God-Kings of Lotus

[GryffonDurime]

Ivory Eyes swallows down hard, a sudden pang of fear overtaking her anew at the news. She follows close behind as Zephyr exits, stopping only when he transforms. Four small creatures tighten their formation about her at his leave--each cloaked in leaves, or scarves, or feathers, or strangest of all is a gangly thing seemingly clothed in piercings. A few quick words and a great hound coalesces from the air that hangs about the room, thickening into a great, canine form. It bows it's head long enough for Ivory to climb atop it's back, and then all of them--Exalt, hound, and Greater minions--bound out into the streets of Lotus.

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Personal Essence: 3/18
Peripheral Essence: 43/43
Willpower: 5/6

[Lochar]

Echo shakes his head as Ivory and Zephyr move quickly away. He looks to the messenger, before calling for someone to take care of him, make sure he's ok. Knowing that Zephyr and Ivory can likely handle themselves for the first few minutes, he quickly finds Jubilant Dawn. "Go to the guardhouse and pass along the message that we're under siege by raiders. Tell Captain Transval that Captain Zephyr requires a fairly large contingent of the guard to come. Don't have him strip any internal posts though. You come with them, although I don't think you'll be in the fighting, you have a bit more power than some of the others."

His message passed along, Echo starts to sprint towards the battlefield, pulling his twin hook daiklaves as he dashes through the town.

[Ellas Aramond]

Watcher is gone before the poor courier even has the chance to finish his sentence, leaving out the window as soon as he had heard where the battle was taking place. Leaping from roof to roof, he makes quick time across the city.

Upon reaching the fight, he stays unnoticed, moving to the highest ground he can find. He then scans across the mess of fighters, looking for any raider who seems to be in a commanding position.

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stealth+dex to remain unoticed
(7d10)[7][2][5][6][9][8][7](44)

awareness+perception
(7d10)[7][4][2][1][8][5][6](33)

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

The Invincible Maiden rushes to the battle, leaving her daughter safely at home and equipped with her swords, armor and wings of fire. She heard the sounds of war from a little ways off. She leaps from rooftop to rooftop with the aid of her burning wings and a sword in either hand. "We need to get in formation! We need to defend the city!" There's slight panic in her voice, though it's anything from pathetic-sounding.

[WhiteKnight777]

Zephyr

Zephyr circles above the battlefield, surveying, at least for a moment. If he could find any sort of leader of the raiders in a position where he might strike, he would take the opportunity to behead the serpent right now. Otherwise, he would swoop down to join his men where the battle was thickest, trying to both hold off the enemy fighters while his men gathered and serve as a rallying point for his troops.

[The Demented One]

The battle is already underway, Lotus's guards trying with halberd and poleaxe to fend off the mass of raiders. The raiders number in the hundreds, fighting in a strictly regimented phalanx not unlike an Imperial Dragon. While their armor may be outlandish and the battle-axes barbaric, they have clearly been trained in the ways of war. They hold a position just outside the fields, letting the guards of Lotus come to them. One man stands out clearly as their leader, a warlord in blue-iron lamellar. A mask of worked bronze hides his face beneath a leering visage, some demonic totem. He stands encircled by a loyal legion of men, untouchable by close blade. Lotus's defenses, watchmen adulterated with the occasional battle-trained citizen, are divided in three–two assault either flank of the raiders, while another stands as a thin grey line against the fields, a final barrier of defense.

Borne on wings of shadow and flame, Zephyr and Yomiko swiftly arrive, surveying the battlefield from on high. While they cannot strike directly at the raider command without exposing themselves to volley upon volley of enemy arrows, they find the flanking legions of Lotus over-awed by their arrival, wondering at Yomiko's wings of flame. But there is no time for questions, not amid war. Yomiko and Zephyr take up command–Yomiko on the left, Zephyr on the right–and the battle begins.

Seeing the new arrivals and muttering in surprise, the warlord shouts an order in a strange and foreign tongue, a language known by neither Zephyr nor Yomiko. In response, his troops surge forward to attack Yomiko, their battle-axes brandished...

War Joined!

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Tick 0: Raiders
Tick 1: Zephyr's Unit
Tick 2: Yomiko's Unit, Lotus Soldiers
Tick 3:
Tick 4: (The rest of the circle arrives)

[WhiteKnight777]

OOC: Reposted with fixed attack roll and combat statistics.

