SJE/Session37
Exalted Session 37
Session 37 - Regime Change
1 Ascending Air
We pick up the scene with Alana & Brand at the warehouse, distributing pots and pans to a mob which, though it has stopped rioting as such, is still restless and argumentative. Endless arguments over the fair distribution of kitchen utensils are not helped by the vagueness of the receipts that the Captain had issued. "Oi! That's my kettle you've given to her!" An angry housewife exclaims as yet another scuffle breaks out in the crowd. Alana and Brand's attempts to be reasonable are shouted down with cries of "Pot snatchers!" as the mob begins to turn ugly once more.
Brand's patience is exhausted and he resorts to snarling and glaring at the crowd. Alana, on the other hand, is still trying to appeal to reason, though she has to do it at the top of her voice to be heard above the mob: "LISTEN TO ME! If you behave in an orderly manner, you will all get pots and pans!" The threat of potlessness gives the crowd pause for thought. And, at that very moment, all is hushed for a moment, as the nearby Granite Watchtower shakes to its very foundations, brilliant beams of sunlight blazing forth from within. Alana & Brand give up on the pots & pans and fling open the doors to the warehouse, leaving the crowd to fight it out among themselves for possession of the avalanche of kitchenware that spills out, and head for the watchtower.
As they barge their way through the crowd, we have a brief flashback to this morning, when a messenger from the Cult of the Illuminated seeks out Alana: "Message for you, Shining One!" He gasps out as he kowtows before her. The message is a plea for aid:
From
The Peoples' Free Front of Solaria
The Solarian Peoples' Free Front
The Solarian People's Liberation Front
The Democratic United Front of Solaria
To -
The Masters of Creation, Exalted Ones, Heavenly Saviours & Children of the Sun,
We, the oppressed people of Solaria, beg for your aid in our time of need.
A great darkness has fallen across our land. Though the Imperial Governor of our land has long oppressed our people and faith, now a Dark Queen has risen and cast our sunlit land under Her Shadow.
We pray to your Shining People that you will deliver us from this tyranny and evil as is foretold in the ancient scrolls.
Your Humble Servants,
The Free Peoples of Solaria.
Some discussion of the nature of Solaria follows. Ravitsu vaguely remembers overflying it sometime in the First Age - it was a nothing little place not far from the mountains, about 400 miles from Gem. The Circle is worried that it could be a trap, but at least the tone of the message is just what Alana would expect from her cultist friends. This will bear further investigation.
The brief flashback ends, and our attention turns to the Granite Watchtower. Ravitsu and the Captain tumble down the stairs, taking Orchid with them, and the three of them splash down in the main corridor, which is awash with spilled beer and wine. Wrestling for grip, Rav manages to pin the Captain down, though he is hard-pressed to hold the frenzied Dawn caste warrior down. Orchid forces a wineskin into the Captain's mouth, hoping to drown his fury with alcohol, but the wine is nowhere near enough to sate such a colossal appetite for booze. The Captain tries to break free, bracing himself against the foot of the stairs and trying to smash Ravitsu's head against the wall. Meanwhile, Shizu - with a burst of lightning speed - has dashed down to the cells in the basement to fetch a set of manacles. She uses her Flawless Pickpocketing Technique to slip one end of the manacles onto the Captain's wrist.
It has become clear that he cannot hold the Captain forever, so Ravitsu takes up his direlance and presses down with its shaft, trying to choke the breath out of him. The Captain, though, escapes by yanking the free end of the manacle out of Shizu's hands and using it to smash a hole in the floor. The Captain, his aura now blazing like the sun, and Ravitsu crash down into the cell block below in a shower of rubble and booze. Orchid invokes her Flurry of August Leaves Concentration to smash open a cask of ale that still stands, miraculously untouched in the corridor, deluging the Captain in beer. The Captain splutters and chokes, but still drinks most of it down. He seems hardly affected, though, once more demonstrating the legendary tolerance of alcohol that has so often stood him in good stead.
Shizu sprints for the stairs, heading down into the cells so quickly that she barely seems to touch the floor. She gets there to find Ravitsu attempting to shoulder-charge the Captain into an empty cell. The Captain activates his combo of doom, using Dipping Swallow Defence to duck Ravitsu's charge, then grabs for both Ravitsu and Shizu, trying to turn the tables and hurl them into the cell. Rav tries to brace his direlance across the door, but cannot raise it quickly enough, and is shoved through. Shizu, however, is too fast for the Captain and dodges away. By now, all the Solars' auras are blazing, dazzling golden light fills the cell block and blazes gloriously out of the growing cracks that this titanic struggle is creating all over the watchtower.
Orchid realises that there just isn't enough booze available to slow the Captain down, so she kicks the empty ale barrel down onto his head. This does little more than bruise him, though it slows him for a moment as Brand bursts through the sagging front door of the tower wondering what in Creation is going on. Orchid updates him: "It's the Captain, Brand, Shizu called him a... a... mime."
