We’d been in Jadespike less than a week and the circus a mere two days, but they were due to leave the next morning and despite a busy morning we still had much to do.
Sill set out with his third in command to Eagle’s Point on a recruiting drive after we’d talked with him about requirements and left much of it to his fine judgement. Song spent the afternoon with Sissay teaching her how to pray, how to lead the others in prayers and how best to boost Teo’s strength - and how to give thanks to Sol Invictus and Luna for their blessings and the blessings of their Chosen to continue to protect Jadespike. She set off to hunt just as Olvir returned to the mine: he’d spent the afternoon airborne checking out the local area. He’d spotted a distant tyrant lizard and entertained the notion of hunting it – but reluctantly decided it was perhaps a little too much of a challenge (for now). He’d been alarmed when he spotted what he thought was a cadre of brigands in the distance but looking closer they turned out to be nothing but animals and as dusk fell he headed home and landed on the watchtower – to the surprise of the guards – and clambered down after shifting into his ape form.
Caelan had headed off into the woods by that point, where his musings would lead to a lesson taught by Ariorn: but far from the reach of his friends Olvir settled to more simple goals and lifted weights, training as he blazed his anima brightly to burn through Essence and use only his raw physical strength. He was surprised at how his Exaltation had boosted his endurance and as Luna’s light eclipsed his own, now-fading, anima, he headed for the tavern and a cheerful night.
The morning saw a strange sight as a fawn found its way into the village – and as the child who’d adopted it led it about later that day Caelan wondered at it, but said nothing more. Song had been to see Sill’s second in command and given her a box of phials of Valiant Warrior formula, instructing her in their use.
We met up later in the morning to talk to Selene; needing to explain we couldn’t leave Jadespike yet but knowing the conversation wouldn’t be the easiest. Thankfully it seemed Selene already knew what we were to say. The White Clouds, she told us, had left the previous day to make arrangements in the next town along our route, Oakhaven and we’d rejoin the circus as soon as we could.
Making our way through the wagons and explaining to friends how we’d catch up to them soon we found our way to Ylang’s encampment and the raptor cat Caelan had so proudly caught. She explained to his disappointment that it really was too old to be trained and even if it could be she didn’t have the time. Olvir spoke directly to it and asked a few questions of it regarding potential females and younglings but it wasn’t convinced, snapping at him and demanding to be freed. In restitution for its capture, it wanted Caelan’s leg... and with no deal to be made there Olvir dragged the cage to the edge of the forest in another display of strength that called everyone to watch and released it. It fled into the dappled woodland as a stealthy, lynx-shaped Song and aerial Olvir followed it to make sure it didn’t change its mind and decide humans were tasty meat. Thankfully, it went after easier prey and the two Lunars headed back to camp where Song checked over her wagon and ensured everything would be well for the few days she’d been away. Aakshi, the daughter of the rope master and her usual apprentice was recruited to take care of things in her absence.
As the circus rolled out of town we watched it go somewhat nervously. It had never left without us before and while we knew we could easily catch up and were as welcome there as ever before – it was a strange feeling. Caelan especially had itchy feet and pressed to move on sooner rather than later. But it would be a few days... we had much to accomplish and as it turned out, more to do than expected.
Song spent the next few days with Sissay and the people of the village helping build both altars and their relationship with the god of the mine. She checked in with Sulim a few times who was coping better now there were less patients to manage. Olvir scouted the surrounding area in a little more depth and was glad to report no unexpected travellers or opportunist thieves en route. Along the way both Lunars took new shapes through the ritual hunt: Song added a cobra and a rat to her forms and Olvir took a hare, a monkey and a large black bear.
We were sitting one night in the Jade Hole and talking over plans as something odd began to nag at our senses. Olvir wasn’t too concerned but Caelan and Song both looked around with intent. Sitting in one corner of the tavern looking for all the world like a simple member of the village was a figure in a cloak – who, they now realised, was anything but a simple villager. The stranger looked up, having noticed our gaze, and Song gestured for them to join us at the table. The mysterious visitor pushed back her hood as she sat down with us revealing herself as a young woman with snow white hair and piercing blue eyes who greeted both Song and Olvir by name before also acknowledging Caelan. Cautious words were exchanged before she introduced herself to us as Strikes as Thunder and with a flicker she lit her caste mark, showing a clearly defined silver ring, a No-Moon Lunar: she had come to teach us more of what we were.
