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Moonrat Moonrat nodded at Garik and suppressed a ratling smile. It may look friendly enough to outsiders, but ratlings did not smile at one another. Baring teeth was as good as a death threat. "Take Eye-Biter and Little-Willow with you." He slid a small bag of coin over to Garik and motioned towards the guards. "I'm sure they would appreciate some leisure time. Right?" The pair grunted noncommittally, not even looking up from their dice game. It was perhaps a mistake on his end to pay them little heed beyond issuing orders. He couldn't really read them at all. Well, whatever. Either they would prove themselves assets or they would end up dead. If they wound up being the former he could learn their minds then. "I'm not really concerned you'll run off or something, but they ought to ensure the Big Folk think twice before trying to swindle you." As that group headed off and the evening crept along, Moonrat put his mind to his own business. Supplies were laid in, and better yet, his coin bought him some valuable information. A lost monastery. A very conspicuously lost monastery. And not even difficult to approach if his mental map was at all accurate. So what might lay in wait at that place that no report had been made in several centuries? He had to admit, Gerik's enthusiasm was indeed infectious. The promise of a great prize and the means of crushing the elves still loomed at the forefront of his thoughts. But the mystery surrounding the place was intriguing on its own. With luck, there would be valuables there as well. A place of seclusion and spiritual purity it might be, but that did not mean there was nothing of monetary value to be found. And the only thing better than securing his people's freedom and the means to slay elf-filth by the score was lining his own pockets as he did it. He was getting close now, he was certain. Close enough he could practically taste it. If nothing else crops up, Moonrat will lead his entourage towards the foot of the Loire Mountains.
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Apr 24, 2017 03:15
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Dragomir - Redivar Peacefully ignorant of the small discussion and murmuring that his question seemed to have aroused, Drago gave another short bow to the man before him, finding him to be rather curious in appearance. Well dressed, and yet without too much jewelry. A more socially keen individual than the lizardman might have taken the speaker for an important or otherwise affluent figure, but one without too much focus on his appearance. A humble scholar of some renown, perhaps. Drago, however, was more interested with the man’s height, being of a fairly petite stature himself, and there was some amount of childish jealousy there too. “Greetings to you as well, tall stranger. Drago is afraid that he knows not the specific name of either tome or library, as the one known as Terminus was not so kind as to provide such information. Beyond that the tome is said to be able to aid in reading the heavens, and the vague location of the buried library, Drago is most uninformed. Hence, why Drago has come seeking assistance. Be there, perhaps, ruins in the area from which seekers of knowledge rarely return? Drago imagines this tome likely to be in a dangerous place indeed, if it as valuable as Drago believes.” OOC: I… don’t think I ever heard the name of the tome or library? It's been a while though, so if I’m wrong, feel free to yell at me and I’ll make edits. Also, Terminus namedrop to see if the name is recognized at all, OOC reasoning-wise. IC, Drago just doesn’t think much of it. 
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Apr 25, 2017 03:11
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Sorry for the delay in update. Basically I changed my work hours so I start an hour earlier which did me in, had Easter, my brother got diagnosed with cancer (he will be fine it got caught early, it was just a shock and an unpleasant surprise) and I also got sidetracked with Persona 5 a lot. I will update in the next two or three days for sure. The OOC thread also got archived so I will remake it so people can repost their characters as they currently are as a convenient record.
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May 1, 2017 04:10
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Elias As you stepped into the water it grew clear and luminous around you. You looked down into the water and then it felt like you began to fall through the water. As if it had no bottom you felt like you had fallen until you reached a strange floor. Looking down you saw another you, looking back and looking up at you as though it was a mirror. However the you that looked up at you had a third eye in the middle of his forehead, and with a gasp you came back to the present. Touching your forehead you quickly verified that you did not have a new eye there, but despite that lack of a physical organ you felt as though there was...something spiritual that had been unlocked. The eye was metaphorical, as though it was an awareness that you had always possessed but had somehow not known how to use. But now it felt like you could peer into the hearts and minds of men and women, at least a little. Elias gains the Divine TraitThird Eye which gives you two traits to use: Draw Thoughts allows you to read surface level thoughts. This is not telepathy or deep mind-reading, you cannot probe for any thoughts not on surface level. While this will sometimes give you narrative boosts, I expect this will commonly help with reading people's dispositions and attitudes more. Read Heart allows you to see the deepest desire(s) of that person, their deepest and sometimes darkest dreams. You can tune it towards positive or negative goals, desires and ambitions if you want to be more specific. Otherwise it will look for the strongest thing that person wants. Victor You drew in most of the ghosts one by one, the feeling of power and control becoming almost intoxicating. As you drew in each one, the shock and overwhelming nature of viewing their deaths began to lessen, and by the time you had hunted down one of the remaining ghosts you could ignore it if you focused and anticipated it coming. Based on flashes of spectral movement, you could guess there were two or three of the spirits of the probably 30 monks that had lived in the monastery that you had not devoured. But while you felt full of power...you did not have anything to do with it. It made you feel good, like some kind of addictive drug, but surely you could do something with this power. You just had to figure out how... I'll give you a trait if you push too much further along this particular path, but again it's Victor's choice. It could just be a weird quirk, where he can vape ghosts or something, if you'd rather. John You realise pretty quickly that Mist-Tail is taking this much harder than you had. Whereas John had always silently railed against the place in the world he had fallen into, with no chance for advancement or success, Mist-Tail had for ratling standards done very well for himself. He had a comfortable and public shop, a side business that made the real money, and only a small chance of being killed or becoming collateral in some kind of gang war. He had been reasonably unnoticed which had given him safety and comfort. He had belonged, which was a strong cultural identity issue for the ratlings who had been historically displaced frequently. Now he did not know who or what he was. Through his efforts, John realised that Mist-Tail was in part in the process of trying to figure this out for himself. But it was causing him a great deal of confusion and anxiety. Seeing you settle down and beginning to seem less like what had appeared to him as an unhinged power-hungry madman did a lot to help that. Even he had been intoxicated by the rush of power and vitality from his transformation in part. For his part Mist-Tail felt more comfortable dealing with bandits. They had, as he said, simple and direct goals. Perhaps they were nasty and violent impulses, but they were at least easy to understand and to deal with. Although he wondered if he should take on a new name, dealing with bandits would mean establishing a clear hierarchy of power. A ratling was often (unwisely) seen as weak and easy to push around. But now in his new form he would be visibly intimidating. The days of rest did much for the healing process of your body. The wound was still sore and scarred a little, but the worst of it had been healed up and it would no longer inconvenience you. 1:01 PM <•Morphball> HiKaizer: 15 = 2d6(5,6)+4 You can clear your wounded temporary trait. Karla People in the mountains here seemed to do little to hide their tracks or move stealthily. Following them was simple task, their tracks were left in the snow and the day was clear for the time being. After around an hour of travel for them, and an extra half hour of tracking along with making sure you had yet to be seen, Karla made her way on the camp. It had a simple wooden palisade wall, some crudely fashioned huts and a lookout post. Judging by the structure of it, they seemed to have been in the area long enough that making a permanent camp was worthwhile enough. Watching the camp you could see there were a dozen bandits including the ones that had returned, a mix of dwarves and humans. You saw the ogre that they had mentioned and you saw a ratling corpse strung up on a wooden crucifix. Then you saw him, a man of deadliness and grace quite unlike the simple brutes that made up the brigands. An elf, you reckoned, based on the ears and the dead ratling. You had never seen one, but even Karla had heard of their long held hatred for the ratling people. Currently he was quietly talking to the returning party. You could not make out the words, but the body language of the returning brigands clearly conveyed the fear and respect they held for the elf. 1:01 PM <•Morphball> HiKaizer: 12 = 2d6(2,6)+4 Sasha You managed to surprise the proprietors of the inn you had stayed in by actually paying for the damage you had caused. This seemed to be a sad novelty in the last few days, and for an ogre crew of all people to be the ones doing it. People wondered what the world had come to, when decent god fearing people were looting and the coastal raiders were paying their dues. Petrus had made one last comment of having work for you if you wanted to stay, or return, but he seemed to have enough sense to not push it further than that. The young noble appreciated you and your crew's efficient and skilled work, but realised mercenaries were mercenaries. Your crew fared mostly well from the night of revelry. It seemed they had picked up a few rumours and stories while in port, and a few of the locals had asked if they could come along and join your crew as they had nothing left here in Tamora. However, they were also humans and not a sailor or warrior among them. They could not really offer much beyond menial labour. But it would be a chance to invest in expanding your crew if that was a thing Sasha had a mind to in the future. Moonrat Your group restocked and after the night's rest, left off in the morning. Gerik did not tired so easily now that he had proper shoes on, which meant he spent more time marching himself and less time needing to carried by his father. This in turn meant he had less energy to bother Fleeting-Whisper. It had its good and bad points. There was a sense of anticipation in the group as you neared the location the monastery should be. Fleeting-Whisper and Dances in Starlight both seemed to be anticipating your reaction to what they assumed, would be the end of your mad quest. Gerik was anticipating a grand adventure. Olek was anticipating a blood bath, having picked up on the tension in the group along the way. What you found was at first anti-climactic. There was a monastery, and it was easy to find. But