First Month of the Journey End: All Or Nothing"Hey hag, you wanna come hunting with me?
Elythus, still fuming with anger from his previous meeting, decides to go hunting for new beasts, taking the hag with him.
((If Magha is willing. If she isnt Elythus, will go hunting alone.))
Accompany Elythus. A chance to explore the underworld beckons, how could I resist?
"Naturally, ehehehehehehehe!" The hag replies, giving her hammer a few warmup swings.
Moreau's too busy with his own activities to partake as actively and vigorously as he'd like, but tags along all the same.
6+2+2: [15]
6: [5]
Magha discovers a small herd of what look... a little like ghost-white gazelles with coal-black shoulders and stripes, but they're smaller and far more wriggly and nimble. Magha has a good time crippling a few to bring back for training and/or devouring.
Elythus, on the other hand, picks up what he thinks might be tracks from some kind of dragon or other great reptilian beast. The trio follows his lead a bit further from the caravan than they might otherwise go, eventually emerging into a grand cavern lit from above, illuminating...
WHO DARES ENTER OUR SANCTUM?The force from the demand is palpable, literally shoving all three of you back a few inches. The thing at the center of the grand cavern is huge, has a ghostly glow to it, and is probably best described as a hydra with incredibly thin necks and narrow skull-heads aflame with white fire.
You all sense that you have made, if not a mistake, then at least an unusually ambitious decision.
Interaction, Recruit!
(Hmph, no time like the present...)
*From the shadows* "Rio, please introduce me.
...((If she runs off then I will attempt to assume a form that could pass for one of her kind and then resume the attempt.))
I have come upon the duty of protecting these people, and I see within you the potential to help me. This caravan has many protectors, guards, soldiers, even gods, but I fear that they are vulnerable. Guards can be corrupted with promises. Soldiers too easily fall into predictable routines. Even gods can be swayed by their politics... I would have this endeavour be protected by something more. I seek to have these peoples be protected and cared for by unique guardians. People who do not hold public council, so do not meet with those who might corrupt them. People whose unique abilities and rare actions are wholly unlike the existing guardians. People chosen for their virtue and legends raised free from the bindings of social strife and guided by a simpler cause. I would raise from these peoples those who would champion their interests, and I would have you be the first of my champions... Do you accept?"
Assuming that they accept.
Miracle: Grant my champion powers of darkness. The ability to generate and control and absence of light. To conceal their presence, to blind others, to confuse the location of an object, and, with great focus, to cause harm by suppressing the very existence of that which would be visible.
I appoint Rio here to be your guide. Rio, you are to tell her if you she is needed, to council her training, and to aid her ability to meet her duties. And you, champion, are to protect and shelter Rio and heed their council. And do not reveal your identity. Perhaps later, when your legend is known, but a champion's legend will be better built with mysteries to fill than a mundane history, and it would be best not to tempt those who know you with what your authority as a champion could bring... But it people doubt your origin, you may share my involvement.
Rio's interaction: Train the champion.
"I do!" she responds, resolutely and immediately. Usually people being offered power from talking animals are at least a
little cautious. Or confused. Or curious.
6+2: [6] Things go a little... ominous. She gets the powers, but they seem to affect her a little...
deeply. The kind of thing that slowly starts affecting her and eventually results in her going crazy and/or evil as she slowly becomes a shadow herself.
You continue your speech.
"Sure thing Boss!" Rio pipes up.
"I won't let you down!"You wonder if she'd be that enthusiastic if she knew you'd maaaaaaaybe gone a little less precise with your blessings than would be ideal.
Cordion Interaction
"Higo dear, I've got the most fabulous task for you and by that I mean you get to spend a few months talking about walls! The Soul caravan seems to want to build a glorious fortress and considering your exceptional knowledge of the architectual arts, I thought you were the perfect man for helping them. Now, I do expect some status reports every now and then if you hear anything interesting, but besides that you're free to do as you wish. Just don't get into any trouble now or that would make problems for dear Mistress."
Send Higo to the Soul caravan and request Cordion that he get a guard to keep him out of trouble.
"Now this sounds like an opportunity! To uh, help them and us, of course!" he adds on noticing your stare. You pass along a message to Cordion to keep an eye on him just in case, but he probably won't do anything too bad. Not before there's anything to build, at least.
