Nameless Vault, The

Level 5 Wood Manse, Reduced to 3 to add an field of Vitality around the Manse.

The Nameless Vault is the non-permanent level 5 Manse that The Twilight created to seal in the Nadir of Inauspicious Fortune. On the outside it appears as a simple structure that barely looks like a stone hut.  It is so overgrown with vines and vegetation that it is barely visible. 99% of the structure is underground and is a huge maze of shifting walls, dead ends, pitfalls, and deadly ambush positions. It is designed to be incredibly defensible and is armed with deadly guardians.

Even though the Demesne the Manse caps is a level 5 Wood Demesne that bestows all things around it with hyper fertility the manse is actually designed to channel that energy into the grounds around itself. It generates a field of hyper fertility that is relatively safe and ensures the health and vitality of an area half a mile in diameter. In this area plants grow lush and green to vivid, almost crystal candy like, colors.  People exposed to long periods start to gain a slight green tint to their hair and skin – almost like Wood Aspect Dragon-Bloods. In the area of its effect plants grow, mature, and bear fruit at thrice their normal speed and wounds heal in half the required time. Mundane illnesses are automatically resisted and magical illnesses are resisted at +2 dice pool. This intentional channeling of Wood Essence lessens the Hearthstone level that is produced to level 3.

At the center of the Manse is the Nameless Vault. Inside is a sphere of Obsidian 21’ in radius. This sphere of obsidian is apparently solid but in reality consists of 1’ thick alternating layers of Obsidian and Orichalcum. In the center seals the Nadir of Inauspicious Fortune. The obsidian ensures that its corrupting influence is forever contained and the Orichalcum ensure that no power less than that of the Exalted will ever breach such seal. This block is floating in vault chamber that is 200’ wide on all sides and is constantly patrolled by at least 2 Adeptus Astartes’ guardians and their automaton aids. Should this room be breeched, the Manse automatically sends a beam of light straight into the sky visible from horizon to horizon and will remain so until it is turned off by a Key held by Gladrien Vanja.

As far from the Vault as possible, at the deepest part of the Manse, is the Hearthstone room. Inside is produces a Gemstone of Mental Health which is passed around amongst the Adeptus Astartes guardians as they take their rotating patrol duties in the nameless vault.

Aided by Arianna’s Demon Constructors, Nejimaru used The Autochthon Solution and Wyld-Shaping Technique to create this structure in less than a month.  He then ventured into the Deep Wyld to create the automaton guardian force.  Arianna insisted on following and the rest of their Circle followed.  In the deep plasmatic insanity of the Wyld they bore witness to the true power a Solar of the First Age as The Twilight shaped infinite potential with his charms and will and formed an army out of nothing.  This deeply divided the Solars of Rathess on the roles of Solars both in and over Creation as it opened up possibilities undreamt of previously.

However, being shaped reality these things are not permanent. They only remain so for as long as they interact with permanent beings whose acknowledgement of their existences gives them substance. Since the Thunder God of Rathess has bestowed the rank of Adeptus Astartes on 5 newly chosen Novus then charged them with the sole duty of ensuring the manse is never breached, their constant presence ensures that the manse and its guardians will never fade away.

Gemstone of Mental Health (Wood Manse •••)

Manse: Nameless Vault, The (Rathess)

This cloudy orange ovoid instantly and permanently cures its bearer of any derangements or other 100 forms of madness. Any new types of insanity inflicted on the bearer are cured as quickly as they are gained. What’s more, the wearer automatically overcomes unnatural mental influences, such as the obsession induced by a gem of desire, within one scene.

Virtue Records

Story 04 – Fire of the South

Updated to Session – 21

Balan

• Compassion: 3/3
• Temperance: 2/2
• Conviction: 3/3
• Valor: 4/4

Aata

• Compassion: 3/3
• Temperance: 3/3
• Conviction: 3/3
• Valor: 2/2

Nejimaru

• Compassion: 2/2
• Temperance: 4/4
• Conviction: 2/2
• Valor: 2/2

 

Story 03 – The Odyssey

Updated to Session – 17

Balan

• Compassion: 2/2
• Temperance: 2/2
• Conviction: 2/3
• Valor: 3/4

Aata

• Compassion: 2/2
• Temperance: 3/3
• Conviction: 2/3
• Valor: 2/2

Nejimaru

• Compassion: 2/2
• Temperance: 4/4
• Conviction: 2/2
• Valor: 2/2

Aata owes me more Exp if he Wants the Wyld Experience

Aata would owe me more Exp if he actually want the Wyld Experience.

Since Integrity-Protecting Parana is not AOE and Swan do not have the AOE version nor the ability to sustain it for long periods of time even if he had it.

Unless Aata can show mastery of the Charm he will not take Aata with him because that would just be foolhardy.

It will cost 10 Exp debt, and takes 2 days to learn

 

Integrity-Protecting Prana

Cost: 5m, 1 wp Min: Integrity 1, Essence 1

Type: Reflexive (Step 2) Combo-Ok

Duration: One Day Prerequisites: None

The Sun’s Chosen define their own reality. This Charm protects the character from any Shaping effect that directly alters her mind, body, spirit or traits. This includes instantaneous Shaping effects and any new alterations caused by long-term Shaping effects. This Charm also protects the character from any undodgeable, unblockable Shaping attacks. Wyld energy cannot create a serpent inside the character’s stomach or turn her armor to lava, whether it’s manipulated by an enemy or its own random whims, because these effects inflict immediate damage and the character’s DV is not applicable.

This Charm does not protect against the miscellaneous dangers of the Wyld. If a Wyld effect creates a hundred-headed snake monster with burning chalcedony eyes that then eats the character, this is not directly altering the character’s body through shaping. Nor is it an “attack” when a Wyld effect transforms the character’s armor into harmless gossamer spider webs – simply an undesirable effect.

Motivation and Intimacies

With the start of the 3rd story arc I am going to pose questions regarding your character’s motivations and intimacies now.

Aata

• Does the realization of the level of suffering and injustice in the world cause Aata to look beyond the scope of just ending one threat to creation?  As oppose to Protecting Creation in General?
• Does Aata’s experiences in the rollercoaster of the last year change him any?  With so many accepted limits on his thinking being challenged and affirmed or ripped apart, does this further his virtues any?

Balan

• Motivation is the driving force behind the Character, and unless there is a magical effect one can only have one dominating goal that rivals all others.  When all things are held equal (not really possible in life, but lets say so for sake of making a point) you will always side with Motivation over Intimacy.  With Balan’s ever growing attachment to Rathess, his growing faith in the Unconquered Sun, does his motivation shift to something more aligned with his actions?  His every decision for the last 4-5 sessions has been with the Unconquered Sun and Wellbeing of Rathess in mind.  Accumulation of Power seems to have been regulated to second place.  Does this warrent his reducing to accumulation of power to Intimacy and Something more important to Balan as motivation?
• Keep in mind this doesn’t mean your motivation will not change in the future.  It is quite possible after several set backs he can very well flip back to his Accumulate Power as motivation again.
• The main issue is accumulation of power is no longer viable if Balan accepts an higher power.  Because that by definition sets a limit.  His belief that with enough power he can be free from all constraints is no longer applicable, because he himself placed the constraint of the Will of the Unconquered Sun upon himself.

In light of this, I am going to allow you guys to gain 1 dot in any virtue (max of 4) as deemed appropriate to your character’s development.  Or None if you deem that as appropriate.

The Problem with Toxic Waste

There is a problem with the item brought back from the corpse of the Irreproachable and Flawless Golden Tyrant.  Specifically the “Nadir of Inauspicious Fortune.”  It is an constant artifact that cannot be turned off that curses and taints everything around it in a 20 yard radius.

It has the same problem as toxic waste in our time period.  You can’t just ditch it somewhere because it will contaminate everything around it with effects unforseenable in the short term.

You can’t keep it in Rathess for the same reason.  There is no telling what would happen once the Essence Grid has had prolong exposure to the corrupting mist.

So unless its one weakness is discovered only two options exist.

1) Keep it away from Rathess on a secure site and have people constantly on guard around it.  This however does not take away any of the dangers of the item.  For all anyone knows in a year’s time the area could turn into a Shadowland, or something even worse.

2) Give it back to Mask of Winters, because it won’t do anyone else any direct harm.  Yes you are re-arming him with a potent artifact, but what alternative are there.  There is nothing anyone can do to contain or control it.

Yes sealing it in Obsidian can contain its power but that is not something anyone in Creation knows about.  The player has to make contact with Mistress of Pact Sealed in Blood to learn of the fact.

Nadir of Inauspicious Fortune, The (Artifact ••••)

The Nadir of Inauspicious Fortune is a potent item stolen by Irreproachable and Flawless Golden Tyrant during his escape from Thorns. It is a perfect black pearl about an inch in diameter and hung via a short soulsteel chain from a bead bracelet made from obsidian mined from the Labyrinths. The pearl produces a faintly glowing green mist around itself at all times. The mist ebbs and flows on intangible winds and covers a radius of 20 yards. The mist clings to any living beings that trespasses in the area like glowing mold and bestows the curse of Inauspicious Fortune till the next sunrise. Mechanically, anyone affected by this curse treats 8 as the target number on dice instead of 7, and 10s count as only a single success.

The wearer himself is not immune to this effect should he qualify as “living”. The item is constantly functioning and does not require attunement nor can it be turned off. Only by putting it into an air tight container of obsidian can the mist be contained.

Songbirds of Atlantis (Artifact •••)

Atlantis is an artificial island/continent province of the First Age and is legendary for the beauty of their natural reserves and the variety of wildlife that resides there. The residents of the continent are known for their love of winged creatures and birds are a constant symbol of their land. With the death of the Solars at the end of the First Age the Island is no longer maintainable as the solar essence fueled enchantment that keeps it grounded in reality begin to fray. In time it dissolved back into the Wyld from where it was carved and its majesty and beauty are forever lost. Like all great things it leaves many legacies.

