Legacy-Timeline

The Season of Wood: A season of planting and late-Spring-like weather, with Descending Wood beginning to warm up significantly. Some places that get warm early may have a first harvest by the end of this season.

The Season of Fire: The hottest season, a time of long light and growing, with Summer-like temperatures. Most places feature a first harvest by the end of this season, though some are already into a second harvest.

The Season of Earth: A time of warmth and ripening, without the stifling heat of the Season of Fire. Late Summer-like weather for most of the season, with early-Autumn-like weather and harvests happening at the end of Descending Earth.

The Season of Air: Starting off with colder early-Autumn-style weather featuring trees shedding leaves. Harvests of vines and trees tend to occur in Resplendent Air. Cools significantly by the end of Ascending Air and is very cold and winter-like through Descending Air.

The Season of Water: Very Winter-like in early Ascending Water, but beginning to warm up, with snows melting and an early Spring coming in Resplendent Water. Early planting begins then.

Calibration: The five days "outside of time" in Creation, when the veils between the world of spirits and the world of mortals drops, and the cracks between Creation and the Underworld, Malfeas and the Wyld widen enough to allow things to slip through. An uncanny time, one best spent in the company of others. Many settlements bar their gates and don't allow travelers in during the five days of Calibration. Essence regeneration increases by 50% during Calibration.

Pre-Chronicle

• 748: The Autocrat of Thorns dies. His younger son conspires with the Realm to invade the Confederation of Rivers in exchange for the throne of Thorns. The Realm sends a complement of Dragon-Blooded “advisors” to aid the younger son in his bid for power. Afterward, the Scarlet Empress legitimizes the usurper. The Realm then sends additional “advisory” forces to Thorns, along with a large supply of First Age armaments, under the pretense of loaning them to the Realm’s new ally.
• 752: The army of Thorns, bulwarked by Realm troops, invades the western states of the Confederation of Rivers. The war quickly turns against Thorns, as its soldiers are unused to war, while the troops of the Scavenger Lands’ heartlands have been hardened by the region’s constant state of conflict. Urged on by his Dragon-Blooded advisors, the Autocrat of Thorns has little choice but to pour more and more jade and lives into the conflict.
• 754: The forces of Thorns and their Dragon-Blooded allies are defeated at the Battle of Mishaka. With its military annihilated, Thorns teeters on the brink of civil war. The Autocrat maintains his rule only thanks to his Dragon-Blooded allies.
• 761: The Bull of the North sends a portion of his forces to attack the Rokan-jin and Talinin tribes south of the Linowan.
• 762: The Linowan send aid to the Rokan-jin and Talinin tribes against the rumored Anathema known as the Bull of the North. The raiding escalates to open warfare that continues all year.
• 763: The Scarlet Empress is publicly acknowledged as having vanished. The Linowan, having faced the demons and magic of the Bull of the North's armies, send a request to the Realm. The Tepet Legions arrive to aid the Linowan. Shortly thereafter, the Bull of the North and other Anathema engage the Tepet Legions. The Bull of the North and the Tepet Legions go back and forth, without decisive victory on either side.
• 764: The Council of the Empty Throne. Armies of Mask of Winters attack and sack Thorns. Early in the year, the Bull of the North strikes a decisive blow against the Tepet Legions, nearly destroying them. A contingent of the Wyld Hunt arrives to aid the Tepet Legions, but they are destroyed utterly. The Battle of Futile Blood, the Bull of the North slaughters the remainder of the Tepet Legions, under the command of Tepet Arada, in the Valley of Shards.
• 768: Chronicle Begins

Prelude:Training of the Solars

Realm Year 768

Resplendent Earth

• Chapter One: Ancient Heroes
• 27: Aapo arrives in Mahanaga and meets the rest of the Solars.

