Fear and Loathing in Yu-Shan

This session covered the remainder of the Moot, and was rather short.  It began with Tamuz battling the Five Metal Shrike, which was piloted by Sirio.  Tamuz set the terms of the battle, and chose to fight augmented.  He chose to fight to the pain, which meant whoever inflicted the first injury of note would win.

The fight leveled a nearby mountain when the Shrike used its god spear, and the beam also killed some of the bystanders.  The battle ended with Tamuz using a perfect offense (Zeal) to attack the shrike and do some damage to the hull.

After both combatants landed Tamuz praised Sirio’s bravery, and publicly apologized to Relza for attacking her.  Sirio was pleasantly surprised, and now has a very high opinion of Tamuz.

After the fight ended the party approached Sirio to see his aid in destroying the Infernal Legion camped outside Omen’s former manse.  He said he’d speak to the Shrike and see if it was willing to help.  Gargas also offered to train him using Tiger Warrior, and Sirio expressed interest in learning archery.  He and Ukem also put aside their differences, and walked away friends.

Raksi released Omen from her service, and explained to him that the reason she’d been so deliberately cruel was to demonstrate that sorcery demands sacrifice.  It always demands payment, and she wanted him to understand what that payment might be.  The lunar extended an offer that if Omen ever seeks training or needs spells he can seek her out in Sperimen.

During the moot Ukem and Omen made a plea for lunar aid in their fight against the infernal legion.  Five lunar decided to join them:  Vanion Twotails, Alicia, Asha, Sirayn and Iria.  Gargas dispatched Asha and Sirayn to investigate the infernals, and the party had dinner with Vanion’s pack.

After dinner they found a private section of Tamuz’s pavilion, and sent an infallible messenger to Lytek.  The bond between Shara and Raksi proved that Shara’s shard had been corrupted in some way, and they wanted to make sure that Lytek was aware.

Within fifteen seconds a portal to Yu-Shan opened within the pavilion and Lytek came trundling out.  He was intensely curious and had both Shara and Raksi brought to him.  After a preliminary test he told the party that he would like to take the pair to Yu-Shan so that he could experiment on them in his workshop.  Both agreed, although Raksi was visibly irked by the request.

The party asked Lytek if they could tag along on the trip to his workshop, and he agreed.  They summoned Tamuz, who wasn’t happy about being summoned.  He accepted their explanantion about needing to go to Yu-Shan, and said he’d spread word.  He was concerned about them abandoning their assault on the infernal legion, but they assured him they’d be back the next day.

Lytek opened a gateway to Yu-Shan, and the party got their first look at the heavenly city.  It was amazing beyond imagining, and Omen in particular was struck by its beauty and majesty.  He finally saw the jade pleasure dome, and knew that the Incarna were inside.

The party arrived at a twenty story marble building Lytek called his workshop.  Out front four celestial lions and a throng of gods guarded the place.  Inside they were brought to Lytek’s study, which was a massive library with literally hundreds of thousands of books.

Lytek performed some very odd and seemingly meanlingless tests on Raksi and Shara, leaving the party to explore the library.  Omen spent his time reading about the Neverborn and the Yozis, while Ukem studied a book on Luna.  Gargas and Gloom spent their time watching the experiments, since both Raksi and Shara were naked.

At one point during the evening a celestial lion scratched at the door, and let Lytek know that the sidereal were seeking entry.  He told the lion to make them go away, and to them if need be.  Omen went to the balcony and watched as a Sidereal strike team presented orders to get them inside.  The lion told them to leave, and while they were clearly unhappy they did so.

The following morning the party left reluctantly, with a tearful farewell between Shara and Ukem.  They had a rough time being parted, but both knew it was the right thing to do.

As a final favor Omen asked Lytek for more of the xp reducing potions.  Lytek waves him away impatiently telling him to take what he wanted from the cart.  The party ended up taking potions for themselves, and most of the prominent NPCs in the campaign, and that’s where the session ended.

As a brief addendum I let them know that they received an Infallible Messenger the next day telling them that Shara had gotten her memories back.

Omen squeals like a Tauntaun

This weekend’s Exalted session has scarred me emotionally.  I can’t get the sound of a squealing tauntaun out of my head *shudders*.  I suppose I should explain. 

The party left Chiaroscuro for the moot that they’ve been planning since Egeria was first taken months ago.  On the way Omen suddenly felt the connection between him and his manse break.  He, Gargas, Daerian and Shara flew down to see what had happened.  Much to their surprise they found a legion camped outside the place.  An infernal legion that looked suspiciously like the one that had assaulted Kether Rock.

The party decided not to contront them until after the moot, and flew off to a valley in the center of a dense mountain range that could only be reached by flight.  Roughly six thousand people were gathered there.  The bulk of them were beastmen serving the various lunar, and the party counted roughly thirty lunar present.

