[Exalted 3e] Demigods / Fugitives / Heroes IC

[Kobold-Bard]

Shaded Momaht is a town in the southeast of Creation, somewhat equidistant from the Inland and Dreaming Seas. It's name comes from the dense canopy of vines and leaves that grow over the entire settlement, leaving it in perpetually low light; shielding it from the intense southern sun in Ascending Fire and the rains and snow in the colder seasons. The canopy is the work of wood elementals serving the town God Sevultis, an odd sort of spirit who is happy to yield his worship to the proper Immaculate calendar, but for reasons unknown to mortals he refuses (violently and mercilessly if pushed) to stop shading the town, nudging the borders to match those of the human settlement many dozens of metres below.

The town has a population of several hundred, bolstered by regular caravans using it as a convenient rest point on trade journeys between the two great bodies of water. The Guild's interest keeps the town relatively free of violence and the younger generation act as hunters and wardens against natural predators whist their parents and elders conduct business and more refined affairs. It might almost be considered sleepy by the standards of the region.

In the wake of the Opaque Lotus' breakout Momaht was invaded by a Wyld Hunt charged with reclaiming prisoners. A large scar bisects the main road through the town where an Earth caste prisoner was struck down by an Immaculate cavalier, sending a shockwave that caused nearby homes to crack and crumble. The charred husk on one of Sevultis' temples is all that remains after an anathema was trapped within and a fire aspect abbot ensured he never left it. A mother who's hunting days are behind her makes fine jewellery from shards of black glass left behind when a Hunt sorcerer unleashed shimmering razors shaped like hummingbirds into a crowd to wound a Water caste trying to conceal herself amongst human shields.

The last Immaculates left eight days ago and the town is beginning to piece itself back together. The first Guild caravans are returning, but the well rehearsed pattern of daily life is in tatters.

You are gathered in a house near the burned temple, maybe 10 minutes walk from the centre of town. The air is cool as is typical of Ascending Earth season. The house was owned by a tailor who fled with a caravan during the chaos, purchased by Librarian for a very good price. The Hunt is around, but not nearby and you four seem to have managed to fall off the Lotus's radar.

What now?

[TheTeaMustFlow]

At breakfast that morning, Lien approaches the rest of the group. She's standing in a sort of parade rest from her Order days, something she often defaults to when unsure or nervous.

So, I've been thinking. I'd been considering trying to reach out to the townsfolk, but that seems too dangerous with the Hunt still nearby - and they probably blame us for what happened as much as they blame the Immaculates. But what if we tried approaching Sevultis himself? They desecrated his temple, that must make him angry. Having a god on our side would certainly be useful, and I imagine we can be rather quieter about it than if I started preaching in the street.

I wanted to know what you all thought of that idea - I know I'm not as... strategically minded as some.

[Beans]

"Probably don't want you chirpin' all over, Songbird." Damson agrees quietly, finishing up honing her shortsword. She checks the edge with sharp eyes, cold breath fogging the blade. "Talkin' to the god sounds... agreeable. I can write prayer strips." She shrugs, glancing at the other two of her sun-graced allies.

[Volthawk]

Sentinel was eating at the doorway to the house, keeping an eye (and ear and nose) out for trouble. Luckily, it seemed like a quiet morning, so all he had to pay attention to was the conversation between his allies. Taking a seat inside, he considers the proposal for a moment before nodding. "It's a risk, but it feels like a worthwhile one, if you think he can be convinced. I'd advise we give as little away as we can about ourselves until we can figure out his feelings and intentions, though."

[Bowerbird]

The Librarian looks up from the dining table where she has taken up sitting, surrounded by paper, writing out what she remembers of the texts she didn't get the chance to liberate from the Lotus, this time with her own personal notes and observations in the margins. "The hunters seemed quite desperate to kill or recapture all that they could, I definitely think we will need help. But we should be cautious, the one who was burned in the temple may have been trying to reach out to him as well." She puts down her pen and looks lost in thought for a moment, "Perhaps if we were to pen him a letter, outlining our plight without giving away anything dangerous, we might gain some insight from his reply?"

[TheTeaMustFlow]

Lien looks relieved at the responses, shifting into a more relaxed stance. "Yes, starting with letters and prayers seems like a good plan." She turns towards Damson and the Librarian. "Obviously that's more your idiom, but I might be able to help a little..." she says, putting down her tea and reaching for her (rather smaller) collection of books, eventually selecting a rather dry looking Immaculate treatise. "Back in the monastery we were always taught that half of theology is just good manners. Give me a while, and I could work out exactly the proper formalities we should use to address Sevultis."

[Bowerbird]

Librarian smiles, "That would be very helpful, thank you, Lien. My knowledge on spiritual matters is somewhat archaic at the moment. I'm sure Damson and I can compose something suitable, right Damson?" She fishes around her stacks of paper and produces an ornate golden stamp, "And with this, we can make sure that only Sevultis will be able to read it."

[Beans]

Damson nods, sheathing her blade and padding over to the Librarian---probably the one she likes most of these Solars, at least so far. "Figure we can cook somethin' up he'll like." She gives Lien a nod---she's on somewhat awkward terms with the Zenith, given their respective positions on the Immaculate Order, but intellectually she knows Lien isn't playing apologist for murder.
On the other hand, dead mom.

[TheTeaMustFlow]

Int+Lore with Theology specialty, using Lore Excellency to add 4 dice using peripheral essence. [roll0]

Six successes - Lien quickly and handily works out the proper forms for addressing the village deity with proper reverence while maintaining one's own dignity and authority, hopefully assisting the two authors in currying Sevultis' favour.

[Kobold-Bard]

Lien can aid in writing a letter with the proper greetings and caligraphy that Sevultis will find gratifying. Such a letter will cause Sevultis to have a Minor Tie of Courtesy and Respect towards the author.

[Beans]

Damson spends 4 motes on the Linguistics Excellency to buy two automatic successes. Her dicepool is CHA + Linguistics = 8. Every 10 rerolls a non-1 failed die.
[roll0]
Rerolls start from the leftmost non-1 failed die in the original roll, and reroll results start with the leftmost die in the second roll here.
[roll1]
If Stunt dice are awarded, they are this roll.
[roll2]

Damson sits down with chalk and a battered slate to outline her letter before moving on to proper paper and ink. She consults with Lien on the ecumenical side of things and the Librarian on the more literary front. Before long, her Essence-laden hand writes an elegant missive in Old Realm to entreat the god's favor.

[Kobold-Bard]

1 dot stunt, 5 sux

The letter is penned well and without incident and effectively incorporates Lien's suggestions.

[Bowerbird]

Librarian, content to let Damson lead, sits back and watches her work, occasionally making some suggestions for better word choices or phrasing. When Damson finishes the letter, she hands her the Seal so that she can make her mark and ensure that only Sevultis may read it's contents. "Here you are, Damson, it's simple to operate. Just feed it a little of your power, and think of the message's intended receiver when you seal the letter. I would do it myself, but it would be disingenuous of me to claim your fine work as my own."
Rolling Cha + Linguistics to help, spending lets say 3 personal motes for 3 extra dice, so 3+5+3=11: [roll0]

[Beans]

Damson spares the Librarian a rare, slight smile. "Sweet of you, Libbs." She follows along with her compatriot's instructions, thinking of the local god and feeding a little essence into the seal as she uses it to put the final touch on the letter.

