be joking, but the tone... isn’t. Braga recoils slightly, his brow creasing. The possibility that Xet would take offense was a part of his plan, but that’s not the challenge he was supposed to be making. Could this reaction be... outright delusion? It seems too simple to ascribe it to madness, but...

"Honored One..."

His voice trails off. What to say? Could this be some sort of test? Daana’d does teach self sufficiency, but...

"The wickedness of the Anathema is a challenge to all our souls," he replies, falling back on basic theology. "Even if one could stand alone against them, it is our duty to stand together."

The Immaculate studies him sharply for a few moments longer before nodding once. "Not bad, Sesus Denerid Braga. Very tactful. Oh, relax; I promise I don’t bite. Unless you want me to." She flashes a quick grin, and - before he can react - steps close to link her arm with his.

"So! You want to hear news from home, then? What would you like? Thousand Scales office chatter? Sesus family news - who’s married, who’s dead, and so on? Juicy Cynis gossip?"

Braga is not so tactful as to be capable of keeping the shock and confusion from his face as the mercurial woman links arms with him. Tepet Xet seems, if anything, to be becoming progressively less comprehensible the more time he spends with her.

"I, uh, might be more interested in you," he ventures, then flushes crimson at those words, "how you came to Lookshy, I mean! I know the city professes the Faith, and is joined with the Cleansing… have many monks come from the Isle?"

Xet pauses, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. No. Too easy.

"I came by ship from the Isle, of course. I don’t know why everyone wants to know about that; it wasn’t a very exciting voyage. I like the sea as much as anyone, but I’m no sailor, and being penned up on a vessel a hundred paces long grows tiresome after the first few days."

"As for monks, I expect there are a few on their way, to show solidarity if nothing else. Can’t go dismissing Lookshy’s first overture of friendship, can we? Or - oh, do you mean for the invasion?" She turns sober for a moment. "I’m not sure. I think this calls for a legion, not a hunt; but it takes time to muster armies, and more time to send them across the Inner Sea. I don’t know if they can reach Lookshy in time to contribute much to the defense. Will monks and shikari come in their stead? Perhaps. I can’t very well sit in on those meetings when I’m out here in the Threshold, you know."

And with that, the moment is over. She peers up at Braga through her eyelashes, and with a far-too-innocent smile and a mischievous light in her eyes enquires, "You enjoy the company of monks, then?"

That treacherous blush steals over Braga’s cheeks again, and he almost leaps away from Xet as he disengages from her arm. Whatever game she’s playing, he isn’t up to playing it. At least not on such a small ship, with Versi so close at- No, no, he is not going there at all, not even if she’s serious. Especially not if she’s serious. And damn that blush!

"I’m trying to find out if you are a monk!" he blurts out, betraying his purpose in his embarrassment, "Those are not normal vestments! No one else is saying anything, but ma’am, I’m sorry, but I can’t ignore..."

He waves an arm vaguely in her direction, seeming to indicate both the outfit and the coquettish lady within it.

"I can’t ignore all this!"

"Flatterer," Xet grins, but allows Braga to free himself and get a little distance.

"No, I’m not a monk. I’m a diplomat - I believe I mentioned it when we were first introducing ourselves. Really, do I look like a monk? The Immaculate Order doesn’t let its acolytes dress like this." She smooths her robes over her hips. "I think it would make the monastic life more appealing to younger generations of Dynasts, but for some reason none of the senior monks like the idea. Such a shame."

She quirks an eyebrow. "Was that all you wanted from me? You could have just asked, you know."

"I did just ask!" Braga exclaims, indignant, trying to recover a shred of his lost pride, "And if that’s what’s going to get me answers around here…"

He draws himself up, attempting to summon all the native air of authority of a true scion of the Realm and not quite succeeding in the attempt.

"What’s a diplomat doing here? On a mission like this? And… and dressed like that?"

No, he is not going to let the subject of Xet’s “Sexy Immaculate” Calibration costume drop, no matter how assuredly he should.

"And what’s wrong with how I’m dressed?" Xet folds her arms, evidently unimpressed with the critique. The other questions go ignored for the moment.

"It’s..."

He probably should say 'blasphemous,' but 'immodest' is what comes to mind, followed shortly by 'improper.' His mouth rebels, however, and what actually comes out of his lips is something more along the lines of "It’s imm-praaactical."

He huffs softly and quickly throws on his best disapprovingly parental glare of the sort that seldom works on Versi.

"Diplomat you may be, but we’re not headed to a satrap’s court."

Or to a satrap’s bedroom, for that matter, but he doesn’t point that out.

"Hm." Xet maintains the stern pose a moment longer before allowing a smirk to break through. "You might be surprised. Tell you what - I’ll spare you the offer to take off whichever article of clothing you find most offensive, and get back to the point: why am I here, and why am I dressed like this? One of those questions holds the answer to the other, don’t you think?"

She pauses for effect before elaborating. "Let’s imagine that the Realm decided to send, oh, Mnemon Kala instead of yours truly. Lovely girl, bit of a bore but we all have our flaws. Proper monk, proper robes, proper Immaculate training. She’s fearless and good at what she does, and what she does is strike down Anathema without hesitation or mercy. Now, let’s imagine that this pious, proper monk walks into a stable in Lookshy and comes face to face with Skandi the Wolf. How do you think that’s going to go?"

To Braga’s credit, the change in topic does finally interrupt his preoccupation with Xet’s costume. His eyes narrow. The Realm had known to anticipate Skandi’s presence in Lookshy? And was willing to tolerate it? Willing to tolerate Skandi Dragonsbane?

"If you want me to just ask my questions, here is what I want to know," he says, slowly and carefully, "Who sent you, then? Who chose to send a woman who could smile at Skandi the Wolf instead of one who could slay him? The Realm I left would not do such a thing, I don’t think."

He fixes a sharp, analytical eye on her face, searching for the merest twitch, and he adds, "Though of course I can’t say I’m familiar with the methods of the All-Seeing Eye."

"Naturally not," she laughs, "that would rather defeat the point. The All-Seeing Eye can’t afford to be too open, you know."

"As for who sent me, I’m afraid I couldn’t answer that, even if I wanted to. My superiors don’t share everything with me, and frankly if they had I’d probably be obliged to lie to you about it. All of this is guesswork, you understand; nobody told me about the Wolf in advance. Just my professional opinion, as a... diplomat." She smiles conspiratorially. Do you remember how I introduced myself, Sesus Denerid Braga? You're smart enough to be suspicious, here, but you aren't keeping your distance.

"But who knows? Maybe Lookshy specifically requested a diplomatic observer be sent, rather than a shikari. A tad suspicious, but probably less awkward than the alternative."

A frown quirks at the edges of Braga’s lips. Her answers have, essentially, told him nothing. She’s not a bared blade, at the least, but then, he never really feared that. 'Diplomat' gives an explanation for her outward softness, but that softness could still veil a cunning weapon, aimed in who knows what direction. Even a diplomat in truth might use Skandi’s, might use Versi’s, identity against Lookshy, were she so inclined.

All that talk, all useless.

"Perhaps," he concedes, in a tone meant to bring a close to the conversation, "Dragons be with you, diplomat of the Realm. Threats more dire than harsh words lie ahead of us. I hope your superiors have not done you too much of a disservice in sending you on this hunt."

"So do I." The finality of Braga’s words is not lost on Xet; she glances down the hall. "I should be getting to my bed. We’ll have to talk again some other time; I would simply love to hear how a son of Sesus found himself sworn into Lookshy’s legions. I am a shameless gossip, I’ll admit, but if I hear it from you I promise I’ll spin the story to make you sound better."

She flashes the sorcerer a last quick smile before turning away, walking in the direction of her quarters.

[industrious]

Kharal Fire Orchid

The elder officer arches an eyebrow, clicking her tongue at Zhou's actions.

"You don't know how many? Choosing to attend? Please?"

Kharal Fire Orchid sighs, assumes the classic drill Gochei's stance. There is no malice in her words; she clearly means this as advice and instruction.

"You've gotten things entirely backwards, cousin. You do not invite those under your command; you inform them that they will be attending. You should have asked whether they could attend and then ordered them, one way or another. Ambiguity is fatal for command."

She gives the smaller Solar an appreciative nod at her words.

"You're right; my men cannot catch an Immaculate. I will track her down myself." A thin smile. "An Immaculate Hunt."

"She is dead. From the moment she swore her vows, she declared herself my enemy. If I left my back to her, she would take the chance to kill me. I cannot capture her. I cannot leave her be, else the Mask's force reach her first. She is dead."

[Ifni]

Not quite the answer she'd been hoping for. But at least Fire Orchid doesn't seem hostile, or angry about the invitation to their allies. Ireva returns the older Solar's nod, with a faint smile, acknowledgement if not agreement.

Then she glances at the opening of the tent, before looking back at Fire Orchid. Her voice remains soft, steady, genuinely enquiring. "Kazei. I think it's clear to both of us that I'm not very familiar with your customs. So... this is a genuine question. If I think you're about to make a mistake - not due to any fault or failure on your part, but just because there's information that I have and you lack, information we haven't previously discussed and you had no other way to gain - how would you prefer that I behave, in that situation?"

Immaculate Hunt. Part of her wants to fling words at Fire Orchid intended to confront, to knife deep, to sarcastically marvel at her emulation of those she believes to be her greatest foes. But the Eclipse knows the nightmare terror that fuels her own anger - the effect of the Realm's great sacrifice is to hand the power of Solar Exaltation to its enemies, and all that followed from that understanding; the memory of a Dragon-Blood's face too shattered to weep, and her sister's battle-callused hands holding out an orichalcum blade. Knowing it, she can swallow the fear and protectiveness down like a mouthful of ashes; she can keep her face and voice calm and placating, to soothe Fire Orchid's pride while setting her own feelings aside. It's not easy; it never was. But if she did it for Firada as a mortal child in their enemy's domain, she can do the same now, Dragons damn it.

[Maugan Ra]

"And were this a traditional command, I would have done just that, Kaizei." Zhou responds evenly. "As it is, three of them are civilians in all but name, recent recruits sent along before true training due to their unique skills, and one is not officially under my command at all."

He shrugs. "'Do not give an order you know will not be obeyed' - one lesson among many from the academy. Ambiguity is far from ideal, but preferable to inciting deliberate disobedience. And, to be frank, they may well have entirely valid reasons to reject an order to walk into the middle of an unknown army and enter the presence of it's commander."

Especially when said commander is an Anathema who could likely bend their wills to her own ends goes unsaid, but doubtless Fire Orchid has enough experience with similar cases to catch the inference.

He says nothing in regards to the idea of an 'Immaculate Hunt', glancing at his wife and letting her questions take the lead on that, but a canny observer would likely note the faint tension that steals over him at the words... and the flicker of a suppressed smile that crosses his lips.

[industrious]

Fire Orchid

"I'd suggest that you either tell me that information, or accept that I will act as I see fit with the information I have."

"And...I am sorry, that you were put in charge of children. My last two years in service were spent training troops. I would be happy to instill proper discipline with your men. It's not a proper boot camp...but it would suffice."

Bright Shard

The tent is not large, and is taken up mostly with the bedroll and soldier's pack. It is made for travelling, little else.

"...Thanks. Now, we have to take it apart, and break camp. Care to lend me a hand?"

Isa, Last Night

There is a demon in the camp.

Around where Ireva indicated that creatures of darkness were, Isa hears the discordant ringing of Malfeas.

There are wards around the camp. Strips of silk have been laid around certain sections, furrows drawn into the ground. Wards against the dead - though their effectiveness against the Greater Dead is debatable.