Becaue they’d taken a detour to investigat the manse they were several hours late and missed most of the opening ceremonies.  Tamuz finished addressing the moot just after they arrived, and they informed him of the infernals to the south.  He seemed unconcerned and told them to take care of it.  He did recommend having Ukem address the moot and see if they might get some help from a few of the lunars who were present.

One of those lunars was Raksi, who was being attended by Hanlen.  The pair were feasting on freshly killed humans, and a pit had been dug near them to hold the remaining stock.  Omen was horrified and decided he needed to intervene.  He realized that attacking Raksi openly was suicide, so he approached her to beg for the lives of the slaves she was eating.

Raksi was lounging naked amidst the carnage, and having a nine appearance made Omen distinctly uncomfortable especially as she appears to be a 13 year old girl.  She seemed quite pleased to see him and even invited him to join her for dinner.  She asked questions about the circle, but he quickly turned the conversation towards the slaves.

He asked for their release, but Raksi pointed out that she’d have nothing to eat.  Omen offered to provide food as a substitute, and she was willing to agree if he’d also serve as her bodyservant for the duration of the moot.  He asked her what these duties would include, and the one that shocked him was that he’d be required to share her bed.

This put Omen in a very difficult position.  To save the seventeen surviving slaves he would have to break his vow of celibacy.  After agonizing over the decision he agreed to serve Raksi, who required him to disrobe and serve her naked for the duration of the moot.

This is, unfortunately, where the emotional scarring occurred.  Omen had to serve a  debauched, insane, several thousand year old lunar goddess who likes depraved sex.  The jokes regarding the loss of his anal virginity fell like snow flakes, and the worst of the lot was Aaron making the tauntaun noise from Empire Strikes Back as Raksi inserted her fist into his ass.  I will never be the same.  For the record I awarded Aaron 2 extra xp for emotionally scarring the Storyteller.

Gargas spend this time at Dharr’s fire checking in with Egeria, who seemed much different than when she’d left.  She was stronger, more beautiful and much more confident than she had been.  Once he was assured of her safety Gargas heading to the circle of equals where the fight between Ukem and Dharr was scheduled to occur.

Every lunar attended, with Raksi using Omen’s naked body as a chair.   Both combatants entered a ring Tamuz called a circle of equals.  As Dharr had been challenged he was able to set the terms of the fight, and chose to make it to the death.  This was so unusual that Tamuz asked if he was sure.  When he said he was Tamuz decided to give Ukem a gift before the fight began. He bequeathed the first grand daiklaive ever crafted by Luna, a mighty weapon used to slay Malfeas himself during the primordial war.

Even armed with such a mighty blade and with his Celestial Battle Armor Ukem just barely won the fight.  It was only due to Dharr underestimating him that he prevailed, and at the end of the fight he literally ripped the elder Lunar’s body in half.  This stunned the crowd as actual death is quite rare during moots.

After the battle people retired back to the Ivory Orchid Pavilion Tamuz erected.  The exception was Gargas, who decided to stay outside with Egeria at her camp fire.  Egeria was clearly disturbed by Omen serving Raksi, though Omen did explain the situation and she said she didn’t judge him for it.

While Gargas and Egeria were talking they spotted something gleaming on the horizon.  It approached with immense speed, and they quickly realized they were seeing the Five Metal Shrike.  When it landed they were shocked to see Sirio and Relza exit.  Even more surprising came the announcement from Tamuz that Sirio had challenged him to a duel, which would be settled in the morning.

The party approached Sirio, who was openly hostile.  He accused them of destroying Rathess, nearly killing Leeyata and sending Tamuz to kill Relza.  Ukem led with his usual insults, but instead of taking it as he had in the past Sirio threatened Ukem’s life.  He said any further threats would result in Ukem’s death, that he didn’t deserve such treatment and was incensed over the attack on his mate Relza.

Ukem lied to him and told him he didn’t send Tamuz, and Sirio became friendlier after that.  Omen and Gargas explained that Rathess wasn’t their fault, and Sirio apologized to them for his hostility.  He remained hostile towards Ukem, which was partly because he was a full moon.  Since his caste wasn’t fixed it shifts with the moon, making him more aggressive since the moot was under a full moon.

That was the end of the session.  Next session should see the end of the moot, and possibly an attack on the infernal legion.  This could be our first mass combat!

Tying up loose ends in Chiaroscuro

This week we had a special treat.  The group met on New Years Eve, and then had a second session this Saturday.  It felt really good to have the extra session, particularly after missing so many during the holiday season.  I’ve decided to lump both sessions together for the update, as not enough happened in either to justify separate posts.

The return to Chiaroscuro showed the party just how much they had changed in a very short time.  Since leaving they have gained tremendous strength, and what was once a threat is now an annoyance. 

With the Wyld Hunt gone the players were free to track down the re-Exaltation of Faruq.  Daerian performed astrology and tracked the new Sidereal to the poor district of Chiaroscuro.  In the end he actually approached them as he knew that Omen was a chosen of the moon, and believed hmself to be one as well.  He turned out to be just a boy of no more than 15, though Daerian pointed out that he could be using a resplendant destiny.

