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Klaudios The Lighthouse "If you are not lying, I will extend a protection against diablerie over you, so that you can contain and isolate the threat above. Then we will purge it. Otherwise, we shall seal the tower and destroy all demonic influence within it at the equinox. If you maintain your purity until then you spirits should be unharmed. If not, you will be destroyed. Take my hand, you three, but careful: do not disturb our circle." Klaudios maintains his open hand, reached forwards just to the inside border of the protective ward.
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Feb 5, 2018 21:39
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The fires The combatants fight, xechanging blow after blow, until praxiteles delivers a powerful blow, and although the stranger catches it on his shield, there is a visible shock up his arm and a sickening Crunch sound, and then his arm hangs limp. He furrow his brow, then lowers his weapon. "Very well. I surrender." Lighthouse The spirits nod, then move foward and each put their hands in yours. "Give us your blessing of sun-racing Hermes," one of them says. The cave Moving forwards, you find that the song grows louder, and the air begins to hang heavy with the scent of salt, many exposed surfaces seemingly caked with it. Eventually, you find a gently moving... lake? of salt water. Perhaps it is connected to the sea? in any case, the singing seems to be coming from down in the water itself somewhere. It is very, very beautiful.
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Feb 9, 2018 04:50
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Klaudios The lighthouse Nodding, satisfied by the ability of these spirits to cross the magical barrier, Klaudios smiles back at them. He clears his throat, "Oh, well. It will take a minute to arrange the spells. I will protect you against fell powers, my allies against mundane harms." Epiphanios Fires Laughing with well disguised false joviality, Faniskos breaks the wary tension still binding the bonfireside circle. "Now that matters of honor are settled, we return to party, brothers at arms! Come, play and drink, and I will accompany our wild celebration!" Fetching the earlier discarded ewer of wine he presses it to one of the men standing dumbly at the edge of the assembled onlookers, trying to disperse the crowd so that Praxiteles may treat with the defeated soldier without further challenge or disruption. Moving on may be best, as not all the men might have settled in their hearts after the contest. CaPensiPraxis fucked around with this message at 19:02 on Feb 9, 2018 |
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Feb 9, 2018 15:44
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Paisios, Adept of Ermis (Lighthouse Adventure) "We must protect the innocent, of course, but it is also vital that we trap the foul spirits within the confines of the lighthouse. Can you achieve both of those things, Klaudios?"
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Feb 11, 2018 19:39
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Johannus - Cave Adventure "Such beautiful sound" Johannus mumbles as he stares into the water. "Maybe this is where the Siren lives? Do we have any way to talk to her?" Praxiteles of Corfu - Fires Adventure Stepping back from the fight, Prax shoulders his club and raises his left hand in a sign of peace. "Sorry about that. Thought you'd deflect that blow like the others, I should have held back more. Got anyone here good at bone setting?" The scarred face grins after a moment. "At least your gear held up better than I thought it would. Guess Poseidon keeps better care o' your fathers stuff than I thought."
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Feb 12, 2018 20:39
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Klaudios The Lighthouse Blinking owlishly towards the door, Klaudios does not hesitate to reply, "Yes, if the demons within are not of exceptional strength. Construction will take some hours, but the tower can be sealed, yes. I will go out to the river and gather river clay, from which a durable ring of hard ceramic will be constructed. Purify the clay, and divide the ring diameter into arc segments to be joined and hardened. The diameter required will be approximatl- " He continues on, rambling until uninterrupted about the exact methodology of constructing a ring that resists the elements as economically as possible, then continuing to describe the structural features of the lighthouse itself and something called an "arcanopraxic bounding shape", a term he appears to have made up on the spot. Pretty clearly, the answer is "probably".
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Feb 13, 2018 18:10
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Eliodoros "Well, I would assume she speaks Greek. But if you mean breathing water...hm." Alexia hops off his shoulder, flicking her ears. "Count me out. I am not swimming." "I would not ask you to." Eliodoros shakes his head. "I have a better idea, anyway - I'm out of practice with that particular spell, but really, all we need is her attention." He turns to the Jacques, drawing a small rod from a pocket. "Throw your torch over the water and light another." Then he forcefully gestures at the torch, pronouncing his spell. The flame begins to pop wildly, sizzling and releasing long strings of many-colored smoke. The flame bursts out in short streamers around it. It may be a good idea to throw in order to avoid minor (and relatively harmless, but painful) burns. Casting Show of the Flames and Smoke to get attention, at least until the water puts out the torch. No roll needed - I can't fail it and I'm not stressed, so no botch chance.
