Turn 4: Rampant DagonryOh My God
"It's sad that it had to go this way, but the gods have planned a future for her far more terrible than anything we could have expected. I am almost certain they want her to become a goddess like them. A horrible fate, far worse than death. Alas, there is nothing we can do but continue tutoring her and hoping for the best. Maybe I'm wrong."
Continue with the Dagon magic lessons and hope she learns something.
[6] Oh she learns
something alright! You're not sure what it is and aren't certain it's
possible for lowly mortals to know what it is, but it must be something because her eyes start glowing with intense but unsettling white light and weeping pitch, while she begins uttering strange reverberating speech-yet-not-speech that seem to come more from the vibrating of her tentacles than her normal sound-producing mechanisms.
It resides after a few hours, but her eyes seem paler and twitchier ever since!
Princess: Dagon Phobia+Dagon Cruelty->YAK NAK VAR AIE
Both: +2 Dagon MagicBake Marcy an apology cake.
[1] The cake comes out a little... melted. You're not sure how it happened, really, maybe too much starch or not enough sea cucumbers vomiting on it. Anyway, it starts vibrating harder and harder when presented to Marcy, who stares at it with knowing horror for a while before screaming and scurrying off. Literally, across the walls and ceiling and such, apparently those tentacles have a good grip. The cake disintegrates into a delicious goo at the culmination of this process, and you're left wondering if you shouldn't have been more picky about the type of eggs.
Still, everyone else enjoys the cake-flavored but not cake-shaped cake.
Princess: IT COMESOk, everybody, place your bets on how many weeks it'll take for Marcille to officially be a young Old God. Or a kraken. Being just dead is off the table at this point.
"...One week. One week I spent combing though tomes for inspiration on what to teach her next, and now she's become THIS. I'm ashamed at everyone, especially myself for not noticing this sooner. Everyone tried to solve the same problem, and most people just made it worse on accident. Too many cooks spoil the broth, they say. Well, there is ONE way to possibly undo this. While often used more seeing the past, my history magic may be able to bring the status of her tentacles back to the occasional barfing. It'll take a bit of time, but I should be able to get SOMETHING done. Any objections?"
Use History Magic to rewind the princess, or at least the tentacle outgrowths, to before any of the Dagon corruption began.
[4] While more accustomed to working with objects than creatures, History Magic does have some theoretical use in removing undesirable but recent afflictions. Unfortunately, much of Marcy's condition seems to resist you on this front; either the Council was mistaken about her age, or the power of the deep dark god she's been touched by is not easily shaken.
You do manage to reduce the size of her tentacles, however; while they are
partially beyond such mortal concepts as time, most of them is relatively mundane. They seem to get even more vibrant, though, as though you've concentrated their stolen vitality.
Princess: Humanoid Symbiont->Humanoid Graft
Both: +1 History Magic((I really want to sacrifice it.))
"As it turns out, there is nothing I can do about this without a stronger sacrifice. I'll resume my ethics lessons while you try to figure something else out."
Try to instill a sense of revolutionary fervor into the princess.
[6] You fill her with a sense of revolutionary fervor, of a breaking down of the way things are, of a glorious opening of the eye, of- wait, opening the eye?
You try to talk her down, but she's pretty adamant that a new age is coming, and not one of self-determination and the fall of the bourgeois so much as the stripping away of reality as it is currently known.
Princess: Noble Cause+Iron Empress->Tentacle Empress
Both: +2 Public SpeakingDecorate roof with Mycomancy.
[5] It comes out fabulously! Giant mushrooms provide shade, tiny mushrooms provide ambience, mushroom chairs and tables provide comfort, and a fungus carpet provides the ultimate in luxury. Who wouldn't want to relax up here now?
+2 MycomancyYeah, it is unashamedly metagamey, randomgenericusername. Your priest is also weaving a story about the rest (including Nallihen, who's been neutral this whole time) being the bad guys in a move that only makes your character look exactly like the evil manipulative mastermind Maxime claims him to be. That behavior isn't exactly endearing to anyone.
And it seems most of you are missing the point, maybe because some haven't played in one of IO's games before. Body horror and magic working horribly as well as silliness are to be expected and IronyOwl likes it that way. The only way we could prevent disaster would exactly be by not teaching the princess anything, therefore avoiding any [1]s.
