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Lessons of Dynasty Part 1: Abecedarian	By : JohnDoe Category: +A through F > Exalted RPG Views: 470 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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Chapter 1 - Reya

Realm Year 732, the 14^th Day of Resplendent Earth, Saturnsday
Dejis Prefecture, The Blessed Isle

Darjilis. Once an important city in the mountain ranges surrounding the great mountain at the centre of the world, laid to waste by war and the ravages of time, rebuilt as Mnemon-Darjilis by the efforts of Mnemon, eldest living daughter of the immortal Scarlet Empress. Now the capital of Great House Mnemon’s power, the city is dominated by the House of Marmoreal Glory: a giant pyramid cut of alabaster which sits as the jewel in the centre of the city. But Mnemon is a Great House of architects, and Mnemon-Darjilis contains many a beautiful temple, precision engineered manse, or sprawling Dynastic estate.

One such estate, is the Ascendency of Felicitous Lapidary. Neither the largest nor a mystical manse, the Ascendency is none-the-less one of the most important estates in the city, for it is the workshop and family home of Mnemon’s granddaughter, Mnemon Alinos.

Alinos. Whose breath has frozen entire cities. Whose voice, like thunder, has routed barbarian armies. Mistress of the mystic arts and Chosen of Mela. Such is the purity of Mnemon’s blood that most of her descendants favour the Aspect of Earth (with some bloodlines of Fire and Wood from intermarriage with Great Houses Sesus and Cynis), but a significant minority are chosen by the Dragon of Air, and almost all of these can trace their line to Alinos and her sisters.

The clever construction of the Ascendancy is such that it can house up to fifty Dynasts luxury that exceeds the expectations of Creation’s elite. Though not a manse, Alinos controls many such wonderous structures outside of the city, which she uses as vacation homes and boons to her family. Alinos controls many mines within the mountain ranges that surround the city, but its wealth is not in the earth, but rather of the beauteous things which can be forged from the fruits of the Earth.

Alinos has witnessed the birth of sisters, and nieces, and cousins, and granddaughters. Of her own children, four sons – Tekad, Nisin, Tinis, and Ferad. Twelve years ago, the first daughter of Alinos was born. This child, born amidst a howling thunderstorm, consanguineous with the Scarlet Empress, portended for great things. Descended from the great Dwei Jenagog of Clan Desai, whose ancestors trace claims unbroken descent from the Chosen of Mela. Her father, Mnemon Rulinsei Johon, The Bear of Darjilis, great-grandson of the Empress once bore a mountain upon his back.

On this girl, lies the hopes of the bloodline of Alinos.

Mnemon Alinos Danireya.

Like all the children of the Dragons, Danireya has been born mortal. Groomed by the finest tutors to enter the most exclusive primary school in all Dejis Province – the Pagoda of First Foundation, patronned by Mnemon herself. The school is built in the old Shogunate style across five levels – one for each year of study – of sturdy enough construction to resist the awesome elemental powers of the Dragon-Blooded. Mortal children are taught separately from those who have received the holy blessing of the Elemental Dragons. Its graduates go on to many things, such as the occult Secondary School founded by Mnemon – The Balustrade of Glorious Harmony – or one of the grand Secondary Schools, such as the Spiral Academy, or the Realm’s most exclusive school – the Heptagram.

Here she has spent the past three years, excelling in every subject, until today, the morning of her twelfth nameday.

****

Pagoda of First Foundation
Third Year Girl’s Dormitory

“Udi, wake up.” Danireya’s voice is clear but urgent.

Ledaal Ludila, Udi to her friends, rolls over in bed, “I know you’re excited about your nameday, but it’s still night-time! Go back to sleep. And put that light out.”

Danireya’s tone doesn’t change, serious but not panicked, “Udi, seriously.”

Udi groans and sits up in bed, pulling the bedclothes closer around her. It’s cold in their room. Unseasonably cold. Freezing cold. She wipes her face as something cold and wet brushes against her. It’s a snowflake.

Udi’s eyes snap wide awake. Mnemon Danireya is glowing a bright sky-blue, standing in the eye of a localized, indoor snowstorm. For a moment, the swirling storm stops, and an ice mandala coalesces around the twelve-year-old girl. And then the display collapses, imprinting a giant snowflake pattern on the ground, as the snowstorm rages back stronger than ever. The light radiating from Danireya lights up the room as bright as morning, and shines from the dormitory window, lighting up the dark of the autumn night outside.