Zephyr

Assuming that his arrival would have already revealed his supernatural prowess, did not hesitate in assuming his War Form. His ten-foot frame was near to bursting with power as he stood at the head of his unit, looking back at his men with a fierce grin on his face. He held up one claw, gesturing towards the enemy. There stand our foemen! Weak and cowardly bandit scum, like ripe wheat for the scythe. You fight for honor, for your homes, your families, for Lotus! They fight for rapine and plunder, murder and flame. We will win the day! Your captains are with you, your kinsmen take arms to aid you! The very forces of the earth shall soon rise to crush these pathetic wretches into bloody pulp. Let their blood water the fields and their rotting corpses make rich the harvest. For Lotus!

And with that, he charged forward, to meet the assault head on and press the attacks as the enemy force engaged Yomiko as well. He fought like a man possessed, and he was a terror on the field. He picked up men and tossed them bodily at their comrades with broken necks or bloodied stumps where once there heads sat. He picked up a pair of raiders, dashed their heads together, and used their senseless forms like a pair of bludgeons, whirling like a dervish through the enemy ranks, all the time calling out imprecations at the leader, denouncing him as a coward and a weakling in front of his men, insulting his lineage, his ancestors, and his probable descendants in terms that would make a strong man turn pale, attempting to goad him into a fight.

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I'm still learning the mass combat rules, so forgive me if I make a mistake.

with the speech, activating Charisma Excellency for 2 extra successes for 4m
(7d10)[3][8][4][5][5][7][2](34) (Kept this roll from the old post. Hope that's okay. If not, let me know and I'll redo it.)

Having the troops attack in close formation... I can't find their close combat rating, so I'm just going to assume a base of 2 and double that to 4...

Also, I'll be activating Silver Claws at some point when possible.

So, breakdown of my actions - flurry, (Charisma Excellency, Claws of the Silver Moon, Attack)

Close Combat: (6 Dexterity + 5 MA + 5 Accuracy -5 Flurry = 11.) (11d10)[3][8][6][6][8][10][9][6][2][5][6](69)

Essence Expenditures so far today: Shapeshifting (6) Excellency (4) Claws (7m, 1wp) 17m, 1wp

Other Statistics
Temporary Effects: Claws of The Silver Moon (7m committed, lasts the battle.)

Hardness: 8B/8L
Soak:18B/15L (4B/2L Natural, 4B/4L from War Form, 10B/9L from armor)

Dodge DV: 6: (6 Dex + 3 Dodge +2 Essence) = 10(11) /2
Parry DV: 7: (6 Dex + 5 Melee +2 Defense) = 12(13)/2

Pools:
Personal: 5/18
Peripheral: 28/36
Committed: 11 (4 Armor, 7 for Claws of the Silver Moon)

Willpower: 7/8

Health:
-0/ []
-1/ [][]
-2/ [][][][][][]
-4/ [][]
Incapacitated

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Yomiko rushes in between the attacking force and her own forces with blades spread like wings and actual wings spread out like the wings of a creature of great ascension. "Foul men! You would attack us so bluntly and without cause! You know not who you attack! ...I will tell you... You have attacked the forces of The Invincible Maiden Yomiko!!" Suddenly her wings of gold and orange fire burst into white gold, an aura bursting all around her, the golden circle burning on her head brighter than the rest of the fire. Her voice rings out in extraordinary song at the same moment. She vaults forward into the crowd of enemies and slashes with all her might, surging forward quickly until she reaches a tree and her glorious voice rings out as she slashes it down, giving it a hard kick in mid-air to bring it down upon the enemy.

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Expending 3 motes for Seven Shadows, and 1 to flare my anima.

War+Dex+Acc: (11d10)[5][8][9][8][4][10][2][2][4][1][8](61)

[The Demented One]

As the savage raiders surge forth to seek blood, they are sorely disappointed–as Yomiko shouts forth her invincibility, her men take heart, and become for a moment as she is. Great axes cleave little but unquestioning soil, spilling only loose stones and the thousandfold curses of frustration. However, the fight has been long, and the men are weary–though they valiantly throw themselves into the fight, Yomiko cannot help but worry at the sweat on their brows and the difficulty of their breath.