Leader Meet
Orphella raised her arms in defeat. "Very well, I guess I can't force you to change your mind. Before we end this leetle meet-and-greet, I have a request. Are any of you aware of any intelligent youths amongst your caravan who would be amniable to a little training? I mean to raise a cadre of scholar-soldiers once we get to Paradise and getting a few trained now is far better than waiting around."
They mostly consider this a bit, before most of them mention a few options.
-Archer-of-Dawn has a nephew who's always been a little bookwormy, which is difficult indeed on a world without terribly much writing; he mostly specializes in ancient stories.
-Archer-of-Dawn also has a very young individual she dodges questions about, but who is apparently "disturbingly perceptive."
-Princess Kur suggests her torturemaster and son, but notes that he'd need to be well-protected. You've heard Fray mortals tend to be edgy about their male relatives, but you're not terribly clear on the details.
-Princess Kur also has a personal slave she'd be willing to loan you. She assures you she's very bright.
-Chorus helpfully provides a shiny crab or mite like entity that fits in her hand, assuring you 'Mr. Scuttles' is an exceedingly fine scholar and scribe.
-Chorus also has a "practitioner of arts most foul" who'd love to be let out of his literal cage. Why the Wrack caravan has a caged practitioner of the dark arts is not something you're terrible clear on.
-Cordion has a scholar-in-training specializing in sword arts and motion. He mentions that, like any of his caravan, the boy would be honored to learn at your feet.
-Cordion also has a necromancer from what you suspect is a rival house, given his reluctance. Being a necromancer is highly unusual but usually too abstract to carry any blasphemous overtones on Soul.
-Stemmas has an "operative" who's quick and clever enough to qualify as a scholar "if only he weren't so useful."
-Stemmas also has a minor noble girl he'd like to find good use for for political reasons. Cordion assures you she's more than passable for intellectual pursuits.
Interaction: if the leaders dont advise me on recruits, scout out the caravans for youths with great intelligence and could survive a fight.
Interaction: Begin teaching the illiterate how to read and write.
Interaction: Scout ahead and see if there are any Materials in the underworld that can be transported back to the caravans. Take everything that isn't defended.
Miracle: fretting over the pace the Mirror had put the caravan in, Orphella blesses a few members of each caravan with an aura that reduces the feeling of pain and reduces fatigue.
Miracle: listen to prayers.
((Wait wait not yet, I still need to process everyone else's actions and the caravan stats. You'll get a monthly expedition update to signify the start of the next turn. Also personal, NPC, and expedition stats.))
"I am just trying to inquire as to how you find your job, Archer of Dawn. I mean no offense. I am, after all, a God of protection. Making sure people are protected is my business."
"Well then. At the moment we are fine. I find my position quite amenable, thank you, and cannot wait to arrive at our destination and begin our true work."She pauses a moment in thought.
"I suppose I should thank you in person for the potent artifact. If you wished to help, our hunters could use shielding to allow them to go on more dangerous missions. At the moment this place is too dangerous to travel and work freely in."(Revised action post)
The Body of the Shield
Set Artifact to Mourn Caravan
Interaction: Talk to Archer-of-Dawn and see how capable of a leader he is, make sure his proud and greedy personality won't get in the way of a successful settlement.
Interaction: Establish a healthy relationship with the people of the Mourn Caravan
Miracle: Bless the caravans with greater sustenance, requiring less food to go each step.
Miracle: Scout around (both physically and if possible with magic) for greater entities of the Underworld, that might perhaps pose a danger to the success of the mission. See if they can tell us anything about praise with my godly persuasion powers.
Tee'il
Interaction: Talk to the guide, and see if she knows anything about Paradise that we don't (roll charisma!).
Relationship6: [5] You relax in your element, talking among your people.
This, of course, leads to Problems.
Like most Mourn natives, you're familiar with a number of wise phrases and sentiments more or less applicable to certain situations. One such proverb is usually translated along the lines of "None are so foolish as those you know well." The deeper intent of the saying is that your own groups tend to be familiar enough to you for you to understand all of their flaws in exquisite detail, with a certain amount of irony intended (another translation/version is "None are so
vile as those you know well").
In this particular case, Mourn's tribal nature is on full display. Specifically, you end up dragged into a clannish standoff between a leatherworking family and an herbalist family. Like most tribal conflicts, this one has a root cause that's not terribly relevant to anything; the real issue is that everybody wants to look strong and nobody wants to look weak, and this has spiraled out of control into a public spectacle that must be resolved to let everyone know where these particular groups stand.
