Chapter I - Act II: Games of Chance

TheRaconteur · February 27

Chapter I - Act II: Games of Chance

Sooth Deck: The Enticing Jewel

Effects: Effective level of all Invisible magic is raised by 1, or Sorcery cost reduced by 1. Empaths receive a +1 to all Actions.

Divination: "When the Enticing Jewel is turned, everything focuses upon it. Most of the time, this is one of the most positive cards that can be revealed. It indicates success in one’s endeavor. It suggests beauty and wealth. At the very least, even if not actual success, the Enticing Jewel is the potential for success, which in itself can be encouraging (because sometimes there is no possibility for success). Still, the card has a darker side, because it also suggests greed and a love of wealth, and the dangers of such things."

There was nowhere in the Cascades from which the Vancian Campus wasn't visible, rising high to the South over the surrounding neighborhoods. It was close enough that they didn't even need to avail themselves of any transportation to walk there, which was a boon considering the neighborhood's spiderweb problem appeared to have scared most of Fartown's usually enterprising purveyors of transportation away. No horse drawn carriages or centipede-like busses prowled the cobblestones, looking to gobble up passengers. At least, not any that they could take. At the end of the block, just in front of Ilkin's Archway, they could barely make out a spectral cab pulling over to disgorge a pair of the shimmering somethings. They were too far away to see what exactly, but given the ghostly nature of the cab itself it was safe to assume its disembarking passengers could count themselves among the ranks of the incorporeal dead. The cab pulled away from the curb, pulling down the street towards them, giving them a better look at it as it went by. White as mist, and twice as transparent, it disturbed no webs as it passed through them. Not even a flickering breeze betrayed its presence. Within the driver's seat was only the absence of emotion, a void that left them feeling empty of feelings for just an instant, and then it was gone past. They didn't even have cause to shiver, there was just nothing, notable only once it was gone and sensation had returned.

With no means of transport, there was nothing for it except to just walk South, navigating slowly through the seemingly unending strands of silk. Xanah and Shuistliel took the lead, their purchased implements allowing them to clear a path without getting completely covered in threads. It seemed the Spider's Nest was indeed the epicenter of the problem, for they'd gone barely a block before the density of the spider's work started to thin. By the time they got to Principle's Hill, they barely even needed to bat at the air to stop an errant thread from catching them in the face. The absence of webbing meant the return to normality, or at least as normal as Fartown ever got.

Normalcy was returning, or at least as normal as Fartown ever got. Their own neighbors had largely been sheltering indoors, content to observe whatever was happening from the comfort and safety of their homes. As they kept moving South towards the looming campus, the thinning threads meant most of the residents of the District were going about their regular daily routines. To their left, a woman with a galaxy trapped in her hair was standing on her front porch, enjoying a mug of something steaming hot and humming gently to herself. A pair of tall humans existed their home to their right, a three story tower of white marble with gargoyles at the top. Looking closely, the Vislae could see that each of the Gargoyles bore a face that was startlingly similar to one of their own, including one that was masked and goggled in the same manner as Aldrion. The pair were made up of a man with cheekbones so sharp they looked like they could draw blood and alabaster skin, and an androgenous individual with golden skin dressed in a fur coat. They took each other by the arm and walked down their driveway silently, smiling amicably at the Vislae but otherwise saying nothing. As they passed, the man's skin rippled and warped, the sharp lines of his features becoming bladed protrusions. Elderbrin, perhaps, who could wear their shape like others wore fashion. There were Gold Magics that could achieve the same transformative effect, but the pair did not feel like Vislae.

Other Vislae could always discern one another, even without speaking their secret language.

By the time they got to the base of Campus, things were actually crowded again. The Vancian Campus was technically always crowded, as the book mages did so love their institution of higher learning. Most found cause to be there every day, be it attending classes, teaching their own, utilizing the campus' abundant laboratory facilities, or just pursuing esoteric texts in either of the two massive libraries. Counting the number of Vance out and about upon the pristinely manicured lawns was always a pointless affair, as without magical intervention there were just too many to keep track of. In traditional Vance fashion, everyone kept to the walkways and prescribed paths, leaving the beautiful lawns untouched and untrampled. A large stone archway separated the campus from the rest of Fartown, nearly identical to the Gate to the Hollows that could be found just East of the Cascades. It was guarded, as it usually was, by a pair of Vance in crisp grey dress uniforms. These were private contractors, as the Campus had found cause to employ a large security force on numerous occasions, as well as members of the Order in good standing. The one on the right, a short man with a spellscar on his face and a wicked looking Sortir (that looked more like a knife than a magical implement), moved to bar their path as they approached. Only after Xanah and Shistliel stated their names, rank, the names of their companions, their Orders, their assurances that Felicia and Aldrion were under their guardianship, and a detailed list of the buildings which the two non-Vancians would not be allowed to enter (15 of the 17 total on campus), were they allowed to pass. The guard's companion, a broad shouldered wizard with a blood red quill hovering in the air beside his head, pulled up the sleeves of his dress coat to reveal thickly muscled arms covered in a fine red script. He held out his hand, and the quill descended to write the information provided into his palm, the script that was already there shifting and migrating further up his body to make room. Already, it appeared that space was at a premium, for they could see words slowly edging their way up his neck at the top of his stiff collar.

Once everything was in order, they made their way along the short path and towards the main administrative hall. Designed to impress, there was a two story rise of marble stairs they had to climb first, before reaching the massive double set of doors that led to the aptly titled "Hall of Administration." Udula Moroe, the 5th degree Vance whose areas of responsibility covered greeting visitors and giving tours, was waiting for them at the top of the steps. As befitted her public facing occupation, she was a kindly but professional looking woman in her late 50s. Her one eccentricity was the heavy Staff she leaned on, the oak carefully carved with runes, a fashion that had been out of date thirty years ago. A Wand would have been enough to date her, as Sortirs had been the fashion for well over a year now. By comparison, a Staff was simply ancient.

"Postulant Shuistliel, Postulant Xanah, welcome home. I see you've brought guests. Aldrion Phect, Felicia Ainsworth, to what do we owe the honor of a Maker and an Apostate on our fine campus?"

There was no derision in her voice, not even a pause at the declaration that Aldrion was an Apostate. Given the knowledge of their Names and Orders, it appeared that the note taking at the gate had been more than just a formality.

The Vancian Campus

Edited March 3 by TheRaconteur (see edit history)

Gryphon173 · February 28

Shuistliel

The Vancian looked about the Academy as they walked up to the door guard. It always surprised him how comfortable he was here or in...the house of the one they sought to help. My God, I can't even think it, he thought, wondering what magic could even do something like this. This wasn't minor magic, which meant their unknown enemy was capable of almost anything.

Shuistliel tips his hat to Udula Moroe and gestures back toward Fartown. "There's something sinister going on and it's affected most of the neighborhood and riled up some of its denizens," he says. "Our companions, Xanah, and I are seeking information, and since one of the injured parties headed here to the Academy, so did we." He's hesitant to say more, since anyone could potentially be a suspect, although it was unlikely that Moroe was one.

"Did you happen to see where the ravens ended up roosting?" It was going to require splitting up if they were roosted on one of the buildings forbidden to visitors, unless they could get special permission from the Academy to allow them in.

NEW! Character Arcs

Develop a Bond: Shuistliel realizes he has too few friends, and would like to expand his circle of true friends.

