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Dynasty of Dovak	By : JohnDoe Category: +A through F > Exalted RPG Views: 4983 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
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Session 45 – Ganan (105XP 84DX, 99XP/83DX spent; 2WhP 9GP 14SP), Melody (105XP 84DX, 99/60 spent), and Jinabar (105XP 84DX, 75/60 Spent) – Ignorance

“Ho there!” A mighty King of the Woods, a giant elemental being of wrath and power blocks our heroes’ path: in his hands he wields a massive war-cub, at his feet is a ravenous looking, enormous wolf, and behind him a cluster of wood spiders and other elemental creatures leer menacingly.

Melody reigns clapper in to a stop. She exchanges a look with Cynis Jinabar – an Eastern elemental speaking to them in High Realm is not a great sign.

Jinabar climbs down from the shieldback lizard to approach on foot. Melody shifts her weight slightly, one hand resting on her bow. Mott shelters down in the howdah. Ganan stays by Melody’s side, gazing down at the elementals. Slowly, Melody drives Clapper forward behind Jin.

“Good day to you!” Jin calls and she bows deeply, drawing out her cape with her trailing arm. A surge of Essence backs her greeting, immediately telling her the King of the Woods’ intent is hostile, but hopefully instilling proper respect for a Prince of the Earth with her greeting. “I am Cynis Falen Jinabar, how may I address Your Royal Majesty?”

The King of the Woods, snarls and shifts his weight, “In your tongue, I am known as ‘The Son of the Father’. You have torn through the woods with disrespect. No longer.”

“Barabbas,” Jin bows again, “We are chasing a dangerous foe. An enemy to these woods and all Creation: the demon Sondok. As is our holy duty as Princes of the Earth. We beg your indulgence, and your leave to travel through your lands.”

“I care not for your demon!” Barabbas spits, pointing a long wooden finger at the trail Clapper has trampled through the woodland. “Out of respect, I will allow you to return the way you came. But you go no further.”

Melody draws her bow. Ganan leaps from the back of the shieldback lizard, landing on a knee and a clenched fist.

“I’m afraid we cannot be deterred, wise and mighty Barabbas. But I assure you, we have the best interest of the forest in mind. I offer my sincere and humble apologies for the damages done, but I promise you that the damage would be worse if we allowed demons to run free.”

“Enough of your words! Dacian! Attack!” Barabbas points his warclub forward and the great wolf at his feet bounds forward along with the army of spiders.

With a single motion, Melody draws her bow, aims at the elemental king and looses, the arrow erupting into thorns mid-flight. Barabbas twists to one side trying to avoid the attack from an unexpected quarter but to no avail. The arrow bites against his wooden flesh, drawing blood the color and consistency of rich amber.

Ganan sprints forward, his anima flaring for just a moment before collapsing into his tetsubo. He interposes himself between Jin and the giant wolf, Dacian.

Dacian leaps at Jin, but Ganan’s tetsubo finds the beast’s jaws and turns the blow aside.

“I do not aim with my hand,” Jin recites, sighting Barabbas, “She who aims with her hand has forgotten the face of her mother.” An elemental gout of flame leaps from the palm of her hand and catches the King of the Woods. Flames go up around the wood elemental, burning him and driving him back.

Barabbas snarls attack orders to the wood spiders, who descend on Ganan and Jin. The spiders try to web the Cynis scions to the ground: Ganan easily batters away the spiders attacking him, but over extends himself trying to protect Jin as well as the elementals web him up and crawl over him.

Melody drives Clapper forward. “Sit.” Melody commands, as the beast drops a massive foot on Dacian, pinning the mystic wolf beneath the lizard’s massive bulk, and grinding him down.

Ganan struggles free from the spiders pinning him down.

Barabbas keens orders to the elemental army, instructing them to rip the Dragon-Blooded limb from limb.

The Wood Spiders tear at the Dragon-Blooded, clawing at Clapper’s legs as they are unable to reach Melody. Ganan batters them away from him. Clapper plods on, unperturbed. Jin flicks her wrist extending her wrackstaff to full size: she easily batters away the first spider, and the second, but the third bowls into her leaving her open and vulnerable.

