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"The cave," you say.
"As much as I love attracting attention, I'd rather make a big entrance than waste my grand reveal on a bunch of woodcutters. Hunt along the way, will you?""Right you are, boss," says Erik. He picks up and sheathes his sword and the pair of you head through the woods. Erik picks up a handful of stones and as you go occasionally launches them at tree branches or distant bushes. About one in five throws results in a stunned woodland creature, which you drain for sustenance. It isn't revitalising in the way that sapient life force is, but it quenches your hunger. In between these periodic hunts, the pair of you speak.
"Teach me about magic, then, servant.""Well, boss, the first thing I should say is that this isn't wizardry." You give him a wry look.
"Hey, don't get me wrong, this is still magic. It just doesn't work the same. A different flavour of magic, you understand?""Elaborate.""Alright. There's, what, three different kinds of magic I can think of? There's miracles, what the clerics do. I don't really understand it but from what I understand they sort of act as focuses or vessels for their gods, and the gods do the magic through them. Tends to be quite complex magic, since there's a higher power guiding it. Then there's wizardry. Wizards have this sort of magic that draws power from the world, or from crystals or something. Not entirely sure. Some of them get power from doing deals with spirits. Either way, their magic tends to be quite simple. Not weak, just very straightforward. Healing isn't their bag, but they can make fire, create rain and whatnot.
"Finally, there's what I do. I'm a minstrel or bard, so I guess you'd call it bardic magic. It works through song.""How does magic work through song? That seems ridiculous.""Well, it's not really us doing the magic. You know I mentioned spirits earlier? Well, they're everywhere and they're mostly invisible. I don't know what their deal is, except that they're all naturals when it comes to magic. You can't talk directly to most of them either, but they seem to be at least vaguely intelligent. I know this much; they get bored, and they do deals.
"That's what bardic magic is. You make a very simple pact, of sorts, with a spirit. You play it music, and it does you a favour. Usually a single, specific spell. I can only assume that spirits are bored to tears, but by and large they're reliable.""So all minstrels can do this?""Gods, no. You can't just play a pretty tune and do magic. There's a step in between. So you know mana?""I... am aware of the concept. A sort of internal magic.""Kind of like that. Wizards consider it the basic 'fuel' of magic. Well, you have a certain amount in you - you won't know how much unless you exhaust it, and it recovers while you sleep or do this particular type of meditation that I'm not familiar with. Anyway, the trick is that you release a bit of this mana from yourself while you play or sing, and the music changes it so that the spirits can hear it.""So the spirits understand the words of the song?""Honestly don't know. Probably not. I know you need to have the right intention when you sing or play, though, so you need to think about what you want while playing. Songs usually work best for that, because lyrics.""So teach me a song, then.""Eh, it's not that simple. I can demonstrate a song, and I can teach you how to channel the mana, but you've got to try it for yourself to try and attract a spirit who'll bind itself to you. We'll start with a little light spell, pretty much all spirits can do that, so you can learn this anywhere."Erik spends about half an hour explaining how to sense mana within yourself, and how to channel it. It takes some practice, and you're not even sure you've got it right by the time he moves on.
"Now the trick is, you've got to mean it. Here's the one I sing..." Erik starts playing on his guitar as he sings.
"Glimmering of stars above,
Light my heart, light my love,
Spin your threads of shining bright,
Give to me the gift of light.
Shim'ring, glowing, gleaming, flowing,
Pool your pow'r within my arms,
Shining, blinding, dazzling, binding
Light that heals all harms."Between the first and second verse, you see just a wisp of silvery light around the head of Erik's guitar. As the song progresses, more and more wisps join it until it becomes a clearly gleaming ball of silvered light. Something about it seems to have the quality of starlight, and it casts a white sheen onto the forest around you.
You stare in quiet wonder at the globe, your face a mask not to betray your feelings.
"Now you try," Erik says. You take a deep breath, trying to channel your mana and repeat his words.
"Glimmering of stars above..."You sing the song through, then again and a third time to no avail. Nothing happens.
"It's alright," says Erik.
"Sometimes it can take days to -""No," you say.
"The words feel wrong." You take another breath.
"Raging flame of heat and light,
Humble me before your might,
Spread your wings of scarring fire,
Terror in my heart inspire.
Burning, peeling, scarring, screaming,
Hatred flow and never cease,
Blist'ring, frying, howling, dying,
Join with me and bring release!"You stretch out a hand as you sing, and tentatively at first you see orange flickerings and ribbons in your palm. As the song progresses, you see streams of flame course and dance in a spiral, building and building until you hold a tiny, miniature sun in your grasp. It casts a warm, orange glow on your trees about you. The fire is cold, light but not heat, but to
this light you feel connection.
"Oh. Wow. I really wasn't kidding about it taking days. Well done. Ah, that should last about an hour, maybe longer." There is a slight lack of enthusiasm to Erik's voice, as if he is unsure whether or not this is reducing his life expectancy. He gestures ahead, to a hillock from which a cave mouth emerges.
"Well, here we are. Dawn's not long now, mind."A glance overhead proves the truth of his words. The sky has turned from a black to a dull blue, threatening the glimmer of dawn. Still, a quick investigation of the cave proves it spacious, comprised of about three large natural caverns and only slightly damp. This might be a good time to turn in, or at least to disappear into the caverns.
"Ah, if it's all the same to you, boss, I'd like to catch a bit of supper for myself and perhaps get a nap during the day?""Sure. I'll kill you if you aren't back by the evening.""Right. Thanks, boss. What is the plan for tomorrow night?"Mike the Wight
Health: 11/11
Buzz: -/5
Mana: ?/?
Might: 4
Stealth: 4
Will: 3
Armour: 1/1 [Adds 1 to deflection, soaks 1 damage.]
Sustenance: 2 Days
Drain Life: On a successful attack, drains life directly from the victim and adds to your health pool, or to sustenance. No cost.
Create Wight: A victim you have recently drained of all life can be brought back as a wight under your complete control. Cost: Health. The total health you spend creating the wight will be its new (and total) health. This is a permanent subtraction from your own health. The new wight's stats will be half of your own (no subtraction).
Frenzy: If you are sufficiently buzzed up, you can turn some of that into rage to keep you fighting. Effectively increases your Might by 50% during a single fight. Cost: 4 Buzz / [Might] Buzz (whichever is higher).
Song of Light: You can create a small sun-like ball of light. Cost: 1 Mana
Fine Leather Trenchcoat Ensemble (Armour: 1/1)
Satchel
21 copper pennies.
Your grave rags.
Belt
Twin knives (2d4 damage)
Erik the Bard (Oathbound)
12/12 hp
Average Hunter
Competent Swordsman
Author
Topic: Wight [ISG/TSG] (Read 18462 times)