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Myth: A New Age CYOA

archaen

Cipher
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Well, we always have our fall back plan of becoming Faceless' or Nine's minions in their bid to take over the world in case we get caught out. That ended well for everyone that followed them before right?
Faceless I can understand, but what do you have against Nine?
Nothing in particular except we don't know exactly who she will be when she comes out of torpor. She could be the new Hero of the age, a diabolical and power hungry plotter, or she could be insane.
 

Kz3r0

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Nothing in particular except we don't know exactly who she will be when she comes out of torpor. She could be the new Hero of the age, a diabolical and power hungry plotter, or she could be insane.
She was all of the above when we first met her, not much will change then.
 

Kz3r0

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More like 'Circle of the Walking Dead,' amirite?
:troll:
For Italians only:
COMPAGNIA-DELLA-FORCA003.jpg

The Company of the Gallows (original title: La Compagnia della Forca) is a comic book series written and drawn byItalian artist Magnus in 1977.
 

archaen

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or go crazy in that time.

How would we tell?

Fangshi said:
All the minor details are being dealt with by Alric's people. He keeps a single deaf, dumb and blind mute for this exact sort of thing. Which is my way of saying I won't have her starve to death on you for example.

We don't have to worry about her starving.
 

Fangshi

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The vote will close in twelve hours with an update to follow twelve to sixteen hours after that.

At the moment A (the healing ritual) leads.
 

Fangshi

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Alright, A wins. You will work with Eagle to cast the ritual. I will get it rolled up and written out as soon as I have a moment. Look for an update in twelve to fourteen hours.
 

Nevill

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By the way... I am not entirely sure how the bracelets work, but since Caoilainn got her magical training, can she lend her own measly powers to our own spells? Or is team magic bigger than a simple mind-linking? Or do we need to let her in our head, first?

Faceless offered us to kill Mazzarin if only we let him in, so I assumed that on some level it was possible for the bracelets to bolster the caster's strength.
 
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Fangshi

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Nevill said:
By the way... I am not entirely sure how the bracelets work, but since Caoilainn got her magical training, can she lend her own measly powers to our own spells? Or is team magic bigger than a simple mind-linking? Or do we need to let her in our head, first?

No one is really sure what the bracelets can do, even the fellows are not sure. Faceless might know but Derryth is loathe to rely on her for anything, that is provided you could (or would want to) find her to ask.

In theory Caoilainn could lend you her power but it is next to nothing.

On that list of mages I gave earlier she is so far down she would not even rank. She does not really 'think' like a mage either which makes it harder for her to pick up the skills necessary to really excel at magic. In contrast Brigit does not have great stats for being a mage either but she does think like a mage thanks to her years as a thief. She enjoys problems and figuring out a way around them and that can count for a lot sometimes.

All you would really achieve is to completely drain her for less than a minute's worth of energy. She is not even powerful enough to be a useful battery for you at this point.

Nevill said:
Faceless offered to kill Mazzarin if only we let him in, so I assumed that on some level it was possible for the bracelets to bolster the caster's strength.

I don't recall him ever offering to kill Mazzarin, once he knew for a fact that it was Mazzarin, (I mean he would if he could but he is not certain he can).

At any rate to answer the question the bracelets would not boost your magical ability in and of themselves but allowing Faceless into your mind certainly would. Faceless is an ancient archmage with thousands of years of experience and a very broad spell set. Of course if you let that sort of being into your mind there might be no easy way to entirely get rid of it...

If for some reason you wanted to let Caoilainn into your mind you could. If you could convince her to try but it is not something Derryth would normally consider as it goes against every instinct she has so I would need a compelling reason to allow it. Really, the only person Derryth lets into her own mind without (much) hesitation is Thaïs and that goes both ways.
 
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Nevill

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On that list of mages I gave earlier she is so far down she would not even rank. She does not really 'think' like a mage either which makes it harder for her to pick up the skills necessary to really excel at magic. In contrast Brigit does not have great stats for being a mage either but she does think like a mage thanks to her years as a thief. She enjoys problems and figuring out a way around them and that can count for a lot sometimes.

All you would really achieve is to completely drain her for less than a minute's worth of energy. She is not even powerful enough to be a useful battery for you at this point.
Oh, no, I did not think that someone who learned magic yesterday and by necessity instead of a natural predisposition would be of immediate use. I was just wondering if there is a further incentive to continue developing Caiolainn as a mage, or if it is a waste of time and she is just not geared towards that style. Maybe when we learn and master new spells we can make a bit of an effort to make sure she understands them, too - that sort of thing.

I mean, it's not like she has much to do in there. If I were her, I would jump at every opportunity to pass time and get something out of it. Her condition might be beneficial for scholarship - what she lacks in talent, she may compensate by pure determination. A talented mage can 'get it' and understand the workings of a spell in an hour - but someone like Caiolainn could spend a day mulling it over, since she has all the time in the world.

I just wanted to offer her to make an opportunity out of her imprisonment.

Well, and to find out if it can be of use to us, of course. :)

By the way, what does Caiolainn experience when we go to sleep? Technically, does she use our senses to help us, or do the bracelets have a set of their own? Can she alert us to danger if we are asleep or blind or what have you?

Does she have any commitments she wants us to see to? A family, perhaps, that would be interested to know that she is not completely dead (even though we probably should not tell anyone what exactly happened)?
 
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Fangshi

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Nevill said:
Oh, no, I did not think that someone who learned magic yesterday and by necessity instead of a natural predisposition would be of immediate use. I was just wondering if there is a further incentive to continue developing Caiolainn as a mage, or if it is a waste of time and she is just not geared towards that style. Maybe when we learn and master new spells we can make a bit of an effort to make sure she understands them, too - that sort of thing.

I mean, it's not like she has much to do in there. If I were her, I would jump at every opportunity to pass time and get something out of it. Her condition might be beneficial for scholarship - what she lacks in talent, she may compensate by pure determination. A talented mage can 'get it' and understand the workings of a spell in an hour - but someone like Caiolainn could spend a day mulling it over, since she has all the time in the world.

I just wanted to offer her to make an opportunity out of her imprisonment.

