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>While Amata keeps her busy, let's take on the Silver Prince! (p+d)
>Let's help Amata take out this woman before the Prince recovers! (p+d)
>Let's use this chance to run up and help Radiant Starfall against the Day Caste upstairs!
>Let's use this chance to run down and beat the Silver Prince to the Titan's reactor core!
>(Other?)

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>Who are we?
Maka, an exiled noble Exalted as a Zenith-caste Solar. Queen of Gem, now ruling the western island of Tianna. You have gathered a lot of allies and friends, and have a powerful Manse under construction.
But Tianna is actually an artificial island, built around a First Age Titan: an almighty flying fortress built in an ancient, forgotten age, and although this is kept secret, two Deathlords are seeking to obtain it.
The Tyrant of the Doomsday Machine, ghost of your past incarnation, seeked it as a weapon to cut her ties to the Neverborn. But you have persuaded her to try and seek redemption in the eyes of the Sun in other ways, and count her as an unlikely ally.
But now the Silver Prince is coming, to punish her and claim the Titan for himself in the name of Oblivion. And this looks like a battle you won't be able to talk your way out of...

>Solar? Zenith? I don't know Exalted...
This quest is as newbie-friendly as possible, and I want it to work as a newbie's intro to Exalted. If you have ANY question, ask in thread. For the setting, google "1d4chan exalted".

>Archive?
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Solar%20Quest

>System?
Dicepool-like system. When performing an action, everyone rolls 1d10 when posting. the first X rolls are considered, where X is equal to attribute + ability.
>XP?
Attributes cost [current score x5] xp. Abilities cost [current score x3] xp, except Zenith costing [(current score x3) -1]. Charms cost 10 xp, except for Zenith-based charms (related to charisma and physical/mental fortitude) which cost 8 xp. At the end of every "session" (thread) you will be presented with a list of possible acquisitions.

>Twitter?
@exaltedfag

>Any questions?
http://ask.fm/Exaltedfag

New System Info: http://pastebin.com/pvAZpsJ6
Characters info (player-made): http://pastebin.com/5WnD47jp
Quest in ebook format (player-made): https://www.dropbox.com/s/i7oz3l0g5dvbebo/Exalted%20Quest%20-%20Threads%2001-82%20%5Bpdf%5D.rar?dl=0

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>41644350
>>Let's help Amata take out this woman before the Prince recovers! (p+d)
Our wife is so fucking cool.

Well I don't know about SMAs, but general beatdown knowledge tells me we should gang up on her while we have the chance.

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>41644350
>While Amata keeps her busy, let's take on the Silver Prince! (p+d)

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>41644350
>While Amata keeps her busy, let's take on the Silver Prince! (p+d)

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>41644350
>Let's use this chance to run down and beat the Silver Prince to the Titan's reactor core!
Man I love our Chosen of Serenity wife. Still, Tyrant might already be there doing unhelpful things.

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>41644350
>While Amata keeps her busy, let's take on the Silver Prince! (p+d)
Burn 2 HTH. Try to separate Silver Prince so he has less chance in randomly hitting someone with his sword.

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>41644479
Dude's already gone flying through a wall

>>41644479
Does he still have it? Amata knocked it aside. Did she knock it out of his hand? That would probably be too lucky...

>>41644350
>Let's use this chance to run down and beat the Silver Prince to the Titan's reactor core!

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>41644336
So Amata is using PAoCS and it looks like Lotus is using Obsidian Shards

>>41644350
>Look for the Prince's sword
Might as well

>>41644492
Still in the combat zone with Amata and easily in reach of exalted. What if the enemy decides to maneuver towards each other. One hit of his sword would put us in danger.

Rolled 2 (1d10)

>>41644508
it doesn't say anything about him dropping it, so I assume he still has it

Rolled 3 (1d10)

More dice just in case we need them

Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>41644350
dice are being shit today

>>41644518
You don't see it anywhere. Looks like he kept it.

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>41644350
They also seem to like being insulted, the fuckers.

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>41644598
Maka she the dice have that in common at least

>>41644517
>Obsidian Shards
HAHAHAOHFUCK

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>41644350
>While Amata keeps her busy, let's take on the Silver Prince! (p+d)
Welcome back EF!

Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>41644679
Wait I just remembered, isn't that the one that can freely redirect attacks and has an almost free PD and is generally considered the most broken of the SMAs?

Is SHS still active? P+D is only 8 dice, meaning >>41644584 and later rolls are not used normally.

>>41644830
SHS is active as long as we have it commited so we're at 11 dice

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>41644765
That's the one. There's also a Charm in it's tree that removes the Essence cost from any other OS Charm. With some environmental stipulations, thankfully.

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"...I..." You hesitate, giving a long look at Amata. She barely breaks concentration to throw you a single quick glance and the slightest of nods.

She's busy.

You tap on Tia's shoulder and run a semicircle to get around the two of them and reach the point where the Silver Prince crashed into the wall. She follows, eagerly.

"Alright, Silver Prince." You slap away a half-broken steel pipe dangling in front of the wrecked hole he caused. The cavity is full of smoke, dust and debris, and you keep your guard up. He might try to stab you by surprise... "Your plan obviously failed at this point. You lost your advantage. Just give up."

Something's wrong.

[p+d=1 6 5 4 3 7 4 2 3 10 9 = 4 successes]

As the dust settles and the smoke clears, you see an horrifying figure clad in the blackest steel rise from the wrecked machinery.

"You clearly have no idea who you're speaking to." The voice, however, is the same.

"Silver pr-"

His armored fist slams square into your chest, and you feel all the air escaping your lungs ad your entire field of vision becomes a blur.

[HEALTH: 5/11]

"I'm the Bodhisattva Anointed by Dark Water." His voices reaches you only after his punch has launched you all the way across the room and into the wall at the far side.

As the stars leave your field of vision and you struggle back to your feet, the first thought that crosses your mind is that you hope all this machinery your fight is wrecking is not essential.

The second is that you're still quite a bit outmatched.

As your still-damaged eyesight struggles to bring the world back into focus, you see Tia's sword blow, a powerful vertical slash, deflected by the Pri- by the Bodhisattva's blade.

(cont.)

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He still has that sword. It looks different now, longer and more jagged, but the hilt is the same. With one swift blow, she knocks Skullopener out of Tia's hands. The blade spins across the room and embeds itself in a lit panel of working machinery, running through and shattering a large yellow-reddish crystal embedded in it, that was softly glowing. The glow escapes from it as Essence is discharged in all directions, and you feel the temperature in the room rising.

Then, the Bodhisattva slaps her with his bladed, armored glosed, and she flies ten meters backwards, trailing blood.

At the same moment, Amata lunges, and her lightning-like fingernails slash at her opponent's midsection in a swipe so fast you could barely see it. "Listen to me, Lotus! A Phoenix-" She begins saying something, but...

The emerald-eyed woman that Amata called "Lotus" evades the blow by jumping in five different directions at once. She ducks and rolls below it and to the side. She slides ahead and under Amata's legs. She somersaults backwards. She follows the blow and dodges to the side. She leans back just far enough to let the attack graze her.

Amata's words, whatever she was about to say, is silenced when one of the five Lotus knees her in the sternum just as a second one elbows her in the back of the head.

And then, the other three raise their blades and prepare two slashes and a thrust.

>Get back in the fight. Tia needs your help!
>Get back in the fight. Amata needs your help!
>They can handle themselves! I need to go upstairs.
>They can handle themselves! I need to go downstairs.
>We need to fall back here, girls. We can't take them on both at the same time!
>(Other?)

>>41644961
(forgot to mention, the first two options are of course physical + dawn rolls.)

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>41644961
>We need to fall back here, girls. We can't take them on both at the same time!
Well, fuck. Is this his final form?

>>41644961
>>We need to fall back here, girls. We can't take them on both at the same time!
Right, he's pissed, we need some high essence help here.

>>41644961
>>We need to fall back here, girls. We can't take them on both at the same time!

We need to back up and get some more bodies down here, we've been fighting practically nonstop for the entire night and burning essence and this is the first he's really fought.

