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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 58 – Dreaming Ends – Reya (170XP 136DX, 179/131 spent; 9GP 23SP), Melody (170XP 136DX, 160/136 spent), and Ganan (170XP 136DX, 164XP/127DX spent; 2WhP 75GP 28SP)

ST Note: The first part of the following session takes place concurrently with the events of Dread the Day. The players have each taken a NPC character: Reya is Mnemon Alinos Tinis, Melody is Kingfisher Swift, and Ganan/Jinabar is playing Righteous River Overflows its Banks.

Also, I made the mistake of looking over the player's C-sheets and found Reya is massively overspent on XP. I have no inclination of fixing that. But if it bothers you, you can pretend she doesn't have her latest Beaurocracy Charm which gets her back under.

Swift and River stand by the western gate into the Imperial City, flanked by enormous golden dragon statues. With the Patrician houses and House Ledaal notionally allied against the Usurper, the old friends have been seeing a lot of each other. Mnemon left the city a day ago, and under Berit’s leadership House Cathak has been pushed back: creating a sense of relief among the residents of the City.

“So then Eshuvar says, ‘I’m not going to the Vega Satrapy!’ and the next thing I know he’s on a Cirrus Skiff heading for-” River breaks off her anecdote as they see a battered figure in full plate running towards them, kicking up an enormous plume of dust.

Swift draws her weapon and orders up the mortal guards to close the gates, River stands ready by her side.

“Close the gates!” The figure bellows from a distance.

Swift pulls a face, “Did he say to ‘close the gates’?”

River scans the horizon for signs of an impending army as the figure draws closer: but there’s no sign of approaching Cathak forces. The approaching figure has accents of Mnemon purple on his white jade armor.

“Close the gates!” The figure bellows as he draws closer. River notes the silver bell worn on one shoulder, denoting a graduate of the House of Bells.

River snaps at one of the mortal guards, “Contact the other city gates, put them on alert. Go!”

Mnemon Tinis finally arrives within talking distance, gore-splattered, “She’s here.”

River and Swift exchange a look, “Who’s-” They begin as a massive explosion radiates from the north wall of the Imperial City smoke plumes into the sky.

Tinis draws his daiklave, “Admiral Lundaer: House Peleps are here.”

Swift raises her arms in frustration, “Everyone keeps forgetting the Imperial Navy.”

River orders the gate opened, “We’ll cut through the city, it’s quicker.”

****

The trio of Dragon-Blooded race through the city, civilians stream against them as they flee. As they make push against the crowd, Black Helms and Patrician soldiers flock to the artifact bedecked Exalted. Flames lick the sky as the northern quarter of the city burns: fire spreading between buildings too closely packed together.

“We need to take out these buildings, and make a fire break.” Tinis draws a line with his finger across the city some distance from the fire.

River nods, “Great idea but we need to deal with that too.” She points to a line of blue and black clad soldiers spilling into the city. A couple of Exalted champions in jade armor lead the charge.

Swift orders her assembled troops forward, charging at the head, “River, with me! Mnemon, knock those buildings down!”

“Tinis!” Mnemon Tinis shouts as he runs for the buildings, “General Mnemon Alinos Tinis.” He adds under his breath.

Kingfisher Swift swings her orichalcum goremaul at the young Peleps Dynast before her, smashing him to the ground.

Righteous River stabs her razor claws into the other Dynast, slipping into Water Dragon Form as she pulls the bloodied claws from her body.

Tinis takes a moment to decide how best to level the building.

The stabbed Peleps, snarls “I am Peleps Temur. Surrender now and receive fair terms.” River just smiles back and tosses her braided-tail back, setting in for the coming attack.

The downed Peleps Dynast rises up to his feet on a wave of salt water, and crashes into Swift, his Wavecleaver Daiklave singing through the air.

The disorganized mob defending the city engages the invading Peleps troops, locked in a bloody struggle as the disciplined invaders press forward.

Swift somehow finds room to swing Stone Eater among the press of bodies, smashing the Wavecleaver armed Peleps to the ground again, standing over him as she presses her advantage.

Peleps Temur yells, “Nikoli!” as her companion goes down, and she leaps onto River, driving her back into the press of the city defenders, her anima whipping up a sea spray around her.

Tinis plunges his fists into the foundations of the building and lifts. His anima swirls around him, condensing to a perfect, multifaceted diamond as he topples the building from its roots, crashing it into the overly close building next to it as he levels a line of buildings the length of a city block.

River surges forward, her enemy’s weakness her own strength as she slashes at out with Heartslicer, clawing her way back into the fight.

Nikoli slices out from the ground, slashing at Swift’s leg. Between her jade armor and impervious skin of stone, he finds it hard to get a definitive advantage over her.

The Peleps forces drive the Black Helms back as a seemingly endless number of troops flood the city.

