Exalted: Shards of Hope - Chapter 1:2 - The Hunter's Wood

[Travis Kincaid]

Originally Posted By: Ledaal Akryruh

Squatting by Callum, Akryruh laid a hand on the older man’s shoulder. “Yes, Callum, it is very wrong, perhaps even unnatural. It is too early to judge whether it is truly evil, but it does show the unity of purpose that men are capable of. We should be cautious.”

Callum shook his head, "No this is evil, be it the evil of man or some other force there is no doubt in my mind. There is nothing to convince me that this could be done by any act of nature ..."

Callum stood and listened as the others spoke. Finally he summoned his bow, golden motes showering outward as the bow reformed in his hand. "We find what is causing this and destroy it. Rysha's life depends on that, but just as important whatever did this cannot be allowed to continue."

[SalmonMax]

"Well, the area looks roughly circular," Mei Ying opines.

"Logically, whatever's causing it would be at the center. We should be careful though. Whatever is doing this is almost certainly something of great power, and draining essence hurts us where we're most vulnerable. Each of us is a living beacon of Essence in incredible quantities. It may be hunting us, even as we hunt it."

[Ledaal Akryruh]

“Ah, and here I thought the Selkies had conscripted a few Gorps into service. If it’s not the Selkies, then I’m in agreement about the evilness of it.” Akryruh walked over towards the bleached bones of the animals while Mei made her own more expert observations. He squatted, observing the bones up close but turning his head periodically to hear Mei-Ying and the others speak.

Still crouching, Akryruh turns and calls back to the group. “These appear to have just dropped dead, no apparent attempt to flee, they weren’t running when they were taken down. So what Mei’s saying about draining the Essence from them sounds reasonable.” Akryruh stands and begins to walk back towards the rest of the group, then he stops, he rubs at his arms as a shudder runs through him, he turns in a circle looking around as his hand drops to his sword hilt.

“Shroud of fog

makes silk web invisible,

The spider comes.”

Akryruh backed slowly towards the group, his hand firmly on the hilt of his still sheathed sword. “Tell me I’m not the only one that felt that.”

[Rysha]

"It does look like it." Rysha was on her feet with her hand resting on the hilt of her sword in a single breath, eyes sweeping over Akryruh with a momentary intensity before tracking across the vast empty space around them. "Did your little poet happen to indicate a direction?

[Dave ST]

"I felt nothing my brother." His sister's hands slid silently toward the blades at her belt. "What was it?"

Still was the air as the circle gathered close, keeping their wits about them they surveyed the barren forest all around. Nothing but the dead, gray land littered with bleak death choked trees.

A low tremor shook the soles of their boots and in an instant they all realized that their enemy was nowhere to be seen since it was hiding directly... beneath... their feet.

"Rysha," The accent of the aristocracy was barely audible in Sovanya's voice. "Please tell me that was your stomach."

Sprays of gray ash and dust exploded from the earth forcing each of the exalts to cover their eyes but the Chosen of the Sun did not falter in their defense of the wood. Silhouettes of serpent-like creatures rose from the ground swiftly but made no other sound taking full advantage of the shroud of ash and earth had granted them.

The creatures were not up against mortals this day however and their cover of ash was of little use against the all seeing eyes of the Sun's Chosen. Dutifuly the Lawgivers stood their ground and prepared for battle, giving the dust not a moment to settle.

Quote:

Alright, welcome to our first official group clusterfuck. I'll be your ST during this thrill ride, hope you didn't pay for a whole seat folks, cuz you'll only need the edge.

First, everyone succeeded in resisting being blinded by the cloud of ash and dust they sprayed up. Congrats, that prevents them from getting a surprise round on ya.

Nice group synergy, as a reward you may choose between 1 perfect dodge (usable anytime during the scene) OR 1 free combo activation (WP and Motes are paid for) useable during this scene only (use it or lose it!).

Please post, which you are choosing to go with in your next post please.

Second, for simplicity this battle begins at tick 0 and will work up from there. The circle is surrounded and there are two selkys per player (it was assumed the group was semi huddled together to prevent something from ambushing them and so they could still see in all directions). Should be easy pickins for you guys.

I've rolled the join battle scores already. We'll try to keep the posts flowing in the order of the actions as best we can.

Tick 0 = None.

Tick 1 = Mei, Callum

Tick 2 = Rysha, Sovanya

Tick 3 = Akryruh, Selkys

After that, you know how it works. If not we'll discuss it, I'm in no hurry people let's just take our time and enjoy it.

[Travis Kincaid]

Bow already in hand Callum retreives an arrow and looses it into the smoke and ash. Without so much as moment given to see if he has hit his mark a secon arrow is already halfway to the string. It stings his fingers as he grasps the still vibrating bowstring and pulls it back once more. Taking aim along the wake of the previous arrow Callum releases once more and sends a second shaft after the first.

Quote:

Split actions: 2 shots fired

Targetting the nearest creature, attacking it twice.

Attack 1: 12 dice - 2 = 10 dice -> 3,3,7,1,2,9,5,8,7,3 = 4 successes

Attack 2: 9 dice -> 7,2,7,6,4,2,9,10,10 = 7 successes

[SalmonMax]

With a flick of her hand, Mei Ying produces her orichalcum sling from the sleeve of her robe and unfolds it. She brings a smooth bullet stone to the cup with a well-practiced motion and swirls it over her head like a golden-hued howling whirlwind that stirs the dust hanging in the air into a spiral.

There's a -CRACK- noise as the bullet leaves the cup and streaks at one of the beasts!

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Getting sling and attacking. Dunno if that's a split action. If so...um...feel free to modify these numbers.

Attack: 9 dice = 6,4,5,6,6,1,9,6,4 = 1 success.

I, uh...won't bother to roll damage.

Sigh. I shoulda summoned something before we poked around in here.

