We rode out to meet the circus and were hailed with cheerful calls - all seemed well and that only filled us with more trepidation. We gave a brief summary to Maliki, the yeddim-leader who greeted us first, then explained we needed to speak to Selene and headed quickly for the howdah. En’ash, the younger White Cloud, called out to us as we made to scramble up the side and we gave him a brief summary of the situation in Jadespike – explaining we ought to speak with Selene first. He nodded understandingly, though he couldn’t know it wasn’t Jadespike we needed most to talk to her about.
She was pleased to see us though not happy to hear about the trials that had befallen the community of the jade mine. Song explained that Jadespike had changed us as well, and after a hesitation in lieu of explanation flared her caste mark, trusting that Selene would recognise it, nervous at what she’d say and knowing she couldn’t hide it. Selene, incredulous, recognised Song as one of Luna’s champions. Olvir was next, doing likewise. She was more than a little surprised to find both of us Exalted, and told us she’d met a Lunar Exalt once before – a magnificent being. But Olvir’s offhand comment that Caelan “had to be different” set her on edge once again, and his golden glow had her reacting very differently – though she controlled herself well. She wasn’t angry but it seemed she’d had experiences with at least one Solar Exalt before, whether directly or not - and perhaps not the kind that we’d’ve expected.
Mostly we were simply glad that the feared angry scene hadn’t manifested. She remained calm though told us we’d need to tell the others and let them make up their own minds. We nodded. That we’d do, though with about as much anxiety as we’d revealed ourselves this time.
We left the howdah, after making arrangements for Jadespike. Pitching up would be fine but they weren’t likely to want the usual exuberant show – something more subdued might be welcome instead however. As we made our way through the circus Ylang found us and we related the trials of Jadespike once again and before Song found her way to her wagon the elder White Cloud, Kenina, spotted her and gave her an odd look – Song, alert to such things raised an eyebrow to ask why. Kenina had spotted her Tell, the tufts of fur at her ear tips, and looked concerned, asking if she’d been caught up in some Wyld outbreak. Song understood what she meant – Wyld energy could sometimes cause mutations in people and she realised she’d need to reassure Kenina (or at least, reassure her there was no danger from the Wyld) and invited her into her caravan where she made tea in the traditional manner, poured her a cup, and once again related the tale of Jadespike, this time detailing her own Exaltation. She shifted into her lynx form and back again, to show Kenina why her ears had the familiar lynx-like tufts. Kenina, much like Selene, was surprised but not hostile and left Song’s caravan thoughtful.
Olvir didn’t fancy accompanying the circus into town. Wanting some time alone he headed into the forest where instinct drew him to Luna’s Sacred Hunt and he took down a leopard, ate the heart of the beast and claimed its form. He met up with the others later, after the circus pitched up, and we went to talk to the tavernkeeper, Lordyn, about what sort of show the townsfolk might be up for and recruited him to spread the word.
The three of us sat down around a tavern table to discuss what we were going to do about Jadespike. It was simple enough to agree we needed to stay for a while to make sure they were able to defend themselves – how long was more of an issue but we were willing to let time make that clearer. Olvir favoured putting a committee in charge as there was no one person who was the obvious leader, but Caelan and Song were united in thinking there should be a single figure people could look to. We just didn’t have anyone to fill that role yet.
Our thoughts turned to the circus and what to do should the worst happen if our comrades were too unnerved by our Exaltations to want us to stay. Song couldn’t really imagine leaving... she’d known nothing but the circus her whole life, but Caelan, so new to its environs, was resolved to leave if they had reservations.
There was a performance to get through first, however, before things came to a head. Selene opened the show... with a tale of a Lunar in the Wyld, who disguised itself as a child who played with the Raksha, entwining itself around their hearts until it stole away with them and returned to Creation all the richer. It was an absorbing tale, like many of the songs, dances and tales told in the hours to come. They gifted people with a few hours away from themselves and the suffering they’d endured so recently and with their spirits lifted they returned to their homes. After they’d been seen back to the village we called the circus folk together, and as Selene gathered in the stragglers Olvir took centre stage.
