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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 57 – Dread The Day – Reya (165XP 132DX, 159/131 spent; 9GP 17SP), Melody (165XP 132DX, 163/132 spent), and Ganan (165XP 132DX, 156XP/127DX spent; 2WhP 66GP 24SP)

The Dynasts, hardly inconspicuous, get a good-night's sleep at the inn. Their silver buys them the best rooms in the house (and no questions as to why they aren’t paying with jade scrip or house credit), and a blessed moment of respite from the schemes of their elders.

Come morning, Melody comes to check on Danireya.

“Why?” Ganan asks as he greets her half-naked at the door, he scratches absentmindedly at the tattoo across his chest.

Melody smiles patiently, “Because most women, even Dragon-Blooded women, don’t fly half-way across the world and back again, get run through with a sword, then brave volcanic temperatures whilst pregnant. Most women have midwives, and check-ups.”

Ganan lets her in with a grunt, and Melody inspects Danireya’s wounds.

Reya smiles at her, “Baby is down there.”

Melody scoffs, “Too early to hear, feel or see anything down there. Only thing to do is make sure mother is healthy, at least for another month or so.” She grills Reya on any aches and pains, whether she’s been eating well and a dozen other questions before rising, satisfied. “No more getting impaled.”

Ganan dresses (his necklace keeping him clean) and turns to Reya, “You want to hit the market district and see if we can’t find some ironwood for your armor?”

Reya nods and idly thumbs the steel links in her armor, “The Empyrean Bazaar?”

Ganan nods an affirmative, “The Open Market, we’ll buy the wood and I’ll cut the links. Get it done today rather than a three month commission.”

Reya rises, ready for action, “Do you have any cash?”

Ganan shakes his head, “Scrip? No. Silver? Yes.”

They leave the room and meet up with the others.

Donta gives a small bow, “I have to get back to the Palace. Father wanted to march on Cainan in the field, and it looks like Berit agreed. It was a pleasure to work with you all.”

Ledaal Ludila also bows, “I should check in as well, see if we can’t get a couple more Fire Aspects up to the manse.”

Danireya nods, “We’re going to get some supplies, take in the mood of the city.” She turns to Ludila, “We’ll meet back at the Palace.”

****

Reya, Ganan and Melody make their way through the Imperial City. A few of the block-printed posters extolling the virtues of the Regent are still posted to the walls of the buildings, but many more have been removed or trampled into the gutters. By the standards of the Imperial City, the streets are still deserted, but there’s still far more foot traffic than the Dragons ever saw in Dovak – and more than they’ve seen previously, confidence in the Triumvirate clearly being higher than confidence in the Regent. Well-to-do Patricians, and pretentious merchants, are carried through the streets on litters: our heroes walk, and listen to the chatter of the city.

Shop-keepers scrub graffiti from their walls, and give nervous and hopeful looks to those braving the streets. Mercenaries and courtesans alike are notoriously absent from the city, having followed the Mnemon legions West into Numinous Rolling Wave. Few Dynasts are seen on the streets: they pass only one gilded palanquin flanked by a dozen guards liveried in Mnemon colors, and it hurries past them without stopping.

Melody watches the armed guards go past, “Should we be more worried about the state of the city?”

Ganan shrugs, “Looks better than last time we were here. We don’t need a dozen guards, because we’re competent.”

Melody is unconvinced, “What about Donta and Ludila?”

“Donta could be trailing us right now and we’d never see her. She doesn’t need guards. Udi will have Stormwinded directly to the Palace.” Reya rubs her wounded shoulder unconsciously as they turn into the Open Market.

Warehouses store raw materials and goods are hawked from auction blocks. Most of the merchants are shopkeepers securing inventory and crafts-folk seeking supplies. The Dragons pass a trio of Guildsmen selling slaves from a block.

Melody stops in her tracks, “You two go ahead. I need to take care of something.”

Ganan obliviously walks on, but Reya places a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

Melody approaches the Guildsmen, and smiles sweetly, “I believe that only House Cynis may sell slaves on the shores of the Blessed Isle.” Her words are honey, but her eyes have an edge of danger to them.

The lead Guildsman blusters forward with a letter of marque, “We are agents operating on behalf of House Cynis-”

Melody plucks the page from the mortals hand and tears it in half, then into quarters, before tossing the paper scraps into the gutter, “So you’re not Dynasts of House Cynis? Nor Dragon-Blooded who have purchased slaves from House Cynis? You’re foreigners from the Guild selling slaves on Imperial soil? Good. I was just checking.” Melody whips out her bow, and fires an arrow into the Guildsman’s kneecap.

