SJE/Session74
Session 74
Wedding Bells.
5-10th Ascending Water RY769
A relatively small game with Rav, Shizu, Captain and Brand present.
After the Captains dramatic trial the previous week, the Exalts decide to return to Solaria and resolve that issue. They decide to make a non-pacted deal with the Ledaals for both sides to leave Solaria. Its not enforced by Oath to Heaven, more the balance of power between them. Solaria will remain a Realm tributary in name and taxation only. The new Realm Governor will remain on the beaches of An-Teng, while the Solarian Administrative Liason will be the well-respected Reverend Moon (leader of the Church of the Unconquered Sun). A minimal garrison of 20 odd Realm soldiers will remain to guard the tax collectors.
As part of the military de-escalation, Brand demilitarises the Giant Robot Head by removing eye beam lenses. He also turns down its Essence collection mode, so it no longer sucks up all the ambient Essence in the region. Instead of being a devastating Solar weapon-system it will instead flare its golden anima over Solaria Minor as a call to prayer 5 times a day.
There is a Big Ceremony marking the cleansing of the Shadowland (the GRH & Legion have been industrious over these past months) and formally declaring Solaria free of darkness. On the left is the surviving population of Solaria, turned out to see their golden Saviours. On the right, the Realm Legion stand in serried ranks. The Exalts stand on the platform as the heroes of the war come down the aisle for medals. Notable heroics by Realm Legionnaires, Alana’s Tiger Warriors, the doughty spearmen of Solaria Minor and the mirror-shielded Legionnaires are all recognised by Brand who has made shiny Oricalcum medals. Even the man from the Popular Front of Solaria & his dog are recognised for single-handedly taking on a Nemessary with his bare teeth! (Brand uses All Encompassing Sorcerors Sight and realises the Nemessary tried to body hop into the Popular Front of Solarias head. But he’s such a splittist that even his brain is subdivided and the Nessessary is stuck in a few tiny brain cells!)
The Ledaals and other Dragonbloods in a rare show of graciousness present the Solars and Lunar with scroll of thanks and bestow on each a jade dagger with the Legions insignia. And such is their love of shiny medals that they accept the oricalcum Medal of Bravery from Brand, though perhaps they wont be wearing it as openly at their next Salon on the Blessed Isle. Both sides agree that they were great allies against the threat of the Deathlords.
With the Mahdi gone off to the Lost City of Cinnabar (Brand is very envious) and Rav talking about doing something with the Knight of Dark Renowns suit of Moonsilver Super-Heavy Plate, the Solars head home to Gem. The McCathaks head back to Cathak County with an invite for them to all come and visit soon y’hear.
Along the journey home, there is some discussion on what role the Solars have to play in Creation these days. Brand argues that telling people what to do and ruling nations is what got them into trouble in the First Age. Far better to let people live their own lives and protect them from those threats to Creation that keep on popping up. But the Captain (and perhaps Rav) are a little more keen on restoring Solar glory and lordship over all of Creation, rather than merely remaining as Creation Cops. And the Captain already has an idea of where to start…
Gem remains its usual gloriously venal and mucky self. The Hot District and lower reaches of the mountain are filled with the usual disrespectful kids, cut purses and muggers. Here at last, surrounded by travellers and Gemites, the Solars can relax into the anonymity that they’d lost in Solaria. (although a quarter of Gem still worships the Unconquered Sun after the Great Conversion, its followers are a more worldly breed than the idealistic fanatics of Solaria)
Rav and Brand return to the Granite Watchtower, where things remain the same. The cells are full of drunks, nobodys replaced the rail on the staircase, the tea urn has an inch thick coating of brown (“it gives it that real tea taste” claims Brand) and someones broken into the Commanders safe to get the weeks pay. Rav begins organising things, and looking at crime reports. Looks like there has been a recent spike in crime levels over the last few months.
Shizu, tired from the long journey, heads to her home, anxious for a good nights sleep and some peace and quiet. Instead she finds someone in her apartment.
”Swweeetie-Dahling!” exclaims her mother, Bronze Shadow. (Pretty Shadow, her youngest sister waves from the back) “So, marvellous to have you back! You don’t mind me moving in early do you!? I just had to make myself at home, steal a few things, change those awful curtains.”
”But who… how… know where I live” stammers Shizu
”Well all the best thieves know where you live, sweetie-dahling! Anyway, now you are here, we can get on with our real business- I’ve hired the town criers to announce your marriage to that lovely Commander Ravitsu (and you never told me he was the head of the City Watch! Oh, you sly minx) and hired that nice palace on the hill for the wedding! Now I’ve got a lovely old lady coming down from the Palace for drinksies to discuss it all, so I need you pop out for some milk, scones and a couple of high carat diamond would just look lovely. Could you sweetie dahling?!”
Shizu flees from her own home, screaming silently and Monkey Leaping in a panic to the Granite Watchtower where she relates the news to an amused Rav. “Its my mother! Shes back! And you know that misunderstanding about us getting married? She’s gone and announced it and booked the wedding!!!” Outside town criers call out ”HERE YEA, HERE YEA, MASTER THIEF TO WED HEAD OF CITY WATCH!!”
Brand falls off his chair laughing so hard. “Shall we get married?” begs Shizu of Rav. ”’Spose so” responds a laconic Rav. The Captain shouts “Don’t do it! Marriage will just wreck your life!” Brand is laughing so hard he starts doing himself Bashing levels of damage.
