5
[Initiative:]Golden Flare (Lenglon): 66+40=86
Skylord (Devastator): 77
Luna's Vestige (syvarris): 54
Ignorance's Witch (Egan_BW): 3
Heavenly Clerk (Fluffe9911): 2
Child of the Househedge 1: 42
"Ignorance! You okay?"
She's hurt! and I don't know any words to heal. Only choice is to attack the thing that attacked her!
I turn and aim at the weird doll.
it's small so try the maybe-homing effect, it's made of twigs and flammable materials and flame is tied to purification and cleansing evil spirits so use flame, and I can shape it like that unknown shape from before to learn what shape that was.
"Toknel Taqquin Grep!"
Why does she... whatever. It's her call. I'll try to trap the thing I guess. But how? there was that maybe-sinkhole-thing. perhaps....
"Toknel Sparnelsparnel Ventel"
Sometimes, you really just don't understand your teammates at all. But you do understand the value of experimentation. Alright, let's see if you can trap this thing.
(Power: 3)
(Control: 5)
A flicker of shining red bursts forth from you, flying down towards where the plant-doll stands.
(Evasion: 6-1=5)
It screeches, and barely leaps out of the way, not expecting your exceptional speed and accuracy.
The bolt of light sinks into the asphalt. For a moment there is nothing, then a small section of it fragments, cracks spreading all over it in an instant, creating fragments that then crumble to gritty dust.
Well, that would have at least have been an impediment, if it had
hit.
Skylord, without opening her stone-heavy eyelids, addresses Heavenly Clerk.
"I'm trying something right now, before the fighting starts. If you stay quiet, you can watch. You might want to try it yourself someday."
"It will work."
Continue the mantra. My soul pilots my body, and this body is much, much stronger than my waking body. My soul is more than capable of handling one that's stronger still.
Instead of trying to put energy into my soul, try to put energy into my body, and all its parts. Arms, legs, fingers, toes, and yes, hair too. I'm close.
There is an energy, which comes from within. You've cast spells, you know what it feels like. You're a magical girl through and through, key word
magical.
Surely you can direct it. You're certain of it.
You can become
strong.
(Heart: 6)
(Unknown: 4)
Energy flows down intangible channels, fluctuating by the moment, dreamstuff directing potential to where it is needed.
You false-breathe, and take it in, still blurry in definition, and ever-so-hard to hold onto.
You take your intent and bind it to every inch of your dream-form.
You only want one thing, in that moment.
Become strong!But you cannot simply _.
It roils, and boils, out of your control.
Power. Control. You consider reaching for them, but you have already resolved yourself, and a solution is already available to you.
Your Heroic Form. Your dream-form
knows how to be strong. You just have to give it more to work with.
(Might: 6+1+1=8)
Your foot crashes down. And the asphalt
breaks, shattering in a circle of cracks under your foot.
You breathe, again, and the power you used is gone.
But you remember what you did. You think... you could do it again.
[Heroic Form tamper detected. Will detected. Tamper overriden. Stabilizing - encoding Trait.][Heroic Form developed! Gain Crest Trait 'Form Augmentation'.][Progression Debt accrued: -3.]Form Augmentation: You may spend energy, reducing the maximum number of Words you may safely use in a [Turn] by 1, to add a +1 bonus to your Might or Mobility rolls that [Turn]. (You pick which.)
Upgraded by Heroic Form: When you pay the cost to use Form Augmentation, your Might and Mobility rolls are improved, and you no longer have to choose between them.
"You have exceeded expectations. Well done."Luna's Vestige frowns as she inspects her new cloak. It's an interesting, attractive sight, enough to make her crack a small smile... but it's not what she wanted. While walking, she attempts to tear the cloak in half with her bare hands. Wondering how difficult it is. And if anything will change about it once it's damaged. If it remains at all intact after, she then casts "Erlsborne nuuleq." on the cloak, keenly watching the result--and wondering if the result will affect her.
Afterwards, she heads south twice, east once, then south again. She'll cast a second spell during the walk: "Cruulvous Tarle", and after stowing the result, watch her surroundings. She's getting quite far from her allies, and while she's not exactly worried about being alone, she's wondering what kind of dangers will present themselves.
Hmm. Well, this is a rather interesting creation, for all that it doesn't
quite fit your needs.
At the very least, it does pose another opportunity for experimentation. You have an idea in mind.
First, a more physical test.
(Might: 5-1=4)
It's a bit slick, and hard to keep it in your mind that it's a physical construct, but eventually you manage to get a firm enough grip on it to tear it in two.
Now you have
two semi-tangible shadows, and no cloak. The weave is still intact in the pieces, but it is split, and you can hardly call it a cloak any longer.
You put the pieces together and begin your arcane experiments.
(Power: 6)
(Control: 4+1=5)
The shadows distort, flowing together, incoherent for a moment, before returning to an approximation of their prior state as a cloak of shadow.
It's not
quite the same, though, and when you touch it, the force you exert is mirrored, from one side of the reformed cloak to the other.