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Feb 14, 2018 13:41
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Jean Jean can, he thinks, follow the mathematics of Klaudios's speech, or at least some of them, but he seems visibly uncomfortable about the casual discussion of magic. Theodoros (Fires) "Here, let me look." He heads over to the injured man? Fairy? Probably fairy. Still, his spells should work. He kneels next to the wounded warrior. "I know charms and incantations to Asklepios. They may help sooth your pain and speed your healing, if you are not too hurt. Let me see." He inspects the wounds, and then, placing his hands on the man's arm, begins to softly chant. Casting Purification of the Festering Wounds, CrCo 20. Base casting total is 18 + Aura Modifier. Purification of the Festering Wounds: 1d10+18 26
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Feb 15, 2018 04:43
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Paisios, Adept of Ermis (Lighthouse Adventure) Paisios keeps up with Klaudios' explanation to the best of his ability, while trying and usually failing to get in a word edgewise. Eventually, when a lull is achieved, he manages to add his own contributions "Right. Carcer is, of course, the the dominant house and certainly Pisces is a major influence. The Moon will govern the integrity of the circle and... hm, yes I should calculate for Saturn as well. It seems that the fiend in question draws from the negative influences of Mars... hm. I'll have to consider this." quote:Spell Horoscope: 1d10+11 15 (Creates a +5 spell horoscope for the ceremonial casting. The exact hour is up to Magnusth, if he cares)
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Feb 15, 2018 05:01
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Fires Following the duel, the partying quickly resumes. The man you've been fighting thanks theodoros, then finds and brings a humorously lage jug of wine, easily eight or nine litres, and and pours out two humerously large cups of wine, handing Praxiteles one. He then puts his own on the ground and, with a grimace, grabs his left shoulder and sets his own bone. You're, uh, fairly certain that would hurt quite a lot, but he simply grunts and grimaces. "You won fair and square" he says, and picks up his glass of wine. "To your victory!" he says, then downs half of it. Cave The torch fizzles and spits, and spews colourful smoke everywhere. A singing stops with suddently and with a confused-sounding 'huh?' Moments later, a young, feminine face with long, blond hair rises - or rather, forms? - from the lake, and then tilts quizzically to the left. "Who are you?," she asks. Tower Calculations made and blessings given, you turn and leave the lighthouse, and behind you, the spirits shout battle-cries and return to the room upstairs, to take up their fight anew. Outside, you quickly begin forming the ring around the tower. The best time for your spell will be tomorrow, at noon. What do you all want to do until then?
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Feb 19, 2018 22:48
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Klaudios Klaudios casts two non-fatiguing spont on a large quantity of rough clay dredged from the river banks. First, a spell to shape lengths of clay into arcs of a great circle, mathematically calculated and precise and with a joining notch. Then, after this ring is set into the ground around the structure, a second spell to fire the pieces hard in an instant, turning them into an ugly and rough but very durable ceramic ring. It won't last forever, but unless someone takes a hammer to it, it should last quite a long time. Sculptor's Precise Hand (ReTe 4) (Base 2, T:I R:T D:Conc) The Quick Kiln (ReTe 4) (Base 2, T:I R:T D:Conc) Then, the ward circle finished, Klaudios sets up a ritual space: inscribing intricate geometrical designs and patterns into a second much smaller circle touching the ward. At the appointed hour he begins the ceremony, burning scant amounts of sulfurous perfume as he stands stock still in the casting circle, head down and arms outstretched as he mutters to himself. Suddenly he lurches forwards and sets off tramping around the ward tracing out its boundaries with arms straining, upstretched. Finally, he returns to the circle and throws his arms down with a shout. The ugly smoke of the sulfur - used in the covenant for fumigating pest infested houses clears away in a rush.. but otherwise nothing appears to happen. [[Casting "The strongest ReVim Ward against Demons possible".: 1d10+22 26]]
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Feb 21, 2018 18:58
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Eliodoros Eliodoros bows - not especially low, but enough to be polite. "I am Eliodoros of Verditius." Alexia hops off his shoulder and preens herself. "And I am Princess Alexia of the cats." Eliodoros does not miss a beat. "My companion and I, among others, have taken residence in this place anew. Am I to assume you were the guardian spirit of this covenant?"