Her unexpected entrance and manner had Caelan suspicious and he gently rested a hand on the hilt of his daiklaive, hoping he wouldn’t have to draw it but readying himself just in case. Strikes as Thunder was more than aware of it despite his subtle movement though and warned him against taking hostile action. Eyes narrowed, he released his hand, still wary but forewarned about her perception skills at any rate. She asked Song and Olvir how much we trusted Caelan... as much she had to speak of was for we Chosen of Luna to hear – and not necessarily for one Chosen of Sol Invictus.
It was a query which wasn’t directly answered as we had many of our own – Song, especially, who took the opportunity any break in conversation provided to question further. Strikes as Thunder told us more of what we were, of our great potential, and that as she herself was over 700 years old and knew no Lunar who’d died of old age we could look forward to centuries as Exalts, provided we didn’t meet with mishap.
She warned us of the Realm though – of their hatred of those Exalted of the Celestials and the Wyld Hunt. Safe though we’d likely be this far from the realm it didn’t mean we could rest assured and should be wary, even of others in all guises who’d seek to use our power. Almost as an example she turned and seemed to stare into empty space as she bade something leave us in peace. At our puzzled looks she described what could only be Van-Oris and we nodded in understanding and explained the notion he’d set our minds to though for once, airships didn’t dominate the conversation.
We asked if she knew of Adler, the god of Eagle’s Point, since we had something of an agreement and little Van-Oris had suggested it might not be so beneficial to do what he wanted. She didn’t know much of him but had resources to enquire of, and said she’d do so. Olvir asked her if she wanted to travel with us for some time but she said no: we were yet young and needed to make our own mistakes. Song asked exactly what had brought her to Jadespike, wondering if we’d unknowingly trespassed on territory she claimed, but after she’d asked Song to give her own interest in the mine Strikes with Thunder told us she was a traveller and had no desire to settle down here. Song was relieved: Jadespike hardly needed another Celestial to lay claim to the place – the mining village had coped with enough already. We were, she told us, the only ones of our kind for miles around. There were few of us that four gathered together was unusual – there were only 300 Lunars and an equal number of the Solars in the whole of Creation – at least, that was how it seemed to be now. It hadn’t been that way for a long time.
She told us a little of the Solar Exalted, how most of them had been gone from the world for centuries and only recently emerged into Creation again. One, known as the ‘Bull of the North’, had gathered a circle of Solar Exalts who were troubling the Realm from the frozen icelands - and aside from tales of him she’d met a few other Chosen of the Sun in recent years. She didn’t know of any within 10 days travel though, which meant she presumably didn’t know about Jeret. We said nothing of him, having promised to keep his identity secret - and besides, we were here to talk of those chosen by Lunar, not the Unconquered Sun.
The conversation turned to forms taken and she seemed pleased we’d both taken new forms through the sacred hunt. When the question was asked, she told us that human shapes could be taken too; indeed she had a few and Olvir and Caelan both looked slightly appalled at the casual way she discussed murder in such terms. Song, pondering on how things must seem different for one of such age and power, mused more on what she herself could be like 700 years hence and kept quiet on the matter while it was debated across the table. The one she wore could easily have been taken from another and how would we know? That it wasn’t was a token of respect and a demonstration of the power of a shard of Exaltation over the human form – for a woman centuries old she still appeared youthful.
The conversation wound on for some time, peppered by questions from Olvir – what was it like to be a fly – how many animal forms did she have – and many more questions from Song on deeper and more occult matters. As it grew late and both having mostly satisfied their curiosity for the time being, it was time for more practical lessons. Leaving Caelan to keep watch over Jadespike the three Lunars slipped away into the forest. Strikes as Thunder wished to watch Olvir and Song hunt in order to best determine their caste – though it didn’t take much reasoning as both, she felt, fitted neatly into Full Moon and No Moon castes respectively, and with the agreement of both, gifted them with the tattoos Lunars had worn since the end of the First Age, telling their stories in rivulets of moonsilver etched into their skin.
Song and Olvir learned Claw-speak, of the protection the tattoos afforded, of the Silver Pact and much more that night beneath Luna’s waxing light. As dawn came they returned to the jade mine, tired but afire with new awareness, still with many questions to ask but content for the moment to rest on all they’d discovered.