Descending Earth

• 4: Abbot Uncompromising Viper returns to Mahanaga and meets with the Solars, explaining why he's offered them sanctuary and training. The Abbot leads them to an ancient Solar manse in the mountains above the monastery to further discuss their circumstances and teach them how to attune their essence to that of the manse.
• 6: Abbot Uncompromising Viper and twelve of his Serpent Monks lead the Solars to a secluded area of the mountains to test their control over essence through combat sparring. The twelve monks pair off and fight the Solars. The sparring goes relatively well until one of the monks is severely injured by Crimson Slate. The sparring session is called to an immediate halt to tend to the monk's wounds, when Tobias approaches and uses his powers of medicine to heal the fallen monk. After the battle, the Abbot calls the Solars to an instructive session to discuss the power of combos and guides them in developing these powerful skills.
• 12: Abbot Uncompromising Viper and the Solars return to the private sparring grounds in the mountains to continue their training. This time the Abbot paired the Solars off against each other. Aapo vs. Alabaster Mountain, Crimson Slate vs. Whispering Bear and Sapphire Veil vs. Tobias. After a dramatic light show of animas and essence powered attacks the sparring match was concluded and the Solars returned to Mahanaga to rest and heal, having learned a great deal from this single match of how their powers work and react to other supernaturals.
• 21: Harvest Festival of Mahanaga, a day of revelry and celebration when the people of Mahanaga fill the streets & public places of the town to praise their local fertility fox god, the White Field Steward. Alabaster Mountain honored the people by participating in the ceremony by helping bear the holy shrine in its passage amongst the people. The other Solars enjoyed and/or observed the festival in their own ways.
  • Everyone was surprised when a number of foxes emerged from the shine carried by Alabaster Mountain and other locals. The foxes scurried about in threes and each set came to rest in front of each Solar. Then the White Field Steward himself emerged from the shrine. He bestowed blessings upon many of the locals and then retreated back into his shrine. One of each of the three foxes then invited the Solars to join their master in his home.
  • The Solars all accepted and followed the fox guides through a portal to another place where food & drink awaited them. They were bid to eat & drink and shortly after they were joined by the White Field Steward. They spoke of many things and the small god asked for their forgiveness for having accrued followers of his own in order to maintain his domain and the wellbeing of his people. The Solars commended his actions and discussed the power of faith and followers further with him.
  • The Solars and White Field Steward returned to the celebration in Mahanaga and spent the evening enjoying the festivities as the god spread more of his blessings amongst his people. Many of the Solars spent time and shared conversation with the Steward and the Abbot. Eventually the White Field Steward, Aapo and Alabaster Mountain retired back to his realm to enjoy each others company in private.
  • Late in the evening the other Solars, save for Whispering Bear who had fallen asleep during the celebration, and the Abbot were alerted to a non-Guild caravan that had recently arrived that had been attacked. Crimson Slate, Sapphire Veil and Tobias questioned the caravan, specifically Iron Crow, the leader of the guards, and discovered that the caravan had been attacked by a pair of simian demons and men intent to capture slaves. The Solars agreed to investigate the situation and Sapphire Veil volunteered Alabaster Mountain's name as their leader.
  • Sapphire Veil had Alabaster Mountain and Aapo retrieved from their carnal pleasures in the Steward's realm and informed Alabaster Mountain of what had occurred and he immediately took to championing the task.
• 22: The next morning the Solars receive an invitation to parlay from Guild members, Sandusk Mantir and Emerald Heaven. The party is gathered together and manages to escape the Alabaster Mountain Fan Club Parade long enough to meet with the two esteemed Guild members. The Guild suggests a business venture regarding those kidnapped by the slavers the previous evening. The Guild offers to pay the Solars a tidy sum of money in exchange for the rescued slaves to be taken into Guild custody and then sold. Many of the Solars, who do not support slavery, are appalled by the notion and decline their offer, after Whispering Bear manages to relieve one of the Guildsmen of some of his personal effects. This is followed by a general discussion amongst the Solars regarding each others viewpoints on slavery.
  • The Solars depart and prepare for their journey. While Alabaster Mountain and Aapo exercise & spar amongst a throng of Alabaster Mountain's pet children and admirers, Whispering Bear speaks with White Fields Steward about the fate of the victims of the slaver attack. The two of them come up with a plan for those who would be homeless upon rescue. The Steward will send one of his children with the Solars that will mark the freed slaves, immunizing them from Guild interests. They will be given the option to serve the Steward by tending his sacred field, normally manned by the families of Mahanaga. This will benefit the Steward, the families who will no longer need to spare workers to tend his fields and provide a home, to be built, to those rescued from the slavers. The Steward sends Taruzake, a sassy three-tailed fox god of rice wine, with Whispering Bear. Crimson Slate haggles a bewildered horse vendor out of some horses at a very neat price and is kind enough to provide horses to Tobias, Whispering Bear and Sapphire Veil as they did not already possess one of their own. The companions gear & mount up with some delays...primarily due to Sapphire Veil's terrible dislike for the smell of the horse, and depart Mahanaga in search of the slavers and to rescue their captives.
• 24: Halfway through the third day of travel, the party comes across the site where the caravan had been attacked. The slavers had obviously covered their tracks well and the party searches for hours and are unable to find any clues as to where the attackers went afterwards as if they had simply vanished. Kanji eventually awakens from his nap and immediately points out the terribly obvious & poorly covered tracks that the silly Solars are too dim witted to notice.
