Exalted - A Falling Star

A Falling Star
Kali
2012/10/24 21:40

Table of Contents
Oct 17 2012 	 # 

Oct 17 2012
Back at Moonspire Caelan emerged from the Forge one morning to find a small group waiting around the top entrance all keen to take him up on his offer of a tour.  A mix of people including traders and businessmen as well as workers of various occupations looked around enthusiastically and one, a tradesman called Falina Rama, was happy to speak for the group as Caelan gauged their views.  They all seemed to be proud citizens of Moonspire - which pleased Caelan considerably and he was sure to reinforce their views before the tour was over and they left via the gondola.
He’d introduced them to Varten but they were evidently wary of the winged God-Blood - although they marvelled at his dramatic leap into the air as he took to wing and alighted atop Moonbeam’s Flight under the auspices of checking the airbag’s rigging.  Conversing with him after the group had left Caelan apologised for the sudden appearance of tourists but remarked that Varten should probably become accustomed to as it was unlikely to be the last time.  Varten was philosophic; whilst he knew a lot of people looked on him with suspicion, assuming his wings meant he was Wyld-tainted, there had been various crafters in the Forge of late and he and they would have to get used to each other.
The son of Vanileth took the opportunity to remind Caelan about the state of the larders: largely empty as his men had hearty appetites.  Caelan pondered whether he could train some other people (such as the fighters from the Prince’s stables) and make some money from their overseers that way, as he realised he didn’t have nearly the resources at hand to pay for supplies.  Varten left him alone to think on it, departing to continue his work.
Meanwhile Song and Olvir had left the monastery of the Terrible Ascent-Driven Beast and headed on towards North Beacon.  Even at a fast flying pace it was due to take them a few days to get there and they’d not been travelling more than a couple when, after making camp one night, they both witnessed a brilliant stream of light left by a falling star as it fell to earth.  Song understood the significance of a falling star: a god – or something or someone with a significant fate – had died and fallen from the web of fate laid out in Creation’s stars.  Both assuming owl form the Lunars headed off in the direction the star had fallen – neither thought it had landed far.
They flew over another campsite which looked as if it had been established longer than theirs although it wasn’t any larger.  Eventually they arrived at a clearing where smoke still filled the air and drifted up in lazy wisps from an irregularly shaped, rocky boulder which gleamed dully under the impact of a pick which chipped away at it.  The pick was wielded by a young man with Essence of a strength equal to Song’s and she saw how he utilised an Excellency to enhance his efforts.  This was lost on Olvir, who without the benefit of Essence sight heard only the man muttering to himself that he’d known it was coming... three months he’d waited while others told him he was wrong...
As Song quietly assessed the individual Olvir elected to take a more direct approach and asked him what he was doing.  The man spun around, seeking the owner of the voice and Olvir hopped closer, still in owl form.   As he turned Song recognised him; he was a native of Starwatch, a town far to the south on the very far tip of the circus route.  She remembered his mother, Telek Shifting Winds, the matriarch of Starwatch and realised it was her son Telek Running Cloud who now stood confused in the clearing.
Olvir hopped into his view and before Song or the young man had a chance to react shifted to his human form eliciting a surprised gasp from Telek Running Cloud and a roll of eyes from Song.  So much for quiet study, subtlety and learning before acting, she thought. Olvir simply figured the young man couldn’t do much harm.  He was out on his own in the forest having planned it for some time and had only a pick to arm himself with.  He’d probably welcome the company... and like it or not he now had it.   Telek Running Cloud stared in faint recognition as the Lunar’s human form triggered a memory of the circus and he recognised him as Olvir – though he drew a brace of blue jade daggers from his belt and held them tentatively but defensively and firmly asked what he was doing, what he wanted – and what he was.
Olvir cheerfully told him before responding with questions of his own.  What was the meteorite, what was he planning on doing with it and where was he taking it?  Olvir’s genial nature served him well though Telek kept hold of the daggers.  The meteorite was a fallen star, he told him (though the subtleties of such were lost on the burly Lunar), he was planning on crafting something from it and he’d be taking it home to Starwatch to do so.
The mention of crafting caught Olvir’s attention and he followed that line of thought.  As Telek stood protectively over his prize wondering if he needed to defend it Olvir asked him if he’d heard of a Cathedral Forge.  (The misnaming of the Forge Cathedral was noticed by Song as her grasp of Old Realm was such that the difference was obvious although such details were lost on Olvir.)  Telek nodded warily... he knew of what Olvir spoke though only through legend.  Olvir excitedly explained how we had one, and would Telek like to use it?    After all, Starwatch was a long way, Olvir argued, and he’d seen that Telek didn’t have a cart or other means of transport.  As Telek explained that he wasn’t expecting the meteorite to be so large and that he’d build a cart, Olvir was already offering to carry it for him and help him out back to Moonspire... though he supposed he ought to negotiate with Song on the cost for using the Forge and she wasn’t there at the moment.  He told Telek she was back at camp as she didn’t travel as fast as him but the lie was somewhat lost of the young man, still focused on protecting his meteorite.
Song had been studying the rock from a distance and determined it could produce a sizeable quantity of starmetal when refined [Res 4 purchase].  She also knew Olvir wasn’t wrong to think the man would struggle to carry it even back to camp let alone Starwatch, as unless he had a hitherto unknown means of transporting it he’d not find it at all easy.
