Trial By Fire - Exalted 2e IC Thread

[Sherwood]

"You have not seen the future that would have happened if we had not stepped forward and did what was necessary. It was as bleak as you can imagine, and I see no reason not to think that you and yours wouldn't eventually become the same overbearing tyrants that we moved to stop before."

 

[jaydude]

Annika shakes her head. "You think what you did was necessary? Because that's not what Aysik said. According to him, another course of action that could have worked was talking to the old Solars, and trying to convince them to change their ways."

She then lets out a sigh. "I'm amazed that you still think the Usurpation was the only option, even after everything that happened since. And do you know what I think? If the Great Contagion and the Wyld Invasion had happened when we were still in charge, we would have gotten our acts together and worked to stop these disasters from wreaking such damage upon Creation. But I suppose we'll never see if that's true, after everything you and the Sidereals have done."

 

[LowRollLyfe]

Durke stood and cheered when the ceremony came to an end, celebrating the new couple. Sure he had just met them, but it was a joyous occasion all the same and deserved the most grand of hurrahs.

The festivities after were quite the spectacle. Durke considered taking part in the singing and dancing but the alcohol called to him instead. Soon, Durke was regaling anyone that passed by with his stories of adventure, battle, and triumphant. Many were taken by the breathtaking depth and realism in his stories. However, as he partook more alcohol, Durke's stories slowly took a more somber note. Victories and swashbuckling morphed into adversity and hardship. By the time the festivities were coming to an end, Durke was mostly telling stories of tragedy and loss to the dwindled crowd. Memories of his failures overtook him and Durke rose uneasily, alcohol clouding his senses. He left the few remaining listeners and walked off to the city's walls, his final failing left unfinished, unspoken.

He spent the rest of the night staring into the heavens, deafened to the sounds of the city behind him.

 

[LowRollLyfe]

When he awoke, Durke considered going to what he thought was the interrogation of the captured exalts, but knew he wouldn't have the stomach for it. Brutality in battle was one thing, when the foe was armed and just as willing to take his life. This; however, was facing two unarmed, beaten men and hurting them in the false name of justice. Such an act had no honour.

Instead, Durke wished to question the blacksmith he met at the meeting prior to the wedding. Why would someone seriously use ceremonial golden arms in combat? With this question in mind, Durke collected his own set of 'ceremonial' armor that he acquired a while back and set out for the blacksmith's workshop.

Upon arriving, Durke banged on the door. "H'llo in there! Can someone open this door, I've got questions that need answerin'!"

 

[MasterDAF]

Koharu opened the door, greeting Durke at the entryway. "Sorry, we are closed for the celebrations." She moved to close it, then recognized his face from after the assassination attempt and instead stepped back. " Being one of Lord Viktor's fellow Sun Princes however, you have a standing invitation at all times." Koharu gestured for the mercenary to follow her in.

Once they have entered the front of the shop, Durke can see he is surrounded by an arrangement of fine armaments. Most look to be forged of either pressed bronze or tempered steel, while a select few are colored differently and look more ceremonious.

Viktor appears from behind a cloth-covered doorway. "Koharu, what did they wa--" He blinks in surprise. "Oh, hello Durke. What brings you here?"

 

[LowRollLyfe]

Durke nods to her before responding, "Thank ya' for the exception ma'am, but I'm no prince. No, I'm merely an experienced fellow with an odd relationship with the Lady Luck." He then follows Koharu into the workshop.

As the two make the snaking journey past shelves of tools and the arms crafted by said tools, Durke can't help but to be impressed by the fine worksmanship. While not a craftsman himself, handling so many weapons in his life had given Durke the ability to see a well made weapon versus a shoddy one. Eventually, the two reach the man in question as his head pops out from behind a cloth to pose his question.

"Well, ughhh, Victor right? I was confused as to why our friends used ceremonial weapons in that ambush. Seein' a bunch of gold blades get whipped out was quite the odd sight. I saw all that fine gear as we walked back 'ere, so why aren't they carryin' that quality steel instead of a bunch of fragile gold weapons?" Durke pauses to scratch his head, clearly puzzled by the strange behavior of his new compatriots. "Also wanted to know if you could armor my boys in some of this castle-forged equipment. Seein' as this will be our new home, it would be much appreciated if they could be compensated as such." Durke, finished with his questions, drops a large canvas sack at his feet (causing a large metallic clang as metal impacts stone) and stretches.

 

[MasterDAF]

Viktor nodded along as Durke dropped the canvas sack and requested the blacksmith outfit his group of soldiers. "I could certainly do that. It'll take a little time, but if you can get me their weaponry and armor preferences, I have no doubt I can put some equipment together that they'll find acceptable."