[Rysha]

[Tick 2]

The flaring brilliance of Rysha's caste mark lit up like a beacon, glowing through the silk scarf she'd wound across her forehead, and Morning's Edge blazed into her hand like a golden brand. A preternaturally swift flick of her wrist brought her warhammer smoothly off her back and into her palm, and she took a single precise step forward to cover Mei's flank and let the creatures come.

Her first blow struck like the slap of a vengful god, the rune-carved head of the hammer smashing down on her victim with savage power, and she rode the weight of the impact into a swift twirl like the twist of a dancer until the golden blade of Morning's Kiss found her next victim and bit deep.

Quote:

Using Call the Blade twice (1 mote each); Rysha moves to attack the closest creatures to Mei that allow her to remain within easy reach and protect the sorcerer.

Two attack Flurry, Speed 5, DV -2:

Hammer - [5, 10, 9, 8, 10, 3, 6, 10, 8, 10, 4] 11 successes (15B damage + successes), Overwhelming 4, Piercing)

Morning's Edge - [4, 4, 7, 8, 8, 7, 1, 4, 3, 10, 6, 7] 7 successes (11L damage + successes)

Parry DV: 5

Dodge DV: 6

Personal Essence: 14, Peripheral: 20.

[Lou Anne Burgess]

Akryruh took a step forward and in a smooth motion drew Fire of the Sun's Judgement from its sheath. The smooth arc of the blade cut a long slash through the cloud of ash. At the end of the motion, the blade flicked out now extended from Akryruh's hand. Droplets of ghostly ichor flew from the blade. He backed up a step bringing the sword in and down into a defensive stance.

Quote:

Draw sword and attack nearest creature - like Lilly I'm not sure if it's a single or double action. Rolled full Accuracy for attack.

Attack: (1 2 3 3 3 4 7 7 8 8 9 0) 7 successes.

[Dave ST]

Before the dust could settle each of the Exalts sprung into action, whether spurred on by skill, instinct, or duty each quickly steeled themselves for the battle ahead.

Their opponents, now visible through the cloud, were just as they assumed. The huge selkys worms, their spider like visage staring back through the dust and ash wasted no time in launching their assault.

Callum's arrows flew true, his first cutting through the air and piercing his first opponent directly in the center of its collection of eyes. It screeched, a sound akin to a dying fawn, and withdrew itself quickly back into the tainted soil. Fate was on his side this day, after dispatching his first target he lined up his second shot in the span of an instant, aimed, and fired with mastery level precision. The force of his bow, blessed by the might of the Unconquered Sun, sent his arrow directly to his next target. So great was the force of the impact that with a ghoulish 'snap' sound the creatures head exploded showering those nearby in grizzly victory.

Launching a bullet from her sling Mei felt a small lump fear tighten up in her throat. The bullet seemed so small compared to the creature that seemed to get larger with each passing moment. Each beast rose a full nine feet from the soil, and each could easily swallow a man whole. This realization came a bit late as Mei's bullet bounced harmlessly off the hide of one of the mammoth creatures. Getting it's attention was now the last thing she really wanted, or needed.

The great worm lurched its head back to strike and as it lunged Mei already had several contingencies for escape, Rysha however, was not among them. Gold streaked the air, and low whistle of wind being sliced rose up over beast's wailing. It's head rolled, still carried by it's own momentum to come to a halt at Mei's feet. Deftly Rysha, who had come to Mei's aid, pivoted as a second of the worms dove in for Mei. Just as it passed the dark skinned Dawn Caste she arced her hammer upward with all her might smashing its 'chin'. The worm rose up and in a complete arc fell backwards upon the soil with a sound that was nowhere near painless. Slowly each of the defeated worms slid back below the surface.

Sovanya dug her foot deep into the soil, bracing herself for the inevitable. Grinning with confidence she stood her ground as two of the giant worms lunged from in front of her, hoping to get a grip on her and tear her apart. Essence surged and each of her fellow Exalts could feel the tug of power as she drew it in. Crossing her blades in front of her in an 'X' she stood against the onslaught. Golden-white flames exploded around her, bathing her body in the fires of righteousness. As the beasts smashed against her defenses the aura formed a barrier of golden essence. Sovanya was completely consumed by the energies as her opponents, shocked by the impact, lurched away the energy took shape into that of a glorious gold and white hawk. With a phantasmal screech from realms beyond the great bird took flight like a comet straight upward like a phoenix rising from the ashes with Sovanya still resting within its center. Its burning wings tore through flesh and sinew cauterizing the wounds as it streaked between the unfortunate monsters. As quickly as it came the energy dispersed and gracefully Sovanya touched back down to the soil. Like the others, each of the beasts slid itself back below the surface of the soil. Sovanya raised her sword and pointed it at the two beasts as the slinked their way back to die. "By the mercy of the Unconquered Sun, you're purified."

As Akryruh's blade rested in a defensive position he watched as the creature slid slowly beneath the soil. With a high pitched cry the remaining worm near Akryruh arced up came down as quickly as it could in an attempt to swallow him whole. Warning of the attack was all he needed. As the creature bore down upon him, Akryruh quickly spun to one side and in the same quick motion he'd used to dispatch his first opponent was used to dispatch his second. His golden blade sliced through the beasts flesh like it was paper maché and with an agonizing squeal it retracted below the soil as quickly at it could.

He noticed his sister looking at him from several steps away. "Show off." she said with a grin as she spun her attentions to the last two remaining selkys worms.

Each of the Sun's Chosen heard a series of gagging sounds before one of the two remaining selkys tensed it's body and lurched it's head at Rysha. The large spider-like fangs that covered its mouth rose up and from the inside of the beast shot wickedly barbed tongue. The slimy tendril sped forward and tore through the back of Rysha's thigh, exiting painfully on the opposite side in a spurt of blood that shocked the young woman. Muscles within the beasts tongue expanded near the barb, which caused several hook like barbs to protrude allowing the creature to 'reel' in its prey without fear of losing it.

Again the gagging sounds filled the air as the second worm shot its barbed tongue. Mei deftly leapt backwards denying the beast its target.