it was also clearly unoccupied and starting to fall into ruin. Walking inside of it you found it to be more like a walled fort, with quarters inside, a living and mess space and outdoor space. There were signs there had once been a garden and a well, both fallen into ruin and lying fallow. Gerik was busy sneaking around as a kid in an exciting ruin was want to do, with his father following behind him keeping an eye out. Things would have come to a head then, as everything was building up to that well known conflict. But Olek suddenly rushed out and managed to say quite breathlessly; "You had better come quickly. All of you!" And rushed back to where his son had been exploring. The tension broke for a moment and the group followed, all crowding into the ruined room. Gerik was standing in front of a softly glowing ogre figure. A woman that looked past her prime, but not yet too worn down by age save for the fact she was clearly a spirit. "Ah. It is good to see kindred travelers again. And you have brought children and of the land with you. Welcome to my humble home." Dragomir "Reading the heavens?" One person repeated, before another followed up with; "That sounds like Astrology. It was a popular topic in the past, but it is always considered a fringe science and inaccurate at best..." "Ruins...and a tome on astrology...at a guess you would be looking for the ruins of the imperial academy of theological science and arcana. An old building from the old times, that was where they studied their advanced magical science. They called it theological science and arcana, not because they believed in the gods, for that worship came later. Instead it was because such science was seen to bring them closer to the gods." The man said as he explained this to you. There was no indication from the other assembled participants that what he had said was in error so far. "But that place is restricted to only the most wealthy or important visitors. To preserve its history, you understand. If you were caught sneaking in there the punishment would be quite severe...Now I am feeling charitable, but gaining access to such a place would strain even the resources of my wonderful self-" There was a snort from several people punctuating that comment. "-but we could come to an arrangement afterwards. I would not want to pressure you into anything before you know whether you will find what you are looking for mind you. So what say you? Entry into the ruins, in return for an unspecified favour later?" You knew the man would take advantage of you, but he was also strangely brazen and open about it as well. HiKaizer fucked around with this message at 05:19 on May 5, 2017 |
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May 5, 2017 04:52
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Moonrat He had been eyeing up Starlight discreetly, certain that everything was about to fall to pieces. He was here. He had made it, but nothing remained. Just a forgotten ruin ready to accept an offering of blood. He'd had a good run of it all things considered. But the idea of dying here, now, for nothing? Gods, what a waste. His hand slid slowly towards the hilt of a knife when Olek rushed into the antechamber, breathing hard and with a look of wonder on his face. "You had better come quickly. All of you!" He'd found something! Moonrat's hand quickly snapped away from the weapon and he hurried to follow the ogre. He skidded to a halt next to Olek, uncertain of what exactly he was seeing. The ogre woman before him was clearly more than just an ogre woman. An apparition? A vengeful ghost here to curse them for setting foot in this abandoned monastery? That would be just his luck. Yet she appraised the group with no sign of anger, and the words she spoke were welcoming enough. Moonrat glanced at his companions briefly, gathering his wits about him. "Thank you my lady." He pulled himself upright and bowed deeply, hands on his knees. "I am relieved to know our presence has not angered you. I am Pale-Shadow-In-Moonlight, and these are my companions." He introduced Olek and Gerik, the assassins and the guards. All his concern over a mutiny had evaporated now. If this was indeed the person Terminus had advised him to seek, he was prepared to forgive much. "I have traveled far, following tales of one of your folk. One who knows the secrets to make a man or woman a warrior without peer." His voice was uncharacteristically hopeful, and he was surprised to realize just how much faith he had subconsciously put into what amounted to no more than an extremely vivid dream. He had thought himself beyond such youthful nonsense. Stepping forward, Moonrat bent a knee before the spirit. "Tell me. Have I found what I was seeking? Are you the one who can show me the way to protect my people? We have been without hope for too long."
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May 5, 2017 11:11
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Elias He arose from the pool, ascending from the inky darkness to the chill of the air. The power of discernent, of knowing the hearts of all. It was a good thing they had someone to test it on. He turned his gaze upon Jarvier, to see if what was hidden in his heart matched that written on his face. Draw Thoughts and Read Heart on Jarvier to see if his next choices can be deduced. Shrewd +2 and Leader +2 for understanding when and how to head off a potential sudden but inevitable betrayal. AJ_Impy fucked around with this message at 01:55 on May 7, 2017 |
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May 5, 2017 12:56
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John Now that John’s wound had healed, the group headed out to search for the black-sash bandits. He hadn’t realized just how much the wound had been inhibiting his movements until it was gone, now he could go all out. However, John’s focus was less on the matter at hand, and more on his ally and maybe friend, Mist-Tail. A new name, that resonated with John. He hadn’t even thought about it before this moment. Names had power all their own, and was he really still John Garde, the nobody, was that the name he wanted to be remembered for forever, it was a difficult question. Seeing Mist-Tail wrestle with it really crystalized what was happening to the rattling. He was trying to figure out who he had become, and where did he belong now that he could no longer return to his old life. For John that had been an easy question, he had been ready to cast aside his old life without a second thought, and he had just assumed it was the same for the rattling. After all, why come on such a harebrained adventure if you were satisfied with your lot in life. Still, now that he had seen it, John couldn’t ignore it. His friend, and due to the new situation possibly the only person who would ever be anything close to that again, was confused and in pain. So as they traveled, John continued to talk, persuade and cajole the rattling. John’s motives in this weren’t entirely selfless, names held great significance to rattlings, and it was as blatant a signal as any that Mist-Tail was in the process of defining a new identity for himself. This was not the sort of thing that happened every day, the next few days and weeks would likely define the rattling’s worldview and personality for years, and John wanted to help shape who Mist-Tail would become. By the same turn it wasn’t entirely selfish either, John wanted Mist-Tail as a loyal lieutenant, on the same page as him with their goals and the methods they were willing to undertake to get them, but he also viewed his take on what had happened as likely the only one that would work out for either of them. After all, they now possessed incredible power, their old lives were over whatever anyone thought. To hold that much power in your hands, if you let yourself doubt or wonder if you were a monster you would break beneath the weight of it. Better to see it as a gift, as destiny, as license to change the world to your will than be crushed beneath that weight. So he worked to convince Mist-Tail to see things his way, to think of a world that bowed to their whims, how much better that would be. John was so focused on convincing Mist-Tail to accept the place he had prepared for the rattling, to come around to John’s point of view, to getting him to fully sign on to John’s arguably unhinged and certainly power-hungry goals, that he didn’t even fully engage with the search that was their ostensible goal here. Still as several days passed, and John kept up his campaign, he stopped Mist-Tail and spoke to him more directly. “Like I’ve been saying, I think you need to stop worrying and embrace what happened. We’re superior to who we were before, stronger, faster, better in every way. Don’t worry about your old life, leave that stuff to me. If you’re worried about where you belong now, the answer’s very simple. No matter what comes, hell or high water, your place is at my side. So for your new name, how about ‘Dragon-Claw’. It’s intimidating, but respectable enough to be used outside of just bandits, and it makes it clear to you and the whole world that you are with me, and to mess with you is to mess with me and vice versa.” He leaves that to hang there for a moment, “Now we just need to come up with a new name for me, I don’t think John Garde really has that future emperor of the world ring.” He smiles, and solicits suggestions from the rattling hopefully soon known as Dragon-Claw, a show of trust in his companion he hoped the rattling would appreciate. Trying to continue to persuade Mist-Tail to see things John’s way about their change and get him to sign up wholeheartedly for John’s quest for world domination and all that entails. Commanding Presence[+2] and Stubborn[+2] to represent John’s constant campaign of persuasion. Also, suggesting Dragon-Claw as a new name, and soliciting his suggestions for new names for John.
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May 6, 2017 23:16
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Karla 'Interesting'. Karla thought. This elf was clearly in charge. Why lower himself to petty banditry though? She had to get closer and see what she could find out. Continuing surveillance! Breath of the Wind <Fleet [+2]> and Eye of the Sun <Perceptive [+2]>
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May 7, 2017 00:44
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Sasha Sasha leaned on her club as she listened to the pleas of a group of people interested in joining her little troupe. "Oi, so am I getting this right. Ye have no particular combat experience?", she was answered with a couple murmurs and the occasional nod, "Neither do ye know yer way around ships all that well?", more nods. Sasha grinned. "Well then it's yer lucky day, haha! Now, normally I'd tell ye lot to get bent fairly quick like, especially if ye could not pay for the privilege o' transport. But as it happens, I'm sort o' headed towards, shall we say, poorly charted territory. Havin' a bit o' menial staff to construct a basecamp and keep the logistics runnin' so that I can keep the company at full readiness instead o' havin' to keep part o' them back to laze about and drink all our supplies might come in handy indeed." "Now o' course, ye lot need to know. This is a dangerous line o' work. Especially for somewhat frail, and I mean no offense with that haha, humans like ye. Even if ye stay back and don't participate in the fightin' proper, I can not give any sort o' total guarantee of your safety. And as non-combat personnel, ye won't be paid nearly as well as the core elite o' veterans I have with me. But ey, it still beats bein' a farmhand, is less arduous, and ye'll get to see the world." Sasha lazily offered her hand for a shake with a grin, "So, will we shake on that?" OOC: Righto, I can ferry the peeps, also taking in a cadre of menial workers for my fun island adventure. Other than that, setting on my way.