Rubbing his chin, Viktor paused to think. After a moment, he turned to his automata assistant. "Would you please bring me Daylight Doom of the Unshaped?" Koharu nodded, and left the two of them to retrieve his daiklave.

He turned back to the mercenary. "I appreciate your kind words concerning the armaments I've crafted. However, these items all pale in comparison to the strength and durability of the ones you've deemed 'ceremonial' weaponry. Though I wouldn't necessarily call 'ceremonial weaponry' a purely misnomer term. Many of the items are ancient artifacts from the First Age with histories of their own, and held places of respect among the varied panoply of heroes."

Viktor removed the golden sunburst ring from the middle finger of his left hand, and tossed it to Durke. "I found this in a tomb near Chiaroscuro. It is of the same material as the weapons you saw our comrades wield the night we were attacked. Though it looks fairly similar to gold, if you look closely you'll note that its luster is slightly duller. In that way, it bears a resemblence to copper or bronze. Try to bend it, and you'll notice how resilient it is to your efforts. It is forged from a rare and wonderous metal called Orichalcum, and it magically resonates with the spirits of those Exalts blessed by Sol Invictus."

 

[MasterDAF]

[EXTREMELY PREVIOUSLY...]

VIKTOR: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS
ENTRY #2​

Map:

Spoiler

Story:

Spoiler

24TH DAY OF ASCENDING AIR, RY 769​

“I think I’m gonna be sick.”

Viktor leaned over the railing, waiting for something horrible to happen. After a few minutes of nothing, he pulled himself back and sat down on the deck. Koharu walked up, surprised at his position.

“How strange. You haven’t exhibited any typical signs of poor constitution during our voyage so far. I wonder what has caused it to come up now?”

He shook his head gently, keeping his gaze facing downward. “I think it was those oysters last night. I was never one for seafood, and this overabundance of it has been really giving me a bit of a challenge.” His stomach rumbled, as though to voice its agreement. “Oh boy…”

Koharu looked out over the endless water surrounding them. “Well, we are about half way through our trip. Assuming we don’t run into any more Realm skiffs, we should reach Cherak in about another three weeks or so.”

“Yeah,” he nodded, “that will be nice.” He grinned, ignoring his stomach for a moment. “Oh, but to feel dry land beneath my feet again. Such a heavenly request. Dare I dream it?”

“Haha!” Koharu laughed, a sweet sound that brought a smile to the faces of those working around them. She took a seat next to the blacksmith, stretching out as though to relax.

“Though if I’m being honest,” he admitted, “I have actually quite enjoyed our trip along the Inland Sea so far.”

“Yes. Except the close call with the Realm skiff. That I could have done without.”

“That’s true. If they’d realized we were aboard, this entire endeavor could have been over before it started.” He looked over at his traveling companion, gaze fixed on her midsection and the scar that traced across her skin.

He had managed to affix a sheet of metal across her broken and exposed wiring, heating the edges and then bonding them together like one might patch a hole in their carriage. This helped provide a buffer for the foreseeable future and protected against further damage being inflicted upon the wiring. Unfortunately, it also registered as erroneous maintenance within her programming. Do to this technical error, her normally flawless ability to mimic a chosen appearance had been hampered. The best she could do with the patch in place was force the synthetic skin to come together over the sheet metal and bond in a rough facsimile of a horizontal scar.

She had repeatedly informed him that he’d done the best job possible given the materials they had on hand, but that didn’t stop Viktor from being unhappy with himself and his inability to fully repair her. He shook his head, trying to clear away the negative thoughts. Can’t do anything about that now. I’ll just have to wait until we get to the Scavenger Lands. I’m sure we’ll be able to find something useful there.

“So,” Koharu began to sit up, “did you want to head back down below deck and do some more work on your blueprints?”

Viktor nodded and began to stand. He wiped the back of his pants to knock off the small bits of dirt that accumulated when he sat and offered the automata a hand up. She gladly took it, then he lifted her from the deck up onto her feet. “Let’s get something to drink first though,” he said, heading in the direction of the galley. “Maybe a strong jug of mead will help keep me from feeling the effects of those oysters.”

Koharu didn’t think it would have the beneficial effect he was hoping for; however, she was happy to see him smiling and gladly followed along down the length of the ship. As they neared the aft staircase a group of sailors stepped out and eyed the two travelers warily. Koharu’s kept a vigil as the two of them entered the staircase, returning the look the sailors were giving them and ready for a fight if one were to break-out. Luckily no such thing happened, and after a moment the sailors broke ranks and headed off in different directions to tackle their individual tasks.

