"Gahhh! Shanks keeps dosh no share!"
Onwards the dosh shall be Shanks!
Name - Shanks The Monsters
Background - Shanks is a Kobold. Someone told Shanks he could find dosh here Shanks likes dosh thus Shanks is now here.
Statistics
Skill-at-arms - 2
Brawn - 1
Focus - 1
Conviction - 1
Wounds: 0
Arcana: 0
Inventory and Equipment
Right Hand -
Left Hand -
Armor - Simple Clothes
Trinket -
Perks: 0 Point Remaining
(3) Caravan Hand Time spent working for a trade company has taught you a number of valuable lessons. You receive +1 to rolls when price haggling, looting, and foraging.
(1) Acrobat You are particularly adept at climbing, jumping, vaulting, and clambering. The first time in a turn a 1 is rolled for any such feat, it is instead rerolled.
(3) Silent The footsteps of a cat and the breathing of a mouse; in all things, you are quiet as a ghost. Enemies will never hear your movement, and have disadvantage on rolls to detect you.
(1) Quick Hands You may switch your equipped Right and Left Hand items, even while in combat.
Spells:
"from looks of this one, this parasite will follow you far enough to stick a dagger int thou back and no furthermore."
Mu says over his shoulder towards Meleria before confidently heading off towards the Stairs upwards.
Name - Mu
Background - A wildman of the West, his history is his to keep, but his motivation is better known; he seeks greater challenges than the men and beasts he once faught.
Description - a towering Giant of a man, with a wild mane of dark hair, and a body with naught an inch of skin uncovered by twisting tribal tattoos.
Statistics
Skill-at-arms - 2
Brawn - 4(3+1)
Focus - 0
Conviction - 0
You have 5 points to distribute among these stats, each point being a +1 to the result of rolls in that stat. You must have at least 1 brawn, and no more than 3 initial points in any one stat.
Wounds - 0
Arcana - -1
Your Wounds value will always start at 0. Your Arcana value starts at 0 if you are capable of spellcasting, and if not, it is -1.
Inventory and Equipment
(This is where your stuff goes. The primary goal of most tower-delvers is to fill this up with valuables and get out of the Tower alive. Many items can be equipped, for various benefits or utilities. While you may only equip one item to your Right Hand, Left Hand, and Armor slots, you may wear up to 8 trinkets, adding slots as needed. You do not start with any items other than simple clothes - nothing carried into the Tower is kept.)
Right Hand -
Left Hand -
Armor - Simple Clothes
Trinket -
(Any items not equipped can still be carried. Slotted items can only be used if equipped, while items that do not belong to a slot can be used at any time, at a limit of one item use per turn if in combat.)
Perks
(This is where your character's various talents, experiences and skills are recorded. The possible starting perks are shown below, along with their point value and required stats. You may select up to 8 points' worth of perks.)
Acrobat (1, requires at least 2 Focus or Skill-at-arms) - You are particularly adept at climbing, jumping, vaulting, and clambering. The first time in a turn a 1 is rolled for any such feat, it is instead rerolled.
Knight (6, requires at least 2 Skill-at-arms or Brawn) - Whether you are an errant knight or a non-inheriting child of a petty noble, you have received formal schooling in the knightly arts. You are literate, capable of administering medicine, and you may wear heavy armor. Additionally, Brawn +1.
Quick Hands (1, requires at least 2 Skill-at-arms) - You may switch your equipped Right and Left Hand items, even while in combat.
Spells
Mu and Shanks the Monsters ascend the stairs, receiving jealous stares from the first floor's denizens as they do so. Opening the door at the staircase's summit, Mu and Shanks find themselves in an area starkly different from the first floor; though the brickwork and color are the same, as well as the faint, ethereal light that allows sight in an unlit, unwindowed room, this is not one large hall, but rather a small room with a number of connected doorways. Specifically, as well as the option to go back and proceed back down to the first floor, there is a door that leads to the left, and a door that leads straight forwards.There are no maps or exact positions, but when in battle or travelling through the tower, everyone must either be in the
front or
back of their party. The effects are few and relatively straight-forward.
- Making attacks with ranged spells or weapons with the ranged property can be done from either the frontline or the backline, and can target either the enemy frontline or backline.