Telek, bristling at Olvir’s offer to carry his prize for him, told the strongman he’d need to let it settle before inspecting it prior to moving it.  Perhaps hoping he’d leave, he was foiled as Olvir cheerily said he didn’t mind waiting and continued firing questions at him as a couple of hours went by.  Answering queries as diverse as who would have their fate written in the stars and what he’d had for dinner Olvir’s calm and amicable demeanor eventually won him round and he grudgingly agreed to let him carry the rock back to his camp.  Olvir hefted it one handed (though Song could see his use of a Strength Excellency as he showed off his bulging muscles).  She followed the two of them, still in owl form, and perched out of sight in the trees.
Back at Telek’s camp Olvir plonked the rock down and continued chatting to the young man.  It transpired that he didn’t travel much – this was a long way for him but he’d determined (roughly) when and where the star would fall before making the journey.  Intrigued, Olvir asked if he could use the same techniques to determine when and where Yozi worshipers could be found.  Telek told him it followed the same principles as the way charts were read – and wasn’t there a woman at the circus who did the same?  He reeled off a list of what Song understood to be astrological thaumaturgy rotes in which his understanding seemed considerably advanced.  There seemed to be little he’d not grasped, including the fact that she was the woman at the circus who read the stars (though her own knowledge of astrology was limited to mere birth-chart reading).
Olvir talked a bit more about the Forge, keen for his new friend to go there to work the metal.  The road to Starwatch, he warned, whilst not usually dangerous could prove a hazard to a single man with a valuable cargo.  He told him how the Forge was run as a partnership and that he should speak to Caelan who’d be there – or Iron Panther or Prince Telenka.  As he did so he wondered if just travelling to Moonspire might not be a challenge in itself.  Telek still didn’t have a cart, for example, or any other way of moving the rock that Olvir knew of.  With Telek beginning to see the appeal of the idea Olvir told him he’d go and find his friend and shifted to owl form to fly off into the woodland.  
Song had stayed out of sight but not hidden and Olvir spotted her easily.  Roosting on a branch they spoke in low tones, the gifts of Luna allowing them to converse without the need to change shape.  Olvir wasn’t sure if Song was annoyed with him for his immediate revelations and hasty engagement with Telek – but Song wasn’t about to tell Olvir if she was or wasn’t, despite it being relatively obvious to both that she’d have acted differently.  As he asked what she’d have wanted him to do she turned the question back on him: if they were both equal in the eyes of Luna, what would he have wanted her to do?  Olvir thought about it and complained his head hurt.  Seeing the opportunity, Song asked instead what he planned next concerning the Forge and keeping Telek safe.  She still planned to go to North Beacon as Caelan’s arm was showing no signs of returning to its fleshly state and since Olvir’s mind was also made up, suggested they go their separate ways.  Reluctantly, Olvir agreed, so bidding him farewell for the time being she took off, gliding away from the camp before finding a tree in which to roost for the night.  
The next evening on schedule Caelan and Song spoke via the tree on Moonbeam’s Flight.  She warned him Olvir was on his way back with a friend and his rock in tow and Caelan expressed surprise - and concern - that he might be tricked or his good nature exploited.  Song agreed: indeed he could be but she hoped Olvir’s good judgement of people would see him out.  If not, she was fairly certain that he’d be able to handle himself in a fight.  Caelan was also a bit unsure of Song heading out on her own but as he had little choice he wished her well and they agreed to speak again when she reached the circus. 
As Olvir trudged back to Moonspire Song spent the next couple of days travelling and caught up with the circus mid-afternoon.  Shifting to the form of a small bird she flew in through the open window of her wagon and took the opportunity to rest, relax and catch up with her familiar for a few hours before the circus train stopped for the night and she emerged to the surprise of all present.  The circus had grown since she’d been away and a new, large wagon travelled in convoy with the more familiar caravans.  A few unrecognised faces stood out amongst the familial crowd and Song was introduced to them over dinner.  Tamrit and Meena were a pair of slight women who apparently performed in the big top with an aerial ribbon act.  Two others named Amril and Mekhum performed on ‘the wheel of death’ – the new wagon was gestured to as the ‘wheel’ was described, explaining the lumpy pieces of equipment stored under canvas.
Selene had gotten in on the act too – quite literally.  A fantastical theatrical story was now performed as the closing to the first half: the tale of a young child who Exalted as a Prince of the Earth and valiantly protected his village from a number of fantastical threats – including at one point a monster evidently meant to be a Raksha.  Through his friendship and bargaining with several gods he made it all possible.  The play featured Selene taking the roles of the many gods in the story in which “prayers” were at various points directed towards her and Song’s ears pricked up at that... as if Selene wasn’t already drawing power from the will of the audience from each performance it now seemed she was hijacking the prayers of the masses as well.
Making a note to witness the performance soon, she acceded to the demands of the circus folk who were keen to hear what she and the others had been up to.  In reverent tones she told them of the grand sight Moonspire had seen in recent nights as Moonbeam’s Flight had taken to the skies and the brilliant display given by three Exalted who’d declared themselves guardians of the area.  Those who knew her recognised Song in her description, but she kept the tale divorced enough from herself to fool the new arrivals into thinking she spoke simply of an event she’d witnessed from afar.
That evening she settled into her hammock in her wagon and began copying recently learnt knowledge into her book of lore.  Flicking the pages to see the lessons her ancestors had left her she wondered how Olvir and Caelan were doing back at the Spire.  It wasn’t long before she drifted off to sleep.
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Kali
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