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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
- 83
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Session 76 – Let’s Make a Deal – Ganan (260XP 208DX, 253/208 spent; 20WhP 47GP 79SP), Melody (260XP 208DX, 251/203 spent), Jinabar (260XP 208DX, 260/206 Spent)

Four Weeks Ago – The Tunnels Under Dovak

“I told you this would happen!” Alinos Melody shrieks at Yochanan Dovak as she jabs an accusing finger at the Anathema. The feelings of the joyful righteousness of their common cause have evaporated with Oka Dovak, who has disappeared into nothingness at the moment of their victory.

Yochanan regards her with regal calm and speaks carefully. His voice seems laden with power as his anima rages around him in a bonfire of white and gold. “Can I assume the war in the city has gone well?”

“Fuck. The. City.” Melody flips Yochanan off and turns her back on him, “Gan, get us to the Gateway Tree, now! We can still catch him.”

Ganan shrugs and spits at the ground where Oka disappeared, “We’ve got hours.”

Melody invites him to explain.

“We’ve hunted their kind,” He points his tetsubo at Yochanan, “For thousands of years. Our ancestors have left records, many of them were destroyed with the Palace Sublime, but the Heptagram has dozens of accounts of the Unclean disappearing. They always materialize at sunset, never before. Always within five leagues of where they disappeared, in a place of power. Oka might not appear at the Gateway Tree, but he certainly won’t reappear until sunset.”

“He will appear at the Gateway Tree.” Melody says confidently, folding her arms.

Ganan shrugs again, “He could appear in his grandfather’s sanctum. Or at a nexus in the tunnels. Or the throne room. The Gateway Tree is five leagues if it’s a mile… I think it’s out of range.”

“If,” Yochanan cuts in, “Being a Deathknight and not a Solar doesn’t fundamentally change how his powers work. He could have traveled directly to the Underworld. He could have traveled instantaneously.”

“Shut up and listen to me. I told you he would disappear. I told you our best bet of catching him is at the Gateway Tree. Now you,” She glares at Yochanan, “Don’t you dare go out there whilst looking like that. I am happy for you to have your little kingdom, but if it gets back to the Realm then all bets are off.”

****

Melody and Ganan exit the escape tunnel. The Jadeborn forces are mopping up the last of the dead. On the outskirts of town they meet up with Jin.

“I was chasing Lady Magnificent.” Jin offers as explanation to a question no-one asked.

Melody eyes her suspiciously, “I don’t care what you were doing. We need to get to the Gateway Tree now and stop Oka.”

“Why?” Ganan asks obstinately.

Melody throws him an exasperated look, “Because maybe Yochanan was right. Maybe Deathknights do work differently. He could already be there. We need to either find his tracks or lay a trap.”

Ganan folds his arms and plants his feet, “Assuming you’re right. Assuming he’s just going to appear at the tree at sunset. What do we care? I came here to stop the Mask of Winters. We’ve won. Yochanan has the Tree. We have the Key. Oka is Yochanan’s problem now. Why are we doing that… thing’s dirty work? Let them kill each other – I have a family to get back to.”

Melody stares hard at Ganan, not believing what she’s hearing, “I am going with or without you. Jin?”

Cynis Jinabar puffs out her chest and speaks in a deep voice, mocking her brother, “The MOUN-TAIN does not RUN!” She snorts, returning to her normal voice, “I don’t like to leave a job half-finished. Honestly, I don’t think I’ll be happy until we kick the Mask of Winter’s teeth in.”

“Wait,” Ganan protests, “You’re the one who said-”

“Agata. Give.” Melody cuts him off, “Jin and I are going ahead, you bring Clapper and Whims if you’re coming.”

Ganan produces his Yasal stone and releases his beauteous wasp, who is all to happy to be used as a mount to fly to the Gateway Tree.

“Tell my Archons to help rebuild the city!” Jin shouts from the back of the agata as they fly off.

****

It is nearly sunset by the time Ganan reunites with Melody and Jin – Ganan’s ability to ride and the rough terrain hampering his progress.

Melody and Jin have thoroughly examined the area: there’s no evidence of The Gift’s passing.

Twilight comes and goes. The sun sets. The moon rises. The Gift of Merciful Silence does not appear.

