Francesca hopped from her stool to squat over the unconscious Shadesoul, seeming more excited to see the results of whatever it was that Dragon did than concerned that the mercenary might be hurt. Anna-Leigh sits in the newly vacated seat, perhaps too overwhelmed to process the other available stools.
[color]"Of course not! I could never inflict harm on you by confining you to my own halls. Besides, there is much good for you to do out in the world."[/color][Medical 3d6: 4 Knowledge+2 = 6]
Fran puts a finger on Shadwsoul's neck to take her pulse, and breaks out into a cold sweat when she realizes that there
is no pulse! Not sure what to do, she focuses her brain and tries seeing with her magic sight. Shadesoul bubbles with a calm gray light, whirling with hooked spikes which ever so gently glide over the surface of her aura. She gives the feeling of a sleeping tiger: power and danger in a resting, passive state.
That's when the door at the front of the shop swings open and Spice Falls On Ring Shadow flies in, followed by a girl who skids to a halt after leaping through the entrance.
[Continued below]
"Good luck??" Violet gives an awkward wave.
"No, really don't get hurt out there!" She shouts after Icatrina, who ran off to the mysterious bistro with all haste. Spice Falls swings the door open and Icatrina flies through it, stumbling to come to a quick halt even before she has a chance to really survey the room.
What she sees is maybe cause for alarm, an augmented woman in a sharp suit lies on the ground, out cold cradling her firearm, and there are two other girls who are described like this:
Slight of frame, Anna-Leigh is slightly on the taller side for her family - but this is saying only that she'd come just short of average. Long fingered and slim boned, Anna-Leigh tends to neutral or contemplative expressions - and her poor vision since birth means that while her facial expressions are honest - she's terrible at reading them and her own are a bit... off. Shy by nature, and having spent much of her young life training as a weaver, she rarely draws attention to herself and is often half-shied back from any significant grouping of people.
Taller than average, and a little overweight. She wears white pants, a heavy belt, and a long white coat, all festooned with many pockets and pouches--half of which tend to be filled at any given moment. She only ever wears heavy boots (much to the chagrin of the maids), and of course, she's virtually always wearing a smile; you're never full dressed without one, after all!
... The former is sitting at the restaurant's counter, next to what appears to be a full breakfast. The other is crouched beside the unconscious woman.
"Everyone is here! Let's go, love!" The blue-eyed drone buzzes nervously.
"You're being hasty, Blue, I haven't even introduced myself to this one yet." The
room itself replies.
"Seven might die! You can introduce yourself on the way!""Okay, okay. Everyone, brace for flight!"But bracing is not necessary. The front of the shop is mostly one giant pane of glass, so all three girls are clearly able to see the ground and village outside suddenly grow very small as the entire building rises into the sky at an alarming speed. But rather than being thrown to the floor by the force, they're merely
highly disoriented by the very fact that they're
not thrown to the ground by the force.
"I dearly apologize for our haste, Icatrina Shinrasia. I am The Dragon. And my bumbling, rude partner here is Spice Falls On Ring Shadow. We were hoping for a more casual introduction, but one of the girls we helped awaken is in danger and we need your help extracting her."Clouds are whipping past outside, as the restaurant flies to some unknown location...
Diane does a little hop over the ring of burning embers and beats a retreat. None of the small children pursue.
[Focus 3d6: 11 Awareness+1 = 12]
Once safely back in her room, she stops. Okay, focus. She closes her eyes and does her best to process and then ignore the various sounds and buzzes around her. With those eliminated, other, stranger feelings emerge, clouds of color and smell and emotion which blot a sphere around her, many-faceted and incomprehensible, for now. The buzzing radio static song of the sun, its light out of view, but other radiation still... visible? Audible? Both and neither. Rebels on walkie-talkies giving un-urgent, routine calls. Clear. Roger. Over.
None of it matters. However many senses she has, Diane doesn't need to heed them. Acknowledge and disregard. Her awareness turns away from all of these things and searches inside. She feels... anxious. Excited. Maybe just a tiny little bit guilty. Hurt. As the adrenaline and swirling perception and emotion fade out the pain in her burnt shoulder only grows stronger. It's... not the most terrible thing she's felt, but hardly ignorable either. Okay, acknowledged and not discarded.
What to do? This might be tough to explain to her aunt and uncle. Tough, but hiding her injury seems like a bad choice. Maybe it's best to be honest in this situation? How would they react? It wouldn't be hard to prove that she can use magic, but what are the consequences of that knowledge?[Take Me Seriously! 3d6: 12 Charisma+1 = 13]
The taller of the two glares at Kora, stops to think, and then sighs, hesitant to engage.
