Session Start: Tue Jan 11 19:00:20 2005 Session Ident: #ethresh * Logging #ethresh to 'C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\Exalted\Abyssal\Logs\AB-01-11-2005' Wilco means "Yes, I heard you and already have complied." oo, big difference so saying roger wilco, over and out...that's just assinine hahah in four words you've said "Ok, I'll get right too that, I already did that, talk to you later, goodbye forever" *to maybe I get the feeling when watching some commercials, like ones that claim that 'super oxidizing power of garlic' some chemist is sitting at home shouting at his tv "You MORONS!" i can only hope so "Now with bananna extract" ok, so here we are in the city of Genove... Doctors caution that you cause extreme negative reactions—including rashes, vomiting, and hysteria—in women who may become pregnant. And in the grand tradition of all that is Echo, you've taken a step into something you really wish you hadn't. Specifically a city that is apparently protected by a powerful manse which makes leaving the city impossible. (Which reminds me- there should be a "Knowledge" background. You know, one that lets you know things about the world as a whole. Like city names, locations, legends, history, ect. I mean, not every character can walk blindly into everything) On the plus side, you've run into Crimson Tears of Regret easily. On the other hand, she does seem to have some valuable information. Plus she's being hunted by the city guard. Plus they'll probably think you've with her and arrest you as well. Just another day. (heh, yeah that is a good idea. I guess its just general Lore. Although in this instance nobody knew about the city defenses, the knowledge was lost millenia ago. It was Llarra the sorcoress that discovered it and powered it up. Its also part of the reason she thinks she's talking to a god that doesn't exist... but I digrese.) (Not for here, I'm talking about in general. Like, if your character is a savant, he needs some guidelines to base his worldly knowledge on...cause he doesn't want to be stepping on ST toes.) The knocking comes harder now. The sound of armored boots stomping on the wooden floor outside the door echoes through the room. Crimson looks at you, her arms and legs still pincing you. "They've coming for me! We've got to get out of here!" With that she releases you from her iron grip and glances to the open window.* (ah. not a bad idea.) (eer, the spelling errors start earlier tonight. Woohoo.) * Echo immediatly stands up and brushes himself off. "Oh so it begins again. You know, I was hoping things would start going -well- once I found you. Once again I'm proven utterly wrong." Echo growls, moving towards the window. He throws his bow over his shoulder and holds a hand out. "Ladies first." He sneers.* She smiles and grabs your hand. "Glad you decided to join the winning team Echo." With that she plants a foot on the window ledge and looks across the street at the next building over. It is a four story building not more than ten feet away from the window. She grips your hand tightly and look up to the other building's top floor. She grins wickedly, "You ready?"* * Echo rolls his eyes. "You just wait until -I- get an athletics charm or two. Then we'll see who's leading whom around." He casts a wary glance back at the door, then looks back and nods solemnly. This is how shit starts. Soon their will be bodies piling up and a Wyld Hunt after them. Good times.* Good times indeed. Without warning Crimson pushes away from the ledge and bounds upward towards the other building's rooftop. Your arm jerks and pain jolts through your shoulder. Before you realize your arm was almost dislocated, you both have landed on the rooftop. Crimson smiles smugly. "You might want to invest in some athletics training. It is helpful to decide where you fight." She glances back down to the open window of her room and sighs. She wasn't quite done with her dinner and her stomach rumbles in irritation. "Come on, we've gotta put some distance between us and them." With that she takes off at a brisk pace leaping the short distance from rooftop to rooftop. (Spider Pounce Technique. 1 mote.)* (going from rooftop to rooftop doesn't require a roll. In this section of the city a large number of buildings are only a foot or two apart.) "Yes well, I typically try to shy away from combat. Manipulating people is easier. And less messy." Echo stops and thinks on that for a moment, recalls some of his previous exploits, then retracts his previous statement. "Usually. Usually less messy." Echo smirks and looks towards Crimson, but sees that she's darted off. "Yes yes, following in progress." Echo cringes and begins pursuit.* She glances back at you over her shoulder and remarks, "Now that you're here we probably have a chance. I've pretty much figured out what's going on with the city defenses. There is a manse in the city somewhere, a fairly powerful one at that. I combed the city for two days before I realized that the manse was right before my eyes the entire time." "I'd bet anything that it is the Courthouse near the top of the city. It's the largest single building in the city and very, very old. Unfortunately it's also where the three Terrestrials have taken up residence." She pauses as a trio of doves launch into the air at her feet, apparently startled by the intruder. Crimson waves a hand dismissively at the white feathers fluttering down near her face. "I was afraid to make a move against them by myself, but with you here it should be a breeze."