Quote:

Callum = Dispatched his target in a single shot, so I automatically had him switch targets leaving 8 out of 10 enemies.

Mei = Yeah...

Rysha = Dispatched both of the enemies that were on Mei, leaving 6 out of 10 enemies.

Sovanya = Employing her 'Scorching Sun Defense' combo also dispatched two, leaving 4 of 10.

Akryruh = Dispatched one enemy, however the one that attacked him botched the roll (severely) so he was permitted to counter attack dispatching that one as well, leaving 2 of 10 enemies.

Selkys 1 = Failed to overcome Mei DV.

Selkys 2 = Nailed Rysha for 1 HL. She will also be getting 'reeled' in on following ticks. She will be at the big beast in about 6 ticks. A note about her perfect dodge: Rysha does have a perfect dodge avail, however it didn't apply in this case. When she left her opponents to battle Mei's she had to allow at least one of the creatures to be behind her. Characters are not aware of attacks that come from behind (without the use of charms, like Reflex Side Step Technique) and thus cannot dodge them.

Tick 6 = Mei, Sovanya

Tick 7 = Callum, Rysha, Akryruh

Tick 8 = Tongue Launching Worms

[SalmonMax]

"Rysha! Let her go!" Mei yelps, feeling a stab of guilt equal to the stab in the warrior's leg.

They got her because of me...because she saw I was vulnerable and stepped in...

In a flash she's drawn the wicked thrice-forged dagger from her belt and with ferocity surprising to those familiar with her bookish persona, launched herself at the obscene fleshy appendage binding Rysha to the beast! Her caste mark appears on her forehead, limed in golden and violet light, crackling with eldritch potency as she draws on Essence and in an instant sees the lines of fate spread out before her. Shadowy images of herself striking here, there, up, down...all the possibilities of the maneuver parading before her in a snapshot of insight.

Turn here. Strike there.

With a battle cry, Mei Ying reverses the dagger in her hand and twirls in a pirouette that would be rather fetching if it didn't end in a white flash of steel...a silvery arc that intersected the quivering bloodclot-hued tongue of the Selky holding Rysha.

(trying to cut the tongue! Using Melee Excellence to buy 3 successes for 6 motes! Roll is [8d10] => [2,10,8,8,6,5,7,2] for 5 successes! Total of 8! Base damage is 5L, Dodge DV 2 now, Parry DV is base 4 now that she's armed...not sure if it's reduced now.)

[Travis Kincaid]

Not waiting to see if Mei's own attack would succed Callum took carefull aim at the tendril peircing Rysha's leg. Drawing upon himself in an act of pure will he wiped away all other thought and focused only on severing the tendril. With a flash he released an arrow ...

Converting 1 point of Willpower to an auto success.

Rolling 13 dice (I assume this counts as "precise" for his Dex Quality?) = 10,4,10,7,4,7,7,10,7,5,6,3,4 = 10 successes +1 = 11 total ...

[Rysha]

[Tick 7]

Leaving the severed strand of tongue to hold shut the wound in her thigh, Rysha flashed Mei a savage little smile and caught the flicker of Callum's raised bow in the corner of her vision. Shoot clean, warrior. Ignoring the wounded worm for the moment, she twisted on her heel and struck at the selky who'd dared to attack Mei with two swift, savage blows that pinned the creature between a flashing hammer and a scything blade.

Quote:

Two attack Flurry, Speed 5, DV -2:

Hammer - 11 dice [1, 2, 2, 1, 5, 8, 7,4,10, 1, 5] - 4 successes

Morning's Edge - 12 dice [8,8,10,2,1,6,9,3,7,10,9,7] - 10 successes

Parry DV: 5

Dodge DV: 6

Personal Essence: 14, Peripheral: 20.

[Dave ST]

The dagger cut deep, splattering Mei and Rysha with a spray of blood before the wound sealed itself reflexively. With a defeated, painful bellow the large worm made an attempt to retract itself into the befouled earth.

Tracing the tongue back as it returned to its owner as swiftly as the creatures muscles would allow it Callum took aim. Another arrow streaked across the battlefield thundering into its target. With the tongue severed and Rysha free the Nigh Caste archer quickly compensated and went for the creature itself. The arrow struck home and tore through the soft muscle-like flesh of the selkys just a split second before it was lost beneath the shifting gray waste.

The Sun's vengeance came swiftly as Rysha's hammer stunned the beast and knocked it clean into the path of her golden daiklave. So swift in fact that its weak flesh barely withstood the onslaught and her blade drank deep carving three quarters through its body. Lifeless the creature slipped below the soil.

Thier breath was heavy and the tension still hung like a baleful cloud over them. The gray dust had barely settled and all that lay before them was the wastes of this once lush and beautiful forest. No traces of the enemy remained save for the earth soiled in blood.

It was quiet...

Too quiet...

Quote:

Mei - Way to go Lily! All hail Mei, slayer of the... tongue?

Callum - Again, since Mei handled the tongue, I assumed Callum would switch his target once Rysha was 'safe'. No point in wasting 11 successes on a target you couldn't hurt any further than it already was. The arrow would not have been strong enough to 'pin' the tongue by itself in the soil, so I didn't go that route.

Rysha - Nice work, she dispatched the final target.

Sovanya - Welcome back!

All - Take this moment to address any actions you'd like to perform, although there no enemies the battle isn't over yet. You can send me PMs or just talk in the GD thread.

[SalmonMax]

Mei Ying spun a circle, panting, then slowly lowered her knife. Her expression softened to one of confusion, then suspicion.

"This is wrong," she says slowly as she turns around again to look at the holes. "This is all wrong."

Abruptly she looks at Callum and Rysha.

"The tree spirit! What did IT say? Did it specifically say there were -selkys-? Or was that something you told it?"

[Travis Kincaid]

Callum lowers his bow, a quick scan of the area reveals no arrows in a state to be reused. He squats down near where the last of the "selkeys" slid into the ground upon death.