[Bowerbird]

Librarian smiles, accepting the Seal back when Damson is done and putting it back among her notes, "I hate to keep asking you to do so much for us while we hide in here, but you've been out in the town more than any of us, do think you could safely deliver the letter?"

[Beans]

She nods, tucking the letter into the coat she acquired a week ago. "That, 'n I'm probably the quietest. Wait 'til night, y'think, or do we want this ASAP?"

[Volthawk]

During the letter-writing process, Sentinel had been content to sit, watch and listen, but he speaks up again now. "I think we can wait. I'd suggest we also ensure whatever method we ask him to reply using doesn't bring him or his servants too close to here. Preferably, in a way which would allow us to observe whoever responds."

[TheTeaMustFlow]

During the letter-writing process, Sentinel had been content to sit, watch and listen, but he speaks up again now. "I think we can wait. I'd suggest we also ensure whatever method we ask him to reply using doesn't bring him or his servants too close to here. Preferably, in a way which would allow us to observe whoever responds."

"That certainly seems wise," Lien says as she sips her tea. She looks thoughtful and continues: "do you think one of the houses destroyed by the Hunt would be safe enough? It would certainly help to reinforce our point."

Her eyes drift towards the window and she starts to drum her fingers restlessly. "In the mean time, do you think there's anything the rest of us could do? I don't know about everyone else, but Heaven knows I'm getting sick of being cooped up in here...

[Kobold-Bard]

It's now night time. Due to the canopy above the town it is pitch dark without a light source to hand.

Momaht doesn't have anything particularly resembling a night life so most people are asleep, but there are people about watching the perimeter, merchants who prefer to work at night, a makeshift hospital and a small pub both erected by the Guild continue to hum along.

[TheTeaMustFlow]

Limit Roll: [roll0]

No successes, no limit gained.

Somewhat reluctantly, Lien goes with her better judgement (and that of the group) and remains confined within the house until nightfall, passing the time (and maintaining her sanity) by practising on her lyre and working on what she plans to say to Sevultris if and when they meet.

[Beans]

Spending 4m (mute) on the Stealth Excellency for 2 automatic successes.
4m (mute) on Soundless Action Prana causes every 10 to reroll a non-1 failed die. She also cannot be detected by mundane hearing, and even supernatural hearing is at a -2 penalty to detect her.
DEX + Stealth = 9
[roll0]
Rerolls.
[roll1]
Stunt dice.
[roll2]
Damson buckles on her swords, ready to slip out into the night. Pausing at the door, she looks back at her compatriots. She looks at the Librarian before silently nodding to the others and stepping out like a shadow.

Damson suffuses her body with the stealthy, silent essence of Air as she creeps through the darkness toward the burned-out temple. She is a dragon of the wind, and the very air submits to her will and diffuses the barest sounds of her movements. The darkness can't stop her uncanny sense of direction and position, and she's had enough time to roughly map out the town in her head.

[Kobold-Bard]

1 dot stunt, 8 sux (9-1 for pitch darkness)

Damson is unseen, unheard and unsmelled as she stalks though the night. Her target does not notice her approach.

[Beans]

Damson creeps to the temple, seeking to make her way inside and find a fitting place to deposit the letter.

[Kobold-Bard]

She sees a makeshift alter draped in silks. On it are various offerings, which she can add the letter to. She may leave unnoticed.

The next day you see the God's priests adorning several of the abandoned houses in similar silks as the altar. Only one however has them over the doorway and you reasonably deduce that he has accepted your meeting and this is the location.

------
To save time, social or investigation rolls will determine that the Priest's are sincerely preparing for their God to manifest, though they don't know the purpose. Nobody really takes an interest though people do drop flowers and small tokens as offerings.

Assuming you go (feel free to leave him hanging if you like), you find the house empty with light incense smoking in a corner.

[Kobold-Bard]

Sentinal notices a Guild merchant looking at the house adorned in silk, but he doesn't appear to be actively spying. Curious rather than malicious, whilst drinking with friends.

As midnight approaches the shadows in the room begin to move as if flickering in the wind. They move silently and begin to swirl together near the door to the main room of the house, whereupon Sevultis appears. He is taller than you, maybe 8ft. He resembles a man with shaggy hair swaddling an unseen infant, though he lacks legs - from his waist down are tree branches that twist together and end in a single point some 2ft behind him. He appears to be floating in the dark room, but those who can make (Perception+Awareness, dif 2) will notice eight shadow emerging from his back, spidery legs ending in needle points that extend to the floor and a nearby wall, holding him up.

Two wood elementals also materialise in a rush of leaves and grass, one a small humanoid wearing green leaves and what appears to be a gooseberry bush with a face. The humanoid one speaks first.

Our gracious hosts, may I present the Lord of Momaht; the God Sevultis, who would hear your request.

---
When you have spent essence please track current/max essence and active effects in your posts until the end of the scene or whenever it stops being relevant.

[TheTeaMustFlow]

Perception check, since you ask: [roll0] Edit: Huh, I actually succeeded. Doesn't change any of Lien's actions, however.

Lien bows before the God and places her offering before him. "Worshipful Sevultis, we humbly thank you for gracing us with your presence. I am Lien, late of the House of Azara."[/colour] She rises and gestures towards the other members of the Circle, indicating with her eyes to bow in turn.

[COLOR="#0000FF"]"I have the honour to present my friends and compatriots: The All-Encompassing Sentinel, The Librarian of Creation, and lastly Damson Blossom, who penned our letter to you. I hope it pleased Your Worship."

"We come before you for three reasons. Firstly, to thank you and your people for your hospitality. While we have not been in Momaht long, and our arrival here was hardly in auspicious circumstances, it has nonetheless been shelter and comfort to us. A kinder village I have never known." (Lien fails to note that the list of villages she has known is not very long.)

"Secondly, we wish to offer our condolences. The recent days have seen Your Worship's domain cruelly treated by outsiders - and not merely by renegades, but those who claimed they were here to 'protect' it. We mourn these travesties, and would assure you we had no part in them.

"Finally, we wish to both ask your aid and offer ours to Your Worship. Those who unjustly imprisoned us in the Opaque Lotus are the same that are ultimately responsible for the murder of your people and the outrage of your altar. We would see their false justice repaid with true, and to prevent a similar fate befalling either ourselves or others. We humbly ask your aid in doing so."

[TheTeaMustFlow]

I'm not sure whether that would be more properly treated as an Instill (building or increasing a negative intimacy towards the Wyld Hunt) or a Persuade (playing on a presumed existing such intimacy as well as the tie built earlier to immediately persuade him to aid). Regardless, I'm using a three dice excellency (discounted to cost 2 thanks to Harmonious Presence Meditation), Masterful Performance Exercise (discounted to 1 due to same) and Impassioned Orator Technique (costs 1), for a total of 4 motes expended from peripheral.

Base roll is 17 dice (5 Charisma + 5 Performance + 1 Speciality + 3 HPM + 3 excellency) with one automatic success. Double 9s, reroll 1s until they fail to appear. 1s are also unavailable for any interfering magic, if relevant.

Base Roll: [roll0]

Stunt die if applicable: [roll1]

Appearance if applicable: [roll2]

Rerolls (same procedure as Beans used): [roll3]

Peripheral: 17/33 (12 committed)
Personal: 13/13

[Kobold-Bard]

Sevultis tips himself forward into a bow and breathes deeply.

It is rare that a newcomer can so easily judge my moods, I applaud your wisdom Damson Blossom, and appreciate your kind words. I love this place and I love my people. The death and destruction that rained upon it of late caused me deep sorrow. But, I am afraid that your words, however sweet, do not console me.

