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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
- 84
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Session 77 – Think A Lot *Smut* – Ganan (265XP 212DX, 261/208 spent; 20WhP 56GP 73SP), Melody (265XP 212DX, 251/203 spent), Jinabar (265XP 212DX, 260/212 spent)

The Dragon-Blooded agree to break-off their attack on Ursa Arcus and return to Dovak.

The chance of the Gift of Merciful Silence bluffing has not been discounted, but our heroes still have no way of stopping him from simply teleporting out of danger just like he did when they confronted him last. No-one takes his offer of a hundred-year cease-fire seriously: and on the way back to Dovak they discuss what they think his real plan is.

Ganan hands off the enchanted skull for communicating with the Gift, and he and Whims break off from the rest of the column to head for Hiram. Without asking, Muli and Agoram follow them.

“So… where are we going?” Muli asks.

Ganan jumps with shock – unaware that Muli was following them, “Where did you come from!”

Whims raises an eyebrow, “They’ve been following us since we left the others. You… you are not very observant.”

Ganan scowls, “We’re going to a Jadeborn settlement. They’ve got a Siege Strider – it was damaged taking Dovak. I’m going to get it operational again. Maybe it’ll help take Urza Arcus. Maybe it’ll help fight against the Mask.”

“And you snuck away without telling the other’s because?” Muli presses.

“Melody knows where I am.” Ganan says off-handedly and he makes a dismissive gesture lengthening his stride, “I don’t answer to Aliset.”

“Uh-huh!” Muli huffs as he trots beside his father, “So are we going to talk about your dead boyfriend here?”

“Who told you Whims is my-” Ganan starts. Whims rolls his eyes. Ganan clears his throat, “I mean, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Muli screws up his face in disgust and pinches the bridge of his nose in a way that reminds Ganan of Reya, “I was joking. Father, that’s sickening.”

Whims looks up at the tunnel ceiling, “I’m standing right here.” He mutters under his breath.

“No, really, it’s sickening.” Muli insists.

“Whims isn’t dead,” Ganan protests, “He’s just…”

“Still standing right here.” Whims complains.

“Alright, you describe it.” Ganan grumps.

“Listen kid,” Whims starts, “Living is living, and dead is dead. At least, that’s the way things should be. But that’s not the way things are. I don’t care what fancy talk The Mask of Winter’s is giving us about just being a king no different to any other, he’s dead and he should be dead. I might not agree with everything your Immaculate religion says, but that’s the truth of it. I’m not dead.”

“But you’re fucking my father!” Muli shouts accusingly.

“Language!” Ganan warns his adult son.

Whims continues as if Ganan hadn’t spoke, “I mean, technically it’s mostly him fucking me. I mean, you get it, right? It’s more fun being the bottom?”

Muli’s face flushes bright red.

“Ah, you’re a good kid,” Whims teases, “If it makes it easier for you, you can call all three of us ‘daddy’.”

Tepet Agoram steps in, “Okay, that’s enough. Whims is helping us fight the dead, what two men get up to in the privacy of their own bedrooms is between them and the Dragons. Moving on.”

“Have either of you become experts in first age technology since we last met?” Ganan asks, “I only ask because I have no idea why you’re following me.”

“Is Whims an expert in first age technology?” Muli shoots back.

“No, but Whims-”

“Actually, I don’t want to know.” Muli hurriedly adds, “So… Tinkara has a wooden arm now?”

Ganan nods, “She lost it fighting some Cynis traitors. I carved her a new one, Melody grafted it to her and I animated it with some rudimentary sorcery.” He pauses, and continues awkwardly, “I’m sure you could have done better. Melody is a skilled healer, but she doesn’t have your…”

“Brilliance?” Muli offers.

“Pedigree.” Ganan concludes.

“Well let’s hope she doesn’t get wood-rot.” Muli says darkly.

(“Jump in any time.” Whims whispers sidelong to Tepet Agoram.

Agoram smiles and makes an “after you” gesture.)

They continue down the passage. Muli tries to open conversation again, “I’m a Dragonlord now. In the Tepet 2^nd. We’ve been working closely with Jorod and the Wood Fleet. That’s how we met Aliset and Darik. They lost a Hearthmate in the war. The civil war. Nula wanted to dissolve the Hearth and go her own way. Natural fit.”

“Uh-huh.” Ganan confirms disinterestedly.

“We were worried, we were all worried about Aunt Melody. Thought she was dead. Then we heard you were missing too. Didn’t expect to find Aunt Jin here. But it’s good you’re all safe. And on mission: fighting the Mask of Winters.”

“Uh-huh.”

(“Seriously, you’re just going to sit here and watch this?” Whims whispers to Agoram, wincing, “It’s painful.”

“This is the best I’ve ever seen them get along.” Agoram whispers back.)

“We half-expected to find mother here too.” Muli says, almost off-handedly.

Ganan stops in his tracks, “What? She isn’t in Paragon?”