Many a treasure hunter has perished hunting after the Legend of Atlantis as some speculate that pieces of the continent survived the catastrophe. Artifacts with bird motifs that can only come from Atlantis do occasionally surface in the black markets of the West, sending yet another wave of starry eyed scavengers into the Wyld.

The Songbirds of Atlantis is one such artifact. These can come in any form of Birds, from humming birds to Seagulls to even more exotic breeds that has long since became extinct. All are beautifully crafted clockwork simulacrums of their living counterparts. Though they are classified as one type of artifact they range wildly both in construction material and levels of sophistication, but are all designed as children’s toys and companions and not implements of subterfuge or intrigue.

When attuned by committing 6 motes these automatons comes to life and functions as a loyal pet with no real intelligence. They can follow some basic commands but has little use beyond being sentries or companions. Regardless of the owner’s requests or situation these constructs will never take any aggressive action – even in self-defense.

These automatons learn any song by hearing it once and can repeat it perfectly with a lovely female voice. They however can only remember up to 7 songs (regardless of length) and newly learned songs will replace old ones. This perfect recall only works on songs and not other verbal communications. They however can carry messages in song form quite readily.

Their most useful ability is that they can find anyone whom the attuned user can picture in her mind - as long as the user can concentrate and keep the image of the target in her mind. This ability will not function if the target is magically concealed, but there is no way for the automaton or attuned user to learn of this fact. So the owner can be concentrating in vain for hours before she gives up. This makes the birds a great tool of communication as they can ferry messages back and forth with their incredibly speed.

These birds, regardless of size of type, are so agile that while in flight they are considered to have a Dodge DV of 12 + attuned user’s Essence. This makes them all but impossible to hit by mundane means. They can fly up to a speed of 200 mph in any weather and does not tire.

They however are incredibly fragile and only takes 3 heath level of damage to destroy. These automatons have a soak of 3L, hardness value of 5L, and immune to bash damage. However the attuned user automatically knows when his songbird is about to be hit, regardless of distance that separates them, and can reflexively spent 5 motes of Essence to negate 1 health level worth of damage (after the attack rolls damage).

The Twilight Sensation

The appearance of “The Twilight” of the War Captain’s Circle caused a slight stir in Rathess.

Arianna greeted her fellow twilight caste with poise and dignity that lasted as long as it took her to realize the new arrival is an Adamant Circle Sorcerer. 

She then all but trampled everyone between them in her attempts to jump at his feet and beseeching him take her as his disciple. 

Believing it is always better to guide would be sorcerers than it is to ignore them, Nejimaru took Arianna under his wing.  Though he told her that she is not yet ready for Adamant Circle Sorcery he instead furthered her mastery of the Salian School of Sorcery and Arianna achieved her first Mastery of the School’s Absorption Charms.  She is now able to target any spell through the Salian Works as long as she has an Arcane Link to her target.

This new obsession of Arianna concerned her circle greatly.  While they trust the War Captain and his associates, the distant and secretive nature of The Twilight makes trust difficult if not impossible. 

Dace, especially, is unable to stomach how everyone pays this mysterious strange so much deference.  Gladrien Vanja seems to treat the Twilight with a degree of respectful boarding on fear, the Ancient Dragon Kings seems to defer to his every whim, the Winged Centurian Lunar obeys like a well trained hound, even the Proud War Captain seems to be content with being regulated to secondary position of leadership.  What sealed his dislike of the stranger is probably the fact that even the ever assured Panther seems to hang on the Twilight’s every word.  “No Good Man will wears a mask amongst friends and only slime would messes with a sibling’s girl!”

Panther is at first reserved towards the stranger, but the briefing on the World Situation greatly impressed him.  Never before has he been shown the state of the world in such an clear and percise manner and with insights that is beyond him.  This new enlightenment humbled him.  His growing arrogance is checked before it manages to corrupt his spirit as he realized perhaps the Unconquered Sun did not mean he already knows best.  Perhaps the Unconquered Sun has set him on the path to learn what it means to be righteousness and to change the world thus.  Recognizing the unmistakable signs that the Twilight is a anointed priest of the Unconquered Sun, Panther accepted the Twilight’s eccentricities and tried to befriend the stranger.  Unfortunately he has no opportunity to do so as Arianna monopolizes The Twilight every free moment.

Harmonious Jade only ever met the Twilight once.  She was waiting for him in the Halls of the Great Pyramid.  She told him should he take advantage of Arianna, she will kill him painfully and toss his soul into Malfea to suffer for all eternity.  Out of spite she will make the oversized she-horse into jerky and fed it to the demons too.  She then walked off without waiting for a reply.

Swan has it the toughest.  He knows Arianna best and he knows that she would do almost anything for knowledge, especially when it relates to something as major as Adamant Circle Sorcery.  He was surprised, and comforted, that Arianna hasn’t offered to bear The Twilight’s children.  While his impression of The Twilight is neutral he has an instinctual fear of the newcomer.  Swam pride himself on a keen eye when it comes to figuring people out, but knows he is out of his depth when he face off against the Twilight.  He couldn’t figure anything out.  Everything about the way the Twilight act is too deliberate too perfect and too calculating.  Swan is extremely worried that should the Twilight be untrustworthy, Arianna could be enthralled without her knowing.

The Resources of the War Captain

Here are the Resources that are more or less Exclusive to the Solars of Rathess.

Excavation of the Solar Tombs of Rathess
Being the Tombs of the Solars the resources and items within belongs to the Solars themselves.

Legacy of Auspicious Plume
The Resources left behind by the Solar Auspicious Plume

• Hidden Library of Chikmayiz (Medicine)
• Hidden Workshop of Methexis (Metallurgy)
• The Herenthid Find (Military Science)

Treasure Grove of knowledge found in Rathess
The treasure grove of knowledge discovered and catalogued by the Player Circle during their excavation of Rathess.

The Central Hearth of Rathess
The War Captain have at his disposal the awesome might of the Central Hearth.  An Altelier-Manse with practically unlimited raw materials.

The Rathessians
Rathess currently has Human Population of around 3000 Savages of various level of Wyld Mutations.  But they are still uncivilized but has been unified into a single society and identifies themselves as Rathessians.  These are simple savage people however with no knowledge of science and/or civilization.

Central Hearth of Rathess, The (Fire Manse••••••)

One of the few Level 6 Manses in Creation and it caps a fire demesne of unparalleled potency.

Special Functions

Zone of Influence: Rathess

The Central Hearth once activated extends it zone of influence to the entirety of Rathess. Right up the Outer surface of the City Walls. This is a design of the Manse and cannot be changed without physically changing the geomancy quality of the manse. Since the manse is indestructible that would be an impossibility. This means should Rathess expand the new sections will not benefit from the various special abilities of the Central Hearth.

The Zone of Influence is not the “Rathess Essence Power Grid” that is something entirely different. The zone of influence is areas in which the Central Hearth can exert is various control and abilities that is described below.

 

Comfort Zone

The Central Hearth renders all beings within its influence resistant to the effect of heat. All within its actual physical structure is perfectly defended against the raw elemental might it contains; this perfect defense only applies to when individuals are physical within the actual manse.

The larger effect that applies to Rathess in a way “air conditions” the entire city of Rathess and additionally makes the city structures immune to fire damage (such as arson) regardless of construction material. Keep in mind – this does not actually lower the ambient temperature of the City, but its inhabitant’s just feels cooler.

This larger area power cannot be selective. All that is in Rathess are granted this power. However, the Keeper of the Central Hearth can withdrawal the protection of perfect fire defense within the actual Manse from anyone who is not attuned to the manse.

 

Central Control

The control room of Central Hearth is the Fountain of Liquid Fire that displays the real time 3-D model of its zone of influence (which is Rathess) with constantly flowing lava. The Model is perfect accurate but only in regards to structures. People and Objects are tracked only when requested and only updated via the Essence sense capability built into the city’s power grids. This effectively means those in the Central Grid can monitor the events in the entire city with Essence Sight (no sound).

The System is NOT meant to be used for surveillance. The essence sense capability is meant for diagnostic and repair purposes. Those who wish to avoid such surveillance can do so with no penalty to their stealth roll. With Rathess in such disarray however, entire section of the city are off the monitor network and repairs these links will be painstaking and long.

The actual mechanism for control is achieved via floating orichalcum and obsidian shapes with runes facets that glow when activated. The entire system is not intuitive and requires training to use.

The control system is actual a “translator” that tells the Keeper what needs to be done and the Keeper does the appropriate tasks.

 

Glorious Halo of Hesiesh (Fire Favored)

The Central Hearth can sent real time communications to anyone within its zone of influence via 3D images made of heatless flames of a million shades. These messages can be sent to the perserspective recipient from alcoves dotting the city. Obviously there is no guarantee of privacy intrinsic to the message since the image is displayed for all to see. Because the system does not transmit sound, the messages usually consist of the image of the sender and the text of the message burning next to him/her. Public announcements or private messages with audio can also be sent by those within the Central Hearth or by the bearer of the Superintendent Stone (as long as he is attuned) from anywhere in Rathess.

 

Bond Servitor Force

The Central Hearth does not require additional workers as it can produce a large number of Lava Servitors to serve its purpose (around 500-600) these are not sentient beings and are only suited as labor force. They take care of the mining and processing of raw materials and their transportation. They can be used as military force but only with sentient supervision.

Each Lava Servitor appears as however the Superintendent wanted them to appear. The last Superintendent chose the iconic figure of a Muscular Dragon King warrior with 4 arms to better hold things and a great serpent’s lower body to better move through the earth and waterways as they can move through both freely without trouble or disturbance.

