A Dream of Quiet (IC)

[Tavar]

Stepping lightly, the snake twirls around the caster, leaving his companion on the wrong side. Catching one of the mans legs in the swords hook, he pulls, dragging him into the table to bring him off balance, before the other comes in at neck height, trying to sever the casters head in one swipe.

"Sorry, but Gem's just so nice this time of year. I've become rather attached, really. And if we can't make you into soulsteel, well, we can make you just as dead!"

Spoiler

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Well, at least the poison is sapping his DV's, right?

Two attacks. Spending 3 motes on the first one, and 4 on the second. Both with my hook sword.
(15d10)[9][2][10][8][10][5][8][8][2][3][8][8][1][6][7](95)
(15d10)[5][1][1][2][7][2][10][7][6][7][4][9][10][8][8](87)
Damage is 8L+successes

Dodge DV 5-2(Multiple Action penalties)
Parry DV 9-2(Multiple Action penalties)

Soak:
7L/12B
Health:
-0 [ ]
-1 [ ][ ][ ][ ]
-2 [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
-4 [ ]
-X [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]

Social Defenses:
Dodge MDV6
Parry MDV 3

Permanent: ●●●
Personal: 12/19 (5 Committed, snake form)
Peripheral: 19/40 (4 Committed artifacts, 2 committed for gift charm)
Willpower 7/8

Highest action speed was Speed 5.

[Recaiden]

As Onyx Wing swings through the barrier, the bone shards clatter against his blade, disrupting the blow slightly, and cut at his arm; it'd be painful, but inflict no real harm.

A hook-sword catching his leg, the man is dragged by the hook of the sword, crashing unharmed but disoriented into the table. As the second blow comes in, he turns and takes the blow on a thickly armoured shoulder.

He rolls back to his feet and falls back in a shadowy blur, towards the cages, apparently fine. The maelstrom of bones reaches out hungrily towards the prisoners within them, and a pained look crosses his face.
"I apologize, but I need these mortal shells more than your lives. Rest in peace."
The screams as the spell starts to tear the captives apart are truly chilling.

Spoiler

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He spends a WP to suppress Compassion and takes a Charm-enhanced reflexive move to get to the prisoners and subject them to the spell.

[hr]

[Previously, in the Lap]

"It stays interesting enough trying to keep the other triumvirs in line, but it's appreciated. I'll have the wheel brought out to your conveyance. I wish safe travels to you in the Realm proper. You may find it slightly...changed since you departed." The triumvir smiles and nods in encouragement to her relative.

[Drascin]

Drake had already been heading for the main melee in the center, to help out Onyx. But the results of the spell make him tense, and his face darkens. He can't stay back and play safe and still save them. He just can't. And while, honestly, **** Laurel, the others do not deserve that. He stops for a second, clenching his fists. But what can he do. He doesn't know. But he has to try.

He breathes deeply, drowning in another shift in the music he hears in his mind. "...Believe in me" he mutters in a strange tone - and suddenly explodes in a twirling cloud of blue fireflies, the symbol for Venus radiant in his forehead and his irises shining blue like lanterns. In fact, people around him can probably catch a faint echo of the music blaring his ears right now, his anima pulsing to the beat. He looks basically posessed as he rushes forward in a crouching run - and in truth he more or less is. Music always was his autohypnosis, and thus Drake right now is not quite the same man he usually is.

He comes straight for the armored Abyssal in a run, apparently so possessed as to not pay the slightest attention to Jana, who undoubtedly would block his attack - and suddenly he digs his right foot and sidejumps, breaking trajectory suddenly sideways to the defender! Taking advantage of this feint he bounces on a nearby boulder with a spin of the left foot, spinning in the air towards the Abyssal with all his strength and unleashing a brutal backhand to his face as he vaults past him, using Newton's Third Law to help complete his jump by adding a bit of momentum via the hit against the skull, stopping cold by crouching and using a hand to stop the slide

"SHINING!"

yelling and launching himself forward from a crouch at all the strength his Essence can propel him, his right hand bursting with green energy

"FINGER!!"

and as he closes in, he visualizes his strike and lets it go, unloading all his rage and frustration and fear with an open palm strike straight to the chest.

"MOTHER****EEEEER!!"

Spoiler

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Okay, let's take this by steps, because this is going to be a serious all-or-nothing burst.