"Fuck you mean whose in charge? If you ain't in the know then fuck off, lil' bit', yer probably just some 'sheriff's' daughter."
Ah! It's dismissive, but still speaking Kora's language. She's being told to fuck off, not ignored, which means...
"And if I don't leave, what then?"Again, the taller gives Kora a contemptuous look, but obliges the challenge, hanging her coat and cigarette on her compatriot before stepping into the street. "And we were having such a good morning..."
Facing 1x tall punk. Her knuckles gleam with brass.Seven brushes away at the dust, which seems to fall off her outfit more from the intent of the thing than her actual actions, leaving it pristine and leaving no potentially embarrassing remnants of her unplanned reunion with planet. Handy.
The three Rangers waste no time in making themselves known, rounding the corner of a tent with an eerie silence. One peeks into said tent and fires off a burst of three shots while the other two simply keep advancing. They wear all-black tactical armor and a smooth glass face shield which hides any expression, and each hold N13 assault rifles loaded down and an unnecessary amount of likely useless attachments.
The three walk up to Seven without any hesitation or outwards aggression. Seven greets them with her best attempt at de-escalation, which happens to involve calling their dead comrades an "eyesore" that was "bothering" her.
[Aggro 1d6: (need 5+) 6]
The one in the middle makes some hand motion which causes the other two to turn around and hold angles. He speaks. "Ma'am did you see what destroyed our support chopper? You should come with us, it's not safe here for a girl like you."
Stats:
Strength: +0
Endurance: +0
Agility: +0
Awareness: +1
Charisma: +1
Knowledge: +1
Health: Fine!
Mana: 20/20
Inventory:
Plain Clothing
Backpack of odds and ends
Water Bottle
Military Rations x5
Powers:
Radio Telepathy: No cost. Instinctual, Capillary.
Allows for telepathic communication with other magical beings. Also allows one to listen in on mundane radio transmissions. Telepathic transmissions are in turn detectable by mundane means, but are instinctively encrypted, sounding like jumbled static though mundane technology.
Magical Form: 1 Mana to transform, 0 to revert to mundane form. Instinctual, Transformation.
A basic and safe form of transformation magic which lightly modifies your body and soul to better carry magic. While in a magical form, any other magic you use is much stronger, but your mundane abilities are a bit weaker, due to being detached from such concerns. In addition, you will be much more noticeable and possibly identifiable as a magical being. If you lose consciousness or run out of mana, you will harmlessly revert to your mundane form.
Cheap Heal: 1 Mana per use. Simple, Amorphous, Generative.
Allows you to touch someone and rapidly regenerate their body into an "ideal" shape. Cheap and effective. Will nearly instantly close wounds, restore organs, and even regrow limbs, but is less effective at nullifying illness or toxins. This power relies on aspects from friendliness and kindness, and will not function if one bears intent to harm the target. This power becomes much cheaper in mana when used by a soul suffused in kindness.
Shield: 1 Mana for first Layer, N+1 for each additional Layer, Concentration. Lattice.
One of the more complex powers taught to beginners, due to its excellent ability to prevent loss of life. The user is surrounded as long as they concentrate in a shining lattice of runes which protect them from any one 'hit': whether a fist, bullet, or point-blank explosion. Regardless of how much damage is absorbed, the shield will immediately shatter. Multiple layers of shield may be active at once, but the cost increases for each. The shield protects a bit more area than just your own body, allowing allies to take cover as well, but making it harder to dodge attacks entirely.
Stats:
Strength: +0
Endurance: +1
Agility: +1
Awareness: +1
Charisma: +0
Knowledge: +0
Health: Singed shoulder
Mana: 16/20
Inventory:
Plain Clothing
Backpack of odds and ends
Water Bottle
Military Rations x5
Powers:
Radio Telepathy: No cost. Instinctual, Capillary.
Allows for telepathic communication with other magical beings. Also allows one to listen in on mundane radio transmissions. Telepathic transmissions are in turn detectable by mundane means, but are instinctively encrypted, sounding like jumbled static though mundane technology.
Magical Form: 1 Mana to transform, 0 to revert to mundane form. Instinctual, Transformation.
A basic and safe form of transformation magic which lightly modifies your body and soul to better carry magic. While in a magical form, any other magic you use is much stronger, but your mundane abilities are a bit weaker, due to being detached from such concerns. In addition, you will be much more noticeable and possibly identifiable as a magical being. If you lose consciousness or run out of mana, you will harmlessly revert to your mundane form.
Improvise!: ? Mana per use. Instinctual, Amorphous, Lattice.
Magic can do anything! Why not give it a try? Channeling Creativity as a way of mimicking other aspects, Diane can bring into existence anything that she can imagine, to the extent that she can indeed imagine that thing. Objects created in this way are unstable and temporary, but no less real. A Knowledge roll may be made to determine duration, and a poor roll can result in unpredictable outcomes. Sometimes, it's better to know what you're doing.