Within the cords, Isa hears the beckoning call of a summoning spell. Not one she has heard before, though, and it is too complex to be of the Emerald Circle.

The Black Hand, for all his power, is young, and has not yet reached the pinnacle of Essene one can achieve in a mortal lifetime.


So, I'm waiting on everyone besides Maugan, DnD, and Ifni to post something.

[Ifni]

"I'm more than happy to tell you," Ireva replies, voice still level. Don't wince, don't wince... but it seems she'll have to spell it out. She offers a small smile. "I think you misunderstand me, Kazei. What I'm asking is whether, when this situation comes up, you'd prefer that I tell you immediately, wait until it's not in hearing of your troops -" She glances again at the tent opening, more pointedly this time, but refrains from phrasing it as allow you to retain the illusion of omniscience for your troops. "Or some other option. In this specific case, yes, I'm asking if you'd like that information now, or if you would prefer to arrange different circumstances first. But it seems like a good idea to get general conventions sorted out, as well."

The Eclipse shakes her head slightly. "From last night I'd inferred that you perceive open advice as an insult, in circumstances where I wouldn't feel the same way. Different customs, fine. This isn't a question about security: I'm not going to spill military secrets in the middle of a parley negotiation, regardless of what you say. It's a question of what you'll find congenial and easy to work with, allowing us both to operate efficiently. We have a war to win, Kazei, I'm not particularly interested in shouting matches."

She lets the boot camp suggestion go unanswered; Zhou can field that one.

[Aevylmar]

Mister Flufferkins strolls past the sentries into the tent and starts purring.

It is a calm and soothing purr, because, well, it has to be. Skandi's allies are probably about to start killing each other, and he decided to disguise himself on the off-chance it would fool the Mask of Winters.

In the sight of morning, this might not be a great plan, but for now, he's sticking to it. But right now, the only thing he can do is to purr, and, when a break in the conversation appears, to say in a voice that only Fire Orchid might be able to understand, "Commander, if you go to hunt the Monk alone, you leave yourself open for an ambush. If you go with an army, she may well evade you. A pardon can be nearly as fine a weapon as a sword."

[DeafnotDumb]

"...Thanks. Now, we have to take it apart, and break camp. Care to lend me a hand?"


...Perfect.

"Of course." Shard smiles, still caught by the edges of sleep. "Command away, First Lance!"

All these papers, writs and reports that need packing. Sometimes, Heaven just gives a girl a gift.


Jade is looking for a piece of paper that she can use as a)identification for a false identity and b) the basis for forging Duck's signiture. Failing a) she will settle for b).

Either way, using Flawless Pickpocketing Technique to bag that piece of paper risklessly (assuming it exists). 3m.

Also rolling Perception+Awareness to see what useful information she can glean from what she's sorting through. If it's a smaller die pool, start removing die from the right hand side.

8 die: [roll0]

[Ascension]

It was a dark, dire night, but the morning finds Braga refreshed. Paradoxically, Typhon's outrageous lie has seemed almost to reaffirm his spirit, to steel him for the coming war,.. for war it will be, terrible war. He rises with the dawn (though grudgingly... his Dynastic cousins were never in any particular hurry to wake him, for fear of what demons might lurk within a sorcerer's bedchambers) and goes to rouse Versino.

His hand on her shoulder is gentle, his words soft.

"Versi... Versi, wake up. The Chuzei has summoned me to a... negotiation, I've got to get going. I didn't want you to worry where I might be. I know Gochei Maheka and I were late getting back last night... I'm sorry, but you know I keep safe. Wouldn't have gotten this old if hadn't learned how, and you should remember that if you ever want to grow up as big as me. So let me do the worrying about you, and not the other way around. Grey hairs would suit me better."

[Inspector Valin]

"Aww..." Versi stretches slowly, eyes blinking half-open, looking up at Braga with a smile. She was tired, only registering one word in three, but it didn't matter. He was there, he was safe. No need to fear, no need to storm off into the Underworld to rescue him. Her nightmares hadn't come true just yet. The Little Lunar lay there peacefully, looking up towards her father with a contented smile, happy with the world... until the realization of Braga's first words hit her like a stone.

"You've got to.... what?"

Versi's eyes opened wide at that little point. Placing a hand on the ground, she tries to pull herself upright, grunting a little at the pain as she looks towards Braga. "What do you mean, the Chuzei's summoned you? Shouldn't we be working on... the Frostwing, or something? Finding a way to get back to Lookshy?"

[Ascension]

Braga frowns at Versi's reaction, at the grunt of pain as her movement pulls at her wound. She shouldn't be straining herself like that. And though he wishes she didn't have to remember, she shouldn't have forgotten...

"We're on a mission, remember. For Lookshy. The Chuzei believes that this army, this camp, is... well, is our target. He's a good man, though, in his way. Or at least he is trying to be. He's entered negotiations with the, ah, so-called Anathema. This shouldn't have to end in bloodshed after all. And then we can get back to Lookshy. With a new friend, I hope!"

He stands, brushing off the knees of his trousers.

"So I'm going to help him negotiate. Maybe keep that fire and that martial spirit of his from cooking off, eh? You get some rest, and follow the camp doctor's orders. I'll be back soon."

[Inspector Valin]

"What?!"

Versi's eyes went wide at Braga's words, and her face went white as a sheet within the instant. After last night, when the soldiers had been so kind and friendly to her, the idea that Lookshy had sent them to kill these people was just...incomprehensible. The little Lunar blinked for a few seconds, breathing heavily before looking up to Braga for confirmation of what he'd already said, barely raising her voice above a whisper. "This was our target? Not the Abyssals? And Chuzei Zhou wants you to go and meet their leader?"

The young Exalt paused for a second, before finally hauling herself upwards, still clad in her tattered bloody green tunic. She still felt less than wonderful, but in that moment, she looked as solid as a rock. Versi met Braga's gaze directly, firm and emphatic as she'd ever been. "You're not going." The young warrior didn't turn away, didn't flinch. She continued, slightly hushed voice barely disguising her feelings on this matter. "I'm here to keep you safe. And you won't be safe walking into the middle of a camp lead by an Exalted General who could be hostile! That doesn't help the mission. That's just stupid."

With that, Versi finally turned away from Braga. Breathing out, she closed her eyes and placed a hand to her forehead. This situation was... not the best way to start the day. She needed to think it through. Eventually, eyes still closed, she spoke again, a touch calmer. "If this is a threat, don't we need some kind of way out of here? I don't think everyone in our group can outrun horses. Shouldn't we be working on that?"

Why yes, this is that argument kicking in. :smallwink:

[Maugan Ra]

Fire Orchid

"And...I am sorry, that you were put in charge of children. My last two years in service were spent training troops. I would be happy to instill proper discipline with your men. It's not a proper boot camp...but it would suffice."



"And deny them the authentic experience?" Zhou asks dryly, one eyebrow raised. "I would not dream of it."

For all his politeness and the less than entirely serious nature of the reply, there is no mistaking the flat refusal beneath Zhou's words. The offer is appreciated, certainly, but it is clearly not one he ever intends to take advantage of.

[industrious]

Jade Lotus

The small tent is pretty bare of materials. The only paper Jade is able to pocket is the First Lance's commission, signed with a bloodied thumbprint.

"Right. Help me untie this peg here..."

Fire Orchid

"If it's urgent, tell me. If it can wait, then it can be done in private."

She coos at the kitty, placing the animal on her lap.

"Given that I have already asked for possible solutions to my Immaculate problem, you are free to inform me of any information I might have missed."

The Commander addresses the two officers, instructing them to prepare a talon of cavalry and her own mount while the camp beyond makes ready.

"In the meantime, however, there are a great number of other things that call on my attention. What can you tell me about the deathknights my men reported?"

[Ascension]

"She's not hostile," Braga replies, "The Chuzei confirmed it. The commander of this army is friendly to Lookshy. There must have been a misunderstanding. You know and I know that Celestial Exaltation isn't what makes someone Anathema... the Cleansing doesn't. But under these conditions... Lookshy can't afford to be choosy about its allies. Dragons, they've got us fighting alongside Skandi the Wolf, Skandi-called-Dragonsbane. If the state had realized when they sent us out that the general of this army is willing to fight with them rather than against them, I'm sure we wouldn't be here on a mission of murder."

He lays a gentle hand on Versi's shoulder, trying to calm the girl.

"And now it's a mission of peace."

His expression darkens slightly and he adds, "In any case, as you've pointed out, it has to be. We can't escape cavalry in these numbers, not all of us. And we're scattered, weakened. Speed won't see us out of this. Strength won't see us out of this. But camaraderie can. We can, we must, fight together with this army, for Lookshy. All Creation shares our common foe."

[Ifni]

"As you wish." Ireva sits straight, hands folded in her lap, not relaxing with the change of topic. "The deathknights... they're the Mask's most favored servants, with caste marks and animas mirroring ours, and the powers to match. The ones we encountered were the Maiden of the Mirthless Smile, the Black Hand Resting Upon the Throat of the World, and Typhon. The first looks like a little girl and is perhaps the Mask's most fearsome warrior - don't underestimate her, she looked like a child when Thorns fell, too. Her caste symbol is that of the Dawn, blackened and bloody; she fights with a soulsteel grimscythe. The second is the Mask's general and strategist, of the... Daybreak caste, mirrors to the Twilight; he was the one tasked with suppressing the Resistance in Thorns. Uses an Essence cannon and wears armor made of enough souls to fill a -" prison? Temple? Army?

Tepet Ireva remembers gatherings in the dark. It hadn't all been tears and wounds and starving in the cold. There had been smiles as well, even if there was always something of scars in them, something of fierceness, something of grief. Thoughts and words and gestures of defiance, given to the unending night.

So many names, remembered.

Her face is still, her voice perfectly even, as she covers the hesitation and goes on, "- city's cemetery. It has powers beyond what you might expect. Typhon you probably know about: the Ambassador of Thorns. Fights with soulsteel short daiklaves, and he's relatively harmless in combat, compared to the other two."

"Those are only three of the deathknights the Mask has sent against Lookshy. I can describe what I know of the others if you wish, but in general, expect necromancy, necrotech, ghostly troops, assassination attempts. I don't know exactly what they were doing in that village - besides opening a shadowland and taking the villagers for necrotech supplies - but it was suggested it might be an attempt to interfere with the local geomancy more broadly."

She shrugs. "I'm not a sorcerer or savant, though. I don't know your skills in that area, Kazei. At least two of our companions have knowledge of the occult."

"Speaking of our companions, to return to the earlier question -" The Eclipse still does not move, does not shift position, but something about her focus on Fire Orchid grows more intense. "First things first; this is of lesser importance than the other, but for the sake of accuracy... are you aware that Tepet Xet is not actually a monk of any kind?"

[The_Snark]

Isa's rest is uneasy that night. The air is chilly - not so frigid as the winters of her childhood, but she has only a silk robe for a blanket - and the little nook she's found beneath a decaying stump (itself mostly buried beneath dense brush) is far from comfortable. Her dreams ring with brazen chimes and iron bells, the lingering echoes of the ominous presence overheard in Kharal Fire Orchid's camp last night. Dawn wakes her less than six hours after she drifts off. And when she wakes, she finds last night's memories waiting for her.

She was terrified of me, and that felt right. Satisfying.

... annoyed me somehow, and I felt that the right way to deal with it was to hurt her...

... didn’t even consider them people, they were just there to serve him, no matter what they wanted...

Am I just retracing his path?

She'd spoken unvarnished truth last night: of all the character flaws she could have pinned to Ireva, cruelty would have been one of the last. This was the same Eclipse who listened to Isa explain why her homeland and her kin had been tricked into believing her a monster, and nodded, and said she understood, with no lie in her words. Empathy, honesty, even-handedness... none of these things goes hand-in-hand with cruelty. Not the kind of cruelty Isa knows, at any rate. Ireva shows a measure of kindness to her enemies, except for those who truly deserve none.

