Adult-FanFiction.org : Games

Dynasty of Dovak	By : JohnDoe Category: +A through F > Exalted RPG Views: 4983 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: White Wolf, Exalted and Exalted 3rd Edition are all trademarks of White Wolf Publishing AB, and official characters, names, places and text are copyrighted by White Wolf. I do not own Exalted and I'm not making money from this fiction.

Chapter List
- 47
- 48
- 49
Session 44 – Ganan (100XP 80DX, 99XP/80DX spent; 2WhP 0GP 14SP), Melody (100XP 80DX, 99/60 spent), and Jinabar (100XP 80DX, 75/60 Spent) – An Unexpected Party

“So Rey burned the body, and I brought the head of the Anathema back to town. We paraded it through main-street, burned it, launched the attack on the bearfolk city. It didn’t go well, then Ganan returned from hell and we wrecked them.” Melody finishes the story of Sondok’s escape.

“We expected,” Danireya adds, “That Sondok would return to Malfeas as Ganan returned. In fact, it was Mnemon Nanals who was drawn into Malfeas, leaving Sondok to roam free.”

“And we can’t go after her because...” Jinabar shudders, remembering her brief trip through the Gateway tree.

“Exactly.” Ganan cuts in, “I don’t see how we are going to find Sondok. Not from that story of when you last saw her.”

Reya notes Ganan’s use of ‘we’ and ‘you’.

“Then you weren’t paying attention,” Jinabar smiles, “I’ve been tracing seditious books from the South. Sondok has business to the South. We go South.”

“Yeah… I’m not sure if you heard this… but the South covers thousands of miles…” Melody trails off.

Jinabar sighs, “Tens of thousands of miles. If only there were well established trade routes. If only we knew a trader, connected to these banned books and therefore to Sondok, who regularly plied these routes.”

“Brightsky.” Ganan says thoughtfully.

“Yes, dear brother, well done, you got there eventually.” Jinabar confirms patronizingly.

“Brightsky left Dovak days ago.” Reya says flatly, “It’s taken some time to rebuild the city.”

“Well. Established. Trade routes.” Jinabar says slowly.

“We could catch them on Clapper.” Melody confirms, “Catch them easily with a Stormwind Rider.”

“I don’t do that.” Jinabar says, wrinkling her nose at the mention of sorcery.

“Well magistrate, that settles that. A week’s journey south is clearly outside of the boarders of Dovak. I’d be happy to furnish you with horses, and I wish you the best of luck.” Danireya folds her arms over her chest and stares her young sister-in-law down.

“I’m going South, with Jin.” Ganan says simply.

“Me too.” Melody adds, “Don’t get me wrong, I think hell is the best place for Nanals, but Creation isn’t where Sondok belongs. We have a responsibility.”

“A responsibility?” Jin questions.

“Shut up, I’m trying to help you.” Melody says offhandedly.

“We just received our appointments from the Deliberative. Dovak is our responsibility.” Danireya appeals, taken aback by Ganan and Melody’s sudden change of heart.

“Dovak is your responsibility.” Ganan says firmly, “I love you, but I do not believe for a single second that you plan on listening to my counsel – you don’t need us, Jin does.”

“Also…” Melody adds, “Technically I think we’ve only been appointed by Mnemon, not the Deliberative.”

“I’m not leaving Dovak.” Reya says decisively.

“Good.” Ganan rejoins, “Patch things up with the royals. Un-curse them. You’ve got the children, Agoram, Sahar.-”

“Best you keep Ferad too. The Gift is still out there.” Melody adds.

“And this mystery advisor turning up any day now. Melody, Jin and I can take care of Sondok. Couple of months work, maximum.”

Reya sharply draws breath, “This is because I wouldn’t let you murder her in cold-blood isn’t it?”

“Frankly, yes.” Ganan jokes, “Melody and I aren’t exactly courtly material. Dovak is rebuilt. Mishra is dead. I’m good for two things – murdering magistrates and hunting down demons. Pick one.”

