God-Kings of Lotus

[The Demented One]

The jeweler scarcely has time to reply before he is cut off by a sharp blare of trumpets, a brazen jubilation. Up on the stage at the heart of the festival (a quickly-constructed affair, but sturdy enough), a few young men finish their trumpet fanfare. Rata-ji steps up, bearing an impressive-looking scroll. He unrolls it with a flourish, and reads it out. After a few hours of voice training with Yomiko, he is able to project his voice so that it is easily heard throughout most of the festival.

And what a festival it is! Farmers quaff ale or attack bowls of rice, while their younger children dance to the music of the sanxian or flute. The music is a rousing affair, melodious and awe-inspiring. The merchants and artisans have had a field day in their pavilions, although the merchants have found that their prices have driven away many would-be buyers. Even the occasional noble has deigned to grace the festival with their presence, ill-mannered as it is.

Rising Echo makes out Rata-ji's words, as do the rest of you. "Men and women of Lotus! I welcome the people who have made this possible: Minister Echo, Minister Yomiko, and Minister Ivory Eyes! Look to them, people of Lotus, for they will deliver prosperity and happiness!" There is a general applause, accompanied by enthusiastic shouting or wild whooping. "And now, a speech from your Ministers!"

Rata-ji puts the scroll away and slinks nervously away, scarcely able to believe he just addressed hundreds of people. The people wait in awe for the three Ministers (along with the Vice Captain and Watcher) to take to the stage.

[WhiteKnight777]

Zephyr

Zephyr ascended the stage. He wore a dark, full-length cloak of wool, dyed a deep, midnight blue that he had acquired, and a short kilt, belted at the waist. His bearing was martial, and he looked around the crowd, wearing a reserved smile. When he reached the platform, he took up a position slightly behind and to the right of Ivory Eyes, striving to look as impressive as possible.

[Lochar]

Rising Echo nods at the jeweler as Rata-ji makes his proclamation, but stays long enough to get the young man's name and place of work in case he didn't get a chance to get back to him during the festival.

Ascending the stage, Echo nodded and smiled at his companions, turning to face the crowds. "People of Lotus. Craftsmen and farmers. Nobles, merchants, and artisans. I bid you welcome to the first festival in the coming time. This festival marks the beginning of a new time for Lotus. One in which all shall reap greater wealth and benefits, not just a chosen few!"

Echo pauses for a moment, allowing for the expected swell of applause here.

"The other Ministers and I are embarking on a quest to build Lotus into the greatest city in the East, a city that will rival that of the great cities of anywhere in Creation, even to the Realm itself!" A flash, a memory. A city on a mountain, the word Meru echoes through his mind. The true city of Creation.

Rising Echo continues on, not letting the flash of memory keep him from his speech.

"The recent rains have been a product of O-Mochi as head of the spirit court, with whom we have negotiated to stop the droughts, to bring forward the required rains but to not flood the fields. Your prayers to him and his court will only increase the blessing bestowed upon field and family. And I would ask that you keep us, your Ministers, the Guard Captains, and the unnamed Watcher of the town in your prayers as well. Pray that our endeavors will guide Lotus to becoming what it truly can be. The most powerful city in the East, and one that will make even the furthest reaches of the West envious with our splendor!"

Rising Echo raises his voice at this, drawing Ivory and Yomiko forward, raising all their hands together, with Zephyr standing behind them, and Watcher and Transval in the crowd.

Spoiler

Show

Apologies if you think I'm moving your PCs too much or something, it's more or less for theatrical effects.

Activating the Charm I've gotten the most mileage out of ever, Mastery of Small Manners with a personal mote of essence.

Forgot the dice:
Charisma+Performance: (8d10)[2][2][4][3][4][6][7][9](37)

Will today be my botch day?