But they have little time to stoke the fire of their anger, for Zephyr's troops pierce their flank. Frightened as they are of the inhuman brutish shape their leader wears, they know that he is the same Zephyr who leads the guard, that noble paragon of all manly virtue. For a man like that, there is no monster they will not forgive. They fight with discipline and with practiced battle-skill, driving their foes before them. Blood spills on the fields and corpses bless the soil with their vitality, no longer needed (and as every man falls, friend or foe, O-Mochi knows–each life snuffed on the fields of Lotus is as a sacrifice to him, and he takes their death-essence with some small sorrow). The third troop supports him, raising their halberds and glaives against the raiders in a surge of renewed valor.

The warlord casts about in fear, seeing his men cut down in droves. Unlucky for him then, as Yomiko fells one of the mighty pines, final promontory of the forests surrounding Lotus. The enemies breaks into panic, men fleeing en masse from the fallen tree, bolstered up by the corpses crushed beneath it. Yomiko's men are overawed, amazed at their commanderess's feat of superhuman strength, and they same bloody awe paints the milky-white eyes of the dead. The commander shouts in his harsh, strange language to restore calm. The men remaining snap back to attention, massing once more in ranks for another attack–but as they do, the rest of the Circle arrives, surveying the battlefield. From stealth, Watcher is able to make out the commander amidst his troops, while Echo and Ivory Eyes, encircled by a strange congress of spirits, stride out upon the battlefield.


Initiative

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Tick 5: Raiders, Circle arrives
Tick 7: Yomiko's Legion, Zephyr's Legion, Soldiers

Zephyr

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3-die stunt, 6 motes or 1wp

Also, I think you overspent of CotSM–It says you can activate it as a Gift for only 3 motes.

DV -2

Yomiko

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2-die stunt, 4 motes or 1wp

DV -1

Tick 5: Echo, Watcher, and Ivory Eyes: Please say whether you want to join Zephyr or Yomiko's legions as special characters, take command of the third legion, or form a new mass combat unit entirely. Once you do that, I'll add you to initiative.

[Ellas Aramond]

Watcher

'Take out the head, and the body falls lifeless to the ground.' Tactical advice from an old friend filtered through his mind upon seeing the enemy commander. If they could take out that man, then all of Lotus would have an easier time with their attackers.

Watcher Jumps into the fray, making sure to stay unseen as he makes his way to where he saw the raider's leader; hoping that his invincible companion will see the light glinting off his mask.

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Joining up with Yomiko's unit as a special character.

[GryffonDurime]

Ivory Eyes arives to the fray with two more Hounds in her pack and her anima fully totemic, a bird with wings like knives and a mouth full of fire. She slides from her mount and joins her four bodyguards, letting Scarf take the lead as the Hounds rush off to join the battle as is their wont.

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Personal Essence: 3/18
Peripheral Essence: 7/37 (6 Committed)
Willpower: 3/6

Ivory's Hounds are a Magnitude 5 unit by themselves, free to savage enemies as they desire. Ivory, Scarf, Leaf, Pinion, and Pierce should be a Magnitude 2 unit, wherein Scarf is the Commander and Ivory the Sorcerer.

[Lochar]

Long hours of working with Ivory and her minions has given Echo a good insight into how they work, and he slips easily into the group as he gets ready to support Ivory and her guards. Having seen her spin out more hounds, he reaches over and essence flows between them, invogorating Ivory.

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Essence lending method on Ivory. away from my books at the moment, but attempting to give her 9 motes of essence, if able to. Will look into it better once I'm home.

Joining Ivory's group as a hero.

[The Demented One]

For all Zephyr's savage brutality, and all of Yomiko's superhuman strength, neither can strike more fear into the hearts of their foe as the massive hounds summoned forth by Ivory Eyes. The commander shouts commands, orders barked in a tongue Rising Echo recognizes as Old Realm, though the dialect is harsh and foreign. "Kill the beasts!" he howls, his cleft chin heaving with fear and rage. The raiders scrabble to assault the hounds, but are scarcely able to harm them. A few red lines mar the dogs' white coats, but they seem otherwise unharmed. Then, eyes glinting with hunger, Ivory's dogs pounce, ripping through their foes. They maul men mercilessly, painting the battlefield with warm gore and shattered bones. Their tails wag and they bark happily, content as children in their slaughter.

