Name: Eve
Appearance: 4 ft tall female human with long hear that constantly changes color. She always wears a long sleeve shirt and jeans. She has slightly tan skin and green eyes.
Magic path: Servant Sculptor
Mana: 0
Strength: d4
Speed: d8
Endurance: d6
Knowledge: d10
Will: d8
Senses: d8
Ongoing effects: None
Items needed for current Sculpture
1. A smooth river rock: Acquired
2. A block of Ice: Not Acquired
3. About a half liter of mercury: Not Acquired
4. Silver Wire: Not Acquired
Inventory: Doctor's bag, Thick fur shirt D4, Thick fur leggings d4, ghost charm, Smooth river rock, 100 ft of string, a wagon wheel, a prybar
ask someone what’s going on
A young woman in a strange outfit and burn scarred hands tells you that people have been captured below the lake and that everyone is gathering here to go off and get them back.
"Ah, that sounds much better, then."
Describe the person who was made permanently asleep via what is extremely likely the same kind of mind control. Do the magebreakers have a member who could break that method of mind control easily?
If so, what we'll do is wait for a rest period, go down there, fortify the entrance, cycle the magebreaker with a strong escort quickly through the paddocks, and lead them out to the entrance in groups of five or six. This will go pretty fast, as the magebreaker will not have to return to the entrance with each group.
What we need for fortification is a good amount of charcoal, a few shovels, and bundles of wet, smoky leaves. Three of the machine guns, and most of the other ranged attackers will provide air cover. Melee fighters will maintain a wall of thick smoke to disable any rush of people, as a mind-controlling enemy will likely not take the time to allow them to go through safely, and a fairly weak person (from overwork and abuse) who is coughing on smoke will be easy to disarm and restrain with more rope. If the enemy is armed with guns, (should be visible by spyglass) we'll need some chunks of wood or steel for cover. Don't make those yet, I may want to help with magic.
If we don't have an easy method of freeing them, it'll be a little more dangerous. We'll need some large nets. Benedict will knock a hole in the paddock wall, and we'll have a small horde charge in and capture as many as possible. Then we'll bring them back to the line and repeat for the next group. It's also quite possible that Benedict may try to capture them by the dozens, should I succeed at a high-powered temporary grow spell for the battle, and the air combat isn't too intense.
Basically, lots of rope, lots of nets, lots of smoky leaves, some tinderboxes, some shovels, etc. I may make some magical equipment to help knock out people or heal wounded or choking people, depending on mana consumption. If someone has stuff that would be useful for this, let me know.
Rescuing people from the building in the middle will be much harder and probably demand a special squad, and we may not get everyone out from there. I'll think about this later. (stray people outside can be rescued by virture of being picked up by a flying creature.)
Since I chose to not intervene days ago when hearing about intruders below ground, it wouldn't be appropriate to rescue them after having found some guns, gathered a large chunk of mana, and made various other preperations that took much time. I'll handle the other things first.
Lets see about giving people protection from mind control. What I know is that it weakens the barriers of the mind, and resembles falling asleep.
So.. find a chemist, an apothecary, or someone like that in town. See what the guy would recommend for pills to keep someone awake and improve sharpness of mind. Maybe something like caffeine? Then get enough supplies together to make a pill for every person in the small army.
Put some magic in the pill ingredients. Use a temporary d10 Strengthen spell to improve the Willpower of the person who takes the pills for six hours after taking them. If this fails, use a d8 spell instead. Retry after that at d8
After that, assuming I have at least 25 mana remaining, use a temporary d8 spell to strengthen the alertness and awakeness effect of the pills for the next six hours in a similar manner. Retry in a similar manner, assuming at least 25 mana.
Test by taking one, to know if I need to put more power.
Japanese girl with a long black braid and a white and red fitted robe with long gloves. Clothing is slightly dull in colour and made of metallic thread. Slight sparkle in eyes. Pointy, somewhat elfish ears. Burnt off eyebrows from spell failure. Missing fingernails on right hand.