“Fine.” Reya relents, “Keep the Key, you might find a use for it and I want is as far from the Gift as possible.” She turns to Melody, “Two months. The situation on the Blessed Isle is nebulous, and our position here is tenuous. I don’t expect we’ll be able to stay in contact for long.”

Our heroes return to town. Melody says her goodbyes and Ganan packs his things, along with plenty of dried provisions taken from Dovak’s winter stores. Jinabar and Reya consult the Satraps records to plot the most likely course of Brightsky’s caravan. Ganan and Mott load up Clapper’s howdah, and Jinabar mounts whilst Melody says her impassioned goodbyes: Jorod seems somewhat uncomfortable, Ferad is used to it. Surprisingly, Reya decides to see them off. Jinabar nods at her sister in law. Ganan gives his wife a salute. Melody throws her arms around Reya, tears streaming down her face as she promises to make sure they all return safely: Reya awkwardly hugs her back as Ferad hides a smirk.

Melody hops aboard the Shieldback Lizard and the crew departs.

“Yes, I can certainly see how we’re going to catch up with a caravan going at this speed.” Jinabar sarcastically quips as the mighty beast lumbers through the newly widened streets of Dovak.

Melody smiles to herself. Ganan holds on tight. As soon as they’re out of the city, Melody spurs Clapper to Essence backed speed. Jinabar is thrown back onto her ass as the giant lizard crashes through the undergrowth, unslowed by the rough terrain.

“Ouch.” Jinabar complains.

“Well established trade routes.” Ganan reminds her, “We’ll cut south through the undergrowth. We’re faster, have to make fewer stops. We’ll overtake them in a couple of days.” He reclines back and closes his eyes.

“So you’re a magistrate, huh, what’s that like?” Melody asks over her shoulder.

Jinabar picks herself up, “Honestly it’s kinda draining.”

“You, uh, swear a vow of poverty or something right?”

“Do I look poor to you?”

“Compared to the people I grew up with? No. Compared to Alinos?”

“Magistrates are forbidden from acquiring wealth, by decree of the Empress. But we are empowered to confiscate the use of anything we see fit in the course of our duties. And I am still a daughter of House Cynis.”

“And, uh...” Melody considers her phrasing carefully, “You kick-ass, right? Because Ganan and I can put down blood apes in our sleep. But Sondok… Sondok killed an Anathema without even trying.”

Mott answers, “You’ll find my mistress is quite formidable. The Empress’s hand: her will made flesh.”

Ganan snorts without opening his eyes, “She graduated the Spiral Academy. Even Ferad is a better fighter than my little sister.”

Jinabar shoots a hard stare at her brother, which he doesn’t see with his eyes closed, “I fight well enough. That’s an… interesting bow you have.”

Melody smiles, “My last campaign was in the land of Medo. The dead walk the twisting walls of that cursed land, and a demon arose, crowned in golden light. The dead couldn’t stand against the demon. She had this bow, looted from some long forgotten tomb. She swept through our ranks like a plague, riding stallion of blackest night. She took two of our kin. Clapper… doesn’t do well with the cold.” She pets her Shieldback Lizard.

“How did you win?” Jinabar asks. Mott leans in curiously.

“Shot out her horse. It wasn’t… clean. But it worked well enough for the Ferad and his heavy infantry to close and put her down.”

“And then the Regent was set on the throne. The legions absorbed by the Great Houses and instead of a parade for killing an Anathema, you were cashiered for some House of Bells whelp, right?”

“Spiral Academy. House Sesus decided they’d rather have a pencil pusher fresh out of school who bears their name than an Anathema slaying Found Egg.”

“Ouch.”

“They may have also found out I was banging my superior officer.”

Jinabar giggles, “Banging?”

“They’re married now.” Ganan interjects.

“Wait…” Jinabar wags her finger at Ganan, “Mnemon Ferad… has killed an Anathema. How many Anathema have you killed dear brother?”

“It’s not too late for us to drop you off in the wilderness and go back to Dovak without you.” Ganan threatens.

“Weren’t you just disparaging an Anathema slaying war hero’s fighting prowess.”

