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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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Chapter List
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Session 56 – The Breath of Hesiesh – Reya (160XP 128DX, 159/114 spent; 9GP 11SP), Melody (160XP 128DX, 155/120 spent), and Ganan (160XP 128DX, 156XP/122DX spent; 2WhP 48GP 24SP)

The Dragon-Blooded arrive in the Imperial City and proceed directly to the Imperial Palace.

There is no great fan-fare to greet them, but they make their way past the walls and through the streets with no difficulty. Berit deposits Tereya Phine on the steps of the Palace, and they are greeted by a dour looking Amon Mora.

Mora bows, almost imperceptibly to Berit, “Proceed to the throne room. V’neef and the Regent await you.”

Berit leaves, tossing the heroes a casual salute. A rather battered Riven Dusk gives directions to Berit’s staff.

Mora turns to Danireya with a barely hidden look of disdain, “Mnemon awaits you in her chambers.”

Reya bows graciously, “Thank you, we can find the way.”

Amon Mora disappears back into the Palace and vanishing into the twists and turns of the maze-like construction without another word.

The heroes proceed through the manse, and find Nanals with three of her siblings outside of Mnemon’s chambers.

Nanals smiles warmly at them, “Good morning grand-daughter. You look fatigued. You know my brothers, Ulrin and Phanjain.” She pauses, “And Bata. Apparently we three are the only children of our Matriarch able to answer her summons. Brothers, my grand-daughter Mnemon Alinos Danireya.” The heroes don't blink at Nanals excluding the mortal Bata from the count of Mnemon's children.

Ulrin wears the robes of an Immaculate Monk. His head is shaved, but his eyebrows have the same fiery redness as his mother and grandmother’s hair. Phanjain wears the robes of a postulate, but his head is not shaved and he seems deferential to Ulrin. Bata, Prefect of the Scarlet Prefecture, a mortal, is the only one of the trio Danireya and Melody recognize. He carries himself awkwardly, as if nursing a serious wound.

Danireya bows, “Only by reputation.” Deciding she’d be damned before acknowledging a mortal, she turns to the youngest of the trio in calculated insult, “How is the Cloister of Wisdom treating you Mnemon Phanjain?”

Phanjain returns the bow, “I have been awarded the mark of Iron Horses, and would have taken my vows as a monk were it not for the current… unpleasantness.” Phanjain looks at his mortal brother, and takes him by the shoulder.

The Prefect, ostensibly the highest ranking person in the room, winces. “Assassins.” He offers by way of explanation for his injury. No-one asked.

Ulrin regards Danireya and her companions carefully, then addresses the group, “I’ve heard you’ve won some important allies to our cause. This is good. We need to strike at the Peleps shipyards as soon as possible.”

Melody beams, “Berit is in the throne room with V’neef right now planning our next move.”

Ulrin nods, “And Ledaal Cycel is with mother now. House Ledaal’s Flashing Tempest Council has declared for Mnemon, and their legions are moving to cut off House Cathak and march on the Ragara forces to the South as we speak.”

As if on cue, the doors to Mnemon’s chambers open and Ledaal Cycel walks out of the chambers, giving a polite bow to the Mnemon scions as she passes, and summoning Ludila with a wordless gesture. Ledaal Ludila follows after her elder with an apologetic look, and the others proceed to Mnemon’s presence – Mnemon’s children follow behind them. Mnemon regards them in silence for a beat or two, not even breathing, then Mnemon Alinos Tinis and Donta arrive. Donta closes the door behind them.

Mnemon inhales, “My children,” She uses the term in the loosest sense, and it seems devoid of any maternal affection, “I have somehow been convinced to form a ridiculous alliance with my most hated sister and my least accomplished. More shockingly, this alliance seems to be working: House Ledaal has finally agreed to commit troops to the field, Sesus Raenyah has sent an envoy (Sesus Chenow Geroc) to coordinate our efforts against the Usurper, a mortal nobody of House Nellens has hurried to the steps of the palace to confirm our ceasefire with the thin-bloods, and a ridiculous storekeeper of House Tepet is trying to pledge her House to my cause.”

Mnemon Alinos Donta steps forward, “My matriarch, I have the Regent in custody, and Berit’s meager force has been disarmed. Your troops have the throne room surrounded, you have only to give the word and our forces will slay your sisters where they stand.”