Brand's mind is boggled, so he just stares as Shizu grabs the flailing free end of the manacle, trying to use it to snare the Captain's ankle, but a quick use of Heavenly Guardian Defence puts the Captain's smashfist in perfect position to block the attempt. Meanwhile, Ravitsu lets the power of the Captain's shove carry him to the back wall of the cell, which he uses as a springboard to launch himself right back at the Captain, leading with the blunt butt of his direlance.
Once more, the Captain uses Heavenly Guardian Defence, slamming the cell door shut in Ravitsu's face as he slaps the direlance aside with his smashfist. Orchid hurls a flurry of war fans at the Captain who - you guessed it - swats them away with Heavenly Guardian Defence. He whips the free end of his manacle around to try to snare Orchid's leg, but she interposes her fans with contemptuous ease.
At this point, Alana charges into the tower, prompting Orchid to try to explain it all once more as Ravitsu smashes through the cell door and, his caste-mark and tattoos now glowing with a silver aura, uses his Dance of the Living Blade to clout the Captain once - around the head - twice - in the vulnerables - three times, right in the face! The Captain - who has now spent too much Essence to allow him to use a defensive charm - tries to tough out the blow to his groin: "My staff against yours!" But it does him little good; Ravitsu's crushing blows leave him dazed and staggering but still just about on his feet. Orchid has finally had enough of this. "In the name of the Gods, why won't you fall down you stupid drunken bastard!" This time, her Flurry of August Leaves Concentration strikes home and, bloodied, bruised and battered, the Captain slumps unconscious to the floor.
The sudden stillness, broken only by ominous creaking and groaning from the badly-damaged structure of the watchtower, is startling. As Ravitsu, Brand & Alana pounce to wrap the Captain up in every available chain, rope and manacle and sling him into the most secure cell they can find, Shizu wonders aloud: "Was it something I said?"
The circle tries to work out exactly what has happened and to try to find some cover story so that nobody will blame them for the damage - they settle on "demons did it". Orchid tells them about the 'obscene' suggestions that Shizu has been making. Shizu contends that she was just trying to find out just what it is that the people of Gem think is so wrong about mimes. The rest of the circle shudders, unsure where to begin. Alana can only suggest that "If you wish to perform a repeat experiment, please do it outside city limits." Ravitsu feels that Shizu's actions demonstrate that she needs to develop a survival instinct if she's going to last much longer around here.
SHIZU: "I do have a survival instinct!"
SJE (GMing, OOC): "Yeah, but it's still in its plastic wrapping..."
Discussion turns to the Pot Tax riots...
SHIZU: "What about the Watch corruption? Shouldn't we do something about that?"
ORCHID: "Oh yes, I keep forgetting that you're not from around here..."
It is clear that what Shizu thinks of as bribery and corruption, the Gem natives in the party see more as on-the-spot fines, necessary contributions to Watch funding from grateful citizens, reparations for wear and tear on Watch equipment or voluntary contributions to Watch coffers made by offenders who are eager to demonstrate their rehabilitative urges in financial terms. What could possibly be corrupt about that? They are prepared, though, to concede that the Captain's recent activities may have rather overstepped the bounds. Especially seeing as he got caught.
As the discussion winds down, it emerges that Dashing Hare escaped in the confusion of the fight against the Captain. Nobody feels very motivated to track him down, though. Brand & Orchid succumb to a bout of occult geekery and use what remains of the equipment in the Department of Thaumaturgy - which has collapsed down into the basement thanks to the damage caused by the huge fight! - to study the Fire Ruby of the Dragons and the Dynast's Diadem. It is clear that both of them are potent Hearthstones. Though they know that they will have to give them back to their rightful owners, Orchid and Brand are sorely tempted to hold on to them for a while for further study. They head to the Palace to see Auntie, hoping to arrange a meeting with her and Master Tanaka on neutral ground so that they can return the Fire Ruby to him without him trying to kill the "Anathema". Hopefully, this can be used to broker a truce between the Immaculate Master and the Circle.
Ravitsu and Alana head off to consult builders and arrange for emergency repairs to the watchtower before it completely falls down. This leaves Shizu guarding the Captain who soon wakes up refreshed and, despite his bruises and being covered in chains from head to foot, in fine fettle. The Captain seems to have no more than a vague recollection of his rampage, and shrugs it off as him having been "A bit peeved, what do you expect with all those housewives wanting cheap pots and pans?" Happily, he is prepared to forgive Shizu's "insubordination" in insulting him. After reassuring herself that the Captain really has calmed down, Shizu releases him. He is amazed at the scale of the destruction, which looks rather expensive. Hmm. It's a shame the Iron Reclamation Project didn't pay the dividends he'd hoped for...
At the builders, Alana & Ravitsu are trying to get an estimate for the work needed to prop up the Granite Watchtower. The foreman's sharp intake of breath - "Who did this then?" - tips them off that this isn't going to be cheap. A full demon-proofing is well beyond their budget, even if they agree to let the builders place an advert on the tower, but Ravitsu's stirring tales of demon-fighting impress the foreman and Alana's surprisingly keen haggling brings the price for emergency repairs down to a level that the Watch can afford.
