Guardians of Gem IC: Who installed an Exalt-magnet?

[Lix Lorn]

The Akuma smirks as he steps aside from the jadeborn's strike - only to be hit in the back, hard. He goes sprawling for a moment, but jumps upright, wincing in pain, and bleeding a little.
"HA! That got the bast-" beings the solar, before a cloud of acid takes him in the face. At that point, he decides that screaming in pain is a better use of his time.

The akuma, on the other hand, wincing, looks around. He swears, once, loudly, and turns tail to run, doing so with impressive speed.


Brasla is unperturbed by the Akuma's reaction. Her movements carry the practised brutality of one who has performed similar violence hundreds, thousands of times in the past. As the Exalt turns to flee, she steps behind him in a half-crouch and stabs her glowing blade through the calf of his right leg, pinning it to the ground.

"I warned you, didn't I?"

As he didn't actually act, I'll assume we still haven't reached his action tick. Brasla attacks on Tick 4, performing a Coup De Grace after an Aim action, taking the Akuma down to Incapacitated if possible.

Because of the spectacularly bad layout of the 2e combat section, I only came across this maneuver recently, tucked away in the Disabling injury complications section. A Coup De Grace is an attack with a -1 external penalty, if it would kill an opponent it instead does any desired amount of damage and performs a maiming/crippling injury, in this case a leg maiming.

If the Akuma takes Onslaught penalties, he will still suffer the penalty from the last attack.

27 dice. (Dex 8, Melee 7, Aim 1, Battle Trance Focus 5, Accuracy 4, Exceptional Weapon 2) Under the circumstances I think it would be inappropriate to apply Brasla's Underdog speciality.

Coup de Grace: [roll0]
Possible Stunt: [roll1]

-1 External penalty.

11 successes, 12 on a one die stunt, 13 on two. Same damage as before.

I don't expect this will actually work because ox-bodies, but it's worth a try.



[As good as any other way]

They're boring. Silly, empty words about people they no longer care for. They're like ghosts already.
"Joy we, really don't have time for this banter, do we?" Camdaimonia darts away from the group, in one motion reaching a turn in the tunnels. It wouldn't do to stay to close to that, what did she call herself? Chosen of the Void. One could start to care about things that way, and it simply isn't the time for that. Not when a chance to enlighten the whole world is so near.
"Besides, it's cold." She's far too warm a creature to be expected to deal with cold like this. It's hideous that mortals manage it. Even her cold-blooded moth, fluttering out to meet her, would wish for warmer airs than this.


Shah raises her bag, holding it over her shoulder like a bindle, cocking her head to one side. "That... Was a lot easier than I expected. What are these two doing out on their own when they go down so easy? Don't they have parents or something?"

"In all seriousness though," she continues, addressing both parties (loudly, for the benefit of the wussy screaming Solar) "I warned you. Fight all you want, but not on our turf. Or, well, sand I guess."
Brasla's blow aims with perfect precision, a wreath of energy encompassing it. Tendrils of shadow try to encompass it - and the light drives them away. The akuma yelps again, in genuine fear now, and at the instant of contact his skin turns to gold and brass for a single moment. Green light flares, and a shadow is cast, long and stark against the desert.

The akuma steps into the shadow and is gone.

The solar, meanwhile, is busy whimpering.

First OOC here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=285233) and second OOC here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15667702#post15667702) and third OOC here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=319096). First IC thread here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?285704-Guardians-of-Gem-Defending-the-Indefensible-IC)!



Player
Character
Caste


Recaiden
Camdaimonia, Shintai Sa Adorjan (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15665583&postcount=6)
Night Solar


Mechanix
Your Untimely Demise (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u1hN6uZQr2VLQh3Q4dshDW4TWBaG6dTRZn4HATqCI9A/edit?pli=1)
Slayer Infernal


Edge
Ivory Skies (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15669647&postcount=12)
Scourge Infernal


Imrix
Sharihmelis, the Aegis of Truth (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uv5zmQiwODyC2NGYq51oRmsQ7QeRFDYmYDVL_viUIg4/pub)
Full Moon Lunar


The_Snark
Clover (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15665495&postcount=4)
No Moon Lunar


industrious
Fourth Clever Victory (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15304740&postcount=9)
Comet Nocturnal


Ifni
Glass Knife (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15665969&postcount=8)
Chosen of Serenity Sidereal


Crumplepunch
Brasla (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15665434&postcount=3)
Warrior Jadeborn


DrakeRaids
Roses Among Doves (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_0iVk2YBciI9XY6B25vb7CjcbTSRIAtifR4TmLokjWY/edit)
Nebula Nocturnal


Gargulec
Final Glimpse of the Starless Sky (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PgXE7Jtj_83qCAda9eQVD26GfUh36dLgfk0zPtU63X0/edit)
Daybreak Abyssal

[Crumplepunch]

Brasla looks around impassively. "Usually when I do that it leaves a hole."

She stands and sheathes her sword, then produces a small crystal vial from one of her pouches. With delicate care, she collects the few drops of blood spilt from the Akuma's first wound and the sand upon which it has fallen.

"I don't suppose anyone knows how to track it?"

She glances over to the Solar. "For goodness sake man, grow up, it's only a little acid."

[Ifni]

She really shouldn't be feeling sympathy for the Solar. He is a Solar, after all. The enemy.

...

"Oh, be nice," Glass mutters through the stone, "he seems relatively innocuous. See if you can find out what was going on with the akuma. Preferably without more acid."

The Sidereal pauses, shrugs, and then steps off the city wall. Starmetal tangles around her joints in glittering loops, as she steps out of empty space at its base.

"I'll be out there in a few minutes."

[Recaiden]

"Alright, everybody, here we go!"
Cam waves excitedly at the vehicle that had rolled up to their staircase.
"Torika, you lead the way, and I'll remember landmarks for you, you poor dear. We're heading to Seams' domain, which is civilizationwards of here. Look for soulsteel."
"Get that thing moving. Joy, point out anything you recognize. This place looks kind of like the river-trap that...nevermind, the point is, the center of this region should be that way!"


Cam lets her familiar, with its superior Survival rating, lead, and applies Limited Teamwork to help her.
[roll0]+[roll1]+any stunt [roll2] + 1 success from willpower spent.

Remarkable success! Travel time reduced by 1/5 and +3 on the next roll! We might make it out of here yet!

Labyrinth progress: 5/20

[The_Snark]

He's gone, thank the gods. Clover's posture eases as the hellish verdigris-and-gold aura fades away. Hiding is hard when you're shining that bright, practically impossible actually, so she knows the Malfean Exalt really has left, not just vanished to lurk somewhere nearby. She un-hunches and stands straight, turning around to look at the other stranger, shining sun-bright with the light of an early dawn. (Or perhaps a very late sunset.) That one doesn't look scary at all.

"Are you okay?" she asks, hopping down from the rocky barrier Brasla raised to peer at the Solar more closely. There's the mark of a Twilight on his brow - not a warrior. (Not that she needed the caste mark to tell that.) She likes him already. Everyone else here is so soldier-y: rough-and-ready Demise, cheerful hunter/prey Shah, professional soldier Brasla and smooth killing-cold Glass... even Ivory seems to like sparring, for some baffling reason. "Can I help? What did you do to him?" This last bit is directed at Demise, along with a faintly reproachful look.

[Lix Lorn]

"Only acid? ONLY acid?" he says, almost hysterical. "Do you know how many women just clutched their hands to their hearts and screamed? Give it to me straight. Is it horribly scarred?"
His hands go to his face, feeling over the stinging flesh with trepidation.
"...okay. good. Now. Did you get the treacherous son-of-a-bitch?"

The Underworld
Leaving the misplaced carriage behind them, the yozi and the abyssal travel through the labyrinth. Perceptions blur, twist, and avoid sense all together here, and with remarkable speed Joy goes "Heeeey. We're makin' good time. And no gribblies either."
Why would he say that? Why would anyone tempt the maidens like that?

[Ifni]

"Looked like he stepped away through a shadow, from what I could see," Glass says as she walks up, slightly breathless. "I can check if he's still hiding around here... but why don't you tell us who he is, who you are, and what's going on between the two of you? It sounded fairly... dramatic." From her tone, the last word is a criticism.

[Crumplepunch]

Brasla holds up the vial containing traces of the Akuma's blood. "I got his arm. I imagine someone in this city has hunting hounds. Maybe a geomancer, if whoever is running the Despot's staff will finally send one down. We should check on the monolith, make sure the wards are secure."

[Imrix.]

Shah loomed behind Glass with crossed arms, but did her best to make it seem like supportive looming. "For once, I agree with you," she muttered, "a pair of bloody drama queens. Incompetent drama queens."

[Mechanix]

Demise scratches her cheek, looking irritatedly at the spot where the Akuma was only a moment before.

"Curses on these Fiends and their damned refusal to get into a proper grapple," she mutters to herself. Then her eyes glow green for a brief instant as she scrutinizes the Solar's Essence. "Now what was that all about, and please keep the dramatics to a minimum."

[Edge]

Ivory relaxes her guard as it becomes apparent the Solar is amenable to talking for now.

"Are you really one to speak about theatrics, Demise?" the Scourge interjects, "I mean, was the acid strictly necessary?"

Her eyes then dart to the newcomer. "But an explanation would be appreciated, as would whether we should be expecting more uninvited visitors from Malfeas."

[The_Snark]

"The acid was mean," Clover mutters, glad that at least one other person here sees something off about that. It comes out a little louder than she intended, and she shrinks a little under the weight of everyone's gaze (or perhaps just the anticipation of it. "Well, he was stopping," she says defensively. "It looked to me like he was just trying not to be killed, and now we're making fun of him for it instead of helping... though I guess we did help, sort of..."

... and now they're asking about what's going on, which is perfectly sensible and reasonable, and she's just holding things up and should probably be quiet. Clover sidles closer to Brasla and says, "I can go back to check on the monument if you want, or we can ask the Despot to send someone with these... I don't know if dogs or geomancers will be much use, though. If he were still anywhere nearby we'd see his anima."

[Crumplepunch]

Brasla twitches as Clover approaches. Her enchantments have heightened her violent impulses and she has to make a conscious effort to be at ease. "I appreciate the offer, but I would rather be present to check the wards. If the monument is the Akuma's goal, I can simply collapse the surrounding tunnel network. Perhaps our friend might give us more insight, if he is finally ready to talk."

She speaks lower, so only Clover can hear, in overly formal Old Realm. "Be wary. This scene, it seems rehearsed. Why fight here, in view of the city that has so recently demonstrated its Exalted defenders? And so ineffectively that neither injured the other? I suggest you anticipate a deception."

[The_Snark]

Clover blinks. This possibility honestly hadn't occurred to her. In the same tongue, she asks, "You think they're lying? But why? They could have just walked into the city and hardly gotten a second glance. And recall that the gladiator can hear deceit."

But the idea has taken root, and half-unwilling her mind starts spinning hypothetical schemes which the Solar and his so-called enemy might have devised to win Gem's sympathy and trust. Too suspicious, and yet... it could be true. The Twilight no longer seems quite so hapless when she glances at him. Is that her imagination, or something else? She slips unconsciously into a slightly more combative stance...

Mindfulness is the first step. Awareness. Understanding others.

Unusually, it calms her rather than making her feel more tense. Perhaps some of the Sidereal's lessons sunk in more than she realized.

Using Hearing the Unspoken Word, which renders Clover aware of any people/attacks within 40 yards, and also reduces the difficulty of Read Motive actions by one. Then taking a Read Motive action to try and gauge the Solar's emotional state/mood.

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

Difficulty is (Solar's (Manip+Socialize)/2, -1. If Clover gets twice the required successes, she also learns an Intimacy relevant to the scene - presumably related to the akuma or the reason for fighting? Up to you. This is technically a social-timescale action, and should take a few minutes of observing, but "a few posts" is probably an acceptable substitute if we're not in formal social-combat time...

