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With the completion of the Slipfang and Argos, it was time to get underway; other crews already had weeks of a head start on them, and while the Bloom could take anywhere from months to over a year to find, time was of the essence, and everyone was excited to finally set out on a ship of their own. In the comings and going of the crew onto and off of the Slipfang's imposing bulk, it took the crew a little while to notice that a copy of the Boughbreaker's logbook had been placed on a shelf in the galley, with a drawing of a fanged plant and a shimmering fragment of a petal pressed between its pages. A last gift from their mysterious ironbound friend, it would seem. There was a lot to do, though, and the logbook was temporarily forgotten as the group prepared to set sail, taking what they could from Verdurance before leaving it behind. Verdurance, the Wildmason's Port, is the largest in the Sepulcher. Build atop a mountain poking above the foliage, Verdurance has since expanded as wildmasons cement ruin and rock fragments to each other to build an artificial plateau atop the trees surrounding the mountain's peak. Gaps in the stonework make canals, filled with flowers that are traversed by gondolas, that snake through the city's periphery, while the core is solid and permanent. Verdurance has a sense of permanence that few other ports have, being immune to most of the ravages of the wildsea thanks to its unique construction. The city is a bustling hub of activity, especially now with the Bloom coming. You can find nearly anything in Verdurance, and nearly anything can find you... Montage Before the Slipfang sets sail across the wild green, the crew set about the city, accomplishing last minute preparations and picking up anything they think might be helpful on their trip, from supplies to rumours about where to start looking. OOC We begin with a Montage: the crew temporarily splits up to do their own thing before departure. Every player can select up to two actions from the following list to carry out (and you can take the same action multiple times). Please feel free to add as much detail into your actions as you'd like, including specifying what you're looking for/creating/doing and how you are doing it. If your action requires a roll, you can roll the dice (and provide suggestions in the OOC thread/an edit to your post on the twist if you roll doubles), or I can do it for you otherwise. Please post by the end of the day on Sunday (October 22), but I'll provide updates as people post. You can perform actions in any order, or post one action and then wait until you see what others are doing/your results before posting your second. Feel free to make your post however you like; there are no expectations regarding formatting, so long as it's clear what your character is doing. Acquire Resources You head back into the city, or maybe wavewalk on the trees beyond it, looking for more resources or supplies before you head out. Roll a number of D6 equal to the relevant skill plus one for any of the listed possible edges if you have it (remember that you only ever can use one Edge at a time), or else simply choose the default "Conflict" option (no risk, but no chance of getting a good resource either). Results: 6: Gain good resource; 4–5: Gain sub-par resource; 1–3: Gain no resource. Like with character creation, you can briefly describe the resource you are looking for, or if you prefer you can leave it up the GM. Shop at the Market (Outwit, Sway) Verdurance has a thriving network of markets, bazaars, and trading stations. Wandering through them all would take days, or maybe even weeks, but there are a few places you know to check first for what you're looking for... Take a Sway/Outwit + Iron (drive a hard bargain)/Sharps (use your wits to haggle with the vendor)/Veils (leave the vendor bewildered after a series of verbal feints and dodges) test to acquire a single Salvage, Specimen, or Chart. Gather (Harvest, Hack) The wilds around Verdurance, while devoid of any beast worth hunting, are full of plant-based fruits, berries, and leaves, ripe for the picking. The city is also famous for its "flower canals," bits of the wildsea covered with flowers and other plants that are allowed to poke up through gaps in the port's expanding stone surface. If you move quickly when no one is watching, surely no one will mind if you just pluck that juicy fruit from one right there... Take a Harvest/Hack + Instinct (follow your nose)/Tides (use your botanical knowledge) test to acquire a single plant-based Specimen from the wilds around (or in) Verdurance. Scavenge (Scavenge) The ship graveyard is not only familiar to you now, but a great place to pick up a spare part or three... Take a Scavenge + Instinct (that part looks like it will fit!)/Sharps (you remember seeing that part when building your ship)/Teeth (one of the scrapyard gangs has what you need, and you won't let them keep it)/Tides (you know exactly what you are looking for and why) test to acquire any single Salvage. Listen (Sense, Study) It is not material resources you seek, but knowledge. By listening to conversations and reading what is available, you learn new things... Take a Sense/Study + Instinct (let the voices of the crowd wash over you)/Veils (deceive others to learn what you can)/Sharps (carefully plan an information gathering session)/Tides (use your knowledge to ferret out more knowledge) test to acquire any single Whisper. Create Something While the others go about their business in port, you are more focused in preparing for the journey with what you have, making things to ensure your safe travels. Combine any two resources you currently have (specimen, salvage, whisper, or chart) to create temporary Aspects for yourself or others, the qualities of which depend on the resources used. Each Aspect will be used up forever when its track is filled. Use Concoct (and any two resources) to make a potion. Use Cook (and two specimens) to make a full meal. Use Craft (and two salvage) to make equipment. Results: 6: Good Aspect related to resources used. 4–5: Aspect has downsides or is not quite right. 1–3: Aspect gives no benefits. Take on Cargo Even a ship dedicated to searching for the Bloom needs to earn its keep, and carrying cargo is generally the safest and easiest way to do just that. You wander about the city, seeing who needs what moved where, and strike a bargain with a keen-eyed and silver-tongued vendor. You can use one of your two actions to pick up a single piece of cargo (you can do this twice for two pieces of cargo). Your ship has a Cargo Space of 7 (meaning it can hold up to 7 points of Space, as denoted in column two of the cargo list below), and picking up cargo will be first-come-first-served. Delivering cargo is the easiest way to earn more stakes to upgrade your ship (there will be other ways, though)! If you successfully deliver a piece of cargo to its destination, you will the listed Reward (the player who picked up the cargo will get any Resources, and the Stakes will go into a collective pool). If you fail to deliver a cargo (if it gets damaged, you're too slow, or you steal it), it will have a negative impact on your ship's reputation and make acquiring future cargo more difficult. You can also make use of cargo you are carrying during gameplay, but if you do so, you risk permanently damaging the cargo or lessening the reward (some skimming is often expected). You may want to discuss where you will probably be heading first before deciding on cargo. Select a piece of cargo from the list below. Please note that your ship cannot have multiple "copies" of the same cargo; there is only one of each cargo. Current Used Cargo Space: 1/7 Cargo Space Reward Destination Notes Lythean Tea Leaves 1 0.5 stakes, 1 specimen Any Potent, pungent, and not guaranteed to turn you into a servant of the twinned monarch. Needle Syrup Casks 1 0.5 stakes, 1 specimen Any Freshly tapped and boiled down from Old Needlesap. Sunburst Flowers 1 1 stake, 2 specimens Sarkosa Warning: Fire Hazard. Do not expose to sunlight. Collated Treasure Maps 1 2 stakes, 2 charts Inskpill Failure to deliver this collation will be punishable with a bounty from the Union (Librarian Branch). Possibly cursed. Amberclad Insects 1 0.5 stakes, 1 specimen Sevenstones Not edible. Trained Circus Beasts 2 2.5 stakes Port Sakura Don't unlock the cages, no matter how much they beg. Pollen Sampler 1 2 stakes, 1 specimen Titana and Gorgantha Neat bags of pollen from distant reaches. Cannon Quartet 2 1.5 stakes Sarkosa Weapons for pirates. Munitions Crates 1 0.5 stakes, 1 salvage Angler's Spire For monster hunting. Bottled Secrets 1 0.5 stake, 1 whisper Any Damn hard to get back into the bottle. Exile's Copper 1 1.5 stakes, 2 salvage Port Sakura Untarnished. Do not get wet. Cask of Spirits 1 0.5 stakes, 1 specimen Any Whether ghosts or alcohol, this brings the boos/ze. Library-in-a-Box 2 2.5 stakes, 2 whispers Inkspill A veritable treasure trove of knowledge. Bugwork Clocks 1 0.5 stakes, 1 salvage Sevenstones The ticking... oh heavens, the ticking unceasing! Chained Box 1 2.5 stakes Titana and Gorgantha or Port Sakura DO NOT OPEN. Express Post 0 0.5 stakes for all, 1 whisper if Wordbearer Any Letters to be delivered post haste! No insurance necessary. Explore You don't necessarily know what it is you're looking for, but you set out to wander the streets, meeting new people and seeing the sights. Who knows what might happen... This option can only be selected once per player. This is an open-ended action; if you want to explore the city, describe what you're doing, what you're looking for, and how you're doing it. This is a good way to: Find new plot hooks (either for yourself or the ship as a whole) Track down rumours about happenings in the reach. Figure out what other people know about where the Bloom might pop up... or what they know about it in general. Learn about what ports are good to visit... or avoid. Make friends. Make enemies. Learn lore. Get exercise. This action will not result in resources, aspects, or cargo (necessarily), but could earn valuable intangibles for your character. Venturing Forth OOC Next week, your crew will leave Verdurance. Unless you have found an alternative destination through rumours (via Exploring), you can set sail to any of the ports near Verdurance (sailing directly to too far a port is risky). Your three choices for a next destination are: Angler's Spire: The hunter's port, a short journey to the west. This is on the fastest route to Port Sakura, Inkspill, and Oberon (along the Concourse of Petals). Old Needlesap: Probably not worth your time, as it is in the upper northeast corner of the reach, but maybe you really want some syrup. A short journey, but you'll have to turn around to search the rest of the reach, unless you are lucky and the Bloom is right next door. Sevenstones: A city of ancient lore, history, and scrap metal, a medium journey to the south. This is on the fastest route to the Broken Hives, Rosecourt, Sarkosa, and Titana and Gorgantha (along the Pirate's Path). You do not have to decide on a destination until after the opening montage, but you may want to discuss it with your crew before choosing cargo. Your ship-building threads have been converted into crew OOC threads for strategizing with them. Moreover, the passages Ford read from the logbook also contain potential plot hooks and places to start searching. Please also feel free to use the pre-game IC to roleplay with the entire nine-person gang before setting off, or to interact IC with your crew below as well as participating in the montage. Once everyone has finished doing what they want or on Monday/Tuesday next week, whichever comes first, you'll select a destination and set sail!