“Aww shit.” Melody mutters under her breath. Ganan nudges her sharply and shakes his head in warning.

Mnemon turns her crushing gaze on Danireya, “I didn’t expect you to succeed. Your task was intended to be impossible.”

Danireya meets her matriarch’s eye, “I am prepared to do impossible things to set you on the throne, my matriarch.”

Mnemon Nanals proudly lays a hand on her daughter’s shoulder.

Mnemon continues, “Then if I told you I wanted my sisters dead at my feet? You wouldn’t tell me that taking the throne is ‘impossible’ without them? You’d find some other clever way?”

Danireya holds Mnemon’s gaze, “I have no other way. This was my plan, my only plan. I’ll follow your orders if you have a better plan, my matriarch, but I see no other way for you to take what is rightfully yours.”

Mnemon shifts her gaze to the guileless Cynis Ganan, “Cynis Ganan, brief me.”

Ganan retells their journeys across the Blessed Isle with clipped brevity. The traitor legions to go to Berit’s command, the navy to V’neef – right and left hand of the Empress, the Sei-i Taishōgun and the Mistress of the Seas. Melody finds his account of what happened in the Valley of the Ancients to be deeply truncated.

Eventually Mnemon speaks, “And you think this plan will work?”

Ganan blinks, “Mistress, the plan has already worked.”

Melody jumps in, “Back in Noble, Danireya told you that V’neef and Berit would bring you support from outside of the House. That if you show you can bend, then others would bend before you. That is exactly what has happened.”

Mnemon throws Melody a sharp look.

Danireya steps in, “Winning this war is only the first step. The Bull of the North is still out there. In the East, the Mask of Winters still dominates thorns. The Deathknights and the returning Solar Anathema. The loss of the Caul, and Dragons-know-what is happening in the West. Sondok’s cult like a weed in the South. You need this alliance, not just to take the throne, but to hold it. You have subordinates, you need allies.” She looks to her older brother and to Mnemon’s children, “And frankly, it shouldn’t fall to my sister and I to tell you this.”

Mnemon Rulinsei steps out of the shadows and gives Nanals a jade obel.

Nanals chuckles, and leans in to Reya, “I bet them you’d call her out on that.”

One corner of Mnemon’s mouth twitches fractionally upwards, and the tension in the room drains instantly. “This might work after all. Tinis, brief them.” She walks out of the room, followed by Rulinsei and her children.

Tinis gestures for them to sit, “There was quite the debate when we received word of your success with V’neef, but Daimother fought your corner viciously. I was preparing to drag Berit here by her ear if necessary: Donta assured me that it wouldn’t be.”

Donta looks directly at Melody, “What really happened at the Valley of the Ancients?”

Danireya steps in immediately, “Nice to see you again too Donta, I’m glad we won’t be murdering our allies.”

Donta smiles predatorily, “Not yet.” She shifts her attention back to Melody, “There’s nothing you want to share?” She needles, reading Melody like a book.

“It’s the Anathema.” Melody blurts out, “Cathak Cainan’s youth, it’s Anathema magic. Ragara Bhagwei promised Heptagram neutrality, and all but confirmed that Cainan’s youth was restored by the treachery of the Anathema, not the Dragons. We just… don’t have proof yet.”

Tinis considers, “I will brief the Triumvirate whilst you complete your next assignment. There’s a manse, close to the city, controlled by House Cathak: The Enduring Breath of Hesiesh. It sits on a barely contained Fire Aspected demesne, at the top of a hill: impossible for any but Fire Aspects to endure comfortably – it’s the perfect staging ground for an attack on the City, and a redoubt for when we beat them in the field. It has to fall.”

Ganan nods, “Agreed. We should put our best Fire Aspects on it.”

Donta smiles warmly, “Our Matriarch would like the three of you to take care of it.”

Danireya repeats back slowly, “The three of us who have traveled the length and breadth of the Blessed Isle, who haven’t slept and have been worn dry?”

