Turn 0: First Contact
You emerge on top of a platform identical to the one that took you here, save that it's anchored to the ground rather than built into a gooey, gooey structure.
The world is hot, as advertised, and you're currently in the middle of a thunderstorm so you suppose it's wet also. The mountain part is pretty understandable as well, seeing as your tiny platform appears to be perched on a jagged rock in a jumble of jagged rocks apparently composing an entire cliff of giant spikes, overlooking some rather similarly severe-looking terrain.
The Overgrown part, on the other hand... you're not seeing it. Everything just looks like jagged black stone, in the brief bursts of lightning you can see it in.
Classification mysteries aside, there's a more immediate concern- on top of this mountain-thing, you're pretty sure there's some kind of structure. It looks big, but you can't make out much more than that in the lightning. It also, near as you can tell, is throwing light from its windows.
Other than that, your options for exploration are... well, anywhere you feel like climbing, dropping, or jumping to. The terrain is just awful, but that does mean there's always somewhere to grab or land if you're feeling brave.
Brian Keens (NJW)
5/5 HP
+5 Identifier (0/5)
+3 Manager (0/3)
-
Hardened Climbing Spikes
Small Amounts of Rope
Crude Armor
Karen (Coolrune)
+5 Stone Mage (0/5)
+3 Carbon Mage (0/3)
-
Crude Armor
Rope
Baeset Musre (OceanSoul)
+5 Mana Milker (0/5)
+3 Animal Handler (0/3)
Ogneer (crazyabe)
+5 Earth Mage (0/5)
+3 Stoneworker (0/3)
-
Nice Pants
Assorted Rocks
Blu (Blastoise)
+5 Aquamancy (0/5)
+3 First Aid (0/3)
-
"Fruit"
Rope
Club
So my understanding of magic is such that I can do this...
Karen walks over to where the natural stony ground begins and places her right palm on the floor. She draws Stone Mana from the ground and uses this to flatten a decent sized area of terrain into a smooth stone basin, with a small barrier at the edges to prevent anyone from accidentally falling to a painful end.
If she has left over mana/time, she will continue the barrier at the edge to curve slightly upwards and form a smooth stone roof, with an entrance-way facing the portal, and a window-like opening facing the opposite direction.
I HELP!
[1][4] Karen and Ogneer feel into the stone, attempting to flatten it out into a basin. This goes pretty well until Karen's share... rebounds. She goes straight up, which would be questionable at the best of times. With solid rock and a lot of directions she would really rather not bounce to, this is looking downright problematic.
Ogneer: +1 Earth Magic
karen: Now !!Airtime!!
Stable Basin added next to portal.
Blu glances around, taking in as much of the landscape as he can while it is lit by flashes of lightning. He quickly, and loudly, curses the bugs for putting him on top of a goddamn mountain before setting to work.
Extract as much Water Mana as possible from the rain. Afterwords, try to determine a safe path upwards or downwards.
You hold still a moment to soak in the water, but your tank is already full.
[4] Safe is asking rather a lot; this is rugged, rugged terrain, and you didn't get here naturally. That said, you begin picking out the handholds and angles on the shattered rock, and start to think you've got a decent plan for getting up or down. That said, you'll have to see how it goes, and there's always a chance for a "good" path to lead somewhere with fewer good paths.
Brian squints through sheets of rain at the tumult of flashing clouds above him and the sea of spikes below.
"Well, we aren't even dead. Doesn't that just show fabulous foresight on the part of our employers?"
He stares hard at the rock, ensuring that it isn't alive, and does the same for the rain. He also tries to work out how something might have survived and developed in such an inhospitable environment - caves, perhaps?
Regardless of all that, he tries to work out if the structure could be safely accessed.
"You know, I think making contact with the natives would be a very good start. Cooperation is the key to mutual success, remember."
[6] Oh gods, did that rock just move? It was probably just the shimmer of water on it- oh gods, did that WATER just move?! It was probably just gravity... the gravity isn't moving, is it? You jump up and down a few times, but you're not sure.
[6] The structure is built on top of a jagged mountain in the middle of nowhere, and also it is a dark and stormy night. Its inhabitants are 100% guaranteed to eat you upon arriving.
"Life must be plentiful SOMEwhere, whether above the clouds, within the clouds, AS the clouds, maybe. Or, of course, the spires we're standing on. "
I'd like to try something. Draw mana from deeper within what we're standing on, then identify it. This might bring up some sort of Flesh mana or Plant mana or such, and that would confirm this spire is alive.
[4] You try to worm your way through the structure of the rock. There's something down there or maybe mixed into the rock, but you can't place it. Otherwise the rock appears to be rock the mild ways down you're able to sense with your mediocre level of skill.
+1 Stone Magic
Now +2 Stone Mage
The platform whines and glowly briefly before vomiting out another duo.
Brian Keens (NJW)
5/5 HP
+5 Identifier (0/5)
+3 Manager (0/3)
-
Hardened Climbing Spikes
Small Amounts of Rope
Crude Armor
Karen (Coolrune)
[!!Airtime!!]: Currently airborn. Landing might be interesting.
+5 Stone Mage (0/5)
+3 Carbon Mage (0/3)
-
Crude Armor
Rope
Baeset Musre (OceanSoul)
+5 Mana Milker (0/5)
+3 Animal Handler (0/3)
+2 Stone Mage (0/2)
Ogneer (crazyabe)
+5 Earth Mage (1/5)
+3 Stoneworker (0/3)
-
Nice Pants
Assorted Rocks
Blu (Blastoise)
+5 Aquamancy (0/5)
+3 First Aid (0/3)
-
"Fruit"
Rope
Club
Nix (NRDL)
+5 Pyromancer (0/5)
+3 Persuader (0/3)
Nar Azzar (Atomic)
+5 Life Mage (0/5)
+3 Metalworker (0/3)
-
Metalworking Tools
Nice Bellows
Nice Backpack
Nix lands on the platform, hugging his cloak around himself, as he gazes at the large structure. Seemed a good a place to start as any.
Head to structure, see what it is.
[6] You begin immediately sprinting towards the structure. Given that it's located several hundred feet of jagged rocks above you, this is both impressive and ill-advised. Oh, and the rocks are slippery.
Still, that's a concern for lesser men. You arrive, battered, lightly bleeding, and thoroughly out of breath, at what appear to be a stone fortress or castle. There's a lot of spikes on it, but no guards that you can see.
There's also a large pair of what looks like dark metal doors directly ahead, which swing open upon your arrival.
"Welcome, challenger," a low voice growls from within.
+2 Climbing
Now +2 Climber
Now [Savagely Beaten]
Now [Exhausted]
"THIS IS NOT A GOOD THING!!"
Quickly try to draw air magic from the surrounding environment and blow it in front of me to decelerate myself, similar to a turbine. If it doesn't seem to be helping, rely on the help of my allies.
[6] You turbine yourself to a steady hovering position. A steady hovering position high above the ground and drifting alarmingly to the right.
+2 Air Magic
Now +2 Air Mage
No longer [!!Airtime!!]
Now [Air Drift]
"I was really starting to wonder when things would go completely sideways. Let's try and save her, yeah?"
If Karen manages to save herself, begin carefully climbing up towards the structure.
If Karen doesn't manage to save herself, attempt to gently guide her back down to the platform using a steady stream of water.
You ponder for a moment whether this counts as saving herself or not, before deciding it's close enough.
[6] You begin ever so carefully tiptoeing up the mountain. By which you mean cramming yourself into a solid cranny and relishing how safe you are. Maybe you'll get further when the storm lets up.
+2 Climbing
Now +2 Climber
Use the stone mana to make a stepped stone slope leading slightly lower on the spire than where we are now. Then drain out some more stone mana, to be ready to repeat this a few times.
"So, the spire itself is not living, since my techniques were unable to help me drain extra mana. Anyway, it may be best to make a base lower on the spire, closer to the ground. We'd be less likely to be seen by whatever above us, and sorta safer from lightning. There MAY be shadowy creatures beneath us somewhere, but we'll tame those problems once we get down there. Now, anyone want to help me make some stairs downward?"