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May 8, 2017 13:13
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Dragomir - Redivar Excited to have finally heard what sounded like some concrete direction as to his destination, Drago clapped his hands together quite enthusiastically. Certainly, there was still the journey to be made, but at least he knew where to go. Except… access was restricted, and while the lizardman might consider himself many things, wealthy or important in the grand scale of things was not included among them. How troublesome! Especially as even beside the tome of Terminus’, this theological science sounded just so interesting to Drago. What to do…? Then the man, the open man, the helpful man before him makes an offer. At first, Drago was all too willing to accept. This man had been of great assistance, after all, and it was only fair to return a favor for a favor. But then the snickering and snorting… the lizardman may have been naive, but he was not entirely foolish. Just mostly. Still, what could he do? He had no name, no reputation here, and barely the coin for food and housing. His tail swishing from side to side rather anxiously, the lizardman said after at least half a minute of thought, “...Very well. Drago has decided to take the man on his deal, the terms to be determined once Drago acquires the tome Drago seeks.” A few more seconds of contemplation pass and he adds, “Though, a deal has been a struck, yet only one party is known. Drago would ask the name of the beneficiary.” OOC: I see no way this can go wrong. Taking this shady offer and asking the shady man his name.
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May 8, 2017 17:59
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Victor That was...interesting. Victor didn't fully understand it, but it was interesting. There was power there. He felt it in him, growing, roiling. What could he do with it, though? What exactly was it? He had to know. He really wished this whole thing came with instructions, of some sort. Victor was standing in the monastery's dormitory. The ghosts were gone, most of them consumed, the few left having fled to who knows where. He sat on one of the hard cots, and buried his head in his hands. By the dead gods, what was happening to him? Why was he chosen for this? He felt like he was stretched, pulled out in all directions, unfocused. He still had the leads on the artifacts that Terminus had told him about, but before he could do that, he had to understand this new power in him. Until he did that, he knew, he'd be constantly wandering, constantly aimless. He closed his eyes, and tried to focus; tried to understand; tried to guide this feeling of power. Trying to figure out these powers more
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May 11, 2017 04:00
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Moonrat The spectral woman looked at you and considered what you had said. "No obseisance is needed in this place." The ogre began, indicating you could rise. "I am the last link in the chain, binding student to teacher going back countless years. Yet my end came before I could pass on what I knew to another, and so I did not pass into the Deep Beyond past that Twilight which the Gods fashioned in times of old." This was likely the first real mention that Moonrat had heard of an afterlife beyond or predating that of the gods. Many wise men and women had proclaimed those who had died before the arrival of the gods had been unfortunate to live in an age of pagans without true faith. Their reward was the oblivion of their souls after death. Now the ogre spoke of something else. At this point Moonrat realised that he was no longer quite where he thought. The space around him had grown emptier and filled with mist or smoke. It did not affect your breathing and you could not feel it upon your fur. The ogre continued to speak however and asked Moonrat a question. "To learn to fight, and to teach others to fight, is to forsake a life of peace and stillness. You would see a weapon in any object no matter how mundane, a stategy in any place or group of people. You can protect your people by other means. In times beyond even the Dragonmakers your people protected themselves by becomming accursed wanderers after discovering a forbidden truth to the world. Even now your leaders protect your people by living in the shadows of others." "What you seek is not to protect. If you wish to learn how to transform yourself, you must learn how to understand yourself. Speak truly. Why do you seek this knowledge and power. What will you do with it? I am dead and my spirit has lingered long. I do not know of the current age and the strife it brings. It is not my place or my right to judge. Be honest to me, and to yourself." Elias The lord of Aubrecht turned his gaze upon Jarvier, his guide, and metaphysically opened his third eye. There was a sensation of opening eyelids that had not been opened before, yet your guards and Jarvier made no gasp or expression of surprise. It must be an otherwise invisible thing you thought, but that thought was quickly submerged by a knowing of the man before you. Jarvier was a man whose true loyalty was ultimately to himself, but would follow through on his agreements. There was a practical reason to this, and he did not deliberately take agreements too literally in his own mind (nor had you had experience to feel this yourself). Ultimately he wanted to look into the power here for his own, but he was also happy to wait. Few among your followers could navigate back here and they were indispensable aides to you. Based on what you could see, your best analysis would be that once Jarvier's contract with you regarding this expedition was complete he would return to this city himself and investigate the pool. If he found the power or influence he was looking for, he would probably avoid you. At least for a while. You believed that you could destroy the pool to prevent him from doing so, but given that desecrating it with blood would supposedly complete that ritual you had no idea what the consequences of destroying the pool would be. It had been left untouched here for countless centuries after the fall of its creators and the people that lived here after all. The man looked at you, a slightly defiant and stubborn angle to his chin and expression. "Does what you see displease you, my lord? You can trust me to honour my word as we agreed upon." 8:58 AM <•Morphball> HiKaizer: 13 = 2d6(6,3)+4 Jarvier will inevitably come back, unless prevented in some way. He is unlikely to backstab you unless pushed into some corner. John Mist-Tail did not seem entirely content with the name. "Dragon-Claw makes me just seem like an appendage of you, John." He had said laughly slightly. "I want to be my own person and to choose my own name that suits me. I was thinking something more like Dire-Claw to be honest, but I'm not sure yet..." He was inclined to follow you for now, but you quickly found that there would be one clear and simple way to assure his loyalty to you. Like his people, Mist-Tail keenly felt the lack of a home that was theirs. Elves had their woods, the ogres their islands. He didn't know where the lizardfolk came from but they were not outcasts either. Humans lived almost anywhere they could. But ratlings had no place of their own. If you could set aside a piece of your world for them, and assure the ratlings self-determination and self-governance to a fair degree in your empire then Mist-Tail would follow you. He never said as much, but you could realise that these would be his terms. Otherwise John would have to win him over with time and effort. The huge ratling was not oppsoed to John, but in this strange new world that was the one thing, the one assurance that would buy and win his loyalty. 8:58 AM <•Morphball> HiKaizer: 13 = 2d6(6,3)+4 You have one option to gain his loyalty now, but you can choose to work on it over time instead if you don't like it. Be aware that breaking that promise, should you make it, may turn Mist-Tail against you in the future. Karla You crept up to the camp, avoiding the terribly lax lookouts. The way they watched but did not see, and their lazy patterns spoke clearly about their assumption that they would not truly be attacked or threatened in this place. Or at the least not any time soon. You moved to one of the walls and continued moving around the outside until you got closer to the area of the camp where the hut the elf had walked into lay. There you could overhear the conversation. "Tyma why are we here?" A male voice spoke, one that you could not help assume belonged to the elf. It was clear and precise, but also full of a casual and terrible kind of violence. Something about it chilled you, but also resonated with the beast inside of you which stirred. There was a pause before he continued speaking. "At least you know not to answer a foolish question. Have we had any luck finding the barrows again?" The next voice that spoke belonged to a woman, although the ogre had not appeared to be especially feminine to you. But Karla also probably had little experience with ogres and may have just misjudged their gender. "Not as of yet. The travellers could not find it, and our dwarf 'expert' has been of little use finding it." She responded, the ogre's voice reminding you of someone who did not speak often. "Hmm...not a great surprise there. They are a people who spend too long looking beneath and above themselves, but never ahead. They miss the trees for the forest, to borrow a human idiom." 12:20 PM <•Morphball> HiKaizer: 12 = 2d6(3,5)+4 No detection yet. Sasha You lost four out of the dozen people that had wanted to join you once you explained the dangers. The others seemed either too desperate to worry about the risk, or figured that they were in greater danger in Tymora. One young man was the sort still with his head up his arse in dreams of adventure. Well reality would cure him of that soon enough. Setting off you travelled south. You would come by the port town of Rho Lydia, leaving you to decide whether to dock at the city, dock nearby and walk in, attack a ship nearby, or whether to simply sail on. You had enough supplies to get to south west Wolridge at least, even with the new crew members. Dragomir "You may call me Lyndis Olvan Der Korvanis." The man said with a slight bow, the bow of someone being polite and making an acquaintance and not the bow of someone showing respect or deference. Dragomir wracked his name and realised with a start that Korvanis meant that Lyndis must be a member of the royal family. But then the Der meant he was not in line for the throne. Seeing your expression Lyndis chuckled. "Yes, I am a Royal. But one of no consequence. The son of an aunt, it would take a great disaster for me to be considered in line for the throne. Being so far removed as well I have no real duties and so I pass my time with these debates and curiosities..." He said gesturing to the crowd. The nature of some of the mistrust and derision became apparent. Many of the people here clearly considered Lyndis to be some kind of hobbyist, or just playing at being a scholar. Others might have become wrapped up in some plot previously they regretted as well. Yet Lyndis did not seem...strictly dislikeable. He also had the wealth and influence that you would need to get in. But you suspected once you did gain the ability to divine the heavens, you would find yourself dragged into the country's politics very quickly. Victor Control. The power was about control. You opened your eyes again and looked at the space where one of the spirits had fled. "Come." The word was an order, a command, and one that held a power backing behind it. While you were not sure this power would work so well on a living creature, on the spirit it seemed to be undeniable and puissant. The spectre walked out of the wall and stood in front of you, its face a mixture of fear and misery, and also a resignation to what it assumed would be you consuming it. Victor gains the Divine Aspect: Necromancer, with the specific Divine Trait: Spirit Binding Because this is not one of the big powers that Terminus mentioned, you only get a single divine trait from it. But doing other things and interating with the places and powers of the world will let you grow it and shape it further similar to the dragon transformation of Valhawk's character. It will however work on undead beyond just ghosts, although no one has encountered any other ones yet.