First, reflexively activate Horrific Wreath. 4 motes, turns all my damage into Aggravated. If it stacks with my current Starmetal weapon, it's also +1 Acc and +3 Damage. If not, just the aggravated damage.
Second, activate Unobstructed Blow for both attacks, to halve his DV before accumulated penalties. 8 motes
Third, Two attack flurry, 10 and 9 dice Accuracy. Using Fateful to max in both to turn all dice to successes, for a total of 8m, 2 wp.
Fourth, on second attack, Channel Compassion, for +5 dice and thus regenerating 10 motes due to Virtue Replenishment.

So, in the end, the attacks are:
10 autosuccesses + Stunt in successes, 9Agg/2 base damage (so only armored soak counts), Piercing (-4 armored soak), against half DV-3 (because accumulated penalties)
14 autosuccesses + Stunt in Successes, 9Agg/2 base damage, Piercing, against half DV-4 (because previous penalties plus one extra for onslaught)

I'm assuming these are also enough to get through Janna's DV, given Unobstructed Blow halves all DVs interposed in front of the attack - or at least, I'm seriously hoping she doesn't have a DV of 20 .

Motes spent total: 10

[Recaiden]

The guards cannot even move to stop him, so stunned are they by Drake's speed and the music bleeding into their awareness.

Jana tries to bar his way, but Drake is too far to the side.

Weakened by poison, looking entirely the wrong direction, the necromancer has no defence but his armour against the strikes, and that can't withstand such furious attacks.
The slap twists the man's head around with a crack, knocking him off his feet from force alone. Before he can even properly begin to fall, Drake hits him in the chest. Bones audibly snap, and the Abyssal goes flying, landing in a heap a good five yards away from where he was struck, and safely away from the cages too.

---

1

The neccromancer's anima flares, a brilliant black bonfire that seems to devour what little light falls on him, and he rises up, ribs knitting back together before your eyes.
"Well struck. But my wounds mean nothing. Compared to the underworld's infinite horrors, what are even immortal weapons? I admit, though, that even together we are unlikely to defeat you."
He raises a hand, and the bone shield slows its spinning, clearly ready to fall at a moment's notice. He looks disturbingly calm.
"Sir, you can't mean to-"
"Silence!"
For all that she was giving instructions earlier, Jana says no more.
"Your city is saved. Now allow us departure, and we will not raise arms against you again. We will fight to the end if we must. It might be easier than returning, having failed."

[Drascin]

Drake stops, breathing heavily from the exertion. All of his muscles are starting to protest from the sudden burst.

He breathes deeply to regain his breath and looks at both of the unknown exalts, frowning, still emitting a twister of blue glowing fireflies. "You say... hufff... you say you will not raise arms against us again. But you were... were coerced here under threats to you and yours, you also say. What gives us any guarantee that you will not just be sent back under the same threat?" he says, serious.

He's also quieted down his mental music a bit, trying to catch Jana's humming brass tones. What is she?

[Tavar]

"And, who sent you? What exactly were you trying to do?"

[Leliel]

Raziel relaxed the tendrils a bit, but one look at them and one would tell that they were ready to spring into action at any moment.

"And how can we believe you? I don't know any Fiends nearby that could keep your oath to honesty."

[Recaiden]

"You have my word. By any oath you care to demand, I will find another way, as I should have in the beginning. I was not a good slave. I cannot be sent back under the same threat; if he does not carry it out, it was a empty threat to begin. He does not make empty threats, but once it is completed, he will have little power over me. We have nothing else left to take away."

"I was sent by the First and Forsaken Lion, to whom The Dowager, who holds my shard, lent my service, to open a Shadowland here. The sacrifice of these assemble unfortunates through the proper necromantic procedure would have breached the walls of the world and created a massive breach."
He reaches into his sash and withdraws the device he was working on earlier.
"This is key to the ritual. Take it as a token of faith." He tosses the thing forward, through the calmed bone shield, towards Wing.

The Abyssal gets an odd look, as if listening to something no one else can hear something deeply frightening.

Spoiler

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(5d10)[1][9][7][5][6](28) A mere 2 resonance more. Not enough to put him over 10 or make me think an Eruption here would be appropriate.

[Tavar]

Catching the device, Wing questions the man once more, his anima beginning to settle around him.

"Why do you serve him, though, if it is so distasteful? The Masque of Ivory Flowers seemed to be able to work without them."

[Recaiden]

He refocuses on the Lunar, drawn back to the present. "The Masque of Ivory Flowers is a madwoman. She grows near a threshold of darkness that even the Deathlords would not cross."

