[actual play] Exalted - Forge of Souls #whitewolf #exalted @white_wolf_fan

 

Episode 1 - Sins of the Past - Part 4

With the beast dead, torn to shreds by Light's spell, Death of Obsidian Butterflies, Echo, Dorn and Rain investigated the body. Echo recognizes the the creature is partly composed of magical materials, including a previously unseen type of jade the is coloured yellow. Together they able to ascertain that the creature is in some way made from different parts. Dorn looked around at the rest of the other tanks and found remains of other similar bodies in various stages of modification. The creature then was some form of experiment or construct, where limbs and organs and bones had been replaced. Worse was the fact that the creature had begun as human. However, the magitech was far beyond their understanding and was clearly something from the First Age.

Aisha, Kheralin and Light tend to the children, resuscitating them and removing the needles and tubes that have been inserted into them. Considering what they had seen of the creature and the others in the tanks, the children were to be somehow changed. This meant that there was some original creator but the question was where were they now. It seemed impossible that the creature that they had just fought was capable of doing this all by its self.

Leaving the main chamber the group investigated one the earlier corridors that they  skipped before. Within the massive room was a tower in the centre. Lighting arced about above, jumping from conductors and gems. The room resonated with essence. Again Echo had the most insight into the device, stating that the machine was similar to the essence accumulators that are used in Lookshy. In effect the tower was the heart of a manse, and in turn powered the entire complex. Once more the scale and technology and magic was beyond comprehension for the circle. However, Dorn through caution to the wind and attempted to detach a red jewel from its setting on the device. Essence built up and lighting jumped and earthed on Dorn. There was the smell of cooking flesh and burning hair, but Dorn was able to prise the gem off the device. It was then that machine really did go out of control as lightning began to arc erratically. They take off at a run at Kheralin's suggestion. Rain accedes this time.

Light is first off down the tunnel towards the surface, with the others close behind except for Dorn who trailed behind, still stunned by the shock he had received. The entire complex rumbled and shook. The light globes dimmed and soon went out entirely. Though they were plunged into darkness many of the circle still retained their anima flare, and so illuminated the corridors with their caste marks. They rushed to the main door, and as all but Dorn went through the door iris began to close. Rain jammed his sword into the iris to give Dorn enough time to exit, though Rain lost the tip of his sword as the iris cut it to a new razor sharp edge.

Exiting the cave Dorn and Rain were almost caught by the landslide from the cliff face above. Dorn dodged many of the tumbling rocks, while Rain employed his Seven-Shadow Evasion technique. Regrouped, the circle watched on in awe as the hillside collapsed in on itself. A beam of blue light, wrapped in electrical arcs erupted into the sky. It was clear that the circle should move soon before they were spotted.

Wondering back to the wagon, the circle took the children back to safety. They worried what the best way would be of returning them as the circle wanted to attract the least amount of attention as possible. Aisha's use of Stormwind Rider was considered to blatant. Rain, not too concerned about the children, and therefore stayed out of the discussion and so was able to make out movement ahead of them. He quietly warned Echo. Kheralin and Echo both called upon their charm of Monkey Leap Technique to leap up into the branches of the trees above them. Rain is annoyed. His warning was not meant to be used for individual evasion. Kheralin scouted ahead and finds a large group of men with lanterns and weaponry. She reported this back to those on the ground. The group attempted to slip away, but Light stumbled, breaking a twig. Rain asks Kheralin if the group of men are from the village, or if the Guild might have had that many men in town. Aishsa doubted that the Guild had that many resources. Rain motions for everybody to put their weapons aside, and wait calmly, and Echo leapt down, his sword ready behind his back.

The villagers encircled the group of Solar Exalts, initially cautious and hostile. Rain tried to pass themselves off as peaceful travelers, who have come across the children and are returning them to the village. Rain, trying to placate the mob, asked if the parents are with the villagers, as they would like to return the children. Light bowed as he handed over a child. However, a priest of Grey Tiger emerged from the crowd. He is adorned with a necklace of many tiger fangs which shows that he is quite an authority within the faith. He attempted to turn the villagers against the group, and tried to shout down any of their claims, calling them anathema and monsters, deceivers, who have stolen the children. Rain pulled himself together and appealed to the villagers, infusing his words with essence. Driven by his anger at the priest, and being called a boy by this backwoods cleric (he's in his 30's), Rain spoke to the assembled crowd, presenting the group as peaceful in their intentions, and the priest as a fear-monger, only trying to scare the villagers against imaginary monsters so that he can exploit his position of privilege. However, Rain knew that he was in a tight spot, as he felt his command of essence drained and that any further use of his supernatural talents would cause his anima to flare. This would simply confirm their nature and show them as liars and the priest will in turn have won. Luckily, his points are persuasive and start to win the crowd around. Aisha made a social attack against the priest for acting in his own interests, but her words were rebuffed as he pointed her out as a foreigner whose words are poison. Light made an appeal to the villagers as a man of Khacin simply trying to do a good deed. But the priest is scornful, suggesting that Light is the reason his own village of Wai'hl is destroyed. Dorn stood up straight and proud and presented himself as a hero of Khacin. But again the priest just pointed out he is nothing but a barely civilized barbarian from the North. The priest attempted to attack back at Rain, again denouncing them, calling them deceivers. Rain was able to stand firm against these words, but felt his heart beginning to race. Rain shook his head slowly, calmly pointing out of the priest is angry, and irritated, and calling for blood, when it is unnecessary. Who is the monster here then? Rain asked. The priest lost the support of the crowd, who start to drift away back to the village, now more concerned with the rescued children than in making new enemies. The priest too is forced to leave, telling Rain that this is not the end of this. Rain agrees. Rain turns to the rest of the group, and is halfway through the sentence 'I believe that we may have to kill this troubles...", when Red Echo dashed forward, and from behind the un-expecting and defenceless priest cleaved him in two with his greatsword. The priest's body fell into two pieces with blood fountain out. Rain's visible response to this is a single raised eyebrow as Echo walks back cleaning his sword as if nothing important had happened. Rain had anticipated slipping back to the village in the dead of night
to do the deed. Or at least try and convince one of the others to do if for him. Although messy, this did speed up the process somewhat. If the group could be turned against priests who stood in their way, then they would indeed be a useful tool against the priestly bureaucracy of Khacin.

In the dark of the woods, with the circle of Exalts gone, the crumpled form of the priest rested in halves. Then, the dead fingers of the holy man twitched, and his eyes rolled back open. The priest smiled and then began to laugh. 'Yes, I will be trouble. It seems that you all have a penchant for causing chaos and disrupting order. Next time you won't get away so lightly. I WILL BE THE ONE LEFT STANDING ECHO AND RAIN!'.