Tinis replies, slowly, “I suggested we wait for brother to arrive. It would suit Ferad immensely: he has the military background, the Aspect, the temperament. If it were merely a matter of glory to House Alinos, then he shares our name. But ever since Mnemon invited you into her inner circle at the Villa of Arhat, Nanals has been your most ardent and vocal supporter: she has shouted down your every detractor and sung your praises to Mnemon day and night insisting there is nothing the three of you cannot accomplish. She insisted you three be the ones to take the manse, immediately upon your return to the city, and Mnemon will hear no more on the subject.”

“That bitch!” Melody hisses between her teeth, “I am going to kill her!”

Ganan looks confused, “I do not understand.”

Danireya explains slowly as she thinks of her next move, “Nanals is trying to get us killed, or at least sidelined out of Mnemon’s good graces. Probably because of the whole Sondok affair, but frankly it could just be a vindictive Wolf’s Blade thing. She’s been pretending to support us in order to set us up.” She looks to Tinis, “Ferad’s not here?”

Tinis looks at her, not unsympathetically, “He’s still two days out from Jiara. Passage is booked across the sea, we expect him in a few days.”

Danireya pinches the bridge of her nose, “Mother?”

Tinis shakes his head sadly, “Daimother insisted that she and Aunt Bekara defend the Ledaal holdings in Incas against Ragara aggression from Corin. Ledaal strike forces are to begin hitting Peleps naval holdings to rob Cathak of their advantage at sea.”

Melody cuts in, “What about Nula? Could she bring Ferad and Muli across the Inland Sea?”

Danireya shakes her head, “By the time she’s my age, Nula will be a sorceress to rival Mnemon. But she’s doesn’t have the skill to cross the Inland Sea with a Stormwind Rider yet. And besides, as she’s not here already then she’s probably been shanghaied by mother.”

Donta smiles at Danireya, affectionately, “I seem to remember a young sorcerer in Paragon insisting that it was perfectly safe to cross the Sea using sorcery?”

Danireya smiles back at her niece, “Well I’m much older and much better versed in sorcery than that sorcerer. And I seem to remember someone saying they would rather swim than sit still. Dō, can you help us?”

Tinis pulls a face, “’Onty and I aren’t Fire Aspects.” They’re Earth, “I think Nanals has found a job for every Fire Aspect in our coalition.”

Melody and Danireya share a look, “Maybe not every Fire Aspect.” They say together.

Cynis Ganan gives a groan.

****

Two hours later, and after a brief nap, our heroes bundle into the back of a shabby wooden wagon. They close their eyes and desperately try to rest. Mnemon Alinos Donta sits in the back with them, watching over them, as they head for The Enduring Breath of Hesiesh. Ledaal Ludila sits shotgun with Aharon Saber Edge driving the wagon.

Six hours of bumpy wagon ride later, Danireya yawns and stretches, and smiles warmly at her niece. “How have you been Dō?”

Donta flicks a throwing knife into her hand, and gently pokes away Reya’s traveling cloak to one side to reveal the ironwood chain shirt underneath. She shakes her head in disbelief, “I can’t believe you still have yours: Aronia would freak out.”

Reya grins wider, “Remember the day she gave them to us?”

Despite herself, Donta flushes red, “Yeah. That was a good day. The first time I ever said the Oath.”

Reya needles her former Hearthmate, “And here I was thinking you were blushing over Liling.”

Donta makes an embarrassed choking sound, she looks wistful for a moment, then sad. “Well…” She starts weakly, then takes a deep breath and sighs, “Let’s just say that I don’t have my ironwood shirt anymore.”

“I’m sorry.” Reya lays a hand on her knee.

Donta shrugs and sniffs, “Yeah, they were damn fine shirts. Meant a lot to me, and uh...” She shakes her head, “Whatever.” There’s a brief moment of silence, “So… you and Aharon Saber Edge?”

Ganan growls as he wakes up, “I hate that guy.”

Aharon bangs on the wall between them, “These walls are thin my friends! I can hear you!” He calls out cheerfully.

Ganan looks surprised and embarrassed for a moment, then realizing that Aharon can’t see his facial expression he calls back, “I know you can hear me!”

Reya shakes her head at the foolishness of men, “Udi recruited him. He’s a mercenary, came across the sea with us so I figured there was a good chance Daimother, your Grand Daimother, wouldn’t know he was here.”

“Ledaal Ludila is Udi? The Udi from the Heptagram?” Donta looks over to Ganan, “Are the four of you just having one big Cynis orgy?” She leans into Reya, and without a hint of humor she asks, “Is that how you recruited V’neef?”

