Exalted:End of an Era

[Biologist]

Hanzo was offended. If there was any truth in what Web was saying, it had to be investigated. Without thinking of possible consequences of going against his superior officer, he replied rather unceremoniously: "How can you say that? It is not an insane theory: it is just as insane as the Scarlet Empress destroying Lookshy and look what happened. If there is just an inkling of truth in what she says..." He was momentarily lost for words. "We simply cannot ignore it."

As he remembered who he was talking to, he added: "Sir."

[Mistress of Whispers]

Hanzo was offended. If there was any truth in what Web was saying, it had to be investigated. Without thinking of possible consequences of going against his superior officer, he replied rather unceremoniously: "How can you say that? It is not an insane theory: it is just as insane as the Scarlet Empress destroying Lookshy and look what ha-"

 

Shaya's fist shot forward like lightning. Of all the things the Twilight should not have brought up, this was at the top. She had enough self control not to call upon her Solar powers for the punch, but she was still very strong, very fast and a very good fighter.

 

Behind her, fire lances and a large essence gun whipped down sharply. It was a testament to the unit's faith in their commander that two of the weapons were levelled at Web and the other at Hanzo, but the Gunzosha did make sure to catch Pheonix' eye and, with an jerk of his chin, include Shaya in the potential threats.

 

 

((I'M SORRY!! Ok, so much for Hanzo diffusing the situation. Feel free to dodge/soak the blow as appropriate.

 

I flipped a coin and no limit break for Shaya yet, but I doubt that's going to last forever. So decision-making time. We have 3 options:

 

1. Let things escalate. Aka Exalted brawl at the edge of a Shadowland at nightfall. They'll probably attract the attention of some ghosts, too, so everyone who is still standing afterwards will probably enter the Underworld nearly depleted of Essence (this includes the fire lances and essence canon). Would be very bad for everyone but Web.

 

2. Have ghosts intervene. If I were a ghosts and a bunch of people were arguing on my doorstep, I'd come to take a look. This would give the group (and notably Shaya) another target for their anger. They'd still enter the Underworld without full reserves, but it wouldn't be as bad as option 1.

 

3. Have Tinker return from his foraging. He seems to have a way with 'anathema' and he was placed in Shaya's unit for the specific reason of keeping her under control (somewhat). So maybe he can say the right things to diffuse the situation. I don't want to give him an auto-success, but I could assign him a social dicepool and roll for it.

 

My preference would be 2 or 3. A huge fight so early on, would easily harm the chances of ever forming a cohesive group.))

Edited April 29, 2013 by Mistress of Whispers

[Takhesis]

((You forgot Option 4 - Web having a Resonance Explosion. Which would be just as bad as 1 really - but at least there's a common enemy in the form of Abyssal....Actually that may work - simply as the ghosts would respond to Death Essence quite readily. So perhaps Option 4 triggers 2?))

 

Web looked at the ground as Shaya stormed up and vented at her for speaking. The Neverborn whispers laughed again - You see there's no place for you in Creation anymore - You're a monster to them. Even the one you saved thinks so - you heard her words.

 

"Do nothing but kill and lie? Is that so?" Web murmured in a low voice as Hanzo tried to say his piece. She looked up in time to see Shaya throw her punch,

 

"If all I do is kill and lie - then how DARE I care that a Death Lord has access to Soulbreaker Orbs? Oh wait - I'm the only one here that says they exist - so that MUST be a lie. In which case, why hurry to Nexus? - Take the Long Overland Route instead."

 

"Oh and the wound I took from an arrow meant for YOU - may it serve as an Eternal reminder of my folly of stepping outside the neat little box Abyssals are meant to fit in. In the name of all the Incarnae I swear it will never heal."

 

Her caste mark flared at the last of her words and the grass she was still sitting on turned black and withered in a small circle around her. The cauterized arrow wound reopened and started to weep.

 

[so mini explosion and as well as a Unbreakable Vow.... Web is most likely in trouble here - trying to guilt-trip a Solar is not the best plan..... I'm assuming for cinematic purposes the unit won't fire until the end of her speech when her Caste Mark and Essence start showing.]

