V’Neef Mikomi and Five Blades meet Lin Rui and Gleaming Lance of Law on the darkened roads of Bewellen during Calibration.

After a bit of a dick-length competition between Lin Rui and Mikomi, the four agree to travel together to old Abelshire and take a rest in a tavern.

Mikomi and Lance of Law go to the ladies’ room together and discuss. Mikomi thinks Gleaming Lance is part of her old cult, the one she claims is trying to kill her. Gleaming informs her that she is not related to or trained by the cult, rather she is fighting against their ideas.

Beneath Mikomi’s blue circlet, her Eclipse cast mark becomes visible, proving that she is a Solar. The circlet transforms her powers to look like something else.

The cult agreed to protect her from the Wild Hunt and teach her things and she agreed to help them on a mission into the Realm. If she does not, she will fail at the greatest attempts in her life.

She says that she sanctified the Oath with her own power.

Gleaming Lance, Five Blades (as Taizei) and Mikomi discuss her oath and the cult with Gleaming saying they should set a trap and kill her pursuers.

Five Blades generally agrees, so they take Mikomi back to Chandresh’s Immaculate Temple where Gleaming has her Cult worship Mikomi while Five Blades sends a prayer to the Maiden of Journeys to tell her servant Mustard Seed Knows-a-lot that his quarry is in Old Abelshire.

Last Session:

It is time for Calibration.

Five Blades encounters a cocky Sidereal and this generates a buzz. He is looking for a dragon-blooded and V’neef Mikomi.

Later on Five Blades finds this very woman attacking ghosts in the dark woods during Calibration. He agrees to travel with her and bring her before Procyon, who she desperately seeks.

Meanwhile, a merchant called Sijad is also looking for Mikomi, approaching Lin Rui to find her.

Traveling in the darkness of calibration, Five Blades and Mikomi stumble upon Gleaming Lance of Law and Lin Rui on the road.

“MEDIC!!!”

Harlequin’s armor begins to dissipate as he lays dying.

An-Lan runs after Snickering Sorrow and finds that her escape route, a large mirror, has shattered and the gateway is closed.

Outside, Procyon tries desperately to bandage Harlequin and Five Blades shouts for a medic.

Procyon: “Where is Lopra Red-Tail?”

Harlequin: “She walks the streets. You should know, we never lied to you.”

Then Harlequin dies.

The party rings his body with salt and buries him under heavy rocks, ensuring that his corpse will not spread his taint literally or metaphysically.

Then the Lunars plot to walk East away from the town until their auras die down.

The group discusses what cover story Taizei Ong Park will spread to the town.

Taizei appears to his men and tells them that he came upon the Circus Halcyon embattled. It turns out that the Dark Force who battled outside of the town five years ago had returned, only to be confronted and attacked by other Anathema. Taizei hid and watched and when the battle was over and the Dark one lay dead, Taizei convinced the remaining Anathema that a talon of Seventh Legion was en route and that they should depart away from Bewellen. His bluff worked and the Anathema departed to the East. Taizei instructs his men to spread out and tell the tale correctly, to reassure the populace.

An-Lan and Procyon return to town quickly. An-Lan reassures his people and Procyon decides to plan a huge party to celebrate the saving of the town.

An-Lan decides to recommend his lost Huraka (Air Bear) spirit guardian to his supervisors in the spirit realms, while also summoning a new bodyguard.

Taizei plans for security at this party and sends his runners to carry word to the rest of Bewellen.

Procyon and An-Lan work their bureaucratic and social wonders to ensure that the party is non-factional.

Incomparable Implement visits Ong Park the next day and they talk of the situation, Five Blades telling him the true story. Implement says he will continue to build up Jugram’s Falls defenses and prevent his people from diving into the ruins.

Later that day, the Lunars meet (less one Lance of Law) and go to see Kisseki to see the vision Lopra was shown.

Kisseki says that Lance of Law arrived recently and very magically, though he does not understand exactly how or why. He says that Bewellen is like a spider’s web and he can feel things that happen within it.

Two days of preparations involve An-Lan going back to town and laying the seeds of a story for the sorcery that will happen at the old battle site. The Goat-Headed God, now that the Dark One is dead, can finally purify the battle-site and will be doing so.

Meanwhile, Procyon and Five Blades train under Kisseki.

After the two days pass, they regroup and Kisseki gets down to business and shows us the vision:

Sorcery tears five stone from the shattered ground. Five old realm symbols appear in five colors and the light show explodes into the sky. The party is transported into the past- visually, at least. We see Harlequin standing over a defeated Lopra Red-Tail, triumphant. His dark sorceries flames curling across the battlefield. The group watches Harlequin summon five stones in the vision, a second light-show hurling the party farther back in time to another vision.