Currently A colony of around 200 Mice of the Sun resides in the Central Hearth and they supervise the Lava Servitors. These mice like to ride the servitors while they are working within the manse for fun and for closer supervision. Since the Lava Servitor’s ability to pass through earth is not conferred to the mice, they monitor and direct their work via the Control Room.

Note: The Central Hearth’s magic protects those in its zone of influence from suffering accidental harm via the Lava Servitors. It does not protect against deliberate harm caused by a controlled Lava Servitors.

 

Fire DRAGON’S NEST

The manse’s structure concentrates elemental Essence so strongly that every room is overwhelmed with its aspect. Light changes color as it enters, as do any objects left therefore long. Moreover:

• Terrestrial anima banners of the corresponding element cannot damage the manse. The manse’s energies absorb their physical power. People, however, are not immune.
• Appropriately aspected Charms and spells – including the abilities of elementals, Terrestrial Charms with the Elemental keyword, or spells directly affecting the element – have their final cost reduced by (manse’s rating) motes, minimum 0.
• Children of Dragon-Bloods conceived within the manse gain a +1 bonus to their chances of Exaltation, as if a parent had higher Breeding. This increases to +2 if the child is brought to term within the manse. The Exaltation’s aspect is hardly in doubt.
• The hearth room of the manse is in a state of dangerous elemental upheaval. It’s an environmental hazard with a Damage of 3L/action and Trauma of 5, ignoring armor. The hearthstone bearer is immune to this effect, but probably had trouble attuning in the first place.

This is the simulation of the raw power of a level 6 Fire Manse. The shaft in the control room is burnt by the convergence of the dragon lines. The resulting demesne is made of tangible heat so intense that it vaporizes everything in its immediate vicinity and liquefy everything miles from it. This awesome power is tapped and turned to shield the actual manse encased in this lava sphere. Everything in the manse (including visitors) is actually immediately liquefied but the magic protects their form. The walkways are red hot (actually molten) and visitors soon start to glow as they too are burning.

Thankfully the Manse is indestructible and thus its protection will never fail, should the keeper withdrawal this protection however, the unfortunate being will immediately expire. Into liquid if he is at the outer skirts of the manse, into vapor if he is near the core.

The actual manse is huge, a network of orichalcum essence conduits that wires across the entire sphere. These conduits range from thickness of a hair to as vast as 100 yards thick. Most people only ever been inside the control room, so most believe the manse is just the shaft chamber.

The Hearthstone Chamber is at the center of the Control Room at the bottom of the Hearth. Even the grand magic that keeps the manse safe cannot prevent the fury of the demesne from leaking through at this focal point. The room is filled with the tangible heat of the demesne that ignores all armor and soak. It inflicts an environmental damage of 3L/Action and Trauma of 5. No common fire immunity or resistance can prevent or lower this damage. Only exceptional defenses like a Greater Elemental Dragon, Greater God of Fire, Perfect Soaks, or the Superintendent Stone can prevent this damage.

The Central Hearth also has the ability listed above regarding terrestrial exalted.

Workship Manse

The Central Hearth as built in Self-maintained workshop designed for both Craft(Fire) and Craft(Air). The tools here are good even by first age standards and can be used to repair virtually any wonder falling under those craft’s purview. It is also considered a flawless workshop for artifact construction.

It however cannot automatic make artifacts. It is just a workshop that provides the means for one with such skills to do the task. The ancient dragon kings can probably make good use of it.

 

Ability Enlightenment

The manse encodes knowledge in its structure, mystic arts have coaxed a hint of mind from its Essence, or perhaps a previous owner was so closely attuned to the manse that her knowledge passed to it. The manse “understands” orders beyond straightforward programming – but isn’t sentient. Although it learns and remembers information, it can only grow so far, and has no consciousness or personality.

Effectively, the manse has four Abilities it can “think” about. Since the manse doesn’t have Attributes, it receives an automatic four successes whenever a situation would call for a roll using those Abilities. The manse may need other powers to act on its Abilities, however.

The Keeper have the Ability of Craft(Air), Craft(Earth), Craft(Fire), and Bureaucracy. These abilities are not broad scoped like normal, instead only contain information regarding the repair, refit, and maintain Rathess. The Keeper adds these successes to the Superintendent’s result when performing tasks within that scope.

 

Altelier-Manse

The most powerful function of the Central Hearth and why it is central to the reconstruction of Rathess is its massive Atelier-Manse Function or Automated Production Line in earth terms. It can mass produce any mundane Craft(Earth) or Craft(Fire) design smaller than 50’ x 50’ x 50’. It however still takes time to produce things, while much faster than any mortal workshop, it can only produce around 100 swords a day – the quality is determined by the design supplied by the Superintendent and not the Atelier-Manse. The Manse only determines the speed by which the assembly takes place. Size is less important than complexity. To produce a solid block of stone 10x10x10 yards would take less than 5 minutes, however, should the stone be heavily carved or requiring an exact composition or color or type, the time will be increased significantly.

This Atelier-Manse is meant to be used to produce tools and building materials needed for the everyday maintenance of Rathess, however, it can be used to manufacture implements of war as well. It can only produce mundane objects and not magitech or artifacts. That is what the Workshop is for. Thaumaturgy can be done but at great difficulty. The Altelier-Manse will mindlessly and constantly repeats the design given to it until a quota has been reached or until it is stopped.

The only drawback is the Altelier-Manse require massive amount of maintenance to sustain its operation. The mice of the sun shut it down when the manse was sealed and has just recently restarted it. Already their hands are full with repair and maintenance and they don’t think anyone capable of replacing them will appear soon.

The mice’s Great Schema Mickey have repeatedly approached Nejimaru regarding him staying in Rathess to “learn the trade” but after Nejimaru informed him of the state of the world he agrees that the Chosen of the Unconquered Sun are much needed elsewhere. So Mickey returned to work with renewed dedication, determined to shoulder the reconstruction of Rathess so the Chosen of the Unconquered Sun have one less thing to worry about.

 

Indestructible

The Actual Manse is indestructible, completely impervious to damage as long as the demesne it caps remains at 6 dots. This however only applies to the main structure of the Manse. It doesn’t apply to things like the clockwork parts in the Altelier-Manse or the tools of the Workshop.

Hidden Library of Chikmayiz (Medicine)

• Entire library detailing everything there is to know about human physiology. Including treatment of all common diseases, exhaustive information regarding various drugs and herbs – most of which are extinct. Can Teaching Medicine up to 7.
• Buried in the tons and tons of books are the 3^rd Excellency for Medicine for Solars, and all Excellencies for Medicine for Dragon-Blooded.
• After it is properly catalogued and organized, it can be used as reference. This grants 2 automatic success to any medicine roll to treat disease and +2 dice to any attempts to treat injury.
• Enormous amount of information regarding Craft(Genesis) though only in theory and contains very little practical information about how to actually construct the lab necessary for an actual experiment. Given proper equipment it can be used to raise Craft(Genesis) to 5.
• Exhaustive detail of over a dozen strains of Genesis creations that most likely no longer exist. Fortunately this information can be used to recreate them but unfortunately it is so technical only those with actual Craft(Genesis) skills can even understand it.

Hidden Workshop of Methexis (Metallurgy)

• All the tools and implements required to work Orichalcum, Starmetal, Jade-steel, and Adamant. This however does not include the smelter.
• Entire library containing pretty much all “normal” knowledge of first age regarding the above magical materials and the thaumaturgy ritual needed in their forging process.
• Enough information to raise Craft(Fire) to 6.
• All the required information to forge all the normal artifacts listed in the Core Rule Book.

• Plethora of information regarding Dragon-King artifacts and their creation

The Herenthid Find (Military Science)

All the armor and weapons in this collection of Arms are uniform in design and theme, all bearing the symbol of Herenthid (A drop of liquid falling from the Sun) etched in orichalcum.

• 10 First Edition copies of “The Thousand Correct Actions of the Upright Soldier.” These are unabridged, small handbook in shape. Each comes with jade steel case with shoulder straps to be carried into battle. The buckle and clasp of the case is made with Orichalcum and bear Herenthid’s logo.
• 141 Suits of Gunzosha commando armor with matching sets of Aegis-insert amulets (48 used for Adapteus Astartes, 1 for Kai)
• 100 Jade-steel Reaver Daiklaves (20 used by Adapteus Astartes)
• 50 Jade-steel Dire Lance (20 used by Adapteus Astartes)
• 50 Jade-steel Grand Goremaul with matching pairs of Jade-steel Short Daiklave (8 Grand Goremaul used by Adapteus Astartes, no one use the Jade-steel Short Daiklave)
• 50 Jade-steel Daiklaves with matching Jade-steel Thunderbolt Shield (1 Shield is destroyed, 1 Shield used by Kai, 1 Shield used by Aata, 40 Shields are used by Adapteus Astartes, 20 Daiklaves are used by Adapteus Astartes)
• 50 suits of Jade-steel Reinforced Breastplate with matching Jade-steel Bracers (0 used)
• 50 Jade-steel short powerbows (8 used)

Treasure Grove of knowledge found in Rathess

The massive amount of paper and documents you guys have been gathering in the last 2 weeks found is enough for the following

When Count as having a Teacher to raise following skills.  This is assuming the character can understand the information (can actually read it) and can study the documents at will during the entire training period.

• Raise Bureaucracy to 3, Specialty in “Massive Administration” to 2
• Raise any craft except special crafts (such as fate, glamour, megitech) to 1
• Raise Craft(Earth) to 4 or specialty in “First Age Construct” to 1 or “City Building” to 2
• Raise Lore up to 3, or Specialty in “Rathess” up to 3. Or “First Age Devices” to 1
• Raise Medicine to 3, Specialty in “Herbology” to 3, or “Surgery” to 1
• Raise Occult to 2, Specialty “First Age” to 1 or “Rathess” to 2
• Raise War to 3 or Specialty in “Large Armies” to 1

Dragon King’s Aid to the North

Chief Huntress Dharacya honors the ancient bond between the Dragon Kings and their Solar cousins.  She will be leading the Forces of Rathess – all glory to Leeayta and the Unconqured Sun!