[5] You sculpt a beautiful flowing staircase with a railing on the open side. You confirm that it's still a long way down to the very bottom, though.
Landing site now has 2-story Downwards Emergency Staircase
+2 Stone Magic
Now +3 Stone Mage
I Try to Soften the ground where it looks like karen is going to land.
[6] You soften it into a mud slurry that... might or might not sploosh off the side if something hits.
+2 Earth Magic
Platform ledge is now a mud slide
Brian, after looking around for a while and practicing deep breathing, breaks down and curls up in a ball in an empty corner somewhere sobbing and whimpering.
"We're going to die, we're going to fail our employers, we'll be eaten alive, there's no margin in being eaten alive, the rocks are alive, this is my fault dammit dammit we're all going to die and there's nothing we can do and they'll eat us alive and there's nothing we can do they always eat you alive and there's creatures in the rain and there's nothing you can do about it.."
[5] You sob and moan truly admirably, demolishing the morale of everyone around you.
+2 Doomsaying
Now +2 Doomsayer!
Nar steps off the platform and surveys the spiky landscape with growing unease. What exactly was this world meant to be overgrown with?
Probe the environment for signs of life by attempting to draw life mana from deep within the ground. Then examine the exposed cliff faces for signs of mineral deposits.
[2] You meditate on the rock, trying to dig deeper and deeper for signs of life. You get nothing but a slight case of vertigo for your troubles.
An upbeat girl pops onto the platform.
Brian Keens (NJW)
5/5 HP
+5 Identifier (0/5)
+3 Manager (0/3)
+2 Doomsayer (1/2)
-
Hardened Climbing Spikes
Small Amounts of Rope
Crude Armor
Karen (Coolrune)
[Air Drift]: Hovering kind of high off the ground. Listing concerningly to the right.
+5 Stone Mage (0/5)
+3 Carbon Mage (0/3)
+2 Air Mage (1/2)
-
Crude Armor
Rope
Baeset Musre (OceanSoul)
+5 Mana Milker (0/5)
+3 Animal Handler (0/3)
+3 Stone Mage (0/3)
Ogneer (crazyabe)
+5 Earth Mage (3/5)
+3 Stoneworker (0/3)
-
Nice Pants
Assorted Rocks
Blu (Blastoise)
+5 Aquamancer (0/5)
+3 Medic (0/3)
+2 Air Mage (1/2)
-
"Fruit"
Rope
Club
Nix (NRDL)
[Savagely Beaten][Exhausted]
+5 Pyromancer (0/5)
+3 Persuader (0/3)
+2 Climber (1/2)
Nar Azzar (Atomic)
+5 Life Mage (0/5)
+3 Metalworker (0/3)
-
Metalworking Tools
Nice Bellows
Nice Backpack
Suzume (Abstract)
+5 Barrier Mage (0/5)
+3 Cartographer (0/3)
-
Mapping Tablets
Drawing Sticks
Backpack
Reluctantly leave the Mountain's safety nook and continue climbing, slightly more recklessly, towards the structure and Nix.
[6] Attempting to make up for lost time, you begin dashing recklessly up the mountain. [3] You sort of stumble into Nix's back, but you both manage to retain your footing.
You arrive in time to catch some sort of ominous whisper from the obviously evil castle, so you take a moment to rest all the results of your questionable dash up here.
+2 Climbing
Now +2 Climber
Now [Sore]
Quickly adjust my descent path so that I land somewhere safer. Specifically, not the mudslide.
If I land successfully, begin drawing more stone magic from the ground, and create a path leading up to the structure Nix went to, with stairs when needed.
[4] You tilt yourself ever so slightly, drifting over a safer spot.
Then the magic runs out and you fall.
[6] You dive headfirst into the mud, which has by this point become a gravelly paste. You are unharmed and your landing was at least a 9.2/10, but you're a little stuck and you look silly with your feet sticking straight into the air.
+1 Air Magic
Now +3 Air Mage
"Do you always challenge those who have already spent themselves climbing this wretched mountain? Give me a short rest, then I accept your challenge."
Try and PERSUADE the low voice to grant me a temporary reprieve, so I can face whatever challenge within at full strength.
[4] "As you wissssshhhhh..." it ominously growls.
Some moron stumbles into your back, but you keep your footing and rest a bit.
+1 Persuasion
Now +2 Persuader
No longer [Exhausted][Savagely Beaten]
Now [Sore]
Also climb towards the structure, identifying it. Try and coordinate people's efforts, to improve our path and structure, if such a thing is possible.
Brian calms down a little, after choosing death over inaction.
((It's pretty funny that I was one of the only people to succeed there.))
[1] You uh, experience a sliiiiiiiiiight vertical acceleration issue, in that you slip and nearly fall off the edge. You grab on, but it's slippery and your upper body strength is not what you would call excellent.
Now [Slipping]
Move back to flattening the area.
[2] You fumble the mana, resulting in flat-ish but very lumpy ground.
Draw stone mana and use it to help extend Baeset's staircase.
[1] You channel stone mana through the existing staircase in order to extend it. This instead sloughs off the lower half. Erm. Oops?
Quickly take a bit of stone mana and use it to solidify the mudslide.
[4] You solidify the mudslide into a sort of gravelly paste.
+1 Stone Magic
Suzume stares at the wretched wet hellscape they were in and sags just a bit looking over at everyone. Before breathing deep shaking and quivering.
"I Will try to shield the platform from the rain!"
Create a small barrier above us to prevent the rain from splattering the platform endlessly. Use my shirt as the barrier ingredient. After all, it is a barrier against the elements.
Feels nostalgic almost.
[2] Your barrier dissolves in the rain, and keeps dissolving as you keep trying to maintain it.
Nostalgic indeed.
Brian Keens (NJW)
[Slipping]: It's a long way down.
5/5 HP
+5 Identifier (0/5)
+3 Manager (0/3)
+2 Doomsayer (1/2)
+1 Climber (0/1)
-
Hardened Climbing Spikes
Small Amounts of Rope
Crude Armor
Karen (Coolrune)
+5 Stone Mage (0/5)
+3 Carbon Mage (0/3)
+3 Air Mage (0/3)
-
Crude Armor
Rope
Baeset Musre (OceanSoul)
+5 Mana Milker (0/5)
+3 Animal Handler (0/3)
+3 Stone Mage (1/3)
Ogneer (crazyabe)
+5 Earth Mage (3/5)
+3 Stoneworker (0/3)
-
Nice Pants
Assorted Rocks
Blu (Blastoise)
[Sore]
+5 Aquamancer (0/5)
+3 Medic (0/3)
+2 Air Mage (1/2)
+2 Climber (1/2)
-
"Fruit"
Rope
Club
Nix (NRDL)
[Sore]
+5 Pyromancer (0/5)
+3 Persuader (0/3)
+2 Climber (1/2)
Nar Azzar (Atomic)
+5 Life Mage (0/5)
+3 Metalworker (0/3)
+1 Stone Mage (0/1)
-
Metalworking Tools
Nice Bellows
Nice Backpack
Suzume (Abstract)
+5 Barrier Mage (0/5)
+3 Cartographer (0/3)
-
Mapping Tablets
Drawing Sticks
Backpack
((What would you recommend then.))
This is proving a more difficult question to answer than I was expecting. Any particular energies or materials you like?
Turn 4: Futility
Nix turns around, glancing at the new figure. "Greetings fellow explorer. I'll go first. Pay attention. If this thing kills me, I wish you better luck."
Answer the voice's challenge, enter the structure.
"Sorry about bumping into you, I was in a rush to get up. I'm Ryan. Call me B-"
Before Blu can finish this rather awkward introduction, the other man was already on his way into the building.
"Hey wait a second! Let's go together, better odds."
Follow behind Nix, eyes peeled for any threats
The two of you stroll boldly into the dark foreboding castle.
