Fantasy The Fate of Creation

[Psychie]

Val looks at the rising smoke with a cold feeling in her. "We need to move quickly. Time to commandeer a flying skiff to get there that much faster. Do you have some here? This is an emergency." She will not take 'no' for an answer from the Lions, but will still be polite even as she insists on the skiff for both her and Kenji.

 

[Sherwood]

When Val speaks with such authority, the Celestial Lions quickly step aside and one escorts you over to a small airship landing pad where there are a variety of small vessels that sit ready to fly. The smallest will carry only a single person, while some of the larger vehicles will easily carry several people at once. Taking one, the two of you are soon racing along through the sky towards the Bureau of Destiny's offices.

As you close in, you can see more airships coming around, some to just gawk at the scene, others are clearly armed ships of the Aerial Legion working to help provide security. Celestial Lions and spirits of all kinds are moving in to lock down the area on the ground, stopping people that are rushing out of the burning building. Looking at the building itself, you can see that the convention room used for the Conclave has a part of its roof collapsed in, and the fire and damage seems to be focused around the area.

There is one final thing that catches your eyes as you circle the place; there are a number of demons coming out of the Bureau's building, most are being set upon by the Celestial Lions and other security forces as they emerge.

Where do you wish to land?

 

[Ebon_Arbiter]

"What in the name of...", Kenji supresses his initial outburst at the site before him, at the realization that the explanation to Jupiter's warning appears to unfold before his eyes.

His gaze focuses on the convention room that seems to be the epicenter of the destruction, as well as to the demons coming out of the building and the blood runs cold in his veins.

"Demons...Demons in Yu-Shan and inside the Bureau of Destiny! That is a blasphemy to the Heavenly City and the Incarnae!" he exclaims as if to believe the sight before him, turning his gaze to Val. "We must get down there fast. We have to find out what happened".


(EDIT: Spelling)

 

[Psychie]

At the controls of the little ship, Val nods. "I can do fast. Hang on!" Going into a nose dive, she makes a run for the chamber, heading for the opening in the roof to land directly in the middle of the room. Leaping off, Valeren pulls out her Floating Ribbon Sword and goes into a martial stance, looking about her for any signs of danger, her anima glowing brightly.

Spoiler

Willpower: 8/10
Personal: 22/22
Peripheral: 48/35
Activating the Form Charm for Sapphire Veil of Passion Style for 13m

 

[Sherwood]

Val buzzes through the surrounding airships to make a rough landing on the floor of the meeting room. The scene around you is one of absolute carnage. Bodies lie all around you, some blasted by Essence weapons, others sliced to pieces by claw and sword. You can also see signs of multiple explosions having ripped through the room, having killed many in the blasts. It is a truly horrific place to look out upon.

As you step out and continue to examine the area, other things become visible. With your martial eye, you can see that there was a pitched battle that was waged up on the podium between multiple combatants. There are two fallen figures that you immediately recognize as Chejop Keyjak and Ayesha Ura, the leaders of the Bronze and Gold Factions, lying side by side, surrounded by fallen figures that look to have been cut down in the process of trying to protect the leaders of the Sidereals.

Another figure catches your eye as you slowly move through the room. There is a man, impaled on a spear that has been stuck to the wall. A low groan can be heard from him, showing you that he's still alive, even if only barely. You are hard-pressed to identify him, from all of the blood covering his face, but you think he is one of the younger members of the order, a fellow named Jontom.

The fires continue to burn, making it hard to see through the smoke, and soon it will become very dangerous to remain in here as the flames eat into the wood holing up the remnants of the roof.

 

[Ebon_Arbiter]

Kenji nods, his gaze gradually transforming to reflect his steely resolve to face whatever was transpiring inside the Bureau.

As they descend, his hand reaches inside one of his garment's pockets, recalling a folded paper and a stylus, his hands doing rapid but precise motions, inscribing the Scripture of the Expected Maiden, as he whispers it and his demeanour becomes cold and detached from the world.

***
Once, there was a maiden…
…who was always looking forward to the way
things would be.
She said, “Someday, I’m getting out of this place.
“Someday, I’m going to kill that boy that put
me here.
“And while I wait, I don’t much mind,
‘cause it’s better to dream tomorrow than to
be there.”
***
“I’m holding at bay,” she said,
“what I know to be true.
“That I’ll never get out.
“I won’t let my dreams die!
“I’ll hang on to hope,” she said,
“until Time itself ends. But —”
“There’s always an ending,” said Time. ​

***
​

Upon reaching the ground and confronting what appears to be a scene of tragedy for the Fivescore Fellowship, Kenji draws his fabled starmetal blade, Fate's Edge, in readiness and scans the surroundings, holding his own emotions in check, lest he collapses from the magnitude of what transpired in here. Seeing the bodies of the venerable Vizier faction leaders, he shakes his head wondering what beings could have bested those elder Chosen in combat, but rapidly proceeds to their younger fellow, who still seems to cling on life, in order to check his status, maybe stabilize him and move him - alongside any other potential survivor from the still flaming - and about to collapse - building, all the while looking around in an attempt to find out any clue or evidence regarding the identity or origin of the enemies who perpetrated that atrocity.

