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Fantasy The Fate of Creation

OOC
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As the two Sidereals move through the halls to Kenji's office, there are several aides standing in the corridors, many of which are talking amongst themselves trying to come to terms with the disaster that has happened that morning. Most of the time, the conversations come to a halt as you approach, and they give you both a look of profound sadness, and a few even try to offer up some kind words of support for the two of you.

Once you get to Kenji's workspace, the fresh smell of coffee comes from inside, just brewed by Roygan, one of the lesser spirits that work to keep your office cleaned up and ready to use. He offers the two of you a hot cup without any comment, knowing that you both have a very long day ahead of you and you'll need all the help you can get. When Roygan finally speaks, he doesn't waste any time with simple platitudes. "Noble Exalts, as always, I am at your service. But, with what that is ahead of us, I fear that I will need to expand this work space and add on some more staff to help. I have a short list of spirits that I believe would be a good start that I am willing to call in at your convenience to have them meet with you."

As he speaks, the young Jontom taps on the door before walking in. "Despite the objections of my doctors, we have too much work to do for me to spend my time lounging around in a hospital bed." He takes a seat with a slightly audible grunt of pain, then looks up at the two of you. "So, where do we start?"
 
Valeren gives the spirit a tired smile as she takes the offered cup of coffee. "Mmmm. Thank you." She takes a deep sniff of the aroma coming from the cup before taking a drink of the rich, black liquid with a sigh. Then, when Jontom comes in, she looks at the younger man with concern. "Are you sure you are ready to be up and about? I appreciate the thought of any helping hand we can get right now, but we need you at your best, and can't stop to take time to coddle you. I do not mean to offend, but we are at war, and have been dealt a staggering blow. There cannot be any hesitation from you when the time comes." No matter what she says, Val is quite certain that Jontom will power his way through his pain, and be a stronger man for it.

"To answer your question, start at the very beginning. We need allies from the ranks of the Solar Exalted, and we now have a list containing the names and locations of several. We will have to go to them and make them understand that they will now be working for us. Also, we have to find out from the security forces if we do have another member of our Fellowship still alive, and if so, who is it, and why were they not at the meeting? Did Jupiter send this Exalt a letter the same way she did to us? Or is there a more sinister reason for the Exalt's absence? We have to know what we are dealing with." Valeren holds up her hand and starts counting off fingers as she speaks. "As much as I'd like to go straight to the Imperial City and take the Demon Empress' head, she was able to stand toe to toe with several of the best fighters of our ranks and come out victorious. But while we can't do that, we do need to see what is going on in the Realm right now. Another ally we can hope to get on our side is Mnemon." She looks over at Kenji. "Remember the message I got earlier?" She waits for him to nod, then goes into a summary for Jontom. "Apparently, she was the whistle-blower that started all of this, bringing information about the Demon Empress to the Sidereals of the Heptagram. We have to find out where she has gone and make sure she is on our side in this."

Val takes a deep breath. "So much to do, and there is only the three of us. Damn. Kenji, lets get that data crystal out and see what assets we can tap into from it."
 
As the two Sidereals move through the halls to Kenji's office, there are several aides standing in the corridors, many of which are talking amongst themselves trying to come to terms with the disaster that has happened that morning. Most of the time, the conversations come to a halt as you approach, and they give you both a look of profound sadness, and a few even try to offer up some kind words of support for the two of you.

As they walk through the familiar hallways of the Forbidding Manse of Ivy, Kenji cannot shake the chilling realization of the emptiness around him, caused by the sudden and dramatic deaths of his fellow Viziers. He nods to the various aides standing around and thanks them accordingly for their words of support, conveying his determination to uphold his duties in the Bureau even more so in the aftermath of that disastrous event.

Once you get to Kenji's workspace, the fresh smell of coffee comes from inside, just brewed by Roygan, one of the lesser spirits that work to keep your office cleaned up and ready to use. He offers the two of you a hot cup without any comment, knowing that you both have a very long day ahead of you and you'll need all the help you can get. When Roygan finally speaks, he doesn't waste any time with simple platitudes. "Noble Exalts, as always, I am at your service. But, with what that is ahead of us, I fear that I will need to expand this work space and add on some more staff to help. I have a short list of spirits that I believe would be a good start that I am willing to call in at your convenience to have them meet with you."

