Sitting in a long forgotten Alcove is a secret passage leading to an Office and Living Space. This isn't where the story begins though, for hidden in these rooms is a collection of magic. And hidden beyond that is a simple series of rooms which were once often used to store concubines for a certain teacher.
This bedroom has absorbed quite a bit of malice and hatred, and so, a spirit born of that hatred, and of ambition, is born.
Of course, as it is, bound to these rooms, this bedchamber's bed, none know of it. And, it is unlikely anyone will ever come across it.
Normally anyway.
Ambitu Damnum Notitiam, the Ambition born from Knowledge Lost.
Suggest: a flicker, to a female student, lead them to this place, kept secret. Keep it secret and explore these lost tomes. Come.
Old illusions wear away over time, and the Academy has a great deal of history behind it. Sometimes an old spell breaks, revealing secrets that previously went unnoticed.
It's not the first time that a door appeared where there one wasn't yesterday, and it's not the first time that a student went wandering where they didn't belong.
Drawn by a presence in her mind, the girl picks her way through the dusty room. Strange...devices are hung up on the wall, devices with sharp angles, rings, wheels, ropes and chains, the uses of which can only be guessed at.
At the center of the room lies a large bed, surrounded by two magic circles. There's something sitting on it, but she can't see clearly in the dim light. Curiously, she approaches the bed and turns into a small pumpkin.
I bind myself to Komori and then speak to him "quite a situation right, why not let them have it, all you would need to do is punch that bully in the jaw, standing up to him by using your fist is perfectly fine for a brute like him"
Komori is far too disciplined to provoke a fight in broad daylight! Also, there's a teacher standing right there, even if it
is Professor Sun. He berates himself for entertaining such a foolish idea and cools his emotions using a short breathing exercise.
Nix suggests to Zume to confess to lashing out. It is right for the boy to face some judgement, and perhaps it will help him in the long run.
"You students should know better than to fight in the halls like this," Professor Sun says.
"I know you're excited to test out all the new skills that you've learned, but it's against the rules!
And there are teachers watching, you know! And if they catch you, you might get punished. Then you won't be able to fight later. Especially if Professor Aubergine finds you! Or me!""Sorry, P-""You know, fighting is a privilege, not a right! If everybody started fighting all the time, then someone could get hurt! And we wouldn't want that, would we?""No, Profe-""Well, unless they're evil. Then we should try to make them into better people by beating them up until they change. But only evil people! You understand that, right?""Ye-""You're not turning evil, are you, Mr. Kumoshin?""No, I - wait, what?""Because if you're evil, I'm going to have to beat you up," Professor Sun says, looking at Komori.
"No, Professor Sun.""Good!" he says, grinning widely and ruffling Komori's hair playfully. Komori looks slightly annoyed. Zume is confused at first, but then chalks it up to Sun being Sun. Not everything he does makes...sense.
"Now remember, children, it isn't right to start fights with people who are weaker than you, and it isn't smart to start fights with people stronger than you. Only fight with-oh?He pauses as a small, hovering orb floats down the hallway towards him, then bursts. A small, disembodied mouth appears.
"Professor Sun, you are requested in the main office. Please come quickly.""I'll let you two rascals off the hook this time. Just don't tell the Headmaster, all right? Oh, and if you want to fight properly, don't forget that the Arena is open in the afternoons. I'll be there later, assuming that Fionn doesn't keep me busy all day. Promise me you two won't do any more fighting in the halls, okay?""Yes, Professor Sun.""Yes, Professor Sun.""Good!" Professor Sun grins and heads off down the hall.
Zume and Komori look back at each other. Sun's appearance did cool things down for a bit, but the animosity is still there.
Examine Proffessor Sun. Do it respectfully, he can probably tell I'm doing it.
Despite his unprofessional demeanor and odd habits, you are able to discern is that in terms of raw strength, he is one of the most powerful mages you have ever seen.
While you're not quite sure if he can sense your probing (people who use vision magic frequently often wind up with abnormally-colored eyes such as his), you get the feeling that he doesn't really care. He seems to be...easily distracted.
2/2 1/2 3/3
Bound to: Komori, a first-year (Aspiring Blue).
Nix gains a new ability:
Soul Bond. You can't actually use it yet, though.
2/3 3/4 3/3
Soul Bond (5): You spiritually empower a believer, enhancing their senses and physical abilities.
10/10 7/12 9/10
Bound to: Cole, a first-year (undecided).
Unique Abilities:
Soul Bond (5): You spiritually empower a believer, enhancing their senses and physical abilities.