The Lotus is a prison, and it's jailers I have known for ages and I find them to be righteous. You flee them and seek my aid in vengeance, but why would I do this? To oppose the Immaculate Order would only bring further pain to my people, no?

------------------
1 die stunt, 11 sux. Sevultis is not Instilled.

[Beans]

Perception + Awareness [roll0]
Read Intentions, Perception 3 + Socialize 3, 2m on excellency. Trying to determine his feelings on the Immaculate Order.
[roll1] + 1 autosux
Stunt dice if applicable
[roll2]
Motes: 13/13 | 25/27 (4c)
Damson nods as he acknowledges her... but he's resisting Lien's words. Damn convincing ones to boot. What's the angle here? Her face is impassive as her cool eyes scan the god's face. Feeding a drip of essence into her system, she catches on his mention of the Order. Just how does he feel about the mother-butchering fanatics, then?

All the while, the Azure Dragon is silent as snowfall among her companions.

[Kobold-Bard]

1 die stunt, 4 sux.
Result of Read Intentions sent in Discord PM.

[Beans]

Motes: 13/13 | 22/27 (4c)
Damson, upon discerning the god's feelings, lets another whisper of essence into her system. With a simple exhalation, she sends a flicker of words safely into Lien's mind.

(Read Intentions results relayed to Lien.)

[Volthawk]

Sentinel looks at the elementals and Sevultis' extra legs with a little interest, before relaxing a little in his seat and closing his eyes for a while, focusing on the sounds and smells of the situation - he'd never realised how useful the nose could be until after Exaltation, and he'd learnt to trust it in the time since.


Gonna make an automatically successful Read Intentions action to detect mood and disposition (possible through Unsurpassed Scent and Taste Discipline).

For-Scenting Method gives Sentinel a count of how many people are in the room, including dematerialised spirits - just mentioning it in case there are any hanging around in here.


Indefinite/Permanent Effects
-1 to the cost of all Awareness charms (min 1)
Automatically perform difficulty 2 or 3 sight based actions and difficulty 2 hearing based actions with no roll
+2 dice vs hidden people, devices, sleight of hand, disguises
Dim light is as visible as daylight, seeing in worsen conditions has -1 difficulty and no penalty to noticing hidden opponents, zero visibility is treated as dense fog (with reductions above)
-1 difficulty and +1 success for hearing/touch tests, logically applicable specialities reduce difficulty to 1 (neither apply vs stealth)
+5 successes to Survival checks to hunt for food, track or find water, and can do so at a range of 1 mile
Can automatically succeed at a scent based read intentions actions to determine mood and disposition
+1/2 dice vs Stealth if target has a -1/-4 wound penalty
Can recognise individuals by scent and tell how recently they were present
When detecting hidden characters, automatically count heads in room/medium range (including dematerialised spirits) and gain generally accurate information about the type of being each individual is (eg whether it's a human, animal, spirit, undead etc). People in scent library are automatically identified.
General visual range/detail improvements
General hearing/touch detail improvements
Hearing range: Whispers from a mile away (long range in noisy conditions), loud noises from 5 miles away
Hearing/touch based special powers
Scent/taste library
Instinctively know when case scene or profile character actions should be taken and be vaguely informed why

Temporary Effects
Double 9s
Reroll 6s until no more appear

[Kobold-Bard]

1 die stunt.
Results sent in Discord PM.

[Bowerbird]

Librarian stands towards the back of the group, worrying at her ornate pen anxiously. Clearly uncomfortable at being out of their safe-house. "Righteous. Adjective. Acting in accordance with divine or moral law. Free from guilt or sin." Her expression hardens somewhat, "So you accept that the actions perpetrated on their behalf in your village confer neither guilt, nor sin? That the imprisonment of people guilty of nothing save the whims of fate and the divine is in accordance with laws both divine and moral?" Her tone isn't accusing, more the tone of a teacher critiquing a student, but it does crack ever so slightly. She looks up at Sevultis properly for the first time, "I speak only for myself, but I do not seek vengeance for my imprisonment. I want to go home. My followers need me. I would prefer to do so without being hunted like an animal, simply for being myself." Sometime during the last sentence, her fidgeting stopped. The outline of her Caste Mark shimmers on her brow, and then fades. After a moment, she suddenly seems to realise that she'd been speaking and everyone is looking at her, and quickly goes back to looking at her pen. "If you could help us in any way, Honoured Sevultis, I'm sure we'd all be most appreciative."
Charisma(3) + Presence(1) + Excellency(4) = 8 Dice?
Roll: [roll0]
Stunt Dice: [roll1]
Motes: 10/13 (2 Committed to artifacts, 1 for Caste Mark), 29/33 (4 spent on excellency)

Perception+Awareness to notice the legs: [roll2] No excellencies.

[Kobold-Bard]

Sevultis' shadowy legs had been rocking him back and forth slightly, but when Librarian flashes her caste mark he visibly freezes. The bush-like elemental reacts, expelling leaves and vines that fly to cover the doors, windows and cracks in the damaged walls. The room is instantly pitch dark, but at once Sevultis' body begins to emit a pale white light, like a faint washed-out anima. It casts his shadowed limbs into sharp relief an provides an equivalent to a lantern or small campfire. He breathes deep again, but his voice is now a whisper.

A shape I once knew well. A mark forgotten by most and forbidden by the rest. A sigil thought lost to the world. You are a Solar; the unstoppable force and immovable object whom I once served and now may serve again. I, at times it seemed that it was I alone, have kept the old faith and bided my time against the Usurpers. My canopy is woven with sorcery to shield me from their all-seeing eyes. But now together, we shall reap bloody vengeance against those traitors.

He is transfixed by Librarian, but will react equally to anyone else who shows a solar caste mark. You are a Solar was a statement, not a question. He is restrained but to witness a spirit suddenly unleash such a frenzy of emotion is unnerving and might make you feel a little ill in the pit of your stomach.

The rush of activity no doubt seemed a potential threat, but Sentinal, should they choose, can reassure everyone that the God's sent is suddenly spiked with excitement, ecstasy and rage, not fear or anger aimed at you. You can feel free to attack him if that would have been your character's natural response, I'm not fussy about retcons.

[Bowerbird]

Wits(2) + Occult(3) = 5, no excellency.
[roll0]
With a squeak, Librarian pales at the God's violent reaction and takes a step back behind the others, endeavouring to look small. She calms down a little when he starts to speak, "Oh... Good?" She looks around at the others, utterly lost as to what to do now.
Motes: 10/13 (2 Committed to artifacts), 29/33)

[Volthawk]

Sevultis' display, and the related change in mood he quickly picks up on, gets Sentinel to be more involved, and he grins as he gets up, his own caste mark appearing as he observes the situation before focusing on Sevultis. Although he doesn't mention his read of Sevultis' emotions out loud, his body language expresses his lack of concern. "If that is the case, will you have your third servant reveal itself? I dislike talking while I know someone is here that I can't see."


Wits+Occult with 4m Excellency: [roll0]

[Beans]

Wits 3 + Occult 0 [roll0]
Motes: 13/13 | 21/27, 4c
1m spent on air whoosh stunt.
The sudden movement has Damson's hand on her swordgrip... but she relaxes a heartbeat later. She flexes a hand, calling up a tiny swirl of wind to rustle the leaves.
"I may not be a Solar, but my mother was a Lunar. Had to watch them butcher her. Far as I can see, Order's gotta die. Realm too."