At the end of the last session the party received an infallible messenger from the Tri-Khan inviting them to pay him a visit.  They took him up on his offer and were surprised to find a mob rioting outside the palace when they arrived.  The people seemed upset over the lack of food, and were actually assaulting the guards at the gate.  They quieted when the party approached since Omen has a 4 influence in Chiaroscuro due both to his healing of the sick, and the killing of Peleps Deled.

The inside of the palace was as oppulent enough that Omen disapproved.  If the Tri-Khan could afford elaborate murals and vases why couldn’t he feed his people?  He kept quiet about his opinions, and the party was led to an elaborate dining hall where the Tri-Khan waited.

He began by thanking the party for wiping out the Wyld Hunt.  He hated the pogroms against his people, but was unable to stop them because of the Realm legion parked in the waterfront district.  The deal he offered was that if the party could remove the legion, he would openly support Anathema in his city.  The party agreed, although they did let him know they had urgent business to attend to first (the moot).

After they left the palace they headed back to the Shaded Hole to discuss matters.  Much to Omen’s chagrin Gargas and Ukem sent Atheros to ‘become a man’ at a nearby brothel under the watchful eye of the innkeeper they displaced when they took his inn as a sort of temporary headquarters.  Shara was less than enthused either, though Daerian found the idea fairly amusing as she’s a lot more cavalier about sex.

The party communicated with Rakota via infallible messenger, and he met them at the Shaded Hole along with Tepet Ejava.   Much to the party’s surprise the two were not only in love, but plan to marry to cement the alliance between V’neef and Tepet.  They discussed their upcoming strategy, and decided that the first blow of the war in their favor should be to wipe out the Peleps legion in Chiaroscuro.  This fulfills their obligation to the Tri-Khan, and shows that Ejava is a force to be reckoned with. 

Afterwards they want to plan a military campaign to clear the blockade the Realm navy has set up between Chiaroscuro and Arjuf.  Fully three quarters of the Realm navy is there, and this will be the largest challenge they’ve faced so far.

The other major issue that Rakota brought to light is that no one has heard from V’neef in several days.  This is unusual as she was in daily contact with Ejava.  They fear she may have been captured, and her last known whereabouts were the imperial city.

Ejava excuses herself to take a bath, leaving the group alone with Rakota.  He revealed his inner turmoil, and that he has basically transferred his house loyalty to his wife to be.  He doesn’t want to see Ejava used as a puppet, and believes V’neef may try to do exactly that.  In that event he has decided to support her, and wanted to feel the group out about it.  They basically all agreed with him that she needs to be given free reign.

After Rakota left the party got a message from Karissa saying that she was still in Chiaroscuro.  They’d heard that there was a battle between Anathema, and learned that she was nursing the survivor back to health.  Rakota also told them that Karissa was ordered by V’neef to seduce him, and bring him back to the blessed isle.

They visited the Galeta and learned that Karissa’s Anathema was an eclipse caste solar by the name of Yuri Silvertongue.  He had a deep wound filled with some sort of vile disease Omen had never seen before, and healing it taxed his abiltiies more than anything else he’s ever had to do. 

Yuri was extraordinarily grateful for the help, and offered to repay Omen in any way that he can.  The party asked him to procure as many ships as possible, since Yuri told them he can make fabulous amounts of money very quickly.  He eagerly agreed and also said he’d help them assault the Realm legion when the time came.

They asked what he planned in the future, and he said he wanted to go to the training camp in the south.  They let him know that wouldn’t be an option, so he head he goes where Karissa goes.  He’s more than willing to help them win the Realm civil war, as long as he gets to be with Karissa.

One matter that alarmed the group was that Yuri knew Daerian very well.  It seemed she was holding out information from the party, which she reluctantly admitted was true.  She said that Karissa swore her to secrecy, which was why she didn’t tell them more about Yuri.

Having dealt with all immediate threats, and realizing that they didn’t need to meet Tamuz until the following day the party took that evening for a little R&R.  Yuri recommended a fine restraunt to Gargas, who brought Daerian as a date.

The session ended with a bit of a montague for Ukem.  We covered his training with Tamuz for the two days prior to the moot, which involved him flying to four of the five poles of creation while constantly battling the elder lunar.  In the end his essence was increased from 3-4.

Long Overdue Payback

For the last several months the party has been hunted by the Wyld Hunt, Infernals and all manner of other threats bent on their destruction.  They’d stayed one step ahead of their enemies, but have had many close calls and have lost too many companions along the way. 
During their months of mad flight they mastered fabulous new powers, transforming them from a small group of freshly exalted Celestials to a fighting force capable of besting nearly anyone in creation.  It was a gradual change, but for the first time the group is powerful enough to stop running.  At long last they have ceased to be prey.  They are now the hunters.

