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Two years have now passed since the character's Exaltation, and these times have not been idle. Already, the Circle gains allies and enemies both, suffering loss and enjoying the fruits of victory. Indeed, they've made their mark upon the face of Creation. Yet, they have not yet reforged the world, nor is the danger past. In fact, in many ways, things around the Circle are now more serious than ever before...
Beset On All Sides
After returning from Their Previous Adventure, the Circle found the village of Nulam surrounded by threats. The most egregious of these was a band of Ravagers, engaging in piracy and raiding to gather sustenance for their Faerie Queen. Most were so warped by the Fae as to be little more than beasts, but some among them were slightly more rational, and their leader -- a former noble from Great Forks named Ahrmaine -- had been left almost human (the better to lead the others). While most had to be killed, in their mercy Skyla and Merayen spared those she could. Yet no sooner had they returned to Nulam, victorious, than they received word of a raid upon some of the village's outlying farms by the Hill Folk (whom had long lived with the villagers in Peace). Eager to find out the reason for these attacks, the Circle set out to find out more.
Even before they reached the first Hill Folk village, they ran into yet more threats, discovering signs of unease in the local Shadowland. But, friends were found as well, such as Nechantir - a minor God of the Hunt - and the amnesiac Night Caste, "Misati". Eventually, investigation revealed the source of this new threat among the Hill Folk to be a Silver God - one of the Lunar Exalted - who was rallying the various tribes together under a banner of war. The Circle quickly decided to travel to Caer Dharrow to speak with this Warlord, and convince him to lay down his war banner, though the journey would be a long and dangerous one. Their path led them to the small monastery of Emerald Dragon, where they met the elder Terrestrial Iron Mandarin, who knew of their nature and welcomed them. The old Martial Artist made offer to send some of his students to Nulam, to instruct the people there in the ways of war, even as the Circle left for the Ravine of Black Wings -- a veritable demonic city home to a horde of Mankeehemon and past it to the ancient road leading to Caer Dharrow.
Expecting a young, cocksure Full Moon, the Circle was presented instead with the golden lion warrior -- Bright Mane. Though ultimately defeated in a friendly duel by Jackal, the Lunar himself was undeterred, and hinted to greater plans under way by the Lunar Elders in which he was merely a player. While this was underway, Misati and Skyla had snuck into the city, and therein found a small bolthole that'd been in use by their First Age counterparts (and a useful artifact), only returning after the initial duel was well over. When Misati and Bright Mane first crossed eyes, memories of the First Age washed over both, and the young solar immediately leaped to kiss her long lost lover. The reaction of Bright Mane was... less enthusiastic. But, apologies were exchanged before the Solars left, most of them still unsure of the ultimate intentions of the Lunars...
Once they arrived, once more, in Nulam the time to leave it again soon came. The final immediate threat to the city, that of war with Madaan, could be postponed no longer and had to be dealt with. Most of the circle approached stealthily, except for canny Balthasar who left to seek allies abroad, while bold young Skyla walked straight through Madaan's gates and into the councils of its king: Randal Saeris, soon to be joined by Merayen, who took advantage of her nature as a veteran of Lookshy. It became obvious that the military city was not malign, and didn't truly consider it's military campaign to be very important at all. It was not hard, at all, for the Solars to sway the ear of the King toward greater and more righteous endeavors. Particularly after Skyla had proved so potent, even (with the aid of the Circle, and a Little God who recognized Misati) dealing with a wayward Sorcerer, Anastaria, who was attempting to loot an ancient ruin with the help of magically obtained slave labor. Eventually, Balthasar returned from other tasks abroad with news of the Deathlords and an urgent need to travel to Great Forks.
Feeling matters at home finally settled, the circle set sail.
