>>1090680
"Do you believe that Anathema are indeed evil beings, and if so then why would we want to welcome an individual seeking such company?" Caitlyn asked as she stepped closer to comfort Fleegman and offer him a sense of safety "Need I remind you that it was a Dynast who poisoned this man, not Anathema?" The woman wasn't being aggressive towards Taitapet, but she was looking for something more substantial than a casual 'trust me'. "This man is the one who was harmed and has the most at risk, so if you can convince him of your good intentions then you have my approval as well."

>>1090681
Taitapet frowns for moment, contemplating what exactly the woman in armor half-accosting him wants him to say, and then speaks. "Someone very important to me appeared before me, now an Anathema, and told me... she said various things about the world, its history and the nature of Anathema before departing. I journey to learn of the veracity, one way or the other, of her words." He smiles. "So an alliance should be mutually beneficial I think."

Taitapet doesn't speak of his deeper feelings toward the Realm, his overall goals or even what kind of Exalt the woman he mentioned was. He spoke the minimum needed to answer Caitlyn and seem open about his past, cards still close to his chest. He maintained a smile and sincere eyes though, and wasn't even holding back too much so it's likely only a very astute listener would detect it but... it is detectable. Sincere, but not giving the full picture.

>>1090682
"If you wish to observe the nature of Anathema then you are welcome to keep my company, though I would caution you to refrain from that general term and simply use the term of chosen. There are those in our number who take offense to the Anathema moniker and I cannot ensure your safety from the eldest of those who stride across Creation."

>>1090683
Taitapet bows a little at that, just showing respect. "Very well, I can go along with that."

"The advice is appreciated, Chosen..." He pauses. "Chosen certainly, but Chosen by anything specific?"

>>1090684
Caitlyn spoke with deep conviction and pride, completely bereft of misdirection. By realm standards, she might come across as simplistic and unrefined, but her confidence was allowed to shine through. "I am a priestess of Venus and champion of her cause. It is my calling to deliver her message of peace and joy to those who only understand violence."

rolled 7, 8, 6, 10, 6, 4, 4, 10, 3, 3, 5, 8, 1, 7, 10, 9, 5, 2, 5, 7, 1, 6, 3, 6, 2, 1, 1, 2, 4, 9 = 155

---

For the moment, Spinel is hanging back with Kisara's followers, hood up to conceal her lack of bestial traits, and allowing the other Exalted to confront the newly arrived dynast—either. Her anima banner has finally receded to the point where blending into a crowed is possible, and as either a physician or ranged combatant, her place is not on the front lines. (Dexterity 5 + Stealth 1)

>He doesn't seem to be lying...
What does reading motivation have to say about that? (Perception 4 + Investigation 1). Perhaps Caitlyn's interrogation provides a cooperation bonus die?

While Spinel is not going to step forward to offer the suggestion yet, if they wishes to ensure the Dragon-Blood is not here to harm, spy on, or otherwise betray the group, an Eclipse oath would solve the problem. ...surely in such an overlarge circle, one of their number is an Eclipse?

>>1090679
That looks correct for me.

rolled 3, 7, 7, 1, 5, 10, 10, 4, 2, 6 = 55

---

Rolling for my followers to notice Spinel among them. Bit of a wasted exercise, but it’s just in case. Perception 3 and Awareness 3, plus 4 extra dice in case of any bonuses.

Cold Blooded in the Blaze of the Sun arrives after completed his last minite browsing. He seems refreshed, even after having lugged 3 large crates across town. He quickly notices the presence of Taitapet among his companions.

"Ah, Kisara, is this one of our hirelings? A captain or other quality specialist i assume. Please advise of an appropriate time for introduction ls once we have all completed our respective duties."

He dusts his hands off & looks to see if there are any minions requiring either assistance or supervision, currently standing near the group, but with a look to about to step away at any moment

“Uh, no. This is someone who wants in on the hunt. They’re a dynast…but they’re not going to kill us. I think…”
She nervously looked towards Cold, glancing at Taitapet as well.

