Reached the top of the stairs and ... oh. Xurizu did a double take as he noticed the pair of warstriders to either side of him.  ... I really hope one of those warstriders is on our side.

He made another assessment. It has to be the damaged one, if it is.

He wrapped himself in the shadows of his anima anyway, as a general precaution.

OOC: 5m on the Anima for 5m spell discount ^_^ (and -1 sux on attacks incoming)

Being Shook around and confined into a tiny space where she was hot and sweating and highly uncomfortable wasn't agreeing with the girl, Slivari grimaced as her stomach turned. "Ugh...I hope I don't get sick" The whole way up to the elevator Slivari stood as still as possible and tried to think of other things, like what she wanted to do if they ever got out of here alive.

Opening her eyes, Slivari pales immediately regretting opening them. There stood another of those giant Warstriders and all around it were warriors, Slivari assumed they would be well prepared for the purge meaning if Danae didn't get them out in time, they were pretty much doomed. While the warriors made her a little nervous, the woman with the sliver hair puzzled her, she seemed confident and sure of herself why else would she not be wearing armor? Slivari had the feeling that one needed to be watched.

While she was taking in the threat before her, a noise off to the side caught her attention and she turned and looked the best she could. Slivari's mouth dropped open, there was another group! and wait...was that? Slivari stared for several seconds in shock then without really realizing what she was doing she shouted her sisters name " Reva!!!!" A wave of happiness flooded her at seeing her sister again. Despite the danger they all were in, Slivari couldn't help but smile.

Dashu takes a moment to assess the situation and then says, "Okay so we've got one warstrider facing off against another warstrider and some guards.  We can't be sure that the Orichalcum one won't turn on us after this but let's assume for the time being that the others are more likely to be a threat.  You want the one on top, Reva?  Guess that leaves the other four for Xurizu and me.  Anybody got a plan?  Or are we going with the usual sneak in and thrash them?"  Dashu really hopes that the gem Xurizu had eaten had somehow given him an ability which would help with this situation.  After all, Xurizu had claimed he wasn't much of a fighter and Dashu didn't relish having to deal with that many guards with no back up.  Just in case, Dashu took a deep breath and focused inwardly, preparing for what was obviously about to be a very difficult battle.

[Private to GM: Hey, if Xurizu didn't get anything useful like a spell, then I'm about to attempt to stunt learn Infinite Martial Arts Mastery on my next post and drop 20 motes into it so I can get 5 automatic successes on every martial arts roll.  I have a feeling I'll need it.  Anything I need to know in particular before doing this?]
This message was last edited by the player at 05:05, Tue 25 Nov 2008.

The silver-haired woman looks down imperiously at the newcomers, and at the battered warstrider. "They are here now, Omen," she intones, leaning close to the head of the black warstrider she is perched on. Her slender fingers stroke the black jade carapace as if reassuring a lover... or a pet. "It's time for you to show us what you've learned."

"Yes mistress," grates the hollow, harsh sounding voice from within the enemy warstrider.

The woman stands, then, balancing easily on the shoulder plate of the 'strider. She spreads her arms as if in mocking welcome, but keeps her fists clenched, producing what appears to knife-shaped lengths of crystal from between her fingers.

Twenty feet below her, the figures in articulated armor ready themselves, coordinating Charm use with nods and sign language. These are not likely powerful Dragon-Blooded, but they have been trained to work together. That much is for certain.

---

OOC: Join battle please, unless you won't participate in the battle. You have a turn before that to use a scenelong charm if you want. Umm, also, Slivari's cry singled Reva out, so she's definitely been seen. Dashu and Xurizu may still be able to try and stealth it out.

[Private to Peleps Dashu: Well, you can't be sure what Xurizu got from his memory. I would recommend, though, that if you are willing to spare the XP, you should definitely stunt learn the charm. Nothing more you need to know really -- just make it a really good stunt. And don't worry, if the first stunt's not quite enough you'll get more chances. But I think you'll do fine, all I need to see is that you put your heart into the post and made it look interesting and cool. :)]
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:13, Tue 25 Nov 2008.

The silver-haired lady stands in place, and begins to chant words of Old Realm, a flurry of pale blue snowflakes building up around her. [Private to Ledaal Xurizu: You're certain she's casting a spell. If you want to actually figure what she's casting, though, you'd have to split your action.]

---

OOC: Decided to roll Join Battle for all who haven't yet.

tick 0 - Silver-hair
tick 2 - Xurizu
tick 3 - Dashu, Slivari, armored DBs
tick 4 - Reva, enemy warstrider
tick 5 - Danae

note: You could probably reach the people on the ground in a single action, but that's all. It'd take another action (rolled and likely stunted) if you wanted to actually climb up onto the warstrider to get at the woman in melee.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:46, Wed 26 Nov 2008.

