Darzoni/CampaignsReflectionsS1

Session 1 log

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Here is the town of Jade-Upon-The-River, a city the three young (by Exalted standards) Solars remember in dreams of the glorious past. It looks nothing like it did then, looted by the Shogunate for the jade its buildings had. Now there are wood houses surrounded by the jungle that has reclaimed much of the land around the former First Age city. The people here seem different, slightly more beautiful than the rest of the people the Exalts have run across in Creation. Slightly more unreal. And they all share the same cobalt blue eyes...

Hulen walks through the town, watching...well, everything. Taking it in. Trying to figure out where his dreams and reality intersect. The road seems to be in the same place. Then again, he's not entirely certain about his dreams, really. There's...something over at the end of one of these roads, rather important. Something his. But what?

"...there's got to be a reason those eyes are familiar."

They remind him of his dreams, also, although he's not sure /why/.

Rynel walks down the road slowly, looking around, and remembering. Dreams, mostly, but sometimes it seems like he's done this all before. He's no stranger to strange dreams, but most seem to reflect the future, not the past. Everything has this deja vu feeling to it.

Sarlk is following along with the others, for once in the back, similarly looking around, trying to remember why this place is familiar, out of all places...and the eyes. The eyes...what about the eyes? Why does they all the same? Weaponless, armorless, the warrior is feeling a little naked without them...but it was essential. Some covert is needed, after all...as much he /hate/ it.

The villagers all seem... somehow familiar, yet... the memories are from thousands and thousands of years ago. Why do their faces look familiar? In the distance, a vast monument rises, obscured by some sort of shimmering barrier and well-kept gardens surrounding the structure for many acres around it. The sky is bright and sunny, unlike the trip here, which rained miserably upon the boat for many leagues.

Rynel looks up at the sky and sun as he walks, taking it in. He never liked rain, and the clear skies is a welcome change. He walks towards the monument, wondering what it could be.

Hulen stops, staring at the monument. And around it.

"Huh."

He, too heads towards the monument. He remembers it...probably it, anyway...as his. But he couldn't possibly afford such a grand piece of real estate, could he? This was getting confusing.

Sarlk takes a moment to stop and look up at the monument, ignoring right now the two...other passengers he spent some time with on the boat. They are just...other travelers like himself. The warrior places a flat hand over his eyes to provide some shade for his eyes and look at the monument. Definetivly, anoter cord is strung in his memory...But more than that? He can't tell.

There is a young woman with a group of small children. There is a sudden shock of recognition for Hulen, for his eyes flash before him a memory of another young woman in the grandeur of the old Jade-Upon-The-River who looked very much like her. She writes a series of Realm glyphs in the dirt. "Now what's this one mean?"

"Solar Exalted!" the children chime.

"That's right. The Solar Exalted were the champion of the Unconquered Sun." Odd... nobody has openly discussed the Unconquered Sun in an Age.

The shimmering barrier starts at the edge of the great garden, a golden glowing dome over the massive... ah, here is the memory- it is a Manse.

The feeling of ownership was definitely stronger now. Mine. It was. It is. There's...something about it. Under? Around? Something that's nagging at Hulen. But it's just a minor thought, compared to the idea that he could own something like this. Yes, he'd been able to support himself, but...this, well. This is not something he could afford.

"I think...I think I own that."

...he'd just said that aloud, hadn't he?

Sarlk lowers his gaze and, at the same time, his hand to look directly at that...stranger he don't even know the name of that he spent some time with on the boat. "Excuse me?" The woman and the childs also receive an good, hearty smile.

"And what does the Master of the Temple tell us?"

"That one day they'll come back and save us all."

The woman waves politely at the trio. "Those strangers might be Solars, children..." She smiles. "Sorry, we don't get many visitors here other than Dynasts who want to make a name for themselves trying to breach the temple's sanctuary."

Hulen turns, staring at the woman and children. That...well, there's something there too.

"Excuse me...have I met you before somewhere?"

Perceptive woman, that one.