Swift brings her goremaul down on Peleps Nikoli. Ribs shatter and he gives a cough of blood as he breathes his last.

Tinis smashes his way through the rubble clearing a path to the next row of buildings, where he sizes up the next row of structures.

Peleps Temur slashes out at River, the crashing essence of her anima beating against Rivers as the Immaculate slips from her grasp.

River counter-attacks driving Temur off-balance with a ferocious series of blows.

The ramshackle defense forces break under the Peleps assault and the line falters.

Tinis smashes his fists into the brick walls of the next line of buildings, his fists gouging great chunks of masonry from the structures as he walks through them like a wrecking ball. The buildings tilt and collapse behind him as he moves.

River rushes forward, her right hand crosses Peleps Temur’s body, causing her to twist toward River to avoid the blow. River’s left hand slips under Temur’s guard with a disemboweling strike.

Swift roars orders at the defenders of the Imperial City, rallying them to hold off the Peleps forces.

Tinis fights his way through the rubble, “We can’t hold this position.” Terrestrial animas light the attacking forces – dozens of Dragon-Blooded light the attack, perhaps hundreds who have yet to tax their abilities, “We need to fall back to the Palace.”

Swift looks around at the faltering battle-lines, “Agreed, fall back.”

****

The defenders fight a controlled retreat to the steps of the Imperial Palace. They hold position as other personages fall-back to join them, then as the wave of Peleps forces cut them off, then go inside and bar the doors.

“Where’s Berit?” River questions.

Tinis shakes his head, “We were cut-off. Cathak Cainan killed Sesus Raenyah, aided by some kind of Anathema magic. The Cathak troops divided our forces. Mnemon has left, V’neef is in Lord’s Crossing… I think… I think the Regent is the most senior member of the Tripartite Alliance to Defend the Realm remaining.”

Kingfisher Swift scoffs, “I’m pretty confident we out-rank the Regent.”

Tinis sighs, “Three Dragon-Blooded of different houses, good luck trying to convince the city anyone of us is in charge.”

River holds up a hand, “Point taken. We should get to the Regent, and take stock of where we are.”

They make their way through the Palace, to find the Regent’s room under heavy guard. Tepet liveried troops and hulking members of the Legion of Silence bar the way.

“Let us through, we need to speak with the Regent. The City is under attack.” Tinis demands.

The lead Tepet guard shakes her head, “Nobody sees the Regent. The City is under attack.”

River pushes her way forward and bows respectfully, “With greatest respect, we can only hold off House Peleps for an hour. Maybe two. We need to coordinate a counter-attack now, or else the next group of Dynasts to come through that door won’t want to debate with you – they’ll slaughter everyone here. Let us pass.”

The guards reluctantly part and allow them through. They unlock the door leading to the Regent’s quarters and are greeted with a grizzly sight.

A bald-headed Immaculate stands over a prostrate Regent Fokuf. Her stone-hard fingers are driven through the Regent’s skull. She stares at the Dynasts, clearly not expecting to have been interrupted and drops the Regent’s life-less corpse.

“I know you.” Tinis says, recognizing the assassin, “You’re one of Ragara’s entourage!” He accuses.

Righteous River settles into a fighting position, “She’s a monk – Moonless River.”

Swift takes command of the Regent’s guard, “To arms! Assassin!”

The guards pour into the room as Moonless River escapes through a hidden exit behind a book-case.

“After her!” Tinis yells, following bullheadedly and Swift follows hot on his heels.

River pauses only to give a quick prayer for the soul of the departed Regent before following.

The passage lets out in another wing of the palace. Peleps troops start to pour into the palace grounds as Moonless River keeps one step ahead of the heroes. She crosses out of the building with the heroes following after. Swift hammers one of the Peleps troops as she runs, and Moonless River crosses back into the V’neef wing of the Palace though another hidden door.

The heroes barrel in after her.

“I know this wing!” Tinis calls confidently, “There’s no-where to go from here – she’s cornered!”

Moonless River ducks around a corner, disappearing from sight for a moment. As the trio round the corner, she’s gone. Tinis snarls in frustration and they begin looking for hidden doors.

Swift calls, “Here!” And she opens a secret passage leading underground. As the passage yawns open, the Mon of House Iselsi is revealed.

A new voice calls out from out of sight, “Prôreus!”

“Go. Get Moonless River.” Tinis says quietly, “I’ll hold them off.”

River and Swift don’t hesitate as they head after the House Iselsi assassin and close the passage behind them as Peleps Lundaer, flanked by junior officers and backed by a dozen mortal guards round the corner.

Lundaer smiles at Tinis, with sadness in her eyes, “I thought that was you crossing the court-yard. I don’t suppose I can convince you to come quietly?”

Tinis draws his sword, “No Trierarch, I don’t suppose you can.”