Jin wheels her wrackstaff round, hitting at the spiders swarming her.

Melody urges Clapper to continue crushing the divine wolf under-heel. Dacian thrashes underneath to no avail.

Ganan gives a roar of indignation and smashes the spiders back, whirling round in a broad arc, then spinning back again catching the enemy on the back-swing. Spider elementals are thrown backwards and Ganan makes a dash to close with Barabbas. His anima rises around him in a tremendous sandstorm.

Barabbas yells orders to rally the Wood Spiders and swings his giant club at Ganan. Ganan easily avoids the blow, a grin spreading from ear to ear.

Jin closes with Barabbas, hot on Ganan’s heels. She batters the King of the Wood, driving him back.

The rallied Wood Spiders swarm over the Cynis scions, biting and clawing. With Essence backed grace, the Dynasts avoid harm.

Clapper raises his tremendous foot. Dacian recovers his footing and snarls… and Clapper brings his foot back down again, pulverizing the divine beast’s skull.

Ganan brings his tetsubo down in a punishing overhead strike. There is a sound of splitting wood as the mighty elemental crumples to the ground, twitching.

Jin wastes no time, aiming her palm at the fallen elemental and unleashing another gout of flame. The fires consume the King of the Wood, and the broken remnants of his forces flee into the forest.

Breathing heavily, Jin remounts the shieldback lizard, and Ganan follows behind.

“Does this happen to you people a lot?” She asks.

“‘Bout once a week.” Melody shrugs, and she spurs her riding beast on.

****

Gauging their position by the sun, Melody keeps them pointing south. Unsurprisingly, mortal bandits ignore the giant lizard and even gods and elementals keep their distance.

Ganan continues making his aiconic sculptures (4SP), stopping to collect likely bits of rock and wood and catching up with his agata.

Forests give way to hills, then the mountains, but their journey to the great sea that separates the East and South goes swiftly enough. The companions talk – perhaps a little too freely of the goings on in Dovak, but Jinabar shares her tales as a magistrate, outwitting and outmaneuvering the criminals of the Dynasty.

The heroes pull up at the water’s edge.

“I shan’t presume your beast can swim across.” Jinabar says, not willing to rule it out.

Melody considers it, “No, too far. Can’t jump it either.” They look out at the barges crossing the water, “He’ll fit on a troop transport, but not these. How long to build a bridge, Gan?”

“A 30 mile bridge for a two-ton shieldback?” Ganan considers the matter seriously, “Five years or so.”

“These barges can’t be all there is.” Jin says, her tone is one of grim resolve rather than despair.

A strange voice speaks out from behind them, “Larger vessels do exist, m’lady. The Guild commissions them from Kirighast. Sails them right up to the shore.”

The party turn to regard the stranger: the man is hunched over, wearing an old and worn traveling cloak of gray wool. He seems weathered, not so much old as aged. Melody and Ganan think he looks vaguely familiar.

Jin dismounts, a hand on her wrackstaff. “My son” it seems to whisper to her as she approaches the man through the verdant foliage. She gives her best Dynastic smile, looking to make a good first impression, “How frequently do these larger boats stop by, my good man?”

The stranger shakes his head sadly, “Once or twice a season. You’ll not see one I’d wager. But… there is another way across.”

“Oh really?” Melody questions, incredulously, “And I suppose you can help us across for a fee?”

Jin ignores her sister-in-law’s sister-in-law, “I am Cynis Falen Jinabar, these are my comrades, Cynis Falen Ganan and Mnemon Alinos Gracious Pealing Melody. We are pleased to make your acquaintance.”

The stranger bows deeply, “I had assumed you were Dynasts from your accents. They call me ‘Wanderer’ for that is my vocation and my avocation. I have been… touched by the gods of the sky and I know a little sorcery.” He nods at Ganan, who is clearly displaying the Invulnerable Skin of Bronze, “I could summon a low fog that could fly you across the waters, though it may take an hour or two.”

“I know of no such magics.” Ganan states suspiciously.

“It is a rare gift in these times, to be sure. And there will be no fee, Mnemon Melody, the chance to use my skills in the service of the Princes of the Earth is all I require.”