Reya scoffs, “Don’t be gross, V’neef is my aunt. And I’ve never slept with Aharon.”

(“Yet.” Aharon calls from the front of the wagon.)

Reya continues, “That was you and Aronia.”

“Grand Daiaunt.” Donta corrects, “And don’t act like you don’t have the hots for her you pervert.”

On the word ‘pervert’ Melody wakes up, “Is there coffee?” She croaks.

Donta produces a finely wrought jade tube and a vial of powder, “Better.” She suggests, passing the cocaine to Melody.

Melody gratefully accepts the vial, and pulls Reya’s shield across her lap so she has a flat surface, “Bless you sweet child.” She says as she takes a line of cocaine, fishes some clean water from her healing satchel and cleans her nose, before handing the drugs back.

Donta offers Reya, “Aunt?”

Reya demurs, so Donta extends the drugs to Ganan, who responds with a brusque, “I do not partake.”

On hearing all the Dragons in the back are awake, Aharon pulls the wagon over. They stretch, disembark at the roadside and plan.

Reya begins, “From here we’ll use Stormwind Riders. I’ll carry us, Udi will carry the wagon. We’ll approach the manse and separate into two groups: Udi, Dō and I will cause a distraction, something nice and flashy with the wagon, try and draw the Cathak troops out. Melody, Ganan and Aharon hit the manse. If this works, we can Stormwind back to the Palace and sleep in proper beds tonight.”

Aharon raises an eyebrow, “I don’t have a bed at the Palace, so you see how it’s hard for me not to take that as an invitation.”

Reya lays a hand on his chest and smiles at him condescendingly, “You are our only Fire Aspect. Which means you get to stay behind and guard the manse until we can send reinforcements.” She smiles sweetly at the mercenary.

Melody unhitches the wagon’s horses and lets them run free as Reya and Udi begin casting their spells. Ganan refreshes his Invulnerable Skin and Reya lifts them into the air.

****

It takes less than an hour to reach the manse, and the group splits up as planned.

****

Mnemon Donta disappears into the shadows: the foothills surrounding the The Enduring Breath of Hesiesh offer plenty of cover. Reya speaks the Burning Name and sets their wagon on fire, and Udi flies the burning wagon to the top of the craggy hill, with Reya following behind.

The manse itself sits atop the hill, a giant sculpture of a dragon carved from a single block of red obsidian the height of a fine Patrician townhouse that seems to bletch a constant stream of nauseous gas. It’s ringed by living-quarters made from red obsidian brick. The sorcerers launch a lightning strike on the Cathak living-quarters, dropping the burning wagon on top of one of the buildings then flying back down the hill.

Shouts are raised and six Dragon-Blooded pour out of the manse and the surrounding structures: two divert to put out the fire, and the rest give chase after the Stormwinds.

“It’s almost too easy.” Aharon gasps, shaking his head. He waves his halberd forward signaling the others “Let’s go.”

Ganan and Melody exchange a look, and Melody sighs, “Seems straight-forward enough.”

Ganan snorts and they charge into the camp.

Aharon swings his halberd in a deadly arc, and it ignites with fire essence, its head becoming a flickering flame as he closes the distance between himself and the Cathak’s.

“A trap!” The lead Cathak scion screams, and instantly a pair of silver pheasants with wicked looking claws flutter to her side. She draws a bow of red jade and takes aim at Aharon. Thin yellow mist pours out from around her.

Ganan measures the foes in front of him, feeling the power of his tetsubo grow in anticipation of the battle.

Melody takes aim at the bow-wielding Cathak.

The remaining Cathak’s fists ignite into flame and he charges towards Aharon.

One of the pheasants stands ready to guard Cathak Bow, the other charges forward with Cathak Fist, transforming as it runs. The bird shifts into a humanoid form with six-arms, an eagles head and wings, and a shimmering sword of the finest steel in one of its wickedly clawed-hands.

Aharon continues forward and crashes head long into Cathak Fist and the Phoenix Garda Bird. He swings his halberd in a killing arc and catches Cathak Fist in the ribs. The Fire Aspect’s buff jacket is reinforced with jade plates, but does little to slow Aharon’s attack, and the young Cathak scion falls. His torso slides from his severed legs and his burning fists go out as the dead body hits the ground.

