“I may have a suggestion on where to meet. My people are stationed in barracks out on the edge of nexus. It would save moving a bunch of troops if we meet there, and it’ll be good in case we need any last minute prep. Any objections?”

"That sounds perfect, Kisara, I will collect my trunks and meet you there, after a bit of last minute supply gatgering, naturally."

He helps gather things, & looks to the glowing Twilight

"Wish to join me?"

“Well, meet you there, Cold! Everyone, meet me on the west edge of Nexus, where the city meets the plains. The barracks aren’t hard to find. Anyone who wants to head there right now, follow me!”

And thus, off skipped Kisara, her tail flowing behind her like a silver river.

>>1090443
Fleegman attempts to follow Woe, under the mistaken impression she still cares, then gets very confused when she seemingly vanishes behind a lamppost less than two yards away from him. He's hoping to pick up a few things from his apartment before leaving the city, but, given the recent assassination attempt, would prefer not to go anywhere without a supernaturally competent bodyguard.

Follow-up report from Seeker of Wind and Woe's spy network. About an hour after the excitement started, and twenty minutes after you got kicked out of the restaurant, Sesus Rafara contacted a Lookshyan dragonblood (who is widely known, in certain circles, to have chronic trouble with gambling debts) to send a message via Wind-Carried Words Technique. Recipient unconfirmed, but easy to guess. Message contents as follows:
"Mission success,"
then four nonsense words presumably from some prearranged codebook, and finally
"If he's not dead after drinking that, you aren't paying me enough to go back and find out why."

Seeing Fleegman's concerns, Cold approaches him

"Welcome Mister Fleegman, would you mind if I accompany you? I would find it bothe useful & enjoyable to travel Nexus with a local, but I would like to return to recover my items at some point in our wandering, before we all rendezvous with the others"

>>1090567
"I think it would be best if I join you there, I dont think Nexus and I see eye to eye on everything and you know how my temper can run."

"You are always welcome! Let us enjoy what the day brings together, perhaps we may find a chilled wine we all agree upon?"

rolled 1, 1, 6, 6, 7, 3, 3 + 3 = 30

---

(Wits+Socialize+3dice for stunts to Navigate Nexus to escort Fleegman, complete basic resupply of stock & collect Cold' equipment)

rolled 9, 6, 5, 4, 1, 2, 2, 8, 9, 9, 3, 5, 1, 9, 5, 6, 10, 7, 4 = 105

---

And amid all this, Fate's strings tugged. One of the Earth's chosen lingered in earshot on a whim, lingered around one of his fellows, and heard Sesus Rafara's words to the man he was just speaking to. And perhaps Fate's strings tugged on him again when he took interest as well. He's the kind of man to investigate things of that nature, certainly, but he's also fickle. I, at least, would say that chance played a significant factor.

The man himself was one Cynis Taitapet. Menace of many a House Cynis gambling night, he's a profoundly average looking young man. A slight splash of neoteny shaken in, him looking a touch younger than the age most Exalts "lock in" at, his foot appearing to have not quite crossed over the line separating adolesence from what's beyond quite yet. In reality he's been a man for over 5 years now, but his minor baby face and slightly off proportions are as if he's frozen in time. Trapped in that specific moment...

Taitapet inquired around after his chance overhearing of Sesus Rafara's relay. About poison, about assassinations and, without any evidence for their involvement, about Anathema (his bias on the topic, you see). Ordinarily his skills would need to come to bear in this, and perhaps they still will, but...

An anathema and something possibly much worse screamed down the street today. A child could uncover that.

And so Taitapet soon finds himself at the barracks of the hundred-odd folk loyal to Kisara Moonfire. That's the anathema that had screamed down the street if you're keeping track. Coincidentally, he was in the exact place that the motley treasure hunting crew had agreed to meet. Fate's strings again?

