A Tangled Web We Weave - Thread II (IC)

[Ifni]

Episode 2: Under A Crimson Star
4 Ascending Fire, RY 114

Years pass. In Realm Year 103, the Scarlet Empress announces the formation of a Deliberative to advise her, in response to complaints from the Realm’s satrapies and client states in the Threshold that their interests are not sufficiently represented in the Imperial City. In the East, however, this generosity is not met with renewed loyalty, but with rebellion. Over the next five years, one after another, the coastal states of the former River Province forswear their fealty to the Scarlet Empire and petition to join the nascent League of Many Rivers. Diplomatic protests from the Blessed Isle are ignored, and though the world waits with bated breath, the Scarlet Empress takes no military action. The Sword of Creation rests quiescent, its wielder apparently content to tend to the Blessed Isle - and indeed the Isle prospers, in part due to the work of the Central Convention and its newest member.

It is late in Realm Year 114, in a Yu-Shan night lit by the azure glow of Venus, when a messenger-spirit ghosts through the open window of Lotus' manse, and chatters out, "The illustrious Tachi-Kun wishes to speak with you, Unfolding Lotus of Gentle Summer. Crimson Panoply of Victory, planning room 237, immediately."

[Maugan Ra]

Carefully, Lotus finishes writing the last line on his report and sets his pen down. In appearance he is much the same as in his youth (though he knows he is still but a stripling compared to some of his colleagues) - a little leaner, perhaps, and with the weight of experience behind his eyes and in his movements, but otherwise little has truly changed. Rising to his feet, he nods to the messenger.

"I have the time, and will attend him shortly. Thank you."

He resists the urge to frown. It is not like Tachi-Kun to drop by unannounced. If nothing else, the God is well aware that simply picking a random time to make a visit might well conflict with Lotus' ongoing commitments, so typically they tend to stick to certain prearranged meetings or times when they know the other will likely be unoccupied.

Still, his friend - and he thinks he can call Tachi-Kun that after more than a decade - would not do so without a reason, and it costs him little to discover what that reason is. With that in mind, Lotus tucks his hands inside his sleeves and makes his way towards planning room 237.

[Ifni]

Room 237 is one of the larger planning rooms. A round red-stone table stands at its center, its contoured surface depicting the Blessed Isle and the Inner Sea. A box of ivory counters rests on one end of the table, along with a set of slender folders. Austere wooden chairs are placed around the red-brick walls on three sides of the room; the fourth wall holds a large window, looking down on the fields below.

Tachi-Kun stands to the right of the table, wearing his distinctive jade-and-starmetal armor. He inclines his dragon-helmed head to Lotus as the Sidereal comes in.

"Good to see you, Lotus." His voice is a low rumble of thunder, but he sounds cheerful. "Glad you could make it promptly. You'll get the cancel-all-meetings-and-come-to-the-Panoply alert in about fifteen minutes, along with everyone else on the taskforce, but I wanted a brief chat in advance."

He grins, and slides one of the folders along the table to Lotus. "You're authorized. Go ahead."

The cover of the folder holds the seals of the Central Convention, the Convention on War, the Crimson Panoply of Victory, and - oddly - the Cerulean Lute of Harmony. Opening it, after paging past the obligatory classification and nondisclosure warnings, Lotus reaches the title page:


OPERATION RED MOUNTAIN
Joint Task Force on the RY114 Juche Rebellion

Beyond the title page, there is not much in the folder - a sheaf of paper, presumably for taking notes; an inkpen; and detailed maps of various portions of the Blessed Isle, including the Imperial City.

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus raises an eyebrow, then quickly glances over the documents the war-god passes him. He works his jaw, then closes his eyes and takes a few calming breaths before looking back up at Tachi-Kun.

"Well, ****." He says, in a tone so dry as to put the southern deserts to shame. "Please tell me this is just some needlessly dramatic descriptors and that we're dealing with a minor peasant uprising or something? Because the other obvious interpretation is that Taras Chamin has finally decided to make a play for the throne, and I was rather hoping not to have to deal with something like that for at least the next... ever."

[Ifni]

Tachi-Kun chuckles. "And you did such sterling work preparing for it, too. I'm sorry to ruin your day -" His tone says he isn't sorry, not a bit, "but no, my co-chair doesn't go in for needlessly dramatic descriptors."

"Not to fret, though. She assures me the stars point to young Scarlet's victory, one way or another - and part of our job is to avert unexpected breakdowns in that fate." The god's rumbling voice cools at that, but then grows more approving as he continues, "I've been told initial indications are that she wants to do this properly, rather than just having Taras quietly assassinated. With the news out of the East, she needs to demonstrate her strength." He glances down at the map, hand twitching toward the case of ivories.

"It's not just Taras, as you'll hear; I gather there's a cabal of lords and ladies who think they should be daimyos at least, if not Shogun. They fear being supplanted by the Empress' own kin, once she chooses a consort and has children. And so -" He gestures at the map. "Here we are."

"From the Bureau of Destiny's perspective, this is a joint task force between Central and War. This meeting is for the members of the task force only; you'll likely be required to brief the other members of at least one of your Conventions, so don't fall asleep. Oh, and you might want to clear your calendar for the next few months." There is a hint of amusement in the usually stern war-god's voice.

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus sighs, then nods. "All right, thanks for the heads up. It'll help me look like I had a vague idea this was coming, rather than being caught entirely off guard. I mean I suspected Taras was up to something, but I was thinking it would be a little bit more... subtle, maybe? I guess he's more ambitious than I gave him credit for."

He looks down at the map of the Blessed Isle, plotting out likely routes that an army might take to and from the various territories and where major battles are likely to fall.

"Still, it makes sense that the Empress would want to do this properly." He says thoughtfully. "She's proven that she can wield strategic level force with convincing skill, and she's proven adept enough to avoid getting assassinated. She probably sees this as an opportunity to demonstrate her personal strength, independent of the Sword, as well as purging all those who are actively disloyal from her ranks in a way that is hard to be offended by."

He glances up at the war-deity with a raised eyebrow. "There's probably going to be a lot of Dragon-Blooded out to make a name for themselves in this fight, on both sides. Any of them drawn your eye so far?"

[Ifni]

"A handful of the older ones, I know well," Tachi-Kun says easily. "Rawar of Arjuf, who led the campaign against the Seven Tigers. Ilaru Quendevi, who unified the Storm Coast. Taras Chamin himself - he fought well in the earlier wars against Lookshy. Asidra of Daoshin. Lihen Minoko has come to my attention as a result of this situation - you'll hear more about her shortly - although she seems more a strategist than a soldier. But there's been precious little warfare on the Isle itself in the last century, and most of the Dragon-Blooded are young. And hungry, as you say. I'll look forward to seeing what new heroes emerge."

He glances at Lotus. "I'll turn the question back to you: anyone I should particularly watch out for? And if you have any questions you don't want the others to hear, now is also the time to ask them."

[Maugan Ra]

"A few. I remember Ranati Safia as being a highly skilled swordsman - she beat me in a duel during my first mission. I've gotten better since then, but I expect so has she, and her family lands lie adjacent to Juche. I wouldn't be surprised if she gets involved - she certainly has the temperament for it." He looks thoughtful. "Mostly, though, I'm curious if the Empress plans to take to the field herself. She was an officer in the Shogunate, so she's certainly got the experience, and she might well feel a personal stake in proving her strength here. Or she might not - damnably hard to tell either way with that woman in just about anything."

At the last point, he considers for a long moment, then shakes his head. "Nothing comes to mind. Oh, I have questions, but I expect a lot of them will come up in the meeting, and I'd rather not have to listen to them twice. Although... official policy might be to support Scarlet in winning this one, but I wouldn't be surprised if there's a few groups who'd prefer to see Taras on the throne, or any number of particular outcomes. You think any of them might try interfering?"

It's a delicate question, of course, and one that he would not normally ask, but by this point Tachi-Kun knows Lotus well enough to read the actual question behind the words. If Taras Chamin is smart, he'll have given some thought to courting divine allies for this operation, and beyond that there's any number of gods that will be looking to advance their own positions and agendas here. Some of those gods might be friends or colleagues of Tachi-Kun, and if the war deity has a particular interest in seeing their plans come to fruition (or in seeing them thwarted), mentioning it to Lotus would be a good step towards that end.

Essentially, this is Lotus going 'so, any optional objectives you'd like me to look at getting done while I'm down there?'

Unless of course he knows from the decade of friendship that Tachi-Kun doesn't do that sort of thing, in which case he'll refrain from asking.

[Ifni]

Tachi-Kun opens one gauntleted hand and turns it in a non-committal gesture. "Any in Yu-Shan who want to see the Empress lose will probably be quiet about it, and none of them have come to my attention. But there are probably a number who would rather see power on the Blessed Isle less centralized, especially given the Empress' support for the Order. If she's busy with lasting unrest in Juche..." The war-god shrugs, with a jangle of jade.

"That fool Voharun might hope to see the war spill over into the northern Threshold, I suppose, and likewise certain of the other directional gods. I don't think it's a great danger, but it'll be something to watch out for."

Another messenger-spirit flits in through the door, delivering the promised emergency summons to the Panoply in a quick chatter before vanishing again. Tachi-Kun moves to stand at the head of the table. "The others will be arriving soon, I expect."

Over the next fifteen minutes or so, the other members of the Task Force enter - several Sidereals of various ages, and a handful of gods. Lotus recognizes all the Sidereals from either the Convention on War or the Central Convention, and all are reliable members of the Bronze Faction. The gods are not as familiar, although he's seen some of them around the Panoply.

Rol, a young Shieldbearer with the pale skin and blue eyes of the North, strides jauntily through the door, spots Lotus, and promptly veers over to his side of the table. It's been a while since they've worked together, but back when they were trainees, the two of them had shared quite a few drinks and complaints over their instruction schedule.

"Lotus! Do you know what's going on? Sadness just said it was a surprise and to bring a bedroll and extra coffee, which I confess I found rather ominous."

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus nods to Tachi-Kun and then takes his own place by the table, watching the rest of the staff stream in as they respond to the emergency message.

"Hey, Rol." He nods to his fellow shieldbearer, keeping his voice reasonably low to make it clear that this is a private conversation. He can't really stop several of the gods from overhearing if they want (divine senses are hard to beat), but good manners dictate they'll either avoid eavesdropping or will pretend they can't hear anything. "I don't have details, but... well, Juche seems to be making a play for the whole 'capital of the Realm' title."

'Juche' of course will mean 'Taras Chamin' to those who know anything about the area, of course, but referring to the lord by the territory he governs helps convey the scale of what is going on. Lotus glances at his peer and smiles thinly.

"Hope you brought plenty of coffee."

[Ifni]

Rol groans, and massages his forehead - but his dismay seems to be mostly feigned, his pale eyes are sparkling with interest. "Really? Do you know -"

He cuts off as Sadness in the Blade walks into the room, glances around, and smiles a small inscrutable smile. Appropriately, the Chosen of Endings seems to be the final member of the Task Force to arrive, as she closes the door behind her and walks over to the seat beside Tachi-Kun.

"I call this meeting of Task Force Red Mountain to order," the Elder says softly. Her voice has an oddly resonant quality; it seems to ring in the air. "Please take your seats. We will begin with a briefing from the honorable Silver Crane, of the Bureau of Humanity, representing the Satrap of the Realm."

She nods to one of the attendant gods. He appears as a tall man, with something of the long-legged grace of a waterbird. He wears a coat of red and shimmering silver, sewn with feathers, and a red jade pectoral prominently displaying the sigil of Jagalza, the aforementioned Satrap.

He returns the nod. "Greetings, colleagues," he begins in a rather reedy voice. "The information I am about to share with you was provided by an agent of the Bureau of Destiny, assigned to the Imperial Palace. To expedite transmission, please do not resist the vision. Also please remain silent during the initial exhibition; questions will be taken afterward. Acceptable?"

--------

A moment later, the world shimmers and blurs around Lotus, and he finds himself walking along a corridor. Or... hmm. Not quite himself. The height of his eyes above the ground isn't quite correct - it's an oddly disorienting sensation. Nor can he change the direction of his gaze; no matter where he looks, the image remains the same.

The walls and floor are polished black marble, inlaid with mosaics of extraordinary intricacy and beauty. The ones in Lotus' line of sight depict a battle-scene, warriors swathed in halos of elemental fury battling against monstrosities.

A woman walks just in front of him. She is dressed in nondescript civilian clothing, and her cerulean hair is cropped short; the twin dagger-sheaths at her belt are empty. Lotus can't be sure without seeing her face, but there is a haunting familiarity about her...

They come to a door; the woman steps aside to let the observer open it, and Lotus sees her face. Lihen Akiro hasn't changed very much since he last saw her fourteen years ago, on the stony path beside the Caracal, but that's to be expected from the Dragon-Blooded. There are dark circles beneath her eyes, and her expression is carefully neutral.

The room is smaller than the conference room where they sit in reality, but far less crowded. It has only one occupant, seated in a throne-like chair. Lotus recognizes her, as well, although he has not yet seen her in person. No one in the world or beyond it could fail to recognize the visage of the Scarlet Empress.

The Water Aspect walks forward, and goes to one knee. Lotus - no, the observer - bows deeply, and then steps back to stand beside the door, closing it quietly.

The Empress regards Lihen Akiro for a long moment, her gaze diamond hard and piercing. When she speaks, her voice is clear and sharp as shards of crystal. "You conveyed to my advisor that you had critical information pertaining to the security of the Realm - information that justified hopscotching your chain of command, and pulling me away from the affairs of state for a private meeting. Explain yourself, Agent."

Akiro ducks her head. "Yes, your Imperial Majesty, of course." She takes a deep breath. "First, there is a plot to overthrow you and restore the autonomy of the great houses under the daimyo system, led by several lords of your Realm, Taras Chamin chief among them." She delivers that line with remarkable poise, but does have to pause for a moment afterward.

"Second: they believe they will receive indirect support from Lookshy, negotiated by -" She swallows, "- Lihen Minoko, through her relationship to the traitor Vondy. However, they are incorrect; Lady Lihen is loyal to you and to the Empire, and has been feeding them disinformation to induce them to overextend themselves."

The Empress arches an elegant eyebrow, but does not speak. Her silence has a weight to it like that of judgement.

Akiro swallows again - he can see her throat move - but goes on doggedly. "They plan to strike at the Imperial City soon, in conjunction with a Lookshyan attack on Greyfalls to draw your attention to the East. I have details, Majesty, of their troop strengths and planned movements, their order of battle and contingency plans -"

The Empress raises one finger. The gesture silences Akiro instantly.

"I will hear all those," she says, "but first I have a more central question. I take it your aunt has sent you to me with this information." It sounds more like a statement than a question - but one eyebrow tilts, just slightly.

"My aunt was not the sole source of my information, your Imperial Majesty," Akiro answers. "And the troop buildup can be independently verified."

"But when you assure me of her sterling work inside this rebellion -" She pronounces the word with a hint of distaste, like someone holding up a dead mouse their cat has brought in, "Work of which none of your superiors are aware - you are acting as her agent, it seems? Or that of your House, at least, which would certainly prefer not to see one of its daughters condemned for treason."

"I serve the Empire," Akiro says very quickly. "I have acted as Lihen Minoko's agent to exactly the same degree that I believed her to be acting in your interests and those of the Realm, your Imperial Majesty."

She bows her head. "If I have judged incorrectly - by my oaths, my life is yours, to do with as you will."

There is another moment of that heavy silence. "Yes," the Empress says after a moment, her tone noncommittal. "You swore to serve me alone, forsaking all bonds of family loyalty." After a moment, she shakes her head slightly. "I cannot have the All-Seeing Eye enmeshed in the politics of the Houses." Her tone is unforgiving.

"I know that, your Imperial Majesty," Akiro replies softly, "and my oaths were freely chosen in that knowledge. But I did not take abandoning our Houses to mean abandoning the ties that bring us information and leverage. My aunt doesn't know I serve the Eye; she thinks I am purely working for House Lihen in this matter. I confess, I did listen to her when she told me that she feared the conspirators might have powerful allies in the Imperial City, allies kept secret even from their fellows. She was afraid that if the conspiracy was reported too early, the evidence would be made to disappear, and what remained would be easily denied. The seeds of treason would remain in the soil, and sprout again as soon as the seasons turned. I confess, it seemed a reasonable argument to me, and not one I had a good way to test, not with the stakes so high. And to come to you directly, as I have now - I would not have dared, in the absence of solid independently verifiable evidence."

The Empress raises her hand. "Enough. Give me the details."

A hint of the tension goes out of Akiro's shoulders. She clears her throat, and then launches into an obviously well-memorized recitation of troop strengths and battle plans. It goes on for some considerable time, with the Empress asking questions here and there, and the Water Aspect expanding on particular points.

If Akiro's report is correct, the would-be rebels believe that the Lookshyan attack on Greyfalls - prompted by the Empress' weakness in allowing the riverland satrapies to secede peacefully - will demand a military response from the Realm. The Imperial City is very nearly the easternmost point of the Isle; the troops stationed nearby are the logical ones to send eastward as the first wave of reinforcements. Part of the reason for the rebellion's timing is that in the current year, very few of the rebels' own allies are among those forces.

All the lords involved have been using the recent months to quietly build up their troop strength, sending out weapons and trainers under the cover of the collection and transport of the harvest. When the Empress calls for a troop levy to support the East, Juche will be ready to move instantly; the nobles whose holdings are more distant will devote their efforts to containing potential allies of the Empress, preventing them from intervening until the new Shogunate is a reality. The hope seems to be a quick strike, one that can be disguised until quite late in the game as part of normal troop movements in response to a call to arms. Of course, if Akiro is telling the truth, the lack of the required Lookshyan provocation seems to be a rather large hole in this plan - unless, of course (as the Empress points out), Lihen Minoko is lying, or the rebels have made independent arrangements without her knowledge, or Lookshy hears of unrest in the Realm and decide to take advantage.

Eventually, when Akiro has no more to report, the Empress dismisses her. "Time will prove the test of your unauthorized freelancing. In the meantime, you will join my personal retinue, and hold yourself ready to attend me at any time. You have the freedom of the Imperial Palace, but do not leave the grounds."

The vision flickers for a moment, and then fades. Lotus sits once more at a conference table in the Crimson Panoply of Battles.

[Maugan Ra]

As the vision fades, Lotus leans forwards, his expression thoughtful. In one hand he holds his notes, made during the vision through use of the same meditative techniques he has employed several times in the past - much easier to record thoughts while seeing something rather than relying entirely on memory.

"I know Lihen Akiro." He says calmly into the thoughtful silence that dominates the meeting room, each participant considering and absorbing what they have just been shown. "Her judgement is sound, and the numbers she gave seem to hold together. Her aunt was personally involved with Taras Chamin at one point, bearing him a son, but last I knew they were estranged. Unless they carefully created the illusion of their disagreement decades in advance, everything indicates it was genuine, so I can believe that Lihen Minoko would seek to thwart Chamin's plans."

This is written under the assumption that this kind of conversation is expected in the briefing, since there wasn't any kind of formal schedule mentioned. Lotus can probably get away with contributing directly relevant information in support of what they were just shown.

[Ifni]

The chair nods acknowledgement to Lotus. One of the other Sidereals, the sole Joybringer present - Lotus' mind throws up the mental file, Arikani, Exalted in the mid-Shogunate, Central Convention, one of the liaisons to the Immaculate Order - raises her hand to her lips, and murmurs a message to the small spider that crawls out of her sleeve. A moment later it reappears; she listens, and then nods to Lotus.

"The Lute's files say Chamin and Minoko are still officially married - and there were two children, not one." She frowns. "Let me check... hmm. Only one of them appears to have Exalted, though. That might explain the estrangement."

"It sounds like the Empress could shut this down pretty quickly and quietly, if she wanted," Rol says thoughtfully. "If there's no attack from Lookshy, there's no reason for her to send troops out of the Scarlet Prefecture... add a few tactical assassinations, and the plot could die with a whimper rather than a bang."

Tachi-Kun laughs quietly, the sound resonant through his armor. "Scarlet's never been afraid of explosions. But you're right, boy - Crane, do you know her intent here?"

Crane nods. "Your colleague -" he glances at the Sidereals, "- told me she wants to draw out the plotters, and then cut off the snake's head. He will be sending regular reports as her plans evolve - we only had time for a brief conversation - but it seems likely she will dispatch the troops eastward, keeping only some elite forces hidden within the city, to bait the trap."

"Mmmph. Need to make sure Lookshy doesn't react to that and give her a real Eastern war, then. I don't see Sunipa at this table."

"The potential flashpoint with Lookshy is indeed a concern," Sadness in the Blade says quietly. "There is no such war woven in the Loom for this year, as best as we can tell based on observations of Greyfalls, but Lookshy is always difficult to predict."

She glances over at one of the other Chosen of Battles at the table, a man named Lathe; he is rather reserved, not usually attending Bronze Faction social events, so Lotus knows him casually but not well. He is a contemporary of Arikani, and assigned to the Conventions of Wood and War.

"Lathe, can you take point on that front?"

The man grimaces, but nods. "I may need funds for liaison operations with the Convention on Wood. If this gets diplomatic - Greyfalls-Lookshy rapprochement is not my special area of expertise."

The Elder looks at Lotus. "I had you tentatively assigned to handle oversight on the conflict in the southern half of the Isle, Lotus, but it sounds like you also have relevant expertise with the All-Seeing Eye. Is there more information you wish to share for the record?"

Did Lotus realize back in Sunrise Gap that Akiro was a member of the All-Seeing Eye? I'm curious :smallwink:

[Maugan Ra]

I honestly had no idea. I figured she was good at the whole espionage thing, but I never actually considered the Eye as being involved.

Lotus nods slowly. "The two children of Taras Chamin... one is named Saiko, a Water Aspect, serving as a Magistrate last I knew. I've met him, and although I couldn't determine the specifics, he was bound to obey his father in some fashion. Whether that was by sorcery or dynastic charms, I couldn't tell you, but at the least he wasn't allowed to speak of his father's plans. We'll need to bear it in mind when dealing with any other potential allies or agents, who might be similarly controlled."

He sighs. "The other child, an elder daughter, was named Terasu. She failed to Exalt, and shortly after that she died, and her grave marker was placed outside the family cemetery. While I doubt the specifics of what happened are easy to obtain, it seems likely that was indeed the cause of the estrangement. Certainly there seems to be no love lost between Taras Chamin and his surviving child."

[Ifni]

Arikani nods thoughtfully, fiddling with her pen. "Do you know anything about this Saiko's relationship with his mother, then? Even if he's bound to loyalty, he might be a potential resource; the Dragon-Blooded don't generally have powers that allow exertion of absolute control."

[Maugan Ra]

"I believe it was his policy to deny any actual relation to the Lihen family, though that was evidently more out of a desire to avoid annoying his father by acknowledging it." Lotus says, taking a moment to cast his mind back to the last time he met Taras Saiko. "That said, yes, I think he's a resource worth making use of. At the very least you don't magically bind someone to secrecy unless you think there's a chance they'll break and tell someone anyway. Plus he's a Magistrate, which gives him some incentive to support the Empress - more, if he proves loyal and his father's lands and titles need to be given to someone more worthy. I'll look into it."

He glances at the map of the Isle, a slight frown on his face. "I can handle oversight in the south, but if I'm going to have any real impact I'll need to know what we're aiming for. If direct assassination of the enemy isn't on the table, what's the end goal here? Presumably Scarlet isn't intending to burn Juche to ash, but there's a lot of room between those two ends."

As a side note, I love the fact that the limited numbers of Sidereals and Lotus' own rank has lead to him potentially being assigned to oversee a war on half of a continent.

[Ifni]

"Draw them out," Crane shrugs, "entice any sympathizers to reveal themselves, then clean house among the nobility with extreme prejudice. That was my impression, anyway."

"Juche's full of mountains," Tachi-Kun mutters, stabbing a finger at the map. "If they don't capture or kill the rebel leaders, and they scatter into those, Scarlet could spend a long time trying to root them out. It'd be easier for her if she just wanted to devastate Juche, given the powers of the Manse. But she'll want to demonstrate her skills as a general and ruler without blasting her own people."

Sadness nods slightly to herself, and then looks back at Lotus. "What is your assessment of Rawar of Arjuf? You've met him, I believe. Thanks to your work in Natha, it would be relatively straightforward for Arjuf troops to move through the mountains into Juche - to aid either side of the conflict."

Rawar went entirely unmentioned in Akiro's briefing, so if he's one of the rebels, it seems she doesn't know about it.

And heh, glad you like it :smallwink: The whole situation of "here are <10 people making life-and-death decisions for a continent" is also a very Sidereal/Yu-Shan thing...

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus is silent for a long moment, weighing up the possibilities. He can't really claim to know Rawar, since they've never really exchanged friendly words, but he's spent a lot of time around people who do know the general, and that is enough to get a decent enough idea to work with.

"I think Rawar will side with the Empress." He says at last. "He's a builder, an architect, at least in mindset. He builds relationships, invests in the development of his territory and instills loyalty in his soldiers because he evidently cares about their welfare. Slow and steady advancement, basically, very strongly aligned with the Earth. I can't see him throwing that all away on a reckless scheme to topple the Empress and reinstitute the Daimyo system. More than that, he holds a strong dislike for Taras Saiko, and it would be much easier to extend that antipathy towards his father than to put it aside for a greater cause."

He shrugs. "If nothing else, he doesn't exactly stand to gain very much from backing Taras in this little coup. Arjuf basically belongs to him in every way that matters already, so fracturing the Realm into a collection of minor kingdoms gains him nothing, and could cost him dearly if the war results in anything less than a sudden and incontestable victory for the rebels."

[Ifni]

"I've met Rawar, and I concur," Tachi-Kun rumbles, with a nod to Lotus.

Arikani hides a smile behind her hand, and then says, "There is at least a possible future in which Rawar of Arjuf ends up married to the Empress. Of course, nothing is certain where the Exalted are involved, but..." She taps the seal of the Cerulean Lute on her briefing folder. "I suspect that's why I'm here." Her smile becomes a little maternal. "I think they'd be good for each other, you know? And can you imagine the wedding?"

"That's enough, Joybringer," Sadness in the Blade says quellingly, her voice soft but firm. Arikani subsides, but a smile still dances around her lips.

"In any case, your comments accord with my own projections; if Rawar is not initially inclined to support the Empress, he can likely be brought to do so. Arikani, you will ensure that comes to pass; I will also want a full report on other possible allies among the Houses, who may be brought into play to neutralize rebel forces beyond Juche."

She glances at her co-chair, who nods. "We have some time before it comes to open battle - likely weeks, maybe months. That time should be spent in reconnaissance and groundwork, to strengthen the Empress' trap and make the course of Fate smoother for when it's sprung."

"The Loom weaves this moment as a turning point in the Realm's history," Sadness picks up the thread smoothly. "A consolidation of the Empress' power, the beginning of a long era of peace, and the true founding of her dynasty. You asked about our end goal, Lotus; to see that future accomplished is what we seek."

"But in the short term," Tachi-Kun interjects, "unless Arikani tells us Rawar's about to turn traitor, he looks like our best bet for a hammer-and-anvil maneuver that we don't have to work too hard to bring about. So. We need to make sure the Natha pass is clear, not sabotaged by Juche forces; that the roads up from the Arjuf heartland are in good condition; and that Arjuf isn't forced to keep his troops at home by an attack from the west." He touches the map, tracing out a route from the Serpentine River and Plains of Rusted Iron in the western Isle, down through the Jaen-Ha Plains. "The Water Aspect said that Asidra of Daoshin was among the rebels; she's a skilled cavalry commander, and knows the southern plains well. And it's empty enough out there that she could muster a reasonable force without word getting out."

"I can talk to the road-gods, check the first two, easily enough," the remaining Sidereal interjects. A Chosen of Journeys only a couple of centuries older than Lotus, Ascending Cloud has a South-Eastern look, with weathered skin and a cynical cast to her features. "Third one might be a bit more challenging, though. There's not a lot standing between Daoshin and Port Arjuf except an awful lot of arid plains and horse tribes. I suppose the weather-gods might manage a convenient tornado or the like, but they'll have thaumaturges, and getting the permissions approved so quickly could be... tricky."

"Tell us about the horse tribes," Sadness says softly.

Cloud shrugs. "I doubt you'll get them to defend Arjuf. Oh, they could certainly make life difficult for any armies moving through their territory - they're fast and mobile and know the land - but if I remember my history correctly, those tribes haven't had a sense of themselves as part of a larger Realm for a long time. Once the weather-machines failed in the early Shogunate, the plains weren't well-suited to farming, so the old daimyos were largely content to take their cut of the profits from the horse-trade and leave it at that. Now... they survived the Contagion largely by pulling back from the main routes and isolating themselves; I suspect they'd do the same again if an army led by the Dragon-Blooded marched through. They know no invader would be interested in the plains themselves, they're just a corridor."

"The Order doesn't have a great deal of influence there, either," Arikani says pensively. "Every little tribe has its own gods and its own traditions. The only real shared culture centers around the horse herds."

Tachi-Kun turns to Lotus, and the Chosen of Battles can sense a grin beneath the helmet. "If I recall rightly, Lotus, you have contacts among the spirits of the Jaen-Ha - and you still have that god-born horse, don't you?"

[Maugan Ra]

"Contacts among the spirits, yes, and my horse is the daughter of a regional deity." Lotus says with a thoughtful nod. "I can speak with them, get a more up-to-date view on the situation among the tribes, maybe find an angle to work there. I know Rawar has a cavalry officer of his own who was born into one of those tribes, so that might be another way in."

He studies the map before them for a moment, plotting out likely routes of march and targets of opportunity. "Too many variables. I'll find a way to secure that flank, probably using the tribes and the local spirits, but I can't speak to the exact method just yet. I'll do a bit of digging and finalize a plan, pull together some information for a proper briefing." He glances up at Arikani. "If you're investigating Rawar, anything you can find about how he views the tribes and the area would be a big help. A longer-term alliance would probably go a long way towards stabilizing the region, especially if I can find something to rally the tribes around and have them present a united front."

[Ifni]

"Right," Arikani nods. "I'll keep you updated."

"Excellent," Sadness says briskly but softly. "Then that is your primary assignment for the initial phase, Lotus. Liaise with Arikani and Cloud with regard to Arjuf. Cloud, check the road conditions in Arjuf, as you suggested, but I want you to focus on the situation in the northern Isle. Pull the relevant reports from the Loom; if those areas are fated to be involved, so be it, but otherwise, keeping all sides bogged down and away from the Imperial City should suffice. I believe you've worked with Haven of Oaks before -" She nods to one of the other gods, a small figure with skin like stone and mossy hair, "- who will be your liaison to the Ancient of Stone Journeys."

The little god nods silently; Cloud smiles wryly at them.

Sadness glances at Rol. "Rol, I want you to study the troop build-up in Juche itself, in coordination with Silver Crane and our other representatives in the Imperial City. Cross-check the Lihen agent's reports and work out the most likely and most extreme scenarios for the initial battles."

She looks around the table. "For the moment, keep this on a need-to-know basis. We'll hold daily meetings for those of us who are present in Yu-Shan; once the war heats up, you'll also be responsible for briefing your Conventions. If you need to travel to Creation in the meantime, to carry out your missions, inform me and Lord Tachi-Kun beforehand. He will be handling our overall strategy once the war actually begins."

"Any immediate questions?"

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus taps his fingers on the table in a distracted fashion, turning the scenario over in his head.

"I'm trying to guess what the contingency plan is." He says thoughtfully. "I've never met Taras Chamin, but I doubt he's an idiot. His current scheme to seize the Imperial City in an unexpected strike is a decent one, but there are far too many ways for it to go wrong - at the very least, he's got to account for the possibility of the Empress evading whoever he sends to capture and eliminate her, and while she's alive and free any declarations he makes about a new Shogunate will be obviously hollow. He's got to have a backup plan, and if we succeed he'll be forced to put that into effect. It concerns me that we don't know what that plan is."

He looks over at Tachi-Kun. "Unless he really is the kind to risk everything on one throw of the dice?"

[Ifni]

"Heh," Tachi-Kun grunts, sounding amused. "That's the right question. Chamin is a gambler, but that doesn't mean he won't have contingency plans; he's a successful gambler, which means he cheats."

The war-god contemplates for a moment, and then shakes his head. "I only have guesses, for the moment. Multiple assassination attempts aimed at Scarlet are almost a given. Agents within the Imperial Palace, almost certainly - that'd be true even if he wasn't going for the throne. Might have some broader-based support within the Imperial City. Other plans to sow discord in the regions of the Isle that might support the Empress, maybe assassination of the nobles who aren't so well-protected. If he can cut off Imperial authority beyond Juche and have his allies step in to fill the gap, while he holds a cordon around the Imperial City, that might be a slower path to victory." It's hard to tell, but Tachi-Kun sounds somewhat displeased by this prospect. "If he doesn't know how the war manses work, he likely has teams in place to seize those."

"That said -" He looks to Lotus, "- this isn't Chamin's plot alone, which has advantages and disadvantages. He's a better tactician than most of his allies, they might force him to move before he's ready, but many planners makes everything less predictable."

"Your connection with Taras Saiko may be useful in this regard, Lotus; it would be helpful to have our own view on the rebellion, independent of the All-Seeing Eye," Sadness in the Blade intervenes coolly. "Please consider plans for re-establishing that connection. For the moment, I think, we will monitor the reports from the Eye, and attend to those preparations that require a relatively long time horizon."

Cloud interjects with a question about the northern cities, which Arikani answers; one of the other gods, who Lotus vaguely recognizes as a fairly high-ranked functionary in the Bureau of Nature, demands to be informed well in advance of any planned troop movements through the Dragon's Nest mountains. Rol and Silver Crane begin discussing the defenses of the Imperial City, and with the advent of individual smaller-scale conversations, it appears that Sadness in the Blade will soon close the meeting.

[Maugan Ra]

Nodding in acceptance, Lotus turns his attention back to his own notes, keeping an ear on the other conversations being held but focusing on what he will have to do in the coming days and weeks.

I'll need to visit the Loom, requisition the records on the horse-tribes and Taras Saiko... probably Asidra of Daoshin as well. Knowing where the tribes are and what battles they've fought with each-other or outsiders recently will probably be useful, while finding a way to contact Saiko is going to be important if I want to get some more intelligence on what his father is up to...

[Ifni]

The meeting draws quickly to a close, after that; Sadness in the Blade declares an adjournment, and the gods and Sidereals begin to drift out of the room.

Lotus can catch any of the others if he wants to talk to them individually; else feel free to skip on to Lotus beginning his research/planning.

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus tucks his notes away into his pack then leaves the room at a brisk walk, moving to fall in alongside Rol as he goes.

"So, who do you think got bored and started wishing for something exciting to happen?" He asks his fellow Shieldbearer with a wry smile.

[Ifni]

"Probably a Joybringer," Rol returns. "Maybe our dear Arikani. Did you see how happy she looked? Ugh." He glances over his shoulder. "At least the meeting was reasonably short. Advantages of having a Reckoner in charge, I suppose. May it continue."

"Want to come back to my office for a cup of the excellent Southern coffee I hastily acquired on my way here?" The other Shieldbearer grins dryly. "I'll expect you to return the favor at some point in my undoubtedly coffee-deprived future, needless to say."

[Maugan Ra]

"Ah, coffee. One of my many weaknesses." Lotus says with a grin. "Which is to say - sure, why not. We've been given adjacent jurisdictions, it looks like, so there's a ready made excuse for dropping by in the future if you find yourself truly deprived."

He glances around idly as they walk, more as a formality than because he's seriously worried about eavesdroppers. "I need to drop by the Loom later and see if I can grab some files on the people of interest. After that... guess I'm playing horse lord for a bit. I think I might have to ask Tachi-Kun not to go subtly volunteering me for things in future."

[Ifni]

"Oh, I know. Sadness is just as bad. It'll be good for you, Rol. You need to practice working with the Dragon-Blooded. Hah. I swear the elemental Essence sends them crazy, not to mention turning the Loom into a tangle. Give me a nice mission in the Threshold any day, where so long as you dodge the Lunars the only Essence use comes from the occasional shaman."

Rol turns into his office, and promptly goes over to his desk to begin brewing the promised coffee. "I'll let you know if I pull up anything interesting in my own investigations. Which will probably cover this Taras and his son, I suppose. Anything I should particularly watch out for?"

He hands the first cup to Lotus. It does indeed smell very good, although Yu-Shan makes one jaded.

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus takes a sip of the coffee, smiling in appreciation. "Hmm. Mostly I'm just curious about where he is and how close an eye our ringleader is keeping on his wayward son. I'm probably going to need to meet him in person in order to get any useful information, maybe even take him somewhere else if getting it requires breaking some kind of enchantment. That'll be vastly easier if he's sitting in a hunting lodge somewhere rather than in his family estates in the middle of a provincial capital."

He raises his eyebrows. "And you? You've got Juche, after all. One way or another, that's probably where the endgame of this little display is going to be. I know the borderlands mostly, not the inner regions, but if you need any information about that area let me know."

[Ifni]

"I doubt I'll be allowed to do much on my own, given the number of more-senior people assigned to the Imperial City." Rol gulps down a mouthful of coffee. "But speaking of that family - the Lihen are based in Arjuf, aren't they? If you can find out anything more about this Lihen Minoko, whose promised patriotic treachery seems to be underpinning our current assumptions about the course of this war, that would be helpful."

"Oh, and what's the situation with that Natha place? I know you were working on remediating the shadowland. I suspect the main pass between Juche and Arjuf is going to be something of a focal point."

[Maugan Ra]

"I'll see what I can find out." Lotus says with a nod. "As for Natha... the shadowland is gone, and the place has largely fallen under the care of the Ranati family. They have many more ties on the Arjuf side of the border, so I'd be incredibly surprised if they picked a different side to Rawar when it came down to it."

He ponders the situation for a moment more. "Militarily, it's reasonably well defended. There's a fortress there, with a reasonably sized garrison, and a Dragon-Blooded commander who knows what he's doing. Taras Chamin could break through, but it would take a serious assault and a fair amount of time if he didn't want to sustain heavy casualties."

He frowns. "This of course assumes he's not looking to just block the pass and prevent Arjuf troops from moving into Juche. I can't think of any really excellent choke points where he could pull something like that off, but it's still a mountain pass, so the possibility exists."