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HAVING ARRIVED... ...in Lysor after adventures in Klaar, our heroes celebrated their windfalls. Balathu learned that Nur-Yunna had dispatched minions across Lemuria in search of something. Much of his loot went toward sending out his own feelers to counter the machinations of his father. Asara had made the rounds in Lysor, carousing and offending many members of the peerage. The northlander soon found herself in the slums without coin. For her part, Tikina had been taken under the wing of crotchety and peculiar Quarr, who shared many of the secrets of alchemy with her. Together, they afforded a small laboratory to begin a series of experiences. Soon, they overheard of some strange wizard’s pet or monstrous freak of nature haunting the city at night. Their attempts to track the mystery creature had been fruitless…at least until the night of All Moat’s Day, a celebration of Afyrean supplication. That night, the heroes had been summoned to a banquet. Quarr had spared no expense. Revelers danced in the streets. Ecclesiasts of Afyra gave blessing to the bounty of crops and food. However, before the heroes had gotten to the banquet hall, a handful of mad men — the yellow druids — came to murder. The heroes stood in their way and dispatched them. When the inexplicable conflict was over, during the mayhem many of the citizens of Lysor pointed at the heroes. The city watch was summoned and the heroes fled. While they did, Tikina discovered the clues of some strange enigma. Quarr guessed the same — their errant mystery monster had been there. When during their escape they strayed into a plaza, they saw the thing standing there under the stars. A strange tentacled one-eyed thing on a tripod of spindly legs. being seen, the thing climbed a building, tossing statues and pottery at them. They gave chase across rooftops and alleys, inflicting some harm on the thing. It disintegrated into a pool of ichor and escaped. The heroes took refuge in the abode of Jenkor Tol, a minor lord of Lysor who Balathu had remedied from a most embarrassing affliction. Jenkor spoke of strange times, all starting since Lanar Zboon, the infamous tomb-raider, had recovered a dark text and quickly died at the hands of the druids of Morgazzon. Furthermore, Jenkor told of a galley borne out of Zalut with emissaries with strange sigils. The delegation from Thule owned a dreadful house in the hills just at the edge of town where foreign emissaries own stately homes. With that information, the heroes stole away to investigate the holdings of Zalut in the eastern hills… Show this Link to the full start of The Black Script . Link to Shades of Ygddar . More to come... -
With the completion of the Slipfang and Argos, it was time to get underway; other crews already had weeks of a head start on them, and while the Bloom could take anywhere from months to over a year to find, time was of the essence, and everyone was excited to finally set out on a ship of their own. In the comings and going of the crew onto and off of the Argos' sturdy build, it took the crew a little while to notice that, in the pages of the Boughbreaker's logbook in the crew's storage area, a drawing of a fanged flower and a shimmering fragment of a petal were pressed. A last gift from their mysterious ironbound friend, it would seem. There was a lot to do, though, and the logbook was temporarily forgotten as the group prepared to set sail, taking what they could from Verdurance before leaving it behind. Verdurance, the Wildmason's Port, is the largest in the Sepulcher. Build atop a mountain poking above the foliage, Verdurance has since expanded as wildmasons cement ruin and rock fragments to each other to build an artificial plateau atop the trees surrounding the mountain's peak. Gaps in the stonework make canals, filled with flowers that are traversed by gondolas, that snake through the city's periphery, while the core is solid and permanent. Verdurance has a sense of permanence that few other ports have, being immune to most of the ravages of the wildsea thanks to its unique construction. The city is a bustling hub of activity, especially now with the Bloom coming. You can find nearly anything in Verdurance, and nearly anything can find you... Montage Before the Argos sets sail across the wild green, the crew set about the city, accomplishing last minute preparations and picking up anything they think might be helpful on their trip, from supplies to rumours about where to start looking. OOC We begin with a Montage: the crew temporarily splits up to do their own thing before departure. Every player can select up to two actions from the following list to carry out (and you can take the same action multiple times). Please feel free to add as much detail into your actions as you'd like, including specifying what you're looking for/creating/doing and how you are doing it. If your action requires a roll, you can roll the dice (and provide suggestions in the OOC thread/an edit to your post on the twist if you roll doubles), or I can do it for you otherwise. Please post by the end of the day on Sunday (October 22), but I'll provide updates as people post. You can perform actions in any order, or post one action and then wait until you see what others are doing/your results before posting your second. Feel free to make your post however you like; there are no expectations regarding formatting, so long as it's clear what your character is doing. Acquire Resources You head back into the city, or maybe wavewalk on the trees beyond it, looking for more resources or supplies before you head out. Roll a number of D6 equal to the relevant skill plus one for any of the listed possible edges if you have it (remember that you only ever can use one Edge at a time), or else simply choose the default "Conflict" option (no risk, but no chance of getting a good resource either). Results: 6: Gain good resource; 4–5: Gain sub-par resource; 1–3: Gain no resource. Like with character creation, you can briefly describe the resource you are looking for, or if you prefer you can leave it up the GM. Shop at the Market (Outwit, Sway) Verdurance has a thriving network of markets, bazaars, and trading stations. Wandering through them all would take days, or maybe even weeks, but there are a few places you know to check first for what you're looking for... Take a Sway/Outwit + Iron (drive a hard bargain)/Sharps (use your wits to haggle with the vendor)/Veils (leave the vendor bewildered after a series of verbal feints and dodges) test to acquire a single Salvage, Specimen, or Chart. Gather (Harvest, Hack) The wilds around Verdurance, while devoid of any beast worth hunting, are full of plant-based fruits, berries, and leaves, ripe for the picking. The city is also famous for its "flower canals," bits of the wildsea covered with flowers and other plants that are allowed to poke up through gaps in the port's expanding stone surface. If you move quickly when no one is watching, surely no one will mind if you just pluck that juicy fruit from one right there... Take a Harvest/Hack + Instinct (follow your nose)/Tides (use your botanical knowledge) test to acquire a single plant-based Specimen from the wilds around (or in) Verdurance. Scavenge (Scavenge) The ship graveyard is not only familiar to you now, but a great place to pick up a spare part or three... Take a Scavenge + Instinct (that part looks like it will fit!)