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Feb 22, 2018 13:35
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Cave "I am Ague of the waves. And i have not made a pact with humankind in, oh, decades, at least. But..." The figure forms fully and grows closer to the edge of the water, as if slowly walking out of the wave at beach, though you are certain this lake holds no gentle slope. As the body forms, it is covered in an elegant silk dress in the ancient greek style, but with, uh, little left to the imagination behind wet, if opaque, silk. "..It is a pleasure to meet you, Eliodoros of Verditius"
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Feb 24, 2018 01:38
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Eliodoros Eliodoros smiles. "And a pleasure to meet you, Lady Ague. While we had heard that the covenant's former patron was a nereid, your beauty was not done justice in the descriptions. I hope that, despite the length, you would be willing to meet with our council above and renew that pact. It has been a long time since magi have lived on this island, but we have returned in force, and we would give you the honors due your station."
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Feb 24, 2018 02:30
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Cave The woman raises an eyebrow. "You mistake my words, Eliodoros of Verditius. I am not the one who mad any pact with the magoi here. I came here but recently, searching for... something lost to me, a long time ago. And someone."
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Feb 24, 2018 02:44
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Eliodoros "...ah." Eliodoros' smile fades. That changes things - and is potentially a risk. "Seeking what, then, and who? You may have come here before we did, but this is our place now. If you plan to stay, I should hope you plan to cooperate."
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Feb 24, 2018 02:48
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Epiphanios Fires Epiphanios whistles at the impressive show of tenacity and raw shown by the soldier setting his own shoulder, not an easy feat by any means. He brushes past Praxiteles and places a hand on his arm as he does so. "Be careful, and do not fall into this trap." he says softly as he goes by. "I will return, let us meet at our boats in a short time, go to the shore and carry a fire there as a signal to gather." he announces more loudly to his companions, then he is off. The revelry is in full swing once more, and Fanisko is in his element again. Just another one of many faces flashing in the fire light, he winds among the revelers, making sure to keep the rowboats in sight. Sometimes he plays his panflutes and stamps his feet along with dancers, others he leads a small band in a raucous drinking song, always surreptitiously passing his rough hewn cup of wine to another without drinking any. Eventually he sidles up to a drunk yet still coherent soldier and greets him warmly as he has several others to no avail. "Well met, brother, and welcome ashore! What kept you noble men astride the waves all this time?"
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Feb 24, 2018 02:56
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Paisios, Adept of Ermis Paisios seeks out any covenfolk planning on making a journey to Abydos, so that he could purchase various incenses requires to banish the demons haunting the tower. He make a mental note to ask the other magi if they require anything.
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Feb 24, 2018 03:06
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Cave "How rude," the woman muses, and steps closer. "To damand answers from me and to seek to force my coorporation. My my, Eliodoros of Verditius. How very discourtious. I know your name, but who are you to demand answers of me, and why have you and yours settled this lump of rock?" Fires Epiphanios, you hang out with the men - well, the soldiers, and it takes a while to get a propper contact established, both due to the copius amounts of wine and the flowery language these people are given to. As far as you are able to tell, they come from - and they are very ademant about this fact - beneath the sea, where they have always lived, and where they farm seaweed and make wine, and fight off others like them, or various strange creatures of the depth. What do you want to do? (all of you at the fires). when are you planing to return home? the party seems to be going on for, uh, hours at the very least. Likely until morning?
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Feb 24, 2018 05:37
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Jacques, Fallen Knight (Caves Adventure) The demon was definitely going to kill the arrogant sorcerer. It was going to happen, and it was going to be awful. Jacques slowly shuffled off to the side, his knuckles white on the hilt of his massive mace. Maybe the sharp tongued sorcerer would drive the demon into a fury, and give him an opening. Hopefully that would be enough.
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Feb 24, 2018 05:42
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Fires Epiphanios moves on, but this grain of insight and others like it lodge in his mind, slowly coalescing into pearls of what is hopefully knowledge. After some time passes he notices bobbing light at the edge of the beach, too small and isolated to be anything but his companions ready to return to the island. Trading his place on the hunter's rowboat to take a ride in the small boat with Praxiteles and Theodoros, he shares what knowledge he gleaned. As far as he can tell, these folk are some kind of seafloor denizens, likely some variety of faerie tasked with fighting creatures of the deep in accordance with the various rules and oaths of the faerie kind. He does not think that they represent any kind of immediate threat, though perhaps their oceanic battles might be of future concern. Why begrudge these straightforward folk their land celebration, just because their coming and going spooks the covenant folk? Surely if they are assured that the nighttime revel is not sinister, there won't be a problem!