The instigators, both rather drunk, are now insisting that you, Great Protector-God of Paradise, declare a victor. There really isn't a good way out of this- you could duck out of choosing, but it'd look bad for you. Most likely they'd say the power or association with outsiders has gone to your head (Mourn natives are bizarrely xenophobic and phillic at once; they tend to severely distrust or dislike anything they can't see, but will freely trade, intermingle, and even merge with visible outsiders if they don't have any better ideas).
The two sides are somewhat multifaceted. On the one hand, you have the actual familial groups, each of which would appreciate or scorn your support or condemnation as appropriate. Then you have their professions, leatherworking vs herbalism- favoring one would imply that profession was better than the other, especially if you phrased it as such. Those professions in turn touch on some hunter/soldier vs gatherer/civilian type stuff that could be played up or down. The attached clan structures also bring the leatherworkers insinuations of Chieftain Tusk, prophecy, and weather. The herbalists are attached to Chieftain Bristleback, the dead, and food. Depending on who you side with and why, your decision will imply or openly state things about the aforementioned items.
On the bright side, being dragged into this ridiculousness is a testament to your respected position, and playing along will help cement that even among those you slight (though as a villain, of course).
Sustenance6+2: [7] You bless the expedition with sustenance, giving them an aura of manna to lessen the physical food they must eat. It's spread rather thin, but it does help.
Scouting6+2: [10] You sweep around the edges of the expedition like a dowsing rod for evil, using enhanced sight to see malice like others see light.
What you find both alarms and calms you. It takes you a while to refocus your sight to the point where you can see them, but in the long view, great masses of something you don't think you want to meet emanate throughout the Underworld. They are slow-moving, however, and as you get used to them it seems as though the expedition's path will take you between them without incident. Perhaps your guide is handy for more than just finding the physical path.
Other things are less reassuring. The expedition appears to be being hunted by at least one pack of... something. They're slippery and cautious, fleeing before your approach, but your divinely empowered senses can detect them nonetheless. If they're cunning enough to avoid (and notice, for that matter) you, and malicious enough to show up in your sight beyond sight, and persistent enough to slink close, they are without a doubt dangerous to the expedition's wellbeing.
Oh, um, just spread the food out to all the trains evenly? Do Soul's people even eat? Oh, just spread it around evenly.
Returning to privacy with the ivory tusk it was time to forge. Imbuing magic to deform and reset the bone into a more convenient form...
Now, to work on a trinket for my first champion. Best to make them resilient, losing them would look bad. Something to endure the influences of this place too... And something to mask them, a champion can gain such an image if they have no past to shadow them.
Miracle: Craft the Mammoth Tusk into The Mask of Vital Triumph. Build arm-guards, face plate, crown-guard, and, if possible, an armoured flared-tunic/dress with a downward-pointing triangle motif. Attempt to have the set retract to just the top-half of the mask when the face-plate is removed and expand to the full set, fitted to the wearer, when the mask is placed on the face and its name is recited. Attempt to have it grant the wearer the ability to resist its removal by applying their will directly to the task.
Its basic properties should be an enhancement to the wearer's life and spirit, granting accelerated healing and and an increased scope of what can be healed along with a resistance to afflictions and corruption. It should also grant the ability to trade the wearer's future potential for their immediate ability, granting a great temporary boost to their general resilience at the cost of a prolonged weakness. Try to allow the bolstered life to add some minor cosmetic effects, perhaps a touch more muscle-tone, bouncier brighter hair, bolder and more defined voice, maybe even a squeak more height, just make their image a bit more impressive...
Throw in the standard "Won't shatter to pieces the first time it is struck with a basic blessed claymore" and give it a self-regeneration ability while the upper-half of the face-plate remains in one piece.
6+2+2: [10] Your mask comes out... great. Really great. Really, really...
...
Just once you want to make something that doesn't eat your soul.
The mask itself is fantastic, a bone half-mask that extends into a triangle-scale/carapace war-gown on being activated. It also extends and fuses with the bearer's life force, tending to make them bigger, more colorful, more vibrant and alive than they normally are, to the extent that they might not be recognized even without the mask. It even produces a palpable, visible aura when they're exerting themselves, which enhances their image further. The resulting composite is greatly resistant to and adept at recovering from corrupting or injuring effects, and can even channel their power into enhanced physical abilities or outright launching bolts of energy from their hands.
However.
