RttToFC/Session5

Lei Zu walks the perimeter of the disturbed grave area looking for tracks of a potential necromancer

Alyssa: Alyssa examines one of the holes

Caran: "So, what is this about the Wyld Hunt?"

Kuros has signed off IRC (Ping timeout).

Lei_Zu: "After you left for Northeast Spoke one turned up at the village near the tomb."

Caran: "Did you see who was leading it?"

Lei_Zu: "One old Water Aspect, a younger Fire Aspect and one Dragonblooded of unknown aspect. We left instead of waiting for their reinforcements to arrive, so we don't know how many more there are."

Casteen has joined #exalted.

Caran: winces at the word reinforcments

Lei_Zu: "They might only have been talking about mortal troops, but we can't be sure."

Alyssa: "And not a risk that I care to take. How are your own soldiers, Caran?"

Caran: "I don't no. The bug caught up to me before I made it to Spoke, and I thought coming straight here was the best course."

Casteen has signed off IRC (Ping timeout).

Kuros has joined #exalted.

Mode change "+o Kuros" for channel #exalted by ChanServ.

Kuros has signed off IRC (Exit: ).

Alyssa: "All things considered, your presence might make all the difference," Alyssa says. "Necromancy isn't all that widespread, not on this scale. It's unlikely we're dealing with less than a deathknight."

Lei_Zu: "The question is, what is that Deathknight trying to achieve here?"

Alyssa: "When we find her - or him - we shall find out, I think."

Caran: "Deathknight you say. And a Wyld Hunt on our tail as well?" Caran smiles. "Certainly not a boring life we lead."

Alyssa: "No, that it is not."

Lei_Zu: "So it seems. I must say, I could do without the complication of the Wyld Hunt. The time for that confrontation has not yet come."

Lei_Zu: (damn DB kids on my lawn, interrupting my breakfast!)

Alyssa: "No. But that time is coming. One way or another."

Lei_Zu: nods. "It is inevitable. And the Wyld Hunt is only the beginning of course."

Alyssa: "Yes. Thankfully, the Realm does not seem inclined to send out armies for the moment. Otherwise, there could be a hundred river barges on the river and a Wing of Imperial soldiers enjoying my wine cellar."

Lei_Zu: "In time the Realm as whole will come to object to our presence, plans and achievements."

Lei_Zu: "But that is still some time in the future."

Caran: "Truthfully, I await the day we can stand and face the Hunt on our terms."

Alyssa: "Yes. The trappings of power: armies, followers... these aren't things we had in the past to bolster our egos. We need them as much as they need us."

Lei_Zu: "It's not so much the question whether we can as it is whether that would be to our advantage, I'd say."

Lei_Zu: "A destroyed hunt confirms our presence, leaves witnesses unless we kill every single shikari and proves that we are a grave threat. As long as we avoid a direct confrontation their resources will be drained and further action delayed."

Lei_Zu: "Of course this has to be weighed against the disruption to our plans they represent. But for the moment I don't think we stand to gain from a battle."

Alyssa: "Oh now, certainly. They would gladly lose every member of a Hunt just to kill one of us. We would be the losers if they manage that."

Alyssa: "At some point, however, to be able to throw them back would make a very clear statement to potential allies that we are a power worthy of their attention. And a warning to the Realm that we are not hunted any more, we are hunters."

Caran: "You both say true. Still, I still long to see them all broken and powerless."

Alyssa: "That day will come. I hope though, that it is not also the day that the Demons or the Dead are triumphant."

Lei_Zu: "There is no place for the Dead in the new world order if they are all as enarmored with senseless violence as the Mistress or whoever did this."

Lei_Zu: "If that proves to be the case, they are merely another in the long list of obstacles and adversaries to overcome."

Alyssa: (like Kuros' internet connection)

Lei_Zu: (as long as it merely damaged and hasn't tried to become one with the Void ...)