Muli makes a face, “She was. Nula sent word a couple of weeks ago that she left on some important business. Hasn’t returned. She and Aunt Udi have been running the city.”

“Ledaal Ludila is not your aunt.” Ganan reproves.

“She’s my mother’s sworn kin.”

“She’s your third cousin once removed.” Ganan corrects.

“What’s the difference?” Muli argues petulantly.

“And she’s my sworn kin too.” Ganan adds as an afterthought.

Now it’s Muli’s turn, “Uh-huh.”

(Whims shivers, “Okay, that’s spooky.”

Agoram sighs, “He’s really more like his mother.”)

Ganan starts walking again. The silence is awkward. “Congratulations.” He offers.

Muli looks at him blankly.

“On your promotion.” Ganan says, without looking at his son, “It’s a competitive legion. Very desirable commissions. You’ve got the right… stuff?” He pauses again, “Brilliance?”

“Yes, well,” Muli snarks, “When you have my pedigree, you need to be pretty brilliant.”

Ganan stops again and turns to Whims, “Could you lead Agoram to Hiram? We need a moment here.”

Whims and Agoram both look relieved. “Gladly,” Whims answers, linking arms with Agoram as he leads the way, “Funny story, I once knew an Immaculate missionary who thought he could convert the Mask of Winters and convince him to willingly enter the cycle of reincarnation…”

Ganan waits for them to fade out of earshot. Muli looks at him, fuming: arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently. “What’s that supposed to mean? Your breeding is impeccable. You can trace your linage to the Old Empress by three grandparents. There is an unbroken line of Exaltation between you and Mnemon. You have three Immaculate Masters within two generations. There is no higher pedigree.”

Muli jabs a finger into Ganan’s chest, “Alinos Nula has no higher pedigree! I’m just her left-overs! The trash that got lucky!”

Ganan’s eyes go wide with shock, “You are Chosen by Hesiesh.”

Muli spits, “And neither of my parents, or grandparents were. How far back in my lineage do you have to go to find another Fire Aspect? I’m a million-to-one chance, no better than some random stable girl who Exalts despite her low birth.”

“There’s only four generations between you and the Scarlet Empress. And Aunt Jin is a Fire Aspect.”

“Well, her father probably is too.” Muli says turning his back on Ganan. Ledaal Vidad, Ganan’s father, is Air Aspected, but the rumors that he is not Jin’s father have dogged Jin all her life.

“That’s not how aspect inheritance works.” Ganan says flatly, “You are Chosen: worthy and deserving. An Exalted Prince of the Earth. And you’re not Nula’s ‘leftovers’. I don’t even know why you’d think that.”

“Nula Exalted first. She’s her mother’s aspect. She has succeeded, so easily, in everything she’s ever tried and I’m scrambling behind her. I know how blood potency works, father! Progenitive essence isn’t split equally between twins: only one child inherits their parents’ pedigree. Don’t insult me, I know I’m a leftover child.” Muli balls up his hands into fists.

Ganan walks up behind Muli and awkwardly lays a hand on his son’s shoulder, “I never said you weren’t a ‘leftover child’. I said you’re not your sister’s leftovers.”

Muli shrugs off Ganan’s hand and turns to face him, “What’s the difference-” He stops midsentence and makes a confused face, “Wait, do I have another sibling?”

Ganan casts his eyes toward the ground, “You had a brother. Mnemon Alinos Honas. Is what we called him. Your brother. He died.” Ganan doesn’t look up as he struggles to control his voice, “Your mother thought a mortal child would be better than no child. So, we tried again. We, uh, we didn’t expect twins.” He smiles slightly, and risks a brief look up at Muli, “Or for the Dragons to find them both worthy.”

“I see.” Muli knits his brow as he processes this new information, “Mother said something about the usefulness of mortal children to me once.”

Ganan straightens up and clears his throat, “Of course, it’s not unheard of for twins – or even triplets – to have multiple Exaltations. Especially if born to parents with outstanding lineages.” He pauses, “I’m saying you have an outstanding lineage.”

Muli speaks slowly, “I’m not sure this is any better for me. It’s just worse for Nula. I’m still a leftover child: I still have to work twice as hard to overcome the stigma of my ‘pedigree’.”

Ganan opens his mouth to speak and raises a finger, then he closes it again and makes a puzzled face, “Wait…”

Muli waits for a moment, then shakes his head in despair, “Great talk, dad.” He pushes past Ganan to storm down the tunnels towards Agoram.

****

Melody walks next to Jin on the way back to Dovak.

“Hey, I know that didn’t go exactly ‘as planned’,” Melody says as they walk, “But it was a good plan. Would have worked against any conventional opponent.”

“It would have worked against the Gift!” Jin snaps.

(“Hey! You’re not Muli talking to Ganan, cool it!” Melody warns.)

“Maybe. But I didn’t bring enough arrows for every man, woman, and child in Urza Arcus and the Dovaki are running out of quarrels. And, even if the Gift is still in the city – and he could be, he probably was bluffing – he can still teleport away like that.” She clicks her fingers, “And the point of this attack wasn’t to kill Oka, it was to get a clue.” She hefts the enchanted skull, “This is a pretty big clue. Successful mission.”