"I still hold a measure, small though it be, but growing, of my humanity. It can make one...vulnerable, to feel."

"Tell me, how do you know of my treacherous comrade?"
The Abyssal motions sharply, and his spell collapses, bone hards clattering to the ground.

[Tavar]

"She was pursued. She came to our doorstep, seeking aid. We did provided it, and she talked to us a bit. Said she knew me, or something. She left, then, and we let her go.

She is mad, but it seems a less dangerous madness than those who would break the world."

[Recaiden]

"Show me a course that does not break the world, then. I cannot believe that she has found one. It will only break differently under her hand."

"Sir, remember the light. The Returned One lies; you know this."
Jana glances nervous at the cracking sphere.
"And you'd best get their answer right quick."

[Tavar]

"I don't know: everyone must walk their own paths in life. But, if you are truly exalted, truly have what was once a Solar Exaltation within you....Nothing can constrain you. As long as you seek it. Your masters must know something of this: why else keep so tight a leash, and work so hard to dispirit?"

Pointing at the sphere, Wing questions them both.

"That remind me, what is that thing? When I came before it seemed still, but that's obviously not the case any more."

[Recaiden]

"Because it is their nature. But you may be right. Of course you are; you're agreeing with Jana."

"That is a monster of the Wyld that we captured. Being of chaos, diametrically opposed to the Void, its destruction would have empower the ritual more than human life could."
"I would gather that the sounds of battle have roused it, and it has recovered enough energy to attempt an escape."

The Abyssal pauses for a moment, drawing up breath and concentration.
"I swear, by my life, by the care I yet hold for my allies, by the light of the Unconquered Sun, that if allowed, we will leave this place, and never raise arms against you again."
"If you need a Moonshadow's power to hold me to it, I know not what else I can give."

[Drascin]

Drake on his end, is listening very carefully to all this. All the color had gone away from his face after hearing what the ritual was. Already? The attack wasn't predicted until two years from now! The First and Forsaken Lion wouldn't make such a huge tactical blunder as just starting the shadowland two years before actually attacking. It would just be trivially salted - it's not like there's anything here that needs to be preserved, it's all rock, and Gem has no shortage of rock salt to bomb a newly formed shadowland into nonexistence within a month tops. And it's not like there's a lot of death around here to keep a Shadowland - the desert is barren as hell.

So there has to be a reason for the Lion to just reveal the enormous tactical advantage that having the ability to just stealthily pop out shadowlands out of nowhere is. Scouting? Attempting to force any Exalted in Gem to reveal themselves? Taking the measure of the city's defenses? Just what is your plan, you Sauron-wannabe bastard?

"Well, you could just answer a bunch of questions, like the thing we're doing now. Information's a pretty good indicator of good faith right there, and if we're not going to fight anymore, you are not in as much of a hurry. So. Why the shadowland here and now? What is there on the Underworld side that makes this communication a necessity?"

He looks at Jana. "And while we're doing questions.... Jana, right? I know he is an Abyssal, but I can't place just what you are. Your essence sounds almost Solar, but not quite. It's seriously throwing me off"

[Tavar]

Drake's consternation is lost on Wing, as a smile graces his face.

"Then perhaps you should trust her, she seems to give good advice. And, as for your oath, I think we can trust you. Though, are you sure you wish to return to your masters? We could certainly use your help."

[Recaiden]

"What's on the Underworld side of this mountain is a whole fifth of the Legion, and maybe the Lion himself, preparing to march on Gem. The Lion doesn't have time to ruin Creation at his own leisurely pace, or even to wait for his flagship; supplies of souls run low, the Legion is crumbling, and something has disturbed the Fallen Lord. He needs an external enemy, a way into the upper world and a goodly supply of dead mortals as quick as he can."
"He tried to rely on his old dealings with the Fae to get an opening on this city, but some shadowy adversary shuts down their every operation. We started to mobilize for the Font of Mourning, but... something drove our advance forces back, and the plan was abandoned. I was never given details, but I gather it was something we'd never seen or imagined to find there."
"After the fiasco with Masque and Sentinel, it had to be here and now. I'm not sure what he'll try now that I've failed. I wasn't the only one who knows the spell, but he'd need new sacrifices and a place and time. Maybe Shatterer will bring him around to attacking An-Teng, even through the Realm's hold on it. But he seemed set on Gem. I couldn't divine why for sure, but he's playing some other game as well."