Fleet Admiral Peleps Lundaer drops her guard and approaches beseechingly, “Don’t do it. I can protect you. We can leave the Blessed Isle, head west. Together. You should see the west… the wild of it. It’ll be better than the old days. You and me, bringing civilization to the barbarians.”

Tinis settles into a fighting pose, “With an Anathema on the Throne?”

Lundaer steps back, “You can’t win.”

Tinis looks back at her with a sad smile, “I know.”

****

The next day…

“Was the Imperial City on fire when we left?” Melody asks tilting her head to one side.

Reya’s mouth hardens into a thin line, “No it was not.”

“They played us.” Ganan says glaring at the City. “A long Cathak march overland. A protracted, beat-down slog with Sesus. All as a cover for a Peleps strike on the City.”

Melody nods, reluctantly impressed, “Hammer and anvil: a classic play. Where the hell was the Merchant Navy?”

Berit speaks, “The Imperial Fleet outnumbers the Merchant Navy five-to-one. I imagine most of V’neef’s navy is on the bottom of the ocean.”

“Our navy.” Reya corrects, “We detour back to the Breath. Here’s hoping Mnemon does have a super-weapon in Mnemon-Darjilis.”

Ganan shakes his head, “We need to take back the City. If Cainan forces a march he could be sitting on the Throne by sundown.”

Berit looks at him with open contempt, “We have two Dragons of infantry and nine Exalted between them. Assuming Peleps attacked with half the Imperial Fleet, and they’ll be encamped with more troops than the entire Cathak army. Would you want to fight the entire Cathak army?”

“Hey we just had that conversation!” Melody ribs him.

Ganan broods darkly, “We have to do something.”

“We are doing something.” Berit reassures him, “We’re regrouping at The Enduring Breath of Hesiesh. We pull our forces together. We give V’neef time to recruit House Tepet and Mnemon time to… do whatever it is she was planning.”

“You don’t know what Mnemon was planning?” Melody asks, panic evident in her voice.

Reya steps in smoothly, “Berit was in the field when Mnemon left the City. And whilst we all agree Mnemon will be an excellent Empress, Berit is our general. We don’t need to know what Mnemon was planning.”

“She probably had spies reporting Peleps troop movements and fled.” Ganan says matter-of-factually.

Reya gives Ganan a hard-stare, “Perhaps she did. That’s a worse-case scenario, but it’s still better than if she remained in the city to be taken hostage.”

A strange male voice speaks, “Don’t forget House Sesus.” Reya and Melody turn to see Oban (son of the Empress, Sesus Raenyah’s widower), “Did I hear we’re regrouping at The Enduring Breath of Hesiesh? I know it. I’ll redirect my troops.”

“Your troops?” Melody and Reya say in unison.

Oban gives them a winning smile, “There are five major bloodlines of House Sesus. Not one of their matriarchs can take control of the entire House, all of which conducted their business through me even before...” His smile fades, and he grits his teeth against the unpleasant memory of his wife’s beheading, “Before. I’ve been messaging our field commanders to rally at the Imperial City, redirect them south, yes?”

“Yes.” Reya confirms.

Oban’s winning smile returns, “Excellent. I have messages to send – we can discuss the marriages when we arrive at the manse.” Oban excuses himself.

Melody looks after Oban bemused, “Marriages?”

Berit also looks at the withdrawing Oban, “Sesus Geroc was discussing terms for an alliance between our alliance and House Sesus, cemented with two key marriages. Oban and Raenyah have an unmarried daughter and a son as well. Mnemon had settled on the perfect matches… but that might not play now.”

Reya sucks her teeth, “And why not?”

“Sesus Ilana, Raenyah’s daughter, is not a warrior. Unusual for House Sesus, she’s also a sorcerer: which has made it difficult to match her with someone appropriate from Sesus’s traditional allies. Mnemon thought it best to match her with a military husband.” Berit explains.

Melody nods, “That makes sense. Matriarch’s daughter will have military responsibilities. We don’t have a lot of accomplished warriors though.”

Berit shakes her head, “No, you don’t. And it would have to be a scion of exceptional breeding. Impeccable linage. We’d hoped to match her with General Tinis. But we were separated on the field: he could well be dead, I’m sorry.”

Reya nods grimly, “I’ve tried to direct him to the manse, but he hasn’t responded. What about the son?”

Berit continues, “Sesus Terel: recently promoted to Dragonlord. He’s very young, but accomplished: he’s bested Cathak officers with far more experience. And he is supposedly unrivaled with the blade. Hard to find him a match, presumably because of his station and, as I said, he’s very young.”

Ganan cuts across his social betters, “So who did Mnemon have in mind? Is she lost somewhere on the battlefield for us to rescue?”

Berit doesn’t acknowledge Ganan as she directs the answer to his question to Reya, “Mnemon felt that someone closely related to Tinis would send a message. Your matriarch was impressed with Tinis’s skills as a commander, and the service your mother’s family has rendered to the war effort. Your daughter is unmarried, is she not?”