Rolling an excessive quantity of dice to determine the efficacy of Taitapet's initial investigation, ST discretion for the Stunt and Destiny values. Due to the obviousness of the main piece of evidence I petition that he should get there even with 0 successes, but he might be under the impression the whole party are the assassins in such a scenario?

Base dicepool of Wits + Investigation + First Excel 4 (2m) = 11.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1a6LqgEb34zzROXGPvf0VI0Jz2vSWd2ZQGBH2sdFFEP0/edit?usp=sharing

>>1090632
There are some with the philosophy that charity is the greatest display of power and wealth. The woman who approached him had a bearing of peaceful confidence which might reflect such an outlook. "Excuse me, I do not believe we have met before, is there something I can help you with?"

>>1090569
Woe will nod to and leave the informants without more than that. Beyond that, she's on the lookout for anyone following her new "friends."

>>1090654
Taitapet responds in perfectly passable Riverspeak, though with a noticeable high-class twang to the way he says some words. And the less said of his speaking style the better. "It would certainly be a turn if we had so no, I don't think I know you." Taitapet touches his chest with three fingers. "My name is Cynis Taitapet, though my family and I aren't on the best of speaking terms."

He seems like a pleasant enough soul, but his eyes have a certain character to them. It isn't immediately apparent what that is, but it complicates his otherwise personable image. "I was hoping to speak with the woman in charge of the forces here? I heard some very strange rumors..."

And skipping nearby, came Kisara.
“Then meet her you shall. Kisara Moonfire. Nice to meet you.”
She held out her hand to Cynis, offering a handshake.

>>1090667
Taitapet takes her hand and shakes it, firmly but friendly. "I heard about you and... I assume that was some manner of ally, though maybe one of circumstance? You certainly did make a racket." He's referring to Kisara and the Champion chasing down the assassin it seems.

Will poke ST elsewhere to try to get a confirm on what Taitapet knows and doesn't know, as it'll be hard to say anything else as him without knowing if he knows about the map.

>>1090632
Fleegman initially assumes Cynis Taltapet is here to kill him, and blurts out enough in resultant panic that it's adequately clear what's happening, at least to such a master investigator.

>>1090676
Taitapet takes note of what Fleegman is saying and chooses his next words carefully. They're not directed toward Fleegman of course, but rather the others. "Would you mind if I joined in on your treasure hunt? A scion of the realm might be helpful if the journey leads us back to civilization at some stage, and I'm quite good with my hands." Iselsi Makö (or Cold Blooded as he is known to the group) isn't exactly identifiable on sight, so the Dragon-Blooded's argument is a touch flawed, they already have a scion of the Realm, but still mostly works. "There's little love between myself and the Dynasty, but I have yet to even approach being disowned, so I believe there are scenarios, admittedly unlikely ones granted, but scenarios where I could be an invaluable aid." The next natural question would be to ask what he hopes to gain, if he seeks a cut of the treasure or what have you, but that can be skipped past if that isn't too much of a concern.

“…..I wouldn’t mind it, myself. The more the merrier. But what do you get out of this, if you don’t mind me asking?”
She smiled slightly at Cynis, crossing her arms and staring him down inquisitively.

cold blooded in the blaze of the sun is carrying
-hundred pounds of mostly random trinkets and rocks, practical utility dubious
-[empty slot]
-[empty slot]

cargo (~600lb each):
10x foxmen tent w/ two sets of group basics - shelter and food-prep for 14 people each
1x adept-level geomantic survey kit + basic carpentry tools + 20lb reagents, glue, nails, etc + 20x shovels + 10x mattocks
1x barrel w/ 64 gallons of water

1x cold's pavilion tent w/ accessories including fifty yards of spare rope and a sledgehammer
1x cold's fine-quality field kitchen, plus food, water, and fuel for no more than a week
1x cold's wardrobe, office supplies, camp furniture including chairs, table, cot, and bathtub

kisara moonfire is carrying
- food for a week (two if eaten while in fox form)
- set of lenses