[The Demented One]

There is a sudden silence, a stillness hovering over the crowd. It as when the sky grows utterly dark at midnight, not one star illumining the celestial span–and then up comes the sun, the red dawn of glory! The people break into spontaneous applause, clamor and shouting and impassioned rejoicing. Looking out into their eyes, you can see a desperate needing, a thirst for something better–and now it has been slaked by these first drops of golden dew. Farmer and artist, noble and merchant, guard and beggar, all raise their hands and voice.

And then come the prayers. Awakened from their stony slumber, deep within the hearts of the people, they uncoil and fly out, filling the skies with the many-colored feathers of hope. "Ivory Eyes, may my family be fed this and every night!" "Captain Zephyr, keep all my sons safe!" "O, Invincible Maiden, will I ever find one as beautiful as you?" "Watcher, my daughter has been lost–if you are there, wherever you may be, please bring her back to us!" "Minister Echo, hallowed is your name!" They come to you in a rolling wave of essence that takes you without warning, a surge of vitality that courses through your body. It is every bloom of spring in a single moment, the glories of a thousand wars in an instant, the passion of a thousand loves in a single orgasmic burst.

Lotus belongs to you, and you to it. The people want you, need you, will die without you–and as long as they are your people, and you their kings, then you will be might.


OOC

Spoiler

Show

Everyone now has Cult 2, if they didn't have it before.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Over the course of the week, the Invincible Maiden gathers artists and performers not only for her offices, but for the festival. She teaches tips and tricks of dance and song to anyone she knows she can improve, and even spends some time aiding the guard in melee skill, choosing to use more conventional weapons when sparring for fear of slicing people up on her artifact weaponry. She also spends just a bit of time teaching some of the bureaucrats a thing or two about song and dance, making sure there is a good blending in her fold.
At the festival she goes without her swords or armor, instead wearing an elegant gown and robe. She gets on stage at some point during the festival and clears her throat, letting a performance like no other upon the crowd.

Her voice reverberates in a way that makes the hair all over your body stand up, as if her voice permeates your body and moves it on every frequency. The sound that comes from her makes sound as though it were from lungs thrice the size of a normal person with audible changes impossible to anyone but an Exalt of talent and skill. Her lips move smoothly with every foreign word, and her chest heaves with every long tone expelled.

Spoiler

Show

Perform+Charisma: (8d10)[3][7][4][4][1][3][2][8](32)

[The Demented One]

Yomiko's song is otherworldly, her beauty and voice united as one in a stirring melody of joy. Men fall silent at the merest sight of her beauteous visage, and woman weep, tears falling like drumbeats. It is as if they are in a dream, and have seen something of such beauty that they cannot possibly remember it upon waking–but no, they are awake, and what they hear will dwell within them for the rest of their days. Somewhere in the audience, Konoko smiles smugly, nudging a young boy beside her. "You know, that's my mom. The Invincible Maiden Yomiko. She's kind of awesome."

[Lochar]

Echo applauds with the people as Yomiko finishes her song. He then steps forward once more. "I have but one announcement before you all may continue to enjoy the festival, and not listen to me blather. A few of you this past week may have been sitting in on lessons that Minister Ivory Eyes has been running on the basics of crafting. We will be opening these classes to everyone soon, and they will teach a multitude of things. Crafting, reading, languages, speaking ability, and so much more. You, the citizens of Lotus, will not have to work ignorant of your own capabilities. We will teach you to become the best you can be in whatever your chosen field!"

Smiling to his audience, knowing that they would pass these words to all, Rising Echo nods and steps from the stage back to the crowd.