"They can fix her. I cannot teach her anything and she cannot respect my authority if she's made into a hateful fish magic-based creature. I will take a break from teaching the mutated and spiteful human hatchling and check on the peasants who think I'm their deity. Call or visit me if necessary." the hybrid-dragon said, turning around in a dramatic manner to make his cloak billow and accidentally smacking his tail against a corner before leaving the tower in as dignified a way as he could while tears welled up in his eyes.
Check if the peasant cult has any priests; if so then to teach them Polymorphing, if not then just pick the ones foolhardy enough to want to be priests then teach them Polymorphing.
[5] You summon your high priests to impart upon them ancient wisdom. For some reason, this actually works, and they take to momentarily scaling patches of skin, adjusting the color of their eyes for a flash, and other petty parlor tricks in order to impress and unsettle their fellow cultists and normal customers, when they're back at work and not out culting.
+2 Polymorphing
Gained High PriestsCio held the task roster aloft with air magic, her tome in one hand, and a delicate image of what others were saying in though, in another. In the meeting with three others, she nodded at Nallihen's idea.
"I first agree that we should optimize what people do rather than just because we can do such. I myself may not be able to do anything unless such esoteric magic lessens its hold on our royal ward: Alongside that, I do respect your idea of feeling paranoid, Enoch, but I doubt that this guild is as spiteful as if it was built on assumptions and personal agency to act, rather than why this guild exists in the first place. It is only three weeks of effort, meaning such spells cast on the Princess are temporary. I'll be sending word to the cucumber mage and, for you as our Dagon mage, to please work with each other in demystifying our ward. As the timing, however, of another matter is altogether unannounced, I will try to handle the coming of our council checker, who I presume will come every two weeks if the first visit was anything to speak about. Otherwise, I am open to requests, but I do hope for organization with our weekly actions here, other than the many mundane tasks we all look after (such as food and petty cash finances)."
She began to write messages (utilizing her air magic for speed and finesse) and sent them speeding out of the room to the respected mages' resting chambers for ease of communication.
"Now what's on those messages is a sense of unity. What I vaguely suspected--but never spoke about--was why there is a reason on the council's lack of deliberation and consistency regarding choices; I did put in petty arguments and strange notions that are all too common with clashing ideals, but it doesn't fit the fact that supposedly better mages more skilled than us cannot reach a decision given their arbitration prowess. This is emphasis of even our skills failing due to external circumstances. Meaning: I believe there are other forces playing their hand on the princess' stake here, even if they work through our actions. We are skilled people--not the best--but adept in what we do, and something has been modifying our plans and results, at least in the extreme in subtlety. Either way, it is merely speculation at this point, but a consistent one at that. I will be tending to other matters now, either aiding with resuscitating the princess, or casting a field of illusion to...cover up, anything if there is another surprise checker this week much like last. If my presumption is correct of an otherworldly force towards or on the princess' fate, I do hope it is not actively against us."
Cio messages all mages who...err, currently affected the Princess with dem tentacles (sans Nallihen because she just talked to him) to please cooperate and fix what's going on. She also adds a request for some organization with the spells being cast, as it does not seem our skill alone is playing a part into the results.
IF there is a council or something checker this week, Cio will...illusion a state of "EVERYTHING IS OKAY"ness on the whole area of what the checker will check, obviously not relying on her novitiate knowledge (this is backup instead), but her social knowledge!
Otherwise, her goal this week is to tend to the princess without training--either using her life magic for helping out with removal of pesky magics, or just speaking to her and acting like an emotional support and venting person, acting like a rolemodel rather than training any magics. Perhaps this is a different skill altogether that isn't magic?
[5] You spend the week just being there for the princess, acting as a normal human she can talk to. Through her ranting about 'the end of the Age of Flesh', you gather that she's very upset about everything that's happened lately, and doesn't see a good way out of it except embracing unholy power and bringing equal ruin upon others as was brought upon her.
Fortunately, through your gentle suggestions she reconsiders her plan of action, realizing that if she destroys her own kingdom she won't be able to rule it with an iron tentacle!
Princess: Fated Cruelty+Apathy For Life->Iron Empress"From what I can tell, either they just don't recognize that those magics would ruin her relationship with the kingdom, or they just don't care. I would rather put them on guard duty of the tower or some such. I am not expecting an attack from anyone in the near future, unless another representative for the council comes by and word leaks out of the princess's...stomach bug. Yes, for the time being, let's refer to it as that, in case some curious scryer overhears. Anyway, for them to stop ingraining their magics into her, they must be dead, far away from her, or think it's not a good idea. Have you considered using your psycho-entomology to suggest it to them...directly? Even giving them lasting headaches would give us some time to cure Marcille and make her recognize that she should stay away from and ignore their magics".