Viktor shook his head in annoyance as they descended the staircase. Most of the crew working Talbar’s ship followed the merchant’s orders and treated the two as guests, even if perhaps they weren’t enthusiastic in their actions. A few of the crew had chosen to behave in a manner only a hair shy of standoffish though, and this created awkward situations when they encountered each other.

“Perhaps we should mention that to Talbar when next we see him?” Koharu proposed as they reached the bottom of the staircase.

“Nah, I doubt there is much he could do. Not if he plans to keep his crew’s loyalty, that is.”

As frustrating as it was, Viktor understood that many of the people who lived around the Inland Sea grew up surrounded by the enforced-doctrine of Immaculate-related beliefs. They might have no moral qualms with selling room on a cargo or trading ship to a few stowaways. But finding out those stowaways could potentially be at the top of the Realm’s hit-list was sure to strain any previously arranged commitments. Considering their current condition, the blacksmith was sure it was taking every bit of influence Talbar had to keep his crew from mutinying.

Viktor moved towards the galley. “Let’s just focus on making it to Cherak in one piece,” he said while holding the door open for his companion. Nodding in appreciation, Koharu stepped through first and he followed close behind.

The ship’s galley had been constructed to be a spacious room for aristocrats to eat and socialize. It had boasted a large piano on one wall, and magical trays that remained level for holding food on the opposing wall. In the front center of the room had sat large rounded-rectangular tables of brilliant redwood, with special candelabras embedded in the center to provide light for each of the five tables. Finally, the back middle of the room had featured a large floor for dancing, and doors leading to the kitchen and prep rooms. It plied the Inland Sea for six months under the auspices of a Patrician captain named Peleps Danube, offering services to wealthy Dynasts that most could not match.

During the seventh month of its voyage, the Patrician mistakenly insulted a Dragon-Blooded Dynast of House Mnemnon and laid the foundation for a new feud between the two Great Houses. His elders immediately forced him to relinquish control of the ship. He was compelled to sell it off, as that was the only course of action to prevent public reprimand and irreparable damage to his name.

Thus, the former pleasure galley fell into the hands of the enterprising merchant Talbar. He immediately set to work transforming the dining venue into a galley suitable for large numbers of hard-working sailors. Within two months of non-stop work the ship was back on the water, but it looked much different and served a vastly changed purpose. The tables were chopped down into long strips and reattached at the ends to form long counters that allowed for eating from both sides. The piano was alive with music again, but its melodies were in the service of much bawdier tunes than were played before. And the magical food-trays were sold off and replaced with simple metal bars for food placement.

These were the sights Viktor and Koharu viewed as they entered the galley, along with a couple dozen sailors loudly talking over their meals. They quickly joined in the organized chaos of the galley, as had become habit by now, and stepped into line for food from the buffet. After filling their plates, they made their way to a table they had become accustomed to sitting at.

“I’m going to see about that mead,” Viktor said before heading off in the direction of the kitchen.

Koharu picked at her food, testing for something with a flavor she might enjoy. She had no need to eat, and typically only did so to fit in with humans and make them more comfortable. But she did find that some foods delighted her synthetic taste buds more than others. The particular offerings for the day, tilapia with some kind of hot spice added, were exceptionally delicious. Had she been a human the heat might have brought tears to her eyes, instead she enjoyed it unhindered and quickly got up for a second plate.

Viktor returned shortly with a stout brown jug of what could only be assumed was mead, and the two enjoyed their meal together largely in silence (excepting the cacophony of noise surrounding them). As they were close to finishing, Talbar walked in through the doors and made his way towards them.

“Hello. I trust you’ve found the foot palatable?”

Viktor considered mentioning the overabundance of seafood, then decided against it. “Yes, it has been fine.”

“Word has it you’ve been spending inordinate amounts of time above-deck today.”

The blacksmith snorted in his food, and Koharu spoke up. “We did decide to spend the majority of the morning in the sun, yes.”

“I’d really rather you did not do that. Especially with our manifest pulling us so close to Noble and the territory of the Imperial Merchant Marines.”

“Worry not, Talbar,” Viktor began, “we have no interest in drawing the Realms’ eye to your ship or crew.”

“And yet you spend hours in total visibility, as though daring a passing vessel to take a closer look.”

Viktor shook his head and cracked a smile. “Is it really such a crime to spend the morning in the sunlight? How else am I to venerate Sol Invictus?”