- Making attacks with standard melee weapons is usually done from the frontline, against the enemy frontline. It can be done from the backline or against the enemy backline, but this normally confers disadvantage.
- Melee fighters can attack the enemy backline without disadvantage if there are more enemies in the backline than the frontline.
- Melee fighters can attack from their own backline without disadvantage when using a weapon with the reach property.
- Anyone can move to either position at any time, even during combat, but be careful! Having more members of your group in the backline than in the frontline will render the backline vulnerable.
- These positions do not correlate to an exact physical space during combat, but a more general line of battle - moving around and interacting with the environment do not necessitate a change in position, but some actions, such as looting a fallen enemy during combat or rushing past a foe, can logically only be done from a frontline position.
Roll
Focus (Shanks):
4+1 =
5Result: Success
Roll
Focus (Mu):
2Result: Failure
Shanks is able to discern a faint rasping noise emanating from the door on the left, and, furthermore, notices a spatter of dried blood on the door's face and hinge. No such signs present themselves from the door leading straight ahead.Arek startles as he is jolted awake and narrows his eyes in suspicion, gingerly holding his head as it throbs in pain.“Don’t make me laugh. if you were any good you would be long gone and not wasting your time on newbies. Frankly, your usefulness is questionable at best. If I really wanted a guide, I would rather go to one of those lazy wretches.”
After this, Arek studies the room for anything overtly magical to study.
Name - Arek the Butcher
Background - A desperate man with nowhere else to turn. A orphan who never knew his parents, Arek was often discriminated against because of his, ah, unique appearance. He learned at a young age that he could only really rely on one person, himself.
Born with a innate affinity for the Arcane, Arek was quick to pick up magic from observing traveling wizards and whatever he could pick up from what he read in stolen books. The resentment he had of his situation grew, and Arek quickly turned into a mage feared and reviled far and wide for his evil acts, having no qualms with sacrificing citizens for blood magic rituals or bargaining with demons for whatever scraps of power he could get.
Now well into the prime of his life, Incredible magical powers; valuable trinkets, plenty of servants and a town to terrorize for his amusement. Arek was living the life. There was just one problem.
People despised him. Arek was quite literally the stereotypical dark lord. It got to the point where the God’s had blessed a hero with the power to defeat him just to get people to stop whining about him. The hero stormed his castle, massacred the servants, and left Arek for dead.
But Arek had one last trick, he remembered reading about a magical tower others dare enter and figured it would be the perfect hiding place. Just one little problem… he collapsed right after he entered the tower and woke up fully healed with a bad case of Amnesia, forgetting all the spells he had learned.
Description - Arek was born mutated, possibly because of his affinity for mana. He would look like any normal human, were it not for the two jagged horns that extended from his skull and sharp red eyes, which had him labeled as a “demonspawn” which wasn’t helped by his strange habits and borderline sociopathic behavior.
Currently covered in a large red cloak inlaid with gold trim, offers him little to no armor but is quite stylish.
Statistics
Skill-at-arms - 0
Brawn - 2
Focus - 3
Conviction - 0
Wounds - 0
Arcana - 0
Inventory and Equipment:
Right Hand -
Left Hand -
Armor - Simple Clothing
Trinket -
Perks:
Attuned - You are aware of the ebb and flow of the world's arcane current, and have the potential to tap into it. You may cast spells.
Scholar (Magic) - You are well-versed in your field of study. Pick your domain of study - it can be anything from history to alchemy to philosophy - and record it here. You have advantage in rolls to recall knowledge of your specified field. Additionally, you are literate.
Spells: None
Roll
Focus (Arek):
2,
4+3 =
7Result: Absolute success
Arek needs little more than a quick examination to determine which of the various merchants' wares are magical, and his findings corroborate what Ekaterina said about much of it being worthless junk. This is not entirely true, however - two small pendants being sold by one of the independent merchants have a clear magical resonance, faint though it may be, as well as a fairly significant number of the items guarded by Mercator's men. The greatest concentration of magic and magical items, however, is found on his men - unlike what's arrayed out for potential buyers, the equipage of the enforcers is distinctly magical, of a quality befitting a king in the world without.
As Arek browses Mercator's wares, one of the guards saunters up to him, hand resting on the pommel of his sheathed sword.