With that done, you set off in exploration, with a touch of concern. You could easily be ambushed, out here on your own, yet so far nothing more dangerous than Ignorance's new 'friend' has showed up.
It's ominous.
(Power: 1)
(Control: 3+1-1=3)
Your clumsier weave, tired by your use of a spell earlier, catches no power, and fizzles out.
(Perception: 6)
And subtly, quietly, there is a skittering somewhere near you.
Oh, the other one strikes! Tearing up the road of our homes, what a grave crime! The punishment... is to play the game!
Cloth stretches, chalky nails sketch.
(Child's Play: 3)
A blood-red path of linked squares are scribed onto the asphalt.
(Resistance: 4)
The proper path calls to Golden Flare, but after a brief struggle, the game ceases to hold any appeal. The doll-thing seems disappointed.
[Child of the Househedge's Nightmare Trait revealed: 'Child's Play'!]Child's Play: Children of the Househedge can concoct murderous or obstructing children's games with a compulsive effect. These may be resisted with Resistance, a Will roll. If multiple Children collaborate, the games may be increased in scale or potency.
Ignorance's W̸͕̾̓i̷͔̅t̶̖̘͈̏͗̆c̸̟͖͗̀̐̑h̵̥͓͎͔̄̚
She turns to address the Nightmare properly, striking a heroic pose.
"Hey you! Quite being such a shifty bitch and join my cause! Together we can cleanse this realm of the Outsiders!"
Clear this encounter using Diplomacy! Meanwhile create an Essence of Nek.
After a good deal of pondering, you think you've managed to figure out how to convince this thingy to play on your team.
The power of friendship and allegiance!
(Heart: 1)
(Mobility: 1)
(Resistance: 3)
You try to stroke a heroic pose, and immediately trip, flailing your arms.
This whole 'magical girl' thing needs some work, you think as you land neatly on the blood-red path of squares your
recruitment target has drawn out.
Naturally, you're breaking the rules by landing on a
middle square, so you don't have to hop along the path.
The creature seems even less happy with you.
May as well make an essence.
(Power: 5)
(Control: 1+1=2)
The power slips your grasp for just a moment, but already charged with an unfathomable, absurd Word.
(Resistance: 3)
You manage to shove the unstable power out of you before things, naturally, go to shit, because there is no DOOR without suffering.
Or is there?
(Unknown: 4)
The DOOR - the DOOR is LOCKED.
The rupture closes, leaving you to cough up little drops of blood. Even the doll-thing looks concerned, or perhaps just terrified of whatever you just tore open.
[Heart Capacity 2/2 at Exhaustion. Minor Crest damage inflicted.]"It is not advisable to strain the integrity of your Crest.""Oh boy that was a close one almost got left behind! Anyway whatcha you do-"
Skylord, without opening her stone-heavy eyelids, addresses Heavenly Clerk.
"I'm trying something right now, before the fighting starts. If you stay quiet, you can watch. You might want to try it yourself someday."
The subtle jab goes completely over her head "Oh some type of experiment? That sounds neat! Sure I can stay quiet not a peep from me no sir re diddly de!" I then sit down putting my hand on my chin and silently watch fidgeting impatiently every now and then
Watch her do whatever super cool experiment thing she is doing and totally not get bored and start daydreaming about something else!
Okay, quiet. Quiet quiet quiet. Wow, this is
hard. Almost as hard as whatever Skylord is doing! And she's standing up and she...
WHOA!
H-how did she do that? That's basically a crater in the road!
A small one.
H_HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
H___HH_H______HH##H
H_H@_____H_H##HHH#H
H_H_H_HHHH_H##__HHH
H_H_H____H_H_HH__HH
H_H___HH___H___H_HH
H___H@HH_##HH_HH_HH
HHHHH_HHH##___HH###
HHH___H#HH_HH__##*#
H___H_HHHH__H_HH###
H_H_H_______H_HHH_H
H_HHHH@HHH_HH___H_H
H___H____H_HHHH_H_H
H###H_HH_H_HH__###H
H#*#__HH______H#*#H
H###HHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Houses have been marked in H. They may be traversed by breaking through them. Assessment: moderate-high risk.
Roads have been marked in _. By default, your party may traverse 4 road areas per [Turn], at a steady pace. Assessment: low risk.
Obfuscated, unknown areas have been marked in #. Assessment: unknown risk.
Key areas, that may contain your objective, have been marked in *. Assessment: unknown risk.
@: Heavenly Clerk and Skylord.
@: Ignorance's Witch and Golden Flare.
@: Luna's Vestige.
Description:
It is a humanoid doll made of cloth and twigs, brambles and nails. It giggles in the whispering of leaves and steps lightly, without a care (for your life).
Nightmare Traits:
--Child's Play: Children of the Househedge can concoct murderous or obstructing children's games with a compulsive effect. These may be resisted with Resistance, a Will roll. If multiple Children collaborate, the games may be increased in scale or potency.
--Unknown.
Status:
It is fully intact, and fairly annoyed at your refusal to play along.
Location:
Sharing Ignorance's Witch's and Golden Flare's tile.