“Do you think we should take the deal?” Jin whispers, “I know Aliset and Tinkara aren’t happy, but what do you think?”

Melody speaks slowly, “I… I mean, it’s not crazy, right? Prasad think they don’t need the Realm, and the River Province is wide open. Even if the Mask of Winters betrays us, he doesn’t have his Juggernaut anymore… he’s just a ghost, right? This could force Prasad to start sending tribute to us again and think of the riches we could take from the Scavenger Lands? Plus Yochanan wants Oka alive, Tinkara wants the kingdom safe, etcetera.”

Jin makes a throaty, non-committal noise – it reminds Melody of just about every conversation she’s had with Ganan.

“Well,” Melody asks explicitly, “What do you think?”

Jin speaks slowly, “I don’t know what to think. Oka Dovak doesn’t mean anything personal to me. Yochanan got me here by saying that the Mask of Winters threatened all of Creation. I’ve got nothing against the people living in the Dreaming Sea… but if this is just about some Anathema and his wayward kid? But on the other hand…”

“It’s the Mask of Winters.”

“It’s the Mask of Winters,” Jin agrees, “He marched on the Realm. He destroyed Lookshy. He’s at least as big a threat as Sondok was.”

Melody scoffs, “Let’s not go crazy!”

“I mean it,” Jin insists, “When was the last time a Second Circle Demon destroyed a city? Ganan could probably tell you but I sure can’t. This ‘Deathlord’… we’d be fools to under-estimate him.” Jin sucks her teeth, “It feels like a trap. Mnemon would jump at the chance to take the Scavenger Lands. Succeed where her mother failed? How could she resist. But we’re already bled white – if we over-extend…”

“And Lookshy wants payback. If they learn the Mask of Winters has returned, they’ll stop at nothing to oppose him. But if we march Realm legions on the River Province-”

“Exactly!” Jin agrees, “But if we’re smart about it, consider this, we let the Scavenger Lands know the Mask has returned, whip them up in righteous indignation, offer to transport the Lookshy forces South. ‘All Dragon-Blooded, Realm, Lookshy and Prasadi working together.’”

Alinos Jorod interrupts, “Dragons Without Boarders.”

Melody smiles at her son, “I like that. Instead of a new war, we could win the Scavenger Lands through politics. Step into Lookshy’s shoes as the protectors of the River Province. Be welcomed in as the bulwark against the dead.”

Jorod nods appreciatively at Jin, “That is a damn good plan. And you could still sell it to Mnemon as succeeding where the Old Empress failed. Victory through diplomacy, just like how she united Berit and V’neef in the Civil War.”

“Exactly,” Jin says, wrinkling her nose a little at being interrupted by Melody’s son, “So long as it never gets out that we unleashed the Mask of Winters.”

Jorod shrugs, “We’re the ones who kicked him back to the Underworld in the first place. And who would know?”

“Well for starters, there’s us and the Dovaki.” Melody lists.

“We’re not going to say anything. And who cares what some random Threshold king says?” Jorod shrugs.

Jin scoffs, “That sounds like something my brother would say.”

“Well,” Jorod considers, “Uncle Ganan is a smart man.”

“He’s not your uncle,” Jin corrects, “He’s your Uncle-In-Law.”

“What’s the difference?” Jorod asks earnestly.

(“Deja vu,” Melody whispers under her breath.)

“You’re not actually related: that means you can still bang. I’m your Aunt-In-Law.”

“Stay away from my son,” Melody warns, only half-jokingly, “So we’re actually going to recommend this?”

Jorod gestures to the magic skull, “You don’t think he can, you know, hear all this, right?”

Melody looks down at the cursed skull in her hands. “Shit.” She says simply, then looks at Jin with her eyebrows raised.

“Don’t look at me! I don’t know how this booga-booga stuff works. That’s Ganan’s thing.”

Jorod flags over Tepet Darik who explains the skull probably can’t listen in on them whilst it’s inert like this, but that it’s probably not a good idea to discuss secret plans around it anyway. She takes the skull away and lays an enchanted cloth over it to block scrying.

****

Ganan and the others reach Hiram. The Jadeborn are not pleased to see them, but they manage to talk their way inside. Whims immediately notices where the siege strider has smashed against the tunnel walls, clumsily piloted back to the strider bay.

They find Jade Walker and Jubilant Ore both working on the siege strider.

Jade Walking is noticeably unimpressed, “Tepet Ganan. Whims-of-the-Flesh. What brings you both to Hiram?” She casts an eye over Muli and Agoram but does not address them.

Ganan points to the damaged siege strider, “The Gift of Merciful Silence got away from us. I was hoping that if I helped you repair that, you might let us use it again.”

Jubilant Ore doesn’t look up, “Direct and to the point. I like her.”

