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Story Two: Establishment

Session Four: The Road to Another Adventure

IRL Date: June 6th, 2005
Start Date: 1st of Descending Earth

The next few days were quiet ones for our Exalts. As Inari rested, healing her dreadful demon-inflicted wounds, she taught Hayyoth to read again, a talent that he had lost in his many years in the desert. Meanwhile, Akee and Penu continued their dock work, and Deedee's business enjoyed a massive upturn ((Yay bureocracy Charms!)). There was a bit of strife when Inari learned that Deedee had told a Dragon-Blood about the demon cultists, but Deedee assured her that only she, Akee, and Penu had been mentioned.
Meanwhile, Inari visited her contact, and managed to convince them to increase her fee due to the unforseen demonic difficulties. The contact, much impressed, agreed.
Deedee, having gotten more money, decided to move to a more classy neighbourhood than the Docks, and asked her friends to help her out. As the group moved Deedee's things to her new home, however, they saw a man sitting outside. When Deedee approached, he smiled and nodded to her, introducing himself to the other characters as her friend Djosh from the north. He was somewhat vague about what exactly he did and how he knew where Deedee now lived, but helped move her things in and unpack. In the process, he mentioned that a strange temple of some sort had been spotted on a nearby island, and the group might be interested in checking it out; he had a feeling that it might be important for them. Deedee agreed, and after agreeing to wait a few days for Inari to heal further, the group scheduled a trip on the next boat heading to the small island of Moregard, three days' sail to the northwest.

End Date: 8th of Descending Earth

Quote of the Day:
None this week, I'm afraid. Nothing stuck out, really. Which is impressive, given how much chatting there was.

Session Five: Tomb of Doom!

IRL Date: June 13th, 2005
Start Date: 9th of Descending Earth

The group boarded their boat, and spent the next three days uneventfully travelling to Moregard. Martel, Hayyoth's great cat, was definately the least happy of the passengers, but managed to restrain his annoyence to snide mental comments.
Moregard was a small town, primarily based around fishing but also used as a last supply point for ships heading north to the Blessed Isle, west to the Archipelagos, or south to Zeretan itself. As such, it had enough inn space for the group, although the bartender noted that usually, crews stayed aboard their ships. The group also discovered that a mysterious pair was also hanging around - some merchant and his bodyguard. More prodding taught them that the temple, if that was what it was, had simply appeared in the woods about two weeks before; a ship had been dispatched to Zeretan to tell the Dragon-Blooded, but they had yet to arrive. In the meantime, though, the group could ask a guide for directions, sure. But it was a ways into the island, so they should probably wait for the next day.
That night, Deedee was awoken from strange and pleasurable dreams by a sudden sense of danger. There was an unclean presence in the inn! The group proceeded to spend the next twenty minutes trying to pinpoint and sneak up on this presence, figuring out in the process that the merchant's room only appeared to have one person in it, and that someone might have been able to get into any room through the windows. Watches were set, and the group passed a sleepless night.
In the morning, the group awoke for breakfast, still feeling the presence, and discovered the merchant and his guard downstairs - a man named Kendle, and his mysterious bodyguard Sky, who didn't speak or reveal any skin, or eat at the table. Kendle seemed friendly enough, claiming to be an antiques dealer who had heard of the temple and come to check it out, but his haggling skills were terrible; Deedee purchased a few old items from him at quite good prices. Suspicious, Penu stealtily tracked the pair when they left the inn - Deedee was concerned but unsurprised to discover her sense of an unclean being fade as they left - and tracked Kendle down the shore, where a bird flew down and transformed into a tattoo-covered man! Money was exchanged, given to Kendle, who turned and pointed off to sea. Penu saw the boat that Citrios and Oliana had left on a week before coming from the west! Kendle turned to return to town as the mysterious tattooed man transformed into a wolf and loped into the underbrush, and Penu slipped back ahead of him and told his friends, who, after some thought, decided that there might be a Lunar Anathema on the island. It was agreed that they would set out immediately.
The group made their way through the underbrush, Deedee finding the sweltering heat extremely unpleasant, and found themselves, near sundown, at the ruins of an old temple. Some searching told Penu that it was a recent arrival, and the group made to enter... when Kendle appeared on top of the temple. He warned the group that it wasn't safe here, and they should go. When they refused, he leapt easily into their path, and blocked their path; a fight ensued as he attempted to disable the group without killing them.
As the fight progressed, Kendle was injured; as he stepped backwards, his anima began to flare, revealing an empty golden disc. Saying that his plan would be ruined anyway, he told the group to go ahead, but warned them that they were walking into someone else's revenge. He admitted that he was hired to help a Lunar gain revenge on a pair of Dragon-Blooded, and had 'created the temple as a trap' to catch them. When the group announced their intention to enter (aside from Inari, who thought the whole thing was silly of the group), Kendle reluctantly left, taking Sky (who had been watching in the treeline, and hadn't interfered for some reason) with him. The group entered the temple.
Inside, the group announced their presence, and carefully walked forwards. They found a number of unsprung traps, which appeared to be refurbished, and discovered that this was a tomb of an ancient Solar! This meshed oddly with Kendle's claim that the tomb was a hoax, so the group pressed onwards. In the main room, they met the Lunar Ten Stripes, and proceeded to have an argument with him over whether or not he should kill Cathak Citrios, who had killed his mate some time previously. Ten Stripes planned to kill Citrios and Oliana ("Citrios's mate") in revenge, and would not be swayed. However, he knew that he could not fight four to five Solars (there was some question regarding Inari's participation) and so allowed the group to leave.
Outside, there was another argument, as Deedee announced her intention to warn the Dragon-Blooded. Inari and Hayyoth, not fans of the Terrestrials, left, and Deedee, Akee, and Penu made their way through the woods, finding the two Dragon-Blooded. When she said that she had seen a silvery glow in the treeline and had been warned away by a monstrous beast, Citrios immediately abandoned his plan to see the 'temple', deciding to come back the next day with more people. For now, he decided to escort Deedee back to town in case the monster returned, and guard her against it. He was flattered to know that she had heard of him, although Oliana just sighed quietly, and the group returned to town...

