You decide to investigate potential candidates, starting with the one-armed girl.
Approaching, you coil up next to her for a closer look. The kid she is rocking is male, but at his young age it is tough to tell if he is a Eunuch or Patron. You know the baby she is nursing, he is named Simon and is a rather sickly child whom has made more than his fair share of visits to the college to receive medical magic. You decide to use the baby as an ice breaker.
"Hrmm... are you Simon's regular nurse? The boy is likely due for another shot from a inflammation reducing spell pretty soon. His venom sacs are prone to swelling and leaking into his bloodstream."The Maiden blinks. "Oh. Your Icarus' kid the Sage, aren't you? You've been patching the dear boy up? You are doing your father proud then. I'm Chloe." The Maiden offers a slight bow and you return the favor with a respectful nod. Inside though, you are seething, you know most of the family thinks Icarus is the one calling the shots down at the college, as he gets out much more often than you do, but it still annoys you to no end when he is portrayed as the real Sage and you are seen as the tag along.
You stifle your feelings and respond. The girl's ignorance is more your fault than hers anyway.
"Yeah. I'm Sarah. Can't say I've heard of you before though?"Chloe smiles sadly. "I try to keep a low profile, as some like to question my purity and honor."
Hissing in frustration as your eyes droop to the floor you ask the obivious question that could disqualify her from being a Matron candidate.
"Some rival Patron didn't get you? Right?"Chloe frowns. "Its debatable. I was captured and held by The Posiden Family for some time, and I did bear them a child, but the Patron they paired me with decided to spare my dignity and used a Touch of Impregnation spell instead of the more invasive traditional method."
You hiss again, both because the answer isn't to your liking, and because you have to rely on information from your father to interpret it.
"Icarus always told me spells like that usually don't spare the victim shame and dishonor."The Maiden smirks. "Usually not, but I went to great lengths to ensure that my case was the exception. When they let me go, I got an audience with the Matron and discussed my situation with her. We decided that since the he only touched me on the upper arm with that vile spell, I could reclaim my honor as a whole by removing the shamed part. Hence the one arm."
"And that makes it better?"Chloe hisses softly. "Sort of. They all still whisper about me, and I have no illusions that I'd ever be picked to go on a pilgrimage, but the Matron still allows me to participate in sacred rituals and work with the children. Plus I sleep better at night for it."
You nod curtly and speak condescendingly.
"Well the Matron can be quite generous in such matters, anyway take care of yourself and Simon."With that you leave, faking disgust at Chloe's situation lest the others in the room start to judge you for being soft.
You head over to visit with Mellow, only to find that she has haulted the guitar lesson for the moment to deliver one of her lectureous rants to a few unlucky Eunuch guards.
"...The human workers have been pooling together in unions to protect their intrests for years! Why can't we have something like that at the Mechanics Chain? The gods know Fargossso is an exploitive prick! He needs a union to check is power! I should organize a str-"
"Hello Mellow" you cut in cheerily.
"What kind of shit are you spreading today?""I'm just explaining how the collective action model demonstrated by human workers can make everybodies life better! And it's not shit!"
You decide that some goading inspiration is in order.
"Well even if the idea isn't shit, which I will add that it is, the fact that it is coming out of your mouth makes it so. Nobody cares about the political thoughts of a House Maiden who hasn't put in a real days work in her life! Get a job hippie!" Mellow gets flustered. "I take care of the kids, I assure you it's harder than it looks!"
You sneer.
"Bull. You only do the easy parts. Nurse the young ones and teach the well behaved ones music; that's all you do! Nobody says that your lot has to stay inside all day, you should get out there and make something of yourself.""Ms. Ynot" exclaims a gruff voice from behind you.
"As much as I agree with your diagnosis of Mellow's problems, setting the Maidens on the straight and narrow is my task, not yours."Twisting your head around, your eyes fall upon Steven Claim. You shoot him a half smile and a witty remark.
