JustAddWater/Session3Sum
Session 3 - Pushing gods and papers
13th day of Ascending Water, RY 768
After a small glitch in the Loom of Fate Jiang Chou and Silent Sunset find their way to Platinum Sky Lover's manse, where they hold an informal meeting. Jiang announces the bad news to everyone - the last known coordinates of the missing Sidereals lead to a blood-spattered room within the citadel of the Silver Prince. Silent speaks of the dark suspicions Sorrowful North had about his fellows and the four unhappily accept, that it is most likely, that the Convention of Water now serves the Bodhisattva Anointed With Dark Water.
Jiang then proceeds to tell the others of his cunning plan: When he told the Deathknight about the lost First Age library off the coast of Abalone, he wasn't actually selling out Heaven to save his life - he was luring her outside, so that the circle could capture her when she tried to enter the library! Because while Kung Fu'd Deathknights are a good thing, trying to do so in the middle of a Deathlord's citadel isn't the best of ideas. A man of his dignity has no business being splattered all over the walls, is Jiang's opinion. And once she is in the hands of the circle, they can 'ask' her all the questions they need answered.
Silent Sunset hesitates at first, thinking of the political implications of taking action against one of the more sane Deathlords, but then begins to appreciate the symmetry of it - if you take someone away from Heaven, Heaven will take someone away from you. The balancing aspects of Fate, if you will. Or simply, as Jiang thinks, a gesture of 'fuck the Prince'. Platinum Sky Lover is of the same conviction - the Prince is a Deathlord and an enemy of Creation. And besides, nobody has to see them, no witnesses have to survive ...
As usual the conversation drifts then, turning to the unpleasant matter of who gets to write the report afterwards. They decide to 'volunteer' the absent Tien while Silent quips, that they won't have to write any report, if something goes wrong. 'Speak for yourself' Jiang grumbles, thinking of his near-perfect memories of previous incarnations. Lover mentions, that all this paperwork is keeping her away from her duties - for the Chosen of Serenity sex isn't only just for fun after all. This leads to a discussion of duty vs. pleasure with Jiang holding that duty and the joy of doing a job well is sufficient and Lover and Silent trying to get him to loosen up. Finally she remarks, that they better get ready for the meeting with the Censor – getting dressed will take some time in her case …
The Exalted: Sidereals logo flashes across the screen and it is the 14th day of Ascending Water, RY 768 and the circle enters the office of Lung Xue Fan. The floor is carpeted with moss and the smell of a living forest permeates the air. The Censor is a Lesser Elemental Dragon of Wood. Silent and Jian bow; Platinum goes into full kowtow and brings a gift of First Age poetry [Socialise 5 in action :D]. Respectful questioning reveals, that the Censor knows only, that Sorrowful North had claimed, that a very high ranking Sidereal had betrayed the Fellowship and had doomed Creation. Since he didn’t get to meet him that’s all he can say – and he asks the circle to remain quiet about that as well. Our Sidereal investigators leave (Platinum gathers more Brownie points with the Censor) and on the way to the next heavenly canal discuss their options.
Approaching Lytek seems the obvious way to go – he might know about North’s memories or how to best restrain a captured Deathknight. Taking the silver canal, unwilling to deal with the paperwork that using the gold would bring at this point, it takes until late evening to arrive near the bright god’s office. Despite Jiang’s cynical remarks no ninjas attack the gondola and given the spirited discussion of the merits of various martial arts they should know to stay away anyway. Silent Sunset sends ahead his friend [and familiar] Hali Ba, the former God of Abnormally Small Birds in the Far West with a message to Lytek, asking for an appointment. Indeed when the circle arrives the Daimyo of Exaltation is still in his office, pacing back and forth and adjusting his tuxedo for the opera he’d planned to attend. Jiang takes the lead once more, explaining the situation to him and emphasising that Creation itself is at stake. Sunset proceeds to respectfully ask about the memories of Sorrowful North’s shard in the name of the Violet Bier and Platinum Sky Lover completes the three-pronged assault by employing her womanly charms. Caught by the Chosen of Serenity’s smile [5 successes on flirting] Lytek admits, that such access is not ... well, not totally unprecedented and brings out the Sidereal shard along with a mirror and arcane instruments. A few manipulations and the static in the mirror turns into an image ... and the hammer falls!
North: "Tell me, was it just you, or were you doing her dirtywork? And the empress disappearing at the same time? That was no coincidence-- doubtless a plot by your neverborn masters."
Sorrowful North is speaking to another man as seen through his own eyes, but shadows and lost memories obscure him. The sharp staccato of Essence static obscures the other’s name.
Unidentified: "North, you misunderstand me. I am, as EVER, a loyal servant of the maidens. What we did was *necessary*. We didn't know about the Empress any sooner than you did-- but it should be patently obvious by now that things couldn't continue on as they were. The slow dererioration of creation-- we've fallen so far already. *Drastic Actionwas required to restore the world."
North: "Even dealing with the Deathlords? You're a fool, [Shhhhhr] and you've damned us all!"
Unidentified: "North, don't do anything you're going to regret...."
North: "Regret? I'm going to see the censor in the morning. When this gets out, your precious connections will drop you so fast you'd think you were made of fire. Your treason will not go un--huuuuuurk"
Several stabs of a starmetal blade – the mirror goes dark.
Silence. Jiang is confirmed that his plan is the right one. Silent is horrified. Platinum promises to herself to cut the murderer’s throat with his own blade, if possible. Lytek excuses himself and hastily leaves for the Opera (‘keep me informed, right?’). The circle leaves for Platinum’s manse to get a drink and make preparations – this screams for something to be done. Jiang confirms, that the Deathknight is on her way to the tomb already. Declining to create a RD for use within Creation he decides that he’ll wrap himself in emptiness and silence [Walking Outside Fate]. His part taken care of he leaves for his own manse to make his personal [and, as Chosen of Jupiter, quite secret] preparations.
Silent and Platinum devise a set of Resplendant Destinies for use during the mission, coordinating their efforts for maximum effect. With the long practice of a Sijanese Prayerleader Silent prepares a petition, makes his prayers and creates the Destiny of Shezu Nikang, a scavenger lord and thaumaturgist of unwholesome interest in the Dead [a RD of the Key – calling the Calibration Gate for a quick escape is something this mission will direly need]. Though her co-signature on Silent’s petition is unreadable [failed wits+linguistics] – she remarks once more, that the Pattern Spiders hate her writing – Platinum’s own petition turns out well, her anima power helping quite a bit to get the Spiders’ attention. She’ll be Shezu Vedara, Nikang’s beloved younger sister.
Meanwhile Jiang holes himself up at his library and thinks about ways to get an unfair advantage over the Deathknight. Despite being all alone he comes to the conclusion that desecrating the First Age Solar’s body to release his hungry ghost against the Abyssal might be a brilliant way to even the odds. And who said anything about control? Just point it the right way and let it take care of the Daybreak ...
