Amora Posted April 11 Clone Share Posted April 11 Felicia Ainsworth Razored tooth upon razored tooth ground quietly, tearing all the more at her shredded cheeks, as the Maker continued to fight the roaring demands of the Chorus and the wretched instincts that welled up through the poison she had brought into herself to twist and torture her body into this nightmarish configuration. The situation was complicated and it was growing only more so because blunt and brutal action was no longer the solution it had once appeared. The fleeting glimpse of Shuistliel locked in desperate, muttered prayer within the shroud of the Aspirant Courtier gave rise to an uncomfortable theory that the shroud, if not it's entire form, served as a mind trap. Or perhaps something more sinister, a trap or labyrinth for the slumbering mind. Would she be able to even wake the ensorcelled vance if that was the case or was it's position in this negotiation far stronger than they had first considered? It's panicked threat only really cemented the idea within her mind. Still, the theory needed to be tested and so Felicia reached out gingerly with one nightmarish hand to grasp at Liel's shoulder and with the horrid, infernal strength born of her spell work and the maddening multitude trapped within her... Gave the Vance a good, hard shake. The motions jerky, predatory, and confused for the restraint that was being deliberately put into it. There was no gentle aspect to her in this form, no capacity for creation or healing... Only the hideous capacity to destroy and satisfy the darkness that flowed through her and the capricious, destructive desires of the Chorus within. There was but one other option she had at hand if such simple means failed to undo the sorceries of the creature. That would be a far more unpleasant experience but consciousness and potential freedom from the charms of a beast seemed far compensation for what might be most mildly described as discomfort. Character Arcs EstablishmentYou want to prove yourself as someone of importance. This can take many forms—socially, within your order, financially, or even romantically. Cost: The Need for Proof. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Assessment. 1 Acumen reward. You assess yourself as well as who you need to prove yourself to. Step(s): Appearances Matter. 1 Acumen reward. You improve your look. Enhance your wardrobe. Spruce up your house. Whatever it takes to get attention from the right people. There might be many such steps. Step(s): Self-Aggrandizement. 1 Acumen reward. You need to get the word out to get people talking about you. There might be many such steps. Climax: Grabbing Attention. 3 Acumen reward. You do something big, like host a party for influential people or produce a play that you wrote. You make a big splash (1 Joy) or a big crash (1 Despair). Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You reflect on what you did and where you go from here - Current Step: The Need for Proof Develop a BondYou want to get closer to another character. This might be to make a friend, find a mentor, or establish a contact in a position of power. It might be to turn a friend into a much closer friend. The character might be an NPC or a PC. In the case of an NPC, the end result might be an NPC bond, and in the case of a PC it’s a PC bond. Cost: Putting Yourself Out There. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Getting to Know You. 1 Acumen reward. You learn what you can about the other character. Step: Initial Attempt. 1 Acumen reward. You attempt to make contact. This might involve sending messages or gifts through a courier, using an intermediary, or just going up and saying hello, depending on the situation. Step(s): Building a Relationship. 2 Acumen reward. There might be many such steps as you develop the relationship. Climax: Bond. 3 Acumen reward. You succeed or fail at forging the bond. A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You enjoy the fruits of your new relationship. - 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 + 3 From Eyes of Immanis Movement: 2/3 Physicality: 1/3 Perception: 4/4 Qualia Sorcery: 3/6 Interaction: 6/6 (+3 from Signature Item) Intellect: 1/3 Sortilege: 0/2 Hidden Knowledge: 9 Injuries: Wounds: Anguish: Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ganurath Posted April 14 Clone Share Posted April 14 Aldrion Phect Aldrion frowned at the threat. His time in Shadow hadn't had much in the way of negotiating, haggling, not enough to make lasting memories. Definitely none that involved a party that was being physically assaulted. Still, Aldrion liked to consider himself a nice guy, good with people skills. His next course of action depending heavily on the Aspirant Courtier's intentions. Was it bluffing? If not, how much room did he have to talk or delay before it pulled the metaphorical trigger? 