The first thing you notice is that it's actually very dry. When you're being rained on constantly and worried about whether something is about to eviscerate you, it's easy to forget that the natural state of things is being dry. So that's nice.
The next is that the rather large stone room you're in is lit by torches and ominous metal chandeliers, and there are a bunch of creepy robed cultists standing around the edges.
"LET THE CHALLENGE BEGIN!"
With that, several of the robed figures bare their fists and charge at you. Ominous clanking sounds start ratcheting up, though you don't see any immediate source or change.
x8 Mook Cultists engaged!
Oh dear.
Quickly removing myself from the gravel, I go to the aid of Brian, drawing more stone magic from the ground and using it to extend a rock ledge below his feet, the larger the better.
[4] You shove a chunk of the stone he's gripping out under his feet. How depressingly competent.
+1 Stone Magic
Brian attempts to anchor himself with a climbing spike, or failing that just hold on.
"Could somebody lend me a hand here? Please? I can't hold on much longer... remember what I said about teamwork?"
If he is rescued, Brian tries to coordinate people's efforts so they are at least cumulative, rather than in parallel.
[5] With a platform to rely on, it's simple to haul yourself back up.
You're not too sure where to begin coordinating this pack of jackasses, though. Half of them are dashing for the top, the other are trying to carve their way to the bottom.
+2 Climbing
Now +2 Climber
Have another go at the staircase-construction business.
((Is there an action limit, by any chance?))
((Minor actions are alright, but otherwise letting people perform multiple actions a round results in triple the workload at best and 100-step build-a-whole-settlement-at-once actions from everyone every time at worst.))
[4] You extend it down another story. Two down, uh... you have no idea how to count this yawning chasm, but a lot more to go. A lot more. This would probably be a megaproject for a whole settlement, come to think of it.
+1 Stone Magic
Now +2 Stone Mage
Brian Keens (NJW)
[Slipping]: It's a long way down.
5/5 HP
+5 Identifier (0/5)
+3 Manager (0/3)
+2 Doomsayer (1/2)
+2 Climber (1/2)
-
Hardened Climbing Spikes
Small Amounts of Rope
Crude Armor
Karen (Coolrune)
+5 Stone Mage (1/5)
+3 Carbon Mage (0/3)
+3 Air Mage (0/3)
-
Crude Armor
Rope
Baeset Musre (OceanSoul)
+5 Mana Milker (0/5)
+3 Animal Handler (0/3)
+3 Stone Mage (1/3)
Ogneer (crazyabe)
+5 Earth Mage (3/5)
+3 Stoneworker (0/3)
-
Nice Pants
Assorted Rocks
Blu (Blastoise)
[Sore]
+5 Aquamancer (0/5)
+3 Medic (0/3)
+2 Air Mage (1/2)
+2 Climber (1/2)
-
"Fruit"
Rope
Club
Nix (NRDL)
[Sore]
+5 Pyromancer (0/5)
+3 Persuader (0/3)
+2 Climber (1/2)
Nar Azzar (Atomic)
+5 Life Mage (0/5)
+3 Metalworker (0/3)
+2 Stone Mage (0/2)
-
Metalworking Tools
Nice Bellows
Nice Backpack
Suzume (Abstract)
+5 Barrier Mage (0/5)
+3 Cartographer (0/3)
-
Mapping Tablets
Drawing Sticks
Backpack
I Attempt to produce a railing around the platform.
[3] You produce a crude series of waist-high pillars that should help people not fall off.
+1 Stone Magic
"Out of the pan and into the fire. Typical"
Bash nearest cultist with the club
[6] You step into a truly exceptional swing, bashing a cultist against another cultist and sending both flying against the wall.
Unfortunately you stumble a bit after the fact, right into the source of the clanking: The chandeliers come down in a slamming motion. They are both made of metal and slightly on fire, which is unpleasant.
+2 Clubs
Now +2 Clubsman
-1 HP, now [Burn-Bashed]
-2 Cultists, now 6/8 Cultists
"Very apropos choice of words, Ryan."
Throw fireballs at the mooks.
[2] Your timing is slightly off, and the fire sort of slips away rather than coalescing into a flurry of death.
[4] The mooks converge on the enemy that isn't currently squished under a chandelier, and give you a savage beating from all sides.
-1 HP, now [Seeing Stars]
Karen draws magic from the air and uses it to lighten her body significantly, then climbs the mountain to the tower; if still possible, she enters and observes the state of her allies.
[5] You lighten yourself up, and then leap gracefully up the mountain.
Upon entering the castle, you notice one of your allies worming his way out from under a flaming chandelier while another is being beaten by a circle of robed figures.
"A NEW CHALLENGER APPEARS," a voice hiss-booms from everywhere, as far as you can tell. "Choose your fate!"
+2 Air Magic
Brian's near-death experience has given him some ideas.
"People. Climbing and large contruction are clearly not the way forward. We need something less dangerous than climbing, but faster and easier than changing the landscape. I suggest ROPE LADDERS AND BRIDGES, if we can get hold of rope and have some way to anchor it."
Brian then drives the first climbing spike into the rock by the platform. He tries to get Karen's rope before she leaves, in order to tie it to the spike, providing a safer and fast way down the spike the platform is on.
[6] vs [5] You grab Karen by the waist, stare into her eyes, and declare your undying love for her while gently pickpocketing her rope. Karen swoons, admits she's always known, and runs off to prepare the wedding, while gently stealing her rope back.
Damn it.
[5] You pound the spike in well enough, though it's becoming readily apparent that quasi-ceramic is not a great climbing piton material.
+2 Seduction
Now +2 Seducer
Brian Keens (NJW)
+5 Identifier (0/5)
+3 Manager (0/3)
+2 Doomsayer (1/2)
+2 Climber (1/2)
+2 Seducer (1/2)
-
Hardened Climbing Spikes
Small Amounts of Rope
Crude Armor
Baeset Musre (OceanSoul)
+5 Mana Milker (0/5)
+3 Animal Handler (0/3)
+3 Stone Mage (1/3)
Ogneer (crazyabe)
+5 Earth Mage (4/5)
+3 Stoneworker (0/3)
-
Nice Pants
Assorted Rocks
Nar Azzar (Atomic)
+5 Life Mage (0/5)
+3 Metalworker (0/3)
+2 Stone Mage (0/2)
-
Metalworking Tools
Nice Bellows
Nice Backpack
Suzume (Abstract)
+5 Light Mage (0/5)
+3 Cartographer (0/3)
-
Mapping Tablets
Drawing Sticks
Backpack
-In Structure-
Karen (Coolrune)
+5 Stone Mage (1/5)
+3 Carbon Mage (0/3)
+3 Air Mage (2/3)
-
Crude Armor
Rope
Nix (NRDL)
[Sore][Seeing Stars]
4/5 HP
+5 Pyromancer (0/5)
+3 Persuader (0/3)
+2 Climber (1/2)
Blu (Blastoise)
[Sore][Burn-Bashed]
4/5 HP
+5 Aquamancer (0/5)
+3 Medic (0/3)
+2 Air Mage (1/2)
+2 Climber (1/2)
+2 Clubsman (1/2)
-
"Fruit"
Rope
Club
6/8 Cultists
((Well I mean light in general. As in I can draw power from any light source? With enough effort manipulating the properties of light and making it solid and the like? Really I would just like something slightly cool/Fitting. Would that work? We should probably take this to pms and not clog up the thread though))
Having thought about it a bunch I'm just going to allow this. I suspect energy elements will be somewhat harder to use for noncombat uses anyway.
Turn 6: Brutality
Use this success as a sign. Proceed to bash nearest cultist with the club, again.
[2] You worm your way out from under the chandelier and run screaming at one of the mooks like a mook. It's not terribly surprising when he flips you into the Beatin' Pit instead.
Cast a Cloak of Flame around myself to damage those currently in physical contact with me.
[1] Predictably, you light yourself on fire.
-1 HP
Now [On Fire]
[4] The cultists decide to beat the thing that isn't on fire. Blu feels very loved.
