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  1. - Top - End - #91
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    HalflingWizardGirl

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    Default Re: Exalted 3e - Welcome to Thorns (IC)

    Heights Team
    Hearthroom
    It's quite a climb to reach the Manse's geomantic heart - a lengthy flight of spiral stairs await Dancer and Granny, before they finally emerge, stepping through an empty stone archway that marks the threshold of this sanctum.

    It has something of the air of a church to it - this is very firmly a part of the old manse, with pillars worn down by age holding up a crumbling roof. Still Mask's forces have undertaken some significant renovations - buttressing the pillars to keep it strong, and adding a ring of work desks around the room. Most of these are still covered in paper - Dancer could be forgiven for acquiring a sudden gleem to her eyes. She can spot maps and draft orders of battle on one desk - she could absolutely find some useful information here, given time.

    Granny meanwhile has a knack for noticing the incongruous. And the most incongruous thing in the place, to the point of the eye almost passing right by it, has to be the giant pipe organ. It lies on the far right side of the room, an impressively gothic construction, with golden pipes and a body of wrought iron. The outer ring of piping actually runs up high towards the ceiling, and then through it to presumably emerge on the roof of the tower. The ebony and ivory keys sparkle in the amber and blue lights of Pyrefly and Dancer's flame - they look almost unused, at least at a glance. There's a few different sheets of music set on the stand already, as well as what seem to be a sheaf of written notes resting atop the keyboard.

    In the centre of the room however, beneath the large glass wall that provides a view of the other spires, and the Inland Sea as a whole, lies what is probably the central point of this manse. It's a wide, if shallow pool of water. Once it must've reflected the light of the sun quite beautifully, but the waters now run black and turgid, with just a faint trace of violet light passing over them occasionally to show some sign of energy here. Sniffing, Granny can identify a faint smell of blood even now. It's not hard to guess how Mask's forces tainted the Hearthroom. How to best go about removing that taint, or destroying it outright, would require some consideration. Thankfully the sheer age and damage this manse has sustained means...

    Any thought process the old Lunar might have begun is sharply and rudely cut off. The violet light of the pool flares to life, as a familiar voice echoes through the chamber. All cleared for launch. Opening docking bay exterior.

    Opening... what?

    As the pair turn towards the window, they see the wall on the tower opposite this one part in two like some giant door, and a dreadful whur of engines start to fill the air as an ugly black smudge starts to rise up from the tower opposite them.

    Nord
    Nord's dropping off another crate when the cries of the freed prisoners draw his attention upward. The faint black blob up above is hard to recognize at first, but as it starts to cut through the air and the dreadful groan of overworked engines echoes across the isle, the realization hits Nord in an instant. It's an airship. One of the more modern ones Thorns uses, based on Haslanti designs rather than the classical Lookshyan model. This is far less elegant than anything in the Sky Fleet - a tin can held aloft beneath a large balloon. Still it's setting one hell of a pace for itself, rising up already high into the clouds. It'll be entirely out of sight soon at this rate.

    The inhabitants of the boat start exchanging hushed whispers. More than a few are glancing back at the tower. Even the Cureva seem shaken. Is it still safe to evacuate? What if the ship is armed, and tries to sink them from the skies?

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    I gave you all another chance to check up on the fleeing Thornguard. They were not idle while you were loading the ship up. And there were other personel at the tower they were able to rally to help them crew the ship.

    At the moment, they are withdrawing to a higher altitude, rather than attacking. Hopefully they're just going to report back on what just happened to Thorns. Granny could fly and begin a pursuit, but she'd be alone and there's no guarentee she'd be able to keep pace with the wretched thing. And you do have the Hearthroom to investigate.
    Last edited by Inspector Valin; 2020-04-26 at 06:30 PM.

  2. - Top - End - #92
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    HalfTangible's Avatar

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    Default Re: Exalted 3e - Welcome to Thorns (IC)

    ((Not expecting a response any time soon but for when that moment comes))

    ---

    Nord's eyes widened as they found the airship. That... was definitely not part of the plan. Gods, if it had been, we'd be riding that thing out of here!

    The survivors and the Cuerva began a panicked muttering that sent chills down Nord's spine. They were right to be afraid. Lookshy's sky legion was feared throughout the Scavenger Lands and rightly so. Controlling the skies gave one an enormous advantage in battle, one that could not be underestimated.

    As their voices rose, however, he heard someone suggest that they couldn't cast off as of yet. He grit his teeth and shouted over the throng. "Danaa'd have mercy, will you stop panicking?! You're giving me a headache!" He pointed up at the ascending ship. "We don't need any more problems than that, alright? Just sit tight and let me think for a minute. Our comrades are still in the tower, we're not casting off just yet anyway."

    "...Okay, okay, focus." He muttered, rubbing his temples and pacing across the deck of the ship. "Haslanti model airship. Bit primitive and brutish, but easier to build and maintain than the sky legion's ships. Think, anything that can help... crew complement... weaponry... range... maybe it's just running to get to Thorns and warn them of the attack? Possible, but this ship is a sitting duck if they have even a single ballista... I'm no helmsman so we probably can't run, can't fight that thing with just arrows and my blades.... Does anyone know if this ship has any weapons? Cannons, ballista, I'll settle for a catapult!"

    ---

    Spoiler
    Show
    Nord is going to try and calm down the passengers of the ship, as panic is the last thing they need right now. He is also going to try and recall everything he knows about this model of airship; crew complement, weapons, speed, anything he could know.

    Appearance 4 + Presence 2 + Stunt 2 + Oratory 1
    (9d10)[2][2][1][10][9][4][3][2][2](35) - 3sux

    Int 2 + Lore 2 + Stunt 2 + Military History 1
    (7d10)[7][1][1][3][2][10][3](27) - 3sux
    Last edited by HalfTangible; 2020-04-26 at 07:54 PM.
    Hate me if you want. But that's your issue to fix, not mine.

    Primal ego vos, estis ex nihilo.

    When Gods Go To War comes out March 8th

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  3. - Top - End - #93
    Firbolg in the Playground
     
    BlueWizardGirl

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    Default Re: Exalted 3e - Welcome to Thorns (IC)

    Rivers mind whirls with plans as they spot the room full of necrotechs at their mysterious labors. They could muster a quick disguise - one of the ranking techs, one of the Thornsguard perhaps? Between the grisly odds-and-ends left behind by the techs' craft and the results of the rescue team's own bloody work, there's plenty of raw material for a hasty makeover. They might not be able to manage to imitate Lacroix, but...

    ...their mind is racing off on a tangent, considering possibilities for makeup design in imitation of ghosts, when they suddenly realize that their still-burning anima would clash rather badly with any disguise. Worse, the flickering blue-black radiance will likely give away their position in seconds. They need a new plan and they need it fast.

