Turn 3: EVERYTHING IS GREAT COME BACK LATER((Goodness, this reminds me of an LP you made, Irony, where you people got Princess Elodie all stressed up--that helped her martial skills to the detriment of literally everything else. This, however, has me concerned, because I'm STUCK with the mindset of having disappointed a child! UNDER MY CARE! D:))
Meanwhile, back then while at least three mages were arguing and totally not in the present because of waiting for clarifications...
"She's right. We can't be fighting over where she sleeps or what she can or can't learn. We have to work as a team, but also let every individual have a chance to do something by themselves. I suggest that we try to avoid doing plans that conflict with the interests of 2 or more wizards, unless the supporting party has an equal or higher number or wizards. I'm sorry, but we can't allow the princess to sleep inside a spider cocoon. She will have to stay in the water until we find a way to solve this problem without harming anyone or using psychic manipulation. Together."
"What I want to be sure, is that we're all on the same page here. There is no profession dedicated to the study and aid of humanity, but I have experienced much and heard more to help that, especially the young humans." Cio said as she unwrapped her purple-hued scarf from around her neck, and placed one of the potted plants in the sunlight streaming through a circular window, casting her scarf off and using air magic to levitate it just enough to drape over the window. After a word of magic, a simplistic illusion on the plant and the colored shadow became an impression of some sort of diagram, with the plant appearing as very animated tree sprout. Holding up her index finger, Cio gestured to the plant and noted that her illusion is a demonstration or depiction of her thoughts.
"Now, the princess is 100% human. This is important. She is also 100% not an adult, unlike the rest of us. Being not an adult, that means she shares idiosyncratic characteristics--peculiar ones different from other exotic species, that are the same with all of her species who are 100% human. Her brain, and thus her perspective, is not rigid. Much like this growing tree there (imagine it is a tree), and the purple shadow being her mind. There are many areas which are already fully grown, acting as its foundation, and there are areas to still bloom into flourishing parts (like leaves). These should be cared for as they grow.The sproutling began to occupy most of the lower half of the purple shadow, with its 'branches' beginning to flourish outwards into the upper half.
"At her age, because I made sure that she knows all our names and this tower in our first week together, her sense of morality is not like our sense of morality (and the clergy's...). Whatever she learns, she does; and always, these humans require attention to grow, much like plants. And as humans are social creatures, so too can they be understood as having social needs. And these needs are represented by energy--much like our magic, which runs on the energy we learn to channel and control; this energy is in how we interact with them. We should not isolate them, but we should not guide them without support and encouragement. The more freedom with guidance and support, the more committed and mature the child will be. And I really did suggest that this tower not be the venue for anything we do; it is very cramped, moist in irregular places, and it lacks open air."She nodded at Maxime, dispelling her illusion to reveal the same plant as before, and casting her scarf back around her shoulder.
"I do not disagree with your idea for her wholesome growth. I just disagree with how it is being done. She can do less with that right now. She needs humane attention. Not...um, bugs and insects. She is not yet as erudite for your expertise--however, perhaps anything you can do, can be used for other purposes than 'for the human princess'!" In the cynical present...
"There is something really wrong with the prophecies today. I blame the white owl in the backyard, the farmer's hoe accidentally stuck in a nearby grave, and the horrible weather we've been having lately." Cio said aloud at the nearest opportunity she had to be with another mage (and not the princess). "It's just like it wants to be clear that she is fated for a life of horribleness and circumstancial cynicality. And that is impossible within just two weeks of getting to know her; she doesn't even trust us fully yet! Maybe a few hours in the outdoors will help, do you think? I know a place nearby where she can vent her frustrations freely and be in a freer company, and I can bring her there with me by flight. Children love flying, right?"
Obviously distressed, Cio checked the records of what the other mages did, and saw varying progress all around.
"At least, positively...nothing bad that she believes right now is permanent."