The duty of administering Rathess is left in the Capable hands of the charismatic Shatek-staac.

Dharacya will be bring along Huntress Gothalla, Acolyte Choghuat, 30 Dragon Kings armed with Obsidian Sheaths, Shock Gauntles and Fire Claws.

She is leaving the defense of Rathess in the paws of the Mice of the Sun and the Hands of Galdrien Vanja and Lyta.

All of the Adapteus Astartes will be traveling with the convoy with the supplies, alongside Dace’s men. 

These supplies are in additional to what the War Captain sent.

• 4 Fire Claws
• 4 Bracer of Crystal Bolts
• 3 Crystal Clubs
• 2 Shock Gauntlets
• 10 suits of Obsidian Sheath
• 15 Breather Plants
• 20 Sword Sticks
• Various Copies of the Reading Tablets on Construction of Artifacts of War (Daiklaves, Artifact Plates, Dire Weapons, etc.)
• 12 Alchemical Shrub producing various medicine for treating wounds and illnesses.
• 5 Saplings of the Sword-Club Tree (produces 1d4 Sword Clubs a month)
• 20 Saplings of Rathessian Pear (Continously bears fruit.  Able to bear enough fruits each day to feed one person for every year of its life.  So a 100 year old Rathessian Pear tree can feed 100 people) a new creation of Chief Botanist Aiholehalol

The Dragon Kings and the Circle of Friends will be shuttled by Arianna as to not cause an sensation in the Scavenger Lands.

Kai will make contact in the South Frontlines about a month after the Dragon Kings arrive in the North.

Adeptus Astartes

The Religious Order of Rathess, the Adeptus Astartes is a combination of the Dragon King defenders and their human allies. It is designed to be an equal rights organization where Humans mixes with Dragon Kings readily. They are holy warriors of Unconquered Sun, anointed in his temple and sanctified by his Chosen (Enlightend via Charm).

• As of right now the Astartes only have human members, but in time they will have Dragon King recruits as well.
• The Dragon Kings are given Obsidian Sheath as Armor and Shock Gauntlets as sidearms. They will also be armed with various magical weapons available in Rathess.
• Humans are all Enlightened Mortals given Gunshosa Commando Armor and Magical Weapons from the Herenthid Find.
• They are Eclipse Oath Bound to serve and protect Rathess and formed based on the Number of Cardinal Directions, 4.
• Each Astartes are given Healing Orchid, Green Eyes, Breather Plants, and Aegis-Insert Amulets.
• They are also given the Rathess power conduit Implant. Granting them +4 to Essence Pool, and regains additional 2 motes of Essence per hours as long as they are in range of the Rathess (and only Rathess) Essence Grid.
• Their weapons are socketed with Rathess Power Crystal to lessen their commitment costs. It lowers the attunement cost of the socketed item by 5 to a minimum of 1. Obviously this only works with items that has Hearthstone sockets and only when in range of a Essence Grid that is compatible with First Age Technology.
• The 48 Adeptus Astartes has been trained by Dace with Tiger Warrior Training Technique for 3 months. Raising their Drill to 5, Valor, Strength, Dexterity, Stamina, Melee, Archery all to 4. This combined with their First Age equipment makes them one of the deadliest non-exalt combat forces in Creation.

 

While individually loyal to Rathess the Adeptus Astartes, due to the heterogeneous nature of their founding members, has formed into 3 major factions. This division will continue through their various expansions and enlargements and will form the core of their inner conflicts.

 

First Faithfuls (Hastha-sth Lodge)

Leader: Lumusi, Princess of the Stalking Panthers and Takkihitai Tribe

The Hastha-sth Lodge is more commonly referred to as the Talis Faction for their close association with the War Captain’s Chief Advisor the Scavenger Lord Talis. The lodge’s rightful title however is that of the “First Faithfuls”. They are the elevated members of the Northern Stalking Panther Tribe and the Takkihitai Tribe. The title is their right because the Adeptus Astartes were originally formed as a way to reward these tribesmen for their generational dedication to the Unconquered Sun and Rathess. They were the first to obey the Sun Lords when they returned to Rathess and have been staunchest defender of Rathess from ancestor to descendents. They first served Filial Wisdom when he arrived in Rathess and suffered bitterly as the mobs extracted their revenge after Filial Wisdom’s fall. It was Talis who turned their pain at the Sun Lord’s betrayl into motivation and showed them that compassion is the teaching of the Unconquered Sun. Overtime they have come to realize the wisdom of the War Captain and this total dedication to the way of the Unconquered Sun earns them the favor of Gladrien and Hastha-Sth and formed the core of the Adeptus Astarte’s Codex.

The Hastha-sth lodge is the purest in virtue and honor of all Astartes Lodges and thus the most favored. Their tribes hold almost all leadership positions. They are also the most correct in their belief, holding to the old ways and not seduced by mere power. They believe the Dragon Kings are the rightful masters of Rathess. The Sun Lords with all their glory and acclaim are guests of the First City.

 

Sun Lord Faction, The (Thunderer Lodge)

Leader: Tamati, War Chief of the Rainbow Marsh Tribes

The Sun Lord Faction is by far the largest faction of the Adeptus Astartes. They believe that the Adaptus Astartes serves the Unconquered Sun through Rathess. In the same token their duty is to serve the Sun Lords for they are the chosen of the Unconquered Sun. The Dragon Kings are judged to be lesser beings in the Unconquered Sun pantheon and thus are merely keepers and janitors of Rathess and not its masters.

The Sun Lords Faction, as their name indicates, obeys Sun Lords above all other beings – save the Unconquered Sun. They consider the Hastha-sth Lodge delusional if not all together Blasphemous. Unfortunately with their indulgence by Gladrien Vanja, Thunder God Aata and most of all War Captain Balan, the Hastha-sth Lodge holds almost all the power, both in Rathess at large and within the Adaptus Astartes.

The Sun Lord Faction grates their teeth questioning in silence why their faithfulness and devotion has not yet been noticed or rewarded by their Supreme Masters. This greed or perhaps inner pride will one day be their fall.

 

Servants of our Fair Lady

Leader: Lachie and Muir, Handmaidens of Gladrien Vanja

This is the smallest faction but also the most vital. They are the secret worshippers of the Solar Gladrien Vanja, who will one day be granted her rightful title as “Queen Gladrien Vanja Merala of Ochre Fountain, Queen of Solars and Mistress of Rathess.” While dedicated and true to the teachings of the Unconquered Sun they are also apostates for they are, without any doubt, a Solar Cult.

Gladrien traveled without disguse from the Hundred Kingdoms towards Rathess. She vanquished many evils and rescued many people. Some reviled her as Anathema, but some followed her south. Many quit half way when confronted with the dangers of the Jungles of the East, but an elite few struggled on. These collection of people arrived in Rathess weeks after their mistress. While most are not particularly skilled when compared to the tribals of Rathess they are dramatically more civilized and educated.

Thus this small group is the most heavily utilized by the Dragon Kings. The tribe’s children also receive the best schooling by their proximity to Gladrien Vanja and the Dragon Kings.

The Servants of our Fair Lady cares not for the politicking of Rathess, to them to live is to serve their beautiful Lady. They worship the Unconquered Sun not because they have faith, but because their fair lady does. Their Lady has decreed that she is a guest of Rathess and it is the will of her god that Dragon Kings reclaim their City and so the Servants obey. Thus they are closely aligned with Hastha-sth Lodge, and support the Dragon Kings unfalteringly. In the years to come they would come to dominate the political structures of Rathess, sharing military control with the Hastha-sth Lodge. This staunch alliance will pushes the Sun Lord Faction further and further along the road to Apostasy.

Updated the Game Notes Document

Updated the game notes document with the Exp Reward for Session 11.

Included are how Nejimaru, Mea-chan and Gladrien Vanja spent their Exp.  I added what I remembered of the player’s expenditures.

Updated Irreprochable and Flawless Golden Tyrant’s picture and moved him out of Active NPC Section in light of his, now, inactive nature.

Added Ocean Pearl to the NPCs of Note Section of the Document.

Document is uploaded to the Workspace, you guys can check it out at your leisure.

Ocean Pearl

Age: 26
Nationality: Small town near The Lap (South)
Race: Solar, Zenith Caste
Profession: Robinhood of the Seas
Motivation: Further the cause of Righteousness in the World

Ocean Pearl, despite being weathered and bronzed by her love of the Sun and Ocean and tempered by battle is still a woman who can turn any man’s head. Her name is true to her nature and she knew she was born to the sea from the time she could swim.

When she was just a child she ran away from the orphanage with little more than the clothes on her back. She went to a small seaport town and sought commission on board a ship as a cabin girl. She sailed with a kind old sea captain on the Western Ocean who taught her the secrets of the stars and imparted to some of his years of experience. Sadly they encountered the Yozi pirate Blackheart, the Man with No Shadow. The ship was captured and crew enslaved or slaughtered. She was to be given as prize to Blackheart’s Yozi masters. Blackheart may have had no heart and no shadow, but he was a man in every other way, and Ocean Pearl was able to seduce him. Thus she became the lover of a man with no heart and became a pirate as well.

She may have only been Blackheart’s mistress, but she gained a measure of power on board his ship and something resembling his trust as well. She won the admiration and respect of the crew, in part due to her ability to sometimes mollify Blackheart’s anger. Despite the proven invincibility of the captain, Ocean Pearl was driven to attempt the impossible. She knew which members of the crew to talk to. Once she gathered a cadre of trustworthy allies, she coaxed the secret of his power out of Blackheart. Now was the time for justice. As Ocean Pearl prepared to free the world of Blackheart, the Unconquered Sun freed her from her own bondage. Bathed in the golden light of the Sun, her sword became divine. She cut her way through Blackheart’s demon servants and finally dispatched the Captain himself. Since then, she has sailed the seas of Creation righting injustices and punishing the oppressors such as the Realm, the Guilds and the Linthas with fire and steel.