The leader of the Cathak forces looses an arrow on Aharon, who is left over extended by his sweeping strike. The arrow catches him awkwardly at the height of his swing and utterly wrong-foots him.

Ganan continues aiming at his foes, his tetsubo humming with barely contained essence now.

Melody looses on Cathak Bow. Her arrow flies through the sky… and ignites the moment it touches the yellow mist surrounding the remaining Cathak scion. It burns away to harmless ash. The Cathak leader casts a baleful eye towards Melody. “Shit.” She murmurs.

The Phoenix swings its sword with consummate skill, driving Aharon back with every strike. The Garda Bird’s sword burns with an unnatural flame, causing obvious burns to the Dragon-Blooded mercenary. The Empress Garda Bird stays by Cathak Bow.

The Cathak leader draws a bead on Melody.

“Ganan, get in there and take out that archer!” Melody bellows as she aims at the Garda Bird attacking Aharon.

The Phoenix presses their advantage, hammering Aharon further back, the better to get in a killing stroke.

Ganan runs forward, tetsubo in hand, stopping only to take Earth Dragon Form. His anima whips up around him in a raging sandstorm. The heat coming from the manse is oppressive, but Ganan’s mighty constitution allows him to shrug it off.

The Empress bird finally leaves the Cathak leader’s side to close in with Ganan.

Aharon strikes back at the Phoenix attacking him. His assailant seems distinctly male, with a golden crown set into the purple plumage visible on his head. He lays into this Emperor-Phoenix with his flaming halberd, only to find that the flaming head of his weapon has but minimal effect on the creature.

The Cathak leader fires on Melody, who loses with her own shot, sniping the arrow from the air.

Melody immediately snaps off a shot on the Emperor-Phoenix attacking Aharon, forcing the Elemental to let up on its assault and split its attention between Melody and Aharon.

Ganan runs forward, and the Empress Garda Bird intercepts him. He winds his tetsubo back and crashes into the creature with the full force of an avalanche, smashing into it then spinning in place and smashing into it again. The bird is sent hurtling back into the obsidian brick wall of the living-quarters, smashing an impact crater into the brickwork.

The Emperor-Phoenix works to regain his advantage over Aharon, slicing in short wide arcs to step inside the halberd’s reach.

Aharon steps back then launches himself forward against his elemental foe. The flames surrounding his blade are quenched, and ethereal fire is replaced by cold steel, which smashes against the Emperor-Phoenix’s form. Aharon’s anima flares iconic: a flaming representation of the Penitent, that collapses into a ranging bonfire.

The Empress Garda picks itself from the ground and crows as it unleashes an immolating pyre of flame over Ganan and Aharon. Both Dragons draw on their preternatural might to resist the flames, an effort which is more taxing for Ganan than Aharon.

Ganan bolts forward to close with the Cathak leader, and he smashes her into the ground with bone breaking force, releasing a little of the stored power in his tetsubo to do so.

The Cathak tries to fire at Ganan as he towers over her, but he’s too close and the angle is completely wrong, and he easily deflects the shot.

Melody aims at the Emperor-Phoenix, feeling the tide of battle firmly shift in their direction.

Aharon pushes his advantage, driving the Emperor-Phoenix back with graceful, sweeping arcs from his halberd.

The Emperor-Phoenix swings with inhuman skill at Aharon, but the Dragon-Blooded’s anima sparks up once more, the fiery Penitent watching over Aharon as he parries with the skill of Hesiesh.

The Empress Garda charges at Ganan, sweeping out with a deadly talon strike. Ganan blocks the disemboweling maneuver on a forearm of invulnerable bronze and he throws the elemental aside.

The Cathak leader rolls to one side, essence smoothing over the pain of her shattered bones, and she rises gracefully to her feet. She snaps off another shot at point-blank range, but Ganan deflects it on his tetsubo.

Melody fires on the Emperor-Phoenix, her shot nearly taking the elemental in the neck, it looks away and stumbles under the assault.

Aharon drives his halberd up against the Emperor-Phoenix, driving the blade into the creatures abdomen. It gives a keening shriek, badly wounded by the blow that would have split a mortal man in half.

Ganan sweeps his tetsubo across the Cathak leader’s legs, and again knocks her to the ground.