She glances at the Librarian. That moment earlier... that had been a new side of her. How'd she miss it until now?

[TheTeaMustFlow]

Wits+Occult: [roll0]

At Sevultis' seemingly positive response, Lien lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding. At first, she speaks quietly: "I am sorry we kept this from you at first. We could not know how you would react."

She snaps her fingers and the blazing sun of her Caste appears on her forehead. When she speaks, her voice is almost impossibly booming, filled with the authority of a prophet. "Blessed are those who kept their faith - blessed especially are those who kept it in the darkness. Your loyalty to the Most High shall not go unrewarded, Sevultis. Justice shall be done, and those who have wronged you - those who have murdered and despoiled, here and throughout Creation - shall pay in full. This I swear, in the name of The Unconquered Sun, Sovereign of All That Is."

After a moment, she continues, a little quieter: "Nonetheless, your words earlier are not without merit. We would not counsel open war against the Realm and their false "Faith" - at least, not yet. But we would ask your aid, that we would continue His work in... quieter ways."

Performance check to persuade (both to get him to help and to get him to help our way, which probably involves slightly less bloody vengeance). Using a full performance excellency from peripheral motes (costs 9), and Masterful Performance Exercise/Impassioned Oratory Technique from personal (costs 1 each). This boosts anima one level. Total roll is 24 dice, one automatic success, reroll 1st until none appear, double 9s.

Base roll: [roll1] 11 successes, 6 dice to reroll

Appearance: [roll2]

Stunt: [roll3]

Rerolls: [roll4] 5 successes from rerolls.

I make 17 successes before stunts/appearance.

Motes remaining: 8 Peripheral, 11 Personal.

[Bowerbird]

Librarian seems relieved that Lien is responding rationally, and visibly relaxes. Only to wince and shrink even further behind Damson and Sentinel at the added outburst. She only un-tenses slightly when Lien starts talking normally again.

[Kobold-Bard]

Sevultis positively beams as you reveal your Caste marks. A wide grin of large round teeth covers his face. Only Sentinel notices a brief grimace when Damson says the word Lunar.

My eloquent friend, a Dragon allied to the Sun is an honoured friend in my eyes.

And I swear that every mote of my being shall henceforth be directed to your victory and the reparation of your Exalted glory.

Will you bind these words to Eternity, that they might never be forgotten?

The last sentence is aimed at Librarian, gazing at her forehead.

---
Anyone who failed the Difficulty 3 (Wits+Occult) roll had their Defining Intimacies revealed to Sevultis - Librarian and Damson.

Persuade action for Librarian to sanctify Sevultis and Lien's promises an Eclipse oath, drawing on your intimacy that knowledge must be preserved at all costs: [roll0]

Sevultis is not merely persuaded by Lien, he's positively eager to work with you and accepts that there might be a better way than open war.

I haven't forgotten Sentinel and will answer following Librarian's response.

[Bowerbird]

Librarian seems to have calmed down a little now that the shouting is apparently over, she nods at Sevultis, "You are right, this is an important moment, and must be preserved as such." With a flourish she pulls a sheaf of paper from her robes and, almost faster than the eye can follow, she transcribes the exchange between Lien and Sevultis, signing it with herself as witness. At the same time her Caste Mark returns on her forehead followed by the faint rustling of pages in the wind. "Azara Lien, Sevultis of Shaded Momaht, your oaths have been seen by The Sun, and etched into Fate. Woe unto those that break them." As she speaks the mark's glow intensifies, and the words written on the scroll seem to glow to match before both settle down again. After a few moments of silence, her mark now gone, Librarian coughs nervously and rolls up the scroll. "I hope that was alright? I've never done that before."

Motes: 0/13 (Spent 10m Personal to Sanctify), 26/33 (3m on Whirling Brush Method to transcribe the events quickly)
Note: Spent 1 Willpower to Sanctify

[Beans]

Damson missed the god's reaction to her mention of Lunars, especially given she's more taken by the Librarian using her power to bind oaths.
"Think you did just fine, Libbers." Her arm brushes the Eclipse's as she shifts her stance, still sticking by the brilliant but not terribly battle-worthy woman.

[TheTeaMustFlow]

Lien's first instinct is to make a suitably grand proclamation, but seeing the Librarian's somewhat pained reaction to the last one thinks better of it. She simply nods in agreement, smiles, and says softly: "Yes, that was perfectly well done, my friend."

[Kobold-Bard]

Sevultis is positively starstruck as your oath magic takes effect.

Excellent, I shall begin our campaign at once. But there is no servant hidden here my Solar friend, unless of course you mean my child? But yes, it would be right for you to meet.

He unfurls the densely packed wrappings and reveals a chubby, seemingly healthy human baby, snoring quietly.

When the bastards betrayed the solars of old they cared not for collateral damage. This one was the descendant of a Solar queen, a great-grandchild that I smuggled to safety. His mother entrusted him with a mighty and ancient power and I have kept him alive and safe so that he might one day unleash it when you returned, as I knew that you would.

[Volthawk]

Looking at the child, Sentinel nods. "I see. I merely knew that there was someone else here, and expected it to be another elemental. This is..." He pauses as a question comes to mind. "How old is the child?"

[Kobold-Bard]

Sevultis seems genuinely puzzled by the question and the humanoid elemental pipes up.

Age means nothing to an immortal God. The child has been with us for as long as I have served my Lord.

[TheTeaMustFlow]

Lien's eyes widen in shock and confusion at that revelation. "That would mean the child is older than the Realm itself. Centuries at the very least, if not millennia. I know we Exalted and God-Blooded can live that long, but certainly not as infants. That's... truly amazing, Your Worship." Not to mention somewhat disturbing, she thought to herself. Sevultis certainly hadn't been what she expected, to put it mildly.

"But what is this "power" you speak of? Is he, ah, one of us?" She doubted it - from what she knew, Solar Exaltation wasn't carried in the blood, and the way the god spoke of it suggested it was something... different. But it didn't hurt to check.

[Bowerbird]

Librarian nods in thanks to Lien, pocketing the scroll as she cranes to get a better look at the child, "Fascinating. Has he been asleep the whole time?" If not it would raise some questions about the child's intellectual development. "Some kind of sorcery, I presume?"
Lore to see if she's read about something like this before: [roll0] (Lore 5, Int 5, Exc 4), 8 successes
Occult to theorise how it might have been done: [roll1] (Occ 3, Int 5, Exc 4) 3 successes
Motes: 0/13, 18/33 (only 4 on each excellency, so as not to activate Anima)

[Beans]

Damson eyes the... well, normal-looking kid. Nothing she'd learned from her mother's circle had really touched on what would explain this.

[Kobold-Bard]

Yes, an ancient power but not that born on your most holy brow.

But dawn approaches and we must prepare our first of many blows against the murderers and despoilers. I am yours to command, how shall we proceed?

---
Librarian isn't familiar with this specific circumstance, though obviously there are ways for children to have magical powers, and sorcery could indeed grant supernatural abilities to an otherwise mundane child.

[Bowerbird]

Librarian reluctantly tears herself away from studying the child, a little miffed at the god's vagueness. "Well, I am no great tactician, though I have read some of their works. We are probably too close to the Lotus to go unnoticed for long, your great sorcery notwithstanding, Honored Sevultis. Perhaps we should look towards establishing ourselves a little farther from the Realm's reach?" She continues idly spinning her pen, in thought now rather than because of nerves, "Though the Hunt is likely now further out, we would risk running into them from behind... Some sort of distraction perhaps? Draw them back towards the prison? But what to do and where to go once we are further afield..." She trails off, seemingly lost in thought.