The mask comes at a price. Two prices, specifically. One, the wearer has to pay back much of what they spend while it's active, resulting in a greatly weakened state after use. Getting accustomed to it should help them massage the intensity and duration of this condition a bit.
No amount of training is going to help with the other problem, though.
See, the mask sort of, kind of, maybe possibly
creates an evil shadow clone of yourself. Initially this just dwells within the mask, but as the user uses it more and more, their evil half grows stronger and eventually gains the ability to outright manifest as a dark version of themselves complete with a dark mask and its associated powers. Worse still, advanced users can dig their holes a little faster by borrowing more power from the mask, resulting in all kinds of fun.
So... great mask, but
of course it creates an evil doppleganger of you. Obviously.
Miracle: Bless the Praise caravan with increased endurance.
Miracle: Bless the Praise caravan with strength.
Magha
Interaction: Discreetly kidnap a few suitable mortals from the Fray caravan for experimentation.
6+2: [8] You bless the Praise caravan with relentless endurance. You can see them harden and settle as their weak flesh becomes implacable and strong. They should have no difficulty with the coming march.
6+2: [6] You bless the Praise caravan with strength, but not as much as you'd hoped. They most certainly become noticeably stronger, arm muscles bulging, and together with the endurance blessing almost look like respectably hardened savages.
Higo6+2: [7] (oops, 2 str too high) Higo attempts to get the Soul caravan on the lookout for good anchoring stones, in spite of Cordion's protests that grown thorns will be the best material. They start to get a grasp on the Underworld's (local, at least) geology.
Useful-Scribe6+2: [7] (oops, 2 str too high) Sensing easy prey, Useful-Scribe makes her services available to the Soul caravan, helping to improve their efficiency while giving her a chance to wear down their wills. Being zealots already, Moreau doesn't notice this effect directly, though he's seen enough "most trusted viziers" for her to give him the creeps and convince him she's up to
something.Gio, Mio, Rio0+2: [1]
0+2: [-]
0+2: [1]
Gio and Mio spend the month sniffing out more champions. Gio doesn't find much, just a few adventurous youths and bitter youths. Mio mainly finds spoiled governor's fourth sons who would really like free power to do nothing in particular with. Rio prods Boss' Shadow Champion by reminding her she'll never be better than he brother, which mostly just annoys her.
Essa6+2: [12] Essa agrees to hang out with the Praise caravan, talks with people, tells jokes, drinks, gets into a drunken knife-throwing competition, and ends up in bed with one of Stemmas' lieutenants.
"So yeah, turns out Organum and Jakaku goaded Becrun the Silver into giving him the reigns to prove he couldn't handle it as well as a true Pelli," she casually mentions to Moreau the next day. Pell or Pelli are the proper term for Praise mortals, meaning "(from) pearl(s)," in reference to the fact that they were indeed supposedly fashioned from pearls by the Gods of Praise.
You wonder what else she learned from having a caravan leader's lieutenant smitten with her.
Tee'il6: [8]
Tee'il spends the month getting to know the guide better. It's a slow process, as the girl doesn't talk much.
She does report back, however, that the girl has a deceptive aura of seriousness about her. She suggests that she's not really the one to talk to her, and says that despite appearances she very much resembles the God of the Dead in spirit.
She also enjoys attention and headpats, at least from greater entities. She doesn't think she'd be much for physical gifts, but most likely has an appreciation for great works made with her in mind.
She finally warns The Body of the Shield that the girl is clearly... not
unnatural, per se- she is kin to the honored God of the Dead, after all- but steeped in tragedy and taboo. Courting her may be better left to
"fleeting spirits destined to break themselves on their own hubris."ExpeditionThe expedition faces a number of ravening... things. Some of them look like animals of a sort, though usually in the ghostly colors and skeletal motifs of the Realm of the Dead. Others appear to be shambling corpses or vengeful shades. The Body of the Shield provides advance warning for many of them, Orphella's shield seems to dissuade a few, and Bubbling Mirror's protections tamper the rest. The result is that they accomplish little save to make the expedition's defenders feel good about themselves, though even without divine assistance they appear to be minor hazards in the grand scheme of things.
Your guide accepts your proposal to move at a Steady pace, but with the mortals too nervously frantic to rest speeds up to accommodate them. Meanwhile, the thankful caravan leaders see no reason not to feast upon the bountiful food their gods have provided them.
