Have you ever wanted to change the world? Strike out at injustice, right the wrongs? This is a story of individuals, set against a backdrop of the fantastic, where swashbuckling action is merged with mystical power. This is the land of Creation, the world of the Exalted, where beings of immense power fight the often oppressive forces of the Realm... hoping to restore a time when things were better, and life can be lived with peace and dignity.
But this is also the story of people, forever changed by the realization of their possibilities, faced with the responsibilities that come with strange and terrible power, and trying to just make their own way in the world... trying to see the rising of a new sun.
The Heliograph
This is a record of the circle of Exalted characters that are part of this chronicle. It is a way for players to understand the situation that they are in, and to gain glimpse into what goes on in the world around them.
reference material
dramatis personae (NPCs)
All game related material
© White Wolf Publishing, Inc.
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Monday, July 04, 2005
The stillness of the evening was broken by a loud explosion.
A pair of warstriders blasted out of the Royal Palace and rapidly made its way across the city, executing a dizzying set of maneouvres that allowed them to dodge the city's automated defenses. A patrol cutter barely had enough time to turn when the fleeing machines sliced the vessel in two places. The small ship shook violently and plummetted towards a block of residences.
Nausicaa and Cerulean launched from the deck of the Shadowfang, which was returning from a tour at the front line. The two machines fired up their Essence Wings and gave chase. Before either machine could let off a shot, the unknown Warstriders were enveloped in a luminescent globe. The next moment, they were gone.
"Teleportation sorcery," mused Nimisha.
"Damn!"
"Achilles! The cutter!"
The Warstriders turned towards the falling airship, knowing full well they could not do anything to stop it... until they see the flaming wreckage stop dead in midair.
Archmage Kensington was a picture of calm. Her staff raised high above her head, Nadia held the wrecked ship in the air with a powerful spell. She then walked the ship down the street, towards a nearby open field, and set it down. As she let her concentration slip, Nadia felt her strength leaving. She would have fallen to the ground were it not for the two acolytes who caught her. She caught sight of two familiar machines that streaked past, landing in the field before her. Nimisha caught a glimpse of her and ran over.
"Hey... great job! You just get stronger every day Nadia."
"I'd be remiss with my duties if I didn't, Lieutenant Commander."
"Oh! So i see you've heard..."
"Congratulations Misha."
"Anyway, what just happened?"
"I'm not sure. Whatever that was, it bypassed all our defences..."
***
Baroness Sarinja was startled by a chambermaid's scream. Already shaken by the explosion that occurred a few minutes ago, she stayed in her room under close guard. That was from Emiko's room! she thought and rushed towards the secret corridor that linked both their rooms.
She arrived at the same time as a pair of Royal Guardsmen. They stood there, a tableaux of shock as they beheld Emiko... or at least what she would be if she were transformed into a life-sized crystal statue.
Sarinja saw the look of abject terror on the young princess' face, and looked on as the crystalline form began to fissure and crack.
"NO!"
The statue exploded, sending a shower of deadly shards towards everyone in the room. The baroness felt herself flung through the air, as a Guardsman jumped with her into the corridor. Instinctively, she closed her eyes and shielded her face with her hands. When she opened them again, she was staring into the lifeless eyes of her protector. Sarinja rolled from underneath the fallen Guardsman and looked at the unfolding scene. She caught a glimpse of Lord Argent, and he shook his head as he continued his study of the area.
"Raissa? Where is Princess Raissa?" she asked.
"Milady..." a servant replied.
"Yes?"
"The Princess Raissa... she is in shock. The sudden loss of Princess Emiko... you know how twins are connected..."
"Oh."
***
With the palace on full alert, guards went over every hallway and precinct on the alert for any more elusive intruders. A pair of soldiers were just leaving the hangar when one of them spots something.
"Janos! Look!"
"Cassandra! Slow down you don't... by the Dragons..."
The Captain of the Royal Guard lay sprawled on the floor of the hangar while a pool of congealing blood expanded beneath him. A greatspear was thrust right through him. He wore a suprised expression, as if his life was a candle flame that had just been blown out.