[TheTeaMustFlow]

Lien finds the answer regarding the child vague and unsatisfying, but knows better than to push it now. If Sevultis was keeping his own counsel on it, he surely had his reasons, and right now there was nothing to do but trust that they were sound. She frowns in thought as she considers the Librarian's words.

"I admit that I am also no expert in such matters, but your idea seems a sound one. Perhaps if we were to seek out others with grievances against the Realm, they could help us? Other escapees, maybe, or...

She smiles as a thought occurs to her, and turns towards Damson: "The Silver Pact has been the Realm's most implacable enemy for time immemorial - do you know if they have any presence nearby you could reach out to?" There's a slight hesitance behind the smile, as the images of Lunars from her childhood flash unbidden into her mind. Still, she dismisses them - after all, the Solars weren't evil demons, so surely the Lunars weren't baby-eating monstrosities either. Certainly not if Damson herself was anything to go by.

[Beans]

Damson thinks. "Have to look into it---so close to the Lotus, they'd be pretty cautious. I'll get on it tonight." She shifts, adjusting her swordbelt. "'Course, the whole escape probably caught their attention, might play to our favor." Of course, how much support she can hope for from the Pact is... well. She can claim descent from Eyka Woodclaw, but how much would the Pact risk?

[Volthawk]

When Lunars are brought up again, Sentinel looks at Sevultis again. This was probably the right time to bring it up. "Do you want them involved? I'm sorry, but I saw your reaction when they were mentioned earlier, and if there is a problem we should know before talking to them." He then looks at the group as a whole. "However, I would still advise against direct action here, with everything that has happened and the Lotus so close. That doesn't mean we need to do nothing, though..."

[Kobold-Bard]

I am yours to command, if the Lunar hoard is the greatest weapon to meet our shared goal, then I shall accede.

And with that he fades and the leaves fall from the walls. Day is breaking outside.

Two priests of Sevultis are hovering at the threshold of their ruined temple, perhaps trying to glimpse those who got their God's attention. Sentinel sees the same Guild merchant, now outside the pub, the rest of you don't need Sentinal's magic to smell that he is in a genuine drunken stupor.

[Bowerbird]

Librarian steps to one side, to avoid being revealed by a hole in the wall, "Perhaps we should return to the house? Is there a back way out we can go?" she asks Damson and Sentinel quietly, "I do not know about you, but I would prefer not to be seen leaving an audience with a god."

[Beans]

Damson taps her sword handles. "I can sneak. Sentinel, some. Rest of you, nnnot exactly. Best if there's a back way out."

[Kobold-Bard]

There is indeed a back way out. Between Damson and Sentinal, they can get the four of you back to the house unnoticed.

[TheTeaMustFlow]

On the way home, Lien is quiet, seemingly lost in thought. However, shortly after the door is closed, she lets out a deep breath and then suddenly seems to explode with joy, rushing to embrace each of the others in turn. After a moment she steps back, blushing slightly.

"...Umm, sorry. Got a little carried away there. It's just, until now we've mostly just been hiding, and it's been so long since I'd really done something that mattered. Thank you all, I mean it.

"Anyway, we really should do something to celebrate - it's not every day you make friends with a god! I'm sure there was a bottle of wine hidden away here somewhere..." With that, she scurries off to find it, intermittently humming and singing a few words as she does so - working on a new song.

[Bowerbird]

Librarian smiles to see Lien so happy, she had been beginning to worry that being stuck in the house was having adverse effects on her health. She graciously accepts the hug, before going and sitting back down at the table as Lien goes rummaging. "So yes, that was... intense. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what to do next?" She yawns slightly, "Apart from catching up on sleep." As she speaks she pulls out the scroll recording Lien and Sevultis' oath and quickly rereads it, before putting it down on the desk.

[Beans]

Damson accepts the hug a bit more stiltedly, complete with the divinely-mandated awkward two pats.
"Best if we get some sleep before we do anything else. Nothin' wrong with celebratin', just... better to celebrate rested."
She keeps glancing at the Librarian even as she takes off her jacket and swordbelt.

[Volthawk]

Sentinel was quiet on the way home, his thoughts occupied by Sevultis, although Lien's hugging spree does a fine job of bringing his attention back to the others, and he grins as she starts humming. It was nice, travelling with a musician. "While it's good that we have him on our side, it's best to be careful with how we use him. He seems..." He pauses, trying to think of the right words. "He seems to have a very direct personality, and strong personal feelings about some important factions - he was very clear about his feelings towards the Realm, and I did see a reaction when Lunars came up, although I can't say what his exact feelings are there, just that they seem negative. Just something we should keep in mind when we start asking him for help. That said, I agree with Damson. For now, you should get some rest. I'll keep an eye on things out here a little longer before I sleep."

[Bowerbird]

Librarian yawns again, waving off Damson, "I am fine, just a little tired." She takes off her glasses and starts cleaning them, "Sevultis did swear a binding oath to devote himself to our victory, something Lien should remember her side of." She indicates the scroll with her glasses, "But he was very forceful and direct, I worry he might get a little too excited. We should avoid taking needless risks for the sake of haste. The Hunt will not be far away, if we try and leave without a plan we may run into them from behind. We should hopefully be safe here for a little while to work out a plan. With the god on our side we may even be able to go outside again." She smiles at that, "I wonder if anyone here has any good books."

[TheTeaMustFlow]

Lien abandons her quest for alcohol with a tolerant sigh. "Ah, that's probably sensible. Don't think any of you are getting out of this, though!"

Turning her thoughts to Sentinel and the Librarian's words, her smile remains but her eyes are a little more serious. "His Worship does seem a little... intense, I grant you, but I think his concern for Momaht should keep his enthusiasm in check. He's been doing this a lot longer than any of us, after all - if he can last however many centuries without getting into trouble, I don't think we need be unduly concerned."

She sits down for a moment, but soon finds herself up and moving again, still full of nervous energy. "Well, since we're all retiring, I suppose I'll do the same. I don't imagine I'll be sleeping any time soon, at this rate, but I can at least work on this song a little more. Goodnight!"

[Bowerbird]

Librarian wakes early, and spends some time writing and thinking. Once the others have all started to stir she gathers them around the dining table, "I think I have a plan!" She smiles before clearing her throat and indicating a big blank sheet of paper, she holds her pen out and it floats above the page, when she starts speaking it puts the listener in mind of a teacher, "First of all, it is important to know our goal. I think we should be putting as much distance between ourselves and that prison as we can."

The pen writes:

Priority: Escape.

"Our primary obstacle to achieving this would be the Wyld Hunt, searching the jungles around the prison for escapees,"


Danger: Wyld Hunt.

"As we have seen, these hunters do not seem particularly predisposed towards taking us back alive."


Will kill us on sight. Why?

"This suggests two things: Firstly, they likely lack the numbers to recapture us all safely and quickly,"


1. Spread Thin?

"Second, they may no longer have somewhere safe to imprison us."


2. Lotus Damaged?

"If the Lotus is still broken, then it is vulnerable to attack."


(Vulnerable?)

"If Damson can contact any of the Chosen of Luna in the area, they might be willing to stage a raid on the Lotus."


Get Lunars to attack Lotus?

"There could still be people friendly to them imprisoned there, plus there is bound to be plenty of confiscated material that they would find valuable."