Talon should be coming down and I'm pretty confident that Radiant can handle that abyssal we banged up.

>>41644961
>Rush to the reactor!
If we can get Dancing Flame and the Tyrant to join us, we can easily win this fight. Retreating will take us to the Day caste and Radiant, which won't tip the fight in anyone's favor.

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>>41644961
>We need to fall back here, girls. We can't take them on both at the same time!

>>41644961
>>41644961
>(other)
>Area denial strategy
Break more stuff, leak more essence. (maybe a semi-major pipe on the reactor?), try to flood the reactor shaft with enough essence that it becomes uninhabitable.
Maybe that will buy us time to get more allies in here.

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>41644961
>(Other?)Help Amata get that bastard woman off her back and then, next step.
>We need to fall back here, girls. We can't take them on both at the same time!

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>41645034
Seconding.

>>41645070
This room seems like the reactor control room, if we wreck the place the reactor could blow and destroy the Titan and the whole island chain with it.

>>41644961
>We need to fall back here, girls. We can't take them on both at the same time!

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>>41645106
then be selective in what you break.

>>41645228
Yeah but we don't know what to be selective with.

We've got some memories about the layout and whatnot but I doubt we have memories of the construction and crazy magitech that went into the Reactor.

>>41644336
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7zvmq24Sck
>this started playing as soon as I started reading the thread
Aww yes, this is awesome!

>>41644961
>We need to fall back here, girls. We can't take them on both at the same time!

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You HATE to be the one who has to do this.

"...Tia! Amata! Fall back! Let's get out of here!"

Amata was already dodging when you said that. She slides between Lotus' sword blows, and though they cut her and draw blood on her arms and hands as she attempts to parry and deflect, neither wound is serious. She rolls away as the five images of the mysterious woman reunite in one, and takes advantage of that split-second delay to cover the distance between her and you in a mad dash.

Tia stands back up, just in time to narrowly avoid the Bodhisattva as he attempts to chop her head off with the cursed sword. She rolls clumsily out of the way and counterattacks with a backhanded fist that doesn't even put a dent in his black armor.

The two struggle for a second of deadly confusion, and then your blood freezes in horror as you see the Deathlord's left hand grab Tia's left arm, and squeeze it in a fight grip.

She can't run. She turns her eyes to Skullopener, but it's too far for her to reach. and Lotus is about to return on the offensive, attacking both you and-

Suddenly, The roof caves in, exploding downwards as Tyrant of the Doomsday Machine lands squarely on top of both the Bodhisattva and Tia just as he was about to put Howler in Darkness through her neck. A shower of metal debris follows immediately, and you lose sight of the three for a moment. That even takes Lotus' attention for a moment.

>Now! Focus on this distraction and take out Lotus with Amata. (p+d)
>Amata was trying to say something to Lotus. Maybe you can grab her and hold her down just long enough... (p+d)
>Dive in the cloud of shapnel, get Tia out of it.
>Jump into the melee, help Tyrant against the Bodhisattva. (p+d)
>Use this chance to run away with Amata.
>(Other?)

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>41645458
>Now! Focus on this distraction and take out Lotus with Amata. (p+d)
We NEED to narrow this down to fewer opponents, and as scar as a Sidereal Martial Artist is, I think the Bodhisattva will be harder to take out expediently.

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>41645458
>>Amata was trying to say something to Lotus. Maybe you can grab her and hold her down just long enough... (p+d)
Maybe Amata knows something that'll get Lotus to walk away without a fuss.

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>41645458
>Amata was trying to say something to Lotus. Maybe you can grab her and hold her down just long enough... (p+d)
Lotus has perfect defenses to dodge anything, we need to beat her in some other way.

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>41645458
>>Amata was trying to say something to Lotus. Maybe you can grab her and hold her down just long enough... (p+d)
Great timing Tyrant

>>41645458
>>Now! Focus on this distraction and take out Lotus with Amata. (p+d)
Maka, using this distraction flies over to Lotus, smashing her directly between the hips. Using her own attack to fling the other Sidereal into the mess of the Tyant, Silver Prince and Tia. Hopefully she'll end up impaled or caught in their crossfire.

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>41645458
>Now! Focus on this distraction and take out Lotus with Amata. (p+d)

Tyrant to the rescue!
Let's curbstomp these bastards!

Rolled 9 (1d10)

Also, fuck you dice for not being helpful when we needed the most. You little shits.

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>41645458
mo' dice

Rolled 8 (1d10)

You fuckers, stop rolling below 7, damnit.

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>41645539
We have five successes on eight dice so far, you nerd. We're rolling REALLY WELL.

>>41645458
>Amata was trying to say something to Lotus. Maybe you can grab her and hold her down just long enough... (p+d)

Rolled 2 (1d10)

You fucking faggots, you're supposed to be all 10s, you miserable little pile of luck.

Rolled 3 (1d10)

I want to believe in you dice, don't let me down

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>41645458
>>Now! Focus on this distraction and take out Lotus with Amata. (p+d)

Rolled 2 (1d10)

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>41645458
>Now! Focus on this distraction and take out Lotus with Amata. (p+d)
Try to take her down non-lethally, if possible. Maybe Amata still wants to talk with her afterwards.

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>41645458
>Amata was trying to say something to Lotus. Maybe you can grab her and hold her down just long enough... (p+d)

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>41645562
Ah, damn. It was working so well. Fucking placebos.

>>41645458
>Amata was trying to say something to Lotus. Maybe you can grab her and hold her down just long enough... (p+d)

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>41645458
>Now! Focus on this distraction and take out Lotus with Amata. (p+d)

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Rolled 5 (1d10)

>that face when you samefagged
>that face when you voted for different things every time you samefagged
This is fun!

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>>41645633

Rolled 2 (1d10)

COME THE FUCK ON

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>41645786
Dude, we have more than enough dice. Calm the fuck down.

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Just one word.

"Amata."

"Yes."

[p+d = 8 6 7 1 8 9 5 8 3 2 3 = 6 successes]

You leap at Lotus, spin in mid-leap, and aim to grab her head between your thighs and slam her to the ground as hard as you can.

Instead, your legs lock around thin air, and five different Lotus roll out of your aerial grab in five different directions. You land on your hands and flip back upright without missing a beat, but the mysterious woman completely vanished from your range of attack.

You turn around frantically and see the five shards reunite a few meters away... to be instantly grabbed as Amata's lightning-like fingernails smash through her arms just below the shoulder, nailing her in place.

She leans in, and whispers in her ear. You can barely hear above the noise.

"A phoenix who has lost all of its feathers to the fire, but whose heart still beats with the blood of its old life, has not forgotten what it means to fly, and the clouds and winds and skies still smile upon her soul."

You see her eyes contract and become tiny black and green dots, fixed forward, as if she was suddenly having a seizure.

(cont.)

>>41645860
You can never have enough dice against SMAs.

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Then, Amata knees her in the small of her back, which causes her to stumble towards you, apparently in a state of shock, trailing blood from the ten holes in her arms, five per side.

You roundhouse kick her in the face and she collapses like a sack of potatoes.

You exchange a glance with Amata. She nods at you.

"How long would it take to explain?" You ask her.

"Too long. Just roll with it." She replies, turning her eyes to the other battle.

Tia emerges from the contorted mass of metal and radiating black Essence in the middle of the room. She's back in her human form. She's missing an arm, ripped off halfway below the shoulder.

Behind her, the two Deathlords are engaged in one hell of a fight. Glowing like pillars of black steel and darkness in the brightly-lit room, they are exchanging blows with a fury that you've never seen before. Each impact tears up the metal floor around them, sending splinters flying, but neither of them is knocked back an inch. you see the Bodhisattva manage to slam the sharp of Howler in Darkness into Tyrant's arm, causing a shower of sparks, but the blow will not break her soulsteel-hard skin.

However, it's indisputable that Tyrant lost much Essence, whereas the Bodhisattva seems still quite fresh. The blood-red Hearthstone that was on a necklace before is now set in his armor, and is glowing brightly.

