Serpentine Cougar

Thanks for the update; best of luck!

Makes sense. Happy new year all.

Sorry for the delay. Do I need to make a roll for my disguise?

Members of his species were never seen in high society such as this except as servants, so an elaborate costume had needed to be concocted for Tanurak to be able to enter with his compatriots. His wide horns could not be hidden, so he wore a stylized, gaudy, painted mask designed to make it look as if he were a human dressing up as a minotaur. A distinct fashion statement. He had his doubts that his disguise was believable, but there wasn't much else to do if he was to stick with the other god-shards. Inwardly he recoiled at the pomp and circumstance of the whole affair, finding these nobles with all their frivolity repugnant. But they were here on a mission, so he would keep his distaste as hidden as he could.

Thanks, you too! Same here. Awesome stuff.

Tanurak nodded a greeting to the others and gave them his name. His eyes narrowed as Arendela spoke. He knew she was a god-shard, but he hated all of the seven houses. They represented everything that had oppressed his people and perpetuated the killing for entertainment of the Arena. He sighed. It would feel good to take down one of the houses, but if it came at the cost of working with another of the hated houses.... He'd have to stay on his toes around her. "Conductive? Why?" After thinking a few moments, he suggested, "If we could procure the right uniform somehow, I could disguise myself as a cook or server. They aren't likely to notice one more minotaur servant."

To be honest, the exact TNs don't matter to me too much as I view them just a means to an end. As a rules-lite game I'm not too concerned with balance. In general I agree with the philosophy of not rolling if the outcome is guaranteed, but it might be more important for this game that we aren't able to roll our peak stat every time.

A sense of dread grew in Tanurak's chest that he couldn't shake off. Turning around, he glimpsed movement of a shadow within the fog behind the group of god-shards. Were those elk antlers? In the mists and darkness, he couldn't be sure. He was sure, however, that he didn't want to wait around to see what was coming. "Nice to meet you both, but we've got to move now!" The minotaur gestured for the two others to keep moving. Suddenly a chain whipped out of the fog and wrapped itself around one of Tanurak's arms. The chain, its links the width of two fingers, mirrored the much larger ones anchoring Thuvi. He felt himself being pulled into the mists and struggled to plant his feet until he slid against a boulder-sized rock. Bracing against the large stone, he twisted and strained against the chain, trying to snap it in twain with his strength. With a snap, the smooth chain broke in two, one end sliding back into the shadows, the other left dangling, wrapped around the minotaur's arm. Breathing heavily, he tried to catch his breath for a few seconds before turning on his heels and breaking into a run heading deeper into the graveyard and away from whatever was pursuing them.

I agree with all this. Also having to wager shatter dice before the roll will push us to use your house rules for replenishing them more (and in the process develop more story).

Should I interpret/flesh out the "growing dread from behind them" and resolve it with a single roll, or do I need to make a roll to learn more about what it is? I can come up with something and have him try to deal with the threat, but I could also see Tanurak circling back and scouting out what's approaching them from behind. Trying to get a sense for how much you want us to come up with our own obstacles.

Yeah, that makes sense. Love the art so far, by the way.

Running through the familiar streets of the Gaos slums, Tanurak sped towards the frosty rock of Thuvi he had seen in a sudden vision. As he darted around piles of detritus, leapt over sick and sleeping homeless, and swerved out of the way of startled pedestrians, he slowly grew aware of howling and barking coming from nearby streets. The sounds seemed to keep pace with him as he ran, so he knew the creatures making those sounds must be headed the same direction as he. Suddenly the minotaur emerged into an open square and saw his fear realized: a pack of 4 wolf-like creatures, black as night, followed by their enigmatic handler, entered the square from another corner. Immediately the hounds charged towards him. "How did they know?" Tanurak wondered for a split second - but no time now. The next moment he slapped the sun-shaped tattoo on his left shoulder and clapped his hands together in front of his face at eye level. Blinding white light exploded from his hands and swept towards the charging dogs. The light leapt from hound to hound, surging over their atramentous hides and burning them up like fire. As their darkness was snuffed out, blackest ash falling to the dusty street, their howls squealed away and were replaced by the screams of three onlookers in the square. Spinning on his hooves, Tanurak didn't wait for the hounds' one-time handler to catch up with him. The other presences from his vision were calling out to him in need, and he would answer their call.

Are shatterdice only added before rolling the dice, or can they be added after a roll?

Are those lessons that she is studying or that she is teaching? Or both, I suppose?

Tanurak's side thread is a mini-boss idea (a lieutenant to one of the Word Breakers): "Find and slay Zaronasar, the immortal Lieutenant of Magisterial Indulgence, who in ages past was responsible for conquering the Minotaurs." The Minotaurs long remember the injustice he wrought and curse his name, but he dwells in a far off level of the city. With Tanurak's awakening powers, faint hope glimmers in his mind that he might one day avenge his people.