Talbar’s mouth visibly tightened. “I would ask that you keep such activities contained in the room set aside for you. Your presence already poses a threat. Praying to outlawed deities only exacerbates the situation.”

The merchant stomped off towards the kitchens, and Viktor turned to Koharu. “I really get the feeling he doesn’t like us.”

The two of them finished the last of their food, then headed out to return to their rooms. Though Viktor enjoyed poking fun at the merchant, he knew the man was right on some accounts. Too much risk was dangerous, and they couldn’t afford to put themselves or their travel in the path of Realm-fueled danger.

Viktor led his companion back up the stairs and out into the blazing light of midday. “Let’s head back to the cabin. We probably shouldn’t push Talbar too far, and I’ve got work to do on the ring blueprints anyways.”

They passed by one of the hostile sailors from earlier, and the man glared at them from behind the rigging. Stepping around the ropes, the sailor approached them. Spitting at the ground in front of Viktor, he spoke. “I ought to flag down a passing ship and tell them of you, sun-monster. We don’t want you here.” He looked over at Koharu and sneered. “Or your disgusting body-snatcher, for that matter.”

Viktor took a deep breath before responding, trying to keep himself from rising to the affront. “Listen. I know you were raised to believe we’re all demons without an ounce of humanity. But we have done nothing to wrong you personally or earn your ire.”

The sailor continued to sneer, ignoring the plea for reason. “Your words are meaningless, monster. I know the old stories, my father taught me well. You’d pretend to be our friend with one hand, while plotting against us with the other. Nothing good can come from an anathema.”

“That’s not the case at all,” Viktor protested. “I can’t speak for anyone else, but I certainly have no interest in harming anybody. I’m a builder, for Sol’s sake! I would much rather build wonders with these hands, than tear them down.”

“No,” the sailor replied. “All you –”

A large wave crested over the port side of the ship, interrupting their discussion and knocking them off their feet. “What in the world?” the sailor cried in alarm as they were thrown backwards.

Where the wave had previously peaked and crashed over the railing now stood a giant crab-like monstrosity. Its bright red shell squatted low to the deck, with three large legs protruding from either side holding it up. It sported two large arms ending in sharp claws and snapped them menacingly at the sailors on deck. The deckhands froze in terror, unsure of how to respond. The creature released a loud clicking noise and raced towards the water-swept group.

Koharu was the first up, leaping from her prone position and kicking away a giant claw before it could snap closed. Viktor followed next, jumping up at the crab and wrapping his body around the other claw to prevent it from closing around the injured sailor.

The crab-beast waved its claw in an attempt to shake Viktor loose. “Wow, this thing is strong!” the blacksmith yelled as he gripped tightly. Koharu had to keep her focus on the other claw, so that it didn’t try to pry the Solar off with it.

The argumentative sailor groggily sat up, then jumped back when his gaze focused on the monster brought forth from the sea. A couple other member of the crew saw what Viktor and Koharu were doing and rushed forward to help. As the sea-borne monster eyed the approaching sailors, a seam appeared across the bottom of the shell and began to widen. “What’s it doing?” they asked, pulling out an assortment of knives and cudgels.

Before they could close in on the creature, dozens of small red crabs streamed out from the opening and began to crawl towards the sailors. Within seconds they were on the ill-prepared mortals, pinching their feet and leaving horrible red abrasions everywhere they touched skin.

“This is not looking good!” Viktor bellowed as the giant crab swung him around in the air. “If only I had my hammer, I’d crack this thing open like it was dinner time!”

“Maybe the crew can give us a hand?” Koharu offered, continuing to knock away the second claw-tipped arm each time it reached for him.

Viktor chanced a look towards the assembled sailors as he flew about. Most of the deckhands were preoccupied with the spreading red rashes on their skin and smashing the multitude of crabs scuttling around their feet. He was fairly certain they would be unable to aid with the larger monster on deck.

“No, I think we’re on our own with this one!” It slammed him heavily into the deck, cracking the wooden boards as they collided with the blacksmith. When it lifted him back up, Viktor had to blink to refocus his vision and keep his tight grip. “However long that lasts!”

“Maybe I can help!” The sailor who had crawled away in fear leaped over the small swarm of crabs, closing the distance between himself and the beast from the sea. It stared at the newcomer with interest, its large eye stalks waving in the swift salty breeze. Then, with a swift motion, the sailor’s cutlass sliced through one of the stalks and caused the eye to drop backwards into the sea.

The monster emitted a horrendous noise of pain and began scuttling erratically across the deck. It bulldozed into the sailor, knocking him from his feet, and attempted to dig its small mouth-claws into his torso. The sailor yelled out in panic, bracing his weapon against the monster and using it to push against the crab’s impenetrable exoskeleton.

