Post by: piecewise on May 16, 2021, 03:58:49 pm
MAGNUM OPUS
You awaken with a spasm and try to suck in a breath. Your mouth fills with acrid slime and you flail your limbs in slow motion as you realize you’re submerged. You open stinging eyes just long enough to glimpse light above you, dark forms of other bodies adrift all around. You swim blindly upwards until you finally breach the surface, gulping in great lungfuls of cold and musty air while you search for something to grab hold of. Questing hands slam down hard on the metal lip of the vessel and you drag yourself up and out, sliding like a mucous coated eel down the side of the giant cauldron and onto the cold stone of a cavern. You rub slime out of your eyes and cough it out of your throat, glancing about as others like you escape the cauldron and join you on the cavern floor. After a few minutes to recover you begin looking around. The Cauldron is connected, by many hundreds of pipes, to a great and incomprehensible machine in the ceiling. You can only see a bit of it, poking out through the stone, with the vast bulk of it stretching up far above you. You have no idea how you know that, but you do.
There is only one exit to this room, a rough hewn doorway on the opposite side. Next to this doorway is a huge brass plaque, with a metal box the size of a coffin affixed to the stone under it. The plaque reads as follows:
You are a Homunculus. You have been created for the purpose of carrying out our will. Do your work well and you will be rewarded. Fail or betray us and you will be destroyed. This cavern has been outfitted with all you will need. Instructions for all you need to know will be found on plaques like this one. Take what you find in this box below and familiarize yourself with the cavern and our instructions.
When the time comes, heed our call. Do not disappoint us.
Spoiler: What the hell? (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: System (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Character Creation (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Map (click to show/hide)
Post by: Aigre Excalibur on May 16, 2021, 04:15:20 pm
Spoiler: Amyclas (click to show/hide)
Post by: NAV on May 16, 2021, 04:46:11 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on May 16, 2021, 05:06:15 pm
Your verb is "discharge"Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: ANGRY_DEMON_NOISES on May 16, 2021, 05:37:16 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 16, 2021, 07:12:55 pm
Not bad. Not bad.
The characters aren’t made of rats, but at least there’s more magic than verbomancy.
I might make a character. I’ll have to see…
Hopefully this won’t end abruptly and without warning with us lost in some tunnel below a living city with two rats on our shoulders…
Alright…
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on May 16, 2021, 07:18:24 pm
Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on May 16, 2021, 07:44:26 pm
Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
All three of ya are in, feel free to look around.Spoiler: Amyclas (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 16, 2021, 08:11:17 pm
Post by: piecewise on May 16, 2021, 08:32:37 pm
Just posted my sheet.Looks ok but remove that stuff from your inventory. We're all naked here...for now. Maybe check that box.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 16, 2021, 08:39:42 pm
Just posted my sheet.Looks ok but remove that stuff from your inventory. We're all naked here...for now. Maybe check that box.
How’s that? I changed the description and status, too.
Post by: piecewise on May 16, 2021, 09:06:07 pm
Looks good to me. Feel free to act. Just make sure to bold actions so I know they're...actions.Just posted my sheet.Looks ok but remove that stuff from your inventory. We're all naked here...for now. Maybe check that box.
How’s that? I changed the description and status, too.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 16, 2021, 09:20:33 pm
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on May 17, 2021, 12:07:42 am
Once I have the things fro mteh box, familiarize myself with the cavern, noting any plaques, unique locations, NPCs, and useable objects/creatures as I go.
Spoiler: Character: Creation (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on May 17, 2021, 01:08:54 am
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on May 17, 2021, 03:20:59 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 17, 2021, 03:53:21 am
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on May 17, 2021, 03:54:14 am
Watch the box being opened, take an appropriate number of whatever's in there
Post by: piecewise on May 17, 2021, 08:53:48 am
Your verb is "Maintain"Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
You are both in.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Go over to the metal box and motion for the girl to come over. Ask the box if we might open it to see it’s contents. Explain that we are both in need of clothing and hope that the box contains something suitable for us to wear. With the box’s permission, of course. Be polite.[2]Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
The speaker asks the metal box if it is ok to open it. The box, in a grinding metal voice, sort of hurrumphs and quite stubbornly refuses to speak to him. He wonders if it might be in a bad mood. Or maybe tsundere? He mentally envisions a blushing box explaining how it doesn't care if he opens it.
Waddle over to the box and take what I find there. Meanwhile, reflect on other things i know but don't know how I know, since apparently I know how to read and about the weird machine and the wizards.Creation isn't quite so interested in getting the consent of the box and instead simply throws the lid open and looks inside. There are three objects inside:
Once I have the things fro mteh box, familiarize myself with the cavern, noting any plaques, unique locations, NPCs, and useable objects/creatures as I go.Spoiler: Character: Creation (click to show/hide)
1. A purple robe with a large red eye embroidered on the back.
2.A pair of white gloves with a similar eye on the palm.
3.What appears to be a 4 foot long sewing needle made of black iron. Its sides are blunt but its tip is deadly sharp, and the “eye” has knurling around it so that it can be used as a handle.
There is somehow always enough of these objects in the box for everyone to have one of each. Those who already have them find the box mysteriously empty.
[2]
Creation considers his existance and knowledge for a long moment...then shrugs. Eh, it will work itself out.
Creation wanders out of the first room and stars looking around. This place is indeed a cavern, mostly natural but with a few additions here and there. Like larger doorways cut into the stone, metal gratting stretched over the bare stone floor to make it level, lighting in the form of hanging lanterns, etc. However, one thing he can't find is an exit: They seem very distinctly trapped here.
To the left of the Cauldron room is what appears to be the living quarters. There are beds and, on one side, a metal counter and some tables. A plaque above the counter marks it as the "Food Conduit". On one end there's a box that seems to produce plates and silverware, and like the other box it seems to know when you aready have some. Along the top of the counter are several inlaid gold circles; not magic circles just big gold rings large enough to encircle the plate. When a plate is placed inside the circle, food seems to sprout straight from its surface. Different cirlces produce different food. At the end is another box which gladly swallows up the leftovers, including plate and silverware.
To the Right of the cauldron room is a library, its shelves carved straight into the stone. Its relatively small, maybe all of 200 or so books, and seems mostly focused on history, society, and large collections of non-fiction information. A Plaque describes it as a "Reference library".
Behind the Cauldron room, down a passage that snakes past the living area and around back, is a gym of sorts. Perhaps a practice arena is more fitting? It has training dummies, a sparring ring, an obstacle course...mabye? A strange collection of metal cubes and bars that looks like an obstacle course at least. The Plaque here calls the place a "Training Hall" and explains that the dummies will refresh themselves every few minutes if needed.
Finally, there are two rooms directly in front of the Cauldron room, one straight ahead and one branching off to the left of that. The one straight ahead contains an archway made of metal thats set directly into the cavern wall. The room is described as the "Teleportation Gate" by its plaque and has a fair amount of instructions.
This is the Teleportation Gate. It is the one way out of this cavern and it will activate when you are needed. The blank plaque next to it will display your instructions when the time is right. When you pass through the gate you will find a teleportation conduit where you appear. It displays an image of a roughly 3 meter tall spike with a globe shaped crystal on the top. All who walk through this gate will appear at that conduit. The conduit can be moved, but its destruction is final and will, in all likelihood, result in your failure. Be aware that setting it up in areas of high ambient magic may also result in teleportation failures.
The rooom off to the side of the teleport room is relatively small and contains a huge glass vessel inlaid into the ground like a fishbowl shaped inground pool. The plaque here marks it as the "Deposit room", where any object which was asked to be retreived from the mission should be deposited. Anything dangerous can be placed there as well.
Youare finishes reading, wonders briefly if he was over-hasty in naming himself, and peers into the box.Youare takes exactly as much as the box is willing to let him have. Ie one robe, one pair of gloves, and one big ass needle.
Watch the box being opened, take an appropriate number of whatever's in there
Post by: NJW2000 on May 17, 2021, 09:58:49 am
Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
Post by: NAV on May 17, 2021, 10:40:00 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 17, 2021, 10:55:40 am
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Edit: forgot charsheet.
Post by: Ozarck on May 17, 2021, 11:00:21 am
[spoiler=Character: Creation]
Name: Creation
Description: Tall, stocky, covered in dark hair. Emerald green eyes.
Nature:
Status: doing okay
HP: 10
Inventory: Robe, gloves, walking needle.
Fate Points: 0
Post by: The Lupanian on May 17, 2021, 11:04:06 am
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 17, 2021, 11:33:59 am
Don the robe and gloves. Then push Amyclas into the deposit pool. Observe the results. Then, if I somehow ended up in the pool or otherwise drenched, go dry off in the living facility. Then go and find a paper book and convert it into poo and a rake. Then go wash the poo off me and throw the rake into the deposit pool.Spoiler: Character: Creation (click to show/hide)
Oh! No!
I’ll just assume that The Speaker doesn’t see any of this because he’s already headed to the rooms, but he’s not going to be pleased when he finds out Creation has been bullying Amyclas.
Also, I have a bad feeling about that book. It might be the nail that we end up failing our mission for want of…
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Edit: post ended up borked because Ozarck forgot a tag. Took a while to fix things… >:(
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 17, 2021, 12:02:42 pm
One shouldn't put off the first meal of their life, you see.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on May 17, 2021, 12:55:24 pm
Youare leaves the Cauldron chamber and looks around the common space. He makes a beeline for the library, and tries to find a book on general history before reading at least the introduction.[5]Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
Youare heads straight to the library and find a book entitled "A brief history of the modern world." He rapidly flips through it and discoveres a few things.
1. Magic exists. Thats fairly clear already. He knew that instinctively, though He's not quite sure what it entails.
2. The number of people who can use magic is small. The vast majority cannot use it at all, while a small percentage can use it to some degree and a small percentage of those can use it completely. These people are known as Mundanes, Mages, And Magi respectively.
3. Magi have controlled the world for all known history. Though they are so vastly above humanity that the Mages tend to do most of the actual ruling. A great deal of alll the power and wealth in the world is concentrated in the hands of Mages while Mundanes often live serf-like existances.
4. There is technically one government that controls the world, but in truth there are actually hundreds of countries and nationstates under the control of particular
Discharge my three items from the box into my inventory. Not using magic mind you, do it the normal way.You grab your gear using your hands instead of your great cosmic powers. Yuck.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
After making sure that everyone else gets their three items, The Speaker grabs his and heads to claim a quarters. Hopefully there will be a bath or a shower someplace where he can wash off the slime. If he doesn’t immediately find one, than ask the hallway where one might be found.You grab your gear and head to the living area. You claim a bed before searching out somewhere to wash off the slime. There is indeed a bathroom and washing area in the living space, on the opposite side of the "kitchen". The shower, along with towels and even sleeping clothing are handled in similar ways to the golden rings and the chest in the cauldron room.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Edit: forgot charsheet.
Grey dons his share of the robes and gloves and collects a needle and then after exploring the cavern fully, makes way to the living quarters where he utilizes the so-called "Food Conduit" to produce a meal, and then eat it, using cutlery of course.Once fully dressed, Gray heads to the living area and experiments with the Food Conduit, placing his plate over the various rings and seeing what comes up. Each ring seems to produce a specific...sort of food but not the same kind each time. He deduces that there is a fruit circle, a vegetable circle, a meat circle, a grain/bread circle, and a sweets circle. Holding the plate over the "Meat" circle three times grants a set of sausage links, a hunk of fried chicken, and a medium rare steak. He mixes and matches his choices a bit before sitting at a nearby table and giving them a try. They're all quite good, still warm or cold depending on the food, and all still fresh. After a moment he heads back and, putting his hand over the last circle which didn't produce anything before, is granted a large glass of water. Huh. He tries again and gets a smaller glass of cranberry juice.
One shouldn't put off the first meal of their life, you see.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Go explore the training room in more detail. Inspect the dummies in particular.The dummies are humanoid, about 6 feet tall, made of wood and metal, lacking any real distinguishing features. They have no face, just a large smooth head, no hands just hand shaped blocks, no sex just vague androgynous form. They can be ordered to move, to stand, to fight, to do whatever is desired...but they cannot leave this room. They collapse into ash after a minute or two if altered in any way and reform as they were originally a moment or two later.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Don the robe and gloves. Then push Amyclas into the deposit pool. Observe the results. Then, if I somehow ended up in the pool or otherwise drenched, go dry off in the living facility. Then go and find a paper book and convert it into poo and a rake. Then go wash the poo off me and throw the rake into the deposit pool.[5]Spoiler: Character: Creation (click to show/hide)
After getting dressed Creation immediately grabs Amyclas by the neck and drags her into the deposit room. He hurls her into the deposit chamber and watches the result.
She falls and appears to break the surface of a perfectly clear and calm fluid that was sitting, unseen, in the giant vessel. She drifts rapidly to the bottom of it, hangs there for a moment, and then is suddenly ejected. Its almost like the scene is running in reverse, the fluid spitting her back out and onto the cavern floor.
[2] Finding a paper book in the library is easy enough, but when Creation attempts to transmute it he find himself strangely unable to do so.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 17, 2021, 01:39:35 pm
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on May 17, 2021, 02:09:56 pm
"So, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is, am still dry and there is no poop on my hands. The bad news is this place hates fun."
Oh! No!Feel free to make an IC fuss about it, lol. I don't mind, even if my character dies for it.
I’ll just assume that The Speaker doesn’t see any of this because he’s already headed to the rooms, but he’s not going to be pleased when he finds out Creation has been bullying Amyclas.
Also, I have a bad feeling about that book. It might be the nail that we end up failing our mission for want of…
Quote
Edit: post ended up borked because Ozarck forgot a tag. Took a while to fix things… >:(oops.
Spoiler: Character: Creation (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 17, 2021, 09:16:09 pm
Grey then heads to the training room and stabs one of the dummies a few times to observe the results.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 17, 2021, 09:47:07 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Aigre Excalibur on May 17, 2021, 10:40:27 pm
Spoiler: Amyclas (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on May 18, 2021, 01:51:40 am
Go up to a WOOD TRAINING DUMMY and rearrange the letters into “ODD RING” and “WOMAM”, with MUITY left over.
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on May 18, 2021, 02:00:12 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on May 18, 2021, 04:04:04 am
It is worth noting that he is still wearing nothing but a thick layer of slime.
Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on May 18, 2021, 04:38:28 am
I made a map for easy reference. Everyone likes maps, right?good stuff. Thank you.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on May 18, 2021, 10:22:28 am
Take a shower and freshen up. Afterwords, get dressed and then head to the kitchen. If Grey is still there, ask him how if he knows how everything works. If he does, ask him to explain, follow his instructions, and thank him politely. If he doesn’t (or if he isn’t there), then ask the kitchen itself. If that doesn’t work, than experiment. Regardless, obtain and eat a meal.Speaker gets cleaned up , dons his newly aquired uniform, and then heads to the kitchen. He talks with Gray for a few minutes and learns the way the food conduit works, or at least Gray's interpretation of it. With that knowledge he makes himself his first, and hopefully not last, meal.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Await instructions from the orange voice in the walls. Make Amyclys get her items from the box, then steal the items from her.
"So, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is, am still dry and there is no poop on my hands. The bad news is this place hates fun."Oh! No!Feel free to make an IC fuss about it, lol. I don't mind, even if my character dies for it.
I’ll just assume that The Speaker doesn’t see any of this because he’s already headed to the rooms, but he’s not going to be pleased when he finds out Creation has been bullying Amyclas.
Also, I have a bad feeling about that book. It might be the nail that we end up failing our mission for want of…QuoteEdit: post ended up borked because Ozarck forgot a tag. Took a while to fix things… >:(oops.Spoiler: Character: Creation (click to show/hide)
Push Creation/Oz into the deposit pool and smack them if they try to take my things[1v3]Spoiler: Amyclas (click to show/hide)
Creation and Amy get into a slap fight and both end up falling into the deposit tank. They get booted back out a moment later, as before.
When finished enjoying the cranberry juice and whatever's left of the meal, Grey disposes of the leftover dishes. Then, chronology abiding, Grey gives a short summary of the ring's functions to the speaker.Gray Finishes his meal and gives a quick explaination about how the whole setup works before heading off to the training room. [6] He gives a training dummy a good solid stab with his needle.[6] Despite the seemingly awkward shape and design of the weapon it actually turns out to be surprisingly effective for stabbing at least.
Grey then heads to the training room and stabs one of the dummies a few times to observe the results.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
The weapon penetrates the wood exactly as you'd expect a big sharp metal thing to do, but the next part is a bit odd. There's no visial indication of anything odd happening but, as long as gray leaves the needle stabbed into the dummy, the dummy doesn't reset.
Well, let’s start off with some magic practice.[5] (Womam is not a word)
Go up to a WOOD TRAINING DUMMY and rearrange the letters into “ODD RING” and “WOMAM”, with MUITY left over.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Luta places her hands on one of the training dummies. Her hands seem to press down into it in a shimmer of purplish light and she fiddles with its essence. She withdraws her hands a moment later and the entire dummy glows purple before vanishing in a shimmer. In its place is a ring, the sort that a person would wear on their finger. The ring is made of wood and has a small carved image of the dummy's head poking out of it.
Grab my robe, gloves, and big ass needle, then put on the clothing and go grab all the different kinds of silverware, a plate and cup from the canteen, then I don't know eat a bunch of food or something.Debby gets dressed and then attacks the kitchen with gusto.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Youare tries to find an introductory text on golems, and again quickly glean some information. He takes his book over to the food area and takes something from every ring, absently eating as he reads.[3] You manage to find a small text about golems, but doing so takes the entire turn. You don't even have time to read it!
It is worth noting that he is still wearing nothing but a thick layer of slime.Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
I made a map for easy reference. Everyone likes maps, right?(Will add it to the OP.)Spoiler (click to show/hide)
The entire cavern suddenly howls and shivers. There is a great sucking noise and the normally dead calm air of the cavern begins to move, flowing towards the teleporter room. Creation and Amy, who are right next to the teleporter room, poke their heads out to see that the metal arch is now filled with a strange blackness. Its not totally black though: the edges of the portal are an oilslick shimmer of colors and multicolored pinpoints of light swim in the darkness like otherworldly stars. The previously blank plaque next to the portal now shows the following:
A magical beast has attacked a settlement of mundanes. Uphold the Covenant of Protection and destroy the beast. This is our will.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 18, 2021, 07:30:34 pm
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Edit: forgot a few things…
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 18, 2021, 10:01:04 pm
In the interests of momentum, After a minute or two of considering the portal, Grey puts his arm through the blackness first, and then walks through.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 18, 2021, 10:20:51 pm
Finish eating (if necessary and there is enough time -otherwise, scrape the remaining food off into the cauldron-), dispose of the dishes and silverware in the kitchen, make sure we have our needle with us, and go to the teleportation room.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on May 19, 2021, 02:01:52 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on May 19, 2021, 02:11:30 am
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on May 19, 2021, 03:14:55 am
Spoiler: Bob the Homunculus (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 19, 2021, 04:24:29 am
Post by: Ozarck on May 19, 2021, 04:36:36 am
Shove Amyclas through the portal. No time for inventory now, she can go as is. Whether that action succeeds or not, go through the portal myself and examine the surroundings, with special attention to locating villagers and noting any obvious signs of magical beasts.
Spoiler: Character: Creation (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on May 19, 2021, 04:46:59 am
Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on May 19, 2021, 09:54:26 am
“Oh? Is that what it is?”(in the future, rather than posting multiple actions please either edit the existing one or strike through whatever set of actions you don't want. It just makes it easier for me.)
Finish eating (if necessary and there is enough time -otherwise, scrape the remaining food off into the cauldron-), dispose of the dishes and silverware in the kitchen, make sure we have our needle with us, and go to the teleportation room.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Speaker finishes his meal in a rush, tosses the plate and silverware into the disposal bin and runs out to the teleportation room, Needle in hand.
Quickly finish the food, then talk to myself and try to talk to my organs and see what happens on the way to the teleportation room.[4]Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Debby greets her organs and they, through various gurglings and twinges of odd pain and sensation, respond back. Mostly they tell her to be careful and try not to do anything that causes them to have to work harder. Her liver seems almost sullen while the stomach responds that it's too busy to chit chat right now.
She wanders into the teleportation room, poking at her belly.
If you're still accepting characters, here's one.Bob falls out of the Cauldron and looks around. He's still wiping off goo when someone dressed in a robe and carrying a big metal spike wanders in and explains things to him quickly.Spoiler: Bob the Homunculus (click to show/hide)
[Your element is....Belts]
Put on my robe and gloves. Go through the portal after someone else has gone through it. Observe surroundings, scan for hostiles.Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
Come on, you lot, we got work to do. Plaque says it's go time!
Shove Amyclas through the portal. No time for inventory now, she can go as is. Whether that action succeeds or not, go through the portal myself and examine the surroundings, with special attention to locating villagers and noting any obvious signs of magical beasts.Spoiler: Character: Creation (click to show/hide)
Head to portalSpoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Creation drags Amy out of the deposit room and, as everyone gathers in front of the Portal gate, shoves her through. The instant she passes the threshold of the gate it is as though a seal has been broken and the gentle sucking wind escalates into a hurricane. Everyone near the portal is yanked off their feet and pulled into it, spiraling in like water down a drain. The teleportation isn't instant, though it isn't long either. They seem to fall down a spiraling rainbow shaft for maybe two or three seconds, just long enough to comprehend what's happening and get a momentary look at the kaleidoscopic maelstrom before emerging out the other side. Despite being sucked into the portal in quite an undignified way they all emerge on their feet, as though they had simply walked through a doorway.
Freezing darkness. Night. Blizzard. They blink, trying to get their bearings. They have emerged surrounding the teleportation conduit, its crystal orb throwing out pale blue light that illuminates the area directly around them. The area nearest the Teleportation Conduit is scorched to ash and indented, as though the thing were speared into the earth from a great height. Melted snow and scorched grass in a ring around it, then fresh and glittering snow. Heavy snowflakes flash down in the light, driven diagonally by the wind. The earth shakes slightly, a rumble and crash somewhere distant.
Though their faces are freezing, their bodies are warm beneath their robes. And not in a way where it is obviously just the robe protecting them from the cold, it is almost as though their bodies are still back in that warm cave while their heads are stuck out here. They pull up their hoods and immediately the warmth covers their heads as well. Despite bare feet, thin gloves, silken robes, and ice forming on their Needles they feel perfectly fine.
They look around closer now and notice distant lights. The lights flicker in the blizzard, amber glow strobing through the dense snowfall. The amorphous glowing form of a city or town. Its a few miles from them and somewhat lower in elevation. There is no moon or stars to illuminate it any further, so all they can see is the golden smear of lights and the indistinct black masses which hint at the existence of a half buried structure. The distant rumble and crash happens again and the ground vibrates beneath their feet.
Just as they begin to discuss what to do, two roaring comets arc out of the town and into the night. White flares on a long parabolic trajectory. They rise rapidly but then halt at the apex of their flight and slow, their light flaring even brighter. The town leaps into view, its lights now nearly invisible under the harsh illumination of the flare. Black boxy structures under a thick blanket of snow, like basalt boulders covered in dense white moss. Beyond the village is a wide snow covered field, and beyond that a forest of conifer trees, evergreens and firs. With a rumble and crash something steps into the illumination of the flare, cast in almost monochromatic color by the intense white light.
It has the rough shape of a man, but with the head of a canine. Its covered in a dense coat of fur, thickest around its chest and shoulders, thinning as it extends to the limbs. Its arms and hands are too long and its fingers end in cuving scythe-like claws. Its canines are huge, like the fangs of a sabertooth, and its eyes glow a purple under the light of the flare. It is 100 meters tall, maybe larger, and is slowly advancing towards the town, pushing through the forest as though it was tall grass.
The town erupts with new light and a distant chattering hum as gun emplacements open fire. The swift darting flashes of tracer rounds lance through the darkness and into the Wolf Giant, It doesn't slow its already ponderous advance, but does raise its head and howl as it continues. Its howl is like the rushing scream of the storm, something too massive to have any discernible source or location, a sound which echoes to and from everywhere.
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 19, 2021, 10:25:30 am
"I find myself wishing our masters saw fit to provision us a little better. I believe these needles of ours may have the ability to inhibit magic, though I could easily be wrong. And I don't know how well they'll fair against that monstrosity if I am right."
Post by: Ozarck on May 19, 2021, 10:38:06 am
Spoiler: Character: Creation (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on May 19, 2021, 12:53:09 pm
I’m going to use SLUDGE from where the snow is mixed with the dirt to make SLEDs, and then take some SNOW and make some SOWs to pull said sleds
Also, if there’s time, go get a GRASS BLADE and make some SABERS and a LAD
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 19, 2021, 01:10:57 pm
"What are you complaining about? We have everything we need at our disposal. I could wish we had been dropped a tad closer to the village or the big puppy though. I am not walking that far.
Grab some snow, pack it into ball form, then convert the snow ball into a sled and a lab to pull the sled. In fact make several snow balls and convert them into sleds and labs. However many I can do in one action.
Watch as Creation and Luta fail to make sleds as there is neither an “e” nor a “d” in “snow balls”, then ask our needle if Grey is right. If someone starts moving towards the town, then go with them.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Edit: I think I got ninja’d.
Post by: Beirus on May 19, 2021, 03:13:34 pm
Bob takes a moment to look around before looking unimpressed. "Needs more belts. Maybe I can make one giant one from the big dog. Or many smaller ones." Bob couldn't help feeling almost naked without a belt, and so he set to rectify the problem.
Make a snow belt by packing snow into the shape of a belt. Actually, make as many snow belts as I can before we head towards the town. Or on the way to the town. Control them to follow us with my magic.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on May 19, 2021, 07:18:43 pm
Youare finds a nearby bush or tree, or failing that a plant. He scrapes the snow away from the roots, reaches into them, and pulls out the function Anchor.
He then joins any party heading towards the town.
Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 19, 2021, 08:18:22 pm
"What are you complaining about? We have everything we need at our disposal. I could wish we had been dropped a tad closer to the village or the big puppy though. I am not walking that far.”I hope you are right. If you come up with anything, catch up with us.”
Grey sets off for the town.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on May 20, 2021, 01:24:47 am
Grab some snow, pack it into ball form, then convert the snow ball into a sled and a lab to pull the sled. In fact make several snow balls and convert them into sleds and labs. However many I can do in one action.
Creation stares at his hands for a moment, brows furrowed, and mutters to himself:
"This isn't melted snow. I can't make a sled with this. Is melted even a material? snow is a material. But it is an object? The snow blankets the ground? but can I hold that in my hands? Wait, I know."
Grab some grass and rub it forcefully between my gloved hands. then walk a short distance from the portal beacon and use the grass stains to make a train.
"Hey Beltbeard! If this works, and doesn't come with it's own rails, lets use your belts as tracks!
If it doesn't work, one of you verbomancers or functionaries can probably make use of the results, anyway. I get credit either way though."
Spoiler: Character: Creation (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on May 20, 2021, 02:02:19 am
Start walking towards the town.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 20, 2021, 04:34:14 am
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on May 20, 2021, 04:52:10 am
"I kind of wish we were given some kind of ranged weapon.""Your needle can be thrown, like a javelin. I'm not sure it will do more than annoy the creature we've been sent to kill, unless you manage to hit the right spot, so I'd hold onto it for now. Knocking the beast down and then stabbing a vital organ seems more advisable."
Post by: Ozarck on May 20, 2021, 05:31:57 am
Quote from: NJW2000
"He's an all tongue. I bet he could just ask his needle to go poke it in the eye and it would."Quote from: King Zultan"I kind of wish we were given some kind of ranged weapon.""Your needle can be thrown, like a javelin. I'm not sure it will do more than annoy the creature we've been sent to kill, unless you manage to hit the right spot, so I'd hold onto it for now. Knocking the beast down and then stabbing a vital organ seems more advisable."
Post by: King Zultan on May 20, 2021, 06:10:08 am
"I don't know if that's how it works, I'm kind of reluctant to try since I would be unarmed afterwards."Quote from: NJW2000"He's an all tongue. I bet he could just ask his needle to go poke it in the eye and it would."Quote from: King Zultan"I kind of wish we were given some kind of ranged weapon.""Your needle can be thrown, like a javelin. I'm not sure it will do more than annoy the creature we've been sent to kill, unless you manage to hit the right spot, so I'd hold onto it for now. Knocking the beast down and then stabbing a vital organ seems more advisable."
Post by: piecewise on May 20, 2021, 09:48:31 am
Help Creation make sleds and labs
I’m going to use SLUDGE from where the snow is mixed with the dirt to make SLEDs, and then take some SNOW and make some SOWs to pull said sleds
Also, if there’s time, go get a GRASS BLADE and make some SABERS and a LADSpoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
[2]
Luta attempts to fashion the sludge into sleds but succeeds only on getting her hands dirty. Well, gloves.
[2]"What are you complaining about? We have everything we need at our disposal. I could wish we had been dropped a tad closer to the village or the big puppy though. I am not walking that far.
Grab some snow, pack it into ball form, then convert the snow ball into a sled and a lab to pull the sled. In fact make several snow balls and convert them into sleds and labs. However many I can do in one action.
Watch as Creation and Luta fail to make sleds as there is neither an “e” nor a “d” in “snow balls”, then ask our needle if Grey is right. If someone starts moving towards the town, then go with them.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Edit: I think I got ninja’d.
Speaker asks the needle about its properties. The needle responds with a sort of...chiming or humming noise that he cannot comprehend as words.
(PW, I'm assuming I got the robes, gloves, and needle before being pulled through the gate. Let me know if that isn't the case.)(We'll assume everyone grabs them unless they state otherwise or don't put them in their inventory)
Bob takes a moment to look around before looking unimpressed. "Needs more belts. Maybe I can make one giant one from the big dog. Or many smaller ones." Bob couldn't help feeling almost naked without a belt, and so he set to rectify the problem.
Make a snow belt by packing snow into the shape of a belt. Actually, make as many snow belts as I can before we head towards the town. Or on the way to the town. Control them to follow us with my magic.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
[6] Bob scrambles through the snow, packing it together until he has formed a belt! Well...its a belt in the same way that a snowman is a man. A representation of a belt...BUT STILL A BELT! So what if its 10 feet long and a foot thick? Its a belt!
[2]
He attempts to control the snowbelt, trying to drag it up off the ground and along with the team. It rises maybe a few inches but then crumbles apart and falls back to the ground.
[1]Grab some snow, pack it into ball form, then convert the snow ball into a sled and a lab to pull the sled. In fact make several snow balls and convert them into sleds and labs. However many I can do in one action.
Creation stares at his hands for a moment, brows furrowed, and mutters to himself:
"This isn't melted snow. I can't make a sled with this. Is melted even a material? snow is a material. But it is an object? The snow blankets the ground? but can I hold that in my hands? Wait, I know."
Grab some grass and rub it forcefully between my gloved hands. then walk a short distance from the portal beacon and use the grass stains to make a train.
"Hey Beltbeard! If this works, and doesn't come with it's own rails, lets use your belts as tracks!
If it doesn't work, one of you verbomancers or functionaries can probably make use of the results, anyway. I get credit either way though."Spoiler: Character: Creation (click to show/hide)
Creation rubs grass between his gloved hands until the formerly white fabric is stained green. He then trots a few meters from the teleport conduit and raises his hands into the air. The stains glow as he rearranges their essence. He gets...unfortunately close to what he wants. But instead of TRAINS he gets STINGS.
The grass stains leap off his gloves and into the air around him, the mushed green matter reforming into thin blades of grass...in a literal sense. These blades hover in air for a moment, surrounding Creation, before turning their points towards him and rushing in like the spikes of a botanical iron maiden.
[3][4]
Creation dodges out of his own failed spell, or at least partially so. He manages to avoid taking any blades to the brain and isn't caught in the crush when they all come together, but at least a half dozen blades still embed themselves deep in his flesh. [-4 HP]
The grass blades, their stinging assault finished, soften back into normal grass.
"Let's go for the town. Try not to engage that thing until we have a plan."[4]
Youare finds a nearby bush or tree, or failing that a plant. He scrapes the snow away from the roots, reaches into them, and pulls out the function Anchor.
He then joins any party heading towards the town.Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
Youare runs to the nearest tree- a few hundred feet from the group as the area here is mostly grassland- and sweeps the snow away from its base. Once he has uncovered a shallow root he presses his fingers into the wood and digs around for the thing he wants. After a moment or two of rummaging he yanks out what looks like a gray metallic cube. Its heavy and slow to move, like dragging lead through water. Its not anchor, but its close: "HOLD".
When the next rumbling footfall of the Wolf Titan shakes the earth the tree slowly topples over, no longer held by its roots.
"What are you complaining about? We have everything we need at our disposal. I could wish we had been dropped a tad closer to the village or the big puppy though. I am not walking that far.”I hope you are right. If you come up with anything, catch up with us.”
Grey sets off for the town.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
"I kind of wish we were given some kind of ranged weapon."
Start walking towards the town.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Debby and Gray, along with Speaker, Youare, and anyone else who wanted to but did not experessly put it as an action, head towards the town. There's no path towards the town, and the snow is relatively deep, but its all downhill and straight, with nothing to stop their advance. They walk quickly, half jogging down the gently sloping hills towards the villiage. As they advance, so does the Wolf Titan, its movements slow and deliberate like a man walking on ice. As it advances the villiage begins opening up with new weapons. Rocket salvos scream out into the night and the beast blooms with dozens of explosions. The light of the flares is somewhat occluded by smoke and the odor of burnt hair and flames are carried on the wind. It does not stop its advance though, or even injure it in any major way. Only a few small patches of blood can be seen through its thick white-gray fur.
The Wolf Titan is maybe a half dozen giant steps from the villiage while the team is maybe a quarter mile from the most outlying building. They can hear the shouting of people in the villiage now, even over the continous roar of guns and rockets. The villiage is directly ahead of them, while the titan and the forest it came from are to their right.
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 20, 2021, 10:06:19 am
Quote
Magnum Opus: Not a Great Start.>:(
((Action to follow when I wake up later.))
Post by: The Lupanian on May 20, 2021, 10:23:36 am
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on May 20, 2021, 11:10:48 am
Spoiler: Character: Creation (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on May 20, 2021, 11:19:20 am
"We're definitely going to need a plan. I have something here that can fix the beast to the ground, at least for a moment. We could use that opportunity to cripple the thing with our needles, or knock it down. What can the rest of you do?"
Post by: piecewise on May 20, 2021, 03:49:08 pm
Once Creation catches up to the others, he pauses to catch his breath, then speaks, ignoring the giant magical creature bearing down on them and the sounds of gunfire and other weaponry from the town: "I have good news and bad news. The good news is, I almost made a train. The bad news is, this place also hates fun, and i had to walk here like the rest of you."The forest isn't near you. As it says in the end of the last turn, the town is directly ahead, the Wolf to the right, and the forest it came out of beyond that. So you can probably find a singular tree around here, but getting to the forest would require running all the way past the titan, back to where it came,
Run into the forest, grab some fir needles, some spruce branches, some pine cones and some tree sap and chase the Wolf Titan. When I get close enough that I might be able to touch it within a turn or so, convert a [fir needle] into [life end] and apply that to the Titan. If there are any corpses nearby that I could sled on while promising the Titan that we mean it no harm, do that too.Spoiler: Character: Creation (click to show/hide)
Post by: Aigre Excalibur on May 20, 2021, 04:01:46 pm
Spoiler: Amyclas (click to show/hide)
Post by: ANGRY_DEMON_NOISES on May 20, 2021, 04:04:36 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 20, 2021, 05:10:26 pm
Youare watches the failed attempts at magic taking place around him, peering sceptically at the meagre results. He starts to talk as the group of homunculi move towards the fighting.
"We're definitely going to need a plan. I have something here that can fix the beast to the ground, at least for a moment. We could use that opportunity to cripple the thing with our needles, or knock it down. What can the rest of you do?"
“I’m not really sure. If it was still in the forest and I could get close enough, I could implore the forest (or at least one or more trees) to hold it (or at least impede it). Maybe I could ask the ground to shake beneath it. Or I could ask the snow to form into ice beneath it (or perhaps even ask the falling snow to turn into ice to encase it). Your plan of fixing it to the ground and using our needles sounds great to me.”
Continue to follow the others. Have my needle at the ready.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on May 20, 2021, 06:00:09 pm
After moving a few dozens of meters away from the group, Bob attempts to summon/control the belts in the town to move to the space 5 yards in front of him. Preferably loosened or untied and by moving around the buildings instead of through them.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 20, 2021, 06:34:17 pm
Disappointed in his continued lack of at least one belt, Bob looked around. "I need belts to do things." If he couldn't make a belt, maybe he could find one. He looked towards the Wolf Giant for a moment. "No belts." He grumbled before looking towards the town. "Maybe belts?" An idea started to form. A poor and possibly unrealistic one, sure, but it was one of the few Bob had since emerging from the cauldron.
”Cant you make belts? Conjure them up out of nothing, I mean?” the speaker asks quizzically.
Post by: NJW2000 on May 20, 2021, 06:40:28 pm
"That sounds like it might work. Firstly though, I think we're going to need to stop the Mundanes firing at it for a minute, unless we want to get blown to smithereens."
“I’m not really sure. If it was still in the forest and I could get close enough, I could implore the forest (or at least one or more trees) to hold it (or at least impede it). Maybe I could ask the ground to shake beneath it. Or I could ask the snow to form into ice beneath it (or perhaps even ask the falling snow to turn into ice to encase it). Your plan of fixing it to the ground and using our needles sounds great to me.”
Continue to follow the others. Have my needle at the ready.
Disappointed in his continued lack of at least one belt, Bob looked around. "I need belts to do things." If he couldn't make a belt, maybe he could find one. He looked towards the Wolf Giant for a moment. "No belts." He grumbled before looking towards the town. "Maybe belts?" An idea started to form. A poor and possibly unrealistic one, sure, but it was one of the few Bob had since emerging from the cauldron.
"Belts? Like clothing, or like ammunition? The Mundanes probably have both."
Post by: Toaster on May 20, 2021, 07:21:20 pm
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip runs to the box, grabs and puts on one of each item, then jumps through the portal to try and catch up with the crowd.
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 20, 2021, 08:36:52 pm
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on May 20, 2021, 08:50:40 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 20, 2021, 09:08:06 pm
"They are conjured from my vitality, something I would rather conserve for the moment considering the giant over there." Bob responds to the Speaker before turning to Youare. "All of them, I think. Any type of belt."
“What about him?” The Speaker asks gesturing towards Creation.
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 21, 2021, 12:14:05 am
"That sounds like it might work. Firstly though, I think we're going to need to stop the Mundanes firing at it for a minute, unless we want to get blown to smithereens."”I don't think the humans are going to keep up their rocket barrage when that beast hits the town, it'll be too close. If you hold that thing in place then I will be right behind you.”
If Youare manages to apply HOLD to the dogzilla creature, then Grey will Maintain the magic's effect on the monster, and then charge forward and start stabbing the beast in the foot/paw with the needle.
If Youare fails to apply HOLD, or does something else entirely, then grey will Maintain his own body, and attempt to lodge his needle into the beast's foot. After which he will abandon the needle inside the creature and take cover behind the nearest building.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 21, 2021, 12:28:37 am
The speaker follows Youare and Grey to the creature. Once there he asks the snow falling around the creature to turn to ice and encase the creature and then stabs his needle into the back of one of the creature’s ankles aiming for the Achilles’ tendon.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 21, 2021, 12:58:23 am
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on May 21, 2021, 02:03:02 am
Run into the town and try to steer clear of where the shooting is happening.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on May 21, 2021, 03:44:59 am
The forest isn't near you. As it says in the end of the last turn, the town is directly ahead, the Wolf to the right, and the forest it came out of beyond that. So you can probably find a singular tree around here, but getting to the forest would require running all the way past the titan, back to where it came,Are you saying the three miles or so from where we dropped have had little to no vegetation besides grass, and there have been no trees except beyond the Wolf Titan? I assume the Blizzard isn't obscuring them since we have had sight on the town and Titan, and now the forest. We've been walking for over half an hour to get to this point. Can I get a list of items I may have picked up along the way? pebbles, gravel, rocks, dirt, snow, grass, ice chunks? I can't exactly guess which items are available from the descriptions so far given of our surroundings (blizzard, teleport beacon, distant town wolf and forest). Or are my current options really that sparse?
Well, whatever. try to make a train again, using the same method as before. make gas also. Maybe a train car full.
Spoiler: Character: Creation (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on May 21, 2021, 04:12:05 am
Post by: NJW2000 on May 21, 2021, 05:15:44 am
"They are conjured from my vitality, something I would rather conserve for the moment considering the giant over there." Bob responds to the Speaker before turning to Youare. "All of them, I think. Any type of belt."
"Alright then. I'd suggest you head for town, get hold of any kind of belt they'll give you, and get ready to reinforce us."
"Anyone else, we're going to try to stop the creature before it reaches town. If magic fails, try to slash its tendons."
Youare breaks into a run, and heads for the giant. He waits for a break in the rocket fire, then runs up to the thing's foot and forces "Hold" into the sole. Time allowing, he attempts to pull "Support" from the leg, but just runs away if the giant notices him or more rockets fire.
Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on May 21, 2021, 10:35:42 am
((Throw me in chief))You escape the cauldron. All new characters start exactly here, so you best hope the team out there is smart about moving and positioning the teleport conduit.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
We'll assume you read the plaque, get your gear, and notice the giant teleport gate directly across the hall.
Since I didn’t get to last time, try again to make SABERS from a GRASSBLADE and since there’s enough left over, try to make a LAD as well[5]Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Luta bends down and tears out a handful of grass. The grass glows golden as she manipulates its essence. She tosses the shimmering mass away from her and it breaks in two. One of the pieces congeals into three sabers that seem to be made of a greenish metal. Its blades look like blades of grass and their grips and guards resemble roots and a curving leaves. The other piece forms what looks like a humanoid grass doll; A wickerman of sorts made of woven grass. It moves in an odd, boneless way and has no real features: no face, no hands, not even a real front or back.
Get my items from the box and then head towards the town, gazing at it with all the curiosity and wonder I can muster while trying to see what my cognizance can learn from it.We'll assume you already have your stuff and are with the team at the town already.Spoiler: Amyclas (click to show/hide)
[?]
Small town, about 45 years old. Population of about 1000. Bordertown, here for multiple reasons but one of which is to kill things trying to get further into the territory to the south. They've not dealt with something like this before, its always been smaller monsters their weapons can handle. Half the town is hiding out underground right now. They're considering abandoning the place but the storm and remote nature of the town means they'd probably die in the wilderness.
Disappointed in his continued lack of at least one belt, Bob looked around. "I need belts to do things." If he couldn't make a belt, maybe he could find one. He looked towards the Wolf Giant for a moment. "No belts." He grumbled before looking towards the town. "Maybe belts?" An idea started to form. A poor and possibly unrealistic one, sure, but it was one of the few Bob had since emerging from the cauldron.[1][+1 fate point]
After moving a few dozens of meters away from the group, Bob attempts to summon/control the belts in the town to move to the space 5 yards in front of him. Preferably loosened or untied and by moving around the buildings instead of through them.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Screams ring out from the villiage as every belt within about a half mile suddenly awakens and begins acting like a big leathery snake. Some squirm off into the darkness while others constrict limbs and bite with buckle jaws.What they don't do is follow orders.
I hope it's not too late to jump in. Assuming it's not...(Toaster has returned! Been a while, buddy!)Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip runs to the box, grabs and puts on one of each item, then jumps through the portal to try and catch up with the crowd.
You figure out whats going on quite quickly. You don your gear and run straight to the portal, which gladly sucks you in. You end up on the barren snowy plain, but thanks to the flares can see your identically dressed compatriots down near the town. [1] [+1 fate point] You attempt to run down and meet them but get all of 3 feet before slipping on the snow and flopping face first into slush.
"I'm gonna go into the town and see if I can't get a hold of some kind of weapon."Debby runs into the town. The shooting, and basically all of the activity going on in the town is concentrated in one place further in. She attempts to avoid that area and instead looks for a weapon in the darkened and seemingly abandoned buildings on the outskirts. [2] She can't find anything to work as a weapon. Not so much as a goddamn rake around here!
Run into the town and try to steer clear of where the shooting is happening.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
There are other trees, tall grass, bushes, stones, dirt, etc. I'm just saying you said "Go to the forest" and the only forest around here is over past that titan. So I just wanted to make sure you understood the layout of the area before you go running somewhere you don't wanna be.The forest isn't near you. As it says in the end of the last turn, the town is directly ahead, the Wolf to the right, and the forest it came out of beyond that. So you can probably find a singular tree around here, but getting to the forest would require running all the way past the titan, back to where it came,Are you saying the three miles or so from where we dropped have had little to no vegetation besides grass, and there have been no trees except beyond the Wolf Titan? I assume the Blizzard isn't obscuring them since we have had sight on the town and Titan, and now the forest. We've been walking for over half an hour to get to this point. Can I get a list of items I may have picked up along the way? pebbles, gravel, rocks, dirt, snow, grass, ice chunks? I can't exactly guess which items are available from the descriptions so far given of our surroundings (blizzard, teleport beacon, distant town wolf and forest). Or are my current options really that sparse?
Well, whatever. try to make a train again, using the same method as before. make gas also. Maybe a train car full.Spoiler: Character: Creation (click to show/hide)
[1] [+1 fate point]
You try the same thing again and again something goes wrong. But this time, instead of GRASS STAINS becoming STINGS, they become ASSASSIN. Much like Luta's LAD, the thing which forms is a boneless, humanoid grass doll. But instead of having stumpy handless limbs, its arms end in thick, cleaving grass blades.
[3,5] -5 hp.
The Grassassin lunges in an odd, puppet like way, flopping and dancing forwards before twisting into a full body spin, blades whirling like a blender. Creation dodges backwards, arms coming up to protect himself. His movement takes his neck out of the way, but not his arm. His right arm is cleaved off right above the elbow. It spins away, leaving a vivid red trail in the pure white snow.
"They are conjured from my vitality, something I would rather conserve for the moment considering the giant over there." Bob responds to the Speaker before turning to Youare. "All of them, I think. Any type of belt."
"Alright then. I'd suggest you head for town, get hold of any kind of belt they'll give you, and get ready to reinforce us."
"Anyone else, we're going to try to stop the creature before it reaches town. If magic fails, try to slash its tendons."
Youare breaks into a run, and heads for the giant. He waits for a break in the rocket fire, then runs up to the thing's foot and forces "Hold" into the sole. Time allowing, he attempts to pull "Support" from the leg, but just runs away if the giant notices him or more rockets fire.Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
”Sounds like as good a plan as any. I’m going to try asking the snow falling around it to turn to ice and encase it. I hope that won’t be a problem for you?”
The speaker follows Youare and Grey to the creature. Once there he asks the snow falling around the creature to turn to ice and encase the creature and then stabs his needle into the back of one of the creature’s ankles aiming for the Achilles’ tendon.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
"That sounds like it might work. Firstly though, I think we're going to need to stop the Mundanes firing at it for a minute, unless we want to get blown to smithereens."”I don't think the humans are going to keep up their rocket barrage when that beast hits the town, it'll be too close. If you hold that thing in place then I will be right behind you.”
If Youare manages to apply HOLD to the dogzilla creature, then Grey will Maintain the magic's effect on the monster, and then charge forward and start stabbing the beast in the foot/paw with the needle.
If Youare fails to apply HOLD, or does something else entirely, then grey will Maintain his own body, and attempt to lodge his needle into the beast's foot. After which he will abandon the needle inside the creature and take cover behind the nearest building.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Youare, Gray, and Speaker make a run straight towards the advancing titan, moving as low and fast as they can, ducking everytime a new barage of rockets strikes home or a stream of machinegun fire lances past overhead. If the titan notices them, it shows no indication of it and simply continues forward. The group times its advance: they have to anticipate the footfall of the titan, to be near enough to reach it mid step while not being crushed in the process. They're maybe 50 feet away when its left foot comes down. The ground under their feet jumps and then falls away, taking them with it. They hit the ground and immediately scramble back to their feet and close the remaining distance as another barrage of rockets strikes home high above them.
[6][4][3][1][6][1] (+1 fate point and -1 HP to Speaker)
Youare runs straight to the front of the creature's foot and jams "HOLD" into its big toe. A shimmering shockwave spreads from the point of contact and halfway down the creature's foot before it fades. Gray raises one hand and shouts "MAINTAIN!". The shimmering light from the shockwave appears again, this time in a faint glowing aura around the foot. That done, Gray attempts to stab the titan in the side of the foot with his needle, but the blow glances off the thick callous and hair.
Speaker runs around to the back of the creature's foot, asking the snow for aid as he does. The blowing winds and cruching of his feet through the snow seem to come together into a dry and raspy voice. "WARMTH!" It cries and with sudden agony all he heat from his face and mouth is ripped away. His saliva freezes and his lips turn blue, crusted with bloody red frost. He ignores the pain as best he and and positions himself to attack. He grabs the handle of the needle with both hands and hurls himself forward, driving the point into the creature's ankle with all the might and weight he can muster. The needle sinks in deeply, nearly up to the grip. Blood flows onto his hands and for a long moment nothing happens. Then the flesh around the needle begins to glow. That glow spreads rapidly outward until it has encompassed a sphere over a meter in diameter. With a flash and a concussive bang the light vanishes, taking all that flesh with it. A four foot spherical crater has been torn into the flesh, with the now free needle at its center. Gallons of blood oozes from shredded flesh and with a disgusting ripping noise a tendon tears free and bunches up into the beast's calf.
Speaker looks at the needle and is surprised to see that it is glowing with a grayish aura, faint whisps and loops like a solar corona rising and vanishing.
The Wolf Titan falters, leaning to the left. It attempts to step forward, dragging the damaged leg, but its foot remains firmly planted to the ground. It stumbles and trips, its left foot finally tearing free and taking a massive chunk of dirt and stone with it. The Titan is falling now, falling in slow motion like a great tree, arms outstreched.to catch itself. It is clear to everyone watching that- if its fall continues unchanged- it will land on at least part of the villiage.
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 21, 2021, 10:58:00 am
After it hits the ground, he starts stabbing it in the ribs, or whatever body part is in reach that is closest to its center of mass.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on May 21, 2021, 11:00:43 am
"Hey! HEY! Can one of you put my arm back on? maybe one of you functionaries can take the [separated] out of it or something. Kinda hurry, I'm losing real people blood here. Oh, also, there's a doll trying to kill me. Oh, nice work knocking the thing down. Also, this place really hates fun."
Spoiler: Character: Creation (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 21, 2021, 12:53:48 pm
The Speaker retrieves his needle before jumping out of the way of the falling beast. If possible, he tries to stab the beast in the back of the neck just below the skull aiming for the brain stem. Otherwise, he just stabs whatever part of it looks important.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Edit: didn’t know I got a Fate Point…
Post by: ANGRY_DEMON_NOISES on May 21, 2021, 01:05:46 pm
Ask it nicely to do just that
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on May 21, 2021, 01:48:15 pm
Toss a saber to Lad and take one up myself. Ask Lad to help me defend Creation. Then jump into action, needle in one hand saber in the other. Fend off its attack for nows, if it doesn’t relent, or nobody tries to talk with it, try to jab it with the needle.
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 21, 2021, 01:49:42 pm
"Hark, could thou teleport this one into the ears of thee giant?"
While the gate is large an thus could be called “giant”, I doubt it has ears. Besides, what are you trying to do? Sabotage the gate?
“the” and “thee” are not the same word. “the” is a demonstrative prounoun (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/demonstrative_pronoun) and “thee” is the objective case (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/objective_case#English) of “thou”. “thou”, by the way, is used to address social inferiors (and, yes, if English speakers of the 12th century ever read the King James Bible, they’d probably consider the way it uses words like “thee”, “thy”, and “thou” -which hadn’t been in use for at least 200 years when the KJV was translated- to be outright blasphemy). In any case, you sound like you’re speaking to the gate rudely and asking it to teleport your needle into it’s own ear. I have a bad feeling about this…
Heil Webster!
Post by: Beirus on May 21, 2021, 05:51:28 pm
Since he never went to the town and is presumably not in the fall radius, Bob tries something big. He attempts to manipulate all the belt snakes into a giant braided belt made up of belts which will wrap around the falling wolf's neck and throat and pull in the other direction, hopefully arresting or adjusting the path of its fall and maybe strangling it.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: Toaster on May 21, 2021, 08:32:03 pm
Drip runs to the box, grabs and puts on one of each item, then jumps through the portal to try and catch up with the crowd.(Toaster has returned! Been a while, buddy!)
You figure out whats going on quite quickly. You don your gear and run straight to the portal, which gladly sucks you in. You end up on the barren snowy plain, but thanks to the flares can see your identically dressed compatriots down near the town. [1] [+1 fate point] You attempt to run down and meet them but get all of 3 feet before slipping on the snow and flopping face first into slush.
[/quote]
Yes, I have returned from my forum hiatus! Hope you've been doing well, as well.
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Undeterred, Drip keeps closing, grabs some snow, balls it up, and attempts to turn the titan into a Snob, too good to land on that cheap village.
[also hurr hurr "timber" wolf]
Post by: Ozarck on May 21, 2021, 10:29:32 pm
Yes, I have returned from my forum hiatus! Hope you've been doing well, as well.Welcome back, Toaster!
Quote
Undeterred, Drip keeps closing, grabs some snow, balls it up, and attempts to turn the titan into a Snob, too good to land on that cheap village.I hope this works. Somehow that would be funnier than a fail.
Post by: King Zultan on May 22, 2021, 02:02:16 am
Rush towards where the guns are and try to find an abandoned one while also avoiding where the wolf thing is falling towards.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on May 22, 2021, 10:07:05 am
Run away, grab my arm, and run away, toward the other homunculi. preferably faster than the misguided (but cleverly named) grassassin.
"Hey! HEY! Can one of you put my arm back on? maybe one of you functionaries can take the [separated] out of it or something. Kinda hurry, I'm losing real people blood here. Oh, also, there's a doll trying to kill me. Oh, nice work knocking the thing down. Also, this place really hates fun."Spoiler: Character: Creation (click to show/hide)
first of all, see if an All-tongue wants to try and reason with the grassassin. Meanwhile, I’ll leap into action.Creation turns tail, grabbing his severed arm as he does. The Grassassin gives chase in its strange boneless way, but Luta and her own grass puppet step in to intervene. The grassassin attempts to slip past them and continue its pursuit. [5] Seeing it has no intention to stop and that no one has come in to talk some sense to it, Luta decides violence is the only solution. She lets it dodge past her and then, as it goes, she whips her needle around and plunges it into the creature's featureless back. The point pierces out through its chest and there is a flash of green light. Once the flash has passed all that remains is a cloud of grass, immediately blown and scattered by the wind. Luta's needle glows green with the same sort of solar corona appearance that Speaker saw.
Toss a saber to Lad and take one up myself. Ask Lad to help me defend Creation. Then jump into action, needle in one hand saber in the other. Fend off its attack for nows, if it doesn’t relent, or nobody tries to talk with it, try to jab it with the needle.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
"Hark, could thou teleport this one into the ears of the giant?"[1] [-4 HP, +1 Fate Point]
Ask it nicely to do just thatSpoiler (click to show/hide)
Emi asks the teleport gate if it could teleport her into one of the wolf titan's ears. How she knows there's a wolf titan out there when she hasn't gone through the gate yet, we'll never know. The gate resonds with a lovely etheral "Fug off" and yanks her through.
Unlike the others, who came out of the teleport on their feet and ready to go, Emi comes out of the teleport like a mortar shell. She arcs up high into the air and then back down, landing with a bone rattling thud. Her only saving grace is the thick snow, which turned a potentially fatal fall into a merely exteremely painful and injurious one.
"Where are all the weapons?"[3]
Rush towards where the guns are and try to find an abandoned one while also avoiding where the wolf thing is falling towards.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Debby runs in towards the gunfire, or at least where the gunfire used to be coming from. She has to dash past several heavily bundled up men on her way, resulting in cries of "Homunculi!" as she does. The gun she finds appears in good condition and loaded. It also appears to be, now that she looks, directly beneath the falling titan.
"Crap."
Grey quickly Maintains the tallest building that is located within where the beast will land, preferably a church, hopefully taking away the brunt of its impact, supporting its mass, and leaving the rest of the buildings, if not intact, at least still upright.[6]
After it hits the ground, he starts stabbing it in the ribs, or whatever body part is in reach that is closest to its center of mass.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Gray points both hands at the town and shouts "Maintain!" A steely glow appears around over a dozen of the largest buildings in the wolf titan's path. The glow appears around his hands as well and he grits his teeth when he realizes his hands are frozen in mid air, unable to move so long as he maintains the spell.
Bob considered his progress, now knowing that there were belts in the town. Belt snakes, but better that no belts. Seeing the falling giant, Bob knew what needed to be done.[4]
Since he never went to the town and is presumably not in the fall radius, Bob tries something big. He attempts to manipulate all the belt snakes into a giant braided belt made up of belts which will wrap around the falling wolf's neck and throat and pull in the other direction, hopefully arresting or adjusting the path of its fall and maybe strangling it.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Bob commands all the belts in the down to converge and drag the falling titan off its trajectory. He lacks the sheer number of belts required to form a combined belt of sufficient mass to catch and drag the titan, so he focuses on deflecting it as best he can. He gathers a great ball of writhing belts and hurls it at the falling titan's chest, striking at an angle and shoving it to the side as the ball bursts apart. The titan goes from a belly flop into a side fall, looking to land on its left shoulder instead.
Yes, I have returned from my forum hiatus! Hope you've been doing well, as well.[As well as can be expected!]Undeterred, Drip keeps closing, grabs some snow, balls it up, and attempts to turn the titan into a Snob, too good to land on that cheap village.Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
[also hurr hurr "timber" wolf]
[2]
Drip manages to make it up to the small and injured group of Luta, Bob, and Creation. However his attempts to turn the falling titan into a snob fail for multiple reasons. The first being bad rolls, the second being the fact that he would have created a Snow Snob if his spell was successful. Since his magic transmutes objects, he can't transmute one object and apply the effect to a different object.
A snow snob would be pretty good regardless. Like frosty but a pompous asshole.
[1,6,4,1] [+1 fate point for Creation and Drip]
The Wolf Titan finallly lands, slamming into the far side of the villiage shoulder first. Gray's magically Maintained buidings groan under the impact but remain standing. The beast rebounds slightly and rolls off the buildings onto its back. Its right arm falls widely, out towards the small group of Homunculi outside the town. Luta and Bob, seeing the arm coming, scramble away. Creation, still trying to stick his arm back on, and Drip, bent over and gasping from the run, don't see it coming. [1,13] Creation gets caught under one of the beast's knuckles and is reduced to red paste [-13HP] while Drip [-1 HP] just happens to be in the slight divot created by the creature's wrist. He's slammed face first to the ground and has the wind knocked out of him. He is effectively trapped between fur and flesh above and snow and soil below, but is alive at least. He is freed a few moments later as the titan lifts its arm and begins to sit up.
“Oh my! I wasn’t expecting that. Or that. I thought the snow would speak to me and ask me for something that I’d have to provide. I didn’t expect it to just take what it wanted! I’ll have to be more careful in the future. On the other hand, it appears our needles are more powerful than we thought.”
The Speaker retrieves his needle before jumping out of the way of the falling beast. If possible, he tries to stab the beast in the back of the neck just below the skull aiming for the brain stem. Otherwise, he just stabs whatever part of it looks important.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Edit: didn’t know I got a Fate Point…
[3]
Speaker, who was running towards the town the entire time the beast was falling, runs through the outlying buildings and up to the creature's neck. He can't reach the back of its head with it laying like this, so he goes for the jugular instead. He rushes forward with the point of the needle out in front of him like a lance and drives it straight into the titan's flesh. Or at least he tries to. The creature is starting to move, to sit up as he reaches it and the point of the needle only clips the rapidly shifting skin.
The energy in the needle seems to vanish in an instant as it makes contact. A howl, identical to the one the Wolf Titan made earlier, rises out of the wind. There is a ripping and cleaving noise and as three huge gashes are opened across the titan's face and left shoulder, as though swiped with claws as colossal as its own. Half up into a sitting position the Titan rocks to the side and raises its left arm against the unseen attacker, trying to shield itself as it rolls onto its knees.
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 22, 2021, 10:16:39 am
Creation gets caught under one of the beast's knuckles and is reduced to red paste['Oly fuck, RIP.]
[Action to follow later.]
Post by: NJW2000 on May 22, 2021, 10:57:09 am
"Tidily done! Now we've crippled it, we need to split up and harass it from different angles. Something this size could kill all of us instantly if we clump up."
Youare runs towards the giant, away from the other homunculi, and attempts to drive his needle into a joint of the non-ruined leg, or the nearest arm, whichever's more accessible.
Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on May 22, 2021, 11:03:49 am
Quote from: Fire and Glory
['Oly fuck, RIP.]Rest in Paste indeed. Rent in pieces.
Decant, inspect my glorious new body, gather and don my robe, gloves, and needle, familiarize myself quickly with the campus also, I suppose, shower off the vat juices, preferably before putting on my clothes), then, if the cavern so guides, head through the portal into the snow.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Toaster on May 22, 2021, 01:13:01 pm
Drip pants as he stands back up, trying to see the license plate of the truck that hit him.
Just go needle poke the thing in the bum.
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on May 22, 2021, 01:26:36 pm
(The traditional Piecewise Game Instagib.)((That wasn't an insta-gib. I worked very hard to get that death. I failed two magic rolls and four combat rolls (two of which were even before the game started) and was down to one health, by the hand of my own creations - before the monster splattered me. I rolled three ones for that death.
I'd have been disappointed if I hadn't died at that point.
Post by: The Lupanian on May 22, 2021, 02:44:47 pm
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 22, 2021, 05:48:43 pm
Evade the arm and climb onto the titan’s back. Once there, go for the brain stem again.
Post by: Beirus on May 22, 2021, 08:05:08 pm
Bob stabs the closest part of the Wolf Titan that Bob can reach easily. If there are no suitably nearby parts for stabbing, Bob attempts to control some of those belts from the belt ball to wrap around the handle of his Needle and lift it to stab into the Wolf Titan's ear canal. Or its eye. Dealer's choice, really, as long as it is on the head and important to the Wolf Titan's abilities of perception.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 22, 2021, 09:46:55 pm
Grey drops the spell on the buildings and then Maintains his body, charges in and attempts to stab the beast in the side of one of its knees.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on May 23, 2021, 02:56:25 am
See if I can't find any more ammo or spare mags for the gun I found. if I can't find any just go stab the wolf thing in the ass with the needle.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on May 23, 2021, 09:01:57 am
"Oh god I almost died."I think you might not understand. The gun you found wasn't a rifle or something. It's an emplaced gun. Its bigger than you and not movable with anything less than a truck. It doesn't have "Magazines", it has giant ass boxes filled with thousands of rounds that need at least two people to haul them around. It has a motoried base to let it spin around and face targets. It has a CHAIR. Its a gun you SIT IN.
See if I can't find any more ammo or spare mags for the gun I found. if I can't find any just go stab the wolf thing in the ass with the needle.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
And it still has ammo. The reason it was abandoned was because a big ass wolf was gonna fall on it.
[2]Quote from: Fire and Glory['Oly fuck, RIP.]Rest in Paste indeed. Rent in pieces.
Decant, inspect my glorious new body, gather and don my robe, gloves, and needle, familiarize myself quickly with the campus also, I suppose, shower off the vat juices, preferably before putting on my clothes), then, if the cavern so guides, head through the portal into the snow.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Genesis flexes. Yes, pretty buff. Not bad. He gets dressed. He flexes. Yes. Good. He looks at the portal for a moment. He flexes..Eh, probably nothing. He heads to the kitchen and gets himself a high protein meal. And flexes.
Run up and turn the WOLF TITAN into a TIT (a type of bird FYI)[5]Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Luta runs up and Grabs the Titan's right hand before it can lift it off the ground. She rapidly manipulates its essence and then dives away. Her magic isn't strong enough to change the enitre creature at once, but the glow of transmutation does reach up past the elbow and to the middle of the upper arm. In a flash the arm vanishes and an enormous bird, with mass equal to the transmuted arm, appears. It looks around for a moment, twisting its head to and fro, before taking wing with a massive burst of air and rising rapidly into the cloudds.
All thats left behind is a smooth, skin covered stump of the creature's right arm.
(The traditional Piecewise Game Instagib.)[3]
Drip pants as he stands back up, trying to see the license plate of the truck that hit him.
Just go needle poke the thing in the bum.Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip runs over to the nearest flank of wolf flesh and stabs at it with his needle. The attack mostly gets tangled up in hair though, and fails to do any real damage.
Bob realized now he would need to spend some time studying geometry, angles, and physics when they returned, lest his attempt to adjust a falling giant's course got him squished the next time it happened. But that was for later. It was stabbin' time now.[2]
Bob stabs the closest part of the Wolf Titan that Bob can reach easily. If there are no suitably nearby parts for stabbing, Bob attempts to control some of those belts from the belt ball to wrap around the handle of his Needle and lift it to stab into the Wolf Titan's ear canal. Or its eye. Dealer's choice, really, as long as it is on the head and important to the Wolf Titan's abilities of perception.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Bob charges and attempts to impale as much of the beast as possible, but the giant mass of flesh shifts away from him before the needle can strike home.
“All right you oversized mutt!! Let’s finish this!” The Speaker says to the titan.[4][1][+1 fate point]
Evade the arm and climb onto the titan’s back. Once there, go for the brain stem again.
Speaker catches hold of the shifting wall of fur and begins climbing up towards the titan's neck even as the titan is lifting itself up. He manages to climb up between the thing's shoulderblades, following the ridge of the spine, and raises his needle to jam it into the space between two vertebra. The beast shifts suddenly and Speaker barely manages to hold on, but drops his needle in the process. The weapon bounces down the beast's back and ends up in the snow far below.
”We have him now! Keep it up!”[2] Gray's attempt to MAINTAIN himself appears to have no effect [1] [+1 fate point] He runs for the creature and raises his needle to attack. As he moves in to strike the right knee it shifts and suddenly shoots forward into him. [-5 HP] The knee slams into him like a freight train of bone and muscle and sends him flying backwards. He skips across the snow before rolling to a stop. His needle is still clutched tightly in his right hand, but his elbow is twisted the wrong way around and anything below it refuses to respond.
Grey drops the spell on the buildings and then Maintains his body, charges in and attempts to stab the beast in the side of one of its knees.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Youare recovers from the shock of seeing the plan actually work, and snaps back into action.
"Tidily done! Now we've crippled it, we need to split up and harass it from different angles. Something this size could kill all of us instantly if we clump up."
Youare runs towards the giant, away from the other homunculi, and attempts to drive his needle into a joint of the non-ruined leg, or the nearest arm, whichever's more accessible.Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
[4]
Youare charges in as the Titan finally finishes shifting onto its remaining arm and knees. He jams the needle into its right knee, but hits bone just under the skin and only manages to sink the weapon about half way into the creature. With a flash it still vanishes a large chunk of bone and meat but not enough to completely cripple or disable the joint.
The needle glows a faint gray.
The Wolf titan, up on hand and knees, is still a good 30 meters tall. It raises its head and looks around at the little creatures harrowing it. It sucks in a deep breath, opens its maw wide, and howls. From its open mouth comes a torrent of freezing air and a hail of ice spears, each several feet long. It sweeps the cone of frozen death in a wide arc, down the left side of its body, past the front and up the right.
[6,5,6,1][+1 Fate point to Bob][-1 HP to Bob]
Youare, Drip, and Luta manage to escape the blast, eithe running away or diving under the creature's chest and out of range. Bob stares dumbfoundedly as attack washes over him. The robes protect him from the freezing air but the ice spears rain down all around him. Against all odds all but one spear misses him, and the one that does manage to hit is flying sideways and simply bounces off his chest. It knocks him to the ground and flat on his ass but only hurts him slightly.
Post by: Toaster on May 23, 2021, 09:05:57 am
Actually let's turn all this WOLF HAIR into AIRFLOW so we can see the actual target next time. And even if it's just hairflow that's fine whatever as long as it gets out the damn way.
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on May 23, 2021, 09:40:19 am
Then go to the library and find a reference book that talks about the nature and methodology of homunculi, in particular the methods and abilities of the original purebloods. Only leave if the cavern gets snippy about it.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 23, 2021, 10:08:42 am
He also observes the technology level of his surroundings. Any electricity?
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on May 23, 2021, 03:43:28 pm
Bob moves to a safer distance from the titan, then attempts to manipulate the nearest belts to wrap around the handle of his Needle and any other lost or misplaced Needles if he can and stab the Needles into the Wolf Titan, preferably somewhere vital or vulnerable. If possible, maybe just stab the second Needle into the bottom of the wound from the first Needle.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 23, 2021, 04:33:23 pm
<snip>“All right you oversized mutt!! Let’s finish this!” The Speaker says to the titan.[4][1][+1 fate point]
Evade the arm and climb onto the titan’s back. Once there, go for the brain stem again.
Speaker catches hold of the shifting wall of fur and begins climbing up towards the titan's neck even as the titan is lifting itself up. He manages to climb up between the thing's shoulderblades, following the ridge of the spine, and raises his needle to jam it into the space between two vertebra. The beast shifts suddenly and Speaker barely manages to hold on, but drops his needle in the process. The weapon bounces down the beast's back and ends up in the snow far below.
<snip>
The Wolf titan, up on hand and knees, is still a good 30 meters tall. It raises its head and looks around at the little creatures harrowing it. It sucks in a deep breath, opens its maw wide, and howls. From its open mouth comes a torrent of freezing air and a hail of ice spears, each several feet long. It sweeps the cone of frozen death in a wide arc, down the left side of its body, past the front and up the right.
<snip>
Oh, shit.
WEIRD NEEDLE SPEAR. GIANT ANGRY WOLF. BUM.
Actually let's turn all this WOLF HAIR into AIRFLOW so we can see the actual target next time. And even if it's just hairflow that's fine whatever as long as it gets out the damn way.Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Ohhhhhh!! SHIT!!
Quickly (and as safely as possible get down off the titan and retrieve our needle. Always make sure to keep ourselves in a place such that the titan can’t use it’s breath against us. Once we have our needle back, use it against the nearest part of the beast that we can safely reach. If it looks like it’s going to fall on us, then curl up into a ball on our side with the needle pointed up and held out above us. Hopefully, this will create a large enough cavity for us to fit in.
Post by: NJW2000 on May 23, 2021, 07:28:15 pm
Try to finish the job with the leg by sticking the needle in again. Then pull the function Protect from the hopefully-detached lower right shin of the creature, and push it into my robe.
Also, could we get some info on how much blood the wolf giant has lost?
Post by: m1895 on May 23, 2021, 07:54:14 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on May 24, 2021, 01:55:36 am
Use big ass gun and put all the big ass bullets into the wolf thing's face, also maybe try to convince the bullets to poke the wolf thing's eyes out.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on May 24, 2021, 08:46:26 am
Go do a bit of practicing in the arena. use all the facilities it has to offer - dummies, flying targets, cardboard cutouts of audience members. Familiarize myself with the workings of my needle and my general abilities.
Then go to the library and find a reference book that talks about the nature and methodology of homunculi, in particular the methods and abilities of the original purebloods. Only leave if the cavern gets snippy about it.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
You wander to the training area. You slap the dummies around a bit, figure out the magic halting abilities of the needle, and that you are pretty fit. No special moves though, at least so far.
[1] You enter the library and attempt to find a book on Homunculi. There are none. You can't even find a single reference to them. Odd.
Grey has decided that everyone else probably has things well in hand, and sets off into the town to see if any of the humans set up some kind of triage tent/area in anticipation of casualties.
He also observes the technology level of his surroundings. Any electricity?Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
You sit up and immediately regret it. You very carefully pry the tightly clenched fingers off the needle and shift the weapon to the other hand. Now at least that arm doesn't have to carry the weight of anything other than itself. You push yourself up using the needle as a crude cane and make for the village. You give the current titanomachy a wide berth. [6] You wander the now mostly abandoned streets, looking at what they have. Electric lights, check. Anti-aircraft guns? Check. Seemingly rustic and ancient sod and grass houses? Check. Technology seems fairly high level, though this is clearly out in the sticks so its full of anachronisms.
You stumble down what looks like a subway entrance and find an underground shelter, its heavy iron door still half open with a man standing at the threshold. He looks at you in shock and other people start to crowd around behind him with equally disbelieving faces.
"Howdy neighbor. I was just in the area and was wondering if you could spare a splint? Maybe some morphine?"
They begin speaking- not a language you know, where's an all-tongue when you need them - and help you into the shelter. You sit on a cot and they gather around you while someone in white starts working on your arm. It takes them only a few minutes to get you injected with something pleasant and have a splint around the arm.
[+1 HP]
WEIRD NEEDLE SPEAR. GIANT ANGRY WOLF. BUM.
Actually let's turn all this WOLF HAIR into AIRFLOW so we can see the actual target next time. And even if it's just hairflow that's fine whatever as long as it gets out the damn way.Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
[5]
Drip, quite annoyed about having to constantly deal with all this damn hair, grabs a handful of it and performs a crude but forceful transmutation. About a third of the beast's hair -everything on its left leg and a good bit up its left hip and torso- just vanishes in a burst of air.
"Have big gun to kill big thing."[4]You tell the bullets to maybe try hitting a little harder, considering they seemed to be pretty ineffective before. They agree, all of them shouting in little metal voices from inside the ammo box, but want some of your blood as payment.
Use big ass gun and put all the big ass bullets into the wolf thing's face, also maybe try to convince the bullets to poke the wolf thing's eyes out.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
[4]You spin the gun around, using various cranks to adjust its aim, and center the big circular targeting reticle on the Wolf Titan's face. You pull the double triggers and the machine roars. It is truly a thing to experience: The muzzle flash is near blinding, the sound is completely deafening, and the vibration is so intense you feel like the gun is going to tear both you and itself apart. Its all you can do to keep that reticle lined up and adjust your aim via the tracer rounds.
Despite the earthshattering noise of it all, it seems to have relatively little effect other than causing the wolf to turn its face away. No wonder they called in the Homunculi if this is the best they've got. That, or this critter is oddly resistant to normal forms of damage.
[6]You consider your options, ducking as bullets begin spraying at the creature's face and hissing past overhead. You could climb down the fur....what's left of it at least. Slow. And possibly not very safe, with crossfire and the pretty good chance it could fall on you. You look down at the snow far below and make a rather snap decision. You stand up, position yourself in the vague direction of where the needle fell, and sprint forward. You leap straight off the creature's back and go spread eagle, trying to distribute your weight as widely as possible when you hit the soft packed snow. [5] You land with a POOOOF and are up and on your feet in an instant, scrambling over to your needle and snatching it up.
<snip>“All right you oversized mutt!! Let’s finish this!” The Speaker says to the titan.[4][1][+1 fate point]
Evade the arm and climb onto the titan’s back. Once there, go for the brain stem again.
Speaker catches hold of the shifting wall of fur and begins climbing up towards the titan's neck even as the titan is lifting itself up. He manages to climb up between the thing's shoulderblades, following the ridge of the spine, and raises his needle to jam it into the space between two vertebra. The beast shifts suddenly and Speaker barely manages to hold on, but drops his needle in the process. The weapon bounces down the beast's back and ends up in the snow far below.
<snip>
The Wolf titan, up on hand and knees, is still a good 30 meters tall. It raises its head and looks around at the little creatures harrowing it. It sucks in a deep breath, opens its maw wide, and howls. From its open mouth comes a torrent of freezing air and a hail of ice spears, each several feet long. It sweeps the cone of frozen death in a wide arc, down the left side of its body, past the front and up the right.
<snip>
Oh, shit.WEIRD NEEDLE SPEAR. GIANT ANGRY WOLF. BUM.
Actually let's turn all this WOLF HAIR into AIRFLOW so we can see the actual target next time. And even if it's just hairflow that's fine whatever as long as it gets out the damn way.Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Ohhhhhh!! SHIT!!
Quickly (and as safely as possible get down off the titan and retrieve our needle. Always make sure to keep ourselves in a place such that the titan can’t use it’s breath against us. Once we have our needle back, use it against the nearest part of the beast that we can safely reach. If it looks like it’s going to fall on us, then curl up into a ball on our side with the needle pointed up and held out above us. Hopefully, this will create a large enough cavity for us to fit in.
"Fall back if you need to! It has to bleed out pretty soon."
Try to finish the job with the leg by sticking the needle in again. Then pull the function Protect from the hopefully-detached lower right shin of the creature, and push it into my robe.
Also, could we get some info on how much blood the wolf giant has lost?
Sheet.
Also, its bleeding a lot but none of the injuries have opened a major artery. The arm transmutation was the largest "injury" but it left a closed stump, not a bleeding one.
Bob quickly stood back up, not even bothering to brush the snow off at this point. He found it a bit ironic that he had hit the Wolf in the chest with a projectile and now he was hit. If this was the sort of karmic relationship he and the Wolf Titan had, he did not look forward to seeing what would happen if he stabbed it with a Needle. Clearly the solution was to stab it by proxy.[5][5]
Bob moves to a safer distance from the titan, then attempts to manipulate the nearest belts to wrap around the handle of his Needle and any other lost or misplaced Needles if he can and stab the Needles into the Wolf Titan, preferably somewhere vital or vulnerable. If possible, maybe just stab the second Needle into the bottom of the wound from the first Needle.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
You call up all the belts you can nearby, sending them flying towards you. You toss your needle into the air and the belts slam into it like iron filings clinging to a magnet. You point up, towards the beast's head, and command them to drive the needle straight in between its eyes. The belts wriggle like cilia and take off at high speed, curving out in a wide charge back towards the titan. You lose track of them in the snow, the hail of bullets, and the darkness and for a moment you worry they may have been deflected or failed to penetrate. But then....
(assuming they're accepted) after reading the plaque, MotLF will grab their gear, pausing only to fashion an eyepatch from a bit of their left sleeve, and head out to the rough area of the wolf titan.Freshly birthed and still coated in slime under your robe, you step out onto the snowy plain. Just in time to see...Spoiler (click to show/hide)
The Wolf Titan suddenly stops moving. Those with a view of its face see blood ooze from a hole in its forehead. That oozing that becomes a sudden and brief geyser, dark red blood gushing from the wound for only a few moments. Then the entire beast begins to crumble apart. White light flows across it in waves, hair, flesh and bone blacken and crumble to ash, and chunks fall away. Most of it seems to blow away in the wind, vanishing into the night, while the larger pieces land heavily in the snow and slowly fall apart, mixing and turning the snow gray. Bob's needle, glowing a very bright gray, is sticking out of a chunk of ash near where the beast's head used to be.
The blizzard fades rapidly and within a few minutes no more snow is falling and the wind has ceased. It is now almost strangely quiet and calm.
Post by: Ozarck on May 24, 2021, 08:57:42 am
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on May 24, 2021, 09:20:22 am
What happened to the bird when the titan died? Did it also die by proxy, or is it still ok?
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 24, 2021, 09:26:03 am
Grey tries to convey to the humans that he wants a pen and something to write on, and if successful, attempts to establish a line of communication through the written word.
Also, do these robes have pockets or anything?
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Toaster on May 24, 2021, 09:52:35 am
Drip finds a nice trophy. Even if it's just a hunk of ash.
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on May 24, 2021, 10:29:53 am
"That was quick. I guess being able to throw these needles is pretty useful. Great work all round, people."
"...that does give me an idea. Does anyone want me to try and turn their arm into a specialised needle launcher? I'm pretty sure I know a way to do it."
Take the function Protect from one of the sturdier looking structures (bunkers, gun emplacements, etc) and put it into my robe. If any humans come up, stare at them with my hood down until suitably cowed.
If there's any time after that, pull the function Launch from one of the artillery pieces, and put it in my left arm. Or in someone else's arm if they volunteer.
Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on May 24, 2021, 04:50:04 pm
Seeing the Titan turn to ash, Bob's face broke out into a wide smile. "BEHOLD THE POWER OF BOB'S BELTS! BOB IS COMPETENT! GO BOB OR GO HOME!" He shouted to the sky, throwing his arms back and laughing. After managing to compose himself, he went to retrieve his Needle.
Retrieve Needle, anything in the nearby ashes that seems to be valuable, and any of the belts that carried the Needle if they're still around and not aggressive belt snakes. If there are not suitable trophies (like one of the belts he just used), Bob scoops up some of the ash. Maybe he can keep it in a small jar or something. Then...I dunno. See about helping the survivors maybe? Or just go back to the teleportation unit. Bob was summoned to kill a monster, not rebuild.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 25, 2021, 01:36:27 am
Seeing the Titan turn to ash, Bob's face broke out into a wide smile. "BEHOLD THE POWER OF BOB'S BELTS! BOB IS COMPETENT! GO BOB OR GO HOME!"
“’Your’ belts? I think you forget where and from whom you took those belts. I suggest you leave them to their proper owners.”, The Speaker says as he walks past bob on his way back to the teleport column.
(Out of curiosity, does the die that you use for my rolls have the words “Property of Xantalos” anywhere on it?)
Post by: m1895 on May 25, 2021, 02:06:10 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on May 25, 2021, 02:20:44 am
Grab a few of the bullets from the gun, then go look for a smaller abandoned gun I can take.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on May 25, 2021, 08:09:05 am
I'll take that fourth fate point. Next, I'll look for books related to The Machine. My brethren have come out stupid and damaged, and I'd like to keep it that way.[6]Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
You dig out a book called "On the operation of autonomous alchemical engines" and begin reading. Apparently the issue has to do with ambient magic interfering with the carefully calibrated settings somewhere in the deeper parts of the machine. You suppose that you could worsen it even more by having more magic cast in the area.
Oops, missed it.The bird appears to be long gone. It was already long gone when the wolf died, so what happened to it is a bit of a mystery at this point.
What happened to the bird when the titan died? Did it also die by proxy, or is it still ok?Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Glad to see the locals are friendly. And it seems the noise has stopped, excellent.You check your robes. No pockets as such, but the sleeves are big and baggy enough to work like pockets to a degree.
Grey tries to convey to the humans that he wants a pen and something to write on, and if successful, attempts to establish a line of communication through the written word.
Also, do these robes have pockets or anything?Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
[1] +1 fate point.
You attempt to convey your desire for a pen and paper to the people helping you but they only end up confused and slightly frightened by your unknown gestures.
Clearly this was all thanks to getting rid of the fur.Drip grabs a hunk of ash and stuffs it in one robe sleeve. Good enough!
Drip finds a nice trophy. Even if it's just a hunk of ash.Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Youare whistles through his teeth, surveying the ashy remains of the creature.[2]
"That was quick. I guess being able to throw these needles is pretty useful. Great work all round, people."
"...that does give me an idea. Does anyone want me to try and turn their arm into a specialised needle launcher? I'm pretty sure I know a way to do it."
Take the function Protect from one of the sturdier looking structures (bunkers, gun emplacements, etc) and put it into my robe. If any humans come up, stare at them with my hood down until suitably cowed.
If there's any time after that, pull the function Launch from one of the artillery pieces, and put it in my left arm. Or in someone else's arm if they volunteer.Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
You grope at the wall of one of the buildings but your fingers fail to penetrate it. Dang.
(My only regret is not making the belts into a bigger belt to smack the Titan across the snout while Bob shouted "Bad doggy!", but I'm much happier with the killing blow than doing that and getting squished.)Bob wanders over to his needle and yanks it out of the snow. The belts are still encircling it, squirming rapidly. The glow from the weapon is quite intense. He rests it on one shoulder and pokes at the ash with his foot. Inside the ash, near where the needle was stuck, is a small stone. Its really nothing special, just a dark green river rock about the size of his thumb and very smooth. He shrugs and sticks it in the sleeve of his robe.
Seeing the Titan turn to ash, Bob's face broke out into a wide smile. "BEHOLD THE POWER OF BOB'S BELTS! BOB IS COMPETENT! GO BOB OR GO HOME!" He shouted to the sky, throwing his arms back and laughing. After managing to compose himself, he went to retrieve his Needle.
Retrieve Needle, anything in the nearby ashes that seems to be valuable, and any of the belts that carried the Needle if they're still around and not aggressive belt snakes. If there are not suitable trophies (like one of the belts he just used), Bob scoops up some of the ash. Maybe he can keep it in a small jar or something. Then...I dunno. See about helping the survivors maybe? Or just go back to the teleportation unit. Bob was summoned to kill a monster, not rebuild.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
“Shit.” The Speaker says in disappointment as he realizes the beast had been destroyed before he could do any more damage to it. “Well… it looks like it’s time to go home.”(((Our belts [Communist anthem plays very loudly])))Seeing the Titan turn to ash, Bob's face broke out into a wide smile. "BEHOLD THE POWER OF BOB'S BELTS! BOB IS COMPETENT! GO BOB OR GO HOME!"
“’Your’ belts? I think you forget where and from whom you took those belts. I suggest you leave them to their proper owners.”, The Speaker says as he walks past bob on his way back to the teleport column.
(Out of curiosity, does the die that you use for my rolls have the words “Property of Xantalos” anywhere on it?)
(My skeletal wife rolls the die, so maybe she's just very capricious.)
Speaker kicks the snow a bit, disappointed he couldn't be the one to perform the killing blow. He'd have to satisfy himself with serious maiming instead.
Head over to the ash pile, commence lootingThe ash pile contains....ASH! You take a handful, just in case.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
"Huzza it's dead!"You open the ammo box and pry a few of the 8 inch rounds out of the belt. [1] You search around for another gun, one that can be carried by you personally. You fail to find one, and worse yet, you somehow drop and lose the big ass bullets you just looted in the process! Bullshit!
Grab a few of the bullets from the gun, then go look for a smaller abandoned gun I can take.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
A dull chime rings out across the plain. From the hilltop they teleported onto grows a great mass of undulating energy. Its a dark purple, but wreathed in pinkish flame, a truly bizarre and otherworldly thing against the white snow and black sky. The mass squirms and erupts, firing out thick tendrils. The tendrils curve down and extend at ballistic speeds, stretching all the way down into the valley and village in only a few seconds. They whip into the Homunculi one after another, expanding and swallowing them up. Grey is the last to go, snatched by a tendril that snakes its way downstairs, bursts open the door to the bunker, and engulfs him.
Those swallowed by the tendrils find themselves hurtling through that same kaleidoscopic shaft and appearing, moments later, back in the cavern. As they emerge they find their injuries begin to rapidly heal. For those with cuts and bruises this is quick and painless. For Grey, the process of his arm being re-socketed and healed is a bit louder and less comfortable. The plaque next to the portal reads
The Covenant has been fulfilled. You have done well. Your injuries are healed. Await your next command.
The portal gate closes, the wall of black void snapping out of existence as though someone threw a switch and turned out a light.
Post by: The Lupanian on May 25, 2021, 08:43:18 am
First, go to a TRAINING DUMMY and change it to a TIN RING
Second, go to the library and read up on the function of the needles. Specifically if there’s more that can be done with the charged power than just boosting an attack.
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 25, 2021, 09:25:30 am
Grey heads off into the library, ditches the splint in some unobtrusive corner,
Actually, scratch that. Read about magic, why it creates monsters (that want to kill people), the steps taken by society to counteract magic, and all that business.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Toaster on May 25, 2021, 10:51:08 am
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on May 25, 2021, 11:09:31 am
Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on May 25, 2021, 01:25:50 pm
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on May 25, 2021, 02:59:52 pm
I want to do 2 things[3]
First, go to a TRAINING DUMMY and change it to a TIN RING
Second, go to the library and read up on the function of the needles. Specifically if there’s more that can be done with the charged power than just boosting an attack.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Attempts to meddle with the training dummy result only in a small fragment of it being broken off and formed into a roughly circular metal...blob.
[6]
According to a book on weaponry, "Homunculi's Needle" was an accidental invention. It is, in essence, a weaponized magical battery. It will absorb magic with great force, destroying spells and having particularly damaging effects on creatures or objects created with or heavily infiltrated by magic. They can then be made to "Disgorge" this magic at a later time. The form this release takes will be dependent on both the desires of the user AND the nature of the magic they took in. It warns that the "Unstable synthesis of captured magic and user intent can be difficult to predict".
"Agh, that hurt. We really did do quite well though, I don't think anyone even got killed. Well, none of the humans at least."[5]
Grey heads off into the library, ditches the splint in some unobtrusive corner,and reads up on who these Magi fellows are, really.
Actually, scratch that. Read about magic, why it creates monsters (that want to kill people), the steps taken by society to counteract magic, and all that business.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
The book Gray finds starts by effectively putting aside what magic is. It states that magic is "Far too nebulous a concept to be spoken of in any meaningfully distinct way. All it can be definitively described as is 'A force wielded by Mages and Magi that allows for the subversion of what might be considered the normal laws and behaviors of the universe'. Its exact nature is unknown, or at least if it is known it isn't broadcast to us Mundanes." He continues on about how magic seems to be a natural aspect of the world, that it appears every now and again in places, animals, objects, etc. Some of these occurrences, he postulates, are likely the "Archeological remnants of magic of the past; the 'toxic waste' of some magical action that hangs around for centuries", while other times it is likely a natural occurrence. Results are, almost always, dangerous to some degree. Not because magic is inherently hostile, but because it is inherently powerful and unknown. He likens it to exposing a monkey to a handgun. He lays out some common threats -Enhanced animals/plants/microbes/people, dangerous locations, altered physical laws, uncontrolled reactions, unintentional side effects- and states that the majority of them are either due to environmental exposure OR a poorly thought out spell. The book then oddly - and in a color of ink not the same as the rest of the text - Lays out an example where a magical well is created which produces water that makes plants grow to great sizes. The spell works slowly, so a creature drinking the water every so often would have little effect; it would have to be submerged for a long period. However, what the mage creating the spell didn't think about was the fact that river rocks exposed to that water would absorb that effect. So if an animal were to ever swallow a stone accidently, the magic within might slowly transform the animal in an unknown way.
According to the book, the steps taken to protect society from magic are three fold. First, mundanes protect against the side effects in the same way they protect against mundane dangers. If there are dangerous magical creatures in the woods, you build walls and field weapons to combat them. Second, the Covenants. These are a series of agreements/laws created in ancient times that all mages and magi are bound to. These, in theory, protect the world and its inhabitants against intentional misuse of magic. The magi are known to hold to these covenants closely, though mages are sometimes less strict and more willing to abuse their power. And finally, the Homunculi. These human-like constructs were created by the Magi in ancient times and have acted as their agents, striking down threats to the Covenants.
Yeet the trophy into that collection thingy for looted items in the collection room. Then head to the cafeteria and get food! Eat fill then collect a bit of leftovers.Drip dumps the ash into the pool and the water gobbles it up immediately, sucking it down into the bottom of the vessel where it immediately vanishes.Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
He then goes to the kitchen and gets a plate of random foods, tossing whatever looks bad into the trash until he has a plate filled with what he wants. He idly gorges himself on this for a while, before dumping the less messy left overs into the sleeves of his robe.
Youare showers off the frozen slime and blood before picking up whatever's going in the cafeteria. He gets out a book at random, settles down with his meal in a comfy spot and starts reading, hoping to learn something useful.Youare gets himself, and his clothing, clean before retiring to the library and then the kitchen. He grabs a book at random and cracks it open while picking over the food with his other hand. The book he gets is some sort of catalog about "Uplifted Servitors and Clients", a sort of encyclopedia of magically created or modified species. Its quite a thick book.Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
Climb the pipes up to the exposed bit of the machine. Poke around everywhere for gaps or doors or other entrances to the maintenance crawlways and tunnels of the machine. I bet there's a race of ratmen living in the walls to keep the machine operational, so bring gifts of peanut butter and hard tack to make friends with.[4]Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
You manage to scramble up one of the exposed pipes and jungle gym your way up to the underside of the machine. The lumpy brass mass has no visible hatches are openings though, just a few gauges and one thick window displaying greenish churning slop within.
Post by: Ozarck on May 25, 2021, 04:40:19 pm
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on May 25, 2021, 06:37:52 pm
Go to the cafeteria and eat, then head to the library and try to find a book explaining what's up with the very bright Needle.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 25, 2021, 07:55:28 pm
Post by: The Lupanian on May 25, 2021, 09:57:28 pm
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 25, 2021, 10:13:18 pm
"Knock yourself out. It's a book on magic's effects on the world."
Stepping away from The Speaker, Grey takes off one of his gloves and throws it straight up while he Maintains its velocity, with the goal of getting it to stick to the ceiling.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 25, 2021, 11:55:13 pm
He then sits down to read it, paying particular attention to any parts concerning all-tounges, homunculi, the “needles”, or Titans.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Edit: just remembered I was missing something from my last few posts…
Post by: Toaster on May 26, 2021, 12:45:02 am
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Turn LEFTOVERS into ROT. Throw at something interesting looking.
Post by: King Zultan on May 26, 2021, 02:46:05 am
Try talking to my organs again and try to get them to like me more, then go find a book that tells me magical stuff, like how to make things grow or something.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on May 26, 2021, 10:28:33 am
Knock on the window and prominently display the peanut butter to the greenish slop within. It's not pretty, and it probably isn't sentient, but you can't be picky when making friends with the denizens of your own birthing machine.The Green Slop seems unmoved by your bribe.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Go to the training room and try to cast the assassin out as a servant. Preferably have an all-tongue nearby to help communicate.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Luta walks into the training room and draws her Needle. She examines the glow on it for a moment before pointing the needle at the ground nearby and commanding the magic within to manifest as a grassassin she controls.
[4]
The grassassin that manifests is under her control, and its pretty much a dead ringer for the one she killed. Only...well...its small. Its about 2 feet tall and its bladed hands are more like paring knives. It waddles about in a way that could be considered "cutely homicidal".
Grey hands his book to The Speaker.[5]
"Knock yourself out. It's a book on magic's effects on the world."
Stepping away from The Speaker, Grey takes off one of his gloves and throws it straight up while he Maintains its velocity, with the goal of getting it to stick to the ceiling.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Grey tosses his glove into the air while shouting MAINTAIN! at it. The glove goes up...and keeps going up until it hits the ceiling and sticks there.
[2]Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Turn LEFTOVERS into ROT. Throw at something interesting looking.
Try as he might, Drip's food remains fresh and delicious. He tosses a turkey leg into the wall in annoyance.
Safely back, Bob decides to figure out why his Needle is glowing so brightly. He didn't see any of the others with Needles so bright during the fight. Maybe it was because he was the one to kill the titan? He would need to find out. But first, he wants some food. He has not eaten since his creation, but he could swear he remembers food being delicious.Bob gets himself a meal and then heads to the library, intent on finding out what's up with the needle. He tells the people already in there about his quest and Luta helpfully explains that the glow is imprisoned magic. She says the bright glow probably signifies more magic or maybe just more powerful magic in it. She proves this by summoning a chibi grassassin.
Go to the cafeteria and eat, then head to the library and try to find a book explaining what's up with the very bright Needle.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
"God damn it I lost my big ass bullet."[5]
Try talking to my organs again and try to get them to like me more, then go find a book that tells me magical stuff, like how to make things grow or something.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Debby talks to her organs. Despite their general overworked demeanor and some general grumbling, they do seem to like her. Sure, some of them seem to view her with a bit of...well...dismissiveness. A sort of "Well, she's trying her best" attitude, but not one of dislike.
[3]
The best Debby can find in terms of magical instruction about making things bigger is a book recounting the fact that a mage once made something bigger with magic. Its not even a detailed account...damn them.
“Thanks!” The Speaker says to Grey as he takes the book.
He then sits down to read it, paying particular attention to any parts concerning all-tounges, homunculi, the “needles”, or Titans.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Edit: just remembered I was missing something from my last few posts…
[3]
Speaker reads through the book with painful slowness, having a strangely hard time comprehending it. The best he can find is that apparently Homunculi are resistant to magic and that some people consider all-tongues the precursors to true mages or magi, who they postulate have the ability to command the world as opposed to simply ask it.
The cavern vibrates slightly.
Post by: Ozarck on May 26, 2021, 10:57:35 am
Then inspect the gloves and see if I can distinguish any unusual features they possess
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on May 26, 2021, 11:12:47 am
If I get help from an all-tongue, get to know the two grass folk. If nobody helps, head into the portal room and see what’s up.
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Toaster on May 26, 2021, 11:28:57 am
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Fine. Turn the TURKEY BONE into BONE KEY and go try to unlock things.
Post by: NJW2000 on May 26, 2021, 12:39:51 pm
Youare does some light calisthenics and attempts a handstand.
Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 26, 2021, 03:11:31 pm
Put down the book and go help Luta with her creations.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on May 26, 2021, 06:03:56 pm
Bob goes to the far side of the training room and tries to channel the magic from his Needle into an amazing magical belt that would give him the powers of the Wolf Titan when he wore it.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 26, 2021, 08:33:16 pm
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on May 27, 2021, 02:21:47 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on May 27, 2021, 05:09:52 pm
Well, climb down and fish around in the cauldron for an unfinished homunculus to tinker with while we wait for the cavern to be a little more decisive.. Drag it out to the training hall and whack it with the side of the needle. then look through the eye of the needle. Does the world appear different through the needle? Try poking the homunculus in the leg with the pointy end.[2]
Then inspect the gloves and see if I can distinguish any unusual features they possessSpoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Genesis lowers himself back into the goo and attempts to steal a body from the cauldron. He finds a mostly formed one but when he tries to move the body it sticks in place, as though wrapped in stretchy webbing. No attempts to shake, twist, cut or yank can free it. He eventually gives up and crawls out, wiping himself clean.
After a few minutes of consideration he holds up the needle and looks through the "Eye". At first it seems to do nothing, until he holds it close to his face, pressing it up against one eye. He feels an odd pressure in his eye, hears a wet sort of grinding as he looks around. The world through that eye grows slightly sepia toned and mildly translucent. He looks at his hand and can see the muscles, veins, bones and sinew through hazy, semi-opaque skin. He looks around. The chest beneath the plaque shines with what looks like a fine spiderweb of light woven through the metal, and he can't see inside. He looks at the other Homunculi, specifically Grey who wanders in to look in the box. He looks like a normal person, except there's something...odd curled around his brain and down into his mouth. It looks like a...brown and red candycane tumor or octopus. Hmm.
He looks at the gloves, both with normal eye and through the needle. The gloves look pretty normal through the unaided eye, but through the needle they have an almost scaly appearance of overlapping gray triangles made of...smoke?
[6]Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Fine. Turn the TURKEY BONE into BONE KEY and go try to unlock things.
Drip retrieves the turkey leg and holds it above his head, as though to say "I HAVE THE POWER!" or something similar. The flesh is blasted off the bone and the bone itself changes, leaving behind a rather nasty looking key. It honestly looks more like a weapon than an implement of unlocking, like a fat icepick with a few sharp "Fangs" instead of normal "teeth". He feels like it might...unlock something other than doors.
[1][3] [+1 fate point]
Youare does some light calisthenics and attempts a handstand.Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
You attempt to push yourself up into a headstand but overshoot and end up falling over. In a panic you pull your hands up and land straight on your head. You flop onto your back, your vision filled with stars. [-3 HP.]
Dropping the spell and retrieving the glove, head to the teleporter room and check if there’s anything new on the plaque. On the way there, check the box in the cauldron room and see if anything new is in it.Grey retrieves his glove and checks on the cauldron room. The chest is still empty for him. He shrugs, waves to Genesis, and heads to the teleporter room. The plaque there says the followingSpoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
DISTURBANCE DETECTED. CONDUIT IN ROUTE
The gate itself is sort of vibrating.
Search the library for books that'll teach me magical spells and stuff.[2]Spoiler (click to show/hide)
You find nothing of the sort, sadly.
Hey all-tongues, does anyone wanna help me talk to Lad and Chibi?
If I get help from an all-tongue, get to know the two grass folk. If nobody helps, head into the portal room and see what’s up.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
“Alright. Alright. I’m coming…”[3]
Put down the book and go help Luta with her creations.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
With Speaker as an interpreter, Luta speaks with her two grass based minions. They're fairly simple creatures though, seeming about as intelligent as a reasonably clever dog. They don't seem to understand the concept of disobeying Luta and are borderline puppets to her will. They don't really have much in the way of desires and generally don't seem to think about much.
Learning about the Needle's capacity to hold magic and seeing the tiny grassassin strikes Bob with an idea. Perhaps he could end up with a belt from the Wolf Titan.[4]
Bob goes to the far side of the training room and tries to channel the magic from his Needle into an amazing magical belt that would give him the powers of the Wolf Titan when he wore it.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Bob retreats to the corner of the room and points his needle at the ground. He silently commands the magic within to form him a belt containing the power of the wolf titan! A belt that appears to be made from leather and wolf fur, with the head of a wolf as its giant buckle, forms on the ground. The glow of the needle vanishes. The wolf belt is quite large, something akin to a champion wrestling belt or the like, clearly more decorative than functional. As per what it will do...he honestly isn't sure.
Post by: Beirus on May 27, 2021, 06:12:44 pm
Bob wears the belt and attempts to use his belt powers to sense what the belt can do or allow him to do.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on May 27, 2021, 06:18:35 pm
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Toaster on May 27, 2021, 10:24:38 pm
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Now we're talking!
Run to the training hall and stab something with the "key."
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 27, 2021, 10:58:37 pm
That done, he turns his attention back to magic. Grey Maintains control of his needle, and then lets go of it.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 28, 2021, 12:58:11 am
“What?!” he asks Grey, when he gets there.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 28, 2021, 01:17:12 am
Post by: King Zultan on May 28, 2021, 03:06:12 am
Search the books and see if there aren't any books that can teach me any kind of magic.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on May 28, 2021, 04:40:03 pm
Bob lets out a single shout of "Wooooo!", lifting the belt above his head like he just won the championship before lowering it and putting it on.[5]
Bob wears the belt and attempts to use his belt powers to sense what the belt can do or allow him to do.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Bob puts on the belt. He doesn't immediately transform into a giant wolf...so its not that. He swings his hand in a claw like fashion and a semi-opaque and phantom-like version of the Wolf Titan's claw (Though far smaller, about 7 feet across) appears in mid-air and mimics his movement a half second later. He accidently fucks up a nearby dummy with the phantom slash, carving it in half and hurling it across the room.
Ready to go through the portal when it forms. Meanwhile, continue inspecting the others and their minions and equipment through the needle, taking breaks occasionally to see if the odd pressure or grinding or other side effects remain or cause any strain on me.Genesis meanders about, eye pressed firmly to his needle. Speaker's tongue has an eyeball in it....Bob has little wormlike belts crawling through his flesh...Drip...has a knife! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6gBu2Zd7Bc)Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Genesis carefully powerwalks away from the crazed man with the bone knife. His eye feels fine by the way.
Grey turns to the passages behind him and yells out, ”We’re leaving soon!”[3]
That done, he turns his attention back to magic. Grey Maintains control of his needle, and then lets go of it.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
The needle hovers in place shakily for a moment or two before clattering to the ground.
"What's the point of all these books if I can't learn magic from them?"[3]
Search the books and see if there aren't any books that can teach me any kind of magic.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Debby opens a book. On the first page, in big block text, are the words
MAGIC IS INNATE, NOT LEARNED
Rude.
[1]Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Now we're talking!
Run to the training hall and stab something with the "key."
Drip bursts into the training hall with his...key. He points it at the people in the room and shouts, "EENY MEENY MINEY YOU!"
[1]
He leaps for Grey...and immediately trips, falling end over end onto the point of the key. [-4 HP] The key ends up lodged directly in his sternum, stabbed straight into the bone and likely the flesh beyond. Oddly bloodless though. It wiggles a bit with his heartbeat.
The plaque shifts like fluid, the words on its surface filling in as new words carve themselves into the metal.
A Mage has died. Without its master, her home has grown violent. In accordance with the Covenant of Balance discover the cause of death and pacify the structure. This is our will.
A moment later the gate activates with a screaming roar and the black void sucks everyone in the teleporter room through. They fall through the kaleidoscope shaft and appear somewhere quite different from the last place. The sun is huge, a dull red ball of flame hanging low overhead. There isn't a single cloud and even the sky seems to have been sun rotted into a dull blue-white. The air is dead still and its clear that without their robes they would already be sweating. The conduit has dropped them into the remnants of an ancient stone tower, now nothing more than ring 10 foot stone walls, like a hollow stump. The walls are a sandstone orange and the floor is made of massive stone slabs laid side by side, with the conduit crudely rammed into the crack between two. Its sitting at an angle, only just wedged in place. Around the circumference of the tower are the badly rotten and destroyed remains of wooden shelves, now blackened and mostly collapsed. A single man sized arched doorway leading out into orange sand dunes is embedded in the wall across from them.
As they spread out and start to look around they hear a dull whistle. It grows louder for maybe half a second before a man sized chunk of wall near the top of the ruins explodes inwards. Chunks of stone and find pulverized rock rain down into the tower's interior, onto the group. Before they can react there are three more whistles and thuds as unseen projectiles hit the sands near the tower, spraying up short lived plumes even higher than the tower's walls.
Post by: Beirus on May 28, 2021, 05:07:39 pm
Move outside to some sort of cover, or at least out of the radius of falling debris. Use magic belt Wolf claw powers to deflect or destroy any debris that fall toward me. Or the others, if I can cover them without accidentally bisecting them. Bob refuses to be the guy with big strong hands who doesn't use them to protect things.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on May 28, 2021, 05:14:00 pm
Oh. Someone could protect me as well. I also don't want to die under a bloated tick of a swollen red-ass sun either."
Take a cautious peek out the door attempting to locate the source of the projectiles. Work my way around the outside edge of the building if hte thing isn't directly in front of the ruin. Try not to expose myself to direct fire, and be ready to dodge and roll away from the broken tower to avoid more chunks falling on me.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Toaster on May 28, 2021, 05:16:21 pm
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Well, that's neat. Oh hey, portal. Bet there's something to unlock there!
Yeet self through portal. Probably should find cover.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 28, 2021, 05:40:18 pm
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on May 28, 2021, 05:53:50 pm
((Did I get two fate points for that?))(yes)Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Well, that's neat. Oh hey, portal. Bet there's something to unlock there!
Yeet self through portal. Probably should find cover.
Post by: Toaster on May 28, 2021, 05:54:43 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 28, 2021, 08:26:52 pm
Grab the conduit, take cover behind a wall of the tower that is hidden from anything coming through the archway, and Maintain the tower.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on May 28, 2021, 08:37:13 pm
((Sweet. Time to hoard them and then blow them all at once on highly ridiculous actions, as tradition demands.))you also lost 4 hp. put that in your sheet.
Post by: Toaster on May 28, 2021, 10:40:48 pm
((Sweet. Time to hoard them and then blow them all at once on highly ridiculous actions, as tradition demands.))you also lost 4 hp. put that in your sheet.
((Whoops thank you))
Post by: King Zultan on May 29, 2021, 01:00:54 am
Search the tower for anything that could be used as a shield all while not getting hit with stuff.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: m1895 on May 29, 2021, 10:50:29 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on May 29, 2021, 12:47:45 pm
He pulls Protect from a wall and puts it into his robe (use a Fate point).
He then starts looking around through the eye of a needle. Seeing if anything is not what it seems.
Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on May 29, 2021, 02:52:12 pm
EDIT- and then try to prevent youare from removing the protective function from the only thing protecting the team from gunfire.
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 29, 2021, 03:00:50 pm
Youare pulls Protect from a wall and puts it into his robe (use a Fate point).
He then starts looking around through the eye of a needle. See if anything is not what it seems.Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
The Speaker taps Youare on the shoulder. “What are you doing?” he asks Youare.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on May 29, 2021, 04:38:40 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 29, 2021, 05:22:27 pm
"Well, the idea is that by restricting my field of view, it becomes easier to spot small details. Or do you mean the concept I'm removing from the wall?"
“Both. I hope you’re not doing something stupid that’ll get us all killed, like removing the walls ability to protect us…”
Post by: piecewise on May 29, 2021, 08:09:24 pm
The Speaker asks the tower what is happening.[1][+1 Fate point]Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
The tower, which I'll remind you is nothing but a stump of stone being pelted with projectiles, screams. It screams in pain and confusion with a voice like grinding millstones. It screams so loud that you are practically concussed by it and end up laying on your back, dazed.
[4,5]
”Right...”
Grab the conduit, take cover behind a wall of the tower that is hidden from anything coming through the archway, and Maintain the tower.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Grey runs over and shoulders the conduit, lifting it out of the crack between the stones. It does turn out to be so heavy he can only barely handle it though, and ends up having to roll it to the wall. Once in place he places one hand against the wall- the one that was struck a few seconds ago- and commands it to MAINTAIN! Half of the tower's circular wall glows with a steely gray light.
Take cover with GreyYou duck some falling stones and scamper over to where Grey is, pressing your back against the wall and covering your head.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
"This is quite an entrance, I must say."
Turn a CERAMIC PLATE into MAIL that I can wear for protection, then jump through the portal.[3]
EDIT- and then try to prevent youare from removing the protective function from the only thing protecting the team from gunfire.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Your attempts to transform plates into mail result in only useless scraps of ceramic mail that shatter as you try to put them on. Damn. You toss them aside and jump through the portal, emerging into the desert firing range moments later. [2]
Youare was in the teleport room and subsequently sucked through.[6,
He pulls Protect from a wall and puts it into his robe (use a Fate point).
He then starts looking around through the eye of a needle. Seeing if anything is not what it seems.Spoiler: Youare (click to show/hide)
You run over to the wall that several team members are CURRENTLY HIDING BEHIND. The one that one of these said teammates just used magic to maintain. You ram your hand into its ethereal essence and rip the aspect "PROTECT" out of it. You look at the aspect, a hard metallic crystal diamond, for a moment before jamming it straight into your robe. The robe immediately takes on a metallic sheen and becomes stiff, robust, and very heavy. [2] You immediately fall over and end up squirming on your back like a turtle, unable to right yourself due to the tremendous weight of your clothing.
"Damn it I was trying to learn stuff and I get taken away from it!"[6]
Search the tower for anything that could be used as a shield all while not getting hit with stuff.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
You look around for a shield. You see nothing immediately obvious as one. But then you realize, the ground itself is your shield! You politely ask one of the huge stone slabs that make up the floor to roll over for you. It grumbles sleepily but does so , rolling onto its size and forming a low but thick wall maybe 4 feet tall. It even makes a trench of sorts by vacating the space it used to occupy and exposing the bedrock below. Debby hops down into the trench and takes cover.
The only downside to this is that the two halves of the tower are now mostly blocked off from each other by a low and somewhat difficult to cross wall.
((Did I get two fate points for that?))Drip hurls himself into the portal and arrives in the desert moments later. He scampers and takes cover with Debby behind her low wall.Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Well, that's neat. Oh hey, portal. Bet there's something to unlock there!
Yeet self through portal. Probably should find cover.
"Someone protect the conduit. I don't want to live under a bloated tick of a sun forever. Imma take a peek at whatever's chucking stuff at us.
Oh. Someone could protect me as well. I also don't want to die under a bloated tick of a swollen red-ass sun either."
Take a cautious peek out the door attempting to locate the source of the projectiles. Work my way around the outside edge of the building if hte thing isn't directly in front of the ruin. Try not to expose myself to direct fire, and be ready to dodge and roll away from the broken tower to avoid more chunks falling on me.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
"The only way to go is out. Maybe someone should bring the conduit incase there is more debris. I request magic belt exemption from that, on account of my magic belt needing my arms and hands free for its magic." Bob states as he glances around and quickly heads for a spot not in the radius of debris.Genesis and Bob both break with convention and run outside of the tower, skirting its edge in search of the source of the attack. They look around as they do. They're definitely in a desert, but there are ruins around here too, the stumpy remains of an ancient city are scattered in sand choked clusters. They finally get far enough around to see the source of the attack: Its far away and hard to tell how large it really is, but it resembles an enormous bronze toad crossed with a battleship, crossed with a mansion. The toad has six legs and is slowly scuttling through the sand, raising a cloud behind it. Atop that, sprouting from its back, is a platform shaped like a triangle or an arrowhead and bristling with cannons. Above that is what looks like an erratic stack of pyramids or sharp roofed buildings. Hard to tell their exact configuration from this distance.
Move outside to some sort of cover, or at least out of the radius of falling debris. Use magic belt Wolf claw powers to deflect or destroy any debris that fall toward me. Or the others, if I can cover them without accidentally bisecting them. Bob refuses to be the guy with big strong hands who doesn't use them to protect things.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
The cannons are firing; not just the ones pointed towards the tower and the homunculi team, but all of them, seemingly at random. They belch blue smoke as silver mirages carried on bolts of lightning arc out towards the tower.
(1, 6, 6, 4, 5, 4, 5)[Speaker +2 fate points and -5 HP]
The tower no longer protects, but it doesn't crumble or fall apart. Its form is MAINTAINED, but its essence is twisted. Instead when the rounds come in they phase through the stone as though it were mist, passing through one wall and striking the unchanged inner wall on the other side. This time, everyone within the tower gets a glimpse of what they are, though understanding their nature is something else entirely. Cannon balls of shimmering rainbow haze carried by thick purple lightning like otherworldly comets. They strike the far wall and burst like soap bubbles, sending a blossoming concussion forward and blowing great holes in the stone.
Grey and Master of the Lambent Flame (MOTLF) are half swallowed up by the essence crippled wall, sucked inside it as it wobbles like Jello with the passage of the cannon balls. Luta gets hit with a chip of stone from the exploding wall [-1 HP]. Debby, Drip, and the others are alright. Well, except for Speaker. Speaker doesn't take a direct hit from the cannon balls, but instead is struck with a glancing blow. He gets blow off his feet and hurled backwards with tremendous force, bouncing like a rag doll into Debby's wall and limply flopping over it and down into the ditch beyond with Debby and Drip. [1] He's unconscious and his left shoulder is very clearly dislocated. His nose is bleeding copiously and small red stains are seeping into his robe from unseen lacerations under it.
Post by: Toaster on May 29, 2021, 08:40:01 pm
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Man down!
Make sure SPEAKER is at his PEAK condition.
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 29, 2021, 09:55:49 pm
Man down![Since Anagramists work by turning things into other things, I have a feeling this is a terrible idea.]
Make sure SPEAKER is at his PEAK condition.
”Someone help me get the conduit out of here!”
Spend one fate point to escape the gooey stone and try to get the conduit out of the tower and into cover. Continue Maintaining the tower for fear of what will happen if it stops.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Toaster on May 29, 2021, 10:05:55 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 29, 2021, 10:08:41 pm
Post by: Ozarck on May 29, 2021, 11:02:20 pm
If any of the lumbering lamentor's magical missiles come my way, shoo them away with the point of my needle. By stabbing them.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: m1895 on May 29, 2021, 11:55:01 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 29, 2021, 11:55:30 pm
1. See what Drip’s action does to me.
2. Regain consciousness.
3. If necessary, staunch the bleeding and ask my shoulder to put itself back where it belongs.
4. If conscious, suggest that we get out of the tower.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
((That’s a total of +3 fate points and half my hp, right?))
Post by: King Zultan on May 30, 2021, 03:03:41 am
Tell that speaker guy's body to heal it's self and stop being unconscious, also fix his shoulder.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on May 30, 2021, 03:46:14 am
He then stands up and drags the conduit into cover, keeping his body between it and the missiles.
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on May 30, 2021, 03:25:46 pm
Move through the cover of the ruins to scout out the town a bit while the others try to find their way out of the rubble. Use phantom wolf titan claws to destroy any projectile that endanger me. If the others need help dragging the conduit or themselves out of the tower, help so long as it doesn't put me back in danger of being squished by rubble or something else. To be clear, Bob intends to assist people exiting the Tower, not to run back into the Tower.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on May 30, 2021, 06:40:36 pm
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Man down!