Mana Bolt: 1 Mana per bolt. Simple, Amorphous.
Create a dense structure of Mana and then throw it at something. Roughly analogous to throwing a brick at somebody's head, both in terms of simplicity and efficacy. Though an effective weapon against most organics, this basic form of magic lacks the appropriate aspects to exert lethal force. This makes for a good base to learning more effective and expensive attack powers.
Stats:
Strength: +0
Endurance: +0
Agility: +1
Awareness: +2
Charisma: +0
Knowledge: +0
Health: Fine!
Mana: 18/20
Inventory:
Embroidered Salwar Kameez
Backpack of odds and ends
Water Bottle
Military Rations x5
Seam-Ripper knife
Snacks
Powers
Radio Telepathy: No cost. Instinctual, Capillary.
Allows for telepathic communication with other magical beings. Also allows one to listen in on mundane radio transmissions. Telepathic transmissions are in turn detectable by mundane means, but are instinctively encrypted, sounding like jumbled static though mundane technology.
Magical Form: 1 Mana to transform, 0 to revert to mundane form. Instinctual, Transformation.
A basic and safe form of transformation magic which lightly modifies your body and soul to better carry magic. While in a magical form, any other magic you use is much stronger, but your mundane abilities are a bit weaker, due to being detached from such concerns. In addition, you will be much more noticeable and possibly identifiable as a magical being. If you lose consciousness or run out of mana, you will harmlessly revert to your mundane form.
Spellweave: 2 mana per turn. Instinctual, Capillary, Special.
Anna-Leigh has an instinctual understanding with the waves and strands of magic which surround her. This technique was used by her ancestor long ago, who used it to be a peerless master of the secret, unseen arts. This is just an incomplete version of that power, but it has stupendous potential. While using this power, Anna-Leigh can "catch" powers used by her allies and delay their use, weaving multiple strands and their mana and aspects into a single tapestry spell. As long as this power is maintained, more powers can be added to the tapestry, and the spell will only activate when this power's cost is no longer paid.
Soulsee: No Cost, Concentration. Simple, Capillary.
By concentrating, you're able to directly sense the outer aura of souls as though through a sixth sense. These auras can be brightly seen through smoke or haze, but not through solid objects. By examining someone's aura you can learn about their emotional state and deeper nature, and of course the lack of an aura leads to the conclusion that you're not looking at a human being...
Expensive Mage Sense: 2 Mana per use, Concentration. Capillary.
You are deeply attuned to the magical world and are able to visualize your immediate surroundings using your magical senses alone. You are also able to see human soul auras through walls and can hunt down magical beings from great distances. This power is said to be the first step on the road to deeply understanding the universe, and it is true that it may shift one's perspective. This power is more expensive owing to its user's inexperience.
Stats:
Strength: +0
Endurance: +1
Agility: +0
Awareness: +1
Charisma: +1
Knowledge: +0
Health: Magical Form, Bruised and Battered
Mana: 10/20
Inventory:
Plain Clothing (A grey jumpsuit, adorned with various patches, pockets, and tassels, sewn on crudely by her own hand. The additions appear to be made with torn-apart copies of the jumpsuit itself.)
Backpack of odds and ends
Water Bottle
Military Rations x5
Powers:
Radio Telepathy: No cost. Instinctual, Capillary.
Allows for telepathic communication with other magical beings. Also allows one to listen in on mundane radio transmissions. Telepathic transmissions are in turn detectable by mundane means, but are instinctively encrypted, sounding like jumbled static though mundane technology.
Magical Form: 1 Mana to transform, 0 to revert to mundane form. Instinctual, Transformation.
A basic and safe form of transformation magic which lightly modifies your body and soul to better carry magic. While in a magical form, any other magic you use is much stronger, but your mundane abilities are a bit weaker, due to being detached from such concerns. In addition, you will be much more noticeable and possibly identifiable as a magical being. If you lose consciousness or run out of mana, you will harmlessly revert to your mundane form.
Binding of Obligation: 2 Mana per use, 3 Mana to maintain. Lattice, Summon.
With a gesture, chains erupt from the ground or walls to entangle and trap your target, preventing it from moving. The chains are very strong and a normal human being will be entirely incapacitated, but the power may fail to fully envelop larger targets. Additionally, the target will have their life and motivation slowly drained out of them, as Seven enforces order on their soul.
Fly: 2 Mana per use, 1 Mana to maintain. Lattice, Infuse.