Initiative

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Tick 6: Scarf's Irregulars (Ivory Eyes, Rising Echo)
Tick 7: Yomiko's Legion (Watcher), Zephyr's Legion, Soldiers
Tick 10: Raiders, Hounds

Tick 6: Scarf's Irregulars (Ivory Eyes, Rising Echo)

[GryffonDurime]

Scarf signals first, hand racing from his quiver to his longbow. The other minions mirror his actions, and even Ivory follows suit. As their arrows rain down, Ivory's hands dance to the handles of her Cleavers. They thunder through the air, impacting loudly as they find their marks among the thronging raiders only to disappear, reappearing in Ivory's hands, ready to parry an errant blade.

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Scarf's attack:
(9d10)[9][5][8][8][9][7][2][6][6](60), Damage is 4L.

Ivory's attack, invoking First Thrown Excellency for 6m:
(13d10)[3][3][4][5][8][10][10][7][8][3][2][10][9](82), Damage is 7L

Personal Essence: 12/18
Peripheral Essence: 8/37
Willpower 3/6

[Lochar]

As the minions and Ivory attack at a distance, Echo stays near, and then strikes out quickly, moving away from the group as a section of the invading army moves to attack them.

Wielding his double hook swords, he moves through the invaders, parrying, catching blades as he returns strokes, blood flowing. As the invaders turn and back away to find easier targets.

Echo shouts at the leader, his Old Realm a much smoother, flawless speech. "Lotus is under our protection. You shall not cross these lands!"

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Attacking, buying three successes with Second MA.

(9d10)[2][2][3][7][8][2][8][5][9](46) + 3 successes.

Permanent: 3
Personal: 15/15
Peripheral: 4/36 (Solar Glory: 0/10)
Committed: 3 (Armor) 6 (Hook daiklaves) 15 (PAP on Jubilant Dawn)

Banner spent: 9

Ivory was only given 9 motes of essence, not 15, now that I have my books in front of me.

[The Demented One]

Taking advantage of the raider's disarray, Scarf's brigade perforates them with a hail of arrows. By now, it is clear that the raiders, for all their numbers, are at a massive disadvantage–already men go running from the ranks, fleeing in search of either safety or reinforcements. The men that remain fall under the arrows, the four faceless minions proving as deadly as a whole legion of archers. More devastating even that are the arms of the Solars–Ivory Eyes and Rising Echo find the raiders fall at the lightest axe-throw or sword-jab, downing men with almost casual ease.

As the raiders fall, the sky darkens, as if a storm had suddenly swallowed up the sun. There is nothing slow or gradual to it–as an arrow is loosed, the sun is shining. As it falls, all is dark. Darting down from the darkened heavens come twin thunderbirds, screeching their wrath. It is as an omen from Sol Invictus, a promise of victory.


Initiative

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Tick 7: Yomiko's Legion (Watcher), Zephyr's Legion, Soldiers
Tick 8: Thunderbirds
Tick 10: Raiders, Hounds
Tick 12: Scarf's Irregulars (Ivory Eyes, Rising Echo)

Tick 7: Yomiko's Legion (Watcher), Zephyr's Legion, Soldiers

[WhiteKnight777]

(Note: This is a repost. Once again, I used roll instead of rollv, so no numbers on the dice. Let's see if I can get it right this time.)

Zephyr

Roaring like some dark, primeval god of war Zephyr cleaved a bloody swathe through their barbaric foes, leading a speartip of men and women deep into the heart of their formation, seeking the enemy commander. He called out impercation after impercation, slandering the man, his family, anything he could think of to draw him to the front. He wanted to cut the head off this threat now, and break the back of the army by breaking the back of its commander accross his knee. His arms up to his elbows dripped blood, and the two soldiers he had siezed as bludgeons were looking more like raw sides of beef as he flailed them around. Still he fought on, roaring over and over again for the commander to come and face him, an awesome and terrible figure cleaving its way through the enemies' ranks. Calling to his men, he cried out as he fought.

"Come now, soldiers of Lotus! The tide turns and the day shall soon be ours! See how the weak and cowardly foeman trembles! See how the forces of the spirit realm itself comes to our aid! The gods themselves return their favor for your faith! Fight on, and know that fictory is at hand!"

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Attacking again. (16d10)[5][2][5][10][8][8][5][4][1][8][6][10][2][7][6][6](93)

Other Statistics
Temporary Effects: Claws of The Silver Moon (3m committed, lasts the battle.)