“Nula?” Ganan and Reya say in unison.

Mnemon Nula hears her name and approaches, “Yes, mother?”

Reya turns her attention to her eldest child, “Berit was explaining the details of a marriage alliance with House Sesus. It seems Mnemon wishes you to wed Dragonlord Sesus Terel.”

Nula curtsies, “Yes mother.” She responds dryly.

Ganan looks from his daughter to his wife, to Berit, then back to Reya, “Well… who do we substitute for Tinis? Ferad is taken-”

Melody kicks Ganan in the shins, “Yes, he is. My husband is not in the running for a marriage alliance!”

“That’s what I said!” Ganan objects.

“I have a younger brother, Yotin.” Reya shakes her head, “He’s the children’s age though, and I have no idea where in Creation he is. Mother’s siblings are all married.”

Berit holds up a hand, “It’s important that the husband have some degree of military pedigree. It’s my understand that there are two unmarried male members of your mother’s house who recently conquered a lost Shogunate city from a depraved Anathema warlord? Mnemon Bekara’s son, Jorod and your son, Muli.”

Melody looks ready to thump Berit, so Reya steps in again, “Unfortunately, Mnemon Jorod’s parentage likely disqualifies him from the running. And my son is not suitable.”

Ganan blusters, “Why not! My boy has the highest pedigree, you hear me! Consanguineous with the Empress, by Tepet through Cynis on my side. And he is a war hero: Lunar Anathema? The least of it! He’s faced down armies of the undead, a Deathknight, nephwrack, a fae lord. We’d all be dead twice over if it weren’t for my son, who even now guards the very manse we’re fleeing to. Sesus Ilana would be so lucky as to marry my boy!”

Reya gives Ganan a hard stare, “Mnemon Alinos Muli is already betrothed.”

Berit lays a supporting hand on Ganan’s shoulder, “But not married?” She questions insistently.

This time Melody comes to Reya’s rescue, “Perhaps we should discuss this further when we reach the manse?”

Berit nods, “We should get my brother out of the field as soon as possible. I suggest you go ahead by Stormwind. I’ll round up as many of our troops as I can and lead them back – we should be clear of the body of the Cathak forces now, and I doubt Peleps will sally out until Cainan is safely on the throne.”

Melody groans at the idea of getting back on a Stormwind Rider, but otherwise keeps her mouth shut, seeing the wisdom of the plan as she signals Jorod to take over steering Clapper.

“It should only take us an hour to get back to the manse. Keep us appraised of your progress, Madame Berit.” Reya says as she begins to cast her spell. If the Empress’s daughter takes objection to being spoken to like that, she does not voice her discontent.

Mnemon Alinos Nula stays close to her mother as she casts her spell, making it clear by her body language that she intends to be taken back to the Breath with them.

****

It takes less than an hour for the Dynasts to reach the manse, three day’s march away. Ferad and the others have cleared the woodland around the craggy hill upon which the manse stands, and set up crude barricades. Whilst they’ve cut the wood, they’ve yet to assemble any living space outside of the oppressively warm manse.

Ganan tuts to himself as he dismounts the Stormwind Rider, and he assembles the wood into A-frame barracks over the next couple of days (-10SP; 9GP 4SP).

Oban enjoys the hospitality of the Manse, the heat of the fire being quite comfortable to him.

Muli is less than thrilled by the idea of marrying Sesus Ilana.

“Just how old is she!” He spits, emphasizing the gender pronoun, “If she’s old enough to marry uncle Tinis...”

Reya gestures to herself and Melody, “She’s not old. She’s our age.”

Melody looks sideways at her sister-in-law, “She’s your age.”

Reya gives Melody a ‘you’re not helping’ stare, “That’s no different to the age gap between your father and me. Or your grandparents.”

(“Yeah because talking about grandparents is helping...” Melody mutters under her breath.)

“I don’t want to end up running House Sesus!” Muli objects.

Reya shakes her head affectionately, “Ilana has an older sister-”

“She had a mother too until Cathak Cainan killed her!” Muli blurts out, “Are you saying no-one else is going to die in this war?”

Melody tries a different tack, “You wanted a commission in the Imperial Legions, didn’t you? Well the Legions don’t exist anymore. House Sesus has a fine military, and a well placed wife guarantees you a commission.”

“I wanted to serve with Tepet. With Tepet Agoram.” Muli sulks, pointedly.

Melody lays an affectionate hand on her nephew’s arm, “And when you’re a General in the Sesus legions, you can appoint whomever you like to be your Dragonlords.”

Muli is somewhat placated by this, though neither he nor Nula seem eager to get matched into House Sesus.

****

Reya and Melody continue Reya’s archery training, and she assembles more arrows (6SP).

****

On the third day, after Ganan has assembled two A-frame barracks, and a couple of lean-tos (3SP) from the spare wood, Ganan sits assembling Reya’s composite bow as Berit leads the Tripartite Alliance forces to the manse.

