Archae shakes his head and says no more.
"I see," the Lady proceeds gracefully, without any scorn on her face.
"Walk these lands no more, and the Keepers will never know what happened here. You are free to keep the knowledge which I have given you. I need the crystal, however." He deposits it on the table.
"For the rest of us, then, it is settled! You shall set out when the lesser sun cools. Walk to Tyron and guide Willhelm to his destination. I shall keep in touch."((The hour has now ended))
((Pencil_Art has left. Wipeout1024 will be tactically inserted in a few turns.))
((Also I decided to timeskip. I hope nobody minds.))Roll 48
You enter the grand royal city of Tyron: a center of trade and commerce; seat of the High Bishop; a town of patrons and scholars; home to the Kaiserin herself.
It is a quaint city with relatively few persons walking the streets. Nothing at all compared to the capitals of other duchies, especially the rivercity of Ontford with its terraced architecture and rows upon rows of structures, carved from the rock itself. Tyron's remote location on a mountain surrounded by woods also doesn't quite contribute to the population. Nonetheless, it is a very important city, and the lack of people simply makes it less crowded. There is still every reason to be here!
Occasionally a noble proceeds along the main street, returning to his homeland. One female noble, a duchess in a black robe with many trailing scarlet ribbons including a scarf, rides past while smiling toward your party.
There is a guard posted near a fountain calling for bounty hunters to take into account a criminal that was recently found. A painting hung nearby shows a green-haired elf girl with the foreword "WANTED. DANGEROUS."
Willhelm's job is to deliver a message to a cardinal. Not the High Bishop, actually, who is elected based on a plurality in an annual meeting. You are looking for the Bishop of Tyron, whose seat is located at the Right Ward's church. It should be not far from where you are, although it is not immediately obvious from the skyline.
...
Your whole body is protected by some sort of green glow, visible in the dark (-1)
...
You have 3 black empty tomes (black tomes must be written in red ink, and gain +2 positive dice if inscribed with an illusionary spell)
Silent Wind of Night: Dispells all nearby items and detatched effects, regardless of origin. Shapeshifts, summons, and polymorphs are unaffected.
Phantom Lake Essence: Dark tendrils emerge from the book, ensnaring enemies that fail to dodge.
Unending Phantasmagoria: Dissolves a dead body to create a reanimated ghost in place of this tome. The ghost can use Shadow Blink and drops a black spell tome upon death.
You have a stack of spell tome pages and a black cover
You have a bloodied ceremonial dagger (Attack power: 3) (attaches to target and Drains it, suppressing it) (remembering a memory teleports this weapon to your hand)
You have a Beech Javelin (Attack power: 3 (thrown), 1 (stab))
You have 10 Javelin memories (lucid)
You have about thirty Hours
You have a royal goblet, a golden watch, and some jewelry
You remember the Lady of Winter
You remember many eyes
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
Your message is directed to Bishop Atarkxi, who should be found somewhere at a church in the Right Ward. This city is a terrible, winding place, but directions should be easy to find.
There are many beggars and cripples along the streets. Every so often a scholar or churchman will come by and heal them of their ailments using the magic taught in academies everywhere. This is a good place to be a cripple.
But there are more than simply beggars and cripples. You see a commandant of the Murikanberg militia among the beggars as one such churchman approaches. The churchman heals the beggars, but when he comes to the soldier whose arm is deformed, they seem to get into some sort of argument.
The Vile Spawn of Darkness follows you through the cracks in the brick walls, forming shadows which are only obvious to someone keeping an eye out for them.
...