Rynel looks over at the other traveller. He owns this? He gives him a puzzled look, and then looks at the woman and the children, along with the glyphs. He mentally hums. Unusual. Usually the dragon blooded propaganda is spread. "Ah, I see.. Why can't it be entered?"

Sarlk blink, also surprised. Yes, for once propanganda has not taken root. That's pretty dang novel. The Dawn Solar is remaining in the back for now, listening to this. Solar, coming to save us all? An monument that cannot be entered? "The Dynasts...?" He echoes to himself, mostly muttering. They tried to take that place? That must mean something.

"Oh, it can be entered..." She sighs and brushes hair out of her face. "Children, run along now and mind your parents." The children scatter off, some breaking off into small groups to play.

"Well, it can be entered, but it is protected by the Master of The Temple, who waits for her own master to return one day. The Dynasts and Immaculates often come here to try and conquer the temple."

Rynel frowns. "I've never heard of that happening. But then, I suppose none of the Dynasts returning would do that.." He looks back at the monument. "I wonder whats inside."

Hulen thinks, trying to remember his dreams, but it's not quite working.

"...the Master of the Temple, who waits for her master. And I assume she kills them." It'd only be logical, really.

"Does she have a name?"

Watching the Children run along, Sarlk watch them go, and play. But he is definetivly paying attention to the conversation there...it's...may be none of his buisness, but he got a feeling that it is. That he's /somehow/ related to that. That's pretty much WHY he is still around.

The woman smiles... "She hasn't told anyone her name. Oh! My manners... I'm Summer Tolan." She bows politely. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

Hulen bows in return, out of habit. Five years as a Solar still hadn't broken him of respect for most people. Five hundred probably wouldn't.

"I am Hulen zan-Gon."

Well, this...Temple, she'd called it...it was open for entrance, and...okay, death was a possibility. But if he owned it, he wouldn't die, right? And he was pretty sure he owned it.

Rynel bows, remembering this place more and more. He and four others used to govern this city, live in that monument, palace, but thats impossible. He'd never been here before... Had he? Lost in thought, he says, "Ra-- Er, I am Rynel."

Finaly looking back at the nearby conversation, the Dawn Solar answers similarly, giving a short bow of the head. "Call me Sarlk." He seems...distant. That's not regular for him...but like THEY would know that.

There is a gate of white marble nearby... with the heads of Dynasts hanging from a very ornate orichalcum pike. Their gear is also hung nearby with care.

Rynel goes over to examine the heads and gear, to see if he can identify any of them, or it.

Hulen stares for a moment at the heads.

"It seems the Master of the Temple is good at what she does."

Rynel mumbles, "So thats what happened to my aunt's favorite son..." He looks back at the others. "Shall we go in?"

Now, an revelation strikes Sarlk. A short flash, remembering him of something, increasing even more the familiarity of this place. So that's why he felt ...attracted of coming here. That's starting to make senses...and pick his curiousity.

He looks at the other gathered here, who seems...to be having similar episodes. "There is only one way to find out what this place is -- ask that 'Master'." Sarlk stop at the...carnage at the marble gates, then shake his head.

Then? The Dawn Solar start walking closer the monument, and toward the equipment.

Rynel looks at the bodies, and out of morbid curiousity, looks for Amahara.

Hulen ignores the bodies. Even Dynasts deserve the respect to have their items left. Well, if they didn't have anything obviously needed or valuable. Dynasts don't get /that/ much respect. Instead, he heads for the gates, to open them and enter. Might as well meet this Master the quickest way.

Rynel mutters, "Damn, hes not here.." He follows Hulen in.

Sarlk is not looting. Oh no. Just staring for now. His /true/ weapon his back home. He goes for the gate...and helps pushing it if needed.

The gate has no door, it is more of a freestanding arch. It leads into a well-groomed garden that goes on for acres and acres. Exotic plants, unique to the Manse grounds, grow here. The path is made up of polished jade (not the magical kind, just jade). It's a straight shot into the main Manse structure.

Hulen walks up the path, looking around.

"Hello?"

