"Have you tried to bind a spirit to the body you're going to raise? Otherwise, ff there's any kind of special knife or book you're after, my friend and I could go get it, or I could just help around here of you want."
"Mmm, quite right I have. It seems that the soul is simply too volatile of a material to harness effectively. Perhaps it's not the method that is inadequate, but simply the materials. Build an undead out of parts that won't rot, desiccate, or deteriorate to maintain a proper base to work off of. Now... the only other undead I know of that can maintain a coherence of rational thought is myself... though lichdom is far too costly and would create far too many rivals... and... a vampire. Hmm... a vampire could work..."
At this point, Ser Hoofsbane slams his axe down and shouts,
"Alright, that is enough! You have ignored my advice at every turn, you have spared goblins, and now you seek to give fealty to this... this... ABOMINATION? I refuse. I adamantly refuse. I revoke any and all vows that I had with you, and now... I swear to you, I will come back, and I will burn this entire tower to the ground, with you in it, if it comes to that."
He quickly sprints out of the building, slamming the heavy wooden doorway and shaking the structure a bit.
"Ah, was he with you? Do you want me to send some skeletons to take care of him for you? Could be a complication, you know. No matter now, though. I've marked you for safe passage within these walls, you may explore as you wish, and use the bedroom on the ninth floor if need be. I have no need for it anymore. Just... dust away the cobwebs I suppose. Ah and don't take anything. If you do, I will know, and you will regret it. I had been looking for someone of the fleshy persuasion to do my diplomatic duties for me. As you imagine, I don't make many friends with my work."
You nod your head and he continues,
"If you want to assist me with capturing a vampire, just let me know. I'll be heading for the city of Whisperwalls, to the North. A rather self-righteous lot, if I say so myself. They are quite upset with me for taking a few bodies here and there from their various wars. And... well... sometimes you have to retaliate with hostility when angry soldiers demand you leave or they'll mount your head on a wall. Nevertheless, I hope to find the vampire that's hiding among them. If not, I do have some other pressing issues I need sorted."
At this, he glances over towards the elf,
"That one's from the West, kept trying to make me stop cutting the trees. Perhaps you could negotiate with them for me? I'd rather not keep the elf around, she eats too much."
"I do not. I can't help that my tastes are refined."
"As well, I always need more bodies to keep my horde strong. If you could convince one of the cities to provide me with bodies, well, I'd be very grateful. Sacking small hamlets and stealing from battlefields has net me nothing but trouble."
You feel like your recent experiences have brought upon new opportunities to improve yourself. You have gained 3 character points:
1 point for diplomatically resolving the goblin gate.
1 point for violently resolving the zombie guard situation.
1 point for diplomatically resolving the necromancer situation.
Ser Hoofsbane is now an enemy, and will occasionally oppose you.
Ura the Necromancer is now an acquaintance, and will help you if it is beneficial to her.
(Character points can be used to buy new skills or improve current ones, improve attributes, increase HP/FP, buy new spells or improve current ones. New skills/spells always cost 1 point. See GURPS Lite or ask me on the specific cost of an improvement.)
Ura is available to teach these necromantic spells:
Death Vision: (The subject sees a vivid apparition of his own death from a possible future. The effect is chilling and will mentally stun the subject. Costs 2 FP. Requires 3 seconds of concentration to cast.)
Steal Energy: (Steals FP from a living subject and transfers it to the caster via touch. The subject must be helpless or willing. Every 3 FP taken from the subject restores 1 FP to the caster. Requires 1 minute of concentration to cast per 3 FP stolen.)
The necromancer's tower is now available to use at your disposal. The tower has 10 rooms:
Basement floor: Treasure room. Filled with a few chests and a lot of bones, like, waaaay too many bones.
1st floor: Study room/Entrance. Contains a few tomes of necromantic knowledge, miscellaneous supplies, ample space to experiment, and an elf liaison hostage.
2nd floor: Library/Laboratory. Contains a vast amount of books from all over the world. Also includes some laboratory supplies that don't fit in the entrance level.
3rd floor: "Medical" wing. Contains a rather gruesome room where bodies are prepared for stitching, repair, and raising.
4th floor: Zombie pits. Excess hordes of zombies are held in cages here. It's very loud.
5th floor: Skeleton pits. Excess hordes of skeletons are held in cages here. It sounds like a xylephone. Also loud.
6th floor: Experimental subjects. Where the stitched up remains of various abominations are kept. Strangely quiet. Too quiet.
7th floor: Map room. Contains various maps of the various kingdoms and the world. Also contains scrolls and books on most of the prominent kingdoms of the surrounding area.
8th floor: The den. Contains a roaring magical fireplace, as well as musical instruments that strum on their own. Filled with many peculiar distractions.
