((I just realized one major advantage of a Catamaran over a canoe: kinda hard to climb into a canoe without tipping it over in a situation like this))
"Magic is sticky"
Grope around for muh boat. Ask Senor Scarab what I can do for them. Try to get enough of the goo off at least one of my eyes to open it enough to see my boat if I haven't found it by feel.
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: a toy (probably a specific kind, but she is being vague))
Currently hosting a Scarab ghost in muh brains.
One catamaran sailboat
Ghost Charm
Doctor's Kit
Lantern, Rope, Backpack
5 gold
[1v5] You grope blindly for the boat but have no luck finding it. Hrmph.
You ask the bug in your head in your head what it wants. It doesn't respond like the shepherdess but you get the feeling that it wants some kind of religious artifact that has been buried with the dead for some time.
[3v5] You do your best to wipe the goo out of at least one eye but doing it while also treading water is quite difficult. You think you get some but definitely not all of it, even from one eye.
You do have control on flux now, and a bit of mana. You could always magically fix this...
"It's not just some beast, it's intelligent and has seen quite a few battles. It is much more dangerous than you think.
You'd have to increase the bounty and pay me half of it up front if you want me to deal with it your way."
Negotiate with the noble.
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
14 mushrooms
"Ah, extortion is it?" the man says, looking down his nose at you with contempt. "You see here, I will have neither an animal or some low born highwayman telling me what I must or must not do. These fields, these lands, and these people are mine to do with as I please." The man's voice grows higher pitched and more angry as he goes.
Is there any particular quality you're looking for in them?
Hmm. Experience travelling Kaolin or other mountainous areas would be a plus. Other than that, just interview them and try to get my and my familiar's first impressions of their personalities, such as they are.
Oh, and Purchase a tent (-3 gold)
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 (worn), box of thaumic junk, empty book and ink pen, alchemist's gear, 44 gold coins. (Carrying: alchemist's gear, book and pen)
-Hunting rifle (d8)
- Backpack
- Lantern
- Spyglass
- Thick winter clothing (d4)
- Climbing gear, 200 feet rope
- Tent
- Urn w/ ashes (for temple in Kaolin)
Familiar: A small crow, which shares its master's inquisitiveness.
Strength: d4
Speed: d8
Endurance: d4
Knowledge: d6
Will: d6
Senses: d8
The best you get is 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.
Bought.
Just toss a javelin at this guy, no magic. If he comes out of the water at me, I’ll do the ROPE melee attack.
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
[6v3][3]
You Calmly load another javelin and Toss it at the best. It hisses through grasping tentacles and impacts the bloated upper section of the best, loosing a gout of blue blood. The javelin sticks into the far wall of the room, partially pinning the creature in place.
"This doesn't sound good. We should probably hide out, but if I hear people getting hurt, we'll go out there and help. You up for it?"
Head back to our room, but do a few things. Summon a small ape, like a small orangutan or gibbon, only for a few minutes, to appear in the strange light. (Cheap as possible, d4 or weaker.) Observe if anything happens. Cast two more temporary spells using Strengthen, with a duration of about six hours or the length of the night; One on Saeko's eyes to try and sharpen them to the quality of an eagle's or better, (aiming for d8 difficulty and temporary) and one on her ears to detect and track sound better. (d6 difficulty while being temporary.)
After doing those, try and observe what's going on. Look for the source of the lighting in reflections or small cracks, and try to hear if anything is going on. If something happens to the summoned ape, simply observe while trying to remain hidden. If people are heard screaming or in obvious distress, try to mark their locations and what's going on and what's causing it. If people are getting hurt, it'll be time to intervene. If this is just incredibly creepy, but nobody seems to actually be hurting, just camp out the night and observe.
Japanese girl with a long black braid and a white and red dress with long gloves and stockings.
Invoking Empath
Str d4 -> d6
Speed d8
Endurance d10+1
Knowledge d4+1
Will d10+1
Senses d8
Items:
15 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.
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.
I think we covered all this on IRC? Right? If not, hit me up with a PM
"Got it. You're able to defeat the creature, but are unable to catch or hold it. Randolf, can you restrain the thing for our exorcist friend here?"
I begin moving, but glance back at the exorcist to see if he is folowing. if and only if he does not follow, then I speak in quiet tones to the exorcist before resuming following Randolf back to the ferry.
"Its your choice what you do now. Either you're the criminally irresponsible exorcist that drove an evil spirit at a passenger ferry, or you're the hero that risked himself to try and save unprepared civilians from the spirit's assault. Which it is is still to be seen."