Ganan signals to Reya, “We’re going to need more wood.”

Berit has assembled nearly a full legion of survivors from the Mnemon coalition and Sesus forces, and led them back to the manse. She signals Reya and Oban as they draw near. Berit and Kingfisher Swift make their way to one of the lean-tos, and Reya and Oban join them. When Melody tries to enter, Berit politely, but firmly, removes her.

Melody pulls a face and puts an ear to the wall. Ganan sees her, walks over and lays a palm against the wall.

Melody mouths “Show off”.

Berit speaks, “It’s not good news. Cathak Cainan now sits on the throne. He has reinstated the Deliberative, at least those senators who have agreed to support his usurpation, and has taken the title of Emperor. Sesus forces are trapped between House Peleps, who have taken Chanos with the aid of House Ragara, and the Cathak army. I’ve managed to pull some of them here, and others have fallen back to Darjilis and the Endless Prefecture. Causalities among both the Cathak and Sesus forces have been enormous – thousands are dead on both sides, tens of thousands. It has been a slaughter unmitigated. Fortunately judicious use of fire essence has prevented the formation of any new Shadowlands, at least none that I’ve noted, but the battles have taken place primarily in the Numinous Rolling Wave dominion and there’s no telling what damage has been done to the Realms geomancy.

“Plague ravages Eagle’s Launch and Arjuf is embroiled in rioting. House Cynis has finally declared themselves for ‘The Emperor on the Throne’. This has, understandably soured relations between them and House Sesus. Cynis has not returned their forces to the Blessed Isle, which is something.

“Mnemon has been appraised of the situation and is planning a counter-attack. But there’s an additional complicating factor, Kingfisher Swift?”

Kingfisher Swift clears her throat, “I was there when the city fell. House Peleps attacked from the docks, and the north-gate simultaneously. We should have been able to hold them at the Palace, but they had a woman on the inside. An assassin. An Immaculate assassin, Moonless River, who killed the Regent before escaping through secret tunnels marked by this...” She raises a rubbing of the Iselsi mons.

Reya looks carefully, “House Iselsi.”

Berit nods in confirmation, “Moonless River has been seen in Ragara senior’s entourage.”

Ganan pulls a face as he listens in from outside, “I knew that no-good fossil had some sinister objective. Assassinating the regent!” He hisses as Melody ‘shushes’ him.

Reya girds herself, “What about the other fronts for the war?”

Berit counts off on her fingers, “House Ragara is being held in check by Ledaal and your mother’s forces. The other prefectures are secure. House Nellens is honoring our ceasefire. The Merchant Navy has taken heavy losses but has rallied, at Jiara.”

Reya pauses and tents her fingers, “First things first. We don’t have shelter or provisions to house a full legion here. Swift, is there something you can do about that?”

Kingfisher Swift points to herself, “Me?”

Reya nods, “House Tereya. If you have any connections with local landowners. The Order. House Ledaal.”

Swift throws her arms up, “What are you going to do?”

Reya counts off on her fingers, imitating Berit, “Berit is going to coordinate our counter-attack with Mnemon and V’neef. I’m going to take a strike force to the House of Black Waters and wipe out House Iselsi once and for all. Oban, we’ve lined up two scions of impeccable breeding and outstanding reputation to marry into your house – can you move forward with the wedding arrangements?”

Oban nods graciously, “I can. Mnemon was keen that the ceremony take place in Bright Obelisk – it’s an important seat for both our Houses and a blessed location on the Isle.”

Reya nods, “My aunt Bekara has a holding there. We can fly there in a day or so. Add twelve hours to fly to Sion, kill every last Iselsi and fly back again.”

Oban inhales sharply, “Do I infer from that, you will be risking the lives of the Mnemon spouses in this ‘vendetta’?”

Reya forces her hands down to her sides, “We are not going to marry pampered dilettantes into a House renown for its military prowess. You are getting war heroes, who are consanguineous with the Scarlet Empress by Rawar and Tepet. The finest champions our House has to offer. And right now, the Usurper’s assassins have killed the duly appointed Regent in his own Palace. I am going to end that threat once and for all, and to do that…”

“You need the finest champions your House has to offer.” Oban nods, “I respect that, I’ll assist you.”

Reya raises a hand, “No, you won’t. You’ll cement the alliance between our Houses. House Mnemon is not starved for suitable marriage candidates: we’re offering you the best, but if they fall in battle then clearly they’re not as skilled as we credit them. You, however, are irreplaceable: without a key hand on the tiller, this alliance risks falling apart which leaves us with an Anathema-backed Cathak Emperor.”

Oban considers for a moment, then bows in deference.

Reya raises her voice slightly, “Grab your things, fetch Ferad and the others.”

Melody shirks back from the wall, “I think she’s talking to us.”