“Him,” Jade Walker corrects tersely, “Yochanan Dovak paid a considerable sum to hire our warriors for his venture. Our business is concluded.”

“Perhaps,” Muli interrupts, “If your warriors came from distant lands and your city was not here, then you’d be right. But the Gift isn’t going to just let you live here in peace. By fighting on the Dovaki’s side, you have made an enemy. A dangerous enemy who sits right on your doorstep. A mutual enemy, whom we are offering to help you fight.”

(Whims leans in quietly to Muli, “You just want to pilot the siege strider, don’t you?”

Muli forces a smile and says through his teeth, “You can fire the gun.”)

Jade Walker considers for a moment, “And why, exactly, do you think you’d be better than me at repairing the siege strider?”

Ganan blinks earnestly in surprise, “Not better. I just wanted to help any way I can. Offer another pair of hands. We could pass you tools or…” He trails off vaguely and makes an “etcetera” hand movement.

Jade Walker shakes her head, “And this basic help which I could get from any of my workers is worth the use of this priceless artifact because?”

“With respect, honored… one,” Whims steps in with a curtsey, “We don’t have to be here at all. You were not subtle piloting the siege strider back here. The Gift certainly knows where you are and he has more than enough bodies to drown your settlement in the dead. We have reached out to you, thinking you were aware of the danger, because we are honorable allies and we wish to stand by your side. We are here to save you from your blunders, not to beg for favors. You let us use your siege strider and we’ll let you use our Exalted champions. That’s the bargain. We have the Exalted champions, do you have a functioning siege strider? No? Not after four weeks of solid repairs? Would you like help repairing your asset so you can make the bargain that will save your city? We’re offering on our honor, free of charge.”

Jubilant Ore looks up from her work and addresses Jade Walker, “We could use another-”

Jade Walker cuts her off with a wave of the hand. She hands Ganan some tools and directs him to repair the far side of the siege strider – as far away from her as possible.

Ganan takes the tools, hands his traveler’s staff off to Muli, and gets to work (-10SP: 9GP, 4SP).

****

Melody leads the battered Dovaki force back to Yochanan.

“Let me guess,” Yochanan says witheringly, “Your ill-conceived attempt to solve a delicate problem with violence didn’t work?”

Jin grits her teeth, “We have been planning that assault for weeks.”

Yochanan stares at her, “I’ve spent weeks restraining you from a pointless battle that you can’t win.”

“It’s a battle, Your Majesty, that we have to fight sooner or later. The wealth of Dovak flows from the mountains and, unless your Jadeborn mercenaries have suddenly decided to work for free, you’re, those mines are vital for the health of Dovak, tribute or no tribute.”

“The Gift wants to make a deal,” Melody interrupts, “We unleash the Mask of Winters, and they go south – guaranteeing a hundred years of peace between the Deathlord and Dovak.”

“And what does the Realm get out of that?” Yochanan asks suspiciously.

Jin smirks, “Your knowledge of geography is lacking for someone called ‘The Wanderer’. The Realm is to the North. We get a free Deathlord assault on our enemies to the South.”

Yochanan considers them carefully, “It sounds like you’re seriously considering this.”

Melody throws her hands in the air, “If you have a way to trap Oka, then I’d rather shut this Deathknight down. But if our choices are ‘get murdered by a foe we can’t stop’ or ‘one-hundred years of peace’, then peace sounds like a good option.”

“Those aren’t the only two options!” Yochanan objects, tersely.

“Really?” Jin needles, “Can your Anathema powers stop Oka teleporting away?”

“No.” Yochanan admits.

“Can your powers find his current location even?”

“No.” He repeats.

“Can you continue to pay your Jadeborn mercenaries? Can you stop Aliset dragging us back to the Realm? Can you do anything to help us reign in your son, who’s hell-bent on destroying your kingdom? No. You call yourself ‘king’ and you shit on our plans – but at least we have a plan. And the last I checked, you came to us for help, not the other way round.” Jin starts to glow red, her anima rising.

Yochanan regards her carefully, “‘Anathema’ grow in power as time goes on. You came here because you didn’t want the Mask of Winters to rebuild his powerbase in Dovak, then march on the Realm. If you give him a hundred years, he will rebuild his power-base in the Dreaming Sea… then he will march on the Realm.”

The Dynasts say nothing. Yochanan regards them carefully.

“But,” Yochanan says slowly, “You already knew that.” He studies them both, “You want to make the deal… then betray him. Don’t you?”

“I think we’re taking away from the point.” Jin folds her fingers.

Yochanan holds up a hand, “No, I’m in.” He strokes his chin, “But we cut him off here. Lure him into the Gateway Tree and trap him.”

Jin and Melody exchange a look, “Trap him… how?”

Yochanan considers a moment, “You are not the only allies I’ve brought here. I can’t stop Oka teleporting away, but whilst you have been searching for him, I’ve had my allies cast enchantments to block teleportation and dematerialization around the Gateway Tree.”

Jin twitches with frustration, fighting to keep her voice level, “And you didn’t think it would have been useful to tell us this?”