“Wanderer, please excuse us one moment.” Jin gestures for Melody to drive Clapper a short distance away, “What do you think?” She asks in hushed tones.

Ganan speaks first, “I’ve read of many spells for crossing waters. They are well known, but none of them will bear Clapper’s weight on their own – only if we had a ship already suited to the task. Summoning fog? Clouds that can carry two people are common enough, but fog to carry a shieldback? Unheard of.”

“I don’t trust mysterious strangers who show up with exactly what we need, exactly when we need it.” Melody adds, “I think it’s a trick.”

“Do you think he could be an Anathema?” Jin asks, seriously, looking at Ganan.

Ganan considers, “There is magic – lost magic – that could bear us aloft on a cloud. Not fog. But it’s considerably faster than what this Wanderer offers. It could be that he’s heard tales of the Anathema magic and is trying to trick us. But for him to be an Anathema? How does it profit him to offer to help us? And for free?”

“If he is an Anathema, could he be looking to use his magic to lead us to the middle of the sea then drop us into the water?” Melody asks suspiciously.

“Perhaps,” Ganan strokes his chin, “But if he were a master of the dread sorcery of the Anathema there are a thousand other ways he could kill us. And we can swim. What do you think Jin?”

“He’s hiding something.” Jin states, “That much is obvious. But he seems genuine in his offer to take us across the water. I don’t think he’ll drop us.”

“Bet your life?” Melody shoots back.

“Do you want to wait five years for Ganan to build that bridge?” Jin retorts.

Melody wrinkles her nose, “Okay fine. All in favor to trusting our lives to the mysterious stranger?”

Ganan and Jinabar both raise their hands.

“Well then it’s three vs two!” Melody crows triumphantly, “Mott and Clapper side with me.”

Mott speaks up, “Oh, I assumed I didn’t get a vote. I side with Mistress Jinabar.”

“Then you don’t get a vote!” Melody hisses.

“Then it’s two votes to two. Ties get broken by a fair arbiter, I propose an Imperial Magistrate. Oh, that’s me. We go with the mysterious stranger.” Jinabar smirks and walks back to Wanderer. “The Realm gratefully accepts your offer of assistance Wanderer. Please, work your sorcery and take us across the water.”

Wanderer nods, reaches into his cloak and produces a queer looking crystal. He holds it to the light, then nestles it between his hands. His fingers interlock and twist together into a fiendish cat's-cradle, the gem between his palms. Billowing cloud stuff starts to gather at his feet. Ganan eyes him suspiciously as the cloud grows bigger. It takes nearly a minute for the clouds to envelop the heroes, but once they do, the cloud lifts them (Clapper and all) six inches off of the ground. Slowly the cloud starts to move those assembled out over the water. Wanderer looks to be concentrating completely on the task at hand. Melody readies her bow: the cloud appears transparent now they are in motion.

“Gan, you didn’t notice any bear ears did you?” Melody asks as the cloud edges over the water.

“No.” Ganan says, scrutinizing the mysterious sorcerer. The gem, still locked between the Wanderer’s palms, is unfamiliar to Ganan, but the mudras used to summon the clouds are not: he has read texts of the Sapphire Circle describing the Cloud Trapeze spell used by the mightiest of gods and demons – alongside the dread Anathema – and this spell certainly seems similar… albeit slower, and more limited. The Cloud Trapeze can fly a mile high in the sky, Ganan reminds himself, and at much faster speeds, without demanding the intense concentration this Wanderer seems to display.

The cloud starts to pick up speed, traveling now at maybe fifteen miles an hour. Melody remains at the ready with her bow. Jinabar mounts Clapper, not seeing any reason to stay on foot with the near-catatonic Wanderer.

“Finally some good fortune, fellows!” Mott pipes up.

“Shut up, Mott.” Ganan and Jinabar say in unison. Melody is struck by how alike the siblings seem in that moment.

True to his word, in two hours the fog reaches the far shore. Wanderer sets them down, and the clouds dissipate. Wanderer collapses to the floor. He seems exhausted, but Melody eyes him carefully and suspects that he is faking.

“Thank you Wanderer.” Jin calls down from the back of Clapper, “Gan, pay the man and let’s be on our way.”