He spoke for all of us when he said how we’d been blessed. He spoke of the circus, of how it had become his home... and how he hoped people would still accept him. A murmur of confusion ran through the crowd at this. Answering their unspoken question he shifted into his ape form to gasps of astonishment, especially as he continued to speak: yes, he was still Olvir, but now he was also Chosen of Luna. It was for them to decide if he was still welcome amongst them. An uneasy silence descended and hung over the arena as they looked on, before one of the circus children approached him and tentatively put out a hand to touch his fur. Olvir held still while he stroked it, before gently lifting him up onto his shoulder. The child beamed with delight at this new game and the crowd breathed out a collectively held breath. More people approached him, some to explore his ape form in surprise and others to ask him questions and ascertain it was really Olvir and not some kind of trick. He did his best to answer before shifting back into his human form. He left the centre stage but looked back, and they followed his gaze.
Standing by the edge of the arena, Song took Caelan’s hand, leading him gently towards the centre which Olvir had left clear and took a step back to let him speak. He started hesitantly, thanking people for accepting him, even after he brought death into the camp. As they wondered what he could possibly do to trump Olvir’s transformation he told them if it was too much, he’d respect that – but he remained the same person as before. With that hope, he flared first caste mark then anima to fill the central marquee with golden sunlight.
Song, who’d mentally noted Caelan’s acceptance of bringing death into the camp, watched as Selene took a step back – she was evidently more than a little unsettled by Solar than Lunar, still. Thankfully it was Olvir who started a ripple of laughter by joking about how Caelan saved a fortune in torches that got the crowd to relax a little more. Ylang approached him, testing the waters, seeing if his anima would feel hot, or burn and others followed suit.
With Caelan’s transformation seemingly accepted he turned to Song and heads turned with him. A call of ‘Not you as well?’ rang out from one of the circus folk and with all that needed to be said having already been said she simply flared her anima to mirror the brightness of Caelan’s and shifted into to the form of a lynx, sitting and watching the audience. Some didn’t understand but most seemed more curious than damning. Selene had composed herself and spoke in a tone to rise above the murmurs of the crowd calling them to order, to think on what we’d seen, and consider family. We were family. The three of us were more relieved to hear her say that that we’d ever be likely to admit to.
As the circus troupe filtered out to sleep, Caelan and Song headed to the mine. Both brightly lit by their animas neither wanted to keep people awake and instead used the advantage to reassure those on duty in the mine that we were making sure there’d be no more dark brood incursions. We discussed what to do about Jadespike as we made our way through the tunnels – peaceful apart from the sound of jade miners – and agreed we needed someone to take charge even as a figurehead. Whoever they were, they’d need help, but the people of Jadespike needed someone to look to when we were gone.
With animas now more muted they walked back to the circus camp and Song’s caravan. Caelan didn’t want to disturb the others and didn’t really have a well-established sleeping space, so when Song offered space in her wagon he didn’t argue. Morning dawned bright and they took off hunting early – but not as early as Olvir who’d headed out into the forest after the gathering the previous night and captured the form of an owl in a sacred hunt to Luna. He showed off, play-wrestling with Song, before leaving us to make it back to camp.
Song had her eyes on flight as well but she’d picked out a kite and left Caelan to other prey. He’d been spotting evidence of Olvir’s hunt as he tracked interesting game through the woods – the silverback was hardly subtle – and eventually moved into wilder woods where he picked up the trail of a raptorcat and ambitiously decided it might make quite the prize. A few arrows later and the cat was not impressed: it was armoured better than Caelan had thought and a brief, frenzied fight ensued amongst the trees before the Solar eventually got the better of the beast and it collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
He realised he then had the problem of getting it back to camp. Hmm. No way of carrying it – it was far too big. Perhaps Olvir could help? He had a thought and sent his horse back to camp to fetch Olvir (that bond between mount and man being ever deeper since Exaltation). As such the people of the circus were a little confused when Ariorn returned without his rider but thankfully Olvir came to investigate and with the gifts Luna had given him, understood what the horse was on about. Rolling his eyes, he went to help and in ape form, managed to lug the great cat back to camp where Ylang found a temporary enclosure to keep it in. She was at a loss for what to do with it though, explaining to Caelan how mospids were much easier to train – and even the lions with the circus had been tamed when young.
Overhead, Song in her new kite form circled the camp once before dropping from the sky and shifting to human shape just as she landed. With a slap to Olvir for a crass comment he made to her entrance she shook her head at the huge reptilian cat and headed back to her caravan. Unlucky for Caelan then, who’d snuck off there to try and find a potion or two to patch up the cuts he’d incurred in the battle. For some reason, he thought Song would be cross with him if she found out he’d been injured, so picking up something that looked about right her liberally applied it to his injury. Song met him as he emerged from her caravan – smelling strangely of perfumed musk. Song had a lot of experimental potions and the one he’d picked up had nothing to do with healing. She wouldn’t work out which one it was until later when she realised an experimental draught of Tiger’s Heart Elixir was missing...