You can still see Tia's arm, lying on the floor, in a pool of blood, on the other side of the fight.

"...Tyrant-" You take one step in her direction.

"GO UP!" She screams back at you, without even turning your way. "...Moray followed me. He's up. Do with him what you do best. Get your friends."

She seems to be smiling.

"...Maybe I can earn a bit of redemption here and now after all."

>Go up the stairs.
>Go down the stairs.
>Attack the Bodhisattva. (p+d)
>Attack the Tyrant. (p+d)
>(other?)

>>41645876
Amata must have rolled really good.

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>41645906
>Go up the stairs.

>>41645906
>Go up the stairs.
Remember when anons said we should have social'ed Moray? Yeah.

>>41645924
Actually, it's how that MA that Lotus' using works. You can automatically dodge any one attack with it, but if someone guesses or knows how your dodge works, and attacks you while you are "reforming", they can hit you.

Rolled 2 (1d10)

>>41645906
>Go up the stairs.
Tyrant is such a good girl

>>41645906
>>Go up the stairs.

I don't think we're ready for the pro league with Tia missing an arm.

Rolled 9 (1d10)

...I don't know what to pick. This is a pivotal moment. It'll have enormous impact on what's to come.

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>41645906
>>Go up the stairs.
Don't die Tyrant, you aren't allowed to

>>41646028
I think we need to focus on what we can realistically do.

Fighting the Bodhisattva is not one of those things.

>>41645906
>Go up the stairs.

Will Tia be okay? Will Tyrant be okay?

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>41645906
>>Attack the Bodhisattva. (p+d)
Just one good punch is all I ask

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>41646043
I'm not sure if it's safe or sensible leaving the Tyrant unattended, is the thing. Especially not with that smile.

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>41645906

>Go up the stairs.
We need to regroup.

>>41646063
I dunno, I think it's a smile that's saying "I might get my redemption by fighting to save Creation instead of doing what I want".

If it's not then we'll smack some sense into her in a little bit.

But a Deathlord brawl is a few dozen paygrades higher than what we're ready for.

Best case scenario is that the Tyrant can keep him busy for awhile and drain some of his essence.

>>41645906
>Go up the stairs.

Let's go show Moray how to really praise the sun, because he's fucking awful at it.

>>41646044
>Will Tia be okay?
Yeah. Exalted healing and Medicine Charms will patch her right up.

>Will Tyrant be okay?
Weeell, if she dies she'll go back to the Neverborn like the Prince would if he's killed, right? Unless we can get Sempai to intercede for her, perhaps.

>>41646093
And then we bring a converted Dawn to back us up. Might be too much to hope that he has ECSJ

>>41646104
Plus remember how Tia ate a bigass hammer to the dome and regenerated from a head that was "split like a melon".

I think if we grab her arm and stick it back on later she'll be fine.

>>41646114
It won't be easy getting Moray to completely defect, It'll still be our word against his lords with no hard proof.

We can sow the seeds of doubt though, we talk about Island Five and where the Bodhisattva gets his soulsteel from. We ask Moray if he knew about this bigass fleet of first age ships covered in a mystery magical material and then we tell him exactly how that material is made.

I don't think he'll up and betray the prince right then since we have no hard proof but he might stop fighting for this battle and give us time to get real proof to him.

Then he'll leave the Bod' and become the hero he should have been.

>>41646114
>>41646157
Pretty much this. If we're convincing enough, he'll give us the CHANCE to prove what we're saying is true. If we find evidence of what exactly goes down inside Island Five, he'll drop the Silver Prince like the misleading bastard he is.

You are assuming Moray is loyal to the bone. He might have his own doubts already and looking for a reason to turn on the prince. Don't overestimate enemies too much, guys.

>>41646230
He should be full of doubts right now since according to Tyrant the Prince has kept him far away from Skullstone to hide his real activities.

This whole fight means the Prince has exposed Moray to part of the fleet from Island Five and he has to be wondering just where the hell all of this materiel came from.

But right now he's still in fight mode, we have to really get his doubts going and then he'll drop out of the fight and give us a chance to prove that the Prince is up to no good. If we try to get him to just straight up defect mid fight he's going to ignore everything we say because that's the kind of ploy an enemy would try.

>You can still see Tia's arm, lying on the floor, in a pool of blood, on the other side of the fight.

Guys, what do we do about this? Do exalted have regeneration or whatzit?

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You grab Amata and Tia by their sleeves and tug at them. Without any hesitation, the three of you run up, leaving the chaos of battle behind you.

Along the way, Tia slows down a moment to extract her sword from the machine it ended up embedded into. The blade is red-hot, and the metallic panel is quickly turning to molten slag. You have no idea what got damaged there, but it doesn't look particularly good.

"I hope you got a plan." Tia wonders as you run up the stairs. There's noise of battle coming from upstairs too.

"I'm making it up as I go." You admit. "Amata? You always have a plan."

"I have a few." She admits. "They're all terrible."

"Hit me."

"Help the Bodhisattva take down Tyrant and hope he really intends to leave afterwards."

"Not happening."

"Self-destruct the Titan with him inside."

"Crazy and stupid."

"Hide in a cupboard and REALLY hope that Tyrant manages to take him out despite all evidence to the contrary."

"Rubbish."

"Then I'm all for making things up as we go." She concludes with a sigh.

You reach the top floor, where you first fought the Day caste.

Now you arrive and see a room with an even more chaotic fight than what you just left behind you.

(cont.)

>>41646230
Don't know how EF will handle him differently, but as written Moray is utterly dedicated to Skullstone above all else. Until he's proven to be a detriment, that loyalty extends to the Silver Prince as well. I'm not saying he's unshakable, but its better to prepare for a hard fight than an easy one. Don't underestimate our enemies too much, guy.

>>41646157
Think we can appeal to his exaltation as a solar to convince him?

>>41646326
No chance. There are loyalist Solars and Rengegade Abyssals. Sids are Bronze or Gold faction. DBs can be noble soliders or oppressive tyrants.

Exaltation type matters little compared to personal choice.

>>41646326
if >>41646292
is right about his loyalty to Skullstone then we need to work the Island Five angle.

We talk about how the people of Skullstone are being used as raw materials by the prince and how they're all being soulforged to make the soulsteel in the Prince's secret arsenal.

Hopefully his loyalty to the people of skullstone is greater than his loyalty to the prince and he'll defect to save them from the Deathlord who's killing them.

>>41646230
By canon UCS spoke to Moray when he Exalted, it's something we might be able to use.

>>41646372
Moray is a Dawn and the UCS only speaks to Zenith solars when they exalt.

You're thinking of Falling Wolf, the Zenith that the Prince threw into a Monstrance and made into an Abyssal.

>>41646372
Stop metagaming, nerd.

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>>41646381
Only Zeniths are guaranteed a message from him, but other caste can too if he feels it.

>>41646381
>Moray is a Dawn and the UCS only speaks to Zenith solars when they exalt.
Incorrect. The UCS is 100% guaranteed to speak to Zeniths. He's also free to talk with any others, and often does - there's just not guarantee, in their case.

>>41646273
Yes, especially Lunars. As long as the crippling nature of a wound doesn't have magical corruption it can be healed, and even then Solars can heal that, too.

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Five Tails is engaged in a close, fast, acrobatic fight with an elegant-looking young lady in a white dress, knife to sword. The two leap across the room trading blows at near-lightspeed, wreathed in their animas, both trailing blood from numerous shallow wounds.

You see Five Tails attempt to grab her arm while in mid-air and twist it to launch her at the ground, but she wrestles herself free by spinning around and stabbing her needle-like sword through the Lunar's arm. In near-instantaneous response she locks her foot behind the Abyssal's neck and kicks her away, but the Midnight recovers by landing on her feet against a wall and using it as a springboard to return to the attack. Neither of the two is touching the ground, bouncing from wall to wall, from pipe to pipe, from wire to wire.