He raises an eyebrow & speaks in a more elegant tongue than the colloquial RiverSpeak he has been addressing others in before
《High Realm》

"Oh, a Dynast, I knew it, I could just smell the quality. Where are you from? I understand most usually ask what house, but I find that your location of upbringing is far more revealing of ones character, wouldn't you agree?"
"I am known as Cold Blooded in the Blaze of the Sun, an affectation I use when dealing with those of the Threshold. Not that I look down upon them, you see, I too am a provincial, raised in Thorns before..."

His face darkens as he seems distracted by unsettling thoughts & memories, before making eye contact again with his stones, granite coloured eyes & mustering up an uneasy smile.

"Well, since then I am presenting with my Threshold moniker."

#Inventory
hundred pounds of mostly random trinkets and rocks, practical utility dubious
- Big bag of dried foods (fruit, fish & goat jerky etc)
- Big waterskin of freshwater

>>1090761
Worth noting, if you're scaling the load to your strength and stamina with Unbreakable Bones of Stone active, but your metabolic needs are still based on natural ratings, that could be upwards of six weeks of food per slot.
Or maybe two of those five-gallon backpack-barrels of water, one slung on each shoulder, with a couple weeks of trail rations stacked on top of each?

(The two barrels of water with food stacked on top sounds perfect. Cold will do that)

>>1090744
"I mostly grew up bouncing around The House of High Waves." He then stops for a moment, before adopting a very sheepish expression. "Not as an employee you understand..."

?

"I was sent to the Imperial City for schooling soon after, but that isn't really connected to your question now, is it? So I won't bore you with those details." Even though his eyes clearly want to! He isn't remotely trying to hide that!

They must be pleasant memories.

He swaps back into RiverSpeak as he gestures to the others

"Well, if thry have already welcomed you, I see no reason for me not to do the same. We discuss about your upbringing once we arrive & camp has been set up."

>>1090679
>The Burning Champion — 05/11/2024 6:17 PM
>As for what I am carrying, about as much food and water as I can carry, and a fancy compass with all 5 elemental poles marked on it that she stole off a ship on her journey eastward from the Ocean

rolled 6, 4, 6, 1, 10, 9, 1, 10, 10, 10, 4, 8, 6, 5, 10, 5, 8, 10, 1, 4, 8, 8, 8, 10, 10, 6, 7, 1, 4, 1, 3, 9, 6, 6, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3, 2, 9, 3, 6, 6, 7, 8, 6, 9, 2, 2 = 292

---

>>1090575
Three young men with buff jackets, tetsubos, and hostile intent are loitering in or near Fleegman's apartment. Roll for Stealth and Awareness to see who spots who first.
Short of flight, teleportation, or demolishing walls, there are two ways in or out of the apartment: the building's interior stairs and hallways, which are dark and cramped, involving a lot of locked doors and blind corners... or the rear fire escape, skeletal catwalks of iron-hard black resin resembling ladders or thornbushes more than stairs, dangling over an alley knee-deep with oily stagnant water, and leading to a window which definitely isn't meant to be opened from the outside, but at least there's moonlight. How are you approaching?

rolled 4, 8, 2, 3, 5, 6 = 28

---

Perception + Awareness +3 dice for extras

rolled 4, 8, 1, 9, 9, 7, 4 = 42

---

Dex + Stealth (-1 penalty) +3 for extras

Cold looks around, noticing at the last moment the somewhat unexpected reception. He signals to the others to hang back a moment behind a stack of boxes nefore they are all seen.

The men chuckle to themselves at the sight of someone gazing in that sort of way at the place they're guarding. They both approach, one of them is posted inside precisely to give them this sort of flexibility.

>>1090988
(Join Debate)

rolled 7, 2, 8, 8, 9, 10, 1, 7, 1, 8, 9, 5, 6, 7, 9, 3, 8, 8, 2, 6 = 124

---

...

Seeing the sentries approach, Cold resigns himself to having a discussion. He signals to his guide to wait behind him as he confidently strides towards them. Leaning on a wall with his flinty stare hinting at his displeasure of being delayed

After some initial attempts at diplomacy, one of the goons smashes a hole through the wall where Cold's head was a moment earlier. Cold then steals a knife off the man's belt and stabs him with it for four levels of lethal damage.