Originally Posted By: Mei Ying

"This is wrong," she says slowly as she turns around again to look at the holes. "This is all wrong."

Abruptly she looks at Callum and Rysha.

"The tree spirit! What did IT say? Did it specifically say there were -selkys-? Or was that something you told it?"

"I don't recall ..." Callum relies quietly as he searches the ground. "These ... these were most definately not selkeys though. They took on the appearance of selkeys but ..." he gestures to the empty ground where a corpse should lie, "... clearly they are not what they appear. I am afraid my knowledge of these creatures will prove less than usefull."

[Rysha]

Keeping her daiklaive held across her body in a low guard, Rysha slid slowly back into the circle of her companions. "The spirit said I was to clear the selky infestation, specifically. It was quite direct." The threat of being flayed alive does so concentrate the mind....

[SalmonMax]

Mei nods at Callum and Rysha and says, "Then either the spirit was wrong, or it was intentionally misleading us. These couldn't have been selkys. They were...-close- though. Close, but not quite right."

She looks around again.

"I'd like to withdraw...at least long enough to consult the elements. A spirit of earth might know what is hidden below...and I could ask it to help draw it out, perhaps even fight with us."

[Travis Kincaid]

Callum recalled back to the last time Mei had summoned up an elemental and mentally shuddered. Not only had it taken a great deal of time, time they didn't have now, but he, Rysha, and Mei had nearly fallen prey to some sort of undead ... creature.

"No, I do not think we have the time. There was a third man and he may have said something to make Father Oak believe it was selkeys, or he simply did not know. Even forest spirits are not all-knowing and all seeing.

"No we need to press onward, Rysha's life depends on our expedient completion of this task."

[Travis Kincaid]

Callum recalled back to the last time Mei had summoned up an elemental and mentally shuddered. Not only had it taken a great deal of time, time they didn't have now, but he, Rysha, and Mei had nearly fallen prey to some sort of undead ... creature.

"No, I do not think we have the time. There was a third man and he may have said something to make Father Oak believe it was selkeys, or he simply did not know. Even forest spirits are not all-knowing and all seeing.

"No we need to press onward, Rysha's life depends on our expedient completion of this task."

[Ledaal Akryruh]

Akryruh kept his sword raised in a defensive stance as he turned slowly. "Just because we haven't seen real Selkies yet doesn't mean that these pseudo-selkies are all that have infested the woods. They don't appear to be the cause of the wildlife's death," Akryruh motioned with his sword towards the animal bones. "Those animals appear to have simply fallen dead where they stood, not been reeled in and eaten like they attempted with Rysha."

He stopped circling satisfied that there was no visible threats. "Also please, let's also not assume what the rather imposing and angry spirit who issued the ultimatum does or does not know. From what little we overheard and you recounted, he didn't sound to be in a good mood, and as Mei suggested, might have willfully withheld information or lied. Or it may be that he was being brief by saying selkies but referring to both real and fake alike. Because of him and what you said earlier, I don’t know how much help a spirit will be. If we consider that he wasn’t forthcoming, how do we know he hasn't bullied other spirits into following his lead? Ignoring that, if they haven't ventured into the blight how can they know what's there, if they have, how can we trust that they haven't been adversely affected by it?”

Akryruh paused thinking for a moment as he lowered his blade but made no motion to sheath it. "Remember that a Talon from Larjyn came to clear the infestation and were defeated when they proceeded towards the source. They may have found this place after killing the more mundane real selkies and been too slow to adapt their tactics to account for a threat that shows the clear tactical acumen displayed in this ambush. That was not just an attack by animals, that was well laid ambush and shows skill and forethought and far more intelligence than any hive of vermin or even maybe a wolf pack should possess. If this is the source that Elsbeth mentioned it would explain a lot, a Talon lead by a Dragon Blood can be a formidable force. I think that speaks volumes about whatever controls or commands these things be it beast, spirit, demon or perhaps even Exalt." Akryruh looked at the churned earth where the selkies had retracted with disgust.

“Strange though it may sound to come from me, I think we should assume the worst and push on and not try to reconnoiter with a spirit. But we should be ready for big trouble, and we might want to consider this just a probing attack to see how capable we are."

[SalmonMax]

Mei shrugs, defeated.

"As you all wish," she says, stooping to scoop up her sling.

"The way the selkys we killed retreated underground reminded me a little of an octopus hunting. They will reach into coral reefs with their tentacles, feeling for food. If something hurts a tentacle, it pulls it back, but the others keep searching. In this way it is alerted to danger without risking its main body. Since it can regrow tentacles, it is never in long term danger."

"It's also common for sea creatures to have body parts that resemble other, smaller creatures to disguise themselves or serve as lures."

She pauses, then says, "I think whatever this is, it's big. Very very big. If we're lucky, the main body can't move. If we're not, it's headed our way right now, and will probably come up from underneath us."

[Dave ST]

No sooner did the Exalts take their first steps than the ground shook beneath them. A muffled moan, like the earth had suffered a grievous wound, sounded up from the tainted soil. In the distance several of the selkys-like worms retracted themselves below the surface.

They struggled to gain their footing but in a matter of seconds the tremor was over.

In a glade saturated with green and essence Father Oak sat calmly basking in the warmth his sanctuary provided. The winds were his ears, the creatures of the Hunter’s Wood were his eyes, and today, the Sun’s Chosen were his wrath. The tainted lands were a place he could not tread and his power there was reduced to nothing. So strong was the taint that it stretched into the spiritual world as well, and it grew daily.

With a sudden look of shock Father Oak’s eye sprang open. “It comes.”

[SalmonMax]

(OOC - Hahaha...maybe it's Holiday Holdup, but I have a feeling everyone's waiting to see what everyone else is going to do. )

Mei Ying reaches down to scoop up her sling and looks nervously around.

"We need to spread out...or find some high ground. That earthquake strongly suggests to me that my second theory is more accurate."