 

----------

 

Pheonix could tell the exact second Hanzo said the wrong words, internally she flinched but tried not to let it show outside. She nodded to let the Gunshoza that she understood - though as far as she was concerned the Abyssal was still the biggest threat. A brawl this close to the shadowland would only benefit that one.

[Biologist]

Hanzo had not seen the blow coming. The force of the blow made him fall on his back, squeezing all the air from his lungs. Yet, the Chumyo had knocked some sense back into Hanzo, literally.

 

He became aware of something warm streaming down from his nose. When he wiped his chin with his hand, it came off crimson. A wave of relief went through him: his blood was red, as red as any mortal. He wasn't a demon after all. He could still bleed.

 

He got up and saw the sickening atropy forming in the grass around Web and he realised they had been fools arguing like this, so close to the shadowland. A quick look at his Commander told him that he needed to diffuse this situation before people started dying. Without any consideration for his own safety, he quickly stepped between his Chumyo and the Abyssal to prevent the situation from worsening even further.

 

He held up his hands, one towards each of the women. "Please stop." He said in a calm and determined voice. "This is not going to help us, Lookshy or the memory of its citizens. We need cool heads if we want to avenge them. This is neither the right time nor the right place to vent our anger and frustration or to give into our fears and preconceptions. Let us focus instead on the task at hand."

 

He wasn't a naturally born leader or a brilliant public speaker, but he spoke from his heart and that gave his words sincerity and urgency that - he hoped - would bring the women out of their... fits.

[Mistress of Whispers]

Web's words made sense; mere moments ago, it was Shaya who had pointed out to Pheonix that the Abyssal had saved her life. But she had also pointed out that it might be a set-up and that was all she could see now. It was a trap, a set-up. Abyssals only lied.

 

Shaya turned to face the Abyssal that had dared challenge her. A red haze threatened to move across her vision and she felt her hand moving to her sword. And why not? Kill the Abyssal and be done with. It will end in bloodshed anyway.

 

The engineer moved to stand between her and Web, but it mattered little to her: he would move aside or be struck down. And then he started speaking. She heard only snippets of his words: "stop ... not going to help ... Lookshy or the memory ... avenge them ... focus."

 

Focus.

 

Her hand moved away from her sword and she became aware of Web bleeding, of Hanzo standing with hands held high and of her lancers and Gunzosha alternating their weapons between the three of them. The engineer was right: this served no purpose.

 

Speaking to Web sitting on the ground behind him, her voice was tight and strained.

 

"I cannot trust you. Why would you care about those Soulbreaker Orbs? What if they are protected from the likes of you and can only be taken by a Solar. What if the Orbs are a lie and you are taking us down there to serve up to your master. What if you took that arrow to win my trust and further those plans.

 

I will give you my protection, even against such enemies as you claim to have, but you ask too much if you want my trust. We will travel to Nexus and the Soulbreaker Orbs and then we will speak of trust."

 

 

((Crisis averted? But let's hope they run into trouble in the underworld so Shaya can kill something .))

Edited April 29, 2013 by Mistress of Whispers

[Takhesis]

[Web still has a wound that won't heal due to the incident - since she invoked the Incarnae in her outburst... the wound will become a problem later on... and the Neverborn would be trying to undermine Web's trust in the group anyway, after all she still betrayed them.]

 

"In which case, the sooner we leave the better." Web said, "I'll take you to both Nexus and to the Orbs - then I'm done. I will not stay any longer than needed to with a group that barely tolerates my existence."

 

Her caste mark was still visible from her earlier vow. Very slowly she stood up, her reopened side starting to hurt from the movement. The weeping of the wound had become an outright bleed. At least I now have the main portal ingredient in spades..

Edited April 29, 2013 by Takhesis

[Biologist]

Hanzo was pleasantly surprised that his intervention had worked, yet he heard the barely contained anger in the Chumyo's voice and the hurt in Web's statement.