The other goon panics and flees, while a third (who was waiting inside) attempts to negotiate a surrender, in exchange for his friend getting urgently needed medical attention.

Wounded goon who organized the ambush at Fleegman's apartment is stabilized. Might eventually regain full use of his left arm, with luck or further treatment. Both of his buddies, plus the girlfriend of the one who ran off in a panic, have been disarmed and are surrounded by enough huge beastmen that they don't dare make trouble... at least for the moment. What will you do with them?

All the expedition crew and equipment - or at least everything you'll be able to find on such short notice, more than enough to fill a casting of Stormwind Rider to capacity - has been assembled and packed. Will you be setting out immediately via spell, before dawn?
Or loading it onto a ship first (to lay a false trail and/or bring reinforcements closer to the destination), then launching from the deck once you're outside the city?
There's enough moonlight that high-speed overland navigation is possible, but it won't be easy.

>>1091040
Woe would vote to leave as soon as possible, but I (the player) vote for the ship plan.

rolled 6, 1, 1, 10, 2, 9, 5, 9, 5, 4, 10, 8, 5, 5, 6, 9, 10, 7, 3, 3 = 118

---

>Wounded goon who organized the ambush at Fleegman's apartment is stabilized.
>Second medical emergency within two hours
"Is this going to be a pattern?"

>Wounded goon who organized the ambush at Fleegman's apartment is stabilized. Might eventually regain full use of his left arm, with luck or further treatment.
With bleeding staunched and immediate death off the table, let's see bad the rest of it is. (Perception 4 + Medicine 5), plus Flawless Diagnosis Technique. How bad is the crippling wound, how many health levels is he down?

>"What will you do with them?"
"To be clear, I did not keep him from Lethe just so someone could add further knives. I'm not in the business of facilitating torture."

> lay a false trail and/or bring reinforcements closer to the destination
"A feint might help in reducing the rate of medical interventions."

>>1091082
"No, my friend wasn't running away from a back-alley knife fight! He's no coward! And, um, also we aren't criminals and definitely would never be involved with such a thing. Some fey horseman came from the firewander district, lanced and trampled him."
"Well, that does sound fairly consistent with him having been struck first in the shoulder, with superhuman force focused on a sharp point, knocked down by the impact onto cobblestones, and then crushed by something weighing several hundred pounds moving at about 20mph, but...
>Flawless Diagnosis Technique
"...something's not quite right."
"What do you mean? There's even a clear hoofprint on his jacket right there."
"That definitely is an impression from a horseshoe, but it doesn't quite line up with the deepest bruising."

After some further alchemical tests...

"Aha! There's no traces of wyld taint in the wound. And who ever heard of a fae horse with iron shoes?"

Turns out that Cold had a horseshoe he was carrying around on a string, intending to eventually enchant it. Inflicted the puncture wound (and concomitant shattered scapula) with a knife, rather than a cavalry lance, and apparently managed to put a cavalry charge's worth of force behind it with a jump from a standing start. If not for a sturdy mammoth-hide jacket, might have torn open the brachial artery, killed that poor bastard on the spot.

In mechanical terms, the patient is down five lethal health levels - four from the initial strike, plus one from subsequent bleeding - and if that broken shoulderblade is allowed to heal wrong, he'll be at a persistent -2 wound penalty due to chronic pain and reduced range of motion in his left arm and back.

"A fey noble rampaging around Nexus sounds like a real problem. Perhaps we should delay our departure long enough to take care of this threat? I would hate to bring further strife to this city, such as it is, but this may be the only way to ultimately bring about peace for all." Caitlyn suggests, taking the thug's description seriously.

“Yeah….that’s bad. I also say we deal with this, the wyld can be….problematic. Believe me. I know more than most.”
She was just standing nearby, leaning against the wall of the barracks, her ears dropped down a bit in worry.

*Drooped, sorry.

>>1091094
"Please, can you tell me more of this fey knight? I shall hunt down this fiend while I have time before departure."