The other two Guildsmen try to break and run. The peasants clear the streets in a swift and orderly fashion.

“Gan, let’s help uphold your family monopoly.” Danireya motions at the fleeing Guildsmen.

Ganan steps in and grabs the closest Guildsman by the neck and hoists him off the ground. Melody fires an arrow into the knee of the other fleeing Guildsman.

“This never gets less satisfying.” Melody says as she approaches Ganan causally punting an arrow into the last Guildsman, and giving Ganan a nod.

Ganan drops the Guildsman to the ground as the Black Helms arrive. A fang of five Guardians of the Realm arrive on the scene, with gleaming black helmets, buff jackets, clubs and shields arrive on the scene.

“Break it up!” The Black Helms say moving through the streets, they come to the Dynasts (bedecked in their artifacts and wearing Mnemon colors), “Mistresses, what happened here?”

Danireya moves smoothly, “Noble Guardians of the Realm, we have just arrived in the Imperial City. I understand there has been some… political changes in the past day or so?”

The Black Helms look between each other uncertainly, “The daughters of the Empress have united to defend the Realm from Cathak Cainan. The Regent has expressed his full support of this alliance against the Usurper.”

Danireya smiles and nods, pleasantly, “And have the daughters of the Empress, or the Regent, made any legal changes yet? When last I was in the Imperial City, I was under the impression that House Cynis has an imperial monopoly on the slave trade – these men were encroaching on that monopoly.”

The lead Black Helm considers her options, “Then you’ve done us a great service by bringing these men to justice. We’ll take it from here.”

“And you’ll free the slaves, of course.” Melody adds. Danireya throws her a withering look, but she is undeterred, “Mortals cannot own them. There’s no scion of House Cynis to sell them. I think it would be best if we struck their chains, so more foreigners are not tempted to flout our laws.”

One of the junior Black Helms mutters, “But there’s got to be fifty slaves here! Where will they go? What will they eat?” But he is quickly hushed by his superiors.

“Of course.” The lead Black Helm gives a bow as the Guildsmen are carted away, and she signals for the chains to be struck from the slaves. “Princes of the Earth.” She waits to be dismissed and hurries away when Danireya gives her a wave.

Reya turns to Melody, “Where are these people going to go and what are they going to eat?”

Ganan shrugs, “We could employ them.”

Melody points an accusing finger at Ganan, “We’re not enslaving these people!”

Ganan holds up his hands, “We could pay them, let them seek employment elsewhere if they like.”

“And what, exactly,” Reya says, tenting her fingers together in obvious frustration, “Would we do with fifty slaves.”

Ganan shrugs again, “We’re in a war. We could train them as archers.”

Reya is about to argue, but she sees Melody approaching the slaves who are having their chains removed by the Black Helms. Melody talks to one quietly to learn where they are from, then addresses the entire group in Riverspeak, “My friends, you have been unjustly enslaved by the Guild. They have broken the laws of the Realm to try and sell you like this. Your captors will be punished, and you are all now free. I am Mnemon Alinos Gracious Pealing Melody. This is a strange city to you, but it is my home. Those of you who wish to leave, you may do so. But I have freed you – I, an Exalted Prince of the Earth – and I will not forsake you. Join me, not as slaves, but as free women and men, and I will clothe you, feed you and arm you. Together we shall fight against injustice.”

Despite there clearly still being something of a language barrier, a cheer comes up from the newly liberated slaves, and they begin to chant Melody’s name.

“Okay… where do we get fifty bows from?” Reya asks.

Ganan smiles weakly, “I guess I’ll buy more wood?”

****

Ganan buys the log of ironwood needed to fix Reya’s shirt (and picks up some extra for a project of his own), and yew, steel, feathers for fletching, and bowstring to create fifty bows (with ammunition). Reya makes inquiries on where they can house, feed and clothe their new army and Melody walks among the freed slaves, finding out where they come from and what their skills are.

The slaves hail from the River Provinces, farmers mostly, driven to desperation by the Mask of Winter’s belligerence and captured by the Guild. They have no particular talents for warfare – or indeed any skill of use to our heroes – and only a handful of them speak High or Low Realm with any degree of fluency. They vary in age, sex and build – representing practically an entire hamlet enslaved wholesale by the Guild, but they’re all fit enough to walk, and the group shows no obvious signs of plague. They do not look like capable soldiers by any stretch: mealy and malnourished.