...okay, perhaps not the wisest course of action, but easily the best way to get attention.

Rynel follows along, looking around. "Interesting..."

Taking the lead, Sarlk is walking above the path, looking around at the plants, jade, garden that this...place contain. All familiar, and verily beautiful. He follow the straight foward path without...much comments.

Until that he of course does the opposite.. "We wish to speak with the Master of the Temple, whoever might be it." He declares out, somewhat loud.

There is a brightly lit chamber ahead... it might as well be out in the daylight, since it is illuminated by many well-polished mirrors of gold with etchings of the glorious past of the Exalted upon them. It tells a story, of how the Primordials were defeated by the mighty Champions of the Gods. There are five thrones seated upon a raised circle platform, decorated with the five symbols of the Sun's Chosen. Ah! You remember! You used to sit there, he used to sit over there, and that guy was over there. Except... on Hulen's throne sits a figure who is wearing the most heavy armor any of you have seen in your lives. Hulen remembers -making- that armor as well. The face in the armor is too beautiful, too unreal, to be anything other than one of the dread Fair Folk.

"I am The Master of the Temple. What business do you have here?"

"I am Sarlk. And this is apparently our home. Why, when, how, I don't know, butDarzoni/I/ know this place used to be ours. Perhaps you may be able to enlighten us." The Dawn Solar declares...to the, my, beautifull woman. Wearing an elephant of an armor.

Hulen pauses, almost saying the instinctive answer. And...oh, he said it. Ours, is it? Yes, of course. They all...yes.

"Yes. I..."

She looks familiar, that Fae. Where from, though?

"...I know you, don't I? And...yes, that armor...I know you, but I'd swear I never met you before."

Hulen thinks. Yes, that armor...and the face...

"Damon? Damon Wyld-Born? Is that your name? But...that armor, Sayla...okay, I'd like to know what's going on. I know who you are, and that armor...was my daughter's, but I don't /have/ a daughter. But I had one, but not..."

Ow, confusion. You'd think after five years, this would be less confusing.

Damon bows. "I cede the land to its rightful masters. Welcome home, Chosen of the Unconquered Sun. It has been too long since your kind has walked the face of Creation." She frowns at the question of Hulen's past life daughter. "I do not wish to speak of the passing of my dear friend, sir."

"I...probably understand."

Well, things probably won't get much clearer for a while. Might as well make the best of it. Or try to change that.

"I'd like to know a little about this place, to get...reacquainted with it. All I know is that it's...mine, I think. Or close to that."

That was easy.

Perhaps too easy. Sarlk merly blink at that, tilting his head a little. Wait wait, Damon Wyld-Touched? The Wyld? A fae?

"...How long have this place been without it's...masters?" He asks, specialy after the reaction she had about...that 'daughter'.

Rynel looks around. "I know that I lived here at some point..."

"Since the reign of the Dragon-Blooded began. I have worked hard to keep the people of the village prosperous, Master." She's addressing Hulen. "I am now called Damon Sun-Touched."

Hulen nods. Master? Uh, right. Right, that's...different.

"Damon Sun-Touched...I'll remember that."

She's a Fae, she's supposed to live that long, right?

"Since--" Sarlks echoes, not very beliving it. He make a quick calculation... that's... that's... Well, that's a /lot/ of years ago!

"I see, Damon Sun-Touched...I suppose you could tell us what is going on? We ruled there during...BEFORE this age?" A bit slow on giving the change.

Rynel blinks. "That'd explain the dreams, I suppose. Well, most of them."

Hulen sighs.

"Well, we'd have to. The Solars haven't ruled since then." Scholarly work helps with this. Although using 'we' or 'us' doesn't come naturally yet.

Damon takes off her helmet to reveal long white-gold hair and long pointy ears... funny, she has that weird color of blue in her eyes as the villagers.

"Shall I reacquaint you with your domain?"

Rynel nods. "Please."

Hulen nods.

"That would be helpful."

So that's where he remembered the eyes from. Pretty funny, yes. He knew he saw thoses eyes before... Damn, that actualy makes /sense/!