"Well if you did your job, I wouldn't have to, now would I?"Steven sighs and shakes his head. You can tell he is pissed for having walked into that retort. As a Eunuch who worked his way up from a simple guard to the Matrons right hand man, Steven makes no secret of the fact that he dislikes those born into privilege, yourself included.
"...Reguardless" he answers "I know why you have come, and it is not a discussion for the common hall. Leave your guards here, we shall discuss this in private over a drive."
Steven sends for his 66 Mustang, a cherry red car that has been modified so that legless Nagakind can drive it. The car is protected by a weak glamour spell, designed to prevent mundane humans from noticing the beings that are inside. He had you soup up the engine with some mechanical magic as well; you charged him an exuberant amount to get the job done.
You get in the car and coil up on the seat. Steven fires up the engine and the two of you set out on a nice drive across the hills of San Diego.
"Listen Sarah. The Matron told me what she has put you up for. All respect to her, but the timing is stupid. Tensions are high with both the Posiden Family and the human Warlock Congress. I can't afford to give you one of my valuable Maidens for this."You shake your head.
"But you can't afford to go against the Matron's will, can you? So you are just going to offer me somebody who you want to get rid of, and would likely make a poor Matron, correct?"Steven nods and smiles, despite the mutual bad blood between the pair of you Steven and yourself often think alike.
"Precisely. You can take Rawlanda or Calathes. Both if you want."You consider the offer. Rawlanda's drinking problem and explosive temper is well known to the entire bay area supernatural community. The thought of having to travel with her sends shivers up your spine, although you reckon she could be good if a fight breaks out.
Calathes, to put it politely, is touched in the head having never advanced mentally beyond the level of a seven year old. You briefly dream of being able to manipulate a mentally challenged Matron as a puppeteer adviser, but then you remember that you would first have to escort the overgrown child on a dangerous pilgrimage
You suspect Steven is open to negotiations; he wouldn't have decided to take you on a long car ride if he didn't expect a long discussion on the matter. The poor overworked Eunuch often has odd jobs that need doing, and you do hold the power to appoint a successor for the position of College Sage, perhaps you could offer it to one of his cronies in exchange for your choice of Maiden.
The fact that he seems reluctant to part with personnel in general troubles you though. You will need more than Maidens to successfully complete the pilgrimage, and you don't want to have to perform a favor for each Eunuch guard or Manspawn diplomat you take along with you...
Personal Status:Name: Sarah Ynot
Gender: Null
Species: Blue Naga
Gendercaste: Serpent
Health: Good
Titles:
Sage of the Graois Family Magical College
Expedition Leader of the Graois Family Pilgrimage
Abilities:
College Sage: You own an impressive magical library, mostly focusing on Medical Magic, Transformation Magic, Mechanical/Technological Magic, and Ice Magic. As long as you have access to your library you may research spells of those schools, or any spell with a difficult roll.
Divine Purpose: You take a bonus to rolls when trying to persuade or otherwise interact with when your goal is to advance the cause of your pilgrimage.
Serpent Protection: You are greatly protected from miscasts, suffering only from the failure of the most mighty spells.
Memorized Spells:
(Spells marked with a * are perfected, and do not have a failure chance)
Autopathy* (Telepathic manipulation of Mechanical objects)
Disassemble Vehicle*
Mend Naga's Wounds*
Puff of Frost*
Defrost*
Rodent Form*
Mend Wounds
Transfer Debuff
Nurturing Touch
Planar Serpent Form
Human Form
Extend Form
Vehicle Transformation
Bolt of Ice
Spawn Frost Being
You have Direct Control Over Blue Factions
Purple Factions are part of your family, but not controlled by you
Green Factions are allied with your family
Black Factions are neutral
Red Factions are hostile
Graois Family Pilgrimage
This faction must prepare for and embark upon a great journey to allow for a Maiden to commune with a god and becom a Matron, starting a new family.