We see a vision of the City of Abelshire as it was long ago, in the First Age. The soaring architecture and strange clothing of the residents- suddenly a massive Jade Warstrider smashes down in front of the party, soon joined by the a second Jade Warstrider. The pair race towards a huge Orichalcum Warstrider- more like a cathedral than a humanoid shape and a battle commences.

A thousand men stand at the foot of what is now the ruins. The Warstriders flank the Solar and fierce Essence Cannon bolts shatter the air above the town. The giant machines close and enter brutal melee combat and the troops, led by Dragon-Bloods on foot, begin to fight. The thousand men sacrifice themselves and the “wings” on the Golden Solar Strider proceed to vanquish the entire dragon-blooded contingent in a flash of golden light that ends both spells and brings the party back to reality.

The device is called the Hallowed Glaive of Martyrs and Kisseki thinks it or it’s remaining parts lie in the ruins.

The party discusses how or why the Abyssals would even show Lopra this object. After much disagreement, the only thing they can resolve is that they will not tell Lance of Law about it…

Procyon returns to town to speak with Lopra. She finally appears as a fly on his ear and thanks him for killing Harlequin. She says that now that he is dead, she no longer wants the town destroyed. She explains that she could not be trusted because she had a bond with him. When asked about the device, she tells Procyon that it required a husband and a wife to operate- in other words Lopra and Harlequin. Harlequin needed her to open the device’s locks… Lopra tells him that to activate the device both a Solar and Lunar must be bound and attuned- then it required the willing sacrifices of mortals to power it. When asked about destroying it, she says that the Dragon-Blooded had failed, but that it might not be impossible. Lopra says that she prefers it be forgotten entirely, because every mortal who sees it is a Solar or Lunar waiting to happen. Then Lopra reveals that her actions against the party might actually have made Harlequin return, seeking her out. Procyon says that they have bought time against Harlequin’s plots and she agrees and thanks him again.

The pair go get a drink together and she turns the conversation to politics, saying that she doesn’t think the factions can be stopped and that the town may be doomed. Procyon disagrees and talks about the positive turns that have been taken.

She says that Jugram’s Falls could be an ally, but that Mayor Huttenton in Harmonious Homestead would not be amenable to that sort of thing. Lopra also states that Huttenton has a love for the Occult and may seek to move into the ruins himself. Lopra and Procyon part amicably and Procyon soon tells his companions about their meeting.

Then the game moves to long ticks.

The season of air passes and Abelshire’s dire situation improves. The leadership of Abelshire in the end is essentially a triumvirate of Conley Cogs, Orlaugh & the Coven and Lin Rui. The rest of the former factions fade into non-leadership rolls and it even appears that the Chronicler is going to leave town. Trade and relations continue to improve between Jugram’s Falls and Abelshire.

In the Season of Water,

Harmonious Homestead has notable progress thanks to a supernatural pact with the Spirits. There is a significant influx of money and people as winter sets in. People from Nexus are taking an interest in the place. It increases into a city from a town (gaining 1 Magnitude).

Man in saffron colored armor on a giant owl shows up, landing in Taizei Ong Park’s encampment.

After Greg reviews last session, he proceeds to describe the play as the Harlequin and Analissa perform it. The story is basically one of Solars returning to the land. They do not seem to use any mental-affecting powers.

Procyon as Chandresh Kar asks them where the mental tricks were and what type of Exalts they are?

They demur and do not answer. Procyon continues his social attack and Analissa responds that they want people to explore the ruins more often and bring back treasures.

Analissa says the circus only wants to bring peace to the people of Abelshire.

There follows an epic but friendly argument wherein Procyon, Lance of Law and An-Lan try to get info out of her and she subtly deflects and tries to get info herself.

Suddenly Analissa reveals her true nature, telling us she is “Snickering Sorrow, Sensual Severance of Sanity’s Snare”. He has a black, bloody caste mark, an inversion of the Solar Eclipse Caste mark!

Taizei asks who her Mistress is. She says, “Why, the Lover, of course.”

Harlequin reveals himself to also be an Abyssal and announces that he fought with Lopra Red Tail in the past. Now we are standing there with two Abyssals before us, chit-chatting.

An-Lan says that he is feeling outclassed and “Chandresh” (Procyon) asks what he can do to help them. Harlequin responds that it is none of their business what they want out of the ruins.