"I suppose since you can hear it already there's no harm in telling. I'm just a normal soldier standing in with some of my lord's power. There aren't enough real Solars to go around, even these days. Now how about telling me what you are? Especially if we are going to be throwing in with you. Which I wouldn't be against, sir. Recall that we didn't want to go back, and it's probably too late as it is."

The Abyssal tries a smile back at Wing. "We might could try to give it. If I can be sure we trust you as well."

[Tavar]

Accepting the man's smile, Wing spends a fraction of a thought, and shrinks, becoming Human once more, and speaks in his normal voice, rather than the raspy, deep one from his transformed form.

"I'm called Onyx Wing, though that was not the name I first answered to. I am a Lunar of the Silver Pack, a Steward of Creation. As long as you hold your oath to us, you I'll hold mine to you. I shall not harm you or yours, nor allow them to come to harm through inaction. If there is cause, and I am able, I will bring aid if you call, as an ally should. This I swear, upon my honor, my bond, and the Argent Mistress."

[Drascin]

Okay, Drake has now officially lost his poker face and genuinely let his startling show. "...so we just averted an invasion, the murder of thousands and the victory of the ****ing Lion by sheer dumb luck" he says, pale. They are nowhere near ready. Without time to set things into motion, if the Lion's Legion had attacked today, Gem would have been dead.

No, this won't do. This is not a decent watch. I just lucked out. I'm a Sidereal, goddamn, I don't GET to have luck, I have to make it myself! he recriminates himself. He's supposed to be the info guy and he couldn't even notice a damn Abyssal slipping into the city, and for that, had they been here just a single hour later everyone would have been doomed.

He's looking down as he thinks. No time for that now. Have to think. Scrap plan "turn Gem into a killzone" then. No time. What can we DO now? If these guys can do this kind of thing, stealthily set up the death of everyone, how in blazes are we supposed to stop them? We can't face the Legion directly. We have them here already, so no way to intercept them. Argh.

In the end, he looks up again, frowning and obviously in turmoil, to look at Jana, before sighing and relaxing again to go back to speak with her. "Me? I really shouldn't tell you in front of all these people. It's a very strict need-to-know basis" he bobs his head at the groaning people in the cells. "Tell you later when we find someplace else, okay?"

[Leliel]

"...Raziel Kablah. Walker of the Poison Waves. That is all I am saying."

Dammit. A fifth of the Legion?

The Lion must really want Gem for some reason. Thus, this would mean he would have to stay in Gem to counteract whatever the Lion wanted.

He had certain ideas about who the mysterious adversary was. Apparently the Neverborn and the Lion did not get along, if she was indeed the woman of whom they spoke.

[Recaiden]

"I am called Crucible of Progress, though it was not my first name either. Should you need aid, we too shall bring it, as much as we are able."

"Fine, fine. With that all decided I ought to see to my men. And they best not have anything permanently wrong with them." She shoots Drake a glare and runs off towards the fallen guards, motioning the others after her.

"It would seem that you have. But I would think it something more than luck had to have brought you here. Even if you do not see it, your timing was too perfect. There are not coincidences where we deal. Now shall we get these people free?" It was a rhetorical question, and after a brief nod to Raziel (He recognizes a possible reference to the Demon Sea in that, but if he's being cagey, best not to press it, especially against a dangerous Exalt who seems reluctant to even admit a truce) he turns and starts unlocking the cages. Those inside shrink back, afraid to even make for the door while he's there.
"We're truly letting you go. I'd thank these people for your lives."

The metal shell rings again, and the network of cracks spreads out through the surface entire, whatever is within only one attempt away from the relative freedom of its cage. Which likely wouldn't hold it long either.
Apparently at the sound, Laurel stirs, looking up and around the cavern in confusion.

[Tavar]

Wing looks around. Not much of a choice, really. No one in the tunnels right now would trust him, or Cruicible and their captors. That left his companions, but someone needed to be ready to slow that thing down.

"Drake, you and Raz get the people up the tunnels. I'll try and hold it off, till you can get back.

Crucible, I have to ask, the Woman in the cage there," pointing at what appears to be Laurel, Wing continues. "Any particular reason you took her, and did she show any powers when you did?"

[Recaiden]

"That one? Tried to stop us from taking some others." He motions to a few even now leaving their cages.
"I don't know how she found us; but they didn't manage to get away despite the interference. She showed no powers, but having seen her essence profile, it isn't normal; it seems somewhat like a hungry ghost, not a real woman. You recognize her?"