[Ifni]

"All right." Rol puts down his empty coffee cup. "I'll keep an eye on it, and on the Taras clan, and try to find out what I can about the potentially useful young Saiko." He swings a cape over his shoulders. "You're welcome to stay here and continue caffeinating yourself, Lotus, but I'm going to go find Crane and see if I can cadge a lift to the Imperial City. I'm feeling uncharacteristically motivated, so I should get to it before the coffee wears off."

He stops in the doorway to offer a lazy wave of farewell. "Oh, and if you'd be so kind, empty the coffee machine and rinse the cups when you're done." On that parting note, the other Sidereal vanishes around the corner.

[Maugan Ra]

"Heh. 'Rinse the cups'... what am I, your servant? Ass." Lotus mutters to himself with an amused grin. Then, finishing his coffee and rising to his feet, he does precisely that. No sense leaving dirty cups around, especially if Rol is going to be in the Imperial City for a while.

That done, he turns and departs, heading for the Loom at a brisk pace.

I wonder what sort of disguise would be best? God-blooded champion? Military scout? Agent of the Eye? Hmm, I wonder if I can find someone willing to use sorcery to help with the disguise...

[Ifni]

It is only a short walk from the Panoply to the Most Perfect Lotus of Heavenly Design. The great chamber of the Loom is relatively empty today, with only a handful of other figures scattered around the various balconies.

The view of the Loom itself is always breathtaking, although it's a sight Lotus has become accustomed to over the past fifteen years. Ropy bundles of iridescent strands shimmer between the walkways and ledges, singing with an ineffable music. The gleaming orichalcum-and-moonsilver carapaces of pattern spiders dot the vast and tangled webs, flashing in the cool white light as they scurry along the strands.

[Maugan Ra]

It is moments like this that really remind Lotus of the value of life. He knows some of his more cynical colleagues find themselves inured to the beauty of this place, seeing little value in anything that can be so clearly quantified and directed, but he has never been able to think that way. To see all of Creation laid out before him, even if only by representation, is an experience he would not trade for anything.

Shaking his head, a fond smile on his face, he goes to locate one of the pattern spiders. True, he could simply holler until one of them came over to see what he wanted, but that would be deeply disrespectful. Finding one operating in the general area that he needs and making a polite request is both better manners and more likely to ensure a speedy response.

So, in MoEP: Sidereals, it mentions that anyone of any authority in the Bureau (including all Sidereals) can simply requisition the records on anything and anyone in all of Creation, including their predicted fates up to a year in advance. It is, however, a little unclear as to precisely how one does this, so I'm assuming the Pattern Spiders are involved.

Of course, if the records have been sealed I can't get them like that, but that'll be an interesting development in its own right...

[Ifni]

A little way out along one of the walkways, a spider is perched above a small tangle in the threads, carefully teasing it apart with its slender starmetal legs. Two of its polished jade eyes, marbled in patterns of green and white, swivel to watch Lotus as he approaches.

Sure, you can make that request to the pattern spiders. We'll treat it like a prayer roll; you can gain bonuses by filling out the appropriate requisition form with pretty calligraphy. I'm fine with saying that Lotus grabbed the appropriate form on his way over, if you'd like; if he'd just go without the form as a stylistic thing, that's fine too.

If you're using the form, you can roll Wits+Linguistics, and add (1+number of successes) in successes to your prayer roll (standard Charisma+Performance).

[Maugan Ra]

One of the key questions that surprisingly few people ever asked was precisely why there were so many layers of bureaucracy built into the social structure of Heaven. There was no official answer to the question, but most people who resided there for any length of time eventually came up with their own answers, generally centered around tradition and abuses of power by those who benefitted from such things.

Personally, Lotus took a slightly different view, one he suspected had been shaped by his working environment more than anything else. The gods of the Crimson Panoply were, as a general rule, highly skilled and dangerously powerful spirits with personalities that predisposed them towards seeking violent solutions to a great number of problems. Left unchecked, those same impulses would likely lead a significant proportion of them towards certain unwise acts with a serious impact on the quality of life in the Heavenly City - virtually no one doubted that Siakal would literally eat those who displeased her if given free reign, for example.

And there were millions, perhaps billions of spirits throughout Yu-Shan of similarly divergent temperaments and capabilities. It was something of a miracle that the whole system had never collapsed in a pile of blood and death before now, and over the years Lotus had come to attribute that curious stability to the carefully placed layers of bureaucracy surrounding everything of any real worth. True, the politics of the various heavenly offices were cut-throat and bafflingly labyrinthine by any standards, but at least a power play here tended to end up with the loser exiled to a smaller office and being politely shunned in social circles, as opposed to, say, half the Bureau of Destiny catching fire. On the whole, that was probably a good thing.

It was for those reasons that Lotus generally made a point of working with the system wherever possible, rather than just using his station and supernatural abilities to bypass it altogether. The bureaucracy of heaven only existed so long as everyone bought into it, and while he was certainly not above using influence and favors to grease the metaphorical wheels, there were definitely limits to the whole thing.

This particular request was a fine example of that principle in action. He'd snagged the relevant form from one of the peripheral offices before entering, and taken the time to fill the whole thing out accurately and with carefully precise calligraphy before rolling it up and securing the bundle with the dark red silk cord that denoted a file related to the domain of the Crimson Panoply. Having found a pattern spider that he could address without needing to be so crass as to yell across the intervening distance, Lotus bows politely and presents it with the scroll.

"I wish to requisition the files on the tribal groups living on the Jaen-Ha plains on the Blessed aisle, as well as those on one Taras Saiko, son of Taras Chamin, Terrestrial Exalted." He says politely in the slightly lyrical language of Old Realm. The full details are on the form, of course, but it's always polite to provide a quick summary in situations like this, and good manners can be exceptionally important in the halls of Yu-Shan.

At least he doesn't have to go through the full process of presenting his credentials and proving his right to ask for such a thing. The Loom of Fate is a heavily guarded location, and no-one makes it this far in without having their authority verified several times over, even if most of it is kept out of sight to avoid annoying anyone important with such delays.

It amuses me to think that Lotus could actually end up getting on surprisingly well with Ryzala, despite his generally relaxed attitude. He appreciates the value of paperwork and strong civic order :smalltongue:

Anyway, let's do the Wits + Linguistics first, representing the form. I'm assuming my speciality for beautiful writing applies here.

[roll0]

And then the Charisma + Performance, including the silver-tongued speciality and spending three motes to drop the target number to 4, because why not.

[roll1]

Stunt: [roll2]

[Ifni]

The spider finishes disentangling the knot, then stretches out a delicate starmetal limb and hooks the scroll out of Lotus' hand. A moment later, after reading through the requisition form, it dips its head and clicks its soulsteel mandibles rapidly, faint bluish sparks falling from the dark metal.

Then it is away, scuttling along the threads of the Loom.

Lotus has only a few minutes to wait before it returns - with company. A veritable swarm of spiders bears down on him, sheaves of silk-paper clenched in their mandibles. It is quite noisy for a few moments, and then the horde retreats. Lotus can see his red-silk-wrapped missive being passed from spider to spider, as the creatures admire some subtlety of the calligraphy or wording.

The Chosen of Battles finds himself surrounded by waist-high stacks of densely calligraphed paper. The spiders seem to have tried to be helpful.

One of them remains, waiting a few yards away, clutching a folder.

"File on Taras Saiko is sealed," it buzzes, in a toneless voice. "Identification and codeword authorization required."

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus smiles wryly as the veritable avalanche of paper threatens to bury him. The Pattern Spiders are odd creatures, with their own moods and preferences that few others entirely understand, but occasionally they encounter something that truly ignites their enthusiasm. Fortunately, he is prepared for something along these lines.

"My thanks. I will review these elsewhere, to avoid obstructing anyone else." He says with a bow, before picking up the nearest stack of paper and sliding it into his pocket. The delicate Starmetal amulet hanging around his neck pulses slightly, expanding the space within his carefully constructed outfit so as to allow for such significant quantities of documents to rest easily within.

Chances are I won't have the time to properly review even a small fraction of these, but I can skim them easily enough back at home and identify the more immediately relevant documents.

He looks at the final Spider, clutching its file, and raises an eyebrow. "I am Gentle Lotus of Warm Summer, Chosen of Battles, assigned to the Central Convention." He says formally. "I have an assignment pertaining to Taras Saiko, who lies within my jurisdiction. Under what authority is the file sealed?"

The fact that someone has gone out of their way to conceal this information is interesting, for it implies that Taras Saiko has a place in pre-existing schemes that needs to remain hidden. Still, one cannot usually seal a file without noting the authority under which such an order was placed, so if he can find that out he has a good place to start...

I'll be honest, half the reason I'm taking all the paperwork is because I'm afraid I'll hurt the Spiders' feelings otherwise. They're trying so hard to be helpful :smalltongue:

Ah well. Go, Infinite Resplendence Amulet! Lotus will probably end up having to ignore the vast bulk of the information provided, but he can at least consult it back at his manse in comfort rather than here. Whether he returns it after making copies or destroys it depends entirely on what the standard procedure here is - basically, are these originals (which must be returned) or copies that can be handed out?

[Ifni]

"Authority of the Convention on War," the spider recites in its buzzing monotone. It clicks its mandibles rapidly, almost as if in annoyance. "Identification recorded. Please display caste mark for confirmation, and state operation title, for the record."

[Maugan Ra]

The scarlet sign of Mars shimmers on the Sidereal's forehead at the spider's request. "Operation Red Mountain." He says politely. "If my jurisdiction is in doubt, I will of course seek to obtain permission from the Convention."

Given that the spider seems to be holding the file in question already, some people might be tempted to just snatch it anyway. Of course, some people were idiots, and Lotus was far too mindful of the fact that there were millions of Pattern Spiders relatively nearby and that they possessed exceptionally long and precise memories. That was an enemy that no one with any sense wanted to have.

Besides, it would just be plain rude.

[Ifni]

The spider makes a clicking noise that sounds somehow satisfied, and picks its way forward to hand over the folder. It is unadorned, except for a red wax seal.

After a moment, the weaver-god hurries off into the depths of the Loom, apparently alerted to a new fate-tangle.

The papers are copies, generated automatically from the Loom itself; you can keep or destroy them. However, this in turn means they're written kinda like status printouts from a computer.

Lotus can roll Investigation+(Perception or Intelligence) to pull useful information out of the morass, when he wishes; also please specify if he's looking for anything in particular.

[Maugan Ra]

Pleased, Lotus tucks the folder away inside his increasingly-full pockets and turns to depart the Loom. Reviewing these might take some time, so he might as well do it back at his manse where he can be comfortable.

Hmm. That's a bit unfortunate, since my best dice pool there is 4 dice without any kind of charm to back it up. Any chance I could make use of Bureaucracy instead with an appropriate stunt? That seems like it should be an ability well suited towards processing large amounts of paperwork.

[Maugan Ra]

Returning to his manse is easy, since he has managed to reach the point of having enough Salary to comfortably hire a dragon-boat to convey him the distance without concern for his finances, so Lotus spends most of his trip back staring out at the bustling metropolis of wonders that is Yu-Shan.

Once at home, he takes a moment to carefully pour himself a goblet of fine wine from the stock he keeps to hand at all times. There's nothing quite like being in a manse to which you are attuned to energize the mind and body, and the wine will help him relax enough to get through a potentially long and tedious review session without going mad from the pent up energy.

First, he turns his attention to the file on Taras Saiko, which is small enough to actually be thoroughly reviewed in under an hour while also absorbing the majority of the useful information. In truth, he's primarily interested in the Dragon-Blood's current location and the standard yearly forecast for him than anything more historical, since the dry recounting of facts and figures for a full lifetime is unlikely to tell him much of note. He does, however, take a look at the appendix which lists the most frequent association that Saiko has with other beings, paying particular attention to those noted to make use of essence in notable capacities. Other Terrestrials or Spirits are the most likely culprits, and it's always good to keep an eye on such things.

Naturally, the forecast comes with the standard disclaimer that the destinies of the Exalted are prone to change dramatically at any given moment, but that's expected and can be at least generally accounted for.

Then, gritting his teeth and steeling his mind, Lotus turns to the information on the horse-tribes. There is, needless to say, a lot of it. It is to be expected, given that he's looking at the fates of hundreds or even thousands of largely nomadic individuals, including most of their history and predicted fates, but the majority of it can be largely ignored.

The trick to dealing with large quantities of information such as this is, as Lotus has found in the past, self-control. It can be tempting to think that you have spotted something of note in a file and go chasing it down through the stacks of paper, comparing notes on a dozen different cases and getting yourself thoroughly confused, but doing that will get you nowhere at all. Discipline is essential, the ability to glance at a document, note that it might be of interest and then set it aside, ready for a more thorough review later on. Thus is a picture determined from a hundred disparate sources, the true nature of the world perceived through a haze of irrelevant facts and tangentially related figures.

The other main trick is to know what you're looking for. Lotus can never hope to absorb and memorize even a fraction of the information in front of him, so instead he must go looking for particular categories of data that he can use to construct a useful set of information.

Which threads are bound together in common cause as members of a larger group? That is how you identify a tribe, and through cross-referencing find the more useful summary sheets on those tribes. Which threads have terminated upon interacting with another? That is how you identify murders and acts of war, which give a fine picture of the tribes that dislike one another. Similarly, where do threads join together for prolonged periods, indicating bonds of marriage and common culture? If something does not relate to these factors, it is likely irrelevant and can be safely discarded from consideration.

Part-way in, Lotus rises from the chair in his study and pulls out a map of the area in question from his other files. It is common practice to keep such records of the areas where you have been assigned or which adjacent to them, in order to make future missions easier and faster to complete. With this map, and the dry but incredibly precise information from the Loom, he is able to trace the positions and migrationary paths of the different tribes, identifying areas where they have come into contact with one another or otherwise encountered something of interest.

One step at a time, the truth emerges.

OK, so, I figure I can try pulling off an Investigate roll. I'll use Intelligence as the attribute as well, since Lotus is using more cerebral methods here.

My desired goals are to work out roughly the following.:
- How many tribes are there, and which are the largest?
- Who leads those tribes? I don't necessarily need IC names, just knowing that Lotus knows is good.
- Which ones are enemies, and which are friends. Similarly, which ones have strayed close to Rawar's territory, and which have interacted with the rebels.
- Do any of them have acts of war predicted in the next year or so, and against who?

Of course, I'm also reading Taras Saiko's file, but that's presumably easier since it's only one file.

Anyway, Int+Investigation is four dice. I'm buying a success with a willpower point, and spending another to channel Temperance, since that's the virtue used to keep oneself balanced and see the truth through distraction or illusion.

[roll0] +1 sux

Stunt: [roll1]

[Ifni]

The appendix describing Taras Saiko's most frequent associations with other beings is unfortunately full of redactions, oddly eye-twisting silver rectangles that mark a link to a thread whose fate has been sealed away. A number of mortals are listed, including a few names that Lotus recognizes from fifteen years ago. There are also a few unredacted names marked as Dragon-Blooded - Javed Tirani, Leder Makiro, Abrial Feran, Cirredin Ostra.

The magistrate is currently nominally overseeing the harvest in Juche, according to the file. His forecast fate, reading ahead, is rather short, and rather bleak (and also rather fragmented):

... acting to spread the rebellion while secretly REDACTED to REDACTED...

... unmasked as a double agent by REDACTED...

... executed at eighteen minutes before midnight, by the sword of REDACTED, in the course of an escape attempt...

Setting that file aside, plunging into the morass of the horse-tribes' fates is in some ways less depressing - but it is certainly more of a headache. The wine helps, a little, at least at first.

Digging information out of dry records is not Lotus' specialty. Nonetheless, he manages to piece together the outlines of the region.

The size and power of the tribes clearly fluctuates from decade to decade, depending on the weather, the favor or lack thereof of the spirits, and the tribes' success at horse-trading (officially) and raiding (less officially). By scanning back through the records, examining changing tribal affiliations, it becomes clear that it is not uncommon for large tribes to splinter, and for small tribes to grow or merge or vanish.

At present, the largest tribes - or at least the most common affiliations, as Lotus riffles through the files - appear to be the Iron Hoof, the Siroc, the White Eagles, and the Singing Stones people. There are summary sheets on the Iron Hoof and the Singing Stones, but the date stamps on them are over a decade old; analyzing data from the Loom requires someone's time and attention, and that does not seem to have been in lavish supply for these particular files. The Iron Hoof tribe breeds the famed ironhoof mustangs, and the summary sheet names them as the wealthiest and most powerful of the tribes, due to their fine grazing lands and their extensive trade with the people of Arjuf. The Singing Stones people, in contrast, are said to haunt the edges of the inhospitable country known as the Plains of Rusted Iron; the summary sheet notes that their fearsome reputation in battle has not recently been tested, possibly because no one else desires the lands they claim. The summary sheets have forecasts, but the year to which they are relevant is a decade past.

Checking the cross-links, Lotus finds some interesting patterns: the Iron Hoof tribe has many existing bonds of marriage and trade with the smaller tribes around it, but few have been recently formed. Lines of strife and cut threads, in contrast, are plentiful, with many linking to the Siroc, but even more tracing back to smaller tribes, family groupings or warbands. The Singing Stones in contrast seem rather isolated. The White Eagles and the Siroc are a messy tangle, ties of blood - both marriage on one hand, and violent death on the other - making any attempt to separate them completely rather challenging.

The forecasts for individual tribe-members, selected at random, indeed suggest strife in the future, although in many cases it is hard to tell whether this reflects a larger conflict or simply the normal state of affairs. The Singing Stones are the exception; instead, they appear likely to migrate southward, away from the headwaters of the Serpentine River.

It is not easy to find the files for the leaders among tribes consisting of hundreds of people, especially when conflict can change the leadership rather quickly. Lotus does however manage to find the file for Golden Marten, leader of the Singing Stones tribe, partly by luck and partly because that tribe seems more cohesive. Marten's fate-forecast indicates that he will make a critical decision, turning his tribe away from battle and war in order to protect them. It also mentions poor weather, and hunger among the Singing Stones people.

2-die stunt. You can indeed go find the functionary in charge of the horse tribes of the Jaen-Ha plains, if you like - roll Int+Bureaucracy to find that person and make an appointment (you may stunt).

[Maugan Ra]

Having finally decided that continuing to dig into the massive piles of information has reached the point of being a waste of time, Lotus sits back and tries to quell a minor headache.

"OK, so... Saiko is a double agent in Juche, gets caught and then executed by parties unknown. I'll have to do something about that." He murmurs to himself. True, where the Exalted are concerned such things are never set in stone, but if it has appeared in the Loom then there is a strong chance of it occurring unless he takes steps to fix the issue.

"As for the horse tribes... the Iron Hoof have become more militant lately, I guess. I wonder if that's the work of an outsider of some kind... might be worth looking into. The Singing Stones are going to turn away from conflict, which sounds like what Ascending Cloud predicted. Still, there's only so much I can do from up here... I need to pay a visit, and for that I need to have a better idea of the people and places. I wonder who's in charge of that..."

With that thought, he rises from his chair and moves over to one of the filing cabinets propped up against the wall. A quick search provides the latest map of responsibilities and zones of interest among the Bureau of Humanity. With the constant turmoil of office politics, promotions and demotions regularly make any existing schedules obsolete, and many spirits hold nominal command over areas actually run by someone else entirely. Some of it corruption, but most is just the natural by-product of a bureaucracy dedicated to overseeing so many incredibly diverse topics.

Either way, there are gods who make a serious living out of keeping on top of such changes, and knowing who they are can be of great help if you want to get anything done. Lotus frequently invests in new charts of influence from specialists of the appropriate reputation, who got that acknowledgement by their work for other Sidereals in the past.

"Let's see here... discrete population groups, not conceptual ideologies... Blessed Isle... Jaen-Ha... ah, there we are..."

With quick motions, he pulls out a sheathe of officially headed parchment from another draw and begins writing. There are protocols for these things, so while he probably could just find the spirit in question and drop by unannounced, he'll probably have more luck in a friendly visit if he at least notifies the deity of his interest and intent.

For the attention of [Name and title]

Honourable Sir, I write to request an audience with your esteemed self. The Bureau of Destiny has recently assigned to me a mission in Creation which I believe may impact upon and be influenced by your domain. Good manners and proper protocol compel me to consult with you before undertaking this assignment and keep you informed of all pertinent details, which I would be happy to do at a time and place convenient for you.

The assignment is somewhat urgent, so I might request a prompt response, lest the opportunity for such cooperation be lost. I await your response with a time and place suitable for such a meeting.

Yours Sincerely

Gentle Lotus, Sidereal Exalted
Bureau of Destiny, Central Convention

All right, Int+Bureaucracy to identify the individual in question and set up a meeting. I'm assuming more successes indicate a decrease in time taken and a stronger positive impression on the deity I'm hoping to meet.

Using the Fateful excellency to reduce the target number to four... and hell with it, buying four successes on top of that. I'm in a manse, I'll replenish the motes in no time. Assuming Celestial Bureaucracy speciality applies:

[roll0] +4 sux

Stunt: [roll1]

[Ifni]

The reply arrives remarkably promptly by messenger-spirit, within the half-hour. According to Lotus' information, in this case the person to talk to is actually the god formally assigned to the region - or at least, he hasn't been able to find any better candidates. The god in question is a minor spirit by the name of Iridescent Splendor of the Wings of Night, who seems to have largely evaded attention from the gossip-mongers. What little information does exist suggests this is mostly because he bores them. His formal title is ornate and flowery, taking up several lines on the page, but Lotus has long ago learned that in the lower echelons of the Celestial Bureaucracy, there is often an inverse relationship between the elaborateness of the title claimed by a god and that god's actual power. The weak often take refuge from that weakness in the trappings of pride and authority. Of course, this rule is far from universal.

The return letter is on the letterhead of the Bureau of Humanity, and stamped with a rather gaudy personal chop.

Most Illustrious and Magnificent Exalt, guide and guardian of Destiny, whose steps shake the vault of the stars themselves and whose name will surely be remembered forever in the annals of Heaven...

(The greeting continues in this vein for quite some time)

I am greatly honored by your kind attention to one so lowly as myself, although my joy at receiving your letter is tempered by my anticipated shame at falling short of your august expectations. I would be most glad to attend upon you at your own home or workplace; to my regret, my own office is meagre in size, deficient in decoration, and altogether unworthy of such a guest.

(The calligraphy here is a little odd - all in all the penmanship is not very good, but here, on peering for a few minutes, Lotus decides that the author had initially written something else, and then decided to try to change the characters. "Raucous" seems to have featured in the original text.)

Would the sixteenth hour of the present day be suitable? If not, I await your summons, great Exalt.

(An equally flowery farewell follows, attesting to the author's soul-tearing grief and dismay at the concern that his missive might cause a moment of offense or confusion to Lotus.)

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

When the time of the meeting comes, Iridescent Splendor of the Wings of Night turns out to be a rather shabby-looking spirit, by the standards of Yu-Shan. His form is largely human, except with the head of a crow, with bright black eyes and somewhat unkempt dark feathers. He is dressed in the sober garb of a prosperous patrician, under a bright many-colored cloak. In Creation, the fine fabrics of his garb, the jewels he wears, and the brilliant dyes of his cloak would all mark him as a wealthy man - but in Yu-Shan, these mean little more than a peasant's simple homespun in Creation, only testifying that the wearer is not actually destitute. He seems rather nervous, his gaze twitching about rapidly, head moving slightly in quick birdlike motions.

Sorry for the delay, this week has been busy. But now on holiday, ish, sort of :smallsmile:

Feel free to pick a setting for the meeting; that Bureaucracy roll can easily cover it :smallwink: Splendor doesn't really want to meet at his office, but anywhere else is fine with him.

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus smiles in a vaguely bemused fashion as he reads the response to his missive. Such an exceptional amount of flattery is unusual, but then he supposes this probably counts as an unusual situation. How often does a low ranking functionary get a personal meeting request from one of the Exalted? With that in mind, he composes a quick reply confirming the time and suggesting his own manse as the ideal place for a meeting.

When the time comes, Iridiscent Splendor is met at the gates of the House of Distant Horizons by a stern lion-headed god dressed in robes of gold and scarlet, studded with small rubies. This is Magnificent Patriarch, once a relatively minor deity of logistics in the Crimson Panoply who found himself displaced by the political maneuverings of a rival. Lotus had once met the spirit as part of his work some five years previously, and shared a rather enlightening conversation on the merits of economic and logistical sabotage as part of a military campaign, so upon hearing of the displacement had stepped in to offer a new position as his own majordomo.

Patriarch, having likely recognized his own position and understanding that the move could be seen as a promotion (working directly alongside one of the Exalted offers perks and access many gods can only dream of) promptly accepted, if only to spite his victorious rival. They'd worked together for five years now, with Patriarch managing Lotus' affairs while the Sidereal is on assignment and being repaid with a decent wage and a position of some influence. Greeting guests is one of his many duties, and having confirmed that Iridiscent Splendor does indeed have an appointment he shows the other God through to the study.

Lotus, for his part, is dressed in a stylish but understated suit of dark blue decorated with threads of polished silver. The resemblance to the night sky and the constellations, and from there the business of Fate and the Maidens, is obvious. He rises from behind his desk as his majordomo shows the guest in, inclining his head respectfully.

"Ah, Iridiscent Splendor of the Wings of Night." He says warmly. "Thank you for agreeing to meet me on such short notice. Magnificent Patriarch, do you think you could arrange some refreshments for us?"

The lion-headed god bows and then retreats from the room, while Lotus gestures to one of the comfortable chairs on the far side of his desk. "Please, sit."

Magnificent Patriarch came about when I started wondering who took care of Lotus' manse while he was out on missions. So I figured, what the hell, I live in Yu-Shan. Clearly I have a seneschal with the head of a lion who manages everything with military efficiency. I mean, that's just obvious!

[Ifni]

The crow-headed god eyes Magnificent Patriarch with poorly concealed unease, but takes a chair in response to Lotus' greeting. His motions are quick, jerky, a little stilted; even after seating himself his gaze continues to flicker around the room, taking in his surroundings.

"Your hospitality, most welcome," he mutters, in a reedy tone. "Most honored to accept invitation of illustrious Exalt. Your... mission..." A certain degree of dread enters his voice at the last word, "will impact my domain, your gracious letter said?"

[Maugan Ra]

"Nothing cataclysmic." Lotus says with a certain degree of dry humour that he suspects will be lost on the spirit in front of him. "But yes. The Blessed Isle as a whole is in for an interesting year or two, and right now my assignment is to make sure that the Jaen Ha and the humans living there come through it all in good shape. Ideally, they'll end up prosperous and with a strong connection to several other rising stars in the region. While I cannot disclose the exact nature of what is coming... I'm a Chosen agent of Mars."

He pauses for a moment to allow that fact and the associated implications to sink in. "Now, I'm going to be visiting the area in person over the next few weeks. I was rather hoping you'd be able to tell me what I can expect to find there."

[Ifni]

"Find? Grass. Horses. Ruined cities. Squabbling mortals." The crow-god tilts his head, inquisitive. "If is battle that comes, Exalted lord - they like the fighting, the riders. Entertains the Terrestrial courts, too." He hunches his shoulders. "But many riders. Travel fast. Where will be visiting?"

[Maugan Ra]

"I was thinking of starting with the Iron Hoof tribe." Lotus says mildly, though in truth he is slightly annoyed by the vague answer that the God has given to his previous question. "Though my interest in general lies with the larger and more militant tribes. Would you care to make a suggestion on that front?"

[Ifni]

The crow-headed god hunches down further. "Is hard to suggest, great Exalt, when one does not know what you seek," he mutters. "Iron Hoof are traders, mostly. Other tribes call them soft, lazy. Strong from wealth. For militant... Siroc fight. White Eagle Folk fight. Fight their own clan, fight others. Raid each other, and Iron Hoof. Smaller warbands too - they fight plenty, raid plenty. But not large."

He pauses, tilts his head, and offers, "Iron Hoof chieftains old for mortals. Daughter-heir ran away, so need to choose successor from outside their line. Dishonorable. Some say, cursed."

He ducks his head, and then looks sideways at Lotus, black eye glinting. "Some say," he mutters lowly, and rather apprehensively, "cursed for betraying old gods."

[Maugan Ra]

"People say a lot of things." Lotus says mildly, though he does make a mental note of that little fact as a potential avenue of investigation. "Still, you do have a point. I can hardly expect you to offer advice without some idea of the full situation. Needless to say, this is said in confidence, and should not be repeated outside these walls."

He hardly has to elaborate on precisely what is likely to happen to the god if he does repeat it to another - the Five-Score Fellowship has something of a reputation in such matters.

"War is coming to the Blessed Isle. Civil war, to be precise, between certain ambitious lords and the Scarlet Empress. The Empress is going to win." He says carefully. "The question is how much damage will be sustained by the Isle in the process. I would obviously prefer for a swift, undeniable end to the fighting with a minimum of collateral damage. For that, I need the horse-tribes."

Again, weight of rumour and reputation goes a long way in situations like this. Everyone in Creation and beyond knows the power that the Empress holds through the Sword of Creation, and no one wants to see that terrible scourge turned upon the land once again. Especially not deities like Iridiscent Splendor, who are rather dependent on the health and good fortune of particular areas and the dangerously fragile humans within.

"Rawar of Arjuf can bring a swift and decisive end to the fighting... if his flank is secured and he needs not worry about enemies crossing the Jaen Ha to attack his territory. The tribes can provide that security, through harassment and raiding parties aimed at any that attempt the crossing. I need to persuade them to do so."

He smiles faintly, regarding the raven-headed God with scarlet eyes. "Knowing that, what would you recommend?"

[Ifni]

"Hmm." The god sits forward in his chair, beady black eyes glittering. "Interesting. Tricky puzzle." He sounds rather... flattered?

He strokes his feathered chin, thinking for a moment. "Iron Hoof trades with easterners. Have supported new empire, new religion, Immaculate Order. Should be loyal - but maybe they wonder if they made right choice. Still wealthy, but fewer fighters than a decade ago. Daughter lost. Talk of curses. And risky, to oppose Dragon-Blooded."

"Siroc, White Eagles, Singing Stones - not the same fears. But -" The crow-god shakes his head. "One thinks... loyalty to Empire will not be reason enough, for them. Need to give them reason. Will be different for each, and don't know what they'll want. Do know - Siroc chieftain hates Immaculates, worships old Terrestrial courts."

"Cannot just court one tribe," he cautions after a momentary pause. "Will just make them easy target for other tribes, if they attack without support. Unless you protect them, great Exalt."

[Maugan Ra]

"Interesting." Lotus says with a thoughtful nod. "I can provide incentive, do the investigation..."

His voice trails off for a moment in sudden realization. "The heir of the Iron Hoof, the one who ran away... did she, by any chance, do so after the loss of her mother to a wasting sickness? Because I met a young girl from the horse tribes who did precisely that some time ago, and the Maidens have a fondness for disguising providence as coincidence."

[Ifni]

The god looks a little nonplussed. "Thought mother was still alive. Chieftain, together with husband. But could be." He puffs up his feathers a little, and offers a little dolefully, "Don't get down to Creation much, these days. Much work. Much paper."

"Girl who ran... about fifteen years ago. Trip to eastlands. Heard there was a quarrel, with Dragon-Blooded - family kept the alliance." He shakes his dark-feathered head. "Is not well thought of, in plains - to favor strangers, over own blood-kin."

I... huh. I hadn't even thought of that :smallwink:

Have a free BP as a reward :smallwink:

[Maugan Ra]

"Hmm. Probably not the same girl, then. Sometimes coincidence is just that. Either way, I can look into it." Lotus says with a shrug.

It is at this point that Magnificent Patriarch returns, carrying a tray full of sweet-meats and a pitcher of exceptional wine. He sets them down, pours a drink into two silver goblets and then retreats, leaving his master and their guest to their discussion.

"Still, that gives me avenues to pursue with the Iron Hoof and the Siroc. The White Eagles and the Singing Stones will require more investigation, but I suspect I can arrange something." Lotus says thoughtfully, taking a sip of the wine. "What do you know of the Terrestrial Gods in the area? You said the Siroc worship them, so they will likely have a significant role to play one way or the other."

[Ifni]

The crow-god picks up one of the sweetmeats, eyes it thoughtfully, and then pops it whole into his beak.

"Mmm. Very tasty. What? The Terrestrial Gods? Oh..."

Iridescent Splendor shakes his head disapprovingly. "Squabbling backbiters, all of them. Only ever call up to complain, never send proper reports. And their handwriting! Is uniformly terrible. Would say resembles bird scratchings, but grave insult to birds."

He picks up the silver goblet and dips his beak into it.

"Many little gods on the plains. Spirits of cats -" he nods at Magnificent Patriarch, a little nervously, "of birds, of hunters, and small hunted things in the grass. Salt gods, grass gods, stream gods. Horse-herd gods. Pestilence-gods, dream-gods, and some guardians, in the old places... not many gods for forest, or mountains, or roads, not in the Jaen-Ha." He drinks more wine, and adds, "Siroc venerate the dead, too; tribe named for hero-ancestor."

"But let me tell you about spirit courts. Think they are so special. There is much to tell..."

Lotus is promptly treated to an outpouring of what can only be described as petty office gossip; he learns about a wide range of feuds, rivalries, and who is sleeping with who, with a rather unflattering cast on all participants. The only name he recognizes is that of Kuri, who Iridescent Splendor seems to dislike noticeably - he refers to the spirit as a "sneaking, grasping, treacherous dog".

A couple of other names seem noteworthy. Emerald Son of the Clouds is apparently the god of the Serpentine River, which bounds the northwestern plains. There are some off-hand mentions of "scales" and "fangs" which likely hint at his favored form - it sounds like he is also fairly reclusive, choosing to remain apart from the intrigues of the local courts (he is mentioned mostly in contrast to others). In contrast, a being named "Hadur" features prominently in many of the stories; it seems that whatever he is, he is almost perpetually involved in romance, fighting or both, and often interacts with the local tribes.

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus listens attentively, interjecting with a comment of his own everyone now and then while sympathizing with the difficulties that Iridiscent Splendour has apparently faced. There's often a surprising amount to be learned from office gossip, if you know how to parse the jewels from the general flow of irrelevant information, and he's never been one to turn down a potential advantage before a mission.

Eventually, however, they come to a convenient lull in the conversation, and Lotus takes the opportunity to begin winding things up.

"You have been very helpful, Iridiscent Splendour." He says with a grateful smile. "With this, I have enough information to begin my work in the Jaen Ha. I'll probably depart for the region within the next couple of days."

Pausing, he drains the last of his goblet. "I like to repay those who have done me a favour, especially if it makes my work easier. If you can think of anything I can do to return the assistance you have offered, now or in the future, please don't hesitate to let me know."

It's slightly more than he needs to offer, in truth, since all of the information that Splendour has provided is directly relevant to an official assignment and cooperation is therefore a part of his responsibilities, but cooperation and appreciation keeps the wheels of the bureaucracy turning.

[Ifni]

Splendor puffs up a little. "Glad to be of help, great Exalt. Honored to be of help. Is difficult sometimes -" He sighs, although to Lotus' finely-tuned ear his despair sounds more than a little exaggerated, "- to be dutiful officer of Heaven. Your words very kind. I will think on it, let you know. Perhaps we meet again, when you return from Jaen-Ha."

Finishing his wine, and not-surreptitiously-enough hiding some sweetmeats for the road in the sleeves of his coat, Iridescent Splendor departs from Lotus' manse in a receding cloud of flattery.

---------

Later, a small spider returns to Lotus' shoulder and murmurs into his ear, Reed Flute, of the Iron Hoof tribe. Fled her parents' abode in the town of Sunrise Gap on 26 Descending Earth, Realm Year 100.

Returning to the Loom to requisition the woman's file is easy enough - an hour or so searching through the unindexed papers he already has convinces Lotus that this way will be considerably faster - but it is rather opaque as to her current location. There are no major settlements mentioned in her recent history; she does not seem to be either living in one or have recently visited any. There are enough geographical referents for Lotus to infer that she is in the north-western Jaen-Ha, but from the descriptions of her last few weeks, it seems she is currently living a nomadic life.

I assume you will want to read further into her file; just let me know what Lotus is looking for / what approach he's taking.

I... am pretty sure we houseruled destinies on oneself, but I can't remember the details - can you look for it? I'm still at conferences and don't have a ton of time.

Horse-tribes speak a dialect of Low Realm; it's mutually intelligible with standard Old Realm, but you will be noticeable as a foreigner unless you figure out a way to get the appropriate specialty, or make Manipulation+Linguistics rolls when talking to try to fake it. Of course, you can also just go with sounding foreign and make it work for you; your accent is probably heavily influenced by Old Realm, which could make sense for one Sent By Heaven.

Preferred clothing styles are vests and trousers, for both men and women. A long coat is often worn over the top, especially in cold weather (it's not currently cold, though). Colored patterns on the vest and coat, usually done with knotted or woven cords, indicate clan affiliation.

[Maugan Ra]

Reviewing his findings, Lotus cannot help but frown slightly. He supposes that tracking down this 'Reed Flute' was never going to be easy, but...

A moment's pause, and then he closes his eyes and sighs. "Of course. Trouble with Dragon-Blooded... yes, I suppose Madarian probably made enough of a fuss to qualify for that." He murmurs. "So. She's an experienced rider, stays clear of any real landmarks for a lot of the time, and is an experienced enough survivalist that she can survive all but alone for years on the plains. How do I find someone like that?"

The answer most would give is 'you don't'. The traditional way to track down a nomad would be to find where they're going and wait, or make them come to you through means fair or foul. Neither option is particularly applicable to him right now.

Still, he has advantages that others do not, and Lotus is reasonably sure he'll come up with something. Mischief is a damn good horse, after all...

So, just how large an area are we looking at here, when you say 'the north-west Jaen Ha'? Too large for Lotus to feasibly track her down on his own, having a starting point and a tireless horse? That's the brute force solution, so not exactly ideal, but I'm exploring my options here.

Still, while the brute force approach might work, it is unlikely to be quick or especially easy, and he always favours the more efficient route when given a choice. Better, therefore, to start with those who will have more information on Reed's whereabouts than he does - no one is an island, after all, and nomads often have a routine of some kind in their travel plans that allows one to predict their future course.