"You... I swear I know you. From before the Tower. Seen you, or maybe heard about you. Your visage is not one that is easily mistaken, and yet I cannot place it... who are you?" he asks, his voice gruff yet not overtly hostile."... Xing Xing thinks one cannot make money without spending money. One cannot worship without money either. And one can't fight evil without it either."
"Shanks come with Xing Xing. We gather much loot, sell, and profit."
Xing Xing heads to see Mercator for a loaned weapon. Xing Xing does not intend to stay on the First Floor for long.
Name - Xing Xing
Background - An orphan to the Tower, taken in by the temple, and trained to deliver justice upon evil. The Friar has trained her in hopes of great gifts without the need to go in themselves.
Description - Black hair with a single braid down her black, her monkly robes are bereft of ormenintation. Her grey eyes are blinded by her faith, and her will is sharpened to the breaking point.
Statistics
Skill-at-arms - 0
Brawn - 2
Focus - 0
Conviction - 3
Inventory and Equipment
Right Hand -
Left Hand -
Armor -
Trinket -
Perks: 1 Point Remaining
Devout - With every crushing blow, a whispered prayer. Attacks with any weapon are rolled with Conviction rather than Skill-at-arms.
Hardy - You are particularly resilient. Advantage to rolls against poisons and diseases.
Spells:
Xing Xing, meanwhile, gets to finish her examination of Mercator's wares. There's quite a bit here, although most of it seems roughly equivalent in usage and quality - weapons are weapons, no matter their make.Shop of Lodovico MercatorArquebus (two-handed, 4 wound,
ranged,
armor-piercing,
unwieldy) 2000 crown debt
Broadsword (one-handed, 0.75 wound) 200 crown debt
Broadsword (one-handed, 0.75 wound,
imbued) 400 crown debt
Bardiche (two-handed, 1 wound,
cleave) 600 crown debt
Cudgel (one-handed, 0.25 wound) 20 crown debt
Dagger (one-handed, 0.5 wound,
deathblow) 200 crown debt
Hand Pavise (one-handed,
shield) 100 crown debt
Pike (two-handed, 0.75 wound,
reach) 250 crown debt
Poleaxe (two-handed, 1 wound,
armor-piercing) 600 crown debt
Rapier (one-handed, 0.75 wound,
deathblow) 450 crown debt
Staff (two-handed, 0.5 wound) 40 crown debt
Staff (two-handed, 0.5,
?) imbued with unknown magic. 600 crown debt
Staff (two-handed, 0.5,
?) imbued with unknown magic. 600 crown debt
Windlass Crossbow (two-handed, 1.25 wound,
ranged,
armor-piercing) 1000 crown debt
Padded Armor (light, 0.25 wound reduction) 150 crown debt
Maille Shirt (light, 0.5 wound reduction) 400 crown debt
Brigandine (heavy, 0.5 wound reduction, -1 penalty to attacker rolls) 800 crown debt
Blue Crystal Pendant (
?) imbued with unknown magic. 400 crown debt
Green Crystal Pendant (
?) imbued with unknown magic. 400 crown debt
Hare's Foot Pendant (Nullifies negative consequences from critical successes) 300 crown debt
Armor-piercing - Ignores armor wound reduction.
Cleave - Attacks that strike down an enemy are capable of hitting another enemy within reach.
Deathblow - Critical strikes deal triple wound damage instead of the normal double.
Imbued - Attacks are rolled with
Ranged - Rolls Focus to hit, can be used from the backline and can hit targets in the enemy backline
Reach - Can be used from the backline, enemies attacking the wielder receive a -1 penalty
Shield - Enemies attacking the wielder receive a -1 penalty
Unwieldy - Attacking incurs a -2 penalty, enemies attacking the wielder receive a +1 bonus
"So where would you suggest we equip ourselves then?"
"The Tower provides, as do the fools who climb it. There's plenty to be found as you ascend - the risk is, in some ways, lesser than that of incurring a debt. Of course, if you can't pay up when Mercator's thugs come to collect, you might be able to come to an agreement - more guards are always welcome, and you have all the time in the world to work off your dues. Do as you please with this knowledge.""At least you're trying, unlike this useless lot. I'll split my share with you, Ekaterina, at least until I'm accustomed to this place. If your debt still isn't paid by then, you'll just have to find another way to make money."