Lunars rescue allies, acquire treasures.

"Once word of the raid reaches the hunters, they will no doubt circle back to protect the prison."


Distract Wyld Hunt.

"Once they have left the area, we head East further into the jungle and away from those that would recapture us."


Escape!

She looks around at the others expectantly, an errant breeze rustles some of her pages, some of which the keen-eyed might notice have extensive notes and drafts of this speech on them. "What do you all think? Questions? Suggestions?" Librarian pointedly tries not to look nervous as she fiddles with some paper on the table. "It has a lot of flaws, but it could work?"

[Beans]

Damson listens carefully, nodding as her ally goes on. "You certainly thought this out, Libbers." She smiles just a little. "'Course, this does kinda hinge on if I can get the Pact's attention, but I think I remember ways. Just gon' have to be smart about it. Then I gotta be able to get 'em to agree to draw Hunt fire. Probably we'd have to draw 'em away from the Lotus in the first place. Doesn't all kinds'a help that Sevultis doesn't seem to like Lunars a lot, but... figure he likes the Realm less." Her cool, pale hand tentatively reaches out to settle on the Eclipse's own. "You did good, Libbers."

It's an awkward heartbeat before her hand goes back; she seems lost for a second.

"... Anyway, for talkin' to the Pact... learned this from mom's Circlemate who taught me to write. One 'a Luna's Tricksters. Pact's got eyes all over---birds especially. Some Lunars, more just... animals that do what they say. They train 'em. I put the right symbol on a note and get it up on top of the canopy, we're good. Prob' near the edge is better. Bird'll see, knows the sign, pick it up and take it home. Even if the Pact don't know me, they knew my mom. Me knowin' how to contact 'em counts for somethin' too."

This is a roll to Introduce a Fact about methods of secret communication within the Pact, using her Lore Background regarding the Pact. INT 3 + Lore 3 = 6. Spending 2m to add one automatic success.
[roll0] + 1 success = 4
Stunt dice if applicable
[roll1]

[Kobold-Bard]

5 sux, 1 die stunt

Damson's fact is now a fact. Somewhere in Yu Shan a tiny crystalline spider makes a note accordingly.

If you go to the trees at the edge of the village, elementals will agree to take you up onto the canopy, or ferry your note to the top of the canopy and place it so it can be seen for you.

[Bowerbird]

Librarian pats her hand reassuringly and smiles, "Thank you, Damson, whatever you can do to help will be wonderful. Probably best we keep any Lunars we meet away from Sevultis though, just in case. Actually, to that end," She refocuses on the rest of the Circle, "I propose that in order to determine the status of the Lotus, we ask Sevultis to visit them. Perhaps to submit grievances with the behaviour of their agents within his town and seek recompense? That should fall under the Immaculate purview should it not? He is a powerful and experienced god, surely if the Manse is still damaged he should be able to tell?"

[TheTeaMustFlow]

Read Intentions roll to see if Lien notices Damson's overtures to the Librarian: [roll0]. With six successes, Lien is very much aware of what's going on and is generally beaming at it. She glances over to Sentinel with a smile - if she's managed to pick on it, surely he has.

Regardless, it's hard to tell whether Lien actually slept - one of the more irritating consequences of her upbringing and general excess of energy is that she is very much a morning person - but she's been following along for a while, looking over Librarian's shoulder and occasionally offering tea.

"From what I can remember of Immaculate protocol, that seems right. I doubt he'll need much persuading, though I'm happy to relay the message just in case."

[Bowerbird]

Librarian nods, completely oblivious to any emotional revelations occurring in the room, "Excellent. It would be difficult to plan further until we know more, I believe." She looks to the others in turn, "Did anyone else have any ideas?"

[TheTeaMustFlow]

Lien waits a moment, but then raises her hand. "It's a bit of a long shot, but I do, actually. Before we came to the idea of contacting the Lunars, I suggested trying to find any other escapees. Does anyone else think that might work? We can't be the only ones who made it, and although they might not actually be on our side as such, we'd at least share enemies. I don't think we should give it priority over our existing plans, and I know it'd be difficult at best, but..."

She nods in Sentinel's direction.

"We have someone who's very good at tracking done fugitives."

[Volthawk]

Responding to Lien's smile with a knowing look, Sentinel nods when she mentions him. "I might have some success finding them, yes. However, it remains to be seen whether or not they would join us. I expect many will want a reason to join us beyond simply avoiding the Hunt - any left would evidently have that problem in hand. They might also not appreciate being tracked down, and there may be Dragon-Blooded who, despite being fugitives, still believe that our kind are evil, and if I find someone, there's no guarantee the Hunt wouldn't either. It's a plan with risks, but if it works, we'll do well out of it."

[Bowerbird]

Librarian nods, "That is also something I have been thinking about, these reservations are why I did not bring it up initially. You are right, though, it may be worth trying." She thinks for a moment, "Surely our initial argument would be that we are stronger together? All of the others we saw in the town were alone, and we saw what happened to them."

[Kobold-Bard]

Sevultis's priests will greet any circle member who goes to a smaller shrine at the north end of the town. They will provide incense that you can light in the shrine. Doing so will create a trance whereby you can communicate with him by him materialising into your soul temporarily. This will reveal all of your intimacies to him, but by the same token he is bound to facts (Manipulation set to 0, he is literally incapable of lying or deception). Ordinarily this would be mandatory, but per his contract with Lien, if you prefer to speak "in person" he will agree.

You know of no other escapees still in Momaht, but as you well know the Exalted can do some miraculous things. If you want to range wider to nearby locations, throw up some rolls and let me know the type of place you're looking at. Social rolls can help, but could also expose you risk as more people are aware of what you're doing. eg. the hunter-guards that make up the town's younger generation know the landscape best, or traders know the best options for shelter or the routes of the Immaculates nearby.

Successes will provide actionable information, the amount and stunts will determine the accuracy and relevance to your stated goals.

[Beans]

Damson retires to her section of the house to compose a poem.

CHA 3 + Linguistics 5 + 1 from Poetry Specialty = 8. 5 Linguistics + 1 from Poetry Specialty allows her to spend 6m personal to add 3 automatic successes. She also spends 1WP to add an automatic success.
[roll0] + 4 successes = 8 total
As per the exy, any 10 will reroll one non-1 failed die.
[roll1] = no change
Stunt dice as applicable.
[roll2] = 1 success on the stunt dice
This is a written influence roll attempting to persuade the reader to set up contact with the Circle. She is attempting to target and leverage Intimacies of loyalty/trust/etc toward the Pact for her persuade roll.

She is also spending 5m peripheral to use Cryptic Essence Cipher. She is coding her message such that it is understood by characters who have a Principle sufficiently similar to her Principle "The Silver Pact's aims are just". I originally misunderstood the Charm and did not realize that you either rolled to establish decoding difficulty or coded the message via a Principle, which is why the post roll count is messed up.

Motes: 7/13 personal, 22/31 peripheral, anima glowing.

She draws on the style of her mother's literary Circlemate, but only as an enhancement to her own distinctive style. The essence of Air stirs her pen and the essence of Water flows within her ink. Below the surface of her stanzas and meter lurks her true poetry, ready to rear up and reveal itself when the right eye falls upon it. She turns her belief in the Pact into the key of her cipher, using it to unlock a secret shrouded in elision and poetic device. The true message beneath the pretty surface is an entreaty from one believer in the Silver Pact to another, a request for an audience.
The right reader will see, at the very bottom, that she has signed it as the daughter of Eyka Woodclaw.