End Date: 12th of Descending Earth

Quote of the Day:
"If weak people shouldn't be defended, and Citrios killed your mate, wouldn't that make her weak and not worth avenging?"
- Penu Umbros antagonizes Ten Stripes

Session Six: The King's Tourney

IRL Date: June 20th, 2005
Start Date: 13th of Descending Earth

This Session dedicated to Deedee's player, also known as The Clever Monkey, who departed our group for the wilds of Petrolia, ON.

Safely returned to the inn, the characters set watches... just in case. Near sunrise, there was the sound of wind outside, and when they looked, the characters saw an old Dragon-Blood in armour and a middle-aged one, looking tired, and wearing faded robes; presumably, Cathak Peldan and Ledaal Kasmur. The four Terrestrials entered the woods.
Come morning, the group found soldiers in the inn, watching them 'just in case that Anathema returns', and learned that the Dragon-Blooded went to search for it. The four returned about mid-afternoon, with news that they had spotted the Lunar but it had escaped. Hopefully, that would be the end of it here; it would be impossible to track a shapeshifter through the sea. The party was offered a ride back to Zeretan, since the ship was going that way anyways; they had until the next day at noon. Given the chance, they slipped back to the tomb, but could only learn that a Solar named Empty Heaven had been buried there, after some cataclysmic battle against demonic forces of some sort, and who had apparantly died saving the world. The tomb's contents had been looted centuries before, but the lid had been removed from it without any sign of damage or forcing. Finding nothing else, the group returned to the harbour, and set sail for Zeretan when the boat left the next day.
The journey back, another three days, was uneventful. Inari danced to pass the time, and managed to impress the officers; Citrios asked her if she was performing at the King's Birthday, and when she said that she wasn't, he said he'd have to mention her name. The boat otherwise arrived at Zeretan without incident.
Back in town, the party returned to Deedee's and met Djosh, who informed them that Deedee had to depart for the Far West; he believed that her purpose in the kingdom was to unite the local Solars. He further explained that he was a celestial caretaker of sorts and a fellow Exalt, and that while Zeretan's future was difficult to predict, possibly due to the number of supernatural influences in the area, he would try to help the group where possible. Inari didn't trust him, but the group more or less accepted his offer. Deedee made plans to sail, leaving her house for Akee and Penu to inhabit for the next month, and after a heartfelt goodbye party, set sail.
Meanwhile, Inari, dancing at the Wind Pearl, was visited by Melia, the servant and slave of Cynis Lyrial, who made an arrangement for Inari to meet with Lyrial. The next night, she did so, and was hired to dance at the King's Birthday, for a fee almost five times her normal monthly wages (and a quiet suggestion that Inari take a serious look at her standard prices).
The day of the tournament came about, and Penu enrolled in the archery competition; Akee and Hayyoth enrolled in all three challenges (Archery, Unarmed Combat, and Grand Melee). The archery competition seemed straightforwards; Akee was disqualified in the first round, Hayyoth managed to squeak by (rather to his surprise, as he had not know that he had any talent with a bow; he had entered for the sake of completion), and Penu engaged in a gripping elimination with the previous year's champion, Matias Darkblane, and was victorious. In the second round, however, Penu was flustered by the attention he was receiving, and fumbled badly, placing third; Hayyoth, to his shock and amazement and to the joy of the crowd, managed to score a perfect bulls-eye and won the competition! Penu, muttering softly, abandoned the field as the crowd bothered Hayyoth for attention.
The unarmed competition was a series of elimination battles, and both Hayyoth and Akee won their early battles easily, advancing through the competition to the final four; there, Akee battled with the young Anya, who had placed fifth in the archery competition, while Hayyoth matched himself against Matias Darkblane. Despite hard fights, both were successful, and moved on to fight each other while Matias and Anya faced off for third and fourth place. After a long and strenous battle, during which the advantage shifted back and forth, Akee trying to wrestle Hayyoth to the ground as Hayyoth attempted to dance around him and bring him down with a series of punches and kicks, Akee was successful, and won the compettion. With the Grand Melee the next day, the fighters quit the field; all three competitors (Akee, Penu, and Hayyoth) were given invitations to the King's party at the Royal Palace, hosted by Cynis Lyrial, and the other festivities of the day commenced...