The Exalted wait for an hour or two to be sure before heading back to Dovak.

The night passes in eerie silence, and as the sun starts to rise over the horizon, The Gift of Merciful Silence, Daybreak Caste Abyssal, materializes at the Gateway Tree.

****

Four weeks pass.

Ganan retreats to Tomonas’s court in the mountains. The thunderbird has not seen his grandchild, but though there is some degree of tension between them, he gives the Dragon-Blooded a place of solitude and sanctuary. Ganan finishes Tinkara’s arm (4DX) and Melody successfully grafts the wooden replacement to the princess’s body. In the safety of the thunderbird’s sanctum, he creates a wrist-mounted hand-crossbow (-10SP: 6GP 3SP)

Melody ranges the forest, looking for any sign of The Gift. Whims, not exactly welcome in Dovak, accompanies her. They find gruesome clues to the Deathknight’s passing but are unable to hunt him down.

A representative of the Throne, and theoretically neutral party, Cynis Jinabar oversees the transition of power in Dovak (despite the objections of Ganan and Melody to her working so closely with the Anathema). Most of the Cynis forces siding with The Gift fled – those unfortunates who remained met Dovaki “justice”. Jin was, however, able to negotiate the release of the Rulinsei satrap and her party. She and Tinkara spend most of the time planning how to retake Ursa Arcus from the dead as Yochanan handles the logistics of managing the ailing Dovak. Her archons ingratiate themselves in the new power structures forming in Dovak.

The Jadeborn become a new sight in the kingdom. Their artisans get the siege strider moving and removed from the heart of the city, though they do not aid in the rebuilding works. As life begins to return to normal, Yochanan oversees limit trade with the kingdom’s underground neighbors.

****

The summer sun beats down upon Dovak. Our heroes find themselves assembling at the city gates.

Tomonas, looking down from his cave, has told Ganan that he is needed in the city. Melody, scouting for any sign of Oka, has found the unmistakable signs of an Exalted convoy heading for Dovak. Jin, looking down from the palace tower, sees the approach of a Realm delegation. The kinship assembles just as the strange Dynasts arrive.

Or, as fate would have it, not so strange Dynasts.

“Mother!” Alinos Jorod calls warmly as he dismounts and rushes to her, embracing her affectionately.

Melody smiles at her son and squeezes him back, “What are you doing here?” She asks him with in pleased bewilderment.

“What are you doing here?” Jorod counters as he grins from ear-to-ear, “You asked V’neef to watch Iohan and Efan... over a month ago!”

“V’neef!” Melody remembers, “They’re with V’neef.”

“Yes, they’re with V’neef.” Jorod’s expression changes to one of worry, “Mother, are you alright? Father is beside himself-”

Ganan interrupts, “We were addled, by one of the Anathema. Brazen and powerful enough to tread the shores of the Blessed Isle itself.”

“Desperate enough,” Melody corrects, “The Mask of Winters was trying to break through here,” She produces the Gateway Key, “Using the Gateway Tree. We partnered with the Wanderer, who helped us to defeat Sondok, to put a stop to his plans. But the Gift of Merciful Silence escaped us – we can’t leave here until he’s taken care of.”

“Killed.” Jin interrupts, “To be clear, we’re here to kill him.”

Melody shoots her a look, “We have discussed this.” She turns back to Jorod, “Now why are you here?”

An armored, auburn haired lady approaches from the delegation and gives a short bow, “Admiral Melody.” She greets, affection evident in her voice.

Melody returns the bow, “Admiral Aliset. Do you know my companions? My brother-in-law Tepet Cynis Ganan, and his sister Cynis Jinabar. Ganan, Jin, V’neef Aliset.”

“V’neef’s granddaughter I believe I may have heard of you,” Jin gives a salute, “‘The most eligible woman in the dynasty’.”

“Jorod’s wife.” Ganan corrects.

(“Oh, I guess that makes me the most eligible woman in the Dynasty?”

“Technically, you aren’t in the Dynasty. You’re from a cadet house.”)

Ganan screws up his face in visible confusion as he examines Aliset’s flat stomach, “Aren’t you pregnant?”