    They could simply bull into the room and start knocking heads. It would be easy, and viscerally satisfying, but it probably wouldn't explain what the techs are doing, shifting supplies in the middle of a life-and-death emergency. People don't tend to give good intelligence while their bones are being broken or their joints dislocated; they tend to be more concerned with screaming and begging for the pain to end.

    If that's out, then there's only one option. Rivers closes their eyes in concentration, touching the film of shadow clinging indistinctly to the edges of their form, the unnatural shadow, darker and deeper than their familiar watery aura. It's uncomfortably cold, as always, but they stoke it regardless, letting it feed on their essence, let it feed on their very form.

    Dissolution is the blessing offered by Rivers' Belt of Shadow Walking, a blessing they paid dearly to acquire. Not for the first time, and likely not for the last, they question that decision as they sink into their own shadow, plummeting into immateriality. A moment later, a dim pool of darkness glides into the warehouse, rippling invisibly through the larger shadows cast by sagging stacks of crates. No living tech can possibly bar Rivers' way now as they race across the storeroom, hastening to scope out whatever it is the technicians are all working on.

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    Okay, so... Rivers spends 10 motes out of Personal and dematerializes with the Belt of Shadow Walking before entering the storeroom. This means they can now see and interact with any dematerialized spirits who might be lingering around this part of the facility, and, perhaps more importantly, any such spirits can now interact with them, but the techs can't interact with them, and can only spot them if they notice an unusual shadow on the floor.

    I don't know if the lighting is bright enough to make Rivers' shadow here suspicious or not, I'm going to roll a stealth roll here, just in case you want one. I also don't know if the Belt's normal bonus to stealth is supposed to apply when its dematerialization effect is in play, so I'll roll it separately. Generally speaking, Rivers is just trying to unnoticeably creep up on the techs and the exits they're using to see what they're up to.

    Dex + Stealth + Stunt: (8d10)[4][4][7][4][8][1][5][10](43)
    Belt of Shadow-Walking bonus dice: (3d10)[4][9][1](14)
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    GMing The Lotus Blossoms! [Exalted 3E] (OOC)
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  4. - Top - End - #94
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    Default Re: Exalted 3e - Welcome to Thorns (IC)

    The clang of metal on metal barely registers through the chorus of screams. Whisper can't concentrate, can barely think. Clapping her hands over her ears doesn't help much. Stupid, it's made of magic, you can't break it just like that... Not without being a lot stronger than Whisper is, anyway. Only... Part of the forge - she doesn't know what it's for - is a massive cauldron suspended in the air, not far from the soul cage. That might do it, if she can knock it over in just the right way. Wrecking the forge is probably a good thing anyway, no sense leaving tools for the Mask's people to pick up when they get back...

    She clambers up and around to the other side of the smelter to get a better look at the machinery. The part she wants is suspended by the ceiling by a set of chains. If she can break the two on this side, the sudden fall should snap the rest of them and send it plummeting downwards; then it'll hit the furnace and, hopefully, roll off the side towards the soul cage. Of course, breaking the chains will take a good bit of strength, more than Whisper has in her body. That's fine. She'll just use someone else's.

    The Lunar's eyes flare silver: flesh ripples and flows outward, her body flattening out and growing longer, skin hardening into thick white scales. Crocodiles, unfortunately, have a keen sense of hearing. She lashes out with her tail, enough force to bowl over a grown man with broken bones - and hopefully enough to break steel chains.

    Spoiler
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    Turning into a crocodile! We do not appear to have stats for regular crocodiles yet, but I figure the boar-tusk crocodile's stats are similar, it being a terrestrial relative of comparable size to a big croc; some of the abilities should maybe be swapped for the river dragon's ambush-grappling abilities, but all we really care about right now is the Feat of Strength score.

    Feat of Strength+stunt: (12d10)[3][10][6][3][10][2][4][4][10][4][7][6](69)
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  5. - Top - End - #95
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    Default Re: Exalted 3e - Welcome to Thorns (IC)

    Whisper feels something give way, turns part of the way around to inspect her handiwork as best she can without falling off - this workspace was not really meant to accommodate a saltwater crocodile. As she does she catches a flash of motion; seeing out of eyes set on opposite sides of one's head feels decidedly strange at times, but one can't deny it's useful...

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    Join Battle! Spending 3m on Unwavering Predator's Eye to double 9s, and then another 7 on a Perception Excellency. All peripheral, so anima will be going up to Burning.
    (18d10)[2][6][2][10][3][2][8][8][1][2][4][7][6][9][10][9][4][8](101)
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  6. - Top - End - #96
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    HalflingWizardGirl

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    Default Re: Exalted 3e - Welcome to Thorns (IC)

    Heights Team
    Nord
    The onlookers don't look exactly elated at Nord's words, but they do at least quieten down. More importantly perhaps, Nord can recall a memory of Nefvarin Phospha in a bar one time talking about the Haslanti air fleet. Apparently their ships were very reliant on weight and thus most trading vessels went unarmed - the few that did bear weaponry were excruciatingly slow, to the point of almost being unusable in battle outside of a siege situation. Given the speed that ship just moved at, it has to be unarmed, right?

    The inhabitants of the ship start to move below decks, searching for any sign of armament. They don't seem hopeful, but what choice do they have at this point?

    Depths Team
    Marrow
    Marrow of the Root may not be known as Thorns' greatest investigator but he has more than his share of tricks up his sleeve. He bursts through the door to find a barely conscious man blinking blearily back at him. It just takes him a minute to bring him back to the old gentleman, and then to start chasing down his next sensed target. Once more he proves successful - dragging the unconscious woman from the table beside a water fixture and lugging her slowly back to their newfound meeting spot.

    As he proceeds however, his mind still is pondering the question of the door. The rusty stains upon the stand seem illogical given how new the soulsteel door seemed. It takes Marrow some thought before he realizes what they'd truly been. Blood. The technicians must have been using blood to activate the door somehow. If he can take a closer look at the stand with this in mind, he's sure he can figure out how it works!

    Rivers
    It's simplicity itself to sneak further into the room this way, easily concealed in the shadow cast between the rows of crates. Rivers takes the time to find the perfect setup, looking through one of the open doors. There's something very big on the other side. Perhaps a ship itself. It's metal, painted red, and the necrotechs are swarming all over it. But they're beneath the sea right now. Could this be one of Mask's new submersible shipcraft? Waters had heard some rumours of such things, and there'd been discussion of the prospect at a recent Guild funded party; Lord Snow was concerned about the potential effect such a vessel might have if it fell into pirate hands.