Ganan withdraws his purse and takes out an obel of jade, but Wanderer looks up and holds out a hand gesturing for him to stop. “Please, I cannot take your money.” He says between labored breathes, “I ask no payment.”

Ganan climbs down from Clapper and walks over to the man. There is no devils mark of the Anathema upon him, but he does seem unshakably… familiar. “You’ve done us a great service Wanderer.” He offers the man one of his small sculptures – a complex geometric arrangement made of interlocking tetrahedral shapes. “Please, take this token: not as payment but as a gift of friendship.”

Wanderer’s breathing immediately calms, a fact noted only by Melody and Jin, and he takes the sculpture (3SP). “Thank you.” Wanderer bows, I shall treasure this.

“We travel onward to Kirighast.” Ganan states, “You are welcome to join us.”

Wanderer bows a third time, “Alas, I have wandered from that direction. Once I am rested, I shall travel back across the sea… perhaps on a barge this time, and wander north.”

Ganan nods and remounts Clapper. “Travel well.” He calls, as Melody spurs the beast on.

As soon as the shore is out of sight, Melody speaks, “Is it me, or was that too convenient?”

“Things can’t go wrong all the time.” Jinabar shrugs, “Sometimes things have to work out in order to build your hopes up, so the next wrong thing has something to knock down.”

“Did he seem… familiar at all to you Jin?” Ganan asks, distractedly.

“Familiar? No.” Jinabar says, shaking her head, “No, not at all.”

“He seemed familiar to me.” Melody says, “Like I’ve seen him before. But I can’t place where.”

“Dovak.” Ganan says with confidence, “I’ve seen him in Dovak.”

“With… Brightsky, maybe? An itinerant?” Melody guesses, knowing it’s wrong as soon as she’s said it.

Ganan shakes his head, “It doesn’t matter right now. We need to reach Kirighast and find Sondok. Then we can wonder about mysterious Exigents, or god-blooded, or… whatever he was.”

A shiver goes down Melody’s spine when Ganan says “god-blooded” but she still can’t place where she knows Wanderer from.

“Couldn’t he just be a mortal sorcerer?” Jin says, reclining back and closing her eyes.

Once again, Melody is struck by the similarity in mannerisms between the siblings, and the mystery of the Wanderer is forgotten. For now.

Clapper masters the mountainous region demarcating the northern boarder of Harborhead as easily as if it were a paved road. Travel still stretches to days, and rain batters the heroes infrequently. Supplies start to run low as the first herds of cattle, guarded by warriors in scarlet dashikis come into sight.

“We’re not far from Bent Creek.” Melody announces, “We could stop off and see Peasa to resupply before pushing into the capital.”

“Mnemon Peasa?” Jinabar says, wrinkling her nose in disgust, “The traitor, Mnemon Peasa?”

“It was just a thought.” Melody says, “Clapper can get by grazing on whatever we find, but we’ve been riding him hard and he needs proper stabling.”

“It shouldn’t add much time to our journey, mistress.” Mott speaks up.

“What do you think Bronze Britches?” Jinabar asks her brother.

Ganan grunts noncommittally and shrugs. When Jinabar glares at him, he eventually speaks, “If Melody says Clapper needs proper stabling, then Clapper needs proper stabling.”

“Fine.” Jinabar relents, secretly eager to meet one of the Realms most famed embezzlers, “Take us to Bent Creek.”

Melody points them less South-West and more due South. By nightfall, the shape of the city looms into view. They push into the twilight, making it to the mining city as the midnight gloom surrounds them. The city, some forty years in the making, seems quite incomplete: a massive, half constructed building dominates one side, slave pens dominate another. A huge stable for yeddim, however, is readily apparent, and Melody steers Clapper toward it.

A bleary eyed attendant does a double take as the shieldback lizard sets itself at the yeddim trough to drink, and three Dynasts walk towards him.

“By the authority of the Scarlet Empress, you are to provide food and lodging for this beast.” Jin instructs with the authority of a magistrate. When High Realm falls on deaf ears, she switches to Firetongue, and punctuates her orders with angry hand-gestures.