“Oh.” Ganan nods, clears his throat, and goes to fetch the others.

****

Reya assembles with Ganan, Melody, Ferad, and Aharon, whilst Nula gathers Muli, Jorod and Tepet Agoram. Together Reya and Nula cast Stormwind Rider and set out for Sion. As they arrive in the city, Reya signals to Ledaal Ludila asking if she’s in the city, moments later her response comes through that she is and Reya informs her of House Iselsi’s assassination of the Regent and asks if she can help them clean house.

The last snow of the year has blanketed the city with a layer of whiteness. Sion sits by the sea, its port admits pilgrims traveling to the Palace Sublime, and a river winds to the city’s northern boarders. Across the river, atop a small mount, lies the House of Black Waters.

Once the House of Black Waters stood imposing, looking down upon the city of Sion: watching over it with a maternal sense of ownership. Now it seems to stand as a stark monument to fallen glory: the faded house on the hill.

It’s not long before the Dynasts reach The House Of Black Waters, blasting over the only bridge – scattering the unplowed snow in all directions. It is a great and stately building: a multi-story heptagonal pagoda made of jade and lacquered ironwood. Seven great balconies look out over the street: balconies that in House Iselsi’s heyday would have lined with archers, but now sit empty. On the first floor, shapes move behind the shuttered windows, present but indistinct: the other windows offer no clues as to what is inside.

Reya addresses her forces at the foot of the hillock, “This is the kind of mission Ganan and Melody like.” Reya announces, “We’re not here to take prisoners, find answers or negotiate. We’re here to kill every last one of these traitorous murdering assholes like the Scarlet Empress should have done years ago. Aharon, wait until we’re inside then set the damn building on fire and bring in the rear. Ferad, stay with the kids. Kids, stay behind me and kill anything that gets past Ganan and Melody – that won’t be much. Ganan, go introduce us.”

Mortals hurry away as Ganan pulls his tetsubo from an ornate dragon statue and smashes into the solid black-jade door of the manse. The surface ripples for a moment under the force of the strike, but otherwise remains undented – like the surface of a lake.

Melody breathes, “Should have brought Clapper.”

Reya lays a hand on her sister-in-law, “It’s just a little performance anxiety.”

Ganan glares at the door, and starts to charge essence into his tetsubo. He examines the flawless black-jade door for a moment, pulls back his tetsubo and lets swing again. This time the solid jade door is ripped from its ironwood frame and blasted into the manse. Melody follows up behind him as he walks into the manse.

The first level of the manse is deserted. No Iselsi forces come out to meet them: not so much as a single black-and-silver liveried mortal guard. Ganan walks through the manse as Melody follows him, spreading out spreads out – they find no-one. Reya walks into the entryway to the manse.

“Where’s the bloody staircase?” Ganan asks as he walks through a luxuriously appointed sitting room.

Melody calls from the other side of the manse, “It’s not here… just a library.”

Ganan walks around the ground floor of the manse once more. He stops and examines the inside of the door frame, “I’m starting to think we’re not the first people to try this.” He says as he sees the badly battered inner frame.

Reya walks into the manse and examines each room in turn: there are six rooms branching from the central hallway. Each room has three doors, connecting to the next and previous room as well as the central hall. She looks up at the ceiling, “Go through the ceiling.”

Ganan looks up, “I mean, I guess, right?” He pulls over a beautifully crafted chair with silk cushions and tramples up onto it. It immediately collapses under his bronze weight. “Little help here?”

Reya casts a Stormwind and lifts him up to the ceiling. Ganan smashes the ceiling with his tetsubo, splintering the wood. The floor above is pitch black like the darkest depths of the ocean. Reya lifts them higher and Ganan reaches out with a hand, feeling the floorboards of the room above. He smashes through the floorboards.

Melody pulls a concerned face, “Uh, guys?”

Ganan keeps smashing and they emerge through the floor, coming out on the ground floor by Melody’s feet.

“What the-” Reya says.

Ganan picks up a broken chair-leg and drops it through the hole in the floor – it falls out of the hole in the ceiling. “That is a neat trick.” He says, genuinely impressed.

Reya looks across the floor, “Well there’s got to be a way up.”

“We could scale the side of the building?” Melody suggests.

Ganan shakes his head, “I strongly feel that will just put us back here.”

Melody calls out to Ferad, who climbs up to the second floor and comes in through the window on the ground floor. Melody curses.

Reya holds up a hand, “Okay, there are four sitting rooms and two libraries. All have external windows. Gan, go shift the bookcases.”

Ganan ransacks the rooms, shifting bookcases and tossing rugs and tables aside, finding no sign of hidden passages. “It’s clearly some kind of mystic defense.”

Melody gestures for him to continue, “Which we overcome by… ?”