Make sure SPEAKER is at his PEAK condition.
"We need a doctor here, wait I might be able to be a doctor."Hmmm who goes first. Lets flip a coin. Debby!
Tell that speaker guy's body to heal it's self and stop being unconscious, also fix his shoulder.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
[1][Debby +1 fate point] Oh no. Uh....[-3 HP to Speaker]
Drip next! Lets hope he does better. [2] That is technically better.
Debby leans over Speaker's limp body and carefully asks, "Hey, could you....you know...just get over yourself and fucking get better already? It was only one magical cannon ball, ya fucking wimp."
"OH! Just one cannon ball huh?" The body responds with the sound of popping joints, belching and groaning, "Well let me just get on up and get right out of here then."
Speaker's body lurches up onto its limbs, twisting in a very uncomfortable to watch fashion amid popping and crunching noises, and crabwalks straight out of the trench.
"You can all go fuck yourself. I'm out." It shouts back, this time out of Speaker's mouth, and scuttles out the door and into the desert, in the opposite direction as the Toad Tower.
Drip idly pokes at the key still embedded in his chest and watches Speaker's body leave, "That went well, I think."
((Oh, hell…))(+3 fate points, and yes, 5hp left.)
1. See what Drip’s action does to me.
2. Regain consciousness.
3. If necessary, staunch the bleeding and ask my shoulder to put itself back where it belongs.
4. If conscious, suggest that we get out of the tower.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
((That’s a total of +3 fate points and half my hp, right?))
1. Oh no. -3 HP, as stated above. 2hp left.
2. [5] You wake up! For a few moments you're kind of numb and confused, watching the sky glide past overhead. Then the numbness passes and boy howdy do you miss it. It feels like all of your limbs and maybe your back are broken. That would be bad enough. But for some reason you are also having completely uncontrollable muscle spasms that are causing you to crab walk away on your broken limbs.
3 and 4. [3] Unable to control any aspect of yourself, you desperately ask your body to please stop. The response you get, inside your own head, is that your body is doing this for your own good. This place is CLEARLY too dangerous and no one here seems to care about your well being so you're leaving.
[Man down![Since Anagramists work by turning things into other things, I have a feeling this is a terrible idea.]
Make sure SPEAKER is at his PEAK condition.
”Someone help me get the conduit out of here!”
Spend one fate point to escape the gooey stone and try to get the conduit out of the tower and into cover. Continue Maintaining the tower for fear of what will happen if it stops.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
You do manage to tear yourself free of the gooey anomaly that used to be the wall, but doing so takes so long that you don't have time to do anything else before the next volley.
MoTLF will try to drag himself out of the wall and in the rough direction of the battleship. Afterwards taking cover behind sand dunes[5]Spoiler (click to show/hide)
MoTLF rolls backwards, through the goo and out the other side. He sprints towards the Toad Tower for a good couple of hundred feet and then dives down and takes cover behind a half buried ruin.
Youare takes one of his gloves off, pulls Flex from it, and places it in the robe.[2]Youare attempts to yank essence from his glove but can't manage to get inside it, so to speak. [5] He does, however, manage to roll himself on to his stomach and then, hand over hand, pull and shove himself into a standing position. He can't really move the conduit on top of his already heavy robe, so all he does is wobble over to the conduit and put himself between it and the Toad Tower.
He then stands up and drags the conduit into cover, keeping his body between it and the missiles.Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
"They should have listened to me." Bob shakes his head sadly as he looks at the even more ruined tower. He supposed it didn't matter, there were still things to be done.
Move through the cover of the ruins to scout out the town a bit while the others try to find their way out of the rubble. Use phantom wolf titan claws to destroy any projectile that endanger me. If the others need help dragging the conduit or themselves out of the tower, help so long as it doesn't put me back in danger of being squished by rubble or something else. To be clear, Bob intends to assist people exiting the Tower, not to run back into the Tower.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Genesis stands up straight, dust himself off, and walks toward the towering toad of baffling battlements. When/if he gets close enough for it, try looking through the needle to find a general source for the mountainous mobile mansion's misery.[6,1,6,6] [+1 fate point to bob][-1 HP bob]
If any of the lumbering lamentor's magical missiles come my way, shoo them away with the point of my needle. By stabbing them.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Bob and Genesis charge off towards the Toad Tower, completely ignoring all cover and all self preservation, counting instead on their awesome skills to get them through. The Toad Tower, which they quickly realize it actually probably a few miles away and much larger than they thought, shifts a few cannons and points them at the pair. The good news is that it seems to have distracted the cannons from their teammates. The bad news is that when the next volley comes in, its aimed square at them.
Genesis, seeing the shots coming, plants his feet and points his Needle straight ahead. He closes one eye and lines the point up with the shot that's arcing in towards him. The bubble of force impales itself dead center on Genesis' weapon and bursts. The needle seems to absorb the majority of the hit, but some force on the periphery does sneak through and slap the needle straight out of Genesis' hands. It spirals off and lands 30 feet away, plunged into the sand and glowing an odd oil slick rainbow.
Bob attempts to swat the shot aimed at him out of the air. However, he rather crucially forgets that the wolf claw comes a half a second after his own movement. The result is that while he does manage to swat the thing, it still bursts quite close to him. The burst hurls forces straight into the sand under his feet and blows Bob a good 10 feet up and 20 back. Despite it, he manages to land atop a sand dune and be mostly unhurt. Bruised and sandy in uncomfortable places, yes, but mostly ok.
Post by: Ozarck on May 30, 2021, 06:52:37 pm
Run over to my oil slick rainbow needle and scoop it up. Use the eye of the needle as a megaphone and yell "Stop that! We're here to help!" At the Mountainous building (which I already assumed was miles away and larger than the Wolf Titan). Then continue the plan from last turn of running toward the thing and needling shots. Only, if the thing points too many cannons at me I will duck into cover as well, keeping the pointy end of my tailoring tool aimed at the incoming magic.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Toaster on May 30, 2021, 06:55:05 pm
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Helping!
Start following the team toward the Battletoad. Is there anything around that could provide mobility? Any cool stuff that can be anagrammed?
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 30, 2021, 07:43:24 pm
The Speaker then speaks to his body. “I hope you know where you are going…”, he says.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
((I’m going to be very disappointed if this mission doesn’t result in a Total Party Kill.))
((Also, do I still have my needle, or is it back in the tower?))
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 30, 2021, 08:00:23 pm
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
[We will be fine. Worst case scenario, half-3 quarters of the party dies and the conduit gets hit by magic artillery, leaving the survivors to find a new one or die of thirst.]
[I suppose the frog fortress could detonate in a nuclear magic explosion somehow, in which case yeah there will be no survivors. But that would never happen.]
Post by: m1895 on May 30, 2021, 08:29:14 pm
keep moving up to the frog thing, sprinting between barrages and taking cover when necesssary
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on May 30, 2021, 08:33:13 pm
Hey, it's worth a shot, right?
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on May 31, 2021, 01:17:25 am
Take cover and advance on the toad between barrages when it isn't paying attention to me. Use phantom wolf claws to block any errant shots and try to remember the timing this time.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on May 31, 2021, 03:59:07 am
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
"I guess we learned something about the way functions are shared through large objects. Turns out there's exactly one of each function per object. Which is good news, because if I can just get to the castle, I should be able to completely remove its ability to fight or walk."
Youare yanks off a couple of his hairs and removes Flex, before shoving it into his robe.
If the clothes are still to heavy to move the conduit into cover, he uses the "faint glow" of magical energy from his needle (assuming it has remained there since the wolf Titan fight) to increase his strength appropriately. Otherwise, he just puts the conduit in the trench normally.
Post by: King Zultan on May 31, 2021, 04:05:32 am
Use cover and run towards the toad thing with everyone else.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on June 01, 2021, 02:26:13 pm
Continue Maintaining the tower and continue in attempting to get the conduit out of it.[5]Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
[We will be fine. Worst case scenario, half-3 quarters of the party dies and the conduit gets hit by magic artillery, leaving the survivors to find a new one or die of thirst.]
[I suppose the frog fortress could detonate in a nuclear magic explosion somehow, in which case yeah there will be no survivors. But that would never happen.]
Grey grabs the conduit, lifts it to his shoulder, and Runs outside, in the direction of the Toad Tower.
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
"I guess we learned something about the way functions are shared through large objects. Turns out there's exactly one of each function per object. Which is good news, because if I can just get to the castle, I should be able to completely remove its ability to fight or walk."
Youare yanks off a couple of his hairs and removes Flex, before shoving it into his robe.
If the clothes are still to heavy to move the conduit into cover, he uses the "faint glow" of magical energy from his needle (assuming it has remained there since the wolf Titan fight) to increase his strength appropriately. Otherwise, he just puts the conduit in the trench normally.
[2][4]
Hairs fail to help the situation, and someone has already carried off the conduit, so You try to use the residual magic in your needle to get yourself moving. You bang it against your chest and the magic flows out and into the robe, instead of into you. The weight of the robe, along with its color and stiffness, all lessen. It ends up more like a big chainmail dress in terms of weight and flexibility: heavy and awkward but not impossible to move in. You get up and heavily jog outside, following the conduit.
“Fuck these people! Why am I surrounded by such idiots?! …Well, they can go fuck themselves!”[4][+3 HP]
The Speaker then speaks to his body. “I hope you know where you are going…”, he says.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
((I’m going to be very disappointed if this mission doesn’t result in a Total Party Kill.))
((Also, do I still have my needle, or is it back in the tower?))
You loudly announce your alliance with your body and your desire to leave these fools to die. You suddenly feel a rush of endorphins and your broken limbs jerk out straight, bones setting and at least partially fusing. You end up laying on your back, feeling...well not great but much better.
"Here, this is easier" Your body says and jerks you up onto your feet in a normal position, pointed away from the toad and all that nonsense. "You should ask the sand where to go. We were just getting out of there."
Pick up a SANDSTONE ROCK and turn it into a STONE CAR.[6]
Hey, it's worth a shot, right?Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Luta runs over to a large chunk of sandstone and manipulates its essence. The entire stone glows brightly and shifts into something else entirely: A freaking monster truck made out of solid stone. Its got a stone body, a stone engine, stone wheels, and a gas tank filled with sand! How does it work? Who knows! But it does. The only unfortunate thing is that because it was made from a chunk of stone, it appears where that stone was....half buried in sand and quite stuck.
"Oh fuck I've made things worse, note to self don't try to be a doctor."
Use cover and run towards the toad thing with everyone else.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Bob was starting to wonder if being knocked away by an attack and covered in crystalline dust was going to become a staple of his future adventures. Clearly he needed to request a personal bathtub from the mages if that were the case. Still, he much preferred it to being dead. He did not belive his Needle would be able to reach the toad accurately from here, so he couldn't just stab the toad in response. Yet.
Take cover and advance on the toad between barrages when it isn't paying attention to me. Use phantom wolf claws to block any errant shots and try to remember the timing this time.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
"Shame, don't think The Evil Eye will do much against this mechanical monstrosity." MoTLF mutters to no one in particular
keep moving up to the frog thing, sprinting between barrages and taking cover when necesssarySpoiler (click to show/hide)
[4] You consider your environment. Well...SANDSTONE RUIN can be made into DINOSAURS....Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Helping!
Start following the team toward the Battletoad. Is there anything around that could provide mobility? Any cool stuff that can be anagrammed?
"Hey, We're making progress! it recognizes us as mild nuisances!"After retrieving it, Genesis attempts to use his needle like a megaphone but sadly it seems to lack that particular feature.
Run over to my oil slick rainbow needle and scoop it up. Use the eye of the needle as a megaphone and yell "Stop that! We're here to help!" At the Mountainous building (which I already assumed was miles away and larger than the Wolf Titan). Then continue the plan from last turn of running toward the thing and needling shots. Only, if the thing points too many cannons at me I will duck into cover as well, keeping the pointy end of my tailoring tool aimed at the incoming magic.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
The Toad Tower stops moving. Up until now it had been slowly waddling toward the team's right, ignoring them while its cannons continued to fire. Now its cannons halt their barrage and the metal amphibian begins slowly turning round, pointing itself towards the group. It turns itself fully and then seems to stare at them for a good minute or two before gathering itself with a wiggle and leaping. It all seems to happen in slow motion because of its size, rising up on its hind legs and then away from the ground, a giant plume of sand exploding behind it. It flies through the air with distressing slowness and weight...straight towards the team. Its hard to guess, but it looks like it will land somewhere near them at the very least.
Post by: Ozarck on June 01, 2021, 03:01:48 pm
"I think you guys already know this, but ...
INCOMING!!!!!"
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Toaster on June 01, 2021, 03:54:53 pm
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Hey, that saves us a trip!
Turn some SANDSTONE RUIN into an AIR DUNE to make a safe place to hide!
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 01, 2021, 04:32:01 pm
The speaker asks the sand to carry him in the direction of the nearest building (other than the ruined tower he just came from).
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on June 01, 2021, 05:16:03 pm
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 01, 2021, 10:39:20 pm
[Too iffy I've decided, we can try to abuse physics definitions some other time.]
Grey drops the conduit, ceases his Maintaining of the tower, and then runs to get into the passenger seat of Lupanian's truck while Maintaining the truck.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on June 02, 2021, 02:23:45 am
Take cover behind anything that looks sturdy enough to shield from the inevitable shockwave and sandstorm. Once in cover, Bob tries to chart the Toad's trajectory. If he is in danger of being landed on, he uses the phantom wolf claws to dig a hole below him that he can shelter in to not be squished and hold his Needle aiming directly up with the point higher than his head. If he isn't in the path of squishing, Bob manipulates the belts on his Needle to send the Needle flying to intercept the toad and stab it between the eyes once it has gotten close enough, preferably before it hits the ground. Use 1 Fate point to help survive a possible squishing or enhance any magic Bob uses.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on June 02, 2021, 03:16:19 am
Take cover behind some of the ruins, and ask the ruins to not fall apart.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on June 02, 2021, 11:20:43 am
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: m1895 on June 02, 2021, 11:23:17 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on June 02, 2021, 05:55:33 pm
Brace for impact! Duck and cover! Use the oil slick mana in my needle to form a shield from teh shockwave and debris that is sure to come.[4]
"I think you guys already know this, but ...
INCOMING!!!!!"Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Genesis dives for cover in a ruin and waves his needle above his head. A shimmering bubble, not unlike the cannon balls, appears around him
((Too bad it's coming, because I was about to make all sorts of DINOSAURS to distract the thing from shooting at us, in a probably dooming us sort of way.))[6]Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Hey, that saves us a trip!
Turn some SANDSTONE RUIN into an AIR DUNE to make a safe place to hide!
Drip runs to one of the ruins and messes with its essence. The stone vanishes and is replaced with what might be best described as solidified wind. He attempts to jump into it, with the hope it will protect him, but instead immediately shoots up and ends up trapped in an endless tumbling fall atop the wind.
“Good idea!”[3]
The speaker asks the sand to carry him in the direction of the nearest building (other than the ruined tower he just came from).Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
The sand shifts and whispers "Don't know. Ask the river to the north."
Turn the SAND GRAINS around the truck into AIR, then drive the truck out of the danger zone.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
[2]Grey drops the conduit, ceases his Maintaining of the tower and then does something slightly risky. he starts jogging away from the frog fort for now. And then, being able to slow down, speed up, and change direction, Grey Maintains control of his trajectory and jumps. If flight has been achieved, he flies straight up, hopefully above the frog. If it fails, he takes cover behind whatever looks sturdy.
[Too iffy I've decided, we can try to abuse physics definitions some other time.]
Grey drops the conduit, ceases his Maintaining of the tower, and then runs to get into the passenger seat of Lupanian's truck while Maintaining the truck.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Grey runs over and dives into the partially buried Stone Car while Luta attempts to uncover it. Grey sticks his head out the passenger window and bangs on the roof.
"Hurry the heck up!"
"I'm trying! I'm trying!"
Despite her best efforts, Luta can't turn the sand into air.
"Oh shit."[1][+1 fate point][-1 hp]
Take cover behind some of the ruins, and ask the ruins to not fall apart.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Debby hides behind a wall and politely asks it not to fall over, because it is so weak and shitty.
It falls over on her.
"You're only proving my point!"
get out of the splash zoneFlameo turns 180 degrees and sprints away.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Youare rolls the conduit away from structures and other homunculi, into any nearby depression, before covering the conduit with his body. He then places the base of his needle on the ground, angles the pointy end directly upwards, braces the weapon against his shoulder and hopes like hell the mansion doesn't land on him.Youare rolls the conduit into a depression between two sand dunes, lays down on top of it, and points his needle straight up, effectively turning himself into a very underwhelming spike pit trap.Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Bob was glad that the toad decided to come to them. Now he wouldn't have to chase it for future stabbing. He did find it to be a strange toad, almost like a mobile fortress. It would be a pretty cool home to have. Especially if it had a belt. Bob was then struck by a strange idea. Was it the toad that killed the mage, or was the toad the mage's tower run amok? He hoped it was the first so they could kill it and be done with it. He didn't want to try to explore a mansion on the back of a pissed off battletoad.[4] Bob gets prepared to run, tracing the thing's path through the sky with one finger as he considers where to go and what to do. But then he stops. He traces it again, this time more quickly as it is getting closer. The toad isn't going to come down on them. Its going to land in front of them, a fair bit out. [1] [+1 fate point]He attempts to fire his needle off like before but instead sends it hurtling away in the wrong direction at quite a high speed.
Take cover behind anything that looks sturdy enough to shield from the inevitable shockwave and sandstorm. Once in cover, Bob tries to chart the Toad's trajectory. If he is in danger of being landed on, he uses the phantom wolf claws to dig a hole below him that he can shelter in to not be squished and hold his Needle aiming directly up with the point higher than his head. If he isn't in the path of squishing, Bob manipulates the belts on his Needle to send the Needle flying to intercept the toad and stab it between the eyes once it has gotten close enough, preferably before it hits the ground. Use 1 Fate point to help survive a possible squishing or enhance any magic Bob uses.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
The toad comes down maybe a full minute after it leapt. Its front legs stretch out to catch itself but the impact is really more belly flop than anything. It digs a huge crater in the sand and sends a literal churning ripple of sand out in all directions like a gritty Tsunami. The shockwave, which begins before the creature even lands as the air is shoved out of the way of its huge girth, isn't anywhere as bad as the wall of sand that follows it. The wave has mostly subsided in the several hundred feet between the impact and the team but Genesis, Luta, Grey, Debby and Youare all end up at least partially buried in the sand while the others, aside from Speaker of course, end up slapped off their feet and face first in the sand.
Everyone is still in the middle of digging themselves out or getting up when the Toad Tower takes about 4 or 5 steps and ends up looming over them. Its height and size are....honestly difficult to comprehend and guess. The toad itself is...maybe 80 meters tall, which would put the top of the actual tower structure on its back at something like twice that. But its far wider and thicker than it is tall, a mountain of metal in an almost literal sense. It slowly lowers itself into a sitting position and looks down at the team. It seems to be looking around for something and stops when it notices Youare digging himself and the conduit out. It opens its mouth and very odd voice comes out. Its colossal and booming, as one would expect from something so damn big, but the pitch is quite high and the tone is one of nervousness and uncertainty.
"Are you Homunculi? Are you here to help Elias?"
Post by: Ozarck on June 02, 2021, 06:30:47 pm
"Yes to the first question. As for the second, we have been sent to make things right. Something about balance. Are you Elias? What is the problem?"
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on June 02, 2021, 06:43:11 pm
Bob sighed. It looked like his hunch might have been partially correct and the battletoad was connected to the deceased Mage, or at least some Elias who might be connected to the mage. He had a feeling he would need his Needle for this and went to retrieve it. At least he didn't stab it. That could have been awkward.
Bob goes to retrieve his Needle.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 02, 2021, 06:45:43 pm
Now that the crisis is over, Grey gives flight a go. He tries to Maintain control of his trajectory while moving and then jumps.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 02, 2021, 07:19:18 pm
Taking a wild guess, The Speaker decides that the way he’s been going is “south” and that, therefore, “north” must be in the opposite direction.
He promptly turns around and runs “north” as fast as he can.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on June 02, 2021, 08:11:26 pm
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Toaster on June 02, 2021, 09:35:44 pm
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Neat.
Did the shockwave knock me off the AIR DUNE? If no, get off. If yes, make some SUNDRIES from the SANDSTONE RUIN to help supply us for the quest.
Post by: m1895 on June 02, 2021, 11:43:41 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on June 03, 2021, 02:52:28 am
Youare stands up, lowering his needle but staying in front of the conduit. He thinks for a moment, then shouts to the frog:
"We're homunculi, and as my colleague said, we're here to help. Please stop shooting us. In fact, would you mind if we came aboard?"
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on June 03, 2021, 03:22:05 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on June 03, 2021, 02:30:23 pm
Bob sighed. It looked like his hunch might have been partially correct and the battletoad was connected to the deceased Mage, or at least some Elias who might be connected to the mage. He had a feeling he would need his Needle for this and went to retrieve it. At least he didn't stab it. That could have been awkward.
Bob goes to retrieve his Needle.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Dig my way out of the rubble and sand then head to where the rest of the group is.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
move closer, staying behind coverBob, Debby and Flameo all dig themselves free and approach the rest of the team in front of the battletoad.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Grey digs himself out of the sand and exits the truck.[3]
Now that the crisis is over, Grey gives flight a go. He tries to Maintain control of his trajectory while moving and then jumps.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
The attempt to fly is...well its not successful but it is somewhat promising. You jump and try to maintain the movement of your feet. This works...kinda. Your body slows but your feet keep going. Unfortunately their direction is determined by the orientation of your body so the result is basically an awkward flip and flat landing on your back. You start skidding along the sand, feet still pushing you, until you break the spell.
“Thanks!”Speaker turns around just in time for the diminished but still quite powerful shockwave to wash over him. The battletoad is now much closer than before and looking down at the distant forms of the team.
Taking a wild guess, The Speaker decides that the way he’s been going is “south” and that, therefore, “north” must be in the opposite direction.
He promptly turns around and runs “north” as fast as he can.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Speaker questions if its a good idea to go that way. [4] Might as well. He runs back towards the "north", which just happens to also be towards the giant metal toad, and ends up maybe 500 feet behind the group.
Figure out the status of the truck. If it’s still stuck, try to get it unstuck. See if it can drive itself out, or if it has a winch. Otherwise try the AIR thing again.[6]Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Luta climbs into the stone car and presses the gas to the floor. The thing's enormous stone wheels churn sand and it slowly rises out. It suddenly breaks free and rumbles forward at high speed, right into a ruin wall. It doesn't crash, instead the wheels catch the stone and the front tires climb the wall until the entire vehicle is sitting at a roughly 70 degree angle, very nearly tumbling over backwards.
You were knocked free from the wind dune by the shockwave so go about attempting to make some SUNDRIES. [2] The magic fails, perhaps because you cannot really visualize what a "Sundry" is.Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Neat.
Did the shockwave knock me off the AIR DUNE? If no, get off. If yes, make some SUNDRIES from the SANDSTONE RUIN to help supply us for the quest.
Youare stands up, lowering his needle but staying in front of the conduit. He thinks for a moment, then shouts to the frog:
"We're homunculi, and as my colleague said, we're here to help. Please stop shooting us. In fact, would you mind if we came aboard?"Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Shout up at the frog:
"Yes to the first question. As for the second, we have been sent to make things right. Something about balance. Are you Elias? What is the problem?"Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
The Toad stares for a few moments more before opening its mouth. A giant tongue darts out and slams into the sand in front of the group hard enough to knock them all off their feet, again. As the sand settles they can see that the tongue is serrated in such a way to form a staircase long its top when extended like this. The stairway leads up into the frog's mouth and further into a glowing tunnel where its throat would normally be.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 03, 2021, 05:10:35 pm
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 03, 2021, 09:13:54 pm
Grey picks himself up and gets swallowed by the frog like everyone else.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Toaster on June 03, 2021, 10:56:49 pm
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Mount up.
Post by: Beirus on June 03, 2021, 11:29:39 pm
Oh joy, they were going into the toad. Bob idly wondered if perhaps magic toads had belts in them. Normal ones didn't, but, y'know, magic. Excited by the prospect of more belts, Bob heads up the tongue staircase.
Past the lips and over the gums. Into the toad Bob goes.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on June 04, 2021, 03:23:13 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on June 04, 2021, 06:43:09 am
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on June 04, 2021, 07:33:42 am
Youare enters.
"Thank you."
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on June 04, 2021, 10:05:28 am
How's my needle's magic storage right now? I had that oil slick rainbow earlier but used it once to make a bubble shield against the shockwave and debris from the frog landing.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on June 04, 2021, 03:03:23 pm
The Speaker continues running straight towards the toad, up the tongue and through the tunnel, as fast as he can.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
”Needs improvement.”
Grey picks himself up and gets swallowed by the frog like everyone else.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Mount up.
Oh joy, they were going into the toad. Bob idly wondered if perhaps magic toads had belts in them. Normal ones didn't, but, y'know, magic. Excited by the prospect of more belts, Bob heads up the tongue staircase.
Past the lips and over the gums. Into the toad Bob goes.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Go up the tongue and into the frog.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Go up the tongue and into the frog.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Begrudgingly depart from my truck and head inside.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
[/quote]
Youare enters.
"Thank you."Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
In we go. Examine any points of interest we encounter with the Eye of the Needle, and otherwise keep an eye out for threats.
How's my needle's magic storage right now? I had that oil slick rainbow earlier but used it once to make a bubble shield against the shockwave and debris from the frog landing.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Speaker is the first up the stairs, screaming the entire way. Why? Who knows. Genesis follows the rest of the group, peering at everything through the hole in his needle like a comical detective. The group climbs the perilous stairs up several hundred feet, following a gentle arc into the frog's throat. The stairway connects directly with a smooth tunnel-like hall of polished bronze. Overhead, on tiny swings made of thin chain and iron rods, hang small balls of flame. They swing back and forth, gripping the swings with diminutive limbs of wispy flame, singing in tiny voices that are only just barely audible. After what seems like quite a long distance, the hall opens up into a wide dome, a sort of terrarium of metal and stone. Its form is that of a sort of decorative lake or swamp, dominated by a great body of liquid ringed by a shore and crisscrossed with stepping stone walkways. The "water" of the pond is liquid bronze, not molten but still liquid. The fronds and ferns and tall grass that ring the pond are bronze, while the floating lily pads are silver and gold. The dragon flies flitting about are platinum and appear to be made of delicate lace instead of prefect recreations of insects. Overhead, sitting on a metal platform that somewhat resembles a wagon wheel, is a larger ball of flame, which waves to the group as they enter. Though it has no face, it has a huge mustache made of curling fire. Out in the lake, across a stepping stone path of what looks like petrified wood carved into the shapes of lily pads, is a gazebo of sorts. It resembles a giant mangrove but curved in a "C" shape, so its boughs overhang its tangled roots and form a covered platform. A large swing, big enough to fit two comfortably and covered in cushions, hangs from the branches.
Despite the utter artificiality of it all, there is still a pleasant cool breeze and the smell of rain in the air somehow.
Out in the "water" something bobs up. Its a toad, made of gold with eyes of sapphire. Only its eyes and a bit of its head break the surface, but judging from this it would be about the size of a small child.
"Hello." The toad says, in the same voice as before, but much smaller and less deafening. "You're here to help right? Elias told me that you help people. Sorry, I didn't recognize you at first without that...stick thing. There was a picture of it in the book, so I figured you have to be Homunculi...even if you don't look like the ones in the book."
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 04, 2021, 03:29:05 pm
“Yes we’re humonculi. We were sent here on a mission from the Magi. Only problem is that, when we arrived, the ruined tower we were in was being shelled with artillery by a bunch of mundanes, and one of my compatriots (in a fit of abject selfishness) thought it would be a great idea to remove the ability of the the tower to protect us so he could put it in his robe, which resulted in me almost getting killed.
…
By the way, who is this ‘Elias’? Is he a healer? Because I could really use one right now.”
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Edit: Speling
Post by: Toaster on June 04, 2021, 07:01:57 pm
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Nice!
Plop down in the gazebo swing before anyone else can steal the seats. Look around for magical doodads.
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 04, 2021, 07:55:37 pm
”Yes, we’re here to help. What do you need help with, exactly?”
"Also, where can we find this book you referred to?"
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on June 05, 2021, 02:25:04 am
Also talk to the frog.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on June 05, 2021, 05:17:00 am
Provided it can talk. Otherwise, just sort of peer at stuff.
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on June 05, 2021, 08:42:38 am
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on June 05, 2021, 09:28:01 am
Continue observing the area and the beings here, while listening to the frog talk about stick things and picture books.
"So, Speaker, what happened to you anyway? Get hit by one of those magic missiles? Forget to block with your needle? If I get some magic in my needle I'll help you out a bit. I'll even spend some effort to make sure it doesn't backfire. Gotta watch each others' backs out in the worlds, right?"
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on June 05, 2021, 11:02:29 am
Listen to the toad, scan the room for anything interesting.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 05, 2021, 01:18:10 pm
<snip>
"So, Speaker, what happened to you anyway? Get hit by one of those magic missiles? Forget to block with your needle? If I get some magic in my needle I'll help you out a bit. I'll even spend some effort to make sure it doesn't backfire. Gotta watch each others' backs out in the worlds, right?"
<snip>
“Huh, ‘magic missiles’? I didn’t know the mundanescould use those! How did they get them?!!”
The Speaker points to Youare.
“That… happened to me.”
Post by: piecewise on June 05, 2021, 05:13:32 pm
Drip immediately wanders off, scuttles across the stepping stones, and plops down in the swing, stretching out across it. He rocks back and forth, looking for "magical doodads". [3] Eh. Everything here is technically a magical doodad. Including him.Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Nice!
Plop down in the gazebo swing before anyone else can steal the seats. Look around for magical doodads.
Go have a look at the giant ball of fire with the moustache, including through the eye of the needle. Then ask it to give its account of what happened here.You wander to the solid ground nearest the ball of flame and peer through your needle at it. At the core of the ball of flame is a sort of tangle, what look kind of like plant roots but knotting and wriggling like worms. You shout up at him about the events transpiring and he shouts back down, "Something has the whole tower quite upset. I'm not sure what. After all, I'm just here to look pretty." He follows that last line with a guffaw and slaps his knee.
Provided it can talk. Otherwise, just sort of peer at stuff.Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
How's my needle's magic storage right now? I had that oil slick rainbow earlier but used it once to make a bubble shield against the shockwave and debris from the frog landing.The needle is empty.
Continue observing the area and the beings here, while listening to the frog talk about stick things and picture books.
"So, Speaker, what happened to you anyway? Get hit by one of those magic missiles? Forget to block with your needle? If I get some magic in my needle I'll help you out a bit. I'll even spend some effort to make sure it doesn't backfire. Gotta watch each others' backs out in the worlds, right?"Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
You sit down and listen to the goings on.
Bob was surprised by the amount of bronze. There was a lot of bronze. Bob wondered why someone could be so fascinated with bronze.[1][+1 fate point]
Listen to the toad, scan the room for anything interesting.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Bob looks around the room. He looks around the room while walking. He falls straight into the metal swamp.
As previously mentioned its not hot or anything, but the fluid is still as heavy and dense as as normal metal. The result being, of course that when he falls in he never even gets more than a few inches in before immediately bobbing back up to the surface. He's not in any immediate danger but actually standing up or moving around is like trying to stand on ice but worse. He ends up splayed on his back, slowly spinning.
The speaker waits for the rest of the group to arrive before addressing the toad.
“Yes we’re humonculi. We were sent here on a mission from the Magi. Only problem is that, when we arrived, the ruined tower we were in was being shelled with artillery by a bunch of mundanes, and one of my compatriots (in a fit of abject selfishness) thought it would be a great idea to remove the ability of the the tower to protect us so he could put it in his robe, which resulted in me almost getting killed.
…
By the way, who is this ‘Elias’? Is he a healer? Because I could really use one right now.”Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Edit: Speling
Sit and wait patiently for more infoSpoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
"Hello I also can help with stuff as long as it doesn't evolve being a doctor."
Also talk to the frog.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Grey addresses the frogge as well.
”Yes, we’re here to help. What do you need help with, exactly?”
"Also, where can we find this book you referred to?"Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
"Sorry, the cannon balls were from upstairs. They're angry and don't know what to do. They say Elias is hurt and they're trying to get the one that did it, even though they don't know who it is." She sounds somewhat exasperated with whoever is upstairs. " Elias is the mage who made this tower, and me and everything here. I think he's upstairs right now, way up in his rooms at the top. That's where he keeps all his books and stuff. The cannons say he's hurt, but I don't know what's going on. Everyone is just...running around! No one seems to know anything for sure, they just say they heard things from upstairs.
I think you should go check on Elias. I can call the elevator for you. He hasn't come down to see me in a while. I'm worried about him; he seemed nervous last time I saw him. He tried not to let me know but I could tell. He was looking at everything really carefully. Staring at it, you know? He said something weird too. He said..." She bobs up and down a bit, looking down at the water surface and concentrating, "Subvert? That...Something had been subverted...and that it was dangerous. I don't know what that means."
She's speaking rapidly and somewhat disjointedly, telling you everything she can think of.
Post by: Ozarck on June 05, 2021, 05:15:55 pm
“Huh, ‘magic missiles’? I didn’t know the mundanescould use those! How did they get them?!!”
The Speaker points to Youare.
“That… happened to me.”
Genesis stares at Youare for several seconds.
"Yes ... that is pretty tragic and awful. How unfortunate for you. Well, as hideous as you both are, I'm not sure I can do anything to improve that. A nice mask, maybe, or some strong acid ..."
Post by: Toaster on June 05, 2021, 07:57:27 pm
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Suppose that's true.
Turn some of this LIQUID BRONZE into a DRONE. Order it to follow me as I get on the elevator with the rest.
Post by: Beirus on June 05, 2021, 08:30:08 pm
Back to the basics. While floating on his back, Bob stretches his arms out to the sides before bringing them back parallel to his torso. Bob tries to use this repeated motion to swim himself back to the edge of the liquid and climb out. Failing that, he holds onto his belted Needle and controls the belts on it to fly the Needle to a dry spot on solid bronze carefully. It wouldn't do to dislocated his wrist or shoulder, but he also needs to get to the platform with the others.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 05, 2021, 11:10:16 pm
”Yes, finding Elias sounds like the best idea. I assume that platform in the bronze lake is the elevator?"
Grey crosses the stepping stones over to the platform. If he reaches the end, he also examines the frog through the eye of the needle.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 06, 2021, 12:58:36 am
“It sounds like there are mundanes upstairs. We’d better be careful.”, he says with worry.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on June 06, 2021, 01:20:30 am
Go to the elevator and ride it where it goes.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 06, 2021, 02:17:17 am
The speaker turns to the others."It sounds more like magical constructs, like the cannons. Though we should definitely show caution."
“It sounds like there are mundanes upstairs. We’d better be careful.”, he says with worry.
Post by: Ozarck on June 06, 2021, 08:31:53 am
"Can you remember what it was that Elias said had been subverted? was it a person? a part of the castle? something external? Something of his magic?"
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on June 06, 2021, 10:10:54 am
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 06, 2021, 12:48:33 pm
“Yes, please call the elevator for us. And thank you for warning us about the mundanes upstairs!”
He then heads to the elevator.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on June 07, 2021, 06:58:02 pm
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Suppose that's true.
Turn some of this LIQUID BRONZE into a DRONE. Order it to follow me as I get on the elevator with the rest.
[5]
Drip places a hand on the surface of the copper lake and manipulates some of its essence. The "DRONE" that emerges is about 7 feet tall and appears to be liquid bronze just sort of...staying in a roughly humanoid shape. It sort of sloshes and sides around.
Bob still did not understand the fascination with bronze, even floating on it. He supposed it was pretty cool, but it would be even cooler if it was belts. And not suspending him in the middle of the laziest river ever.Bob half slides, half backstrokes his way over to the edge of the lake and then drags himself up and out of it. Even doing this is surprisingly hard, but he manages with the help of a few other Homunculi.
Back to the basics. While floating on his back, Bob stretches his arms out to the sides before bringing them back parallel to his torso. Bob tries to use this repeated motion to swim himself back to the edge of the liquid and climb out. Failing that, he holds onto his belted Needle and controls the belts on it to fly the Needle to a dry spot on solid bronze carefully. It wouldn't do to dislocated his wrist or shoulder, but he also needs to get to the platform with the others.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
“What are our ‘rules of engagement’ for threats we encounter? And what kind of danger can we expect?”Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
This seems to confuse the frog, whose head tilts quizzically to the side as she tries to think of a good answer. Finally she bobs back into the water for a moment before rising up again.
"I don't know. No one tells me what the problem is. But...you should do anything you can to help Elias. Even if it means breaking something or causing trouble. You can say I said it was ok. Even if he gets mad at me, its ok...as long as he's ok." She nods as she says the last part, as though affirming it to herself as well.
Reach out with my needle for Bob to grab hold of to pull him to shore. Brace my self so he doesn't pull me in as well. Once we're both ashore, head to the elevator. Ask the frog:"I think it must be a thing he made alive, like me. Something upstairs, or that used to be upstairs. He wouldn't say, but he was looking at all sorts of things. And there aren't people around here, at least not like you. There are lots of living things upstairs though. Lots of things."
"Can you remember what it was that Elias said had been subverted? was it a person? a part of the castle? something external? Something of his magic?"Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
She gets a bit quiet, speaking more to herself.
"He likes having lots of things around. Everything he makes is really pretty."
Grey talks to the frogge some more, and pulls Bob out of the bronze if he reaches one of the edges.The frog shows up like white hot metal in the pool of cold liquid bronze, her body radiating massive amounts of magical force. It connects to the walls and floor and ceiling and all around in thin strands of light. [4] You get the direct impression that she's not just this frog, she's the entire colossal toad.
”Yes, finding Elias sounds like the best idea. I assume that platform in the bronze lake is the elevator?"
Grey crosses the stepping stones over to the platform. If he reaches the end, he also examines the frog through the eye of the needle.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
"I can help with the stuff."
Go to the elevator and ride it where it goes.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
A hole opens near the apex of the ceiling, metal flowing away, and something like a giant bird cage made of woven metal vines lowers into the room on a thin chain. It jangles to a halt near the gazebo. Immediately small bronze toads begin crawling out of the water and onto the elevator, waddling heavily into its edges and hopping up between its woven bars.
I'll take you as high as I can, but my elevator only goes up to the cannon platform. From there you'll need to find your way up to the top tower. Be careful around the cannons and the rest, they're not bad but sometimes they don't think things through.
As though to emphasize this, there's a rumble from above as the cannons begin firing again. The frog looks upstairs with a worried expression.
"Find out what's happening to Elias, ok?"
The team boards the elevator one by one, metal toads crawling between their feet and hopping onto their shoulders and heads. As soon as they're aboard the cage shivers and begins to rise, sliding soundlessly into the ceiling while the frog watches from below, waving one webbed hand. For a long few seconds everything is dark, then the elevator emerges. Its not being pulled by a chain anymore, its being shoved up from the bottom by the metal that was enclosing it. It pushes up through a ring of metal and very odd wood. They've emerged in what looks like the belly of an ancient galleon, though made with bands of iron over impossibly large and long logs of Cactus "wood". The room is shaped like a barrel, with a single round door directly ahead. Candles, hovering in mid air, drift down to surround the party and provide them light in the otherwise gloomy room. They can hear voices from beyond the door, shouting commands and wailing, the thunder rumble of cannons drowning them out in intervals.
"Here somewhere!"
"Hunt them down!"
"Never falter! We will have what is owed us!"
"To arms! To arms!"
Post by: Toaster on June 07, 2021, 07:13:34 pm
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip screams that he has this!
Order the BRONZE DRONE to open the doors and take any first hits. Don't like go punching things but don't let us get shot either.
Post by: Ozarck on June 07, 2021, 08:50:29 pm
I have a feeling we're going to end up with a very sad frogtress before this is over.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 07, 2021, 10:56:56 pm
<snip>
A Mage has died. Without its master, her home has grown violent. In accordance with the Covenant of Balance discover the cause of death and pacify the structure. This is our will.
<snip>
I think think there’s a reason the frogge hasn’t heard anything from Elias… ))
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 07, 2021, 11:10:13 pm
Grey Maintains the Drone.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: m1895 on June 08, 2021, 12:16:01 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 08, 2021, 01:57:40 am
The Speaker follows the others, needle at the ready, making sure to keep the drone between himself and any threats.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on June 08, 2021, 05:51:33 am
Stay behind the rest of the group.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 08, 2021, 06:08:31 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 08, 2021, 06:45:59 am
"One gunner for every cannon, possibly?"
(( A historical gunnery crew would have had at least 5 people for each weapon depending on the period. ))
Post by: Ozarck on June 08, 2021, 06:52:54 am
((Hey, anybody remember this?:((We're being diplomatic. Or did you want to announce to the spirit of the giant living monster fortress, and all it's many, many inhabitants that their beloved master is dead and we're here to shut them up about it?Quote from: piecewise<snip>I think think there’s a reason the frogge hasn’t heard anything from Elias… ))
A Mage has died. Without its master, her home has grown violent. In accordance with the Covenant of Balance discover the cause of death and pacify the structure. This is our will.
<snip>
side note: I feel sad for the silly frog. She seems to genuinely care for her master.))
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 08, 2021, 08:33:47 am
((I'm making a conservative estimate. Besides, these are magic cannons.))"One gunner for every cannon, possibly?"
(( A historical gunnery crew would have had at least 5 people for each weapon depending on the period. ))
Post by: Beirus on June 08, 2021, 12:44:43 pm
Bob will enter the room after some of the others. If attacked, Bob defends himself with his phantom wolf claws or Needle.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on June 08, 2021, 03:11:33 pm
"We're here to help! We're homunculi! We're not your enemy! We're coming in now! Don't fire, we're not hostile!"
He muses silently on the possibility of assassins hiding in the castle. The constructs downstairs seem to be mostly domestics, so someone should probably guard the elevator rather than let them have a free pass to the desert. Or for that matter, the conduit...
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on June 08, 2021, 05:23:09 pm
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on June 08, 2021, 05:28:04 pm
The strange hydra bird stamps its feet and shoves its medal and ribbon bedecked chest against the drone.
"WHO ARE YOU? BY WHAT RIGHT ARE YOU ON MY DECK?!"
"What is your business here?"
Returned to the scene of the crime have you? Engarde!
Around here...somewhere...
The colors of its right wing shift, all the glass of it becoming pink, and it draws a saber from a belt around its puffy belly. The saber is shaped like a feather, but looks quite sharp regardless. The left wing turns green and holds the right wing back.
Past the hydra bird is a long hall, curving slightly towards the left as it progresses. It too is made of iron and cactus wood, but with a large open window running down its length and letting in sunlight. Along it are running smaller beings: cacti and succulents in human form, each wearing what looks like a bright white naval uniform, often with thorns poking through. Most are carrying what look like old flintlock rifles, others are carrying glass orbs filled with miniature storm clouds. Many are sticking their "heads" out of the window, rifles scanning around rapidly.
Wait for Drip's drone to do it's thing. Attempt to communicate with the little frogs. Are they extensions of Big Frog?
I have a feeling we're going to end up with a very sad frogtress before this is over.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Genesis looks at the toads. They seem like ordinary toads, other than their metallic nature. They aren't afraid or bothered by the people but they don't seem particularly cognizant or motivated either. Still...the way they seem to be following along doesn't seem like the actions of a normal animal.
Post by: Ozarck on June 08, 2021, 05:37:50 pm
"We're here on business. By what rights do you detain us?"
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 09, 2021, 01:02:46 am
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: m1895 on June 09, 2021, 02:36:23 am
Flamedude will do his best to defuse the situation, and get extra info out of the birds in the process.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on June 09, 2021, 02:50:46 am
Stay with the group.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on June 09, 2021, 01:07:29 pm
Bob remains quiet while trying to figure out where a mage would stash their belts in the magic tower. If attacked, Bob defends himself with his phantom wolf claws or Needle.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on June 09, 2021, 01:46:34 pm
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 09, 2021, 05:24:42 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 09, 2021, 07:18:01 pm
“We’re humonculi. We’re here on a mission from the Magi. We need to see your Master, Alice…”
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: m1895 on June 09, 2021, 07:25:02 pm
The Speaker steps out to the side of the drone, holding his needle vertically, close to his body."Psst, the Magi's name is Elias."
“We’re humonculi. We’re here on a mission from the Magi. We need to see your Master, Alice…”Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 09, 2021, 07:30:09 pm
The Speaker steps out to the side of the drone, holding his needle vertically, close to his body."Psst, the Magi's name is Elias."
“We’re humonculi. We’re here on a mission from the Magi. We need to see your Master, Alice…”Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
“Huh?! Elias? Are they a Magi?! I thought they were just a mage!…”
Post by: m1895 on June 09, 2021, 07:37:14 pm
"Well they were definitely something."The Speaker steps out to the side of the drone, holding his needle vertically, close to his body."Psst, the Magi's name is Elias."
“We’re humonculi. We’re here on a mission from the Magi. We need to see your Master, Alice…”Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
“Huh?! Elias? Are they a Magi?! I thought they were just a mage!…”
Post by: Toaster on June 09, 2021, 07:39:54 pm
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip basks in his success.
Watch the proceedings quietly. Drone holds still, but starts punching if things go south.
Post by: piecewise on June 09, 2021, 07:45:06 pm
Grey examines the bird hydra and the cactus men through his needle.All the odd creatures here have, at their core beyond the glass and plant goo, a wriggling ball of roots much like the one in the flameball downstairs. Products of the same magic.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Bob was slightly disappointed the cannons didn't shoot themselves. He found the cactuspeople interesting but lacking in belts. It seemed there was nothing on this deck for Bob either. Maybe the belts were hoarded on the upper levels.[1][+1 fate point, -1 hp]
Bob remains quiet while trying to figure out where a mage would stash their belts in the magic tower. If attacked, Bob defends himself with his phantom wolf claws or Needle.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Bob becomes convinced mages don't have belts- they hold their pants up with magic of course- and immediately collapses in disappointment.
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip basks in his success.
Watch the proceedings quietly. Drone holds still, but starts punching if things go south.
The Speaker steps out to the side of the drone, holding his needle vertically, close to his body.
“We’re humonculi. We’re here on a mission from the Magi. We need to see your Master, Alice…”Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Instruct my grasslings to defend myself if hostilities ensue. Otherwise wait for negotiations to conclude.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
"Hello captain, we're here to help with stuff."
Stay with the group.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
"Gentlebirds and succulents, we have been sent here to investigate a disturbance. Now, what seems to be the matter?"
Flamedude will do his best to defuse the situation, and get extra info out of the birds in the process.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Step to the side of the bronze drone, holding my needle as a staff of office.[4,2,1][Fate point for Genesis]
"We're here on business. By what rights do you detain us?"Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
"Hello captain, we're here to help with stuff."
"Stuff? Stuff....Stuff? Homunculi..."
"Gentlebirds and succulents, we have been sent here to investigate a disturbance. Now, what seems to be the matter?"
"A clever ploy, but I will not be fooled!"
"We're here on business. By what rights do you detain us?"
INSOLENCE! BLACKCOAT! HIGHWAYMAN! SCOUNDREL AND RAGAMUFFIN! I'LL HAVE YOUR HEAD FOR YOUR IMPUTENCE!
The wing holding the sword shifts to be both Yellow and Pink, while the one holding the wing back becomes Red and Green.
"Homunculi...they're the hand of the Magi."
They wear the symbol of the Watcher and carry the weapons of their office.
LIARS! IMPOSTERS! They must be the intruders! Who else could have done this!?
If they are Homunculi let them prove it in honorable combat! Agents of the most high should have that power, should they not! Hah!
Post by: m1895 on June 09, 2021, 08:29:54 pm
Use the Needle defensively for now, but hoover up any plantboy bits that happen to be nearby and loot a rifle off a corpse if possible; stay out of the drones way
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 09, 2021, 08:32:04 pm
"Please accept our apologies, captain, we meant no disrespect. I assure you that we have had no involvement in whatever transpired here and that the Magi did indeed send us. "
If negotiations go south, Grey will attack anyone attempting to do him harm.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on June 10, 2021, 04:35:29 am
Try talking, but if talking fails use needle to defend self.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on June 10, 2021, 05:39:44 am
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on June 10, 2021, 12:18:11 pm
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on June 10, 2021, 04:09:11 pm
Bob gazes hungrily at the yellow toucan's neck while the others talk to the bird-hydra. Bob defends himself with his phantom wolf claws (or Needle if the claws would hit other Homunculi) if attacked.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 10, 2021, 08:49:03 pm
The Speaker kept calm, but prepared to defend himself if things went south. He also politely asked his body to heal itself, just in case.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on June 10, 2021, 08:51:12 pm
Grey steps forward and bows, addressing the toucan.
"Please accept our apologies, captain, we meant no disrespect. I assure you that we have had no involvement in whatever transpired here and that the Magi did indeed send us. "
If negotiations go south, Grey will attack anyone attempting to do him harm.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
[2]
The Toucan completely ignores your impassioned appeal and continues trying to free its saber from its own grip.
"This is all a misunderstanding we're here to help."[1] [+1 Fate point]
Try talking, but if talking fails use needle to defend self.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
"Can we just cut off one of the less rational heads and end this tie? Its starting to get silly."
"ASSASSIN!"
"And what sort of trial of combat do you intend to put us through? Send wave after wave of your own men at us? because I assure you, Homunculi do not have a set kill limit."[5]
Use the Needle defensively for now, but hoover up any plantboy bits that happen to be nearby and loot a rifle off a corpse if possible; stay out of the drones waySpoiler (click to show/hide)
The Pink bird looks at you for a long moment and then laughs.
"This one I like!"
The wing holding back the sword shifts to include pink and then all the feathers shift back into their random colors. Green, Pink, and Red all face the group while Yellow looks away and grumbles.
"You have come to help. This is good news."
"The Master has been silent for too long. Those in the tower only whisper fearfully. They say he locked himself in his room and has not been out."
"Not like him...No...Would have gone to see her."
Yes. He was quite punctual in his visits down below. But always came through here as well. A full patrol in fact, through all occupied quarters every morning. But morning has come and gone.
You should go check on him. Homunculi should be able to enter his rooms. He devised quite a lock but you should have no trouble.
A...guide...We will guide you. Not far. Not...
The Hydra-bird spins on its heel and starts marching away without another word. The group follows behind, dodging carefully through the thorny crew that runs all around them. They head in the same direction as the crew carrying the storm cloud orbs, onto a platform that rises up to the next level on a spiraling corkscrew of silvery metal. This level looks somewhat like the one below- a long curved hall- but this one is metal and instead of a window there are rows of giant cannons arranged along the edge. The crew members are piling up the cannon balls near the cannons, but the cannons themselves are the ones loading. They look like giant wasps: their front halves are the cannon bodies, their legs held close and their chests resting on the deck. They grab the cannon balls with their mandibles and swallow them up. Their stingers are the cannon barrel, their tails greatly elongated and their stingers hollow and smoking. They're still firing, despite the lack of any clear target.
They move through 3 more floors of this, with each floor holding larger cannons made to resemble some other kind of insect. Finally the hydra-bird leads them to a highly decorated golden elevator set into the wall. It looks a lot like the one from before- vines and such- but with the inclusion of golden birds and other animals hopping and crawling about. The bronze frogs take their place and wait for the rest of the group.
"This will lead you to the Master's home."
Don't know much about it...servants should know more. Big place though. Don't get lost.
Don't try to force the door. That would be dangerous.
There is another way. Something people like you are supposed to be able to do.
If you try ANYTHING funny, your head will roll!
The bird...well 3/4ths of it then looks at the team expectantly, as though asking if they had any questions. Or maybe waiting for a tip?
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 10, 2021, 09:18:58 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 10, 2021, 10:25:02 pm
"When did you hear about this second passage? Do you know anything about it?"
“Also...Do you have a pistol and holster I could borrow? It could be useful if we encounter an intruder.”
When all is said and done, Grey gets on the lift and goes up.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: m1895 on June 10, 2021, 11:44:05 pm
Ask some questions before the elevator leaves
"So what is the rough layout of the local terrain? How long have you been in the service of Elias? And would you happen to know of any enemies they may have had?"
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on June 11, 2021, 02:23:05 am
See if any of the animals near the elevator are foxes and if any are grab one.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on June 11, 2021, 03:03:31 am
Youare ascends.
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 11, 2021, 08:52:22 am
“Engaging us in combat would be a mistake. We are humonculi, here to see Eliot. We are here on official business!”
The Speaker kept calm, but prepared to defend himself if things went south. He also politely asked his body to heal itself, just in case.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
(Emphasis added)
(If the GM failed to resolve my action, should I assume it worked perfectly and update my sheet to show a full 10 HP?)
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 11, 2021, 09:56:53 am
Post by: piecewise on June 11, 2021, 09:57:50 pm
[4]“Engaging us in combat would be a mistake. We are humonculi, here to see Eliot. We are here on official business!”
The Speaker kept calm, but prepared to defend himself if things went south. He also politely asked his body to heal itself, just in case.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
(Emphasis added)
(If the GM failed to resolve my action, should I assume it worked perfectly and update my sheet to show a full 10 HP?)
[HP to 7]
Flesh resets itself a bit more, groaning at the strain. You're quite hungry.
"What'll happen if we force the door, is it gonna explode or something?"Nothing around here, from crewmember to cannon, resembles a fox. All plants and birds and insects. No mammals in sight...aside from teammates.
See if any of the animals near the elevator are foxes and if any are grab one.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
I suspect the door will become quite angry.
Grey talks with the bird.Not another passage, another method of entry! Another key through the door. Something your kind should be capable of that others would not be able to do. At least not most others.
"When did you hear about this second passage? Do you know anything about it?"
“Also...Do you have a pistol and holster I could borrow? It could be useful if we encounter an intruder.”
When all is said and done, Grey gets on the lift and goes up.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
[4]
We have no pistol, our guns are of a larger variety, as you can see. But, He pulls the feather shaped saber off his hip and hands it to you If you see anyone who seeks to harm our master, strike them down in our stead.
"hmm, perhaps one of the All-Tounges can ask the door to open nicely"
Ask some questions before the elevator leaves
"So what is the rough layout of the local terrain? How long have you been in the service of Elias? And would you happen to know of any enemies they may have had?"Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Sand. Lots of it. Uh...Sahara.
Roughly 47 years, I believe
[4]
The master did not socialize much outside this tower, but I believe another mage did join him here for a time a few months ago. Wanted help with something or other, but Elias turned the mage down. I don't know why or what help was asked for.
"You ought to place a guard on both elevators, and any other exits. If assassins were involved, they may still be here."Rest assured that the exits are well guarded. We almost killed you, after all. He laughs and stomps one foot.
Youare ascends.Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
The elevator begins to ascend without any command, other than the team's willingness for it to do so. For a few moments it seems the journey upward will be the same blind ascent as before, but then the walls fall away and the gilded cage is rising through open air. The strange pyramidal towers seen from below are not solid structures, they are hollow shells of gold containing untold wonders. Their interiors are lit by gentle auburn sunlight radiating from a benevolently smiling stylized sun mosaic in the ceiling. Glittering glass platforms are strung about like dew on spiderwebs, huge but seemingly weightless, connected by graceful arcing silver stairways and paths. Countless scenes, terrariums, tableaus, aquariums, orchards, zoos, art galleries, statues, playgrounds, and gardens hang in polyhedral gems. Rabbits the size of men look up from tending giant vegetables and wave. Fish made of silk and shaped glass dance slowly through neon blue waters. Deer made of carved and burnished wood, with great apple tree antlers bearing fruit, peek out from between rustling bushes and sheltering oaks. Fountains of gold spiraling purple water upwards, giant scarabs in fine suits catching and bottling it on the way. A rainbow dips and curls, flying languidly yet gracefully about. Too much to look at, too much to take in in the few seconds they can see. A chaotic, wonderful, childish, beautiful dream. At its center, a hanging pavilion holding up a colossal tree. And, wrapped in the embracing roots and trunk of that tree, a granite slab surrounded by a field of candles.
The elevator passes suddenly back into darkness and then slides to a stop. A crack of light appears and double doors swing slowly open onto a short hall. The floor is carpeted in wildflowers, the ivory walls decorated with tree shaped buttresses and painted to resemble a pastoral pathway between lines of trees. Standing directly in front of the elevator is a very nervous looking mole in a suit and thick glasses. Its larger than a normal mole, but still only about 3 feet tall. After a moment the team realizes its not a real mole but a stuffed one, a giant plush doll. To its sides, in maid and butler outfits all, are more animals. Badgers, rabbits, foxes, a full sized bear which dwarfs the rest, white mice, pygmy elephants, monkeys, all milling about and looking to the mole for guidance.
"Ah!" The mole says when he notices the group and rubs his oversized paws together. "You must be the ones who are going to help us. If you'll just-"
"Its awful!" a rabbit suddenly interjects, "The master is locked in his study! We heard shouting and he hasn't come out in nearly a day!"
"Its got to be that awful Witch!" A fox in a maid dress hisses, "You heard her."
The bear whines and looks forlorn.
"Hush." The Mole says sternly, glancing over his shoulder, "This will get us nowhere." He turns back to the group. "The master's study is just above us. Its also the control room for this tower. We have had no word or instructions from him in nearly 24 hours at this point. We cannot even check on him, as the door is locked. Do you think you could help us?"
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 11, 2021, 10:18:12 pm
Grey examines the saber through his needle to determine if it is magic.
He also views every animal in turn through the needle to see if any of them are influenced by unusual energies.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 11, 2021, 10:53:32 pm
"Yes. I believe we can help you! We're humonculi, sent by the Magi to check on your master! It's why we're here!", The Speaker says, holding one finger in the air.
"Where is this lock, now?", he asks, allowing them to lead the way.
(if left behind, ask the bird thing to call the elevator again -either that or start a game of poker with him. Whatever works...-)
Edit: Whoops! Forgot something!
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: Toaster on June 11, 2021, 11:20:08 pm
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip snaps to attention and screams that he has this again!
Carefully remove key from self. Find the lock and use key to unlock the door.
Post by: m1895 on June 12, 2021, 12:13:44 am
"What is your name, good sir? and What can you tell us about this Witch?"
step out of the elevator and question the mole
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on June 12, 2021, 01:32:14 am
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on June 13, 2021, 05:56:43 am
Poke the fox and see what she does.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on June 13, 2021, 06:04:26 am
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on June 13, 2021, 03:46:32 pm
"Bear, what did you see?"
Bob talks to Bear.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on June 14, 2021, 02:51:10 pm
Are all the animals dolls or just the mole?All of the animals appear to be stuffed dolls...except maybe the bear. The bear might just be a bear.
Grey examines the saber through his needle to determine if it is magic.
He also views every animal in turn through the needle to see if any of them are influenced by unusual energies.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
[4] The saber does appear to have some magic on it, though you can't determine its exact nature. It looks...kind of like a helix of glass shards twisting down the length of the blade.
[6] They all appear to contain some kind of....MAGIC! Amazing! How could it be? BUT IT IS!
[2]Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip snaps to attention and screams that he has this again!
Carefully remove key from self. Find the lock and use key to unlock the door.
You shout "I'VE GOT THIS!" and attempt to yank the key out of your chest. But it remains stubbornly in place...more stubbornly in place than something just embedded in bone, you think. Almost magically restrained.
"Aw what cute little things, I want one"Debby walks past the mole, kneels down, and boops the fox on the nose. The fox, after a stunned moment, runs and hides behind the Bear. She peeks out a moment later, seemingly shy, and says "Thank you, but I have work to do here."
Poke the fox and see what she does.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Bob fidgets absent-mindedly with the hem of one of his sleeves as he waits to see if the others can open the doors. If all else failed, he could probably knock. He supposed he could at least kill some time making idle chatter, so he approached the bear.The bear makes what could only be described as bear noises. He gestures a bit with his paws but is otherwise pretty much unintelligible. But he seems quite sincere and distraught.
"Bear, what did you see?"
Bob talks to Bear.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Youare interrogates any nearby servants, asking about recent visitors, odd events, and the last time they saw the master.[2]Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Youare considers talking to the animal servants, but then feels rather silly about it and stops himself. Its...weird...right?
"I believe" He says, looking back at the other animals with some annoyance, "That they're referring to the Witch of the Wilds. She is a mage who lives in the mountains somewhere to the north of here. She came to consult the master about something several weeks ago. I don't know what, but we heard shouting and she left in a rage. She has not been here since then, though."
"What is your name, good sir? and What can you tell us about this Witch?"
step out of the elevator and question the moleSpoiler (click to show/hide)
(assuming The Speaker is with the rest of the group)
"Yes. I believe we can help you! We're humonculi, sent by the Magi to check on your master! It's why we're here!", The Speaker says, holding one finger in the air.
"Where is this lock, now?", he asks, allowing them to lead the way.
(if left behind, ask the bird thing to call the elevator again -either that or start a game of poker with him. Whatever works...-)
Edit: Whoops! Forgot something!Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Tag along to the door to the study. Examine the door and its locking mechanism. before the door is unlocked, shoo away the inhabitants.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
The Mole guides the group through a handful of corridors, all with their own idlic themes and designs ranging from beaches to mountain tops. Finally they pass through an ordinary looking door and into a giant mahogany room. The room is studded with alcoves along its side walls and each alcove contains a huge wooden statue of a predatory bird, maybe a condor or some kind of eagle. At the end of that room is a door. The door is a good 20 feet tall and 10 or so wide, seemingly a solid slab of wood deeply etched with carvings of the natural world. It depicts a sort of condensed woodland scene, trees riding up and giving way to mountain crags with animals scattered all across its surface. Beetles, rabbits, foxes, bears, birds of all kinds, mountain lions, mountain goats, deer, etc. It has no obvious means of opening, no obvious lock, and is sealed tight, not so much as even a sliver of light passing through its edges.
Genesis looks through his needle and sees that there's a sort of dense weave of magic in the door, nodules of energy connected by thin strands. Each nodule seems to lie in the body of a carved creature. [5] He notices that what at first appears to be a tangled mess is actually a single line moving from one nodule to the next, bouncing around across the surface of the door.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 14, 2021, 06:42:41 pm
The Speaker walks up to the door, and after looking at it for a moment, addresses it. “We are humonculi! We were sent by the Magi to check up on your master. Could you please open up for us? We need to see if… if…”, The Speaker turns to the others, “What was the mage’s name again?”
Ask the door to open itself, spending 1 fate point.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on June 14, 2021, 07:58:40 pm
Genesis shares what he saw with the other homunculi, and observed the animal carvings, especially looking for the first and last in the line, to see if there is some kind of sequencing puzzle or something.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 14, 2021, 08:29:12 pm
"His name is Elias. Are all All-Tongues as defective in the head as you are? Also, do be careful of your wording. A startled toad may stumble after all, and I'd like to be able to go home after we've settled things here."
“’Alias’… that’s an interesting name. A head detective?! No, no, I would never claim to be such a thing! Why did the star told the road to do that?! Ah, it’s nice to hear that you’re planning on settling down and making your home here, but I don’t think the Magi will let you!”
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 14, 2021, 09:32:29 pm
He also tries knocking. It couldn’t hurt after all.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on June 14, 2021, 11:27:03 pm
“’Alias’… that’s an interesting name. A head detective?! No, no, I would never claim to be such a thing! Why did the star told the road to do that?! Ah, it’s nice to hear that you’re planning on settling down and making your home here, but I don’t think the Magi will let you!”"...
Whatever we paid for you, it was too much. I want my money back."
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 14, 2021, 11:55:13 pm
"Maybe we should put him back in the cauldron for ten minutes when we get back."“’Alias’… that’s an interesting name. A head detective?! No, no, I would never claim to be such a thing! Why did the star told the road to do that?! Ah, it’s nice to hear that you’re planning on settling down and making your home here, but I don’t think the Magi will let you!”"...
Whatever we paid for you, it was too much. I want my money back."
Post by: Toaster on June 15, 2021, 12:01:18 am
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip cheers for those working on the door!
Do a cheer behind anyone working on the door.
Post by: King Zultan on June 15, 2021, 04:40:38 am
Try to convince the fox to join me on my adventures.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on June 15, 2021, 09:50:52 am
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on June 15, 2021, 11:11:45 am
Go cheer with Drip.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on June 15, 2021, 02:00:51 pm
The Speaker walks up to the door, and after looking at it for a moment, addresses it. “We are humonculi! We were sent by the Magi to check up on your master. Could you please open up for us? We need to see if… if…”, The Speaker turns to the others, “What was the mage’s name again?”
Ask the door to open itself, spending 1 fate point.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
[
Speaker asks the door to open. The door, or at least one of the animal heads of the door, turns to him and says "No."
"His name is Elias. Are all All-Tongues as defective in the head as you are? Also, do be careful of your wording. A startled toad may stumble after all, and I'd like to be able to go home after we've settled things here."Genesis looks carefully at the tangled web of magic, trying to parse out which of the creatures make up the ends of the strands. One end appears to be a small beetle, while the other is a bear near the top.
Genesis shares what he saw with the other homunculi, and observed the animal carvings, especially looking for the first and last in the line, to see if there is some kind of sequencing puzzle or something.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Grey leaves Genesis to examine things and asks the animals if they’ve ever seen Elias lock or unlock the door.Grey knocks. Nothing happens and no one answers. Well...not unexpected really.
He also tries knocking. It couldn’t hurt after all.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
[5] The animals respond, in a chorus of voices.
"We guard the door. We are the Lock. We are the Key. All things in order, as they should be!"
Drip does a cheerful cheer.Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip cheers for those working on the door!
Do a cheer behind anyone working on the door.
"RAH RAH SISBOOMBAH! YAAAA BREAKING AND ENTERING! WOOOO!"
Seeing Drip cheering, Bob decided to join him. Surely the support of his magnificent belt would help the other Homunculi to open the door."Who excels at gaining access to places they aren't supposed to go? WE DO! Who is gonna get through this door and touch everything in side and maybe steal some of it? WE ARE! Who is gonna silence any witnesses that try and rat us out? PROBABLY GENESIS, HE SEEMS THE TYPE!"
Go cheer with Drip.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
"Why would you want to work here when if you come with me you could see the world and do stuff, like fight giant monsters, and other adventurous things I haven't done yet."[6]
Try to convince the fox to join me on my adventures.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
"But...a fox and a deer? What would the neighbors say?" She says, but seems more to be talking herself out of something she wants to do than giving excuses.
Youare, far too serious a homunculus to talk to stuffed animals, explores the building he's in, looking for secret passages, kitchens, clues, that sort of thing.[5]Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Youare looks at the events transpiring and shrugs. This is all quite silly. So he turns and walks out, wandering back down the halls and looking for anything interesting. He quickly comes across an elevator. But not the elevator they rode here in. This one is somewhat similar but instead of hard -if ornate- metal its floor is tall grass, its bars seemingly living sprouts, and a little owl doorman is standing inside it, looking rather glum. Youare does some quick mental mapping and thinks that this elevator would lead down into that dreamlike space between the cannons and this upper level.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 15, 2021, 03:00:44 pm
“’Alias’… that’s an interesting name. A head detective?! No, no, I would never claim to be such a thing! Why did the star told the road to do that?! Ah, it’s nice to hear that you’re planning on settling down and making your home here, but I don’t think the Magi will let you!”"...
Whatever we paid for you, it was too much. I want my money back."
“You prayed for me?! You didn’t have to do that!”
"Maybe we should put him back in the cauldron for ten minutes when we get back."“’Alias’… that’s an interesting name. A head detective?! No, no, I would never claim to be such a thing! Why did the star told the road to do that?! Ah, it’s nice to hear that you’re planning on settling down and making your home here, but I don’t think the Magi will let you!”"...
Whatever we paid for you, it was too much. I want my money back."
“Why would I need pauldrons?”
The Speaker walks up to the door, and after looking at it for a moment, addresses it. “We are humonculi! We were sent by the Magi to check up on your master. Could you please open up for us? We need to see if… if…”, The Speaker turns to the others, “What was the mage’s name again?”
Ask the door to open itself, spending 1 fate point.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
[1, 2]
Speaker asks the door to open. The door, or at least one of the animal heads of the door, turns to him and says "No."
<snip>
The Speaker turns to the others and says “Your turn.”
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on June 15, 2021, 03:15:52 pm
Drip does a cheerful cheer."I want my money back for you guys too.
"RAH RAH SISBOOMBAH! YAAAA BREAKING AND ENTERING! WOOOO!"
"Who excels at gaining access to places they aren't supposed to go? WE DO! Who is gonna get through this door and touch everything in side and maybe steal some of it? WE ARE! Who is gonna silence any witnesses that try and rat us out? PROBABLY GENESIS, HE SEEMS THE TYPE!"
Hey.
Someone bring me a ladder."
Touch da beetle. Touch the rest of the animal carvings in order, following the line carefully. Use my needle for the higher ones. Stop if I get to one that's out of reach and no one has brought a step stool or ladder. Also restart if using the needle breaks the sequence.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Toaster on June 15, 2021, 04:54:43 pm
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip is helping!
Offer to be the bottom of the Hero Tower for Genesis.
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 16, 2021, 12:40:24 am
Grey takes a step away from everyone and makes a few practice swings with the saber to see if anything happens, in a direction away from anything living.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on June 16, 2021, 02:19:34 am
Spend one fate point on convincing the fox to join me on my adventures.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on June 16, 2021, 06:16:33 am
"I'm a homunculus, here on Covenant business. I'm going to need to investigate the level below us, so take me down. Tell me, was there anywhere your master visited particularly often?"
If the elevator owl complies, Youare investigates the Escher paradise of the gardens below. If not, he repeats the intructions with his needle held in a manner highly suggestive of impalement.
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: m1895 on June 16, 2021, 02:03:17 pm
yeah just stay away from the door while Genesis does his thing, make small talk with the animals in the meantime.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on June 17, 2021, 01:34:47 am
Use 1 HP and 2 Fate points to grow a belt.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on June 17, 2021, 02:48:32 pm
Speaker shrugs, fails to understand basic English, and then gives up.“’Alias’… that’s an interesting name. A head detective?! No, no, I would never claim to be such a thing! Why did the star told the road to do that?! Ah, it’s nice to hear that you’re planning on settling down and making your home here, but I don’t think the Magi will let you!”"...
Whatever we paid for you, it was too much. I want my money back."
“You prayed for me?! You didn’t have to do that!”"Maybe we should put him back in the cauldron for ten minutes when we get back."“’Alias’… that’s an interesting name. A head detective?! No, no, I would never claim to be such a thing! Why did the star told the road to do that?! Ah, it’s nice to hear that you’re planning on settling down and making your home here, but I don’t think the Magi will let you!”"...
Whatever we paid for you, it was too much. I want my money back."
“Why would I need pauldrons?”
The Speaker walks up to the door, and after looking at it for a moment, addresses it. “We are humonculi! We were sent by the Magi to check up on your master. Could you please open up for us? We need to see if… if…”, The Speaker turns to the others, “What was the mage’s name again?”
Ask the door to open itself, spending 1 fate point.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
[1, 2]
Speaker asks the door to open. The door, or at least one of the animal heads of the door, turns to him and says "No."
<snip>The Speaker summons King Zultan and Sir Purrs-a-lot.
The Speaker turns to the others and says “Your turn.”Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Bob, disappointed at the lack of effect his cheering had on opening the door, knew how he could help. He would have to step up his game. And that, of course, required more belts.[
Use 1 HP and 2 Fate points to grow a belt.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Bob...Well he can't grow a belt. But when he looks down at his body he can visualize aspects of it as belts. Hmmmm. Bit of weight around the midsection, a band of adipose...or perhaps one could say...a belt! With a triumphant hoot he grabs his belly, reaches a thumb into his navel while his fingers press in from the other side, and rips a belt of fat straight out of his flesh. "Ah ha!" He shouts triumphantly. Then, with a bit less triumph, he shouts "AAAAAAAAAAOW FUCK!"
"So uh...whats it like to be a stuffed animal?" Flameo asks, half shrugging at his own inability to make small talk.
yeah just stay away from the door while Genesis does his thing, make small talk with the animals in the meantime.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
"Fine...I suppose?" The mole responds.
Youare swallows his pride and dignifies the owl with conversation.
"I'm a homunculus, here on Covenant business. I'm going to need to investigate the level below us, so take me down. Tell me, was there anywhere your master visited particularly often?"
If the elevator owl complies, Youare investigates the Escher paradise of the gardens below. If not, he repeats the intructions with his needle held in a manner highly suggestive of impalement.Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
The owl gives a little bow and gestures you to enter the elevator. You do so and he cranks a big ornate lever. Unlike the elevators from before, this one seems to require someone to guide it.
"The master spent many hours in the plaza, beneath the great tree." The owl says as the elevator descends. His tone is somewhat hushed and reverent.
The elevator emerges from the ceiling of that kaleidoscope dreamworld and lowers itself down onto a giant flower below. The flower's pedals part and it catches the elevator between soft pink pedals and a fuzzy yellow field of stamens. You find your self on that central plaza that they were just talking about, with the glassy pathways to all the encapsulated dreams spreading out like sunrays from this platform.
"I don't have any neighbors and I don't think you have any ether, so who cares what neighbors that don't exist think, also I think it's racist of them to think a fox and deer can't be friends."[4,
Spend one fate point on convincing the fox to join me on my adventures.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
"Ok...but only if I have the master's permission. I wouldn't dream of just abandoning my post without letting him know." She seems more firm on this point.
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip is helping!
Offer to be the bottom of the Hero Tower for Genesis.
With Drip working as human stepstool and ladder Genesis begins the process of touching each carving one by one, tracing the magical threads about. When he touches the beetle for the first time it sort of retracts into the wood a bit and its color alters from wooden brown to beetle green, its little legs wiggling. Along the way each animal touched does this; shifting deeper into the carving and seemingly coming to life in full color. As he works, Genesis becomes certain that the pattern here is one of consumption, a food chain of sorts. Though its not perfect, some of these beasts seem to be roughly equal in terms of predation but placed in line. Regardless of the logic, the careful use of the needle allows Genesis to progress through the pattern until he finally lays his hand on the bear's snout.Drip does a cheerful cheer."I want my money back for you guys too.
"RAH RAH SISBOOMBAH! YAAAA BREAKING AND ENTERING! WOOOO!"
"Who excels at gaining access to places they aren't supposed to go? WE DO! Who is gonna get through this door and touch everything in side and maybe steal some of it? WE ARE! Who is gonna silence any witnesses that try and rat us out? PROBABLY GENESIS, HE SEEMS THE TYPE!"
Hey.
Someone bring me a ladder."
Touch da beetle. Touch the rest of the animal carvings in order, following the line carefully. Use my needle for the higher ones. Stop if I get to one that's out of reach and no one has brought a step stool or ladder. Also restart if using the needle breaks the sequence.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
With the last touch the entire slab of wood shifts into color and the scene comes fully alive. Its like staring through a giant window onto a particularly packed forest and hill. Its not just color either, the entire scene seems to have shifted from a flat image into a 3d scene. Genesis puts a hand forward experimentally and finds that trees which were once simply rendered to give the illusion of depth are now distant, the simulated perspective becoming real. And, maybe 50 feet back into that forest scene, is a large boulder. And set into that boulder is a wooden frame and a simple wooden door.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 17, 2021, 03:33:16 pm
“Oh, good! Now we get to see Allen.”.
The Speaker begins walking towards the door. When he reaches it, he knocks on it.
“Is anyone home?”, he asks.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on June 17, 2021, 04:25:29 pm
Step into the scenery. Look about for signs of disturbance / foul play as I approach the boulder. Wait a moment for a response to Speaker's inquiry. If none come, open the door and peek inside.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on June 17, 2021, 08:23:57 pm
"Hey Drip. I noticed you were struggling with that key earlier. Have you ever tried turning it?"You take a few swings. The blade whistles and cuts through the air pleasingly, but nothing immediately magical or amazing happens. The air does seem to shimmer every so slightly though...
Grey takes a step away from everyone and makes a few practice swings with the saber to see if anything happens, in a direction away from anything living.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 18, 2021, 12:00:01 am
”Gross, dude.”Bob, disappointed at the lack of effect his cheering had on opening the door, knew how he could help. He would have to step up his game. And that, of course, required more belts.[
Use 1 HP and 2 Fate points to grow a belt.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)3,5,2][-1HP]
Bob...Well he can't grow a belt. But when he looks down at his body he can visualize aspects of it as belts. Hmmmm. Bit of weight around the midsection, a band of adipose...or perhaps one could say...a belt! With a triumphant hoot he grabs his belly, reaches a thumb into his navel while his fingers press in from the other side, and rips a belt of fat straight out of his flesh. "Ah ha!" He shouts triumphantly. Then, with a bit less triumph, he shouts "AAAAAAAAAAOW FUCK!"
Grey advances with The Speaker and Genesis to the door, ready to use his needle in defence against any magical traps. If he reaches the door unmolested, he looks inside with Genesis and examines whatever he sees through the needle.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on June 18, 2021, 12:28:05 am
Follow the others to the door on the rock, and find out what the fox's name is.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Toaster on June 18, 2021, 09:54:21 am
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip is glad to help!
"Hey Drip. I noticed you were struggling with that key earlier. Have you ever tried turning it?"
Drip hasn't tried that! Good idea!
Follow along to the door. On the way, try to unlock own chest. Stop if any vital organs look to be falling out.
Post by: m1895 on June 19, 2021, 12:25:52 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on June 19, 2021, 05:10:04 am
Youare examines the great tree and plaza through the eye of his needle, before finding the most convenient spot to sit under it. He tries to think himself into the role of Elias, and sits back in the most natural way possible, trying to see where his gaze naturally lands. What was Elias looking at?
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 19, 2021, 08:01:01 am
<snip>
Grey advances with The Speaker and Genesis to the door, ready to use his needle in defence against any magical traps. If he reaches the door unmolested, he looks inside with Genesis and examines whatever he sees through the needle.
<snip>
walk up to the door and look at it throughthe eye of my needle
<snip>
Seeing others looking through the eyes of their needles, The Speaker does the same using his own, curious as to why they are doing it.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on June 19, 2021, 11:14:49 am
Youare walks around the great tree, looking both at the tree and out at the area around it. He's looking for a good place to sit and he finds several. Metal benches, stumps and root clusters, even a giant pillow or two. But what gets his attention is that giant slab they saw before. There are no chairs there, nowhere to sit, but its surrounded by living candles in somber attire, wax mourners with flicking flame heads. They're gathered quietly around the slab in a semi circle, but part as Youare walks closer. The slab is 10 or so feet tall, deeply buried in the roots, but its surface is pristinely clean. There's signs of recent care: flowers left at the foot of it, plants trimmed back. The slab has no markings, but on closer inspection its clear that its not actually a single slab but a giant box, a stone sarcophagus.
Youare examines the great tree and plaza through the eye of his needle, before finding the most convenient spot to sit under it. He tries to think himself into the role of Elias, and sits back in the most natural way possible, trying to see where his gaze naturally lands. What was Elias looking at?Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
He looks through the eye of his needle at the sarcophagus and sees, faintly, a small body within.
[6]Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip is glad to help!"Hey Drip. I noticed you were struggling with that key earlier. Have you ever tried turning it?"
Drip hasn't tried that! Good idea!
Follow along to the door. On the way, try to unlock own chest. Stop if any vital organs look to be falling out.
Drip turns the key. It turns easily and painlessly, all things considered. And then his chest opens up like a goddamn treasure chest. The entire thing just hinges open. But instead of pulsating and unpleasant life sustaining goo within, what he sees is a room. A room he knows. The training room back in their cavern, where he first stabbed himself.
"Okay than let us find him a see what he thinks, also my name is Debby I might to have forgotten to mention that and I also forgot to ask what your name is."The fox's name is Elizabeth Audrey Foxington.
Follow the others to the door on the rock, and find out what the fox's name is.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
“Oh, good! Now we get to see Allen.”.
The Speaker begins walking towards the door. When he reaches it, he knocks on it.
“Is anyone home?”, he asks.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
"Thank you Drip. That was helpful."
Step into the scenery. Look about for signs of disturbance / foul play as I approach the boulder. Wait a moment for a response to Speaker's inquiry. If none come, open the door and peek inside.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
<snip>
Grey advances with The Speaker and Genesis to the door, ready to use his needle in defence against any magical traps. If he reaches the door unmolested, he looks inside with Genesis and examines whatever he sees through the needle.
<snip>walk up to the door and look at it throughthe eye of my needle
<snip>
Seeing others looking through the eyes of their needles, The Speaker does the same using his own, curious as to why they are doing it.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
walk up to the door and look at it throughthe eye of my needleSpoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip is glad to help!"Hey Drip. I noticed you were struggling with that key earlier. Have you ever tried turning it?"
Drip hasn't tried that! Good idea!
Follow along to the door. On the way, try to unlock own chest. Stop if any vital organs look to be falling out.
"Okay than let us find him a see what he thinks, also my name is Debby I might to have forgotten to mention that and I also forgot to ask what your name is."
Follow the others to the door on the rock, and find out what the fox's name is.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
”Gross, dude.”Bob, disappointed at the lack of effect his cheering had on opening the door, knew how he could help. He would have to step up his game. And that, of course, required more belts.[
Use 1 HP and 2 Fate points to grow a belt.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)3,5,2][-1HP]
Bob...Well he can't grow a belt. But when he looks down at his body he can visualize aspects of it as belts. Hmmmm. Bit of weight around the midsection, a band of adipose...or perhaps one could say...a belt! With a triumphant hoot he grabs his belly, reaches a thumb into his navel while his fingers press in from the other side, and rips a belt of fat straight out of his flesh. "Ah ha!" He shouts triumphantly. Then, with a bit less triumph, he shouts "AAAAAAAAAAOW FUCK!"
Grey advances with The Speaker and Genesis to the door, ready to use his needle in defence against any magical traps. If he reaches the door unmolested, he looks inside with Genesis and examines whatever he sees through the needle.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
The group advances carefully into what had been a wall a few moments ago. They walk through carved woodlands, past skittering wooden insects and prancing wooden deer. They look for signs of a struggle and find nothing. When they reach the door they look through their needles and see the curving root wreath around the doorframe and the maw of roots in the door. They knock. No answer. They knock louder. No answer. They press ears to the door. Dull clicking within and nothing else. Finally, with some final trepidation, they try the handle. It turns, slow and heavy but smooth. The bolt opens with a clunk and the door swings freely into the room beyond.
The room beyond is something like an old Viking hall: Much longer than it is wide, with a sharp vaulted roof and many crossbeams. It smells powerfully of wood, as though all the boards and beams were freshly cut despite being dark and worn with age. At one far, back end is a large throne set into the wall. Dark wood accented with gold and sliver, it seems to be growing out of the boards themselves. It is covered in swirling, knotted designs of roots and branches with creatures moving within. Literally moving, like the giant door from before. At the other end, a large open balcony, something like the prow of a ship, complete with an old "Wagon Wheel" style ship's wheel, brass telescopes and instruments, and what looks like a figurehead. They can see from here that the wheel is damaged, one of its hand holds is missing, broken off. The 40 or 50 feet between these ends is filled with a huge collection of stuff. There are shelves lining the walls with books, fossils, scrolls, potted plants, preserved specimens, animal carvings, piles of old swords and axes, furs, silks, gold coins, maps, glazed pots, glass bottles of colored liquids, and all manner of other random things that someone might collect. Among this museum of oddities, near the center of the room, is what apparently passed for Elias' bedroom: a single large bed in the center of the room, small end table beside it, desk and chair next to it. There's a feeling of a life confined to a very small area, of a great deal of time moving only a few feet between these monumental furniture islands. Seclusion and claustrophobia in a mansion of dreams.
The man himself is laying about halfway between front of the room and the bed, sprawled out and silent. He seems to be the only one here. His back is to them, but they can see blood discoloring the wood near him.
Post by: m1895 on June 19, 2021, 12:21:04 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 19, 2021, 02:12:18 pm
“What happened here? Have you seen Alex? We were sent by the Magi to check up on him.”, The Speaker asks the corpse as he peers at it through the eye of his needle.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on June 19, 2021, 03:29:48 pm
"No pain, no gain." Bob says as he admires his new belt. He sets it over his shoulder as he goes to investigate the area near the wheel. Hand holds don't break off by themselves. Well, maybe they did. It was a Mage's tower.
Go investigate the area around the wheel for anything of interest by looking through the eye of the Needle. Bob hopes the missing hand hold is a clue and not just lodged in the chest of the body on the floor.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 19, 2021, 08:54:56 pm
Grey goes through Elias’s desk and end table and grabs anything interesting.
He also Maintains an air of awareness to see if anything happens.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on June 20, 2021, 02:54:52 am
Get Elizabeth to follow me over to the swords and axes, also grab the nicest looking sword take while I'm there.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on June 20, 2021, 09:48:35 am
"I'm a homunculus, here on covenant business. May I ask you a few questions?"
If the answer is positive, he enquires as to the last time Elias visited the tomb, and who is actually buried there.
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on June 20, 2021, 05:21:40 pm
Once the others have done their bit, if no concrete information is gotten about the cause of death, gently roll the corpse onto it's back and inspect for wounds and weapons.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Toaster on June 20, 2021, 08:27:34 pm
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip is a door now!
Someone should go through!
Poke the dead mage guy to see how dead he is.
Post by: piecewise on June 20, 2021, 11:36:09 pm
You walk over to the body and give it a poke on the back of the head. Cold. Yep, Dead.Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip is a door now!
Someone should go through!
Poke the dead mage guy to see how dead he is.
I'm going to assume you mean to speak magically with it.
“What happened here? Have you seen Alex? We were sent by the Magi to check up on him.”, The Speaker asks the corpse as he peers at it through the eye of his needle.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
[1][+1 fate]
The corpse doesn't respond. But the silence is something beyond simply not talking. It is the sound of death itself. You stagger backwards and fall over, your body numb and the feeling that you're dead filling your mind. You know that you are alive, but you FEEL that you are dead. You struggle to move, but feel like you can't. You're dead after all.
(So that's what it means by elementals producing their own element. Seems fittingly morbid. On a similar note, how does the slow healing by exposure work for elementals? Does Bob just need to wear belts, or does he need to eat them? Or does he just absorb them into his body or something?)[5]
"No pain, no gain." Bob says as he admires his new belt. He sets it over his shoulder as he goes to investigate the area near the wheel. Hand holds don't break off by themselves. Well, maybe they did. It was a Mage's tower.
Go investigate the area around the wheel for anything of interest by looking through the eye of the Needle. Bob hopes the missing hand hold is a clue and not just lodged in the chest of the body on the floor.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
(You'd need to have a lot of belts on or around. Anime protagonist level belts. Or a belt bath tub)
You go check on the wheel and the area around it. The first thing you notice is that both the wheel and the the ground around it are bloody. Not huge pools of blood or anything, but there's some spray on the wheel itself and droplets on the ground. The blood spray seems to be most clustered around the broken section of the wheel. The inner edges of the break aren't bloody though, indicating that the blood sprayed onto the wheel and THEN the piece was broken off. It looks like it was twisted off actually.
You check through the eye of the needle and find that the wheel is suffused with the same twisting root magic as all the animated objects around here.
((You probably shouldn't know about the tomb and that anyone is buried there. Only one of us has gone there and hasn't had a chance to report about it.))
Once the others have done their bit, if no concrete information is gotten about the cause of death, gently roll the corpse onto it's back and inspect for wounds and weapons.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
You carefully roll the corpse onto its back. Elias was an old man, at least in his 70s, maybe older. Your first impression is that he's extraordinary bird-like: huge curving nose, gaunt face, half bald with long unruly black hair in the back, thin hands, long finger nails. He looks like a vulture or maybe an ibis in human form. His eyes, though cloudy, have an inhuman yellow-orange color to them. He looks...well...completely wrong for this place. He looks like an evil vizier or scheming villain, not the kind of man who would construct all this. Even his clothing, a sort of long robe of glimmering iridescent feathers, seems wrong. You don't know what you were expecting the master of this place to look like...but in your head he was much softer and kinder looking than this severe avian caricature.
You check him over but the cause of death is pretty obvious: there's a hole in his chest. The feather robe has been jammed straight into the hole by the force of whatever made it and blood has poured out and welled up into the feathers. Its not fresh, but still a bit damp. Fits with the timeline of having happened sometime in the last day or so. How large the hole is or what made it isn't clear, but it seems like whatever did it might still be in there: you can see a bit of something poking out.
"Hey Elizabeth come here and lets look at this stuff rather than what everyone else is."
Get Elizabeth to follow me over to the swords and axes, also grab the nicest looking sword take while I'm there.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
[4] Before Elizabeth can get a good look at what's happening you pick her up- she's only a foot tall or so- and carry her over to inspect the weapons. [3] There are a lot of weapons here and you honestly can't really tell them apart. They all look like...sharp metal things. You pick one at random and hold it out in front of you, swinging it a few times to test it. Its...a sword alright.
”Interesting bedroom.”An air of awareness would mean you appear to be aware. Perhaps simply maintain your awareness? Though...if that goes wrong you might just lose all awareness and go comatose. Sounds like a fun game.
Grey goes through Elias’s desk and end table and grabs anything interesting.
He also Maintains an air of awareness to see if anything happens.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
[4]
You go to the little bedroom area and start rifling through the drawers and papers to see if anything interesting shows up. There's no nice diary filled with all his inner most thoughts, sadly. Most of the papers appear to be correspondences with various people. You read through a few. Village leader thanking him for helping dig a well...a request to help clear a road...request to book passage on the tower for traveling across the desert...thanks for work on the construction of a wall. They all seem to be requests for help or thanks for it. You don't recognize any names or any locations mentioned, but it seems he's been a lot of places and helped with a lot of things. Seems well liked by the locals.
Aside from that there are three other things of note. The first is an old pendant. Silver, though tarnished with age. It resembles a warhammer with a twisting design on its ends. The second is a letter in a language you don't understand. Its written on velum, with harsh, angular symbols. Third, is a cloth doll. Its visibly quite old and simple, but apparently well taken care of. It was in the drawer in the end table, all by itself. The patterns on its dress do not match the patterns on the hammer or the throne or indeed anything in this castle. They're more swirly.
after closing the door behind us, look at the body through the needle's eye, then at the weaponry to see if the wound matches any of them. Then look for a suicide note.[5]Spoiler (click to show/hide)
The wound is a puncture, but not by something sharp. The way the robe is bunched and pushed into the wound implies it wasn't pierced, it was dragged in when whatever bludgeoned its way into Elias's chest did so. Nothing on the shelves around here seems to fit that purpose. A quick check shows no suicide note. None near his body, none on the desk, bed or end table.
Youare offers the respect due to a being mourned by a mage, kneeling and placing his needle in front of him before bending forwards and pressing his forehead to the ground. He gets up, backs away, and speaks quietly to one of the candles:You offer your respects before turning to the mourners. You ask them your question but they don't appear to be able to speak. Their heads are just fire, after all. But one does point, slowly, towards the wall across from the tree. A portrait is hanging there. It's hanging on the wall holding the first elevator and was hidden behind the boughs of the tree from the other side; its only here that you finally see it. It is a large...actually huge if it can be so clearly seen from here, image of a man and a girl. The man is rather ugly and bird-like, in his 30s or maybe 40's, while the girl is probably around 10. Its not a sort of stuffy royal portrait, rather its of the two of them standing next to a tree in a field of flowers. The girl is closer, red brown hair flying as she runs through the flowers with the thoughtless happiness of a child. The man is further back, under the shade of the tree, quietly smiling. Despite first appearances, his smile is surprisingly warm and gentle. His affection and care can be felt even through a still image.
"I'm a homunculus, here on covenant business. May I ask you a few questions?"
If the answer is positive, he enquires as to the last time Elias visited the tomb, and who is actually buried there.Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
The brass toads, who had been slowly following along ever since the first level, finally hop over and reach Elias' body. They gather near it but don't move or interact with it in any way. They seem, to all the world, like normal toads. But as they sit and stare with amphibian aloofness a shudder runs through the entire tower. The tower, which until now had been slowly advancing across the sands, stops moving. A sound like a colossal bell rings out. It takes a moment to realize what it is: The giant toad is crying.
Post by: Ozarck on June 21, 2021, 12:28:04 am
Also, just confirming: the Giant housefrog thing has been carrying us away from our conduit since we came aboard?
"We've determined the immediate cause of death, but we still have little idea what happened here. A magical duel? an accident? Some instable construct gone wild?
Grey, do you see any correspondence with the witch we heard about? Perhaps she had a request for Elias that he was unable to fulfill."
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 21, 2021, 01:37:12 am
Quote from: Piecewise
Perhaps simply maintain your awareness? Though...if that goes wrong you might just lose all awareness and go comatose. Sounds like a fun game.When you say it like that it doesn't seem like a very good idea...
Grey, do you see any correspondence with the witch we heard about? Perhaps she had a request for Elias that he was unable to fulfill."”Yes, there's a letter here. But I can't read it.
Grey assesses the two all-tongues in the party, and seeing that one has fallen over, seemingly stone dead, he offers the letter to Debby.
"Can you figure out what that says?"
"There was a doll in the mage's end table. It doesn't look like it was manufactured here. If any of you enjoy rampant speculation, you could say that the witch planted it where Elias slept, where it gained some power over Elias, which the witch then used to kill him most violently. Possibly."
"I have a pendant here too. Who knows, maybe it was a lover's spat?"
Grey examines the pendant and the doll through the needle for signs of magic.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on June 21, 2021, 02:22:58 am
Keep the sword, then take Elizabeth over to the desk while keeping her from seeing the body, and try to read that paper if reading it fails try talking to the paper to see what it says.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 21, 2021, 02:57:17 am
"I'll try to see what it says, come on Elizabeth lets go see what that paper says."”Thought you could try talking to it instead, might be quicker."
Keep the sword, then take Elizabeth over to the desk while keeping her from seeing the body, and try to read that paper.
Post by: King Zultan on June 21, 2021, 03:20:34 am
"Yeah that might work as well, I'll try it.""I'll try to see what it says, come on Elizabeth lets go see what that paper says."”Thought you could try talking to it instead, might be quicker."
Keep the sword, then take Elizabeth over to the desk while keeping her from seeing the body, and try to read that paper.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 21, 2021, 06:33:56 pm
“So this is what it’s like to be dead.”
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on June 22, 2021, 02:29:40 pm
From the descriptions of the scene and corpse, it sounds like the mage was thrust powerfully onto the wheel, impaling him, and then thrown into the room with the broken bit of the wheel still in his chest. Examine the object in his chest enough to verify this, then look out around and past the wheel for anything that might have caused a blow like that: loose rigging, a large golem, strange weather. Also, inspect the body for signs of magic other than the innate magic of this place, or magic that is innate, but has been twisted somehow. basically looking for whether the force that chucked the mage was magic, and if so, if it was part of this place or from an external source, like that witch we heard about. Also, cover the corpse with a sheet or blanket from the bed.(I assumed you guys left the conduit in the entry hall. It was kinda vague what you did with it so we'll go with that)
Also, just confirming: the Giant housefrog thing has been carrying us away from our conduit since we came aboard?
"We've determined the immediate cause of death, but we still have little idea what happened here. A magical duel? an accident? Some instable construct gone wild?
Grey, do you see any correspondence with the witch we heard about? Perhaps she had a request for Elias that he was unable to fulfill."Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
[5]
You walk to the wheel and look carefully around it. There are no big foot prints, nothing bent or knocked over, nothing hanging loose or swinging around. You walk out onto the tip of the balcony and look back into the room, trying to see if anything looks strange from this angle. And you notice two things. The first is what you initially think is a smudge of ink on the back of the wheel. The wheel is connected into the floor by a wooden pillar of sorts and on the back of that pillar is a small black mark. You get closer and notice that its not ink or anything of that kind: its a fingerprint, a thumbprint by the look of it. Or rather its a burn or even a brand in the exact and highly detailed shape of a fingerprint. As though someone with a red hot thumb pressed it against the back of the wood here. You check it through your needle and see that the fingerprint brand has a very slight magic to it, a sort of hazy orange that is slowly dissipating. Its not visible from anywhere but close up.
The second thing you notice is the blood between the wheel and the body. If he had been thrown, the blood would be all sprayed around, showing the momentum of the body. But this blood is droplets, nice and round or a bit smudged. The body would have to be moving very slowly for it to fall like this. Stumbling backwards maybe? Maybe he wasn't immediately killed and managed to go a few paces before dropping.
You pull the blanket off the bed and cover the body with it: careful to lay it down as gently and directly as possible to prevent destroying any evidence.
You hand the letter to Debby before checking the Doll and the Pendent through the eye of the needle. The doll is completely mundane, not a hint of magic in it. The pendant has two kinds of magic layered in it. Through your needle it appears almost frozen with purple ice across its surface. But within that ice, and within the pendent itself is a little spark. A green mote blazing away.Quote from: PiecewisePerhaps simply maintain your awareness? Though...if that goes wrong you might just lose all awareness and go comatose. Sounds like a fun game.When you say it like that it doesn't seem like a very good idea...Grey, do you see any correspondence with the witch we heard about? Perhaps she had a request for Elias that he was unable to fulfill."”Yes, there's a letter here. But I can't read it.
Grey assesses the two all-tongues in the party, and seeing that one has fallen over, seemingly stone dead, he offers the letter to Debby.
"Can you figure out what that says?"
"There was a doll in the mage's end table. It doesn't look like it was manufactured here. If any of you enjoy rampant speculation, you could say that the witch planted it where Elias slept, where it gained some power over Elias, which the witch then used to kill him most violently. Possibly."
"I have a pendant here too. Who knows, maybe it was a lover's spat?"
Grey examines the pendant and the doll through the needle for signs of magic.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
"I'll try to see what it says, come on Elizabeth lets go see what that paper says."[2]
Keep the sword, then take Elizabeth over to the desk while keeping her from seeing the body, and try to read that paper if reading it fails try talking to the paper to see what it says.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
You look at the note. Nope, no idea what it says.
[4]
You hold the note out in both hands and ask it what it says. It says it will tell you, but only if you find it a nice book to be folded up inside.
[3]
You look around for the nearest book when you notice that Elizabeth isn't with you anymore. She's walking, slowly and very pensively, towards the blanket covering the body. Her little paws are held up by her mouth.
"What is...that..?" she whispers.
Float up to the ceiling (we’re a ghost after all!).[1][+1 fate]
“So this is what it’s like to be dead.”Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Corpses don't float into the air. You're not a ghost...you're just a corpse. Just...a corpse. Nothing. Nothing.
(Speaker is going to be the first person in one of my games to die of terminal psychosomatic dissociation if this keeps up)
Post by: Ozarck on June 22, 2021, 03:19:17 pm
"Would one of you examine the body once more, through your needle, for traces of a hazy orange magic? Quickly! It is fading fast! I want ot know if there is any concentrated on his back, or if there is some concentrated elsewhere, as if something may have carried him there from here. Miss Foxington, please restrain yourself for now. Be patient until we can tell you more."
Scrolling back, I don't see a description of what lies beyond the balcony that the wheel is on (aside from the figurehead). Is it outside? Does the balcony overlook the mass of the Toad City, the landscape beyond, or something else? Examine the figurehead closely, especially for traces of the orange magic. Continue looking for the orange magic traces both around the balcony and inside the room.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 22, 2021, 06:08:10 pm
“We’re dead, right?”, he asks his body, “Therefore, we should be able to fly.”.
His gaze then moves (as best as possible) towards the prow of the ship.
“You know…”, he says, “I’ve heard that fledgling birds have to jump from a high place the first time they attemp to fly.”
“I wonder if that’s what I need to do…”
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 22, 2021, 10:41:19 pm
Grey drops the doll on the desk and puts on the pendant to see if it does anything. Regardless of the result, he goes over to Elias's body and examines it with the needle for signs of any magic, hazy orange or otherwise. He then digs out whatever is embedded in the corpse's chest and examines that for the same.
The Speaker is looking rather unhealthy as well, so Grey Maintains their body to ensure they don't die from whatever magical malediction they're under.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on June 23, 2021, 12:35:37 am
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on June 23, 2021, 03:39:14 am
"I'm a homunculus, here on covenant business. May I ask you a few questions?"
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on June 23, 2021, 03:57:06 am
Go get Elizabeth take her away from the body and find a nice book to put the paper in so it'll tell me what's on it.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Horizon on June 23, 2021, 10:05:59 am
Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Get up and immediately befriend the nearest living organism in my vicinity.
Post by: m1895 on June 23, 2021, 11:18:57 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on June 24, 2021, 08:56:55 pm
Description: he gas black hair, alabaster skin, prideful and handsome features, and deep, piercing green eyes.
Nature: elemental
Status: gooey, confused, and hungry.
HP:10/10
Inventory: nothing
Fate Points: 0]
it would be nice if you could make my element something like air or earth or heat. it would be a total drag (in my opinion) to have a elemental with a absurdly specific element like hotdogs or belts (no offense bob).
but ill go with whatever.
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on June 24, 2021, 08:58:57 pm
Post by: m1895 on June 24, 2021, 11:07:16 pm
Post by: Ozarck on June 25, 2021, 12:43:42 am
[spoiler][Name: Rairvuchyou are going to get a random element. Be prepared. It may very well be as silly as belts. Also, it is unlikely that anyone will pm you at mission end. Either spawn in with the group or read along until people are back. PW usually lets newbies spawn in among the crowd in these games.
Description: he gas black hair, alabaster skin, prideful and handsome features, and deep, piercing green eyes.
Nature: elemental
Status: gooey, confused, and hungry.
HP:10/10
Inventory: nothing
Fate Points: 0]
it would be nice if you could make my element something like air or earth or heat. it would be a total drag (in my opinion) to have a elemental with a absurdly specific element like hotdogs or belts (no offense bob).
but ill go with whatever.
Post by: Beirus on June 25, 2021, 01:06:37 am
[spoiler][Name: Rairvuchyou are going to get a random element. Be prepared. It may very well be as silly as belts. Also, it is unlikely that anyone will pm you at mission end. Either spawn in with the group or read along until people are back. PW usually lets newbies spawn in among the crowd in these games.
Description: he gas black hair, alabaster skin, prideful and handsome features, and deep, piercing green eyes.
Nature: elemental
Status: gooey, confused, and hungry.
HP:10/10
Inventory: nothing
Fate Points: 0]
it would be nice if you could make my element something like air or earth or heat. it would be a total drag (in my opinion) to have a elemental with a absurdly specific element like hotdogs or belts (no offense bob).
but ill go with whatever.
One day you'll see the power of belts. You'll all see.
Post by: Ozarck on June 25, 2021, 01:48:38 pm
One day you'll see the power of belts. You'll all see.I've seen PW's edgy character generator. I know the power of belts.
Post by: piecewise on June 25, 2021, 07:09:17 pm
Your element is: Glass.it would be nice if you could make my element something like air or earth or heat. it would be a total drag (in my opinion) to have a elemental with a absurdly specific element like hotdogs or belts (no offense bob).Spoiler (click to show/hide)
but ill go with whatever.
The teleportation conduit is inside the frog, and I would be willing -since the team talked their way here without violence- to let you join them on the assumption you just teleported in and followed them up.
To be Fair, Bob DID kill the giant wolf.you are going to get a random element. Be prepared. It may very well be as silly as belts. Also, it is unlikely that anyone will pm you at mission end. Either spawn in with the group or read along until people are back. PW usually lets newbies spawn in among the crowd in these games.it would be nice if you could make my element something like air or earth or heat. it would be a total drag (in my opinion) to have a elemental with a absurdly specific element like hotdogs or belts (no offense bob).Spoiler (click to show/hide)
but ill go with whatever.
One day you'll see the power of belts. You'll all see.
You slither out of the cauldron and look around for the nearest living thing. That would, theoretically, be Rairvuch. [2]Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Get up and immediately befriend the nearest living organism in my vicinity.
You stick out your hand. "Hello fellow goo human. You are pleased to meet me. You're welcome."
Rairvuch does not respond at all. He just stands there, completely silent and immobile. After 30 seconds of holding out your hand you begin to think you might be trying to befriend some sort of statue.
The Speaker thinks for a moment.[6]
“We’re dead, right?”, he asks his body, “Therefore, we should be able to fly.”.
His gaze then moves (as best as possible) towards the prow of the ship.
“You know…”, he says, “I’ve heard that fledgling birds have to jump from a high place the first time they attemp to fly.”
“I wonder if that’s what I need to do…”Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
"I don't know if thats..." Speaker's bones begin to say, but are immediately cut off as his legs -with all the energy of happy puppies- shout "YEP!"
Speaker's body lurches upwards like a marionette, spins on its heel, and then starts galloping forward towards the balcony. [3] As Speaker goes cartwheeling semi-limply over the balcony railing, he thinks of something. If he's dead, why is he running? Maybe...he isn't dead? He ponders this as he arcs a short distance over the rail and begins to fall towards the unforgiving sands below.
"Aw shit, hey Elizabeth you don't want to see what's happening over there."You scoop up Elizabeth and carry her rapidly away from the covered body. Elizabeth doesn't say much or struggle against this, she seems very quiet overall. You look around the room for a nice large book, spotting one on a nearby shelf. You fold up the note and stuff it in the book. A few moments later you hear a muffled voice inside.
Go get Elizabeth take her away from the body and find a nice book to put the paper in so it'll tell me what's on it.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
"Your power is needed. Return to your people. Create the warriors which will grant us victory once again. You need not lead them as you did before; by my brand they will become my soldiers. You once spoke of sympathy before you abandoned us. Does that sympathy extend to your own kin? Will you let them starve? How many children will go without parents if you choose not to act? I will be there soon."
look at the swords and axes through the eye of my needle and grab any that show magical aura, or if none of them seem magical, whichever one looks edgiest.[5]Spoiler (click to show/hide)
A few have magic in them, magic of a different kind from the twisted roots or the braided glass. This magic is simple, a sort of flowing wall of air like a shockwave. You grab two axes and a sword with it. The needle does reveal something else though: These weapons have all been used. They're all faintly stained with blood.
”Alright then."[6]
Grey drops the doll on the desk and puts on the pendant to see if it does anything. Regardless of the result, he goes over to Elias's body and examines it with the needle for signs of any magic, hazy orange or otherwise. He then digs out whatever is embedded in the corpse's chest and examines that for the same.
The Speaker is looking rather unhealthy as well, so Grey Maintains their body to ensure they don't die from whatever magical malediction they're under.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
You point at Speaker as he leaps off the balcony, shouting "MAINTAIN!" as he goes over. He stops cold, movement suddenly arrested in mid air. Hmm. Someone else will probably take care of that.
You put on the pendant. You feel an odd sensation, cold slithering across your skin. Its like you were wrapped in plastic and dumped in an ice bath, the cold all around you but not quite touching. You notice that there's a slight fog around you as well, a sort of hazy condensation like warm breath on an icy day.
A quick inspection of the body reveals no hazy orange magic, but you are able to rip the murder weapon out of the chest. It is, as was expected, the missing piece of the steering wheel. It also isn't magical.
If nobody else finds anything on the body, Bob will also examine it through his Needle. If someone else finds something, Bob will instead try to rip one of the Mage's spare pieces of clothing or fabric (but not the blanket covering the mage or the stuffed animals) into strips that can be considered belts since they can be tied. If successful, Bob will also try to wrap himself in the belts if that wouldn't require a separate turn.[2] Bob spends several minutes attempting to tear the bedsheet into strips. Despite his best efforts he either can't get it to tear or, when he can, it shreds uselessly. Damn.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
((I am constantly torn between getting to the truth of the death and comforting and pacifying the mage's bereaved ... things. Well, I guess closure will help in the grieving process, if we don't end up having to stab everything.))The balcony is open to the outside, its almost like someone attached the prow of a boat to the end of the room. It overlooks the head of the frog, as its far enough forward to miss the platforms and structures below, presenting a direct fall hundreds of meters to the metal head or the sands below. There's also an idiot floating out there right now.
"Would one of you examine the body once more, through your needle, for traces of a hazy orange magic? Quickly! It is fading fast! I want ot know if there is any concentrated on his back, or if there is some concentrated elsewhere, as if something may have carried him there from here. Miss Foxington, please restrain yourself for now. Be patient until we can tell you more."
Scrolling back, I don't see a description of what lies beyond the balcony that the wheel is on (aside from the figurehead). Is it outside? Does the balcony overlook the mass of the Toad City, the landscape beyond, or something else? Examine the figurehead closely, especially for traces of the orange magic. Continue looking for the orange magic traces both around the balcony and inside the room.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
You look over the edge at the figurehead- a young woman with flowing hair- and find that it has some scratches in it. Large ones that look fairly fresh. [1] You lean down to look at them closer and end up tipping right over the edge. [4] You make a flailing grab and catch the floating body of Speaker by the ankle. You are now dangling very far above the earth, suspended only by your own grip and whatever magic is keeping Speaker afloat.
Youare finds someone who can talk (hopefully not a stuffed animal) and asks about the younger subject of the painting - who they were, how they died, how Elias responded.You walk back to the elevator and ask the owl there about the painting.
"I'm a homunculus, here on covenant business. May I ask you a few questions?"Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
"The Master's adopted daughter, Alice." He says, shaking his head. "I do not know how they met, but all of this, " He gestures around her and finally pats his own chest, "Was made for her. She lived here happily for many years, among us all. But...she grew sick. I do not know the details, such things are above my station, but despite the Master's best efforts she passed. It was...a long time ago. But the master has never forgotten; I believe he stayed here not just to be close to her but to watch over us. He could not bear to let the place she loved so dearly fall into disrepair."
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on June 25, 2021, 07:28:52 pm
"hi dude, u hungry?"
[spoiler][ Name: Rairvuch
Description: he has black hair, alabaster skin, prideful and handsome features, and deep, piercing green eyes.
Nature: elemental
Status: gooey, confused, and hungry.
HP:10/10
Inventory: nothi
Fate Points: 0]
also @piecewise, if we have our character study something combat related like fencing, wrestling, or anatomy, do we get bonuses to rolls? and finally, i may not be on very often because we will be in florida for the next ten days.
Post by: Ozarck on June 25, 2021, 07:33:58 pm
BOOOOOOOOB! I could use a belt here! Maybe one for Speaker too, I guess!"
Spend my newest fate point on swinging back to the balcony. Also attempt to get the frog's attention and assistance. Mostly via shouting, probably.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 25, 2021, 09:46:50 pm
Grey keeps maintaining The Speaker and grabs an axe, offering it to Genesis to grab onto, and does what he can to get them back over the railing.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Horizon on June 25, 2021, 10:20:42 pm
Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Shrug "Statue must be busy, better let it rest." ignoring the words the statue began to say I stand up and look at the wall "Well hello there good wall! How are you today?" I good naturedly ask it.
Try to befriend the wall.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 25, 2021, 11:27:38 pm
Edit:
((I’m pretty sure Speaker would survive the fall. Iirc, damage is 1d6-1, so he’d (at most) be down to 2 hp.))
Post by: Toaster on June 26, 2021, 12:08:42 am
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Hey float guy! Come back!
Is there a rope or anything to throw to them?
Post by: Ozarck on June 26, 2021, 12:21:42 am
((I’m pretty sure Speaker would survive the fall. Iirc, damage is 1d6-1, so he’d (at most) be down to 2 hp.))((you think damage is capped at d6-1? Perhaps you aren't familiar with the fate of my first character? I assure you, damage goes higher than d6-1))
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 26, 2021, 12:45:44 am
((I’m pretty sure Speaker would survive the fall. Iirc, damage is 1d6-1, so he’d (at most) be down to 2 hp.))((you think damage is capped at d6-1? Perhaps you aren't familiar with the fate of my first character? I assure you, damage goes higher than d6-1))
Btw, is Genesis going to reply?
Post by: Beirus on June 26, 2021, 01:05:35 am
Bob takes off his Adipose Belt and controls it with his magic to try to wrap around anyone in danger of falling off the tower and pull them back to the deck. Preferably together, but one is better than none.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 26, 2021, 01:19:37 am
Post by: King Zultan on June 26, 2021, 03:20:47 am
Tell people that care what the letter says, then see how Elizabeth's doing after finding out the wizard is dead.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on June 26, 2021, 01:30:20 pm
Btw, is Genesis going to reply?((he's a bit busy trying not to die, so no.))
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 26, 2021, 04:55:47 pm
Btw, is Genesis going to reply?((he's a bit busy trying not to die, so no.))
“He can’t hear me. I must really be a ghost!”
The Speaker tries to break free from Genesis, the belt and the Maintain spell, and fly freely up into the sky.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on June 26, 2021, 09:25:45 pm
Spoiler: Tess (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on June 26, 2021, 09:27:01 pm
Post by: Lenglon on June 26, 2021, 09:33:00 pm
Post by: Ozarck on June 27, 2021, 12:43:24 am
((Hi! It's been a while, but I'm back! :P I had a lot of major life changes going on and ended up letting everything Bay12 drop off for a long time, but I'm in a much better place now than I've been in years, and finally settled into my situation, so I thought I'd see about getting back into things.))I am very glad to hear all of that! Welcome back! I would like to hear more about it sometime if you want to share.
Post by: piecewise on June 27, 2021, 12:59:06 pm
say hi to whoever said hi, go get my stuff, get a bunch of glass cups from the drink ring, throw them on the floor, make them form a cloud around me, jump through the portal, and grab a longsword from the wall.Your spoiler tag is kinda messed up. I fixed it in this post, but make sure its not broken in the future otherwise it can really screw with the forum's formatting. Also, no, this is pure RTD. Thats why fate points exist: If you have something you REALLY want to work out well, you can spend fate points to make sure it turns out ok.
"hi dude, u hungry?"also @piecewise, if we have our character study something combat related like fencing, wrestling, or anatomy, do we get bonuses to rolls? and finally, i may not be on very often because we will be in florida for the next ten days.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
[5]
You say hi and then head into the mess hall area. You smash about a dozen glasses and then command the shards to rise up and form a cloud around you. They do so , orbiting around your body about a foot from the skin. From there you head straight to the portal and, we'll assume, find your way upstairs. You grab one of the swords from the shelves upon arriving.
"It's a good thing you're so stupid, Speaker. You saved my life. Thanks, I guess.
BOOOOOOOOB! I could use a belt here! Maybe one for Speaker too, I guess!"
Spend my newest fate point on swinging back to the balcony. Also attempt to get the frog's attention and assistance. Mostly via shouting, probably.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
”Damn! I didn't think he'd go and do something like that!"[2]
Grey keeps maintaining The Speaker and grabs an axe, offering it to Genesis to grab onto, and does what he can to get them back over the railing.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Grey grabs an ax and runs to the balcony.
"Here Genesis, grab this!" He shouts, swinging the ax around for Genesis to grab and immediately losing his grip on it. The ax goes sailing over the railing and tumbles off into the vast desert below.
[2]Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Hey float guy! Come back!
Is there a rope or anything to throw to them?
Drip looks for a rope.
Drip fails to find a rope.
Thats about it.
"Of course you could use a belt. Everyone could use a belt. You are lucky I have one to spare and am feeling generous. But I only have one to share, so you two must as well."[3]
Bob takes off his Adipose Belt and controls it with his magic to try to wrap around anyone in danger of falling off the tower and pull them back to the deck. Preferably together, but one is better than none.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Genesis is in the middle of attempting to climb up Speaker's leg when the adipose belt slaps into his face like a wet towel. It coils up there and then falls limply onto his shoulder. Helpful.
[2,4]
With little to no help from anyone else Genesis manages to clamber up onto Speaker's shoulders and leap back to the balcony. He lands stomach first on the railing but manages to flop over and onto safe ground, completely winded.
"You all...suck..."
He tosses the adipose belt back into bob's face.