A Place of Gods & Monsters
The circle's first Destination after leaving the Hundred Kingdom's was the port city of Nevin. Hoping there to purchase some supplies while seeking information about Opal Blossom, the Circle was barely out of the docks before Skyla ran headfirst into freighted slave - little more than a girl - trying to get away from the abusive handlers chasing after her. Faced with a girl not much older than she was when she was first captured, there was very soon a giant golden hammer in Skyla's hand and a guild slaver flying through the air away from her. A full on slave revolt, and non-violent riot (spurred on by Merayen), soon began. After clearing out the auction block, the circle followed one of the free'd slaves (a former soldier named Khalan) to the slave pens, where Skyla unchained the cities entire stock of bonded humans. While she and her new army planned an assault on some slave holding ships, Merayen and Balthasar went into the city interior to try to prevent the Necharan government from crushing the uprising with overwhelming military force and Misati slipped off into the shadows.
Returning to the docks to find that Skyla and Jackal had accidentally picked a ship filled with Drugs, not Slaves, the Circle shrugged and spent the night giving away free drugs to the various inhabitants of Nevin's dock district in a midnight fireside party. The next morning, after watching the stolen Guild Ship full of freed slaves set sail back toward Nulam, the Circle continued their own journey and several weeks later arrived in Great Forks. As the Evening Crest pulled into harbor, the first words said were reminders to Skyla that a similar slave revolt here would probably involve the Circle having to face down a city full of very angry Gods & Elementals.
While Merayen went toward the Temple District, and the Street of the Begger Gods, to meet her old friend the White-Handed Wanderer and repay the debt she'd incurred when that God had helped them in Madaan, Misati led the rest of the Circle toward the Palace District. Not entirely sure what to expect, but knowing that the secrets of her lost life were buried somewhere in this city, the Circle arrived at the Palace and were ushered quickly into the presence of Talespinner as if they were very much expected. While Misati heard the story of her life, Merayen was hearing the troubles of her friend, which consisted of a bit of divine romance. The Wanderer's previous paramour, a more potent Goddess known as Lady Voss who had been ignoring both her old lover and her duties in favor of some new and secretive companion. Though hardly as worried about the Wanderer's loss of status in the city as her friend, Merayen did promise to look into matters, purely to make sure that the Goddess herself was safe.
When the Circle met again on the Evening Crest, trying to share the events of their day, the ambient unrest between between Merayen and Misati exploded into a rather vicious little fight. The young Night Caste retreated back into the city, while Merayen collapsed crying on the ship. Skyla stayed with the Zenith, while Jackal went after Misati, and a good thing too. Upset over her argument with Merayen and angry over the revelations she'd learned from Talespinner, Misati had wandered into a bar and ended up heading upstairs with what turned out to be a Fair Folk Assassin in the employ of the Quiet One -- the fourth, secretive, god of Great Forks as well as Misati's "father".
Reunions the next morning were somewhat tensed, and so Merayen decided to push the Circle toward a goal - investigating the estate of the Lady Voss, to ensure that she was in no danger. Misati made it into the compound, though not without arousing the suspicion of it's Lion Dog guardians (who browbeat Merayen and the rest of the Circle, but never did find the Night), but quickly decided that there was nothing to worry about here and leaving the entire task to her nosy Zenith. Merayen did, in fact, spend a couple of days in the company of either Gharava (the lion Dog), or Ghalos Linnai (another Zenith, and the Lady Voss' new lover). She'd learned much, from both of them, before the Circle left - once again - for Nulam.
Though not before running into Opal Blossom once again... After keeping Skyla from killing her, right there, the Circle learned that she'd apparently stolen the Wood Dragon's Claw from them on the orders of a powerful Eclipse from Nexus. Gavin Bael, by name. Though not exactly repentant, per se, she was eager to make amends and promised to offer the Circle first crack at any artifacts she found on her next expedition.
Three or so weeks after their return, while in the midst of various tasks but as "restful" as they'd been since their Exaltations, the Solars were visited by a somewhat unexpected guest. Bright Mane, the Lunar from Caer Dharrow, had made good on his promise to speak to his Elders on their behalf and returned with an invitation from one of said Elders. The next day, the Circle - except for Balthasar - left to begin the long journey. They were joined, not long after they set out, by a face they'd first encountered in Great Forks - Varuna, one of the secretive Sidereal Exalted.
Though quite suspicious of this individual, who seemed to be following them, the Circle soon found other things to worry of when they passed through a village of the Hill Folk only to find everyone dead -- and twisted into a abominable corpse-tree as a sort prayer to one of the Yozi. Sabbadhine, the Harvester, had evidently escaped from her binding and was roaming free. And she was heading for Budan Mar.