Well, and to find out if it can be of use to us, of course. :)

Oh, certainly. She will try then, but when confronted with a problem she would rather just stab it than think too much about it. She also tends to get a bit frustrated and upset if a problem refuses to resolve itself after her second or third attempt. I don't want to give the impression that she is useless however, she is quite good at carrying out orders and if told to do something will usually give it her absolute best.

She is more inclined to action than reflection essentially so it may be slow going.

The ladies can help her if they have a spare moment since it will cost them next to nothing and may benefit you. That is the general route I was going to have them take anyway unless someone objects.

If you want to go further than that though (and try to turn her into a proper mage) I will have to put it to a vote as by that point you are spending time you could be using to improve your own skills on someone that Derryth believes is never likely to be able to do more than the most basic of spells.

Nevill said:
By the way, what does Caiolainn experience when we go to sleep?

She experiences profound boredom.

Nevill said:
Technically, does she use our own senses to help us, or do the bracelets have a set of their own? Can she alert us to danger if we are asleep or blind or what have you?

She does not use your senses though she might be able to if she can master the bracelets. Instead she can 'see' and 'hear' most things in a fairly small sphere around both Derryth and Thaïs. The center of this sphere is located at the core of the wearer and a line of sight is required from the wearer's body to whatever she is trying to look at. For sounds it just has to be loud enough to be audible (not terribly useful by itself unless you are struck deaf somehow in which case it could be very useful).

If you are asleep she could try to wake you up, no guarantee she would succeed though. If you are blind she should still be able to see though there may well be ways to block the spells that allow her to see.

Now the really interesting part, that lets her protect you, is that when Derryth or Thaïs are in a dangerous situation her perception of time instinctively slows allowing her to quickly locate the threat and warn the other wearer about it. For some reason she has not been able to successfully broadcast the warning into the mind of the person in actual danger, only to the person wearing the other bracelet. She has no idea why that is.

Derryth thinks that if Caoilainn can master the bracelets she should be able to control how and when her perception of time shifts but for now it seems to be just part of how the bracelets function.

Nevill said:
Does she have any commitments she wants to to see to? A family, perhaps, that would be interested in knowing that she is not completely dead, even though we probably should not tell anyone what exactly happened?

She has an older brother in Tyr, he is an armourer. She has an older sister in Tandem with three kids (last she heard), the sister is married to a fisherman. Her parents are dead (plague). She had a husband, somewhere in the Empire, but she does not want to talk about it. She has been out of touch with her siblings for about five years, she does not want to talk about that either. And that is about it, you get the impression that she prefers to keep business relationships and her personal life separate.
 
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Nevill

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The impression I get is that Caoilainn can only protect us from things that she herself is aware are dangerous.

For example, if someone offered us a poisoned drink, or if Derryth toys with an artefact she should not be touching, none of us would be the wiser despite the potential lethality of these actions.

when Derryth or Thaïs are in a dangerous situation her perception of time instinctively slows allowing her to quickly locate the threat and warn the other wearer about it
Though the wording of the quote above suggests that there is the another power behind the bracers (enchantment?) that slows Caoilainn's perception down and helps her locate the threat (implying that she does not know what the threat is, initially).
 
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Fangshi

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Exactly, she knows there is a threat, and now that she can talk to you she can tell you as much but often she will not have time to (the 'objective' passage of time is not actually altered at all just her ability to process information), however she first has to locate the source of the danger.

If a thrall is swinging an axe at Thaïs' head then it is easy to tell Derryth to help and many such threats at once while taxing are manageable but a threat that is not obvious will be much more difficult for her to figure out (if she can't you do not get the reroll/roll for that). Part of it will have to do with her ability to recognize threats as they appear. She is a mercenary officer and she is not an idiot so she will often be able to figure out mundane threats easily however she is not the magical powerhouse that the Faceless is. Against magic threats she may not be as effective.
 

Nevill

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If for some reason you wanted to let Caoilainn into your mind you could. If you could convince her to try but it is not something Derryth would normally consider as it goes against every instinct she has so I would need a compelling reason to allow it. Really, the only person Derryth lets into her own mind without (much) hesitation is Thaïs and that goes both ways.
Actually, I was meaning to ask about that, too.

See, there is a lot of talk about letting someone in one's mind, but we rarely actually see it 'on-screen'. We've seen it with Albrecht once, and that was probably it. Mostly, we just force our way inside.

I was wondering what implications it may have if you do something like this willingly. Now, I know a being of Nine's or Faceless' strength could potentially wrestle the power over the mind out of our own 'hands' (they even had the incentive to do so, since up until we goofed up TFM didn't have a body to call their own, and Nine still doesn't), but what harm can a person of Caoilainn's caliber do? Aren't we still pretty much in control if our 'guest' doesn't force the gates open, so to speak? Can't we keep an eye on them and boot them out if we don't like what they are doing?

The mind magic intrigues me, and it is a bit frustrating to know so little of how exactly it works.

The mind is a rather abstract thing all things considered but you are always fascinated by how your mind chooses to express this abstraction.

The Watcher's mind is all darkness and water, vast and full of menace. Secrets hidden deep below the surface.

By contrast Thaïs' mind is much like your own, a fortress filled with guards and traps. The two of you have been practicing on one another and it is striking just how similar your defences are, hers look a bit better, while yours function a bit better but it is a difference of degree and not kind.

Once, months ago, you worked up the courage to probe Nine's mind. It was beautiful, deep and terrifying. A city of shifting green glass and gold gossamer. You did not go far into it as it would be all too easy to lose yourself in there permanently.
What does it look like to be in someone else's mind? Is it like something we've experienced with Nine, where time slows down and eons may pass in seconds, or was it specific to the Infiltration ritual we've cast? What is the difference between entering a mind and the ritual we did undergo?

Infiltration - (Mental) (ritual) A difficult and dangerous ritual which allows you to project your consciousness into the mind of another. The risks are very high but it can allow you to steal, alter, and destroy the memories and minds of others from the inside. Time travels much quicker within the mind than in the physical world, at the speed of thought so to speak. One can spend lifetimes trapped within a mind while mere minutes pass in the physical world.