 

He had been hopeful when he became part of the last legion of Lookshy. Hopeful that he was not alone and did not have to face Creation by himself. He was part of a group again: he would survive.

 

When he saw the nasty bleeding wound, he started to doubt for the first time they would even get out of the Underworld alive. And it weren't the denizens of the Nether Realms that he thought would be their undoing...

Edited April 30, 2013 by Biologist

[Takhesis]

[Web will be regretting her rash oath very quickly, or at least mentally cursing her wording..... and it'll raise the question of why the Incarnae actually listened to her oath.]

 

Pheonix was surprised the unit hadn't fired on the Abyssal - especially after the outburst that resulted in dead grass. Granted plant life didn't survive her own wrath - but at least the soil left behind was fertile for new growth.

 

Though Pheonix did internally acknowledge the restraint that Web had shown by limiting the damage to the grass rather than the people around. Web was still an Abyssal - and therefore one to watch. Just because she had saved lives and restricted her power when confronted meant nothing.

 

In fact - it made Pheonix even more wary. At least one knew where they stood when an Abyssal was openly trying to kill you.

 

The choice of words of Web's oath did throw her, Why would anyone wish themselves an injury that won't heal? Pheonix knew all about that - her own injury - though physically healed still contained poison which caused problems.

[Mistress of Whispers]

Shaya cast one long, hard look at Web and then turned to check on her unit; if they were to enter the Underworld, they needed to be ready. She threw a sideways glance at Pheonix, wondering if her Lieutenant might have found any sympathy for the Abyssal now they shared a similar curse.

 

It wasn't until she came to the horses, that she started to soften a bit. She liked horses: they were loyal and true. They had been tethered until now, in case Shaya decided to go overland after all, but now came the time to release them. The unit might not come back this way and keeping them bound would see them starve or fall prey to predators; freedom might grant life. Glancing at Web, she realized that was true for more than just the horses.

 

Had it really been necessary to be so harsh with the Abyssal, even if her words were poisonous? Did the Unconquered Sun Himself not advocate mercy and forgiveness? She sighed. The Unconquered Sun advocated a lot of things and she wasn't sure she could be true to all of them. Defend creation and protect those in need, He had told when He exalted her. But were those two even compatible when it was an Abyssal who needed protecting? Web was a creature of darkness; how could any good ever come of her?

 

Reflecting on her argument with Web, she remained true to what she had said. I will give you my protection, even against such enemies as you claim to have. If Shadow of Cities himself came for the Abyssal, Shaya would stand between them. Yet a few moments earlier, she had been ready to take the Web's head off herself. How were those compatible? She supposed that the truth was, that she wanted Web to be lying.

 

Abyssals were an abomination to Shaya. She had seen (and killed) a few in action and all of them had been nothing short of evil. They couldn't even bear the Sun's touch. She wanted to kill them, to strike their taint from Creation. But with Web, she could not. Not as long as Web claimed to have abandoned the darkness; not as long as Web remained under her protection. But she wanted to. If the Abyssal was lying, everything became so much easier and she could just do what she was Exalted to: defend Creation from the Dark.

 

Untethering the last horse, Shaya sighed once more; this time to herself. An Abyssal who claims to be good. Sun grant me strength, but, above all, wisdom to deal with this.

 

 

((That's actually a good question, about the Celestial Incarnae enforcing Web's oath. Aren't Moonshadow oaths usually enforced by the Neverborn?

Would Web be at a permanent wound penalty because of this?))

Edited April 30, 2013 by Mistress of Whispers

[Takhesis]

[Yes - the Neverborn enforce Moonshadow Oaths - but then again she did invoke the Incarnae when she made the Oath. And yes - Web is now technically at a -1 penalty from the unhealing injury.]

 

Web focused on the task at hand - trying to ignore the rather angry whispers of the Neverborn. How dare she try and swear an Oath in the names of those that they reviled? Well, lets give her that wish - a wound that will never heal, and lets make sure she knows the true cost of the folly.