>strange7person — 04/28/2024 5:59 PM
>For the "spyglass or binoculars or something," how about saying you've got a padded case full of an assortment of lenses, worth resources 2 and qualifying as a suitable exotic ingredient for construction of a 1- or maybe 2-dot vision-related artifact? Can't alter the lenses themselves with your shapeshifting, beyond storing them Elsewhere when in forms which couldn't easily carry them (you're pretty sure they're made of something other than ordinary glass, though maybe not certain exactly what), but Changing Plumage Mastery can rearrange the carrying-case as if it were clothing, yielding monocle or eyeglasses frames, telescopes, microscopes, etc. with appropriate lenses neatly slotted in place, and the unused ones still tucked away safe.

100x foxmen wear chain hauberk, personally carry
- axe and bundle of javelins,
- a week's fermented pemmican (not safe for humans),
- and a wheelbarrow each
note that they run faster (wolf's pace), but have worse night vision (baseline human), than northern wolfmen
mobility penalty is -2 from armor, no extra from encumbrance

Ten Thousand Maws is carrying
- sleeping bag, concealing scroll case with important papers and a knife

10x porters (strength 3, stamina 4, athletics 4) are carrying
- food for a week (or three weeks for the scrawnier servants)
- another unit of food
- spare clothes (for self, plus part of Maws' wardrobe) and a sleeping bag
- five-gallon barrel rigged as a backpack plus hands-free siphon (takes up a second slot while more than 3/4 full)
- each carries a further 50lb bundle: [20 yds rope + 10x climbing gear], [10x swamp shoes], [25x lantern], [keg of oil], 2x [16x 6' pole], 4x [half a 20-man tent]
and suffer a -1 mobility penalty with full load of water, but that won't last long

4x servants (strength 2, stamina 2, athletics 1) are carrying
- spare clothes and a sleeping bag
- office supplies and initiate-level ward construction/maintenance kits

>>1089871
Seeker of Wind and Woe is carrying
- fine-quality mountaineering/burglary gear, helmet-mounted lantern, and bedroll
- food for a week
- food for another week
- five-gallon barrel rigged as a backpack, plus a one-gallon wineskin and hands-free siphon
- three gallons of water in the above - might last one person four days in a hot climate
- three more gallons of water
and, with only Athletics 4, suffering a -1 mobility penalty

Spinel Caryatid is carrying
- elaborate medkit, counts as exceptional for first aid, basic for surgery
- hyperion key, for ergonomic adjustments to discreet essence armor, in a padded case
- initiate-level portable alchemy kit
- copious quantity of alchemical reagents, disinfectants, supplies for lesser wards vs. insects
and with Athletics 0, suffering a -3 mobility penalty

the burning champion is carrying
???

Caitlyn is carrying nothing but her artifacts conventionally
in the Infinite Resplendence Amulet's starmetal Elsewhere pockets:
- 150 man-days of assorted highly perishable fresh food (raw fish, farm-fresh eggs, etc.) and pre-cooked snacks
- quarter-mile-long steel cable w/ cargo hook, pulleys, and mounting brackets rated for tens of tons
- 200 bottles of beer
- block of soap the size and shape of a blacksmith's anvil, which some third-rate sorcerer seemed eager to get rid of

ashen mercy is wearing an exceptional chain shirt and carrying
- 7x concealed knives

henchman kronk is wearing lamellar and carrying
- food for a week
- exceptional hammer w/ integral walkaway charm
- exceptional short spear
- true jade talent engraved with a summoning circle + 50lb bondage gear, counts as exceptional tools for calling up 1CDs
mobility penalty is -2 from armor, no extra from encumbrance

>>1090678
Taitapet answers quickly and curtly. "I wish to travel with Anathema. See what manner of people you are. I have personal circumstances (that I won't bore you with) that make the journey reward enough." He doesn't seem to be lying...