Expedition Leader: Sarah Ynot (You)
No other members. A Maiden must be added to this faction before the Pilgrimage can Begin
Graois Family College of Magic
This faction is responsible training family members in the arcane arts, as well as dealing expanding their own knowledge through research and experimentation.
Sage: Sarah Ynot (You)
Sage: Icarus Ynot (This Patron is your biological father. After performing the impressive feat of siring a serpent, Icarus has more or less gone into retirement. Nowadays the lazy bum hangs around to eat your food and leech your glory, but he is still good for catching human test subjects and running other minor errands)
Security: Axel Hugh (One of two meathead Eunuch Twins sworn to protect your life. Dumb but seems to be good in social situations with other Nagas)
Security: Rodrick Hugh (One of two meathead Eunuch Twins sworn to protect your life. Smarter than his brother and a decent mechanic)
Student of Medical Magic: Ssslzman (A young patron about to hit maturity. He is studding medical magic to keep the females he captures alive. Lives in the main compound.)
Student of Transformation Magic: Carmen June (A female Manspawn who keeps busy studying under you, working for the family business, and attending class at nearby UCLA where she lives in the dorms)
Student of Mechanical/Technological Magic: Kara Dread (An eccentric Maiden who has forsaken the family faith to join a dragon worshiping cult. Attempting to take her on the pilgrimage would be rather controversial. She lives and works at San Francisco Junk and Scrap)
Student of Ice Magic: Nathan Lamb (A male Manspawn who wants nothing more than to get involved in mortal politics to further advance the Matron's agenda. Nathan lives with his human wife and children)
Graois Family Main Residence
This is a large estate out in the suburbs where the majority of the family lives. Most of the maidens you would consider bringing on your pilgrimage are under the protection of this faction. The Matron lives here, but rarely exercises any authority.
House Leader: Steven Claim (A trustworthy Eunuch charged with protecting the Matron and running the day to day affairs of the family)
House Maiden: Sue Nels (A Maiden with some prior experience in hunting and raiding tactics)
House Maiden: Mellow Smith (A Maiden who is skilled with the guitar. She claims to be a hippie, and talks of all sorts of crazy causes, but is more than happy living the sheltered and regimented life of a Naga Maiden)
House Maiden: Desiree Lammar (A young Maiden with magical talent and a supposed Yellow Streak)
House Maiden: Rawlanda Schill (A Maiden with a raging substance abuse problem)
House Maiden: Calathes Dreamer (An innocent and childlike Maiden with a sub-optimal intellect)
House Maiden: Chloe *Last Name Unknown* (A Maiden with one arm and a debatable state of purity and honor)
San Francisco Junk and Scrap
A strange group of Naga outcasts and apostates that although loyal to the Matron dislike the current family leadership. They operate their own family business, a junk yard, where many of them sleep at night.
Cult Leader: Tito Gennovese (A male manspawn apostate who runs the San Francisco Junk and Scrap Busniess, as well as multi-racial cult that worships a nearby fire dragon)
-Full member list unavailable
Bay Area Auto
The main family business. Money from this successful if not rather seedy mechanic chain funds the continued existance of the family.
Cult Leader: Fargossso (A patron who runs the business, as well as the families hunting and military operations, with an iron fist and little patience for insubordination.)
-Full member list unavailable
Posiden Family
A rival family of grey naga who live across the bay in Oakland. They worship a classic Greek sea god. They are more numerous than your family, but somewhat less wealthy and prestigious when compared to most other California Naga Clans
Matron: The Amazon (Unlike your families' more traditional Matron, the leader of the Posiden Family loves lead military actions against other Naga.)
-Full member list unavailable
Other factions to be revealed later!
-Find and select one or more Maidens to serve as Matron Canidates
-Find somebody to replace you as head of the Family Magic College
-Build and equip a proper party to accompany you on the pilgrimage
-Find or create a portal that leads to another realm
-Depart on the pilgrimage
Author
Topic: You are a Naga (Read 4929 times)