“You are Anathema hunting Dynasts,” Yochanan says coolly, “And the plan was to keep Oka as far from the Gateway Tree as possible. This was meant to be a last resort – so that if you failed, I might have a chance of stopping the Mask of Winters as he came through the gate.”

“If you had other Exalted here all along-” Jin starts.

Melody interrupts her, “We don’t need to get into that right now. These allies of yours, if we lure Oka to the Gateway tree, would they help us stop him?”

“No,” Yochanan answers, “They’ve moved on to other projects and aren’t easily recalled. But the enchantments should hold.”

“So, we summon Oka to the Tree. Get him in range of these ‘enchantments’. Capture him if possible. You stay out of the fight unless the Mask of Winters breaks free. We go back to the Realm – Aliset makes her report, which is completely out of my hands, don’t even ask. You stay here with your little Anathema empire on the edge of the world.” Melody outlines carefully.

Yochanan nods. Jin and Melody shoot each other a confirming nod.

****

Muli plants Ganan’s staff in the Jadeborn growing cavern and it blooms into an apple tree.

“Hmm, that is useful.” He admits, picking a bunch of apples.

“It sure is,” Agoram confirms, “One time, when were still about three days out from Thorns, we came across these people eating each other. Your dad strolled up and said: ‘hungry for apples?’!”

Agoram bursts into laughter. Muli and Whims looked at him with a puzzled look.

“I guess you had to be there.” Whims responds as he starts to munch on an apple.

Agoram smiles, “So… how did you meet?”

Whims clears his throat, “We met in hell. I was chasing a necromancer. He was making some kind of deal with Sondok.”

“I remember that!” Agoram says, “We were rebuilding Dovak. The first time The Gift destroyed it. You remember that, Muli?”

“Yes,” Muli answers coolly, “He lied to us and said he was on a mission for the House. And then he trapped grandmother in Malfeas and disappeared for months to go fight Sondok in Haborhead. I didn’t realize he was also… doing this.”

“Let’s see if our old room is ready,” Whims suggests. He pats his crossbow, “You wouldn’t believe the amenities they have here.”

Whims leads them confidently to the tower they stayed in before. Agoram and Muli marvel at the anti-gravity lift system. It’s clearly been tidied but left empty since they were last there. Whims casts a careful eye around the place – there’s signs of all the furniture being moved, clearly searching for the missing power armor.

“Now, I suppose,” Whims says, “Technically no-one has said we can stay here. But no-one has said we can’t. And no-one formally revoked mine and Ganan’s permission to stay here. So I guess we’re good.”

Agoram inspects the coffee making machine, “What does this… oh! Well this is very pleasant.”

“Your aunt Jin took that room,” Muli points out, “There’s a bath: running water piped in. Hot water.”

Muli makes a non-committal noise and heads for the room.

Tepet Agoram hands Whims-of-the-Flesh a cup of Jadeborn coffee, “Don’t take it personally. He’s… sensitive.”

“I see that,” Whims says, taking the coffee.

“We have a child back home. A son. He’s not met Ganan yet. And Melody is the only person Muli really trusted to look after our son – he feels a little… raw.”

Whims considers for a moment, “Ganan left me in hell, I was brainwashed, I helped destroy Lookshy, and I was the one who delivered Dovak to The Gift in the first place. No-body is perfect.”

Agoram does a double-take, “That… I don’t think I know how to respond to that.”

“I’m going to see if Ganan wants some of these apples.” Whims resolves, standing to leave.

“Why?” Muli calls from the bedroom, “He doesn’t eat anyway!”

****

“What did you do?” Jade Walker asks Ganan looking over his shoulder.

“Well, this mechanism was damaged, so I bypassed the compressor.” Ganan says pointing out his work.

“Do you want to explode?” Jade Walker smiles thinly, “There are no components in this machine that are not essential – without the compressor, there will be an essence feedback which will-” Jade Walker stops mid-rant, “I shall fetch a replacement compressor. You work on that paneling.”

The Jadeborn sweeps out of the Siege Strider chamber, just as Whims arrives. Whims tosses Ganan an apple, before offering one to Jubilant Ore, who declines.

“Working hard?” Whims jokes.

“Not really,” Ganan says, taking a bite of apple and talking with his mouth full, “All the core systems seem to work: the Jadeborn have got the thing mostly working. We change a couple of seals, knock out a couple of dents, and replace this compressor and we should be battle-ready in a few hours. I, uh… I can’t actually drive it though.”

“Uh huh,” Whims responds, “You know you have a grandson, right?”

Ganan nods slowly, swallowing another bite of apple, “Tepet Efan. Melody said V’neef was looking after him.”

“Right, well your son is upset because you haven’t met him.”

Ganan shrugs, “Muli is upset about a lot of things. Whenever I try to make things better, that just upsets him more. So…” Ganan is at a loss for words, “I didn’t ask him to come with us!”

Whims spreads his hands, “No-one said you did. But all the other things Muli is upset about, might really just be one thing.”