Or so she would have said yesterday. Now she has to face the idea that her judgment was in error. Not wholly - Ireva's fear was genuine - but some. Unnerving thought. And just as unnerving, the realization that for her trust in Ireva to be shaken like this, she had to trust in the first place. It's not a new thought, exactly, but there's been so much else to do - fighting deathknights, spying for Lookshy and the Bureau, maintaining the elaborate facade of Tepet Xet - that until now she's managed to avoid thinking about what it means, that she's let a Solar become her friend. Chejop Kejak warned her against that, with good reason. That first day on the Lucky Star, she'd told Ireva she trusted her not to threaten the world today, or tomorrow, or a year from now. If she lets herself see Ireva as a friend and ally, how is she to decide when to stop? Will it be easier to turn away and become her enemy after a hundred years? Maybe, if Ireva's madness grows to eclipse her better side. But likely not. Isa has never been good at betrayal.

Yes you are, whispers some small treacherous part of her. Isa stifles the voice. It's not something she wants to be good at.

Seems she's not going to get much of a choice in the matter, though. Treason and breaking faith with her teacher on the one hand; murdering a friend on the other.

Isa shakes her head, rising quietly and gliding soundlessly through the trees in search of breakfast. There won't be much this close to the camp, the army's scouts and outriders will have done their best to strip the land bare, but she can likely find a few bites to ease her hunger. If not, well, there's food to be had in camp... Her thoughts keep circling back towards last night, the familiar motions of stalking and foraging not enough to fully occupy her attention. Can she trust Ireva? She can't keep doing this halfway, lying to herself to avoid having to face the choice head-on. Rather, she shouldn't. Take the leap, trust Ireva and work with her to avert the disaster looming in the far future, or... don't. Take the safe path, shoulder the losses and move on. If you believe you can place your faith in the Solar Exalted... There had been no doubt in her sifu's voice when he spoke, just bitter disappointment.

(And yet the Vision of Gold spoke otherwise, offering not certainty, but the certainty of a chance. How does he know? How can he speak with such surety? There are things he isn't telling her, that's no secret. Isa just wishes she could trust that he's being honest with what he does share.)

There's a meager silver lining to it, though. Ireva isn't hiding from the issue, as she had half-feared. Zhou isn't trying to soothe away her worries, as she'd more than half-expected. Knowing about the problem isn't enough, of course, not on its own, but... it can't be worse than not knowing.

She comes within sight of the camp, keeping a small copse of trees between herself and the nearest sentries. Time to put all this aside, and get back to the day's work. Somewhere in that camp, Ireva and Zhou are meeting with the Commander to discuss plans and strategies for the coming campaign. What they learn there may be critical in deciding how to handle Kharal Fire Orchid, how much threat she poses set against how much of an asset she could be. It would be useful to sit in on that, if she can manage it without the risk of being detected -

- and fortunately, she has the means to assess those risks. Isa closes her eyes and attunes herself to her thread on the Loom, acutely sensitive to the vibrations of impending conflict or violence. Kharal Fire Orchid may be able to unmask her, but not without giving warning. Enough warning to escape unhindered, unless something goes disastrously wrong.

Activating Prior Awareness to give Isa ~6 minutes' warning in advance of any threat, e.g. Fire Orchid or one of her guards breaking through her UMI stealth and trying to kill her. Expected Pain will be used to convert all dice to successes, if necessary.

Isa is then going to head into the camp to attend the meeting, shielded by Underling Invisibility Practice and Lion Mouse Stratagem. (She hasn't renewed the effect since the conversation last night, so Zhou and Ireva should still be able to spot her.) She'll also be using mundane stealth to try to stay hidden/inconspicuous; anyone who can penetrate the layers of Charm-based concealment probably won't be fooled, but it might keep people from spending Willpower to break through in the first place.

[Inspector Valin]

"If the Commander's so friendly to Lookshy, why do they need you to go and talk to her?"

Versi's eyes narrowed a little, her words unusually harsh. There were too many things to process, the issue of what they were going to do about Lookshy, the unknown Commander, their lack of escape options. Still, through it all, she focused on Braga's words about the city. And how it wouldn't have ordered this if they knew what they were doing. Slowly, Versi shook her head."I.. think this mission might not have been ordered by Lookshy." Breathing deeply, the Lunar hefted herself upright, resting on Skycutter as she looked up towards Braga. "The Justicar knew Bright Shard was An... other kind of Chosen. He sent her out anyway. Which means he set up a group with at least two known non-Dragon Blooded Chosen... and a Cleansing agent. And..."

Versi blinked, looking downwards. She didn't want to relate the next bit, the bit that made things so much worse for them, but... it might be important. Slowly, she looked up towards her father, obviously reluctant. "Father, have you ever heard of Sidereals? Chosen of Destiny?"

[Ascension]

A look of doubt and confusion instantly blooms on Braga's face as Versi asks that question, as she speaks the word "Sidereals," but it goes deeper than reflexive disbelief. For a fleeting moment his memory seems to rebel against itself, conflicting signals emerging from the recesses of his mind. At the Heptagram... in that mysterious damaged manse... no, no. It may seem as if he's heard the name and then forgotten it... but that's impossible. Mela's blood has gifted him perfect clarity of mind. No personal experience lies beyond his power to recall.

Hard certainty erases his brief bewilderment, and he sets his mouth in a frown.

"What campfire stories has Unbroken Willow been filling your head with? Chosen of Destiny? You're saying these so-called 'Sidereals' are Exalted? There are no 'Sidereal Exalted.' Someone's playing a joke on you. 'Sidereal' is an archaic word... archaic even in Old Realm, mind you... meaning 'of or pertaining to the stars.' And the stars have no Chosen. Only the Moon, and the Sun, and the Elements of Creation, and now, through perversion of the principles of Exaltation, the Void of the Underworld. Saying that the stars have Chosen is like saying that there are Wyld-Chosen, or 'Infernal Exalted.' It may seem that every power in the world can grant Exaltation, but that's simply not the case. The gift is reserved to a very few."

[Inspector Valin]

Versi's eyes widened a little at her father's words. Braga always supported her, always encouraged her... and now he was telling her that her theory was rubbish. That the infomation she'd gathered was rubbish. Maiden's words from not too long ago played out in her head I'm glad your Daddy's nice. Scowling a little at the belittlement, Versi shook her head, unmoving on the point. "Skandi told me about them. And I don't think the Wolf knows much about archaic Old Realm."

Versi took a breath. Sniping at Braga wouldn't get her anywhere. Calm, refocused and collected, she started to speak again. "He said they worked for Yu Shan, and had spies all over the place. He said a lot more that I don't know if I believe, but that was the important bit." The little Lunar's calm spell started to fray fairly quickly as she proceeded to outline her theory. "Think about it, Mr Braga! That Justicar man knew about Skandi. He knew about Shard because I told him that. And he probably knew that a Cleansing agent was being assigned to this group. And he let all of that happen?"

Feeling a little heated at that point. Versi pulled open the tent flap, taking a draught of moderately stale air before turning back to her father. "If Xet reacted like a loyal Immaculate, this whole missionwould've gone wrong already, and possibly put the alliance at risk. No Lookshyan officer would agree to that. But Xet's..." Versi visibly tensed at that bit, trying to find another way to say it. But there wasn't one. Hanging her head, the little Lunar continued in a doleful tone. "She saw through my spell. And didn't tell anyone. Didn't even try to hit me. She just let me put my disguise back up in peace, and that was it. She didn't try to kill anyone when they revealed what they were during the battle. And just afterwards, I'd heard her talking to Ms Ireva in Old Realm, fluently and softly"

That point was enough to restore Versi's focus. Sighing, she met Braga's gaze, actually managing a faint bitter smile. "Some Immaculates learn the old tongue, right? To talk to gods? But I don't think the woman who never attained the Lotus of Enlightenment and just dresses kinda like a monk was one of them. She's lying about something, father. And this 'Sidereal' theory makes a lot of things fit together."

[Inspector Valin]

“Hey”

There was a cough, and a clank, as Versi came up onto the deck. The young one did not look exactly happy at the moment, frowning, eyes downcast as she walked. Still, upon seeing Skandi, she nodded, looking up, attention focusing on the Lunar for the moment. The Wolf didn’t seem to have brightened her expression, but he’d given her focus

“Can we talk?”

Skandi is going through weapon drills on the deck; sword and shield, axe and shield, shield by itself, trying to get used to the rhythms of the extra moonsilver before he gets into a serious fight with it. It was good practice, good space-filler for his days. He could spend nights telling stories, sleeping, and going over all the past events in his head, to recount them as part of his report to Chimes.

“Certainly, Versi.” He smiles without showing his teeth. “Just getting used to the new shield. I’ve plenty of time to talk.” He considers a moment. “A serious talk, or a silly one?”

The young girl’s frown flickers, receding briefly at the simple comment as she begins to grin. Skandi’s words felt sincere, and for a moment, her mind turned to the Lunar as she’d seen him before, a crazy man who’d be happy in the midst of anything. A virtue she could appreciate. She looks out, towards the horizon, chuckling slightly. “I’d like a silly talk, The Chosen don’t get to be silly very much.”

She glances about; to the helmsman’s room, door securely locked for the moment, to the door leading downwards to the hold. Her mind strays between the other members of the party, her worries and fears. Versi frowns, sighing and shaking her head, dismissing levity for the moment “But I need a serious one.“

The armoured Exalt is silent for a few seconds, looking eyes closed, lost in thought. Pondering herself and Braga, their times together and to come, had left her focused on the past. Her mind is walking down the first road she’d ever known in Creation, a country lane that led towards a small port town. The dirt is strange to her, rising up with every footfall as the plants sway and rustle in the wind. The gentle, comforting wind plays with the young Girl’s hair. She laughs, even when the Strange Man tells her to hush.

The Wind now is cold; chill with the ice of cloud cover. Versi’s distraction is short lived. Eventually, the young girl breaks the silence, silver eyes looking up at Skandi Dragonsbane with an expression of faint hurt. “How did you know?”

Skandi considers her question for a moment, sword sheathed, scratching at his chin with his sword-hand. “I knew because I was told, I’m afraid,” he said. “And then I knew because, well, Braga admitted it. I don’t have any magic Lunar-sensing powers. I just have people who want to tell me things because they assume I’ll do what they like with the information.”

He pauses. “I did mean what I said about danger, though. The tattoos are a shield against wild, unconstrained mutation… like the wild, unconstrained mutation that sometimes happens when you shapeshift.”

He calmly waits for Versi’s response. There. That’s said. Message across - I hope.

The young Exalt sits there, looking up at Skandi’s eyes as the older Lunar spoke. Once he was done, she remains in silence for a few seconds longer, before chuckling; more to herself than to Skandi. “Why would I want to change my shape? I can feel it, the potential I think, but…”

The thought is an idle one, and Versi dismisses it swiftly enough. Instead she shakes her head before looking upwards, her attention focusing on the larger Lunar. “I’ve heard your warnings, Mr Skandi. Ms Ireva was very insistent on that too. I’m not going to risk turning into a monster unless I’m really out of options. I promise.”

The words are enough to leave Versi grinning for a second at the absurdity, before sighing a little. Frowning, she met Skandi’s gaze again. “But I haven’t shown my true anima since I exalted. If someone saw past the glamor on this armour, the spell would break, and I’d be visibly wearing Moonsilver again.” The young girl’s eyes narrowed. “There are very few people you could’ve ‘just heard’ about me from, Mr Skandi. And almost all of them should be Cleansing agents.”