Solve a Mystery: There's a ton of questions surrounding the webbing of his neighborhood and the swirl of angry birds aloft, and Shuistliel wants answers to all of them. And he can handle the truth!

Description

Shuistliel is a very handsome man with long silver hair and green eyes the color of fine emeralds. He is dressed as he usually is, in a nice suit, jacket, and pants, and he has his usual snake-headed cane along. He moves quite agilely, like a dancer, perhaps. What's unusual this morning is the black survival combat axe carried in one hand while the cane is tucked under an arm.

Pools

Certes

Accuracy: 3/3

Movement: 3/3

Physicality: 2/2

Perception: 3/3

Qualia

Sorcery: 4/4

Interaction: 3/3

Intellect: 3/3

Sortilege: 3/3

Hidden Knowledge: 10

Injuries:

Wounds:

Anguish:

Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour

Ganurath · February 29

Aldrion Phect

"It'll factor for whether or not my magical skills will suffice to get our bird translator here up to wherever their leadership has perched." Aldrion nodded his head sideways toward Felicia. His gaze, obscured by goggles though it may be, remained focused on the woman securing the entrance to the Campus. "Some places are more accessible than others, as I'm sure you're aware."

Aldrion felt it prudent to actually answer the meat of the gatekeeper's question, if they wanted to get past her. Hopefully an honest answer would suffice to get a foot in the door. If not... Well, he doubted an elaborate and improvised deception would fare much better. If the plain truth wasn't enough, they'd just have to negotiate their way in.

Character Arcs

Uncover a SecretThere is knowledge out there that you want. This
arc is a great way to get one of the secrets in the
chapter Character and House Secrets that the GM
has said aren’t readily available. Likewise, it could
be an attempt to find and learn a specific rare spell
or ritual. This could also be a hunt for a lost magic
word or key that will open a sealed door, the name
of a devil, the secret name of an important person,
or just how the arabast fashioned their windows in
ancient times.

Cost: Seeker. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen.

Opening: Naming the Secret. 1 Acumen reward.
You give your goal a name. “I am seeking the lost
martial art of the Khendrix, who could slice steel
with their bare hands.”

Step(s): Research. 1 Acumen reward. You scour
libraries and old tomes for clues and information.

Step(s): Investigation. 1 Acumen reward. You talk
to people to gain clues and information.
Step(s): Tracking. 1 Acumen reward. You track
down the source of the secret information and travel
to it.

Climax: Revelation. 2 Acumen reward. You find
and attempt to use the secret, whatever that entails.
A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure
results in 1 Despair.

Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You contemplate
how this secret affects you and the world. - Current Step: Seeker
CleanseSomeone or something has been contaminated,
probably by foul magic, and you want to rid them
of such influences. This might be a curse, a
possession, an infestation, or something else.

Cost: Becoming Aware of the Need. You pay a cost
of 2 Acumen.

Opening: Analyzing the Threat. 1 Acumen
reward. You determine the nature of the
contamination.

Step: Find the Solution. 2 Acumen reward.
Almost every contamination has its own particular
solution, and this likely involves research and
consultation.

Step: Getting Ready. 1 Acumen reward. The
solution probably involves materials, spells, or other
things that you must gather and prepare.

Climax: The Cleansing. 3 Acumen reward. You
confront the contamination. A successful resolution
results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair.
Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You reflect on the
events that have transpired and what effects they
might have on the future. How can you keep this
from happening again? - Current Step: Analyzing the Threat

Description

Aldrion prefers to cover up, as his time in the Shadow working in repairs instilled him with an appreciation of proper protection. He has a scar over one eyebrow, presumably from a narrow miss taken during the war. He favors a style that mixes plain colors with the odd splash of supernatural hues, often in shades of or near indigo in representation of his newfound appreciation for the truth.

Pools

Certes

Accuracy: 2/2

Movement: 3/3

Physicality: 2/2

Perception: 2/2

Qualia

Sorcery: 8/8

Interaction: 3/3

Intellect: 3/3

Sortilege: 3/3

Hidden Knowledge: 12

Injuries:

Wounds:

Anguish:

Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour

Amora · March 1

Felicia Ainsworth

The sight of the campus, the sounds of it, the smells of it were all enough to stir up the Chorus within. To have them clawing at the walls, whispering, tempting, suggesting, denouncing, imposing in all the manners that their vast and seemingly endless ranks might within the confines of her soul and flesh. The new a place of learning, of discovery, by sight and sound... and knew in kind that a careless spark could destroy so much and change so very much more. For better or worse, they didn't really care. They only cared that it could happen. That they could, maybe, make it happen if the moment presented itself. None of this showed on the Maker's face as she met Udula with the fine and proper composure of a person of her pedigree even as teeth ground behind the mask.

If she was honest, she would have preferred to pursue the lead of the Raptor that Broken-wing had spoken of and the familiar airs of a Theater rather than the peak of arcane learning according to the words and whispers of the Vancian Body Politic. She was here, though, and that necessitated working with those materials she had. Not exactly unusual for a Maker but hardly the desired ends and means. At least, she wasn't alone though... She was never really alone as one voice of searing, clawing melodies reminded her with every impression of a grin as her shadow twitched and shifted for just a moment to match the form of that voice before it subsumed back into the sea of voices.

"One can hope, else our business with the Unkindness that's made it's way here will be a little more complicated. Let alone resolving the matter of a few stolen names if I'm to be entirely candid about it." Felicia added with an easy gesture of one hand upwards towards the heights of the campus where any number of birds of a feather might flock.

Character Arcs

Establishment - Current Step: The Need for Proof
Develop a Bond - Current Step: Getting to Know You

Description

Description

It's the eyes, really, that most fixate upon first. The hues of crimson and gold spinning, twisting, merging in their depths as they seem to give a clear window into the utter depths of Felicia's mind with their uniquely expressive quality. That there feels to be a thousand, a hundred thousand, pairs of eyes staring back from behind those initial windows to the soul only seems to cement the impression of something troublesome, something worrying to compliment the elfin quality of her sharp features and diminutive frame. That sensation of malice, of gleeful cruelty, welling up from somewhere in those depths even as she comports herself with nothing but cheerful, if stoic, mannerisms and inexhaustible impressions of attention to the minute aesthetics of every gesture, motion, and twist of both herself and the world around her.

In matters of garb, she tends to play to the company she plans for with blouses, dresses, and pants of riotous colors among the bohemian communes of Fartown to the carefully coordinated yet still somehow esoteric gowns and suits of high society galas and soirees. Each and every ensemble meticulously planned and coordinated like one of the great works of her brushes. The only break from this carefully crafted aesthetic seems to be her hair, pale and bloodless as her complexion. It's length healthy, glossy, and well tended but cursed with creative differences in how it curls and falls. Despite this, it seems always to blend, practically meld, seamlessly into any trim of fur or feather that might adorn a chosen outfit.

Like those glimpses of alien malice and cruelty in the depths of her eyes, there always seems to be a discordant element that shadows her. Whether it be a flicker of something other in the crimson depths of her eyes, the way her shadow seems to twitch and twist without her ever moving, or how her reflection never quite seems to be her... It becomes all too clear that her body and soul might be host to something besides merely the artist... Worse still is the careful and delicate work of brush and needle; whisking away bruises here, deep scratches or cuts there, all damning evidence of struggles with the self.