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Feb 27, 2018 05:54
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Okay, so! that concludes it for our first round of adventure! feel free to go make your various activities for the season! The adventures each had a quality of 5, and you're welcome to take either that 5 xp, or the XP of whatever activity you're doing. you probably want to do that last one. once everyone has done their thing for the season, we'll set up the next adventure.
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Mar 4, 2018 00:13
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Johannus will create a spell for creating the snails our villagers need for dye production. He has absolutely no experience in Aquam, but that's alright, it gives him an excuse to experiment. Spell Name: Bounty of the Sea Rego Aquam 20 Range: Touch Duration: Momentary Target: Group Effect: Causes a mass of sea snails to generate in a body of sea water (Base 5, Touch +1, Group +2) Lab Total = 22 (6 Rego + 0 Aquam + 2 Intelligence + 3 Magic Theory + 5 Magic Aura Level +6 Inventive Genius) Experimentation Simple Die: 1d10 1 - Lab total is now 23 Experimentation Stress Die: 1d10 1 - Explode Stress Die Explode: 1d10 6 - Extraordinary results of 12 - roll twice. Experimentation Stress Die (roll twice): 2#1d10 1 5 - another explosion and 5 Experimentation Stress Die (explosion 2): 1d10 3 - becomes 6. Exciting Experimentation stress die: 1d10 7 Exciting Experimentation Roll 1: Roll twice - Two side effects! Side Effects: 2#1d10 10 6 - Minor side effect + Fatal Flaw Exciting Experimentation Roll 2: No Benefit End result: Snails that cannot dye anything! Prax will spend the season exploring the surrounding lands chin up everything sucks fucked around with this message at 20:13 on Mar 5, 2018 |
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Mar 4, 2018 04:22
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Eliodoros Eliodoros returns from the caverns below, making a report to...well, anyone at the council that will listen, about the spirit he met in the caves and her search for her sister and some stolen trinket, and her belligerence, oath of vengeance and all that. He is quite clear that he thinks her a scheming and treacherous creature, though he is unsure if she is fae or not, and believes she will try to make herself a nuisance to the covenant in general and himself in particular. He also describes the golems they discovered. "And," he adds, "I plan to spend the season working. If any of you have requests for items that might serve the common good, give them. If not, I will busy myself with work on a project of my choosing." Haven't decided on seasonals for magus or companion yet, but tossing out some info.
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Mar 4, 2018 21:58
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Paisios, Adept of Ermis Paisios sails for Abydos, to purchase frankincense, sulfur, and other useful reagents and incenses. Upon his return he weaves purifying energies from the celestial spheres into the acquired incense, infusing it with the power to banish the demons of the lighthouse back to the Pit. Lab Horoscope: 1d10+11 13 (+4) Experimentation: 1d10 2 1d10 1 (+2, no extraordinary effect) Perdo Vim Lab Total: 37 (5 Aura + 3 Int + 6 Magic Theory + 4 Perdo + 4 Vim + 3 Frankincense sympathy + 3 Sulfur sympathy + 4 Lab Horoscope + 3 Familiar + 2 Experiment) Eight small bundles of fine white cloth, filled with frankincense and sulfur, enchanted with The Harrowing of the Faithfuls' Dwelling: Strips 10 Might from all demons within a touched structure PeVi 20 (General Base, +1 Touch, +3 Structure) + 34 Penetration (+17 effect levels) = 37 [Eight Harrowing Incense bundles created as charged items] fool of sound fucked around with this message at 22:16 on Mar 4, 2018 |
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Mar 4, 2018 22:14
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Seasonal Activities for Spring 1220 Klaudios Klaudios labors in the laboratory for a season, working towards finishing inventing his spell "Setting the Dramaturgical Memory Palace". Conceived as he traveled back from his pilgrimage to Samos. Irritated at the idle voyage back, he set about conceiving a way to keep his lab with him everywhere. Having heard of a spell that allowed the copying of an entire tome into the caster's Memory Palace, he had a good idea of where to start and set to work on it immediately upon returning. Traveling to Ilios interrupted this work, and now that everyone is somewhat established there is time to complete it. His experimentation in the first season of work paid off, so all that is left in this season is to finish the straightforward parts of spell formulation. Klaudios requests the use of 5 of the covenant's pawns, 3 creo and 2 mentem, for use in casting his ritual.