Viktor leapt from the claw, no longer the greatest priority, and instead dropped to the deck and snatched an extra knife from one of the deckhand’s belts. “Don’t mind if I do.”

Moving with the speed and intensity of molten lava, the blacksmith leapt forward and wrapped one arm around the claw he’d previously abandoned. His knife melted through the arm where it connected to the crab’s body, causing it to thrash about as it began retreating from the struggling sailor.

Working in a joined effort, Viktor, Koharu, and the daring sailor forced the monster back towards the edge of the ship. The Twilight crafter dropped his knife and lifted the massive piece of shell-encased arm into his twin-handed grasp. Viktor grinned and shifted it until it rested firmly in his hands as a hammer would, then stepped back towards the injured creature.

“Step back,” he commanded. As his companions moved Viktor’s cast mark began to glow and display its half-filled circle form, while a large elephant of shimmering gold appeared beside him. With a powerful pivot, Viktor swung the broken chunk of arm so that it collided with the massive foe. His golden elephant anima charged alongside the attack, lowering its tusks as it connected and flinging the massive monster out into the sparkling water. The moment the crab-beast sunk beneath the water’s surface, the remaining red crabs aboard the ship turned and leapt out into the sea to follow their progenitor.

The majority of the sailors collapsed in exhaustion, dropping to the wooden deck and breathing heavily after their unexpected ordeal. Tossing the hulking arm of the beast into the water, Viktor turned back to the sailors scattered across the deck. He was about to make a funny quip about the incident, but then noticed that most of them were looking at the caste mark glowing above his brow.

If they didn’t know what he was yet, they did now.

One of the men raised an arm wordlessly, pointing at the glowing symbol. This was followed by a muttering of “anathema”, and a few more pointing hands.

As the murmurs grew in intensity Viktor turned to look at Koharu, and their eyes met. This was about to get out of hand, and they had to do something about it fast. He stepped forward and opened his mouth to speak, but the sailor he’d argued with earlier spoke first.

“Not anathema. Ally.”

Viktor’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Huh? What game is this guy playing?

“He could have let that thing come aboard and slaughter all of us,” the man continued. “He could have let it eat me alive as I lay beneath it. Instead, he placed himself between us, risking his life for mine. That golden glow means nothing to me in comparison to his actions. So, I say it again. Ally.”

Viktor and Koharu shared another look, unsure of how to react. As the murmur died down and the other deckhands started to nod along to the sailor’s words though, it seemed he’d produced a positive outcome where one seemed unlikely just moments earlier.

The sailor walked over to Viktor and Koharu, bowing to each of them in turn. “I would like to apologize for my earlier comments. They were inaccurate, and do not represent the kindness you have done us this day.”

Koharu smiled in response, and Viktor nodded to the man. “Thank you, I appreciate your willingness to say that.” He turned to address the rest of the crew assembled before him. “And to all of you, I say thank you as well. I very much intend to help right the wrongs that have been transgressed against the people of Creation. This cannot be accomplished without cooperation between Exalts like me and people of Creation such as yourselves.”

The crew seemed to react positively to his message, and Viktor felt Koharu’s gentle hand rest lightly upon his shoulder. He looked to her and allowed himself a smile.

“Look at you,” Koharu said softly. “Giving speeches and building alliances, just like the Solars of old.” She favored him with a sly smile. “At this rate, you’ll end up taking your friend Aredin’s place as resident Eclipse caste,” she teased.

Viktor laughed heartily, then wiped tears from the edges of his eyes and nodded. “Yes, that would certainly be a travesty.”

“Sir?” one of the sailors near the pair spoke.

Viktor straightened up and reclaimed his more serious demeanor. “Yes, what is it?”

“Word just came down from the crow’s nest. A ship nears on the horizon.”

Viktor felt a pit form in his stomach. We can’t have a happy moment, without something else going wrong. “Is it a Realm ship?”

“We believe so, sir. It flies the flag of a cadet house based in Noble.”

He nodded along. “Yeah, I had a feeling it would be something like that. You’d best inform Talbar.”

The blacksmith looked to Koharu. As if she’d read his mind, the automata began walking towards the entryway to the staircase below deck. He looked back to the deckhand. “We’re gonna head out of sight for now. This,” he pointed to his forehead, “will glow for some time still. If that ship gets much closer there’s a chance they’ll see it reflecting on the water. Obviously, we don’t want that to happen.”