Remembering the door frame, Ganan wanders back outside, “Everyone get in here!” He calls, before adding as an after-thought, “But don’t burn the place down!” The dragons file in, and Ganan hefts the large jade door back into place, “Close all the internal doors!” He barks as he runs his thumb over the splintered wood of the door-frame, before hammering the jade-and-starmetal pins that support the door back into place (7SP).

No sooner is the door rehung than the manse starts filling with water. (Water pours into the hole in the floor and out from the whole in the ceiling, as the walls weep a steady stream.)

“Gan!” Reya calls, with a hint of panic in her voice.

“Ah.” Ganan says, looking at the now knee deep water, “Yes, I suspected something like this might happen.”

Reya and Melody glare at Ganan.

“Did you?” Melody says through gritted teeth as the water reaches her waist, “Well what happens next?”

“Well… the manse will fill with water.” Ganan says definitively, nodding his head sagaciously.

Melody turns to Reya, “He’s a genius, right? One of the foremost minds of the Realm?”

Reya makes a “so-so” hand-gesture.

Jorod dunks his head under the water, then comes up spluttering, “I can’t breathe this!” He says, with an edge of panic in his voice as the water reaches neck height.

“Open the doors.” Reya says, her voice even.

“No, wait. Trust me.” Ganan implores.

Aharon Sabre Edge turns his flaming halberd on the closest door, but the blade simply slips through the wood like the surface of a lake, leaving no mark. He curses and takes a deep breath.

The other Dynasts follow suit and kick for the ceiling, except Ganan whose bronze body is unsuitable for swimming. The water reaches the ceiling and stays there for a terrible beat. Ganan stares at the ceiling intently, then begins to smile.

The ceiling starts to turn translucent, dissolving into water. The others swim up into the room above. Ganan tries to climb the walls, tearing large chunks of wall off, before giving up and dismissing his bronze skin to swim up.

****

Danireya looks out at the city of Dovak below her. By decree, no building can be built higher than the Tower of Air, but the rest of the city stretches out high above the Wall of Stone, as far as the eye can see. Fifty million Dovaki citizens direct their prayers to the twin goddesses who have ruled over them for the past thousand years. She smiles at the achievement she has built here.

“Dirham for your thoughts my love?” Queen Tinkara whispers in her ear, wrapping her strong arms around Reya’s waist.

Reya turns in her lover’s arms and smiles up at her, “I’m just appreciating what we’ve built here together.” She takes Tinkara’s hands in hers and kisses them.

Tinkara beams back, “Well I couldn’t have done any of it without you my Queen.” She leaves Reya’s embrace and pours a glass of water from a pitcher. “Are you thirsty?”

****

Cynis Ganan looks around. Everything seems familiar… but not so. It’s like he’s in the study of his mother’s manse, but everything seems somehow… off. A man lays before him, regarding him carefully, looking up from the ground. He looks… familiar… but not so. It takes Ganan a moment before he realizes he’s looking at… himself?

Ganan, the other Ganan, is dressed to the height of Realm fashion. A loose, flowing toga, delicately slashed in the colors of House Cynis. Other Ganan’s complexion is the color of rich, cream coffee, without the sorcerous tint of bronze. He is reclined on green and golden cushions, and lazily pours two cups of steaming hot tea into fine, gilded porcelain, “Tea?” He offers courteously.

“I don’t like tea...” Ganan mumbles distractedly as he makes his way to the bookcase.

****

Melody hauls herself out of the water into the next floor of the House of Black Waters. What was the central hallway on the floor below is a pool of water on this floor – its depths murky and impenetrable. Where the floor below was ringed with studies and reception rooms, this floor is empty, bare floors surrounding the pool of water.

“Mother?” Mnemon Jorod pulls himself out of the water, and walks onto the bare floor, putting as much distance between himself and the cursed waters as he can, “Where are the others mother?”

Melody looks over to her son, curses, and sits on the ground with her legs crossed.

****

Danireya knits her brow, looking at the murky water in the glass her wife is offering her.

“Thirsty?” She echos, her voice sounding far away.

Tinkara gently pushes the glass into her hands, “Drink from the Black Waters my love. Drink that we may rule together, forever.”

****

Ganan examines the books in the study. Dozens of titles, all bearing his name as author.

“That’s… a lot of books.” He says, running his fingers over the spines.

The Other Ganan, turns and rises neatly – the very picture of Dynastic grace. “Thank you. My work is much in demand.” He shrugs demurely, his voice deep and melodic, rich and friendly, “A curse of being a favorite of the Empress.”

“The Scarlet Empress?” Ganan asks, his brow furrowing.

Other Ganan gently mocks his counterpart, “Don’t do that. It’s unflattering. Yes, the Scarlet Empress. I’ve been a favorite consort since my graduation, my work much in demand. Especially in the Heptagram and the Cloister of Wisdom.”