    Whisper
    Whisper's newfound tail strikes, and strikes true! The first chain holding the furnace cauldron aloft breaks and shatters, the lings making a faint janling sound as they fall against the side of the hefty iron container. Buoyed by success, the young Lunar is about to make her way towards the second chain, when...

    "Hehehe..."

    Even through the screaming of the ghosts, and with her mind focused on the chain, Lost Whisper hears that infuriating chuckle. The crocodile rolls nimbly to the side, just as a hefty soulsteel daiklave comes crashing down upon the spot where she'd just been standing, leaving the splintered remains of that section of scaffolding to tumble uselessly to the floor below.

    Dorian Lacroix is floating level with Whisper. The ghostly commander still bears the gashes and tears in his armor from her butterflies, but he has a proud looking smirk upon his face. Even without blood, he'd come close that time and he knows it. He knows what forcing an Exalt to flare their anima means The duelist raises his blade at the crocodile, thumbing down at the Soul Cage with his off hand. "You're not going any further, moon child. Unless you want to join them down there."

    Spoiler
    Show
    Note, Lacroix is not manifesting. Thus enabling him to hover level with Whisper. He has a strike material charm, and will use it to keep her in melee, and thus away from the other chain. That chain is at Medium range, on the other side of the furnace.


    Rivers
    "Intruder! They're onto us!"

    What?! Rivers is as surprised as anyone at their discovery. Glancing around however, the costly mistake they'd made becomes clear. The anima light followed them into shadow form, casting their hiding spot into dim relief. That'd been just enough to tip off the watching technicians. Two scared looking red robes are advancing with lanterns raised, hoping that will be enough to drive off this shadow demon. Behind them, the forewoman barks out to her workers.

    "Final phase starts now! FINAL PHASE NOW!"

    Whisper
    SOUL CAGE DRAIN - IN PROGRESS.

    The words are softer than most of the announcements so far, Whisper can barely hear them above the moaning of the ghosts. But those cries somehow turn louder still - the unending yet dulled pain of forced integration and perpetual fear seeming like nothing against the red hot agony of this new torment. From her other eye, Whisper can see the ghost-form contort, trying desperately to find some weakness in the cage as it starts spinning faster and faster, the faint blue light growing almost blinding.

    "HAH! Great timing, men! Maybe I won't kill them after all." Lacroix's smirk has become a grin, as he bows to his crocodile opponent. "What do you say, little Ogre? Reckon you can free those fools before they're rendered down to motes?"

    Spoiler
    Show
    ___________ takes a Shape Necromancy Action, casting Soul Drain. Since you don't know that spell, how many motes it needs is a bit of an open question. However you'd probably better hurry, Whisper. Since they're not participating directly in this conflict, it's resolving at the top of round

    (10d10)[10][9][1][8][1][10][10][1][1][4](55)
    Last edited by Inspector Valin; 2020-04-28 at 05:33 AM.

  7. - Top - End - #97
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    The_Snark's Avatar

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    Default Re: Exalted 3e - Welcome to Thorns (IC)

    Whisper returns the ghost's mocking smile with a gaping crocodilian grin of her own, wide enough to fit most of a man inside. Repartee, though, is beyond her in this form, even if she were inclined to bandy words with Lacroix. Which she isn't. Another time, she might be curious, but with the cage threatening to consume the souls trapped within? She hasn't got time for him.

    She lunges forward abruptly, her ungainly form moving far faster than it seems like it ought. (This is in fact a quality common to crocodiles, as most people who live near a river in the East could tell you.) Toothy jaws snap shut on ghostly flesh -

    - or perhaps not. It doesn't matter, because Whisper hasn't yet worked out the trick of touching spirits. But he can't be sure of that, now can he? And as he instinctively moves to defend himself - for even the most battle-hardened spectre would be hard-pressed not to, facing an onrushing crocodile with the mark of the Anathema shining on its brow - she turns aside, moving past him to the other side of the scaffold. The second chain awaits.

    Spoiler
    Show
    Disengage time! Whisper's base Dex+Dodge is 6, same as the crocodile's combat movement dicepool, so shapeshifting doesn't actually affect this. Spending 8m on Excellency (the second Ability being stunted for this is Manipulation, naturally). And hey, let's spend a point of Willpower for a bonus success too.
    Spoiler: Roll
    Show
    (16d10)[4][9][10][1][5][3][5][9][2][8][3][2][2][8][8][3](82) +1 success

    Lacroix can oppose this with Dex+Athletics. If he wins, Whisper can't find an opening. If she wins, she moves towards the chain, which I believe puts her right between him and the chain (short range from both, in opposite directions)? And if he moves towards her next turn she gets to reflexively move again.

    Either way, Whisper loses 2 initiative for the attempt.

    Edit - oh, and we're up to bonfire anima now. Lacroix now suffers a -2 penalty on vision-dependent rolls against her, which I think includes attacks?
    Last edited by The_Snark; 2020-04-27 at 08:25 AM.
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  8. - Top - End - #98
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    Eurus's Avatar

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    Default Re: Exalted 3e - Welcome to Thorns (IC)

    Granny frowns at the escaping airship, doing some quick mental math.

    "I don't think I can stop that thing, but it should take about two or three hours for that thing to get to the landing dock in Thorns from here. In theory that means about five hours before reinforcements get here at the earliest. Earlier than I would have liked, but we weren't going to be able to keep a hit like this secret for long anyway."

    Five hours. Can they have the boat out of retributive range by then? Granny thinks so, but she's no sailor.

    "Maybe we can give them something to keep busy with."

    Dismissing the airship, Granny goes to inspect the pipe organ. Is it merely a priceless antique, or is there something more to it? She surveys it with an eye for magical construction, trying to glean its nature.
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  9. - Top - End - #99
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    MonkGirl

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    Default Re: Exalted 3e - Welcome to Thorns (IC)

    The Dancer nods. "Unless this is an old battle-manse, it's unlikely we can do anything about them from here." She walks over to the stagnant pool and inspects the hearth within. "Something seems to be drawing essence, but I can't say what. I have only rudimentary knowledge of manse operations. Not much call for it in dancing school..."

    She looks about. For now, she can gather up more paper intel. The Mask will soon know his ciphers and plans are compromised, but at least keeping him focused on secrecy might mean he can't move against them any time soon. 'Them'. She's already thinking as one of the group. Can't afford such attachments early. She makes other people attached to her, not the other way around. Be aloof, don't let anyone inside. Remember the mission.