* * Echo leaps onto a ledge and tries to keep pace with the quick minx. "Well that's fantastic. You mind telling me who we're running from? That's good information to know when we 'move against them'." Echo stops and pushes his glasses back onto his brow. "Look Crimson. I haven't come here to liberate a manse or a dimwitted populace from Dragon Blooded. I came here for -you-." * Echo shakes his head and approaches the female Death Knight. "What do you know about the Mirror Abyss? What do the Banestones have to do with any of this? I am TIRED of running Crimson. Running from hounds or running to hound you, I am sick of it. Give me the answers I seek."* Crimson gets a hurt look on her face and stops at the next ledge. In fact it is the last building in this block. Jumping to the next would be tricky at best for you. She takes a look over the side and turns to you. "So you didn't come here to rescue me?" She says with a pout. (rolling perception + socialize) (3 successes from 8 dice) (She's a gifted manipulator, but even this display is pathetic. You see right through her ploy for pity and innocence. She's tired and scared. Scared of what or whom, you cannot tell, but she does eye you warily. Since you started fleeing, she hasn't let her eye off of you. And it clearly isn't because she likes you.) She doesn't add anything else, hoping you'll forget your line of inquiry and take the bait.* "You abandoned me! I spent the next weeks making bloody war on the First and Forsaken Lion, risking my life for information! You have it now! Don't you?!? You have all of the answers, they are laid before me right now, in this damnable place! My journey will not have been in vain, Crimson! Tell me what you know!" Echo roars, his anima flaring violently. His caste mark cracks open and a tiny line of blood drips down his forehead. (*?) * (Musta been cut) (doh) Crimson gets a look on her face you haven’t seen before. Her flirting eyes twist in irritation and her mouth turns in disgust. She plants one hand at her hip and points another one accusingly at you. For some reason you notice that she hand painted her fingernails with a color matching her lipstick. No matter how endangered Crimson’s life may be, personal hygiene and fashion are always first on her list of priority. "Don't you talk to me like that!" She sneers with all her might, "I was scamming princes when you were still learning to walk you little brat! And white doesn't look good on you at all." She puts her nose up in the air smugly, as if she had mortally wounded you with her words. Her confidence renewed she launches into a tyrad against you. Between the spittle and sobbing and what-not, you gleam some important information. Firstly she was intentionally placed within the Council by The Lover to act as a spy and work to uncover The Lion's invasion plans herself. Secondly word has just reached her that The Lover is missing and her influence is wanning and she doesn't have any idea what to do. In a panic, Crimson took the information she gleamed from the Circle's trip the Thousand to find the Mirror Abyss for herself, which by the way is in Blue Haven thank you very much, but you'll never get the last bit out of her, thank you very much (again). And something about you being a little brat. By the end she's crying heavily and seems to have been bottling this up for quite awhile. She's just about totally lost it.* * Echo is taken aback by the sudden anger in Crimsons speech. He hadn't heard her upset, or on the defensive before. Echo does what little a man can to withstand the tantrums of his female cohort. Echo learned long ago that women, especially Exalted ones, are difficult to understand, occasionally easy to manipulate, but impossible to avoid. "Well well, don't you feel better now?" Echo asks with a cunning glint in his eyes.* (oh, and I got dad's message. I couldn't find the phone in time to answer him, but please tell him that thursday around 5 is just fine.) (Okay, I'll probably be coming with) (cool) (I can't play WoW all the time you know) (...or...I shouldn't) Her eye liner is running with her tears and she looks quit the mess, but the smile she gives does seem genuine. "Well.. yeah." She wipes some tears from her cheek and composes herself. "But seriously Echo, this thing is a big deal. However controls it is going to be a big player in the moving of both the Underworld and Creation for a long time to come. This is the kind of thing Heaven gets involved in." "Needless to say, once word gets out, its going to be a mad rush to claim it. From what I learned, the Banestone is an utterly useless gemstone. Its pretty, but not that pretty and has absolutely no magically ability whatsoever. That is, none that anybody ever noticed. "Apparently, a Banestone is uniquely tied to the pull of the Abyss. And since the Abyss is constant and unchanging, nobody even noticed. The Banestones simply never did anything, as did the Abyss. But something happened recently. They started pulling... pointing, east." "The currently line of thinking is that they are pointing to another Abyss, or something similar and it seems to be in Blue Haven. However, I can tell you something unsettling. Whatever this thing is, it's _moving_." She looks uneasy. "Echo we could be in over our heads here. What are we going to do?"