“Well, I can’t-” Ganan begins before breaking off mid-sentence again, “Tepet Efan is in the Imperial City. It will take weeks to travel back there.”

“Babe, no,” Whims shakes his head, “You need to talk with your son and ask him about how Efan is doing. Show an interest. Say you’ll visit after we’re done here.”

Ganan sighs and balls up his fists, “Do I go talk with him now?”

Whims makes an undecided gesture, “Probably best to let him sleep. Go first thing when your work here is done. You want me to stay here and keep you company? Neither of us needs the sleep, after all.”

Ganan smiles and nods and goes back to work.

****

By morning, the siege strider is repaired. Muli and Agoram retrieve Ganan’s traveler’s staff and make their way to the siege strider bay.

“I’m driving!” Muli calls, climbing up to the driver’s cockpit before anyone can stop him, “Take the gun Whims.”

Whims-of-the-Flesh claps Ganan on the shoulder, “Now’s your chance.” When Ganan shoots him a look, Whims adds, “What are you going to shoot at between here and Dovak? You don’t have to fight in it – use the chance to talk to your son.”

Ganan nods and starts to climb up to the gunner’s position.

Muli wrinkles his nose, “Agoram, you want to drive?”

Tepet Agoram shakes his head, “I can’t drive that thing,” He gestures to Whims, “We’ll walk behind. Besides, haven’t you always wanted to pilot one of those things?”

Muli mutters something inaudible under his breath as he straps into the war-machine. Ganan buckles into the gunner position.

“So…” Ganan says slowly, “How is my favorite grandson doing?”

“Your favorite-” Muli begins.

“Efan,” Ganan cuts him off, “Tepet Efan.”

“I know you mean my son! You only have one grandson!”

Ganan takes a deep breath, “I mean… When I write Melody, she always tells me how the little guy is doing. And we, I mean the Dragonlord, I mean Agoram… Agoram got your letters whilst we were on campaign. I mean, you know how it is with post – we’d get them six at a time then nothing for months. He’d get them. But he’d tell me how Efan was doing.”

Muli sulks for a moment as he deftly steers the siege strider up and out of the Jadeborn city. “He’s with grandmother in the House of Black Waters. With Iohan. V’neef looked after the both of them for the first couple of weeks, then I made it to the Imperial City and took them back home. The Empress dispatched Aliset and I left ‘your favorite grandson’ with Alinos.”

“I… sent him an entrenching tool.”

“He’s one.”

Ganan shrugs, it’s a gesture so familiar, Muli doesn’t need to be able to see him to feel him doing it, “You always used to like digging when you were a child. And you were always fascinated by the legions – you would have liked a genuine entrenching tool.”

“‘A military heirloom – dug the actual privies used in the liberation of Thorns.’” Muli scoffs.

“Exactly!” Ganan continues, unaware that he’s being mocked, “I haven’t had the chance… to be there for your son like I was for you. The best I can do is remember what you used to like and… well…” Ganan drifts off, “So what does little Efan like?”

“He’s one.”

“I mean, technically son, at this age – the rate they develop – it’s better to give the age in months-”

“Spears,” Muli says quickly, “He likes my Longfang.”

“I remember that letter! You let him sleep with it: Agoram was not impressed, but I think that’s just good parenting. Your mother used to-”

“Swaddle us in her armor!” Muli chuckles, “She used to wrap us together in her shirt.”

“I think you liked the weight. And the smell. Comforting. Anyway, I told him he overreacted. That, uh, that caused a big chain-of-command thing.” Ganan pauses to scratch the back of his neck, “Actually, funny story about digging the privies that liberated Thorns there – I’m sure you can work it out.”

“You gave an officer a piece of your mind and they made you dig latrines.”

“No! I love digging latrines! I gave the Dragonlord a piece of my mind and they put me on water treatment: infected pig skeleton smashed right through the well and flooded out the latrines. And the whipping.”

“Wait, they whipped you?”

“‘Disrespect towards an officer’. Article 3645/67k.”

“But… you’re a Dragon-Blooded?!”

“I was an enlisted man. As… unorthodox as that enlistment might have been. Agoram was a good sport about it.”

“Wait, my husband whipped you?”

“Good wrist action. The Dragonlord-” Ganan catches himself, “Tepet Agoram is a good guy.”

Muli thinks for a moment, “He never mentioned you in his letters.”

Ganan shrugs again, “I never mentioned him in mine. We didn’t see each other much.” There’s another pause, “I’ll make Efan a spear for Calibration.”

“That… would be nice, dad.”

****

Melody raps her knuckles on the Face of Bone. “Hello, is this thing on? Creation to Oka, come in Oka.”

(Jin leans in to Tepet Darik, “Do you want to take this one?”

Darik shakes her head, “I have a sore throat.”)

Melody sighs and whispers under her breath, “I can’t believe he’s making me do this.” She clears her throat, “The Gift of Merciful Silence. I Gracious Pealing Melody of Great House Alinos beseech you.”