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: 3/8 Interaction: 3/3 Intellect: 2/3 Sortilege: 3/3 Hidden Knowledge: 11 Injuries: Wounds: Anguish: Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Bene Empath and Skill as Reaction 7 1d10+3 4 Magic 10 drop(2d10,lowest,1)+6 4,2 Depletion 4 1d10 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aavarius Posted April 14 Clone Share Posted April 14 Xanah This was becoming a real nuisance, the coughing. For the third time today Xanah choked on her own words, the thin wisps of white smoke curling out from her lips and between her covering fingers ephemerally coalescing into recognizable letters and sigils before they dissolved into the air. She waved them away to clear the air and said aside to Aldrion, "This isn't our thief--I know that much for certain. What it is, I'm...less certain of." Aldrion wasn't the only one that needed to confirm the legitimacy of this creature's threats. If she could figure out any way of helping figure that out she was sure to voice it. Action: Using my action to help, so Aldrion's total roll is increased by at least +1 (or +2 if my Deception skill is useful in identifying deception in others. You can't bullshit a bullshitter.). 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 StepYou want to join an organization. This likely is not an order, since vislae start the game already belonging to an order if they wish it. Vislae often join other organizations as well, however, and this arc is a great way to portray that. Cost: The Decision to Join. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Getting the Details. 1 Acumen reward. You learn all you can about the organization and how one becomes a member. Step(s): Making a Contact. 1 Acumen reward. Friends on the inside are always important. Step(s): Performing a Deed. 2 Acumen reward. The organization might want to test your worth, or this might be a ceremony you must take part in. It might include paying some sort of dues or fee. Or all of these things. Climax: Proving Your Worth. 2 Acumen reward. This is the point at which you attempt to show the organization that they would be better off with you as a member. A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You consider your efforts and assess what your membership gets you. : 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 StepSomeone needs your help. When a PC friend takes a character arc, you can select this arc to help them with whatever their arc is (if appropriate). The steps and climax depend entirely on their chosen arc. If the friend is an NPC, the steps and climax are lifted from another arc appropriate to whatever they seek to do. If you have a bond with the friend you are helping, this may increase the Acumen earned with each story point by 1. It’s difficult, but possible, to aid a friend with an arc even if that friend is unwilling to accept (or is ignorant of ) your help. The majority of the cost, story points, and rewards for a character with this arc are the same as those described in the original character arc. Cost: Agreeing to Help. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Answering the Call. 1 Acumen reward. Offering to help (or responding to a request for help). Step(s) and Climax: Depends on the friend’s arc. Acumen, Joy, and Despair rewards are the same for you as for the friend. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You speak with your friend and learn if they are satisfied. Together, you share what you’ve learned (if anything) and where you will go from here.: 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: 2/5 Interaction: 3/4 (1 die) Physicality: 3/3 Perception: 4/4 Intelligence: 1/1 Sortilege: 3/3 Hidden Knowledge: 11 Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRaconteur Posted April 15 Author Clone Share Posted April 15 (edited) 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." The entity had heard his entreaty, and had scorned him for it, filling his mind with visions of his own death. Had it misunderstood his intent, or did it simply not care? Yet even in its chastisement, he had come to the solution for his possible salvation. His own magic might not have been enough to catch the rapidly dwindling Citadel, but he was Vislae, and his kind were rarely without tools. He grasped the hat, and as he did focused his own power through it, feeling a sense of satisfaction from that which he has called too. It wasn't like casting a spell, he was not holding the formula within his mind, a living construct of magic eager to be unleashed. This was something external, not a part of him, and yet still influenced by his aura. There was a flash, for his magic was always sudden and swift, as he unlocked the potential within the Ephemera. For a moment, nothing else happened, and he almost thought to look inside of the hat to see if it was working properly. Suddenly there was an explosion of silk, intricate weavings shooting forth as if from a cannon. He watched with fascination as the massive ladder of woven threads launched itself from