This is going a little bit slowly for my tastes, but that's better in my opinion than throwing off the turn structure and confusing people. That seems to be the downfall of a lot of my games.
I'm not planning to make any changes at the moment, though.
"Odd... I guess I should look into this tome more."
Reclaim my thrown javelins and convert the soul-bound ones into memories. Keep track of the axeman and maceman.
The tome is empty with not a word or sign of writing on any of its pages. It appeared as the last of the Shady Figure's body sank into the ground, at the location of the man's heart.
Its cover is made of dark black leather, its spine bound with golden thread. It features a lock on the front, with a key tied to it by string. The tome's face is adorned with a solitary blue gem.
You also note that, holding it, your thoughts seem to clear. The noise made by animals scavenging the ruins, of grass rustling in the wind, and by the three humans around you all give way to the howling of the wind and an eerie, solitary silence.
You collect your tools and then notice Wilhelm tasking a swing at one of the axemen. You don't hear it well, though, because hold the book in your hands.
...
The Maceman's arm is damaged (3) and broken (cannot use weapon)
...
You have a blank tome
You have a Beech Javelin (Attack power: 3 (thrown), 1 (stab)) (must be recovered)
You have 10 Javelin memories
You have about thirty Hours
You remember the Lady of Winter
You remember a giant eye
You remember many pixies
You remember a band of Arinthian soldiers and some bandits
You remember a bandit sinking into the ground
Traits and Skills:
Forest Ranger
>Gain +2 positive dice when navigating and moving through the wilderness, as well as performing stealthy actions
Javelineer
>Your targets get +2 negative dice when you target them with a javelin
Noble's Education
>Gain +1 positive dice when learning from writing or conversing about literature
Shapeshifter
>You have unlimited strong memories of forest animals
Cynical
>Others will press any advantage...
Xenophobe
>Foreigners always disappoint
Injuries:
none
Take away axe man's axe. Punch him in the face if he tries anything. Then collect mace man's mace as well. Also get my arrow back, those things don't grow on trees you know.
You release the bow, and move on to collect weapons from the surrendered troops. [1][3] Axe man refuses and jumps back.
[3]/[4]
[6] You swing at him with mighty force, [4]/[6] but axe man dodges it.
Axe man: My weapon! You cannot take it!
It does seem like a nice axe, with a well-balanced head and a long, slightly curved grip designed to maximize swinging force. Its blade is encrusted with ancient Borian rune-language along the end, and despite years of wear the runes still stand out from the surrounding rust and scratchwork.
You've not yet collected the arrow.
...
You have an uncharged large greatbow (Attack power: 3 (charged), 1 (uncharged)) (charging takes one turn of preparation)
You have 13 arrows in your quiver (Attack power: 1)
There is one recoverable arrow near the Old Fortress Mound
You have an important scroll in a copper cylinder
You have about one hundred Hours
Traits and Skills:
Man of Steel
>Gain +1 positive dice when using melee weapons
>Your opponents get +1 negative dice when attacking you
Fists like Hammers
>Gain an additional +1 positive dice while unarmed
Bow Mastery
>Your targets get +2 negative dice when you target them with a bow
Illiterate
>What's a book?
Amnesia
>You have forgotten many things
Injuries:
none
Thank the woman, and take a quarter of the coins, leaving the rest for he beggar. Afterwards, ask around for the current state of the magicians guild.
Archae furrows his brow, and paces about trying to think (in vain) of what kind of power could be doing this.
[2][2] The coins are worth about twenty Hours total, which means five for you and fifteen for the beggar, who gives you a look that can only be interpreted as scorn. You
are poaching his earnings, after all, and while you cannot speak, you can at least walk.
You overhear the other mounted person speaking to the woman as she returns:
Nobleman: Why are you tossing out your husband's money, m'lady?
Noblewoman: I am his human side, count. Had you any heart, you would have done the same thing.
Nobleman: That is quite an accusation, but I regret it's true that I've no patience for beggars. I apologize for speaking so brusquely, my duchess.
The army and horseback riders pass, leaving the streets open for the burghers to congregate once more.
As for the mysterious speaking crystal, it appears to be linked to your sense of touch, having only "activated" as you were about to give it away. Perhaps it was not a coincidence, then, that you acquired it, but rather intentional. Whether the stone itself is intelligent or whether it is some magical artifact eludes you.