Versi manages a black chuckle, though her gaze doesn’t shift from Skandi “Do they call you Dragonsbane too?”

He sighs. “I’m glad to hear that you’re not going to turn into a monster. That’s my main worry, I’m sorry to say - you get stories of young Lunars who cheerfully dart back and forth between forms for disguise, or flight, or carrying capacity, and who end up wiping out towns, cities, or worse before the elder Lunars sent to find them and bring them to safety ever show up.”

He considers. Truth or no truth? Truth.

“And I was told by an individual working for Heaven. Apparently some of the… factions there like you. You’re on a List I was given.” He pauses. “I’m trying to avoid telling eavesdroppers anything objectionable, you understand. But however much I’d like to be spying on the Cleansing, I’m not…”

“... At the moment.”

He laughs at himself. “And the people who call me Dragonsbane are the ones who want to make a point about how evil I am, or the ones who want to emphasize how awe-inspiringly powerful they are by beating me, or occasionally the ones who want to remind themselves that they have someone powerful and ruthless on their side. The Cleansing almost always fit into at least two of those categories. Sometimes I fit into one of those categories, for that matter.”

Versi snickers at the last; the mighty barbarian had a cutting sense of humor. Breathing in deeply, trying to control herself, the young Exalt’s mind stepped back to the information Skandi had imparted Told of me by Heaven That…. was if anything stranger; the armored Exalt frowned as she pondered. The Heavenly City; Yu Shan, home of the Celestial Beuracracy that protected both Creation and the Creation Born alike. Skandi had been there, spoken with… gods, presumably. And they had mentioned her. Placed her on a list.

What do they want to do with me? She hadn’t encountered any gods, or their agents. (bar Skandi and Ireva, perhaps) She wasn’t even Creation Born…. technically. Possibly. Versi places a hand to her forehead, lost in trying to puzzle through the enigma. Had something triggered when she came through from the Endless Desert? Could not being born in Creation cause problems for the Celestial Bureaucracy?

A strange puzzle, with potentially worrying answers. Best to forget it for now. Instead, Versi grins back at the wolfish Full Moon, winking in acknowledgement as she chuckled a little. “Well…. good to know I can make friends without even talking to people. I didn’t know even the Chosen could manage that.”

Versi’s laughter soon fades to silence, and her grin disappears as the armoured girl turns to look out across the sky. For once, she doesn’t turn her head downwards, focusing instead on the endless blue and white, before finally tilting her head back to Skandi. “I’m sorry…. you’re going to have to explain a lot of stuff to me. My knowledge of Creation, and the Exalted, is somewhat…. fragmentary..” A thousand questions begin to well up in the young Lunar’s mind, of the tattoos, the other Chosen, how Creation had fallen to this point, Heaven, the wider world….Versi stands before a traveller, and she can’t help feeling a little intimidated by the fact.

Eventually though she coughs, gesturing with one gauntleted hand between herself and Skandi. “What are we?“ Her eyes twinkled a little, even as the young girl frowned and bowed her head in polite apology. Whilst Versi knows a little of the Chosen of the Moon, through demon-talk and Braga’s lore, her knowledge was incomplete. It was probably best for Skandi to begin at the beginning.

“We are the Stewards of Creation,” he says calmly. “We are chosen by Ever-Changing Luna and charged to keep the world safe from the Things Outside, from the demons and the undead and the Raksha. Every Lunar was chosen for the will to press onwards after utter annihilation, and every Lunar is expected to apply that will to keeping the world safe. Our powers are devoted to Stewardship, to survival, and to destroying monsters.”

He pauses. “Now our history lesson, very briefly because I am not an expert historian, I’m a wolf, but this is the Lunar history, with a few digressions and a few things I personally picked up. The Primordial War ended with the Exalted, the Solars and Lunars and Sidereals and Terrestrials, running things. Solars are very, very good at being liked, and too many of them had been chosen by the Sun for being very ambitious. Eventually you ended up with the worst of the Solars acting as tyrants, using mental charms to make everyone support them. These charms weren’t foolproof, and there was a coup, a Usurpation, and the Lunars were massacred along with the Solars by the Terrestrials and the Sidereals. We were driven to the edges of Creation so we wouldn’t take revenge, and the Realm and the Wyld Hunt and the Realm version of the Immaculate Faith, with us as the villains, was established to keep us there. While the Realm’s been engaging in its politics and trying to conquer the world, we’ve been ruining Raksha invasions, trying to protect just and peaceful societies near the Bordermarches, and occasionally trying to come up with schemes to destroy the Realm, which haven’t worked very well in the past. Mostly we just try to make sure that any new Lunars make it to safety and get the protective tattoos and know what I just told you, because being able to fly whenever you feel like it without turning into an amalgam of a thousand hungry predators is really wonderful.”

He paused. “What am I missing? Oh, right - the Sidereals and Terrestrials who liked us also got killed. Some of the Sidereals came back, and so there’s a Sidereal faction that wants to bring back the Solars in a sane and controlled manner and then use them as puppets to rule the world, and a Sidereal faction that thinks the Realm is just wonderful and we should all be dead and they’re the ones actually running the world, insofar as anyone is. And there was a predecessor to the Realm named the Shogunate, which I don’t know much about…”

“... And I didn’t explain about the Sidereals, did I? They try not to let people know about them. Exalted agents of the Bureau of Destiny in Heaven who are largely independent schemers, divided as I said into two factions. Secretive, sneaky, very powerful. They’ve got the most old Exalts and old artifacts of anyone I know about, and the best spy network, period.”

“All right, what am I missing, and what did I not cover that you need to know? Also, what really important things do you know that I’ve never heard of?”

Versi shook her head slowly, still digesting the information. “Not many, I think. I didn’t grow up with much of an education.” The image of Kaneko returns, navy blue grin in the dark, but the young Lunar pushes it away with just a thought.

Humming to herself, Versi taps gently on the wood of the deck, thinking Skandi’s account through. An Exalted Civil War… that would explain the ending of the First Age. Though that was likely a long time ago, and Skandi’s tale was a distant one. Frowning gently, she looked back towards Skandi. “You haven’t mentioned much about the Shogunate. It was an important thing, I think. The names were different, the civilization was more like the Realm.“

The young Exalt continues humming; she had a fair bit of information on the Shogunate, but it amounted to minor details from a half dozen operatic productions. Titles, a few names, a couple of cities. Not enough to say more about it She shakes her head, grinning ruefully. “It’s about the only thing I can think of you didn’t go into depth on. I guess you didn’t say much about the Primordial War itself. Other than that?”

She looks to Skandi, trying to see if the Lunar was familiar with either concept. He’d shared a good deal with her, about their existence, and Creation. If she could return the favour, she would, and happily.

He shrugs. “I know very little about the Primordial War. There was a war between the gods and the demons, and we - humanity, the Exalted, all of us - were on the gods’ side, and they put us in charge at the end of it. And I know less about the Shogunate.” He shrugs. “I’m telling the story that I heard from some of the older Lunars, the story I picked up.”

He considers for a moment, and then realizes what he’d been finding so strange about Versi.

“I’m sorry, but… If this isn’t an unreasonable question, where are you from? Your accent doesn’t sound like anything I’ve heard before, and I’ve heard a lot of Realm accents.”

Versi blinks. “My… accent?” The term is unfamiliar to her, and it takes the girl a few seconds to deduce its meaning. A distinguishing term, probably referring to her speech? The thought makes her blanch a little; she’d tried her best to copy Braga’s voice. But Skandi had apparently managed to work her out regardless.

The young Exalt placed her hand upon her forehead, unsure of what to say. The truth seemed too fantastic for even Skandi to believe. But she can’t find a convincing lie, and doesn’t really want to. Skandi deserves better than that.

“I grew up in a bar.” Versi spoke quietly, but managed a grin and a wink. It was the truth. And as likely to explain any oddities in how she talked as her Malfean origins were. The young Exalt’s smile vanishes as the implications of this whole business return to her. “Don’t know where I was born. Never really wondered about it until recently.”

Not until Braga started speaking about family.

The young Exalt looks upwards, towards the balloon. It is hard to explain this without going into depth, and that prospect is disheartening at the moment. Instead, she shakes her head. “It’s a bit more complicated than that, but… it’s a strange story. And if I told it to you in full, I’d probably sound drunk.” Versi snickers at that; it made sense. She was drunk whilst living half of it, after all. Still, her grin starts to recede a little as she nodded towards Skandi. “I’ll explain someday, if you want. It’s not a secret, exactly. But… not now. Not on the ship.” She sighs, glancing towards the helmsman’s door once again. It was securely fastened, but damn it, she did not need to give Xet more reasons to hunt her down. The Dynast had enough of those already.

On the one hand, she’s leaving out lots of important things, and simplifying enormously. On the other hand, she has every right to do so, and she’s being honest about simplifying things.

He shrugs.

“You’re free to tell me or not tell me whatever you like. I expect I’d believe you, but I can understand not wanting to share it under…” He waves a hand, coincidentally in the direction of the helmsman’s door. “These conditions.”

And again he smiles brightly. “So, anything else I can tell you about Lunaring, sharing the vast treasure troves of knowledge that I’ve assembled in the past handful of years? I’m always happy to help.”

Versi had to fight the urge to giggle. Skandi had a good sense of humor, and it helped to make her feel better. Helped her forget her worries for a little bit. Grinning, she looked out, taking in the River Province whilst gently humming to herself. “Well...”

She couldn’t ask him too much about himself, for the same reason she didn’t want to talk. Asking about Ireva and Zhou was probably also a bad idea. But there was one thing she kind of needed to know. Smiling gently across at Skandi, she nodded. “Can you tell me anything about other Lunars? You told me what we are and why we’re chosen, but what’re they like? Do they work together, or do they work alone? Is there anything more I should know about them?”

The question of shapechanging was lingering on her mind, but the whole point was genuine. For the first time, Versi had found someone with knowledge of what her Exaltation meant, and how others with it acted. Skandi was kin, in a way. She should learn more of her family if she could.

“The other Lunars,” he said carefully, “are a very mixed group. We aren’t chosen for being good people, we’re chosen because we are, in some sense, Great. So’s the Empress. There are some good Lunars. There are some very good Lunars. But here are also some very bad Lunars, who are trying to save the world, but are willing to use any method to do it. Watch out for someone named Symphony of Chimes. There are, I have heard, some Lunars who are halfway to being frenzied beasts with the full power Luna gave them, and who justify it by claiming that they’re fighting evil.”

He paused to consider. “Sometimes we work together, sometimes we work alone. My personal experience about working with other Lunars is limited to one recruitment and one Middlemarches raid, but we do work together sometimes - the second most important rule for Lunars is to pay back favors owed, so if one Lunar is going to try to do something too difficult for him, he’ll ask his friends, or acquaintances, or occasionally enemies, for help, and they’ll do it in return for an equal favor owed. Saving someone’s life is worth three favors, which I forgot once, to my undying regret. I can’t say I’m an expert on all the Lunar customs, though. This is something where a proper Loremaster would be very helpful - I’m the smashing-stuff sort of Lunar, not the lore sort of Lunar.

“Other than that? Every once in a while, we’ll get together somewhere in the Bordermarches of the Wyld to talk and feast and get into quarrels. The third and fourth most important rules are that the quarrels shouldn’t become lethal, because if they do we’re out a defender of Creation against unspeakable evil, and that you should respect your elders.

“Well, your Elders,” he carefully emphasized the last word. “Meaning, several centuries old or more. There are survivors of the First Age up in the Elders, and they’re the official leaders that we, being all brothers and sisters chosen by Luna, officially don’t have except that they know enough that we let them make important decisions. I’m not very good at respecting people, but you should only copy my virtues.”

