Session 20220414 Report
General Summary
continuing Marsday 17th Resplendent Wood, Calendar
In the palace library Mathias Stormcrow reviews old maps looking for indications of construction in Thousand Dragon Lake, but instead determines the only significant differences between the modern maps and all the older ones (going back to before the founding of the Realm) are stylistic.
The library contains some additional information on the Pale Mistress, that she has many forms but in all of them she has stark white hair; most pray to keep her away but it is possible to pray for her to inflict harm on someone else - she never bargains but might help, she will always bring disorder. The Pale Mistress is served by the kaleyi, shrivelled ghouls also known as the "Hungry Dancers" who promised themselves to her in life, they cannot enter ground hallowed to the Golden Lord. Using his supernatural senses to determine if any books have been placed where they are unlikely to be consulted, Mathias finds a dust covered volume concealed behind others dealing with the geography of the Firepeaks, the mountain range that separates the coastal strip of the southwest (including An-Teng) from the rest of the South.
At the end of the committees day Marag-ang joins Mathias and they head to visit Copper Scorpion, who is having problems completing the diving bell due to poor materials, is waiting for a delivery of better metal to patch the hole at the top of the bell. They discuss what to do with the conclave, whether it will be possible to control the outcome given the small groups the monks are meeting in (they might be able to fit between 60 and 100 monks into the largest tea house they've found), whether pushing them into a pro-Solar position would be worth making them a target of Realm suppression. They decide to head into town to consult the Monks-Heretic faction.
On the way Stormcrow sees Brother Peace on the Mountain (now wearing the sort of heavy coat previously seen on some other monks), the man he refused to murder for his ninja clan. The characters follow him, and soon he is also being followed by a young man with white hair (who does not spot our heroes), though he might have if Copper Scorpion was not a riddle wrapped in an enigma shrouded in a disguise who quickly made a minor change to his appearance after being noticed. When the procession entered a deserted alleyway the white-haired man stepped into a patch of moonlight and ten identical men sprang out, surrounding the monk. Spending Essence like a steam engine, Marag-ang Excellently used Cascade of Cutting Terror enhanced by Fiery Solar Chakram to cut down the attackers, all but one of whom proved to be nothing more than images.
An exclamation reveals that Peace on the Mountain believes them to be Anathema but he is otherwise fairly calm. Marag flares his caste-mark and agrees, but asserts they are not evil, and Mathias (while searching the body) points out that as he has previously saved his life they deserve the benefit of some doubt (but that they are here by accident and are definitely not watching over the monk). Accepting this as reasonable if not proved Peace on the Mountain leads them to a tea house where they can talk, they are ushered into a private room without any request to the staff. When Mathias searched the remains of the would be assassin he recognised him as a younger member of the same ninja clan (in training when the Stormcrow fled), does not appear to have any magic on him but the body shrivels into a (dead) kaleyi, Mathias stabs it as it continues to shrivel until it becomes powder (which the Solar collects).
Brother Peace on the Mountain now shows more gravitas than Mathias remembers from their previous interaction, and from conversation establishing that he is an "equal partner" decides that Mathias is almost certainly also a Solar (and that Copper Scorpion may well be). His coat signifies that he has been summoned to undertake a pilgrimage to The Pinnacle of Mercy. The monk disapproves of Marag wearing the robes of the order, the latter defends himself on the grounds that as the Chosen representative of the Unconquered Sun he is effectively a member of the order devoted to that aspect of the sun known as the Golden Lord. Peace rebuts that he does not believe that the Golden Lord is an aspect of the other god, and adopts a lotus position on the floor to pray upon the issue. He receives a vocal response from the god himself, asserting that while he serves the Sun as one of his chief lieutenant he is not as aspect of him. So much for that theory.
Peace on the mountain questions the PCs about why they saved him and what they are trying to do with the order, in a way that suggests he will know if they are lying. Luckily they are able to tell him they saved him because he was attacked, and that they want the order to stop treating Solars as evil. After some discussion about whether the potential suffering for the order and civilians of An-Teng likely from this result would be worth it and whether Marag would protect the order if the Immaculate's attacked (yes, but he would expect to fail). Copper Scorpion again suggests that seizing Dragon's Jaws before or just after any theological change would minimise the ability of the Realm to strike at An-Teng, leaving only the garrisons, Immaculate monks already in the principalities and the Wyld Hunt chapter house at City of the Steel Lotus. Only.
The monk decides to consult others about possible doctrinal changes, and everyone will consider further. Marag-ang changes to a different non-monk appearance (using Impenetrable Disguise) so that he is no longer pretending to be a member of the order