(Wow.)
That was definitely an enlightening experience. Thank the necromancer and ask him how often do I have to eat and if he has anything I could eat. Then feed on a homeless person if I'm hungry and try to find the other witches. Maybe Vince knows where everyone else is.
"Eating? You're dead, man. You want to feed your gut bacteria or something? Your cells are semi-animated now, but they don't need
nutrients."
"You should feed on a full human once a day if you're doing strenous activity, and on a human-sized magical being if you're adapting your body or throwing heavy magic about. I don't have anybody for you to feed on, but there are plenty of mortals outside. Where do you think I got all these skeletons from?"
You say your thankyous and leave, clutching the broom/phylactery. You find a thickly bearded homeless man crouched in an alley, smoking something likely illegal, other nightlife giving him a very wide berth. Perfect. You narrow your eyes and prepare to join in the longstanding Coven tradition of preying on the most vulnerable in society.
Aim: 3+2
The man looks up as you approach, just in time to see you hurl the length of wood affixed to a dragon tooth javelin-style through his unprotected chest and into the soft, bloody heart. Euphoria fills you at once as lifeblood trickles fatally past bone, and you feel your magical ability pulse and increase for a few moments as you wrench the weapon from his chest, the dripping organ still impaled on the tip. The mortal having little puissance, the feeling fades, and you are left feeling satiated. Not that you couldn't do it again a few hundred more times.
You wipe the phylactery on the man's beard and leave him there. The police are going to have fun figuring this one out, as uncanny undead might and draconic strength have sheared through rib and cloth alike. The man has injuries like he's been hit with a ballista bolt.
Find other witches? You wander around Coven territory, and come across a woman you fought alongside earlier talking to what looks like a combination of Golum and a beaver.
"I understand now."
"This creature is one part of a whole. That whole was made up of four parts: this creature, the mind-meteorite that you destroyed, a symbiont that fed on what this creature consumed and is presumably the large power source that Vince found, and an intangible entity of some kind that can manipulate minds that kept each of the parts connected with each other."
"I plan to reassemble this creature. Since the mind-meteorite has been destroyed, I suppose that I will have to make do as a substitute for it."
Sir Worthington smiles after that last sentence, then calls everyone and updates them on the situation. What does Vince think about it/my plan?
"Oh, and I wouldn't recommend trying to get beneath this creature's hide- it apparently really, really doesn't like that."
"Also, I think I'm going to need some more mind-rocks at some point. I just used some of them to interact with the mind of this creature, and I'd rather like to study them in order to find out how to replicate the effect with something less... valuable as my focus."
"So, what are you going to do now, speed mage?"
Collect the molten mind-rock slag into a pile so that it will solidify into a new mind-rock.
Vince points out that you'd be using the resource the Coven wants, but sounds mostly unworried.
"Well, I've seen people hunt sky beasts before, but never met anyone who wants to marry one. I think it'd be a great plan if you were Benkazal the Fucking Awful the Necromancer, but you'll probably just end up dead. Always nice to see ambition though."
You manage to flick the slag into a pile. It doesn't seem to have any magical properties. Being melted down will often stop things working.
Head out undisguised, and along the way, try to estimate if my undisguised form would have had any problem with the money manager.
Check in with the river spirit, and apologize for not taking it more seriously and listening to what it was telling me. Tell it the story, that the rock monster we blew up and the glowing thing underwater are linked, and that there's two other giant creatures out there. Say that we're going to get the glowy thing out from the canal and shipped away, and ask it what it knows about the glowy thing, such as how big it is and if there are any guardians. Do ask if it can help us with diving gear, although for safety purposes I'll be getting a set for our own divers.
Your undisguised form would have needed mind-bending space-rocks too, but would probably have been about the same. She wasn't that into you.
The river spirit naturally panicks when you tell it that there are two more terrible sky-monsters that might investigate its canal, but you manage to calm it down after some rather brackish head-petting. It says that the glowy thing is as big as two shopping trolleys at least, but refuses to go any closer alone. It also mentions some "odd people" had been around the canal recently, but refuses to elaborate.
Rivals.
THIS TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER ALL THE ACTIONS BELOW: Do NOT be anywhere near the macroslug while worthington is messing with it. ONLY do these things if I have time while he's not messing with it, otherwise just watch him. From far away. Like, on top of a building.
Before doing the following, fly up and stand on top of the creature.