In the Guise of Immanis

The energies of the Abyss are, by its very nature, an instrument of the Dark and unkind as a rule to the essential fabric of whatever is and may be. It is only by the tempering elements of the Gold Sun that the taking in of such hostile energies is more than merely an elaborate form of suicide. The raw stresses of this are quite evident then when Madame Ainsworth invokes so terrible a spell. Her already pale skin grows to be a lifeless gray, gaining an unseemly translucence that is easily pierced by even the wane light of Fartown beneath the Indigo Sun. The lines and forms of every bone visible from just the right angles as they shatter, stretch, and mend with an agonizing rapidity to drag her up to a daunting height. Sinew, muscle and tendon all the while snapping, recoiling, and reforming to accommodate this new and predatory bearing. Veins and arteries, in kind, flow with noxious black as the corruptive energies swirl and take root, her eyes draining of that distinct crimson and gold hue leaving only a single prick of light nearly drowned in a sea of impenetrable black.

Were that these the extent of the horrors wrought by the invoking of the Eye of Immanis for one can't help but stare as razor-like teeth push aside whatever may block their way, twisting and gnarling the line of gum and tooth to pierce and part the flesh of the cheek revealing a hideous, too broad maw. A likewise change playing out in the hands as bones shatter and twist as tendons and sinew reinforce to accommodate the agonizingly slow-yet-quick emergence of seven inch talons, black as jet, that now adorn each finger tip. This final change marking the ultimate perversion, turning tools of creation to tools of abject and potent destruction.

Pools

Certes

Accuracy: 3/3

Movement: 3/3

Physicality: 1/3

Perception: 4/4

Qualia

Sorcery: 6/6

Interaction: 6/6 (+3 from Signature Item)

Intellect: 2/3

Sortilege: 1/2

Hidden Knowledge: 10

Injuries:

Wounds:

Anguish:

Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour

TheRaconteur · March 1

Chapter I - Act II: Games of Chance

Sooth Deck: The Enticing Jewel

Effects: Effective level of all Invisible magic is raised by 1, or Sorcery cost reduced by 1

Divination: "When the Enticing Jewel is turned, everything focuses upon it. Most of the time, this is one of the most positive cards that can be revealed. It indicates success in one’s endeavor. It suggests beauty and wealth. At the very least, even if not actual success, the Enticing Jewel is the potential for success, which in itself can be encouraging (because sometimes there is no possibility for success). Still, the card has a darker side, because it also suggests greed and a love of wealth, and the dangers of such things."

Udula nodded to each of them in turn as they declared their intent, her smile never fading from her wrinkled features. Beside her rested what appeared to be a picnic basket which contained two heavy leather bound books and something else wrapped in a blanket. She looked like someone's kindly grandmother, though the Vance among them knew she had a fiercesome reputation for decisive action when her duties required.

"They're certainly not roosting on the campus, as they've not asked me for permission. I saw the whole Unkindness overhead a half hour ago, but they disappeared into that cloud right there."

She gestured overhead, where indeed a single white puffy cloud drifted over the campus. Or didn't, as they looked closer. There were a handful cumulus clouds slowly roaming across the morning sky, but the stratus cloud directly overhead didn't seem particularly interested in following them on its path.

"Some of Cantral Grigori's people were looking into it, last I heard they were in the Clocktower."

Like any respectable campus, the Vance maintained a large clocktower on the premise. The Order kept a tight schedule for the dozens of classes that were taught each day, and a centralized time piece was the cornerstone of juggling that sort of operation. Twelve stories tall, it wasn't the tallest building on the campus, but it did look like the most convenient structure from which to launch an aerial excursion. If there was any sort of maintenance hatch to the clock face itself, the structure would serve as a fine launching point.

"As far as accessibility? Magister Kuros is in residence today. I don't know if you've read "The Cloud Roads: Flight Mechanics Under a Green Sun," but if you were looking to get airborne speaking to the good Magister seems a wise choice."

She gestured in the direction of the fairly plain looking square building to their left, which the two Vance among them knew to be the Hall of Seeking. The Hall of Seeking housed numerous lecture halls, and was where the majority of visiting professors would hold lectures and conferences.

"Stolen names though? Cantral Grigori was complaining about that earlier this morning when I saw him. He went to consult with Magister Lui about it. I doubt even the Gnoetic Hall of Records knows as much about names as Magister Lui."

She was, first and foremost, a representative of the Campus. There was a certain amount of pride that came as par for the course with such a position, and Udula rarely missed an opportunity the extol the virtues of the Order to visitors. It might have been an idle boast, or it might not of, but they had been presented with several options to pursue.

"Now, where do you think you'll be wanting to take your guests, Postulants?"

She asked, withdrawing a clipboard from her basket and a silver fountain pen.

Threads

Go talk to the Unkindness
- Speak with Cantral Grigori's people at the Clocktower about the Ravens
- Talk with Magister Kuros about flight
- Learn more about names from Magister Lui

Edited March 12 by TheRaconteur (see edit history)

Amora · March 3

Felicia Ainsworth

The Maker listened with a becoming patience though it was clear her attention was growing divided as those eyes of circling gold and crimson followed the trail of possible leads, insights, and assistance throughout the layout of what she could see of the Campus. The old woman's final question earning a glance first towards their vance compatriots and then back to the woman. It wasn't that it was untoward for access to be restricted and visitors to be chaperoned here and there by recognized members of an Order... but something about it touched upon a nerve within the Chorus and the upswell of their forces stabbed cleanly from one temple to the other as claws scrabbled against the walls of her will and sought to grasp fully onto her metaphorical ear. Teeth ground and she closed her eyes then for a moment to simply draw in bracing breath, the tendons and joints of her right hand aching as she kept it still and fought the desire to dig sharp nails into the pale flesh of her palm or something more drastic if it threatened to become a true loss of control. She latched onto a question then that rose to the surface of her scattered, beleaguered thoughts.

"An excellent set of leads but for the sake of propriety, I'm curious as to how... high up does the Campus claim as part of it's territory? Is this air space unrestricted as well? I don't want to step on any toes or cause a scene once we find what we need to and hopefully settle the matter that's gotten Raven and Spider alike so agitated." Felicia asked as she gently rubbed at her temple as if massaging thought into motion. All the while, the flecks of gold circled and spun with greater speed as the Chorus' indignation ran it's course. A certain pained exasperation perceptible there beneath the otherwise genteel composure and those unsettling impressions of more than just the woman's intelligence and awareness. Eventually the hand returned to her side only to be grasped at the wrist by the other and gently chaff at the palm as if to work out tension that had built up there. Her shadow, for those paying mind to such thing, all the while seemed to shift, twitch, and transform to assume a shape distinctly different from the small statured Felicia for just a moment or two before returning back to the light starved mirror of her physical self.

Character Arcs

Establishment - Current Step: The Need for Proof
Develop a Bond - Current Step: Getting to Know You

Description

Description

It's the eyes, really, that most fixate upon first. The hues of crimson and gold spinning, twisting, merging in their depths as they seem to give a clear window into the utter depths of Felicia's mind with their uniquely expressive quality. That there feels to be a thousand, a hundred thousand, pairs of eyes staring back from behind those initial windows to the soul only seems to cement the impression of something troublesome, something worrying to compliment the elfin quality of her sharp features and diminutive frame. That sensation of malice, of gleeful cruelty, welling up from somewhere in those depths even as she comports herself with nothing but cheerful, if stoic, mannerisms and inexhaustible impressions of attention to the minute aesthetics of every gesture, motion, and twist of both herself and the world around her.