She is not just a simple pirate however. She is a rebel against oppression and injustice so rampant in the world. She works against the established order in the hopes of opening the eyes of the people to a different way – a future where all are guided by the divine will of the Unconquered Sun. She hopes to help forge a new world where pursue of happiness and expectation of fair justice is guaranteed to all mankind and not just those born to power. She resents most the exploitation of the weak by the strong and fights with unwavering determination against those who commit such sins. Ocean Pearl makes little distinction to one’s divinity because to her the worth of a person comes from the righteousness of their choices and not the power they possess. She prefers the company of her crew to most gods and exalts, including those of her Solar brothers and sisters. She is the sworn enemy of Moray Darktide and has learned the hard way that not all the Chosen of the Sun further the cause of Righteousness.

Updated Game Notes Document

Uploaded the newest version of the Game Notes document to the workspace.  It should be Game ready for Session 11.

I also tried to download it, the transfer rate was 142KB/sec, so pretty decent.

The server also keeps different versions of the document :)  So you can download older versions if you feel so inclined.  I think I’ll rely on Workspace.office.live.com as the means to distribute the Game Notes from this day forward.

The link is on the right sidebar of the Blog.  In the [Exalted Past] Links section.

Dace did it behind the Bookshelves in the Library with the Candle Stick

In about 2 weeks one of the Adaptus Astartes Recruits would report to the War Captain with some newly uncovered information that is quite disturbing.

According to his investigations on the night of Honorable Magatulok’s murder the only Godly beings unaccounted for is Dace.

After further investigation a Rathessians passing through the area of the Water Manse reported seeing Dace at the bathing house the night of the murder washing blood off him.

Several other Rathessians confirm seeing Dace returning to the Pyramid of the Sun from the Direction of the Water Manse.

It is well known that Dace gotten into a verbal confrontation with Megatulok that almost came to blows just a week ago. It was only the timely arrival of Hastha-sath that averted physical blows.

Though these are all circumstantial evidences the recruit thought it was sufficient to launch a secret investigation centered on Dace.

He already seeked permission from Head Huntress Dharacya to search Dace’s room in secret for clues, but was refused.

He is informing the War Captain of these newly discovered facts in case the War Captain wishes to take a different course of action.

He is also worried about the influence Dace has over the Adaptus Astartes as their new trainer – should he be evil the Adaptus Astartes could be tainted by his magical training.

[Obviously this one belongs to the Sun Lords Faction]

What he did not tell the War Captain is that the War Captain is the 4^th person he brought this up with.

The first is Novus Captain Lumusi who refused on the grounds that these Sun Lords are the honorable guests of the Dragon Kings and has conducted themselves with propriety. Speculation along is not sufficient to take action against such eminent beings.

He then brought it up with Novus Captain Eddin Roradin, who also refused based on the grounds that it is beyond the authority and mandate. He referred the recruit to Dharacya.

Dharacya is then the third person and her refusal is the same reasoning as Lumusi. She also warned sternly the Recruit that pride is the first step to apostasy.

Balan is then the last power the recruit is appealing to. Since Balan is the highest authority in Rathess he didn’t want to take up the War Captain’s valuable time. But the obstinacy of lesser beings has left him no choice but to appeal to the War God of Rathess himself.

Excavation of the Solar Tombs of Rathess

All in all the Circle of Friends were able to explore all 11 Solar Tombs of Rathess and catalogued everything inside. They took nothing but merely listed everything inside since it would be up to the Rathessian Solars to decide what to do with this grove of treasures.

The traps set there were easily detected since they are magical in nature and once detected were deactivated or destroyed with little difficulty, since Arianna is an expert in the field of archeological excavations. She warns that the tombs are now relatively defenseless and has ordered the Mice of the Suns to seal them up until the Solars decide what to do with them.

Here is a list of various items all catalogued and identified

From the Tombs of Albio (Filial Wisdom’s previous Incarnation)

• Resource 5 worth of non-magical Grave Goods and Antiques
• 100+d100 doses of Celestial Cocaine stored in beautifully made Orichalcum pocket containers of 10 doses each.
• 1d6+6 bottles of Celestial Wine
• Cup of Flowing Blood
• Albio’s Armor
• Albio’s Glaive (Third-Arm Glaive)
• Albio’s Arm (Belt of Aerial Mobility)

From the Tomb of Pleasant Cloud. She is Albio’s Solar mate and together they were the last Solar defenders of Rathess and one of the few Essences that were not trapped by the Sidereal because their delayed death.

• Resource 5 worth of non-magical Grave Goods and Antiques
• 5 bottles of Celestial Wine
• Translation Crystal
• Rod of Cleansing the Body
• 4 pair of Orichalcum Earring of Dawn’s cleansing light in various styles to match different outfits
• 4 Orichalcum Hearthstone Bracer to match the Earrings
• 4 Orichalcum Dragon Tiara to match the Earrings and Bracers
• Pleasant Cloud’s Bracelets (Essence Armor)
• Pleasant Cloud’s Fans (The Fans of the Sweet Courtier)
• Pleasant Cloud’s Torc (Metasorcerous Phylactery)

The other Solar tombs are all of First Age. So their panoply have already been claimed by their reincarnations and contains mostly non-magical items. The last tomb to be enshrined is Ai’s tomb. Likewise her gear was not inside as well, but the difference is her gear were entrusted to the Dragon Kings to be delivered once her reincarnation claims his/her dynasty in the Solar Deliberative. Unfortunately her death only proceeded the Usrpation by months and she was trapped inside the Jade Tomb until recently.

Unknowns to everyone, Ancient Dragon Kings included, The items given to the Circle as rewards by the Awakened Dragon Kings were actually Ai’s panoply.

From the other Solar Tombs

• 1d10+7 Resource 5 worth of non-magical Grave Goods and Antiques
• Various minor magical items that I will fill in later, but nothing above 2 dots. (items like Mask, Yasal Crystals, Sweet Cordials, Seven Bounty Pastes, etc.)

Cup of Flowing Blood (Artifact •••)

This large, lidded chalice is forged of a blood-dark red-jade alloy. Any Essence-wielder may attune to it with a few seconds’ concentration for three motes, even multiple characters at once. While attuned, a character cuts her palm and lets blood flow into the cup. Each health level of damage suffered is enough blood loss to fill the cup one-seventh of the way; the cup is much deeper than it appears when empty. Drinking from the cup allows a person to instantly recover one lethal health level as a miscellaneous action, no more than once per action. Doing so removes one health level from the cup and lowers the blood level proportionately. The cup’s magic does not disguise the salt-iron taste of blood but prevents gagging and retching. The blood heals bashing damage only if there is no lethal to heal. Only a character attuned to the cup can bestow health levels on the cup, a measure taken to prevent coercion or theft of life.

Fans of the Sweet Courtier, The (Artifact ••••)

This is a pair of beautifully painted silk folding fans with orichalcum bones. The painting on the fan is the famous “Hundred Mile of Flowering River.” It depicts the year long festival of a thousand flowering ships that takes place every hundred years on the rivers of the east during the High First Age. This particular pair of painting is considered one of the master pieces of Creation and the perfect example of the “Sight within Sight” Art Movement of the First Age. It is a perfect composition of light, color, perspective and imagination that seems alive in its vividness. In fact the painting is part of the function of the fans. While not designed as weapons its artifact nature makes it a passable artifact weapon, when attuned, should the user be inclined to do so. It’s previous owner Pleasant Cloud is a master of the Celestial Butterfly Courtesan Style, and in her hands these priceless works of art have graced grand balls and tournaments alike and won acclaim in both Arenas.

     Speed: 4
     Accuracy: +2
     Damage: +3L
     Defense: +1
     Rate: 3
     Minimums: Strength •, Dexterity ••••
     Commitment Cost: 5 motes
     Tags: Returns Instantly, Martial Arts Weapon, Thrown

• The weapon cannot be used as a real weapon when unattuned. It functions as a pair of sturdy folding fans and nothing more deadly than that. However it is considered of orichalcum construction when attuned and grants the material bonus of +1 to Accuracy, Rate and Defense and now inflicts lethal damage.
• The weapon can be considered Martial Arts weapon and is compatible with any martial arts that allows Fans, Knives, Claws, or Thrown Weapons. When used in such manner with a Form Charm the fans add +1 to the wielder’s parry DV as they magically create a subtle current of essence flow that guides attacks away from the wielder.
• The fans can be thrown to a range of wielder’s Essence x20 yards without penalty and that is the maximum rage. The fans will then fly beautiful back to the wielder and arrive in her hands at the end of her thrown attack action (e.g. cannot flurry the throw more than 2 attacks, 1 per fan).
• The fans when used as a pair allow the wielder to make an additional attack with the off-hand fan at no penalty. Negating both the off-hand penalty and that of multiple action. This is considered a bonus action but is not compatible with Extra-action effects and/or Flurries. Use of either negates this bonus. It however is compatible with Principle of Motion since each of those is a full action and not a magical flurry.
• The most potent ability of this weapon is that it lowers all Martial Arts, Performance and Social Charms by 2 motes to a minimum of 1 mote.
• Outside of social combat the fans negate botches for performance actions when it involves the use of these fans, such as dances or ceremonies performed with them.
• Outside of social combat the fans negate botches for performance actions when it involves the use of these fans, such as dances or ceremonies performed with Fans.
• When used with appropriate Prayer Ceremonies the use of these Fans effectively rise the resource value any sacrifice by 1 dot. Since this is a performance action with the fans, it also negates any botches.