(Damage has no cap. I might roll d100 if you fall.)Btw, is Genesis going to reply?((he's a bit busy trying not to die, so no.))
“He can’t hear me. I must really be a ghost!”
The Speaker tries to break free from Genesis, the belt and the Maintain spell, and fly freely up into the sky.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
[3]
You squirm in mid air but don't not fall and cannot escape this...maintainment.
"I am a corpse, lemme go! I must fly! All corpses must fly!"
"This is starting to make less sense by the moment" One of your kidneys mutters.
"Meh, same old same old. Hold up the ceiling, you know how it is. I think I'm gonna get a vacation in a couple centuries though. Let everything fall down. Should be nice."Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Shrug "Statue must be busy, better let it rest." ignoring the words the statue began to say I stand up and look at the wall "Well hello there good wall! How are you today?" I good naturedly ask it.
Try to befriend the wall.
"I got the letter to say what's written on it, it's something about someone wanting this guy to make some warriors to fight in his home land where ever that is, do we think one of those warrior things is what killed him?"Debby recounts the contents of the letter to everyone nearby while Elizabeth cries and hides her face against Debby's chest.
Tell people that care what the letter says, then see how Elizabeth's doing after finding out the wizard is dead.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
A new kind of Homunculus and everything! Welcome aboard. You plop out of the cauldron back in the cavern, right next to the guy talking to a wall. Literally talking to a wall.Character ApplicationSpoiler: Tess (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on June 27, 2021, 01:06:05 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Try to steal magic artifacts from the mages room
“Theres got to be some cool magical tidbit around here, this room belonged to a mage!”
Post by: Ozarck on June 27, 2021, 01:11:29 pm
SPEAKER! You are alive ... for the moment. Don't make me regret telling you that.
Everyone. If any of you take something from this place without permission from the owners of this place, I'll kill you.
...
Debby, thank you for that information. Would you mind asking the figurehead about the scratches on her and what she saw?"
Head pat Elizabeth with a small 'ack ack' of sympathy, then go and sit with the frogs and converse.
"I am sorry. He was gone before we arrived. I think we have discovered who is responsible, but we'll need to ask some questions. I'd like to meet with you and the other building leaders. The Mole and the ... bird guy I guess."
After this, if I get any kind of direction on meeting with the animated leaders, go to the meeting.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on June 27, 2021, 05:27:35 pm
Spoiler: Tess (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 27, 2021, 05:47:33 pm
<snip>
"This is starting to make less sense by the moment" One of your kidneys mutters.
<snip>
“Wait! What?!!”
"…SPEAKER! You are alive ... for the moment. Don't make me regret telling you that.
…"
“I’m alive?”, The Speaker says as he looks down at the ground below. “Oh shit. OH SHIT. OH SHIIIIIIIIT!!!!!!!! Somebody help me! Please help me!!!!!!! HELLLLLLLP!!!!!!”, The Speaker yells to anyone and anything that has an ear (or metaphorical ear) to hear.
If anyone helps me, comply with any instructions they give, spending 1 fate point on doing so.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
((Btw, how come Horizon/Sunny D crawled out of the cauldron wearing a leotard, when the rest of us had to crawl out with nothing but our birthday suits?))
Post by: Toaster on June 27, 2021, 06:28:15 pm
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip shrieks that everyone should give him their robes!
Tie robes together (or if they're like a bathrobe, the sash (or both if necessary)) and make a roberope. Toss it to Floaty McFloataway.
Post by: Lenglon on June 27, 2021, 07:07:04 pm
((Btw, how come Horizon/Sunny D crawled out of the cauldron wearing a leotard, when the rest of us had to crawl out with nothing but our birthday suits?))((Obviously it's because they ARE the leotard! THE LEOTARD IS THEIR TRUE FORM!! WAKE UP SHEEPLE!!?!?!!?!))
Post by: Horizon on June 27, 2021, 07:22:33 pm
((Btw, how come Horizon/Sunny D crawled out of the cauldron wearing a leotard, when the rest of us had to crawl out with nothing but our birthday suits?))((Obviously it's because they ARE the leotard! THE LEOTARD IS THEIR TRUE FORM!! WAKE UP SHEEPLE!!?!?!!?!))
((Yes, but the question is where does the leotard begin and where does the man end?))
Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
"I can imagine it will be spectacular, oh it seems a new friend has appeared excuse me for now." noticing a new potential friend has crawled from the goo I promptly walk over to commence operation friendship "Hello fellow being, let us cavort together in the name of friendship!" I extend a hand "Now that we are definitely friends let us make a secret handshake as is customary!"
Post by: Lenglon on June 27, 2021, 07:27:06 pm
Post by: Horizon on June 27, 2021, 07:32:50 pm
"huh? it.... it is? we are? what?"
"I can see your confused or possibly your confusion is confused?" shrugs still holding hand out "Either way I'd like to be your official friend!"
Post by: Lenglon on June 27, 2021, 07:45:11 pm
I look blankly at the hand.
Post by: Ozarck on June 27, 2021, 08:35:51 pm
Drip shrieks that everyone should give him their robes!
"No."
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 27, 2021, 09:07:05 pm
"Grey, save him if you want, but ... no one would blame you if he were to fall.
“Oh shit. OH SHIT. OH SHIIIIIIIIT!!!!!!!! Somebody help me! Please help me!!!!!!! HELLLLLLLP!!!!!!””Hmm…”
"Bob, if you can get a belt around him, securely this time, I’ll drop the spell holding him there.”
Grey continues Maintaining The Speaker, and will stop if Bob can get a belt around him, or if Speaker can grab onto something like the roberope. While that’s getting sorted out Grey grabs the ship’s wheel and gently spins it.
”Genesis, why were you going on about orange magic earlier?”
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 28, 2021, 12:38:21 am
<snip>
(Damage has no cap. I might roll d100 if you fall.)
<snip>
((If I fall, can I parry the ground?))
Post by: King Zultan on June 28, 2021, 04:36:58 am
Go over and talk to the figurehead and see what if it saw what happened to the wizard and what caused the scratches.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on June 28, 2021, 08:29:48 am
Quote
((Btw, how come Horizon/Sunny D crawled out of the cauldron wearing a leotard, when the rest of us had to crawl out with nothing but our birthday suits?))
Probably because we didn’t think of anything else!! :D
Post by: Ozarck on June 28, 2021, 11:52:57 am
”Genesis, why were you going on about orange magic earlier?”"There is a thumbprint branded into the wheel post it had fading traces of orange magic, unlike any of the magics around here. Anything else that had such magic is a threat we need to contain, and a clue we need to pursue."
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 28, 2021, 10:22:08 pm
Grey looks over to the wheel.”Genesis, why were you going on about orange magic earlier?”"There is a thumbprint branded into the wheel post it had fading traces of orange magic, unlike any of the magics around here. Anything else that had such magic is a threat we need to contain, and a clue we need to pursue."
”Really? Interesting."
Post by: Beirus on June 28, 2021, 10:42:46 pm
Bob holds the adipose belt like a whip and slings the opposite end towards Speaker. If the end gets close enough, Bob uses his magic to make it wrap around Speaker's arm, leg, or torso while making end he is holding tie itself to the railing securely.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: Toaster on June 28, 2021, 11:25:22 pm
Drip shrieks that everyone should give him their robes!
"No."
Shrieeeeeeeek
Post by: Ozarck on June 28, 2021, 11:33:31 pm
Quote from: Toaster
"Yes I know. I feel the exact same way. I should just stand by the cauldron and stab them until I get non-insane ones. Just stab them all."Quote from: OzarckQuote from: ToasterDrip shrieks that everyone should give him their robes!
"No."
Shrieeeeeeeek
Post by: NJW2000 on June 30, 2021, 02:20:18 pm
If Youare notices the screaming and suspension and general nonsense, he asks the stuffed owl in the elevator if there are any kind of safety features on the castle, specifically if somebody falls off the top or among the cages. And then takes steps to activate such features, if they exist.
Otherwise, he goes back to the office and rejoins the rest of the group.
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on June 30, 2021, 02:27:21 pm
No (https://static3.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/parry-this-you-filthy-casual-meme.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=740&h=827&dpr=1.5)
<snip>
(Damage has no cap. I might roll d100 if you fall.)
<snip>
((If I fall, can I parry the ground?))
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Try to steal magic artifacts from the mages room
“Theres got to be some cool magical tidbit around here, this room belonged to a mage!”
[5]
Raivuch pulls the sheet off the bed and forms it into a crude sack. He then starts sweeping anything that looks remotely magical off the shelves and into the sack until it is full. Holding now, with at least a half dozen swords piercing out of it, is a bit hard.
I take a moment to look around and orient myself, seeing what appears to be around me, and reading the large plaques. afterwards I collect the starting robe, gloves, and needle, and wear the clothing. And then proceed to walk around the area and learn what the layout of the place is like. Once I've familiarized myself, I go ahead and head to the teleporter room and see if I'm needed on-task.After quickly grabbing your stuff and wandering around to get your bearings, you go check out the teleporter. The gate is definitely open and there is a mission emblazoned on the tablet near it.Spoiler: Tess (click to show/hide)
"Grey, save him if you want, but ... no one would blame you if he were to fall.[1][+1 fate point]
SPEAKER! You are alive ... for the moment. Don't make me regret telling you that.
Everyone. If any of you take something from this place without permission from the owners of this place, I'll kill you.
...
Debby, thank you for that information. Would you mind asking the figurehead about the scratches on her and what she saw?"
Head pat Elizabeth with a small 'ack ack' of sympathy, then go and sit with the frogs and converse.
"I am sorry. He was gone before we arrived. I think we have discovered who is responsible, but we'll need to ask some questions. I'd like to meet with you and the other building leaders. The Mole and the ... bird guy I guess."
After this, if I get any kind of direction on meeting with the animated leaders, go to the meeting.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Genesis walks over to Debby and pats Elizabeth's head. She peeks up at him with teary eyes and he immediately starts making a sound like a choking rooster. Some sort of "ACK ACK ACK!" noise. She seems very startled by this, as anyone would be. Imagine you were at a funeral and a random mourner just started hacking up a hairball in your face. How the hell do you respond to that?
Drip disrobes in a very literal way. He shrieks for everyone else to do similar...and absolutely no one else does. Not even a single freaking person. Several people are completely ignoring the situation with Speaker entirely! One guy appears to be about to vomit on a fox. Another guy is talking to a piece of wood! That guy, that guy over there is just straight up stealing shit!Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip shrieks that everyone should give him their robes!
Tie robes together (or if they're like a bathrobe, the sash (or both if necessary)) and make a roberope. Toss it to Floaty McFloataway.
Drip begins to despair for the death of teamwork.
Grey looks at everything going on around him and shrugs. He maintains his maintaining on Speaker while wandering over to the Wheel. Everyone else was so busy looking at it through needles and at the blood and such that they never really looked at the wheel itself. Its a fairly standard wagon wheel shape, made of white-gray wood, with a big circular bronze plate on the front. Each of the little handle grips is actually shaped like a human arm, ending in a fist, while the central plate has a human face in the center. It looks sort of like one of those old stylized depictions of the sun. Albeit a sun with arms."Grey, save him if you want, but ... no one would blame you if he were to fall.“Oh shit. OH SHIT. OH SHIIIIIIIIT!!!!!!!! Somebody help me! Please help me!!!!!!! HELLLLLLLP!!!!!!””Hmm…”
"Bob, if you can get a belt around him, securely this time, I’ll drop the spell holding him there.”
Grey continues Maintaining The Speaker, and will stop if Bob can get a belt around him, or if Speaker can grab onto something like the roberope. While that’s getting sorted out Grey grabs the ship’s wheel and gently spins it.
”Genesis, why were you going on about orange magic earlier?”Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Grey grabs one of the remaining hand holds and attempts to turn the wheel. It doesn't move. He pushes harder. Still nothing. He puts his full weight into it and REALLY tries. [2] It doesn't budge an inch.
"Don't worry Elizabeth we'll find out what happened to him."[3]
Go over and talk to the figurehead and see what if it saw what happened to the wizard and what caused the scratches.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Debby jerks Elizabeth away from Genesis and pats her head, carrying her over towards the balcony railing. Once there she bends over a bit and calls down to the figurehead, asking it about the scratches. The figurehead responds bluntly with a creaking "Owl" and nothing else.
Bob shrugs. "I don't control who the belts like. Maybe he spoke ill of them behind their back or something. Perhaps the belt will be nicer this time." Bob holds the adipose belt and looks at it sternly. "Now losten here, belt. You are made of Bob and I expect you to assist the other guy or so help me I will reintegrate you."
Bob holds the adipose belt like a whip and slings the opposite end towards Speaker. If the end gets close enough, Bob uses his magic to make it wrap around Speaker's arm, leg, or torso while making end he is holding tie itself to the railing securely.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
<snip>
"This is starting to make less sense by the moment" One of your kidneys mutters.
<snip>
“Wait! What?!!”"…SPEAKER! You are alive ... for the moment. Don't make me regret telling you that.
…"
“I’m alive?”, The Speaker says as he looks down at the ground below. “Oh shit. OH SHIT. OH SHIIIIIIIIT!!!!!!!! Somebody help me! Please help me!!!!!!! HELLLLLLLP!!!!!!”, The Speaker yells to anyone and anything that has an ear (or metaphorical ear) to hear.
If anyone helps me, comply with any instructions they give, spending 1 fate point on doing so.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
((Btw, how come Horizon/Sunny D crawled out of the cauldron wearing a leotard, when the rest of us had to crawl out with nothing but our birthday suits?))
[3, 5,
Bob, using his adipose belt tied to the end of Drip's robe, slings a rescue line out for Speaker. His throw is crap, but speaker manages to twist around and just barely catch it. He gets a solid hold of it with both hands before Grey releases his magic. With a combination of pulling and climbing, Speaker manages to get back onto the balcony safe and sound. Well, physically sound, mentally he's...something else I'm sure.
Post by: Ozarck on June 30, 2021, 07:12:00 pm
Then go and stab Looty McStealsItAll, right in a vital. Repeat until either he drops the loot and apologizes or the corpse stops twitching. Use a fate point to ensure this gets done.
Make sure to make eye contact with the other looty types afterward, (or during, as long as doing so doesn't interfere with the stabbing).
If I am interrupted, spend the rest of my fate points on killing my assailant via stabbing (and preferably not dying).
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Toaster on June 30, 2021, 07:16:14 pm
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip pats Bob on the head nicely.
Put robe on. Open own door. Throw something from the room in and see what happens. Can I go in my own chest-door?
Post by: Fire and Glory on June 30, 2021, 10:41:29 pm
”Oh, no you don’t!”
He Maintains the rate at which air is currently entering Genesis's lungs, ensuring it doesn’t stop (or start) and then goes in to slash him with his saber, spending 1 fate on avoiding retaliation.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Horizon on June 30, 2021, 11:20:55 pm
"Hey Friendship? Wanna be friends?"
Become friends with Friendship itself.
Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on July 01, 2021, 04:17:08 am
Walk into a far corner away from everyone else and see if there isn't a painting I can interrogate, and see how Elizabeth is holding up after all that's happened.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 01, 2021, 07:16:09 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
i shoot glass at my assailant and then have some glass form Into two hands and have the hands grab my weapons and attack. If any glass shards miss, I form them into a spear and shoot it at my attacker..
Just for the record the lack of words does not mean I don’t put in role play. It means my character is staying absolutely silent.
Post by: Lenglon on July 01, 2021, 09:34:45 pm
Once on the other side I look around and attempt to orient myself, see what's around me that might be potentially useful.
Spoiler: Tess (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 01, 2021, 10:59:55 pm
“Almost was, too.”
…
“For crying out load! I’m not even one day old! I’m too young to die!
The Speaker then goes over to where he dropped his needle earlier and picks it up.
“I don’t understand why they don’t give us tassels for these things.”
The speaker then puts the hole in the handle up to his eye like he’s seen others do and looks around the room.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on July 03, 2021, 04:53:48 pm
"Right. So Elias adopts a girl, Alice, and makes this place for her. She sickens and dies, he gets upset but refuses to leave."
"Or at least, that's what the stuffed owl told me. Very little of that makes any sense. A mage adopting someone... do mages ever care about people who aren't mages? And if he did care for her, how did a man who can rewrite the universe let her die of some illness? And why did he choose to live in a dead child's playpen? There's something pretty off here."
"Okay. That's what I've found out. How are you lot doing?"
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on July 03, 2021, 04:56:31 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
i shoot glass at my assailant and then have some glass form Into two hands and have the hands grab my weapons and attack. If any glass shards miss, I form them into a spear and shoot it at my attacker..
Just for the record the lack of words does not mean I don’t put in role play. It means my character is staying absolutely silent.
Stop 'ack'ing immediately. Those were supposed to be the gentle sounds a kindhearted fox makes in sympathy, not the deranged sounds an angry, diseased crow makes when it steps on a Lego.[
Then go and stab Looty McStealsItAll, right in a vital. Repeat until either he drops the loot and apologizes or the corpse stops twitching. Use a fate point to ensure this gets done.
Make sure to make eye contact with the other looty types afterward, (or during, as long as doing so doesn't interfere with the stabbing).
If I am interrupted, spend the rest of my fate points on killing my assailant via stabbing (and preferably not dying).Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Genesis, seeing someone carrying a giant sack of stolen goods, gets a bit annoyed. After all, Homunculi are here to solve problems, not loot and pillage. He decides that the best way to drive the point home to the newbie is to do so in a literal fashion. He stops his acking and immediately charges headlong towards Raivuch. Raivuch, seeing a man charge him with a giant needle, hurls his protective cloud of glass shards at Genesis in a rapid fire fashion. Genesis swings his needle into the cloud of fragments and strikes several of them. Instead of just swatting those few shards away, a shockwave seems to ripple back through the remaining pieces and the clatter to the ground. Before Raivuch can will the glass back up Genesis is on him. Genesis doesn't do anything fancy, doesn't engage in any flashy swordplay. He just runs needle first into Raivuch and stabs his needle -Which is now glowing with a clear and shimmery magic- into Raivuch's stomach. The needle pierces straight through and out his back, and then the clear magic flashes into his body. Shards of broken glass explode out all around the wound, a glittering geyser of blood coated crystal. On anyone else, this would be exponentially more horrific than just a single stab wound but...Raivuch is a glass elemental so it really doesn't do much of anything. The giant iron needle through his guts though, that is a problem. [-6 HP to Raivuch].
Whenever he hears the sounds of attempted murder, Grey turns around.[2] Grey points at Genesis and shouts "Maintain!"
”Oh, no you don’t!”
He Maintains the rate at which air is currently entering Genesis's lungs, ensuring it doesn’t stop (or start) and then goes in to slash him with his saber, spending 1 fate on avoiding retaliation.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Nothing happens!
“Whew! For a moment, I thought I was dead there!”, The Speaker exclaims.Speaker grabs his needle and looks through its eye. [3]
“Almost was, too.”
…
“For crying out load! I’m not even one day old! I’m too young to die!
The Speaker then goes over to where he dropped his needle earlier and picks it up.
“I don’t understand why they don’t give us tassels for these things.”
The speaker then puts the hole in the handle up to his eye like he’s seen others do and looks around the room.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Woah! Everything looks really weird! You can see through people's clothes! AND SKIN! There's god damn x-ray glasses in this needle!
Drip puts his robe back on. He then reopens the door in his chest and throws a random book through. It goes through and lands in the room beyond exactly as you'd expect if you just threw it through a regular door. He sticks an arm in as best he can. It goes through, just like through a regular door as well, but he can't bend far enough to get much in.Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip pats Bob on the head nicely.
Put robe on. Open own door. Throw something from the room in and see what happens. Can I go in my own chest-door?
I read the briefing note, doing my best to memorize what's there, and then slowly step towards the teleporter.Through the portal is a long solid metal hallway. Like...solid metal. No rivets, no seams, just a solid metal hall. Little metal swings hang from the roof and fist sized balls of fire swing back and forth, kicking tiny fire legs. Behind you is the teleport conduit, leaned up against the wall. That way ends abruptly in a featureless wall. The other way goes on for quite a while, but you see light at the end. You can faintly hear the sound of crying.
Once on the other side I look around and attempt to orient myself, see what's around me that might be potentially useful.Spoiler: Tess (click to show/hide)
"Hm, you do not seem keen to be friends," Sunny D drops his hand to his side and shrugs "No matter I'll go befriend something else...Oh I know! he excitedly hops up and down "I'll be friends with the concept of friendship itself!" Sunny giggles then turns to nobody in specific.[5]
"Hey Friendship? Wanna be friends?"
Become friends with Friendship itself.Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Sunny feels a warmth in his heart and knows that he and friendship are already friends and always will be.
I love you too, abstract concept.
"Apparently an owl caused the scratches on the figurehead." Debby turns around to see if any of her colleagues had any input only to see that one of them is trying to murder someone. "Come on Elizabeth lets go over here far from everyone else and see if we can't figure stuff out."[6]
Walk into a far corner away from everyone else and see if there isn't a painting I can interrogate, and see how Elizabeth is holding up after all that's happened.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
You wander around until you find a statue of some kind of...big bat like thing. Gargoyle maybe? You ask it about the murder and it responds with a sound like grinding stone:
"I'll tell you what I saw...for some blood."
Elizabeth is back to crying and hiding her face against you.
Youare he goes back to the office, enters and rejoins the rest of the group. He takes in the murder scene, and looks around for anything relating to a young person (Alice).The doll seems very much like it might be hers. Though it seems quite simple for something that her doting father would give her. Maybe its something from before she was adopted?
"Right. So Elias adopts a girl, Alice, and makes this place for her. She sickens and dies, he gets upset but refuses to leave."
"Or at least, that's what the stuffed owl told me. Very little of that makes any sense. A mage adopting someone... do mages ever care about people who aren't mages? And if he did care for her, how did a man who can rewrite the universe let her die of some illness? And why did he choose to live in a dead child's playpen? There's something pretty off here."
"Okay. That's what I've found out. How are you lot doing?"Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 03, 2021, 09:27:12 pm
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 03, 2021, 09:32:24 pm
"Genesis! I don't want to fight to the death and you're outnumbered. Stop fighting now, and we can go back to solving this murder, instead of trying to cause another one!"Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
((Isn’t the point about humonculi that they are expendable?))
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 03, 2021, 09:33:59 pm
((Isn’t the point about humonculi that they are expendable?))((That doesn't mean the humonculi involved are happy about it. Besides, Genesis is useful.))
Post by: Ozarck on July 03, 2021, 09:40:01 pm
((Isn’t the point about humonculi that they are expendable?))((They are. But they don't necessarily want to be.))
((edit: oops, forgot for a moment that my character color is lime green, not orange.))
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 03, 2021, 09:59:46 pm
After observing whatever follows for a few moments, Grey takes the the broken wheel-piece that got stuck in Elias, and fits it in place where it broke off the wheel. He then Maintains contact between the broken piece and the wood of the wheel. After which he will try turning the wheel again.
If the magic fails, he will settle for holding the broken piece in place as best he can.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on July 03, 2021, 10:03:05 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 03, 2021, 10:26:53 pm
Youare he goes back to the office, enters and rejoins the rest of the group. He takes in the murder scene, and looks around for anything relating to a young person (Alice)."Good that that you're here. I don't think Mages can rewrite the universe, that's roughly the distinction between Mages and Magi, after all. My guess is that they have magic like you and me, but scaled up a bit."
"Right. So Elias adopts a girl, Alice, and makes this place for her. She sickens and dies, he gets upset but refuses to leave."
"Or at least, that's what the stuffed owl told me. Very little of that makes any sense. A mage adopting someone... do mages ever care about people who aren't mages? And if he did care for her, how did a man who can rewrite the universe let her die of some illness? And why did he choose to live in a dead child's playpen? There's something pretty off here."
"Okay. That's what I've found out. How are you lot doing?"
"Maybe he lived here as some kind of mourning period?"
Unless Youre joins in on the fighting or something, Grey fills him in on everything he knows about the crime scene while he's messing with the wheel.
"As you can see, Elias is very dead. He somehow became impaled on this wheel here, which broke a piece off in him and he ended up over there. We also found a letter in his desk, in a language we couldn't read. Debby said that it was from someone asking him to return to his people and create warriors for some kind of war, it sounded fairly serious. It also mentioned that by their brand they would control and lead these warriors, and that they would be here soon. My guess is that it's from the witch we heard about. There's also a magical thumbprint burnt into, or branded I should say, on the back of this wheel here. Interesting no?"
"I don't know if you saw, but there are also some scratches on the figurehead over by the balcony outside. I think Debby said an owl caused it? Maybe the one you mentioned? Though I don't know if it could do that if it was stuffed. Not sure how that factors in to everything else."
"That's about all I know, I reckon."
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on July 03, 2021, 11:24:15 pm
Spoiler: Tess (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 04, 2021, 12:14:42 am
“What’s going on here?”, he inquires.
Post by: Beirus on July 04, 2021, 02:52:14 am
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on July 04, 2021, 04:34:18 am
Go find a cup or something to collect the blood of that guy that just got stabbed, then give the cup of blood to the statue.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 04, 2021, 11:17:36 am
"Now you," Genesis snarls at Rairvuch, "You wanna drop Elias' belongins and apologize to Miss Elizabeth for your inconsideration?"
“Do you want to be squished Into a red paste next time we fight a monster? If not, I suggest you get some loot and stop being a goody-goody.”
Pull out the needle. Order my glass to turn into a ring around my longswords hilt. have the glass ring stab genesis with the sword, if not, then order the rest of my glass to carry off the armory and my bag of loot toward the portal, and ask around for some bandages.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on July 04, 2021, 03:17:44 pm
"Next time we do what? You've been out of the cauldron all of ten minutes, haven't you? Were you planning on fighting the castle frog?
Are you as stupid as I think you are?"
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 04, 2021, 04:10:08 pm
Post by: Ozarck on July 04, 2021, 04:27:01 pm
“IM NOT STUPID. But I heard about the guy who got crushed by the wolf demon. I guarantee you that if he had a dozen magic swords things would have turned out very differently.”
"Perhaps we can come to an agreement. We're here to pacify this place and solve a death. Did you notice? The creatures here are being targetted as cannon fodder for a war. I'm sure they would be grateful for our assistance in bringing their beloved master's murderer to justice, and additionally grateful for being kept out of magical slavery, don't you think? Leave these items here, go, talk to the bird and the frog. and remember this: we may be utterly expendable, mass produced automata, but the mages aren't. Have a little respect, eh?
Not sure why you think some chunk of metal would be more useful to you than the glass you control is though. That Wolf Titan was taken down by belts and needles. Belts. Right Bob?"
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 04, 2021, 10:08:11 pm
“IM NOT STUPID. But I heard about the guy who got crushed by the wolf demon. I guarantee you that if he had a dozen magic swords things would have turned out very differently.”
((Who’d he hear it from?))
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 04, 2021, 10:28:59 pm
Post by: Ozarck on July 05, 2021, 01:31:23 am
The Speaker walks toward Genesis and Raivuch while tapping the shaft of his needle against his palm."Gimme a hand here, would you, Speaker? This random guy just showed up and started stealing everything that isn't nailed down. Looks like he doesn't intend to stop, either. He's clearly too stupid to negotiate, too selfish to understand compassion, and too stubborn to back down. Useless."
“What’s going on here?”, he inquires.
Post by: NJW2000 on July 05, 2021, 07:02:03 am
"Good that that you're here. I don't think Mages can rewrite the universe, that's roughly the distinction between Mages and Magi, after all. My guess is that they have magic like you and me, but scaled up a bit.""Thank you. That is interesting. And yes, you're right, mages are not quite Magi."
-
Youare stands absently for a few moments, thinking. He then calmly walks over to the entrance to the study, before shutting and locking whichever doors he can, separating the party from the rest of the tower. This done, he speaks quietly to the homunculi around him, keeping well away from the metal frogs and the stuffed fox. Time allowing, he looks through his needle at the steering wheel and the huge frog below, trying to determine what the wheel is connected to: nothing, the frog, the whole tower, etc.
"So there are a couple of questions we need answers to. The first is how come this tower thinks that a man called Elias controls it, when we were asked to pacify the home of a "she". A little unusual, don't you think?"
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: Toaster on July 05, 2021, 01:07:30 pm
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Search the walls and floor for secret doors. There's usually a book to pull on the bookcase or something. Maybe one labeled "Secret door here" or something?
Post by: Ozarck on July 05, 2021, 01:27:58 pm
"So there are a couple of questions we need answers to. The first is how come this tower thinks that a man called Elias controls it, when we were asked to pacify the home of a "she". A little unusual, don't you think?"
"You've already answered that question yourself."
Post by: NJW2000 on July 05, 2021, 01:58:38 pm
"You've already answered that question yourself."Youare furrows his brow, and speaks softly.
"How do you mean?"
"We were told that a mage died, and her home grew violent. So are we investigating Elias's death, or Alice's? If she's the mage, then what's with Elias? Why aren't we investigating his death? And why did it take so long for us to get here? Unless that owl was lying to me, she died a long time ago."
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 05, 2021, 03:27:58 pm
The Speaker walks toward Genesis and Raivuch while tapping the shaft of his needle against his palm."Gimme a hand here, would you, Speaker? This random guy just showed up and started stealing everything that isn't nailed down. Looks like he doesn't intend to stop, either. He's clearly too stupid to negotiate, too selfish to understand compassion, and too stubborn to back down. Useless."
“What’s going on here?”, he inquires.
“A Hand?”, The Speaker looks at Genesis, then at Elias’s body, then back at Genesis.
“Do you want me to cut one off the corpse?!”
Post by: Ozarck on July 05, 2021, 03:33:27 pm
"How do you mean?""I imagine whoever wrote our instructions was very careful in their choice of wording. The home was, obviously, the home of this girl you say Elias adopted. The Magi who ordered us here seems to care about that, which is why I am killing this guy who is not only disrespecting all living creatures that the Mage, Elias made, but is also disrespecting the Magi and our orders.
"We were told that a mage died, and her home grew violent. So are we investigating Elias's death, or Alice's? If she's the mage, then what's with Elias? Why aren't we investigating his death? And why did it take so long for us to get here? Unless that owl was lying to me, she died a long time ago."
It was her home, and he was the Mage who made it so. Elias seemed to be a good soul, and our Master seems to value his will, since our orders are to keep his creations peaceful, rather than allow them to become instruments of war.
Post by: NJW2000 on July 05, 2021, 04:49:24 pm
"I imagine whoever wrote our instructions was very careful in their choice of wording. The home was, obviously, the home of this girl you say Elias adopted. The Magi who ordered us here seems to care about that, which is why I am killing this guy who is not only disrespecting all living creatures that the Mage, Elias made, but is also disrespecting the Magi and our orders.
It was her home, and he was the Mage who made it so. Elias seemed to be a good soul, and our Master seems to value his will, since our orders are to keep his creations peaceful, rather than allow them to become instruments of war.
"That is probably the best explanation. In any case, don't let me interrupt you. I understand you were dealing with a looting issue."
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 05, 2021, 08:46:02 pm
Post by: Ozarck on July 05, 2021, 10:20:15 pm
“A Hand?”, The Speaker looks at Genesis, then at Elias’s body, then back at Genesis."No, it was a figure of ... just forget it. Do not mutilate the corpse!"
“Do you want me to cut one off the corpse?!”
((sorry, I didn't see your post earlier))
Post by: piecewise on July 05, 2021, 11:15:49 pm
"Now you," Genesis snarls at Rairvuch, "You wanna drop Elias' belongins and apologize to Miss Elizabeth for your inconsideration?"
“Do you want to be squished Into a red paste next time we fight a monster? If not, I suggest you get some loot and stop being a goody-goody.”
Pull out the needle. Order my glass to turn into a ring around my longswords hilt. have the glass ring stab genesis with the sword, if not, then order the rest of my glass to carry off the armory and my bag of loot toward the portal, and ask around for some bandages.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Stab again. use a fate point for attack, and, should I need a roll for defense, a fate point for defense.[3v5,
"Next time we do what? You've been out of the cauldron all of ten minutes, haven't you? Were you planning on fighting the castle frog?
Are you as stupid as I think you are?"Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Rairvuch grabs at the needle, trying to yank it out of him with blood-slick hands. Genesis grabs Rairvuch by one shoulder and rips the needle free before immediately slamming it back into the newly birthed Homunculus' throat. There's a half second of gurgling before Genesis steps to the side and twists the needle hard, ending the fight with a final crack of bone. Genesis pulls the Needle out of the body and wipes the blood off on Rairvuch's robe. He stands there breathing hard for a few moments before looking back at the rest of the group.
"We should clean this up."
"Hmh...Fine, you have a point. So long as you have a practical reason for this, I won't interfere."
After observing whatever follows for a few moments, Grey takes the the broken wheel-piece that got stuck in Elias, and fits it in place where it broke off the wheel. He then Maintains contact between the broken piece and the wood of the wheel. After which he will try turning the wheel again.
If the magic fails, he will settle for holding the broken piece in place as best he can.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
[1] +1 fate
We'll get back to that.
Bob watches the outcome of the scuffle to see if anything interesting happens. If he doesn't, he starts searching Elias' bookcase and the walls. Maybe there is a secret compartment up here or something.Bob shrugs at the murder of one of his teammates and goes to check for secret passages and hidden walls. He finds nothing, though his method for searching is mostly just to wiggle random books and slap walls.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
"Well that shouldn't be to hard to get since some of my colleagues are busy killing each other."We'll get back to this too.
Go find a cup or something to collect the blood of that guy that just got stabbed, then give the cup of blood to the statue.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
And this as well."Good that that you're here. I don't think Mages can rewrite the universe, that's roughly the distinction between Mages and Magi, after all. My guess is that they have magic like you and me, but scaled up a bit.""Thank you. That is interesting. And yes, you're right, mages are not quite Magi."
-
Youare stands absently for a few moments, thinking. He then calmly walks over to the entrance to the study, before shutting and locking whichever doors he can, separating the party from the rest of the tower. This done, he speaks quietly to the homunculi around him, keeping well away from the metal frogs and the stuffed fox. Time allowing, he looks through his needle at the steering wheel and the huge frog below, trying to determine what the wheel is connected to: nothing, the frog, the whole tower, etc.
"So there are a couple of questions we need answers to. The first is how come this tower thinks that a man called Elias controls it, when we were asked to pacify the home of a "she". A little unusual, don't you think?"Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
I slowly walk towards the source of the crying, continuing to look around as I do so, looking for the source and preparing to offer comfort.the hall opens up into a wide dome, a sort of terrarium of metal and stone. Its form is that of a sort of decorative lake or swamp, dominated by a great body of liquid ringed by a shore and crisscrossed with stepping stone walkways. The "water" of the pond is liquid bronze, not molten but still liquid. The fronds and ferns and tall grass that ring the pond are bronze, while the floating lily pads are silver and gold. The dragonflies flitting about are platinum and appear to be made of delicate lace instead of prefect recreations of insects. Overhead, sitting on a metal platform that somewhat resembles a wagon wheel, is a larger ball of flame, which waves to the group as they enter. Though it has no face, it has a huge mustache made of curling fire. Out in the lake, across a stepping stone path of what looks like petrified wood carved into the shapes of lily pads, is a gazebo of sorts. It resembles a giant mangrove but curved in a "C" shape, so its boughs overhang its tangled roots and form a covered platform. A large swing, big enough to fit two comfortably and covered in cushions, hangs from the branches. Despite the utter artificiality of it all, there is still a pleasant cool breeze and the smell of rain in the air somehow.Spoiler: Tess (click to show/hide)
In the center of the pond, curled up on a big metal Lily Pad, is a child sized frog. She's crying quite piteously.
A few very important things happen all at once. Youare begins surreptitiously closing the door and, because there are no homunculi far enough away from potentially prying eyes and ears, checks on the wheel. At the same time, Debby is carrying the statue of the gargoyle over to the spreading pool of blood beneath the body of his former teammate. He places the statue in the blood and it starts getting sucked up and into the base of the thing. And finally, Grey rather stupidly takes the handle from the wheel and attempts to smash it back into place by force instead of magic.
After drinking its fill the statue whispers "The Wheel" to Debby. Debby sighs, thinking this is a failure, the result of overly literal interpretation of the question. Meanwhile, Youare thinks of something while staring at the magic in the wheel. That twisted root magic is Elias' signature, and his magic is about animating inanimate objects. So why does an apparently inanimate wheel contain animation magic? He thinks of this just as Grey slams the broken end of the handle against the wheel for the third time. And as he raises his hand for the fourth, the metal eyes of the face plate of the wheel snap open and focus on him. [5] The wheel lunges forward, spinning its handles like a buzz saw of cudgels as the wooden base flexes like a striking cobra. Grey, apparently through sheer spinal reflex, leaps to the side as the wheel hisses past him. The wheel pulls itself back a moment later and its base rips free of the floor, rising up on a coiled length of wood and brass gears and shafts, apparently the machinery of the driving system.
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 05, 2021, 11:33:16 pm
"Magi damned thing!"
"I'll try to keep it from moving!"
He sends out his magic to Maintain the position of the wheel's base/body, spending one fate point and hopefully paralyzing it. He then steps forward and attempts to thrust his needle into the creature, regardless of the magic's success.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on July 05, 2021, 11:38:33 pm
If Grey's magic takes hold, dash around behind the wheel and stab it in the brand, if I can reach. Else, stay in front and wait for opportunities to stab. Aim at the eyes, but hit whatever I can.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: m1895 on July 05, 2021, 11:54:00 pm
work with Genesis to stab at the wheel, aiming to cripple, not kill.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 06, 2021, 12:10:44 am
I think I’ll expend 1 fate point on this.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on July 06, 2021, 04:18:29 am
Keep far from that weird thing, to make sure Elizabeth can't get hurt by that thing.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on July 06, 2021, 06:22:12 am
"Try not to kill it. Not before we can interrogate it, at least."
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on July 06, 2021, 08:42:28 am
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Horizon on July 06, 2021, 11:16:24 am
Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on July 06, 2021, 03:45:55 pm
"Also, Genesis, I would like to see your Needle when we're done if you don't use up that magic. I bet I could turn that dead guy's magic into a glass-manipulating belt. Then we'd still have the guy's utility without the kleptomania. Unless the belt is cursed or something."
Bob is well acquainted with belt snakes since the last mission, and that monster is clearly a giant belt. I mean seriously, the wheel is like a built-in buckle. With that thought in mind, Bob attempts to use his belt powers to control and restrain the steering wheel "snake" which is totally a belt (from a relatively safe distance of course). It shall kneel before Bob!
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on July 06, 2021, 04:10:08 pm
"Also, Genesis, I would like to see your Needle when we're done if you don't use up that magic. I bet I could turn that dead guy's magic into a glass-manipulating belt. Then we'd still have the guy's utility without the kleptomania. Unless the belt is cursed or something."
"I don't think the Needle absorbed any power from stabbing him. Maybe we are immune to that effect."
Post by: Beirus on July 06, 2021, 05:21:54 pm
"Also, Genesis, I would like to see your Needle when we're done if you don't use up that magic. I bet I could turn that dead guy's magic into a glass-manipulating belt. Then we'd still have the guy's utility without the kleptomania. Unless the belt is cursed or something."
"I don't think the Needle absorbed any power from stabbing him. Maybe we are immune to that effect."
"Aww, we were gonna be belt bros. Well, the offer still stands. If your Needle picks up some magic you want me to turn into a belt, let me know. Everybody should have belts. Also, they're a handy tool if I need to rescue falling people in the future. It works much better when they're already being worn."
Post by: Ozarck on July 06, 2021, 07:14:48 pm
"Aww, we were gonna be belt bros. Well, the offer still stands. If your Needle picks up some magic you want me to turn into a belt, let me know. Everybody should have belts. Also, they're a handy tool if I need to rescue falling people in the future. It works much better when they're already being worn.""Maybe it's because I am distracted, what with the murder, the other murder, and the current attempted murder, but you make a lot of sense, Bob."
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 06, 2021, 10:10:43 pm
"Aww, we were gonna be belt bros. Well, the offer still stands. If your Needle picks up some magic you want me to turn into a belt, let me know. Everybody should have belts. Also, they're a handy tool if I need to rescue falling people in the future. It works much better when they're already being worn.""Maybe it's because I am distracted, what with the murder, the other murder, and the current attempted murder, but you make a lot of sense, Bob."
((I’ve got it! Genesis in the mage’s room with the needle!))
Post by: Ozarck on July 06, 2021, 10:47:31 pm
Post by: Horizon on July 06, 2021, 11:59:41 pm
Post by: Lenglon on July 07, 2021, 06:03:32 am
I speak to the crying individual, mostly just to let her know that I'm here and avoid suprising her.
"Are you able to talk about what happened?"
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 08, 2021, 09:01:11 am
Spoiler: Character Creation (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on July 08, 2021, 02:09:45 pm
((Delete the first line of the spoiler, and post an action to pick up and equip your robe, gloves, and Needle. Then, if you want into the mission, post action to go through the portal. If you want ot explore home base, well, there's a minimap in the OP))I hope I can joinSpoiler: Character Creation (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 08, 2021, 02:26:25 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 09, 2021, 07:19:56 pm
((I hope BP makes another character though. Hope I didn't scare him off too much. After all, what's a little stabbing betweenfriendsfellow forumites? Probably be a personal record if I did scare him off. So there's that, I guess))
if i could have gotten on when you asked to stop the fight, i would have agreed. but unforseen circumstances (and unforseen idiots) caused me not to be able to get on after i posted that last post.
heres my new character:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on July 09, 2021, 07:44:13 pm
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 09, 2021, 07:48:08 pm
Post by: piecewise on July 09, 2021, 08:41:45 pm
We're gonna assume, since a cluster is forming down here, that You're with Tess.((I hope BP makes another character though. Hope I didn't scare him off too much. After all, what's a little stabbing betweenfriendsfellow forumites? Probably be a personal record if I did scare him off. So there's that, I guess))
if i could have gotten on when you asked to stop the fight, i would have agreed. but unforseen circumstances (and unforseen idiots) caused me not to be able to get on after i posted that last post.
heres my new character:take a bath, grab my stuff, hop through the portal, and grab the bag of loot that rairvuch had. then find the person who looks like theyre the closest to figuring something out and ask how i can helpSpoiler (click to show/hide)
Your Element is "Light". As in that thing what helps you see, not the quantity of being unheavy.
We're gonna assume you're with Lenglon/Tess.Pick up and equip my robes, gloves and needle, then walk through the portalSpoiler (click to show/hide)
A smile spreads across his face "I was silly to think we'd never be friends, I love you too Friendship." feeling complete Sunny decides it is time to see where he was and why! Once he eventually finds the portal and the board he hesitates to go through "How are you portal? Did anyone pass through you recently? I hope they asked first. " obviously portal's deserved to ask consent before being used as a means of travel.[1]Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
The portal says it doesn't want you to come in. No one ever asks.
Uh...I was gonna put you with Tess but now you've gone and annoyed the portal so...I don't really wanna have you just blithely run through because I'm not sure where it will put you. It might shoot you into space or something.
"Hello."As you approach, hands raised in a non-threatening gesture, the Frog girl turns to you. Tears of molten brass are streaming down her face. She stares at you for a moment and seems about to say something when she suddenly looks up, eyes apparently focusing on something far beyond the ceiling. The look on her face shifts rapidly from despair to surprise and then to rage. She rises to her feet, her eyes still locked on that point far above, and holds herself as she shivers with barely contained anger. You're about to say something when she finally can contain it no longer and screams out, stamping one foot against the lily pad. The entire room maybe the entire world rings like a struck bell, the metallic water races outward away from the lily pad and her scream seems to be echoed by a roar that vibrates every fiber of your being.
I speak to the crying individual, mostly just to let her know that I'm here and avoid suprising her.
"Are you able to talk about what happened?"Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Grey yells out as he stumbles away from the murderous wheel serpent.[1,
"Magi damned thing!"
"I'll try to keep it from moving!"
He sends out his magic to Maintain the position of the wheel's base/body, spending one fate point and hopefully paralyzing it. He then steps forward and attempts to thrust his needle into the creature, regardless of the magic's success.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
"MAINTAIN!" Grey shouts, pointing at the wheel. He then maintains his own position, standing rooted perfectly still where he managed to freeze himself in place.
The Speaker stands back and examines the wheel-serpent through the eye of his needle.[
I think I’ll expend 1 fate point on this.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
The magic in the wheel is the same as in all the others- that twisting root sort of thing- but its been changed. Rather than the living, writhing roots of all the other living objects, these roots are smoldering, blackened, and glowing with an inner fire. The fingerprint brand on the back of the wheel is glowing like a hot ember, visible through the wood as a point of yellow-orange light.
"Damn statues wasting my time.... What the fuck is that thing!"
Keep far from that weird thing, to make sure Elizabeth can't get hurt by that thing.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
You bundle Elizabeth against your chest and run to the other side of the room, taking cover next to the throne.
Youare attempts to reach the wheel's base and remove the function "Move" from the gears and pistons.[3] You try to run in and rip the function out of the gears but are forced to immediately back pedal out of harm's way as the wheel's tail whips around and carves through the space you were standing moments ago. The entire creature is squirming and whirling about like a tempest of gears and wood, its wheel head swaying to and fro.
"Try not to kill it. Not before we can interrogate it, at least."Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
[5,4]
Re-emerge from the ether. Send grass lad and grassassin to attack the wheel. Then do the same with my saber. (Assuming I would be nearby)Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Luta and her Grassassins charge in and start swinging . They strike the wooden beast and cleave into it, but it seems to have little effect. A few chops of a hatchet doesn't seem like it will be enough to fell this monster.
"This looks like a job for Bob! Can I belt it? I sure hope so!"Bob may have convinced himself a snake is a belt. Or that a living wheel with a long tail made of gears and wood is a belt. Its entirely possible he believes this. Luckily for the clothing merchants of the world, his belief does not influence the definition of belt. His attempt to control the magical wheel snake does not succeed.
"Also, Genesis, I would like to see your Needle when we're done if you don't use up that magic. I bet I could turn that dead guy's magic into a glass-manipulating belt. Then we'd still have the guy's utility without the kleptomania. Unless the belt is cursed or something."
Bob is well acquainted with belt snakes since the last mission, and that monster is clearly a giant belt. I mean seriously, the wheel is like a built-in buckle. With that thought in mind, Bob attempts to use his belt powers to control and restrain the steering wheel "snake" which is totally a belt (from a relatively safe distance of course). It shall kneel before Bob!Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
"Expose the brand on the back of it's post!"
If Grey's magic takes hold, dash around behind the wheel and stab it in the brand, if I can reach. Else, stay in front and wait for opportunities to stab. Aim at the eyes, but hit whatever I can.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
"En Garde, foul beast!"[4,5]
work with Genesis to stab at the wheel, aiming to cripple, not kill.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Genesis and Lambo Both charge in, dodging through the whirling gears and wooden debris. Genesis' blow lands first, the needle sinking surprisingly deep into the wood and metal amalgamation. Unlike the wolf, who burst out of existance like a gore filled soap bubble, the wheel-snake just sort of crumbles. The wood and metal don't vanish or corrode, they just drop to the ground as inanimate as you'd expect them to be. Lambo takes the opportunity Genesis gives him and jams his needle in further up the wheel's body. After he yanks his needle free and backs off the Wheel is only 2/3rds as long as it used to be, large sections of it laying scattered and dead on the ground.
The wheel lashes out, swinging its grinding, bludgeoning tail in a wide arc. [6,1,4,3] Luta dives away, straight into a bookshelf [-1 hp]. Youare [+1 fate] [1] gets his feet soundly whipped out of under him and falls flat on his face [-1 hp]. Lambo manages to get out of the way but has to run a fair way back from the creature, out of range for more stabbing. Genesis [-4 HP] gets clipped in the head by the blow and goes tumbling backwards, his precious pureblood spurting copiously from a bone deep gash in his scalp and forehead.
As the wheel winds up for another swipe the room vibrates violently. The crying of the frog outside shifts into a wail that about bursts the eardrums of everyone within every miles. And then something reduces the balcony to splinters. A metal battering ram arcs up and into the room, slamming through the balcony and directly into the wheel. For an instant it stops, the house sized rounded protuberance of brass pressed tight against the wheel. Just as the team recognizes what that thing is- the tongue of the giant metal toad- it tears back out of the room like a bullet, the suction of its departure powerful enough to yank everyone off their feet and completely scatter most of the contents of the room. Bits of paper, dislodged ceiling beams, dust, and splinters flutter and rain down in the wake of the thing's departure, leaving a gaping hole and the unobstructed view of the desert. And beyond the desert...mountains. There is no sign of the wheel, but the frog is hurrying forward. Forward towards the Mountains in the North.
"Spare a thought won't you? For the unique pains of a mage."
From behind those great northern mountains a figure appears. It rises up as though it were just laying behind the mountains, large enough that the great snowy peaks in the distance barely reach past its knees.
"What does a man who can bring anything to life feel when death takes the thing he loves most?"
The figure steps over the mountains like mild inconveniences and walks forward. He takes several enormous steps, covering what must be tens of miles in a single movement, before something odd happens. He lifts his foot up and as it comes down it lands on the shattered end of the room and all at once he's the size of a normal person. There was no obvious shrinking, no change in his appearance...it was as though his great size was some trick of perception, an optical illusion broken as he stepped into the room.
"What subtle empathy lead him to worry about the free will of inanimate objects?"
It is impossible to describe this person, every aspect seems to shift the team's mind and can never be firmly grasped. Old or young, tall or short, fat or skinny, the color of his skin or eyes, the cut of his hair, it all refuses to focus in their minds. It is not that he is changing or shifting shapes rapidly...they simply cannot grasp and hold any detail. Aside from the vaguest inclination he his male, and one article of his otherwise incomprehensible clothing: A medallion bearing the insignia of an eye. The same eye that adorns the team's robes and gloves.
He stood before broken homes and broken bodies and realized the folly of his war. He took the only thing of value from that burnt and ravaged place and disappeared. Can one life make up for thousands, or was that even his intent? Who saved who that day?
The man stands in front of the group and somehow they know he is smiling in a sad way.
"That is the great secret. In spite of it all, we are still very human at heart."
Post by: Ozarck on July 09, 2021, 09:01:44 pm
Attempt to converse with the guy without being a jackass. No ack'ing.
Also, attempt to staunch the bloodflow. use the bedsheet or something, but make sure no pointy bits are in it when I do. Let's keep that blood inside my body.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 09, 2021, 09:52:55 pm
Post by: m1895 on July 09, 2021, 10:18:41 pm
Flameo gestures at the wheel and the corpse and the crying fox and the angry frog
ask questions, help staunch Genesis' bleeding
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 09, 2021, 10:32:17 pm
As, questions to figure out what the problem(s) are and what/who caused themSpoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on July 09, 2021, 10:41:22 pm
What is the ceiling made of?There's a description of the room you are in here (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8293096#msg8293096)
Post by: The Lupanian on July 10, 2021, 12:42:19 am
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 10, 2021, 02:43:50 am
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on July 10, 2021, 05:24:55 am
Go over to where the rest of the group is since the guy that showed up doesn't seem hostile.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 10, 2021, 07:06:51 am
((Btw, PW. Did Grey get any fate last turn?))
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on July 10, 2021, 12:57:49 pm
I carefully watch the angry frog girl.
"How can I help make what just happened better and what was it?"
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 10, 2021, 06:14:28 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
also grab rairvuch's old needle, and then try my powers out by trying to focus some sunlight into a laser that comes out of my palm. then go find the person who looks like they need the most help and ask how i can help.
Post by: Ozarck on July 10, 2021, 08:00:57 pm
((you do not have that bag of loot. this character did not get up to the room the loot was in. remove that from your inventory, please. also note, the bag of loot is no longer in the room - it is strewn across the countryside, well behind where the frog now is. Same with Rairvach's needle, probably. Don't know about that one though.))Spoiler (click to show/hide)
also grab rairvuch's old needle, and then try my powers out by trying to focus some sunlight into a laser that comes out of my palm. then go find the person who looks like they need the most help and ask how i can help.
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 10, 2021, 10:55:57 pm
((also note, the bag of loot is no longer in the room - it is strewn across the countryside, well behind where the frog now is.))((I'd say that's an assumption. It's possible but it could just have easily stayed in the room.))
Post by: Toaster on July 11, 2021, 01:09:54 pm
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip compliments the clothing of the magic newcomer, and asks for an autograph.
Post by: piecewise on July 12, 2021, 10:04:24 pm
Make sure my grass boys are okGrassassin and Mini-Grassassin are fine.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
"What the fuck is even happening?"As you walk over the strange person points at you and then at the door into this room.
Go over to where the rest of the group is since the guy that showed up doesn't seem hostile.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Open that door, if you would. I believe there are people here to meet you.
You're not really sure what to make of this, but you do as you're told. You unbar the door and shove it open.
"So that's a thing."
I carefully watch the angry frog girl.
"How can I help make what just happened better and what was it?"Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
also grab rairvuch's old needle, and then try my powers out by trying to focus some sunlight into a laser that comes out of my palm. then go find the person who looks like they need the most help and ask how i can help.
Tess, Greed, and Dew topple into the the room as though falling through some sort of sideways trap door. They immediately get to their feet and look around in stark confusion. Greed in particular starts scrambling around, looking for loot. He finds a sword or two, but no sacks of loot and oddly no Needle. Hmmm.As, questions to figure out what the problem(s) are and what/who caused themSpoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Drip (click to show/hide)
Drip compliments the clothing of the magic newcomer, and asks for an autograph.
Grey pulls himself out of the maintaining and bows to the figure, but keeps quiet for now.
((Btw, PW. Did Grey get any fate last turn?))Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Greet the person. Politely introduce ourselves and ask who (and what) they are. Then relate our observations to them and the others.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
"So are we not going to deal with the individual who caused all this?"
Flameo gestures at the wheel and the corpse and the crying fox and the angry frog
ask questions, help staunch Genesis' bleedingSpoiler (click to show/hide)
"He seemed like a good sort. His creations loved him. I'm sure those he killed were less grateful. But what do I know? Have you come to settle the matter? how may we be of assistance, sir?"
Attempt to converse with the guy without being a jackass. No ack'ing.
Also, attempt to staunch the bloodflow. use the bedsheet or something, but make sure no pointy bits are in it when I do. Let's keep that blood inside my body.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
The person seems to smile, and then raises his hand. He reaches towards the group...and his hand just keeps getting bigger. Within a moment it has completely filled the room and closed, snatching them up. For a few long moments they wriggle and squirm in his grip before suddenly they dropped a few feet...onto warm sands. They get up and look around. Their injuries are healed, their clothing clean, their hunger and thirst satiated. They are back in the desert and miles away is the toad tower, slowly waddling towards those northern mountains.
You have many questions, as all children do. But I have two questions which only you may answer.
He points at the toad tower.
The rage of that place is no longer blind and random. Now it is focused. That frog and her companions will ride North, to the domain of the Witch of the Wilds and her tribe. They will seek vengeance for their fallen master. They may even achieve it.
He turns back to the group and points at them.
Shall we let them go?
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 13, 2021, 12:08:25 am
“And by the way, if I may ask, who are you?”
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: m1895 on July 13, 2021, 12:46:50 am
Say my piece and grab some pocket sand
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 13, 2021, 12:48:17 am
"I say the frog should be stopped, for the sake of preventing the fallout that could persist for years to come."
Grey speaks his mind and looks around to see if the stone truck from earlier can be seen in the distance.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on July 13, 2021, 02:43:12 am
See if I still have Elizabeth.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on July 13, 2021, 02:54:45 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 13, 2021, 03:05:58 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on July 13, 2021, 05:45:36 am
"We aren't here to dispense justice. We're here to pacify a structure. Presumably before it commits any massacres. We shall not let them go. Further help would be appreciated, but we will pursue the frog regardless."
Youare looks around for the conduit after speaking, making sure it's reasonably safe.
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on July 13, 2021, 07:17:45 am
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on July 13, 2021, 07:40:00 pm
"I think I would like to see this through. I don't think this Elias would like to see his adopted daughter's home engage in war like this. I agree that we should at least try to turn them aside and bring justice rather than revenge. I don't know anything about the previous mission these others were on, but I suppose we should try to protect civilians as well.
But what is the second question only we can answer, sir?"
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 13, 2021, 08:07:50 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
try to make a laser. even if that fails try to bend light so that none of it reaches the nearest persons eyes.
Post by: piecewise on July 13, 2021, 09:02:59 pm
“What harm could come from letting things take their course?”, The Speaker asks.What harm could come from preventing it? Ask yourself both.
“And by the way, if I may ask, who are you?”Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
An observer. And arbitrator, from time to time.
"well that depends, can they still be branded with her magic? Does she live in an isolated area, free of colateral? Given our purpose and our last mission, I cannot condone letting a massive titan wreak havoc on a town, and I also cannot condone them being subverted to wreak havoc on a different town."They could be. And no, she lives in a town of 439 people.
Say my piece and grab some pocket sandSpoiler (click to show/hide)
"Allowing the constructs to enact vengeance for the murder of their master would be just. However speaking as someone who has to clean up the mess, I would prefer that justice did not take the form of open warfare. I do not know what it takes to destabilize a region with magic, but I think the fighting between a mage and one or two hundred extremely magical constructs, and the eventual destruction of one of those two parties could be enough to do it."Well put.
"I say the frog should be stopped, for the sake of preventing the fallout that could persist for years to come."
Grey speaks his mind and looks around to see if the stone truck from earlier can be seen in the distance.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
The stone truck is sadly nowhere to be seen.
"Well I say let them have they're revenge, so what if we have to clean up afterwards, I mean it's what we do."It is indeed.
See if I still have Elizabeth.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Liz is still with you, sitting in your arms. She seems kind of...distant. Just sort of looking at the sky.
"I don't think I know enough to properly answer, to be honest, but if you want me to make my best attempt I can try. I would like to attempt to talk them out of it, allow an impartial party to provide their retribution, to give them justice and consolation instead of vengeance and satisfaction. But if justice can't be otherwise served, then I'd let them go about it. I don't think murder should go unpunished, I just think revenge creates additional victims and harm, and leaves behind an emptiness when you get your revenge and realize that it doesn't make anything better."The man does not respond but something about him seems like he's smiling in a rather knowing way.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
I think if the witch killed their master unprovoked, then killing said witch is justifiedSpoiler (click to show/hide)
A curious answer. Not quite here or there.
Youare speaks directly to the strange figure.Ardent zeal. Commendable.
"We aren't here to dispense justice. We're here to pacify a structure. Presumably before it commits any massacres. We shall not let them go. Further help would be appreciated, but we will pursue the frog regardless."
Youare looks around for the conduit after speaking, making sure it's reasonably safe.Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Ignore the dude and look around to see if my monster truck is still here.Sadly it is not. At least nowhere nearby. Hell, even those ruins you started in are nowhere to be seen.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Add my thoughts to the mix.He nods to the first phrase, but the second one draws a more somber reaction.
"I think I would like to see this through. I don't think this Elias would like to see his adopted daughter's home engage in war like this. I agree that we should at least try to turn them aside and bring justice rather than revenge. I don't know anything about the previous mission these others were on, but I suppose we should try to protect civilians as well.
But what is the second question only we can answer, sir?"
I'm afraid it is.
[1][+1 fate point]Spoiler (click to show/hide)
try to make a laser. even if that fails try to bend light so that none of it reaches the nearest persons eyes.
Over a little ways from the group, Greed attempts to summon a laser. He...kind of does. Its less like a laser and more like a flashbang. Minus the bang, and with the flash turned up to 11. Then turned up some more. Then turned up so far the knob got twisted off. The only positive thing is that because he's an elemental he can't HURT himself with his element. But he does blow off his gloves, most of his robe, melt his two swords, and render himself temporarily blind. He does, however, get an instant tan. Sexy.
The man listens to everyone and then nods to himself. Without a word he turns back to the horizon and the Toad slowly vanishing into the distance. The man reaches out and...plucks the frog off the horizon. Its just as small as it was at a distance, but now held between his two fingers. He looks at it curiously for a few moments before carefully placing it in his pocket. He pats his pocket gently and says something too quietly to hear before turning back to the group.
Now, the second question.
He points at Genesis.
Should he live?
Post by: Ozarck on July 13, 2021, 09:10:00 pm
"For those of you who don't know. I killed one of us, a few minutes ago. I'd do it again, too."
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 13, 2021, 09:12:29 pm
Genesis blinks a couple times, then stands straight, plants the point of his needle at his feet, and faces the group, one hand resting on the top of his needle.Why did you kill one of us? I thought we were allies! I was under the impression we were supposed to work together
"For those of you who don't know. I killed one of us, a few minutes ago. I'd do it again, too."Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on July 13, 2021, 09:15:28 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on July 13, 2021, 09:38:21 pm
That giant moving mansion's avatar, a brass frog in a room of brass and stone, implored us to help her master. She welcomed us in hope that we could make things right, and in my eyes we disgraced ourselves as nothing more than common thieves and grave robbers. And I meant to stop that. We're better than that."
Genesis scans the group, eyes resting on Flameo's axes and Debby's sword momentarily.
"I overlooked some petty looting from some who were at least trying to help solve our problem, but when we started sweeping all we could carry into a bedsheet to haul off across the bloodstained floor in full view of the teary eyes of the forlorn, I lost patience."
Genesis sneered, glancing pointedly at the very illuminated form of Greed.
"As if those things could compare to the raw power we wield anyway."
Post by: Lenglon on July 13, 2021, 09:41:42 pm
"Was a proper warning issued?"
Post by: Ozarck on July 13, 2021, 09:51:04 pm
Post by: Lenglon on July 13, 2021, 09:54:08 pm
Post by: Ozarck on July 13, 2021, 10:13:34 pm
"The second warning was not superfluous. He could have walked out of here with everything he wanted, with a little patience."
Post by: Lenglon on July 13, 2021, 10:23:31 pm
"He should live, but still be penalized in some milder than death way, as is fitting for what was done, and more importantly, the reasons behind why he did what he did."
I give my answer
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 13, 2021, 10:34:51 pm
<snip>"I don't think I know enough to properly answer, to be honest, but if you want me to make my best attempt I can try. I would like to attempt to talk them out of it, allow an impartial party to provide their retribution, to give them justice and consolation instead of vengeance and satisfaction. But if justice can't be otherwise served, then I'd let them go about it. I don't think murder should go unpunished, I just think revenge creates additional victims and harm, and leaves behind an emptiness when you get your revenge and realize that it doesn't make anything better."The man does not respond but something about him seems like he's smiling in a rather knowing way.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
<snip>
“She makes a very good point.”
<snip>
Now, the second question.
He points at Genesis.
Should he live?
Edit: just to make sure, the below was said before Genesis gave his explanation.
“I didn’t see the whole fight, so I can’t be sure about what exactly happened, but I believe it had to do something about the newcomer ignoring our purpose and mission and instead helping himself to the dead Mage…. Elliot I think his name was… Elliot’s possessions. I didn’t see the whole fight, so it’s possible that, …whoever this is,” The Speaker gestures towards Genesis, “may have acted in self-defense. Then again he may not.”
((After rereading, I think that Genesis may have acted with excessive force which would rule out self-defense. The Speaker, of course, doesn’t know this…))
The speaker then turns to the stranger, “I wish I knew what the Magi thought of these people’s actions. Is it allowable to steal and plunder like our dead compatriot did? And what about the actions of the other?”, he asks gesturing towards Genesis. “Unfortunately, I’m not sure we’ll ever meet a Magi, so I’m afraid these question will likely go unanswered.”
Lastly, he turns to Debby and Elizabeth. “I’d be interested in knowing what your new friend thinks of this whole situation.”
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 13, 2021, 10:45:25 pm
"Both before and after I put my needle through his chest."
((Could you point out where Genesis gave Rairvuch a warning before stabbing him? From what I read, it appears that Genesis stabbed him twice and that the first time was without any warning!))
Post by: Ozarck on July 13, 2021, 11:06:39 pm
If Speaker doesn't believe a first warning was issued, they can vote against Genesis or raise the question.
Remember, I am not on trail, Genesis is ;D If it were about my ooc actions that'd be a different matter.
Though, that first warning was probably practically shouted in Speaker's ear, since it happened shortly after our little overboard shenanigans))
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 13, 2021, 11:08:33 pm
Grey glances at Drip and The Speaker.
"Furthermore, I believe Genesis's investigative thinking and...grounded mindset is a boon to us, which would hurt to lose."
"I say he should live."
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 13, 2021, 11:24:51 pm
((I could, but I'll leave it to your and Speaker's memory :D
If Speaker doesn't believe a first warning was issued, they can vote against Genesis or raise the question.
Remember, I am not on trail, Genesis is ;D If it were about my ooc actions that'd be a different matter.
Though, that first warning was probably practically shouted in Speaker's ear, since it happened shortly after our little overboard shenanigans))
((Ah… found it (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8290869#msg8290869)! Looks like I didn’t read back far enough…. Anyways, I’m not sure if speaker actually heard any of that. He may not have been paying attention. The Speaker probably doesn’t know what exactly happened, so he’ll just keep his mouth shut and go with whatever everyone else goes with…)
Post by: Ozarck on July 13, 2021, 11:30:37 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 14, 2021, 12:00:38 am
Post by: King Zultan on July 14, 2021, 02:09:38 am
Debby then turns her attention back to Elizabeth.
"You alright, I think we might be going back to our base soon."
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 14, 2021, 05:04:27 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on July 14, 2021, 05:53:17 pm
"Firstly, thank you for taking hold of that castle. May I ask if we should consider it pacified?"
"Regarding my colleague... no idea. Think he might be defective? Homunculi that didn't come out of the creation process right probably ought to be destroyed, we're potentially quite destructive beings. I did find it odd, how he didn't seem to have any magic. Then again, perhaps the other homunculus was defective, the one he killed. I didn't see how it started. Perhaps neither were defective, and the killing was just a necessary part of our duties. Even if he really doesn't have any magic, it might not be a terminal flaw, in which case you should leave him alive for now. I'm a bit out of my depth here, but the main concern is probably to follow the Covenant."
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 14, 2021, 07:03:10 pm
Youare cheerfully offers his opinion.
"Firstly, thank you for taking hold of that castle. May I ask if we should consider it pacified?"
"Regarding my colleague... no idea. Think he might be defective? Homunculi that didn't come out of the creation process right probably ought to be destroyed, we're potentially quite destructive beings. I did find it odd, how he didn't seem to have any magic. Then again, perhaps the other homunculus was defective, the one he killed. I didn't see how it started. Perhaps neither were defective, and the killing was just a necessary part of our duties. Even if he really doesn't have any magic, it might not be a terminal flaw, in which case you should leave him alive for now. I'm a bit out of my depth here, but the main concern is probably to follow the Covenant."
your colleague? who specifically are you talking about?Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 14, 2021, 07:12:27 pm
"I think he should get to live."
Debby then turns her attention back to Elizabeth.
"You alright, I think we might be going back to our base soon."Spoiler (click to show/hide)
<snip>
Lastly, he turns to Debby and Elizabeth. “I’d be interested in knowing what your new friend thinks of this whole situation.”
<snip>
Post by: King Zultan on July 15, 2021, 04:41:49 am
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 15, 2021, 06:21:35 am
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 15, 2021, 11:35:18 am
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 15, 2021, 11:47:21 am
Post by: Ozarck on July 15, 2021, 01:43:39 pm
wait are you guys saying that im a theif and killer?No, no. Genesis claimed your previous character was a looter and that Genesis killed him. Genesis was the killer in question. He stated it loud and clear after the Magi asked the group if Genesis should live.
Now's your opportunity to vote for Genesis' death though, if you want. Looks like so far he's going to live through the turn, but you might be able to convince a few teammates to vote against him for treason or something.
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 15, 2021, 06:41:19 pm
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 15, 2021, 07:04:10 pm
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 15, 2021, 07:45:22 pm
Let him live. Stealing is not necessary to our mission, plus he gave ample warning beforehand
Post by: Ozarck on July 15, 2021, 07:51:30 pm
wait were outside the frog now?((generally it is a good idea to at least scan to the bottom of the turn, as PW will post events that affect the whole party (or at least a significant part of it) down there, separate from individual turn actions. Here is the relevant bit from a coupel turns back:
"The person seems to smile, and then raises his hand. He reaches towards the group...and his hand just keeps getting bigger. Within a moment it has completely filled the room and closed, snatching them up. For a few long moments they wriggle and squirm in his grip before suddenly they dropped a few feet...onto warm sands. They get up and look around. Their injuries are healed, their clothing clean, their hunger and thirst satiated. They are back in the desert and miles away is the toad tower, slowly waddling towards those northern mountains."))
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 16, 2021, 05:43:31 pm
Post by: piecewise on July 16, 2021, 06:10:28 pm
"I think he should get to live."She shrugs and makes a sort of "Hmmm" noise. She seems tired.
Debby then turns her attention back to Elizabeth.
"You alright, I think we might be going back to our base soon."Spoiler (click to show/hide)
The man listens to each person in turn and then nods.
As the majority decree, he shall live.
He turns to Genesis.
Remember your purpose and live a life without regret, no matter how short it may be.
The man looks over the group one last time.
If he is to be punished, I leave the form that takes to you. From my perspective, it would seem this situation is solved.
As he says this, the black tendrils that spirited the team away last time emerge from the man's pocket. At first they're thinner than a human hair, but they rapidly grow as they rise until they are large enough to swallow a man whole. And they do, consuming each member of the team in moments and dragging them back through that strange in between place. Then, just as rapidly as they were sucked in, they're back in their cavern, standing next to the deactivated portal.
Though the portal is deactivated, the slab of metal next to it displays a message.
"You have done well. You have earned your reward. You may, as a group, make one request."
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 16, 2021, 07:25:51 pm
Post by: Lenglon on July 16, 2021, 07:28:15 pm
Tess's proposition.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 16, 2021, 07:30:12 pm
Post by: Toaster on July 16, 2021, 07:48:07 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 16, 2021, 08:10:26 pm
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 16, 2021, 08:11:41 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 16, 2021, 09:14:08 pm
PW could give all of our characters a special ability. Something related to our main ability, but more powerful. To keep it from being used too much, a cool-down period could be required after each use. Alternatively, each use of the special ability could require that it be proceeded by a certain minimum number of successful uses of our main power (possibly resetting every time we go home).
What do you think?))
((Come to thing of it, it might be better to implement a counter such that successful uses of our main abilities (i.e. 4-5) increase the counter by one, unsuccessful uses (I.e. 2-3) do nothing, and critical failures and/or overreaches (I.e. 1 or 6) decrease the counter by one (with the counter resetting to 0 at the end of each mission and never dropping below 0). Once the counter is filled up, the special ability becomes available for use (and once used, the counter automatically resets to 0))
Edit: added part at end.
Post by: The Lupanian on July 16, 2021, 09:26:09 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 16, 2021, 10:24:01 pm
((How about this:((Way too specific, I reckon. We’re asking for a reward from the Magi, not PW. Still, I like the spirit of it, and I’ve been thinking on similar lines.))
…
What do you think?))
“Practice is well and good, but I’d prefer something we can use in the field.”
”Some kind of boon for each of us, fitted to our talents, is what I think we can use.”
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on July 17, 2021, 12:41:52 am
For example, my first character was an anagramist. now, I could have asked for a magic bag that pulled any item I wanted out of it, in order to use that item with my anagram ability to create a different item, but then what would be the point of using anagrams? Similarly, my current character has been highly successful with only his needle and wits. Yes, he has his robe and gloves, but they didn't really come into play much. And Bob has been fantastic with belts, even though that meant he was unable to respond in certain ways to certain challenges.
I think Lenglon's idea is closer to a good one than some think. A base upgrade with added areas for crafts or tinkering with our skills might be a great way to give us a chance to create our own individual tools for work. Perhaps a clothing area where we can attempt to enchant items into armor like Youare did, or a smithy type shop where we could get rings and such to infuse with skills. Perhaps a mobile base like the frog mountain mansion would be cool.
Perhaps we could request a one time fate point distribution, since fate points are probably the strongest tools we have at our disposal, aside from our powers, which are really already pretty ridiculously powerful.))
Post by: Lenglon on July 17, 2021, 12:44:32 am
Post by: Ozarck on July 17, 2021, 01:28:41 am
honestly, though ,the mobility issue is fine as is. it's nice to have limitations. I don't know))
Post by: King Zultan on July 17, 2021, 03:22:03 am
After all the talking is done take Elizabeth over to the bed room and lay her down in the bed so she can get some sleep.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on July 17, 2021, 10:53:59 am
"Well, I suppose that's some kind of conclusion. Makes you wonder why they keep us around..."
Youare gives his take on the request.
"If we're asking for objects, I'm in favour of anything that helps us get about places. Seven league boots, a vehicle we can fit the conduit in, anything like that."
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on July 17, 2021, 01:34:57 pm
Bob supports options that support belts because belts support Bob.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 17, 2021, 03:14:12 pm
Post by: Ozarck on July 17, 2021, 08:51:51 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 18, 2021, 12:11:32 am
I think a lot of your requests would best be actualized in another nyarlathotep shop.
A What shop?!
Post by: Lenglon on July 18, 2021, 12:52:21 am
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 18, 2021, 03:19:40 am
Post by: King Zultan on July 18, 2021, 03:30:27 am
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 18, 2021, 03:42:15 am
(I want randomly generated eldritch doodads!)You’re in luck! (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178768.0)
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 18, 2021, 07:06:44 am
“If boons for each of us isn't a hot idea, I like the sound of boots to help us get around faster as well. One pair for every Homunculi, to be found in the cauldron room's box. Twice now we've started some ways away from where we're meant to go.”
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 18, 2021, 09:59:07 am
I think a lot of your requests would best be actualized in another nyarlathotep shop.I’m for this idea.
Post by: Ozarck on July 18, 2021, 01:38:09 pm
((@Cat @m1895 @Oz post your opinions ICly cowerds))
"I have no desire for any specific boon. Our job is to correct magical instabilities, not cause them, so magical doodads seem counterproductive to me.
And our home is quite enough for me as is, though the scenery is a tad ..." Genesis glances around at the cavern walls, "lacking."
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 18, 2021, 04:58:24 pm
((Btw, has Beirus seen this (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178758.0)?))
))
((@Furry anGler:
I DO NOT herd cows!!!
))
"I propose we ask for some safe way to use our talents while we're here? so we can make nice things for ourselves when we aren't busy?"
“Why would we need a supermarket? Don’t our masters already provide us with everything we need?”
Sounds nice. A chance to practice our magic without being in danger could theoretically help us become better mages
“Why would practicing our magic in a store be better?”
<snip>
“Practice is well and good, but I’d prefer something we can use in the field.”
”Some kind of boon for each of us, fitted to our talents, is what I think we can use.”
<snip>
“Bones? Don’t we already have those?”
"I like the sound of an area to make things that could be useful to us in the field."
<snip>
“Well, arias do sound good, but how would one help us?”
<snip>
"If we're asking for objects, I'm in favour of anything that helps us get about places. Seven league boots, a vehicle we can fit the conduit in, anything like that."
<snip>
“Why a boat? Wouldn’t that limit where we could go? Why not an airship?”
"Why not ask for a font of Origin magic or pure magic. It'd probably only be a small quantity and have to refill between missions, but then we'd have a place to charge our Needles before missions. And I could use it to make magic belts for everyone!" Clearly Bob is more excited about the belt thing than the first part.
<snip>
“Why does the magic have to be orange or purple? An why would you be the one to make spells? I thought your specialty was belts?!”
<snip>
“If boons for each of us isn't a hot idea, I like the sound of boots to help us get around faster as well. One pair for every Homunculi, to be found in the cauldron room's box. Twice now we've started some ways away from where we're meant to go.”
<snip>
“Why would we each need two boats?! Wouldn’t a single one hold all of us? Besides, I like the idea of an airship better!”
<snip>
"I have no desire for any specific boon. Our job is to correct magical instabilities, not cause them, so magical doodads seem counterproductive to me.
And our home is quite enough for me as is, though the scenery is a tad ..." Genesis glances around at the cavern walls, "lacking."
“Magic WHATS?!!! …Well tomes don’t usually speak, so, yes, they are pretty quiet. You have to read them, you know! …Wait?! what?! The Toad! Did it follow us here?!”
“Personally, I’m in favor of an airship.”
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Edit: Faxed collar.
Post by: Ozarck on July 18, 2021, 05:04:55 pm
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 18, 2021, 06:50:16 pm
"I'm glad you exist Speaker, but I also regret not letting you plummet to your death off the Toad's balcony."why do you want to kill the Speaker? Did he steal stuff too?
Post by: Ozarck on July 18, 2021, 08:09:24 pm
Quote from: Naturegirl1999
"Have you heard him speak?" Genesis pauses. "No, His brain's not quite right, but his stupidity did save my life. I have no desire to kill him. Just ... no real desire to prevent him from getting himself killed. Still don't know why I did."Quote from: Ozarck"I'm glad you exist Speaker, but I also regret not letting you plummet to your death off the Toad's balcony."why do you want to kill the Speaker? Did he steal stuff too?
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 18, 2021, 09:49:04 pm
"Alright, I support the home improvement plan. A new addition to the base, tailored to support safe training and use of our various talents."
((Going to move my action into this post to keep them in the same place.))
Grey gives his answer. When all is said and done, Grey goes and pokes through the library to see if it contains any blank paper and writing implements.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on July 19, 2021, 03:00:11 am
Post by: Radio Controlled on July 19, 2021, 03:18:52 am
Post by: Ozarck on July 19, 2021, 03:33:07 am
Post by: King Zultan on July 19, 2021, 03:58:44 am
Post by: Ozarck on July 19, 2021, 12:47:47 pm
Post by: piecewise on July 19, 2021, 02:49:19 pm
1. Your gloves are woven with protective magic. It has three uses. First, it functions like your robe to prevent harm through temperature differences and is also completely sealed and non-porous from the outside. Second, They naturally repel deleterious magics. This has its direct uses, ie letting you grab dangerous things, but can also be used to "Shove" magic out of yourself or others. Finally, if you cross your arms in front of you, overlapping the wrists, it will project a shield 180 degrees in front of you. Note that gloves are physically burnt up as they use up their power, so you can judge how much juice they have left.
2. Your needle has many unique capacities. You know it can absorb magic when you stab it into things, but it can also be "Charged" using your own magic. Unlike the other magic, which you convert into a sort of "Energy" that is then redirected as you wish, spells you put in are effectively saved and ready to be unleashed whenever you want. Only one thing can be held at a time though. Second, and related, is the needle's ability to "Sew" magic and objects. Tap the end of the needle on one thing and the tip on the other and it will "Sew" them together. What this looks like will depend on what you're sewing. Be careful, these results are permanent. Finally, the needles can be linked. Tap the eyes of two needles together three times and they will become linked by a thread. This thread is ethereal and will pass through walls and such, but can be grabbed and yanked by the needle's user. Yank the thread three times and anyone holding on to the needle will be transported to where the other needle is almost instantly.
Alright, you've got a few turns here before the next emergency. Do as you wish.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 19, 2021, 04:46:22 pm
<snip>
Yank the thread three times and anyone holding on to the needle will be transported to where the other needle is almost instantly.
<snip>
((Does the person doing the yanking teleport to the other persons position, or does the other person teleport to the yanker’s position, or do the two people swap places? Also, is it possible to link a needle with more than one other needle? Also, if the thread is yanked, can the person holding the other needle detect it? Finally, does the person have to be holding the needle to be teleported, or will the needle teleport without it’s owner?
Also, I think someone forgot to ask about telepathy or some other form of remote communication!))
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 20, 2021, 12:26:27 am
"Interesting."
Grey heads into the dorm and watches Genesis's experiments with plates and bread. After that he picks up four plates and heads into the training room, placing the stack by one of the walls.
He then picks up the top plate and Maintains the position of a dummy relative to the plate, and then throws the plate towards the dummy. Unless the magic completely fails to take hold, in which case there's no point in throwing it.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on July 20, 2021, 12:28:35 am
Attempt to instill a spell into my Needle: Bind creature. Goal is to determine if Purebloods can instill spells, or if that is an artifact of the magical contamination that creates the other types.
Regardless of the outcome, grab two plates and two loaves of bread from the kitchen and try merging them. touch the end of the needle to a plate and the tip to a loaf, then touch the end to the other loaf and the tip to the other plate. is there a difference in the outcome?
link needles with a volunteer - preferably Bob - then go to a different room from him and tug three times. Once this is done, are the needles still linked? If they are, tap them three times again and see if that unlinks them.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 20, 2021, 01:12:06 am
"Alright, let's test some stuff out, I guess. Anyone wanna try linking needles with me?"
<snip>
“Why would you want to put ink on them? Aren’t they a tad big to be writing with?”
Post by: Ozarck on July 20, 2021, 01:38:07 am
Quote from: A_Curious_Cat
"Depends on what you are trying to write, I suppose."Quote from: Ozarck"Alright, let's test some stuff out, I guess. Anyone wanna try linking needles with me?"
“Why would you want to put ink on them? Aren’t they a tad big to be writing with?”
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 20, 2021, 02:10:15 am
Quote from: A_Curious_Cat"Depends on what you are trying to write, I suppose."Quote from: Ozarck"Alright, let's test some stuff out, I guess. Anyone wanna try linking needles with me?"
“Why would you want to put ink on them? Aren’t they a tad big to be writing with?”
“I’m wondering what would happen if we touched the eyes of three or more needles together three times simultaneously.”
Post by: King Zultan on July 20, 2021, 04:09:57 am
Take Elizabeth over to the bed room and lay her down in the bed so she can get some sleep, then go get a piece of cake an a sausage and sew them together.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 20, 2021, 06:33:35 am
Post by: Ozarck on July 20, 2021, 07:35:54 am
Wait did u post the update?eight posts above yours (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8297200#msg8297200)
Post by: piecewise on July 20, 2021, 08:33:23 am
<snip>
Yank the thread three times and anyone holding on to the needle will be transported to where the other needle is almost instantly.
<snip>
((Does the person doing the yanking teleport to the other persons position, or does the other person teleport to the yanker’s position, or do the two people swap places? Also, is it possible to link a needle with more than one other needle? Also, if the thread is yanked, can the person holding the other needle detect it? Finally, does the person have to be holding the needle to be teleported, or will the needle teleport without it’s owner?
Also, I think someone forgot to ask about telepathy or some other form of remote communication!))
Yanker goes to other needle.
Yes, you can link multiple needles.
The person can feel when threads connected to their needle are pulled.
The yanker will be teleported to the location of the other needle, regardless of if that needle is currently held. So the yanker MUST be holding the needle, but their "Target" needle doesn't have to be held. The caveat for this is that the needle's owner must be alive. Probably not clear but the standard "Gear" each homunculi gets will vanish on their death. Similarly, if your equipment is destroyed, check the chest and there will be replacements. If it is simply damaged, put it in the chest and close the lid. When you open it again everything will be repaired.
I'll point out that these are not the full capacities of your gear. There are a few more features that I haven't elaborated on.
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 20, 2021, 08:52:17 am
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 20, 2021, 09:28:12 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on July 20, 2021, 09:53:04 am
Post by: Lenglon on July 20, 2021, 10:53:35 am
1) attempt to grow my wings to a larger size, using the air around me. it'd be cool to have them be real wings instead of tiny non-functional ones.
2) attempt to turn my left hand into wood, using a training dummy as a material. see if it is still flexible and controlable. also note what happens to the dummy when I do this.
3) attempt to dismiss the effect on my left hand.
4) attempt to turn my left hand into water, using a bowl of water from the Food Conduit, and test my control of said hand.
5) assuming I haven't accidently caused myself any self-harm so far, attempt to turn my left hand into air, using the air around me, and then test my control of said hand afterwards. do NOT do this if any of the previous actions have harmed myself.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 20, 2021, 11:07:07 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Seems the kitchen’s a popular test area, makes sense as there’s a variety of different item types here
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 20, 2021, 02:19:05 pm
Join in experimentation. Head to the kitchen and sew a cutting board and a bag together. End of needle on cutting board, tip on bag, then find another cutting board and bag and do end on bag, tip on cutting board and compare resultsSpoiler (click to show/hide)
Seems the kitchen’s a popular test area, makes sense as there’s a variety of different item types here
((I don’t think the kitchen has any cutting boards. Or any other food preparation items for that matter. It’s more of a magically automated dispensary/disposal for food, dishes, and eating utensils.))
The Speaker goes to the kitchen and observes the results of the various experiments. After that, he heads to the library. Once there, he asks the books (spending 1 fate point):
“Which of you, if any, contain information on how to create magic spells?”
After that, he grabs one of the books that contains such information, finds a place to sit down, and begins reading it.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Edit: changed question and following action.
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 20, 2021, 02:34:51 pm
Post by: Beirus on July 20, 2021, 03:06:26 pm
Bob goes to the training room and tries to charge his Needle with a spell that turns the target into a belt.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on July 20, 2021, 03:50:00 pm
The Speaker goes to the kitchen and observes the results of the various experiments. After that, he heads to the library. Once there, he asks the books (spending 1 fate point):((I have a feeling you are going to get the same answer debby got when she tried this at the end of the first mission.))
“Which of you, if any, contain information on how to create magic spells?”
After that, he grabs one of the books that contains such information, finds a place to sit down, and begins reading it.
Post by: m1895 on July 20, 2021, 09:55:30 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 21, 2021, 07:01:20 am
((be sure to pump laser spell into your needle too. Or darkness spell or flash bomb or ... well, anything really.))
I’m going to figure out what I can do first.
Post by: piecewise on July 21, 2021, 02:26:21 pm
"Alright, let's test some stuff out, I guess. Anyone wanna try linking needles with me?"Nope. Don't work.
Attempt to instill a spell into my Needle: Bind creature. Goal is to determine if Purebloods can instill spells, or if that is an artifact of the magical contamination that creates the other types.
Regardless of the outcome, grab two plates and two loaves of bread from the kitchen and try merging them. touch the end of the needle to a plate and the tip to a loaf, then touch the end to the other loaf and the tip to the other plate. is there a difference in the outcome?
link needles with a volunteer - preferably Bob - then go to a different room from him and tug three times. Once this is done, are the needles still linked? If they are, tap them three times again and see if that unlinks them.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
[6,2] The first produces a loaf of ceramic bread. The second causes the plate to disappear and fills the bread with little fragments ceramic, like you smashed the plate and jammed the bits in there.
Doesn't seem like anyone volunteered to help ya.
(('Cor, I thought about asking for a run down on our equipment but I didn't know we were missing out on so much.))[1]
"Interesting."
Grey heads into the dorm and watches Genesis's experiments with plates and bread. After that he picks up four plates and heads into the training room, placing the stack by one of the walls.
He then picks up the top plate and Maintains the position of a dummy relative to the plate, and then throws the plate towards the dummy. Unless the magic completely fails to take hold, in which case there's no point in throwing it.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Grey successfully magically glues the plate to his own hand.
"Well this is interesting, I'm gonna go sew some stuff together and see what happens."You carry Liz over to your bed and lay her down in it, tucking her in before you head off to sew food together...For laughs I guess.
Take Elizabeth over to the bed room and lay her down in the bed so she can get some sleep, then go get a piece of cake an a sausage and sew them together.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
[1]
The result is a slice of cake with a sausage rather rudely and crudely jammed through it like a comedic phallic meat arrow.
Go to the box and try to get another set of gloves and another cloak. then try to summon another laser. this time focus on willing it to go outward in a straight line.[3]Spoiler (click to show/hide)
The good news is it doesn't blow up in your hand. The bad news is it kind of just sputters and flickers like an angry flashlight instead of condensing into a laser. Also makes a sphere around you dimmer than the rest of the room.
Go to the food conduit, and attempt to get myself a bowl of water, then head to the testing room, make sure I have some space around me, and test how my magic worksFor the sake of time, I'm just going to tell you what would happen if you rolled well.
1) attempt to grow my wings to a larger size, using the air around me. it'd be cool to have them be real wings instead of tiny non-functional ones.
2) attempt to turn my left hand into wood, using a training dummy as a material. see if it is still flexible and controlable. also note what happens to the dummy when I do this.
3) attempt to dismiss the effect on my left hand.
4) attempt to turn my left hand into water, using a bowl of water from the Food Conduit, and test my control of said hand.
5) assuming I haven't accidently caused myself any self-harm so far, attempt to turn my left hand into air, using the air around me, and then test my control of said hand afterwards. do NOT do this if any of the previous actions have harmed myself.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
1) You take on the shape/material of something you're touching. So you could turn your little wings into air, but you'd need to be touching something in the shape of wings in order to shape that air into wings.
2)Your wood hand would be as flexible as your normal one. What happens to the dummy is that an equal amount of it as the volume of your hand is turned into flesh under where you're touching.
3) Hand returns to flesh, dummy returns to wood.
4) You can do so, and you can control it. Same as before, water is replaced by flesh.
5)You can turn it into air, and you can control it.
[6]Join in experimentation. Head to the kitchen and sew a cutting board and a bag together. End of needle on cutting board, tip on bag, then find another cutting board and bag and do end on bag, tip on cutting board and compare resultsSpoiler (click to show/hide)
Seems the kitchen’s a popular test area, makes sense as there’s a variety of different item types here
((I don’t think the kitchen has any cutting boards. Or any other food preparation items for that matter. It’s more of a magically automated dispensary/disposal for food, dishes, and eating utensils.))
The Speaker goes to the kitchen and observes the results of the various experiments. After that, he heads to the library. Once there, he asks the books (spending 1 fate point):
“Which of you, if any, contain information on how to create magic spells?”
After that, he grabs one of the books that contains such information, finds a place to sit down, and begins reading it.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Edit: changed question and following action.
All of the books shout, in unison, that they do not contain information about how to create magic spells.
((Hey Piecewise, we healed up after we got back, right?))Nope. You can't do that normally so you can't do it here.
Bob goes to the training room and tries to charge his Needle with a spell that turns the target into a belt.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Grab an apple from the kitchen to eat and then search the library for a book on identifying magical auras/runes[6]Spoiler (click to show/hide)
The closest you find in the library is a book talking about the "Unique forms of Magic".
It basically says, in several hundred pages of very flowery text, that those who can see magic will perceive it differently depending on two major things: Its source and its function. All the magic from a particular person will generally have an underlying theme or appearance often called a material, while the form it takes will depend on what the spell actually does. The material of the spell tends to reflect the nature of the caster, while the form reflects the nature of the spell.
Post by: Ozarck on July 21, 2021, 03:14:20 pm
0)push the magic out of the plate stuck to Grey's hand. Store it in my needle. Attempt to not discharge that spell during the rest of testing.
1)Speak into the eye of the needle. see if it amplifies my voice like a megaphone. If it does, take it into the testing area and shout through my needle at one of the dummies, like those desert people in Dune with their weird-ass wrist pyramids or whatever they were.
2)Attempt to access hammer space using my gloves (try a variety of methods, like imaginary opening a door, or turning a key, or just acting like i am putting something in a pocket). If successful, store my Avant Garde Ceramic Loaf TM in hammer space. If successful, ask someone else to attempt to access hammer space and see if they can get the loaf out themselves, or if their hammerspace is separate.
3)If all that is unsuccessful, attempt to pass the Ceramic loaf through the eye of my needle.
4)Using the point of my needle, write the word 'break' in the air, pointed at a target dummy.
5)Throw my needle at a target dummy like a javelin. attempt to call it back to me by flexing my glove and again by saying 'return.'
6)Using the needle like a club, whack the end of the needle against the head of a target dummy. tap the tip of the needle against the target's body (or another target) to discharge the magic.
How is the grip on the needle's shaft? I know we have knurling on the eye for grip.
7)Similar to the above, tap the back of the needle on a target, then throw the needle point first at another target. Does the sewing effect still occur?
Since Grey is offering to link needles, I'll go along with his experiment there and see if we can communicate throug hthe needle, like an old school wall phone, or like a magic mirror or zoom call.
Discard the loaf that has broken ceramic using the normal kitchen disposal method. This probably doesn't need said, and is not a part of testing.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 21, 2021, 03:18:33 pm
“Shit.”
The speaker goes and finds Genesis.
“Turns out the Magi gave us this big library full of books and not a single one of them has anything telling how to create a magic spell! Might as well give up on magic then, I guess.”
Post by: Lenglon on July 21, 2021, 04:24:43 pm
Satisfied with my tests, and relieved that I didn't accidently hurt myself,
I dismiss all current effects of my magic, and then get the best knife for the purpose that I can find, and a several wooden dummies, and begin to attempt to slowly carve them into a pair of full-size wings. I suspect this will take quite some time to complete, and will go slow rather than have to restart partway through if I can help it.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 21, 2021, 04:33:59 pm
forgot this, it was edited when someone told me of the lack of tools to to magic food makingJoin in experimentation. Head to the kitchen and sew an onion and a tomato together. End of needle on onion, tip on tomato, then find another onion and tomato and do end on tomato, tip on tomato and compare resultsSpoiler (click to show/hide)
Seems the kitchen’s a popular test area, makes sense as there’s a variety of different item types here
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 21, 2021, 08:23:06 pm
forgot this, it was edited when someone told me of the lack of tools to to magic food makingJoin in experimentation. Head to the kitchen and sew an onion and a tomato together. End of needle on onion, tip on tomato, then find another onion and tomato and do end on tomato, tip on tomato and compare resultsSpoiler (click to show/hide)
Seems the kitchen’s a popular test area, makes sense as there’s a variety of different item types here
((See this post (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8279954#msg8279954).))
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 21, 2021, 08:35:25 pm
((thanks, I still want to know whether sewing the end on an onion and the tip on a tomato vs end on tomato tip on onion produced different results))forgot this, it was edited when someone told me of the lack of tools to to magic food makingJoin in experimentation. Head to the kitchen and sew an onion and a tomato together. End of needle on onion, tip on tomato, then find another onion and tomato and do end on tomato, tip on tomato and compare resultsSpoiler (click to show/hide)
Seems the kitchen’s a popular test area, makes sense as there’s a variety of different item types here
((See this post (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8279954#msg8279954).))
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 21, 2021, 09:14:56 pm
((The problem I see is that there’s no way to request a certain food from the food conduit. The best you can do is keep throwing stuff you didn’t want in the disposal and trying again until you get what you want.))((thanks, I still want to know whether sewing the end on an onion and the tip on a tomato vs end on tomato tip on onion produced different results))forgot this, it was edited when someone told me of the lack of tools to to magic food makingJoin in experimentation. Head to the kitchen and sew an onion and a tomato together. End of needle on onion, tip on tomato, then find another onion and tomato and do end on tomato, tip on tomato and compare resultsSpoiler (click to show/hide)
Seems the kitchen’s a popular test area, makes sense as there’s a variety of different item types here
((See this post (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8279954#msg8279954).))
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 21, 2021, 09:24:54 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
((Type of food isn’t as important as whether they are copies and thus can have the experiment done))
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 21, 2021, 09:47:38 pm
Once Genesis finishes his routine, Grey links his needle with Genesis's, and tries yanking on the thread linking the needles first once, then twice, and then three times.
After that he tries speaking through the needle's hole now that they are linked.
Since Lambent Flame is coming over to help, Grey links needles with him as well and determines if it is possible to tell who the needle-threads are linked to without being able to see those who are holding the needles.
That done, he picks up another plate and tries the same thing he did earlier, Maintaining the position of a dummy relative to the plate and throwing it.
If there's any time left,
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on July 21, 2021, 09:56:16 pm
Quote from: A_Curious_Cat
“Shit.”"Hmm? Magic is innate, not learned. You already know how to do magic. You speak to things. Why don't you try putting "ask doors to open" into your needle? See if that works.
The speaker goes and finds Genesis.
“Turns out the Magi gave us this big library full of books and not a single one of them has anything telling how to create a magic spell! Might as well give up on magic then, I guess.”
If you still want to give up on speaking to literally anything, I'll try to push the magic out of you with my gloves. Bring you a little closer top being a pureblood, perhaps. after all, we purebloods don't seem to have any weird magic abilities like the rest of you, and we're what Mother is supposed to make."
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 21, 2021, 10:34:36 pm
Quote from: A_Curious_Cat“Shit.”"Hmm? Magic is innate, not learned. You already know how to do magic. You speak to things. Why don't you try putting "ask doors to open" into your needle? See if that works.
The speaker goes and finds Genesis.
“Turns out the Magi gave us this big library full of books and not a single one of them has anything telling how to create a magic spell! Might as well give up on magic then, I guess.”
If you still want to give up on speaking to literally anything, I'll try to push the magic out of you with my gloves. Bring you a little closer top being a pureblood, perhaps. after all, we purebloods don't seem to have any weird magic abilities like the rest of you, and we're what Mother is supposed to make."
“Magic is in Nate?! Who is this Nate? Do I have to kill him to get the magic?”, The Speaker asks.
“Wait! What?! Talking to things is magic?! Don’t things naturally answer back when you talk to them?! Isn’t that just, you know, normal?!”
Post by: m1895 on July 21, 2021, 11:25:17 pm
try to make a mental model of whether an individual dormant spell is dangerous or not from what I learned, so as to make snap judgements of that sort of thing possible. Then Help grey I guess, if he still needs it.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on July 21, 2021, 11:42:12 pm
Well, if they try to hit you, you can always eat them."
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 22, 2021, 12:24:41 am
He then attempts to imbue a spell that gives an object the ability to temporarily speak out loud (so that non-all-tounges can hear and understand it) into his needle and then uses it on the training dummy that Genesis is using.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 22, 2021, 12:35:08 am
"no Shit."((Help Grey with needles or the hand stuck to plate issue?))
try to make a mental model of whether an individual dormant spell is dangerous or not from what I learned, so as to make snap judgements of that sort of thing possible. Then Help grey I guess, if he still needs it.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: m1895 on July 22, 2021, 02:49:02 am
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 22, 2021, 03:29:47 am
Post by: King Zultan on July 22, 2021, 03:52:53 am
Try to sew several more random food things to the sausage cake then eat the results, then go check on Elizabeth and see how she's doing.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 22, 2021, 01:12:40 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on July 23, 2021, 09:30:30 pm
Testing Shenanigans 2: The shenaniganing0) This works. Plate falls off, needle glows dimly
0)push the magic out of the plate stuck to Grey's hand. Store it in my needle. Attempt to not discharge that spell during the rest of testing.
1)Speak into the eye of the needle. see if it amplifies my voice like a megaphone. If it does, take it into the testing area and shout through my needle at one of the dummies, like those desert people in Dune with their weird-ass wrist pyramids or whatever they were.
2)Attempt to access hammer space using my gloves (try a variety of methods, like imaginary opening a door, or turning a key, or just acting like i am putting something in a pocket). If successful, store my Avant Garde Ceramic Loaf TM in hammer space. If successful, ask someone else to attempt to access hammer space and see if they can get the loaf out themselves, or if their hammerspace is separate.
3)If all that is unsuccessful, attempt to pass the Ceramic loaf through the eye of my needle.
4)Using the point of my needle, write the word 'break' in the air, pointed at a target dummy.
5)Throw my needle at a target dummy like a javelin. attempt to call it back to me by flexing my glove and again by saying 'return.'
6)Using the needle like a club, whack the end of the needle against the head of a target dummy. tap the tip of the needle against the target's body (or another target) to discharge the magic.
How is the grip on the needle's shaft? I know we have knurling on the eye for grip.
7)Similar to the above, tap the back of the needle on a target, then throw the needle point first at another target. Does the sewing effect still occur?
Since Grey is offering to link needles, I'll go along with his experiment there and see if we can communicate throug hthe needle, like an old school wall phone, or like a magic mirror or zoom call.
Discard the loaf that has broken ceramic using the normal kitchen disposal method. This probably doesn't need said, and is not a part of testing.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
1)Doesn't work. Think it was tried before actually.
2)Nope. I think I mentioned a clue somewhere in the first turns.
3)Nope.
4)Nope.
5)Nope. But not without merit.
6)Whack and tap works like normal sewing would, but when you do it on one distinct object it doesn't seem to do anything. If you do it on two dummies it would merge them. Knurling extends a little down from the eye onto the shaft but its otherwise smooth. You can maintain a pretty good grip on it regardless though.
7)Yep, sewing will occur so long as you touch one end to one thing and then the other end to another. So long as you desire for it to happen, at least. Its somewhat intelligent and won't accidently fuse your hand to a rock because of errant taps.
If Genesis can't dislodge the plate from Grey's hand, Grey concentrates on getting the plate to let go.Plate removed
Once Genesis finishes his routine, Grey links his needle with Genesis's, and tries yanking on the thread linking the needles first once, then twice, and then three times.
After that he tries speaking through the needle's hole now that they are linked.
Since Lambent Flame is coming over to help, Grey links needles with him as well and determines if it is possible to tell who the needle-threads are linked to without being able to see those who are holding the needles.
That done, he picks up another plate and tries the same thing he did earlier, Maintaining the position of a dummy relative to the plate and throwing it.
If there's any time left,Grey tries imbuing his needle with a Maintain object's velocity spellActually, lets try pushing this. Grey attempts to imbue his needle with Maintain magic, nothing else, just Maintain.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
You clang the eye of your needle against the eye of Genesis' needle three times and a semi-translucent red thread appears out of mid air and ties itself around both eyes. When you move, the thread moves too, always staying a bit taut but never running out, like its stretching or contracting with your movements. Yanking on it once and twice does nothing except let Genesis know its getting yanked. The third time your entire body and needle take on that red translucent appearance and are physically yanked over to Genesis, where you become normal again and the thread snaps.
When the needles are linked, you can speak through the eye by holding it up to your mouth. Genesis hears your voice through the eye of his needle as though you were speaking directly through it.
Yes, you can link to multiple at a time. And yes you can tell them apart: The threads are different colors. You can hold up to 7 connections, the threads of which are Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet in order.
I'll just tell you that if you maintain relative position you could throw the plate to throw the dummy, but throwing the plate becomes as hard as throwing the dummy. Its like they were connected by an invisible iron rod.
[4] You put a bit of generic "Maintain" in the needle.
This sure happens.
“Shit.”
The speaker goes and finds Genesis.
“Turns out the Magi gave us this big library full of books and not a single one of them has anything telling how to create a magic spell! Might as well give up on magic then, I guess.”
when I made my water hand into air, did the material changes transfer or did they chain? so was the bowl of water turned flesh then turned air whilst air turned into water? or was the bowl of water turned flesh then returned to water, and the air was turned into flesh? also, dismissing the effect didn't require touching the material-turned-flesh? or did it?The material is always whatever you have right now. If your hand is water, the water is flesh. If you go from water to stone, the stone is flesh, the water is water.
Satisfied with my tests, and relieved that I didn't accidently hurt myself,
I dismiss all current effects of my magic, and then get the best knife for the purpose that I can find, and a several wooden dummies, and begin to attempt to slowly carve them into a pair of full-size wings. I suspect this will take quite some time to complete, and will go slow rather than have to restart partway through if I can help it.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
[1]
You grab a butter knife and crudely stab a training dummy. Tada!
Not exactly sure what you're looking to learn here but the way they fuse will be dependent on a roll, with better rolls producing better fusions. Intent is also factored in.Place plates on the conduits until I get 2 of 2 different food items, put the end of the needle on food type A and the tip of food type B, then put the end of the needle on the other copy of food type B and the tip on the copy of food type ASpoiler (click to show/hide)
((Type of food isn’t as important as whether they are copies and thus can have the experiment done))
"no Shit."[5]
try to make a mental model of whether an individual dormant spell is dangerous or not from what I learned, so as to make snap judgements of that sort of thing possible. Then Help grey I guess, if he still needs it.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
You're pretty sure if a spell is dangerous, it will probably look like it is.
The Speaker thinks (probably for the first time in his life…).[5] This works!
He then attempts to imbue a spell that gives an object the ability to temporarily speak out loud (so that non-all-tounges can hear and understand it) into his needle and then uses it on the training dummy that Genesis is using.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
The dummy shouts "Hit me more!"
"I could have just shoved the sausage through the cake on my own, what a waste of magic."The result is what can only be described as a teleporter accident at a diner. It tastes like heart disease.
Try to sew several more random food things to the sausage cake then eat the results, then go check on Elizabeth and see how she's doing.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Liz is sleeping. She seems ok. Not having nightmares from what you can tell.
Try again, focusing on it being more focused than before. Then infuse a light flash spell into my needle.[2]Spoiler (click to show/hide)
This is effectively reliant on a dice roll. You can totally make a laser, you just have to not roll badly.
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 23, 2021, 09:39:52 pm
Try storing a spell in my needle that gives the letters for HYPERBOLE for future use (whether or not repeated letters are stored is up to GM’s discretion)
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 23, 2021, 10:17:27 pm
"Here, try using this. It's imbued with the broadest possible use of my power. I'm interested to see if you can control it."
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 24, 2021, 12:45:02 am
The speaker repeats his previous experiment, except that he tries to make the effect permanent and uses it on Grey’s needle (the one that he is offering to swap with Genesis) instead, spending 1 fate point.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on July 24, 2021, 12:51:09 am
Swap Needles with Grey. Go and link up my needle with every homunculus who doesn't actively refuse this action.
Await next Conduit. Eat, Sleep, and maintain my body in peak physical condition.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 24, 2021, 01:25:37 am
Grey swaps needles with Genesis and links them together. He imbues his new needle with a Maintain Velocity spell, observing if the spell pushes out the bit of residual magic that Genesis put in it earlier.
Grey messes with his pendant, trying to figure out its use. He holds it in his hand, extending it outwards. He taps it. Waves it around a little. Shakes it.
Check what happens if Lambent Flame touches Grey.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on July 24, 2021, 03:35:45 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 24, 2021, 07:22:43 am
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 24, 2021, 07:37:06 am
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 24, 2021, 07:57:52 am
Post by: Ozarck on July 24, 2021, 11:11:09 am
@Ozark What happened to the skavenslaves gruntslike?It was more work than fun for me. I've stopped GM'ing (in general) at least for a while. I did enjoy it, but i felt I was pushing myself too much.
Post by: Lenglon on July 24, 2021, 01:12:03 pm
Attempt to get a better knife. I mean, worst case couldn't I find a steak knife at least? right? I mean, the magic around here seems to understand intent somewhat, if I keep trying, I think it will work with me. in any case, once I've got a different knife (and returned the butter knife that isn't useful) then I'm going to try making full-size wings yet again.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on July 25, 2021, 05:33:49 am
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: m1895 on July 25, 2021, 09:32:47 am
help out Grey with his thing
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on July 26, 2021, 04:05:23 pm
Was going to test whether the end or tip being placed on whatever messed with the result, I guess I can just assume I watched Genesis’s experimentWhat?
Try storing a spell in my needle that gives the letters for HYPERBOLE for future use (whether or not repeated letters are stored is up to GM’s discretion)
Grey offers to swap needles with Genesis.
"Here, try using this. It's imbued with the broadest possible use of my power. I'm interested to see if you can control it."Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
"hmm, interesting. I put that gluing magic that held that plate to your hand in mine. its not much but there it is. want me to do some tests with this? It'll discharge the magic in it if I do. Well, You can probably recharge it any time."Genesis and Grey switch needles. As per connections, Other than Grey I don't see anyone actively accepting or refusing. So I suppose you should choose another 6 people to connect to and assume you did so.
Swap Needles with Grey. Go and link up my needle with every homunculus who doesn't actively refuse this action.
Await next Conduit. Eat, Sleep, and maintain my body in peak physical condition.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
"Yes, you should test it, I'm not sure the magic is actually reliable or safe to use while in such a vague state."Remember to post a single action next time.
Grey swaps needles with Genesis and links them together. He imbues his new needle with a Maintain Velocity spell, observing if the spell pushes out the bit of residual magic that Genesis put in it earlier.
Grey messes with his pendant, trying to figure out its use. He holds it in his hand, extending it outwards. He taps it. Waves it around a little. Shakes it.
Check what happens if Lambent Flame touches Grey.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
[4] Yes, it would push it out. Make sure to record any spells you have in your needle and, if they came from you or someone else, the dice roll associated with them.
Doing these things with the pendant doesn't reveal anything. Maybe an all tongue could ask it?
Touch his thing?
help out Grey with his thingSpoiler (click to show/hide)
You are able to touch him without issue. If you are attempting to shove with the gloves or something, that needs intent. They won't activate without intent.
Go find a piece of paper and ask it if it knows how I could imbibe it with magic.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
[1]
The paper responds with a sexual advance that is not only very rude but seems quite impossible, all things considered.
Try to bend all light around my body and turn myself invisible[4]
This works, though not quite perfectly. The space you occupy looks somewhat distorted, like a heat mirage.
... I need a better knife[5]
Attempt to get a better knife. I mean, worst case couldn't I find a steak knife at least? right? I mean, the magic around here seems to understand intent somewhat, if I keep trying, I think it will work with me. in any case, once I've got a different knife (and returned the butter knife that isn't useful) then I'm going to try making full-size wings yet again.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
The good news is that you do manage to carve some very nice wings. They're not really full sized because the dummies are human sized so making something larger than them out of them is difficult. But it is unfortunately all for naught because -as stated earlier- the dummies revert to their undamaged normal form after a bit. You'll need something else. Perhaps make it out of some kind of material that a anagramist could convert into a different material? Or have someone else create you some using their powers?
Can I only use spells that I store on my own needle, or can other people store spells on my needle, that I can then cast?Needles don't care. You can put spells in other needles, you can trade needles around, etc. The only thing is that there can only ever be 1 needle per homunculi, and death will remove either the needle in their possession or a needle in the possession of another person if they've traded it away or something.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
The Cavern rumbles and the familiar suction of the teleporter gate opening fills the room.
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 26, 2021, 04:30:06 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Bend all light away from The nearest guys eyes for a couple seconds, then try to create a illusion of a puppy at my feet.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 26, 2021, 04:41:09 pm
<snip>
What about my action?
“Interesting…”
The speaker repeats his previous experiment, except that he tries to make the effect permanent and uses it on Grey’s needle (the one that he is offering to swap with Genesis) instead, spending 1 fate point.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 26, 2021, 05:58:19 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
((Ever seen the show Word World (https://www.wordworld.com/)? It’s a children’s show I saw when I was younger. It’s what happens when everyone’s an anagramist))
Post by: Ozarck on July 26, 2021, 07:24:10 pm
Grey The Maintainer
Bob, God of Belts
Speaker, The Insane
Flameo the probably delusional
Debby Deerest
Luta, Lord of Grassassins
Tess the Winged
Edit: also portal
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on July 26, 2021, 07:28:09 pm
Your last magic was to ask books about how to do magic so I'm not sure what you're referring to here.
<snip>
What about my action?“Interesting…”
The speaker repeats his previous experiment, except that he tries to make the effect permanent and uses it on Grey’s needle (the one that he is offering to swap with Genesis) instead, spending 1 fate point.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 26, 2021, 09:56:34 pm
Quote from: Piecewise
Remember to post a single action next time.Will do.
"Nothing...Alright, thanks Flame."
Grey swaps needles with Genesis, again.
When Grey has his own needle again he fires off the Maintain (4) spell contained inside it towards one of the training dummies and observes the results.
((I won't be surprised if it does nothing interesting.))
He then goes off to find wherever Debby is.
"Hey Debby, we found out one or two things about our needles. Apparently when they're linked you can talk through them to other Humonculi, so that should be useful. You can also link them to up to seven Humonculi, which is not all of us I think, but most. Want to link ours together?"
"If you're not busy, do you think you can try asking my pendant what it does? I know it's magic but that's all."
After talking with Debby Grey congregates in the portal room.
He also breaks whatever connections were on his needle and makes them anew.
Genesis
Debby
Bob
Youare
Luta
Lambent Flame
Tess
For reference Genesis's needle which he will receive by the end of this turn, has a Maintain Velocity (4) spell in it and no glue magic I believe.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on July 26, 2021, 10:15:31 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 26, 2021, 10:44:43 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 27, 2021, 01:20:11 am
Your last magic was to ask books about how to do magic so I'm not sure what you're referring to here.
<snip>
What about my action?“Interesting…”
The speaker repeats his previous experiment, except that he tries to make the effect permanent and uses it on Grey’s needle (the one that he is offering to swap with Genesis) instead, spending 1 fate point.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
No. This was my last magic:
<snip>The Speaker thinks (probably for the first time in his life…).[5] This works!
He then attempts to imbue a spell that gives an object the ability to temporarily speak out loud (so that non-all-tounges can hear and understand it) into his needle and then uses it on the training dummy that Genesis is using.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
The dummy shouts "Hit me more!"
<snip>
Post by: King Zultan on July 27, 2021, 05:04:57 am
"Hey Debby, we found out one or two things about our needles. Apparently when they're linked you can talk through them to other Humonculi, so that should be useful. You can also link them to up to seven Humonculi, which is not all of us I think, but most. Want to link ours together?""Sure I'll link needles sounds like it might be a useful thing in the future, and sure I'll try to find out what the pendent can do."
"If you're not busy, do you think you can try asking my pendant what it does? I know it's magic but that's all."
Talk to the pendant and see if it'll tell me what its magic does, and link my needle with those who request it, then check on Elizabeth and see if she's still asleep, if she's still asleep leave her be, but if she isn't take her with me to the portal room.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on July 27, 2021, 05:10:38 am
Post by: Lenglon on July 27, 2021, 07:12:36 am
when the people testing the needles ask to link theirs with mine, I accept, but remain focused on my work.
I attempt to preload my own needle with a bodyswap spell, the user taking on the size, material, appearance, etc, of the target, and the target of them.
and finally, I head to the teleporter room to see what our next task is.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on July 27, 2021, 09:21:15 am
[6,Your last magic was to ask books about how to do magic so I'm not sure what you're referring to here.
<snip>
What about my action?“Interesting…”
The speaker repeats his previous experiment, except that he tries to make the effect permanent and uses it on Grey’s needle (the one that he is offering to swap with Genesis) instead, spending 1 fate point.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
No. This was my last magic:
<snip>The Speaker thinks (probably for the first time in his life…).[5] This works!
He then attempts to imbue a spell that gives an object the ability to temporarily speak out loud (so that non-all-tounges can hear and understand it) into his needle and then uses it on the training dummy that Genesis is using.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
The dummy shouts "Hit me more!"
<snip>
The needle absorbs the magic instead of being enchanted by it.
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 27, 2021, 10:48:29 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 27, 2021, 06:08:32 pm
The Speaker follows everyone else to the portal room.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on July 27, 2021, 06:46:59 pm
Bob, having been absently basking in the glow of his belts and presumably helping with Needle Links when required, quietly makes his way to the portal room. It looked like yet another poor mage or somebody was strapped for aid, and he refused to buckle under the responsibility.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on July 27, 2021, 09:35:18 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 27, 2021, 10:25:30 pm
[6,((Now I am feeling confused. If the needle originally had "Maintain" in it, has it been replaced with whatever Speaker did to it?))4]
The needle absorbs the magic instead of being enchanted by it.
Post by: Lenglon on July 27, 2021, 10:36:59 pm
((Lenglon, you should have one fate point. You rolled a 1 a couple turns ago on an action. That gives you a fate point.))Oh, thanks for the hesdsup. Fixed.
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 27, 2021, 11:15:08 pm
Ignore this action, the character sheet is current though((I work with anagrams, this involves messing with letters, the turn tried to store the letters of Hyperbole, h, y, p, e, b, o, and l into the wand, one copy of each letter or 2 Es and one of the other letters. Like f I had the spell, if I used the H, I would have no more Hs, I’d have the Y, P, E, R, B, O and L left…maybe I can’t take letters from a non physical object which is why you were confused, in that case,)) touch he needle to a shelf, to receive the S, H, E, L, and F for future use, hopefully this makes copies of said letters instead of disassembling the shelf. In case I can’t do this without disassembling the object, find a small shelf that isn’t holding anything, that way when the letters are taken, and it gets broken as as result, nothing else is damaged as collateralSpoiler (click to show/hide)
((Ever seen the show Word World (https://www.wordworld.com/)? It’s a children’s show I saw when I was younger. It’s what happens when everyone’s an anagramist))
Get to the portal room
Post by: piecewise on July 28, 2021, 02:34:57 pm
[4][4]Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Bend all light away from The nearest guys eyes for a couple seconds, then try to create a illusion of a puppy at my feet.