"Thank you Roygan. You go on and do what needs to be done with the staff recruitment. Make sure that a preliminary screening process of your proposed candidates is conducted, since in light of recent events we cannot be too careful - and schedule the meeting, so that I can evaluate them and start them on their duties as soon as possible. We do need more personnel at this trying hour and we must form a competent operations staff if we're to handle this situation properly. I trust that you can oversee and coordinate their acitivities accordingly in our absence and liaise with us as we take action".

As he speaks, the young Jontom taps on the door before walking in. "Despite the objections of my doctors, we have too much work to do for me to spend my time lounging around in a hospital bed." He takes a seat with a slightly audible grunt of pain, then looks up at the two of you. "So, where do we start?"

Valeren gives the spirit a tired smile as she takes the offered cup of coffee. "Mmmm. Thank you." She takes a deep sniff of the aroma coming from the cup before taking a drink of the rich, black liquid with a sigh. Then, when Jontom comes in, she looks at the younger man with concern. "Are you sure you are ready to be up and about? I appreciate the thought of any helping hand we can get right now, but we need you at your best, and can't stop to take time to coddle you. I do not mean to offend, but we are at war, and have been dealt a staggering blow. There cannot be any hesitation from you when the time comes." No matter what she says, Val is quite certain that Jontom will power his way through his pain, and be a stronger man for it.

"To answer your question, start at the very beginning. We need allies from the ranks of the Solar Exalted, and we now have a list containing the names and locations of several. We will have to go to them and make them understand that they will now be working for us. Also, we have to find out from the security forces if we do have another member of our Fellowship still alive, and if so, who is it, and why were they not at the meeting? Did Jupiter send this Exalt a letter the same way she did to us? Or is there a more sinister reason for the Exalt's absence? We have to know what we are dealing with."

Kenji smiles, genuinely happy to see the younger Sidereal in good spirits. "Welcome on board Jontom. That is our first priorities indeed".

Valeren holds up her hand and starts counting off fingers as she speaks. "As much as I'd like to go straight to the Imperial City and take the Demon Empress' head, she was able to stand toe to toe with several of the best fighters of our ranks and come out victorious. But while we can't do that, we do need to see what is going on in the Realm right now. Another ally we can hope to get on our side is Mnemon." She looks over at Kenji. "Remember the message I got earlier?" She waits for him to nod, then goes into a summary for Jontom. "Apparently, she was the whistle-blower that started all of this, bringing information about the Demon Empress to the Sidereals of the Heptagram. We have to find out where she has gone and make sure she is on our side in this."

Val takes a deep breath. "So much to do, and there is only the three of us. Damn. Kenji, lets get that data crystal out and see what assets we can tap into from it."

"Indeed. Let's see what lies in it".

Kenji gets the data crystal out of his pocket and activates it, to access the data contain inside and lok upon it with his fellow Viziers, in order to find out those Chosen who would perhaps stand in this darkest of hour and assist them in protecting Creation once more.
 
The file opens up in a simple, straight-forward manner, and it reveals that the Gold Faction has three different training camps located across Creation, each one having several Exalted at them.

The first is located deep in the South, on an island of rock in the middle of the Sand Sea. Its location is remote enough that the only way to get there is either by airship, teleportation or by sandship. This location has five Solar Exalted and one Lunar Exalted at it, protected by the best magic that the Gold Faction can come up with to block scrying.

The second location is on the far side of Creation from the one down South, located in the snowy wastes in the edge of the Wyld. The camp has several Reality Stabilizing Engines to keep the Wyld at bay. The camp has four Solars at it.

The third camp is the largest one, boasting a total of seven Solars and two Lunars at it. This one is hidden in the jungles of the East.

One thing that all the camps have in common is that there are several Dragon Blooded at them to help teach the Solars (and the occasional Lunar) and to provide security.
 
Kenji ponders their next course of action, as he surveys the file's contents.

"Sixteen Solars and three Lunars...plus several of the Terrestrial Exalted. I do not know if that will be enough against the forces of Malfeas but it will definitely be a start. The Chosen of Sol Invictus have triumphed over the Titans in ancient times and I'm confident they can do so again. Provided they remember their lost purpose and duty to Creation", he comments, a hint of sadness in his voice.