/Sharps (you remember seeing that part when building your ship)/Teeth (one of the scrapyard gangs has what you need, and you won't let them keep it)/Tides (you know exactly what you are looking for and why) test to acquire any single Salvage. Listen (Sense, Study) It is not material resources you seek, but knowledge. By listening to conversations and reading what is available, you learn new things... Take a Sense/Study + Instinct (let the voices of the crowd wash over you)/Veils (deceive others to learn what you can)/Sharps (carefully plan an information gathering session)/Tides (use your knowledge to ferret out more knowledge) test to acquire any single Whisper. Create Something While the others go about their business in port, you are more focused in preparing for the journey with what you have, making things to ensure your safe travels. Combine any two resources you currently have (specimen, salvage, whisper, or chart) to create temporary Aspects for yourself or others, the qualities of which depend on the resources used. Each Aspect will be used up forever when its track is filled. Use Concoct (and any two resources) to make a potion. Use Cook (and two specimens) to make a full meal. Use Craft (and two salvage) to make equipment. Results: 6: Good Aspect related to resources used. 4–5: Aspect has downsides or is not quite right. 1–3: Aspect gives no benefits. Take on Cargo Even a ship dedicated to searching for the Bloom needs to earn its keep, and carrying cargo is generally the safest and easiest way to do just that. You wander about the city, seeing who needs what moved where, and strike a bargain with a keen-eyed and silver-tongued vendor. You can use one of your two actions to pick up a single piece of cargo (you can do this twice for two pieces of cargo). Your ship has a Cargo Space of 7 (meaning it can hold up to 7 points of Space, as denoted in column two of the cargo list below), and picking up cargo will be first-come-first-served. Delivering cargo is the easiest way to earn more stakes to upgrade your ship (there will be other ways, though)! If you successfully deliver a piece of cargo to its destination, you will the listed Reward (the player who picked up the cargo will get any Resources, and the Stakes will go into a collective pool). If you fail to deliver a cargo (if it gets damaged, you're too slow, or you steal it), it will have a negative impact on your ship's reputation and make acquiring future cargo more difficult. You can also make use of cargo you are carrying during gameplay, but if you do so, you risk permanently damaging the cargo or lessening the reward (some skimming is often expected). You may want to discuss where you will probably be heading first before deciding on cargo. Select a piece of cargo from the list below. Please note that your ship cannot have multiple "copies" of the same cargo; there is only one of each cargo. Current Used Cargo Space: 0/7 Cargo Space Reward Destination Notes Lythean Tea Leaves 1 0.5 stakes, 1 specimen Any Potent, pungent, and not guaranteed to turn you into a servant of the twinned monarch. Needle Syrup Casks 1 0.5 stakes, 1 specimen Any Freshly tapped and boiled down from Old Needlesap. Sunburst Flowers 1 1 stake, 2 specimens Sarkosa Warning: Fire Hazard. Do not expose to sunlight. Collated Treasure Maps 1 2 stakes, 2 charts Inskpill Failure to deliver this collation will be punishable with a bounty from the Union (Librarian Branch). Possibly cursed. Amberclad Insects 1 0.5 stakes, 1 specimen Sevenstones Not edible. Trained Circus Beasts 2 2.5 stakes Port Sakura Don't unlock the cages, no matter how much they beg. Pollen Sampler 1 2 stakes, 1 specimen Titana and Gorgantha Neat bags of pollen from distant reaches. Cannon Quartet 2 1.5 stakes Sarkosa Weapons for pirates. Munitions Crates 1 0.5 stakes, 1 salvage Angler's Spire For monster hunting. Bottled Secrets 1 0.5 stake, 1 whisper Any Damn hard to get back into the bottle. Exile's Copper 1 1.5 stakes, 2 salvage Port Sakura Untarnished. Do not get wet. Cask of Spirits 1 0.5 stakes, 1 specimen Any Whether ghosts or alcohol, this brings the boos/ze. Library-in-a-Box 2 2.5 stakes, 2 whispers Inkspill A veritable treasure trove of knowledge. Bugwork Clocks 1 0.5 stakes, 1 salvage Sevenstones The ticking... oh heavens, the ticking unceasing! Chained Box 1 2.5 stakes Titana and Gorgantha or Port Sakura DO NOT OPEN. Express Post 0 0.5 stakes for all, 1 whisper if Wordbearer Any Letters to be delivered post haste! No insurance necessary. Explore You don't necessarily know what it is you're looking for, but you set out to wander the streets, meeting new people and seeing the sights. Who knows what might happen... This option can only be selected once per player. This is an open-ended action; if you want to explore the city, describe what you're doing, what you're looking for, and how you're doing it. This is a good way to: Find new plot hooks (either for yourself or the ship as a whole) Track down rumours about happenings in the reach. Figure out what other people know about where the Bloom might pop up... or what they know about it in general. Learn about what ports are good to visit... or avoid. Make friends. Make enemies. Learn lore. Get exercise. This action will not result in resources, aspects, or cargo (necessarily), but could earn valuable intangibles for your character. Venturing Forth OOC Next week, your crew will leave Verdurance. Unless you have found an alternative destination through rumours (via Exploring), you can set sail to any of the ports near Verdurance (sailing directly to too far a port is risky). Your three choices for a next destination are: Angler's Spire: The hunter's port, a short journey to the west. This is on the fastest route to Port Sakura, Inkspill, and Oberon (along the Concourse of Petals). Old Needlesap: Probably not worth your time, as it is in the upper northeast corner of the reach, but maybe you really want some syrup. A short journey, but you'll have to turn around to search the rest of the reach, unless you are lucky and the Bloom is right next door. Sevenstones: A city of ancient lore, history, and scrap metal, a medium journey to the south. This is on the fastest route to the Broken Hives, Rosecourt, Sarkosa, and Titana and Gorgantha (along the Pirate's Path). You do not have to decide on a destination until after the opening montage, but you may want to discuss it with your crew before choosing cargo. Your ship-building threads have been converted into crew OOC threads for strategizing with them. Moreover, the passages Ford read from the logbook also contain potential plot hooks and places to start searching. Please also feel free to use the pre-game IC to roleplay with the entire nine-person gang before setting off, or to interact IC with your crew below as well as participating in the montage. Once everyone has finished doing what they want or on Monday/Tuesday next week, whichever comes first, you'll select a destination and set sail!