Taizei returns and says to Harlequin that after a short conference, his business associates have agreed that the Circus “can certainly acquit yourselves safely and are welcome in the town because after all, there are certain degrees of nobility in our world.” Harlequin grunts and they continue to pack up and head to the town.

We fly back to Gleaming Lance of Law and tell her there are Abyssals. Then Taizei needs to leave and Five Blades returns in his war-form. An-lan leaves and returns in his war-form. Procyon is openly being all Lunarly…

Lance of Law tells Chandresh’s men to kick rocks and they pack up and leave.

An-Lan and Five Blades hide along the side of the road. Five Blades plans on being a bird and then dive-bombing Harlequin.

Procyon and Lance stand in the road and stop the caravan. Analissa comes out and Lance speaks to her, concealing her sudden charge and attacking with her golden lance.

A flurry of lance strikes is PERFECTLY avoided by the shadowy Analissa. Procyon leaps on and gets gored but continues beating on the Abyssal.

There is a major battle. At the end of this, Analissa flees and the group beats down Harlequin, ending the session with him dying and bleeding out rapidly as Five Blades recovers his senses and calls for a medic for the fatally-wounded Abyssal.

02-20-10

Greg clears up the timeline:

-12 years ago, Lopra took over Old Abelshire.

-5 years ago, Lopra and the Dark One fought with arms and sorcery. Hillhome, her manse, was destroyed by unknown forces.

NOW we arrive under Kisseki’s tutelage and start up our streams.

---

The debate continues in Chandresh’s ruined office, with Procyon mystically pressing his questions into Chandresh’s mind and Chrandresh executing a seemingly PERFECT retort by laughing.

Both Procyon and Jian notice this all-too-effortless shrugging off of Lunar power by a “mere” Dragon-blood, leading them to believe that Chandresh is more than he seems.

Procyon and Chandresh continue to argue. Five Blades puts in that Chandresh seeing the fight between Lopra and The Dark One makes it most likely that he was allowed to view it and allowed to live through it by the Dark One’s permission, not Lopra’s. Chandres ignores this jibe.

O.O.C.- Ben and Nathan argue about the social combat system, with Nathan wanting to freely act it out and Ben wanting to use the social combat system.

After a long debate, Five Blades Night gets Chandresh to promise that he will not reveal their true natures without informing Park immediately after. Having secured this promise, Five Blades leaves after bidding Procyon and Chandresh adieu.

---

Walking around town, Ong Park discovers that the people of Old Abelshire are unusually happy. He investigates and a very happy Abelshire townsperson says, “Circus Halcyon is coming to town tomorrow!” They are traveling troubadours from the North, supposedly, who visited Abelshire one year ago. Ong Park continues his travels out of town and some of his Abelshire-hired Mercs tell him that they have no idea of any circus called Halcyon, clearly leading him to believe that it is a supernatural effect. Ong Park heads back to round up the others and tell them this.

{{{Ben (OOC) says (in reference to Chandresh and the Circus Halcyon), “I bet it’s his new combo.”}}}

---

He meets An-Lan outside Chandresh’s temple. They discuss things and some notes are traded. An-Lan waits outside and Ong Park goes inside.

Chandresh realizes that his own staff has been co-opted, asking “Shiela” what her favorite act was. She says, “the Sword-Swallower was amazing”. Chandresh says, “Sword-swallower? Okay, that’s just offensive on the face of it. This aggression will not stand!”

---

Procyon and An-Lan have a discussion with Five Blades that the group must kill Chandresh. Five Blades disagrees, getting the other two to agree to talk to Kisseki first.

An-Lan and Five Blades leave town and find Kisseki already waiting in a pond… They go into a copse of trees to speak with him.

---

Meanwhile, Procyon goes to the docks and starts a rumour, backed with Essence, that the ACTUAL Circus Halcyon is in another town, the a poor ethnic group is faking their existence to come and swindle the town. This plays into the town’s negative feelings and is quite believable. It spreads. Procyon then finds that the leaders of Caollien and Serpent do not seem to know what the circus is.

---

Speaking to Kisseki, he says that we had worked out by now that great sorcery was worked upon Lopra. Kisseki offers to show us was Lopra was shown, but it will require a large display of essence…

He does not know about the Circus Halcyon.

He says that he would not choose to kill Chandresh, but that it is the virtue of his strength and that he cannot choose nor stand in judgement on us for so choosing. Says he will be around the river near Abelshire for approximately 5 days.

