"...So, did you manage to force the spirit out?"
Go tell the exorcist how much of an incompetent and useless exorcist he was for not being able to control such a weak spirit and putting everyone in the boat in danger. This was all his fault.
Then try to recover the shield from the river using the magic sword to move the water.
Name: Randolf Osborn
Appearance: Ugly as hell. Smells like rotten fish. Very brutish.
Magic path: Channeler Ascetic
Mana: 7!
Strength: D6
Speed: D6
Endurance: D12
Knowledge: D4
Will: D12
Senses: D4
Ongoing effects:
Inventory:
Sealer Suit D4
White Robes
Shield
Wooden Club D6
Backpack
Lantern
100 feet of rope
29 gold coins
2 silver coins
Air bladder
Aqua Vitae
Ferry ticket
"Maybe" the man says, walking over to the man Nina just drained, "But I least I haven't killed," He prods the man for a moment with his toe, "Two people now. I'm also less inclined to try and subjugate the spirit by bringing it into my body. Such methods are...often quite dangerous, especially in the long term. Oh well." He shrugs again and walks back along the ice to the shore.
You watch him go with a grimace before pointing the sword at the river and pulling your shield back up to you on a burst of water.
"Does keeping it within myself count?"
Is Adam okay? Make sure the new arrival isn't bothering him any. Then check on the previously possessed man and make sure he's okay too.
will be unable to post for approx 2 weeks.
Name: Nina Morellis
Appearance: A young, red-haired woman, green eyes, somewhat unkempt. She's had Adam for as long as she could remember, and has a bit of a reputation as a harmless nut. The town guard are okay with Nina though, occasionally getting her help keeping a mage secured by having her drain their mana so they can't cast. Since they don't have a proper magehunter available, having a local civilian channeler they can bring in as needed is a big help. And Nina tries to be on her best behavior with them to keep their relations good. Nina herself works as a healer, living out in the poor part of town, and has an erratic schedule based on the needs of those who want her help. so she has a lot of free time, but also gets woken up in the middle of the night a lot. add in Adam's occasional antics and she doesn't get to have a stable sleep schedule.
Magic Path: Channeler, Invoker.
Materials: Sound
Mana: 15
Strength: D4
Speed: D6
Endurance: D10
Knowledge: D8
Will: D10
Senses: D6
Inventory: Backpack, padded cloak (D4 protection, Light armor), Lantern, doctor's bag, waterskin (air), hammer, 2 silver, air bladder, white robes.
Inhabited by a spirit which takes the form of a floating disembodied limb that constantly melts and reforms into other body parts. She calls it "Adam."
Recently acquired a second spirit, still learning about it.
Location: Petunise
Cabal: None at this time.
Adam appears unhurt, though he is clearly afraid of the new thing. The man is not so lucky. He's dead.
(Thats fine, I'll be gone for a week myself.)
How many other guards are there and what equipment do they have?
Extinguish the campfire and take the wounded guard's shield. If he doesn't have one, then grab something that could be used as a shield.
Wake the remaining guards if they're not awake already, organize them into two groups and try to stealthily approach the shapes from their flanks.
Name: Robert Grant
Appearance: A stocky, tall man with black hair.
Magic path: Hunter Sculptor
Strength: d10
Speed: d6
Endurance: d8
Knowledge: d8
Will: d8
Senses: d4
Ongoing effects: None
Mana: 0
Materials:
Shrink
Inventory:
War axe D8
Doctor's Bag
Leather armor D6
Bandages
Backpack
Lantern
2 gold
There are 7 guards with you, 6 now that one is down. They all have some kind of melee weapon, blades mostly, and a few have crossbows or guns. Some have shields, others don't.
You try to take the wounded man's shield, but he refuses to let you have it till you've dragged him behind a wagon for cover. Once you get him there you take the shield and try to organize the remaining guards. [6v7] You shout for them to act and while they seem to hear and understand what you're doing, they don't move to work with you, instead staying in the cover of the wagons and firing back.
"Oh? Who do you work for, then?"
He's engaging in conversation? Well then. Wait for him to react to the question, and immediately attack once his attention is thus divided. Aim to cut while avoiding his blade, then back off again. Aim to incapacitate or kill, whichever option I have an opening for.
"Mistake."