the hat, and almost forgot to grab at it as he saw the top rung catch itself on an outcropping of marble. As the bottom rung flew past his face, he desperately reached out, catching it at the last second and wrenching his shoulder half out of his socket. Searing agony tore through him there... … only to come to within the nest, the horrifying and monstrous form of Felicia peering down at him, her claws painfully digging into his shoulder as she attempted to shake him awake. Xanah and Aldrion had thought they'd caught a glimpse of Shuistliel within the Dream Creature's form, but the instant their fellow Vislae snapped awake, the face vanished. The creature shuddered, as if diminished somehow. Aldrion got the immediate sense that, if it could have stopped them from freeing their companion, it would have. They'd called its bluff, but pinned as it was by his magic, there wasn't anything it could do but glare at him sightlessly. Threads Go talk to the Unkindness Talk with Magister Kuros about flight Accept the Magister's bargain Learn more about names from Magister Lui Discover what has invaded the Nest Retrieve five Cordovin Stones from the Ruined Expanses Bleed Edited April 15 by TheRaconteur (see edit history) Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gryphon173 Posted April 15 Clone Share Posted April 15 Shuistliel The Vancian's eyes snap open and he looks up at the demonic thing now holding his shoulder in its claws. This was hardly Liel's first demon, and although it had a tight grip on him, it hadn't drawn blood, and the nest-dweller seemed to not appreciate its occupation of its nest, any more than it liked Liel's own intrusion. "I'd appreciate it if you'd release my shoulder," the man says coolly, his hand reaching sideways to where the matte black-handled combat axe had fallen. The axe was a feint; if it didn't let go of him, he was going to invoke the Bite of the Serpent and see how it liked being envenomated. 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: 2/4 Interaction: 2/3 Intellect: 3/3 Sortilege: 1/3 Hidden Knowledge: 10 Injuries: Wounds: Anguish: Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amora Posted April 15 Clone Share Posted April 15 Felicia Ainsworth The pop and creak of over-tensioned sinew was uncomfortably audible as the Maker forced her ruinous hand to open and release Liel's shoulder. The Creature-that-was-Felicia's head tilting fractionally to the side with a slow, questioning rise of one pale brow as if countering the implied threat with a certain exasperation and a particular, burning word that could never make it past the horrid rows of razor-like teeth that seemed as much threat to their owner as anyone else. The soft click of those very same vicious incisors seeming to part pallid, corpse-like flesh just a fraction more as the Maker rose to her now daunting height and moved past the still prone Vance, pausing only briefly to nudge their axe back into easy reach with one foot. The line of her attention was clear now as one clawed hand rose to the locket that rested against her chest, talons turning it delicately as she considered the Aspirant Courtier with those hard, void-black eyes. The single prick of crimson at their center occasionally flashing gold as one of the Chorus drew a little too near to the surface. The hostile intent burning through her every vein as she tried to keep both her twisted, violent aspect and the demonic legions within in equal check. Her jaw worked gently then. Her hideous teeth parting flesh with each motion and sending electric jolts of sickening pain before eventually the last of what bound her jaws were parted with a wet tear. It took a moment longer to find her voice and the volume needed as the Unkindness continued their calls for violence and vendetta. "Did Liel vanish from inside the thing? Did any of you see anything, anyone else? The Unkindness won't give us long." With out lips, or much left of her cheeks, there was a distinct lisp to the words and the voice... There were elements of her true voice but it was mangled, distorted, twisted by the stretching of her dimensions and, as with so much of this, it was imminently unpleasant to the Maker's sensibilities regarding self and aesthetics. It hadn't even been something she'd wished to lean on but the situation had seemed far more dire a moment before than it was now. That didn't mean it still couldn't turn violent... and that was something the base darkness she had pulled into herself wanted and only further egged on by the Chorus of damned and many voices within her. Such turmoil aside, there was a burning theory now that she needed the evidence to connect the dots. Character Arcs EstablishmentYou want to prove yourself as someone of importance. This can take many forms—socially, within your order, financially, or even romantically. Cost: The Need for Proof. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Assessment. 