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May 26, 2017 03:53
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Elias He offered a misshapen shrug, and resumed readying himself to face the chill. "True. I can tolerate that, and have no inclination to act in a manner to deny you what you seek in the long run. Tell you what, given your leal service so far, I grant a boon. Provided no blood is spilt, we can save you the risks and perils of a return trip." Permitting Jarvier to make use of the pool, with the caveat that if some blood is spilled, all blood is spilled. If an action is required, Shrewd+2 and Leader +2 to bind his loyalty closer through actively allowing his ambition to succeed.
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May 26, 2017 14:25
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Moonrat Moonrat pulled himself to his full height, arms crossed. His tail curled around his feet, uncommonly still for once. "We had pride, once. Honor. And look at what it bought us. Hard lives for most. Brigandry, backstabbing, and murder for the rest. I have no desire to exist in the the shadows of others, living off their scraps. You say our leaders protect my people in this fashion? That may be so, but what sort of life is that? Existing solely at the sufferance of others. Hoping the elf filth takes no notice of you and destroys everything you have wrought. Praying your neighbors will treat with you fairly and give you honest pay for honest work. And always being disappointed, if you are lucky enough to live." His ears were laid flat against his skull now, caught up in his anger, not truly even looking at the ogre woman any longer. All he saw now was an endless litany of injustices, real or perceived, that he desired beyond anything else to rectify. "I. I will end this. If what you have to teach proves up to the task, I will destroy my enemies for all time. I will rob and kill and burn until no living being thinks to look down upon a ratling again. I will drive the elves from their kingdoms, scatter them into the wastes, and I will take back our homeland. I will spit in the faces of the human lords and dare them to water the fields with the blood of their soldiers. And they will do nothing, because they can do nothing. The disparate peoples of this world have not yet begun to sip at the dregs of despair. We have feasted on it for generations, and I am inclined to share. The gods are dead. And I am hateful enough, clever enough, arrogant enough to take their place as something to be truly feared." Moonrat's words cut off abruptly as he snapped back in control of himself. His red eyes stared up at his would-be benefactor as he took a long breath. "I will not pretend that I ask this boon for any truly noble purpose. It is as much for selfish aims as anything else. Nor do I pretend that anything but pain and suffering will ride in my wake. Perhaps something worthwhile will rise in my footsteps, but if that is so? Incidental. If I can make my enemies hurt, I will be satisfied."
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May 26, 2017 20:19
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John “I see...” John responds to Mist-Tail’s rejection of his suggested name. John thought for a while about what to do. He knew what he had to offer Mist-Tail if he truly wanted to secure the rattling’s loyalty right now. The question, was whether he was willing to trade that away. He had intended to provide a home for Mist-Tail’s people anyhow, but this promise would be more than just a home, it would be promising them a degree of autonomy. That might get… complicated down the road. Down the road… John almost laughed, the very assumption that there was a down the road, a time when he would be a ruler of men facing the consequences of such a promise seemed presumptuous in the extreme, but if there was one thing he had it was confidence. However, there was no point to worrying about down the road if his empire never came into being, and for that to happen he needed Mist-Tail’s undivided loyalty. The days ahead would be difficult. For his plans to work, the pair of them would need to provide a united front to the bandits, and John suspected Mist-Tail might get squeamish about what John’s. One way to prevent that was to give the rattling a real stake the outcome. “Before you reject the name, I have a proposal for you.” John begins, mustering all the confidence and persuasive power he could, failure was not an option here. “In the days to come we will both be tested. I will need your full support. So, I will give you what I know you truly desire. My oath that when my empire comes to pass, your people will at last have a home of their own. And, so long as they pay their taxes and obey certain imperials laws such as the prohibition against treason, lese majesty, and the like, they will be left to otherwise govern themselves. This homeland will come with guarantee of my empire, any who would harm your people will be crushed without mercy.” “In exchange, I ask for your absolute and unwavering loyalty. I need to be able to rely on you without hesitation if my plans are to succeed. For you need to be ready to do what is required to make my empire a reality if you wish that it be powerful enough to establish and protect a rattling homeland. So what say you, will you swear fealty and become my right hand in return for the promise of the homeland your people have long dreamed of?” Not sure if this needs a roll, but if it does Commanding[+2] and Stubborn[+2] would apply. Still in the process of coming up with a new name for John.
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May 27, 2017 08:54
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Karla She kept still. Very still. This was what she was waiting to hear. Continuing surveillance... Breath of the Wind <Fleet [+2]> and Eye of the Sun <Perceptive [+2]>
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May 28, 2017 19:52
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Elias Jarvier considered your comments, and considered the pool. After deliberating with himself he seemed to agree. "If it was so easy to gain power, then no doubt it would have been done already. Very well, as you are kindly offering..." He said and once it became clear that you were both serious and not going to betray him. The man stepped into the pool, and the black water cleared into starlight again. But this time something looked back. Your guards did not seem to notice, and Jarvier did not at first. But it seemed that once his inner eye opened, his physical ones went wide in shock. He almost leaped out of the pool in surprise and panic. The creature was difficult to see in the darkness. However one feature was easy to make out. The many, innumerable eyes upon it looking out of the depths at the pair of you. As the water stilled back to inky black the being was obscured. Both of you were chilled to the bone by what had happened. The guards around you however were quiet confused by the strange antics of the both of you, and unsettled by the strange and otherworldly nature of the pool and the ruins. Moonrat The ogre woman seemed satisfied. "Good. The path you would follow is a path that you will never know peace. You cannot fight a couple of battles and then return to a life of peace and quiet. You will see a weapon in all things and people, and a strategy in any place or community. If you would follow this path then you must be prepared to die in battle." What came next was something that Moonrat would never remember. He would recall a vague sense of a passage of time, of training and learning in that strange place between worlds. Sometimes things would move in the mists around you and the woman would command you to be still. The movements would pass and still. Your memories of this place were hazy and incomplete, yet what you learned remained as if an indelible mark on your soul. Suddenly you came to. An argument was brewing behind you, and before you turned you looked at Gerik. The ogre boy looked at you sadly and shook his head. You saw in his eyes a knowledge similar to yours, but different. Perhaps...incomplete? It was hard to tell without asking more and the voices of Whispers in Starlight and Fleeting-Whisper were loud, matching Olek. "Why did you bring us here? He is clearly seeing things and has just stood there for several minutes." Fleeting-Whisper said to Olek who shook his head in frustration. "Did you not see the spirit? The woman who spoke?" "We saw no spirit, and now that we have seen that this whole trip has been for naught it is time that we ended this farce." Whispers in Starlight said cooly. Moonrat turned and saw things...differently. You could see possibilities in the way the two ratlings an the ogre stood. Objects nearby seemed to stand out for both possible weapons and possible points of strategies. It was as though you could stand outside the world in a moment that stood still and see things with the eyes of a warrior and a general. Moonrat gains the Divine Trait Master of War, which encompasses the two traits: Disciple of War and Teacher of War You are still limited by your own physical limitations, but your new traits will allow you to make near perfect use of it with whatever weapons you may hold, unarmed and to make strategies to take advantage of yourself and another. Additionally you can teach other people a portion of this, with tremendous skill in one or more areas depending on the time you invest. John Mist-Tail seemed a bit stunned by the sudden proposal, but his response was quick and sure. "John, if you promise this and can make it happen then yes you would have my loyalty. But you would have the loyalty of my people. While some might be unhappy to server a greater nation in some way...to have our own country with our own laws and our own leaders, to not have to hide in the shadows of another country and pretend we're not our own people...yes, that is something worth fighting for and dying for." Karla "So what are your orders? Should we try to search and investigate ourselves?" The woman asked the elf, who seemed to think about it as there was a silence for a few minutes. "Well we have the numbers to send out two search squads, and we have the luxury of people still recovering from the gods deaths. Now would be the time. I must have the secret within. It will be the key to fighting what will come next. With the death of the gods the shadows of old will begin to reawaken." The elf continued. Following this there was not much more of interest. The pair talked about who to send out on patrols and the areas to cover. It was useful if Karla planned to follow, but there was not more discussion of their motives. Soon it came to the point where Karla could not risk to remain hidden much longer, there would be some people coming to gather wood or food soon that would uncover her hiding place.
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May 29, 2017 03:54
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John "Good. In the days to come, if we are to make both our dreams a reality then you must be prepared to follow my lead. Once we find these bandits, there can be no public show of dissension between us. It will be critically important to maintain a unified front, even if you are uncomfortable with my plans or methods. Just assuage that discomfort with the knowledge that you do this for the sake of your country-to-be. Also, I suggest you have your new name decided before we find our quarry. Impressions will be important, and we must be in a position of maximum power and intimidation." With that taken care of, John sets out to actually find the black sashes. No longer the half-hearted search of before, he puts all his efforts and skills in the attempt. In truth, it wasn't all that different from his time as a guard. Tracking down one set of criminals operated very much like tracking down any other, and if there was one thing John had all too much experience with it was tracking down criminals. During the search he pondered his own need for a new name. He still hadn't reached a decision, but now he was up against a strict deadline. Whatever name he gave to the bandits would be the name he was known by from then on. John's looking for the bandits in earnest this time. City Guard[+2] and Stubborn[+2] to doggedly hunt them down.