Hardness: 8B/8L
Soak:18B/15L (4B/2L Natural, 4B/4L from War Form, 10B/9L from armor)

Dodge DV: 6: (6 Dex + 3 Dodge +2 Essence) = 10(11) /2
Parry DV: 7: (6 Dex + 5 Melee +2 Defense) = 12(13)/2

Pools:
Personal: 14/18
Peripheral: 28/36
Committed: 7 (4 Armor, 3 for Claws of the Silver Moon)

Willpower: 7/8

Health:
-0/ []
-1/ [][]
-2/ [][][][][][]
-4/ [][]
Incapacitated

[Ellas Aramond]

Watcher

The time was now, while the raider's thought they still had a chance. Too much blood had been shed on both sides, and in Watcher's mind, enough was enough. Easily knocking one of the attacker's blades aside, the nightbringer grabs the man by his un-helmeted head, and pulls him to the ground. Then, jumping on the man's still falling back, uses him as a springboard, catapulting himself straight at the opposing horde. Instead of falling into the mob of raiders, however, he lands on one of the heads of the soldiers, perfectly balanced. Without giving the man time to react, Watcher jumps away almost immediately, heading in a beeline straight at the commander, using the raider's heads as stepping stones. He pulls out and extends his bamboo staff with a flick of the wrist, spinning it around in one hand as the wood turns a ghostly white.

Seeing no more heads to step across, Watcher goes into one more leap, straight at the commander, staff raised up to strike a bone crunching blow.

Take out the head.

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Alright, called shot to the leader of the raiders. Spending 3 personal motes and 1 willpower to use Thunderbolt Attack Prana, and an additional willpower to channel my valor.

Dex+war (14d10)[6][2][1][1][2][4][5][9][10][8][5][4][3][3](63) +1 success

WP: 4/6
Personal: 15/18
Peripheral: 26/43
[] -0
[][][][] -1
[][] -2
[] -4
[] Incapacitated

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

The Invincible Maiden continues to fight against the hoard of vicious raiders, attempting to slash her and her troops endlessly. Her warsong continues to resonate throughout the bodies and gear of all those around her, creating a strange discomfort for her enemies and a rallying cry for those at her side. A deadly orichalcum lotus spins through the air, slashing and tearing at armor and flesh. With every drop of blood that spills Yomiko sheds a tear... sorrowful in a battle she cannot avoid. A battle she was trained to fight.
She uses both blades to shove a large mass of enemy soldiers back and thrusts forward with one blade in front and one in back, piercing their defenses. Once surrounded by a thick mass of raiders she thrusts both blades out and does a deadly spin. Seeing the open wound in the raider's defenses, the battalion at her command rushes forward toward the golden sun that burns a hole in the heart of the enemy. Some of the allied warriors, despite not knowing the language Yomiko sings in, begin trying to sing along with her to heighten the warrior hymn.

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3 motes for Seven Shadows from peripheral.

War+Dex+Acc: (11d10)[68]
Perform+Cha, because I feel like it: (9d10)[5][6][7][6][8][5][4][6][8](55)

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Bollocks, trying that War again.

(11d10)[10][3][9][10][5][9][6][6][7][3][10](78)

[The Demented One]

Rallying under Zephyr's command, the men of Lotus rise up once more, putting the raiders to the poleaxe. By now, the raiders' superior numbers scarcely matter–their hundreds of soldiers lie strewn across the battlefield, limbs hacked from bloody husks of bodies. Zephyr's men come down like a scarlet typhoon, hacking through rank upon rank of men. Not to be outdone, Yomiko leads her men back through the raider's gaping flank, carving out an equally wide swathe of slaughter. The third platoon follows in her example, their men marching behind the now-defenseless raiders and making a rear assault. The raiders are left crippled, with barely enough men to defend themselves for a retreat, let alone win.

As they clash, Watcher slips through the field of combat unseen, an invisible blur streaking from man to man. His footfalls are silent, and many of the warriors he leaps to and from scarcely notice his presence. As he nears the commander, he delivers a whirling blow, silent as an owl in flight. The commander does not even notice the staff as it crunches against his skull, driving him to his feet. Kneeling in gore-slick mud, he looks up, finally seeing Watcher–and his eyes blaze with hate. He looks at his once-great forces, lying on the ground beside him, and leaps up, his axe blazing. He howls a bitter oath in Old Realm, a vow of vengeance against Watcher.

But his oath is heard by no one. As he speaks, the skies shatter, the thunderbirds flap their mighty wings once, unleashing a devastating thunderclap that deafens many of the raiders, leaving them howling in pain. Panic fills their hearts, though the steel themselves against it for one final stand. Something gives them some final reserve of confidence, as if they believe they might yet be saved. And indeed, as the thunder recedes, the sound of far-off marching can be heard...more legions advance still.