[2][2] You ask around for information on the magicians. Most criticize you for even wanting to talk to them, and so your efforts lead you right back to the beggar. You decide to ask him if he knows anything.
Beggar: S'for those with tricks up their sleeves. Y'got any talent you wanna show?
...
You have a spiny walking stick (Attack power: (attacking head) 2, (attacking other parts) 1)
You have a silversteel falchion (Attack power: (on odd swings) 3, (on even swings) 2)
You remember your time in the wilderness well
You have some sandwiches and citrus
You have a Sprite Trap, labelled with the words "Samantha Magdelene, professor at U.T"
You have about seventy-five Hours
Traits and Skills:
Mystical Learning
>You can create and cast simple Aganis spells on the same turn
Animal Handler
>Gain +2 positive dice whenever animals are involved, unless you are hunting them
Wilderness Survival
>Gain +2 positive dice for actions involving gathering natural resources, starting fires, tracking, and other survival skills
Photographic Memory
>Magical memories and thoughts last longer.
Cannot Speak
>Silence is golden
One-Eyed
>Your targets gain +2 positive dice if you attack them from a distance
Injuries:
none
Leonhard huffs. Sometimes he wishes he was less curious than his cat is, or at the very least less prone to finding himself in problems; it was supposed to be vacations of sorts for him, damn it! Despicable, unfair piece o' treacherous crap that man was, and the mercenary was going to make sure he didn't escape that easily.
Give chase to the man. Get some warm clothing beforehand, though.
[2][5] Some warm clothing won't be difficult to come by, especially since your target has scattered half the contents of the room over the bed. You slip on a fur coat from the half-open wardrobe, then enter into the hall and almost collide with a stranger.
It appears to be a short elf-girl, slightly less than five feet in height and wearing a bright green dress with white frills around the sleeves and edges. You assume it's a child, who became lost when--
Girl: Where are the papers?
She interrupts your thoughts speaking in a tone of arrogance, rather surprising for an unarmed girl speaking to an experienced soldier.
At the same time, you hear the door creaking on the other side of the hall, past a turn. You do not see who is at the door.
...
You have a Zweihänder slung on your shoulder (Attack power: 4) (can only be used offensively every other turn)
You have a Katzbalger (Attack power: 2)
You have an arquebus (Attack power: 3) (Your opponent gets an extra positive die to dodge)
You are wearing light plate armor (incoming attacks lose 1 attack power if over 1)
You have about one hundred and fifty Hours
Traits and Skills:
Charisma
>Gain +1 positive dice when speaking with others and persuading them
Veteran
>Gain +1 positive dice to defense rolls, and your enemies gain +1 negative dice to their defense rolls
Swordmaster
>Gain +1 positive dice to attack rolls with long, bladed weapons
Sharpshooter
>Your targets get +1 negative dice to their defense rolls
Noisy
>You get +1 negatice die to stealth, and an additional +1 negative die if you are wearing armor
Old Pains
>In cold weather, without thick clothing, you get +1 negative dice to all actions
Injuries:
none
silently wait for them to find something else to do.
[5][6] The three men scour the area for signs of sprites, changing tactics every so often as Thelmax identifies various fantasy critters off the top of his head.
Eventually, the nobleman states he hears the voices no longer, and suggests that they call off the search. The clergyman nods, and bids farewell to the nobleman as he leaves. Thelmax returns to his chair in the study, leaving the nobleman alone to search the halls for his friend, the scholar he came to meet.
The nobleman moves out into the dark hallway, toward the stairwell that led to this corner of the university. The tunnels are dark, and it's difficult for a human to see. That said, there is always a glint of light at corners where the gaslamps are located, which is enough to bounce light off the metal nameplates on the office doors.
For a university, this place looks more like some abandoned castle, what with the lack of lighting and winding hallways. One could almost get lost in here.
Traits and Skills:
Secret Powers
>DoOOoobillidabidydappidydap dipigillidydapda!
Current Stat Modifiers:
+0/0 positive dice to attack rolls
+0/0 negative dice to enemy attack rolls
+0/0 positive dice to defense rolls
+0/0 negative dice to enemy defense rolls
Injuries:
none
It is the 3rd hour after noon, and the Twin Suns are obscured by a cloudy blanket.
Author
Topic: Pastblasters - Adventures in Wizardry (Turn 55) (Read 91280 times)