The session began with the party inside the celestial battle cruiser atop a bluff about six hundred miles southeast of Chiaroscuro.  This area has been claimed by the elder Lunar Tamuz for centuries, which gave an added layer of protection to their new secret base.  However, Omen covered the entire ship with rock effectively submerging it within the bluff for added camoflague.  Gargas spent his time cleaning the debris from the inside of the ship, and in preparing quarters for everyone in the group. 

At the end of the last session Ukem was dispatched to Chiaroscuro to drop off Maederos, Jingu and Marcos.  He arrived back at the ship just as Gargas and Omen finished their work, and was pleasantly surprised to find Shara busy cooking dinner.  She’d located the galley, and used the larder to create the finest stew the group had ever tasted.  This didn’t surprise anyone as the ingredients came from Yu-Shan and were flavored with ambrosia.

The party discussed the future over dinner.  They were concerned about Maederos’ eventual goals, and worried that they may eventually have to take him down if he begins assembling his own empire, which they feel is likely.  They also discussed the various things they’d like to tend to in Chiaroscuro. 

Tamuz showed up and joined them for dinner.  He asked them to tell tale the of their adventures since the training camp, and they brought him up to speed.  In exchange he told them of First and Forsaken Lion who is raising an army the likes of which the world has never seen.  It numbers between 1-3 million troops, and grows larger every time he swallows another southern city.  Gem has already fallen, and Paragon is likely to be next.

The elder lunar told the group that one of the major topics of discussion at the upcoming moot would be a response to the deathlord.  For the first time ever the party saw Tamuz look worried, and he didn’t seem confident that he could drive back the deathlord.

He changed the subject to something marginally more pleasant, asking Ukem if he intended to fight Dharr or to rely on the council’s judgement.  Ukem agreed to fight and Tamuz asked him to return two days before the moot for additional training.

Tamuz also bequeathed the land for 20 miles around the celestial battlecrusier to Ukem, and has been very courteous to his new apprentice.  Afterwards he took Ukem from the ship to a village about twenty five miles south of Ukem’s new domain.  There he taught Ukem to perform a sacred hunt on men instead of animals, and had him use the ability to take the skin of a Delzahn.

Ukem asked why and Tamuz explained that it was time for a new Kha Khan to rise.  This is a role he intends Ukem to fill, hence the need for a Delzahn form.  Otherwise the nobles would never accept him.  This was a lot for Ukem to take in, and he hasn’t told the rest of the party yet.

After Tamuz’s departure the group got a good night’s sleep, and then flew on Ukem’s back to the outskirts of Chiaroscuro.  They walked from there, deciding on the merchant district as their first stop.  The party took rooms in a small inn called the Shaded Hole (which prompted a lot of jokes).  While in the common room they heard a bearded man at a neighboring table telling tales.

Omen bought him a drink and asked him for the latest news.  The man was happy to relate what he’d heard, and told of a battle between Anathema on top of the Violet Spire in the merchant district.  One of the combatants had a golden anima, and the other a sickly green one.  They fought for long minutes, but in the end both plumetted to their deaths.  There was even a hole through the roof of the building at the base of the spire to collaborate the story.  This told the group enough to know that a solar had battled an infernal, but they don’t know who either party is or why they were fighting.

The man’s second tale was of far more interest.  He told them that an important dynast had come from the Realm to take control of the Wyld Hunt in Chiaroscuro.  He’d launched brutal pogroms against the poor citizens who worshipped Omen after the miracles he’d performed the last time he was in the city. 

The immaculates killed women, children, the old and the infirm without hesitation.  These purges have been going on for months, and any who dare espouse worship of Omen are killed.  The people love Omen and have refused to give up their worship, which has made matters much worse for them. 

As soon as Omen heard what was going on he thanked the man for his information and started off for the poor district.  The others had never seen him so angry, and Omen was quite clear in his desire to wipe out the entire Wyld Hunt.  The atrocities they committed could not go unpunished.

Omen stopped to let his followers know that help was coming.  They thronged the streets and chanted his name in praise.  He accepted their adulation and assured them that they need never fear the Immaculates again after that day.

Then he headed to the waterfront district where the Immaculates were headquartered.  Omen hopped up on the wall and bellowed out a challenge.  It turned out the big leader who’d been called in was none other than Peleps Deled himself, which angered Omen even further.

Omen engaged Deled in single combat, which ended with his heart being punched through his chest by the end of Omen’s staff.  Before it could hit the ground Gloom darted down and snatched it up for an afternoon snack.  The rest of Deled’s body was shattered against the ground breaking nearly every bone.

Gargas and Ukem waded into the temple itself and killed nearly all of the hunters before they could react.  The few survivors broke and ran, but Shara was waiting outside and used arrow storms to cut down any who fled. 