“Well, on the subject of our departure, allow me to suggest. I say we leave by ship, lay a false trail. Might throw off any pursuers, allow last minute decisions. Unless anyone has any objections?”
Kisara was clearly taking charge, her ears had pricked up, her tone of voice had changed slightly, etcetera.

>>1091333
"A valid and useful idea." Thousand Maws gives her a smile in support. "I happen to have a ship I could use for the purpose, as well, if everyone wishes."

"Yeah, sure."

>>1091290
Spinel Caryatid's Flawless Diagnosis Technique has determined that there was no such horseman, and Fleegman can confirm.

Cold, having seen the medical emergency been resolved, left to continue packing. He returns shortly after, with a great leap to near Caitlyn, pnce seeing she was readying to hunt the mysterious assailant of the injured. With a wave for her to come closer, he quietly explains the situation

"Ah, Caitlyn, so valiant of you to seek justice, but I cant help but feel I am somewhat responsible for this. When Fkeegman & I approached his residence, there were three armed & aggressive men awaiting us. As I moved forward to discuss the options if them looking away, they attacked me , so I acquired a dagger from the soon to be wounded warrior which caused him to realise he was out matched & flee, so I leapt & struck him but once, but he fell mightily to the ground with grave injury. My heart softened to see his plight, so we hurtied here for medical attention, taking his two accomplices with us I believe. In all the excitement I am not quite sure who accompanied us. The tale invented of the Fae was an invention of these men, I suppose for the purpose of deflection of their nefarious intent upon Fleegman & I, or to dissuade others of the notion of Exalted being involved, eitherway, a little bit of duplicitous rumour will aid us in maintaining what few shreds of anonymity remains about is & our intentions. I couldn't bear you to put yourself at risk seeking a fable that has little bearing to the truth."

rolled 1, 1, 6, 2, 5, 5, 2, 7, 8, 5, 9, 6, 3, 4, 9, 4, 2, 2, 10, 2, 9, 2, 7, 5, 10, 6, 7, 7, 4, 10 = 160

---

As it doesn't seem the expedition is going to be rushing off immediately, Spinel Caryatid is going to commandeer part of the barracks' kitchen and break out her alchemy kit, to whip up some hero's recovery to treat the broken shoulder blade. Along the way, she borrows Cold's horseshoe for inclusion in the ritual, muttering about "sympathetic resonances" (the iron struck a blow but did not cause the injury in the intended recipient- that's symbolism she can use).

Paying 2m (per houserules) activation cost for the ritual, spending 1 wp on an autosuccess. (Intelligence 5 + Occult 1 + Art of Alchemy + 1 + Stunt). Could potentially add a cooperation die or or two if anyone with dots in Occult wants to assist in an hour of potion making.

Assuming that succeeds, I'd be willing to throw Wound-Mending Care Technique at wrapping things up. ...are we discharging/releasing the surrendered assailants back to Nexus and their employers, or brining them along for the ride?

> If you're forming up most of the expedition as a single unit, who's the leader?
> And who's in special character slots?
Willing to assign Spinel as a sorcerer/specialist. If we don't have enough relays, could swap to that role, but she does have a ranged option.

rolled 4, 4, 6, 2, 7, 8, 3, 9, 4, 8, 10 = 65

---

>>1091511
"I see, thank you for the clarification." Caityln then approaches the one who had told the tale of the fey "While we are taking a moment to explore the truth, why dont we discuss why you were waiting for Fleegman to return to his home? Please seize this opportunity for redemption as I abhor violence."