Metasorcerous Phylactery (Artifact ••••)

Note: This item is an item of the First Age. The knowledge of its construction is fairly lost during the 2^nd Age.

These talismans usually take the form of large jewelry items such as elaborate bracers, torcs and crowns, although some Chosen prefer staves or wands. Combing Creation’s four magical materials with Malfeas brass in elaborately complex designs, the composite wonder can be attuned (or built) only by sorcerers. Each requires combination of an inset level 3+ hearthstone and a 10 mote commitment to function. (Variants of this artifact using soulsteel and Underworld materials similarly boost necromancy.

Whenever a sorcerer casts a sorcery spell while attuned to exactly one metasorcerous phylactery, he may channel dots from the item’s inset hearthstone to augment the casting, temporarily reducing the stone’s power output (and rating). Until a drained hearthstone returns to full charge, it has no powers. Furthermore, an arcane link remains between the depleted stone and phylactery, preventing any other power source from fueling it during this time. Channeled dots return at the rate of one per hour and may improve a spell in any of the following ways, allocated as desired.

Cost: The Spell costs three fewer motes per dot spent (minimum 10 motes). Alternatively, the spell’s Willpower point cost decreases by one per three dots spent (minimum one Willpower point).

Power: If the spell references the sorcerer’s Essence rating, he is considered to have a rating one dot higher for every three dots spent.

Mastery: If the spell requires a dice roll, each dot spent adds one success to the roll.

Range: If the spell has a range measured in actual distance, each dot spent improves it by a factor of one (x2 with one level, x3 with two, etc.)

Duration: If the spell has a fixed Duration, every two dots spent increases this time by a factor of one (x2 with two levels, x3 with 3 four, etc.)

Trigger: For a cost of one dot, the spell does not have any apparent effect on its target (no rolls are made, if applicable). Instead, the effect happens when a specific event the sorcerer names at the time of casting takes place in the presence of the target. (The effect can be anything from a time delay to someone performing a specific action, etc.) In the interim, the spell remains visible to Essence sight and may be dispelled with countermagic. Once the spell goes off, it does so as if the target were adjacent to the sorcerer and the sorcerer’s player then makes any necessary rolls (using the traits his character had when he cast the spell). Suspended spells can remain dormant indefinitely if their trigger conditions never occur.

Manifestation: For a cost of one dot, the sorcerer may change the way a spell achieves its normal function, substituting a Storyteller-approved effect more appropriate to the sorcerer’s anima and mood. For example, a magma kraken might be changed to tendrils of electricity, but it would still inflict the same damage and would be the same spell. Other than providing a host of stunt possibilities, changing the effect decreases the likelihood that others will recognize the spell (+2 difficulty) and may circumvent narrowly defined defense (such as immunity to fire, which avails nothing against acid).

Rod of Cleansing the Body (Artifact ••)

Made from a mixture of all the magical materials save soulsteel, this artifact is a rod the thickness of a grown man’s thumb and nine inches long. To use this wonder, the user must first commit two motes of Essence to it. She can then touch this rod to the bare skin of someone suffering from a disease or infection and attempt to cure him.

Operating this item requires the user to spend one mote of Essence and her player to make a successful (Perception + Medicine) roll for the character to determine to precise locations she must touch to correctly rebalance the patient’s Essence flows. The difficulty of the roll to treat a disease or infection is equal to the disease’s normal difficulty to treat – serious illnesses can be extremely difficult to cure. Fortunately, the user can expend additional motes to reduce the difficulty of this roll. Each additional mote the user spends reduces the difficulty of the roll by one. The user cannot drop the difficulty of this roll below 1, however.

Treating a disease or infection requires the user to spend a number of minutes equal to the difficulty to treat the disease examining the patient and locating the correct Essence points on his body. If the patient suffers from multiple diseases or a disease and an infection, the physician must treaty each one individually. The user can also automatically stop all bleeding simply by touching the patient and spending one mote of Essence. She can even do so as an action in combat (5 ticks/-2 DV), and her player does not need to make a Medicine roll for her to do so. This device can be used to treat any living being, including humans, animals, Exalts, beastmen, God-Bloods or Wyld mutants. Gods, demons and raksha do not suffer from mortal maladies, so this artifact cannot treat them.

Translation Crystal (Artifact ••)

This clear, flat, rectangular crystal is the size of a large man’s hand and an eighth of an inch thick, and it is set within a narrow frame of blue jade and orichalcum. To activate this item for a scene, the wearer need only spend three motes of Essence. Whenever this artifact is placed over any piece of text thereafter, whether that text is in the tongue of the Riverlands, a rare demonic tongue spoken only in Malfeas or the most complex of the All-Seeing Eye’s many codes, anyone looking at the crystal sees this text perfectly translated into Old Realm. When this item is placed against the text and activated, the item literally reads the text and translates the meanings into Old Realm. This translation is then displayed upon the artifact’s upper surface. The use of orichalcum in this item allows it to partake of a tiny fraction of the Unconquered Sun’s limitless brilliance, so the translation is accomplished in less than a second. In addition to simply translating the language, comparing a text to the translation this artifact provides allows the character to learn the written version of any language as well as if she had a skilled tutor. (She could also use it thus to learn Old Realm if she already knows the written language the artifact is translating.) This artifact can be used to translate spells and other esoteric arcane texts as well as simply allowing the user to read texts such as a treaty between a demon lord and a raksha noble.

Third-Arm Glaive (Artifact •••••)

A five-foot staff topped with a thick, two-foot blade, carved from a golden wood and laced with orichalcum, this weapon is perfect in its balance, weight and razor’s edge. As if that were not enough to set it apart, a wide and thin sash hangs from the point where the metal of the blade meets the haft, permanently fastened to the weapon. Over 10 feet in length, the sash is made from tiny links of orichalcum, dyed during the forging to display beautiful gold to golden-reds, and flows smoothly through the air. This weapon was crafted by Forgotten Eyes, Albion’s previous Exaltation. The Third-Arm Glaive has many powers.

In war, the sash is the perfect banner for friends and foes alike. While its bearer lives, the sash undulates to better reflect whatever light available – the rays of the sun, the shine of the moon or the animas of nearby Exalted. The light is visible to the entire battlefield. Troops friendly to the bearer of the weapon gain a one-die bonus to their Valor checks, and enemy units are penalized by one.

In personal combat, the sash has additional uses. Once its bearer has struck – inevitably a long, smooth motion that causes the sash to flow out behind the blade – the sash begins to act on its own, twisting and swirling through the air about him. When someone or something comes too close to the sash’s master, the metallic sash raps the object or being to keep it away. This effect adds the user’s Essence to her Parry DV for an entire battle after she has taken an offensive action. If the sash aids in the successful parry of an unarmed attack, the attacker suffers one die of bashing damage.

The wielder of the Glaive can choose to forego this benefit for a greater one. Taking a Speed 3, DV -1 action to commit an additional 3 motes to the Glaive, the user may demonstrate the source of the weapon’s name. From that point on, the sash acts entirely independently from the weapon’s wielder in battle. Though the Glaive’s first action is simultaneous with the committal of Essence, the sash’s future actions depend solely on the speed of its attacks. The weapon either makes an unarmed attack or a clinch, at the wielder’s option. The Glaive can attack and clinch out to nine yards. The wielder may uncommit the 3 motes reflexively, at any time.

Third-Arm Glaive has two hearthstone settings, one on either side of its blade. Attuning costs 5 motes.

Third-Arm Glaive
     Speed: 4
     Accuracy: +4
     Damage: +8L
     Defense: +4
     Rate: 2
     Attunement Cost: 5
     Minimum Attribute: Strength ••
     Tags: Reach

Sash – Unarmed Attack
     Speed: 4
     Accuracy: 10
     Damage: Wielder’s Essence +5L
     Defense: -
     Rate: 3
     Tags: Reach

Sash – Clinch
     Speed: 6
     Accuracy: 10
     Damage: Wielder’s Essence +5B
     Defense: -
     Rate: 3
     Tags: Reach, Piercing, Clinch

Albio’s Armor (Artifact •••••)

A suit of super heavy plate made entirely from Starmetal. Every link, stud, decorations, and plates are all made from the rarest of all magical materials. Untraditionally this armor bears the emblems of the Unconquered Sun instead of the usual iconology of the the Five Maidens common to Starmetal items. The armor is extravagantly decorative and done the style of a culture that has long since become extinct, though elements of it styling are similar to those found in various cultures of the South. Cities such as Chiaroscuro, Varangian City-States and Paragon all have some of the armor’s design themes in their culture. The name of the maker of this suit of armor has faded with history but quite possibly it was done by Albio’s own hands as was the fashion during the time of his living. The armor has one socket for a Hearthstone on the center of the breastplate and was found with it cracked and destroyed.

