Not entirely sure what she's doing, but confident that it'll work regardless, Kora looses some strands of mana from her fingers, letting them spread out into a complex crystalline structure. The air between her and the rat shimmers with light, forming a circle of runes or writing in some strange language.
[-1 Mana]
The kid seems bemused by all this, but lunges forward. Where his weapon intersects the light, there's a loud shattering sound, but his momentum suddenly just
halts.
[Unarmed 3d6: 11, Strength +1, counter +1 = 13]
As the kid is stumbling, split between trying to salvage the strike or regain his footing, Kora quickly slaps the tire iron out of his hand and follows up with a blow to his sternum, sending him stumbling backwards. He's not knocked down yet and has a chance to do something before Kora continues beating the crap out of him, and he decides to use that chance to cower.
"H-hey! I'm sorry. Didn't mean it, honest!"
With the windowsill as a stage, Diane rounds up the actors, sweeping up the rather copious dust into one big pile.
[Creation 3d6: 10, Virtuous +1, dust isn't a good material -1 = 10]
With gentle precision, she tries to mold the dust into a castle shape. In the end she gets a pile with a dimple in the middle, as the dust wants to fall down more than stick together. She would have to resort to drawing shapes in the dust with her finger, but that's not nearly as fun.
Well...
[-0 Mana]
She blasts the dust with some mana, willing it to form up into a tiny little tank. A tiny orb of light seems to leap from her fingertips onto the windowsill and assemble itself into a pair of tiny treads, body, and cannon. Some dust is briefly swept up into the tiny machine, but then falls and settles back out. The miniature tank is solid and glowing white and doesn't seem to have needed any material component at all. It does seem to occasionally flicker or distort, though.
"The cluster of structures below, there's one which does not fit the set. It should be easy to tell, for you. Do what you must, but responsibility for the organic's security falls to you."The machine then simply disappears while Francesca's back is turned. Hrm.
[Luck 1d6: 6]
Luckily, Francesca manages to corner a lone guard who she can drag along. The guard happens to be a bloodthirsty young adult with fluffy pointy ears, which might make her hard to manage, though.
[Persuasion 3d6: 9, Gullible +1, Adventurous +1 = 11]
[Gained Follower] ((see spoiler))
The guard, who identifies herself as "shadesoul", seems excited at the prospect of going outside and leads the way all the way to the village. At first Francesca is puzzled as to where to go from here, but then catches sight of one building which is indeed not like the others; a small bistro with large glass windows and several neon signs which would seem more at home on the side of a highway.
Violet returns the hug with her free arm, holding on tight. When it ends, she looks down to the axe she's leaning on.
"Well, if you want to take it off my hands, I don't mind."Violet allows Icatrina to take the axe and finish the task while she rests. She does take a small stone from her pocket and show it to Icatrina. It's dark gray and porous.
"I found this, this morning. It doesn't look that interesting, but I looked it up, and this kind of stone contains a small amount of I-Alpha674, the, uhh, stuff they make The Bomb out of. Not enough to be dangerous, though."Before Icatrina can respond, she sees a certain cylindrical robot hovering a ways behind Violet's head. It waves, directly at Icatrina, apparently trying to get her attention.
"Greetings! I'm sorry to bother you, but I need your help. Quickly, please! I am- call me Spice." The thing's voice buzzes in Icatrina's head loudly despite the distance, but Violet doesn't seem to respond to it.
She pulls the thread. Anna-Leigh feels something leave her soul, only to return as a shower of sparks. She is... a little more tired, now, but...
[-2 Mana]
There's a certain feeling, it's unlike anything else. Maybe like touch, a bit like feeling. It's certainly not seeing, but her surroundings become clear. The quilting under her fingers can be sensed, the room around her,
behind her, more simply and easily than anything else, like the world has simply become a part of her, as simple to tell as the position of her own arms and legs without looking.
And beyond, further out...
Something like bright lights, like a vibration of a fly on a spider web, loud yet small and far away, seven distant stars, five weak and two very strong. And... and even further, constellations at unfathomable distances, an uncountable number of bright, magical points in
every direction, far above and far below. Each, somehow, an individual, unique, similar and yet truly unlike any other.
But closer, very close, the brightest of the seven is very near, as is the second brightest and two of the weaker. Close enough to go and find.
As Seven exits the tent, she feels strong. Not physically strong, but strong in an even more important way. Her body is changing, adapting to better wield her true power. Freed from the considerations of a normal being, she forges new connections, conduits, antennae cultivating magical energies. She is MADE for this.
[-1 Mana, gained Magical Form]
The world outside of the tent is chaotic, desperate cries and gunfire and loosed grenades. She finds it hard to care. The killer machine hovers over it all, like an ugly wasp. Like a harbinger of war. This is her enemy.
[Bind 3d6: 7, Magical Form +1, Large Target -1, Distance from ground -1 = 6]
[-2 Mana]
From the asphalt forming the camp's floor, the chains erupt. They reach out to the skies, reach out to grasp and hold the machine down, bring it back to earth and order. But it's too far, even as they stretch to the extent of their strength. They are... frustrated, unable to fulfill the purpose they were given. Seven's control starts to slip and then-
Furious, the chains come into their own control, lashing out at whatever's closest!
[Luck 1d6: 3]
[Roll to Dodge 3d6: 6]
The chains strike out at a few rebel soldiers, but more than enough remain to attack their creator. Seven tries to back up and dodge the furious Summon, but there are too many and they envelop her. It's becoming hard to move...
[Aggro: 5]
The battle rages around Seven, with neither the attackers nor defenders paying her or the magical chains much attention. Hopefully that remains the case. The attacking force seems to consist of both the helicopter and a ground force wearing green.
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: 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.
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
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: Bound, Magical Form
Mana: 17/20
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.
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: slightly high
Inventory:
"Unassuming" Business Suit
Bulletproof Vest
N5K SMG
3x .37 Cal N5K magazine
((I wasn't able to write this in a single day like I hoped, but progress is infinitely better than no progress. I'll write more on the 28th!))
Author
Topic: Full Metal Dress: Shocking Developments! (Read 3074 times)