In matters of garb, she tends to play to the company she plans for with blouses, dresses, and pants of riotous colors among the bohemian communes of Fartown to the carefully coordinated yet still somehow esoteric gowns and suits of high society galas and soirees. Each and every ensemble meticulously planned and coordinated like one of the great works of her brushes. The only break from this carefully crafted aesthetic seems to be her hair, pale and bloodless as her complexion. It's length healthy, glossy, and well tended but cursed with creative differences in how it curls and falls. Despite this, it seems always to blend, practically meld, seamlessly into any trim of fur or feather that might adorn a chosen outfit.

Like those glimpses of alien malice and cruelty in the depths of her eyes, there always seems to be a discordant element that shadows her. Whether it be a flicker of something other in the crimson depths of her eyes, the way her shadow seems to twitch and twist without her ever moving, or how her reflection never quite seems to be her... It becomes all too clear that her body and soul might be host to something besides merely the artist... Worse still is the careful and delicate work of brush and needle; whisking away bruises here, deep scratches or cuts there, all damning evidence of struggles with the self.

In the Guise of Immanis

The energies of the Abyss are, by its very nature, an instrument of the Dark and unkind as a rule to the essential fabric of whatever is and may be. It is only by the tempering elements of the Gold Sun that the taking in of such hostile energies is more than merely an elaborate form of suicide. The raw stresses of this are quite evident then when Madame Ainsworth invokes so terrible a spell. Her already pale skin grows to be a lifeless gray, gaining an unseemly translucence that is easily pierced by even the wane light of Fartown beneath the Indigo Sun. The lines and forms of every bone visible from just the right angles as they shatter, stretch, and mend with an agonizing rapidity to drag her up to a daunting height. Sinew, muscle and tendon all the while snapping, recoiling, and reforming to accommodate this new and predatory bearing. Veins and arteries, in kind, flow with noxious black as the corruptive energies swirl and take root, her eyes draining of that distinct crimson and gold hue leaving only a single prick of light nearly drowned in a sea of impenetrable black.

Were that these the extent of the horrors wrought by the invoking of the Eye of Immanis for one can't help but stare as razor-like teeth push aside whatever may block their way, twisting and gnarling the line of gum and tooth to pierce and part the flesh of the cheek revealing a hideous, too broad maw. A likewise change playing out in the hands as bones shatter and twist as tendons and sinew reinforce to accommodate the agonizingly slow-yet-quick emergence of seven inch talons, black as jet, that now adorn each finger tip. This final change marking the ultimate perversion, turning tools of creation to tools of abject and potent destruction.

Pools

Certes

Accuracy: 3/3

Movement: 3/3

Physicality: 1/3

Perception: 4/4

Qualia

Sorcery: 6/6

Interaction: 6/6 (+3 from Signature Item)

Intellect: 2/3

Sortilege: 1/2

Hidden Knowledge: 10

Injuries:

Wounds:

Anguish:

Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour

Edited March 6 by Amora (see edit history)

TheRaconteur · March 3

Chapter I - Act II: Games of Chance

Sooth Deck: The Enticing Jewel

Effects: Effective level of all Invisible magic is raised by 1, or Sorcery cost reduced by 1. Empaths receive a +1 to all Actions.

Divination: "When the Enticing Jewel is turned, everything focuses upon it. Most of the time, this is one of the most positive cards that can be revealed. It indicates success in one’s endeavor. It suggests beauty and wealth. At the very least, even if not actual success, the Enticing Jewel is the potential for success, which in itself can be encouraging (because sometimes there is no possibility for success). Still, the card has a darker side, because it also suggests greed and a love of wealth, and the dangers of such things."

The Magus' eyes narrowed at the question, and there was a physical sensation akin to the indrawing of breath that accompanied the act. Evidently, Felicia had asked a question with a complicated answer.

"That is a matter of some contention. I'd welcome you to take it up with the Deathless Triumvirate, who continue to insist that our mantle of authority ends 87.17 meters over the campus."

Ah, that explained it. The power the Deathless Triumvirate wields was absolute. Their word was law. Yet they did not make public appearances. Only the rarest few individuals could even tell what they looked like. What powers they might wield, beyond apparent immortality, largely remained a mystery. Though they are oft spoken of, but no savvy Satyrine resident assumes that their leaders might help them in a particular way or pass a law that will make their lives better. The Triumvirate is distant, entirely unknown, and thought of the way one might think of an indifferent god. The idea of taking anything up with them was folly, which certainly explained some of Udula's frustration.

Threads

Speak with Cantral Grigori's people at the Clocktower about the Ravens
Talk with Magister Kuros about flight
Learn more about names from Magister Lui

Edited March 3 by TheRaconteur (see edit history)

Aavarius · March 5

Xanah

Velator Xanah, she had initially given when the security guard asked her to present her identity. Xanah was quick to correct herself as Postulant. It seemed very much like she had forgotten what her rank was for a moment. She had been demoted twice from that level, the second one recent enough she hadn't re-internalized her title in her own head. She had just gotten used to being a Velator again, too.

Still, she was dutiful to all the responsibility expected of her by the security. Very polite. Very formal. The hot water she had been in previously was still cooling down, so best not to rock the boat until she got out from under the Order's watchful gaze. Besides, she was genuinely trying to be helpful here. Never mind that helping the Paresaad on this one helped her look better, too.

It's killing two birds with one stone, she nearly muttered aloud but decided it was prudent to keep that particular phrase under her metaphoric hat. Best not to antagonize the ravens.

Further into the campus, in the presence of Magus Ulda Moroe and her direct question to them, she looked to Shuistliel and said, "Would you mind escorting our guests to the Hall of Seeking?" She looked serious for once. The Galant social smoothness with which she usually operated seemed diminished. Something was obviously on her mind. "You three should get your flight lesson from Magister Kuros and then ascend the Clocktower. I need to speak with Konstan--Cantral Grigori," she corrected herself. "I'll catch up with you when you find Magister Lui."

It seemed like killing two birds with one stone was her aim after all.

Character Arcs

Join an Organization

As an arachnophile, I'm being groomed to join the Cacophony, an association of spiders whose name only really makes sense to spiders. They seek to establish diplomatic ties with the Angular Serpentine.

Current Step: The decision to join
- For now, I remain ignorant that I'm being considered for invitation.

Aid a Friend

Aldrion Phect wishes to rescue his spouse from Shadow, but first he must Uncover the Secret of how such a task might even be possible. I'm too closeted a romantic to tell him I can't resist helping somebody reunite with their loved one.

Current Step: Agreeing to help
- I've agreed to help, but Aldrion and I haven't discussed it further.

Description

Appearance

Xanah and the possessions on her person lose color saturation in proportion to her amount of sunlight exposure. She's completely grayscale in broad daylight. She otherwise sports a head of medium-length red-brown hair, copper colored eyes, and a fair complexion. Xanah is of unremarkable height and build, a slim physique that belies a lifetime of overindulging. It's only her constantly moving workaholic ethic that keeps her in shape. Her clothing usually favors practicality and comfort, never one to indulge in fashionable fads. Ever conscientious of her habits, Xanah always smells faintly of cinnamon and spice.