     Soak: 15L/15B
     Hardness: 11L/11B
     Mobility Penalty: –2 (See Below)
     Fatigue Penalty: –2 (See Below)
     Attunment Cost: Armored Scout’s Invigoration (6 motes)

• The armor is made from Starmetal and especially designed to be harmonious with Solar Anima. Thus Solars can attune to the armor as if it were made from Orichalcum but still gain the Starmetal magical material bonus. The material and construction of this armor when attuned subtracts 1 success from all damage rolls done to the wearer. If this lowers the number of successes to 0 or lower, the attack is treated as if the attack was miraculously avoided - e.g. considered a Miss with all its ramifications.
• The armor is designed to attune by those with the “Armored Scout’s Invigoration” Charm. To attune armor they must commit enough Essence to the Charm to lower its mobility and fatigue penalty to 0, meaning 6 motes. The Armor will remain attuned for as long as the Charm is active. Should the wearer cancel the Charm the armor instantly loses attunement. The cost of the Charm/commitment is lowered by 1 mote for every dot of the Hearthstone socketed to a minimum of 1. This does not reduce the effect of the hearthstone in question as it only absorbs ambient energy to enhance its harmonious resonance with the wearer’s charm and anima.
• When attuned and worn the armor grants the wearer’s strikes the surety of the Unconquered Sun and the inevitability of the Maidens. His swings are emboldened by golden trails of energy and showers of star colored sparks burst forth from each impact. All the character’s attacks have their damage and accuracy increased by 2 dice. The armor also grants the Wearer +3 dice to his Dodge and Parry attempts. These bonuses are not stackable with any Hearthstone bracers however, since they come from the greaves of the armor itself.
• The armor itself is designed to be imperishable to Fire/Heat and Cold. When attuned and worn it extends this blessing to the Wearer and all his personal equipment. This definition of personal equipment includes even Warstrider he is piloting and mounts/chariots he is controlling – but not ships he is commanding, etc. This immunity is considered a constant Perfect Soak, and is applicable even to aggravated damage. This power came as shock to the Dragon Blooded Legion of Fire arrayed against Rathess. Fatally wounded by the Spear “Eye of the Fire Dragon,” Albion still managed to penetrate the formation of the Legion of Fire to its very heart and challenged their commander to single combat for the lives of the people of Rathess. The commander Shou Yu was later executed by Taichi-Kun the god of Exalted Combat and Sunipa the Goddess of Military Accords for betraying the terms of the dual after Albio died with smile on his face believing he saved the people of Rathess from slaughter with his victory.

Belt of Aerial Mobility (Artifact •••)

This artifact almost always consists of a belt formed of links of blue jade, and in First Age versions of this artifact, these links are usually inlaid with small amounts of orichalcum. When the wearer commits three motes of Essence to the belt, it sizes to fit and can thereafter be comfortably worn with any garment. Anytime the wearer reflexively spends three motes of Essence to empower the artifact, she rises an inch or so into the air and can walk on air for the rest of the scene. During this scene, the wearer can walk safely over water, quicksand, pools of acid or rivers of molten lava. Alternatively, she can will herself to rise up into the air in a form of movement that resembles walking on air as much as it does true flight. The character can walk or run normally, and in combat, she can use both the move or dash maneuvers at her normal movement rate (which she can enhance with Charms normally). The character can use this item to move in any direction, including up or down. Moving using this belt requires no more concentration or effort than normal walking or running. This belt’s buckle contains a setting for a single hearthstone.

During the First Age, many Exalts wished to move swiftly and easily through the towers of Chiaroscuro and to the vast floating palaces that floated above the largest cities. Others used this item to enter and leave skyships with ease. In addition to being a convenient form of movement, there were also entire talons of Dragon-Blooded warriors who used these artifacts to allow them to serve as troops on board skyships. They could rapidly deploy from the ship to the ground as well as easily attack and board other flying vehicles as part of vast aerial battles. Today, these items are difficult but possible to create, and many dozens survive from the First Age and the Shogunate.

Mask (Artifact ••)

These seemingly plain ivory face masks have played an important part in Exalted political and emotional intrigues since the First Age. A mask can allow an Exalt to alter her appearance to look like anyone she wishes and to completely control the emotions that her face shows. This has the effect of adding four dice to her (Intelligence + Larceny) pool for any attempt at disguise. However, the artifact must be attuned to take advantage of its powers, and doing so costs five motes. When attuned, the mask also grants an extra four dice to any attempt to misdirect another as regards to the wearer’s true motives, such as during social combat.

Dragon Tear Tiara (Artifact ••)

Another common decorative item during the First Age, these tiaras and circlets were forged from the magical material favored by their intended wearer and incorporate the same motifs used in hearthstone amulets. Regardless of the material from which they’re crafted, all dragon tear tiaras provide the same benefits.

Each has a setting for a hearthstone located directly over the character’s caste mark. Dragon tear tiaras require the commitment of two motes of Essence to activate the hearthstone and the tiara’s own magical powers. When attuned, the tiara adds one die to the character’s Perception pool. The character instead gains a bonus of three dice when she is attempting to perform geomancy, to use astrology, to detect spirits or to otherwise perform tasks that require occult sensitivity. This does not include rolls for sorcery.

Yasal Crystal (Artifact • or ••)

This extraordinarily valuable yellow gemstone can trap minor spirits and newly made ghosts. To imprison a spirit, the user must touch the spirit and spend a point of temporary Willpower. The spirit cannot typically have an Essence greater than 2, though some very large and rare stones can imprison spirits of up to Essence 3 (these larger stones count as Artifact 2). Each stone can hold only a single spirit at a time, and anyone holding the stone can free the spirit at will.

Once imprisoned in yasal crystal, spirits can communicate with anyone who touches the stone, but they cannot escape on their own or use any of their Charms. Instead, whoever touches the stone can use a captive spirit’s powers as if they were his own, if the holder of the stone has the spirit’s permission.

To obtain this permission, the holder must usually bargain with the spirit, typically requesting the free use of its powers for a set number of times. After exhausting all the uses, or after a set time period (rarely more than a month), the holder agrees to free the spirit. While the holder is under no obligation to keep this promise, those who break it end up with uncooperative spirits inside useless rocks. Also, spirits who break free from such an oathbreaker will undoubtedly attempt to take dire vengeance on him and might have the help of friends and allies.

Celestial Wine (Resources •••••)

This wine comes from Yu-Shan, the city of the gods, and even there, it is reserved for the Celestial Incarnae and the highest gods. If it should be found in Creation, then it has been stolen, which carries a commensurate price. Each bottle of this Heavenly wine holds three glasses worth of liquid. A single glass of celestial wine will heal a number of health levels equal to the character’s Essence trait. Alternatively, a glass will cure any poison or disease from which the character is suffering, including the Great Contagion. Drinking three glasses in one day will return a character to full health levels, and the drinker will be immune to all poisons and to all diseases weaker than the Great Contagion for a year and a day afterward.

Sweet Cordial (Resource ••••)

Brewed from orchids found only in the Southeast jungles, tubes from the slopes of the Imperial Mountain and the glands of certain deep-sea fish found only near the Elemental Pole of Water, this cordial’s overwhelming sweetness is matched only by its astronomical price. Yet, despite that price, this thick purple potion is constantly on demand.

Immediately upon imbibing this elixir, the character falls into a narcotic haze for the next 12 hours. Her player may make a (Stamina + Resistance) roll at difficulty 1, without wound penalties, for the character to recover from the effect of any wound-related infections. She also automatically heals one health level while under the cordial’s effects. Once the cordial has been drunk, it remains in the character’s system for a full 28 days. If the potion is taken again before it passes naturally from the characters system, it acts as a hallucinatory poison. The character suffers 12 hours of horrifying narcotic hallucinations and her player must succeed in a (Stamina + Resistance) roll or the character takes four health level of lethal damage.

Seven Bounties Paste (Resource •••)

Seven bounties paste is, as its name suggests, made from the roots of seven rare plants. When mixed with alcohol, it makes an extremely hot-tasting, bitter, red paste normally mixed with rice and broth to render it palatable. The seven bounties paste can cure almost any illness, save leprosy and the Great Contagion. The player of a character imbibing the paste can make an immediate difficulty 1 (Stamina + Resistance) roll, without any penalties, for the character to overcome any ailment from which she suffers, be it a sickness or an infected wound. Each of the seven bounties affects the character once – roll once for each successive day for seven days for the character to overcome the effects of the illness. Seven bounties paste is rare to begin with – in times of plague, its price can rise to astronomical levels.

Celestial Cocaine (Resources •••••)

Cocaine extracted from coca trees grown in Yu-Shan possesses a greater and more dangerous power than the mortal drug. A person who snorts the glittering, luminous white powder gains one dot each of Dexterity, Stamina and Intelligence for at least five hours and can perceive Essence flows as if he were using All-Encompassing Sorcerer’s Sight (see Exalted, p. 222). The celestial drug is nonetheless a poison with these traits: Damage 5A/hour, Toxicity 2 (4 for mortals), Tolerance – / – , Penalty -0, or -3 for the rest of the day after the high fades. Multiple doses extend both the benefits and the length of time the user takes damage. (See Exalted, p. 130, for complete rules about poisons.)

While she is high on celestial cocaine, a person can try to activate her latent Essence. Doing so requires a simple success on a (Stamina + Awareness) roll, difficulty 2. The user’s player also has to succeed at a Willpower roll for the character to avoid addiction, at +1 difficulty for every other dose of celestial cocaine taken in the last year. If this roll fails, the character is addicted to both celestial cocaine and its mundane counterpart, though he will prefer the celestial variety.

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The Talented Mr. Kai

In a month or so the news of Kai will have reached Rathess to Nejimaru. Evidently the habits Kai have picked up in his year of living with Lady Purple Blossom have had some interesting effects.

Left to his own devices Kai decided what he has given was not sufficient to shock and awe the people of the North. Plus another valuable lesson he has learned is that what good is money if you do not use it.

He escorted Siesta [Assuming Aata did not decide to have Nejimaru enlighten Siesta and take her to Rathess or Nubia] to the city limits of Great Nexus and waited outside as per the limits of his banishment.

Siesta and Tia, acting as his agents have arranged everything he asked for.