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The Employer A peculiar woman who seems to be made of fire walks into the Realm Folded Tavern, clearly a stranger here. After looking around in uncertainty for a moment, her eyes fall on the Board, and she nods to herself. She crosses the Tavern, politely weaving among the tables and rowdy patrons until she reaches the Board, where she pins up a parchment that seems to be edged in a thin line of burnt ash and and even thinner line of glowing embers. That done, she turns and exits the Tavern as politely as she entered. The Advertisement The following message is written in glowing letters on the page: "Dear Barkeeper and patrons of the Realm Folded Tavern, I have a problem that I'm unable to solve on my own. It was suggested to me by the fire oracle Ukumalei that I could recruit help here, and so I come to you for aid. My home forest was once under the protection of a great hero named Halkanost, but he has been slain by a villain named Dshalvur, and his soul transferred to a creature known as a phoera. I aim to revive him, with the aid of Ukumalei. But to do that, I need to capture his phoera and bring it to the oracle, and I have failed to complete this task on my own. I require brave souls, preferably those with experience hunting or tracking creatures, though I must stress that the phoera must be taken alive. And it wouldn't hurt if you knew a few things about fire elementals, either. Please respond with haste. Sincerely, Talissa of Dzijuth" OOC: Mission Description This is an adventure for four characters of 3rd-5th level. You will be encountering creatures from the Elemental Plane of Fire, and the mission will likely take you onto that plane. Wilderness skills will be important. You can expect to earn at least 2000-3000 XP from encounters in this mission, plus an extra bonus for successful completion of your main objective. The exact amount may vary depending on your decisions and your successes/setbacks during the course of the mission. -
Chapter 1: Kindled Magic Magaambya Having arrived throughout the day, heavy rains soaking your clothes and hair, and leaving you drenched you are shown to the Spire Dormatory and bidden to wait in the halls for Teacher Ot. Other students flit in and out of their rooms or passing through on their way to lessons. They're an eclectic group, a miniature kobold, a dwarf, humans, and others. Most pay you little attention though a few nod in passing. It isn't long before Teacher Ot arrives. The teacher speaks with a gentle, soothing timbre. "Welcome, and a kind hello, new students. It is my pleasure to instruct you. You may call me Teacher Ot. You are embarking now on a life of study and service. We see within you intellect, passion, and judgment—in short, the virtues to build upon the strengths of the thousands who have come before you. We follow the footsteps of Old-Mage Jatembe, who showed us that the price of magic is the responsibility to better the world." "Please, introduce yourselves. Tell me something about your interests. What would you consider your greatest strengths?" he pauses to smile reassuringly, "Forgive the nature of these questions but I would like to know you better to help to guide you on your journey to growing strong in magic." "What work have you done to bolster those in and around the Magaambya before now? What is it that you seek from Magaambya? Once you have attained that which you seek, what goals do you wish to achieve?" OOC Scene Notes There is no active map. When there is please refer to the active map spoiler below. Please use directions when moving (N, S, E, SE, W, etc) We are not in initiative so your movement or actions per post is not limited to round actions. Show Bookkeeping COMBAT/CONDITIONS TRACKER INITIATIVE CONDITIONS MECHANICS DESCRIPTIONS Not in Use!! Default Marching Order CHARACTER STATUS . . . . . Show Active Map Map goes here
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NPC Taborlin Soothesong The morning finds many of you holding a palms to your foreheads and shunning bright lights. Commander Arran’s way of introducing you to your new life as members of the Silver Hawks Company was certainly original, if a bit chaotic. In the morning there is a handwritten note on the door to your lodgings, on it are instructions written in a loose, rhythmatic script. I hope your night is was enjoyable, but today the work starts. Grab your gear, just the basics, and head to the Gallanti Farmstead just outside of Keri’s Crossing’s northern entrance. Welcome to your new life. - Sergent Lin, Silver Hawks Company Below the letter is a simple map with directions to the farmstead.
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Scene 1. The Training Room Game Notes Chaos Factor. 5 NPCs. Dergan Drowsbane Hallan Drowsbane Arananth Mistfall Azanza Mizzrym Olpentor Magalon Alliance of Moonsea Cities Members Corsairs Threads. Inherit the Power of the Dynastic Traditions Protect Sulasspryn Scene Setup. Tengrym attends a fencing lesson with Ara and learns something about his legacy Altered? Expected Scene Q. Has the war already touched Sulasspryn in an impactful way? (50/60) Exceptional No — it’s a time of relative peace where the city’s denizens feel they’ve weathered the worst of the storm. Aspects. Darkness Will Eclipse the Moon for House Drowsbane; The Moonsea War; In the Training Halls Underneath the Palace; Fears What Is To Come (Arananth) Q. Is Ara sullen and disturbed despite the air of peace? (Very Likely) Yes Q. Does the game start with an event compel of one of Tengrym’s aspects? (50/50) No A song of iron rang like Lantanese cymbals. Pale light flooded the door from the narrow stained glass. Two figures were locked in a dance of deadly steel. One was younger, and the other venerable, though the latter’s age was hidden under the timeless facade of elvendom. The white haired pupil laughed as he tumbled and came up on the opposite side of his counterpart. His energy was wild and abundantly exuberant. “A fight is a game,” the elder fencing master repeated, and not for the second time, nor for the last, his pupil knew. “However, it is one that is not won by frivolity.” “Ara, am I not besting you now?” laughed the younger. Steel skirled again. “By what measure?” answered the latter in a serious tone. “You have scored no touch in the last hour, and you tire yourself while I patiently await your exhaustion.” Game Notes Q. How might Tengrym’s Trouble get compelled now? NPC Action (Olpentor Magalon) — Decrease Suffering The master began to be uncharacteristically perturbed. Young Tengrym pressed his mentor with a dizzying series of lunges and strikes. Ara easily countered them without stepping out of place. The youth grew hot and flushed. The smile faded, replaced with the grimace of determination, and eventually frustration. “You would do well to guard your tongue,” Arananth said as he parried another. “What do you mean?!” Tengrym asked, his voice breaking. Arananth put him on the floor. Hard. Tengrym found the tip of his mentor’s unwavering blade inches from his nape as he lay prone while his own blade was several feet from his grip. The youth did not even see his master’s maneuver. It was something he had not yet been taught. “Your tongue was unchecked. Banter is not unlike combat. Your opponent can always use what you loose from your lips against you,” Arananth intoned. “Such was the case with master Magalon at the banquet last night. Your father was most displeased…” Tengrym flushed deeper. He had been in his cups, and boasting to the old man. Olpentor Magalon was a dignitary from Mulmaster. The two cities vied for control of the Moonsea, and had been in a minor skirmish more than once. But, the two were on even keel, or so Tengrym thought. “I… I was jesting…” Tengrym defended. Still, Arananth was above him. “You revealed too much — one, you spoke of the shipbuilding — and two, you spoke of your father in less than tasteful regards. War is brewing.” Tengrym’s head spun from the implications. The fact that Dergan was displeased left him greatly unsettled. His father was perhaps overindulgent, but he had never before heard a word of chastisement or aspersion. Arananth offered a hand and pulled the youth to his feet again. He had no words, but the crimson tinge of his face betrayed his thoughts. “A word of advice,” Arananth said. “Keep your tongue still, or leave the statecraft to wiser heads.” Game Notes Tengrym earns a Fate Point based on this compel. His boorishness has cost Sulasspryn. I'll close the introductory scene here and raise the chaos to 6. Next scene will be about Tengrym seeking audience with his father. I'll also add the Thread, "Reduce the damage I have caused" ▹ Ambitious Scion of House Drowsbane ▹ Adolescent Perspective of Invicibility ▹ Ardent Pupil of Spell and Sword ▹ “I Am the Apple of Dergan’s Eye” ▹ “But Why Must I Study Dull Tomes?” Good (+3) — Atheltics / Fair (+2) — Influence, Melee, Survival / Average (+1) —Beasts, Lore, Marksmanship, Will Magical BacklashOnce per session, you may deal yourself a consequence in exchange for a +4 on your roll, when performing a magical action.. Dazing CounterWhen you succeed with style on an Athetics defend action against an opponent’s Melee roll, you automatically counter with some sort of nerve punch or stunning blow. You get to attach the Dazed situation aspect to your opponent with a free invoke, instead of just a boost.. Skilled HunterGain +2 to overcome actions with Survival when tracking in wilderness.. Magical Disciplines — Energy, Sight Mental [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] — Physical [ 1 ] [ 2 ] — [ 2 ] Mild. [ 4 ] Moderate. [ 6 ] Severe. — Fate Points: 3
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Case 1: A Metal Prank The few people that arrived for the coffee addicted meeting waited patiently at the small church room. And then they waited a little more and still nothing happened. The anticipation hung heavy in the air, accentuated by the distant echoes of hushed conversations and the occasional creaking of the wooden floor. Legs shifted nervously below the table, fingers drummed rhythmically at the wooden panel, pages from new and old books were flipped langorously, and sometimes someone got up for a stroll around the almost silent room. For two long and tedious hours they waited and nobody showed to conduct the meeting. They entered after some time an unspoken agreement to reach this time and leave, forgetting they wasted their time at this place. They were preparing to move out of the room when in a corner of the room the air shifted slightly. Up until this time every single person in the room avoided to look at this particular corner or simply pretended it not existed. In that corner, there was a small wooden table, with a large sheet of paper. The paper was a imitation of a local newspaper, entitled Light News. Most of it were information about birthdays, funeral and marriages on the neighborhood. But there was something that caught the eye, the headline of the newspaper. It was written: "A Metal Prank Someone tried to pull an incredible prank at the small town of Springfield, just a short trip from New Dunkirk. A whole car inside a small room at the third floor of a building, without the owner of the apartment knowing or anyone at the town notice anything strange. Can you believe it? It would be marvelous, a really impressive prank. But something went very wrong and the person pulling the prank was hospitalized in an accident. Not a fun end for a possibly hilarious prank. If you have more information about this story, call: !@#$%¨&*." The number on the last line of the headline is impossible to be read. The numbers appear to be dancing on the page and changing places. It is hard to even look at it, and peering for more than one second, makes a headache pop up almost instantly.