He smiled. “I am, in fact, sufficiently bad at this sort of thing that I have almost no experience dealing with old, powerful, ruthless Lunars, having spent most of my Exalted time leading armies around frozen wastelands fighting the Realm, since everyone else seemed to have the Raksha under control and I hadn’t actually noticed most of the other world-shattering threats.”

He stops.

“Ah. The most important thing. You’re supposed to choose… something to protect. Something vitally important to you, to defend through thick and thin, to guard with your life and beyond. We’re supposed to be defenders, on the personal scale as well as the grand. You cannot be asked to abandon your protectorate, and almost any action is acceptable in defense of it, so far as Lunar traditions are concerned.”

“Something to protect...” Versi frowned, thinking. There were a lot of things she wanted to protect. Lookshy, her father… even Creation as a whole. The world is something worth preserving. But that was something to think about more later. For now, she had the chance to learn more about her fellow Lunars. And that was something she shouldn’t pass up.

She leaned her head back against the rail of the ship, pondering what she’d learned so far. She understood on one level, but Skandi made Lunar society sound somewhat contradictory. Lunar Elders are leaders, but officially there are no leaders? Still, she had information now. Favours owed were important, Elders were to be honoured… those two points alone could be useful. She nodded to Skandi, taking in his information piece by piece.

“Is there anything else I have to do, as a Lunar? Protect people, and Creation, pay back your debts… but beyond that, we’re sort of free to do what we want?” It was Skandi’s own words, more or less, the traveller was just looking to confirm them.

A point struck the younger Lunar then. Versi turned her head towards Skandi, grinning as the thought came to her. She was starting to appreciate one point, and the subtlety of it made her laugh. “You told me about Shapeshifting. Or, you got Ms. Ireva to tell me. And you’re sharing all this stuff now. That means I owe you a debt, right?”

Skandi grins. “Yeah. You owe me one favor for letting you know about shapeshifting, because that’s sort of slightly saving your life by helping you get somewhere where you can get tattooed, but the rest of my advice is free. Aside from that… there’s various philosophies under the general heading of the Silver Way, which come down to ‘Don’t Be Evil’. If you ever have free time, you’ll want to study under a loremaster, who can tell you all the important stuff I’m probably leaving out. Sometimes they charge favors, sometimes they don’t.”

He stretched, dangling one arm over the railing. Glances over. The riverlands are beautiful, and rich, and so different from where he grew up. And he almost never saw them.

“But yes, you’re free. Luna chose you because she trusts you. Horrible thought that she trusts people like Chimes and Winter, but she does, and I have faith in her. If she thinks you deserve to be a Lunar, that’s because you have something to offer to the defense of Creation that nobody else does. Sticking you in a box labeled “Formal Rank” would be betraying her wishes.”

“Everyone’s free. For better or worse.”

That was a philosophy Versi had a lot of respect for, even if the way it might work in practice scared her slightly. She joined Skandi at the rail, looking down. at the verdant plains and flowing rivers below. The smile on her face remained sincere, and for a moment, she was lost in the view. No matter how many times she’d looked out across the rural scene, it remained beautiful to her.

The young Lunar remained silent for a little while, sinking into the moment before sighing. This felt like the time for a confession. “I wasn’t sure what to think of Luna at first. She chose me… kinda in the middle of a Dynast party.” Versino chuckled a little darkly, less humor behind the sound than usual. “Standing in front of about a dozen Dragon Blooded, glowing bright silver, with no idea what had happened or how to fight… that was scary”

Since then, she’d started to appreciate the power the goddess of the moon had granted her, the responsibility that came with it, the trust… but for all of that, the initial image of a room full of people screaming at her hadn’t quite faded. Thought almost done, Versi looked towards Skandi, smiling at the wolf. “How did you get chosen?” This would likely be a cheerier topic. The young Traveller drew back onto the deck, looking up at older Lunar, a glint in her eye. A good story was always enough to make Versi happy. “Something bold and dramatic, right? Saving people, impossible odds, probably your One True Love...”

“Oh, you don’t want to hear that story. My Exaltation is hardly worth talking about. No, the story you want to hear is what I did after Luna chose me. See - there I was, leading stolen goats down a mountain path so I could convince an Immaculate governor that I was a herdsman…”

[Ascension]

Braga's frown deepens. This is hardly the first time Versi's gotten some peculiar notion in her head about Creation, but generally her misunderstandings are the result of her otherworldly upbringing, and in those cases she enjoys to be corrected, enjoys to learn. He still remembers the day they played in her first proper rainstorm. They both got soaked through to the bone stomping their way through puddles, but it was so very worth it for the smile on her face and the gleam in her eyes as she realized that it was water, pure water, pouring from the skies and not the fever-dream-poisons of the Typhoon of Nightmares.

This, though... this is paranoia, fed by that Northern barbarian. There's no fun to be had in dealing with this. And that's before taking into account her more drastic revelations... that she had knowledge of Shard's nature before the revelation of her Orichalcum weapon and her disguise abilities, and that Tepet Xet once broke her Disguise of the New Face. He hardly knows where to start.

"There's certainly something shady about that officer in Lookshy and about Tepet Xet," he admits, "but Versi, sweetie, that doesn't mean they're Star-Chosen spies from Heaven. I know that Skandi is a Steward like you, and you might be more inclined to believe what he tells you on that account, but people where he's from, the tribes of the North... well, they have a lot of superstitions about how the world works. They know more legendry than history. I've studied the most secret histories of the Realm, and I've studied more than that in ruins and manses across the River Province and the East. In all those histories, even the most ancient and forbidden... I'm sorry, but there's no record of any 'Sidereal Exalted.' There's simply no such thing."

He tries to give her a reassuring smile, but only manages a weak grin.

"But that doesn't mean they're not spies. I expect you're right about that. The Realm has an organization called the All-Seeing Eye; Lookshy has an Intelligence Directorate... it's very likely that the actions of those agencies, and similar organizations operated by other powers, are the basis for this Sidereal myth. It's really only a mild exaggeration... There are very powerful spies out there in the world... that Abyssal we fought in Lookshy is another example... but they aren't quite so fantastic as Skandi makes them sound."

He sighs, not looking forward to what's coming next, but he can't let her unexpected admissions slide by.

"Now, what's this about you knowing about Shard back in Lookshy? And about Tepet Xet seeing through your spell? Those are things I should have heard about before now, Versino."

He sinks a hand into his hair.

"I want you to know I'm not angry with you," he lies, though it's only barely a lie, "but Versi, you have to know by now that you can trust me. You can come to me with anything. We help each other. We protect each other. But I can't help you with anything I don't know about."

[DeafnotDumb]

Jade Lotus

The small tent is pretty bare of materials. The only paper Jade is able to pocket is the First Lance's commission, signed with a bloodied thumbprint.

"Right. Help me untie this peg here..."


It doesn't take long to help out the First Lance - a tent is much easier to disassemble than Magitech craft, and Duck is free and firm with directions. Soon the conwoman has taken her leave with a grateful smile and the hint that she would see the woman again.

Around Jade there are dozens of people packing up - not just soldiers but merchants, cleaners, washerwomen, ladies and men of negotiable affection, all the denizens of the walking cities that tend to follow armies about. Hidden in the mist of the noise, she considers her options. The Chuzei mentioned a meeting with the army's commander, but does she want to make her first appearance without knowing anything about that potential mark, or without providing the Chuzei with an explanation for herself? The commission is perfect for impersonating Duck, but to what purpose should she do that for? And meeting with Xet could be an entertaining pasttime, but where is the woman?

What the conwoman needs first is more information. How to convince people to give her some? Well, she has the Lance's commission, and her own set of paper and silk and ink...

A memory strikes, and she smiles. Perhaps that was an idea. What man could refuse an request from his goddess?

With a dunk in a water basin to wash off the last of her disguise as Bright Shard, Jade Lotus goes off to find the priest of Rising Glory.


How much essence have we recovered over the night?

[Inspector Valin]

Versi just blinked at Braga's words, lip wavering, eyes starting to water. Even after she'd tried to clarify, to explain herself, he wasn't listening to her. Didn't trust her. All Braga did was try and explain things, like he would to... well, a child. Turning away from her father's gaze, the young Lunar thought over the evidence a second time, trying to be sure of her theory and deductions. Had she missed something? Was there some reason the Realm or Lookshy might want to manipulate their mission in some strange way? She'd wandered with Braga throughout the Scavenger Lands, learned sorcery after pestering him about the subject, even learned to speak from the ex-Dynast. In all Creation, there was no one Versino trusted more. She must be wrong.

And yet...

All Versi could feel was anger; not a helpful emotion for someone trying to focus on standing upright. The little Exalt fell onto Skycutter, using the canon as a crutch once again. Clenching her fist and looking at the ground, Versi muttered, as much to herself as Braga. "What was I supposed to say? What could you have done about it? I was trying to wait for a time when I knew no one was listening in. So we could talk about everything."

The young warrior stood there a while longer, breathing deeply before finally looking up towards her father. "It... look, it doesn't matter. You agree that the two of them are suspicious, and that this whole mission is probably a trap?" Versi tried to meet her father's gaze directly, somewhat calmer now, but the rim around her eyes still slightly reddened. "So will you stay here and work on the Frostwing? So we can get out of here if things go wrong?"

[Ascension]

The Frostwing... Braga thinks back to that broken, charred wreck... its gas bag sunk in a mire, its thaumaturgic fuels burnt away. The engine is intact, surely, but what could be made of that alone? And it's not just Versi who wants to see it fly again, there's also the Chuzei's orders... He wonders who was foolish enough to first claim the title "thaumaturge." "Miracle worker"... you take a name like that and then people expect you to live up to the name.

"It's probably a trap," he agrees, wearily, "but a trap for whom... it's hard to say. Are we meant to kill this commander? Is she meant to kill us? Were any of us supposed to encounter those Abyssals out here? I don't know. Even if we're all being played for fools... this trap hasn't consumed us yet. And if we can bring this army, this friendly army, to the walls of Lookshy... that might not please the Realm, or Lookshy's spymasters (for whatever reason), or even Yu-Shan, but it will make the city stronger against the Mask of Winters... and that's what's important."

He sits down beside Versi's bed, imploring his wounded daughter to lie back down and rest.

"Versi... if Lookshy falls to the armies of Thorns, there will be nowhere to run at all. There's no other power in the River Province that can stand against the Mask if Lookshy falls. We have a chance to help safeguard the whole of Creation here. We can't afford to run from that opportunity. At least not without making an effort."

[Inspector Valin]

Versi doesn't sit. She stands there, leaning on her canon, looking downcast towards Braga. His words almost made her wince; memory turning back to her vision of a fallen Lookshy. That would indeed be a bleak thing, and trying to act against it was something they should be doing. Yet Braga was ready to risk his life for this... and the two of them were risking their lives by going back to Lookshy, given how many people knew about her now. It was a noble goal and she normally would smile to see her father so dedicated to what was right, cheering and nodding. But now, all she could feel was anger at the man who'd done so much for her putting his life at risk like this.

The little Lunar stands there a few seconds longer before shaking her head. "I'm going to go with you."

Versi's not smiling, and sounds more resigned than her general cheery self. Still, she walks over towards the tentflap, opening it to the wind and looking back to Braga, face set. "You're not going to put your life at risk without me. We protect each other. If you're going to put yourself at risk like this... then I'm coming too."