“You’ve been… Chosen... by Mela!” Udi says, dumbfounded. The temperature drops precipitously, freezing Udi to the bone, despite her warm blankets.

Reya gives her oldest friend a small smile as she tries to back up away from the door as far as possible. “You need to get out of here before you freeze,” she states matter-of-factly. Ice rimes the books and keepsakes lining the room – destroying homework and school property alike.

In a rare moment of emotional honestly, tears stream down Udi’s face, “I don’t want to leave you!” She shouts desperately, even as the tears freeze to her flesh.

Danireya sucks her teeth, “Udi, you will always be my best friend, but if you don’t get out of here, you’re going to die!”

Bundling herself against the cold, Udi staggers out of the room. It’s hard to look away from her friend, even as the lethal draconic power radiates out from her. Udi’s lips turn blue, and her hair is a mess of matted ice as she pushes her way out of the dorm room and slams the door on the snowstorm behind her.

Dominie Bolwerc, an imposing woman with skin of living marble, gently pushes Udi to one side, into the welcoming arms of the school’s mortal staff who already have warm blankets and hot chocolate waiting for her, and strides unperturbed into the snowstorm. She is completely unperturbed by the swirling elemental energies of Danireya’s anima flux.

Danireya gives a short curtsey as the mistress of the school enters her room, “I’m sorry about the damage, dominie, but I’m afraid this was beyond my control.”

Bolwerc makes a dismissive gesture, “It can’t be helped. It’s quite portentous: receiving the Blessings of the Dragons at such a tender age. Congratulations.” The dominie inclines her head slightly, “We have, of course, suitable quarters for you. However, as none of your classmates have proved as potent in the Dragon’s Blood as you, you must make a decision. Normally, we can provide private tuition until your classmates catch up with you. However, as your academic achievement has been outstanding, if you would prefer, we can move you into the fourth-year Exalted classes, to study with the older children.”

Danireya curtsey’s again, “I realise this is an unorthodox request, dominie, but I should prefer to stay with my mortal classmates.”

Bolwerc moves to Danireya’s bed and sits on it. She pats the empty space next to her, motioning for Danireya to sit. The young girl moves slowly, conscious that the wind and ice emanating from her is destroying everything in the room except her and the head-mistress, and sits beside her. Bolwerc lays a matronly arm across Danireya’s shoulders and gestures to the devastation caused. “You have been given a gift. A rare and powerful gift. And in the few minutes you have possessed it, you have destroyed a room and nearly killed your closest friend. Ledaal Ludila is not some peasant girl: her mother is one of the most powerful people in the Realm, and Ludila is no stranger to Dragon-Blooded power. Yet, for now at least, she is mortal. She, and all your other classmates, are frail, and you endanger them by your very presence. It is a lonely life we lead sometimes, but you have a duty to your lesser: you must stand aside from your former classmates, both for your benefit and their safety. Your request is not unorthodox: every Dragon-Blooded before you who had the privilege of being the first of their class to Exalt has made it. But it will not be granted.”

Danireya nods slowly, “Then I’ll take the private tuition. I’m not sure the fourth-year syllabus will be challenging enough for me.”

Bolwerc rises, “Calming breaths, Danireya. This power will fade after a few minutes. Then you can pack your things. The staff will help you move to your new quarters in the Exalted Wing.” The dominie exams the mess of wadded paper on the writing desk, destroyed by Danireya’s anima flux. “I realise it is the weekend, but school policy is quite clear: ‘Exalting destroyed my homework’ is not a valid excuse for not turning in one’s work.” She leaves the room, shutting Danireya in alone with her devastating power.

“Happy nameday to me.” Danireya mutters under her breath.

****

It is, in fact, only a few lonely minutes before Danireya’s power subsides enough for the snowstorm to die. Though she still glows with the power of the Dragons, rimmed in blue light, as the sun comes up, she is no longer destroying everything nearby. Her room has a solid stone wardrobe, well protected against the elements, so most of her clothes are salvageable. She knows there are servants outside, waiting for her to ask them to help her pack, and she knows also that they’ll stay outside until invited for fear of their lives. This was her life now: to be feared by her lessers. A life of privilege. A life apart.

A scrambling sound comes from outside her window – she makes a puzzled face, she’s on the third floor. Danireya rushes to the window and looks down: Udi is scaling the side of the building.

Udi looks up at her and flashes her a cheeky smile, “They wouldn’t let me in through the door?” She offers by way of explanation, “Help me up?”