Can mind-linking be used for telepathy - an exchange of thoughts without the need for words between the three of us? Can we do things with Caoilainn that we would not be able to do otherwise due to her not having a body - say, show her something that she can not grasp just from the words alone, or have her show us something?

The potential usefulness of mind-linking seems so vast, yet it is wasted because we have to worry about trust issues. And it is not like Caoilainn wants to do us harm, since - even regardless of all the goodwill we have acquired with her - if she does harm us, she might end up in a deactivated state.

So, what can happen if we let an outsider like her in? We are already trusting her with our lives, what is keeping us from making one step further?

Isn't is a bit silly to try and maintain a distance from a person that is privy to our every secret?
Derryth darling. I see everything. I hear everything. If you keep pushing you are going to get an answer you will not like. It is best for your sanity not to worry about it.
She knows about TFM, she knows about Lyssa, and she probably knows about many more things that can instantly ruin us by now. I could understand why we would not trust a Fallen Lord with anything, but with a fellow human it seems... well, a bit excessive.
 
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Fangshi

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Nevill said:
I was wondering what implications it may have if you do something like this willingly. Now, I know a being of Nine's or Faceless' strength could potentially wrestle the power over the mind out of our own 'hands' (they even had the incentive to do so, since up until we goofed up TFM didn't have a body to call their own, and Nine still doesn't), but what harm can a person of Caoilainn's caliber do? Aren't we still pretty much in control if our 'guest' doesn't force the gates open, so to speak? Can't we keep an eye on them and boot them out if we don't like what they are doing?

What harm can she do? Probably none, but maybe some, and that is the thing that worries all mages.

With someone like Caoilainn the risks are minimal from her but there are ways it can harm you. If you willingly let her in then your mind will be completely aware of her presence and it will be difficult for her to directly do something to hurt you, she is not a Fallen Lord, she can not simple wrest control of your mind from you but it would give her an idea of what your mind is like. Over repeated trips she would come to know the geography of your mind quite well and if she consistently shows herself to not be a threat then your subconscious mind will also stop viewing her as such and you lose much of the 'home field' advantage you would normally have through your naturally suspicious mind.

Now I am not saying that she would ever try something but if you let her into your mind then she will have knowledge of it and her mind is a much easier target than yours (or Thaïs' for that matter) for any enemies you may have or acquire. Someone could in theory raid her mind to seize an advantage against your own. Or perhaps they could plant a spell in her mind that would activate while she is in yours and cause significant temporary or permanent damage.

So she is not a direct threat in all likelihood but it pays to be a bit paranoid when it comes to mages and mind magic.

Nevill said:
What does it look like to be in someone else's mind? Is it like something we've experienced with Nine, where time slows down and eons may pass in seconds, or was it specific to the Infiltration ritual we've cast? What is the difference between entering a mind and the ritual we did undergo?

Depends on the spell used. If you are just using regular mind spells like Derryth usually does then you will get one or more general images of the place. Enough to give you a qualitative understanding of the sort of mind you are dealing with. IF you push further in you might get moving images and general emotions. If you push all in and enter through force or guile then you will have limited access to the person's mind. You will be able to explore a little, maybe uncover a few memories, experience a few emotions, though you will view both as an outside observer (they will be different from the impressions you and Thaïs share. If you go with the Infiltration ritual then your mind will enter their mind and there will be nothing separating the two except your respective wills. In that case you will get an experience similar to what you saw with Nine though most minds are far more stable and 'human'.

Time passes faster in the mind than it does in the physical world in all the above cases but it only really matters with the Infiltration ritual as that is the only case (you currently know of) where you will spend more than a minute or two in contact with the mind in question. Most of the time the subconscious or conscious mind of your target will quickly realize that a foreign presence is present and will attack so most mental spells are designed to quickly achieve what is needed whether it be a suggestion, compulsion or a direct assault.

Nevill said:
Can mind-linking be used for telepathy - an exchange of thoughts without the need for words? Can we do things with Caoilainn that we would not be able to do otherwise due to her not having a body - say, show her something that she can not grasp just from the words alone, or have her show us something?

Possibly, that would take some time to experiment with though. Caoilainn already does that through the spells in the bracelets to a degree in that she can send you still images when you are in danger. You could try to do it a couple of ways, enter her mind/let her enter yours and 'talk' to her, tell her what you need sent on. She could then enter Thaïs' mind/Thaïs could enter her mind and receive the message but it would require a lot of practice and complete trust between the three of you (both things you would have to work on). She also wants to get back to a body (preferably her's but any will do) so she might be a bit suspicious of things that make her more useful to you as a disembodied mind. If she starts to suspect you will try to keep her like that forever she may start to resent you just a little (it would only be natural).

The other way would be to try and modify the False Memory spell to send actual messages either verbal ones or still images but that would take a fair bit of research, you are not the first to try it. The bracelets might help with that though Caoilainn will naturally be hesitant to see you do anything that might harm them while she is in them.

Nevill said:
So, what can happen if we let an outsider like her in? We are already trusting her with our lives, what is keeping us from making one step further?

She could very well be the weak link in your defenses if exploited by the right enemy. She might still be loyal to her evil god and you would hate to have her unleash some sort of dark magic in your mind. She might accidentally damage or alter something which you can not easily fix. The list of risks could be quite long, it is up to you all to determine if they are worth the potential rewards.
 

Nevill

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Time passes faster in the mind than it does in the physical world in all the above cases but it only really matters with the Infiltration ritual as that is the only case (you currently know of) where you will spend more than a minute or two in contact with the mind in question. Most of the time the subconscious or conscious mind of your target will quickly realize that a foreign presence is present and will attack so most mental spells are designed to quickly achieve what is needed whether it be a suggestion, compulsion or a direct assault.
I was talking about other implementations. If there is a battle and there is a need for us to react quickly, we can withdraw back to our linked conscience to come up with a plan, and it would be faster than anything we would have achieved with words. Similarly, if we are doing, say, spell research as a team, it would help us get results faster it we did all the DISCUSS in a 'compressed time'. Is such an application of a 'time dilation' effect possible?