Scout (3): You may fly around freely and observe things while intangible.
A ping, out in the distance. Many who may be worthy of the might Honor was willing to grant.
Indeed, Honor was a strange thing, especially once broken. Though it presented itself well enough, it was a twisted concept. Honor left the defeated to live with their weakness. Honor would have men fight over ancient mistakes. Honor held a man on the moral high ground when he was truly screaming at the angels from the Abyss.
Honor was a monster. But none could learn this, not yet.
Examine the school for people who hold themselves separate from others. People who think themselves better that those others. Honor's champion must have a pedestal for Honor to build up.
You peer into Zume's history and get a few flashes of insight...
the sound of shouting and cracks of thunder in the middle of a clear, cloudless nighta man lying face-down in a pool of blood, small golden flames fading from around the body, a glass shattered on the floora cloaked figure in dark blue disappearing through an open windowthe image of an eye on a wristband, illuminated for a brief moment in a flickering golden lightYou briefly consider this. The boy is strong, but his soul is full of anger, and he may be difficult to bend towards your goals. Perhaps another would be better...
A similar memory is detected elsewhere. It seems the boy has a sister in the school, one year younger, named Ardera. Though she bears a similar thirst for justice, she did not witness the
event directly. She is less experienced, but may be more malleable.
Both of the DeLimon children have a rather high view of themselves, almost aristocratic. It seems they come from a fairly wealthy family.
2/2 2/3 0/1
Bound to: The Broken Blade, a recently created Relic currently in the possession of Torm, third-year Red student.
Unique Abilities:
Destined: When it comes to finding a champion, there is no range limit to your Examine or Suggest ability - you may pick any character revealed in the story so far, or you may seek out a new person with particular qualities. You lose this ability once a champion has been chosen.
As Eightfold read the topic of magic she felt, intrigued. It was a subject she wanted more knowledge on. Perhaps she could use it for something? You, did things with knowledge usually, right? The Dragon Lord thing sounds scary, but also like something worth knowing about. Then again, all knowledge was worth having, even the fake stuff!
Thinking with a desire to learn more, she made a subtle Suggestion to the reading man, to bring another book on the subject of magic. Perhaps it could be useful to him?
(just one green mana on the suggestion)
After a few more moments of thought, Brook pulls another book from the shelf, entitled
The Geometry of Magic. It seems that this book details alternate systems to the three-colored Chromatic system that exists today. As he flips through it, you note varying symbols. A four-pointed system that emphasizes the opposing forces of
Fire and
Water, of
Earth and
Air.
He flips open to the chapter on Earth Magic.
The last of the Four Elements to be created according to the philosophy of Breaking, its creation represents both the ultimate purpose of Creation - the physical world itself - as well as the impurity left over once the other powers were already made. True mastery of Earth Magic could only come through a deep understanding of the eternal cycle of Life and Death. Its essence was exemplified in soil, dead and rotted matter that held the potential for new life. Its practitioners understood that true growth could only come about through sacrifice, and worked to maintain the balance of nature, ensuring that the physical world would not stagnate, but would continue to grow. Though Earth Magic tended to be slow-working, it was also highly reliable and was often associated with long life.He ponders this for a moment, biting his pen. He then opens up your book, and writes the following:
Black magic -> Corruption of Earth Magic? Endurance -> immortalityHe stares at this for a few moments, then crosses out
immortality and writes
passive in its place. After a few moments, he writes
Cyan next to
passive.
He opens up to another section of the book, this one displaying a more complex five-color system, with each color being associated with two other colors and opposed to two other colors:
Red,
Black,
Blue,
White, and
Green. He stares at this symbol for a few minutes before shaking his head and closing the book.
You sense a strange presence in one of the books nearby.
1/1 2/4 3/4
Bound to: A blank book, titled "Eightfold".
Unique Abilities:
Ghostwriter (5): When unobserved, text may appear in your book.
Look at the books and the wand and attempt to memorize their look
You glance at the book on wands, which is lying open.
In addition to the Relic quality factor typical of all talismans, the size, shape and weight of a channeling device figures heavily into the manner of spells it specializes in. The size of a wand or staff is the second-most important quality in determining the talisman's total power output, followed closely by its form. The length of a wand influences its range and power, while collection nodes increase the charge capacity. The classical "knob-tipped" design is highly popular due to balancing these factors, in addition to the potential benefit of applying an Icon to the knob to strongly enhance the staff's potential Relic quality, though the presence of a knob can interfere with directed Evocations...You learned a bit of wandlore!Amy's wand is small and simple compared to some of the designs in the book. It has no knob at the end and in fact tapers to a point, but it is carved with tiny, intricate ridges and complex runes. A ridge near the tip twists around the wand like a spiral. You believe that this means the wand has little total power but is very good at directing that power for offensive purposes, though the runes do provide some additional casting flexibility. Amy seems to be a very straightforward and direct kind of mage.