Five Blades and An-Lan return to town. An-Lan asks his elemental and discovers that it too has had it’s memory screwed with. Yes, even immaterial spirits are being affected by the Circus’ power. An-Lan, Procyon and Five Blades meet and discuss things, agreeing to first deal with the Circus, then view Kisseki’s magics about Lopra, then deal with Chandresh (or not, in Five Blade’s case).

---

The three Lunars approach the caravan and Five Blades appears as Ong Park in the road, blocking their way. He introduces himself and offers the caravan a bribe to leave the town and go elsewhere for the rest of the year.

The lead man in the caravan goes back to speak with his superiors while An-Lan flaps in to listen. They are surprised but decide that they must enter the town.

They step out and meet with Ong Park, but they reach a loggerheads. Park agrees to return to town and get his superiors.

The three Lunars go to Chandresh’s group outside of town and meet the “Gleaming Lance of Law”, Nathan’s new form. Procyon hits on Lance and then they move forward to meet the caravan.

Procyon takes Chandresh’s form, An-lan and Ong Park move forward to the caravan.

They introduce themselves as Anlissa and Harlequin. The five meet inside a caravan and the two carnies tell the tale of their play. It seems not very special or amazing.

Procyon responds to their statement of having passed through before, saying that he can’t remember them. He then asks them the moral of their story. They respond, saying that the name of their troop is the moral. “Betterment through peace and the investigation of the ruins.”

They claim they want peace and profit for all the towns of Bewellen.

A lot of dialogue takes place, she implying that she knows of Lopra red tail. Procyon asks about their tale and she launches into it…. NEXT SESSION.

The game opens with An-Lan, Procyon and Five Blades continuing their discussion of what to do about Lopra Red Tail’s interference with the town of Oakbridge.

It is decided that An-Lan will command his forces in the town to salt and bless the dark site of Lopra’s supposed death, which is in danger of becoming a Shadowland. Meanwhile, COMPLETELY UNRELATED TO THAT, the goat-headed god will also recommend to his cult that they support this and sanctify it with marriages and so on.

Five Blades Night will go to Jugram’s Falls to speak with Incomparable Implement of Industry, revealing the truth of Lopra’s involvement in Old Abelshire. He lands near the hidden (but not from the air) log cabin and takes his true form.

IIofI says that the young and old miss going to the ruins, but the majority of the people are happy about the changes. Says that the river is no good for Abelshire to attack, no traffic on the road to the ruins. Implement says that her tell is a “red tail on her shapely buttocks”. Says that he does not believe even now that Lopra was seeking to be an enemy or start a war.

Meanwhile, Procyon visit Chandresh Kar, who is unsurprised to hear that the Bandit Queen is alive. He asks what Procyon brings to the table, and Procyon responds by saying that he wants to speak to the Bandit Queen and understand why she does what she does. Chandresh says that he is unsure of how to find her. Chandresh also says that we should beware assuming we understand her motives. Suggests that she is nudging things to a more peaceful course herself, but he says it would be hard to understand without directly speaking to her. Procyon asks how he would fix it, suggesting that Chandresh knows her better. He only laughs in response, saying that he has only had a longer period of time in which to become baffled, bemused and enraged by her.

Chandresh then addresses perceptions of himself, stating that people do not understand him, the Realm or the relationship between these two things. States that he has no abdicated power, rather he has focused his power into an smaller field. Says that he is an upstanding member of the Realm.

“Ah, you want to understand why I tolerate Anathema!” – Chandresh

“No, why you do not hate or fear those called by that rediculous term!” – Procyon

States that the problem with the term “Anathema” is that it unites them against the Realm and keeps them from pursuing their own purposes. Chandresh says that the Realm now lack the advantages which once made the concept of Anathema so powerful a tool. It is strategically unviable now continue the old faith in that manner. Chandresh also says that he did not stay in the realm “tearing at his own belly” by damaging the Realm with internal squabbles. Instead he came to Bewellen to discourage that behavior and prove that the Realm is not the enemy for Lunars. Literally suggests Yuri Kaneko is a greater threat than the Realm. Also points out the threat of Thorns. Reveals that he is deeply involved in Lunar politics.

MEANWHILE, An-Lan goes to the Chronicler to get his input and assistance in the cleansing of the battle site. Wants to see the Chronicler in person. The Chronicler has left orders to his subordinate to rebuff An-Lan’s attempts. However, the Chronicler’s people agree to help with the process of the cleansing.

Alex is asking about the possible actions of Lopra. Greg answers in chronological order:

1) Possibly the open Declaration of War on Jugram’s Falls

2) Apparently responding to Procyon’s clawspeak, he was mysteriously character-assassinated.