Personality

Lives on coffee, cigars, and favors.
Fiercely individualist to a fault.
A tarnished heart of gold.
Tendency to overindulge.
A patron of lost causes, shooter of troubles, slayer of dragons, walker of tightropes, and runner with scissors.
Banned from kitchens across the Actuality for abject culinary incompetence.
Never met a stranger before but carefully chooses close friendships
A closeted romantic, almost disgustingly so.
Her sharp tongue and compulsion to kick hornets' nests and turn over rocks makes many enemies. In her Order she's been demoted twice for it.

Occupation

Xanah describes herself as "creatively entrepreneurial," which is to say she doesn't actually have a traditional occupation. As previously mentioned, she lives off favors. These keep her constantly busy juggling a tangled web of commitments, investments, activism, and odd-jobs that she's perfectly satisfied living in the middle of. Income can be wildly inconsistent, but she's never been one to require much in the way of creature comforts. She's just as likely to blow a windfall on a hopeless cause as she is to devote it to a strategic endeavor. "Money," she says, "is just a means to an end, grease for the skids."

She toys with the idea of running for office but talks herself out of it, saying that nobody would vote for her anyway. Despite her modest self-assessment, the growing network of contacts she's been developing suggests she might get more support than she realizes.

Dichotomies

Wealth or Fame - "It's all in who you know."
Friends or Family - "I don't make close friends easy, but the few I have are basically family."
Power or Control - "I'm the spider dead center in the web."
Introvert or Extrovert - "There's nothing I love more than good company."
Order or Chaos - "A little strategic chaos keeps the omnipotent busybodies from getting too comfortable."
Freedom or Safety - "'Live free or die trying', I say."
Society or the Individual - "Society is people. Make a difference for one and you make a different society."
Generosity or Greed - "You give a little to get a little. Sometimes, well...sometimes people need me to give a little more."
Moral code or Instinct - "Scruples are what separates man from the animals."
Ego or Id - "Can't honestly say I've ever been accused of temperance or self control."
Nature or Nurture - "Pro tip: Yes, it's your fault and you can do better."
Thought or Action - "I'm a make-it-up-as-you-go kind of gal."
Instinct or Knowledge - "My gut has never let me down about what the right thing to do is."
Charity or Self-sufficiency - "Everybody needs somebody sometime."
Home or the Road - "Give me a warm house and somebody to share it with on all the days that end in 'Y'."
Contentment or Challenge - "Look, I don't go crusading for lost causes. They seek me out. They know I"m easy."

Pools

Injuries: [ ] [ ] [ ]

Wounds: [ ] [ ] [ ]

Anguish: [ ] [ ] [ ]

CERTES		QUALIA
Accuracy: 3/3	Movement: 1/1	Sorcery: 5/5	Interaction: 4/4
Physicality: 3/3	Perception: 4/4	Intelligence: 1/1	Sortilege: 3/3

Hidden Knowledge: 12

Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour

Gryphon173 · March 5

Shuistliel

Shuistliel says, "Are you sure you want to split up? We'll have to catch everyone up on whatever passes. And remember that who or whatever did this, they were willing to cross a being of the kind from which I am allowed to live in their house." He almost looks cross-eyed at the convolutions to talk about the Truespider, but it's a very strong warning. Those creatures are very powerful, and so whatever is daring to mess with one (or more) could be very dangerous, indeed. A solitary investigator might be too tempting not to eliminate. After all, it's what I'd do, once people start poking their noses into things, he thought. It wasn't like any of them were likely to have magic that prevented others from magically spying on them.

"I realize that the Cantral's in a no-visitors building and that makes the logistics here a bit iffy, but maybe we can seek an exception given the circumstances."

Xanah knows that the last thing her classmate wants to do is to break Vancian covenant; he's always been a rule follower (not quite "stickler") in their time together in the Academy.

NEW! Character Arcs

Develop a Bond: Shuistliel realizes he has too few friends, and would like to expand his circle of true friends.

Solve a Mystery: There's a ton of questions surrounding the webbing of his neighborhood and the swirl of angry birds aloft, and Shuistliel wants answers to all of them. And he can handle the truth!

Description

Shuistliel is a very handsome man with long silver hair and green eyes the color of fine emeralds. He is dressed as he usually is, in a nice suit, jacket, and pants, and he has his usual snake-headed cane along. He moves quite agilely, like a dancer, perhaps. What's unusual this morning is the black survival combat axe carried in one hand while the cane is tucked under an arm.

Pools

Certes

Accuracy: 3/3

Movement: 3/3

Physicality: 2/2

Perception: 3/3

Qualia

Sorcery: 4/4

Interaction: 3/3

Intellect: 3/3

Sortilege: 3/3

Hidden Knowledge: 10

Injuries:

Wounds:

Anguish:

Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour

Aavarius · March 6

Xanah

Xanah frowned, not because she disagreed but because she recognized her colleague had a good point and it made her feel conflicted when she thought about it. "It's a risk, to be sure," she agreed. "But I'm willing to risk it."

She looked over to their mutual superior and then back to Shuistliel and told him, "I don't think I'm in a position to be asking for exceptions to the rules right now. My presence may have already spoiled any grace you may have had to make such a request. They already know I'm involved with you."

Character Arcs

Join an Organization

As an arachnophile, I'm being groomed to join the Cacophony, an association of spiders whose name only really makes sense to spiders. They seek to establish diplomatic ties with the Angular Serpentine.

Current Step: The decision to join
- For now, I remain ignorant that I'm being considered for invitation.

Aid a Friend

Aldrion Phect wishes to rescue his spouse from Shadow, but first he must Uncover the Secret of how such a task might even be possible. I'm too closeted a romantic to tell him I can't resist helping somebody reunite with their loved one.

Current Step: Agreeing to help
- I've agreed to help, but Aldrion and I haven't discussed it further.

Description

Appearance

Xanah and the possessions on her person lose color saturation in proportion to her amount of sunlight exposure. She's completely grayscale in broad daylight. She otherwise sports a head of medium-length red-brown hair, copper colored eyes, and a fair complexion. Xanah is of unremarkable height and build, a slim physique that belies a lifetime of overindulging. It's only her constantly moving workaholic ethic that keeps her in shape. Her clothing usually favors practicality and comfort, never one to indulge in fashionable fads. Ever conscientious of her habits, Xanah always smells faintly of cinnamon and spice.

Personality

Lives on coffee, cigars, and favors.
Fiercely individualist to a fault.
A tarnished heart of gold.
Tendency to overindulge.
A patron of lost causes, shooter of troubles, slayer of dragons, walker of tightropes, and runner with scissors.
Banned from kitchens across the Actuality for abject culinary incompetence.
Never met a stranger before but carefully chooses close friendships
A closeted romantic, almost disgustingly so.
Her sharp tongue and compulsion to kick hornets' nests and turn over rocks makes many enemies. In her Order she's been demoted twice for it.

Occupation

Xanah describes herself as "creatively entrepreneurial," which is to say she doesn't actually have a traditional occupation. As previously mentioned, she lives off favors. These keep her constantly busy juggling a tangled web of commitments, investments, activism, and odd-jobs that she's perfectly satisfied living in the middle of. Income can be wildly inconsistent, but she's never been one to require much in the way of creature comforts. She's just as likely to blow a windfall on a hopeless cause as she is to devote it to a strategic endeavor. "Money," she says, "is just a means to an end, grease for the skids."

She toys with the idea of running for office but talks herself out of it, saying that nobody would vote for her anyway. Despite her modest self-assessment, the growing network of contacts she's been developing suggests she might get more support than she realizes.