"The locations are quite apart from each other, though with the help of Yu-Shan's gates we might be able to shorten the time needed to reach each of them. What I'm thinking over is if we should attempt to visit each one at the same time, splitting our meager forces to achieve a potentially faster acquisition of Exalts to our cause or move as a team from each location to the next, to account for possible treacherous acts or unforeseen complications.

Also, provided we reach them and establish contact with them, how would you think it best we approach them? Full disclosure? Let them know of who exactly we are and what is at stake here or keep parts of our identities hidden, to avoid potential exposure if any of them is compromised by the Yozis and their agents?"
 
Valeren looks at the screen with a mix of relief and stress. "I don't know if it is a good thing that we have these Exalts close on hand, or disappointed that there are so few." She leans back in her seat with a sigh. "I would also say that with the attack that just happened, we need to work together and stay as a group to watch each other's backs. Lets approach these training camps all together, and tell them the complete truth. If we tell them any lies, that will come back to haunt us in a bad way." She then looks over at Jontom. "The good news is, you now have two new Sifus. We will begin a rigorous training schedule with you as soon as you are recovered enough to deal with the stresses of the workout."
 
Jontom gives Val a chuckle. "Thanks. I will do my best to make the two of you proud of my skills as we go forward. Now, if we were to be voting on this, I am personally more familiar with the customs and climate of the South than I am of any other part of Creation. I don't know what areas of influence the two of you have, but that region is my personal area of expertise. For a location that far South, we'd need to have either an airship or a sandship to get there, since normal ground transport won't work in the Sand Sea. As we get farther south, the shifting sands are as mutable as water, and you can literally drown down there. A sandship would be easier to arrange, but a small airship might be more impressive to arrive in. Just a thought." He pauses, then looks over at Val once more. "Also, I also like the idea of working as a team, sticking together until we can get some more Exalts on our side."

As you ponder your next action, there is a knock at the door. Looking out, you find a security officer. "Noble Exalts, I have a message for you from the Captain." He hands over a file. "We have identified the bodies of all the fallen, and there is one of your order that is missing: Axtis Jen. The file is what we have on hand about her. I hope it helps."

Jontom thanks the guard and takes the folder and waits for the door to shut before opening up the folder. "Hmmm. Lets see. Axtis Jen, a Exalt of the Maiden of Battles and, according to this, she was affiliated at one time with both the Gold and Bronze factions, and is currently not actively working with either faction at this time. Born in the city of Kingsport in the Western Isles, she Exalted roughly 1,200 years ago. Limited knowledge of magic, but she has dabbled in Necromancy. She knows several Celestial martial art techniques, having mastered the Celestial Monkey, Violet Bier of Sorrows and Ebon Shadow, and her Sidereal styles include Charcoal March of Spiders and Obsidian Shards of Infinity. Her last known posting was with the Convention on Deathlords, working to gain more information on the various power struggles in the Underworld."

Jontom looks up. "Can a Infallible Messenger reach into the Underworld? If Axtis is there now, and the message to return to Yu-Shan never reached her, perhaps she doesn't even know about the attack." He looks between the two of you. "Is that even possible?"
 
Val nods, looking grim. "Yes, Infallible Messenger can go to the Underworld, either from Creation, Yu-Shan, or even the realm of Malfias." She takes a deep breath before continuing. "I am doing my best to keep from jumping to conclusions here, but I am having trouble not thinking the worst about Axtis. But I have to remind ourselves that if it were not for Jupiter stepping in directly to vouch for Kenji and myself, we would be regarded with suspicion for not being at the meeting with everyone else. She may be an innocent victim of this, but we must proceed with caution when dealing with her, especially with the many years of experience she has over us."
 
Valeren looks at the screen with a mix of relief and stress. "I don't know if it is a good thing that we have these Exalts close on hand, or disappointed that there are so few." She leans back in her seat with a sigh. "I would also say that with the attack that just happened, we need to work together and stay as a group to watch each other's backs. Lets approach these training camps all together, and tell them the complete truth. If we tell them any lies, that will come back to haunt us in a bad way." She then looks over at Jontom. "The good news is, you now have two new Sifus. We will begin a rigorous training schedule with you as soon as you are recovered enough to deal with the stresses of the workout."