[Lix Lorn]

The solar winces, and it doesn't seem to be from acid this time.
"He was my friend." he says, after a few moments. "We had such plans together, y'know? Bring back the height of the deliberative. Hopefully without the insane parts. But... well. Things changed. Apparently he made a deal with some Yozi, and now the insane parts don't matter so much. I didn't know about it until today. We were gonna come help the city - it took us a while to travel here, but we heard about the call it gave out. Well. I thought we were going to help, but apparently that wasn't his plan. As you can see, I took offense to this change. But we were friends for a long time, so... well. We know all of each other's tricks."

[Crumplepunch]

Brasla stares at the Solar for some time with something that might be akin to sympathy. "...very well. Where will he go?"

As has been alluded to a couple of times, Brasla also has a friend betraying her and being killed for it in her backstory.

[Recaiden]

[The Labyrinth]

Cam turns back to joy with a mad grin on her face.
"Did you really say that? By Dharma you did! Ah, if my cousin had heard that we would already be up to our ears in hekatonkhires."
She draws her bow and nocks a triple-pointed tearing arrow, hoping to take the enemy by surprise and kill it with one shot. She scans this little intersection, looking up, down, behind, peeking between stone columns and hanging strands of bone and...is there really nothing after them yet? Oh. How disappointing. She was really looking forward to a good fight, and a chance to see Joy in action.

They'd best get going then.


Cam looks around, Perception + Awarness [roll0].

But if there really are no gribblies, onward!
Labyrinth Navigation: [roll1] + Teamwork [roll2] (Why joy can't help with this I don't know) + Bonus from landmark [roll3] + 1 sux from willpower.

Progress: 10/20, and they maintain their remarkably successful pace. Travel time reduced by 2/5 total. This leg of the trip took nearly zero time, or the later legs are going to take forever.

[Imrix.]

Shah looks pained, but only briefly. "Good enough for me," she says, offering the Solar a hand up. "Now if you tell me you're primarily a swordsman I may be forced to laugh at you, so what do you do? Build things?"

[Lix Lorn]

"I expect he'll go back to find our men. His men, I should say." he grimaces, accepting the hand and getting to his feet slowly. "And you're right, I'm not a fighter. I'm a smith by trade, which means it's now my job to bend the fabric of reality at will."

He seems rather blase about the whole 'exalt' thing, but considering the company...

[Crumplepunch]

"Hrm. We may need to talk later about that. For now, tell us everything about these men. What numbers and disposition? Equipment? Training? What are their objectives? Speak, this is no time for delay."

[Ifni]

Is Shah trying to be helpful? Ye gods. Glass takes a little while to consider that, listening to the conversation with the rest of her attention. Smith. Hmm.

"And your friend's skills, and... 'particular tricks'?" she asks evenly, studying the Twilight. "We should speak later on how much experience you have in the reality-bending business, and how exactly you intended to help Gem, as well."

Her gaze falls on Clover, and it occurs to her that was rather... curt. She adds, only a little awkwardly, "I'm sure your help will be welcome, though."

OK, it's going to be amusing to play Glass-who-now-has-Compassion-3 thanks to Clover guilt-tripping her :smallwink:

[Lix Lorn]

"They... he's a manipulator. A leader. Which makes sense with his patrons, I suppose, but he was a Dawn before. That's why I can't beat him." he says, scowling. "His people... a hundred, maybe two hundred? I don't know the exact number. It could be more. But I imagine they're perfectly loyal to him at this point. As for experience, they're the regular ragtag misfits you end up leading. Equipment... is fairly good. Not artifact level, but we've never wanted them to go around with half-broken swords. I don't know what he seeks to do now, but I imagine it won't be friendly."

The Labyrinth
"Oh crap did I really say that?"

There is... skittering. Something.
Watching, it seems. It's big, too, but it hides deep in the shadows.

[Crumplepunch]

"Hrm. Two hundred is no force for taking the wall or the city, though I can't account for an Exalt. I need to check the tunnels, and the obelisk." She taps her sorcerous gem. "I'll be in touch. Let me know if you find anything more."

She turns and heads towards the nearest mine entrance at speed.

[Imrix.]

"Two hundred, huh?" Shah looks positively gleeful with anticipation. "I call dibs if they turn up. I could use an hour's playtime."

[Crumplepunch]

"You are talking about fighting them, yes?" says Brasla's voice from the magical gem.

[Ifni]

Glass tries to turn her laugh into a cough, with mixed success. "Ahem. Where are these people from? Local tribes? How far away are they, and could you lead us to them?"

"And introductions might be helpful. You can call me Glass."

[Imrix.]

"You are talking about fighting them, yes?" says Brasla's voice from the magical gem."Oh!" says Shah with a wide grin, "Yeah, I'll blast them to shreds." And HA! I knew you weren't as much of a stick in the mud (sandstone?) as you first seemed!

A beat.

"Well, most of them. We'll see if any of the ones that surrender are cute."

[Lix Lorn]

"They've come together from a lot of places." he shrugs. "We've been travelling together a long time. I could try to lead you there, but I'm not a great runner, and I expect he moved them the moment he got back. He's not stupid."
He does seem impressed by the arrogance of fighting two-hundred men alone, and is happy to laugh at the innuendo.

[Recaiden]

[The Labyrinth]

"You really did."
Cam laughs silently as she hears the horror skittering in the darkness.

"Come on, let's go see what it is!"
Since surprise is already ruined, she just runs towards where she last heard the sound from. A real unlive monster!

[Edge]

Ivory doesn't laugh at the banter between Brasla and Shah, but there is a smile evident in her eyes as she nods her agreement with Glass.

"Indeed. It seems remiss for us to go without introduction. I am Ivory Skies. Your name, smith?"

She pauses briefly, before interjecting again before he can answer.

"Also, I suppose given the nature of our meeting, it would behoove us to be honest and mention that some of us, myself included, have had dealing with the Yozi in the past, but have since reneged on our ends of the deal."

[Lix Lorn]

"We-" he starts, before pausing.
"Well, I suppose working with hell isn't bad. I've done that myself. I'm talking about swearing to do horrible things. As for my name, it's Dark Clouds at Sunrise. And you all are?"

The Labyrinth
The skittering thing comes to meet them. It raises no weapon, but instead rears up the front of its body.
It looks like a centipede, if a centipede was bone white, and fifty foot long. At the front is... for lack of better words, a rider. The rider too is coated in an exoskeleton of bone, only bloody red eyes visible in the natural armour. The rider has no legs, its body fused to the centipede right behind its vast, bony maw.

It speaks, a raspy voice, an empty echo.
"You are the wind. He seeks the wind. Come to Him."

Hmm. I'd call it an Int+Occult roll to work out what neverborn/primordial he's coming from, but... given that you're an Adorjan, it's only difficulty one.

[Ifni]

"Dark Clouds at Sunrise. Really. How... ominous. Did you pick it yourself? And what were you doing working with Hell, precisely?"

All right, perhaps Clover hasn't had that much of an effect on her.

[Recaiden]

[The Labyrinth]

They recognize me. Finally. For so long they asked after Adrian, Adrian, Adrian. Poor brothers, stuck in the past. How much has the Labyrinth shifted in these past hours, to bring this thing here that was searching for her? Cam lowers her bow and approaches, to be near this monstrosity slowing even her steps.
"I hear Him. The wind comes."
She remembers this. In the back of her mind, in memories buried under the light of exaltation. White bone, creatures of the earth, the fusion of man and beast. Could it really be?

[The_Snark]

"I'm Clover," Clover pipes up, anxious to keep the conversation from slipping back into suspicion and hostility. "It's nice to meet you. I'm sorry to hear about your friend. Maybe we can do something for him, or... or find out why he did it, at least." She doesn't sound hopeful as she'd like; she knows enough about the process of becoming akuma to know that it's not something you can come back from. Not unlike sorcery in that regard, or better yet Exaltation itself.

After a moment she adds, "Do you know what kind of horrible things he swore to do here? What do the Yozis want with Gem?" It can't be jewelry and silver; Hell holds riches vaster and stranger by far than Gem's coffers.

[Crumplepunch]

"Well, you heard him, horrible things. Please tell me I can kill this one."

Brasla, still travelling towards the mine shaft, half-smirks under her helmet at the Solar's name. Rocktongue is an excellent language for engineering, and a certain kind of baroque poetry, but not a good one for metaphor or for describing the weather. In her native tongue, the name would be rendered as something like "Atmospheric precipitation obscures celestial body in shift two."

Entering the mine, Brasla quickly establishes contact with the guard network using the echo gem built into her helmet. Confirming that everyone has checked in, she orders the guard at key points in the passage to the Obelisk and the Akuma's cell increased, and the deployment of pyromantic mines. As well as the obvious dangers of fiery explosions, the incendiaries will quickly consume available air in the underground tunnels. Mortal invaders and most Exalts need air, but the Myrmidons do not.

"Checked in. No disturbances, but I've ordered some precautions. Coming back to meet you."

[Imrix.]

"Shahrimelis, the Aegis of Truth!" she declares, striking a dramatic pose... Before ruining the effect by cracking a grin and slapping the Solar on the back. "Most people just call me Shah tho'."

"Anyway, don't mind Glass. We've got a lady called Your Untimely Demise with us and she's just the biggest sweetie-pie, and the crazy Night who thinks she's Adorjan will probably turn up again soon. 'Dark Clouds at Sunrise' is practically cheerful!"

[Lix Lorn]

"Nah. It'd be my mother's choice." he explains. "I'm pretty sure it's because I was born at sunrise, and there were dark clouds. My people are not very subtle with our naming conventions. But yeah. I'm pretty sure he was hoping to conquer the place. For it's own sake, as far as I can tell. Malfean tendencies and all of that. And... you have a solar who thinks she's Adorjan? Where do you find these people?

Labyrinth
It begins to lead the way, as Joy cheerfully pipes up.
"So, I'll just be going the-"

The hekatonkheire's tail snakes past, grabbing him by the waist, and it looks back to you to check that you follow.

[Imrix.]

"I don't even know. Ask the Despot when you meet her, she's the one who sent out the call."

[Crumplepunch]

Brasla returns at a brisk jog, skidding to a halt in the sand, and half-bows. ""Exalted One. I am Brasla. As I mentioned, I am sworn to defence of Gem, as is my shard. If you wish to take shelter within, it would probably be best that you introduce yourself to your host. I will provide you with an escort."

[Recaiden]

[Labyrinth]

Cam laughs aloud as Joy's cowardly attempt to flee is silenced. She does follow, eager to see her poor fallen king once again. Like all the Neverborn, he is in clear need of her help. She should keep up with the monster, running just beside it if there's room, or following close on its tail if she must.

[Edge]

Ivory nods in response to Clouds' response, pleasantly surprised.

"A reasonable man. What a rare pleasure," she says, a smile passing over her eyes. "If you do wish to join in Gem's defence, I would second Brasla's recommendation to see the Despot. And if you do not require a formal escort of trained Jadeborn warriors, I can always take you myself. I have little desire to stay out in the heat longer than necessary."

[Lix Lorn]

"I'll be sure to ask." he nods, seriously. "What's she like, anyway? Last I heard before the call came out, the despot was some old guy."

To Brasla and Ivory, he nods again, more cheerfully.
"I'd be honoured, ladies. It's pretty hot around these parts, and it's not all your fault."

[The_Snark]

"Oh, you'll like her!" Clover exclaims, linking arms with the new Solar and pulling him towards the city. Well, tugging him, anyway, she hasn't got the height or upper body strength to really pull. "She's really nice. She's Sun-Chosen, just like you. The old Despot was her father, she took over when he died - I'm not sure how, I should ask about that - and decided she needed help protecting her home. So she sent out messages to lots of Exalts and a few other people all over the South asking them to come and help, even though it'd cost a lot and some of them might end up being her rivals, because keeping the city safe is just that important. She lets me call rivers so that people can have water for free, which Glass and Shah say the old Despots never would've done."

She halts for a moment, standing on tiptoe to whisper in his hear. "Shah and Glass don't get along very well, so when they agree with each other on something it's probably important."

Given that we’ve been in Gem a few weeks/months, I figure there’s been some casual interaction offscreen; I’m vaguely alluding to those here. I think it’s pretty consistent with what we’ve seen of Glass, Shah and the Despot on-screen, but let me know if you feel something’s off and want it changed/removed.