A woman’s voice, Ganan’s mother’s voice, calls out from beyond the study, “Ganan, my son, whom are you talking to.” Her voice is friendly, happy… proud even. It’s a tone Ganan has heard only scantly, and never directed at him. It makes him feel… sad, somehow.

“No-one of great importance mother.” The Other Ganan calls back. Somehow, his manner is charming enough that Ganan doesn’t take offense. The Other Ganan drops his voice, and touches Ganan’s arm, creating a feeling of great confidence, “At least… not yet.”

****

“Mother, what are you doing?” Jorod asks Melody.

Melody doesn’t open her eyes, “We’re attacking an Iselsi strong-hold. Overcame a magical trap. Enchanted waters.”

Jorod nods, though Melody can’t see it, “We swam out through the ceiling, but I don’t know where the others are.”

Melody continues as if she hadn’t heard her son, “My guess is, that it creates some kind of illusion. Makes you see, and hear, whatever it is you want.”

“You think the others are trapped inside an illusion? How do we help them mom?” Jorod drops to his knees, next to Melody.

Melody takes a deep breath, “The illusion isn’t that sophisticated. It doesn’t seem to realize that what I want most is to end an illusion. Not indulge it.”

“Mommy?” Jorod whines plaintively.

Melody grits her teeth, “That and to kill every Iselsi bastard in this house. But lets start with ending this illusion.”

Melody opens her eyes, and, of course, the illusion of Jorod is gone. She looks into the formerly murky water, and sees clearly that the other Dynasts are all passed out on the bottom of the floor below.

“Oh fuck my life.” She curses, as she dives back into the water to pull Reya free.

****

Reya suddenly feels as if she can’t breathe.

“Drink.” Tinkara urges gently.

Reya finds it hard to focus, the room around her seems to be spinning. She tries to focus on the events of the last thousand years… what happened since she first came to Dovak all those years ago…

“Drink.” Tinkara insists.

With Ganan… and the children… and Melody.

“Drink!” Tinkara screams at her.

Reya upends the glass of water. “Nice trick Iselsi bastards. But if a Lunar can’t fool me you sure as shit can’t.”

Reya wakes up coughing and spluttering as Melody drags her out of the water.

“Help me get the others.” Melody says, turning to dive back in.

Reya looks at her sheepishly, “I can’t actually swim.”

“Oh you’ve gotta be fucking kidding me...” She dives back in to rescue Jorod.

****

“Not yet?” Ganan repeats back, in a daze.

Other Ganan laughs. A warm, beautiful, merciless laugh. “How eloquent. How many times have you wondered how much better your life could be if you were capable of stringing more than two words together? Without putting people to sleep that is. If you understood this world we were born into?” Other Ganan gestures around them and retrieves the tea with a dancers grace, “If you were good for something other than killing? If you were wanted?” Other Ganan places a cup of tea into Ganan’s recoiling hands, “If only you had taken the time to learn what was important in society? Important things like learning to take your tea. You would be important: someone of worth. And the Empress would still be with us, and none of that… unpleasantness would be happening. If you had learned to take your tea. Drink it.”

Ganan forces himself to look into the cup. It looks like murky black water, even more unappetizing than normal tea.

“Drink it, and step into the life you should be leading.” The Other Ganan offers, seductively.

****

Jorod is a far stronger swimmer than the others, and he manages to pull the free with little difficulty. It takes a while for Muli to come to, but the others wake almost as soon as they’re pulled from the water. Ferad and Aharon pull Ganan up last.

Melody looks at him, “He’s not waking up.”

Reya watches her husband’s chest rise and fall, “He’s breathing.”

Muli examines him and taps on his chest.

Melody clucks her teeth, “He’s breathing, but he’s not waking up.”

Reya slices the air with her hand, “Just give him a moment. This is dime-store Versino bullshit. Second year ’Gram students shit more powerful enchantments. He was under the longest.”

****

“This is your problem.” The Other Ganan chides, “Too self-absorbed in your own pursuits to be what the Dynasty needs. You never had time for tradition. For sacrifice. Always putting your own comfort ahead of what is best. Best for the Realm and for you. Drink. Drink and undo the mistakes of the past. Don’t be fooled and humiliated by an enemy of the Realm because you have the naivety of a seven-year old. Don’t marry a woman in love with someone else. Drink.”

Ganan flings the cup against a wall, and draws his tetsubo from the study’s statue of Pasiap, “My mistakes are what make me strong. And that strength is exactly what the Realm needs. To end the Iselsi threat.”

Ganan’s eyes open as his tetsubo condenses from his anima. He sees all the others looking down at him.

“You pull me out of the water last?” He asks, “Sensible. I can stand a larger dose than the rest of you.” He points casually to where the entrance-way was on the floor below, “Stairs up are over there.”

****

Ganan spends 8XP to train Strike the Dragon Anvil.

Melody spends 12DX to train Evoke the Equestrian Echo.
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Dynasty of Dovak