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Mar 5, 2018 04:04
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Seasonal Activities for Spring 1220 Theodoros Theodoros hurries into his study, troubled. Who were these Atlanteans (for that was what he had named them in his mind, though he had thought Atlantis was at the western end of the sea)? Were they spirits taking the form of men, or men in truth, merely warped and twisted by the gods. He would write his master, the wisest man he knew, and see if the man had any advice. Theodoros to Lucan, his pater, gives greetings Hail to you, most noble pater and kyrios. May you be blessed forever by the Twelve who dwell on Olympus. We have reestablished the covenant and are seeking a patron. However, we have encountered men of strange mien on an island next to the covenant. They all have strange countenances, and they claim to live on the ocean floor where they farm seaweed. Have you heard of any such communities near Anatolia? Could these be spirits, or actual men rewarded by the Earthshaker? I finish this now so that the redcaps may collect it. My deepest love to you, dearest pater, and to all those of Aegeia. Know that I am yours to command should you but call on me." The letter done, Theodoros puts it aside, and starts reading "The first flame of knowledge", in the hope that he will discover the secrets of intelligo. Jean Jean, meanwhile, the matter with the demons under control, at least, travels to Constantinople, to seek permission from the Emperor to build a church and a school. Epicurius fucked around with this message at 21:55 on Mar 10, 2018 |
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Mar 7, 2018 03:54
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Eliodoros Eliodoros has a very busy season ahead of him. First, he prepares a letter, to be sent to his parens in Alexandria. Honored Basia, Axiocersa, adelfi, I greet you in all love and honor. May the hands of the twins guide your own. Alexia and I have settled well here. Already we are making allies and enemies, as I have had to assert our rights to a water-spirit of some variety who has been living on our home's site for some time. This was, perhaps, a reckless decision - she could have been our prostatis, to officialize ourselves. I hope for higher things, however, and will offer my fellows the possibility that we seek patronage from the Kabeiri themselves. Would this not be a coup? I hestitate now to put pen to paper, for what else we have learned shakes the foundations. Here, in our very home, one of our forebears walked before us. Here, I have found automata of great ability - capable of speech, of understanding, of learning. I am undertaking a course of study, for such ability is known only to the ancients, to Heron of greatest fame and glory, and to Virgil, whose ways never came to these shores. My heart soars, for in this, there is hope. I had thought my quest to begin in Constantinople, in search of books, and here I find something much greater! I shall of course keep you informed of the status of my work, as I hope you shall with me. Alexia sends her love and regards, and has thoroughly claimed ownership of the local felines. I look forward to seeing you again, and of walking deeper into the caverns of knowledge with you. i must end now, that I do not keep the Redcaps waiting overlong. Forever your adelfos, Eliodoros, Axieros Having sent that off, he assigns to Alexia the task of procuring and organizing agents in the city of Constantinople. (Alexia, being a cat, is perhaps not going to have the easiest time of this, but she is a very skilled plotter and believes herself well up to the task. She dictates a number of letters to Katja, to be sent to prospective agents in order to begin recruiting and searching for rumors of uncorrupted texts of Heron in the city.) With their correspondence finished, the pair then begin the work of selecting one of the golems - the one that speaks Greek, ideally - and herding it into their lab, where a season of investigation begins. Eliodoros puts the creature through its paces, testing the limits of its knowledge and physical abilities, taking copious notes all the while. It is a tiring matter, but the pursuit of Heron and the secrets of the mechanika drive Eliodoros to heights of scholarship. This is a TN 18 Int+Magic Theory check, with +3 from Inventive Genius. RPBotBOT - Today at 8:29 AM @morsrattus rolled 15. (4, 11) Pushed to 18 by spending a Confidence point; if the thing can be made a source of Insight into the secrets of one of Awakened Device ('it is a person') or Mutable Device ('its enchantment can be altered') then it is. Eliodoros ends the season with a lab text detailing an effect that will provide research points when created, even if he is not yet capable of making it. He also gets the following as a total to tell how the thing's abilities are utilized, per the Study Mechanika rules: RPBotBOT - Today at 9:01 AM @morsrattus rolled 30. (6, 24) 30 vs its spell or effect level. Spending the adventure XP instead of the 2 lab xp, tho. Thorald Bragason Thorald, for his part, is happy to spend the season avoiding having to deal with the magi directly, and instead working to drill the local turb, as is his job. He's a good commander, if not the best teacher - he's more in the hands-on drilling line of work, though he is slowly improving. What free time he has is spent with Aliye, Sigrun and Derya. His wife Aliye is a minor scribe among the covenfolk, and the two are a common sight together whenever both are free; they are deeply in love. Their children are children. Sigrun is around seven and is a rowdy, troublemaking little girl who gets into mischief, while her sister Derya is a five-year-old who mostly follows her (and sometimes other people) around and asks questions, ranging from silly to surprisingly clever to extremely embarrassing. Thorald is maintaining his lifestyle by doing his job for the one season he has to, thanks to his wealth. He earns 2 XP for doing so, I think, having not been on an adventure.