Once the battle was over Omen flared his anima to totemic.  His voice was magically enhanced, and he announced that any who perpetrated such crimes would be destroyed.  The Wyld Hunt wasn’t being judged for attacking Anathema.  They were being judged for killing women and children.

Omen returned to the poor district to let his followers know that the Immaculates had been dealt with.  They threw an enormous celebration, and Omen used the singing staff to recreate the statue of him that the Immaculates had torn down. 

While at the celebration an Infallible Messenger arrived from the Tri Khan asking the party to come visit at their earliest convenience.  That’s where the session left off.  Still a lot to see in Chiaroscuro!

The Departure of Maederos

This session brought us a spot of bad news.  Chris Pomeroy, the player of Maederos, decided that the game wasn’t a good fit and elected to drop from the campaign.  Thanks for the sessions you were a part of Chris, we loved having you and hope you find what you’re looking for!

The session began with the characters camped on a ridge overlooking the newly created shadowland over the bones of Rathess.  They decided to rest and regain their strength, and planned to enter the shadowland in the morning to reclaim the Imperial Warship that had crashed when the Soulbreaker Orb detonated.

When they awoke they found the forces of an unknown deathlord already encircling the ship.  Gargas suggested a daring plan, and the party used Cirrus Skiffs and Ukem’s Celestial Battle Armor to fly past the Abyssal’s and their forces.  They shot right into the hangar bay, and once they’d landed Daerian immediately cast a Swift Spirit of Transportation. 

The spell lifted the ship from the city and left the Abyssal’s behind, but the plan wasn’t without flaws.  When the party landed in the hangar they were blasted by a hail of essence bolts which dropped Omen to incapacited and nearly killed him.  Quick thinking by Maederos saved his life, and he used the cup of blood to stabalize Omen just a few seconds before he slipped into death.

The party subdued a powerful automotan and destroyed the wall mounted essence cannons that nearly killed Omen.  They asked SheIs to call up a schematic of the ship, and used it to navigate to the control room.  When they arrived they found the place ashambles.  Cracks were running through the lense that fired the main gun, and the control chair was clearly broken.

The room was deserted except for one figure.  A female Sidereal who introduced herself as Fluttering Wind was leaning heavily on a makeshift crutch.  She dropped her weapons when the party emptied, and complied completely with their demands.  Gargas asked her to divest herself of all artifacts, and while she was doing that rammed his daiklaive through her heart.

To his surprise she lived through the assault, and Omen interposed himself over her body to prevent the rest of the party from killing the sidereal.  There was a tense standoff, but eventually Gargas left the room so that Omen could tend to Fluttering Wind’s wounds.  Once she was stable they bound her, and then woke her up for interogation.

She knew surprisingly little about matters in creation, and claimed to be unaligned, working for neither the gold nor the bronze faction.   She answered the party’s questions, and when they felt they’d gained enough information Ukem delivered the death blow.

After he’d dispatched Fluttering Wind Ukem headed down to the cargo bay to find Gargas.  The two discussed the death of the Sidereal, as well as Omen’s penchant for letting potential enemies live.  Neither of them felt good about what they’d done, but both agreed it was the right step as letting her live could have had catastrophic results.

Shara came into the hangar a short time later, and told the pair that she was concerned about Omen.  It pained her to see him so distressed, and she asked that they speak to him and see what could be done to mend matters.  Ukem agreed and headed back to apologize to Omen, and to mend fences as best as he could.

Gargas explored the ship and was surprised to find someone alive in the brig.  A man named Marcos had been locked up with a bottle of Ambrosia, and was more than happy to share it with Gargas in exchange for freeing him.  Marcos was also forthcoming with infortmation.  He admitted to being a god blooded child of Ahlat, and said he was in the brig for going AWOL.  He’d tired of his time in the Imperial Navy and wanted to quit, but they didn’t look too kindly on it.

Gargas brought Marcos to meet the rest of the party, and hilarity ensued.  It turned out that Marcos knew Gloom from the brief time the Raiton had spent there while the party was at the training camp.  Apparently the pair had gone out drinking, and Gloom spread all sorts of colorful tales about Omen through Yu-Shan.  These included the fact that Omen had bent the Empress over a well and taken her from behind, and that he was the father of V’neef.

Not long before they arrived in Tamuz’s domain the party dispatched Ukem to carry Marcos, Jingu and Maederos to Chiaroscuro.  Maederos, now free from the control collar, had decided the best chance to accomplish his goals was to do it away from the party and told them he was going off on his own with Jingu.

The session ended with the ship landing atop the pillar in Tamuz’s domain.  Omen covered it with rock using the singing staff so that they could use it as a hidden base until its repaired.  Next week its off to Chiaroscuro to find Faruq’s new Exaltation!

Rathess? Get that shit out of here…

Last session ended with an airship destroying the Eastern Sky Tower where Sirio was currently working on damaged Warbirds.  After the session began the airship continued laying waste to the city, and both the Western Sky Tower and the Orrery of Athainu were blown into slag.