• A great golden banner of Rathess. He has no idea what it suppose to look like so he just copied the iconology Nejimaru mentioned during story time. The logo of a Great Pyramid underneath all the celestial signs with the Sun highest in the Hierarchy now adore a great yellow silk banner. Fortunately for him it actually is the logo of Rathess, first witnessed by the PCs on the gates of the Central Hearth.
• A golden scepter of office for himself and a made up title. Being member of the Adaptus Astartes by trial of pain and his connection to the saviors of Rathess he decided to give himself the title of “Prime”. But Tia thought that title is not long enough to be impressive, so they decided to add letters to the title. So Kai is formally introduced in his splendid code of arms and entourages to the nations he pass through as “Primarch Kai of the Adaptus Astartes, Rathess Emissary to the North Quadrant of Creation.”
• A military unit to ensure the success of the trip. With Rathess under attack Kai know the city can spare no one, so he decided to hire time tested Mercenaries to fill his ranks. He asked Mistress Nandi to be his intermediary and hired the only mercenary unit he has ever heard Aata and Balan speak with respect (or at all), “The Fayor Fortune Corps.”
• A group of learned Scholars to brief him on everything they know about the people of the North. Topics such as the North's political situation, ethnic groups and their customs. He also has similar group of scholars to teach him about Rathess. Unfortunately the latter is rather poor in quality and it is very likely the Northern Solars would have very very odd notions about Rathessians. Unfortunately for Kai book learning is tedious for him and it takes Tia's “rewards” for him to sit through the hours of lectures and scroll reading.
• An entire entourage befitting an Emissary of a powerful nation. Including palatial wagons, followers, servants, foods, wines, musicians, players, cooks, and everything else in-between. Kai has literally formed a small Guild like caravan even including the Ritual of Safe Journeys. Except this one is not made for profit but for noticibility.
• Several units of scouts have been sent far ahead of him to gather latest information regarding the situation in the North. Since Kai was not told where he suppose to meet these “Solars.” He has to find them first. At least he knows the starting point, the northern boarders of Linowan territories. Unfortunately he cannot just announce to the world “I am seeking Anathemas!” Thus he hopes that his ludicredous actions as the emissary of Rathess will draw every scout and spy from every power on his way up north and that the Solars being competent would be amongst them. After all they are the few who actually would know what an Emissary of Rathess means.

Unfortunately without Nejimaru’s ok, Dominick is not going to forward Kai such princely sum - especially with him already in so much debt. Thus the only resources he has access to are those belong to Calindra 99. Without shame or guilt, Kai has made yet another noticeable dent in her accounts (a resource 4 purchase). Fortunately it is not enough to bankrupt her or is it enough to lower her standard of living.

When Calindra 99 is informed of this fact, her expression would be quite comical. It would be a mixture of almost physical pain mingled with incredulity and vain attempt to suppress a series of laughter at Kai’s audacity.

Nejimaru on the otherhand would seem to have no reaction at all. While Kai's actions are not what Nejimaru would have done in his place, they seems to be worthwhile tactics. Though Rathess might not be ready to be known by the world it is too late to stop Kai now. He trusts Lady Purple Blossom's ability to impart to Kai the nuances of diplomacy and power in the year they spent together.

How you guys react will be how ever you want to react, just thought to give you guys a heads up so you can think of it ahead of time.

Character Index

Here is a index of the various entries about the characters of [Exalted Past]

Adeptus Astartes

• Adeptus Astartes

Kai

• The Talented Mr. Kai

Arianna

• Correction/Clarification regarding the Signature Circle
• What the Signature Circle’s been Doing
• Finished Harmonious Jade’s Charms

Celestial Anger

• Circle of Everlasting and Perfect Illuminated Harmony, The

Child of the Violet Star

• Circle of Everlasting and Perfect Illuminated Harmony, The

Dace

• Correction/Clarification regarding the Signature Circle
• What the Signature Circle’s been Doing
• Finished Harmonious Jade’s Charms

Death and Metal Maiden

• Circle of Everlasting and Perfect Illuminated Harmony, The

Exaltant Sunrise Spirit

• Circle of Everlasting and Perfect Illuminated Harmony, The

Harmonious Jade

• Correction/Clarification regarding the Signature Circle
• What the Signature Circle’s been Doing
• Finished Harmonious Jade’s Charms

Ocean Pearl

• Ocean Pearl

Ovalisque of the Invincible Starfall

• Circle of Everlasting and Perfect Illuminated Harmony, The

Panther

• Correction/Clarification regarding the Signature Circle
• What the Signature Circle’s been Doing
• Finished Harmonious Jade’s Charms

Rhianna

• Rhianna of Marukan Alliance

Swan

• Correction/Clarification regarding the Signature Circle
• What the Signature Circle’s been Doing
• Finished Harmonious Jade’s Charms

Updated Prospect Images for [Exalted Past]

Moved the few pictures David (I assume) uploaded onto the Exalted Past Album into the Prospect Images sub-album.

Also added few more images I found online.  No major updates can be done till I finish house sitting for my brother, since I don't have all my files here at his house.

Finished Harmonious Jade’s Charms

Finished adding Harmonious Jade’s Charms and the Signature Circle’s Great Curses.

• Dace’s Great Curse is “Foolhardy Contempt”
• Panther’s Great Curse is “Red Rage of Compassion”
• Arianna’s Great Curse is“Deliberate Cruelty”
• Harmonious Jade’s Great Curse is“Heart of Flint”
• Swan’s Great Curse is “Heart of Flint”

Update is to the “[Exalted Past] Circle of Friends” document in the workspace. The link to the Document webspace is on the right bar.

What the Signature Circle’s been doing

Dace met Yurgen about 3 years ago.  He was hired to escort a Guild Convoy of valuable medicines through the Icewalker territories and Yurgen came to raid rare find.  The two Dawn Castes squared off against each other and it wasn’t long before they realized each other’s true nature.  Hostilities immediately ceased as the two brothers embraced each other. 

Yurgen granted Dace’s company his banner allowing them safe passage anywhere in his lands, and Dace made note to not take any contracts that would put him at odds against the Icewalker tribes of the North ever again.

When the vision of Balan confronting Han-Tha was broadcasted across Creation Arianna and Swan were currently up North at the Icewalker tribes on behalf of Dace to discuss the rumors of military build up by the tribes of the North.

Dace was in Nexus recovering from the humiliating defeat at the hands of Ma-Ha-Suchi.  He was only allowed to live because of a debt of honor owed by Ma-Ha-Suchi to his previous Solar Exaltation.  Training with renewed effort he asked Arianna and Swan to go ahead of him to inquire why Yurgen is planning an major military push, and that if he required assistance from Dace and his Circle.

Dace at the time was traveling through the Hundred Kingdoms spreading the word of the Unconquered Sun and confronting the propaganda of the Immaculate Faiths.

Harmonious Jade was on board her own ship returning from Yanes after her assassination of Azula’s body double.

It did not take long for Arianna and Swan to realize the magnitude of the event that just took place.  Especially when all 8 Solars had the same vision at the same time.  It is further confirmed by her communication with her own Circle – via the Tattoos she made on their bodies.

Immediately Yurgen sent word to gather his banners and moved his planned assault on Linowan ahead of schedule to counter the inevitable political fallout of a new Solar power rising out of the obscurity of the First Age.  He plans to strike fast and strike hard against the Scavenger Lands.  He would put his name on every lip from Haltan to Wavecrest.  He would loom so threateningly that no one would have time to concern themselves with Rathess.  He will buy the Solars of Rathess some reprieve from the inevitable crushing by the Legions of the Realm.  The Unconquered Sun’s chosen beacon of hope cannot be allowed to die stillborn – Rathess must rise and prosper.

Preparations however took longer than expected and Arianna took the time to investigate the newly formed Shadowland of the North and seeking the Library of Quin-Rin.  It is there she met the Lover Clad in Raiment of Tears – another Deathlord has creeped into Creation.  Arianna escaped by using her Tattoo and teleporting to Swan.  Even then the power unleashed by the Deathlord still took their tow on her body and it took weeks for of careful tending by Samea to heal her wounds.  That is nothing in comparison to the creepy certain Arianna now holds regarding the Deathlord’s intention towards her.  She is certain the haunting beautiful being has marked her for “collection”.

In the mean time Swan has been busy as envoy of Icewalkers to Haltan.  He has arranged for the Haltan’s support against Linowan and half a million troops have been promised by the forest nation as aid to Yurgen’s push south.

Dace has already picked up Dace and marched half way to Rathess when Arianna finally recovered enough to travel.  She and Swan met them half way.  Together Dace, Panther, Arianna and Swan traveled to Rathess on the Azure Chariot Spell and the troops with supplies are to march to the city on their own.

They arrived about 4 days after the Player’s Circle left for the Solar Deliberative and has since then been aiding in the defense of Rathess.

Dace has been using his Tiger Warrior Training Technique on the Adapteus Astartes making them already a force matching the Brides of Arhlat in Valor and Discipline.

Arianna has been aiding in the constructions of the various parts of the city, specifically the manse of Leeayta.  While the Mice of the Sun’s automatons are powerful they lack skill and refinement and she has already summoned several magnitude of construction demons to aid in the task.  The construction of Rathess is greatly enhanced by her efforts.

Panther has been pouring through the various holy text of the Dragon Kings and has become an disciple of Hastha-sth learning all he can of the old Dragon King’s wisdom.  This education is not one way however as his natural facility with Religion often surprise Hanstha-seth with insights and understanding and even opened her to some newer appreciation of their Patron God.

Swan has been busy smoothing over things with the Freeholds of Rakshas.  The death of three renegade Fair Folk Nobles were no small manner and it took Swan’s convincing and Panther’s threat of further divine punishment from the gathering Solar Host to force them into an non-aggression treaty.  It is Panther’s absolute certainty that swayed the Raksha to accept the deal.  As long as Rathess does not seek to push back the Wyld nor to invade it the Freehold will not venture into Creation under military banner.  The deal however is temporary with a time set for 10 mortal years.  It is without doubt the Fair Folk would be gathering their host as well for the inevitable push by the Solars when the time is up.

Harmonious Jade did not arrive till a month later, only days before the Player’s own return to Rathess.  She however, has not been doing much.  Mainly assisting Gothalla on scouting missions to locate the supposedly “anathema threat.”