3) Someone greased the wheels on getting An-Lan salt and assistance to cleanse the battle site.

An-Lan then looks into the history of Lopra’s rule as the Bandit Queen. A look of the history shows that she actually started out her takeover with destabilization. It shows that almost having war has been a repeated event with Jugram’s Falls, but each time the lack of authority prevents it. The goal SEEMS TO BE revolution and dissolution of all power structures.

MEANWHILE, Procyon continues to interrogate Chandresh. Chandresh finally reveals that the dark being Lopra battled had an anima banner which was “like a dark rent in space full of ghostly white Old Realm text.” This being wore a darkened Twilight Caste mark.

Procyon has not heard of any Deathknights serving Mask of Winters that fit this description, revealing only that this is a Dark Exalted from distant lands.

Then An-Lan and Ong Park show up. When Park asks how things are going, Chandresh responds:

“I was having a very relaxing evening with me, my smashfist, a certain sergeant who has a talent for the moon-lute.”

A long conversation degrades until An-Lan threatens Chanresh. Procyon looks excited, Ong Park sighs, crosses his arms and leans back. Chandresh draws his sword and rests it on An-Lan’s shoulder, asking if he can chastize our associate. Procyon and Park accede while An-Lan summons his Air Bear elemental guardian and it appears.

Chandresh suddenly hurls his sword in the air, leaps behind An-lan, summons a dire lance from nowhere, hits An-Lan, then banishes the lance and catches his sword effortlessly, sheathing it. An-Lan is knocked unconscious by the barrage.

The Air Bear knocks Chandresh back, picks up An-Lan and hurtles through the ceiling with him, shattering it. Park leans forward and says, “So, we should really go to that Manse some time…”

Chandresh agrees and then calls for an assistant, telling them:

“Send the bill for this roof to the House of Len-Ri. And add a notation, RE: Bear.”

Session Ends.

Greg describes the effects of our downtime on the setting:

Five Blades successfully founds a mercenary company and begins to research and learn to build the foundations of airships.

Procyon and An-Lan are working together.

Procyon in the guise of another form, met with Chandresh, the dragon-blooded leader of an Abelshire faction. Through their conversation, they discovered that an unknown faction is pushing for war and making it look like Chandresh’s faction was responsible.

Procyon eventually returns to tell An-Lan and Park about this. This prompts An-Lan and Ong Park go to the site of Lopra’s “final battle” to research their growing hunch that her death hasn’t happened yet.

Stones with clawspeak show that sorcery was cast. And that sorcery was cast shortly after the battle, not during. The sorcery was meant show what happened in the past. So somebody DID investigate her death/disappearance.

An-Lan and Taizei end up running into Chandresh outside Abelshire, and he shows them an excellent sword. Taizei says that it is so. Then Chandresh asks about Procyon’s false form, asking after him and the city of Nexus, trying to discover what the connections are. Taizei and An-Lan evade and say they do not know. The trio part on friendly terms, each going their own way. Five Blades travels as a bird to see Kisseki and ask about the real truth with Lopra’s disappearance.

Meanwhile, Procyon meets with Conley Cogs at a tavern. Conley is a brash but socially-astute businessman. They discuss the arrival of Park’s mercenaries, the potential of war, economics, moving Abelshire up in the world, etc. Conley is more than willing to talk, and Procyon tells him a secret call-and-response code to determine that it is truly him and not a spirit or doppleganger. Then they begin to make some business deals.

Kisseki spoke truth when he said that one of his students “passed into death”... Some misinterpreted that statement. Procyon and Sure-Footed Upon the Endless Mount of Wisdom work against one of their own kind- namely, Lopra, who lives..

Kisseki reveals that Tetsuda is dead and that An-Len (Sure-Footed Upon The Endless Mount of Wisdom) received Tetsuda’s Exaltation. Tetsuda lives on as a ghost who acts to control her city still, however. Her murderer is still out there, but that danger is unconnected to Lopra and her dark lover.

When Jian asks Kisseki if he has any messages to pass, he says this:

“Ask the goat-headed God why he has not garnered as many worshippers as he wished. He will find the answer to be interesting.”

He also says,

“Investigate the town of Oakbridge in the seasons it favors, that of Wood. Then you can unravel the mystery.”

Jian thanks him and flies back. He tells Procyon and An-Lan of Kisseki’s words. They agree to study the dark force and Lopra’s relationship. They agree to wait until Wood Season and learn more of Tetsuda’s death and ghostly life now. They also agree that Taizei Ong Park will speak with Chandresh about the darkness and general security issues.