2/5 11/11 9/10
Bound to: A pen in the possession of Kevin, a first-year (Aspiring Green).
Danger Sense: You passively gain a bit of knowledge about the future as it pertains to danger.
Manifest (5): You may briefly manifest a physical form. (Eye made of ink) [Active]
Scout (3): You may fly around freely and observe things while intangible.
Analyze Wand (3): You gain extra insight when examining wands, staves, or similar items.
Keh heh heh heh! It's even better when they think they have the situation under control, only to make a fool of themselves! And what's a first-year doing with all of these advanced books? Does she think she's better than the rest, that she's surrounded by dumbasses and is superior because of her intellect? Cause that doesn't make her better than a bully that abuses his strenght on the weak.
Oh, how I hate people like that! That they think they are above the rest, like puppeteers looking down the mindless puppets hanging from their strings! Stuck-up people like her deserve punishment!
The Fool Suggests with 2 Mana that Corey should take the books and run. Specifically, the ones about Hexes and Wooden Talismans. Oh, how much fun we'll have together!
I already established that I’m going to try to pick up the books to return to her, and I’m not stopping now, so I’ll keep going about that. No abilities besides maintaining my manifest.
Also, going to try to talk to The Fool. There’s no way that I wouldn’t have noticed him by now.
“Why did you just knock down all of these books? Do you need them or something? It doesn’t seem very nice to knock over other people’s stuff.”
"Keh heh heh heh! Not nice at all, am I right! Did I need them? No, I didn't! Then why did I do it? Because I wanted to! Keh heh heh!"
"...Actually, it's not just that. People like her, I hate- No, hate doesn't even begin to describe what I feel towards her and her kind. They think they are in control, that the rest are just puppets, that they can just pull the strings forever..."
"But the truth is, they are simple puppets themselves, just like the rest! And one day, I'll be the one pulling the strings! Keh heh heh heh!"
I ask if Shaa is alright, having just gotten trapped.
“Are you alright Shaa? Should I try to help?”
Also, I feel like I have to use Speech to warn Esme (and everyone else nearby) about The Fool. My whole strategy seems to be talking, so it wouldn’t make sense to not talk now. I’m also still picking up the books.
At Arbus' warning, Amy spins around and faces the bouncing puppet. She points her wand at it.
"Combustiolignum!" she shouts and The Fool's left shoulder bursts into flames!
While Amy is distracted, Corey swoops in and snatches up the books! But before he can make a run for it, Arbus snatches at the book on hexes with his teeth!
"Arbus!" Esme yells, and sets off in pursuit, Kevin running alongside her.
Though the foxlike familiar is not especially heavy, combined with the weight of the books, Corey is finding it hard to beat a hasty retreat.
5/14 15/26 10/10
Bound to: Esme, a first-year (Aspiring Green).
Soul Bond (5): You spiritually empower a believer, enhancing their senses and physical abilities.
Manifest (5): You may briefly manifest a physical form. (Fox) [Active]
Speech (5): You may speak verbally to a human.
4/7 0/4 4/7
Bound to: A puppet in the possession of Corey, a first-year (Aspiring Magenta). (HP 4/5) [Currently on fire!]
Unique Abilities:
Unseen Movement (5): You may move your puppet body under your own power, but only when not being watched.
Shaa remains in Amy's head. Passively watching, the spirit recovers some mana.
7/15 3/3 7/15
Bound to: A book, Unbound Mortality, currently restrained in the Forbidden section of the Library.
Unique Abilities:
Mindsurf (2): Allows you to jump directly from one inhabited creature into another, provided you, or the creature you are inhabiting, can see them. The further away you get from the book, the weaker your influence becomes. Current host: Amy, Magenta Mage. [Disabled by mental shield!]
Unseal Page (1): You make it easier to open the book to a particular page.
Devour Spell (5) (10): You can absorb a spell cast in your vicinity. It seems you can only use this (2) times, however.
Author
Topic: Chromatic Spirits RPG: Ghosts to Gods: Round 16: Battle against a Pumpkin (Read 21258 times)