[The Demented One]

The festival continues through twilight and into night, the guards bringing out torches to light the streets. The revelry and merriment warms hearts, spreading goodwill throughout Lotus. Wide tables are rolled out so that the people may eat a dinner prepared by Ivory Eyes and her Ministry, a culinary celebration of wild rice–rice and fish, rice balls, chicken soup with rice, and even urns of potent sake. As the sun dims, the mayor himself arrives, carried in an ornately carved sedan chair. He steps out, bearing himself on uncertain legs. He eyes the central podium, but thinks better of it–while the people seem to regard the Mayor with a certain goodwill, as if he were an eccentric uncle, he has no desire to go out and speak before all of them. Instead, he staggers over to the circle, smiling graciously. "Good news, everybody!" he proclaims, his eyes dim. "My secretary attended your festival, and he seemed quite pleased with it. I thought I would come have dinner with you, to celebrate your success!" He says this as if he expects you to be happy at hearing it.

[Lochar]

Rising Echo gives the mayor a tolerant smile. "Ah, I've been wondering where my Resplendent Secretary of Trade had been this afternoon."

Echo made a mental note to remind the man to not give the Mayor anything extra to think about, just to deliver the man's herbs and be done with it.

"It has been quite successful though, a true masterpiece example of harmonious working together, between many dozens of crafters, artisans, and the bureaucrats required to bring so much together in only seven days."

Echo selects a rather large cup, filling it to the brim with one of the rice alcohols, one of the more potent ones. "Have a drink in celebration."

[The Demented One]

"Oh no, I couldn't. Drink is horrid stuff, you know; fit for farmers and not much else." the Mayor preaches. "It's always left me sick and stuporous. Now, let's take a table. I was told there was an important ambassador from...I forget, it surely doesn't matter. But he wanted to speak with me over dinner, and who better to attend than my ever-trusty Ministers of...Various Things." He reeks of herb-smoke, his memory more porous than one of Ivory Eyes' brazen colanders. He motions toward a table, beckoning you all to sit down.

[WhiteKnight777]

Zephyr

Zephyr had mostly been quiet during the speechmaking. He prefered to work with an audience that was in a more martial mood, and he had a feeling that most of what he could think of to say wouldn't fit the festival's atmosphere. Zephyr enjoyed the revelry as much as anyone, of course - he drank and laughed and joked with the circle, and was content. This was what it was about. Well, not what it was all about. But it was certainly a pleasant side effect of possessing temporal power.

When the Mayor approached, he still said little. But he did sit when the man beckoned them... though he was more interested in seeing the ambassador than this drug-addled sot.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Yomiko gets off the stage and walks through the crowd, closer to the mayor. She makes sure her daughter's on the opposite side of the crowd as the newly arrived politician, "Oh dear, it's nice to see you on your feet. I trust the holes in your robe were fixed?" She smiles, only reminding him of past events. "Are you so certain you would like to be out here with us and these people. Surely the cold air and fume of rice wine will give you a behemoth of a headache..."

[GryffonDurime]

Ivroy Eyes hides her face in her palms, speakingly slowly and clearly in a patronizing and matronly tone:

"Think very carefully, please, Mayor--where was the Ambassador from?"

[The Demented One]

"Oh, it's perfectly fine, m'dear." the Mayor absentmindedly drawls, without a trace of lasciviousness–he is far too drug-numbed to take notice even of the Invincible Maiden's beauty. "It's a lovely night, perfectly lovely. You did pick a fine day for a...one moment...a festival, that's right."

As the Mayor blusters on, caterers hired by the Ministry of Capital Improvement deliver heaping bowls of rice and fish to the table. A second wave lays out trays of sushi, succulent raw fish wrapped up in rice rolls. But before you can take your first bite of the dinner, you notice something odd–an aura of pale white light limning each and every grain of rice. Before your eyes, it grows brighter and brighter, tendrils of light rising up from the meal. Finally, the effusion of light coalesces into a single brilliant mote, a sphere of pure white. A shadowy shape appears within the sphere, floating above the table–and then the light fades away utterly, revealing O-Mochi.

"Greetings!" he proclaims, abundantly jovial. "Honorable Mayor of Lotus, Radiant Ministers, hail!" He winks slyly at you, pleased to see you all in positions of power.

[Lochar]

Rising Echo sighs almost inaudibly. Had me thinking it was going to be someone we hadn't already dealt with.