You effectively render someone mostly blind for a few seconds. Generating the puppy goes about the same: Looks like a static image of a puppy, but only when viewed from the right angle.
Cannot. For multiple reasons. First, Hyperbole isn't an object you can pull letters from. You can't pull letters from nothing. Anagramists convert one thing to another by scrambling their letters. You could convert from physical object to something questionably material, but not the other way around.((I work with anagrams, this involves messing with letters, the turn tried to store the letters of Hyperbole, h, y, p, e, b, o, and l into the wand, one copy of each letter or 2 Es and one of the other letters. Like f I had the spell, if I used the H, I would have no more Hs, I’d have the Y, P, E, R, B, O and L left…maybe I can’t take letters from a non physical object which is why you were confused, in that case,)) touch he needle to a shelf, to receive the S, H, E, L, and F for future use, hopefully this makes copies of said letters instead of disassembling the shelf. In case I can’t do this without disassembling the object, find a small shelf that isn’t holding anything, that way when the letters are taken, and it gets broken as as result, nothing else is damaged as collateralSpoiler (click to show/hide)
((Ever seen the show Word World (https://www.wordworld.com/)? It’s a children’s show I saw when I was younger. It’s what happens when everyone’s an anagramist))
Second, you cannot just put "Letters" into the thing for later use.
However, you could do a complete spell and have the result stored for later. So wallet to Wall, with the wallet vanishing and the "Wall" being stored in the needle.
Swapping needles back wit hGrey so that if one of us dies the otehr doesn't lose th needle in tehir possession. Then, re-linking to seven HomunculiOk. Keep track of them.
Grey The Maintainer
Bob, God of Belts
Speaker, The Insane
Flameo the probably delusional
Debby Deerest
Luta, Lord of Grassassins
Tess the Winged
Edit: also portalSpoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Alright, Keep track of those connections.Quote from: PiecewiseRemember to post a single action next time.Will do.
"Nothing...Alright, thanks Flame."
Grey swaps needles with Genesis, again.
When Grey has his own needle again he fires off the Maintain (4) spell contained inside it towards one of the training dummies and observes the results.
((I won't be surprised if it does nothing interesting.))
He then goes off to find wherever Debby is.
"Hey Debby, we found out one or two things about our needles. Apparently when they're linked you can talk through them to other Humonculi, so that should be useful. You can also link them to up to seven Humonculi, which is not all of us I think, but most. Want to link ours together?"
"If you're not busy, do you think you can try asking my pendant what it does? I know it's magic but that's all."
After talking with Debby Grey congregates in the portal room.
He also breaks whatever connections were on his needle and makes them anew.
Genesis
Debby
Bob
Youare
Luta
Lambent Flame
Tess
For reference Genesis's needle which he will receive by the end of this turn, has a Maintain Velocity (4) spell in it and no glue magic I believe.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Maintaining an immobile dummy doesn't produce the most...immediately obvious results.
[5]"Hey Debby, we found out one or two things about our needles. Apparently when they're linked you can talk through them to other Humonculi, so that should be useful. You can also link them to up to seven Humonculi, which is not all of us I think, but most. Want to link ours together?""Sure I'll link needles sounds like it might be a useful thing in the future, and sure I'll try to find out what the pendent can do."
"If you're not busy, do you think you can try asking my pendant what it does? I know it's magic but that's all."
Talk to the pendant and see if it'll tell me what its magic does, and link my needle with those who request it, then check on Elizabeth and see if she's still asleep, if she's still asleep leave her be, but if she isn't take her with me to the portal room.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"I halt arrows, bullets, and just about anything coming in dangerously fast. Oh but be careful, slow things still pass through. And don't fall in water. You'll freeze solid. " Says the Pendant in a cold whisper.
Liz is awake, sitting on the edge of the bed. She raises her arms for you to pick her up without saying anything and you carry her into the portal room.
I understand that my carving will be undone shortly after it is completed, but I do still have a few moments to work with it first, so I'll try to use those moments with the carvings for the shape, and the air for the material, and see if I can retain my larger though still not big enough wings form after the carvings are reverted, or if stuff happening to the object used as a base affects me as well.You can, SO LONG AS YOU ARE IN CONTACT WITH AIR. If you lose that contact, they'll revert.
when the people testing the needles ask to link theirs with mine, I accept, but remain focused on my work.
I attempt to preload my own needle with a bodyswap spell, the user taking on the size, material, appearance, etc, of the target, and the target of them.
and finally, I head to the teleporter room to see what our next task is.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
I don't think you really can charge your needle with your magic, since your magic inherently only works through you.
Ok.
((Damn. I was hoping someone would end up with a talking needle. I even spent a fate point on it… :())Ok
The Speaker follows everyone else to the portal room.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
(Not) Ok.
Bob, having been absently basking in the glow of his belts and presumably helping with Needle Links when required, quietly makes his way to the portal room. It looked like yet another poor mage or somebody was strapped for aid, and he refused to buckle under the responsibility.Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
I DID IT ANYWAYS!Ignore this action, the character sheet is current though((I work with anagrams, this involves messing with letters, the turn tried to store the letters of Hyperbole, h, y, p, e, b, o, and l into the wand, one copy of each letter or 2 Es and one of the other letters. Like f I had the spell, if I used the H, I would have no more Hs, I’d have the Y, P, E, R, B, O and L left…maybe I can’t take letters from a non physical object which is why you were confused, in that case,)) touch he needle to a shelf, to receive the S, H, E, L, and F for future use, hopefully this makes copies of said letters instead of disassembling the shelf. In case I can’t do this without disassembling the object, find a small shelf that isn’t holding anything, that way when the letters are taken, and it gets broken as as result, nothing else is damaged as collateralSpoiler (click to show/hide)
((Ever seen the show Word World (https://www.wordworld.com/)? It’s a children’s show I saw when I was younger. It’s what happens when everyone’s an anagramist))
Get to the portal room
The Portal is open, as you'd expect. Written on the metal slab next to it is the following.
The Mundane have requested aid in dispatching a Magical threat. Investigation has revealed this threat to originate from a displaced Rod of Bounty. In accordance with the Covenants of Aid and Containment, dispatch the threat and return the rod to the containment chamber here. The Mundane on the site have been informed that you are coming; cooperate with them to fulfill our obligation to the Covenants.
If possible, discover the source and series of events which lead to the Rod being displaced.
This is our will.
Post by: Ozarck on July 28, 2021, 02:48:15 pm
Step through the portal, Needle at the ready. Examine surroundings, especially for anything hostile or any Mundane to 'cooperate' with. DO I notice an obvious Fountain of Too Much Stuff spewing blessed debris about the place?
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 28, 2021, 04:38:31 pm
Ignore this action, the character sheet is current though((I work with anagrams, this involves messing with letters, the turn tried to store the letters of Hyperbole, h, y, p, e, b, o, and l into the wand, one copy of each letter or 2 Es and one of the other letters. Like f I had the spell, if I used the H, I would have no more Hs, I’d have the Y, P, E, R, B, O and L left…maybe I can’t take letters from a non physical object which is why you were confused, in that case,)) touch he needle to a shelf, to receive the S, H, E, L, and F for future use, hopefully this makes copies of said letters instead of disassembling the shelf. In case I can’t do this without disassembling the object, find a small shelf that isn’t holding anything, that way when the letters are taken, and it gets broken as as result, nothing else is damaged as collateralSpoiler (click to show/hide)
((Ever seen the show Word World (https://www.wordworld.com/)? It’s a children’s show I saw when I was younger. It’s what happens when everyone’s an anagramist))
Get to the portal room
Enter the portal
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 28, 2021, 05:02:21 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
infuse a light flash spell into my needle, grab some cake from the food place, and run through the portal.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 28, 2021, 07:00:11 pm
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: m1895 on July 28, 2021, 11:15:17 pm
leave 1 of the axes (the least edgy looking) by the chest. Go through the portal
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Beirus on July 29, 2021, 12:56:43 am
Bob adjusts his belts and strides through the portal. Once on the other side, he takes stock of his surroundings.
Spoiler: Bob the Belter (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on July 29, 2021, 02:16:00 am
Go find Grey and tell him the info, then go through the portal, also see how Elizabeth is doing.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 29, 2021, 04:30:07 am
"Rod of Bounty..."
Grey ponders for a moment and infuses his needle with a particular spell, Maintain the current number of duplicate objects in this area.
He then gets sucked through the portal with everyone else.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on July 29, 2021, 04:42:44 am
Youare goes through the conduit after linking with Grey.
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 29, 2021, 06:49:04 am
Post by: NJW2000 on July 29, 2021, 10:19:18 am
Post by: Lenglon on July 30, 2021, 06:10:45 am
I nod once, and then go through the portal
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on July 30, 2021, 10:40:54 pm
[6]Spoiler (click to show/hide)
infuse a light flash spell into my needle, grab some cake from the food place, and run through the portal.
You put a light flash spell into your needle. It might be slightly larger than you intended. You grab some Cake before heading out.
The Speaker asks the portal how it is doing. He then asks his needle, gloves, and robe if they are ready and then enters the portal while preparing to cross his wrists in front of him if necessary.[2,3]Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
The portal doesn't respond and your clothing and weapon seem rather lethargic, responding only with grunts. Hmm. Someone needs to put some pep in their step!
[/quote]
leave 1 of the axes (the least edgy looking) by the chest. Go through the portalSpoiler (click to show/hide)
Leaving one ax behind, you head through the portal.
"Hey Grey I talked to the pendant and it says it stops fast things coming at you like bullets and arrows, but it apparently doesn't stop slow things from hitting you, also it says you'll freeze solid if you fall in water, I guess the freezing in water is a downside or something."Liz seems to be doing ok. She's taking everything going on around her in stride, seemingly only mildly interested by the new events. Probably feeling kind of disconnected from everything after her former master's death.
Go find Grey and tell him the info, then go through the portal, also see how Elizabeth is doing.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Thanks Debby, you're a big help. I'll try not to fall into any lakes."[5] Spell added to needle.
"Rod of Bounty..."
Grey ponders for a moment and infuses his needle with a particular spell, Maintain the current number of duplicate objects in this area.
He then gets sucked through the portal with everyone else.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
I need constant contact with one of the two mix subjects if I'm going to retain the shape/material mix? okay. I'm not 100% on why it works that way but I think I'll be fine considering that it's air we're talking about.
I nod once, and then go through the portalSpoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Quote from: From the Rules
Chameleon: Allows the Homunculus to take on the shape/material of anything they are currently touching. How much of themselves they can change depends on the amount of the material they're touching. So if ya want your whole body to become steel, you have to be touching at least as much steel.Currently touching doesn't mean "When the spell activated" it means "As long as the spell is active". Ie if you want to be steel you need enough steel to be equal to your volume AND you need to remain touching it. That is how the rules are currently written. However, this is extremely restrictive so I might instead give it some sort of slow "Draining" effect where you return to normal over time instead of the instant you lose contact with the material.
The team falls through the star spattered in-between space, tumbling through that nebulous expanse before suddenly finding themselves back on their feet in the normal world. They sky is a sea of cobwebs, gray lace of clouds dotted with spots of sunset red. At first glance they seem to be on a wide grassy plain dotted with white boulders like giants' tombstones, but to their right the plain ends suddenly and a vast expanse of dark blue stretches beyond. The ocean roars, waves crashing against the white cliff walls. The wind is blowing in gusts off the ocean, carrying the smell of salt and dead fish to them and stinging their eyes. In the distance, looming over the water, the gray clouds deepen to black and the haze of distant rain blurs the horizon.
A man stands in front of them, eyes burning out from under the brim of his knitted cap and heavy brow. He's dressed warmly and in layers, dark green rain slicker over dark blue jacket over white woolen shirt. He's old and gaunt, his face rough and unshaven, uncombed gray hair juts out from under his cap. The wind blows his rain slicker about erratically but he stays stock still. It takes them a moment to realize he's leaning on a cane made of driftwood.
"That the lot o ye?" He says after he apparently finishes looking the group over. He doesn't wait for an answer before turning and walking off, only a half wave of his cane indicating the group should follow. The group does follow, carrying their teleportation conduit with them like pallbearers. The man leads them across the short grass to the edge of the sea cliff. White and gray stone stands defiant against the water, scattered natural towers and arches carved from the shoreline over millennia. Here the cliff face dips inward and forms a natural bay, a "C" shaped alcove flanked by enormous walls of stone. Those stone walls are alive with movement. Buildings cling to the stone like steel barnacles while pathways, catwalks, ziplines, and cables crisscross the open air. Down on the water's surface a false beach of floating platforms and pontoons forms a flowing dock. Dozens of ships are moored down there, maybe hundreds. And while most are small vessels, a few truly enormous craft dominate the center of the bay. More ships are still coming into port, black plumes of smoke rising from their stacks or their exposed motors.
The ships pull nets laden with fish or lines dragging harpooned beasts up into shallow waters. Alongside the moored ships stand scaffolds holding the carcasses of beasts mid butchery. Distant men carry great slabs of carved flesh across blood slick walkways into storehouses nearby. Bones are piled carefully along the walls of the false beach and crews work in the dozens to drag the fresh catches onto the docks. Out beyond the bay, perched on wave battered stones, is an ancient looking lighthouse. Its difficult to tell it apart from the rocks, built as it is from giant cyclopean slabs of stone. Its light doesn't rotate, instead it seems to pulse out in all directions at once, accompanied by an echoing roar of a fog horn.
"The catch has been the best we seen in years. Maybe lifetimes." The old man says, looking down at the scene below. "But men been disappearing. Whole ships vanishing. Those that come back tell tale of something out there attacking fishermen. They call it the Thunder Hammer. Supposed to come with the storms."
He points his cane down at one of the huge ships occupying the center of the docks.
"That's our vessel. We'll be hunting the Hammer."
He half turns his head to look back at the group.
"If ye got questions, out with em. I'll take no backtalk or hesitation once we're aboard my ship."
Post by: Ozarck on July 30, 2021, 11:30:57 pm
Backtalk our host, without hesitation.
Turning to the Homunculi, Genesis speaks a little louder,
"You guys, If we're going to be on the sea, you should link up if you haven't already. If one of us falls overboard, be good to be able to get back on, assuming there's enough of a ship left to ride."
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 30, 2021, 11:55:50 pm
"The catch has been the best we seen in years. Maybe lifetimes."
“You’ve only seen a batch of ships like this five times? And the last time was years ago?”
"But men been disappearing."
“They’ve been mishearing?!! That’s not good!”
"Whole ships vanishing.”
“Worship’s vanishing?!! So, you want us to drum up support for your local deity?”
"They call it the Thunder Hammer."
“‘The Hunter’s Banner’… that’s an interesting name!”
"That's our vessel."
“Our what hole??!!”
"We'll be hunting the Hammer."
“we’re going to be the ‘Hunter’s Banner’??!! I though humonculi were supposed to solve problems, not cause them!!”
“What is going on here??!!”
The Speaker stands there, mouth agape with confusion.
<snip>
Turning to the Homunculi, Genesis speaks a little louder,
"You guys, If we're going to be on the sea, you should link up if you haven't already. If one of us falls overboard, be good to be able to get back on, assuming there's enough of a ship left to ride."
“Ink up?? Why would wearing ink help us if we fall overboard?”
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 31, 2021, 12:37:00 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Try linking with the Speaker
Post by: Fire and Glory on July 31, 2021, 02:13:20 am
"And have you ever heard of a rod of bounty, captain?”
Grey interrogates the salty captain.
After the captain gives his response, Grey steps away from the group and takes off his pendant, holding it outwards. Then he speaks, addressing no one in particular.
"I request this item be placed in the deposit room."
Also, does the storm in the distance look like it contains any thunder and lightning? Or is it just rain?
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on July 31, 2021, 04:19:14 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on July 31, 2021, 07:15:01 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
“Sir, could you tell me what we will be using to hunt this hammer-thingy?”
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 31, 2021, 12:01:35 pm
What happened to you?
“What?! Huh?! Did something happen to a bunch of yew trees?”
Nearly every word you said was incorrect,
“Well, it’s good to hear that everything I said was correct! Thank you!”
do you have bad hearing?
“No, I haven’t had herring. I was born only a little while ago! I might see if there’s any way I can get the kitchen to give me some when we get back.”
Link, as in connecting the needles together to allow teleportation
Try linking with the Speaker
“Oh, ‘Link’ the needles, as in ‘connect them’! ‘Link’ is the word you want, not ‘ink’!”
Link needles with Dew and Greed (and anyone else who wishes to do so). Try to remember about getting herring from the kitchen when we get back.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on July 31, 2021, 11:06:46 pm
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on July 31, 2021, 11:12:53 pm
Pick up a ROCK FRAGMENT and create a FROGMAN((psst. Wrong character))Spoiler: Ji (click to show/hide)
Post by: m1895 on August 01, 2021, 01:47:23 am
link Needles with someone, then stick the axe into the water and see what happens
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on August 01, 2021, 07:55:14 am
I have no questions for the Captain, so I stay silent and out of the way while the others do their thing.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on August 01, 2021, 03:14:21 pm
Spoiler: Current Needle Link Web (click to show/hide)
Lines that do not connect are conflicting colors. probably doesn't matter, but for consistency, if Grey would swap link colors for Luta and Flame, and if Debby were to change her link wit hGenesis to Blue, the colors would align.
Grey and Genesis are at max links (which is why I put us in the middle, so the rest of you, if you want to link up, do so among yourselves.
I know a few of you are saying to link up and someone has linked without putting the links in their descriptions. If your link isn't on this web, let me know who and what color and I'll add it ... probably.
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 01, 2021, 03:42:27 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 01, 2021, 03:47:13 pm
(Wait! What?! When did I link with Genesis?!))
((Also, is Dew going to reply to my reply to her?))
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 01, 2021, 04:17:34 pm
If it did, I don’t know about it, I’m asking what happened to your hearingWhat happened to you?
“What?! Huh?! Did something happen to a bunch of yew trees?”
No, I said you think what people said is wrong, there is no banner, it’s a HAMmer, like the tool used to shove nails into holesNearly every word you said was incorrect,
“Well, it’s good to hear that everything I said was correct! Thank you!”
That’s what I said, you seem to mishear a lotdo you have bad hearing?
“No, I haven’t had herring. I was born only a little while ago! I might see if there’s any way I can get the kitchen to give me some when we get back.”Link, as in connecting the needles together to allow teleportation
Try linking with the Speaker
“Oh, ‘Link’ the needles, as in ‘connect them’! ‘Link’ is the word you want, not ‘ink’!”
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 01, 2021, 05:54:14 pm
If it did, I don’t know about it, I’m asking what happened to your hearingWhat happened to you?
“What?! Huh?! Did something happen to a bunch of yew trees?”
“My earring?! I don’t have any earrings!”
No, I said you think what people said is wrong, there is no banner, it’s a HAMmer, like the tool used to shove nails into holesNearly every word you said was incorrect,
“Well, it’s good to hear that everything I said was correct! Thank you!”
“People are saying wrong things?! What are they saying? Wait!… it’s a ham?!! We’re using a boat to hunt a giant floating ham?!! Also, I get that you love old flails, but why are you telling me that?!!”
That’s what I said, you seem to mishear a lotLink, as in connecting the needles together to allow teleportation
Try linking with the Speaker
“Oh, ‘Link’ the needles, as in ‘connect them’! ‘Link’ is the word you want, not ‘ink’!”
[/quote]
“Miss who a lot?!”
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 01, 2021, 06:11:00 pm
No, your HEARING, like your ears hear things, that is what seems to be wrongIf it did, I don’t know about it, I’m asking what happened to your hearingWhat happened to you?
“What?! Huh?! Did something happen to a bunch of yew trees?”
“My earring?! I don’t have any earrings!”
No, I said you think what people said is wrong, there is no banner, it’s a HAMmer, like the tool used to shove nails into holesNearly every word you said was incorrect,
“Well, it’s good to hear that everything I said was correct! Thank you!”
“People are saying wrong things?! What are they saying? Wait!… it’s a ham?!! We’re using a boat to hunt a giant floating ham?!! Also, I get that you love old flails, but why are you telling me that?!!”[/quote]
HAMMER, the TOOL for NAILING THINGS
Not hearing things correctlyThat’s what I said, you seem to mishear a lotLink, as in connecting the needles together to allow teleportation
Try linking with the Speaker
“Oh, ‘Link’ the needles, as in ‘connect them’! ‘Link’ is the word you want, not ‘ink’!”
“Miss who a lot?!”
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 01, 2021, 06:32:16 pm
No, your HEARING, like your ears hear things, that is what seems to be wrongIf it did, I don’t know about it, I’m asking what happened to your hearingWhat happened to you?
“What?! Huh?! Did something happen to a bunch of yew trees?”
“My earring?! I don’t have any earrings!”
“My hearing?!! There’s nothing wrong with my hearing!!”
No, I said you think what people said is wrong, there is no banner, it’s a HAMmer, like the tool used to shove nails into holesNearly every word you said was incorrect,
“Well, it’s good to hear that everything I said was correct! Thank you!”
“People are saying wrong things?! What are they saying? Wait!… it’s a ham?!! We’re using a boat to hunt a giant floating ham?!! Also, I get that you love old flails, but why are you telling me that?!!”[/quote]
HAMMER, the TOOL for NAILING THINGS
[/quote]
“Oh, a hammer. Did someone lose one? Given how big the ocean is, we’ll probably never find it. Kinda like searching for a needle in a haystack!”
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 01, 2021, 06:37:21 pm
HAMMER, the TOOL for NAILING THINGSNo, your HEARING, like your ears hear things, that is what seems to be wrongIf it did, I don’t know about it, I’m asking what happened to your hearingWhat happened to you?
“What?! Huh?! Did something happen to a bunch of yew trees?”
“My earring?! I don’t have any earrings!”
“My hearing?!! There’s nothing wrong with my hearing!!”No, I said you think what people said is wrong, there is no banner, it’s a HAMmer, like the tool used to shove nails into holesNearly every word you said was incorrect,
“Well, it’s good to hear that everything I said was correct! Thank you!”
“People are saying wrong things?! What are they saying? Wait!… it’s a ham?!! We’re using a boat to hunt a giant floating ham?!! Also, I get that you love old flails, but why are you telling me that?!!”
[/quote]
“Oh, a hammer. Did someone lose one? Given how big the ocean is, we’ll probably never find it. Kinda like searching for a needle in a haystack!”
[/quote]The Thunder Hammer’s been attacking people
Post by: Ozarck on August 01, 2021, 06:41:43 pm
Also, @A Curious Cat, Genesis linked with those people as long as tey didn't actively resist (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8299432#msg8299432) to avoid not getting a link because people weren't paying attention. feel free to break the link if you choose. Genesis will link with someone else in that case.
Edit 2: @naturegirl:
((Oh, is there no role for links?, question, do colors matter? Also what ‘s with the indigo line not connected to anyone?))
Lines that do not connect are conflicting colors. probably doesn't matter, but for consistency, if Grey would swap link colors for Luta and Flame, and if Debby were to change her link wit hGenesis to Blue, the colors would align.Each pair of needles is connected by a thread of a single color. each needle can have seven links - one of each color. In the diagram, lines that do not connect are because the colors are duplicated on one end of the connection, so those colors should be swapped. It probably doesn't matter as long as one keeps their number of links to seven at most, but the colors can help with organization and to better keep track.
there is no roll for linking needles, unless one party is resisting (or if one is trying to link under extenuating circumstances, probably)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 01, 2021, 07:29:47 pm
The Thunder Hammer’s been attacking people
“What?! Did you say something?”
Also, @A Curious Cat, Genesis linked with those people as long as tey didn't actively resist (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8299432#msg8299432) to avoid not getting a link because people weren't paying attention. feel free to break the link if you choose. Genesis will link with someone else in that case.
Thanks! I’ll update accordingly. Also, I think we can consider the links to Dew and Greed can probably be considered confirmed.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 01, 2021, 08:28:28 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Ask the captain Do you know what the Thunder Hammer looks like? Have you heard of a Rod of Bounty?
Post by: piecewise on August 02, 2021, 02:59:02 pm
"We'll do our part and cooperate, but you will also remember who we are and what we represent, old man."The old man doesn't respond.
Backtalk our host, without hesitation.
Turning to the Homunculi, Genesis speaks a little louder,
"You guys, If we're going to be on the sea, you should link up if you haven't already. If one of us falls overboard, be good to be able to get back on, assuming there's enough of a ship left to ride."Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
If you have room and he agrees, assume you're linked. Remember 7 links per needle and keep them listed.What happened to you? Nearly every word you said was incorrect, do you have bad hearing? Link, as in connecting the needles together to allow teleportationSpoiler (click to show/hide)
Try linking with the Speaker
"Aside from storms, are there any common elements or themes in the tales of this "Thunder Hammer"? ""Big." The captain says, "Some say claws, some say tentacles, some say teeth. Chimera maybe. Or they're giving it honors when another beast did the work. Hammer shape is only real thing the tales share. Hammer rising up in the fog, lit by lightning. Seems only to come during storms and in deep waters."
"And have you ever heard of a rod of bounty, captain?”
Grey interrogates the salty captain.
After the captain gives his response, Grey steps away from the group and takes off his pendant, holding it outwards. Then he speaks, addressing no one in particular.
"I request this item be placed in the deposit room."
Also, does the storm in the distance look like it contains any thunder and lightning? Or is it just rain?Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
"Heard of it, never seen one. Find'em inland, on the farm fields. No use out here."
Your attempts to summon an ethereal concierge, or whatever this is, do not work.
The storm looks to just be heavy rain right now. You hear no thunder and see no lightning. At least you're not sure if you do or not. Its still bright enough with ambient sunlight that lightning might be hidden.
"What exactly do people describe this Thunder Hammer thing as looking like, and will we be provided with life vests, and access to ropes?"Bold it next time.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Like I told the other one, what it looks like ain't stable between stories. Only that hammer shape connects them. "
"Vests we have, if you want one. Many don't wear'em. Rope we have aplenty."
"Depth charges, harpoon guns, cannons. Axes and rifles if its got hangers on or starts climbing aboard. The prow is bladed 'neath the water as well."link with speaker and then respectfully ask the Captain what weapons are on the ship.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
“Sir, could you tell me what we will be using to hunt this hammer-thingy?”
We'll assume you link to those who are willing. As per Herring, you'll have to speak up. I'm a big hard of herring.What happened to you?
“What?! Huh?! Did something happen to a bunch of yew trees?”Nearly every word you said was incorrect,
“Well, it’s good to hear that everything I said was correct! Thank you!”do you have bad hearing?
“No, I haven’t had herring. I was born only a little while ago! I might see if there’s any way I can get the kitchen to give me some when we get back.”Link, as in connecting the needles together to allow teleportation
Try linking with the Speaker
“Oh, ‘Link’ the needles, as in ‘connect them’! ‘Link’ is the word you want, not ‘ink’!”
Link needles with Dew and Greed (and anyone else who wishes to do so). Try to remember about getting herring from the kitchen when we get back.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Pick up a ROCK FRAGMENT and create a FROGMAN(Your hp should be 10, assuming you didn't get hurt in the cave.)Edit - fixed sheet, thanks NatureGirlSpoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
[2]
No dice. Well, one dice. But it doesn't like you.
"my only question is what weaponry does the vessel have and how many sailors crew it? also I need to test something."The water is still several hundred feet below you. You and the team are all still standing up on the cliff overlooking the fishing town.
link Needles with someone, then stick the axe into the water and see what happensSpoiler (click to show/hide)
Weaponry answered above.
"Normal crew is 60. We're running heavy with volunteers though, not including yourselves."
I gently tap my air-wings with my left hand and see how it feels to have a gaseous body part and a solid one touch. does my gaseous body part allow the solid one to pass through it? also, are the air-wings even visible? I mean, they're made of air so...Your wings aren't visible really, and you can only kind of touch them. If you don't move them they're basically non-existent. But if you move them they act like concentrated wind. You can feel the pressure of their movement like you would the pressure of wind, but it doesn't stop you from moving your hand through them.
I have no questions for the Captain, so I stay silent and out of the way while the others do their thing.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Never mindSpoiler (click to show/hide)
Ask the captain Do you know what the Thunder Hammer looks like? Have you heard of a Rod of Bounty?
"One of ye already asked that."
Post by: Ozarck on August 02, 2021, 03:30:27 pm
Genesis will not be getting on this guy's ship until we have an understanding, so no auto moving him with the group.
Edit: Borrowing the hammer pendant from Grey. He's agreed.
"So monsters you know nothing about appear with the storms and kill your crews and sink your ships and your plan is to sail out into the storm with a bunch of volunteers and get killed and sunk, and you expect no backtalk from us, eh? I don't like that situation at all, and will be remaining on ground until we have a better grasp of what's happening here.
Now, some questions:
1) what kind of hammer are we talking about? claw? ball peen? double headed? Is the hammer described as moving or stationary? how big? Wwhat proportion between the head and the handle?
You say the hammer is mentioned as rising in the fog. has it been seen clear of the fog at all? if so, what color, what material?
2) what more can you tell us about rods of bounty - origin, shape, function? If you know nothing or only a little, where can we get that information?
3) When did the fishing start to become noticeably better? When did the losses begin to occur? have they occurred at a set rate since then, or grown in frequency and power? Waxed and waned wiht a rhythm? if the last, what rhythm? are the events all tied to storms, or does the fish catch occur at all times?
4) What events happened within a month prior to the start of the boon and bane you have been experiencing? anything out of the ordinary? Did you have any migrants from the farms come through port, go to sea, and get lost with a ship?
5) Do you expect to set sail immediately for war? are we not to have an opportunity to scout the danger first?
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on August 02, 2021, 03:32:03 pm
Edit- obviously I’m not going to drop a giant fish on the city. I’ll either go to somewhere with clear water, or I’ll just collect the fragments and wait until I’m at a place that’s clear.
You know what? I’ll just make a ROC out of a ROCK instead.
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on August 02, 2021, 04:46:33 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Ask the captain for command over the weapons systems and a sword.
“Sir, if you don’t mind, could I have a weapon, like a sword maybe? And while on the topic of weapons it seems like a good idea for me to take control of the weapons systems so you can focus on steering.”
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 02, 2021, 09:29:12 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 02, 2021, 10:40:39 pm
"Here, you can have my sword. It's magic you know."
While Genesis is being difficult, Grey gets rid of the spell in his needle and puts in a new one, Maintain the condition of everyone aboard this ship.
Grey tosses his pendant to Genesis too.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on August 02, 2021, 11:09:30 pm
((The captain isn’t going to respond to the speaker (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8300617#msg8300617)?))Not if its not bolded I'm not. Mostly because chances of me even noticing it are slim.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 02, 2021, 11:43:18 pm
((The captain isn’t going to respond to the speaker (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8300617#msg8300617)?))Not if its not bolded I'm not. Mostly because chances of me even noticing it are slim.
((There. I bonded it (or at least I tried to, the result is a little wonky).))
Post by: Ozarck on August 02, 2021, 11:53:19 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 03, 2021, 12:02:14 am
Post by: King Zultan on August 03, 2021, 04:39:10 am
Ask the questions, and look around and see if there happens to be any useful items sitting around for me to take.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on August 03, 2021, 01:02:00 pm
statement of intent, also, I'm paying close attention to the sensations I'm feeling from my air-wings, for example their sense of touch and what it feels like when the wind blows or if they brush someone next to me. I am attempting to keep them still so they don't disturb the others around me.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on August 03, 2021, 01:16:40 pm
Or if he actually listens and we can go with reasonable preparations and roles, and not just as an afterthought - a tool to be tossed into the sea to no purpose.
I bet our all tongues (even Speaker) could help by getting information from the waves and winds. At least we'd be forewarned a little."
Spoiler: Updated link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 04, 2021, 08:18:23 pm
((The captain isn’t going to respond to the speaker (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8300617#msg8300617)?))Not if its not bolded I'm not. Mostly because chances of me even noticing it are slim.
((There. I bonded it (or at least I tried to, the result is a little wonky).))
((Ok. This time it should be fixed properly. I changed it so that only The Speaker’s individual responses (and his “action”) are bolded.))
Post by: Ozarck on August 04, 2021, 11:39:28 pm
As RP, I am quite amused by Speaker's silliness, but it's probably not something the GM should be dealing with on a line by line basis.))
Post by: piecewise on August 05, 2021, 04:42:50 pm
Questions for the shitty captain. any question that is a repeat of previous ones, I am specifically asking for more details, or for who to ask for more details.
Genesis will not be getting on this guy's ship until we have an understanding, so no auto moving him with the group.
Edit: Borrowing the hammer pendant from Grey. He's agreed.
"So monsters you know nothing about appear with the storms and kill your crews and sink your ships and your plan is to sail out into the storm with a bunch of volunteers and get killed and sunk, and you expect no backtalk from us, eh? I don't like that situation at all, and will be remaining on ground until we have a better grasp of what's happening here.
Now, some questions:
1) what kind of hammer are we talking about? claw? ball peen? double headed? Is the hammer described as moving or stationary? how big? Wwhat proportion between the head and the handle?
You say the hammer is mentioned as rising in the fog. has it been seen clear of the fog at all? if so, what color, what material?
2) what more can you tell us about rods of bounty - origin, shape, function? If you know nothing or only a little, where can we get that information?
3) When did the fishing start to become noticeably better? When did the losses begin to occur? have they occurred at a set rate since then, or grown in frequency and power? Waxed and waned wiht a rhythm? if the last, what rhythm? are the events all tied to storms, or does the fish catch occur at all times?
4) What events happened within a month prior to the start of the boon and bane you have been experiencing? anything out of the ordinary? Did you have any migrants from the farms come through port, go to sea, and get lost with a ship?
5) Do you expect to set sail immediately for war? are we not to have an opportunity to scout the danger first?Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
1) "Some part of it, maybe head or limb, is shaped like a "T". They always see it side on like that, looming up above the deck. Size I can't tell ye, the fish in a sailor's tale is always growing. And Like I told the others, I get different tales depending on the man who returns. Some say squid tentacles, others giant crab claw, another said gray blue flesh covered in suckers and coral. One said white armored hide like an insect's. Some repeats in their reports but nothing concrete. If I had to guess, its either some sort of group of beasts or some sort of chimeric thing resembling many others. "
2)"Nothing really. Never seen one. Just know they're metal rods that they embed in fields inland. Make the plants grow bigger or something akin to that. It isn't my specialty."
3) "Catch grew better maybe 6 months ago, first attack is harder to say. We already hunt great beasts of the sea so the loss of a ship isn't unheard of. But the first we noticed was when three smaller ships vanished. A few survivors washed up days later and told us about the Hammer. Since then most have attributed any loss to it. We've had 7 more we know were connected though. The first three were lost about 4 months ago. 3 months ago the boss forbade anyone from going out into the storm so we've not had an attack since then...least until last week. We lost another ship on a foggy day, this time closer to the bay. We could hear it go down from here. Crushed by the sound of it. No survivors."
4)He thinks a while. "Well, let me reckon the times a bit. But the boss might be a better one to ask. He's always around town while I spend most my days at sea."
5)"We're sailing out with the goal of killing the beast, but I ain't no fool. I've hunted leviathan before. We're not charging headlong in. We've got boats for scouting, hot air balloon for long range sighting, the works."
Alright, take some ROCK FRAGMENTS and make a GAR MONSTER. Seeking to make a giant fish as big as possible. I’d like to have some way to communicate with it, maybe a whistle it can pick up on?. If there’s no way to remotely communicate, tell it to start hunting the monster, then send it on its way. In any case, I’ll toss it in the water.
Edit- obviously I’m not going to drop a giant fish on the city. I’ll either go to somewhere with clear water, or I’ll just collect the fragments and wait until I’m at a place that’s clear.
You know what? I’ll just make a ROC out of a ROCK instead.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
[3]
Your spell produces....a stone chicken. Not even a living one, just a stone chicken statue. Well...ok.
"No."Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Ask the captain for command over the weapons systems and a sword.
“Sir, if you don’t mind, could I have a weapon, like a sword maybe? And while on the topic of weapons it seems like a good idea for me to take control of the weapons systems so you can focus on steering.”
Grey offers his feather shaped saber to Greed.[2]
"Here, you can have my sword. It's magic you know."
While Genesis is being difficult, Grey gets rid of the spell in his needle and puts in a new one, Maintain the condition of everyone aboard this ship.
Grey tosses his pendant to Genesis too.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Nah.
Also "Maintain condition" could very easily mean "Freeze everyone in place". Be careful.
"If we're gonna be fighting in a storm will we be given flares or flare guns to aid in seeing what's going on, also will we get the rifles and axes before the fight or during?""If I can avoid fighting it in the storm then I will. With luck we'll be able to lure it out into calmer seas; its gotten more brazen lately so its not an impossible task. If we are forced to fight in the storm, we have magnesium flares and floodlights. Also luminous shells: hollow metal bombs filled with glowing material. Should coat the beast itself and make it more visible."
Ask the questions, and look around and see if there happens to be any useful items sitting around for me to take.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
[2]
Is a rock useful?
"it does make sense to split into two groups, hunters to go with the ship, and investigators to try to discover what happened to cause all this, I guess. I don't like the way Genesis is antagonizing the good captain here, But I think I'll go with him and help him look into what might have happened here."The air wings don't have strong sensations. They're not dead objects, but they're not finger tips either. Like a foot thats gone mostly numb, you feel their extent and movement mostly through how it effects your "normal" body.
statement of intent, also, I'm paying close attention to the sensations I'm feeling from my air-wings, for example their sense of touch and what it feels like when the wind blows or if they brush someone next to me. I am attempting to keep them still so they don't disturb the others around me.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"You'll thank me when the 'good' captain here sails his ship into a maelstrom and sinks it with all hands ... except ours.(Bear in mind the mundane know little or nothing of what Homunculi can do. Also bear in mind you might not be the only group of homunculi...there's a reason you bear a specific mark.)
Or if he actually listens and we can go with reasonable preparations and roles, and not just as an afterthought - a tool to be tossed into the sea to no purpose.
I bet our all tongues (even Speaker) could help by getting information from the waves and winds. At least we'd be forewarned a little."Spoiler: Updated link web (click to show/hide)
Funny as all that is, the Captain is going to look at that load of nonsense and just ignore you. He's probably gonna assume you didn't get formed quite right.((The captain isn’t going to respond to the speaker (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8300617#msg8300617)?))Not if its not bolded I'm not. Mostly because chances of me even noticing it are slim.
((There. I bonded it (or at least I tried to, the result is a little wonky).))
((Ok. This time it should be fixed properly. I changed it so that only The Speaker’s individual responses (and his “action”) are bolded.))
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 05, 2021, 05:53:02 pm
“So, we’re looking for a hammer? As in a tool that somebody accidentally dropped overboard?”
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 05, 2021, 06:38:31 pm
Quote
Also "Maintain condition" could very easily mean "Freeze everyone in place". Be careful.Good point, that'd be embarrassing.
"Can you add us all to the crew roster before we set sail? It's for magic purposes."
Grey makes his request.
Regardless of what comes of that, Grey has heard enough and is ready to move on to the ship whenever.
Grey also Maintains Greed's ability to breathe if he really wants it, and lets Greed know that it is not Grey's fault if anything bad happens.
Lastly, if we get moving to the boat and Luta manages to spawn more rifles than they can carry, Grey grabs one.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on August 05, 2021, 08:09:24 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 05, 2021, 08:18:37 pm
"This is a bad idea."Then go ask the guy who can use the maintain spell and ask him to maintain my ability to breath.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on August 05, 2021, 08:30:37 pm
Chip at a rock a bit, then use the WHITE ROCK FLAKES to make RIFLES, and a HOTCAKE, because why not.
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 05, 2021, 08:43:55 pm
Post by: Ozarck on August 05, 2021, 09:41:56 pm
Quote from: Fire and Glory
Quote from: BlackPaladin99Then go ask the guy who can use the maintain spell and ask him to maintain my ability to breath."This is a bad idea."
...
Do it anyway~
Post by: Ozarck on August 05, 2021, 10:01:44 pm
"Our information suggests this issue is caused by a misplaced rod of bounty, which is why we have been asking about that. Likely, the rod of bounty is what is causing the cathc to be numerous and the creatures to be larger and more troublesome. If you spot some unnatural object, removing that object may be the key to your troubles, though you may still have some enlarged creatures left to deal with. But it doesn't matter how many beasts you slay, if the rod is not isolated from them. Our orders include retrieving the rod and disposing of it ourselves, so I would request that the rod be handed over to one of us if it falls into your hands. Meanwhile I, and a few of our group, will stay here on ground for now to speak with your boss and to do some additional intel work. We'll keep you updated with what we learn about this particular rod. Hopefully we can find something of use to you." Genesis starts to turn away, then turns back. "We should be able to catch up to you in transit should our services be better used on ship. Our compatriots will know how to reach us in that event. Ah, please direct us to your boss, and send us a token of introduction so we don't have to explain ourselves."
To Tess and any others who are staying on shore to investigate:
"We have a few avenues we can pursue here. We can talk with this boss person, we can speak to the locals, especially the dock hands and any sailors who have experience in these matters, we can move inland and seek out any farm areas that have recently lost their rods. I recommend we have on all tongue remain with us, and the other go on ship. Debby, I think you'd be better suited to be our liaison on ship, while I think I'd feel more comfortable keeping my eye on The Speaker."
Forming Shore Team and Ship Team.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Updated link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on August 06, 2021, 05:10:01 am
She then turns her attention to Elizabeth to see how she feels about all this.
"Isn't this exciting we're gonna be going on a boat and fighting a sea monster, but don't worry I'll keep ya safe."
Say the things and get ready to get on the boat.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 06, 2021, 09:48:12 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on August 06, 2021, 10:56:24 am
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: m1895 on August 06, 2021, 12:45:44 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 06, 2021, 07:31:05 pm
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on August 06, 2021, 08:23:24 pm
To Speaker:
"Come on, Speaker, you're with me. We're going to talk to some people and some things. Genesis puts a hand firmly on Speaker's shoulder and looks hard in his eyes.
"Listen carefully. We are looking for information on a rod of bounty. It's a thing farmers use. It's not supposed to be in the sea. It may very well be a hammer.
Speaker, you and I and Tess are staying ashore for now. We are talking to the dock workers, farmers, the boss of this town, and the farmland and sea. Can you ask the land if there is a farm that is missing it's rod?"
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 06, 2021, 10:02:41 pm
((must have overlooked your action, Cat))
To Speaker:
"Come on, Speaker, you're with me. We're going to talk to some people and some things. Genesis puts a hand firmly on Speaker's shoulder and looks hard in his eyes.
"Listen carefully. We are looking for information on a rod of bounty. It's a thing farmers use. It's not supposed to be in the sea. It may very well be a hammer.
Speaker, you and I and Tess are staying ashore for now. We are talking to the dock workers, farmers, the boss of this town, and the farmland and sea. Can you ask the land if there is a farm that is missing it's rod?"
“A rod of counting? I thought the message by the portal talked about of a rod of bounty! The sea isn’t supposed to be endless?!! And there’s a possibility that we might be the hammer? Also, if we’re looking for a rod of counting, why do we need to know if a farm is missing it’s sod?”
Post by: Ozarck on August 06, 2021, 11:48:38 pm
Genesis pats Speaker on the head three times, with an oddly warm smile.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 07, 2021, 12:26:27 am
"It'll all make sense later, Speaker. Well, not for you, probably. Just come with me and talk to what I point you to, okay?"
Genesis pats Speaker on the head three times, with an oddly warm smile.
“You’ll have to speak out loud. I can’t lip-read.”
Post by: Lenglon on August 07, 2021, 04:43:00 pm
I then turn to the Captain
"Thank you for your help sir, and sorry for all the trouble."
Shore team
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on August 07, 2021, 05:11:52 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 07, 2021, 05:24:11 pm
"I don't think it's his ears that are the problem."
((And you would be wrong.))
Post by: Ozarck on August 07, 2021, 08:12:52 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 07, 2021, 09:08:06 pm
Edit:
((Difficulty hearing and stupidity don’t necessarily exclude each other…))
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on August 08, 2021, 06:44:56 am
[/quote]
"This is a bad idea."Then go ask the guy who can use the maintain spell and ask him to maintain my ability to breath.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
This one is even worse
”Well, it’s a step in the right direction.”
Chip at a rock a bit, then use the WHITE ROCK FLAKES to make RIFLES, and a HOTCAKE, because why not.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 08, 2021, 03:51:57 pm
As the speaker thinks, he has a sudden understanding…
“Wait! Not rods of counting, but roads of country!”
The speaker then asks the land if there are any farms that aren’t connected to any roads.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on August 08, 2021, 06:44:02 pm
"RODS. OF. BOUNTY."
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 08, 2021, 06:48:03 pm
((cat, you have three posts this turn that have bolded actions in them. Please go back and unbold your other actions, especially as they arenot moves that require the GM's attention.))
Done.
Post by: Ozarck on August 08, 2021, 06:49:53 pm
Post by: piecewise on August 08, 2021, 09:58:57 pm
QuoteAlso "Maintain condition" could very easily mean "Freeze everyone in place". Be careful.Good point, that'd be embarrassing.
"Can you add us all to the crew roster before we set sail? It's for magic purposes."
Grey makes his request.
Regardless of what comes of that, Grey has heard enough and is ready to move on to the ship whenever.
Grey also Maintains Greed's ability to breathe if he really wants it, and lets Greed know that it is not Grey's fault if anything bad happens.
Lastly, if we get moving to the boat and Luta manages to spawn more rifles than they can carry, Grey grabs one.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
The captain nods to this request.
[4]
You maintain his ability to breathe. Its not perfect, but its better than normal.
We'll see how that works out. If it is the case, assume you grabbed one.
”Well, it’s a step in the right direction.”[1][+1 fate]
Chip at a rock a bit, then use the WHITE ROCK FLAKES to make RIFLES, and a HOTCAKE, because why not.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
White rock flakes eh? That has all the letters for Aerolith!
The rock flakes vanish, seemingly into nothing. A moment later a softball sized chunk of stone comes rocketing in from somewhere high above. [-1 HP] The meteor comes in at a low angle, almost skimming the ground. It screams past the group so fast that they don't even have time to recognize what it is, though it just barely clips Luta and sends her tumbling for a dozen feet. The stone strikes the water somewhere several miles away and raises a giant plum of steam and foam.
To the captain:"I'll take ye to him myself. Its on the way to the ship."
"Our information suggests this issue is caused by a misplaced rod of bounty, which is why we have been asking about that. Likely, the rod of bounty is what is causing the cathc to be numerous and the creatures to be larger and more troublesome. If you spot some unnatural object, removing that object may be the key to your troubles, though you may still have some enlarged creatures left to deal with. But it doesn't matter how many beasts you slay, if the rod is not isolated from them. Our orders include retrieving the rod and disposing of it ourselves, so I would request that the rod be handed over to one of us if it falls into your hands. Meanwhile I, and a few of our group, will stay here on ground for now to speak with your boss and to do some additional intel work. We'll keep you updated with what we learn about this particular rod. Hopefully we can find something of use to you." Genesis starts to turn away, then turns back. "We should be able to catch up to you in transit should our services be better used on ship. Our compatriots will know how to reach us in that event. Ah, please direct us to your boss, and send us a token of introduction so we don't have to explain ourselves."
To Tess and any others who are staying on shore to investigate:
"We have a few avenues we can pursue here. We can talk with this boss person, we can speak to the locals, especially the dock hands and any sailors who have experience in these matters, we can move inland and seek out any farm areas that have recently lost their rods. I recommend we have on all tongue remain with us, and the other go on ship. Debby, I think you'd be better suited to be our liaison on ship, while I think I'd feel more comfortable keeping my eye on The Speaker."
Forming Shore Team and Ship Team.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Updated link web (click to show/hide)
"If you think I'm needed on the boat I'll go on the boat."Liz does seem interesting in what's going on - you get the feeling she's never seen the sea- but she also looks cold. Its true that it is quite windy and stormy out; you just didn't notice because of the robe.
She then turns her attention to Elizabeth to see how she feels about all this.
"Isn't this exciting we're gonna be going on a boat and fighting a sea monster, but don't worry I'll keep ya safe."
Say the things and get ready to get on the boat.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The captain continues to ignore the mad ravings.
As the speaker thinks, he has a sudden understanding…
“Wait! Not rods of counting, but roads of country!”
The speaker then asks the land if there are any farms that aren’t connected to any roads.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
[1][+1 fate][-6 HP]
The "Land" is quite a large thing to ask something. Its effectively akin to asking the entire continent. And of course, something that big reacts to your pestering in the same way a person might react to the wiggling of a flea. The ground underneath speaker suddenly erupts upward in a geologic uppercut and sends Speaker flying. He arcs up a good 20 feet and then comes back down with a crunch. He lays there, gasping and moaning for several minutes before struggling back to his feet. He's bloody, like he fell face first down a hill, and has a dislocated shoulder and clearly broken ribs. He can walk but...well he doesn't enjoy it.
join boat squad, and test the axe in the waterDipping the ax in water produces a thin coating of ice on its surface.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Maybe you should try getting a notepad and writing things out for Speaker, since he doesn't seem to hear very well."
I then turn to the Captain
"Thank you for your help sir, and sorry for all the trouble."
Shore teamSpoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
join boat squad, and test the axe in the waterSpoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Boat.Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Get on the boatSpoiler (click to show/hide)
"If you think I'm needed on the boat I'll go on the boat."
She then turns her attention to Elizabeth to see how she feels about all this.
"Isn't this exciting we're gonna be going on a boat and fighting a sea monster, but don't worry I'll keep ya safe."
Say the things and get ready to get on the boat.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
To the captain:
"Our information suggests this issue is caused by a misplaced rod of bounty, which is why we have been asking about that. Likely, the rod of bounty is what is causing the cathc to be numerous and the creatures to be larger and more troublesome. If you spot some unnatural object, removing that object may be the key to your troubles, though you may still have some enlarged creatures left to deal with. But it doesn't matter how many beasts you slay, if the rod is not isolated from them. Our orders include retrieving the rod and disposing of it ourselves, so I would request that the rod be handed over to one of us if it falls into your hands. Meanwhile I, and a few of our group, will stay here on ground for now to speak with your boss and to do some additional intel work. We'll keep you updated with what we learn about this particular rod. Hopefully we can find something of use to you." Genesis starts to turn away, then turns back. "We should be able to catch up to you in transit should our services be better used on ship. Our compatriots will know how to reach us in that event. Ah, please direct us to your boss, and send us a token of introduction so we don't have to explain ourselves."
To Tess and any others who are staying on shore to investigate:
"We have a few avenues we can pursue here. We can talk with this boss person, we can speak to the locals, especially the dock hands and any sailors who have experience in these matters, we can move inland and seek out any farm areas that have recently lost their rods. I recommend we have on all tongue remain with us, and the other go on ship. Debby, I think you'd be better suited to be our liaison on ship, while I think I'd feel more comfortable keeping my eye on The Speaker."
Forming Shore Team and Ship Team.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Updated link web (click to show/hide)
Go find the armory, and also see if I can make the ship invisible. Then go ask the guy who can use the maintain spell and ask him to maintain my ability to breath. Then go stick my head in a water barrel and test my capabilities. Then boat team.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
The captain leads the team to a switchback path cut into the stone, down a hundred or so feet towards the water and the upper limits of the cliff dwelling town. Once among the buildings he walks off along repurposed gangplanks and catwalks, weaving a course through the bustling thoroughfares so quickly that the team struggles to keep up. Here, far above the water, most of the foot traffic seems to be wives carrying sacks and bags while below men carry great slabs of flesh or crates of flopping fish. Children run everywhere on the upper level, moving across hanging lines and perilous cliff edges like ancient sailors through their ship's rigging. The captain stops suddenly and, after a moment waiting for everyone to catch up, walks into one of the buildings nearby. The exterior of the building is fairly non-descript: just another block of metal embedded in the stone. The interior on the other hand is quite opulent in its way. Wood paneled walls and ceiling, electric lights hidden in amber glass shades, sparse furniture of stained wood and dark blue upholstery. It has the feeling, almost- of the captain's cabin of one of those ancient ships from the romantic past. In the center of the room is an enormous wooden desk, and seated behind it is an equally enormous man.
He's an older man, much like the captain, with white hair and a thick beard. But where the captain is a thin and severe man, this man is rounded and bulging. He has the build of a bear and is roughly the same size, a dense slab of muscle. His long hair is brushed back out of his face and on his forehead is what looks like a brand or a scar. A brand in the shape of an eye, identical to the one adorning the team's clothing.
"Hey boss, this lot has some questions for ye". The captain says before immediately shoving his way back through the team and outside. The Ship bound group follows along behind while the shore group remains. The boss carefully places his pen down on top of the papers he has in front of him and rests his hands atop the desk.
"Ask away." he says, seemingly unsurprised.
Meanwhile the ship group traverses the complex web of stairs, paths, and walkways that eventually leads to the docks below. They move towards one of the enormous ships docked in the center of the bay. However, as they reach the gangplank and are starting to ascend the captain suddenly turns back to them.
"Heed this well: This ship is mine. Its men are mine. The decisions are mine so long as ye are on it. I see ye are used to doing as ye please but I am the one who will have to tell the widows how their husbands died. I am no tyrant or sadist and I know your...significance. My orders are here to keep us all alive. If I tell ye to act, do so."
He looks back at shore a moment before turning and continuing up the gangplank. "If ye need anything from the shore, get it now. Chances being we won't be back till this is finished. The last supplies are being loaded now. When you're ready to shove off, let me know."
Post by: The Lupanian on August 08, 2021, 11:03:36 pm
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on August 09, 2021, 12:08:14 am
Explain and Ask:"Our orders tell us that this situation has been caused by a misplaced rod of bounty, and to return the object with us for disposal. We are also to attempt to determine how the rod came to be misplaced. We've been told that these rods are used mainly for farming purposes, and that the incidents around here began several months ago. Tell, me, if you would:
1)What do rods of bounty typically look like?
2) how big is their typical area of effect?
3) can a farmer carry one unnoticed on their person?
4) have there been recent incidents or movement of farmers from the countrysidde to the port shortly before the catch of fish began to grow?
5) have you heard of any inland regions recently coming under atypical hardships that might be attributed to the loss of a rod?
6) do these rods typically affect livestock, crops, humans?
7) how do mundanes submit requests to the Magi for assistance?"
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 09, 2021, 12:42:49 am
"Captain, provided you are willing I am going to be preparing something that should make us all resistant to physical harm, for a little while anyways. I am also going to be shielding the ship's hull, I don't know how long it'll hold up in a fight but it should take at least one solid hit without taking any damage."
"Also...What's the ship's name? if I may ask?"
Grey spends one fate and puts a new spell in his needle, Maintain the health and physical well being of the ship's crew. If the captain doesn't like this for some reason, Grey changes it to Maintain the health and physical well being of the ship's Homunculi crew.
Unless the captain objects Grey spends another fate point and Maintains the hull's state of repair, keeping it as an ongoing process.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on August 09, 2021, 05:01:21 am
Look around the dock for any kind of abandoned cloth and sheet plastic, then once those items are found use my sword to cut the cloth into a robe, then do the same for the plastic sheeting so it act as a poncho, after all that's done get on the boat.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on August 09, 2021, 07:11:19 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on August 09, 2021, 08:23:04 am
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 09, 2021, 09:07:21 am
Listen for the captain’s orders, if no orders are given, look around the ship to see who needs help and what they need help with
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on August 09, 2021, 04:20:33 pm
“Understood Captain, what’re your orders?”Youare taps Dew on the shoulder.
Listen for the captain’s orders, if no orders are given, look around the ship to see who needs help and what they need help with
"I only have one needle link. As a redundancy measure, it's probably worthwhile to have at least two. Would you be happy to link needles?"
Youare wanders the docks attempting to borrow, beg, or requisition:
- net(s)
- fish or other creatures, still living
- bait of any kind
- any kind of fishing rod
- anything used as a light source
- anything used to slice up or kill fish, such as a gutting knife
He then returns to the ship and links with Dew if permitted.
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 09, 2021, 06:09:38 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 09, 2021, 10:47:51 pm
(Oz pointed out that Speaker was talking to the land not the captain so I fixed the turn. Thank oz for that, cat~)
((Yes, of course.))
((Thanks, Oz,
"1)What do rods of bounty typically look like?”
“Rods of bounding? Well, I suppose they would look like a metal tube with some kind of foot and would be inserted into another tube along with a spring. The outer tube would have handholds and footrests and the whole thing would work by forcing the inner tube into the outer tube in such a way as to compress the spring thus making the spring push back on the inner tube with enough force to cause the whole contraption and it’s rider to be propelled upwards and/or in whatever direction they were leaning.”
"2) how big is their typical area of effect?”
“The area of the biggest pickle? I have no idea.”
"3) can a farmer carry one unnoticed on their person?"
“Well, I suppose it depends on the size of the pickle!”
"
4) have there been recent incidents or movement of farmers from the countrysidde to the port shortly before the catch of fish began to grow?
5) have you heard of any inland regions recently coming under atypical hardships that might be attributed to the loss of a rod?
6) do these rods typically affect livestock, crops, humans?
7) how do mundanes submit requests to the Magi for assistance?"
“What, can you please stop mumbling and mouthing the words, I’m having a hard time making out what you are saying!”
The Speaker then addresses the man behind the desk:
“Do you know if there are any farms that aren’t connected to any roads, I asked the land earlier, but it must not have been in a good mood…. Also, do you know anything about any counting rods, or bounding rods?”, The Speaker asks inquisitively.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: fixed an unintentional quote pyramid.
Edit2: Lenglon is a spoilsport…
Post by: Lenglon on August 09, 2021, 10:56:20 pm
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 09, 2021, 11:07:04 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 09, 2021, 11:14:48 pm
((Cat, I get having fun with intentionally misunderstanding things, but please don't do that to your character sheet. You know what your HP is supposed to be, and it's not 16.))
((Ahhhhh… Spoilsport))
Edit: fixed!
Post by: Ozarck on August 10, 2021, 12:47:07 am
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
((also, Genesis will be ignoring Speaker's misunderstandings until it directly affects him, or amuses him, so if i don't respond to something, that's likely why.))
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 10, 2021, 12:56:27 am
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 10, 2021, 02:18:17 am
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 10, 2021, 12:24:57 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 10, 2021, 02:42:11 pm
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 10, 2021, 02:51:27 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on August 10, 2021, 03:14:32 pm
It is often a good idea to pay attention to my spoilers and other bits, since I will tend to try to organize us and make things clearer for people who want ot participate but get a little confused with all the happenings.
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
((also, Genesis will be ignoring Speaker's misunderstandings until it directly affects him, or amuses him, so if i don't respond to something, that's likely why.))
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 10, 2021, 03:28:35 pm
I changed the link colors, does it work now?Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Looks good to me!
Post by: piecewise on August 10, 2021, 06:17:52 pm
Shore Team
Explain and Ask:"Our orders tell us that this situation has been caused by a misplaced rod of bounty, and to return the object with us for disposal. We are also to attempt to determine how the rod came to be misplaced. We've been told that these rods are used mainly for farming purposes, and that the incidents around here began several months ago. Tell, me, if you would:
1)What do rods of bounty typically look like?
2) how big is their typical area of effect?
3) can a farmer carry one unnoticed on their person?
4) have there been recent incidents or movement of farmers from the countrysidde to the port shortly before the catch of fish began to grow?
5) have you heard of any inland regions recently coming under atypical hardships that might be attributed to the loss of a rod?
6) do these rods typically affect livestock, crops, humans?
7) how do mundanes submit requests to the Magi for assistance?"Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
1) "They're products of the Grand Atelier so they're always ornate. Size varies, but they tend to look like golden saplings with emerald leaves. Usually inscribed with climbing ivy patterns. Long rod, branching top, pointed bottom to sink into the soil. They'll grown and anchor themselves too, even into rock. Removing them isn't easy."
2) "Depends on their size as far as I know. Largest I've seen had a radius large enough to encompass an entire city, but the rod itself was huge. More often than not they're either about as tall as a man and influence a few acres, or as big as a tree and influence dozens of acres."
3)"Maybe if they had one designed for a home garden or something. Generally not."
4)"As far as I know there are three incidents that might be of interest. The first is that there was a caravan that stayed here about 8 months ago. Traders carrying cargo towards the city north of here. Its not impossible they had something like that: one of the smaller kinds could have easily fit in their trailers. The second is that there was a costal town maybe a day's travel from here. An earthquake caused the cliff it was on to crumble into the ocean. Very few survivors. Possible a rod was in that town and got into the ocean during the collapse. However that was something like 5 years ago. Last one, is that we have had ships go down or lose cargo on the rocks nearby. Fair number of ships travel around the coast here."
5) "Can't say I have. Chances are they wouldn't have bet everything on a single rod though. At least no one with any sense."
6) "Usually they root themselves into the ground and their magic only effects things similarly rooted. But I've heard that if they're just setting exposed and unrooted they can effect just about anything around them. Not quickly of course, but over time. Also they only work on things actively growing, so adults shouldn't be effected, but children could be."
7) "Generally they speak with any of the local branches of the Atelier. Though I was able to ask more directly."
[2,5,5,2,4,3]“Understood Captain, what’re your orders?”Youare taps Dew on the shoulder.
Listen for the captain’s orders, if no orders are given, look around the ship to see who needs help and what they need help with
"I only have one needle link. As a redundancy measure, it's probably worthwhile to have at least two. Would you be happy to link needles?"
Youare wanders the docks attempting to borrow, beg, or requisition:
- net(s)
- fish or other creatures, still living
- bait of any kind
- any kind of fishing rod
- anything used as a light source
- anything used to slice up or kill fish, such as a gutting knife
He then returns to the ship and links with Dew if permitted.Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
-No nets
-Several live fish
-a bucket of chum and large maggots
-No rod
-An old crank powered lantern
-A fillet knife, heavily used and somewhat dull.
Make more flakes, but hold onto them for now. Make my way as far from the town as possible, but still over the water (on top of a cliff would do). Once in a suitably out of the way spot, use the ROCK CHICKEN STATUE to make a KRAKEN. Use a fate point in this. Obviously, conjure it in the water. If I have to make it less powerful to make sure it obeys me, do so.[2] NOPE.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Grey finds the captain and lets him know what he's going to be doing.[5.
"Captain, provided you are willing I am going to be preparing something that should make us all resistant to physical harm, for a little while anyways. I am also going to be shielding the ship's hull, I don't know how long it'll hold up in a fight but it should take at least one solid hit without taking any damage."
"Also...What's the ship's name? if I may ask?"
Grey spends one fate and puts a new spell in his needle, Maintain the health and physical well being of the ship's crew. If the captain doesn't like this for some reason, Grey changes it to Maintain the health and physical well being of the ship's Homunculi crew.
Unless the captain objects Grey spends another fate point and Maintains the hull's state of repair, keeping it as an ongoing process.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
"The ship's name is the 'Leaden Crown'."
"Don't worry Elizabeth I'll find something to keep you warm and dry."[4] You get some thick canvas cloth and create a sort of rough parka or poncho out of it. Its not the most well suited for this sort of thing but its better than nothing and Liz seems less cold.
Look around the dock for any kind of abandoned cloth and sheet plastic, then once those items are found use my sword to cut the cloth into a robe, then do the same for the plastic sheeting so it act as a poncho, after all that's done get on the boat.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You already have a sword. Someone already gave you a sword. A magic sword no less.Find a sword, get on boat, and stick my head in some water.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Grey offers his feather shaped saber to Greed.You stick your head in some water and find yourself still able to breathe. Specifically, water doesn't enter your mouth or nose when you breathe in or out.
"Here, you can have my sword. It's magic you know."
The man behind the desk squints at you for a moment, with your still unbandaged injuries and such. "Did you hit your head?"(Oz pointed out that Speaker was talking to the land not the captain so I fixed the turn. Thank oz for that, cat~)
((Yes, of course.))
((Thanks, Oz,four those 6 extra hit points!))"1)What do rods of bounty typically look like?”
“Rods of bounding? Well, I suppose they would look like a metal tube with some kind of foot and would be inserted into another tube along with a spring. The outer tube would have handholds and footrests and the whole thing would work by forcing the inner tube into the outer tube in such a way as to compress the spring thus making the spring push back on the inner tube with enough force to cause the whole contraption and it’s rider to be propelled upwards and/or in whatever direction they were leaning.”"2) how big is their typical area of effect?”
“The area of the biggest pickle? I have no idea.”"3) can a farmer carry one unnoticed on their person?"
“Well, I suppose it depends on the size of the pickle!”"
4) have there been recent incidents or movement of farmers from the countrysidde to the port shortly before the catch of fish began to grow?
5) have you heard of any inland regions recently coming under atypical hardships that might be attributed to the loss of a rod?
6) do these rods typically affect livestock, crops, humans?
7) how do mundanes submit requests to the Magi for assistance?"
“What, can you please stop mumbling and mouthing the words, I’m having a hard time making out what you are saying!”
The Speaker then addresses the man behind the desk:
“Do you know if there are any farms that aren’t connected to any roads, I asked the land earlier, but it must not have been in a good mood…. Also, do you know anything about any counting rods, or bounding rods?”, The Speaker asks inquisitively.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: fixed an unintentional quote pyramid.
Edit2: Lenglon is a spoilsport…
“Understood Captain, what’re your orders?”
Listen for the captain’s orders, if no orders are given, look around the ship to see who needs help and what they need help withSpoiler (click to show/hide)
So there's nothing really for you to do right now, so I'm just going to explain the layout of the ship to everyone, for the future.
The ship is about 100 meters long, with three cranes lined up along the first 3/4ths of the ship like masts on old sailing vessels. It has four harpoon guns on the front, and 4 more along each side, spread out fairly evenly. Also along the side are what look like large racks of metal barrels; each rack has a sort of loading and ramp mechanism to allow barrels to be dumped overboard. They must be the depth charges. The cannons the captain mentioned are mounted slightly above the decks on little metal islands, so that they can be tilted downwards and fire at the sea near the ship. They are reloaded by hand but from a magazine that discharges shells from below deck. The rear 1/4th of the ship is tall command bridge, maybe 3 stories higher than the deck. The deck itself is covered mostly open along the center but has large winches and tie points to, with the help of the cranes, get prey onto the deck for butchery. There's also a large central hold with a double pair of horizontally mounted doors to allow things to be moved in and out via the cranes.
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 10, 2021, 08:45:34 pm
((Er, no. Since he didn’t notice in the slightest I decided to keep the sword.))Find a sword, get on boat, and stick my head in some water.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
You already have a sword. Someone already gave you a sword. A magic sword no less.
((It was a limited time offer, btw. I’m not that desperate to get rid of it.))
Post by: Ozarck on August 10, 2021, 09:02:38 pm
Then, he is going to continue to speak with the man behind the desk:
"He's deaf, but he's also not entirely right in the head.
1) You mentioned asking the Magi more directly, and I cannot help but notice the mark on you5r forehead. I'd like to know more about your connection to the order we also serve.
2) Please give us directions to the local Atelier branch as well.
3) Do you know of anyone from the town that sunk? I'd like to meet any survivors isf possible. Though the sinking happened years ago, if a rod had been buried with the town, it could have recently been unearthed.
4) Similarly, if you have any information on that caravan, especially a contact person we could speak with, I'd appreciate that information, as well as directions to the city they were traveling to - north, you said.
5) As for ships being sunk, unless there are records of cargo that would tell of a rod of bounty, I suppose that would be generally impossible to investigate through normal means, though some of my associates could probably get that information. But it'd probably be easier to get that information after the current situation is resolved.
6) Ah, one last thing. That old sea dog that brought us here: what is your opinion of him, especially as a leader of men and captain of a ship?
And of course, do you have any questions for us?"
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 10, 2021, 09:45:52 pm
First, Genesis is going to turn to Speaker, grab his shoulders and lean in close to his ear and speak loud and slow: YOU. ARE. DEAF.
The Speaker turns to Genesis:
“I am not deaf. It’s just that everyone keeps mumbling and mouthing their words. For some reason, this problem only seems to happen with people. Whenever I speak with something that isn’t a person, they (usually) enunciate their words in a normal tone of voice. That being said, I could at least make out from this man’s mumbling that the rods of bounding (or counting, or bounty, or whatever they’re called) are carved from the Grand Antler, are shaped like trees, have sap made out of gold, and have moldy leaves (although I fail to understand why something so ornate would be ordained with something so disgusting. In any case, I believe he wants to know about my head.”
The Speaker then turns to the man behind the desk:
“What happened is that the plaque in the portal room mentioned a rod of bounty, but then my associate started asking the captain of the ship about ‘rods of counting’. Then I realized that my associate had really been asking about ‘roads of country’. As he had been asking whether there were any farms that lacked one, I asked the land if there were any farms that weren’t connected to any roads. Unfortunately, the land didn’t answer my question. Instead, it… It just… hold on…”
The Speaker then turns around and and opens the door to the outside. He then leans outside just far enough to see the ground (I.e the land) and casts a spell on it so that non-all-tounges can hear it speak (the same spell he cast on the dummy in the training room). He then asks the land to explain to the man behind the desk what happened.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: :s/trading/training
Post by: Lenglon on August 10, 2021, 10:09:47 pm
Post by: Ozarck on August 10, 2021, 10:18:05 pm
((You are intentionally doing the same thing (talking to the land) that did 6 hp of damage to you the last time you tried it, while you have 4 hp remaining?))((It's worse ... he's asking the ground to talk to the npc ... With Genesis in the room ...))
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 10, 2021, 10:37:47 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 11, 2021, 12:03:05 am
"Interesting name. Was she built for the express purpose of hunting the Hammer?"
"Have you ever seen Homunculi before?"
Grey talks with the captain and spends one fate point to Maintain the ship's hull in the expectation that it'll be useful in the future, and then signals that he is ready to set sail.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on August 11, 2021, 01:06:57 am
Post by: Lenglon on August 11, 2021, 01:14:34 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 11, 2021, 02:29:19 am
((What, why? Does he n9t know that not everyone can hear the ground? Also if it damaged him, that should be an indication the ground doesn’t want to talk))
((The Speaker spent some time on a spell that allows things that can normally only be heard by all-tounges be heard by others.))
((Also, deafness and stupidity aren’t necessarily exclusive of each other.))
Edit: BEHOLD? That looks like something from another thread!))
Post by: King Zultan on August 11, 2021, 04:09:46 am
Get on board the ship and look for about six feet of rope, tie one end to myself and the other to Elizabeth so if something happens we stick together, then find out where I'm needed on the ship and where we get axes and rifles.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on August 11, 2021, 07:33:54 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
I Go to the crows nest, and bend light from far away into my eyes so I can see really far.
((What, why? Does he n9t know that not everyone can hear the ground? Also if it damaged him, that should be an indication the ground doesn’t want to talk))
((The Speaker spent some time on a spell that allows things that can normally only be heard by all-tounges be heard by others. 1BEHOLD ))
((Also, deafness and stupidity aren’t necessarily exclusive of each other.))
((Maybe, but for you’re character they are.))
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 11, 2021, 07:38:54 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on August 11, 2021, 01:29:16 pm
Also, I’m a bit fuzzy on how spell storing works for anagramists, so could I get a clear description on that please?
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on August 12, 2021, 12:43:44 pm
First, Genesis is going to turn to Speaker, grab his shoulders and lean in close to his ear and speak loud and slow: YOU. ARE. DEAF.
Then, he is going to continue to speak with the man behind the desk:
"He's deaf, but he's also not entirely right in the head.
1) You mentioned asking the Magi more directly, and I cannot help but notice the mark on you5r forehead. I'd like to know more about your connection to the order we also serve.
2) Please give us directions to the local Atelier branch as well.
3) Do you know of anyone from the town that sunk? I'd like to meet any survivors isf possible. Though the sinking happened years ago, if a rod had been buried with the town, it could have recently been unearthed.
4) Similarly, if you have any information on that caravan, especially a contact person we could speak with, I'd appreciate that information, as well as directions to the city they were traveling to - north, you said.
5) As for ships being sunk, unless there are records of cargo that would tell of a rod of bounty, I suppose that would be generally impossible to investigate through normal means, though some of my associates could probably get that information. But it'd probably be easier to get that information after the current situation is resolved.
6) Ah, one last thing. That old sea dog that brought us here: what is your opinion of him, especially as a leader of men and captain of a ship?
And of course, do you have any questions for us?"Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
1) "I used to be part of it. I asked for my freedom and it was granted. "
2) "Take the road north of here for 350 miles to the city of Ynisk. There's a branch there."
3) "There were few, and most left. But one man settled here. He's a gutter down on the docks, with a home on the third layer. Thomas Syniscy."
4) "They were heading towards Ynisk. As per contact info, I don't have any; they were simply passing through. The head of the group was called Sanders though. Big man, red hair. Symbol on their trucks was a red lion."
5) "True."
6) "I've known him since he was a boy. He is a terrible diplomat but an able captain and one with a great deal of expertise in hunting leviathans. He's got the lowest death rate of any of those larger hunting ships and his crew is loyal to the bone. If this was just a matter of killing some water logged monster I wouldn't have requested aid. You're here to keep his casualties low and handle the source of that thing."
[2]First, Genesis is going to turn to Speaker, grab his shoulders and lean in close to his ear and speak loud and slow: YOU. ARE. DEAF.
The Speaker turns to Genesis:
“I am not deaf. It’s just that everyone keeps mumbling and mouthing their words. For some reason, this problem only seems to happen with people. Whenever I speak with something that isn’t a person, they (usually) enunciate their words in a normal tone of voice. That being said, I could at least make out from this man’s mumbling that the rods of bounding (or counting, or bounty, or whatever they’re called) are carved from the Grand Antler, are shaped like trees, have sap made out of gold, and have moldy leaves (although I fail to understand why something so ornate would be ordained with something so disgusting. In any case, I believe he wants to know about my head.”
The Speaker then turns to the man behind the desk:
“What happened is that the plaque in the portal room mentioned a rod of bounty, but then my associate started asking the captain of the ship about ‘rods of counting’. Then I realized that my associate had really been asking about ‘roads of country’. As he had been asking whether there were any farms that lacked one, I asked the land if there were any farms that weren’t connected to any roads. Unfortunately, the land didn’t answer my question. Instead, it… It just… hold on…”
The Speaker then turns around and and opens the door to the outside. He then leans outside just far enough to see the ground (I.e the land) and casts a spell on it so that non-all-tounges can hear it speak (the same spell he cast on the dummy in the training room). He then asks the land to explain to the man behind the desk what happened.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: :s/trading/training
Speaker shouts down...apparently at the earth itself...and tells it to explain itself to the nice boss man. Nothing happens.
Speaker spends a few seconds trying to goad the earth into speaking and then several minutes trying to explain why he actually isn't insane, thank you very much.
((Speaker spent some time last mission having a delusional fit and attempting to jump to his death, so this isn't too unusual.))(Remember, the more things you're actively maintaining at once, the more difficult it is to maintain any particular one. Each one divides your power further.)
"Interesting name. Was she built for the express purpose of hunting the Hammer?"
"Have you ever seen Homunculi before?"
Grey talks with the captain and spends one fate point to Maintain the ship's hull in the expectation that it'll be useful in the future, and then signals that he is ready to set sail.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
"No. Though built to hunt leviathans, she existed long before this beast gave us trouble."
"The boss is one. Aside from him, no."
[1] The spell here not only fails to form, but the one maintaining that other guy's ability to breathe also breaks.
"Are you feeling any better now that you have the parka Elizabeth?"We'll assume you're tied together. As per axes and rifles, everyone will get one of each if they want it when the ship shoves off.
Get on board the ship and look for about six feet of rope, tie one end to myself and the other to Elizabeth so if something happens we stick together, then find out where I'm needed on the ship and where we get axes and rifles.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You head up to the top of the command deck. [5] You reach out and collect all the distant and dim light from the horizon. The sea in the distance becomes far clearer and more illuminated. You can see more now...but you don't see anything particularly of note. There's no giant monster just hanging around in the murk, just beyond the sight of normal people.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
I Go to the crows nest, and bend light from far away into my eyes so I can see really far.((What, why? Does he n9t know that not everyone can hear the ground? Also if it damaged him, that should be an indication the ground doesn’t want to talk))
((The Speaker spent some time on a spell that allows things that can normally only be heard by all-tounges be heard by others. 1BEHOLD ))
((Also, deafness and stupidity aren’t necessarily exclusive of each other.))
((Maybe, but for you’re character they are.))
Nah they're fine.Check to make sure the cannons aren’t rusting. DO NOT FIRE THEMSpoiler (click to show/hide)
Damn! Drat! Darn! Ok, I’m going to try to recreate that AEROLITH spell from earlier with my WHITE ROCK FLAKES from earlier, and this time store it on my needle.Ok before I potentially put a cannon ball through your head, I'll explain how this works. Anagramists convert one item into another. As they change, they convert into pure magic and then into the object. So like this:
Also, I’m a bit fuzzy on how spell storing works for anagramists, so could I get a clear description on that please?Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Thing---->Magic---->Thing 2
When you put it into a needle you do this
Thing--->Magic--[NEEDLE]-->Thing 2
So you capture it in its magic form and hold it like that until you "Cast" it from the needle. When you do that, the new thing materializes as though you just converted the first thing.
[1] IT KEEPS HAPPENING
Ok so now there's a [1] version of that spell in your needle. Removing it from the needle will cast it. Enjoy holding that hand grenade.
WHEN SHIP GROUP IS READY TO GO, SAY "YAR, READY TO SET SAIL!" OR SOMETHING.
Post by: The Lupanian on August 12, 2021, 01:19:45 pm
”Hey Greed, I’ll give you my needle and a sword if you let me have your needle”
Trade with Greed if he agrees to it.
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 12, 2021, 01:42:27 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 12, 2021, 05:14:33 pm
The Speaker heads back in and walks up to Genesis.
“Now, what is the thing we’re looking for called? And where is it most likely to be found? Also, if you could please not mumble or mouth your words, it would be nice.”
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on August 12, 2021, 05:24:53 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
get grey to put that maintain ability to breathe spell on me again and shout “ready to set sail”.
((Did I get a fate point for that?)
”Hey Greed, I’ll give you my needle and a sword if you let me have your needle”
Trade with Greed if he agrees to it.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
“Hahaha... no. If you really want to get rid of the Aerolith spell, request bob to wrap one of his belts around your needle and stab it into a tree. Of course, if you get it disenchanted I would be perfectly willing to put a laser spell or something into your needle.”
Post by: Ozarck on August 12, 2021, 06:54:50 pm
To the boss guy.
"I think the only questions I have left for you are personal ones. Thank you for your time. Oh, is there a name we should use for you? I don't believe 'boss' quite works for us."
Visit the gutter, Thomas.
To Tess and Speaker:"I think our next step is to visit this gutter. 350 miles is a bit of a walk, after all. I suppose if the Magi wanted us there they'd have dropped us there. We can try to get a ride that way though, if you guys want. Might make it before the ship gets into trouble."((Genesis will simplify and speak slow and loud for Speaker when he inevitably mishears, as we walk to the gutter's place.))
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 12, 2021, 07:35:20 pm
Post by: The Lupanian on August 12, 2021, 07:45:15 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 12, 2021, 07:54:53 pm
”Hey speaker, would you mind asking my needle what the spell stored on it does? Or else ask the spell directly?”
The Speaker turns towards Luta.
“You want me to ask your weed what pill store it came from?!! Also, please SPEAK. UP. AND. STOP. MOUTHING. YOUR. WORDS! You’re doing the same thing as this guy!”, The Speaker says, pointing at Genesis.
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 12, 2021, 09:45:23 pm
get grey to put that maintain ability to breathe spell on me again and shout “ready to set sail”.((In the future if you want anything from Grey, you can ask him/me instead of putting it in an action. It's not like PW has control over what Grey chooses to do.))
"I don't have anything important to do at the moment, so I'll grant your request. Just know that if I find anything more pressing to Maintain, I'll Maintain that instead of your breathing, so don't get carried away with it."
This is moderately interesting, so Grey relays it to everyone his needle is linked to*, as well as anyone nearby. Those who are interested, anyways."Have you ever seen Homunculi before?""The boss is one. Aside from him, no."
"So the captain just told me that his boss, the guy on the shore, is a Homunculi. I hadn't thought our employers were the kind who offered administration work to our likes."
*(Genesis, Debby, Bob, Youare, Tess, Luta, Lambent Flame)
Grey again Maintains Greed's ability to breathe and is ready to set sail, yarr.
Later Grey goes below decks to try and get whoever is in charge of the armory to give him a rifle, telling them he needs it for magical purposes.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on August 13, 2021, 12:17:18 am
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 13, 2021, 01:22:38 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 13, 2021, 01:30:12 am
<snip>
This is moderately interesting, so Grey relays it to everyone his needle is linked to*, as well as anyone nearby. Those who are interested, anyways.
<snip>
((I don’t remember a remote communication mechanism being detailed (other than pulling on the threads which shouldn’t be able to convey very much meaning). If anybody could please point me to a post where such a mechanism was detailed, it would be much appreciated.))
Post by: Ozarck on August 13, 2021, 01:42:45 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 13, 2021, 01:53:17 am
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 13, 2021, 02:03:15 am
((I don’t remember a remote communication mechanism being detailed (other than pulling on the threads which shouldn’t be able to convey very much meaning). If anybody could please point me to a post where such a mechanism was detailed, it would be much appreciated.))((Is in the top half of this post.))
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 13, 2021, 02:21:02 am
((I don’t remember a remote communication mechanism being detailed (other than pulling on the threads which shouldn’t be able to convey very much meaning). If anybody could please point me to a post where such a mechanism was detailed, it would be much appreciated.))((Is in the top half of this post.))
((Ok. Found the mechanism. It appears to work by turning sound into magic, transporting it across a needle link, and then turning it back into sound. If this is the case then The Speaker should still have trouble understanding. Had it worked by transmitting directly into The Speaker’s head, he’d probably have been able to understand it. The only question remaining is whether Luta is with the shore team -and thus physically near The Speaker and able to communicate directly-, or with the boat team -and therefore having to use the needles to communicate-. Also, the way I read it, anything spoken into a needle is heard thru the needles of all persons whose needles are linked to it and only those needles. I don’t think you can speak privately to another person if you’ve link to multiple people, and I don’t think a receiving needle relays conversations automatically to the other needles it’s linked with. In this case, The Speaker would have heard Luta’s voice coming from Genesis’s needle. If that is the case, I’m going to have to edit The Speaker’s reply to Luta…))
Post by: The Lupanian on August 13, 2021, 03:27:29 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 13, 2021, 03:39:51 am
((Luta is on the Shore team))
((Ok. No need to update The Speaker’s reply then. Now to wait for either Luta or Genesis to reply to The Speaker…))
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 13, 2021, 03:43:50 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 13, 2021, 04:07:53 am
((If I’m holding things up, I’m sorry, I didn’t put the spoiler in my last post because it was just me saying I’m ready with no action. Should I do something like get below deck? I don’t know how large boats like this work))((Not to worry, a lack of a spoiler shouldn't hold up anything.))
((Seeing how we're not actually part of the crew, I'd say the most natural place to be would be on the command bridge where you can keep an eye on things without getting in the way of the sailors. Staying on the deck should be fine too though.))
Post by: King Zultan on August 13, 2021, 06:44:02 am
Once the ship starts moving go to the armory and get a rifle and some ammo.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: m1895 on August 14, 2021, 11:30:25 am
look over the volunteers, how uh, off, do they same on average?
Also grab the weaponry, preferably a climbing axe, can always use a spare.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 14, 2021, 09:51:36 pm
((Luta is on the Shore team))
((Ok. No need to update The Speaker’s reply then. Now to wait for either Luta or Genesis to reply to The Speaker…))
(Emphasis added)
Post by: NJW2000 on August 15, 2021, 05:29:23 am
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on August 15, 2021, 04:59:29 pm
Heading to visit the gutter.
"I don't think there's any point to going to the Atelier branch anyway. Not unless we get information we can bring with us to them. They'll just say 'we manage our artifacts properly, don't be crazy and don't accuse us of random stuff'. I personally think the sunk ship idea is a good one, but checking out the gutter is still a good starting point, so lets go."
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on August 15, 2021, 06:21:21 pm
Post by: piecewise on August 16, 2021, 09:29:55 pm
((Did I get a fate point for that?)Seems he is unwilling.
”Hey Greed, I’ll give you my needle and a sword if you let me have your needle”
Trade with Greed if he agrees to it.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
We shall see if he does that.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
get grey to put that maintain ability to breathe spell on me again and shout “ready to set sail”.((Did I get a fate point for that?)
”Hey Greed, I’ll give you my needle and a sword if you let me have your needle”
Trade with Greed if he agrees to it.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
“Hahaha... no. If you really want to get rid of the Aerolith spell, request bob to wrap one of his belts around your needle and stab it into a tree. Of course, if you get it disenchanted I would be perfectly willing to put a laser spell or something into your needle.”
[3]...Well he'll get a few seconds of it at least.get grey to put that maintain ability to breathe spell on me again and shout “ready to set sail”.((In the future if you want anything from Grey, you can ask him/me instead of putting it in an action. It's not like PW has control over what Grey chooses to do.))
"I don't have anything important to do at the moment, so I'll grant your request. Just know that if I find anything more pressing to Maintain, I'll Maintain that instead of your breathing, so don't get carried away with it."This is moderately interesting, so Grey relays it to everyone his needle is linked to*, as well as anyone nearby. Those who are interested, anyways."Have you ever seen Homunculi before?""The boss is one. Aside from him, no."
"So the captain just told me that his boss, the guy on the shore, is a Homunculi. I hadn't thought our employers were the kind who offered administration work to our likes."
*(Genesis, Debby, Bob, Youare, Tess, Luta, Lambent Flame)
Grey again Maintains Greed's ability to breathe and is ready to set sail, yarr.
Later Grey goes below decks to try and get whoever is in charge of the armory to give him a rifle, telling them he needs it for magical purposes.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
[1] Attempting to talk one of the crew into getting you a rifle ends up with you tied up on the deck, with mittens stuffed over your hands and a sign reading "NO SHARP OBJECTS" around your neck.
What friendly sea going fellows.
Youare be ready to set sail, me hearties.A fine salty dog.Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
AYE AYE CAPTAINThe volunteers...well this depends. Are you talking about the members of your group that volunteered? In that case they look...about as you'd expect. If you're talking about the crew volunteers, you actually can't pick them out from the normal sailors so thats probably a good sign.
look over the volunteers, how uh, off, do they same on average?
Also grab the weaponry, preferably a climbing axe, can always use a spare.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Why would we have a climbing ax here? This is a boat, not a mountain."
"Yar har, I be ready to set sail!"For wizards you're all really eager to get weapons substantially less powerful than what you already have.
Once the ship starts moving go to the armory and get a rifle and some ammo.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Looks like everyone is ready...
The Leaden Crown sets out with a deafening peal of its fog horns and a few sweeps of its searchlights. The daylight is rapidly failing and the horizon is already a smear of darkness only lit by occasional flickers of lightning. As the ship very slowly weaves its way out through the last of the returning boats and the foam-wreathed rocks the captain gets the majority of the crew on deck. With him are several other mates pushing metal carts carrying rifles, axes, and harpoons. The harpoons are carted off and latched down near the harpoon guns, but the other weapons are brought to the line of sailors, volunteers, and homunculi.
"Every man gets an Ax. Every man gets a rifle." the Captain says as the weapons are handed out down the line. "Every man fights. We've got volunteers and some special assistance here, so I'll explain the general procedures. Depth charges to bring it up, harpoons to bleed and bind it, cannons if it gets troublesome. Axes and Rifles for anything that comes off it, or if it gets particularly friendly. Now, as for the special helpers here, I need you in three groups: First is our harassers: those of you able to do things that weaken our prey. Second group is our support: those of you who can protect the ship and her crew. Last, our killers: for everyone whose only skill is violence. Divide yourselves up and be ready to follow my commands."
As the last rifles are handed out the captain points towards the storm
"The hammer is out there in that storm. We want to avoid hunting it in there if we can, so we're going to try and draw it out. We've got chum tanks fitted and we're going to try and bait it into the open while we skirt the storm. Problem with that is we likely won't catch the hammer first try; chances are we'll attract the attention of some other horrible beasties before. Now, I am perfectly content to reduce any would be upstart guppy to more chum for our cause, but I wanted to ask our visitors if they have any better solution to our problem? I have frankly no idea what you lot can do, so if one of you has the ability to summon fish or some such thing, speak up now."
Shore Team:Genesis, Speaker, Tess"Ericson is the name I was given."
To the boss guy.
"I think the only questions I have left for you are personal ones. Thank you for your time. Oh, is there a name we should use for you? I don't believe 'boss' quite works for us."
Visit the gutter, Thomas.
To Tess and Speaker:"I think our next step is to visit this gutter. 350 miles is a bit of a walk, after all. I suppose if the Magi wanted us there they'd have dropped us there. We can try to get a ride that way though, if you guys want. Might make it before the ship gets into trouble."((Genesis will simplify and speak slow and loud for Speaker when he inevitably mishears, as we walk to the gutter's place.))Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Shore team
Heading to visit the gutter.
"I don't think there's any point to going to the Atelier branch anyway. Not unless we get information we can bring with us to them. They'll just say 'we manage our artifacts properly, don't be crazy and don't accuse us of random stuff'. I personally think the sunk ship idea is a good one, but checking out the gutter is still a good starting point, so lets go."Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
“Well, it appears the land doesn’t want to talk right now!”
The Speaker heads back in and walks up to Genesis.
“Now, what is the thing we’re looking for called? And where is it most likely to be found? Also, if you could please not mumble or mouth your words, it would be nice.”
Gutter, as it turns out, is apply named. Inquiries after Thomas leads the shore group down to the waterline and into a long building stretching between two of the long metal fingers of the docks. They're processing fish here, turning the still flopping creatures and the corpses of leviathans into crates of salted and smoked meat. Thomas is standing at one end of a path of metal rollers, lugging aquatic flesh off hooks and expertly disemboweling it with a few quick cuts before sending the carcass onward down the line. He throws an armload of intestines into a metal vat before handing his knife off to another man and coming to speak with you.
He's a middle aged man, somewhat short, thin, and pale skinned but clearly deceptively strong and robust considering his work.
Post by: The Lupanian on August 16, 2021, 10:52:45 pm
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on August 16, 2021, 11:27:01 pm
Shore Team:Genesis, Speaker, Tess
To Thomas Sysiscy:
"Hello. I am called Genesis. I am a homunculus, one of a group sent by the Magi to assist this town in it's hunt for the Hammer. We have been told that the problem is caused by a misplaced Rod of Bounty. We have several ideas on how a Rod of Bounty may have ended up in the sea instead of in the farmlands where it apparently belongs. One of those theories is that it may have been in your town the day that town slid into the sea. I am sorry to bring up unpleasant memories, but if you could tell me anything about your former town and the events of that day, it would be helpful."
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 17, 2021, 12:13:01 am
For wizards you're all really eager to get weapons substantially less powerful than what you already have.((It's for magic. You'll see. Maybe.))
"I wasn't actually going to shoot the captain. These seafarers really don't know how to take a joke..."
"Dew! Do you think you can untie me? I had a misunderstanding with the men downstairs."
Grey gets untied by Youare. He ditches the sign and mittens afterwards.
Grey also tries to determine where his needle and saber ended up, and retrieves them.
After talking with the other Homunculi, Grey speaks up to catch the captain's attention.
"Captain! I believe I know of a way to drag it out of the storm, but it won't be easy."
"So long as we're heading in the beast's general direction, and we're coming closer to it, I think I can create a link between it and this ship which will draw the two together, reeling it in like a fish on a hook, so to speak.”
“The trouble is that this is a very big fish, so it's going to be a battle between us and The Hammer to see whether we can pull it out of the storm, or if it can pull us in. I don't know if this ship is strong and heavy enough to drag a mean leviathan out of the storm, so if you think it is, captain, we can give it a shot."
"There's also the possibility that it's just too far away for me to reach it, but we should know if the magic works or not."
If the captain agrees to the fish-on-a-hook plan, then while the Leaden Crown is headed towards the storm, Grey spends 2 fate on Maintaining the rate at which the Leaden Crown and the entity known as The Hammer are becoming closer together. The idea is to create a paradox where there is a shortening distance between the ship and the monster even after the ship has stopped and started to reverse. So hopefully the magic will correct this paradox and bring the two objects closer together regardless.
If the magic fails to catch, Grey lets the captain know and he can go with the original plan.
If the magic does catch, Grey informs the captain that he should start reversing the ship, and if after a while it looks like the ship is going to get dragged into the storm, or, god forbid, it looks like the ship is going to get pulled underwater, Grey attempts to break the connection.
If the captain thinks this is a bad idea (it could be), then Grey spends 1 fate on Maintaining the ship's hull instead.
To accomplish either of these things, Grey cuts the mediocre Maintaining of Greed's ability to breathe.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 17, 2021, 01:44:10 am
The Speaker goes over to the waterfront and asks the sea if there is a hammer in it and, if so, where it can be found.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on August 17, 2021, 01:53:34 am
Edit: Also, since you've apparently ignored my direct addressing of the issue for the last two action posts I have made, please consider Genesis' tolerance to be at it's end.))
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 17, 2021, 02:05:24 am
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 17, 2021, 02:15:19 am
Post by: NJW2000 on August 17, 2021, 05:53:59 am
Youare removes the function "fillet" from the knife, and stores it as a spell on his needle. If that's possible. He also unties Grey.
He then confers with the other homunculi on board.
"I may be able to turn an object into bait. One of us, perhaps, or an entire ship. Or simply something easier to handle than fish offal. Someone fast and tough enough could set out into the storm, find the creature we're hunting, and draw the thing back to us with that."
"Perhaps the woman who can transform into air would be well suited for this. I might be able to turn us, or our robes, into natural swimmers, so that might also be sensible. Would anyone be willing to risk that kind of mission?"
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 17, 2021, 06:36:24 am
He also unties Grey."Much appreciated, thanks Youare."
He then confers with the other homunculi on board."It'd have to be big bait, definitely person sized at the least. It's not a little thing we're hunting after all. While I'm not enthusiastic about going into the storm myself, for anyone else going in there I could place a spell in their needle to help them keep the creature's attention on them, or simply grant them some other kind of magic, including, yes, water breathing if necessary."
"I may be able to turn an object into bait. One of us, perhaps, or an entire ship. Or simply something easier to handle than fish offal. Someone fast and tough enough could set out into the storm, find the creature we're hunting, and draw the thing back to us with that."
"Perhaps the woman who can transform into air would be well suited for this. I might be able to turn us, or our robes, into natural swimmers, so that might also be sensible. Would anyone be willing to risk that kind of mission?"
"I have Luta's needle connected to mine, so it shouldn't be difficult to get her here if we need her, so long as I can find where mine went."
"My own idea is larger in scale, I think I can link this ship and the creature together with a shortening tether, and with any luck we can physically drag it out to us. However it all depends on if I can even cast magic on monster from here, and if this vessel is strong enough to not get pulled into the storm. It'll definitely be a bit hairy but I think it should work if no one wants to go out there."
((Retrospective edit, not Luta, I meant Tess. They both have the same text color.))
Post by: King Zultan on August 17, 2021, 11:04:00 am
Examine my rifle and ask it what could be done to it to make it stronger, and see how Elizabeth feels about being on a boat that's going out to fight a giant monster.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on August 17, 2021, 03:42:30 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on August 17, 2021, 04:27:40 pm
""Give it a try. Ideally, that will work and we can avoid the storm entirely."
"My own idea is larger in scale, I think I can link this ship and the creature together with a shortening tether, and with any luck we can physically drag it out to us. However it all depends on if I can even cast magic on monster from here, and if this vessel is strong enough to not get pulled into the storm. It'll definitely be a bit hairy but I think it should work if no one wants to go out there."
Post by: m1895 on August 17, 2021, 04:57:59 pm
wait around, see how much ammo the rifle has.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 17, 2021, 08:53:46 pm
"Give it a try. Ideally, that will work and we can avoid the storm entirely.""I'll raise it to the captain. You may want to prepare something in case it doesn't work."
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 17, 2021, 09:44:49 pm
Quote from: Grey
"“How are you linking? Do you need me to find something I can make into rope?”
"My own idea is larger in scale, I think I can link this ship and the creature together with a shortening tether, and with any luck we can physically drag it out to us. However it all depends on if I can even cast magic on monster from here, and if this vessel is strong enough to not get pulled into the storm. It'll definitely be a bit hairy but I think it should work if no one wants to go out there."
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 17, 2021, 09:51:55 pm
“How are you linking? Do you need me to find something I can make into rope?”"The link will be magical in essence, if all goes well I should only need the magic inside me to make the connection."
Post by: piecewise on August 18, 2021, 08:30:29 pm
You know what, fuck it. I’m going back to a seaside cliff and spending my new fate point on the KRAKEN again. Using the ROCK CHICKEN STATUE[3,Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
You do get a squid. Not a colossal squid. Not a Giant squid. Instead you get a Humbolt squid. Its certainly a pretty big squid, but nothing legendary. Oh and its also laying on the grass near the cliff instead of in the water below.
After having spent the entire walk down ot the shore attempting to communicate with the Speaker, Genesis waves the Speaker off to teh side while he talks to the gutter. ((I literally had it in my previous action, Cat, to speak slow and loud for Speaker's benefit, so either assume he at some point was properly informed, or assume that Genesis got very fed up with it and made clear that Speaker was annoying him.))"I was only a lad when it happened." he says, wiping blood off on his apron, "I just happened to be out in the fields that night, so when the quake hit and the cliff collapsed I wasn't there. Not a lot to say about the whole thing: was at night so there wasn't much to see. One minute there are lights from all the houses out there in the distance, next minute its just darkness. Sounded like thunder...never heard anyone scream. But if its a rod of bounty you're looking for, I don't think it would have come from us. The town was built on the edge of the cliff but the fields and animal enclosures were all radiating out away from it. The entire city went down but the fields were still there. Only way I can see it happening is if there was one in storage or the like...but I doubt it. Rules for those things are really clear: Never let them sit around unplanted."
Shore Team:Genesis, Speaker, Tess
To Thomas Sysiscy:
"Hello. I am called Genesis. I am a homunculus, one of a group sent by the Magi to assist this town in it's hunt for the Hammer. We have been told that the problem is caused by a misplaced Rod of Bounty. We have several ideas on how a Rod of Bounty may have ended up in the sea instead of in the farmlands where it apparently belongs. One of those theories is that it may have been in your town the day that town slid into the sea. I am sorry to bring up unpleasant memories, but if you could tell me anything about your former town and the events of that day, it would be helpful."Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
He stuffs his hands into his pockets and thinks a moment.
"But I remember some people came to take all the rods we had after the collapse. They never said anything about any of them being missing. But they were looking around a lot too."
((Guess neither Luta nor Genesis is going to reply to the Speaker.))[2]
The Speaker goes over to the waterfront and asks the sea if there is a hammer in it and, if so, where it can be found.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The sea has...clammed up.
Team BoatThis is a bit of a toughy. Functionaries pull functions from things, not words. The knife is named because it is used to cut fillets but to fillet something is cut it into fillets. So...effectively what you'd be removing is the function of "Cutting into thin strips". So, really you'd effectively just be removing "Sharp" or "Cutting" from it. We'll assume thats what you're doing.
Youare removes the function "fillet" from the knife, and stores it as a spell on his needle. If that's possible. He also unties Grey.
He then confers with the other homunculi on board.
"I may be able to turn an object into bait. One of us, perhaps, or an entire ship. Or simply something easier to handle than fish offal. Someone fast and tough enough could set out into the storm, find the creature we're hunting, and draw the thing back to us with that."
"Perhaps the woman who can transform into air would be well suited for this. I might be able to turn us, or our robes, into natural swimmers, so that might also be sensible. Would anyone be willing to risk that kind of mission?"Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
[1][+1 fate][-2 HP]
You grab the knife to yank the function out of it but get a little overzealous. Instead of reaching into the unfathomable depths of the plane of Socratic forms you instead just grab the blade of the knife and cut your hand straight to the bone.
You have your cake and eat it too. Otherwise you stand around with weapons and look threatening. Maybe you shout some taunts over the rail at the fish below.eat my cake, take some weapons and get ready to shoot somethingSpoiler (click to show/hide)
"well you do live next to a cliff."The rifle has anywhere between zero and infinite bullets depending on your rolls. I ain't tracking shit. We'll assume you have ammo until fate decides you don't.
wait around, see how much ammo the rifle has.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"I'm not sure being in the water with that thing is a good idea."
Examine my rifle and ask it what could be done to it to make it stronger, and see how Elizabeth feels about being on a boat that's going out to fight a giant monster.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
[2] The rifle is oddly tight lipped for something without lips.
Liz seems cautiously excited to be embarking on an adventure. She asks to be taken to the rail to look out into the water. She doesn't, however, try to stray from you whatsoever. The most she does is leave the crook of your arm and climb up to perch on your shoulder.
For wizards you're all really eager to get weapons substantially less powerful than what you already have.((It's for magic. You'll see. Maybe.))
"I wasn't actually going to shoot the captain. These seafarers really don't know how to take a joke..."
"Dew! Do you think you can untie me? I had a misunderstanding with the men downstairs."
Grey gets untied by Youare. He ditches the sign and mittens afterwards.
Grey also tries to determine where his needle and saber ended up, and retrieves them.
After talking with the other Homunculi, Grey speaks up to catch the captain's attention.
"Captain! I believe I know of a way to drag it out of the storm, but it won't be easy."
"So long as we're heading in the beast's general direction, and we're coming closer to it, I think I can create a link between it and this ship which will draw the two together, reeling it in like a fish on a hook, so to speak.”
“The trouble is that this is a very big fish, so it's going to be a battle between us and The Hammer to see whether we can pull it out of the storm, or if it can pull us in. I don't know if this ship is strong and heavy enough to drag a mean leviathan out of the storm, so if you think it is, captain, we can give it a shot."
"There's also the possibility that it's just too far away for me to reach it, but we should know if the magic works or not."
If the captain agrees to the fish-on-a-hook plan, then while the Leaden Crown is headed towards the storm, Grey spends 2 fate on Maintaining the rate at which the Leaden Crown and the entity known as The Hammer are becoming closer together. The idea is to create a paradox where there is a shortening distance between the ship and the monster even after the ship has stopped and started to reverse. So hopefully the magic will correct this paradox and bring the two objects closer together regardless.
If the magic fails to catch, Grey lets the captain know and he can go with the original plan.
If the magic does catch, Grey informs the captain that he should start reversing the ship, and if after a while it looks like the ship is going to get dragged into the storm, or, god forbid, it looks like the ship is going to get pulled underwater, Grey attempts to break the connection.
If the captain thinks this is a bad idea (it could be), then Grey spends 1 fate on Maintaining the ship's hull instead.
To accomplish either of these things, Grey cuts the mediocre Maintaining of Greed's ability to breathe.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
We'll assume he cut you free before he moved on to himself.
Your stuff is still with you.
You tell the captain your plan and he slowly nods along with it, eyes snapping out towards the storm and then back to the ship as the gears turn in his head.
"Not unlike what we do with our harpoons and lines already. But we generally use the weight of our ship instead of its engines to tire the beasts if they run. I'm not certain the strength this creature has, but it might be able to pull us with greater force than we can pull it. For a while at least." he taps his cane on the deck while continuing to think aloud. "But we might be able to get around that. There's a sand bar not far out. We could wait for your spell to connect and then beach ourselves and drop all anchors. Should give us some good footing or at least a good start...."
He walks to the front of the ship and looks out at the storm.
"Only one thing really worries me. If it dives, might it take us with it? That spell o' yours is a winch that keeps tightening, no matter what. If the only way to keep pulling is to go down, we'll go down...or it will come up. Or we'll snap in two depending how that magic is anchored to us."
He turns back and points his cane at you.
"You can 'maintain' anything right? If we could get the hammer moving towards shore, could you force it to keep going that way till it beached itself? If we can get that thing on land we'll have won without a single harpoon loosed."
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 18, 2021, 09:52:38 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 18, 2021, 10:07:32 pm
"Only one thing really worries me. If it dives, might it take us with it? That spell o' yours is a winch that keeps tightening, no matter what. If the only way to keep pulling is to go down, we'll go down...or it will come up. Or we'll snap in two depending how that magic is anchored to us."Grey nods to the wise concern regarding getting pulled underwater.
"My hope is that it'll have to come up but yes, it could potentially drag us under instead. I'll try to break the connection in that case but there is definitely risk."
"You can 'maintain' anything right? If we could get the hammer moving towards shore, could you force it to keep going that way till it beached itself? If we can get that thing on land we'll have won without a single harpoon loosed.""I believe so. The only uncertainty is how far my magic can reach. If we can get the thing moving in a direction of our choosing, and we know for sure that it is moving, our options would certainly improve."
"One of my fellows had the idea of sending one of us out to try and catch the things attention. If you don't like to risk the ship we can plan something in that direction."
Grey confers with the other Homunculi.
“I still have a maintain spell, maybe I can maintain its motion, but I think I’d have to get close to it first”((Sorry to be confrontational but when did you get it? I don't think I saw it in your inventory. It's not too important because Grey can give one to Dew if she wants to go out.))
"Youare had some ideas for using magic to send one of us out to find the creature. Do you want to do it? We can try getting the Chameleon here if you think it's too dangerous."
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 18, 2021, 10:09:40 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 18, 2021, 10:13:44 pm
((I thought every needle had Maintain as the default))((I don't believe so, the needles are blank slates for containing spells and at one point Grey did put a generic "Maintain" in his needle, and also put "Maintain Velocity" in Genesis's needle, but the needles can't do it on their own.))
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 18, 2021, 10:27:19 pm
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 18, 2021, 10:28:46 pm
“If no one else does, I’ll do it. I don’t want to not be doing something productive. Upon thinking, I seem to have gotten confused. I don’t actually have a spell in my needle yet, I’m an anagramist, and can thus turn things into other things based on letters, but to put the spell in the needle would convert the original object into magic in the needle”
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 18, 2021, 10:49:31 pm
Grey sorts through the colored threads connected to his needle that only he can see, and picks one of the few that lead off the ship, going all the way to the shore. The blue one, connected to Tess. He points the eye in the direction of that thread and speaks.
"Tess? You can change what material you're made of, right? We're coming up with strategies for one of us to go try leading the hammer out of the storm and bring it to the ship, or alternatively to beach the thing on the shore. Youare and I have a couple of ideas for getting the creature to go where we want it to, and it seems to me that you're the one best suited for the job. If you aren't busy with matters where you are, do you want to help us kill the beast?"
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 18, 2021, 11:01:37 pm
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: fixed action
Post by: The Lupanian on August 18, 2021, 11:42:04 pm
Push the squid into the ocean, hopefully towards an area with either a shallow incline, or a direct overhang with clear waters below.
Oh, and while I’m at it, I’m going to tell all my minions that, in the case of my death, they are to find the nearest homunculi and serve them. This will also be the standing rule for all minions created in the future. And if I can communicate via the needle link (can’t remember if that was a thing), tell both Genesis and Grey about the squid.
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 18, 2021, 11:44:40 pm
I know your laughing, but believe me, this is progress.
Push the squid into the ocean, hopefully towards an area with either a shallow incline, or a direct overhang with clear waters below.
Oh, and while I’m at it, I’m going to tell all my minions that, in the case of my death, they are to find the nearest homunculi and serve them. This will also be the standing rule for all minions created in the future. And if I can communicate via the needle link (can’t remember if that was a thing), tell both Genesis and Grey about the squid.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
((Speak into the eye of your needle. Everyone you’re linked with should be able to hear you.))
Post by: Ozarck on August 19, 2021, 12:50:46 am
'I assume the people who came to collect the Rods were from the Atelier branch .. the one from up north, Ynisk, was it? Did they wear anything unusual or carry any symbols, like the Eye on our equipment? If I wanted to travel to Ynisk, what would be the fastest and simplest mundane method? Truck? Plane? By sea? Do you have trains or subways, or something else like teleportation circles or the like? I understand these may be odd questions. Ah, one more thing. Where might I find some writing materials? pen and paper, or some sort of texting device?"
Ask the above to Thomas. Then attempt to acquire writing materials, or a couple text devices like cell phones or the like. I don't actually have anything to trade for them except the ceramic bread, so ofer that I guess. Make clear that I am asking as a personal request, rather than as official homunculi business, and that whoever has the paper or whatever is free to decline to give it to me for what I have available.
"Tess, I may have to visit the Atelier after all. Well, it's a secondary objective anyway, so no rush, but I feel as if I may have exhausted my leads in this town. Do you have any ideas?"
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on August 19, 2021, 05:18:51 am
Make sure to hold onto Elizabeth, then ask the ocean where the big hammer monster that sinks boats is, spend a fate point on this.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on August 19, 2021, 11:55:53 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on August 20, 2021, 01:08:28 am
"Tess? You can change what material you're made of, right? We're coming up with strategies for one of us to go try leading the hammer out of the storm and bring it to the ship, or alternatively to beach the thing on the shore. Youare and I have a couple of ideas for getting the creature to go where we want it to, and it seems to me that you're the one best suited for the job. If you aren't busy with matters where you are, do you want to help us kill the beast?"
startled a bit by the sound coming from my needle, I figure it out after a moment and reply.
"I could I guess. Um, what do you have in mind?"
he's gonna want me to go swimming isn't he.
I speak to Genesis:
"I might be needed on the ship. Excuse me for a moment."
I look around for some clear space, because I think I'm going to lose my air-wings soon and still want to at least try to see if I can fly, and want to not cause trouble when I make my attempt. If I find a chance, I test if I can fly or not.
EDIT: success or fail, I tug on the thread leading to Grey to send myself to him. I'll also re-link my needle with his after the teleport unless he wants me to not.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 20, 2021, 01:57:13 am
"I could I guess. Um, what do you have in mind?""The idea is for me to put a spell on your needle which will force the hammer to move in a single direction. Taking the needle you will go out into the storm, find the hammer and induce it to chase you while you move upwards and in the direction of the shore. Once it's after you, zap it with the spell, get out of the way, and with any luck the magic should send it flying into the air until it wears off, whereupon it'll crash on land and we can dissect it at our leisure."
"I believe Debby is working on a way to find the creature, and Youare can put a spell on your robe to make it easier to get the thing's attention. If the spell in the needle doesn't last long enough to shoot the beast out of the ocean, you can tug the thread connecting your needle to mine and I can try casting my magic on it from the ship to finish the job."
"If you turn into water, I think it should be fairly safe for you. Water is hard to kill, after all, and should swim better than some hulking leviathan."
"That's about all. How about it?"
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 20, 2021, 02:07:16 am
If Tess makes it to the ship okay, Grey links needles with them again and spends one fate to place a spell on their needle, Maintain creature’s velocity.
((Btw, Ozarck poked PW on the discord about whether our needle conversations are private or can be heard by everyone connected to the needles, and he had this to say.))
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/204072639507988480/878176093218164766/unknown.png)
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on August 20, 2021, 07:03:21 am
"The idea is for me to put a spell on your needle which will force the hammer to move in a single direction. Taking the needle you will go out into the storm, find the hammer and induce it to chase you while you move upwards and in the direction of the shore. Once it's after you, zap it with the spell, get out of the way, and with any luck the magic should send it flying into the air until it wears off, whereupon it'll crash on land and we can dissect it at our leisure.""That won't work. If I turn into water then i'll be water, and the Hammer will have a hard time detecting me to chase me. Also, we don't actually know if I'll be faster than it or not. and finally, it's hard to hold things, like needles, when I'm not solid."
"I believe Debby is working on a way to find the creature, and Youare can put a spell on your robe to make it easier to get the thing's attention. If the spell in the needle doesn't last long enough to shoot the beast out of the ocean, you can tug the thread connecting your needle to mine and I can try casting my magic on it from the ship to finish the job."
"If you turn into water, I think it should be fairly safe for you. Water is hard to kill, after all, and should swim better than some hulking leviathan."
"That's about all. How about it?"
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 20, 2021, 07:29:49 am
"That won't work. If I turn into water then i'll be water, and the Hammer will have a hard time detecting me to chase me. Also, we don't actually know if I'll be faster than it or not. and finally, it's hard to hold things, like needles, when I'm not solid.""That's why Youare will place the attracting spell on your robe instead of you. How fast you can be is a valid concern, and for carrying things I thought you could sweep them along like a water current. You know yourself best so if this sounds unrealistic, we'll come up with something else."
Post by: Ozarck on August 20, 2021, 07:31:33 am
"I think it's a good idea. They should have records of what happened and where their rods of bounty are, but it's rather odd that we were sent here if that's the way we need to handle this. I think they do have records of one being missing, which is why it was in our brief in the first place. So I think we should assume that they lost one during the event, and have no leads on where it might have gone. Maybe if we check around where the town fell-"Genesis waits while Tess speaks across her link, then, at an appropriate pause, replies:
"I agree. I think an All-Tongue might get some information from the area of the fallen town. I'm not so sure, however, that the Magi are immediately aware of the situation with the Rods of Bounty. They have people to keep track of those things, and they have us to audit those people's work should the need arise. Though, we may simply end up confirming what the magi already suspect, or know. As for why we were sent here, remember that our primary goal is to stop the trouble and retrieve the Rod. This information hunt is secondary. Our orders even say to find this out 'if possible.' Still, it's where I am most useful at the moment, and I can still aid the team through the link until I am needed on ship."
Genesis pauses a moment, staring out at the horizon.
"We're expendable. We're recycleable. Even so, do try to survive. Don't go taking unnecessary risks for some half formed plan made by ..." Genesis glances very briefly off in the direction Speaker was last seen.
Post by: Lenglon on August 20, 2021, 08:51:59 am
"That's why Youare will place the attracting spell on your robe instead of you. How fast you can be is a valid concern, and for carrying things I thought you could sweep them along like a water current. You know yourself best so if this sounds unrealistic, we'll come up with something else.""I can make the attempt at least. Do you want me there right away?"
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 20, 2021, 08:54:35 am
"I can make the attempt at least. Do you want me there right away?"Grey glances over to whatever Greed is doing.
"Yes, sooner is better I think."
Post by: Lenglon on August 20, 2021, 10:07:43 am
"Yes, sooner is better I think.""okay. on my way."
((action edited))
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 20, 2021, 10:26:54 am
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on August 20, 2021, 05:50:37 pm
“Is there something I can do to help? I want to do something productive other than wait around”Waiting around is very productive. It produces bored thoughts in your head which in turn produce more !!fun!!.
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 20, 2021, 07:51:23 pm
“Is there something I can do to help? I want to do something productive other than wait around””Nothing particularly comes to mind. You could try putting some useful anagram on your needle in case things don’t work out and we have to fight the hammer, either on land or the sea. You could also ask the captain questions about leviathans and such, find out if they ever have elemental powers or anything like that.”
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 20, 2021, 08:00:46 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 20, 2021, 08:18:10 pm
Post by: Ozarck on August 20, 2021, 10:53:06 pm
...
So.
That's a thing.))
Post by: NJW2000 on August 21, 2021, 04:21:28 am
Youare removes the function "bait" from the bait, and holds it carefully.