"Alright. Full disclosure then. Come out clean and hope it won't turn out worse. Maybe it was hubris that forced our predecessors to weave that web of lies and half-truths and perhaps our current suffering is due to this as well. We move out together then and visit the camps one by one. Possibly one of us stays always hidden to account for any surprises along the way? Caution never hurt anyone".

His eyes fall to Jontom, nodding in agreement to Val's comments.

"As for your training Jontom, I do believe that what's about to unfold is a fast-track training course all unto itself. It goes ofcourse without saying, that should we manage to get things under way and form a proper schedule of operations, we'll also make sure you receive the best possible training we can afford to pass on to you. I have a feeling that should we succeed on the monumental task before us, the role of sifu for a whole generation of Viziers we'll be upon us as well for the foreseeable future".

The he turns to Val with a look of acknowledgment.

"All the more reason to make sure this future comes to pass, right?", he adds with a smile.

As you ponder your next action, there is a knock at the door. Looking out, you find a security officer. "Noble Exalts, I have a message for you from the Captain." He hands over a file. "We have identified the bodies of all the fallen, and there is one of your order that is missing: Axtis Jen. The file is what we have on hand about her. I hope it helps."

Jontom thanks the guard and takes the folder and waits for the door to shut before opening up the folder. "Hmmm. Lets see. Axtis Jen, a Exalt of the Maiden of Battles and, according to this, she was affiliated at one time with both the Gold and Bronze factions, and is currently not actively working with either faction at this time. Born in the city of Kingsport in the Western Isles, she Exalted roughly 1,200 years ago. Limited knowledge of magic, but she has dabbled in Necromancy. She knows several Celestial martial art techniques, having mastered the Celestial Monkey, Violet Bier of Sorrows and Ebon Shadow, and her Sidereal styles include Charcoal March of Spiders and Obsidian Shards of Infinity. Her last known posting was with the Convention on Deathlords, working to gain more information on the various power struggles in the Underworld."

Jontom looks up. "Can a Infallible Messenger reach into the Underworld? If Axtis is there now, and the message to return to Yu-Shan never reached her, perhaps she doesn't even know about the attack." He looks between the two of you. "Is that even possible?"

Val nods, looking grim. "Yes, Infallible Messenger can go to the Underworld, either from Creation, Yu-Shan, or even the realm of Malfias." She takes a deep breath before continuing. "I am doing my best to keep from jumping to conclusions here, but I am having trouble not thinking the worst about Axtis. But I have to remind ourselves that if it were not for Jupiter stepping in directly to vouch for Kenji and myself, we would be regarded with suspicion for not being at the meeting with everyone else. She may be an innocent victim of this, but we must proceed with caution when dealing with her, especially with the many years of experience she has over us."

"By the Maidens! It sounds like our surviving comrade is quite capable indeed. Master of three Celestial Martial Arts and two Sidereal Martial Arts on top of that. Even if she was only focused on that field, her expertise must surely be considerable, to say nothing of her mastery of essence that is required to internalize those advanced styles. If she is truly unharmed and uncompromised, her experience and assistance could be invaluable. By merit of seniority and prowess, she sure outranks me, I'll say that much, and I'd like to contact her as soon as possible, even while the burden of planning and decision-making falls to us for the time being.

We should of course be careful, as Val points out, not to either accept her unquestioningly or discard her without proof of treachery. Furthermore, her appointment in the Convention on Deathlords might also prove useful in our attempt to gain further knowledge on those beings that might be circumstancial future allies in the war effort to come. Let us try to contact her once again - even while making preparations for our first journey - and see how things turn out.

You can send another Infallible Messenger and I'll try contacting her via my skin-inscribed message technique, applied through use of the Superior - Entreating Memorial Style resplendancy. That's an ever useful tool for covert communication Jontom, acquired through the House of Endings and the Constellation of the Rising Smoke. Observe closely and make sure to remember it".

OOC
The character burns a letter written on fine silk, addressed to one of her fellow Sidereals. The letter appears discreetly hidden against the recipient’s skin and vibrates gently to announce the letter’s presence.

If the recipient is unclothed at the time of sending, the letter waits Elsewhere for a more appropriate moment and appears then.