Aliset raises her eyebrows, but answers unflappably, “Blessedly not for more than nine months, no. I gave birth to a healthy baby girl a week ago. When the Empress deigned to launch an expedition to Dovak, I insisted that I be the one to lead it. You know Jorod, of course, this is Tepet Darik,” A dark haired warrior in the crowd gives a bow, Aliset continues, “Tepet Agoram and his husband, Jorod’s cousin, Alinos Muli.”

(“A full week before heading back to the Threshold?” Jin tuts mockingly.)

Jin nods at Muli, “Nephew.” She says by way of greeting.

Muli nods back sullenly, “Aunt. Father.”

Ganan makes a gruff noise of acknowledgement.

Aliset shoots Muli a quick, but uncomfortable look, “Yes, I suppose that makes sense.” She shifts focus back to Melody, “An Imperial Satrap returns to the Realm in rags and disgrace. An Imperial Admiral is missing in action. The Empress thought it her duty to investigate.”

“Dovak is such a small kingdom. Remote and ravaged by war.” Jin’s voice is smooth as silk, “We promised the god-blooded royals independence if they helped us stop the Mask of Winters and the traitors in House Cynis who illegally captured this Satrapy from House Rulinsei.”

Aliset’s smile suddenly becomes forced, “Aren’t you from House Cynis? And ‘addled’ by the Anathema? The Satrap claims you were the one who sent her from this kingdom.”

“I was the one who rescued her from wrongful imprisonment at the hands of House Cynis and I was the one who stopped these Dovaki savages executing her, yes.” Jin replies tersely.

“Regardless, I don’t believe you have the authority to surrender one of Her Imperial Majesty’s Satrapies.” Aliset’s smile disappears entirely.

“This is why I was in favor of being gone by the time the Realm showed up.” Ganan hisses at Melody, a little too loudly to be subtle.

“Oh, you Pasiap-damned traitor!” Muli shouts. He draws his spear as Agoram holds him back.

“We’re not-!” Melody takes a deep calming breath, “The blood we have shed to banish the Mask of Winters from Creation. The blood our allies and Lookshy have shed. To prevent his return for the cost of a few copper mines? A bargain. Help us stop his Deathknight and I will explain our actions here to the Empress myself.”

“If the Empress wants Dovak as a Satrapy,” Jin adds, “We have to take care of the Deathknight anyway.”

Aliset nods, “That we can agree on. Now, where is this other Anathema? The Wanderer?”

Melody smiles diplomatically, “You won’t find ‘The Wanderer’ in Dovak. Best I can do is introduce you to the king, Yochanan Dovak, who we’ve agreed to surrender the city to. The Dovak royal family are God-Blooded, well, descended from an Elemental. They possess inauspicious powers, the king most of all.”

“I was briefed on a Tinkara Dovak and a thunderbird? This should be interesting.” Aliset motions for Melody to lead the way, and the Wood Aspect graciously motions for the party to follow her.

Ganan falls in next to his son, “It’s good to see you.” He ventures, self-consciously.

Muli rolls his eyes and ignores him as he sheathes his weapon. Agoram offers an apologetic smile.

****

Tinkara and Yochanan are awaiting them in the throne room. Introductions are brief and tense.

Yochanan’s response is decisive, “I have no intention of accepting a Satrap. From House Rulinsei, House V’neef, House Alinos or any other Great House.” Yochanan says firmly, “If you intend to conquer my nation, come back with a legion. But I would welcome your aid in capturing The Gift of Merciful Silence. This is a service I will pay handsomely for.”

Yochanan stresses the word “capturing” and he looks pointedly at Jin as he says it.

Jin shrugs exaggeratedly, “Argue with her ‘Your Majesty’!” She exclaims sarcastically, motioning to V’neef Aliset.

“Can we at least agree,” Melody cuts in, “That the first thing we need to do is find this Deathknight. I have been combing the forest with no luck for four weeks.”

“Then he’s probably moved on!” An exasperated Muli calls out.

“No,” Melody insists, “He’s here.”

“He won’t leave Dovak,” Yochanan confirms, “Not whilst I’m on the throne. He won’t be able to stand it, even if his master does permit him to leave.”

“Well, if you can’t find him, I don’t know what chance you think we have!” Muli grumps as he folds his arms across his chest. He looks very much like Ganan.