The skull glows with cold blue glyphs, rising from the table to levitate in mid-air. The temperature in the room drops to an uncomfortable chill – condensation streams from their mouths in front of their faces. Cold balefire burns in the skull’s empty eyes as it turns its dead stare on Melody.

“Can I assume you agree to my terms?” Oka’s chilling voice emits from the skull.

“We have our own provisos,” Melody says cagily, “Return Tepet Ganan to us and we can talk.” She bluffs.

There is a pause. It’s difficult to read The Gift’s reactions from an expressionless skull hovering in the air, “I do not have him: we parted ways outside of Urza Arcus.”

“Fine!” Melody hisses, feigning frustration, “Be at the Tree in an hour!”

There is another pause, “It will take me longer than-”

“Can you make it for noon? Or do you expect us to beckon forth the Mask of Winters at sundown?” Melody taps her foot impatiently.

“I assume,” The clearly irritated voice of Oka rasps back, “That you want the gateway to the underworld open for as little time as possible. This necessitates that we open it at dusk.”

“Be there before dusk, Oka!” Melody warns, “The Realm has terms and so does Yochanan. That gateway doesn’t open until I am absolutely satisfied.”

“I will be there two hours before dusk. I will bring my forces. You will bring yours. You and I alone shall negotiate terms at the Gateway Tree itself.”

“No deal!” Melody spits immediately, “Yochanan gets to bargain for himself and my Hearth stands by my side. Hint, Oka, that means I expect Ganan back to the tree ahead of you.”

“I DON’T HAVE-” Oka breaks off mid-sentence, “If I see him, I will send him ahead.”

“You’d better!” Melody says, firing an arrow into the floating skull shattering it into pieces. She turns to Darik, “That’s broken that enchantment, right?”

Darik gathers up the pieces of broken skull and lays the scrying blocking blanket over them before replying “Probably.”

Melody winks at Jin, “You think he bought it?”

Jin makes a fifty-fifty gesture, “I think he’ll show. I think he’ll bring his army with him. I don’t expect him to play fair. But our plan doesn’t need him to play fair, it just needs him there.”

“So, what do you think his plan is?” Darik asks carefully.

“Well…” Melody says slowly, “He was very quick to say to bring our armies. Not overly eager to hash out an agreement in principle ahead of time – no provisions for how we’ll use our words instead of killing each other when we get there…”

“You think he’s straight-up going to just attack us?” Jin asks, pulling a face, “I mean… it’s not exactly a finessed plan?”

Darik considers, “Well… if he makes a massive pile of corpses on top of a Shadowland, might that not just force the Gateway open – key or no key? It seems like the last place we should be aiming to fight a pitched battle.”

“We are paranoid about him betraying us,” Jin admits, “We bring our army, it’s kinda like an all you can eat corpse-buffet. We don’t bring our army and the zombies trample us. There is a certain… symmetry to it.”

“Just like with our plan,” Darik adds, “Doesn’t require us to come in good faith, just requires us to come. Whether we betray him or not, the Gateway still gets opened.”

“And he just teleports away!” Jin sucks her teeth, “He doesn’t even have to win – so long as he can kill enough of us.”

“So, then we don’t bring the army.” Melody folds her arms across her chest, “Just us – the Exalted and the King. Killing ten of us won’t open a Shadowland and it leaves Tinkara with the army and our allies in Hiram as the last line of defense.”

Jin winces, “Of course, if there’s only ten of us, it’s easier to kill us and just take the key. Or if we hide the key here, then it’s easier to steal it if it’s not under Exalted guard.”

Melody nods decisively, “Go and ready the army and fill the Dovaks in: whether we take the army or leave them in the city, they need to be ready for combat. I’ll contact Ganan and we’ll plan our next move from there.”

****

Melody lets the wind take her voice to Ganan, and the Dynasts agree their next move: they’ll confront the Gift of Merciful Silence alone, with Ganan bringing the siege strider.

Melody feels out the presence of Ganan – still several hours out. She curses inwardly, knowing that Whims won’t be any closer. With some reluctance, she settles on going to see Tomonas.

Casting her voice out again, she calls to Yipyip, who is more than willing to be ridden back to Tomonas’s throne room.

Tomonas himself meets her as they land.

Melody cocks an eyebrow suspiciously, “Your grandson home?”

Tomonas laughs an easy laugh, “No, Oka is not here.”

“Then what are you trying to stop me from seeing back there?” Melody gestures to Tomonas’s throne room behind them.

Tomonas approaches her slowly, and places his hands on her shoulders, “Why must I be trying to stop you seeing something?”

Melody raises a warning finger, “You have never once come to meet me on the landing. You flaunt the Immaculate Philosophy by parading through a Lunar city as a god. Your grandson is an Anathema in service to the Mask of Winters. You wear a false face as naturally as a horse wears its shoes.”