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May 29, 2017 04:18
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Dragomir - Redivar Royalty. The word was known to Drago, though not entirely understood. He knew what it meant, of course, but not quite what it meant. The game of politics was not one he ever had much interest in playing, always seeming in a world far beyond him and his curiosities. But here before the lizardman was a genuine Royal, far from the throne he may or may not be. A dangerous sort to owe a favor to, no doubt. But he had already agreed to the terms of the contract, and Drago had no interest in backing out now. In part because of how close he was to his goal, and in part because he did not quite grasp the risks owing such a man might have. Returning the bow in an equally polite fashion, the lizardman said, “Of consequence or not, it is the first time Drago has met a figure such as yourself. An honor, Royal Lyndis Olvan Der Korvanis.” Though it may have been just simple pleasantries, the lizardman was sincere in saying them. It wasn’t every day you met nobility, after all. “But to return to business. The deal has been accepted, and Drago will uphold Drago’s end when the time arrives. First, however, the Royal must uphold his. Where exactly then is this academy ruin you speak of, and how might your resources allow Drago entry?” Been awhile but I did mention accepting the deal last post, so gimmie that info, Lyndis.
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May 29, 2017 04:44
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Moonrat Be prepared to die in battle? Ha. So what? That would be a far better end than the ones he would otherwise face. A knife in the back, or poison in his cup. This train of thought suddenly ceased, however, as he fell into a timeless void. A misty realm of sense and sight and wordless knowledge. Nothing he could truly express or explain if he wished. Like trying to describe a color nobody had ever seen before. Finally, after no time at all and all the time in the world had passed, Moonrat's consciousness snapped into full wakefulness.He glanced at the boy, and his father, and the assassins, and even before the words were assembled in his mind he understood what was happening. They had seen nothing except that their so-called leader had gone blank, and now they would kill him for his apparent treachery and lies. An object lesson was required. That it would be accompanied by the satisfaction of concluding a vendetta decades in the making was only icing on the cake. As he looked at Fleeting Whisper, a hundred minor details passed through his thoughts. He was still weak in his left wrist from that accident in his childhood. The way his clothes were arranged indicated he had weapons secreted there, there, and there. The way he was careful in how he moved and held his hand meant the long sword was coated in poison. He would always try to turn to the right when evading a body blow. Moonrat felt the knowledge of a veteran warmaster rise up in his mind, indicating every tell and threat from the subtlest body language. Moonrat looked at Burrows-In-Starlight and nodded. "Yes. This farce has gone on long enough." In that instant, he lunged to the side and drove his elbow into Fleeting-Whisper's throat with full force, never breaking eye contact with the junior assassin. Ruthless [+2], Nimble[+2], and a point of destiny to kill Fleeting Whisper in one telling blow, demonstrating his status as a Disciple of War in the most no-nonsense fashion imaginable. Moonrat will provide him no opportunity to retaliate or strike first. Only an immediate death, intended to make a point. Shardix fucked around with this message at 00:05 on May 30, 2017 |
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May 29, 2017 21:59
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Victor Victor stares at the spirit and considers. He'd like to consume it, no doubt. The feeling of that was wonderful. But, no. No point doing so now. Not when he could use it. "You! Come with me! You will accompany me on my travels and share any information you might think I need." And with that, he prepares to leave the monastery and continue to the water spirit.
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May 29, 2017 22:01
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Sasha Sasha peered into the horizon as she sailed on, savoring the taste of the brand new stock of strong ogre spirits she had resupplied on as she pondered the next course of action. Hm. It wasn't as if they were in a particular hurry. She was on a harebrained vision quest from a divinity after all, so little reason in making undue haste. Might as well do a mid-way restock, just to be certain. It wasn't as if a single day or so was a long pause on a trek this long. So it was decided. The semaphores were sent to the other ships: They would dock in the city, restock, have a nice night out, depart the next morning. As for Sasha? She had some dream demons to wrassle into submission. She gulped down the rest of her spirits from her saucer-like cup, before heading down into her cabin for some shut-eye. OOC: Oops I totally thought I posted an action for the last prompt. Anyways, Sasha will make a small refueling stop at the city proper, flying the mercenary business flag so as to not be assaulted.
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May 30, 2017 00:27
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Karla A secret...Karla thought. Deciding to withdraw was best. Karla smiled. She would follow the patrols and see what they were searching for. If they found nothing, she would ambush and kill them before they returned back to their base. She would commune with the animals and rely on her skills to accomplish the task. Using: Heart of the Mountain <Strong [+2]>, Breath of the Wind <Fleet [+2]>, Soul of the Beast <Animal Empathy[+2]>
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May 31, 2017 06:34
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Elias He broke the silence, speaking in the measured tone of one in command of any situation in an effort to ease the hearts of his people and offer Jarvier something to cling to in self-preservation. "Well, at least now we know. I suspect any additional attempts would end... poorly. Come, let us make ready for the trek and voyage home, we have succeeded in getting what we came here for." Leader +2 and Educated +2 to regain control of the situation, calm his people, offer a way forward to Jarvier in the light of that many-eyed thing and prepare to head homeward.
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May 31, 2017 10:03
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John As you went to follow bandits, Carwen and his manservant bid you farewell. They shared with you some coin and some supplies out of gratitude for their youth and for helping Carwen fulfill his dreams, but nothing short of physically tying up and dragging them along with you would keep them with you longer. They wished to return to their home, with Carwen's modest but dwindling wealth to reconsider their future from the comfort of a chair, a warm hearth and a cup of tea. Your own journey was more grueling, although both you and the newly renamed Greatclaw were now much better suited to dealing with it. Eventually through your travel you came to a spot that you knew was an ambush spot. The terrain had too many hiding spots for attackers and as you looked around you could see signs of people in hiding. But then they seemed to notice you, and slipped away. You and Greatclaw went to follow, but the bandits knew the terrain better than you and got ahead of you. However in their haste to undoubtedly escape what they saw as a pair of monsters, they made poor effort to hide their tracks. 12:15 PM <•Morphball> HiKaizer: 12 = 2d6(6,2)+4 Good enough to find and follow, but not good enough to reach their home base yet. Dragomir "Ser Lyndis or Ser Korvanis will do, the former rather than the latter." Lyndis waved off your elaborate address with an amused wave. Most of the others in the amphitheater were moving on now that the show was mostly done. Some of them made some quiet comments, and shook their heads at you pityingly. "I simply need to alert the guard that I will be making an inspection with a guest. You will be bound to respect the site and there will be some guards and servants that travel with us as a matter of precaution and safety. But you need not worry about a large entourage, I am hardly important enough in the grand scheme of things to warrant such attention." Lyndis said while making a deprecating shrug. "Meet me at the west gate at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning and we will depart." There are clocks in the city that you can use to tell the time, and you can request a wake up by the inn keeper so it would not be hard to make it to the gate at the designated time. You have the rest of the day to do anything else in town that you wish though. Otherwise just advance the time. Moonrat Fleeting-Whisper did not even have time to react, you attacked suddenly and viciously, crushing his wind-pipe and piercing his skull with bone fragments. Detached you considered that it might be seen as a mercy for someone who had been a rival and thorn in your side for a long time. Olek and Burrows-In-Starlight however did have time to react, Gerik however seemed to simply watch somberly. Olek was stunned, while the other assassin was much quicker to react. In a split second surprise turned to confusion and then turned into wary caution. Her instincts as an assassin were good, a normal person would be terrified and a good assassin would be scared. Burrows-In-Starlight simple seemed to react to what happened as it came. "That is new, or you have deceived us very well. You did not need to come this far simply to betray us. What next?" 12:15 PM <•Morphball> HiKaizer: 11 = 2d6(1,6)+4 Fleeting-Whisper is dead Victor The spirit fought against your order, you could feel it somehow in a way impossible to describe. In the end when it relented and agreed you knew it was of its own volition and not by your will, even before it spoke. "Very well. If I do not you will just...eat me, like you did with the others." Sasha Rho-Lydia seemed to have undergone something of a social revolution since the death of the gods. Although social hierarchies were still somewhat in flux, what Sasha found was that the local merchants and land owners had overthrown the old council instituted by the temples. It had always been a more secular city than the intensely devout and religious capital of Tamora, but despite this the influence of the theocratic council had reached far. So a new order based on wealth and the influence that bought had begun to settle. People were unsure about your ships, but the city was eager to try and keep trade and order working and so you were allowed entry. There were reminders to watch your behaviour and not to cause trouble, but these were also told with a pathetic awkwardness and the knowledge that they were likely powerless to stop you right now if you or your crew did. But there was a hope. You had docked honestly, relatively anyway, and not attacked them. Perhaps trade and peaceful dealing would be possible. In this place you could find information, rumours, skilled hands, old tomes in dusty collections by the rich. And if you couldn't manage to buy it or grease the right palms in the world of honest dealing, Rho-Lydia had a vibrant under belly of smugglers, thieves and at the worst...slavers. Karla You followed the patrol the following morning for much of the day. The idiots assumed that no one would assail them in the mountains despite your actions yesterday and so did not keep a close enough guard to spot you. However while following them you noticed something before they did. A chasm in the ground with a strange dislodged and upturned door. It was ornate and covered in bronze and gold trimmings, yet held its luster and sheen even despite its clear age. Given another five or ten minutes the patrol would notice it, but you had a small window in which to act first. Ambush the patrol, make your way into the cavern first to see if you could enter and explore, or some other course of action that Karla could see. 12:15 PM <•Morphball> HiKaizer: 10 = 2d6(4,2)+4 As a side note, could you please make the core action clearer in future please. I was not sure if this was trying to literally commune with animal spirits or just relying on learned skills. I have tried to work as best as I can with the core of your post. Elias On the trip back to the northern village you and Jarvier did not speak of your experience. In fact Jarvier seemed quite shaken by it and slept poorly the following nights. Despite this strangeness in him, you continued to remain relatively undisturbed and your dreams remained mostly as they always had, if you even normally dreamed much. Your followers and guards took comfort and reassurance in your leadership and you made good time. The Autarch showed that even in the face of the creepy ruins he remained of strong mental resolve, more so than that foreign guide they had brought with them. Morale was, with the exception of Jarvier, generally high as you returned to the village. 12:15 PM <•Morphball> HiKaizer: 14 = 2d6(4,6)+4 We can skip most of the journey back, unless you have any particular things to do or interactions you want to explore on the way back. Otherwise we can take it as we go. HiKaizer fucked around with this message at 12:09 on Jun 14, 2017 |
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Jun 2, 2017 04:02
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John John's face folded in a predatory smile. It was possible perhaps even likely this was a trap, but he didn't care. Either way, the bandits had gravely miscalculated. If it was intended to lure him into a trap, he had more than enough confidence in his new strength to crush any attack. If it was just sloppiness on the bandits part, well that was even better. Overflowing with confidence, John follows the tracks, keeping a level eye out. If at all possible he wanted to see them before they spotted him. Better to orchestrate his first appearance to his future soldiers carefully. It would give him a head start on the work to come. Following the bandits tracks. Keeping an eye out to make sure this isn't a trap, if he can John wants to avoid being spotted again. City Guard[+2] and Stubborn[+2], same as before.