“I have been planning an assault on Ursa Arcus. Frankly, it seemed futile. But with Dynastic reinforcements, we can retake the city. Maybe the Gift is there. Maybe one of his cronies who can point us in the right direction.” Jin shoots a look to Tinkara for support.

Tinkara is idly scratching her wooden arm, which has come out in blossom, new green shoots appearing and requiring daily pruning. She leans in toward her brother, “That would solve our… logistical problem. I’ve seen Jorod, Muli, and Agoram fight – put them in the front rank with these three, and they’ll be able to break through. We could march in behind and mop up.”

“That sounds a lot like you want to use us as cannon fodder!” Ganan interrupts. Muli looks as if he is going to say something, then, upon realizing this means agreeing with his father, he closes his mouth and just looks sullen instead.

Yochanan exaggeratedly feigns offence, “It is Cynis Jinabar’s idea to assault the Ursa Arcus. Aren’t you mighty Exalted heroes, sworn to defend Creation from the Deathknights and their ilk? We need to deal with The Gift. A city of zombified beastfolk is a threat to Dovak – whether we are a Satrapy of the Realm or not. If The Gift is captured, I will pay ransom equal to a year’s tribute. Surely that will satisfy your Empress?”

Melody defers to Aliset, raising her eyebrows in expectation.

“Let us deal with this Deathknight first. Then we can have a discussion on the future of Dovak.” Aliset concedes.

****

The party moves on from the throne room to a war chamber. Tinkara does not have a detailed overhead map of Ursa Arcus, but a series of perspective maps are laid out on the great oak table in the center of the room of the underground tunnels.

“We can bypass the overland defenses entirely,” Jin explains, gesturing at the maps, “And emerge in the city from the mines. The tunnels are wide enough for Clapper,” She gives Melody a nod, “Though… other assets are still being repaired.” (When our heroes attacked Dovak, they had use of a Jadeborn Siege Strider.)

“Won’t the tunnels be equally well defended?” Ganan asks, frowning at the maps.

“That’s all but impossible,” Jin confirms, “The tunnels are a mix of Jadeborn warrens, First Age burrows, and dedicated mining shafts. Miles upon miles of a crisscrossing networked multi-branching labyrinth. There’s a dozen mine exists into the caldera the city is built in, as opposed to the single overland entrance. There will be some resistance, but they can’t guard them all.”

“And what if they’ve collapsed the tunnels?” Muli asks pointedly.

“The tunnels are the entrance to the mines,” Melody explains patiently, “No tunnels means no copper. No silver. It’s also the way out of the caldera: Oka and the zombies might not need to eat, but their Cynis and mortal flunkies need food.”

“Who’s Oka?” Muli asks.

Melody blinks in surprise at her slip-up, “Reya… didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?” Muli pushes.

Jin blows out her cheeks and pointedly looks in the other direction.

Ganan glares at Tepet Darik, “This is best discussed in private.”

Jorod objects, “We five are Sworn Kin. You yourself are a Tepet. There’s nothing you can tell Muli and I that you can’t tell the others.”

“Then we can’t tell you.” Ganan snarls.

“Gan!” Melody reprimands, “Aliset is here on behalf of the Empress and your child deserves to know.” She addresses Muli, “Oka Dovak is your mother’s uncle. He is Yochanan’s son. And he is the Deathknight behind all of this: The Gift of Merciful Silence.”

Jorod looks uncomfortable, “When you say he’s Danireya’s uncle… ?”

Melody looks at her son, “He’s your great uncle too: Alinos’s half-brother, Ferad’s uncle. There’s probably a joke to be made here about how House Alinos only has a dozen Dragon-Blooded but somehow managed to birth an Anathema as well, but now isn’t the time.”

“Actually,” Ganan begins, “Great House Alinos has approximately-”

Melody cuts him off, “It’s an expression sweetie.”

“Moving on,” Jin tries, “We can be reasonably confident that Ursa Arcus’s tunnels are still open. They’re the only place for the Cynis holdouts to flee, the only source of value, and the only supply of food. But if the tunnels have been collapsed, we do have the most accomplished sapper the Tepet legions have ever known on our side.”

“Me?” Ganan asks.

“No, Clapper.” Jin puts her hands on her hips and cocks her head sarcastically, “Of course you, idiot. If the tunnel is collapsed, you can blast it open, right?”