>>1090680
"Do you believe that Anathema are indeed evil beings, and if so then why would we want to welcome an individual seeking such company?" Caitlyn asked as she stepped closer to comfort Fleegman and offer him a sense of safety "Need I remind you that it was a Dynast who poisoned this man, not Anathema?" The woman wasn't being aggressive towards Taitapet, but she was looking for something more substantial than a casual 'trust me'. "This man is the one who was harmed and has the most at risk, so if you can convince him of your good intentions then you have my approval as well."

>>1090681
Taitapet frowns for moment, contemplating what exactly the woman in armor half-accosting him wants him to say, and then speaks. "Someone very important to me appeared before me, now an Anathema, and told me... she said various things about the world, its history and the nature of Anathema before departing. I journey to learn of the veracity, one way or the other, of her words." He smiles. "So an alliance should be mutually beneficial I think."

Taitapet doesn't speak of his deeper feelings toward the Realm, his overall goals or even what kind of Exalt the woman he mentioned was. He spoke the minimum needed to answer Caitlyn and seem open about his past, cards still close to his chest. He maintained a smile and sincere eyes though, and wasn't even holding back too much so it's likely only a very astute listener would detect it but... it is detectable. Sincere, but not giving the full picture.

>>1090682
"If you wish to observe the nature of Anathema then you are welcome to keep my company, though I would caution you to refrain from that general term and simply use the term of chosen. There are those in our number who take offense to the Anathema moniker and I cannot ensure your safety from the eldest of those who stride across Creation."

>>1090683
Taitapet bows a little at that, just showing respect. "Very well, I can go along with that."

"The advice is appreciated, Chosen..." He pauses. "Chosen certainly, but Chosen by anything specific?"

>>1090684
Caitlyn spoke with deep conviction and pride, completely bereft of misdirection. By realm standards, she might come across as simplistic and unrefined, but her confidence was allowed to shine through. "I am a priestess of Venus and champion of her cause. It is my calling to deliver her message of peace and joy to those who only understand violence."

rolled 7, 8, 6, 10, 6, 4, 4, 10, 3, 3, 5, 8, 1, 7, 10, 9, 5, 2, 5, 7, 1, 6, 3, 6, 2, 1, 1, 2, 4, 9 = 155

---

For the moment, Spinel is hanging back with Kisara's followers, hood up to conceal her lack of bestial traits, and allowing the other Exalted to confront the newly arrived dynast—either. Her anima banner has finally receded to the point where blending into a crowed is possible, and as either a physician or ranged combatant, her place is not on the front lines. (Dexterity 5 + Stealth 1)

>He doesn't seem to be lying...
What does reading motivation have to say about that? (Perception 4 + Investigation 1). Perhaps Caitlyn's interrogation provides a cooperation bonus die?

While Spinel is not going to step forward to offer the suggestion yet, if they wishes to ensure the Dragon-Blood is not here to harm, spy on, or otherwise betray the group, an Eclipse oath would solve the problem. ...surely in such an overlarge circle, one of their number is an Eclipse?

>>1090679
That looks correct for me.

rolled 3, 7, 7, 1, 5, 10, 10, 4, 2, 6 = 55

---

Rolling for my followers to notice Spinel among them. Bit of a wasted exercise, but it’s just in case. Perception 3 and Awareness 3, plus 4 extra dice in case of any bonuses.

Cold Blooded in the Blaze of the Sun arrives after completed his last minite browsing. He seems refreshed, even after having lugged 3 large crates across town. He quickly notices the presence of Taitapet among his companions.

"Ah, Kisara, is this one of our hirelings? A captain or other quality specialist i assume. Please advise of an appropriate time for introduction ls once we have all completed our respective duties."

He dusts his hands off & looks to see if there are any minions requiring either assistance or supervision, currently standing near the group, but with a look to about to step away at any moment

“Uh, no. This is someone who wants in on the hunt. They’re a dynast…but they’re not going to kill us. I think…”
She nervously looked towards Cold, glancing at Taitapet as well.