Next game will start with Chandresh and Ong Park talking some afternoon.

January 9th, 2010.

The three Lunars pass deeper into the crypt, eventually walking down some marble stairs and finding that it ends in a chasm. The trio begin to shapeshift to learn more about the chittering noises coming from the far tunnel.

After an abortive attempt by Procyon (in his raccoon form) to make cave drawings, Five Blades (in his war form) decides to pick everyone up and jump across, activating his Anima power to leap the 10 yard chasm effortlessly.

Everyone readies for battle and Five Blades leaps forward with Force of Principle in hand. A strange mutant double-spider appears, crawling on both the ceiling and the floor at the same time. After a fast but pitched battle, the Force of Principle wins out with the assistance of Procyon’s moonsilver tattoos and An-Lan’s trusty staff.

The creature dispatched, the trio continues downward, eventually entering a large chamber. Moonsilver worked into the wall outlines a round door, each symbol one of the caste marks of the Lunars (though none of the PCs recognize the missing two).

Five Blades Night approaches the full moon symbol and before he can touch it, the central dome of the door irises open, revealing a glowing lens inside. Jian begins to look through the lens, but his incomparable instincts ward him off and he jumps back, covering his eyes with a clawed hand.

Procyon leaps forward and begins to attempt to prize the lens free from inside the housing. “Be careful, eternal madness lies within!” Five Blades yells to the raccoon.

“Ooh!!!” Procyon squeaks, suddenly staring deeply into the lens. He manages to avoid infinite insanity but this only encourages his scrabbling little paws to look for a way to unhook the shiny object.

An-Lan looks helplessly at Five Blades who gives him the pantomime for yanking the little furball off the door. An-lan silently agrees and Jian lifts the raccoon and places him on his head between his fierce horns. Procyon responds by changing into human form and the pair fall gracefully to the floor and separate.

After a short discussion about what to do, Five Blades approaches his full-moon symbol again and touches it, sending a mote of essence through to the equipment. Procyon follows suit by nearly humping the door and sending his motes through. When An-lan touches the no-moon symbol, there is a strange burst of essence and his caste mark transforms from the current moon-phase (full moon) into the No-Moon he was fated to be.

At this point An-lan sends his essence into the First Age machinery and the entire door irises open in five petal-pieces, revealing a short staircase leading down into a stately burial chamber.

Laid to rest within, perfectly preserved as if asleep, is the gorgeous body of an ancient Lunar sorceress dressed in silvery-white funerary cloths. Floating above her body is a perfect sphere of unadorned moonsilver. An-Lan approaches and as he does the moonsilver drops into his grasp and he instinctively knows that his task is complete.

The trio depart after determining that there is nothing else to steal from this dead ancestor. Five Blades is trapped in his Deadly Beastman Form with a nearly iconic anima display, a burning moonsilver pillar of light with faint traceries of something large looming above him…

They depart the doorway, speaking again to the dead guard (except for Five Blades, who is bound to silence). The guard permits them to rest and reduce their animas, even noting on the tragedy that they must hide what they are.

---

The PCs leave Sijan and each engages in a sacred hunt. Once finished, the trio begins to wing their way back to Bewellen, each in their Raiton form. On the way Procyon and An-Lan grow closer while Five Blades seems to become a bit more distant.

Soon they arrive in Bewellen and return to the great tree to report their success to their master.

---

The PCs return to the Thousand Streams area and meet with Kisseki and his three other students. The tall Lunar with long eyebrows and wispy mustache wears a long blue kimono and glimpses of his tattoos are always visible. He seems sad but his voice carries happiness and he is glad that Five Blades and Procyon were successful in rescuing An-Lan.

Kisseki introduces the PCs to his other students:

The first is Incomparable Implement of Industry, a Full-Moon, a broad-shouldered Beaver-man with a massive saw-toothed moonsilver daiklave and tattoos of defensive magic.

Melgris Huttenton is the second student, wearing his athletic human form and fine leather jerkin. His jaunty hat has a feather and he seems to be a changing moon. Seems to be wearing a giant scroll tube strapped to his back.

The third is a tall, lipless man with a turtle-shell on his back, seemingly a permanent feature. Kijuko says one of his students has passed away, but the turtle-man is the emissary of Tetsuda, a beastman child a Lunar.