With that in mind, Lotus turns back to the file. It includes a list of known associates, of course, but perhaps more usefully it also lists where she stopped and when over the past year or more. Each point of data is a lead that he can follow up, the first step on a trail that will lead him to a greater picture of the elusive heir and her movements.

Obscurely, he finds himself reminded of an old story he once heard, said to have originated in the Southern Tribes. It was about blind men attempting to deduce the shape of a large animal of some kind by extrapolating from what they could feel, each being dramatically wrong as a lesson against relying too heavily on limited information. He had always thought that the true message in that story was the importance of cooperation - had the blind men compared their findings and their relative positions, their shared mental image of the beast would have been far more accurate.

That is what he must do here; take the testimony of a dozen individual reports and construct a broader picture from the scattered pieces. Time alone will tell if he succeeds, or merely reveals himself to be blind as well.

[Ifni]

There seem to be a score or so of other nomads with whom Reed Flute interacts quite regularly; it appears that they are traveling together as a group. The one of most note among these is Karoth; checking his file, it appears their threads have been bound together under the auspices of Venus since around the time of their departure from Sunrise Gap.

Outside that group, there are various interactions with members of other tribes, some violent and others peaceful. After several hours poring through the files of the other participants in peaceful interactions, Lotus finds what appears to be the file for the current leader of the Siroc, White-Feathered Ghost. It appears he has met with Reed Flute several times over the last few years.

[Maugan Ra]

Seated on a small, out of the way balcony in the Loom, papers spread around him as the spiders tend to the strands of fate all around, Lotus eventually nods to himself.

"It looks like the Siroc will be my best choice, then." He murmurs to himself. "They reject the Immaculate philosophy, so the idea of a god-blessed champion come to lead them to unified victory over the other clans would appeal. They have dealings with Reed Flute, so that should present me with an angle to get the Iron Hoof on board, especially if I can work out a way to mitigate the anti-Immaculate stance of the Siroc. From there... take it as it comes, really."

Stretching, he stands and stows the various notes and files away in the enlarged pockets of his robes. He could begin work on the rest of his preparations now... but he has been working for hours already, and there will be a meeting of the Task Force tomorrow which he needs to attend. Idly, he plots out his schedule - a short but rejuvenating rest, a meeting with the rest of the Task Force so that everybody is up to date with what he intends, a few hours to weave the appropriate destinies and otherwise prepare himself, then off to the Gate and into Creation...

Yes, he thinks with a smile, he can do this. More importantly, he can demonstrate to the others that he can do this. Minor, precise assignments such as his first in Sunrise Gap are the basic level of competency expected for a Sidereal, but it is a mark of talent to be assigned a strategic-level goal and come up with a workable plan to achieve it in under a day. Pulling this off will strongly reinforce his reputation, which will lead to more such assignments in the future and through them a chance to really change the world for the better.

Assuming, of course, that he doesn't screw it up.

With that cheerful thought in mind, Lotus turns and leaves the Loom chamber, whistling softly to himself.

So yeah, the next main scene I think would be good is a quick 'recap/relay plans' meeting of the Task force

[Ifni]

The attendance at the next meeting is dominated by the younger Sidereals and low-ranking subordinates of the senior gods, sent by their superiors to take notes. Sadness in the Blade is the only high-ranked member present, and she seems a touch impatient, eager to wrap things up quickly. Rol is absent, presumably in the Imperial City; he has been replaced by a small human woman with leafy green hair and eyes, who seems attentive but very quiet. Lathe is also gone; not unexpected, as travel in the East is a little more time-consuming than on the Isle.

Ascending Cloud and Arikani are both present. Cloud begins with a rather terse report on the state of the roads in Arjuf - "Main road from Arjuf to Juche seems to be all right, according to the road-gods. No recent reports of supernatural activity around the Natha area. A warning, though: the storms out of those mountains are highly unpredictable. And I mean that in the technical sense: the residual fate-snarls around that damn valley foul everything up. We should try to install some reliable weather-gods there, but I doubt they'll have time to get settled in before the imminent conflict."

"There's been a rockslide along the obvious second route over the mountains; as far as I can tell it wasn't deliberately engineered, but if the rebels know they might take advantage. The third route is pretty bad; adds at least a week to the march. In the lowlands of Arjuf the highways look to be in good shape. Water supplies will be important, if they're marching an army; it's bloody hot down there at the moment, and the last winter was mild, not much snowmelt from the peaks."

"Northern conflict looks -" She grimaces, and runs a hand through her hair. "I'm still digging through the reports from the Loom. I haven't found anything yet that suggests trying to bog them down would be a bad idea. I'll update you as I learn more."

Arikani presents a short report on potential allies for the Empress among the Dragon-Blooded Houses outside Arjuf, focusing on their interests in the Threshold and the impact of the Empress' moves toward greater autonomy and influence for her overseas possessions. She then turns to Lotus.

"I won't be able to dig into General Rawar's attitudes in great depth until I get down there - he's powerful enough that his forecast is only a very rough guideline - but I read through his history." She ticks off points on her fingers. "He's merciless to rebels; he helped put down the Seven Tigers, in the South, you might want to read those campaign histories if you want more detail. He poured the bulk of his family fortune into trying to win the Lookshyan campaigns for the Empress; he was not pleased by Vondy Beulen's defection. And of course there's his name: he set aside his family name, now referencing only the land he rules. In general I have the impression that the man is something of an absolutist. Duty, loyalty - perhaps to the point of rigidity, or tyranny."

She shrugs. "The good news is that he doesn't seem to have clashed in any serious way with the horse tribes, as of yet - you arranged for one of their young riders to join his retinue, about fifteen years ago, no? I read the cross-references - well, she's mentioned occasionally in his file, generally positively. There's also not much about the plains people in his one-year forecast."

"Before we discuss this further," Sadness in the Blade interjects, "Lotus, your report?"

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus spends the earlier part of the meeting jotting down notes in a personal shorthand, listening carefully so as to better keep track of everything that is going on. When Sadness addresses him, he nods and sits forwards.

"I've looked into the horse tribes. Checked the records, spoken to the local deities, put together a general picture. They're too divided, both geographically and culturally, to have an effective impact as a whole on the course of the war in the region. Which means I'm going to need to unite them."

He grimaces faintly. "Good news - I can do it. Each of the major tribes has an issue or two I can resolve as a way to get them on-board with what we need, and I've got a few options past that. United, they can basically shut down any attempt to strike across the Jaen Ha. That's not the problem. The problem is what comes next."

He drums his fingers on the table for a moment. "If I unify the tribes, then once the rebellion is over, Rawar is going to find himself with a large, battle-tested nation of highly mobile cavalry sitting on his borders. Neutrality in that situation would probably be impossible, and while I can probably influence them towards alliance with him rather than opposition, there's going to be military, cultural and political consequences from this for decades to come."

A shrug. "Granted, civil war means we can expect all of those anyway, and I figure it's still a better outcome than letting the rebels have free movement across the plains. Just... heads up, if anyone has anything planned that might get affected by this. I'll keep it as neat and limited as I can, but we're operating on a bit of a schedule, and I doubt I'll have enough time to control the fallout entirely."

[Ifni]

Ascending Cloud and Arikani both glance at Sadness, who raises a finger. "Lotus, I do not personally object, but this is a significant enough potential change to the Isle's future that it should be accompanied by proper cost-benefit projections and approved through the Central Convention."

She pauses, and then adds, "Stay afterward and we'll talk about how to expedite the process. Does anyone present have immediate input...?"

Arikani clears her throat. "I would respectfully request that my colleague take due consideration for the long-term fate-planning for that region involving the Immaculate Order -"

One of the minor gods makes a sound suspiciously like a choked chuckle, and then shrinks back in its seat as three pairs of Sidereal eyes fix on it.

Arikani looks back at Lotus a moment later. "We're having enough trouble converting the horse-tribes as is; unity is all well and good, but it'd be nice if you could make the rallying point something compatible with acceptance of the Doctrines."

"This also seems a reasonable point to ask if anyone else has questions, regarding any of the material presented," Sadness comments.

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus nods to Arikani. "I'll work something out. It should be doable, even if I have to approach the gods directly. Kuri agreed to work with the Order in exchange for past assistance, and given what's going on I'm sure I can make a persuasive case for the rest of the local powers."

He looks at Sadness next. "Of course. If necessary, it'll be easy enough to build in failure points into whatever alliance I set up, so it fractures again when no longer needed."

"As for broader questions... well, having a better idea of a time frame would be good, if only so I know how fast I need to work, but I appreciate we're dealing with Exalted here, so accurate predictions are rare. Beyond that, nothing."

[Ifni]

"It's early in Ascending Fire now," Cloud says thoughtfully. "Even if Essence tangles are snarling the forecasts, we probably have more than a month, easily - the heat of Resplendent Fire tends to discourage long marches by belligerents about as well as winter storms do. But once it starts cooling down..." She shrugs. "On the other end of the timescale, those winter storms? Ascending Air is only six months away."

Sadness gives a perfunctory nod. "To some degree the timescale can be controlled - the trigger will likely be when the rebels receive reports of events in the East, whether those events are real or not. Of course, the seal on Lookshy adds unpredictability." She glances at the younger Sidereals. "If you are descending to Creation, ensure you have the means to both receive updates and send reports in a timely manner."

The discussion continues for a little longer, but most of the participants would clearly rather be somewhere else, and Sadness adjourns the meeting after only a few minutes.

When the others have filed out, she turns to Lotus. "So, Shieldbearer - how do you think you would go about obtaining expedited approval for a potentially Direction-altering diversion of Fate?"

The Elder's voice is mild, even encouraging, but the question seems... potentially fraught.

[Maugan Ra]

When the others have filed out, she turns to Lotus. "So, Shieldbearer - how do you think you would go about obtaining expedited approval for a potentially Direction-altering diversion of Fate?"

The Elder's voice is mild, even encouraging, but the question seems... potentially fraught.

"...honestly, I have no idea." Lotus admits after a moment. "Not the most impressive of answers, I know, but I tend to find that faking the ability to do something ends up biting me when I need to actually do it."

He drums his fingers on the table, thinking about it. "I know how to file the official request, but expediting it... I imagine that it would involve having sufficiently senior members of the relevant Convention sign off on it. The larger the change, the more signatories needed. Alternately, I could probably just act and then make an argument for the necessity of quick reactions at the resulting audit, but that seems like something I'd want to avoid."

A shrug. "In this specific case, if I were to believe that approval would not be given, I'd still proceed on roughly the same course. Uniting the tribes is a tricky endeavor, and there will be a lot of fracture points that could see them split apart again if there isn't someone there to smooth it all over - me under a resplendent destiny, in the current plan." He grimaces faintly. "If long-term unification is not approved, then I can make sure it doesn't happen easily enough. Avoid naming a successor, only treat the dividing issues in a superficial, short-term fashion, that kind of thing. The fallout would be rather ugly, but on a broader stage the status quo would be maintained."

cref = Alexander the Great, and what happened to his unified empire after he died.

[Ifni]

Sadness in the Blade smiles, very briefly. Still, that is something of a surprise: the Elder Reckoner doesn't smile often, in Lotus' experience.

"Good answer," she says, rising to her feet. "You're lucky; Central has strong leadership. One person to convince. He will see you in his office tomorrow -" She names a time. Yu-Shan has no regular nights and days, but there is a cycle of business, set by the common schedules of the major departments in Heaven's bureaucracy. The meeting time is not particularly convenient; Lotus would normally be fast asleep at that point. "You'll have just over four minutes to make your case."

She turns to leave, moving toward the door with - not a dancer's flowing grace, but a flawless economy of motion learned over thousands of years. The Elders show their age in many ways. "Good fortune, Lotus."

Hmm. In reward for Lotus' prep in Yu-Shan, he may gain a dot of Investigation, a Bureaucracy Charm of his choice, and (as we discussed earlier) once you get down to Creation, you should feel free to stunt setting details regarding the plains-people into existence.

Also, that was a good Sidereal answer, which means you get a chance to try to earn Chejop's positive attention :smallwink:

There is time for Lotus to meet with Aumin first if he wishes, and you may set the scene for their meeting.

Regarding your question about the hawk, I think I'm not going to set it up like I did with Mischief, but of course you are free to create and/or nurture a legend involving a magical hawk as the Sign of the Chosen One, or some such, and then take advantage of it under a different identity :smallwink:

[Maugan Ra]

"Likewise, Reckoner." Lotus responds quietly as the elder Sidereal leaves the room. A meeting with the Chair of the Central Convention... that's not a particularly common thing. He's spoken with Chejop Kejak a few times before, naturally - there are only a hundred Sidereals in existence at the best of times, so they all know each other to some degree. Still, he doubts that he's exchanged words with the Chosen of Secrets more than, oh, a couple of dozen times at best. Considering that worked out to maybe once or twice a year, it's not exactly impressive.

Of course, Lotus knows well enough that Chejop isn't shunning him. The old man is simply one of the busiest people in all of Creation, and when he does take time off - usually small breaks snatched where he can in quiet times between the various impending catastrophes and deadlines - he likes to spend it in the company of his true friends, all of whom have known him for centuries. Which is fair enough. This appointment is probably something similar - a gap of a few minutes placed between a couple of meetings or similar, where he'll have just enough time to quickly summarize the extent of what is going on and get a response one way or another.

He understands the reasoning behind it, but still, the timing is a little awkward. He can't exactly rest for any real length of time between then and now, not if he hopes to avoid frantic rushing to get where he needs to be before the deadline, and his other preparations are best done with adequate time to spare. That means he just has to find some other way to occupy his time. Fortunately, he has a decent idea of where to start.

-/-

There are some truly spectacular parks in Yu-Shan, as befitting the glorious splendor of the heavenly city, but Lotus has long since found one in particular to be of particular distinction. Owned and managed by one of the higher ranking deities in the Bureau of Nature, it has the distinction of containing the most varied flora out of all of Yu-Shan's collection of semi-public gardens.

In form, the park resembles a small collection of islands linked by elegant bridges of painted wood, divided by lakes of perfectly clear water - only from above can one appreciate the way that the landscape forms a nigh-perfect map of Creation itself. On each island is a selection of plant life that most closely mimics the dominant species in the corresponding region of the mortal world, allowing one to take a casual stroll across half a dozen different biospheres. Lotus rather enjoys doing just that when his path takes him near this section of the city, and he is not alone in that.

Aumin is a creature of habit in many ways, and is slowly crossing one of the bridges when Lotus joins him.

"Figured I'd find you here, Sifu." He says with a smile.

Yay, charms! Which... basically means Underling Invisibility Method or an excellency. I'll take the former, since I effectively already have two excellencies, and more ways to go unnoticed can be pretty useful.

[Ifni]

"Dear me," Aumin murmurs, "getting predictable in my old age, am I?" He glances at Lotus, his blue eyes amused, as they walk down the slope of the bridge toward a narrow bed of sand and shells, backed by the lush greenery and brilliantly-colored flowers of the tropical West. "It's good to see you, Lotus. I hear you've been up to some interesting things, of late. Secret meetings, sealed files... I gather your latest mission is quite a catch." He glances down at the water, and the darting shapes swimming beneath. "Have you ever been fishing here?"

[Maugan Ra]

"Fishing? Can't say I have." Lotus says, peering into the water. "Never really been my choice of recreation. Who knows - maybe when I'm old and boring I'll give it a try."

His smile takes any sting out of the words. "And yes, it's all very hush-hush. Which is kind of why I came to see you - I'm going into Creation tomorrow, maybe the day after. I don't know how long I'll be there, but weeks seems like a minimum. Figured I'd drop by and let you know before I vanished into thin air."

His smile turns wry. "And I've got to meet Chejop Kejak in a few hours, right when I'd normally be sleeping, and convince him to sign off on something in about four minutes. Does he ever stop moving?"

[Ifni]

"Now, that would be telling," Aumin returns amiably. "Four minutes? You must have impressed someone. But I appreciate the advance warning. Try to stay in touch this time, hmm?"

"As for fishing," the older Sidereal goes on musingly, "the trick is... well, there are many tricks with fishing. Be patient. Use the right bait, for what you want to catch. Know where your targets congregate. Don't reel in your line until you have a real bite..." His smile flickers briefly at Lotus. "And know when you've hooked something too big for you to handle."

[Maugan Ra]

"...Lifestyle advice through enigmatic metaphor? Really, Sifu?" Lotus says, raising one eyebrow in amused disbelief. "Playing to the Sidereal stereotype a little bit there, aren't you?"

After a moment, though, he drops the mask of amused indifference with a sigh. "I appreciate it, though. Unfortunately, whether or not I can handle this isn't really relevant. Given my job and my past experience, it pretty much has to be me. I'm the one who knows the area best, and the fallout from what's coming is going to be large enough to impact anything I might do on the Blessed Isle in the near future anyway."

He shakes his head. "What are you up to lately, anyway? Anything exciting, or is one of the privileges of age being able to kick back and relax while everyone else runs around like headless chickens?"

[Ifni]

"I was attempting to be tactful, Lotus - you might try it sometime," Aumin grumbles, although there's amusement in his tone and little sting in his words. "Although it's worth remembering that stereotype is also a tool. People will categorize you at a glance; it often takes only a few small changes to one's demeanor to change the stereotype to which one is assigned, and thus wholly alter others' perceptions and expectations of you. Resplendencies are a valuable tool, but shouldn't be your only one."

"As for what I'm up to... also rather hush-hush, I'm afraid. Although it's been pleasant to spend some time in Yu-Shan for a change. Catching up with old friends, that sort of thing." The old Sidereal's blue eyes twinkle, and Lotus is almost certain that statement holds some deeper implication. "I should still be here when you get back, unless your mission takes longer than I expect. If not, you know you'll still always be welcome at my manse."

[Maugan Ra]

"It might well do. Certainly it has all the signs of something deceptively simple on the surface, but which ends up spawning a legion of secondary issues." Lotus says in a good-natured grumble. "I don't suppose you have any advice about helping to unite disparate social groups in order to more effectively leverage their strength on wider political scene? It sounds more like a Joybringer thing anyway, and while improvising as I go has worked in the past, it does tend to be more stressful than I usually prefer..."

[Ifni]

"Well, strategic marriages are a traditional route," Aumin answers absently, before suddenly stopping and raising a hand. "Note, I do not mean that as a personal recommendation, Lotus. I have noted a slight unfortunate tendency on your part to become directly engaged in events, when proxies would have served the purpose. I would strongly recommend against, er, becoming engaged in a more literal sense."

"Aside from that, for quick results - identify a common enemy, easily hated, and whip up fervor against them. That is usually easier than identifying a common goal, unless said goal is concrete and has large and obvious material benefits. Jade rushes, for example, can break down cultural divides, but in general people tend to adhere quite strongly to the status quo. New cults are another possibility, promising worldly or otherworldly salvation for true believers, although on the Isle that may encounter... challenges."

The Elder smiles faintly at the younger Sidereal. "But you've had training in the Cerulean Lute. I have confidence in your abilities. Now, shall we go look at the orchids? They have some new cuttings in from the Abalone jungle."

I don't think there's much more to say in this conversation, although I'm happy to continue it if you wish.

[Maugan Ra]

"Always good to be up to date on Creation's flora. You never know when you'll have to eat it. Or avoid being eaten by it." Lotus says dryly. "And yes, I'll try to avoid eloping while I'm down there. No promises about the direct involvement thing, though - I get stressed when I have too many things on my plate, and finding an excuse to punch people is an excellent way to relax."

Yeah, I'm good with that. I think next up would be the meeting with Chejop, possibly interspaced with a few quick pieces of other preparations that Lotus is undertaking.

Also, thoughts are welcome on the possible Evocations which I posted in the OoC. Working out what's appropriate for an artifact is actually quite interesting.

[Ifni]

The night is cool and dark when Lotus approaches the Forbidding Manse of Ivy, with Mercury hanging bright and golden above the horizon - at least, insofar as night in Yu-Shan is ever dark, bathed in the jeweled glow of the street-lamps.

He has visited the Manse before, of course - for sorcerous training, for consultations with the archivists, to get coffee with Sapphire Sparrow. Still, the ivy-wreathed alabaster curves of its vast walls seem a little more foreboding on this occasion.

The silver-skinned god on duty in the lobby blinks sleepily at Lotus when he mentions an appointment; it's evidently late in her shift, and she appears to be concealing a book under her desk. "Welcome, Chosen." After a quick check through her paperwork, she looks back up. "You know the Efficient Secretary Technique, yes? Have your spider guide you - the relevant Keys will have been placed within your library."

The ensuing journey through the Manse is quite complex; it would be difficult to even retrace one's steps. Some of the rooms are reminiscent of the Loom chamber, with stairways that coil back on themselves, and walkways that only have one side. Other rooms seem built as deliberate puzzles, with shifting blocks and doorways. Lotus has to stop regularly to consult with his secretary, who only seems capable of giving directions for a few rooms at a time; if pressed on the route beyond that point, the small green spider becomes agitated, clicking its mandibles together.

About ten minutes later, he finds himself standing outside a door, indistinguishable from the others along this corridor. (Lotus cannot see the end of the corridor; it appears to curve away to infinity.) The door is painted white, with small carvings of twined ivy leaves along its edges. It doesn't have a knocker, only a polished doorknob made from some dull-colored metal.

[Maugan Ra]

Having used the trip here to properly refine his mental notes (physical ones are entirely pointless for this sort of thing, since he won't have enough time to reference them) Lotus mentally compares the time with his designated appointment slot.

When it arrives, he knocks sharply on the door, waits for a couple of moments just in case whoever is on the other side wishes to tell him to wait (you never knew when a confidential meeting might overrun, though it didn't happen often with the Central Chair), then puts his hand on the doorknob and opens it.

[Ifni]

The office is... small? Perhaps. There are many cabinets and drawers and shelves built into the walls, appearing too small to hold much of interest - but appearances, here, are almost certainly deceiving. The angles of the walls seem not quite square, as if the space within this room possessed some subtle curvature, a much larger volume packed into its small footprint.

The desk is functional, a plain rectangle of a grayish wood, polished smooth. An extensive writing kit - inkstone, brushes, sticks of ink of many colors - sits on one side of the desk, which is otherwise empty.

There are no sumptuous furnishings here, and no sign of personal mementos either. The simplicity of the place reminds Lotus a little of Aumin's apartments, but Aumin's home is warm, casual, as comfortable as a well-fitting old pair of boots. This place might reflect the shape of a mind, but if so it is a mind full of hidden doorways and compartments, a mind that offers the world no trace of its hopes and regrets.

"Unfolding Lotus of Gentle Summer," the white-haired man seated behind the desk greets him quietly. "You may dispense with greetings, given the timeframe. Please present your proposed course of action with regard to the horse tribes of the Jaen-Ha Plains."

[Maugan Ra]

"Of course, sir." Lotus says simply, not wanting to waste too much of his sharply limited time. "My current assignment is to use the horse tribes to prevent any movement of rebel forces across the Jaen Ha plains and thereby secure the flanks of the Arjuf province. No one tribe can reliably accomplish this, even without inter-tribe conflicts taken into account. Therefore, to help ensure success I intend to unify them into a more cohesive force."

A momentary pause there to let the initial layout sink in. Technically it is uncertain whether he should be saying such things given the confidentiality of the recent meetings, but the head of the Central Convention has a right to know, and in truth Lotus highly doubts that Chejop Kejak is actually unaware of this sort of thing anyway.

"The question is whether I take steps to ensure this alliance holds together in the long term, or whether I build in fracture points that ensure it collapses once the need for unity has passed. On a personal level I would prefer the former, as a single power bloc will be easier to negotiate with in the aftermath and I feel confident that I can align its initial policies with the broader intentions of the Bureau for the region in question." Given that he is speaking with the man who played a large role in defining those policies there is little need to clarify there. "This would however introduce long-term political consequences for an appreciable fraction of the Blessed Isle. Thus, I need an official judgement."

He falls silent there, awaiting a response and any other questions. In truth he would prefer to make a more detailed case, one that laid out precisely why he felt so confident and the details of his intended methods, but there simply isn't enough time and thus brevity must be employed.

[Ifni]

Chejop Kejak nods slightly. The old man's sharp green eyes grow distant for a moment. "In the short term, this plan accords with our interests. In the long..." His gaze comes back to Lotus' face. "Imagine now that you have received your permission. Focus your will entirely upon carrying out your plan for long-term unification. Insofar as you have detailed proposals in mind, commit yourself mentally to enacting them. Tell me when you are ready."

Sidereal Lore and Awareness Charms are so, so cheatery, in their ability to extrapolate consequences.

I am vaguely considering introducing a mechanic of "Planning Points" or something similar; the idea is that expending a Planning Point would allow you to make up plot points that are actively helpful to you (there's an ancient myth about a hero with a magic falcon / the tribal chief has a secret desire for a pet elephant / the Lost Heir who just got killed by a stray arrow had a younger sister, etc). In-game, what this means is that the myth etc always existed, and you cleverly found out about it in your pre-planning. Would you be interested in such a mechanic? If so, a good stunt describing Lotus' plan will give you Planning Points (I'd probably also award some based on his research and preparations).

[Maugan Ra]

For a moment Lotus is confused, then he nods in understanding as the reasoning becomes clear to him. Taking a breath, he clears his mind and focuses his will.

Permission has been granted. My first step upon entering Creation will be to track down and visit the local gods, getting them on-side with words or Terminal Sanction. With that in place, I will have them support my false identity as a unifying figure...

Step by step, the plan crystallizes in his mind. He knows the local spirits, he knows his own abilities, and overall there is reason enough for confidence. It is not a linear path, for always there must be room for contingencies and fallback plans, but every choice leads inexorably to the same end.

It takes less than a minute for Lotus to finalize his decision and his plan, and when he has done so he nods to Chejop Kejak, as one might to acknowledge orders given before departing. The time now comes to see what Fate thinks of his plan...

Planning points sound interesting - kind of like introducing a fact in 3e, but with a broader scope and a stock of automatic successes?

[Maugan Ra]

Weaving Resplendencies Part One

Seated in the library of his manse, Lotus takes a deep breath and musters his willpower. It is time to begin constructing what he needs for the mission, and everything is prepared - he has his maps of the night sky, his accumulated notes on likely constellations and other useful associations, and Magnificenf Patriarch has been given strict instructions to deflect any visitors and allow only the most critical of interruptions.

It is always best to start with the most important destiny, the key piece around which the rest of his plan will be structured. There are many ways to unify a diverse group of people, some which Aumin has taught him and others which he has learned through experience, but the primary constraint in this particular case is time. The civil war is quickly approaching, and if the horse tribes are to play a role they must be unified and practiced at working together by the time it arrived. That is a much harder thing to accomplish, but it can certainly be done, most notably through the use of a single unifying figure that all of the tribes can relate to in one way or another.

Standard Sidereal doctrine would be to find an existing candidate from among the tribes and support them, but his Sifu is right to say that Lotus generally prefers a more hands-on approach. In any case he lacks the ability to reliably study all the many different candidates and select a viable leader in the time available, and thus must play the role himself. Fortunately, it is a roll for which he is admirably suited. He simply needs to determine the proper identity to use.

This leader, this unifying figure, this Chief-of-Chiefs would have to be a most uncommon kind of man. He would have to be brave, and fearsome, and larger than life. He would need a force of personality and a reputation so advanced that his shadow could fall across an entire people, and he would need to be able to back it up when the existing leaders sought to challenge him. He would, in short, need to be a legend in mortal flesh, one capable of changing the course of nations with his own personal might and will.

The Banner is the obvious constellation to hold primacy over such an identity, for it is the sign of heroes and tyrants, of reputation and glory. Barely even conscious, Lotus moves his hands through the relevant patterns, lightly touching upon the strands of fate and weaving them together into the desired form. Temujin would be the name of the unifier, from an old dialect meaning 'Child of Thunder'. He would be tall and well built, with eyes like a hawk and skin weathered by constant exposure to the elements, his facial features formed in such a way as to suggest ancestry from many tribes and yet none in particular. He would be the chosen of heaven, a man that some would whisper might not be a man at all, one who carried the blessings of the gods themselves and destinied to unify the tribes of the Jaen Ha.

The Sidereal pours his essence, his will and his very soul into the work, knowing how important it is that he succeeds. Before the weight of such unquestionable conviction, the world itself begins to change...

OK, step one, create a resplendent destiny of Temujin under the Banner. The roll is Charisma+Performance+Banner, which for me is 12. The difficulty is 3+1 for Exalted + Essence, which is 8.

As a side note... damn, that's a high difficulty. I seem to recall we had some form of agreement about not applying the base 3 or possibly the essence toll for self-directed effects? In any case I'll press on with it as written for now.

This takes an hour and I'm not spending any longer to generate more successes. I will, however, buy the maximum four sux with the Second Excellency and then convert all my other dice to successes with an Auspicious Success. The total is thus 16 sux + whatever I got for my stunt.

Duration: 9 months
Effect Points: 8

Possible powers:
Heroic General Presence costs two points per scene and reduces the difficulty of all valor checks for those under my command to 1, which could be useful for particularly important fights.

Battle-Fellow Attitude costs 1 endurance per month and recalls soldiers who once served under me, which is pretty much entirely useless if the 'me' refers to this identity and very highly restricted if it works for anyone a particular Sidereal has impersonated...

Tide of History costs three endurance and a paradox dice per month, but means that those fighting under me never fail valor checks of difficulty 1 and ignore all wound and fatigue penalties, which is pretty amazing. Very useful ability to have, this one...

[Ifni]

The old Sidereal's fingers move very slightly, as if unspooling thread. He closes his eyes for a few seconds. When he speaks he does so without prelude or warning; it has been a long time since Chejop Kejak needed to remind others to attend to his words.

"An army marches, boots and hooves churning the wide land. A river in flood, and a serpent's empty skin. Rusted bones rise from a long-past battlefield. A mountain shadows the plains, and topples as if to crush them. A dark-haired woman wields fire and the sword against her own kin. Plague poles, quarantine signs, guard the borders, and a hyena howls in the night. A child of the dragons grows to adulthood, unaware of his blood. A woman in white dies still speaking, her words scattered on the air, while to the south stories strive for supremacy, to be the legend that will shape the Singing Stones. A stallion gallops the plains, alone. An old woman returns home, one leg gone below the knee, but she rides a fine horse and bears an ancient sword. Fire. A falling star. A ghost waits beneath white boughs. Five stand in a circle, and vows and promises are exchanged. Blood soaks into the winter-frozen earth. A road will be laid, where now there are only grassy hills -"

The Oracle's fingers close, and he opens his eyes. "I will expedite approval of your proposal, Shieldbearer, on the condition that you adjust your plans as necessary to advance the prestige and power of the Immaculate Order in that region. Note that there is a monk serving with the Iron Hoof; a mortal, but of considerable rank and wisdom. The outcaste youth may also be useful to you - Earth-Aspected seems most likely. I see no signs of Lunar activity; gods, spirits and remnants from the Plains of Rusted Iron seem likely to furnish your largest sources of potential supernatural opposition, and the attendant disruption of Fate."

Your four minutes are fairly close to up, but you can get the last word in if you wish.

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus nods. "I can do that. The Outcaste... well, they'll need a new leader after I'm gone. Setting up an Immaculate-friendly Dragon-Blood of local heritage in the area would go a long way towards establishing that."

He pauses thoughtfully. "Well, I believe that's everything, sir. I'll take my leave now, unless there's anything else you wish to add?"

So, I think all that's left in Yu-Shan is the rest of my destinies and other miscellaneous preparation, which I can handle in a few posts. Anything else on your end, or should we go straight to the 'entering Creation' part?

[Ifni]

The Oracle raises a hand in acknowledgement. "Maidens guide you." He says nothing more, and his attention is clearly already turning away from Lotus. Behind him, the door swings open. Four minutes are up.

Nothing more here - we can leap to Creation.

[Maugan Ra]

Weaving Resplendencies Part Two

With his primary identity established, Lotus turns his attention towards the secondary and supporting roles he could use to most effectively pursue his mission. His essence is refined to the point where he can reliably support four resplendent destinies at once, and he intends to make full use of them.

The Captain occupies an unusual position in the study of astrology, often sitting between the House of Battles and of Journeys in the nighttime sky. It is that association that provides the inspiration for Scale-Lord Abraasi, a tough and weathered veteran from the Arjuf legions. He served his term on the frontline and then moved on to provide protection for merchant caravans in the Plains region. His will is one of iron and his skills have hardly degraded at all, and he has picked up enough knowledge of the tribal culture over the years to pass without causing offense - a valuable skill indeed.

The Treasure Trove has served him well in the past, and for such an important assignment he turns to it once again. It governs revealed wisdom and the search for enlightenment, and from such auspicious beginnings is born Pale Elm, a scholar with a civilized man's interest in the barbaric. Educated and well-respected in the society of the Realm, he has chosen the horse-tribes of the Jaen Ha to serve as the topic for his next work, and has come to study and catalogue their ritual practices and traditions for posterity. Well meaning but impractical, he might look somewhat out of place.

It seems fitting that his final identity be drawn from the House of Endings. The Rising Smoke holds dominion over all those who have finished walking a path, literal or metaphorical, and recent graduates from education certainly count. Singing Arrow is a young tribesman from a small and obscure family, one too minor to have many enemies or many friends. He hopes to exploit this to act as a neutral courier and outrider, making a name for himself among the larger tribes, and though skilled he is lacking in the hard edge that only experience can bring.

Hours roll by as Lotus sits in his library, compiling data and weaving the strands of fate around his own destiny. Star charts gleam with constellations picked out in silver thread, and the wine glass shines with reflected scarlet light as he pours his essence into the preparations. There is no such thing as being too prepared, and while he doubtless cannot predict everything that might happen, he is determined to have a strong foundation to fall back on if needed.

So, three more resplendent destinies, ones from a very well rounded selection of constellations. With these I have identities from the Houses of Journeys, Battles, Secrets and Endings, which seems appropriately auspicious.

I'm not buying auspicious successes for any of these, since willpower is a much more valuable resource than motes. I will however buy four successes for each roll with the Second excellency and then lower the target number to four.

The Captain: [roll0] + 4 sux

The Treasure Trove: [roll1] +4 sux

The Rising Smoke: [roll2] +4 sux.


Other preparations part one

For a place that goes by the name of 'the Heavenly City', there are surprisingly few temples in Yu-Shan. Oh, buildings that reflect religious themes in their design are fairly common, but actual dedicated places of worship are rare. Perhaps this is not surprising, for familiarity breeds contempt and those few mortals who live here are surrounded by gods every day of their lives, while the spirits are rarely inclined to pay much in the way of homage to each other.

There are however exceptions, primarily among the Incarnae. The Maidens of Fate hold themselves at a distance, truly understood only by one another, and command power and insight beyond the imagination of even the majority of the gods. They evoke awe in even the most jaded, and Lotus is no exception. Built into his manse is a small room filled with minor shrines to all five of his ultimate superiors, and it is before them that he kneels now.

"My Lady Mercury, I stand at the threshold of a journey that will lead me across many miles and to an uncertain destination. I ask that you watch over me and guide my steps." He says in a quiet voice, head bowed to the first shrine. It takes the form of a lantern, such as one might find lining the edges of a road or adorning the entrance to an inn for wary travelers, and wrapped around the base is a strip of yellow cloth.

"My Lady Venus, I go to bring unity to a people long divided, that they might prosper together rather than fall apart. Bless my words with the skill to see such a thing done." He says to the second shrine, a pale blue bowl filled with still water.

"My Lady Mars... war is coming, war between the Exalted. Grant me the strength to endure, the will to persevere and the skill to see the path to victory." The shrine to his own patron is bronze shield hung upon the wall, marred with old dents yet still intact, humble yet resolute.

"My Lady Jupiter, I feel like a blind man before the maze, able to do little more than press forwards and trust to hope. Help me clear my vision and perceive the truth of things, that I might better understand." The shrine to the Maiden of Secrets is perhaps the most appropriate, for it is a scroll bound tightly with Emerald thread and sealed with wax, never opened.

"Finally, my Lady Saturn, lend me the wisdom of your judgement. I expect to face many problems, many lingering hatreds and old grudges that will prevent the tribes from unifying. Help me bring a proper End to them, so that the new nation can truly begin." He says to a simple slab of pale stone, as might be found marking the grave of some unknown individual in any number of forgotten fields throughout Creation.

With his prayers complete, Lotus rises to his feet. He looks over the shrines, symbolic representations of the mighty deities that stand both so close and so far from where he stands, and smiles faintly. "I am a servant of Fate, an agent of Destiny and a Sidereal Exalted. I have all I need to see this mission through. I do not ask for your blessings to do what is otherwise impossible, merely to smooth what might be an uneven road." His faint smile morphs into a full scale grin. "But hey, if you feel like breaking out a divine miracle or two anyway, I certainly won't say no."

With that, he bows respectfully, then turns and leaves the room. It is almost time to be underway...

So, this is me using Faultless Ceremony to bless a ritual aimed at accomplishing a certain goal - namely, uniting the horse tribes of the Jaen Ha and turning them against the rebels. I automatically succeed any required rolls, gain the benefits of having a secondary motivation towards this goal, and may also receive any number of exceptionally minor but useful supporting effects as well at the discretion of the ST.

This might also work as training for an Investigation charm - Auspicious Prospects, to be precise. I already have Secrets, so picking up any of the others would be useful, preferably Battles or Serenity.

[Ifni]

Is there a whisper in the air? Something so faint that it might as well be non-existent... yet it dances across the water of the azure' bowl, stirs the flame in the golden lantern, stirs the frayed ends of the emerald thread. The bronze shield rings faintly, like a struck bell - and afterward, there is silence.

Perhaps it was only a breeze, after all. Or perhaps Lotus carries something more than memory with him, as he leaves the shrine.

2-die stunt on Resplendencies. 3-die stunt on the ceremony (you may take a free BP if you wish), and you may learn Auspicious Prospects for Battles.

Also, your Bronze Faction Backing has risen - provisionally, for the moment - to 4. You may requisition artifacts etc accordingly.

Are you ready to head to Creation, or do you have more prep to do?

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus pauses for a brief moment as he feels what might have been a breeze, then nods slowly and continues on his way. He needs to be properly prepared for this assignment, after all, and that means acquiring certain supplies.