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Based on an excellent suggestion from Primeval Stasis: "Since you've got a good amount of time before the application period ends, one thing some people will do is open a thread for applicant characters to chat with each other. That lets you see what people's style is (without asking for a detailed story sample), what group dynamics there might be, and also lets people get a feel for their character's voice." Participation / non participation in this thread is not going to be a make or break for me in terms of applications. With almost a month to go before we close out the advertisement window, perhaps some people will have fun feeling out their characters. This will also definitely help me learn this system, and what things people are interested in. Without further ado... -
Wednesday, July 5, 1967, 0814 British Summer Time, Chelsea, London SW7, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland The post had yet to arrive and the day had yet to really start, but Tadeusz Czerny figured that today might be a busy one. With the summer having already started, there would be more time for chess tournaments among the youngsters and he knew of a couple of local youth tournaments coming up. One player named Jack Winshaw was showing some major promise and was being talked about as the next big thing in British chess. But he was still only 15 and he had to avoid being too distracted by girls if he wanted to become a Grand Master. His paper revealed that Minister of Transport Barbara Castle was considering banning jaywalkingWhich didn't actually happen - it's legal here. and the legislation of homosexuality for those over 21 had just passed its final Commons vote. Still the Lords and the Queen to go, but those were formalities now. Literally in the latter case. But otherwise, since the latest Arab-Israeli war had finished, things were actually pretty calm in most of the world.
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The realm of King Fathmu IX. Once a powerful and rich nation, now a plundered and impoverished despot state. Those who fail to pay their taxes or repay compulsory credits, the king's men throw into Schleswig's debtor’s prison. The city dwellers call it the Grøbe, a dark pit nobody escapes. Many people have found their way to the city, whether for tales of getting rich in one of the many gambling halls, or for the tolerance not shown in Galgenbeck, or perhaps even as just a layover to eastern Lake Onda or to the eminently dangerous Bergen Chrypt mountains to the west. Downtrodden and poor lined the streets, begging for a handout. "Please, spare a coin, the King took everything I had!" came the same message time and time again. With some effort the words could be blocked out, their visages erased, their plights ignored. A day became a week; a week a month. Soon, everyone that came to Schleswig found themself short of silver. That was when the king's soldiers came to collect. "A tax for enjoying the great many services to be found in this great city," had said the man from behind a spear, metal armor, and a steel helm. Refusal meant being drug off to Verhu-knew-where. This is where our story begins...almost. The king's men strode in throngs six and ten thick and armed to the teeth; far too many to fight off alone. So when they came for you--demanding more silver than you had to give by a handful and a half--you were bound at the wrists with thick rope and gagged to boot. They dragged you through the street if necessary. Or perhaps you never had the silver and resorted to thievery, ending up in a temporary jail cell full of ruff-looking folk. Perhaps you had only the rats as company. Stranger still, perhaps you walked into the king's throne room alongside the indebted and offered--nay, demanded-- you be let into the pit below. King Fathmu IX sat upon an opulent and gaudy throne made of black stone with a white marbling running through it; each edge held a facet and was lined in gold filigree. The king barely fit on the seven foot tall chair due to his extreme girth. His royal garb was stained with grease in spots and his chin had long since melded with his neck. Short, brown, dirty hair sat crumpled beneath a pure gold crown a foot tall with rubies set into it. A belch was released by the rotund ruler, a half-eaten leg of meat falling onto floor nearby as he seemed to grow bored with it. The king's men shoved some beggars forward. "These debtors refuse to pay your most righteous taxation, oh lord." King Fathmu lazily took them in and waved his pudgy hand bedazzled by gem encrusted rings. "Put them in the pit," he spat out in between a yawn. With strong and determined hands, each person's mouth was forced open and a thick, dark paste poured in. They then held the mouth closed and plugged the nose until swallowing. The floor opened by hand-cranked gears and the soldiers threw them down in to the darkness. Next it was your turn... One by one the soldiers shove you forward and onto your knees. Your belongings--carts and animals--are toted in behind. "Sire, these travelers have spent weeks in your great city and now refuse to pay the tax to stay. The tax you rightly deserve." Some of you fight your bonds, others try to scream through the gag--all for naught. "Throw them into the pit, of course," comes the king's disinterested reply. "Yes, my liege. And these?" he motions to your belongings. "Throw it in as well. The Keeper needs goods as well as blood," Fathmu replies, choking back a hiccup attack unsuccessfully. And like the beggars before you, several men approach and force your mouth open. A dark liquid tasting of bile and rancid meat is poured over your tongue and teeth. Your mouth is then held shut and your nose pinched such that you can either swallow--or pass out and possibly choke to death. Your reflexes make the decision for you and you swallow. Some of you put a show in fighting back and are rewarded with a hard kick in the ribs, knocking the wind from you. Then, you are all--very much against your will--throw or kicked into the yawning pit in the stone floor. A deep darkness without end meets your eyes. After tumbling down in the darkness for a half minute or more, the group found themselves unceremoniously dumped onto a floor much softer than stone. In fact, the mushiness of it seemed to have broken their fall and saved them from a nasty end. There was no light, leaving the others sense to carry on. Unfortunately the rank of death and decay was pungent and familiar shapes beneath them suggesting arms, legs and fingers was more than enough to fill in the blanks. Darkness clung to them as they struggled to get free of the pile of mushy objects, banished only by the promise of torch light at the end of a winding cave. OOC The current room is very dark. You have enough low-light to clamour clumsily to your feet and get your bearings. The large room ahead of you seems to have much more lighting. The smell is nearly overpowering you by being so close. I'll describe more if you go to the end of this cave. Until then--take a moment to gather yourselves. Below is a map of the area and relatively how far you can see without exploration. You are at the "1" in the top left. You have not taken any damage. Your goods and animal friends are miraculously also unharmed. Perhaps scared and bruised, but no HP damage. -
Level 1. House Erushkaye The four united god-shards planned their rendezvous along the banks of the Loch of the True God’s Ichor the next evening when all the guests were gathering at the aptly named Fang Manor. The manor was the summer residence of House Erushkaye just outside Gaos. Here, eternal darkness had permanently broken the circadian pattern of day and night after the diocide. Lit by an unholy hazy moon and the clever Erushkian electrical lamp poles that buzzed and flickered nervously, occasionally causing the hair of the uninitiated passer to stand comically on end. The lake had long dried up to a greasy, fetid bed of rotting vegetation. The wrecks of several cruise boats lay gutted like the bones of an old corpses strewn about the depression. The road that wound its way along the dead lake passed through several gates and walls on its way to Fang Manor. The castle itself was cloaked in a deeper darkness that hid its features. Arendela had been in invited several times, so knew the basic layout well enough. Once past the outer curtain wall and Black Barbican, they would enter Blister’s Bailey, a rather large grounds that held the guest houses, stables, and various outbuildings needed for a well-run house. The bulk of the guests would likely be corralled here with various entertainments and merriment. No doubt it would be brightly lit by the marvels for which the Ereshkayas were well-known. The keep proper was at the center of this, its towering bulk disappearing into the eternal nothingness that swallowed the skies. Even Arendela had never before been in the fabled upper apartments. Only the blooded members of the matriarch’s line were allowed in those upper levels or personal friends going back generations. However, the courtyard within would be to where the most esteemed guests would be admitted, and most likely where the feast itself would take place. The girls would likely be brought from the dungeon (or wherever they were locked away) to the courtyard during the festival proper. The apartments would be a great difficulty into which to gain admittance. It was not known if any of the Ereshkayas would even show themselves to the guests in the courtyard. They would hold their own feast in the apartments. That most elite spectacle might not even see the matriarch herself, who was said to cloister herself in her inner sanctum for years at a time, only agreeing to her meals brought to her by her favorite butcher, and her confidant, Maximillian Srevgney. At intervals along the flickering walk neighboring the Loch’s banks, the house had various manservants placed, checking invitations and offering various well-prepared but gruesome dainties to tantalize and whet the appetites of the incoming guests. As the four followed the way, they were met by a many, “How do you do this evening my Ladies and Gentlemen? May I offer you an hors d’oeuvre or apéritif? Here, allow me check your invitations…” The four were among many late guests, including a cadre of immaculately dressed and heavily perfumed dignitaries who proceeded in a train at the fore. Barthalk recognized these as representatives from House Yangeyelnitza, another of the seven, and one that had procured the secrets of everlasting existence in a similar but slightly different method than the Ereshkayas’ particular brand of blood-letting — one that the manipulator of the ephemeral veil better understood and sought to unravel himself. The two houses were not that different in tenor and methods, so it was only natural that members of the rival house were invited to the Festival. OOC Enough of an intro for now. I’ll have Arendela roll to see the level of admittance that she could get in whatever form fits each of your characters, whether you might be a valet, a cook, a sister, etc. I’ve named four areas but only three are accessible according to the result: Tough (15) — Blister’s Bailey Extra Tough (18) — Courtyard of the Keep Godlike (23) — Upper Apartmfents Even on a fail, it might mean it’s only a problem to gain entry for the other three tag-alongs to Arenedela’s singular invitation.