Dashu notices that they are out numbered and out gunned.  The struggle so far had been difficult and they had not yet faced odds like these.  They had only made it this far with help from Pale Gaze.  Fear grips him momentarily and his mind begins to backtrack through everything he had learned, trying desperately to remember something that would help in this dire situation.  He remembered his father teaching him his first katas as child and the rigorous training provided by his sifu.  His mind quickly recalled how his sifu drove into his body what each muscle should be doing at all times during every technique.  These were hard and grueling memories, but fond ones none the less.  He then remembered his Exaltation and how with it, a memory from a past life showed him his first charm.  This was not a fond memory, because having grown up in Five Coils, he knew what it meant to be Chosen by the Sun.  He remembered running from the guards and even fighting a few of the mortals.  A few times he had managed to hide long enough to practice his katas and even learned new charms from what he eventually remembered was the Ebon Shadow Style.

As each memory played through his head, Dashu felt a his essence form threads and wrap around his muscles.  It was as though his Essence was re-enforcing the muscle memory.  Not only were the kata's in Dashu's head now, they flowed through his entire body.  When he realized this was happening he pulled out every memory he could dealing with martial arts.  He though of the fight leading to his capture, and of the many lonely nights where he had nothing to do but to practice.  Most recently, he thought of the fight with the Water Dragon on floor 31 and how she moved.  Lastly he thought of the last fight which opened the door.  With that last thought, Dashu felt as though a hole opened and his Essence rushed into his muscles.  He felt as though he could keep that Essence there as long as he wished and it would only sharpen his skill.

With that he refocused on the scene before him, and a small but confident smile touched the very ends of his mouth, as though it barely broke through his normally cool composure.

Dashu decided that if Reva wanted the Silver Haired lady then he should supply support.  With that, he turned his attention to the four armored men below the war strider.  Dashu deemed the one with the bow the biggest threat to them all.  With that he charged forward through the shadows, trying to keep his approach swift and silent, when he reached his target he lunged forward, twisting his body mid air, extending both claws out, trying to drill his opponent in his back.  After Dashu lands, which he drops his weight and spins around on the ground trying to slash the tendons in the back of the Dragon Blood's leg.

[Private to GM: Here's the stunt and my attack post (for when my turn comes around).  Sorry it took so long, I was on the road today.]

Xurizu noticed the woman on the warstrider start to chant, watched her shaping the essence before her with skill and precision.  Another sorcerer, then he thought as he started to watch her, trying to divine the purpose of her casting even as he started to cast himself, concentrating on the memory so recently returned, drawing it back to him as he moved through the motions of casting.

The memories hadn't been accurate.  They hadn't conveyed the sense of power it gave him as he pushed the motes out into the air.  The feeling as he weaved them with the silver of his anima.  The strange elegance of the chain he had started to forge, one link at a time, so perfectly suited for the task it would be put too.
[Private to GM: Shaping Flying Guillotine ]
This message was last edited by the player at 23:40, Wed 26 Nov 2008.

Dashu feels power thrumming through him, tempered by knowledge dredged up from years of exacting training. Yes! This would truly be his moment in battle! The high elation he feels, achieving this new echelon of ability, is like nothing else he has ever experienced!

He slips silently toward the archer while the enemies are focused on the others. Even in near plain sight they cannot even see him until he spins to strike at the armored one with the bow. The first claw strike pierces three holes into the archer's back, and the second slashes hard at his leg, nearly bringing him down. But he still manages to stand, desperately attempting to keep distance while his fellows start to move in to attack.

Meanwhile, from a vantage point on a nearby, connecting street, Tervila Dena watches the battle unfold. She has been running -- flying -- to beat the purge countdown, away from the rioting and the mighty Immaculate chanters, only to stop and pause as she sees the huge black warstrider and its entourage guarding the way to the elevator. Perhaps she could cooperate with the group attempting to push their way through? The man with the claws appears to be going one against four right now!

---

OOC: Bah, rather disappointing damage rolls :( I even rerolled each one, since I was like "no way, can't do a +3 stunt and do like, 1L damage". But still Dashu inflicted only 5L total. Archer is wounded and engaged in melee now though, which sucks for 'im.

I'm gonna post the attacks for the armored guys and such after I'm back tonight! Dena, you can Join Battle if you wish, but you won't get to act till after everyone else has acted this turn cycle. You can react out-of-combat to what you see, though, if you like. [Private to Tervila Dena: Since you would have been fighting alone for some time I'm going to assume you're down 10 motes and 2 WP.]

actions
tick 3 - Slivari, armored DBs
tick 4 - Reva, enemy warstrider
tick 5 - Danae
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:05, Wed 26 Nov 2008.