[TheTeaMustFlow]

Lien isn't particularly concerned about the idea of baring her soul to Sevultis (normally, she has more problems not doing it), so she opts to use the incense. The ritual, with its Immaculate-influenced forms, is soothingly familiar, and she quickly slips into the trance. Her body remains still as the God materialises within her soul, except for a smile - having Sevultis inside her is certainly an unusual experience, but a comforting one. For one, it is a small reminder of the last time a God appeared behind her eyes.

As Lien visualises it, she simply opens her eyes and Sevultis is standing behind his altar. Her dream-self rises, and rather than bowing she inclines her head (the proper way for a senior Immaculate Prior to greet a local deity on their own turf, which seems an appropriate analogue to her own station).

"Your Worship, it is good to speak with you once again. We have formulated a plan for our opening moves against the enemy, and would request your aid in carrying it out. The Librarian has analysed their movements and believes that the Lotus is damaged and potentially vulnerable. Thus, she proposes that we make contact with any nearby agents of the Silver Pact - Damson is reaching out to them even now - and induce them to raid the Lotus, thereby weakening the enemy, freeing other potential allies, and drawing the Hunt away." Lien wasn't entirely sure whether the others would approve of her telling Sevultis about the Lunars' role in the plan, but as far as she was concerned the ship for not trusting him implicitly had sailed when the first Caste Mark lit up.

"That said, our intelligence regarding the Lotus is at this point purely speculative - very educated speculation, but speculation nonetheless. We cannot easily remedy this, but you can. We suggest that you go to the Lotus to seek recompense for the Hunt's actions in Momaht, and while there use the opportunity to scout out the condition of the Manse and its defences. I hope this proposal meets with your approval."

Lien pauses for a moment, and then continues in a softer voice, her earlier formality shed for an earnest plea: "I know this may seem risky, and I know you have your... reservations about the Lunars. But, well, you've seen the Librarian. She's the smartest person I've ever met, and if she says it's the right plan, then I believe her."

I'd say this is more socialise than performance. Persuade check, 5 dice excellency (costs 4m, peripheral), total dice pool of 18+stunt.

Main roll - [roll0]. I make 9 successes. Edit: 10 if Appearance applies (see below)
Stunt - [roll1].

[TheTeaMustFlow]

Something I forgot: Would Sevultis be affected by Appearance? If so, given his Resolve of 4 an additional die. [roll0]

[Bowerbird]

Once everyone files out of the dining room to go about their respective tasks, Librarian breathes out heavily, and takes a few minutes to reorganise her notes back into tidy piles. Carefully blowing on the ink of the page she used for emphasis before folding it neatly and putting it with the rest. That done, she takes a moment to consider what to do herself, there wasn't a lot left to do towards their plans of freedom. Finally free to roam the town, she decides to go and see if any of the local or Guild merchants have any noteworthy books to add to her collection. Nothing too extravagant, space and money are both a concern at the moment.

Librarian briefly puts her head into Damson's section of the house and sees her deep in concentration writing her message to the Lunars, she smiles and leaves quietly not interrupting the young Dragon-blood's work. Instead she steps out into the streets of Shaded Momaht, making her way to the merchant quarter, perusing any and all collections of literature for anything of interest, talking animatedly with any knowledgeable sellers. Content just to spend her day appreciating the written word, something she hasn't had the chance to do properly since getting captured by the Immaculate Order.

Librarian is mostly killing time and enjoying freedom, I don't know how necessary rolls will be for this, feel free to throw in as much or as little detail as you'd like, Kobold.
Per + Awareness (5) [roll0] Stunt: [roll1] Looking for anything of interest (2 sux, 5 if stunt)
Cha + Socialize (4) [roll2] Stunt: [roll3] Talking with booksellers (1 sux, 3 if stunt)
Int + Lore (Tomes) (11) [roll4] Stunt: [roll5] Knowing her stuff (4 sux)

[Kobold-Bard]

Damson - 9 sux, 1 die stunt

Damson's message vanishes like the sun behind clouds of subtle misdirection. An elemental will graciously take it and place it as instructed atop the canopy.

Lien 9 sux - 1 die stunt, Sevultis is Persuaded

Sevultis appears as he did the night before, in a whorl of shadows cast by the brilliant light of your caste mark; visible on the brow of your immaterial self.

"I too am glad to speak with you again. And I am gratified that you and your fellow lords of creation share my urgency. I will gladly strike the first blow against the traitors, and shall leave this very night to inspect their defences."

He seems to falter a moment before speaking again. "Were I able to lie in this form I might have concealed my concern, but alas. There is a road that the Empire demands those visiting in a formal capacity take. Not doing so would be suspicious and they would no doubt prepare to trap me. You know the effects of the Lotus on your essence, if it is at all functional can you imagine the effect it would have on a God, who lacks flesh to shield him? But I swore a mutual oath to bring about their end at all costs and will march there with all haste if you wish it, Lady Solar."

Librarian - You are able to identify and purchase a map from a guild merchant. It's a little barebones, focusing on safer trade routes. But based on the landmarks (two large Lunar strongholds are marked with bright red skulls) you have a reasonable assessment of where you are. Your Library is not close, but it could be much further - the journey would likely take a couple of months, but it would be doable.

The pickings are fairly slim, the recent trouble seems to have scared off those with slimmer margins, but a lock box at the back of a well-presented caravan catches your eye. It's nothing special to look at, but a sigil on the side triggers your endless memory. You don't know it's specific meaning, but your expertise in the subject of tomes recognise it as relating to Broad Strokes; the owner of a well-respected (and supposedly vast) private collection of lore and literature.

[Bowerbird]

With a sigh, Librarian rolls up the map and puts it away, Something to work towards. Later upon seeing the lock-box after a relatively unsuccessful day, her eyes light up. She catches the merchant's attention, "Excuse me? May I ask what is in that box over there?"

[TheTeaMustFlow]

Lien frowns, raising a cautioning hand. "That's... troublesome, but I suppose to be expected. Given the danger, I'd suggest approaching this cautiously - see what information you can gather while playing by their rules for now. I'm no geomancer, but our plan relies on the damage to the Lotus being substantial - if it's limited enough that they could hide it from you, then I doubt it would work anyway. Don't do anything to arouse suspicion, just watch them carefully - at least, that's what I'd suggest, Your Worship. If the situation develops differently... well, you've been doing this a lot longer than we have. We trust your judgement."

She pauses for a moment, clasping her hands behind her back. "That does bring me to another matter, Your Worship, if you'll forgive me. This will bring us a step closer to bringing justice for the Hunt's atrocities in Momaht, but... that's not the whole of it." Lien looks away and suppresses a shiver, as the images of black glass tearing into a screaming crowd rise unbidden in her mind. The Hunt might have been the ones ultimately to blame, but she'd still ran when she could have at least tried to stop them."In hiding, there wasn't much we could do, but that's changed at least a little now. Is there anything we could do to help them?"

[Kobold-Bard]

Librarian - I'm afraid that's not for sale. It's a delivery. But you have an eye for quality and a curious mind I'd wager I do have some other books that may interest you.

The woman addressing you is in a greet silk coat and white gloves; smartly dressed but not ostentatious. Her blonde hair is neatly braided down her shoulder, she is in her early thirties and is holding a rather lovely bronze inkpen.

Come, have some tea, and lets see what piques your interest.

