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[DynasticMutt]

Also known as, longtime lurker tests out a random game system he half-baked.

...

It is the Year of Our Lord Eani 876, and your country of Espali (Most beloved under the sun) tears itself apart across the sea, fighting the Moerin, for whatever reason. Your travels bring you to the coast of the Rhorarre Sea, where the foam froths up on rocky shores. Well you should be there, and not a couple miles inland, but that's not your fault!

Cursing your fate while trodding through the...

A) Uneven ground of the unpleasantly bright meadow, you almost twist your ankle in a pothole.

B) Hilly terrain of the highlands, whose rocky cliffs make the coast unpalatable for trade, you almost walk off a small ledge.

C) Semi-arid lands of Espali's southern edge, you get loose dirt in your shoes.

You sigh and stop, checking your surroundings. Still lost, and you've wandered quite a bit off course. Where is the road, anyway...? It's times like these you rethink your profession. What are you, anyway?

1) A veteran soldier who just barely survived the first muster, where proud king Juan IV and his army of a few thousands, the vanguard, failed to see the massive hordes of Moerin soldiers. You were originally traveling to the king's second muster at Curtora, although you don't really have an obligation or reason to, now.

2) An itinerant priest of Ean, come to console the returning soldiers and inspire the new ones. With book in hand and permission from the archbishop himself in Grande, you initially sought to stop at the port of Girilla to comfort the returning men. To be fair, however, the archbishop didn't quite order you to do it.

3) A no-name noble second son of a no-name noble, ruling over a vast yet useless territory. You're on a routine patrol through the lands of your father, although he could not spare any men at this time, what with the war.

500) Write your own, and give it a different number. Preferably someone with skills, but not too powerful like a king or a bishop. Interpretations may still vary a little!

Soon, the sun sets. You're still totally lost, but of course you could rough it at least one night...

Something shines lightly in the light of the setting sun, just up ahead. You don't know why, but it captures your interest. Heck, by Ean above, you might as well check it out.
...
Who are you anyway?
@) Name, please!
M)Male
F)Female


Character Sheet

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Name: Derek Cholmondeley
Gender: Male
Age: ?
Health: Excellent
Appearance: ?
Background: Minor, minor noble [Adm 3d8, dip 3d6, mil 3d6, combat d6]
Stats: (0-30 scale for the three stats, where 10 is competent) (Combat on a scale of 0-16)
    Military: 8
    Administration: 11+1
    Diplomacy: 11+1
    Personal Combat: 2+.5
Prestige: Minimal-Local
Noble class if applicable: Baron’s son.
Personal wealth or possessions: 54 coppers in pouch (equivalent to 54 days of work for a peasant), Nice boots, Worker’s wide-brimmed hat, Fine tunic + leggings, Footman’s sword (+.5 Personal Combat).
Special Skills
    Can Read (+1 adm and +1 dip)

Artifact Sheet

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Core Integrity: 100%
Capacity: 20/301 mana units
Income: 99 mana units per season
Expenses: 0 mana units
Known abilities:
--Fertilize Acre: Fertilizes any acre of soil such that it provides double the food of a normally arable acre. .25 mana units per acre initially, with a maintenance of .02 mana units per acre.
--Construct building: Constructs a building from thin air, with cost varying on size.  2 mana: small building, 4 mana: medium building 5 mana: large building. Available in the ancient Acham style.
--Spawn Material: Open-ended, spawns a certain amount of materials for a given amount of energy. 1 energy for a ton of wood, 5 for a ton of stone, 8 for a ton of iron.
 

[Maximum Spin]

B, 2, M, Derrick Clauthwraite

[Shadowclaw777]

C, 3, M, Derek Cholmondeley; the proper spelling of that name

[Leonardo8]

C, 3, M, Derek Cholmondeley; the proper spelling of that name

+1

[King Zultan]

C, 3, M, Derek Cholmondeley; the proper spelling of that name

+1

+1

[DynasticMutt]

Note: Are you guys alright with me deciding on names for the family? I plan to let you guys name your siblings. Also, basic information will be posted soon.

You are Derek Cholmondeley, born the second son of Ferdinand Cholmondeley and Mathilda Cholmondeley, the baron and baroness of Melga. No one knows where your family name came from. Heck, no one really knows you, aside from your father's subjects. You've always been average at almost everything: Competent, but not especially so, at administration and diplomacy, and a little behind on military matters. You're a decent fighter, at least.

You shake those thoughts out of your head and approach the shining object. Half buried in the ground, it's a glossy, metal, dull-yellow sphere lodged in the ground. You reach out almost unconsciously...

BAM!

The ball shines, flashing like a bolt of lightning up close. You regain vision a second later.

"F-Ffffuuu..." You sputter, flustered by the unpleasantly bright light.

"Hello?"