Reya uses wind-carried words to commune with Mnemon. It doesn’t take long before she approaches the others with a wide smile. “How many of these slaves have decided to join us?”

“Nearly all of them.” Melody responds, “And they’re not slaves, they’re a Free Company.”

“Well tell your Free Company to follow us as we march across city.” Reya says as she leads them from the market place towards the Chambers of the Deliberative.

Ganan furrows his brow, “Where are we going?”

The Chambers of the Deliberative still sit empty. The sorcerously enhanced soldiers of the Legion of Silence still patrol, and no gilded palanquin’s containing senators try to get past the posted guards, and no well dressed Patricians protest the suspension of the Deliberative (at least, not here – not openly).

“Before the Regent disbanded the Deliberative, the Deliberative disbanded their guard. V’neef swept them up and recruited them for the general defense of the city but this,” Reya pauses before Strix Tower (a squat, Shogunate Era barracks), “Beautiful building remains empty. Mnemon is turning it over to us.”

“Because it’s haunted?” Melody asks suspiciously.

Ganan shakes his head, “Filled with Grass Spider Assassins.”

“Ooo! Oh! Ooo! Devil-vines!” Melody says, getting overexcited.

“Children please.” Reya says, exasperated, “Melody, you just kneecapped three Guildsmen then unleashed fifty vagrants on our city in the middle of a war. We’re trying to make something out of this situation. Just direct them inside.”

Strix Tower has been stripped bare of anything of use – even the bed-frames have been taken for firewood. The Deliberative was through in disarming their jailers. But it’s large enough to accommodate the entire Free Company and to drill them.

****

Ganan forges new links from scratch for Reya’s armor, and subs them out for the steel replacements (7SP). Then he works through the day making the bows (-10SP: 9GP, 3SP), using his Essence to make the bows cure faster than naturally possible. Melody’s Free Company seem grateful to have a purpose as he hands out the weapons.

Whilst Ganan works, Donta calls in on the tower to brief Melody and Reya. “Ledaal Ludila has found some reinforcements for the manse and has been drafted into the effort against the Peleps shipyards. Berit has committed the Mnemon troops stationed here to the fight in Numinous Rolling Wave: the Sesus legions have been badly mauled, and Berit doesn’t like our chances in a lengthy siege, so it’s agreed to meet them in the field is our best shot. Mnemon has publicly founded the Triumvirate to oppose the Usurper, but she hasn’t taken the title of Empress, or any title – she says that once Cainan is crushed, she’ll reinstate the Deliberate and take what’s hers then. The Regent doesn’t like this: he wanted to hand over leadership of the Realm and run like the spineless mortal turd he is. V’neef is assembling an honor-guard to take her to Lord’s Crossing: House Tepet have come out in support of Mnemon but they can’t defend their holdings against Cathak raiding parties. Mnemon is happy for you to use this tower as base of operations, but obviously wants you to leave it equipped when you move out so she can install the Imperial garrison back here when it’s time to take the throne. Mnemon will be heading out to Mnemon-Darjilis in the next couple of days: she hasn’t deigned to say why, but I suspect she’s been holding something in reserve there.”

Melody gives a whistle, “Is it me, or are things going really well.”

“They’re not going badly. What about House Sesus? Mnemon said they sent an envoy – do they support Mnemon for the throne?” Danireya asks.

Donta shakes her head, “They’re still being coy about that. Mnemon is negotiating terms personally. But the City is a wreck. Crime is up, productivity is down, the citizenry grows restless. And things aren’t much better further afield: riots in Arjuf, no word at all from Chanos, an outbreak of plague in Eagle’s Launch. If we don’t win this soon, there might not be much of a Realm to save.”

Danireya nods, “That’s not unexpected. Does Mnemon have further instructions for us?”

“Right now, rest and recover. Mnemon says she’ll need you in a couple of days. I’m to ride out West and join the front-line: by all accounts, we’ve pushed the body of their forces more than a day away now, but if you climb a tower in the city, you can still see the fighting.”

Melody nods, “Good, that’ll give us time to train the Free Company.”

“That’s a little close for comfort.” Reya says, picking up on the rest of Donta’s statement.

****

As Ganan makes the bows, Melody and Reya go out and exchange an obel for jade scrip, they use the scrip to establish credit with local merchants to deliver food and linens to Strix Tower. When night falls, the return to the tower and pay the Free Company their first week’s wages in advance.