End Date: 22nd of Descending Earth

Quote of the Day:
"I don't believe it..."
- The entire table, basically, after Penu rolls two successes on thirteen dice and Hayyoth rolls seven successes on eight dice in the archery challenge.

Session Seven: A Grand Party

IRL Date: June 27th, 2005
Date: 22nd of Descending Earth

((OOC: After having had to sit out the first part of the tourney, Inari definately dominated this session. :) ))
In the hours leading up to the party, Inari got a nasty shock - Hayyoth had departed, leaving only a note that more or less explained that he felt that the Solars should be doing more than just fighting in tourneys for the amusement of others, and that he would probably be back. Disgruntled, she put aside her annoyance and helped Penu and Akee get cleaned up and dressed up for the party, as the two were uncertain of their abilities as far as high society went.
The night of the party, everyone made their own way down to the event. Inari's first dance session was unfortunately somewhat lax; still distracted by her anger at Hayyoth, she was clearly distracted, and didn't make quite the splash she was hoping for. Cynis Lyrial noticed, and managed to find out that Hayyoth had left; she suggested that Inari put it out of her mind, as men did that sort of thing. As everyone mingled and chatted, the earliest hours of the party were marked by more chatter than anything else; a few people asked Inari where Hayyoth was, as he was favoured to win the tournament, but that soon lost its charm. Matias Darkblane briefly chatted with Penu, offering his condolences regarding the archery battle, and agreeing with Penu that it must have been nerves. Akee found himself in a circle of warriors that included Cathak Citrios, who warmly congratulated him on his victory in the unarmed competition.
The time came for Inari's second dance, and her friends strayed to watch her; as she prepared to dance, she noticed that both Lyrial and Cathak Jorus Relway were present for this dance. Suddenly a bit more nervous, she focused, drawing strength from her determination not to let Hayyoth bother her, and from the high-rollers in the crowd. Letting her ribbons slowly fall from her hair, she began a slow, sensual dance that could only be described as sublime ((OOC: 10 successes, no Charm use!)), to the silent awe of the crowd. After the dance, Jorus Relway himself came to congratulate (and flirt) with her; she affected ignorance. As he left, she thought she heard Lyrial mutter the phrase "offensive little worm" under her breath, but she wasn't quite sure.
The second part of the party was much more interesting; Inari was with Lyrial as she noticed, to her surprise, that Ledaal Andir, the Immaculate, had attended the party for the first time in five years. Lyrial was called away to speak with Peleps Oliana, and the Solars quietly mingled with the crowd, learning mostly that a lot of people were betting on Akee, that the event was amazing, and so on. King Relway entered, looking frail but healthy, and briefly joined the festivities. The characters noticed that the garrison commander, Cathak Peldan, stayed only as long as was polite, and that Ledaal Andir also left not long after the king's arrival.
When the time came for Inari's final dance, she was unsurprised to find it much more crowded than it had been previously, including the king himself. Determined not to mess up this last time, she threw everything she had into the song, teasing and flicking her ribbons about as she danced, and the effect was nothing short of mythic; a dance that would be talked about for years to come. ((OOC: 13 successes. The dice favoured Inari tonight!)) After the dance, Inari was getting off the stage when she saw something odd. Jorus and Lyrial were standing near the stage, talking angrily but quietly. After a few moments, Jorus turned and stalked off without lingering to congratulate Inari, and he proceeded to ignore her all night. Strange.
After that event, Inari wasn't short admirers, and Lyrial quietly informed her that she would need to get an agent to sort out the offers that she would be getting; Lyrial offered a few names, and Inari agreed to look into it. The rest of the party was basically uneventful, and the three Solars managed to get home without any muggings, demonic incursions, or other problems barring their way.