Dichotomies

Wealth or Fame - "It's all in who you know."
Friends or Family - "I don't make close friends easy, but the few I have are basically family."
Power or Control - "I'm the spider dead center in the web."
Introvert or Extrovert - "There's nothing I love more than good company."
Order or Chaos - "A little strategic chaos keeps the omnipotent busybodies from getting too comfortable."
Freedom or Safety - "'Live free or die trying', I say."
Society or the Individual - "Society is people. Make a difference for one and you make a different society."
Generosity or Greed - "You give a little to get a little. Sometimes, well...sometimes people need me to give a little more."
Moral code or Instinct - "Scruples are what separates man from the animals."
Ego or Id - "Can't honestly say I've ever been accused of temperance or self control."
Nature or Nurture - "Pro tip: Yes, it's your fault and you can do better."
Thought or Action - "I'm a make-it-up-as-you-go kind of gal."
Instinct or Knowledge - "My gut has never let me down about what the right thing to do is."
Charity or Self-sufficiency - "Everybody needs somebody sometime."
Home or the Road - "Give me a warm house and somebody to share it with on all the days that end in 'Y'."
Contentment or Challenge - "Look, I don't go crusading for lost causes. They seek me out. They know I"m easy."

Pools

Injuries: [ ] [ ] [ ]

Wounds: [ ] [ ] [ ]

Anguish: [ ] [ ] [ ]

CERTES		QUALIA
Accuracy: 3/3	Movement: 1/1	Sorcery: 5/5	Interaction: 4/4
Physicality: 3/3	Perception: 4/4	Intelligence: 1/1	Sortilege: 3/3

Hidden Knowledge: 12

Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour

Ganurath · March 6

Aldrion Phect

"I don't want to go where guests aren't normally permitted, especially not with von Verdict unaccounted for." Even if they were able to get some sort of exemption due to unusual circumstances, that wouldn't stop those willing to advance themselves at another's expense from raising a fuss. A hostile history would only increase the likelihood, and if he was reading between the lines correctly? He wasn't the only one in their group with a Vancian adversary to consider.

Why most Vislae were willing to embrace this sort of politicking on a regular basis, Aldrion would never understand.

Still, if they ran into trouble, it'd help if there was at least one Vancian on hand to deal with it. Scratching at the back of his head, he gave Felicia a quick glance of acknowledgement before he shifted focus back to Xanah and Liel. "For the same reason, I think at least one of the Vancians among us should stick with us non-Vancians. Be easier to avoid Order drama that way, I think."

Character Arcs

Uncover a SecretThere is knowledge out there that you want. This
arc is a great way to get one of the secrets in the
chapter Character and House Secrets that the GM
has said aren’t readily available. Likewise, it could
be an attempt to find and learn a specific rare spell
or ritual. This could also be a hunt for a lost magic
word or key that will open a sealed door, the name
of a devil, the secret name of an important person,
or just how the arabast fashioned their windows in
ancient times.

Cost: Seeker. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen.

Opening: Naming the Secret. 1 Acumen reward.
You give your goal a name. “I am seeking the lost
martial art of the Khendrix, who could slice steel
with their bare hands.”

Step(s): Research. 1 Acumen reward. You scour
libraries and old tomes for clues and information.

Step(s): Investigation. 1 Acumen reward. You talk
to people to gain clues and information.
Step(s): Tracking. 1 Acumen reward. You track
down the source of the secret information and travel
to it.

Climax: Revelation. 2 Acumen reward. You find
and attempt to use the secret, whatever that entails.
A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure
results in 1 Despair.

Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You contemplate
how this secret affects you and the world. - Current Step: Seeker
CleanseSomeone or something has been contaminated,
probably by foul magic, and you want to rid them
of such influences. This might be a curse, a
possession, an infestation, or something else.

Cost: Becoming Aware of the Need. You pay a cost
of 2 Acumen.

Opening: Analyzing the Threat. 1 Acumen
reward. You determine the nature of the
contamination.

Step: Find the Solution. 2 Acumen reward.
Almost every contamination has its own particular
solution, and this likely involves research and
consultation.

Step: Getting Ready. 1 Acumen reward. The
solution probably involves materials, spells, or other
things that you must gather and prepare.

Climax: The Cleansing. 3 Acumen reward. You
confront the contamination. A successful resolution
results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair.
Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You reflect on the
events that have transpired and what effects they
might have on the future. How can you keep this
from happening again? - Current Step: Analyzing the Threat

Description

Aldrion prefers to cover up, as his time in the Shadow working in repairs instilled him with an appreciation of proper protection. He has a scar over one eyebrow, presumably from a narrow miss taken during the war. He favors a style that mixes plain colors with the odd splash of supernatural hues, often in shades of or near indigo in representation of his newfound appreciation for the truth.

Pools

Certes

Accuracy: 2/2

Movement: 3/3

Physicality: 2/2

Perception: 2/2

Qualia

Sorcery: 8/8

Interaction: 3/3

Intellect: 3/3

Sortilege: 3/3

Hidden Knowledge: 12

Injuries:

Wounds:

Anguish:

Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour

TheRaconteur · March 6

Chapter I - Act II: Games of Chance

Sooth Deck: The Enticing Jewel

Effects: Effective level of all Invisible magic is raised by 1, or Sorcery cost reduced by 1. Empaths receive a +1 to all Actions.

Divination: "When the Enticing Jewel is turned, everything focuses upon it. Most of the time, this is one of the most positive cards that can be revealed. It indicates success in one’s endeavor. It suggests beauty and wealth. At the very least, even if not actual success, the Enticing Jewel is the potential for success, which in itself can be encouraging (because sometimes there is no possibility for success). Still, the card has a darker side, because it also suggests greed and a love of wealth, and the dangers of such things."

Udula's smile widened at the request, her blue eyes bright and wet. Had they always been blue? The two Vance suspected not, but such a change was a minor thing, not even requiring the services of the Changeries to create.

"Of course, I would be happy to facilitate the needs of your guests, Postulants. Though they will still be under your aegis of responsibility so long as they remain on campus, regardless of if both of you or only one are present."

The implication there was clear, at least one of them would need to be present at all times, they couldn't let the Maker and the Apostate out of both of their sight so long as they were on campus. Additionally, Shuistliel and Xanah would both be responsible if Aldrion or Felicia ran afoul of the Order, regardless of who was actively babysitting them at the time. She withdrew a pair of identification cards out of her pocket, and placing them upon the clipboard began writing upon them in a delicate but extremely legible script.

"You'll need to wear these at all times, and they will grant you permission to access the Hall of Seeking and the Clocktower. Your access will expire at 5:00pm, at which time you will need to have already exited the campus. "

Which gave them most of the day, as it was still midmorning. She handed one card to Felicia, though as her hand grasped the card it burst into heatless flame. The Chorus hissed at the insult, promising fiery retribution for the deception. An instant later, she wasn't even holding ash, the cards had burned to cinders. Instead a bright blue flame began to shine over her heard, revealing searing words done in the same script.

Felicia Ainsworth
Shaper of the Order of Makers
Hall of Seeking, the Clocktower

Aldrion was handed a similar card, and as it had with Felicia, it incinerated itself the moment his fingers clasped it.

Aldrion Phect
Excommunicado
Hall of Seeking, the Clocktower

The matter settled, she touched the picnic basket at her feet with the bottom of her staff, and with a flapping sound it rolled itself up into a flat two dimensional picture of itself and then vanished.