Danireya can’t resist giggling to herself as she leans out of the window, almost falling out as she offers the mortal girl her hand and hauls her up into their ruined room. “Sorry about the mess,” Danireya laughs.

Udi looks at the ruined essays on their desk, “Hey, have you heard about this ‘Exaltation destroyed my homework is not an excuse’ thing?”

Danireya shrugs apologetically, “Sorry about that too, I guess.”

“Any chance I can copy yours?” Udi offers her best friend a weak smile. A thousand thoughts – jealous and fearful – swirl in the mortal girl’s mind. “Congratulations. I’m… happy… for you,” She manages eventually, before remembering her manners and adding the honorific, “Prince of the Earth”. Udi bows, bending at the waist as a well-respected mortal should when addressing one of the Dragon-Blooded rulers of Creation.

Danireya shifts uncomfortably, remembering there is no guarantee that Udi will also be Chosen by the Dragons. And that now their lives would be torn apart, not only is she being moved to a different dorm and a different class in school, but outside of school they would still be one of the Chosen and a mortal, with the gap of the Dragon’s dread power between them. In a heartbeat, she recognises her friend’s envy and self-doubt, and she flings her arms around her in comfort.

“Nothing is going to change. You will be Chosen soon, and until then we’ll just have to break a few more rules when we hang out. First one being, no more bowing and ‘Prince of the Earth’ stuff, alright?”

Udi sniffs, and allows a couple of tears to fall loose, “Alright, Dani.”

Danireya lets go of her friend, “I mean, that’ll have to change though. ‘Dani’s’ my baby name, you’ll have to call me something else now.” Danireya sees that Udi is on the verge of a serious breakdown, so she quickly adds, “But as my best friend, it’s only fair that pick. So, what are my closest friends going to call me for the next three-hundred years?”

****

Realm Year 733, 7^th Day of Resplendent Water
Pagoda of First Foundation
Fourth Year Exalted Girl’s Dormitory

“REYA! Get back here right now!”

Even from a hundred yards away, Danireya feels the air temperature around her drop as her mother’s bellowed order splits the air. A school visit it rare, even at the weekend, so whatever she wants, it’s bound to be important. But for Reya, 7^th RWa has a wholly more important meaning. Even if, this year means breaking a couple of rules.

“Sorry mother! I’m already late! I’ll be back in just a sec!” Reya calls over her shoulder as she sprints across the hallway of dorm, and leaps out of the fourth floor window. A box wrapped in brightly coloured paper is slung under her arm. The wind catches her, billowing her skirt and the twin golden plaits of her hair as she falls.

Alinos hurries to the window and calls down to her, “I will yank you out of this school! You are not too old to go to the Palace of the Tamed Storm, young lady!”

Reya grins to herself as she twists in mid-air, deftly flinging herself (against all laws of momentum) back towards the building she’s just jumped from, gliding gracefully through the open window on the third floor for third year Exalted students. The Palace of the Tamed Storm is a renowned – and feared – reform school. Udi’s been threatened with it by her mother every year since she turned eight. Reya’s never been in trouble before – not real trouble – and considers it unlikely that her mother will send her based on a single threat. Then again, it was hard to tell – the Ice Bitch had done a lot worse to people with a lot less provocation.

Reya skips through the empty dorm, crossing over to the section for mortal girls. Here a few bewildered second years throw her looks – reverence, jealousy, bewilderment. She throws them a casual salute and hits the stairs, heading up to the dormitories for fourth year mortal girls. She hears a commotion ahead of her, and the headmistress’s voice loud and clear.

Reya moves into the shadows and curses her luck: there’s no way Bolwerc could have beaten her over here! It was entirely possible that her mother had alerted the dominie: one of the most basic Exalted powers was setting your voice on the wind to carry a message to a distant recipient. But the old architect’s office was on the other side of the school! She strains her ears listening to the conversation.

“We separate the mortal and Exalted students for good reason! Those locks you were trying to pick were for your own protection!” Bolwerc chides.

“Ow! OWW! Let go!” comes a girl’s voice. Reya immediately recognises it as Udi. “I just wanted to see my best friend on my nameday! It’s not even a school day!”

There’s not a lot of cover on the staircase, and Reya can hear them getting closer. She presses herself flat against the wall and does her best to turn invisible.

“Well, it seems you’ll get your wish!” Comes Bolwerc’s sharp reply.