Blu: -1 HP, now [Savagely Beaten]
Okay. Suzume after some....seemingly....seizing? Shivering? Moving slightly? Seems to come to her senses. A slight glow coming to her being ever so slightly as she focused and breathed. Raising her hands up to the sky like she just didn't care! The rain pelting her face she closed her eyes and furrowed her brow after moving about the platform to an optimal spot if this one wasn't very good.
Okay. Let's try to look at the platform and move to an area away from the edge that gets the most light. Gather up this energy and try to project it into a small barrier above myself and the platform to keep it dry. it should Move when a person or animal trys to go through it but something as weak/Not as big in mass as rain shouldn't be able to penetrate it. At least that was what they were trying. To gather light and make it solid hopefully there would be enough light and hopefully, it wouldn't be.....too draining.
[3] You create a curtain of light over the center of the platform, but it's not solid enough to stop all of the rain. It does, fortunately, gently illuminate the platform, which is better than waiting for lightning strikes as far as local vision goes.
+1 Light Magic
Karen's heart was dancing. Brian was such a charmer. Even though they'd just met...!
But for now, she must deal with what was unfolding in front of her.
"I choose a victory most sweet, where none perish."
She dashes over to the chandelier and extracts the "metal" from the chandelier. She then moves towards the cluster of mooks around Nix, and sends metal chains flowing all around them, hoping to restrain them all together. It it would help, she would extract some kind of "binding" Mana from her rope and infuse it into the chains.
You try to instashuck mana from the chandelier, normally an obnoxiously slow process, and are appropriately disappointed with the results. You then try to manifest your mana reserves into physical manifestations of the material, which tends to go better with energy elements or long rituals.
[2] Nonetheless, you give it a shot. Spectral chains manifest for a moment, but your swing is wide and they dissipate from lack of focus.
"BLASPHEMY," the voice echoes ominously. You think you hear horns echoing from the walls.
Brian Keens (NJW)
+5 Identifier (0/5)
+3 Manager (0/3)
+2 Doomsayer (1/2)
+2 Climber (1/2)
+2 Seducer (1/2)
-
Hardened Climbing Spikes
Small Amounts of Rope
Crude Armor
Baeset Musre (OceanSoul)
+5 Mana Milker (0/5)
+3 Animal Handler (0/3)
+3 Stone Mage (1/3)
Ogneer (crazyabe)
+5 Earth Mage (4/5)
+3 Stoneworker (0/3)
-
Nice Pants
Assorted Rocks
Nar Azzar (Atomic)
+5 Life Mage (0/5)
+3 Metalworker (0/3)
+2 Stone Mage (0/2)
-
Metalworking Tools
Nice Bellows
Nice Backpack
Suzume (Abstract)
+5 Light Mage (1/5)
+3 Cartographer (0/3)
-
Mapping Tablets
Drawing Sticks
Backpack
Bruva Bugert (Yotta)
[Mysteriously Ill]
+5 Bug Mage (0/5)
+3 Cook (0/3)
-
Pots and Pans
-In Structure-
Karen (Coolrune)
+5 Stone Mage (1/5)
+3 Carbon Mage (0/3)
+3 Air Mage (2/3)
-
Crude Armor
Rope
Nix (NRDL)
[Sore][Seeing Stars][On Fire]
3/5 HP
+5 Pyromancer (0/5)
+3 Persuader (0/3)
+2 Climber (1/2)
Blu (Blastoise)
[Sore][Burn-Bashed][Savagely Beaten]
3/5 HP
+5 Aquamancer (0/5)
+3 Medic (0/3)
+2 Air Mage (1/2)
+2 Climber (1/2)
+2 Clubsman (1/2)
-
"Fruit"
Rope
Club
6/8 Cultists
Hmm...
Instead, try to draw fire mana from the inferno that is the chandelier, and dodge any attacks from mooks. If I have enough Mana by the end of the turn, try to sling a lob of fire at a mook.
[3] You pull in and release fire across the cultists. It's not terribly strong, though.
+1 Fire Magic
Now +2 Fire Mage
-1 Cultists
Focus, manipulate flame outwards, towards ONLY the cultists.
[5] Miraculously, you manage to force your fire off of yourself and onto the cultists, without hitting your allies!
+2 Fire Magic
-1 Cultists
Still on fire, though
Pillar up near the center of the platform.
[3] You raise a lump of rock near the middle of the platform.
+1 Earth Magic
Now +6 Earth Mage
Try to initiate hammer time on the mooks, again
[5] You expertly bludgeon them, and you do so in style!
+2 Clubs
Now +3 Clubsman
-1 Cultists
[2] The cultists attempt to punch you into your flaming friend, but you gracefully avoid them.
Then a door on the far wall opens and a rather vibrantly green robed figure strides through, arms outstretched in a come-at-me-bro gesture.
Fly over to the castle. Does it have a roof?
[2] You attempt to fly. It comes out as more of a flop onto the wet stone platform the others have apparently smoothed out here.
Walk to the castle.
Get flown to the castle.
[4] Stepping over the prone form of your "flying" comrade, you manage to get up to the castle the old-fashioned way. There's a closed metal door, and upon approaching it you think you hear ominous sounds.
+1 Climbing
Now +2 Climber
"Oh good lord. This is going oh so wrong."
Brian gets to the castle any way he can, perhaps using player constructions and climbing spikes. He then has a good look at it.
If someone competent offers to fly him, he accepts.
[6] With the keyword being "competent," you hurl yourself up the jagged slopes like a man possessed, collapsing to rest once you get to the top. A few minutes later a lazier comrade makes it up also, which makes you question the usefulness of your speed.
+2 Climbing
Now +3 Climber
Now [Sore]
"Oh good lord. This is going oh so wrong."
Brian gets to the castle any way he can, perhaps using player constructions and climbing spikes. He then has a good look at it.
Walk to the castle.
Offer to cast Fly on these guys. If they accept, do so.
From your position facedown in a shallow puddle, it occurs to you that you probably should have decided on one action or another, but with luck like this it's just as well.
A few more people arrive and, for the most part, immediately spring into action.
Brian Keens (NJW)
[Sore]
+5 Identifier (0/5)
+3 Manager (0/3)
+2 Doomsayer (1/2)
+3 Climber (1/3)
+2 Seducer (1/2)
-
Hardened Climbing Spikes
Small Amounts of Rope
Crude Armor
Baeset Musre (OceanSoul)
+5 Mana Milker (0/5)
+3 Animal Handler (0/3)
+3 Stone Mage (1/3)
Ogneer (crazyabe)
+6 Earth Mage (0/6)
+3 Stoneworker (0/3)
-
Nice Pants
Assorted Rocks
Nar Azzar (Atomic)
+5 Life Mage (0/5)
+3 Metalworker (0/3)
+2 Stone Mage (0/2)
-
Metalworking Tools
Nice Bellows
Nice Backpack
Suzume (Abstract)
+5 Light Mage (1/5)
+3 Cartographer (0/3)
-
Mapping Tablets
Drawing Sticks
Backpack
Sairian (Nirur)
[Facial Planter]: It's a long story, okay?
+5 Plant Mage (4/5)
+3 Agriculturalist (0/3)
The Dilettante (ATHATH)
[Gooskin]: Transluscent goo covers your musculature.
+5 Air Mage (0/5)
+3 Life Mage (0/3)
Fedelmid Cowhunter (voliol)
[Slightly Naked]: Who says this has a downside, again?
[Tie-Dye Colors]: Is this permanent?
5/5 HP
+5 Hunter (0/5)
+3 Leatherworker (0/3)
Mr. Jane Doe (Dolosus)
+5 Pyromancer (0/5)
+3 Demolitionist (0/3)
+2 Herbalist (0/2)
-
Smoldering Horror Torch
-In Structure-
Karen (Coolrune)
+5 Stone Mage (1/5)
+3 Carbon Mage (0/3)
+3 Air Mage (2/3)
+2 Fire Mage (0/2)
-
Crude Armor
Rope
Nix (NRDL)
[Sore][Seeing Stars][On Fire]
3/5 HP
+5 Pyromancer (2/5)
+3 Persuader (0/3)
+2 Climber (1/2)
Blu (Blastoise)
[Sore][Burn-Bashed][Savagely Beaten]
3/5 HP
+5 Aquamancer (0/5)
+3 Medic (0/3)
+2 Air Mage (1/2)
+2 Climber (1/2)
+3 Clubsman (1/3)
-
"Fruit"
Rope
Club
3/8 Cultists
Come at him, bro. With the club.