* * Echo thinks for a moment. "So the Mirror Abyss is mobile..? Hrm. Well I suppose we're just going to have to find it. What else -can- we do? I realize that your Deathlord has abandoned you, but don't think this is about the petty differences our lords share. We're going to have to work together to figure this thing out." Echo concludes, happy with the results of his unintentional interrogation.* "So you'll help me? I mean there isn't any reason we can't share whatever power we find. I'm sure there is plenty to go around." As Crimson composes herself, her old manipulative tone creeps into her voice and she smiles sweetly. "And as a show of good faith I'll tell you the thing I guarentee that no one else in all existance knows except me." She grins, "The Mirror Abyss isn't a what, its a -" Her voice is cut off by the sharp crack of thunder. It reverberates through the air and your ears ring in pain. No, not thunder you realize too late, some kind of thud. Like some massive piece of granite slammed into a mountainside. Before your eyes Crimson's face turns to panic and she loses her balance at the edge of the rooftop - and disappears off the edge soundlessly.* Echos eyes go wide and he lunges forward. Could the dramatic bitch have planned that more terribly? Echo thinks as he leaps to the edge of the building, his hand extended. Well that was surprising, among other things. The question is, did she fall to her death...? Did she fall at all? Was that all planned...? What the -hell- was that sound? Why does the truth elude him at every turn..?* You reach the edge of the building in time to hear a racous cheer rise from a crowd below. A deep, deep voice resonates in the air, "The heretic is found! Rejoice children of Ammenhour!" Another, more feverent cheer rises in the streets. Below a massive man, at least eight feet tall (and half that size wide) is standing at the base of the building you are on. In one hand he holds a two handed Jade Tetsubo and in the other, his hand around Crimson's waist. Standing around the large man, nearly fifty humans in the color of the city guard cheer, weapons raised in success.* http://www.angelfire.com/creep/dp/Rhemenon.jpg (How wonderful for me) * Echo blinks and slowly pulls himself away from the edge of the building so he might avoid being associated with the...anathema..as it were, for the time being. Echo quietly begins creeping back across the roof in the opposite direction. Hopefully no one noticed him bounding around alongside Crimson, and hopefully he could get her freed somehow. Still, religious fanatics were always the worst kind. There's nothing quite like the knowledge that a deity is always infalliable to keep you warm even when the cold, crushing weight of reality falls upon you.* As you back away from the edge of the rooftop, you anima fades quickly (assuming you want it to) and besides being on a rooftop, will not draw undue attention. Below you hear continued praise for Ammenhour and someone called Executus Rhemenon. After a minute, the crowd begins to move up into the city, towards the Courthouse. The man's deep voice is still audible even as he walks into the distance, "Yes children, the heretic shall face justice, with the others, in the coming dawn. Rejoice!" Another cheer.* * Echo rolls his eyes. Executus Rhemenon. You know, the very word 'executus' carries certain connotations that can only be described as- uh oh. Seriously, what the HELL did Crimson get herself, no, what did she get ME into? Why don't you just kill them all? A voice resounds in his head. There is ONE Dragon-Blood down there. Shoot him in both eyes. Drink his blood. * Echo sighs and continues moving along the roofs, trying to find an easy way back onto the streets. He'd fit in fine there, and he could probably gleam some information regarding this perverse government structure that appears to be running this place (*?) Why don't you listen to me anymore? The voice asks curiously. I've helped you so much. Remember the boats? That was my idea. You'd be dead if not for me. Echo continues on his way, ignoring himself, as it were. Mass murder wasn't an option this time. Look how it turned out last time! Echo keeps telling himself. Better now to insinuate himself into the masses.* You do so easily after you find a crude latter connecting to the streets below. Unfortunately, there aren't that many masses out and about and some quick conversations with the natives reveal a strict curfew is in effect. Apparently those that walk at night could be labeled heretics. Also those that each cheese on odd numbered days could be labeled heretics. As well those that wear red above the waist can be labeled heretics. The old gentleman you are talking to chuckles as he explains the situations. "They're crazy all right. Now there is no law but Ammenhour's in Genove. And by the stars, I ain't never heard of the guy before. Most gods around here are well established." "Thats why it was such a shock that our mountain god disappeared and was replaced with some wilderness fellow by the name of Ander. He picked a bad time to arrive though, because the day after three Dragon-blood show up and kill him right there on the street! Like he was nothing but a bug!" The old man gestured emphatically. "They all laughed, the three of them. That big one, the pretty one, and the shifty one. Then they went into the Courthouse. Ten days they were locked up in there and when they came out, they sure were different!" He scratches his chin, "They used to go by the same name.. all of them. Ragara I think it was. But now its all Investicus and Executus and other nonsense." He pauses to take a breath long enough for you to get a word in.