Sure-Footed Upon the Endless Mount of Knowledge (Sure-Footed for short) in introduced, this being the new name of Peng An-lan, given to him by Procyon. Procyon is prompted to tell the tale of Sure-Footed’s rescue and he does it well.

Then Procyon is laid out across the trunk of a tree and his caste is forever fixed as a Changing Moon by the Master. After Sure-Footed is given the first half of his tattoos by Kisseki, defending him from the Wyld without yet fixing his caste or completing the rituals.

Kijuko then warns of difficult times in the future of Bewellen, a time of strife. He asks his students to take a season to learn the people of Bewellen and begin to prepare them for the future. Tells them to take the Earth season to walk among the people and guide them.

He then changes form and flies up into the great branches, leaving his students to party.

Procyon cracks a joke about an entire barrel being Implement of Industry’s mug and then the group begins to discuss politics and the city of Nexus as they drink tankards.

Implement of Industry seems to be in favor of running Nexus with a firm hand, actively protecting their profits. Melgris says that chaos holds opportunities for advancement and that strongly led organizations should rise to the top like cream.

Jugram’s Falls is being led by Implement of Industry. Melgris Huttenton admits to being the Mayor of Harmonious Homestead. Melgris says that he brokered a pact with the spirits of a local springs to bring profit and healing to the people.

Implement of Industry says that he does not support the worship of the the Little Gods because they are fickle and corrupt, thus he is using technology in Jugram’s Falls to master the river.

Lopra Red-Tail was the Lunar who passed away, the ruler of the Abelshire. Implement of Industry something came from the Black Chase to the south, rode in and called her out. The land was scoured in a field and she was gone, the dark thing evaded the other Lunars and escaped.

When hearing this tail, Procyon and Five Blades argue that she is probably alive and should be rescued from her fate or imprisonment. Implement responds that Kisseki has a sense of things and believes her dead, so they believe him as well.

Oakbridge, run by Tetsuda, a woman Lunar who is apparently very busy rebuilding it from the last Seventh Legion/Wyld Hunt battles ten years prior. (This was a proxy war between the two factions of the Dragon-blooded.)

Hillhome is a desmense that is a goal for the Lunar students of Kisseki, they want to capture and cap it.

The students agree that they must quell the unrest in Abelshire and build the economic and military might of Bewellen. Five Blades Night suggests teaching the humans to build airship-like technology as a means of bringing the region closer together.

There is much politicking and discussions of who should act and where.

Implement mentions that he will soon have a cable to take men and goods up and down the Jugram Falls.

The Moot closes for the night and the Game moves to DOWNTIME.

12-26-09

Game opens with Kisseki bringing in a new Lunar from Nexus and tattooing him. Procyon Lotor meets Five Blades Night and Kisseki sends them on a quest to bring in a third new Lunar who is yet to be Exalted, but soon will be.

Procyon is overconfident and Five Blades is cautious. Before they go, Five Blades teaches Procyon to hunt the Heart’s Blood of a raiton. Procyon finds a special raiton who survives the “parliament” and takes its form. Then he and Jian fly towards Sijan.

---

Meanwhile, Peng An-Lan traveling North and East to Sijan with his Uncle’s funeral procession. Suddenly, bandits attack the funerary caravan. An-Lan runs away at first, but soon is injured and falls. It is Luna who picks him up, and he is Exalted. Memories of powerful sorceries fill his mind.

He strides forward and challenges the Bandits, but they are unimpressed and continue their attack. He realizes that only magic can win him this battle and begins to shape deadly magic even as the bandits try to cut him down.

With a burst of silvery-blue Essence, the Death of the Obsidian Butterflies strikes down the majority of the Bandits. The Bandit Leader, a pale hammer-wielding man, escapes but is injured. Taking on goat-legs, An-Lan tries to run the leader down, but he proves slippery and somehow escapes.

---

Five Blades and Procyon see a burst of Essence and wing in closer, realizing even as they do that they will not get there quite in time. They land on some trees and survey an empty battlefield. As they consider their next move, a talon of Lookshy Dragonbloods and mortal soldiers land in a sorcerous blast of air.

Jian hides, becomes Taizei Ong Park and approaches them as if he were running to get to the battle. They buy his cover and he helps them investigate the scene. In his Raiton form, Procyon also investigates and discovers that the caravan was that of a Guild family, specifically the Peng Clan. The PCs meet Taizei Aysunya the Fire-Aspect and the Wood-Aspected Elif the Sorceress of the Talon.

Ong Park insinuates himself into the Talon, even accidentally falling into formation as the Captain until he’s elbowed by Aysunya and has the grace to look embarrassed and takes a place in deference to her.