Talon (boy are you glad to see him) is waving around one of the Skullstonians' Warstrider swords, its blade broken a couple meters from the hilt, mowing down the horde of Vodak and materialized ghosts that are storming one of the entrances to the reactor shaft, howling at the top of his lungs, covered in arrows like a pincushion, drenched in blood, but barely holding his ground against their leader: a pale man, dressed in a long, black leather coat. A scar mars his otherwise handsome face and crosses over one eye, which is covered by an eyepatch. His coat bears a white skull-and-crossbones insigna. And his forehead radiates gold.

And Radiant Starfall, clearly wounded and probably with a broken leg, is kneeled to one side, covered in blood, cuts and bruises, propped up against a crumbled bit of wall, trying to line up a shot, even as Vodaks with swords drawn are creeping up on her position...

(cont.)

>>41646455
Pretty sure mundane wounds only heal on their own if the limb is still attached. We'd need healing magic to stick that bugger back on.

But then again, Lunars.
Still, might be worth retrieving the arm sometime.

File: Moray Darktide.jpg (161 KB, 400x513)

161 KB JPG

>I'm going to help Five Tails against that Midnight-caste.
>I'm going to help Talon against the troops, so he can focus on Moray Darktide.
>I'm going to help Talon against Moray Darktide, so he can focus on the troops.
>I'm going to rescue Radiant Starfall.
>(Other?)

Combined with:

>Ask Tia/Amata to follow me.
>Ask Tia/Amata to help the others.
>Trust that Tia/Amata know what to do already.

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>41646496
>>I'm going to help Talon against Moray Darktide, so he can focus on the troops.
>Trust that Tia/Amata know what to do already.
Commit MRP, we're gonna need it

>>41646496


>I'm going to help Talon against Moray Darktide, so he can focus on the troops.


>Trust that Tia/Amata know what to do already.

Let's start the social fu.

>>41646496
>I'm going to help Talon against Moray Darktide, so he can focus on the troops.

Time to social. Outfit 02, Tabard. Bringing out the big guns.

>Ask Tia/Amata to help the others.

Tia helps Five. Amata covers Star.

>>41646496
>I'm going to help Talon against Moray Darktide, so he can focus on the troops.
>Ask Amata to follow me.
>Ask Tia to help the others.
And as >>41646509 said, commit MRP

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>41646509
Seconding

>>41646496
>I'm going to help Talon against Moray Darktide, so he can focus on the troops.
>Amata help Five Tails
>Tia help Radiant

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>41646496
>I'm going to help Talon against Moray Darktide, so he can focus on the troops.
>Ask Tia/Amata to help the others.
Tia should help Five Tails while Amata goes to help Radiant Starfall
Also commit MRP

>>41646482
>A Midnight is around

Well, that complicates things. Let's hope our social mirror stays occupied, otherwise socialing Moray is gonna be messy.

>I'm going to help Talon against Moray Darktide, so he can focus on the troops.

>Ask Tia/Amata to help the others.

>>41646520
Moray is a warrior, I think we would benefit more from wearing something like #19 instead.

>>41646496
>I'm going to help Talon against the troops, so he can focus on Moray Darktide.
>Trust that Tia/Amata know what to do already.
>Change outfit to #04

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>41646496

>I'm going to help Talon against Moray Darktide, so he can focus on the troops.
>Ask Tia/Amata to help the others

I wish we could send a message to our brother. We could use some reinforcements

File: Talon.jpg (229 KB, 850x906)

229 KB JPG

"Talon!" You call out to the big tough lunar, leaping in the fray to his side. Judging by his appearance and the number of arrows in him, you'd think he must be long dead, but he doesn't seem to mind by much.

The forces he's been fighting, a motley bunch of war ghosts and Vodak troops, are clearly tired and on the verge of breaking, and your arrival doesn't do much for their morale. They don't quite fall back, but they do put a bit of extra distance. The amount of crushed bodies that litter the floor here speaks volumes about how hard Talon was on them.

Moray Darktide... he's another story. He's clearly been in more than a few fights today as well, as he has a definite Anima glow and several wounds already on him, but then again, so do you. He's carrying a long, slender sword, which doesn't seem made from a magical metal but is definitely of excellent craftsmanship, in one hand, and a pistol resembling a smaller version of Starfall's rifle in the other.

"And you should be Maka." He grins, catching his breath. "Good to finally meet you."

"Moray Darktide." You reply. "I've been wondering what could cause a Solar to fight on behalf of a Deathlord."

"I've wondered the same about you and Tyrant." He replies. "But then, the Silver Prince created a nation from anarchy, where people can live long and safe lives. The Tyrant is seeking to reactivate a world-ending weapon. You can't quite put them on the same level, can you?"

"Maka." Talon uses the brief lull in the fight caused by your arrival to pull a few arrows out of himself. "What the hell is this lunatic talking about?"

"I wonder." You groan.

(cont.)

File: Status.jpg (115 KB, 414x416)

115 KB JPG

[MAJESTIC RADIANT PRESENCE]

>Do you really think the Prince isn't here for the Titan as well? (s+z)
>Are you talking about the Silver Prince, or about the Bodhisattva Anointed by Dark Water? (s+z)
>I don't know about those long and safe lives. Did your boss tell you where does all this Soulsteel come from? (s+z)
>Tyrant is actively seeking redemption. The Prince is loyal to undead monsters who want to watch the world burn. That's the main difference. (s+z)
>Attack him. (p+d)
>(Other?)

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>41646768
>Do you really think the Prince isn't here for the Titan as well? (s+z)
>I don't know about those long and safe lives. Did your boss tell you where does all this Soulsteel come from? (s+z)

I think these two are our safest bets.
Now... dice.

>>41646791
>I don't know about those long and safe lives. Did your boss tell you where does all this Soulsteel come from? (s+z)

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>41646791
>>Are you talking about the Silver Prince, or about the Bodhisattva Anointed by Dark Water? (s+z)

Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>41646791
>I don't know about those long and safe lives. Did your boss tell you where does all this Soulsteel come from? (s+z)
>Tyrant is actively seeking redemption. The Prince is loyal to undead monsters who want to watch the world burn. That's the main difference. (s+z)
Either of these two. Both, ideally.

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>41646791
>Are you talking about the Silver Prince, or about the Bodhisattva Anointed by Dark Water? (s+z)
C'mon fuckers, roll high, roll high.

>>41646805
forgot my dice

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>41646791
>I don't know about those long and safe lives. Did your boss tell you where does all this Soulsteel come from? (s+z)

Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>41646791
>I don't know about those long and safe lives. Did your boss tell you where does all this Soulsteel come from? (s+z)

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>41646791
10 or bust

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>41646818
fuck me

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>41646791
>>I don't know about those long and safe lives. Did your boss tell you where does all this Soulsteel come from? (s+z)

Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>41646791
Should we be hitting him with TttH too or should we save that for a low roll?

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>41646791

>I don't know about those long and safe lives. Did your boss tell you where does all this Soulsteel come from? (s+z)

He should have heard about the second dawn that exalted on skullstone. He's my bother and he told me that its no paradise.

>>41646875
we're rollin' strong right now, let's save some essence for AST when he throws a tantrum from the truth bombs and swings at our face.

>>41646791
>>Are you talking about the Silver Prince, or about the Bodhisattva Anointed by Dark Water? (s+z)
>>I don't know about those long and safe lives. Did your boss tell you where does all this Soulsteel come from? (s+z)
How old are the oldest ghost you've seen? How many are there?

Bodhisattva doesn't even let you on the island to find out

Rolled 2 (1d10)

>>41646901
Forgot my dice

File: Sunburst.jpg (92 KB, 1000x750)

92 KB JPG

(i have to AFK for a bit, sorry)

Rolled 2 (1d10)

>>41646768
I really hope we convert Captain Harlock

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>41646936
No worries EF

>>41646936
Don't worry about it. We'll be waiting and bumpin.

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>41646791
>>Are you talking about the Silver Prince, or about the Bodhisattva Anointed by Dark Water? (s+z)
>>I don't know about those long and safe lives. Did your boss tell you where does all this Soulsteel come from? (s+z)

Dice are doing pretty well.