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Jun 2, 2017 04:23
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Moonrat He turned away from the corpse at Starlight's words. He was again impressed by the woman's professionalism. A legion of folk like her and there'd be nothing he could not now accomplish. "I told you. I was on the hunt for the biggest payday imaginable, and now I have it. The spirit that dwelt here has granted me knowledge. Intimate knowledge, of every weapon, every tactic, every stratagem, and the means to impart that knowledge to others. Which I shall. To those willing to obey." He flung his cloak casually over a shoulder. "But I am not a fool to think you'll agree to that after only one demonstration. It could have simply been luck on my side, after all. I advise you to remain in my entourage and watch me carefully. Judge for yourself." He turned to the ogres now. "And I advise you. Don't approach that body. An assassin is only slightly less deadly in death than life." Focusing finally on Gerik, Moonrat's eyes narrowed. Not in a threatening manner; only to be absolutely certain he missed nothing. "Boy. You were also brought under the war-mistress' spell, weren't you? What did you see?"
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Jun 2, 2017 09:59
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Sasha "Oi oi, without gods to bother I suppose it makes sense the continentals would start botherin' each other, HAH!" Sasha scanned the ships, dockyard and the skyline, with an amused grin on her face, before turning to her men. "Righto, so this is how this here is goin' ta work. Dirk, ye are goin ta be in charge of resupply. Make sure everyone fills their boats with the necessities. We don't want a repeat o' that one time with Niko and his 'rations' ey? Bein' drunk is great an' all but won't stave off starvation is all I'm sayin', haha! But yeh, basic refuelin' effort. The faster ye'r all done the faster ye all get to retire for the day." "As fer me, I still have this whole curse thing goin' on. Rho-Lydia has a whole bunch o' sages with a giant collection o' old tomes. And whilst I'm not into witchery, maybe some of 'em have some sorta idea as to what is goin' on here. So I'll go check that out, I'll be back tomorrow mornin', will try to send word if that's fer whatever reason not possible." "Got it? Good. Now, get ta work ya bunch o' gits, HAH!" OOC: Crew resupplies, Sasha goes around trying to find a sage or somesuch to get ahead on this whole curse thing. Affable [+2] to makes a good first impression should she find one, in the sense that her good naturedness helps clear some of her scurryness, even if she's not really a refined sort at all. Learned men are usually less scared of ogres, especially in big urban centres, since they understand them to be mercenaries or such more often, so am unsure if Terror of the Seas [-2] would apply. Theantero fucked around with this message at 13:07 on Jun 2, 2017 |
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Jun 2, 2017 13:02
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Sorry I'll try to be more clear in future Karla Karla saw that they would soon see the door. She couldn't let that happen. Their own laxness and overconfidence would allow her an advantage she couldn't let pass. She waited for the most opportune moment and struck!  [video type=""]https://youtu.be/xcGD8x4BiLg[/video] Breath of the Wind <Fleet [+2]> and [b]Heart of the Mountain <Strong [+2]> to ATTACK!
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Jun 3, 2017 03:43
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Elias His thoughts turned first to the Autarchy: Returning swiftly and trying to generate a profit along the way through trading what they had traded so far. He yearned to see his wife again. He could hardly shapethe future of the dynasty in absentia. Happy to cut to the return. Let's have an incidental attempt to make a profit on the way using what we learned on the prior journey, using Shrewd +2, Educated +2 and the ability to draw thoughts and read hearts to recoup some wealth.for the Ponsonby-Welm coffers.
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Jun 7, 2017 02:33
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Dragomir - Redivar “Ser Lyndis, then. Drago’s apologies.” It seemed odd to the lizardman to not address a noble by their full title, but what did he know of such matters? Not enough, it seemed. “Very well. If there is no other business, or requests, then Drago shall depart. Until the appointed time.” Bowing once more, Drago left with a definite spring in his step. A favor might be owed, but at least he was quite close indeed to his first destination. Besides, the tome he sought aside, the ruins sounded rather intriguing on their own merits. Perhaps other old knowledge might be found there as well. Assuming they would let him take relics from the site. If not, well, that’d be a bridge he’d cross then. For now, Drago would sightsee a little more before retiring to an inn. Tomorrow promised to be a big day, after all. OOC: Can’t think of anything else I want to do, so going to go ahead and skip to the next day/meeting, with a wake-up request to the innkeeper if the specifics matter.