You sprout a large pair of wings from your shoulder blades and gain the ability to fly. This flight is very fast, making it easy to avoid attacks, but is hard to control in tight spaces. While this flight is powered entirely by magic, the wings are a physical manifestation of the magic, and if they're damaged you'll fall. Thankfully these aren't truly a part of your body and will feel no pain nor shed blood.
Stats:
Strength: +1
Endurance: +1
Agility: +0
Awareness: +0
Charisma: +1
Knowledge: +0
Health: Fine!
Mana: 19/20
Inventory:
Plain Clothing (ragged burlap tunic and knee-length pants tied with a belt of sailor's rope, heavily repaired rope sandals, worn out workman's gloves with patched and padded knuckles)
Backpack of odds and ends
Water Bottle
Military Rations x5
Powers:
Radio Telepathy: No cost. Instinctual, Capillary.
Allows for telepathic communication with other magical beings. Also allows one to listen in on mundane radio transmissions. Telepathic transmissions are in turn detectable by mundane means, but are instinctively encrypted, sounding like jumbled static though mundane technology.
Magical Form: 1 Mana to transform, 0 to revert to mundane form. Instinctual, Transformation.
A basic and safe form of transformation magic which lightly modifies your body and soul to better carry magic. While in a magical form, any other magic you use is much stronger, but your mundane abilities are a bit weaker, due to being detached from such concerns. In addition, you will be much more noticeable and possibly identifiable as a magical being. If you lose consciousness or run out of mana, you will harmlessly revert to your mundane form.
Strength Boost: 2 Mana per use, 1 Mana to maintain. Simple, Infuse.
Even devoid of other aspects, Mana is strength. It's a simple matter to feed that mana back into yourself and make yourself stronger. As long as the boost is active, you're more able to strike, lift, and leap. Be aware that while this can make you faster, you won't have enhanced reflexes to match!
Shield: 1 Mana for first Layer, N+1 for each additional Layer, Concentration. Lattice.
One of the more complex powers taught to beginners, due to its excellent ability to prevent loss of life. The user is surrounded as long as they concentrate in a shining lattice of runes which protect them from any one 'hit': whether a fist, bullet, or point-blank explosion. Regardless of how much damage is absorbed, the shield will immediately shatter. Multiple layers of shield may be active at once, but the cost increases for each. The shield protects a bit more area than just your own body, allowing allies to take cover as well, but making it harder to dodge attacks entirely.
Followers:
Name: his name is "Rat" now, whether he likes it or not
Description: Scrawny raggy 13 year old boy. Particularly useless and untrustworthy.
Health: Bruised
Inventory: Satchel of odd and ends
Stats:
Strength: +0
Endurance: +1
Agility: +0
Awareness: +0
Charisma: +0
Knowledge: +2
Health: Fine!
Mana: 20/20
Inventory:
Plain Clothing
Backpack of odds and ends
Water Bottle
Military Rations x5
Mk.9 Target Pistol
.37 Cal Mk.9 Magazine
Powers:
Radio Telepathy: No cost. Instinctual, Capillary.
Allows for telepathic communication with other magical beings. Also allows one to listen in on mundane radio transmissions. Telepathic transmissions are in turn detectable by mundane means, but are instinctively encrypted, sounding like jumbled static though mundane technology.
Magical Form: 1 Mana to transform, 0 to revert to mundane form. Instinctual, Transformation.
A basic and safe form of transformation magic which lightly modifies your body and soul to better carry magic. While in a magical form, any other magic you use is much stronger, but your mundane abilities are a bit weaker, due to being detached from such concerns. In addition, you will be much more noticeable and possibly identifiable as a magical being. If you lose consciousness or run out of mana, you will harmlessly revert to your mundane form.
Heal: 3 Mana per use. Simple, Amorphous, Generative.
Allows you to touch someone and rapidly regenerate their body into an "ideal" shape. Expensive, but effective. Will nearly instantly close wounds, restore organs, and even regrow limbs, but is less effective at nullifying illness or toxins. This power relies on aspects from friendliness and kindness, and will not function if one bears intent to harm the target.
Soulsee: No Cost, Concentration. Simple, Capillary.
By concentrating, you're able to directly sense the outer aura of souls as though through a sixth sense. These auras can be brightly seen through smoke or haze, but not through solid objects. By examining someone's aura you can learn about their emotional state and deeper nature, and of course the lack of an aura leads to the conclusion that you're not looking at a human being...
Followers:
Name: 'Shadesoul'
Description: A "catmodded" young security guard employed by Francesca's father. Beneath a very thin facade of professionalism, she's an adventurer at heart, which is to say greedy and bloodthirsty. A bit tall, with pink hair and yellow eyes.
Health: neutralized
Inventory: "Unassuming" Business Suit, Bulletproof Vest, N5K SMG, 3x .37 Cal N5K magazine