Ganan opens and closes his mouth, and snarls, “Firstly… he had a legion with him. That doesn’t count. Secondly, I said he was a better fighter than you. Thirdly… shut up.”

Jinabar smirks at Ganan. Melody says nothing.

“Besides!” Ganan adds indignantly, “Melody killed the Anathema. She is a fine warrior. A true Upright Soldier.”

“The Imperial Legions killed the Anathema.” Melody corrects, “I was just the one who got the bow.”

Jinabar raises an eyebrow, “My brother once called Cathak Cainan ‘adequate with a blade’. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him call anyone ‘a fine warrior’ before.”

“Mnemon Alinos Gracious Pealing Melody is a fine warrior. Maybe even better than me.” Ganan says simply, “Mnemon Alinos Johon is also a fine warrior. It’s a pity he’s not with us now.”

“So… to be clear.” Jinabar teases, “You think you’re a better fighter than the greatest warrior on the Blessed Isle, but Melody here is your equal?”

Ganan opens his eyes, looks at Jinabar and says directly, “I do. And I’m tired of pretending she’s not.”

“Well then, either Sondok doesn’t stand a chance, or you’re a terrible judge of character.”

“Oh he’s a terrible judge of character alright.” Melody chimes in, grinning from ear to ear, “We are definitely all going to die.”

****

As night falls, Melody pulls the great beast up, and the Dragons make camp in the wilderness. Ganan gathers a stack of dead wood, and Jin fires a blast of flame into the logs. Mott hands out rations.

“We should devise a system of watches through the night.” Jinabar suggests.

“Cresta and Tisi can handle that.” Ganan says, wiping his mouth and making to bed down to sleep.

“Umm… who?” Melody asks.

“My demons.” Ganan says with a yawn, waving generically at the sky.

“You… can see immaterial demons, right?” Melody questions with just a hint of nervousness in her voice.

“No!” Jinabar objects, “Are you telling me you can’t perceptive hidden spirits?”

“I don’t even know how to fucking set bodies on fire!” Melody squeals.

“Holy crap! Who is running this Wyld Hunt!”

“Geniuses! Lower your voices.” Ganan says grumpily, “I can see spirits. I’ve already instructed Tisi to follow me and Cresta to warn me if anyone approaches. Go to sleep.”

Reluctantly the others bed down for the night.

****

Come the morning, Ganan performs the magic which transforms his skin into invulnerable bronze, eats some dried fruit and begins packing up the camp. Mott wakes shortly after and starts to help. Melody rouses herself and starts to build a small fire from the embers of their campfire and boil some water. Ganan glares at her but says nothing, clearly resenting the delay but knowing better than to deny her a morning cup of coffee. Melody produces some imported qahwah bunn which she transfers to a fine Varangian grinder, reducing them to powder and transferring them to a cezve made in Paragon.

The smell of brewing coffee wakes Jinabar. Bleary-eyed she ties back her wild, raven hair and produces her snuff-box. She inhales a pinch of white powder through an elaborately decorated silver straw and blinks herself awake. “Coffee.”

Melody gives a non-committal grunt, and pours three cups, passing them to Mott and Jinabar as Ganan continues to pack up camp, muttering to himself.

“No they don’t.” Ganan says under his breath, then after I pause, “I don’t care if they do.”

Invigorated by coffee, Melody and Jin force down some trail mix, pick up the last of their things and mount Clapper.

“Come on,” Melody calls to the men, “If we ride hard today, we might catch them by nightfall. There’s a small caravansary where we expect them to stop.”

“Mount up!” Ganan calls to empty air as he looks at his arm.

Mott clambers aboard Clapper. Ganan makes to join him then stops.

“I better ride Tisi.” He says, and the agata immediately materializes before the Dragons. Mott is clearly over-awed with the creature, and Jinabar and Melody are impressed by the shimmering rainbow creature. Ganan mounts it carefully, “I want you to follow Melody. Fly above the trees please, but not too high.” Ganan instructs, immediately regretting using such vague terms as “too high”.

