Party For One

[Saia]

Descending Fire 18,

*It had been some time since Saia had come to Imperveress, and she had spent most of the time between then and now training and pushing her body to its limits and then past them. It was what she did in her free time, but she was starting to crave social interaction outside her recently-gained troops, and she was willing to bet that they were urging her toward that so they could get a break.

She supposed the question now was who. There was a vast and growing number of people in Imperveress, but she wasn't sure who would provide for an interesting conversation. Lots of fighters and Dragon-Blooded around, and to be honest with herself, she really wasn't sure what she felt like doing with that person.

Maybe she should go and recruit more people for her little army.. Imperveress was too peaceful right now to start a mercenary guild, but it couldn't hurt to go and offer lessons to the public. Maybe put on a demonstration, or go for a swim. The problem with those things was that they didn't really get her any farther toward her goal; training and kicking her own butt did. On a whim she decided to go see a performance, then take a run, and follow up with a swim. It was a good a plan as any, and it accomplished a number of things.

It was evening, so there was bound to be a play or something around somewhere. Saia got up out of the bath she was taking throughout all of this and put on a dressier bit of clothes than usual and headed out*

[Ress]

Descending fire 18,

* Signs advertising a hundreds of year old opera were everywhere in the city of forests. In the distance, Saia could see the stadium setup and the dozens of people all waiting to view this classic.
This was an opera that took place in the southern city of Chiaroscuro, and was about a criminal who summoned the demon Gervisin to help him carve out his own mercenary corps, but became a puppet to the green spear's mad rampages... only to have unlikely love save the city from annihilation.*

[Saia]

Descending Fire 18,

*Well, someone was doing a lot of advertising for this play! This story was an odd favorite of hers, though she never told anyone that. With steady and purposeful strides, Saia ate ground and was arriving on the once-distant crowd in no time. She slowed down as she neared, not wanting to startle anyone or make them think there was an emergency. Finding the back of the line, Saia took her place and smoothed down any potential wrinkles in her clothes. A flowing pair of forest-green pants looked like a skirt when she stood but pants when she walked. Her torso was clad in a tight-fitting, yet supple, soft leather vest in pale doeskin. Her hair was pulled back simply, a few strays occasionally brushing her face. On her feet were a pair of small-wedge shoes that strapped sturdily around her ankle in ribbon of an unknown material*

[Ress]

Descending fire, 18

* The crowd parted around Saia, the chosen of the gods all being celebrities within the walls of Imperveress. The crowd murmured around her, all commenting about how strong or beautiful or glorious she was, some even mentioning that she was once the ruler of all creation. When she arrived in the stadiums, the guards would step aside, allowing her free entry to the play. They bowed as she approached*

" Welcome Prince of Earth! I hope you enjoy the performance!... my cousin is playing the part of The Grieving Lord!"

[Saia]

Descending Fire 18,

*Saia smiled and looked around at the crowd, offering little thanks yous as she walked past up to the gatekeeper*

Thank you, though I would like to pay. If nothing else, think of it as a tip or a donation. What is your cousin's name? That's a very good part, he must be talented!

*Saia pressed money equal to the payment into each guard's hands, effectively paying for more than one person's price, but it didn't really matter to her since she rarely spent it anyway*

[Ress]

Descending Fire 18,


* The soldier protested for a moment or two, but soon happily accepted the tip that was offered, bowing yet again to the Exalt before him.*

" Thank you so much! I will be sure to let my cousin know you said so! um... "

* The gatekeeper looked around the slightly crude yet very effective open air theater, before spotting a middle aged woman out of the crowd and motioned her over.*

" Wesven! Come show our city guardian to the VIP section!"

* The older woman did a double take when she saw Saia, not expecting to have Exalts join them for the showing. She bowed low to the Dawn Caste, then nervously motioned for her to follow her to the special seating*

[Saia]

Descending Fire 18,

Keep up the good work

*Saia winked at the guards and smiled at Wesven as she approached*

Hello, are you looking forward to seeing the play, too? I know I am

*the Dawn followed Wesven as she guided her to a seat, looking around at the gathering people and back to the woman before her*

[Ress]

Descending fire, 18

"I am! I have seen the play many times in rehearsal, but this is the big night!"

* Wesven ushered her to a set of stairs which lead up over the third row and into elevated box seats, providing for a greater view and clearer sound.

Wesven bowed to Saia as she walked backwards and down the stairs.*

" Thank you Miss Saia... if there is anything you need, I will be close by."

* Wesvin then retreated to help the other patrons to their seats. A clamor was being formed in the lower levels as more and more people joined the crowd.

about twenty minutes past before the band began to play, letting everyone know that the performance was about to start.

The story started with a man, part of some small time mercenary guild that was going nowhere and had to resort to petty crimes. He had just been beaten by some Delzhan for his attempted robbery when someone in robes dropped a scroll at his feet, promising the opportunity to wield awesome power.