"Captain Sol didn't even know what hit him... Cass... I..."
"Okay Janos... I'll call it in."
"Sergeant Cassandra Lyriou to Operations..."
"Colonel Summerwind here. Yes, sergeant?"
"Oh! Colonel, m'am..."
"It's him isn't it."
"Yes m'am."
"How did he die?"
"He was taken by surprise. Lt. Tepet believes he didn't even know what hit him."
"Okay."
"Colonel?"
"Yes?"
"Our condolences."
"Thank you."
***
"Captain?"
"Yes Felice?"
"I'm getting reports from all over the city. It's crazy down there."
"Alright. We'll continue with station keeping. We can't dock yet until this situation has settled down."
"There's something else..."
"Yes?"
"The Princess Emiko was assassinated."
"Damn... Contact Her Majesty Queen Adara, Master Sharic, and Master Argent."
"Understood."
Posted at 12:52 pm by The Unconquered Sun
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Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Is it Time for The Sun to Rise?
Ming Lau sat in the middle of NightSaber Glade, pure Wyld energies coruscating around him. For an uncountable time he sits meditating. Then a soft growl emanates from the chaos behind him.
"I see. It is time then?"
A snarl answers his question. Lau nods and raises his eyes to the multi-colored sky. With a screech that would freeze the soul of an ordinary man his ShadowBird dives from above.
The glade is empty now except for a large, black NightSaber looking after the now diminishing form of her master in the sky. With a growl she turns and lopes towards the Rathess, there to await his return once again.
Posted at 04:34 pm by Ming Lau
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Wednesday, June 22, 2005
The airship Virtue, personal transport of the Queen Regent Adara Marsalis, blazed a trail of wind and essence across the morning sky. Landing directly on the airship dock of the Caer Caladan's War Tower, the young queen virtually leapt off the deck and ran into the castle, followed by a retinue of armoured Lunar guardsmen.
Her brother, King Andrinor, was already seated at the head of the table reviewing the images sent by Heliograph from the ships of Caladan's navy that were part of the ongoing blockade on the Blessed Isle. With him were Generals Omner and Sato. Around them were a cluster of aides that provided statistics on combat readiness and materiel production from Caladan's Chrysalis facility.
"Greetings sister. Analysis?"
"The Imperial Army is almost a match for us in terms of sheer numbers and technological sophistication."
"But?"
"They have the edge in discipline and morale. And what's more, all of our intelligence resources that were pulled into void are now inoperative, just from the sheer amount of time that has passed on the Blessed Isle. The magical defenses that now envelop the Isle also prevent us from seeing into it."
"That is disturbing."
"Colonel Summerwind of Rathess Intelligence is planning an op. I'm going."
"What?!"
"Andrinor, you've proven yourself more than capable of running the kingdom and the armed forces. Besides in case we do get into a tight spot, my skills will prove invaluable."
"You've heard the Heliograph broadcasts from this Emperor Hetharin... he wants to speak to the queens of Caladan and Rathess."
"But you, dear brother, are the rightful sovereign. It is only fitting that you go in my place."
"This diplomacy crap was never my cup of tea Adara, you know that."
"You'll do fine. I've got the latest intelligence on this crystal. I'll be packing a few things and heading for the front lines."
"The Sun Bless you sister."
Adara smiled, bowed curtly, and headed out of the room. There was one thing she didn't tell her brother. Simply because she had not known for certain.
Damn you Dimitri... you'd better hope what Nadia told me is untrue. Or there will be hell to pay.
Posted at 12:29 pm by The Unconquered Sun
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Tuesday, June 21, 2005
A white haired man with a severe expression sat at the Scarlet Throne. He regarded the his audience chamber, essentially an empty hall made of jade, and looked at the sentries at the end... and the courtyard of the great city beyond... closed his eyes, and lost himself in contemplation.
I have sacrificed everything.
I have seen what the future holds.
I will not let Creation fall.
They must listen to me.
My negotiations... will not fail.