Melody gives a speech condemning the Guild and their slave taking ways, whilst extolling the virtue of the Dragon-Blooded. She orders the fittest looking of the slaves into watches and sees that supplies are handed out. Reya fletches some arrows (6SP) and hands them out to the Free Company.

The Dragons bar themselves into the officer’s quarters and bed down for the night.

“Half of them will be gone by morning.” Ganan warns.

Melody smiles back at him, “We’ll see.”

Come the morning, not one of the Free Company has deserted, despite having cash in their pockets and weapons in their hands. Melody beams and leads them out to the yard to drill them in the proper use of the bow. Ganan casts Invulnerable Skin of Bronze.

Reya pokes Ganan, “Make me a bow.”

Ganan scoffs, “The bow is an inferior weapon, fit only for peasants and Outcastes.”

Reya glares at him, “It’s Melody’s weapon. You respect Melody’s combat prowess and she’s teaching. I want to learn. I need something other than being able to throw fire at people, there are more battles against House Cathak to come.”

Ganan scowls, “Melody is an Outcaste. You’re a born Dynast.”

“V’neef uses a bow.” Reya shoots back.

Ganan flusters, “To hunt! The bow is not an appropriate weapon of war. Work on your axe skills.”

“Fine, I’ll make it myself.” Reya throws her hands in the air, she strides over to the wood supplies.

“Wait!” Ganan says, “You win. Go drill with the peasants, I’ll make it.”

Reya kisses him on the cheek, “Excellent, I’ll pay you a commission.”

Melody has split the peasants into three groups of fifteen and has them running round the tower with their weapons. She watches them carefully, assessing their endurance.

Reya approaches, and Melody hails her, “You want to learn how to use a bow?”

Reya nods, “I know nothing about using a bow, treat me the same as anyone else.”

Melody gestures at the tower, “Then run laps, recruit.”

Reya chuckles stupidly. Melody looks completely serious. Reya looks at the peasants running laps, then, uncertainly, falls in.

Ganan labors on a particularly ornate self-bow for Danireya. First he gathers his tools, scrap wood and metal and creates a superior set of bowyer’s tools (7SP). The he carefully shapes the best of the remaining wood, emblazoning it with the Mnemon Mon, and setting the bow aside to dry (-10SP, 9GP 3SP).

Ganan walks out of the tower as Reya breathes heavily, flagging behind the un-Exalted peasants.

“How much longer are you going to make them run laps for?” He asks Melody.

Melody grins at him, “We were going to move on an hour ago. But then Reya said she wanted in.”

Ganan shakes his head, despairingly, “You are cruel. I’m going out. Tell Danireya her bow is inside.”

Melody waves Ganan off with a toss of her head.

****

Ganan walks back to Empyrean Bazaar, but heads for the Paragon Court rather than the Open Market. The upscale market for the wealthy and privileged is not a place Ganan is familiar with by more than reputation: he’s not one to socialize for the sake for being seen, or shop for himself when slaves can go for him.

Ganan is not observant enough to notice if the Court meets his expectations or not, he trudges through it with his goal on his mind: his eyes slipping over the gold faced storefronts with nephrite signage denoting Dragon-Blooded patronage, and oblivious to the number of private guards and Black Helms posted outside shops and trawling the streets. There are few customers, and little air of pageantry, due to the looming war: several shops are even closed and shuttered.

Eventually he finds what he’s looking for: an alleyway. He ducks into the alley, and finds a small shop – a hovel by the standards of peasants – one with a nephrite sign and no guards posted outside. Ganan enters and is greeted by the smell of brimstone and the ringing of a bell. Whilst other stores would have an attendant rush to show of a small selection of goods to take instruction for a commission, the wizened attendant sitting behind the desk doesn’t even look up as he mumbles, “We’re closed.”

Ganan moves through shelves stacked floor to ceiling with oddities and bric-a-brac. He selects some
sulfur, chalks, a vial of pitch-black lacquer, a box of preserved lizards with brilliant red scales, and a selection of items needed to summon another neomah. Ganan places his items on the counter:

“I need some demon-gold and jade carving tools.” Ganan says.

The shopkeeper doesn’t look up, “We’re closed and I can only sell these items to a Dragon-Blooded on the White Register.”

Ganan reaches out with a bronze limb, and lifts the ancient shopkeeper’s chin to make them look at him, “Cynis Ganan. I’m on the Register. Jade carving tools, and demon-gold.”