The crook studied the scroll hard and retrieved the necessary components to summon the weapon that he sought so hard... until the gates of Malfeas parted, leaving a huge greed & brass spear standing before him.

The first thing he did was rounded up his gang and systematically began taking down the other mercenary companies in the city... but as he did, he found it was harder and harder to stop his rampages, until he could not control himself at all.

The spear was then revealed to be the demon Gervisin, who promptly showed his face by erupting through the body of the criminal.

Gervisin cut a bloody swath through Chiaroscuro, taking on everything that the Kahns could throw at them.. that was until an old injured war veteran stepped forth with his old, rusted weapons, intending to stop this monster!... but he was run through the heart in a split second... and as his soul flowed past the spear's head... the demon fell in love with his victim and lost him just as quick.

Overcome by the sudden love and loss, the demon dropped to his knees and cried in despair, before returning to the land of the demons*

[Saia]

Descending Fire 18,

*Saia watched the people gather, smiling as the groups of people joined as a community to watch their fellows perform. Once it started, she took in the play intently, watching the guard's cousin in his role. The man was very good, and the whole play was put on extremely well. It was refreshing to see such talent in what was still somewhat an undeveloped empire. When it was all over, Saia stood and clapped, impressed by the performance.

It looked like she was off for a run now, probably along a well-used path so that she could chat with the locals. She had intended to get a bit of real social interaction while at the play, but as she ended up being the only person in the box seat, it hadn't worked that way. She walked down the stairs that lead back out to the crowd and stood in the shadow of the doorway, watching the others pass by for a minute before stepping out into the throng*

[Ress]

Descending fire 18,

* the crowd erupted into a frenzy of claps as the play ended, some patrons throwing flowers up onto the stage... then moments later a whole bush of flowers... then ten, roots and all.
The claps became more frenzied as shouts began to rise from the front of the stage.

Patrons began screaming and ran in all directions, fortunately in an open air theatre*

( Perception+Awareness diff 4)

[Saia]

Descending Fire 18,

*Saia smiled at the presents for the actors, until the strangeness of whole rose bushes appeared. She stepped up onto a nearby bench and let the throng go by her as she performed a quick scan of the area to see what it was that had everyone screaming and running around in a panic*

[Ress]

Descending Fire 18,

* Saia would see ten blood apes tearing up any flowers they could and tossing them onto the stage as they clapped and cheered in between throws.

From the side, an angry man shouts at the blood apes, telling them to attack, not cheer!

The citizens all run in terror from the fearsome demons who loomed over them, despite their mostly nonthreatening mannerisms *

[Saia]

Descending Fire 18,

*Well, even though they were destroying the property, at least it was only because they were enjoying the performance. The summoner was obviously a fool to not know that demons love a good show. Lucky for the people here, it was done very well. Chuckling, Saia put out her hand to hold the materializing grand goremaul, its polished Orichalcum shining gently in the stage lights. She approached the Blood Apes casually, the huge hammer resting on her shoulder. Without warning, and with a twist and a burst of speed, Saia pulled the goremaul off of her shoulder and leaped high up into the air. As she fell out of the sky, Saia held the hammer over her head and slammed down on top of the first one, her legs straight out in a V. As her momentum slowed from the first hit, she pushed up and off of Blood Ape #1 using her hammer to put herself into a handstand on the handle of her weapon. Almost as if suspended by time, she seemed to teeter weightlessly for eternity before her body folded on itself and she rolled to the ground, bring the hammer up over her head to complete the circle, beating into Blood Ape #2. Kicking her legs up from under herself and twisting into her next position, Saia took the moment to lock eyes with the summoner and grin*

You're mine


Blood Ape 1: 15L dmg
Blood Ape 2: 16L dmg

5 suxx Intimidation
+4 suxx from stunt to Intimidation (total of 9 suxx)

[Ress]

Descending Fire, 18

* the two demons flattened under the intense force behind Saia's goremaul, leaving two broken piles of flesh and blood in her wake. The remaining blood apes looked on in wide eyed terror as the fleeing patrons began slowing down and turned around, now realizing they were safer than they initially thought. The summoner turned tail and ran, two blood apes following after him. The final blood ape was noticably shaken up, but pulled up his inner rage and barreled towards Saia, swinging its mighty claws at her in hopes of ending a Solar's life!*

( Claw strike: 7 vs 7dv = MISS!)

[Saia]

Descending Fire 18,

*As the summoner ran away Saia laughed, obviously unbothered by his fleeing self. She would get to him in a second*

Next!

*As the last Blood Ape rushed her, she almost felt sorry for it as she held her grand goremaul in both hands and swung it like a baseball bat at the demon's head. She positioned herself so that her assault knocked her attacker into the fleeing trio, mostly aiming for the other demons. She was trying to keep the guy alive for questioning as much as possible, after all. Like a professional batter she kept her form, looking for a home run*

Blood Ape# 3: 12L

3 dice stunt