  • The Solars follow the trail and are suddenly ambushed by monkey demons who descend from the trees above them to attack. The party makes quick work of them and continues tracking their prey and soon come across two sentries. One begins to run away and is immediately dispatched by Whispering Bear as she riddles him full of arrows in less than a second. The other sentry seeing what had become of his companion immediately surrenders. Crimson Slate interrogates the surviving sentry and receives information about the slavers and their camp. After being oath-bound by Crimson Slate he is allowed to depart and flees, much to the disappointment of Aapo who was looking forward to cutting him up.
  • The Solars soon come across the slaver camp around a cave and come up with a plan of attack and quickly engage the enemy. While Alabaster Mountain and Aapo move towards the camp openly with animas flaring for all to see, the others move in stealth. Alabaster Mountain's Zenith anima frightens one of the demon monkeys off, leaving one more for them to deal with. The mortals prove to be little to worry about, but there are two Dragonblooded and one quickly dispatches Tobias who falls to the ground dying...
  • The battle was scattered about the gorge but happened in a flash. Whispering Bear after dispatching a human slaver with a wielded arrow to the face, faced off with the air aspect dragonblood woman who surrounded herself with a storm of sleet. At that time two more demon monkeys manifested, one with each of the dragonblooded. During the battle Taruzake slinked up to Tobias and used his powers to heal the fallen monk, first enough to become conscious, though he continued to feign unconsciousness so as not to draw unwanted attention to them. Taruzake then expended the remainder of his power to heal Tobias well enough to join his companions.
  • Aapo drew on the power of his anima and sent the demon that was attacking him and Alabaster Mountain back beyond the boundaries of Creation. Crimson Slate and Sapphire Veil both assaulted the fire aspect dragonblood with a hurricane of twirling boomerangs and flashing fans. Suddenly the air aspect began to run. Whispering Bear determined not to allow her to escape and call down a hunt upon them all began to spring after her, releasing an arrow with each jump. Three arrows were knocked and released into the fleeing dragonblood's body. Whispering Bear then drew a forth and fortified it with a massive surge of essence and released it, the arrow struck and passed through the woman like a lightning bolt, killing her instantly as she exploded. As soon as she fell, the two remaining demon monkeys looked towards each other, grinned & vanished, liberated from her control.
  • Suddenly Alabaster Mountain hefted Aapo up in his mighty arms and hurled him through the air like a catapult stone towards the fire aspect, leaving a highly annoyed Kanji sitting atop Alabaster's head. The dragonblood countered the living, swearing projectile by jumping into the air, using the flying Aapo's head as a stepping stone to vault over him & came to land lightly upon the ground on the other side of him with a smile as a halo of intense heat sprang forth around him. Aapo on the other hand landed not quite as gently on his head, his hair & beard singing from the fiery aura emanating from the fiery exalt. The fire aspect made a feeble & pointless attack on the upside down Aapo that set him spinning on his head like a top. Aapo used this gift of momentum to make another anima backed attack that sent the man once again flying through the air. No smiles that time. He landed in a heap, dying, but not dead. Crimson Slate picked up a rock from the ground and unceremoniously chucked it at the fallen man. Dead.
  • The battle was won, and the surviving humans dropped their weapons and immediately surrendered to the Solars, most of whom were radiating intense light at that point. They were interrogated and Crimson Slate, her anima flaring brightly extracted god-sealed oaths from each of them that they would never speak of what they had seen that day. They submitted to her will and took her hand, with the light of her anima bearing down upon them like judgment, leaving each of them shaken, bound by the gods and with pure white hair and garments.
  • A white flag signaling from the cave revealed that another party was present and requesting parlay. A Guildsman named Prosperous Standard and his employees emerged from the cave. He explained that he was there on simple business and nothing more. When demanded to submit to an oath from Crimson Slate he refused to be bound by her sorceries. When threatened he smirked and asked if they would fight a god. Crimson Slate looked into the unseen and saw that Prosperous Standard and his men were warded by a god, who was also present, though invisible to normal sight. Prosperous Standard stated that he would not speak of current events nor of them to anyone, that it would benefit him in no way, especially as he was sure that if he were to do so, they would hunt him down, something he would much prefer to avoid. As for his men, he was not going chance his own well being to their flapping mouths and allowed Crimson Slate to oathbind each of them as she had the slavers.
  • Prosperous Standard and his crew depart and some of the Solars began to explore the caves and free the terrified and confused slaves, happy to have been rescued by these brave...and kind...anathema??? Sapphire Veil made sure that Alabaster Mountain was first seen of the rescuers, praising his greatness and kindness as he released the captives, making sure that everyone of them knew his name and how brave and valiant he was. The other Solars searched the bodies of the dragonblooded, claiming their artifacts and then entered the caves and gathered up further artifacts that the dragonblooded had been collecting. Amongst these mysterious treasures was a letter from one Torfalhen-Dar that was addressed to Winter Star. The letter, written by a Savant in Nexus explained much about the artifacts the dragonblooded were carrying with them as well as hints to further information about untapped dig sites that could contain more of such treasures. The slaves were freed and the ex-slavers were made to prepare the many goods & supplies in the cavern for future retrieval.
  • The Solars, ex-slaves & ex-slavers spent a night in the cave, with two people on watch at any given time during the night. The letter and the prospect of further dig sites was discussed as well as the fate of the captured slavers. The Solars discuss and distributed some of the artifacts they had claimed amongst themselves.
• 25: The following morning the Solars, the grateful, though bewildered ex-slaves and the far more bewildered white haired ex-slavers departed and made the trek back to Mahanaga. The journey took much longer with this larger group, with wagons and some on foot. Sapphire Veil took this opportunistic time to further seeding the glory and virtue of Alabaster Mountain amongst the people.