The warlord breaks into a bloody grin, laughing at the sound of his advancing legions. He lunges out at Watcher with his bloody battle-axe, but the Night Caste easily slips under the axe's serrated flange, his grace practically mocking the warlord. And as the commander squanders his time with futile battle-rage, Ivory's hounds race through his ranks, devouring men whole with savage ferocity.


Initiative

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Tick 12: Scarf's Irregulars (Ivory Eyes, Rising Echo), Yomiko's Legion (Watcher), Zephyr's Legion, Soldiers
Tick 14: Thunderbirds
Tick 15: Hounds
Tick 16: Raiders

Yomiko

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One-die stunt, 2 motes.

Zephyr

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One-die stunt, 2 motes

Watcher

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Three-die stunt, 6 motes or 1 willpower.

[GryffonDurime]

Scarf leads his fellow minions in another volley, sending arrows screeching into the air. At the same time, Ivory rushes forward as they notch their next volley, a Lightning Torment Cleaver held tight against her knuckles. She throws it with a violent spin, sending it into the fray like a hurricane of sound--and it returns in an eyeblink with just as much fury.

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Scarf's attack; he's spending a WP for a Success:
(9d10)[6][6][6][4][1][1][6][5][5](40) + 1 Success
Willpower 5/6

Ivory's attack, full excellency!
(13d10)[6][3][9][10][7][8][1][6][7][5][7][2][9](80)
Damage is 7L.

Personal Essence: 0/18
Peripheral Essence: 8/37
Willpower: 3/6

[Lochar]

Echo darts forward with Ivory, watching her back and guiding his blades into the bodies of the raiders that try to take advantage of the short moments that she does not hold her hatchets.

"Press forward! Press forward! We must not let them gain any ground!" Echo calls out, his voice filled with frustration at the sounds of the approaching reinforcements.

Looking towards the sounds of the coming legions, Echo pulls a small metal flask from his hip. He'd only gotten this a day or two ago, one of the first new alcohols made from the underground rice. He'd paid a pretty bit of jade for it, the first off the distillery. Holding it out, he beckoned to the oncoming enemies. "O-Mochi, God of the Rice, that which is around us. Hear me. The enemies that move toward us do so over your fields. Make the fields rise up, and bring low those who oppose us and Lotus! I offer you sake made from your own rice, and the blood of those invaders that seek to trample it!"

At those words, Echo's blade becomes a whirlwind of death and destruction, his blade seeking out the hearts of the raiders around him, drawing deeply from them as the hooked edge of his blade tears out stomachs, ribcage, and cuts a bloody swath around him.

Each body that falls is anointed with the sake, their last drink offered to O-Mochi.

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Flurry. prayer/attack.
Prayer: (6d10)[1][1][7][5][10][6](30) Spending a Willpower for an auto success.
Attack: (6d10)[2][2][4][1][6][5](20) Buying 3 successes with Second MA.

If Prayer roll is successful without stunt bonus, then stunt dice go to attack. Otherwise, add 'em to Prayer.


Permanent: 3
Personal: 13/15
Peripheral: 0/36 (Solar Glory: 0/10)
Committed: 3 (Armor) 6 (Hook daiklaves) 15 (PAP on Jubilant Dawn)

Will: 5/6

Banner spent: 13

[WhiteKnight777]

Zephyr

Zephyr howled a prayer to Luna, offering the blood of his enemies to his Incarnae patron in a benediction without words, a spine-chilling cry of primal rage and bestial power. He swept through his enemies like a ship through red-flecked waved, leaving corpses in his wake. He gnashed his teeth with jealousy when he saw Watcher making it to the enemy general first, but he was not about to leave his men without his protection and leadership merely to win a contest of glory with the Night caste.

As his enemies melted before his wrath like snow before a furnace, he looked around, seeing the advance of fresh foes. Holding up his gore-slicked claws, he laughed with brutal glee as he faced the oncoming hordes. Staring them down like a terrible death-god of some grimmer, more barbaric Age, he held aloft the severed head of a single foe and punted it like a child's plaything into the face of the oncoming hoard's foremost member. Raising one claw, he bellowed aloud.

Come then, fools. Your flesh and blood shall ripen the harvest. Surrender at you may yet live. Fight and you will die.