Name: Zavirius En-Drani Haver, Painter
Appearance: A girl of unknown but apparently foreign decent. She claims to be the last surviving member of a long-dead ancient race, kept preserved in some kind of magical stasis, but this is likely untrue. Though her skin is a strange shade not normally seen on the continent, and her hair is bleached white with a slight green reflective tint. She is not very tall but stout like a dwarf and startlingly strong. The clothing that she wears is very minimal.
Mana: 5
Method: Flesh-Inscribed Channel
Materials: Lightweight, Explosion
Strength: d10
Speed: d6
Endurance: d6
Knowledge: d8
Will: d8+1
Senses: d6
Ongoing effects: Okay?
Inventory:
Needlessly ornate painting guardian sword
[2v3]
You ask him a question and just as he begins to speak you rush forward, attempting to strike at his weapon arm. He recovers from the distraction and dances back [2v6] out of the range of your blow and aims a thrust at your leg. You attempt to dodge back but he catches you right in the middle of your thigh and strikes straight to the bone before jerking the point free. As an injury its not a terrible one, it doesn't bleed much and the tissue damage is minor, but it still hobbles you enough to be annoying.
Purchase provisions for a journey if necessary, then set sail for the ruins. Let me know when Little Miss has a request for me again.
By Oasis, you mean that aqua vitae place on the other side of the flux?
The Ascetic Ghost Shepherd
A thin, wiry guy. Hazel eyes. Black hair. Long fingers.
Stats
6 str
6 spd
10 End
8 Know
10 Will
4 sense
Mana: 5
Materials: Porcelain, Black Flux
Inventory:
Inhabited by a Spirit - a little shepherdess girl. Likes dolls. Adventurous. (Current request:?)
Currently hosting a Scarab ghost in muh brains. (Currently wants a religious relic that has been buried with the dead for some time)
One catamaran sailboat
Ghost Charm
Doctor's Kit
Lantern, Rope, Backpack
(1) rolling horse toy
5 gold
The Shepherdess wants a shiny thing.
Yes, that oasis
This depends on the provisions you'd like. The ruins are large scale things with complex interiors that are not lit. Some rope, torches, chalk and similar items might be a good idea but aren't required.
Ask my guards to help stop this man. If we can't do it together, use a d4 temporary strengthen buff on increasing the strength of whichever of the three of us is strongest. That should let us hold him back, in which case we tie him up, get him inside, and sit on him until morning. I'll also hug the man, to see if his emotions are locked up inside him, or if he's truly dead inside. Or not human at all. I won't take any magic from him. I'm no channeler, after all, and shouldn't be able to absorb a hostile spell.
Do some talking, too. Both to reassure the person inside that I'm here to help, and to any hypothetical being listening in.
"My name is Saeko Hirahara, and I'm a mage and a healer. You're going to be okay. If you are the spirit controlling this man, I ask you to release him unharmed. I am only intending to explore the world and allow people to live full lives. I have no desire to harm creatures, even those who are dangerous. If you need the people of this town for some purpose, I ask that you discuss with me your situation, as I'm willing to put my skills and abilities to use in order to save the lives of the people of Lunare."
Deliver this in an ordinary voice. I'm in no position to demand or force an audience at this point.. I know little about what is going on, and I'm not prepared for a confrontation.
Japanese girl with a long black braid and a white and red dress with long gloves and stockings. Currently has pointy ears.
Invoking Empath
Str d4 -> d6
Speed d8
Endurance d10+1
Knowledge d4+1
Will d10+1
Senses d8 (d10 temporary)
Items:
4 mana
47 coins (gold) {paid 10 gold deposit on a cougar/red-tailed hawk griffon familiar and 35 gold for bounties.}
d6 armour: The outfit, naturally. Weighs as if it were d4
Backpack
100ft Rope
Waterskin
Compass
Hat
Sun Goggles
Surgical Tools
Materials: d12 Ape, d12 Grow, d12 Strengthen, d12 Expand.
Location: Lunare
Status: Fine. Burn scars on arms.
Temporary Effects: 2x d6 buffs to hearing. Will last several hours. Apparently resemble extra-wide elf ears.
Notes: Improving physical stats with strengthen, d4->d6 is d6, d6->d8 is d12, d8->d10 is d20 or more.