Smiling then, he speaks. "Well met and greetings to you, O-Mochi of the Wild Rice."

[WhiteKnight777]

Zephyr

Zephyr nods, grinning broadly at the Minister of Wild Rice. Ah, Revered O-Mochi! How good it is to see you. I trust that your fields grow well and your worshippers are properly effusive in their well-earned praise of your Excellency's name? Zephyr said, as he raised his glass in salute to the god.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Yomiko's expression went from mild concern to relief when O-Mochi shows up, and she quickly calls out over the crowd. "Konoko! Come and see dearest O-Mochi, hm?" She turns back to the God of Rice and speaks in her normal beautiful voice, "It is indeed good to see you again, O-Mochi. I trust you are well."

[GryffonDurime]

Ivory Eyes' face lights up, her smile grows as O-Mochi reveals himself. She motions for her staff, led by Rata-ji, to bow, inviting only her Chief to sit beside her as she clears space for the Adamant Chef of Rice. She seems genuinely excited about O-Mochi's presence, her white eyes bright and sparkling.

"Welcome to you, Divine Minister," Ivory says. "Success in the Spirit Courts?"

[The Demented One]

O-Mochi smiles with deep benevolence, sincere down to his roots. "Success in the Spirit Courts? Such would be the gravest understatement, O Lady of the Kitchen Orichalcum! Abundant essence flows from Lotus now, and almost all the East's small gods have tasted of it. My own power has grown a hundredfold if it has grown one mote–were we to duel again, Ivory Eyes, I might just hold my own against your prowess!" He laughs, producing rice balls from his flowing white sleeves and offering them about to the whole table. His sudden manifestation has drawn quite a crowd of farmers. They bow low in your presence, offering prayers up both to O-Mochi and to you.

The Mayor absent-mindedly eats a rice ball–and then another, and another. He seems hungrier than even hearty Zephyr. However, something seems to be troubling him, drug-addled as he is. "Wait a second...isn't that a heresy? If you're being worshiped, then the Imm...Imago...Immadorate...some very important people from the Realm will be upset, won't they?" He seems genuinely worried about this, less about the blasphemy than the potential consequences of it.

[Lochar]

Rising Echo shakes his head. "We've already taken care of it, Mayor. If any of the Order come to Lotus, we have already made plans for dealing with them."

Spoiler

Show

Lying through me teeth. Manip+Presence

(9d10)[5][10][8][5][6][2][1][6][2](45)

[The Demented One]

"Oh. All right then. I knew you wouldn't go wrong, Minister Gecko." the Mayor says, blithe as a child. O-Mochi gives him a slantwise glance, shaking his head with contempt. He snaps his fingers, and a mote of pure-white essence discharges in a minute flash. A sudden gust of wind blows around you, sending grains of rice scattering all about your plates. When the wind subsides, you see a message spelled out in the grains of rice:

"By the dragons, can you believe this man? Making dinner arrangements with him nearly drove me mad. I think he didn't realize that I was a god until I dematerialized and left! I hope you have him overthrown soon, he's insufferable. Makes the censors look competent."

All the while, the Terrestrial Minister smiles serenely, making polite small talk with the Mayor as you read out his message.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

She covers her mouth with two or three fingers as she holds back a laugh but still smiles. She steps forward again to speak to the mayor, "You look greatly tired from all the celebration you've been up to tonight. You surely need to get your beauty rest, perhaps your guardsmen can walk you back to your home now?"

Spoiler

Show

Charisma+Manipulation: (6d10)[4][4][5][6][6][5](30)

[The Demented One]

The Mayor demurs, unswayed by Yomiko's words. "Oh no, I can scarcely leave our honored guest!" He turns to the Terrestrial Minister, addressing him as if he were an old but poorly-remembered acquaintance. "Now, what was it that you wanted to speak with me about? I remember you saying something about it, but I grow old, and the haze of governance is too much for my poor memory."