Reya winces, sure that she’s been seen, but she doesn’t understand how. She looks down. Her foot is wet. She’s standing in a puddle. As Bolwerc and Udi round the corner, she’s standing in a monsoon. An indoor downpour. A virtual tidal wave of water crashing and ranging around the Dragon-Blooded. The raw elemental power of Daana’d, the Water Dragon, radiates from Udi, spilling out controllably as she exudes light of the darkest blue – struck through with radiant black. The crushing water would drown a mortal, but the Dragon-Blooded are unharmed. Reya judges that now is as good a time as ever, and she steps out of her hiding place and holds out Udi’s present. “Happy nameday!”

Bolwerc blinks in surprise. Her vice-like grip on Udi’s ear loosens, just a fraction, and the thirteen-year-old girl slips free.

Udi grins from ear-to-ear, “Thanks Reya!” She says, as she takes the gift. She gives it an experimental shake, “If this is some gross shit like a mummified dragon heart I’m supposed to eat to make me Exalt…”

“Well, obviously you don’t have to eat it now!” Reya grins back at her best friend. She turns sweetly to the headmistress and gives a polite curtesy, “Dominie, I could escort Udi to the Exalted Dormitory, if you had other business to attend to on this fine Saturnday morning?”

Bolwerc blinks again. Slowly. She takes a deep breath, “Miss Danireya, I would chide you for being in the mortal part of the school – where you know you do not belong – but I believe you are already late for your meeting with your Grand Daimother, and that whatever punishment she levies will quite surfice.”

Reya clears her throat, “Mnemon is… here?”

Bolwerc nods gracefully, “I sent your mother to your rooms to fetch you. Madam Mnemon has the patience of a mountain, when it suits her, but I advise you do not keep her waiting.”

****

Though a school first, Pagoda of First Foundation has many reception rooms, one of them obviously more splendid than the others, and it is here that Reya hurries, still dripping wet from Udi’s anima.

Her mother is waiting for her, forewarned by Bolwerc, with a dry cloak to throw over Reya, and they enter the chamber.

There Mnemon, founder and matriarch of Great House Mnemon, awaits them. She sits with the stillness of stone and makes no motion of recognition as they enter the room. Alinos and Reya bow their heads in greeting. Alinos makes to straighten her daughter’s back, as if on instinct, but Reya’s posture is already perfect.

Alinos permits herself a small smile, “My matriarch, your great-grand-daughter, Mnemon Danireya.”

Mnemon moves at last, and a servant bidden by the slightest gesture places a cup of tea in her hands. The great matriarch takes a sip, bids Alinos and Danireya to sit, and dismisses the servants. At last, she turns her gaze on Danireya, a slow a terrible movement. Her eyes seem to bore into her very soul. Reya holds the ancient elder’s gaze for what seems like an eternity, and then at last Mnemon’s stony visage cracks, and she graces her grand-daughter and great-grand-daughter with a warm smile. She produces a small box, wrapped in white paper and tied with a purple, which she presents to Reya.

“I am sorry that I missed your last nameday, dearheart,” Mnemon says with genuine affection, as she bids Reya to open the gift. Inside is a highly polished bracelet, wrought of titanium brought to a mirror polish, “I have heard that it was eventful. Exalting at twelve is hardly a record for our House, but certainly it is commendable. I am impressed. I trust that these past months have not been too lonely for you?”

Reya inclines her head slightly, “No, my matriarch. I have missed my friends, but I know they will join me again in time. I’ve used this time to focus on my studies without distraction.” She throws a quick look to her mother for permission to put on the bracelet, and receives the slightest of nods, “This is beautiful, grand-daimother! Thank you, thank you so much.”

Mnemon bids her to approach, and Reya kisses her on the cheek and gives her a quick squeeze, before being waved off back to her seat.

“Tell me more about these studies? With school reports like these,” She gestures to a stack of papers by her side, “Bolwerc should have placed you in with the fourth years.”

Reya nods, “She wanted to, but I said I’d prefer to be challenged. I’ve recently completed an essay on The Doom of Emperor’s.”

“Good, that is an advanced text. I don’t believe I studied it myself until I reached the Versino. What are you reading now?”

“A Leaf Upraised in Vigour.”

“The Life and Deeds of Sextes Jylis, as composed by Peaceful Reflection on Compassion. Another advanced text. An excellent introductory document to deeper studies and a fine companion to the Texts.”

Reya bows her head, “Yes, matriarch, but I believe the Old Realm is more correctly rendered as ‘of Compassion’.”