"If you would."

That was Sarlk.

Damon leads the three deeper into the Manse, which curves around in a circle and has five great wings. "Each of these wings was your own personal residence. An entire wing was your manor in the age gone by." The decorations are faded or missing, but the lighting has not perished, lighting the Manse like it was always daylight.

Sarlk follows the Fae, who seems to have been suckered or something similar eons ago into becoming the handy maid/protector of this place, looking around at the areas. Pretty impressive...Very impressive. That was all their -- or is just one big elaborated pratical joke made by the cosmos?...Naaah.

Hulen nods, yes. It's...all vaguely familiar.

"It will have to be fixed, but we can't expect it to be completely intact after so long."

Rynel follows silently, taking it all in. Familiar, but not. Weird.

Damon nods politely to Hulen. "You were the architect of this place, the city, and the defenses. But I'm afraid my kin from the Wyld overwhelmed me in their march. Hence why so many things are missing."

A young man with white hair is in what Damon has introduced as being the dining area, eating alone. "Hello Tsubasa, I see you have woken up." Damon says. The man nods quietly and eats the loaf of bread he has before him. "He is a visitor here. He was being hounded by the Dragon-Blooded and I could not break my oath. The bodies you saw outside were theirs."

Rynel nods. "My aunt was wondering what happened to her favorite son, and I suspect she'll never find out."

Hulen nods again. This is beginning to feel almost natural, walking around this place.

"It's fine, I approve."

Architect, huh? No wonder it all seems so familiar. Well, he'd have to be architect again, but that'd be fine.

Hulen says, "...your aunt?"

"Hounded by the Dragon-Blooded." Sarlk echoes, giving a short nod of greeting at 'Tsubasa'...and looking at what he's eating. That kind remind him he havent ate in a little while.

And he eyes Rynel, raising an eyebrow. "Your aunt?"

Rynel nods. "Yes." He keeps looking around, absentmindedly waving his hand. "I never liked him. Too much of a brat, even more than the norm."

Hulen says, "But he's a Dragon-Blooded. You're a Solar. I can tell that much from the fact that you seem to be about as familiar with this place as I am."

Rynel looks over at Hulen. "And your point is? I was expected to Exalt terrestrial, but there was this archery competition, and Ledaal Amahara is out to get me, along with his circlemates, my family, and everyone else under the sun. Well, except maybe my sister. But yeah, I Exalted in front of some members of the Wild Hunt, some Dynasts, and next to a Air-aspect, while prophesizing their downfall."

Listening vaguely to Rynel's spilling of beans, Sarlk is more occupied of finding what could be the closest thing to a kitchen around here. As he's finished, the Dawn Caste Solar comments off hand: "That's a pretty inconvenient situation."

Rynel says, "And shooting out Amahara's eye probably didn't help. Yeah, just a bit."

Hulen sighs.

"Wonderful. It seems the defenses will have to be the first things rebuilt."

If only he had more than the slightest idea how to do that right now. Some research would be needed.

"Also, for the future - if we're to be living in this temple, I'd appreciate it if you'd mention these sort of things without prompting. Please."

Damon hmms? "Well, you all safe while in this house." Damon next shows everybody the kitchen, which is... not stocked very well. There are breads and foodstuffs that Damon was offered by the villagers, but nothing too fancy.

Rynel nods. "Oh, then just so you know, I have unusual dreams quite often, can shoot my bow with my feet, and may glow and spout prophetic lines of things without warning. But I suppose this IS warning, so..."

Ah! Sweet! Now that's something he kinda been waiting for. Sarlk looks around the room, nodding. "Well then. If we're for the time of revelations for every body here..." He begins, making his way to take a small, pretty small, loaf of bread. Hey, it's almost morning snack time. He take a small bite. "My students are waiting for me. I should...bring them here. They shall...be safe as well."

Hulen nods.

"My turn, then. Well, I'm a sorceror, so I hope no one gets surprised by any of that. Other than that, I can't think of anything particularly urgent."