    "I think I have what I need from here. Do you need help with that...thing?"
    Sorry for making things complicated!
    -Me

  10. - Top - End - #100
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    HalflingWizardGirl

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    Default Re: Exalted 3e - Welcome to Thorns (IC)

    Heights Team
    Hearthroom
    Rather than an antique, on closer examination the organ seems disgustingly modern. All sharp lines, garish painted designs of explosions and monsters on the side plate, with crude flame patterns running up the pipes. It speaks to energy, vibrance and a near total lack of concern for artistic merit and sensibility. Whoever made this organ, Granny can be sure they are younger than her, have very poor taste and are utterly insufferable to talk to and be around.

    And yet examining it closely, there's a sense of familiarity to it. One she can't quite put her finger on. As though she's seen this thing before? And there's definitely some mystical resonance here. The pipework is integrated into the manse, drawing on its power.

    As if on cue, in picking up the papers from the stand, Granny accidentally causes a small disk-like device to fall to the floor. The impact of that is enough to activate it - with a pop and a fiz of essence, a tiny white bunny rabbit appears in the air before the surprised women, with a jagged full plate helm not quite managing to conceal its adorable floppy ears. It waves a forepaw towards the pair, speaking in a muffled but enthusiastic voice. "Hi! Rising Nova here. Arubato says you guys needed some more defense on the Islebreaker project, so I whipped this little number up for you!"

    It seems as if this speech has been pre recorded. Some variant of the Infallible Messenger spell. Dancer has never heard of Rising Nova, but recognizes the other name. Seneschal Arubato Ohishi - also known less flatteringly as the Mask's messenger boy, a pretty boy bruiser with a knack for infuriating everyone who interacts with him, and one of the regime's most 'respected' Dragon Blooded traitors. The bunny jumps backwards, as if off of some invisible platform, landing atop the keys nimbly before giving the pipe work an approving, inaudible tap. "It's based on some old First Age designs for siege artillery, with a fun lil' twist from me! Once you charge this beauty up, the Stormhammer can strike any point as far as the eye can see. All you have to do is use the attached keyboard to aim your lightning bolt! Crush your opponents with the music of a storm - isn't that amazing?! Try it out, have fun, and let me know if there's any problems!"

    With those words, and a final wave, the Nova Bunny disappears as swiftly as it had arrived. The sheet music seems to back up the strange apparition's claim as Granny and Dancer look it over. Notes are used for all parts of the engine's calibration - target coordinates are based on the pitch of notes in sequence, the meter determines the intensity and speed of the bolt, and then there are various key phrases used to bring the lightning essence back under control ready for the next shot. It looks ridiculously elaborate, entirely impractical... but it makes internal sense. Hopefully. Although the note left atop the keyboard doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

    For the love of the Mask, unless you're ready for Oblivion, DON'T USE THE HAMMER! This tower is falling apart already - we can't afford more misfires, especially not if they hit the Hearthroom. And no matter how close any of our men keep to Nova's instructions, this thing always misfires. When we've got have the Confederate fleet baring down on us - then we turn the ruddy thing on and take our chances. Until then, use it at your peril.
    Lacroix

  11. - Top - End - #101
    Firbolg in the Playground
     
    BlueWizardGirl

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    Default Re: Exalted 3e - Welcome to Thorns (IC)

    Ghost-sight.

    Rivers should've expected it among the Mask's followers. While oldest of the grave-born offspring of the occupation are still but children, the Deathlord has cast a broad net to gather allies of the Underworld to his side. Not every ancestor cultist or self-proclaimed psychopomp is willing to work with a tyrant just because he's friendly to ghosts, but he has no shortage of recruits, regardless.

    Still, seeing Rivers hiding within their anima is one thing, stopping them is another. Lacroix could give them trouble, but he isn't here, is he? Rivers incorporeally sprints forward, their shadow cutting unnaturally through the light of the techs' upraised lanterns, and they slip through one of the doors leading to the red... ship?

    Just what is it that the technicians are so driven to... finish? activate?
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    GMing The Lotus Blossoms! [Exalted 3E] (OOC)
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  12. - Top - End - #102
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    MonkGirl

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    Default Re: Exalted 3e - Welcome to Thorns (IC)

    The Dancer leans back after reading the message. "Well, that's a situation and no doubt. We need to destroy this apparatus if Thorns ever hopes to get assistance from Lookshy."

    She also makes a mental note, Arubato and this 'Rising Nova' must be removed if they are capable of producing even a half-functioning anti-aircraft array. This might be the most valuable intel she'll find in the tower: the identities of the Mask's Exalted technicians. It's no good having advanced necrotech and essence-arrays if they're being built and maintained by mere mortals, and even Exalt ghosts are no substitute for the real thing.

    She picks up the disk and slips it into her new sheaf of papers. Her thoughts are racing, but the reassuring hum from Pyrefly eases her mind. She really could get used to the little sprite. She smiles at the blue ball of flame and cups it in one hand, enjoying the warmth.
    Sorry for making things complicated!
    -Me

  13. - Top - End - #103
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    Default Re: Exalted 3e - Welcome to Thorns (IC)

    The unconscious woman safely deposited with the other freed prisoners - well, as safely as anyone can be in this Heaven-scorned place - Marrow is heading back into the wet stone corridors when realization strikes him. The door, it's keystone... he'd been turning it over and over in his head, and only now had he realized: ochre stains. He'd seen those same stains, on the various pieces of nightmarish equipment scattered throughout this place. They were blood, old and dried. Blood, spilled to open the door.

    His steps grow lighter and he races to the next intersection only to stop there, conflicted. They can only spend so long down here, and if he returns to the door he may be sacrificing their chance to save the last of the Mask's prisoners. Another soul saved, versus just a chance of seeing what the Mask was so determined to lock up... One was right, the other...

    In the end, the mental war is depressingly short. Another prisoner is another fugitive to hide, another mouth to feed, and while he'd never condemn someone to the tortures he'd seen here without cause there was cause here. Whatever was behind that door was valuable enough to seal up tight - almost certainly worth more than another ragged soul. Quickly, inevitably, the tangled roots that feed on necessity strangle the glorious dream.

    He doesn't do the last prisoner the dishonor of hesitating, but as he runs back towards the room with the soulsteel door he can't help but think to himself, Besides, maybe Rivers will find them? For some reason it feels like a lie.

    When he arrives back at the door he kneels, getting an up-close look at rust-red stains on the keystone. Is blood all there is to it? Just... blood? Any blood? Well, blood he can provide. Balancing Quiet against his leg, he draws his gladius and bears a forearm.

    "Well, here goes nothing"

    Marrow draws a shallow cut across the back of his arm, wets his hand, and smears some of the Dragon's blood across the keystone.