You could try to do it a couple of ways, enter her mind/let her enter yours and 'talk' to her, tell her what you need sent on. She could then enter Thaïs' mind/Thaïs could enter her mind and receive the message but it would require a lot of practice and complete trust between the three of you (both things you would have to work on). She also wants to get back to a body (preferably her's but any will do) so she might be a bit suspicious of things that make her more useful to you as a disembodied mind. If she starts to suspect you will try to keep her like that forever she may start to resent you just a little (it would only be natural).

The other way would be to try and modify the False Memory spell to send actual messages either verbal ones or still images but that would take a fair bit of research, you are not the first to try it.
I rather dig the idea of being able to achieve with trust what the other mages could not do with all their fancy theories. So if there is something we can do to strengthen our relationship with Caoilainn, count me in.

And no, we probably won't be keeping her in a disembodied state if we can help it, but it is a long way to go before we will be able to produce a body and perform a mind transplantation. Might as well use this time to improve our chances to survive until this moment. The upside being, of course, that once we finally do it, we'll get another companion we can completely rely on - and I would hesitate to state right away what would be more useful.

She could very well be the weak link in your defenses if exploited by the right enemy. She might still be loyal to her evil god and you would hate to have her unleash some sort of dark magic in your mind. She might accidentally damage or alter something which you can not easily fix. The list of risks could be quite long, it is up to you all to determine if they are worth the potential rewards.
Eh, all of it applies to Thais as well. Still, we can make Caoilainn's mind our meeting place for the purposes of linking. At least she would not have to worry that we will compromise her non-existent defenses. :lol:

I'd definitely pursue these options, given the chance.
 
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Fangshi

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Nevill said:
If there is a battle and there is a need for us to react quickly, we can withdraw back to our linked conscience to come up with a plan, and it would be faster than anything we would have achieved with words.

You would need to devise a version of Infiltration with an immediate casting time for that as the other spells are not built for communication.

Nevill said:
Similarly, if we are doing, say, spell research as a team, it would help us get results faster it we did all the DISCUSS in a 'compressed time'. Is such an application of a 'time dilation' effect possible?

Possibly but again you are looking at some sort of modified Infiltration ritual (though the ritual itself would also work for this). The danger is of course that the more people you invite to these little gatherings the greater the chance that someone loses control for a split second and you wind up with the insane hivemind scenario that you just barely avoided last time. If your mind enters that of another then fusion will always be a concern.

Nevill said:
So if there is something we can do to strengthen our relationship with Caoilainn, count me in.

You will just have to be mindful of any opportunities that may arise. The only thing you know for sure would improve her estimation of you would be to get her a body somehow (preferably her own).

Nevill said:
Eh, all of it applies to Thais as well.

The difference being that Thaïs is on your level, cracking her mind is in effect as difficult as cracking yours, Caoilainn is a much easier target. Some of the orphans (some of the six to eight year old orphans... :lol: ) could even do it if you taught them an assault spell or two.

Nevill said:
I'd definitely pursue these options, given the chance.

Sure, I am drawing up the options even as we speak. I can add a few questions about this to the list as well.



Update is done, it just needs a few more passes and I will post it. Maybe another hour, two at the most.
 

Nevill

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The only thing you know for sure would improve her estimation of you would be to get her a body somehow (preferably her own).
:hahano:

That said, if we manage to trace down the Faceless and convince him to vacate the premises and kindly return to the bracers, that would improve our own estimation of ourselves, too.
 

Fangshi

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Chapter 35: Miracle Worker

You think you are ready. At least Eagle has been an incredible help to you all. His knowledge of the theory behind restorative spells has been invaluable to your efforts though it has been an odd experience.

It became clear early on that he was convinced you had learnt your spells from one of his colleagues despite your claims to the contrary. As such he has attempted to reveal the 'truth' behind your magical theory for the better part of the last two days. For your part, you have attempted to get him to reveal as much information as possible about Heron spells.

Neither of you really got what you wanted.

He has found no evidence that your knowledge has Heron origins while you have not been able to steal any substantial knowledge from him. What you have achieved together, however, is a stable and, reasonably safe Greater Heal spell. You should be able to cast it without worrying too much about dying and Eagle even offered to help. An offer you immediately accepted, anything to make this process safer really.

You are not worried about the ritual, it is everything else that worries you. You want everything about this day to run perfectly so it is with great trepidation that you, Thaïs, Lyssa and Eagle await the tools you will need to complete the ritual.

"Where are they," Lyssa paces the courtyard, her usual worn clothes and the straw in her hair reinforce the impression that she is something feral from beyond the end of civilization. A savage danger from the darkest mountains, in truth she is simply bored and annoyed though you suspect she enjoys spooking the servants with her wild looks.

"Don't know," you mumble in response as you fan yourself with your hat, your leather armour chafes slightly in the heat, "They are half an hour late."

"We simply have to trust Sir Argus, he has not failed us before," Thaïs reminds you both. In contrast to the two of you she stands perfectly still, of course her armour is quite a bit lighter and easier to bear in this heat.

She is right though you will just have to be patient but it is difficult to do so with everything waiting on your supply of mandrake roots. Without them you may have to call this whole thing off and it is scheduled to start in mere hours.

You tap your foot in quiet annoyance until you hear a truly wonderful sound. The wheels of wagons and the boots of soldiers.

"Do you hear that?" Caoilainn whispers in your mind.

"Yes," you and your friend answer in unison.

As a pair of carts push into the courtyard you can not help but smile. They are overflowing with mandrake roots. It is quite possible that every mandrake root in the entire kingdom has been gathered for this occasion.

The carts are escorted by what must be one hundred soldiers. Not House Albrecht guards either, these are Royal Army soldiers as this is a formal function of the state. Their armour gleams in the sun, each moves in perfect step with their neighbours. These are dwarves of war and they have practiced their art to perfection. Their uniforms are different than those you have seen around the city, the deep purple of their surcoats bear the royal arms of the King, a golden, two headed falcon. At their head is Argus also dressed in the royal colours. These men are the king's very own guard.

Eagle frowns, begins mumbling and shoots the dwarves a number of hostile glances.

