The Risen Shadow

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Prologues

Darker Days Ahead...
Wayfare to an Uncertain Asylum

Summary

(I may have altered things unintentionally because I forgot them. If you remember differently but like the alteration, sweet. If not, lemme know, and we'll straighten shit out. Also, if there's stuff I straight up forgot, that'd be good to know, too.)

The story began with the mixed-Exalt circle re-convening in Great Forks. Arellious and Aktuelle had traveled South, through the Marukan plains, where they ascertained that the blight plaguing their lands was, in fact, the work of necromancy. Their suspicions were further confirmed after a brief attack by the Seven Seasons Widow, who had ventured far into Marukan territory, though the battle was short lived, as the Deathknight had other matters on her mind, and wished not to create such an obvious disturbance outside of Thorns's territory. Lazarus had just returned from Greyfalls, after conducting a series of several successful guerrilla attacks against the Imperial stronghold. Steel Heart's Fury had been attending to his tribe, though was drawn back to Great Forks after he learned that a series of newly arisen, and particularly brutal ancestor cults had been threatening both the welfare and membership of his growing barbarian federation. He deemed Aktuelle best equipped to consult on such a matter, as he feared the involvement of the Deathknights in these cults, as Fury had already slain one nemissary in protection of his tribes.

Once they met up, Aktuelle informed that group that the Council of the Concordat would meet to address the growing incidence of plague in Marukan Alliance - all members of the Council were concerned on such matters, given its proximity to the Mask of Winters' stronghold. The group decided this was the best route to pursue. Though they were strong in and of themselves, protecting the Marukan Alliance would be much easier if they were able to garner the support of the kingdoms within the Confederation of Rivers. Aktuelle planned to ask the Council for the kingdoms to organize help for the Marukan alliance, lest they be made slaves to the Guild, the only other organize who could hope to support the range towns in their famine. Fury, though less interested in the affairs of urban governments, agreed to accompany the group, as he had reason to believe the cult had its origins in the wild area around Nexus. Thus, the group set out to travel to Nexus, and though their journey was free of peril, it would be the last time the Exalts would have such luxury in the months to come.

In Nexus, the councilor and astrologer Takeshi Irugawa was known as a diehard nightlifer, and had as of late been courted about the city by Taguhla, a wealthy Guild investor. He'd been grooming Takeshi for market information, and, as the main organizer of a potential caravan outing to the Marukan alliance, hoped to find out whether the investment was a good one, or if official help from the Confederation of Rivers would make a Guild outing in Marukan a worthless venture. Little did he know that Takeshi was in fact a rogue Deathknight, Whispers from Beyond, already with a set of troubles of his own (see Wayfare to an Uncertain Asylum for more about that). Thus, it was unsettling to Takeshi when he encountered Typhon, the Mask of Winters' foremost agent in Creation, at an upscale Nexus casino. The meeting was short lived, however, as Typhon dropped a few ominous witticisms and made his way out. Though the encounter was unnerving, Typhon's presence in Nexus was to be expected, as he was the Voice of Thorns, a representative to the Council of the Concordat.

The group's first night in Nexus was already frought with peril - tracked and cornered by agents of the All-Seeing-Eye, Lazarus and Typhon teamed up to slaughter the unsuspecting, would-be assassin. It was unfortunate for Lazarus, however, that the scuffle was in dire proximity to his lodging for the evening. Typhon, who had more spacious accommodations, fled the scene quickly, and the group was left to deal with Takehsi's investigation into the eight murders that had occured. Remus, who had some clout with the Council of Entities, was able to bargain for some slack, and things proceeded ahead.

Fury, in the meantime, had been looking into the origin of the newly formed ancestor cults, and seemed to have been able to trace them back to an old, grey-bearded man, who shall henceforth be referred to as The Grey Man. The Grey Man, nearing the end of his life, had approached the Deathknight White Bone Sinner, an ambassador to Sijan from the Deathlord Walker in Darkness, in hopes of obtaining a proper burial in the grave city. When the White Bone Sinner obliged, people claiming to be Grey Man's friends and family soon began to flock to White Bone Sinner, beseeching him to lead them in praise of their dead ancestors. Always eager to encourage recognition of the dead, the Deathknight, though puzzled, agreed to take the reigns of the cult. It is unknown whether it was at his urging or random impulse that the cult soon began to turn to ritual rape and human sacrifice, but its affairs became increasingly more widespread and brutal, which is what had drawn Fury's notice.

The meeting of the Council began, and it was soon apparent that a sharp divide was beginning to form. Arbogassu Remus, the ambadassador to the Council of the Concordat from the Marukan Alliance, delivered an impassioned speech condemning the Council's acceptance of blatant evil in its lands by continuing to grant Thorns membership. Not at all hesitant to abuse his powers as an Eclipse Caste Solar, he easily won the favor the council with his initial proclamation.

Characters

Player Characters

Storyteller Characters

Solar Exalts

Sidereal Exalts

Lunar Exalts

Abyssal Exalts

Terrestrial Exalts

Mortals

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