    Spoiler: Rolls
    Show
    Intelligence + Occult: (9d10)[10][2][1][2][6][8][9][9][4](51)

  14. - Top - End - #104
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    Heights Team
    Hearthroom
    Pyrefly snuggles against Dancer happily, the little flame starting to burn a little brighter in her hand. Dancer can feel a sense of excitement and wonder emanating from the fire spirit - it's seemingly unused to exploration, so the sight of the hearthroom is as new to it as you.

    As to the names... Rising Nova is unknown to her, but Dancer is quite familiar with Arubato Ohishi. She's met the Water Aspect a few times, or at least born witness to him passing by at court. While the Unrepentant Soldier bears the title of Ambassador to Thorns, it's an open secret that the title is more a punishment to the arrogant ghost - exile from Juggernaut under a polite pretext. Arubato might be thought of as the Mask's true representative - his herald and messenger, expressing his wishes to the Soldier, officers in the Thornguard and even the Deathknights. The golden haired Water Dragon is certainly no occultist, but it does fit that he'd know the identity of someone like Rising Nova - an artificer the Mask needed kept secret. He's likely helped to coordinate the Thornguard, the necrotechs and whatever assistance Nova's provided with this 'Islebreaker'.

    Dancer should probably eliminate him at some point, but thus far has run into two crucial difficulties that have made her table any such attempt. Arubato has never been shown to express interest in companionship of any kind, removing one of her most useful openings. And further, his fighting ability is legendary. He likes to boast of being the strongest martial artist in Thorns, and while the Deathknights may contest that claim, they have yet to do so. And every ghostly combatant who sought to challenge the upstart dragon has thus far lost soundly to him.

    Depths Team
    Marrow
    The stand sputters to life, a crimson light flickering across the serpentine metal as it seems to draw Marrow's blood into itself. The light lingers, seemingly taking its time to come to a decision, before finally fading away. A loud yet dissonant chime plays, attempting to draw the attention of some very absent foreman.

    The old man, who has been attending to the less able rescued prisoners Marrow and Rivers have returned to the intersection, walks over to Marrow with a commiserating look. "Bad luck, lad. It was worth a shot." But Marrow gets it now. The blood is more than a key, it's a test. Giving it allows the stand to weigh his heart, discern what motive he has for accessing the chamber. If judged to be working for the Mask's best interests, he'd be allowed through, the essence forming some sort of activation key. Failing that, no dice.

    That said, this thing was supposed to keep regular mortals out. The Exalted are a different matter. Marrow can feed a slither of his essence into the stand, provide a direct power source to the key and circumvent the blood reading. It'll be a little tricky, like feeding thread through a hole, but it should be doable if he can calm his mind and focus clearly. Just one little mote, a few seconds of careful concentration, and the most valuable items in this whole tower will be his for the taking.

    Spoiler
    Show
    AKA, basic use of the stand will trigger a read intentions action against you by the stand. Buuuut you can also spend 1m and roll Int + Occult to counterfeit the effect! Difficulty 3.


    Whisper
    Lacroix does his best to stay calm as Whisper springs at him, but this was likely the same wretched vulture that'd wounded him so grievously earlier. Whisper can see the fear in the ghost's eyes as he tries to maintain his composure, and more importantly his guard when faced with an oncoming crocodile.

    Spoiler
    Show
    Rolling for formality's sake - this is pretty much a lock for the croc. (6d10)[5][8][7][5][4][4](33)


    Rivers
    Even the ghost blooded forewoman has no defense against the oncoming shadow. Rivers slithers onwards, past the light and through the door. Just as it'd seemed from that prior vantagepoint, this room adjoins a section of hull plating. There doesn't seem to be an obvious door here, but no matter - Rivers doesn't need so direct a method to enter a ship. The shadow reaches up towards the hull plating, seeking to permeate slight holes and inconsequential gaps - one small crevice is all the Dragon needs to emerge on the other.

    Huh. That's odd. Rivers can't phase through it; forget no door, while there are a handful of scarcely permeable openings there's no room on the other side for Rivers to form in. Quite bizzare. Is the ship solid on the other side? Thinking quickly however, Rivers shifts downwards. With how old this tower is, there has to be a leaky section somewhere in the cracks between the walls. All it'll take is a slight opening, enough to forge a path outside so they can see this hidden harrier of the seas and put a stop to it before it launches.

    Sure enough, one floor lower and they're beneath the waves - it's almost no effort at all for the shadow to flit forward to take a better look at this secret submersible. The lights from the tower's windows cast a faint glow across the scene, giving Rivers just enough of an outline to get their bearings.

    And then, Beloved Rivers and the Islebreaker come face to face.
    Last edited by Inspector Valin; 2020-04-28 at 06:55 AM.

  15. - Top - End - #105
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    Whisper
    Lacroix curses loudly as he stumbles backwards, the nimble crocodile slipping by and wasting no time in sprinting for the second chain. With a grim look on his face, the ghost flits straight over the cauldron, keeping rough pace with his adversary. Below, the souls continue to writhe and scream as the Cage pulls at their essence. They do not have long

    Spoiler
    Show
    Yeah, perks of flight, it's short range for him. Can't stop Whisper but can get there effectively at the same time as her - he's still short range to Whis, but now close to the chain.
    Soul Drain continues
    (10d10)[4][1][3][5][1][8][5][10][5][8](50)

  16. - Top - End - #106
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    Granny contemplates the weapon in front of her for a few minutes. What a strange, evil thing this is. It's certainly not art. Granny doesn't know much about art, true, but you don't need to be an expert for this; there's no naked people at all, and hardly any urns. The bunny doesn't bother her so much, she'd be a bit of a hypocrite if it did, but anyone who would design a machine like this is definitely a few screws loose.

    "Bet the lightning is weird colors, too."

    She turns from the organ to the cracked pillars, inspecting the room's integrity.

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    Granny is trying to figure out if there's anything she can blast that will destabilize this tower enough to destroy it, but still give her a minute or two to escape before it goes down.
    Last edited by Eurus; 2020-04-28 at 11:04 AM.
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  17. - Top - End - #107
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    "You're probably right. It's certainly in keeping with this...thing's aesthetic."

    The Dancer looks back to the pool, her mind racing. "Before we destroy this weapon, is there any way to recoup the hearthstone? I'd rather not leave the Mask the Manse's heart, and if we're thorough, we can deny him that asset, if not take it for ourselves."
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    Granny shrugs. "I don't plan on leaving this place standing at all, but grab it if you can."
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  19. - Top - End - #109
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    Quote Originally Posted by Inspector Valin View Post
    Heights Team
    Nord
    The onlookers don't look exactly elated at Nord's words, but they do at least quieten down. More importantly perhaps, Nord can recall a memory of Nefvarian Phospha in a bar one time talking about the Haslanti air fleet. Apparently their ships were very reliant on weight and thus most trading vessels went unarmed - the few that did bear weaponry were excruciatingly slow, to the point of almost being unusable in battle outside of a siege situation. Given the speed that ship just moved at, it has to be unarmed, right?