The Emperor-Phoenix headbutts Aharon, driving its beak into the Dragon-Blooded’s face, and sending him back reeling. The Empress Garda also takes Phoenix form, a sword appearing in one of her six hands.

Melody takes aim at the Emperor-Phoenix again.

The Cathak leader struggles to her feet once more, and unleashes a Terrifying Dragon Roar, catching Ganan, Aharon and the Emperor-Phoenix in the blast. Aharon dodges the line of fire, and calls upon his desire to get paid for this job to avoid fleeing in terror. Ganan can’t dodge fast enough and takes the blast head on: dragon-fire super-heats his invulnerable skin, charring his innards. But the supernatural compulsion to flee finds no purchase in his rocky heart. The poor Emperor-Phoenix also takes the full brunt of the blast, and it shrieks as it tries to take flight to escape from its own allies.

Ganan drives his tetsubo into the ground, releasing the last of its stored power to unleash a mammoth shock-wave. The blow knocks the Cathak scion off her feet, demolishes the damaged wall of the barracks, and knocks both the elementals down. Aharon surges a last gasp of power into his movements, and manages to stay on his feet but only barely.

Aharon slashes into his downed foe again, tearing chucks from the Garda Bird’s wing.

The terrified Emperor-Phoenix desperately tries to claw its way along the ground, trying to flee the fiery Dragon-Blooded, but it is to no avail. The Empress-Phoenix rises from the ground and throws itself at Ganan, its sword a blur as she forces Ganan back a step.

“Enough!” Ganan cries, his eyes wide with blood-lust.

“Wait, please! I’m Cathak-”

The Cathak scion doesn’t get the chance to finish her entreaty, as Ganan brings his tetsubo directly down on her skull, shattering it like a porcelain vase.

The Empress-Phoenix turns and flees, even as Aharon hacks into the back of the male, tearing it apart strip by strip.

Melody approaches cautiously. Sweat is pouring off her like a fountain by the time she reaches the others. “There could be more hiding inside the buildings. Aharon, check it out. Ganan, signal Reya and find out if they need our help.”

She starts down the hill as Aharon checks out the manse. Ganan rips a fistful of Garda feathers from the downed Phoenix, then takes some of the blood splattered bricks from the wall he shattered with the Empress Garda, and hurries after Melody as he contact’s Reya.

****

Meanwhile…

Udi and Reya race down the hill, with four Dragon-Blooded in hot pursuit.

“Am I the only one getting wicked déjà vu?” Udi asks, “Me and you, running away from Fire Aspects after wrecking a manse we shouldn’t have? No? Just me?”

They run past Donta’s hiding place and the trailing Cathak scion gets hit with a throwing knife hurled with the force of a bolder. The blow knocks her off her feet, sending her sprawling into the ground. And Donta slips back into the shadows.

Udi begins twisting her hands through the mudras of flight and cutting as she starts to cast a spell.

Danireya turns her Stormwind around and speaks the Burning Name, hurling a blast of flame at the downed Fire Aspect.

(Donta hisses under her breath, “Are you kidding me? Learn another spell!”)

The downed Fire Aspect struggles to her feet and readies her spear. The lead Cathak draws twin swords and the other two ready a chakram and brace of javelins. They hold their ground, unwilling to run further into a trap.

Donta hurls another throwing knife at Cathak Spear, knocking her back on the ground.

Udi finishes shaping her spell, her anima flaring as she unleashes a storm of obsidian butterflies, tearing into the Cathak scions.

Danireya races in on her Stormwind Rider, and shield charges the downed Cathak, smashing the solid lump of jade into the spear-wielder’s face.

The chakram wielding Cathak throws at Danireya, who deflects the attack with her shield. The Cathak Swordswoman dives at Danireya, sword whirling, she hammers on Reya’s defenses, driving her back. The javelin thrower looses on Udi, who swerves on her Stormwind, avoiding the blow. Cathak Spear struggles back to her feet.

Danireya smashes her shield back into the spear-wielding Cathak, smashing into her bodily and the Dynast goes down again, not to get back up.

Donta throws another knife, this time at the Swordswoman, as her anima rises up preventing stealth. She turns her blades, her anima leaping up to a roaring maw of flame as she deflects the blow.