Currently ~8 days until next full moon.
Invoking Empath
Str d6
Speed d8
Endurance d10+1
Knowledge d6+1
Will d10+1
Senses d8
Materials: d12 Ape, d12 Grow, d12 Strengthen, d12 Expand, d8 View, d10 Steel, and d10 Speed.
Location: Lunare
Status: Fine. Burn scars on arms. Missing fingernails on right hand. Slightly enhanced hearing, but not enough power for meaningful effects.
Temporary Effects: None.
Items:
Carried:
40 mana
49 gold (food for catbird)
d8 armour: The outfit, naturally. Weighs as if it were d6
Backpack
Waterskin
Compass
Goggles
Jade tablets with d8 View, d10 Steel, and d10 Speed.
Packed:
4 heavy machine guns! w lots of ammo.
Gyrotourbillon
Black metal scrap
Steel scraps
Cable-wrapped metal box of happiness.
Surgical Tools
100ft Rope
Box of painting-golem
Familiar. "Benedict" Cougar/red-tailed hawk, adequate flyer, elephant-sized with 60+ foot wingspan.
Natural weapons d6, d8 with swooooop.
Str D12
Spd D8
End D12
Kno D4
Will D8
Sen D6
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.
The mage breakers say that person has probably been afflicted with some kind of curse that drains mana from them. Made into a living battery that only wakes up occasionally when it is allowed to "Rest". Severing the connection is possible but dangerous; it might kill the man or alert the one using him. Its possible the one using him is even watching through the man. It would be best to attack the source rather than try to fix the symptom.
The mage breakers agree with your plan as you present it.
The local alchemist recommends a white powder mixed into a sugary dough and cooked before coating it in a thin layer of hardened sugar. Says it should keep someone awake but that they shouldn't take too many. There are about what, 80 people in this group? 80 of these things is doable but will take a bit.
[2+1 v 7]
[4+1 v 4][-11 mana total]
You successfully imbue the ingredients with the magic.
[4+1v6]
[4+1v3][-9 mana total]
You do the second one two.
You wait for the first batch of pills to be done and try one. It has a hard crunchy exterior and a crumbly interior and tastes mostly of sugar and flavorless bread. The stimulation hits rather suddenly, but it takes a minute or two to actually get to it. When it does hit however, it hits like a slap to the face.
"I... don't really know where Adam came from. He's been with me for as long as I can remember. I grew up with him. He does occasionally ask me to do things or give advice, but, um, it's rather cryptic when he does. If there's a pattern, it's that he tends to ask me to go places where people are in trouble, and to help them if I can. He also warns me of danger sometimes, generally of dangers that aren't what they appear to be. Mostly he just responds to when I ask him stuff. Um, if you want, I could ask him questions and relay what his response is."
Answer, also what is Adam's response to the questioning? is he hiding again?
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: 3
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."
Cabal: None at this time.
Adam is indeed hiding again.
Finally, the interrogator asks if it is alright to temporarily separate Adam from you, as a final check.
"A few weeks, maybe a month? I haven't been keeping track of time. I guess there was an "outburst" when we sinked cultist island? But honestly, I was also freaking out due to having no idea of what was going on. I mean, If fish cultists were chasing you around in an underwater temple and trying to sacrifice you to an impaled physical god, you would be having "outbursts" too."
"Other than that, no. She might be scary when angry, but she's a good person.
Continue answering.
Name: Randolf Osborn
Appearance: Ugly as hell. Smells like rotten fish. Very brutish.
Magic path: Channeler Ascetic
Mana: 0
Strength: D6+1
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 (Currently being held by Nina)
Ferry ticket
Recruitment Leaflet
The interrogator nods and says that you're free to go. Nina will be finished with momentarily.
Finish off the remaining pirate, then head into cover and bandage my injury.