He raises an eyebrow & speaks in a more elegant tongue than the colloquial RiverSpeak he has been addressing others in before
《High Realm》

"Oh, a Dynast, I knew it, I could just smell the quality. Where are you from? I understand most usually ask what house, but I find that your location of upbringing is far more revealing of ones character, wouldn't you agree?"
"I am known as Cold Blooded in the Blaze of the Sun, an affectation I use when dealing with those of the Threshold. Not that I look down upon them, you see, I too am a provincial, raised in Thorns before..."

His face darkens as he seems distracted by unsettling thoughts & memories, before making eye contact again with his stones, granite coloured eyes & mustering up an uneasy smile.

"Well, since then I am presenting with my Threshold moniker."

#Inventory
hundred pounds of mostly random trinkets and rocks, practical utility dubious
- Big bag of dried foods (fruit, fish & goat jerky etc)
- Big waterskin of freshwater

>>1090761
Worth noting, if you're scaling the load to your strength and stamina with Unbreakable Bones of Stone active, but your metabolic needs are still based on natural ratings, that could be upwards of six weeks of food per slot.
Or maybe two of those five-gallon backpack-barrels of water, one slung on each shoulder, with a couple weeks of trail rations stacked on top of each?

(The two barrels of water with food stacked on top sounds perfect. Cold will do that)

>>1090744
"I mostly grew up bouncing around The House of High Waves." He then stops for a moment, before adopting a very sheepish expression. "Not as an employee you understand..."

?

"I was sent to the Imperial City for schooling soon after, but that isn't really connected to your question now, is it? So I won't bore you with those details." Even though his eyes clearly want to! He isn't remotely trying to hide that!

They must be pleasant memories.

He swaps back into RiverSpeak as he gestures to the others

"Well, if thry have already welcomed you, I see no reason for me not to do the same. We discuss about your upbringing once we arrive & camp has been set up."

>>1090679
>The Burning Champion — 05/11/2024 6:17 PM
>As for what I am carrying, about as much food and water as I can carry, and a fancy compass with all 5 elemental poles marked on it that she stole off a ship on her journey eastward from the Ocean

rolled 6, 4, 6, 1, 10, 9, 1, 10, 10, 10, 4, 8, 6, 5, 10, 5, 8, 10, 1, 4, 8, 8, 8, 10, 10, 6, 7, 1, 4, 1, 3, 9, 6, 6, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3, 2, 9, 3, 6, 6, 7, 8, 6, 9, 2, 2 = 292

---

>>1090575
Three young men with buff jackets, tetsubos, and hostile intent are loitering in or near Fleegman's apartment. Roll for Stealth and Awareness to see who spots who first.
Short of flight, teleportation, or demolishing walls, there are two ways in or out of the apartment: the building's interior stairs and hallways, which are dark and cramped, involving a lot of locked doors and blind corners... or the rear fire escape, skeletal catwalks of iron-hard black resin resembling ladders or thornbushes more than stairs, dangling over an alley knee-deep with oily stagnant water, and leading to a window which definitely isn't meant to be opened from the outside, but at least there's moonlight. How are you approaching?

rolled 4, 8, 2, 3, 5, 6 = 28

---

Perception + Awareness +3 dice for extras

rolled 4, 8, 1, 9, 9, 7, 4 = 42

---

Dex + Stealth (-1 penalty) +3 for extras

Cold looks around, noticing at the last moment the somewhat unexpected reception. He signals to the others to hang back a moment behind a stack of boxes nefore they are all seen.

The men chuckle to themselves at the sight of someone gazing in that sort of way at the place they're guarding. They both approach, one of them is posted inside precisely to give them this sort of flexibility.