Dena grimaces and comes to a stop a few yards above the ground, examining the battle.  This wasn't planned.  There weren't supposed to be other Anathema on the way to the elevator, only enemies.  Now she was going to have to rethink matters.  Should she talk or should she just wait until they were done?

The wasp girl sat and dithered for several key moments, hovering and trying to decide.

[Private to GM: I tried to represent Dena's tendency to overthink plans with an intentionally horrible Join Battle roll, I wouldn't worry about her going before everybody else.

16:50, Today: Tervila Dena rolled 2 successes using 1d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 10. Join Battle. ]

She gritted her teeth, biting down so hard that a faint taste of blood pushed into her mouth. 'Dam you Sister, go ahead and make me the prime target of everyone here. I was hoping to do this without being noticed.' She started running towards the Foe's War strider, her heart racing, blood pumping, breathing hard. She could not allow anyone to stop her, she has called her target and her honor demanded that she would fight her. She feigned running at a guard, one of the dragon-graced. This one held a massive Grand Maul. She knew one hit from that thing would crush her. Luckily she didn't plan on being hit. As she reached striking range she ducked low, sliding towards him. Her eyes locked onto his with a grim determination. She wouldn't, couldn't be struck.

She would not allow it. Right at the last second she sprung up, flipping her body forward towards the shoulders of the Likely Earth-Aspect. She spun her hands as she gripped loosely on the Dragon's shoulders.  Her arms spun, her right hand leaving the shoulder of the guard and planting on his head instead. The left hand also leaving and stretching out to maintain balance.

Her body spun, her mind ticking off the seconds until her landing, figuring out each movement before they started. As she landed her speed pushed her across the arm of the Warstrider, sliding just short of the edge. She balanced only with the greatest of luck. She started running up the massive creation leaping up higher and higher with each passing second, until she could run no higher. She sprung up the steep incline and planted one hand on the massive metal ear of the beast. Her energies weary but her focus still sharp. She twisted her body, lowering her center of gravity as quickly as she could without losing her balance. Then her strength ended. She was upside down, twisted and tired. She started to slide slowly, and then the image of her sister being crushed by this massive monster of metal or worse yet, knowing her sisters beauty. Her hate burned again, and she now felt no weakness in her body, only a fiery hate and lust for blood. She twisted back, and forced her body off the side of this gigantic metal behemoth.

Her body spun and twisted, landing with a cold unloving grace. Her back leg slid behind her, her stance low and burning with hate. Her hands poised for a fight. Her labored breathing hung heavy in the air, "Hey, you ready to lose? I promise I'll be a good fight." A smile crossed her features, a cold smile that seemed in dark contrast to her outward beauty.  Laughter hinted in her eyes, almost as if death was a joke.


[Private to GM: Move/Dash/Leaping action to reach the top of the Warstider, channeling Valor, and Stunt dice... oh if I can, Also Stunt Learn 1 dot of Athletics... I need it... lol. ]
This message was last edited by the player at 04:48, Thu 27 Nov 2008.

Dena observes and judges dispassionately as the fight continued.  With the distraction of an attack on the Warstrider she judges that she would be able to fly up the elevator shaft before anybody can stop her.  But what if there was a second Warstrider on the next level?  Then it would be wiser to have allies, allies as strong as these who fought at impressive odds.  She watches Dashu splatter blood from the archer across the ground and her tongue emerges and makes a slow circle around her lips.  He knew something of arts but it was a strange art, a different enlightenment than she was seeking.  She watches Reva take on the huge magical machine and sees enlightenment there as well in her movements and perfection of action.  There were many paths.  That decides Dena.  She could not only have allies, but tutors to learn from as well.  Decision finally made, she begins to flit towards them slowly, picking up speed as she went.

Though wounded, the archer is not yet dead. He backpedals, away from the reach of Dashu's claws, and aims two arrows in swift succession at Reva as she begins her sprint toward the warstrider. [Private to Dyron Reva: 2 strike flurry: 4 sux, 4 sux. spent WP to attack. You have 3 Parry DV +1 honor = 4. I gave you +3 stunt for your whole post and will include in your defenses this time. You also get -2 DV from the climb. So DV = 5.] The arrows fall maddeningly short of their goal as Reva leaps boldly up the warstrider to face silver-hair.

The three remaining Dragon-blooded move to crowd around Dashu, attempting to keep him from pursuing. The man with the daiklave strikes almost immediately, his daiklave attempting to pierce Dashu's defenses with three swift strokes that demonstrate all the skill of a master blade. [Private to Peleps Dashu: 3 strike flurry: 9 sux, 5 sux, 5 sux. Since I'm not sure how you'll defend, post your defense. Don't forget onslaught penalty.] The goremaul wielder grunts as Reva uses her head as a platform, but the distraction does not keep her from swinging at Dashu with a single swipe from her massive weapon. [Private to Peleps Dashu: 8 sux, and ditto, post defense!]