[5] You run over and slap him right upside his silly green hat. A collective "OOOOOOOOOOOH!" comes from the cultists.
[4+1] He spins his way back to his feet, slapping the everloving shit out of you. The "OOH!" is much sharper this time.
Green Man: -1 HP
You: -1 HP
+2 Clubsman
Now +4 Clubsman
HIGHER, THE LUMP MUST BECOME A PILLAR WHICH CAN BREACH THE HEAVENS.
[2] It refuses. ITS IS THE SLOTH THAT SHALL REFUSE THE HEAVENS!
Have a real good look at the structure. What technology level are we talking about: what did they use to construct it?
If given the "Welcome to the arena" spiel, Brian will offer a deal, in which we capture gladiators and beasts from other worlds, in exchange for whatever they can offer us.
[2] Uh... it's made of... rock? Like, bricks n shiet.
You remain unmolested, as you are outside the castle.
Karen simply continues the whole "fling fire at the mooks" deal. It may not be incredibly effective, but it's doing something.
[1] You sort of... fling fire at yourself. Wrap yourself in a fire cloak instead of rotating it around to hurl at the enemies, you know how it goes.
[5] The cultists hesitantly beat you, careful to punch the not-on-fire parts.
-2 HP
Now [On Fire]
I said fly, gosh darn it. Use Air Magic to assist my flight if necessary. Repeat my "check if the castle has a roof" action.
[2] You flop around like a hatchling. It is very undignified.
It also occurs to you that this rain is hell on your skin-goo. You'd better find shelter or something before you're soft-flayed.
Sit down and try to sense for potted plants in the castle. I need a pet murderplant. No, trying for a murder-plant would drain all my mana whether or not I succeed.
Look for some sort of improvised weapon on my way to the sounds of battle.
[2] There are a lot of rocks out here.
The door opens to a bunch of people in robes hollering at some other people in robes beating and being beaten by a bunch of your buddies.
Propel myself towards the castle, mumbling about these goshdarned dark areas and their lack of good old-fashioned lamps or even just some simple torches for God's sake.
Once at the castle, see if I can find any structural instabilities that could be exploited.
[3] You clamber up to the castle. It's rough going, and you find you need a rest at the top.
Now [Tired]
Brian Keens (NJW)
[Sore]
+5 Identifier (0/5)
+3 Manager (0/3)
+2 Doomsayer (1/2)
+3 Climber (1/3)
+2 Seducer (1/2)
-
Hardened Climbing Spikes
Small Amounts of Rope
Crude Armor
Baeset Musre (OceanSoul)
+5 Mana Milker (0/5)
+3 Animal Handler (0/3)
+3 Stone Mage (1/3)
Ogneer (crazyabe)
+6 Earth Mage (0/6)
+3 Stoneworker (0/3)
-
Nice Pants
Assorted Rocks
Nar Azzar (Atomic)
+5 Life Mage (0/5)
+3 Metalworker (0/3)
+2 Stone Mage (0/2)
-
Metalworking Tools
Nice Bellows
Nice Backpack
Suzume (Abstract)
+5 Light Mage (1/5)
+3 Cartographer (0/3)
-
Mapping Tablets
Drawing Sticks
Backpack
The Dilettante (ATHATH)
[Gooskin]: Transluscent goo covers your musculature.
+5 Air Mage (0/5)
+3 Life Mage (0/3)
Fedelmid Cowhunter (voliol)
[Slightly Naked]: Who says this has a downside, again?
[Tie-Dye Colors]: Is this permanent?
5/5 HP
+5 Hunter (0/5)
+3 Leatherworker (0/3)
-In Structure-
Karen (Coolrune)
[On Fire]
4/5 HP
+5 Stone Mage (1/5)
+3 Carbon Mage (0/3)
+3 Air Mage (2/3)
+2 Fire Mage (0/2)
-
Crude Armor
Rope
Nix (NRDL)
[Sore][Seeing Stars][On Fire]
3/5 HP
+5 Pyromancer (2/5)
+3 Persuader (0/3)
+2 Climber (1/2)
Blu (Blastoise)
[Sore][Burn-Bashed][Savagely Beaten]
3/5 HP
+5 Aquamancer (0/5)
+3 Medic (0/3)
+2 Air Mage (1/2)
+2 Climber (1/2)
+4 Clubsman (0/4)
-
"Fruit"
Rope
Club
Sairian (Nirur)
[Facial Planter]: It's a long story, okay?
+5 Plant Mage (4/5)
+3 Agriculturalist (0/3)
Mr. Jane Doe (Dolosus)
[Tired]
+5 Pyromancer (0/5)
+3 Demolitionist (0/3)
+2 Herbalist (0/2)
-
Smoldering Horror Torch
3/8 Cultists
Green Man
4/5 HP
I'll probably be inactive from this forum for a few days, due to life reasons, so continue to the next turn without waiting for me if that ever comes up.
Catch my breath. Scoot about in wheelchair looking for structural instabilities while doing so. Loudly complain about the lack of modern conveniences available.
[4] You notice several of the walls are a little patchy. Specific sections moreso than the whole wall, oddly. You could probably punch through one with... well, with a lot of effort, but still.
You rest and recover from all those sick wheelies you did to get here.
+1 Architecture
Now +2 Architect
No longer [Tired]
Save Karen entering to melee range and bashing a cultist in the back of the head with my rock.
[3] It's a little whiffy, but it gets the job done.
+1 Brawling
Now +2 Brawler
-1 Cultist
Give the Green Man my best impression of hitting a home run, with his head as the ball
[6] AND IT'S OUTTA HEEEEEEEERE!
Literally, you club him right back through the doors he came in from. The crowd goes wild.
+2 Clubs
Stop drop and roll. Make my movements erratic enough to make it difficult for cultists to beat me without catching on fire.
[1] You roll the flames around on yourself, spreading them even further. You're pretty sure that's not what that technique is supposed to do.
-1 HP
Now [Even More On Fire]
LUMP, PILLAR!!!!
[2] Somewhere something is laughing at you, you're sure of it.
Put out fire on self by gathering it into one ball, then launch it at enemies.
[1] You gather it into a ball, where it reignites you worse than before.
-1 HP
Now [Even More On Fire]
Try to talk to the inhabitants, perhaps by yelling really loudly. If nothing works, enter.
You yodel a bit, but they seem uninterested, so you enter. It's a madhouse inhabited by madmen, naturally.
Suzume had been quietly resting underneath th golden shield this whole time. Honestly.....she probably dident have to do anything noir did she particuarly want to right now. She had been silent for the past few moments her eyes closed resting.
Lets practice my napping/Sleeping until something loud/something else wakes me up.
You curl up on the cold wet stone floor surrounded by lightning and thunder and try to sleep. You've had better.
"This is utterly shameful," the voice from before admits. "Enter, challengers."
The cultists begin cheering, and usher everyone through the door and into what you assume is the main hall. It's massive, lined with feasting tables and lit by an assortment of dangerous-looking braziers, chandeliers, and torches. Oh, and the giant flaming pit in the middle, and what you assume are ovens off to the side, and come to think of it there's kind of a lot of metal spikes on the ceiling and walls. You're not sure this place is up to code at all.
At one end of the room, a rather large humanoid sits on a throne. The humanoid is rather well-muscled, with beige skin, no hair, a broad, toothy maw, and what looks like a crown of hornlets on his bald head. He's also wearing leather pants with a bunch of skulls and such dangling from the belt and not much else. The throne, meanwhile, looks like it's made of bone, with the back being several massive teeth or ribs.