(...I don't think ANYONE has done anything about our environment? We should've talked about this... :x)
Unless anyone responds to me, my plan for this week in training:
> Air magic to get us (and anyone else who wants to train her in the nice outdoors) to a brilliant place with view of the surrounding town, with the view and scenery being refreshing. Same air magic would be used, alongside illusion, and the ideas within prophecy (and life magic), to help emotionally stabilize the Princess, as well as for apologies and rapport building, also to help her express her stresses and frustrations (because air magic = animated puppets that she can play with; + illusion or life magic as support). SURELY THIS CANNOT FAIL BADLY AND I CANNOT ROLL 1's three times in a row!
^ the other magic schools are for flavor.
Summary action: Air magic with the aim for stabilizing the Princess' emotions and help her ease up towards us (as well as giving her our apologies). Not for transport of course but teaching and training (more for self use if she tries to escape, as in 'let her escape', then air magic my way to keep communicating with her). Some weather manipulation would also help for the better.
[3] She learns about levitating herself a little, but she doesn't enjoy it. At least she doesn't grow even crueler, though.
Both: +1 Air Magic"It seems that the princess has been both blessed and cursed by the eldritch. This probably can't be cured by common life magic or vitamancy, so we must find an alternate way to help her. We can only hope that the same powers that caused this help to cure her or that we find a cure by researching the same priestly magic that caused it. I hope that if we continue teaching her about the Dagon magic, we will either find a way to solve this problem by ourselves or be prized by the outer gods, which will then cure the princess as a reward for our dedication. Nji, please continue to assist me in the lessons of Dagon magic."
Continue the Dagon magic lessons. Try to use the magic to cure the princess
"But if the gods are doing this to have her mature into a cruel and strong ruler, then there is nothing we can do but hope for the best. And before anyone says it's my fault, remember that I'm a priest and I only pray and summon the powers of the elder beings. They are the ones who choose to answer the prayers in their own way, out of my control."
"Although, I don't think it's bad that the princess is fated to become mighty and unforgiving. Isn't that what the kingdom needs right now, after losing their king and becoming weak to their enemies? They don't need a soft-hearted and kind ruler, they need a true warrior with the favor of the gods, a warlord that rules with an iron fist."
[1] The good news is that she's no longer generating tentacles. The bad news is that a mass of them are now permanently protruding from her mouth. She is understandably pissed.
Princess: Tentacle (W)Retch->Tentacle Wretch"Perhaps some of her frustration could be remedied with a companion. We are all here men and women of greater age and power than her, which might be a little intimidating to her. I believe someone closer to her age and experience, someone with whom she can share the joys and sorrows of our teachings might cheer her up a little. I will attempt to procure such a specimen from one of their natural habitats."
Borrow a child around the princess' age from somewhere.
Assist Enoch with Dagon magic lessons.
[1] You assist Enoch throughout the week, amplifying this, accidentally magnifying that. The end result is that her tentacle condition grows exponentially worse, which makes you wonder if maybe you shouldn't have just kidnapped a child like usual.
Princess: Tentacle Wretch->Tentacle Bonanza((As a note, IronyOwl mentioned via Discord that the princess is a teen of 14-15 years. Then again, that piece of info might not make much a difference for wizards.))
Nallihen could deal with many problems and interruptions. He could deal with the princess being afraid of the basement, constantly complaining or insisting she was a sea cucumber. Having her throw up tentacles during her classes was somewhat problematic, and the fact Vitamancy wasn't able to fix that seemed to disillusion her to the point she forgot its excellent advantages. Preposterous! Why dare she doubt someone of his stature and power? Someone with such awesome magical powers and who was totally, absolutely a dragon—and not a giant arctic crab—to boot?
He was going to keep trying!
Try to teach her Vitamancy once more. If she doesn't seem up for it, try Polymorphing instead.
[1] You think you thoroughly dissuade her from learning any more Vitamancy, after the, uh... your current theory is that her newfound condition complicated the process, but the end result is that she seems to shunt the vitality out of her main body and into the giant mass of tentacles coming out of her mouth. Needless to say this gives her a dim view of her once-favorite subject.