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Intro. Parting of the Veil When the Disciples of the True Utterance were laid to rest in alabaster crypts, the anointed grounds of Thuvi were said to be the most blessed in all of Azzethulah — that was until the great betrayal came to be and the soiling of Gaos after the diocide. The blasphemers and their quislings, as one of their first acts as the new overlords, set out to desecrate the monuments of the holy one. The Cemetery of Thuvi was one such symbol of sanctity. Splintered from living stone and cursed, these crypts darkened, rotted, and were besmirched into a sinister nightmare. Once set on a course of floating rock into the chaos, the first wave of hagioguards and their true followers anchored Thuvi by massive chains in an attempt to restore the once sacred place. Their work was never realized before they were driven into oblivion by the newly raised hordes of what was to become the Seven Houses. Nonetheless, the ancient necropolis was forgotten and left to be haunted by the whispers of the damned. Many centuries later, Barthalk, in his enigmatic and irresistible calling, found his way to old Thuvi. Without understanding the true nature its lure, he was led into a decrepit black mausoleum of a forgotten theologue. Perhaps he thought he sought the secret to everlasting life. What Barthalk uncovered there was an echo of the first word. Buried under a flag was the last pure thought of the holy one, who hid from his slayers a plan for the salvation of creation in a vial of frosted crystal. Barthalk beheld the beautiful spark of creation and had the irresistible urge to release the stopper. Doing so had a profound consequence. Like shockwaves from a redoubtable explosion of cleansing fire, a knowingness rippled through the universe. For the first time in ages, the ephemeral veil was parted for four to regard. Those with the shard of divinity within them beheld the clarion blast immediately. So, too, did the minions of the usurpers, who concluded that such a failsafe against their tyranny lay hid somewhere. They had devised measures for them to hone in on the last light of the holy one in order to extinguish it forever. But the god-shards were awakened. Four of the six beheld the light beyond the veil and each recognized their shared counterpoint with the one who had released the last pure thought and with the other two who also answered the summons. They all beheld in their mind the place where Barthalk was beleaguered by black hounds that closed in on his precarious and meager sanctuary upon the rock of Thuvi. They had to race to meet him for the first time, to save him from being destroyed and to save the light which he bore from being snuffed out. Black things resembling fearsome sightless canids came seeking the light which they hated. Bred with other foul things to be unswervingly loyal and steadfastly single-minded in their sole bloody pursuit to destroy the reflections of divinity and its newly awaken standard bearers. Cruel taskmasters drove their beasts relentlessly forward. This throng along with three awakened brethren raced to the forgotten edges of Gaos beyond the slums. Barthalk knew he was trapped, that to show himself was to accept death. OOC This was not the opening I had in mind. Alas! Mythic threw a curve ball at me from the very start. I’m starting a bit vague, but you can assume an Average (12) difficulty for facing a hound and its handler. And a Tough (15) difficulty for facing a group of 5 or so. Barthalk will face a group outside his refuge who have not yet found his scent. Each of the others must face a group before finding Thuvi, and then we’ll see what.
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in character Chapter 1: Orientation, Day 2
hoverfrog posted a topic in Strength of Thousands's Archive
Chapter 1: The Perquesite: Day 2 Magaambya "Morning, o!" Esi bobs her umbrella in greeting. "It’s only me today, I’m the only one of us who plans to join the Tempest-Sun Mages. That’s the branch that defends Nantambu and the people around the city from outside threats, big and small. Today, you’re going to help us with a very small threat. Some gremlins have gotten into one of the school’s storage rooms. I want you to get them out without harming them." "I mean it," Esi adds with emphasis. "They’re sour little pests, but they haven’t done anything except throw some jars around and be obnoxious. The Magaambya doesn’t approve of killing anyone just because of who they are. A student was even expelled because of it, back before I came here." "Between you and me, I don’t think anyone will mind much if you gave one or two a whack to the head, but get them out of the storage room and release them off the grounds—really, it’s probably best to release them outside of Nantambu entirely." Esi pauses, "Oh, good job with the chicks yesterday. If nobody has already said so. Sorry I wasn't around but I was called away." "These ones are called pugwampis. What do you know about gremlins? I'm not testing you. I don't know about all the different types without visiting the library and I'm interested in what you know already." OOC Scene Notes The dormitory map is in the spoiler below. Please use directions when moving (N, S, E, SE, W, etc) We are not in initiative so your movement or actions per post is not limited to round actions. Show Bookkeeping COMBAT/CONDITIONS TRACKER INITIATIVE CONDITIONS MECHANICS DESCRIPTIONS Not in Use!! Default Marching Order CHARACTER STATUS EXPERIENCE TRACKER 300xp total 180xp from the aptitude tests. 120xp for the Ojofiri chicks. Show Active Map -
in character Chapter 1: Orientation, Day 1
hoverfrog posted a topic in Strength of Thousands's Archive
Chapter 1: The Perquesite Magaambya As part of the conditions of their acceptance into the Magaambya, the heroes are expected to perform their Perquisite, a period of public service to the school and to the people living around it. To help the heroes settle into these responsibilities, the academy asked the senior initiates in the heroes’ dorm to spend five days giving the heroes tasks for their Perquisite, then introduce the heroes to the Magaambya’s teachers on the sixth day so that the new initiates can start attending classes after a day of rest. Esi Djana suggested that the tasks for the Perquisites be used to help teach the heroes skills and magic important to each of the Magaambya’s five branches: Rain‑Scribes, Tempest‑Sun Mages, Cascade Bearers, Emerald Boughs, and Uzunjati. The other initiates agreed, though with varying degrees of enthusiasm. The day after the heroes’ arrival, Esi tells them to meet her in front of the Spire Dormitory first thing in the morning. When the heroes arrive outside the dormitory the next day, Esi and Haibram Thodja are waiting to greet them. "Ah, the green shoots blossom in the rain," a well-muscled and clean-shaven dwarven man calls out with a smile. He gives a friendly wave. "It was meant to be me and Root meeting you, but I guess not?" "I swapped with Anchor Root," Esi replies, brushing the point aside before addressing the new students. "Over the next five days, you’ll be helping with each of the school’s five branches. Haibram and Anchor Root seek to join the Rain-Scribes. It’s the branch that explores the world and helps other travelers make their way through uncertain territories. That means Rain-Scribes have to work well with both nature and people." Haibram continues, "We can really use your help. The Kafesi Market won’t deal with anyone they know is part of the Magaambya. Since you’re new, you should be able to get in without a problem. You’ll be looking for, er, chickens." "Did you know there’s such a thing as endangered chickens? Of course, any chicken that comes too close to me is endangered," Haibram grins. "A farmer outside of Nantambu, Bisola, said her family used to keep Ojofiri chickens. Said they could hatch anything, even a dragon egg! I