Ah, the joys of simple living.

"Now that that's out of the way...I think that if we're to live here and own this place, we should take charge of it."

Students...well, that'd help for guarding, although Damon seemed skilled on her own. Or research, but this man didn't look like a scholar.

"Damon, what are the most urgent problems here?"

Sarlk does not look like a scholar, no. Kinda far from it. Like, totaly.

Rynel looks at Sarlk. "What do you do?"

Damon has to really think about that for a moment. "The population has been dwindling for many generations, despite my intervention on behalf of barren couples. And I had to build my own Freehold in the basement of the Manse to survive, which I hope you do not mind, but it has drained much power from the temple over the years. I do believe that it is my fault the population is dying and the Freehold is why... but... I do not know how to make it smaller..." She hangs her head in shame.

The interpelled takes a moment to chew his piece of bread, swallows then answer. "Think a moment. I have a weapon on my back. I'm not scrawny, and I'd like to think I'm actualy pretty well built." He bites again in, waiting for Damon to...explain the situation. The population been dwindling, huh? Whoddya thunk.

He finish what he started, eyeing Damon a moment. ...then answers to the two other exalteds. "I fight. That's pretty much all you need to know."

Rynel looks over at Damon. "What exactly is a Freehold?"

Damon seems to struggle for the correct description. "... It is to my kind as this place is to yours."

"An sanctuary?" Sarlk hesitate.

Damon leads everybody up to the Hearthstone room. If sunglasses were around in Creation, this place would require you need them. It's so bright that the sun has bleached the very stone of the walls in the room. THere is little decoration here, but plenty of essence channeling architecture.

Hulen had expected more...ah, mundane problems. Food and such. Well, this is a lovely thing.

"Ah...perhaps if the Manse were rebuilt properly...the flow must be balanced. A limited amount of power...yes, and the Freehold must be taking too much now, although I certainly can't blame you for that. But if the Manse were to be properly cared for and rebuilt, the flow should reverse itself, yes? Your Freehold would shrink...although that would also have to be controlled. As for the people of this town..."

Oh, the Hearthstone room! This is familiar. The mirrors, the arrangements, the architecture. Yes, he made that. His sentence trails off, unfinished.

Damon plucks the hearthstone from the orichalcum plate it rests on and gives it to Hulen. "No offense intended to you two, it is simply that it is his."

Rynel nods. "Well, if you need a Manse to put it on, I suppose you could use mine. I own a large estate to the west of here with a manse on it. None taken." He gestures to the chalk-like heathstone in his powerbow.

Sarlk has...some problem focusing directly on the Heartstone, heck, the whole room. But he's a big boy, now!

"What is...that thing?" He asks.

Hulen takes the hearthstone.

"This thing would be...if I remember my research correctly, the focus of the Essence flowing in this Manse. It is the manifestation of the Manse's power."

Sarlk stares at Hulen. He just stares, blinking once, twice. Then take a big bite out of his bread. He havent got a word, apparently.

Hulen sighs.

"You don't understand, do you?"

Damon bows. "You should attune yourself to the temple, masters. It will aide you. I believe the correct ritual can be found in your old quarters." She's addressing Hulen.

Hulen nods.

"That's probably a good idea. They're...this way, yes?"

He sets off down a hall, hoping his memories are accurate enough.

"I understood!" Sarlk complains out, his mouth half-full, indignated. "So that's kind of our ownership thing for this...place." He eyes Damon, nods once, swallow his food and follows Hulen as well.

Rynel says, "I'm going to go check out my section of this place. I'll meet you back here." He heads off.

The Twilight's manor looks as if it were covered in architectural drawings of other manses. There are many dusty old books here, though many were apparently ravaged when the Fair Folk broke the defenses of the Manse and stormed the place. There is a book entitled "The Sorcerer's Manual of Rites and Preparations"

Hulen smiles.

"I'll have to spend more time here...now, let's see..."

He pages through the book, looking for the Rite of Attunement.

It's the first ritual in the book.