Maxime nods.
"I can see that a subtler approach is necessary. I will attempt to stop their machinations through humble arthropsychics, giving the sane among us time to cure her."
Maxime allows Sally to familiarise herself with the tower, warning her to stay away from people and just look through the library for things that might interest her.
In the meantime, she will try and create a swarm of bedlice (perhaps from the dreamlice) capable of crawling into the ears of sleepers, able to release and amplify ancient primal fears of the so-called gods of the deep. The idea is to overwhelm the minds of victims with recollections of abyssal horror, or at least make them terrified of anything Dagon, unable to tolerate the mental pressures such arts must hold. The basic idea is to put a stop to the Dagon magic.
She'll put the lice, discreetly (remember that +2 subterfuge, some people don't) in the beds of Nji and Enoch.
[4] Your bedlice go off alright, though without a firm grasp of Dagon magic or lore yourself you're sort of guessing as to abyssal horror and Dagon-ness. You'd think anyone normal would get the message regardless, but if they're practicing Dagon Magic in the first place they're certainly not normal so you'll have to see.
You reason that dumping a jar of magical lice into someone's bed should be pretty easy, but if you wanna be real sneaky about it you'll need to devote a full week's worth of attention to the matter.
Self: +1 Psychoarthropody
Gained Nightmare LiceNINJA: Waitlisters may now vote on a single action to be taken each week by ninjas. You have been instructed to kill all of the mages and return Sally to your employer safely. As the mage's guild is a fearsome opponent, you will need to be patient and clever; simply attempting to kill them all in one go is liable to result in a repeat of the Watermelon Cascade. Nobody wants a repeat of the Watermelon Cascade.
Princess Marcille
SKREEEEEE
-
+1 Novice Dagon Priest (1/4)
+1 Novice Sea Cucumber Mage (0/4)
+1 Novice Magical Theorist (0/4)
+0 Dabbling Vitamancer (0/2)
+0 Dabbling Public Speaker (0/2)
-1 Incompetent Sacrificer (1/2)
-1 Incompetent Air Mage (1/2)
-1 Incompetent History Mage (1/2)
-
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.
Tentacle Empress: Princess Marcille will lead the awakening of a new age, an age shaped by her will and her will alone. None may stand against the inevitable.
Basement Phobia: The princess doesn't like going down there.
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 Graft: Has a long and branching mass of tentacles protruding from mouth. The tentacles are extremely vibrant and healthy, while her actual body is sickly and frail. Understandably swearing eternal vengeance against all of you over this.
YAK NAK VAR AIE: Ashul'adan ok'phur man'or u'k ver'fal'fal'mroa tshu'mar mor'ai ko'vak ko'vak ko'vak ab'tul mo'ka.
IT COMES: The princess seems rather distraught about something?
Nallihen Talandr (Caellath)
Healthy
-
+3 Adept Polymorpher (2/16)
+2 Apprentice Vitamancer (2/8)
+1 Novice Resilient (0/4)
+1 Novice Charismatic (0/4)
-
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.
High Priests
Incompetent
-
+0 Dabbling Polymorphers (0/2)
Maxime Pfeiffer (NJW)
Healthy
-
+3 Adept Psychoarthropodist (3/16)
+2 Apprentice Subterfugist (0/8)
+2 Apprentice Gemcrafter (0/8)
-
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.
Nightmare Lice: Tiny, cute little scuttlies that crawl into victims ears and give them horrible nightmares of the things living in the deep. Hopefully persuades people to stop summoning things dwelling in the deep.
Nji (Secheral)
Healthy
-
+3 Adept Mycomancer (2/16)
+2 Apprentice Life Mage (0/8)
+2 Apprentice Dagon Priest (2/8)
-
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 (3/16)
+2 Apprentice Archarus Priest (0/8)
+2 Apprentice Hag Magic (0/8)
-
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)
-
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 (1/8)
+1 Novice Enchanter (0/4)
+1 Novice Polymorpher (0/4)
+1 Novice Magical Theorist (0/4)
-
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)
-
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 (3/16)
+2 Apprentice Poll Mage (0/8)
+1 Novice Tactician (0/4)
+1 Novice Sacrificer (1/4)
-
Noble Hero: Celebrated as a noble hero, especially by the vile aristrocracy and hungry wraiths of the Untouchable Wastes.
Author
Topic: Wizard Princess RTD [Turn 15: Sideshow] (Read 46904 times)