O-Mochi shoots you a long-suffering glance. "Sire, I wished to speak with...you, I suppose, about diplomatic relations between Lotus and the Eastern Spirit Courts. I have negotiated with several preeminent deities, and believe that I can speak for them all. We would be willing to provide Lotus with considerable divine benefice in exchange for a few small considerations. Perhaps it would be best if your Ministers could negotiate such terms with me..."

[WhiteKnight777]

Zephyr

Zephyr grinned widely. Good to hear that things are going so well. He looked to the Mayor. I'm afraid these negotiations might be rather boring, your eminence. Perhaps you'd prefer a bit of relaxation? After all, you have far more important duties to worry about than minor matters of commerce and religious minutia.

[GryffonDurime]

"Divine benevolence seems a capital improvement if anything can be said to be," Ivory remarks, setting a hand softly on the Mayor's shoulder. She molds her expression, her tone, her very being to the purpose of consolation and honest comiseration. "If you wish it, Lord Mayor, I will see to this tedium personally. I would hate to see you drawn into such neogtiations. I truly believe I can do this--will you permit me to try, to make that essential attempt to expand my horizons, Lord Mayor?"

Spoiler

Show

Oh, she's working it.
Cha+Pre, buying a success.
(8d10)[8][6][5][10][9][9][9][5](61)+1

[The Demented One]

"Oh, all right." the Mayor says, with just the faintest hint of sadness. He gestures for the sedan chair to be brought next to the table, and a pair of guards are entrusted with the unfortunate task of lifting him up from his seat into the sedan–while his weight is almost negligible, such proximity to his malodorous eminence is sure to leave the men half-afflicted all night long. He bids you all farewell before slipping the nozzle of a water-pipe into his mouth, and sets back off for the palace, trailing a cloud of herb-smoke.

"Finally." the Terrestrial Minister says, his perfect-white teeth gritted. "Now that he has been sufficiently humored, we can confer. I have a goodly sum of some dozen small gods, all of them willing to lend their backing to your city. I cannot promise that all will work great miracles for you, but they will grant their gifts, and forestall what misfortune they can."

He waves his hand over a basil roll, and it unravels, shrimp and lettuce spilling out of their rice paper wrapping. Another gesture, and the rice paper flattens out, the remaining traces of soy sauce spreading over it to form legible writing. "Now, their demands are, for the most part, fairly simple. The one universal request is, quite naturally, a temple. As grand of an affair as you can imagine. I have received a few architectural suggestions..." Another wave of his hand, and a few more basil rolls are transformed, a dozen sundry suggestions for how the temple ought be constructed spreading over them. "...but really, all that matters is that it is built. They are inclined to trust you, seeing what you have done, but all of us want Lotus's prayers issued in totality. Those who worship our names are still in the minority."

He takes a sip from a small urn of soy sauce, and continues. "Secondly, they wish protection from the Immaculate Order, ensured and absolute. For the moment, I suppose all you can do is promise your help, but if you betray their trust–as I am sure you won't–then it will be calamity for both. I believe they would also like to see the Immaculate Shrine here torn down, and any citizens who are actually faithful driven out. There is...some quantity of spite in the spirit courts, you understand."

He pauses for a moment before proceeding to the next consideration, as if it were some awkward manner. "Now, finally...there is the matter of Adiubande. She is the Censor of the East, a venerable and august elemental dragon. However, she is also...thoroughly and absolutely corrupt. I have not yet approached her, but I suspect she would be more than sympathetic to your endeavor...if she stood to profit from it." He pauses often, clearly embarrassed by the Censor's less-than-upstanding behavior. "Naturally, bribes of jade or silver would be worthless to her. But if you could find some service or treasure with which to buy her interest, it would be a monumental success. If you do not, then I fear any dealings we have will be somewhat pointless."