Ascending Air

• 3: After several days of travel the Solars return to Mahanaga with the light of the new day rising dramatically behind him, carefully timed and orchestrated by Sapphire Veil, with the rescued captives and captured bandits, Alabaster Mountain boldly leading the way into the town. They are greeted with exited cheers and a throng of people, curious citizens, Alabaster Mountains fan club and overjoyed survivors of the caravan attack as they are reunited with loved ones they had thought lost to them forever. Sapphire Veil wasted no time in spreading the tale about how the magnificent Alabaster Mountain and his friends had stormed into the camp and struck down the villains like a hammer of justice, smiting their leaders, liberating the captives and showing mercy to those men and women who had been led astray so that they could do good in the world in his resplendent name.
  • Abbot Uncompromising Viper arrived and took the Solars aside to discuss the captured slavers. With the permission and attendance of the Solars he took the slavers within the monastery and explained carefully and calmly to them as a group that they had been given an opportunity to start anew. A fresh start that not many would get and that they should take some time to reflect upon their lives and their futures. The Abbot's silverly tattoos then began to shimmer and slither about his skin as he transformed into a massive snake beast. In a cold snaky voice he told them that if they did not heed his words and embrace this opportunistic gift of a new start that the Solars had blessed them with, and that if they ever did any harm to anyone in his city that there would be nowhere in the world that they could hide that he would not find them and kill them. The Abbot resumed his human form and had the ex-slavers taken to private quarters where they were to be given food and drink and time to think about their futures.
  • The Abbot informed the Solars that his master, Potrimpos: The Vermillion Serpent had awoken and wished to speak with them and that they should go immediately as he would not be awake for long. The Abbot and Solars began to ascended the snake filled stairs of the monastery, taking care to avoid stepping on any of the sacred serpents. He explained that his master was not only the god of Mahanaga, but the god of all snakes in Creation and that they are normally drawn to him, but even more so when he is awake. This did nothing to soothe the panicked fox dancing atop Aapo's head, but the others, while impressed, took it in stride. As they walked the Solars discussed with the Abbot the letter from Torfalhen-Dar, the rumors of a Lunar manse, artifacts and the Savant in Nexus himself. The Abbot was intrigued by all of this, but felt that the manse would more than likely be an Abyssal manse, not Lunar.
  • The Abbot led them into a massive chamber shaped like an inverted pyramid with a platform that led out over a pit filled with thousands of slithering snakes. The Abbot introduced his master, Potrimpos: The Vermillion Serpent, God of Mahanaga, god of all serpents and Herald of the Unconquered Sun. A massive serpent with shimmering scales and quills of orihalcum materialized and rose from the writhing sea of snakes, uncloaking his massive serpent hood, he came to gaze upon those gathered before him. Some bowed, some threw themselves to the ground, some averted their eyes, while others continued to stand before him gazing upon his majesty.
  • Potrimpos spoke to them, explained his tale. That he had been the Herald of the Unconquered Sun in times passed. That the Unconquered Sun had at some point turned his face from Creation for reasons unknown and that he himself had been betrayed and gone into hiding here, where he is protected and unseen, but at a cost - being here makes him sleep for very long periods of time. He asked of their exaltations and was intrigued to find that the Unconquered Sun had spoken to each of them. That they had been given a destiny. He explained that many over the years since the Unconquered Sun had turned his face away had exalted, but none had heard his voice. Until now. He was sure that this meant something. That the Unconquered Sun had taken an interest in Creation once again and that they were his sign, they were given a destiny from him and that he would help them to see it through. The Solars asked what he would advise them to do first and he stated that they first needed to be equipped. That they needed artifacts and tools that would aid them in the coming times and trials they would have to face. In addition to the letter they had found and it's promise of potential dig sites, Potrimpos stated that he knew of tombs and lairs of previous Solars from the ages before. He would share this information with them so that they could go forth and seek the treasures they would need in order to fulfill their destinies given to them by the Unconquered Sun.
• Chapter Two: The Serpent Awakens
• 7: After hearing about a mysterious sickness that had struck a nearby village, Tobias and the Abbot left Mahanaga in order to lend their abilities to those in need. The remaining Solars were summoned by Potrimpos and he informed them that Father of the Pale Embrace, the god of ghost pythons, was currently researching and searching for the manse located in the Black Chase, where ghost pythons are native. He discusses Ascending Abyss, a bat totem and of the beastmen that dwell in the forest and about beastmen in general, descendants of Lunars that are able to breed. He then discusses with them the power and potential importance of sorcery and offers his skills to those who seek them. Finally he spoke with Alabaster Mountain about the Zenith Caste and their priestly roles not only as the only true priests of the Unconquered Sun but also as priests of all gods and the rights and powers that they are due.
• 9: Two days passed since the Solars had met with Potrimpos. Tobias and the Abbot were still away tending to the sick. The others were spending their time training (Alabaster Mountain learning about his Zenith powers from Potrimpos), exploring or else finding new ways of entertaining themselves while saying in Mahanaga (Aapo started a night time fight club with some of the locals & visitors).
  • While out exploring the areas surrounding Mahanaga, Crimson Slate discovered two human corpses that had been mutilated and looked as if some of their organs had been missing. Crimson Slate summoned some of the others and some monks and moved the bodies into the monastery. While the procession was passing through town, Aapo was passing by and Whispering Bear lept from...whatever unseen place tree-people like to lurk and perched on the litter holding the dead. Aapo and Whispering Bear identified the missing organs as their hearts. Aapo continued on to the pub and Whispering Bear joined the ohters. The White Fields Steward(ess), currently a female due to the season, was summoned in hopes of being able to identify them, though she was unable to do so.
  • While the others concerned themselves with the dead, Aapo, after trading Kanji to Ginger for a bowl of cherries and then having to rescue his companion from being king of the local children's marble competition, was enjoying a drink with a man he had just met earlier that day named Trout...just Trout, who kept going on about some grand wedding party the day before. Aapo listened to him and continued to feed him drinks in the hopes of getting laid.
  • That night, the Abbot returned to Mahanaga and spoke with the Solars about the deceased. Crimson Slate took a sampling of cloth & hair from one of them and Alabaster Mountain used his priestly powers to cremate their bodies and release what remained of who they once were into the universe. The Abbot received the hair and cloth from Crimson Slate and took them to Potrimpos to see if he had any wisdom on the situation.
  • Later that evening, while Aapo was enjoying a drink with his feet up on a table, Trout returned to the bar and shambled up to the bar. The barkeep spoke with him and looked confused, but not as confused as Trout seemed to be. Aapo went and sat next to his new friend to check and see what was wrong with him. He was barely responsive and seemed very distant. Then suddenly he bent towards Aapo, obviously intent on kissing him. Well Aapo, not one to turn down the advances of other men, let him. That's when he felt the leggy crawly thing trying to enter his mouth through the kiss. Aapo bit down, severing the vile thing in half and spat it out. In an instant, he had grabbed Trout flipped him about and threw him out through the window into the street. Leaping out after him, he choked him into unconsciousness while sending Kanji to fetch Crimson Slate, thinking this something more in her field of knowledge.