* * Echo makes a mental note to keep his terrible armor wrought of the souls of a thousand dead innocents more or less not-red. Same goes for Azalgrial, which was banished back into the Elsewhere a bit ago. "Ander eh. That's really /great/. So can I assume all the 'heretics' are promptly decapitated..or otherwise executed?"* "Well, sort of. Every morning about a dozen people are lined up. Llarra walks up and down a listens to Cassius, he's the Investicus fellow, explain their guilt. Then Llarra decides which ones get a second chance and which ones the big fellow Rhemenon just hacks up." "The 'lucky' ones get to take a test. They are told to scale the outer walls and try to leave the city. The pure ones will pass through, and the heretics will be destroyed by Ammenhour. Of course everybody gets blasted by that damned lightning. Smells awful."* * Echo just rubs his temples. "You know, I'd ask why NO ONE in this town has done anything about it- but it's obvious to me the sheer apathy of this place has milked you and your fellow citizenry of any hope. Having said that, I would like directions to the courthouse, or wherever these infecticus people are."* The old gent grins, revealing only two teeth, "That's easy stranger. Just go to the top of the hill, the big building. The only place nobody wants to be. And kick that guy Cassius for me once. He's a dick." With that the addle minded fellow walks away, talking to himself with vigor.* * Echo nods to the old man and throws his hood over his head. The courthouse eh...? This, he can do. Probably. For now Cho and Greggory can remain holed up at the Inn, it was likely they would blend into the crowd seamlessly as they neither cared about their own lives, or the lives of anyone else. Besides, mortals can't fight Exalted. Just not a good idea. That is, of course, if there is any fighting to be done. In all likelihood Echo couldn't beat three Terrestrial Exalted, maybe not even with Crimsons help. Manipulating zealots is a lot harder than normal folk, but perhaps Echo had an upper hand. He just didn't know what it was yet. Pensive about his strategy, the Death Knight makes for the courthouse.* You make your way their with little trouble. Despite the ban on being out in the dark, not one of the guards seems interested in stopping you. They all look like thugs and ruffians and are busy playing dice and talking up the local whores. Before long you find yourself before the mighty Courthouse. It is a rather impressive building, formed directly from the mountain the city rests on. Before the pillars of the great hall, there are a number of more professional looking guards. These are better dressed and are looking vigilantly for intruders. For now you are out of sight for the half dozen guards.* * Echo sighs and lays low for a time. Now what the hell is he going to do? Kill them all? No no no, not going to work. Too many. Time for an alternate strategy. * Echo throws himself upon the steps of the courthouse, well within sight of the Manse and screams. "Oh gods, I have seen the light! I can see it still, the light of Ammenhourer!" Echo cries, holding his hands over his eyes. "It is so bright, so beautiful! I must tell them, I must tell them!!" He shouts, and begins rolling around on the steps. It wasn't his most graceful moment to be sure.* (rolling performance + manipulation) (9 dice give you 5 successes) The guards are taken aback at first and take up their weapons in defense. As you roll around and generally make an ass of yourself, they grow broad smiles and begin nodding. The fools probably think you're a prophet by now. "He sees! He sees!" The men cheer and several more come out into the dark steps of the Courthouse. A pair of smiling men in robes kneel down beside you. Reaching out they chant some variety of gibberish and close their eyes in deep concentration. "A believer!" One exclaims. A hearty cheer rises from the guards and a robed priest smiles at you, "You have seen the light of Ammenhour my child, yes?"* * Echo throws his head back and falls back onto his knees. "Yes..YES! I...I think I have seen, no, I KNOW I have seen the light of Ammenhour! Who else could it be? It must have been!" Echo lies horrendously, but apparently in a manner which is both deceptive and endearing. Those drama clinics weren't all for naught.* (holding the baby) (It's okay, i'm amusing myself with this AMAZING thread at PvP forums.) The men smile with honest glee. Apparently only the most devoted are allowed the have a place in the courthouse. They usher you inside. "Come my child. Let us see if Investicus Cassius finds your soul pure and worthy." After being hustled into the building you stand within a massive audience chamber. The sight you see is an odd cross between unsettling and comical. Promenitely in the center of the room is a massive throne of white marble. Sitting on the throne is a man in the shimmering white robes with long flowing hair. On each side are a dozen servants, kneeling and staring at the floor in concentration. (ok, both hands free. The typing started to wake him so I had to stop. Sorry) (heheh) http://www.angelfire.com/creep/dp/Cassius.jpg (How wonderful for me) To your left a priest with a golden scepter speaks in ominous tones, "His Exalted Lord Investicus Cassius, seer of truths and injustices." With that all the priest bow and leave the room to hide in the corners unseen. Cassius stands and looks at you quizzically. His eyes pass over you as if you were barely even there. "So this is another believer?" He takes several steps forward and one of the kneeling servants scurries across the floor to wipe the floor clean where Cassius is about to step. "Speak lowly servant of Ammenhour, proclaim your devotion and be judged worthy."