The shopkeeper withdraws slightly, licks the tip of a quill and produces a ledger, “Not a familiar name to me. Oh, there was that Heptagram student… must have been ‘45…”

“744.” Ganan says tersely, “You have a good memory for names. I don’t believe I have a line of credit established in your store.” He tries to put a snide element of disdain in the last word, but is hardly well practiced, and it’s obvious that he needs the supplies and has sought out, if not this store, then a store very much like this, specifically.

The elderly clerk licks the tip of his quill again and produces a well of ink, “Well, I shall have to take genealogy, livery, address, seal, matriarch and servants. In these troubled times, payment is required to establish a line of credit – I’m sure you understand.”

“Cynis Ganan, sire Ledaal Vidad, dam Cynis Lorana of House Falen, born of Lenoni of Falen...” Ganan rattles off the required details, giving Strix Tower as an address and Mnemon Alinos Danireya as matriarch, with no servants. The clerk raises an eyebrow at that last part, “If I need something more, I shall come myself.” Ganan assures him, handing over a jade obel in down-payment, “Jade cutting tools and demon-gold.”

The clerk provides two fine mahogany chests, one inlaid with marble and the other with white jade. He opens the marble chest, “Jade carving tools. Fine enough for any graduate of the Heptagram or the Forge of Mother’s Fury.” He closes the chest and pushes it over to Cynis Ganan.

Ganan gestures at the jade inlaid box, “And these?”

The clerk gives a sigh, “Passed down through the Shogunate, from the fallen Gens Kirigasu to House Iselsi and then sold to my establishment by a poverty stricken scion of that fallen House.” He opens the box to reveal an array of tools, “You’ll need a full rotatory table for these.” He gestures at a table behind Ganan, “And the cost is… prohibitive. These are mortal tools for mortal hands: Dynasts such as yourself favor artifacts for their crafting, such as can be infused with essence.”

“I don’t care to be told what I prefer. I’ll take them, and a table. Bill my matriarch. The demon-gold?”

The clerk wordlessly lays a book of jade carving techniques upon the tools, “My humble establishment does not have the licensing required to sell orichalcum, but I can make inquires and send an appropriate representative to your… residence. For a finders fee.”

Ganan nods picking up the box of tools and setting it in his pack before scooping the rotatory table up with one arm, “That is acceptable.”

Ganan leaves the shop, carrying the carving table and stops by the common markets, where he buys bamboo, horse glue, ibex horn and sinew, leather wrap and waterproofing lacquer before returning to the tower.

****

Meanwhile, Melody has moved on from running laps to coordinating the movements of the troops, having each of the three groups move forward and back as one when called on, standing and crouching. As they drill, the Dragons extol the righteousness of Mnemon’s cause against the Usurper. Danireya is a lot better at this than running round the tower.

Finally Melody signals for everyone to fetch their bows and they run through target practice. Melody demonstrates proper form and has the Free Company fire in volleys.

She corrects Reya’s posture, “That’s not bad. Nice bow.”

****

Ganan returns to the tower and spends the evening assembling a composite bow, gluing bone, wood and sinew together. Even with his dragon-graced ability, it is still not a task when can be completed in a single night.

****

Next morning Melody comes bursting into Reya and Ganan’s room in the tower.

She throws a rolled up blanket at the still sleeping Reya and Ganan, “Get your stuff.”

Ganan takes a moment to process the bizarre situation of Melody being awake before him, “What’s going on?”

“The others have landed in Dragonsmouth! Come on! Get up!”

Reya struggles up, rubbing her eyes, “I’m up, I’m up. I thought they were going to Incas?”

Ganan stretches out, “Three guesses which grandmother redirected them. What do we do with the Free Company?”

Melody waves dismissively, “They’ll be fine here for a few hours.”

Ganan gathers up his crafting supplies, and casts Invulnerable Skin of Bronze. When he picks up his rotatory table, Reya puts her foot down.

“You’re not taking that to Dragonsmouth. We won’t have time, just lock it up here and if we get delayed you’ll just have to work the tools manually or find another table.”

Reluctantly, Ganan puts it down again.

Reya adds, “How are you paying for all this stuff anyway?”

Ganan rubs the back of his neck, “Well you said that you’d pay a commission...”

The Dragons make their preparations, and fly out of the Imperial City back to Dragonsmouth.

****

It’s takes an hour for the Dragons arrive in the port. Melody leaps off the Stormwind the moment she sees Ferad and throws herself into his arms.

“Tell me we’re not that sickening.” Ganan says to Reya as he shakes his head, feeling the comfortable presence of his immaterial demons, and seeing Crown of Laurels slink from behind Ferad and pad over to Reya’s side.