"Well, Albrecht certainly came through for us," you whistle as two whole wagons of mandrake roots roll up next to you. You are truly impressed.

"There must be hundreds of them," adds Thaïs with not a little disbelief.

"I have never seen so many," Lyssa stops in awe on the other side of you, "I wonder what this cost?"

"Less than you would think," Argus calls with a laugh from across the courtyard. He has just finished dismissing the soldiers that served as escort for these roots, "We merely had to promise that the names of every vendor to help with this ritual would be published throughout the kingdom. Most offered what they could for the publicity alone, the rest were still willing to negotiate rather steep discounts. Everyone wants to help the heroes that saved our kingdom rescue a poor child from a fate almost worse than death!" the champion grins at the three of you.

Finally he notices Eagle's expression, "And what is wrong with you, eh? Eat something that disagreed with you? Drink something a bit too strong perhaps?"

"Those colours," the Guard answers.

"Yeah, what about them?" Argus presses on as the mirth drains from his tone.

"Your king has no right to use them," the Guard states with complete conviction, "Those colours belong to the Emperor himself!"

Argus merely laughs, "Really now? I did not realize a man could own a colour."

Eagle glares at the dwarf, "As per the treaty sign with Emperor A-"

Argus waves him off, "To hell with your emperors!"

"How dare you!" the Guard tenses, "If not for Emperor Alric you dwarves would not have your kingdom today! He was the Emperor that defeated Balor! He was the Emperor that killed the Watcher! He was the -"

The Champion interrupts him, "Well now that is quite impressive but are you sure you have the right man? Is that the same emperor that abandons his friends on the word of a pair of vipers? The same emperor that spends all his time locked up in his capital? That emperor? Well I will tell you what I think of that emperor, he is a fu-"

"So! How many roots did you manage to get?" you shout over Argus in an attempt to redirect the conversation.

Thaïs comes to your aid immediately, approaching the nearest cart, examining its contents, "Good, very good, it looks like a few hundred at least. We will need every one of these to cast the rituals. When do we begin?"

"As soon as Brenna and her father arrive, everything is ready in the throne room for us to begin," you answer with only a hint of reluctance as you remember the exact conditions you will be required to perform under.

Albrecht was willing to help. He immediately set to work securing everything you could need, of course he also had a number of conditions he wanted met. Most were reasonable but some of them...

One of Albrecht's conditions was that the rituals be performed in front of the whole court. He wants everyone to see what a kind and decent leader he is, no doubt. He also argued that it would be good for the 'Heroes of the Kingdom' to demonstrate their magical prowess. You tried to get out of it, you warned him that if something went wrong an audience would be the last thing you would need.

You fought tooth and nail but he is the King, in the final accounting of things his word is law. You just have to ensure that everything goes according to plan.

"We should go get changed," Lyssa mutters clearly no more excited than you are.

Right, another of Albrecht's 'conditions', you have to look respectable while doing this. Albrecht even had a proper dress picked out for Lyssa, a beautifully deep chocolate with metallic gold trim.

As a small concession you managed to get him to add a matching mask. You claimed that Lyssa gets a little shy around large crowds and with Thaïs' help the King readily believed you.

The last thing you need is for someone to recognize her.

You sigh, nothing like casting a demanding ritual in a corset to start the day, "Well, let's just get this over with then."

-------------------------------------------------

The King sits upon his throne, draped in the symbols of state. The only change in his attire is the colour of his robes, now an impossibly deep purple you have not seen before. You catch Eagle glaring at him occasionally. He either does not notice or does not care, part of you suspects that he has made this change specifically for Eagle's 'benefit'. Perhaps he has at that.

Next to him sits his Queen and in front of them four dwarven princes, each perched on a smaller, lower throne. You notice a few empty thrones, the sixth throne in particular catches your attention, Jori's throne. It will remain forever empty.

Around you on all sides are the remaining nobility of the Dwarven Kingdom. They easily fit into the throne room with room to spare. Lords and ladies crowd up against the living wall formed by the royal guards stationed to defend you.

You are dressed in you finest. The gorgeous green dress you have worn only once before to the Barings' dinner. It looks magnificent but you would rather be doing this in something a bit more practical. At least the jewels you have woven into your hair serve an actual purpose besides looking pretty, most of them have been enchanted to increase your mental clarity and quicken your response time. A few seconds could mean the difference between success and permanent damage to your health.

You look over your much reduced casting circle.

Thaïs stands, radiant, to your right in her red gown. She appears to be the most at ease of your group but you know her well enough not to fall for her act, she is every bit as nervous as you and Lyssa.

Lyssa occupies the spot to your left and has so far drawn most of the attention. Suitably teased and tortured by Albrecht's army of servants she has transformed for a backwood witch to a fine lady at court. When it was all said and done she even admitted that it was sort of fun even if a 'complete waste of time'. Her mask is firmly secured in place by not one but three ribbons woven into her hair, you are certain it will not come loose while you cast.

You notice some of the nobles pointing at her. Ah, a little mystery and they forget all about their 'heroes'. Well, if everything goes according to plan that will change quite quickly.

Finally you lock eyes with Eagle. He has donned his parade uniform. Lacquered plates polished till they shine in the torch light of the hall. Great banners bearing the Emperor's own coat of arms hang from his back. On each hip rests the thin, deadly blade of the Heron Guard. The jewels set into the hilts suggest that these are merely ceremonial blades but from what you know of the Guards they do not believe in form without function. You are certain those blades would prove lethal in a fight.

You take a deep breath, this is not the first ritual you have cast though of course it is your first time casting this ritual. It is also your first time doing so in front of an audience. Honestly it makes you a bit nervous but you are the lead mage here, they will all be looking to you for direction and this is your ritual, your creation. You will pull this off without any complications.

You trust yourself.

You trust your aids.

You trust your spell.

You are certain you will succeed you simply have to want it badly enough.

One look at the child in front of you gives you all the motivation you will ever need.

The four of you stand at each corner of the massive slab of white marble the King has had cut just for this occasion. It is draped in thick red cloth and the child is supported by a small red pillow. She looks up at you, eyes filled with trepidation.