Hypnotic suggestion; fulfilled. One scene's worth of negative intimacy towards Braga. Versi been OOC in this, and would normally apologize afterwards... but as it stands, she's stuck waiting until the duration wears out. Then she'll apologize. :smallbiggrin:

[Maugan Ra]

"The Maiden and the Black Hand are... linked in some way." Zhou adds, otherwise satisfied with the descriptions his wife has given. "It seems to have combat applications - certainly, if you attack one the other will almost always intervene in their defense, often faster than should be possible, even if it means taking the hit themselves."

At the last part, about Tepet Xet, he falls silent once more, watching for reactions carefully.

[industrious]

Jade Lotus

"Yes," the man says wearily, all hint of awe gone from his voice. The man is occupied, trying to dig a tent pin out with his hands.

"What do you want?"


Let's go with around 5 hours.

Kharal Fire Orchid

She nods at the information on the deathknights, looks as if she wants to answer more. But...

"Does it matter what she is? Does she intend to kill someone who isn't a Dragonblood because they exalted under the Sun or Moon? She's part of the Realm, and sent as part of the Realm's Cleansing. Whether or not she's taken a vow of chastity is entirely besides the point."

[Ascension]

As concerned as he is about Versi traveling, wounded as she is, Braga nods an agreement to her demand and stands to join her in exiting the tent. Perhaps once she's seen the reality of the situation herself she'll be able to calm down. The Chuzei has probably already begun his negotiations with the army's commander, and with any luck there'll be little left to discuss by the time he and Versi arrive. Even if there are secret shadow manipulations afoot, working the hidden will of Lookshy or the Realm or even Heaven, the urgency of the threat posed by the Mask should be readily apparent to all... right? He shudders to think how foolish anyone would have to be in order to actually believe any lines like the one Typhon tried to sell him.

Unbroken Willow's troops seem to be busy already in breaking down their camp, but he hails one of the less preoccupied soldiers to ask for help in locating the army's command tent.

[Ifni]

"I agree," Ireva answers evenly, lips curving slightly with a hint of approving assent, and there is a very well-hidden hint of satisfaction buried in the depths of her calm. "As you say, it's beliefs and actions that are important; our enemies are not defined by their vows to the Order. That's why I said it was of lesser importance. I just wanted to make sure you knew - I don't like ignorance, or making mistakes from ignorance that make me look foolish, so I try to protect my allies from those missteps too, where I can."

"Of greater importance -" Her smile fades. She leans forward the barest fraction, catching and holding the other Solar's eyes. Her voice grows soft, barely audible even to Skandi, purring on Fire Orchid's lap.

"You are Lookshyan, Kazei Kharal," she says, and there is no hesitation in her voice as she gives Fire Orchid both family name and title. "Zhou has told me something of how the Immaculate faith is understood in Lookshy. But I grew up in Thorns, and that means I learned the Order's teachings as they're taught in the Realm, adapted to a place where resist the Anathema and do not fall into despair is a rallying cry - against darkness, and death, and slavery beyond death, in a place where the sun no longer shines."

She prayed to the Unconquered Sun. Does she understand, deep down, what we're fighting?

She holds out a hand. "I... don't want to argue with you about whether those teachings can ever have value. I think that's a topic best avoided, at least for now - too much pain there for both of us. I just mention it because it means I know the Cleansing's doctrines very well. And I know also, from my own experience, how they operate to turn people away from the Solar Exalted, even when the alternative is the end of everything they've hoped for." Her voice is soft still, but it has grown flat, and bitter, with that last sentence.

She pauses for a moment to clear her throat, and smile with a hint of self-mockery. "Sorry. I do have a point here, I promise."

"Because people's words tell you about what they want, and what they fear. And you can see the Order's deepest terrors, writ plain in the way they choose to speak of us."

She touches her own forehead, and her voice drops even lower, until Zhou and Fire Orchid might feel tempted to lean closer to hear better. Every word feels like a whispered curse. "Deceiver. Blasphemous. Their voices can drive men mad. Can make the most blatant lie seem real. Can convince the wisest men and women to bow down to horrors, to sell their souls for power, to deliver themselves into slavery. To listen to them, for just one moment, is to set one's soul on the road to damnation."

She remembers that terror flooding her own mind, in the moments after sunlight ignited beneath the streets of Thorns. He's right. Firi, please...

She shakes her head, and sits up straighter. Her voice returns to a more regular volume. "The Order teaches people that we're not Exalts, yes - that anyone shining with golden or silver power is dead, consumed from within by a ravenous demon, and all you can do for the person you cared about is avenge their death. It's a lie but it's believed, and even killing everyone who fights for the Cleansing won't stop it, Kazei. Ideas have a life of their own. Once they get started, ideas are hard to slay with swords alone."

The Eclipse breathes out, and in. "The creators of the Doctrines knew that very well, of course. And you can see their fears of our truths in their creation, in that central instruction - Do not listen, to anything a Solar has to say."

"So here's the crux, Kazei." She taps her fingers against each other, punctuation for her words. "The woman you want to kill - we've been talking. Quite extensively. And she's been listening."

Ireva leans back on her stool, but her gaze does not leave Fire Orchid's eyes. "You think she's deceiving me. But I can hear lies amid truth, and truth amid lies. I can read purpose veiled in casual words, and discern intention and emotion. And Kazei - if you don't trust me, trust the Sun who gave me these strengths - she is listening."

"If we kill her for that - for trusting enough to come into your camp with me and Zhou, for being willing to work beside Solars and Lunars against the Mask, for being someone who yes is aligned with your enemies but is not doctrine-bound, who's willing to try to imagine futures that don't involve murdering people for their Exaltations -"

She glances at the tent-flap; no soldiers close enough to hear, at least that she can see.

"- then we would be doing the Immaculate purists' work for them," she goes on, soft and steady, after the pause. "The traditionalists in the Order would likely be glad, to see such a heretic slain. We shouldn't be."

[industrious]

Isa

"Hey, Isa."

Iron Siaka squats down beside her fellow Sidereal, dressed like a stevedore, her trusty goremaul hanging loosely at her side.

"How's the assignment coming? Your mark's the short one, right?"

[Maugan Ra]

"It's not just the Order we need to be concerned about here either, Kaizai." Zhou says, supporting and reinforcing his wife's point. "You know as well as I do that there are hard-liners in Lookshy as well. Cultural osmosis, from centuries of contact with the Realm, has a lot to answer for in that respect. With recent events, they have to be feeling stronger and more influential than ever, and that's going to make them difficult when you eventually return home."

His tone is level, but there is no escaping the serious concern contained within. "If they see an Anathaema Warlord arriving with her army, trampling over objections and willing to slay people for what they believe in, then they will go for their swords. Worse still, many others who might otherwise be allies may turn against you, driven by fear and loyalty to their countrymen."

He opens one hand, moving it as though weighing something in his grasp. "If, on the other hand, if they see Kaizai Fire Orchid, hero of the Legion, returning to defend her city in it's time of need? A hero willing to put aside her own pain and anger, and meet those who are willing to take a chance half way? That is someone easier by far to believe and support."

"And they will support you, Kaizai. I know you haven't been home in years, but your name is still remembered, still taught to our newest graduates in salons and academies all across the city. Kharal Fire Orchid, most decorated mortal soldier in generations."

He sighs. "Please, Kaizai, understand. I want you to be able to come home. You are family, and at the very least you should have the right to be acknowledged as such in your homeland. But that won't happen if you go through with this, if you cut down a woman who might be willing to listen to you and who is under my command, because of what others of her kind have done to you in the past."

[DeafnotDumb]

Jade Lotus

"Yes," the man says wearily, all hint of awe gone from his voice. The man is occupied, trying to dig a tent pin out with his hands.

"What do you want?"

Jade says nothing at first, bending down to help him with his unpacking and resisting the urge to dust dirt away from her fingers every time she pulls out a peg. She waits until the surroundings are empty - people preoccupied packing their own tents or other army business - before proceeding.

Now, the conwoman thinks of Rising Glory - a licentious noblewoman whose greed was too large for even her doting parents to satisfy it. She'd been elegant in that arch, refined way, with a long snaking braid and clothes that were almost as expensive as wearing pounded jade. She keeps that image in her mind and then adds... more godliness, more glow, more shine, the kind of thing a man might expect from his divinity. Around her, ethereal music chimes, and a soft flare of essence reminiscent of cherry blossom petals signs, and a great number of other omens appear.

When the man looks up again, he sees not humble Bright Shard - not shifty Jade Lotus - but a divinity standing before him, alight with the power of belief and with a smile as warm and generous as a gift of honey. "I apologize for the earlier deception, noble servant," She says, "but I did not wish to show my true self to any but my devoted believer. These are trying times, even for gods."

And then with a flash the glow is gone and there is just Bright Shard, pulling up a tent peg and handing it to him. "I have a request to make of my loyal petitioner, but first I believe I have a prayer to answer." From her neck she deattaches the collar of dawn's light and hands it over, making sure it gleams in the sun. "Not skill and cunning in its pure form, no, but if you hand this to your commander she shall remain pristine in the harshest of conditions, inspiring loyalty in her troops, and be protected against poison at the merest expenditure of essence, ensuring safety during any negotiation."

She smiles, and pulls up the next tent peg. "I hope that shall prove to be a start, but wisdom and cunning, as always, shall have to come from within."


Giving away the Collar of Dawn's Light to answer a prayer, and activating Phantom Conjuring Presence to appear godly. This is almost certainly playing into a number of his intimacies and possibly his Motivation, which I will need after that roll.

Performance+Charmisma roll: [roll0]
Stunt die: [roll1]

Currently at 16 Personal Essence, 1 Perip.

[industrious]

Jade Lotus

He immediately drops to the ground, in awe at the reappearance of his goddess.

"Forgive me, oh radiant goddess for my disbelief. The honor is mine, my goddess. Might this humble servant be of any further assistance, oh Blessed One?"



"It's not just the Order we need to be concerned about here either, Kaizai." Zhou says, supporting and reinforcing his wife's point. "You know as well as I do that there are hard-liners in Lookshy as well. Cultural osmosis, from centuries of contact with the Realm, has a lot to answer for in that respect. With recent events, they have to be feeling stronger and more influential than ever, and that's going to make them difficult when you eventually return home."

His tone is level, but there is no escaping the serious concern contained within. "If they see an Anathaema Warlord arriving with her army, trampling over objections and willing to slay people for what they believe in, then they will go for their swords. Worse still, many others who might otherwise be allies may turn against you, driven by fear and loyalty to their countrymen."

He opens one hand, moving it as though weighing something in his grasp. "If, on the other hand, if they see Kaizai Fire Orchid, hero of the Legion, returning to defend her city in it's time of need? A hero willing to put aside her own pain and anger, and meet those who are willing to take a chance half way? That is someone easier by far to believe and support."

"And they will support you, Kaizai. I know you haven't been home in years, but your name is still remembered, still taught to our newest graduates in salons and academies all across the city. Kharal Fire Orchid, most decorated mortal soldier in generations."

He sighs. "Please, Kaizai, understand. I want you to be able to come home. You are family, and at the very least you should have the right to be acknowledged as such in your homeland. But that won't happen if you go through with this, if you cut down a woman who might be willing to listen to you and who is under my command, because of what others of her kind have done to you in the past."


"I agree," Ireva answers evenly, lips curving slightly with a hint of approving assent, and there is a very well-hidden hint of satisfaction buried in the depths of her calm. "As you say, it's beliefs and actions that are important; our enemies are not defined by their vows to the Order. That's why I said it was of lesser importance. I just wanted to make sure you knew - I don't like ignorance, or making mistakes from ignorance that make me look foolish, so I try to protect my allies from those missteps too, where I can."