Giving an earth-shattering roar, the Lunar raised his head again, his fists stretched upward as if beseeching the blessing of Luna, though she did not sail the sky. Surging forward, he led his troops forward, never halting, always appearing where the fighting was thickest to deal death to the foes of Lotus. He hungered for a challenge, though - these mere mortals were no match for the blood-raged Full-Moon warrior, and he tore through even the best of these mortals as if they were no more than wet paper. Tearing the head from yet another fighter, he held the corpse out towards his comrades, blinding them with the arterial spray as the body shuddered, slowly realizing that it was dead. As he surged forth to rend the crimson-faced and horrified soldiers, he shouted aloud.

"Can no-one offer me challenge? Either bring forth something to make me break a sweat, bandit scum, or surrender and bother Lotus no more. I hunger for battle, not for the wanton slaughter of sheep!"

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Attacking again. (16d10)[4][1][10][8][8][4][5][8][1][10][1][4][3][5][9][2](83)

Other Statistics
Temporary Effects: Claws of The Silver Moon (3m committed, lasts the battle.)

Hardness: 8B/8L
Soak:18B/15L (4B/2L Natural, 4B/4L from War Form, 10B/9L from armor)

Dodge DV: 6: (6 Dex + 3 Dodge +2 Essence) = 10(11) /2
Parry DV: 7: (6 Dex + 5 Melee +2 Defense) = 12(13)/2

Pools:
Personal: 16/18
Peripheral: 28/36
Committed: 7 (4 Armor, 3 for Claws of the Silver Moon)

Willpower: 7/8

Health:
-0/ []
-1/ [][]
-2/ [][][][][][]
-4/ [][]
Incapacitated

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Yomiko pushes forward, cutting a swath of destruction with twin daiklaves and continuing her encouraging battle song. She flares her massive white fiery wings and leaps upward into the sky. She rockets up like a golden firework empowered by the almighty heat and fury of the sun. Her momentum stop and she curls her body and pushes her feet against thin air to hurl herself downward, wings flaring even brighter than before. She slams into the ground at the center of the raider horde, on one foot and knee curled forward with swords and wings both out to her sides. She leaves a burning crater where she landed, having taken out several of the enemy. She then continues slashing and reaping through the enemy hoard, glowing even brighter than before, "Do not relent! Do not hold back! If your enemy holds an axe to you, you will remove his hand! You will defeat the enemy and you will bring victory back to your families!!"

Spoiler

Show

Spending 3 motes on Seven Shadows and then 1 mote on Hungry Tiger Technique.

War+Dex+Acc: (11d10)[10][1][6][3][4][5][10][8][5][8][5](65)

[Ellas Aramond]

Watcher

"Do you hear the screams?" Watcher's voice cuts easily through the roar of battle surrounding the two warriors. He doesn't care if his opponent can understand him or not, only that the raider knows that his opponent can speak so easily in the middle of battle. Those are of your men, being slaughtered. Even if you survive this, how will you live with yourself? The blood of the men that have died today are on you hands. So do everyone fighting here today a favor. Order a retreat, for you will find no victory here today!"

Spoiler

Show

6 motes spent on presence to intimidate the guy, as well as another called shot.

Manipulation+Presence [rollv]13d10]/rollv]
Dex+War(11d10)[9][3][7][10][10][8][6][1][8][6][9](77)

WP: 5/6
Personal: 9/18
Peripheral: 26/43

[Ellas Aramond]

Lets see if I can roll my presence right this time.

(13d10)[6][2][7][8][1][9][2][2][4][1][10][7][10](69)

[The Demented One]

Armies clash and fray, dealing out death and mutual devastation. Scarf's band of irregulars find their advance thwarted by the sheer magnitude of their killing, their press forward undone by the pile of corpses between them and their still-living foes. Ivory Eyes and Echo, however, dart about these corpses, pursuing the enemy foes with death following after. His name is Zephyr, and he carves a scarlet swathe of warm gore through the battlefield, matched only by the meteoric blast Yomiko unleashes. When she arises, there is no one left–all the raiders have either fled, or died.

The commander wallows in fear, cowering at Zephyr's feet. He eyes the scarlet talons warily, praying that he might live to know tomorrow. But Watcher bids no quarter, dealing out a solid staff-blow that stuns the commander. In his dim haze, he looks up at Watcher as he would a mirror-faced demon, wracked with fertile terror, a black sludge of dread.