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on August 21, 2021, 12:32:55 pm
The Speaker asks the sea if there are any rods of counting in it and, if so, where they can be found.[5]Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: fixed action
The sea, speaking via the crrashing of waves against the side of the boat, tells you that it doesn't know what you're talking about. However, it says that there are a great many human things below you and in this area.
I know your laughing, but believe me, this is progress.[2]
Push the squid into the ocean, hopefully towards an area with either a shallow incline, or a direct overhang with clear waters below.
Oh, and while I’m at it, I’m going to tell all my minions that, in the case of my death, they are to find the nearest homunculi and serve them. This will also be the standing rule for all minions created in the future. And if I can communicate via the needle link (can’t remember if that was a thing), tell both Genesis and Grey about the squid.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
The squid, despite not being a mythical sea monster, is heavier than you expected. You struggle and shove but only get it a foot or two before having to sit down and rest.
"Okay Elizabeth I'm gonna do something potentially dangerous, I'm gonna ask the ocean where that hammer thing is."[
Make sure to hold onto Elizabeth, then ask the ocean where the big hammer monster that sinks boats is, spend a fate point on this.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The sea, again talking through the waves, tells you that the creature you seek is currently swimming up from the bottom a few miles from here, heading in the general direction of the town. The crashing waves suddenly but only briefly take the form of an arrow of white foam pointing off towards the storm and very slowly turning in one direction.
[4]greed, out of boredom, turns the ship invisible.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
You don't manage to make the boat invisible. Its a big boat after all. But you do manage to make it more difficult to see by distorting the light around it. It becomes sort of hazy, as though you were looking at it through a fog.
"I think it's a good idea. They should have records of what happened and where their rods of bounty are, but it's rather odd that we were sent here if that's the way we need to handle this. I think they do have records of one being missing, which is why it was in our brief in the first place. So I think we should assume that they lost one during the event, and have no leads on where it might have gone. Maybe if we check around where the town fell-"[6] You can indeed fly, though it turns out to be really hard to control. Every time you flap it sort of just hurls gusts of wind that shove you around. Its almost like flying with a jetpack that can only fire in bursts."Tess? You can change what material you're made of, right? We're coming up with strategies for one of us to go try leading the hammer out of the storm and bring it to the ship, or alternatively to beach the thing on the shore. Youare and I have a couple of ideas for getting the creature to go where we want it to, and it seems to me that you're the one best suited for the job. If you aren't busy with matters where you are, do you want to help us kill the beast?"
startled a bit by the sound coming from my needle, I figure it out after a moment and reply.
"I could I guess. Um, what do you have in mind?"
he's gonna want me to go swimming isn't he.
I speak to Genesis:
"I might be needed on the ship. Excuse me for a moment."
I look around for some clear space, because I think I'm going to lose my air-wings soon and still want to at least try to see if I can fly, and want to not cause trouble when I make my attempt. If I find a chance, I test if I can fly or not.
EDIT: success or fail, I tug on the thread leading to Grey to send myself to him. I'll also re-link my needle with his after the teleport unless he wants me to not.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You give the thread 3 yanks and immediately go incorporeal and shoot off away from the ship at flabbergasting speeds. You make it to Gray within only a few moments, jerking to a stop and becoming corporeal again all at once.
After Grey gets done explaining the plan to Tess, he takes a rifle out of one of the carts and places it and his saber on the deck. He then takes his needle, taps the end of it on the saber, and then taps the tip on the rifle and observes the results.[3]
If Tess makes it to the ship okay, Grey links needles with them again and spends one fate to place a spell on their needle, Maintain creature’s velocity.
((Btw, Ozarck poked PW on the discord about whether our needle conversations are private or can be heard by everyone connected to the needles, and he had this to say.))
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/204072639507988480/878176093218164766/unknown.png)Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
The result of the "sewing" isn't exactly anything special. The Saber's blade ends up fused to the end of the rifle, forming a sort of exaggeratedly long bayonet and turning the rifle into a sort of awkward polearm.
[3] You place a rather anemic spell in the needle.
"Hard to say. Does an electric eel weild elemetal power? I've seen creatures that breathe fire, that are encrusted with stone, that can seemingly conjur lightning, and the like. But whether these things are magic or just a quirk of their anatomy I'm not sure."If he’s not giving orders, ask the captain if other leviathans they hunted had elemental powersSpoiler (click to show/hide)
Team Boat[3]
Youare removes the function "bait" from the bait, and holds it carefully.Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
You aim for "Bait" as in "Attractiveness" but only end up with "Fresh" because the chum is fresh.
The captain is currently waiting to see what you do, the ship continues to move roughly in the direction of the storm.
Shore Team"They were like you, but not quite the same. They had blue robes and a mark that looked like...I can't really remember. It was sort of stylized, more than yours. And they were carrying these...metal boxes" He mimes a box about the size of a man's head.
'I assume the people who came to collect the Rods were from the Atelier branch .. the one from up north, Ynisk, was it? Did they wear anything unusual or carry any symbols, like the Eye on our equipment? If I wanted to travel to Ynisk, what would be the fastest and simplest mundane method? Truck? Plane? By sea? Do you have trains or subways, or something else like teleportation circles or the like? I understand these may be odd questions. Ah, one more thing. Where might I find some writing materials? pen and paper, or some sort of texting device?"
Ask the above to Thomas. Then attempt to acquire writing materials, or a couple text devices like cell phones or the like. I don't actually have anything to trade for them except the ceramic bread, so ofer that I guess. Make clear that I am asking as a personal request, rather than as official homunculi business, and that whoever has the paper or whatever is free to decline to give it to me for what I have available.
"Tess, I may have to visit the Atelier after all. Well, it's a secondary objective anyway, so no rush, but I feel as if I may have exhausted my leads in this town. Do you have any ideas?"Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
"The fastest way...A lot of the larger ships use anchored hot air balloons to scout around. There are probably some sitting in storage With the wind blowing like it is you could probably take one straight to Ynisk or at least close. Or you could take a fast boat. Follow the coast up north until you get close and then travel the rest of the way on foot. We don't really have any vehicles around here.
I don't have anything to write on here, but there should be plenty of paper and such around. Ask the foreman or any of the offices around here."
Post by: Ozarck on August 21, 2021, 05:32:46 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 21, 2021, 05:39:09 pm
The Speaker asks the sea if there are any rods of counting in it and, if so, where they can be found.[5]Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: fixed action
The sea, speaking via the crrashing of waves against the side of the boat, tells you that it doesn't know what you're talking about. However, it says that there are a great many human things below you and in this area.
<snip>
((The Speaker isn’t on the boat, he’s actually on the shore. I think you made the same mistake with other people as well…))
Edit: didn’t see this before…
Genesis locates Speaker, and scrawls in the dirt with his needle, making sure Speaker sees it: "YOUR TASK: Find a clipboard, notebooks, and pens/pencils. Only communicate with me via writing from now on, until you get afunctionary to give you hearing."
The Speaker nods and uses his needle to write “Ok” in the sand. He then proceeds to ask the sea if it has the items Genesis asked for, and if so, where they can be found.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on August 22, 2021, 03:48:56 am
I re-link my needle with Grey's
"So, I'm here. Who's got the spell to make something I can carry into bait? because I don't want that on something I want to keep."
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 22, 2021, 04:27:49 am
And if I can communicate via the needle link (can’t remember if that was a thing), tell both Genesis and Grey about the squid.Grey notices a report made by Luta coming from his needle and listens to it.
"You've made a big squid? Nice I guess, it can't talk can it? If I think of something we need it for I'll let you know."
"So, I'm here. Who's got the spell to make something I can carry into bait? because I don't want that on something I want to keep.""Youare should have it but he looks disappointed, so there might be a holdup there. But there are other ways to get a creature's attention."
"I've been thinking of a potential problem, which is that you might find it hard to see when you're underwater in the storm. There are a couple ways around this, I could Maintain your ability to perceive objects near and far, or Maintain a huge ball of sunlight around you. I think our Elemental could make a strong light source that follows you around also, but he's in his own world in my experience."
"If Youare can't come up with the bait, I think we should go with the ball of sunlight. Sea creatures should find it hard to ignore a moving sphere of light with a surface area of a few kilometres. If we do go with that it'll be easier to cast once you're in the water, otherwise it'll be more like a hemisphere of light."
"When you teleported in I tried to put the movement spell in your needle, but it doesn't seem to have caught right, so I'll try again with that."
"Debby? How did your efforts go?"
Post by: Ozarck on August 22, 2021, 04:50:04 am
I don't have much to report on this end. My investigation into where the Rod came from will take me a day's travel north to a sunken village, and 350 miles north to the local branch of the Grand Atelier. It's a different sub-group than ours up there, if my local contact's info is anything to go by.
What might really help is something to help you see the situation clearly. Sonar or some kind of scrying pool. And don't forget, we are probably going to need some method of fighting in and over the water. Keep your needle links fresh, in case you need to be pulled back to solid ground."
Post by: King Zultan on August 22, 2021, 05:10:06 am
"Debby? How did your efforts go?""According to the ocean the hammer is coming up from the bottom a few miles from here and is heading towards the town, then the waves became and arrow."
Debby then points to where the arrow had indicated.
Grab some spare rope, then sew my axe and rifle together while I wait.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 22, 2021, 05:54:46 am
"Luta's idea of having sea creature minions is not a bad one. If the ship has any fishing gear other than harpoons, perhaps they could haul up a catch of fish and have Debby talk to those as well. I'm not sure a several kilometers wide circle of light would count as bait for sea monsters."The idea is to catch the the thing's attention, if this beastie is mean enough to go around destroying ships then hopefully a globe of light will be unusual enough to draw it in. Worst comes to worst Tess can always stab it with her needle, though we want to avoid getting that close of course. I'll see if Youare can manage the bait though."
I don't have much to report on this end. My investigation into where the Rod came from will take me a day's travel north to a sunken village, and 350 miles north to the local branch of the Grand Atelier. It's a different sub-group than ours up there, if my local contact's info is anything to go by.
What might really help is something to help you see the situation clearly. Sonar or some kind of scrying pool. And don't forget, we are probably going to need some method of fighting in and over the water. Keep your needle links fresh, in case you need to be pulled back to solid ground."
"A scrying pool would definitely make this easier. Debby just said the ocean told her where the hammer is, and that it's headed towards the town, for now at least. So we have a decent idea of where it is at the moment."
"Frankly fighting underwater sounds like suicide to me. Tess should be durable and quick but for the rest of us to go down there would be a quick path to a watery grave, even if we could breathe underwater. Maybe Dew can come up with something but I think if it keeps out of our reach magic will have to suffice."
Post by: Ozarck on August 22, 2021, 06:11:47 am
Return to Ericson and let him know that the Hammer seems to be heading toward town. Let him speak directly to Debby through the link if he needs more info. Then ask about the use of a balloon (and guide) to fly up to the sunken town and then to the Atelier branch.
Additionally, I have a secret action I am posting via PM. Don't worry, it shouldn't affect anyone but Genesis.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 22, 2021, 06:20:00 am
"We have determined that a purely magical solution is impractical and so we are ready to assist with whatever strategy you decide to put into action, captain."
Grey relays to the captain what Debby discovered in regards to the rough location of the hammer, how deep it is, and where it is headed.
Grey later examines the rifle-saber through his needle to determine if the saber-bayonet's magic is concentrated in the blade or if it's spread into the rifle as well.
Grey also determines if the Leaden Crown has any small boats attached to it, in case someone has to go out alone.
The captain also mentioned something about a fleet of smaller ships accompanying us earlier? How many are we looking at here?
By the way, I'm not sure I want to ask but where is the teleport conduit?
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 22, 2021, 09:47:40 am
"Alright, I'm going to admit that this plan is not very good. The best plans are simple, and this plan isn't, there's too much magic involved. Magic shape shifting, magic bait, magic monster levitation, magic light source for seeing in the dark, magic pinpointing the monster's location. It's too much."
"The latest issue I've thought of is that if we place some kind of monster bait on Tess's person, she could easily be intercepted by a different kind of leviathan, even if she's headed straight towards The Hammer. The captain even said that if we go spreading lots of bait around to attract the hammer, we're liable to fight a few other monsters first."
"In order for this plan to succeed, first Tess needs to turn into water and be able to carry her stuff, something she's not sure she's able to do. Then she needs to be able to see in the dark, which might be time consuming to give her the ability, assuming the magic doesn't backfire and do something terrible. Then she needs to find the hammer without getting caught by another leviathan, which could easily happen. And while Debby has told us the direction and rough depth the hammer is at, there's no guarantee that Tess will be able to find it by the time she gets there. Then she needs to induce the monster to give chase, and then zap it with the magic spell which would launch it out of the ocean. This is assuming the monster doesn't have messed up powers which would be deadly to Tess, and that the monster isn't in fact several monsters, and that a spell in a needle is powerful enough to effect a beast of great size long enough to achieve its purpose."
"It's not a completely terrible plan that would never work, it's just that I think the captain's plan is much better. Sorry for bringing you out here Tess, my enthusiasm got the better of me."
"If none of you object, I propose we go with what the captain originally planned. We spread a heap of bait around, kill a mundane monster or two which shouldn't be too hard. The bait and gore will draw the hammer in, and then we kill it."
"Using the information Debby gave us of the hammer's whereabouts, we might not even have to fight any regular monsters as the captain could potentially get us close enough to draw the hammer in before any other sea beasts take notice."
Post by: The Lupanian on August 22, 2021, 12:25:53 pm
Whether or not the squid gets in the water, once again use a ROCK to make a ROC
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on August 22, 2021, 03:22:42 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 23, 2021, 08:26:04 am
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 23, 2021, 10:30:11 am
Post by: m1895 on August 23, 2021, 11:16:55 am
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 23, 2021, 12:45:28 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 23, 2021, 08:48:01 pm
(Thanks, what do bullets tend to be made of? I know the axe head and rifle are made of metal, and the handle of the axe is likely made of wood or metal)((Bullets can vary but usually the bit fired out of the gun is lead while the shell casing is made of brass. Often the lead can be “jacketed” with some other metal, like copper, to grant it better penetration. This is common for rifle rounds, I think. There’s also the primer and gunpowder of course, but those are sealed in the casing. Still, anagram magic could possibly reach through the casing and touch those materials as well.))
((Considering the time period I think it’s likely for the rifle to have some wood on it too.))
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 23, 2021, 09:55:11 pm
(Thanks, what do bullets tend to be made of? I know the axe head and rifle are made of metal, and the handle of the axe is likely made of wood or metal)((Bullets can vary but usually the bit fired out of the gun is lead while the shell casing is made of brass. Often the lead can be “jacketed” with some other metal, like copper, to grant it better penetration. This is common for rifle rounds, I think. There’s also the primer and gunpowder of course, but those are sealed in the casing. Still, anagram magic could possibly reach through the casing and touch those materials as well.))
((Considering the time period I think it’s likely for the rifle to have some wood on it too.))
((A few more things: depending on the time period, the lead in the bullet might be alloyed with a small amount of bismuth. The primer compound might contain either mercury or lead as one of it’s components depending on the time period. The primer compound will be inside a tiny tin cup. Also, the gunpowder is likely to be nitrocellulose, which is also called guncotton. There’s probably more to add, but I think I’ll stop here…))
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 23, 2021, 10:09:04 pm
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 23, 2021, 10:31:20 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 23, 2021, 11:07:16 pm
((I'm not sure what would happen to the bullet, that's definitely something for the anagramists to work out.))
Post by: King Zultan on August 24, 2021, 02:10:34 am
Post by: Ozarck on August 24, 2021, 02:48:53 am
You could use different words to describe the material of an object, as long as it is appropriate for the object. For instance, you could call it a METAL bullet or a LEAD bullet. You could specify the bullet CASING, and use COPPER CASING (or perhaps COPPER BULLET CASING). As long as the terms you use reasonably define the object, and you spell it properly, it should be okay.
You don't get leftover lumps of undefined materials, unless perhaps due to a weird roll of the die. The material you start with CAN effect the form of the object you make - see the grass blades and grassassins that ruined Creation's day back in the first mission.
Anagraming requires some inventiveness and creative ability to take objects on hand and wordsmith them into useful things, or take a concept you wish to make and find a creative way to get teh letters necessary to make that idea a reality.
If any of what I say contradicts what PW says or decides, his word is, of course, the final decider. I am just trying to help you understand the structure of your ability so you can make the best use of it you can. Good Luck!))
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 24, 2021, 03:30:58 am
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 24, 2021, 03:36:08 am
Post by: piecewise on August 24, 2021, 02:09:54 pm
[3]The Speaker asks the sea if there are any rods of counting in it and, if so, where they can be found.[5]Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: fixed action
The sea, speaking via the crrashing of waves against the side of the boat, tells you that it doesn't know what you're talking about. However, it says that there are a great many human things below you and in this area.
<snip>
((The Speaker isn’t on the boat, he’s actually on the shore. I think you made the same mistake with other people as well…))
Edit: didn’t see this before…Genesis locates Speaker, and scrawls in the dirt with his needle, making sure Speaker sees it: "YOUR TASK: Find a clipboard, notebooks, and pens/pencils. Only communicate with me via writing from now on, until you get afunctionary to give you hearing."
The Speaker nods and uses his needle to write “Ok” in the sand. He then proceeds to ask the sea if it has the items Genesis asked for, and if so, where they can be found.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The sea throws a glob of seaweed into your face for wasting its time.
[3][3]"Debby? How did your efforts go?""According to the ocean the hammer is coming up from the bottom a few miles from here and is heading towards the town, then the waves became and arrow."
Debby then points to where the arrow had indicated.
Grab some spare rope, then sew my axe and rifle together while I wait.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
10 feet of rope, and the blade of the ax basically just gets welded onto the end of the rifle barrel.
"Heading toward town? I better warn Ericson."He listens and tells you he's going to hang nets across the bay opening and get all the cannons and harpoon guns to point that way. So if it shows up, it will get ganked. Also he said the thinks it will probably attack as the storm rolls in over the town.
Return to Ericson and let him know that the Hammer seems to be heading toward town. Let him speak directly to Debby through the link if he needs more info. Then ask about the use of a balloon (and guide) to fly up to the sunken town and then to the Atelier branch.
Additionally, I have a secret action I am posting via PM. Don't worry, it shouldn't affect anyone but Genesis.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
He gives you a note for a pilot/Guide and a balloon. Says the balloon is in a red roofed warehouse down on the water line, but that you might need help getting it up and onto the plains above. Also says the guy you're looking for is named Anders and is in a house on the third level. He says to offer him a month's paid leave to help you.
Explain to the squid that it will need to find the boat and attack any monsters that come after the boat. Then ask it to use it’s tentacles to help pull itself into the water.Squid crawls off and falls into the ocean.
Whether or not the squid gets in the water, once again use a ROCK to make a ROCSpoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
[6]
Rock becomes a Roc (giant eagle with a wingspan of about 15 meters). It immediately plucks you off the ground and starts carrying you into the sky. -2 hp for minor talon related injuries.
(Thanks, what do bullets tend to be made of? I know the axe head and rifle are made of metal, and the handle of the axe is likely made of wood or metal)[6]Take a bullet and put the words TALL CASTLE in my needle using METAL BULLET CASING as the letter sourceSpoiler (click to show/hide)
You now have "Tall Castle" with a [6] in your needle. Make sure to record it as that.
Grey talks with the captain.You tell the captain about the Hammer. He decides that the best course of action would be to position themselves between the storm and the bay and drop their bait there. He gets the ship moving that way.
"We have determined that a purely magical solution is impractical and so we are ready to assist with whatever strategy you decide to put into action, captain."
Grey relays to the captain what Debby discovered in regards to the rough location of the hammer, how deep it is, and where it is headed.
Grey later examines the rifle-saber through his needle to determine if the saber-bayonet's magic is concentrated in the blade or if it's spread into the rifle as well.
Grey also determines if the Leaden Crown has any small boats attached to it, in case someone has to go out alone.
The captain also mentioned something about a fleet of smaller ships accompanying us earlier? How many are we looking at here?
By the way, I'm not sure I want to ask but where is the teleport conduit?Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Magic is stull in the blade, not in the gun.
The Ship does have about a dozen smaller boats connected to it, in addition to about a dozen life boats.
The smaller ships mentioned were the ones on this ship. Least I think thats what was mentioned.
Right now, its in the village. We'll assume in the Boss' office for the moment.
The Leaden Crown moves so that its effectively directly between the now somewhat distant bay and the fast approaching storm. It dumps half its chum containers and then waits. The captain asks anyone who can provide them with better info about whats coming to do so, and everyone else should get ready. There are already giant fish churning in the water around the ship because of the chum. Some of the sailors are firing shingle shots down at them when the break the surface, adding more meat to the expanding pool of gore. After about 10 minutes everyone hears a sort of deep whistling noise and the water appears to get rougher. The storm is still a good few miles off.
Post by: The Lupanian on August 24, 2021, 02:42:23 pm
If it becomes apparent that the bird isn't friendly, then pull the string to teleport to Genesis.
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 24, 2021, 03:25:31 pm
The Speaker asks the sea if there are any rods of bounty in it and, if so, where they can be found. He then asks the land if it knows where any things to write with and/or on are located and, if so, where.
Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on August 24, 2021, 08:37:45 pm
Sheet updated from sekrit action. follow up action pm'd.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 24, 2021, 09:15:18 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 24, 2021, 09:20:25 pm
"It sounds like the first sea monster just found us so communications might get a bit spotty from here on out."
Grey spends 1 fate to Maintain the ship's hull and stands on the deck with his needle ready in case anything tries to eat his face off.
If some kind of projectile comes his way, fireballs, acid spit and such, Grey crosses his wrists to activate his gloves and fend off the attack.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on August 24, 2021, 11:38:10 pm
Post by: King Zultan on August 25, 2021, 07:15:18 am
Check my rifle and make sure it'll still fire without exploding, then get ready for a potential impact.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 25, 2021, 07:28:17 am
Post by: King Zultan on August 25, 2021, 07:32:41 am
@Zultan remember that you burned your fate point on talking to the ocean, so your current count should be 0I had two and preemptively removed one when I made the post, so I wouldn't forget to remove the spent one.
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 25, 2021, 07:40:51 am
I had two and preemptively removed one when I made the post, so I wouldn't forget to remove the spent one.Ah, confusing. Sorry to trouble you.
Post by: m1895 on August 25, 2021, 11:46:58 am
hold the line with needle and rifle.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 25, 2021, 12:51:39 pm
Post by: Lenglon on August 25, 2021, 01:20:21 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on August 25, 2021, 04:00:53 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 25, 2021, 04:04:56 pm
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 25, 2021, 04:05:28 pm
((I wonder…))((wonder what? ))
Post by: Ozarck on August 25, 2021, 05:07:39 pm
((Consider illuminating the beast, or otherwise making it visible to the ship's crew. Light as a material has all the potential. A light sword is ... unimaginative.Greed attempts to form a sword out of condensed light energy.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
But play how you want. This is just my opinion.))
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on August 25, 2021, 07:14:27 pm
That’s actually a really good idea.((Consider illuminating the beast, or otherwise making it visible to the ship's crew. Light as a material has all the potential. A light sword is ... unimaginative.Greed attempts to form a sword out of condensed light energy.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
But play how you want. This is just my opinion.))
Post by: King Zultan on August 26, 2021, 02:37:08 am
((I wonder…))Why you changing the name of this game to the name of my game?
Ah, confusing. Sorry to trouble you.That's all right, always good to have someone looking out for this kind of thing.
Post by: NJW2000 on August 26, 2021, 04:40:19 am
Youare stores the function "fresh" that he removed from the bait in his needle. He then extracts "swim" from one of his fish and places it in his robe.
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 26, 2021, 07:40:36 pm
((I wonder…))Why you changing the name of this game to the name of my game?
:D
Post by: piecewise on August 27, 2021, 10:39:12 am
Politely ask the bird to take me back to the cliff. Then ask if it would take me to the boat after grabbing my lads.The bird responds to your request by...well, completely ignoring you. How rude. You tug the Genesis line three times and scream over to him at fantastic speed.
If it becomes apparent that the bird isn't friendly, then pull the string to teleport to Genesis.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
“Well that was rude!”[1][+1 fate][-4 HP]
The Speaker asks the sea if there are any rods of bounty in it and, if so, where they can be found. He then asks the land if it knows where any things to write with and/or on are located and, if so, where.Spoiler: The Speaker (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The sea immediately surges up, grabs The Speaker in a watery fist, and yanks him down to the infinite depths below. Whether he is drowned or eaten by some slimey thing is never known. But he definitely dies.
[ALL LINKS TO SPEAKER SNAP!]
Make arrangements for the balloon ride, as suggested by Ericson. If the ballooneer thinks we can get where we are going ahead of or in spite of the storm, do so. Nothing like an adventure to get the (pure) blood pumping. If hte ballooneer thinks it's a bad idea to head out now, wait out the storm, ready to assist against the monster.Gathering the Balloon and its operator, and then dragging both up the cliffside to the plains above takes a while. Getting the balloon inflated takes a while too, with all this cold wind. The balloon itself is more than just a simple air bladder with a basket: it has a large rudder of sorts and an oval basket large enough for a man to lay down in. It even has sacks for supplies as well as ballast. Clearly designed for the lookout who used it to hang around in for hours or days and have some degree of control. As soon as the balloon is inflated with hot air, the two of you take off like a shot, riding on cold air currents and gusting winds from the sea. Reaching the ruins takes only an hour or so at these speeds.
Sheet updated from sekrit action. follow up action pm'd.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
[1][+1 fate]
Even so, its already dark by the time you pass over the supposed ruin site. You can see nothing below, though you can hear the sound of waves. You lean over the edge of the basket and strain to see something. And then you lean a bit too far and find yourself plumetting face first into the darkness below.
Team BoatYou slap the "Fresh" into the needle and then work on the fish. [6] Pulling "Swim" is easy, but when you put it in the robe something unexpected happens: The robe immediately starts doing so. You find yourself trapped within as the robe flops about like a fish out of water, slapping the deck over and over again.
Youare stores the function "fresh" that he removed from the bait in his needle. He then extracts "swim" from one of his fish and places it in his robe.Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
[6][5]Greed attempts to Light up the beast and form a sword out of condensed light energy.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Greed points out at the sea in the rough direction of the oncoming beast and the water lights up like a magnesium flare. Its literally like staring at the sun. The only positive is that the vast serpentine form of the oncoming leviathan is like the black shadow of the moon during an eclipse: starkly visible against the blinding light.
He then points to the sky and the last rays of sunset condense into a blinding blade of reddish light 20 feet tall hovering above his head.
I take flight and see what I can see from above.[4]Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Currently you can see blinding light from the ocean, the shadow of something squirming towards the ship, and not much else in that direction.
You don't go up too high though, since its so hard to control.
Grey shares the news with Genesis and Luta.[3]
"It sounds like the first sea monster just found us so communications might get a bit spotty from here on out."
Grey spends 1 fate to Maintain the ship's hull and stands on the deck with his needle ready in case anything tries to eat his face off.
If some kind of projectile comes his way, fireballs, acid spit and such, Grey crosses his wrists to activate his gloves and fend off the attack.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
If your spell does much, its hard to tell.
Be ready with the rifleSpoiler (click to show/hide)
hold the line with needle and rifle.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Oh shit it might have been a bad time to fuck with the rifle."[1,2,3]
Check my rifle and make sure it'll still fire without exploding, then get ready for a potential impact.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The shadowy creature breaks the surface of the oppressive pool of light with several blowhole geysers. Its very hard, in that blinding light, to tell much about its form. Vague impressions of something akin to a giant eel with a mouth like a pit of rotating knives. It is apparently blind because it doesn't seem to care about the light.
"That ain't our prey!" The captain shouts, shielding his eyes and squinting out at the thing. "Drive it away or kill it! No harpoons!"
The men on the deck scramble about. The ship's cannons roar one after another, shaking the ship and the bones of everyone on it. Dew, Flame, and Debby all fire their rifles at the thing. Well, Dew tries but ends up dropping her rifle over the edge of the ship. Debby and Flame both manage not to lose their weapons but if they hit or really deal any damage its hard to tell. Both because they're firing tiny metal slugs into an enormous mass of flesh, and because they're doing it half blind.
The creature makes a wailing whistling noise and thrashes as at least some of the cannon rounds strike it: blood gushes, lit like a brilliant red firework for a moment before vanishing into the general white light. The creature submerges again but seems to still be moving roughly in the direction of the ship.
Post by: Ozarck on August 27, 2021, 11:03:46 am
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on August 27, 2021, 12:06:29 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 27, 2021, 12:24:31 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on August 27, 2021, 12:44:24 pm
Youare enlists the help of nearby homunculi or sailors, or struggles to get into the water alone if necessary.
"Again? Somebody help me overboard! I need to be in the water!"
Youare, once overboard, expends one fate point swimming towards the creature at an oblique angle, and shouts down his needle to the other homunculi if he makes it to the creature's side, allowing them to come in through their links. He then goes ahead with plunging his needle into a water-filled cavity like the throat or stomach and firing the "fresh" spell, hopefully turning the water fresh enough to result in tissue damage. Or hey, just turning some organs into baby organs. Magic is innate and unpredictable.
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on August 27, 2021, 01:06:30 pm
Team Boat”Be careful”
Youare enlists the help of nearby homunculi or sailors, or struggles to get into the water alone if necessary.
"Again? Somebody help me overboard! I need to be in the water!"
Youare, once overboard, expends one fate point swimming towards the creature at an oblique angle, plunging his needle into a water-filled cavity like the throat or stomach and firing the "fresh" spell, hopefully turning the water fresh enough to result in tissue damage. Or hey, just turning some organs into baby organs. Magic is innate and unpredictable.Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on August 27, 2021, 01:41:51 pm
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
)Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 27, 2021, 05:33:32 pm
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((Awaiting GM approval.))
Post by: Ozarck on August 27, 2021, 09:47:15 pm
Do try to pull a thread before I hit the ground, water, or miscellaneous hard, pointy, and/or hungry surface.
p.s. relink after pulling to the other homunculus, if circumstances allow.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 27, 2021, 09:50:07 pm
"Again? Somebody help me overboard! I need to be in the water!""Are you sure that's a good idea?!"
Grey helps Youare overboard if he is certain that is what he wants.
Grey keeps a look out and drops the Maintaining of the ship's hull. The next time the great serpent surfaces, Grey Maintains how much the creature is sticking out of the water. All goes well, this should force the leviathan to remain exposed and also hinder its movements some.
He shoots it with the rifle too, may as well if his hands are idle.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on August 28, 2021, 04:36:57 am
Post by: Fire and Glory on August 28, 2021, 05:19:41 am
"I enchanted my robe to swim, so don't worry. If I manage to get close to the beast, I'll let you know and you can dash in through the link.""It looks to me that you're spasming uncontrollably, how sure are you that your robe will do what you want instead of keeping you underwater until you drown?"
"If you're confident then I'll help you over but I decline the invitation to come in with you. That cannon barrage looks like it hurt the creature bad so I don't see any need to risk myself fighting underwater."
Post by: King Zultan on August 28, 2021, 05:24:16 am
Shoot the monster in any place that looks especially vulnerable, and make sure Elizabeth is all right.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on August 28, 2021, 10:29:07 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on August 31, 2021, 08:01:32 pm
Post by: Ozarck on August 31, 2021, 09:38:09 pm
Post by: piecewise on September 02, 2021, 03:08:59 pm
Post by: piecewise on September 03, 2021, 09:32:23 am
Assume I got on the balloon with Genesis. Also, would it be s stretch to assume that Genesis and I immediately relinked?I'd say its fine to assume both.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
look below through my needle's eye, then pull the Luta thread. If said thread isn't available, pull the grey thread. If I haven't the piece of mind to remember which is which, pull a random thread.[3]
Do try to pull a thread before I hit the ground, water, or miscellaneous hard, pointy, and/or hungry surface.
p.s. relink after pulling to the other homunculus, if circumstances allow.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
You don't exactly have a ton of time to carefully examine things: not to mention the increasingly powerful stream of air blowing directly into your eyes. But you do get a momentary glance of something in the water. A sort of luminous haze hanging near the shore.
You yank luta's thread and return to the balloon in a flash. You immediately relink once you're there.
Looks good to me. We can assume you tumbled out of the cauldron and shook the entire cave on impact.Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((Awaiting GM approval.))
[5]Greed commands the sword to cut the creature in half and then shoots at it.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Greed points at the shadowy shape of the beast and the blade above his head vanishes in a flicker and the sea in front of him is rended open in a spray of boiling foam. The creature stops its wriggling instantly and, moments later, begins to drift apart. It has been cleanly cut in half, length wise.
I wait and see what happens while maintaining my aerial position.Getting harder to maintain position. The storm is really rolling in now. What was once a distant wall of gray is now visibly rushing foward towards the ship. Its still a few miles out but it will be here soon.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Thank fuck I didn't break the damned rifle, not that it's helping very much."You decide to hold your fire for the time being. Liz is covering her ears from all the noise but seems ok.
Shoot the monster in any place that looks especially vulnerable, and make sure Elizabeth is all right.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Team Boat
Youare enlists the help of nearby homunculi or sailors, or struggles to get into the water alone if necessary.
"Again? Somebody help me overboard! I need to be in the water!"
Youare, once overboard, expends one fate point swimming towards the creature at an oblique angle, and shouts down his needle to the other homunculi if he makes it to the creature's side, allowing them to come in through their links. He then goes ahead with plunging his needle into a water-filled cavity like the throat or stomach and firing the "fresh" spell, hopefully turning the water fresh enough to result in tissue damage. Or hey, just turning some organs into baby organs. Magic is innate and unpredictable.Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Team Boat”Be careful”
Youare enlists the help of nearby homunculi or sailors, or struggles to get into the water alone if necessary.
"Again? Somebody help me overboard! I need to be in the water!"
Youare, once overboard, expends one fate point swimming towards the creature at an oblique angle, plunging his needle into a water-filled cavity like the throat or stomach and firing the "fresh" spell, hopefully turning the water fresh enough to result in tissue damage. Or hey, just turning some organs into baby organs. Magic is innate and unpredictable.Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)Help Youare overboard”what are you going to do?”Spoiler (click to show/hide)
"Again? Somebody help me overboard! I need to be in the water!""Are you sure that's a good idea?!"
Grey helps Youare overboard if he is certain that is what he wants.
Grey keeps a look out and drops the Maintaining of the ship's hull. The next time the great serpent surfaces, Grey Maintains how much the creature is sticking out of the water. All goes well, this should force the leviathan to remain exposed and also hinder its movements some.
He shoots it with the rifle too, may as well if his hands are idle.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
These actions have all esentially been rendered non-meaningful by Mr. Lightsaber over there so I'm just going to assume you guys don't want to jump overboard into giant flesh eating fish infested waters or waste time reinforcing the boat or whatever.
The storm is roaring in now, the wind battering the ship and rocking it with great salty gusts. The sound of the approaching downpour slamming into the rough ocean surface is like being charged by a rogue waterfall. Everything smells overwhelmingly of brine and blood. In the distance, at the very edge of the approaching storm, a fin breaks the surface of the water. Its cutting fowards, towards the ship and the town beyond, slicing through the water like a knife. Whatever it belongs to is hidden beneath the foam and within the rain, but judging by the size of the fin it is truely massive.
The crew only has a few moments to marvel at this approaching leviathan before the ship lurches upwards and to the side, being shoved out of the way as something rises up from below. A great pink-purple gelatonous mass breaches the surface, followed moments later by thousands of thin tendrils. Each tendril is no thicker than a man's thumb but is at least several dozen feet long and wriggling about at surprising speed. The Tendrils lash the chum filled water and electrical discharge plays across the flesh of the giant fish that are touched.
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on September 03, 2021, 04:34:31 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on September 03, 2021, 05:35:30 pm
“Ho! Ho! Ho! A humonculus! Is that what I am?!”
He then go’s over to the box, retrieves his robe and gloves and puts them on, and then retrieves his needle.
After this, he notices the glowing coming from the portal room and goes to investigate.
“Ho! The mundanes need our help! I’d better get going then!”
And with that, he goes through the portal.
((Btw, which group has the conduit?))
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on September 03, 2021, 07:29:37 pm
If the giant fish (the hammer?) in the storm broke the surface of the water with its fin, that means it's moving upwards, so Grey spends 1 fate and Maintains the upward velocity of the giant fish that's in the storm.
In the meantime he also shoots the tentacle monster harassing the ship and fends off any tendrils coming towards him with his magic sword-bayonet.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on September 04, 2021, 03:30:23 am
Keep Elizabeth close to my while I shoot the shit out of that tentacle thing, also if the tentacles get close to me use my rifleaxe to chop the damn things off.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on September 06, 2021, 02:50:13 am
"What do you think, Luta? Should we leave one of our needles here, so we can jump back quickly? I saw something down there. Could be normal stuff though. don't know anything about the ocean. But it seemed strange. It glowed."
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on September 06, 2021, 03:12:35 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on September 07, 2021, 11:12:22 am
[3]greed has his sword stab into the water at the center of the tentacles.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
For an instant the sword reappears above Greed's head and then slices down towards the jellyfish leviathan. However, whatever magical power is maintaining it seems to falter and the light blade bursts with a flash as it hits the creature instead of cutting through.
(PW said that the conduit is on the shore inside the town, so you might need to catch a boat.)[
If the giant fish (the hammer?) in the storm broke the surface of the water with its fin, that means it's moving upwards, so Grey spends 1 fate and Maintains the upward velocity of the giant fish that's in the storm.
In the meantime he also shoots the tentacle monster harassing the ship and fends off any tendrils coming towards him with his magic sword-bayonet.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
[3]
You point at the distant fin and shout "MAINTAIN!"
The upwards movement of the Hammer was quite small when you caught it, but it was still there. Slowly, the beast begins to rise out of the water. So far only its back is visible. That back is a mass of fins; rows of them beside and in line with each other; like dozens of sharks of different sizes were sewn together into a field of dorsal fins.
You swing the bayonet at the tendrils but whatever damage you manage to do seems minor. They're quite hard to actually hit, rapidly wriggling like they are. But those few you manage to catch seem to transform. The flesh near the cut becomes purplish stained glass and shatters apart.
"Did we really need to get this many creatures attention to attract that hammer thing?"
Keep Elizabeth close to my while I shoot the shit out of that tentacle thing, also if the tentacles get close to me use my rifleaxe to chop the damn things off.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
[3,3]
You fire and cut as best you can as the tendrils squirm up the side of the ship but it seems to have precious little effect. The beast continues pulling itself up from the bloody foam and towards the ship unabated. All you can do is fall back from the railing and retreat back on the deck. You hold Liz on your shoulder with one hand as you do.
I get a bit more altitude to get to clearer airspace and avoid the ground-level turbulance (and also get more altitude that I can afford to lose if I mess up). But otherwise remain in the air and continue to observe and watch for the Hammer itself, as well as see how the other sea monsters are faring and what they're doing. maybe I'll see some behavior patterns or interactions that I could use later? I need to keep gathering information so that when I do make my move (and I think I'm only going to be able to make one move so I want it to be a good one) it'll count.[4]Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You get up to about 150 feet off the deck. The winds here are still powerful and only getting worse. Its almost impossible to really observe anything other than your own balance. You do think the...giant shark thing riding the approaching storm is probably the hammer though. It would be hard to think it was anything else.
The ship rocks and lists hard to one side as the Jellyfish Leviathan starts dragging itself up and onto the deck. As soon as its bulbous body rises above the railing though, the captain shouts "FIRE!" and all the cannons with a line to the critter unleash hell. Shells rip through its flesh, tearing it apart like bullets through a rubber ball. Its body jiggles and thick ooze pours out of it. The injuries don't kill the creature outright- its anatomy is too bizarre to fall from something as simple as being perforated- but the beast does half tumble back away from the railing and its tendrils lose a great deal of their hold on the ship.
"ALL HANDS!" The captain bellows, pointing his cane out at the storm, "Our prey is coming! Shake off these interlopers and lets give it a fisher's welcome! Dump a depth charge or two into that jelly beast's ruptured head. 20 second timers! Lets be off with this!"
Make my hands like binoculars and look through them, just in general to see if I can get vision that way. If not, place my hands over my eyes such that the eye symbols face outward, and try to see that way. Look around and down, but being careful not to fall out again. Are we still being pushed hard by the wind? If so, continue on to the city. We'll come back here later.
"What do you think, Luta? Should we leave one of our needles here, so we can jump back quickly? I saw something down there. Could be normal stuff though. don't know anything about the ocean. But it seemed strange. It glowed."Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
The first thing...no. The second thing though...that actually does something. Specifically, when you attempt to "See" out through the eyes on your gloves, you actually can. It doesn't show you anything special, its not like the vision through the eye of the needle, but it DOES let you see through those eyes with your normal eyes closed. In fact you can't actually see through those glove eyes when your normal eyes are open. It seems the gloves also correspond to one eye each: Left glove for left eye, right for right. Interesting.
The balloon is still moving in the wind, though it could be steered to go back using its rudder. If you want to head to the city, we can do that but it will take a few turns at least.
Fresh out of the cauldron, Hugh sees the plaque on the wall and runs over to it.You find yourself in an empty office. Confused, you walk to the nearest door and step out. You're on the roughly middle section of a town built vertically up a cliff face. Its somewhat hard to tell this, its getting pretty dark, but the lights of the homes running vertically up the dimly lit white cliffs are enough. Down below there's a harbor with lots of ships. The entire town appears to be in a panic, with people running about all over. Most seem to be heading up, to the unseen top of the cliffs, while others are moving down towards the sea below. You can see, lit by the pulsing light of an ancient lighthouse, the glittering spiderweb of a huge metal net stretched out across the opening of this bay. Down below the lights of the ships show black dots of crewmen rapidly skittering across decks as the ships form a sort of overlapping wall, their guns all pointed out towards the sea.
“Ho! Ho! Ho! A humonculus! Is that what I am?!”
He then go’s over to the box, retrieves his robe and gloves and puts them on, and then retrieves his needle.
After this, he notices the glowing coming from the portal room and goes to investigate.
“Ho! The mundanes need our help! I’d better get going then!”
And with that, he goes through the portal.
((Btw, which group has the conduit?))Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You're not certain what is going on, but it seems pretty clear that something not too nice is coming from the ocean and the town is making ready to fight back.
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on September 07, 2021, 12:05:35 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on September 07, 2021, 02:18:03 pm
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on September 07, 2021, 04:02:17 pm
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on September 07, 2021, 04:13:17 pm
Also, try really hard not to fall out or off of things.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on September 07, 2021, 05:46:07 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
((Thanks, action edited))
Post by: Fire and Glory on September 07, 2021, 09:28:05 pm
Grey throws a quick glance to the gargantuan beast slowly rising out of the waters inside the storm.
"It doesn't look like a hammer. Hopefully that part is in its head or tail otherwise we're going to have to throw it back."
Above all else, Grey keeps Maintaining the hammer's upward velocity, spending 1 fate point if another roll is required. If we can pull it out of the water it'll be a sitting duck!
After ensuring that the Maintaining of the hammer is secure, Grey charges in with his saber-bayonet, either slashing the blob-beast's center body if he can reach it without leaning over the railing, or just cutting through any tendril holding onto the ship's railing.
At some point a Luta will appear, and Grey relinks needles with her if there is time.
Now that there's water being splashed around I thought I'd ask, do the water droplets that land on Grey's saber turn to ice?
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Naturegirl1999 on September 08, 2021, 12:21:24 am
((is this valid or should I only do this with one? Or are bonds not valid targets? They are physical so I think they’d count. Of course a failed roll on something like this could release lots of energy since many many molecules making up the tendrils would be gone…does the law of conservation of mass apply? If so, assuming this even happens, where would all of the extra mass go? Would it be converted into energy? What form? Photons? Heat? Would many esters be made with the remaining atoms making new bonds sinking into or binding with ocean water or wood? I am aware I am greatly overthinking literal magic…))try turning two nearby FLESHY TENDRILS into an ESTERSpoiler (click to show/hide)
((Thanks, action edited))
Post by: Ozarck on September 08, 2021, 12:41:18 am
Post by: King Zultan on September 08, 2021, 04:30:55 am
Keep shooting and chopping the arms of this weird thing, and make sure I keep a tight hold of Elizabeth.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on September 09, 2021, 05:16:39 pm
Youare crawl-flops over to the nearest tentacle on the ship, and removes a purpose like "Electrify" or "Murder" or "Paralyse" or some such.
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: m1895 on September 10, 2021, 03:13:23 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on September 10, 2021, 10:42:41 pm
Greed reinforces the magic on his sword and has it stab down again.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Your sword exploded. There is no reinforcing a non-existent thing. So we'll have you try and summon up a new one.
[4]
Greed summons up another Light sword! Its not as big this time but whatever, its still good, shut up.
[6]
You throw your lightsword down at the jellyfish leviathan. Your aim is good...but you do fail to take into account the fact that the sword will be traveling in a straight line. The blade does stab straight through the jelly, but only after punching a hole through the ship on the way.
[3]
The hole is about as wide as a man's arm, a red hot trail running through the deck and down out of the side of the ship. Water starts sloshing into the lower deck with each wave, but luckily its by no means an unstoppable torrent.
Pull grey’s thread, then immediately relink. If I have time to realize what going on and act, my first action is to turn the TENDRILS into LINTGetting back to the ship takes about 4 seconds of blisteringly fast movement as an incorporeal being before you screech to a stop on the ship's deck. You relink with Grey immediately and then attempt to magic those tendrils into harmless lint.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
[5]
You grab at one of the more stable tendrils and rip into its essence. A moment later it fades from purple-pink to an ashy gray and crumbles apart. The gray color spreads rapidly across the tendrils and more and more of them darken and shatter into clumps of lint. The leviathan completely loses hold of the ship as its limbs disintegrate and it tumbles into the ocean, bobbing impotently in the waves.
Sadly no tentacles remain!try turning two nearby FLESHY TENDRILS into an ESTERSpoiler (click to show/hide)
((Thanks, action edited))
(It's clinging to the side of the ship, I don't know if its main body can be touched but there should be some tendrils within reach around the railing.)Most of this is not currently needed, but the water hitting the sword turns into fine grains of sand or maybe glass?
Grey throws a quick glance to the gargantuan beast slowly rising out of the waters inside the storm.
"It doesn't look like a hammer. Hopefully that part is in its head or tail otherwise we're going to have to throw it back."
Above all else, Grey keeps Maintaining the hammer's upward velocity, spending 1 fate point if another roll is required. If we can pull it out of the water it'll be a sitting duck!
After ensuring that the Maintaining of the hammer is secure, Grey charges in with his saber-bayonet, either slashing the blob-beast's center body if he can reach it without leaning over the railing, or just cutting through any tendril holding onto the ship's railing.
At some point a Luta will appear, and Grey relinks needles with her if there is time.
Now that there's water being splashed around I thought I'd ask, do the water droplets that land on Grey's saber turn to ice?Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
"Oh shit it's on the boat!"[2] You take a pot shot at the thing as it falls off the boat and shrug when you miss.
Keep shooting and chopping the arms of this weird thing, and make sure I keep a tight hold of Elizabeth.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Team BoatI'd say you should worry about yourself, fish-boy~
Youare crawl-flops over to the nearest tentacle on the ship, and removes a purpose like "Electrify" or "Murder" or "Paralyse" or some such.Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
protect the human crew with sword and needle.I wonder how gung-ho Flame is? [1] Stupidly so.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
[6]
Flame, desiring to bring protection to all, runs straight to the railing and leaps off in a flying, diving, double handed stab down onto the leviathan with his needle. The good news is that it absolutely works. The needle sinks into the soft rubbery flesh right up to the handle and a good 50% of the jellyfish vanishes in a flash of light. The only thing that remains is a sort of donut shaped lump of ruined, very dead, flesh. The bad news is that Flame is now bobbing around in the ocean as a mythical sea monster charges in and giant flesh eating fish swarm around.
So, you know. Win some, lose some.
As the Jellyfish Leviathan's remains sink below the waves, the approaching hammer continues to slowly rise above them. Its namesake rises in a burst of foam, a hammer shaped mass of sharkflesh potmarked with barnacles and coral and crisscrossed by scars. Bulbous, apparently blind and blood red eyes sprout from either end of the hammer and a yawning maw of multilayered, saw edged teeth snaps wildly as the waves crash against it. It is more than large enough to swallow several men in a single bite. A hammerhead shark of nightmarish proportions and shape. Beneath the water, lit by lightning, a vague humanoid body can be glimpsed and a mass of squirming flesh instead of a tail.
"All cannons, take aim!" The captain shouts and the cannons turn to face the oncoming beast. "Harpoon guns ready as well! We stop it here before it can reach the port! Glory is ours tonight, men!"
Men race about on the deck, making ready. The storm and the beast riding it will be here within the minute.
A few turns? Instead, if the ballooneer thinks it's safe to do so, and that there is shelter to be had, have him descend here and anchor so I can get a closer view of the ruined town. Hopefully there is a reasonably safe way to get close enough to the sea to see what is up with that. Use the ballooneer's judgement on whether to land, how long to stay, and whether we should leave again or weather the storm here instead.
Also, try really hard not to fall out or off of things.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
The balloon circles down slowly, eventually landing in open grasslands near the ruins and immediately deflating to prevent it being dragged off. You walk off towards the shore and find some remnants of past habitation. Mostly old stone walls and overgrown cobblestone paths. An abandoned cottage or home here or there in what must have been farmland. This ends abruptly in a vivid gash of stone, a new cliff face looking down on an expanse of drowned rubble and stones. Peering through the needle you can see an expanse of boulders human made objects so smashed as to be effectively unidentifiable. But the sea...it glows very dully through the needle's eye. And what's more, you can see the flow of the water, and the vague shapes that hide within. A line of slightly luminous coral and crustaceans. Clams big enough to swallow a cow, crabs large enough for a man to ride, Skeletons of fish as big as whales.
Go back to the office and see if my immense strength is enough to allow me to pick up and carry the conduit. If it is, do so and take it with me. Try to find someone and ask them if they’ve seen any other humonculi and where they can be found.[2]Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Apparently this thing is heavier than you thought because even your girth isn't enough to budge it. Ah, oh well.
[6]
You grab the first person you see, holding their head with one giant hand, and ask them about the other Homunculi. The young man you're "asking" stammers out that they're out at sea on a ship hunting "The hammer". You stroke your chin in thought, but don't let the young man go despite his squirming.
Post by: Fire and Glory on September 10, 2021, 11:03:52 pm
”Flame! Pull on the thread linking your needle to mine three times when you need to get back up here!”
We’re in a quiet spot now, so Grey views the incoming monstrosity through the eye of his needle, and relinks it with MOTLF if he teleports up.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on September 11, 2021, 02:44:06 am
Tell some of the flesh eating fish to eat that big shark thing and that it tastes way better than the chum.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on September 11, 2021, 04:19:05 am
"Oh shit, that thing is huge."((Yay! All-Tongue magic gooooooo!))
Tell some of the flesh eating fish to eat that big shark thing and that it tastes way better than the chum.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on September 11, 2021, 11:10:07 am
Hugh then thinks for a minute.
“Would ya’ be so kind as to take me to whoever is in charge of this town?”, he inquires.
If the man agrees, Hugh follows him.
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: removed extraneous quote taq
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on September 11, 2021, 06:24:33 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on September 12, 2021, 12:32:48 am
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: m1895 on September 13, 2021, 08:15:34 am
EDIT: given current events, it's probably best to use the glove shield to protect as many of the human crew as he can.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on September 13, 2021, 02:20:31 pm
Youare crawl-flops over the side of the boat, or yells at sailors to help him overboard. He attempts to swim to the neck of the leviathan, avoiding the giant head and all, expending a fate point. He notifies the other homunculi by needle when he reaches his destination so they can dash in beside him, before pulling some essential purpose out of the beast's body.
He links with any homunculi that he passes on his way overboard, if they're willing.
"Right! Now push me overboard, really! I think I can get to the thing! And link with me if you want to be in on the action once I'm there!"
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on September 13, 2021, 09:37:30 pm
Alright, I think I have all the info I need from this location. Continue on to the branch office city With the ballooneer. I don't mind waiting to arrive until the excitement dies down (i.e. a few turns).Off we go. Not a lot to see in the dark so we'll assume you're just traveling for now.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
[1/3]
“Ho! Ho! Ho! …is that so?”The young man promises he will if you put him down. You realize you've been holding him off the ground by his head. You set him down and follow behind as he leads you down to the harbor and over to a man who is...quite similar to you. He's a giant of a man, though more muscular, wearing a white homunculi robe with the hood down. He notices you jogging over as he gives orders to other men.
Hugh then thinks for a minute.
“Would ya’ be so kind as to take me to whoever is in charge of this town?”, he inquires.
If the man agrees, Hugh follows him.Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: removed extraneous quote taq
"I see someone on the ship died." The robed man says, looking you up and down. "What can you do?"
Flame will pull the thread to Grey and relink once he's back on the ship.Flame warps back onto the deck and relinks before running to the prow and making ready to throw up a shield in front of as many of the sailors as he can.
EDIT: given current events, it's probably best to use the glove shield to protect as many of the human crew as he can.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Team Boat[5][3,
Youare crawl-flops over the side of the boat, or yells at sailors to help him overboard. He attempts to swim to the neck of the leviathan, avoiding the giant head and all, expending a fate point. He notifies the other homunculi by needle when he reaches his destination so they can dash in beside him, before pulling some essential purpose out of the beast's body.
He links with any homunculi that he passes on his way overboard, if they're willing.
"Right! Now push me overboard, really! I think I can get to the thing! And link with me if you want to be in on the action once I'm there!"Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
You, through the help of a few burly crewmen, get into the sea and immediately shoot off in the direction of the oncoming leviathan. You're aiming for its neck but the onward rush of foam and flesh actually shoves you out of the way before you even hit the beast. You go skipping away but quickly right yourself and give chase, closing in beside and behind the Hammer.
Grey continues lifting the hammer and yells to Lambent Flame over the railing.You look through the eye of the needle. The creature is roughly humanoid, but only very roughly. It has arms and legs, but each is different from the others, and instead of a tail it seems to have the majority of a giant squid. That's how its moving so fast right now, jetting forward using the squid's siphon. Its right arm is a giant crab claw, its left is a sort of finned and sucker covered thing with stubby fingers. Its right leg is a dense, stout limb ending in heavy claws while the right leg...it looks like a heavy cluster of coral ending in a mass of two dozen long crab limbs and claws. Its belly is covered in the segmented shell of a horseshoe crab. It looks like about half the sea floor mashed into a single, homicidal beast. And what's more it seems to be glowing with a shimmering green hue.
”Flame! Pull on the thread linking your needle to mine three times when you need to get back up here!”
We’re in a quiet spot now, so Grey views the incoming monstrosity through the eye of his needle, and relinks it with MOTLF if he teleports up.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
[2]
Well, that's pretty freaky.
"Oh shit, that thing is huge."[4]
Tell some of the flesh eating fish to eat that big shark thing and that it tastes way better than the chum.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You lean over the railing and shout down at the fish.
"Hey! See that big shark thing! I bet he's delicious! You should go eat him instead of this crap!"
The fish look up at you with big, vacant eyes for a few seconds before looking at the shark. Somehow, they make a motion that you interpret as a shrug before swimming off towards the hammer.
[2]greed creates a massive light bomb and shoots it at the hammer-thing.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Greed lifts his hands above his head and calls all the light in the area to him. Or rather he TRIES to do this but mostly just ends up standing there with his arms above his head looking silly.
[1][6][4][4]
As the Hammer and its storm approaches the ship goes oddly silent. The sailors have run to their positions at the guns or stand ready with weapons drawn. They have nothing to do but wait and stare down the approaching behemoth. They shift and shuffle in place, breathing heavy. The atmosphere is heavy with anticipation and growing fear. All of a sudden the captain begins striking the deck with his cane, a slow rhythmic clang of metal on metal. Soon the sailors have joined in, clanging ax heads against railings or knuckles against the cannons, stamping feet and bobbing to the growing beat. And then the captain begins to sing.
"Blood for Gold, we strike the water!"
The crew shouts back
Hey-o, and cut the sea!
Harpoon flesh, daily slaughter!"
Hey-o, and cut the sea!
Dredge the depths, find our fortune!
Hey-o, and cut the sea!
A crown of lead, to drag us deep!
Hey-o, drown the ocean. Hey-o, cut the sea!
Hey-o, drown the ocean. Hey-o, cut the sea!
Hey-o, drown the ocean. Hey-o, cut the sea!
The final line grew, chanted over and over, louder and louder. The beat rose, men stamping and striking the steel hull with increasing vigor. The singing rose to nothing but a chorus of shouts as the cannons finally fired. The Hammer, now no more than a 150 feet away jerked and twisted as shells tore through it, sending up great sprays of blood and red foam. Its headlong course was altered ever so slightly, so that when it collided with the ship it struck the prow with its shoulder instead of its head. The ship and the monster both rise out of the water, the ship's nose lifted up and out of the water by the impact before sliding back down and crashing into the water with a tremendous gushing wave erupting from both side. The Hammer, unable to stop slowly rising, lurches forward and looms over the deck. An instant later the storm catches up. Black clouds, biting gales, and nearly sideways downpours engulf the ship like a fanged mouth. Lightning erupts overhead with such ferocious frequency that it casts the entire scene in a disorienting strobe of blinding light and utter darkness. It is clear now, with the beast backlight by lightning and hanging above the ship like a curse, why it got its name. It raises its crab claw and sweeps it down towards the deck.
Flame, having just gotten out of the water, finds himself flung back into it, but this time floating around near the waist of the Hammer.
Post by: Fire and Glory on September 13, 2021, 10:06:06 pm
"I'm going to discharge a spell to keep us protected for the next few moments! If any of you want to do something slightly dangerous, now's the time."
Grey fires the spell in his needle into the deck of the ship:Maintain the health and physical well being of the ship's crew(5). Because Grey had the captain add the Homunculi to the ship's manifest earlier, "crew" should include all the Homunculi in our party, even if they aren't onboard currently.
Let's follow Youare and Flame's example. Grey climbs the railing and jumps to the rising monster, spending 1 fate with the goal of piercing something soft with his needle.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on September 13, 2021, 11:34:02 pm
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on September 14, 2021, 12:52:19 am
<snip>
The young man promises he will if you put him down. You realize you've been holding him off the ground by his head. You set him down and follow behind as he leads you down to the harbor and over to a man who is...quite similar to you. He's a giant of a man, though more muscular, wearing a white homunculi robe with the hood down. He notices you jogging over as he gives orders to other men.
"I see someone on the ship died." The robed man says, looking you up and down. "What can you do?"
<snip>
“Thank you good lad!”, Hugh says to the young man as he waves to him and then turns to the man in the white robe. “Died?”, He asks, frowning. “…Oh, of course, what can I do?… well I’m a glutton (or at least that’s what I think I am). I guess that means that I eat things. I’m not to sure of what I can do myself. I’ve only existed for what seems like minutes, if you can imagine that, Ho! Ho! Ho! You seem to to be a humonculus (or at least someone allied with them), so perhaps you could give me some insight into what I can do with my powers. And more importantly, how I can use those powers to benefit and protect you and your town.”, he says with a broad smile across his face.
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on September 14, 2021, 01:29:38 am
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on September 14, 2021, 03:29:06 am
Rush towards the monster and stab it with my needle.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: m1895 on September 14, 2021, 10:00:35 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on September 14, 2021, 11:19:59 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on September 14, 2021, 09:09:48 pm
If I get into trouble, my intention is to fully change into air, or if I somehow fell into the water, to fully change into water.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on September 14, 2021, 10:52:51 pm
Now seems like a good time. I descend on the Hammer to introduce it to the pointy end of my needle.
If I get into trouble, my intention is to fully change into air, or if I somehow fell into the water, to fully change into water.
<snip>
((What will happen to your inventory if you do those things? Can you still grasp/wear things when you’re made entirely of air or water?))
Post by: Ozarck on September 15, 2021, 03:04:17 am
((we'll find out, won't we?))Now seems like a good time. I descend on the Hammer to introduce it to the pointy end of my needle.
If I get into trouble, my intention is to fully change into air, or if I somehow fell into the water, to fully change into water.
<snip>
((What will happen to your inventory if you do those things? Can you still grasp/wear things when you’re made entirely of air or water?))
Post by: Lenglon on September 15, 2021, 11:05:17 am
((there's a reason I'm not doing it if I'm not in danger))Now seems like a good time. I descend on the Hammer to introduce it to the pointy end of my needle.
If I get into trouble, my intention is to fully change into air, or if I somehow fell into the water, to fully change into water.
<snip>
((What will happen to your inventory if you do those things? Can you still grasp/wear things when you’re made entirely of air or water?))
Post by: NJW2000 on September 15, 2021, 04:33:12 pm
Youare attempts to get to the side of the leviathan, staying on the surface of the water. He notifies the other homunculi by needle when he reaches his destination so they can dash in beside him, before pulling some essential purpose out of the beast's body or hide. Like "Move" or "Breathe" or "Separate" if it's pulled out of the skin.
"Right! Now push me overboard, really! I think I can get to the thing! And link with me if you want to be in on the action once I'm there!"
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on September 16, 2021, 01:12:42 pm
look through the needle's eye for a core to the magic permeating this beast, then burrow towards it using the needle, if no core is found then just burrow up through the beast[5][1][+1 fate]
Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You look through the eye of the needle and see the core of this monstrosity very clearly: Embedded deep inside its chest is a rod shaped spot of bright white radiating out to neon green that spreads throughout the creature's body.
You smile, raise your needle in preparation to start mining flesh, and then suddenly find yourself garroted and dragged under water. One of the giant carnivorous fish from earlier has swum over and bit hold of your hood, dragging you by the neck into the water. Its dragging you deeper by the moment as well. [-1 hp]
"I don't think the fish care what they eat."[1][+1 Fate]
Rush towards the monster and stab it with my needle.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You slip on the wet deck and faceplant [-1 hp]. You lose your hold on your needle and it skitters off across the deck and rolls towards the edge while Liz lands with a squeak a few feet from you.
[5]Greed blasts lasers at the hammer thing.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
You wais for the blinding flash of light from a lightning bolt and harness it. Beams of pure white light seem to lance out of the lightning bolt and perforate the beast in a dozen places. It roars and the smell of cooking fish fills the air. Despite this, the Hammer continues to move, almost unabetted.
Now seems like a good time. I descend on the Hammer to introduce it to the pointy end of my needle.[4]
If I get into trouble, my intention is to fully change into air, or if I somehow fell into the water, to fully change into water.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You drop from the sky, slowing yourself only slightly, aiming to do a plunging stab right into the Hammer's head. Between the winds and the beast's movement you miss, but only by a bit. You end up driving your needle into the beast's left shoulder, sinking it in up to the handle. The fishy flesh glows bright white and then a massive crater of it vanishes, leaving behind a massive bleeding hole. Your needle glows a bright greenish blue.
Team Boat[3]
Youare attempts to get to the side of the leviathan, staying on the surface of the water. He notifies the other homunculi by needle when he reaches his destination so they can dash in beside him, before pulling some essential purpose out of the beast's body or hide. Like "Move" or "Breathe" or "Separate" if it's pulled out of the skin.
"Right! Now push me overboard, really! I think I can get to the thing! And link with me if you want to be in on the action once I'm there!"Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
You give chase and get near the Hammer, but a constant rush of water from around it prevents you from getting close. Also, your arms are kind of pinned to your sides. Fish don't have arms, after all.
Stab at the beast with my needle as soon as any part of it hits the deck.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Shame we couldn't lift it up before it hit the ship. No matter, the lifting spell will benefit us eventually if the fighting goes sour.[6][
"I'm going to discharge a spell to keep us protected for the next few moments! If any of you want to do something slightly dangerous, now's the time."
Grey fires the spell in his needle into the deck of the ship:Maintain the health and physical well being of the ship's crew(5). Because Grey had the captain add the Homunculi to the ship's manifest earlier, "crew" should include all the Homunculi in our party, even if they aren't onboard currently.
Let's follow Youare and Flame's example. Grey climbs the railing and jumps to the rising monster, spending 1 fate with the goal of piercing something soft with his needle.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
These were missed. No part of the beast hit the deck this turn through, except at the very end. That 6 means that Luta instead hurls herself off and onto the beast's chest and now finds herself crawling around on its armored carapace belly after vaporizing a chunk of it and getting some green-blue power in her needle.
Gray unloads the spell in his needle and also finds himself crawling around on the beast's belly after a stab.
[6][3]
"The arm! Aim at the shoulder!" The captain shouts, pointing up at the Hammer's Crab Claw right arm. The cannons spin rapidly on their turrets and tilt upwards, men at their base rapidly cranking wheels and handles to aim. The cannons fire in disjointed bursts, each rotating about and opening up as soon as they get a bead on the target. The concentrated fire doesn't shove the hammer away like the single burst from before, but instead seems to slowly rotate it and prevent it from building up any sort of momentum. It tips to its left and catches hold of the deck with its finned suction cup covered limb, rocking the entire ship to one side with it. Debby's needle, previously rolling away from her, starts rolling back towards her as Liz slides back her way as well. [1] Everyone on the deck is knocked from their feet as the ship lists hard to its right. Those further on the left side slide across the deck while those on the right end up piled against the railing. Several crew members go tumbling off into the sea while the Captain hangs tightly to one of the deck guns.
"Get its arm off the deck!" He shouts over the screams and thunder.
As everyone tries to stand up and get their footing on the slick and tilted deck, they notice a bright glow from the Hammer's wounds. The cannon holes in its flesh are swelling and puckering, closing before their eyes. The wound Tess inflicted on its shoulder is healing as well, though slower. Muscle fiber and fat are emerging from the edges of the injury like earthworms and wriggling as the hole begins to squeeze itself closed.
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on September 16, 2021, 02:42:37 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on September 16, 2021, 05:23:16 pm
How does greed know to do this? This seems pretty Meta-gameyGreed looks through the eye of his needle at the leviathan. Then he shoots lasers at the white bar thing and shouts:“Aim for the center of its chest!!!”Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on September 16, 2021, 06:18:02 pm
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on September 16, 2021, 06:46:17 pm
Let’s assume what’s his name shouted something through his needle because if I’m right we can communicate through them.How does greed know to do this? This seems pretty Meta-gameyGreed looks through the eye of his needle at the leviathan. Then he shoots lasers at the white bar thing and shouts:“Aim for the center of its chest!!!”Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on September 16, 2021, 07:38:51 pm
<snip>
((The man isn’t going to answer Hugh’s questions?))
Post by: Ozarck on September 16, 2021, 08:35:22 pm
((The man isn’t going to answer Hugh’s questions?))You didn't bold an action, so, no :P
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on September 16, 2021, 08:49:57 pm
((The man isn’t going to answer Hugh’s questions?))You didn't bold an action, so, no :P
((Fine then!))
<snip>
The young man promises he will if you put him down. You realize you've been holding him off the ground by his head. You set him down and follow behind as he leads you down to the harbor and over to a man who is...quite similar to you. He's a giant of a man, though more muscular, wearing a white homunculi robe with the hood down. He notices you jogging over as he gives orders to other men.
"I see someone on the ship died." The robed man says, looking you up and down. "What can you do?"
<snip>
“Thank you good lad!”, Hugh says to the young man as he waves to him and then turns to the man in the white robe. “Died?”, He asks, frowning. “…Oh, of course, what can I do?… well I’m a glutton (or at least that’s what I think I am). I guess that means that I eat things. I’m not to sure of what I can do myself. I’ve only existed for what seems like minutes, if you can imagine that, Ho! Ho! Ho! You seem to to be a humonculus (or at least someone allied with them), so perhaps you could give me some insight into what I can do with my powers. And more importantly, how I can use those powers to benefit and protect you and your town.”, he says with a broad smile across his face.Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on September 16, 2021, 09:11:55 pm
You can communicate through them but he got dragged underwater after he learned this so he can't yell too well. Maybe he'll end up back on deck and yell it next turn. But until then, don't use information that only one character should know.Let’s assume what’s his name shouted something through his needle because if I’m right we can communicate through them.How does greed know to do this? This seems pretty Meta-gameyGreed looks through the eye of his needle at the leviathan. Then he shoots lasers at the white bar thing and shouts:“Aim for the center of its chest!!!”Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on September 16, 2021, 10:36:40 pm
Grey holds on where he is and sinks his needle as far as it'll go. Maybe with Luta here we can sever it in half.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: m1895 on September 16, 2021, 11:41:17 pm
Flame will kill the fish and, in one swift motion, summon his own to carry him back to the surface, so he can clamber on to The Hammer. Afterward the fish can go uh, rescue the overboard crew.
if the plan with the fish goes... poorly, rekill it and swim up the old-fashioned way. Either way if he makes it onto The Hammer he will send out the following message:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Flame (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on September 17, 2021, 04:43:26 am
Quickly scramble over and grab my needle and Elizabeth, then try again to stab that hammer things arm.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on September 17, 2021, 09:59:34 am
I move into the hole I've made in the creature and stab it once again with my needle, the goal being to make it as big and deep as I can. If I get lucky maybe it'll rip off a limb and kill it through blood loss.
However, I also secure one hand on my needle's violet thread leading to Genesis. If I get in trouble I'll be tugging it the three times necessary to make it get me out of here asap, and I'm expecting a counter to my actions to come up soon, and want my off-hand to already be holding the thread so I can't lose it.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on September 17, 2021, 04:07:31 pm
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on September 17, 2021, 05:04:36 pm
"GLbkurlbgh"[4][6]
Flame will kill the fish and, in one swift motion, summon his own to carry him back to the surface, so he can clamber on to The Hammer. Afterward the fish can go uh, rescue the overboard crew.
if the plan with the fish goes... poorly, rekill it and swim up the old-fashioned way. Either way if he makes it onto The Hammer he will send out the following message:Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Flame (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You flop and twist around, stabbing backwards at where you think the fish is. It takes a few tries but you finally manage to sink the needle into unseen flesh. A moment later the force dragging you under subsides and you reorient yourself. You immediately release the magic in your needle, summoning up a duplicate of the fish that was dragging you down. Only, you don't get an exact duplicate: This one is substantially larger. You reach to grab hold and ride to the surface but the fish is a bit too helpful. He scoops you up in his mouth, between his many large fangs[-1 hp], and roughly carries you to the surface. Once there he doesn't just nicely deposit you either; he leaps straight up onto the deck and flops down, coughing you out in a ball of mucus and brine.
You stagger up and shout your message about the Rod and the Hammer.
[5]Greed looks through the eye of his needle at the leviathan. Then he shoots lasers at the white bar thing and shouts:“Aim for the center of its chest!!!”Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Greed harnesses another flash of lightning but this time instead of randomly perforating the beast he focuses his lasers in on the thing's chest. The lances of white light pierce through, straight towards the rod embedded deep within. However, before they pierce the rod they twist off and deflect in random directions, erupting out its sides and back. It looks, judging by how they deflected, that there's some sort of field around the rod itself that prevents magic from affecting it.
I assume Grey got some green-blue magic in his needle too.[5] You duck your head as the fusillade of lasers punch through the Hammer's chest and then bring your own needle around to stab it into the beast's side. Again it sinks in deep and again it tears a massive chunk from the beast in a flash of light. Your needle is glowing brilliantly blue-green now, much brighter than before.
Grey holds on where he is and sinks his needle as far as it'll go. Maybe with Luta here we can sever it in half.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
I need to be fast, it's going to do something about me soon.[6]
I move into the hole I've made in the creature and stab it once again with my needle, the goal being to make it as big and deep as I can. If I get lucky maybe it'll rip off a limb and kill it through blood loss.
However, I also secure one hand on my needle's violet thread leading to Genesis. If I get in trouble I'll be tugging it the three times necessary to make it get me out of here asap, and I'm expecting a counter to my actions to come up soon, and want my off-hand to already be holding the thread so I can't lose it.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You sink the needle into flesh once more, again carving out a massive hole. The third time, sinking it directly into bone this time, the glow of the needle goes from bright green-blue to blinding neon green-blue. It rings with a high pitched squeal as it can no longer contain the drained magic and unloads it straight downwards into the stab. A geyser of glowing sharks erupts from the tip of the needle and tears downward, mouths open, at ballistic speed. The recoil yanks the needle from your hands and hurls you 20 feet into the air. As you tumble upwards you catch a brief glimpse of the beast's arm being torn away by a spray of sharks.
[2][6]
Gray, clinging to the beast's side, is caught in a combination of the falling arm and cascade of sharks. The arm crushes him down into the water with massive force and passing shark bites his left arm off at the shoulder. It happens so fast he barely notices it at first; there's just a flash of glowing teeth and then his arm is gone. [-6 HP]
"Oh shit I need that thing!"You scoop Liz up and reach for your needle as it rolls back towards you. [1]
Quickly scramble over and grab my needle and Elizabeth, then try again to stab that hammer things arm.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The ship, suddenly freed from the weight of the Hammer's new severed arm, lurches hard in the opposite direction. Everyone on the deck is hurled at least several feet into the air and slams back down as the deck becomes mostly horizontal again. Your needle on the other hand is catapulted up off the deck and spirals out into the ocean.
Turn as much of the HAMMER into HAM as I can manage. Then tug on my thread and get back to Grey.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
[2]
Your attempts to go ham on the Hammer result in nothing but very awkward silence. Well, its actually very loud but you still fail.
[1][3]
"You heard him!" The captain shouts, pushing himself up on one knee after the boat rights itself. "Cripple it! Head and arm! Cannons! Harpoons for the arm! Let the Homunculi do their digging!"
No sooner has he shouted this than the enormous crustacean arm of the Hammer swings down and spears straight into the side of the ship. The upper half of the claw has pieced the side while the lower half clamps down on the deck, taking firm hold of the ship. The Hammer, still rising, is over half way out of the water and still rising, starting to drag the ship along with it now.
"Our powers are mutations. They vary depending on the cauldron. I think I know your lot though. Can reproduce anything you eat, and you can eat anything."((The man isn’t going to answer Hugh’s questions?))You didn't bold an action, so, no :P
((Fine then!))
<snip>
The young man promises he will if you put him down. You realize you've been holding him off the ground by his head. You set him down and follow behind as he leads you down to the harbor and over to a man who is...quite similar to you. He's a giant of a man, though more muscular, wearing a white homunculi robe with the hood down. He notices you jogging over as he gives orders to other men.
"I see someone on the ship died." The robed man says, looking you up and down. "What can you do?"
<snip>
“Thank you good lad!”, Hugh says to the young man as he waves to him and then turns to the man in the white robe. “Died?”, He asks, frowning. “…Oh, of course, what can I do?… well I’m a glutton (or at least that’s what I think I am). I guess that means that I eat things. I’m not to sure of what I can do myself. I’ve only existed for what seems like minutes, if you can imagine that, Ho! Ho! Ho! You seem to to be a humonculus (or at least someone allied with them), so perhaps you could give me some insight into what I can do with my powers. And more importantly, how I can use those powers to benefit and protect you and your town.”, he says with a broad smile across his face.Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
He looks around.
"You think you can get out to that lighthouse out there in the bay? We want to get it pointed out towards the sea instead of rotating. But we don't have anyone out there at the moment. You can requisition a boat and some crew. Just say I gave you permission."
3/3. I assume I arrive this turn? Or the next? If I do arrive now, check if the branch office is open. If not, make arrangements for lodging for the night. otherwise go in and make contact, establish my level of access to information, and explain why I am there - to discuss the event 5 years ago wherein that particular town collapsed, and the cleanup of rods of plenty afterward.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
The city is a field of lit windows and chimney smoke spreading lazily across barely visible farmlands and fields next to the yawning darkness of the ocean. Above it, their lanterns casting them in a hazy corona of light as they drift through the smoke from below, are airships. Blimps and larger fixed wing things slowly circling. A few tall towers jut into the sky and through the smoke, lighthouse like lanterns aglow. The- by comparison- little balloon circles in towards one of those tall towers. Anders informs you that those things are known as skydocks, places for airships to dock during their stay here. You help him and the tower's crew get the balloon secured and ask the locals for directions to the local branch office. They politely escort you to down the massive iron girder tower and to the city below, where they hail an officer. The officer, a man in what looks like military gear, offers you a ride in a sort of low profile buggy with two front wheels and one rear. You whiz through the mostly deserted late night streets, lanterns and windows passing in strobe of lights.
When you pull rapidly to a stop in front of the building, its not really what you expected. Its really not much more than a large cottage sitting in the middle of a reasonably sized park near the middle of town. Its the only building anywhere nearby and the only path to it is a single cobblestone walkway flanked by wildflowers and tall oaks. It looks almost startlingly idyllic, like something out of a pastoral watercolor painting. You're...not exactly sure what any of that means but its the impression you have. You thank the officer and take the walkway up towards the ivy and moss enshrouded building. As you get closer, lanterns flicker to life on the path next to you. You reach the door and are about to knock when it swings inward of its own accord. Something steps...or unfurls out of the darkness within, expanding out of the door to stand a good several feet taller than you. It looks....like a giant multi-point pushpin wearing a cape... Its head is a polished steel sphere about a meter in diameter, and from this sphere extend 4 long metal prongs. The middle two prongs are braided together for part of their length, forming something very loosely resembling a body and legs while the other two are free, resembling arms. Each ends in a sharp point. Its cape or robe is tied at the intersection between the ball and prongs and hangs around its "Shoulders" and down its back, bright and clean but badly tattered. It is carrying, with one arm, one half of a pair of 8 foot scissors. It holds the scissors by the handle, like a sword. It moves smoothly and lithely towards you with a soft sound of bending metal. It seems to be looking at you, though it has no eyes. After a few moments it steps around to your side and very carefully pushes you through the door, making sure not to puncture you with its needle sharp "hands".
You pass through the threshold and find yourself falling in all directions for a few seconds before your senses realign themselves. You find yourself in a small sunroom of sorts, old wood ceiling and floor with ornate iron frame walls holding huge windows that look out on a garden. It appears to be sometime in the mid morning, judging by the sun, and the sky is a clear blue. In the center of the sunroom is a wooden table with two chairs. You are seated in one chair, and directly across from you is seated a woman. She appears human and equally confused. She is wearing a robe like yours, but a dark blue with a gold sigil that you can't really make out; half hidden as it is by the table. Floating near her right shoulder is a silvery metal box about 8 inches on a side.
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on September 17, 2021, 05:23:06 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on September 17, 2021, 06:38:05 pm
I turn myself completely into air and (even if my magic fails for some reason) keep myself airborne above the Hammer, out of harm's way, looking for where my needle went and at what is happening around me.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on September 17, 2021, 08:44:51 pm
Speak with the woman:
"Greetings. I am called Genesis. My group has been sent to retrieve a lost Rod of Bounty, and to determine how the Rod was misplaced from it's proper place. We were requested by a town about 350 miles south, who have been experiencing both great fishing harvests, and an increase in leviathan conflict over the last eight months or so. My associates are in the process of retrieving the Rod, while I am investigating the cause. My search has led me to a village on the shore, which suffered a collapse about five years ago, falling into the ocean. I understand that after the collapse, some homunculi of a different order than ours - supposedly sent from the Branch office in Ynisk - visited the village to retrieve the Rods that village had been using. It seems that at least one Rod escaped the collectors' attention, sunken as it was beneath the waves, possibly buried under tons of rubble. The town ruins show signs of the wild growth of sea life, which seems to have stalled out over time, likely due to the migration of the Rod out into deeper waters.
In order to fulfill my Master's will and ot honor the Covenants, I request access to any records concerning Rods of bounty for that village. specifically, I'd like to see records showing how many and what kind of Rods were assigned to that village and surrounding area, records cataloguing the retrieval of Rods from that region, and any records regarding any Rods that remain unaccounted for. Additionally, if possible, any information on the specific abilities of Rods and methods of disabling or counteracting their influence would be quite helpful
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on September 17, 2021, 10:06:56 pm
Grey takes the magic in his needle and uses it to heal his wounds and grow his arm back, and with his new arm he tugs thrice on the needle thread connecting him to Debby.
If he can’t get his arm back or it's useless in some way then he does his best to teleport to Debby while holding onto his needle, either wrapping his hand around the thread and needle both or grasping the needle with most of his fingers and tugging on the thread with a few others.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on September 18, 2021, 03:37:00 am
Run over and hack at the claw with my rifleaxe.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on September 18, 2021, 12:44:23 pm
Youare attempts to swim to the Hammer, specifically the torso or the right leg, the stoutly armoured thing. He then shouts his location down his needle, and attempts to pull the function "transmit" from the Hammer's nervous system. Or hey, just some crucial function like "Respire" or "Move" or similar.
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on September 18, 2021, 01:11:21 pm
<snip>
"Our powers are mutations. They vary depending on the cauldron. I think I know your lot though. Can reproduce anything you eat, and you can eat anything."
He looks around.
"You think you can get out to that lighthouse out there in the bay? We want to get it pointed out towards the sea instead of rotating. But we don't have anyone out there at the moment. You can requisition a boat and some crew. Just say I gave you permission."
<snip>
“Yes, of course I think I can do that! Ho! Ho! Ho!”, Hugh laughs as he firmly shakes the mans hand. “Where can I find a boat and crew? And, by the way, I am called Hugh. What is your name, if I may ask?”
After the man answers Hugh’s questions, Hugh goes to wherever the man directed him and requisitions a boat and crew.
Spoiler: Notes (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit:
((Is the information in this post (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8297200#msg8297200) known to Hugh?))
Post by: The Lupanian on September 18, 2021, 08:14:24 pm
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on September 18, 2021, 09:41:55 pm
Stab with my needle again, then use the magic to create a giant shark monster (preferably of the flying variety), then tell that shark monster to attack the hammer.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
((Can you talk to the shark monster? I thought you were an anagramist, not an all-tounge.))
Post by: m1895 on September 19, 2021, 03:13:27 am
Flame will test out how long magic is stored in these things by focusing the magic from the magitek monster he stabbed earlier into a magitek motorbike, then ramping that motorbike off the conning tower into the hole in The Hammer's chest.
if for one of many reasons the motorbike fails to materialize, he'll try to climb up the beast the old-fashioned way.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Flame (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on September 19, 2021, 04:23:03 am
((I’ve had no problems communicating with the assassin I summoned using the same method, or the squid from earlier. The Roc wasn’t talkative, but that’s probably because the spell didn’t work right.))
((Can you talk to the shark monster? I thought you were an anagramist, not an all-tounge.))
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on September 19, 2021, 11:00:39 am
((Ah. Carry on them.))((I’ve had no problems communicating with the assassin I summoned using the same method, or the squid from earlier. The Roc wasn’t talkative, but that’s probably because the spell didn’t work right.))
((Can you talk to the shark monster? I thought you were an anagramist, not an all-tounge.))
Post by: piecewise on September 20, 2021, 01:56:05 pm
I didn't want to lose my grip on that. Now I'm not sure I'd travel with the needle. Plan B then.[5]
I turn myself completely into air and (even if my magic fails for some reason) keep myself airborne above the Hammer, out of harm's way, looking for where my needle went and at what is happening around me.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You flip yourself around with a few flaps and propel yourself higher, chasing your needle into the sky and catching hold of it as it crests its long parabolic arc. Needle in hand you extend your wings and begin to glide downward slowly, circling over the chaos below.
[1][+1 Fate]
You're looking down on the fight for a good 10 seconds before you are rudely reminded why being very high up carrying a large metal rod in a lightning storm is a bad idea. The bolt of lightning strikes your needle is seemingly channeled through it and out into the air below, redirecting the brunt of its force. You only end up mildly singed as a result [-1 HP]
[5]Greed shouts:“We need to get out of here!”and blasts the arm of the thing with lasers.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
You again capture the flash of lightning, but this time focus it into a single beam and sweep it down across the Hammer's arm, right at the elbow. The arm separates with a burst of steam, the forearm falling limp into the water but the claw still firmly clamped to the ship.
Well, this is the last place we want to be. Tumbling in water, surrounded by sharks and missing an arm. The hammer can regenerate from its wounds, so maybe its magic can help with that last one.[6]
Grey takes the magic in his needle and uses it to heal his wounds and grow his arm back, and with his new arm he tugs thrice on the needle thread connecting him to Debby.
If he can’t get his arm back or it's useless in some way then he does his best to teleport to Debby while holding onto his needle, either wrapping his hand around the thread and needle both or grasping the needle with most of his fingers and tugging on the thread with a few others.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
You press the side of your charged needle against the bleeding stump of your other arm and will the magic within to regenerate your arm. There is a flash of blue-green light and something akin to the feeling of sensation returning to a numb limb, but all at once. You immediately shift the needle to the regenerated hand and yank Debby's thread. You shoot up through the water and the bottom of the ship, up to the deck next to her. It is only after you catch your breath and move the needle back to your dominant hand that you notice the weight on your left arm. You look and see that instead of a human arm, the magic has regenerated your left arm as a smaller replica of the Hammer's right arm: A giant crab claw.
"Oh FUCK! Hey guys my needle fell overboard!"You charge towards the claw. You get about halfway there before Greed slices the whole arm off. Your warrior shout dries up and you are left standing on the deck, weapon in hand, feeling increasingly foolish about all your recent actions.
Run over and hack at the claw with my rifleaxe.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Team Boat[1][+1 Fate]
Youare attempts to swim to the Hammer, specifically the torso or the right leg, the stoutly armoured thing. He then shouts his location down his needle, and attempts to pull the function "transmit" from the Hammer's nervous system. Or hey, just some crucial function like "Respire" or "Move" or similar.Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
As you attempt to get closer the hammer suddenly shifts its weight, apparently as a result of its other arm being severed. It twists around and its armored belly slams directly into you. [-1 HP] The impact hurts, but not too bad, the real problem is the wave it brings with it. After you bounce off the carapace the rush of water carries you like an unwilling surfer away from the Hammer.
Stab with my needle again, then use the magic to create a giant shark monster (preferably of the flying variety), then tell that shark monster to attack the hammer.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
[1][+1 fate]
You take your needle in both hands, raise it above your head...and promptly fall off the Hammer. "Oh right...need hands to hold on." You think as you splash down into the water. Your needle doesn't have a full magical load but it has some, so as you sink into the ocean you decide to give a spell a shot. [5] You point your needle toward the surface and command the magic within to form a giant flying shark. The blue glow pours out of the needle and into the water, congealing it into a shark. The shark isn't quite as giant as you wanted, though its still 15 feet long, and an odd emerald green color. Of course its coloration is nowhere near as strange as its giant fin like wings that have replaced its pectoral fins. You can't really speak underwater, so you instead point at the shark and then at the Hammer, adding a few meaningful stabs. The shark turns and shoots off, circling around out of sight.
Time to do somethingI'm gonna say no for one specific reason: Ya don't have anything listed as being in your needle so I'm not sure what it is you're talking about. But otherwise the charge will stay in the needle forever, until used. And different magic will intermingle if stabbing other things.stupidbrilliant
Flame will test out how long magic is stored in these things by focusing the magic from the magitek monster he stabbed earlier into a magitek motorbike, then ramping that motorbike off the conning tower into the hole in The Hammer's chest.
if for one of many reasons the motorbike fails to materialize, he'll try to climb up the beast the old-fashioned way.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Flame (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
[3]
You leap for the beast's belly from the deck of the ship but miss and instead fall down onto its knee as it emerges from the surf. [6] You jam your needle into the kneecap and proceed to fall off and into the sea as the flesh you're standing on vanishes. The needle glows green-blue.
[6][5]
The Hammer, completely disarmed but rapidly regenerating, staggers back under a volley of rounds into its face. Its floated up to its knees now and will soon be out of the water entirely.
"They call me Ericson." He says, scanning the docks. "That boat over there. Red one."
<snip>
"Our powers are mutations. They vary depending on the cauldron. I think I know your lot though. Can reproduce anything you eat, and you can eat anything."
He looks around.
"You think you can get out to that lighthouse out there in the bay? We want to get it pointed out towards the sea instead of rotating. But we don't have anyone out there at the moment. You can requisition a boat and some crew. Just say I gave you permission."
<snip>
“Yes, of course I think I can do that! Ho! Ho! Ho!”, Hugh laughs as he firmly shakes the mans hand. “Where can I find a boat and crew? And, by the way, I am called Hugh. What is your name, if I may ask?”
After the man answers Hugh’s questions, Hugh goes to wherever the man directed him and requisitions a boat and crew.Spoiler: Notes (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit:
((Is the information in this post (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8297200#msg8297200) known to Hugh?))
You nod and head over to the boat. Its an older rowing boat, with a rudder and 3 rows of oars. The crew, 8 men, are in the midst of piling in and making ready to go...somewhere. You plant your foot on the front of the ship and declare the new mission Ericson has entrusted the ship with. The men look at you for a few moments and then nod and continue getting ready. One man, who was standing near the front, motions for you to get in.
"The lighthouse is old. Remnant of ancient times" He says, pulling in a rope from the water. "Magic based I think. No ordinary door. And no ordinary lantern."
The crew finishes preparations and together you shove off. Though only powered by muscle and sweat the boat shoots across the bay, weaving expertly through the larger vessels and out across the rough seas until they get within 10 or 15 feet of the rough black rock island where the lighthouse is perched.
"No beach." The boat's captain shouts over the storm. "Gonna have to swim in and climb up the rocks."
Think about the Magi we serve and the Branch of the Atelier. Do I know the name of either of these?[6]
Speak with the woman:
"Greetings. I am called Genesis. My group has been sent to retrieve a lost Rod of Bounty, and to determine how the Rod was misplaced from it's proper place. We were requested by a town about 350 miles south, who have been experiencing both great fishing harvests, and an increase in leviathan conflict over the last eight months or so. My associates are in the process of retrieving the Rod, while I am investigating the cause. My search has led me to a village on the shore, which suffered a collapse about five years ago, falling into the ocean. I understand that after the collapse, some homunculi of a different order than ours - supposedly sent from the Branch office in Ynisk - visited the village to retrieve the Rods that village had been using. It seems that at least one Rod escaped the collectors' attention, sunken as it was beneath the waves, possibly buried under tons of rubble. The town ruins show signs of the wild growth of sea life, which seems to have stalled out over time, likely due to the migration of the Rod out into deeper waters.
In order to fulfill my Master's will and ot honor the Covenants, I request access to any records concerning Rods of bounty for that village. specifically, I'd like to see records showing how many and what kind of Rods were assigned to that village and surrounding area, records cataloguing the retrieval of Rods from that region, and any records regarding any Rods that remain unaccounted for. Additionally, if possible, any information on the specific abilities of Rods and methods of disabling or counteracting their influence would be quite helpfulSpoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
You consider your existence and origins and suddenly begin speaking, as though piloted by someone else.
"Iteration 31195, Calderon Code: Phlogiston. Investigation Corp, Patron: Sebiline the All-Seeing."
The woman looks at you for a moment and then her eyes go dull
"Iteration 2392, Calderon Code: Mercury. Capture Corp, Patron: Esalbet of Secrets."
"Sharpe" She adds after returning to normal.
You start your speech and she interrupts you half way through.
"Listen, I can tell you're pretty new. I'm not an official or anything here. I'm here because I was part of the group that did the cleanup at that village."
You must have made a face of some kind because she sits back in her chair and crosses her arms, shrugging.
"That's how the Grand Atelier works. Always one step ahead. I was having lunch in my room just a second ago, you know. Wasn't even wearing these robes....Anyways, yeah, there were 16 rods in that town. We got 15 of them and never found the last. Figured it was smashed since there was no sign of it. No magical resonance, no obvious effects. Not worth the time to dig up the entire sea floor looking for splinters. Might have been brand new, not activated, maybe still in its original case. Must have been buried and uncovered some time afterwards, got loose."
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on September 20, 2021, 04:09:15 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on September 20, 2021, 04:54:21 pm
Spoiler: Notes (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on September 20, 2021, 05:36:31 pm
"I've learned how the Rod of Bounty got loose. A seaside town collapsed about five years ago and one of their Rods got buried in the sea. How's it going on your end?"
Speak with the woman:
"Yes, thank you. I've been alive for only two missions so far. Can you tell me anything helpful about deactivating one of these Rods?"
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on September 20, 2021, 05:58:27 pm
"Uh, yeah, that makes sense. Some of us are a little worse for wear but I think we've got the hammer where we want it. Lambent Flame said that the rod of bounty is inside the creature so we should be able to retrieve it soon."
Post by: Lenglon on September 20, 2021, 06:02:53 pm
Descend and turn, attempting to fly into the hole in the Hammer's chest made by the others, and stab it there with my needle, driving the hole deeper and hopefully getting rid of something vital.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on September 20, 2021, 10:44:28 pm
"By the way, don't forget that your gloves allow you to repel magic. You can shove magic out of people or things. That might come in han - useful, if the Rod is inside a creature. But the gloves get used up in the process."
Post by: m1895 on September 21, 2021, 12:33:32 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Flame (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on September 21, 2021, 03:08:39 am
Bump health back up to 8. Forgot to say.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on September 21, 2021, 03:30:31 am
Go hack at the claw until it falls off the ship.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on September 21, 2021, 03:48:45 am
Post by: King Zultan on September 21, 2021, 04:09:15 am
Post by: Fire and Glory on September 21, 2021, 04:15:34 am
Post by: NJW2000 on September 21, 2021, 09:44:54 am
Youare uses his needle link with Grey to return to the boat, relinks at once, then removes himself/has himself thrown from the deck into the ocean, whereupon he attempts to pull a function like "Cohere", "Hold" or "Bind" from the hammer's flesh.
"Toss me in again!"
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on September 21, 2021, 08:00:17 pm
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on September 23, 2021, 05:53:12 pm
[2][2]Greed blasts the monster for good measure, and gets the ship going away from the monsterSpoiler (click to show/hide)
Greed fails to fire any lasers, he fails to move any boats. He mostly flails his arms and shouts at the sky.
((I don't know if Tess is made of air right now or not. It was in her action, but nothing about it was mentioned in the turn. I'm going to assume for now that it didn't happen, especially since it doesn't seem like it would have been helpful anyway))(You are not air, since it wouldn't really have been helpful)
Descend and turn, attempting to fly into the hole in the Hammer's chest made by the others, and stab it there with my needle, driving the hole deeper and hopefully getting rid of something vital.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
[6]
You flap around in a long arc and then dive down in a sweep towards the beast's chest, needle thrust out in front of you. You hit the Hammer like a bird hitting a window [-2HP] but do jam the needle deep into its chest. The flesh vanishes and magic flows into your needle as you peel off and fall into the water. Or rather you WOULD have fell into the water had you not fallen onto the back of a shark. A Flying shark. You get snagged on the shark's dorsal fin and dragged along as it glides up to the Hammer's chest and starts gobbling away.
well if the summoned fish is still around, Flame will have it launch him further up the hammer, where he will continue climbing towards the hole in its chest.[5]Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Flame (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You clamber up the hammer's armored belly and onto its chest just as a shark flies back around and lands directly in the hole Tess opened up moments ago. The shark starts gobbling down flesh as quickly as it can so you scamper in, walk along its back, hop over Tess, and take a stab into the deepening hole. You sink your needle deep into flesh and it vanishes, taking a chunk of the Hammer's heart with it. You get a brief glimpse of bisected valves pumping erratically before blood gushes out and onto you in repeated enormous geysers that fill the wound. You feel the shark start to surge forward even as the light begins to dim: The opening to the wound already starting to become hazy with reknitting flesh. Your needle is glowing very brightly though, and replaces the strobe of lightning from outside with an odd blue-green glow.
Grey decides to get back into the fray after linking his needle with Debby again. Jumping onto the hammer and clambering up to its torso, Grey attempts to sink his needle into the creature's ravaged chest so that he can widen the hole containing the rod and dislodge it.Relinked.Bump health back up to 8. Forgot to say.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
[6]
Seeing Flame disappear into the chest wound and great gouts of blood come out moments later, You decide that's the best route. Jumping or climbing up there would take too long, so you instead tug your green thread and ghost your way straight into the now quite crowded flesh hole. The hole, lit by the glow of your needles, is filling with blood faster than it can empty and is already about half full, and constantly battered by new gushes from the heart. [4] As the shark under your feet starts swimming forward through the gore, you close your eyes and push forward as well, shouldering and climbing around the heart and ending up behind it. You're squished between the heart at your back and a wall of flesh in front of you, pressed nearly flat between them when the heart is expanding. However, you manage to, between beats, draw your needle back and place it so that when the heart beats again it will jam the needle into the flesh. And it does just that. The flesh vanishes and your needle begins to glow extremely bright. In that green blue glow you can see something shining ahead of you. Its only a small gap in great walls of partially destroyed muscle, but there, wedged in between two huge vertebra, is a golden rod. Its only partially visible, mostly coated in flesh, but its throwing off a green glow of is own.
As you recognize what that thing is, you also notice that the flesh here is regenerating even faster. In the maybe 10 seconds you took to stumble forward and see the rod it is almost completely covered again and the walls of tissue are closing in around you like a vice.
"Wish I could make lasers."[2]
Go hack at the claw until it falls off the ship.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You, in a frankly rather comical fashion, set about hacking ineffectually at the giant crab claw while a colossal battle goes on around you.
Team Boat[6]
Youare uses his needle link with Grey to return to the boat, relinks at once, then removes himself/has himself thrown from the deck into the ocean, whereupon he attempts to pull a function like "Cohere", "Hold" or "Bind" from the hammer's flesh.
"Toss me in again!"Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Instead of throwing you into the ocean, the crew waits for the Ship to charge forward and instead hurl you straight at the hammer. You only have a moment, as you slap into it, to work so you try to make the best of it.
[1]
You pull "Exist"....out of your own robes in the chaos of it all. Your robes vanish from existence with a POP! and you tumble, naked, back down into the ocean for the umpteenth time today.
Swim back up to the ship. If anything tries to eat me on the way, stab it with my needle. Add a fate point to the stabbing if I have to stab.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
[4]
You swim to the surface and then back towards the ship, managing to reach it even in these stormy seas. There's a metal rung ladder sort of bolted to the side and you loop an arm through one of the rungs and hold on.
The Ship drives straight forward, keeping as close to the hammer as it can while the Hammer's legs leave the water and its giant squid tail flails about in open air. The cannons do not fire, for fear of hitting one of the Homunculi. The hammer itself is still squirming, still regenerating, but is unable to fight for the moment, disarmed and slowly rotating backwards.
“Ho! Ho! Ho! A bath you say… I could use one. I haven’t had one since I climbed out of that cauldron! Thank you, good Sir!”, and with that Hugh climbs overboard, then swims to the island and climbs up the rocks.[5] Perhaps due to your naturally buoyant properties you easily manage to swim over to the rocky outcropping of the lighthouse and drag yourself up onto it. Once there you scramble around until you find what you think is the natural path upwards that its old masters must have used. It isn't a hard climb and you quickly find your way up to the base of the tower. Its black stone is the same sort that this outcropping is made of, in contrast to the white stone cliffs around you. Its an odd looking thing, sort of twisted and cyclopean in design. Like the men said, it has no visible door.Spoiler: Notes (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
To Grey, Debby, and Luta
"I've learned how the Rod of Bounty got loose. A seaside town collapsed about five years ago and one of their Rods got buried in the sea. How's it going on your end?"
Speak with the woman:
"Yes, thank you. I've been alive for only two missions so far. Can you tell me anything helpful about deactivating one of these Rods?"Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
"They're like flares. Once you light them off, they just keep going until you either destroy them or they burn out in a decade or two. If you separate them from the ground and don't let them root in anything though, they should have very limited effects. Did that guy you were talking to say it was IN a creature?"
Post by: Lenglon on September 23, 2021, 06:11:45 pm
I reorient myself and get off the shark so it can't drag me along into something that could kill me.
I then need to make a snap judgement call. It's crowded here, with two friendlies and a shark that I'd really prefer to not piss off. If I can keep expanding this hole in the Hammer safely then I'm going to do so, but if it's so crowded that there's a real danger of friendly fire then forget that. in that case I'll be getting out and getting clear of hazards, flying back towards the ship and looking for anyone that might have fallen overboard and need assistance making it back aboard.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on September 23, 2021, 07:17:10 pm
Is the information in this post (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8297200#msg8297200) known to Hugh?))
Post by: Ozarck on September 23, 2021, 08:11:00 pm
"Yes, that's what he said. We suspected that from the start, since our mission briefing suggested some kind of leviathan was terrorizing the locals, I guess one of the team managed to confirm that."
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on September 24, 2021, 12:08:26 am
This is all assuming it wouldn’t be metagaming to know about the rod yet. If I don’t know about the rod, then I’ll teleport to Grey and just start stabbing.
(Edit) Tell everyone what my plan is and wait until nobody is the the way.
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on September 24, 2021, 12:41:54 am
I could try doing it myself but I don't want to risk dropping the hammer and us into the ocean in the process, let's see if one of the others can do it.
Grey braces himself against the shifting walls of meat and raises his needle, putting his attention into communicating with Debby.
"Debby, we're inside the hammer and I can see the rod of bounty, but the hammer is regenerating too quickly for us to reach it. Do you think you could ask the hammer's body to make enough space for us to move around and retrieve the rod?"
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on September 24, 2021, 04:42:29 am
"God I'm not accomplishing anything doing this."
Debby then gets an idea that is ether really brilliant or really stupid.
Tell the hammer's body to give up and die so we don't have to keep chopping away at it, also try to remember if I can use the force or something to get my needle back, and if I can do so.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on September 24, 2021, 11:02:01 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on September 24, 2021, 12:19:06 pm
Hugh Examines the tower, looking closely for any cracks or seams that might indicate a door. If he finds any, he pokes around near them to see if anything opens. Failing that, he shrugs his shoulders and gives up, and then proceeds to humor himself by holding the eye of his needle up to his eye and looking at the tower through it as if he were a detective and the needle were a magnifying glass.
Spoiler: Notes (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on September 24, 2021, 04:43:50 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on September 24, 2021, 05:36:44 pm
”could a functionary please pull the function “regenerate” out of the hammer. You can stick it back on yourself afterwards if you want.”((So they can stick it back in the hammer immediately after they pull it out? Like, before you have a chance to do anything?))
Post by: The Lupanian on September 24, 2021, 08:32:35 pm
((No, obviously not that. I mean the functionary can steal the regeneration trait for themselves.))”could a functionary please pull the function “regenerate” out of the hammer. You can stick it back on yourself afterwards if you want.”((So they can stick it back in the hammer immediately after they pull it out? Like, before you have a chance to do anything?))
Post by: Fire and Glory on September 24, 2021, 09:12:51 pm
(My needle fell overboard earlier, so I can't hear what's being said and I can't remember if I have the force so I can get it back.)(Oh right, derp.)
Grey starts feeling very disorientated after he realizes that the last time he saw Debby she didn't have her needle, but the only way he had teleported onto the deck of the ship was by pulling on the thread connected to her needle, which was not in fact in her possession or on board the ship when he did so.
Pulling himself away from this chronological abnormality, Grey turns his attention back to current events.
"I'm going to try making some space during our next attack, just hold on."
So, the picture of what's happening inside the hammer is that waves of needle attacks are creating a massive amounts of space which is being eroded by the regeneration. For now we're able to create more space than is being erased, which is important to the spell we're going to be doing.
The action:Grey thrusts his needle into the flesh between him and the Rod of Bounty, and during the detonations/flesh absorption coming from his needle and the others, Grey casts a second spell and starts Maintaining the increasing amount of space inside the hammer. It's okay to cast the spell if Grey's needle doesn't do anything, so long as there's at least one needle detonating. He tries to keep hold of the spell lifting the hammer as well.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on September 25, 2021, 04:49:01 am
Youare uses his needle link with Grey to escape the water, as before, and relinks immediately. Upon noticing that he's in a small, fleshy chamber, he removes the function "Heal" from the Hammer's flesh, spending a fate point.
He then just jams his needle somewhere near the rod, if it's visible. Or otherwise anywhere, really.
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on September 27, 2021, 02:59:09 pm
Speak with the woman:"Tear it free then. If you break it while its in the thing, all the magic still within it will go straight into the creature. And that's enough juice to power tens of acres of life for decades. You'll end up with a living disaster."
"Yes, that's what he said. We suspected that from the start, since our mission briefing suggested some kind of leviathan was terrorizing the locals, I guess one of the team managed to confirm that."Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: notes (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
((Asking again…Theoretically no, but since it was a reward to the group, I'll assume all newbies just know this innately from now on. Unless you want to roleplay otherwise.
Is the information in this post (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8297200#msg8297200) known to Hugh?))
Also, If I miss questions like this, PM'ing me might be a quicker option. I often do these posts at lunch or when I have time, so I might miss stuff.
“Ho! Ho! Ho! A door… a door…”, Hugh laughs as he regards the tower.[6]
Hugh Examines the tower, looking closely for any cracks or seams that might indicate a door. If he finds any, he pokes around near them to see if anything opens. Failing that, he shrugs his shoulders and gives up, and then proceeds to humor himself by holding the eye of his needle up to his eye and looking at the tower through it as if he were a detective and the needle were a magnifying glass.Spoiler: Notes (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You search around for a door, poking fingers into cracks and otherwise prodding the tower. You find nothing. You consider searching again with your needle....but then think of a faster method. You lean in, open your mouth as far as you can- which is considerable- and take a bite. You chomp through the stone like rock candy. After a few minutes of chomping you have made a hole just large enough for you to wriggle through and into the lightless interior of the tower.
focus, panic won't help here. stay on target. You're a bit battered but it's not time to bail just yet.[6] You sit up, look around at the rapidly filling wound, and decide it is best to get the hell out of here. You run towards the wound's entrance and leap out with a flap of your wings. The gust from your wings hurls you out and then down onto the deck of the ship. You're not hurt, but you do spend a while skidding across the wet deck until you hit a rack of depth charges.
I reorient myself and get off the shark so it can't drag me along into something that could kill me.
I then need to make a snap judgement call. It's crowded here, with two friendlies and a shark that I'd really prefer to not piss off. If I can keep expanding this hole in the Hammer safely then I'm going to do so, but if it's so crowded that there's a real danger of friendly fire then forget that. in that case I'll be getting out and getting clear of hazards, flying back towards the ship and looking for anyone that might have fallen overboard and need assistance making it back aboard.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
(My needle fell overboard earlier, so I can't hear what's being said and I can't remember if I have the force so I can get it back.)[5]
"God I'm not accomplishing anything doing this."
Debby then gets an idea that is ether really brilliant or really stupid.
Tell the hammer's body to give up and die so we don't have to keep chopping away at it, also try to remember if I can use the force or something to get my needle back, and if I can do so.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You shout at the Hammer's body to just freaking die already. This does not kill the hammer outright, but it does seem to either stop or at least slow its regeneration for the moment.
[3]
You...don't think you have the ability to call the needle back? But maybe it the needle can hear you it will come back if you ask?
Pull Grey’s thread (relink asap). If I'm able to be aware of the rod, then I’ll use a fate point to turn the HAMMER FLESH around the rod into a LEASH. The goal being to create a leash that’s already fixed on the rod. Then I’ll fasten that rod to the shark, and tell it yank as hard as it can. If that doesn’t work, or the spell fails, then I’ll just ask the shark to try to eat the rod.[5]
This is all assuming it wouldn’t be metagaming to know about the rod yet. If I don’t know about the rod, then I’ll teleport to Grey and just start stabbing.
(Edit) Tell everyone what my plan is and wait until nobody is the the way.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
You pull the thread to Grey and ghost up into the very tight confines of the Hammer's chest. You immediately grab the nearest flesh and reform it. In a line, between you and the rod, the flesh keratinizes into tough "leash" around the rod. You throw the end of this leash into the mouth of the advancing shark and command it to pull.
[2]
The shark, "leash" in its mouth, squirms and yanks frantically but the rod never budges.
[5] Greed blasts away at the regenerating arms of the Hammer, preventing them from returning and blowing away more flesh.greed keeps blasting at the leviathan.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Team Boat[5][4]
Youare uses his needle link with Grey to escape the water, as before, and relinks immediately. Upon noticing that he's in a small, fleshy chamber, he removes the function "Heal" from the Hammer's flesh, spending a fate point.
He then just jams his needle somewhere near the rod, if it's visible. Or otherwise anywhere, really.Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
After you ghost into the already cramped chest cavity of the Hammer you use one hand to rip "HEAL" out of the flesh around you and with the other stab your needle directly into the beast's spine next to the Rod. The resulting vanishing of flesh disappears an entire vertebra and the flesh crashes down to fill the space, partially dislodging the rod. Its now half torn free and the branching upper portion, chunks of meat between its branches, is jutting forward towards you.
Grey, already having fallen victim to the results of an overcharged needle should really know better than going in for another stab when his needle is glowing like it is. But he does, none the less.(My needle fell overboard earlier, so I can't hear what's being said and I can't remember if I have the force so I can get it back.)(Oh right, derp.)
Grey starts feeling very disorientated after he realizes that the last time he saw Debby she didn't have her needle, but the only way he had teleported onto the deck of the ship was by pulling on the thread connected to her needle, which was not in fact in her possession or on board the ship when he did so.
Pulling himself away from this chronological abnormality, Grey turns his attention back to current events.
"I'm going to try making some space during our next attack, just hold on."
So, the picture of what's happening inside the hammer is that waves of needle attacks are creating a massive amounts of space which is being eroded by the regeneration. For now we're able to create more space than is being erased, which is important to the spell we're going to be doing.
The action:Grey thrusts his needle into the flesh between him and the Rod of Bounty, and during the detonations/flesh absorption coming from his needle and the others, Grey casts a second spell and starts Maintaining the increasing amount of space inside the hammer. It's okay to cast the spell if Grey's needle doesn't do anything, so long as there's at least one needle detonating. He tries to keep hold of the spell lifting the hammer as well.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
[4]
As he stabs the needle in the blinding blue-green light flashes outwards and a single enormous shark made of ethereal magical energy erupts from the needle and out through the flesh. Its giant maw bores a hole through the tissue, swallows up the rod whole, and bursts out of the back of the hammer like a cannon ball. The Hammer seems to go immediately limp, as though already dead and simply being animated by the presence of the rod. The magical shark arcs down and into the water, vanishing as it goes, until only the rod is left. The rod almost immediately disappears beneath the waves, sinking rapidly towards the seafloor.
The men on the ship see the Hammer go limp and immediately begin to cheer. The hammer itself is still floating slowly higher into the air. The storm almost immediately starts to dissipate, the wind slowing the moment the Hammer died.
Post by: Lenglon on September 27, 2021, 03:45:29 pm
Darn it darn it darn it darn it darn it darn it!
I rapidly fly over to where the rod landed and dive down to collect it.
Darn it all, I'm loving these wings! I hate having to do this!
As I hit the water, I'm prepared for the loss of my air-wings and the return of my natural ones, and am rapidly converting myself into water to streamline my movement and adapt myself to my environment. I want to get down there and collect that rod before some other sea creature can start turning itself into another Hammer.
EDIT: If I notice others retrieving the rod while I'm still airborne, then I want to abort my actions and simply observe from above, since I would like to keep my wings.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on September 27, 2021, 04:04:51 pm
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on September 27, 2021, 04:10:45 pm
"Any of you guys someplace stable? I have everything we need here. Also, how goes the battle?"
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on September 27, 2021, 05:05:20 pm
Hugh then proceeds to try and eat most of the darkness in the tower, leaving just enough to avoid being blinded by the light that’s leftover. If this works, he finds the stairs to the top and carefully walks up them. If not, he carefully gropes around in the darkness until he finds them and then carefully ascends on his hands and knees while being careful not to slip or fall off.
Spoiler: Notes (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on September 28, 2021, 04:42:34 am
Yell over the side of the ship for my needle to return to me then get far from the side so it can't potentially harm me.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on September 28, 2021, 08:44:57 am
To my linked fellows:"We killed the hammer, most of us are inside the thing so not exactly stable. Can't talk long, the rod fell into the water and we need to get it back."
"Any of you guys someplace stable? I have everything we need here. Also, how goes the battle?"
Is there any magic left in the needle?
Grey tries to make his way down to the ship without getting in the water.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on September 28, 2021, 11:18:46 am
On top of lifting the hammer Grey Maintains the magic shark's current position. The magic shark that stole the rod to be specific, not any of the other ones.
Quote from: magic shark action this last turn
The magical shark arcs down and into the water, vanishing as it goes, until only the rod is left.
Post by: Fire and Glory on September 28, 2021, 07:22:04 pm
Edit. (Oh, you mean the shark is gone. I thought it simply wasn’t visible in the dark waters compared to the rod but you’re probably right. I’ll think of something to do later.)
Post by: NJW2000 on September 29, 2021, 07:05:37 am
Youare uses his link with Dew to return to the ship, relinks, and fires the magic stored in his needle from stabbing the shark, along with the "Fresh" spell, down at the ocean, hopefully turning a great deal of it into fresh water in order to inhibit the growth of sea life as the needle falls. Don't want to fight Hammer 2.0 after all.
"I think we have it. Anyone need healing?"
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on October 01, 2021, 10:17:07 pm
Ask shark friend to go get the rod.[4]Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
The shark wriggles out of the hole blown open a moment ago and dives into the water. It returns a few minutes later, carrying the rod in its mouth.
“It’s dark in here! Ho! Ho! Ho! Let’s see… can we just walk up the stairs? No… it might be dangerous! What we need is some light! But all we have is darkness, which is the opposite of light! Wait… the opposite? I wonder…”, Hugh muses.[4]
Hugh then proceeds to try and eat most of the darkness in the tower, leaving just enough to avoid being blinded by the light that’s leftover. If this works, he finds the stairs to the top and carefully walks up them. If not, he carefully gropes around in the darkness until he finds them and then carefully ascends on his hands and knees while being careful not to slip or fall off.Spoiler: Notes (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You open your mouth and suck greedily at the darkness. You don't get as much of it out of the tower as you want -its surprisingly sticky- but you do get enough out to make the tower bright enough to navigate in . Though darkness is already seeping back in through the hole you chewed in the wall. Slowly, like syrup.
There's a set of stairs right in front of you inside the tower so you ascend it and find yourself in the lantern room. The lantern isn't so much a lantern as a silver statue of a crescent moon, slowly rotating. One side, the side with a stylized human face in the moon, is shining brightly. The statue is floating in mid air, as though held by an invisible string. You reach out and grab it. It stops rotating. You turn it to face out of the harbor, towards the sea. It turns without any resistance and stops where you leave it.
You dump all the remaining magic in your needle and such into the sea where it can do no harm. Probably.
Youare uses his link with Dew to return to the ship, relinks, and fires the magic stored in his needle from stabbing the shark, along with the "Fresh" spell, down at the ocean, hopefully turning a great deal of it into fresh water in order to inhibit the growth of sea life as the needle falls. Don't want to fight Hammer 2.0 after all.
"I think we have it. Anyone need healing?"Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
To my linked fellows:
"Any of you guys someplace stable? I have everything we need here. Also, how goes the battle?"
"See ya" the other homunculus says, with a wave.
"Huzza we killed it! Does this mean we can go home now?"You yell for your needle.
Yell over the side of the ship for my needle to return to me then get far from the side so it can't potentially harm me.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Come back stabby! Come back!"
But Stabby does not come back.
I get up and watch the spectacle of the Rod being ripped out of the Hammer for a moment, but upon seeing it go into the water, I need to act.Doing nothing to avoid wing loss!
Darn it darn it darn it darn it darn it darn it!
I rapidly fly over to where the rod landed and dive down to collect it.
Darn it all, I'm loving these wings! I hate having to do this!
As I hit the water, I'm prepared for the loss of my air-wings and the return of my natural ones, and am rapidly converting myself into water to streamline my movement and adapt myself to my environment. I want to get down there and collect that rod before some other sea creature can start turning itself into another Hammer.