Make a bullet from the macroslug's skin. Does this make a hole in it's carapace, or just a dent? If it's a hole, how ling would it take to use this method to create a hole large enough to physically climb into?
Try creating fire inside the creature, bypassing the heat-resistant shell. Worth a shot, anyway.
Fly all around the macroslug and look for unarmored openings. If I can get inside, I can just bushwhack through its innards till I reach something vital. It must at least have something to eat with, being a greedy consuming force.
What's around here? Anything super-deadly I could lure it to? Like a hell-pit, or an acid pool or something.
If all else fails take a picture and prepare to write some fanfic about how I can totally pierce this thing with my machete. And ask Vince out strong poisons.
Worthington appears to be contemplating a yet more dramatic method of suicide, so you fly over and gingerly walk along the creature's back. Like being on a gentle hill. With very steep sides.
Bullet makes a hole in the carapace. To get a body-shaped hole? Between six months and three years, you reckon.
Fire does nothing. Doesn't even warm the skin.
There are a couple of promising ridges and furrows. Seem pretty tightly shut, but someone might be able to lever them open somehow. Maybe if it opened what passes for a mouth?
Around here? nearest thing is the powerful magical entity in the park. You fly up and look out over the suburbs. Some great creatures roam, indistinct through magical interference and cloud. Perhaps there are extreme dangers or places the thing could get lost, but it'll take a while (a turn+) of looking.
You take a picture.
I would like to join
Name: Don Joe
Backstory:
Physical Description: Don Joe (not his real name) is a 35 year old former banker. He discovered magic by staying late at the office in night and witnessing one of the human sacrifices at work, and immediately started searching around for further knowledge on the internet from his hidey hole. He played dumb, wasn't sacrificed, and the coven contacted him a few days later. He had mostly forgotten about magic, but something rang a bell, so he listened to their offer and joined up.
Magic Stats:
Ritual Strength - 2
Runic Sight - 1
Physical Stats:
Aim - 1
Agility - 1
Practicality - 1
You're in!
Vince talks you through what the Coven is (a chapter of some international group of witches, the only London one) and how magic works. Mortals can't see magical beings easily, unless placed under great stress, and forget/alter their memories rapidly. Witches draw power from London and anything else really, and make everyday objects into wands. Currently, the Coven is searching for a power source, and has identified a number of objects that fell from the sky, one of which will be what you're looking for.
Finally, Vince hands you a leaflet with the weapons witches can make detailed on it. Look in the First Post. Any more questions, ask Vince.
As Vince wanders out of his living room, two runes form at the back of your mind.
Market Savvy: You know what things are worth, and who will pay for or try to get them. From your time spent as a banker, a passive rune.
Acid: a rune that eats into whatever it touches.
Like painless migraines, the curls of light swim insistently across your vision before receding.
You seem to have a pretty good idea of whats going on, but if you want a more in-depth explanation of how stuff nominally works, just ask.
[I have no idea what to do...]
If you can't fight it, try going to fight someone else. Maybe another witch wants a bodyguard. Or try and find another solution.
Name: Nanami Adachi. (Nanami)
Unnatural beauty granted by demonic contract and the adoration of mortals. Slight charisma/popularity boost.
Power from mortal media.
Can create illusions.
Conscripted into twenty-nineth legion of Amdukias.
Puissance: 2 +1 not from Amdukias
Ritual: 0
Runic Sight: 0
Banal Combat: 0
Aim: 1
Melee: 0
Agility: 1
Praticality: 2
Inventory: £700
Backpack, expensive camera + memory cards
Quality sketching paper, art pens+pencils, charcoal, etc.
Sketches of self as main character, Amdukias, the non-mortal world, etc.
[Glass Rod Crystal Wand] - Enhanced slightly through media
Mediocre Pistol (4/6)
Large, fist-sized mind-controlling spacerock fragments.
Painting supplies, a glass cutter, battery powdered soldering iron, eighty feet of red cloth, white rag and thread
Puissance: 13/13
Puissant Clots: 2
Goethe T. Helle
Puissant fettle - 1
Ritual potency - 2
Runic sight - 1
Banal combat - 0
Aim - 1
Melee - 0
Agility - 2
Practicality - 1
Inventory: £20, clockface minus one hand, highlighter pens, two kitchen knives, half-empty cologne bottle
From the beast: one bone,
Italian Dinner suit, stored at Vince's place.