If there was ever a time that they needed to be good, it's now.

>>41647108
The Dice demand drama in all things anon.

Right now is the build up where things go pretty well.

Then we'll go back to fight the Bodhisattva and roll like shit until a final slam dunk 20+ success ECSJ.

>>41647216
That would be amazing!

[s+z=4 1 10 1 3 10 3 8 7 10 9 2 2 = 9 successes]

"I don't know about those long and safe lives." You respond to the Dawn. "Did your boss tell you where does all this Soulsteel come from?"

"From condemned criminals." He raises his sword and in one smooth movement slashes at Talon's shoulder, spins it his his hands, and lunges at your face.

You react just in time to bat it slightly aside with the palm of your hand, and slide inside his guard following that motion. "Have you COUNTED the ships you came here in?"

He steps back, avoiding your right hook, and discharges his gun in your gut from point-blank range, but you manage to clench your abs just in time, and the Essence blast, although painful, just launches you back by a couple meters from the force of the impact. "Thirty. Your point."

"That's A LOT of criminals." You point out, trying to get some air back in your lungs.

Talon sidesteps your fight and, after exchanging a quick nod with you, leaps into the enemy ranks. You quickly see sprays of blood and torn-off limbs fly in the air as he goes.

"I know you're suggesting that the Silver Prince soulforges other people as well, but don't you think that if citizens started disappearing, I would've noticed it?" He's clearly upset by your insinuations. "...Before the Bodhisattva's Advent, in Skullstone, life was cheap, short, and brutal. Now, people have at least a life to look forward to... many even two lives."

"It might be less than you think." You reply harshly.

>Shouldn't Skullstone be overrun by ghosts by now, going by that logic? (s+z)
>The Bodhisattva who foretold the arrival of the Silver Prince WAS the Silver Prince himself. (s+z)
>How can you trust a Deathlord over your own destiny as a Solar Exalted? (s+z)
>I have no idea how harsh life was in Skullstone. But I do know that you're being deceived! (s+z)
>Attack him. (p+d)
>Leave the fight.
>(Other?)

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>41647463
>The Bodhisattva who foretold the arrival of the Silver Prince WAS the Silver Prince himself. (s+z)

Rolled 2 (1d10)

>>41647463
>>The Bodhisattva who foretold the arrival of the Silver Prince WAS the Silver Prince himself. (s+z)

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>41647463
>>Shouldn't Skullstone be overrun by ghosts by now, going by that logic? (s+z)

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>41647463
>Shouldn't Skullstone be overrun by ghosts by now, going by that logic? (s+z)

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>41647463
>Shouldn't Skullstone be overrun by ghosts by now, going by that logic? (s+z)

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>41647463
>Shouldn't Skullstone be overrun by ghosts by now, going by that logic? (s+z)

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>41647463
>Shouldn't Skullstone be overrun by ghosts by now, going by that logic? (s+z)

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>41647463
We're at full burn now, we can pop TttH at any time now

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>41647463
>Leave the fight.
Forget it, he's too stubborn

Rolled 2 (1d10)

>>41647463
>Shouldn't Skullstone be overrun by ghosts by now, going by that logic? (s+z)
We have to lead him to the conclusion on his own, not just shout statements at him.

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>41647706
It's going to take more than one roll to convince him all he's known is wrong

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>41647463
>>Shouldn't Skullstone be overrun by ghosts by now, going by that logic? (s+z)

>>41647463
>Shouldn't Skullstone be overrun by ghosts by now, going by that logic? (s+z)

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>41647463

>>>Shouldn't Skullstone be overrun by ghosts by now, going by that logic? (s+z)

we used up our awesomeness
We should use talking to the heart. As it allows us to auto-succeed a social attack

Rolled 2 (1d10)

>>41647463
>>41647697
I'll second a a TttH now, if we can use it now we might be able to get back all the essence by the time we make it back to the Bodhisattva

>>41647756
Does it? Uh, might be a good idea then.

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>41647768
Eh, why not? We can keep pressing an advantage, then.

>>41647756
>As it allows us to auto-succeed a social attack
It lowers defense against the attack, mechanically iirc.

>>41647830
It's a perfect social attack on top of it's regular effect, it makes it even if we didn't beat the MDV the attack goes through as if it had made it with zero extra successes

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>41647463
Wait, does Maka actually know that the Prince arranged his own prophecy?

Regardless,
>Shouldn't Skullstone be overrun by ghosts by now, going by that logic? (s+z)

>>41648092
We heard the whole thing from someone already, Tyrant I think

File: Status.jpg (115 KB, 414x416)

115 KB JPG

[TALKING TO THE HEART]
[s+z=4 2 5 9 7 1 1 3 9 2 6 6 8 = 4 successes]

"Shouldn't Skullstone be overrun by ghosts by now, going by that logic?" You shoot back at him.

"That's-" He starts thinking for a reply. "Not everyone lingers. Most pass through Lethe when dying..."

"How many?" You don't leave him a moment of respite.

"I don't-"

"Skullstone, the entire archipelago I mean, has around four hundred thousand inhabitants, right?" You recall the numbers both Tyrant and Lynne gave you.

"It does, but-"

"And the Bodhisattva faked his death in 243, and by that point the population was stable at that number and he New Order was pretty established."

"He didn't fake it! He immolated himself when he realized that his work was done." He corrects you. "How can you say something like that?!"

"That's a population of four hundred thousand, and five hundred years of time. How many do you think pass into Lethe when they die? Nine out of ten? Ninety-nine out of one hundred? Nine hundred and ninety-nine out of one thousand? And how many died in the last five hundred years?"

He falls silent as the numbers start clicking in his head. "I'm not an expert." He admits.

"Neither am I." You cross your arms, staring into each other's eyes as the battle rages around you.

"If the Tyrant gave you all this information, I'm sure she altered it to make it fit her propaganda." He replies.

>Then go down that flight of stairs and then tell me if it's the Bodhisattva or the Prince down there. (s+z)
>Can you, in good conscience, in good faith, discount the possibility that what I am saying is true? (s+z)
>I don't know. Her numbers and figures are reasonable and explain what I can see with my eyes. Can you claim the same on your part? (s+z)
>You're free to not believe me. But at least seek out the truth with your own eyes. (s+z)
>If you refuse to see reason, then I'll have to stop you by force. (p+d)
>(Other?)

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>41648130
>>I don't know. Her numbers and figures are reasonable and explain what I can see with my eyes. Can you claim the same on your part? (s+z)
They're backed by what Karas saw, you know him right?

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>41648130
>I don't know. Her numbers and figures are reasonable and explain what I can see with my eyes. Can you claim the same on your part? (s+z)
>When was the last time you've been to Skullstone? How often have you been there?

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>41648130
>Then go down that flight of stairs and then tell me if it's the Bodhisattva or the Prince down there. (s+z)

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>41648163
I'm absolutely for bringing up Karas, but would Moray know him?

The man used a necromantic blood ritual that used dozens of innocent of innocent people as sacrifices LESS THAN HOUR AGO

And that was just to go down a couple floors!

Open your eyes man!

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>41648130
>>Then go down that flight of stairs and then tell me if it's the Bodhisattva or the Prince down there. (s+z)

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>41648209
Karas knew about Moray and he's not too bright so they probably met when he was getting away

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>41648130
>Then go down that flight of stairs and then tell me if it's the Bodhisattva or the Prince down there. (s+z)

Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>41648130
>You're free to not believe me. But at least seek out the truth with your own eyes. (s+z)

I'd also throw in something along the lines of "Ask yourself this: Why didn't you know about that fleet before now? Where did it come from? Who built it?"