As the pair began to descend the staircase, Viktor called back over his shoulder. “If Talbar needs to speak with us, we’ll be in our cabin.” And if he wants to thank us for unifying his crew, he can do that too.

 

[LowRollLyfe]

Durke rolls the ring around on the palm of his hand before attempting to crush it in his fist. He opens his hand, than grunts through his amused frown, "Hmmph, tougher then it looks." Durke then proceeds to pick his sack up and dump the contents onto the nearby table. Loud 'clangs' ring out from the table as dull golden armor and arms pour out. "I picked up this stuff not too long back. Figured it would be worth a bit, but somethin' in the back of ma'mind has stopped me from ever sellin' it." Durke thrusts the ring next to the armor to compare the metals of the differing pieces. "Well, they look kinda similar but I'm no expert. What do ya' think Victor?"

 

[MasterDAF]

Viktor's eyes widen in surprise when he sees the assembled golden armaments Durke collected fall into a heap on the rough table surface. "Hmm, It sure looks like it." He moved in closer, pulling a few of the alchemical stones from his hip-pouch and striking them against the metal. One of them left a long greenish-blue streak across the armor, and the blacksmith couldn't keep the grin from spreading across his face. "Yeah, that's definitely orichalcum!"

He pulled out a rag from nearby, and after submerging it in a bucket of water began wiping it on the metal to remove the streaky residue. "Definitely a good thing you decided not to sell it. It is extremely rare, and you'd have been hard pressed to find more later." Viktor shrugged as he cleaned the other man's armor. "Honestly, I haven't seen a single new piece of orichalcum equipment since my comrades and I raided our old tomb in the desert. And while I've read texts supporting the existence of buried and hidden orichalcum mines, I imagine the Dragon-Bloods of the Shogunate planned ahead well enough to either make them inaccessible or heavily guarded. So I'm not holding my breath to find workable ore anytime soon."

He nodded in appreciation of the craftsmanship adorning the assorted items. "These just look amazing. Where in all of vast Creation did you find them?"

[Thaumaturgy Roll: 4 Perception + 5 Occult + 1 Thaumaturgy = 5 Successes - 1 Difficulty = 4 Threshold Successes]

 

[LowRollLyfe]

Durke tilts his head back and looks at the ceiling while his right hand scratches at his chin. He narrows his eyes, thought clouding his expression. "Honestly, it was odd. My men and I were finishin' up a guard job and I went to get paid. The feller we were guardin' promised me quite the fortune to see him through a dangerous stretch of land in the Hundred Kingdoms. Claimed he was some fancy pants baron or Duke or what have you."

Durke cuts himself off to let out a rumbling laugh. "You know those 'noble' types, the ones that act like they know it all and 'er better then you. Well, we marched him through, not a problem in sight, till we finally reached his desired city." Again, Durke pauses, however this time it is to lower his gaze to Victor. His eyebrows are scrunched together, a puzzled look on his face. "...funny thing was, after he gave me the goods, he just dis'ppeared. Talked to the folks there and none seemed to recognize the feller's name. Mind you, we were paid so I wasn't terribly worked up about a mystery man and his vanishin' ways."

Durke sighs then shrugs his shoulders. "Oh well, seems like The Lady Luck was on m'side for once."

 

[MasterDAF]

"Yes," Viktor replied, "it does indeed sound that way. Luck...or something."

Before he could probe any further, Koharu returned with his daiklave. "Thank you," he told her as he took the weapon in hand.

Viktor looked to the mercenary, lifting the daiklave and gesturing to it with his free hand. "This, Durke, is Daylight Doom of the Unshaped. It is called a daiklave, and records indicate that such blades were the traditional edged weapon wielded most frequently by Exalts of the First Age. This one specifically was forged of orichalcum, the magical metal that bonds most easily to us, by the Solar who came before me. The Solar who's spirit is now bonded with my own, faintly influencing my actions and sharing glorious visions from time to time. Just as your predecessor does for you," he shrugged, "or so I would assume."

Viktor took a step back to a more open area where he was less likely to hit anything, then swiftly moved through a series of motions with the large blade. He swung it through the air in front of him many times, even tossing it up at one point and catching it with his non-dominant hand to complete the swing. "As you can see I am able to bear the weight of this weapon in one hand and move it efficiently, even though I am no larger in musculature than you."

The blacksmith flipped the flat of the blade over the back of his hand, then caught the handle in his palm. "Here," he offered the weapon to Durke. "Let's see what you make of it's heft."

 

[Psychie]

As Darian turns in for bed, she feels more exhausted than if she had been doing hard labor all day. The entire bit of mentally dueling with the Dynasts just took so much out of her. At least I get to curl up in bed next to my husband. That can't be a bad thing!