You also catch the green man off to one side, cursing and cuffing cultists.
"Challengers," the throned figure says, obviously the voice you heard before but unamplified by whatever he was using to project it, "You are a shameful gaggle of cowards who has made a mockery of the challenge, but you have avoided death. Sit and eat."
Brian Keens (NJW)
[Sore]
+5 Identifier (0/5)
+3 Manager (0/3)
+2 Doomsayer (1/2)
+3 Climber (1/3)
+2 Seducer (1/2)
-
Hardened Climbing Spikes
Small Amounts of Rope
Crude Armor
Baeset Musre (OceanSoul)
+5 Mana Milker (0/5)
+3 Animal Handler (0/3)
+3 Stone Mage (1/3)
Ogneer (crazyabe)
+6 Earth Mage (0/6)
+3 Stoneworker (0/3)
-
Nice Pants
Assorted Rocks
Nar Azzar (Atomic)
+5 Life Mage (0/5)
+3 Metalworker (0/3)
+2 Stone Mage (0/2)
-
Metalworking Tools
Nice Bellows
Nice Backpack
Suzume (Abstract)
+5 Light Mage (1/5)
+3 Cartographer (0/3)
-
Mapping Tablets
Drawing Sticks
Backpack
The Dilettante (ATHATH)
[Gooskin]: Transluscent goo covers your musculature.
+5 Air Mage (0/5)
+3 Life Mage (0/3)
Fedelmid Cowhunter (voliol)
[Slightly Naked]: Who says this has a downside, again?
[Tie-Dye Colors]: Is this permanent?
5/5 HP
+5 Hunter (0/5)
+3 Leatherworker (0/3)
-In Structure-
Karen (Coolrune)
[Even More On Fire]
3/5 HP
+5 Stone Mage (1/5)
+3 Carbon Mage (0/3)
+3 Air Mage (2/3)
+2 Fire Mage (0/2)
-
Crude Armor
Rope
Nix (NRDL)
[Sore][Seeing Stars][Even More On Fire]
2/5 HP
+5 Pyromancer (2/5)
+3 Persuader (0/3)
+2 Climber (1/2)
Blu (Blastoise)
[Sore][Burn-Bashed][Savagely Beaten]
3/5 HP
+5 Aquamancer (0/5)
+3 Medic (0/3)
+2 Air Mage (1/2)
+2 Climber (1/2)
+4 Clubsman (2/4)
-
"Fruit"
Rope
Club
Sairian (Nirur)
[Facial Planter]: It's a long story, okay?
+5 Plant Mage (4/5)
+3 Agriculturalist (0/3)
+2 Brawler (0/2)
Mr. Jane Doe (Dolosus)
+5 Pyromancer (0/5)
+3 Demolitionist (0/3)
+2 Herbalist (0/2)
+2 Architect (0/2)
-
Smoldering Horror Torch
Use air magic to push all the air away from my body momentarily, hopefully immediately suffocating the fire. Except, y'know, don't keep it away too long.
Because I kinda breathe that stuff.
[2] It wobbles in a neat way, but you can't keep the air away from you enough to suffocate it.
Take a seat at the table, examine the food. Speak aloud to the man on the throne:
"I single-handedly clubbed half your cultists into submission. I've never even swung a club before, and I'm the coward?"
[2] He ignores your jibe. The nerve!
Sit down, but don't eat. Use highly refined old man senses to find any and all things suspicious about this situation.
[1] This fruit sauce looks... underspiced. What lurks in the heart of a man willing to underspice his preserves?
Brian sighs, puts out any flaming teammates by beating them with... a rug? A chair? Something held at a distance to his body. Or just kicking them until they roll.
If the "being on fire" portion of the excercise is concluded quickly, he takes a seat next to the fellow in leather pants, and tries to find out what he'd like to have, and what he might trade for it.
[3] You gently slap at your allies. It sort of pats the fire down somewhat.
+1 Medical
Now +2 Medic
KEEP TRYING, THAT I'LL GET THAT FUCKING TINY LUMP UP IF I HAVE TO BEAT IT MYSELF.
[6] You knock yourself out with an uppercut of stone. On the bright side, you have a very tall, if ragged, pillar when you wake up.
+2 Earth Magic
Seriously, put out the fire. Sit and eat, regain health as best as possible.
[3] You alternate between eating and slapping the fire out with a piece of what you assume is poultry.
+1 Medical
Now +2 Medic
Everyone sits down to eat a nice meal and put themselves out. They feel refreshed and ready to take on the world!
Oh, and casual conversation with the cultists reveals they're some kind of fight cult. Apparently they think conflict and strength are the only paths to greatness, and so hold regular tournaments and such. As you have sort of bested the initial challenge, you've earned the right to stay here.
Structure folk completely recovered!
Brian Keens (NJW)
[Sore]
+5 Identifier (0/5)
+3 Manager (0/3)
+2 Doomsayer (1/2)
+3 Climber (1/3)
+2 Seducer (½)
+2 Medic (0/2)
-
Hardened Climbing Spikes
Small Amounts of Rope
Crude Armor
Baeset Musre (OceanSoul)
+5 Mana Milker (0/5)
+3 Animal Handler (0/3)
+3 Stone Mage (1/3)
Ogneer (crazyabe)
+6 Earth Mage (2/6)
+3 Stoneworker (0/3)
-
Nice Pants
Assorted Rocks
Nar Azzar (Atomic)
+5 Life Mage (0/5)
+3 Metalworker (0/3)
+2 Stone Mage (0/2)
-
Metalworking Tools
Nice Bellows
Nice Backpack
Suzume (Abstract)
+5 Light Mage (1/5)
+3 Cartographer (0/3)
-
Mapping Tablets
Drawing Sticks
Backpack
Fedelmid Cowhunter (voliol)
[Slightly Naked]: Who says this has a downside, again?
[Tie-Dye Colors]: Is this permanent?
5/5 HP
+5 Hunter (0/5)
+3 Leatherworker (0/3)
-In Structure-
Karen (Coolrune)
5/5 HP
+5 Stone Mage (1/5)
+3 Carbon Mage (0/3)
+3 Air Mage (2/3)
+2 Fire Mage (0/2)
-
Crude Armor
Rope
Nix (NRDL)
5/5 HP
+5 Pyromancer (2/5)
+3 Persuader (0/3)
+2 Climber (½)
+2 Medic (0/2)
Blu (Blastoise)
5/5 HP
+5 Aquamancer (0/5)
+3 Medic (0/3)
+2 Air Mage (1/2)
+2 Climber (1/2)
+4 Clubsman (2/4)
-
"Fruit"
Rope
Club
Sairian (Nirur)
[Facial Planter]: It's a long story, okay?
+5 Plant Mage (4/5)
+3 Agriculturalist (0/3)
+2 Brawler (0/2)
Mr. Jane Doe (Dolosus)
+5 Pyromancer (0/5)
+3 Demolitionist (0/3)
+2 Herbalist (0/2)
+2 Architect (0/2)
-
Smoldering Horror Torch
Attention: Experimental rules now in effect. Skill level denotes number of times you can use it between replenishing it through rest, shucking things for mana, and so on.
Continue asking for details. Try to get every bit of -DELICIOUS LORE- out of this conversation as possible.
[6] According to legend, the world was dying at one point- philosophers have since speculated on just what parts were dying in how literal a sense, as on the one hand modern sources are have a decidedly consistent, pro-strength bent, but on the other the power of struggle and sacrifice are well known. In any case, the inhabitants of the world began organizing themselves into cabals ruled by the strongest and largely concerned with gaining further strength and power. This culminated in a grand empire which soon tore itself apart, followed by another empire which soon tore itself apart, followed by the beginnings of a third great empire which was more or less torn apart as soon as everyone figured out it was on its way up and thus clamored for their share, and so on.