9th floor: The bedrooms. Contains a few bedrooms that have long since run into disarray. Is that a cave spider or is it just a rug?
10th floor: The observatory. The top of the tower, where a telescope has been put into place, as well as a number of esoteric magical devices used to track and interpret the stars.
HP: 11/11
FP: 9/11
Strength: 11 (62.5%)
Dexterity: 12 (74.1%)
Intelligence: 12 (74.1%)
Health: 11 (62.5%)
Will: 12 (74.1%)
Fright Check: 12 (74.1%)
Basic Speed: 6 (Handles dodge and initiative.)
Basic Move: 6 (Stella can move 6 meters per second.)
Perception: 12 (74.1%)
Vision: 12 (74.1%)
Hearing: 12 (74.1%)
Taste & Smell: 12 (74.1%)
Touch: 12 (74.1%)
Character Points: 3
Clinging: The ability for Stella to climb any object or terrain without having to make a roll due to the racial benefit of being a cardinal woman.
Magery 3 (Musical): Stella can cast spells, due to having magery, but can only cast spells while playing music from a harmonica. Magery also allows Stella to examine objects with a sense roll to determine if they are magical or not.
Talent (Musical Ability): Stella is talented with most forms of musical art, allowing greater skill proficiency with performances.
Voice: Stella has a naturally clear, resonant, sing-songy voice due to being a cardinal woman. People react far more favorably to Stella's voice and she gets increased proficiency with any vocal skills.
Charisma: Stella is naturally charismatic and people react more favorably to her presence.
Claws, sharp (feet): Stella has sharp talon-like feet that can be used to cut skin more harshly than a simple kick.
Appearance (Attractive): Stella has bright red plummage that most find to be appealing.
Feathers: Stella has red feathers covering most of her body, giving a small amount of resistance to the cold. She does not suffer penalties when in cold climates.
Honest Face: Stella is naturally honest looking, being a good-natured bard.
Penetrating Voice: Stella has learned to cut through loud taverns in order to be heard, and can project her voice quite far.
Teeth, Sharp Beak: Stella has a sharp beak which she can use to peck at enemies.
Social Stigma (Minority Group): Stella is one of the animal people, and is often looked down upon by the "civilized" races.
Xenophilia: Being a worldly bard of good nature, Stella does not fear the unknown, and her wanderlust sometimes misguides her, seeing threats as friends instead of foes.
Charitable: Stella always attempts to help those in need, and finds it hard to refuse a request to aid someone asking for help.
Trickster: Stella has the constant nagging feeling to not just defeat an enemy, but to outsmart and outwit them. If she goes on too long without a "suitable challenge," she grows restless and irritable.
Singing: 15 (95.4%) [Allows you to sing a song that you know in a pleasant fashion.]
Public Speaking: 14 (90.7%) [The art of speaking to a group. This includes storytelling, speeches, telling jokes, and rhetoric.]
Shield (Buckler): 14 (90.7%) [The combat skill of using a buckler. The buckler skill gives the option to block a strike succesfully or attack with the buckler.]
Shortsword: 14 (90.7%) [The combat skill of using a shortsword. You can either thrust the sword to impale, or swing it to cut the target.]
Fast-Talk: 13 (83.8%) [The art of lying, smooth-talking, and attempting to get a target to do something against their better judgement.]
Musical Instrument (Harmonica): 13 (83.8%) [Allows the use of the harmonica to play any song that you know in a pleasant fashion.]
Performance: 13 (83.8%) [This is the art of putting on an acting performance with the intent to entertain.]
Acting: 12 (74.1%) [This is the ability to counterfeit moods, emotions, and voices, and to lie convincingly over a period of time.]
Current Affairs (People): 12 (74.1%) [The ability to assimilate news about important people and to recall it.]
Diplomacy: 12 (74.1%) [The art of negotiationg, compromising, and getting along with others.]
Fast-Draw (Sword): 12 (74.1%) [This ability lets you draw your sword quickly, removing the need to ready it before hand.]
Musical Composition: 12 (74.1%) [This ability allows you to compose a new piece of music.]
Musical Influence: 12 (74.1%) [This is the supernatural ability to cause those that listen to your music to become enthralled and entranced.]
Savoir-Faire (High Society): 12 (74.1%) [The art of blending in with high society, including all mannerisms, taboos, and social constructs to avoid making a fool of one's self.]
Scrounging: 12 (74.1%) [The ability to search an area for a particular item or object.]
Stealth: 12 (74.1%) [The art of remaining unseen and unheard.]
Throwing: 12 (74.1%) [The ability to throw most objects accurately.]
Carousing: 11 (62.5%) [The ability to gain information by drinking, partying, and making friends.]
Dancing: 11 (62.5%) [The fine art of allowing you to dance without tripping on one's toes.]