=======[ OOC ]=======

Charisma 3 + Presence 0 + Stone of Humble Glory 5
Channel Compassion +5 Successes
Appearance 5
-1 WP
-1 Compassion Channel

>>1091513
Treatment successful, despite some unexpected challenges. A less astute alchemist would likely have seen the potion spoiled by contamination from Nexus's miasma.
>Could potentially add a cooperation die or or two if anyone with dots in Occult wants to assist in an hour of potion making.
They'd need to know the specific procedure to be able to help, though not necessarily the full corresponding degree.

rolled 2, 10, 6, 5, 2, 1, 10, 6, 10, 9, 1, 7, 2, 6, 5, 4, 9, 3, 8, 1, 6, 5, 3, 2, 10, 10, 3, 5, 8, 2, 3, 5, 6, 2, 5, 7, 3, 7, 1, 5, 3, 6, 8, 7, 10, 1, 6, 7, 8, 5 = 266

---

Champion is going to take a simple route to preparing for the oncoming voyage. Much as she stated she was going to do in >>1089693 she is going to pursue looking for a big enough ship for the party to steal in order to take care of 150 people, and the far simpler problem of food and drink she's going to handle by just waiting until she no longer is obviously a dragon, and just walking up to a prepared pile of food barrels and water that aren't quite being loaded yet, and hefting a barrel over each shoulder, food on the left water on the right, and walking off like she owned the place.

Just walking around with stolen barrels in hand, she was going to find the tallest building she could climb, and go looking out at the horizon in order to make sure that the weather was going to be good in the south by south east direction.

Kisara then stepped in next to the goon.
“Look. We won’t kill you. We promise. But you’re not coming out of this without giving something up. So, since I’m the ruling authority in this place, under the rules of my people, you owe us a life-debt. Me and my friend here.”
She gestured to Cold.
“So, you work for us, and everything’s okay. Deal?”

rolled 5, 10, 10, 7, 9, 7, 4, 7, 6, 7, 8, 7, 2, 3, 6 = 98

---

Cold Blooded in the Blaze of the Sun puts down his three crates, pushing them into place like they were light cartons & not the thick, weathered wooden crates they were & nods meaningfully at Kisara's words, the hilt of his large sword looming ominously over his shoulder

"I think you understand how we are better friends than opponents"

《OoC Cha + Presence to Influence them, +10 dice for binus/stunts/modifiers》

Cold crosses his arms

"You understand that at my great personal restraint, you three are here, alive & mostly well. Ergo, you each owe me a great boon, as do I owe our alchemically inclined medic here for her gift to me."

He puts his hands upon his hips as he turns to face Spinel, giving a deep nod in appreciation, before returning a stern gaze to the three

"Do as Kisara commands..." He nods in the direction of Kisara to clearly identify of whom he is referring to "& your debt to me will be squared, as I will entreat Spinel to offer her terms for negating my debt to her"

>>1091617
Caitlyn gently pulls Cold to the side and speaks softly

"Are you certain this is a good idea? We don't know this individual's situation. They may not be trustworthy at all, or if they are then they may have children depending on them. We should learn more of their situation before any proclamations, dont you think?"

His granite eyes open wide with realisation as he hurriedly turns for hushed whispers to Caitlyn

"You may well be right? But it isn't unknown for one to claim they have dependents to lessen their obligation to others. What do you recommend? I am of the mind that while they are with us, it is harder for them to pass information back to their original employer"

>>1091619
"I am not certain. Let us ask them of their situation an employer. We will either have a better understanding of their commitments, or if they have an unreliable character. I worry about taking such an individual into the field."

>>1091521
Ten successes against MDV 0. Last thing he remembers, he was laying in the street, face-down in a puddle of his own blood, then there was a bright light and he was floating through the air above the rooftops. Most of the pain is gone now, and he's on a clean, soft bed, surrounded by wolves who walk like men, while a beautiful, terrible, golden angel commands him to confess his sins and repent.

Not quite what he was expecting from the afterlife, but then again it's not like he was some pious scholar. Surprises happen.

He starts spilling as much of his life story as he can remember, with particular emphasis on anything memorably meritorious (small kindnesses to monks or orphans, defending his friends through thick and thin, sporadically attending immaculate services, a few imperfectly-recalled sutras) or shameful (mostly drugs, opportunistic violence, clandestine affair with his buddy's girlfriend's mother-in-law) under the apparent impression that leaving anything significant out might get him torn apart by those celestial beastmen, then reincarnated as some sort of fish.

As for Fleegman's apartment, well, guy who lives there stole something from his dealer's boss. Might've been a reward if they got it back, or captured the guy in order to make an example of him.