Mourn-1 Health
Health Check: Pass, +1 Health
Frantic: -2 Health
Devours 9 Food (2x5 Trains -1 Blessing)
Food: +1 Health
Action: [8] The Mourn Caravan hunts, hoping to trap some new and forbidden beasts despite the rumbling from some individuals. They succeed admirably in this endeavor, claiming several powerful skull-helmed predators vaguely resembling big cats.
Fray-1 Health
Health Check: Pass, +1 Health
Frantic: -2 Health
Devours 9 Food (2x5 Trains, -1 Blessing)
Food: +1 Health
Action: [5] The Fray Carvan takes a strange turn, at least for everyone except Moreau, and starts wooing, coercing, and in a handful of cases ostensibly kidnapping individuals- usually men- from the other caravans. For Moreau, this is business as usual for the matriarchal Hive-Queens, who tend to consider men carriers of other clans' talents without being as politically dangerous and independent as rival females. Thus, they tend to jealously guard their own male spawn and viciously seek out others'. While breeding with softskins is not high on their list of ambitions, they must have felt there was enough talent available to make a go of it in this case.
Fortunately(?) their efforts have been largely stymied by the fact that keeping things
outside the expedition from snatching people away is a priority, diplomatic concerns limit them to less confrontational methods than they'd like, and they have a bad habit of being unrepentant thugs. They get a few individuals, but the primary benefit is probably the improved diplomatic experience and presence.
Wrack-1 Health
Health Check: Fail, -1 Health
Frantic: -2 Health
Devours 9 Food (2x5 Trains, -1 Blessing)
Food: +1 Health
Action: [8] The Wrack Caravan primarily concerns itself with herbalism over the month, gathering up specimens from a variety of fungus, flowers, trees bearing fruit of human faces, and so on. The result is an alchemical utopia available for study.
On the downside, their health suffers more than the other caravans. Part of this is probably their dabbling in death fungus and soul trees, but a lot of it seems to be the unusually high rate of nightmares, even compared to the other caravans. Chorus is fascinated but currently baffled.
Soul-1 Health
Health Check: Pass, +1 Health
Frantic: -2 Health
Devours 9 Food (2x5 Trains, -1 Blessing)
Food: +1 Health
Action: [6] The Soul Caravan begins, of all things,
quarrying efforts, digging out valuable stone where possible. They particularly strike upon a type of rock dubbed Bonegrip Stone, as it slowly calcifies anything touching it into a bonelike substance. They intend to use it for construction, apparently.
Praise-1 Health
Health Check: Fail, -1 Health No one cares, their flesh is iron. +1 Health
Frantic: -2 Health
Devours 9 Food (2x5 Trains, -1 Blessing)
Food: +1 Health
Action: [10] The Praise Caravan hosts a great hunt for the greatest of beasts, and trophies being streaming in from champions seeking glory.
The final victor proves a now one-armed lass whose group narrowly defeats a great worm, twice as wide across as a man is tall. It's far too big to carry back cleanly, but with some butchery and a great deal of rope the greatest of prizes is added to Praise's spoils.
You also hear rumors of some... internal dispute within Praise's caravan. Apparently Stemmas had claimed the God of Nature struck and cursed at him in anger, and the shameful display had led to Praise's mortals drawing away from the deity in question. Said god's relentless support of the caravan has begun to make them wonder about this, however, and the popular story now goes that Stemmas had in some way offended the god, who righteously chastised him for his inorganic arrogance.
It doesn't take much of a rumormonger to know this has infuriated the caravan leader, and the resulting turmoil has had a somewhat negative impact on the caravan's otherwise divinely-impenetrable health. Well, that and the intentional seeking out of the most dangerous things anyone can find, presumably, though the Praise mortals themselves steadfastly deny this.
With the month's end, the expedition has successfully moved a full third of the distance required, albeit somewhat unintentionally. The landscape has shifted numerous times, the meltwater of Mourn gradually giving way to patchworks and stretches of everything from noxious green to suspiciously, terrifyingly pleasant meadows.
The current stretch is decidedly dark, with tall, narrow caverns, too many spiderwebs, not enough light, and ominous echoes from afar. Your guide nods when asked if this will go on for a while.
Bubbling Mirror (Demonic Spoon)
6 Str
Shrieking Shell: +2 Str for actions involving protection or cowardice. Hostile working conditions or complications usually do not interfere with your ability to perform tasks.
Twitching Tentacles: +2 Str for actions involving speed or manipulation. You reflexively act on threats or problems in your vicinity even if not consciously aware of them.