"Of greater importance -" Her smile fades. She leans forward the barest fraction, catching and holding the other Solar's eyes. Her voice grows soft, barely audible even to Skandi, purring on Fire Orchid's lap.

"You are Lookshyan, Kazei Kharal," she says, and there is no hesitation in her voice as she gives Fire Orchid both family name and title. "Zhou has told me something of how the Immaculate faith is understood in Lookshy. But I grew up in Thorns, and that means I learned the Order's teachings as they're taught in the Realm, adapted to a place where resist the Anathema and do not fall into despair is a rallying cry - against darkness, and death, and slavery beyond death, in a place where the sun no longer shines."

She prayed to the Unconquered Sun. Does she understand, deep down, what we're fighting?

She holds out a hand. "I... don't want to argue with you about whether those teachings can ever have value. I think that's a topic best avoided, at least for now - too much pain there for both of us. I just mention it because it means I know the Cleansing's doctrines very well. And I know also, from my own experience, how they operate to turn people away from the Solar Exalted, even when the alternative is the end of everything they've hoped for." Her voice is soft still, but it has grown flat, and bitter, with that last sentence.

She pauses for a moment to clear her throat, and smile with a hint of self-mockery. "Sorry. I do have a point here, I promise."

"Because people's words tell you about what they want, and what they fear. And you can see the Order's deepest terrors, writ plain in the way they choose to speak of us."

She touches her own forehead, and her voice drops even lower, until Zhou and Fire Orchid might feel tempted to lean closer to hear better. Every word feels like a whispered curse. "Deceiver. Blasphemous. Their voices can drive men mad. Can make the most blatant lie seem real. Can convince the wisest men and women to bow down to horrors, to sell their souls for power, to deliver themselves into slavery. To listen to them, for just one moment, is to set one's soul on the road to damnation."

She remembers that terror flooding her own mind, in the moments after sunlight ignited beneath the streets of Thorns. He's right. Firi, please...

She shakes her head, and sits up straighter. Her voice returns to a more regular volume. "The Order teaches people that we're not Exalts, yes - that anyone shining with golden or silver power is dead, consumed from within by a ravenous demon, and all you can do for the person you cared about is avenge their death. It's a lie but it's believed, and even killing everyone who fights for the Cleansing won't stop it, Kazei. Ideas have a life of their own. Once they get started, ideas are hard to slay with swords alone."

The Eclipse breathes out, and in. "The creators of the Doctrines knew that very well, of course. And you can see their fears of our truths in their creation, in that central instruction - Do not listen, to anything a Solar has to say."

"So here's the crux, Kazei." She taps her fingers against each other, punctuation for her words. "The woman you want to kill - we've been talking. Quite extensively. And she's been listening."

Ireva leans back on her stool, but her gaze does not leave Fire Orchid's eyes. "You think she's deceiving me. But I can hear lies amid truth, and truth amid lies. I can read purpose veiled in casual words, and discern intention and emotion. And Kazei - if you don't trust me, trust the Sun who gave me these strengths - she is listening."

"If we kill her for that - for trusting enough to come into your camp with me and Zhou, for being willing to work beside Solars and Lunars against the Mask, for being someone who yes is aligned with your enemies but is not doctrine-bound, who's willing to try to imagine futures that don't involve murdering people for their Exaltations -"

She glances at the tent-flap; no soldiers close enough to hear, at least that she can see.

"- then we would be doing the Immaculate purists' work for them," she goes on, soft and steady, after the pause. "The traditionalists in the Order would likely be glad, to see such a heretic slain. We shouldn't be."

Kharal Fire Orchid

"...ah."

Kharal Fire Orchid taps the tips of her fingers together repeatedly.

"I think," she says, cautiously. There is an undercurrent of pity in her cadence. "you are very passionate about your plans and very young. And I don't see any way this will end except with a knife in your back."

She manages a smile.

"If this is the way you wish your life to end, I cannot in good conscience stop you. But...your talents would be...valuable in the field, against the Mask. And I have to think about my men. I can't risk having her loose."

"Is there a way to guarantee that she won't be a problem?"

Braga

"Why? We're going to be meeting with them soon enough. Probably by sunset. How come?"

[Aevylmar]

"Communication charms or sorcery to agree to a truce for the duration of the battle," Skandi meows. "Sanctified by an Eclipse oath that will call down the curse of the Sun on whomever first violates it? It would be expensive in Essence, but it would secure you Ireva as an ally, and, with proper wording on the oath, you might get some use out of Xet. She was willing to try to wrestle with an Abyssal to keep it busy during our battle earlier."

[Ascension]

"My own commander, Chuzei Karal Zhou of the Seventh Legion, informed me that he would be meeting with your general this morning and asked me to attend, if able. I do not want to disappoint him."

Braga straightens his robes and allows himself a slight smile.

"I am a sorcerer-technician. He may require my particular expertise."

[Ifni]

Well, 'young' is better than 'fool'... and it's not as if Fire Orchid is necessarily wrong, about where her path will lead. Ireva's eyelashes sweep down, not quite fast enough to hide the flash of... gratitude, wistfulness, irony, in her green eyes. She inclines her head to the other Solar.

"Thank you," she says softly. "I appreciate your willingness to listen, Kazei. And I do understand your concern for your men, and for Lookshy. If my talents can be of use to you against the Mask, they're yours, until the war is won." She grins suddenly. "I have some skill in personal combat - an attempt to stab me in the back wouldn't break my skin and might shatter the knife, unless I had no Essence left - but I think there's much I could learn from you, if you're willing to teach. The fight with the deathknights taught me that the skill and magic I have is not yet sufficient to defeat them. That's something I do want to change."

She turns one palm upward. "As for guarantees - it is within my abilities to sanctify a binding oath, in the Sun's name. The oath can be broken, but the punishment is a curse of ill fortune, that strikes at the most inopportune times. A sword that shatters as the oathbreaker tries to strike, a twig snapping underneath their foot when they most need silence, a tiny scratch in just the right place to admit deadly poison to their heart... Enough to ensure that if they break it to betray someone, the attempt will likely fail."

"I can ask Xet to come back and swear such an oath, if that would suffice? Say, a truce between the two of you, until the war between Lookshy and the Mask is over. Neither of you to seek to harm the other, or those who follow her."

Green eyes search Fire Orchid's face, questioning. "You're worried I'm trusting her too much, Kazei. And I can't say with certainty that you're wrong to be concerned. But if she answers, if she returns - that will prove she's willing to trust a Solar's word for her own life, as well."

"May I send her your promise of safe-conduct?"

[The_Snark]

"Yes."

It isn’t really a surprise to discover another Bronze operative out here. It is a relief. Isa wasn’t looking forward to having to handle a problem of this scale on her own, on top of everything else. The Joybringer’s presence means someone in the Bronze is aware of the potential threat here already. Siaka is a somewhat odd choice for a surveillance assignment - perhaps she’s not here to monitor Fire Orchid after all? - but then again, she’s always been more... soldierly... than most of Venus’s Chosen. She might blend in in a camp like this. Or perhaps she has other methods of staying unobtrusive. Most field agents do, if they survive their first few missions.

(It occurs to her that if the Bronze Faction does know about the Commander, then the omission from her mission briefing becomes harder to explain. Perhaps Kejak simply didn’t know where Lookshy would be sending Ireva (and by extension her)...? She can hardly expect to be briefed on everything in the Scavenger Lands. Still, the presence of a Lookshy-born Solar marching towards her homeland should have merited mention. Odd.)

"Yours is taller," she adds, laconic. (Fishing for confirmation, or denial.) "Looks like trouble."

[DeafnotDumb]

Jade Lotus

He immediately drops to the ground, in awe at the reappearance of his goddess.

"Forgive me, oh radiant goddess for my disbelief. The honor is mine, my goddess. Might this humble servant be of any further assistance, oh Blessed One?"

Who would ever think that deference could be so annoying? Gently but firmly, Jade hooks a hand underneath the man’s arm and pulls him upright, accidentally establishing herself as the more personal kind of goddess.

“Firstly, act as if I were mortal, for these are dark days in Creation and not even gods are safe.” She murmurs, taking cue and quoting A Tale Of Flowers. Sometimes it’s easier to let better writers than you dictate your lines. “I wish for information, humble petitioner, which is hidden from me in Yu-Shan: information on your bold commander and the forces she commands and what she intends to do, so I might see how well she shall fare against the threats she faces. When Heaven itself is invested in an event, the words of my humble and dedicated believers become the only ones which I trust.”

Now then, Jade considers, how would a goddess like Rising Glory tie this off? She almost pitied the poor man, victim of whatever trick she’d pulled to make him believe so reverently in a woman who’d certainly scammed him in the past. Well, time to carry on the deception…

“And I wish to know your name, so that the loyalty of one who remembered so fervently might be repaid.” She finishes without, she tells herself, any sort of guilt.

[industrious]

Iron Siaka

"Mine?" she says quizzically.

"Oh. I'm not here for whoever's commanding the army, Isa. Ura would probably throw a hissy fit if she knew I was here. I'm not really here in any official capacity."

Siaka moves to sit beside Isa, short hair bobbing in a light breeze.

"My first Solar kill was tough, too." she says quietly.


Using Favorable Inflection Proceedure to create an Emotion of Calm and an Intimacy of Confidante towards Siaka.

[roll0] + 4 sux


Kharal Fire Orchid

"Feel free to tell her whatever you like," she says. "If she doesn't come, and or if she refuses to swear not to harm any loyal to Lookshy, then she is dead. And it will have meant that she could not have been trusted to begin with."

"Now...your men have yet to arrive, cousin. Until they do, I would like to go over your encounter with the deathknights, individually. But first...this kitty has been so good, sitting on my lap so still. I think he needs a special treat! Yes, he does. Yes he does..."


I'm all for just jumping to the next scene with Braga and Versi.


Who would ever think that deference could be so annoying? Gently but firmly, Jade hooks a hand underneath the man’s arm and pulls him upright, accidentally establishing herself as the more personal kind of goddess.

“Firstly, act as if I were mortal, for these are dark days in Creation and not even gods are safe.” She murmurs, taking cue and quoting A Tale Of Flowers. Sometimes it’s easier to let better writers than you dictate your lines. “I wish for information, humble petitioner, which is hidden from me in Yu-Shan: information on your bold commander and the forces she commands and what she intends to do, so I might see how well she shall fare against the threats she faces. When Heaven itself is invested in an event, the words of my humble and dedicated believers become the only ones which I trust.”

Now then, Jade considers, how would a goddess like Rising Glory tie this off? She almost pitied the poor man, victim of whatever trick she’d pulled to make him believe so reverently in a woman who’d certainly scammed him in the past. Well, time to carry on the deception…

“And I wish to know your name, so that the loyalty of one who remembered so fervently might be repaid.” She finishes without, she tells herself, any sort of guilt.

Rising Glory

"Of course, my...lady?"

"My name is Listener of Slate, and I serve the Commanding Teacher of Martial Readiness, and our forces number some six thousand strong..."


Feel free to ask what you want to know in the OOC thread. He's happy to talk with his goddess.

[Ifni]

Ireva studies the other Solar, still smiling, her tension well-hidden behind the warmth. All right, pushing for a mutual agreement here may be a bridge too far. Little steps. But as best as she can tell, it's not a trap.

"As you wish, Kazei. But one point - I won't sanctify an oath with no end clause. A... matter of past experience."

There is no catch in her voice, and little emotion. Perhaps a thread of regret.