don’t know about that, but she wants to raise Ojofiris again, so we’re going to get her some. Ojofiri eggs aren’t very hardy and the birds aren’t good layers, so they mostly got put in soup and now there’s hardly any left. Well, we caught wind that someone at Kafesi has a few chicks. Go and bring some back." The pair describes Ojofiri chickens as small fowl with white faces, dark blue feathers, and lavender combs; chicks should have dark blue feathers with a white underbelly. Haibram continues, "We need a breeding pair but the more hens the better. Get at least four chicks, the more you can get the more we'll have in future." Esi steps in, "Have you heard of the Kafesi Market? It is a wandering bazaar. Students don't have the best history with the Kefesi Market but you're new and not known there." She hands over a pouch of 20 gold coins, "You'd better hurry. They might run out. Good luck." OOC Scene Notes The dormitory map is in the spoiler below. Please use directions when moving (N, S, E, SE, W, etc) We are not in initiative so your movement or actions per post is not limited to round actions. Show Bookkeeping COMBAT/CONDITIONS TRACKER INITIATIVE CONDITIONS MECHANICS DESCRIPTIONS Not in Use!! Default Marching Order CHARACTER STATUS EXPERIENCE TRACKER 180xp from the aptitude tests. Show Active Map -
The realm of King Fathmu IX. Once a powerful and rich nation, now a plundered and impoverished despot state. Those who fail to pay their taxes or repay compulsory credits, the king's men throw into Schleswig's debtor’s prison. The city dwellers call it the Grøbe, a dark pit nobody escapes. Many people had found their way to the city, whether for tales of getting rich in one of the many gambling halls, or for the tolerance not shown in Galgenbeck, or perhaps even as just a layover to eastern Lake Onda or to the eminently dangerous Bergen Chrypt mountains to the west. Downtrodden and poor lined the streets, begging for a handout. "Please, spare a coin, the King took everything I had!" came the same message time and time again. With some effort the words could be blocked out, their visages erased, their plights ignored. A day became a week; a week a month. Soon, everyone that came to Schleswig found themself short of silver. That was when the king's soldiers came to collect. "A tax for enjoying the great many services to be found in this great city," had said the man from behind a spear, metal armor, and a steel helm. Refusal meant being drug off to Verhu-knew-where. This is where our story begins...almost. The king's men strode in throngs six and ten thick and armed to the teeth; far too many to fight off alone. So when they came for you--demanding more silver than you had to give by a handful and a half--you were bound at the wrists with thick rope and gagged to boot. They dragged you through the street if necessary. Or perhaps you never had the silver and resorted to thievery, ending up in a temporary jail cell full of ruff-looking folk. Perhaps you had only the rats as company. Stranger still, perhaps you walked into the king's throne room alongside the indebted and offered--nay, demanded-- you be let into the pit below. King Fathmu IX sat upon an opulent and gaudy throne made of black stone with a white marbling running through it; each edge held a facet and was lined in gold filigree. The king barely fit on the seven foot tall chair due to his extreme girth. His royal garb was stained with grease in spots and his chin had long since melded with his neck. Short, brown, dirty hair sat crumpled beneath a pure gold crown a foot tall with rubies set into it. A belch was released by the rotund ruler, with a half-eaten leg of meat falling onto floor nearby as he seemed to grow bored with it. The king's men shoved some beggars forward. "These debtors refuse to pay your most righteous taxation, oh lord." King Fathmu lazily took them in and waved his pudgy hand bedazzled by gem encrusted rings. "Put them in the pit," he spat out in between a yawn. With strong and determined hands, each person's mouth was forced open and a thick, dark paste poured in. They then held the mouth closed and plugged the nose until swallowing. The floor opened by hand-cranked gears and the soldiers threw them down into the darkness. Next it was your turn... One by one the soldiers shove you forward and onto your knees. Your belongings--carts and animals--are toted in behind. "Sire, these travelers have spent weeks in your great city and now refuse to pay the tax to stay. The tax you rightly deserve." Some of you fight your bonds, others try to scream through the gag--all for naught. "Throw them into the pit, of course," comes the king's disinterested reply. "Yes, my liege. And these?" he motions to your belongings. "Throw it in as well. The Keeper needs goods as well as blood," Fathmu replies, choking back a hiccup attack unsuccessfully. And like the beggars before you, several men approach and force your mouth open. A dark liquid tasting of bile and rancid meat is poured over your tongue and teeth. Your mouth is then held shut and your nose pinched such that you can either swallow--or pass out and possibly choke to death. Your reflexes make the decision for you and you swallow. Some of you put a show in fighting back and are rewarded with a hard kick in the ribs, knocking the wind from you. Then, you are all--very much against your will--throw or kicked into the yawning pit in the stone floor. A deep darkness without end meets your eyes. After tumbling down in the darkness for a half minute or more, the group found themselves unceremoniously dumped onto a floor much softer than stone. In fact, the mushiness of it seemed to have broken their fall and saved them from a nasty end. There was no light, leaving the others sense to carry on. Unfortunately the rank of death and decay was pungent and familiar shapes beneath them suggesting arms, legs and fingers was more than enough to fill in the blanks. Darkness clung to them as they struggled to get free of the pile of mushy objects, banished only by the promise of torch light at the end of a winding cave. OOC The current room is very dark. You have enough low-light to clamour clumsily to your feet and get your bearings. The large room ahead of you seems to have much more lighting. The smell is nearly overpowering you by being so close to mushy pile. I'll describe more if you go to the end of this cave. Until then--take a moment to gather yourselves. Below is a map of the area and relatively how far you can see without exploration. You are at the "1" in the top left. You fell down a chute which deposited you just above the "1" via a roughly-hewn hole in the wall. You have not taken any damage. Your goods and animal friends are miraculously also unharmed. Perhaps scared and bruised, but no HP damage.
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Smoke lingers in the air like a light fog, the band on stage banging out another cover to make sure their bills were paid. Patrons to the bar Lou's Stage came here for exactly that: reminders of a by gone time, when they could tell themselves that leaving home was the path to success. When the stars felt further away, and one could trick themselves into thinking they could live free. It also made a good site for a meet up, as the crew find a corner table and are given drink and food menus. A friend of a friend of one of them heard word of a easy job that could set them up for quite a while, with an honest employer even. To beat the crowd, the crew were a bit early, so they had time to order up and scope out the crowd, among other things. The potential job giver seemed to be running a bit slow, but given the accident down the freeway on this forsaken rock, no blame could be reasonably given, though it was tempting. Soon enough, a young woman in a dingy apron sidles up. "Alright, what can I get for your group tonight?" she asked, the customer service mask slipping a little bit.