You give her a smile, "It will be alright kid. We will have you fixed up in no time," you wink at her. She smiles weakly, trying her best to ignore the crowd. You curse Albrecht under your breath for involving them.

It has been decided. Brenna will go first, Anleifr, her father, insisted. He wants her fixed while you are all fresh and the chance of something going wrong is lowest. There is wisdom in his demand, she will be easier to repair than he will be and it would be good practice.

Calmly, carefully, you begin.

A number of species can regenerate lost limbs or organs. You are not quite sure what strange elemental spirits allow them to do so, you are after all not a doctor. However you do know that it is possible, you have seen lizards do as much with missing tails and legs. If they can do it then why can't you?

You carefully strip the girl and give her the once over, noting every scar, every missing piece, every stump, every growth, and every imperfection while you are at it.

You cast out your mind and reach for those of your colleagues. You find them quickly enough and they lend their strength to yours.

Eagle, positioned across from you will be your 'adversary', he will act to steady you and to limit you.

His primary task will be to restrain your mind and soul should you push too deeply. He will provide a limiting factor throughout the ritual. According the Eagle this is a common role in a great many of the Guards' spells. The life of each Guard belongs to the Emperor and the Emperor alone. They are not to endanger themselves needlessly and without his orders, so everything must be done carefully. He has informed you time and again that the greatest threat posed by restorative magics is the threat the caster poses to him or herself. The more powerful the healing magic the more tempting it is to push yourself beyond your limitations. To try and help as much as you can, to save every life even at the cost of your own. Learning to let go, to stay within the circle of one's own abilities, is one of the first and most difficult lessons a Guard must learn and he is convinced that it is a test you too must pass to successfully use this ritual.

Thaïs and Lyssa will take on more traditional roles, each according to their natural inclinations. Each will support one of you in your tasks. Thaïs will support you in casting the spells necessary to help your patients while Lyssa will support Eagle in protecting you all.

As you close your eyes and picture Brenna's abstracted form you let out a deep and calming breath.

Eagle's second piece of advice was to control your breathing. You must control yourself if you intend to control the spell. If you let it do whatever it wants it will take too much from you. It will strive toward the aim you set for it and will burn you up to nothing along the way.

It is odd to think in this way. So much of what you know of magic stresses pushing yourself to your utmost but Eagle's theory revolves around limiting yourself. Weakening your impulses and achieving complete control through their negation.

It seems to be working too.

You begin by taking hold of the spirits of the body, you will need their aid for what is to come. You begin with her pneuma, that elemental air, she is young and all things considered healthy so it take little effort to coax it forth. You harness it and increase the production of natural spirits.

As you do so servants bring forward four mandrake roots and break one at each of your feet. The energy swirls upward, twisting green strands dance around you as you cast. A few of the nobles gasp and gossip, you suspect you look every part the hero they dream you are. Even as the ribbons of energy rise from your feet the servants are retrieving more from two great piles to either side of your casting circle. They will need to keep up a steady stream of roots to prevent the exhaustion of any of your group. If you begin to weaken the spell may fail and that would prove disastrous to you all.

You marshal the natural spirits, driving them towards her wounds. They should stimulate growth, all they need is a will to guide them.

Brenna screams, the process has begun.

Someone jostles you slightly. Likely a servant restraining the poor girl. You ignore it and push on.

You can feel the spirits building at every scar, every stub, every sore and wound and you work with a speed and dexterity you did not know you possessed. You pour everything you are given into the spell, you pour in all you have and it works. You can feel her body regenerating, restoring itself but you can go further than that. You can do more, always more! You could improve her eyesight, strengthen her bones, give her skin as smooth a marble, you can- No, you will do what is needed. You will restore her, you will give her back her body but you will stop at that. You will stop at what her body instinctively knows and you will go no further. Those are the limits you set for yourself and you will remain within them.

You finish restoring her form and seize upon the vital spirits of her heart next. You ease them through her new appendages, slowly and careful. First you gave them form and now you breath into them motion.

She lets out a few muffled cries, the poor dear. But it is almost over.

As her vital spirits begin to make the circuit through her restored form you sneak a peak at your work. She lies before you, perfect. The child is as good as new, or at least her body is.

She sobs to herself, not out of pain but out of joy. As you wind down your spells and still the magical energies swirling around you, you are filled with indescribable joy.

Somewhere deep within you, you are certain that this is the single finest thing you have ever done.

She looks up at you, tears in her eyes, unable to speak she merely mouths two words, "Thank you."

The crowd cheers as the child is bundled up and carried to her father. They share a quiet moment together while the crowd applauds, first your collective actions and then the King's unrivalled charity and foresight. Someone shouts for a speech but thankfully Albrecht waves the idea away. You have work to do and the hardest part is still ahead of you.

--------------------------------------------

It takes almost five straight hours but then Anleifr is in much worse shape than his daughter. To reconstruct all of his limbs and most of his face and throat is a serious task and as you finish the last piece of the final incantation you breathe a tremendous sigh of relief.

You are momentarily spent but it is over, you have restored Trakk's family to perfect physical health.

The assembled nobles of the kingdom look on a mixture of approval and boredom on their faces.

Then a scream of rage fills the chamber, followed by a second, a third, a fourth and a fifth. Five dwarves, dressed as servants, charge into the room with lit cocktails in hand. You are not certain how they managed to smuggle weapons into the throne room but you can do little to stop them and if they succeed in throwing those cocktails there will be precious little of any of you left to worry about it.

As soon as they see the weapons the nobles rush in a mass toward the doors. They claw and trample each other in an effort to escape. Barely ten of them move to defend the king and not one pays you any mind.

Three of the assassins make for the king as the royal guards all move to intercept. Most are splattered by a volley of cocktails. They simply do not have the weapons necessary to resist the assassins like this. Given a few minutes they could route the attackers but it is time they do not have.

The remaining two head straight for you and your allies.

You are spent and have no weapons, even Eagle's swords will do little good here.

Thankfully you are not alone.