"Now, please come with me, and please stay off the lawn."

She turned to her right, leading them back down the two storied flight of stairs that led to the Hall of Administration and back down towards the lawn. Groups of Vancians were gathered on the massive staircase, talking amongst themselves in groups of up to a dozen, or moving off towards their next appointment. They largely ignored the visitors, intent as they were upon their own business. The lawn at the base of the steps was beautifully manicured, pristine green grass despite the lateness of the season. It helped that it was completely untrampled, for all of the Order kept to the wide walkways. They could already see the Hall of Seeking, as it was literally the building next to them. Only three stories tall, it was a remarkably plain and uninspired looking building considering the wealth on display elsewhere on the campus. Simple brown stone, its windows shuttered with dark wood and tinted so that no one could see within. It's front doors were open as Udula led them near, an exodus of young Vislae suggesting that the morning class might have just let out. They waited for a moment until the crowd passed, under the observation the whole time of a black cat resting upon a satin cushion beside the door.

"A scene too late, a step backwards."

The feline remarked as they at last drew close, its voice small and scratchy. What it had meant by that, it didn't clarify, instead going back to ignoring them with the sort of imperial disdain that only cats were capable of. Udula paid the little princeling no mind, leading them inside the Hall. The first floor was a library of sorts, pale blue mage light flickering from unknown sources all about. It was the first place that they had come to on the campus that was empty, as the students had already cleared out by the time they'd gotten inside. There was a staircase at the back leading up to the next level, and a set of heavy oak doors to the left. One of these was open, and through it they could hear voices talking.

"Magister Kuros must be finishing up with a pupil."

Their guide remarked, moving to the door and standing respectfully to the side until the conversation within finished. As they drew nearer, the words became less distinct rather than more. They could hear the two Vislae, knew they must be no more than a dozen paces away through the door, but it sounded like they were hearing the conversation underwater. No words were clear, they couldn't have eavesdropped if they'd wanted to.

After a few minutes, the conversation ended, and a tall Vance with green skin and flowing vines for hair walked out on a pair of heels at least 4 inches tall. Clicking and clacking, they didn't even look at the gathering as they walked out, a relieved looking expression on their face. A heavy cloud of pollen lingered in their wake, glittering as it fell to the floor, only to vanish into the cracks in the stone a moment later. Without inquiring further, Udula led them inside the classroom. It was a small affair, a matched set of long tables serving as desks, each with room for only four chairs apiece. The Magister stood behind a podium on a raised platform, hastily gathering his notes.

"Ah, Magus Moroe..."

A distinguished looking Vance dressed in a silk suit, the reason for his expertise in flight was immediately apparent. Two swarms of bright blue butterflies emerged from his shoulders, themselves forming the outlines of a set of massive wings. They swelled as if breathing, clearly a living thing, the outline of wings clear despite the fact that they were folded around him.

"... to what do I owe the honor of further distractions?"

He didn't sound pleased.

Threads

Go talk to the Unkindness
- Speak with Cantral Grigori's people at the Clocktower about the Ravens
- Talk with Magister Kuros about flight
- Learn more about names from Magister Lui

Edited March 12 by TheRaconteur (see edit history)

Gryphon173 · March 6

"Magister Kuros," Shuistliel said with a respectful bow, "your patience and forbearance is deeply appreciated. We have a great need to converse with the group of ravens that have roosted far above the campus, and so we come seeking a boon of flight. The name of a member of my neighborhood has been stolen, and open warfare between certain factions may result if the matter cannot be resolved in a relatively timely manner." Shuistliel had been both a good and attentive student, having mastered The Perilous Leap of the Desperate quickly and efficiently, and showing a good aptitude for the difficult landing portion of the spell.

He describes the chaos of the morning in Fartown as succinctly as he can, given their lack of information, and makes sure to mention that at least one Truespider is involved, so the repercussions could be severe if conflict were to arise from it. "While I am certain that the city authorities will also investigate," he adds, "my concern is that it will take them some time to come up to speed and to mobilize sufficiently to penetrate the webbing. Time we may not have."

TheRaconteur · March 7

Chapter I - Act II: Games of Chance

Sooth Deck: The Enticing Jewel

Effects: Effective level of all Invisible magic is raised by 1, or Sorcery cost reduced by 1. Empaths receive a +1 to all Actions.

Divination: "When the Enticing Jewel is turned, everything focuses upon it. Most of the time, this is one of the most positive cards that can be revealed. It indicates success in one’s endeavor. It suggests beauty and wealth. At the very least, even if not actual success, the Enticing Jewel is the potential for success, which in itself can be encouraging (because sometimes there is no possibility for success). Still, the card has a darker side, because it also suggests greed and a love of wealth, and the dangers of such things."

"Magister Lui enjoys an early lunch."

The Magus had been quick to point out as she'd led the others away from Xanah.

"You'll likely as not find them in the staff dining hall."

The staff quarters was on the opposite side of Campus from the Hall of Administration, as the College's resident professors preferred to be as far away from potential visiting guests as possible. All Vance were expected to teach, over the course of their lifetimes within the Order, but only a few lived and taught full time on Campus. It was a place of honor and respect to be counted among the College's permanent residents, and Magister Lui had enjoyed those privileges for quite some time.

It meant a far longer walk for Xanah than it did for the others, stepping through the double doors before him while the rest turned away. The Hall of Administration connected directly to the Central Library, the main repository of all Vancian Magic. It was a beautiful walk, a pilgrimage that those of the Order were privileged enough to walk countless times, and more than a few Vance had attached religious significance to it. How could they not? Other orders joked amongst themselves that the book mages worship books. While it wasn't true, it might as well have been. As she crossed along the plush carpets covering the marble floors, the Vance about her already spoke in hushed tones. It was another hundred paces before she'd reach the Central Library, but the respect the institution demanded transcended respect that extended beyond the limitations of physics and architecture. This was where the magic lived, where it was tended and maintained by the College's honored librarians. This was the beating heart of the Campus. Stepping through the archway at the end of the hall and into the Central Library proper was almost a transcendental experience, and more than a few of the Order had been brought to tears by it.

Xanah's aspirations carried her past it though, and eventually she had to turn away from the library and continue on. She took a right, passing beyond the massive statue that celebrated the founding of the College, a living monument that shifted and breathed as it told the story. Eventually her feet took her through the covered passage to the Hall of Attainment, where the practical examinations took place for those who wished to ascend to the Order. She'd been there formally once before, when she'd met with the official from the Telemeric Court whose words had burned like fire. Typically she was only there as she was now, passing though on her way to other business. Eventually she found her way to the Hall of Respite, where the Campus' permanent residents kept their rooms. The dining hall was on the fourth floor, and so it took her another three flights of stairs before she eventually found herself emerging into the sensory assault that it always entailed. The staff dining hall always had someone in it, and mid morning was no exception. Three of the tables were currently occupied, but she had no issue finding the one Cantral Konstantin Grigori was seated at. He was a large man, broad shouldered and tan skinned, though she'd have recognized his signature sleeveless leather coat from half a mile away.

"... do you mean it's not that hard to do?"