As someone who's struggled, Isolde isn't above taking pity on a desperate woman. That and she can appreciate the edge of having foreknowledge.
"Have you seen a man in a winged helmet, wielding a spear? I saw a vision, but I don't know what to think of it. A warning, perhaps."
Name - Isolde
Background - Gutter trash, no doubt. Certainly uncultured.
Description - Some sort of strange cat-human hybrid. Crimson eyes.
Statistics
Skill-at-arms - 0
Brawn - 1
Focus - 1
Conviction - 3
Wounds - 0
Arcana - -1
Inventory and Equipment
Right Hand -
Left Hand -
Armor -
Trinket -
Perks
Prophetic (6) - What the future holds is not entirely unknown to you. Voices, dreams, and symbols reveal glimpses of what is to come, either spontaneously or after purposeful divination.
Spells
"A winged helmet and a spear? Gods above and below, you might actually be right about seeing the future! 'Course, you might have also studied the iconography of the temple surrounding the Tower, so I suppose I can't be certain, but I have no reason to doubt you - what kind of fool would disbelieve anything here? That would be none other than Makhios himself. He doesn't show his face around here, but he's not the important one; his idols, however, are perhaps the most important thing you could possibly stumble across. They're the only way out. No telling where you'll find one, but they tend to be more frequent the higher you ascend. On very rare occasions, they'll even pop up down here - that's what all these wretches are waiting for. If you couldn't already tell, it's not worth waiting on. Far easier to climb. Last time I went up, however, it was in a group of five; we came across four idols. Bastards left me for dead after they took my arm... that was the fourteenth floor, if memory serves."Lass," shaking his head the old man felt bad for the one armed woman as she became desperate "How bout' I cut you a deal between you an' me? I got age to back me experience, maybe you can use it to become a better guide. And I'll make sure ye don't die along the way? I'd say that's a fair trade fer the time being?" Siegrid extended a hand towards Ekaterina, to offer her his protection for her guidance.
Name: Siegrid, the MercenaryBackground: Nothing of interest can be said for Siegrid's origins, his tale is anything but glorious and better left kept to himself with the rest of the horrors that war inflicts on the mind. To him the sword is a means to an end, and he has known nothing else in all his life. He works not to have a vast wealth nor the glory of combat, it is about getting the job done. Finished his contract working for a trade company operating within the Empire, Siegrid set his eyes on the tower as a means of employment. He'd offer his blade to those also braving the Tower.Description: Siegrid is a tired looking man, with short black hair and a close shaved beard touched by the greying of age. Possessing a stocky build and broad shoulders, even in his middle age he looks fit as he did in the service. His eyes are keen even if they look darkened by sleeplessness.Wounds + 0 // Arcana - 1
Statistics2 -
Skill-At-Arms1 -
Brawn1 -
Focus1 -
ConvictionInventory/Equipment(L) Hand-
(R) Hand-
Armor-
Simple ClothingTrinkets-
Perks- (4) Soldier You are endowed with a measure of battlefield experience. Your first roll in each combat is made with advantage if you fight with at least 1 ally in sight. Additionally, you may wear heavy armor.
- (3) Caravan Hand Time spent working for a trade company has taught you a number of valuable lessons. You receive +1 to rolls when price haggling, looting, and foraging.
- (1) Acrobat You are particularly adept at climbing, jumping, vaulting, and clambering. The first time in a turn a 1 is rolled for any such feat, it is instead rerolled.
Spells
Roll
Conviction:
5+1 = 6
Result: Critical success
"Yes... I suppose you're right. In truth... when I was asking you for pay, I wasn't being wholly honest. If I climb with you, I'd be in your debt just as much as you could possibly find yourselves in mine. Safety in numbers, and all that. Maybe honesty will make sure I'm not left behind this time around. Very well, new friends - you lead on, and I'll follow. I can't stand this dismal place much longer. I suppose I'll be sticking with the future-seer. Maybe she can tell me if I ever get out of here!" Ekaterina exclaims, voice tinged with the slightest tremulous emotion.
Author
Topic: Tower of Makhios - I Lost Count of the Turns (8/8, waitlist open) (Read 11519 times)