The one with the serpent-staff takes on a less rigid and more mercurial form, her limbs constantly in motion, the scale-like plates of her armor undulating upon her limber body fluidly. She does not move to attack, but circles Dashu warily, her movements a hypnotic distraction. (Any martial artists with 3+ MA recognize this as Snake Form.)

Meanwhile, the enemy warstrider does not move at all. The massive black armor is utterly still as Reva climbs up it toward the woman still shaping her spell.

---

OOC: Sorry I didn't get to posting yesterday, we shall continue now.
edit: Changed archer slightly. Also altered action count, now that I understand sorcery timing better :P

[Private to Dyron Reva: Great stunt. Yes, you can stunt learn your Athletics. I rolled as if you've already done so. Your leap/climbing action was Speed 5, -2 DV. Extra -DV because of the difficulty of the task.]

actions
tick 3 - Slivari (hold action)
tick 4 - Warstrider (hold action)
tick 5 - Silver-hair (cast sorcery), Danae
tick 6 - Silver-hair (rejoin battle), Dena
tick 7 - Xurizu (cast sorcery), armored DBs attack again
tick 8 - Dashu, Reva
tick 10 - Xurizu (rejoin battle)
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:45, Fri 28 Nov 2008.

"Well...  It can't be helped!"  Danae called out, as her own Warstrider exploded into action, clasping it's oversized chopping sword in both hands.  "I'll try to fight the big guy off, preferably before this thing falls to pieces on me--you can either stay inside, or I can open the hatch and let you try taking on the person riding on it's shoulder, okay?"

All things considered, Danae couldn't 'Really' boast anything particularly special compared to all these other people coming out of the woodwork--she was a fair hand with making stuff, and had gotten a large cache of materials to work with--between the captured shock-pikes and the Warstrider's own components when it inevitably broke down--plus the other magical materials and whatnot...  But while she was a Chosen of the Dawn...  Her combat skills needed a bit of work still...

But now that she wasn't trying to hit tiny little people on the ground, she had a better chance of doing this...  Suddenly punching out with it's 'Free' hand--it was a clumsy blow, easily dodged by a decently skilled individual...  On the other hand, the Dart launcher hooked up to that arm also happened to fire at the same time, cutting it off from a simple backstep.

This too, could be forseen in the hands of an able fighter...

On the other hand, it would be rather distracting, as the Chopping Sword--having been switched to a reverse grip during this whole routine--lashed outwards on a horizontal path, cutting off all possible avenues of escape as it tried to take a chunk out of the--most likely superior--machine.

That was the theory anyway--she didn't have a lot of combat experience to work with here...

[Private to Gatekeeper: One attack with the chopping sword--channeling Valor to try and hit the guy--I'm keeping HGD in reserve for a possible counterattack though]

Danae's chopping sword makes a flawlessly executed slash, that if the pilot were any normal individual -- or even normal Dragon-blood -- would definitely have hit. But the warstrider suddenly snaps to life, neatly blocking the attack with one flick of its leading hook sword before jabbing a thrust with the second one, straight for the pilot's chamber of Danae's 'strider. [Private to Danae Adela: 6 success, I assume HGD?]

As the pilot of the black warstrider executes this double motion, a distinctive golden glow flares from within the machine, a sure sign of Solar essence use. Whoever's inside it is quite definitely another prisoner being used against them. Could he or she be turned against their enemies?

Now silver-hair smiles, and releases her spell with a casual flick. She speaks a single word that sounds less like language than a syllable of gusting wind, and a terrible, icy cold howl rips into Danae's warstrider, penetrating the tough orichalcum-reinforced plates to crush the two inside. Reva hears her sister scream in agony from the inside, and she knows Slivari has been gravely hurt...

As soon as the silver-haired woman releases her magic, she spins and leaps nimbly, seeming to keep a preternatural balance atop the warstrider as it moves. She attempts to slip behind Reva, raising three of her ice crystal knives and hurling them all together as a blizzard wind rises up from her anima once more. [Private to Dyron Reva: She is using Night Breeze style on you... and yes, she's higher ess in this case. BTW I forgot to count +2 def from blocking w/hands, again. Sigh. Anyway your DV is 3(dex) + 3(MA) + 2(spec) + 2(fists) = 10/2 = 5-2 = 3 at this point. 5 sux vs 3 DV (hit), 6 sux vs 1 DV (hit), 6 sux vs 0 DV (hit). I'll let you stunt again here, you can at least avoid the first one and minimize damage... also, incorporate your next action into the post and the stunt bonus will count for attack and defense.]