EDIT: If I notice others retrieving the rod while I'm still airborne, then I want to abort my actions and simply observe from above, since I would like to keep my wings.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Back in town the door to the Boss's house blows open as a dozen black tendrils erupt out. They coil up into the air for a moment before shooting arrow-like out towards the sea. The first tendril swarms up the lighthouse stairs and engulfs Hugh. The rest arc out across the sea and eventually drop like shooting stars onto ship or worm into the Hammer's corpse. They swallow up each Homunculi (or the creation of a Homunculi) and spirit them away. Genesis, far far away, suddenly drops through the floor into darkness.
And then everyone is back in the cave. Including Luta's shark, rod still in its mouth, flopping around on the cave floor. The teleport gate is closed, and the tablet displays only the phrase
"Place the Rod in the Chamber."
Post by: Ozarck on October 01, 2021, 10:40:06 pm
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on October 01, 2021, 10:46:39 pm
After the shark has been properly praised, place the rod in the chamber as instructed.
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 02, 2021, 12:07:39 am
Spoiler: Notes (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on October 02, 2021, 04:01:55 am
Go get a new needle and link it with Grey and Genesis, then see how Elizabeth is felling about that adventure.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on October 02, 2021, 04:30:29 am
I look at the shark stuck out of water for a moment, then go and attempt to get the largest container of water I can drag with me and bring it over to the shark. Praise is cold comfort while you can't breathe.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on October 02, 2021, 04:58:49 am
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on October 02, 2021, 04:10:37 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on October 02, 2021, 06:02:21 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 02, 2021, 11:01:54 pm
"I'm Grey, the Verbomancer. Nice you meet you."
Did we get healed after coming out of the portal?
Grey helps the party move the rod into the deposit room. Afterwards he heads to the equipment box and exchanges his robe for one that has two sleeves, and looks through the box in the hopes that it produced something glove-adjacent that can fit over a crab claw.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on October 02, 2021, 11:07:58 pm
My character:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Find the box, and get my equipment. Then find and link with Greed, Hugh, and Youare.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 03, 2021, 12:36:58 am
((BP, I think you may have missed a turn. We're back in the Homunculi cave now. There is no leviathan for us to blast.))(([speak accent=“British”]Oh, blast it all![/speak]))
Post by: Ozarck on October 03, 2021, 01:24:29 am
We got healed after returning to the cave ya?((We probably haven't since we haven't completed the contract yet. Once we get the Rod into the Pool, maybe.))
I'm going to try joining, if that is alright, since I've enjoyed reading the thread thus far.((you should bold an action to collect your robe, needle, and gloves, or post some interaction with the other homunculi, or whatever. Anyway, have fun.))
My character:Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 03, 2021, 02:14:21 am
(Ah yeah, we're not done yet. I'll edit the question to be more neutral and we'll see what happens next turn.)We got healed after returning to the cave ya?((We probably haven't since we haven't completed the contract yet. Once we get the Rod into the Pool, maybe.))
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 05, 2021, 08:35:38 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 06, 2021, 12:07:53 am
Post by: piecewise on October 06, 2021, 06:38:09 am
(I don’t think PW holds up turns for players unless it’s particularly important. Likely he’s just working with other stuff.)Yep. I'm getting a master's degree and effectively working full time so I have periods where I'm pretty busy.
I'm going to try joining, if that is alright, since I've enjoyed reading the thread thus far.Fine by me!
My character:Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Find the box, and get my equipment. Then find and link with Greed, Hugh, and Youare.
You flop out of the cauldron, get dressed, and go see what all the hub bub is about. You get caught up on the basics and link up with the others...assuming they have spots and are ok with it.
"Guess this means we get to keep the guns, and hello Hugh I'm Debby and this little one with me is Elizabeth."You go to the box and get a new needle. Interestingly, it already contains any previous links you made before. Almost as though your old needle just got teleported here. Huh.
Go get a new needle and link it with Grey and Genesis, then see how Elizabeth is felling about that adventure.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Elizabeth thinks the adventure of the seamonster was pretty exciting and scary at times. She is glad it ended well, but does wish she could have done more to help.
Greed apparently has PTSD because he's seeing sea monsters where none exist.greed keeps blastint the leviathanSpoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
"I'm Tess."[4]
I look at the shark stuck out of water for a moment, then go and attempt to get the largest container of water I can drag with me and bring it over to the shark. Praise is cold comfort while you can't breathe.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You return from the kitchen with a bucket of water. You dump it onto the shark. The shark seems...oddly ok with its current situation. You suppose it is a magic flying shark after all.
Assist in getting the rod into the Disposal Pool, if necessary.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Pet the shark and tell him what a good boy he is.
After the shark has been properly praised, place the rod in the chamber as instructed.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
(Grey gets his replacement robe. As per your crab arm you have two choices: You can choose for it to be healed back into a normal arm, or keep it as crab. If you keep it as a crab, you will find a specifically shaped crab claw glove and a robe with one bigger sleeve in the box. if not, you'll find normal stuff. )
Grey takes a moment to consider the immensity that is Hugh, not expecting to encounter this absolute unit after coming out of the portal.
"I'm Grey, the Verbomancer. Nice you meet you."
Did we get healed after coming out of the portal?
Grey helps the party move the rod into the deposit room. Afterwards he heads to the equipment box and exchanges his robe for one that has two sleeves, and looks through the box in the hopes that it produced something glove-adjacent that can fit over a crab claw.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
After the shark has been properly praised and head patted the Rod, still bloody and glowing incandescent green, gets tossed into the disposal pool. It sinks into the liquid, seemingly sinking deeper and deeper, far beyond what should be the bottom of the pool, before eventually vanishing.
ALL HOMUNCULI ARE HEALED!
The message on the metal plaque has shifted into something different when no one was looking. Currently it says:
You have done well. You may ask one question and it shall be answered.
Post by: Lenglon on October 06, 2021, 09:27:00 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on October 06, 2021, 01:53:42 pm
In the mean time, see if there are any amenities that would suit the shark for now.
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 06, 2021, 02:59:02 pm
<snip>
You flop out of the cauldron, get dressed, and go see what all the hub bub is about. You get caught up on the basics and link up with the others...assuming they have spots and are ok with it.
<snip>
((Am I correct to assume that Aaron Blackstar getting “caught up on the basics” includes the others teaching him what how the needles, gloves, and robes work?))
((Assuming the answer is yes:))
Hugh watches attentatively while the others explain the basics to Aaron, giving out an “Oh! That’s interesting” or an “Ah!” When appropriate. When the lesson is done he says “Ho! Ho! Ho! That was very interesting! Is there anybody that would like to link needles with me?”
((Assuming the answer is no:))
Hugh sees the Aaron linking needles with the others and asks “Ho! Ho! Ho! What is that that you’re doing with your needles?”
((Regardless of the answer from the GM:))
<snip>
Aaron links with the giant homunculus on his way to get food, and once there grabs the first thing that comes to hand, sits down, and searches in his mind for the names and variant types of his companions.
<snip>
Hugh follows Aaron to the kitchen and picks out and eats a meal, finishing by eating the dishes and silverware. “Ho! Ho! Ho! That hit the spot!”
After that he goes and takes a shower (as soon as it’s available, of course).
Spoiler: Notes (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: added needle links.
Edit2: combined posts.
Post by: Ozarck on October 06, 2021, 06:05:10 pm
I'll explain to the newbies the commonly known functions of the equipment and link with Hugh. Then I'll go into the arena an d perform the experiments I will PM.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on October 06, 2021, 08:16:47 pm
Aaron links with the giant homunculus on his way to get food, and once there grabs the first thing that comes to hand, sits down, and searches in his mind for the names and variant types of his companions. He lets anyone else who wants link with him during this time.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on October 07, 2021, 03:02:07 am
Ask any speakers (Debby) if they can ask my needle what spell it has."I can."
Ask Luta's needle what the spell within it does, then go get some food for me and Elizabeth.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 07, 2021, 03:11:34 am
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on October 07, 2021, 08:10:48 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 07, 2021, 08:40:52 am
When the lesson is done he says “Ho! Ho! Ho! That was very interesting! Is there anybody that would like to link needles with me?”"Sure, I'll link with you Hugh."
"Knowing more about our equipment suits me."
Grey will hold onto his and Genesis's questions for now until he sees what comes of Greed's inquiry.
Crab claws are very cool and stylish but sadly we live in a world made for hands. Grey will regain his human arm and get his replacement glove and robe.
Let's mess around with our stuff for a bit.
1. Grey presses his palms together, fingers straight.
2. Grey presses his palms together, fingers interlocked.
3. Grey claps his hands thrice.
4. Grey investigates these spacious sleeves on his robe, holding his rifle by the barrel and poking it stock-first into his sleeve. Homunculi only have two hands and yet somehow Grey has kept possession of both his needle and rifle despite all that climbing and not to mention losing an arm, and other Homunculi have been carrying 3 weapons or more! The only answer is that they're doing something subconsciously without noticing, and it's time to find out what.
5. Grey orientates himself towards Youare and places his hands over his eyes, palms inwards.
6. He then does the same but with the palms facing outwards.
7. After Youare is clothed Grey examines Youare's robe through the eye of his needle, paying particular attention to the red eye on the back.
At some point Grey reorganize his needle links, cutting links with Bob and Flame and forging new links with Hugh and Aaron.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on October 07, 2021, 09:10:19 am
Notes:
1) Genesis and Grey are at max links, so unless they cut links they won't be adding others.
2) Dew (and Bob, apparently) have been dormant for a while, so it's probably best not to link them.
3) I changed a couple link colors for Grey to make his link with Hugh compatible. Fire, please note that.
Spoiler: Current Link Web (click to show/hide)
Also, Cat, you have two bolded action posts. the second is purely RP and doesn't need GM attetion, so might be wise to unbold that :)
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 07, 2021, 12:07:51 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 07, 2021, 12:44:51 pm
<snip>
Also, Cat, you have two bolded action posts. the second is purely RP and doesn't need GM attetion, so might be wise to unbold that :)
((He’s also eating the dishes and silverware. Doesn’t that count as an action?))
Post by: fatcat__25 on October 07, 2021, 01:29:10 pm
(Also, I only have one action post since the last update. The one about going to eat and think. I am trying to figure out how to use my powers as a Cognizant, so I'm trying them on something safe, like people's names and ability types.)
Hold on, there are two cats here, which one was being talked too?
Post by: Ozarck on October 07, 2021, 06:47:17 pm
(Sorry to mess up your new web but could you swap Luta's linkage with Grey to yellow and then remove Grey's connection to Flame? Aaron's wandering off to get food but next time Grey comes across them he plans on adding them to his network.)Noted. I'll change it once you've added Aaron. Which you may as well do now. He seems fine with it and people can veto after the fact if they want. Saves me editing time to do it all in onego.
Sure, that probably counts. but, again, You have two bolded action posts. Try not to do that.
<snip>
Also, Cat, you have two bolded action posts. the second is purely RP and doesn't need GM attetion, so might be wise to unbold that :)
((He’s also eating the dishes and silverware. Doesn’t that count as an action?))
(I don't consider myself linked to Greed or Youare yet, because I haven't received their permission to do so. I do give anyone else permission to link to to me, if I have space.)They can tell me after if they refuse to link. Saves me time and effort tracking these things if i just assume they work out. The other cat was the one being talked to about the number of bolded turns.
(Also, I only have one action post since the last update. The one about going to eat and think. I am trying to figure out how to use my powers as a Cognizant, so I'm trying them on something safe, like people's names and ability types.)
Hold on, there are two cats here, which one was being talked too?
Post by: Ozarck on October 07, 2021, 06:54:12 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on October 07, 2021, 07:04:35 pm
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 07, 2021, 08:23:44 pm
Youare gets a new robe from the box, having removed the old one from existence, and links with anyone who offers.Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
((Hugh will be happy to link with Youare. I can offer you orange, blue, or violet (of which, according to Ozarck’s link map, you are already using violet to link with Grey). Which color do you want?))
<snip>
Sure, that probably counts. but, again, You have two bolded action posts. Try not to do that.
<snip>
How’s that?
Post by: Ozarck on October 07, 2021, 08:50:13 pm
Post by: m1895 on October 07, 2021, 10:20:26 pm
After his question is answered, Flameo will wash off all the gore and check if the big fish got dragged here.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Flame (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 08, 2021, 01:41:24 am
Post by: King Zultan on October 08, 2021, 03:59:08 am
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 08, 2021, 04:12:15 am
"What can the eyes on our equipment do?""This interests me as well."
Grey converses with Genesis. Either in person or through the needle depending on where he is at the moment.
"Genesis, when you mentioned that the eyes on our equipment hold some functions, what did you mean by that exactly?"
Post by: Ozarck on October 08, 2021, 03:15:55 pm
I'm not good at asking questions. Grey, you ask mine for me."
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 08, 2021, 09:33:20 pm
"Youare, once you get clothed do you want to help me try to find anything new about our equipment?"
Post by: piecewise on October 12, 2021, 07:30:29 pm
I go to the quarters area and attempt to wash myself, get the sweat and gore off. Afterwards I'm going to attempt to test if I can turn my arm into water and still hold my Needle and fill the sleeve of my robe with it. If I can, then I'll test again, this time having turned my arm into air.[5]Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You can hold your needle with a water arm, though its not as easy and sudden movements or swings threaten to case you to drop the needle. Or rather for the needle to push out through your watery fingers. You alter the shape and size of your body, but this reverts to normal as soon as that element is gone.
Ask any speakers (Debby) if they can ask my needle what spell it has.Needles don't contain spells. They contain magic, which can be directed as a spell. The magic's "Flavor" is influenced by what you take it from.
In the mean time, see if there are any amenities that would suit the shark for now.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
[3]
There are facilities for showers and baths so about the best you can do is fill a bathtub and dump the shark in it. Though he will be comically too large.
<snip>
You flop out of the cauldron, get dressed, and go see what all the hub bub is about. You get caught up on the basics and link up with the others...assuming they have spots and are ok with it.
<snip>
((Am I correct to assume that Aaron Blackstar getting “caught up on the basics” includes the others teaching him what how the needles, gloves, and robes work?))
((Assuming the answer is yes:))
Hugh watches attentatively while the others explain the basics to Aaron, giving out an “Oh! That’s interesting” or an “Ah!” When appropriate. When the lesson is done he says “Ho! Ho! Ho! That was very interesting! Is there anybody that would like to link needles with me?”
((Assuming the answer is no:))
Hugh sees the Aaron linking needles with the others and asks “Ho! Ho! Ho! What is that that you’re doing with your needles?”
((Regardless of the answer from the GM:))
<snip>
Aaron links with the giant homunculus on his way to get food, and once there grabs the first thing that comes to hand, sits down, and searches in his mind for the names and variant types of his companions.
<snip>
Hugh follows Aaron to the kitchen and picks out and eats a meal, finishing by eating the dishes and silverware. “Ho! Ho! Ho! That hit the spot!”
After that he goes and takes a shower (as soon as it’s available, of course).Spoiler: Notes (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: added needle links.
Edit2: combined posts.
You watch the demonstration of the basics and ask if anyone wants to link needles.
You make a sandwich out of an assortment of random foods, with a plate on the bottom and a plate on top. You swallow the entire thing in one bite. You pat your belly in an exaggerated fashion and then head off to the showers.
"We still don't know all the functions of our equipment, nor do we know why purebloods are the way homunculi are supposed to be, and what advantages we have over you others, if any. Those are probably good areas to ask about. Or we could ask about the Grand Atelier, the organizations, or our own master, Sebiline the All Seeing. Oh, the Eyes on our equipment carry some functions related to Sebiline's specialty.Done. If you want to share the results, feel free.
I'll explain to the newbies the commonly known functions of the equipment and link with Hugh. Then I'll go into the arena an d perform the experiments I will PM.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
"Thank you all for your explanations. I am Aaron Blackstar, and am a Cognizant. I am happy to link with anyone here, and seek to answer your questions, but for the moment, I would like to get something to eat."[4]
Aaron links with the giant homunculus on his way to get food, and once there grabs the first thing that comes to hand, sits down, and searches in his mind for the names and variant types of his companions. He lets anyone else who wants link with him during this time.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
You know your own:
"Iteration 31199, Calderon Code: Phlogiston. Investigation Corp, Patron: Sebiline the All-Seeing."
But you do not innately know the iterations of the others. Nor what this even means.
"Why don't we ask what the eyes on our stuff do."[4]Ask any speakers (Debby) if they can ask my needle what spell it has."I can."
Ask Luta's needle what the spell within it does, then go get some food for me and Elizabeth.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The needle doesn't speak back. Or rather, your magic laced words don't seem to reach it intact. They seem to come out as normal, with that odd sound your voice makes when "Speaking". But a moment later the sound becomes flat and monotone.
You open the chest and grab a new cloak and gloves. Your old ones vanish as you do so. See the end of the turn for your answer.greed links with Hugh and goes and gets another coat and pair of gloves. in addition he asks what all of the functions of our stuff are.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Arm regained and stuff gathered.When the lesson is done he says “Ho! Ho! Ho! That was very interesting! Is there anybody that would like to link needles with me?”"Sure, I'll link with you Hugh."
"Knowing more about our equipment suits me."
Grey will hold onto his and Genesis's questions for now until he sees what comes of Greed's inquiry.
Crab claws are very cool and stylish but sadly we live in a world made for hands. Grey will regain his human arm and get his replacement glove and robe.
Let's mess around with our stuff for a bit.
1. Grey presses his palms together, fingers straight.
2. Grey presses his palms together, fingers interlocked.
3. Grey claps his hands thrice.
4. Grey investigates these spacious sleeves on his robe, holding his rifle by the barrel and poking it stock-first into his sleeve. Homunculi only have two hands and yet somehow Grey has kept possession of both his needle and rifle despite all that climbing and not to mention losing an arm, and other Homunculi have been carrying 3 weapons or more! The only answer is that they're doing something subconsciously without noticing, and it's time to find out what.
5. Grey orientates himself towards Youare and places his hands over his eyes, palms inwards.
6. He then does the same but with the palms facing outwards.
7. After Youare is clothed Grey examines Youare's robe through the eye of his needle, paying particular attention to the red eye on the back.
At some point Grey reorganize his needle links, cutting links with Bob and Flame and forging new links with Hugh and Aaron.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
1. Nothing
2. Nothing
3. Nope
4. The sleeves seem to swallow up anything you place into them. You place the rifle in and its gone. but when you reach in, intending to grab it, your hand grasps the stock and you pull it out like a rabbit out of a hat.
5. Palms inwards huh? Nothing then. The eyes on your gloves are on your palms after all.
6. You can see through the eyes on the gloves.
7. There does seem to be some magic woven into the threads. Its a lot more subtle than the mage work you've seen before though. Its form and function are obscure.
Links cut and made
Youare gets a new robe from the box, having removed the old one from existence, and links with anyone who offers.Nudity defeated.Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
"What other Homunculi... groups will we likely work with in the future?"See end of turn for answer.
After his question is answered, Flameo will wash off all the gore and check if the big fish got dragged here.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Flame (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Gore washed, fish not found.
QUESTIONS
"What other Homunculi... groups will we likely work with in the future?"
Homunculi abound in many forms and shapes, with many purposes. Those you are likely to cooperate with to any major degree are:
Investigation corps
Capture Corps
Destroy Corps
Artisan Corps
Aspirants
" what all of the functions of our stuff are."
Protection, Remote viewing, storage, environmental regulation, siphoning of magical power, fusion of materials, perception of the unseen, linking of sound, vision, and physical person, Teleportation, transpositional movement, servitude, telekinesis, and shape shifting.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 12, 2021, 09:26:21 pm
((Is it still possible for humonculi who haven’t asked their questions yet to ask them?))
“Ho! Ho! Ho! That was refreshing!”
After getting out of the shower and redressing, Hugh performs three experiments:
1. Hugh holds the eye of his needle in the palm of his hand and looks through the eye of the needle at the eye in his hand while holding one of the links with the other hand.
2. Hugh does the above, but pulls on the link once without releasing.
3. Hugh looks through the eye of his needle at one of his links.
Spoiler: Notes (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on October 13, 2021, 12:12:35 am
Gloves
Protection, (cross arms, overlapping wrists to form a shield in front of you)
Remote viewing, (close eyes, look through the eyes on the palms of the glove. only works with your own gloves. Gloves do not need to be worn for it to work)
gloves also allow us to hold magical objects without being affected, or to push magic out of objects.
Robes
storage, (sleeves are hammerspace)
environmental regulation, (also works with gloves)
Needles
siphoning of magical power,
fusion of materials, (tap with pointy end, tap second material with handle end.)
perception of the unseen, (look through the eye of the needle for this)
linking of sound, vision, and physical person, (I am unclear on this one. Our needle links might be this. but what does linking physical person mean?)
?
Teleportation, (I have been unable to figure out how this works. Feel free to ask about it) (Probably talking about the conduit, actually)
transpositional movement, (pulling thread of needle link?)
servitude,
telekinesis,
shape shifting.
Post by: Ozarck on October 13, 2021, 12:17:14 am
"Shapeshift? How do we do that?"
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on October 13, 2021, 12:31:45 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 13, 2021, 01:23:48 am
If you rotate the group with Luta, Debby, Tess, Genesis, and Grey counterclockwise about Grey, it might help to straighten out Grey’s links with Hugh and Aaron.))
Post by: Ozarck on October 13, 2021, 02:02:50 am
((@Ozarck:((I know. Didn't feel like rewriting it a third time in a day. It works fine as is. Someone else can fix it if they like))
If you rotate the group with Luta, Debby, Tess, Genesis, and Grey counterclockwise about Grey, it might help to straighten out Grey’s links with Hugh and Aaron.))
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 13, 2021, 03:50:15 am
((@Ozarck:((I know. Didn't feel like rewriting it a third time in a day. It works fine as is. Someone else can fix it if they like))
If you rotate the group with Luta, Debby, Tess, Genesis, and Grey counterclockwise about Grey, it might help to straighten out Grey’s links with Hugh and Aaron.))
((NJW2000 just replied to my PM and says he’ll take any color for the link between Hugh and Youare. Would you mind choosing for us?))
Post by: King Zultan on October 13, 2021, 04:11:13 am
Look through my needle at Elizabeth, then try to combine a knife, spoon, and fork, and see what I get.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on October 13, 2021, 10:08:47 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on October 13, 2021, 05:14:33 pm
((Yes))
((Is it still possible for humonculi who haven’t asked their questions yet to ask them?))
“Ho! Ho! Ho! That was refreshing!”
After getting out of the shower and redressing, Hugh performs three experiments:
1. Hugh holds the eye of his needle in the palm of his hand and looks through the eye of the needle at the eye in his hand while holding one of the links with the other hand.
2. Hugh does the above, but pulls on the link once without releasing.
3. Hugh looks through the eye of his needle at one of his links.Spoiler: Notes (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on October 13, 2021, 05:27:25 pm
1. You see your muscles and bones and all the junk in your hand. Holding the link seems not to do anything.
((Is it still possible for humonculi who haven’t asked their questions yet to ask them?))
“Ho! Ho! Ho! That was refreshing!”
After getting out of the shower and redressing, Hugh performs three experiments:
1. Hugh holds the eye of his needle in the palm of his hand and looks through the eye of the needle at the eye in his hand while holding one of the links with the other hand.
2. Hugh does the above, but pulls on the link once without releasing.
3. Hugh looks through the eye of his needle at one of his links.Spoiler: Notes (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
2. When you tug the link, you begin seeing as though looking through the eye of the other person's needle.
3. When looking at the links themselves you see...the links. Hmm.
Ask:((I'm really temped to just answer "Magic"))
"Shapeshift? How do we do that?"Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
The robe can alter its own appearance and appearance of those wearing it. In order to change appearance, it must physically touch the being or clothing it is mimicking.
I attempt the same tests as last time, but this time with air instead of water.You can basically do all the normal things with any material, just some will be worse at it. Air hands CAN hold your needle, but its a lot easier to drop it and you can't put as much force into strikes with it.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Hey Luta I talked to your needle and I can't talk to it for some reason."Liz appears to be a stuffed animal, cloth over stuffing, with a core of...a lock of hair? You can see the root-like magic that animated all the other creatures emanating from the core.
Look through my needle at Elizabeth, then try to combine a knife, spoon, and fork, and see what I get.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You can only sew two things at a time. So for three you'd need to fuse twice and choose which two first and then the last to the created fusion.
[2]greed tries to figure out the “servitude” and “telekinesis” powersSpoiler (click to show/hide)
No clue!
Post by: Ozarck on October 13, 2021, 06:08:19 pm
Test the shapeshifting: go touch the shark and morph to sharklike. Is it appearance only, or do I take on the shark qualities? release the shark. do I stay sharklike? Can I revert to non-morphed at-will?
repeat the experiment with a test dummy, and then with a wall in the arena. for the wall: can blend in with the wall? If I can maintain wall-ness when not touching the wall, what do look like when moving away?
Can I tell what i look like or do I need an outside observer to explain it to me? Can we assume I manage to get an outside observer to help if necessary?
After this test I am ready for the next mission whenever.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
((NJW2000 just replied to my PM and says he’ll take any color for the link between Hugh and Youare. Would you mind choosing for us?))((blue. see updated needle web))
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 13, 2021, 06:47:27 pm
Eventually, Hugh returns to the room with the plaque and asks:
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Earlier, you mentioned something about ‘Investigation corps’, ‘Capture Corps’, ‘Destroy Corps’, ‘Artisan Corps’, and ‘Aspirants’. Could you explain more about what each of these are, Please?”
After receiving his answer, Hugh goes and tries to get some sleep before the next mission.
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on October 13, 2021, 10:00:58 pm
Go and ask what everyone's name and abilities are, and tell them we are an Investigation Corp. Afterwards, find a good book to read in the library.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
(btw, wasn't my roll for my action supposed to be hidden, or has that rule been rescinded?)
Post by: Ozarck on October 14, 2021, 12:05:43 am
(btw, wasn't my roll for my action supposed to be hidden, or has that rule been rescinded?)
((I see a couple reasons this roll may have been made public.
1) GM forgot. always a possibility
2) The information is already known - that is, it's already been presented in the thread publicly, and therefore it would be needlessly confusing to hide that roll. possible, but unlikely. GM likes a biot of comical confusion, now and then.
3) The action you posted didn't fit the "Use my cog ability" role. This seems most likely and here's why:
a) you said "search my mind for information." this is akin to any character's "think about it" action. A standard action that can be rolled without the use of special abilities.
b) I have done the same thing, effectively, and gotten the same information, toward the end of last mission. My character is not a cog. Ego, searching for this information in one's mind is a standard homunculus ability. We've done a few other "think about this thing related to our function or ability" rolls throughout the game and they've been rolled publicly, so this case may be no different.
c) the answer to your action states: "But you do not innately know the iterations of the others. Nor what this even means." Key word: innately. This links with "search my mind." So, you tried to dredge up infrormation that was inbuilt in your character, rather than looking outward for magical knowledge of past, present, or future.
now try "use my Cog ability to learn
- (maybe the patrons of the other groups, or if we all have the same iteration, or what Sebiline's favorite sherbet is)
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 14, 2021, 01:08:50 am
"What do we need to do to activate our equipment's telekinesis?"
After he has his answer Grey tries to poke as much of his hand and arm as he can through the eye of his needle and grabbing a needle thread with that hand, tugging once and then twice.
Withdrawing his appendage Grey goes into the library to look up information on this Sebiline The All Seeing that Genesis mentioned, and tries to determine if he has any ingrained Homunculi knowledge of them.
Grey also helps out Genesis if he starts wandering around asking for a hand.
(I've been meaning to poke into Sebiline myself, of course two dice is better than one and any book information on the Magi might not be particularly interesting, so it could easily still be an avenue for cog investigation.)
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on October 14, 2021, 03:35:51 am
Sew a fork and a spoon together, observe what I get then sew a knife to that, after all that go find some rags and see if I can't make a stuffed animal from them.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on October 14, 2021, 03:42:27 pm
I head over to Debby and Elizabeth, and am surprised to see Elizabeth still tied to Debby via rope.
"Hey, you doing okay?"
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on October 14, 2021, 05:17:57 pm
Thank the GM for not answering "magic" to my question.You press your robe against the shark and think about shapeshifting. You feel your skin tingle and look at yourself in the reflection of the containment pool. You're still humanoid, but the face poking out of the robe looks sharky. You look like a humanoid shark. Huh. You touch your face. It feels like you have a shark muzzle, but your vision isn't any different from before despite having eyes on the sides of your head. Hmm. Your transformation remains so long as you desire it to, and you can revert at will.
Test the shapeshifting: go touch the shark and morph to sharklike. Is it appearance only, or do I take on the shark qualities? release the shark. do I stay sharklike? Can I revert to non-morphed at-will?
repeat the experiment with a test dummy, and then with a wall in the arena. for the wall: can blend in with the wall? If I can maintain wall-ness when not touching the wall, what do look like when moving away?
Can I tell what i look like or do I need an outside observer to explain it to me? Can we assume I manage to get an outside observer to help if necessary?
After this test I am ready for the next mission whenever.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)((NJW2000 just replied to my PM and says he’ll take any color for the link between Hugh and Youare. Would you mind choosing for us?))((blue. see updated needle web))
When you use the test dummy, you morph to look more or less identical to it. When you try it on the wall you...end up looking like some kind of golem. All made of stone but still human in shape. Clearly this is more "Take on appearance" than anything.
You cannot tell what you look like innately. Just like normal, really.
“Ho! Ho! Ho!”, Hugh laughs as he finishes his experiments, after which he goes around and shares his discovery concerning remote viewing with the others.You are part of the investigation corps. Your corps is charged with investigating unknown events, but is also often used as a stop gap for other actions that do not require specialized skills and tools. They often work in tandem with other Corps.
Eventually, Hugh returns to the room with the plaque and asks:
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Earlier, you mentioned something about ‘Investigation corps’, ‘Capture Corps’, ‘Destroy Corps’, ‘Artisan Corps’, and ‘Aspirants’. Could you explain more about what each of these are, Please?”
After receiving his answer, Hugh goes and tries to get some sleep before the next mission.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The Capture Corps is specialized in capture and recovery of dangerous creatures and artifacts. Often work in small groups.
Destroy Corps specialize in nullification and destruction of dangerous creatures, artifacts, and are the traditional executioners of mages. Almost always work in groups of three, but occasionally seen individually.
Artisan Corps repairs, creates, maintains and otherwise handles magical tools and items. Also work as designers and maintainers of Grand Atelier Locations.
Aspirants are mundane who work with the Grand Atelier. Often classed as Homunculi due to physical modifications they undergo.
Aaron has been sitting and thinking about what he found in his mind about himself, but decides to find out what the other homunculi are able to do, and what their names are. He also noted the list of possible homunculus groups, and that his personal info included one of the ones listed. He tells everyone he meets this, too.(The hidden roll rule only comes into effect when you use your magic. I'm not gonna hide the roll on other things, since it will probably be obvious what the results of those are)
Go and ask what everyone's name and abilities are, and tell them we are an Investigation Corp. Afterwards, find a good book to read in the library.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
(btw, wasn't my roll for my action supposed to be hidden, or has that rule been rescinded?)
We'll assume you ask everyone, but whether or not they tell you or what they say is up to them. Here, I will
GET THEIR ATTENTION
Hopefully they'll respond now. [3]
You find a book but...eh its just ok.
Grey introduces himself and gives a brief explanation of what he can do to Aaron, and asks his question to the plaque.When wearing a glove, line your open hand up on a distant object such that, from your perspective, your hand is covering the object. Close your hand over the object and you will "Grab" it. Move your hand to move it.
"What do we need to do to activate our equipment's telekinesis?"
After he has his answer Grey tries to poke as much of his hand and arm as he can through the eye of his needle and grabbing a needle thread with that hand, tugging once and then twice.
Withdrawing his appendage Grey goes into the library to look up information on this Sebiline The All Seeing that Genesis mentioned, and tries to determine if he has any ingrained Homunculi knowledge of them.
Grey also helps out Genesis if he starts wandering around asking for a hand.
(I've been meaning to poke into Sebiline myself, of course two dice is better than one and any book information on the Magi might not be particularly interesting, so it could easily still be an avenue for cog investigation.)Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
The eye of the needle is just large enough to stick your hand and maybe half a forearm through. Yoinking the tread once does nothing, but twice allows your hand to pass through the eye of the needle of the other person and effectively produces a small portal.
[4]
You know nothing inherently other than to show loyalty. That seems to be engrained on a near instinctual level. The book you find speaks reverently about him, but also in rather vague terms. He seems to be the one who appeared before the group during that walking castle thing, judging from descriptions. They say he specializes in perception magic and can dramatically alter the world dependent on his own perceptions or others perceptions of it. He handles much of the interactions between the Grand Atelier and the world at large and is said to be constantly traveling among the mundane in one form or another. They say he cut a mountain in half with a flick of his eyes and once banished a mage to "An infinitely distant horizon".
"I'll be over here if people need to talk to some random thing."[2,5,4]
Sew a fork and a spoon together, observe what I get then sew a knife to that, after all that go find some rags and see if I can't make a stuffed animal from them.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You tap the fork and spoon and the result is...a fork and spoon very loosely fused along their edges, like a very flimsy weld. You could probably snap them off with ease. You then fuse the knife and end up with a spork with sharp, serrated edges on the "Spoon" part.
You use some bedding and random garbage to cobble together a sort of humanoid shaped doll. Its effectively faceless and nothing but a knotted sheet in a human shape, but its close to a stuffed animal.
There has been an inconsistency regarding my abilities. In my tests before the last mission, I couldn't increase the size of my wings by converting them to air, but during the most recent tests I could change the size and shape of my arm while it was water. If I am able to increase their size, then I'll be able to drop their current transformation and still get it back later without making another large-scale model for them. I would like to take some time to see if I can figure it out. Is there some kind of limit that I'm running into maybe?The limit is that you can influence the size and shape of your normal body, but your wings are abnormal and for some reason the magic doesn't work on them the same way.
I head over to Debby and Elizabeth, and am surprised to see Elizabeth still tied to Debby via rope.
"Hey, you doing okay?"Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
(This is basically a meta thing since people having wings wasn't really part of the norm. If you wanna fly, going Pterodactyl might be easier. )
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on October 14, 2021, 05:40:39 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on October 14, 2021, 06:20:22 pm
attention.get();GET THEIR ATTENTION
Go and ask what everyone's name and abilities are, and tell them we are an Investigation Corp. Afterwards, find a good book to read in the library."Hm? Oh, sorry. I'm Tess, a chameleon. I think I'm the only chameleon here at the moment. And you?"
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on October 14, 2021, 07:21:35 pm
"What the hell was that? Get whose attention? How? Why?"
No answers are forthcoming.
"Probably a wrong Iteration. Wires crossed somewhere. Nothing we can do, let the girls on the switchboard worry about it."
Youare asks a question: "Can the magical abilities of an individual be altered without them becoming a numerically different person?"
Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on October 15, 2021, 02:50:35 am
I head over to Debby and Elizabeth, and am surprised to see Elizabeth still tied to Debby via rope."Elizabeth and I are doing well especially since we didn't receive any major injuries during that whole ordeal on the boat, if your wondering about the rope it was just a precaution in case we got washed overboard, I'm not sure if I should remove it yet or wait until the next mission to see if it's still needed.
"Hey, you doing okay?"
*giant red letters appear*
"What was that, why does it want my attention?"
Ask that sheet doll I just made to walk around and be alive, then see how Elizabeth feels about the thing I just made.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 15, 2021, 07:40:28 am
Grey heads to the training hall. On the way he disseminates what he knows about the robe's storage properties and how to reach a hand through a needle link, allowing these things to become common knowledge.
Once there, Grey grabs one of the training dummies with his glove's telekinesis and throws it around to see how much force he can exert on it, he then tries to grab multiple dummies using the gloves. Grey also checks to see if he can grab a dummy that's close to him by bringing his hand up to his face so that it blocks most of his vision, and then closing it.
Afterwards Grey orders a bunch of dummies to start walking around and jumping and then Maintains the current positions of everything in the training hall except for Homunculi and anything in their possession, in order to confirm if word magic is friendly to exceptions.
He suggests anyone milling about in the training hall to vacate it in case of potential backlash, and waits for them to do whatever they want to do first before casting his spell.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on October 15, 2021, 03:06:28 pm
[3]greed tries to figure out how to activate the servitude powers.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
You have a vague feeling it has to do with the cloak and gloves, not the needle.
Youare doubles over in pain as the bold red capitals sear their way through his retinas and send his sensory cortex head over heels. He straightens up, blinking at the afterimage and waiting for the ringing in his ears to subside.Such a thing is possible, but rare. Generally accidental. Magic is a fundamental force, and thus alteration of a being's magic requires a fundamental alteration of that being. Altering a being with magic is simple, altering the magic of a being is hard. Even the Magi do not do it lightly.
"What the hell was that? Get whose attention? How? Why?"
No answers are forthcoming.
"Probably a wrong Iteration. Wires crossed somewhere. Nothing we can do, let the girls on the switchboard worry about it."
Youare asks a question: "Can the magical abilities of an individual be altered without them becoming a numerically different person?"Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)
[5]I head over to Debby and Elizabeth, and am surprised to see Elizabeth still tied to Debby via rope."Elizabeth and I are doing well especially since we didn't receive any major injuries during that whole ordeal on the boat, if your wondering about the rope it was just a precaution in case we got washed overboard, I'm not sure if I should remove it yet or wait until the next mission to see if it's still needed.
"Hey, you doing okay?"
*giant red letters appear*
"What was that, why does it want my attention?"
Ask that sheet doll I just made to walk around and be alive, then see how Elizabeth feels about the thing I just made.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The sheet doll stands up and starts walking around. It doesn't seem very smart and just kind of bumbles around in a circle. Speaking to it was odd too. Hard to describe. Like addressing many things as one. How alive it is, thats hard to say.
She doesn't see it as an abomination or anything, but says its very privative compared to her and her friends. She likens it to a windup toy, instead of a living thing. Though she also says that it might be more adequately described as a bunch of people stacked on each other, moving like a big person.
Aaron already had Grey's attention so he ignores the angry letters.
Grey heads to the training hall. On the way he disseminates what he knows about the robe's storage properties and how to reach a hand through a needle link, allowing these things to become common knowledge.
Once there, Grey grabs one of the training dummies with his glove's telekinesis and throws it around to see how much force he can exert on it, he then tries to grab multiple dummies using the gloves. Grey also checks to see if he can grab a dummy that's close to him by bringing his hand up to his face so that it blocks most of his vision, and then closing it.
Afterwards Grey orders a bunch of dummies to start walking around and jumping and then Maintains the current positions of everything in the training hall except for Homunculi and anything in their possession, in order to confirm if word magic is friendly to exceptions.
He suggests anyone milling about in the training hall to vacate it in case of potential backlash, and waits for them to do whatever they want to do first before casting his spell.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
We'll assume thats common knowledge now.
Tests show that your telekinetic powers do seem to have a limit. When you use them on relatively light things, and move them reasonably, everything goes fine. But when you start grabbing things heavier than you could lift and flinging them around the room with great force your gloves start to burn up. They start from the wrist and smolder with heatless white fire that consumes the fabric like the burning tip of a cigarette.
I don't remember if the dummies follow orders honestly. But yes, you can make exceptions with the word you control.
Once everyone has asked their question/are ready to move on, lemme know.
Post by: Lenglon on October 15, 2021, 03:50:33 pm
((so in short, to avoid meta concerns about odd body shapes, replacing non-standard-human body parts doesn't work as well as replacing standard-human ones?))
"Elizabeth and I are doing well especially since we didn't receive any major injuries during that whole ordeal on the boat, if your wondering about the rope it was just a precaution in case we got washed overboard, I'm not sure if I should remove it yet or wait until the next mission to see if it's still needed."I see. I was just concerned about Elizabeth to be honest. She's been so quiet and just going along with whatever since she got here. I want to make sure she's still okay, and that she knows that she's free to do as she pleases."
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 15, 2021, 05:08:56 pm
((P.s. do humonculi even need sleep?))
Post by: fatcat__25 on October 15, 2021, 05:39:48 pm
"I'm Aaron Blackstar, a Cognizant, it is good to meet you, and I look forward to our work together.
Aaron then stuffs his needle up his sleeve, and tries finding some fairly non-perishable foods from the conduit to stuff in, as well.
(I'm ready to go then.)
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on October 15, 2021, 06:15:45 pm
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 15, 2021, 07:53:34 pm
One more thing. Grey waits for one of the dummies to jump in the air and then Maintains its current position in time. If the magic works then Grey strikes the dummy first with the saber bayonet and again with his needle to observe the results.
After that Grey gets some new gloves and is ready to get going.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: NJW2000 on October 15, 2021, 07:58:46 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 15, 2021, 08:08:31 pm
Youare is no longer naked and goddamn ready to go. <snip>
So, before, he was “naked and goddamned ready to go” but now he’s not?
Post by: Ozarck on October 15, 2021, 08:12:20 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on October 16, 2021, 04:58:56 am
"I see. I was just concerned about Elizabeth to be honest. She's been so quiet and just going along with whatever since she got here. I want to make sure she's still okay, and that she knows that she's free to do as she pleases.""I'm sure if she thinks something is to stupid or dangerous to do or be around she'll say something or at least I'd hope she would."
See what kind of things I can get the doll to do, then get ready for the next mission.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Egan_BW on October 18, 2021, 02:33:12 am
Description: A pale, fat thing resembling a waterlogged corpse, bloated, with discolored nails and recessed eye sockets. Shoulders, upper back, and thighs covered in incongruently healthy-looking orange fur. Large, triangular, yet bald ears atop head, and a huge mouth lined with numerous needle-like teeth. Apparently female.
Nature: Glutton
Status: Nominal
HP: 10
Inventory: None
Fate Points: 0
Begin existing. Acquire equipment. Wander towards portal.
"Hungry..."
Post by: piecewise on October 18, 2021, 10:02:07 pm
I'd like to test if turning my tail into materials has the same odd difficulty in controlling it that I seem to be having with my wings. Other than that i'm ready for another mission. I haven't asked my question and would like to wait to ask it.Yep, and it includes the tail as well. Mostly just want to avoid someone creating a character with traits specifically designed to abuse their powers.
((so in short, to avoid meta concerns about odd body shapes, replacing non-standard-human body parts doesn't work as well as replacing standard-human ones?))"Elizabeth and I are doing well especially since we didn't receive any major injuries during that whole ordeal on the boat, if your wondering about the rope it was just a precaution in case we got washed overboard, I'm not sure if I should remove it yet or wait until the next mission to see if it's still needed."I see. I was just concerned about Elizabeth to be honest. She's been so quiet and just going along with whatever since she got here. I want to make sure she's still okay, and that she knows that she's free to do as she pleases."Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
(Hugh is ready for another mission. Just wake him up whenever.))(Depends on the Homunculi. You're fairly similar to humans so you do, though you need much less.
((P.s. do humonculi even need sleep?))
In response to Tess:A quick test of putting stuff into your sleeves seems to show that things placed there are "Frozen" in time. Warm foods stuffed in come out equally warm even an hour later. So you just stuff in anything good.
"I'm Aaron Blackstar, a Cognizant, it is good to meet you, and I look forward to our work together.
Aaron then stuffs his needle up his sleeve, and tries finding some fairly non-perishable foods from the conduit to stuff in, as well.
(I'm ready to go then.)Spoiler (click to show/hide)
(I wouldn’t know about their animated natures either if I hadn’t gone over the early posts a while back. The dummies can’t leave the room though so no shenanigans to worry about there.)If it is truly "Maintained" in time then you cannot strike it. Time around it is frozen, and nothing can enter that frozen time, nor leave it, nor move.
One more thing. Grey waits for one of the dummies to jump in the air and then Maintains its current position in time. If the magic works then Grey strikes the dummy first with the saber bayonet and again with his needle to observe the results.
After that Grey gets some new gloves and is ready to get going.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
The doll seems to effectively follow instructions as best it physically can, but it is just a collection of knotted rags and stuffing so its quite limited in that regard."I see. I was just concerned about Elizabeth to be honest. She's been so quiet and just going along with whatever since she got here. I want to make sure she's still okay, and that she knows that she's free to do as she pleases.""I'm sure if she thinks something is to stupid or dangerous to do or be around she'll say something or at least I'd hope she would."
See what kind of things I can get the doll to do, then get ready for the next mission.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Name: Aa-tou-tou Lesia
Description: A pale, fat thing resembling a waterlogged corpse, bloated, with discolored nails and recessed eye sockets. Shoulders, upper back, and thighs covered in incongruently healthy-looking orange fur. Large, triangular, yet bald ears atop head, and a huge mouth lined with numerous needle-like teeth. Apparently female.
Nature: Glutton
Status: Nominal
HP: 10
Inventory: None
Fate Points: 0
Begin existing. Acquire equipment. Wander towards portal.
"Hungry..."
Looks good to me! You flop onto the floor, into your robe, and over to the gate.
The plaque beside the gate shifts and the following words appear.
Eleven people have disappeared while crossing through the Umdera forest. No remains have been found. The locals believe it is the result of magic. In accordance with the Covenant of Protection, discover the source of these disappearances and prevent further losses. This is our will.
The gate opens into a yawning void.
Post by: Ozarck on October 18, 2021, 10:11:37 pm
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on October 18, 2021, 10:37:53 pm
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 18, 2021, 11:02:56 pm
If it is truly "Maintained" in time then you cannot strike it. Time around it is frozen, and nothing can enter that frozen time, nor leave it, nor move.About what I expected, just checking that it didn't work otherwise. I have some ideas for this...
A little clarification, what happens if the needle comes in contact with magically frozen time? Does it bounce off or does the needle destroy the spell?
Anyways, Grey crosses through the portal. Provided we don't come under attack by ghosts or something on the other side, Grey turns around and examines the teleport conduit for any markings or writing, viewing it through his needle as well.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on October 18, 2021, 11:22:16 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 19, 2021, 12:15:24 am
“Ho!”, Hugh jolts awake. After blinking a few times, he gets up and heads to the portal room. Once there, he recounts what he was told about the various types of humonculi corps to anyone present, and then reads the plaque.
“Ho! Ho! Ho! It looks like they need us again! Hmm… a mystery… well, we are an investigation corps, after all! Ho! Ho! Ho!”
With that, Hugh steps through the portal. Upon reaching the other side, he quickly tries to get his bearings and begins observing the forest through the eye of his needle. If there are any humonculi there that weren’t in the portal room, he recounts the information about the different types of humonculi corps to them.
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((Btw, how long do things last in Hugh’s stomach? And by that, I mean: Can Hugh create a particular thing that he’s eaten indefinitely after eating it, or do I need to periodically clean out his stomach contents list?))
Post by: King Zultan on October 19, 2021, 03:43:50 am
Go through the portal and look around.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on October 19, 2021, 09:30:33 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Egan_BW on October 19, 2021, 10:33:10 am
Spoiler: aa (click to show/hide)
"Robe... Gloves... Needle... Are they... good to eat?..."
Consider whether I should eat my own weapon. I am very hungry. Follow the other fat guy and observe what he does.
Post by: piecewise on October 19, 2021, 12:07:59 pm
This is probably dumb, but see if I can put the shark up my sleeve.Nah. He's too big. Won't fit. Your sleeves are about 40cm or 16 inches in diameter. Anything that could be squeezed through a hole that large will fit in your sleeve. Otherwise, no go.Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Now if you were to shrink the shark somehow....
Needles absorb it and end the effect. Anything else bouncesIf it is truly "Maintained" in time then you cannot strike it. Time around it is frozen, and nothing can enter that frozen time, nor leave it, nor move.About what I expected, just checking that it didn't work otherwise. I have some ideas for this...
A little clarification, what happens if the needle comes in contact with magically frozen time? Does it bounce off or does the needle destroy the spell?
Anyways, Grey crosses through the portal. Provided we don't come under attack by ghosts or something on the other side, Grey turns around and examines the teleport conduit for any markings or writing, viewing it through his needle as well.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
When you examine the teleport conduit you see a few things interesting. First, there is an Eye marking on it like the one on your robes. There is also a symbol: It looks like a triangle, but with circles at the vertexes instead of points and a small "+" coming out of the bottom. The globular apex of the conduit glows purple and a single thread of purple light arcs up into the air and then out towards the....uh...You think its the east.
Aaron seeks to know in which compass direction quarter of the forest the travelers, or their remains are to be found, and steps through the gate, ready to duck if something bad is coming his way.[?]Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Hmm...North-ish?
((As long as you keep track of it, they last in your stomach infinitely. And you can make as many duplicates as you want.))
“Ho!”, Hugh jolts awake. After blinking a few times, he gets up and heads to the portal room. Once there, he recounts what he was told about the various types of humonculi corps to anyone present, and then reads the plaque.
“Ho! Ho! Ho! It looks like they need us again! Hmm… a mystery… well, we are an investigation corps, after all! Ho! Ho! Ho!”
With that, Hugh steps through the portal. Upon reaching the other side, he quickly tries to get his bearings and begins observing the forest through the eye of his needle. If there are any humonculi there that weren’t in the portal room, he recounts the information about the different types of humonculi corps to them.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((Btw, how long do things last in Hugh’s stomach? And by that, I mean: Can Hugh create a particular thing that he’s eaten indefinitely after eating it, or do I need to periodically clean out his stomach contents list?))
We'll assume you let everyone know what you learned. Loudly. Whether they want to hear it or not.
The fat man laughs a lot and yells. That seems....like a lot of work.Spoiler: aa (click to show/hide)
"Robe... Gloves... Needle... Are they... good to eat?..."
Consider whether I should eat my own weapon. I am very hungry. Follow the other fat guy and observe what he does.
[5] Needles absorb magic so...eating one might give you a stomach ache. There's plenty of dirt and grass and starlight and darkness and such though.
Greed hops through the portal.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
"I wonder if we'll ever get a vacation?"
Go through the portal and look around.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The gateway is the normal blind tumble through impossible space before emerging on your feet. Its early evening, the sky is a deep black blue and the first speckled stars starting to appear but the horizon still aglow. The land is gently sloping towards the north, down towards a river in a wide, shallow valley. The landscape is odd, full of shallow depressions and rolling hills like the surface of a windblown sea. Knee-high greenish-blue grass and tiny pale flowers swim in a clinging sea of mist. The diffuse light of fireflies drifts ghostly through the haze. A thin dirt track, worn by feet, crosses east to west through the grass just ahead of the scorched patch where the conduit landed. To the east the path disappears into a dark wall of a forest. The trees stretch north and south, down to the distant river and beyond. To the west, the path curves through the low hills and depressions until it reaches the squat twinkling sprawl of a village. Flickering amber lights, dark boxy homes, and the growing ethereal mound of chimney smoke rising above it. There are no signs, no obvious identification of anything.
Observing the distant trees through the eye of the needle reveals nothing in particular.
Post by: Egan_BW on October 19, 2021, 12:30:51 pm
Spoiler: aa (click to show/hide)
"Wow. There is a lot of e everything outside. The thing we want to slaughter is probably in the woods, but I'm sure the people in that town have some tasty things- uh, I mean, perhaps they have information for us."
Go west along the path, holding my mouth open to devour the air, the dark, the starlight which falls on my tongue... and try to catch a firefly too!
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 19, 2021, 05:42:09 pm
Spoiler: aa (click to show/hide)
"Wow. There is a lot of e everything outside. The thing we want to slaughter is probably in the woods, but I'm sure the people in that town have some tasty things- uh, I mean, perhaps they have information for us."
Go west along the path, holding my mouth open to devour the air, the dark, the starlight which falls on my tongue... and try to catch a firefly too!
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Well, hello there little feller! My name is Hugh. I’m a Glutton. And who might you be?”, Hugh asks, jovially.
Hugh then picks Aa-tou-tou up and holds her with one arm as he opens his mouth and eats the distance between himself and the village (note: just the distance. Not the space and stuff between himself and the village. He’s hoping this will reduce the distance between himself and the village to zero).
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Egan_BW on October 19, 2021, 05:52:13 pm
Post by: Ozarck on October 19, 2021, 06:54:19 pm
1) where they all from the village or were some coming to the village from elsewhere?
2)what kind of people?
3)why were they traveling through the woods?
4) Were they together or separate?
5) What else is known about hte woods?
6) how long have these events been going on?
7) Any other events happen recently out of the ordinary?
8) observe the people's reactions to myself and the other homunculi as well. Also observe how they interact with each other: casual and friendly, stiff and formal, underlying hint of fear or suspicion?
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 19, 2021, 07:34:38 pm
"I think I am called... Aa-tou-tou Lesia? I think you should call me Aa. What is a glutton? Is it tasty?"
((Noted. Hugh is busy eating the distance between him and the village. He’ll answer Aa’s question once piecewise does the next update.))
Post by: Lenglon on October 19, 2021, 10:27:54 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on October 19, 2021, 11:36:41 pm
"Also, if you have anything else you think I could be helpful in finding out, tell me. I am, after all, a Cognizant."
In answer to Tess's question, Aaron seeks to know if any villagers know the cause of the disappearances.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on October 19, 2021, 11:58:16 pm
they might be part of the problem, rather than victims.
Post by: Ozarck on October 20, 2021, 12:16:15 am
"Also, if you have anything else you think I could be helpful in finding out, tell me. I am, after all, a Cognizant.""Yes? Can you look into the past and perhaps trace the route of one of the disappeared? Do you need something that belonged to them or a picture or something to jump start your ability?"
"if the locals know the cause of the disappearances or not would be nice to know.""Hmm. I assumed it was a representative of the locals that asked our help in this matter. But I suppose it doesn't hurt to be cautious."
Post by: King Zultan on October 20, 2021, 02:54:25 am
Follow the group to the town and untie the rope that ties me to Elizabeth.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 20, 2021, 08:16:21 am
If thinking of the cave portal doesn't get Grey anywhere, he tries thinking of the conduit on the docks of that fishing town we were at earlier instead.
On the off chance conduit actually teleports Grey anywhere, he teleports back to the group using his needle links and heads into the village with everyone else. If it doesn't do anything, he still goes with the group.
Also, possibly a stupid idea, but at whatever point that Grey is traveling with the group he tries grabbing two needle threads in one hand and tugging three times. Say...[dice rolling] Youare and Aaron's threads.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: The Lupanian on October 20, 2021, 04:46:29 pm
Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
Post by: Egan_BW on October 20, 2021, 05:09:01 pm
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on October 21, 2021, 11:41:57 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on October 21, 2021, 07:29:23 pm
Spoiler: aa (click to show/hide)
"Wow. There is a lot of e everything outside. The thing we want to slaughter is probably in the woods, but I'm sure the people in that town have some tasty things- uh, I mean, perhaps they have information for us."
Go west along the path, holding my mouth open to devour the air, the dark, the starlight which falls on my tongue... and try to catch a firefly too!
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Well, hello there little feller! My name is Hugh. I’m a Glutton. And who might you be?”, Hugh asks, jovially.
Hugh then picks Aa-tou-tou up and holds her with one arm as he opens his mouth and eats the distance between himself and the village (note: just the distance. Not the space and stuff between himself and the village. He’s hoping this will reduce the distance between himself and the village to zero).Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
[5]Spoiler: aa (click to show/hide)
"Wow. There is a lot of e everything outside. The thing we want to slaughter is probably in the woods, but I'm sure the people in that town have some tasty things- uh, I mean, perhaps they have information for us."
Go west along the path, holding my mouth open to devour the air, the dark, the starlight which falls on my tongue... and try to catch a firefly too!
Hugh picks Aa up, holds her under one arm, and opens his mouth. He bites down on apparently open air with a loud chomp and vanishes. Or rather, he eats the distance between himself and the village and simply exists over there now. Aa, mouth open the whole way, swallows a great deal of darkness, air, and everything else along the way. The result is an Aa wide cylinder of airless, darkness-less space that persists as a burning streak in mid air for a few moments before it collapses inwards with a thunder clap and flash of darkness. Its quite a thing to see and completely terrifying to anyone who doesn't expect normal Homunculi shenanigans.
Aaron walks with Genesis, and tells him that he is pretty sure that the travelers, or what is left of them, are to be found in the northern part of the woods. He also tells anyone else walking with them this.
"Also, if you have anything else you think I could be helpful in finding out, tell me. I am, after all, a Cognizant."
In answer to Tess's question, Aaron seeks to know if any villagers know the cause of the disappearances.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
[?]
None of the villagers know the cause for certain...but most have their suspicions as to what is going on.
No reason not to mess with the conduit while we have time. Grey fixes the image of the Homunculi cave portal in his mind and starts touching everything, placing his palm on the eye marking, poking the circles with his finger, touching all three circles at the same time, touching the middle of the triangle, and touching the middle of the +, doing these things with both hands in varying combinations.None of these things seem to activate the Conduit or really cause it to do anything at all.
If thinking of the cave portal doesn't get Grey anywhere, he tries thinking of the conduit on the docks of that fishing town we were at earlier instead.
On the off chance conduit actually teleports Grey anywhere, he teleports back to the group using his needle links and heads into the village with everyone else. If it doesn't do anything, he still goes with the group.
Also, possibly a stupid idea, but at whatever point that Grey is traveling with the group he tries grabbing two needle threads in one hand and tugging three times. Say...[dice rolling] Youare and Aaron's threads.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Thinking of a previous area you've been to and its conduit also does not help.
[3]
When you pull both treads at once, something rather odd happens. They both snap taut and you become incorporeal as usual. Once incorporeal you hover in mid air, shivering from side to side as the threads try to yank you one way and then the other. Finally the one to Youare snaps and you hurl over to Aaron. The entire thing takes maybe 3 seconds.
Begrudgingly leave Icarus (the shark) and go through the portal, whilst pondering the possibility of making a small two way conduit.You're gonna have to be more specific. Like two linked gates?Spoiler: Luta (click to show/hide)
greed looks through the eye of his needle and looks aroundSpoiler (click to show/hide)
"This place looks normal enough I guess we don't need to be tied together anymore."
Follow the group to the town and untie the rope that ties me to Elizabeth.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Stepping through the portal and orienting myself for a moment, I... mostly just follow Genesis for now and keep my eyes and ears open.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Walk to the village and ask for the details of the disappearances:By the time the rest of the group has reached town a large group of locals is standing around outside their homes. Apparently the terrific noise of Aa and Hugh's arrival roused them and they've gathered curiously to gawk at the newcomers. Hugh spent the intervening time laughing to himself and greeting everyone without explaining anything while Aa chased, and then ate, fireflies.
1) where they all from the village or were some coming to the village from elsewhere?
2)what kind of people?
3)why were they traveling through the woods?
4) Were they together or separate?
5) What else is known about hte woods?
6) how long have these events been going on?
7) Any other events happen recently out of the ordinary?
8) observe the people's reactions to myself and the other homunculi as well. Also observe how they interact with each other: casual and friendly, stiff and formal, underlying hint of fear or suspicion?Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Genesis takes the lead and starts asking questions.
1) 4 people from the village disappeared. All the others were travelers who simply passed through. They reported their own losses and had not heard of the other 7.
2) Two were young men, one was an older woman, the last was a youth.
3) The first two were going to sell or buy from villages on the other side of the woods. The older woman to settle with relatives. The youth to try and find one of the young men after he vanished.
4) Separate.
5) It takes several days to cross through. The path isn't paved, just a dirt track worn by passage, and winds about. [5] They say there's an older town in the woods somewhere called Greenveil. Supposedly it used to be a major town but has declined in the last decades and may or may not be abandoned. They claim its people grew depraved.
6) The first disappearance was about 8 weeks ago.
7) Most say no, but a few farmers claim that some of their crops are missing.
8) They seem to have a semi-fearful respect for you and answer your questions willingly but carefully.
Post by: Egan_BW on October 21, 2021, 08:08:01 pm
Spoiler: aa (click to show/hide)
"Well, I think if someone disappeared trying to find the last people who disappeared, then all we have to do to find the objective is to do what they did and go out there! And then we can butcher whatever it is and eat its remains!"
Link needles with Hugh, then prance down the path into the forest. While being some distance from everybody else, try to eat a spot of air, then eat the Vacuum before it goes away.
If that goes fine, then poke my head into the woods. I can afford to explore a little bit since I can just Link back to Hugh.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 21, 2021, 10:30:59 pm
"I think I am called... Aa-tou-tou Lesia? I think you should call me Aa. What is a glutton? Is it tasty?"
“Ho! Ho! Ho! A Glutton, little Aa, is a homunculus who eats things. I have been told that we can eat anything. For example, I just ate the distance that was between us and the village, and here we are! Although, I must say, I wasn’t expecting it to literally split the air! Ho! Ho! Ho!”, Hugh laughs, gesturing wide. “By the way, may I inquire as to what kind of humonculus you are? Do you want to link needles with me? I can link with up to two more people…”, Hugh inquires.
Post by: Egan_BW on October 21, 2021, 10:43:20 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 21, 2021, 10:58:39 pm
"Needles? To what are you referring?" Aa stops running around trying to catch fireflies for a moment and gives a questioning look.
“This.”, Hugh responds, pointing to his own needle. “Ho! Ho! Ho! You are full of questions, Aa!” Hugh then explains to Aa about linking needles and all of the other things that can be done with them. “Do you know about what your gloves and robe can do, little one?”, Hugh inquires.
Post by: Egan_BW on October 21, 2021, 11:02:15 pm
"They are to protect my hands, right? If I have to hold aside a thorny vine, I'd prefer to have gloves. And the robes will keep me from becoming too cold in the woods."
Post by: fatcat__25 on October 21, 2021, 11:14:52 pm
Aaron then attempts to know which quarter of the forest Greenveil is in, and if any intelligent being lives there now. He also relinks with Grey, since he just showed up, and the link dissolved.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 21, 2021, 11:37:45 pm
I'm gong to see what I can figure out about the Geenveil place. It might be the source of the problem, or it might be a good base of operations. Or even both!"
"Going to this Greenveil place sounds like it might be quicker than traveling the forest paths for a few days in hopes of something happening. I'll see if I can find out anything as well."
Not having any magic databases in his head, Grey asks around the village to see if anyone has been to Greenveil before, in hopes of getting directions or a guide. He also probes the people he talks with a little in hopes of getting details on this depravity they were known for.
He relinks with Aaron and Youare.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 21, 2021, 11:39:03 pm
List of the functions and which equipment uses them according to what we already know:
Gloves
Protection, (cross arms, overlapping wrists to form a shield in front of you)
Remote viewing, (close eyes, look through the eyes on the palms of the glove. only works with your own gloves. Gloves do not need to be worn for it to work)
gloves also allow us to hold magical objects without being affected, or to push magic out of objects.
Robes
storage, (sleeves are hammerspace)
environmental regulation, (also works with gloves)
Needles
siphoning of magical power,
fusion of materials, (tap with pointy end, tap second material with handle end.)
perception of the unseen, (look through the eye of the needle for this)
linking of sound, vision, and physical person, (I am unclear on this one. Our needle links might be this. but what does linking physical person mean?)
?
Teleportation, (I have been unable to figure out how this works. Feel free to ask about it) (Probably talking about the conduit, actually)
transpositional movement, (pulling thread of needle link?)
servitude,
telekinesis,
shape shifting.
((Quoting for Egan_BW’s benefit. I believe there are a few things that were discovered since this list was compiled and therefore not in it. Ozarck, do you think you could keep the quoted post updated as new information comes in and keep a link to it in your posts?
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 22, 2021, 12:52:17 am
Spoiler: A longer explanation if you like (click to show/hide)
(It's a little dense but reading it should leave you well informed.)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 22, 2021, 01:04:48 am
Spoiler: A longer explanation if you like (click to show/hide)
(It's a little dense but reading it should leave you well informed.)
((Looks pretty good. Better than what I quoted above, even. You may want to add that the links are broken after needle teleportation (and, therefore, require relinking). Also, I didn’t see what Hugh discovered. If you look through the eye of the needle while pulling on a link (without letting go), you can see as if out of the needle of the person the link is connected to.))
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 22, 2021, 01:13:48 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 22, 2021, 01:39:01 am
(Ah right, added them in. I also added that you can get replacement items from the equipment box if your stuff winds up damaged.)
((I just checked, and I don’t see what Hugh discovered in there. Please see the result of Hugh’s second experiment in this post (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8320350#msg8320350) by Piecewise, which I summarized in my previous reply to you.))
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 22, 2021, 01:48:04 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 22, 2021, 01:50:43 am
(It's in there, the third entry from the bottom of the needles section. Though I did use different words than what's in your summary.)
((Ah. I see it now. Thank you!))
Post by: Lenglon on October 22, 2021, 02:22:01 am
ask the villagers
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on October 22, 2021, 03:35:27 am
Ask people what they think is taking the people.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Egan_BW on October 22, 2021, 09:26:39 am
“Ho! Ho! Ho! A Glutton, little Aa, is a homunculus who eats things. I have been told that we can eat anything. For example, I just ate the distance that was between us and the village, and here we are! Although, I must say, I wasn’t expecting it to literally split the air! Ho! Ho! Ho!”, Hugh laughs, gesturing wide. “By the way, may I inquire as to what kind of humonculus you are? Do you want to link needles with me? I can link with up to two more people…”, Hugh inquires.
"Ah, I see. These things are much more intricate than first appear. I will link my needle to yours, then. I think I am a Glutton as well, so inform me if you find something particularly tasty, and we can share..."
Post by: piecewise on October 22, 2021, 12:47:12 pm
Spoiler: A longer explanation if you like (click to show/hide)
(It's a little dense but reading it should leave you well informed.)
Two small corrections. Or additions I suppose.
1. The robe can make the one in it appear different as well as altering its own appearance. So you can make yourself look like someone else, or simply look like yourself in different clothing. Or both.
2. You can see out of the eyes of the gloves when you close your own eyes. Right eye, right glove, left eye, left glove. Your gloves do not need to be on your hands to do this. Keep this in mind.
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 22, 2021, 01:16:58 pm
Two small corrections. Or additions I suppose.(Ah so that's what it is, cool. Shows my occasional illiteracy as Ozarck put that in his own summary and I completely glanced over it. I'll update the list later today.)
1. The robe can make the one in it appear different as well as altering its own appearance. So you can make yourself look like someone else, or simply look like yourself in different clothing. Or both.
2. You can see out of the eyes of the gloves when you close your own eyes. Right eye, right glove, left eye, left glove. Your gloves do not need to be on your hands to do this. Keep this in mind.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 22, 2021, 04:52:00 pm
“Ho! Ho! Ho! So… you need to get to this Greenveil place! I’ve got a proposition. How about you let me pick up two humonculi and I eat the distance between here and Greenveil. Once we’re there, I set them down and tell the rest that we’ve arrived. Then they can tug on their links to teleport over to us. Oh… and please remind them to relink after they teleport.” Hugh then waits for a reply. After replying to Aaron, Hugh seeks out some of the villagers and asks them for information on this Greenveil place (including what direction it is in, and it’s distance from the village).
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: edited action. Included link to Aa.
Post by: fatcat__25 on October 22, 2021, 05:30:42 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 22, 2021, 08:02:02 pm
Aaron looks mildly exasperated at Hugh's suggestion. "That would be all well and good, perhaps, if we knew if we even wanted to go there right away. I don't know anything about it yet, and neither does any of the rest of us. Perhaps once we find out more, I'd be willing to take up your offer."
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Then… I can wait. Just take all the time you need!”, Hugh responds laughing heartily.
Post by: Ozarck on October 22, 2021, 09:30:15 pm
((As you've seen, both Fire and Glory and I have been keeping track of the functions of our equipment, and keeping the information relatively up to date. won't be including a link to an updated post though, for a couple reasons, including that it is more work for me. Occasionally, I will remind people of our abilities, as I remember, but it would be meta to have the list constantly in people's faces, and it's up to you guys to learn your stuff and use it to your own ability and playstyle.))-stuff about our equipment-Ozarck, do you think you could keep the quoted post updated as new information comes in and keep a link to it in your posts?
((As usual, I’ll let Ozarck decide on the color for the link between Hugh and Aa.))((go ahead and take violet for now. I'll update the link web later, I have been dealing with some RL stuff recently))
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 23, 2021, 04:48:19 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 24, 2021, 01:53:43 am
Post by: piecewise on October 24, 2021, 03:23:34 pm
In a free moment, Aaron tells those he is with "No-one here has any concrete idea what is causing this. You might hear some interesting stories if you asked what they think is to blame. I'm gong to see what I can figure out about the Geenveil place. It might be the source of the problem, or it might be a good base of operations. Or even both!"Relinked
Aaron then attempts to know which quarter of the forest Greenveil is in, and if any intelligent being lives there now. He also relinks with Grey, since he just showed up, and the link dissolved.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
[?]
The southern section, and about a mile underground.
[2,3]I'm gong to see what I can figure out about the Geenveil place. It might be the source of the problem, or it might be a good base of operations. Or even both!"
"Going to this Greenveil place sounds like it might be quicker than traveling the forest paths for a few days in hopes of something happening. I'll see if I can find out anything as well."
Not having any magic databases in his head, Grey asks around the village to see if anyone has been to Greenveil before, in hopes of getting directions or a guide. He also probes the people he talks with a little in hopes of getting details on this depravity they were known for.
He relinks with Aaron and Youare.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
No one is willing to guide you through the forest, and their directions are vague at best. They say it should be along the path somewhere, and that there is an old gate arch which should mark the way, but thats about it. As per the "depravity", apparently the town was once very prosperous. It made a great deal on fishing the river, mining the hills and cutting the forests. But eventually those markets began to dry up and their profits with them. The town, hedonistic in its wealth, became desperate to keep its money. The depravity was a reflection of both the old hedonism and the new greed.
"It seems to me that the logical thing would have been to have a tracker attempt to find their last known location, with a decently large group accompanying them to escort and help with any rescues. Did you try it?"They did not. Most of the villagers here are older, and farmers on top of it. Tracking and hunting in the forest is not their way, and if too many go missing then the harvests will fail and all will starve. They have, as far as you can tell, simply given up on the forest as a place beyond them and started avoiding it. You can tell there's a fair amount of fear underlying these seemingly logical arguments. Perhaps they could not muster enough volunteers for a search party.
ask the villagersSpoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"That Greenveil place is probably the first place we should check out."[5]
Ask people what they think is taking the people.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
They are not certain, but the older among them remember that during the decline of Greenveil it was said to be dangerous to pass near it at night. There were rumors of young women being snatched off the path and spirited away into that town, never to be seen again. Those rumors then encompassed young men, then anyone on that forest whatsoever. As Greenveil vanished into the encroaching woods the rumors vanished with it but...these disappearances have brought those old stories back. Some say they simply suspect a connection. Others go off on wild tales of mansnatchers hiding in the forest and committing unspeakable acts in return for gold. Others believe it is something else, a remnant from those days lingering on and mindlessly acting. A curse, proverbial or perhaps real.
Hugh links needles with Aa and then saunters over to the others who are discussing the Greenveil place.[2] The villagers tell you they do not know the way other than that it should be along the path somewhere.
“Ho! Ho! Ho! So… you need to get to this Greenveil place! I’ve got a proposition. How about you let me pick up two humonculi and I eat the distance between here and Greenveil. Once we’re there, I set them down and tell the rest that we’ve arrived. Then they can tug on their links to teleport over to us. Oh… and please remind them to relink after they teleport.” Hugh then waits for a reply. After replying to Aaron, Hugh seeks out some of the villagers and asks them for information on this Greenveil place (including what direction it is in, and it’s distance from the village).Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: edited action. Included link to Aa.
[2] You try to take a bite of air but it all runs out between your teeth. Tricky.Spoiler: aa (click to show/hide)
"Well, I think if someone disappeared trying to find the last people who disappeared, then all we have to do to find the objective is to do what they did and go out there! And then we can butcher whatever it is and eat its remains!"
Link needles with Hugh, then prance down the path into the forest. While being some distance from everybody else, try to eat a spot of air, then eat the Vacuum before it goes away.
If that goes fine, then poke my head into the woods. I can afford to explore a little bit since I can just Link back to Hugh.
The entrance to the forest is...unassuming. Seems like just a normal forest. Sure the path is pretty overgrown- just a thin strip of ancient stones almost completely lost in the undergrowth- but nothing about it screams impending doom. Though its trees are high, and the path is dark thanks to the branches.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 24, 2021, 03:56:35 pm
Hugh then brings the eye of his needle up to his mouth and speaks into it. “Ho! Ho! Ho! This is Hugh here! I’ve talked to the locals about that Greenveil place, but all I’ve got out of them is that it’s somewhere long the path. Was anyone able to get anymore information. What do you think of my previous proposal? Is it too dangerous?”. Hugh pauses.
Hugh then continues, “I’m also concerned about my ability to get us to Greenveil. I might need to know the bearing and distance to the place in order to transport there. The villagers didn’t tell me how far the place is, and I doubt that path is straight all through the forest. If anyone could give me any more information about where Greenveil is, it would be most appreciated. If we still want to go there, that is…”
Hugh then waits for the others to reply.
Post by: Egan_BW on October 24, 2021, 05:50:38 pm
I cannot support the proposal of traveling directly to the target destination. It is likely that you or I would require precise measurements, plus when I traveled with you I... observed that it may be a hazardous method.
It seems likely that travelers along this path will be ambushed by something near that Greenveil place. However, presumably the chance of our target revealing itself would go down if its prospective prey were to be armed and travel in numbers. As such I propose that I use my robes to assume a less threatening appearance and travel alone in order to lure out our prey. At which point I would inform you and others could link to my position to ambush. Would you mind conferring with the others if they agree with that course of action, Hugh?"
Post by: Ozarck on October 24, 2021, 06:13:54 pm
"We're all right here, you walnut. You don't need to yell into your needle."I am going to assume that everyone shares their results.
"Well, I'm going. In the morning, that is. For now, let's sleep. But let's set up a watch rotation as well, two homunculi per shift. Four shifts. I'll take first shift."
request sleeping arrangements for the group. take In the morning, assuming no nightly shenanigans, go along the path in the direction of the disappearances.
Edit: also do the "look like a villager" bit. put my needle in my robe sleeve. Go up front with Aa.
Edit Edit: swap a glove with grey, for keeping track of each other.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 24, 2021, 07:56:51 pm
Hugh then points the eye of his needle towards the link to Aa, “Aa… come back here. If I remember correctly, you’re only linked to me. If that’s so, I’m the only one who can teleport to you. The others would have to wait for me to teleport to you and then teleport to me. Precious time might be lost that way. Time that might get you (and possibly me) killed. I’d like you to come back here and link with more people, if possible. Then you can resume your plan, if the others are ok with it.” Hugh then shakes his head before rubbing it again. “Ho… ho… ho…”
Hugh then waits for Aa to respond and/or return. Relink with Aa when she does so, then swap left gloves with her.
After doing so, use my robe to disguise myself as a random villager and see if I can disguise my needle as a walking stick (also, see if I can still see through it’s eye while it’s disguised). If successful, keep it disguised. If not, store it in sleeve-space.
Then take first watch. After first watch, hit the sack and sleep until morning.
Then travel the forest path with the others (examining my surroundings as I go with my needle, if I was able to disguise it), and periodically closing my left eye to check up on Aa. Notify the other’s and teleport to Aa’s location if she’s in trouble.
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((@Ozarck I don’t see Hugh’s link to Aa (or Aa at all) in your link web map. The link is violet.))
Edit: added part about relinking with Aa.
Edit2: added more stuff.
Edit3: added part about swapping gloves.
Edit4: major rewrite of action consequent to Egan_BW’s explanation. Also, s/rope/robe.
Edit5: added a few line breaks.
Post by: fatcat__25 on October 24, 2021, 08:30:05 pm
Aaron volunteers for the second watch, and while waiting for arrangements, attempts to know the route from Greenveil to the village.
(Sorry if the underlining was extraneous. I figure if I get wrong info, it will be less disastrous that direction.)
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Egan_BW on October 24, 2021, 08:33:38 pm
Spoiler: aa (click to show/hide)
Follow my link with Hugh back to the village. Relink my needle with anybody who agrees to try my plan. Trade left gloves with Hugh.
In the morning I'll proceed down the path a little ahead of the others, with my needle up my sleeve and using my robes to appear as some normal defenseless girl, as bait to lure out our prey. There's no telling whether the... nature of the rumors about Greenveil are true, but if they are it would prove beneficial to the bait to appear as someone conventionally attractive.
As I walk down the path, make sure my right palm is facing backwards and every few steps close my right eye to check if something is sneaking up behind me.
Can I still hear people trying to contact me through my needle if it's stowed up my sleeve, and can I still see through my glove-eyes if I'm using my robe to disguise myself? If I wear my own glove on one hand but a glove belonging to another homunculus on my other, can I still create a shield by crossing my arms, or do the gloves used have to belong to the same set?
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 24, 2021, 08:47:02 pm
Spoiler: aa (click to show/hide)
Follow my link with Hugh back to the village. Relink my needle with anybody who agrees to try my plan.
In the morning I'll proceed down the path a little ahead of the others, with my needle up my sleeve and using my robes to appear as some normal defenseless girl, as bait to lure out our prey.
((I’ve updated my previous post to have Hugh relink with Aa (honestly, I just thought she would walk back…).))
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 24, 2021, 10:40:16 pm
"If Aa wants to walk in front of us, I have no objections. Though maybe we should all take guises as villagers? We'd look more like a search party instead of dangerous agents of the Magi."
"I'll take fourth watch."
Grey swaps gloves with Genesis and breaks his link with Luta, forming a new one with Aa. Grey randomly picks one of the men around the village and shapeshifts so that his face and robe matches their appearance. I assume they'll agree to this, because they wouldn't want to disagree would they?
After sleeping and taking fourth watch Grey hides his needle in his robe, hopefully not breaking anything with its anti-magic properties. He then travels the forest path with the group, with Aa and Genesis some distance ahead, periodically looking through the gloves he gave Genesis to be sure that they're still upright and walking forwards.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 25, 2021, 12:12:35 am
Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on October 25, 2021, 12:14:08 am
((good work on the web))
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 25, 2021, 12:51:49 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 25, 2021, 01:12:35 am
((I’ll add Hugh’s additional actions to my other post.))
Post by: Ozarck on October 25, 2021, 02:32:03 am
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 25, 2021, 02:47:30 am
Post by: King Zultan on October 25, 2021, 04:21:04 am
"those of you with physical oddities might want to stay toward the back or something.""I feel this statement is mostly geared towards me and the new person, and I for one do not see myself as odd."
Take whichever position in the watch is available and stay with the group when we head out in the morning.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on October 25, 2021, 08:59:33 am
"I feel this statement is mostly geared towards me and the new person, and I for one do not see myself as odd.""I don't have a better term for it. Oh, someone please check regularly through their needle for signs of magic in the forest. If I'm going to be bait I can't exactly be pulling out my needle every few minutes to stare around."
Post by: Egan_BW on October 25, 2021, 11:10:43 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 25, 2021, 11:19:17 am
"Okay, good idea. Who would like to trade gloves with me and keep an eye out?"
“Ho! Ho! Ho! I’ll be glad to trade gloves with you, little one, provided they’ll fit us! Otherwise, We’ll both have to find someone else. Hopefully, they’ll fit, though…”, Hugh smiles at Aa.
((Actions will be added to a previous post.))
Post by: Egan_BW on October 25, 2021, 11:48:11 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 25, 2021, 11:55:43 am
"Hmm, perhaps we could trade only one side? Keeping my own glove might be useful to watch my own back. In a way that doesn't look like watching my back."
Hugh raises a quizzical eyebrow.
Post by: Egan_BW on October 25, 2021, 12:20:40 pm
Aa opens her eye again. "I realize that I'm making certain assumptions about the nature of the threat, but these are the sorts of things I'm able to prepare for. If I walk into an invisible magic effect or something instead, then I'll have to rely on the rest of you. But if we're facing a sneaky creature as I suspect, it will be important to keep the element of surprise. If it's a group, silence them and take captives for questioning."
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 25, 2021, 12:44:41 pm
"Predators will tend to ambush their prey from the latter's blind areas, right?" Aa closes her right eye and holds her right hand over her shoulder, palm facing backwards. "Like this, I can see out my back, but to the uninitiated it would seem that I cannot. Luring my prey into the false idea that I don't know it's there."
Aa opens her eye again. "I realize that I'm making certain assumptions about the nature of the threat, but these are the sorts of things I'm able to prepare for. If I walk into an invisible magic effect or something instead, then I'll have to rely on the rest of you. But if we're facing a sneaky creature as I suspect, it will be important to keep the element of surprise. If it's a group, silence them and take captives for questioning."
((Try doing that in real life for any significant amount of time. You can held your hand over either shoulder, but make sure that your palm is facing backwards and isn’t blocked by your neck or shoulder so the eye has the maximum field of view.))
Post by: Egan_BW on October 25, 2021, 12:48:22 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 25, 2021, 12:59:59 pm
((She did it over the shoulder to make the gesture more obvious to Hugh, what I'd actually do would be walk normally with my hands down and take a peek every so often from hip level. That way is more comfortable and less suspicious.))
((Ah. We probably don’t even need to swap gloves then (although doing so probably can’t hurt). I’d still like to try swapping gloves with Aa or someone else, first. Btw, that gives mean idea…))
Edit:
((Actually, I’d like to ask what everyone else thinks about using Aa’s little trick instead of swapping gloves, first))
Post by: Egan_BW on October 25, 2021, 01:15:18 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 25, 2021, 01:30:57 pm
Post by: Egan_BW on October 25, 2021, 01:40:20 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 25, 2021, 01:53:47 pm
Post by: Egan_BW on October 25, 2021, 02:05:36 pm
Aa - Hugh's left glove, Aa's right glove
Hugh - Aa's left glove, Hugh's right glove))
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 25, 2021, 02:09:09 pm
Post by: Egan_BW on October 25, 2021, 02:19:11 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 25, 2021, 02:39:42 pm
((Yeah. Do you have a problem with my plan of trading Left gloves?))
((Did you read about the experiment I was going to try with my robe and needle?))
Post by: Egan_BW on October 25, 2021, 03:21:35 pm
Post by: BlackPaladin99 on October 25, 2021, 03:23:28 pm
Post by: Egan_BW on October 25, 2021, 03:37:52 pm
((Bleb. I should probably make a better habit of explaining everything I want in a single post.
Here's what I want to do:
Aa disguises herself as a normal, unarmed human, and goes into the woods ahead of the rest of the group, presenting an ideal target for a hypothetical attacker: alone and unarmed.
If such a target does appear to try and ambush her, she'd use her needle to contact the others following some distance back, and then up to seven other Homunculi could Link to her and subdue the target.
In order to improve chances of noticing an enemy trying to target her, Aa will look behind her using her right glove. This lets her look without appearing to from outside, thus getting the drop on the enemy.
In case Aa in incapacitated before being able to get out a message, she'll wear Hugh's left glove and he'll check in periodically. If she gets knocked out by magic or such, the rest of the group can run to to intervene.
The rest of the group follows a short distance behind Aa, far enough to be out of sight. Also disguised as villagers, but traveling together and potentially visibly armed, presenting a less appealing target to the enemy, but also not giving away that the Magi are involved by being a big roving band of Homunculi.
This plan will kind of require everybody's agreement, since the whole group has to be disguised in case the enemy spies on the larger group and realizes they have a serious opponent. I'd also ideally want to link with five more people so that we can really assault the enemy in force should all go well.
So, does that plan seem good to everybody?))
Post by: fatcat__25 on October 25, 2021, 04:57:14 pm
Post by: Egan_BW on October 25, 2021, 05:02:33 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 25, 2021, 05:31:21 pm
Btw, you’ll need to link to everyone before we start out in the morning. That is, unless you actually intend to walk in the forest until you find danger, walk back to the group and link needles, walk back to where the danger is, and then have everyone teleport in…))
Edit:
((Alright, how’s this (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8323574#msg8323574)?))
Post by: Egan_BW on October 25, 2021, 05:40:10 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 25, 2021, 05:42:28 pm
((Yes, that'd be why my action says to link to whoever will agree to it?))
((I just edited my last post to include a link to the post with my action so you can go over it, but you seem to have ninja’d me. I’d still like to get feedback on it if I can…))
Post by: Egan_BW on October 25, 2021, 06:10:44 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 25, 2021, 08:14:14 pm
((It seems good. Sometimes it's good to put some linebreaks into your boldtext so that it's easier for the GM to digest it and separate the different thoughts.))
((Do I need to put the line breaks after every letter, or can I just put them after every word?))
Post by: Egan_BW on October 25, 2021, 08:20:35 pm
Post by: fatcat__25 on October 25, 2021, 10:09:30 pm
Post by: Egan_BW on October 25, 2021, 10:26:13 pm
This web should still be current: http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8323630#msg8323630 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8323630#msg8323630) ))
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 25, 2021, 10:33:07 pm
((Okay then, pick a color which isn't already in use by either of us and add that to your action.
This web should still be current: http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8323630#msg8323630 (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8323630#msg8323630) ))
((If it help, fatcat, the only possible colors left for a link between Aa and Aaron are blue and indigo.))
Post by: piecewise on October 28, 2021, 04:18:53 pm
Reach up and clonk Hugh on the back of the head with the handle of my needle.[5]
"We're all right here, you walnut. You don't need to yell into your needle."I am going to assume that everyone shares their results.
"Well, I'm going. In the morning, that is. For now, let's sleep. But let's set up a watch rotation as well, two homunculi per shift. Four shifts. I'll take first shift."
request sleeping arrangements for the group. take In the morning, assuming no nightly shenanigans, go along the path in the direction of the disappearances.Check through the eye of my needle as I go to look for hints of magic.Keep my ears open for weirdnesses like unnatural stillness or sounds that don't belong.
Edit: also do the "look like a villager" bit. put my needle in my robe sleeve. Go up front with Aa.
Edit Edit: swap a glove with grey, for keeping track of each other.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Current link web (click to show/hide)
The town has a small inn where travelers along the road used to stay. Its obviously seen a heck of a decline in patronage lately so they're glad to welcome you and the rest of the Homunculi in.
You find a random villager, an old man, and duplicate both his clothing and appearance.
Glove swaps performed.
“Ouch!”, Hugh responds, rubbing the back of his head.You trade gloves and relink with Aa.
Hugh then points the eye of his needle towards the link to Aa, “Aa… come back here. If I remember correctly, you’re only linked to me. If that’s so, I’m the only one who can teleport to you. The others would have to wait for me to teleport to you and then teleport to me. Precious time might be lost that way. Time that might get you (and possibly me) killed. I’d like you to come back here and link with more people, if possible. Then you can resume your plan, if the others are ok with it.” Hugh then shakes his head before rubbing it again. “Ho… ho… ho…”
Hugh then waits for Aa to respond and/or return. Relink with Aa when she does so, then swap left gloves with her.
After doing so, use my robe to disguise myself as a random villager and see if I can disguise my needle as a walking stick (also, see if I can still see through it’s eye while it’s disguised). If successful, keep it disguised. If not, store it in sleeve-space.
Then take first watch. After first watch, hit the sack and sleep until morning.
Then travel the forest path with the others (examining my surroundings as I go with my needle, if I was able to disguise it), and periodically closing my left eye to check up on Aa. Notify the other’s and teleport to Aa’s location if she’s in trouble.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((@Ozarck I don’t see Hugh’s link to Aa (or Aa at all) in your link web map. The link is violet.))
Edit: added part about relinking with Aa.
Edit2: added more stuff.
Edit3: added part about swapping gloves.
Edit4: major rewrite of action consequent to Egan_BW’s explanation. Also, s/rope/robe.
Edit5: added a few line breaks.
You disguise yourself as a random villager, a young woman, both in clothing and appearance. Your needle cannot be changed to match, so you stick it up a sleeve.
You return and trade gloves.Spoiler: aa (click to show/hide)
Follow my link with Hugh back to the village. Relink my needle with anybody who agrees to try my plan. Trade left gloves with Hugh.
In the morning I'll proceed down the path a little ahead of the others, with my needle up my sleeve and using my robes to appear as some normal defenseless girl, as bait to lure out our prey. There's no telling whether the... nature of the rumors about Greenveil are true, but if they are it would prove beneficial to the bait to appear as someone conventionally attractive.
As I walk down the path, make sure my right palm is facing backwards and every few steps close my right eye to check if something is sneaking up behind me.
Can I still hear people trying to contact me through my needle if it's stowed up my sleeve, and can I still see through my glove-eyes if I'm using my robe to disguise myself? If I wear my own glove on one hand but a glove belonging to another homunculus on my other, can I still create a shield by crossing my arms, or do the gloves used have to belong to the same set?
"From what I heard if we travel the path we'll eventually come across the town, so I say we follow the trail and stop by."Gloves swapped, links formed, shape shifted into random man.
"If Aa wants to walk in front of us, I have no objections. Though maybe we should all take guises as villagers? We'd look more like a search party instead of dangerous agents of the Magi."
"I'll take fourth watch."
Grey swaps gloves with Genesis and breaks his link with Luta, forming a new one with Aa. Grey randomly picks one of the men around the village and shapeshifts so that his face and robe matches their appearance. I assume they'll agree to this, because they wouldn't want to disagree would they?
After sleeping and taking fourth watch Grey hides his needle in his robe, hopefully not breaking anything with its anti-magic properties. He then travels the forest path with the group, with Aa and Genesis some distance ahead, periodically looking through the gloves he gave Genesis to be sure that they're still upright and walking forwards.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
[?][?]
Late that night, as the rest of the Homunculi sleep and await the morning search, Grey is standing watch. The inn is three stories tall, one of the tallest buildings in town, with at least 20 or so rooms scattered among the floors. Grey is on the third floor, in a large communal room that holds several beds and several homunculi. He's pulled a chair up to one of the windows and has his feet up, staring out at the street and the town beyond. It has been an exceedingly boring hour or so. He yawns and scans his eyes cross the town for the hundredth time, idly stopping to focus here or there on the rooftops and fields. There's a house down the road that has some very nice eagles carved into the points of its roof beams and he is admiring these when he catches sight of something. Its difficult to tell what it is; its a great distance away and lit only by moonlight, out on the edges of the farm fields that encircle the town. A distant, blurry, shadowed form moving across the fields. Moving not towards town, but towards the woods. Something about it is off...he's seen odd pedestrians wandering all night but this one...its movements aren't right. They're...fluid in a way that humans aren't, wriggling and flowing in a boneless parody of human movement. At least that's his impression as the thing vanishes into the tall stalks of a corn field.
Post by: Egan_BW on October 28, 2021, 05:12:50 pm
Spoiler: aa (click to show/hide)
Dream happy Glutton dreams. Try eating dreamstuff.
Or get woken up. That works too. *grumble*
Prepared to do a Dumb Glutton Trick with Hugh in order to catch the perp.
Post by: Lenglon on October 28, 2021, 07:32:02 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 28, 2021, 07:33:05 pm
Once everyone is getting upright, Grey points out where he saw the creature to Debby, and then reaches out an arm towards the window and Maintains the Thing’s current position. Not that he can see it, or even knows what it is or where it is by now, but maybe we can find it after the magic takes hold.
Regardless of if the magic takes or not, Grey heads down to the cornfield where he last saw the thing.
Grey refuses any efforts by Hugh to bring Grey on his space-warping adventure, the results will be spectacular if anything goes wrong.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on October 28, 2021, 07:43:17 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 28, 2021, 08:12:10 pm
Post by: Egan_BW on October 28, 2021, 08:17:37 pm
Post by: fatcat__25 on October 28, 2021, 09:23:38 pm
(Also, did my action get noticed from last turn and just fail, I wonder?)
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 28, 2021, 09:25:09 pm
Post by: Ozarck on October 29, 2021, 01:23:16 am
"Interesting. Either my mind is giving me false information, or Greenveil is underground, and in the south of the forest. That is not where it seems the travelers are. The town is probably worth investigating, but may not have anything to do with the disappearances. I say we travel there tomorrow, and find out whether one of my pieces of knowledge is wrong."
Aaron volunteers for the second watch, and while waiting for arrangements, attempts to know the route from Greenveil to the village.
(Sorry if the underlining was extraneous. I figure if I get wrong info, it will be less disastrous that direction.)Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on October 29, 2021, 03:45:57 am
”Makes sense. Debby, do you want to try finding the creature?”"Sure, I could try asking the corn, a scarecrow, or a building if it saw anything."
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 29, 2021, 06:12:15 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 29, 2021, 02:48:35 pm
Post by: Egan_BW on October 29, 2021, 03:13:17 pm
Post by: piecewise on October 29, 2021, 04:58:18 pm
"Interesting. Either my mind is giving me false information, or Greenveil is underground, and in the south of the forest. That is not where it seems the travelers are. The town is probably worth investigating, but may not have anything to do with the disappearances. I say we travel there tomorrow, and find out whether one of my pieces of knowledge is wrong."Missed the second half of this action.
Aaron volunteers for the second watch, and while waiting for arrangements, attempts to know the route from Greenveil to the village.
(Sorry if the underlining was extraneous. I figure if I get wrong info, it will be less disastrous that direction.)Spoiler (click to show/hide)
[?]
You know...the way to the village will make itself known, one way or another.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 29, 2021, 05:59:09 pm
"Our friend Grey located a likely target disappearing into the fields. Perhaps if we could learn the correct location we could repeat that teleportation trick you used and take the thing by surprise?"
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Is that so!”, Hugh rubs the back of his head. “All I really did was eat the distance between myself and the village. Didn’t expect it to produce that big thunderclap, though…”
Post by: Egan_BW on October 29, 2021, 06:13:36 pm
Post by: Ozarck on October 29, 2021, 06:35:31 pm
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 29, 2021, 06:39:47 pm
Post by: fatcat__25 on October 29, 2021, 07:11:51 pm
Post by: Egan_BW on October 29, 2021, 07:20:38 pm
Post by: fatcat__25 on October 29, 2021, 08:14:27 pm
(I'll change my action to reflect this.)
Post by: King Zultan on October 30, 2021, 02:17:09 am
”Or maybe a firefly, if any are around. I last saw the creature at that cornfield. I’ll join you there shortly, I’m just going to see if I can stop it in its tracks first.”"Okay I'll see you over there."
Go to the area Grey saw the creature and start asking the corn, fireflies, buildings, scarecrows, and whatever else is around if it knows what the creature is and where it went.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 30, 2021, 07:37:58 pm
”Or maybe a firefly, if any are around. I last saw the creature at that cornfield. I’ll join you there shortly, I’m just going to see if I can stop it in its tracks first.”"Okay I'll see you over there."
Go to the area Grey saw the creature and start asking the corn, fireflies, buildings, scarecrows, and whatever else is around if it knows what the creature is and where it went.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((Now, this is what I don’t get. Logically, Aaron could get the location of the creature, and Hugh could teleport there carrying two people (with a third on his back) before Debby was even a quarter of the way to the cornfield. But… because Aaron and Hugh need two turns to do their thing, while Debby needs only one…))
Post by: Egan_BW on October 30, 2021, 07:55:17 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 30, 2021, 08:10:27 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on October 30, 2021, 08:35:32 pm
Post by: Egan_BW on October 30, 2021, 08:58:22 pm
But she doesn't really care all that much about that. More food!
Post by: piecewise on November 02, 2021, 04:55:44 pm
Hm, odd. It’s likely too late to catch the thing, but it’s nearly morning anyways and I believe it was mentioned that homunculi (or Hugh at least) don’t need much sleep. Grey goes around waking the others up, mentioning that he saw a Thing heading for the woods.[6]
Once everyone is getting upright, Grey points out where he saw the creature to Debby, and then reaches out an arm towards the window and Maintains the Thing’s current position. Not that he can see it, or even knows what it is or where it is by now, but maybe we can find it after the magic takes hold.
Regardless of if the magic takes or not, Grey heads down to the cornfield where he last saw the thing.
Grey refuses any efforts by Hugh to bring Grey on his space-warping adventure, the results will be spectacular if anything goes wrong.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
You point out at the distant field and shout MAINTAIN! The gentle swaying of the cornstalks suddenly halts in a large section of the field. You look at the field for another moment before jogging around to each bed and rousing your teammates.
Being asleep, I guess I'm asleep until / unless Grey wakes us.Gray shakes you awake before moving on to the next teammate.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
“Ho! Ho! Ho!”, Hugh laughs as he transforms back and pulls out his needle. “Who’s with me?”, Hugh asks, seeking two other people to go with him and Aa. Hugh asks Aa to climb on his back and do what she did the first time she and Hugh teleported, when he teleports this time. Then, he picks up the volunteers (or two random humonculi, if no one volunteers) under his arms and asks Aaron where the creature is located, and then eats the distance between himself and that location.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
”Or maybe a firefly, if any are around. I last saw the creature at that cornfield. I’ll join you there shortly, I’m just going to see if I can stop it in its tracks first.”"Okay I'll see you over there."
Go to the area Grey saw the creature and start asking the corn, fireflies, buildings, scarecrows, and whatever else is around if it knows what the creature is and where it went.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Aaron seeks to know where exactly this thing is right now, and what it was trying to do.
(Also, did my action get noticed from last turn and just fail, I wonder?)Spoiler (click to show/hide)
[2]Spoiler: aa (click to show/hide)
Dream happy Glutton dreams. Try eating dreamstuff.
Or get woken up. That works too. *grumble*
Prepared to do a Dumb Glutton Trick with Hugh in order to catch the perp.
Hugh grabs Aa, Debby, and Aaron and waddles up to the window. As the other homunculi squirm under his arms he attempts to take a big old bite out of the distance between himself and the field. He does manage to sink his teeth into the distance but only manages to grind a few inches forward. After a long moment he sheepishly sets the other Homunculi down and shrugs. Together, the four of them head out to the field on foot.
REmove disguise, go knock on doors. See if any more villagers are missing or if anything else is out of place. Scan the buildings and villagers with my needle.[5] You remove your disguise and start working your way around town, heading in the direction of the field while knocking on doors and searching for anything out of place. You can't check every home, but you check plenty and send the residents out to check others on their own. The initial reports as you reach the field are that nothing is out of place and there's no signs of any untoward magic floating around. The last person you grab is the owner of the field. He follows you out as you join the rest of the group.[/spoiler]Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Everyone eventually makes their way across town and over to the field, gathering at the gate as the farmer opens it. Most of the field sways in the gentle breeze, save for a chunk which is standing noticeably still. Attempts to gaze within the frozen section prove impossible: The magic Maintaining the state of that chunk of field is obscuring anything else within: its like trying to stare through sunlit clouds. Once the group gets into the field Genesis shoves his way over to the maintained section and finds the still stalks of corn are about as hard and unyielding as iron bars: getting through them as they are is effectively impossible. Gray busies himself talking to the various objects and creatures nearby [3] Their responses are unfortunately lack luster. About all he can glean is that its organic, alive, and "Acting abnormally". Gray does, however, note that the direction he saw it coming from isn't from a field of corn, but from a field of gourds. He wanders over and finds the field erratically torn up, with patches of pumpkins, squash, and bottle gourds missing.
Post by: Fire and Glory on November 02, 2021, 10:47:35 pm
Grey admires the shredded field of gourds.
”It really tore through here huh?”
He turns to the group.
“Alright, I believe I have captured the creature inside that field of corn, however I can’t let us through there without also releasing the creature, so we’ll want some kind of strategy. Does anyone have some magical tricks for catching it?”
Grey, seeing that everyone has surrounded the maintained corn and is prepared, pulls out his rifle and bayonet and takes up his own position around the perimeter.
As an afterthought he calls out: "We are Homunculi of the Investigation Corps! Agents of the Magi! Surrender peacefully or face the consequences!" and with that he drops his maintaining of the corn. Immediately afterwards he attempts to Maintain the creature's position once more, without affecting the corn. If the creature tries to escape by running past him, Grey cuts its legs/appendages with his bayonet.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Egan_BW on November 02, 2021, 11:05:59 pm
Spoiler: aa (click to show/hide)
"Bite off its limbs so that it can't get away?"
Assume part of a perimeter around the Maintained zone, ready to wreak violence upon the thing within. Assuming we actually caught it.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 02, 2021, 11:07:50 pm
“Well, I could try eating it’s ability to escape. Don’t know if it’ll work though. I did, after all, try to teleport here by eating the distance between here and the inn, but ended up barely moving…”, Hugh replies, frowning as he does so…
Post by: Fire and Glory on November 03, 2021, 12:30:30 am
"Bite off its limbs so that it can't get away?"
“Well, I could try eating it’s ability to escape.”Grey has a feeling these two suggestions are in fact the same thing.
"Sounds like a solid backup plan if it starts to slip away, I might be able to catch it in a smaller net before it has a chance to do anything but there's no guarantee it'll work."
Post by: King Zultan on November 03, 2021, 01:59:25 am
Take a position on the perimeter to try and ask the corn to tangle itself around the guy in there, if that fails just try to stop the thing with violence if it gets out.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on November 03, 2021, 11:50:02 am
Aaron looks through his needle at the frozen part of the field, chooses a spot on the perimeter within sight of another homunculus, and attempts to know where the creature came from while he waits.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on November 03, 2021, 12:53:58 pm
Ask the farmer what he knows about property damages recently. Ask if the vandals/thieves have specifically targeted particular crops. Then take up a position on the forest side of the field and get ready to do the perspective trick of covering the creature with my glove and grabbing, to hold it in place.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on November 03, 2021, 02:28:01 pm
"I don't recall property damage being part of the complaint. Is this new, or is this something else you guys have been dealing with, unrelated to the disappearances?"
Ask the farmer what he knows about property damages recently. Ask if the vandals/thieves have specifically targeted particular crops. Then take up a position on the forest side of the field and get ready to do the perspective trick of covering the creature with my glove and grabbing, to hold it in place.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
7) Any other events happen recently out of the ordinary?Quote7) Most say no, but a few farmers claim that some of their crops are missing.
Post by: Ozarck on November 03, 2021, 02:32:21 pm
"I don't recall property damage being part of the complaint. Is this new, or is this something else you guys have been dealing with, unrelated to the disappearances?"
On reflection ..."Oh. I guess some of you did say something about crops."
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 03, 2021, 05:35:44 pm
Hugh then waits for the Maintain spell to be lifted and then eats the creature’s ability to escape (note: the creature’s abstract ability to escape. Not it’s limbs!), if it tries to escape.
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: slightly changed action…
Post by: Fire and Glory on November 04, 2021, 12:38:29 am
(Edited my first post with my action.)
Post by: piecewise on November 05, 2021, 04:56:48 pm
"I don't recall property damage being part of the complaint. Is this new, or is this something else you guys have been dealing with, unrelated to the disappearances?"The farmer says he's not sure how the damage occurs, but that it seems like they're specifically targeting his gourds. He says similar things have been happening to the other farmers near him.
Ask the farmer what he knows about property damages recently. Ask if the vandals/thieves have specifically targeted particular crops. Then take up a position on the forest side of the field and get ready to do the perspective trick of covering the creature with my glove and grabbing, to hold it in place.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
(Grey is multi-talented I see)[4]
Grey admires the shredded field of gourds.
”It really tore through here huh?”
He turns to the group.
“Alright, I believe I have captured the creature inside that field of corn, however I can’t let us through there without also releasing the creature, so we’ll want some kind of strategy. Does anyone have some magical tricks for catching it?”
Grey, seeing that everyone has surrounded the maintained corn and is prepared, pulls out his rifle and bayonet and takes up his own position around the perimeter.
As an afterthought he calls out: "We are Homunculi of the Investigation Corps! Agents of the Magi! Surrender peacefully or face the consequences!" and with that he drops his maintaining of the corn. Immediately afterwards he attempts to Maintain the creature's position once more, without affecting the corn. If the creature tries to escape by running past him, Grey cuts its legs/appendages with his bayonet.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
“Ho! Ho! Ho! We'll hold it in place for you!”, Hugh proclaims as he takes a position on the perimeter of the Maintained area, and prepares to eat the creature’s ability to escape.[1]
Hugh then waits for the Maintain spell to be lifted and then eats the creature’s ability to escape (note: the creature’s abstract ability to escape. Not it’s limbs!), if it tries to escape.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: slightly changed action…
right, right, okay, you got me.[5]
"I don't recall property damage being part of the complaint. Is this new, or is this something else you guys have been dealing with, unrelated to the disappearances?"
On reflection ..."Oh. I guess some of you did say something about crops."Ask the farmer what he knows about property damages recently. Ask if the vandals/thieves have specifically targeted particular crops. ThenTake up a position on the forest side of the field and get ready to do the perspective trick of covering the creature with my glove and grabbing, to hold it in place.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
"I don't think I have any tricks, so I'll take a guard post, and try to find out more while we figure out what we are doing.[?]
Aaron looks through his needle at the frozen part of the field, chooses a spot on the perimeter within sight of another homunculus, and attempts to know where the creature came from while he waits.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
The creature will be coming....FROM BEHIND!
You spin away from the corn field and scan the forest and the area nearby, searching for the inevitable ambush.
"I could ask the corn to tangle up and grab or at least trip the guy."[1]
Take a position on the perimeter to try and ask the corn to tangle itself around the guy in there, if that fails just try to stop the thing with violence if it gets out.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: aa (click to show/hide)
"Bite off its limbs so that it can't get away?"
Assume part of a perimeter around the Maintained zone, ready to wreak violence upon the thing within. Assuming we actually caught it.
Grey counts down releasing his magic as the rest of the Homunculi get into place. On zero he releases his initial Maintain and then a lot of things happen at once. Namely, several different magical effects are cast into that small section of cornfield within a few moments of each other, all of them targeting an as of yet unseen target. Grey attempts to maintain the creature, Hugh attempts to eat certain abstract concepts connected to it, Genesis tries to yoink it with telekinesis, and Debby tells the corn to tangle it up. Some spells succeed. Some fail and badly so. However, which does what is difficult to comprehend as a 5 meter wide circle of cornfield lifts into the air, twists into a knot, freezes in time, catches fire, and then vanishes in a burst of light and sound.
As everyone is standing around, uncertain of what to make of the magical clusterfuck that just happened in front of them, Aaron suddenly screams. He points towards the woods with his needle and jumps up and down.
"They're out there! I saw them! Along the tree line! Bulbous heads and rail thin bodies! They were watching us!"
Post by: Egan_BW on November 05, 2021, 06:29:00 pm
Spoiler: aa (click to show/hide)
Aa stares at the crater where that incomprehensible clash of magic occurred, totally caught off guard by the fact that such things could even happen. In an unfocused state she momentarily forgets about the mission and falls back on simpler desires.
Scan the crater with the needle eye for any tasty magical residue I could eat. And then eat it!
Post by: fatcat__25 on November 05, 2021, 06:52:12 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on November 05, 2021, 07:15:33 pm
Well, at least they didn’t get away.
Aaron looks a bit too hysterical for Grey’s liking but we may as well check it out. Grey stores his rifle and takes out his needle. After scanning the tree line with his needle and with his eyes, Grey carefully makes his way over and looks for any sign that anything was there, disturbed foliage or suspicious goo and such.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 05, 2021, 10:25:18 pm
Post by: King Zultan on November 06, 2021, 02:46:31 am
Aim my rifleaxe at the woods and be ready to fire at the big head guys if needed.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on November 06, 2021, 03:03:33 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 06, 2021, 08:15:42 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on November 06, 2021, 08:24:03 pm
Place whatever is in my hand on the ground in front of me and inspect it. if grabbed nothing, due to the clusterfuck, then just inspect the field and then the woods with my needle.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on November 07, 2021, 01:19:26 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on November 08, 2021, 09:55:31 pm
Aa scrambles into the crater and eats handfuls of mildly magical but completely unhelpful dirt.Spoiler: aa (click to show/hide)
Aa stares at the crater where that incomprehensible clash of magic occurred, totally caught off guard by the fact that such things could even happen. In an unfocused state she momentarily forgets about the mission and falls back on simpler desires.
Scan the crater with the needle eye for any tasty magical residue I could eat. And then eat it!
Once he has gotten over his shock, Aaron attempts to look though his needle at the monsters he spotted, and tries to know and warn people how many there are.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Oy, what a pain. I suppose we should’ve expected something like this.
Well, at least they didn’t get away.
Aaron looks a bit too hysterical for Grey’s liking but we may as well check it out. Grey stores his rifle and takes out his needle. After scanning the tree line with his needle and with his eyes, Grey carefully makes his way over and looks for any sign that anything was there, disturbed foliage or suspicious goo and such.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
"Did we fuck up so hard it exploded?"
Aim my rifleaxe at the woods and be ready to fire at the big head guys if needed.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Where did they go?”, Hugh asks no one in particular as he scans the surroundings with his needle.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Woops."
Place whatever is in my hand on the ground in front of me and inspect it. if grabbed nothing, due to the clusterfuck, then just inspect the field and then the woods with my needle.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
I catch up with the group after having fallen behind and been slow to wake up, and upon hearing the yells of Aaron look carefully in the direction he's pointing.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The team, needles pressed to their eyes, weapons at the ready, slowly advances towards the edge of the forest. The first of them to look glimpse momentary movement, a flicker of undergrowth and a dull shimmer of magic but can see nothing particular. Aaron, for his part, got only the impression of an odd bulbous head peeking out through the trees before it vanished. The magic doesn't linger and by the time they reach the treeline there is nothing left of it. They spread out a bit, searching for clues. The foliage is disturbed: branches bent and broken while the coating of pine needles and fallen leaves on the ground betrays the retreat of...something. There are no footprints on the rich soil, at least none that betray themselves as such. No items are left behind either, no discarded cigarette or scrap of cloth caught on the branches. Though...there is what looks like clumps of disturbed soil here and there. The only thing that can be gleaned is that whoever was watching them wasn't alone: the disturbed foliage marks the movements of at least 4 individuals, possibly more if they're moving in close formation. Odder yet, they do not disperse in the same direction. Instead of trundling off in a line like you would expect from stalkers- shambling away to return to their lair- these marks go out in all directions. Each of the unknown crowd seems to have vanished into the woods in a different direction. And, perhaps the most subtle, the wildlife of the area did not become silent and cautious until the team wandered in. Whatever these watchers were, the wildlife did not view them as a possible threat and thus did not grow silent as the stalkers crouched in wait in the bushes.
The place these unknown watchers were hiding is directly in line with the direction the thing Grey saw was going.
Post by: Egan_BW on November 08, 2021, 10:19:17 pm
Spoiler: aa (click to show/hide)
"Not enough evidence to follow a trail. But there is some. Something we need but not in sufficient quantities, that seems like an area where a Glutton excels, yes?"
Choose one of the directions which one of the creatures seems to have gone in, and... eat the Evidence of its passage. Not the physical items it touched, but the clues it left behind its passage. Eat until no evidence remains, then start producing more Evidence from my body in an attempt to track the creature.
Post by: fatcat__25 on November 08, 2021, 11:23:24 pm
Aaron attempts to know if these "things" all live in the same location when they aren't prowling, and if so, how far away it is.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
(I just realized that I forgot to add random food to my sleeves a while back, when I put it in. I'll add it now.)
Post by: King Zultan on November 09, 2021, 03:22:13 am
Ask the trees and whatever animals are around what those creatures are and where they live.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on November 09, 2021, 05:24:23 am
Post by: fatcat__25 on November 09, 2021, 12:19:24 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 09, 2021, 01:40:45 pm
Hugh then gets an idea.
“Hold on! We’re going for a ride! Ho! Ho! Ho!”, Hugh laughs as he firmly grabs Grey and Genesis (if unable to obtain either “passenger”, Hugh replaces each of them with another humonculus). Hugh then eats all of the possible wrong answers to the question of where the things that Aaron saw are currently located and then, with only one possible answer remaining and two “passengers”, eats the distance between himself and that place (provided he has two “passengers”, otherwise he simply tells everyone the answer).
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: made a slight addition…
Edit: clarification of intent…
Post by: Ozarck on November 09, 2021, 02:13:25 pm
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 09, 2021, 06:22:50 pm
Edit:
((…and clarified it…))
Post by: Fire and Glory on November 12, 2021, 10:02:16 am
If magic fails, just track one of them normally. Can’t be too hard if unmagical humans can do it.
Oh yeah, Grey also ditches his disguise.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 16, 2021, 03:51:33 am
Post by: piecewise on November 16, 2021, 09:39:00 pm
[2]Spoiler: aa (click to show/hide)
"Not enough evidence to follow a trail. But there is some. Something we need but not in sufficient quantities, that seems like an area where a Glutton excels, yes?"
Choose one of the directions which one of the creatures seems to have gone in, and... eat the Evidence of its passage. Not the physical items it touched, but the clues it left behind its passage. Eat until no evidence remains, then start producing more Evidence from my body in an attempt to track the creature.
That seems...a bit too abstract.
You content yourself with nibbling the bark off a nearby tree.
"This isn't helpful at all. Whatever these abominations are, they are intelligent, and magical. I'm going to try and figure out if they all live in the same spot or not. That could make life easier or harder for us."[?]
Aaron attempts to know if these "things" all live in the same location when they aren't prowling, and if so, how far away it is.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
(I just realized that I forgot to add random food to my sleeves a while back, when I put it in. I'll add it now.)
....Kind of? Sort of in a similar...area.
"I wonder if they're pissed off that we blew up their friend?"[2]
Ask the trees and whatever animals are around what those creatures are and where they live.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The trees and animals all run or remain silent. The seem to shudder at the question. They tell you nothing but you can sense an odd fear.
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Now, if only we had a cognizant who could tell us where they went…”, Hugh muses.[3]
Hugh then gets an idea.
“Hold on! We’re going for a ride! Ho! Ho! Ho!”, Hugh laughs as he firmly grabs Grey and Genesis (if unable to obtain either “passenger”, Hugh replaces each of them with another humonculus). Hugh then eats all of the possible wrong answers to the question of where the things that Aaron saw are currently located and then, with only one possible answer remaining and two “passengers”, eats the distance between himself and that place (provided he has two “passengers”, otherwise he simply tells everyone the answer).Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: made a slight addition…
Edit: clarification of intent…
You attempt to eat something as vague as an answer. This...doesn't exactly work. But you do find out that when they toss out possible answers they taste different. Some more sweet, others more savory, and some like sand or sunlight.
Go gather some gourds into my sleeves, then head into the woods. Find a small clearing, place the gourds down, place my gloves, eyes out, on two of the gourds like little hats. Tap the glove and the gourd with my needle to sew them together. intent is just to stick the glove to the gourd so it can't be pulled off, not to combine them into some sort of frankengourd handwear. Then return to the inn and close my eyes to wait and watch. One of the gourd gloves is Grey's so he should be able to see what I see.[2]Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
The gloves end up only very loosely affixed. About as solidly connected as if with a few pieces of scotch tape. Well...better than nothing. You leave the gloved gourds in the forest as per your plan and then return to the Inn to watch.
There are plenty of tracks to be seen around here. Grey Maintains his perception of the tracks left by the creatures and follows one of the trails, avoiding the one Aa is working on.[3][6]
If magic fails, just track one of them normally. Can’t be too hard if unmagical humans can do it.
Oh yeah, Grey also ditches his disguise.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Your attempt to maintain the path works...more or less. You kind of just have a vague notion of its location. Following it isn't too hard. In fact it might be too easy. You head out into the woods away from your team, following the path at a rapid pace. By the time you think to check if anyone is following you, you're deep into the woods. And all alone.
You hear what sounds like the rustling of undergrowth in the wind...but there is no wind. You can't pick out where it came from, it seems to be all around you.
Post by: Fire and Glory on November 16, 2021, 10:56:03 pm
Grey flips his needle and quietly speaks to everyone he is connected to. That is, Genesis, Debby, Aa-tou-tou, Youare, Tess, Hugh, and Aaron.
"I think I've tracked down one of the creatures. Only problem is, I believe it knows I am here."
"What I want you all to do is use your links to look through my needle, and if I get attacked or incapacitated, teleport in and back me up. Like what we planned with Aa, but with me as the bait instead. Alright?"
Grey stands his ground. At Hugh's request, Grey brings the eye of his needle up to his face and examines his surroundings for signs of magic.