[Crumplepunch]

"You are all terrible at keeping secrets. All of you."

Brasla turns and heads towards the gate. "Let's go, like the man says, it's hot. There's a ball of fire on the ceiling and I am wearing a hundred pounds of metal."

[Edge]

"Flattery won't get you as far as you're used to, Clouds. But you didn't open with it, so there's hope for you yet," Ivory says, rolling her eyes jokingly. "But yes, let's head towards the relative cool of the volcano. You have a Despot to meet, after all."

Do we just want to skip ahead to introducing Clouds to the Despot, or head to a different scene altogether?

[Crumplepunch]

"...what flattery?"

[Lix Lorn]

He whistles, impressed. "She's chosen, eh? That does explain quite a bit. How's the city taking that news?"

On Brasla's question, he just winks at her.

Whichever you'd prefer. If you think there's more banter to be had, we can do that, or we can skip ahead.

The Mouth of the Abyss
The labyrinth opens out, in a way. The ceiling falls away some distance before the earth, and you look up, far into the 'sky' into the city that hovers above the void. For that is where you have been bought - oblivion awaits, an endless pit into which all will eventually fall. The neverborn - your dead brothers and sisters - are halfway down this eternal drop.

The hekatonkheire motions to a stairway, and you're not sure you would have noticed it, had it not been pointed out.
"Now, see, I'm fairly sure that I was warned about stairs at some point, so I'll be happy to wait h-" says Joy, before the behemoth begins down the stairway, taking the unfortunate abyssal with him.

[Recaiden]

[The Mouth of the Abyss]

Cam races onto the stairway, maybe ahead of the beast, maybe behind.
"You probably were, but don't worry. If my brothers don't want you to leave, I think you'd find that in both directions, the stairs go down. What, are you afraid of falling?" Only after descending for a few minutes does she look at the spiraling stair and realize that it goes on for miles. She trips and falls an extra stair forward that step, landing with a jolt before continuing.
"Haven't you been down here before, Joy? This is your world, after all."

[Lix Lorn]

The stairs are tight, precarious, like one wrong step will send you in, but it doesn't. Even if you fall, you only go down the steps.
"It's not my favourite place in the world." calls the abyssal distantly, sounding almost resigned.

[Recaiden]

"It won't be that bad, Joy. You're my guest at a reunion."
Cam treads along, falling quiet after that. She has no reason to try to get him away from the monster yet anyways.

And given that there are at least fifteen thousand steps between Stygia and the Neverborn, maybe as many at two hundred thousand, they have quite a walk to go. She doesn't get tired easily, though. After literal eons flying across the desert, what are a few miles of stairs? The slow pace the hekatonchire is taking troubles her a little, but it teaches a lesson she often forgets: patience.

[Lix Lorn]

That night, it rained, a downpour that seemed to mock the desert sands. The sound of raindrops on hard stone echoed throughout the city, leaving some tired, unable to sleep, but providing a soothing backdrop to the dreams of others.

The bandits, and their Akuma leader, had proved difficult to track down, using shadowy powers to obliterate their tracks and keep from sight. Still, it was unlikely that they could cause problems while retaining their secrecy, so as long as they remained aware, they were little threat. The betrayed Solar, Dark Clouds - who preferred the shorter, less ominous 'Sunrise' - had settled in helpfully, using his skill at craftsmanship to aid the town's efforts. Small bandits assaults seemed common - thieves and madmen, who stood little chance of success even without the exalted fortification that Gem had received. But it was quiet.

Caravans arrived, every few days, usually bringing trade goods, with the occasional hopeful, prospective citizen, hoping to become rich in Gem's mines. But in the early morning, as water pooled in the shadows, glistening with rainbows, like oil, a whole group of travellers arrived at once. Distrustful of such a large group, the guards called for exalted assistance, marking the beginning of what would become a very long day.

For some of them, of course, there were other problems. The Jadeborn, whose understated skill was the talk of the city in a way that the anathema couldn't be, had awoken once more from uneasy dreams, a horrifying cavalcade of industrial slaughter that mocked the foundations of her kind. And worse than that - soon after she woke, she was contacted by one of her least favourite people.
How long should I stay in my cell before you decide I'm an ally? I'm very bored. I can escape at any time, you understand.
What a @#$%ty start to the day.

Elsewhere, someone else is havign a rude awakening, as Glass Knife is awoken by an odd chiming she wouldn't expect to hear. A fluttering spirit, all silver and crystal and indigo glass, glittering facets and blurring translucent wings and angles - and clearly agitated, although its distance from the manse it called home would easily account for that. On seeing her awake, a musical voice bursts forth, its hurried voice difficult to parse into recognisable Old Realm.
"Hearthwarden. Hearthwarden! Intruders in the manse, strange ones, essence of yozi and of strangeness. Swirling, new. Please advise."

Meanwhile, some time ago and infinitely far away...
Most people would be glad that the staircase of oblivion's maw is long, but for the most damaged of the primordials, the journey to her brothers and sisters is instead a lesson in patience. In time, of course, it ends, and she finds herself before a monolith of jagged stone, black as the void, and a voice echoes in her head.
"Sister. My siblings cry out for mercy. Your mercy is infinite. Their hope is gone. They seek. Oblivion."
Every word is a scream in silence, unbearably loud, but with no weight to it, as if he whispered them on the breeze.

[Crumplepunch]

Brasla's bed is empty.

Far beneath Gem, in the winding caverns beneath the deepest mines, the black earth and stone give way to seams of ruby-red jade, the gentle inner glow of elemental flame eclipsed by the incandescence of the river of magma that surrounds them.

Inside one of the jagged, flamelike crystals is a shadowy humanoid figure. Brasla dreams now-familiar dreams of desolation and industrial apocalypse. She worries for the prophetic nature of these dreams as much as for their content. To see the future would bring inevitable madness.

Basking in the glow of the flame surrounding her, she nears completion of her work. To Essence sight, a dozen phantasmal mandalas overlap and converge at a point on her brow, an incomprehensible, abstract machine of Essence and flickering fire. Slowly, delicately, it folds in on itself like a kaleidoscope, and vanishes. Brasla's eyes open, and her jade cocoon splits down the middle in response to her will. She stands and exits the cavern, striding hip-deep through the river of magma.

Her shape has changed. Upon coming to the surface, she altered herself to an almost human form, as is mandated by the Conclave for outlanders. Now that she has broken faith with Shining Kren and she no longer considers there to be any benefit to restraint, she has re-carved herself into the shape that she wore in her younger days, when she walked the halls of the underways and slew nightmarish beasts and pallid gods cast down when the world was young.

How long should I stay in my cell before you decide I'm an ally? I'm very bored. I can escape at any time, you understand.

...troubling.

She recovers the clothes from the bag she prepared before embarking on her days-long meditation, dressing on the way upstairs. The guards offer a token salute as she passes into the Akuma's prison, giving no regard to her new form. She ducks slightly to fit through the great vaulted door. With a gesture, the bridge extends, and she approaches the cell.

Brasla stands almost ten feet tall, and her skin is the glossy ruby hue of red jade, just a couple of shades brighter than her hair. Steam rises from her feet as her superheated flesh touches the cold metal. Her six arms are built like pillars, and each forearm bears a matched bracer of black jade. Her forehead is crowned by what is unmistakably a hearthstone, pearly white and reflecting varihued flickers of lightning and flame.

"Say your piece."

[Ifni]

Glass wakes up the rest of the way, very abruptly, groping for her hearthstone. "Oh no you bloody don't!" She pauses, and then corrects herself apologetically, as she scrambles into her clothing: "Not you, little one, the intruders."

She picks up the rune-scribed stone and says into it, "I need a team to help me clear some Yozi-tainted out of my manse. Volunteers meet me in front of the palace in five minutes. Best we don't all go, it might be a distraction."

[Crumplepunch]

"Actually..." Brala listens to the words relayed to her by the sorcerous gem, holding up a finger of her lower left hand, "This may have to wait."

She presses an indentation in the small, disc-shaped device in her palm. Each of her squad leaders have an identical communicator. "This is Brasla, have my chest brought up to the palace entrance, I'll be there to pick it up shortly. And go to low alert."

She turns and walks away from the Akuma. Perhaps you could, ah, write something down."

I don't see how defending the manse wouldn't be Brasla's top priority, so off she goes.

[Lix Lorn]

The walls of the Ellogian's cell are covered in writing from floor to ceiling, tiny text that is difficult to discern from a distance - at least, by mortal standards.
Of course, taking a closer look will reveal the truth. No dark portents here. It seems that in her boredom, Janna decided to start work on her next novel, daubed upon the wall in blue essence. She gives a tiny smile at the jadeborn's arrival, but is rapidly disappointed by her announcement.
"That's a shame." she sighs. "But I can wait another day."

She shrugs, as if helpless, and presumably the jadeborn leaves. As she does, the akuma calls after her.
"Nice makeover."

Meanwhile, Glass' anxious guardian flutters about her.
"Not many of them. Five. Four very weak, barely registering with essence. Fifth overwhelming. Matches yours, surpasses. Nothing has been damaged. The cathedral is unbreached. They lurk in a small room to the side. Believe themselves undetected, perhaps."

[Imrix.]

If you pinned Shah down and forced her to pick the single best thing about being Chosen, she'd hem and haw about it for a bit, but eventually she'd declare it to be the sex. Because the Chosen? Get laid. All the time the Chosen get laid. When times were good Shah would have more men (and women) in a week than most people would in their lives, and in all honesty, Exalted stamina just did not get old. If anything, the only downside was that it meant she needed all those people, because one partner was too easily exhausted. But then, finding partners who could keep up with her had always been a problem, even back in Halta when she was sneaking in an illicit romp through the branches after the days quota of death-defying acrobatics.

So really, nobody should be surprised that Shahrimelis was currently patronising Gem's premiere house of carnal delights. Granted, she'd prefer to be entertained by a cadre of harem slaves, attuned to her personal desires and fawnishly devoted to her every whim, but the harem was still on the drawing board, so she'd just have to make do with professionals. Woe.

While going to fetch a new partner - honestly, they wear out so fast - Shah notices an interesting new girl emerging from a room, bidding a happily exhausted customer farewell with a voice like chocolate and bells. She looks tranquil and serene, her skin faintly silver, and a small, happy smile on her face. She could be a godblooded, perhaps... certainly no exalt Shah has ever heard of. But her beauty is inhuman. What kind of god would even produce that? Some... goddess of metal sex toys?

Well, weird was good, and hey, it wasn’t even all that far-fetched. If there were metal sex toys (there were, she'd checked. Exhaustively.) then naturally there would be a God of them, and it made perfect sense for a god of sex toys (or their family) to work in the sex trade. That was logic, that was! Faintly chuffed with her intelligence, Shah sauntered over with a lazy smile and said only, "and now, you.”

“Me?" the silver woman says with a friendly, lazy smile. "Are you sure you have the silver..?" she asks automatically, seemingly unbothered by the question.

“Bill the treasury," Shah answers with a shrug, "the Despot is generous to those who beat up giant zombies for her."

"Giant zombies? That sounds frightening." the silver woman exclaims with wide eyes. They're a lovely shade of gold, and they seem to bleed what little stress Shah still felt – which wasn’t much, given how the establishment had treated her so far.

Shah looks briefly thoughtful as she sizes the girl up. Those eyes had possibilities – maybe she offered hypnotic massage? "Honestly, it was mostly just icky. Then again, your perspective gets a bit skewed when you're Chosen."

“That makes sense..." the silver woman nods slowly, breaking into a beatific smile as Shah gestures her past with an outswept arm, pulling aside the gauzy curtain to reveal a chamber strewn with resting courtesans.