[Rysha]

Rysha stepped protectively close to Mei, her daiklaive and hammer each held in a tight low guard and her violet eyes sweeping the ground around them with a taut intensity. "How big, exactly, would you guess?"

[Ledaal Akryruh]

Akryruh shifted his position after Rysha's movement so that the group was still protected on all sides. "Since we've provoked a response, I don't think we'll need to guess for long. But I'd say very big, double the size I had been thinking." A wry smile crossed his face. "Let us hope it's not a simple mouse with an exceptionally out-sized roar."

[Travis Kincaid]

Callum sighs and a nocks another arrow and draws the fletching to his ear. "Yes let us hope ..." he says quietly.

[SalmonMax]

"I don't know," Mei says, "Whatever this thing is, it's not any kind of creature I've actually seen before, or heard of. There's no way to know how long those arms are in relation to its body... Watch for swelling in the ground, and be ready to move fast."

[Dave ST]

Patiently they waited, weapons poised for whatever evil would soon face them. Grey waste lay stretched before them, quiet... too quiet.

The grey dust sifted on the winds like an unpleasant mist, obscuring their view of anything below the waist. The silence was deafening. Rysha's hands clenched tight against her weapons, the creaking of the leather wrapped handles were heard easily by all present and the dust stirred with dampness as a single droplet of sweat trickled from Callum's nose and fell ever so slowly to the gray dust at his feet.

Be ready to move fast.

Never were wiser words spoken it seemed when the ground beneath them shuddered and exploded upwards in a geyser of sand and dust. Like a tree sprouting from the soil a large column of flesh tore up from under their feet. Each acted as swiftly as they were able. Outward from the center of the creature’s introduction they sprang, diving, rolling, and even jumping into an acrobatic moonsault in an attempt to not be swallowed whole by the creature that was, unfortunately, getting bigger.

Each landed, safe if not a bit dizzy. For the first time The Keeper of the Blight was seen in it's true form. Nearly three hundred feet above the soil the great selkys gazed down upon the Sun's chosen and let loose a horrendous roar, a shriek that tore hope from their souls and bravery from their hearts. It's massive body was thicker than the mightiest redwood in the forest, gnarled and twisted and covered all over by festering open sores that spurted and leaked a foul smelling slime.

It wasn't long before the purpose of these sores became apparent when smaller, more recognizable selkys extended from them like tentacles upon the massive hulks body, howling a shrieking as they flailed about in search of prey to feed the body with more essence. The selkys still in several places could be seen above the surface far from where the Exalts stood meaning that all three hundred feet of this beast that they saw now was merely a fraction of it's actual size.

The behemoth arced its head downward, poised to make it's first attack, its pearlescent eyes shimmering in the sun gave a stark contrast of beauty to it's horrid from.

Before this day was done the forest would weep, the earth would cry out, and the pillars of the Yu-Shan would shake. This abomination had earned the ire of the Unconquered Sun's Chosen. This... thing. This Behemoth of Pestilence suddenly found itself cast adrift within the shallow harbor of the Chosen's patience...

Dying time had arrived.

Quote:

Insight: (ALL) - The eyes you notice are not like what the other selkys have been like. The eight eyes of the Keeper of The Blight seem solid, almost crytalized by the essence it's absorbed.

Hint: If only there was someway to see the Dragon Lines...

Several hundred feet away...

"Holy..." As the creature rose from the ground an enormous eye blinked in awe, enlarged by the spyglass it's owner peeped through. "That thing's huge Boss, we'd better give em' a hand. What'dya think?"

"Why?" An apple, freshly sheared by a sharp blade, met the lips of one Peleps Ahroun. "Besides, can't you imagine how us dying could negatively effect my profit n' loss for the next season? Hmm?"

The spyglass's owner lowered the peeping device. A massive man, nearly seven feet in height and every inch of it covered in muscle. "Oh, come on! That's crap and you know it. Quit talking tough, you know what that thing is going to do to them?"

"Quinn, it's their fight." Ahroun argued with the man as he could already feel the pangs of guilt creeping steadily into his conscious. "If we butt in we're doing them a great dishonor. This day should be theirs, they'll be fine. Trust me." He amended his comment with a great bright smile that was common more among rogues than warriors.

"Can't do it, sorry, I'm gonna help em'." The man thundered his way through the growth to the battlefield.

"Quinn, you don't work for them." He shouted. "Remember?"

"Then fire me." He shot back, Ahroun never seeing the grin on Quinn's face as he continued to play his ally's compassion against him. Ahroun was a good man with a golden heart, as much as he hated to admit it. "Tell Esmerelda I love her, will ya?"

Frustrated and on the verge of screaming like a banshee Peleps Ahroun pushed off the tree he had casually been leaning against and shuffled off after the giant named Quinn. He flailed his head about as he threw his arms into the air in defeat. "Oh... damn you Quinn! Frickin' bleeding hearts of world unite!"

Quinn smiled and stifled a laugh. He and Ahroun always did have a knack for finding the best sort of trouble.

[Travis Kincaid]

Callum leapt backwards as the earth heaved beneath him. Twisting mid-leap he landed and burst into a dash taking him away from the epicenter of the unnatural disaster clawing its way up through the ground.

Spinning to face the terror Callum drew back his bow once more. When he saw the abomination before him he felt a wave of nausea roll over him, this thing was far worse than he had expected. Some days it doesn’t pay to crawl out of your bedroll… he thought as his eyes flickered over the behemoth. Noticing the way the creature eyes appeared and sensing in his gut the massive amount of essence the creature held Callum trembled. As powerful as Father Oak was this creature was something on a wholly different scale.

Callum knew he would need to spend all of his available essence during the battle, and so he cast his senses out to Eilein, Callum inhabited her eyes, ears, and nose. Taking a precious few moments he used Eilein’s abilities to gather any information he could about the creature.

[SalmonMax]

Mei scrambled away from the sudden upswell, finally having to duck into a diving roll to clear the eruption zone. The true form of the creature was at once horrifying, yet oddly gratifying.