Tomonas nods in thoughtful appreciation, “You have never come to visit me as the mother of my child. I have abided by the Immaculate dictates within the Satrapy of Dovak. Until very recently I believed that Oka was dead. I am far too straight-forward a man to wear a false face. I enjoy worship, good company, and rousing battle. Come…” He makes an exaggerated sweeping motion with his arms, inviting Melody into the throne room.

Melody gives him a side-eye as she walks past him. “I intend to.”

The gathering of lesser spirits in Tomonas’s court is thinner than Melody is used to: a trio of desperate looking gods is huddled in one corner and Mallory is fixing her hair after clearly having hurriedly thrown on a sarong. If there are immaterial spirits present, Melody cannot sense them.

“Where is everyone?” Melody asks.

“When the Realm in its… might conquered Urza Arcus, many of the local deities found themselves without a domain. As you know. When the Realm… left, and The Gift of Merciful Silence conquered Dovak, many of my comrades tried to stop him. They stood with my bearfolk worshipers against the dead (it is no secret that I despise the dead, and so to do my followers) and the Gift cut them down with Leshak and his Cynis allies. Few gods remain.”

Mallory curtsies, “Welcome back mistress, it has been too long.”

Melody gives Mallory a nod of acknowledgement.

Mallory turns to address Tomonas, “Perhaps the lady Melody would enjoy your attentions in the hot springs, master?”

*Smut*

Tomonas makes an inviting gesture toward Melody, who nods her assent and strips coolly as she walks towards the water. Tomonas watches her sashay away, discarding her clothes as she walks. He makes an appreciative noise before following after her.

“This is new,” Tomonas comments on her nude body, wrapping his arms around Melody’s waist and running his fingers over her groin tattoo, “Power here.”

“Power here,” Melody corrects, pulling Tomonas’s hands up to her over-full breasts. The feeling of the elemental’s fingers on her body sends a frisson of electricity though her. Melody’s breath quickens as she squeezes her breasts over the top of Tomonas’s hands.

Tomonas squeezes Melody’s breasts, feeling his fingers sink into the soft flesh. He feels the weight of Melody’s body pushing back against him and his prick responds, swelling to its full girth. Melody wiggles her bum against him, slipping the swell of his cock between her ample cheeks. Tomonas pinches down on Melody’s nipples and makes a high-pitched noise of pleasant surprise as (not a dribble but) jets of milk spray violently from the pores in her nipples.

Melody bites her lip and chokes off the noise she’s desperate to make. She twists her way out of Tomonas’s grip, desperately longing for his touch on her breasts even as she wriggles free, takes his milk, covered hands and leads him to the hot spring, slipping into the water.

Tomonas pauses only to rip-off his loincloth before plunging in after her. Melody giggles as the powerful elemental surges through the water toward her. The thunderbird’s mouth trails kisses down the Dragon-Blooded’s neck and Melody arches her back to push her breasts into his face. Tomonas greedily sucks a nipple into his mouth.

Melody moans a long, low, “moo”. She immediately flushes red and tries to cover her face in embarrassment, but Tomonas pulls her in close with one arm and squeezes the sweet milk from her other breast with his free hand. She makes a muffled “mfph” sound as she tries to stop from mooing again. She spreads her legs and grabs Tomonas by the butt, pulling him in close.

Tomonas sucks a mouthful of milk into his mouth and snowballs it into Melody’s mouth as he lines his massive cock up with Melody’s waiting cunt. He stops, teasing her:

“You know what I want to hear,” Tomonas smiles down at her as the hot water laps over them.

“Please fuck me,” Melody begs, “Fuck me with your huge cock!”

“Oh no, you don’t get off that easy. Not after what I just heard.”

Melody’s flushed face spreads across her chest as she turns pink. She whispers quietly, “moo.”

Tomonas plunges deep inside her as he returns his mouth to her breasts. Only half his length fills her up more than Whim’s dick and she lets out a full throated “moo” as Tomomas sucks on her breasts.

Melody thrusts against him in the water, driving her hips down as Tomonas stretches her out. She grunts animalistically as they rut. The magic tattoo that keeps her lactating makes her breasts exceptionally sensitive. Her mind goes blank as Tomonas buries himself to the hilt.

Tomonas’s hands seem to be all over her. Between the warmth of the water, the throbbing in her pussy, and the hot mouth on her breasts, Melody is overwhelmed with sensation, unable to do anything but gasp and moan. He lets the nipple slip from his mouth and croons in her ear, “Moo for me my little milker.”

“Ah!” Melody moans.

Tomonas pinches both of her nipples. Hard. And pulls them away from her body, lifting her breasts into two small cones as his thumbs meet his fingers.

“Moo! Moo! MOO!” Melody cries as they come together.

Tomonas’s cum floods her insides as Melody pushes herself up against him, trying to relieve the pressure on her breasts. Their mouths find each other and their tongues entwine as they come down from their orgasms.

****
Ganan spends 8XP to train Inviolate Dragon Spirit.
Jin spends 6DX to train Lore 4.
- 84
- 85
- 86
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Dynasty of Dovak