Despite the cheerful lightning the room feels shadowed, and though the air is heavy with musk and perfume, there is an inexplicable moistness to many of the surfaces, like dewdrops coating morning grass. For all that the room lies at the heart of a bastion of urban civilisation, it somehow feels like a wood at night, moonlit and misty. Shah looks vaguely sheepish. "Sorry about the atmosphere. That happens when my anima blazes for too long and, well your compatriots are quite skilled at making me lose my mind." The comment is met by a ragged cheer, while the silver lady blinks, giving a soft, pretty smile. "You certainly have quite a selection of my most beautiful colleagues already..." she says. "And... it's nice. Quite unfamiliar. Very nice.”

Shah is struck by the urge to hug her, suddenly realizing just how used she'd gotten to apologizing for her power. Maybe she wasn't as easy with it as she'd told Clover... No. That kind of introspection was what she'd come here to get away from. "Well thank you," she says all the same, "a lot of people get a bit creeped out over it, but nobody here has."

"It's nice to get some cool wetness..." murmurs one of the drowsy courtesans. One of the others giggles at the word 'wetness', and is promptly hit with a cushion. The mysterious woman smiles. "I do aim to please, miss...?"

"Shahrimelis, and yourself?" Shah replies, pausing only to roll her eyes and shoot a glare at the punster, promising sweaty retribution (a soft ‘meep’ came from somewhere in the room) before sketching a brief bow.

"Grace, lady Shahrimelis." the silver woman gives a short curtsey. "Joyful Seeker of Grace."

Shah comes up short. "Huh, odd name. Where's it from? It's not any Southern that I know, but I'm a traveller myself." pleasedon'tbeHeavenpleasedon'tbeHeavenpleasedon'tb e– "I don't know." Grace replies, smiling and shrugging. "I just knew it was my name when I awoke.”

Shah stiffens, because that was all kinds of ominous. While she'd be the first to celebrate the sex workers trade when it was treated fairly and with respect, amnesiac courtesans was almost never* a sign that people were being treated well. "When you... Woke. And you woke up where? How long ago?"

"Outside Gem, yesterday." Grace replies, immediately. "It was fairly late at night. Is something wrong?” Shah looks suddenly grim, "Quite possibly, how did you come here? Did you ask to work here or did anybody recruit you, and how? What else do you remember?"

"Recruit?" a blink. "No, I asked. I needed somewhere to sleep, and a job of some kind, and, well..." Grace blushes. "I... I do like this kind of job. I remember that I asked Lady Janissa if I might be able to take a job, and she looked me up and down once, and said 'If you hadn't asked, I would.'"

"... Oh. Well that's different then," Shah says, relaxing. “In that case, I’d be most pleased to seek a moment of grace with you…”

– – –

The next day, Shah flapped happily towards Glass’ call. The night had been (very) enjoyable, but she was definitely going to bring it up with the others. Obviously magical people didn’t just appear outside major cities with no memories, after all. But, as she touched down at the palace gates, Shah figures it’s a lower priority than… Whatever this is.

* (It worked out fine that one time, but those were very specific circumstances involving traumatized Dream-Eaten, a Lunar Elder experimenting with oneiromantic reincarnation and the friendliest group of monks Shah had ever met.)

[Crumplepunch]

Brasla sits in a meditative pose in front of the palace gates, near a group of palace guards trying to maintain their composure. She has armed and armoured herself from the chest sitting next to her, and has also procured some kind of tea service. She pours the steaming, yellowish beverage from an engraved bronze kettle, and, holding a matching cup between an enormous thumb and forefinger, sips at it delicately.

"Greetings, Shah. You seem in good spirits. Will you join me in taking soma before battle?"

[The_Snark]

Clover arrives just a few seconds behind Shah, a falcon dropping out of the sky and changing into a girl a half-second before it strikes the cobbled streets. She waves to her fellow Lunar, but most of her attention is given to Brasla. "You look different," she blurts out, sounding both surprised and curious. The face is the same, but the rest.. "I didn't know you could do that."

[Crumplepunch]

Brasla nods. "It is not an ability known to all of the Enlightened. We can alter our bodies by recarving them in jade. It is no equal to your shapeshifting, or the magics of the Raksha, but it suffices. I considered my old form more suitable for the work at hand."

She sips her drink. "Also, I am now a manse."

[Imrix.]

"Greetings, Shah. You seem in good spirits. Will you join me in taking soma before battle?"Shah gives Clover a distracted wave as she thoughtfully considers Brasla's beverage, before shaking her head. "Thank you, but no. I don't imbibe spirits I'm unfamiliar with, and in any case I'm quite sated after last night, so I feel I must decline. That is, unless you have some te-"

"Wait, you're a manse now? How does that work?"

[Crumplepunch]

Brasla quirks an eyebrow ever so slightly at Shah's claim, but decides not to enquire further. "By virtue of our life cycle we share a unique connection with Creation's geomancy. I have strengthened this connection with geomantic invocation until I am a wellspring of elemental Essence, very much like a demesne. After that, I used binding enchantments to construct the immaterial and conceptual architecture of a manse within and around my body. This is the result." She touches the hearthstone on her forehead.

"I feel... better. Less constrained. I have never felt anything like it."

[The_Snark]

"Huh," is Clover’s eventual verdict. The Jadeborn looks so different this way, more like a temple idol or guardian spirit than a soldier. But not bad different. Nothing wrong with spirits or temples! She decides she likes the change.

"That sounds nice," she says, a little wistfully. "Luna's gifts are nice too, but sometimes they can be a little icky. Like when those zombies attacked. What kind of manse are you?" Her tone shifts back to curious at the last part; she stands on tiptoe, as if trying to get a closer look at the hearthstone set on Brasla's brow.

[Crumplepunch]

Brasla leans forward in her sitting position so her head is almost level with Clover's. The magical gem initially appears to be an opaque sphere of white jade, but as she looks, flashes of distant, multicoloured flame appear within its surface. "I channel the Essence of Fire. Earth comes most naturally to us, of course, but fire seemed suitable."

[The_Snark]

"Oh yes, of course, to harmonize with the dominant local flows. That would make the binding structures more stable. Can you resculpt your, hmm, I don't know what to call it; your body-geomancy? Like, if we sailed out to the far West, could you take apart the enchantments and rebuild them to be Water-aspected?" She reaches out as if to touch the stone, fascinated; oranges, reds and purples swirl beneath the surface as the light changes, like a pearl plucked from a sea of fire. Halfway through the gesture she pauses, remembering basic manners. "Can I? Is it safe?"

[Crumplepunch]

"Oh yes, of course, to harmonize with the dominant local flows. That would make the binding structures more stable. Can you resculpt your, hmm, I don't know what to call it; your body-geomancy? Like, if we sailed out to the far West, could you take apart the enchantments and rebuild them to be Water-aspected?"

"I suppose it's possible. Restructuring my spiritual architecture would be difficult and painful, however. I should not like to attempt it without good reason."

I haven't actually included rules for altering the manse of Jade Soul Architecture or the demesne of Demesne Body Technique, but if I did I think it would take a while and require XP to prevent players from exploiting a modifiable hearthstone for reasons other than character development.

On the other hand, being empowered by a suitable environment is reflected in the rules, Brasla gains +10 motes per hour respiration while in fire-dominated environments like Gem, a bonus she would lose in most areas of the West.


She reaches out as if to touch the stone, fascinated; oranges, reds and purples swirl beneath the surface as the light changes, like a pearl plucked from a sea of fire. Halfway through the gesture she pauses, remembering basic manners. "Can I? Is it safe?"

As Clover reaches to touch the stone, Brasla flinches back, before regaining her composure. Clover seems honest enough, but one can never tell. Still...

"If you wish. Please do not attempt to take it."

[Edge]

Caravans arrived, every few days, usually bringing trade goods, with the occasional hopeful, prospective citizen, hoping to become rich in Gem's mines. But in the early morning, as water pooled in the shadows, glistening with rainbows, like oil, a whole group of travellers arrived at once. Distrustful of such a large group, the guards called for exalted assistance, marking the beginning of what would become a very long day.

Ivory Skies had once again risen with the sun and immediately begun running through her daily routine of kata practice. She did so bare-chested, relishing this brief period of each day where she didn't feel the need to hide the alterations her Chrysalis had wrought on her.

However, today that period would be even briefer than usual, as Ivory's practice is interrupted by a series of impatient knocks on her door. The sound causes the Scourge to leap for her jacket, scrabbling to don and fasten it.

"Just a moment!"

She opens the door a moment later, the faintest flush of embarrassment peeking over the top of her high collar, and is greeted with the sight of one of the city's guardsmen.

"Yes?"

"Apologies for waking you early Lady Ivory, but we've got an issue down at the gates that could use the, uh, Chosen touch."

"Please, Ivory is sufficient. Is the matter urgent?"

"Not at the moment, but it involves a large number of people, and crowd can control could easily get messy."

"Then we should make haste."

Without further ado, Ivory scoops the guardsman off his feet, and sets off towards the city gates at a full sprint. As the pair make their way through twisting streets of Gem, Ivory's communication stone blurts out Glass' message.

"That, uh, sounded important."

"I am sure the others will have it covered between them."

Minutes later, the two arrive at the gates, and Ivory is greeted with the sight of throng out beyond the gates. Her eyes dart over the crowd warily as she puts the guardsman back on his feet.

"Your commanding officer?"

"The sergeant over there," the guard says, gesturing towards a figure with a slightly more ornate helm.

"Thank you," she says, nodding her appreciation with a smile in her eyes. "Back to your post guardsman. I'll have a word with the sergeant and see what we can do."

Ivory weaves her way through the guards at the gate not currently trying to hold the crowd back, making her towards the sergeant.

"Sergeant! I believe you requested Chosen assistance?"

[Ifni]

Glass arrives a couple of minutes after the Lunars, the guardian floating anxiously over her shoulder. The Sidereal's only reaction to Brasla's transformation is a faint smile and a slight arch of one eyebrow; she quickly moves on to business.

"Brasla, Clover, I'm glad you came." There is a small but perceptible pause. "Hello, Shah. You're looking very... perky."

"The guardian advised there are five intruders, four weak and one powerful, with Essence stronger than my own. They haven't breached the cathedral yet, and are in a side room. Possibly waiting for us."

"Do any of you have any further preparations to make, before we go spring the trap?"

[Crumplepunch]

"Hrm. Your message mentioned Yozi-taint. Possibly demons. We should prepare."

Brasla turns and enters a combination on the chest sitting beside her. She draws forth an ornate quartz vial, glowing softly from within with azure light. "Godstrike Oil allows weapons to wound elusive spirits. I have a little more, should anyone need."

She removes her Atlas from another compartment, shrinks it, and sets it onto a readied shaped-stone setting in one of her bracers. She then begins drawing weapons from various chambers and boxes in the chest, including a glittering white spear longer than the chest itself. Finally, she removes and dons her helmet, resized for her new form. "We may have the element of surprise. What strategy do you suggest?"

In addition to her artifacts, Brasla has javelins, pyromantic grenades, smoke grenades, a straight sword, a short spear, a fighting chain and a mechanized crossbow. She doesn't actually wield them all at once, but can equip them reflexively thanks to Shining Panoply Augmentation and First Strike Discipline. The godstrike oil will be applied to her dire lance.

[The_Snark]

As Clover reaches to touch the stone, Brasla flinches back, before regaining her composure. Clover seems honest enough, but one can never tell. Still...

"If you wish. Please do not attempt to take it."

"I won't," Clover assures Brasla, surprised. Is that a flicker of fear in her eyes? Surely not. A huge Jadeborn warrior wouldn't be afraid of her. Another part of her wonders: is there a weakness embedded in the Jadeborn's newly-scupted Essence flows? A manse's hearthroom offers a measure of control, to those who can seize it. Similar principle? She wants to ask, but now seems like a bad time...

Glass's arrival distracts her; she spins around to greet the Sidereal, the quandary forgotten. "Hi Glass! Preparations, um. I don't think I need to get anything. Are we going to rush in fighting right away? I could scout first; I'm good at not being seen." As if to demonstrate, she shuts her eyes in concentration. Her flesh becomes translucent, the browns and reds of her skin and blood draining quickly away until one can see clear through her body. Her bones look like clear glass; the veins and muscles and other miscellany that lie beneath the skin are just barely visible, a fine lattice of cobweb and crystal. And if that weren't enough, she shrinks, until at the end she stands barely six inches tall.