The characters fled the chamber of the sun into the undercity, but didn’t realize they were fighting Sidereal.  The Bronze Faction sent a perfect circle of Sidereal, who used fate manipulation to figure out where the PCs would be and set an ambush.

They battled in the sewers and it was as intense a fight as they’ve had.  Maederos was nearly killed, and had a Sidereal curse placed on him that dropped his appearance to 1 and made it so no one will ever love him.  Shara was hit by Melescano venom, which knocked her unconscious and nearly killed her when she tried using essence.

Maederos manifested Cascade of Cutting terror and along with his companions killed three of the Sidereal.  One of the two survivors tossed a Soulbreaker orb at Ukem, and then used a charm to disappear and reappear as someone else in a completely different part of creation.

Shara used a power she didn’t fully understand to suck everyone nearby into the Underworld.  Everyone but Jingu was saved by this manuever, though her fate remained a mystery and the party assumed she was dead.  Because of the Soulbreaker Orb the city of Rathess was turned into a Shadowland, and all inhabitants were killed.

The silver lining is that because the city was converted to a Shadowland the PCs were able to exit back into creation.  Without that fact they’d have been trapped in the underworld with no way to escape.

Once they returned they headed to the ridge where they’d first made camp on the day they arrived in Rathess.  Omen sent an infallible messenger to Jingu, and it was received which meant she was alive.  They didn’t know where she was or have a way to find her, but at least she lived.

Not long after they set up camp Leeyata showed up, and accused them of causing the destruction of her city.  Before she got far in her rant Ukem ripped out his blade and rammed it through her chest, killing the goddess instantly.  This sparked an argument between Omen and Ukem which grew very heated.

Shara took Ukem aside and asked him to apologize to Omen.  He agreed, and the pair agreed to set aside their differences and apologized to each other for their actions.

In studying Rathess the PCs realized that the enormous airship had fallen to the city floor during the explosion.  It was clearly damaged, but until they investigate it they won’t know if its salvagable.  They decided they wanted to remove the ship from Rathess to deny it to any deathlord or the Bronze Faction.

Daerian agreed to use SSoWT to send the ship anywhere the players wanted.  They decided to ask Tamuz if they could store the ship in his domain.  They contacted him with an infallible messenger, and much to their shock the elder lunar showed up just a few minutes later.

He spoke to Ukem at length, and listened patiently to the story of what had happened in Rathess.  He agreed to allow the party to store the ship there, but in exchange asked that Ukem become his apprentice.  He also talked to them about the moot, and advised Ukem that he should fight Dharr instead of seeking the arbitration.

Daerian returned to YuShan to remove the curse on Maederos and gather what information she can.  She told the party that the Sidereal are in complete dissarray.  Many Akuma revealed themselves, and after the purge the gold faction was crippled and the bronze damaged.  Over 20 Sidereal were killed, and the survivors have pulled back to lick their wounds.

This gives the party a unique freedom to move about without constant fear of being hunted.  They’ve decided to capitalize on this freedom by gathering new recruits and building a force capable of deciding the Realm civil war. 

Their next step will be salvaging the ship.  Afterwards they plan to head to Chiaroscuro to look for Faruq’s next incarnation.  The moot will be a week after that, and then they’ve discussed meeting with Rakota and Tepet Ejava to disucss the looming Realm civil war.

The session ended with Jingu reappearing in camp.  She manifested a charm to escape the blast, and they were all thrilled to see her alive.

About time for some loot…

The party has been hunted, ambushed, chased, beaten and has lost nearly all of their possessions.  They reached Rathess in an attempt to find and use the Orrery of Athainu to obscure their fates from any Sidereal who might be using the Loom to find them.

Unfortunately, the Orrery is damaged and would take months to repair.  That meant the trip to Rathess was wasted, while costing the party the lives of many companions.  During the last session they took revenge and killed Fililial Wisdom, their first payback for the crimes perpetrated against them.

With his death the followers of Han Tha were thrown into chaos, and the PCs seized the opportunity to explore the Temple of the Sun built at the very heart of Rathess.  Inside they found the Chamber of the Sun, the Hearthstone chamber and apparently a storeroom Fililial Wisdom used for storing artifacts he’d looted from the celestial tombs dominating the human octad.

I allowed each of them to create a 4 dot artifact of their own choosing in the treasure trove.  In addition there were over 30 artifacts from 1-3 dots, from magical shields to boots that slightly increase the walker’s speed and make his feet permanently comfortable.

One of those artifacts was a familiar collar, similar to the one that was being used to control Maederos.  They decided to place the second collar on him to see if it would counteract the effects of the first.  As soon as it clicked shut both collars exploded, which nearly killed Maederos and severely injured Gargas.  The upside is that both lived, and with the collars destroyed Maederos was free of compulsion once more.