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Jun 8, 2017 21:32
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John You followed the tracks for a while. It was hard to estimate the exact length of time but you would have been travelling at least an hour, but then you slowed as you saw many other intersecting tracks. The sudden increase in numbers and chaotic paths meant that many people travelled in this area, which surely indicated that the encampment itself was nearby. It was likely over the next hill, and moving beyond this point would likely give them a chance to readily spot you. This also told you that they had retreated all the way to their encampment, which would mean that a fight would likely be with at least a sizeable portion of the bandits group. 8:36 PM <•Morphball> HiKaizer: 13 = 2d6(5,4)+4 How is John armed at the moment? Still with his guard's blade that he slew the dragon Audo? Does he have a bow or crossbow at all? Or does he plan to use his bare fists? Moonrat Gerik looked at you and he seemed almost...sad. It was a strange an unsettling expression to see in a child so young and certainly in one that had been full of naivete and youthful joy until recently. "I saw the path of the hero." That was all he said, and the simplicity of it conveyed a lot. After a few seconds of silence, Burrows-In-Starlight interjected. "Do you plan to kill the boy as well?" It was an awkward question, but not a sarcastic or dishonest one. The assassin had seen you murder her mentor and master in a flash, tell her that you would demonstrate further and then turn to the boy accompanying you that also seemed to have strange powers. The question made Olek go pale, but Gerrik for his part seemed only regretful as he looked at you questioning. Were you going to kill him? Or at least try? Sasha Your mates were well enough in their role to be relied upon to make sure that the crews would be ready to leave when you needed. One of them even took one of the humans along with them, as both a training exercise and also as a way to look less intimidating and maybe get a better price. You weren't entirely sure. They knew what they were doing either way. As for your own search, you found two scholars of note. One was reported to you as being more learned and reliable than the other, but he was also busy and reclusive. Your 'guide' could get you an audience, but you'd need to grease his palms with coin and dip in to a chunk of your cut of the crew's recent earnings. The other you could get to before the day's end and wouldn't cost you more than your finders fee to meet, but your guide did stress that while he claimed to be knowledgeable in the areas you sought his own record was evenly split on hit and miss. 8:36 PM <•Morphball> HiKaizer: 11 = 2d6(6,5) You have two options, the first of which will drain your Payday but is guaranteed to give you a solid lead on curing this curse. Karla Victory! Karla gains 73 experience points from defeating the enemies, as well as 17 copper pieces. The battle was swift and bloody. Although the bandits had been warned of you, they had not expected you to follow them and they were caught by surprise. Without the advantages of surprise and shock to cow their foe, they fell even with their superior numbers. Karla was left to investigate the door on her own. Descending carefully, you could see it was quite large. It was the kind of door built to be impressive and to show power, instead of the kind of door that needed to allow many people through. Or so you assumed anyway, it was still very tall and that was harder to explain. You could see great handles on it, but testing them the door did not seem to move easily. Perhaps you could force it open with brute strength, or find another way to open it. The door's upturned position and angle made it harder to get a good position to try and open it, but it was hardly impossible. There was a strange relief on the door itself now that you could investigate it at length. It seemed to depict some kind of battle, winged beasts and figures with swords and staves pointing at something strange. Great creatures made of many hard shapes and with black circles at their hearts. 8:36 PM <•Morphball> HiKaizer: 15 = 2d6(5,6)+4 Elias You traded along the way, minor goods that you could trade along the way but really the only reason you made any profit was because you could use your gift to tell what the people considered truly valuable and what they did not. You could quickly see the advantage of being able to read surface thoughts in trade, most merchants were not used to thinking in disciplined and careful ways that would make it hard to find what you wanted. Further to this, it was not hard to lead the conversion in a direction where their thoughts said what their mouths did not say aloud. Still most people were still rebuilding and there had been a lot of wealth lost, as well as power and influence built on old orders. Tamora was hit by this the hardest, and a new young noble was still working to establish himself as the ruler. By the time you returned to Aubrecht, you had spent nearly 3 months in travel. That was hardly unknown for important trips and matters of state, but it had been a strain on everyone even with the work you had done prior to leaving. You were quickly brought up to speed on the state of current affairs, the coffers had been replenished somewhat due to the deals with Warchen, and Wolridge in general but you had not returned to your previous levels. Still you were doing well compared to other nations and the mood of the populace was bouyed by your return. 8:36 PM <•Morphball> HiKaizer: 10 = 2d6(2,4)+4 You cover costs and make a small profit, but nothing large in the grand scheme of things. It is useful training for your new abilities though. Dragomir Lyndis had a small retinue, two guards one of which was his own and a servant along with them. The trip to the ruins was not so close that it could be done in a day on horseback. Lake Redan was no minor body of water and so you found that you boarded another boat. This one was much nicer than the last one you had been on, and you would be sleeping on it as needed. Your own quarters were not that much larger than one of the cabins on the captain's ship but Dragomir did not have to share it with another. You also had quite a luxurious looking cot to sleep in as well. The journey took slightly longer than a half day by boat to go directly across the lake to the ruins, so you enjoyed a very rich lunch of meats, cheeses and sweet breads. There was naturally a fine fine to accompany the meal, but a less alcoholic light beer was offered if Dragomir was not used to such drinks. Once you arrived you travelled to the ruins, which took roughly an hour of walking. The ruins of the Imperial Academy of Theological Science and Arcana was remarkably more intact than you might have expected. Although time had taken the roof and many windows, much of the core structure of the library itself remained...albeit worn and in some places run down. You were lead to an office where some academics clearly lived and were conducting their own research, although probably on more mundane or historical notes than Dragomir's objective. Lyndis introduced you to the head of the site, another lizardman named Dracanis. He explained that you were searching for a still yet uncovered tome, and that he would be accompanying you to both give you royal authority to investigate and also to search. He mentioned the other guard, a woman by the name of Jayma who was a member of the royal guard and was there to ensure the ruins were not damaged and that you were held accountable for anything that happened. Dracanis assigned you yet a third guard from the local retinue, who would also help direct you to where you wanted to go. You were then free to enter the ruins and begin your exploration. The academy is essentially a great institution of both magical and magitech learning and science from an old age. I will leave it to you to suggest areas of it dedicated to various things, and where Dragomir would like to begin his search. Feel free to come up with some stuff and I'll fill in the details. As a starting point there are areas of thaumaturgy and also of aetherochimeric science with their own areas with text and long ruined laboratories.
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Jun 14, 2017 12:35
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Moonrat Had the boy witnessed his talk with the spirit? Pity the child if so. He harbored no ill will towards him, and as hard as his heart was he took no particular glee in shattering Gerik's innocence. Well. What was done was done. Returning his attention to Starlight he crossed his arms and gave her a look as though she'd grown a second head from her shoulders. "What? No. What a pointlessly cruel thing to do. I mean watch over the long term. Even prior to this excursion there are plenty out there who wish me dead. No doubt that number has increased since." He threw a dismissive hand into the air. "Don't bother pretending a message was not dispatched the moment the two of you determined I was no longer to be trusted. Fleeting-Whisper was always too cautious to rule out the possibility he might die. So. I will have a great deal of housekeeping to do and you have the choice of judging my newfound capability for yourself. You can even continue apprising those interested parties of my whereabouts and doings. It certainly won't hurt my feelings, and my enemies coming to me is far more convenient then having to hunt them down." He shrugged, his whole demeanor disturbingly casual. "Whatever you want for yourself, take it. I am not your master. I cannot make you do anything. The only thing I will say is this: if you threaten me or mine, or bare steel against me, your life is forfeit. Beyond that I have no concern." At last he turned to Olek. "I have created trouble enough for you and your son. If you wish to be done of me, I entirely understand. In fact I think it likely for the best that you do so. My path from here on out is lined in blood. There is no reason for yours to be among it. If you'd like, I'll see you back to Redivar and you can start forgetting you ever met me."
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Jun 15, 2017 01:47
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John John studies the tracks, from what he can tell there should be no more than a dozen men at the camp. His strength is still untested, but he feels confident he can handle a mere dozen normal humans if it came down to it. Moreover, if things go well he won't have to fight more than a small handful. "Greatclaw," he signals to the rattling, "See if you can go unseen, I'll focus there attention on me, but if things go wrong be ready to step in. It's important we make the right first impression, and we need them to fear our power, and the consequences of drawing our ire. I plan to challenge their leader and utterly destroy him as proof, but if that doesn't pan out we need to fight to disable and you launching a surprise attack while they're still focused on me should help in that." "Just remember, our goal isn't to kill them all, but to break them and make them ours. If the situation develops and you see a better way to help aid in that goal than our current plan I'll trust you to do what works." Proceeding forward, filled with the bravado of a man filled with power, John crested the hill, making no effort to hide himself. Once he caught sight of one of the bandits he would bellow out a challenge. "I HEARD THERE WERE BANDITS IN THESE HILLS, BUT ALL I'VE SEEN SO FAR ARE COWARDS WHO FLEE AT THE SIGHT OF ME. WHERE'S YOUR LEADER, MAYBE HE HAS THE SPINE TO FACE DRAKON!" The newly renamed Drakon is laying out a challenge to the leader of the bandits, and trying to keep all their attention on him. Commanding Presence[+2] for being loud and hard to miss, and City Guard[+2] to know how to best taunt criminals. While Drakon does this, he's having Greatclaw try and remain unnoticed to launch a surprise attack if necessary, but trusting him to take whatever opportunity might develop.
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Jun 15, 2017 05:44
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Elias - Welm Palace, Aubrecht For now, Aubrecht needed stability and wise leadership. Three months abroad was a third of the time towards his wife's confinement: Best to remain in town until that resolves before heading off to make trade with the Dwarves. So, he held court, he gave his counsel, he adjudicated, he led. He corresponded with the cities beyond the demesne of the Autarchy downriver to fine-tune deals and trading arrangements. Throughout all of this, he always made time to be with his wife, idly planning out the future with her, and simply enjoying her company, helping out where able. Running his city, making use of his new powers where relevant, guiding the ship of state as best he is able, through Shrewd +2 Leadership +2. Putting off further expeditions until the outstanding family matters are at a less potentially critical phase. Planning on an expedition to the dwarves Terminus mentioned once all is well.
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Jun 16, 2017 18:17
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Sasha "Hrmm...", Sasha bit her lip as she pondered her options, weighing her sack of coin appraisingly, "Hah, never been the moralisin' sort, but even though gamblin's fun an' all, I'd rather take the sure thing than risk wastin' my time here." The ogress tossed the bag of coin to the 'guide' nonchalantly, causing the man to stagger slightly as the weight hit his chest, "So how about ye do yer thing, ye lil' weasel ye", Sasha guffawed rather loudly, sort of hinting at the fact that this was mere ribbing, "So lets get to it! To pass the time, I'll even entertain ye with fun stories about what we do ta those who break their word back at the archipelago!" Then again, even jokes often hid a nugget of truth... OOC: Spending Payday to get the certain outcome
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Jun 16, 2017 21:55
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Karla The doors seemed sturdy, the carvings odd but she didn't quite know what they meant. The elf wanted what was within. Karla could not let him have what was inside. Getting a better grip and stance, muscles bulging with the sheer effort Karla pulled with all her might. "Open drat you.." Heart of the Mountain <Strength +2> to pull the door open
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Jun 17, 2017 01:09
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Dragomir - Imperial Academy of Theological Science and Arcana Riding horseback was an unusual experience for Drago. It wasn’t as if he travelled much, and even he did, he rarely had the coin to afford a horse’s upkeep. Not that it was his first time, but even after today he could count the amount of horses he had rode on one hand. The boat ride was much more comfortable for the lizardman, relatively speaking. Having his own bed was pleasant, and then there was the food! Quite luxurious by his standards, and Drago even dared to try the fine wine offered with the meal, despite tending to shy away from alcoholic drinks. It was, well… the walk to the academy could have been made easier, to put it one way. But in the end, he, or rather, they arrived. And what a splendid sight it was! Yes, much of the actual structure had been worn down by time, and that was unfortunate in itself. Yet so much of the library itself remained! Really, that was what mattered, was it not? The knowledge, not the building that contained it. Well, there was those who could gain knowledge from the crafting of the building, but that was a field of interest that lied beyond the lizardman. Having guards with him was… not as nice, admittedly. Drago understood the reason for their presence, but he would have preferred to explore by his lonesome. Ah well. For now, the lizardman thought, let us see what can be found without starting trouble. Turning to the third guard assigned to him, Drago said, “If you would, please show Drago to this section on thaumaturgy. Drago is not certain Drago would describe the tome Drago seeks as a ‘miracle’, but it seems a fair place to begin.” OOC: Let’s start off simple and investigate what’s already known. Heading over to the thaumaturgy portion of the ruins to begin with. If this is a roll and not a manual search, then Inquisitive [+2] and Resolute [+2] seem appropriate for driving Drago fowards.