They come to rest next to Ferad and the Alinos troops who are still disembarking. Clapper plods into the street, and Melody dumps Ferad to embrace her beloved Shieldback Lizard. She squeezes and nuzzles it then examines him from every angle.

Ferad looks hurt for a moment before composing himself and addressing Reya (as Nula, Muli, Agoram and Jorod approach), “Killed the Usurper yet Satrap?” He jokes with a wide grin.

Reya bows respectfully to her brother, “Not yet. But we’ve learned the Anathema restored his youth and built an alliance between House Mnemon, House V’neef, House Ledaal, and Berit. House Nellens has a non-aggression pact, Tepet are clamoring for an alliance and we have a ceasefire with Sesus.”

“You’ve been busy. How’s the capital?” Ferad asks.

Melody walks back over, “Still there. We left Tepet Fokuf and the Patricians in charge.”

Seeing Ferad’s confusion, Reya adds, “Our Matriarch does not wish to declare herself Empress whilst there is still a contender in the field. Once Cathak Cainan is dealt with, the Regent will reinstate the Deliberative and they will acknowledge Mnemon as the new Empress.”

Ferad nods, “So, my Matriarch, where to now?”

Melody slips her hands into Ferad’s pockets, making Ganan gag.

Reya produces a crude map of the Blessed Isle, “Mother’s to the south fighting House Ragara, but the real action is to the west. Ferad, take Muli here: it’s a Fire Aspected manse we liberated from House Cathak, and we’re only holding it with a mercenary and whomever we could find from House Ledaal.”

Ferad pulls a face, “That sounds like the least important assignment in the war.”

Melody glowers at Reya, “It does. Doesn’t it.”

Reya explains patiently, “That manse is the perfect staging ground to assault the Imperial City, but its heat can only be endured by Fire Aspects. House Cathak, a house inclined to Fire, was holding the manse with six Exalted champions and two mighty elementals. We’re holding it with one mercenary Outcaste. If the battle in Numinous Rolling Wave goes bad, Tinis will need a fall-back position. If it goes well, we need to deny House Cathak a fall-back position. Only Fire Aspects can hold the manse, I have two Fire Aspects.”

Ferad looks to his wife, who nods her assent to Reya’s plan.

Reya continues, “Nula, Jorod, Tepet Agoram: Berit has engaged Cathak Cainan in battle. Legions are clashing, six Dragon-Blooded and some house troops might not tip the scales, but what do you say we give it a try?”

Agoram blinks at her, “You want us to go and try and kill Cathak Cainan?”

“Finally, a good fucking plan.” Ganan nods in approval, “We can be back in the Imperial City in an hour, pick up Melody’s Free Company whilst you march along the Great Coast Road, and we’ll rally with Berit and end this war before Calibration.”

****

Reya, Melody, Ganan, Ferad and Muli fly back to the Imperial City in time to see Mnemon’s procession leaving the city on foot.

Ferad points at the procession, “Is our Matriarch going somewhere?”

“Mnemon-Darjilis. There’s suspicion that she has some kind of super-weapon stashed there. You’ll forgive me if I have less than total faith in such devices.”

Melody and Ganan disembark to round up the Free Company and secure supplies, and Reya takes her son and brother to the Enduring Breath of Hesiesh. She’s relieved to see Aharon has not murdered their hostage, and that a pair of Fire Aspected Ledaal twins has joined the defense of the manse. Reya flies back to the Imperial City, glad to leave the oppressive heat of the manse behind.

Ganan rounds up the peasant troops as Melody secures food and camp supplies. Ganan marches the small army through the market in Melody’s wake, dishing out the supplies to the Free Company as they go. Melody hands Ganan a massive bale of green, leafy fodder.

Finally, Reya returns and they set out on the road.

****

The first day’s march is uneventful. Clearly Berit’s assault has driven the Cathak army back further than a day’s march – snapped spears, spent arrows, and the burnt ground of mass funeral pyres testify to just how close to the city Cainan’s army managed to get. With the ability to send messages to each other mystically, our heroes rally with the Alinos forces from Dovak shortly after dusk.

Melody instructs Ganan to give Clapper the fodder as they make camp and set watch.

****

The second day’s march brings them closer to the action. No sooner as the camp is packed, Melody safely mounted on her Shieldback and the Dragons on the road do they begin to hear the sounds of war.