I knew it, she thought. Now all we have to do is survive it.

She raises her slingshot, but looking at the creature's eyes, something occurs to her. It was going to take more than brute force to kill this thing.

Rather than fire, Mei-Ying concentrated on the world beyond. The irises of her eyes changed, staining red with concentrated essence that formed a triad of little whorls around her pupils. She focused this unearthly gaze on the creature, trying to see what was hidden.

(Spirit Detecting Sight!)

[Dave ST]

Mei-Ying's vision tinted, faded, and then flashed as the spirit realm overlapped the realm of man. The differences were slight and certainly not distracting until she saw the abomination that was The Keeper of the Blight.

There very few things that changed across its bulbous foul smelling body, but as she reached the head, it's mouth agape in a roar that shook the outlying trees, there upon it's head she noticed something that would have her occult curiosity burning for months to come.

The great beast existed in both the physical and spiritual realms at once, something that even spirits themselves could not do. You were either in one realm or the other, but never both at once, at least not on a permanent basis. Its eyes in the spirit realm were vortices. A glutton of a beast that was ever feeding on the essence of the land and its hunger knew no bounds.

Remembering the physical world Mei-Ying caught a simple truth: if the creature was alive in both realms at once, then harming the beast in the flesh would also harm it in the spirit realm as well. The eyes were physically crystallized by the absorbed essence, a defense mechanism to keep its power source safe, like the golems of the First Age.

Break the Hearthstone, break the golem.

Shatter the eyes, bring down the beast.

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Lily only: [Occult Knowledge Success] This beast is neither a spirit nor a natural creature (duh). If Mei-Ying had to take a logical guess (and she's usually right) then she'd gather that this creature was manufactured by another sorcerer. This thing wreaks of "experiment gone wrong".

Awestruck by the wonders her eyes bore witness too Mei-Ying failed to keep herself focused on the dangers all around her. Dust exploded up from the ground in a cloud that immediately put Mei-Ying on the defensive. She was unfocused, not unaware. Her dodge was flawless as she arced her back and swayed in the direction opposite of the burrowing worm's maw.

As the creature launched a second time Mei-Ying had already prepared her escape. A thunderous pounding intercepted the selky's attack, the side of its face meeting with a fist that could only be described as gargantuan. A humorous whining issued from the creature as it slithered below the surface of the soil.

"Greeting Exalt, I'm Quinn." The massive man smiled warmly at Mei-Ying, his face calm as he unhooked a blackened axe from his back with a blade as large as a grown man. "I'll be your rescuer today." He took a defensive position, locking the blade tight in his grip. Mei-Ying couldn't help but feel like she was now in good hands.

"Don't let him fool you," Peleps Ahroun slowly meandered his way through the dust and broken foliage seemingly oblivious to the three hundred foot beast-thingy that was poised to destroy them all. "He's not really that charming, even on a good day."

Quote:

With Mei-Ying now having some idea of how to bring the beast down, the fight will be free form. Meaning that there will be no ticks to calculate, as you post an attack the creature will counter attack (there is certainly enough of it acting independently).

Feel free to hack, slash, maim and dismember parts (not from each other...) this thing has more, so no worries. As far as when your DVs and what not will refresh, don't worry about it. This thing has no effective DV, seriously... if you miss it we'll all laugh at you. When it attacks you I'll apply a bonus or penalty to your DVs base on what you’re currently dealing with based off how the battle is flowing for your character.

Quinn and Peleps Ahroun are here to assist the Exalts, much to Ahroun's dismay. Feel free to boss them around if you come up with a plan that may involve the need for one of them (Quinn's strength, or Ahroun's ... uh.. well, he'll try an help). For the most part they won't have to much of a hand in felling the beast, mostly just cleaning up the little worms that are slithering up from everywhere.

Have fun.

[SalmonMax]

Mei-Ying stares, startled at the newcomers, then the roar of the beast reminds her of the situation.

"The eyes!" she shouts, backpedaling from the creature and raising her sling.

"Destroy its eyes!"

She pulls back on the shining golden webwork that connects the sling's cup to its ornate orichalcum Y...and fires! The bullet explodes into radiance like a tiny shooting star as it hurtles through the air at one of the monster's shell-like eyes.

(attack has 4 successes, damage is 7L)

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1472144/

[Rysha]

The first shattering impact of the Keeper's arrival had driven Rysha off her feet and tumbled her in a heap almost six yards away. Mei-Ying's cry pulled her to her feet as surely as a line hooked to her breastbone, but a single glance at the man Quinn assured Rysha that her blade would not be needed at Mei-Ying's side for this battle. And if it were not.... her lips pulled back in a smile like a hunting cat's, and she plucked her daiklaive and hammer from the earth beside her with an effortless grace. The eyes, she says? She flipped Morning's Edge into a smooth reverse grip, gauging distances, and then plunged forward toward the creature with such flashing speed that her feet seemed barely to touch the ground. A swift leap carried her up into the plunging mass of selkys with both blade and hammer flashing, her feet finding purchase with the effortless ease of the Graceful Crane Stance even on the slime-slick and writhing surface of the Keeper's tendrils, and the plunging fall of bisected selkys and oozing gore marked her twisting, spining movement up its back.

Quote:

Basically a whole sequence of low level strikes against tendril selkys to clear her way up the spine of the thing. Rolled as a single attack with each weapon against the Keeper (let me know if you want me to change that). Not expecting to hurt it, just making room to run her way up to the head.

Morning's Edge - 8 successes, 19L damage before soak

Hammer - 6 successes, 21B damage before soak

Personal Essence: 14, Peripheral: 19.

[Travis Kincaid]

Callum backs towards the safety of the treeline, better to be unobtrusive while preparing his next shot than to be squished flat. Forcing a small amout of personal essence into his eyes he activates the Keen Sight Technique and begins aim for the creature's eyes.

He then begins pushing essence into the arrow, charging it with the purifying power of solar essence. Releasing the arrow he watches as it burst into essence-charged flame as it streak toward the abomination's eye.