Quote of the Day:
"Makeover makeover, makeover makeover, makeover makeover MAY-KOH-VER!"
- Inari and the ST sing an impromptu song as Penu asks for help at the party.

Session Eight: Business As Usual

IRL Date: July 4th, 2005
Start Date: 23rd of Descending Earth

The day after the party, the time came for the great melee - thirty skilled warriors gathering with blunted weapons in a large arena, determined to pummel each other into the ground. Akee, as the only one of the friends to be enrolled in the final round, was a bit worried about his chances, but resolved to do his best, a pair of blunted khatars in place and ready to fight. He quietly brought his hearthstone bracers as well, wrapping them in leather to disguise them. In the stands, Inari and Penu watched; Penu was confidant enough to have bet most of his money on Akee winning the tourney, and was ready to loudly cheer his friend on.
At first the battle seemed to be going well. Judicious and careful use of Charms kept Akee from having to defend himself as actively as he might otherwise, and most of the contestants preferred to take on weaker targets early on. Still, he soon found himself facing off against three foes, as the brawl slowly transformed into numerous smaller fights.
And then disaster struck. Akee felt a small pain in the back of his neck, which transformed rapidly into horrible agony. Reaching back, he found a small dart, which someone had presumably thrown at him. As the poison from the dart spread through his system, he tried valiantly to keep fighting, but although he managed to keep from falling immediately, his responses were slowed by pain and his opponents managed to further injure him before falling in turn.
And then it was just Akee, Matias Darkblane, and the young woman named Anya. The two of them carefully began to circle Akee; if he was defeated, whichever of the two won would tie him for second place overall - if he won, he would take first and the departed Hayyoth would place second. Akee fought valiantly, but the poison had weakened him and his opponents were greatly skilled. They defeated Akee, and then Matias defeated Anya to place second overall.
After the tourney, Inari and Penu visited Akee at the tents; Penu took a brief detour to try and convince the bookie that since Hayyoth had won overall, and wasn't in the city, Akee really won. This did not so much work as fail completely. Akee revealed the dart to the two of them, along with his suspicion that the attack was targeted against him directly, not simply as a contestant. The three agreed that the demon-cultists could well be involved, and resolved to be more on their guards in the future. After that, it was time to rest up for the grand ceremony at the king's palace.
This ceremony was a shorter affair than the one of the night before. Hayyoth Emblazoned With Fury was declared tournament champion, but as he was not present, his prize was held until such a time as he might use it. As victor of the melee tournament and tied for second overall, Akee got a large sum of money, which he decided to use to extend the lease on his apartment so that he and Penu could continue to live there. Inari's performances drew astonishing crowds, and she realized that she was rapidly becoming the talk of the city. Matias Darkblane approached Penu, and the two chatted for a bit. Later, when Akee, Inari, and Penu were talking with Cathak Citrios and a circle of his admireres, Penu mentioned that he was practically jobless, and Citrios suggested a lord who was a friend of his and could use another guardsman. Penu accepted, as a guardsman was a nice occupation to have.
The next few days passed mostly uneventfully. Akee continued to work at the docks, watching the dockmaster and trying to better understand how things were working. Penu began his job, learning the ropes of guarding the easy-going Lord Derrick Salmos, and Inari got herself an agent at Lyrial's suggestion, and began sorting through the numerous nobles who suddenly wanted to employ her. Despite this, they kept alert, for their enemies were apparantly getting more active, and Akee's easy recovery from the poison would concern them, at least...

((OOC Note: Regarding poison and mortals, my rule is that if a heroic mortal succeeds at their Stamina + Resistance check, they take the damage an Exalt would take on failing, which will usually cripple or kill them. If they fail, they take double that, which WILL kill them almost invariably. Extras generally just die horribly.))

End Date: 3rd of Ascending Water

Quote of the Day:
"I kind of went like "Urrgh!", and he was like, "Screw you", and I was like "oh." So now I'm here."
- Penu explains the events surrounding his lost bet.

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