From his friends and colleagues in the Central Convention, Lotus acquires a slender headband of polished silver woven with a single strand of Starmetal. It seems to fit perfectly when he puts it on, and the resonance created between his own mind and the artifact serves to greatly enhance his senses and heighten his awareness of the celestial realms. That this might have the side effect of assisting in efforts to detect and subdue any of the Terrestrial spirits he might encounter is implied to be a benefit by the colleagues from which he obtains it - the God Wars are still a sore topic in the minds of many, and many have little hesitation in striking at their nominal subordinates by proxy.

To compliment it, Lotus speaks to a few well connected people and manages to acquire the temporary right to a pale Hearthstone the size of a walnut, which slots perfectly into the headband above his Caste Mark. He is going to be in Creation as an emissary of Heaven, after all, and it would not do for the gods' reputation to be tarnished by association with anyone less than awe inspiring.

From the divine bank with which he stores his wages the Sidereal obtains enough of the local currency to see him living like a king for months, carefully securing it in the unrealistically deep pockets afforded to him by his choice of attire. A visit to the quartermaster at the Crimson Panoply adds to that haul with a wide variety of well made weapons and other tools, many of which Lotus honestly expects will serve better as gifts to the more warlike natives than in his own employ, but you never know when something might prove useful.

OK, Lotus can justifiably use his Backing in the Bronze Faction (for the Immaculate-furthering goal), the Central Convention (it's on the Isle) and the Convention on War (duh) for this one. That gives him eight dots he can spread among useful artifacts and the like, raised to nine by the provisional increase in his Bronze backing.

Three of those dots are currently reserved for his Starmetal Infinite Resplendence Amulet, and a fourth is being spent on the Harmonic Adaptor for the Starfall Gauntlets. That leaves me with five more.

I'll use two of them on acquiring a Dragon Tear Tiara and the other three on picking up a Gem of Grace, both in the core rules. I don't know if you'd permit me to retroactively apply the Tiara bonus to my astrology rolls? It's still useful even if not, so I don't have very strong feelings one way or the other.

With that, I am ready to head into Creation. How exciting...

Oh, and I'll take that BP and spend it on a dot of Lore.

[Ifni]

The Sixth Gate stands at the far south-western edge of the Jaen-Ha, near the border of the Plains of Rusted Iron, where the coastline of the Blessed Isle curves to form the Great Iron Bight. From this point, the wide rolling grasslands of the Jaen-Ha stretch hundreds of miles north and east.

Lotus' advance research has revealed some salient facts about this particular Gate. Its isolation from the great cities of the Realm - and its proximity to the ruined Plains of Rusted Iron - has made it an unpromising site for Central Convention facilities or Immaculate monasteries, especially since the Contagion made mortal manpower a scarce resource.

It is currently administered by a single road-god; the exact god assigned there varies, but they are always a subordinate of the Ancient of Stone Journeys, tasked with guarding this stretch of the Great Coast Road.

The Gate itself is surrounded by the ruins of the First Age town that once served it. Over the years, it has served the purposes of the Central Convention to have the town become known as a haunted place, forbidden to mortals. Outside the town itself, along the coast road, a small shrine to the Ancient of Stone Journeys serves as the guardian-god's abode.

When Lotus steps across the threshold of the Gate, out into the air of Creation, the sun is just rising. The air is already warm with the heat of early summer. The wind is blowing in from the coast, and it smells of brine and seaweed.

He and Mischief stand in a circle of tumbled stone buildings. The Gate sits below the surface level of the ground, half-hidden in a sunken bowl with stair-stepped sides, shadowed from all directions by the ruins.

It takes only a few moments to find a clear path out through the rubble (although Mischief eyes the layout thoughtfully, clearly considering the possibility of simply leaping the ruined buildings in a single bound). Once outside the square that holds the Gate, it is quite difficult to see that the path exists, even knowing that it's there; the fallen walls are a maze, and the shadows fall in just the right way to conceal the path.

The sea-wind blows stronger here, and Lotus can hear the sound of surf beneath the cliffs. Stepping up to stand atop a pile of stones, he can see where the land cuts away, falling to the sea below. The Great Coast Road, relic of the First Age, runs like a ribbon of dully shining hematite between the ruined city and the ceaseless sea, dark against the reddish rock of the cliffs. A small stone tower stands at the furthest point of the cliffs, holding a bright point of light in its uppermost windows, fading almost to invisibility with the advent of the day.

In the opposite direction, looking inland, the thin vegetation that crawls over the ruins - stunted by wind and salt, but sheltered from the sun by the shattered stone - gives way to open flat country, thick with dry golden-brown grasses, and dotted here and there with low dull-green scrub.



Seaward:
http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2015-01-14-TheGreatAustralianBightEarthDrReeseHalter-thumb
http://best-wallpaper.net/wallpaper/s/1202/Lighthouse-sea-waves-rocks-cliffs-sunset_s.jpg

The city:
http://www.mccullagh.org/db9/1ds-4/roman-city-ruins-dougga.jpg

Landward:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/blavel/pictures/47168/th_10.06.03_The_real_Nullarbor.JPG

The tiara bonus can retroactively apply to astrology rolls, sure, go ahead and roll it.

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus still remembers the advice given to him by the Abbot of the Wind Flutes, and although the territory around the Sixth Gate is supposed to be abandoned and ruined there seems little sense in risking some inquisitive scout laying eyes on what he really looks like ahead of time. The last step taken before entering Creation, then, is to weave himself a new face with sorcerous power and lay it over his own. So it is that when he emerges from the gate it is as the weathered, golden-eyed and powerful Temujin, obvious descendent of local stock and harbinger of war. Everythung from his stance to his expression to his very fate proclaim this to be true.

Whoops, almost forgot - use Disguise of the New Face to appear as Temujin. The spell in Emerald Circle states that it needs an arcane link to the target being impersonated - I'm hoping I can get away without one of those since I'm not impersonating anyone who actually exists, or alternately that I can use the existence of an actual newly-woven fate as an Arcane Link for these purposes.

I'm also slightly concerned that the spell doesn't protect you from being identified as an Exalt by Measure the Wind, as I'm going to be dealing with spirits a lot. I'm hoping that can be fudged into it detecting me as a being supernaturally empowered by a high ranking deity, which would compliment the disguise rather than instantly ruining it.

Also donning resplendent destiny.

With a somber expression, the God-blooded champion looks around the ruined city, taking in the destruction and ruination that war and disaster could wreck upon even the most advanced of people. It might be a dire portent, but it could just as easily be a reminder of what he was here to avert, and he would not seen the People suffer the same fate if it could be avoided.

"Come, Mischevous One." He says to his steed, swinging himself up onto her back with practiced ease. "It is a long way to the Serpentine River, and we do not have the luxury of being slow. It is time to run."

Mischief, for her part, snorts in amusement at her partner's strange accent and mannerisms. She was used to the fact that he could switch faces - it would be hard not to be, after so many years together - but they were still entertaining. Still, there was no point in complaining, not when there was so much open space in front of her. Yu-Shan was a lovely city, and there were quite a few parks and similar areas where she could run, but it was nothing like this.

Given into the temptation, the divine horse throws herself forwards into an outright gallop, treading on the air itself to carry her easily over the buildings and then racing across the plains faster than any mortal animal could hope to match.

Yup, Serpentine River to start with, Mischief going as fast as she can - which is pretty damn fast. Emerald Son of the Clouds seems like a good choice to start with, in terms of securing the backing of local deities for this, as well as one of the easier ones to find given his domain is such an extended one.

Depending on how long it takes to get there Lotus might stop for a rest along the way or he might activate one of his own fatigue-ignoring abilities. It depends, really.

[Ifni]

Five hundred miles north, across the open plains of the Jaen-Ha, skirting the red-earth boundary of the Plains of Rusted Iron. More than two weeks travel, on a good horse; almost a week even by the best of Imperial horse relays.

Temujin and the Mischievous One will cross it in less than a day.

They cross streams and marshes, startling flocks of waterbirds into the air. They cross grasslands and heaths, and pass by the occasional spinney of spindly trees and bushes. Wood is not burned for fires, here on the plains, being far too precious; horse-dung is used instead. They see herds of wild horses running in the distance, and eagles circling overhead, and once or twice a hare startles from beneath Mischief's hooves.

It is around midday when Lotus first notices the dark silhouette racing alongside them - another horse, a stallion. He is black, and a little larger than Mischief, but with the same flawless conformation. And he is keeping up, albeit not outpacing her. He whinnies once at her, a sharp joyous sound, but otherwise seems content - at least for the moment - to run alongside the pair. As far as Lotus can see, he has no rider.

Is Mischief using Landscape Travel? At base "inexhaustible horse" pace the trip will take a bit less than 24 hours.

Either way, at midday, you're a fair way from the river. but there will be a couple of events along the way. This is the first one. How do you react?

Also, regarding Planning Points, let's start you out with 4, and we'll see how it goes.

[Maugan Ra]

A stallion gallops the plains, alone.

It is the way of prophesies to be most easily understood after the events they foretell have occurred, but the perceptive can often identify certain elements that allow them to determine when such a prediction is in the process of playing out. Some even manage to recognize such an occurrence ahead of time. In this case, the meaning seems clear enough that even a child could grasp the importance of this event, though determining quite why something is so significant is the real trick.

As the black stallion falls in alongside them, Temujin at first blinks in surprise, then grins in fierce pleasure. A light touch on his steed's shoulder conveys his intent and is met with enthusiastic agreement - this is the first time another horse has ever really come close to matching Mischief's speed, and such an opportunity should be savoured. The God-touched rider laughs in exhilaration as they pick up the pace, red horse and black racing over the plains with a speed to put the wind to shame.

They run in relative silence for a time, taking enjoyment in the sheer feeling of speed and the pleasant burn of physical exertion, but eventually the appearance of a small stream offers a natural place to pause the chase. Mischief tilts her head to glance back at her rider, who nods in agreement, and the two of them slowly draw to a halt. Yu-Shan is a place of many wonders, but there is always something to be said for a refreshing drink of cool, clear water after a prolonged run. As the mare dips her head to drink, Temujin vaults from her back and then turns towards the black stallion.

"Magnificent!" He proclaims in a powerful voice ringing with laughter, speaking in the language of the gods - for it is obvious that this is no ordinary horse. "It is a rare thing indeed to meet anyone capable of matching Mischief in a race. A pleasure to meet you, whoever you are."

The scarlet mare raises her head from the stream just long enough to whinny in both agreement and curiousity, before returning to her drinking.

Mischief would be using Landscape Travel, yes.

This post assumes that the black horse would stop with us when we paused to drink. If not, it can easily happen while still running.

[Ifni]

The black stallion slows when they do, and walks over to the stream, letting the water rush around his hooves as he lowers his head to drink thirstily. Then the horse's form blurs and shifts, and a dark-haired man crouches at the edge of the river, lifting his hands to splash water over his brow. He is dressed much like Temujin. His skin is dark and sun-weathered, his bright brown eyes approving as he studies the pair.

"Rare for me as well," he says equably. He stands up, shaking the water from his hair, and bows to Mischief. "And likewise a pleasure."

[Maugan Ra]

Temujin blinks in surprise at the sudden change of shape, but rallies quickly. Behind his golden eyes, Lotus fights down a surge of doubt.

A shapeshifter? But the old man saw no signs of Lunar interference. God-touched, then?

"Ah, but I am being rude. I am called Temujin." The would-be warlord says after that momentary pause of surprise. "And this is... well, I call her Mischief, for reasons that will be apparent if you spend too much time around her. I helped her and her mother out a while back in a dispute with a forest spirit, and we've been running together ever since."

Mischief snorts in a way that manages to perfectly convey 'If you can call what he does 'running'.

[Ifni]

"I am called Hadur," the man replies. His smile is faintly amused, as if he expects a reaction. "Temujin - a name with meaning. Do you call a tribe your own?"

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus recognises the name Hadur from his preparations, but there were never many details. So while Temujin notes the name with the air of a man who has heard it before, he reveals no further reaction.

"Not for some time." He replies, cricking his neck. "It has been many years since I rode upon these plains, and I would not say I have a right to claim a tribe after so long apart. In truth I thought I would never return, but the world has chosen to prove me wrong."

[Ifni]

"And what brings you and the lady back to these plains, after all these many years, Child of Thunder?" Hadur's voice is almost singsong, with the cadence of a storyteller.

[Maugan Ra]

"And what brings you and the lady back to these plains, after all these many years, Child of Thunder?" Hadur's voice is almost singsong, with the cadence of a storyteller.

"Ambition." Temujin says with a fierce grin. "I am going to unite the Clans. Forge the people of the plains into one nation, to stand proud alongside all of the others."

He turns and strolls over to the river-bank, inspecting the stones gathered there by the flow of the water. Some are small pebbles, others sizeable boulders shifted only by the spring melt. "The idea came to me while I roamed beyond the borders of the Jaen Ha. The Scarlet Empress lays claim to those lands, ruling them in their entirety from her distant palace, and none dare to oppose her will. I have seen her armies, men and women clad in steel marching by their thousands to the commands of their leaders, Dragon-Blooded warriors who channel the strength of the elements themselves. It was both the most inspiring and most frightening thing I have ever witnessed."

For a moment, the rider looks pensive. "Inspiring, because it is a mustering of strength unlike any I have seen. Frightening, because one day that strength will be turned against the tribes. Fractured and divided, we cannot hope to oppose the legions, and in their wake will come the Immaculates, to reshape our history and our traditions to something more comfortable to them. It might happen tomorrow, it might happen a hundred years hence, but one day their avarice and desire to rule everything will see them turned against us."

He picks one rock out from all the rest, a large boulder the size of a horse's torso, far too large to be moved by anything save the fierce floods that course down these rivers from the distant mountains with the snowmelt. "If we are to survive, then it must be as one people, united in thought and deed. With such strength we can deal with the Realm on our own terms, control the flow of any interactions, preserve that which we wish to preserve rather than what they find harmless enough to allow. We will be the sea of grass, bending before the hurricane but surviving its passage, instead of the solitary tree that cracks and falls. This is what I believe must be done... and I have been fortunate enough to find those who agree with me."

With a single hand, he reaches out and grasps the mighty boulder in a grip of iron. Muscles bulge along his arm and, with the same effort as one might require to lift a jug of water above the head, Temujin hoists the massive stone into the air. "I might not command the elements or wield the Sword of Creation as this Scarlet Empress does... but then, I am not trying to conquer the world entire, so perhaps this will be enough. I would prefer words to blades, but there are enough proud men out here that will never bend the knee no matter how prettily I ask them, so I will do whatever must be done to see my dream made real."

I absolutely love Burn Life. It's just such a fun charm, and given that Lotus has the Strength+Athletics to bench press an elephant at this point a large rock should be well within his capabilities.

As a side note, while I know Hadur was mentioned in the information that I gathered, was there anything in the way of specifics as to what he is?

[Ifni]

Hadur's smile becomes a grin, and then a booming laugh.

"I like you, Temujin," he says, after his laughter has run its course. "I know not whether you will succeed, but the path you blaze will be a sight to see."

He draws a horn-hilted knife from his belt, and slices free a lock of his own black hair. (It is thick and straight and coarse, Lotus notices, with the texture of a horse's mane.) His hands move briefly, weaving a braided cord.

"Cast that rock away," he says with a nod at the boulder, "and take this gift in sign of the Stallion's blessing."

To Lotus' well-tuned ears, Hadur hums with Essence, permeating his whole body; the high airy noise of flutes mingles with a steady drumbeat, punctuated by the clash of cymbals. A heartbreakingly sweet strain from some stringed instrument, whispering of love and tragedy, winds through the fast percussive rhythms. The cord in Hadur's hands sings as well, a single thread of bright warm melody drawn from that complex symphony.

More than one Charm adds its music to that symphony, as well. The form the man wears now is only a guise; when he walks forward, Lotus hears the sound of hoofbeats behind every step. Every step sings with a brief burst of allegro notes - a familiar sound, as Lotus hears much the same melody when Mischief moves. A lower, stronger harmony seems to resonate with the wind overhead and the rustle of the grasses.

Lastly, Hadur's silver-chased riding boots sing with their own changing melody, shifting continually from mellifluous to strident and back again.

That was a 3-die stunt, btw :smallwink: Take a BP if you wish (or 6m or 1WP if you prefer).

Roll Int+Occult separately for each of the charms/effects/artifacts you wish to analyze.

[Maugan Ra]

"Success is never certain - not in any course worth pursuing. Still, I should rather chase my dreams down that blazing path, than live a life of pale echoes, too afraid of what might be to seize what could." Temujin says in agreement, reaching out to take the cord of hair offered to him. "My thanks. I shall carry it with pride."

Behind the golden eyes of the man called Temujin, Lotus scrutinizes this 'Stallion', listening to the melodies of essence that wind their way through his body. The hoofbeats and their associated tunes can be largely disregarded - it is interesting to note that the humanoid appearance is the disguise (or alternate form, perhaps), but not much of a surprise, and the secondary charms bear enough similarity to Mischief's own speed enhancing abilities that spending time analyzing them is unlikely to reveal much of real import.

The core of the music, though, that is worth paying attention to, while the harmony joining the Stallion to his surroundings could likewise reveal much of interest. And, of course, he would be quite foolish if he did not consider the effects of the horse-hair braid before he spent any great length of time carrying it. Hadur does not seem malicious or spiteful, but the Sidereal is well aware that what might be a blessing or a joke to some deities can be read as a mortal insult or curse by others, so it is always best to be aware of such things.

To pick meaning or even details out of so many overlapping tunes might seem like an impossible task to some, but Lotus has the benefit of training and experience. Heaven has a thriving musical tradition, with everything from stirring ballads performed before large audiences to private recitals for a few select guests available if you know where to look, and more than a few Sidereals make a habit of taking the opportunity to experience such things. Learning how to appreciate a musical composition on multiple levels not only flatters and impresses the gods around you, it is also highly useful as a means of training your ear to pick up subtle cues in other, less scripted tunes.


OK, so, Lotus has an Intelligence + Occult pool of 8, which rises to 10 if his 'gods' speciality applies. I'll roll everything together, but if the speciality doesn't apply to something then ignore... say the last two dice.

Side note, really need to invest in some Occult excellencies. Also, I'll take a BP for that, and use it to... you know what, might as well raise willpower to 10. It's been sitting at 9 for ages and it doesn't hurt to have the resources there to call upon. It's easier to justify than many other options as well - internalizing Temujin's unique brand of possibly-insane confidence and ambition.

So, for the core essence pattern of Hadur: [roll0]

The cord he's offering me: [roll1]

The harmony with the grass and sky: [roll2]

His boots (why not): [roll3]

Stunt: [roll4]


"I had intended to seek out the spirits who resided in and around the plains before truly beginning my quest, to speak and consult with them - hence why we were riding towards the Serpentine River. If nothing else, it seemed polite, and I have heard many stories of what happens when you are rude to those of power and influence." He continues after a moment. "It would be a great shame to offend one and be turned to stone before I could even truly begin. Have you, perhaps, words of advice to avoid such a dull end to the story?"

[Ifni]

Lotus' keen ear reads truths out from the complex mesh of melodies. Hadur's power matches his own, and spreads out into the harmony of the grasslands. A Charm of awareness, of perception... Lotus cannot be certain of what precisely will trigger its vigilance, but it wends its way into the land and sky like a river of music, waiting for a flung pebble to disturb its rippling waters. The boots' mercurial melody, after a moment, catches at his memory: a study-room in Department 137, hung with delicate wind-chimes of moonsilver that ring out strange and ever-changing chords. There is the sound of wind in this melody as well, and swiftness, and the cries of birds.

But the braided cord in the Stallion's hand is a simple thing, a good-luck charm - albeit one of unusual power. Listening more closely, Lotus can hear the hoofbeats in it as well, and nickering and neighing. Mischief snuffles at the dark cord as Lotus takes it, seeming interested.

2-die stunt.

Hadur is Essence 4. His boots are moonsilver god-kicking boots, and seem to also have additional powers of mobility. The harmony with grass and sky is a sensory Charm, connecting him to the surrounding region and granting him awareness of events within the area. The cord he is offering Lotus is a potent talisman: it acts as a triple-strength good luck charm (negates three botches per story), and also grants the wearer the ability to communicate with horses.

Hadur nods solemnly. "Defile not the wells, nor set fire in the grasslands. When you hunt, leave part of the meat as offering to the skyhunters. Kill no foals, nor any mare in foal or with a young one at her side. If you see any signs of Kuri's curse among you or those who follow you, you must appease her: she cares little for good intentions."

"As for the Serpentine River..." He frowns. "Its dragon is not in good temper, these days. I hear he has taken to demanding tribute from travelers. But he will not turn you to stone -" He grins, briefly. "He will just eat you, instead. Or try."

He looks at Mischief. "Does your mother run these plains, Lady Mischievous?" he enquires.

Note that Hadur can understand Mischief's idiosyncratic communication - you can choose how she replies.

[Maugan Ra]

"Try to eat me?" Temujin seems to consider this for a moment, even as he tucks the talisman carefully into his belt (he can arrange a better place to keep it in the long term later). "Good. That, I can work with. True, I've never had a dragon try to eat me before, but I will at least understand what he's trying to do."

Mischief perks up at being directly addressed, stamping one foot and snorting in confirmation. She turns and looks at the horizon, in the direction where she was born and spent the first few years of her life, then turns to stare at Temujin with the most incredibly soulful look in her eyes.

"Yes, we can go visit her before we're done." The human says with bemused affection. "All you had to do was ask. It's not like I would have refused without the blatant emotional blackmail..."

Mischief's expression switches from maudlin to happy in an eye link, and she nuzzles her human affectionately for a moment. It will be very good to see goddess-mother again. She can show her how she's growing up, and how she wasn't so irresponsible as to lose the two-legged rider she was entrusted either, so there.

"What am I, a family pet? No, don't answer that." Temujin grumbles, before looking at Hadur. "Her mother is Ansha Silver-Maned; something I have to explain whenever she forgets that there is more than one goddess in the world..."

Mischief snorts, almost offended. There are many goddesses, yes, but none are even nearly as good as her mother. That so few others seem to understand this at first glance is hardly her fault...

It amuses me to be playing Temujin as this big, boisterous warrior type without compromising on the Mischief interactions. Only the boring people think that being a Heaven-sent hero means you have to be serious all the time...

[Ifni]

"Ah. The Lady Ansha and I are... friends," Hadur replies, with a faintly wistful smile. He turns back to Mischief. "Your brothers and sisters run with the herds of these plains, Goddess-Born, beside my own children. Should you ever wish to spend time among your own kind - or bear foals of your own, to pass on your inheritance - then we would be glad to welcome and honor you."

He bows to her, and then nods to Lotus. "We will meet again, Child of Thunder."

Hadur is willing to wrap up the conversation here, do you have more to say?

[Maugan Ra]

Mischief seems to consider this for a moment. Little foals are pretty adorable, but does she want to become a serious mother-type person? Musing on this, she glances at Temujin, who raises his hands to ward the question off.

"Woah there, you do not get me involved in this." He says firmly, fighting back laughter. "My advice on children would be terrible, and I'm not sure how much common ground there is between humans and foals anyway."

Mischief snorts at this, thinking about foals walking around on their hind legs and doing that strange thing with water coming from the eyes that little humans do. It is a profoundly strange image. Still, maybe she should seek out some of her other siblings at some point. It would be good to see them, and how else is she to rest secure in the knowledge that she is the fastest and generally best horse ever if she doesn't at least compare herself to others every now and then?

Shaking his head, Temujin slings himself back up onto Mischief's back and nods to Hadur. "I shall look forwards to it, and aim to prove myself worthy of the blessing you have bestowed upon me. Now, to try and not get eaten by a territorial dragon. Come on Mischief, let us ride!"

The God-blooded mare leaps at the invitation, bounding forwards and accelerating rapidly to a full gallop. The land rolls away all around them, and atop her back Lotus takes the opportunity to call a small emerald spider into his hand.

So, definitely another horse-God then, likely one associated with stallions where Ansha is responsible for mares and their young. Worth confirming, but for a nomadic people the obvious blessings of the horse deities is likely to be very persuasive.

Yup, I'm good to wrap that one up there. I know you mentioned there would be 'a couple' of events before I made it to the river, so I'm interested to see what the next one is.

Also, using Efficient Secretary Technique to see if I can identify the divine purview of Hadur, now that I've met him.

[Ifni]

"Until that day, Mischievous One, Child of Thunder."

Hadur shifts shape again, into the form of the great black stallion. His hooves, Lotus now notices, are shod with moonsilver. He runs alongside Mischief for a moment before wheeling off to the east.

For a few hours they ride without incident. Then, in the late afternoon, Lotus notices a cloud of red dust rising to the west, lit by the falling sun. The wind from that direction bears the faint, acrid scent of smoke, and the earthy smell of animal dung.

Requesting information on the domain of Hadur the Stallion returns 'the horse-herds of the western Jaen-Ha'. Requesting information on his known attributes and associations returns 'stallions, battle, passion'.

[Maugan Ra]

A cloud of dust likely means other riders, though the distinctive smell of smoke on the breeze might mean a camp or the aftermath of a battle. Temujin is not a man to shy away from any of those possibilities, so with narrowed eyes he indicates to Mischief his desire to investigate.

Also, I've edited the post directly above my character sheet into containing a list of my various temporary resources and resplendent destinies. I figure having a single reference point should help me avoid forgetting about them.

As a side note, Lotus is going to activate the Resplendency powers 'Stab the Seer's Eyes' and 'Professional Mien', both of which have their duration measured in months or more. The first makes him automatically aware of any attempt to divine his destiny or similar astrological facts, allowing me to change the result to whatever I wish. I don't know if the tribes have any shamans, but if they do their auguries will support Temujin's identity as a divinely-blessed unifying figure.

The second means that for the vast majority of people I'm adding my essence to my Presence and Socialize rolls, since I appear to be supremely wise and someone worth consulting on all matters of cultural heritage and traditions. Temujin isn't some soft outsider, he is a true son of the steppe!

Also, can I check - are the rolls for weaving a Resplendency still difficulty 8? I seem to recall us deciding that the essence burden didn't apply to personally-directed destinies in order to avoid making Performance and a Fateful excellency an absolute requirement if you ever wanted to use Astrology, but I'm not sure.

[Ifni]

As the pair approaches the dust-cloud, they see it is indeed a camp - or rather a camp-in-progress. Tents and fires and horse-lines have been set up, and people are walking between them, but riders are still trailing in. From a distance, it looks like there are perhaps a hundred people in the camp, wearing garb not dissimilar to Temujin's own. Some of those figures are small: this does not look like a war party.

[Maugan Ra]

As Temujin rides up, he studies the encampment and then smiles to himself. Not a war-party, but potentially still a useful source of information - besides, it would be rude to just turn around and ride off without at least introducing himself.

Still, there are certain formalities to be observed here. He is an outsider, and that means that simply riding into the camp is not acceptable. Instead he guides Mischief to a halt a short distance from the outer perimeter and nods to the nearest tribesman, posted here as a watchman and guard.

"Greetings. I am Temujin, of the plains." He says with an easy smile, deliberately identifying himself without tribal distinctions. "I saw the dust of your trail on the horizon and grew curious. What brings you this way?"

Of course, I am rather aware that Temujin is effectively a Charisma 7 dude on an obviously supernatural horse who just rode up and introduced himself without remarks about his Tribe. He'll also be carrying an unusual air of wisdom and insight due to his Resplendency power, which will be granting him an additional four dice on top of his Presence 5.

People assuming he's a spirit or something similarly out there would be entirely reasonable. I shall try not to be offended if they insist on testing me with cold iron or something :smalltongue:

[Ifni]

As Temujin approaches, the tribesfolk on guard duty raise their weapons; some of them bear bows, others knives and swords. The man addressed returns a cautious nod.

"Three Moons Chase," he introduces himself. "We are of the Singing Stones... plainsman. This is our songline; we travel the path every year." He grimaces, and then adds unguardedly, "Although this year we were glad enough to be gone from the north."

One of the other guards coughs, and then asks pointedly, "And what brings you here, s- sir?" The final word seems to have been changed at the last moment, rather grudgingly.

[Maugan Ra]

"I am heading north, to the Serpentine River." Temujin says with casual confidence, gesturing in the appropriate direction. "I have business with Emerald Son of the Clouds, and that seemed the best place to find him."

He frowns for a moment. "Though I have heard that the dragon is not in good temper these days. Hadur mentioned something about demanding tribute." He glances between the Singing Stones. "I don't suppose you've had a similar experience?"

Yup, casually mentioning that I've chatted with one God and am on my way to see another. I considered several approaches, but since I'm deliberately trying to establish a reputation for Temujin I figured I'd be a bit more blatant with this sort of thing.

[Ifni]

There is some muttering amongst the tribesfolk, some hands crooked in signs - blessing, propitiation, something else? Three Moons Chase shakes his head. "No. But other tribes are pushing southward, and there was flooding on the lower river."

He pauses, and then waves northward. "We will not stand in your way, stranger, if you go to converse with the gods."

"Rudeness!" a cracked voice interjects sharply. An old man hobbles past the guards, eyeing Temujin through clouded eyes. He is wearing a spotted fur mantle, over the usual plains garb. "You meet a mysterious stranger on the plains, and do not invite him to the fires to share his tale? For shame!"

[Maugan Ra]

"Ha! I'm a mysterious stranger now, am I?" Temujin says with genuine amusement, obscurely pleased by the description. "Well, I suppose I probably fit the part, if all the stories are to be believed. No companions, no tribal marks, riding to see the gods... all we need now is a dark and stormy night."

He slings himself off of Mischief's back with a single smooth motion, for the God-blooded steed has never been willing to accept a proper saddle. "Still, I do have a story or two to tell, and I'm interested in hearing your own - it has been some time since last I rode this way, and I miss the old stories. Perhaps we could trade?"

[Ifni]

The guard standing nearby laughs. "The Singing Stones do not trade for stories, Temujin Tribeless. But if you have one worthy to share in our challenge-circle, I'll take you up on it."

The old man smiles absently, and looks at the western sky, bright red with the sunset and the dust from the Plains of Rusted Iron. "Be careful with your words, Child of Thunder. Words have power, here."

He beckons to Temujin. "We must find a place for your horse. She is very fine."

[Maugan Ra]

"Words have power everywhere, both subtle and obvious." Temujin replies. "But your warning is well taken. I shall watch my tongue appropriately."

Out of habitual caution, Lotus takes the opportunity here to open his senses and listen to the essence around them. Chances are there won't be much, but he'd rather not be caught unawares...

Mischief preens at the compliment, and Temujin chuckles quietly. "That she is. Fastest horse I've ever seen, and one of the toughest as well - we've been riding since dawn without pause, and she's yet to slow." He pauses and looks at her sternly. "And she will not be abusing your hospitality by eating everything within reach."

The crimson-coloured mare snorts at this and scuffs her hooves in an obviously bashful fashion. Eight years on and Lotus has yet to let her forget that embarrassment with the caravan supplies...

[Ifni]

The songs of Essence are largely quiet here, although a soft tune plays about the old man. Off to the west, Lotus can hear faint rumbling, like thunder beyond the horizon.

The old man leads Mischief off to one of the horse-lines and provides her with a nosebag, while one of the younger men takes Temujin for a quick walk around the camp, pointing out the waterhole and the trenches currently being dug, and the fires being raised. One of the fires, at the center of the camp, is notably larger than the others, and spits are being set up over it; it seems likely to be a gathering point. A small group of riders armed with bows sets out eastward into the plains; from the banter as they head out, it appears they are looking for game.

Temujin is attracting quite a lot of looks, but nobody asks questions, including his escort.

[Maugan Ra]

Temujin looks around with interest as he is guided through the camp, returning the looks of the tribesmen with a wry smile or polite nod. Much here is familiar to him, but every tribe has it's own particular methods and ways of doing things, and observing the differences is always interesting.

Behind that mask, Lotus listens to the sound of the world around him, picking up on the faint melodies that speak of essence use and divining their meaning. The soft tune around his guide - he might suspect thaumaturgy of a kind, but perhaps some divine blood flows in the old man's veins? And the rumble in the west, is that powerful music at a significant distance or something low-pitched closer to hand? All of these clues and more could be important pieces of the wider puzzle.

Rolling Int+Occult to analyze the tune around the old man and the rumble in the west. I'm including the tiara bonus here but not the 'gods' speciality - feel free to add that in if I'm wrong and it does apply.

Old man: [roll0]

Distant rumbling: [roll1]

Stunt: [roll2]


No one asks questions of him, so after a time the rider decides to break the ice with one of his own.

"Your kinsmen mentioned that the other tribes are pushing south? Has there been much conflict, or just the threat of it?"

[Ifni]

The man shrugs, frustration clear on his face. "There's always conflict. The Siroc like to fight; the last few years it's been mostly with the Iron Hoof -" He makes a small gesture with one hand, crooking the fingers; it has the air of a ritual sign. "But when their blood's up, they'll fight anyone who gets in their way. The White Eagles usually stay up in their mountains, but this year they've been coming further south - maybe because the river-god's been demanding tribute from them, from what you said."

He grimaces. "Too many people, too many horses... so we came south by this route, skirting the Rust. We normally stay a little further east, but no one except Singing Stones will step onto the Plains of Rusted Iron."

"But come, I see the hunting party is returning. It shouldn't be long before food is ready. If you want to hear more stories of the north, they will be sung in the circle once everyone has eaten."

1-die stunt. The old man has enlightened Essence and is E2, he's also carrying several minor talismans (a good luck charm, a walkaway, a warding charm against ghosts). There are a handful of other minor talismans scattered through the camp, including charms against disease mounted on poles to protect an area. The rumbling appears to be coming from a significant distance away, but Lotus can't discern the exact location - it's like hearing a thunderstorm.

Feel free to ask more questions, if you like, we're just moving on to "talking over food".

[Maugan Ra]

Temujin nods slowly at the tales of inter-tribe conflict. It is not unexpected, but it could quite easily make his intended goal much harder to achieve. He considers speaking of his vision now, but discards the thought after but a moment. Talk like that is to be employed at the proper time for best effect, not merely mentioned in casual conversation.

"That is the second time one of the Singing Stones has spoken of stories told in the circle. There are clearly customs to be observed here, and I would be a poor guest indeed if I did not enquire about how they worked." He says instead, his tone thoughtful. "In particular, other groups I have met claim special duties or responsibilities from an outsider who would share food with them. Should I prepare for such a thing?"

[Ifni]

"Oh, they'll never let you get away without a story, now that Grandfather's advanced you," Temujin's guide says cheerfully, relaxing somewhat with the change of topic. "Well, I suppose you could try, but there would be Looks. Aunt Five Branches White is a great one for Looks."

The fire is burning merrily now, and there are steaming clay pots nearby; as Temujin watches, a young boy scoops up some hot stones from the edge of the fire in a long-handled spoon and throws them into one of the pots. The hunting party has returned, and seems to have had some success - hares, marmots, fowl, and one pair of young women who are proudly carrying an antelope. The game is rapidly divided among the tribesfolk, to be plucked or skinned.

"Have a seat," the tribesman says, waving Temujin to a log near the fire. "The customs - hmm. You haven't dealt with us before, then. Most don't, I suppose."

He leans back. "We value stories, Man Of No Tribe. They shape the world and how you understand it. They dwell in the land, enduring through time and change, holding knowledge and memories. So much all people know. But the saga -" He uses a word that seems older than the rest of the language he speaks, almost unchanged from its Old Realm roots, "- the story that is song and song that is story, that is the art and the contest of the Singing Stones."

He grins, his teeth showing. "You should be honored. Most visitors wouldn't be invited to challenge. But Grandfather thinks you're interesting, and he's our storyteller. I hope he's right; it's been too long since we've had a new story win its place."

[Maugan Ra]

"Fortunate, then, that I know many stories, that I can spare myself the Look of disapproving elders." Temujin says with a grin. "Most come from beyond the plains, where I have been riding of late, so I should be surprised if they are already known here."

He takes a seat on one of the logs near the fire, nodding approvingly at the hunting party and their successful bounty. "And interesting? I certainly hope that I am. I would not wish to repay hospitality with boredom."

Now to think of which sort of story Temujin can tell, that I can reasonably fake him knowing as opposed to Lotus...

[Ifni]

The guide nods, seeming approving, and falls into companionable silence for a little while. It is indeed not long before the meat is bubbling in the pots, and the clay-cased roots buried at the edge of the fire are removed and broken open, and rounds of golden bread are cooking on hot stones.

The hunters come to the fire to join them, along with those who'd been setting up the camp, and Temujin finds himself the focus of many eyes. And yet despite the tribesfolk's obvious interest, although they are quick to introduce themselves and seem friendly, none of them ask questions about his background or history. Instead, they talk about the recent hunt, about the last few days of travel, about their kin and friends in other bands, about the progress of their journey and the landmarks to come - and every so often there is a pause, and the speaker glances at Temujin, only continuing after a moment.

Lotus is skilled at reading the patterns of human interaction, and as he watches from behind Temujin's eyes, he realizes quickly that there seems to be a taboo of sorts at work here. There is no discomfort, no aversion to Temujin himself, just a reflexive politeness that - apparently - includes not asking questions.

Or at least some kinds of questions. A young woman offers him a bowl of soup; a middle-aged man asks whether he would rather begin with clay-baked roots or flatbread. A lazy debate about the weather conditions, among a few of the hunters, turns into an argument, and one of the disputants turns to Temujin to ask his opinion.

The sun has set in the west, leaving only a soft blue twilight lit by stars and a rising moon, by the time the meal draws to a close. The stars to the west are obscured by cloud, and a breeze is picking up. Conversations are continuing around the fire-circle; even those who went off to their own smaller fires earlier are now returning, picking their way through the tents. Flasks of a potent alcoholic liquor are being passed around, and the lilting sound of pipes rises from a handful of musicians.

The old man, seated on a folded fur near the campfire, claps his hands sharply. Over the next few minutes, the conversations die down.

"We have a guest!" he calls out, and his voice is surprisingly strong. "Temujin, of the plains, who bears no tribe's clan-markings but carries the blessing of Hadur the Dauntless. Temujin, you have shared our meat and bread and kumis, and you have named yourself a man of many stories. Have you a tale that you claim worthy of the remembrance of the Singing Stones?"

Feel free to describe Temujin's participation in the dinner conversation - it will be fairly clear to Lotus that those pauses are designed to give him a chance to speak up. If he has questions, I can answer that OOC or work it into the next post. But I wanted to give you the opportunity to go to the story.