"See?"

Mutations: Skulker (6) and Small (-6). Clover is effectively invisible like this (-2 external penalty on attempts to spot or attack her, can hide in plain sight).

Oh! And starting to commit motes to Inhuman Dexterity Manifestation.

[Imrix.]

"Hello, Shah. You're looking very... perky."
Shah smiles, and for once there's no irritation at Glass. Last night was just too much fun for that. "Well that fits, I've been enjoying the perks," she absently replies, concentrating on fortifying her body with resilient Essence. She unslings the cloth bundle from her back and does something to it, evoking several seconds of a curious whirring sound to which she listens carefully. With a satisfied hum, she turns to the others.

"If it's roomy enough inside, I'll stick to the rafters. Actually, if they're in a side room it might be best if I slipped in with you, Clover, in case you end up needing immediate backup. I'm not all that stealthy, but it shouldn't be a problem if I stay in the main cathedral and stay up top."

[Ifni]

"There's a lot to the manse besides the cathedral," Glass says absently, too focused on the threat to snipe at Shah. "And the guardian said the cathedral itself was unbreached; honestly, it might be best to go there first and try to do some kind of temporary shutdown-and-seal, if Brasla thinks it's feasible. It would be... bad, if we got into a fight which spilled over into the cathedral and destabilized it. And if they have breached it in the time it took this message to reach us, we can catch them there."

"Beyond that..." She purses her lips. "Scouting might be an idea, if you're willing, Clover, since we can use the stones to monitor you and back you up as necessary. That assumes we're not attacked as soon as we appear in the hearthroom, of course. It's possible they're like Demise and Ivory and not inherently hostile, although showing up in a hidden and fortified manse uninvited isn't a very good sign."

She glances at the guardian. "Did they harm any of you? How did they enter the manse?"

[Lix Lorn]

At The Gates
"That I did, Lady Ivory." he says, giving a short bow. "We have a large group of new entrants to the city, far larger than we're used to sorting through, and one of them has already admitted to being an exalt. We thought one of you would want to know about the influx. They're over there; we constructed a temporary shelter from the sun."
He points just outside the gates, where a marquee covers a dozen people, one sitting upon the front of a trading caravan.

Outside the Palace
The chiming voice seems confused.
"Unsure. They appeared out of nowhere in a storage room. Seem unaware of our presence, or any presence. Perhaps think it uninhabit-" it pauses, stopping for an instant in mid-flutter, pusling softly in midair.
"Demons! Demons, hearthwarden! They are attacking the intruders!"

Even as it speaks, the despot's secretary leaves the palace, almost walking in to one of them.
"Oh! You're here. Lady..." she pauses, looking at the fluttering spirit. "I'm sorry, I'm interrupting."

[Crumplepunch]

"Demons! Demons, hearthwarden! They are attacking the intruders!"

"Well," says Brasla, slightly defensively "I was almost right."

She turns to face the newcomer, armour plates clinking together softly. "Yes, miss Sonya?"

[Recaiden]

Some time ago and infinitely far away...


Most people would be glad that the staircase of oblivion's maw is long, but for the most damaged of the primordials, the journey to her brothers and sisters is instead a lesson in patience. In time, of course, it ends, and she finds herself before a monolith of jagged stone, black as the void, and a voice echoes in her head.
"Sister. My siblings cry out for mercy. Your mercy is infinite. Their hope is gone. They seek. Oblivion."
Every word is a scream in silence, unbearably loud, but with no weight to it, as if he whispered them on the breeze.

Cam begins to suspect that this stairway is like crossing the infinity of her tribe-sister is to demons. Always takes forever, no matter how quickly you run. Finally, she is there, to lay a hand upon the monolith. A mountain, but broken, with no beast upon it.

"Brother. You remember me? Adorjan? You asked for Adri'an so many times. Forgetting that mercy, too, is something to be let go. I will answer them."

If I can.

The empty blackness is overwhelming. No fear, but smallness. Beside these titans of death, even the fullness of herself would struggle.

[Edge]

At The Gates
"That I did, Lady Ivory." he says, giving a short bow. "We have a large group of new entrants to the city, far larger than we're used to sorting through, and one of them has already admitted to being an exalt. We thought one of you would want to know about the influx. They're over there; we constructed a temporary shelter from the sun."
He points just outside the gates, where a marquee covers a dozen people, one sitting upon the front of a trading caravan.

Ivory returns the sergeant's bow. "Please, Ivory is sufficient," she says, casting an eye over the marquee and those under it. "I commend you for taking the time to ensure our visitors were sheltered, sergeant. As you were."

She gives the man a nod of respect, and begins approaching the marquee and caravan.

"Greetings, visitors. I understand that you wish to enter Gem?"

[Lix Lorn]

The Palace
Sonya gives an apologetic bow.
"It's about the strange rain last night. We don't get rain around here. Not that much, and certainly not that colour. Assuming it wasn't one of you, she wants to know who did it, and, ideally, get them on our side. But, it's not top priority." she shakes her head. Clearly, she is curious about the spirit, but has the manners not to ask. "Please, continue as you were. The despot trusts you to deal with everything in the best order you can."

The Gates
The merchant, on his caravan, nods forcefully, a (seemingly perpetual) scowl upon his face vanishing briefly at the sight of someone with authority.
"That's right. I have trade goods here for the nobles of the city, and my papers all sorted. Lady Janissa will be highly upset by the delay of her delivery if this takes any longer."
The merchant has tanned, olive skin, and loose robes, the large caravan behind him clearly packed with goods. Beside him was a second disgruntled merchant, this one dark of skin, scalp covered with bandages. He rode a simhata, a packhorse besides him carrying an array of boxes.
Next were a young couple, hands tightly held. Pale of skin, their clothing was more suited to the isle's high society to the desert.
Next to them was a young woman, a dragonblood, judging by her pale pink skin. She was fanning herself slowly. Another dragonblood stood a short way away, a fire aspect with golden skin and white hair. Her eyes were focussed, and gazed around the other entrants with suspicion.
Besides her were two people who appeared to be tourists - a young, pale redhead, and an older, long-limbed man with golden skin. They didn't seem to know each other, but both bore backpacks.
A worn out fellow, in battered robes, sat down upon the warm sand, waiting his turn. Sitting beside him was an older man, bald, but smiling happily.
A young woman was next - scowling, wearing robes of the highest fashion, clearly waiting for somebody to complain to. Last was another young woman, eighteen at the most, looking anxiously around, until her eyes met Ivory, and widened.

The Void
All things end. Their time must end now. They no longer have worth. They have given up.[/I]

[Recaiden]

[Not quite in the void]

Cam looks around. There is only blackness, isn't there?

"Have you not given up, brother? Why do you still hold to existence?"

[The_Snark]

"Wait, the demons are fighting the intruders?" Clover's brow wrinkles, although she's currently too tiny and transparent for anyone to tell. She flits up onto Glass's shoulder, a pair of ephemeral butterfly wings unfurling from her back. "Which side are we supposed to help? Maybe we should just run straight in so we can start figuring it out. I don't think I can tell if I stay hidden."

[Crumplepunch]

Brasla leans over to the rest of the group as Sonya leaves. "What rain? And what colour? Don't we have more important things to worry about?"

She looks down at Clover. "Perhaps. We should fight to subdue both sides, as we did before. They are demons and yozi-tainted intruding in a sacred temple.""

[Edge]

The Gates
The merchant, on his caravan, nods forcefully, a (seemingly perpetual) scowl upon his face vanishing briefly at the sight of someone with authority.
"That's right. I have trade goods here for the nobles of the city, and my papers all sorted. Lady Janissa will be highly upset by the delay of her delivery if this takes any longer."
The merchant has tanned, olive skin, and loose robes, the large caravan behind him clearly packed with goods. Beside him was a second disgruntled merchant, this one dark of skin, scalp covered with bandages. He rode a simhata, a packhorse besides him carrying an array of boxes.
Next were a young couple, hands tightly held. Pale of skin, their clothing was more suited to the isle's high society to the desert.
Next to them was a young woman, a dragonblood, judging by her pale pink skin. She was fanning herself slowly. Another dragonblood stood a short way away, a fire aspect with golden skin and white hair. Her eyes were focussed, and gazed around the other entrants with suspicion.
Besides her were two people who appeared to be tourists - a young, pale redhead, and an older, long-limbed man with golden skin. They didn't seem to know each other, but both bore backpacks.
A worn out fellow, in battered robes, sat down upon the warm sand, waiting his turn. Sitting beside him was an older man, bald, but smiling happily.
A young woman was next - scowling, wearing robes of the highest fashion, clearly waiting for somebody to complain to. Last was another young woman, eighteen at the most, looking anxiously around, until her eyes met Ivory, and widened.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for your patience, and apologise for the delay, but Gem has been given reason to be wary of newcomers of late. As such, our guardsmen decided to exercise caution. Again, I apologise for any inconvenience or distress the wait has caused."

The Scourge gestures to the merchants.

"Honourable tradesmen, assuming your paperwork is in order, please report to the sergeant at the gate, and they will let you in as is standard protocol. If the rest of you could please form an orderly queue, I will speak with each group of you in turn."

[Lix Lorn]

Mostly Void
There is a sound in your head. Almost laughter. The imprint of laughter, the echo of it. The memory.
The s()ns champion. Brings colour to me. No-one answers me now. But once. I screamed out for an answer. I asked 'Who Am I?'. Some time ago. I heard an answer. For the first time. Since the end.

She. Whispered.
Mardukth.

The Palace
(As soon as you want to leave, say so, Sonya was the last thing on this end of the 'port, so when you're done talking I can try to present the sides in a way that one of them is friendly.)

The Gates
"At last." mutters the first merchant, giving a courteous nod to Ivory as he travels past. The second gives a real nod, his expression unreadable beneath his bandages, and the queue forms quickly. For convenience's sake, They form up in roughly the order they were listed already in, with the young couple smiling hopefully at the front.

[Imrix.]

"Seconding Clover, if there's already a fight going on, I'm pretty sure that means the time for sneaking is over. Let's just get in and... Pacify matters."

[Edge]

The Gates
"At last." mutters the first merchant, giving a courteous nod to Ivory as he travels past. The second gives a real nod, his expression unreadable beneath his bandages, and the queue forms quickly. For convenience's sake, They form up in roughly the order they were listed already in, with the young couple smiling hopefully at the front.

"Excellent," Ivory says, joining the new arrivals under the marquee to avoid the already too-hot sun. She nods in acknowledgement at the young couple before continuing. "If you could please begin by introducing yourselves, and stating the business you have in Gem, and we'll procede from there."

[Ifni]

To The Manse

"Right. Lady Sonya, ask Ivory to speak my name if she needs me back urgently. Otherwise... tomorrow, I suppose. For now -"

There was a time when she would have... risked much, to avoid displaying these arts in front of such as her current companions. But even then, a factory-cathedral at stake might have forced her hand. And now - it's not as if they'll be able to learn them without a tutor.

The motions of the kata are quick and graceful and deceptively simple - and yet nearly impossible to describe, confusing even to the memory, as if one is trying to solve a puzzle that's only half there. But the effects are not subtle, as blue-white light suffuses Glass like a paper lantern, and transforms her into something else.

A stained-glass effigy, perhaps, only one that lives and breathes and dances. A shifting flame, illuminating a subtle many-layered panorama of all the world's beauties, crowned in ice and starlight. But her eyes are the same, sapphire and deadly intent.

"Let's go."

The Sidereal taps the colored hearthstone in her bracer, and the world changes.

Putting up Prismatic of Arrangement Form -> Perfected Dome of Heaven Form + Incarnate Omphalos Form + Throne Shadow Form. Total cost is 9m1wp (or possibly 5m1wp depending on whether the bracers apply to the subsequent Form Charms once I activate PAoC Form - not really a big deal).

Then teleporting this group to the manse.

[Recaiden]

Mostly Void
There is a sound in your head. Almost laughter. The imprint of laughter, the echo of it. The memory.
The s()ns champion. Brings colour to me. No-one answers me now. But once. I screamed out for an answer. I asked 'Who Am I?'. Some time ago. I heard an answer. For the first time. Since the end.