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>41648130
>>Then go down that flight of stairs and then tell me if it's the Bodhisattva or the Prince down there. (s+z)
>I don't know. Her numbers and figures are reasonable and explain what I can see with my eyes. Can you claim the same on your part? (s+z)

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>41648130
Dice are being a bitch again

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>41648130

>You're free to not believe me. But at least seek out the truth with your own eyes. (s+z)

getting dicey here

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>41648130
C'mon Moray, you should now better

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>41648214
And he unleashed a necromancy casting superghost on the town

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>41648130
>I don't know. Her numbers and figures are reasonable and explain what I can see with my eyes. Can you claim the same on your part? (s+z)

Rolled 10 (1d10)

Point of correction, 'garda bird' is what phoenixes are called in Exalted. They're a type of elemental bird with a charm that makes them immolate and be reborn from the ashes when killed by anything other than a spirit-slaying attack.

>>41648658
A Garda's firey bird form is referred to as it's Phoenix form.

Roll of Glorious Divinity, page 117.

Out-Grognard'd.

File: Five Tails.jpg (108 KB, 505x630)

108 KB JPG

[s+z= 5 7 5 7 3 3 5 10 3 7 3 9 7 = 7 successes]

"I don't know. Her numbers and figures are reasonable and explain what I can see with my eyes." You jab your index finger at him. "Can you claim the same on your part?"

"...My loyalty to the people of Skullstone is not in discussion." He replies, defensively. "It's my birthplace. It's my homeland. I will fight for it no matter what."

"Are you loyal to Skullstone, or to the Silver Prince?"

He freezes up for a few seconds. At first his eyes dart around nervously, then, as he calms down, he seems to look around himself in a more thoughtful manner.

Silence falls between the two of you, broken only by the Midnight's broken body being mid-air suplexed by Tia, embedding itself into the metal floor head-first like a javelin. The shockwave from the impact washes over you, but still, he thinks.

"...The Silver Prince is Skullstone's ordained savior."

"What happens if he isn't?"

"He is."

"Suppose he isn't. Suppose he set himself up, exploiting his own immortality and powers to do so. Suppose he really does harvest everyone's souls upon death. Suppose it's all a lie. What happens then? What would you do?"

Another pause. "I would destroy him."

"Then go down that flight of stairs and then tell me if it's the Bodhisattva or the Prince down there:"

He lowers his sword. Probably more because you managed to put the doubt into his head than because you have Tia, Amata, Starfall, Five Tails and Talon all looking down at him threateningly at this point. He doesn't seem much troubled by that.

"...I will go." He starts walking down the stairs. "Alone. No tricks on your part."

>You're not getting away on your own.
>You have five minutes. After that, ready or not, we'll be going down there to stop the Bodhisattva.
>We'll be waiting for you here.
>(other)

>>41648788
>You have five minutes. After that, ready or not, we'll be going down there to stop the Bodhisattva.

>>41648788
>>You have five minutes. After that, ready or not, we'll be going down there to stop the Bodhisattva.

>>41648788
>You have five minutes. After that, ready or not, we'll be going down there to stop the Bodhisattva.

I'm not sure that this whole "Go downstairs" plan is a good idea, since he's also going to see Tyrant doing deathlordy things, plus the Prince might have time to talk him around.

That said, I don't think forcing our way in there will help matters.

>>41648788

>You have five minutes. After that, ready or not, we'll be going down there to stop the Bodhisattva

Lets just hope he doesn't get unsocalised in that time

>>41648788
>>You have five minutes. After that, ready or not, we'll be going down there to stop the Bodhisattva.
Where the hell are our DBs?

Rolled 2 (1d10)

>>41648788
>I will go with you, only the two of us. The others will go follow after five minutes.
If he goes alone, the prince will have a chance of securing Moray's loyalty again.

>>41648788
>You have five minutes. After that, ready or not, we'll be going down there to stop the Bodhisattva.

>>41648788
No attacking the Tyrant you hear me, i'm still worried about her

>>41648788
>I will go with you, only the two of us. The others will go follow after five minutes.

>>41648788
>>You have five minutes. After that, ready or not, we'll be going down there to stop the Bodhisattva.
We're going down in like 2

>Sending down a Solar against a deathlord focusing on mental manipulation.

He will come back 100% sure Maka is lying.

>>41648890
something like this to stop mental fuckery.

Now that I think about it, would just seeing the Prince in his armour using Howler in Darkness be enough to do ANY damage to his image, or make him seem more malevolent than he's let on?

He bloody returned to Skullstone as the Silver Prince looking exactly like that!

>'When the Herald fi nally died, the fl ames around him
turned to silver and erupted into a bonfi re. Out of this
unearthly blaze stepped a powerful fi gure, clad in robes of
silver draped with razor-sharp soulsteel shards and wearing
a mask of polished ivory who called out: “People of
Skullstone, behold your prince, the Bodhisattva reborn
whose coming was foretold! Peace unto those of you who
kept my teaching of old, and woe unto those who have
corrupted my scriptures for your own purpose!”
And with that, the Silver Prince pulled out his
grand daiklave, Howler in Darkness, and instantly
slew those Dark Judges who had voted for the Herald’s
execution, as well as dozens of other prominent ghosts
in attendance whose sins the Prince seemed to know
intimately.'

Compass: West, pg 70.

>>41648890
>>41648840
I'll change my "You have five minutes" vote to these.

RAILROADING CHOOCHOO MOTHERFUCKERS!!

>>41648840
Supporting

>>41648890
I like this one if there's still time.

>>41649048
>clad in robes of silver draped with razor-sharp soulsteel shards and wearing a mask of polished ivory

That looks nothing like the Bodhisattva's pic from last thread, unless we have a very different idea of what a "robe" is.

>>41649309
He's got a set if artifact armor that can turn to robes.

"You have five minutes. After that, ready or not, we'll be going down there to stop the Bodhisattva." You reply. "And I'm coming with you."

He nods.

"...Wait me here." The gaze of everyone else in the room follows the two of you as you walk down the stairs, in silence.

Then, Radiant Starfall, who was propping herself up against Talon with an arm around her waist to stay upright, exhales and slouches. "...Normally I'd complain that this is a very bad idea." She mumbles. "But I'm too tired and every bone in my body hurts. Taking five sounds... just right."

You look around.

She has a clearly broken leg and looks like she's been through a blender in the last fight. Her rifle is filled with nicks and scratches, like it was used as a parrying and melee weapon more often than it had any right to be.
Five Tails doesn't look much better. She's covered in an intricate webwork of cuts and slashes, probably opened by the Midnight's sharp-looking needle-like sword, and clearly covered in her own blood from head to toe.
Talon is still pulling arrows out of his hide. And as for Tia, Amata and yourself, well, you're wrecks as well.

Distant below, you can still hear the noise of battle.

"...The Tyrant isn't going to last long." Amata mumbles. "We need to-"

"Five minutes." You ask them.

"You get two." Tia warns you. "After that, I'm coming down there. No matter what."

"I'll make sure your arm is still there." You try to joke.

"I don't care about my arm." She replies, serious. "I care about you."

She doesn't say anything else as you and Moray Darktide disappear into the stairwell.

"Your friends trust you a lot." Moray concedes as he walks down the stairs with you.

"You're not on good terms with your comrades?" You ask back.

He looks away.

Meanwhile, the noise of battle has ended. Not good. You hurry.

(cont.)

>>41649344
(er, that was me, sorry)

File: SaviourReturnsBitch.jpg (157 KB, 795x596)

157 KB JPG

>>41649309
Consider this image of his emergence as the Silver Prince from Compass West, pg 71, and he really doesn't look all that different.

>>41649417
He'll look different to Moray. Moray only knows him as the Silver Prince.

>>41649464
Possibly, if he doesn't wear that style much as a 'public face' like the picture suggests.

You reach the level where the fight was raging up to a moment before, to find it utterly destroyed. Nothing is left, not even the floor. It seems like several levels around the reactor shaft collapsed on top of each other.

The bottom-most level, the one... the one with the essence pump, the cycling and firing controls... the one where you accidentally caused the reactor to overload last time you've been there. Oh, gods, that's not a good set of memories. And now that level is a contorted mass of smashed metal and machinery. The air is filled with wild Essence escaping from the many broken pipes and wires, and the temperature here would be almost unbearably hot without your charms.

There, in the distant bottom, you see... but just barely...

