Time to explain memory mechanics just a bit.
Weak memories of objects are gained just through passing. They typically last a short time when summoned and cannot return to your list of memories.
Strong memories are more permanent and can last a while, although they are still subject to limitations such as being vulnerable to dispel effects. Detached memories, such as environemntal effects and anything you cannot physically hold in proximity, cannot be returned to memory.
Lucid memories are memories integrated into your mind through years of training or study. They create a virtual copy of the original item, when used, and cannot be dispelled.
Dispel effects, when they remove an item, will wipe out weak memories and will return (strong) non-detached memory items to the owner's inventory.
Roll 16
Of course, the daggers a memory, can't be separated from me. This could have been planned better.
Grab one of the shady bandit's pike, and try to knock the man down.
(4)(2) You grab the pike unexpectedly, then try to shake it to knock the user down. [1][2] You rally aren't sure why you tried, because there is no way you can get enough leverage with just one arm.
You notice something about the two spearmen's faces. Both wear hoods obscuring the top part of their face with a dark shadow. But each has a scar to the side of his mouth... one has a scar on the left side, and the other has a perfectly mirrored scar on the right. You targeted the left scar one.
...
The Maceman's arm is damaged (3) and broken (cannot use weapon)
Your hand is stuck to the robe guy's chest!
The robe guy's torso is damaged (4) and he is in stasis. His torso is being drained (+1 damage per turn)
...
You have a ceremonial dagger
You have a black empty tome (black tomes must be written in red ink, and gain +2 positive dice if inscribed with an illusionary spell)
You have a Beech Javelin (Attack power: 3 (thrown), 1 (stab))
You have 10 Javelin memories (lucid)
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
Grab the fallen axe and rush to Zikal's aid, attacking the spearmen.
The axe feels unnaturally light, but it definitely feels real unlike the person wielding it previously.
You charge at the spearman with the right scar, seeing Zikal attack the other. The spearman turns his head to face you, (4)(5) and uses the weight of his pike to swing himself out of the way of your axe. Then, planting his feet on the ground, he swings the pike and bashes you with the shaft!
At the same time, the other spearman swings his pike outward... in the other direction. He hits nothing.
Meanwhile, the robe guy continues doing nothing, maintaining his shocked expression from the moment before he was stabbed.
...
Your left arm is bruised (1) and hurt (if your action next turn requires both hands, you get an extra negative die)
...
You have a charged 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
"Are ya insane?!" Leonhard dashes to the scene in order to protect the stranger, pissed beyond belief. "This is not the man ya look for. Did ya even bother listening to his description? These papers aren't as valuable to ya as I thought or ya'd have paid attention to me. Now, stand down and tell me what is happenin'." he says in a clearly exasperated tone of voice, a hand already prepared to draw his sword. All the crap happening during his short vacations already have him prepared to fight the elven girl in order to protect the wounded man.
Try to reason with the girl and protect the man.
The girl is rather inattentive, not bothering to turn her head while you talk. As you finish, she remarks:
Manta Rider: Not the guy? Eh, he'll pass out from the poison in a bit, but it's not typically lethal.
She twirls the knife around her finger a couple of times as she abandons the fallen man, whose diagonal wound consists of a thin line of scratches and tears in his shirt, coupled with three puncture wounds all equally spaced. You have a look at the ray itself, and sure enough its tail has three spikes on the end, presumably used to inject whatever poison its rider was referring to.
The girl kneels down to pet the ray, procuring a small chunk of meat, which the animal enthusiastically swallows.
Manta Rider: Karlo doesn't appreciate going off without a treat, so you owe me. By the way, you've got company...
The girl mounts the ray and floats off in the blink of an eye, toward the intersection from whence you came. For a moment, you saw the ray slide up vertically against the wall, a rather impressive feat of its agility.
In the center of the intersection, you see a noblewoman (in an outfit and hat reminiscent of a witch from the old childhood novels, but it also resembles a scholar's gown) with a pair of guards. The guards run after the manta rider, while the noblewoman in your direction. She walks not toward you directly, but toward a young man with a walking stick who also seems to be investigating the manta rider incident.
A woman rushes to the aid of the fallen victim, shouting gratitudes to you and embracing the injured man on the ground. She then shouts for a physician.
(the duchess speaks to you in the action below)
...
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
Walk over to the scene and try to figure out what is happening, and if possible, stop it from escalating into violence.
The manta rider sees the guards approaching and hops onto her mount, dashing right past you and the guards faster than you can hope to catch. The guards begin to (fruitlessly) chase the manta on foot, while the duchess herself approaches you and tips her hat just enough that you cannot see her eyes as she speaks.
Duchess Hafyne: It looks like that troublemaker is loose again... Anyway, I am told that the Kaiserin is looking for distinguished travellers and adventurers to perform a task for her. As her vassal it is my duty to inform you that you are eligible to enter the keep this fourth hour.
As she finishes, she also walks toward the soldier you saw earlier, the one who chased the manta rider out of the inn.
Duchess Hafyne: You there! I sense you are well-travelled. It is my duty to inform you that the Kaiserin seeks adventurers and travellers at this time, and you are welcome to visit her court at the fourth hour. You may tell the guards at the inner gates that you were sent by Duchess Hafyne of Hanov.
Her voice is definitely not the voice that you heard from the crystal, so the two quests are likely in conflict.
As you ponder these words, you are lept upon by a black cat originating from the shoulder of the mercenary from before. It bounces off your chest harmlessly, but it continues leaping off the ground and reaching toward your pocket--the pocket with the crystal in it.
...
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 (complexity of 1 or less) Aganis spells on the same turn. Spell complexity:
+1 if range is longer than 1-2 yards
+1 if multi-target
+1 if effect lasts more than a single turn (other than damage and status effects caused by the damage)
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
"The right questions."
Nobleman: Are you serious!?
He seems exasperated, perhaps justifiably so given what happened earlier.
Nobleman: Well excuse me miss Faerie Godmother, I don't have time to ask the questions you need. I must locate an acquaintance.
He starts to back away, keeping his eyes trained on where your face is supposed to be.
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. (Next hour: Turn 22)