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An infiltration robot finds itself in a tube, naked, and awaiting transport. That final moment somehow seems to drag on forever as conduits charge and electricity is redirected. With a rising hum that crescendos in a series of loud pops, everything goes white. SCAN MODE: Error; No parameters ASSESSMENT: Error; No parameters ANALYSIS: Error; No parameters Without warning the white light dies, replaced with a new reality. The ball of hot energy dissipates, having cut a perfect hemi-sphere out of its surroundings. A nearby cargo vehicle is damaged in the transport. SCAN MODE: 03958 ASSESSMENT: Target reached successfully PRIMARY DIRECTIVES: *Store the Master A.I.* *Launch an Energy-Satellite* *Interfere with Important Date* *Prevent Creation of Foe-Swap Virus* *Ensure Birth of John McCarthy* SECONDARY DIRECTIVES: *Get Clothes* *Blend in with Humans* *Determine Current Time* MISSION PRIORITY: Error ANALYSIS: Awaiting SubRoutine Command The ground is damp and cool to the touch. The ambient air temperature in this back alley reads as 68° F. It is only possible to estimate that it is evening by the night sky. Clouds cover most of the sky, blocking out much of the stars. The sound of movement comes from the mouth of the alley where vehicles streak by quickly, sporting lights on both ends. Some of them blare with loud sounds, mixed with the noise of Human conversations. For the moment, the robot is alone. OOC Alright, here we go! Time to make a Plan. Remember, without a SubRoutine in control with a Plan, the robot will just stand there. You don't need to worry about "sounding like a computer" (I'm doing it because I'm the Operating System feeding you data). Phase 1 is making a Plan. Phase 2 is voting on a Plan. Phase 3 is acting on a Plan (and where you'll need to write In-Character). You may make requests for further information from the Operating System.
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The letter suddenly came to each of you, an invitation to join the Adventurer's Guild Faraway Thunder in the Grand Valcha, the Dragon City of the Purple Dragon Dutchy. That was a month ago, now finally after a lot of walking, cart rides, and at least one ferry you have arrived in the city of Grand Valcha, as part of a trading caravan from the continent. The city is an economic hub and it shows! Buildings rise on all sides some as tall as ten stories, the streets are seemingly all cobblestone, and venders, traders, and workers hustle and bustle around you. "Welp, here you are!" A dainty-looking Grassrunner woman in a giant floppy hat and dusty travel clothes exclaims as she jumps down from a cart. "In my humblest opinion, this is the greatest place in all twelve dutchies." Pulling off a pair of thick hide gloves, she quickly gives directions to a trio of humans who begin to direct the caravan to another area. "I thank you for your company this last week, it'd have been quite boring if I only had them." She hooks a thumb back at the trio. "Welp, off with you then, and if you ever need Albara Fleet's help I'm here for you," she gives a wink. "and for a price." ~*~ You have all been traveling together for at least a week, possibly longer. While you are familiar you are all still new to one another and may not have even revealed your reason for coming to Grand Valcha. The letter tells you the guild hall's location, and to speak to Zevoz -
Chapter 1: Kindled Magic Magaambya The teacher speaks with a gentle, soothing timbre. "Welcome, and a kind hello, new students. It is my pleasure to instruct you. You may call me Teacher Ot. You are embarking now on a life of study and service. We see within you intellect, passion, and judgment—in short, the virtues to build upon the strengths of the thousands who have come before you. We follow the footsteps of Old-Mage Jatembe, who showed us that the price of magic is the responsibility to better the world." "Please, introduce yourselves. Tell me something about your interests. What would you consider your greatest strengths?" he pauses to smile reassuringly, "Forgive the nature of these questions but I would like to know you better to help to guide you on your journey to growing strong in magic." "What work have you done to bolster those in and around the Magaambya before now? What is it that you seek from Magaambya? Once you have attained that which you seek, what goals do you wish to achieve?" OOC Scene Notes There is no active map. When there is please refer to the active map spoiler below. Please use directions when moving (N, S, E, SE, W, etc) We are not in initiative so your movement or actions per post is not limited to round actions. Show Bookkeeping COMBAT/CONDITIONS TRACKER INITIATIVE CONDITIONS MECHANICS DESCRIPTIONS Not in Use!! Default Marching Order CHARACTER STATUS Show Active Map Map goes here
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The flier carries your Keleres team among glorious, towering spires and far above the deeply scored, lightless chasms of Mecatol City’s lower reaches. The ancient city is vast and glints in the setting sun; few true ruins are visible, but you know that somewhere beyond the distant horizon begins the poisonous Sea of Desolation that covers the rest of this world. Over the low hum of the engines, you hear the intercomm blare to life as your Winnaran handler speaks and you are reminded that this ride is also your final briefing. “Attend to me on the bridge, Keleres. I have much to elucidate in little time.” The flier is a small vessel, not built for interstellar travel. Though it is typically used for ferrying diplomatic contingents around the city and so there is room enough for each of you to have private quarters. Each of you makes your way to the bridge in your own way. Despite his earlier message your handler waits patiently until all of you arrive. His gaze is fixed out on the city that passes by around you, his expression troubled. -
Chapter 0: The Dining Hall Magaambya The head cook, Lumusi Yao, is in charge of serving the masses of hungry students and professors two meals a day. Lumusi provides a varied and healthy diet to the students and faculty. You find a long bench in the dining hall to sit, eat, and talk in relative privacy though people come and go all the time. For the most part students are expected to visit the kitchen and ask for food and drink rather than there being any sort of service but sometimes the staff will bring out meals if there is a lot of preparation to make. Such rules don't apply to the professors though and a few are sitting around a reading while they wait for their meals to be brought out. OOC Scene Notes This is a pre-game thread among characters. Jump in and role play as you see fit. There is no active map. When there is please refer to the active map spoiler below. Please use directions when moving (N, S, E, SE, W, etc) We are not in initiative so your movement or actions per post is not limited to round actions. Show Bookkeeping COMBAT/CONDITIONS TRACKER INITIATIVE CONDITIONS MECHANICS DESCRIPTIONS Not in Use!! Default Marching Order CHARACTER STATUS 1 2 3 4 5 Show Active Map Map goes here
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Act I: Obsidian Plains Once the hubbub and commotion of the odd appearance into the Obsidian Plains subsided the people discovered very little to do or act on. Many huddled in groups with hushed conversations as they tried to understand what had transpired and where they had been taken too. On further investigation debris seemed to litter the plain in its nooks and vales, wood, stone, metals, discarded relics and broken machines. Things forgotten and abandoned to time, some life too found a way to persist in the apparent empty lands, some nooks held plants thriving in the ever lit plane or small creatures skittering away deeper into the obsidian rock faces. Pools of water formed in other areas, seemingly providing a minimum of everything the people deposited would need to continue living apart from the ability to track passage of time. People complained of a pressure, a pull toward the Arch. Most ignored the pull, the pressure and continued on. Content with being alive. You had felt it as well, maybe stronger than most and it had led to you stand in front of the Arch along side several others. A woman directing a group of the survivors into making some make-shift structures notices the group of you near the Arch approached. She introduced herself as Director Vanya. "I don't know where we are, or what this is, but we need to find out. I can tell something is drawing you to the Arch, don't ask me how I know.. I don't have the same 'pressure', but it looks like you should find out what this is. I'll be staying here - try to round up some kind of camp structure and watch for more people willing to explore. For some reason I think this is what I was pulled here for... Good luck. Hopefully you can find some answers or at least the right questions." Giving you a nod she returned to directing the survivors. With a last look at the Obsidian Plains your group continued into the Arch and through. As you entered it a small twisting sensation overcame you and a sharp pain in your dominate hand and you were on the other side in the middle of a field surrounded by trees reaching toward the star-lit sky. The portal shut behind you without a sound. A quick inspection of the pain from your hand reveals a spider-webbing circular Mark on your hand running up your forearm. The circle had the same appearance as the obsidian plain's sky with one difference. There was a silver line pointing in a fixed direction, spinning as your arm moved. Act I - Chapter 1: The Woods Some underbrush separates the group from the main body of trees thick enough to blot out the sky when entered, not thick enough to significantly imped travel. Two large moons are visible from from the clearing, reflecting the glow of the sleeping sun. The gentle night sounds of a healthy forest continue unperturbed by your arrival. Some underbrush separates the group from the main body of trees thick enough to blot out the sky when entered, not thick enough to significantly imped travel. Two large moons are visible from from the clearing, reflecting the glow of the sleeping sun. The gentle night sounds of a healthy forest continue unperturbed by your arrival.
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