SJE/Session27
== Exalted Session 27 ==
So, Orchid returns from Hell in a flying chariot pulled by crystalline wasps (Agata). She puts down outside of the battle and makes her way around to the very end of the walls where Gemish archers are firing into the demon-host. Though shes protected from the demons by her official business, 5 Gemish arrows head her way. Mostly her DPC Form enhanced fans and sleeves parry these away, but one does slip through to graze her for a health level. Rav runs to rescue her, and after an argument with the soldiers, is able to throw a rope down to Orchid.
They exchange a few words, Orchid declining to relate her Hellish experiences in Malfeas before she heads home to change, her long travail at last behind here.
On the walls Alana leads and steadies her men as the Erythamanoi start coming over the walls, a mass of stinking, blood covered apes. Rushing forward, she cuts at their hands and claws, knocking two back into the demon horde below. Her men see her example and keep fighting.
Rav meanwhile is seeking to save lives. Standing on the crenellations of the wall, his direlance spins Hero-style, knocking arrows from the sky before they can hit the troops. One slips through, catching a man near the throat. Rav races over and tends his wounds until the medics can reach him…
Brand has reached the Diamond Palace (having hid from Cathak Anaria on the way), but finds its gates barred and barricaded for the anticipated demonic breakthrough. He shouts at the guards on the gates to let him in, but they tell him to bugger off. Getting het up (he is a Rebel after all) he starts shouting about the “Fate of the city if you dont” and even makes his caste mark glow! Seeing this is only panicking them into aiming their firewands at him. He changes tack and asks to see Auntie Rankar. “That’s Lady Rankar to the likes o’ you” shouts the Palace Guard.
“To you maybe. To me, she said call her Auntie”
Grudgingly they let him pen a message and eventually flunkies let him and escort him to Auntie.
Orchid gets home and has her personal physician tend to her new arrow wound. Unfortunately he cant do much except recommend a lot of bed rest. This does not make her happy.
”You know, it occurs to me that I am being selfish with your services.”
“How do you mean Miss Orchid?”
“Really, you should be out there, with the army, tending to them”
“Ah.. the army? I’m not really suited for that”
“Well Gem calls, Sir. I want you out there. Doing your bit!”
“Do I have to? Its awfully dangerous. Surely I’d be better tending you here. Please Miss Orchid, don’t send me to war, I beg you!”
“I insist. Report to the Eastern Front at once physician.”
“But Miss…”
“No ‘Buts’. Go! And send in the other servants. I feel I should do more for the war effort”
One by one the servants are called in and dispatched to the front, to do their bit for the war effort. The accountant protests that he doesn’t know how to use a sword- Orchid draws him a diagram and instructs him to stick the pointy end into the enemy before the enemy does unto him. The palanquin bearers are stripped of their palanquin and told to carry heavy spears instead and run at the demons in formation. Her personal secretary sees what is coming and presents Orchid with a most excellently calligraphed letter of resignation, protesting the exigencies of her new household. Even Cook is told to go down and stir the pot in the army barracks. Only Hans the Masseur and her ladies maid Neve are kept on!
Orchid heads to the Granite Watchtower and goes to the roof to view the battle. Observing the interplay of demon and Gem forces on the field below, she prays to her God as night sets. Then viewing the aerial wards above Gem, she uses all her lore and thaumaturgy to discern that they have been partly disrupted by Tanaka’s essence tornado effects. She begins casting to repair the damage.
Jaq has meanwhile stunted his way from the Cult safehouse, swearing that his feet will never touch the ground till he has retrieved the Despots Yasal Crystal Collection. Fortunately the guards on the Palace wall are disracted by Brands glowing caste mark antics at the front gate. Firing a line from the roof hes on to the Palace roof, he then further distracts the guards by sending a flaming arrow into a prepared ring of oil on the ground. As the guards look down, he races up the line to reach the Palace roof, unobserved by all.
Rappelling down the Palace walls, he reaches the 2nd storey window leading to the Despots collection of childhood memories. A locked window delays him for a moment before Lock Opening Touch works its magic. Inside the storage room is filled with rocking horses, boxed games, wardrobes of old clothes, a sand sled hanging from the ceiling. Quickly he locates a well worn wooden box that rattles like marbles- could this contain the Despots childhood Yasal Crystal collection?
Brand and Auntie are not making much headway as Brand avoids direct mention of just about everything
(with apologies to “Yes Minister” )
“Auntie, as you may well be aware, recently a few of us have been.. blessed in some small way or another, which has allowed us to better deal with certain matters arising from events with which you cannot possibly be unaware of.”
“Really dear? Whatever do you mean?”
“It has come to our attention, that with a situation so deperate as the current emergency, that any aid from your nephew would be most welcome. As Gem is a city of considerable wealth and not a little antiquity, then perhaps your Nephew or yourself may have collected a few items over the years that might be beneficial to the current defence of the city.”