​

OOC

Spoiler

Writing a prayer strip on the fly, as per MoEP: Sidereals pg. 125 (Dexterity 5 + Linguistics 3, diff. 4), in order to utilize it for VBoS form, activated with the Conclusion Pursuing Approach enhancement.

Also: de-activating Lion-Mouse stratagem and activating Telltale Symphony, which functions as All Encompassing Sorcerer's Sight, for 5m.

Spoiler

The ability to perceive Essence patterns has the following effects: All Charms are treated as Obvious with respect to the character. Dematerialized and invisible creatures and effects are considered visible. The character recognizes all artifacts, manses and demesnes as such. The character can automatically recognize a creature with Essence 4+ as a supernatural creature.

Characters using Stealth to avoid detection are not automatically revealed by their Charms, Essence trait or carried artifacts—for the same reason that colorful clothing does not automatically void mundane attempts at stealth. Instead, add the target’s Essence in dice to any attempt by the character to pierce mundane or magical Stealth.

Similarly, this Charm does not automatically void disguises, magical disguises and similar deceptions, although circumstances might warrant a bonus to see through them.

If the character makes a conscious attempt to analyze what he sees, this Charm allows an (Intelligence + Occult) roll to do so.

Identifying the exact effects of an unknown Charm or spell is difficulty 5. Gauging the rating of a person’s Essence trait, a demesne, a manse or an artifact has difficulty 2.

Health:

-0 [ ]

-1 [ ][ ]

-2 [ ][ ]

-4 [ ]

X [ ]

Essence:

Permanent: ●●●●●

Personal: 20/20

Peripheral: 31/53 (14 Commited to artifacts, 5 commited to Telltale Sympony, 3m freed from commitment to Lion-Mouse Stratagem but unsure if restored yet)

 

[Ebon_Arbiter]

OOC

Spoiler

Creating Prayer Strip: Dex+Linguistics diff. 4.

For some reason it wouldn't let me include the roll on my post above.

 

[Sherwood]

Valeren jumps to one side and Kenji goes the other direction off of the small skiff. As Kenji runs to the side of your fellow Sidereal that has been pinned to the wall, you can see the young man is still alive. Perhaps leaving the spear that has him impaled to the wall has helped him stay alive, keeping him from bleeding out. You run forward, you are just about to Jontom's side to render assistance when you hear a telltale whisper of music, hinting that you are about to step into some kind of trap! You are able to stop just in time.

Thanks to the effect of your Form Charm, you are hovering a fingertip length off the floor, keeping you from possibly slipping in the blood that lines the floor. The smoke is pretty thick on your side of the room, lit up by pools of flame. In the flickering light, you think you spot some movement.

Both of you, please give me a Perception + Awareness roll.

 

[Psychie]

Moving cautiously, Val maneuvers about the room, looking around to see if there are any signs of other possible survivors, or, any signs of what could have done this.

 

[Ebon_Arbiter]

Kenji stops in his tracks, as soon as the warning sound reaches his ears. He extends his senses in the smoky environment, while his mind touches upon the tangled strands of fate that permeate the area, in an attempt to discern any sort of movement or other threat.

OOC

Spoiler

Perception 4 + Awareness 5

1. If this Awareness roll is to notice a concealed threat to me or my ally, I'm activating Expected Pain (see below in spoilers), with it's Awareness 5+ option, to convert all dice in the roll into automatic successes. [9 successes total]

2. If not, I'm rolling as normal. [EDIT: 4 successes]

Spoiler

Cost: 2m (+2m); Mins: Awareness 3, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Prior Warning

Vague premonitions of future sorrow drift through the mind of a Sidereal who has mastered this Charm. As her fated suffering impends, these visions crystallize into awareness.

Expected Pain cancels the unexpected quality of any physical or social attack against the Sidereal. It costs an additional two motes when used to defend against creatures outside of fate.

With Awareness 5+, this Charm can be activated to enhance any Awareness roll to notice a concealed threat to the Sidereal or her allies—a hidden assailant, a drop of poisonous lotus extract dissolved in a cup of tea, a venereal disease on a concubine. Doing so converts all dice on the roll to automatic successes.

 

[Sherwood]

The lights and smoke of the fire must be distracting Valeren, because she does not see anything other than the broken and bleeding remains of the fallen.