Mental stats are possible, but harder or more complicated.
You get your guards to help you drag him back to the inn. He keeps struggling to get away the entire time, even when you get him back inside he just keeps trying to get away. Luckily he's not very smart about it so preventing him is about as easy as tripping him up and having your guards pile on top of him. You do a check of his emotions and find that he's giving off the same aura as someone who is asleep; emotions that are very dim but present.
You attempt to talk to him but he seems entirely oblivious to you, eyes still locked on...something out there in the lake, seemingly staring straight through the wall.
Head back out, try to climb up the same way I got down. If all goes well, head back to Thoin Hudor and try to locate Darwin.
Name: Venandi
Appearance: A cryptic figure, wearing a solid bone mask, and covered head to toe in furs and leather reinforced with bone, antler, tooth, horn, and all other manner of once living material. Upon closer inspection, one would notice that this figure has hundreds of beads and talismans, again made of bone and like materials, threaded on as well. This person also carries a wicked barbed spear, that seems to inflict pain just by looking at it.
Venandi is a hunter, once scouring the lands for greater and mightier beasts (and men) to fell. Venandi now uses their skills just to survive; but is always looking for path back to glory.
At one time Venandi joined a Cabal, and was known as Zamia the Lost. That time is now as lost as the the rest of the past. And that name is now as forgotten as Venandi once was.
Magic path: Hunting Gut-reader
Materials:
Rope
Diamond
Mana: 5
Strength: 1d10
Speed: 1d6
Endurance: 1d6
Knowledge: 1d8
Will: 1d4
Senses: 1d10
Ongoing effects: N/A
Inventory:
Barbed spear (1d8)
Hunting trophy armor (1d6)
Atlatl and javelins (1d6)
Backpack
Bandages
Box of thaumic junk
10 gold
Map
Magic compass
Octopus Core
[2v1]
You clamber back up the rope, prize in your bag, and head back to the city.
Did Darwin give you contact info or tell you where to meet him or anything?
Frick tucked the notebook neatly back into his pocket and then, hesitantly, began reaching for his rifle. There was something else he needed to practice...
Unless Grant advises against antagonising this thing, aim for its centre of mass and open fire. If he gives any advice on tackling it, follow him to the letter.
Name: Frick Varmer
Appearance: An enthusiastic, young-middle-aged man. Between his
ridiculous magnificent hat, the strange bird always perched on his shoulder, and his unbridled curiosity for arcana in all its forms, he is clearly either a wizard or an eccentric fool. Or, more than likely, both.
Magic Path: Alchemist Invoker
Mana: 0
Stats:Strength: d4
Speed: d6
Endurance: d8
Knowledge: d12
Will: d8
Senses: d6
Ongoing Effects: None
Materials: Alcohol (d12)
Inventory: Pointy hat (-)
Thick winter clothing (d4)
Stout walking stick (d4)
Hunting rifle (d8)
Backpack
Lantern
Tent
Climbing gear, 200ft rope
Spyglass
Iron rations (6 person-weeks at start of journey)
Net
Bear Trap
Box of thaumic junk
Empty book and ink pen
Alchemist's gear
Glass vials, box
Urn w/ ashes, bound for Kaolin temple.
29 Gold
3 Silver
Companions: Familiar: A small crow, which shares its master's inquisitiveness.
Strength: d4
Speed: d8
Endurance: d4
Knowledge: d6
Will: d6
Senses: d8
Grant: A mountain trapper who lost his wife and child to an avalanche. He is...withdrawn, quiet, terse and seemingly quick to anger if asked repeated questions.
You start to get up and Grant places a hand on your rifle.
"Hunting something that big is dangerous. You need to either trap it or kill it with a single blow. Anything less and there's a good chance you'll be the one that dies. Think carefully about what you want to do."
200. Apparently the odds weren't on him for whatever reason.
That 200+50 of the bet or 200 total?
For the arena battle: yeah, this clearly isn't a fair fight anymore. Arrow is probably poisoned or some shit like that.
If I see that Ecalir is about to get hit by an arrow and won't be able to dodge, try to SUBTLY deflect the arrow from it's path with a spell: using the word 'vacuum', create a small vacuum next to the arrow so it'll get sucked to the side a bit and so throw off its aim. Nothing massive, just a small nudge should be enough.