Quote:

Not sure if Keen Sight Technique helps on ranged attacks so my dice may need to be altered accordingly. He's using Essence Arrow Attack to double his normal damage (adding 6 dice)

Attack: 10,4,7,4,1,10,6,2,3,9 - 6 sucesses

Damage: 10,3,1,8,8,3,9,2,4,5,9,1 - 6 sucesses+carryover

[Warren Verona]

The Sun's Chosen unleashed their wrath upon the creature of darkness. Within moments the battle was in full gear; each of the Exalts dodging and parrying attacks form the profane beast as they launched assaults of their own.

Essence scorched the air as a trailing star struck home on the creature’s calcified eye. Essence sparks exploded in a golden shower of stardust. Mei-Ying's attack had struck home; even from her vantage point down some three hundred feet below the large crack in the surface was visible.

URGAAAAAAH! The titan's massive black axe left a dark trail and in a single swipe four The Keeper's extended selkys worms were cleaved effortlessly. "Pathetic." He said with a sneer, looking down only briefly to ensure his charge was still safe and unmolested.

Loosed from its perch Callum's arrow fulfilled its destiny. With a flare and dazzling explosion of holy light the arrow found purchase in the cracked eye Mei-Yi had attacked moments before. Its surface cracked a bit more; swiftly a network of cracks and web pattern began to form across its damaged surface. From beneath the thick shell holy fire erupted through the cracks until the crystalline shell exploded accompanied by a sound akin to thick glass being shattered.

Behind the crystal was void, a pit into the skull of The Keeper that seemingly went on forever. Essence poured from the wound, visible even to the naked eye. The motes streaked from the void in a brilliant display of light and sound. The Keeper howled in agony, its body flailed back and its barbed tongue lashed out in a vain attempt to capture its precious life force the cursed sun threatened to steal away.

Rysha was unbalanced, but only slightly, as the behemoth cried out in agony. With a grin of satisfaction she continued her accent. From tentacle to tentacle she leapt, slashing and smashing everything in her path. Motes swirled past her as they escaped their imprisonment. A few shot trough her as she climbed the great beast, sending their warmth and energy coursing through her briefly.

Swiftly more and more of the wood essence gathered, around Mei-Ying, Callum, and all present. Essence infused with the power of the Hunter's Wood wrapped embraced them, filled their souls with unrelenting strength and a bottomless well spring of power. Time seemed to halt as the influx of energy filled their souls beyond what the ken of Exalts had ever known.

Quote:

Essence Boon: Nature's Wrath!

Effect: For the remainder of the scene the spirits of the wood lend you their power. Each Exalt present may reduce the cost of all charms by 2, if this lowers the charm cost to 0 then you may use it for free. All other charm use rules apply.

Price: Exalts are mortal and their souls not equipped to handle such power coursing through them so each Exalts shard explodes with power to assist them in channeling the essence. As a result everyone is sent directly to the 16+ mark.

I'll leave the description of that to all of you. I'll handle the NPCs in a following post.

[Rysha]

Wrapped in golden flame like a bonfire, her weapons singing in her hands, Rysha leap the last dozen feet in a smooth bound as the fabric of Essence around her rippled and coalesced into a sleek golden dragon whose eyes burned with the same violet flame that blazed from her own and whose long, slender body lashed in fury at the affront to the Sun's glory beneath her. She seemed taller, stronger, terrifyingly beautiful in that moment as though the clenched right hand of the Unconquered Sun itself hand been drawn back to whelm down on his enemy: her voice, when she spoke, was an adder's hiss in the language of old for the ears of her enemy alone. "Tell your maker that the Blade of Heaven sent you."

Her daiklaive spun in her hand, edge blazing with golden reflections of her light, and she drove it through the cracking shell of crystal like the vengeance of an angry god.

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Burning the full 10-2 motes on the First Melee Excellency. Puts Peripheral down to 11.

Attack (25 dice): 18 successes, base damage 29L before soak.

[Travis Kincaid]

Drawing another arrow from his quiver Callum began to pour essence into it. Gathering for a single massive strike Callum put everything he had drawing upon the free flowing essense and his own reserves. The power of solar flame began to suffuse the entirety of the arrow. From head to fletching it began to glow and pour forth heat like a fesitval day bonfire.

Leping out from under the shadow of the treeline Callum drew and aimed aligning the arrow to fly straight and true into the gaping whole in the monster's head. With a word of praise of the Unconquered Sun he released.

His shard exploded and his anima banner roared to life, a massive wolf burning in purples, oranges, and crimsons let loose a cry that seemed to reverberate within the forest.

Quote:

Burning 10 essence into Essence Arrow Attack also spending a willpower on the attack roll

Attack (9 dice) 9 5 3 10 7 7 8 3 10 = 8 successes + 1 automatic success = 9 successes

Damage = 16L before soak

[SalmonMax]

Mei-Ying fit another bullet to the cup of her sling and whirled it over her head, pouring Essence into it until it looked like a star was orbiting her.

Just before letting it fly, she checked herself though, and kept the sling wound up and spinning. It made sense that Rysha and Callum's devastating attacks would probably finish it...she would hold back her attack just in case the monster had something tricky up its sleeve.

(Delaying attack to interrupt monster's turn)

[Dave ST]

The battle raged and essence poured into the Sun's Chosen, a gift from the spirits of the wood. Blood and ichor rained from the sky as Rysha cut a path of carnage mingled with judgment up the side of The Keeper's massive trunk. Nothing stood in her way as she leapt upwards devastating any that got in her way.

As she leapt the selkys that grew from the great beast lunged quickly to take the place of the ones she had felled moments ago in her ascent to it's head and the eyes that Mei-Ling claimed were it's weakness. Maliciously they assaulted her, their barbed tongues launched from their slimy maws all aimed at her.