On his side, however, thanks to his Charm, Kenji can see several threats that have materialized to challenge you. First, there are several explosives connected by a slim wire all around the injured man pinned to the wall. If you had just run forward to his aid, you would have tripped the wire and set off a massive explosion. No telling just how bad that would have been, but now that you know of it, you can easily avoid that trap.

The other threat that leaps to your attention is a pair of archers laying in the shadows aiming their weapons at Valeren. You have just enough time to make a warning call to her before they loose their arrows and hit her from surprise.

Join Battle rolls, please!

 

[Ebon_Arbiter]

Kenji's eyes widen momentarily at the confirmation of present enemies and he lets a cry of warning to Valeren, to let her know of the imminent danger. Switching his grip on Fate's Edge in preparation for combat, he falls back to his martial arts training and Saturn's guidance to end the perpetrators of this atrocity who dare ambush them in their own Bureau, once and for all.

OOC

Spoiler

Activating Secrets of Future Strife for 3m, to supplement my Join Battle roll (Wits 4 + Awareness 5 = 9) to convert Martial Arts (5) dice to automatic successes. I'll still roll for the remaining 4.

EDIT: 7 successes total

Spoiler

Secrets of Future Strife
Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2;
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None

Accepting the twists and turns circumstance with instant determination, the Sidereal is never caught off guard.
A Join Battle roll supplemented by this Charm converts up to (Martial Arts) dice to automatic successes. As part of the roll, the martial artist may reflexively draw any form weapon of this style.

Health:

-0 [ ]

-1 [ ][ ]

-2 [ ][ ]

-4 [ ]

X [ ]

Essence:

Permanent: ●●●●●

Personal: 20/20

Peripheral: 29/53 (14 Commited to artifacts, 5 commited to Telltale Sympony, 2m spent already for Expected Pain, 3m spent for Secrets of Future Strife, both expenditures not commited)

 

[Sherwood]

Kenji lets out his warning cry just before the two archers fire on Valeren, giving her the chance to use her full defense against the attacks.

I still need Psychie to roll her Join Battle to see if you react before or after you get attacked.

 

[Psychie]

Sorry. I thought I had already posted it.
Dodge DV is 9

 

[Sherwood]

Order of Initiative
0 - Kenji <====
1
2
3
4 - Archer 1
5 - Archer 2
6 - Valeren

Ebon_Arbiter is up

 

[Ebon_Arbiter]

Kenji's breath slows, a solemn expression spreads across his face and his hand, holding his fabled daiklave, falls slightly down and to the side, as his gaze lower and a grim determination permeates his being. His body and essence fall into the familiar patterns of the Violet Bier of Sorrows form, practised a thousand times with his sifu - whose fate is currently unknown - and now displayed by Kenji in its very pinnacle.

Spoiler

Violet Bier of Sorrows Form

Cost: 6m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3
Type: Simple (Speed 6, DV -1)
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Form-Type, Emotion, Obvious
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Blade of the Battle Maiden, Flight of Mercury, Joy in Adversity Stance

The martial artist takes on the same cold detachment with which Saturn makes her Sign against those things whose time has passed. She is reckoning and destruction, a peerless bringer of endings, and all the princes and kingdoms of the world tremble before her. While Violet Bier of Sorrows Form is active, the martial artist gains the following benefits:

– All enemies see their own end in her, doubling any wound penalties they take on actions to oppose her in combat. Resisting this unnatural Emotion for one scene costs two Willpower.

– Any unarmed attack she makes against a spirit consumes one of the spirit's motes for every level of damage dealt.

– The character's unarmed martial arts attacks gain an Overwhelming value of (the lower of her Essence or Martial Arts rating).


Conclusion Pursuing Approach
Cost: —(+10m, 1lhl); Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4;
Type: Permanent
Keywords: Prayer Strip
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Death-Parrying Stroke, Life-Severing
Blow, Metal Storm

At the pinnacle of the Violet Bier of Sorrows, the martial artist learns to draw strength from the pain of others. As her enemies falter before her before her blows, her resolve only increases.

This Charm upgrades Violet Bier of Sorrows Form. As the character invokes it, she may pay a surcharge of ten motes and a point of Willpower to add the following effects to the form:

• The martial artist’s unarmed attacks deal aggravated damage to creatures outside of fate and consume their motes as though they were spirits.
• Wound penalties are tripled by the unnatural mental influence of Violet Bier of Sorrows Form instead of just double. The cost to resist rises to five Willpower.

Spoiler

Health:

-0 [ ]

-1 [ ][ ]

-2 [ ][ ]

-4 [ ]

X [ ]

Willpower: 9/10

Essence:

Permanent: ●●●●●

Personal: 20/20

Peripheral: 13/53 (14 Commited to artifacts, 5 commited to Telltale Sympony, 2m spent already for Expected Pain, 3m spent for Secrets of Future Strife, both expenditures not commited, 16m spent for enhanced VBoS form which I think are commited)

 

[Sherwood]

As Kenji drops into his martial stance, the first of the archers let fly with a pair of arrows at Valeren. Thanks to the warning shouted out by the other Sidereal a moment ago, it was given just quick enough to let Val use her full skill to evade the deadly first pair of arrows.