The first of your attackers raises a cocktail above his head and screams at you, "Death to the traitor king! Death to his pet witches! Death to eeeahhh-" a very large potted fern launches itself at the dwarf. As it falls toward him it extends an arm and snatches the cocktail from him. Deftly it hurls the cocktail across the room and into the pack of dwarves assaulting the king. They disappear in a thick red mist and a light rain of body parts.

The assassin stands, mouth agape, in complete shock as the fern produces a spoon and drives it forcibly into his eye socket. He howls as a chipped plate connects with his throat. A series of punches and a suplex finish him off. He lands on his neck with a sickening crunch.

The remaining assassin eyes the fern warily.

With but a single cocktail between him and the murderous plant he hesitates. It proves to be his undoing as an arrow and a knife catch him in the back. Biliku and Uttu wave at you from behind a pair of statues before disappearing again as the potted fern orders them back into hiding.

As the girls disappear so too does the fern, slipping into the shadows of the chamber and disappearing around a column.

In the chaos of the attack it seems that no one witnessed the heroic acts of the plant. When they do finally realize that the attackers are dead they naturally assume you are responsible. A great cheer goes up from all those assembled. You are heroes, for the third time this evening.

You smile at one another as Thaïs extends an arm and you gratefully take it. The four of you make your way past the crowd of grateful dwarves and towards a very thankful royal family. Along the way Trakk's family wave to you, you can not resist waving back.

Eagle leans forward between the two of you, confusion writ clearly on his face, "What. I mean. A fern?"

Lyssa giggles under her mask and even Caoilainn chuckles in your mind.

Laughing, you respond in unison with but two words, the two words that explain everything, "Berty Levy."

--------------------------------------------

In the days that follow Trakk's family return to the safe house they are being sheltered at. If assassins are after supporters of Albrecht then they may not be safe until everything settles down. Neither you nor the King are willing to risk losing them now.

The possibility that assassins now stalk your every step fills you with a degree of apprehension but you must see to your business, you can not remain locked up in the palace at all times. Albrecht assures you that the Pathfinders remain on the case. You have even heard from Argus that Bari himself has volunteered to lead the hunt for the remaining House Eberhardt loyalists behind the attack on you, you do not like your enemies' odds.

You sit at your desk across from Thaïs as the two of you sort through your files. You have received a report from Mayer detailing the results of your initial round of bidding. You have also received a number of requests for meetings from former clients of the Eberhardts concerning your willingness to discuss the terms under which you will continue to provide them secure lodging and protection along your assigned trade route. Finally you have received a letter from a Mr. 'Jawbone' acting head of Blackrock Securities

You have two primary concerns to deal with over the coming weeks and a number of more general policy decisions to make.


1. What would you like to focus on first? Albrecht understands your desire to get out but is still unwilling to grant you two separate escorts. Unless you wish to sneak out without an escort you will be limited to dealing with one issue at a time.

A) Blackrock Securities - the sooner you can get them organized and making money as opposed to draining assets the better. You will meet with this Mr. Jawbone and run through your options.

B) The Caravan Contracts - you will meet with the Eberhardts' former clients and see how many you can keep under your banner. Without clients you will not be able to make money of the trade route after all.

C) Ditch the escort and split up - You will slip out without your escort and each of you will deal with one of your problems. If you vote for this option then stipulate who will go to each meeting.

D) You will pretend to play along - Thaïs will take your escort to go talk to the merchants. You will then try to sneak out of the palace with the rest of your group to go check up on Blackrock. The King won't like it but if the plan works he never needs to know.

E) freeform


2. Mayer has sent you his report on his efforts to secure property for you. He has spent 200 WPs worth of the funds you gave him and has secured properties that should bring in an estimated 45 WPs monthly while only annoying a couple of competitors. Would you like him to change his strategy?

A) Yes, be more aggressive. Bend the rules if necessary.

B) No, stay the course.

C) Yes, be less aggressive. No sense making enemies.


Now for the questions proposed in the discussion:


3. It might be possible to develop new tactical possibilities by training Caoilainn into an actual mage. However, Derryth does not believe she has the skills to be a truly capable mage and it will likely take effort and time on your part to do so. Do you make the attempt?

A) Yes, she might be useful.

B) No, it is time better spent on improving your own skills or working on something else.

C) You will attempt to teach her the theory behind a single attack spell (Firebolt) in case she needs it some day, beyond that you will not bother.

D) freeform


4. It may be possible to use Caoilainn's split mind as a meeting place to instantly communicate in battlefield situations. It might also be possible to use the quicker passage of time within the mind for further research and development at an accelerated pace. A couple conditions must be met first however. Caoilainn needs to trust both Derryth and Thaïs (and they need to trust her) and a modified Infiltration spell must be developed that has a quick casting time and fewer components. The risks involved include those that are always present when entering another's mind, the chance of mental collapse and fusion. While the first condition can not be rushed the mages could begin to research a way to alter the Infiltration spell should you so desire. Is this a worthwhile path to pursue?

A) Yes, begin research immediately though this will divert attention and resources away from other activities.

B) Not right now, this may be an interesting path to follow but do so at a later date. Preferably when you are back in Muirthemne with your full Circle and assets.

C) No, Derryth will not pursue such a dangerous path of research.
 
Last edited:

Fangshi

Arcane
Joined
Jan 9, 2014
Messages
1,997
Party/Organizational Changes:

Party Changes:

Derryth:

Spells Mastered:

1. Greater Heal

Spells Learnt:

1. Calm Casting - A Meta spell you have managed to cobble together from the general theory Eagle supplied you with. When cast it will help you focus, improving your casting speed and accuracy for five minutes. It also numbs your mind slightly to emotions which may or may not be an advantage.


Thaïs:

Spells Mastered:

1. Heal

Spells Learnt:

1. Greater Heal

2. Calm Casting


Lyssa:

Items Gained:

1. Gorgeous Chocolate and Gold Evening Dress

2. Intricate Chocolate and Gold Mask

Spells Mastered:

1. Heal

Spells Learnt:

1. Greater Heal

2. Calm Casting


'Berty' Levy:

Lost Items:

1. 1 spoon

2. 1 chipped plate

Gained Items:

1. A Very Large Fern

2. 6 buttons

3. A candlestick

4. A small sack of sharp clay shards


Organizational Changes:

Monthly Income Changes:
+45 WPs per month

Factions discovered:

1. Eberhardt Remnants - enemy (-100)

2. The Loyal House Hesse - neutral (+5)*

3. The Industrious House Berg - neutral (+10)*

4. The Ancient House Seinsheim - neutral (-10)*

5. The Honest House Reginar - neutral (+5)*

6. The Virtuous House Welf - neutral (-5)*

*Added as a result of Mayer's activities.