Deftly she dodged swaying and leaping like she was born to soar in the sky, not walk along the ground. She did all this as she continued to ascend, closer to her goal. Rysha pivoted to he right as she back-flipped downward onto a stray tendril that passed below her, evading a selkys's barbed attack as she did so. The Keeper cried out, more in annoyance than pain, as the barb stuck cleanly into it's own body.

As fast as she could Rysha bolted up the writhing tentacle moonsaulting several yards to higher ground as several more barbs dug deeply into the flesh of their progenitor.

The spirits poured their essence into Peleps Ahroun’s shard and the Prince of the Earth stunned those around as the stray essence exposed his charade. Slowly he rose off the ground as the motes swirled around like wisps at play. He tucked his legs close, balling himself up, and in an instant later he straightened suddenly exploding into a brilliant blast of silver and violet. A corona of silver essence engulfed him as purple motes crackled and popped like embers escaping a flame. A mighty roar shook the forest as a massive, ghostly panther nearly the size of a pony took shape in the flames the sheen of its coat reflecting purple as its muscular frame flexed and moved, its glowing green eyes burned with power and determination. Power flared in his eyes and a radiantly glowing golden ring blazed brightly, not on his forehead, but on the back of his neck just slightly above his shoulders. Gently his feet touched the earth once more.

Power surged through Quinn as the spirit of the wood caressed his heart and put his soul at ease. The essence coursed through his muscles and tempered him like steel against the onslaught of selkys that burrowed from the ground around him, all set on claiming the essence of him and young Solar he was guarding, yet no anima banner exploded into being around him.

Defiantly he spun his humongous grimcleaver downward and dug it deep into the earth and the titan flexed and focused his energy. "Boss!" He shouted in the direction of his ally. “Let it pour!” With a warlords cry Quinn’s body summoned forth power from deep within. Energy, white and pure poured up from the dying earth and trailed about his legs, body and finally arms until it was focused in huge spheres of radiant essence around his fists. “Pasiap, hear me now and lend me your strength!” Mei-Ying could hear the subtle rumble in the earth beneath her feet, as this gigantic man seemed to summon forth the breath of the Immaculate Dragon of the Earth. “Grant me the strength to smite this abomination of the land!” More energy surged forth from the soil causing his body to glow and the spheres of power in his hands grew larger.

He jumped up, locking his hands together like in the prelude to a furious hammer blow.

“Titan’s Rage!” He shouted, pouring essence from his heart to his hands.

He came down and slammed his fists into the soil. White cracks tore through the ground, breeching the tunnels of the selkys. The cracks streamed and made the slightest contact with those enemies they past and as they did so the selkys found themselves entombed as two halves of a giant stalagmite rose from the earth and suddenly slammed themselves together forming a whole, with the selkys trapped between them.

Sun’s fire exploded into existence as an immaculate golden bow blazed into existence in Peleps Ahroun’s hand. Looking determined for the first time Peleps Ahroun drew back the fiery string of the Sun God’s bow. He aimed it at the ground and rapidly fired off several shots of golden fire into the earth. The soil glowed where the essence tore through it, until the Exalt was completely surrounded on all sides by empowered earth. He raised the arm that held the bow and it quickly collapsed in on itself until it to was a golden ball of sun fire in his hand.

”Sun God’s Ire!” His fist slammed into the soil in the center of the glowing ring he’d created around himself.

Explosions erupted from the ground, especially from beneath the stalagmites that had entrapped the selkys just seconds ago. Golden flares of fire and holy light launched up and soared up into the sky like a reverse rain. Anything caught in their path was charred to ash, screeching in agony as Unconquered Wrath sent all who opposed His children to Oblivion’s maw in this moment of Creation’s need.

Rysha’s foothold was slippery but with just one…

More…

Leap…

The Exalt soared through the air performing feats of acrobatics never before seen in twenty-five pounds of metal armor. Her golden blade cleaved the head of a selkys clean from its body as she descended to her destination. With a thunderous blow her war hammer crashed into the crystalline eye of The Keeper. Once again cracks formed on the fragile surface of the calcified essence before it exploded into shards of brittle nothingness and cascaded to the ground below.

Her footing held fast, the stance of the graceful crane assured she could maintain a foot hold on anything, but her balance was not guaranteed. As The Keeper lurched in pain one of its vile selkys spawn sprung from a cancerous sore not far from Rysha. It took her by surprise lashing faster than she could bring her weapons to bear in a defense. She braced for the worse, left in a position with very little options, leaping away could result in a three hundred foot plunge to her death but the creature had a perfect opportunity to tear through her and her armor in one furious blow. It appeared The Fates had chosen to cut her thread short this day.

Or had they?

Past the explosions of essence that littered the battlefield below and as the sun’s fire stormed up through to the heavens a single ray of hope tore through the chaos. As the selkys bore down on the defenseless Rysha a streaking comet of golden starfire soared up past Rysha’s shoulder and intercepted the attack. The selkys swallowed pure divine wrath as the bullet from Mei-Ying’s sling struck true, ripping clean into its throat and exploding on contact. Its snarling maw imploded sending a shower of gore and essence in all directions.

Rysha regained her footing, prepared a more adequate defense so she’d not be caught off guard again. Now… which eye was next?

Easily essence flowed from his shard to the arrow that lay ready upon his bow. With a draw of the string Callum’s precision aim locked on. The flaring wolf of his anima banner crouched, poised for an assault as it growled and snarled at the mutated beast. He released and the wolf bayed like a war cry. Swiftly it flew, the shaft exploding into a purple, orange and crimson reflection of its owner’s anima.

The weapon struck home, soaring deep into the void that was the ‘eye’ of that horrid creature. The void swallowed the essence arrow and it disappeared. Fueled by the gift of essence The Keeper’s shattered eye began to reform, the edges first crackling and growing inward like vines up a tree, until it all met in the center.

The new ‘eye’ was paper thing and almost transparent, it wouldn’t take much to shatter it. However the Exalts learned that as the beast devoured essence it regenerated it’s only vulnerable spot.