Princess: Tentacle Bonanza->Humanoid Parasite
Princess:Failed By Vitamancy->Betrayed By VitamancyMaxime scowls at Cio Cioae.
"One of the modern theorists, are we? Less of the biologically-informed psychoanalysis, more of the idle chatter? Very well, if she will admit to not being a sea cucumber, the problem is not as major as I thought, and calls for less drastic measures. Perhaps the more recent methods will improve Marcille's mental wellbeing, such as... ah, tea leaves and cloudgazing. The idle superstitions of people too severely dyslexic even for tarot and astrology. Go ahead, I will find a companion, let Nallihen be."
Maxime walks off, satisfied with her point scoring, before something actually wrong with Cio's idea occurs to her, very slightly too late to stop the air magic.
"Wait! Ze princess, she is easily frightened! She will not enjoy the flying!"
Traumatising as the continued Dagon magic and flight will probably be, Maxime leaves her colleagues to it, and wanders into town to find a suitable companion. Someone of reasonably high birth for around here but not noble, a girl Marcille's age, with the mixture of intelligence and bravery necessary to stay in the Wizard's guild. She will then explain the situation and take the new companion back with her.
Given any time for reflection, she tries to work out a possible solution to the tentacle vomiting. Would impairing the gag relex provide a temporary fix, or just make things worse?
[3] You spend the week trawling town for someone to keep the princess company. Someone well off but not noble, around Marcille's age, also a girl, dumb enough to be lured back to the mage's guild... or no, smart enough to not be lured into the summoning circle... brave enough to be lured to the mage's guild, smart enough to not drink whatever's handed to them, yes!
You eventually manage to locate a merchant's daughter willing to hide out in a mage tower until her father stops trying to marry her off to a silk farmer. Her father is very understanding of the whole matter, and promises to have you all killed and her daughter abducted by ninjas.
On your way back, you consider the problem of the princess' gag reflex, and come to the conclusion that you don't have enough familiarity with the magics or conditions involved to say what exactly the problem is or what might fix it. You'd probably have to examine her in more detail to figure out where the tentacles are coming from and why, which would also ideally involve knowing something about the magic that did it.
Sally Acquired!Teach Marcy to properly control her expelling of organs in proper Sea Cucumber fashion.
[5] You teach her how to vomit her entrails out, and none too soon! A good deal of her organs are now external tentacles, so having more control over sucking them in and hurling them out greatly reassures her.
Princess: Humanoid Parasite->Humanoid Symbiont
Both: +2 Sea Cucumber MagicMordred, Hero of the People, addresses his fellow mages within earshot of the princess' aquarium, while completely ignoring her. "I have some ideas for ridding our charge of the tentacular curse. I just need to look up a few minor details before preparing the ritual. It will go more smoothly if someone more familiar with Dagon's magic leads the actual casting."
Come up with a Sacrifice ritual that will let someone "volunteer" to take the tentacle-spitting curse instead of the princess. It will be cast next week.
[1] Things go poorly this week, made only worse when tentacle vomit becomes tentacle... attachments? Parasites? Clogging? Anyway, you develop a very fine ritual for messily killing two people.
Princess Marcille
SKREEEEEE
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+1 Novice Sea Cucumber Mage (0/4)
+1 Novice Magical Theorist (0/4)
+0 Dabbling Dagon Priest (1/2)
+0 Dabbling Vitamancer (0/2)
-1 Incompetent Sacrificer (1/2)
-1 Incompetent Air Mage (1/2)
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Betrayed By Vitamancy: It was supposed to help her. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HER FRIEND.
Enthusiastic Magical Theory: You don't have to be a sea cucumber when you love your classes!
Noodle Armed: Poor Marcy is not very martially inclined, tending to quake and quail at calls to valorous combat.
Fated Cruelty: The princess is fatalistic and bitter, believing in the cruelty and capriciousness of life and the malice of those around her.
Basement Phobia: The princess doesn't like going down there.