Known Faction Reputation Changes:

1. The Heron Guard +10

Rolls:

Lots of rolls this time.

You had a number of checks while you were preparing for the ritual. You rolled excellently on the ones you needed and poorly on the ones to steal extra knowledge.

For the first ritual, you had a number of will checks but you did well to perfectly on them so not much to mention there. Your fellow mages had some simple rolls to do as well but you did your research and brought in the expert so you were not in any real danger unless everyone consistently under-performed.

For the second ritual you cut it a bit closer, you were not in danger of permanent injury but you did run out of roots towards the end there. If you want to know how many roots it took for each (to gauge what you need to do this in the future) Brenna's ritual cost in the high eighties while her father's ran at just over two hundred to build him almost an entirely new body. You have also used up almost all the mandrake roots in the kingdom so if you need more they will not be cheap. There was the possibility that some of your mages would have enough energy left to defend themselves against the attack but in this case you burnt through everything you had.

For the attack at the end your group was not in lethal danger given the presence of Berty, Biliku and Uttu watching over you. The two dwarves attacking you had an astronomically slim chance of actually doing anything to you. The ones attacking the royal family could have done a bit of damage though (it was not likely that they would get all the royals but it was possible to get a few, particularly the princes).

The attackers had to make a number of rolls to sneak into the compound and get to the throne room. They were quite skilled (Eberhardt's version of the Pathfinders you could say) but the checks were also quite high. As it was they rolled well enough to get to the throne room but not well enough to do much after that.

Berty rolled magnificently which let we do some truly absurd things with him. :lol:
 
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Nevill

Arcane
Joined
Jun 6, 2009
Messages
11,211
Shadorwun: Hong Kong
I think we have to concentrate on our merchant clientele, first. Their numbers will be dwindling quickly if we don't do something about it, given the sort of attention we get. On the other hand, from what I understood, Blackrock Securities, while unwieldy and losing money for now, is not going anywhere.

The way Mayer is going, we are looking at 225 WPs monthly. As long as it pays off the interest on the loan, we are gaining momentum. Let him continue.

Even though I started the discussion about Caoilainn, I don't think we need to put effort in changing her whole profession. Let her manage it at her own pace if she thinks it's worth it.

The communication idea - while interesting - is certainly not a priority. We have our hands full as it is.

BBCB

As for Trakk's family... I think I have an idea what to do with them further to try and settle matters with Trakk, but we'll probably need to restore their minds, too. I suppose we'll get to it once we deal with more immediate concerns. It is good that they now've become valuable assets for Albrecht.

Damn, that was one costly operation. If we go by the market price of 1 gold coin for 1 root, it cost about 300 WPs. Naturally, the King managed to get it cheaper, but still the scale of the ritual boggles the mind.

I wonder how people view us now. That ritual was bound to gain a lot of publicity, and given what happend right afterwards... I bet the rumors have us grow a feet taller with every update. :lol:

Wonder if Damh is pissed off at Eagle, too, for furthering Albrecht's case.

Edit: amended the 3rd vote.
 
Last edited:

asxetos

Augur
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
820
Location
Greece
1D>B : C implies a roll for success and i dont want to risk that. The Caravans might need urgent attention because of the different parties involed. Blackrock is important too but i guess it can remain stagnant for a few more days. I think we can pull off a sneak with Berty while Thais goes to the merchants though.
2B : I dont see a reason to change tactics atm. 45WP/month for 200WP is pretty great.
3B : Lets not make everyone a mage. Caoilainn seems to be a skilled mercenary and will have a place in the company anyway.
4B : The trust will need time to grow and we can postpone the spell for later.

That Berty Levy fern was just awesome.

just wtf is this guy doing?
'Berty' Levy:

Lost Items:

1. 1 spoon

2. 1 chipped plate

Gained Items:

1. A Very Large Fern

2. 6 buttons

3. A candlestick

4. A small sack of sharp clay shards
 
Last edited:

archaen

Cipher
Patron
Joined
Mar 10, 2014
Messages
633
1.C > B
I was wondering if we could arrange for one member to leave with the escort to see the merchants, say Thais, with the implication being the other member will stay in the palace. Then we grab the girls, Lyssa, and Berty and sneak out to meet the mercenaries. The merchant houses will do well with charisma from Thais where the mercenaries are going to want to see a shrewd and able commander. Berty will see the sneaking out of the castle with an asset as an excellent lesson for his pupils. I will call it C and pet it and love it forever. This is dependent on Thais being able to take our honor guard.

2. B

3. C > B
We just teach her one good attack or mental spell that fits her personality type. If it ever comes down to us needing just a nudge to push us over to victory it may come in use.
B.4.
 

Fangshi

Arcane
Joined
Jan 9, 2014
Messages
1,997
archaen said:
1.C > B
I was wondering if we could arrange for one member to leave with the escort to see the merchants, say Thais, with the implication being the other member will stay in the palace. Then we grab the girls, Lyssa, and Berty and sneak out to meet the mercenaries. The merchant houses will do well with charisma from Thais where the mercenaries are going to want to see a shrewd and able commander. Berty will see the sneaking out of the castle with an asset as an excellent lesson for his pupils. I will call it C and pet it and love it forever. This is dependent on Thais being able to take our honor guard.

Sure, I don't see why you could not try. Added. If you get caught sneaking out though Albrecht might get a little upset.

Also I am going to have to rename it D (sorry) as there is already a 1.C. ;)

archaen said:
We just teach her one good attack or mental spell that fits her personality type. If it ever comes down to us needing just a nudge to push us over to victory it may come in use.

Added. Firebolt would probably be your best bet from what you have to hand.
 

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