-Frozen Barrier: +6 Str to a crafting attempt. Affinity for protection and stasis, as well as unknown alien qualities.
-Shifting Map: Covers major routes of the first third of the Underworld. Somewhat vague, but given the suspicious properties of the Underworld itself may be less deceptive that way.
Elythus Vineheart (vishdafish)
6 Str
Golden Crown: +2 Str for actions involving superiority or whim. Most other beings consider you beautiful and desirable in some sense.
Vineheart: +2 Str for actions involving savagery or fitness. You have a much easier time making others feral and strong.
-Whispering Heart: +6 to a crafting attempt. Affinity for released evil, feasting upon or corrupting others, and containment.
Moreau, God of Adventure (Roboson)
6 Str
Iron Heart: +2 Str for actions involving bravery or endurance. You tend to inspire those around you to struggle on.
Crystal Soul: +2 Str for actions involving determination or resolve. Your current emotions tend to inspire and influence those around you.
-Ephemeral Bones: These long pale bones are of indeterminate origin. +5 Str to a crafting attempt, affinity for ephemerealness and loss.
Orphella, Teacher (micelus)
6 Str
Iron Body: +2 Str for actions involving hardship or endurance. You are immune to most forms of suffering, debilitation, or pain.
Kind Soul: +2 Str for actions involving aid or relief. Those in need are prone to recognizing and appreciating your kindness.
The Body of the Shield, Guardian-God (Pencil)
6 Str
Keeper of the Cove: +2 Str for actions involving sustenance or preservation. You intuitively know how to sustain and preserve oneself or others even under difficult conditions or with sparse resources.
Darkwalker: +2 Str for actions involving battle with evil or unnatural foes. It is much easier to keep those near you from coming to harm.
Fuzzy (RAM)
6 Str
Whispers in the Dark: +2 Str for actions involving barter or persusasion. Entities have a difficult time refusing you outright.
Fate of the Fallen Star: +2 Str for actions involving emotion or conflict. You tend to get but not always keep what you want.
-Furious Star: +4 Str to a crafting attempt. Affinity for boundless energy and lack of restraint.
-Mask of Vital Triumph: Grants incredible resilience and strength to a chosen mortal. Also creates their evil shadow clone which grows stronger as they use it.
Higo (Mistress Orphella)
4 Str
Eternal Splendor: +2 Str to actions involving construction. You may gain or save resources on construction projects by compromising on material quality and supplementing actual work with illusory equivalents.
Targeted: Most people who do business with you wind up hating you, and people who hate liars and swindlers on principle tend to take issue with you for no reason at all. This doesn't exactly endear Mistress to them either.
Complementary: You don't know nothin bout helping or protecting people. Mistress don't know nothin bout building hospitals or schools or whatever. But together, you make an unstoppable duo! She's stingy about it, though.
Useful-Scribe (Father's Best Pawn Bubbling Mirror)
4 Str
Whispers of Tides Unforgotten: +2 Str for actions involving administrative or logistical work. Long-term exposure to your commands tends to warp victims into fanatical pawns.
Loyal: Father's Best Pawn is on the move! Time for Father's Second Best Pawn to make sure he has everything he needs!
Motivated: It's important to love your work, especially when that work is slowly molding the world into the proper shape for what is soon to come.
Bound: Father's Best Pawn is super important. Sure, there's always other paths, but this one's a real special path. It wouldn't do to lose it.
Exotic: Most beings are so flat. They exist here, and nowhere else. No wonder a bit of tickling from beyond and they change shape so easily.
Complementary: Father's Best Pawn is an action guy. He does stuff, frantically, desperately, reluctantly. Which is nice, but sometimes you need a framework for all that activity. That means somebody's gotta handle the gradual, deliberate, long-term stuff in the background. Somebody like Father's Second Best Pawn.
Gio, Mio, Rio (Boss Fuzzy)
0 Str
Voice of the Heart: +2 Str to actions involving emotional persuasion. You have an instinctive read on most beings' emotional states and triggers.
Loyal: You like to follow the biggest one of you around. Currently that's The Boss.
Exotic: Turns out most critters can't actually see emotions or what's causing them. Weird, but bonus points for you, you guess.
Duplicated: You and the Boss are basically the same critter, so it makes sense you'd do basically the same things- notably, convince people to do things they probably shouldn't.