  • Kanji reached Crimson Slate who quickly translated his frantic appearance minus his lumbering companion to mean trouble and followed him. The others who had been with her also followed and they arrived to find Aapo sitting atop Trout's body, fighting to keep a great many insects inside his body that were trying to escape.
  • As soon as he saw what was happening, Alabaster Mountain identified the threat as heart wasps. Crimson Slate and the others convince the locals to return to their homes, but seeing as they all continued to watch the spectacle, Aapo channeled his essence to fuel a command that sent them all fleeing into the recesses of their homes, away from windows. Just in time, as animas were about to begin to flare up in the street. The Solars looked around and saw that eight people remained, unaffected by Aapo's charm. Eight people, obviously infested and controlled by heart wasps. Alabaster Mountain quickly set Trout's body on fire, destroying the wasps infesting him and the eight charged the Solars to attack.
  • The fight was brief. Aapo had cleaved some of the villagers in half, releasing a swarm of wasps into the air and Whispering Bear plugged some with arrows, killing them, but not spewing forth their buggy contents. Alabaster Mountain reached THROUGH the wall of the tap room and grabbed a keg of rice wine that he knew was there from previous visits and hurled the container into the fray where he had already lobbed some flaming lanterns and the conflagration of flaming wine consumed the airborne wasps, singing a still grateful Aapo in the process. Whispering Bear emerged from the tap room with large grain sacks, bagged & tied up the remaining survivors.
  • The Abbot arrived and led the glowing Solars with the surviving infected villagers to the cloister where they were to be treated. More of the victims die from the heart wasps inside their bodies and when Alabaster Mountain goes to perform their final rights, he discovers that his anima is also capable of destroying the wasps.
  • Meanwhile Sapphire Veil was out in the streets and overheard some gossip about the indiscretions of a certain recent bride who was currently in the barracks kissing everyone. She quickly returns to the cloister with this news and the Solars with the Abbot quickly rush towards the barracks before the problem is allowed to spread further. Crimson Slate remained with the alchemist who was speedily working on the tea-based treatment for the heart wasps.
  • The other surrounded the barracks and everyone but Aapo entered. The guards were taken aback at the sight of Whispering Bear with her anima glowing and the bride, Jasmine, quickly began to kiss more men in an obviously desperate attempt to further spread the heart wasps as much as she could before being apprehended. Many of the guards came to Jasmine's defense and then Sapphire Veil stepped forth and spoke to those gathered, convincing them that Jasmine was dangerous and being controlled by an evil force and that they had come to capture and save her from this threat. The guards stepped back, allowing Whispering Bear to bag Jasmine. The Abbot explains to the guards about the heart wasps and they are all led from the barracks to the cloister where they would receive treatment.
  • While Alabaster Mountain and the Abbot treated those infected in the cloister and Aapo and Whispering Bear hid out in the cellars while waiting for their animas to stop glowing, Crimson Slate and Sapphire Veil left and began to travel about the town doing damage control. They were spreading rumors and talking to the people, explaining away the strange lights they may have seen, claiming that there had been a fire, and about the heart wasps. They asked that any and all people visit the monks at the cloister in order to receive treatment so that the danger would not spread.
  • While traveling the town, Crimson Slate and Sapphire Veil came across the very same woman who they had found dead earlier that same day, up and about and very much not dead. The two of them pursued this woman, called Mable by the humans present, upstairs where a large mastiff composed of elemental air materialized and attacked them while Mable made her escape. Crimson Slate's aura flares and goes fully totemic as she draws upon massive amounts of essence to fuel a powerful sorcery that pulls the elemental creature apart and unravels the magic that bound it to Creation. The two women speed past and catch up to Mable, who transforms into a horrid centipede beastman.
  • Meanwhile, Kanji who had been enjoying the Abbot's shoulder perch, giving him advice on how best to treat his patients and what he likes best about fish and the proper way to shoot marbles, happened to notice and recognize Crimson Slate's totemic anima light flaring from a distant building window and immediately alerted Aapo through their bond. Aapo informs Whispering Bear and the two bolt from the cellars, joined moments later by Alabaster Mountain who had also been alerted by Kanji. The three race through the streets (or roof tops in the case of Whispering Bear) to aid their friends. The Abbot and Kanji remain in the cloister to tend to the sick.
  • The fight with the centipede beast continues inside the house and Sapphire Veil is terrible wounded and poisoned. The creature transforms and escapes onto the rooftop where it shifts into the form of a man. Those rushing towards the building see the man atop the roof begin to release a massive amount of essence that he begins to shape into sorcery...
  • The centipede beast completes his spell and summons forth another air mastiff. Just as he completes his spell Whispering Bear closes the distance and plugs him with arrows, knocking him off the roof and he crashes to the street and lies there. Just at this time Tobias, who had returned to Mahanaga and was drawn by the commotion, comes across the fallen man and immediately goes to his aid. Once he reaches the man and recognizes the arrows as his companions, he instead raises his foot to stomp the mans head into the ground. The supposedly unconscious man suddenly rolls out of the way of Tobias' lethal foot as it crashes upon where his head was seconds before.
  • Crimson Slate picks up the terribly injured Sapphire Veil, who clings dramatically to the coils of life, making sure to remind Crimson Slate of this fact, and gets her out of the building.
  • Whispering Bear fires another volley of arrows at the air mastiff and it explodes in a burst of raw elemental air that assaults her, though she dodges it with ease. Crimson Slate hearing the sounds of battle behind her, sets the poisoned and battered Sapphire Veil, who swoons and coughs most dramatically, down and races back to the fight. Crimson rushes around and sees Tobias fighting the creature and hurls her sky cutter through the air and pins him to a wall. The beast transforms into a small centipede and escapes her weapon and then shifts back into his horrific beastman form, now encompassed by a strange silvery aura and a queer silvery caste mark shining brightly upon his brow.
  • Tobias decides to attack the beast with a building and effortlessly levels the building, dropping it right on top of him. Crimson Slate rushes back to find Sapphire Veil staggering and leaving a trail of aesthetic and artfully planned bloody hand prints and streaks of blood as she slowly moves towards the cloister. Crimson Slate catches her up and they begin to race towards the cloister, passing by Whispering Bear as she speeds towards where Tobias and the creature were fighting. Sapphire Veil is dropped off with Grace and as soon as Crimson Slate is out of sight, she drops the facade of weakness and begins to command her servant around, demanding immediate medical attention.
  • At about this time, Kanji was enjoying a nice bowl of fish provided by a young monk named Moving With A Cranes Grace Under the Moon when he witnessed a panther-woman appear and attack the Abbot at the same time another monk shifted into a horrid goat-man and flanked him from behind. Within seconds they had assaulted and taken out the Abbot. Kanji sent an immediate distress to Aapo and a view of what had happened. The assembled monks quicly overcame their shock and attacked the bests who fought back.
  • Aapo, pissed at this diversion and alarmed that his defenseless Kanji was now virtually alone with these monsters, found his center, the Red Dawn and he drew forth power and knowledge from a previous life, granting him new abilities. He grabbed Alabaster Mountain and sprang forth towards the cloister where the monsters were, where the Abbot laid dead or dying and most importantly, where Kanji hid waiting for him. Taking impossible leaps through the air they arrived in seconds and came crashing through a cloister window to attack the beasts.