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Jun 17, 2017 01:49
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Viktor "Don't put this on me!", Viktor snaps. "You're dead. You took your own life. Nothing I did contributed to that! And now you're worried about oblivion? You're all shadows of what you were, who chose to give up everything you had because you were afraid. If I ate the others, all i ate were shadows and memories." He pauses. "Come on. Let's go look for that water spirit." And then he walks out without looking back.
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Jun 17, 2017 15:58
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Moonrat Gerik looked at you calmly, you could sense that he would have been ready to fight had he needed to, but he was not anticipating it either. There was danger in the child, probably danger that you could overcome but it was something to be mindful of in future. "You understand half of what happened but not all of it." The assassin replied, turning her attention from Gerik now that the moment had passed. "Yes we were in communications with the queen, and yes she knows of your deviation from her route. But she did not become the ruler of our people and a culture of criminals and killers in shadows by being stupid. We were to watch you, take care of you if you became a liability but otherwise report back if your strange quest bore fruit." Starlight hid her frustration well but you could tell that she felt that killing Fleeting-Whisper had been unneeded and a waste. "Should you present this talent to the Queen I am sure she will...forgive you all of this subterfuge and even the killing of her prized assassin. I also have no love for her either, so if you have an alternative arrangement in mind I am not disinclined to hearing you out." Burrows in Starlight certainly seemed to hold no greater love for you, but it did not seem as though she minded the thought of regicide if putting a more stable ruler on the throne was an option. Olek chuckled sadly at your suggestion. "We both know I am in too deeply into all of this now. It would not be too difficult for someone to find out my and my son's involvement in this affair. The thought is nice, but it is just a daydream." Gerik spoke up at that point as well. "We should go with them, father. There is much and more that lies in the days ahead. You will be no safer or any happier if you hide from the trouble to come. I will go with them no matter your choice." The child spoke firmly and with a maturity that was again unsettling for one so young. John You waited for several minutes, although there was a great flurry of activity in the camp. However the elf that had been spoken of exited flanked by a couple of cowering humans and dwarves. He had long and flowing auburn hair that was far too immaculate and well placed for the place he was in. The armour was finely wrought, but even John could recognise the incredible craftsmanship of it. As for the blade...well the blade almost seemed to cut the air itself as he lazily drew it and considered John carefully. Just as he was about to speak, the blade began to glow softly. He paused noticing this and then chuckled to himself, as his flunkies looked around in confusion for something or someone. "The Gods foretold of men and beasts who would debase themselves in front of the altar of ancient sinners, but I had not anticipated it to happen so soon. Shall we talk, before we dance? I am curious to know whether you found the secrets of the cultists of old, or whether you have supped on the essence of one from outside." From his movements, his armour and his sword John knew that the elf must be someone of great skill and import. Which suggested the question, who was he really and why was he here among these bandits? 8:47 AM <•Morphball> HiKaizer: 13 = 2d6(3,6)+4 No one has found Greatclaw yet, but they seem to be on the lookout for him. Despite this, the bandits are clearly shaken and will not be effective spotters. Elias Jarvier's condition did not improve as you righted the helm of the ship of Aubrecht. He became increasingly moody and his eyes seemed to dart around, searching for something unseen. Servants reported that he slept poorly and often cried out in the night. "Don't look at me! Stay away!" Elias did not fare badly at all beyond his usual ailments, and he slept soundly being otherwise untroubled. Your wife was greatly relieved by your return, although you found your relationship changed by your new powers. Sometimes you would catch a glimpse of her thoughts and she was plotting various things. Among others, was how to deal with the matter of her infidelity, as she had grown lonely during your absence and taken a secret lover. In addition, she did not wish her children to all inherit your sickly condition and the family condition, as it were. Aubrecht for its part fared reasonably well. Although it also suffered from the death of the gods and the cataclysms it had caused, Elias' vision and guidance had meant it was placed more advantageously than Wolridge as a whole was. There was the possibility of in time, a generation or two perhaps if you played cards right, that some of the outlying villages on the border might consider themselves more a part of Aubrecht than Woldridge. There would be conflict from this, but the chance to expand the borders of the autarchy would always be advantageous if played well. 8:47 AM <•Morphball> HiKaizer: 12 = 2d6(3,5)+4 Sasha You still had to wait an hour in full before you could meet the sage, but introductions and requests were made and an hour later you were admitted to the estate. It was hardly the largest or richest of the estates in Lho-Rydia but stepping inside of it, you could tell instantly that it was the abode of someone with an interest in tales and the otherworldly. Old paintings and statues filled places where more contemporary or traditional art would in other estates, and the whole place was less well ventilated and a bit dryer than you would have expected. Or perhaps not. This might have been the first estate of a noble Sasha had been in which was not in ruins or under seige. The one other curious feature, one that was inconvenient to Sasha, was that everything was just a little too short or small for her stature. As for the noble himself, he was a greying haired dwarf with a beady eyed squint who eyed you suspiciously as you entered. "Hmm. Got yerself cursed I hear. Well. Tell me about it and what happened." If the man knew you were a dread pirate and raider of the seas, he seemed to not pay it any mind at all. Karla She strained and pushed against the door, and eventually it gave purchase. However what Karla had not anticipated was that the ground just within the entrance had collapsed. She stumbled forwards when the door finally opened, simply from the force she had been applying, and could not stop herself in time to avoid falling. It was a long drop, and had there not been a pool of strange water at the bottom she surely would have been badly injured. Surfacing from the water, which glowed faintly a strange vibrant blue and tasted vaguely sweet, Karla found herself in a room dimly lit by strange glass rocks that was utterly alien to her. The whole room had become slanted, so below her Karla could see the floor rise up. There were what looked to be the remains of racks or shelving. Further upwards and on the other side of the room were a collection of strange broken glass cylinders with metal rings at the base of them. It seemed that whatever was responsible for the glow of the water she was climbing out of came from them, as she could see faint glowing residue at the bottom of the rings. There were two doors, to her left and right. These were much less protected and were open, having had the doors flop open at some point when the room had become tilted enough. Looking up revealed that it would be difficult, or impossible, to climb out of this area to return to back the way she had fallen from. 8:47 AM <•Morphball> HiKaizer: 8 = 2d6(4,2)+2 You stumble into a strange place. Dragomir The academy was an impressively large building. Even this one section seemed as large as one of the well to do inns within Redivar itself. Although much of the surface structure was worn way, and that the books and scrolls in the place had largely been picked clean you could see signs of what the place must have been like from the layout and rooms. Multiple rooms that you were told still had signs of lingering wards and thaumic protections in place indicated places where magic and science had once been practiced. After a cursory inspection of the ground level, you were guided below to the basement level. Here the structures were much more intact, sheltered as they were from the elements, and you could see shelving in studies, places where beds and books would have been. Some of the chambers down here were akin to huge vaults, and they held runes that still faintly hummed as you traced your finger along them. Had Dragomir simply been another academic that would have been the end of his tale. The place was endlessly fascinating and old, but otherwise there was no obvious entrance or hidden passage. Yet something stirred in your memory in one otherwise unremarkable and smaller study. An insignia on the wall with a motto stood out to you, and almost in a trance you traced out a pattern along it you had not realized you remembered from Terminus' vision until now. As you completed the movements of your finger, something clicked and letters from the motto glowed for a second. You did not know the tongue, yet meaning came to you. They spelled out 'The Stars Sleep Below As Above'. Part of the walls reconfigured themselves to show an otherwise unnoticeable hidden entrance. The air smelled stale and musty inside, and the party turned to you in surprise as you revealed a passage in the ruins that no one had previously discovered in their centuries of study. Viktor The spirit looked accusingly at you still, but followed as you insisted. There was not much of value left in the monastery, although Viktor did find a collection of coins and some useful supplies for travelling. They just needed to be rubbed with some smelling oils to help disguise the scent that lingered around them. Based on what you knew, the spirit was likely to be to the north. You could return through the town if you wished, which would be quicker and allow you to have a better night of rest. Or you avoid the town and travel an extra day or two if you wished.
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Jul 4, 2017 04:32
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