The Swordswoman regroups and hammers Danireya with an all out attack that leaves her reeling, barely able to defend herself from the onslaught of blows.

Udi pulls together sorcerous energy to blast another spell at the Cathak troops.

The chakram thrower tosses a blade at Danireya’s head. She jerks to the side as it traces a line across her face. The javelin thrower takes aim at Udi.

The Cathak Swordswoman shoulders her way inside Reya’s guard and rams her sword at her. Reya turns with the blow as the sword cuts against her armor. Steel slides against ironwood until it finds a weakness in the links, and the sword is driven through Reya’s shoulder.

Donta throws at the Swordswoman who pulls her blade from Reya’s body just in time to deflect it.

Udi continues gathering sorcerous energy.

Danireya throws herself against the Cathak Swordswoman, her arm feels like it’s practically been torn off, but with Donta distracting her foe, she manages to connect the blow, shifting the flow of battle against her foe. She then steps back, throwing herself away on her Stormwind.

The chakram thrower throws out again on Danireya, but she parries the blow on her shield. The javelin thrower attacks Udi, her attack setting her off-balance.

Donta throws at the Swordswoman, finally breaking her guard and knocking her to the ground.

Udi unleashes a second wave of obsidian butterflies. The mystic weapons shatter against the battered Cathak troops, layering sharp shards of obsidian over the ground.

Reya ducks back into the fray again, hammering the chakram thrower with her shield. The massive jade slab propelled on hundred-mile-winds badly batters him, knocking him back.

The javelin thrower takes aim at Udi again.

The chakram thrower curses and throws out at Reya, who sags back under the attack, slowed by her wounds.

The Swordswoman tries to struggle to her feet, but Reya keeps her pinned down.

Reya disengages from the fray again as Ganan signals that they’ve taken the manse. She heads back up the hill.

Donta rallies with Reya, climbing aboard her Stormwind Rider.

Udi backs up, heading down the hill.

The Cathak troops haul up after Reya and Donta, letting Udi go. The Swordswoman bringing up the rear. They leave their fallen comrade behind.

Danireya and Donta lead the Cathak scions straight back to the waiting Melody and Ganan, who easily dispatch the remaining troops as Udi arrives carrying the downed spear user.

“This one is still alive.” Ludila says as she unceremoniously dumps the unconscious Cathak scion at their feet.

Ganan scratches his head in confusion, “How the hell did that happen?” He walks over to bash the helpless Dragon-Blood’s head-in.

Melody shrugs, looking up from the body of the Swordswoman as she rifles through the corpse’s pockets, “Reya must have dropped that one.”

Ganan raises his tetsubo as Reya calls out to stop. Donta and Ludila look at him with disdain.

“You can’t just murder an unconscious Dynast.” Reya says firmly.

Donta agrees, “It’s not like fighting some foreign peasant. You have to ransom them.” She says firmly.

Ganan and Melody exchange a look.

Danireya screws up her face in frustration, “Tell me you didn’t murder everyone in the manse.”

Melody wags a finger at Danireya, “To be fair, the instructions were unclear!”

Ganan adds, “Also Aharon started it.”

They proceed back to the manse in time to find Aharon ripping the jade plates out of the fallen Cathak officers’ armor, the red jade powerbow of their leader already slung over his back. The heat of the manse is oppressive.

Ledaal Ludila takes Danireya aside, “As bringing Aharon to the Isle was my call, I won’t be reporting the details of this mission to my House, but there is an expectation that you reign these people in.”

Aharon approaches with the manse’s Hearthstone, which he hands over to Danireya. He points over to the Dragon Sculpture in the middle of the buildings. “You have to go in there to attune to the manse. It’s like an oven in there.”

Danireya takes the Hearthstone, and Melody approaches to look at her wounds, applying a poultice to the wounded shoulder and stitching her cheek, “It’s not as bad as Ganan’s, and you see how well that healed. You won’t notice it.” Melody reassures her and lays a hand on her stomach. Ganan and Donta also walk over, and Melody continues. “Got a plan for how we attune to this manse?”

Danireya nods, looking at the butchered Garda Birds, “Sure, let’s get out of this heat.” She gestures at the fallen elementals, “Ganan, you know what I need.”