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: Cut palm (treated), deep gash in the side
Mana: 5
Materials:
Shrink
Inventory:
War axe D8
Doctor's Bag
Leather armor D6
Bandages
Backpack
Lantern
218 gold
76 silver
Shield
Sword D6
Crossbow D6
20 crossbow bolts
Helmet D4
Leather gloves
Crowbar
Rope
Iron thread
8 lead weights (in storage)
Rifle D8 4/5
28 rifle rounds
2 single shot pistols D6
[5v4][6v3]
You hack the remaining pirate in the side of the head and then scamper off into cover. Once you're out of the line of sight of any one else you quickly bandage yourself up. It sounds like the fighting is dying down out there.
Spawn into whatever town Dev's in, just entering. Investigate this talk of a big kerfluffle about a heroic assault on a big dungeon or whatever the gossip said, and also investigate buying some proper equipment. Namely, a long ranged and accurate rifle of some kind (preferably neat clockwork?), and medical equipment, because healing is all my char is likely to be good for.
Also, roll for my magic word. Dubs told me in IRC that it's "animate", which is BLOODY AWESOME. If an edit now is acceptable, I'd like to add a supply of painting inks to my list, along with a wide bowl and a water jug, if such aren't things I can just be assumed to have. Alternatively, colored sand instead of paint, if such is actually available. I imagine I'll have to just paint sand myself. Also, a package of glitter or some other kind of bright, shiny dust.
Name: Ekrov Trenian Vyachilad
Description: A noble's son, Ekrov is a boy on the cusp of adulthood, and barely looks it. His hands are soft, his appearance taken care of, and his bones slightly visible under his unmarred skin. He's scrawny, clearly having never done manual labor in his life, and somewhat short--though it's hard to tell whether that's due to age or genetics. His eyes are wide and constantly look around in absentminded wonderment; he's clearly out of his element in this, and gives off a tourist-y impression. He wears a clearly high-quality outfit, but to his credit it looks unusually practical for a noble, subdued brown in color and light aside from thin pieces of light leather in strategic locations, clearly intended more as protection than a fashion statement. He carries a small backpack, and wears a light cloak that's had an absurd number of little pockets clumsily sewn onto it.
Magic Path: Alchemist Sculptor
Mana: 0
Magic words: "Animate"
Stats:
Strength: d4
Speed: d6
Endurance: d4
Knowledge: d12
Will: d6
Senses: d12
Ongoing Effects: None...?
Inventory:
Mundane: Backpack, Lightly armored traveling outfit (d4), steel stilleto (d4 melee)
Great: Ornamental spring pistol (d6 ranged) / Alchemist gear
Grand: 300 gold.
((Subtract 15 gold from your total and we'll assume you bought the paint and such.))
You arrive in town and go looking for some fancy weaponry. There are certainly some fancy looking guns around here, amid the Mage Breakers and giant Griffins and Mercs and Militia men and such. However, upon asking at the smith, you find that they're all from out of town; he can't fashion such things. He instead points you towards the general stores and other stores with the hope that they might be carrying something from out of town. You do however manage to find some medical goods for about 25 gold. You check the stores and find a rifle (d6+1) for 40 gold.
how do the ghosts react to the orb? does it bother them? do they like it?
Do some fortunetelling for cash. Use the glowy ball as a prop. Let customers place their hands on the ball, but retain hold of it myself.
The Ascetic Ghost Shepherd
A thin, wiry guy. Hazel eyes. Black hair. Long fingers.
current status: fine
Stats
6 str
6 spd
10 End
8 Know
10 Will
4 sense
Mana: 14
Materials: Porcelain, Black Flux, Force
Inventory:
Inhabited by a Spirit - a little shepherdess girl. Likes dolls. Adventurous. (Current request: cute and furry)
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
shiny orb from the ruins on the lake (light blue glow. 1 mana invested.)
haunted obsidian and wood knife (with cold, light metal box)
0 gold
They seem interested in it, though hard to say...how? They can't tell you why, they sort of just look at it like a cat looks at a laser pointer.
[2v6]
The fortune telling scam doesn't fool anyone.