* (rolling perception + socialize) (Ah, Battlestar Galactica is on) (8 dice gives 3 successes. You notice some things about Cassius. As a natural enemy of the Realm, the deathlords tutor their knights in the Realm's practices, especially those of the Dragonbloods...) (I bet, this friday the series starts, wooo!) (Such an amazing miniseries) (... you notice that the slight red tinge to his skin tones gives him the mark of strong bloodlines. He is a member of house Ragara judging by the House mon he wears on his lapel and he is certainly a fire aspected. His haughty demenour makes you think he was born and raised in privilage within the Realm's highest tiers.) (NBC actually played the miniseries this past weekend too) * Echo huffs and coughs, dropping to the floor. "My lord...I saw! What I cannot say, just warmth upon my very soul! I cannot describe it except as such! Does..does that mean that Ammenhour wants me?" Echo asks, keeping his gaze levelled at the floor. This servile attitude was annoying. He was going to have to kill Cassius just to make himself feel better.* Cassius smiles and nods, moving another step forward which forcing his servant to scramble to clean the floor before his master. "Yes child. You have seen the light of our gracious lord. Now rise and tell me your name and your wish. All those who join the ranks of the chosen may decide their place in this society. In fact yesterday we created an opening for a new mayor and a new banker. We also are in need of a replacement master mason."* (*?) * (doh, must have been cut off. that sucks) * Echo thinks on that for a moment. "How wonderful! I suppose whatever you deem fit for me. I just..I just want to know more about Ammenhour! I must admit, until now I did not grasp his power, his magnificence...but know I see, and I want to see more!"* Cassius continues grinning and breaks into a sermon filled with everything but substance. It includes vast glory and magnificence, but not really any description of Ammenhour or what he does besides be glorious. During his oration he turn his back on you a faces a pedistool behind the throne. He motions to the statue (that is clearly not there) and exclaims it is a monument to Ammenhour. You notice on the label the name of the previous mountain god has been chipped away crudely. "So you see, the glory and majesty is evident. Here, perhaps one of our new diciples will help guide you, he is wise and honest." Cassius motions to the corner of the room and out steps a man. Dressed in black and grey with a flowing cloak, the man does not look thrilled to be here, but smiles when Cassius looks at him. He glances at you with disinterest outwardly, but locks you in a knowing stare. Above his brow, for just the faintest of moments, you could swear a circle of black blood appeared and then disappeared. http://www.angelfire.com/creep/dp/Ruinp.JPG And on his collar, rests the unmistakable mon of The Mask of Winters. But surely no Abyssal would be so bold to show it openly in Creation... (and I guess we can stop there if you'd like) (I usually try to end it on some interesting note) (Haha, nice) (Ruin makes his debut) (if you didn't notice, the face is from Last Exile. The captain was just too cool to pass up as an abyssal character) (yarr) yeah, i was holding him back with lance maybe joining us but we'll see, I can always kill somebody off if the circle gets to large to handle :) heh lance will join tho, i have him your email again i think he's befuddled about some artifact oh yes, and do you visit EC ever? cool Exalted Compendium? not in the slightest for many many months good there is more than enough stuff in the books for me some dude wanted to know if Wound-Knitting Power let him breath underwater ... because drowning damage is bashing, and wound-knitting power heals bashing riiiiiiight just roll 5d6 dude, you'll be fine *runs* http://exalted.rpgcompendium.com/section.php?sec=5&article=35&var=6&location=thread&page=0&subpage=1&thread=10035 i dunno, i'm horribly outnumbered everyone else seems to think it's a-okay surely you jest well if you check out the link, that's the first sentence of my post i, being riven5 well at least you turned the tide on that dumbass arguement i guess i'll get rebuttals which i won't even respond to and FYI, from now on i'll be using my perfect dodge to evade the ground allowing me to fly! yeah, try it try it on the ST that attacked you with 100,000 troops after you had just spent your first, what was it 30 xp? oh yes... the blood... pretty obvious the dude just needs to suck it up and tell his player that it's abuse of a gift...and twinkish yep. its a game dude, its there for fun. It obvoius the intention of the gifts have you been posting regularly? Session Close: Tue Jan 11 21:39:40 2005