Bystanders must succeed at a difficulty 6 (Perception + Awareness) roll to notice the letter’s arrival. Within three days, the recipient may respond in a similar fashion by writing his reply on the letter in emerald-colored ink and burning it. The Sidereal receives the reply in the same manner.
 
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Valeren ponders for a moment, then decides on what to say in her message to Axtis. "One moment while I cast the spell." She musters her Essence and channels her power into Shaping the spell, "Axtis Jen, this is Valeren Drommond. It is vital that I get in touch with you as soon as possible. A disaster has hit Yu-Shan, and your help is needed back here. Please, send a message to me any way that you can. I await your response." With that, she sends the sprite on its way. "There it goes, for what its worth. Hopefully, my bad feelings about this are misplaced, and she will have a good reason for her absence." She then reaches out and takes another big swig from her coffee cup. "So, where do we go first? Try and get the Solars in one of these camps working for us, or do we try to find Mnemon? I have contacts with that House, and I believe that I could find her with a bit of work."

As a side note, Val looks over at Kenji. "I need to learn that Constellation of the Rising Smoke, too. I'm sure that it will become a useful method for the three of us to stay in touch. We'll both be your pupils for that."
 
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"Honourable Axtis Jen, this is Kenji. The Fivescore Fellowship is in a state of emergency and in dire need of your presence, experience and assistance. Yozis and the Empress move against Creation as we speak. Establish communication as soon as possible".
 
It takes about thirty minutes for Kenji to get a reply from his message. It reads, "I can meet in one week's time in the city of Gateway in the Wavecrest Archipelago. Be at the docks at noon."
 
Val gives a wry smile. "Well. Quite a chatty one there, isn't she?" She shakes her head. "No asking why. That bothers me, especially with all the messages that have been sent out saying 'drop everything and come now' and 'a disaster has hit'. Not a good sign in my eyes. We should all go there to meet her together, and possibly bring some additional back up with us. Lets move to one of these training grounds so we can get a handful of Solars as support."
 
As a side note, Val looks over at Kenji. "I need to learn that Constellation of the Rising Smoke, too. I'm sure that it will become a useful method for the three of us to stay in touch. We'll both be your pupils for that."

Kenji nods in quiet affirmation.

"It is true that amongst the Fivescore Fellowship, the Viziers of the Forbidding Manse of Ivy, such as I, were considered to be the foremost experts in the arts of astrology. While I cannot claim such an accolade, I will try to impart upon you my expertise regarding the Astrological College of the Rising Smoke".

His gaze becomes slightly unfocused, as if drifting elsewhere, his voice softens and he continues:

"The constellation of the Rising Smoke represents the end of journeys on both literal paths and metaphorical paths such as initiation, puberty and apprenticeship. In the ascending aspect, those under its domain achieve transformation and attain new states. In the descending aspect, their journeys end in pointless accident and misfortune. This is the constellation of the young man, the journeyman, the corpse on its way to burial, the pubescent Dynast who has not yet Exalted, those up on charges or entangled by lawsuits and death by accident, heart attack, stroke and murder.

When you need to call upon it to create a resplendent destiny under its auspice remember that the Rising Smoke carries good luck prayer strips, a purse of money from her teacher and brand-new journeyman’s equipment. She is optimistic and naïve. Also, keep in mind that it correlates with quick and painless deaths, rest, stagnation, growth, new employment, fresh prospects, murder ".


"As for the Superior - Entreating Memorial style itself, its one of the resplendancies derived from that constellation. Its use only minimally erodes the destiny's endurance and carries no risk for paradox, therefore it's a decent communication tool in our arsenal. It also helps in maintaining the secrecy of the message, due to its functional parameters. It only requires the normal writing paraphernalia, since you do have to write the original letter as usual before utilizing this method to send it to its intended recipient".

It takes about thirty minutes for Kenji to get a reply from his message. It reads, "I can meet in one week's time in the city of Gateway in the Wavecrest Archipelago. Be at the docks at noon."

Kenji's eyes momentarily spark with interest at the quick response and he sends back a quick confirmation.