Up at the Diamond Palace, Brand & Orchid interrupt Auntie's crocheting of a jumper for the Despot. "It's a late Calibration present, dearies. Look, it's got the sun on it..." They tell Auntie that they have recovered the Fire Ruby and arrange that Auntie will invite Master Tanaka for elevenses tomorrow morning so that it can safely be returned to him. Orchid's conscience overcomes her cupidity and, with pangs of regret, she hands it over to Auntie. It does, however, provide an opportunity for Brand & her to raise the issue of Watch funding and the terrible damage to the watchtower. Auntie is most sympathetic and promises to do what she can - perhaps a tombola, or a fund-raising dinner will be just the thing, and she's sure that Lady Trasti would have something to donate to a jumble sale.
As they leave, seemingly as an afterthought, Orchid mentions the Captain and the recent stresses that he has been under. She wonders if he is fully sound right now. After all, his crucifixion was most strenuous. Perhaps he could be moved to a less... demanding... position until he is fully recovered. Auntie wonders if this isn't something that could be sorted out over a nice cup of tea. Orchid sadly advises her that the Captain isn't really the type to go for cups of tea. Auntie understands: "Ah, he's a coffee man, is he? Well, we shall have to see what can be done."
Back at the Granite Watchtower, the Captain dragoons shizu into writing a memo to the Despot about the Pot Tax riots. The Captain dictates:
To His Excellency The Despot,
Re: Public disturbances over the recent iron shortage.
After our last meeting, I immediately acted on your instructions to return the pots and pans, and other kitchen implements, to their rightful owners, by assigning Watchman Littledove to the task. Unfortunately, Littledove has neglected his duties and seems to have embezzled the funds designated for the repair of the Granite Watchtower after the demon invasion. This latter crime came to light during routine training exercises. We will be posting descriptions of Littledove around town to facilitate his immediate arrest. I shall assign Watchman Alana, always so eager to apprehend evildoers, to this task.
Yours,
Captain Ibrahim
Shizu, however, has her own ideas about what she wants to write down. Which is as follows:
To His Excellency The Despot,
The recent matter of the temporary iron shortage has been resolved. This was due to excess diligence on the part of Captain Ibrahim. I recommend that the Captain be promoted to a position away from direct control of the Watch to avoid further misunderstandings.
Yours,
Captain Ibrahim
Shizukan Kage
Floating Summer Orchid
Ravitsu Cail
Cathak Alana
Burning Brand
Yes, the Captain signed the memo calling for his own resignation. Such are the perils of illiteracy... After the rest of the circle return to the watchtower, they add their signatures to the memo before it is sent to the palace.
As evening falls, Orchid decides that she must return to her home. She would rather cohabit with the Abyssals than spend another night in the home of Shizu, the mime-lover. Worried about her safety, she asks Ravitsu to spend the night - she definitely doesn't want to spend the night alone with the Abyssals and who knows what else... The two of them find that the house isn't quite as bad as Orchid had feared. The basalt construction and the bat/skull/death decor of the Abyssal's half of the house is a little depressing, but the all-white ivory decor in her half of the house is at least habitable, if a little stark. Proceeding to the garden, they find that the water feature has been transformed into a fountain of blood, with something stirring in the deep pool around the fountain's base.
Orchid pokes at it with a garden cane and is taken completely aback when it turns out to be the Maiden Of The Mirthless Smile! "Why not join me?" She purrs. "It does wonders for the complexion." Orchid frostily declines: "No thank you, dear, mine doesn't need the help..." Rav steers Orchid away before the claws really do come out and, after popping out for food, they pass an uneasy - but fortunately uneventful - night in the house.
2 Ascending Air
As the Watch reports for duty, the builders are at work, trying to ensure - as cheaply as possible - that the Granite Watchtower remains a tower rather than a pile of rubble. During the night, a memo has arrived from the Despot's office, suggesting that the "extraordinary" members of the Watch might consult with the Despot at some convenient time. Seeing this for the urgent summons that it is, the Circle hastens to the Diamond Palace.
The Despot is waiting for them in his office, wearing his usual mask of ironic amusement. On his desk is a mound of papers, mostly relating to the recent Pot Tax riots. Uppermost, however, is yesterday's letter from the Watch. "Good morning, Captain. I see you have been busy returning all those pots." The Despot turns his attention to his paperwork for a few long moments. "I must say, this memo does make interesting reading..."
CAPTAIN IBRAHIM: "Yes, yes, it reveals everything -"
DESPOT: "Including the true culprit of the Pot Tax riots... On another matter, I think we have been working you very hard, Captain. Perhaps we should look into the scope of your responsibilities. A special division of the Watch might be formed, to deal with the most serious problem facing Gem -"
ORCHID (cannot help interrupting): "Mimes!"
DESPOT: "Ah. An interesting suggestion... Yes, Captain, we shall place you in charge of the Special Anti-Mime Squad. Of course, we shall also have to consider the running of the Watch as a whole. Perhaps a new position would be in order - that of Watch Commander. A steady and experienced hand is needed. Officer Cail, would you consider accepting the position?"
And with that, Ravitsu goes up in the world and the regime change at the Granite Watchtower is complete...
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