The sound catches you by surprise. You look around for the culprit, but realize the sphere must have... spoken?

"Greetings potential user. This unit, Settlement Development Assistant #002, finds it preferable to be informed as to where and when I have been activated."


Quick: What do?

[X] How do you respond? Answer it? Question it? Panic?

[VoidSlayer]

*Incoherent screaming panic fear* dropping into a low "what are you?"

[DynasticMutt]

*Incoherent screaming panic fear* dropping into a low "what are you?"

The sphere still shines slightly, emitting a very, very faint light from all over its surface. It waits until you calm down a bit, radiating displeasure despite being an inanimate object.

"I am designated, as stated previously, as Settlement Development Assistant #002. I was created an indeterminate time ago by the great wizard Aramruta. I was created in the land that was once called Acham, but residue on my surface from sea water leads me to believe I have been relocated since. The flow of magic is far weaker than in the past. What year is it?

'Great wizards?' Magic? You know of the old stories, and even rumors of 'hedge mages' in service to kings in the East, but little more... And certainly no magic in dear Espali! With some stuttering and residual shock, you inform the machine that it is 876 AE. You also say something along the lines of Espali, but panic-blurt that they're the 'true guardians of the westernmost peninsula,' by habit. It shines uncomprehendingly, somehow. You go back as far as you know, explaining what the year and Espali mean.

"I am not familiar with the year notation, or this Eani you speak of. Considering you have said he defied a large empire, which I also do not know of, I estimate at least a thousand years have passed, probably more."

A thousand years, or more. The two of you stand, or lie half buried in the ground, in awkward silence, or perhaps a little fear.

It breaks the silence while you debate whether to run screaming to your father, or try to stay on its good side.

"You have told me we are in the western edge of the world, on a peninsula. The name means nothing to me, but this does correspond to the western peninsula of the western continent Narshel. Thank you for answering my inquiries, user."

It glows brightly for a second, but not blindingly so like last time. Wait, user? Also, the machine just insulted dear Espali...

"That is enough context to operate. This unit recommends a command be placed to begin settlement construction. I note, within my limited radius of influence, that you are the only member of the settlement in this arid land. The machine recommends designating some land for artificial fertilizing, although without any reliable sources of mana, I recommend only a few acres.


You're still wary of the machine, although offput by its blandness. What will you do?
Choose one, and then a subcategory if applicable.

[X] Give it a command...?
---[X] Have it "Fertilize" the land?
---[X] Experiment? (Write something to command the machine to do)

[X] Sod this, Run!
---[X]Run back to report this to your father? A magic artifact, one infinitely more powerful than a durable knife or shiny gem, is undoubtedly important.
---[X]Just run in general?

[X] Just... Go back to bed...

[X] Write in?


How do you feel about all this, anyway?

[1] Terrified?

[2] Strangely excited?

[3] Resigned?

[4] Write in.

[HugeNerdAndProudOfIt]

Say: Activate all diagnostic functions.

[DynasticMutt]

Say: Activate all diagnostic functions.

You think carefully for a second after calming yourself. What was that word healers always used to get to know a patient better...? Diamond.... Digging... Diary... Oh!

"Naturally, this unit will transfer information about the status of its magic economy over to you, but this unit conjectures that you desire more information."

Artifact sheet unlocked

The sphere shines its light on you placidly.

"My creator did not intend for any true diagnostic capabilities besides my energy economy and integrity. In fact, my creator decided on a very informal interface. This unit will do its best to explain its circumstances. I was designed for short-term stimulus over to a newly founded settlement. As a result of creator's admittedly rushed design, my functions are rather open-ended, so long as they involve inanimate or dead matter. Some processes I am designated to list are the ability to fertilize soil, construct buildings in the ancient Acham style, and to produce materials, although at high costs. No damage to any components detected, but the low ambient magic absorption is very worrying."

"The old emperors of Acham desired a way to further develop their lands, and my creator made only a few copies of me, before finishing his contract. I can see for a few miles in every direction, although my creator never intended for this unit to see further. Is there anything else you wish to know, or do you have a command?"

Well?
[X] What do!?

[Maximum Spin]

Latch onto the comment about "only member of the settlement" and ask if it would like to be taken back home where there are more people (although I intend to keep it a secret in any case).

[King Zultan]

Latch onto the comment about "only member of the settlement" and ask if it would like to be taken back home where there are more people (although I intend to keep it a secret in any case).

+1

[DynasticMutt]

Latch onto the comment about "only member of the settlement" and ask if it would like to be taken back home where there are more people (although I intend to keep it a secret in any case).

Your solution is... Unconventional... But I guess since I am undeployed, this unit can be moved without the assistance of a journeyman wizard. You are the only member of the settlement, which I can tell because you're the only sentient being this unit can draw mana from. More people would mean more mana, allowing this unit to fulfill its function more efficiently.