[Maugan Ra]

Temujin might not be one of the Singing Stones, but he can read a situation well enough, and as such can easily discern the good manners that keep others from prying into his past. Whether this is a general standard about personal history or merely one extended to guests he cannot tell, but it is better to err on the side least likely to give offense in these situations. With that in mind he avoids directing conversation towards things that happened in the past, both his and others, instead focusing on the present and future both.

Though his words are relatively few, they are undeniably wise - Temujin recognizes many of the landmarks described and can provide commentary about each, because Lotus made sure to study anything which might be of significance in the area before embarking on his mission. When the conversation turns to the weather he provides answers and predictions based on the insight of one who has actually spoken with the gods responsible for those signs (though he does not mention this to the tribesmen), and his tone strikes just the right balance in being both knowledgeable and curious, soliciting the opinions of others rather than overruling them.

When the old man introduces himself, he smiles with confidence and stands, moving forwards so that he can easily be seen by all who are gathered here.

"I have many such tales." He says in a voice that carries to every ear, strong and clear without the need for shouting. "For though I am of the plains I have spent many years riding beyond them, in strange lands and among strange people. In seeking to understand, I sought out their stories, for there are no finer ways to know a man than to find what he deems worthy of remembrance. But now we have but one night, and to rush a story is to ruin much of the meaning. So, I give you a choice - which story should I tell?"

He turns slowly, his words shifting into an almost rhythmic cadence that any storyteller will recognize, holding the audience enthralled with little more than words and his own presence. "Shall I speak of the power of the young to change the world? Of a young woman who picked up a blade more powerful and dangerous than any other, who slaughtered her enemies with pillars of fire and made Dragons bow before her?"

A gesture to the north-east indicates the vast shadowed bulk of the Imperial Mountain, which dominates the skyline of these people for every day from birth to death. "Shall I speak of the Mountain, and what it is like to stand upon its slopes and see the whole world laid out before your feet?"

Gathered in a small band near the campfire, the young children of the tribe laugh and look bashful as the mysterious stranger indicates them with a smile. "Perhaps I might speak of Falling Light, of the young girl who raced against the children of the gods and won, gambling everything for a chance to snatch those she loved from Kuri's grasp?"

Golden eyes turn next to the adults, those who have fought and traded with the other tribes. "Or of Reed Flute, the heir to the Iron Hoof, and what happened on the day she fled her tribe and was abandoned by those who called her kin."

There is a system to these things, a certain style one should follow, and with that in mind Temujin moves to his last offering. "Or perhaps a story from my own past is called for, of the time I fought a god in his own home, for I was young and perhaps more brave than wise."

"The Singing Stones have their ways, and I have mine. And in my experience, if one must offer a choice, it is better to offer five." He says at the end, turning back to the old man who introduced him. "Five Maidens of Fate, Five Elements, Five Seasons, Five Dragons... Five stories. Which, then, should I tell?"

I'm not entirely sure if this reads quite how I want it to... But Temujin has Charisma 5, Performance 5 and is running a resplendency power that adds another four dice onto all his social rolls against the vast majority of people. So I've just decided to go with it and assume that he can make it sound suitably impressive and get the Singing Stones to play along with it.

[Ifni]

There is a pause as Temujin's words hang in the night air, and then the shouting begins. Everyone seems to have an opinion, and little reticence in expressing it.

"The Dragon Empress! The defeat of the dream-hunters!"
"I want to hear the tale of the World Peak! I thought no one had ever climbed it..."
"Noooo! Falling Light! Tell us about Falling Light!"
"Iron Hoof! The clash among the Iron Hoof!"
"Come on, cousin, he offers us his own story and you want something else?"

The old man creaks to his feet, and waves both hands in a peremptory gesture. Amazingly, the shouting dies down.

He turns first to those calling for the story of blade and Dragons. "Echoes of Emptiness, speak your piece."

An older woman, sitting across the fire, clears her throat. "It is the core of our survival. It's why the younger tribes are even here. If he has another facet of that story... we must have it, to remember it and fit it into the puzzle."

The old man nods. "Indeed. And yet, if we may only have one story tonight, is it better to refine the old, or seek something new?"

He looks at the younger woman who was calling for the story of the Mountain. "Wakes in Fire?"

"The other stories are tales about people," she says fervently, "and our memory-songs are full of those. But to unveil the shape of the world itself, that's something different. I want to know what has been seen."

"True. But the shape of the world is slow to change; the currents of human affairs are faster and more treacherous."

The group of young children doesn't wait to be invited, jumping up and down and waving their arms as the old man turns to them.

"We want to hear about Falling Light -"
"- and it's about Kuri, Grandfather, so it's a warning-story too -"
"- and with a race, so it'll be like a hunt-story, and that's good luck -"
"- you keep saying we have to learn the warning-stories -"

The old man nods patiently, but eventually a gesture of his hands silences the children. (Or most of them, anyway.) "And yet it is often best to have people tell their own stories, where it is possible."

"Do you think the Iron Hoof would tell the story he offers, though?" a middle-aged man interjects, getting to his feet. He dips his head apologetically to the older tribesman. "Sorry to interrupt, but -"

"You are recognized, White Deer," the old man replies mildly.

"Thank you. We've heard about the unrest in the north. Stories about the bad-luck curse on the Iron Hoof. If he can tell us the truth of those stories..."

"Yes. But again remember," the old man says after a moment, "that we seek stories to shape our future, not only to inform the present or safeguard the past. Last Lake in Winter?"

The young man who spoke up in support of Temujin's last suggestion nods eagerly. "I would hear our guest's tales of his own life. Anything else seems a wasted opportunity."

"Noted," the old man says dryly, "although we have no shortage of stories of foolish young men."

He turns back to Temujin. "You have heard my people, Child of Thunder, but in the end the decision must be yours. This is a contest; your challenge to tell a tale worthy of our memory, worthy of being carried forward to shape our future." He grins as he sits back down. "Tell the story that you think gives us something we do not already have. Tell us the story you think will win."

Sorry for the long delay! This last week has been very, very hectic.

[Maugan Ra]

"Something you do not have?" Temujin repeats, weighing up the various stories in his mind and comparing them against one another. "Then I shall speak of the Mountain at the centre of the world. I shall speak of the Seat of Pasiap, which even the children of the Empress must view with awe. I shall speak of Flashing Peak, and of Meru."

His decision made, the outlander turns and begins to pace out a steady circle around the central campfire. His voice falls back into the steady cadence of the experienced storyteller, rising and falling in a constant pattern until the words themselves almost cease to matter, enveloping the Singing Stones in a story so mesmerizing that all else fades away before the images conjured in their minds.

"Once, when I was young, I sought to learn the shape of the world, for I had ridden for many miles and with each passing day had found yet more miles before me. I dreamed of reaching the horizon, of seeing all that there was to see and learning all that there was to know, of hearing every story ever told by man or God." He begins, and already there is a thread of common identity there, for who here has not occasionally wondered what they might find if they turned towards the horizon and simply kept riding? "Yet when I asked those around me of where to go, they would but laugh, and say that I desired the impossible. No one man could ever hope to see all that lay beneath the sun! And so I questioned them - how did they know? Had they seen the shape of the world, and found it beyond their grasp, or did they merely hear it said and never question? At this, each fell silent, and though some might call that a victory I felt their doubt gnaw at my heart. Was what I desired truly possible, or did I merely dream of that which could not be? I did not know, and so I went looking for one who did."

He turns and gestures towards the distant mountain - even now, wrapped in the gathering gloom of dusk, it's vast shape dominates the horizon. "I rode for the mountain, for where better to learn of the world than from it's very heart? Always on my journey I had listened to the stories of the people, and from the legends of every tribe and people there was a common link - that the mountain lay at the very centre of the world, and that from it's peak you could see from one edge of Creation to another. No one could tell me where the stories came from - it was simply known, as the touch of wind or the taste of water. If ever I was to see the world, from the slopes of the World Peak would surely be the best place."

As he walks, Temujin raises his hands from his sides and holds them out, as though indicating the world entire. Around those outstretched hands, essence gathers, the raw stuff of creation summoned and bent to his will as part of the grand display.

"The world is made of five elements, five different kinds of essence bound together into great columns taller than the sky, which the gods set out to mark the shape of their great Creation." He turns and makes a violent gesture towards the south, scattering a cloud of smoke burning embers through the air high above the heads of those watching. "To the south, fire, from lands where it is always summer to the distant reaches where stone burns like wood."

A quarter turn and another gesture brings forth a cloud of mist, one that rolls along the ground and seems to cling to the legs of those watching before fading away into the soil. "To the West, water, in seas so deep that you could strap a stone around your waist and die of hunger before you reached the bottom."

Air is normally invisible, but at Temujin's command it lifts the seeds and grass from the plains and spins them in beautiful patterns that mesmerize and enchant. "To the north is air, a land where winter's grasp grows so fierce that your blood freezes in your veins and the dead shiver in their graves."

One more turn, and this time the essence is channeled down and outwards, racing through the earth and causing the grass to grow strong and thick in trails that wind between the seated forms of those watching. It should startle and alarm, but the magic of the story yet holds the audience enthralled. "To the East is Wood, the very stuff of life itself, where everything thrives and trees grow to the size of mountains."

Finally, Temujin turns back to the Mountain, his voice growing soft and reverent as he indicates the great heart-stone of Creation. "And in the centre, to tie it all together... Earth. The very stuff of Creation itself, that which defines all others in relation to it's own perfection. At the heart of the mountain lies what the gods call the Elemental Pole of Earth. To mankind, it bears a hundred different names. It was there that I rode, to seek the answer to a question that burned within my mind."

For the record, Lotus is using The Gathering of Essence, which is a basic power granted to all sorcerers. Mechanically all it can do is generate explosions modeled as one-off environmental hazards, but I figure using it to gather particular types of essence for flashy but harmless visual effects is probably within the scope of Lotus' capabilities.

"But just as the seasons change the land, so too does the presence of so much essence change the Mountain itself. Near the base, the changes are minor - the land is rougher, the presence of iron and jade more common, notable changes in their own way but easy to miss if you do not know what you are looking for. As you ascend the slopes, however, the Mountain begins to grow dangerous, the presence of so much earth overpowering the bodies and minds of those who walk upon its surface."

There is no great magic to his story now, no flashy displays or conjured images, yet to the audience it is as though a parade of fantastical beasts parade before their eyes. "I rode hard up the slopes, seeking to reach the greatest height imaginable, and as I went I saw the changes wrought upon the living things there. I saw horses with hooves of rough-hewn rock and boars with tusks of solid granite. I saw great eagles born aloft on wings that looked to be made of polished stone, and watched them hunt with talons that could cut through a metal blade. I saw great fields of statues that had once been men, and plateaus where the pebbles floated like seeds on the breeze. All of these things and more I witnessed upon the slopes of the Mountain, and I had scarcely risen above the tree line. I saw all of this and knew my quest was hopeless, for even now my legs grew tired and my heart filled with dread. How could I, a mere mortal, ever hope to reach the summit, much less survive the climb?"

At this point, Temujin grows quiet, as though lost in memory, but his voice remains clear and controlled. "That was when I met the goddess. All things in this world have a soul, a guardian spirit to protect and manage them, each given power in proportion to their importance. The spirit of a river is stronger by far than the spirit of a blade of grass. Imagine, then, the power held by the Goddess of the Imperial Mountain."

He makes gestures in the air, vague yet somehow appropriate for a man attempting to describe something far beyond anything he could ever hope to truly know. "Her name is Flashing Peak. She stands half again as tall as I, and her skin is dark as deepest night yet gleams like polished metal. She wears clothes of solid gold that weigh her down no more than a feather, and where she walks the earth sings in joy. I am a proud man, yet before her I could only bow my head and listen as she spoke, her voice like water on rock."

"She told me she had been watching me for many weeks, and that my burning quest to know had intrigued her. I asked how this could be, for I had not yet set foot upon the slopes before a few day's back, and she explained some of what she knew. Everything in Creation can see the Imperial Mountain - or Meru, as she called it - for such is its size that even the clouds cannot touch the summit. And in turn, she could see all of Creation, from one edge to another. I must have shown my thoughts in my eyes then, for she laughed and touched me on the forehead, ever so lightly. And, for one brief moment, I saw as she did."

He shakes his head, slowly. "There are no words that can truly describe what that was like. I have tried, even learned the tongue of the gods themselves in hope of properly conveying what it meant, and each time I have fallen short. In that one instant, I saw everything that is or ever was upon the world. I saw plains of grass that sang, trees that danced in celebration, mountains that roamed across the plains in great herds. I saw fish so large they could swallow entire camps, and birds so small they could fly between blades of grass. In that one, eternal instant, I understood more of the world than I could have in a thousand lifetimes... and understood just how much more there was to learn."

He smiles, almost melancholic. "We are each of us so very, very small. Yet in each of us is the tiniest piece of that grand Creation, a small fragment of the completed picture before which even the gods themselves stand in awe. One day, I hope to see those sights again, though it take me fifty lives or more."

He trails off, falling silent as his audience soaks in the full magnitude of what he has just described. "When I awoke, Flashing Peak was nowhere to be seen, and I lay at the base of the mountain looking up towards it's peak. In some ways I had failed, for I had never reached the summit and in that moment I realized that I never could. But in others, I had succeeded beyond my wildest dreams, for the answer I had received was more valuable than any I had initially thought to find. That is, I suspect, what wisdom truly is - the ability to see the truth even when it comes to you in a form you do not expect."

He turns and looks to the old man, smiling slightly. "So. Is my story worthy of being remembered by the Singing Stones?"

[Ifni]

For a thousand years she has slumbered, great wings folded in rest. Jade talons that once tore battalions apart are tucked beneath her with a catlike grace; the bright-fanged maw, the nightmare of generals, rests closed and mostly buried in the barren ravaged soil. The wealth that once nourished her is gone, devoured by her hungry kin, and so she sleeps, and dreams of ancient wars.

Until to the east there is... something. A scent that stirs the pangs of an ancient hunger. Her sleep grows restless, but still she does not wake. The emergency power that remains to her is almost entirely depleted. Not the burgeoning wellspring of Essence she once tapped; more like a cup of water in a seared desert. Only in one circumstance will she open her eyes and drink: when the promise of a truer replenishment beckons, with enough urgency to override ancient cautions.

But then there is a drawing-in, a vortex of power dancing at the edge of the red plains. A gathering, a beckoning, and she cannot help but answer. The call wakes her, and then the hunger compels.

For the first time in a thousand years, great rust-stained wings unfold.

The Singing Stones are an appreciative audience. The old man maintains a dignified silence, but the children - and many of their elders - gasp and ooh at the displays of Essence, before falling respectfully silent as Temujin makes his way to the moral of the story.

But as Temujin finishes his story and turns to the old man, standing facing the Mountain with his back to the lighter twilight in the west - the silence is a little deeper, a little more still, than one might expect from even respect for a storyteller.

And then into the silence of his question comes a shrieking roar.

Temujin is not the first to spot it, as he is facing in entirely the wrong direction, but as he spins around to face the roar the silhouette is hard to miss: a dark blot, like a misshapen cloud, but growing very rapidly.

Cries of delight from the children at the story rapidly become cries of excitement and fear as their parents snatch them up. The horses at their lines are already whinnying wildly in panic.

3-die stunt. Also, Join Battle :smallwink:

Or Join War, if you want to try to rally the Singing Stones. Join Battle if you're planning to either take off riding or try to fight the approaching nasty singlehandedly.

[Maugan Ra]

For a moment, all Temujin can do is blink. Distantly, he notes that this is probably connected to that strange rumbling he could previously hear over the horizon. That whatever this was should attack now is surprising, but on balance there were probably good reasons that most shunned the Plains of Rusted Iron. The existence of... whatever this is would likely qualify as an exceptionally good example of those reasons.

Already, he can see the panic setting in to the tribesmen all around him. That first shrieking roar, so loud and fierce and coming in a moment of relative peace, has sent the brave riders into disarray. The growing fear of the horses and the need to protect their non-combatants does not help the matter, and while it is likely that some kind of order will sort itself out of the chaos before too long, the enemy will almost certainly be upon them before then. What follows could very easily become an absolute slaughter.

This, he will not allow.

"Rally!" He roars, his voice rumbling like thunder as he imbues it with divine power, clearly audible all throughout the camp even over the sudden cries of distress and fear. "Rally to me, children of the plains! To me!"

All around, heads turn towards him as he strides forwards, men and women unbalanced by the sudden fear and confusion and latching onto the first sign of stablity they can find. Temujin provides that stability, that bold defiance, his powerful form clearly visible as he breaks into a run through the milling camp. One foot comes down on the end of a heavy log used for sitting, the other on one of the posts tethering the horses, and then he is throwing himself through the air in a soaring leap.

Mischief meets him halfway, a scarlet blur that moves faster than the wind itself as she rushes through the camp. The feed bag is already gone, tossed aside at the first sound of the roar, and she knows her rider well enough to already be in motion by the time he calls. Temujin does not so much mount up as latch onto her flank and roll onto her back in mid leap, movements infused with an unbelievable grace.

Golden eyes dart back and forth over the milling throng around them, identifying the various tribe folk around them and classifying each based on half-understood visual cues. He gestures sharply with one hand, indicating half a dozen of the younger riders, those just old enough to be considered adults but not yet seasoned by the years of bloody experience to come. "You! Get the children clear! Ride to the east, stick together, and get them clear! Go!"

Such is the authority and fire in his voice that the young warriors leap to obey, their limbs in motion almost before they understand what is being asked of them. The children and the elderly cannot fight, and so much be gotten clear, and whatever this enemy is he knows that taking relative novices against it is likely to end in blood. Better to give them a firm command and entrust them with the responsibility of protecting their kin, so that the more experienced warriors can fight free of fear for their loved ones. Satisfied, Temujin wheels around and looks towards the remaining adults, many of whom are nodding in approval as they understand what it is he has done.

"The rest of you, to me!" He roars, the fire in his words spreading to the hearts of every man and woman here and compelling them to action. "Grab your weapons and mount up! We'll drive this thing back into the pit that spawned it!"

With one voice, they roar, a sound to equal that of any monster.

OK, so going for Join War. I was considering just riding out and facing it down mano-a-mano, but figured that Temujin will have an easier time commanding the tribe in the future if he fights as one of them now, rather than for them. I guess we'll see whether this turns out to be a good idea or not.

So, Join War is Wits+War-Magnitude. Since I'm not sure how many tribesmen I can rally into a cavalry force or what stats they'd have I'll leave it to you to adjust my roll as appropriate. I will however activate Flash Fire Technique on top of this (it gets the Leader keyword in the errata, which I figure probably works even with the rewrite we're using.)

[roll0]
Stunt: [roll1]

I'm not sure if I need an actual Rally action here, to represent quelling the panic and getting the Singing Stones organized in time. If so, I'll use Auspicious Recruitment Strategy, which allows me to auto-pass that roll for five motes.

Time to demonstrate why Lotus is a Chosen of Battles.

[Ifni]

At Temujin's call to rally, not a few of the tribesfolk cast looks of shock at him, looks that say are you completely out of your mind? The young man next to him is less reticent: "You idiot! We can't fight the Rust-Born -"

But then Temujin is gone like his namesake the lightning, leaping onto Mischief's back. And when he comes galloping back through the camp, that young man - and many others - are at his side, faces set in determination.

As the creature approaches, its form resolves - all too swiftly - from a shapeless blot into a vast sinuous winged form. And still it continues to approach, and to grow, its shadow stretching out before it in the last fading twilight. A dragon's shadow, but a dragon of rivets and metal, of fire and the forge.

Fully thirty feet long, and with a twenty-foot wingspan, the monster flies with the sound of shrieking tormented steel. It is red and brown mottled with gray, the color of the soil from which it sprung, and flakes of rust fall like a bloody rain with its every wingbeat. On its breast, and in its great talons, truer colors gleam amid the rust, the brightness of jade unchanged by time. In its vast and snarling maw, its teeth gleam like spears of gold.

It backwings, coming in to land, and the force of the buffet of its wings nearly drives Temujin from his saddle. The monster's eyes, burning with whirling red-gold fire, appear to be fixed directly on him.

http://img02.deviantart.net/cc92/i/2014/219/7/a/steel_dragon_7_magos_cover_book_by_chaos_draco-d7nxupl.jpg

Rightyo. The Rally action of Auspicious Recruitment Drive is a Simple Charm and also appoints relays for you: you can set that up while the creature is approaching, but immediately after that we are into combat (long) ticks.

Tick order is:
0: Temujin And The Singing Stones
6: Dragon

[Maugan Ra]

The Dragon is easily the single most fearsome looking thing that Lotus has ever faced down in battle, though he would be willing to bet that many of the gods he has sparred with count their total strength as somewhat above this. For a man like Temujin, it is a creature out of legend, and any fool knows what happens to those who try to fight legends.

Unless, of course, you are a legend as well.

He is named for the thunder and the storm, and in that moment the Singing Stones can see why, for he does not hesitate even as the ground shakes and the eyes of his enemy burn with implacable hate. Lightning crackles around him, the wind tossing his hair around and running along his limbs, and as the Dragon roars he leans into the saddle and charges.

He does not come alone. Swift hand gestures, exaggerated to make them clearly visible to the riders gathered around him, drawn in the hastily assembled cavalry and group them closely around him. Swords are unsheathed and held high, starlight glinting from every razor edge, and as they charge terror gives way to a fierce exhilaration that burns in the heart of every warrior here. At their head, Temujin stands in his saddle, facing down the monster without fear and inspiring them all with his defiant courage.

As they draw close, the Child of Thunder raises both hands out to his side, and with a discipline they did not know they had the Singing Stones obey, splitting their column into two that fan out in orbiting paths. They swing wide, exploiting the sheer speed of their mounts and the way that the dragon's eyes are fixed on the strange outsider, and scythe back in again in a coordinated onslaught.

The Dragon is massive, but in that moment it's size works against it, increasing the target area and allowing each of the riders to strike out with furious speed and precision as they pass. It's rusted joints make it slow, too slow to react before the sheer thundering momentum of the charging cavalry bring them first within range and then past it, metal ringing against metal in thunderous cacophony. It swipes out at Temujin as he passes, but the Child of Thunder meets the blow with one of his own, his fist burning with skyfire and moving with enough force to crack stone and dent metal.

OK, interesting. Let's see if I can remember the Mass Combat rules properly. I'm going to attempt a flurry of two actions - first I want to change formation to Close, then I want to make a single attack.

First up, the roll for changing formation is a Charisma+War roll at a difficult of (Magnitude-Drill), minimum one. I... am going to spend a point of willpower to make sure I succeed here, because I really don't want to try taking this thing on in skirmish formation, since it gets bonuses to attack me in combat that way and I'm fairly sure we can't outrun it.

Next up, a single attack, punching with the Starfall Gauntlets. I will spend 4m to invoke Unobstructed Blow here, and then also lower the target number to four with the Fateful excellency. No other charms for now - let's see what this thing is like before I go burning all of my essence at once.

Attacking in close combat adds my unit's Close Combat rating in successes to my attack, doubled by the Close Formation bonus for a total of six. The enemy DV is halved against this, so thanks to Unobstructed blow, and I'm taking a -3 multiple action penalty.

Attack roll: [roll0] +6 sux.
Stunt: [roll1]

My base damage is 11L/2, and I get to add my unit's Close Combat Damage rating to that in successes, which almost certainly means 2 given the weapons and average strength. The attack is piercing.

This whole flurry is Speed 5, so I get to act again before the dragon does. Let's see how tough it is.


Parry DV 7 +3 =10

Personal: 11/18
Peripheral: 37/45
Willpower: 9/10

[Ifni]

The dragon's lashing tail throws a few of the Singing Stones from their horses as they sweep in for the attack, but they are clearly practiced riders, and most of them are back up in the saddle a few minutes later, albeit sometimes with grimaces of pain that speak to broken ribs. Their sabres flake more rust from the beast's reddened hide, and leave chips in the massive plates of metal.

Temujin's blow does more than that, driving into the gap between two of the monster's great claws, and tearing into the great cables of wire that define its forepaw. This close, the Dragon's breath has the stench of a blacksmith's forge, and its eyes glow so brightly it is hard to look at them directly.

Rightyo. I think you forgot the 2 bonus successes to your attack from Magnitude difference, so that is 18 successes, for a total of 14 net successes (after DV-halving). I'm not sure Close Combat Damage applies its bonus to raw damage as levels rather than dice, but it doesn't really matter as levels get soaked first. So effectively you have 11+2+14 = 27 raw damage, piercing so it ignores 4 points of armored soak. That gets soaked down to 6 dice of damage. Roll it.

Also, 2-die stunt on Join Battle, 2-die stunt on attack.

[Maugan Ra]

Temujin can survive close to even a foe such as this for an extended period, his reflexes and his divine strength enough to counter the unchecked might of the dragon and the furnace heat leaking from between its jaws... but he does not ride alone tonight, and the needs of his comrades must always be considered alongside his own.

"Past it!" He roars, gesturing to the Singing Stones. "Lead it away from the camp!"

One of the problems inherent in coordinating a cavalry unit is that the horses themselves often have their own idea of where they want to go. Well trained steeds can stand to overrule their instincts and obey the prompts of their commanders, but there is no training that will keep a horse entirely calm in the face of a gigantic metal dragon trying to eat them. Fortunately, Temujin bears the blessing of Hadur the Stallion, and his words are just as comprehensible to equine ears as human ones. The formation of riders splits apart and flows around their opponent like water, recombining on the far side and riding away at speed.

The monster is already turning to follow them, but that was to be expected. The horse tribes know how to hunt large prey, whether that be singular beasts or sizeable masses of infantry, know how to use their mobility and the power of their steeds to chip away at their foe with successive volleys. Already swords are being sheathed and well-used bows are being drawn, arrows pulled from quivers and set ready even at full gallop. The children of the plains know their archery, and many have wielded such weapons since almost before they could walk.

Temujin has something rather more impressive to hand.

Child of Thunder, they call him, the true meaning of the name he gave. It is a name with many possible interpretations and meanings, but few ever considered just how literal it might actually turn out to be. Tonight, they are to be educated. Already they have seen him call the lightning to his hand, heard the great thundering roar of his blows strike home and witnessed his command over essence. These are merely the first of the miracles he will work on this night.

The skies are clear, but that is no impediment to one chosen by heaven. Temujin roars and the thunder answers, great pillars of lightning slamming down out of blackened clouds that seem to spring into existence with unnatural speed. The wind howls like a wild beast, tearing at the ground and ripping great clouds of grass up into the air. It is a terrifying maelstrom, and by all rights the coordination and discipline of the Singing Stones should outright collapse in the face of it. And yet... they hold firm, for something in their very souls tells them there is nothing to be afraid of here.

Lightning flashes in time with their heartbeats, the rumble of thunder echoing the sound of their hooves on battered ground, and for all the raw strength of the storm raging around them it does little more than ruffle their hair. Tonight, they ride with the child of heaven through a storm brought into being as pale reflection of his terrible wrath. Tonight, they ride as though in one of their oldest stories, a band of brothers united in strength and will. Tonight, they are gods.

With calm coordination, bows are raised and arrows sent flying, each rider somehow knowing when to release to ensure the perfect shot. The howling winds catch the volley in midair, guiding it towards the target with absolute precision. And as the rain of iron death falls upon their foe, it is chased down by the lightning, great pillars of purest white light that burn hot enough to melt even the ages-old hide of the dragon before them.

This is their time, their age, and they will not surrender it to some ancient relic forged before their grandfather's grandfathers were born. Such is the will of the Singing Stones, and such is the will of the Thunder that leads them.

OK, so, might have gone a little over the top there on flowery language and wrathful storm imagery. But hey, when masquerading as a chosen of heaven named 'Child of Thunder', you might as well go for it.

It's probably worth pointing out that this isn't actually a storm, so I'm not expecting any ongoing impacts from that. It's actually Lotus' anima, flaring to maximum, which is why it isn't hurting any of the Singing Stones and why it probably isn't actually affecting anyone beyond the confines of the fight. Disguise of the New Face can disguise one's anima, and in this case I've gone for a straight up 'supernatural storm' approach.

So, step one is a reflexive test to move away from the Dragon, which I passed in the OoC thread. Step two is to make a ranged Martial Arts attack with the Starfall Gauntlets, which technically only have a range of 10. Fortunately I can take that at any point during the movement (since I'm not Dashing) and I started the move within range, so that should be fine. It is also going to have quite a fair amount of buffs added onto it - this is my last 'free' action before the Dragon retaliates, so I want to properly hammer it.

- 2m to use the ranged option on the Doom of Natha.
- 4m, 1wp on the Thousand Hailstone Morning charm, making this a Speed 4 simple action.
- 4m to use Unobstructed Blow.
- 3m, 1wp to use Wind Needle Training to make the attack bypass armour, since you pointed out this has some synergy with UB.
- 2m on Searing Fist attack for some lovely auto-damage.
- 1wp to channel Conviction, justified as this will go a long way towards convincing the Singing Stones to work with me.
- 4m, 1wp on the Fateful Excellency to convert all rolled dice to successes.
1m to activate the Lesser Sign of Mars and give everyone an additional +4 bashing and lethal soak.

Total cost = 20, 4wp. All essence is spent from Peripheral. Total roll is as follows:

5 accuracy + 5 dexterity + 5 martial arts + 2 combat pragmatist (hit it with everything at once) + 4 conviction + 2 magnitude + 4 ranged attack rating = 27 sux + stunt.

Base damage is 17L/3 (counting an average Ranged Combat Damage of 2 onto the THM cap).

The Dragon's DV is halved at the very least. I don't know if that part of Unobstructed Blow stacks with Thousand Hailstone Morning... I'd like to think yes, because that will be even more entertaining. For cost comparison, an unblockable and undodgeable attack costs 11m if done through UB alone, and the combo of the two costs 8m 1wp. Anyway, half DV at the very least.

Armoured soak is utterly bypassed.

One dice of post-soak damage is automatically converted into a success. It might also take a crippling effect which lowers appearance - unlikely to actually matter for a giant metal dragon, but the idea of putting some serious scars on it amuses me.

And finally... I will be so, so very sad if it turns out to have a Perfect Defense.


Personal: 18/18
Peripheral: 17/45

Willpower: 5/10

[Ifni]

... riding to see the gods... all we need now is a dark and stormy night...

Sometimes even a Sidereal's joking words may be prophetic.

The dragon's wings half-open to catch the rising wind, and as the arrows fall it moves with swiftness almost unbelievable for its size, a coiling gyre as quick as a striking serpent. More rust flakes away as its great bulk slews back and forth beneath the arrow-storm, avoiding the angles where the Singing Stones' fire falls thickest; beneath the layers of rust, bright jade and burnished metal are revealed, untouched by aeons.

It is beautiful despite its fearsomeness; perhaps more beautiful because of it. It would have been forged in a workshop that knows no equal in the present Age, its Essence wound through tokens of power drawn from all across Creation, sanctified with prayers to Mars and a host of lesser gods. No imperfection or compromise would have marred its forging; even now, on the scales beneath the flaking rust, one can see the faint imprints of an ancient designer's art.

But it was not enough a thousand years ago, when the dragon's eyes closed on the sight of a ravaged, rust-red plain. And it is not enough now.

The lightning hedges it in, brilliant star-flashes guiding arrows that fall like the heavy hand of a wrathful Fate. It turns against the tempest, but it is caught within the whirlwind and cannot escape. Arrows and sky-bolts find the spots in the joints of its armor, less well-protected, and burrow deep.

The dragon roars again then, loud enough to overwhelm the thunder. Despite the discipline of their riders, many of the horses squeal, and a few bolt. Flapping up into the air, the ancient machine circles around to the west, and then stoops down on the riders, great claws locking into full extension.

As it descends, it fills the air with a rust-red wind, combined from dust kicked up by its wingbeats and rust flaking away from its long serpentine body. Hearing is occluded no less than sight, as the night sings with the screaming of tortured metal. Perhaps the dragon is slowed a little by the hedgehog-spines of arrows protruding from every joint and the melted welts and scars spattering its belly, but it is a little hard to tell in the storm - especially when every rider's attention must turn to the great claws slashing down at them, large and sharp and deadly as jade daiklaves, and the massive body carving through the air close enough to the ground to throw unwary riders bodily from their horses.

And this is merely a fly-by; the dragon's gaze is still fixed on Temujin, the focus of its attention clear. A massive foreclaw reaches down almost lazily, evidently seeking to hook him off Mischief's back.

That was a nice shot that succeeded in making it angry :smallwink:

So! It is pulling some actions out of Principle of Motion, creating a flurry of four attacks. The first two are claw attacks against the unit. The third is a called-shot clinch against Lotus himself. None of these are enhanced by any Charms other than Principle of Motion. The fourth is a miscellaneous action that doesn't involve attacking Lotus. As usual, please declare any Step-2 Charms before reading the rolls in the spoilers.

[roll0] vs unit, -2 external penalty for Magnitude difference
[roll1] vs unit, -2 external penalty for Magnitude difference
[roll2] vs Lotus, -2 external penalty for Magnitude difference, -2 external penalty for called shot

[Maugan Ra]

The Dragon is ridiculously fast. Nothing so large should be so agile, especially when made out of plates of hardened metal rather than anything more flexible, but the great monster manages it all the same.

Distantly, Lotus acknowledges that this is the first time he's ever actually witnessed the product of the First Age's advanced technological skills. That they could create something like this, a great monster that still stands and fights even centuries after it was abandoned in the dirt, speaks legions of the artifice and skill that must have gone into it.

Then the dragon is upon them, and all such philosophical thoughts are rapidly discarded in favour of not dying.

Fortunately, as fast and strong as the dragon is it is still bound by certain unavoidable laws. If it is in one place, then it cannot be in another. If it's tail sweeps around like that, there are only so many options remaining for where it will go next. And if it wants to pursue Temujin, as it seems it does, then he can control it's path to a limited extent by moving his own.

Communicating all of this to the rest of the riders in the middle of a pitched battle is difficult, to say the least, but fortunately he has certain advantages there as well. The tribesmen are riding in close formation at the moment, and just like a flock of birds will wheel as one they too are connected to their fellows in an almost subconscious way. He touches Mischief's flanks, she moves in one direction and all of the surrounding riders do likewise without even consciously realizing their own motivations.

The claws fall like great daiklaives, but their targets are already wheeling out of the way. The tail whips around at shin height, but the horses are leaping over it. The Dragon attempts to snatch Temujin from his horse, but he mets the blow with one of his own and forces the great claw open just long enough to slip through it's grasp.

And the dance continues.

OK, using Impeding the Flow against the first attack, and nothing at all against the others, because I've already got my mote rewards this turn and can't rely on having any others to counteract excessive expenditure.

So, against the first I eliminate my penalties and have an effective DV of 10, with the dragon taking a -3 external penalty to the attack, plus the extra two for magnitude. It got 10 successes by my count, which is knocked down to 5 and thus easily blocked.

The second attack, my base DV is actually 8, since I don't have the penalty negator in effect. Thanks to Impeding the Flow blocking the first attack, though, I impose an additional -1 external penalty on this one as well. The Dragon rolls seven successes, which is again blocked.

Against the attempted clinch... Impeding the Flow imposes a cumulative penalty against successive attacks, which I read as meaning this one is taking -2 from that, -2 from magnitude and another -2 from a called shot. My base DV is 7, and it rolled 12 successes, reduced to 6 by the penalties. Very close, but not quite enough to grab me.

I don't know what speed that attack was, but I believe I act next?


Personal = 14/18
Peripheral = 23/45
Willpower = 5/10

[Ifni]

The Dragon lands again beside Temujin, the great claw coming crashing down to the ground after the rider's deflection. It rears up against the backdrop of the stormy sky, inhaling deeply, with a sound like the rasping clash of steel on steel. Its eyes remain on Temujin and Mischief, incandescently bright - and motes of light seem to flow into its maw in a glittering current, as if it drinks in the lingering brilliance of the lightning, dimming the world around it.

And then... something has gone. Something Lotus had barely noticed, until it wasn't there anymore. The soft-whispering trickle of Essence, and the sense of poise and self-confidence that came with it...

Lotus may not be able to see the cloudy white gem set into his circlet, but he can no longer sense its accustomed presence.

Yeah, it's a Thousand-Forged Dragon (not in top shape, and I've changed the statblock in a couple of ways to make it more 2.5-appropriate, but that's what it is). You can roll Int+Lore, adding your Savant rating.

The dragon wasn't trying to kidnap Temujin, per se...

Anyway, that was its last PoM action. Full action was Speed 5: it acts again on Tick 11. I believe Lotus acts again on Tick 10?

[Maugan Ra]

As the gigantic dragon draws in all of the essence from the surrounding area, Lotus (his identity as Temujin currently reinforced only by the woven sorcery) blinks in surprise and recognition. There is only one thing he knows of that has the capability to do something like that.

"You have got to be kidding me." He growls to himself, momentarily switching back to Old Realm. It's not his native language, but he's spent most of his life speaking it and surrounded by those who do likewise, so the instincts are there. "Rusted bones from a long dead battlefield... yes, I suppose you qualify."

With that, he urges Mischief closer, and to her credit the mare doesn't hesitate for even a moment. She knows what he intends, drawing on the bond of shared experience to predict his next move, and without further prompting leaps through the air at the appropriate angle. Lotus draws his legs up until he is crouching on her back, then pushes off sideways as she hears the apex of her arc.

The Dragon's eye burns with terrible fire, almost too bright to look upon, and drawn to the hearthstone held so close it does not look away in time. Lotus collides with it's head and clings on tight, one hand grasping for a handhold amid the metallic scales on the monster's great forehead. Then, his fist burning with elemental power, he punches it in the eye.

The Dragon might not feel pain as such, but it has protocols intended to protect itself from harm, and the overall effect is the same. It rears back onto its hide legs, roaring loudly as it tries to shake him off. The riders below, inspired by Temujin's near-suicidal courage and the obvious distraction of their opponent, seize their chance and ride in close under the torso and wings. Some lash out with swords as they pass, others unleash bow shots from close range into already-damaged sections of hide, but all make sure they are well clear before the Dragon comes crashing back down again.

OK, making a single martial arts attack, enhanced with Unobstructed Blow and the Fateful excellency (reducing target number to four). That's seven motes, and the updates resources below should account for the incorrect previous figures as well.

Attack roll: [roll0] +8 successes from magnitude and CC rating.
Stunt: [roll1]

Base damage is 13L/2, Piercing and the DV is halved.