Afterwards the Captain, buoyed by his success in Solaria and exoneration at his Celestial trial, marches up to his family home, the al’Amarah mansion. His uncle (head of the family, who may or may not have killed the Captains father) rushes out shouting “Varlet, I know you plot against me! Out! I disown you and strip you of your name!” (the whole ‘Never keep a secret’ thing sucks)
The Captain instead fixes him with a steely eye and invokes his new Charm “Worshipful Lackey Acquisition”
“No uncle, now it is time to recognise me as the Head of this Family, like my father before me. My deeds speak for themselves- none could be a better choice. You will be my consigliere and advisor. Now go draw me a hot bath, fix a cold ale and spread the news.” And the glassy-eyed uncle scurries off to obey his new masters commands, any seething resentment buried deep under the golden power of Solar Charms.
The captain relaxes back in his hot bubble bath, family attendants hanging on every whim. Isn’t life great? A servant hands him a mug of ale. He downs it, expecting a refreshing quaff of alcoholic goodness. Instead… nothing. No liquid. No refreshment. Bizarrely, as he upends the tankard, the ale level seems to draw away from his mouth. Even turning it upside down, directly above his open mouth, the ale refuses to fall, bubbling instead at the bottom of the upended mug. Time to roll for limit as the Captain realises the true horror of his wifes Curse. (rolls Limit)
Shizu (after a quick B&E for the milk and diamonds) returns to her home, to find her mother sitting on a chest. There seems to be muffled banging noises coming from inside.
“Sweetie-Dahling! Lady Rankar will be visiting any moment. Be a dear, and move this ugly chest? It just doesn’t go with any of the décor here! You really have no sense of taste, still now I’m here, I’ll teach you everything you need to know about good taste and where to steal it”
Shizu moves the chest, and in another room opens it to find an angry money lenders thug. Shizu knocks him out again and stuffs him into the chest as Auntie arrives. Tea between Auntie and Mother is a bit odd. Auntie complains of how its terrible there is all this crime these days and there is no respect for elders these days and shes’s 73 don’t you know? Bronze Shadow doesn’t seem to pick up on this and instead admires aunties emerald necklace and diamond rings.
Anyway, tea progresses without any major thefts or poisonings (much to Shizu’s relief) and Auntie and her attendants trot back off to the palace, with Bronze Shadow promising to donate some jewelled idols to Aunties next Tombola.
Cut scene of Rav looking at the monthly crime stats (and being told of a diamond theft at the jewellers. The staff are furious because the thief also took their milk from the staff room larder!) A furrow crosses his brow as he spots not one, but 2 spikes of thefts in recent months. A month ago- Shizu’s mother makes her arrival. But before that? Someone has been running a protection racket on the shopkeepers of the lower Shades. Interrogating some stoolies and pigeons (human variety, nothing Lunar) he finds that a new organisation has come to town- no one knows who the leader is and even the operatives are very quiet and subtle. Definitely not Bronze Shadows style. But perhaps she might know who her competition is. So Rav asks Brand to go question Bronze Shadow while Shizu is not around.
Brand heads up, turning on All Encompassing Sorceror Sight to look at Gem along the way. He spots the Solar Manse of the Diamond Palace, Earth Manse of the Granite Watchtower, and the wild Fire demesne on the remains of the Temple of 5 Immaculate Dragons (partially rebuilt as the Church of the Unconquered Sun, but still unfinished and definitely not capped). He even gets a glimpse of Auntie in passing and becomes very uneasy when his Sorcerors Sight reveals her to be a little old lady.
Brand reaches Shizu’s apartment, and gets the full force of Bronze Shadows… unique.. personality as she answers the door dressed in a gauzy dressing gown.
“Ah come in! And so prompt, you people usually take days to help a lady in distress. Now come on, come on. Its through here.”
A bemused Brand follows
“Now if you could just fix the pluming. I’d do it, but you need strong hands. Oh my, can I see your hands? Oh yes, they are strong. So like my dead husband, gods rest his soul, he had strong hands too. Your hands remind me of him. Now darling, time to put those hands to good use” husks Bronze Shadow lavisiciously
Brand (possibly hearing the “Boom-wow-wow” theme of cheesy soft porn music everywhere and perhaps manifesting a 70’s moustache) feels compelled to object.
”Madam, you seem to have mistaken me for someone else…” (shudders inwardly) “I’m an officer of the Watch….”
“The Watch? Of course you are darling. But you can still help me? A big strong man like you? And don’t you have the most delightful gold tattoo on your brow. You must be one of my Shizu’s friends. And after you’ve helped with this plumbing, I’d be more than happy to help wipe the sweat from your manly brow!” she seduces
“Look I really must be going” says Brand burning Willpower as Bronze Shadow (easily 10 years his senior) drapes herself around him.
”But how can you go..without any underpants!” husks Bronze Shadow as he reveals his briefs with a larcenous flourish.
“Aargh!” screams Brand as Monkey Leaps from the apartment and flees across city (inadvertently flashing passerb-bys below) And he’s the second Solar Exalt to have run screaming from Shizu’s mother in the same evening!
Up in the most romantic spot in Gem (the tallest tower of the Diamond Palace, far above the noise and smell and bustle of the city) Shizu and Ravitsu gaze up at the constellations.
“Ravitsu… I’ve always thought of you as the most er.. sensible of us. And I’m not meaning to damn with faint praise, I really mean it. And if you want to… if its not a bother.. would you marry me?” asks Shizu.
“Of course.” Replies her Lunar fiancé.
So Ends Session 74.
Return to SJE