  • Aapo dropped Alabaster Mountain near the goatman, while he faced the catwoman. While Aapo and the catwoman do a lethal melee dance with each other, Alabaster Mountain is troubled when the goatman leaps out of range and draws forth a bow and fires on him. Alabaster Mountain uses his tetsubo to deftly parry the arrows aside. Suddenly Crimson Slate comes riding in upon her magnificent mount and hurls her sky cutter towards the goatman. Then it's two sky cutters. Then four, then eight, then eighty zillion...or so it would seem. They swirl through the air like a swarm of deadly silver bats and converge upon the goatman. Outside Sapphire Veil easily determines that more fighting is happening within the cloister and decides that it is in her best interest to seek aid elsewhere and begins the trek up the mountain towards the manse and Potrimpos.
  • Suddenly the catwoman roars in victory as she takes Aapo down and runs from their personal arena to join her companion. Whispering Bear comes into range and fires a volley of arrows at the goatman, who counters by shooting his own array of arrows, taking each of hers out. Then the goat does something strange, he sings, and Alabaster Mountain and Crimson Slate find that they are suddenly overcome with a horrific fear of goats and seek to flee him. Then Crimson Slate is taken by a second need, a powerful urge to...have sex? The goatman then shouts, "This is done!", transforms into a bird and vanishes from sight.
  • While Crimson Slate, her mind filled with carnal needs and desires, rushes and alarmed Alabaster Mountain, the catwoman makes good her escape and transforms into a bird and begins to fly away. Whispering Bear has other plans, though, and fires another volley of arrows, crucifying the air in midflight and ending it's life. The bird crashed to the ground and transformed back into the lifeless creatures true form.
  • Tobias arrived and immediately tends to Aapo and the Abbot, both of whom still lived. First thing Aapo asks upon being revived is whether or not they killed them. Upon hearing that Whispering Bear took out the catwoman, he hugged her, much to her shock.
  • Sapphire Veil, who had been making the trek up to see Potrimpos, reached the manse and informed him of what all had come to pass that she knew of. Potrimpos sensed that her poison had already been broken down and informed her. He identified the creature as a child of Luna, a Lunar not unlike the Abbot himself. Sapphire Veil continued to speak with and convinced Potrimpos that he should help them and he agreed to leave the manse and accompany her. He vanished from sight and began to travel alongside her as they descended from the mountain. Crimson Slate and Alabaster Mountain left the cloister and were headed towards the manse when they came across Sapphire Veil, Grace and the serpent god that they could both see with their sight beyond sight. The two of them catch Sapphire Veil and Potrimpos up on what all else had happened.
  • Potrimpos bids Crimson Slate to gather her Circle and meet him at the Mahanaga platform. He then commands the multitude of white fox spirits that had come forth to observe him in awe to go forth and summon all the people of Mahanaga to the platform. Once the Solars, all the residents, visitors and gods of Mahanaga are present at the platform, Potrimpos manifests for all to see. The sight of him and the light emanating from his being calms and soothes the gathered crowd. He speaks to them all, explains that for 200 years they had whispered and prayed to him, though unsure that he truly existed and that he has come to thank them all for enduring the recent events that had befallen them. He stated that tonight their sovereignty was attacked and the beloved Abbot betrayed. And that it was these, the children of the Unconquered Sun, who had come to their aid. These strangers had risked their all to save them. And that the people of Mahanaga would repay this kindness with their silence. Mahanaga has enjoyed a wonderful peace and prosperity for years. But if they were to speak of what they now know, it would definitely come to and end. Potrimpos then addressed those visitors gathered, informing them that he can hear wherever in the world serpents exist and that if they were to betray the people of Mahanaga...
  • And left it at that. Potrimpos dismissed the gathering and sent them all home. Before retreating to his manse, Potrimpos shares one more thing with the Solars. He states that they had asked who had replaced him as the herald of the Unconquered Sun, and now he remembered. It is a god called Glory to the Highest. He then vanished and returned to the safety of the manse.
  • Sapphire Veil called a conference and the Solars discussed a great many things and plans. Some felt it was time to go. There was fear for the Abbot and fear for the well being of Potrimpos who had come out from the safety of his manse. But they couldn't stay and play babysitters for gods and Lunars forever. They had things that must be done. And these things would require them to leave Mahanaga. They decided they would meet with the Abbot and then Potrimpos to discuss their plans with them and seek their wisdom and guidance.
• 10: The following day, the Solars performed a public spectacle, where Alabaster Mountain used his Zenith powers to destroy the heart wasps and cure all of those who were infected, giving praise to the greatness of the Unconquered Sun while doing so. Tobias watched in disgust from afar, not sharing his companions new ideologies that they were the true rulers of Creation. He still clung to his humanity and felt that they had allowed their new powers to go to their heads. Sapphire Veil shared the stage with Alabaster Mountain, giving praise to him and his kindness and pressing upon those cured to spread the word. Aapo, now being constantly tailed by the inquisitive Ginger, decided to entertain himself by selling sausages on sticks to the crowd. He donated the proceeds, as well as the bag of silver he had gained from the defeated slavers, to the White Fields Steward, who he rather liked and he supports any cause that involves alcohol.
  • Later that morning, the Solars met with the Abbot who had been further tended to by Tobias' healing powers. They discussed the attackers, who he stated were locals. He had seen them before at Silver Pact moots. He did not know why they had attacked him, though he suspected it may be because he belonged to a pro-Solar faction called the Sun King Seneschal, a less than popular group with many Lunars. He wagered a guess that they probably belonged to the Crossroad Society faction, though was unsure. When they Solars discussed plans to leave Mahanaga, he expressed his desire to go with them rather than stay, an offer they accepted.
  • Leaving the Abbot to his rest, attended by Nurse Ginger (who Aapo had decided to claim as his official squire and apprentice) and her assistant Kanji, the Solars traveled to the manse to meet with Potrimpos again. The serpent god suggested that they remain in Mahanaga for now until the location of the Sun Spire, a tomb to a whole circle of Solars, was confirmed and they could be properly equipped. At that point they would go forth into the world to do whatever it is they are meant to do.
  • They discussed the Lunars with him. He suggested that any moonsilver the had gained, especially that gained from the fallen catwoman, be given to the Abbot so that he could return it to them. The Lunars feel that moonsilver is their birthright and do not like others to possess it and it may go a long way in calming them if they were to honor this claim. He explains that the Silver Pact are barbarian in nature. That after the Usurpation, many Lunars fled to the wilds and that overtime they had absorbed much of the barbarian culture of those regions.
  • Potrimpos also wished to not that during the First Age, every Solar had a Lunar mate and that it is possible to encounter a Lunar who may very well "resonate" with them, with strong emotions connecting them. He warns that this bond may be very one sided, though. That while the Solars may feel admiration and affection towards the Lunar, the Lunar may be battling a sense of loss of self as they fight the urge to serve the Solar, which could turn ugly. Potrimpos, wishing to remain in contact with them once they depart, states that he shall teach Alabaster Mountain the prayers that will allow him to speak to the serpent god and that he shall be able to respond to him in dreams.
  • The Solars descend from the manse and return to a different Mahanaga than what they had come to know. The people know who they are, what they are. Many love them for what they had done, but many will fear them and some will hate them. None of them can be invisible anymore, none can pretend to be another nameless person in the crowd. And now the Solars also know that dangers may lurk unbidden in any corner, in any face amongst the masses. The Solars had been pushed out of the closet and amongst the humans they were destined to rule over, whether they wanted it or not.
  • And so now they wait for news of the Sun Spire.
• Chapter Three: Insert Name Here