Magha the Maimer (Pretty One Elythus)
6 Str
Bonesong: +2 Str for actions involving smithing or maiming. You may meld metal and flesh relatively seamlessly, and such creations tend to be more obedient or at least addled towards you.
-Wriggling Gazelle-Rabits: Strange things, made for running and screaming. They'll likely not do as much running as they used to, but they're always ready to scream.
Hated: Maybe it's the reputation for turning screaming victims into shambling horrors of flesh and metal. Maybe it's the way you leer at pretty boys while telling them how much nicer they'd look without their limbs, or sneer at pretty girls while explaining that their face is far too symmetrical and free of pain. Or maybe they're just jealous of your good looks and superior craftshagship. Whatever the case, most other beings don't like you very much. Their loss!
Targeted: The name Magha the Maimer is known far and wide as one of the vilest sources of crimes against man and god this side of The Masters. While this is among the highest praise, it also means your enemies include, oh, just about everyone and thing that takes issue with wanton crimes against the innocent. Oh, that also means your particular Pretty One might get a few dirty looks himself, which just goes to show how petty and unfair some people are.
Essa (Nephew Moreau)
6 Str
Fleshfire: +2 Str for actions involving healing or attrition. You can heal or modify flesh as though it were second nature to you.
Loyal: Your nephew looks like he's going places. Best make sure they're relatively safe places, you wouldn't want kin getting hurt and staying that way on your watch.
Bound: Close family becoming a new God of Paradise is pretty amazing. You'll have to keep an eye on him, though, make sure that works out okay.
Loved: Who knew running into danger healing other heroes made one so well-liked? The slightly forbidden enhancement magics probably help too.
Connected: Being the daughter of Kasha is not a terribly rare accomplishment, but it's a point in your favor nonetheless. Being a devoted and successful assistant to her clergy, and by extension the people, is considerably more valuable. Also being the spawn of Black Chrysanthemum probably doesn't help a lot with anyone but hags, but you'll take what you can get.
Complementary: Much like his father, your nephew is good at running headlong into trouble and dragging others along with him. Neither's so great at cleaning up the mess afterwards, which is where you come in. When protection isn't enough, determination can bypass the problem, but healing actually fixes it.
Tee'il (Flame-in-the-Dark The Body of the Shield)
6 Str
Circle of Swords: +2 Str for actions involving your sword. It is very difficult to move past you when you so desire.
Loyal: The Body of the Shield is a truly heroic man, one you have no doubt will continue to bring light to the darkness in the future. You wish to serve and assist this light in any way possible, and in doing so make the world a better place.
Complementary: The Body of the Shield is an adept fighter, but he is a warding fire. Sometimes a bone cage can block or trap what he cannot.
Mourn Caravan
4/5 Health
5/5 Trains
81 Food
Led by Archer-of-Dawn, Greedy Proud Hunter
-Crest of Goodwill: Those near this golden crest are more inclined towards generosity and goodwill, or else vacating its presence. Gift from Body-of-the-Shield.
-Feral Skullscreams: These catlike semi-pack predators are built for taking down big game. They are predictably unruly.
Fray Caravan
4/5 Health
5/5 Trains
81 Food
Led by Princess Kur, Scheming Ambitious Sage
-Handful of Specimens: A smattering of softskin males of potentially useful talents. Nothing terribly groundbreaking, but they're curiosities if nothing else.
Wrack Caravan
2/5 Health
5/5 Trains
81 Food
Led by Chorus, Wise Kind Sage
-Candle of Thought: Large candle of what look like melted metallic draconic skulls. Boosts learning rate of mortals studying near it. Gift from Orphella.
Praise Caravan
4/5 Health
5/5 Trains
81 Food
Led by Stemmas, Ambitious Proud Rogue
-Forging Tools: Fine Praise craftmanship intended to produce fine Praise craftmanship. Gift from Elythus.
-Major Blessing of Endurance from Elythus (expires at month's end)
-Corpseworm Corpse: This gigantic thing of bone and ghostly flesh should prove valuable indeed...
Soul Caravan
4/5 Health
5/5 Trains
81 Food
Led by Cordion, Cautious Inquisitive Commander
-Pharmaceutical Tools: Peculiar-looking but functional tools for medicinally-inclined alchemy and herbalism. Gift from Orphella.
-Bonegrip Stone. Gradually petrifies things touching it into bone.
Author
Topic: Guardians of Paradise [Journey Month 2: Kingdoms and Crowns] (Read 7356 times)