Again, only do this if I'm positive that Ecalir won't be dodging/blocking the arrow on his own (use my excellent senses and knowledge of his capabilities to make the judgement). Also, if Darwin knows of or becomes aware of some sort of anti-magic or magic detection system in the arena, then don't do the spell either.
By the way, do you want me to specify exactly what Darwin has on his person right now (in case of more shenanigans) or can I just count on my entire inventory being there?
Name: Darwin Zeppeli
Appearance: An old medicine man.
Magic path: alchemist gut-reader
Strength: d4
Speed: d6
Endurance: d6
Knowledge: d10
Will: d8
Senses: d10
Mana: 22
Ongoing effects: None
Magical materialsVacuum!
Reanimate
Sharpen
Viscera
Diamond
Inventorydissection knife: d4
Springy metal knive: d6
Springy metal sword: d6
Springy metal halberd: d8
Curved blade: d6
Icepick: d4
gun: d8
9 smokebombs
Medium armor: d6
Ecalir's old armor: d8
Sealer Suit: d4 (vs magic)
shield (+1 to protective rolls from armor)
Alchemist’s Gear
250 gold worth of precious gems
Sack of jewels worth 369 gold
BETS:
-50 on Ecalir winning his fourth match
-25 on Ecalir winning the tournament
A glass slab with a topographical map of the kingdom carved into it
a bottle of glowing blue sea water, inside protective box with lock
a glass orb with barely visible lotus inside of it, inside staff assembly.
magic coin
Small book
magic compass + map Loaned to Lupanian
Doctor's bag
set of ingredients (plants, chemicals and the like) for making poisons or antidotes (15 uses left)
High quality backpack
donkey named Yvonne for carrying
Zomboraptor head
Lantern
several hundred feet of rope
climbing crampons
a grappling hook
iron stakes
net made of rope
several vials with imp fat
20 vials
good quality book&pen
good history book
200 total.
We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, but I'm assuming stuff like the conversion equipment isn't with you.
Allright, looks like it's time for some scoot'n'shoot. First order of business is closing this distance, fast. Move in an erratic serpentine pattern to throw off his aim, and dodge/deflect with my buckler any arrows he shoots at me.
Once I'm close enough, dodge/deflect with buckler and get a stab or slash in with the sword.
Name: Écalir Speedwagon
Appearance: barbarian, think Arnie from Conan the Barbarian
Magic path: Hunting flesh-scroll
Strength: d10+2
Speed: d10+1
Endurance: d8+1
Knowledge: d4
Will: d6+1
Senses: d6
Mana: 2
Ongoing effects:None
Magical materialsleft Arm: wood
Right arm: Insect
Stomach: Strong acid
Chest: White Phosphorous
Left buttcheek: Electricity
Right buttcheek: Lightning
left leg: multiply
InventoryQuality weapon (Spear): d8
Longsword with glowing runes
Springy metal warpick: d8
Springy metal knive: d6
Springy metal sword: d6
9 smokebombs
Thaumic flamethrower (50 thaum tank, d10 str requirement, armored fuel tank) + extra canisters with compressed gas
Fitted armor: d8
Shield (+1 to protective rolls from armor)
Backpack
100 feet of rope
Bandages
Tattoo Kit
250g worth of gems
doctor's bag
[7v8][6v2]
You charge in, weaving back and forth like mad as you do. The man with the bow takes a shot at you and despite all your bobbing about he puts the shot straight at your center of mass. You get the shield in the way before the arrow can it you but you have to take an awkward twisting step as you do and it slows you down. The man fires another arrow. [10v2] You regain your footing and charge the rest of the way, dancing around the second arrow and then the third before reaching the man. He ditches his bow and draws his own blade as you close in.
[8v6]
Your first blow is a shallow one at his shoulder but he manages to block it. You swing your shield up and catch him in the chest, pushing hm off balance and then slipping your blade in under it. You score a shallow gash across his thigh and immediately jump back. The man looks down at the injury and then smiles, shrugging. He straightens up out of his combat stance and little bow as the ref calls the match
[+1 mana.]
The crowd cheers and after a short speech from the ref he hands you a badge to show you are a gladiator and a small golden sword replica for your win.