 

[LowRollLyfe]

Durke looks the large sword up and down before taking it with both hands. He grunts, struggling to handle the immense weight of the golden weapon. "Huurgh...definitely heavier than it looks." Breathing heavily, Durke hands the weapon back to Victor. "So this blade was made specially for you, huh? Think you could melt down this stuff and forge me somthin'?" Durke motions to the oricalcum equipment splayed out on the table.

 

[MasterDAF]

Viktor grasped the daiklave as Durke returned it and nodded his agreement. "Yes, it most certainly is. I don't think I would be able to properly use it for more than a few awkward chops if not for having already attuned it to my spirit." He handed the blade off to Koharu so that she could restore it to its usual resting spot. "Well, it was forged for use by my prior incarnation," the blacksmith corrected. "But for the purposes of metaphysical ownership, I supposed it might as well be one and the same."

He stepped over to the arranged artifacts and placed a hand to his chin, rubbing against the thick short bristles that adorned it. "Hmm...it is possible..." he measured out carefully, looking for the right words to sway the mercenary captain towards a different outcome. "Before we entertain that option however...how would you feel about attuning the items you've acquired and making use of them in the field?"

He adjusted the different orichalcum items on the table, having to strain to move some of the larger ones such as the articulated plate and reaver daiklave. After a moment they all faced Durke in a semblance of the way they would be worn or carried. The heavy armor lay at the center of the table, with a hearthstone bracer placed on either side of the torso-area and boots set beneath the greaves. The massive blade was posed next to the spaulder for the right arm, and the great javelin lay on the opposite side next to the left gauntlet. "Just imagine," Viktor encouraged, "standing tall against Realm thugs while your chestplate bounces blows away as though they were the strikes of children. Your blade could slice through Dynasts by the dozen like they were armored in simple pine bark, and the flexible javelin would ensures that no enemy ever be far enough away to avoid the piercing judgement of the sun's chosen."

The blacksmith steps back, and gestures to the assembled artifacts. "I can melt these down if you'd like. I don't know if I can make something quite as elegant and beautiful as they are, but I would do my best to emulate their design. But I think you owe it to yourself to try them out first, before taking such a drastic step." He gives the Dawn caste a friendly smile. "And I would be more than happy to teach you how to attune to them, assuming that is something you'd be interested in learning."

 

[Sherwood]

As Annika questions the Sidereal prisoner, he seems smug, too smug for comfort. Even his surface thoughts are guarded, as if he is somehow aware that you may be probing his mind. He finally says, "My dear, I must confess that I have not enjoyed the pleasure of your company as much as I should have. You do seem to be quite the articulate, well-read person that I would normally gravitate to. But now that I have seen your Circle, and have seen first hand the compulsion your High Priestess is putting on my cohorts, I feel that I have finally learned enough to make more time here a waste. Please extend my fondest of farewells to Aysik and the rest of his puppets, and may Fate have waiting for you what you deserve. Good bye."

With that, the man suddenly vanishes in thin air right before your eyes! He should be sitting close enough that you can lunge out and grab him, but when you do, he isn't there any more, and its not like that there are a vast amount of space available to hide in; it is a fairly small cell.

The guards on the outside that were tasked with watching the two of you let out a startled yell. One has the presence of mind to say, "Don't open the cell! He may still be in there, just invisible! Sound the alert! Run to get the Lord and Lady, and double the guards around the other prisoners!"

 

[Rykon]

Aredin would carry Darian up to their room after dinner with Aysik, knowing she was mentally spent. From the time he stood up from the table and swept her from her seat, Aredin had forgotten about the prisoners, the plans, Rathess... everything seemed to fade when she was close. I'm not sure if it's the ring or it's always been this way. I do like the peace though, and I have loved her for the last year... Aredin thought in an infatuated stupor in the wake of the wedding. After making it to the room and pampering her as best he knew how, Aredin would turn in as well, mind still vacant of all concerns outside of the moment. That is, until the sounds of alert would eventually reach their location and wake them from their sleep. [No idea what the timing of that would be, for what it's worth]

 

[jaydude]

Annika listened as the Sidereal continued to talk, trying her best to ignore his flattery of her. She raised an eyebrow when he mentioned a "compulsion" that Darian was apparently putting on the Dynasts, not too sure what to think about this. While she wasn't about to take the word of a known enemy at face value, it would certainly explain how the High Priestess was able to start swaying a few members of the Wyld Hunt towards allying with a Solar Circle. In any event, she would be very nervous around Darian from this point on.