    The inhabitants of the ship start to move below decks, searching for any sign of armament. They don't seem hopeful, but what choice do they have at this point?
    Nord sighed with relief. The fact that the ship was so fast didn't necessarily rule weapons out entirely but it did make them very unlikely.

    As the crew milled about, the mercenary considered his options. They could cast off immediately and trust in the others to find their own way out (the Cuerva's rowboat was still on the island after all). They'd hit a true motherload in both supplies and manpower with this raid, one that the resistance desperately needed. Ensuring its safety was surely paramount, even ignoring his duty to keep them safe... but the risk of losing at least two dragon-blooded, (potentially three) and a pair of shapeshifters was too massive a cost to bear. Even if he ignored the strong possibility that Rivers' enterprises and the Cuerva would leave the resistance, losing more loyal dragons to the Mask was a blow to morale the resistance couldn't afford to take.

    He could stay with the ship and keep it safe, but that wasn't much of an option. The longer he waited the more dangerous the situation became.

    He could go onto the island and tell them to cast off... but that presented much the same issue. If he went out to try and help the others, he left the ship vulnerable. The Cuerva was skilled, certainly, but they were still mortals. And the Mask had plenty of tools to handle the living. What if an Abyssal showed up while he was gone? They wouldn't stand a snowball's chance to cross Cecelyne. What about other necrotech abominations, or more ghosts like Lacroix? What if he was wrong about the airship? Would they eve make it back to Thorns without the aid of the Exalted? Leaving the ship and telling them to stay wasn't even worth considering.

    ... Urgh. Saki was always smarter than him. What would she do in this situation?

    You don't know enough about 'this situation' to make a proper call. Her imagined voice echoed in his head. You need to know what's happening to them and you need to find out quickly. So go out there, quick as you can! Hop to it! Pump those muscles, work those abs!

    Nord shook his head, unable to keep his smirk from widening. You just want to see me running around shirtless.

    No! ... Maybe! ... Not the point!

    It was a risk. He didn't know for sure the ship was safe either.

    Can't always have a sure thing, Nord; You know that. Sometimes you just gotta announce who the culprit is and hope his reaction will convince those around you.

    "Don't worry about the airship, it's moving too fast to have conventional weaponry! Probably just going to warn Thorns of our activities here. Stone Thrown!" He called out to Marrow's second. "This ship has critical supplies for the resistance. Stay here and prepare to cast off! I'm going to go back and find the others. If we're not back in ten minutes or you think the ship will be in danger, cast off without us! We'll make our own way back."

    And with that, Nord dashed off of the ship.

    ... you're not gonna take your shirt off?

    No, might need my armor.

    You're no fun.

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    Making use of Presence excellency. Nord is trying to encourage them through sheer badassery and get the group to follow his order: 'Wait 10 minutes, cast off if we're not back, or get moving if you think the ship is in danger'. And spending 1wp because why not, might as well do it at some point today and at least we'll be sure it won't botch.

    2m personal leaves my personal pool dry, plus 4 from peripheral. No anima flare as of yet, but with no personal pool remaining, he'll probably have to before we get back to Thorns.

    Appearance 4 + Presence 2 + Oratory 1 + Stunt 2 + Excellency 6
    (15d10)[6][7][8][2][1][10][8][5][2][5][4][2][5][8][2](75) + 1autosux (WP) = 7sux
    Last edited by HalfTangible; 2020-04-28 at 01:35 PM.
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  20. - Top - End - #110
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    BlueWizardGirl

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    Default Re: Exalted 3e - Welcome to Thorns (IC)

    "Zhinü and Danaa'd her mother!" Rivers swears as they see the true scale of the thing the necrotechnicians have been working on. Were anyone there to hear it, that particular oath might draw curious looks, but, given the present circumstances, their egregious heterodoxy goes unnoticed.

    It seems active, aware, and cognizant of Rivers' presence, and all three of those things are bad news, but Rivers feels an urgent curiosity alongside their sudden fear. The technicians were, and are, working feverishly to launch their creation, to initiate its "final phase." It must not be complete, or, if it is, then it must have only just been completed, in terminal haste. It must have some vulnerability still, some flaw, if only Rivers can see it, comprehend it.

    Rivers risks drifting closer, muttering the names of several more gods and dragons under their breath, hoping against hope that the thing is only able to perceive the immaterial and not able to interact with it. They call on all that they know, all that they have learned throughout Thorns' grisly occupation, of the motonic mechanisms of the Mask of Winters' deathless machines. They don't have a sorcerer's intimate knowledge of essence flows, but beneath the ritual of their art, the thaumaturge works with the same material, the elementary stuff of Creation... and of the Underworld below.

    Rivers prays, in the sight of Zhinü and Danaa'd, and of Talespinner and Sextes Jylis, and of Dayshield and Pasiap, and of Dreamweaver and Mela, that this day, just this one day, a thaumaturge's intuition will be enough to see what must be seen.

    Spoiler: OOC and Roll
    Show
    Intelligence (or Perception, it's the same number) + Occult + Stunt + 2m Hidden Secrets Whisper (Occult Excellency) to try to spot vulnerabilities in the Islebreaker from being unfinished. Hidden Secrets Whisper allows me to reroll one non-1 failure for each 10 in the roll.
    (12d10)[4][1][8][1][5][2][3][8][4][9][8][9](62)
    Potential rerolls: (5d10)[5][7][3][4][9](28)
    Current Games:
    Spoiler
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    GMing The Lotus Blossoms! [Exalted 3E] (OOC)
    Playing Waldaharjaz in The Convergence of Sky [Exalted 3E]
    Playing Rivers in Welcome to Thorns [Exalted 3E]

  21. - Top - End - #111
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    Marrow just grunted in response, trying to drown out the world around him as he focused. It wasn't easy. Each heartbeat was like the tick of a water-clock, reminding him just how little time he had left down here, and his essence slipped and slid out of his control like smoke. He was still so new at this.

    Still, nothing to be done but try. Forcefully evening his breathing, he drew the barest sliver of energy through his core and out into his arm, and then... dreamed. Death. Destruction. Consumption, and here his fingers brushed Quiet's stock and he found his inspiration. Not the hunter, now, but the hunted; he drew on Quiet's gnawing emptiness and fed it into his blood until it fair roiled with desire. Then, he smeared it on the stone.

    Spoiler: Rolls
    Show
    No charms here. Dice, don't fail me now!