 

The wound would normally be no more than a restrictive annoyance to an Exalt while it attempted to heal, but the Neverborn wanted to punish Web for her rash words. To that end, the wound was made worse, leeching Web's strength slowly.....

 

Web didn't realize it yet, but her Essence regeneration was permanently impaired as well - she'd regain Essence at the normal rate - but part of what she'd gain would be immediately used to enforce her false invoked Oath. A toll as it were for her blasphemy.

 

----------

 

As for Pheonix, she had no sympathy for Web's plight. While she might have understood the curse of a wound that didn't heal completely, Pheonix could find no pity for someone that would call such a fate upon themselves.

 

Any respect she might have started to gain for the Abyssal's struggle faded away. The argument of Nature vs Nurture could hold only for so much - before one's own actions revealed what you really were. And in Pheonix's eyes, Web had lowered herself by wishing such harm on her own form.

 

Only a monster would enjoy such pain..

Edited April 30, 2013 by Takhesis

[Mistress of Whispers]

With the horses released, tack and equipment that they could not carry safely hidden, shoulder bags full of supplies and weapons re-charged, now was as good a time as any to enter the Shadowland.

 

Nodding to Pheonix to signal that they were good to go, she spoke out to the group.

 

"Our task is straightforward, though not easy. We enter the Underworld, walk to Nexus, exit there. Anything that tries to stop us, we'll deal with. Gear up and head out - the Abyssal will lead us in."

 

Then to Web: "If there's any trouble with ghosts, we'll hold them off you while you open the way."

 

Open the way. Now there was a nice little euphemism for tearing apart the veil between worlds, thus ripping a hole into the Underworld.

[Takhesis]

Pheonix nodded back to Shaya to indicate her own readiness. The unit was also ready - if a little on edge about the whole Underworld part.

 

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

 

Web nodded - she knew where she stood in the group. A necessary but unwanted means to an end. Not that she should have hoped for anything different - Abyssals were universally hated, even by the dead they had command over.

 

She got ready to 'open the way' as Shaya put it. The shadowland made things slightly easier - at least in the way that she wouldn't be forcing another wound on Creation - she'd just be reopening one that hadn't healed properly.

 

[What is it with Web and her wound comparisons? And just for fun - a small cut scene of the confusion her Oath caused...]

 

In Yu-Shan, a bored bureaucrat was about to have a shock. While the Incarnae were playing the Games of Divinity - it was his task to authorise or deny any Oaths made in their names. Web's Oath had made it to the desk - and all he did was glance at it. All the Incarnae? That's a lot of paperwork.... He sighed internally and tried to sign off to deny it. He hated having more paperwork than was strictly necessary. But no matter how he tried, the ink would just vanish.

 

That's odd.... He took the uncooperative piece of paper and sent it to the Forbidding Manse of Ivy. Perhaps one of those know how to fix it...

[Biologist]

As the Unit got ready to go, Hanzo approached the Chumyo. He bowed, with his hand clasping his fist in front of him as an honourable salute. "Forgive me, sir, I stepped out of line. If you deem me worthy of punishment, I will be honoured to accept it." It was a rather formal apology for something as small a transgression as speaking up to your superior officer. It was an apology a Helot would offer to a Citizen or an apprentice to a harsh master. Hanzo kept his eyes low and stood still until his Superior officer allowed him to do otherwise.

 

((I thought that crossing the border of a Shadowland at night automatically transferred you to the Underworld. If you step out of the Shadowland, you step farther into the Underworld, not Creation. Exalted may spend a mote reflexively to enter Creation instead... So we won't have to rip a tear in the fabric of Creation. Unless it is more cinematically appropriate ))

Edited May 1, 2013 by Biologist

[Mistress of Whispers]

((I thought that crossing the border of a Shadowland at night automatically transferred you to the Underworld. If you step out of the Shadowland, you step farther into the Underworld, not Creation. Exalted may spend a mote reflexively to enter Creation instead... So we won't have to rip a tear in the fabric of Creation. Unless it is more cinematically appropriate ))

((Checking the Corebook entry on Shadowlands on p 312-313, it would seem you are right. Though I am also fine with changing that if cinematically appropriate.))