Most settlements of the world are monasteries like this one, which you learn from a lengthy tour is built more to provide fascinating combat arenas than anything more economic or leisurely. The energies generated by constant struggles (potentially but not exclusively to the death) provide everything they need. Settlements and individuals that attempt to avoid fighting are said to waste away, though sages point out that there are a number of hard-to-isolate variables regarding this, such as finding "normal" individuals who don't cage fight at every opportunity, are not ruthlessly picked on by those that do, and are not unduly affected by being suspended in a rusty cage and repeatedly poked with a stick by a withered old man hoping to unlock the secrets of ever more power by studying those without it.
Anyway, that's why you're wearing a black cultist robe facing down a similarly cowled individual across a rain-slicked parapet.
+2 Lore
Now +2 Loremaster
Now battling Cowled Figure
Talk to the leader, about setting up a trade deal where we give them gladiators, beasts, whatever. Be fairly vague about what we can promise, but hint that our technology far exceeds theirs. Find out what we can hope to recieve from them for our glorious insect overlords.
Also assist with general information-pumping.
If we're on the same page about my stats, I might get a small bonus to this sort of thing?
[3] Unfortunately he's pretty vague in return. He notes that the power of fighting gives him relatively flexible access to things, but since his only real interest is in more struggle it might be hard for you to find anything especially worthwhile.
+1 Diplomacy
Now +2 Diplomat
Try and ascertain as much information out of these Fight Cultists as possible, especially regarding other factions on this plane.
[6] Oh, there's all kinds of factions. Vile sorcerors, literal demons, dragonspawn scheming to reclaim their lost empire. The people of this world have very, very little regard for anything except strength, so it's exceptionally odd for people not to be up to something and eyeing their neighbors greedily.
Plus, there's ancient evils sealed away everywhere. And not so sealed away everywhere. The constant struggle apparently does interesting things to the concept of death, among other things.
+2 Diplomacy
Now +2 Diplomat
Now work to get a stone roof...
You might want to try to hurry this along to the settlement phase for that.
[5] Still, you get a nice mushroom cap over your excessively tall stone pillar. If it weren't for the lip at the edges, it'd be dry in here!
+2 Earth Magic
Find someone to ask about where their food comes from, since this place looks to be pretty far from farmland and not guarding anything in particular. Be fascinated by the response.
[5] Turns out they have a garden. It's more of a series of combat arenas than a proper horticulturist patch, but empowered by the constant battle it does the job.
You also learn, interestingly enough, that the mountain does have a fair amount of plant life on it. You couldn't see it because it's black and there's a thunderstorm on, but plants thrive in places of turmoil just as everything else does, making the fortress something of an oasis. Complete with scattered patches trailing off around it, especially in the places corpses are prone to being hurled.
+2 Agriculture
Try to glean the Fight Cult's general opinion on giant bugs.
[5] The Fight Cult's opinion on giant bugs is identical to their opinion on everything else- if it makes for good sport, they'll fight it. If it will team up with them to usurp power, they'll join it. If it's a weak, cowardly fool, they'll laugh at it while kicking sand in its face.
Speaking of which, they can't stop laughing when you explain your bug masters can't even leave their perfectly maintained buildings without wheezing uncomfortably.
+2 Comedy
Now +2 Comedian
Brian Keens (NJW)
+5/5 Identifier (0/5)
+3/3 Manager (0/3)
+2/2 Doomsayer (1/2)
+3/3 Climber (1/3)
+2/2 Seducer (½)
+2/2 Medic (0/2)
+1/2 Diplomat (0/2)
-
Hardened Climbing Spikes
Small Amounts of Rope
Crude Armor
Baeset Musre (OceanSoul)
+5 Mana Milker (0/5)
+3 Animal Handler (0/3)
+3 Stone Mage (1/3)
Ogneer (crazyabe)
+5/6 Earth Mage (4/6)
+3/3 Stoneworker (0/3)
-
Nice Pants
Assorted Rocks
Nar Azzar (Atomic)
+5 Life Mage (0/5)
+3 Metalworker (0/3)
+2 Stone Mage (0/2)
-
Metalworking Tools
Nice Bellows
Nice Backpack
Suzume (Abstract)
+5 Light Mage (1/5)
+3 Cartographer (0/3)
-
Mapping Tablets
Drawing Sticks
Backpack
Fedelmid Cowhunter (voliol)
[Slightly Naked]: Who says this has a downside, again?
[Tie-Dye Colors]: Is this permanent?
5/5 HP
+5 Hunter (0/5)
+3 Leatherworker (0/3)
Nix (NRDL)
5/5 HP
+5/5 Pyromancer (2/5)
+3/3 Persuader (0/3)
+2/2 Climber (½)
+2/2 Medic (0/2)
+1/2 Diplomat (1/2)
Blu (Blastoise)
5/5 HP
+5/5 Aquamancer (0/5)
+3/3 Medic (0/3)
+2/2 Air Mage (1/2)
+2/2 Climber (1/2)
+4/4 Clubsman (2/4)
+1/2 Comedian (1/2)
-
"Fruit"
Rope
Club
Sairian (Nirur)
[Facial Planter]: It's a long story, okay?
+5 Plant Mage (4/5)
+3 Agriculturalist (2/3)
+2 Brawler (0/2)
Mr. Jane Doe (Dolosus)
+5 Pyromancer (0/5)
+3 Demolitionist (0/3)
+2 Herbalist (0/2)
+2 Architect (0/2)
-
Smoldering Horror Torch
-On Parapet-
Karen (Coolrune)
5/5 HP
+5/5 Stone Mage (1/5)
+3/3 Carbon Mage (0/3)
+3/3 Air Mage (2/3)
+2/2 Fire Mage (0/2)
+1/2 Loremaster (1/2)
-
Crude Armor
Black Cultist Robe
Rope
Cowled Figure
? ? ?
PERSUADE our hosts to consider opening diplomatic relations to our insectoid overlords.
[3] They agree to hear out any feeble offers, but remain pessimistic they'll have anything to offer.
+1 Persuasion
"Eh? Wazzat? I'm terribly sorry, I'm in the middle of cooking a turkey. I have to go now."
I've heard enough. Leave the building and hightail it to the portal.
You bail out of the building full of crazy people, scamper down the slippery rocks, and hop back to gooland.
Describe to the Chieftan our setup with the Bugs, placing greater emphasis on going to other worlds and kicking the shit out of stuff than pretty mcuh anything else. If his attention flags, describe how our glorious insect overlords pulverised something living and vulnerable, as they do from time to time.
Try to interest him in travelling or sending men to other worlds to fight things, in return for a) whatever they can grab and b) things from other worlds that want to kill him, as well as c) experience of things on other worlds that want to kill them.
[5] The idea of an extraplanar training program interests him greatly, so he agrees to the idea of assembling a battle squad.
+2 Diplomacy
Now +3 Diplomat
Plants that get stronger near fighting? You're too kind.
See if someone will point me towards some semi-dangerous, carnivorous plants.
((I did not think this through.))
[6] The Great Maw is its own arena, a toothed flower forming the, uh, primary ringout section. The main fighting area is on woody platforms above the maw, and various writhing tentacles and spike thorns adorn the walls.
+2 Agriculture
Now +3 Agriculturalist
Magic up a large chunk of stone, and beat that into a stone punching bag with my rocks.
[2] You can't quite get it to come out in one piece.
Quickly magic up a medium sized, smooth sphere of rock (basically, a cannonball, but rock), and then use intense wind magic to fling the rock at the cultist.
[1] As is often the case with these things, your attempts at magic result in point-blanking yourself with a cannon.
-1 HP
[2] Fortunately your opponent rushes you, the promptly trips over the hole you dug your cannonball out of.
Inquire about the terrain surrounding this mountain. Are there safe-ish paths down? How far until they level out into flat terrain?
[4] The short answer is getting into or out of the monastery is supposed to be difficult, so there are no "safe" paths. That said, people do get up and down it, so apparently there are "safe enough" paths.
As for flat terrain, this plane is apparently rather dynamic. Vast, open fields exist, but the cultists seem a little confused by requests for open fields that are not made of quicksand, infested with worms, flood regularly, etc. "Not this mountain" is a few hundred feet down, fewer hundreds on one side than the other (which overlooks a chasm even by local standards), but it's still flat only in relative terms.
