Episode 4: The White Witch, Part 2

Previously on Exalted: the Egg of Rodan:
While traveling south across the frozen ice-pack of the Far North, the Circle came upon a nomad village beset by attacks. Their own men have become captivated by an evil Fairy Witch who steals the ovaries of the women. By now, the turned men have become twisted killers warped by the Wyld. The Circle decides to help the survivors of the village and defeat the attacking mutant Wyld-tainted barbarians. They have entered the lair of the White Witch and have defeated the army of Wyld-tainted barbarians and the mind-bending traps defending it. They prepare to enter the chamber of the White Witch.

And now:

Netiso catches up

Netiso Suse crossed the white plain of snow to catch up with his fellows. At the mound capped by a crystal crown, the Lair of the White Witch, he finds the secret opening. He descends into the depths, following the trail of destruction left behind by his friends. He passes the corridor littered with the bodies of two score Wyld-tainted barbarians. He passes two living chambers. He winds his way through the Chamber of the Reflective Labyrinth. He comes to the underground frozen pond of the Chamber of the Frozen Damned, the ice broken in several places. When he tries to cross, he falls through the ice into the frigid water below. Dead hands reach up and grab him, pulling him under. He cries for help.

Farther ahead, past the Bottomless Chamber of the Descending Pillars, Jade hears Netiso’s cries for assistance. She flares her cloak into raven wings and flies to his aid, lifts him from the icy trap, and flies him back. As the others attempt to care for him, Jade retrieves the less-than-athletic Headless from the far side of the bottomless chamber.

The Circle, now reunited and accompanied by their prisoner Traha of the Wicked Long Tongue (“Bap’s Pwah-hah, Pee-ah-ay-ape-ay, Pwah-hah”), prepare to enter the giant carved frosted-crystal-inlaid silver doors that lead to the Chamber of the White Witch.

The Chamber of the White Witch

They open the door to find a large domed chamber, 300 feet in diameter and 150 feet tall, the inside the mound. The ceiling of the Chamber was translucent and glowing from the daylight. The giant crystal shards hung from the ceiling like stalactites. Other crystal shards stood erect around the floor. The floor was shrouded in thigh-high white mist. At the center of the room rose a 50-feet-tall pillar of crystal capped by an ornate throne. Light from the ceiling focused into a shaft around the throne-pillar. Pink energy arced and danced from the crystals in the ceiling to the crystals in the floor. The White Witch, a stunningly beautiful woman with alabaster skin, almond shaped pink eyes, long straight white hair, and four rams horns (two swept back from her temples, two curled around from the back of her head), sat in the throne. She was wearing a long garment of pearlescent silk with curled pointy shoulders along with twin silver bracers on each arm. Around the base of the pillar coiled a 100-foot-long Snow Wurm, a giant serpentine white beast with a great triangular head and two spear-like arms, covered in segmented chitinous plates.

Against the White Witch

The White Witch greeted them, “I am pleased that you have finally come to pay homage to me. Now, bow down to me like humble servants.” Her voice was beguiling and seductive, yet of the Circle, only Jade fell victim to the White Witch’s charms.

A great battle ensued. Dontesse took position atop a crystal pillar and occupied the Snow Wurm with his deadly arrows. Gleaming Warrior used the Snow Worm’s head as a springboard to hurl himself at the White Witch’s throne, releasing a blinding flurry of deadly attacks. As each attack struck the Witch, her form vanished and re-appeared. Broken Mountain Forge launched his Flying Guillotine at the Witch, who managed to dodge decapitation, but was cut by the whirling razors nonetheless. Her eyes flashed fury. With her illusion disrupted, Gleaming Warrior’s next attacks caused her great trouble. Jade swooped up to parry attacks made against her new Mistress. In an effort to save herself, the White Witch shape-shifted into a small white insect and scurried away in secret.

The Snow Wurm

Meanwhile, the Snow Wurm had unleashed a powerful breath of white fog on the heroes that instantly froze everything it touched. Headless, Broken Mountain Forge, and Traha, retreated behind the safety of the silver doors. Netiso Suse stealthily maneuvered around the outside of the room and discovered the floor beneath the mist was open with many holes like swiss cheese. Netiso was further injured by the freezing fog breath. Afterwards, Netiso talked Jade out of her Beguilement. Dontesse leapt up onto the back of the Snow Wurm, firing arrows at point blank range. The Wurm reached behind, knocking Dontesse from its back. Dontesse fell, his arrows pouring from his quiver. As he fell, he grabbed the arrows at random from mid-air and continued peppering the giant beast.