He tries to shake off his dour demeanor as the waiters bring forth mint rice ice cream, made in imitation of Ivory Eyes' feat of culinary excellence. "But," he explains, "You are Ex...extraordinary, and I am sure you will have no problem. Now, while I cannot yet pledge the aid of the Eastern divinities to you, I have brought you some token of our favor. I had Bisa-Canti prepare it shortly after meeting with your Mayor, and I believe it will be of no small pleasure to you. He should be here with it any moment."

And indeed, before you have finished your ice cream, a spirit manifests at O-Mochi's side. Bisa-Canti stands some four feet tall, dressed in shaggy green robes. His hair seems made from five-pointed leaves, and an oddly familiar smell seems to hang about him. He pulls into his patched and poorly mended pockets, retrieving a small clay pot. "So...uh, here you go. Thanks for the prayers, I guess?" As soon as the delivery is complete, the rather sketchy deity dematerializes, flitting back off to his sanctum.

O-Mochi chuckles. "You must forgive him; the nature of his being leaves him hopelessly paranoid. It is the way of the world. But look at what he is brought!" In the pot, there grows a small, vividly green marijuana plant. "Consider it the first gift to you from the Eastern Spirit Courts. Any man who smokes it will find himself believing that all things are right and in their proper place, that others are taking care of all things, and that he ought simply retire and catch up on his sleep. It will never die, so long as Bisa-Canti wills it, and it will give forth a bounteous crop each and every day. With luck, it should save you from any further mayoral annoyance."

[WhiteKnight777]

Zephyr

Zephyr slowly nodded, a small smile on his face. A most useful and thoughtful gift, Lord O-Mochi. I'm sure we can put it to great use. Now, most of the measures you have suggested seem easily do-able, though as to the concerns over the Immaculate faithful, I would favor clemency and... rehabilitation over measures that might make us tyrants or oppressors. My main concern is dealing with the Censor. Plainly put, what sorts of offerings could she give that would be of value to such a creature? Artifacts? Secrets?

[The Demented One]

O-Mochi shakes his head in mild dismay. "She is fickle in her hedonism, rarely wont to take the same bribe twice. I once bought her silence with a book of poetry. Its author was a Solar of the First Age–I found it not far from here, actually, underground. I found seven volumes of his work in all, but when I needed to sway her a second time, she would not accept all six remaining books. In the end, I simply made all the wild rice of the East grow such that it shaped sutras of praise to her and her behemoth ego. Something unique, something new, something that will sate her gluttony, her pride, or her curiosity."

[GryffonDurime]

"Under...underground?" Ivory asks, brightening violently. She is as a thin skin of fine demeanor pulled taut over bursting excitement, and not doing too fine a job at hiding it. With great difficulty, she swallows every Copper-Spider instinct. Even still, her eyes flare and twinkle.

"Echo, begin whatever process is needed to evict the Immaculates. I will see to the new temple myself with all the skills I can bring to bear...Underground, you say, Lord O-Mochi?"

[Lochar]

Rising Echo laughs quietly, nodding to Ivory, before addressing O-Mochi. "Our plans had to be set up the spirit court here with you as it's head, and any who ally with Lotus in that court as well. And that court would be the center of religion for Lotus. Given another week or two, I think it is very possible, as each blessing that is provided to Lotus above and beyond what the spirits were able to provide under the Immaculate Calendar only proves our point another step. " He looks to Yomiko, to verify that was still the plan.

"Temples, as Ivory has said, will start being worked on. I have one suggestion however. Instead of tearing down the Immaculate temple, how about we have it rededicated to you?" Echo smiles as he says this, thinking of the tweaking it would give any Immaculate that might come to town, before they were thrown out. "As for what to do with those who harbor feelings for the Immaculate, I think I agree with re-education rather than throwing them out."

"And for the promise of protection, any who ally with us and are threatened by the Immaculate may come to Lotus and we will not allow them to take harm, and will stop the Immaculate. If they wish and are able, they can move the entrance to their sanctum into the town as well."