Trial By Fire - Exalted 2e IC Thread

[Sherwood]

Landing a safe distance away, Sirocco will change back to her human form, where no one is watching, and then go and meet her friends. Time to get them on board.

You are able to find a unobserved spot to work your Essence and change form. Soon enough, you are working your way though the crowd and have gotten to the side of Aredin, Darian and Ragnar.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

As she gets close to them "Hello my friends, It is a lovely day, but far too lovely to spend it with a lazy walk about town. Let us talk, for the fortunes smile upon you, and your marriage has been blessed" And she gestures them to a side path "Let us retire to my humble abode, and there your fortunes will be told".

 

[Psychie]

Feeling that Sirocco has something important to say, Darian readily agrees. "That sounds wonderful. Shall we, my friends?"

 

[Rykon]

Aredin nods, taking the queue to speak discretely. "Yeah, why not? Let's go."

 

[Sherwood]

It takes only a few moments to get to a quiet place, but now the three Solars and one Lunar are all together and are able to talk freely. What do you say?

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Sirocco's voice now shows her anger, and is no longer the jovial voice she used around people. 'I have found the Deathknights, and some information. They said this place is some Titan that they seem to activate, and enslave the people living here . Someone named Duncan has already been enslaved by them, and they plan to kill the others. Furthermore, they have some elemental ants looking for the entrance to this Titan.
They are currently split up, and we should be able to easily overcome one of them and then deal with the other."
All this is said in a rush, and it is clear that she is eager for battle, with a special glint in her eye. In fact, her hands flex, as if just waiting to smother.

 

[Psychie]

Darian looks startled. "Isn't Duncan the name of one of the Dragon Blooded that greeted us when we first arrived here? Could he be the one that the Deathknight speaks of?" She looks at the others, feeling her own anger growing. "We cannot let these dark Exalts get their talons on these people, let alone whatever this Titan that they seek. I say we take them out, one at a time, and see if that breaks the hold that they have on the people that they have under their control."

 

[D. Rex]

"Where are they now, Scirocco?" He asked. Certainly on board with Darians idea of taking them out one by one. "I second the desire for their immediate destruction. With a certain tactic we have already put in place... they will be hard pressed to escape."

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

"One of them, whom I believe is the sorceress, is using some sort of a disguise, and is overseeing the elementals. She should probably be our first target" The callousness of that woman was what infuriated Sirocco the most. And she wanted her done with.

 

[Psychie]

Darian looks over at Sirocco. "Then you should lead us to her." The finality in her voice speaks volumes, as if the Abyssal was already dead by their hands.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Wasting no time, Sirocco will lead them to where she saw the Mercury Ants. She was itching to get into her war form, but she'd rather save it till they got there. It would cause an unneccesary stir.

 

[Sherwood]

Just as before, you see the path leading around the mountain, out of sight of the inhabited part of the Slope leading to a tunnel leading into the heart of the mountain. In a continuous stream, the Ants can be seen coming out with pincers full of rock and earth that they are dumping off the side of the precipice, then they turn to go back inside to continue their digging as they search for an opening in the Titan as ordered.

At this moment, you do not see the Abyssal. She may be inside the tunnel, examining the Titan. Or, somewhere else on the Slope. What do you do?

 

[Psychie]

Darian looks at the dark opening and smiles. "If this Abyssal is in there, I will have an edge. I've lived my whole life in the dark, and have developed Charms to boost my hearing to supernal levels. If she is in there, I'll be able to go in and hear her long before she can spot me. I'll then come back out and get the rest of you." With that, she quietly slips forward towards the opening of the tunnel.

Spoiler

Activating my Awareness Charms to boost my Perception through the roof.
Keen Hearing and Touch Technique for 3m and Unsurpassed Hearing and Touch Discipline for 2m

Dex + Stealth = 3 sux
Per + Awareness = 8 sux

 

[Sherwood]

Creeping into the tunnel, Darian is able to easily maneuver through the darkness, just like old times. The various Mercury Ants that are coming and going do spot you, but they ignore you so long as you don't attack them or interfere with their orders. This passage extends deep into the mountain, and it is pitch black. Eventually, you can tell that the only thing inside this tunnel besides yourself are the dozen or so Ants that are digging away at the rock. The Abyssal is not in here with you. She must be at another part of the settlement.

 

[Psychie]

With an irritated grimace on her face, Darian comes back out. "The passage is deep, but the only thing in there are the elementals digging for an entrance. I hear nothing else. If she is capable of manipulating the minds of the locals, she may be busy doing that now. Sirocco, can you track her by her scent? It is either that, or we wait here for one of the elementals to come out to tell their master that they have found what they have been searching for."

 

[D. Rex]

"They very well may not just be be interested I'm getting their clothes dirty until the excavation is done. Before we hunt in the town, we should check the rest of the slope. If this thing is as valuable as they believe, it isn't likely they would leave the area unsupervised. If scent leads nowhere, waiting or searching the slope may be for the best before we start our hunt in the town." He advised. "As should a fight break out there, the good people of the floating mountain will be endangered."

Ragnar cast his gaze up the slope for any sign of people or buildings that may be related to this excavation.

 

[Sherwood]

So what is your plan? Do you wish to sit and wait, or try another idea?

 

[Psychie]

Darian lets out a sigh. "You are right. We must find a way to flush out our game and lure them to us so we don't have a pitched battle in the midst of the town market, putting hundreds of lives in danger." She looks over at the Mercury Ants as they work ceaselessly. "With as industrious as these elementals are, it shouldn't take long for them to find one of these entrances that they are searching for. Not only will that cause them to bring their summoner to them, but it will aid us in getting to the interior of whatever it is that we are looking for ourselves." She wonders out loud, "Does the name 'Titan' mean anything to anyone here? Is it the name of a behemoth, like the Juggernaut used by Mask of Winters? Or is it something else? Does anyone know?"

 

[Sherwood]

Anyone interested, go ahead and give me a Int + Lore roll to see if you know anything about a 'Titan' in history.

In the meantime, Psychie , please give me a hearing Per + Awareness roll.

 

[Psychie]

My two Awareness Charms are still active, being Scene long in duration.

Rolling.
16 successes

 

[D. Rex]

"Drawing them out will not be hard. All we would need to do is shout from the mountain praises of the Unconquered Son. They would come, and together, unless their arrogance defines them."

"Another lead is the Duncan fellow. And the others, whom they may try to kill." Ragnar paused. "One of us should watch over them. If they are in danger, our foes will be close by. And we may stop it, or better, explain things to them so they can help."

"Otherwise... a rockslide may make hinder the dig but may make the sorcerer come to check." He mused. "It really depends, if you want us to still go after them one by one."

"Perhaps it is what is making this island float. Or have something to do with it. I would, however, wager that it is a weapon of some sort. Or something they intend to use as such."

Ragnar paused and pondered. He wasnt a well read man. Nor did he know a lot about the world at large. But maybe he had heard something somewhere about it. Maybe saw a glimpse in one of his visions of a past life.

 

[D. Rex]

Rolling [Int+Lore]=2. Not a smart man, but eager to roll some dice, even if it fails.

Woo! 2 die 2 successes!

 

[Psychie]

Int + Lore = 3 dice

 

[Rykon]

Rolling Int+Lore
1 Success.

 

[Psychie]

Is it too late to add a Willpower point to my Int + Lore roll to get a total of four successes?