She sat him down and patched him up properly, not about to let him get away with anything since it seemed he was trying to. Meanwhile Olvir was talking to the beast he’d captured now it had woken up, and it was pretty angry. He tried negotiation but the wild beast simply wanted to be free – and possibly hunt things. Suspecting ‘things’ might include friends and family Olvir wisely left it to stew and walked away to the sound of snarls.
With Caelan bandaged up Song headed for the Tugela mansion where she wanted to make a further study of the ritual room. The books certainly concerned summoning, which matched with the room’s set-up, and seemed at first glance to concern summoning a Gemlord – a rare elemental which could potentially rejuvenate a diamond mine or similar if correctly summoned. Song wasn’t too familiar with them but she knew how a ritual should be laid out, and looking closely recognised there was something wrong with the book itself – the practical ritual simply didn’t match up with the descriptive text. The forgery was near perfect but she found where the bindings had been unpicked and new pages sewn in – the rite itself would not summon a Gemlord but summon Dark Brood, and probably the Dragon-Blooded Tugela had never noticed the errors when they’d performed it. Cursing she explained what she’d found to Olvir and Caelan.
The house staff couldn’t help a lot but suggested we could check the other rooms in the store and armoury which were the sole domain of the Dragon-Blooded; they might hold other such demonic forgeries. Caelan found the keys and we checked the armoury first – a room at the back held their personal armour and weapons. It was an impressive cache, mostly red jade from the mine intertwined with a pattern we recognised as the family mark along with a few traded or heirloom pieces. In all, we found:
• A single jade breastplate
• Two reinforced jade breastplates
• A reinforced jade buff jacket
• A pair of short jade daiklaives
• A blue jade wavecleaver daiklaive
• A regular daiklaive
• A set of lightening torment hatchets
• And a space for the red jade goremaul Olvir was currently carrying.
The store we checked next did contain some more books but they were older and more simplistic – but authentic. It looked like the newer, forged texts had been brought in together and these texts were relegated to storage – which the man in charge of the rooms, Yared, confirmed, telling us it was at least a season since anything had been moved. That gave Song something to work on though and she headed back to the Tugela residence to check the records they’d so meticulously kept of all the trades the mine had made.
About four months previously a merchant by the name of Glissa Longshadow appeared in the ledger, staying for a week and with a fair amount spent on entertainments during the time she was evidently someone the Tugela’s wanted to impress. Things were purchased from her but unusually it wasn’t recorded what – which immediately made Song suspicious. Flicking back through pages she found she’s stayed twice before, the first about a year before and accompanying a Guild member, and again some six months afterward on her own. It was enough to make her suspicious but hardly enough to hunt her down... not yet.
Earlier that day Olvir had found the jade goremaul Isald had borne laid out in his room. While it might have made sense to people of Jadespike to think he’d want it – it was a mighty weapon and he a mighty warrior – he’d thought perhaps it could be used in a monument to the fallen. However, as it really was too heavy to put into a statue or other memorial, he got to wondering about it and after a time, successfully attuned to it. Now he wandered the halls of the Tugela residence searching for the central room which bore the hearthstone set in its hilt and ventured into the ritual room, where Song met him and related what she’d found about Glissa Longshadow.
The ritual room was the heart of the manse – the Tugela household had been designed well, though Song wasn’t too sure about the risks implicit in building ritual circles over where a hearthstone would form. She and Olvir sat as she talked him through how to attune to it and it didn’t take long before both felt their own Essence resonate with that of the manse. They went to find Caelan and found him in the armoury where he’d been up to similar escapades and possibly feeling over-valorous, had attuned to one of the red jade daiklaives and was testing it out when they arrived. Not to be outdone by the boys who’d both now claimed weapons, Song found the Lightening Torment Hatchets to her liking and while Olvir and Caelan practiced with their new weapons she attuned to hers.
Armed but not (yet) armoured we went to the forge, having brought Caelan up to speed on the book forgery situation and realised there were some more books in the forge that we hadn’t checked yet. While they were of a different specialty, they still bore investigation – especially since the events of the night of Song’s Exaltation where something strange was scuttling amongst them.