Before the party had much time to further investigate their new treasures the entire pyramid shook, and a booming explosion sounded from above.  They sent Ukem to investigate, and he saw an enormous first age ship level the eastern sky tower where they’d stayed with the gods Relza and Leeyata.  Sirio was in the tower and his fate is unknown.

The party decided to flee into the tunnels under the pyramid that connect to the rest of the city, and we ended the city there.

The Fall of Filial Wisdom

The previous session ended with a cliffhanger.  The party decided to hack off Maederos’ arm in an attempt to remove the bracelet controlling his actions.  After they did so Maederos informed them that he still felt the complusion, and Ukem was able to identify the bracelet on the severed wrist as being an illusion.

Omen used a charm to regrow Maederos’ severed limb, and the party agreed to keep a watch on him as he is still potentially compromised by whoever found the bracelet.  They are hoping that in time they can learn more of it and perhaps block its influence.

The party left the northern sky tower and headed for the Orrery of Athainu where they hoped to be able to obscure their future from the Loom of Fate.  Upon arriving they found that the place was severely damaged.  It would turn on, but too many pieces were missing and if it functioned they doubted its accuracy.

In addition to the Orrery itself there was a large planetarium that the PCs investigated.  It appeared to be a place to study the readings garnered from the Orrery, and was in better repair than the Orrery itself.  After they’d learned what they could the party exited the planetarium to find that an ambush had been set for them.

A fierce battle ensued as Filial Wisdom and his great goblin troops tried to kill the party.  Shara was nearly killed by an arrow, which sent Ukem into a frenzy.  He left the safety of the planetarium, and was nearly killed by Filial Wisdom before making it back inside.

They heard a high pitched whine from above which they correctly identified as a warbird.  As Sirio had been working on them in Relza’s hangar just a few hours before it wasn’t hard for them to figure out who was piloting it.  Sirio managed to kill a pair of goblins before Filial jumped into the air and cut the warbird in half.

Sirio would have died on impact, but due to his heroism he exalts into a Lunar.  He was still badly wounded, and Omen raced outside to rescue him.  Filial took the opportunity to attack Omen who fended off the flurry.  This left Filial exposed to Gargas and Ukem who moved in to flank him.

Ukem was severely wounded, but so was Filial.  He fled and Ukem carried Gargas after him.  They finally cornered the corrupted solar, and after an intense battle were able to kill him. 

The party regrouped at the planetarium, where Relza revealed her presence.  She offered to let them recover their strength in her hangar bay and the party agreed as it gave them a place to plan their next move.

No one returns from Rathess…

Our last session ended with the party reaching a ridge in the jungle above the ruined city of Rathess.  They sent Omen and Gargas on a Cirrus Skiff to scout the city, and the pair found a Dawn Caste performed some sort of cannibalisitc ritual for about 300 goblins and humans that were worshiping him.

They pulled back to tell the group what they’d witnessed, and Gargas made the decision to send Jingu and Shara to scout the city.  Before they left Ukem used the Borrow Sense charm so he could see through Shara’s senses while she scouted.

Jingu triggered a pressure plate embedded in the cobblestone street, and it knocked her unconscious.  When Shara crept into the street to tend to Jingu she was shot by a poison dart that knocked her unconscious too.  Ukem immediately told the group, and he, Talak and Gargas came to investigate.

When they arrived they were attacked by lizardmen who Omen theorized could be the descendants of the Dragon Kings.  One of them managed to knock Talak out with a poisoned dart, and after killing a few dozen the solar retreated back to camp with one as a prisoner.

Gargas and Ukem returned to try tracking Jingu and Shara, but it was slow going and they were constantly ambushed by more lizardmen.  Gargas made the difficult decision to return to the camp, and armed with SheIs the party interogated the lizard.

They learned that Jingu and Shara would be taken to the Eastern Sky Tower, which appeared to be the stronghold of the lizardmen.  They also learned that the lizardmen were ruled by a goddess, though they didn’t know her name or how powerful she might be.

After lengthly deliberation Gargas decided to send the bulk of the party’s strength to assault the tower and recover Shara and Jingu.  They left behind Gloom, Sirio and Fredden under Talak’s watchful eye.  Mindful of the camp being discovered Gargas asked them to leave the camp and hide while the party was away.

The party used Cirrus Skiffs and Ukem’s deadly beastman form to ferry the party to the top of the sky tower.  They entered through a docking bay that was filled with functional warbirds, but before they could go any further a winged goddess appeared and introduced herself as Relza.

She demanded to know why they had invaded her domain.  Ukem told her to stand aside or be attacked, and this seemed to really upset her.  Relza used principle of motion to tear Ukem apart, and only Omen’s immediate healing saved his life.

The party apologized to Relza, and thanks to Maederos she was mollified enough to listen rather than attack them.  Once they’d told their story she explained that they’d need to meet with the leader of the tower, the goodess Leeayta. 

The PCs were lead to her throne room where she explained her motivations.  She wants to raise the lizardmen from their primitive soceity back to the thriving metropolis that once existed in Rathess. 