They fly back to Sijan and on the way pick up Procyon in the clothing of a beggar or peasant. Once in the city, they decide to look into the Peng procession. Procyon uses his contacts to plant rumours.

---

In his terrifying goat-legged aspect, An-Lan tracks the injured Bandit Leader back to his lair and demands tribute, pretending to be a minor God worshiped by the Guild. He tells them to give him tribute in repayment for their misstep and promises that greater worship will bring greater rewards. The bandits are convinced and the Cult of An-Lan the Goat-Man begins…

An-Lan then heads back into the city of Sijan to have his wounds treated.

---

Ong Park suggests dinner and drinks with his female companions and they soon begin social combat against him after Procyon’s rumours of an Air-Aspected Realm Magistrate return to their ears. Taizei Ong Park responds:

“I served in the Third Dragon under General Kwai-Lyn Fong, actually. Of course, the old man had a wooden leg. It took a flaming arrow from some Haltan archers, but we used the flaming leg and some pitch to return a flaming volley of our own and break their ranks!”

The trio ends up in the Wandering Heron for drinks and Procyon arrives and saves the day with his social acumen, wearing the skin of a mortal lieutenant mercenary who was traveling with Park the whole time.

After a night of debauchery, Park beds the red-haired Aysunya in a rented room and Procyon takes Elif the sorceress to the Inn’s chambers for a night of love-making.

---

While Procyon and Jian party, An-Lan has his wounds bound and rewrites his Uncle’s Will, ensuring a strong revenue flow for himself. He then gets himself a nice buff jacket since he is worried about further injury. Finally squared away, An-Lan decides to investigate the strange mystical pull he has been feeling from the bones of Sijan.

---

The next morning, Procyon and Jian discuss how to track down their Lunar quarry. They decide to question locals near the local healer. They soon find a gossip who informs them that he saw a wounded man get treated and move on to the Barristers. Five Blades offers him coin for his troubles and suggests that much more could come his way if he found the man for them. Procyon gives him a well-known Sijan contact and the PCs move on to the Barristers.

Through some bureaucratic wrangling, they discover that Peng Tai-Mon is the dead man whose funeral procession was disrupted. Procyon narrows it down to four suspects and eventually gets a lead on where the new Lunar has gone: Down the stairs into the depths of Sijan’s ancient tombs.

---

An-Lan, following his mystical urge, travels down into the depths and arrives at the Tomb of the Sleeper. He speaks with the creepy doomguard at the door and discovers that the tomb is opened to prayers only at Calibration. After some Q and A, he decides to leave. He also considers summoning an elemental to fight his way into the chamber.

But An-Lan also does not know the powers or capabilities of ghosts- especially ones riding around in giant suits of armor. He wants to do it, but decides to wander around and think about the situation more.

---

Procyon, still in his form as Zinn the Mercenary, and Five Blades Night in the form of Taizei Ong Park, sneak down the dark stairs, deeper into Sijan, hiding from the Mortician’s Order and looking for anyone out of place- or named Peng.

They find An-Lan sitting on a bench. Procyon approached while Jian hides and sneaks around behind him. Procyon tells An-Lan to stop using his name and avoid his enemies, suggesting that he could help him. An-Lan asks about how to get into a guarded tomb.

An-Lan decides to hire Procyon and use his assistance to help him enter the tomb. The pair go back down the stairs to the Tomb in question and Five Blades follows stealthily.

An-Lan begins to ask the Black Guardian about the terms of his service. He says he serves the Black Watch for eternity to protect the living from the dead. Says others of his kind protect the dead from the living. Says there may be a sleeping beast inside whose release could kill many people, the Guard will not let them pass for the protection of others.

Says that he will make a secrecy pact in blood and essence to find out why they want to enter before Calibration. An-Lan worries about the nature of the feminine voice calling him to enter the tomb…

They make the pact in a masterful fashion, ensuring the guard’s silence. Procyon reveals himself to be a Lunar and An-Lan admits the same before the guard. They reveal Jian’s existence as well and he steps forward as Jian Levis.

Jian refuses to speak, however, due to the nature and terms of the pact with the Guardian.

The Guardian says that he will allow us to worship our ancestors, possibly even one of our former selves. He demands to know each of our names, the PCs do so; Procyon telling him of Five Blade Night’s name as well.

The Guardian leaves his iron staff standing in the air and claps his gauntlets together, causing the protective moonsilver runes to flare and the door to roll open.

The three Lunars enter the Tomb and the heavy door slams closed behind them…