The attendant leaps to attention and nods vigorously, springing into action to clear a berth for Clapper.

“Now all we need to do is find somewhere to stay ourselves.” Ganan remarks.

“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.” Melody points at an approaching figure flanked by black-helmed guards. She grips her golden bow tight.

“Let me handle this,” Jin says confidently, laying a hand on Melody’s shoulder as she passes to intercept the approaching welcoming party.

“Greetings strangers,” The woman at the head of the group calls in impeccable Realm accented High Realm, “Welcome to Bent Creek, I hope you enjoyed your stay. Now leave.”

Jinabar regards the haughty woman carefully. She approaches slowly, her wrackstaff concealed in a sleeve. She mimicks the gesture of warmth she used on Melody to touch Mnemon Peasa on the shoulder. ‘Homesick’, the whisper from her wrackstaff calls to her. Jinabar calls over her own shoulder to Melody, “Mnemon Melody, is this your aunt Peasa who’s renowned hospitality you’ve been talking up this entire journey?”
At the mention of House Mnemon, Peasa’s demeanor relaxes, very slightly.

Melody and Ganan approach. Melody speaks, “It’s hard to tell in the dark, of course, but she certainly looks like Mnemon Peasa. Alinos has a portrait of her.”

Mnemon Peasa eyes Melody suspiciously, “Mnemon Alinos would not give me the time of day when I was last in her company.”

“Yes, but the way mother tells the story, you’d been banished at that point. Where was she supposed to send you? Dovak?” Melody smiles disarmingly, and Peasa noticeably relaxes and gestures for the guards to stand at ease.

Peasa regards the trio of Dynasts carefully, “Very well, Mnemon Alinos Melody, what brings you to Bent Creek?”

“My brother-and-sister-in-law, Cynis Ganan, Cynis Jinabar and I, are heading to Kirighast – from Dovak as it happens – to clean up a mess made by Mnemon Nanals.” Melody answers, more or less honestly, “But it’s a long journey and we need a place to rest.”

“It’s an extremely long journey.” Peasa haughtily condescends, “And I’m surprised Nanals is still alive.”

Ganan snorts, “The old woman will out-live us all.”

“Please, forgive my manners. Of course I am Mnemon Peasa, and you are welcome to stay at my humble lodgings. Please, follow me.” She turns at leads the Dynasts to her home. It’s not as grand as that of the mine’s overseer, but is a considerable step up from camping rough in the wilderness. “You’ll excuse the suspicion. Unannounced visitors show up with orichalcum weapons and a beast of burden – one might think them here to steal jade.”

“Perish the thought.” Jin says with mock indignation, “Well it’s a reasonable suspicion. In my youth I siphoned funds from an operation here or there. But never from the Empress’s own pocket.” She lets the accusation hang for a moment, causing Peasa to bristle. “Actually we’re chasing an unbound demon, even if we wanted to steal jade, we don’t have the time.”

“A demon?” Peasa seems pensive as she shows them to a guest room, “Hmm… there’s been a spate of murders in Kirighast. Men and women slashed with long knives. We only received word this morning, but the murders have been happening for a couple of weeks… does this fit with your demon.”

Ganan growls with frustration, “Two weeks dragons damn it to hell! Yes, it fits!” He pounds his fist with his hand.

The Dynasts thank Peasa for her hospitality and fall into bed.

****

In the morning they rise from comfortable beds with the smell of breakfast in the air.

A slave (unarmed and looking downtrodden) appears with washing water as Ganan is starting to cast his morning Invulnerable Skin of Bronze.

“Tarry a little, brother.” Jin warns. The spell having elapsed before they had entered the city, the Magistrate thinking it prudent not to reveal the sorcerer in their midst.

Ganan shoots her a warning look, but stops casting and receives the water from the slave and dishes it out between the three Dynasts (Mott can stay dirty). He strips off his vest and washes the dust of the road off of his body. The others also clean up and they head to breakfast.

“Weapons on display,” Jin cautions, repositioning Ganan’s javelins out from under his traveling cape. “We don’t want to be mistaken for slaves.”

Melody scoffs, but repositions her belt knife (as if the giant orichalcum bow on her back wasn’t enough).