After a full sweep he switches his grip on the needle, holding it diagonally so that the eye of the needle is near his hip and can view what's in front of him, while the point is next to his head. Wary of any attack, Grey is ready to absorb incoming magic with his needle and if he catches sight of a hostile creature, Maintains its position.
If Aaron can tell Grey where the creature is, and no attacks occur after a few minutes, he Maintains its position and investigates.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on November 17, 2021, 01:55:47 am
((Lenglon, where are you?))((been really busy IRL, so haven't put the time in to figure out puzzles. My magic doesn't really help with this kind of thing anyway, and I don't want to leave the group to investigate on my own right now))
Post by: fatcat__25 on November 17, 2021, 02:05:41 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on November 17, 2021, 03:07:35 am
Stay with the group and be ready to teleport to Grey's position to help fight whatever might attack him.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on November 17, 2021, 10:10:18 pm
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 18, 2021, 01:30:28 am
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on November 18, 2021, 01:58:03 am
Post by: piecewise on November 19, 2021, 12:13:16 pm
While calling for immediate reinforcements would be the safest option, trying to pin one of these creatures down is proving rather difficult, and beaming in more people would scare it off. Hmm...
Grey flips his needle and quietly speaks to everyone he is connected to. That is, Genesis, Debby, Aa-tou-tou, Youare, Tess, Hugh, and Aaron.
"I think I've tracked down one of the creatures. Only problem is, I believe it knows I am here."
"What I want you all to do is use your links to look through my needle, and if I get attacked or incapacitated, teleport in and back me up. Like what we planned with Aa, but with me as the bait instead. Alright?"
Grey stands his ground. At Hugh's request, Grey brings the eye of his needle up to his face and examines his surroundings for signs of magic.
After a full sweep he switches his grip on the needle, holding it diagonally so that the eye of the needle is near his hip and can view what's in front of him, while the point is next to his head. Wary of any attack, Grey is ready to absorb incoming magic with his needle and if he catches sight of a hostile creature, Maintains its position.
If Aaron can tell Grey where the creature is, and no attacks occur after a few minutes, he Maintains its position and investigates.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Hugh points the eye of his needle towards the link with Grey and speaks into it. “Ho! Ho! Ho! You’ve got a friend there, do you? Would you mind scanning the area around you with the eye of your needle?”, Hugh asks. Hugh then watches the scan through his own needle. If the scan reveals anything that looks like it might be the creature, Hugh attempts to eat the vegetation between it and Grey through the optical link. If Grey appears to be in danger, Hugh teleports in, relinking with Grey at the next opportunity.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Just like to let everyone know that the trees and animals seem to be afraid of whatever the big head guys are."
Stay with the group and be ready to teleport to Grey's position to help fight whatever might attack him.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Aaron attempts to know what side of Grey the creature is on, and tells him the answer through the needle.[1][?]Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Hugh attempts to bite at a thing he cannot reach but only see...and ends up chipping several teeth as he bites his own needle. [-1 hp]
Aaron shouts through his needle that there are 6 attackers, all moving in at once in a circle, roughly evenly spaced around Grey. They intend to jump him all at once after distracting him.
[3]
Looking with his needle, Grey can make out several "lumps" of magic out in the darkened woods. He tries to focus on them, looking for a figure by trying to pick out the familiar forms of bones or tissue against the background of plant matter but fails. He mentally notes where each attacker is though.
[
The distraction Aaron warned Grey about turns out to be a severed tree branch being hurled at his head from out of the undergrowth. "Not a distraction so much as a first strike" Grey thinks to himself as he deflects the branch with his needle and squares up to face the ambush. The things which burst from the trees take him by surprise. Gourds. At first he thinks more foliage is being hurled at him but no, these gourds are moving under their own power. They're the things he saw from a distance, vaguely human shape, swollen guard heads on bodies made of twisted vines. Though his impression of a humanoid form was off: it is true those vines cluster together and form limbs but the configurations are not static nor bound to any human plan. What might run like a man one moment runs on all fours the next, then spiderlike, then bunched up in a slithering motion. They shift configurations with distressing speed and ease to whatever will allow them to move the most quickly. They cover the tree strewn distance themselves and him in a matter of moments. As they close in, the bright orange, yellow and red flesh of the gourds reveals that each has a face carved into it. Simplistic faces, but faces none the less.
[1]
Grey attempts to Maintain the position of the incoming Gourds but his magic backfires and pins his feet to the ground.
[5]
Grey, unable to move, has no choice but to stand his ground. He raises his needle and takes the charge of the nearest gourd head on, using its momentum with a thrust of his own to pierce straight through its hollow "head". The pumpkin shatters in half and the magic within, a horrible looking twisting black stuff, is sucked into the needle.
An instant later Debby appears out of thin air and takes up position at Grey's back. The remaining five gourds are circling the two like wolves, slipping between the trees and probing for weaknesses with sudden charges and retreats.
Observe Grey and the gourds through my glove links.One set of gourds in the woods do nothing. The other set harass gray. You see both.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on November 19, 2021, 05:00:12 pm
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 19, 2021, 06:07:42 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on November 19, 2021, 06:44:37 pm
Aaron jogs down the path toward Grey, with his needle at the ready for the first sign of trouble. If attacked, or when he gets to the fray, he grabs and holds in place one of the monsters with his glove, and stabs any others in range.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on November 20, 2021, 02:32:28 am
Shoot any gourd that gets near me and try not to shoot any other members of my group.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on November 20, 2021, 09:49:16 am
Let's try to do something specific, exert our fine control a bit.
If any melon heads are still fighting by the time Grey acts, he forms a new spell, creating a field of magic that Maintains the downwards acceleration of any combative melon head’s head that moves towards the ground.
Ideally that should send any fighting melon head’s gourd plummeting towards the dirt the moment they move, unless they can keep their heads perfectly level.
Grey'll defend himself if attacked but otherwise he'll concentrate on shaping the magic.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on November 21, 2021, 02:45:20 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Egan_BW on November 21, 2021, 07:49:19 pm
Spoiler: aa (click to show/hide)
Not paying attention at the moment but if you update before I catch up, I do the thing the other people are doing, link to Grey and stab the baddies.
Post by: piecewise on November 22, 2021, 08:47:54 pm
I pull on my thread connecting to Grey and prepare to defend myself and him using my needle.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Why are gourds attacking us, I thought we'd be fighting people with big heads."
Shoot any gourd that gets near me and try not to shoot any other members of my group.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
”Ho! Ho! Ho! The fight is on!”, Hugh laughs as he teleports to Grey and attempts to eat the gourds’ ability to fight, as well as their ability to escape. If necessary, he switches to using his needle, and/or doing the other things that Genesis is doing. He also, relinks to Grey at the first viable opportunity.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Teleport to Grey. The leap straight into the pack, stabbing end first. Aim for the gourd heads. If they start circling me as well, try the perspective trick to grab one and stuff it into my sleeve. If they just rush me, just keep stabbing, and try not to get too separated from Grey and Debby, either way.[5,1,6,5]Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Tess leaps into battle and immediately splits the head of one of the gourds with the tip of her needle. The ugly magic within the dead gourd vanishes into her needle and she's just turning to attack another when something strikes her square between the shoulder blades [-6 HP]. Debby, who was aiming at another gourd, accidently shot Tess in the back. Hugh, continuing to try and eat very abstract things, attempts to eat the gourd's "Ability to fight". This proves rather blunt as he simply eats two of them whole, which does prevent them from fighting or escaping as it turns out. He swallows and almost immediately regrets it as he is hit by a debilitating case of hiccups [-1 on next roll]. Genesis leaps out and stabs one of the two remaining gourds in its vines and then smashes the gourd head with a baseball swing. Twisted dark magic is sucked into his needle.
"They don't look very dangerous, relatively. Do they just beat travelers to death?"[1]
Let's try to do something specific, exert our fine control a bit.
If any melon heads are still fighting by the time Grey acts, he forms a new spell, creating a field of magic that Maintains the downwards acceleration of any combative melon head’s head that moves towards the ground.
Ideally that should send any fighting melon head’s gourd plummeting towards the dirt the moment they move, unless they can keep their heads perfectly level.
Grey'll defend himself if attacked but otherwise he'll concentrate on shaping the magic.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Grey lashes out with some magic but he fucks it up twice. First, he manages to hit Debby. Second, instead of maintaining downward motion, he maintains upward motion. And so Debby, in the midst of apologizing to Tess, suddenly starts floating into the air, pulled by her own head.
[6]Spoiler: aa (click to show/hide)
Not paying attention at the moment but if you update before I catch up, I do the thing the other people are doing, link to Grey and stab the baddies.
Aa does a flying stab into the remaining Gourd immediately after appearing next to Grey. It looks very cool, except for when she lands face first as the gourd breaks apart under the needle. [-1 HP]
"So the trouble has come to us!"We're going to assume you teleport to him, not run down the path. Because remember he ran off into the woods following tracks, not down the path.
Aaron jogs down the path toward Grey, with his needle at the ready for the first sign of trouble. If attacked, or when he gets to the fray, he grabs and holds in place one of the monsters with his glove, and stabs any others in range.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Silence, aside from panting breaths, returns to the forest. All the gourds are dead, the ugly black magic which animated them now bound in the needles of their killers. Well except for Hugh; that magic is somewhere in his infinite belly. From a great distance, a strange sound resonates. A musical cry which seems to echo through the trees for several seconds before fading away.
Post by: Ozarck on November 22, 2021, 09:12:35 pm
Genesis ignores Debby's floating head and Aa's question - both being issues he was sure would resolve themselves, one way or another. Instead, he considers what he views a a more pressing problem: what was the source of these creatures, and what other tricks does it have on hand?
Relink. Contemplate the difference between this animating magic and that of Elias. Aside from being different due to being two different sources, does this magic display any noteworthy difference? An air of hostility? Death? Mental illness? Also, investigate that cry: did it come from a direction? What kind of music did it evoke?
Edit: Follow along if Grey's needle magic leads him anywhere.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on November 22, 2021, 09:49:38 pm
"Sorry about that."
Grey turns to the group, gesturing to his needle.
"Now that we killed these creatures in brutal fashion, we have everything we need to find whatever spawned these things. As soon as we're ready we can have the captured magic in our needles lead us back to its maker."
Grey links with everyone who teleported to him. As soon as everyone is ready to set out, Grey wills the magic in his needle to lead Grey and whoever wants to come with him to whatever originally created it.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on November 22, 2021, 10:36:14 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on November 23, 2021, 12:09:07 am
THAT. HURT.
I inspect where I was shot, to make sure it doesn't cause complications later.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on November 23, 2021, 04:12:21 am
Ask the magic to drop me and for a tree to catch me.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 23, 2021, 03:35:12 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on November 25, 2021, 08:30:33 pm
"Good work, everyone. Now, where are we?"Relinked.
Genesis ignores Debby's floating head and Aa's question - both being issues he was sure would resolve themselves, one way or another. Instead, he considers what he views a a more pressing problem: what was the source of these creatures, and what other tricks does it have on hand?
Relink. Contemplate the difference between this animating magic and that of Elias. Aside from being different due to being two different sources, does this magic display any noteworthy difference? An air of hostility? Death? Mental illness? Also, investigate that cry: did it come from a direction? What kind of music did it evoke?
Edit: Follow along if Grey's needle magic leads him anywhere.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
[3]
This magic...well...it seems more bad you guess. You don't like it.
[5]
The cry...its hard to say. It was lilting and shifting, like words being spoken too far away to make them out. You can make out the cadence but not the words themselves. It...makes your hair stand on end. Whatever it is, it isn't right.
Grey cuts the Maintaining lifting Debby into the air and catches her, either with his hands or with telekinesis if she's already high up.[6]
"Sorry about that."
Grey turns to the group, gesturing to his needle.
"Now that we killed these creatures in brutal fashion, we have everything we need to find whatever spawned these things. As soon as we're ready we can have the captured magic in our needles lead us back to its maker."
Grey links with everyone who teleported to him. As soon as everyone is ready to set out, Grey wills the magic in his needle to lead Grey and whoever wants to come with him to whatever originally created it.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Grey releases his spell and dives to catch Debby. He does so, in quite a valiant way, and gets absolutely smushed. [-1 HP] Debby is unharmed though, so chivalry is intact.
[3]
The magic explodes out of the needle like black lightning. It arcs out in a vague easterly direction for about 20 feet before hitting a tree and detonating it into splinters.
Aaron relinks, and then seeks to know if there are any more ambushes waiting for them or being formed right now. He tells everyone the result, and then accompanies Grey if he still tries finding the magic's originator.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
[?]
There are probably loads of them out there.
"Watch your fire!"[4]
THAT. HURT.
I inspect where I was shot, to make sure it doesn't cause complications later.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The bullet seems to have caught you in the left side, slightly off the spine. You don't seem to be bleeding to death from a punctured heart or suffocating from a punctured lung. Moving does hurt a fair deal, but you don't think it will kill you.
"OH SHIT IS THIS PUNISHMENT FOR SHOOTING TESS, I didn't mean to I'm still not really sure how to use the gun!"You crawl off Grey and apologize to Tess for shooting her in the back.
Ask the magic to drop me and for a tree to catch me.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
“Ho- *hic* *hic* *COUGH*”. Hugh attempts to cough up the magic and catch it in his hands. Once the magic has been coughed up and caught, he presumes to eat the hardness from out of the ground below Debby. Once that is done, he relinks with Grey, and takes the magic over to Genesis.[2]Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You attempt to hack up the magic you swallowed and gag. It feels like you're trying to cough up barbed wire. Ow. Ow.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 25, 2021, 09:20:18 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: clarification and keep with the group.
Post by: Ozarck on November 25, 2021, 09:33:27 pm
Patrol the perimeter of our little encounter space, looking for clues. Use the needle as well as my regular eyes. We're still looking for a direction to move toward. Be sure to stay in sight of the team while doing this. Also, check the otehr gourds - the ones I put my glove on. Still where I left them?
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on November 25, 2021, 10:48:10 pm
While he waits for other people to make up their minds, Aaron attempts to know what sort of mage made these creatures.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on November 26, 2021, 04:46:41 am
Spend one fate point to ask Tess's body to heal itself faster.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on November 26, 2021, 05:02:16 am
"No problem."
"'East' is more vague than I'd like, but if this is the best direction we can manage, I'm ready to set out."
Since we're sort of lost, Grey jumps upwards and Maintains his rising altitude, seeking to fly above the trees. Once he's above the forest, Grey surveys the landscape for the village we came from. While up there he looks to see if Greenveil or anything weird can be spotted as well, using his needle to find out if any part of the forest is magically dense.
After he's had a good look, he cuts the Maintaining and uses his needle link to teleport back to ground level.
If there's time he also looks over the gourd on the least smashed creature, checking to see if there are any marks on it or inside it aside from the carved face.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on November 26, 2021, 06:00:21 am
"We could try heading east the way the magic went, or wait for a bit.""Let's not leave just yet. We're as likely to wander the woods and get lost as to keep a straight line to our target. Let's get a little more info before we set off. If anything, we can regroup at the village and leave on the trail. We can't be too far from the village yet."
Post by: fatcat__25 on November 26, 2021, 02:21:41 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on November 26, 2021, 10:45:49 pm
Post by: King Zultan on November 27, 2021, 03:40:15 am
Post by: Fire and Glory on November 27, 2021, 08:08:32 am
Post by: Lenglon on November 27, 2021, 05:07:57 pm
I do my best to stay still and calm, and give Debby the best chance for success that I can.
I mean, I think my body already is trying to heal, so I'm not sure if she can actually help or not, but I mean, all-tongues seem to give more power to whatever they talk to, so I guess it's worth the attempt.[/b]
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 27, 2021, 09:06:45 pm
"I... If you want to try to help me I'm willing to let you Debby."
I do my best to stay still and calm, and give Debby the best chance for success that I can.
I mean, I think my body already is trying to heal, so I'm not sure if she can actually help or not, but I mean, all-tongues seem to give more power to whatever they talk to, so I guess it's worth the attempt.[/b]Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((Hmm… (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8283844#msg8283844)))
Post by: fatcat__25 on November 27, 2021, 11:01:38 pm
"I... If you want to try to help me I'm willing to let you Debby."
I do my best to stay still and calm, and give Debby the best chance for success that I can.
I mean, I think my body already is trying to heal, so I'm not sure if she can actually help or not, but I mean, all-tongues seem to give more power to whatever they talk to, so I guess it's worth the attempt.[/b]Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((Hmm… (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8283844#msg8283844)))
This is going to be interesting. :D
Post by: King Zultan on November 28, 2021, 04:17:34 am
Post by: piecewise on November 28, 2021, 09:50:53 pm
Repeat previous actions (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8331265#msg8331265) (except for the part about eating the hardness from the ground. Don’t need to do that anymore). Also, follow the group if they start to leave.[2]Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: clarification and keep with the group.
You try once again to hack the magic up but it is solidly in your belly. You relink with Grey and follow along, assuming they go anywhere.
"I can't tell how many other hostiles there are out here right at the moment. That sound might have been calling another attack, so we should be careful. We could try heading east the way the magic went, or wait for a bit."[?]
While he waits for other people to make up their minds, Aaron attempts to know what sort of mage made these creatures.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Not a mage. Not a Magi. A homunculus of a kind. Something of extreme age, from the days before the covenant.
"Thanks for catching me Grey. Hey Tess do you want me to try to get your body to heal faster by asking it?"[5,
Spend one fate point to ask Tess's body to heal itself faster.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You ask Tess' body to heal up immediately. It says it will oblige, but asks for some meat in return.
"I... If you want to try to help me I'm willing to let you Debby."Debby informs you that negotiations with your body went well, but it requires some meat in order to heal. She says it initially wanted to unionize but she talked it out of that.
I do my best to stay still and calm, and give Debby the best chance for success that I can.
I mean, I think my body already is trying to heal, so I'm not sure if she can actually help or not, but I mean, all-tongues seem to give more power to whatever they talk to, so I guess it's worth the attempt.[/b]Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Wonder if our needles can stitch wounds? Tess? Want to test it out? Could be risky. If you do, best use Grey's needle. Mine still has that black, disturbing Gourd Magic inside. Wouldn't want to stitch you up with that. Ah, Tess, think you can fly up and get a look around from above? Might at least tell us which direction the village is in. If we're lucky you might get a clue as to which direction the, um ... the voice was in."[2]
Patrol the perimeter of our little encounter space, looking for clues. Use the needle as well as my regular eyes. We're still looking for a direction to move toward. Be sure to stay in sight of the team while doing this. Also, check the otehr gourds - the ones I put my glove on. Still where I left them?Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
You walk the perimeter, kicking the remnants of the gourds and poking at their bodies with your needle. There's nothing particularly striking about their physical forms or anything in the area. So you raise your needle like a magnifying glass and start searching around again.
[5]
For a few moments you don't seem to see anything. Everything looks...well not the same since you're looking at everyone's skeletons and guts and all the insides of trees and all sorts of weird things. But you don't see anything that sticks out as immediately wrong. Then you notice something subtle. You lower the needle and then raise it again several times to confirm. The sky through your needle's eye is darker than what you see normally.
The gloves and gourds you left are where you left them. And they see nothing out of the ordinary.
Ow.[4,5,1]
"No problem."
"'East' is more vague than I'd like, but if this is the best direction we can manage, I'm ready to set out."
Since we're sort of lost, Grey jumps upwards and Maintains his rising altitude, seeking to fly above the trees. Once he's above the forest, Grey surveys the landscape for the village we came from. While up there he looks to see if Greenveil or anything weird can be spotted as well, using his needle to find out if any part of the forest is magically dense.
After he's had a good look, he cuts the Maintaining and uses his needle link to teleport back to ground level.
If there's time he also looks over the gourd on the least smashed creature, checking to see if there are any marks on it or inside it aside from the carved face.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
You hop up and maintain that movement. You catch yourself a bit late in the movement so you drift upward more slowly than you'd like. It takes about a minute to slowly shove your way through the canopy and get out above the forest, then another several minutes to raise as high as you think is good. Its still early in the morning and the sun has yet to rise or even illuminate the horizon a bit. As such the forest and everything around you is in utter darkness, except of course for artificial lights. You can see the lights from the town you were just in behind you. And off to the east, a pretty great distance away, you can see more lights. They're not the soft amber of the town, but a strange purple blue light. It shines dimly out through the treetops in a wide area, just barely visible. Had this not been a moonless night, you probably couldn't have seen it.
You squint at that distant light and raise your needle to look at it more carefully. [-3 HP] You get only a momentary glimpse, just an impression for a fraction of a second. A great black flower blooming up from that distant glow, spreading a shockwave of thorn covered vines across the forest. Immediately you feel as though someone has driven one of those thorns directly into your eye. You pull the needle away, screaming and covering your eye with one hand. It takes you a few seconds to remember what you're doing and you focus just long enough to break your spell and teleport down. Once on the ground you drop to your knees and hold your head, clutching at your eye. You can feel fluid and a quick glimpse reveals it to be blood. You try and open your eye a bit and it burns mightily. Your vision through that eye is red and hazy, unable to focus. Gentle touching proves the eye is still there and not punctured but it certainly feels like it.
Post by: Fire and Glory on November 28, 2021, 10:26:02 pm
"Ngh...I think I spotted what's causing the trouble, it's east alright, far off. Glowing light underneath the trees with a giant plant at the heart of it. Whatever's in there didn't like me."
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on November 29, 2021, 05:20:44 am
I'm going to assume we talk about what happened and Genesis looks through his needle at Grey's eye. Then he is going to attempt to push the magic out of Grey's eye - unless he thinks doing so will cause harm - like the magic is barbed or something. He only has one glove on, so if that isn't enough he'll borrow one from Grey or let someone with two gloves try it instead.
If everyone else is ready, let's go back to the village (since we know where that is now) and head east on the trail. We can talk among ourselves on the way.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on November 29, 2021, 05:24:02 am
If no one has any meat look around for an animal to kill with my rifleaxe, also see how Elizabeth feels about the current goings on.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on November 29, 2021, 06:01:56 am
Then he is going to attempt to push the magic out of Grey's eye - unless he thinks doing so will cause harm - like the magic is barbed or something.If there's magic inside Grey's eye, he wants it gone.
After Genesis's ministrations Grey goes out with Debby to find something to shoot.
Heading east on the trail sounds fine.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on November 29, 2021, 09:52:59 pm
Aaron sees if he has any meat for Tess in his collection of food in his sleeves, and then attempts to know if the creator of the gourds is hostile, or merely secretive. He walks with everyone else if they start back toward the village.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 29, 2021, 11:06:46 pm
Post by: Egan_BW on November 29, 2021, 11:21:15 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 29, 2021, 11:24:59 pm
((Seems like a good way to lose a few HP…))
Post by: Egan_BW on November 29, 2021, 11:52:12 pm
Post by: Ozarck on November 30, 2021, 12:08:10 am
"Whoever is creating this magic is more like us Homunculi than a normal mage or or one of the great Magi, yet is truly ancient. This being is older than the covenant. They seem to have become restless. Since the magic hurt Grey, they may be well aware of our presence already, so we have to be careful."
"Some kind of nature idol or agricultural idol, perhaps. Something some past culture constructed to worship and to protect the area or provide bounty for their crops, maybe. If it's become restless recently, something must have changed. I wonder what."
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Would one of you mind giving me some help (or at least some advice)? I swallowed two of those gourd things and now I have some of that magic inside me, and I’m concerned it could become a liability. I’ve tried twice, unsuccessfully, to cough it up, but I’ve failed both times. Is there anything one of you could do to help me get both of the pieces of magic out, or should I just keep trying to cough them up?”, Hugh queries the group."Isn't your stomach infinite? Why do you need to cough this up?"
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 30, 2021, 01:36:03 am
<snip>“Ho! Ho! Ho! Would one of you mind giving me some help (or at least some advice)? I swallowed two of those gourd things and now I have some of that magic inside me, and I’m concerned it could become a liability. I’ve tried twice, unsuccessfully, to cough it up, but I’ve failed both times. Is there anything one of you could do to help me get both of the pieces of magic out, or should I just keep trying to cough them up?”, Hugh queries the group."Isn't your stomach infinite? Why do you need to cough this up?"
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Well, I suppose I can just let it go. It’s just that I’m concerned that, having the magic inside me, whatever we’re up against might be able to use it against me and/or the group. I think I’ll just let it go for now. Trying to cough it up felt like trying to cough up barbed wire.”
Hugh stays with the group, scanning his surroundings with his needle periodically, ready to defend himself and the group.
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: action.
Post by: King Zultan on November 30, 2021, 03:19:41 am
Post by: Ozarck on November 30, 2021, 04:28:31 am
Post by: King Zultan on November 30, 2021, 04:44:06 am
Post by: piecewise on December 01, 2021, 02:22:28 pm
"The whole sky around here is darker when viewed through the needle as well, so the influence of this being is pretty strong."You attempt to push the magic out of Grey's eye and find that there is no magic there to push. Huh.
I'm going to assume we talk about what happened and Genesis looks through his needle at Grey's eye. Then he is going to attempt to push the magic out of Grey's eye - unless he thinks doing so will cause harm - like the magic is barbed or something. He only has one glove on, so if that isn't enough he'll borrow one from Grey or let someone with two gloves try it instead.
If everyone else is ready, let's go back to the village (since we know where that is now) and head east on the trail. We can talk among ourselves on the way.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
"Whoever is creating this magic is more like us Homunculi than a normal mage or or one of the great Magi, yet is truly ancient. This being is older than the covenant. They seem to have become restless. Since the magic hurt Grey, they may be well aware of our presence already, so we have to be careful."[?]
Aaron sees if he has any meat for Tess in his collection of food in his sleeves, and then attempts to know if the creator of the gourds is hostile, or merely secretive. He walks with everyone else if they start back toward the village.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
The creator of those gourds is hostile. Hostile is all it knows. It was made for violence, for wars beyond imagining.
You yank a steak out of your sleeve and toss it to Tess.
"Does anyone have any meat in their pockets we need it for healing Tess."You take the steak from Aaron and press it against Tess' back. The meat melts directly into her skin and the wound closes with a hiss of steam. [Tess HP +5]
If no one has any meat look around for an animal to kill with my rifleaxe, also see how Elizabeth feels about the current goings on.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Liz seems to be mostly ok but she says something about the forest scares her. She doesn't like those pumpkin things either. She says that they are "Like her, but wrong." She likens them to an insect in a human skin.
<snip>“Ho! Ho! Ho! Would one of you mind giving me some help (or at least some advice)? I swallowed two of those gourd things and now I have some of that magic inside me, and I’m concerned it could become a liability. I’ve tried twice, unsuccessfully, to cough it up, but I’ve failed both times. Is there anything one of you could do to help me get both of the pieces of magic out, or should I just keep trying to cough them up?”, Hugh queries the group."Isn't your stomach infinite? Why do you need to cough this up?"
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Well, I suppose I can just let it go. It’s just that I’m concerned that, having the magic inside me, whatever we’re up against might be able to use it against me and/or the group. I think I’ll just let it go for now. Trying to cough it up felt like trying to cough up barbed wire.”
Hugh stays with the group, scanning his surroundings with his needle periodically, ready to defend himself and the group.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: action.
"If it can hit me in the head all the way from here, we might be in for a challenge."Then he is going to attempt to push the magic out of Grey's eye - unless he thinks doing so will cause harm - like the magic is barbed or something.If there's magic inside Grey's eye, he wants it gone.
After Genesis's ministrations Grey goes out with Debby to find something to shoot.
Heading east on the trail sounds fine.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
The entire team returns to the village, waits for daybreak, and then heads down the road to the east, through the forest.
In the light of day the meandering road seems far less threatening. The first few hours walking are downright pleasant. The wind blows gently through, blunted by the trees, sending cascades of autumn leaves and pine scented needles down from above. Sunbeams dapple the path and the world outside the tree tops seems to blaze bright white in comparison to the cool shade below. Animals peek and scatter as the group moves along, furtive looks from squirrels and rabbits through the undergrowth. Birds sing in sharp warbles and chirps and larger things move at a greater distance. Deer maybe. The path itself is about as meandering as a river, often straight but other times winding back and forth through large stones and small valleys.
Its maybe 5 hours and many miles into the forest where they find it. The path, cut into the soft black soil and emerald grass of a gentle hill, is circling around the side of a huge boulder. As they come around to its eastern face they find something stuffed up against the bottom of the boulder, on the very edge of the path. Its a large backpack and a few other smaller bags, partially open, a few of the contents scattered out around them. It doesn't looks though the bags have been ransacked, rather like they simply dropped to the ground and a few things popped out as a result. Nothing that has fallen out looks particularly valuable, more like the ordinary effects of an ordinary life. A bowl, some cutlery, a bundle of twine, that sort of thing.
On the stone near the pack is a small smear of what appears to be long dried blood. Not much, maybe a skinned knee's worth.
Post by: Fire and Glory on December 01, 2021, 09:27:49 pm
Grey reclaims his glove from Genesis.
He also places a spell on his needle, Maintain the health and well being of Grey and every Homunculous that is allied with Grey and is within 2 miles of him.
What kind of wound did Genesis find when examining Grey's eye?
Grey looks around the area for signs of someone getting dragged into the forest.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on December 01, 2021, 09:59:37 pm
Aaron carefully looks through his needle at the rock, boulder, hill, and woods, making sure not to directly look at any signs of magic he might see, and attempts to know how the traveler was attacked. If he has an answer, he tells Hugh
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on December 01, 2021, 10:42:00 pm
Post by: Ozarck on December 02, 2021, 03:41:05 am
Since we waited for daybreak and all, can we assume I fetched my glove from the gourd? If so, I'd like to reswap with Grey so I have my original pair on me for now - for the sake of keeping track of them.
Either way, while Genesis waits for the team to investigate and decide where to go next, he'll sit and ponder lunch. He'll try various things like reaching into his sleeves to find food from the cavern (besides the ceramic loaf), and covering himself with his robe and hood to see if he can access the cavern's kitchen while on mission.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on December 02, 2021, 04:06:38 am
Dig through the backpacks and see what kinds of crap these people had.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on December 02, 2021, 09:11:31 am
"Since these people are probably dead I doubt they'll give a shit if I dig through their bags.""Maybe not, but at least try to keep their belongings intact, in case they are alive. We were called according to the Covenant of Protection, after all."
Post by: Lenglon on December 02, 2021, 11:48:18 pm
When we come across the dropped pack and blood
I fly up and see what is around us from above.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on December 03, 2021, 12:46:29 am
“Ho! Ho! Ho! I guess it knows we’re here!”, Hugh says as he drops any disguise he was using. “Aa! Come here! I need my glove back and you need your’s back! Ho! Ho! Ho!”. Hugh then unswaps gloves with Aa.
Hugh then turns to Debby. “Ho! Ho! Ho! The owner of that backpack may not be dead! Until we know for sure, it’s best we just pack up their loose stuff into it, and stuff it up one of our sleeves. That way, we’ll have it for them when we see them!”
Finally he turns to Aaron. “Ho! Ho! Ho! What do your cognizant senses tell you about what happened here?”
Hugh waits for Aaron’s answer, needle at the ready in case of an attack.
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on December 03, 2021, 04:54:29 am
Post by: Ozarck on December 03, 2021, 08:33:48 am
Post by: fatcat__25 on December 03, 2021, 01:36:21 pm
Post by: King Zultan on December 04, 2021, 05:00:02 am
Post by: Ozarck on December 04, 2021, 05:09:55 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on December 04, 2021, 03:09:53 pm
Post by: fatcat__25 on December 04, 2021, 03:55:34 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on December 04, 2021, 04:50:16 pm
Post by: piecewise on December 06, 2021, 03:48:36 pm
"Looks like one of the guys that got grabbed."
Grey reclaims his glove from Genesis.
He also places a spell on his needle, Maintain the health and well being of Grey and every Homunculous that is allied with Grey and is within 2 miles of him.
What kind of wound did Genesis find when examining Grey's eye?
Grey looks around the area for signs of someone getting dragged into the forest.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Glove Reclaimed.
[1] You put a [1] version of that spell in your needle. Uh oh.
Genesis found no wounds, least none that he could see. The eye is blood red, leaking some blood from the tear ducts apparently, but has no holes or other damage. Your vision through that eye is still blurry and red though.
[4]
You check around the area, looking for signs of a struggle. There are snapped branches here, tumbled rocks there, a scuff on the pack, odd patterns in the dirt and about a half dozen other signs. From the clues you can make out that something seems to have come up this ridge from below and pounced on the traveler. However, if they dragged them off they did so the exact same way they came as you can see no particular signs of a person being dragged away.
"My knowledge tells me that the being behind this magic was, like us, created for a purpose. That purpose was to wage ancient and terrible wars. I wonder if something stirred it into building an army after all these years."[6][?]
Aaron carefully looks through his needle at the rock, boulder, hill, and woods, making sure not to directly look at any signs of magic he might see, and attempts to know how the traveler was attacked. If he has an answer, he tells HughSpoiler (click to show/hide)
You scan the area. Woods around you? Nothing different. Hill? Nah. Rocks? No. Boulder, na...wait. The blood on the boulder is showing something. You look at it without the needle and then with it. With the needle it looks like there's a fine layer of black moss or mold growing on it.
You consider the traveler. They were definitely attacked by one of those pumpkin things. Multiple probably. Ambushed as they walked down this path, because of the shade created by the boulder. The traveler, the old woman the townspeople had talked about, was pushed down, scraping herself as she fell. However, the pumpkins did not drag her away or kill her. Instead one of them...put itself in her. Not the pumpkin itself, but whatever twisted animating magic controlled it.
"It's not like we haven't dealt with this kind of thing before. Hmph. As much as our missions involve breaking things, you'd think we were part of the destroy corps instead of the investigation corps. Well, I guess someone has to act on whatever we find out, and we're already here. Leave the destroy corps for the really dangerous stuff."
Since we waited for daybreak and all, can we assume I fetched my glove from the gourd? If so, I'd like to reswap with Grey so I have my original pair on me for now - for the sake of keeping track of them.
Either way, while Genesis waits for the team to investigate and decide where to go next, he'll sit and ponder lunch. He'll try various things like reaching into his sleeves to find food from the cavern (besides the ceramic loaf), and covering himself with his robe and hood to see if he can access the cavern's kitchen while on mission.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Sure
None of these things work it seems. Hmmmmm.
"Since these people are probably dead I doubt they'll give a shit if I dig through their bags."After Genesis' needle pointed command to not mess things up to much, you begin emptying the pack very carefully. You set things in little piles and make sure not to lose anything. You remember the last time Genesis didn't like the way someone was handling another person's possessions.
Dig through the backpacks and see what kinds of crap these people had.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The pack contains the goods of an ordinary life. Plates, bowls, silverware, clothing, sewing needles, thread, twine, fabric, a few books, medicine in small glass bottles, what looks like a homemade first aid kit, bed roll, pillow, and more like this. No secret treasures, aside from a small amount of money.
"Thank you. That... went a lot better than I was afraid of."[5]
When we come across the dropped pack and blood
I fly up and see what is around us from above.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
What you can see right now is the tops of a bunch of trees. By the naked eye almost nothing of consequence can be seen other than the vague lay of the land via the heights of the trees. You notice that there are what look like repeated depressions or divots in the land. From what you can see beyond the forest this is true as well. The earth around here is pot marked with depressions.
Talking! Waiting! Being ready to murder!
“Ho! Ho! Ho! I guess it knows we’re here!”, Hugh says as he drops any disguise he was using. “Aa! Come here! I need my glove back and you need your’s back! Ho! Ho! Ho!”. Hugh then unswaps gloves with Aa.
Hugh then turns to Debby. “Ho! Ho! Ho! The owner of that backpack may not be dead! Until we know for sure, it’s best we just pack up their loose stuff into it, and stuff it up one of our sleeves. That way, we’ll have it for them when we see them!”
Finally he turns to Aaron. “Ho! Ho! Ho! What do your cognizant senses tell you about what happened here?”
Hugh waits for Aaron’s answer, needle at the ready in case of an attack.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on December 07, 2021, 02:34:43 am
Aaron attempts to pick up the magic in the blood with his needle.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on December 07, 2021, 03:58:25 am
Store the contents of the pack, and the pack, in my sleeve. Don't complain if one or two small items go missing, but if anyone gets greedy, do complain. With pointed looks. Heh heh. get it? pointed? Because of the needle? Also, I am dropping my links with Bob and Flame since they have been inactive for so long.
Look for a hand sized rock. Do the thing where I sew a glove onto it so that the glove stays on but doesn't merge with the rock. Tehn imbue the rock with the animating magic from my needle with the intent of having the animating magic try to return home. If this works as intended, I'll have a homing Roomba with a spy cam strapped prominently to it's top. If it does work somehow, follow the rock. If hte rock attacks instead, tap it with the needle to remove the magic again.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on December 07, 2021, 04:29:28 am
Look at the books and see what they're about and what the medicine is, then give the bag and it's contents to Genesis.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on December 07, 2021, 05:01:46 am
Post by: King Zultan on December 07, 2021, 05:23:12 am
(Updated action and sheet.)
Post by: Fire and Glory on December 07, 2021, 07:20:29 am
"Kind of strange they didn't bring a map with them all the way out here, and there's a first aid kit in here and I think we might need to use some of it's contents on Grey's eye since it's still bleeding, also does anyone mind if I take one of the sewing needles I need it for something I'm gonna try to do when we get back to base.""So far there's only one path, likely they had directions or know the terrain. I'm going to to say no to the idea of doing surgery on my face by the way."
"When we get moving again I'm going to get some distance from the group. I need to discharge some hazardous magic and I don't want any of you in range when it goes off. I'll catch up by teleporting when I'm done or if any of you get attacked."
Grey grabs a glance at the books out of curiosity but is otherwise uninterested in the backpack's contents.
If Genesis can't get his rock to cooperate, Grey suggests the group keep heading along on the path, so long as we're still heading east.
Grey wants to be far away from here and Hugh has offered to teleport him, so he'll cooperate with whatever Hugh does.
If Hugh can't manage a teleport, then once the group gets moving Grey will start heading the way back we came, seeking to get at least 2 miles away from everyone else. 1 hour of walking should be plenty.
Once at a safe distance from the group, Grey casts a spell on himself: Maintain the magic (or lack of magic) currently permeating Grey's body. No other spell shall enter him. If this spell fails completely then ignore everything that follows. We’re not in a hurry.
Grey then prepares to release the magic inside his needle: Maintain the health and well being of Grey and every Homunculous that is allied with Grey and is within 2 miles of him (1). Before he does, he warns those that he's linked with to be ready to shove the magic out of each other with their gloves if it affects them, just in case. After that he lets loose the spell.
All goes well and Grey is still alive, he teleports back to his Homunculi friends afterwards.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on December 07, 2021, 08:33:23 am
"Sorry forgot that's how we were moving it.""I only remembered it'd be too big because of that shark back in the cavern."
""When we get moving again I'm going to get some distance from the group. I need to discharge some hazardous magic and I don't want any of you in range when it goes off. I'll catch up by teleporting when I'm done or if any of you get attacked."'Don't get yourself killed. If it doesn't work out, we have other ways to discharge magic that might be safer, mostly."
Post by: Fire and Glory on December 07, 2021, 09:21:22 am
'Don't get yourself killed. If it doesn't work out, we have other ways to discharge magic that might be safer, mostly.""I'll shield myself best I can. Once it finds no purchase on me the spell might come after you no matter the distance between us, so I'll warn you when the time comes."
Post by: Lenglon on December 07, 2021, 12:07:32 pm
"I didn't see much from above, just a slightly odd scattering of depressions in the surrounding landscape, the tree cover is too thick for decent air scouting."
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on December 07, 2021, 04:53:44 pm
Post by: King Zultan on December 08, 2021, 04:30:02 am
"I'm going to to say no to the idea of doing surgery on my face by the way.""I was never gonna suggest surgery I meant we should use some of the bandages on your eye to at least stop the bleeding."
Post by: Fire and Glory on December 08, 2021, 05:32:52 am
Post by: King Zultan on December 08, 2021, 07:20:35 am
Post by: Fire and Glory on December 08, 2021, 07:53:07 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on December 08, 2021, 03:47:47 pm
"I thought they might be abducting and possessing people. So we have that to look forward to. If a possessed human attacks us, try not to hurt them if possible. If you can push hte magic out of them we can probably rescue them. Debby, if you are done with those things, I'll store them in my sleeve
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Yes! That sounds like the best course of action! Well said! We exist because of the covenants, after all. We should go destroying people, when we can help them!”, Hugh states his agreement with Genesis.
"When we get moving again I'm going to get some distance from the group. I need to discharge some hazardous magic and I don't want any of you in range when it goes off. I'll catch up by teleporting when I'm done or if any of you get attacked."
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Yes! Best to do that when you’re away from the group! Shall I make things go faster by eating the distance between you and a far enough away place?, Hugh inquires.
”Mm…yes that’d be good Hugh. I want to save on time and get this magic gone quick as I can.”
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Here we go!”
Hugh eats the distance between Grey and a spot on the trail about 3 miles away. Afterwards, Hugh stays with the group, always on guard, needle at the ready, occasionally scanning his surroundings (including the ground), both with his needle, and without.
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((Reply received. Action edited.))
((Btw, If we ever get to the place where the gourds are being controlled from, do you think it’ll be guarded by gourds that are on their guard?))
Post by: Fire and Glory on December 08, 2021, 07:03:59 pm
((I don’t think they’ve been alerted yet but it does look like we might be dealing with a small army of gourds and people protecting a spellslinger of sorts at the heart of things. Should be rather fun))
Post by: Fire and Glory on December 08, 2021, 08:17:44 pm
Post by: King Zultan on December 09, 2021, 03:35:56 am
Post by: Fire and Glory on December 09, 2021, 08:54:33 am
Post by: piecewise on December 09, 2021, 03:34:10 pm
"It seems the monsters attacked the traveler, and one of them transferred it's animating magic into her. The blood on the rock shows this. It has a faint trace of the black slimy magic.You poke the blood with the tip of your needle and the thin wisps of black magic disappear into it.
Aaron attempts to pick up the magic in the blood with his needle.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
"I thought they might be abducting and possessing people. So we have that to look forward to. If a possessed human attacks us, try not to hurt them if possible. If you can push hte magic out of them we can probably rescue them. Debby, if you are done with those things, I'll store them in my sleeveYou store the pack and its contents.
Store the contents of the pack, and the pack, in my sleeve. Don't complain if one or two small items go missing, but if anyone gets greedy, do complain. With pointed looks. Heh heh. get it? pointed? Because of the needle? Also, I am dropping my links with Bob and Flame since they have been inactive for so long.
Look for a hand sized rock. Do the thing where I sew a glove onto it so that the glove stays on but doesn't merge with the rock. Tehn imbue the rock with the animating magic from my needle with the intent of having the animating magic try to return home. If this works as intended, I'll have a homing Roomba with a spy cam strapped prominently to it's top. If it does work somehow, follow the rock. If hte rock attacks instead, tap it with the needle to remove the magic again.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
[1]
You sew the rock and glove together....or you try at least. Both the glove the the rock explode into little bits. Shucks.
"Kind of strange they didn't bring a map with them all the way out here, and there's a first aid kit in here and I think we might need to use some of it's contents on Grey's eye since it's still bleeding, also does anyone mind if I take one of the sewing needles I need it for something I'm gonna try to do when we get back to base."The books are an almanac, what looks like a book of psalms, and a picture book about a field mouse learning the value of hard work and planning. The medicine...well you can't tell much about it just from looking. Small white tablets, and small pink tablets. Hand made though, not manufactured. Glass bottles but no labels.
Look at the books and see what they're about and what the medicine is, then give the bag and it's contents to Genesis.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Possession makes sense, I can't find any evidence of someone being dragged out of here unconscious or against their will.""Kind of strange they didn't bring a map with them all the way out here, and there's a first aid kit in here and I think we might need to use some of it's contents on Grey's eye since it's still bleeding, also does anyone mind if I take one of the sewing needles I need it for something I'm gonna try to do when we get back to base.""So far there's only one path, likely they had directions or know the terrain. I'm going to to say no to the idea of doing surgery on my face by the way."
"When we get moving again I'm going to get some distance from the group. I need to discharge some hazardous magic and I don't want any of you in range when it goes off. I'll catch up by teleporting when I'm done or if any of you get attacked."
Grey grabs a glance at the books out of curiosity but is otherwise uninterested in the backpack's contents.
If Genesis can't get his rock to cooperate, Grey suggests the group keep heading along on the path, so long as we're still heading east.
Grey wants to be far away from here and Hugh has offered to teleport him, so he'll cooperate with whatever Hugh does.
If Hugh can't manage a teleport, then once the group gets moving Grey will start heading the way back we came, seeking to get at least 2 miles away from everyone else. 1 hour of walking should be plenty.
Once at a safe distance from the group, Grey casts a spell on himself: Maintain the magic (or lack of magic) currently permeating Grey's body. No other spell shall enter him. If this spell fails completely then ignore everything that follows. We’re not in a hurry.
Grey then prepares to release the magic inside his needle: Maintain the health and well being of Grey and every Homunculous that is allied with Grey and is within 2 miles of him (1). Before he does, he warns those that he's linked with to be ready to shove the magic out of each other with their gloves if it affects them, just in case. After that he lets loose the spell.
All goes well and Grey is still alive, he teleports back to his Homunculi friends afterwards.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Possessed, was she?!”, says Hugh. He then rubs his chin. “…That might be a problem…”[1]"I thought they might be abducting and possessing people. So we have that to look forward to. If a possessed human attacks us, try not to hurt them if possible. If you can push hte magic out of them we can probably rescue them. Debby, if you are done with those things, I'll store them in my sleeve
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Yes! That sounds like the best course of action! Well said! We exist because of the covenants, after all. We should go destroying people, when we can help them!”, Hugh states his agreement with Genesis."When we get moving again I'm going to get some distance from the group. I need to discharge some hazardous magic and I don't want any of you in range when it goes off. I'll catch up by teleporting when I'm done or if any of you get attacked."
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Yes! Best to do that when you’re away from the group! Shall I make things go faster by eating the distance between you and a far enough away place?, Hugh inquires.”Mm…yes that’d be good Hugh. I want to save on time and get this magic gone quick as I can.”
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Here we go!”
Hugh eats the distance between Grey and a spot on the trail about 3 miles away. Afterwards, Hugh stays with the group, always on guard, needle at the ready, occasionally scanning his surroundings (including the ground), both with his needle, and without.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((Reply received. Action edited.))
((Btw, If we ever get to the place where the gourds are being controlled from, do you think it’ll be guarded by gourds that are on their guard?))
Hugh takes a big bite of air and...vanishes. He reappears a mile away....straight up. Its very pretty up there. Unfortunately its also very windy as he begins to fall back towards earth.
Grey, back on the ground, shrugs and starts walking. [2] He tries his "Maintain" spell and it fails. Cheese and crackers!
Post by: Ozarck on December 09, 2021, 03:52:08 pm
I'm just going to assume that my failed experiment distracted me enough that Genesis didn't notice the giant disappearing nearby.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on December 09, 2021, 06:52:57 pm
On a path Grey again Maintains the magic or lack of magic permeating his body.
Once far away enough that the group won't be influenced by it, Grey lets loose the spell in his needle: Maintain the health and well being of Grey and every Homunculous that is allied with Grey and is within 2 miles of him (1).
All goes well and Grey is still alive, he teleports back to his Homunculi friends afterwards.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on December 09, 2021, 09:48:35 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((Btw, who rolled a 1? Don’t they get a fate point?))
Post by: Fire and Glory on December 09, 2021, 10:07:08 pm
Post by: fatcat__25 on December 09, 2021, 10:24:17 pm
Aaron attempts to know what sort of guard the creator of this magic keeps.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on December 09, 2021, 11:27:55 pm
Post by: King Zultan on December 10, 2021, 03:21:24 am
Look around the area and see if there's anything else interesting sitting around or any clues as to what happened here we missed earlier.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on December 14, 2021, 12:50:00 am
Oh man, I almost forgot about fate points. Well, try again with my other glove and another rock. Sew them together and imbue the result with the animating magic with the intent of having the thing scurry back to it's point of origin.[2,
I'm just going to assume that my failed experiment distracted me enough that Genesis didn't notice the giant disappearing nearby.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Hmmmm.
I'm gonna assume we do this again. You have fate to burn.
[
Sewing is effective.
[5]
Magic is too! You poke the glove rock thing with the needle and the black magic pours into it. It distorts visibly, fingers getting longer and skinnier. It rises into those elongated fingers and skitters off like a spider.
Bah, the magic's been most uncooperative lately. Even Hugh's affected by it. No matter, it'll work eventually.[2]No!
On a path Grey again Maintains the magic or lack of magic permeating his body.
Once far away enough that the group won't be influenced by it, Grey lets loose the spell in his needle: Maintain the health and well being of Grey and every Homunculous that is allied with Grey and is within 2 miles of him (1).
All goes well and Grey is still alive, he teleports back to his Homunculi friends afterwards.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
[2]NOOOO!
[2]NOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Literally three 2's in a row. I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt but I think fate is strictly against that spell.
Hugh looks down towards the ground. “Ho! HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH… SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!!!!!!”. Hugh then remembers something and pulls the thread connecting him to Genesis, three times. Afterwards he relinks with Genesis.You rolled the 1. You get a fate point.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((Btw, who rolled a 1? Don’t they get a fate point?))
And you teleport down and reconnect. That ability sure is useful. Hopefully you don't telefrag yourself next time.
"Where did Hugh just go??"[?]
Aaron attempts to know what sort of guard the creator of this magic keeps.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Hmmm...people. Yep. People.
"I guess Hugh went with grey, also it seems the medicine is home made and unlabeled so no clue what it's for, and the books are kind of random but nothing helpful."[1]
Look around the area and see if there's anything else interesting sitting around or any clues as to what happened here we missed earlier.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You attempt to overturn a large rock to see what's under it and drop it on your foot. [-2 HP] OW.
The glove, searching out its creator, doesn't follow the path. Instead it sprints off into the woods heedless of the difficulty larger beings have to keep up with it. The team follows it for a while, despite being battered by tree branches and stumbling through undergrowth. Finally they break out into a clearing. The clearing is a huge, oddly circular thing with a small pond in the center of a shallow depression. The glove skitters to the pond, circles it once, and then starts heading off further into the woods. As the team follows, they notice there is something in the pond; something metallic reflecting at the bottom.
Post by: Fire and Glory on December 14, 2021, 02:01:00 am
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on December 14, 2021, 06:10:26 am
Ask the pond to give us that shiny metal thing at it's bottom.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on December 14, 2021, 11:27:06 pm
Keep following the glove.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on December 14, 2021, 11:42:53 pm
Aaron attempts to know the purpose of the metallic object. He also, very cautiously, looks at the pool through his needle. Once these are done, he catches up with Tess.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on December 15, 2021, 12:56:36 am
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on December 16, 2021, 02:03:11 pm
Ughhhhhhhh fine. Grey spends 1 fate point on Maintaining the magic or lack of magic permeating his body and if it doesn't work this time Grey just teleports back. If it does work he discharges the spell in his needle: Maintain the health and well being of Grey and every Homunculous that is allied with Grey and is within 2 miles of him (1), teleporting back afterwards.[4,5]Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
You maintain your current magical state. Then you release the spell. It promptly yellows the leaves and grass, withers the flowers, and blackens the moss within maybe 100 feet. You, however, are ok.
You teleport back to the group.
"That shiny thing in the pond might be important, I'm gonna try to get it."[4]
Ask the pond to give us that shiny metal thing at it's bottom.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Just what I needed! A refreshing drink!”, Hugh exclaims as he bends down and drinks all of the water in the pond leaving behind the metallic object.[5]Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"I'll be with you in just a moment. I just want to get some information on this object before moving on."[?]
Aaron attempts to know the purpose of the metallic object. He also, very cautiously, looks at the pool through his needle. Once these are done, he catches up with Tess.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Debby asks the pond for the shiny thing. Hugh eats (drinks?) the pond. Aaron considers the shiny thing.
The result is a now dry depression with the shiny object sitting clearly visible. The shiny object actually turns out to only one of many shiny objects. The bottom of the pond, which is the bottom of a depression in the center of a clearing, is filled with bodies. With the water and a layer of soil missing shining armor and unbelievably ancient bones lay exposed. There looks to be about two dozen here, laying around and atop one another, scattered randomly. In the center of them, jutting straight up, is the shining object the team noticed at first. Multiple of the corpses have their bone fingers wrapped around it. It appears to be a lance, judging by what can be seen as it remains half buried in the mud. It has the long handle of a lance, encompassing bell-like guard of a lance, and the tapering metal spike of a lance. But the handle has no wrapping, no grip to hold on to, and the end cap is splayed like the flight on a dart.
Aaron's considerations leaves him with the following conclusion. This is a weapon, some evolutionary ancestor of the needle they're wielding right now. In some ways clumsy and inefficient, in others far more potent. This is a weapon designed to kill mages and their creations. And its like did so by the thousands.
"I guess, though I want to focus on the glove for now."You keep following the glove. It continues running through the woods. Town is many miles from here so this is probably gonna be a long run.
Keep following the glove.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on December 16, 2021, 02:15:22 pm
Aaron carefully looks through his needle at the pile of dead, and then at the lance, and attempts to know what caused the death of all these people.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on December 16, 2021, 02:30:22 pm
Acquire lance. Spend all 3 remaining fate points to do so.
Post by: Horizon on December 16, 2021, 05:38:17 pm
Post by: fatcat__25 on December 16, 2021, 06:02:23 pm
Post by: Ozarck on December 16, 2021, 06:46:24 pm
((Ozarck, you forgot your player information.))((Thanks))
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on December 16, 2021, 07:37:32 pm
((I live yet again!))
((Remind me again, who are you?))
((Ozarck, you forgot your player information.))((Thanks))
((I still don’t see your player information…))
Post by: Fire and Glory on December 16, 2021, 10:44:10 pm
Grey teleports to Tess and joins her in pursuit of the glove.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on December 16, 2021, 11:19:02 pm
"Where's Tess going?"
Post by: fatcat__25 on December 16, 2021, 11:29:40 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on December 16, 2021, 11:31:09 pm
"She's following a glove with the black magic in it, to see if it will lead us to the source of the magic. That's what got us here in this clearing.""Sounds like a good idea, I'll go join her."
Post by: King Zultan on December 17, 2021, 05:34:25 am
Search the pile of ancient corpses for any bits of armour I can wear and any items that are interesting or useful.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Horizon on December 17, 2021, 04:58:29 pm
Sunny still just stands by the angry portal, happy to make conversation with the wall again.
Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on December 17, 2021, 08:52:25 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((Psst. Ozarck, you need to add your character information to your post or the GM will ignore your action…))
Post by: Lenglon on December 17, 2021, 09:39:38 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on December 24, 2021, 05:37:22 pm
"Noted"[
Acquire lance. Spend all 3 remaining fate points to do so.
You manage to wrest the Lance out of the mud and corpse fingers with surprising ease. The lance is, in fact, a lance. It ends in a sharp point and everything! Its about 10 feet long and it has very clear murderous intent. Holding it makes your skin crawl and puts your teeth on edge.
"I wouldn't advise anyone touch that lance. It has powers like our needles, and was built to kill mages and other magical beings, like us. I can't see how it would be the source of the magic, but it still is probably dangerous."[?]
Aaron carefully looks through his needle at the pile of dead, and then at the lance, and attempts to know what caused the death of all these people.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
The needle shows...well you look away very quickly before you end up with a bleeding eye like the last guy. Its...unpleasant.
As per what killed these people...not people... These were killed by that thing over there. The thing you have to kill.
"Well that's a neat thing, anyway I'm gonna see what stuff the corpses have maybe something useful buried under all of them."[5]
Search the pile of ancient corpses for any bits of armour I can wear and any items that are interesting or useful.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Most of the armor the corpses are wearing has...disconcerting holes punched in it. Holes through the vaulted helmets, holes in the silvered chest pieces, and holes punched through the bones beneath. You search through the pile and eventually find a chest piece and helmet that aren't perforated. They're a bit tight, but they fit.
((I was Sunny.))We'll assume you're around the crater.
Sunny still just stands by the angry portal, happy to make conversation with the wall again.Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
it may be dull, but it needs to be done. Keep following the glove.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
“Ho! Ho! Ho! That hit the spot! Right, then! Off we go!”, Hugh says as he follows Tess and the others.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((Psst. Ozarck, you need to add your character information to your post or the GM will ignore your action…))
"I dislike it."
Grey teleports to Tess and joins her in pursuit of the glove.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
[3,5,3]
Hugh is the only one who can really keep up with the glove over the next hour or so of running through the woods. It shows no sign of slowing or stopping.
Post by: King Zultan on December 25, 2021, 06:04:14 am
Be on guard and stay with the group.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on December 25, 2021, 03:20:30 pm
"And Tess said there are many of these depressions around, similar to this one we found this lake filled with murdered corpses and this lance in."
Post by: fatcat__25 on December 25, 2021, 05:18:56 pm
Aaron looks through his needle at Debby's new armor, and at Genesis in general. If everything looks normal, he goes and pokes at the pile of armor with his needle. He also stays well clear of Genesis's reach.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Horizon on December 25, 2021, 06:26:58 pm
"Wow that crater must be a pain, he even had the gall to hit you!"
Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on December 25, 2021, 09:11:54 pm
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on December 25, 2021, 10:16:41 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on January 02, 2022, 03:42:27 pm
"Hey guys it looks like most of these people were stabbed with something sharp enough to go right through their armour."
Be on guard and stay with the group.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Well, this sharp, murderlance is sharp and murderous. And ten feet long. And similar to our very potent Needles."
"And Tess said there are many of these depressions around, similar to this one we found this lake filled with murdered corpses and this lance in."
"Genesis, be careful with that thing! I briefly looked through my needle toward the hole, and it is nasty. I only looked briefly, to avoid ending up like Grey. All of the dead here were killed by what we are here to fight."
Aaron looks through his needle at Debby's new armor, and at Genesis in general. If everything looks normal, he goes and pokes at the pile of armor with his needle. He also stays well clear of Genesis's reach.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Sunny walks away from the boring crater who wasn't much of a good conversationalist, and then attempts to strike a conversation with the earth.Aaron gazes through his needle at both the Lance and the old armor. The lance is...nothing. Throguh the eye of the needle the lance is literally negatve space. Not even a blurry black blob or anything, just...nothing. Its like the space it occupies has been yanked backwards away from your sight and the area around it has stretched and collapsed inwards to fill the space. It is a crease in the fabric of reality. And it hurts to look at it.
"Wow that crater must be a pain, he even had the gall to hit you!"Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
The armor is almost the exact opposite. its visible but only as like a white cutout of its shape. Reality seems to buldge out away from it. Huh. This one doesn't hurt to look at though.
Sunny, bored by these events, walks out of the crater and tries to find a good place to speak to the ENTIRE EARTH. Thankfully, she's interrupted when a figure steps out of the forest and into the clearing. Its a woman wearing a blue robe with a gold design of a book with a hand reaching out of it emblazoned on her chest. Beside her is floating a metal cube about the size of her head, slowly orbiting.
"So thats the game, huh?" She asks no one in particular, staring down at Genesis and the others in the crater.
Hugh continues to run after the glove.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Huff...Grey teleports forward to Hugh and keeps up the chase.Glove chasing continues. And it will continue for at least another 20 or so hours at the pace its going. Remember, the villiage was several days worth of walking into the forest.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on January 02, 2022, 05:53:25 pm
Do the homunculus ID thing: iteration, Corps, patron.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on January 02, 2022, 07:59:33 pm
He quickly climbs out of the hole a little ways from the woman, brandishes his needle, and attempts to know who she is, and what she is here for.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on January 02, 2022, 08:03:44 pm
Post by: fatcat__25 on January 02, 2022, 08:47:20 pm
Post by: King Zultan on January 03, 2022, 04:46:43 am
Be ready to run if that dude starts to attack us.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Horizon on January 03, 2022, 05:52:40 pm
Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on January 04, 2022, 10:12:18 am
Time for a bit of magic. Grey directs Hugh to follow his movements, slows down to a stop and starts following the glove again, walking at first, slowly transitioning to jogging and then running. While doing this, Grey Maintains the accelerating rate at which Grey and Hugh are safely traveling to his intended destination, which is a point that is one mile short of wherever the glove is going. He will spend 2 fate points on this spell as it's slightly hazardous.
For the spell's logic, because Grey intends to keep following the glove and then stop once he spots the place it's going, I believe that's sufficient for the spell to bring him to one mile short of that place. If you see it differently (lord knows this Maintain magic can be disorientating for me at times) then modify the destination to be exactly where the glove is heading.
If anything tries to kill Grey before or after he stops moving, he spends 1 fate point on staying alive.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on January 04, 2022, 08:28:30 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on January 04, 2022, 09:29:56 pm
Post by: Ozarck on January 04, 2022, 10:50:17 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on January 06, 2022, 08:14:05 am
Grey addresses Hugh and Tess. ”I’m going to try as skipping ahead close to where we’re going. Either of you want to come with?”
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Of course! What do you have in mind?”
Hugh keeps pace with Grey while waiting for his answer.
After speaking with Grey, Hugh goes along with Grey’s plan (grabbing Tess and carrying her under his arm if necessary).
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: edited to show that Hugh is going along with Grey’s plan.
Post by: Fire and Glory on January 06, 2022, 11:24:16 am
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Of course! What do you have in mind?”"In theory so long as we're not outpacing this glove we share its destination. If we slow down and start getting up to speed again, I can make it so that we keep speeding up and lock in our destination in the process, ensuring that we reach the place we're going in a matter of minutes. If Tess is coming I can include the glove in the spell as well which would make it more straightforward.
"Either way, we'll be going really fast but I'll be doing everything I can to make sure we arrive safely."
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on January 06, 2022, 12:58:28 pm
”Ho! Ho! Ho! Why don’t you just tell me where our destination is! I can just eat the distance between us and it!”“Ho! Ho! Ho! Of course! What do you have in mind?”"In theory so long as we're not outpacing this glove we share its destination. If we slow down and start getting up to speed again, I can make it so that we keep speeding up and lock in our destination in the process, ensuring that we reach the place we're going in a matter of minutes. If Tess is coming I can include the glove in the spell as well which would make it more straightforward.
"Either way, we'll be going really fast but I'll be doing everything I can to make sure we arrive safely."
Post by: Fire and Glory on January 06, 2022, 10:13:55 pm
”Ho! Ho! Ho! Why don’t you just tell me where our destination is! I can just eat the distance between us and it!””That’s the thing, I don’t actually know where we’re going, but the magic does and that’s all we need.”
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on January 07, 2022, 01:05:12 am
((Edited main post))
Post by: piecewise on January 08, 2022, 02:35:04 pm
"Capture Corps?"
Do the homunculus ID thing: iteration, Corps, patron.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
You don't need to ask her name, You've met her before. Her name is Sharpe, the woman you met when you went to the regional office. She clearly recognizes you as well and seems mildly amused by that fact.
Aaron, completely unable to make sense of what he just saw through his needle, decides the intruder is more of a pressing problem than strange magical effects.You scramble out of the crater and point your needle at the woman. Before you can try any magic though, Genesis shouts up that he knows her and that she's part of the capture corps.
He quickly climbs out of the hole a little ways from the woman, brandishes his needle, and attempts to know who she is, and what she is here for.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
"Hello there."Ready to coward out at any time!
Be ready to run if that dude starts to attack us.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Sharpe, completely ignoring Aaron's needle, marches up to the edge of the crater and looks down at Genesis and specifically at the weapon he's holding.
"They even went so far as to introduce us before we ended up here." she says, again more to herself than anyone else. She shakes her head like someone weathering a bad joke and then addresses Genesis. "We've been sent after the same target it seems. The Destroy corps are here too, a full team of three. Whatever lies in these woods is something far beyond an accidental leak or some sort of failed ritual. Judging by the presence of that lance we're dealing with something pre-covenant. Tell me what you know."
Grey addresses Hugh and Tess. ”I’m going to try as skipping ahead close to where we’re going. Either of you want to come with?”
Time for a bit of magic. Grey directs Hugh to follow his movements, slows down to a stop and starts following the glove again, walking at first, slowly transitioning to jogging and then running. While doing this, Grey Maintains the accelerating rate at which Grey and Hugh are safely traveling to his intended destination, which is a point that is one mile short of wherever the glove is going. He will spend 2 fate points on this spell as it's slightly hazardous.
For the spell's logic, because Grey intends to keep following the glove and then stop once he spots the place it's going, I believe that's sufficient for the spell to bring him to one mile short of that place. If you see it differently (lord knows this Maintain magic can be disorientating for me at times) then modify the destination to be exactly where the glove is heading.
If anything tries to kill Grey before or after he stops moving, he spends 1 fate point on staying alive.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
[Grey addresses Hugh and Tess. ”I’m going to try as skipping ahead close to where we’re going. Either of you want to come with?”
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Of course! What do you have in mind?”
Hugh keeps pace with Grey while waiting for his answer.
After speaking with Grey, Hugh goes along with Grey’s plan (grabbing Tess and carrying her under his arm if necessary).Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: edited to show that Hugh is going along with Grey’s plan.
There are dozens of ways this could go horribly wrong. Your legs might get torn off as they attempt to maintain constant acceleration, running faster and faster. You might just slam into a tree. You might get pulverized into paste as you're dragged along the ground due to a rise in elevation. You might go sailing off a hill and splat onto lower ground. If its far enough you might overcome the curvature of the planet and fly out into space.
Luckily none of these horrible things happen this time. Instead you go rocketing forward at an ever increasing pace, magically weaving between trees and just barely avoiding horrible death. Because, unlike before where you maintained SPEED, this time you are maintaining ACCELERATION. Within 30 or so seconds you are going over 200 miles an hour. And your legs aren't what's propelling you anymore so you're basically just hurtling forward, "Falling" towards the goal of that glove. By my calculations you'll be going somewhere in the ballpark of 600 miles a hour when you reach your "one mile away" goal. And when you reach that goal you'll "Stop". Consider what happens when people moving at 600 miles an hour just stop moving that speed.
You have about a minute left until you "stop".
Post by: Ozarck on January 08, 2022, 03:42:59 pm
That's all I recall at the moment. We haven't gotten far in our investigations. Some villagers seemed to know or suspect something but we weren't able to get much info from them, except about the mysterious entity stealing crops (which it turns into gourd monsters, apparently).
Do you need to dispose of this lance?"
Attempt to recall any details I forgot to mention.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on January 08, 2022, 06:20:22 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on January 09, 2022, 12:59:18 am
Because, unlike before where you maintained SPEED,(Huh, when did that happen?)
(Maybe I should've put that Maintain health spell on my needle again before trying this.)
"Hugh! I miscalculated! When we stop it's not going to be good! I can think of a few ways to get out of this without dying but none that get us where we're trying to go! Do you have any ideas?"
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on January 09, 2022, 01:45:19 am
Because, unlike before where you maintained SPEED,(Huh, when did that happen?)
(Maybe I should've put that Maintain health spell on my needle again before trying this.)
"Hugh! I miscalculated! When we stop it's not going to be good! I can think of a few ways to get out of this without dying but none that get us where we're trying to go! Do you have any ideas?"
“Ideas, you say? Ho! Ho! Ho! Answer me this… which is better: getting to where we are trying to go, or not dying?”
Post by: Fire and Glory on January 09, 2022, 02:06:00 am
“Ideas, you say? Ho! Ho! Ho! Answer me this… which is better: getting to where we are trying to go, or not dying?”"I get your point. Right now I can see two ways to survive this, either I can cut the spell and we use our needles to teleport hopefully before we hit a tree, or I can cut this spell and create a new one that'll let us survive the impact. Pick your poison?"
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on January 09, 2022, 02:54:45 am
“Ideas, you say? Ho! Ho! Ho! Answer me this… which is better: getting to where we are trying to go, or not dying?”"I get your point. Right now I can see two ways to survive this, either I can cut the spell and we use our needles to teleport hopefully before we hit a tree, or I can cut this spell and create a new one that'll let us survive the impact. Pick your poison?"
“Hopefully you we can teleport before we hit a tree! Hopefully you can create a new spell before we hit a tree! None looks better than the other! We may fail! We may succeed! It’s as though our success was dependent on the roll of a die! Ho! Ho! Ho!”
Post by: Fire and Glory on January 09, 2022, 03:12:22 am
“Hopefully you we can teleport before we hit a tree! Hopefully you can create a new spell before we hit a tree! None looks better than the other! We may fail! We may succeed! It’s as though our success was dependent on the roll of a die! Ho! Ho! Ho!”"Alright, spell it is! Hold on!"
Grey creates a shield with his gloves, destroys the spell hurtling him through the forest and immediately forms a new one: Maintain the health of Grey and Hugh, spending 1 fate on the spell. Let fate take the wheel, ho ho ho.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on January 09, 2022, 03:42:26 am
“Hopefully you we can teleport before we hit a tree! Hopefully you can create a new spell before we hit a tree! None looks better than the other! We may fail! We may succeed! It’s as though our success was dependent on the roll of a die! Ho! Ho! Ho!”"Alright, spell it is! Hold on!"
Grey destroys the spell hurtling him through the forest and immediately forms a new one, Maintain the health of Grey and Hugh, spending 1 fate on the spell. Let fate take the wheel, ho ho ho.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Hugh awaits the inevitable.
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((What about Tess? I thought she was tucked under Hugh’s arm.))
Post by: Fire and Glory on January 09, 2022, 03:45:43 am
((What about Tess? I thought she was tucked under Hugh’s arm.))(Tess isn't mentioned in the turn and Grey's nyoom spell only targeted Grey and Hugh. We'll have to ask PW to get a clear picture of what happened to her.)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on January 09, 2022, 03:49:05 am
Post by: King Zultan on January 09, 2022, 04:01:25 am
See how Elizabeth is doing and poke around the pit some more and see if I can't find any items that might tell us about what happened or be helpful.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on January 09, 2022, 10:25:54 am
Post by: Horizon on January 09, 2022, 11:25:00 am
Post by: Ozarck on January 09, 2022, 01:59:09 pm
((PW you missed my post, I was trying to talk to the book lady.))You didn't bold an action. looked like RP, and also, the lady is already ignoring another homunculus, so she'd likely be ignoring yours as well, since what he is saying seems irrelevant to what she is saying.
Post by: fatcat__25 on January 09, 2022, 02:47:53 pm
"Apologies for my distrust. I'm Aaron, the cognizant Genisis speaks of. If I can be of any assistance, I am ready to help."
Having introduced himself, and offered his assistance, Aaron attempts to know how near the nearest creature animated by the black magic is.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
((Also, Grey and Hugh, that is quite a pickle you are in. Best of luck in surviving impact.))
Post by: Lenglon on January 09, 2022, 06:50:46 pm
Thank you for not including me in that, I'm continuing to follow the glove in the more traditional way, and am going to occasionally glance through my needle to trace Gray's thread and see how his travel is going.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on January 09, 2022, 09:50:29 pm
<snip>
You have about a minute left until you "stop".
<snip>
"Hugh! I miscalculated! When we stop it's not going to be good! I can think of a few ways to get out of this without dying but none that get us where we're trying to go! Do you have any ideas?"
((You have no idea how hard it was not to have Hugh think for a minute before responding…))
Post by: piecewise on January 13, 2022, 06:55:43 pm
((PW you missed my post, I was trying to talk to the book lady.))Wasn't bolded! She'd ignore you anyways like she ignored the needle pointed at her head.
"Our Cognizant" Genesis gestures at Aaron, "did say that both the target we are pursuing and this lance are from a pre-Covenant war of some kind. One of our other teammates got a bird's eye view of the area here and there are a lot more of these craters around. this weapon was apparently designed to kill magical entities and is very effective at it. Likely each of the craters contains something similar, if not identical. The entity we are pursuing is capable at least of creating plant creatures out of gourds and controlling them from some distance. mmm, the sky itself is tinted with the magic of whatever this is, so what we are dealing with has quite a wide reach. One of our fellows looked through his needle at the entity and got an eye full of blood for it. Whatever it is is gearing up for a war that is long over. Also it has kidnapped at least eight people recently. Random villagers from two different villages as far as we can tell."I will need that lance...but not yet." Sharpe says, and raises both hands. She places her palms together and then spreads them open in a way that mimics opening a book. Semi-translucent pages of light appear and flutter between her hands. After a moment they stop moving and she leans closer to examine whatever is on them.
That's all I recall at the moment. We haven't gotten far in our investigations. Some villagers seemed to know or suspect something but we weren't able to get much info from them, except about the mysterious entity stealing crops (which it turns into gourd monsters, apparently).
Do you need to dispose of this lance?"
Attempt to recall any details I forgot to mention.
"Records from those times are scant, even within our library. The Magi created constantly, iterating infinitely, sharpening ideas to a needle point. They never kept track, the mundane never saw the big picture, and the mages were nothing but soldiers with only scattered memories."
She is silent for a few moments, reading.
"Best guess is that this is one of the choir types. They were generally support types."
She raises one hand and the page she's looking at enlarges so that everyone can see it. The text on the page is gibberish to the group but the image is of what could only be described as a god-like being upon a throne, carried by countless other strange and beautiful things. Its done in a style of art that none recognize but that is clearly quite old. She points to the periphery of the image, at what appear to be lines of worshippers, including women singing.
"They'd sing the Magi's praises, empower the armies, raise the dead, heal the injured, that sort of thing. An old Homunculi, barely more than an organic automata. Whatever is here sounds like it might fit this type. Maybe its some sort of attack focused variant or maybe it just went unstable over the millennia. Either way, even though its only a peripheral member of the retinue it will be a challenging beast in these more peaceful days. "
"This armour I have also came from the pit if that helps."Liz is pretty entranced by the pretty pictures and the new lady. She even shushes you when you try to talk over the explanation. You shrug and put her down at the edge of the pit to listen while you poke around. [3] You find nothing of particular use.
See how Elizabeth is doing and poke around the pit some more and see if I can't find any items that might tell us about what happened or be helpful.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Aaron is greatly relieved to hear the newcomer is here on the same mission as he and the rest. As a result, he stands his needle point down on the ground, and leans on the handle.[?]
"Apologies for my distrust. I'm Aaron, the cognizant Genisis speaks of. If I can be of any assistance, I am ready to help."
Having introduced himself, and offered his assistance, Aaron attempts to know how near the nearest creature animated by the black magic is.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
((Also, Grey and Hugh, that is quite a pickle you are in. Best of luck in surviving impact.))
The nearest creature animated by black magic is....14 feet away.
((sorry for my absence, literally moved. am now settled in my new home and am using my phone for internet while I wait for the primary internet service to be installed in the next few days))His travel appears to be going QUICKLY.
Thank you for not including me in that, I'm continuing to follow the glove in the more traditional way, and am going to occasionally glance through my needle to trace Gray's thread and see how his travel is going.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
“Hopefully you we can teleport before we hit a tree! Hopefully you can create a new spell before we hit a tree! None looks better than the other! We may fail! We may succeed! It’s as though our success was dependent on the roll of a die! Ho! Ho! Ho!”"Alright, spell it is! Hold on!"
Grey destroys the spell hurtling him through the forest and immediately forms a new one, Maintain the health of Grey and Hugh, spending 1 fate on the spell. Let fate take the wheel, ho ho ho.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Hugh awaits the inevitable.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((What about Tess? I thought she was tucked under Hugh’s arm.))
[2,“Hopefully you we can teleport before we hit a tree! Hopefully you can create a new spell before we hit a tree! None looks better than the other! We may fail! We may succeed! It’s as though our success was dependent on the roll of a die! Ho! Ho! Ho!”"Alright, spell it is! Hold on!"
Grey creates a shield with his gloves, destroys the spell hurtling him through the forest and immediately forms a new one: Maintain the health of Grey and Hugh, spending 1 fate on the spell. Let fate take the wheel, ho ho ho.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Grey breaks the current spell as he activates a new one. The new one....completely fails to happen at all. Uh oh. He just as time to scream to Hugh to create a shield and cross his own arms before things get loud. [5,4][-4 HP Gray] Grey and Hugh have their shields up when the spell breaks and is no longer there to guide them around trees or keep them aloft. And so they no longer avoid the trees and no longer stay in the air. The initial impact sends them tumbling and the shields only protect from the front so the subsequent several seconds are mostly a blur of green, pain, and light from burning gloves. When they finally do come to a rest in some underbrush they have very little coherent memory of the impact. Hugh sits up from the bushes and looks around. Forest. Yep, that checks out. Probably not dead. He looks at his arms. Yep, still there, always good. Gloves are burnt right off though. Legs are similarly intact. He pats his body down a bit. Everything still seems to be in its proper place and not crushed or torn or broken in half. He stands up, woozy at first, but manages to keep his balance and look around. Gray is laying a bit further away, against a tree. There's a broken tree branch jutting out of his stomach. Hugh can't tell if he was impaled and then landed here or if its a branch from the tree he's on. Either way, not great. Gray waves weakly.
"Another happy landing..."
Post by: Fire and Glory on January 13, 2022, 10:33:02 pm
Injuries suffered:4
Deaths narrowly avoided:2
He groans and brings up his needle.
"Debby. I got myself hurt and I need your help, will you come?"
Post by: Horizon on January 13, 2022, 11:22:50 pm
Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on January 13, 2022, 11:57:11 pm
Frowning at the ladies lack of manners, Sunny decides to teach her some. "Rude!" the homunculi says sounding uncharacteristically annoyed "You seem to use magic? Hm, well magic can you leave this rude lady?"
Sunny beseeches the magical abilities of this woman to cease being apart of her.Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
((Given that she’s a humonculus, wouldn’t that kill her? Also, wouldn’t this be considered betraying the Magi?
))
<snip>
You are a Homunculus. You have been created for the purpose of carrying out our will. Do your work well and you will be rewarded. Fail or betray us and you will be destroyed.
<snip>
Post by: Fire and Glory on January 14, 2022, 12:13:42 am
(Investigation corps Homunculi seem to be formed through magic but not powered by it, way back when Genesis stabbed that looter fellow with a needle he didn't die from terminal magic drainage or anything. Of course, she's not investigation corps so it's anyone's guess there.)Frowning at the ladies lack of manners, Sunny decides to teach her some. "Rude!" the homunculi says sounding uncharacteristically annoyed "You seem to use magic? Hm, well magic can you leave this rude lady?"
Sunny beseeches the magical abilities of this woman to cease being apart of her.
((Given that she’s a humonculus, wouldn’t that kill her? Also, wouldn’t this be considered betraying the Magi?
(Probably a good idea not to piss her off in any case.)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on January 14, 2022, 01:01:21 am
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Now… that wasn’t so bad, was it?”, he says with a hearty laugh.
“Now then. You wouldn’t happen to have an extra pair of gloves, would you?”
Post by: Fire and Glory on January 14, 2022, 01:22:51 am
Hugh dusts himself off.Grey's impaled demeanor indicates that he disagrees.
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Now… that wasn’t so bad, was it?”, he says with a hearty laugh.
“Now then. You wouldn’t happen to have an extra pair of gloves, would you?”
"I'm fresh out, sorry."
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on January 14, 2022, 01:37:38 am
Post by: King Zultan on January 14, 2022, 06:28:17 am
"Debby. I got myself hurt and I need your help, will you come?""I'm on my way, should I be prepared for a fight or is this a noncombat injury?"
Grab Elizabeth, pull the link with Grey and teleport to him, then see about preforming first aid and also asking his body to heal itself, spend a fate point on the last part.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on January 14, 2022, 07:02:31 am
While he waits Grey puts a spell on his needle:Maintain the health of Grey and all of his allies within 100 meters of him. He examines his hands as well to see if his gloves are gone.
Also, a question. Earlier you said this:
Quote
Glove chasing continues. And it will continue for at least another 20 or so hours at the pace its going.My question is, is it possible for us to run for that long? We know that Homunculi from our corps are more efficient than humans in some areas so if we had to carry on for that long, is there a real risk of becoming too exhausted to continue? Using Grey, Hugh and Tess's experience chasing the glove so far as a yardstick.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on January 14, 2022, 07:27:47 am
Spend one fate point to disrupt Sunny's spell activation. If, by some odd twist of fate, Sunny manages to actually remove the magic from Sharpe or otherwise incapacitate her, spend the other fate point to stab him with my ... needle.
If instead, Horizon rethinks his action, and no response is necessary, look through my glove to gauge the progress of our magic scout, and through the needle to see Grey's whereabouts. mark the direction to Grey by marking a line following the needle link.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on January 14, 2022, 12:00:07 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on January 14, 2022, 01:06:39 pm
"Hey Sunny, there is something distinctly unfriendly here close by. It is animated by slimy black magic, and probably wants to kill us. Would you help me find it, to get rid of it?"
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Horizon on January 14, 2022, 02:50:43 pm
Frowning at the ladies lack of manners, Sunny decides to teach her some. "Rude!" the homunculi says sounding uncharacteristically annoyed "You seem to use magic? Hm, well magic ca-?"Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
In the middle of asking Magic to kindly vacate the lady, someone interrupted and distracted him successfully.
Aaron quickly looks around him for whatever has the black magic, needle at the ready. If nothing tries eating or kidnapping him or another homunculus, he starts judging distances between himself and other people and objects around him. He also calls over to Sunny to help him.
"Hey Sunny, there is something distinctly unfriendly here close by. It is animated by slimy black magic, and probably wants to kill us. Would you help me find it, to get rid of it?"Spoiler (click to show/hide)
"Why didn't you say so potential new friend!" Sunny's attention immediately drawn to someone asking for help "I will gladly help!" with that he skips off towards Aaron completely forgetting about Sharpe.
Assist my new best friend in getting rid of the thing Aaron mentioned, but not by hurting it instead by telling it nicely to go away.
Post by: Horizon on January 14, 2022, 02:55:50 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on January 14, 2022, 07:05:10 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on January 15, 2022, 02:04:03 am
((There action rethinked, we good.))((for the record, I, the player, was not opposed to or upset with your action, though it did feel out of character to the effervescent Sunny.
Genesis knows and was helped by Sharpe though, and views her as one of us.
And I suppose Sunny could totally be the superficially friendly, but secretly quite aggressive type.))
Post by: Fire and Glory on January 15, 2022, 03:44:46 am
Frowning at the ladies lack of manners, Sunny decides to teach her some. "Rude!" the homunculi says sounding uncharacteristically annoyed "You seem to use magic? Hm, well magic can you leave this rude lady?"(Be sure to edit your original action too, otherwise there might be sad consequences after PW reads it and types an update.)
Sunny beseeches the magical abilities of this woman to cease being apart of her.Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on January 15, 2022, 03:59:30 am
"There's nobody around, it's just me and Hugh who is fine. It was a magical mishap.""Okay that's good I didn't want to have to figure out how to fight something while also preforming first aid."
Post by: Horizon on January 15, 2022, 05:28:51 pm
Frowning at the ladies lack of manners, Sunny decides to teach her some. "Rude!" the homunculi says sounding uncharacteristically annoyed "You seem to use magic? Hm, well magic can you leave this rude lady?"(Be sure to edit your original action too, otherwise there might be sad consequences after PW reads it and types an update.)
Sunny beseeches the magical abilities of this woman to cease being apart of her.Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
(Yep I did just now.)
((There action rethinked, we good.))((for the record, I, the player, was not opposed to or upset with your action, though it did feel out of character to the effervescent Sunny.
Genesis knows and was helped by Sharpe though, and views her as one of us.
And I suppose Sunny could totally be the superficially friendly, but secretly quite aggressive type.))
(Oh no I get it, Sunny has not known Sharpe and found wanted to get her attention initially but now his attention has been drawn away.)
Post by: piecewise on January 18, 2022, 09:38:24 pm
Frowning at the ladies lack of manners, Sunny decides to teach her some. "Rude!" the homunculi says sounding uncharacteristically annoyed "You seem to use magic? Hm, well magic ca-?"Sharpe flicks a pointed glance at you. "We don't have time for pleasantries."Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
[2,"Debby. I got myself hurt and I need your help, will you come?""I'm on my way, should I be prepared for a fight or is this a noncombat injury?"
Grab Elizabeth, pull the link with Grey and teleport to him, then see about preforming first aid and also asking his body to heal itself, spend a fate point on the last part.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You yank the thread and spend a full second or two screaming through the forest and come to rest next to Grey. You take a look at the injury: He's impaled himself on the stump of a broken branch on this tree. You ask his body to heal himself and either it can't or won't. It doesn't even respond. You shrug. With Hugh's help you carefully pull Grey free from the tree and use moss like gauze to pack the wound as best you can. You use some strips of cloth left over from the living puppet experiment to bandage it up as best you can. Its a messy job and he'll definitely die of an infection if you don't complete the mission within a few days. Assuming Homunculi can get infections....
"There's nobody around, it's just me and Hugh who is fine. It was a magical mishap."You place a [5] version of that spell in your needle.
While he waits Grey puts a spell on his needle:Maintain the health of Grey and all of his allies within 100 meters of him. He examines his hands as well to see if his gloves are gone.
Also, a question. Earlier you said this:QuoteGlove chasing continues. And it will continue for at least another 20 or so hours at the pace its going.My question is, is it possible for us to run for that long? We know that Homunculi from our corps are more efficient than humans in some areas so if we had to carry on for that long, is there a real risk of becoming too exhausted to continue? Using Grey, Hugh and Tess's experience chasing the glove so far as a yardstick.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Homunculi are capable of running that long, especially if they pace themselves. Homunculi don't need much food, much sleep, or much rest. You're driven by forces greater than simple biology after all.
Genesis speaks calmly. "You shouldn't have done that, Sunny. I don't take kindly to people who assault my allies, or those who steal from the grieving."You close one eye and get a glimpse of grass rushing by rapidly. Ah, right, its scuttling on its fingers which means its palm down. Hmm. You look through the needle, peeking out through gray's needle. Still in the forest but it looks...different. You hear grunting and painful gasps, so you rotate around to look through the other side of the needle. Looks like he's leaned the needle against a tree while Debby and Hugh apply aid. Hmm.
Spend one fate point to disrupt Sunny's spell activation. If, by some odd twist of fate, Sunny manages to actually remove the magic from Sharpe or otherwise incapacitate her, spend the other fate point to stab him with my ... needle.
If instead, Horizon rethinks his action, and no response is necessary, look through my glove to gauge the progress of our magic scout, and through the needle to see Grey's whereabouts. mark the direction to Grey by marking a line following the needle link.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
You look at the thread leading to grey and scratch a mark in the ground to indicate the direction.
Stick with the glove for now, but keep checking in on Grey.[2]Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The glove has disappeared into a thicket of tall grass and you're not sure where it went....
Hugh stays by Grey, ready to defend the two of them as he scans the surroundings with his needle.You stand around, back to Hugh and Debby as she works on his injuries. You sense something distinctly wrong about this place.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Frowning at the ladies lack of manners, Sunny decides to teach her some. "Rude!" the homunculi says sounding uncharacteristically annoyed "You seem to use magic? Hm, well magic ca-?"Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
In the middle of asking Magic to kindly vacate the lady, someone interrupted and distracted him successfully.Aaron quickly looks around him for whatever has the black magic, needle at the ready. If nothing tries eating or kidnapping him or another homunculus, he starts judging distances between himself and other people and objects around him. He also calls over to Sunny to help him.
"Hey Sunny, there is something distinctly unfriendly here close by. It is animated by slimy black magic, and probably wants to kill us. Would you help me find it, to get rid of it?"Spoiler (click to show/hide)
"Why didn't you say so potential new friend!" Sunny's attention immediately drawn to someone asking for help "I will gladly help!" with that he skips off towards Aaron completely forgetting about Sharpe.
Assist my new best friend in getting rid of the thing Aaron mentioned, but not by hurting it instead by telling it nicely to go away.
Aaron quickly looks around him for whatever has the black magic, needle at the ready. If nothing tries eating or kidnapping him or another homunculus, he starts judging distances between himself and other people and objects around him. He also calls over to Sunny to help him.Aaron and Sunny search around the clearing carefully, poking their heads into the forest and scampering about chasing shadows. They fail to find anything though. At one point Aaron returns to where he was at first and starts counting out steps in different directions. After a while he stops, looking confused.
"Hey Sunny, there is something distinctly unfriendly here close by. It is animated by slimy black magic, and probably wants to kill us. Would you help me find it, to get rid of it?"Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Sharpe observes Genesis' actions as she carefully closes her magical book.
"What are you doing?" she asks, and then a moment later "Do you have others closer to the source of the disturbance?"
As Grey lays on his back, covered in sweat and breathing heavily, he notices something. He, and the rest of them really, had been too distracted with his injuries to really take a good look around. He opens his eyes and glances around, head turning slowly on the pillow of moss Elizabeth had made for him. The sky is dark here...not cloudy just...dim. Its like sunset but the sun is still clearly visible overhead. Its cold, not freezing but clearly colder than it was before. He can only really feel it on his exposed face and hands but its definitely noticeable. He idly pats the hole in his robe where the tree branch punched through. Wet and cold to his touch but not inside. The robe's insulation must still be intact even with that hole. The trees here are just as large but look sickly, and there are creeping vines with purple pink flowers and hooked black thorns crawling everywhere. They're encircling trees, slithering over rocks, choking out smaller plants. He vaguely realizes that Debby and Hugh must have cleared a space to lay him down because the vines are thick everywhere else.
There's something else too. Something he can't place. A strange feeling, as though someone was leaning over him and looking down at him. Not a pleasant feeling.
Post by: Lenglon on January 18, 2022, 11:01:14 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on January 18, 2022, 11:16:40 pm
Hugh continues to scan his surroundings, ready to defend himself, Grey, Debbie, and Elizabeth.
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on January 19, 2022, 12:21:11 am
Sharpe observes Genesis' actions as she carefully closes her magical book.Respond
"What are you doing?" she asks, and then a moment later "Do you have others closer to the source of the disturbance?"
"Hmm? yes we do. I sent a glove imbued with the source's magic as a scout, returning to its nest. Several of the others followed it. Looks like one got himself injured in the chase. In hindsight, I should have ensured i had a way of tracking the glove before sending it off. I can get us to the advanced party whenever, if you like. Same as the deer headed one just did. Or do you have your own means?"
If Sharpe consents to a ride-along, make sure all the homunculi by the crater have links to someone in the advance party (I have 2 link slots available, and anyone else can link with each other) , then grab Sharpe around the waist and pull Grey's thread.
If she prefers her own travel arrangements, leave her to it and go when she does.
Either way, before we go, take careful note of direction, landmarks, and other reference points to orient myself with on arrival, assuming i can see anything of the like. Also, whe nI arrive, make a quick note of any links back toward the crater so we know which direction to go.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on January 19, 2022, 01:10:09 am
Grey grabs his needle from where he is to speak through it.
"Tess, we seem to be safe for now. Do you think you can catch the glove and bring it forwards to us?"
Grey examines his surroundings for signs of magic using his needle, particularly those vines.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on January 19, 2022, 01:54:24 am
Post by: Fire and Glory on January 19, 2022, 02:16:25 am
Post by: Lenglon on January 19, 2022, 03:06:16 am
Post by: King Zultan on January 19, 2022, 04:20:32 am
"Thank you all, I think I am well enough to stand, now.""I'm not a doctor but I don't think getting up right now is a good idea, you should at least lay there a few minuets, also have I become the teams doctor because it feels like I have."
Relink my needle with Grey and make sure Elizabeth is close, then wield whatever weapon seems appropriate and be ready in case of attack.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on January 19, 2022, 04:40:39 am
"Alright, we do have some time still.""Thank you all, I think I am well enough to stand, now.""I'm not a doctor but I don't think getting up right now is a good idea, you should at least lay there a few minuets, also have I become the teams doctor because it feels like I have."
Post by: fatcat__25 on January 20, 2022, 12:09:00 am
"How is your traveling going Hugh? A Capture Corps member just showed up and has been discussing the situation with Genesis."
He then seeks to know what direction the Kill Corps is in, and make a large mark toward that direction.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on January 20, 2022, 01:04:22 am
Aaron uses his needle to speak to Hugh.
"How is your traveling going Hugh? A Capture Corps member just showed up and has been discussing the situation with Genesis."
<snip>
“Ho. Ho. Ho, there… I am currently with Grey, Debbie, and Elizabeth. None of us are going anywhere, right now…”
((Also, did everyone miss what Hugh said in my previous post? He was speaking into his needle, but not to anyone specific…))
Post by: fatcat__25 on January 20, 2022, 02:19:52 am
Post by: Horizon on January 20, 2022, 03:26:26 am
"What is wrong there?"
"Hey odd question, why are you talking to a giant needle?"
Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on January 20, 2022, 01:18:27 pm
"What is wrong there?"
“I’m not quite sure… something feels off… wrong… with this place. The sun is directly overhead, but it’s dim. And it’s cold… It feels like we’re being watched by something. Something… Other…”
Post by: fatcat__25 on January 20, 2022, 02:10:18 pm
And to Sunny: "These needles are amazing multipurpose tools. They can be used as a weapon, or a number of other things. They can be linked to each other, and then their users can talk to each other via their needles. Right now I'm talking to one of the people who went on ahead of us."
Post by: Horizon on January 20, 2022, 11:28:10 pm
To Hugh: "That doesn't sound good. I had hoped that whatever this thing is wouldn't know we were coming yet."
And to Sunny: "These needles are amazing multipurpose tools. They can be used as a weapon, or a number of other things. They can be linked to each other, and then their users can talk to each other via their needles. Right now I'm talking to one of the people who went on ahead of us."
Sunny whistles, at least he tries to "Neat, when do I get one?"
Post by: fatcat__25 on January 20, 2022, 11:41:14 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on January 21, 2022, 12:13:49 am
"When we get back to our base, I'll show you where you can get one. In the mean time, I'll think about what I could find you for a weapon, in case you need to defend yourself."
((If he gets back. He doesn’t even have a robe or gloves…))
Post by: King Zultan on January 21, 2022, 02:45:33 am
Post by: Horizon on January 21, 2022, 11:39:17 am
"When we get back to our base, I'll show you where you can get one. In the mean time, I'll think about what I could find you for a weapon, in case you need to defend yourself."
"Ha ha! Worry not best friend! I shall find something!"
Sunny looks for a shield-like object.
Post by: piecewise on January 26, 2022, 11:03:22 am
keep moving in the same general direction and see if i can re-spot the glove. also, keep watch on my surroundings since I'm currently solo.[1]Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You search around in the grass and fail to find the glove. Not only that, but you get turned around and you're not even sure the direction you came from or the direction you were going.
“There’s something… wrong… with this place.” Hugh says into his needle, his usually jolly demeanor replaced by palpable apprehension.
Hugh continues to scan his surroundings, ready to defend himself, Grey, Debbie, and Elizabeth.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"I'm not liking the look of this place.""Thank you all, I think I am well enough to stand, now.""I'm not a doctor but I don't think getting up right now is a good idea, you should at least lay there a few minuets, also have I become the teams doctor because it feels like I have."
Relink my needle with Grey and make sure Elizabeth is close, then wield whatever weapon seems appropriate and be ready in case of attack.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Thank you all, I think I am well enough to stand, now."[2][4][3]
Grey grabs his needle from where he is to speak through it.
"Tess, we seem to be safe for now. Do you think you can catch the glove and bring it forwards to us?"
Grey examines his surroundings for signs of magic using his needle, particularly those vines.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Hugh looks around and sees...well this place is creepy but he doesn't really see anything which screams threat. Debby on the other hand notices that there is magic flowing through the vines here, strange throbbing dark magic that hurts to look at. Also the vines are growing fast enough for her to just barely see them grow. Grey sees roughly the same.
Action below.Sharpe observes Genesis' actions as she carefully closes her magical book.Respond
"What are you doing?" she asks, and then a moment later "Do you have others closer to the source of the disturbance?"
"Hmm? yes we do. I sent a glove imbued with the source's magic as a scout, returning to its nest. Several of the others followed it. Looks like one got himself injured in the chase. In hindsight, I should have ensured i had a way of tracking the glove before sending it off. I can get us to the advanced party whenever, if you like. Same as the deer headed one just did. Or do you have your own means?"
If Sharpe consents to a ride-along, make sure all the homunculi by the crater have links to someone in the advance party (I have 2 link slots available, and anyone else can link with each other) , then grab Sharpe around the waist and pull Grey's thread.
If she prefers her own travel arrangements, leave her to it and go when she does.
Either way, before we go, take careful note of direction, landmarks, and other reference points to orient myself with on arrival, assuming i can see anything of the like. Also, whe nI arrive, make a quick note of any links back toward the crater so we know which direction to go.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Aaron uses his needle to speak to Hugh.
"How is your traveling going Hugh? A Capture Corps member just showed up and has been discussing the situation with Genesis."
He then seeks to know what direction the Kill Corps is in, and make a large mark toward that direction.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
"When we get back to our base, I'll show you where you can get one. In the mean time, I'll think about what I could find you for a weapon, in case you need to defend yourself.""Ha ha! Worry not best friend! I shall find something!"
Sunny looks for a shield-like object.
[2][?]
Sunny finds nothing! Nothing! She gets Nothing!
Aaron considers...He has a strong feeling the Destroy Corps are...to the south, moving north in the direction of the target. They're moving relatively slowly for their kind, apparently purging a lot of things as they go.
Sharpe considers Genesis' offer for a moment before nodding.
"I will warn you now: my skills are focused on self protection and containment when it comes to combat. And my goal is the being at the heart of this. I will not save you or yours if it means giving up an opportunity to accomplish my goal."
Genesis shrugs and then grabs her around the waist, pulling her close to him. She seems somewhat startled by this but doesn't fight against it. He holds the needle in the crook of his elbow and yanks the thread with his free hand. The two of them travel the vast distance to Gray and the others within moments and corporealize next to him.
Post by: Horizon on January 26, 2022, 12:02:01 pm
Tests out Nothing
Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on January 26, 2022, 12:06:55 pm
He then notices the arrival of Genesis and his companion. “Ho! Ho! Ho! And who would you be, if I might ask?”, he asks the woman, bowing respectfully.
“And, by the way, where are the others?”
When Grey begins following his pet rock, Hugh begins following also, needle at the ready and occasionally scanning his surrounding (both with his eyes and with his needle).
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on January 26, 2022, 04:44:32 pm
"This is Sharpe, she's Capture Corps. Destroy Corps is here as well. Let's not get in each others' ways.
Hello Grey. Got yourself stabbed?
Hugh, the others are back at the crater. They have their needles, so as long as they are linked they can find us."
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on January 26, 2022, 08:25:37 pm
Post by: fatcat__25 on January 26, 2022, 09:49:43 pm
"The Kill Corps are working their way slowly into the forest south of here. Ask everybody there if there is anything useful I or Sunny can do before we leave the clearing. Otherwise, we'll come join you. I feel, since we are an Investigation Corps, we should be going on ahead of the other Corps, and investigating.
While he waits for a response, Aaron walks into the forest, and gets the sturdiest limb or small tree trunk he can, as a quarterstaff. He then gives it to Sunny.
"Here, my merry man, have a staff for our travels!"
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
((I can bring Sunny with me if needed. It worked with Genesis and Sharpe.))
Post by: Ozarck on January 26, 2022, 10:55:11 pm
((Sunny Dee isn’t linked with anyone. He doesn’t even have a needle. Or a robe. Or gloves…))((Genesis is aware of this, as am I))
Post by: Lenglon on January 27, 2022, 12:09:10 am
"Lost track of the glove. No point in hanging out there solo."
Post by: Fire and Glory on January 27, 2022, 02:14:27 am
"This is Sharpe, she's Capture Corps. Destroy Corps is here as well. Let's not get in each others' ways."Yeah, as you can see. Hello Sharpe."
Hello Grey. Got yourself stabbed?"
"We discovered that the vines here are practically pulsing with magic, and it's the same as what nearly put out my eye earlier."
Tug twice on my thread to Grey. there's no benefit to being out here alone and lost like this. re-link with him afterwards"Alright, I can produce something similar."
"Lost track of the glove. No point in hanging out there solo."
Grey picks up a rock.
"Now that we're deeper in unknown territory I think we'd be best off moving at walking pace. What do you all think?"
Post by: King Zultan on January 27, 2022, 03:25:56 am
Poke the vines with my needle and see what happens while I wait for the others to desire what we're doing from here.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Horizon on January 27, 2022, 01:41:08 pm
((Sunny Dee isn’t linked with anyone. He doesn’t even have a needle. Or a robe. Or gloves…))((But dat spandex doh))
Post by: Ozarck on January 27, 2022, 04:49:45 pm
"Now that we're deeper in unknown territory I think we'd be best off moving at walking pace. What do you all think?""Fine. I'm ready to move as soon as we have a direction to go in."
Post by: Fire and Glory on January 28, 2022, 12:52:55 am
Grey grabs a rock, orientates himself in the opposite direction of where his needle link with Tess was before she teleported and takes a few steps forwards. While moving, he Maintains the rate at which the rock is moving towards the glove's destination, except at the times when Grey desires it to stop moving. (Is this possible? Guess we'll see.) He then lets go of the rock.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on January 30, 2022, 06:42:02 pm
"Huzzah my friend! I've found Nothing!" HE hoists nothing in HIS hands looking at HIS companion Aaron with giddiness "Nothing will be my shield!".[4]
Tests out NothingSpoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Sunny puts HIS...nothing up to see how well it blocks. It...uh...well its very light.
Aaron chuckles good-naturedly at Sunny's comment, and then talks to Hugh again.[6]
"The Kill Corps are working their way slowly into the forest south of here. Ask everybody there if there is anything useful I or Sunny can do before we leave the clearing. Otherwise, we'll come join you. I feel, since we are an Investigation Corps, we should be going on ahead of the other Corps, and investigating.
While he waits for a response, Aaron walks into the forest, and gets the sturdiest limb or small tree trunk he can, as a quarterstaff. He then gives it to Sunny.
"Here, my merry man, have a staff for our travels!"Spoiler (click to show/hide)
((I can bring Sunny with me if needed. It worked with Genesis and Sharpe.))
You head out into the forest and come back with a 10 foot tall sapling you've somehow ripped straight out of the earth. You toss it to Sunny D who is promptly toppled over by the weight of it.
Tug twice on my thread to Grey. there's no benefit to being out here alone and lost like this. re-link with him afterwardsYou warp out to Grey and the rest of the group.
"Lost track of the glove. No point in hanging out there solo."
Hugh lowers his needle. “Ho! Ho! Ho! Well, it looks like we’re not in any danger right now, so I suppose we can relax!”, he says as he attempts to pull a new set of gloves from out of the sleeve of his robe.No gloves are to be found in your sleeves.
He then notices the arrival of Genesis and his companion. “Ho! Ho! Ho! And who would you be, if I might ask?”, he asks the woman, bowing respectfully.
“And, by the way, where are the others?”
When Grey begins following his pet rock, Hugh begins following also, needle at the ready and occasionally scanning his surrounding (both with his eyes and with his needle).Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You follow Grey, if he ever eventually gets up
Scan around with my normal eyes. Relink with Grey. Stab a vine with my Needle, not the murderlance, for some juicy dark magics (assuming I am informed of their hostility). Make a note as to the direction Tess is from the group. Is she far behind the advance group?? You said before that it was likely going to be many hours to the location.You look around. Forest, darkness, angry vines. Yep not great. You relink with grey and then stab a vine with your needle. A section of vines about 6 feet around shrivels and bursts into purple black light that then disappears into your needle. Tess is....Right here about 10 feet away. Hmm.
"This is Sharpe, she's Capture Corps. Destroy Corps is here as well. Let's not get in each others' ways.
Hello Grey. Got yourself stabbed?
Hugh, the others are back at the crater. They have their needles, so as long as they are linked they can find us."Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
"Hey guys these vines are growing fast enough you can actually see it happening, probably don't want to spend the night here or stick around to long."Much like with Genesis, your poke results in a large chunk of vines vanishing and strange black magic being absorbed into your needle.
Poke the vines with my needle and see what happens while I wait for the others to desire what we're doing from here.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
After informing Genesis of the vine's properties, Grey puts his magic into action.[1]
Grey grabs a rock, orientates himself in the opposite direction of where his needle link with Tess was before she teleported and takes a few steps forwards. While moving, he Maintains the rate at which the rock is moving towards the glove's destination, except at the times when Grey desires it to stop moving. (Is this possible? Guess we'll see.) He then lets go of the rock.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
The rock, newly enchanted, floats straight up and vanishes into the sky. How helpful.
The sky, already gloomy, fades to nearly black and open air transforms to thick clouds. Lightning lances out in spreading arcs from somewhere to the north. A voice, half made of thunder and half of a woman's voice, washes across the forest in a palpable wave.
(https://i.imgur.com/7chFE8J.png)
Even within their robes everyone can feel cold bite into their skin as though ice had just been pressed against their bare flesh. The feel a weight press onto their shoulders and an odd sensation between their shoulder blades. Someone is watching. Someone is HERE.
Post by: Horizon on January 30, 2022, 07:10:53 pm
Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on January 31, 2022, 01:46:15 am
"Hello? I don't think we've met. call me Tess. Who are you?"
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Horizon on January 31, 2022, 04:06:44 am
speak to the newcomer
"Hello? I don't think we've met. call me Tess. Who are you?"Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
(I just realized that Sunny was the first person to greet Tess, he literally tried befriending her after she spawned lol)
Post by: King Zultan on January 31, 2022, 05:36:16 am
Stick with the group and have a weapon at the ready in case whatever the lightning yelling thing was attacks us.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on January 31, 2022, 06:43:47 am
Put my hood up, change appearance to that of bramble. Use the magic in my needle to blend in with the surrounding in aura as well. I guess tap the needle onto the cloak to let teh magic sort of externally coat the cloak without interfering with it. Then head north with my two big stabbers. peek through my glove again. Still skittering?
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on January 31, 2022, 08:49:51 am
Let us go north.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on January 31, 2022, 05:18:04 pm
“Ho! Ho! Ho! That seems like a good idea! That Lady did not sound welcoming!”
Hugh then continues following Grey, needle at the ready, periodically scanning his surrounding both with his needle and without, ready to defend himself and the others.
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on February 02, 2022, 12:44:33 pm
Aaron attempts to form the magic in his needle into a saw-bladed knife with a blade about the length of his palm. If successful, he saws the root ball off with that, and then stores the knife in he sleeve. Otherwise, he stabs the base of the tree with his needle until he can break the root ball off by hand.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on February 05, 2022, 03:17:18 pm
"Oh how kind o-" Sunny says before toppling over under the trees weight, then in a very gravelly voice says "Please get lighter." Sunny requests the sapling become a bit lighter. then shivers at the sound of the voice "That doesn't sound friendly at all."[1]Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
"You just tore me out of the fucking ground and now you're complaining I'm fat?" The sapling says in a rattling wooden voice. It suddenly sprouts new roots and branches that pin you to the ground and cage you in.
speak to the newcomer"Sharpe." The new woman responds. You wait for more explanation but it never comes.
"Hello? I don't think we've met. call me Tess. Who are you?"Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Well I'm not liking the sound of whatever that thing was."You stick with the group, needle in hand, ready to poke.
Stick with the group and have a weapon at the ready in case whatever the lightning yelling thing was attacks us.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"North."You touch the bramble and then convert your robe and appearance to it. You don't become a bush or a man shaped bramble patch, instead the robe becomes something like a ghillie suit, a cloak of simulated foliage which resembles the plant life around it. Its not the perfect disguise, but its several orders of magnitude better than the purple robes and should provide a high level of visual camouflage.
Put my hood up, change appearance to that of bramble. Use the magic in my needle to blend in with the surrounding in aura as well. I guess tap the needle onto the cloak to let teh magic sort of externally coat the cloak without interfering with it. Then head north with my two big stabbers. peek through my glove again. Still skittering?Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
[1][-2 HP]
You tap the cloak with the tip of the needle and will the magic out into the fabric. The next thing you know you're laying on your back 10 feet away with your ears ringing. The piece of cloak you tapped with your needle is gone, and the skin under it is red and swollen. Seems the cloak blunted the damage the magic would have done.
Hugh sees Genesis change his appearance to that of bramble and does the same.You transform your robe in the same way Genesis did. You neglect to also almost blow yourself up with dark magic though.
“Ho! Ho! Ho! That seems like a good idea! That Lady did not sound welcoming!”
Hugh then continues following Grey, needle at the ready, periodically scanning his surrounding both with his needle and without, ready to defend himself and the others.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Oh, sorry. I should have removed the root ball, at least.[5]
Aaron attempts to form the magic in his needle into a saw-bladed knife with a blade about the length of his palm. If successful, he saws the root ball off with that, and then stores the knife in he sleeve. Otherwise, he stabs the base of the tree with his needle until he can break the root ball off by hand.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
The knife you form from the black magic in the needle is...unpleasant. Its not a knife for utility, its a knife meant to case pain. Its barbed and curved and serrated. Even the handle is embedded with small metal thorns and has a spiked brass knuckle style guard.
[2] You don't think you should try and saw this tree with that knife. You don't think it would like being used in such a way.
The group moves north, but they don't have far to go. After traveling maybe a half mile through increasingly hostile forest and even denser brambles they come across something. It appears to be a large ravine or depression, a giant crater that they've walked onto the lip of. The forest spreads about halfway down into it, while the center is bare. The entire crater is strewn with buildings but those out here on the edges are badly dilapidated and clearly long abandoned, overgrown and crumbling away. Closer to the center the buildings are in better repair though still obviously old and weather worn. Those near the center the the most well maintained. Further north you can see a large lake cradled in the hills, with the barely visible remnants of roads leading out of the crater and towards the water. The center of the crater is a bare stone pit , clearly excavated, with old buildings leaning precariously inwards at its edge. This must be Greenveil.
There are human shapes visible in the central, open area of the town, and more just barely visible within the overgrown areas around the center. Its not exactly a bustling city but you'd guess there are at least a few hundred people in town. And the center of that town is....anti-glowing. It is noticeably darker near the center and that stone pit in the center is midnight dark. The voice you heard a while ago is now noticeably audible, echoing through the town and crater. Its still loud but more...mundane sounding. Its not half thunder at least.
Post by: Horizon on February 05, 2022, 09:56:53 pm
Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on February 06, 2022, 04:53:00 am
While people decide what the plan is I stay with the group and try to see if any of the buildings near the teams current position are in good shape and see if I can't figure out what they where used for before becoming abandoned.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on February 07, 2022, 03:18:08 am
Why would we need to kill any of them? We only need to determine the cause of the kidnappings and ensure they don't happen anymore. If you cannot talk them down, use your gloves to push the magic out of them."
Inspect my damaged robe. still effective as a disguise? Either way, move toward the central excavation.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on February 07, 2022, 03:27:49 am
Post by: Ozarck on February 07, 2022, 03:45:31 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on February 07, 2022, 10:12:40 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on February 08, 2022, 01:59:47 pm
Grey pulls out his needle.
"Aaron, we've found Greenveil and it looks like what we're seeking may be at the heart of it. The town is inhabited but with what I cannot see from here. We're going in so if you teleport to us be on your guard."
Grey goes with Genesis and disguises himself as whatever terrain he's currently walking on, stone most likely.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on February 08, 2022, 06:58:50 pm
Aaron then turns to Sunny.
"Sorry. Maybe it would work for you to ask one of the big trees for a walking stick."
Aaron then attempts to know if there are any weapons besides his nearby.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
((Sunny should have a Fate Point now, since he rolled a 1.))
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on February 09, 2022, 01:05:24 am
Hugh accompanies Grey and Genesis, moving cautiously as he goes, needle at the ready, ready to defend himself and the others. He also takes the opportunity (when/if it becomes prudent to do so) to change his appearance. He also periodically scans his surrounding both with his own eyes and with his needle, but avoids viewing the central excavation with his needle.
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on February 10, 2022, 01:20:23 pm
"Hey, one: I wasn't the one that tore you from anywhere." frowning Sunny looks up at Aaron "My friend did, and two: I never said you were fat." he adds poking the sapling "Please, let me go and I'll try to make up for my comment!" Sunny tries reasoning with the sapling.[2]Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
The sapling does not listen.
"Thank you Grey. I'm just trying to arm Sunny with a staff before joining you, but if you urgently need help, you can call for me."[?]
Aaron then turns to Sunny.
"Sorry. Maybe it would work for you to ask one of the big trees for a walking stick."
Aaron then attempts to know if there are any weapons besides his nearby.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
((Sunny should have a Fate Point now, since he rolled a 1.))
You don't believe there are any weapons, other than your own, nearby.
"This place doesn't seem near as pleasant and charming as the brochure made it out to be. Also how are we planing on doing this because I have a feeling we're gonna have to kill a few of these people in order to get anywhere near the town center."[1]
While people decide what the plan is I stay with the group and try to see if any of the buildings near the teams current position are in good shape and see if I can't figure out what they where used for before becoming abandoned.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Do you think you could get me near that excavation? When I was first created, I ate the darkness in a magical lighthouse the find a way to the top. Mission ended before I could figure out how to light it, though! Ho! Ho! Ho! I’d like to try eating the darkness in the excavation so we can see what’s in it.”, Hugh asks Grey and the others. “I’d also like to know what our new Lady friend thinks of my idea! Ho! Ho! Ho!”, Hugh laughs as he turns to Sharpe.
Hugh accompanies Grey and Genesis, moving cautiously as he goes, needle at the ready, ready to defend himself and the others. He also takes the opportunity (when/if it becomes prudent to do so) to change his appearance. He also periodically scans his surrounding both with his own eyes and with his needle, but avoids viewing the central excavation with his needle.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"We can make one up as we go I suppose."
Grey pulls out his needle.
"Aaron, we've found Greenveil and it looks like what we're seeking may be at the heart of it. The town is inhabited but with what I cannot see from here. We're going in so if you teleport to us be on your guard."
Grey goes with Genesis and disguises himself as whatever terrain he's currently walking on, stone most likely.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
"Looks like we're inside the veil.Genesis inspects his robe before the group heads out. Its not as good as if it were undamaged, there's effectively just a floating left stomach and hip area among all the grass and bramble. However, its better than nothing.
Why would we need to kill any of them? We only need to determine the cause of the kidnappings and ensure they don't happen anymore. If you cannot talk them down, use your gloves to push the magic out of them."
Inspect my damaged robe. still effective as a disguise? Either way, move toward the central excavation.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Grey, Genesis, and Hugh start down the edge of the crater towards the excavation site. They're just around where the forest becomes thinner and the homes more intact when they hear something behind them. A crack that builds into a great rumbling. They turn around to see a small landslide rolling down the slope of the crater about 100 feet from their location. The landslide, apparently consisting mostly of old bits of house and uprooted trees, roars down into the occupied area of Greenveil and stops with a seismic grumble. Up at the top of the bare scar left by the landslide is Debby, looking quite bewildered.
A bell begins to toll within the village and the darkness at the excavation site deepens rapidly. A great, spectral tree of thorns seems to shimmer into existence from the darkness around the hole, rising up so that its boughs overshadow everywhere within several miles. The woman's voice rises until its shaking the air.
Genesis and Hugh, cover their ears but Grey goes stock stiff, vibrating on his feet as though having a seizure.