Resplendent Air

• Chapter Three: Forgotten Tombs
• 23: For the first time in a while, the Solars had some time to themselves and were busied with various personal matters, entertainments, training & activities. Then Potrimpos called. They traveled up to the monastery and met with the serpent god who informed them that he had found the Sun Spire, which was the tomb to the Incomparable Judication Sect and was approximately a ten day journey to the west. Then suddenly, they all awoke from the dream, Potrimpos' message fresh in their memory. They immediately began preparations and left with the Abbot's blessings and well wishes (after he and Aapo had a little heart to heart concerning Ginger and his diplomacy methods with her parents). The Solars began their journey and were soon joined by a massive white owl, Whispering Bear's companion.
• 27: During the day the journey was made more miserable by a terrible thunderstorm that drenched the riders, leaving Sapphire Veil particularly more miserable than she already was upon horseback (even the floral arrangement Crimson Slate had woven into the horses mane was not enough to make the ride any more pleasant for her).
• 28: About midmorning the Solars reached the bamboo forest, which turned out to be much more dense than they had expected. Crimson Slate whipped out her sky cutter and began to cut swaths through the growth, creating a neat, if not somewhat zig-zagging, path to traverse. Even with this newly created passage, the marshy grounds made for a slow journey through the forest.
  • That night, while Aapo was on watch, he noticed that they were no longer alone in the forest. High above them in the tree tops he could barely make out from the reflection of his glowing caste mark many eyes staring down upon them. Aapo quickly woke Crimson Slate and within seconds the entire party were awake and wary. The area was lit to reveal dozens of small red panda beastmen in the tops of the bamboo with spears poised to attack. After various failed attempts of communication, Crimson Slate discovered that they seemed to understand Old Realm and spoke to them. They discussed her words and must have found them less than pleasing as they released a rain of spears upon the Solars below. The battle was brief, with Whispering Bear dropping beastmen with arrows until Crimson Slate finished the battle by clear cutting a section of the bamboo forest, notably the section where all the beastmen clung to the bamboo far above. After a lovely fall and crash to the ground, the beastmen were defeated.
  • Following Alabaster Mountain, Aapo & Crimson Slate's very sad attempt to construct a cage from bamboo, they choose one prisoner and continue their journey west. When the beastman wakes and Crimson Slate speaks with him, explaining that they are only travelers who are passing through with no ill intentions towards his people. The beastman, who identified himself as Chimi, says that they were only protecting their food. Crimson Slate asks that he pass her message on to Chimi's tribe and leaders and he agrees. Upon agreement, Crimson Slate oath binds Chimi, calling the attention of the gods down upon him and making him aware of a great many things that none of his people should know. A very terrified and changed Chimi is released and flees. During the remainder of the journey through the bamboo forest, they see a number of Chimi's people, but none of them make any moves to attack.