Ganan searches the manse for supplies as Danireya prepares an area on the craggy rocks where the heat isn’t quite as oppressive. Ganan also approaches Aharon.

“You can keep the bow, but I need the red jade armor plates.” He says simply. Aharon looks at him impassively for a moment before Ganan reminds him, “You are being paid already, we don’t have to let you keep the bow.” Reluctantly, Aharon hands the jade-steel over.

Danireya draws up wards and sigils as Ganan approaches with carefully clipped feathers and esoteric items looked from the Cathak manse. Danireya discards half of them, and sets to work as Melody tends to Ganan’s wounds, gathers more arrows from the local vegetation then begins to sing out the ballad of a half-forgotten Shogunate hero. Ganan strips down some steel found in the manse, heating the metal with his breath and stripping it into links of chain with his fingernails (4SP).

Four hours later, an elemental being of ice rises from the ritual circle. Freezing cold radiates from its wolf-shaped body. Danireya beckons it to follow her to the manse: it’s chill aura countering the oppressive heat.

Aharon leads them to the Hearth-room in the head of the Dragon Sculpture. Despite Danireya’s rapidly melting ice elemental, the heat inside the Dragon Sculpture is every bit as oppressive as Aharon described: hot enough to cook flesh, but Danireya, Melody and Ganan make it and attune to the manse. The ice elemental, however, does not survive the process – more roasted than melted as the Dragon-Blooded spill out of the manse, gasping for air.

“Mission accomplished.” Danireya announces as they leave the manse and start heading down the hill, “Aharon, hold this position until we can send reinforcements. Don’t try and ransom the hostage until I send word – we don’t want to tip off Cathak that we’ve taken the manse.”

Aharon ties up their Cathak hostage and nods an affirmative.

They summon a Stormwind to fly back to the Imperial City, and Ganan patches the damage on Reya’s armor as they fly (-10SP; 2GP). The Mnemon legions have decamped from outside of the city, presumably to march on the Cathak forces. Rather than proceed to the Imperial Palace, Danireya informs Mnemon of their success using by letting the wind carry her words to her matriarch, and they fall into an inn on the outskirts of town, paying in silver.

****

Ganan invests 8XP to train Touch of Unmaking, and 3DX to train Craft: Artifacts 3.

Danireya invests 8XP to innovate a new Custom Charm:

Earthly Pleasure Prana
Cost: 5m, 1WP; Mins: Performance 4, Essence 3
Type: Simple
Keywords: Wood, Balanced, Mute
Duration: (Essence Weeks)
Prerequisite Charms: Enticing Paramour Passion

The Exalt draws on the primal Essence that underpins human sensuality, and channels it upon a lover in an intense act of lovemaking. In the afterglow, the Exalt may automatically Inspire an emotion of love or lust (or a similar passion) in their lover. This inflamed passion lasts until the end of the scene, and the Dragon-Blooded gains (Essence) dice to social influence actions targeting her lover for the rest of the scene.

Thereafter, whenever their lover becomes aware of the physical presence of the Dragon-Blooded whilst this Charm is active, the Dragon-Blooded may Reflexively roll (Appearance + Performance) with (Essence) automatic successes to Inspire that same emotion again.

Elemental upgrades of this Charm may be purchased for 3XP each:

Air: The Dragon-Blooded need not be physically present to re-Inspire the chosen emotion, instead inflaming passions anew by sending written social influence to their lover, or using long distance communication Charms like Wind-Carried Words Technique.
Earth: As the Air variant, save passions are re-inflamed when the lover is sent an object Crafted by the Dragon-Blooded, or uses such a gift to achieve something significant in the scene (such as using a sword forged by the Dragon-Blooded to defeat a non-trivial opponent in combat).
Fire: Fire’s passions burn hottest of all. The Dragon-Blooded may use the inflamed passion to enable Life-Changing Tasks with Persuade actions (though it otherwise only counts as a Major Intimacy, for example for the purposes of modifying Resolve).
Water: Few things are as fluid as human emotions. The Dragon-Blooded may Inspire the emotion of their choice rather than love or lust (Inspiring revolution, hatred, sadness, joy or any other feeling they wish). When successfully rolling to re-Inspire the chosen emotion, they may also activate Passion-Transmuting Nuance as a Reflexive Charm, if they know it.
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Dynasty of Dovak