Olvir, never much of a book man, got to work on the gates while Song checked out the books, though didn’t manage to make much progress. Song was pleased to find the books seemed to be in order and an interesting collection and made an inspection of the bookshelf where she found a familiar looking mechanical cog embedded in the wall. Looping it onto a thin leather thong she decided to keep it as a necklace for now while she turned her attention to the book thrown from the shelf the night she’d been working to make Summon the Spirit in Fire. It was, as she’d already discovered, a tome of detailed instructions on the best ways to maintain the sails of ships but now she had more time to investigate it also seemed to contain a second narrative where similar instructions could construct airships. Her curiosity piqued, she asked Skaagi if she wouldn’t mind her borrowing the book for a time, to which the young alchemist readily agreed.
Airships, Olvir thought, sounded like a smashing idea. We were discussing their relative merits and the fact such wonders hadn’t been seen in Creation in aeons when behind us, an odd noise sounding like something mechanical clearing its throat made us turn – and we found a strange (but somehow familiar) little mechanised bird, some 3 feet high, covered in metallic down and feathers. If there were plans for such an airship, it asked us enthusiastically, would we build it?
It hopped from leg to leg in excitement as Skaagi backed off hurriedly to the furthest corner of the forge. We asked if it was the one who’d been following us and it admitted it had, saying it didn’t want us to be bothered by the claw strider. Song nodded, thoughtfully, and thanked the little god for its help. It puffed out with praise and she went on to check it was the one who’d thrown the book off the forge shelf… as she’d found the cog. The silvered bird inspected his plumage and admitted that they did tend to get shed every so often, and she asked in that case, if she could keep it. It looked wary – why? Song promised not to use the cog maliciously as she meant it no harm but considered it an interesting trinket. Besides, as she showed it, she already had one of its silver feathers – the hair adornment she’d worn since the fateful night of the attack on the forge. It looked a little deflated at that, not sure to take it as a compliment that she admired his plumage or a risk that she could use it against him somehow.
Olvir asked it if it was related to Adler – the only other god we’d met and also a bird. It looked affronted and also took the opportunity to warn us that it wouldn’t be a good thing if we were to retrieve for Adler the things that were taken from him centuries before. Adler had apparently done something deserving of punishment to whoever meted such out – Song recalled that a few centuries before he’d been involved in a dispute with the Censer of the East. It might pose a bit of a conundrum given our deal with Adler, but we shelved it for later as Song asked the little creature what its name was. It eyed her suspiciously and asked her why… but the answer was simple she told it: for prayer. It paid to keep gods on side and this one had helped us out. She had every intention of offering up prayer directly to the little god who’d saved us from possible claw-strider doom. It perked up immediately at the notion of prayer and puffed out its chest proudly again. Its name was Van-Oris, a servitor of Vanileth, god of artificial flight.
Song asked if it spoke for Vanileth? Oh, it was his representative, it said proudly, before deflating a little as she pointed out that it hadn’t answered her question... and it admitted that perhaps Vanileth had grown a little old and so these days it took a lot more responsibility than perhaps it might otherwise. So, were we going to build an airship? It was pretty persistent on that point. It had been following us for a while having identified us as people with potential, though it evidently hadn’t suspected quite what kind of potential.
It chattered on about where the plans were – in Moonspire – and all we had to do was find them and build them, so what were we waiting for? It had even found a useful book. We explained that while the notion of building an airship was interesting we also had things which we had to sort out first… like Jadespike. An idea occurred to us – did it know, or could it speak to the god of the mine for us? Delighted that it could help chase us along it vanished, presumably to go and consult with the mine deity leaving us looking at each other wondering if we hadn’t all gone a little mad. No, apparently we’d all seen a mechanical bird god.
Song spent a little time reassuring Skaagi that her forge wasn’t inhabited by a demon before we went back to the Tugela residence and Caelan attuned to the manse. We were just leaving as Van-Oris reappeared with another being in tow, some 7ft tall with skin like molten metal streaked through with jade and jewels where a mortal would have eyes. Puffing himself up Van-Oris proudly introduced him to us as Teo, the god of the Jadespike mine.
Van-Oris gave a bow and introduced Teo to Caelan, the Chosen of Sol Invictus before naming Olvir and Song as Chosen of Luna and instructing Teo in a somewhat ritualistic manner that he was bound by the wishes of Caelan to look after the people of the mine, to guide them, protect them and help them prosper in accordance with his mandate. We were a little taken aback, but it was what we needed so took the opportunity to speak with Teo and gain an insight into his power and ability to do what had been asked of him.