1 Acumen reward. You assess yourself as well as who you need to prove yourself to. Step(s): Appearances Matter. 1 Acumen reward. You improve your look. Enhance your wardrobe. Spruce up your house. Whatever it takes to get attention from the right people. There might be many such steps. Step(s): Self-Aggrandizement. 1 Acumen reward. You need to get the word out to get people talking about you. There might be many such steps. Climax: Grabbing Attention. 3 Acumen reward. You do something big, like host a party for influential people or produce a play that you wrote. You make a big splash (1 Joy) or a big crash (1 Despair). Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You reflect on what you did and where you go from here - Current Step: The Need for Proof Develop a BondYou want to get closer to another character. This might be to make a friend, find a mentor, or establish a contact in a position of power. It might be to turn a friend into a much closer friend. The character might be an NPC or a PC. In the case of an NPC, the end result might be an NPC bond, and in the case of a PC it’s a PC bond. Cost: Putting Yourself Out There. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Getting to Know You. 1 Acumen reward. You learn what you can about the other character. Step: Initial Attempt. 1 Acumen reward. You attempt to make contact. This might involve sending messages or gifts through a courier, using an intermediary, or just going up and saying hello, depending on the situation. Step(s): Building a Relationship. 2 Acumen reward. There might be many such steps as you develop the relationship. Climax: Bond. 3 Acumen reward. You succeed or fail at forging the bond. A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You enjoy the fruits of your new relationship. - 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 + 3 From Eyes of Immanis Movement: 2/3 Physicality: 1/3 Perception: 4/4 Qualia Sorcery: 3/6 Interaction: 6/6 (+3 from Signature Item) Intellect: 1/3 Sortilege: 0/2 Hidden Knowledge: 9 Injuries: Wounds: Anguish: Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aavarius Posted April 16 Clone Share Posted April 16 Xanah Was it wrong to kill this creature? Xanah didn't really know. It didn't take a corvidophile to recognize that the ravens were baying for blood. The tension in the air was palpable. The hatred from this creature was tangible. Something unpleasant was about to happen from one party or the other, possibly from both. Xanah wasn't very certain she could do anything about it either way. "What do you make of it, darling?" she asked of Aldrion. She readied the fire poker she'd been carrying around since visiting the Tin Man. She didn't know what Aldrion had noticed about it, but she could guess he knew more about it than she. She would have said more, but was interrupted by Felicia (or whatever monstrosity Felicia had become) croaking out its piano-wire-on-sheet-metal voice. Evidently...Liel was all right. That was certainly a relief. "I don't see him anymore," she shouted back up at the nest, never taking her eyes off the Blue creature before her. "Perhaps our siren caller here loses them when they wake up." The next part she said with quiet coldness. "I wonder if they all wake up once we kill it?" She watched to see how the creature reacted. Justice demanded something be done about this thing. 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 StepYou want to join an organization. This likely is not an order, since vislae start the game already belonging to an order if they wish it. Vislae often join other organizations as well, however, and this arc is a great way to portray that. Cost: The Decision to Join. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Getting the Details. 1 Acumen reward. You learn all you can about the organization and how one becomes a member. Step(s): Making a Contact. 1 Acumen reward. Friends on the inside are always important. Step(s): Performing a Deed. 2 Acumen reward. The organization might want to test your worth, or this might be a ceremony you must take part in. It might include paying some sort of dues or fee. Or all of these things. Climax: Proving Your Worth. 2 Acumen reward. This is the point at which you attempt to show the organization that they would be better off with you as a member. A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You consider your efforts and assess what your membership gets you. : 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 StepSomeone needs your help. When a PC friend takes a character arc, you can select this arc to help them with whatever their arc is (if appropriate). The steps and climax depend entirely on their chosen arc. If the friend is an NPC, the steps and climax are lifted from another arc appropriate to whatever they seek to do. If you have a bond with the friend you are helping, this may increase the Acumen earned with each story point by 1. It’s difficult, but possible, to aid a friend with an arc even if that friend is unwilling to accept (or is ignorant of ) your help. The majority of the cost, story points, and rewards for a character with this arc are the same as those described in the original character arc. Cost: Agreeing to Help. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Answering the Call. 1 Acumen reward. Offering to help (or responding to a request for help). Step(s) and Climax: Depends on the friend’s arc. Acumen, Joy, and Despair rewards are the same for you as for the friend. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You speak with your friend and learn if they are satisfied. Together, you share what you’ve learned (if anything) and where you will go from here.: 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: 2/5 Interaction: 3/4 (1 die) Physicality: 3/3 Perception: 4/4 Intelligence: 1/1 Sortilege: 3/3 Hidden Knowledge: 11 Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ganurath Posted April 16 Clone Share Posted April 16 Aldrion Phect Well, it was reassuring to know that the... Aspirant Courtier felt too grandiose, at this point. It was reassuring to know that this intruder had only been bluffing, lacking the capacity if not the will. Still, there were others trapped within- Which Felicia just asked about. "He did, but there are others to consider. How's he doing?" Rather than answer Xanah verbally, he made a staying gesture. While that was certainly one option, he'd prefer to save it for last. Even if the crimes of the intruder were severe enough to warrant death, if it didn't work... Well, they had more options to free the victims while the intruder still lived. With that in mind, Aldrion slowly rotated the abstract figure in the air, turning him right-side up. "I think the best bet you have for talking your way out of this involves you making concessions." 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: 3/8 Interaction: 3/3 Intellect: 2/3 Sortilege: 3/3 Hidden Knowledge: 11 Injuries: Wounds: Anguish: Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Thought Becomes Motion 14 drop(2d10,lowest,1)+6 5,8 Depletion 6 1d10 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gryphon173 Posted April 16 Clone Share Posted April 16 (edited) Shuistliel Something about the demon was familar -- plus it nudged the axe toward him -- and a quick count of the Vislae in his group led Shuistliel to say, "Thank you, Ms. Ainsworth. I assume you were trying to rouse me, and that's very much appreciated; I think it was trying to kill me, or at least my mind, and while I got myself out of the dream, your efforts were undoubtedly helpful." Standing now, with the axe in one hand and his cobra-topped cane in the other, he looked at the creature that tried to -- what? absorb him? he wasn't sure -- harm him, anyway. Addressing it now, he says, "As my friend says, you really need to talk to us and explain what you know. You're not only in danger from us, but the multitude outside who would love to peck you to death and devour what's left. If you're helpful and useful, we might agree to escort you out so you can get away. "But since you just tried to eat me," the Vancian continued, "you're going to have to be really helpful." He produces the mask the others saw earlier. "This little trinket will whisper in my ear if you lie, so truthful is your very highest priority if you want to survive." The group knows that this is not what Liel described the mask as doing, at least directly. 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: 2/4 Interaction: 2/3 Intellect: 3/3 Sortilege: 1/3 Hidden Knowledge: 10 Injuries: Wounds: Anguish: Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour Edited April 16 by Gryphon173 (see edit history) Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRaconteur Posted April 16 Author Clone Share Posted April 16 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." The Chorus screamed for violence, for blood and bone and bile. Shuistliel was beneath Felicia, within her barbed grasp already, it would be so simple for her talons to find purchase. She could feel the ecstasy they would experience if she ripped through tendon and bone, yearned for it even as she attempted to remain in control. So many of the voices wanted his death, wanted his annihilation, wanted him choking on his own heartsblood. They almost... almost worked in concert to achieve it. Yet their nature was beings of chaos, as much as they were of destruction. That unification of purpose that threatened to overwhelm her rose like a tide, and then was dashed upon the rocks of howling Demons. While Felicia could hear everything that Shuistliel said, those still standing in the doorway were deafened to his speech. Aldrion had drawn the dream entity outside, and the reaction from the Unkindness had been swift. At first, it had only been a cacophonous wall of protesting noise. Shrieks and gurgles from countless mouths, the wind of untold wingbeats. Now, as they gazed upon the thing which had attacked