Ganan nods, “Right.”

Jin turns to Aliset, “So are you in?”

V’neef Aliset tents her fingers, “Am I in for attacking a city of the dead, guarded by traitors, possibly home to a Deathknight on the say-so of a woman I just met ten minutes ago? Darik, answer the lady.”

Tepet Darik gives Jin a nod, “Hell yes.”

****

It takes a day to muster the troops. Jin convinces the others to stay in the Wall: there’s an odor caused by months of habitation by the dead and the more depraved Cynis practices that weeks of scrubbing hasn’t quite removed. The rooms are also less well-appointed after being thoroughly looted by House Cynis (and Lady Magnificent). Ganan takes his old room and Whims bunks with him. Melody sleeps alone in the room she shared with Ferad. Jin has been sleeping in the old Satrap’s quarters and does not move out for the sake of the Empress’s investigative delegation.

Dovak’s army, small though it is, is a surprisingly elite force. Armed with Jadeborn wrought crossbows and clad in articulated plate, Yochanan’s forces move with steely discipline.

Melody waves Jin aside, “Where did Yochanan get these mercenaries from?”

Jin looks at Melody, deadpan, “These are the townspeople. The half-starved, one-foot-in-the-grave, elderly and infirm. He’s been drilling them whilst you’ve been hunting Oka. It was kinda sad and pathetic at first… but, well, here we are.”

Dovak’s standing army does not look sad and pathetic. They look like an organized force of elite killing machines – any one of them a match for Jin’s thuggish goons.

“Well,” Melody shrugs, “It’s a good job he’s on our side.”

Jin gives her a long stare before walking away.

Tinkara joins them, carrying her warclub and the column departs, heading for the tunnels. The mortals carry torches, the tunnels dark without Yochanan at their head.

****

“So, how’s your Gateway game? Improved much this past month?” Aliset asks Melody as they make their way through the tunnels.

“Gateway?” Melody chuckles, “I haven’t played since… since we last played.”

“Pity,” Aliset rues, “I was hoping you’d be ready for a rematch.”

“You say that as if I’d have a hope of beating you even if I’d. Have you ever lost a game… ever?”

“I lose to Ragara Szaya all the time,” Aliset smiles congenially, “Well, once.”

“Thank you. For being cool with this,” Melody clears her throat, “I half expected you to try to drag us back to the Isle in chains.” Melody smiles awkwardly.

“Well… the thought crossed my mind. But we’re friends. And Jin made a good point – it falls to us as the rulers of Creation to deal with this Deathknight. Which I can’t do if I’m dragging my mother-in-law back to the Isle in chains.”

****

As they pass into the mining complex Ganan calls a halt.

Aliset grits her teeth and draws her daiklave, “I sensed it too.”

“Ghosts.” Agoram says drawing his own weapon.

Whims is at Ganan’s side, his scythe in hand.

“Who is this?” Muli asks.

“A ghost hunter,” Ganan says tersely, “And yes, that’s Soulsteel.”

Ganan flicks his fingers forward in wordless instruction to Agoram, who nods and takes one flank, calling up a mortal to follow with a torch. Whims covers the other side, sticking to the shadows, and Ganan walks up the middle – reaching out with his earth senses and starting to glow with white light. The three of them advance ahead of the rest of the party at double time. Ganan comes upon the first mindless hungry ghost in the tunnels. One blow from his tetsubo is all it takes to dissolve the creature’s corpus and send it howling into the void.

There’s a palpable feeling of pressure as the hungry ghost’s death scream fades: the siren call to the other malicious ghosts in the tunnels. Twisted shadows coalesce and fall screaming upon the trio.

Whims swings his scythe in a wide arc, threshing the mass of ghosts as if they were a field of wheat. His broad swings keep the ghosts from closing in on him.

Agoram moves up to Ganan’s side, covering him with his Daiklave. The mortal carrying the torch falls back for the rest of the column.

The ghosts press against Ganan trying to pull him down, but Agoram’s sword is in the way, lashing out with a blazing interception that sends the ghosts reeling backward.

Ganan pushes into the gap opened by Agoram’s counter-attack, smashing out with his tetsubo. “Don’t let them through!” He bellows as he smashes out with his massive jade club.