The sphere glows a bit brightly for a second, then reduces to a low, low shine. You suddenly notice the sun has gone down when you're plunged into sudden darkness.

"I am ready to be moved, if you desire."

Well... Better time than ever to sleep, right?

You find a flat patch of ground, with tighter packed soil, a dozen or so meters away from the sphere, and go to sleep.

...Wait, you're still lost, and you'll need to haul the sphere home with you now...

==========

You wake up ungracefully, rubbing at your sore back and swatting a few flies from your nose. The sphere is still dimly glowing, although you can barely tell.

Well, better get to it.

The sphere flashes slightly as you dig it out, and you find it's actually far lighter than you thought. It's still pretty heavy, though, but bearable. Meanwhile, without the dirt crusting it, you can see the sphere is chock-full of elaborate engravings on the surface, with strangely clean creases and weird, eastern-looking art. The entire thing is colored a lustrous gold, and slightly warm to the touch.


Hours pass, and you're almost home with the sphere cradled in your sore hands. You think you've gotten onto a worn-down road, and you're definitely going in what you think is the right direction. You see vague buildings in the distance, which helps a lot, and the arid land gives way to loose clusters of trees, signaling the tiny, tiny forest your parent's main fief was built around. The question looms, however, what are you going to do with the sphere?

Literally, what are you going to do with it right now?

[X]Bury it somewhere you can easily remember?

[X]Play it off as a fancy bauble?

[X]Write in

And... What are you planning to do with it in general? NOTE: This is kinda a poll just to see what you guys want. Not binding at all.

[X] Build up your parent's fief? It'll be awkward dealing with your older brother, though.

[X] Try to strike out on your own? All the land's technically taken, though...

[X] Hey! I'm just starting out here, and the city mechanics haven't even popped up! I don't know!

[X] Write in

Also, any names for an older brother and younger sister?

[Maximum Spin]

Burying seems fine enough, perhaps in that little forest. As for purpose, I'm thinking a little of both – maybe we can convince the family to let us have a certain section of the land to work on?
In any case,

Also, any names for an older brother and younger sister?

Duncan and Dharma. Your parents had a theme and goddamnit they were going to stick to it!

[DynasticMutt]

"This position is quite good for mana absorption. This unit detects more than 2500 humans in the area in its radius. Updating mana economy.

It seems travelling a couple miles worked, although you've walked like... 12 miles? All you know is you got from the edge of your father's fief to the center. The sun is going down again, but your father's estate isn't too far away.

You bury the sphere in the forest, covering it so no one can see it shine, and take note of the position. With that done, and after checking to see no one saw you, you walk towards your father's estate.

You walk down the main road, which actually wasn't too far off from where you came... A few merchants and travelers recognize and greet you. Some make small talk, but for the most part it takes some reminding for people to actually remember you... You pass a few small villages along the way, huddled close to the forest, and eventually come up on your home.

Melga.

It's a small town of a few hundred people. As you walk down the main cobble street (Well, only cobble street), more people greet you. The blacksmith and his son wave to you as they work, the steward's son calls out to you to say hi, before returning to his duties, and the old captain of the guard only slightly glares at you.

"Derek!?" Your brother, Duncan, steps out onto the street from the blacksmith's shop. He runs down to you and wraps you in a bear hug. He's very strong.

"We were all worried you got attacked! I was about to rush out for you, but..." He rubs his head sheepishly. "A lot of stuff has happened. You know about the Moerin war?"

You nod, who hasn't?

"But I guess that's news for another day, though. We should get back to the fief. Your sister's worrying most of all!"

Your brother escorts you back home cheerfully. He fills you in on what's been going on: the war, the barony's required levies, and the food situation. As you walk, a lot more people recognize your brother than you...

"Derek!" Your sister, Dharma, meets you in the courtyard. "I was worried about you! Don't do that again!" Your sister wraps you in another bear-hug. She's also distressingly stronger than you.

"Why did you take so long on patrol, anyway? Duncan watches you struggle against your sister's strength with mild amusement.

"I got lost." Your brother expects more from you, but you don't elaborate.

"...Well, I guess we shouldn't linger on why you got lost, but rather that you're back. Mom and dad need to see you, too!"

Your parents also wrap you up in tight hugs. Why is everyone so strong?! Of course, perhaps sensing your anguish, your brother also joins in the hug, teasingly.

"Derek, I thought the patrol wouldn't be a problem for you?" Your dad looks at you with an amused glint in his eyes. Your mother punches him lightly while talking to the servants.

"I've got the servants preparing a nice meal. Lets leave this for another time."

----------

Well, Derek, what's the plan for tomorrow? Ask for a fief? Offer to help with administration? Gather more info?

[X]I dunno, write in!

Spoiler: Bwahaaahaa (click to show/hide)