---

OOC: ow, didn't realize how powerful Thunder Wolf's Howl is. Danae can HGD it, I think, but Slivari is going to take 5B damage. (she has 4 HLs remaining).

tick 6 - Dena
tick 7 - Xurizu (cast sorcery), armored DBs attack again
tick 8 - Dashu, Reva, Danae
tick 10 - Xurizu (rejoin battle), enemy warstrider

Slivari still holding action.

Dena's chain used to be manacles, and still had the original cuffs.  She used this to good advantage as she charged the enemy, choosing the woman with the many-sectioned staff as the first obvious target, somebody who had studied the Art and was thus worth striking as opposed to whoever was merely dependent on the big machine.

Dena flew in at a steep angle and slammed into the ground a yard in front of the woman, spreading her wings wide to whip up a cloud of grit and debris from the floor.  The moment she was obscured from view, the chain lashed out, it's cuff locking around the enemy's staff and yanking the luckless terrestrial Exalted forward into a brutal lock that left Dena's elbow crushing into her throat and her second arm using a knee as a pulley to tighten the chain around her torso and crush the breath from her.

[Private to GM: Activating Barbed Sting Embrace Combo.  -1 Willpower and flurrying whatever movement I have to get to the enemy w/ the Snake Style and hit her with a clinch attack.  I'm investing 6 motes in first dexterity excellency.  I've taken a penalty of no stunt dice in hopes that it's worth the same as the essence penalty from snake form.  Otherwise I may have to give up the ones at the end, not sure.
I'm using the crush option to inflict automatic bashing damage, the chain does 4 and I should have str 4 in warform, so 8+extra successes on the grab and it's piercing damage vs. armor.

If any enemy strikes Dena she'll use Sensuous Torment to regain essence and if the martial artist attempts to escape she'll use foot-trapping counter on her.

20:42, Today: Tervila Dena rolled 8 successes using 17d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 7,5,4,6,4,5,4,8,5,8,9,7,10,4,2,7,4. Attack w/ Chain.
Whew, hope I remembered everything. ]

And then it was ready.  There was nothing left to weave, just a gleaming silver chain hanging in the shadows of Xurizu's anima. An anima which seemed a little thicker now, emerald green highlights occasionally visible within the darkness.  He savoured the feeling for just an instant, the terrible potential held in the gleaming links, and looked at the fight.  Even with the newcomer, Dashu was outnumbered by the dragonblooded around him.

Lets even that up a little

He gestured and the chain before him took flight at incredible velocity, arcing in response to his will as it flew to rise up and above the fighting. Then it plunged down like a raptor on the woman wielding the goremaul, trying to wrap itself around her, shimmering in the reflected light of the essence used around the fight.
[Private to GM: If I understand the B&W Treatise correctly, this has a pool of Per+Occult (10) with Essence (3) autosux, and it does 18 _levels_ of damage + extra sux (soaked as usual)]

Dashu saw the incoming strikes and faced them without fear due to his new found power.  As the first strike comes for his head, Dashu places the blades of his right claw in between him and the Daiklave.  As the blade crashed into his weapon, Dashu threw his weight under the arm of warrior and used the momentum to send him into a fast spin with his feet tucked.  Dashu's body spun so fast that it seemed to hover in mid air and the details of his body blurred together.  As the second strike came into him, the speed of the spin allowed him to easily able to snag the blade with his claws and twist it under his body.  By this point,  Dashu's speed had slowed and he could tell his opponent was about to strike a third time.  As such, he kicked out with his legs, pushing off the big soldier with the goremaul, just as Reva stepped on his head.  Shooting forward towards the Fire Aspect, Dashu caught the blade with his claws yet again, slid the claws down to the hilt and turned his body in wards to where he was back to back with the Dragon Blood.  He then pushed out with his elbow, stopping the swinging arm.

While in this position, he saw the the goremaul weilder lift his hammer and try to bring it down on his head.  Dashu quickly barrel rolled forward and lifted his claws above his head.  As the force of the blow came down, it allowed Dashu to flip up onto the arm of the Earth Aspect.  He then saw a flash of light level Xurizu, and in a brief moment of panic, he leaped over the head of the Fire Aspect as the sorcery struck true.

[Private to GM: Trying to stunt all my defenses, plus I'm using my excellency to it's max  (raising my DV by 5).]
This message was last edited by the player at 17:51, Fri 28 Nov 2008.

[Private to Tervila Dena: You've got it right. It's -2 dice and I can give you a +2 stunt, that's fine! These aren't powerful DBs, but teamwork is part of what DBs are supposed to be good at...]

The martial artist is nearly startled as a very beautiful wasp-winged woman dives right into the battle to challenge her, but does not shirk on her defense. Dena's fighting chain wraps tightly around what the Lunar was sure was a sturdy hold on her opponent's staff, but the weapon slips sinuously out of the cuff before a sturdy lock can be made. She finds her elbow neatly -- if just barely -- blocked by a doubled up pair of staff sections, shoving her lightly backward.