...Tyrant of the Doomsday Machine lying in a crater, filled with her own metallic blood like an eerie circular pool, her back broken, but still moving, just a bit.

And the armored shape of the Bodhisattva Anointed by Dark Water rambling to himself, wandering around the broken machinery, looking for something... no, activating something. He stops every now and then. He flips levers. Pushes buttons. Flicks switches.

"Everything went wrong. Everything went haywire. It was all your fault. But by Oblivion I'm going to make you regret it dearly. I'm going to show you... I'm going to show them all. I'm going to show everyone. It was just a small detour from my original plan. It was just a risky gamble, but it paid off. With this I can shave five... no, ten years from my plan. With this, I can end Creation even sooner than I expected... That'll show them. That'll show you. That'll show everyone..."

You give Moray a thoughtful glare. He hasn't spotted the two of you yet.

His face darkens. "...What is he doing?!"

(cont.)

>I'm not too sure... let me see (m+t)
>Does it matter? You've heard him. We have to stop him! (s+z)
>First, tell me: are you convinced now? (s+z)
>Nevermind that. Go upstairs, tell the others I need them here now! (s+z)
>Shh. Let's watch and stay hidden.
>(Other?)

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>41649541
>Does it matter? You've heard him. We have to stop him! (s+z)

Rolled 2 (1d10)

>>41649541
>>I'm not too sure... let me see (m+t)

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>41649521
>First, tell me: are you convinced now? (s+z)

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>41649541
>>I'm not too sure... let me see (m+t)

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>41649541
>First, tell me: are you convinced now? (s+z)

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>41649541
>He's trying to turn on the titan, of course. So that he can "End Creation." (s+z)

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>41649541
>(Other?)He's trying to blow us all up. You heard him: he wants to destroy Creation. (s+z)

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>41649541
>I'm not too sure... let me see (m+t)

Does it matter?

He just said he is going to destroy all of creation! If you really think the exalted Sun is ok with that by all means go help him. Meanwhile I will try to save us all from a clearly evil death lord about to activate an ancient doomsday machine for his Own nefarious purposes

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>41649521
>...Tyrant of the Doomsday Machine lying in a crater, filled with her own metallic blood like an eerie circular pool, her back broken, but still moving, just a bit.
Oh no Tyrant.

Where the hell is dancing flame?

>>41649695
She's probably tromping around her reactor-sanctum complaining about whoever is turning the thermostat up.

>>41649695
Eating popcorn while watching Tyrant getting trashed?

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>41649673
This guy is gonna get ultra fucked up for everything

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>41649541
Is MRP still up?

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>41649748
It should be I think

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>41649541
I voted for the m+t roll, but more dice just in case it doesn't win.

File: sky.jpg (60 KB, 1200x800)

60 KB JPG

>>41649673
Do not doubt, Anon. We will save her or at the least give her a final redemption. Praise the sun.

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>41649802
I'm just glad we came down with Moray

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>41649541
So I read up on the social combat rules. If my understanding is correct, we're probably looking at Moray having ~15-20 "intimacy points" toward the Silver Prince that we're trying to erode here, assuming that Moray's Motivation is more towards Skullstone than the Prince in particular. Also, Social defense is Mental+Zenith+charms, and damage is Social+charm damage+extra successes. So, since that's 5+threshold successes per social attack, and we've gotten three social attacks so far, then unless Moray has a surprising amount of Mental and Zenith for a Dawn, he might be about to completely break his intimacy to the Prince.

>>41649830
Social soak is also Social + charms, we also can't forget about the chance that our Horizon to Horizon helped us out.

[m+t = 9 2 3 7 9 = 3 successes]

"He's..." You squint. "...Of course. He's trying to route energy to the Titan's levitation system."

"What do you mean, levitation system? This thing FLIES?"

You give him a pitiful look. "...He didn't tell you anything, did he. Where did you think you were?"

He remains silent.

"...Oh for Sol's sake. You don't even know where you are?" You groan. "You're inside a Directional Titan. A flying fortress built in the First Age. That huge pillar of machinery is both the main reactor and the focal point for its main cannon. The Light of Judgement. An energy discharge weapon powerful enough to burn a country to cinders. And he probably wants that to destroy the Elemental Pole of Earth or something on that level of supervillainy." You point down. "And the Bodhisattva Anointed by Dark Water is trying to reactivate it right now. If it takes off, the entire island with all of its inhabitants will just peel off the surface and crumble into the ocean."

Moray Darktide grits his teeth, and then leaps into the well. You almost give away your position with a surprised scream when he does so.

He drops almost fifty meters and lands heavily atop a pile of broken metal, flattening with its impact.

The Deathlord turns, blood-red eyes fixating on the Dawn. "Moray?" He seems just as surprised. "...Did you kill Maka?"

"No." He replies, stepping forward. "My lord! Why didn't you tell me anything about what's going on here?"

"It's not your place to know." He growls, turning his back to him to work a lever.

"I've been your loyal and faithful servant since before I Exalted! I've always been faithful to you! And yet, you never trusted me! You always sent me out on long campaigns far away from home! You always kept me busy and out of the way! You never gave me answers! I deserve to know!"

With an annoyed grunt, the Deathlord turns to face him again. Moray can't see him from his angle, but you can. The Bodhisattva is reaching for his sword, behind his back.

>Jump to try and save Moray, even if you might end up getting in the way if the blow. (p+d)
>Try and distract the Bodhisattva.
>Wait and see.
>Drop down to the bottom level, but don't get involved.
>Run up.
>(other?)

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>41650132
>>Jump to try and save Moray, even if you might end up getting in the way if the blow. (p+d)
Now we can finally use AST

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>41650110


Activate Adamant Skin Technique to shield him from the blow.

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>41650110
>Jump to try and save Moray, even if you might end up getting in the way if the blow. (p+d)
SAVE OUR HUSBANDO!!

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>41650132
AST

Rolled 2 (1d10)

>>41650132
>Jump to try and save Moray, even if you might end up getting in the way if the blow. (p+d)
>Adamant Skin Technique

>>41650157
>Jump to try and save Moray, even if you might end up getting in the way if the blow. (p+d)

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>41650132
>Try and distract the Bodhisattva.
Yell, really loud. Call him a sucker and that all his deathknights are defeated. Tell him that Tia, who is a woman, has a bigger cock than him.

The mention of Tia's penis should be enough to alert her that Maka needs her.

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>41650132
>Jump to try and save Moray, even if you might end up getting in the way if the blow. (p+d)
Use Adamant Skin Technique.

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>41650132
>>Jump to try and save Moray, even if you might end up getting in the way if the blow. (p+d)

Time for AST? yep, it's time.

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>41650132
>Jump to try and save Moray, even if you might end up getting in the way if the blow. (p+d)

Yeah, this is definitely Adamant Skin Technique time.

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>41650132
>Jump to try and save Moray, even if you might end up getting in the way if the blow. (p+d)
AST!

>>41650132
>Jump to try and save Moray, even if you might end up getting in the way if the blow. (p+d)
Use AST if it looks like we're gonna be hit

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>41650132
It's not like it'll fire though, we disabled that

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>41650132
>Jump to try and save Moray, even if you might end up getting in the way if the blow. (p+d)
Time to activate Adamant Skin...

>>41650110
We've been succeeding so many of these mental rolls, it's kinda spooky.

No time to think.

You jump.

[p+d=8 7 1 8 2 7 5 4 4 6 5 = 4 successes]

The fall seems to take forever. You land between the two, slamming into the metallic ground with the force of a falling boulder, JUST at the right time.

Howler in Darkness bites at your face, and the toothed points of the wicked blade slide on your skin without drawing blood.

"MAKA!" He screams. Gone is the tranquil and reasonable mask, it seems. The many fights and all the unexpected events of the last day must have taken a toll on him. He screams in utter rage and takes a second swipe at you, gut you grab the still dumb-struck Dawn and roll to the side. "It's your fault too! You got in my way... Everyone got in my way. You think you can win? I'm a Deathlord. I'm blessed by the Neverborn. I have powers the likes of you cannot even imagine. And without Tyrant, you can't do a thing against me!"