Dontesse hit the ground. The Snow Wurm was preparing a final and fatal attack against the wounded warrior when Gleaming Warrior leapt from the Witch’s throne pillar and cut the segmented monstrosity in half with his giant Daiklave. The front half of Snow Worm collapsed while the back continued to writhe blindly.

After the Battle

The Circle looked around and examined their situation. The White Witch was nowhere to be seen. Broken Mountain Forge and Headless re-entered the room. Broken Mountain Forge cast Sapphire Counter-magic to ensure the room was clear. As he advanced, he fell into one of the hidden holes, disappearing beneath the fog.

The Final Confrontation in the Tunnels

He slid down a curving, branching tunnel of ice. When he reached the bottom, where the tunnel began to curve back upwards, he saw the small white insect return to the beautiful shape of the White Witch. She sneered at him, reached towards the wall of the tunnel, and drew forth a great Daiklave made of ice. She swept the Daiklave around her defensively, wisps of steamy mist emanating from the blade. The two joined in battle, the Witch with her Ice Daiklave, Forge with his Starmetal Goremaul “Eternal Void”, parrying each other’s attacks. The White Witch then ordered Forge to serve her and protect her. Her sweet voice reached Broken Mountain Forge, and he obeyed.

Very shortly afterwards, Netiso Suse came sliding down the tunnel with his Living Glaive leading the way. Broken Mountain Forge moved to intercept the attack. Netiso altered his trajectory so that he would spiral around the tunnel and avoid Forge. A battle ensued, with Forge attempted to intercept Netiso’s attacks. Eventually, Forge’s beguilement wore off and the two turned on the White Witch. An attack pierced her gossamer raiment and struck home. She screamed as the wound bled bright light. Her body cracked and shattered like glass, leaving only a fading light that dimmed to nothingness.

Netiso and Broken Mountain Forge took the Ice Daiklave and the Gossamer Raiment and found their way out of the tunnels, eventually coming upon a spiral staircase that led to the base of the throne pillar.

Attuning the Manse

Headless shaped the Wyld into a large pillar of ice, which he knocked over to create a way to the top of the throne-pillar. In doing so, he became entranced by his dream of a perfect body instead of the twisted real body he lived in. He took position on the throne in an effort to attune the Manse to himself. The others disagreed, fearful of what affect this evil Manse would have on their friend. Jade finally talked him out of the fantasy and he relinquished the throne. Remembering the children they needed to save, the Circle explored the spiral stairs.

At the base of the stairs, they found a curious doorway lined with what appeared to be teeth. Inside, they discovered a chamber built entirely of living flesh, like the folds of brain tissue. The room was lit by 40 or more glowing amber pustules, each containing a small dark egg-sized shape suspended within. The center of the room contained a large quivering tongue-bed, about the size and consistency of a futon mattress. Some exploration of the walls revealed a vertical slit in the far wall surrounded by striated muscle tissue, resembling a grotesque giant vulva. The Circle was mortified. Only Broken Mountain Forge and Netiso Suse were brave enough to delve into the cleft.

Saving the Children

Broken Mountain Forge used his cape as a makeshift stretcher to carry the children 5 at a time as Netiso concentrated on keeping the exit visible and open. As they removed the children, the entire Manse shuddered convulsively. They rushed the children, some now returning to consciousness, up the spiral stairs as they were chased by blindly grasping tentacles from the vulva-room.

When they reached the main chamber, Headless summoned a Cloud Trapeze and gathered everyone aboard. The Circle, Traha, and the children wafted safely out of the Manse.

Aftermath

Above, the nomads were searching for survivors. Jade leapt out of the cloud and brought the nomads up to speed on what had happened in the Manse. The nomad chieftain, Gotha, likewise explained to Jade that six days had passed since they left to deal with the White Witch. Back at the nomad camp, the children were reunited with their surviving parents, and orphaned children were taken in by new mothers. The dead were burned and prayed for by Gotha. The nomad tribe had been decimated by the White Witch, and their victory over their mutated tribesmen and the White Witch herself had been bittersweet, but with the children they had a hope of survival. They gave the Circle their infinite thanks.

To Be Continued.

Storyteller's Notes

One other mistake I made was that I didn't realize Wyld Shaping was a Charm. I was allowing the PC's to do it for free using home-made rules. Well, NO MORE! I figured out my mistake just last night.