Val gives a wry smile. "Well. Quite a chatty one there, isn't she?" She shakes her head. "No asking why. That bothers me, especially with all the messages that have been sent out saying 'drop everything and come now' and 'a disaster has hit'. Not a good sign in my eyes. We should all go there to meet her together, and possibly bring some additional back up with us. Lets move to one of these training grounds so we can get a handful of Solars as support."

"Agreed. We need to do as much as possible during that week's time, then meet up with her. So, where to first? South, to give our younger fellow here a chance to put his knowledge of the region in good use and feel active once again?", he adds with a smile.
 
"South it is. Since we have a timetable to stick to, we should leave as soon as possible. In order to make it to the training camp quickly, I suggest we arrange transport with a airship, one large enough to carry several passengers. That way we can then use it to fly to Wavecrest for our meeting with Axtis with as many of the Exalts with us that we can cram into it." Val stands and stretches before continuing. "I believe an Aerial Skiff will fit through the Gateway, and give us enough room for up to twenty people to take with us. Gather what supplies you may need while I make the arrangements for our ship. Shall we meet at the Gateway, say, in three hours time? Will that give everyone enough time?"
 
With the passage of time, the three of you meet up once more at a airship landing pad next to the Gateway leading south, closest to the Solars' training camp. Valeren has acquired the promised airship and there is enough supplies on board to last you for a while. Unless there is any business you wish to accomplish before you make your transition through the Gateway to Creation, you are ready to leave.
 
OOC

1. I'll make sure to notify Roygan that I'll be living on a mission and have him manage my office affairs in my absence, keep track of those new spirits that wish to be inducted in my staff, liaise with the Captain in case any new information come up etc.

2. I'll also see if I can get an audience with the Department Head of the Forbidding Manse of Ivy, Nara - O, to update him on the latest developments, request his advice if any and ask of information regarding Axtis Jen. Ideally, I'd wish to speak about that to Hu-Dai-Liang (the Department Head of the Crimson Panoply of Victory) as well, since we were informed that Axtis Jen is a Chosen of Battles, but I do not think that given our tight schedule that would be possible.

3. I'll send a message in the most urgent and secretive way possible to Verumipra, Warden of the Exiles in the Demon City, to let him know of the conspiracy of the Yozis and the Scarlet Empress and to secure his communication and cooperation, as well as to request from him to re-double his efforts in watching over the denizens of Malfeas, in an attempt to gather additional intelligence on our enemies.

4. I'll send a message to my contacts in the All-Seeing Eye as well, under my alternate identity as a high level Dragon-Blooded operative, to get an update on the status of the Eye, the operations of the Wyld Hunt etc. My reasoning is that since those organizations were responsible to track down Anathema, perhaps we could use any information they uncover, to our benefit, in order to approach first potential allies, to recruit them to our cause.

4. Finally, I'll send a prayer/message to Jupiter, the Maiden of Secrets, to inform her that we are initiating our counter-strategy against the enemies of Creation.
 
1. I'll make sure to notify Roygan that I'll be living on a mission and have him manage my office affairs in my absence, keep track of those new spirits that wish to be inducted in my staff, liaise with the Captain in case any new information come up etc.
He responds with the same level of professionalism that drew him to you initially all those years ago. "As you wish. I will keep things here under control and gather up a few good candidates to assist in the extra work load that will be coming through this office. Safe journeys, sir."
2. I'll also see if I can get an audience with the Department Head of the Forbidding Manse of Ivy, Nara - O, to update him on the latest developments, request his advice if any and ask of information regarding Axtis Jen. Ideally, I'd wish to speak about that to Hu-Dai-Liang (the Department Head of the Crimson Panoply of Victory) as well, since we were informed that Axtis Jen is a Chosen of Battles, but I do not think that given our tight schedule that would be possible.
Neither person is currently available for a face to face meeting due to their own work in putting Yu-Shan back together, but they both reply to you. Nara-O thanks you for the update, and will begin to compile what information on Axtis Jen that he can for you and will have it ready in the next day or two. He also wishes you luck on your recruitment efforts, and warns you to use the utmost level of caution when meeting with Axtis.