Archer 2 fires only one shaft, also at Val. This one manages to hit, though, with a total of 3 successes. What is your soak?

I forgot to add earlier, please make sure you post what Speed your action is if its not the default of 5.

Ebon_Arbiter is up again

Order of Initiative
0 - [Kenji]
1
2
3
4 - [Archer 1]
5 - [Archer 2], Kenji <====
6 - Valeren
7
8
9
10 - Archer 1
11 - Archer 2

 

[Psychie]

Current soak: 14B/13L/6A

Willpower: 8/10
Personal: 22/22
Peripheral: 48/35
Form Charm for Sapphire Veil of Passion Style and Optimistic Security Practice active

Health Levels
[ ][ ][ ] -0
[ ][ ] -1
[ ][ ][ ][ ] -2
[ ] -4
[ ] I

 

[Ebon_Arbiter]

Seeing the archers shooting at Val, Kenji erupts into action. His daiklave - trailing almost behind him in its downward hold as he reaches the second archer - springs up in sudden motion, follows a trajectory reminiscent of a crescent moon and descends like a falling comet upon the archer.

Spoiler

Normal attack - Speed 4 enhanced by Martial Arts Fatefull excellency to reduce its TN to 4, for 3m.

Sp. 4 Acc. 18 Dmg. 9L/2 (increased to minimum dmg 5 with VBoS form active) Def. +2 [PDV 7] R.3 T. O


Health:

-0 [ ]

-1 [ ][ ]

-2 [ ][ ]

-4 [ ]

X [ ]

Willpower: 9/10

Essence:

Permanent: ●●●●●

Personal: 20/20

Peripheral: 10/53 (3m spent for Fateful MA excellency, not commited)

EDIT: Also, nWoD dice rolls probably treat 10s as exploding dice instead of 2 successes each as is the case in Exalted. I'll use normal dice from now on and count em. Even if extra dice are exempted though I still think my total success number is 14.

 

[Sherwood]

Valeren takes a hit from the arrow, for a total of two Lethal health levels.

Kenji hits with his strike for a total of 8 successes. Soak of the bad guys is 12L. Go ahead and roll your damage.

Psychie is up next

5 - [Archer 2], [Kenji]
6 - Valeren <====
7
8
9 - Kenji
10 - Archer 1
11 - Archer 2

 

[Ebon_Arbiter]

OOC

Spoiler

Damage is 9L plus 8 from successes, 17 minus 12L soak = 5 dice to roll.

 

[Psychie]

Seeing Kenji attack one of the two, Valeren focuses her attention on the second one. Channeling a flow of Essence, she studies the target of her cold rage, leaping into the air to close the distance to be able to strike with her Floating Ribbon blade.

Spoiler

Current soak: 14B/13L/6A

Willpower: 8/10
Personal: 22/22
Peripheral: 48/33
Form Charm for Sapphire Veil of Passion Style and Optimistic Security Practice active

Health Levels
[X][X][ ] -0
[ ][ ] -1
[ ][ ][ ][ ] -2
[ ] -4
[ ] I

Activating Into Infinite Depths to evaluate the Archer. Then, spending 5m on First Martial Arts Excellency to boost my attack.
Die pool: 6 Dex, +6 Martial Arts, +2 Specialty, +10 Accuracy, +5 from MA Exclellency = 29 dice

EDIT = 18 Successes

Spoiler

The character immediately gains the following knowledge about one individual: what manner of being the target is (Solar Exalt, god, raksha, etc), which martial arts styles he knows at least one Charm from, which martial arts styles he knows up to the Form-type Charm, which martial arts styles he has mastered, whether he has any Intimacies toward the martial artist, and the nature of those Intimacies, if they exist. For the rest of the scene, the martial artist gains a +2 bonus to her DVs and MDVs against any opponent she has evaluated in this manner. Into Infinite Depths may be activated as an innate power, which does not count as a Charm activation if Sapphire Veil of Passion Form is active.

 

[Psychie]

It was supposed to roll more dice than just ten. Lets try adding to that.

 

[Psychie]

Final roll.

 

[Sherwood]

Val hits with 12 successes. 12 Lethal soak, go ahead and roll your damage.

Kenji's attack was blocked by the heavy armor of your opponent, but he was briefly staggered by the hit.

Ebon_Arbiter is up

5 - [Archer 2], [Kenji]
6 - [Valeren]
7
8
9 - Kenji <====
10 - Archer 1
11 - Archer 2, Valeren