He had sensed the approach of a trio of his officers but chose not to move. They stopped, a hundred metres away, dropped to one knee, looked to the ground, and waited. Emperor Hetharin waited a few minutes, and opened his eyes.
"Rise. And speak."
A crimson-armoured warrior stood, while the other two remained in a supplicatory pose.
"My Emperor, the defences of the Imperial City are at full effectiveness. We continue to monitor the armada perched on the borders of the Isle. Our fleet maintains a defensive perimeter behind the shield, shadowing their airships as they maneuver."
"Very good Admiral Peleps. General Kathak?"
A stocky man in ebon-coloured armour rises.
"My Emperor, the Nexus facility continues to produce Warstriders at its current rate. Our recruitment and training efforts are barely keeping up with the factory's output."
"We'll have to do the best we can, General, without an army, the Empire will be unable to respond to external threats."
"Understood My Emperor, our 24 veteran legions have 'adopted' a newly mustered legion and are putting the soldiers and officers through a rigorous training regimen. We've besically trained every eligible man and woman on the Isle, from the scions of the aristocracy to the farmers in the fields."
"I know what you're trying to say General... we'll need to expand. Soon."
The General of the Imperial Army, Kathak Daikawa stands stock still.
"What does the Director of the All-Seeing Eye have to say?"
The last figure, dressed in dark grey armour with orichalcum highlights, stood. His caste mark, a golden ring was obvious on his brow.
"My Emperor, the initial reports from our field agents are coming in. I'm currently preparing an estimate of the battle strength of the forces currently arrayed against us. I am also coordinating with the Diplomatic Service to open talks with individual monarchs."
"Excellent. Any initial findings?"
"The Rathess League is not as unified as it would appear to be."
"As expected. They would not have had the time we did to consolidate their alliances... and if I'm correct, the question of legal representation of the Kingdom of Rathess has not yet been answered."
"Then My Emperor, why do we not attack now? While the linchpin of the alliance is still shaky?" The Army general speaks.
Emperor Hetharin regards his subordinate with an expression of distaste. The general recoils and hangs down his head.
"General Kathak, you do not know of the people we currently deal with. I've worked with them. Rathess is currently not the centre of this alliance. It is Caladan. And the Queen Adara is one person the Empire will do well to treat as a serious threat."
The assembly nods silently.
"We were not returned to Creation to destroy it in a war of conquest, but to save it. Always remember that."
Posted at 01:21 pm by The Unconquered Sun
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Monday, June 20, 2005
Lady Kensington, the first Archmage of Rathess, stood in the middle of the ritual circle that had just been used to power the spell wrenched the Imperial City from the pocket dimension where it had stayed for the past few months. Around her mages from the various Exalted families lay sprawled on the ground, mostly unconscious. A few of the palace aides hovered around the fallen mages.
"Is it done?" Nadia asked, to no one in particular.
A young military officer stepped up to the Archmage and steadied her as she took her first steps from the middle of the circle.
"We've news from the Shadowfang, milady. The Blessed Isle has been returned to its rightful place."
She looked at the aide and sensed a hint of concern on her face.
"But?"
"The Imperial Army has tripled in size, and now has Warstriders that rival our own in power. The entire population of the Blessed Isle has become more focused... more devoted towards the new Emperor."
"A New Emperor?"
"Communications broadcasts from Intelligence Section say his name is Hetharin the First"
"Hmmm..."
"News has it that he plans to meet with the Queens of Rathess and Caladan to talk."
"Interesting. Do we know what this Hetharin looks like?"
"Not yet, milady."
"Looks like we live in interesting times."
"Quite."
Nadia runs a hand through her hair and walks back toward her chambers. A mental image nearly knocks her to the ground. The young officer who had just left her was at her side again.
"Milady? Anything wrong?"
"No, no... lieutenant. Still a little shaken is all."
The archmage gets up, straightens out her robe and resumes her slow walk to her quarters. She looks around, and seeing no one there, she buries her face in her hands.
"No..."
Posted at 02:15 pm by The Unconquered Sun
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