Shuistliel, they saw the cloud of winged feathers descend upon them. The sky above darkened with hundreds of Ravens, perhaps thousands. And with a great roar of squawked defiance, they dove. It had spoken to them at first, but as the situation had deteriorated the thing had grown quieter. As the Unkindness unleashed its pent up rage and frustration on it, it made not a sound, instead gazing with rapt attention at the Vislae who even then held it encased in magic. There was a rippling sensation, more feeling that observable fact, and suddenly Aldrion was falling to the floor. The creature too was falling, no longer held in place by the magic that had captured it. It smashed into the Citadel, landing in a heap upon the marble, and then was instantly engulfed in a cloud of furious Ravens. Pecking and scratching, the birds unleashed their vengeance upon the thing. Yet even through the writhing swarm, they could see the entity shudder and begin to rise. Threads Go talk to the Unkindness Talk with Magister Kuros about flight Accept the Magister's bargain Learn more about names from Magister Lui Discover what has invaded the Nest Retrieve five Cordovin Stones from the Ruined Expanses Bleed Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aavarius Posted April 17 Clone Share Posted April 17 Xanah Xanah flinched back as the onrush of ravens swooped into the room. The sheer volume of moving air blew through her like a storm front. Reflexively, she ducked her head and brought her arms up to cover it. It was a brief defensive movement that was already done before she had even realized it happened. Her previous aggressive posture with the fire poker in hand was lost, but it hardly mattered now. The creature previously suspended before her was lost in a swirling mass of black feathers, scratching nails, and piercing beaks. She lowered her arms, and slowly recovered herself, mesmerized by the sheer magnitude of it all just feet away from her. "Mother of magic..," she swore in quiet awe. With prudence in mind, she started to back away but nearly tripped over something. She tore her eyes away from the enrapturing chaos before her just a moment to glance downward and saw what had happened to Aldrion. He laid there insensate. She knelt down and put a hand on his chest to feel for breathing. As she did, an unexpected movement caught her attention, drawing her back to the writhing swarm. The entity enveloped by the birds began to shudder and rise. Xanah didn't understand how that could be, but she didn't have time to question it. A spell came to mind, not that she thought of it, but that the spell itself rose to her consciousness out of the place within her that it presently resided. It wanted to be used, knew that it could be useful. It hadn't worked before on the creature, but that hadn't been its fault. Now it wanted to make up for that. Xanah was inclined to let it. Her hair, already windblown by the movement of the birds, caught fire. Blood red flames poured out from her tear ducts and over her head, the only significant color on her mostly grayscale visage. A palpable aura of fear radiated from her in that fiery red light. 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 StepYou want to join an organization. This likely is not an order, since vislae start the game already belonging to an order if they wish it. Vislae often join other organizations as well, however, and this arc is a great way to portray that. Cost: The Decision to Join. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Getting the Details. 1 Acumen reward. You learn all you can about the organization and how one becomes a member. Step(s): Making a Contact. 1 Acumen reward. Friends on the inside are always important. Step(s): Performing a Deed. 2 Acumen reward. The organization might want to test your worth, or this might be a ceremony you must take part in. It might include paying some sort of dues or fee. Or all of these things. Climax: Proving Your Worth. 2 Acumen reward. This is the point at which you attempt to show the organization that they would be better off with you as a member. A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You consider your efforts and assess what your membership gets you. : 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 StepSomeone needs your help. When a PC friend takes a character arc, you can select this arc to help them with whatever their arc is (if appropriate). The steps and climax depend entirely on their chosen arc. If the friend is an NPC, the steps and climax are lifted from another arc appropriate to whatever they seek to do. If you have a bond with the friend you are helping, this may increase the Acumen earned with each story point by 1. It’s difficult, but possible, to aid a friend with an arc even if that friend is unwilling to accept (or is ignorant of ) your help. The majority of the cost, story points, and rewards for a character with this arc are the same as those described in the original character arc. Cost: Agreeing to Help. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Answering the Call. 1 Acumen reward. Offering to help (or responding to a request for help). Step(s) and Climax: Depends on the friend’s arc. Acumen, Joy, and Despair rewards are the same for you as for the friend. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You speak with your friend and learn if they are satisfied. Together, you share what you’ve learned (if anything) and where you will go from here.: 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: 1/5 Interaction: 3/4 (1 die) Physicality: 3/3 Perception: 4/4 Intelligence: 1/1 Sortilege: 3/3 Hidden Knowledge: 11 Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Mundane 13 1d10+3 10 Magical 8 1d10+3 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gryphon173 Posted April 19 Clone Share Posted April 19 (edited) Shuistliel "Oh, shit," Shuistliel said, and called upon his link to the mysterious being that had so recently admonished him. The venom probably wouldn't kill the thing, but it should make it harder for it to do anything to the corvids or to the group. Hoping he doesn't turn an ankle, he drops the fifteen feet to the space below, gripping the axe carefully. He hoped it would be preparing for a physical assault and not the bite it would soon be feeling. "Does one of you know what the hell this thing is, by the way?" Liel called out as he jumped. 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: 2/3 Physicality: 2/2 Perception: 3/3 Qualia Sorcery: 2/4 Interaction: 2/3 Intellect: 3/3 Sortilege: 1/3 Hidden Knowledge: 10 Injuries: Wounds: Anguish: Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour Edited April 19 by Gryphon173 (see edit history) Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Roll 9 1d10+1 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ganurath Posted April 20 Clone Share Posted April 20 Aldrion Phect Aldrion was prone on the ground, which was less than ideal. 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: 3/8 Interaction: 3/3 Intellect: 2/3 Sortilege: 3/3 Hidden Knowledge: 11 Injuries: Wounds: Anguish: Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amora Posted April 20 Clone Share Posted April 20 Felicia Ainsworth Horrid, myriad teeth clicked and ground within the Maker's hideous maw as the creature withstood the frenzied pecking of the Unkindness. It was born of an uncomfortable anxiety and the pull of a thousand and one different motivations yet all demanding indulgence in violence, mayhem, destruction without much thought or heed to the ramifications of it. All while Felicia felt that tug of instinctive concern for not just kin but the Ravens who were know in no small danger since they joined the fray. There was another consideration in kind as to what might happen if the creature tried the same magic that had put Shuistliel to sleep on her. She wasn't a single mind, barely a coherent entity now between her more preferred mystic energies, the poison of the Dark, and the rampaging winds of the Red that all coursed through her in the moment. There was less caution in the descent then as there was in the ascent but the fearsome creature that she had twisted herself into still took care to do as little harm as she could to the tree with her talents as she made it. The only thing now was to close the distance and strike... She hoped if this thing functioned as she thought it did that, at the very least, introducing pain into it's make up could jolt the other minds trapped within it into wakefulness and, as a consequence, back into their own bodies. It was a theory but better than nothing. Character Arcs EstablishmentYou want to prove yourself as someone of importance. This can take many forms—socially, within your order, financially, or even romantically. Cost: The Need for Proof. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Assessment. 1 Acumen reward. You assess yourself as well as who you need to prove yourself to. Step(s): Appearances Matter. 1 Acumen reward. You improve your look. Enhance your wardrobe. Spruce up your house. Whatever it takes to get attention from the right people. There might be many such steps. Step(s): Self-Aggrandizement. 1 Acumen reward. You need to get the word out to get people talking about you. There might be many such steps. Climax: Grabbing Attention. 3 Acumen reward. You do something big, like host a party for influential people or produce a play that you wrote. You make a big splash (1 Joy) or a big crash (1 Despair). Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You reflect on what you did and where you go from here - Current Step: The Need for Proof Develop a BondYou want to get closer to another character. This might be to make a friend, find a mentor, or establish a contact in a position of power. It might be to turn a friend into a much closer friend. The character might be an NPC or a PC. In the case of an NPC, the end result might be an NPC bond, and in the case of a PC it’s a PC bond. Cost: Putting Yourself Out There. You pay a cost of 2 Acumen. Opening: Getting to Know You. 1 Acumen reward. You learn what you can about the other character. Step: Initial Attempt. 