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Mar 11, 2018 14:11
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Eliodorus Based on what little you know, you soon discover that these... creatures you have found likely aren't the mechanica of Heron, but crafted by some other art. Perhaps a sister-art to Heron's mechanica, or an ealier, simpler art from which the great philosopher derived his skills? Or perhaps some other mage has attempted to blend the mechanica with other ways of enchantment? You can't be certain. You do learn quite a few interesting facts, however. For one, these creatures need water and vis. Not a lot of vis, but some, perhaps a pawn every few seasons, and they need to be regularly washed and moistened to be able to continue walking around and doing things. Searching through the caverns, you find, close to the place you found the automatons, a hidden alcove where Vim Vis drips down in the form of pure water. Perhaps these creatures wash themselves there? You also learn that their intelligence is... limited. They can and do answer questions to the best of their ability, but they seem to have a very limited reference alltogether. they can answer questions of liguistics and linguistic development and theory in-depth, but most other questions are met with fairly useless, short answers. You learn that they don't seem to... do much, on their own, but work in concert. Working together, they are trying to find similarities between various languages and working backwards to trace their development and their root languages. When asked why, the creatures just respond 'it is what we are for'. They seem to have gotten rather far in this endeavour, but it's difficult to tell, as the work and insights seem to be spread out among them. It's clear to you that a central intelligence of some kind noting things down would be useful. perhaps the Magus who originally made them had this role? or perhaps there is some function of theirs you have not yet discovered? Lastly, you learn that either of these creatures would be an *excellent* teacher of the language they speak. Further, while studying them, you do think you could create... a smaller, but similar effect. You belive you could create an enchanted object able to translate text from classical to modern greek as an IntMe(ReTe) 20 effect. The object would be a clay tablet that would be washed with water to soften it, then have the text written into it, the translation to that text then writing itself on the opposite side of the tablet. You're extrapolating the effect from the way your intellego spells and your best bets as to the principles govering this enchantment, but you're fairly sure you could make such a tablet. You gain 5 points of insight towards mechanica; 5 points towards... something else? Theodoros You learn the appropriate amount from reading the first flame of knowledge. Jean After much waiting and many silk-clad administators and clerks sending you on to another clerk or administrator, and a few priests and clerks of the church as well, you do eventually gain permission to build a church, but not a school. Before you make ready to leave, however, one of these administrators invites you to dinner, and offers to... persuade some key elements of the beaurocracy towards letting you build a school... if you promise to recommend his brother, a trader, to the magi as a go-betwee, if they ever resume production of the expensive tyrian dye on the island. What do you respond? You gain 4 xp towards some skill involving dealing with authority or bureaucracy or traveling. Prax The surrounding lands are mostly beach, and hills, inland, with a few scattered rocks and formations here and there, a few cliffs and dunes. Except for one thing. There's a rocky dune where a tiny piece of cliff sticks out, except... to your second sight, that is a block. Clear as day, to your send sight, a perfectly square block, such as might have been a cornerstone of a house, once. To normal eyes, it looks like a tiny piece of rock or granite, rugh and unheaven, but to your second sight, it is a perfectly square block. Besides that, most surrounding lands are, uh, tiny rocky islands. On one of them, you find a sigil burnt into a flat, wet plateau, and on another, you meet a weak spirit in the shape of a goat, nibbling what little plants grow there. It told you to get off its island, and then returned to nibbling grass. Everyone else You should be good, right? i think most of you are doing magic stuff you already know the result of. I will be getting to correspondance and adventure hooks soon, this took a bit longer than expected. you're also welcome to suggest further adventures and such yourself, of course.