But victory is not so soon assured, as the scent of warm rice fills their air, omen of O-Mochi. The five Exalted scent it, and receive a vision of Lotus as it is now. All around the city, the foreign army has been defeated, driven away by the forces mustered by Captain Transval and the thunderbirds geased to the civic defense. But their advances one final legion still. They stand six foot tall to a man if not more, clad all about in full plate of bastard-jade, melted down from spare obols and shekels. Their weapons too are of the stolen metal, huge cleavers unsuited to mortal hands–they wield daiklaves. Each one is masked with a garish, demonic visage that snarls like a blood ape. In mere minutes, they will be here.

And in the palace at the city's heart, two men enter unnoticed by all save O-Mochi (for no man can walk through Lotus without gathering a few grains of rice beneath his shoes). Both are dressed more for business than battle–they wear suits of exquisite black, ebon threads perfectly tailored to their forms. Ties of silken shadow proclaim dignity against the backdrop of their white shirts, so pure and unstained that they must have known the luxury of alchemical soap. One man is dark-skinned, his frizzled hair expanding in a small puff around his head. The other's skin is pale white, his hair long and fairly unkempt. The black man is fit and muscular; the white man seems somewhat overweight. Both wear flame pieces of some sort at their belt.

They sit in the same board room where the Circle dealt with V'Neef Enzo. The black man stands, pacing the room's length and breadth; his partner leans over the table, rolling a cigarette. He looks up from his alchemy to speak to his partner. They are apparently already in the midst of conversation.

"But you know what the funniest thing about Malfeas is?"

The dark-skinned man looks over towards him, vaguely bemused. "What?"

"It's the little differences. I mean, they got the same stuff over there that they got here, but it's just – it's just there it's a little different."

An indifferent, sideways glance. "Example."

"All right. Well you can walk into a church in the Eternal Desert and buy a beer. And I don't mean just like in no paper cup, I'm talking about a glass of beer. And in the Demon City, you can buy a beer at the Conventicle Malfeasant. And you know what they call a quarter-pound of beef in Malfeas?"

"They don't call it a quarter-pound of beef?"

"Nah, man, they got the Old Realm system. They wouldn't know what the eff a quarter pound is."

"What do they call it?"

"They call it a royal cut of beef."

"A royal cut?"

"That's right."

Both men laugh whole-heartedly, disparate to any insidious purpose they might have. But as they laugh, dark-skinned man peeks under the table, as if checking in on something. "Hey there, little girl. How're you doing down there? You cool?" This vision reveals who he is speaking to: Konoko. She lies under the table, bound in brazen chains and gagged with a scrap of leather. She screams silently, praying for rescue.



God-Kings of Lotus resumes June 21.

[The Demented One]

The men of Lotus do not fail or falter as the new foe advances, a nigh-inhuman legion brazen in its audacity. For the raiders are not the only troops who move on to the battlefield–Captain Transval has marched his men into formation, a host of elite troops. While Zephyr and Yomiko commanded farmers and blacksmiths with a few weeks' training at arms, the men in Transval's platoon are hand-picked from the ranks of the Watch, and from those men of Lotus who have fought at war before. Their unsheathed arms sweat scarlet, having already dispatched the first advance of raiders.

"Captain Zephyr, I must make a formal report of a crime." the outcaste says, the flames of his bravado burning strong. "Several thousand counts of attempted assault and murder, theft, breaking and entering, and conspiracy to commit assassination against public figures. Oh, and assembling on public grounds without a proper permit." The fires of his anima singe the air, smoking with sultry heat. While once he hid himself in the shadows, he now feels free to unlimber the totality of his dragon's blood, unafraid of the Realm's retribution. "I would suggest we extradite the perpetrators to the jurisdiction of the Underworld!"

He charges across the battlefield, unwilling to let the foreign forces come within arm's reach of the precious fields of Lotus. Though he knows nothing of Konoko's capture, his offensive is cover enough for at least a few to make way to the palace, and find out what has happened there.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Yomiko can only stand stiff in place, shaking as the vision flashes before her eyes. She feels nothing but panic and anger where anyone else would feel the ground slamming against her feet or the wind in her face as she both ran and flew to where she stowed her only daughter. "Konoko!!! NO!! KONOKO!!!"
Her wings seem to flare with even greater heat than the aura that is sheathing the Terrestrial. Her emotions are almost tangible in the air around all of you, even long after she's out of sight and hearing and back at the palace.