The challenge met, the woman with the serpent staff locks eyes with the Lunar Anathema before her -- fearlessly, though she knows, one on one, she may very well be outclassed.

[Private to Tervila Dena: You were very close! but not quite!]

Xurizu's spell plunges unerringly toward its goal, the barbed silver chain wrapping tightly around the neck of the woman with the goremaul. Her anima flares to life, a pure, phantasmal earthen tower, setting the floor rumbling as she musters her entire stamina to repel the damage. Blood flows from her neck nonetheless, her jugular and spine unharmed, but her flesh shredded cruelly so that her armor is spattered down the shoulders and chest with blood. (6L damage. She is tough! but that's more than half her HLs.)

Meanwhile, Danae blocks both attacks upon her with an answering flare of golden Essence. She is free to act again... though beside her in the 'strider, Slivari looks in poor condition, coughing blood.

---

OOC: Dashu and Reva, I'll wait for your defenses from the previous action before I post the armored DBs next action. (you can also post next attack... though Dashu, your opponents' next attack will come just before yours, keep that in mind.)

Dena, your opponent is holding action so you may also act again if you want. And Xurizu can also prep next spell or whatever he'll do.

Dena cocks her head to one side a moment and examines the woman with the staff a moment.
"You're fast.  Thank you." she adds cryptically.  Then her begins to thicken, the shiny smooth exoskeleton begins to sprout spines and thicken into a dull striped carapace.  Her mouth vanishes entirely and thick ridges protect her compound eyes as her arms swell to twice their previous thickness.  Dena's anima banner begins to show more clearly, diffusing from a general mist into individual brightly glowing dots that cluster and hover around her.
"Let's share our enlightenment together." she adds cryptically as she pulls the chain back for a second attempt.

[Private to GM: Activating Armor Forming Technique for 3 motes, +9/+9/+3 soak.]

Dashu's motions are so swift to onlookers that he is a blur of dark claws, entangling the Fire Aspect's blade in his claws to render the series of well-placed blows all but useless. The goremaul impacts harmlessly with his claws, jarring the Night Aspect's arms, but he manages to leap safely out of the way -- both from the reach of the goremaul wielder, and the silver chains that flay her.

The Snake stylist still circles the Lunar warily, clearly intending to occupy the wasp-winged woman with as little harm as possible to her person -- at least for now.

The Earth Aspect groans with pain, deeply wounded but not yet out of the count. Deciding to help her companion, she lets out a wordless shout, gathering all her will and conviction, and swings her massive goremaul at Dena from behind! [Private to Tervila Dena: 9 sux. In with 3, since your last attack put you at -1. You've got 14B soak, enemy has 20B attack +3 sux. So raw damage on you would be 9 dice bashing. Going to take it or not?]

The Fire Aspect facing off with Dashu unleashes another blindingly swift flurry of blows, four hot blazing stings of the slender red jade daiklave in his hand. The strikes are both dangerously accurate and relentless, threatening to confuse or preoccupy Dashu's defenses enough to penetrate through them, or force him to expend precious motes. [Private to Peleps Dashu: Flurry - 10 sux, 7 sux, 4 sux, 5 sux. Geez. D: on the other hand Fire is down -4 DV now, strike him hard!! also gave you a +2 for the last stunt.]

At the same time, the wounded archer continues to increase the distance between him and Dashu, aiming his arrows for the offending sorcerer. Xurizu finds two arrows coursing his way, the shafts blossoming with verdant Essence so they appear wreathed in leaves and thorns -- but both miss, the first passing right past the No Moon's ear, the aim ruined by the obscuring effect of his anima. [Private to Ledaal Xurizu: 6 and 3 sux. The first one would've gone through with 1, but your anima saved you.]

---

OOC: actions
tick 8 - Dashu, Reva, Danae
tick 10 - Xurizu, Fire Aspect, enemy warstrider
tick 11 - Silver-hair, Wood and Earth Aspect

Water Aspect is still holding action. Dena used a reflexive so can act before her or keep playing the waiting game. Slivari is also holding.

As usual you may post your last defense and next action in the same post.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:13, Sun 30 Nov 2008.

"Wait, what?"  Danae exclaimed, blinking at the burst of Essence from the opposing Warstrider.  "Shouldn't he be running out with the rest of u...".  She continued, before trailing off, glancing back at the injured Silvari, and then changes her expression.

"I'm...  Not customarily violent."  She begins, working her way towards the opposing Warstrider, the battered device seeming to respond with her own gradually growing Anima, as Essence circuitry began to process the sudden explosion in commands--damaged conduits and jury-rigged devices flaring up, melting, fusing, and generally becoming a grand mess as the Solar Essence demanded more out of them then they could give...