    Intelligence + Occult: (9d10)[1][1][3][9][7][2][4][3][4](34)

  22. - Top - End - #112
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    Whisper puts Lacroix out of her mind: as long as he's not barring her path, she doesn't have to care. She barrels down straight for the second chain, intending to smash straight into it - and hopefully straight through - with all her mass.

    Spoiler
    Show
    Move to close range, then feat of strength number two! Spending a point of Willpower here, since that's the only way I have to enhance this: (10d10)[1][8][5][4][3][6][7][4][6][8](52)
    Avatar by GryffonDurime. Thanks!

  23. - Top - End - #113
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    Heights Team
    Granny pours over Nova's instructions. Regrettably the artificer had neglected to compose a sequence to bring a bolt down on the Stormhammer itself. However, it should still be possible to use the device to destroy the room - intentionally induce a misfire. They'd have to power it up, hypercharge the ensuing storm, and then use none of the codes to release the accumulated essence. So long as they are able to cover the pool first, it won't risk detonating the manse into a massive explosion and should simply render it in even more desperate need of repair.

    Such an act will first require the Stormhammer to be brought online though. It seems that while the organ draws a degree of power from the manse, it first requires a dramatic activation sequence that will cause clouds to accumulate above it, ready to disperse lightning upon the scene. Granny estimates that they'll need ten minutes before they can start the self destruct.

    Nord doesn't take long to join them - his step is swift, and he's quite intent. He enters the room as the pair are focusing their attentions on the mystical organ, starting to compose a plan.

    Depths Team
    Marrow
    It's so close. Agonizingly close in fact. Marrow can see something start to form beneath the stand, a thin wafer of pale green light... but it just takes an instant's distraction to spoil the effect and it blinks away, fading into the dragon lines rather than coalescing. The old man who had apparently been watching stomps his foot on the ground. "Talespinner's Tights, lad, you almost had it!"

    He might not know the ways of essence, but this old man is clearly familiar with the ways of loot. He takes another glance at the door, before giving Marrow a reassuring grin. "Try again! Don't worry about anything else, I'll keep an eye on the others. You get through there, we'll be leaving this place rich!" As if on cue a grey furred wolfman staggers around a corner- likely rescued by Rivers. The Old Man turns to go and greet him, happy at one more person to help them haul whatever they're about to gain out of the vault.

    Rivers
    The Islebreaker makes no motion as Rivers-the-Shadow flits through the water before it. The great collossus seems as still and silent as stone, some forgotten monument in the dim light. But its eyes glow baleful blue, and Rivers can feel them boring into their soul. It knows that Rivers is there. And... it might just be his imagination but it feels like the Belt of Shadow Walking is starting to fall taunt around the waist. As though that ominous gaze could pull it away and leave Rivers with no more defense between it's wrath and their fragile form.

    Spoiler
    Show
    Roll results to come via PM

    Whisper
    Whisper's borrowed form is swift as the wind, and while she was never physically able she has the strength of Luna on her side. She vaults upwards from the scaffolding, straight towards the waiting chain

    Only for her charge to be batted away by the cold touch of a soulsteel blade, sending her falling back across the furnace's exterior and almost over the edge..

    As Whisper recovers herself and turns back towards her target, Dorian Lacroix stands opposite her, blade raised to protect the chain. Whisper can see a bead of sweat beginning to play across the commander's brow. She can tell he's tired, that this is taxing to the spectre. But all the same, Lacroix gives the young Lunar that smug grin, his sword flickering as his spectral essence holds it in the material. "Not bad. But you need to do better to beat me."
    Spoiler
    Show
    So... good news, bad news, and there's a few of each so this is kinda a loop.

    Breaking iron manacles, the closest thing I could find to a supporting chain, is ballparked in Ex3 as requiring 8 successes. I'm gonna say a supporting chain rather than constraints would take 6 at best, (which hey, Whisper got last time!) and because Whisper's already unbalanced the cauldron, that's down to 4. So she could do it - it's within her power.

    However, Lacroix is right there and can make his blade material. I'm gonna call this an opposed roll. He can't match Whisper's pool... but he doesn't have to.

    Okay, Ex3 is not as explicit on how this works as past editions were, so I'm going to fudge things a bit here, consider this whole systems bit open to negotiation later. Lacroix's opposition is like the opposite of teamwork. Any successes he gets are deducted from Whisper's total. He still has injuries from the first fight, so his pool ain't great - but he also has an artifact sword, and this is an opposed feat of strength, which grants it +2 sux. Which alone is enough to stop Whisper's current attempt, but I'll roll his pool here for transparency's sake.

    (4d10)[1][10][2][9](22)

    You might get by with a stunt and a very good roll. But you may want to think up some way to stop Lacroix interfering. If you can shut him down, the fight effectively ends, and you'll get another shot at breaking the chain before the next Soul Drain roll kicks in.

    But for now, Soul Drain continues. (10d10)[1][2][3][5][1][8][9][1][3][5](38)
    Last edited by Inspector Valin; 2020-04-29 at 09:34 AM.

  24. - Top - End - #114
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    The Dancer releases Pyrefly and allows him to hover near her head, the dancing blue flame casting half her face into shadow. She turns to see the newcomer. "Ah, Nord! Glad to see you. We've found some kind of essence-artillary built into the tower, likely as a deterrent to Lookshy. Our esteemed colleague here thinks we can overload it, make the manse inoperable. Also..."

    She takes out the sheafs of paper "I was wondering if these might be intelligence reports, but there appear to be some diagrams involved. This could be relevant to the weapon's operations. Care to look them over with me?"
    Sorry for making things complicated!
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  25. - Top - End - #115
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sticks View Post
    The Dancer releases Pyrefly and allows him to hover near her head, the dancing blue flame casting half her face into shadow. She turns to see the newcomer. "Ah, Nord! Glad to see you. We've found some kind of essence-artillary built into the tower, likely as a deterrent to Lookshy. Our esteemed colleague here thinks we can overload it, make the manse inoperable. Also..."

    She takes out the sheafs of paper "I was wondering if these might be intelligence reports, but there appear to be some diagrams involved. This could be relevant to the weapon's operations. Care to look them over with me?"
    Nord looked the pipe organ over. "Huh. I was wondering what was taking so long..."

    He blinked at her invitation to pore over the 'diagrams'. "Uh, sure. Doubt I'll know anything more about it than you two. I'm a warrior, not an engineer." He approached and stood next to Dancer, looking at the sheets in her hand. They looked like music sheets to him. He frowned as he looked them over. Yeah, definitely music sheets. He couldn't play them for crap, but he knew them when he saw them. Maybe Dancer just wanted him to get closer...

    Focus!