Hu-Dai-Liang reports to you that Axtis has always been driven to better herself, and is very competitive with anyone over just about anything. According to him, her arrogance is somewhat deserved, because she is one of the best fighters that he has seen in centuries, but that can also be a fatal flaw as she overestimates her own ability to face a challenge and has been known to get into trouble because of that. He also plans on getting you some more detailed information on her before your meeting at Wavecrest.
3. I'll send a message in the most urgent and secretive way possible to Verumipra, Warden of the Exiles in the Demon City, to let him know of the conspiracy of the Yozis and the Scarlet Empress and to secure his communication and cooperation, as well as to request from him to re-double his efforts in watching over the denizens of Malfeas, in an attempt to gather additional intelligence on our enemies.
Your message is sent, but in the time you currently have before meeting with Jontom and Valeren, there is no response.
4. I'll send a message to my contacts in the All-Seeing Eye as well, under my alternate identity as a high level Dragon-Blooded operative, to get an update on the status of the Eye, the operations of the Wyld Hunt etc. My reasoning is that since those organizations were responsible to track down Anathema, perhaps we could use any information they uncover, to our benefit, in order to approach first potential allies, to recruit them to our cause.
Messages are sent to your contacts, but they will not be able to reply to you in Yu-Shan before you leave, but at least you have the orders given to gather up intelligence and report to you ASAP.
4. Finally, I'll send a prayer/message to Jupiter, the Maiden of Secrets, to inform her that we are initiating our counter-strategy against the enemies of Creation.
Once more, your message has been sent, and the only response you receive is a perfunctory one of good luck on your recruitment efforts.

Now that everyone has come together at the Gateway, you board the Aerial Skiff and prepare to fly it through to Creation. It is a tight fit for the ship going through the passageway, but soon you are clear and free to navigate. According to the data you found on Ayesha Ura's files, it will take this ship about two hours to fly the distance to the training center, assuming you go straight there and don't make any stops.

During the flight, Jontom settles into one of the seats, closes his eyes, and does his best to get a quick nap. His body is still healing from his near death wound, and he's understandably tired, even with the advanced healing techniques available to you in the Celestial City.

Right on schedule, you can see a mesa rising up from the shifting desert sands, easily several miles across, with several buildings visible on its very top. As you get closer, you can see that there is plenty of room for your Skiff to set down nearby the buildings without causing any damage. Several people can be seen on the top of the mesa, moving about and performing various chores, and they begin to stop what they are doing to look up at the sky to see what is coming to their small corner of Creation. By the time you land, there is easily two dozen people coming out of the various buildings to see you.

From the file you have, you know the passwords to give to let them know you are from Yu-Shan, so you should be all set to go out. If you wish to activate any Scene long Charms, do so now and make sure you identify which Essence pool you are charging them from.
 
Valeren takes the airship in a slow arc to land in one of the larger open areas on the mesa and powers down the Essence reactor. She stands and looks to her two fellow Sidereals. "Well, here we are. Shall we go down the ramp and say 'hello'?" She spends a moment to channel her Essence into a few precautionary Charms, then heads for the ramp. Once her two companions give her a nod, she pulls a lever to open the hatch and, with a silk fan in hand, she steps out and confidently makes her way down to the ground, her gown gently flowing in the wind.

Activating Optimistic Security Practice (5m), Telltale Symphony (5m), and Dreaming Pearl Courtesan Form (5m), all from Personal Essence.
Willpower: 10
Essence: 6
Personal: 22/7
Peripheral: 57 +6 from Skin Mount Amulet (63 total) / 17 committed (46 available)
Health Levels
[ ][ ][ ] -0
[ ][ ] -1
[ ][ ][ ][ ] -2
[ ] -4
[ ] I

Soak: 3B/2L
With Optimistic Security Practice and Artifacts: 14B/13L/6A
 
Kenji takes the view in for a few moments then turns to Val. "Time to then. You did say open approach and full disclosure, so none of my concealment or identity altering tricks for this one, eh?", he asks with a smile, "that will be an interesting change of pace. Let's see how it goes. "

Concentrating briefly to direct his essence to coalesce into familiar patterns, enhancing his senses and fortifying his being, Kenji exhales slowly. While unable to conceal his identity or hide himself, due to the particulars of their intended cause, it is prudent to at least maintain a degree of anticipation for unfortunate events. He pushes away ominous thoughts, forces his breath into a relaxed pattern, showing no outward signs of anxiety and rests his hand encouragingly on Jontom's shoulder for a moment.