Descending Air

• 2: As the Solars continue their journey, Crimson Slate and Tobias suddenly sense and realize that they have passed into a Demesne. They continue on and the bamboo forest begins to change and the plants take on a golden sheen and a crystalline texture (though they taste pretty much the same per Aapo's investigations). They come across a few ancient skeletons of an alien nature, human, but mutated in strange ways, with crystalline vocal chords still shining in the remains and plantlike features. The Solars marvel at the strange forest as they continue their journey, passing signs of ancient ruins buried in the earth.
  • Then the singing begins. Crimson Slate and Aapo immediately plug their ears and the party continues on forward. As the singing moves closer, they are able to make out the source; strange flying lemur-like creatures, and their song beings to sap the will of those who listen. Others cover their ears and they hurry on. Then they notice others are in the forest as well. Numerous people with plant features, wielding lanterns approach and reveal themselves. Their leader, Singing Cup, speaks with the Solars and reveals that they are the "grove folk," Demesne-mutated humans from the nearby village of Still Sky. They identify the musical lemurs as the tree singers and the place as the Dancing Grove. They had come because they heard the song, as they always do when the moon is at its peak, because they must - it was time for them to dance.
  • The grove folk begin, shaking trees to create a music of crystal chimes and the tree singers begin to sing along. As they begin to fill the grove, the Solars split up. Whispering Bear and Tobias choose to remain and watch, while the others side with caution and leave quickly. The grove folk dance to their music and after about half an hour of dancing under the moon, their dance becomes and act of self-destruction and becomes frantic and violent in nature. They seem possessed. Tobias and Whispering Bear, deciding they had seen enough, leave and travel quickly to meet up with their departed companions.
• 3: The reunited Solars emerge from the forest and can see the village of Still Sky in the distance. Not long after they see the weary and injured grove folk leaving the forest headed back to the village, though their number had diminished. They speak briefly and discover that the dancers have no memory of the night and one asks if the Solars who had remained to watch knew anything of what had happened to their missing number; that every full moon they are called to dance, and every morning they wake with no memory of the night and with fewer people than they had entered the grove with. The grove folk and the Solars bid each other farewell and each continue their own journey.
• 4: The Solars finally reach the end of their journey as they come into view of a lake with the impressive Sun Spire jutting from it's surface, linked to the shore by a long causeway. They quickly cover the distance and find themselves within the tomb. The tomb proves to be little more than a massive puzzle or combination lock. Fortunately Crimson Slate coordinates everyone and is able to descend, though alone, into the depths of the complex, deep within the lake.
  • While the others suddenly find themselves no longer alone above, Crimson Slate descends into one of the crypts. Preserved within his crystalline coffin, Crimson Slate comes face to face to her previous Solar incarnation, a life she had been touched by only recently in dreams before they had left Mahanaga on this journey. She noticed an intention in the coffin and guessed to press her head to it and activate her caste mark. This shown upon the caste mark of the dead Solar and his body was immolated. The tomb was activated and its treasures revealed to her, her own treasures from a previous life, including a magitech horse construct. The treasures of a serial killer of gods.
  • Meanwhile, the others were above entertaining a unique individual. Alabaster Mountain had encountered a houndish beast and it's master, a dark woman who identified herself as Sondok: She who stands in doorways. Kanji bolted and fled the tomb, followed by a confused Aapo. Through conversation the Solars discovered that she was a demon. A very forthcoming demon, who informed them that she had been bound to guard this tomb by Crimson Slate's previous incarnation and that only those incarnations could go below to plunder the tomb. Per her request each flared their anima (except for Aapo who was outside consoling a very troubled Kanji) and she stated that none of their previous selves were interred within.
  • Not long after, Crimson Slate emerges from below as Aapo returns to the tomb from outside, leaving Kanji to guard the causeway. Sondok tells her tale and proposes a deal to the Solars. In exchange for her freedom, she will allow them to claim the treasures of the tomb, which she dictates in detail. After much discussion, it is agreed upon, though Tobias and Whispering Bear refuse to have any part of the deal.
  • The deal is made and Sondok leads the Solars, minus Tobias and Whispering Bear, down into the four other tombs. Alabaster Mountain immolates the bodies, causing their treasures to reveal themselves. Once all the treasures of the tombs are gathered, they return to the surface. Crimson Slate releases Sondok from her bindings and she vanishes. The treasures are distributed amongst those who want them and the Solars begin the journey back to Mahanaga.
• 14: As the Solars began to draw near Mahanaga the smell and haze of old smoke lingered in the air. Continuing on, tensions growing, they reached the first outlying field to find it had been razed by fire. A weak and dying fox field spirit weakly watched them, unable to do more than slightly lift its head to gaze at them and then slump back to the ground. Aapo and Whispering Bear immediately took off towards the town as the others made their way on horseback.
  • Mahanaga had been destroyed. Many of the buildings torched and destroyed. And the manse was gone, nothing but a crater where it had once been, the power of its Demesne spilling forth without focus. And not a single living being left to be seen. Everyone was dead. The monks, the caravans, visitors, residents, even the Abbot who's beastform laid in the town with his monks, obvious that they had died fighting. The archway leading to the White Fields Steward was destroyed. The Solars swept over the town, searching for any survivors or clues as to what had happened.
  • After searching for some time, only one survivor was found. Much to Aapo's relief, it was Ginger. He took her up and kept her close, Kanji offering her what comfort he could curled up with her. She had been surviving in a niche down in the plaza well. She was traumatized, but somehow marked. Crimson Slate was able to see some sort of strange spiritual marking, a snake circling her brow, but knew nothing else of it.
  • They found few clues, a piece of some strange black material unlike anything they'd seen before. At that point the only information they could get from Ginger was that men in black came from the storm. The crater that had once been the manse was empty save for shattered stone. Potrimpos was no longer there.
  • Mahanaga was dead.
  • Sapphire Veil and Alabaster Mountain prayed to the White Fields Steward in hopes of summoning her, but were unable to do so. That was when Taruzake appeared timidly and approached. He knew little of what had happened. He was the first to encounter the men in black. They wielded essence and had demanded to be taken to the anathema. When Taruzake did not comply they struck him, when no one should have been able to do so. This terrified him and he fled to another sanctuary where his wine was located away from Mahanaga. When he returned, he found this desolation and the White Fields Steward simply gone, his realm empty and unclaimed. All of Taruzake's brothers & sisters lay near their destroyed fields, their minds broken, suffering but unable to die so long as their fields still existed.
  • When evening came Ginger became more uncomfortable and wanted to return to her well. She stated that at night the dead rose and that the well as safe. She particularly feared the Abbot. Alabaster Mountain immediately immolated his body. The Solars then set to gathering the bodies of the dead of Mahanaga and Alabaster Mountain immolated their remains, releasing what was left of these poor victims of violence. Crimson Slate bore the heavy burden of ending the lives of the field spirits, freeing them from their torment. In one life she slew gods for sport, now once again she was severing their ties to Creation, but this time out of mercy.
  • When they finished they set out and left Mahanaga behind. Taruzake would depart with them and be taken to a new place. He dictated the recipe of his wine to the Solars and they took some casks of his wine that had survived the attack. They would teach the making of his wine and spread it into the world, so that he would live on in the world beyond.
  • When the companions created camp, Ginger finally spoke of what had happened. The men in black had come demanding to be taken to the anathema. Then they had started to attack people. The Abbot and his monks came to their aid, but the strangers were too powerful. The Abbot transformed into a snake monster and fought the. Then the White Fields Steward and Potrimpos himself came to the aid of their people. The men from the storm used some sort of crystals to capture both of them. But just as Potrimpos had vanished, he transported Ginger out of the panicked crowd and into the well where they had found her. She knew little else of what had happened...only able to hear the screams of her people from the well. And then silence at day, and the horrible sounds of the undead at night until she heard Aapo calling her name.
  • That night, the Solars awoke to find a very large snake had slithered into the camp and was hovering directly over Ginger and Aapo gazing intently at the unseen serpent circling Ginger's brow. The snake was a god called Emerald Asp and he informed them that the child had been marked by Potrimpos and that all serpents were to aid and obey her. Ginger wanted to help Potrimpos, and he had given her a powerful tool in order to do so. This also further backed Aapo's claim that she was destined for greatness.
  • The Solars made plans to travel to the Keldin Cliff-Cities then to Nexus and then to Lookshy.They lay back down to get some rest before their journey began the next morning; six Solars, two gods, a fox that was a broken soul and a little girl general without an army who talked to snakes.
• End of Prelude: Training of the Solars

Descending Water