I then resume my run back to the ferry with Randolf.
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: 5
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."
Location: Petunise
Cabal: None at this time.
The exorcist follows along, smiling to himself. Smug so and so. You follow Randolph onto the boat.
"I was just waiting for you to say it! Don't worry, tying people to furniture is my specialty! Just watch, I'll suck the evil spirirt out without this smug exorcist's help!"
Transform the sword into an ice club, prepare my shield and have the rope ready to tie the vessel once I knock it unconscious. Then return to the boat and prepare to fight.
Name: Randolf Osborn
Appearance: Ugly as hell. Smells like rotten fish. Very brutish.
Magic path: Channeler Ascetic
Mana: 2!
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
[3v2]
You dash onto the boat, using the sword to draw water up from the river as you do and encrust it around the blade, forming a frozen club. You reach the deck and find an older man -you think he was a money lender judging by what you overheard him talking about with others- floating few inches above the deck. His body is twisted and bent in a very odd fashion, almost spiraling up an unseen central axis, and his eyes are burning with purple flame. His canines have elongated into boar like tusks that split his lips and he is breathing out a continuous plume of steam.
"Well, let's hope that's the last we'll see from this mess. I fear it won't be however.
Either way, are you ready for your next match? "
Exit the arena, go take a seat to watch the match. Look into the magic book some more, can I perhaps find any other pictures that could shed light/put into context the one from before (with the burning arena and glass map)?
If not, read in my history book about that coup that killed the king's mother and sister.
Keep a close eye on the fight and the audience to spot any incoming shenanigans from our mobster friends.
Also, for testing out how exactly the magic coin operates, would you prefer I describe a whole battery of tests and you answer all of them, or rather I just do a 'test coin' action and you give me details based on the roll?
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 169 gold
BETS:
-50 on Ecalir winning his third 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
You go sit in the stands and read through the illustrations as you attempt to make out what exactly is going on with them. Hmm in the one that worried you, the one of the burning arena, there is now a small poisoned knife in the upper corner. You don't remember it being there before; or maybe you just overlooked it.
Once the match starts you focus on keeping an eye out for any unscrupulous actions. Or rather any that might harm Eclair. Plenty of other unscrupulous actions going on here.
Whichever you'd like really. Though the questions might give you more info.
"Yes, but now I somewhat expect that they will try something during the match as well. Since the arena authorities are apparently so laughably unable to keep these things from happening, I'd appreciate it if you'd just keep an eye out during the match.
Don't worry too much on my behalf, but you never know if they actually have competent people in their employ or not."
To the next match!
Name: Écalir Speedwagon
Appearance: barbarian, think Arnie from Conan the Barbarian
Magic path: Hunting flesh-scroll
Strength: d10+2
Speed: d10
Endurance: d8
Knowledge: d4
Will: d6+1
Senses: d6
Mana: 21
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
You get yourself all nice and dressed up, grab your new weapon, and head out onto the field of battle. The crowd is larger now and they chant your name with laughter as you enter, flexing dramatically as always. Your opponent is a tall thin man dressed basically identically as you save for a small buckler on one arm and a set of shin guards.
"Fancy. Fragile."
Loot a fancy ornamental sword or something. Break and/or defile 2d6 random expensive objects. Proceed to the hall.
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: 0
Method: Flesh-Inscribed Channel
Materials: Lightweight, Explosion
Strength: d10
Speed: d6
Endurance: d6
Knowledge: d8
Will: d8+1
Senses: d6
Ongoing effects: Okay?
Inventory:
nothing!
You walk out into the hall and stalk down it until you find what you're looking for; a set of weapons hung on the wall at an intersection of two halls. You grab a big elongated cleaver, something like a machete with a squared tip and a ton of golden adornments, and just start going apeshit. You kick over pedestals, smash vases, deface statues with swings of your blade, smashing busts in the nose with the flat edge and shattering chunks off them. A higher ranking manservant, judging from his appearance and stern countenance, rounds the corner in front of you, apparently ready to berate some incompetent butler. You smash a jewel encrusted egg over his head and then put him in a headlock, dragging him along behind you.
"Oooo I am so nettled. I am miffed. I am peeved and frankly I am discontent with this entire situation. And someone is going to help me relieve this emotional baggage, one way or another."
You twist and shove the man out of your grasp. He stumbles and you give him a firm kick in the back that sends him tumbling through a pair of double doors and into a room of....musicians?