“I don’t follow you dear. I’m sure everything that could be done to defend Gem is being done”
“Auntie- if perhaps, you had a few items, antiquities, relics of the First Age, that, in the right and proper hands could be used to turn the battle, then perhaps it would be best to share them with those best able to utilise their here-fore-too untapped capabilities?” says a frustrated Brand
“Macaroon, dear? I’m still not sure what you are asking dear?” says the 73 year old with a kindly smile
“Auntie…. I’ve been blessed by Sol Invictus Himself as a Solar Exalted!” confesses Brand, long pent-up information gushing from him.
“Isnt that nice for you, dear. More tea?” says an unfazed Auntie
“….”- Brand. (silently screaming “Can I have the daiklaives you have horded away!”)
So, after Brand confesses the name and identity of all the Solar and Lunar PC’s to Auntie, she leads him deep below the Diamond Palace. There, in a very secure vault rest suits of golden and silver armour, bigass swords beyond belief and Bracers and Powerbows, weapons enough to fit a whole Circle. She’ll lend them to the Watch, for the duration of the emergency. She also gives Brand the words of power for the aerial wards above the city- they’ll need to be repeated by an Essence user to strengthen the wards. One Orichalcum Grand Daiklaive seems to catch Brands attention. Lifting is no particular problem, despite it being longer than he is tall. Its as if hes used it, all his life. It comes with a far smaller scabbard than expected. Yet somehow, when the giant 6’ blade is slid into the 2’ scabbard, it all fits, allowing Brand to carry it around under his jacket, Highlander-style.
Jaq meanwhile has been examining the wooden box. The lock is slightly odd, apparently carved from some yellow rock. Nonetheless, he opens it up- inside are dozens of yellow gems, most with a small spirit face looking out from them, bounding away at the interior walls of the jewel. As he opens, a stream of smoke gasses out from the lock- it materialises into a giant floating eyeball, surrounded in flame!
Jaq grabs the box as a gout of flame gathers around its fiery corona and blasts toward him. Dodging, Jaq fails to flee, instead invoking a Cascade of Cutting Terror at the Llamma-yu. Most of the phantom blades are burnt up by the elementals fiery aura, and the few that get though do little more than enrage it. Firing its eyebeam twice more, Jaq dodges under them again and races for the window- only to find his rope now on fire! He swerves right and jumps to the next window- the clerks office. The floating eyeball keeps following. Closing the clerks window is only going to slow the elemental, as it begins melting through the crystal. In the corridor outside, guards race past. Jaq hides for a moment, hoping they will pass before the elemental burns through. Unfortunately for the Master Thief, his luck has deserted him, as the Llamma-yu comes through the window!
Heading outside, he’s caught in crossfire between the fiery eye and the firewand carrying guards. Despite his best dodging charms, 2 shots him, and engulfed in flame, he races down the corridor, clothes burning, wooden box still clasped to his chest!
Brand and his small cart of Artifacts are about to leave the Palace when a burning Jaq races by him and dives into an ornamental fountain with a tremendous splash. The following guards are about to sieze him when Brand declares
“Stop Thief, you are under Arrest!”
“What?!” says a sodden Jaq.
“WHAT!!” exclaims the Palace Guard.
“Good work boys, I’ll take it from here!” bluffs Brand.
A little bit of lying and badge waving later and Jaq is in the cart, technically under arrest as Brand escorts him down to the Granite Watchtower cells, wooden box seized as evidence.
Orchid meanwhile has been checking the Paragonese potions of Quicktime stored at the Granite Watchtower. If used correctly, they could enable Alana’s Fedaykin to battle the Principle of Motion assisted Blood Apes on even terms. Her maid returns with what food she was able to scrape up, but its dreadfully poor fare. In an extended siege, the people of the desert city of Gem will soon be turning on the dogs and rats for nourishment.
Even as Brand heads down to deliver Jaq and the Yasal Crystals to Ssseth and the Artifacts to his Watchmates, the city defences still teeter on the precipice of defeat. Ravitsu throws himself in the way of a javelin aimed at an officer steadying his men. Snatching it from the air, he swings it about and launches it back into a briefly surprised looking demon with deadly results! Glancing up, Rav spots something in the sky above- A large orange flare of light, a growing ring of it in fact. And through this tear in the wards, Agata-mounted demons are descending and making a beeline for the Gate Tower!
Rav races along the packed city wall, and feigns a stumble, going over the city side edge of the walls. As he does, he shifts to a giant eaglehawk form and wings his way on an intercept course, none of the thousands of soldiers spotting his Clark Kent maneouver!
Alana and her men has been slaughtering every demon that crests the wall. Though tired and bloody, the line is still holding. Then the earth below starts screaming, as Octavion starts forcing his way through the press of demons, angling toward Alana’s position. Soon, he and his Malfean staff will batter down wall and Exalt alike.
The air grows warmer around Alana, perhaps a moment of clarity in the mixed up insanity of the battle?
“Cousin.” - its Anaria, her Fire Aspect anima bannering around her.
“Cousin” responds Alana, with a slight nod.
Both flame-haired scions of Cathak turn and watch the looming bulk of the approaching Octavion. Surely it is their death approaching? What words of confort or acknowledgment might they have for each, here at the last?
“…”- Alana
“…”- Anaria
And on that awkward family silence, we pause.
So ends Session 27.
Return to SJE