6 dice Persuade Action +1WP for an automatic success: [roll0] = 4 sux

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

Lien - Very well, then I shall travel at once.

My people are resilient, I have instilled into them the might of your fallen glory. But they grieve and they are angry, I see this. Just as I see in you a great passion, passed down from the Silver-Voiced Nightingale. In my absence, rally their spirits, make them whole and ready for what comes next.

[TheTeaMustFlow]

Lien smiles and bows once more, slightly deeper this time. "I'll see what I can do, Your Worship. Sol Divine light your way." With that, she returns to the meditative position of her physical self, taking a deep breath and leaving the spiritual world behind.

After that, Lien spends some time walking round the village, lost in thought as she considers the god's wishes. In a vacuum, playing to the emotions of a relatively small village should have been simplicity itself to her, but she also had to do so with a modicum of subtlety. She considered asking one of the others, but... none of them were exactly what she'd call outgoing. Besides, they had their own, likely more important tasks to attend to - if she couldn't handle something like this herself, what in all the Hells had she been chosen for?

After a while, Lien finds herself looking upon Sevultis' ruined temple in front of the village's central square, and an idea comes to her - perhaps not an especially cunning one, but it should do. She returns home for a time, fetching her lyre and changing into the most unassuming garments she can find (in particular, concealing her hair and as much of her face as possible within a hood). Coming back to the village square at an hour when the streets should be relatively busy, she simply sits in front of the remains of the temple and begins to play. After a few minutes, her lyre is joined by her voice - though not by anything but the tiniest touch of her essence. It pains her a little to not put her all into it, but needs must.

It's not one of her own songs - the wardens of the Lotus would have recognised most of them - but rather an old Gloamish air, beloved of sailors in and after danger at sea. Admittedly the maritime flavour wasn't exactly ideal in a jungle, but the feeling it got across was the right one:

Out of the mist and out the mirk
The waves of tragedy roll.
Almost these hateful waters work
As though they had a soul --
Almost as though they leagued to whelm
Our flag beneath their green:

But welcome Fate's discourtesy
Whereby it shall be seen
How in all time of our distress,
And our deliverance too,
The game is more than the player of the game
And the ship is more than the crew!

Be well assured, though wave and wind
Have mightier blows in store,
That we who keep the watch assigned
Must stand to it the more;
And as our streaming bows rebuke
Each billow's baulked career,

Sing, welcome Fate's discourtesy
Whereby it is made clear, etc.

No matter though our decks be swept
And mast and timber crack --
We can make good all loss except
The loss of turning back.
So, 'twixt these Devils and our deep
Let courteous trumpets sound,

To welcome Fate's discourtesy
Whereby it will be found, etc.

Be well assured, though in our power
Is nothing left to give
But chance and place to meet the hour,
And leave to strive to live.
Till these dissolve our Order holds,
Our Service binds us here.

Then welcome Fate's discourtesy
Whereby it is made clear
How in all time of our distress,
As in our triumph too,
The game is more than the player of the game
And the ship is more than the crew!

(Italicised lines are those on which Lien's performance places a particular emphasis, as those she considers most applicable to the current situation.)

Performance roll to inspire feelings of consolation and solidarity (While Lien wants to keep the recent tragedy in their minds, she's not looking to fire them up into anger... at least, not yet). Only using Masterful Performance Exercise and Harmonious Presence Technique , for a cost of 2 peripheral motes.

Dice pool: Charisma 5+Performance 5+Specialty 1+HPM 3. 1 automatic success, reroll 1s, double 9s ignoring group social influence penalty. I'd assume that Lien's attempts to avoid physical recognition preclude applying Appearance to the roll.

Main roll: [roll0]
Stunt: [roll1]
Rerolls: [roll2]

Edit: screwed up the rerolls, will post below.

[TheTeaMustFlow]

Reroll: [roll0]

I make 7 successes before stunts.

[Kobold-Bard]

2 die stunt, 8 sux

The people react with great enthusiasm to Lien's music, first a few people stop to listen, but over time she gathers a decent sized crowd. She can feel her essence resonate with them (and for what it's worth Sentinel can smell it too), and she even makes a small mound of silver coins.

---
Success, consider the villagers to have a Minor tie that you can call on. It relates to the music and the message behind it, not you as you were concealing your identity.

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Two days and nights pass, and on the third it is the new moon. Sentinel hears them coming first but only barely, even with his powerful senses. The smell of silver and iron cuts through the cool air though, but no words can be heard. Entering the kitchen you will find an attractive dark skinned man wearing well worn but high quality worker's clothes. His hair, eyebrows and fingernails are streaked black and white and there is a wound on the back of his hand; that on closer inspection isn't a wound at all but a mouth filled with razor sharp teeth.

In front of him is Damson's sign. He doesn't say a word.

Sentinel smells four other creatures with similar metallic notes outside.

[Bowerbird]

Meanwhile, back in the past: :smalltongue:

Come, have some tea, and lets see what piques your interest.

Librarian smiles at the woman's offer, "That sounds lovely, thank you. I will admit, the selection so far in town has been fairly limited. Might I ask, who is the delivery for?"

[Beans]

Damson picks a very interesting moment to get up for a drink of water.

Seeing the man, she dearly wishes she had her swords.

"... Hey."

[TheTeaMustFlow]

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Two days and nights pass, and on the third it is the new moon. Sentinel hears them coming first but only barely, even with his powerful senses. The smell of silver and iron cuts through the cool air though, but no words can be heard. Entering the kitchen you will find an attractive dark skinned man wearing well worn but high quality worker's clothes. His hair, eyebrows and fingernails are streaked black and white and there is a wound on the back of his hand; that on closer inspection isn't a wound at all but a mouth filled with razor sharp teeth.

In front of him is Damson's sign. He doesn't say a word.


Damson picks a very interesting moment to get up for a drink of water.

Seeing the man, she dearly wishes she had her swords.

"... Hey."

Hearing Damson, Lien pokes her head into the kitchen to see what's happening. As she sees the stranger she's wrongfooted for a moment - while actually he's quite close to what she would have imagined the Pact's messenger to be, she had sort of envisioned meeting them in somewhere slightly more momentous than the slightly tatty kitchen. And wearing slightly more than her nightgown, for that matter.

Still, nothing for it. Someone had to break the ice, and the other two looked like they were too busy brooding. She smiles broadly and strides towards the newcomer, shaking his hand vigorously and kissing him on the cheek (not a common greeting in these parts, but fairly normal back home - and Lien figures a rather less formal approach suits this particular meeting anyway).

"Welcome, welcome! It's an honour to finally meet you, truly! Please, have a seat; I'm sure you've had a long journey. Can I get you anything? Oh, sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself - Azara Lien, a pleasure to meet you. I'm sure our mutual friend here requires no introduction. And you are...?"

Lien's friendliness isn't feigned, but it does have something of a purpose behind it. As she approaches her new guest, Lien tries to get a feel for how he's reacting - in particular, whether there's any hostility in his eyes.

Read Intentions action, using Motive Discerning Technique and a 3 die socialise excellency (total cost 4m peripheral). Wits+Socialise+HPM+Excellency, total 16 dice w/double 9s.

Base roll: [roll0]
Stunt: [roll1]

Edit: I make 11 successes before stunts.

[Volthawk]

With Lien leading the charm offensive, Sentinel gives the Lunar a nod in greeting and taking a moment to get a better handle on his scent, before his gaze drifts to the door. "Your friends going to join us, or are we just talking to you?"


Doing the normal mood smelling thing.