Leeayta agreed to let give Shara and Jingu back to the group, but only if they’d destroy her enemies.  The first target she assigned them was the western sky tower, which she said was controlled by fair folk.  Gargas agreed, and the goddess gave the PCs lodgings for the night to recover their strength.

During that night several events occured.  First, Sirio and Relza became close friends.  When she realized that he could repair the warbirds, and loved them as much as she did, Relza was pleased and more than willing to teach him about the first age airships.

The second major event was the assault on the camp.  Gloom sent word to Omen that the solar from the pyramid was assaulting the camp.  He killed Talak, Tribben and Fredden while Gloom and Sirio managed to flee into the jungle.  No one knew how he found the camp to begin with.

Omen flew out to recover the pair, who were both wounded.  He brought them back to the eastern sky tower to join their battered companions.

The other major event was the death of Seris, who was killed by Maederos.  Just after Maederos exalted V’neef placed a magical bracelet on his arm that controlled his actions.  She sent the control unit for this bracelet to Gargas, so that he could bend Maederos to his will if necessary.

When the party was at the training camp all of Gargas’ belongings were taken from him, including the control unit.  In their frantic escape from Maduka Shin and her infernal allies Gargas had no choice but to leave it behind.

Apparently that unit was found, because Maederos was orderded to kill one of his companions.  He chose Seris, but used a loophole in the control to at least let Gargas know he was being controlled.

Gargas and Maederos decided to approach Leeayta to explain the situation.  She recognized the bracelet from the first age, and told the Solar that the deal was off.  She wanted no corrupted Solar in her domain, and gave them until midday to leave her domain.  The upside is that she agreed to release Jingu and Shara.

Gargas and Maederos gathered the party the following morning where they filled them in on what had happened with between Maederos and Seris.  No one was happy with the situation, and they brainstormed possible ways to remove the bracelet.

The only solution they could come up with was amputation.  Maederos agreed to have his arm removed with the understanding that Omen could reattach or regrow it afterwards.  They sliced off his arm in a spray of blood, and that’s where I ended the session…

Bad food, bugs and oppressive heat

Last session the PCs arrived in the ancient Dragon King city of Ela’dune.  They’d decided to head to the Dragon King capital of Rathess to find the Orrery of Athainu, an astrological device of incredible power that might be able to mask their presence from the Sidereal they fear may be hunting them.

They settled down for the night to rest, but two important events occured by the next morning.  First, the Lunar Hanlon left the camp to see out Raksi to learn from her.  He spoke to Ukem before going, and promised to keep in touch.

The second event was more momentous.  An Abyssal named Kodara Moonshadow was caught prowling around the edge of the camp.  When they confronted him the party learned that Kodara had come to collected Shara.  He claimed to be in love with her, and that their mutual master had wiped Shara’s memory before sending her to the training camp.

When it was clear he wouldn’t be allowed to take Shara, Kodara fled.  He jumped from a 300 meter platform towards the lake below, but before he could get there Ukem snatched up Gargas and dove after.  They caught him before he reached the ground, and while Kodara successfully defended against Gargas’ attack it left him unable to save himself from the fall.  He broke his spine and skull on impact, dying instantly.

After the fight Daerian sent an Infallible Messenger to Ayesha, who ordered her to return home.  Daerian agreed, but cast a Swift Spirit to take the party to the town of Chaing-Dav before passing through a portal into Yu-Shan.

Every member of the group grew up on the Blessed Isle, which means they are used to weather control, air conditioning and indoor plumbing.  Being thrust into the depths of the hottest part of the jungle was a very unwelcome surprise.

The bugs, the oppressive heat and the rampant disease were all a bit of a shock, but at least Omen’s command of medicine prevented anything more than discomfort.  They stayed in the rudest hovel they could imagine, and were repulsed by the fact that the fire was made using dung instead of wood.

The party was able to find a guide and decided to make their way upriver using a normal canoe.  Two weeks of uncomfortable travel later they finally reached the point where they had to leave the canoe behind.

They travelled through the tops of the trees for the next several days, and eventually reached a ridge overlooking the ruins of Rathess.  Their guide headed back at this point leaving them to explore the ancient city.

Gargas wisely decided that before they entered they needed as much information as possible, which meant scouting.  The party was especially worried about locating the Orrery as they had no idea in the vast city where it would be located.

At this point they finally figured out that SheIs had a map, and called upon her to display it.  They realized where the Orrery was, and used a Cirrus Skiff to scout the city out.  What they found shocked them.

Many parts of the city were overrun by primitive lizard men, but what drew their eye was the ritual being performed atop the Pyramid of the Sunset.  A solar with a dawn caste mark had about 300 human and goblin cannibals worshiping him.  They were feasting on what appeared to be the remains of defeated foes.

Who is this Solar?  What sort of cult is he running?  How will he react to the party?  The PCs were left to ponder these questions until next week!