Heraldry: 11 (62.5%) [The ability to design and recognize various coat of arms, crests, flags, tartans, and other emblems.]
Interrogation: 11 (62.5%) [The fine art of gaining information out of someone through long-term interrogation tactics.]
Intimidation: 11 (62.5%) [The ability to display your presence to frighten, awe, or demand respect from someone.]
Lockpicking: 11 (62.5%) [The careful art of breaking locks and how to create locks.]
Merchant: 11 (62.5%) [The art of haggling and getting a fair price for an item.]
Observation: 11 (62.5%) [The ability to watch for someone or something without being noticed. The skill also works as passive perception for anything trying to use stealth.]
Poetry: 11 (62.5%) [The ability to write poetry that is pleasant to read.]
Streetwise: 11 (62.5%) [The art of gaining information via rougher company. This can be used to navigate criminal elements as well as knowledge of lowborn mannerisms and social constructs.]
Traps: 11 (62.5%) [The art of spotting, disarming, and setting traps.]
Acrobatics: 10 (50%) [The skill of nimble movement, gymnastic stunts, and how to take falls.]
Detect Lies: 10 (50%) [The art of determining whether someone is lying or being genuine via subtle tells.]
Hiking: 10 (50%) [The skill of moving quickly across rough terrain and travelling.]
Sleight of Hand: 10 (50%) [The ability to steal something off someone without them noticing.]
HEALING SCHOOL:
Lend Energy: 13 (83.8%) [Sacrifice your FP and give it to someone else. Can transfer any amount of FP freely.]
Lend Vitality: 13 (83.8%) [Sacrifice your FP and convert it into temporary HP to give to someone else for one hour. Can transfer any amount of FP freely.]
Stop Bleeding: 13 (83.8%) [Stops the target from bleeding out instantly, causing the subject to regain 1 HP. Costs 1 FP. The spell can also stabilize a mortal wound at a significantly higher cost. Costs 10 FP.]
Minor Healing: 13 (83.8%) [Restores 1 HP to the subject per 1 FP up to 3 HP. Costs 1-3 FP. Repeat castings on the same subject are at -3 skill.]
Major Healing: 12 (74.1%) [Restores 2 HP to the subject per 1 FP up to 8 HP. Costs 1-4 FP. Repeat castings on the same subject are at -3 skill.]
MIND CONTROL SCHOOL:
Fear: 13 (83.8%) [The subject feels fear, and is more susceptible to intimidation tactics. Costs 1 FP.]
Terror: 13 (83.8%) [The subject feels unfettered horror and must make an immediate fright check at -3. Costs 4 FP.]
Berserker: 13 (83.8%) [The subject is clouded by rage and will lash out violenty without control. Costs 3 FP. Requires 4 seconds of concentration to cast.]
Foolishness: 13 (83.8%) [The subject suffers -1 IQ per FP spent. Costs 1-5 FP.]
Bravery: 13 (83.8%) [Makes the subject completely fearlness. Costs 2 FP.]
Loyalty: 13 (83.8%) [Makes the subject loyal to the caster and will follow orders for 1 hour. Costs 2 FP. Requires 2 seconds of concentration to cast.]
Daze: 13 (83.8%) [The subject of the spell looks and acts normal, but does not notice anything happening in the area. Costs 3 FP. Requires 2 seconds of concentration to cast.]
Sleep: 13 (83.8%) [Causes the subject to fall asleep and stay asleep for 8 hours, unless woken. Costs 4 FP.]
Emotion Control: 13 (83.8%) [Instills into the subject any emotion the caster chooses. Costs 2 FP.]
EMPATHY SCHOOL:
Sense Foes: 13 (83.8%) [Can be cast on someone to tell if they have hostile intent and the degree of hostile intent. Costs 2 FP.]
Sense Emotion: 13 (83.8%) [Can be cast on someone to acutely tell what emotion they are feeling and how loyal they are. Costs 2 FP.]
Persuasion: 13 (83.8%) [Causes the subject to react much more favorably to being persuaded, giving a higher bonus the more FP is spent. Costs 1-5 FP.]
Vexation: 13 (83.8%) [Causes the subject to react much more negatively to being persuaded, giving a higher detriment the more FP is spent. Costs 1-5 FP.]
Truthsayer: 13 (83.8%) [Tells whether a person is lying or not. Can be cast to tell if the person lied in the last five minutes or if the last thing they said was a lie. Costs 2 FP.]
Mind-Reading: 13 (83.8%) [Allows the caster to read the surface thoughts of the subject. Costs 4 FP. Requires 10 seconds of concentration to cast.]
Shortsword
Light Shield
Freeman's Clothes
Leather Torso Armor
Harmonica
Basic Survival Gear
7 Elven Travel Rations
1 Full Wineskin
1 Old Map