Edited May 1, 2013 by Mistress of Whispers

[Takhesis]

[Either way - it would still be unpleasant for those not used to the Underworld.... especially the mortal contingeant since the only time they should glimpse the Underworld is at death.]

[Mistress of Whispers]

[Either way - it would still be unpleasant for those not used to the Underworld.... especially the mortal contingeant since the only time they should glimpse the Underworld is at death.]

((No argument there . I was merely thinking of how we might travel from Creation to the Underworld. Your call, since it's Web taking us there.))

 

---------

 

IC

 

As the Unit got ready to go, Hanzo approached the Chumyo. He bowed, with his hand clasping his fist in front of him as an honourable salute. "Forgive me, sir, I stepped out of line. If you deem me worthy of punishment, I will be honoured to accept it." It was a rather formal apology for something as small a transgression as speaking up to your superior officer. It was an apology a Helot would offer to a Citizen or an apprentice to a harsh master. Hanzo kept his eyes low and stood still until his Superior officer allowed him to do otherwise.

Shaya looked at Hanzo oddly for a moment, then shook her head in annoyance.

 

"Don't do that. You're an officer now: you're supposed to challenge me if you think I'm wrong. Even when I'm not and I don't appreciate it. And for Heaven's sakes, do look me in the eye when you speak to me. Now get ready."

 

Taking up position next to Web, Shaya unsheathed her sword in case there was trouble. Falling back to the familiar role of having the Abyssal under custody as she had been since they met, her stance became protective rather than aggressive towards her again.

Edited May 1, 2013 by Mistress of Whispers

[Takhesis]

[since the plan was to use the Labyrinth as a short-cut - some Essence would probably be expended to get to the 'lower levels' fast... but no violent ripping if Creation's fabric...]

 

Web focused on her goal - the Labyrinth. If it was just the Underworld, they could just step in any direction to get there. The Labyrinth itself however was slightly more problematic.

 

Its name was apt, it was a gigantic maze - with shifting walls and other more nasty things to trap the unwary. It was also self contained - one had to break one of its walls/ceilings to get in. Though it was faster than normal travel - all that was needed was to get to the general area of the exit. Then punch the way back out.

 

Her Essence crept forward, feeling its way - then it slowly formed a black arch in front of the group. This arch took on a more visible form - that of stone and the Essence discharged itself into the centre creating a sort of mirage effect.

 

Through the distortion, the Labyrinth was visible.

[Biologist]

Hanzo straightened again and looked Shaya in the eye. Despite her gruff demeanor, he expected that she would be a very different leader from what he was used to serve. "Yes, sir. I am ready."

 

He didn't have to do anything to get ready. The uniform he wore was literally all he posessed. Before his apology, he had gone to Tinker to offer to help carry supplies, since he didn't have anything to carry. Not surprisingly, Tinker had held out a fully prepared backpack for him.

 

The adrenalin started to block out the stress of the fight and he was as ready as he would ever be to venture into the Underworld. Some part of him was still in shock, mourning for his lost life, but he focussed on the exhiliration of a journey into the unknown. He would survive.

 

As the bridge formed he took a deep breath and stepped forward. As he passed the border of the Shadowland, a shiver went through his spine. His skin felt as if he suddenly walked into thick cold fog. The eerie athmosphere of this place of black and withered grass, stumps of stunted trees and utmost silence was enhanced by the forboding bridge and the glassy shimmer of the mirror gate. A part of him admired the intricate use of Essence to form the gate, but its Resonance felt all wrong. He wondered briefly whether it was contagious, but pushed the thought to the back of his mind. He took up the position that was assigned to him and started walking up the shallow slope of black basalt...

 

Never went beyond the gates of Lookshy and your first day outside, you travel to the Labyrinth? He wanted to laugh maniacally, but restrained himself. He didn't think he would survive the consequences....