You have a schematic of an iron arrow trap
You have a steel axe (Attack power: 1) (Deals piercing damage if the attack connects but fails to pierce)
You have an iron mace (Attack power: 2) (If the target has less than 2 damage, deals piercing damage)
You have a charged large greatbow (Attack power: 3 (charged), 1 (uncharged)) (charging takes one turn of preparation)
You have an uncharged Quickbow (Attack power: 1. Can fire twice per turn. Charging it allows you to fire two arrows per attack, four in one turn)
You have 11 arrows in your quiver (Attack power: 1)
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, as well as lifting and wrestling actions
>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
The city of Tyron is quite a famous place, known for its educated population and commercial centers. Nobles emerge from the center ward of the city, surrounded by walls. Apparently the Kaiserin held a meeting for all the nobles of the land, and invited them here. That meeting is long over, but several still linger in the streets, talking and making deals.
There are many conversations that catch your ear:
-A noble in the streets is looking for a new court painter. He is talking amongst some street performers and trying to deduce if there is any real talent among them.
-One scholar in a black and white uniform is looking for another scholar in a black and while uniform, whose name is Cherson Hallings. He seems to have gone missing.
-Some low-class burghers are trying to repair a strange machine in the middle of a marketplace, consisting of giant water barrel and a string instrument attached with a pipe. They seek someone who actually knows how to build one, because they surely don't.
-One noble appears traumatized. Her child has gone missing and her guards have split off to find the child, leaving her with only a single escort.
Above you is an open window, and you hear talking inside. While it's unintelligible from here, it should be audible if you climb up and hang onto the walls. There is a two-wheeled cart parked next to the building, along with a stack of barrels nearby.
...
You have seventy-five Hours
You have a iron dagger
Traits and Skills:
Informant
>You can easily locate opportunities for shady deals. +1 positive dice to persuasion.
The Savant from Savant
>+1 positive dice to deceptive actions, such as tricking people or stalking.
Stumbling Block
>Running away is difficult, both figuratively and literally. You get +2 negative defense dice from a target that discovers your covert actions
Meanwhile, Leonhard takes a few of the coins on the table and examines them. Upon making sure they don't seem some kind of mind trick the mercenary nods. "This works."
The coins are heavy. They are definitely made of their fair share of heavy metals. You try to compare one to a coin you already have, but you accidentally drop the two on the floor and can't tell the difference afterward.
...
Back in Tyron, you find that your favorite inn is still standing, although the burns are still there. The citizenry have left shelter and are beginning to set up their stalls again in the alley marketplace, although the acrid smell of burnt plant matter can be felt several blocks away. You spot a body collapsed on the side of the street, its skin charred and blistered all over. Near it are several burnt cabbages and, on his waist, a small bag plump with coins.
It seems that the crazy ray-riding girl is now wanted, as you see her portrait many times throughout the city. It seems her list of victims include a noble and the head of a merchant guild.
...
You have a black Cloak of Ash (protects against Ashlight and fire)
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
Efa decides to go to the city as well.
She stops outside the wall and starts hailing merchants, asking their destinations. By the time you meet her again (if you split off from her in the first place) far she counts:
-Three merchants heading north to the Ostlands. One seems hesitant to point out his final destination, so Efa surmises he is smuggling good past the blockade into the Vaykor lands.
-Four merchants heading along the Ranj river, selling Elvish goods and charms here in exchange for rare gems from the nearby mines, which they plan to sell across Arinthia.
-One merchant who plans to cross the great desert on camelback. His animal spits on Efa, who is promptly annoyed and runs away.
-One blue-faced elf merchant who claims to be a scholar from Wallace. He recently bought some books from a scholarly circle in Tyron, or so he says.
Traits and Skills:
Secret Powers
>DoOOoobillidabidydappidydap dipigillidydapda!
Current Stat Modifiers:
+2/(max 2) positive dice to attack rolls
+0/(max 0) negative dice to enemy attack rolls
+1/(max 1) positive dice to defense rolls
+0/(max 0) negative dice to enemy defense rolls
It is the 7th hour after noon. The skies are cloudy and it is starting to hail.
(Next hour: Turn 58)
Author
Topic: Pastblasters - Adventures in Wizardry (Turn 55) (Read 91440 times)