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Mar 14, 2018 05:05
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Correspondance: For Eliodorus Filius Elidorus and Honored Alexia It gladdens my heart that you have arrived well and made allies and enemies both. And I warn you to take care regarding making enemies of spirits; beware that you in angering all do not anger many for where we may easily destroy any upstart nymph or nereid, we may not always quite so easily defeat whicever ancient ally may seek their vengance. But i trust that you shall take good care, and i wish you well if you should approach the forge-gods. As to your other subject, my heart soars to read your letter. learn what you can of them with great haste. You need but write to me, should you require advice, or consultation with any book available to me. You shall of course be greatly rewarded once you find the principles by which these automatons work. In fact, i should greatly like to see them myself. If convenient to you, and agreeable to your sodales, i should very much like to visit you this autumn to inspect these automatons myself, at any time you find convenient. Your parens Magus Basia For theodoros: Lucan to Theodoros, his Filius, gives greetings. May the twelve bless you in kind, and Hestia guard your heath. I am glad your Covenant goes well, and, assuming appropriate honors and rewards, would gladly offer you my help in the matter of finding a patron. As for these men of strange mien you speak of, i do not know of them. Stories abound of course, that ancient illium lies hidden beneath the sands of the beach, or has been washed to the sea, and that the place where it once stood is haunted. There are likely faeries about, as there will be near any place so storied, but beyond that, i can offer little help. If they truely do live on the ocean floor and honor the eathshaker, make sure to learn from them what you can of him, and of their ancient rites, if they have such. My deepest love to you as well, dear Filius, and my best hopes for your covenant.
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Mar 17, 2018 03:40
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Paisios, Adept of Ermis (Lighthouse Adventure) "So in short, the good father's exorcism, enhanced by this purified incense and assisted by Klaudios and I, should scourge the tower of infernal influences." Paisios explains, while insistently trying to hand Klaudios one of the prepared censers. The other magus appears to not understand the gesture.
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Mar 17, 2018 18:40
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Jean-Constantanople Jean seems somewhat taken aback. This, then, is the Emperor's court? Much as it had fallen in decline, the city had been the second in the Empire....first, really, as Rome and the rest of the west had fallen into disunion and war. And, it had been founded by the Emperor Constantine as solely Christian, free of the pagan roots that had so marred Rome. And now he was being asked...what? To agree to a bribe by an official? A quid pro quo? The school for this man's brother getting the trade route for the dye the mages controlled. Jean wasn't naive. He really wasn't, and he knew about the corruption of courts; the desire for self enrichment over the public good, but that didn't mean he enjoyed being part of it. He'd have to be careful here. Although.... "You must understand, of course, that I'm not close to the magi on the island. They have no reason to listen to me. I can certainly mention to them that your brother is a merchant and is interested in trade, but I can make no guarantees that they will pick him. Nor do I know your brother's skill at his job, nor the solidity of his firm." He looks at the food on his plate, not looking at the administrator. "I would facilitate introductions for anyone who asked, sir. I thank you for the meal. Sadly, though, i find myself called away by other engagements. Good evening, sir." Jean-the Lighthouse Jean frowns. "I'm no exorcist, nor am I saint to cast out demons with a command. I will do my best, though. I am somewhat familiar with the ritual."
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Mar 18, 2018 20:51
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Adventure hooks: The caves Large parts of the caves still remain unexplored, through teams of grogs have mapped the nearest parts for any dangers. From one of the caves, they claim to hear a low wailing and sobbing, but refuse to go any closer, and other strange sounds are heard from various other parts of the caves. Beach, mainland? There's a single stone cloaked in illusions, but but visible to the second sight, that sticks out from a sandy dune. Perhaps if one were to search around the dune or dig into it, one could find more of whatever structure that stone was a part of? it must've been hidden for a reason, after all. ...Mainland Beach? Faerie auras cover part of the beach, waxing and waning with the moon, but despite rumors and reports of faerie activity, you don't seem to have seen any. something has lead them to be... missing? perhaps, the right spells and investigation around the strongest faerie auras could put you in contact with them? Lighthouse Underway
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Mar 19, 2018 01:31
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Klaudios The Lighthouse Klaudios eventually takes the censer offered to him, immediately setting it down on the ground. "The barrier has held, it should be simple to use your enchantment to clear the premises - no saints required. I will go find us some people to hold the implements."