"You're in the favourite Direction of yours, young Vizier. The South is all around us. Make it count. You have our trust and we have your back".

Then, with a graceful gesture shows Val the way down the ramp. "After you, Lady Valeren. As they say, there is no second chance to a good first impression, and that, my dear, I believe is your specialty".

Activating Optimistic Security Practice (5m), Telltale Symphony (5m) and Violet Bier of Sorrows Form (6m), all from Personal Essence.

Willpower: 10
Essence: 5
Personal: 4/20
Peripheral: 39/53 (14 committed, 39 available)
Health Levels
[ ] -0
[ ][ ] -1
[ ][ ] -2
[ ] -4
[ ] Inc

Soak:

Bashing: [((Stamina 3+Armour 5)+Any other Modifiers)]: 8B or 18B with Optimistic Security Practise active

Lethal: [(((Stamina /2) 1 +Armour 5)+Any other Modifiers)] 6L or 16L with Optimistic Security Practise active

Aggravated: [Armour 5 +Any other Modifiers)]: 5A or 15A with Optimistic Security Practise active
 
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Valeren pauses in the hatch of the Skiff and looks down at the various people that have come to investigate the airship's landing, then slowly glided down the ramp to the ground. With all eyes on her, she approaches the nearest person to the airship, all the while gently cooling herself with her silk fan. Stopping a short distance from the man she had approached, she says, "I am Valeren Drommond, this is Kenji, and my third companion is Jontom. We have important news from Yu-Shan that will affect all of Creation. We have discovered where the Empress was during her many years missing. She was in the heart of Malfias, planning with the Ebon Dragon to come up with a means for his escape from the ancient prison so he can lead a new attack against Creation. This news came to the Fivescore Fellowship too late, though. The forces of the Demon Empress attacked the assembled Sidereals at their Conclave, and all but four of the Fellowship were slain. All is not lost, though. We will marshal our forces and face the Yozis and their lackeys, and once more Creation will prevail. What this means for you is that your training time here is over as we prepare to meet the evil that seeks to undo all that we have and hold dear. With all of us working together, we shall face all of the challenges that the future holds for us and come through them stronger than ever. Now, I am sure that you have questions for us. Ask quickly, as time is fleeting and we must have the Exalts of this camp prepare to leave as soon as possible."
With Telltale Symphony, I want to try to identify which of the people here are Exalted, and what their Essence level is. My die pool for a good first impression of Charisma and Presence is 13 dice, and I will spend a Willpower point for a automatic success. If the roll is based on Cha and Performance, the pool goes up to 17 dice with the auto success.
Optimistic Security Practice, Telltale Symphony, and Dreaming Pearl Courtesan Form active
Willpower: 10 / 9
Essence: 6
Personal: 22 / 7
Peripheral: 57 +6 from Skin Mount Amulet (63 total) / 17 committed (46 available)
Health Levels
[ ][ ][ ] -0
[ ][ ] -1
[ ][ ][ ][ ] -2
[ ] -4
[ ] I

With Optimistic Security Practice and Artifacts: 14B/13L/6A
 
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With Telltale Symphony, I want to try to identify which of the people here are Exalted, and what their Essence level is.
In the crowd in front of you, there are five Exalted. One of them that appears to be a Fire Aspect Dragon Blood shows to be Essence 4, while the other four there are all Essence 3. One of those E3 Exalts is a Lunar; you can see his tattoos that are easily visible under his vest. Of the last three, one has several bits of Jade on him, while the last two both have the distinctive gold Magical Material of the Solars.

A angry muttering can be heard from the assembled people in front of you, saying unkind things about the Demon Empress and her Yozi lover. The Fire Aspect Exalt says, "Come with me. We can discuss this inside where it is a bit cooler, and you can give us some more details on what happened, and what you want from us. Mel, Tom, Rugard, and Apple, come with me. The rest of you have work to do, but don't worry. I'm sure that you'll hear all of the dirty little details soon enough." With that, the crowd disperses, leaving you three with the five Exalts.

They lead you to a nearby hut where you can get out of the brutal desert sun and get a cool drink as you relax on a pile of pillows. "I am Gregam, the eldest teacher here with the absence of our usual instructors. Please, tell us what you can."
 

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