Tisi takes to the sky. Shaking her head, Melody spurs Clapper to ride south.

****

Come evening, Ganan spots the caravansary (having only nearly been thrown off his demonic mount twice). He sets his words on the wind, announcing their arrival for Brightsky’s benefit as they begin to draw closer.

As the unsubtle shieldback lizard crashes through the vegetation, with a soaring demon overhead, the caravan has plenty of time to prepare for the Dragon-Blooded’s arrival. Initially on her guard, Jinabar relaxes somewhat as she sees the Guildsman is waiting for them peaceably.

Ganan puts in to land. His dismount is a little rough, clearly lacking in technique and jarred somewhat from the flight. Tisi turns immaterial again. Mott stays on Clapper as the Dragon-Blooded dismount and approach Brightsky on foot.

He bows, “You are a long way from Dovak, Princes of the Earth.” He says with a smile. Melody and Jinabar immediately pick up that he is worried.

“Dear friend,” Melody begins, “My sister, Cynis Jinabar, is tracking the demon Sondok.” Straight and to the point, Brightsky’s smile falters for just a moment.

“Isn’t that some kind of demon?” Brightsky feigns ignorance, gesturing at the place where Ganan’s agata dematerialized.

“She is,” Jinabar says, her voice full of menace, her face contorted into a cruel mask of rage, “Someone has been shipping books from the South, helping this demon corrupt Creation.” She starts to shimmer with heat haze.

“Corrupt?” Brightsky stammers, losing his normally unflappable composure.

“It’s seditious books, I’m afraid.” Melody explains, her voice soft and gentle, “They seem innocent enough, well, perhaps not innocent but they don’t seem dangerous.”

“But they are dangerous!” Jin pounds her fist into the flat of her palm, “Very dangerous. And connected to dangerous people.” She advances on the Guildsman.

“Bad for business.” Melody shrugs apologetically.

“You can’t think that I-? I mean House Cynis-. It was one book, I took it straight to you.” He looks at Ganan imploringly.

“Which book.” Jinabar states, now just a foot away from the Guildsman, practically in his face. It’s not a question, she knows which book.

“A Lover Clad in Blue. From Nexus. For Ragara Haseti.” Brightsky throws up his hands and takes a step back.

“That’s enough Jin.” Ganan says sternly, “Brightsky is an ally of Dovak, and of the Realm. Not some common criminal.”

“I decide who is guilty and who is innocent.” Jinabar says, taking another step towards Brightsky. Her voice is low and menacing, “Name names Guildsman. Where did you get the book, where did they get the book, why did Haseti want that particular edition? Talk!”

“You better do as she says Brightsky-san.” Melody says, “I can’t control her when she gets like this.”

“Salmalin!” Brightsky spits out quickly, “They’re criminals, thieves and assassins. They had the book. Haseti was very specific about what he wanted, they were the only ones who could provide it. Nexus, I got it in Nexus. I would take you, by all the dragons I would take you right now, but it would do you no good – they were all butchered, put to the flame.”

“I know that.” Jinabar says, her anima rising to burning, “Because I burned them.”

Brightsky lets out a small squeal despite himself.

At once Melody is at his side, she takes his hand, “No-one is going to burn you, dear friend. But these ‘Salmalin’ they have ties in the South, no? A base of operations. No sense in going to Nexus. So where do we go?”

“Kirighast. I mean, it’s not where they’re based, I don’t know where they’re based. But you can contact them there. My contact, Murat, runs a brothel – The Velvet Glove. She can arrange a meeting.”

“We’re still sixteen days from Harborhead.” Melody shakes her head.

“Sixteen days? That’s almost two weeks!” Jinabar rages, “Can’t you do some hocus-pocus to get us there faster?” She shoots accusingly at Ganan.

Ganan looks at the sky, still a while until dusk, “Us? Yes. Clapper? No.”

“Your magnificent beast could travel with us?” Brightsky offers, “No fee. I will treat him as my own child.”

“No deal. Clapper stays with me.” Melody says firmly.

Jin decides not to press the issue.