[Tavar]

"Yes. There's an Infernal active in Gem. She seems to be able to make body doubles: they don't have here power, that we've seen, but they can still be useful. Seems like this is one. The Infernal is a bit of an enemy, but the doubles seem autonomous. If nothing else, she deserves to be free if she would stand up to others while she herself is weak."

[Recaiden]

"An interesting ability. I see no harm in letting her go with the others then. If they are only a 'bit of an enemy'" A click of a lock, and this Laurel is out of the cage, not waiting for to have a way clear of Abyssals, and with another click, her manacles are fallen away.

"Truly? Thank you Wing. I was expecting to be sent back to Oblivion any moment." She stretches her arms experimentally, glad to be able to move freely. "And in case it comes up, we're bound to obey our original Laurel as by the Abscissic Guide. But I think we'll look kindly on your saving of my life. Can I be of any help before I flee with the others?" A look at the cracking sphere, not worried; looking curious, actually.

[Tavar]

Wing makes a brief motion with his hands, as if to say it's nothing.

"I believe we ran into another...uh...you before. She helped us a bit. Why did you try and intervene with Crucible, though?

As for help, if you could assist Drake and Raziel with getting the people moving, that would be excellent. We likely don't have much time."

[Drascin]

"I hope so as well" Drake answers Jana. "I tried to not do anything beynd some mild concussions, but it's hard to gauge in-combat. Go get them" he nods, getting out of the way.

The cracking sound from the sphere, however, snaps him to attention. "Dammit, dammit dammit. What the hell is in there, a raksha, a behemoth, an Unshaped, what? Whatever, everyone, get ready for evacuation, start moving and don't stop until you see sunlight" he says, taking a more commanding tone.

Then Onyx speaks, which makes him shake his head. "Onyx, I really don't think me getting out there while shining like a Christmas light is a good idea" indeed, Drake is still flaring anima like crazy, and it's a kind of anima that would get him instantly identified as Anathema. "I'll have to stay as well. The both of us probably have a better chance of containing it. Raz, get everyone out. If anyone does even a hint of trying anything funny, cave their faces in. Jana, I'm trusting you here as well. I'm hoping I'm not making a mistake there. But if you try to do anything to Raz or anything of the sort we're going to have serious problems, okay?"

He's breathing fast, thinking quickly. "...Onyx I think I have an idea to slow whatever it is down and make sure everyone in every part of the mine evacuates. I think I may be able to collapse this area. It'll hurt it, because tons of rocks on the head, and any miner is smart enough to beat it the second a cave-in is heard at any part of the mine, so even if the thing gets out from the rockslide, we would have a better chance that nobody comes and gets ganked by a stray attack"

[Leliel]

"On it, chief."

"Okay, everyone follow the friendly tentacles, they're herding you to the exit."

He says this in Low Realm, but the charades made by the tentacles-and the goofy hands made of ice he put on them-make the message obvious.

[Recaiden]

The freed prisoners follow where the tentacles lead, crowding around the entrance and heading out into the worked tunnels. Some go thankfully, some with obvious reservation, but they do go.

"It was the right thing to do. They're real people; I'm not. So if I had a chance to help them out in something this big, it's what needs to be done. There is enough of me in my sisters that I'm not afraid of the end." The Laurel turns and goes after the others.

"Okay, okay. Just you take care of that thing then."
Jana helps the guardsman back to their feet, save one, who, by the yell of pain when they carry him up to the tunnel, is alive and only hurt.

A few moments after everyone is evacuated, the thing makes another attempt at breaking the sphere. This time, it splits in half, revealing...something. A shape, wrapped in a brilliant white light that blots out all details other than the fact that there is something there, something rather large (larger than the orb it was contained in?). If you looked with all your focus, maybe you could make out what it is.

It is rushing straight towards Crucible.

Spoiler

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The nature of the opponent is protected by a 3 wp Illusion.
Join Battle.

[Tavar]

Wing spends a fleeting moment cursing his decision to drop out of warform: it would be very useful at the moment.

Still, the moment the sphere cracks, he's already flowing into action, trying to interpose himself between it and Crucible.

Spoiler

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Besides the effect that I said I canceled, am I assumed to have scene-long stuff still active? Also, how long has it been with regards to my Anima banner?

3 motes on Striking Cobra Technique. Join Battle is (8d10)[1][7][9][6][10][7][3][7](50)+5 Successes.

Spending 3 temp Willpower to ignore the illusion.