And suddenly, the golden Warstrider vanished--all the evidence of it's presence being an explosion of dust and a flash of light--before a single blow from the chopping sword hammered into the opposing machine's chest.  Admittedly, it seemed there were allies climbing on it...  But all she could do was trust they'd come out okay.

Needless to say, mortal steel--no matter how fine and large it is, isn't really a match for a Magical Material, and splinters of metal sheared off, falling amongst the Elemental Inurement armed soldiers on the bottom, scattering them in it's wake as the attack connected--the golden Warstrider coming to a halt behind it.

"But what are you DOING here!  We have a chance to finally strike out on our own!  To get out of this place and leave them be!  And you're helping our jailers?" she continued, as the next attack--faster then the eye could see lashed out, slamming into the Warstrider's helmet--more of the chopping sword falling apart as it made up for the difference in construction with suicidal force.

"I won't forgive you for this!  Murdering all these people, and stopping us from stopping this 'Purge!'  you'd exterminate a fifth of your population JUST to keep us down!  This will NOT be permitted!  Even if this machine should fall apart in the process--I'll use what time it has left to defeat you!!!"

Another halt

Then one further explosion as the Chopping Sword literally disintegrated in the force of Danae's full anima--trying to cleave right through the jade warstrider with what force remained...

[Private to Gatekeeper: Flurry of three attacks, 8m Second Melee on each to buy 4 succs, I'll also channel Valor on the last one :( I hope this works, I worked very hard on this post]

Dena feels the first whisper of wind off the Goremaul against her wings and drops immediately to her knees, bringing her chain above her head in both arms to absorb the force of the Goremaul's tremendous blow.  Her torso compresses and her wrists are pulled together as she stubbornly tries to get back to her feet.
"We're having a private duel.  I am interested in the martial arts, feats of speed and skill, not the crudity of some giant hammer." she spits over one shoulder.

[Private to GM:
Okay, I've put the original post in a PL in case it's needed for any possible reason later.  I'll go ahead and channel a point of WP through conviction to my parry DV.

The serpent-staff snaps around Dena's head and crushes an antenna, leaving a thin trail of blood that curls under her eye as her head turns and she licks at the droplet passing her mouth.
"You're pretty strong.  I haven't been hit with a staff that hard in a long time.  But I don't think you're as fast as I am." She comments in a very casual tone.
[Private to GM: Don't think I can do anything but take the damage, I didn't think she could boost her damage that high.  Out of curiosity how's she getting her strength up to 9 for damage?  Some special charm? ]]
This message was last edited by the player at 02:29, Sun 30 Nov 2008.

As the warstrider's blade dissolved in golden Essence above him, Dashu finds himself faced with an entirely different problem: namely that he is on the bad end of a brutal assault.  Fortunately, the flaring anima's give him the window of escape that he so desperately seeks after.  Just as his opponent starts his attack, a shining sliver from the flys between the two of them.  In the brief moment of distraction it provides, Dashu launches himself forward.  Relying on his new found wells of power and a burst of will, he thrusts his claw in between the daiklave and himself and uses the massive, magical sword as a focal point for an acrobatic flip. He then pushes the blade downward as his feet come to land on top of it.  Unfortunately, his weight is not enough to break the Fire Aspects hold on his weapon.  Dashu's opponent is able to swiftly extract his weapon and take another swing at Dashu while he is still in the air, this one aimed slightly higher.  Fortunately, Dashu expects this attack and is able to again interject his claw in between himself and certain harm.  Dashu, stops the blade and lands nimbly on it for only a second before the frustrated Terrestrial tries yet again only to achieve the same result.

At this stage, the fight between the Fire Aspect and the Night Caste would have looked more like a juggling act.  Each time the Terrestrial swung higher, Dashu merely, blocked, flipped, and landed on the blade...  and then came the finale.  As the Dragon Blood swung for a fourth time, Dashu nimbly blocks and flips just as before.  However instead of landing on the blade again, he choses to land on the shoulders of his opponent.

"Now it's my turn," Dashu says cryptically as he kneels on his perch.  He quickly drives one claw down in a fierce strike, attempting to pierce his opponents skull.  His opponents attempt to block manages to disrupt Dashu's stance enough to where the Night Caste decides to dismount, and he does so by taking the other claw and plunging it in a wide arcing strike towards the Fire Aspects face.  This allows Dashu to use his momentum to do a forward shoulder roll and land nimbly on his feet.

[Private to GM: Mechanical Breakdown:  Parry: +4 to DV on all parries and a stunt.   Attack:  5 successes on both attacks and attempting a stunt.  The first attack is supposed to be a fierce strike.]