To The Edge of the World and Back
As the Circle made their way toward the lands of Budan Mar and the vast Wyld Zone that lay in the center of the region known as the Hundred Kingdoms, a number of things grew in intensity each day. One day, black smoke could vaguely be seen far in the distance, then a couple of days later more smoke seemed to billow up from a battlefield that seemed much closer, and before long the land around you was notably touched by war. Minions of the Harvester began to appear as well, her fell Daughters, revealing that they would have to hunt down their enemies minions before they could kill Sabbadhine herself. Then, as the circle neared the Kingdom of Mar itself and began to see the increasing desolation, they began to experience odd dreams. One by one, a phantom figure named Menedraile appeared to various members of the Circle, always in a familiar dreamscape but clearly not belonging.
Then, one morning, led by a vision of the past Skyla led the group slightly off their track (promising it would only take a few hours). They encountered a strange pillar which brought forth new memories, and which they later discovered is termed a Consul Stone. Drawn by her memories, Skyla attuned herself to the stone with a touch and inadvertently activated its "global alert" function which notified all other Twilight Caste Solar's attuned to one of the stones. She even dragged the rest of her circle along with her. It wasn't very crowded, though, as other than Skyla only Anastaria was actually attuned to a stone. There was some posturing, but eventually, Merayen asked for Anastaria's help against Sabbadhine and the other Twilight agreed to come at once. As they left the Consul Stone, though, Skyla was sure that she recognized where she was. And, in fact, that one of Aeas' manses was nearby. One that contained a very powerful weapon.
So it was that the Circle found their way to Kiantos, and found many wonders therein. Schematics that they can't access for the Realm Defense Grid, some strange scrolls detailing defenses against the Wyld, many memories of a forgotten age, and an essence map of the (much larger) Old Realm. Which, when zoomed in on what was now the Ruins of Madadhine, showed several areas labelled "Dream Pillars". Which, in turn, brought to mind Menedraile. Yet, there was one more than of note. One thing that had drawn Skyla here more than anything else. Khalas'tha, the Destroyer of Nations, whom she alone can command. The Circle went to Aeas' private storage room to gather the crystalline key to the hanger, and a few other odds and ends, and then ascended once again. Doors that had been quiet so long that dust billowed and gears whined in protest opened, and inside, was a mountain of a contraption. All gleaming crystalline spires, arcing currents, and cold brutality constructed by an alien mind...with the help of Aeas...in the dawn before time. It slept, but not so deeply that a voice could not awaken it.
Almost as soon as they stepped aboard, everyone except Jackal was ready to leave. Skyla, in particular, found herself nearly sicked as she connects to the ships system and ran a diagnostic. But, when it was determined that there was a Solar in the middle of the nearby Wyld Zone, everyone agreed that they had to rescue him. Even if it meant that the ship would be unable to do anything else on auxiliary power for a century. Hell, that was just another point in the plans favor to Skyla, and so the East shook as one of the Mountains in its center shook and rose into the sky. For hundreds of miles away, people glanced in the direction and even if they could barely see anything at all, they knew that they had beheld death. Wild animals scattered as Khalas'tha glided easily out of Creation and into the Wyld, and then it was time for the Fair Folk to feel fear.
It didn't take an entire day, from start to finish. A compatriot rescued, hordes of Raksha destroyed, and a large section of the Wyld converted into a blasted blackened wasteland that was solidly in Creation (and would one day bloom). The ship eased back to its roost with the same ease as it left, only complaining intermittently of its slowly dwindling power reserves. And then, the abomination rested, and the Solars left as soon as they could to take refuge in the private rooms of Kiantos until they were ready to leave and resume their journey to Mar.
Even with their slight detour, it didn't take long for the Circle to arrive in the city. Though Merayen had pondered aloud at solutions while passing through the war torn landscape with its burned farms and villages empty of men, when the Circle arrived in Mar the argument was settled by the fact that the Palace Guard had risen up and killed the Prince. Yet, despite the hopes of the new Prince, the war showed no signs of slowing. Other matters were brought to bear when another of Sabbadhine's daughters were "discovered" by Anastaria and Shan as they entered the city, and the Solars discussed what to do next. Killing Sabbadhine was impossible, and even binding her again was not workable. But, in the end, Anastaria and Skyla devised a plan that might work and keep her away from Creation for a century. All that remained was to see if it might possibly work, and for that, the older Twilight needed to see her target.