Post by: Ozarck on February 10, 2022, 11:10:24 pm
Tap my ears with my needle, then tap the ground. intent is to create a "ground" to bleed off magic noise and magically amplified noise. Action is focused on my ears but is intended to have a general effect on my whole person.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on February 10, 2022, 11:48:24 pm
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on February 11, 2022, 02:45:12 am
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on February 11, 2022, 04:11:54 am
Quickly make my way to where the rest of the group is and have a weapon at the ready in case of attack, also make sure Elizabeth is still with me.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on February 11, 2022, 04:39:28 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on February 13, 2022, 09:43:08 pm
Aaron forces his arm through the tree branches, gets a good hold around one of Sunny's shoulders, and pulls the string to Hugh 3 times. He relinks upon arrival.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Horizon on February 13, 2022, 11:51:18 pm
Post by: piecewise on February 14, 2022, 10:57:11 pm
Hugh opens his great maw and eats the noise.[5]Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Hugh opens his mouth very wide. Inhumanly wide actually. There are snakes who would be jealous. And then he slams it close with a clack of teeth like a gunshot. And everything is utterly silent. No more singing, no more bell, no more yelling. Silent. For the moment, at least. Steam or maybe smoke is pouring out between his teeth but he seems unharmed.
"Alright, we are joining the others. We'll worry about the staff later. Watch out for hostiles upon arrival."Sunny and Aaron appear silently next to Hugh. After looking around for a moment they wonder if this was a good idea.
Aaron forces his arm through the tree branches, gets a good hold around one of Sunny's shoulders, and pulls the string to Hugh 3 times. He relinks upon arrival.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
I check on what Sharpe is doing, and then take flight. from above I take advantage of my position to observe the movements down below and relay what I can see down through my thread link to genesis so they have up to date information about the movements of the opposition.Sharpe, who has been silent this entire time even before Hugh ate the sound, is staring very intently down at the excavation site. The cube which was orbiting her head has stopped in place in front of her, at the level of her chest and is spinning slowly on its axis.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
[6][1]
You flap up into the air with a flourish of wind, rising over 100 feet within seconds. However silent this is, the rapidly rising form of a purple robe is still quite noticeable. You get a look at the distant forms of humans and...less human things scrambling towards the collapsed area near the team. You report this to Genesis just as the giant ethereal thorn tree hanging over the village seems to notice you. Its response to your presence is a swift stabbing branch that pierces down from the heavens like a lightning bolt. It skewers you straight through the belly and spikes you into the ground below. [-8 HP]
I forgot to add the fate point I got from rolling a 1 on imbuing my robe with the thorn magic so I have added that this turn.[1]
Tap my ears with my needle, then tap the ground. intent is to create a "ground" to bleed off magic noise and magically amplified noise. Action is focused on my ears but is intended to have a general effect on my whole person.If this works, attempt the same with Grey. Keep the murderlance ready against attacks from the central thorn stuff. ((don't want to attempt magic on Grey while he is doing magic himself))Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
You tap the needle on your ear and immediately stop this action because doing this burns off your earlobe. [-1 hp]
"Holy shit I just barely touched that thing and it all collapsed!"You run down and join the three advancing down the hill.
Quickly make my way to where the rest of the group is and have a weapon at the ready in case of attack, also make sure Elizabeth is still with me.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Grey attempts to Maintain the position of all magically charged or physically dangerous sound near its point of origin, creating small spheres that the sound cannot escape from.[4]Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Grey, in the silence, manages to pull himself together enough to strike out with a spell. He is still shaken, and the current silence has rendered his plan somewhat moot, so he instead focuses on the excavation pit. He forces a bubble of "Maintain" over it, maintaining the silence within.
As the four moving towards the excavation site make ready to fight with what they assume are silently approaching hordes a spray of silver whips down from above and silently demolishes several homes and raises a cloud of dust. Sharpe, from her vantage point, seems to be providing covering fire somehow. The team looks up to her but all they can see is her cube hovering in front of her, spinning on its axis. She gestures at them, finger pointing first towards the excavation site and then out to the south. She taps her wrist, where a watch might be worn.
Post by: Fire and Glory on February 15, 2022, 02:56:13 am
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on February 15, 2022, 03:50:01 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on February 15, 2022, 08:44:01 am
Move inward, but angled a bit away from the landslide. Use my robe to camouflage with whatever landscape I am currently in. Keep low so the damaged portion is hidden as much as possible. Carefully observe any humans or humanoids that approach. Heck, look at them through the needle to see if they are magically controlled. Be ready to stab anything hostile that isn't under the Covenant of Protection.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on February 15, 2022, 12:01:48 pm
please forget about me and leave me alone. you have bigger problems right now, and i nearly am dead anyway.
IF it seems like a follow-up blow is incoming, then i'll tug on whatever thread I can so that I can be wisked out of the way. preferably Grey's but I can't be picky in that kind of situation.
In whatever case, I'm out of the fight at this time, unless everything falls apart I'm not likely to do much for the rest of the encounter.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Horizon on February 15, 2022, 01:19:40 pm
Seeing as the situation looks bad Sunny calls on the power of Friendship to protect his allies by asking Friendship nicely to lend him aid. (Use 1 Fate Point for this)
Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on February 15, 2022, 10:50:47 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on February 16, 2022, 01:51:49 am
(Genesis lost 2 health when his robe blew up so by my reckoning he should be at 7 HP by now.)Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on February 16, 2022, 04:08:33 am
Thank you. Well spotted. Fixed it. I guess I forgot more than the fate point that round.(Genesis lost 2 health when his robe blew up so by my reckoning he should be at 7 HP by now.)Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on February 17, 2022, 01:44:44 am
Aaron gives Sunny any conduit dessert stored in his sleeves, draws his bloodthirsty knife, and watches his surroundings while attempting to know where the most hostiles are in the valley.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on February 19, 2022, 01:20:40 pm
Go still and play dead.The thorny branch doesn't pull back so much as it just vanishes into nothing. It has successfully speared you straight down through the roof and second story of an old building and left you laying flat on your back, looking up at the vine blackened sky.
please forget about me and leave me alone. you have bigger problems right now, and i nearly am dead anyway.
IF it seems like a follow-up blow is incoming, then i'll tug on whatever thread I can so that I can be wisked out of the way. preferably Grey's but I can't be picky in that kind of situation.
In whatever case, I'm out of the fight at this time, unless everything falls apart I'm not likely to do much for the rest of the encounter.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Ow. Ow. Can't feel legs. Hopefully still have legs...
Deadpan, Sunny looks up at Aaron for a second if you looked at him you'd swear he had murder in his nebulous eyes but that all dropped away seeing all the new (not to mention old) friends he was about to make thus his smile returned "I was sure that sapling would listen," dusting his leotard off the homunculus said to his companion "Oh well, there'll always be other saplings anyhow."[
Seeing as the situation looks bad Sunny calls on the power of Friendship to protect his allies by asking Friendship nicely to lend him aid. (Use 1 Fate Point for this)Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Sunny, with the power of god and anime on her side apparently, asks the concept of friendship for help. All the homunculi feel a warm sensation in their chest and know that their friends have their back! They can win! Heart of the cards...whatever that means!
[All Homunculi rolling at advantage this turn.]
"Sorry. It didn't look like you were getting anywhere with that, so I thought we should help the others. Here, take this and if any of our friends looks badly hurt, ask their body to fix itself a little in exchange for some dessert. You can have one of us use needle transportation with you if necessary."You hand a piece of cake to Sunny, who immediately declares you her "Cake friend" and then try to know something.
Aaron gives Sunny any conduit dessert stored in his sleeves, draws his bloodthirsty knife, and watches his surroundings while attempting to know where the most hostiles are in the valley.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
[
It seems like the entire valley is hostile...as well as the sky. Not a lot of friendship around, other than Sunny of course.
Grey takes advantage of the smoke screen to scramble into cover inside the ruins, using his robe to camouflage himself with the intent of hiding until the bulk of the enemy forces have moved past his position.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Follow Grey into whatever ruin he's planning on hiding in, also disguise myself as rubble and keep weapon ready to murder attackers.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
*shrug*
Move inward, but angled a bit away from the landslide. Use my robe to camouflage with whatever landscape I am currently in. Keep low so the damaged portion is hidden as much as possible. Carefully observe any humans or humanoids that approach. Heck, look at them through the needle to see if they are magically controlled. Be ready to stab anything hostile that isn't under the Covenant of Protection.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Hugh finds cover and uses his robe to disguise himself appropriately. He examines anyone passing by through his needle, ready to defend himself and the other’s as necessary.[4,Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Gray, Hugh, Genesis, and Debby scramble down the crater wall in silence as Sharpe continues providing covering fire. Gray is somewhat distracted as he moves, both from his recent near possession and from the fact that it is taking constant effort to keep his "maintain" spell active. The force in that pit is pushing on his bubble of silence very hard and only getting harder. They make it down past the trees and into the bare stone, weaving between buildings and sticking to the shadows. As they go, they get a better look at the people charging up towards the landslide and Sharpe: On the outside most appear to be normal humans, though dirty and ragged. The needles show a twisting noose of magical thorns around their necks, rising up and back to the great ethereal tree growing from the pit. Others, moving slowly towards the landslide, are less human. Tiny black saplings have sprouted from the shoulders, necks, or heads, in some cases completely replacing their heads. Branches are sprouting from their arms and legs, waving slowly of their own accord with no care for what their host desires. Closer to the pit are even worse things. Maybe human, once, but now little more than shreds of flesh and clothing on twisted thorny behemoths.
Between the darkened alleyway they're crouching in now and the pit is nothing but bare stone and a few scattered buildings. They'd have to run at least 20 or 30 feet between structures in the open before they got to cover again. They're considering this prospect when all the sound suddenly cuts back in with a screech. They are suddenly deafened by shouts, screams, the rapid "BRRRRRRRRRR" of whatever Sharpe is doing and the detonations that result from it. The singing is still restrained by Grey's magic for the moment though.
Post by: fatcat__25 on February 19, 2022, 03:25:44 pm
"It looks like the others went toward the center of the crater. We probably want to keep close to them."
Aaron attempts to stealthily make his way toward where he saw Hugh heading. If something that looks human attacks him, he attempts to use non-lethal force. Otherwise he stabs it with his needle. He doesn't use his knife unless he has to to save his life.
((I'm going to be out of town for a bit more than a week, so until I get back, the above action, plus Aaron attempts to stay with the closest Homunculus. will be my repeating orders for my character.))
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Horizon on February 19, 2022, 04:02:28 pm
"Worry not friend, the sheer power of good vibes is on our side." Sunny pats Aaron on the shoulder keeping close to him, while watching out for non-friends who might seek to disrupt the good vibes. If any hostiles approach Sunny will kill them with kindness.
Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on February 19, 2022, 05:20:19 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on February 19, 2022, 06:33:34 pm
Run for the cover nearest the excavation's edge. If any creatures attack me, dodge any humans, stab any who are not (with my needle) and keep the murderlance at the ready to counter the skythorn tree's attacks. Spend a fate point on this.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on February 20, 2022, 04:55:06 am
Grab some bricks and ask them to hit the hostile people then throw the bricks at them, while staying in the alleyway.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on February 21, 2022, 12:12:53 am
Grey takes out his rifle and shoots any creatures that take notice of Genesis's dash for cover, distracting anything that isn't harmed much by the bullets. He spends 1 fate point on combating the force attempting to destroy his spell as well.
If Genesis makes it to the other side Grey teleports forwards to him and relinks his needle.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on February 21, 2022, 01:24:28 am
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((Speaking of luck, I notice that Genesis has 4 fate points…))
Post by: Ozarck on February 21, 2022, 02:48:15 am
Post by: piecewise on February 22, 2022, 05:30:16 pm
Stay still, focus on my breathing, stay calm, slow my heartbeat, don't do anything that might make things worse. Just wait, listen, and hope that the rest of us are doing better than I am.[5] +1 HPSpoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You stay as still as you can. Despite the injuries, you don't seem to be bleeding to death. These homunculi bodies sure are resilient.
"I guess I could throw some stuff at them."[3]
Grab some bricks and ask them to hit the hostile people then throw the bricks at them, while staying in the alleyway.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The bricks agree, but only if you promise to rebuild the house they were part of after this. They liked it there.
(Sunny stares OP in the eye and says "It's HE, HE is kawaii! HE HE HE!")
"Worry not friend, the sheer power of good vibes is on our side." Sunny pats Aaron on the shoulder keeping close to him, while watching out for non-friends who might seek to disrupt the good vibes. If any hostiles approach Sunny will kill them with kindness.Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
((Aaron looks a Sunny, and thinks the Narrator really can't seem to keep his friend straight.)) :D[2,6]
"It looks like the others went toward the center of the crater. We probably want to keep close to them."
Aaron attempts to stealthily make his way toward where he saw Hugh heading. If something that looks human attacks him, he attempts to use non-lethal force. Otherwise he stabs it with his needle. He doesn't use his knife unless he has to to save his life.
((I'm going to be out of town for a bit more than a week, so until I get back, the above action, plus Aaron attempts to stay with the closest Homunculus. will be my repeating orders for my character.))Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Sunny, whatever that is, and Aaron head down towards Hugh. Sunny manages to get separated somewhere along the route and ends up lost in some abandoned section of the town while Aaron trips and tumbles down the hill to where the others are currently mustering. [-3 HP]
"We have confirmation that the entity springing from inside that pit is what is capturing the villagers. See if you guys can't cover me somehow. I'm going to run for it. But that thing will probably see me in this open space."
Run for the cover nearest the excavation's edge. If any creatures attack me, dodge any humans, stab any who are not (with my needle) and keep the murderlance at the ready to counter the skythorn tree's attacks. Spend a fate point on this.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
"Good luck."
Grey takes out his rifle and shoots any creatures that take notice of Genesis's dash for cover, distracting anything that isn't harmed much by the bullets. He spends 1 fate point on combating the force attempting to destroy his spell as well.
If Genesis makes it to the other side Grey teleports forwards to him and relinks his needle.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Hugh watches as Genesis runs to the edge of the crater. If he makes it, then Hugh teleports to him and relinks. Hugh then eats the blackness from out of the crater in an attempt to reveal what lays hidden within. If necessary he attempts to eat as much of the “tree” as possible (and certainly any parts of it that attack him or his companions).[6,Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((Speaking of luck, I notice that Genesis has 4 fate points…))
Hugh, Grey, Debby, and the newly arrived Aaron all watch quietly as Genesis sprints across the the open stone towards the excavation site. He actually manages to duck and weave through the shadows and empty spaces in such a way that he complete avoids detection. He looks over his shoulder as he reaches the edge of the pit and gives a thumbs up to his hidden teammates. And as he gives this thumbs up as he misjudges his run and ends up sprinting right off the edge and dropping into the darkness below.
The rest of the team all hiss and gasp at once.
Post by: Fire and Glory on February 23, 2022, 12:48:01 am
"Genesis! Stay where you are!"
Grey points his needle forwards and looses the spell inside it: Maintain the health of Grey and all of his allies within 100 meters of him (5) and then teleports to Genesis.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on February 23, 2022, 12:55:40 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on February 23, 2022, 01:04:31 am
Wrap an arm around Grey when he appears. Brace for impact. Spend my new fate point on not dying, and another on not letting Grey die.
Hoo boy, here we go!
((new fate point brought me back up to 4 since I spent one last turn. I'll have 2 after this, unless I gain any more ...))
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on February 23, 2022, 03:32:56 am
Ask the bricks if they mind being part of a different house somewhere else, and see if there are any ropes or chains around the alleyway we're in.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on February 23, 2022, 04:38:42 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((Crosses fingers))
Post by: Horizon on March 02, 2022, 12:29:46 pm
Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on March 03, 2022, 07:33:49 pm
"Oh dear, this is not good."
Aaron groans, and runs in to a few feet from the crater. He also attempts to know which of his party's weapons is most effective against the source of the darkness.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on March 04, 2022, 12:55:37 pm
Sunny explores the abandoned part of town.[3]Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Sunny completely ignores the battle going on and goes to look around. He unfortunately ends up having to hide in an abandoned building as the residents of the city charge up the hill and cut him off from the rest of the group.
SLOWLY look around at my surroundings, orient myself, and listen. I need to be awake enough to react if someone comes towards me. But I'm very much not taking risks right now. I need to hang tight and trust my teammates.[4]Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You stay on the ground and listen, slowly glancing around. Hmmm. Two story building...home by the look of it. Abandoned for a while and overgrown so probably near the perimeter of the crater. Plenty of noise in the distance but nothing immediately around you...likely no pursuers coming to check on you. You breathe slowly. You think you should be relatively safe here if you just stay quiet.
((I'm back, and the world didn't end in my absence. Good.))Gonna assume you're still up on the edge of the crater. [?]
"Oh dear, this is not good."
Aaron groans, and runs in to a few feet from the crater. He also attempts to know which of his party's weapons is most effective against the source of the darkness.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Uh....the lance Genesis had is best overall.
"Well shit Genesis just fell off the cliff, do we know how deep the hole is?"[4]
Ask the bricks if they mind being part of a different house somewhere else, and see if there are any ropes or chains around the alleyway we're in.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The bricks are ok with that, they suppose. The begin flying off and into the faces of attackers. [3] The best you can find for ropes or chain is a 15 foot length of rope that looks like it used to be used as a clothes drying line.
No time to waste.
"Genesis! Stay where you are!"
Grey points his needle forwards and looses the spell inside it: Maintain the health of Grey and all of his allies within 100 meters of him (5) and then teleports to Genesis.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
"What?!"[4][3]
Wrap an arm around Grey when he appears. Brace for impact. Spend my new fate point on not dying, and another on not letting Grey die.
Hoo boy, here we go!
((new fate point brought me back up to 4 since I spent one last turn. I'll have 2 after this, unless I gain any more ...))Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
The bubble of silence around the excavation pit bulges noticeably upwards, the force beneath it pushing ever upwards. Grey tries to maintain the health of everyone around him but what he releases is little more than a faint protection, something which might reduce harm ever so slightly. Then he yanks his thread to teleport to Genesis.
[
An arm grabs Grey before he can even comprehend his position. Genesis, using his other arm, Thrusts the lance out into the stone wall of the pit, using it to stop their fall. The absolute darkness around them momentarily recoils. They glimpse the stone wall of the pit, studded with hundreds of skeletons. They see the visible darkness all around them and can tell that darkness is actually made of ethereal thorn vines. When they look straight at it, it looks like only darkness, but at its edges, where its shrunk back from the lance, they can see the overlapping tendrils and dagger sized thorns writhing. That darkness reaches its full recoil and then, with building speed, begins to slam back down.
“Ho. Ho. Hoolllyyy!…”, Hugh exclaims as he quickly sprints to where he has a clear path the the edge of the crater (if necessary). Once there, he eats the distance between himself and the crater’s edge (making sure that he stops just before the edge). If successful, he then eats the darkness in the crater in order to locate Genesis and Grey, and then eats the distance between them and the space next to himself. Spend a fate point on the above actions, if necessary.(You have to choose to use a fate point before acting. It can't be conditional on the roll)Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((Crosses fingers))
[6][2]
Hugh snaps his teeth and vanishes, appearing beside the excavation pit with a supersonic crack. However, when he tries to gobble the darkness, he can't manage it.
Out to the south, in the forest nearby, something clangs and several hundred trees begin to topple over all at once.
Post by: Fire and Glory on March 04, 2022, 09:38:35 pm
Post by: King Zultan on March 05, 2022, 03:08:06 am
Run over to the edge of the pit, if anything hostile gets in my path stab it with my sword.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on March 06, 2022, 11:02:34 am
Grey regains his bearings and starts talking quickly.
"Ah, nice catch Genesis. I created a spell to protect us from the impact but feeling it now I think it will only shield one of us from one instance of harm. Do you want to go back to the surface or see what we can do from here? Or go it alone?"
Grey teleports up to Hugh.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on March 06, 2022, 11:16:56 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on March 06, 2022, 06:35:17 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on March 06, 2022, 10:03:05 pm
"Ah, nice catch Genesis. I created a spell to protect us from the impact but feeling it now I think it will only shield one of us from one instance of harm. Do you want to go back to the surface or see what we can do from here? Or go it alone?""I can't actually do much holding on to you like this. Go on back up, and I'll see what I can do down here.
If Grey portals back up, pull the lance out of the wall and drop, stabbing down into the darkness. if Grey stays, just hang on to the Lance and Grey.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on March 07, 2022, 01:31:03 am
“Ho! Ho! Ho, there! This is Hugh. I’m at the edge of the crater. Is Genesis with you? Are you OK? You can teleport to me if you need to get out of there. Just remembered to relink afterwards. Ho! Ho! Ho!”."We're both okay for now, didn't quite hit the bottom. I'll join you up there."
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on March 09, 2022, 03:14:36 am
“Ho! Ho! Ho, there! This is Hugh. I’m at the edge of the crater. Is Genesis with you? Are you OK? You can teleport to me if you need to get out of there. Just remembered to relink afterwards. Ho! Ho! Ho!”."We're both okay for now, didn't quite hit the bottom. I'll join you up there."
“Ho! Ho! Ho! That’s good! I’ll be up here waiting for you”.
Hugh then points the eye of his needle towards the link with Genesis. “Ho! Ho! Ho! I hear you’re alright, Genesis! Are you coming back up to me with Grey? I’m at the edge of the crater! Oh, and I’m planning to eat as much of that darkness in the crater as I can. So that we can see what’s making it!”
Post by: Ozarck on March 09, 2022, 03:34:04 am
Post by: piecewise on March 11, 2022, 12:20:25 pm
Staying quiet.You hope the rest of the group actually manages to solve this and you don't have to crawl out and try and fight the entire town on your own...Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Hey guys I've got some rope!"[6]
Run over to the edge of the pit, if anything hostile gets in my path stab it with my sword.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You make it to the edge of the pit but in doing so seem to alert many hostile things. Or perhaps they were already coming this way? Hard to say. But there are at least...5 of those plant headed people half running half slithering their way towards you, thorny limbs whipping about at distressing speeds.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/204072639507988480/950053606650962010/unknown.png)Genesis lets go of you as you pull the thread and warp instantly back up to Hugh.
Grey regains his bearings and starts talking quickly.
"Ah, nice catch Genesis. I created a spell to protect us from the impact but feeling it now I think it will only shield one of us from one instance of harm. Do you want to go back to the surface or see what we can do from here? Or go it alone?"
Grey teleports up to Hugh.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Hugh points the eye of his needle toward the link with Grey. “Ho! Ho! Ho, there! This is Hugh. I’m at the edge of the crater. Is Genesis with you? Are you OK? You can teleport to me if you need to get out of there. Just remembered to relink afterwards. Ho! Ho! Ho!”. Hugh then listens for Grey’s response. Regardless of the response, Hugh again attempts to eat the darkness from within the crater and expose whatever is generating it (using one fate point to do so), while keeping his needle ready to stab anything that attacks himself. If Grey and/or Genesis teleports to him, he relinks with them at the earliest convenient opportunity after their arrival.[3,Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Hugh again attempts to eat the darkness and gets a mouthful of it. However the tiny glob of it he swallowed fills back in almost immediately.
[2]"Ah, nice catch Genesis. I created a spell to protect us from the impact but feeling it now I think it will only shield one of us from one instance of harm. Do you want to go back to the surface or see what we can do from here? Or go it alone?""I can't actually do much holding on to you like this. Go on back up, and I'll see what I can do down here.
If Grey portals back up, pull the lance out of the wall and drop, stabbing down into the darkness. if Grey stays, just hang on to the Lance and Grey.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
You swing up and plant your feet against the wall, attempting to yank the lance out of the stone. You strain against it but it doesn't budge. The black mass of thorns continues creeping inward, testing the boundaries of the lance's effect, cautiously sending new growths forward.
[1]
The sound boundary that Grey had been maintaining finally breaks and the voice held within the shaft again erupts out. The ethereal tree looming over the city becomes far more solid in the never moments and seems to lean further down so its boughs form a sort of dome around the town and its surrounding hills. The writhing thornvines of those branches begin coiling, their sharpened tips seeming to lock in on targets far below. And then something odd happens. All the sound in the area, from the singing below, the crumbling of buildings, the screeching of the incoming plant headed things, and the "BZZNNNNNNN" hum of whatever Sharpe is doing, it all becomes strangely muffled as a single sound overpowers it. The sound isn't loud so much as it seems to come from everywhere; to echo directly in the ears of every person there. It is a distinct sound as well: it is unquestionably the sound of a pair of scissors being opened.
Post by: fatcat__25 on March 11, 2022, 04:50:28 pm
Aaron impales any of the approaching monsters that come within reach, stays close to Hugh and Grey, and attempts to know how long before the Kill Corps arrives.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on March 11, 2022, 06:59:16 pm
"Hugh, I think we are on borrowed time here. Tell Genesis that the lance is our most powerful weapon against this monster. I doubt anything else we have is powerful enough to stop it. I suspect the lance will need to be driven into the source of the darkness to disable the giant plant, while we keep the small plant monsters at bay. Grey, I haven't seen Tess in a while. You had a link with her. Would you see if she is still alive? If she is, she needs to know what is going on here."
Hugh nods to Aaron and then points the eye of his needle towards the link with Genesis. “Ho! Ho! Ho! Genesis, my boy! Aaron says that that lance of yours is the most potent weapon we have. He thinks it’s the only thing that can stop all this, and that it must be driven into the source of the darkness!”
Hugh then tries again to eat the darkness and uncover it’s source, while protecting himself and the others.
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on March 11, 2022, 09:59:00 pm
not sure why we're bothering, if hte Destroy Corps is here. Are we competing to see who kills this thing first? We taking sides between Capture and Destroy? Well, whatever. Genesis mutters to himself.
Try again to remove my big stabby and stab the big thorny with it. use up both my remaining Fate points. Not really worried about what Destroy is doing. That stuff is for the Magi to decide.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on March 12, 2022, 03:21:56 am
Quickly pull the thread for Grey and reunite with the rest of the group and be ready to fight those weird plant plant things, also relink with Grey when able.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on March 14, 2022, 01:44:01 am
Grey links with Debby and teleports to Tess.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on March 14, 2022, 02:08:56 am
"Hi Grey."
No current action
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on March 14, 2022, 02:35:10 am
Post by: Horizon on March 14, 2022, 04:15:32 am
Post by: piecewise on March 16, 2022, 09:23:15 am
Grey finds Tess with a great big hole in her chest and visibly battered across her entire body but she's conscious and alert. She's lying down on the bottom floor of an abandoned building, and there's a hole in the ceiling showing a second floor and a hole in the roof above both of which are left over from when she was stabbed by the shadow-tree-thing.
"Hi Grey."
No current actionSpoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Alright, I'll go check on her."
Grey links with Debby and teleports to Tess.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Grey Teleports to Tess, who rather weakly greets him without moving more than is necessary. She isn't currently impaled, but it is clear she was a moment sometime in the recent past.
[2]"Hugh, I think we are on borrowed time here. Tell Genesis that the lance is our most powerful weapon against this monster. I doubt anything else we have is powerful enough to stop it. I suspect the lance will need to be driven into the source of the darkness to disable the giant plant, while we keep the small plant monsters at bay. Grey, I haven't seen Tess in a while. You had a link with her. Would you see if she is still alive? If she is, she needs to know what is going on here."
Hugh nods to Aaron and then points the eye of his needle towards the link with Genesis. “Ho! Ho! Ho! Genesis, my boy! Aaron says that that lance of yours is the most potent weapon we have. He thinks it’s the only thing that can stop all this, and that it must be driven into the source of the darkness!”
Hugh then tries again to eat the darkness and uncover it’s source, while protecting himself and the others.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Hugh bites the air one more time and nothing happens.
"Ya, Kinda figured.. Working on it!" Genesis shouts in the general direction of his needle.[
not sure why we're bothering, if hte Destroy Corps is here. Are we competing to see who kills this thing first? We taking sides between Capture and Destroy? Well, whatever. Genesis mutters to himself.
Try again to remove my big stabby and stab the big thorny with it. use up both my remaining Fate points. Not really worried about what Destroy is doing. That stuff is for the Magi to decide.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
You yank the lance free from the wall and whip it round to point straight down as you fall. The tip of the lance glows like a magnesium flare as it cuts through the darkness, cleaving a shaft 10 feet wide. When you do hit the ground a few seconds later the lance sinks into the stone like a warm knife into butter, slowing your fall enough that you manage to awkwardly land on your hands and knees, one hand still gripping the handle of the lance. You scramble back to your feet and pull on the lance. To your surprise it slices up through the stone its embedded in with ease and even feels lighter than before as you turn it around to point towards the center of the pit.
The darkness parts and reveals a form there. It is sitting atop a pile of corpses, much like those fossilized things where you found the original lance. It looks like a doll or a mannequin, its legs and lower body smashed and distorted, half buried in the dead. There's a large hole in its bare chest, out of which grows the root of the dark thorns. From its back sprout huge crow's wings, multiple sets of them, which wrap its body and fill much of the space around it. Its face, in contrast to the body, appears human and exceedingly beautiful. Not fragile, but powerfully, confidently, unconquerably beautiful. Its eyes glow yellow in the dark.
[
She speaks a word and you feel all the strength leave you. You drop to one knee, the lance still in your grasp but laying limp on the stone floor.
"Oh shit."
Quickly pull the thread for Grey and reunite with the rest of the group and be ready to fight those weird plant plant things, also relink with Grey when able.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Hugh, I think we are on borrowed time here. Tell Genesis that the lance is our most powerful weapon against this monster. I doubt anything else we have is powerful enough to stop it. I suspect the lance will need to be driven into the source of the darkness to disable the giant plant, while we keep the small plant monsters at bay. Grey, I haven't seen Tess in a while. You had a link with her. Would you see if she is still alive? If she is, she needs to know what is going on here."[5,6][?]
Aaron impales any of the approaching monsters that come within reach, stays close to Hugh and Grey, and attempts to know how long before the Kill Corps arrives.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Aaron and Debby charge forward to meet the incoming vine people. The creatures lash out with amazing speed but their attacks seem almost random, just a chaotic flailing towards the two Homunculi. At a distance this is most dangerous as their rapid movements strike large areas, but as Aaron and Debby quickly close the distance the creatures seem to have no counter and the Homunculi sweep rapidly through them, stabbing one after another with precise and fatal strikes.
The air again grows silent and the grind of metal on metal can be heard everywhere. The scissors close with a vacuum hiss and the upper two thirds of the great thorn tree, the tops of the hills around the crater, the trees, the clouds on the horizon, the light, the air, are all cleaved neatly in two along an invisible horizontal path that seems to have no end. The tree holds its position for a moment, resting on where it has been cut, and then begins to topple. It ignites into purple flame as it slowly falls, rapidly becoming ethereal and vanishing before it can touch the ground.
Post by: Lenglon on March 17, 2022, 12:39:16 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on March 17, 2022, 01:57:02 am
Resist her magic. Bite my tongue if I have to. Get up and stab her in the chest hole.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on March 17, 2022, 02:28:22 am
"I don't think there's much I can do for you, and I'd like to rendezvous with Sharpe while I'm on this side of the pit. Do you want me to try getting Debby here or just wait a little while longer?"
Post by: King Zultan on March 17, 2022, 03:31:50 am
Keep poking the enemy to death with the needle.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on March 17, 2022, 05:19:29 am
"Hey Tess, looks like you got stuck with something a little bigger than what hit me. We're getting close to the heart of things and Genesis is descending downwards so with any luck we'll be out of here soon.""I'll make it, you can-"
"I don't think there's much I can do for you, and I'd like to rendezvous with Sharpe while I'm on this side of the pit. Do you want me to try getting Debby here or just wait a little while longer?"
"If you can get to me, I'm at the source and could use the help!" Genesis yells toward his needle links.sniffle
"Shit."
I attempt to get on my feet, and steady myself, verifying I can still hold my needle, re-stabilize my breathing, and take hold of my thread leading to Genesis.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on March 17, 2022, 08:19:49 am
"I'll make it, you can-""Damn, alright I need to get to Sharpe on the double. Be careful and stay alive.""If you can get to me, I'm at the source and could use the help!" Genesis yells toward his needle links.sniffle
"Shit."
I attempt to get on my feet, and steady myself, verifying I can still hold my needle, re-stabilize my breathing, and take hold of my thread leading to Genesis.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Grey makes sure he's got a link with Tess and starts legging it towards Sharpe. My mental map of the battlefield is a little fuzzy but it should be a straight run from Tess to Sharpe without anything in between I reckon.
Remember that Grey's needle spell protecting everyone from one (1) instance of harm is still active, so if Genesis catches a heart attack or the like it 'ought to keep him alive for a bit.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on March 17, 2022, 11:34:01 am
“Ho! Ho! Have at thee, Witch!”
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on March 19, 2022, 12:10:34 pm
[5]"I'll make it, you can-""Damn, alright I need to get to Sharpe on the double. Be careful and stay alive.""If you can get to me, I'm at the source and could use the help!" Genesis yells toward his needle links.sniffle
"Shit."
I attempt to get on my feet, and steady myself, verifying I can still hold my needle, re-stabilize my breathing, and take hold of my thread leading to Genesis.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Grey makes sure he's got a link with Tess and starts legging it towards Sharpe. My mental map of the battlefield is a little fuzzy but it should be a straight run from Tess to Sharpe without anything in between I reckon.
Remember that Grey's needle spell protecting everyone from one (1) instance of harm is still active, so if Genesis catches a heart attack or the like it 'ought to keep him alive for a bit.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
You climb out of the half destroyed house and sprint on up to the edge of the crater containing the town. You follow the edge back towards Sharpe and find her still spraying that destructive silver force down at any clusters of hostiles she notices.
"That was the destroy corps." She says, unprompted as you skid to a stop. "They've got to be near. But they can't use those scissors of theirs if the target is underground. They'd cut a slice of the world off..."
"The top just fell off that thing, does that mean they killed it?"About a dozen more look to be coming towards you but a spray of silvery magic from Sharpe on the hilltop obliterates them. For the moment, things seem safe here.
Keep poking the enemy to death with the needle.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"If you can get to me, I'm at the source and could use the help!" Genesis yells toward his needle links.[3,3]
Resist her magic. Bite my tongue if I have to. Get up and stab her in the chest hole.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
You shuffle forwards towards her, feeling very heavy. She speaks again and you nearly collapse but manage to keep your legs under you. You notice, vaguely, that your mind isn't getting taken over like Grey's was. Hmmm. A consideration for another time.
Hugh pulls the thread linking him to Genesis. When he arrives, he attempts to eat the mannequin’s ability to speak while also stabbing her with his needle.
“Ho! Ho! Have at thee, Witch!”Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
[4,3][6,1] (fate point to Tess)"Hey Tess, looks like you got stuck with something a little bigger than what hit me. We're getting close to the heart of things and Genesis is descending downwards so with any luck we'll be out of here soon.""I'll make it, you can-"
"I don't think there's much I can do for you, and I'd like to rendezvous with Sharpe while I'm on this side of the pit. Do you want me to try getting Debby here or just wait a little while longer?""If you can get to me, I'm at the source and could use the help!" Genesis yells toward his needle links.sniffle
"Shit."
I attempt to get on my feet, and steady myself, verifying I can still hold my needle, re-stabilize my breathing, and take hold of my thread leading to Genesis.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Tess and Hugh appear next to Genesis. Hugh appears in good spirits, though as soon as the sound down here hits him he does start bleeding from the nose. Tess seems completely immune to whatever the voice of the target is doing, but perhaps that only because she's just barely keeping on her feet and using her needle as a crutch. Hugh bites the air again and the sound around the three Homunculi seems to grow just a bit muffled.
The ancient homunculus stops for a moment and then begins singing a different song.
Up top, several things fly in like an artillery strike and slam into a more northern section of town, demolishing several buildings. They seem to have come from the forest to the south and were metallic.
Post by: Lenglon on March 19, 2022, 03:09:30 pm
afterwards grab my other thread, the one leading to Grey, and get out of here having done what I can.
Edit: to make it easy to see what Tess's needle is charged with, she charged it once from stabbing The Hammer, aka the giant shark-thing from last mission, and it has been charged once more from killing one of the gourds that were full of the local magic. That's the magic she's unleashing here.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on March 19, 2022, 11:04:24 pm
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on March 20, 2022, 12:21:40 am
Provided Sharpe agrees Grey takes hold of her and teleports down to the pit through Hugh's link.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on March 20, 2022, 01:35:38 am
Make sure Elizabeth is still with me and look over the dead plant people and see if they have anything useful on them, also if any plant monsters get close shoot themwith the rifleaxe,
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on March 20, 2022, 06:57:55 pm
Aaron sticks out in the open with Debby, impaling hostiles if necessary. He also attempts to know if the sound from the thing in the crater causes long term harm to the hearer.
(Action modified.)
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on March 21, 2022, 12:23:20 am
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on March 21, 2022, 01:42:44 am
"The Kill Corps must be almost here. Debby, we should probably retreat south, so we don't become collateral damage.""Staying out in the open seems like it'll give us a better chance of not being bombed."
Post by: fatcat__25 on March 21, 2022, 12:12:39 pm
"Staying out in the open seems like it'll give us a better chance of not being bombed."
"You are probably right, but I don't know how good the Kill Corps' accuracy is. I want to be outside of the area they are likely to bombard."
Post by: King Zultan on March 22, 2022, 12:41:32 am
"You are probably right, but I don't know how good the Kill Corps' accuracy is. I want to be outside of the area they are likely to bombard.""But how can we stay our of that area if we don't know where they're aiming at?"
Post by: fatcat__25 on March 22, 2022, 08:36:05 pm
(Modified action.)
Post by: piecewise on March 23, 2022, 01:28:06 pm
"They're bombing the town, seems like we need to stay away from the buildings."She's still here, but has essentially been hiding in your robe since you got to the village. You wonder where the things in your sleeves go if the robe is destroyed or you die. She might be safer in there, compared to curled up against your chest.
Make sure Elizabeth is still with me and look over the dead plant people and see if they have anything useful on them, also if any plant monsters get close shoot themwith the rifleaxe,Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
[5]
You search one of the dead plant people and find a small black book that can fit in the palm of your hand. Its cover is made of dark wood and its pages of paper thin slices of wood instead of traditional paper.
Lift my needle against the thing attacking Genesis and unleash the magic it has stored within it with the singular direct command to MAKE. IT. STOP. Spend two fate points upon this attack.
afterwards grab my other thread, the one leading to Grey, and get out of here having done what I can.
Edit: to make it easy to see what Tess's needle is charged with, she charged it once from stabbing The Hammer, aka the giant shark-thing from last mission, and it has been charged once more from killing one of the gourds that were full of the local magic. That's the magic she's unleashing here.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Won’t give up, will you! Well, I won’t either!”, Hugh laughs as he repeats his previous actions.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Same action: resist her music, stab her in the chest hole. Soldier on, Genesis.[Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
[1](1)+1 fate to Hugh[4][3]
"Genesis tells us that he's at the source. If you want to capture this thing, now's the time."[4]
Provided Sharpe agrees Grey takes hold of her and teleports down to the pit through Hugh's link.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Tess wobbles a great deal but manages to get her needle up and point it at the singing thing. The resulting blast of seafoam and blood is powerful but not very focused and though it tears the singer from her resting spot and slams her against the wall of the excavation shaft, it doesn't seem to cause her much harm. Hugh again opens his mouth and bites and this time he does seem to get something...but not something good. A moment after he bites down he suddenly goes pale and topples over backwards, unconscious and foaming from the mouth. Genesis finally straightens up and braces the lance against his shoulder. He charges in, across the pit and over to where Tess has shoved the singing creature. He doesn't stab so much as he aligns the lance and simply charges straight into the ancient homunculi. The lance pierces straight into her chest and the growth coming from it, embedding itself in the stone behind her. Immediately the light of the lance flares out and blows away the hazy darkness around the singer. The Singer herself is brightly illuminated and begins to smolder and darken like paper held above a flame.
Almost immediately after Genesis' lance strikes home Grey and Sharpe materialize in the room. Grey looks around in bewilderment but Sharpe immediately runs forward, yanks Genesis away from where he's standing, and then gestures back towards the singer. Her hovering metal cube shoots away from her and then expands. It swells and splits in half, growing large enough to encompass both the singer and the lance. And then it chomps down on them both, instantly enclosing weapon, target, and a large chunk of stone. Then it contracts to its normal size and floats back to Sharpe.
In the heavy silence that follows Sharpe breathes deeply and says "We should get out of this hole and tell the Destroy corps not to hack this village in half."
Post by: fatcat__25 on March 23, 2022, 11:11:32 pm
"Hey Grey, do you have any updates on what is going on wherever you are, or anything you need me to do?"
Post by: Fire and Glory on March 24, 2022, 12:13:25 am
Aaron, wanting an update on what is going on, tries asking Hugh, but obviously doesn't get an answer. He then tries Grey:"Right, ah...Tess is alive and upright for now, Hugh is unconscious, Sharpe and Genesis took care of the war machine I think, and now all we have to do is stop the Destroy Corps from cutting this place to pieces. Maybe Debby can send them a message?"
"Hey Grey, do you have any updates on what is going on wherever you are, or anything you need me to do?"
Grey renews his link with Genesis, grabs Sharpe and teleports to Aaron, forming an anchor for everyone else to teleport out.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on March 24, 2022, 12:45:08 am
"Okay... Okay... now we leave... right? right. to grey. Wait. no. Hugh. Uh..."
I carefully sit down on Hugh and grab ahold of him as best I can with my injury, then once I'm stable and have a good grip, and Grey has left the pit, I tug my thread that leads to Grey.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on March 24, 2022, 12:53:07 am
Relink with Tess, Grey, and Hugh, then grab Hugh and ride along with Tess to Grey after he portals up to Aaron. Once there, Genesis will drop Hugh, and then lay out the backpack and items we found in the backpack for the villagers to deal with. He'll also leave the ceramic bread loaf here.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on March 24, 2022, 12:56:57 am
"Debby, Grey informs my that Genesis and Sharpe took care of the source of the trouble. Do you have some way to let the Destroy Corps know that they don't have to level the whole place? I can try knowing where they are if you need."
If Debby needs, Aaron attempts to know the exact location of the nearest member of the Destroy Corps, and tells her it. Other than that, he relinks with Grey when he shows up, and waits for the party to assemble.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on March 24, 2022, 01:51:16 am
Oh, wait…
((Let’s see if Hugh regains consciousness before being teleported home…))
Post by: Ozarck on March 24, 2022, 02:47:25 am
Post by: King Zultan on March 24, 2022, 02:49:03 am
"Debby, Grey informs my that Genesis and Sharpe took care of the source of the trouble. Do you have some way to let the Destroy Corps know that they don't have to level the whole place? I can try knowing where they are if you need.""I'll try asking the wind where they are but it might not know ether, so hopefully between two of us we can figure it out.
Start running towards the edge of the crater the town's in and ask the wind where the Destroy Corps are spend a fate point on this.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on March 24, 2022, 08:20:47 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((Note: updated links.))
Post by: piecewise on March 27, 2022, 02:51:11 pm
"Hey guys I think I found something important, it's a small wooden book not sure what it's about and don't really have time to read it."[5,"Debby, Grey informs my that Genesis and Sharpe took care of the source of the trouble. Do you have some way to let the Destroy Corps know that they don't have to level the whole place? I can try knowing where they are if you need.""I'll try asking the wind where they are but it might not know ether, so hopefully between two of us we can figure it out.
Start running towards the edge of the crater the town's in and ask the wind where the Destroy Corps are spend a fate point on this.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You ask the wind about the destroy corps and are told that the heavy thing that crashed into town a minute ago was, in fact, them. You sprint out towards that still settling dust cloud and skid to a stop at the edge. A shape moves out through the dust in rapid and decisive steps. It like a giant multi-point pushpin wearing a cape. Its head is a polished steel sphere about a meter in diameter, and from this sphere extend 4 long metal prongs. The middle two prongs are braided together for part of their length, forming something very loosely resembling a body and legs while the other two are free, resembling arms. Each ends in a sharp point. Its cape or robe is tied at the intersection between the ball and prongs and hangs around its "Shoulders" and down its back, bright and clean but badly tattered. It is carrying, with one arm, one half of a pair of 8 foot scissors. It holds the scissors by the handle, like a sword. It moves with a soft sound of bending metal. A moment later another like it emerges, followed by a third. These two are carrying the other half of the giant scissors as well as what looks like the pin to hold the two halves together.
They begin to move towards the excavating pit in the center of town but you run in front of them, waving your arms. You shout that the "main target" has been dealt with.
"Thank you Grey. I'm glad to hear the main problem is dealt with, and everyone seems to be alive. I'll ask Debby if she can get the message to the Destroy Corps."
"Debby, Grey informs my that Genesis and Sharpe took care of the source of the trouble. Do you have some way to let the Destroy Corps know that they don't have to level the whole place? I can try knowing where they are if you need."
If Debby needs, Aaron attempts to know the exact location of the nearest member of the Destroy Corps, and tells her it. Other than that, he relinks with Grey when he shows up, and waits for the party to assemble.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Aaron, wanting an update on what is going on, tries asking Hugh, but obviously doesn't get an answer. He then tries Grey:"Right, ah...Tess is alive and upright for now, Hugh is unconscious, Sharpe and Genesis took care of the war machine I think, and now all we have to do is stop the Destroy Corps from cutting this place to pieces. Maybe Debby can send them a message?"
"Hey Grey, do you have any updates on what is going on wherever you are, or anything you need me to do?"
Grey renews his link with Genesis, grabs Sharpe and teleports to Aaron, forming an anchor for everyone else to teleport out.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)Spoiler: link web (click to show/hide)
As Debby is explaining this, Aaron, Sharpe and Grey join her. Sharpe raises her box and speaks to the Destroy Corps, telling them to verify it. The one with the central pin touches the box with one pointed limb and then steps back. The two scissor-sword wielding members of the corps step past Debby and the rest but the pin wielding one remains. Debby is about to protest when Sharpe stops her.
"Without the pin they can't use the scissors. Those two are just going to clean up." She says, apparently relieved. "I think our work is done here."
((wow am I glad I spent two fate points on that roll. a 2 followed by a 1? dodged a bullet there with the double-reroll.))
"Okay... Okay... now we leave... right? right. to grey. Wait. no. Hugh. Uh..."
I carefully sit down on Hugh and grab ahold of him as best I can with my injury, then once I'm stable and have a good grip, and Grey has left the pit, I tug my thread that leads to Grey.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Hugh attempts to regain consciousness.As though her words signaled it, the writhing dark tentacles of the teleport beacon arched over the hill and shot down like guided artillery's strikes into the members of the party. Just before they vanish they see another tendril grab Sharpe. They disappear into the swirling place between places as the two members of the Destroy corps begin methodically cutting down any remnants of the ancient Homunculus' power.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((Note: updated links.))
Everyone steps or falls out of the portal back in the cavern, their injuries healed. The only one who isn't hale and hardy is Hugh, who is still laying on his stomach, unconscious and grumbling with Tess sitting on his back. As the group gets their bearings and surrounds Hugh's prone form they suddenly realize there is one person extra here, looking down on Hugh. That extra person, they find out later as they speak of the encounter, looked different to every single person who saw them. Grey saw an old woman, Tess saw a young boy, Genesis saw a plump middle aged man, and Debby saw an orangutan that walked like a human. This person steps over to Hugh and, using one hand, pries open his mouth. They their other arm inside, right up to the shoulder, and then pull it back out. In their hand is what looks like a congealed black smoke.
"Your friend." They say, tossing the smoke into the containment pond near the teleporter, "Ate a fraction of a death curse. A dangerous action, but probably one that protected the rest of you from it. He should be fine now."
As they say this, Hugh grunts and sits up, groggily.
"You've all done well. I believe another reward is called for. Do you have any ideas or would you prefer I think of something?" The person asks, walking over to stand near the teleporter gate.
Post by: Ozarck on March 27, 2022, 05:03:10 pm
I think some of these guys just want cruder weapons than our own, for some reason.
Genesis pauses momentarily, a slightly wistful look crossing his face.
"It was kinda fun stabbing things with that big lance. it even helped me when I fell into things. That lance was one of my top three teammates, so far."
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on March 27, 2022, 07:36:47 pm
Post by: Fire and Glory on March 27, 2022, 09:49:48 pm
Post by: fatcat__25 on March 27, 2022, 10:56:47 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on March 27, 2022, 10:58:05 pm
Post by: King Zultan on March 28, 2022, 02:30:45 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on March 28, 2022, 05:06:02 pm
Hugh sits up. “Ho. Ho… Holy!!!! What was that?!!”. He then turns to Genesis, “By the way, I was going to ask you… where in the world did you find that lance?!”"Crater full of dead people."
(As I've been spacing out the last dozen turns or so Grey won't be taking part in the following proceedings or the next mission.)((Jump in any time. Whenever you feel like playing, just jump back in and don't worry about it too much.))
"I would trust your judgement more than mine, but some sort of powerful tool, like the ancient lance Genesis used, though perhaps a little less dangerous, that we could rapidly send back and forth between ourselves seems like it would be valuable.""We already have those. That's what your needle is."
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on March 28, 2022, 07:54:01 pm
“Where was the crater? Don’t tell me that thing killed a bunch of people in that town we were first at!”, Hugh asks, slightly alarmed.Hugh sits up. “Ho. Ho… Holy!!!! What was that?!!”. He then turns to Genesis, “By the way, I was going to ask you… where in the world did you find that lance?!”"Crater full of dead people."
Post by: Ozarck on March 28, 2022, 08:45:19 pm
Where was the crater? Don’t tell me that thing killed a bunch of people in that town we were first at!”, Hugh asks, slightly alarmed.
Genesis stares at Hugh for a minute.
You were there when I got it, you donkey! (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8336681#msg8336681)
"Probably hasn't killed anyone recently."
Post by: fatcat__25 on March 28, 2022, 10:44:28 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on March 29, 2022, 12:36:19 am
Where was the crater? Don’t tell me that thing killed a bunch of people in that town we were first at!”, Hugh asks, slightly alarmed.
Genesis stares at Hugh for a minute.
You were there when I got it, you donkey! (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8336681#msg8336681)
"Probably hasn't killed anyone recently."
“I was?”
((See this post (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8337334#msg8337334).))
Post by: King Zultan on March 29, 2022, 02:03:59 am
Post by: Ozarck on March 29, 2022, 07:17:09 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on March 29, 2022, 03:05:16 pm
Post by: fatcat__25 on March 29, 2022, 04:38:26 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on March 29, 2022, 08:27:05 pm
"That was at the bottom of the pond. They clearly had been there a very long time, so you needn't worry about that."
“There were corpses in that water?!”, Hugh says, looking sick.
Hugh then proceeds to vomit up the water from the pond.
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on March 31, 2022, 10:47:24 pm
"I'll expand upon an existing principle." The person says, now drawing a Needle from behind itself with the other hand.
As the group watches, the person threads the tip of the sword into the eye of the needle. The sword, despite its guard being larger than the eye of the needle, vanishes entirely within the needle. The person then swings the needle and somewhere in the blur of its movement its shape changes from that of the needle to an exact replica of the sword. The person swings again and the needle has returned.
"You can switch between any forms you feed it; not simply weapons. It will retain its properties as a needle even while in other forms and can shift between forms as you desire, so long as its in your hand."
The person tosses the needle back over its shoulder and the weapon spins off into the distance in a way that's completely impossible given the small room they're currently in.
"Keep up the good work, my beloved homunculi." The person says, and then steps backwards into the portal and is gone.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on March 31, 2022, 11:29:50 pm
The person listens to the various conversations and replies and then spends a moment considering. Then it nods and reaches behind its back. It pulls a longsword out from the unseen place at its lower back and holds that that sword in its left hand.
"I'll expand upon an existing principle." The person says, now drawing a Needle from behind itself with the other hand.
As the group watches, the person threads the tip of the sword into the eye of the needle. The sword, despite its guard being larger than the eye of the needle, vanishes entirely within the needle. The person then swings the needle and somewhere in the blur of its movement its shape changes from that of the needle to an exact replica of the sword. The person swings again and the needle has returned.
"You can switch between any forms you feed it; not simply weapons. It will retain its properties as a needle even while in other forms and can shift between forms as you desire, so long as its in your hand."
The person tosses the needle back over its shoulder and the weapon spins off into the distance in a way that's completely impossible given the small room they're currently in.
"Keep up the good work, my beloved homunculi." The person says, and then steps backwards into the portal and is gone.
((What about Hugh’s action?))
Post by: King Zultan on April 01, 2022, 02:06:38 am
Go to the kitchen and get a knife then use the knife to cut the rags I have into bandages, then find a quiet place and read that wooden book.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on April 04, 2022, 09:17:46 am
We can assume you vomited up pond water.The person listens to the various conversations and replies and then spends a moment considering. Then it nods and reaches behind its back. It pulls a longsword out from the unseen place at its lower back and holds that that sword in its left hand.
"I'll expand upon an existing principle." The person says, now drawing a Needle from behind itself with the other hand.
As the group watches, the person threads the tip of the sword into the eye of the needle. The sword, despite its guard being larger than the eye of the needle, vanishes entirely within the needle. The person then swings the needle and somewhere in the blur of its movement its shape changes from that of the needle to an exact replica of the sword. The person swings again and the needle has returned.
"You can switch between any forms you feed it; not simply weapons. It will retain its properties as a needle even while in other forms and can shift between forms as you desire, so long as its in your hand."
The person tosses the needle back over its shoulder and the weapon spins off into the distance in a way that's completely impossible given the small room they're currently in.
"Keep up the good work, my beloved homunculi." The person says, and then steps backwards into the portal and is gone.
((What about Hugh’s action?))
"That's pretty cool, anyway I guess since he didn't say any thing about it that book wasn't as important as it seemed so I'm gonna go see what's in it."[4]
Go to the kitchen and get a knife then use the knife to cut the rags I have into bandages, then find a quiet place and read that wooden book.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You hack the rags into serviceable bandages.
The book appears to be a religious text about the worship of the homunculus the team just killed. Judging from the text, they were seeking "Communion" with it by implanting its vines in their bodies. Also definitely sacrificing locals. Guess that explains where all the people were disappearing to.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on April 04, 2022, 04:33:25 pm
After this, Hugh takes a shower and then retrieves a new pair of gloves. He then goes to the kitchen and eats some food. While there, he looks for a frying pan and (assuming he finds one) threads it through the eye of his needle. After this, he goes to the training room and trains with the dummies (with his needle in whatever form it is in), after which he attempts to put a spell that emits a cloud of darkness into his needle. Assuming there is still time, Hugh goes to his room and goes to sleep.
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on April 05, 2022, 02:35:57 am
Go get some food to eat and some shelf stable things to carry with me on missions, then grab a sheet from the bed rooms and pull some thread out of it and cut it apart for rags. Also see how Elizabeth's doing.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on April 05, 2022, 07:36:11 am
Post by: fatcat__25 on April 05, 2022, 06:22:14 pm
Aaron pulls the food out of his sleeve and eats it. He then replaces it with a new batch, making a mental list of what he stores in his sleeve. After this, he links needles with Genesis, Debby, and Tess, breaking his link to Greed.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on April 06, 2022, 02:19:56 am
Post by: piecewise on April 07, 2022, 10:50:07 am
Hugh eventually stop vomiting. “I swear I didn’t know what was in that pond! I was thirsty and in a hurry, so I just drank as much as I could and then continued running without bothering to look and see what was in the pond! I’ll have to be more careful next time!”, he exclaims.[5,2,5]
After this, Hugh takes a shower and then retrieves a new pair of gloves. He then goes to the kitchen and eats some food. While there, he looks for a frying pan and (assuming he finds one) threads it through the eye of his needle. After this, he goes to the training room and trains with the dummies (with his needle in whatever form it is in), after which he attempts to put a spell that emits a cloud of darkness into his needle. Assuming there is still time, Hugh goes to his room and goes to sleep.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Transforming the needle into a frying pan is easy enough, but actually fighting with it is another thing entirely. As it turns out, frying pans are not designed to be used as weapons and smashing them into wooden dummies more often than not just results in the pan slipping out of your grasp or twisting in a way that dramatically reduces the effectiveness of the hit.
You barf the darkness from your belly into the frying pan needle.
"Hey guys we just kill a cult's god, this book's basically their bible and you know how the plant monsters were people, well apparently some of them turned them selves into plant monsters on propose, and they sacrificed the people they captured. So do you guys think I should bung it into that thing we're supposed magic gubbins into?"You chew on a comically large turkey leg while stuffing canned goods into your sleeves. Then you ruin even more bedding before checking on Elizabeth. She's back outside your robe and is glad to be away from all that scary stuff. She says she doesn't want to do any missions like that again. She says she might prefer to stay here and do some work around the cave, if there's anything that needs to be done.
Go get some food to eat and some shelf stable things to carry with me on missions, then grab a sheet from the bed rooms and pull some thread out of it and cut it apart for rags. Also see how Elizabeth's doing.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Neat! I should keep on the lookout for a more versatile weapon to turn my needle into. Also, Debby, I agree with Genesis that the book goes in the library."
Aaron pulls the food out of his sleeve and eats it. He then replaces it with a new batch, making a mental list of what he stores in his sleeve. After this, he links needles with Genesis, Debby, and Tess, breaking his link to Greed.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
You eat your sleeve's worth of food before replacing it with
1.A ripe avacado
2. A watercress sandwich
3. Flan
4. Calamari
5. Raspberry Lemon Meringue Pie
6. Baked potato soup
7. Oysters Rockefeller
8. Sticky Toffee Pudding
9. Chicken fried steak
10. Cinnamon Bread
You then break some links and reform others.
The cavern rumbles slightly, as though hit by a mild earthquake.
Post by: Lenglon on April 07, 2022, 01:37:14 pm
I really don't want to get targeted out of the air like that again.
attempt to convince my robes to change to look like a comfortable casual outfit in sky blue with grey highlights, and feed my needle a simple knife so I can reshape it into something much smaller and less distinctive, and then store it in my reshaped robes.
afterwards go wander around and see how the cavern has reshaped itself.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on April 07, 2022, 02:32:04 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on April 07, 2022, 04:02:26 pm
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on April 08, 2022, 03:38:51 am
Grab a can opener from the kitchen, the search the library for a book on first aid, then tell Elizabeth she can stay in the cave if she wants to, also go ditch tree cult book in the library.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on April 08, 2022, 06:22:23 pm
Aaron goes with Genesis to look at the portal plaque.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on April 11, 2022, 10:44:57 am
"Thank you."The knife you can do. The robes, however, need something to copy. They duplicate things, not generate new things.
I really don't want to get targeted out of the air like that again.
attempt to convince my robes to change to look like a comfortable casual outfit in sky blue with grey highlights, and feed my needle a simple knife so I can reshape it into something much smaller and less distinctive, and then store it in my reshaped robes.
afterwards go wander around and see how the cavern has reshaped itself.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Hugh wakes up and goes to the kitchen. While there, he stuffs a bunch of food, dishes, silverware, cookware, and serving and cooking implements into the sleeve of his robe (enough that he can cook while out on a mission). Additionally, he looks for a larger frying pan (the largest and heaviest that he can find) and threads it through the eye of his frying pan/needle. After this, he finds Genesis and Grey and asks to relink with them (and does so, if they agree). Finally, he goes and checks to see what made that rumbling.[6]Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Hugh feeds a Wok through the eye of his needle before gathering the rest of what he wants and relinking etc.
"If you want to stay in the cave I won't stop you, but I will say that not every mission will be like that, and as for things you can do here well there's a library with books you could read, a training room in case you want to stab a guy made of wood, and a kitchen you could cook in if you wanted, so there are a few things you can do to entertain yourself while we're not here."[2]
Grab a can opener from the kitchen, the search the library for a book on first aid, then tell Elizabeth she can stay in the cave if she wants to, also go ditch tree cult book in the library.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You grab a can opener, fail to find a book on first aid, leave Liz behind, and ditch the book.
"It sounds like something is happening. I wonder if our services are needed already."
Aaron goes with Genesis to look at the portal plaque.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Check the plaque at the portal for instructions.The Teleportation gate is closed, and the plaque is displaying nothing. As you ponder this another rumble shakes the cave, stronger this time.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on April 11, 2022, 07:27:00 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on April 11, 2022, 10:05:07 pm
Aaron attempts to know what is shaking the cave, whether it has hostile intent. He then tells Hugh what his answer is.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on April 12, 2022, 03:04:07 am
Go to the portal room with the others and ask the rumbling what's going on.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on April 15, 2022, 03:50:40 pm
"So what's happening?"
Go to the portal room with the others and ask the rumbling what's going on.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"I was just going to see if I could bring that knowledge to mind. I don't know how accurate my knowledge is, given that some of the stuff I thought I knew last mission didn't seem very correct. We'll see, though."
Aaron attempts to know what is shaking the cave, whether it has hostile intent. He then tells Hugh what his answer is.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Hugh goes and finds Aaron. “Ho! Ho! Ho! Aaron, my boy! What do your cognizant eyes tell you is causing that rumbling? And where is it coming from?”, Hugh inquires of the cognizant.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Aaron considers for a moment. Then he raises one finger and shouts "GADZOOKS! THE LIBRARY!" before sprinting away. Hugh and Debby follow after him into the library where they find that part of the cavern wall has collapsed and exposed a crystalline tunnel beyond it. Standing in the hole is...it looks like a humanoid windchime. Its a cluster of golden bejeweled charms connected together with thin silver cords. The charms and cords are all sort of floating in mid air without any clear means of support, but together they form a vaguely humanoid shape. The windchime places one....its not really a hand but its the end of the arm appendage...on a stone wall smooths the stone down as though it were wet plaster. As it does this, it gestures at a book shelf thats been knocked over and the shelf rights itself, the books flying back into place.
Post by: Lenglon on April 15, 2022, 04:20:09 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on April 16, 2022, 02:28:15 am
Ask the wind chime thing what it's doing.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on April 16, 2022, 01:04:03 pm
Aaron asks the thing if it needs our assistance for anything.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on April 17, 2022, 06:00:40 pm
Hugh then waits patiently for the construct to speak.
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on April 20, 2022, 12:24:16 pm
“Mmmm! Perhaps, the problem’s tasty! Ho! Ho! Ho!”, Hugh laughs while licking his lips.
Hugh then waits patiently for the construct to speak.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Or perhaps it needs our skills for something."
Aaron asks the thing if it needs our assistance for anything.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
"So do we do something about this thing or do we ignore it since it seems to be doing something helpful."
Ask the wind chime thing what it's doing.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
I follow the commotion to the library.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Aaron asks the construct what its doing and if it needs help. The construct continues to work, smoothing things by hand, but about half its mass floats out of its body and begins arranging and rearranging itself in mid air. These pieces rapidly spell out words, through which it silently explains the situation.
It states that it is a member of the Artisan Corps, another of the Homunculi corps. It is here creating an expansion to the cave and working on some of the underlying mechanisms, as well as doing other work nearby. The other work is why it came here; it needs some help. The area where it needs to work is overrun by what it calls "Crystalline Ants". These ants are known to be intelligent but it cannot speak to them. The Artisan isn't a fighter; though it's form is effectively immortal it can't fight effectively while being "Constantly scattered". Its stuck; it can't negotiate, it can't fight, and it can't work. It sought out the cavern for backup with its endeavors.
Post by: King Zultan on April 21, 2022, 03:51:56 am
Get the wind chime guy to show me where the ants are so I can talk to them and find out what they want.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on April 23, 2022, 09:05:02 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on April 23, 2022, 09:19:21 pm
Aaron attempts to know how large these crystalline ants are, tells the others, and then goes to help, staying with Hugh.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on April 26, 2022, 11:38:21 pm
"That sounds reasonable enough. Debby, I hope you can resolve this peacefully."
Aaron attempts to know how large these crystalline ants are, tells the others, and then goes to help, staying with Hugh.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Hugh follows Debby.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"That sounds easy enough I'll go talk to the ants and see what they want."[?]
Get the wind chime guy to show me where the ants are so I can talk to them and find out what they want.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Aaron considers the ants and thinks they're probably larger than normal ants.
The "Wind Chime Guy" reconjoins with the floating pieces and then splits a chunk of himself off again. This one, about the size of a human head, hovers off down the tunnel without a word. The group follows along behind it. The tunnel leads into a large room thats been smoothed but is clearly made of a combination of normal gray stone and gleaming blue crystal. Further on the tunnel becomes more of a raw cavern and the crystals jut through the stone in glittering spikes and columns. Eventually the floating ball of charms stops in a largish section of cavern and hovers in place. The group looks around for a few moments before noticing something moving. Inside a crystal near them is a small tunnel, which exits through a hole in the crystal's side. An ant the size of a house cat is sitting at the entrance to this tunnel, waving its antennae. It looks a lot like a normal ant save for two distinctions. First is the size, while the second is the fact that it seems to be growing small clusters of crystal across its black exoskeleton. It has apparently noticed the group but hasn't moved from its position.
Post by: King Zultan on April 27, 2022, 03:17:18 am
Ask the ant what it's doing here and why they're preventing the chime guy from working.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on April 27, 2022, 10:14:08 am
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on April 27, 2022, 08:28:10 pm
At some point Grey replaced his torn robe and gloves.
Grey goes back into the library to pick out a book on crystalline ants, looking for information on their capabilities and whatever motivates them aside from their queen.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on April 29, 2022, 02:07:45 am
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on April 29, 2022, 07:00:27 pm
Aaron looks around at the cave and crystals through his needle while he waits to see the outcome of Debby's negotiation.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on April 30, 2022, 01:56:05 am
"It would probably be best to negotiate with the leader or queen of the ants. This just looks like a guard.""Gotta start with the little guys, also we have to find her first."
Post by: fatcat__25 on April 30, 2022, 11:59:42 am
Post by: piecewise on May 02, 2022, 04:49:18 pm
"I was actually expecting them to be bigger."
Ask the ant what it's doing here and why they're preventing the chime guy from working.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
You ask the ant what its doing and why the hive is preventing the "chime guy" from working. The ant, a bit confused as to why you can speak to it, says that this is the hive's territory and that that thing is encroaching on it. Interestingly, it further states that its hive is following a mission granted them by the Magi. When you ask about that, it says it doesn't know specifics.
The artisan "Says" that he dug into this area and discovered the ants. When he attempted to continue his work they swarmed him and carried off his charms. This didn't harm him but he did have to keep reassembling himself, which made working impossible.
Ask the artisan if it dug into the ants' nest, or if the ants expanded into our territory. Then wander a short distance into the raw cavern - far enough to explore, not so far as to lose contact with the team (aka within shouting distance or so).Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
You walk little ways off on your own. The cavern is certainly nice, all these glowing crystals and such, but doesn't seem particularly special. At least not from what you can see here. There does seem to be a lot of ambient magic around though.
(Well, some light activity won't hurt.)[4]
At some point Grey replaced his torn robe and gloves.
Grey goes back into the library to pick out a book on crystalline ants, looking for information on their capabilities and whatever motivates them aside from their queen.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
There are no books specifically about the crystal ants, but in a book entitled "The astrodynamics of the planetary vessel" it does make reference to them. Specifically it states that they are responsible for the "Maintenance of leylines" and that they have complex and vast subterranean dynasties which trace their power back to the Magi.
Hugh waits beside Debby while she speaks with the ant.Hugh tries to look friendly and intimidating both at the same time.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"It would probably be best to negotiate with the leader or queen of the ants. This just looks like a guard."There is a LOT of magic here, and it is moving. It doesn't have the distinct "flavor" of magic used by mages or your kind, its something more primal and raw. Below you can see it in a flowing current so dense and bright its hard to look at while out here you can see wisps of that current drifting by like the gentle water at a river's edge. The crystals here don't seem to be absorbing the magic so much as they're directing it.
Aaron looks around at the cave and crystals through his needle while he waits to see the outcome of Debby's negotiation.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 02, 2022, 10:06:38 pm
It is here creating an expansion to the cave and working on some of the underlying mechanisms, as well as doing other work nearby. The other work is why it came here; it needs some help.He asks the Artisan what exactly does it need to do within the ant's territory.
Afterwards he tries to catch some of the wisps of magic with his needle, outside of the main flow. Best not to stick the needle in there lest it do something unpleasant.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on May 05, 2022, 12:35:10 am
Inspect the ants through the eye of my needle. Fondly recall my murderlance.
" I only really stabbed that one thing with it, and she didn't even die, really."
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on May 05, 2022, 05:19:05 pm
Aaron attempts to know what the original source of the magic river is. He also looks to see if there are any loose fragments of crystal nearby, and picks one up if there is.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 05, 2022, 09:00:38 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 05, 2022, 11:52:06 pm
"There is vast amount of magic here in this cave, but it is much more wild looking than even the stuff used by the black homunculus. I think it is the ants' very own magic, or else truly ancient. The crystals seem to direct its flow.""I found out that Crystalline Ants serve a function in maintaining leylines, by the looks of it this is one of those lines."
(Edited my action.)
Post by: piecewise on May 09, 2022, 08:26:13 pm
Grey rejoins the group.The artisan spells out that it needs to "Create a new crystalline lattice for the redirection of leyline current to planetary stabilizer number 280."It is here creating an expansion to the cave and working on some of the underlying mechanisms, as well as doing other work nearby. The other work is why it came here; it needs some help.He asks the Artisan what exactly does it need to do within the ant's territory.
Afterwards he tries to catch some of the wisps of magic with his needle, outside of the main flow. Best not to stick the needle in there lest it do something unpleasant.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
[6]
You wave your needle around with the intent of gathering some of the wisps of magic that are floating about. Your needle fills with magical energy and you're halfway through going "Huh!" When a crystalline ant jumps onto your face. It doesn't bite or harm you, but it does clamp down hard on your head with its legs.
"There is vast amount of magic here in this cave, but it is much more wild looking than even the stuff used by the black homunculus. I think it is the ants' very own magic, or else truly ancient. The crystals seem to direct its flow."[?]
Aaron attempts to know what the original source of the magic river is. He also looks to see if there are any loose fragments of crystal nearby, and picks one up if there is.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
This magic is the magic of the planet itself for lack of a better word. It comes from every stone, every plant, every animal, from the water, the wind, and the shifting magma deep within. Like a river it has no distinct source, rather endless trickles from all around which run down into it. This river is a Leyline, blood of the planet.
You reach down and pick up a fist sized chunk of crystal. When you look back up the crystalline ant is gone. Huh.
Hugh puts his hand on Debbie’s shoulder, looks at her, and asks: “Soooo!… What’d they say?!”She apparently says nothing.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"I wonder if they are trying to siphon off the weird extra magic that is infecting the Homunculi Cauldron and causing all those guys to be loonies?"[2]
Inspect the ants through the eye of my needle. Fondly recall my murderlance.
" I only really stabbed that one thing with it, and she didn't even die, really."Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
The ant appears to be nothing but a shining mass of magic through the eye of your needle. Magic in the shape of the ant, oddly. Perhaps it is so suffused with magic that its all you can see?
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 10, 2022, 09:33:01 am
Grey slides his needle up his robe's sleeve into the inventory dimension to show the ant that he won't use it to suck up any more magic.
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 10, 2022, 04:12:39 pm
Post by: fatcat__25 on May 10, 2022, 07:35:47 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 13, 2022, 12:33:59 am
Post by: King Zultan on May 13, 2022, 04:05:27 am
"Sorry guys I zoned out for a second, anyway the ant says that artisan guy is apparently encroaching on their land, and that the hive is following a mission granted to them by the magi, but it doesn't seem to know what the mission is."
Ask the ant where we can find an ant in a leadership position to talk to so we find a way for both the ants and the artisan guy can complete their missions.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on May 13, 2022, 11:28:34 am
((Hello everyone I'm back, sorry for the delay my house got struck by lighting on the second and it killed the internet receiver thing and we just got the internet back today.))
((Oh wow. I'm glad it didn't cause too much damage. We're happy you're back.))
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 13, 2022, 10:23:56 pm
"Sorry guys I zoned out for a second, anyway the ant says that artisan guy is apparently encroaching on their land, and that the hive is following a mission granted to them by the magi, but it doesn't seem to know what the mission is."
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Then it looks like we’re all on the same team here! Hopefully, diplomacy will solve this problem. And if it doesn’t, then it’ll be a matter that the Magi will have to attend to…”, Hugh replies before squeezing Debbie’s shoulder. “I pray that your negotiations go well, my girl!”
After this, Hugh continues to accompany Debbie but attempts to look more friendly then threatening.
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: added action.
Post by: King Zultan on May 14, 2022, 03:40:16 am
((Well it did break a few other things but none of it was super important, anyway I'm glad to be back.))((Hello everyone I'm back, sorry for the delay my house got struck by lighting on the second and it killed the internet receiver thing and we just got the internet back today.))
((Oh wow. I'm glad it didn't cause too much damage. We're happy you're back.))
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Then it looks like we’re all on the same team here! Hopefully, diplomacy will solve this problem. And if it doesn’t, then it’ll be a matter that the Magi will have to attend to…”, Hugh replies before squeezing Debbie’s shoulder. “I pray that your negotiations go well, my girl!"Hopefully the do, because I don't want to have to fight a whole ant hive."
Post by: Lenglon on May 14, 2022, 08:25:36 am
"Um, it sounds like they're both working for magi and there's some kind of internal systems conflict. What purpose do the two systems serve and how do they accomplish it?"
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on May 14, 2022, 08:26:05 pm
Aaron attempts to know which of the Magi the artisan works under, and which the ants answer to.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 15, 2022, 12:19:07 pm
Post by: piecewise on May 16, 2022, 08:24:40 pm
"Alright! I won't take any more magic."
Grey slides his needle up his robe's sleeve into the inventory dimension to show the ant that he won't use it to suck up any more magic.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
((Hello everyone I'm back, sorry for the delay my house got struck by lighting on the second and it killed the internet receiver thing and we just got the internet back today.))
"Sorry guys I zoned out for a second, anyway the ant says that artisan guy is apparently encroaching on their land, and that the hive is following a mission granted to them by the magi, but it doesn't seem to know what the mission is."
Ask the ant where we can find an ant in a leadership position to talk to so we find a way for both the ants and the artisan guy can complete their missions.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The ant- which is busy bopping Grey with his forelimbs in a rather adorably harmless fashion-looks to Debby. After a few moments it hops down off Gray's face and crawls back into the tunnel without a word. Huh.
Hugh flexes and looms as best he can, but if the ant even notices him it makes no indication of it. Perhaps they are simply immune to his grandstanding."Sorry guys I zoned out for a second, anyway the ant says that artisan guy is apparently encroaching on their land, and that the hive is following a mission granted to them by the magi, but it doesn't seem to know what the mission is."
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Then it looks like we’re all on the same team here! Hopefully, diplomacy will solve this problem. And if it doesn’t, then it’ll be a matter that the Magi will have to attend to…”, Hugh replies before squeezing Debbie’s shoulder. “I pray that your negotiations go well, my girl!”
After this, Hugh continues to accompany Debbie but attempts to look more friendly then threatening.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: added action.
"I'll try to figure out something about the Magi that are behind this part of their work."[?]
Aaron attempts to know which of the Magi the artisan works under, and which the ants answer to.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Your head is filled with white noise and your nose starts bleeding. Thats...different.
As the team mills around, trying to figure out what to do now that the ant has left, they notice something. The ground is shaking. They notice this about 10 seconds before the wall explodes outwards and a crystalline ant the size of a train engine with a head like an enormous battering ram bursts into the room. It looks around the room, its giant crystalline mandibles clacking in thought before zeroing in on Debby. It stomps over to her and lowers itself down to look at her with one crystalline compound eye. As it does so, the small ant from before skitters up and onto the top of its head, looking down on the team with what seems like gloating satisfaction. Maybe. The emotions of a rock insect are difficult to detect.
The giant ant makes a sound like windchimes crossed with a pan flute before ending it with a hang drum solo. Its very pretty but no one understands a bit of it aside from Debby.
"She says we should get on." Debby tells everyone, pointing at the ant .
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 16, 2022, 08:49:44 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Edit: almost forgot about the artisan…
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 16, 2022, 09:59:22 pm
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on May 16, 2022, 10:04:24 pm
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 16, 2022, 10:24:23 pm
Did we ever find out why teh artisan was digging in ant territory? Like, what it's specific task and goal were?
((You’re right. Best not to forget the artisan. Debbie can’t be an interpreter if one of the parties isn’t present. I’ve updated my post…))
Post by: King Zultan on May 17, 2022, 04:09:50 am
Get onto the giant ant, and ask the little one where we're going.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 17, 2022, 08:55:12 pm
Did we ever find out why teh artisan was digging in ant territory? Like, what it's specific task and goal were?(Yea.)
Quote
The artisan spells out that it needs to "Create a new crystalline lattice for the redirection of leyline current to planetary stabilizer number 280."(We'll have to see what the ants think of that.)
Post by: fatcat__25 on May 18, 2022, 05:00:53 pm
Aaron accepts Hugh's offer of help up onto the giant ant, not being tall enough to easily climb up himself. He then attempts to know what caste of ant the giant is.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on May 24, 2022, 10:33:34 pm
"Patriarch Lud, Ruler of the Blue Burrows, slayer of the Twin Tyrant...uh...it goes on like that for a while." Debby says to the group, translating what the little ant is telling her. "Basically, he's who we have to talk to."
The rest of the team nods and then waits for Debby to do it. Debby looks back at them for a while before sighing and starting to talk with Patriarch Lud. She occasionally stops to whisper back a translation and update as Lud drones like an underwater church bell.
"He says that this place is under his protection and that his dynasty is the one that carved the tunnels and grew the crystals guiding the leyline and...Well its a lot of posturing mostly. He says we can get access to the area and do the work if we...Kill a rival of his. Another Patriach." She glances back at Lud. "I dunno if thats really something we should do."
Post by: King Zultan on May 25, 2022, 03:53:49 am
While other people figure out what we should do I'll ask Lud what their mission from the magi was and why they want their rival killed.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on May 25, 2022, 09:46:51 pm
Ask the artisan again, explicitly, what he needs access to the ant cave to do, and why it matters.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 26, 2022, 01:49:58 am
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on May 26, 2022, 03:52:18 am
Post by: Fire and Glory on May 26, 2022, 01:47:48 pm
Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on May 26, 2022, 08:54:41 pm
Aaron attempts to know what local or global consequences there would be if the Artisan had to wait to carry out its project.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on May 26, 2022, 10:44:24 pm
I suppose we may as well continue investigating though. We are the Investigation Corps, after all. Learning the truth behind things is kinda our thing.
As fopr the will of the Magi, well, they didn't even send us down here. They are probably not all that interested. It seems to me as if both magical forces here are operating as normal, and neither has become a threat to mundanes or anything, so the Magi are probably satisfied to leave it alone unless someone starts tinkering with the ley lines and causing serious contamination."
Post by: Lenglon on May 27, 2022, 10:33:11 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 30, 2022, 02:53:08 am
Post by: King Zultan on May 30, 2022, 04:37:04 am
“Why does he want his rival killed?”, Hugh asks Debbie."Almost forgot to ask that."
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on May 31, 2022, 12:55:26 am
“Ho! Ho! Ho! …And what was the reply?…”“Why does he want his rival killed?”, Hugh asks Debbie."Almost forgot to ask that."
Post by: piecewise on June 11, 2022, 06:49:12 pm
"So guys do we kill the rival hive or do we find another way?"Lud, through Debby, gives a very long and complex explanation. You believe that what he is saying is that the Ants, not just him but all of them, are here to maintain the Leyline system which provides magical power to various installations around the world. There are many different schools of thought as to how this is best done, which gives birth to many families or houses which seek to enact their methods. His rival is apparently the patriarch of a different house which killed many of his vassals. But more importantly, they have the idiotic belief that the Leyline would be best redirected using a hexagonal configuration instead of the clearly superior octagonal configuration.
While other people figure out what we should do I'll ask Lud what their mission from the magi was and why they want their rival killed.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
" Isee no reason to agree to such a thing. Our purpose is to protect the mundane from the chaos of unregulated magic, not to interfere in internal politics. This has nothing to do with us."The Artisan spells out that it needs to set up a new magical redirection node to provide power to a new installation. Part of the Planetary navigation grid. But the ants are preventing him from getting to the correct place and beginning the node construction. They keep carrying his parts away.
Ask the artisan again, explicitly, what he needs access to the ant cave to do, and why it matters.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Grey asks the Artisan if the ants would notice if it made its crystalline lattice without their knowing.The artisan states that it attempted to do its work without informing the ants. They apparently swarm all through the stone and in the leyline area. Avoiding their notice is quite difficult.Spoiler: Grey (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle links (click to show/hide)
"This seems like the sort of conflict that should be settled by the Magi. I wish I could find out who's problem this should be, but whenever I try, I get nothing but noise. Also, wouldn't killing an ant patriarch interfere with their kind's purpose?"[?]
Aaron attempts to know what local or global consequences there would be if the Artisan had to wait to carry out its project.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Hmmmm....probably the entire world will fly into the sun.
Post by: Ozarck on June 11, 2022, 10:10:55 pm
Ask the Artisan if it can arrange the navigation station in such a way that it would be pleasant or useful for the ants, and ask how much margin for error there is in terms of where the station needs to be located.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 12, 2022, 01:29:56 am
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on June 12, 2022, 04:38:11 am
Tell the ants what Genesis said HERE (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8380985#msg8380985).
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on June 12, 2022, 01:19:26 pm
((action edited))
Post by: King Zultan on June 13, 2022, 02:56:35 am
"Ask him if there is something they'd like built but are unable to themselves. Perhaps the Artisan can pay for access with labor. A warming chamber for their egglings, or a brushing station to help clean their carapaces or something. A water filtration station maybe.. Hmm maybe the Artisan can arrange the planetary navigation station in such a way that it is a pleasant place for the ants. Solve two problems: give the ants something they want, and ensure they have reason to maintain it after it's complete, rather than looting it for parts or whatever.""Sounds pretty good I'll tell him what you said."
((action edited))
Post by: fatcat__25 on June 15, 2022, 11:40:04 pm
Aaron asks the Artisan if there is some flexibility in the visual design of the redirection node.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on June 16, 2022, 09:04:03 am
"According to my knowledge, if this maintenance isn't done, the world may eventually be in grave danger, by straying from its course. I don't know the time frame, or if it could be corrected, but it sounds like a severe consequence if the ants refuse to cooperate. Also, might the ants be pleased of the redirection was done with their preferred octagonal system?"Visually, yes. Mechanically no. It does, in the end, not matter what the node looks like.
Aaron asks the Artisan if there is some flexibility in the visual design of the redirection node.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
"That's a pretty petty sounding reason to start killing each other, also this kind of crap doesn't really seem like something we should be bothering with, so anyone got any ideas as to what I can tell this guy so the artisan can do his job?"
Tell the ants what Genesis said HERE (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=178529.msg8380985#msg8380985).Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"This is why our Cauldron is defective. I'm going to escort the Artisan to his workspace. If the ants want to cooperate ((I just heard a car crash. That sucks. Didn't sound super serious, but there was definitely some vehicular damage involved.))" I am willing to direct the Artisan to work within certain limits, so long as both parties needs can be reasonably taken into account. ((several emergency vehicles are going along. Can't exactly tell if any are headed to the crash just now. sounds like they are going further away. Besides, that would be a surprisingly quick response ... hmm, one siren just cut off. maybe they did come to the accident after all.))
Ask the Artisan if it can arrange the navigation station in such a way that it would be pleasant or useful for the ants, and ask how much margin for error there is in terms of where the station needs to be located.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
The artisan can make something like that; though "navigation station" is kind of a vague term. He seems to understand what you're hinting at: Hiding the node within something created for the ants. At least that is what he's taking from your questions. He seems on board with such deception.
Meanwhile Debby asks about anything they can trade for access. Well, things that don't include murder and do include buildings. Lud seems rather annoyed and exasperated by this but says he will consider it. He tells you to ask his war minister if there are any battlements or the like which need construction.
The smug, small ant seems ready to guide you to the right place.
Post by: King Zultan on June 17, 2022, 01:56:13 am
Follow the smug ant to where the war minister is/
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 18, 2022, 10:09:39 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((What would happen if I were to pull the string to teleport to Aa Tou Tou Lesia? Would that take me back to our cave?))
Post by: Ozarck on June 19, 2022, 02:53:09 pm
"These ants, and the Artisan, are all clearly insane, magically defective, and nearly as much a threat to the balance of magic as they are a benefit. They remind me of you lot."
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on June 23, 2022, 11:34:07 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on June 27, 2022, 08:11:21 am
Hugh shrugs his shoulders and follows Debbie.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((What would happen if I were to pull the string to teleport to Aa Tou Tou Lesia? Would that take me back to our cave?))
While i am not opposed to deception in this case, I meant more "make the planetary navigation grid installation actually provide a direct benefit to the ants so they actively want to keep it operational," rather than hiding it from them or making it against their interests. If the ants want it to be there, then everyone wins. But hiding it and building some ant-themed structure around it is fine too. Meanwhile, follow the smug ant to the war ant.
"These ants, and the Artisan, are all clearly insane, magically defective, and nearly as much a threat to the balance of magic as they are a benefit. They remind me of you lot."Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Aaron contemplatively follows the others.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
"Okay guys we gotta go talk to the war minister and see what he needs so we can get this thing built."The war minister-name of Zol- is a lot like the patriarch, though slightly smaller and with less workers fawning over him. He, like the patriarch, launches off on a long monolog about while his house is the best, why every other house is garbage, why they will get everyone killed, and so forth. When asked about what he needs constructed, so that the group might move on to construct the actual building they need to make, he instead tells the group to kill someone else. When the group politely declines, he asks them to kill the Lud, the Patriarch, so that he might usurp Lud's position. They decline this as well. With weary patience Zol sends the group off to one of his underlings with similar demands as Lud originally gave: find out something that needs to be built. This pattern continues down 4 more successive branches of Ant Bureaucracy, with each ant asking first for the death of an ant from another house, then the death of his direct superior, then foists the group off on another underling. The pattern finally ends when they are speaking to a larva caretaker who asks them to convince Lud to send the caretakers more food, because the "Squirmers go hungry".
Follow the smug ant to where the war minister is/Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Its round about here, as the team begins to see the positive side of murdering ants, that the artisan chimes in. He explains that these creatures were made by the same Magi that made him. She is fickle and a lover of the arts in all kinds, but not impractical. She wouldn't create a race which could not complete its tasks. This apparent malaise and murderous infighting must serve a purpose. There must be a trigger or a method which would mobilize the ants and grant him the freedom he needs. He suggests that perhaps the key lies in tricking them to use their technical zealotry for the team's purpose.
Post by: King Zultan on June 28, 2022, 04:48:54 am
Talk with the team and see what we can come up with.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on June 28, 2022, 09:48:48 pm
If we're going to trick them, then the only suggestion I have is to disguise the Artisan's structure so the ants don't recognize or care that it is there. Maybe we have to distract them for a while so the Artisan can get to work. Perhaps some of us could go to that Partriarch's opponent and warn them of impending conflict. stir the pot and get these ants distracted by the fight for a while.
I am not really a very cunning person, so trickery isn't my forte. I'm more likely to suggest brute force."
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on June 28, 2022, 11:53:03 pm
Post by: King Zultan on June 29, 2022, 03:53:59 am
Post by: Ozarck on June 29, 2022, 02:43:31 pm
Post by: King Zultan on June 30, 2022, 04:52:52 am
Post by: Ozarck on June 30, 2022, 11:19:00 pm
Post by: fatcat__25 on June 30, 2022, 11:25:50 pm
Before Hugh goes, Aaron attempts to know what sort of methods the rival ant clan has used against Lud's clan recently, and tells the others whatever he comes up with. If Hugh does go back to check the plaque, Aaron accompanies him.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 01, 2022, 12:19:16 am
"If you guys want to tell them that, go for it, but I'm with Hugh. I want to check if there are any messages for us back at base."
Before Hugh goes, Aaron attempts to know what sort of methods the rival ant clan has used against Lud's clan recently, and tells the others whatever he comes up with. If Hugh does go back to check the plaque, Aaron accompanies him.
((Hugh hasn’t made any move to go back and check the plaque yet. After that ride on the giant ant, I’m not sure if anyone knows the way back or how far it is. That’s why I asked if teleporting to an inactive player’s character would take Hugh back to the cave…))
Post by: King Zultan on July 01, 2022, 02:49:11 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 03, 2022, 12:11:28 am
"Sounds like we've got ourselves a plan, now we just gotta wait for Aaron's info and we'll be able to put it into action."
“Plan? What plan is that?”, Hugh asks, puzzled.
Post by: King Zultan on July 03, 2022, 02:35:07 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 03, 2022, 03:45:15 am
"Haven't you been standing here the whole time we've been talking, guess you weren't paying attention, so the plan is to go to the ants and tell them that Aaron saw the enemy ants were preparing for an attack in a vision so these guys would hopefully ignore us so the artisan can do his thing."
“Ohhh! He did, did he?! Well then, I suppose it’s best to tell the ants that are here about the danger! Ho! Ho! Ho!”
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to try something…”, Hugh says as he attempts to teleport to Aa Tou Tou Lesia.
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on July 07, 2022, 09:29:59 am
"If you guys want to tell them that, go for it, but I'm with Hugh. I want to check if there are any messages for us back at base."[?]
Before Hugh goes, Aaron attempts to know what sort of methods the rival ant clan has used against Lud's clan recently, and tells the others whatever he comes up with. If Hugh does go back to check the plaque, Aaron accompanies him.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Uh...violence? Um...War? Probably some hitting and rough horseplay?
You teleport back to the cave and go check the plaque. The plaque does have something on it...but its not words. It is an engraved image of a hydra; a multi-headed, long necked reptilian creature. Its heads are all fighting, biting each other and the body. One head has been torn free and his held in the teeth of one of the others, but a replacement is already growing from the stump. At its feet, a line of humans in heroic gear are climbing over the hydra's giant talons, moving past it and towards a horde of treasure on the left as the hydra attacks itself."Haven't you been standing here the whole time we've been talking, guess you weren't paying attention, so the plan is to go to the ants and tell them that Aaron saw the enemy ants were preparing for an attack in a vision so these guys would hopefully ignore us so the artisan can do his thing."
“Ohhh! He did, did he?! Well then, I suppose it’s best to tell the ants that are here about the danger! Ho! Ho! Ho!”
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to try something…”, Hugh says as he attempts to teleport to Aa Tou Tou Lesia.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 07, 2022, 11:01:22 am
You teleport back to the cave and go check the plaque. The plaque does have something on it...but its not words. It is an engraved image of a hydra; a multi-headed, long necked reptilian creature. Its heads are all fighting, biting each other and the body. One head has been torn free and his held in the teeth of one of the others, but a replacement is already growing from the stump. At its feet, a line of humans in heroic gear are climbing over the hydra's giant talons, moving past it and towards a horde of treasure on the left as the hydra attacks itself.
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Now this is interesting!”, Hugh laughs puzzledly, as he uses his needle to tell the others about what’s on the plaque. “I’m going to view it through my needle in case anyone else wants to see it. After that, do you think I should just teleport back to the group? Or should I do something else?”, he asks.
"Multiheaded hydra? infighting? treasure sought by sneaking past the infighting? That sounds like what we are facing now, metaphorically. I guess inciting these ants to war among themselves is the proper path after all. Treasure to the left? I wonder if that signifies anything, or if it's just placement on the plaque. Debby, feel free to stir the pot. Maybe we'd be willing to 'help' after all, since the order now seems to come from our chain of command.
Hugh, it seems that our command is suggesting we act here, so feel free to come back to the group."
“Ho! Ho! Ho! I was just thinking, do you suppose that the hydra could be the ants, the head that got bitten off could be that Patriarch ant, the head that bit it off could be the leader of the rival ants, and the new head growing to take it’s place could be the war minister? What do you think? Do you think, maybe, we should tell the war minister about what was on the plaque?”, Hugh asks as he teleports to Genesis, making sure to relink afterwards.
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on July 07, 2022, 10:56:08 pm
Hugh, it seems that our command is suggesting we act here, so feel free to come back to the group."
Post by: King Zultan on July 08, 2022, 02:54:30 am
Lets go talk to that high ranking military ant and tell it that Aaron had a vision and saw the enemy ants were preparing to attack this group of ants. Use a fate point on this.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 08, 2022, 02:50:51 pm
Post by: Ozarck on July 08, 2022, 09:53:21 pm
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Now this is interesting!”, Hugh laughs puzzledly, as he uses his needle to tell the others about what’s on the plaque. “I’m going to view it through my needle in case anyone else wants to see it. After that, do you think I should just teleport back to the group? Or should I do something else?”, he asks.
"I think the image is a more generalized thing describing how ant society works, but in this case, your example is one possible way that could play out.
And no, I definitely do not think we should tell the ants what was on the plaque. The human-like heroes on the plaque were sneaking past the hydra, right? So we should be sneaky here, okay? The war minister will take his opportunity when it arises."
Post by: King Zultan on July 09, 2022, 03:08:13 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 09, 2022, 01:32:02 pm
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Now this is interesting!”, Hugh laughs puzzledly, as he uses his needle to tell the others about what’s on the plaque. “I’m going to view it through my needle in case anyone else wants to see it. After that, do you think I should just teleport back to the group? Or should I do something else?”, he asks.
"I think the image is a more generalized thing describing how ant society works, but in this case, your example is one possible way that could play out.
And no, I definitely do not think we should tell the ants what was on the plaque. The human-like heroes on the plaque were sneaking past the hydra, right? So we should be sneaky here, okay? The war minister will take his opportunity when it arises."
"Telling the ants what we are doing is a bad idea and it will end poorly for us."
“Ho! Ho! Ho! I see what you mean. I wonder if we can use our cloaks to disguise ourselves…”
Post by: fatcat__25 on July 09, 2022, 06:59:48 pm
Aaron attempts to know in what way the rival clan of ants is weakest.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on July 27, 2022, 09:22:38 am
Post by: fatcat__25 on July 27, 2022, 12:47:15 pm
My games are going on Hiatus for the moment because of board exams. I'll see you in september.
Best of luck with that!
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on July 27, 2022, 05:11:22 pm
My games are going on Hiatus for the moment because of board exams. I'll see you in september.
Thanks for telling us! See you after your exams!
Post by: King Zultan on July 28, 2022, 01:31:33 am
Post by: piecewise on October 03, 2022, 09:33:56 am
You perform all these actions without the need of a roll.You teleport back to the cave and go check the plaque. The plaque does have something on it...but its not words. It is an engraved image of a hydra; a multi-headed, long necked reptilian creature. Its heads are all fighting, biting each other and the body. One head has been torn free and his held in the teeth of one of the others, but a replacement is already growing from the stump. At its feet, a line of humans in heroic gear are climbing over the hydra's giant talons, moving past it and towards a horde of treasure on the left as the hydra attacks itself.
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Now this is interesting!”, Hugh laughs puzzledly, as he uses his needle to tell the others about what’s on the plaque. “I’m going to view it through my needle in case anyone else wants to see it. After that, do you think I should just teleport back to the group? Or should I do something else?”, he asks."Multiheaded hydra? infighting? treasure sought by sneaking past the infighting? That sounds like what we are facing now, metaphorically. I guess inciting these ants to war among themselves is the proper path after all. Treasure to the left? I wonder if that signifies anything, or if it's just placement on the plaque. Debby, feel free to stir the pot. Maybe we'd be willing to 'help' after all, since the order now seems to come from our chain of command.
Hugh, it seems that our command is suggesting we act here, so feel free to come back to the group."
“Ho! Ho! Ho! I was just thinking, do you suppose that the hydra could be the ants, the head that got bitten off could be that Patriarch ant, the head that bit it off could be the leader of the rival ants, and the new head growing to take it’s place could be the war minister? What do you think? Do you think, maybe, we should tell the war minister about what was on the plaque?”, Hugh asks as he teleports to Genesis, making sure to relink afterwards.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"First off, well remembered Hugh. It had slipped my mind for the moment that we could hide ourselves with our robes. Second off, it doesn't really matter which ant faction wins to us. The hydra sounds like a metaphor for the ant kind in general. We just have to get them distracted killing each other for a while, while the artisan works. Perhaps we should help Lud plan a way to attack his rival so as to seem to win, but be forced to fight for an extended period."[?]
Aaron attempts to know in what way the rival clan of ants is weakest.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Hmmmm...economically, probably. You don't see a very diversified set of exports coming from them. It would likely be easy to undermine their stability by reducing the value of their primary products.
"Sounds like it's time to enact the plan."[4, 4]
Lets go talk to that high ranking military ant and tell it that Aaron had a vision and saw the enemy ants were preparing to attack this group of ants. Use a fate point on this.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The military ant seems at once both skeptical and outright elated. He wants this to be happening. He NEEDS this to be happening. Only his paranoia about outsiders is preventing him from fully believing you. He wants proof, he wants something concrete, not just your words or dreams. You can tell it doesn't need to be much: he's teetering on the edge as it is.
Post by: fatcat__25 on October 03, 2022, 07:43:26 pm
Edit:
Aaron offers to stay with the military commander to provide immediate communication, while the others go to see if his information is true.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on October 04, 2022, 03:50:43 am
"The ant seems really excited about the potential war, but he wants us to bring him proof that isn't just us saying it's gonna happen, given how excited he is it seems like just about any miner thing would get the war started so all we need to do is figure out what that thing is."
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on October 05, 2022, 08:04:57 am
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on October 06, 2022, 04:14:15 am
Ask the military ant if we can take some ants and scout out the enemy territory.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 06, 2022, 09:54:52 am
Post by: fatcat__25 on October 06, 2022, 04:07:57 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 07, 2022, 12:10:06 am
"What if we go out with a guide to scout the borders, promising to hurry back with news whether I'm telling the truth, someone gets separated, provokes the other clan, and gets all of us chased back here, prompting a war? Also, is there a problem with us believing what we say, Hugh?"
“Ho?!”, Hugh ponders Aaron’s words as he turns towards Genesis…
Post by: King Zultan on October 07, 2022, 03:59:17 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 07, 2022, 07:47:37 pm
Post by: Ozarck on October 08, 2022, 01:09:21 am
Genesis follows along with Debby to enact the "false scouting mission" plan to stir up trouble between ant colonies.
Genesis keeps a wary eye out for other insects, especially wasps. Especially those wierd-ass wasps that lay eggs in other insects. Stab those on sight.
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on October 08, 2022, 05:09:14 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on October 08, 2022, 05:54:47 pm
((Also, have you been reading about parasitoid wasps lately or something?))
Post by: Ozarck on October 09, 2022, 09:18:24 pm
((I haven't been reading about them recently. I was just going over in my mind the kind of circumstances we have in the game, trying to refresh my memory, and since we are dealing with insects, and potential enemies of insects, well, horrible little monsters are a pretty natural enemy, so ....))
Post by: Lenglon on October 10, 2022, 02:11:40 am
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on November 01, 2022, 08:58:42 pm
catch back up with the others and re-orient myselfSpoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
“Ho, then! Let’s get to work!”, Hugh exclaims as he follows Genesis, his large wok at the ready.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Yes, that could work. And it doesn't matter if the other ants get angry at us. They'll forget about us as soon as they see this ant group. They're hardwired to be hostile to each other. It's their Magi's way of keeping them in balance, or something. Either way, let's get moving"
Genesis follows along with Debby to enact the "false scouting mission" plan to stir up trouble between ant colonies.
Genesis keeps a wary eye out for other insects, especially wasps. Especially those wierd-ass wasps that lay eggs in other insects. Stab those on sight.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
"A fake scouting mission seems like it'd be the one that they'd find the most believable, so lets go for it."
Ask the military ant if we can take some ants and scout out the enemy territory.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Welcome back piecewise! You might want to alert some of the other players that this is running again. I'll edit this post once I have an action.
Edit:
Aaron offers to stay with the military commander to provide immediate communication, while the others go to see if his information is true.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
As the group talks, word of their plan spreads. Hundreds of paranoid, hyperactive, xenophobic warhawk ants of all sizes begin to gather. Outwardly the goal of "Scouting" remains constant but its clear within their actions and innuendo that they know the true intent of this and they are all for it. If they do not find aggression, they will MAKE aggression. Goading, taunting, flase flag attacks, and outright preemtive attacks are planned fleeting wiggles of antennae and scent gland emissions, at least according to your translator.
When asked for volunteers there is no shortage and carapace armored bodies press in around the group in wild silence, their cries for attention held only in smell and sign. Looking out at the masses there seem to be a few kinds.
1. Very small ants, roughly the size of a dog. They're very quick and long legged for their size, almost spiderlike with tiny pincers. Born scouts and investigators.
2. Middle sized ants, still as large as a carriage. They are archypical, no different from any ant you might see crawling about on the sidewalk or in the underbrush. Only their size and crystalline appearance set them apart. They are generalized, not really great at anything but not really lacking in anything.
3. Soldiers. Much larger, two or three times the length of the workers and twice the height with pincers large enough to encircle and bisect several men. Their carapace is heavy and angular, designed to shed blows and wrench free of pincers.
4. Diggers. These oddities show their crystalline makeup much more then the others. They look more like crystals arranged in the rough shape of an ant than ants carved out of a crystal. Their forms vary between one another, but generally have one large crystal as their abdomen and a single, mouthless crystalline head with several, often an odd number, of gem eyes. The crystalline make up of the nest seems to shiver and move around them and bits of crystal float and orbit near them. They lack antennae and instead seem to communicate with strange low frequency noises.
5. Bombardier. Resemble soldiers but instead of giant pincers they have an enormous Abdomen visibly filled with a purple fluid. They have a double pair of pincers, the smaller inner pair is constantly arcing with electricity.
You have your choice between any of these, but it seems like limiting your overall forces would be prudent. Anything beyond maybe 10 ants would likely become difficult to command effectively, especially with every command having to be filtered through debbie.
Post by: King Zultan on November 02, 2022, 05:36:02 am
Bring the mix of ants Ozarck suggested with us into enemy territory, but before we set out for enemy territory talk to that military ant and establish a few simple drawling that Aaron and use to communicate to them what we've got going on be sure to include Aaron in this process so he knows what the images are.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 02, 2022, 07:50:33 pm
Post by: King Zultan on November 03, 2022, 03:47:46 am
Post by: Ozarck on November 03, 2022, 09:39:23 am
Arrange the whole mess of ants into groups containing a bombadier, a digger, three soldiers, three regular, and two scouts each, or roughly thereabouts. I recommend we take this mix with us as well. Maybe add a second digger. Additionally, suggest that the enemy ants thing the Artisan's work is stupid and bad and should by no means ever be allowed to happen, especially within our ants' borders. Be sure to comment about the weirdness of the other ants' architectural choices. "Hexagons or Octagons? The choice is obvious, isn't it?"
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 03, 2022, 01:48:44 pm
Post by: Ozarck on November 03, 2022, 08:33:09 pm
Post by: King Zultan on November 04, 2022, 03:09:36 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 04, 2022, 09:04:02 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on November 04, 2022, 10:18:00 pm
Aaron, with Debby's help, arranges symbols with the ant general to convey urgent news of fighting, news of victory, and news of defeat.
((Edited to change action.))
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 04, 2022, 11:04:10 pm
Post by: King Zultan on November 05, 2022, 03:11:39 am
Post by: Lenglon on November 06, 2022, 01:33:33 pm
"Hey, sorry I fell behind, what's our goal with these ants?"
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on November 06, 2022, 04:28:47 pm
Anyway, this group seems pretty eager for war, so the ants should be sufficiently distracted and willing to cooperate. I guess?"
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 06, 2022, 05:03:48 pm
Post by: fatcat__25 on November 07, 2022, 01:41:32 am
Post by: King Zultan on November 07, 2022, 03:18:50 am
Post by: fatcat__25 on November 09, 2022, 10:57:27 pm
Post by: King Zultan on November 10, 2022, 04:21:11 am
Post by: fatcat__25 on November 12, 2022, 01:12:05 am
Post by: King Zultan on November 12, 2022, 02:30:39 am
Post by: Ozarck on November 12, 2022, 04:23:53 pm
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 12, 2022, 05:45:32 pm
"Remember, our goal is to get the Artisan it's building permits. The whole point of this conflict is to get the ants to agree to that. The actual outcome of their battles is irrelevant. We are simply after bargaining points so we can get our task done."
“Ho?! I thought we were here to distract the ants while the artisan does it’s work!”
Post by: fatcat__25 on November 13, 2022, 12:01:47 am
Post by: Ozarck on November 13, 2022, 12:06:36 am
Post by: piecewise on November 13, 2022, 11:05:40 am
"Good luck! Let me know any important info that you want passed on to the leaders here."
Aaron, with Debby's help, arranges symbols with the ant general to convey urgent news of fighting, news of victory, and news of defeat.
((Edited to change action.))Spoiler (click to show/hide)
"Damn these guys really want this thing to happen, and from the sound of it they're gonna start the what no matter what we do, so I guess we take the medium sized ants, continue with the plan, and see what happens."Aaron and Debby set up a sort of simple communication system with the higherups, so that Aaron, or anyone with the proper info, can communicate with out Debby's intervention. The symbols and their sizes turn out to have to be very specific so that the ants can see them and distinguish their shapes. Apparently their massive compound eyes can distort things if they're too small or made of too complex of shapes. The resulting symbols are large square things made up of fat, straight lines. Not dissimilar to I Ching hexagrams.
Bring the mix of ants Ozarck suggested with us into enemy territory, but before we set out for enemy territory talk to that military ant and establish a few simple drawling that Aaron and use to communicate to them what we've got going on be sure to include Aaron in this process so he knows what the images are.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"Oh, this is going to be a thing, isn't it? Let's organize teh whole group into units, and take just het one unit with us. Maybe suggest the other units .... scout some side paths? Or guard various areas along the border?"Genesis stalks through the crowd, grabbing the antennae or pincers of excited ants and leading them over into a small formation. He puts the soldiers and scouts up front, the regulars in the middle, and the digger and bombardier in the back. With Debby's help he sets up some ground rules of engagement, just to make sure they're not gonna go hog wild and scatter into a useless bloodlusting mob at the first sign of trouble.
Arrange the whole mess of ants into groups containing a bombadier, a digger, three soldiers, three regular, and two scouts each, or roughly thereabouts. I recommend we take this mix with us as well. Maybe add a second digger. Additionally, suggest that the enemy ants thing the Artisan's work is stupid and bad and should by no means ever be allowed to happen, especially within our ants' borders. Be sure to comment about the weirdness of the other ants' architectural choices. "Hexagons or Octagons? The choice is obvious, isn't it?"Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
[5]
After the mob of ants is set up, Genesis heads back and spreads some rumors. They are not exactly what you could call subtle psyops; he basically just tells everyone that the other ants hate the artisan and his work and then reminds everyone assembled how much they hate those other ants and how they like the things the other ants hate. This sort of reverse psychology would probably be blunt for a toddler but to the ants it seems to actually be pretty effective. They do the ant equivalent of nodding and mumbling.
“Ho, then! Let’s get this started!”, Hugh exclaims as he follows Genesis and the others with his large wok at the ready.Hugh holds his Wok over his head and shouts a battle cry. Because they are not immediately running into battle he does this roughly once every 5 minutes, just to keep the energy up.Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The way forward towards enemy territory is open. The troops are assembled. The men are energized. Communications are established. Psyops have been planted. All thats left is to start the false flag.
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 13, 2022, 05:09:00 pm
Kinda how I wasn’t expecting Hugh to disarm some enemies that we encountered a while back by literally eating their arms. Hugh was originally supposed to be the type that wouldn’t hurt a fly.))
Post by: Ozarck on November 14, 2022, 12:34:09 am
Post by: King Zultan on November 14, 2022, 05:45:08 am
"Seems like everything's ready lets get this show on the road."
Head into enemy territory with the rest of the group.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Lenglon on November 14, 2022, 06:12:46 pm
stick with the group
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on November 15, 2022, 05:15:42 am
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 15, 2022, 12:56:03 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on November 19, 2022, 02:13:33 am
Aaron stays with the ant leaders, and attempts to know how long the Artisan will need to build its structure.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: piecewise on November 27, 2022, 04:59:22 pm
"Remember, let me know of any major events that I can simply convey to the leaders here. It could be a way to distract the ants further."[?]
Aaron stays with the ant leaders, and attempts to know how long the Artisan will need to build its structure.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
A while? Few hours?
Hugh continues as before (he’ll go quiet when they’re nearing enemy territory).Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Proceed with the plan. Keep our ant escorts in some kind of order, especially if battle happens. Wonder idly if our equipment might have aided us in our diplomatic efforts.Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
"I guess."
stick with the groupSpoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
"I guess."
stick with the groupSpoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
((They don't need arms where they're going.))
"Seems like everything's ready lets get this show on the road."
Head into enemy territory with the rest of the group.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
The war...Ahem, Diplomacy party moves out with one of the scouts in the lead. The tunnels pass slowly, identical branching shafts of crystal that evidence a clear but incomprehensible plan. The scout never wavers or slows, never seems to show any signs of confusion. With absolute certainty it charges forwards with the other ants in tow. How long this goes on is hard to gauge without sun or any sort of landmarks. However, seemingly with no prompting, the ants begin making strange noises. These chittering, chiming noises get louder and louder as they move further. Debbie says they're chanting some kind of war song across multiple spectrums of sound and light. They pick up their speed as they chant, to the point that the group has to run to keep up. Debbie and Genesis both try to calm the party down with their preplanned communication system and Debbie's more direct methods, though neither are effective. They're still engaged in trying to calm the stampede when the group charges through an opening and suddenly the claustrophobic tunnels give way to yawning abyss.
They are sprinting across a huge crystalline bridge which connects two sides of a massive underground fissure. Nothing but darkness and jagged teeth of stone extend above and blow the bridge. Wind howls around them from no clear source and the only light is the weird glow of the crystals which fills the chasm with shimmering but weak blue green light. Directly ahead on the other side of the bridge is the territory of the other ants. Both the great walls and battlements as well as the ants that guard them bear a close resemblance to the ones the team is currently running with. However, the structures of the other ant clan seemingly have more angularity to them? More acute angles, longer lines, greater convolution in the matrices of their crystal. Its subtle, but noticeable and slightly disconcerting. The other ants are likewise different: instead of a cobalt blue these are more purplish and have a heavier appearance, large slabs of crystal instead of the more delicate segments of the friendly ants.
The structure across the bridge is a fortress of sorts, a wall with 8 towers which juts out to meet the bridge on the other side. Its surface is covered in geode like clusters of spikes and the door itself is made of two huge slabs of solid black stone filled with purple gem veins. From over the edge of the battlements a colossal head rises, its obsidian carapace glints, its scything mandibles clatter like a landslide, and its glittering jewel eyes stare down with luminance menace. It resembles a soldier ant but one of such enormous scale that it dwarfs any that you've seen up to this point; you can only see its head and part of its thorax, but it looks large enough that a single snap of its jaws could cut the bridge in half and swallow up the whole group. Your friendly ants don't seem at all bothered by this and are continuing their headlong charge towards the door.
Post by: King Zultan on November 28, 2022, 04:30:48 am
Get off the ant when Genesis does, then send a message to Aaron and tell him the fighting's about to start.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: Ozarck on November 28, 2022, 01:09:23 pm
Grab Debbie and hop off the ants. Watch the impending comedy unfold, but try not to be in the thick of it.
"I think we've done all we can for the moment. Perhaps you should go back and report that the fighting has begun, and suggest the others send a small expeditionary force here to support their brave vanguard. Maybe say something about only the bravest and strongest would dare venture forward. You know, so every ant in our territory comes rushing here, leaving the artisan in peace for a while."
Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on November 28, 2022, 01:47:15 pm
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: King Zultan on November 29, 2022, 06:00:47 am
Debby quickly grabs her needle and speaks to Aaron through it.
"Hey Aaron we're at the front lines, there was no attempt at scouting and they are going right for the attack, also Genesis thinks we should get them to send more guys which is probably a good idea since they're rushing right into a fortress guarded by a giant."
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on December 29, 2022, 11:30:12 pm
Post by: fatcat__25 on January 02, 2023, 10:55:00 pm
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Post by: Horizon on January 14, 2023, 02:32:16 pm
Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
Post by: fatcat__25 on January 19, 2023, 12:24:57 am
Post by: piecewise on January 28, 2023, 02:31:59 am
((Is it time for the monthly update?))We're going for a quarterly release method now!
What has the artisan been doing meanwhile? Is it back in the other territory beginning it's building?
Grab Debbie and hop off the ants. Watch the impending comedy unfold, but try not to be in the thick of it.
"I think we've done all we can for the moment. Perhaps you should go back and report that the fighting has begun, and suggest the others send a small expeditionary force here to support their brave vanguard. Maybe say something about only the bravest and strongest would dare venture forward. You know, so every ant in our territory comes rushing here, leaving the artisan in peace for a while."Spoiler: Genesis (click to show/hide)Spoiler: links (click to show/hide)
"Oh shit our guys are suicide charging and those guys look like they're a little bit better setup compared to our guys, maybe we should head back to our side of the bridge and watch from a afar."Genesis and Debby bail off the ants and scamper back away from the incoming brawl. Debby sends a message back to Aaron as the carefully chosen squad of ants charges headlong into battle heedless of their orders. They don't make it all the way back across the bridge but they do get at least like 75% of the way.
Get off the ant when Genesis does, then send a message to Aaron and tell him the fighting's about to start.Spoiler (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Hugh stands up and raises his wok in front of and above himself like he’s going going to strike someone with it. “Ho! Ho! Here we go!”, he yells as he eats the distance between himself and the gigantic ant’s left eye while simultaneously swinging the wok down onto it and latching onto the gigantic ant with his free hand (he uses 3 fate points to achieve these goals).[4+1, 6-1]Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
As Genesis and Debby flee from the action, Hugh dives directly into it. Rather than wait for a giant ant to come to him, he decides its best to go to the ant. He raises the wok above his head and snaps down hard on the several hundred feet between himself and the ant's left eye. With a sound like a bullwhip cracking he moves instantaneously onto the giant ant's face, specifically a ridge of carapace just above the left eye. He uses his right hand to instantly grasp a jutting bit of crystalline carapace while bashing downward with his cooking dish. [6] The wok strikes the eye with a resounding and somewhat musical Clang that reverberates through Hugh's entire body. The needle's current form means it can't pierce but its blunt impact or perhaps the resonant frequency of the ringing instead results in a huge crack splitting the perfect gem-like eye of the giant ant. It screeches and rears backwards, raising forelimbs as big as tree trunks and sweeping them across its eye in an attempt to dislodge its attacker. [2+1] (all fate points used) His hands numb from the vibrations, Hugh takes one bump from forelimb and loses his grip. He slides down the eye spread eagle, slowing is descent but not catching hold.
Hearing Debby's announcement, Aaron draws the symbol for immediate conflict on the front for the ant leaders.Aaron signals that the "Scouting party" has run into conflict. The result is immediate: every ant in the chamber, including the upper ranking members, charges out towards the conflict with absolute glee. After only a few moments Aaron is standing alone with the Artisan. The artisan, who has been quietly observing for the last little while, does the closest equivalent to a shrug that its strange body can muster and floats away to start its work.Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Sunny has a lovely conversation with another wall, hopefully.[2]Spoiler: ALL-ABOARD THE FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS (click to show/hide)
The wall is not very talkative right now. How odd. Its usually a regular chatterbox. Something about "all the horrible things its seen" or whatever.
Back out at the bridge, Hugh's teleporting antics have distracted the giant ant long enough to allow the friendly bugs to finish their charge and hit the wall of the fortress. They immediately begin to burrow into it or climb up over it as smaller soldier ants race to the edge of the battlements and start balls of sharpened crystal down on them. The tunnel on the friendly side of the bridge begins to rumble and clinking footsteps of hundreds of feet can be heard surging towards the bridge.
Post by: King Zultan on January 28, 2023, 04:33:15 am
Keep running back towards the base we came from and meet back up with Aaron, also while running message Aaron that we've got a full blown war going on here.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on January 28, 2023, 05:41:31 pm
Post by: fatcat__25 on January 29, 2023, 01:26:59 am
Post by: piecewise on January 29, 2023, 09:14:01 am
Post by: A_Curious_Cat on February 04, 2023, 03:23:01 am
Spoiler: Current stomach contents (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Hugh (click to show/hide)
Spoiler: Needle Links (click to show/hide)