+1 Diplomacy
Now +2 Diplomat
Lets actually start being useful lets start making as good a map as I can.
[5] You get a lovely height chart of the jumble of rocks you're on, complete with vague suggestions for easier ways up and down.
+2 Cartography
Brian Keens (NJW)
+5/5 Identifier (0/5)
+3/3 Manager (0/3)
+2/2 Doomsayer (1/2)
+3/3 Climber (1/3)
+2/2 Seducer (½)
+2/2 Medic (0/2)
+1/3 Diplomat (0/3)
-
Hardened Climbing Spikes
Small Amounts of Rope
Crude Armor
Baeset Musre (OceanSoul)
+5 Mana Milker (0/5)
+3 Animal Handler (0/3)
+3 Stone Mage (1/3)
Ogneer (crazyabe)
+4/6 Earth Mage (4/6)
+3/3 Stoneworker (0/3)
-
Nice Pants
Assorted Rocks
Nar Azzar (Atomic)
+5 Life Mage (0/5)
+3 Metalworker (0/3)
+2 Stone Mage (0/2)
-
Metalworking Tools
Nice Bellows
Nice Backpack
Suzume (Abstract)
+5 Light Mage (1/5)
+3 Cartographer (2/3)
-
Mapping Tablets
Drawing Sticks
Backpack
Height Chart for current mountain
Fedelmid Cowhunter (voliol)
[Slightly Naked]: Who says this has a downside, again?
[Tie-Dye Colors]: Is this permanent?
5/5 HP
+5 Hunter (0/5)
+3 Leatherworker (0/3)
Nix (NRDL)
5/5 HP
+5/5 Pyromancer (2/5)
+2/3 Persuader (1/3)
+2/2 Climber (½)
+2/2 Medic (0/2)
+1/2 Diplomat (1/2)
Blu (Blastoise)
5/5 HP
+5/5 Aquamancer (0/5)
+3/3 Medic (0/3)
+2/2 Air Mage (1/2)
+2/2 Climber (1/2)
+4/4 Clubsman (2/4)
+1/2 Comedian (1/2)
+1/2 Diplomat (0/2)
-
"Fruit"
Rope
Club
Sairian (Nirur)
[Facial Planter]: It's a long story, okay?
+5/5 Plant Mage (4/5)
+3/4 Agriculturalist (1/4)
+2/2 Brawler (0/2)
Mr. Jane Doe (Dolosus)
+5 Pyromancer (0/5)
+3 Demolitionist (0/3)
+2 Herbalist (0/2)
+2 Architect (0/2)
-
Smoldering Horror Torch
-On Parapet-
Karen (Coolrune)
4/5 HP
+4/5 Stone Mage (1/5)
+3/3 Carbon Mage (0/3)
+3/3 Air Mage (2/3)
+2/2 Fire Mage (0/2)
+1/2 Loremaster (1/2)
-
Crude Armor
Black Cultist Robe
Rope
Cowled Figure
? ? ?
Apply that same logic that just had me injure myself against the enemy, this time by reversing the direction of whatever I did to fling it.
[6] You launch the ball a little too forcefully, knocking yourself back.
You knock your target back even further, though.
+2 Air Magic
Now +3 Air Mage
Cultist: -2 HP
[6] The cultist realizes this match isn't going well, and so tries for a desperation move: Physically lifting you over his head and hurling you over the parapet edge.
It mostly works, though you grab his sleeve on the way down.
[6] You both land in some kind of gargoyle-fed pool on a lower platform of the castle, and clamber out.
Set out a plan with mine host for the training program, then go back to our wonderful insect employer, and report that I have managed to discover a workforce even more expendable and foolhardy than ourselves. Shift to main thread, I guess?
[6] You work out a nice deal involving, uh... "The Appointed Time" sort of snuck its way into your contract there, so they're sort of going to send a crew to beat things whether you have things for them to beat or not.
+2 Manager
Now [Tournament Contract]
You then flee to make your report.
Set out and find some great beast to defeat, to further standing with the local powers of this world.
[4] You locate some feral beasts in the rocky wastes. You have a hard time describing them as any animal you're familiar with, until you realize if somebody just sort of took a quadruped-thing and added as many claws, teeth, and horns as they could fit they'd get those.
+1 Seeking
Now +2 Seeker
Try Again!
[4] You raise up a rock punching bag. Few people other than you would agree such a thing exists, but you showed them!
+1 Earth Magic
Okay. I think it's a bit big to go through the portal or fit into the bugplace, but I can use it. Cast charm plantmonster > either take baby plantmonster or splice part of the plantmonster into my face.
Using plant magic and the plants sticking out of my face, try to get The Great Maw to sense me as not-food, not-threat, and not-worth-fighting.
[5] You get it to sense you as not only not worth fighting, but as something to avoid damaging or gumming up.
+2 Plant Magic
Now +6 Plant Mage
Now [Great Maw Harmony]
Brian Keens (NJW)
[Tournament Contract]: Has a contract for some fighting to get done. They are not interested in excuses as to delivering your half of the bargain.
+5/5 Identifier (0/5)
+2/3 Manager (2/3)
+2/2 Doomsayer (1/2)
+3/3 Climber (1/3)
+2/2 Seducer (½)
+2/2 Medic (0/2)
+1/3 Diplomat (0/3)
-
Hardened Climbing Spikes
Small Amounts of Rope
Crude Armor
Baeset Musre (OceanSoul)
+5 Mana Milker (0/5)
+3 Animal Handler (0/3)
+3 Stone Mage (1/3)
Ogneer (crazyabe)
+3/6 Earth Mage (5/6)
+3/3 Stoneworker (0/3)
-
Nice Pants
Assorted Rocks
Nar Azzar (Atomic)
+5 Life Mage (0/5)
+3 Metalworker (0/3)
+2 Stone Mage (0/2)
-
Metalworking Tools
Nice Bellows
Nice Backpack
Suzume (Abstract)
+5 Light Mage (1/5)
+3 Cartographer (2/3)
-
Mapping Tablets
Drawing Sticks
Backpack
Height Chart for current mountain
Fedelmid Cowhunter (voliol)
[Slightly Naked]: Who says this has a downside, again?
[Tie-Dye Colors]: Is this permanent?
5/5 HP
+5 Hunter (0/5)
+3 Leatherworker (0/3)
Blu (Blastoise)
5/5 HP
+5/5 Aquamancer (0/5)
+3/3 Medic (0/3)
+2/2 Air Mage (1/2)
+2/2 Climber (1/2)
+4/4 Clubsman (2/4)
+1/2 Comedian (1/2)
+1/2 Diplomat (0/2)
-
"Fruit"
Rope
Club
Sairian (Nirur)
[Facial Planter]: It's a long story, okay?
[Great Maw Harmony]: The giant maneating plant doesn't want to eat you and will loosely aid you in going about your business smoothly.
+5/6 Plant Mage (1/6)
+3/4 Agriculturalist (1/4)
+2/2 Brawler (0/2)
Mr. Jane Doe (Dolosus)
+5 Pyromancer (0/5)
+3 Demolitionist (0/3)
+2 Herbalist (0/2)
+2 Architect (0/2)
-
Smoldering Horror Torch
-In the Wilds-
Nix (NRDL)
5/5 HP
+5/5 Pyromancer (2/5)
+2/3 Persuader (1/3)
+2/2 Climber (½)
+2/2 Medic (0/2)
+1/2 Diplomat (1/2)
+1/2 Seeker (0/2)
Beast Pack
3/3 Beasts
-On Parapet-
Karen (Coolrune)
4/5 HP
+4/5 Stone Mage (1/5)
+3/3 Carbon Mage (0/3)
+3/4 Air Mage (1/4)
+2/2 Fire Mage (0/2)
+1/2 Loremaster (1/2)
-
Crude Armor
Black Cultist Robe
Rope
Cowled Figure
1/3 HP