Dagon Phobia: For some strange reason the princess is afraid of an eldritch power beyond reckoning by mortal minds.
Dagon Cruelty: Revels in inflicting others with the ultimate in suffering- the touch of great Dagon.
Noble Cause: The princess believes that something must be done about the plight of the common man.
Cucumber Princess: Little Marcy insists she's a sea cucumber whenever somebody tries to drag her out of the sea cucumber tank to force her to learn eldritch magic.
Humanoid Symbiont: Has an improbably long and branching mass of tentacles protruding from mouth. The tentacles are vibrant and healthy, while her actual body is sickly and frail. Understandably swearing eternal vengeance against all of you over this.
Apathy For Life: The princess is a little callous about life, her own or otherwise.
Nallihen Talandr (Caellath)
Healthy
-
+3 Adept Polymorpher (0/16)
+2 Apprentice Vitamancer (2/8)
+1 Novice Resilient (0/4)
+1 Novice Charismatic (0/4)
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The Great Crab: Worshiped by a nearby cult of terrified peasants who occasionally leave offerings to The Briny One. Attempts to explain that he is an evil and fearsome dragon rather than an arctic crab have failed.
Maxime Pfeiffer (NJW)
Healthy
-
+3 Adept Psychoarthropodist (2/16)
+2 Apprentice Subterfugist (0/8)
+2 Apprentice Gemcrafter (0/8)
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Overlouse: Seems to have some kind of cultural or spiritual significance to the dream lice now infesting the tower, and who will occasionally leave her strange offerings or... maybe just garbage for her to take out? She's not really sure.
Sally: Pet merchant's daughter, highly sought after by deadly ninja.
Nji (Secheral)
Healthy
-
+3 Adept Mycomancer (0/16)
+2 Apprentice Life Mage (0/8)
+2 Apprentice Dagon Priest (2/8)
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Above the Law: Your reckless disregard for civility and law has earned you a fearsome reputation as a ruthless outlaw, not to be lightly crossed.
Enoch (randomgenericusername)
Healthy
-
+3 Adept Dagon Priest (1/16)
+2 Apprentice Archarus Priest (0/8)
+2 Apprentice Hag Magic (0/8)
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Starsucker: Has a knack for sucking nightmarish abominations into the world. Does not have a knack for controlling nightmarish abominations.
Dennis the Mage (enemy post)
Healthy
-
+3 Adept Sea Cucumber Mage (4/16)
+2 Apprentice Sea Cucumber Caretaker (0/8)
+2 Apprentice Chef (0/8)
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Cucumber Lord: Has a deep affinity with sea cucumbers. This might not sounds useful or remarkable to the untrained ear, but lots of things sound different to mages than to normal people.
Archeux "Archie" Venison (OceanSoul)
Healthy
-
+3 Adept Academic (0/16)
+2 Apprentice History Mage (0/8)
+1 Novice Enchanter (0/4)
+1 Novice Polymorpher (0/4)
+1 Novice Magical Theorist (0/4)
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Arkanikon: Has glimpsed the terrible truths of basic magic and recorded these unspeakable secrets into a blasphemous tome, available at most book shops and read widely by children. Has more familiarity with basic and intermagic principles, and haunted by swarms of living and ghostly children wanting autographs and deeper fell knowledge.
Cio Cioae (Tiruin)
Healthy
-
+3 Adept Air Mage (1/16)
+2 Apprentice Prophet (0/8)
+1 Novice Life Mage (0/4)
+1 Novice Illusionist (0/4)
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Philosopher: Renowned as a guru and philosopher, granting improved understanding of foreign, sometimes downright alien and inexplicable, psychology and conditions.
Mordred (Nirur)
Healthy
-
+3 Adept Public Speaker (1/16)
+2 Apprentice Poll Mage (0/8)
+1 Novice Tactician (0/4)
+1 Novice Sacrificer (1/4)
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Noble Hero: Celebrated as a noble hero, especially by the vile aristrocracy and hungry wraiths of the Untouchable Wastes.