Whims doubles back a pace to corral the mass of angry spirits. There are no prayers to bring comfort to these unfortunates and ease them gently into Lethe: just the reaper’s deadly flashing blade. The ghost’s can’t push their way past Whims.

Ganan keeps pushing forward swinging with powerful but disciplined blows that smash apart the remaining ghosts. Agoram finishes off the stragglers.

“That was easier than expected!” Agoram quips as they make their way back to the advancing column.

“It’s not over yet.” Whims reminds them darkly.

****

Our heroes nearly reach the city when Melody calls a halt to the column, rearing Clapper at the last moment. The cave collapses in on them: cutting off their advance with tons of rubble.

Melody shouts for the Dovaki troops to part, but Tinkara countermands her ordering the mortals to close ranks as the predictable moans of the shuffling dead echo through the tunnels.

“It’s a trap!” Jin bellows as she tries to push her way through the mortals. Her anima glows then condenses into orbiting balls of flame.

Melody doesn’t want to trample her own allies beneath Clapper, but it’s hard for her to draw a clear line of fire. She takes aim.

Ganan pulls Burnt Offering from his anima, causing the deadly energies surrounding him to die down. He pushes his way through the Dovaki soldiers.

The zombies clash against the Dovaki soldiers. Long dirty claws of the bearfolk dead rake against the rear rank of soldiers, dragging them down.

Tinkara hurriedly bellows orders and the Dovaki soldiers fall into disciplined formation, the old rear rank becoming the new front rank as they unload their crossbows at point-blank range cutting down the first rank of zombies and buying themselves some breathing space.

Jin elbows her way into the front rank, flicking out Calumny to its full length. She sends a blast of fire into the zombies, blasting the nearest walking corpse to ash.

The flickering flames of Jin’s attack lights up the dark, and though the angles of the shot are completely wrong Melody’s skill is unsurpassed. The hail of arrows from her orichalcum bow tear into the dead with her sky calming draw.

Ganan elbows his way next to Jin and brings his massive firewand to bear. A whoosh of fire rakes the ranks of dead and he casually thumbs another firedust cartridge into the breach.

The zombies push forward again, seemingly no end to their numbers in the tight confines of the mine. Jin easily defects their attacks and Ganan allows shifts into Earth Dragon Form as the raking, toxic claws of the zombies glance harmlessly off of him. The zombies grasp at the Dovaki soldiers and try to pull them into the mass of zombies.

Tinkara lashes out with her warclub beating the zombies back as the Dovaki troops unleash another hail of quarrels into their foes.

The fight continues with the Dovaki forces pressed back against the rumble of the collapsed mine entrance. The fearsome reanimated bearfolk dead are no match for the Dragon-Blooded as the other Dynasts join the fray, but the dead know no fear and their numbers are vast. The Dynasts fight their way through what must be two thousand zombies before their attackers peter off. Our hero’s animas are raging elemental bonfires and their companions blaze with power. Whims’s blood-red stitches have appeared on his body and he gives off the distinct odor of blood.

Alinos Muli pulls his Longfang from one of the dead zombies, “Your ghost hunter is looking a little… dead.” He points the sharpened Jade stick at Whims, who is far from at his most monstrous but still a sight – especially decked out in his armor.

Ganan looks over to Tepet Agoram and shrugs, “Just like Budapesh Street all over again.”

Agoram shakes his head in mirth and gently puts his hand on Muli’s weapon to lower it. “You and I remember that very differently.” He chuckles, then turns to the rubble, “Okay, do your thing.”

Ganan observes the tons of rock cutting them off, “It’s going to take days to get through this. We should back-track and go around.”

“Hang on a second!” Jin objects, “When we attacked Dovak you built a bridge, ramps over the walls, and sink-holes under the enemy in seconds! We’re still trying to dismantle all of that! Just blast us through!”

Ganan looks puzzled and shakes his head, “It doesn’t work like that.”

Melody grits her teeth, “All of these tunnels could be rigged to collapse like this. We should fall back.”

“No!” Jin insists, “They don’t have an infinite number of zombies, and these tunnels rob them of the defenses of the towers and the advantages of numbers: we can match our best against their best in these conditions.”

Melody wrinkles her nose, “I don’t think zombies are going to be raining arrows down on us from the towers.”