Personal: 4/18
Peripheral: 23/45
Willpower: 5/10



0: Temujin and the Singing Stones make their first Melee attack
~
5: Temujin backs away to ranged combat and unleashes the major combo
6: Dragon activates Principle of Motion
~
9: Temujin punches it in the eye
11: Dragon
12:
13: Temujin and the Singing Stones

[Ifni]

Beneath Lotus' burning fist, a plate of faceted crystal splinters and shatters. The dragon's roar is near-deafening, and as it rears back, Lotus has his work cut out to hold on.

Rather than descend back to earth, the dragon's great wings flap wildly as it levers itself clumsily into the sky. The fire in the depths in its great jaws - so close now! - seems to draw in on itself, as if banking its strength for a future assault. Then it sweeps around once more, its wings a flashing maelstrom of rust and fire and metal bearing down on the Singing Stones. It gulps in air and Essence once again, and Lotus feels his other hearthstone go dim. From his vantage point clinging to the creature's brow, he has an excellent view of the plains spread out below, and the forms of the riders and their mounts moving to meet the attack. They seem terrifyingly small.

And then the dragon accelerates even more, wings beating out a terrible rhythm of death like clashing cymbals. All four great claws reach down in clockwork unison, tearing scything furrows through anything in their path. Those claws were forged to penetrate artifact armoring; against them, flesh has almost no defense.

Another PoM-flurry, drinking in Essence, and then it's going to try to fly off, taking Lotus with it (it's trying its best to eliminate the archers first, to secure its retreat and allow it to concentrate on Lotus - it doesn't know they don't have anti-aircraft guns, it wasn't really programmed for Bronze Age warfare - but it's damaged enough now that it is going to try to leave, with hearthstones if possible). Lotus can jump free if he wishes, but there will then be an awakened Thousand-Forged Dragon roaming the Blessed Isle...

Eight-action flurry this time, six claw attacks, drinking Essence, and taking off + getting some distance (I'm going to count this as an action as it feels like "taking off and beginning to accelerate into flight mode" shouldn't just be standard movement.)

As usual, please declare Step-2 defenses before opening the relevant spoiler.

Attacks:
[roll0] -2 external penalty for Magnitude
[roll1] -2 external penalty for Magnitude
[roll2] -2 external penalty for Magnitude
[roll3] -2 external penalty for Magnitude
[roll4] -2 external penalty for Magnitude
[roll5] -2 external penalty for Magnitude

[Maugan Ra]

The dragon descends upon the Singing Stones, claws of Jade poised to rip and tear. Still clinging desperately to its head, Temujin looks down and sees the threat to his countrymen. This is unacceptable!

Gritting his teeth, the warlord does what he can to assist. His position is far from ideal for such things, but he can offer some assistance regardless. The Thousand Forged Dragon is a technological marvel from mysterious antiquity, but this is a weakness as well as a strength, for it is far more likely to move in certain pre-defined patterns than a true thinking sentient. And patterns can be disrupted.

Every time the great claws reach out, Temujin slams a fist into the increasingly battered plating of his draconic foe. Without the burning essence behind them his blows inflict considerably less damage... but even so they deliver enough concussive shock to momentarily distort the complex pattern of essence flows with the creature's head and torso. The resulting effect is limited, but sometimes the smallest of victories is all that is needed, as intended targets slip away from suddenly hesitating claws and others manage to maneuver around a momentarily slowed chassis.

He cannot keep this up for too long, for even now his essence reserves are running low, but hopefully he will not have to. The beast has drained both of his Hearthstones now - surely it must be thinking of retreat?

OK, so, I'm going to use Impeding the Flow on the first two attacks. This will drain me of personal essence (assuming I got a two dice stunt either on this or on the attack roll to punch him in the eye), but it should hopefully be enough...

OK, so, base DV is 10 thanks to mass combat bonuses, so let's see what you rolled. I'll deduct the magnitude penalties as well here.

I make that... 6/5/12/1/3/6 successes on those attack rolls. The first two are easily blocked, and that means each of the next four take a -2 penalty, adjusting them to 10/0/1/4. So it's only the third attack which has any real threat behind it.

Unfortunately, with onslaught penalties and my own action penalties for the attack I made earlier, I'm pretty sure that does indeed hit. Which... could be painful, depending on how much you'd modified this thing. I've got an adjusted DV of 7 against that, plus whatever my stunt bonus was, so it's either managed one or two net successes on a hit.

With the anima power active, I have a base soak of 12L. I believe the mass combat unit adds a bit to that as well, but I'm not sure how much. I... can only hope that this doesn't hurt too much...

[Ifni]

Essence crackles around the dragon's battered plates as Lotus repeatedly hammers down on them; the creature's head lashes around wildly, and the Sidereal has his work cut out to keep his balance. The Singing Stones manage to evade the great sweeping foreclaws, and for a moment it looks like Lotus' stratagem has spared them entirely...

... but then one of the hindclaws sweeps into a young warrior, mounted on a gray horse. She screams as the talon slices her nearly in half, flinging her mount into a neighboring rider; the claw smashes its way through her comrades, as they turn to try to go to her aid. In moments, that side of the line is disintegrating.

The dragon seems to care little for its success; it wings higher into the air, creaking and showering rust, its half-blind head turning unerringly toward the distant peak of the Imperial Mountain.

Rightyo. Two-die stunt on the defense (and on the punch in the eye, but only one reward/turn).

One net success. Damage rolled in the OOC. The mass-combat unit takes five levels of damage. It doesn't lose Magnitude from this (its health track is set by Lotus' HLs), and it doesn't take wound penalties, but there have been some casualties.

Lotus' turn.

[Maugan Ra]

Men and horses scream as blood sprays into the air. The creaking of metal and roar of the furnace grow ever more intense. The wind howls and the storm thunders, and in the middle of it Temujin stands in perfect silence.

People are dying, and it is his fault. The Dragon was lured here by the scent of his hearthstones, and the Singing Stones rode to battle because he commanded it. They have fought like the gods themselves, hurling themselves into a fight against something no mortal can hope to truly oppose, riding without fear or hesitation into the very jaws of death itself. And now the Dragon is lifting into the air, turning to retreat and perhaps find somewhere else to feed, intending to leave behind nothing but ashes and blood to mark the futility of such brave defiance.

This, he will not permit.

With a roar as loud as the thunder itself, the warlord reaches out with brawny arms and seizes the Dragon by the wings. This creature is a techno-Sorcerous marvel, a wonder forged in the mists of a forgotten age, it's every plate and scale a testament to the mad genius of those long-dead God-Kings. The grasp of a mortal man should be completely irrelevant. But Temujin is more than a single man.

"Fall, beast!" He cries out, lightning flashing in the darkened sky and illuminating the scene in jagged bands of light and shadow. "If my fists are as nothing to you, then the Thunder itself shall be my hammer..."

Far below, the eyes of the Singing Stones turn up towards the heavens, their gaze drawn by that one shout of defiance. They look upon him, this stranger who led them to battle, and in that moment they do not see a man. They see a god clad in mortal flesh, his hands wreathed in elemental power, contending with the great beast in a display of raw might. It should seem ridiculous, but even as they watch the Dragon's armour begins to buckle beneath Temujin's grasp and its wings wrenched back, illuminated by the wild fury of the storm-wracked sky. And in that moment, that one precious moment, they believe.

There is power in such things. The great halls of Heaven itself are built upon the worth of human faith, and some of the mightiest gods to ever walk its halls were lifted to their position by the belief of those who worshipped them. Gods, ghosts, demons and even the Exalted, all desire the raw power that comes from simple human faith, for with it they can become truly mighty. There is nothing structured or organized about the sudden surge of sheer faith in the Singing Stones, nor is it likely to sustain itself over the long term, but it does not need to.

Power surges through Temujin's body, wild and uncontrolled as the storm above, and with a triumphant shout he goes to work. Muscles bulge and essence surges, and with terrible inevitability the imperishable metal of the Dragon's form bends under the force. It is a creature out of legend, a monster to haunt the dreams of men, but even it cannot fly with its wings pinned behind its back.

Locked together in a struggle out of the most ancient songs, man and beast fall from the heavens.

"...and the Earth, my Anvil!"

The impact shakes the world.

So, can a Mass Combat unit contribute it's rating to an attack through sheer force of belief rather than actually stabbing dudes? By the rules, probably not. Is this a sufficiently awesome stunt that I feel compelled to try anyway? Evidently yes.

So, I checked the Grapple rules again. Wrestling for control of a grapple is an opposed check, which means the Dragon gets to use its Strength and I probably lose. But establishing one in the first place? That's just an ordinary attack roll against their DV. If I win, the Dragon goes Inactive and I can choose to just hold it. Which in this case, means falling.

So I'll make the attack and hope that the automatic levels of falling damage are enough to seriously inconvenience the damn thing. I have no idea how high up we are or whether I can apply damage enhancing charms to the impact by throwing it or whatever, so I won't talk about damage just yet.

Anyway, lowering target number to 4 for this, and let's see what happens.

Attack: [roll0] +6 sux.
Stunt: [roll1]

[Ifni]

It should not have been possible, but fate is with the Child of Thunder. The rusty smoke emerging at an increasing rate from the dragon's joints is swept up in the wind, joining the lightning-crackle of Temujin's anima to swirl around him like a banner of glory. The dragon's wings are pinned back by a strength almost inhuman, and with an ear-splitting shriek, it falls from the sky. When it strikes the earth, the earth itself yields, cracking and crazing beneath the monster's massive weight.

[Maugan Ra]

Lotus is angry. Guilt, fear and rage are all surging through his mind and his body even as he plummets towards the ground with his momentarily paralyzed prey. But he is well trained, experienced in high intensity situations, and above all not stupid.

He is fighting a Thousand Forged Dragon. This is a relic of the First Age, and while he couldn't begin to hazard a guess at precisely what era it was created in, it is safe to assume that the architects were intelligent, resourceful people working from a much level of equipment than is available today. They made this thing able to fly, indeed they designed it to use flight as its primary means of locomotion. It seems reasonable, then, to assume that it is tough enough to survive a crash landing, even an artificially induced one. And he would really rather it not survive this.

(Distantly, it occurs to him that some people would rate the survival of a marvel such as this rather above the continued lives of a few mortal warriors. But those are not his thoughts, so he discards them.)

How, then, can he make sure it stays down? Brute force seems unlikely to work. That's what an engine of war like this is designed to withstand, and if smacking it into the ground at terminal velocity is insufficient to do it in then no amount of force he can apply is likely to work. But that's fine - he's a Sidereal, he doesn't need to overcome such obstacles directly. Leave that for the Lunars. No, better to focus on what his kind does best, which is applying the gifts that the Maidens have bestowed upon him in creative ways to approach the issue in a way that others simply cannot.

Or, to quote a certain colleague of his, cheat like a motherless bastard.

Of course, he also needs to be concerned with actually surviving the impact himself, but that shouldn't be a problem, and... wait. That's it.

With the gifts of Mars, he can tie the fate of others to himself and override destiny to exist in multiple locations at once. With the gifts of Venus, he can redefine how things connect and coexist, avoiding harm by not getting hit. With the final secrets of the Night Breeze, he can transfigure even steel and jade to intangible air, temporarily overriding fate in the immediate vicinity of his hands. With all of these together...

Mortal eyes lack the sensitivity to accurately determine what occurs in the briefest instant before Temujin and the Dragon hit the ground. Even if they could see it, their minds would be too concerned with what is and is not possible to accept it. But if they could see it, and if they could accept it, they would see how in the last moment before impact the man who calls himself Temujin disappears from the world, dispersing into mist that shimmers in the firelight...

...and taking a considerable portion of the dragon's superstructure with him.

So, this is my intended stunt. I would like to use Duck Fate to avoid the falling damage, and build on that with additional fate hacks to justify applying Wind Needle Training to the falling damage, represented as temporarily filching enough of the armour that the Dragon doesn't benefit from it for its own impact.

I have no idea if this is legal by the rules (falling damage isn't normally an attack but the rules don't really cover pile driving a flying target, and I'm giving up Crush damage to hopefully make this work), but combining martial arts and fate manipulation to achieve a goal that I couldn't though sheer brute force was the most Sidereal thing I could think of.

[Ifni]

As the smoke clears after the impact, for a moment the dragon is motionless - but then its head lifts, its eyes still glowing with a baleful fire. One side of its head is heavily dented and cracked, and the joints of its wings do not seem to be working quite right anymore. But it is still fast, and still deadly.

It hisses with a sound like the world's largest teakettle, and then tucks its wings close to its body and rolls abruptly sideways, evidently intending to crush its unwanted passenger while presenting its armored back to the advancing riders.

[Maugan Ra]

Claiming motes for the stunt, which means that after the fall I have the following:

Personal: 0/18
Peripheral: 13/45
Willpower: 4/10

"What does it take to make you stay down?" Temujin roars in frustrated anger, shifting his grip as he tries to prevent the Dragon from crushing him. It is a difficult task, almost impossible really, but it all comes down to the principles of leverage. He doesn't need to hold the thing entirely immobile, just restrain and redirect its immense strength for long enough to do some good...

Beyond them, the warriors of the Singing Stones are rallying. Their enemy is held momentarily immobile, and that makes a fine target. As quickly as they can set arrows to bows they are firing, aiming for the rents and tears they can see in the dragon's superstructure in hopes of inflicting more serious damage.

I'm clearly running out of essence, but since letting the dragon control the clinch is likely to end badly, I'll lower the target number of my roll to 4 and give it a try...

Grapple: [roll0]
Stunt: [roll1]

Attack damage from the Singing Stones: [roll2]

[Ifni]

The dragon's attempt to roll meets Temujin's enormous strength, backed up by Lotus' knowledge of the principles of leverage. While its great tail lashes about furiously, the creature ends its motion where it began, firmly pinned to the ground by the Child of Thunder. More than one of the plains-warriors looks rather disbelieving, but they continue to nock arrows to their bows and fire. Enough of the dragon's massive armor-plating has been damaged by the fall that some of the arrows are now finding weak points.

[Maugan Ra]

Growling, Temujin tightens his grip, metal plates screeching as they bend and tear beneath his hands. Lightning courses along his limbs, the warlord focusing the extreme heat of the elemental energy against the resilient hide of his prey. Steel melts beneath his grasp, long streams of molten metal cascading down the dragon's flank like some strange parody of a waterfall.

I control the clinch with five net successes, I believe, and elect to crush the dragon. Base damage is my strength, so the total raw before soak is a mighty 9.

I'll take motes for my stunt and spend 2m on Searing Fist attack to convert one dice of damage to an automatic success. I'm not sure if the Overwhelming value from the Gauntlets applies to crush damage - if not, then that one level is all I do. If it does, I might as well roll the remaining die.

(Crush damage is piercing, but I don't think that's likely to help here.)

Extra damage just in case: [roll0]

Personal: 0/18
Peripheral: 15/45
Willpower: 4/10

[Ifni]

The dragon screams deafeningly, and whips its head to the side and back, trying to throw Lotus clear. Great claws score deep furrows in the soil, as the creature tries to lever itself into a crouch, ready to spring into the air.

It again tries to take control of the clinch. You can roll the Singing Stones' damage (6 dice) and decide if you want to flurry anything with your opposed clinch roll, then go ahead and roll it. Please don't read the spoiler until you've decided all your actions and Charm use.

Clinch roll:
[roll0]

[Maugan Ra]

The creature is smart, adaptable, and has the benefit of immense physical strength. Temujin knows he cannot hold it in place forever - already he can feel his energy running low, and he can become exhausted in a way that no monster of steel and jade can ever be.

He needs to end this, and quickly. With that in mind, as the dragon thrashes and writhes, he lets go, taking a step back that is closer to a leap that carries him clear of the flailing talons. For a moment, the beast's great burning eye turns to fix upon him - it can tell that he released it, and internal threat assessment demands that it take an instant to determine why in order to feed such knowledge into its intended actions.

"Your motive functions are impaired. I have a divine steed that will allow me to catch you if you flee." He says to it, speaking in the archaic Old Realm that is likely the only language this thing was ever programmed with. "While I remain functional, retreat is impossible."

The titanic weapon-beast roars, opening great gleaming jaws and breathing out a long gout of super-heated gas and flame that envelopes Temujin utterly. For one heart-stopping moment it appears as though the warrior has fallen... and then the flames surge once more, curling around the figure standing defiantly in their midst, brilliant tongues of red and orange lapping at his skin and searing the earth but leaving flesh and bone unharmed.

To fight a dragon... be a dragon.

OK, so clinching this thing for any length of time seems unlikely to be a useful prospective. I am therefore hoping to release the dragon from the clinch rather than continue holding it and then activate Fire Dragon Form. That's a Speed 4 simple charm, so if I'm reading things correctly I should finish activating it before the dragon finishes its action to free itself from the grapple.

I might be wrong about that - clinching is a bloody awkward set of rules and I've lost track of where we are in the tick order. That's why I went for a sort of stunt in the form of that threat which will hopefully persuade it not to move reflexively away from me just yet.

I'm also not sure if doing this means I still get the damage dice from the Singing Stones. If I do, see below.
[roll0]

[Ifni]

The snarl goes on, and on, even as the flames die. From behind the dragon's crystalline eyes an inhuman intelligence regards Lotus for a long moment - although any fear and frustration he might glimpse there is surely imagined.

Then the great barbed tail lashes around, striking not at Lotus, and not at the Singing Stones - but at one very specific target, one red horse without a rider.

Flurry of two actions. The first is a called shot at Mischief. -2 external penalty due to the presence of the unit. No Charms.

Attack:
[roll0] + 1 success

EDIT: ... heh, I think that misses. Go Mischief!

I'm not trying to kill Mischief here, but if you have a divine steed that can catch up with the dragon, the dragon does have an option other than attacking you :smallwink: If I do somehow roll high enough to kill her through the Ox-Bodies, I will probably suggest we houserule in 3e's "accept crippling effects rather than die" rule.

Even as its tail lashes out, the dragon is leaping again from the ground, broken and battered wings screaming protest as it forces its way into the sky.

Second action is to take off again.

[Maugan Ra]

OK, so I had 15 motes left, and Fire Dragon costs six. Assuming a two-dice stunt on activating it for incorporating the dragon's fiery breath into the stunt, I have thirteen motes left to play with and a pressing need to stop this thing before it can fly away.

Let's see what I can do...

The Dragon's tail smashes down, fast as a swooping hawk, but Mischief is faster. She has lived for years in the city of the gods, and made a game of dodging lightning bolts. Something like this is barely even worth noticing.

OK, banking on Mischief being able to dodge this with the penalties and... yeah, she's fine. Wow, this dude is not rolling very well.

With a triumphant whinny Mischief darts through the chaos of the battlefield, a streak of brilliant red set against the howling winds and churning dust caused by the Dragon's lumbering attempts to return to the air. The Singing Stones cry out in fear and frustration as their foe seemingly ignores everything they can throw at it, but the divine steed feels no such frustration. She knows Lotus, whatever skin he happens to be wearing today, and as she gallops towards him it is with confidence born from the knowledge that he will not allow this thing to escape so easily.

Lotus sees the horse coming, and his lips quirk in satisfaction as everything seems to fall into place. He does not need to say anything, for he and Mischief have worked together for too long to rely on such crude tools of communication. He merely steps forwards and leaps into the air, crossing the space separating them even as Mischief slides to a halt and turns on the spot, her rear legs rising from the ground in order to deliver a bone-shattering kick.

Feet and hooves come together for a brief moment, and essence flows along the immaterial bond that links Familiar and Exalted, a last reserve of strength gifted in the time of greatest need. Then both partners push away from one another, and Lotus is sent hurtling into the sky after his prey.

So, step one. Mischief takes a reflexive move action to get close enough to touch, while Lotus begins what will be a four-action flurry. The first action is a miscellaneous jump, which given my frankly ludicrous athletics should be sufficient to keep pace with the Dragon as it takes off.

Also, guess what I completely forgot up until now? When touching Mischief, Lotus has access to an additional five mote pool of essence. I'm going to take advantage of that now, either with that stunt about borrowing it for the incoming attacks or (hopefully) by retroactively saying it was used to pay for some of the charms when Lotus was riding on Mischief's back earlier in the fight. So, that kicks me up to eighteen motes. Let's do this.

Wreathed in divine fire, Temujin of the Plains rises into the air like the dawning of the sun. His ascent is rapid but tightly controlled, calculated to bring him to just the right point by a mind that has seen the great maths underlying the very fabric of the cosmos itself. For one long moment, the relative velocities bring the warlord and the dragon face to face in midair, and Temujin smiles without humour.

"Did you not hear me?" He asks, his fists glowing with heavenly wrath. "While I remain, escape is impossible."

With that, he seizes the great metallic beast with his left hand, lightning crackling around his right fist as he draws it back. From below them, arrows and foul curses chase the two of them into the sky, the Singing Stones unleashing everything they have in this final desperate bid for victory.

The sound of the impact rumbles over the plains like the thunder of a distant storm. For miles around, wild beasts raise their eyes to the horizon and the small gods of grass and stream shiver in rapture. The judgement of heaven has come, born in the fists and heart of its immortal child, and before such might even the ages-old resilience of scales forged a thousand times over cannot stand.

Once. Twice. Thrice.

And then the moment is past, and Temujin is forced to release his deathly grip upon his foe's gigantic form. He falls towards the earth, haloed by the small scraps of metal and glass torn from his enemy's hide, but such trinkets are of little concern to those who are watching. All they want to see is the Dragon itself, all they want to know is if this is finally enough to bring it down.

All the world holds its breath.

OK, the rest of the flurry is (as you can see) a trio of unarmed Martial Arts attacks. I'm not going to bother enhancing it with anything that will increase the chances of hitting - between the dragon's own wound and action penalties and the bonuses from being supported by a Mass Combat unit, I should basically be able to rely on hitting with all of them. Still, let's see first of all, shall we?

Three attacks, and the multiple action penalty starts at 4, but is reduced by 4 due to Fire Dragon Form and Red Jade weapons.

Dex 5 + MA 5 + Speciality 2 + accuracy 2 = 14 dice, and I think I get eight successes from magnitude and CC rating onto each.

Attack one: [roll0]

Attack two: [roll1]

Attack three: [roll2]

Stunt: [roll3]

Now, the base damage for these attacks (with FD Form) is 13L/2, possibly 15 due to the mass combat unit.

Each of the three attacks will be enhanced with Searing Fist Attack and Smiling at the Damned, for a cost of 5m per attack and 15m total. That means I get to convert one dice of damage per attack into an automatic success and then also add on a level of aggravated damage after soak for each one as well.

This leaves me with three motes remaining, which I will hold in case I need to correct an appalling roll with Perfect Blazing Blow.

[Ifni]

Temujin's fist drives into the dragon's armored chest - once, twice, thrice. The first blow shatters jade like eggshells. The second tears a great gaping gash in the armor: within, an engine of metal and Essence glows as brightly as the sun's heart. And then the Child of Thunder strikes once more, for the last time.

The incandescent flame at the dragon's heart seems to contract in on itself, glowing even brighter. For a moment the creature hangs motionless in the air, its mighty wingbeats ceasing. Then, as it begins to plummet to the ground, the point of actinic brilliance in its chest burgeons into a miniature sun, before erupting outward in an explosion of force and eye-searing light.

The thunderclap shakes the earth and flattens the grass for as far as the eye can see. Then comes the aftershocks, as the dragon's remains strike the ground; like a shower of falling stars, each piece red-hot and burning in strange colors.

Afterward, there is silence. The surviving Singing Stones wheel their horses to stare at the dragon's ruins - and the figure who has landed on his feet, in the midst of the smoke and rubble.

The third punch kills the Thousand-Forged Dragon. Well done! :smallsmile:

Now for the aftermath.

[Maugan Ra]

Breathing heavily, Temujin stands amidst the shattered remains of his foe. He is unharmed, save for a few scrapes and mild burns, but there is no mistaking the absolute exhaustion that suffuses his frame. Casting down the Dragon took every last fragment of his strength, drained him of all his essence, and he wants nothing more than to sit down and rest... but now is not the time for that.

With sure-footed steps, he turns his back on the gigantic corpse and begins walking towards the Singing Stones. The fire that swirls around him vanishes as he walks, fading away before it can scorch the dry grass or harm any of his newfound comrades. Mischief trots up besides him, and he raises one arm to pat her flank in appreciation. Without her strength and speed, the battle would have ended very differently, and it is important to acknowledge that. Having done so, he turns towards the silent riders.

There are many things he could say here, speeches he could give or explanations he could provide, but for now he settles on something relatively simple.

"How are the wounded?"

[Ifni]

"Two dead," one of the men answers, his voice sounding rather choked. "A third who likely won't live the night. And a handful with broken bones." He stares at Temujin. "You held it off us - what are you? Dragon-lord - I saw the fires -"

"Only two dead?" one of the women says, open disbelief in her voice as she turns to the man. "That's not..." Her voice trails off. She shakes her head.

"Leaf," one of the older men says, command in his tone, "if you're unhurt, ride back and find the children and elders. Tell them..." He swallows. It's as if he can't quite get the words out.

"Tell them we lived," one of the younger women says, and she sounds like she is almost laughing - or maybe crying. But there is triumph in her voice. "Tell them they are safe. Tell them a great lord of the Rust-Born demons lies shattered and broken on the plains, and -" Her voice falters for a moment, then she goes on, "And Gray Smoke Dancing and Wakes In Fire will have an escort to the next life such as none have ever seen."

"And tell the Grandfather," the first man says quietly, "that we have a tale to sing, that will wake all the stones of the plains."

He knees his horse closer to Temujin, although it shies away from the smoking jade remnants of the dragon. "Are you injured yourself, lord?"

[Maugan Ra]

Nodding to himself, Temujin slings himself back onto Mischief, bringing him back level in height with the riders around him. The storm of essence around him is still present, but it is beginning to subside now that he is no longer calling on it with such urgency. Overhead the storm begins to dissipate, and while a flicker of static runs down his arms every now and then, he is once again a man rather than an avatar of the sun and storm.

"I'm not seriously injured. Merely... tired." He says quietly, his words carrying well enough to a group all but hanging on his every word. "That thing was... starving, I suppose, if such creatures know hunger. It tried to feed upon my spirit, to take my energy for its own. I will recover with rest, but I have little strength left right now."

He lifts once hand and studies it for a moment, observing the way that a faint current of power runs along his hand and dances between his fingers. "As for who and what I am... you have earned answers for those questions, and I will provide them, but it would be better to speak with all of the Singing Stones at once. Your kin will have questions of their own, I suspect."

He grimaces as he spots the heavily injured rider, likely the one that the riders suspect will not live out the night. Half his side his shattered, likely by the Dragon's lashing tail, and he lacks the strength to stay in the saddle, so his kin have strapped him in place so that he can be moved back to the camp proper. He is almost past the point of pain, instead sinking into what is clearly a kind of shock, and shaking his head Temujin guides Mischief forwards to stand alongside him.

"I have strength enough left for this." He says in a slightly grim tone, reaching out and laying one hand on the injured rider's shoulder. The Singing Stone twitches slightly, then releases a long breath of relief as the pain recedes his sense returns to him. Temujin holds up a warning hand before the rider can grow too animated. "Remain still, if you can. I do not have the ability to heal your injuries, merely to take the pain. You will still need the attention of a true healer, and you should not aggravate your injuries."

Having said that, he sits back and all but slumps, the last of his energy spent. Mischief whinnies slightly in concern, and he pats her flank in reassurance. "Let us return to the camp, then. Your kin will be worried - let us not keep them waiting."

Hopefully that last bit is alright. I'm taking personal motes for my last stunt reward and using them to pay for Peaceable Conclusion, which is basically the best painkiller ever.

Ideally, I'll be able to put off having to explain things until my anima recedes enough for me to put my Resplendency back up. This is going to be important, and I want people to be able to remember it.

Lotus might also go back out to the battlefield later and see if he can filch some of the Dragon's remains, putting them into his Amulet's storage space. You never know when that sort of stuff might come in handy.

[Ifni]

The warriors and non-combatants arrive back at the camp around the same time, the warriors slowed by their wounded. It is hard to believe, but in all the desperate battle, less than an hour has passed since they sat around the fire eating and trading stories.

After a grim look at the injured riders, the old man in the spotted fur mantle goes to speak to one of the warriors, a woman in her middle years. She listens, frowns but nods, and then waves over a handful of younger warriors, giving them quick quiet-voiced orders.

A moment later, one of them comes over to Temujin. "Lord. The Grandfather and the chieftain say we must move the camp, further away from the red plains. You said you were drained by the battle, and the creature's hunger - can you ride further tonight?"

The old man, walking over behind him, inclines his head to Temujin. "And we must speak, and there is that which I must show you... But we must get the wounded away from the death-ground, and anything that may come to feed upon the demon's corpse."

If Temujin has no objection or anything to say at this juncture... but feel free to interject if you do have something to say, I can edit as needed.

The evacuation goes smoothly; the Singing Stones are clearly adept at packing up and moving their camps in short order. The new campsite is some miles to the east, in the shelter of a low hill to the west, and near a shallow creek. "Not enough water for a proper campsite," one of the younger riders murmurs to Temujin, "but for one night, when we have already eaten, it will do..." The young woman, little more than a girl, has been sticking close to Temujin throughout the evacuation. Most of the tribe spreads out sleeping mats and furs with the obvious intention of sleeping under the sky; the storm-clouds that threatened earlier have been swept away by the wind, leaving the sky clear and bright with stars. A single large tent is set up for the wounded, and the old man promptly disappears within. Most of the other riders, having checked on the safety of their families, are attending to the horses.

"Do you wish to sleep in the tent, lord? If you were mazed by the dragon..." The youth seems uncertain, but determined to make sure the tribe's guest is not abandoned. "I can see to your horse if you are tired."

That is all fine, and deferring explanations to the following day is fairly easy. We can skip ahead to the next morning unless there is anything you want to do this evening.

[Maugan Ra]

Temujin makes no complaint. He is tired, true, but not so badly off as to collapse so soon. He rides with the tribe to their new campsite, the aura of crackling power that surrounds him slowly receding. It is a strange sight to the Singing Stones, for as the power disperses their guest manages to seem more... real, somehow, a man of flesh and blood rather than the terrifying apparition of fire and lightning that fought the demon.

Lotus will put the 'Temujin' identity back up as soon as his anima permits. Hopefully an hour or so of Arcane Fate won't be so bad, and I've added in that little snippet as an explanation for any distorted memories - legends are full of stories about folks meeting gods who later cannot remember anything more specific than an impression of great power.

"The hospitality is appreciated, but I am not so injured as to take up valuable space." He says gravely when the young rider makes her offer. "You OK, Mischief?"

His horse snorts in agreement, the manner managing to convey her disdain for the notion that she might be tired after such a gentle run. The tribes folk might not be able to speak to the horse as their guest apparently can, but she is clearly rather more intelligent than most would assume. Still, it is just one more piece of the puzzle surrounding their mysterious guest.

Chuckling, Temujin slides himself out of the saddle and draws a fur blanket of his own from a pouch surely far too small to contain such a thing. Mischief settles down on a comfortable patch of grass, and her partner lies down beside her a moment later. Before too long, they are both fast asleep.

-/-

The next day Temujin rises early, his energy restored by the rest. A quick check confirms that his hearthstones appear to have likewise recovered - that likely means the manses they are connected to have recovered from the power loss induced by the Dragon. Good to know, even if the thought of the reports he will need to file makes him shudder faintly in dread.

He eats dry bread and smoked ham, drawn from within the seemingly limitless confines of his various pouches, and washes it down with a couple of mouthfuls of water. Then, conscious of the looks and whispered words he is still drawing from the tribes folk, many of whom are viewing him with outright awe, he goes looking for the old man, the 'Grandfather' who seems to hold a position of authority around here.

"So. I owe you an explanation, it seems." He says, upon finding him, and pays only limited attention to the way that many of the other riders nearby perk up at his words. "And an apology. I should have told you the full story from the start."

[Ifni]

A Dream
Lotus falls asleep quickly, but rest is more elusive.

The dragon chases him through the dreamscape, the clangor of creaking rusted metal mingling with the hiss and roar of the forge. Again he feels the force of the wind from dragon-wings like a hammerblow; again he feels the heat of the great construct's fiery breath. Again he feels the world drop away beneath him, and then rise up to meet him with breathtaking speed. The dream seems to feel no obligation to respect the true sequence of events, or even causality, so Lotus might relive the moment when he pinned the creature's wings together, and then immediately find himself snatched into the sky by massive claws.

And amidst the disjointed, shattered scenes of battle and fury and fear, he dreams again that last moment, when jade and metal splintered, and he thrust his gloved hands into the dragon's incandescent heart.

Oddly, given the mighty eruption that followed in reality, in the dream that moment becomes a stillness in the storm.

And in that stillness Lotus begins to notice perceptions that he had not felt - not consciously - in the waking world. He can hear the Essence at the dragon's core, in all its thunderous symphony of fire and steel and storm. More, he can feel it, how it ebbs and flows.

As time passes, in the swift way of dreams, that stillness seems to grow and deepen, a moment of contemplation stretched out into minutes or hours or days. What had been the merest glimpse of an artifice to stun the mind becomes a meditation, as he sees deeper and deeper into the patterns of the dragon's Essence - and what lies beyond.

For the dragon was made to be a siphon of the world's life: beyond its outer form, made to strike terror into the hearts of men, this was always its true strength and its true danger. Its heart burns with Essence that is not its own life-force, but the tangled ley-lines of all it has stolen, and in the moment of its death all those strands passed for a moment through Lotus' hands.

In time, stillness pervades the dream completely, the clash of dragon and Exalt left far behind. In Lotus' hands the world unspools, pure Essence and pure power cupped between his palms. And he watches, and sees, and -

... In that one, eternal instant, I understood more of the world than I could have in a thousand lifetimes... and understood just how much more there was to learn...

- understands a little more.

When Lotus wakes up, he has learned Seven Facets Understanding, the first Charm of Prismatic Arrangement of Creation.

Could you please replace the version of PAOC in the OOC thread with my more updated version here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17274630&postcount=376) (at least, I think that's the most up-to-date version; if you see anything that looks old just let me know).

Seven Facets Understanding usually requires mastery of a CMA, but I'm making an exception here. You will still need to have mastered a CMA to learn the first Form, but you can learn the three pre-Form Charms without it, with appropriate justification.


The old man looks weary this morning; the wrinkles on his face seem deeper than the night before. But he manages a smile.

"We hold that each person's story is their own to tell or withhold," he corrects Temujin mildly. "But if you wish to share it now - I think there is no need for a formal challenge-circle. There is that which I must show you, as I said last night, but that can wait. Or not wait, depending on your preference. Would you speak to all of us, or first to me, to shape the story and tell it on?"

[Maugan Ra]

"Better to speak to all of you." Temujin says. He can still remember that dream, and he suspects that it might signify something potentially very important, but that can wait for the moment. "Your riders followed me into battle without hesitation, and it cost them. They... you've all earned the right to hear this from me directly."

There is no formal gathering space in this temporary campsite, but there is at least one area where he can stand and allow the majority of the tribe to see and hear him. For now, that is enough.

"The name I gave you was Temujin - Child of Thunder - and it is one that I have earned. But it is not the one that I was born with." He looks down at his hand, and as he clenches it small currents of lightning crackle around it for a brief moment before fading away again. "Nor was I born with the power that I now can wield. I do not remember much of the life that I had before this one - I know I was born and lived on these plains, that I rode with my brothers and was happy for a time, that something happened to separate me from my kin and set me wandering alone beyond the horizon. The details, though... they are vague, like a story from one's childhood, one that changes with every retelling."

He looks up at the Singing Stones, and the strength and conviction behind his golden eyes is enough to make veteran warriors hesitate. "I spoke before of when I met the goddess of the Imperial Mountain... but she is not the only deity I have encountered. There are older and more powerful gods than her, gods of the sky and stars who watch over the secret things in this world. They came to me during my wanderings, for reasons of their own, and they showed me the future."

He nods in the direction of the Plains of Rusted Iron, where even now the Dragon's shattered corpse lies still. "That... Dragon, that demon, whatever it was or might have been. It is not the only one of its kind, and though none other hold the same shape as it there are many of similar power. With each passing year they grow ever more hungry in their barren land, and one by one they will begin to ride and hunt once more. They will be joined by the other monsters - the dream eaters and the dead that walk, the hungry things beneath the earth and the proud spirits driven mad by all they have lost. The gods showed me them, showed me what they would do."

He sighs and shakes his head. "Some of the tribes fight back, and some of them are successful - for a time. Then they encounter something like the dragon, and are broken. Others run, falling back before the coming tide, only to be caught by things that have hunted men since before the stars were set in the sky. Eventually, the only ones who survive are those who follow the course of the Iron Hoof, who run to the Realm and the Scarlet Empress and pledge themselves in service in exchange for protection."

He smiles grimly. "In credit to her, the Empress will defend that which is hers - she turns her Legions against the monsters that hunt us and eventually triumphs. They are slain or driven back, and the land is safe again. But by that time, there are no tribes left - no Singing Stones, no White Eagles or Iron Hoof. The people are still there, or their children's children, but everything that it means to bear that name is worn away and lost. There are just... auxilliaries, servants of the Realm with a gift for riding. Nothing more."

He glances up at the sky, as though seeking something, then back to the Singing Stones. "The gods showed me that... and then they gave me a choice. I could forget their vision and go on my way, live a long and happy life and die a mortal man many years from now. Or I could take the power they offered, try to change the fate they foresaw, and die as something more a good deal sooner."

A quick gesture summons the burning flames he used against the Dragon, tongues of fire coiling around his outstretched hand for a few moments before vanishing once more. "I took their bargain, paid the price and then came back here. That is why I spoke with Hadur, why I was riding towards the Serpentine River. It is why I sought to hear your stories, and why I rode against the Dragon. I am seeking a way to undo the future that I witnessed, a way to preserve what it means to be a child of the plains across the generations. My plan was to speak with every God and tribe in the Jaen Ha, and only then reveal myself and what I could do, in hopes of averting what was to come. That... evidently didn't work out."

He shrugs, and looks to them all, his expression solemn. "That is my story. That is who I am. What happens next is up to you."

[Ifni]

The Singing Stones stand silent, watching Temujin with grave faces. Even the children are quiet, seeming to understand the portent of this moment. A baby cries, and is hushed.