"...feel that I have finally learned enough to make more time here a waste. Please extend my fondest of farewells to Aysik and the rest of his puppets, and may Fate have waiting for you what you deserve. Good bye."

At first Annika had just been amused, wondering if Mellar had been trying to fake insanity. Her mouth dropped open when he suddenly disappeared. Standing up, she rushed over to where he was, but felt nothing in the space where the Sidereal had once sat. He wasn't there. But how?! Those Soulsteel manacles should have made it impossible for him to use essence!

"Oh, shit." She whispered.

Her first instinct was to open up the door and run to sound the alert, but the shout of the guard outside bought her to her senses. She wasn't entirely convinced that the Sidereal had indeed become invisible, but on the off-chance that he had, she drew both her Daiklaves and became as silent as a mouse, listening out for a footstep, a hint of breath, the rustling of clothes, or anything else that might indicate Mellar's presence.

(Rolling Perception + Awareness to listen out for Mellar)

 

[Sherwood]

Annika draws her blades in a flash of metal, listening carefully for Mellar. You can quickly tell that you are alone in the room; it is just too small for someone to be able to evade you long enough to keep from being discovered. He is gone.

Above the cells, a bell begins to ring, signaling trouble at the prison. This bell is loud enough to be heard by Aredin and Darian as they settle in for sleep. Even if that had not done so, the pounding on the door with a startled cry, "M'lord and Lady! There is an alarm at the holding cells! You may wish to arm yourselves! Guards are on the way."

 

[Psychie]

Darian had just closed her eyes when the alarm was sounded, and now it is time to go back to work. If this is not important, someone will pay for dragging me out of bed with their lives! "Come, dear heart. Lets get to the cells and see what is going on."

 

[Rykon]

Aredin rose with a scowl of annoyance. "Ugh, If Mellar broke out, we may have to kill him... Shame, but I can't say he doesn't deserve it." Aredin said flatly, sleepiness muting his voice. His face was still a mirror of frustration as he tapped his amulet to don decent attire. "Are you ready honey?" Once Darian was prepared to leave, he'd sweep her up in his arms again, leap out the window of the tower, and activate his trusty artifact to pluck them from the air in a sphere of whirling light toward the holding cells. Realizing his own eyesight was very poor through the veil of light and Darian's far superior sense of awareness was obscured from the commotion, he brought them down to the base of lockup, away from the door or windows. "I know now's an awful time, but are you able to sense what's going on inside?"
[10 personal motes spent on activating the orb of transportation]

 

[MasterDAF]

Viktor lay asleep drooling on his pillow when Koharu burst into the room and shook him awake. He leapt up quickly, looking around confused before focusing on his comrade. "Wha-!?"

"Hurry, put this on!" the automata shouted as she threw his reinforced breastplate at him. The blacksmith felt the air rush out of his stomach as the armor slammed into his abdomen, knocking him over and back onto the bed in the process.

"What's going on?" Viktor quickly shoved the breastplate over his head, and began adjusting the Jade skirt on the bottom so that it covered his thighs. "Are we under attack? I knew we should have fortified the walls sooner..."

"I'm not sure," she responded, handing the Solar's weaponry over as he got the armor straps buckled. "The alarm bells are going off near the prison."

Fully armed and armored, Viktor nodded. "Okay then. Let's find out why."

The two of them rushed down the stairs from his personal living quarters and entered the back of the workshop. He grabbed the Essence Pulse Grenade from his workbench, and fastened it to his belt. Arms swinging, they burst out the door and sprinted down the street towards the prison.

 

[Psychie]

As they fly closer to the sound of the alarm bell, Darian settles in and focuses her Essence into her hearing, hoping to get even a moment's warning that might be enough to save their lives from certain disaster. Once the Globe of Transport is open, she jumps out with her Chain Daiklave in hand, listening intently.

Spoiler

A total of 14 successes on a Hearing based perception roll

 

[Sherwood]

As everyone is converging on the jail, Darian can hear the sounds of many people shouting orders and responses, but you hear no signs of active combat. That's the good news. The bad news is, there are more than one person saying that the Sidereal has vanished while talking to Annika while under watch by several guards from a locked cell. From what you can hear, the other prisoners are still held tight.

 

[Psychie]

"Shit! The damn Sidereal has escaped! It sounds like the Dynasts are still being held ok, but that slippery Mellar has gotten out somehow, even with the manacles on." She doesn't run, but heads for the entrance with a measured step so that anyone seeing her will see that their High Priestess is not in a panic, but has things well under control.