She. Whispered.
Mardukth.

"You remember! You are not only Who Holds in Thrall! Why cannot they too wake and see the dead world? Mardukth! The Sun's champion is here again."

Cam turns to see the hekatonchire and the abyssal, if still held.

"Can you lead me to the other tombs? Unopened ones."

[Lix Lorn]

The Gates
The woman gives a smile of relief as the man gives a respectful bow.
"My name is Steel Dream." he says, as his head rises again. "This is my wife, Sapphire Winds. We, ah. We were hoping to come here for our honeymoon. We heard how beautiful Gem was, and how much there was to experience here, and, well. It seemed a good place to get away from the messy politics of the isle."

Oblivion
I remember because the champion of his s()n, hand of the prince of the first betrayer, calls to me. Nobody calls to them. She has not returned since she called my name. But I hear her.

The hekatonkheire seems... afraid. Confused, as far as such a creature can be. The abyssal is merely giggling in utter terror.
"Other tombs? Sure, why not other tombs. I mean they'll probably want to kill me but hey why not. Other tombs, just round the corner."

[Recaiden]

[Edge of Oblivion]

"Someone will."

Cam grins, and goes to pat the hekatonchire comfortingly. Then she turns and shouts into the blackness.

"RAMETHUS!"
"SHADOW OVER SUN!"
"MABHADDOTH!"
"TA'AKOZOKA!"
"CEMUNIAN!"

"Your sister is here! You are not forgotten!"

[Lix Lorn]

Oblivion
Her response - and it is clearly a response, rather than being ignored - is silence. A silence deafening, a silence so complete that even to Adorjan it feels wrong.
It is a pure silence. A sacred silence, even, not to be broken.
"This place is creepy and we should go now." the abyssal says, breaking the silence.
"They do not listen. They hear you but they cannot listen." speaks the hekatonkheire, its voice echoing with the voice of he who was once both beast and mountain. "The suns of gold have no place speaking to those they displaced."

The Cathedral
The world shifts back into view, the glorious manse before them, but everything is not right. Debris lies around, and the noise of battle is coming from a side passage, one which glass has barely - if at all - examined. Hovering anxiously about are the manse's guardians, who flood their brave companion with obvious relief - by the standards of such constructs, his journey was an epic of great renown.

But they aren't the only witnesses. At the corner, hidden at the top amongst an ominously glowing web, is a large, crimson spider. On their arrival, it immediately scurries away.

[Recaiden]

[Oblivion]

Cam turns towards the Abyssal, not angry. Anger is for people who don't understand. Just sad.
And she dashes over towards him, trying to take him from the hekatonchire's grasp.

"It is my place to speak to any I wish to. He was spoken to by Theion-" It hurt to say that name, to remember all the things that go with it "-and they will listen to me in time. They need to hear. But first."

Another tug at the deathknight.
"This one...do you still have use for him?"

[Crumplepunch]

Brasla is already moving as she appears in the manse, ready for ambush. She sees the spider leap down from its glowing web and scuttle away.

"Nope."

In a flash, four enchanted bronze javelins are drawn and cast by four different hands, emitting a high pitched whine as they slice through the air.

Not enhancing the roll, Brasla presently lacks persistent dice adders aside from the accuracy bonus offered by Shining Panoply Integration, and motes are precious.

Assuming a one die stunt. Extra Arms allows Brasla to flurry attacks efficiently, with a -4 to flurry penalties or using four arms.

Dex 5, Thrown 4, Speciality (added by Diligent Warrior Ways) +3, Accuracy (enhanced by Shining Panoply Integration) +4. +1 to Dex for the Soma that Brasla drank earlier. I'm treating this as a die added by a Charm, let me know if I should consider it otherwise.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

And the stunt bonus. I expect this is one die.

[roll4]
[roll5]
[roll6]
[roll7]

Damage is 10L + threshold, or 10A if Glass activated Horrific Wreath.

I make that 11, 9 (at -1 onslaught), 8 (at -2 onslaught) and 5 (at -3 onslaught).

[Lix Lorn]

Oblivion's Maw
The hekatonkheire releases the unfortunate necromancer into her grasp, uncaring.
"Irrelevant." it speaks. "Seams and his followers have abandoned the path of oblivion. I no longer seek oblivion. He is no longer my concern. Use him or destroy him as you will."


The Manse
The first javelin strikes the unfortunate creature in its centre, spearing it to the wall, and the rest thud into the wall in a line before it, forming a neat little row. Ichor drips slowly down the wall.

A machine-spirit gives an appreciate click-whistle.

[Crumplepunch]

Brasla plants her foot on the creature and pulls her javelins clear, securing them behind her shield. "One down."

She draws a familiar jade-and-crystal device and expands it. The dinner plate sized Atlas fits comfortably in her palm. "Any thoughts on how to approach?"

The Atlas should be able to show the locations and rough Essence levels of those in the manse, and filter out friendlies like the elementals by colour.

[Recaiden]

Cam casually tosses Joy over her shoulder, flying towards the maw of Oblivion. Maybe he's quick enough to catch onto the edge or something, but it's honestly not her concern.

"No longer Oblivion. I was told you seek the wind, but what else? Her who spoke to you?"

[Imrix.]

"That depends," Shah replies, warily watching the side passage for signs the battle might be moving, "how large an incursion are we dealing with?"

[Lix Lorn]

The Manse
The atlas lights up, mostly with the colours of hell. Around the corner is a burning light of desert gold, the essence of a tremendous demon, but a divine light of similar strength shines nearby - although the heavenly essence bears the faintest hints of gold. Some distance from them is a swirling maelstrom of yozi-essence, vaguely reminiscent of that of your Infernal exalted allies, scarlet and emerald twisting like a maelstrom. Three mortals - exceptional mortals, but still useless here - stand behind this powerful being. But with the first two signatures is another of gold, a bright demonic signature, leading packs of smaller demons.

All told, there are over three score foes - two powerful demons, one of the third circle and another of the second, as well as a god of some variety, and backed by at least fifty first-circles of various kinds, and one infernal exalted.

This is a lot, but... first circles. I think they go down quick at this point.

Oblivion
The Abyssal cries out in horror, his voice muted by the power of Oblivion before he begins to fall. Live or die, who knows?
No-one there seems to care anyway.

"She keeps speaking. She says the name an it calls to who was before. In time. He will return. In time I will return. All that is needed is that she keep speaking."

[Ifni]

"Go to the cathedral, close the doors," Glass tells the little guardians. "We'll take care of things out here; you must protect the cathedral. That is, provided it hasn't yet been breached?"

She glances at Brasla and her atlas. "How much can you tell? From the volume, I doubt there's much reason for discretion."

She glances back at the spider, wondering if she's seen anything like it before - an Essence-construct? A demon?

And doh, ninja'ed by Lix's edit...

[Lix Lorn]

The small demon is clearly an Anhule, familiar to anyone with even the slightest familiarity with demonology.

[Ifni]

"I can likely clear the little ones out quickly, if we want," Glass mutters, peering over Brasla's shoulder. "In roughly ten-by-ten-yard patches - try to give me some space to work, when we first get in there. I can fight from range, I presume Shah can as well." And she has no particular desire to get close to what lies within that passageway. Although sending her students in to fight it doesn't feel much better...

She hisses, seeing the golden light. "Not good. Cecelynian? If the god is tainted... it'll matter who it is." For a moment the Sidereal seems to be mentally composing a report, and then she shakes her head. "If the Yozi-Chosen didn't cause trouble until the others got here, and they seem to be protecting the mortals - a fugitive? A possibility, anyway."

[Crumplepunch]

"Shah, you mentioned that your speciality is fighting armies. It seems this is the time to prove it." She looks over her Atlas again. "Divine allies are troubling, and one of these demons is a presence of magnitude, likely an Unquestionable. How did they get in here?"

[The_Snark]

"... that’s a lot," volunteers Clover, sounding a little less nervous than one might expect from her. She’s returned to her usual size now, and while her flesh is still translucent the glow of her anima illumines her silhouette clearly - the time for stealth has passed. Tattoos flow across her skin like a liquid, all silver tinged with crimson; her fingers end in sharp red-stained points; ephemeral wings hang from her back. If not for the caste mark on her brow it would be easy to mistake her for one of the Fair Folk, all delicate beauty and sharp edges, a creature of spun glass shining with unearthly light and grace. But the caste mark is there, showing her for a Steward, and the stance she adopts is not a raksha’s showy posturing but a martial arts kata, one of the soft styles.

"Stay together, okay?" she continues, glancing around at the others. Her shadow swells, ballooning outward in defiance of all common sense to envelop the others like a cloak; suddenly each one is aware of the other three, their location and movements felt in much the same way that one senses the movement of one’s own body. "This only works if you’re close. Which... where do we go first?"

Combat preparations!

First action (while Brasla is attacking the spider), Clover is going to flurry a set of three attacks (unarmed, directed at herself and supplemented with Kiss of the Whip) to give herself wound penalties, and a shapeshift action to swap out her stealth mutations for a more combat-focused suite (Natural Armor, Claws, Glider).

Next she’s going to activate Hearing the Unspoken Word (Victorious Concession Style, makes her aware of all living beings/beings with Compassion inside 40 yards, and all attacks made by them) and Lurking Companion Method (links Clover, Brasla, Glass and Shah together; as long as they're within 9 yards of each other they can take reflexive Defend Other actions, they're all aware of any attack that one of them is aware of, and any attacks they make on the same tick against the same target are automatically coordinated).

On both of these actions she’ll be pumping motes into Inhuman Dexterity Manifestation, meaning that by now she’s committed as much as she can (8 motes). I'm assuming there’s enough time to do both these things - it only takes ~9 seconds, which seems pretty reasonable given the actions/conversation so far (not to mention that Glass still has a Charm she wants to put up). Will work up a combat statblock so I can keep track of all this stuff soon.

[Ifni]

"No idea, Brasla," Glass says rather curtly - not angry, but focused. "I suppose we may find out." She nods to Clover, and spreads her hands wide, weaving unseen threads.

Her stained-glass skin blooms with traceries of silver light, the map of the stars written across her face and hands. Three star-eddies rise from the air around her, shedding a subtle sharp-edged light across the great garden-room of the manse.

"The Pillar ascending will promote teamwork, aid us so long as we work together. The Gauntlet descending will hinder them if they strike ruthlessly against those weaker than themselves. The Treasure Trove -" She grins briefly, "- if you're really lost for anything else to do, attempt the utterly absurd and it'll neutralize both help and hindrance."

"Clover, Brasla, you should be able to strike the immaterial now; I'll try to reveal any lurking spirits. And as for where to go... from the atlas, it looks like 'around the corner'. We may be able to tell more of what's going on once we're in there - at the least, it would be helpful to know who the god is - but in the absence of other information, I suggest the Third Circle should be our priority. Stick to the walls at first, let's try to get a look inside before we commit. Shall we?"

Committing 3m1wp from Peripheral to put up Triune Constellations' Vision, with the following conditions:
-Ascending: Strength In Teamwork (The Pillar) - choosing to exempt all the Essence-sources in that room except the Infernal. Anyone not exempted gets -1 TN, to a minimum of 4, when taking actions that resonate with that narrative. (Defending other would count if it required a roll, coordinated attacks should definitely count, others may count on a case-by-case basis, and yes this should synergize well with Clover's Charm :smallwink:)
-Descending: Crushing One's Lessers (The Gauntlet) - choosing to exempt the PCs from this narrative. Anyone not exempted gets +1 TN, to a maximum of 9, when taking actions that resonate with this narrative, e.g. blasting a group of lower-Essence Exalts with one's Terrifying Unquestionable Power :smallwink: (The Infernal will probably take the penalties when fighting 1CDs; Glass would prefer they fight the bigger demons.)
-Resplendent: Absurdity (The Treasure Trove) - not exempting anyone. People taking actions that resonate with this narrative cancel all other TN modifiers. (And yes, this is an attempt to manipulate the demons into making tactically unwise decisions when trying to escape TN modifiers.)