"An oath valid for the span of the war between Lookshy and the Mask should suffice for your guarantee, yes? Even if Xet entirely repudiates the Cleansing and the Order's teachings, the Realm and Lookshy have not always been at peace, for reasons unrelated to the Immaculate faith. A woman loyal to her country and family might rather take her chances with death than swear an oath that would bar her from all future conflicts with a foreign nation. Just as I argued that we should not kill those who are questioning the Order's doctrines, shouldn't do the purists' work for them - we shouldn't force those people to betray loyalties that have little to do with the Doctrines, or we'll just weed out the most honorable ones."

Her tone is level, reasonable, businesslike, just sorting out the last few details... She draws forth an echo of sunlit Essence, to hear the ring of truth or falsehood in Fire Orchid's response.

"Is that acceptable to you? Of course, once the oath no longer holds, I would not expect you to spare her, should you come into conflict."

[The_Snark]

Ah. An unofficial capacity, then. Isa wonders if Siaka is here of her own initiative, or if someone has nudged her in this direction. Either is possible. Does it really matter?

Well, yes, but she’s not going to ask.

She tilts her head, inviting the other Sidereal to go on. Solars are tough to kill as a practical matter, of course, but that isn’t what Iron Siaka is here to talk about. Wouldn’t be worth taking the time to visit, if this were just about tactics. The sentiment is unnervingly on-point for someone who doesn't know Isa particularly well; is she that obvious? Has Siaka decided to reach out despite uncertainty, treating Isa as a young Bronze Sidereal rather than the Old Man's Shadow? Or is this Kejak's hand at work? In any case, she would rather hear the other woman's thoughts than have to voice her own, just yet. And... it would be interesting to hear, if Siaka has been in a similar place.

Six successes is not enough to overcome Isa's Dodge MDV.

I am delaying Ireva's message a little while, on account of not wanting to give Isa a reason/excuse to escape this conversation and dodge interacting with another Sidereal again. This is why she has no close friends in the Bureau!

[industrious]

Fire Orchid

She agrees, and politely ushers the party out, and begins her cooing, yet precise and detailed, interview with Skandi the Wolf.


Feel free to describe your arrival into camp.


Siaka

She snorts.

"Quiet, aren't you? Come on. Don't lie back and take my advice. Engage with me here. Or has our Glorious Leader ordered you can't talk?"

[Ifni]

At the other Solar's agreement, Ireva inclines her head again to Fire Orchid, and sits back to let Zhou answer the Kazei's questions about the battle with the deathknights - only to find herself unexpectedly waved out of the tent, while Fire Orchid coos over the cat.

Special treat. Heh. Well enough...

She threads Essence into the wind and mouths unspoken words to the air, for the ears of Isa, Chosen of Saturn - but that is not the name with which she begins her missive.

Xet. If you come to command tent, swear not to harm those loyal to Lookshy, for war's duration, Commander will leave you alone. Your call.

Isa will understand the real message: if you want to maintain the Xet cover, here is an opportunity. But it comes at a cost. She thinks Isa will probably be willing to pay that cost - she would not betray Lookshy to the Mask, in any event - but it can't be Ireva's decision.

That done, she turns to Zhou - with a smile and a murmur of "Thanks for backing me up in there" - and waits for Fire Orchid to call them back in.

Editing from my previous post to get the chronology right and account for the fact that I didn't realize she wanted us to leave while giving the "treat" to Skandi and before getting Zhou's report on the battle.

I'm fine with Isa delaying the arrival of the message for as long as makes sense.

[The_Snark]

Isa half-smiles despite herself. "No. I’m quiet by my own inclination."

Actually, her orders regarding Ireva are classified, but that’s not what Siaka is talking about and they both know it. All right, then. She wants engagement, and being a blunt sort of person herself...

"Why are you here, if not official business?" she asks frankly. No beating about the bush, probing for hints of answers. "We don't exactly have time to spare for idle visits. Worried about the mission?" The words could be accusatory, but the tone is merely curious.

[Ascension]

Though they arrive neither on time nor in dramatic fashion, a borrowed pack horse and a good set of directions deliver Braga and Versi to the army's command tent before business is entirely concluded. The ex-Dynast brings his mount to a halt well clear of the tent itself... he's never been particularly good with horses, and he'd rather avoid any embarrassing accidents... and covers the last of the distance leading it on foot. He salutes Zhou as he draws near, and, thanks to plenty of practice aboard the Frostwing, finally remembers to do so in the proper Lookshyan fashion.

"Chuzei," he greets his commander, "How are our negotiations faring? No more deathknights have shown up to sue for 'peace,' I hope."

[industrious]

Iron Siaka

"Mission," she waves her hand dismissively. "I'm not worried about the mission. I'm worried...ah, Malfeas, this is going to make me look like a sap, but I'm worried about you. I didn't have an easy time for mine, and yours is of the persuasive sort."

[The_Snark]

"Ah."

Not quite what she expected. It’s not impossible; even the most dedicated schemers and politicians among the Fivescore Fellowship are still human at heart, still capable of sentiment, and Iron Siaka in particular is Chosen of Venus. But in Yu-Shan, one learns to be careful of sentiment. Kindly words often mask ulterior motive. Not always, but enough that one can’t afford to take such things at face value - especially when one is Chejop Kejak’s personal student. Standing in the Old Man’s shadow, Isa has seen all manner of manipulation levied against her: some sought to suborn her or strike at Kejak by proxy, while others hoped to influence him through her, or glean secrets he would never be careless enough to let slip himself. A few even believe she’ll succeed him someday, and that currying favor now could win rewards later. In the face of all that, it’s hard to accept any gesture of kindness for its own sake. Everyone who’s anyone in Yu-Shan knows how to play the game; they can’t fail to see the potential benefits (or risks) of reaching out to Chejop Kejak’s apprentice. To Isa’s mind, that has always made the gestures seem somehow less, even if not wholly false.

By reputation, Iron Siaka is a straightforward person, more inclined to use a hammer than honeyed lies. But she’s lived and worked in Yu-Shan for decades. She isn’t blind to all this. Isa studies the Joybringer's face, searching for telltale hints of falsehood or planning; what thoughts lie behind those azure-speckled eyes?

Unlike most, Isa can actually tell the answer to that question. She slips into a pseudo-meditative state with an ease born of long practice, listening for the susurrus of the other Sidereal's thoughts. "That she is," she murmurs after a slightly-too-long pause (wouldn't do to let the conversation flag). "But I'm not sure there's anything you can say that would make this easier." Brief pause. "Though if you would like to share advice, or... your story..."

She trails off, spreading one hand as if in apology. It's not really fair to ask Siaka to recount her tale when she's being so closemouthed, but one of them is going to have to open up first, and she is curious. "I'm listening."

Isa has trust issues. News at 11!

Perception+Awareness to read minds: [roll0]
Stunt: [roll1]

Normally I'd flurry this with a Charisma+Investigation roll to try to get Siaka to open up, but Isa's pool is low enough that it'd be futile. (Insert grumbling about being spread too thin to be socially competent here.) Will just have to hope she's feeling obliging.

[Maugan Ra]

Though they arrive neither on time nor in dramatic fashion, a borrowed pack horse and a good set of directions deliver Braga and Versi to the army's command tent before business is entirely concluded. The ex-Dynast brings his mount to a halt well clear of the tent itself... he's never been particularly good with horses, and he'd rather avoid any embarrassing accidents... and covers the last of the distance leading it on foot. He salutes Zhou as he draws near, and, thanks to plenty of practice aboard the Frostwing, finally remembers to do so in the proper Lookshyan fashion.

"Chuzei," he greets his commander, "How are our negotiations faring? No more deathknights have shown up to sue for 'peace,' I hope."

"Well enough, Chozei." Zhou replies, returning the salute. "And no, there are no Deathknights here, peaceful or otherwise."

He indicates the commander's tent with one hand, his face set in a carefully neutral expression. "The leader of this army is in there. Her name is Commanding Teacher of Martial Readiness, Chosen of the Unconquered Sun. Or, as she was known in Lookshy, Kaizai Kharal Fire Orchid."

A wry smile tugs at the corner of his lips. "I trust you can grasp the implications."

[Ascension]

The Chuzei's report raises Braga's eyebrows. Karal Fire Orchid... So that explains the commander's loyalty to Lookshy... and possibly their order to kill her as well. Foreign Anathema like Skandi the Wolf are... more disposable, more deniable, and were barbarians to begin with in any case. Lookshy surly holds its own daughters to higher standards than it does outsiders. Fire Orchid's "corruption" has probably hurt her family deeply, maybe even weakened their political situation... and there are those who will refuse to put away such concerns even when death is at their gates.

Yes, this explains much. There are also many questions he could ask in turn (starting with how Karal Fire Orchid fits into the genealogy of Karal Zhou), but he settles on the most practical.

"Have you had any communication with the Legion about this?"

[Inspector Valin]

Versi is quiet as she progressed behind Braga, wings unfurled yet not fully spread, and Skycutter in her hands. The little Lunar's eyes barely notice her companions, her focus is on the camp and those within it. She'd known that this was an army camp, but the sheer size and scale of the assembled forces took the young Exalt by surprise. As Braga and Zhou spoke, Versino's gaze kept turning to the constant flow of activity within the tent city, soldiers coming and going every which way. A trace of a smile started to return to Versi's eye; this must have taken so much organization! So much management to keep everything working, the soldiers and tents in any kind or order. It was nice to be reminded of what Creation Born are capable of.

Braga's question doesn't make the little Lunar turn around, but shortly afterwards Versi also spoke, as much wondering aloud to herself as asking of the group. "And how did she get an army this big without anyone knowing about it before?"

[Ifni]

"We were informed that any official contact between Fire Orchid and her family in Lookshy could be grounds for their execution," Ireva says neutrally. "Just... a data point to keep in mind. I think it's likely there has been unofficial contact, though. Also for your information - her husband was recently killed by hunters of the Cleansing, and that wound is rather raw. She had Tepet Xet imprisoned when we first got here, although she escaped in the night. I think we have managed to persuade the Kazei to drop her plans to lead an... 'Immaculate Hunt'... but the topic of the Faith should probably be avoided where possible."

She nods to Braga. "We've mentioned you to her as a Chozei of Lookshy with expertise in the occult, who doesn't consider me or Skandi to be Anathema." Just don't introduce yourself as Sesus Denerid Braga...

She smiles up at the little Lunar, reminding herself to drop the cool formality she'd adopted to deal with Fire Orchid. She may be terrible at talking to children, but she's fairly sure that's not the right approach, even if it's easy. "Hi, Versi. I wasn't sure if you'd be attending, and we didn't tell the Kazei anything about you, so you can make your own introductions." Versi presumably doesn't mean to try to keep her nature secret, given her openness with Willow - but this way at least she can control what information is shared. "You're looking better - how are your wounds doing?"

[Ascension]

Any contact grounds for execution... yes, considering the intelligence officer's use of other Anathema, it seems certain that the kill order is due more to the specific identity of the "Commanding Teacher" than due to her nature or even the size of her army. No matter how eager the Legion is to rid itself of its own damned daughter, though, it seems foolishly wasteful to discard such a potential ally out of hand under the current circumstances. Is the "Man of Illusion" not so pragmatic as he seems?

Regardless of the intent of Chuzei Zhou's orders, it seems necessary to save his superiors from their own potentially lethal error. Whether they want it or not, Lookshy needs this army.

"But she will stand against the Mask of Winters, yes?" Braga asks. It's clear from his tone that he cares more about that than how Lookshy might feel about her or how she might feel about the Immaculate Order.

"The city needs all the help it can get. We can't afford to deny potential allies... "

He frowns. He has no special love for Tepet Xet, mysterious diplomat of the Realm, but she seems fairly liberal, or at least fairly benign, and there truly is no time to waste in hypocritical pursuit of her. He hopes that the Chuzei's wife is right about the Kaizei dropping that notion.

"...nor can she," he adds.