By mid-morning, blood and mud soaked troops loom into view. Some of them wear Mnemon purple, others wear the red-and-black of House Sesus, but they sulk away from the battle as one single mass. Reya flashes her eyes over the crowd, and find the familiar face of Riven Dusk and her goremaul.

Reya, Ganan and Melody approach Riven among the fleeing troops.

“Battle is the other way!” Melody calls from the back of her mount.

Riven looks up at them grimly, “No, it’s not. We had them,” She shakes her head, “We had them dead-to-rights. Sesus had cut their lines, Berit had hammered them. Sesus Raenyah met Cathak Cainan in single combat… it was… indescribable.” Riven’s face is somewhere between rapture and terror, “They’d exchanged two, maybe three blows when Berit ordered the retreat.”

Reya’s eyes narrow, “Berit betrayed us?”

Riven shakes her head, “Berit saw that Cainan was toying with us. Sesus Raenyah… she fought as well as any I’ve seen. As well as Berit. Cainan was good too, but she was winning. I didn’t follow orders, I hesitated.” She curses herself bitterly, “If I had just followed orders, maybe Berit could have done something, but I was just watching dumbly. Berit had to lead the retreat herself. She pulled most of our forces back, but we couldn’t save Raenyah. Cainan just… I don’t know. He was fast. Faster than anything I’ve seen. One moment Sesus Raenyah was winning, the next, she didn’t have a head. Cainan didn’t even flare. The entire Sesus battle-line crumbled and the Cathak troops were all over us. We were separated.”

Ganan scowls, “Cainan’s anima didn’t flare? Not once?”

Riven Dusk shakes her head, “And he had a staff. A Starmetal wrackstaff. It looked, like nothing, a walking stick with a couple of iron bands. But Berit...”

Reya feels like her insides have been hollowed out, “A walking stick?”

Riven looks at her queerly, “A walking stick. Berit said the metal was Starmetal.”

Reya takes a deep, shaking breath, “Starmetal.” She repeats, “Was the wood peach-wood?”

Riven screws up her face, “I don’t know what kind of wood Cathak Cainan’s walking stick was made from. I wouldn’t have even thought it was important, but Berit did.”

“Heh,” Melody chuckles, “We found an old stick with peach-wood and iron in some old guy’s tomb in Urza Arcus, remember Danireya. I thought it looked kinda cool, looked like it was carved yesterday. What happened to that?”

Nula speaks, “I remember that. It was part of the treasure we sent back to the Blessed Isle. I think… I think some monk took it when we were trying to get it all shipped home in Jiara.”

Reya turns her attention to her daughter, “Can you describe this monk?”

Nula shrugs, “Just… a monk. Normal… monk-looking.”

“Shit.” Ganan curses, looking at the ground.

Melody looks at Ganan and Reya, bewildered, “Okay, there’s something I’m missing here.”

Ganan doesn’t look up, “Melody, describe the woman who gave you that scroll in the Valley of the Ancients.”

“She was...” Melody falters, “Normal… looking, kinda average...” She furrows her brow, unable to precisely recall Ylva’s appearance, “Aww shit. So I’m guessing they use Starmetal like we use Jade?”

Ganan makes a noncommittal grunt, and Melody curses again, this time in Low Realm (“Da Shiong La Se La Ch'Wohn Tian!”).

Riven and Nula look at each other, “Is there something you want to share with the rest of us?”

“Anathema magic.” Reya says decisively, “That’s what restored Cainan’s youth, and it’s how he was able to defeat Sesus Raenyah.” She pauses, “And we may have unwittingly furnished him with a weapon of the Anathema.”

Riven weighs this for a beat, “Regardless, we’re falling back to the Imperial City, and we’re hoping Berit will meet us there.”

Reya scans the horizon, “I don’t put much stock on ‘hope’. New mission, we’re finding Berit. Riven Dusk, lead these people back to the City, if you get cut off then detour south to the Enduring Breath of Hesiesh – my brother is there, we’ve taken it from House Cathak.”

Riven looks confused, “Mnemon Tinis was with Berit.”

“My other brother. Mnemon Alinos Ferad.” Reya corrects.

Riven salutes and continues to lead the fleeing troops back to the capital.

Reya lets the wind carry her words to Berit, “Reinforcements have arrived, can you signal your position?” Reya strains her ears, for a reply, when none comes, she addresses the Alinos forces, “We go west.”

A minute on the road Melody points at the sky to the south-west, giant chitinous insect limbs start weaving the clouds in the sky. “We go south-west?”