The Circle tracked Sabbadhine, watching her from concealment. Just in time, it turns out, to watch an assault by a detachment of Rangers and a supporting Wing of Gunzosha Troopers air dropped from a Manta. Everyone thought, at least for a moment, "Maybe this is easier than we thought," but they'd barely had time to think that before three of the Dragon-Blooded were dead and they were suddenly watching Sabbadhine slaughter a bunch of Gunzosha and a few fangs of Rangers. They assisted the Seventh Legion survivors to get away and regroup, drawing Sabbadhine's attention before fading themselves, Skyla tending their wounded while Merayen talked to them and Jackal tried to think of a way to steal all their sensitive equipment (to no avail).
That very evening, once they'd returned to Mar, Menedraile and Jackal discovered that the Lookshy wasn't the only force fielding Dragon-Blooded in the area. A Wyld Hunt was in the area as well, no doubt from Grayfalls. A Wyld Hunt, Menedraile soon learned, that was weak and ready to fall. A Hunt, in fact, that had already suffered more casualties than it could bear given the growing tension on the Blessed Isle (and thus, the reluctance of the Great Houses to send replacements). The Circle was busily planning the utter ruin of the Hunt even as the other Lunars, whom Bright Mane had asked his Elder to send to assist against Sabbadhine, had now arrived and killed another Daughter in the process.
It wasn't much of a surprise that the Hunt was there, of course, when one thought about it. This was quickly looking to be one of the greatest gatherings of Exalted in the Second Age, effectively right out in the open, and facing a monster of destiny. The kind of thing that must sing out amidst the stars. Their plan was likely to wait until the fight began with Sabbadhine, then pick off the combatants one by one. Now that they had shown their hand, picked out of the crowd by one of their targets entirely by accident, their ambush was ruined and their only hope of salvaging it was to disappear. The Solars traced them to their first bolt hole, hastily abandoned, and then further to a vast tower on the edge of what had once been a Wyld Zone (until recently). There was a short battle, and then Skyla helped one of the Lunars send the Tower tumbling down the cliff it overlooked. Killing, as it were, all within.
Final preparations were made. The Prince of Mar was contacted, a writ received giving Jackal control over the armed forces of Mar (which consisted, before the Solars got involved, of every man and boy that could lift a weapon), a plan was hoisted and Menedraile even composed a series of tracts designed to demoralize the Budan Soldiers and ring about a quick loss. Merayen even climbed a mountain to reach a storm god, and ask him to turn the skies to the Solar's advantage and make their divine favor known to the enemy. The plan was perfect; the battle joined and ended nearly a quickly, with few casualties on either side. Sabbadhine, drawn prophetically to places of great bloodshed, would be weaker than ever when the Circle engaged her.
Then, the sky cracked open and the Fair Folk came, and the expertly chosen site for their battle - designed to funnel the two armies into close combat and ensure a quick dirty fight -- was just about the worst place two armies full of mortal men could be. Especially once the Budani started panicking. Hundreds died in those first opening minutes, before the Solars began to pull things back together. Misati rode a Storm Dragon as it chomped on fae, Jackal rallied the groups and Merayen just tried to kill as many Nobles as she could. And Menedraile, he rode out beyond their lines, protected by the oaths of his caste. He rode right up to the leader of the Fae, and the two spoke.
Only minutes later, the battle ended.
The battle with Sabbadhine, which followed swiftly after but not so swiftly that the forces could not recover to some degree, could also be described but it perhaps suffices to say that the Solars Exalted stood side by side with the Lunar Exalted and even the Dragon-Blooded and in the end the monster fell and was banished from Creation for as many as 100 years. That, for the first time in millennium, the Celestial Exalted stood together and cast down their foes. Where one of them alone might have fallen, together, they triumphed and made the world a little better.
And, what came After That?
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