>>1090988
(Join Debate)

rolled 7, 2, 8, 8, 9, 10, 1, 7, 1, 8, 9, 5, 6, 7, 9, 3, 8, 8, 2, 6 = 124

---

...

Seeing the sentries approach, Cold resigns himself to having a discussion. He signals to his guide to wait behind him as he confidently strides towards them. Leaning on a wall with his flinty stare hinting at his displeasure of being delayed

After some initial attempts at diplomacy, one of the goons smashes a hole through the wall where Cold's head was a moment earlier. Cold then steals a knife off the man's belt and stabs him with it for four levels of lethal damage.

The other goon panics and flees, while a third (who was waiting inside) attempts to negotiate a surrender, in exchange for his friend getting urgently needed medical attention.

Wounded goon who organized the ambush at Fleegman's apartment is stabilized. Might eventually regain full use of his left arm, with luck or further treatment. Both of his buddies, plus the girlfriend of the one who ran off in a panic, have been disarmed and are surrounded by enough huge beastmen that they don't dare make trouble... at least for the moment. What will you do with them?

All the expedition crew and equipment - or at least everything you'll be able to find on such short notice, more than enough to fill a casting of Stormwind Rider to capacity - has been assembled and packed. Will you be setting out immediately via spell, before dawn?
Or loading it onto a ship first (to lay a false trail and/or bring reinforcements closer to the destination), then launching from the deck once you're outside the city?
There's enough moonlight that high-speed overland navigation is possible, but it won't be easy.

>>1091040
Woe would vote to leave as soon as possible, but I (the player) vote for the ship plan.

rolled 6, 1, 1, 10, 2, 9, 5, 9, 5, 4, 10, 8, 5, 5, 6, 9, 10, 7, 3, 3 = 118

---

>Wounded goon who organized the ambush at Fleegman's apartment is stabilized.
>Second medical emergency within two hours
"Is this going to be a pattern?"

>Wounded goon who organized the ambush at Fleegman's apartment is stabilized. Might eventually regain full use of his left arm, with luck or further treatment.
With bleeding staunched and immediate death off the table, let's see bad the rest of it is. (Perception 4 + Medicine 5), plus Flawless Diagnosis Technique. How bad is the crippling wound, how many health levels is he down?

>"What will you do with them?"
"To be clear, I did not keep him from Lethe just so someone could add further knives. I'm not in the business of facilitating torture."

> lay a false trail and/or bring reinforcements closer to the destination
"A feint might help in reducing the rate of medical interventions."

>>1091082
"No, my friend wasn't running away from a back-alley knife fight! He's no coward! And, um, also we aren't criminals and definitely would never be involved with such a thing. Some fey horseman came from the firewander district, lanced and trampled him."
"Well, that does sound fairly consistent with him having been struck first in the shoulder, with superhuman force focused on a sharp point, knocked down by the impact onto cobblestones, and then crushed by something weighing several hundred pounds moving at about 20mph, but...
>Flawless Diagnosis Technique
"...something's not quite right."
"What do you mean? There's even a clear hoofprint on his jacket right there."
"That definitely is an impression from a horseshoe, but it doesn't quite line up with the deepest bruising."

After some further alchemical tests...

"Aha! There's no traces of wyld taint in the wound. And who ever heard of a fae horse with iron shoes?"

Turns out that Cold had a horseshoe he was carrying around on a string, intending to eventually enchant it. Inflicted the puncture wound (and concomitant shattered scapula) with a knife, rather than a cavalry lance, and apparently managed to put a cavalry charge's worth of force behind it with a jump from a standing start. If not for a sturdy mammoth-hide jacket, might have torn open the brachial artery, killed that poor bastard on the spot.

In mechanical terms, the patient is down five lethal health levels - four from the initial strike, plus one from subsequent bleeding - and if that broken shoulderblade is allowed to heal wrong, he'll be at a persistent -2 wound penalty due to chronic pain and reduced range of motion in his left arm and back.