Then the young warrior who was shadowing Lotus last night walks forward, draws her sword with a rasping sound, and raises it high in salute. "I am with you, Child of Thunder," she says simply. "My bow and sword are yours. May the plains open and swallow me should I fail you."

For a moment, the world is silent. Then another of the riders, an older man, comes forward to join her, and then another... until all the warriors who fought beside Temujin stand in a circle around him, swords raised to the heavens. Even the elders and youngsters have come forward, raising knives or short hunting bows; and younger children clinging close to their parents and watching with wide, wondering eyes.

There is a gap in the circle, and through it Temujin can see the old man in the spotted-fur mantle, who alone of the tribe still stands apart.

"I do not bow to any man," the old man says, but his wrinkled face is not angry - indeed, he is smiling, although it has a hint of sadness to it. "But I will tell the tale of these days to the stones, Temujin, that all our people may know it."

With those words, there is a roar from the Singing Stones, a wordless battle-cry of triumph. Swords are lowered and sheathed. The group's chieftain - the woman who had spoken to the old man the previous night - walks to the front of the group, and reaches out to clasp Temujin's arm. Her grip is strong.

"Where do we ride?"

That's a 3-die stunt; you may either take a BP as your reward, or stunt-learn a free Performance Charm (or another Ability with good justification). Looking at your pool and given that speech, I'm not going to make you roll :smallwink:

You may also regain 1WP for progress toward your (Faultless Ceremony) Motivation.

[Maugan Ra]

Temujin grasps the chieftain's hand in a firm grip of his own, unable to properly articulate his feelings on the sudden outpouring of allegiance and support from the Singing Stones. His eyes speak for him, though, blazing with conviction and the hope that his self-imposed mission might actually succeed.

"North." He replies. "To the Serpentine River. If the White Eagles are being driven to raiding I would know why, and if Emerald Son of the Clouds is responsible I would have words with him."

With that, the camp sets to preparing with a will, for there is always a great deal to do whenever a group of any significant size wishes to move from one location to another. The nomadic tendencies of the Singing Stones make this easier to arrange than it otherwise might be, but there are still difficulties, and Temujin throws himself into assisting with a will. No mere outsider is he, a guest who can but stand aside and do his best to avoid becoming a burden upon generous hosts. He can speak to horses and tend to wounds, hunt food and scavenge for supplies, coordinate disparate individuals and lift burdens that a team of stallions would have difficulty pulling.

And somewhere during the middle of the preparations, he finds the old man who the others call Grandfather, and pauses in his labours for a quiet word.

"You said that there was something you must show me?" He asks in a low voice.

[Ifni]

The old man nods, but his gaze is pensive. "Although perhaps not, if your mission is so urgent. I would normally say it would take a day or so. But you have earned the right... and I will have to go anyway." He raises an eyebrow at Temujin, although his tone remains mild. "The Singing Stones do have a tribe-leader; this is just one band. It would be courteous to inform Golden Marten of your plans."

He glances at the horse-lines. "Since you are in a hurry... will that red mare of yours carry two?"

[Maugan Ra]

"Naturally." Says Temujin, who actually did not realize that the Singing Stones represented more than just one band. Still, he can work with this, and he glances over at Mischief. "What do you think, my lady? Up for carrying two?"

Mischief snorts and stomps her heel, as if to scold her partner for even having to ask. She is the daughter of Ansha Silver-Maned, fastest and strongest and generally best horse on these plains. Of course she can carry two people.

"Mischief says 'yes'." Temujin relays in a deliberately bland voice.

[Ifni]

The old man nods, his expression bland. He calls over a youngster, who runs off toward the chieftain after a quick exchange, and then waits for Temujin to mount before swinging himself up behind the warrior.

"We need to go west - and a little south, but mostly west. I'll direct you as we pass the landmarks."

Mischief quickly moves into a smooth, ground-eating canter. It takes only moments to return to the battlefield of the previous night, marked by scarred earth, uprooted grass and bushes, and the great scattered swathes of metal and glass and jade glittering in the morning sunlight. Then the red horse is past the battleground and into the lands beyond, her hooves kicking up red dust with every step.

The Plains of Rusted Iron are desolate in a way that the Jaen-Ha was not. In yesterday's journey, no matter how empty the plains, there was always grass (even if it was dry), and narrow trickles of water through creek-beds, and birds flying overhead or starting up beneath Mischief's hooves. Here there is only... barren soil, rust red and ashen gray, rising and falling in folds that can barely be called hills. The few plants that make their crawling way across the surface are stunted, gnarled specimens, with little color in their leaves.

Mischief runs onward, and behind them the line of green that marks the Jaen-Ha fades and then vanishes. The world around is red and gray, as far as the eye can see, and the dust that hangs in the air seems to dull the sky itself. Here and there, in the distance, Temujin can see mounds that look too regular to be natural, and once or twice, the silhouettes of ruined buildings.

"Turn southward here," the old man says hoarsely, after passing one such mound. He goes into a fit of coughing on the last word, and remains silent after that.

When the Grandfather eventually says "Stop. Here," there is nothing very obvious to see. They stand in one of the hollows of the land, on the western side, shaded by its height from the morning sun. The old man swings down from Mischief's back, and shakes out his arms and legs to loosen them.

He walks toward the lee of the hill, and looking more closely, Temujin sees that the weathered rocks lying scattered here and there have a regular shape. And there, in the hillside, matching the color of the soil so closely as to be nearly invisible - especially as it is half-covered by drifts of that same soil - stands a door.

The old man reaches out to touch it, and it slides aside. Beyond Temujin can see only darkness - except that as he watches, it is replaced by a soft white light.

"Come," the Grandfather says quietly. "And tread carefully, Child of Thunder. This is a blessed place, one of the havens of the Singing Stones."

He disappears within.

[Maugan Ra]

Temujin is silent for the duration of the ride, merely soaking in the bleak vistas offered by the Plains of Rusted Iron. And beneath that mask, Lotus feels a kind of grim resolve settle into his heart.

Remember this, Shieldbearer. This is what happens when war is allowed to burn too fiercely, when too much fuel for the pyre is allowed to build. Preventing places like this from coming into existence is why you were Chosen.

When the Grandfather announces that they have reached their destination, he looks momentarily confused. It takes a moment to spot the door, and even after the old man has opened it he lingers for a long moment on the threshold.

"Hmm. Not what I was expecting." He says quietly, before glancing over at Mischief. "Keep watch for me, OK?"

Mischief nods dourly, her usual exuberance dampened by the lifeless surroundings. Lotus knows he can rely on the empathic link he shares with his steed to warn him of anything truly dire, so after a moment he enters the mound, cautiously following the Grandfather.

[Ifni]

Beyond the door is a corridor; the floor and walls are smooth stone, mostly ivory-colored but with a subtle abstract pattern of pale blues and greens. There are drifts of dust just inside the door, but as Temujin follows the Grandfather deeper into the hillside, the dust grows sparse and then vanishes altogether. The light is soft and diffuse, and appears to be coming from the walls themselves.

Temujin can feel the flows of Essence around him, stronger than at any other point they have passed in the blasted lands. There are doors opening off the corridor on both sides, and it branches several times, but the Grandfather continues walking, apparently conversant with the route. Temujin takes the opportunity to open his mind to the least gods of this place, his eyes glowing momentarily emerald -

... to remember, to teach, to learn...
... yearning...
... alone, stunted, broken...

No ghostly tracks of past travelers are visible to Lotus' gaze; the sense of solitude is bone-deep, and feels somehow ages old.

A few minutes later, after a sharp right turn, the passage reaches an archway and opens out into a round room, ringed by shallow steps down to a floor about a foot lower than the corridor. Another archway stands on the far side.

The walls of the room are lined with shelves, divided into small individual compartments, each faced with glass. Behind the glass sit large gems - ranging from the size of a thumbnail to that of a child's fist - in many sizes, shapes and colors.

Many of them are broken and dull, and some others swirl with formless white, as if they contain clouds. But others are bright with color. These are rarely alone in their compartments; they are cushioned in nests of woven golden grass, or delicately beaded folds of leather, or carved bowls of wood or stone.

The Grandfather reaches out to touch Temujin's arm as he steps through the door, gently holding him back.

"These are the Singing Stones," he says softly, and there is a mistiness in his eyes not caused by old age. "Only our people dare the Plains of Rusted Iron, and so only our people have ever found them, and learned to make them sing. There are holy places like this scattered through the Plains, and the most precious ones sing not only to us, but to each other as well. A story given to the stones will be echoed across the Plains, as long as our people endure. For the stones do not rot or age or falter in their recollection; they hold safe our history, and our legends, so all our predecessors' wisdom is there for the seeking."

The old man looks up at the Child of Thunder. "Did you know what you fought for, in the challenge-circle? It is the right to have one's story remembered forever, to give it into the shared memory of all our kin. Such honor is only given to..." He hesitates a moment. "To stories that will shape us."

He lets go of Temujin's arm. "There are stones here that remember the time before the Rust Plains were red," he says quietly. "And stones that remember the war that came, and the terror of the plague-times - we isolate ourselves, Temujin lord, and we avoid conflict when it comes, because we remember. Here -"

He reaches up, and carefully opens one of the compartments, sliding out the gem - emerald-green, washed with shades of gold. "Hold it, and listen -" He closes Temujin's hand gently around the stone.

And suddenly he is somewhere else.

Or... no, not somewhere else. The shape of the land is much the same as the plains he and Mischief rode yesterday; not the desolate lands of Rusted Iron, but the rolling grasslands of the Jaen-Ha. The air is cold and dry, and sharp with the scent of snow. And the smell of rot, strange in this chill season. Behind him, the black smoke from pyres rises slowly to the sky.

A woman's voice speaks in his ear, quiet and steady and yet touched deeply by despair.

"... One rider avoided another on the open plains, hardly any tribesman troubled about others, kinsfolk never came any more to each other's tribes. Moreover, such terror was struck into the hearts of men and women by this calamity, that brother abandoned brother, and the uncle his nephew, and the sister her brother, and very often the wife her husband. What is even worse and nearly incredible is that fathers and mothers refused to see and tend their children, as if they had not been theirs..."

The vision breaks as the Grandfather retrieves the stone, and puts another one in Temujin's hand - this one a clear translucent white.

"We isolate ourselves, and we avoid conflict," the old man says, half to himself. "But now you have slain a Rust-Born dragon, and called my riders to follow you for the sake of all the Jaen-Ha, and I think... it becomes clear that this is a story that will shape us. So I have brought you here to share your story, with all who listen to the stones."

"Meditate, Son of Thunder, and tell your story in your mind. The stone will remember, and sing this legend across the Rust Plains, and then... we will see how my people judge."

OK, I promise the Singing Stones and the Plains of Rusted Iron are the only tribe/location that plays heavily on the 'you are in a post-apocalyptic post-high-tech setting' conceit :smallwink: Everywhere else, burial mounds would've been a really good guess.

If Temujin wishes to interrupt this at any time, please feel free.

[Maugan Ra]

For a long moment, Temujin/Lotus hesitates. There is more than one reason why he should avoid this course of action, from the practical - he does not know precisely what effects Arcane Fate will have on a recorded message such as this - to the moral - can he truly add a collection of lies and half-truths to the sacred heritage of these people?

In the end, though, he steels himself and accepts the necessity of it. He needs to communicate with the rest of the Singing Stones, in a way that they will not think to question. His mission is important, and he cannot allow himself to sabotage it with such doubts.

Besides, he's finally worked out why Mars gave him that message last year. Or at least one of the reasons, the Maidens being notorious for having at least half a dozen different motivations behind any given decision.

Clearing his mind with the help of several meditative techniques he learned as part of his sorcery training, the Sidereal-turned-warlord closes his eyes and sinks into a crouch.

-/-

There are many gods, many spirits in this world, one for every rock and tree and stream. Most are small things, caring nothing for what lies beyond their domains, but others are older. Greater. More terrible. And when it suits them, they present us with choices to make.

A bloody-handed woman stands on a bridge of frozen starlight. All around her are the strands of fate, glistening in their infinite multitudes, tended to by scurrying hordes of things which might be spiders were it not for the cold intelligence in their metal eyes. It is hard to look upon them, but harder still to look upon their mistress, for her presence is burned into the memory-vision like a brand.

"War demands sacrifice. In every conflict, something is lost." She says in tones of absolute certainty, and in her eyes are the blazing lights of the midnight sky. "You accept this, and change who you are, or you deny it and lose everything."

The scene changes. A camp, a circle, a group of Singing Stones rested for the night. Everywhere, men and women are running in fear and confusion, racing to gather their possessions and reach the horses. Flee, they yell, their voices thick with fear. And in the sky above them, a great winged shape looms. Terrible eyes burn with balefire and wings of iron and jade shriek as they cut through the air.

Last night, a Rust-Born Dragon fell upon our camp. It came to kill and consume, driven by unknown hunger. The instinct was to flee, for everything we knew said we could not fight it. Everything we knew was wrong."

The point of view moves, leaping onto the back of a glorious red horse as she comes tearing through the camp, a powerful voice roaring commands. It is the voice of the one who speaks, and this is clearly his memory.

My name is Temujin. I am the one who the gods presented with their choice. This Dragon is but the first threat that will come to prey upon us, and if we continue to run then it and those which follow will chase us down and kill us all. We might not all perish... but we will lose everything.

There is another way.

The point of view changes. The Dragon is reeling back, it's armoured hide punctured by arrows, it's great claws blunted by hammer blows. Two hands enter the image, slamming into the metal plates with terrible force, their exact form hidden by clouds of lightning and a baleful red glow. The Dragon screams as it is torn asunder, the furnace-glow of it's heart revealed... and then silenced forever.

With the aid of the riders here, I slew the Rust-Born Dragon. Two of those who rode with me against it fell in battle - Grey Smoke Dancing and Wakes in Fire. Their names I commit to the memory of the stones. I will not permit their sacrifice to be in vain.

Together, we can stand against the coming darkness, and I believe we can win. But it will take more than one man, the blessings of one God or even the numbers of one tribe to succeed. I will bind together in common cause all who ride the Jaen Ha, and build a world where our children can live without fear.

A change. After the battle, the story told. The Singing Stones draw their swords and raise them to the Heavens. I stand with you, Child of Thunder. My bow and sword are yours. May the plains open up and swallow me if I fail you.

I will obtain the blessings of the gods, to lend us the strength to succeed.

A stallion rides the plains alone. It becomes a man, bold and strong, who laughs and offers a token of horse hair to the one who boasts of uniting the tribes.

This message, I leave for those who will come after, and those who ride beyond the horizon even now. I leave it that you might know what I do and why, and that you may pass judgement on my goals for yourself.

I am no Khan, no Emperor to demand obedience by right. I am but a man who seeks to save his people, and build a better world for his children.

I hope that I am not alone.

[Ifni]

When Temujin blinks his eyes and breaks the vision, and hands the stone back to the Grandfather, it has changed from translucent white to a deep and bloody red, flecked with emerald green. The old man takes it reverently, and gently sets it into one of the unoccupied niches, already lined with a densely embroidered pad of cloth.

"May the truth be known," he murmurs in Old Realm as his fingers brush the surface of the stone one last time. "The keys to the past are the gateways to the future." The second sentence sounds... odd, phrased in an archaic manner, as if it has been passed down the generations word-for-word, even as the language changes slowly around it.

"Your offering is accepted, Child of Thunder," the Grandfather says as he turns back to Temujin, switching back to Low Realm. "Now your story will be part of the Singing Stones, forever - it is the greatest honor I can bestow."

He smiles faintly, a smile that doesn't reach his eyes. "Now, perhaps we should return before either your horse gets bored, or my kinfolk leave without us?"

Is there more that Lotus wants to do here? Given your Occult ratings - this is a minor manse, it's been damaged to some degree but seems stable. And based on Seven Facets Understanding and your Savant rating, you can guess that in the First Age, this was probably a town library or school.

[Maugan Ra]

"Now, I'd like to protest that Mischief would never just get bored and wander off in a dangerous place... but she absolutely would." Temujin says with an amused grin. "Let's head on back. And... thank you."

-/-

Later, when he gets a free moment, Lotus takes the opportunity to pull out a couple of pieces of parchment from his amulet's storage space. Any of the riders watching likely assume he is simply keeping a journal, and when the time comes to burn them in order to send the messages to Heaven via the strange astrological powers he has been blessed with... well, that's when being able to summon flame to the hand with a thought is particularly useful.

He writes two letters - one to his sifu, and one to the Chair of the Central Convention, each penned in fine emerald ink.

-/-

Sifu

My assignment is going well, though as always there have been a few unexpected developments. One of these days I will have a mission where everything goes perfectly according to plan and I don't have to improvise my way out of anything, but it is not today.

I'm actually writing to request a quick favour. I tangled with a Thousand Forged Dragon the other day, and before I was able to put it down it managed to drain a number of my Hearthstones. They have since resumed providing power so I hope the geomantic damage was not significant, but would you be able to swing by the House of Distant Horizons and make sure the place isn't on fire? If there are any angry spirits from the Crimson Panoply hanging around, please let them know I'll speak to them once I'm back in the city.

I'll probably be on this assignment for at least another month or so, and I don't think I will have easy access to Yu-Shan during that time. Still, I expect I'll have quite a few interesting stories by the time I get back.

Yours
Gentle Lotus

-/-

To: Chejop Kejak, Chair of the Central Convention
From: Gentle Lotus, Taskforce Red Mountain
Topic: Progress report on Jaen-Ha Unification

Sir

My assignment progresses faster than expected - I have secured the loyalty and obedience of a considerable portion of one of the primary tribes (the Singing Stones) and have begun steps to influence them towards peaceful integration with the Realm and a gradual adoption of a more Immaculate-friendly philosophy. I foresee no significant troubles on the immediate horizon, but there are two developments pertaining to the wider Convention that I believe should be noted ahead of my official report.

Firstly, the tribal group I was speaking with have come under attack by an autonomous weapons platform, which matches the description of a Thousand-Forged Dragon. I was forced to render it non-operable, and I believe that the resulting power core overload has rendered it irreparable. I am not an archeotech expert however, and even if so there should still be a reasonable amount of salvage to be had from the wreckage. I have enclosed coordinates below, if you wish to direct a relevant agent to the area.

Secondly, I have discovered that the Singing Stones have been making use of an abandoned manse in the area they refer to as the Plains of Rusted Iron. It appears to have been some kind of library or school, and has survived the passage of years remarkably well. The tribes make use of an archeotech storage and communications system to preserve their historical records, and while I was not able to conduct a full survey the site may yet yield further information or resources. Coordinates are once again enclosed.

A full report will be forthcoming upon my return.

Gentle Lotus
Chosen of Mars

And firing off Superior-Entreating Memorial Style twice in order to keep in touch with the relevant folks in Yu-Shan. Either Aumin or Chejop can write a reply to me inside of three days in they so wish, though I wouldn't be surprised if Chejop is so busy he just dumped the letter into his 'in-tray' to attend to later.

[Ifni]

Mischief greets the two of them with an impatient snort, and once they are mounted she is quickly away, racing back to the east.

The return trip to the camp is quick. As they pass through the wreckage of the dragon, Lotus can see that several of its claws and fangs remain almost intact; if he wished to retrieve them, it would be easy enough to do so.

Just let me know if Lotus wants to go pick up any jade claws/fangs :smallwink: You have a starmetal IRA, so I'm not going to be too picky about carrying capacity.

The Singing Stones are ready to depart by the time Temujin and the Grandfather rejoin the group. The trip northward is very slow by Temujin's standards - only a few tens of miles each day! - and more than once, Mischief indicates very strongly that she needs to go for a run just to stretch her legs.

That in turn means that Temujin and Mischief are among the first to see the bands of riders approaching. The first group of newcomers provokes some comment and discussion, but after that it becomes routine fairly quickly. All those joining the northward ride are Singing Stones, and most of them have friends or distant kin among the original band. They look at Temujin with wonder in their eyes - except for the mostly-elderly men and women wearing distinctive fur mantles, who ride straight past him to speak with the Grandfather.

So as they ride north, the band of the Singing Stones swells and swells, from a few kin-groups to something that begins to resemble an army. Or a town. Food is not scarce yet, but Lotus cannot help but look around at the arid plains and wonder.

It is on the third day of their journey when another group rides in; this one has no children riding ponies, unlike the other bands, and almost all of the men and women look like seasoned warriors. From the forefront of the group a man rides forward, mounted on a palomino mare; a golden fur is draped over his shoulders.

He calls a greeting to the chieftain of the original tribe, who is riding near Temujin; she has been beginning to look more than a little harried and fraught over the last day or so, but now she spins in her saddle and her face lights with relief. "Marten! It's good to see you -"

The rider spurs his palomino forward, to ride beside her. He eyes Temujin consideringly for a long moment, before offering, "Nice horse."

[Maugan Ra]

Temujin takes the opportunity to borrow some of the Dragon's inbuilt weapons as he passes, stowing them within the seemingly-endless volume of his pockets. You never know when that sort of thing might come in useful.

-/-

"Thank you." Temujin replies politely. Beneath him, Mischief snorts and tosses her head in a way that is somewhere between pleased and bashful. "Mischief says thank you as well."

He takes a moment to survey the gathered tribe, who by this point could easily be mistaken for an army, before looking back at the newcomer. "You would be Golden Marten, then? Good to meet you. I am Temujin."

[Ifni]

"I've heard of you," Marten replies mildly. The leader of the Singing Stones is on the cusp between youth and middle age, with sun-weathered skin and hair beginning to pale with time. His arms, resting lightly on his reins, are muscled like whipcord. Aside from the golden fur, he wears no obvious mark of rank. "Temujin, Child of Thunder, blessed of the gods and slayer of dragons. The man who's trying to steal my tribe, and doing a pretty good job of it so far. Right?" His tone remains calm, even friendly, but his brown eyes are like augers.

The dragon's claws count as blue jade grand daiklaves, and can be used as such individually. The teeth were designed to be used as part of a bite, and would need to be re-carved to function properly as hand-to-hand weapons, but are made of jade and large enough to be made into short daiklaves, ordinary daiklaves, reaper daiklaves or wavecleaver daiklaves.

[Maugan Ra]

"Two out of three isn't bad, I suppose." Temujin replies easily. He's been expecting something like this - almost anyone would - and as such isn't exactly surprised by it. "I do carry the blessings of the gods, and I did deliver the final blow to a dragon. As for the rest... you cannot steal that which is freely given. I am a man driven by a cause. I told your tribe what it was and why I valued it, and I asked for their help. Nothing more."

He frowns slightly as he looks over the assembled riders. "Though I admit I was surprised to see such a strong response."

[Ifni]

"I'm not," Marten replies with a sigh. "The legend-keeper you met put your tale in the Stones - that means he thought it was critically important. The keepers stick together; if one of them decides to take that kind of stand, a chieftain's options are limited." His tone is rueful. "Worth remembering, if that's the role you're after."

He studies Temujin for a long moment. "I don't think you're a liar, Child of Thunder - I trust my legend-keepers' judgement that much. But it's entirely possible to honestly, sincerely lead the people who believe in you into disaster. Do you have any experience of leading large groups of people? Now that you understand the whole tribe of the Singing Stones is answering your call for help?"

[Maugan Ra]

"In battle, yes. In peace? Nothing on this scale." Temujin says frankly. "I have lead mercenary companies and trading caravans, but never a tribe entire. While I am sure many of the skills required will scale up, I have no doubt there will be other problems I simply do not see coming and do not know how to handle."

There is no shame in his words, only an easy acceptance of the facts. "But I've met a lot of interesting people in my time. One of them was a monk - a mortal Immaculate, to be precise - and something he said has stayed with me ever since. 'Wisdom is found in the balance of the elements'."

He looks over at Golden Marten, and there is a kind of frank honesty in his words that lends them a powerful impact far beyond any mere charisma. "I am a champion and a visionary, but I am not a chief. You are. You know things that I do not, see things in a way I cannot. So if you believe that at any time, now or in the future, that I am leading the Singing Stones into disaster? That there is something I am missing, some danger I do not realize? Tell me, and I swear upon my life and name that I will listen."

[Ifni]

"Oh, I'll do a bit more than tell you, if it comes to that," Marten says frankly, with a friendly grin (that doesn't hide the implied threat even a little). "But I'd rather we confer before it comes to 'leading the entire tribe into disaster'. You've convinced the legend-keepers your story is the one to shape us for this generation, Temujin, so we will follow the unwinding of your tale - but there's a difference between leading and ruling. Leave the governance of the bands to those of us who understand it, and things will go much more smoothly."

"Now, will you eat at my fire tonight? The storytellers and chieftains of the principal bands will be joining me."

"We will?" the chieftain who Temujin first met asks unguardedly - she's been listening to this exchange with eyebrows raised.

"Were you planning to decline my invitation, Moon of Rains?" Marten returns equably.

"... no, I suppose not."

[Maugan Ra]

The long ride

It takes three days of riding before Golden Marten joins their little band, and Temujin spends much of that among the people of the ever-growing tribal group. He trades stories with the older members, banters with the younger warriors and laughs at the games of the children. It is who he is, after all.

Beneath that mask though, Lotus finds himself quietly intrigued by what is occurring before his eyes. These people are here because of his message, his quest. But with the exception of the legend-keepers and those who were part of the initial band he met, none of them have heard him speak of it in person. Normally he would have assumed that such a disconnect would result in some... dulling, for lack of a better word. Less enthusiasm for a message heard one step removed.

And yet, those who have ridden to join them all seem equally enthusiastic, some of the point where it's honestly a little worrying. His words were in the mouths of their elders, but they came through clearly all the same, and Lotus is not so dull that he misses the implications. If he can figure out how to duplicate this, how to do so more reliably in the future, he might be one step closer to understanding the wisdom of his patrons...

So, three days of travel time. Lotus is going to use that to train the charm 'Presence in Absence', working off his basic grasp of charisma and the example provided here. And thus do I continue to round out my capabilities and hopefully acquire enough tools that I can set things up in advance and thus don't have to improvise wildly all the time.

Hey, a man can dream...


"Oh, I'll do a bit more than tell you, if it comes to that," Marten says frankly, with a friendly grin (that doesn't hide the implied threat even a little). "But I'd rather we confer before it comes to 'leading the entire tribe into disaster'. You've convinced the legend-keepers your story is the one to shape us for this generation, Temujin, so we will follow the unwinding of your tale - but there's a difference between leading and ruling. Leave the governance of the bands to those of us who understand it, and things will go much more smoothly."

"Now, will you eat at my fire tonight? The storytellers and chieftains of the principal bands will be joining me."

"We will?" the chieftain who Temujin first met asks unguardedly - she's been listening to this exchange with eyebrows raised.

"Were you planning to decline my invitation, Moon of Rains?" Marten returns equably.

"... no, I suppose not."

Temujin snorts slightly in amusement, being familiar with such tactics. He is reminded of all those legionnaires he saw, getting 'volunteered' for a particular duty. An odd comparison, perhaps, but the one which comes easiest to mind.

"I would be happy to." He says politely. "It would be good to get to know everyone in a little more depth, at least."

[Ifni]

So, three days of travel time. Lotus is going to use that to train the charm 'Presence in Absence', working off his basic grasp of charisma and the example provided here. And thus do I continue to round out my capabilities and hopefully acquire enough tools that I can set things up in advance and thus don't have to improvise wildly all the time.

Hey, a man can dream...

Approved. And hey, I'm sure you'd be disappointed if Lotus got through a whole mission that went entirely to plan :smallwink:

Temujin has a little time before the evening meal, and so it is that when he draws out his waterskin, a slim scroll falls out with it. He is fairly sure it was not there before.

Lotus:

Your home has not yet collapsed, exploded, or otherwise severely discommoded your neighbors. I gather there was an outage of sorts, and your majordomo had been sending angry letters to the neighborhood municipal authorities; I believe I have now managed to set him straight.

Match-ups involving Thousand-Forged Dragons tend to be bracing. I hope you took advantage of the opportunity to practice your Essence awareness and its integration into your katas. I remind you once more that where possible, it is wise to work through proxies, rather than personally punching giant magitech monstrosities in the face. (Was it the face? The eyes are usually one of the softer targets.)

Write more often. I will be interested to see how your plans unfold.

In serenity,
Aumin

Golden Marten's fire has little to distinguish it from any other - except that Temujin recognizes several of the chieftains he's already met sitting around it on logs. Lotus is an astute observer, and he sees something more: the currents of movement in the camp seem to swirl around that fire, as if it were a node of sorts. Most of the camp's inhabitants seem to be finding some excuse to pass by and linger for a few minutes, listening to the conversation.

As Temujin approaches, the chieftains are drawing in the dust with sticks; they seem to be arguing about water sources.

[Maugan Ra]

Temujin notes the ongoing debate as he approaches, spies the drawings in the dirt. When you are a nomadic people, hard copy maps are simply one more thing to carry with you everywhere, and there is often little need for them provided your scouts are skilled and you stick to the same general region.

He considers staying out of things entirely, backing up his previous claim of not being suited to the decisions of a chief... but no, while lack of existing experience can be forgiven, turning down the opportunity to remedy a fault in one's knowledge is a far more serious transgression.

So he approaches the fire with the confidence of a man who knows he has been invited, and takes a seat on one of the logs. His golden eyes glance over the crude sketch, and he nods slowly.

"Water sources are becoming an issue, then?" He asks thoughtfully. "Is it safe to assume that there's not one single perfect source nearby that can sustain the entire tribe?"

[Ifni]

"Not until we reach the Serpentine River, and that's still several days away, even if we make good time," Moon of Rains replies, with a welcoming nod.

"It's also White Eagles territory," one of the other chieftains adds, a man with kingfisher feathers bound into his grizzled hair. "We've heard strange rumors from their lands, true - but even if something is chasing them away from the river, that just means we'll have to deal with whatever that something is. Their presence in the foothills is why we left."

"And again, we're not at the river yet," Golden Marten joins in. He looks up at Temujin, and then gestures at several points on the map with the stick he holds. "There are good waterholes along this route, but for one or maybe two kin-clans, not the whole of the Singing Stones. We ride in small bands for just this reason - the Rusted Lands are inhospitable, not like the Iron Hoof's green country."

"We have been discussing whether we should divide the tribe again, split into smaller groups and plan to rejoin at the river," another chieftain speaks up, this one a stocky woman whose dark red hair hints at Fire blood in her distant ancestry. "As well as making it easier to find water, it would help with evading White Eagles scouts."

"And weaken us for any attempt to actually fight past them, if we do encounter them. Or whatever they're fleeing." These words have the sound of an argument that is becoming well-worn.

"And just how well do you think our kin will fight if they haven't had enough water for three days?" The chieftain sounds weary, more than irate.

[Maugan Ra]

"It's far from ideal, but the tribes need water. If the only way to get enough water is to divide into smaller groups, then I'm not seeing much of an option." Temujin offers. He considers the matter for a bit, eying the distribution of the watering holes and the potential routes the tribes can take.

"Still, your concern about the White Eagles or any other threat is valid." He nods to the chief with the kingfisher feathers in his hair, the one who raised the possibility of danger. "If it helps, Mischief and I could likely reach most of these waterholes inside a few hours. I could scout them out, make sure there are no threats in the area, and report back. Then you can make a decision about who to send where, based on more recent information."

[Ifni]

"Must be quite some horse you have," the red-haired chieftain mutters, sounding audibly skeptical.

"Oh gods, don't say that, she'll take it as a challenge," Moon of Rains sighs, rubbing her forehead in a gesture familiar to anyone who's spent much time around Mischief.

The man wearing kingfisher feathers nods slowly at Temujin. "If you can do this... it would help assuage my worries. I would normally fear for the safety of a lone scout, but -" His shrug is eloquent. "I doubt one who slays dragons will fear much on these plains."

"Then so be it," Marten says briskly. "Temujin will scout the waterholes. We will divide back into warbands to stock up on water at safe locations, then plan to rejoin before reaching the river."

"Although I'd like to know what our plans are beyond that point," another chieftain speaks up, sounding a little sour. "Ride with you to unify the clans of the Jaen-Ha against the coming darkness, sure. A fine legend. But at some point we're going to run into the White Eagles and they have no sense for stories."

[Maugan Ra]

"That would be why I'm going to see Emerald Son of the Clouds." Temujin says with a shrug. "My initial intention had been to speak with all of the gods in turn and obtain their backing, and only then approach the tribes - as it stands I have spoken to Hadur, my horse is the daughter of Ansha Silver-Maned and I have dealt successfully with Kuri in the past. The god of the Serpentine River is next, and I am confident I can convince him to back me as well."

He pauses. "The White Eagles may not understand stories in the same way as the Singing Stones, but they will recognize power and opportunity. They'll see the value of joining." He smiles. "Well, either that or they'll try to kill me. It won't end well for them, but they wouldn't be the first to think that murdering someone would fix all of their troubles."

God damn this took way too long to actually get written up. My apologies.

[Ifni]

There is laughter, and the meeting continues. By its end, Lotus has a reasonable assessment of the chieftains. The likely fault lines are already becoming obvious: all of them are strong-willed people, accustomed to guiding and governing their own bands without resort to higher authority. Golden Marten seems well-liked (if there are those who openly resent him, they are hiding it), but their attitude to him seems to be more the respect given to an eminent colleague, rather than the fealty due to a king. There is some tension between the leaders of the northern bands that have joined more recently, and the southern groups; while part of it seems to be fueled by a sense of pride by those who joined earlier (and especially those who were part of the original group that fought the dragon), Lotus can tell that this is only exacerbating an older divide. The northern bands tend to be larger, and their people look better-fed; the southern bands travel lighter, and it is easy to tell those who've recently come from the Plains of Rusted Iron, due to the red dust staining their gear.

The next day, Temujin and Mischief set out to scout the waterholes, following directions from the Grandfather.

Do you want to go around and check the waterholes first, or aim straight for the river, or do something else? In any event, I would like to know what (if any) precautions Temujin is taking as he approaches them, and Perception+Awareness rolls for both him and Mischief.

[Maugan Ra]

Mischief is more than happy to be able to run once more, and the speed with which she bolts away over the plains forces even Lotus to dedicate more attention to hanging on than he otherwise might. Fortunately he expected this and thus avoids looking particularly undignified, but he makes a mental note not to keep his horse cooped up for too long in the future.

The plains can be a dangerous place for a rider alone, but Lotus is not especially concerned. He is more dangerous than basically anything else he is likely to find out here, and the personality he is wearing demands he act like it. Still, that doesn't mean he has to be entirely stupid - plotting a route that takes him near the watering holes rather than directly to them, thus allowing him to spot any gathered forces ahead of time, is simply good practice.

Not planning to do anything particularly elaborate with regards to the precautions, but going to go and check out the watering holes, yes.

Mischief's Per+Awareness: [roll0]
If 'Predators' speciality applies: [roll1]

Lotus' Per+Awareness: [roll2]

[Ifni]

The first waterhole is empty, save for animal tracks. The bootprints in the dry mud around the edges of the pool are old; weeks rather than days. It is a pleasant spot, with ample shade cast by trees with thin gray-green leaves, taller than the scrub common on these plains. Several waterbirds startle into the air at Temujin's approach.

The second waterhole, however, rewards his caution.

He is still several miles away from the marked location when he spots the first rider. There is little in the way of hiding places on these plains, but the rolling folds of the land offer some shelter. Another watcher might simply see a lone horseman, but Lotus is Chosen of Mars, and even at this distance, he recognizes the purposeful movements of a scout on watch.

[Ifni]

From the Singing Stones, Temujin next encountered the White Eagles. They were initially rather hostile, assuming he was coming to take water from the waterhole, but he managed to calm the situation. He learned that the White Eagles had left the Serpentine River behind because its god had become unpredictable and vengeful, demanding tribute from all living in the area, and either sending floods or drying up the river completely when they didn't provide the required gifts. Thirst was a problem for them, as they were accustomed to taking almost all their water from the river; they had subdivided the tribe into many smaller groups, so as not to overstress the waterholes, but the elderly and sick were already dying at higher rates than usual. They were not happy to find that the Singing Stones wanted to use the waterholes too.

Temujin went to negotiate with their leaders. He explained his identity, what he had already done, what he wanted to do and what they had to gain by signing on with him. Specifically, he offered to intervene with the river God, and negotiate on the tribe’s behalf to help them regain their ancestral land.

One of the White Eagles dismissed the idea that this strange outsider could do anything, at which point Temujin pulled out one of the fangs taken from the Thousand Forged Dragon and slammed it into the ground.

“This is the claw of a Rust-Born Dragon, one which attacked the Singing Stones at camp. I killed it with my bare hands. Question my motives and goals if you must, but never my deeds.”

He offered to take some of the White Eagles with him to the meeting with the river god, to make sure their tribe remained involved in the process. The White Eagles explained that Emerald Son of the Clouds had stopped answering prayers, but anyone approaching the river would usually provoke an appearance (potentially a lethal one, if the visitor had not brought tribute). They dispatched an observer with Temujin, but she was fearful, and stayed well back from the river.

When Temujin approached the water, a being that looked much like a water dragon appeared and demanded tribute - it wished to eat Mischief, or alternatively the observer hiding back at the treeline. (But preferably Mischief; she was larger.) Temujin battled the creature, and in the course of the fight, realized that his adversary was not actually the god of the river, but instead a snake-like water elemental using magic to disguise itself.

Temujin defeated the spirit, but spared its life. Questioning revealed that it had several brothers of its own kind; they had taken over the river, without the river-god's knowledge. The elemental mocked Emerald Son of the Clouds for being so weak and torpid that they could take his river away from him, but under pressure, revealed the location of the god's sanctum to Temujin.

The entrance to the sanctum was in a deep icy pool, beneath a wide ledge of dark green stone. There was no sign of the god outside it, but Temujin spoke, requesting an audience, and in time, a great scaled head snaked its way out of the sanctum.

The god grumbled about being sleepy, and asked Temujin to leave it be. Temujin apologized for the interruption, but was not dissuaded, and told his story.

He introduced himself as Temujin, a man of the plains there on behalf of the White Eagles tribe, who had been driven from their lands by the depredations of a group of water elementals claiming to be Emerald Son of the Clouds.

“Normally I would intercede with them and leave you in peace, Honoured Spirit, but the elemental I spoke to laid claim to this river and seemed quite confident that the claim would not be challenged.” The golden eyed rider shrugs. “The White Eagles will wish to know the truth of such things, and so I am unfortunately forced to disturb your rest. I apologize, but it could not be avoided.”