1 Acumen reward. You attempt to make contact. This might involve sending messages or gifts through a courier, using an intermediary, or just going up and saying hello, depending on the situation. Step(s): Building a Relationship. 2 Acumen reward. There might be many such steps as you develop the relationship. Climax: Bond. 3 Acumen reward. You succeed or fail at forging the bond. A successful resolution results in 1 Joy. Failure results in 1 Despair. Resolution: 1 Acumen reward. You enjoy the fruits of your new relationship. - 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 + 3 From Eyes of Immanis Movement: 2/3 Physicality: 1/3 Perception: 4/4 Qualia Sorcery: 3/6 Interaction: 6/6 (+3 from Signature Item) Intellect: 1/3 Sortilege: 0/2 Hidden Knowledge: 9 Injuries: Wounds: Anguish: Rests: 1 round, 1 round, 10 minutes, 1 hour Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRaconteur Posted April 20 Author Clone Share Posted April 20 (edited) Chapter I - Act II: Games of Chance Narrative: Action ModeThis could be a fight, a chase, or a tense moment of negotiation. Please limit dialogue to a sentence or three at most, remember that you only get one action a round, and that movement of more than a handful of feet counts as an action. Sooth Deck: The Harvesting Spider Effects: Effective level of all Red magic is raised by 1, or Sorcery cost reduced by 1. Effective level of all Blue magic is decreased by 1, or Sorcery cost increased by 1. Stoics receive a +1 to all Actions. Divination: "As terrifying as this card appears, its meanings are more esoteric, but still significant. The always active spider signifies action. Act— immediately. Work—hard. Success can be had, but only as the result of action and toil. The Harvesting Spider is also a subtle hunter, and thus can suggest that stealth might be required in one’s endeavors." They all felt the lurch as the winds of magic shifted and changed. About Aldrion's prostate form, a circle of bloody glyphs formed. Shuddering as it was savaged and torn at by the frenzied Unkindness, the thing somehow moved towards the wide open doors where the Vislae had gathered. Before, it had found sanctuary within the Citadel, the Ravens strangely kept out of what should have been their home. It made to rush them, perhaps seeking the same safety it had previously been possessed of before Aldrion's spell had lifted it bodily outside. Yet even as it tried, Xanah's sorcery caught it. From where she stood just within the entryway, a Glyph escaped from the Vance's mouth, even as the bloodly flames poured forth from her eyes. She felt it slip from her, exhilarant as she unleashed it. It wanted to be free, wanted to be made manifest upon the Actuality. The magic sung, though her own lips were nearly soundless, forbearance and denial. The magic streaked out her, yet she felt the tides of magic shift and weaken it. Trying the draw upon the magic of the Third Sun felt slow and heavy, and as she faced off against the creature she felt sluggish in her mental assault. Yet so too was it a creature of the Blue Sun, and though her spell was weakened, it was still strong enough. With a hiss of seething frustration the thing they faced was pushed back, left swatting helplessly at the swarm of Ravens which even now sought to tear it to ribbons. It defended itself more agilely now, and in that moment beat the birds back before they could do it too much more harm. It was only delaying the inevitable though, and they could see wisps of dream stuff floating away from it where beak and talon had raked and pecked before. It had to get inside, had to get within, else it would soon be reduced to nothing. With a vastly more mundane leap than the one that had carried him up, Liel jumped off the lip of the nest and landed in a roll. He came up on his feet, standing just behind where Xanah stood. Felicia in her battle form was more sedate, climbing back down the branches in much the same manner as she'd climbed up, coming to a rest just behind Liel. In front of her, Aldrion lay comatose, and the Chorus within screamed. "Consume the words, devour the blood!" Even as her alien gaze passed over the mysterious glyphs, she caught the smell of copper in her nostrils. Blood. The slithering, twisting glyphs that encircled Aldrion were made of blood. Threads Go talk to the Unkindness Talk with Magister Kuros about flight Accept the Magister's bargain Learn more about names from Magister Lui Discover what has invaded the Nest Retrieve five Cordovin Stones from the Ruined Expanses Bleed Edited April 20 by TheRaconteur (see edit history) Name xDiceName xDiceResult xDiceString xDiceRolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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