Reya turns to Ganan, “Take an agata and scout ahead.”

Melody folds her arms indignantly, “What am I, chopped liver? I’m the scout here.”

Reya addresses her sister, “If I can tear you away from Clapper, then you should go with him, but we’re looking for speed here.”

Ganan commands Ndiza to materialize and Melody and Ganan race off for the south-west.

“Hey Ganan,” Melody calls, “You’re used to traveling at Stormwind speeds by now right?” She spurs her vigorous steed into a seven-league gallop, and they race at ninety miles an hour towards Berit’s spell.

It doesn’t take long for them to spot a sea of purple – Berit is surrounded by a Dragon of troops moving south-east. Ganan signals as they draw closer, and Berit steers her troops to make a beeline for the agata. Red and gold clad Cathak troops pursue them.

“Finally, some fuckin' action.” Melody grins as she readies her bow.

Ganan starts to glow for a moment, quickening his reactions at the prospect of combat. His anima burns for a moment before dimming to a glow as his tetsubo appears in his hands. The power within hums it builds in anticipation.

Melody guns the agata forward, racing towards Berit.

“Oban, keep going!” Berit orders as she turns and draws her daiklave.

The Cathak forces and their overly ambitious officer move to close with Berit, as her own troops move away.

Ganan continues to build power in his tetsubo.

Melody pulls in to short range with Berit.

Berit waits for an opportune time to strike.

The Cathak officer orders the Cathak infantry to charge towards Berit.

Berit launches herself forward, her daiklave Black Vein’s Compass in hand. For anyone else, charging headlong into five-hundred heavily armed soldiers would be ill advised, but Berit smashes into the Cathak troops like a tidal wave, cutting down enemies left and right as her anima starts to glow.

Melody swoops back into range, and lowers the agata to the ground. Ganan climbs off.

Berit lays into the Cathak troops again. Her firestorm assault causes her anima to rise into a burning tsunami as her blade lashes out, killing anyone within striking distance. The entire Dragon of infantry reels as Berit pushes them to breaking point. A few of the closer troops throw down their spears and flee, but the next line of troops rallies and ranks up.

With a bellow from their Exalted leader, the Cathak troops surge forward. Their spears are limed in white fire, igniting with their commanders shout. They stab at Berit. Berit’s anima rears totemic, and she recedes like the sea from the troops, leaving no gap in her defenses.

Ganan barrels into the battle-group smashing out with his tetsubo, sending mortals sprawling in all directions. Under this new assault the Cathak troops break and run.

Melody fires at the Cathak officer as her mortal troops desert. She spins her blade with inhuman precision, cutting the arrow from the sky.

The Cathak Dragon-lord rallies her soldiers again, ordering them back into battle. “There’s only three of them!” She howls as the mortals find their courage, and charge back in. Again Berit deflects their attacks. Ganan glares at a trio of mortals who try to skewer him on their spears, taking Earth Dragon Form as the spears glance off his Invulnerable Skin.

Ganan smashes into the regrouped mortals again, pushing his way forward into the morass. Before him the freshly rallied Cathak troops break again.

Melody kicks her agata high into the air and she snaps another shot off at the Cathak Officer, which again she deflects.

Berit pushes forward with Ganan, hacking at the Cathak soldiers as she wades her way through.

The mortals cut and run as the officer barrels into Berit with another fearsome roar.

Ganan smashes the officer to the ground with a bone-crushing strike.

Berit disarms the officer, “This is why we typically have Exalted Winglords and Talonlords. Yield.”

The officer snarls up at them, and Melody flies over, “Oh, a talker!” She nudges Ganan, “That’s how I like ‘em.”

Ganan turns to Berit, “Madame Berit, I don’t know where you were heading, but would you allow us to take you back to the Alinos advance force?”

Berit looks in the direction of her troops and points, “Did you fly in a straight line?”

Ganan nods.

“I’ll find them. Look after my army.” Berit says as she casts Stormwind Rider, then races off.

Ganan watches her disappear mutely.

Melody speaks, “You stay with the infantry, I’ll watch Berit.” Melody kicks her agata off at full speed after Berit as Ganan runs after the Mnemon forces.

****

Reya spends 3DX to train Archery 1, 3DX to train Athletics 1, 4DX to train War 3, 7DX to train Performance 5.

Ganan spends 5DX to train Craft: Artifact 4.

Melody spends 8XP to train Drawing Lightning Style and 12DX to train Evoke the Equestrian Echo.
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Dynasty of Dovak