The god muttered something to the effect of “Let them have it”, and shows every indication of going back to sleep. He sounded… weary, and old, and maybe in pain. When Temujin enquired as to the source of the god's distress, and how he might alleviate it, the god spoke of a broken world, and worshippers with lives as short as mayflies. There was pain in his voice, and signs of illness in his demeanor.

Temujin considered this for a time, then bowed to the spirit and accepted his answer. He chose to leave Emerald Son of the Clouds in peace.

Departing from the deity’s sanctum, he tracked down the elementals again. To them he presented the following terms; the current river god was basically quitting the job, so the position was open. If they could agree amongst themselves how to handle the spoils and responsibility, he would intervene with the tribe, the Immaculate Order and the heavenly authorities to get their claim officially recognized. This would give them power, authority and most likely a steady stream of (reasonably scaled) prayers and offerings from the mortal tribes folk of the plains. Of course, if they were not reasonable - if they persisted in demanding ruinous tribute and avoided actually managing the river properly - then not only would they lose out on the rewards the arrangement offers, he would personally hunt them down and slay them all.

Returning to the White Eagles, they were a bit hesitant to return to the river on his word alone, but became more willing to do so after Lotus told the Singing Stones that it was safe. A few days later, the Singing Stones were camped on the plain where the Serpentine River flows down from the mountains, with plenty of water for all; the White Eagles group that Lotus found had joined them there, and had sent out runners to the other White Eagles leaders. Temujin made introductions between the tribes, before leaving to seek out the Siroc.

When Lotus and Mischief rode into Siroc lands, they were met by a small group of young men and women, acting as scouts/outriders. Once Temujin told them of the meeting between the tribes, they were glad to take him deeper into the Siroc lands, albeit not without posturing and challenges - which Temujin met with casual equanimity.

(Temujin noticed, as well, that their leader (a young man) seemed to have some kind of subtle supernatural affinity for the land and the earth. He didn't have any particularly obvious Aspect markings, but could have been a weak-blooded Earth Aspect (his coloration is paler than his companions, and his skin has a faintly stony texture), or the God-Blooded child of some spirit associated with stone/roads/earth/etc. His companions deferred to him, but aside from some jokes about him getting sunburned, nobody seemed to mention (or perhaps, be aware of) his powers.)

They took Temujin to the leader of the Siroc, the fabled White-Feathered Ghost. Their camp was in the valley of a smaller stream; it actually had trees, unlike most of the Jaen-Ha plains that Temujin had seen so far.

White-Feathered Ghost was very skeptical of Temujin’s unification plans, and wanted to know what he intended to do about certain Dragon-Blooded who were trying to bring the Blessed Isle under central rule, and seemed unlikely to be happy about competing regional governments covering a significant fraction of the Isle’s land area.

“I will talk to them.”

Temujin advocated the benefits of a unified front when dealing with the Dragon-Blooded and the wider Realm. A multitude of smaller tribes can be dealt with piecemeal, played off against one another or forced into accepting lesser terms. One who speaks with the voice of a people, however, is in a much stronger position. He argued that the tribes are stronger and safer when they act together, and that doing so was the only way to preserve their people and their way of life in the long run.

In the course of agreeing with Lotus that a unified front would be important, it became clear that White-Feathered Ghost really didn't like the Immaculate Order, and that this was a common attitude among the Siroc. The Siroc held the Iron Hoof in contempt, accusing them of abandoning their own ancestors and traditions in order to curry favor with the Dragon-Blooded (White-Feathered Ghost was also scathing about the Dragon-Bloods thinking of themselves as enlightened beings).

Temujin saw the ancestor-shrines of the Siroc during his visit to the tribe; small family shrines were common, as were talismans tied to the outside of tents. He did not need to probe deeply to find that the tribe was named after its legendary founder (Siroc, who was said to be a sorceress and a prophet as well as a war-leader), and the Siroc were very proud of their ancestors. He learned that the aspen grove by White-Feathered Ghost's camp was home to one particular spirit, who provided counsel to her descendants.

After returning to confirm that all was well with the other tribes, Temujin rode to the lands of the Iron Hoof - and was promptly shot at. He was able to calm matters, but it was clear that the Iron Hoof had been suffering raids from that direction.

He talked the riders into taking him to the leaders of the Iron Hoof, who were a married couple, named Dancing Smoke and Gray Heron. They looked vaguely familiar to Temujin, as he had once met their daughter, Reed Flute. They were both middle-aged-to-old, and neither seemed very cheerful - he got the impression that there was a long-standing grief and worry weighing on them.

There was also a mortal Immaculate monk present in the Iron Hoof’s main camp, a woman named Mouse. She was in her early-to-mid-30s, ranked in the Second Coil, and she wore a white belt over her plain robes, indicating devotion to Pasiap.

Temujin was straightforward with the Iron Hoof - he explained he was seeking to unite the tribes of the Jaen Ha in order to safeguard their collective future, and thus far had secured the backing of the Singing Stones, the debt of the White Eagles and the participation of the Siroc. He told them there was to be a meeting between the tribes, under his direction, and the Iron Hoof were welcome to attend - indeed, he would very much like them to, as he could hardly be said to be working for the good of all without at least some level of buy in on their part.

He quoted Immaculate Scripture at some points in his speech; Pasiap was all about helping the mortal people of Creation to build and develop into harmonious societies.

He also asked outright if Dancing Smoke and Grey Heron would name some deed as proof of his intent - it worked for the first two tribes, after all, so he’s got some basis for broaching the topic with them.

The leaders were very dubious at the prospect of taking any number of their people into close proximity to the Siroc, since the two tribes essentially had a blood feud at that point. They also wanted to know what Mouse thought. Mouse was trying to figure out Temujin’s views on the Immaculate order - supporting harmonious societies is one thing, supporting unification of an anti-Realm force on the Arjuf border is something else entirely.

They were also skeptical of Temujin’s own motives - he’s just come out of nowhere and wants to rule the Jaen-Ha? Maybe that works for small nomadic groups like the Singing Stones, they said, but we have a large population and trade agreements with Arjuf, that has brought us a lot of wealth. Why should we entrust any part of their future to you, or to other tribes who are poorer than the Iron Hoof and resent their closeness to the Dragon-Blooded?

They were not at all sure his intent was to safeguard the interests of the Iron Hoof, and their existing ties to the Realm. When he assured them that it was, they suggested that Mouse attend the meeting with Temujin, that he name her as an advisor, and that he refuse to back down on the Immaculate Order being part of his new order. (However, they warned him that this would likely get a lot of resistance from the Siroc.)

Temujin expressed some initial reluctance. He wished to make Smoke and Heron feel that they had some influence over him, by persuading him to adopt a stance he might otherwise not have taken, because that way they’d be more likely to buy into the general idea of the unification, reassured that their voices will be heeded.

In the end, the compromise he settled on was to invite Mouse along as a representative of the Order, who have their own interests in the area to fulfill and protect, and by extension as an initial representative of the broader Realm. While the Siroc might very well raise a stink about a monk getting placed on a theoretically equal footing with them, Temujin believed he could sell it to them as a matter of practicality, and everyone would feel less opposed to the idea if it seemed like Mouse was actively negotiating with them rather than being appointed as the official religion by fiat.

He spent some time speaking with Mouse directly about the faith and what it would mean. This was aimed at convincing her that he was in favor of the Order, and giving her a few pointers on how to spread the faith to the other tribes (the White Eagles would be in favor of a safeguard against more elemental ****ery, for example) without going so far as to make her feel like he was just humoring her. A conversion actively won looks more reliable than a proud plainsman just bowing his head without the slightest bit of dissent.

Temujin deliberately referenced parts of the Immaculate texts in oblique fashion as he spoke with the monk, particularly the parts about how Pasiap was all about building harmonious societies and the strength to be found in unity. These were sayings and parables he had picked up while traveling abroad; he used them as an angle to suggest that a slower, more staggered integration of the Order into the tribes would be better/more likely to succeed than presenting complete submission as a requirement to the whole idea in general.

After their discussions, Mouse quietly told Temujin that if he wanted to prove he could bridge the discord in the tribes over dealings with the Dragon-Blooded, and heal old wounds, the best demonstration he could make would be to find Smoke and Heron’s missing daughter (Reed Flute) and reconcile her and her followers with the rest of the tribe.

The story here (as Mouse recounted it) is that fourteen years ago, Reed Flute got into trouble with an Arjuf Dragon-Blooded family. She ran away, and her parents repudiated her out of fear that not doing so would disrupt their trade with Arjuf. This action was met with wide disapproval among the tribes; it’s felt that the Iron Hoof dishonored their ancestors’ traditions by doing so, and also cursed themselves to ill fortune, by disrupting the line of succession. Reed Flute is Smoke and Heron’s only child, and it’s considered very bad luck to have the leadership pass out of the ruling bloodline; it dishonors Smoke and Heron, for failing their ancestors by not producing a legitimate heir.

Reed Flute and her lover, a man from Arjuf (Mouse doesn’t know his name, she doesn’t seem to think he’s very important), took refuge with the Siroc; White-Feathered Ghost took her in and acted as her mentor. She now leads one of the Siroc warbands, and there are quite a few disaffected Iron Hoof riders who’ve joined her.

Mouse felt that while it was important that the leaders of the Iron Hoof were willing to put loyalty to the Dragon-Blooded above even their own bloodline, and it increased her respect for Smoke and Heron, it sent a pretty bad message if people came to feel that working with the Dragon-Blooded meant dooming your tribe to discord and strife. It had been long enough now that a reconciliation could probably happen without wrecking the horse trade that has brought wealth to the Iron Hoof, provided Reed Flute and her husband were willing to make conciliatory gestures and accept the Immaculate faith. (Mouse mentioned that the Dragon-Blood most likely to hold a grudge against Flute had joined the Immaculate faith, so was no longer directly involved in making trade policy.) Now the problem was more likely to be that Flute has been outcast from her tribe for fourteen years, and she was not likely to think kindly of the Order.

Temujin agreed to seek out Reed Flute and at least try to heal the divide. He does however make it clear to the monk that this was deeply unlikely to be as easy as ‘Flute admits she was completely wrong, converts, repents and comes back home’. Maybe if it happened immediately, but she’d had over a decade to get settled into her new ways and double down on that initial split.

In searching for Reed Flute, Temujin and Mischief rode directly into the middle of a night-time raid, by a group of riders on a small cluster of tents. Temujin intervened on the side of the victims, but fought nonlethally - knocking the riders from their horses, smacking them a few times with ludicrously athletic ride-by attacks, and generally making a load of noise in the process to alert the defenders that they were under attack.

After Temujin's arrival, the riders seemed more interested in getting away than staying around to fight - they seemed to have mostly been here to steal horses and supplies, not to murder the people in the tents.

It was all pretty chaotic, and difficult to see exactly what was going on, but Temujin got a look at the leader of the raiding party, and recognized her as Reed Flute + a decade or so. She and her riders collected their injured and withdrew, but Temujin chased after them as they left. Once they were a reasonable distance away from the camp, he called out a cheerful greeting to her.

Reed's riders did not try to kill Temujin, having gained a certain amount of wariness from their recent clash - but since he didn't seem overtly hostile, Reed asked him who he was and why he interfered with their raid (with strong overtones of “you jerk”).

“My apologies. Reflex.”

He introduced himself as Temujin, and gave a summary of the situation: that all the tribes were currently intending to meet at his invitation - backed by the gods, including Kuri - to discuss the future (under truce enforced by magical kung fu if needs be) and how to react to impending threats. He explained he’d been riding back and forth across the plains to gather everyone involved and convince them to at least give it a go.

“The Iron Hoof didn’t much care for me at first. Still don’t, actually. But they were willing to at least attend if I did them a favour first. Namely, finding you, Reed Flute, and passing on a request that you return and try to talk things out.” He pauses, then shrugs. “So. I’m here, the message is passed on, and if you’re willing then the conclave would seem like the best time. I’d offer my personal guarantee that no one would stop you leaving or try to dictate terms to you if it helps, but in truth I cannot speak for what precisely your parents might want to talk about.”

He laughs. “I’ll even go so far as to keep the monk they have hanging around out of the way and ignorant to whatever you might want to discuss. She wants a full apology and conversion, but then, it’s not her who rules the tribe.”

Reed Flute laughs when he mentions talking it out with her parents, a short sharp-edged laugh. “They’re about fourteen years late. And the monk wants an apology from me? Leaving wasn’t my choice, Temujin; my parents are the ones who told me I couldn’t come back. Embarrassments to the family of a major trading partner are better just forgotten… put out of sight and out of mind.” She smiles, a little sourly. “Until you start losing other trading ties because of the insult to tradition, I suppose. I’m guessing they didn’t even mention my marriage as a relevant factor in all this?”

A man has come to stand beside her as she speaks, putting an arm around her shoulders. He studies Temujin thoughtfully, but has remained silent, letting Reed take the lead. Lotus recognizes him as well: fourteen years ago, Karoth was also at a dinner at Leranis Feiyan’s mansion. He is leaner and more sun-weathered now, and he wears plains garb rather than an elegant suit, but he is still recognizable, his features subtly different from those of the Jaen-Ha tribesfolk.

“Is White-Feathered Ghost attending this meeting?” he asks mildly, after a moment.

“What, you think they’d tell me about these things? I’m just a useful outsider they’re trying to use to patch up their internal problems without admitting fault or weakness.” Temujin laughs. “Still, I’ve been known to pick up on a thing or two. For example… it wasn’t just your parents that reacted poorly to the idea of those trade ties being compromised. Leranis Madrian ended up getting enrolled with the Immaculates within a day or two of the, ah, ‘incident’. He’s still there to this day; out of the line of succession and with no chance to influence the family as a whole.”

A shrug. “You, by contrast, are by law and tradition heir to the Iron Hoof, even now. That makes your position a lot stronger than many would care to admit. Your parents want the tribe to escape the stigma of this whole mess, the dragonblooded don’t want the tribes to see working with them as dooming their families to strife… what this comes down to, then, is what you want.”

He nods to Karoth. “White-Feathered Ghost agreed to attend, yes. Not without reservation, but all things considered I’ll take what I can get.”

Reed and Karoth conferred for a short while privately, but when they came back, Reed agreed to bring her band of riders to the meeting. (Karoth was quietly but definitely in favor - his argument to Reed seemed to be that White-Feathered Ghost would likely want her to be there, if only to disconcert the Iron Hoof, and they owed him.)

When Temujin went back to talk to the Iron Hoof, they agreed to send a small (and armed) group, including Mouse and Dancing Smoke.

It has been a busy few days for Gentle Lotus - and a productive few days for the legend of Temujin. Dragon-Slayer, River-Restorer, speaker to both Immaculate monks and their bitterest enemies in the Jaen-Ha... as he rides into the sprawling camp on the Serpentine River, he hears whispers all around him, hushed and not-so-hushed speculation as to his intentions and his next steps.

(Not to mention the hushed and not-so-hushed praise for Mischief. Mischief is very definite about that being important; she has acquired quite a flock of wide-eyed children.)

The White Eagles and the Singing Stones are encamped more-or-less where he left them, near the water, and the pale banners of the Siroc fly from a rise to the east. The Iron Hoof delegation and Reed Flute's warband should arrive later in the day; hopefully not at exactly the same time.

Temujin has been inside the boundaries of the camp - not that those boundaries are particularly distinct, but there's a point where the tents become few and far between - for only a few minutes when Golden Marten strides through the crowd, waving to him. "Temujin! Good to see nothing's killed you yet. Do you have a moment to talk?" The chieftain seems cheerful, but there is a certain manic energy to him, that hints at too much tension and too little sleep.

Sorry that took so long! It's been a busy month; I'm teaching a new class for the first time, which is always a fair bit of work. But hopefully this gets us restarted.

[Maugan Ra]

From the Singing Stones, Temujin next encountered the White Eagles. They were initially rather hostile, assuming he was coming to take water from the waterhole, but he managed to calm the situation. He learned that the White Eagles had left the Serpentine River behind because its god had become unpredictable and vengeful, demanding tribute from all living in the area, and either sending floods or drying up the river completely when they didn't provide the required gifts. Thirst was a problem for them, as they were accustomed to taking almost all their water from the river; they had subdivided the tribe into many smaller groups, so as not to overstress the waterholes, but the elderly and sick were already dying at higher rates than usual. They were not happy to find that the Singing Stones wanted to use the waterholes too.

Temujin went to negotiate with their leaders. He explained his identity, what he had already done, what he wanted to do and what they had to gain by signing on with him. Specifically, he offered to intervene with the river God, and negotiate on the tribe’s behalf to help them regain their ancestral land.

One of the White Eagles dismissed the idea that this strange outsider could do anything, at which point Temujin pulled out one of the fangs taken from the Thousand Forged Dragon and slammed it into the ground.

“This is the claw of a Rust-Born Dragon, one which attacked the Singing Stones at camp. I killed it with my bare hands. Question my motives and goals if you must, but never my deeds.”

He offered to take some of the White Eagles with him to the meeting with the river god, to make sure their tribe remained involved in the process. The White Eagles explained that Emerald Son of the Clouds had stopped answering prayers, but anyone approaching the river would usually provoke an appearance (potentially a lethal one, if the visitor had not brought tribute). They dispatched an observer with Temujin, but she was fearful, and stayed well back from the river.

When Temujin approached the water, a being that looked much like a water dragon appeared and demanded tribute - it wished to eat Mischief, or alternatively the observer hiding back at the treeline. (But preferably Mischief; she was larger.) Temujin battled the creature, and in the course of the fight, realized that his adversary was not actually the god of the river, but instead a snake-like water elemental using magic to disguise itself.

Temujin defeated the spirit, but spared its life. Questioning revealed that it had several brothers of its own kind; they had taken over the river, without the river-god's knowledge. The elemental mocked Emerald Son of the Clouds for being so weak and torpid that they could take his river away from him, but under pressure, revealed the location of the god's sanctum to Temujin.

The entrance to the sanctum was in a deep icy pool, beneath a wide ledge of dark green stone. There was no sign of the god outside it, but Temujin spoke, requesting an audience, and in time, a great scaled head snaked its way out of the sanctum.

The god grumbled about being sleepy, and asked Temujin to leave it be. Temujin apologized for the interruption, but was not dissuaded, and told his story.

He introduced himself as Temujin, a man of the plains there on behalf of the White Eagles tribe, who had been driven from their lands by the depredations of a group of water elementals claiming to be Emerald Son of the Clouds.

“Normally I would intercede with them and leave you in peace, Honoured Spirit, but the elemental I spoke to laid claim to this river and seemed quite confident that the claim would not be challenged.” The golden eyed rider shrugs. “The White Eagles will wish to know the truth of such things, and so I am unfortunately forced to disturb your rest. I apologize, but it could not be avoided.”

The god muttered something to the effect of “Let them have it”, and shows every indication of going back to sleep. He sounded… weary, and old, and maybe in pain. When Temujin enquired as to the source of the god's distress, and how he might alleviate it, the god spoke of a broken world, and worshippers with lives as short as mayflies. There was pain in his voice, and signs of illness in his demeanor.

Temujin considered this for a time, then bowed to the spirit and accepted his answer. He chose to leave Emerald Son of the Clouds in peace.

Departing from the deity’s sanctum, he tracked down the elementals again. To them he presented the following terms; the current river god was basically quitting the job, so the position was open. If they could agree amongst themselves how to handle the spoils and responsibility, he would intervene with the tribe, the Immaculate Order and the heavenly authorities to get their claim officially recognized. This would give them power, authority and most likely a steady stream of (reasonably scaled) prayers and offerings from the mortal tribes folk of the plains. Of course, if they were not reasonable - if they persisted in demanding ruinous tribute and avoided actually managing the river properly - then not only would they lose out on the rewards the arrangement offers, he would personally hunt them down and slay them all.

Returning to the White Eagles, they were a bit hesitant to return to the river on his word alone, but became more willing to do so after Lotus told the Singing Stones that it was safe. A few days later, the Singing Stones were camped on the plain where the Serpentine River flows down from the mountains, with plenty of water for all; the White Eagles group that Lotus found had joined them there, and had sent out runners to the other White Eagles leaders. Temujin made introductions between the tribes, before leaving to seek out the Siroc.

When Lotus and Mischief rode into Siroc lands, they were met by a small group of young men and women, acting as scouts/outriders. Once Temujin told them of the meeting between the tribes, they were glad to take him deeper into the Siroc lands, albeit not without posturing and challenges - which Temujin met with casual equanimity.

(Temujin noticed, as well, that their leader (a young man) seemed to have some kind of subtle supernatural affinity for the land and the earth. He didn't have any particularly obvious Aspect markings, but could have been a weak-blooded Earth Aspect (his coloration is paler than his companions, and his skin has a faintly stony texture), or the God-Blooded child of some spirit associated with stone/roads/earth/etc. His companions deferred to him, but aside from some jokes about him getting sunburned, nobody seemed to mention (or perhaps, be aware of) his powers.)

They took Temujin to the leader of the Siroc, the fabled White-Feathered Ghost. Their camp was in the valley of a smaller stream; it actually had trees, unlike most of the Jaen-Ha plains that Temujin had seen so far.

White-Feathered Ghost was very skeptical of Temujin’s unification plans, and wanted to know what he intended to do about certain Dragon-Blooded who were trying to bring the Blessed Isle under central rule, and seemed unlikely to be happy about competing regional governments covering a significant fraction of the Isle’s land area.

“I will talk to them.”

Temujin advocated the benefits of a unified front when dealing with the Dragon-Blooded and the wider Realm. A multitude of smaller tribes can be dealt with piecemeal, played off against one another or forced into accepting lesser terms. One who speaks with the voice of a people, however, is in a much stronger position. He argued that the tribes are stronger and safer when they act together, and that doing so was the only way to preserve their people and their way of life in the long run.

In the course of agreeing with Lotus that a unified front would be important, it became clear that White-Feathered Ghost really didn't like the Immaculate Order, and that this was a common attitude among the Siroc. The Siroc held the Iron Hoof in contempt, accusing them of abandoning their own ancestors and traditions in order to curry favor with the Dragon-Blooded (White-Feathered Ghost was also scathing about the Dragon-Bloods thinking of themselves as enlightened beings).

Temujin saw the ancestor-shrines of the Siroc during his visit to the tribe; small family shrines were common, as were talismans tied to the outside of tents. He did not need to probe deeply to find that the tribe was named after its legendary founder (Siroc, who was said to be a sorceress and a prophet as well as a war-leader), and the Siroc were very proud of their ancestors. He learned that the aspen grove by White-Feathered Ghost's camp was home to one particular spirit, who provided counsel to her descendants.

After returning to confirm that all was well with the other tribes, Temujin rode to the lands of the Iron Hoof - and was promptly shot at. He was able to calm matters, but it was clear that the Iron Hoof had been suffering raids from that direction.

He talked the riders into taking him to the leaders of the Iron Hoof, who were a married couple, named Dancing Smoke and Gray Heron. They looked vaguely familiar to Temujin, as he had once met their daughter, Reed Flute. They were both middle-aged-to-old, and neither seemed very cheerful - he got the impression that there was a long-standing grief and worry weighing on them.

There was also a mortal Immaculate monk present in the Iron Hoof’s main camp, a woman named Mouse. She was in her early-to-mid-30s, ranked in the Second Coil, and she wore a white belt over her plain robes, indicating devotion to Pasiap.

Temujin was straightforward with the Iron Hoof - he explained he was seeking to unite the tribes of the Jaen Ha in order to safeguard their collective future, and thus far had secured the backing of the Singing Stones, the debt of the White Eagles and the participation of the Siroc. He told them there was to be a meeting between the tribes, under his direction, and the Iron Hoof were welcome to attend - indeed, he would very much like them to, as he could hardly be said to be working for the good of all without at least some level of buy in on their part.

He quoted Immaculate Scripture at some points in his speech; Pasiap was all about helping the mortal people of Creation to build and develop into harmonious societies.

He also asked outright if Dancing Smoke and Grey Heron would name some deed as proof of his intent - it worked for the first two tribes, after all, so he’s got some basis for broaching the topic with them.

The leaders were very dubious at the prospect of taking any number of their people into close proximity to the Siroc, since the two tribes essentially had a blood feud at that point. They also wanted to know what Mouse thought. Mouse was trying to figure out Temujin’s views on the Immaculate order - supporting harmonious societies is one thing, supporting unification of an anti-Realm force on the Arjuf border is something else entirely.

They were also skeptical of Temujin’s own motives - he’s just come out of nowhere and wants to rule the Jaen-Ha? Maybe that works for small nomadic groups like the Singing Stones, they said, but we have a large population and trade agreements with Arjuf, that has brought us a lot of wealth. Why should we entrust any part of their future to you, or to other tribes who are poorer than the Iron Hoof and resent their closeness to the Dragon-Blooded?

They were not at all sure his intent was to safeguard the interests of the Iron Hoof, and their existing ties to the Realm. When he assured them that it was, they suggested that Mouse attend the meeting with Temujin, that he name her as an advisor, and that he refuse to back down on the Immaculate Order being part of his new order. (However, they warned him that this would likely get a lot of resistance from the Siroc.)

Temujin expressed some initial reluctance. He wished to make Smoke and Heron feel that they had some influence over him, by persuading him to adopt a stance he might otherwise not have taken, because that way they’d be more likely to buy into the general idea of the unification, reassured that their voices will be heeded.

In the end, the compromise he settled on was to invite Mouse along as a representative of the Order, who have their own interests in the area to fulfill and protect, and by extension as an initial representative of the broader Realm. While the Siroc might very well raise a stink about a monk getting placed on a theoretically equal footing with them, Temujin believed he could sell it to them as a matter of practicality, and everyone would feel less opposed to the idea if it seemed like Mouse was actively negotiating with them rather than being appointed as the official religion by fiat.

He spent some time speaking with Mouse directly about the faith and what it would mean. This was aimed at convincing her that he was in favor of the Order, and giving her a few pointers on how to spread the faith to the other tribes (the White Eagles would be in favor of a safeguard against more elemental ****ery, for example) without going so far as to make her feel like he was just humoring her. A conversion actively won looks more reliable than a proud plainsman just bowing his head without the slightest bit of dissent.

Temujin deliberately referenced parts of the Immaculate texts in oblique fashion as he spoke with the monk, particularly the parts about how Pasiap was all about building harmonious societies and the strength to be found in unity. These were sayings and parables he had picked up while traveling abroad; he used them as an angle to suggest that a slower, more staggered integration of the Order into the tribes would be better/more likely to succeed than presenting complete submission as a requirement to the whole idea in general.

After their discussions, Mouse quietly told Temujin that if he wanted to prove he could bridge the discord in the tribes over dealings with the Dragon-Blooded, and heal old wounds, the best demonstration he could make would be to find Smoke and Heron’s missing daughter (Reed Flute) and reconcile her and her followers with the rest of the tribe.

The story here (as Mouse recounted it) is that fourteen years ago, Reed Flute got into trouble with an Arjuf Dragon-Blooded family. She ran away, and her parents repudiated her out of fear that not doing so would disrupt their trade with Arjuf. This action was met with wide disapproval among the tribes; it’s felt that the Iron Hoof dishonored their ancestors’ traditions by doing so, and also cursed themselves to ill fortune, by disrupting the line of succession. Reed Flute is Smoke and Heron’s only child, and it’s considered very bad luck to have the leadership pass out of the ruling bloodline; it dishonors Smoke and Heron, for failing their ancestors by not producing a legitimate heir.

Reed Flute and her lover, a man from Arjuf (Mouse doesn’t know his name, she doesn’t seem to think he’s very important), took refuge with the Siroc; White-Feathered Ghost took her in and acted as her mentor. She now leads one of the Siroc warbands, and there are quite a few disaffected Iron Hoof riders who’ve joined her.

Mouse felt that while it was important that the leaders of the Iron Hoof were willing to put loyalty to the Dragon-Blooded above even their own bloodline, and it increased her respect for Smoke and Heron, it sent a pretty bad message if people came to feel that working with the Dragon-Blooded meant dooming your tribe to discord and strife. It had been long enough now that a reconciliation could probably happen without wrecking the horse trade that has brought wealth to the Iron Hoof, provided Reed Flute and her husband were willing to make conciliatory gestures and accept the Immaculate faith. (Mouse mentioned that the Dragon-Blood most likely to hold a grudge against Flute had joined the Immaculate faith, so was no longer directly involved in making trade policy.) Now the problem was more likely to be that Flute has been outcast from her tribe for fourteen years, and she was not likely to think kindly of the Order.

Temujin agreed to seek out Reed Flute and at least try to heal the divide. He does however make it clear to the monk that this was deeply unlikely to be as easy as ‘Flute admits she was completely wrong, converts, repents and comes back home’. Maybe if it happened immediately, but she’d had over a decade to get settled into her new ways and double down on that initial split.

In searching for Reed Flute, Temujin and Mischief rode directly into the middle of a night-time raid, by a group of riders on a small cluster of tents. Temujin intervened on the side of the victims, but fought nonlethally - knocking the riders from their horses, smacking them a few times with ludicrously athletic ride-by attacks, and generally making a load of noise in the process to alert the defenders that they were under attack.

After Temujin's arrival, the riders seemed more interested in getting away than staying around to fight - they seemed to have mostly been here to steal horses and supplies, not to murder the people in the tents.

It was all pretty chaotic, and difficult to see exactly what was going on, but Temujin got a look at the leader of the raiding party, and recognized her as Reed Flute + a decade or so. She and her riders collected their injured and withdrew, but Temujin chased after them as they left. Once they were a reasonable distance away from the camp, he called out a cheerful greeting to her.

Reed's riders did not try to kill Temujin, having gained a certain amount of wariness from their recent clash - but since he didn't seem overtly hostile, Reed asked him who he was and why he interfered with their raid (with strong overtones of “you jerk”).

“My apologies. Reflex.”

He introduced himself as Temujin, and gave a summary of the situation: that all the tribes were currently intending to meet at his invitation - backed by the gods, including Kuri - to discuss the future (under truce enforced by magical kung fu if needs be) and how to react to impending threats. He explained he’d been riding back and forth across the plains to gather everyone involved and convince them to at least give it a go.

“The Iron Hoof didn’t much care for me at first. Still don’t, actually. But they were willing to at least attend if I did them a favour first. Namely, finding you, Reed Flute, and passing on a request that you return and try to talk things out.” He pauses, then shrugs. “So. I’m here, the message is passed on, and if you’re willing then the conclave would seem like the best time. I’d offer my personal guarantee that no one would stop you leaving or try to dictate terms to you if it helps, but in truth I cannot speak for what precisely your parents might want to talk about.”

He laughs. “I’ll even go so far as to keep the monk they have hanging around out of the way and ignorant to whatever you might want to discuss. She wants a full apology and conversion, but then, it’s not her who rules the tribe.”

Reed Flute laughs when he mentions talking it out with her parents, a short sharp-edged laugh. “They’re about fourteen years late. And the monk wants an apology from me? Leaving wasn’t my choice, Temujin; my parents are the ones who told me I couldn’t come back. Embarrassments to the family of a major trading partner are better just forgotten… put out of sight and out of mind.” She smiles, a little sourly. “Until you start losing other trading ties because of the insult to tradition, I suppose. I’m guessing they didn’t even mention my marriage as a relevant factor in all this?”

A man has come to stand beside her as she speaks, putting an arm around her shoulders. He studies Temujin thoughtfully, but has remained silent, letting Reed take the lead. Lotus recognizes him as well: fourteen years ago, Karoth was also at a dinner at Leranis Feiyan’s mansion. He is leaner and more sun-weathered now, and he wears plains garb rather than an elegant suit, but he is still recognizable, his features subtly different from those of the Jaen-Ha tribesfolk.

“Is White-Feathered Ghost attending this meeting?” he asks mildly, after a moment.

“What, you think they’d tell me about these things? I’m just a useful outsider they’re trying to use to patch up their internal problems without admitting fault or weakness.” Temujin laughs. “Still, I’ve been known to pick up on a thing or two. For example… it wasn’t just your parents that reacted poorly to the idea of those trade ties being compromised. Leranis Madrian ended up getting enrolled with the Immaculates within a day or two of the, ah, ‘incident’. He’s still there to this day; out of the line of succession and with no chance to influence the family as a whole.”

A shrug. “You, by contrast, are by law and tradition heir to the Iron Hoof, even now. That makes your position a lot stronger than many would care to admit. Your parents want the tribe to escape the stigma of this whole mess, the dragonblooded don’t want the tribes to see working with them as dooming their families to strife… what this comes down to, then, is what you want.”

He nods to Karoth. “White-Feathered Ghost agreed to attend, yes. Not without reservation, but all things considered I’ll take what I can get.”

Reed and Karoth conferred for a short while privately, but when they came back, Reed agreed to bring her band of riders to the meeting. (Karoth was quietly but definitely in favor - his argument to Reed seemed to be that White-Feathered Ghost would likely want her to be there, if only to disconcert the Iron Hoof, and they owed him.)

When Temujin went back to talk to the Iron Hoof, they agreed to send a small (and armed) group, including Mouse and Dancing Smoke.

It has been a busy few days for Gentle Lotus - and a productive few days for the legend of Temujin. Dragon-Slayer, River-Restorer, speaker to both Immaculate monks and their bitterest enemies in the Jaen-Ha... as he rides into the sprawling camp on the Serpentine River, he hears whispers all around him, hushed and not-so-hushed speculation as to his intentions and his next steps.

(Not to mention the hushed and not-so-hushed praise for Mischief. Mischief is very definite about that being important; she has acquired quite a flock of wide-eyed children.)

The White Eagles and the Singing Stones are encamped more-or-less where he left them, near the water, and the pale banners of the Siroc fly from a rise to the east. The Iron Hoof delegation and Reed Flute's warband should arrive later in the day; hopefully not at exactly the same time.

Temujin has been inside the boundaries of the camp - not that those boundaries are particularly distinct, but there's a point where the tents become few and far between - for only a few minutes when Golden Marten strides through the crowd, waving to him. "Temujin! Good to see nothing's killed you yet. Do you have a moment to talk?" The chieftain seems cheerful, but there is a certain manic energy to him, that hints at too much tension and too little sleep.

Sorry that took so long! It's been a busy month; I'm teaching a new class for the first time, which is always a fair bit of work. But hopefully this gets us restarted.

"Marten." Temujin nods to him in acknowledgement, smiling briefly. "Were you worried about me? I'm touched. And sure, I have some time. Judging by your expression, I'm going to guess there have been problems?"

[Ifni]

"Marten." Temujin nods to him in acknowledgement, smiling briefly. "Were you worried about me? I'm touched. And sure, I have some time. Judging by your expression, I'm going to guess there have been problems?"

"Problems? Not as such, but... I saw a juggler once. He could keep five knives spinning in the air. Until he lost his rhythm, and could not recover it. But even then, he had no problems that an untrained eye would notice, until the first knife landed."

Golden Marten is still grinning, and his tone is wry - but there is a touch of real worry beneath the apparent lightness.

"Walk with me. Greet people. Bless babies if the parents ask it of you. We do need to talk."

Most people give Temujin and Marten together a little more space than they had given Temujin alone - the Singing Stones out of clear respect, but the eyes of the White Eagles and Siroc hold wariness as they regard the pair. And Golden Marten speaks quickly, and quietly.

"This camp is a spinning circle of knives poised to fall, and slice to the bone all who tried to juggle them. So far there has been no bloodshed, beyond a few bloody noses thanks to squabbles between bored youngsters. But this is not part of our tradition; even the kin of the Singing Stones rarely come together all at once, and the tribes of the Jaen-Ha haven't gathered like this... ever, in the memory of the Stones. There is very little precedent to guide us, and what there is - for meetings to raise a new chieftain and other great gatherings - varies from tribe to tribe."

"So now comes the test. You told us of your vision, and you've done more than I would have believed possible in bringing the tribes here. But what comes next, Temujin?"

[Maugan Ra]

Temujin exudes a kind of calm confidence that is reassuring to behold, a steady rock in the midst of the storm, but beneath the mask Lotus knows enough to admit the danger he is in. The reference to juggling knives is not lost on him, and while he personally can probably win his way clear and walk away from this whole and healthy if everything goes to hell, the same cannot be said for the others he has brought here. They are trusting him with their lives and futures, and that is a heavy burden indeed.

"I need to speak to the chieftains, the wise teachers of each tribe... the ones whose voices can sway the hearts of their kin." He says after a moment. "More importantly,
I need to speak with them together, all at once. This must be done in the open, or none will trust to the absence of deals made in the shadows, and any attempt to handle things on an individual basis will only lead to rumours of favouritism."

He considers the matter for a moment longer.

"I would ask a question to that end." He looks over at Marten. "In your experience, will allowing the speakers to come to the council armed reassure them,
or will it pose bloody temptation? I am no stranger to what happens when tempers flare between bitter foes,
even on neutral ground."

[Ifni]

Marten drums his fingers against his chin. "Well. If you can persuade all the tribes' representatives to appear without weapons, that might be wise... if only because it will demonstrate your influence. I suspect the Iron Hoof, and most especially the Siroc, will prove difficult to persuade."

"They may fear Dragon-born assassins whose hands strike like swords, or betrayal from among our own ranks. I am... not certain such fears are unfounded. I don't doubt your ability to handle them, after the tales told of the Dragon, but I would be ready nonetheless."

He turns away from Temujin, glancing through the gathered tents. "I can gather together some of the most senior storytellers... when do you want to hold this meeting?"

[Maugan Ra]

Temujin considers his options for a moment. To deny the attendees weapons might be wise... but no, he is not here to rule over these people, and his influence must be expended carefully. Best to allow them to come armed if they wish, and rely on his own skills to quell any trouble that might arise from overconfident hotheads.

"Tonight, before the sun may set." He decides. "Best not to leave things ambiguous for too long, lest tempers flare and problems spiral out of control. I will clear a meeting ground, one where the tribes may observe without disturbing the talks."

[Ifni]

Marten nods. "I'll go gather the storytellers, then. I imagine we won't have much trouble finding your meeting area. Take care, Dragon-Slayer." He strides away, toward the center of the Singing Stones camp.

Feel free to narrate the next bit, up to the meeting, unless you want to do more than setting it up - nobody is going to actively resist the idea of a meeting, they're all curious.