“You are, then, welcome to make camp with us.” Brightsky offers, more congenially now. His normal effervescent personality coming to the fore as Jin no-longer seems primed to gut him.

Jin’s appearance softens, “We thank you for your gracious offer. Melody, why don’t you see that your mount is properly fed and rested, long journey ahead.”

Melody leads Clapper away to the other pack animals for proper rest and grooming.

“Gan, dear, pay the nice Guildsman for his hospitality.” Jin smiles sweetly.

Ganan, not liking where this is going, hands over a couple of dinar. Brightsky politely demurs saying it’s not necessary even as he pockets the money.

“Now, Brightsky,” Jin pushes Ganan to one side as she shimmies closer to the merchant prince, her fierce mien gone completely, she now seems completely at ease and looking to relax and have fun, “Let’s talk about ‘bliss’.”

“Bliss?” Ganan repeats, confounded. He doesn’t notice that Brightsky looks more worried now than when Jinabar seemed about to kill him.

“Take a walk brother.” Jin says with an easy smile, “Brightsky and I are going to go somewhere… more private.”

Ganan walks off, shaking his head as Brightsky leads Jinabar back to his tent. Ganan sets up their own part of camp, and starts carving stone into pleasing geometric shapes to while away the time until it’s time to bed down for the night (4SP).

His hands shaking, Brightsky wordlessly fetches out a hidden box and produces a wad of black tar, which looks almost like a tiny opium brick. As Jin looks at it, it seems blacker than black: like it is sucking in all light into a swirling vortex of nothingness.

“H-how did you know?” Brightsky chokes out breathlessly.

Jin shrugs, carefully tucking Calumny away, “I just had to look at you to know.” She walks past the Guildsman and reclines on the furs of his tent, she carefully probes not having any more than single word that her artifact whispered to her, “Bliss isn’t common opium. It’s not like I can acquire it anywhere.”

“Not this far north, certainly.” Brightsky says, with a hint of bitterness in his voice, which Jin picks up on. She mentally rules out the substance coming from Nexus.

“Rarer still is the merchant who knows anything about it.” Jin gambles, pressing her luck, “Even to the south, peddlers who know nothing. I’d like to know more.”

Brightsky’s brow furrows, “No-one knows anything. Where it comes from, what it’s made of. Even I don’t know.”

Jin stands up, takes the bliss from Brightsky and sets it aside, she produces from her blouse some qat and offers a leaf to Brightsky, “Ah, but you must have access to a bigger supply than most? Traveling north as much as you do?” She starts to chew thoughtfully on her own leaf.

“I don’t know anything.” Brightsky whines pitifully, he turns his head away to start at the box of drugs.

It’s obvious to Jin that he does know something. She wraps an arm around his waist and leans in to whisper in his ear, “I’m not like them. You can trust me.”

“Murat,” Brightsky half-sobs, “She supplies me.”

Jin gives him a quick peck on the cheek, “Great. Only one stop.” She rises and walks out of the tent, leaving Brightsky and the bliss behind. She makes a mental note to investigate further, if only to gain further leverage over the Guildsman.

****

Next morning, they rise and repeat the rituals of the day before, as the Guild caravan packs up around them and also prepares to move on. Our heroes depart long before Brightsky’s caravan is ready to move, and makes a beeline for the great lakes – planning to use the crossing ferries to cross to the south via the narrowest point, avoiding the long trek through the mountains of Ember.

Forsaking the road to once more crash through the wilderness, it is not long before they find their way barred.

Elemental wood spiders and stranger spirits (including a kri) stand in their path. At their head, a gnarled King of the Woods, stands war club in hand. A feral looking wolf plods at his side.

“Ho there!” The King of the Woods cries.

****

Ganan spends 8XP to train All-Encompassing Earth Sense.
Ganan spends 4DX to train Craft: Woodworking.
Ganan spends 4DX to train Craft: Sculpture.

Melody spends 8XP to train Unbreakable Stallion Spirit.
- 47
- 48
- 49
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Dynasty of Dovak