Finishing the loaf of bread, Sarlk follows into the manor and...just follow the other Exalted, looking around as he walks. Mmm. That food felt pretty good.

Hulen takes the book, looking for Sarlk.

"Right, this will take...I judge an hour, based on the look of this Hearthstone. You'll have to do exactly as I say."

Sarlk is right there, man. He's just...waiting, and looking at the book.

So the three meet in the Hearthstone room and begin the Ritual of Attunement.

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After one hour of pretty much confusing rituality, Sarlk walk out of that manor and...just in time to see Damon leading an old couple inside the depths of the Manse. Curious...the Dawn Solar exalted follows -- either the others are following him or not does not matter.

Hulen has, indeed, followed, although his nose is in the book. Oooo, new things to learn! Or old, but...well, you know.

Rynel follows, pondering.

The manse fades quickly as they move down the steps... into a fantastical dream-realm.

Hulen looks up, as the manse changes. After all, some things are even more interesting than old tomes. Or at least more pressingly so.

The place here is a vast field with flowers of beautiful maiden's heads singing a siren's song in a gentle golden breeze. The sky is entirely a pale shade of white and there are albatrosses of leaves flying overhead. There are mushrooms glomping around eating the flowers.

Hulen blinks.

"...oh."

Yeah. He gestures towards the other two to head back, looking at the ground to keep from looking at the sky.

"We'll leave her to her duties, whatever they may be."

Rynel heads back, then. He looks around, but makes sure he still knows where we're going. "This is pretty neat."

As soon things start getting a liiiiittle screwy, Sarlk stops, look around, look down, look at the msuhrooms and flowers. Then at the sky again. He sloooooowly turn around at Hulen and nods. "Yeeeeeeeaaaaaah...I guess we'll just ask her later. Let's go back."

The stairway that you came from is now a rope leading into the sky.

Rynel climbs the rope.

Hulen climbs the rope, too, hoping that it'll be a stairway at the same time as a rope.

Sarlk does not really have a choice, now, does he?

Somehow the rope becomes a stairway and you become aware that you were walking on a stairway all along for some reaon.

Rynel nods again, grinning. "I want one."

Hulen is glad of the staircase.

"We'll have to look into that deeper. But later. And...it's /hers/. I doubt it'll work for you."

Rynel says, "I don't know what it is I want, but I want one."

Hulen says, "I think that was the Freehold she mentioned."

And thus, Sarlk is out of that HOLE MADE OF INSANITY. His next objective? To look back at the Exalted, and then... "Now what?"

Hulen says, "Well, I think we should talk to...Tsubasa, yes. He might know something about the area that Damon didn't mention...and then we could take a look ourselves."

"A good idea." Sarlk concludes and start walking off to the eating...area, kitchen, whatever it's called.

Hulen heads off to the kitchen, too.

"Tsubasa? We'd like to speak with you."

Tsubasa looks up from the pinapple he had been working on, curiousity in his eyes.

Hulen says, "Well...ah, mostly we'd like to know what you know about this place."

Tsubasa opens his mouth as if he were speaking, but...

... it seems that Tsubasa is incapable of speaking above a whisper. "....."

Hulen says, "Ah...could you repeat that, please?"

"....."

Sarlk does not hear anything. Instead, he just...move in closer. "What?"

Tsubasa gets frustrated... "...there is a demon cult. i attracted attention there from defending myself and the wyld hunt came..."

Hulen moves closer, too, in time to here this.

"...a demon cult."

Ah, a pressing problem. One that'd be easier to solve than the population of the town.

"That sounds...problematic."

Defending himself...a savant, or an Exalted? Or...hm...

Rynel hums. He'd moved a bit closer, too.

"...A...Demon cult?" Sarlk echoes, taking his voice similarly low...but not that low. "...I see...Why was the Wyld Hunt after you? Are you...an Exalted as well?" He asks, then dares again: "Where is that Cult?"

"... i am a prophet of the unconquered sun and tried to show the cultists the error of their ways..."

Tsubasa's forehead begins shining brightly, as a golden disk...

Fin

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