[Dog Collar Pendant][Molasses Clockhand Wand]
[Icecream Beast Blood Fur Chalice][Beast Remains Wand]
Runes:
Isolation: you never had many friends or allies, so are used to poor odds. +1 to rolls when outnumbered and alone.
Stoicism: a rune that calms those dealing with shock, tragedy or injury.
Perseverance: despite all the odds, you managed to kill a huge beast using nothing but hot syrup. Bonus to attack and extra damage to powerful or resistant enemies after several turns of combat or aggression.
Dwarven Weapon Storage: learned from a dwarf carrying a small armoury on his back. Increases load of weapons and tools that can be borne without being hampered or slowed down, or collapsing outright.
Ruination: when written, it makes a bad situation worse, and an irretrievable one more so. Learned after the second mission.
Puissant clots: 1
Puissance: 5/6
Name: Sir Worthington the Fourth
Has a demonic leg. Old leg is in possession of monarchs of hell.
Enslaved young man under demonic contract, wields katana, wears combat pants + green sweatshirt.
Stats: Ritual Potency: 3
Practicality 3
Horrific burns
Inventory: £22, Pint of royal blood (stored at Vince's), blood covered knife, Cursed String
Stored at Vince's place: mortal's tendons, skull and leg bones.
[Glass Eye Pendant] [Paintbrush Wand]
[Toad Demon Battery Acid Tupperware Chalice]
Competent's Pyromancy Flame - Heal Burn (1P), Create Flame (1P), Flame Claw (3P), Mesmerising Flame (2P)
One shot, recharging: Chaos Insect Swarm
Wears tinfoil hat.
Puissant Clots: 0
Puissance: 5/5
Ben Breeze
Stats:
Puissant fettle - 0
Ritual potency - 0
Runic sight - 0
Banal combat - 5
Aim - 1
Melee - 1
Agility - 2
Practicality - 0
Inventory: knife, 2xtaser, handcuffs, police baton, stab vest, torch, incapacitant spray, and a first aid kit. All in sports bag.
Also a bag of athames, 2.5 legs War Bacon (Vince's Fridge), a worn face-concealing hooded coat, bin bags.
Concealed: knife in one boot, knife on a leg, and one on his torso.
Two generous Roast Beef and Horseradish Sandwiches
Two bin bags of assorted pills from pharmacy.
£20
Set of keys and passcard
Gunfarmer P90 (2/50) (in bag)
FN Minimi light machine gun, 2 magazines
Puissant clots: 4
Puissance:5/5
Steve
Banal combat - 3
Agility - 3
Inventory: £50
Rusty, shard curved sword
Puissance: 5/5,
Clots:3
Name: Bella, the Speed Witch
Runic sight: 2
Banal Combat: 2
Melee 1
Agility 2
Inventory: £0,
Delicate Rune-engraved Machete: heavy bonus when facing multiple weaker victims. Likely to break on misshits/heavy armour.
Benflesh Bullet
[Tier Four Racing Broom]
Runes:
Speed lover: +1 to doing anything while moving faster than you need to. Does not prevent (but can negate) maluses from trying to do things while moving faster than is sensible.
Slaughter: enhances speed and efficiency of murder when facing many opponents/victims. Passive boost, but can be written on things.
Broom Dodging: makes you better at dodging things while on a broom.
[Sub Nosed Glock Wand] 9/9
1 Organic Armour Bullet
Nascent Pyromancy Flame: Create Flame 1P
Puissance: 5/5
Clots:0
Name: Zamenis Paean
Puissant fettle: 2
Agility: 2
Aim: 2
LICH: feeds on the bleeding hearts of his enemies.
Undead. Necromancy bonus.
Inventory: £5, Certificate from Belial (valid for one sample of occult substance)
Duct tape, Large Knife, knife.
Surgical tools: scalpel, a first aid kit, a saw, and tweezers.
Tier 1 Broom, Dragon Tooth Phylactery on End
[Human Leg Wand]
Puissant Clots: 0
Puissance: 9/9
Name: Don Joe
Ritual Strength - 2
Runic Sight - 1
Aim - 1
Agility - 1
Practicality - 1
Inventory: £50, {Certificate from Belial valid for one occult substance}
Runes
Market Savvy: You know what things are worth, and who will pay for or try to get them. From your time spent as a banker, a passive rune.
Acid: a rune that eats into whatever it touches.
Puissance: 5/5
Puissant Clots: 2
Author
Topic: COVEN: Gulled Goldsmiths and Lost Locomotives (Read 153593 times)