Mnemon Peasa has laid out a rich breakfast – beef, cheese, fresh bread – and sits regally waiting for her guests to arrive and be seated, with Mnemon Melody at her right-hand side.

“Should I assume you’ll be moving on after breakfast?” Peasa asks, “Would you indulge me with news of the Blessed Isle?”

“We will indeed move on, thank you for your hospitality. It will not be forgotten.” Jinabar nods cordially.

“Actually,” Ganan interrupts, “We only arrived at midnight, Clapper could do with more rest, and but we need to be in Kirighast now. If we could impose on your hospitality a little longer, we’d make better time if we leave at midnight.”

Melody shoots Ganan a warning look, “News of the Isle is a tall order.” She smiles pleasantly, “Surely you’ve heard that Jiara fell into open rebellion? Rumors of the Anathema? Mnemon redeployed the bulk of her military forces to securing the wayward Satrapy. Ganan and I were sent East to cut off any hope of escape for the rebels. We’ve been locked in a backwater for months. But I can tell you that the tales of the Anathema are true – there’s been a surge of sightings, and Jiara drew them like a lightning rod. We’ve done battle with two in as many months.”

“Dire news then.” Peasa considers thoughtfully.

“It’s not all bad,” Jinabar adds, “I hear that Mnemon’s campaign is all but over. The Anathema crushed, the rebels sent back to their fields.”

“Yes. Those of us in Dovak are being recalled back to the Blessed Isle to herald Mnemon’s triumphant return home.” Melody nods in agreement.

“It may well be that we’ll see a new Empress on the throne soon. Perhaps one who will appreciate all you have done for the throne.” Jinabar raises a glass to their host.

Mnemon Peasa smiles, and takes a sip of her drink, “I can’t take all the credit. This is Peleps Howdarn’s operation after all.”

“Peleps Howdarn wasn’t here to welcome us to the city.” Jinabar shoots back.

Peasa takes another drink, “You are of course welcome to stay until midnight.”

“Your offer is very kind,” Melody says, “I will have to check on my riding beast. I suspect he will be recovered enough for us to leave immediately. But Cynis Ganan is well versed in animal husbandry, and I would be remiss to ignore his considerable expertise without even inspecting the animal myself.” She smiles pleasantly, then shoots a look of purest venom at Ganan.

After breakfast they reconvene at the yeddim stables.

“You must be out of your goddamn mind!” Melody rages jabbing a finger into Ganan’s chest. “Leave at midnight?! Do you honestly think that even though I wouldn’t leave Clapper with Brightsky that I’d be willing to leave him here with strangers!”

Ganan slowly looks down at the finger jabbed into his (surprisingly vulnerable skin of) flesh, “We’re already two weeks late. You can drive Clapper to exhaustion and use up all your reserves in the process, and it’ll still take us three days to get to Kirighast. Or we can summon another agata, and get there by morning.”

“Wait,” Jin interrupts, “Morning? Your demons are that much faster?”

“There’s a reason we summon demons, Jin. Yes, they’re that much faster.” Ganan turns to Melody, “You’re going to have to stable Clapper at Kirighast anyway – the streets aren’t wide enough to ride a shieldback through, and do you really want to pit him against Sondok?”

“When he’s exhausted from not being fed properly for three days and force marched from here to there?” Jin adds, sympathetically laying a hand on Melody’s shoulder and making deep eye contact as she says it.

Melody meets Jin’s gaze, “I swear if this is part of some con to steal jade from this place, I will bury you so deep Pasiap won’t be able to find you.”

Jin lays a hand over her heart, “I swear to you, I just want to stop these demonic occultists doing any more damage.”

Jin and Melody return to Mnemon Peasa to negotiate a week’s stabling for Clapper, whilst Ganan goes to check out the half-constructed building they saw coming into town. It’s an opera house, but it’s roof hasn’t been completed, leaving the half-constructed innards open to the elements. Ganan sees a pile of slate, clearly meant for the roof, shrugs his shoulders, and (not seeing a work crew) starts to create the roof himself (-10SP; 9 GP, 3SP).

*****

Ganan spends 7DX to train Craft: Sculpture.
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Dynasty of Dovak