[Biologist]

As the group entered the Shadowland and night closed around them more tightly, a pair of luminous eyes watched them from a distance. The beast growled in frustration. It was so close. With hungry eyes it watched one woman in particular: the one with the crimson metal skin. It knew the scent of the wound it had inflicted to this woman from miles away. Every Calibration since they first met, it had hunted for that scent. Now that it had finally found it and was about to lose its prey to a feared blight, it was mad with fury. When the woman disappeared from this plane of existence entirely, it let out a fierce murderous howl that made people barricade their doors in fear for miles around...

[Mistress of Whispers]

Shaya looked up as she heard a howl in the distance. It was an unnerving sound, but it was far behind them and the danger they were facing, lay in front. Taking point, she led the group into the Laybrinth. Mouse, Tinker, Hanzo and Hare were safely embedded in the center of the group, as was Web. Pheonix, Gunn and the twins took up the flanks and rear, weapons drawn and pointing outward.

 

The Underworld was far too glassy, slick and dead for comfort and the Dawn longed to call upon the Sun's power to cast His light over this unnatural place, but she wasn't about to risk the kind of attention that would draw.

 

Shaya looked over her shoulder at Web. It sent shivers down her spine to see the Abyssal at her back like that, but it was the only place she could guarantee her safety while they travelled.

 

"Where do we go?"

[Takhesis]

The gate-way Web created closed behind them as they moved in formation into one of the Labyrinth's corridors.

 

Web indicated the path that lay ahead of them,

 

"We follow that until it branches left - then we go that way." That was only the first turning they'd have to make, but the best way of treating the Labyrinth was one step at a time.

 

Web could only hope that the worst they met were hungry ghosts - there were some denizens here that she wouldn't want to meet on a good day.

[Biologist]

Hanzo knew nothing of the Underworld, save the tall tales of soldiers and merchants and the description in the texts of old. He was not disappointed: it was far more than he could have imagined. And far worse. Maybe him being a Solar Exalted made it worse too. He was acutely aware of the lack of sunlight, he was cut off from the presence of his Patron Celestial. He also felt cut off from the ebb and flow of Essence in Creation. He knew that with time he would regain any depleted stores of Essence, but here there was nothing but death and currents of Necrotic Essence. Useless. He would have to be very conservative with the use of his Essence here. He wondered if the rest knew it too.

 

He leaned towards Pheonix, the nearest person to whisper to in private. "Sir, I feel cut off from Creation. Do you feel it too? I doubt we will be able to regain any of our Essence in here. Maybe we should tell the rest as well?"

 

He whispered almost inaudibly, since the Chumyo did not trust Web and the fact that they would run out of Essence was troublesome if Web decided to turn on them.

[Takhesis]

Pheonix looked at Hanzo as he mentioned the Essence problem. Her own Essence flows felt sluggish and wrong.

 

"Yes I also feel cut off. And it would be a good plan to inform the others." Though Pheonix assumed that Shaya had already noticed the problem - especially since the Sun's light didn't reach this accursed location. "The Essence lances would be less effected - but the recharging could be problematic."

[Mistress of Whispers]

Shaya moved forward cautiously, but steadily. She was acutely aware of the Sun's absence and realized that the only presence He had here, was what she carried inside. She was also aware that He could lend her no further strength than what He had already given. Still, she was not afraid; if this was the only path available to her, it was the path she would walk. Leading the group forward per Web's instructions, she moved deeper into the Labyrinth.

 

((Shaya lacks the occult background to think in terms of Essence and such, but basically yeah: she's aware of the problem.))

[Biologist]

Hanzo hesitated a moment. Should he wait for the next time they stopped for a moment or tell everyone now? Should he try to be secretive about it, as the Chumyo did not trust the Abyssal?

 

Deciding time was of the essence, he went to the members of the unit one by one to warn them quietly about Essence preservation, due to possible problems with recharging. Lastly he approached Shaya and tried to get her attention. He briefly explained the situation and that it was possible they would not be able to replenish their stores of Essence until they got out of the Underworld and into Creation again.

 

There was no way to do it secretly, so he hoped he was speaking quietly enough for Web not to overhear them.

Edited May 3, 2013 by Biologist