Tyrant, still alive (is that even a word you can use in this case?), weakly rolls over on her side to look at you.

You have no idea how to parse the emotions you see in her eyes.

"..:All this time, I was wrong." Moray Darktide stands up. "There are still many things I don't know. But now I know what I must do. I'll stop you."

"HA." The Bodhisattva spits scorn. "You're just betraying me in my moment of need. Some loyal captain you are. Little matter. You'll burn with the rest."

He lunges, sword in hand.

>Focus on the defense, try and buy time. You don't want to get even a scratch from that. Counterattack only if you have the chance to. (p+d)
>Try your best to disarm him. (p+d)
>Try and leap back up or put some distance. (p+n)
>Try and talk some sense in the Bodhisattva. (s+z)
>Try and keep the Bodhisattva talking. (s+z)
>Try and help Tyrant.
>(Other?)

>>41650542
>>Focus on the defense, try and buy time. You don't want to get even a scratch from that. Counterattack only if you have the chance to. (p+d)

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>41650542
>In case we are the target
>Try and leap back up or put some distance. (p+n)
>In case Moray is the target
>Try your best to disarm him. (p+d)

Here goes something!

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>41650542
>Focus on the defense, try and buy time. You don't want to get even a scratch from that. Counterattack only if you have the chance to. (p+d)
>Try your best to disarm him. (p+d)
These two. Focus on defense and, if we have a chance for a counter, make that counter a disarm.

>>41650542
>Try and help Tyrant.

I see two reasons to do this. 1: Because we care about the Tyrant and we want to help her whenever possible, to guide her on her path to redemption. 2. Because holy shit we can't fight a deathlord one on one. Or probably even two on one.

That said... rolling anyway.

Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>41650542
>>Try your best to disarm him. (p+d)
How much burn are we at, if we're at six we can use both AST and ECSJ if we need to.

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>41650589
forgot die

>>41650602 here, I agree with >>41650605

So, here's the plan: we do our best to obstacle the Bodhisattva and help Moray, like grappling the enemy while the Dawn cuts at him or something!

>>41650617
Or... not. I fucked up I guess.

>>41650619
By my estimation we have five burn to throw around.

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>41650542
>Try and keep the Bodhisattva talking. (s+z)
>"Your plan was awful. Did you really think it would last THIS long and WORK? Do you even know how to plan, plans are not supposed to last over centuries, you idiot."

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>41650646
We'll get one back next turn, giving us enough for both.

Rolled 2 (1d10)

>>41650542
>Try your best to disarm him. (p+d)
Use ECSJ

File: Tia.jpg (460 KB, 1000x1500)

460 KB JPG

Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>41650605
>if we have a chance for a counter, make that counter a disarm
This. We need to survive long enough for our waifus to save us. Go full defensive, and try to remove the Bodhisattva's advantages only if opportunities present themselves.

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>41650542
>Yell really loud for Tia.
Guys, get the husbando. If Tia hears Maka, the whole group will come.

>>41650542
>Try and help Tyrant.
>MAKA CALLS FOR AID...

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>41650602
>>41650605
>>41650619
>>41650640
>>41650670
>>41650680
>>41650690
>>41650692
Six successes on eight dice. If we use Enemy Castigating Solar Judgement, we'll probably successfully disarm this nerd. Do we have the Burn for that?

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>41650542
>>Try your best to disarm him. (p+d)
Hit him with ECSJ and if gets close to hitting us block it with AST

>>41650542
>>Try and talk some sense in the Bodhisattva. (s+z)


Lets filibuster the guy.

>>41650542

>Try your best to disarm him. (p+d)
ECSJ

Once we get that blade out of the way. We can fight!

Rolled 6 (1d10)

Use Enemy Castigating Solar Judgement.

Take that nerd's fucking sword.

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>41650542
I wonder if we should pop FoI for that extra dice, but I'll second a ECSJ disarm, with AST as back up if he get's close to gitting us.

Someone help tyrant!

>>41650542
I'd also like it if we could activate ECSJ

[ENEMY-CASTIGATING SOLAR JUDGEMENT]
[ADAMANT-SKIN TECHNIQUE]
(also forgot to mention that you activated AST last turn as well)

[p+d = 7 9 10 6 1 1 2 10 1 1 5 = 12 successes]

You grab Howler in Darkness bare-handed and you twist it, by the blade, until it finally pops out of the blasted Deathlord's hands.

That's right when Moray Darktide acts: he fires one shot if Essence straight into his face with his gun, then dashes closer and stabs his blade at the monster's chest.

The sword shatters on impact. The Bodhisattva's hand shoots out and closes around your neck.

Letting out a long, tortured scream, he squeezes your neck, lifts you, and slams you down on the floor, cracking a crater open and putting you through the steel so hard it bends around your body as you leave an imprint.

You struggle for air, for freedom, feeling the Essence you suffused in your body to make it temporarily invincible quickly disappearing. You don't have enough power to keep that sort of defense up for much longer...

His other hand, now empty, twitches, and Howler in Darkness reappears in his palm, as his black, ghostly anima glows darker and darker with every second.

He leans in, his black-masked armor faceplate concealing utter nothingness and two coal-red dots in place of eyes too near to you for comfort or sanity.

"Tyrant is dying. You can't save her. It's a matter if time. And my only regret is that when I kill YOU your soul isn't going to follow her to the Neverborn's torture-chambers."

You feel your Essence and breath about to end, and your vision darkens as Howler in Darkness digs into your belly point-first, slowly beginning to sink as your skin softens...

>Headbutt him. (p+d)
>Struggle trying to get him to release his stranglehold. (p+d)
>Insult him.
>Explain to him that in any case his plan has already failed.
>(Other?)

Rolled 2 (1d10)

>>41651052
>Headbutt him. (p+d)
>(Other?)Scream his ears off!

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>41651052
>>Explain to him that in any case his plan has already failed.
It doesn't matter if we die, as long as he's stopped good won this time.

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>41651052
>Headbutt him. (p+d)
Followed by:
>(Other)
"TIAAAAAAAAAA!" As we kick his sword across the room, before grappling him and attempting to hold him down.

>>41651052
>Explain to him that in any case his plan has already failed.
fffffffffffffffffffff

Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>41651052
>>Headbutt him. (p+d)

Eat every bit of shit in the West Bodhisattva

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>41651052
>Headbutt him. (p+d)
EAT FOREHEAD, FUCKFACE!

Are you guys sure you want to trust the dice with this?

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>41651104
This.

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>41651052
>>Explain to him that in any case his plan has already failed.
I don't quite understand how, but eh, fuck that guy.

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>41651052
>>Headbutt him. (p+d)
It's got to have been five minutes already

>>41651152
What would you suggest? It's not like he's going to listen to reason at this stage..

Uh, guys. His armor is impenetrable, headbutting him is not going to do anything. And the exertion may very well cause the sword to dig deeper into Maka.

>>41651052

>Headbutt him. (p+d)
We have to get him off before it draws blood! Otherwise we have lost

>>41651052
>final ray of light mothafucka!

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>41651052
Lets fuck him up.

>Explain to him that in any case his plan has already failed.

>>41651182
His armor might be impenetrable but he leaned in close to us.

Smashing his face with our face might make him stumble back and give us a window to get to our feet again.

>>41651052
We gotta get him off of us.

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>41651190

diceness

>>41651052
>Explain to him that in any case his plan has already failed.
He likes to talk. Remember that he does not deal well with surprises, springing something like this on him will make him pause and try to discover if it's true and where his plan failed. Enough time for Tia to come.

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>41651052
Forgot my dice

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>41651052
>Headbutt him. (p+d)

>>41651052
Do we have enough burn for a HTH to get him away?

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>41651052
>Overcome fate with our words (can we 3 dice stunt if we can think something up EF?)

>>41651263
>Do we have enough burn for a HTH to get him away?
Oh that's a good idea, I'll second that if we can

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>41651263
>Do we have enough burn for a HTH to get him away?
Oh shit, yes, do this.