The Fire Aspect is truly a skilled warrior, but Dashu is blessed by the Sun and strong in Essence, and his potential far outshines the Dragon-Blooded opponent. The red jade daiklave simply cannot find a place to pierce through. [Private to Peleps Dashu: Excellent! All missed! You also get two +2 stunts to get Ess/WP back from.]

Dashu remains unscathed, and tears two nasty wounds through the helm and faceplate of his opponent before leaping away. [Private to Peleps Dashu: In with 9 sux and 7 sux. Damage 18L and 14L -11L soak each, ping of at least 4. You got 7 and 4 dice damage, and rolled 4L and 2L!] If not for his armor, Dashu might have torn the Fire Aspect's head right off, or gouged out his eyes. Blood streaks through the swordsman's helmet now, no less gruesome than the spray of blood that Xurizu's spinning chain inflicted upon the Earth Aspect.

As the Night Caste rises from his somersault, the two warstriders face off, oblivious to the struggle of their allies below. Danae blazes golden, surrounded by a corona of Essence as she strikes once, twice, thrice at the black warstrider's formidable defenses, driven by her wrath at the betrayal of a fellow Solar. Assuming the stance of the Mantis, the enemy pilot deflects the first blow easily, but the second bites into the shoulder of the black jade shell, and the third tears right through -- sacrificing the chopping sword in a molten burst of gold to sunder the pilot inside. [Private to Danae Adela: 2L and 4L damage, nice! also you got a +3 stunt, get back your motes or WP!] A muffled cry of confused agony issues from the enemy pilot -- a voice not much younger than Danae's own -- as the black warstrider falls heavily to one knee, jarring the footing of the two Exalts still facing off atop it.

Desperate for a final advantage, the Fire Aspect ignites his own anima: a multitude of whirling blades of pure flame surround him, their points turning towards Dashu as he crouches. Holding his blade parallel to the ground, he lunges with a wordless shout, feinting once toward the Night Caste's shoulder before redirecting his blade's path in a second powerful thrust at Dashu's heart! [Private to Peleps Dashu: Since his last attack was spd 3, Fire Aspect goes again, channeling Valor twice. Attacks are 4 sux and 10 sux (had to shave one off each roll I made since I rolled too many, oops.) After this he'll be at -4 again from wounds and attacks.]

---

OOC: OK, we should be at around tick 10 (as this is when Fire Aspect attacks again), except for Reva who still needs to resolve previous defense. Reva and Slivari may still post when they are ready. However, now that Danae has attacked the enemy warstrider, Reva must also roll a reflexive Wits+Athletics to make sure she stays ON it (it's assumed this will occur after Reva's next action.)

Danae, gotta wait for others to catch up, so you can post purely for RP flavor, but don't act again yet. Xurizu and Dena still have their next actions to post, though. And poor Dashu gets to defend again. :P

She almost laughed. She was hoping this unarmed woman would be a True Martial Artist. No she was needed blades like everyone else. Reva did still respect the magical prowless of this woman, for Sorcerers used will and effort to shape the mightiest of magics. A path of real dedication. As the three Icy knifes passed through the air, Reva smiled. She raised her hands and with a simple swipe she knocked the first from the air. Her hands now glowed, a burning red of Battled filled fate. " A 1,000 destinies are before me. I wear no armor, I use no blade." She slid down low sliding under the second knife and moving with in melee range against the deadly foe. The third knife was a hint lower, and might of clipped her but she wasn't worried. Too much energy fueled her system. Too much power rushed through veins. She stood toe to toe with her foe, and spoke again. "Your weakness is just that, you need the destiny of weapons to save you. Your own destiny cannot." Now Reva's destiny was fully aligned. The Destiny of a true warrior, not some faux pit fighter. It was not the Destiny of her weapons, or her armor, the Destiny of her allies, or even the jumbled destiny of the Loom. It was simply her destiny that would guide her. She performed a simple attack, a forceful palm strike, made not to simply hurt, but impacted with enough force to throw her foe off.

[Private to GM: Ok lets see what we got...

Activating 'Blade of the Battle Maiden' 2wp 6 Mote, giving me a Dice pool  of... 3 Dex + 3 MA + 2 Punching + 2 Honor + 6 Charm = 16/2 = 8DV -2 = 6 DV + Stunt = ?
8 Personal Mote spent 6 Peripheral Mote, 3WP.
Assuming DV 6 VS first attack, that makes it Miss, then DV 5 vs 6 Success, So I needed a 1 dice stunt, I kinda Assumed I'd get at least that. Then DV 4 Vs 6 Success, so I need a 2 Dice stunt. I'm hoping for that.

I'm doing 1 attack. Hoping for Knock back. 3 Dex + 3 MA + 1 Punch + 3 Honor + 6 Charm = 15 Dice, + Stunt? = 10 Success!]