Mnemon pauses and regards the young girl carefully, “Very good. This Immaculate study, I presume therefore that you wish to attend the Cloister of Wisdom to continue your studies?”

Alinos interrupts, “We have discussed this, daimother-”

Mnemon cuts her off with a wave of her hand, “You and I have discussed this. You and Bolwerc have discussed this. Bolwerc and I have discussed this. But we – meaning young Dani and I – have not discussed this.” She looks to Reya for her answer.

“I hope, matriarch, to follow in the footsteps of my mother and daimother and attend the Heptagram,” Reya says carefully, “I realise that competition is steep. And that I’m all but assured entrance to The Balustrade, which is well and good, but I have no intent on becoming an architect – which is a great and noble profession, but not for me. I wish to study at the Heptagram.”

Mnemon nods slowly, “Your realise, of course, that Master Bhagwei takes no more than a dozen students each year. For security then, a second school. Your mother had the Spiral Academy as a reserve. Perhaps you would prefer the school of your father?”

Reya shakes her head slowly, “The Spiral Academy and the House of Bells both are fine institutions. As is the Cloister. But I would attend the Heptagram. I do not foresee the need of a safety school, nor do think it wise to show anything less than total devotion to my goal.”

Mnemon raises an eyebrow, “And if you fail?”

“I will not fail, matriarch,” Reya says with confidence, “But if I fail, I suppose I will make my way to Lookshy. The Valkhawsen Academy is said to be comparable. Certainly, I have made a study of the schools available on the Blessed Isle, and whilst many teach sorcery, none are suitable for my purposes.”

Mnemon smiles, “And if Lookshy won’t admit a Realm spy?”

“Then on the eastern threshold, beyond the boarders of our Realm lies a kingdom overseen by a dread anathema. Sorcerer queen. Cannibal. Ancient evil. She has butchered our kind in the most terrible ways imaginable, defied the Wyld Hunt, and perverted the natural order. She is Raksi, Queen of Fangs. I would go to her and try to steal the Book of Three Circles.”

Even Alinos cannot suppress a shudder at the mention of Raksi’s name, “Don’t talk nonsense child!” She reprimands, harshly.

Reya points accusingly at Mnemon, “Well, she started it! Stealing the Book of Three Circles is no less likely than failing to get into the Heptagram.”

Mnemon gives a throaty chuckle, “You get that determination from me, as I inherited it from my mother. Very well, I will support your bid for the Heptagram and you’ll hold up your end by not failing.”

Reya bows her head graciously, “One more thing, matriarch, if I may?”

“You turn up late, dripping wet, wearing that ugly robe, refuse to attend my favoured Secondary School, refuse further to pick a safety school, and threaten to run off to our enemies if you don’t get your way,” Mnemon recaps, nonchalantly, “But please, go on. One more thing?”

“Mutual aid. My academic record speaks for itself. And mother knows many of the staff at the Heptagram, but there’s a girl here – a good friend of mine, whose family estate is next to mother’s – whose aunt is part of the faculty.”

“Ledaal Ludila,” Alinos adds, a note of distaste in her voice, “A trouble-maker. Practically delinquent.”
“Also fiercely loyal and very bright,” Reya adds quickly, “And the second in our class to Exalt. Not related to us by bonds of House or marriage. If we were to support her bid to get into the Heptagram, it’d be seen as impartial. And in return, her family is well placed to return the favour.”

Mnemon considers for a moment, “I have scions on the teaching staff. I cannot help but think this Ledaal girl is getting the better end of such an agreement. But I trust that you will able to leverage that to our advantage. I will extend an offer of mutual aid to Ledaal Zuzu,” She cocks an eyebrow at Reya, “That is her mother’s name, isn’t? The aunt would be… Ledaal Ibelin, no?”

Reya’s face betrays open puzzlement, “How do you do that? Do you just know every Dynast on the Isle?”

Mnemon smiles and leans back in her chair, “Hardly. But I know everyone worth knowing: especially those from rival Houses that dwell within my city and the staff at the schools which my favourite scions wish to attend. Now, I have a very busy day,” She rises and bids Alinos to follow her, “We’ll call in on Zuzu and congratulate her on her delinquent’s Exaltation on the way.” She looks at Reya, “Enjoy the rest of your weekend Da-, hmm, what is it that you prefer to be called now that you’ve Exalted?”

Reya smiles.
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Lessons of Dynasty Part 1: Abecedarian