He knew what went on in his domain and told us there were no more dark brood in the mine (much to our relief) and agreed to do all he could to protect the place and the miners. We asked if he had someone he’d choose to stand as his representative – and he pointed to Sissay, just then emerging from the mine after her shift, naming her as his daughter. She walked over to us warily, having been beckoned, and wondering aloud just what we’d got her into this time.
We adjourned to the house, gods and Exalts alike, to talk over the deal in detail. Sissay joined us shortly after taking a brief break to clean up after work but meantime we had Van-Oris to contend with who was keen to have us move on, find plans and get to building an airship. We told him simply that while we’d certainly check out Moonspire when we got there and he’d done well in bringing Teo to us, we still had things to resolve before moving on. And then there was an incident with a tap-dancing gorilla, but it’s best to gloss over that, with a simple acknowledgement that Olvir, even in gorilla form, is a perfectly adequate performer.
Caelan, emboldened by the potion he’d mistakenly smeared on his wounds earlier, felt Teo would need some words to establish his place and responsibilities in the matter. He told the god of the mine how he, Olvir and Song had been honoured to be chosen by Sol Invictus and by Luna – and that Teo now in turn should feel equally honoured now we had chosen him. His commanding attitude bore no ill will from Teo, who nodded, dutiful in agreement. Olvir and Song looked on somewhat surprised by Caelan’s approach – though we weren’t about to argue.
As discussions concluded for the day and the sun sank towards the horizon, Olvir and Song both headed out of Jadespike to hunt. Olvir wanted a kite like Song’s, so they could fly together and not be remarked upon as something unusual, while Song wanted a night creature like Olvir’s owl. She waited till full dark before catching and consuming the heart’s blood of a large fruit bat.
Caelan had stayed with Sissay trying to build her confidence and revealing that the Dark Brood invasion was something the Dragon-Blooded may have been involved with (however unwittingly) and should not reoccur. Song’s research into them earlier had suggested that when summoned they’d seek out the summoners… which they had, with grisly consequences, and now they were dead, there should be no more attacks. He didn’t go into details and tried to answer some of her more mundane questions too – should she be sleeping in the big house now? Yes, she should. Though, as a manse, we’d need to come and go as well, but if she were to live there it would make a bald statement to the people of Jadespike for them to see and respond to.
Olvir was back from hunting first and spent the evening with the circus. Of course, being Olvir, it wasn’t long before riotous drinking games ensued and he carried them (not quite literally) to the tavern after convincing the guards there’d be no issue with it… consequently when Song flew back from her hunt she heard the carousing from miles away. It was a good sound. She spent some time hanging around (literally this time, in bat form) the town and listening to the people as they went about their routines, ears alert for any trouble but mostly only heard gratitude, thanks and prayers. The people of Selene’s Flurry didn’t seem to mention any of their names in any way other than normal – unusual perhaps, but welcome.
A cold and frosty morning heralded a day of meetings which Caelan oversaw – after dealing with a little more of Sissay’s sarcasm first. First to be called in was Sill, the captain of the guard, who had seen some of what went on yesterday and mostly accepted the way things were going to be. He congratulated Sissay, though she didn’t look particularly proud, and discussed with all present what the militia would need in terms of resource and men. Eagle’s Point was the nearest big town where he’d be likely to recruit the muscle needed so we talked over how, when, and how many.
After breakfast, Nithan the foreman and Sissay’s former overseer was ushered in. It was evident he wasn’t overly enamoured with the situation but faced with a Solar Exalt telling him how things were, he found discretion to be the better part of valour, acknowledging the new order curtly. After he left we turned to the next plans for Jadespike - but the morning had been a little too much for Sissay, unaccustomed to bureaucracy in any form, let alone the machinations of gods and confident manner of Exalted.
Song took Sissay outside and spent a while talking to her – away from the '8 year olds' as she’d described Caelan and Olvir after a particularly sarcastic exchange - where she explained the basics of prayer and promised to show her how to lead the prayers of the community. Aside from an interruption by an ever-keen Van-Oris, the lesson went well, and leaving Sissay with a lot to think on she left to find some time to hunt. Olvir and Caelan had their own objectives to see too, and in the camp where Selene’s Flurry had set up, the eponymous owner sat alone and wondered just what Fate had in mind for the circus now three of its members were Chosen of the Celestials.