    Hrm. He threw his mind back, going over half-forgotten memories of his time learning various aspects of Lookshy's old military movements throughout the Scavenger Lands. Surely, something so dramatic as this tower and a pipe organ essence cannon (I'm glad my life has lead me to that phrase) would've come up at some point in history... And now that he thought about it... there had to be a reason that Lookshy had not tried to retake this place immediately after the Mask's attack, before he became so entrenched...

    And this was a very unique design. A cannon on a rampart was one thing, those were everywhere, but a pipe organ that you had to play music to target? That was the kind of thing that one of his professors would surely have made note of...

    Spoiler
    Show
    Thinking back to any mention of an essence artillery cannon like this within the military history of Lookshy, Thorns and the scavenger lands.

    Int 2 + Lore 2 + Military History 1 + Stunt 2
    (7d10)[2][4][6][8][7][7][9](43) = 4sux
    Last edited by HalfTangible; 2020-04-29 at 11:39 AM.
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  26. - Top - End - #116
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    Heights Team
    It being an organ is weird, but Nord has heard of a Storm Hammer before. Lookshy has a few still, scattered around redoubts and key points within the city proper. They're elabourate, old machines treated with a lot of reverence by the sorcerer technicians. The obelisk like Sky Fleet central dock known as the Aviary has perhaps the most publicly accessible model, though it hasn't needed to be fired in Nord's lifetime - its last use was during an attempted airship heist back in LR401.

    As to the tower, he's seen no signs of any occupying force prior to the Mask's troops. It's likely that this place was a First Age ruin - they still dot the Scavenger Lands, Dragons, it's how the place got that name. The mist could've kept it safe from prior mortal looters, but that opens the question of how the Mask's forces were able to find it.

  27. - Top - End - #117
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    "Well I don't know a single thing about music, but I do know a storm hammer when I see one... granted it's usually not a pipe organ." Nord mused to himself, looking over the organ. "First age tech... these sorts of things aren't used all that often... damn powerful."

    "... Oh, right, I should probably mention to both of you," He looked between Granny and Dancer, "I told the ship that if we weren't back in ten minutes they needed to cast off and make their way back to Thorns with their supplies. There's a rowboat the Cuerva used to get here, but if we want to go with the ship we should probably find the others and get moving as quickly as possible."
    Last edited by HalfTangible; 2020-04-29 at 01:57 PM.
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  28. - Top - End - #118
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    Spoiler: OOC
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    From Valin describing the wolf-man being freed in his last response to Marrow, I think Rivers is ahead of Marrow in the timeline now? So this might further mess up our chronology, I don't know. But I'm posting nonetheless; we can work things out in Discord.

    Rivers quite literally sees an opening in the war machine. In their immaterial state, with the thing quiescent, this is probably their best... and possibly their only... chance to slip inside. Its internal mechanisms should be more vulnerable; perhaps they could sabotage it... the weapons, at least, if not its more completely finished components...

    Yet, the lower levels of the tower, the reclaimed sections of the ancient manse, are below sea level, and the machine seems more than capable enough of breaching the bulwarks the Mask's men built against the flood, with or without its arsenal in operational condition. Whisper... could hopefully turn into a fish or something (that's something shapeshifters can do, isn't it?), but Marrow... young Marrow might drown, along with any prisoners who might not have completed evacuation from the lower levels. And that's to say nothing of the thing's threat to the ship to which the evacuees were led...

    Rivers growls in frustration. They dearly want to wound the blasphemous thing, or at least to spit in its face, before it reaches full activation... but the risk is too great. Their shadow flits back the way it came, back into the facility. As quickly as they can locate Marrow or Whisper, they'll resume physical form to deliver the dire news.
    Current Games:
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    GMing The Lotus Blossoms! [Exalted 3E] (OOC)
    Playing Waldaharjaz in The Convergence of Sky [Exalted 3E]
    Playing Rivers in Welcome to Thorns [Exalted 3E]

  29. - Top - End - #119
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    pfm1995's Avatar

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    Default Re: Exalted 3e - Welcome to Thorns (IC)

    Marrow sharply brings up a hand, cutting the old man off mid-tirade, and it's all he can do not to snap at him. He was so close, damn it, and these distractions weren't helping!

    Still, he has one idea left that might work. His blood isn't the only thing staining the keystone - there's other blood here. Old blood, dried blood, but blood nonetheless; maybe it would be possible to use it instead? If he infused his essence into a mixture of his own blood and the blood of a true believer, could he hide behind that old faith? It would be like wearing someone's skin as a mask and he shuddered at the thought, but the macabre disguise might work. Had to work, or he'd have frittered away all this time for nothing. He sighs to himself, starts his breathing exercises all over again and stretches out a hand. It was times like this he really wished Rivers had stuck close - they're a lot more of a natural at shedding skins than he is. Boisterous, gregarious, by his own admission a rake and a bit of a flirt, Marrow was entirely the wrong person for this. But he was here, and this is the last chance he'll have.

    He draws another dewdrop of power from the well again and this time balanced it delicately on the tip of his finger. With that same finger he reaches down and swirls the blood already staining the stone, mixing new and old and rubbing the power into both of them, binding them. He tastes iron on the back of his tongue as the power sinks roots into the stone, gives old blood new life and feeding it into the weathered rock.

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    This time I'll spend the Willpower.

    (9d10)[5][10][1][6][8][1][10][8][9](58) + 1

  30. - Top - End - #120
    Titan in the Playground
     
    The_Snark's Avatar

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    Default Re: Exalted 3e - Welcome to Thorns (IC)

    Whisper snarls as the flat of the sword swats heavily across her flank, ruining her momentum. (In any other form she would have yelped instead, but crocodiles have a very limited vocal range.) Fine. If he's going to be like that...

    She backs up a few steps, as if gearing up for another charge - and charge she does. Only this time, as soon as Lacroix starts moving to drive her away from the chain again she twists about, abandoning her objective in favor of snapping her jaws closed around the sword. It's the same feint she pulled on him a minute earlier, but inverted, taking advantage of his assumption (til now correct) that she means to ignore him and go straight for her real objective. Then, having gotten a grip, she wrenches, a motion that would rend flesh and snap bone were Lacroix not immaterial. The black soulsteel sword, of course, is all but immutable - Whisper can feel its edges cutting into her jaw - but the ghost's grip on it is not.

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    Disarm attempt! Spending 4m on Excellency to enhance the attack:
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    (16d10)[2][8][1][2][6][8][4][2][1][4][3][6][2][9][10][8](76)
    On hit, Initiative roll (difficulty 2): (13d10)[6][3][4][6][10][4][3][2][7][8][2][9][2](66)
    Last edited by The_Snark; 2020-04-30 at 05:51 AM.
    Avatar by GryffonDurime. Thanks!

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