As she approached, he was mid sentence, engaged as he was with Magister Lui. She could tell he was frustrated, or perhaps worried, for there was a strain in her voice that she'd learned to pick up on. The source of his frustration sat before him, surrounded by a small smorgasbord of victuals. Xanah knew of them, but had only seen them from afar in the past. They were evidently quite fond of the Changeries, for there was very little about them that appeared human at first glance. Their flesh had been replaced through countless magical modifications, a hollow space encapsulated by many decks Soothe Cards. The cards formed their skin, flowing and molding like water to convey their features without ever bending the material of which they were made. It was far more than the sixty that made up a normal Soothe Deck, and the rumor was that Magister Lui had a card for every important name they'd ever collected.

"In theory, it's not. It's just very difficult to execute the praxis and avoid fundamentally damaging oneself in the process."

A dozen or so cards flickered around them in a tight orbit, extending out to surround a porcelain cup of tea, and bringing it delicately for what passed as the Magister's lips.

Threads

Go talk to the Unkindness
- Speak with Cantral Grigori's people at the Clocktower about the Ravens
- Talk with Magister Kuros about flight
- Learn more about names from Magister Lui

Edited March 12 by TheRaconteur (see edit history)

Amora · March 8

Felicia Ainsworth

The Chorus may not have been pleased but the showmanship of it was something the Maker could appreciate and didn't even flinch away in surprise from the combustion of ephemeral thing that had been handed to her. The structure of it was intimately familiar to her but the colors of the flame that now lingered above her head announcing her identity to any and all was hardly a hue she cared for. Blue played badly with her already pale complexion and made it seem, more often than not, that she might be hypothermic... but to warm those hues up a smidge to bring out the subtler notes in her pallid, bloodless complexion. It was with a certain consummate care that she lightly bit at her thumb and drew a bead of blood. The cacophonous refrains of the Chorus shaking the metaphorical walls that surrounded her mind and the agency seated there in at the harm they now sensed done to their shared vessel even as she hissed back at them within the confines of her own mind, assuring them that if she had a mind for such things they'd all have been quite handily removed from the picture. The fierceness of it was enough to make the point... even if it was a double edged sword declaring herself coward and self loathing both.

Either way, the silence let her twist the flames into hues of gold and crimson, tinged with hearts of black to better define the words that now branded her as visitor and outsider to the campus. Of course, she did this all when they were well out of sight of Udula as to avoid causing a minor slight. The heart of the magic remained the same in either case.

The Campus, she had to admit, was a lovely thing. Serene, peaceful, ordered but there was a sterility in it all that just... nagged at her. And because it nagged at her... It nagged at the Chorus too. They saw something static, unchanging, and worse something that contained things that'd be mourned if destroyed or lost. She did her best to ignore both whispers and shrieks that accosted her and focused on the little touches of technically proficient artistry in this or that. Any paintings, in particular, caught her deepest attention to admire the careful thoughts in the motion of the brush and composition of each scene. Such appreciation seeing her stop here and there before finally catching up as they arrived at the classroom and found themselves before one of two rather particular persons that might help them.

The Maker offered a delicate bow in the styles of some of the higher circles but had enough sense to let Liel steer the show as their chaperone though in the recounting of the events that beset their little corner of Fartown, she chipped in with this or that she had picked up from her discussions with Broken-wing and helped to keep the structure of the retelling a little more balanced in perspective. Granted, there was more than a cursory consideration to the Magister's wings... trying to piece together the finer arts that might have gone into the construction of them or the modifications to the form that would support such a gossamer set of wings.

Character Arcs

Establishment - Current Step: The Need for Proof
Develop a Bond - Current Step: Getting to Know You

Description

Description

It's the eyes, really, that most fixate upon first. The hues of crimson and gold spinning, twisting, merging in their depths as they seem to give a clear window into the utter depths of Felicia's mind with their uniquely expressive quality. That there feels to be a thousand, a hundred thousand, pairs of eyes staring back from behind those initial windows to the soul only seems to cement the impression of something troublesome, something worrying to compliment the elfin quality of her sharp features and diminutive frame. That sensation of malice, of gleeful cruelty, welling up from somewhere in those depths even as she comports herself with nothing but cheerful, if stoic, mannerisms and inexhaustible impressions of attention to the minute aesthetics of every gesture, motion, and twist of both herself and the world around her.

In matters of garb, she tends to play to the company she plans for with blouses, dresses, and pants of riotous colors among the bohemian communes of Fartown to the carefully coordinated yet still somehow esoteric gowns and suits of high society galas and soirees. Each and every ensemble meticulously planned and coordinated like one of the great works of her brushes. The only break from this carefully crafted aesthetic seems to be her hair, pale and bloodless as her complexion. It's length healthy, glossy, and well tended but cursed with creative differences in how it curls and falls. Despite this, it seems always to blend, practically meld, seamlessly into any trim of fur or feather that might adorn a chosen outfit.

Like those glimpses of alien malice and cruelty in the depths of her eyes, there always seems to be a discordant element that shadows her. Whether it be a flicker of something other in the crimson depths of her eyes, the way her shadow seems to twitch and twist without her ever moving, or how her reflection never quite seems to be her... It becomes all too clear that her body and soul might be host to something besides merely the artist... Worse still is the careful and delicate work of brush and needle; whisking away bruises here, deep scratches or cuts there, all damning evidence of struggles with the self.

In the Guise of Immanis

The energies of the Abyss are, by its very nature, an instrument of the Dark and unkind as a rule to the essential fabric of whatever is and may be. It is only by the tempering elements of the Gold Sun that the taking in of such hostile energies is more than merely an elaborate form of suicide. The raw stresses of this are quite evident then when Madame Ainsworth invokes so terrible a spell. Her already pale skin grows to be a lifeless gray, gaining an unseemly translucence that is easily pierced by even the wane light of Fartown beneath the Indigo Sun. The lines and forms of every bone visible from just the right angles as they shatter, stretch, and mend with an agonizing rapidity to drag her up to a daunting height. Sinew, muscle and tendon all the while snapping, recoiling, and reforming to accommodate this new and predatory bearing. Veins and arteries, in kind, flow with noxious black as the corruptive energies swirl and take root, her eyes draining of that distinct crimson and gold hue leaving only a single prick of light nearly drowned in a sea of impenetrable black.

Were that these the extent of the horrors wrought by the invoking of the Eye of Immanis for one can't help but stare as razor-like teeth push aside whatever may block their way, twisting and gnarling the line of gum and tooth to pierce and part the flesh of the cheek revealing a hideous, too broad maw. A likewise change playing out in the hands as bones shatter and twist as tendons and sinew reinforce to accommodate the agonizingly slow-yet-quick emergence of seven inch talons, black as jet, that now adorn each finger tip. This final change marking the ultimate perversion, turning tools of creation to tools of abject and potent destruction.

Pools

Certes

Accuracy: 3/3

Movement: 3/3

Physicality: 1/3

Perception: 4/4

Qualia

Sorcery: 6/6

Interaction: 6/6 (+3 from Signature Item)

Intellect: 2/3

Sortilege: 1/2

Hidden Knowledge: 10

Injuries:

Wounds:

Anguish:

Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour

Text_1	Text_2	Text_3	Bold_1	Accent_1	Mood_1
Warm_1	Warm_2	Warm_3	Bold_2	Accent_2	Mood_2
Cool_1	Cool_2	Cool_3	Bold_3	Accent_3	Mood_3
Bright_1	Bright_2	Bright_3	Bold_4	Accent_4	Mood_4

Chapter I - Act II: Games of Chance

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