As we wrote it, Lix, this effect doesn't interact with outside-of-Fate status: it's themed around the Maidens but isn't actually astrology. That said, if you wanted to add that, I wouldn't have a problem with it - in that case it'd mostly just affect the god and the PCs. If you think any of these narratives are inappropriate, just let me know.

Note Glass is running Lion Mouse Stratagem, so despite the stained-glass skin she comes across as unimportant and easy-to-overlook unless 2WP is spent to ignore the Illusion.

I'm sort of mourning the fact that I cut my defensive Charms because I had at least three combat-focused-with-Solar-tier-Charms-and-perfect-defenses shadow fingers, and now none of them are here :smalltongue: Glass is not really set up to fight a 3CD without Victory, I deliberately left holes in her defenses so teamwork could cover them. Oh well, we'll see how it goes :smallwink:

[The_Snark]

"I can say if there are lurking spirits," Clover says, moving to the nearest wall as directed. Given the noise echoing through the manse, it's probably unnecessary to keep her voice low, but she's doing it anyway. "I don’t see any here."

"I know a banishing-spell, but not for the Third Circle. If we can't handle them all at once, I could try to get rid of some of the others?"

[Ifni]

"All right," Glass murmurs in return with a quick nod. "Thank you - my revelation charm takes a few seconds to use, so if it's not needed, that would be good to know."

"If you can banish the Second Circle, that would likely be useful; those things can be dangerous. Or... how many of the First do you think you could send back?"

Hmm. I just remembered my manse may have Rainbow Tabernacle; it depends on whether we managed to get relay links set up to the other PCs' manses, which was the original plan. We just need one relay to activate it. If it's in place:

"Sorcerous spells cast within the manse's walls have their mote cost reduced by 10. If this would lower a spell’s cost to less than half its original value, then it's instead reduced by half (round up). Furthermore, the manse adds one to the caster’s effective Essence score when calculating the spell’s effects."

Lix, thoughts? It might be important for Clover.

[Crumplepunch]

Brasla readies her weapons, her curved jade-stone daiklave, a shining crystalline lance and a shield of pure white jade. A fourth hand holds a polished silver orb the size of an apple, which she toys with distractedly, passing it through her fingers like a cardsharp with an ace.

Her final two hands crack their knuckles.

"Well. No sense in delaying further. Shall we begin?"

She walks around the corner.

[Lix Lorn]

Around the corner is a site of battle already, although you seem to be arriving in a brief pause. By far the most imposing figure in the room is a woman - tall and beautiful, despite unnaturally ashen skin. Long hair, cobalt blue, sways in a powerful wind, even in the still air of the manse. Even now, still, an aura of power settles around her. Her robes of silk are accompanied by jewelry of glass and chrome, and it seems likely that she is the Unquestionable here.

At her right is a figure in robes, anything below hidden. You cannot see his face, but flickering shadows seem to imply it produces a pale blue light. His gaze, as far as you can tell, is fixed upon the other side of the room, where a woman stands, battered and bruised, flames of emerald and scarlet whirling about her. She wears little, only leather blackened from exposure to her anima, but a red jade cleaver is buried in the floor at her side. Her arms are outstretched, palms embedded in a wall of furious winds, forming a shield of cutting, biting force that appears to be keeping the demons at bay for now. Wings, red feathered, but tinted with emerald at the tips - much like the sickly green at the edges of the massive daiklaive - are curled protectively about her, and two scared followers in light robes stand behind her, one man and one woman, trying not to cower.

But the Infernal - for the burning swords upon her brow mark her as such - has more than just a single demon and a god to deal with. Watching from a shadowy corner is... something. A demon, presumably, standing almost twelve foot tall, and composed entirely of sinuous grey-green tentacles, bound together to make limbs, and a foul, corpulent body. Small red eyes stare at the arriving exalts with a mixture of disgust, fear, and anticipation. Around him are slightly more than forty lesser creatures, five foot demons resembling humanoid ants. They wear goggles and medium armor, but their weapons vary from the most common spears, all the way to bows, and a few of them even carry hellwands.

And one other demon species seems to be present - the anhule. Like the one which was slain when you entered, they lurk in the shadows, on the walls and by the ceiling.

"I see you're working with the enemy now, as well as just being a treacherous coward." remarks the Unquestionable, watching the Infernal. The Infernal's eyes flicker to the arriving exalts, more confused than anything else, but her only reply is to lock eyes with the demon, and spit.

The spit hits the wall of wind and is instantly scattered into single droplets, thrown to the edges of the barrier.

[Crumplepunch]

"Unquestionable mistress." rumbles Brasla. "You and your host have intruded into the house of the Maker. Your presence here is unwelcome."

The silver sphere hovers above her palm and gives an ominous hum. "Depart to the demon city without delay, or be banished there."

The sphere is a pyromantic grenade enhanced by Battle Forging Charms.

[Ifni]

Glass stands in Brasla's shadow, studying the robed figure. That pale blue light... she searches her memory for anything like it in the annals of Yu-Shan. Suborned? Or might the golden flickers simply reflect a controlling Charm?

Glass is curious to know the Unquestionable's answer to Brasla's ultimatum: in the meantime, can I roll anything to try to recognize who the god might be?

I'm pretty much waiting for the call to Join Battle :smallwink:

[Imrix.]

"Finally," Shah breathes flapping upwards towards the manse's vaulted arches. She holds her bundle before her in a manner much akin to a readied pike as that curious whirring increases in pitch, the ragged cloth billowing gently in an unseen breeze, and Shah's eyes blaze with eager fury. No. No 'departing' for the Hellborn, tree-burners, despoilers of hearth and home. Why wait? They were here to defend this city, and this could not be anything but an invasion! No clean exit for them, but pain and death without delay!

[roll0]

[Lix Lorn]

"The maker?" the demon says, turning to look at you through narrowed eyes. "I thought I smelt failure and treachery greater than hers in this place. This one has broken her oaths and turned from our emperor. I will not leave until she is dead. Stand aside, or die with her."

Golden light begins to glow from beneath her skin, a terrible radiance that speaks of dire purpose, and utter focus lights her eyes. As she stands, searing light forms about her hands, gauntlets of energy that present nothing else but sheer will. Even as they form, a breastplate of pale gold settles around her, marked with the symbol of cecelyne, which burns with an equal radiance.

Glass may recognise her stance, and the focus that appears to empower it, as being highly reminiscent of the Path of the Arbiter style.

[Crumplepunch]

"The maker?" the demon says, turning to look at you through narrowed eyes. "I thought I smelt failure and treachery greater than hers in this place. This one has broken her oaths and turned from our emperor. I will not leave until she is dead. Stand aside, or die with her."

"Unwise choice."

Brasla springs forward, launched by a jutting pillar of rock that erupts beneath her feet. Blade-like shards of stone and metal tear themselves from the floor and orbit around her, whistling musically and glowing cherry-red with fiery Essence.

She taps the hovering sphere with her thumb and forefinger with a spark of lightning. It flashes across the room as if launched by a catapult and detonates in a roaring storm of red flame among the pack of demon soldiers.

Brasla lands running and readies her spear. Lightning crackles around her, shaping the orbiting shards of earth into a glowing mandala-wheel behind her back, detailing the tale of the fall of the Breakers in rebuke to the demon's insult. The head of the great salt lance radiates the terrible grey light that the demon remembers from the birth of the world.

Her lower left hand makes the Victory Over Primordials Mudra. Her voice sings in harmony from every shard of earth and mote of flame.

"BE NOT."

The spear takes flight.

[Imrix.]

"Hey, &#$holes!" Shah roars, taking aim at the far right of the demon-mob, "BEND OVER, YOU-" what follows is a vicious stream of Forest-Tongue invective fit to make a sailor blush, which nobody can hear because right then, Shah jams her thumb down on the firing stud and the world explodes.

The roar of the first shot is deafeningly loud, echoing and rebounding between the cathedral walls like the crash of a war gods fist shattering mortal stone. The second shot follows on the heels of the first, and a third, and a fourth and more; in the space of a heartbeat, Shah's weapon shrieks like the bastard offspring of a banshees wail and a thousand angry hornets.

It punches out a dazzling stream of molten silver bolts, scorching and rending a path that chews through hapless demonflesh and tears up the manse's floor in a wake of devastation. Whatever is within the bundle in Shah's grip glows with pent-up energy, until suddenly the fabric catches fire in her hands, flinging burning shreds of cloth free and revealing something underneath. A strange, austere essence cannon, with multiple barrels spinning at great speed and glowing a deep, cherry red, throwing off scraps of excess energy like an arterial spray, the barrels warping and twisting into snarling, hungry mouths.

And Shah laughs, laughs as her face is lit from beneath by fire and cannon-blasts, laughs as she walks that ruinous tongue of molten death across the mob, an echoing hyena-cackle that can, barely, be heard even over the deafening shriek of a weapon that rips demons to pieces and churns the stone floor like mud.

[Ifni]

Behind the Lunar's wild laughter, behind the coruscant flame of the grenade, behind the silver-white fury of thunder and lightning, behind the gray-lit gleam of the salt lance spearing across the room - there is a shadow, silent, still, easy to overlook. The eye skims over her, the mind disregards her. Who would take time for even a first glance, much less a second, when faced with the many-armed goddess-visage of the Jadeborn, the elated vengeance of Luna's Chosen?

In the storm of scarlet fire there is a darker and more baleful red, the color of blood and Mars rising; the keening dirge of battle, death, destruction, for Creation's enemies. It gilds the tip of the spear with a red and starry light, and in the pyre and the lance's inexorable arc are the promise of a fated doom.

There is a shadow and her motions are small and subtle, the twitch of a finger, the turn of a foot, barely hinting at katas. As if she touched and played the unseen strings of some great instrument. But to think such a thing would require a watcher, and who would worry, at a time like this, about the shadow in the corner, even if her skin is a stained-glass window on the world and her eyes are full of stars?

"Please try to restrain yourselves when it comes to property damage," Glass sighs under her breath.

It amuses me to use SMA shenanigans while rocking Lion Mouse Stratagem. "I am totally ignorable and insignificant! Really!" /punches reality

Of course, at this point this is still just the CMA shenanigans.

As declared in the OOC, reflexively activating Horrific Wreath and Unobstructed Blow x2 to enhance Brasla's attacks.

EDIT: Also, just to be clear, this isn't Glass' action. This is what Glass does while waiting for Tick 6 to roll around :smallwink:

[Lix Lorn]

A bloom of flames, tinted white by holy power, explodes, silent but for the rush of air, in the demonic ranks, and half the ants vanish, perhaps ten more flailing in pain, stamping flame from their bodies. The attack does not relent, however, as a furious hail of silver essence cuts down a dozen more. Even as the ants die like - well, like ants - a spear flies through the air, glimmering with grey and violet.

Even as the demons suffer, Attraval smirks, spreading her arms as if to say 'try me', but quickly learns to regret it. The lance passes through the breastplate, barely turned aside, sunlight pouring from the demons wounds. She howls in pain, as the lance explodes from her back, flying forward and burying itself in the manse's wall with a thud.

The attack is not one-sided, however. While the spiders that scatter the edges of the room seem to be sizing up the battle, the deity takes swift action. He scowls - somehow, it's very clear - at the infernal, hiding and injured behind her wind-wall, and turns.
An instant later he is beside the Jadeborn, and his green blade flashes out.
[roll0]

The corpulent mound of flesh begins to bark out orders, in old realm. He appears to be speaking to the demons - the remaining ants and the anhule both, preparing for an attack.
[roll1]
[roll2]

Tick 0: (3CD) Attraval
Tick 1: Brasla
Tick 2: Shah
Tick 3: (God) Kasimodente, Anhule
Tick 4: 2CD
Tick 5: Glass, Clover
Tick 6: Ants! (+Shah's echo attack), Attraval, Brasla
Tick 8: Shah, Kasimodente
Tick 9: 2CD, 2CD's Co-ordinated attacks
Tick X: (Waiting/Aiming) Anhule

[Crumplepunch]

Brasla reacts swiftly to the sudden appearance of the renegade gods, turning a half step towards him. Her gleaming shield meets the edge of the wooden sword with a shower of green and white sparks. At the same moment, her lance spins across the room and returns to her outstretched hand, ready for her counterattack.