“Zombies? No. Ghostly archers? Cynis archers? Holed up bearfolk who hate us as much as the dead?” Jin gestures wildly at the blocked mine tunnel, “We rob them of their zombie foot-soldiers in these tunnels and we’ll have an easier time out there.”

Melody dismounts with a sigh and gestures to the troops, “You stay here and guard this position. We three will backtrack down the nearest tunnel: you can’t just collapse thousands of pounds of rock, there’s got to be some kind of mechanism rigged to break the supports, explosives. We’ll find and disable the mechanism.”

****

Ganan turns to shadow as Melody and Jin slip silently into the darkness of the tunnel. The light of the Dragon-Blooded’s animas shine brightly, flooding the tunnels with light.

The next tunnel is rigged with traps – spiked pits, tripwires, and the like. The Dragon-Blooded deftly avoid these but the shining light of their animas pours from the mouth of the mine. Melody sees the firedust charges wired to the load bearing beams supporting the tunnel well before they explode and close off another route to them – but the Dragon-Blooded are unable to stop the collapse.

“Alright,” Melody says turning to the others, “Firedust explosives on the beams – Ganan take the next tunnel, we’ll go to the one after and draw attention so you can disable them in peace.”

“Ooooor,” Rasps a hollow, dead voice from behind them. The Dynasts turn and see a shambling corpse wearing Cynis colors. The empty voice has a hint of The Gift’s trademark sneer. “We could make a deal.”

The Gift’s dead puppet moves like Eletha the Broken: like a puppet with tangled strings being dragged by some invisible force. It approaches them slowly and alone.

Melody squares off against it, but does not ready her bow, “And why would we ever make a deal with you?”

The corpse’s face twists into a sneer, “Are you going to pretend the children of Mnemon are too good to make a deal with the Anathema? You’ve made pacts with Mishra, Sondok, Wolf’s Blade. Are you going to pretend Yochanan is a good Immaculate?”

“It’s less that you’re Anathema, more than you want to destroy the world.” Jin says firmly, readying her weapon.

The corpse shakes its head violently, “Nothing of the sort. I only want the Heartrot Tree. Open the door to the Underworld and allow my allies into Creation. And we will leave Dovak – and the Realm – in peace. A guarantee – one hundred years of peace.”

Jin snorts, “You serve the Mask of Winters!”

“Who,” The corpse quickly retorts, “Has removed the only significant obstacle stopping Empress Mnemon from succeeding where her mother failed. With Lookshy gone, the Realm could finally conquer the Scavenger Lands. This would save your ailing Realm. My master would turn his attentions South – perhaps to those rebels in the Dreaming Sea, certainly they are no ally to your mistress. I would go with him and we would be Prasad’s problem, not yours. Dovak would be safe for a hundred years – guaranteed.”

Jin stares hard at the corpse, “I’m sorry, perhaps I misspoke: you serve the Mask of Winters!”

“Who is worse somehow than the Perfect of Paragon? The Mask of Winters is a king like any other. Thorns was undefended, so he took it. Lookshy was belligerent, so he defended himself. He’s not a monster… well no worse than you and your kind. Did you have family in Thorns, perhaps? I had family here that you killed.”

“No deal. We’re coming for you Oka.” Melody says firmly, reading her bow.

“Not here you’re not.” The corpse grins unmistakably, “My cohorts and I left hours ago. By all means, come and slaughter the city full of zombies I’ve left behind. You’re going to need a larger army – there were thousands of civilians in Urza Arcus before I arrived here.”

“You sick bastard!” Melody spits.

“How many more weeks are you going to spend searching futilely for me?” The corpse taunts, “What clues do you hope to find here?” There’s a pause before The Gift continues, “Take my offer back to the princess.” The corpse extends an arm holding a human skull inscribed with blue, necromantic glyphs, “You can contact me by speaking to this skull.”

Ganan materializes and takes the skull. As soon as he does, the corpse messenger collapses into a pile of bones.

****

Ganan completes his working on Tinkara’s arm (4DX) and spends 4DX to complete his Jadeborn training in Craft: First Age Artifice 2.

Jin spends 8XP to train Harnessed Firestorm Assault and 8DX to train Willpower 6.
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Dynasty of Dovak