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Mar 20, 2018 01:05
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Johannus Why didn't it work, Johannus kept asking himself as he glared at the notes he had scrawled on paper. The spell worked on basic principles, it created the vermin that he needed, but they were... imperfect, somehow. It was beyond baffling. Part of him wanted to try again, to see if he could experiment until the spell worked perfectly. It was challenging him, after all. Another part of him knew that a flaw in such a simple spell, dealing not with the control portion but the aquam portion, meant that his understanding of aquam itself was in fact flawed. His parens had never cared much for it, so he had rarely been shown anything dealing with it. So close to the ocean though, an understanding of aquam might certainly help his crafting later on. Wood imbued by seawater was an idea that kept coming up in his mind, though he had not yet bothered to do a real investigation of it. Johannus is going to skip straight to studying aquam vis this season, to try and figure out why his new spell has failed in such an odd way. Prax Upon his return from exploring the surrounding land, Prax returns to the Covenant to resume his guard duties, but makes it a point to locate Melminius the Autocrat to report his few odd findings. "So I went for a wander, get to know the land and see if there was any sign of rogues or squatters. Didn't find any real sign of those, just a burned patch of grass, but... well, I see things true, if you get what I mean. And I found this stone that's not actually there, and it's hiding the corner of a building that's mostly inside a cliff. Like the cliff grew up around it, somehow. It might be worth looking into, but I'd rather have a magus around if anything queer is going on. Oh, and I found a spirit goat, but it just wanted to be left alone."
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Mar 20, 2018 21:37
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Eliodoros Eliodoros calls for, if not a meeting of the council, at least as many of the magi as will listen to him. Once he does, he explains: "I have an idea as to where we might get a patron, far better than the aqueous temptress that is squatting beneath our home could ever have been. There is an island near here, Samothrace, which is known well to me. It is home to an ancient temple to the gods known as the Kabeiri, the forge-brothers of Hephaestus. Their power is great, and it would be an honor for any covenant to have their patronage. I know of their rites, and I believe they would be excellent patrons, should we provide for them a worthy sacrifice and argue our case." He also notes, though far less urgently, that in the autumn his mater, Basia, will be coming to visit from Alexandria, and that he intends to show her full honors. In short, Eliodoros wants to head to Samothrace to try and recruit the gods he worships as the patrons of the covenant. It's a short trip - the place is very close. Thorald Thorald, meanwhile, putters about the covenant, playing with his kids and spending time with his wife. He is a large Norse man, happy to help anyone who speaks to him Thorald will be happy to hang out with and help anyone that needs it. He's big and strong and knows a surprising amount about the local area.
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Mar 20, 2018 22:07
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 Isaias, Merchant Adventurer The covenfolk were deeply suspicious of the small, exotic looking ship that had sailed into their port overnight, and the Ethiopian crew who spoke little Greek. Their leader, a small but handsome man with darkest skin and a rich laugh, however, dispelled much of the distrust by sheer charm. "A fine location indeed, my friends," Isaias chuckled, "Illias must have been a true wonder! The beauty, wealthy, and wonderful trade opportunities here... why, I would not be surprised that my grandchildren will find a true city here once again! How are you fairing, wise men? Please do not let me forget your gifts!"
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Mar 21, 2018 01:52
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Jean-The Lighthouse Jean looks sourly at Klaudios, and then, crossing himself, begins. "Confitemini Domino quoniam bonus, quoniam in saeculum misericordia eius." Saying the mass.
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Mar 21, 2018 04:33
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Klaudios - The Lighthouse (End of Spring) Klaudios looks from Jean to Paisios, who is making a sort of wafting swinging gesture at him, in confusion. Then his eyes slide down to the unlit censer on the ground in front of him and everything seems to connect up. Grumbling, he takes up the censer and it instantly is set alight at his touch. Collecting another, he sets it alight with a touch and it to Jean to hold while he continues incanting the holy mass. He then hurries ahead to overtake Paisios, leading the two other magi on a circuit of the enchanted boundary before entering into the tower itself for a winding journey of spiritual fumigation through it. Klaudios - The Meeting (Start of Summer) "We have no great forges here, why would these forge faeries want anything to do with us, or us with them?" Klaudios asks point blank. Epiphanios At the docks: The Merchant's Ship Fanisko wanders down the short dock, whistling merrily in the bright morning air as if he had nothing at all better to do. "Ah, a trading ship! And what chance, to be a ship I know well, as well as any landman can!" he exclaims, coming forwards through the gathered folk moving barrels to and fro. "Isaias, you lousy cur, good to see you!"
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Mar 21, 2018 22:37
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Eliodoros - The Meeting "Do we not? We have automata below that are unlike anything that has been made in centuries. We have two Verditius here - and myself a smith. Do you think we will not make wonders? Besides...the Kabeiri are my gods, to be quite frank. I know their rituals because I have performed them. They are already my patrons - why not have them be our patrons?" Eliodoros - The Ship Eliodoros, likewise, is ready to meet the ship when it arrives. "Isaias, my friend! Welcome to our home. With luck, this place will thrive well before your grandchildren are born! Luck, and perhaps some work we've already begun...but come, come! You must tell us of your travels, as well!"
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Mar 21, 2018 22:47
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