Spending 4m on Adept Empowerment and one on Hearth and Bastion Armament.

PDV 13 plus stunt rating.

[Lix Lorn]

The green blade almost turns away, but slides down past the shield, digging into the jadeborn's arm with a painful thud. The instant it does, she feels a sort of thrum run through her form, and into the ground.
Vines break the surface of the floor, rising up and attempting to wrap around your legs, binding you in place.

Base damage is 19L, so 20L minus a soak of... 26.
That'll be the Overwhelming two, then.
[roll0]
The vines are a clinch effect, with a pool of 26. THey get two bonus successes for each level of damage the sword does.
[roll1]

[Crumplepunch]

As the enchanted wooden blade glances ineffectually from her breastplate, the arcing return of the salt lance slices through the grasping magical plants. They fall back to the ground, blackening and disintegrating.

"Good try, but no."

11 successes fails against Brasla's base DV, she just needs to spend a mote on Hearth and Bastion Armament to negate the onslaught penalty.

[Ifni]

Once, there was a maiden...

Glass glances to Clover, tilts her head toward the shining golden-armored woman. Words seem redundant, but she waits for the Lunar's nod before circling in. The bale-flame of Mars glitters cold and bloody on her hands and feet, and in her mind she chants the sutra like a vow. Yozi-daughter, the oldest enemy, outside the ambit of the Loom that weaves the world together. An unbound demon of the Third Circle, loosed to walk upon Creation... every instinct and trained aversion screams at her this should not be. And must not be.

The Sidereal's first running step sends fire billowing along the ground, wreathing her in a corona of many-colored flames. With her second step there is a gust of icy wind, and not even a silhouette can be made out anymore, only a shifting storm of air and fire and sutras that change too quickly to be read. Her third step fills the room with the tangy scent of salt water, and the iron scent of blood, and a trail of leaves and petals settles to the pitted and blasted floor of the manse in her wake.

From within the inchoate form of flame and frost, a voice speaks, soft and still and scathing:
"I am charged with the protection of Creation. Attraval, Pyre of Broken Thrones, I name you trespasser. Return to whence you came."

... she stood between the world and anything worse.

Streamers of fire and wind and silver-metal dust, ringing with the crystal chime of adamant and the eerie keen of soulsteel, slash outward from the vortex. At first glance the motions seem primal, elemental, as chaotic as the swirl of clouds in a tornado - but an expert would see the echoes of simple katas in the whirling strikes, grown into something greater, Creation's elements shaped into a dance of death set to the music of the spheres. Time itself seems disjointed in the onslaught, the world flickering as if it were seen through a curtain of rain, lit by flashes of lightning.

"Except," she said, "I'm going to die." And no one listened. "I'm going to die tomorrow," she said. And no one heard.

In the shifting cloud-patterns, in the sutras swirling in fire and ice, in the many-faceted sapphire light shining from the eye of the tempest, a symbol coalesces: the scythe of Saturn, falling violet shadows of a foretold dusk. And as the wind lifts Attraval's cobalt hair, as fire and thorns search hungrily for the interstices of her golden armor...

Silence falls, with the suddenness of an executioner's blow. It fills the room, not merely the absence of sound but its denial. And around the Unquestionable, a new wind begins to blow.

Into the silence, she said, "There's always an ending, after all."

Rightyo. Time for ADORJAN KICK. (And another kick, and a punch.)

Glass is activating Five Elements Ascension and three instances of Six Materials Stance, for the Moonsilver, Adamant and Soulsteel benefits. This means she has 10-yard reach; she's staying out of close combat range, not that I expect it to matter (but it may matter for some auras or counterattacks).

She is supplementing all three attacks with Unobstructed Blow and Blood-to-Fire Prana. On the first attack, I will also spend 1WP+1m for an Auspicious Success (assuming I have gotten TN down to 4, see below).

If any of these attacks touch, she will burn 3 Endurance from her destiny of the Rising Smoke to make the Superior Sign of Saturn and inflict the winds of Adorjan on Attraval, rolling 2 Paradox dice. If I need a non-damaging touch attack to do that, my first attack will not use Blood-to-Fire Prana.

Glass is automatically coordinating her attack with Clover, so assuming Clover also goes for the 3CD, Attraval should be at a -2 DV penalty, and the teamwork narrative should kick in and drop all Glass' TNs to 6 on these rolls. Insofar as trying to personally beat up a 3CD unarmed counts as "With My Own Two Hands", she will use World-Shaping Artistic Vision to lower the TN to 4, stunt permitting.

(Note: I believe there was an earlier ruling that WSAV cannot lower TN below 4. If I'm wrong about this, I will not buy an Auspicious Success, and will dump all the dice from WSAV into TN reduction.)

I think this action resonates with Glass' Intimacy of Protectiveness toward Creation, in which case stunts are upgraded as if they resonated with her Motivation, and also double their dice rewards.

So!

Base attack is Acc +19 on fists, +18 on kicks. My memory is we decided PKBs+fists counted as "base weapons" rather than "equipment bonuses", at least for the Horrific Wreath interaction: if so, Horrific Wreath adds +1 accuracy die. Base damage is 10A/2 for fists, 13A/2 for kicks, if I remembered the ruling on PKBs+Horrific Wreath correctly (7A/2 and 10A/2 otherwise).

All these attacks are Piercing and furthermore reduce soak applied against them by 5. They count 10s as two successes for damage rolls. TN is 6 base for all rolls here (including, I think, damage rolls) due to Triune Constellations' Vision: World-Shaping Artistic Vision will be used to reduce the TNs on the attack rolls to 4, with remaining stunt dice rolled as normal. All DVs applied against these attacks are halved, and they are all Holy. They ignore Hardness, and if the attack causes damage it also delivers a dose of wood poison with the following stats:
Damage 3L/tick, Toxicity 5, Tolerance —, Penalty –3.
Furthermore, steps 7-10 are repeated for any attacks that hit.

Kick!
16 successes + stunt reward (remove 1 sux if I'm wrong about the ruling on Horrific Wreath stacking with PKBs)

Kick!
[roll0] (remove last die if I'm wrong about Horrific Wreath)
Possible stunt dice: [roll1]

Punch!
[roll2] (remove last die if I'm wrong about Horrific Wreath)
Possible stunt dice: [roll3]

Possible Paradox dice: [roll4]

Glass' anima is now at the 11-15m level.

EDIT: OK. Assuming I can use WSAV but it only goes down to TN 4, here's how the math works out.
Base 1-die stunt: upgrades to 2, 4 stunt dice, 2 assigned to WSAV to reduce TN to 4, 2 left over.
Base 2-die or 3-die stunt: upgrades to 3, 6 stunt dice, 2 assigned to WSAV to reduce TN to 4, 4 left over.

If this is not right, let me know and I'll recalculate, but there are enough moving parts here that I don't want to write out all the different possibilities :smallwink:

This leads to the following results, I believe:
First attack = 18/20 sux with a 1/2-die stunt.
Second attack = 20/23 sux with a 1/2-die stunt.
Third attack = 17/17 sux with a 1/2-die stunt.

EDIT: And found the ruling on Horrific Wreath:

I would always assume that charms that add to accuracy have the same cap as charms that add to attack rolls, with the advantage being that you can add (Cap) to accuracy and then another (cap) to your attack roll. Of course, if you can actually hit this cap it's probably don't.


THis is true.

Quick explanation of how I view the breakdown of an attack roll:
Dexterity+Ability+Specialty (Self explanatory) (+(cap) dice from charms)
Weapon Accuracy (+(cap) dice from charms)
Equipment Bonus (Exceptional equipment, magical material bonuses)

As I read things, '+1 acc, +3 damage' goes into the second category, an excellency goes into the first category, and 'gains the starmetal benefit' goes into the third.
PKBs are kinda halfway between the second and the third.

Overall, I'm not sure I want to change the general rule, possibly because I'm too lazy to readjust my internal read of exalted, but if everyone else is fine with it I can let you treat Horrific Wreath as if it were '+1 acc +3 damage' rather than 'starmetal'. :smalltongue:

[The_Snark]

After the fire-and-crystal-and-ringing-ice slips a shadow, all but unseen behind the brilliance of Glass’s elemental assault. The silver-limned darkness of Clover’s anima drapes itself over her skin like a cloak, reducing her shape to an oily black silhouette that looks as much animal as human. She moves too fast, like something out of a nightmare, like the things glimpsed at the corner of one’s eye which are always gone when you look. One moment, stillness - then a blur - then stillness again, that black thing poised with alien grace at the demon-woman’s back.

Red and silver flicks out, punctuating Glass’s blows with stinging cuts. Clover strikes not to kill but to hurt, aiming for sensitive areas rather than vital ones - ankle, hands, chest, forehead. Nothing that'll leave a lasting mark but enough to hamper and distract; stinging pain when moving, blood dripping in the eyes, fingers slick and twinging. Every slash is placed just so, disrupting the natural flow of Essence and bodily humors - all save the last, where she rakes her weapon across the unquestionable's chest as hard as she possibly can.

Clover's action is simpler! Flurry of two attacks; the first is enhanced by Kiss of the Whip (2m) and 4 Excellency dice (free thanks to Inhuman Dexterity Manifestation), the second by 7 Excellency dice (3m). TN is 6 due to Triune Constellation. DVs are halved (presuming Glass uses Unobstructed Blow), and then there's a -2 coordinated attack penalty on top of that, plus onslaught penalty. (Or maybe before? I have no idea if DV penalties are supposed to go before or after DV halving.)

Attack 1: [roll0]
Possible stunt: [roll1]

Attack 2: [roll2]
Possible stunt: [roll3]

Edit - looks like 17 and 16 successes, respectively, assuming 1- or 2-die stunts

The first attack deals no damage; instead, it imposes a -1 wound penalty for the rest of the scene, as a Crippling effect (stacks with other wound penalties). The second attack has a base damage of 8A, with O2 and Piercing.

Dodge DV 12
Parry DV 10 (lash) or 8 (unarmed)

Current DV penalty: -2

Attacks
Lash: Speed 5, Accuracy 26, Damage 5L/2, Rate 2; disarming, reach
Lash (clinch): Speed 6, Accuracy 26, Damage 4L/2, Rate 1; clinch, piercing, reach
Claws: Speed 5, Accuracy 19, Damage 1L, Rate 3
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 18, Damage 3B, Rate 2
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 18, Damage 1B, Rate 1; clinch, piercing

Soak: 18B/18L/8A (9B/8L/8A from armor)
Hardness: 5B/5L

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

Wound penalty: -3

Essence
Personal: 11/24 (6 committed)
Peripheral: 20/52 (32 committed)

Willpower: 10/10

Anima banner: 14m

Active effects
Inhuman Dexterity Manifestation (reduce cost of Dexterity Excellencies by 4, manifest mutations
Hearing the Unspoken Word (sense all beings and attacks within 40 yards, +2 JB)
Lurking Shadow Companion (reflexively Defend Other and coordinate attacks)
Eyes Wide Open (sense immaterial beings)

Mutations:
Tough (+6B/+6L soak)
Swift (Move and Dash +3 yards/tick)
Glider (no falling damage, can glide)
Deadly (claws deal lethal damage)

[Recaiden]

[Oblivion]

"Mardukth. The Mountain and the Beast Upon It. Once and Future King of reality."
Cam smiles.
"You will return, but you are wrong. The others will follow. They do not heed their names, but they will hear the silence that covers them, if nothing else. As I can hear them. That is them, whispering."

She turns, thinking this business done, and walks, spiralling slowly outward from the Mouth of the Void.

Slowly it sinks in to her what she just heard, and her confidence starts to falter. A silence too great for her. An emptiness against which Lilike was nothing. Cam blinks quickly, shaking. No. Some things cannot be. But they were. She takes Tori close to breathe, and the mammalian panic crowds out more existential horrors.