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Author Topic: Chromatic Spirits RPG: Ghosts to Gods (Chapter 2 - Strange Creatures) (Round 8)  (Read 31139 times)

IndigoFenix

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Re: Chromatic Spirits RPG: Ghosts to Gods
« Reply #60 on: March 29, 2018, 07:23:09 am »

Also, is danger sense something I actively need to use, or will you just naturally include more details about dangerous situations in my turns?
Danger Sense works automatically and will inform you of (immediate) threats to yourself or those you are protecting.  (Example: If you had Danger Sense when Argent first appeared, it would not activate, thereby informing you that he was not a threat.)

Rockeater

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Re: Chromatic Spirits RPG: Ghosts to Gods
« Reply #61 on: March 29, 2018, 07:32:57 am »

So nothing dangerous around me then.
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Damnit people, this is why I said to keep the truce. Because now everyone's ganging up on the cats.
Also, don't forget to contact your local Eldritch Being(s), so that they can help with our mission to destroy the universe.

IndigoFenix

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Re: Chromatic Spirits RPG: Ghosts to Gods
« Reply #62 on: March 30, 2018, 09:42:42 am »

Next round will involve several doses of exposition and world building, so it may take a bit longer than usual.  It will also introduce some new game mechanics.  I guess we can call it the start of Chapter 2.

Dustan Hache

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Re: Chromatic Spirits RPG: Ghosts to Gods
« Reply #63 on: April 03, 2018, 06:32:48 am »

poke the thread back to the top so it doesn't get drowned.
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I figure at some point, you're just gonna run outta fucks to give and just off yourself whenever you get hurt at all. It's not like there's any downsides to it. Hangover? Suicide will fix that. Stubbed your toe? Suicide. Headache? Suicide. Papercut? Suicide.

Rockeater

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Re: Chromatic Spirits RPG: Ghosts to Gods
« Reply #64 on: April 03, 2018, 06:40:38 am »

Anyone didn't done their action
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Damnit people, this is why I said to keep the truce. Because now everyone's ganging up on the cats.
Also, don't forget to contact your local Eldritch Being(s), so that they can help with our mission to destroy the universe.

IndigoFenix

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Re: Chromatic Spirits RPG: Ghosts to Gods
« Reply #65 on: April 03, 2018, 07:26:25 am »

It's coming along.  Pretty major walls of text, hope you all like exposition. :)

IceFire2314, I'm writing your part next.  Just to clarify, you wanted to check the camp, right?  Aurelia is heading toward the village so "following" would not be in the direction of the camp.  Maybe I wasn't clear.

PaPaj

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Re: Chromatic Spirits RPG: Ghosts to Gods
« Reply #66 on: April 03, 2018, 07:29:04 am »

can i join in
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sprinkled chariot

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Re: Chromatic Spirits RPG: Ghosts to Gods
« Reply #68 on: April 03, 2018, 12:03:30 pm »

Name : Vigil
Incident : As village smith Bob was looking at his masterwork - black suit of full plate armour, band of robbers entered the open door and demanded him to handle over any gold, arrows and steel weaponry he had. As band chief pointed his sword to Bob, plate armour fell on him cracking his bones, his screaming attracted village guard and all members of the band except its chief retreated into the forest.
Appearence : suit of plate armour.
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Icefire2314

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Re: Chromatic Spirits RPG: Ghosts to Gods
« Reply #69 on: April 03, 2018, 07:35:56 pm »

It's coming along.  Pretty major walls of text, hope you all like exposition. :)

IceFire2314, I'm writing your part next.  Just to clarify, you wanted to check the camp, right?  Aurelia is heading toward the village so "following" would not be in the direction of the camp.  Maybe I wasn't clear.

woops sorry, yes I wanted to check the camp. Can i keep track of which direction Aurelia is going and later check out the village?

But to be clear, yes I want to check out the camp as my next action.
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IndigoFenix

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Re: Chromatic Spirits RPG: Ghosts to Gods (Chapter 2 - Strange Creatures)
« Reply #70 on: April 04, 2018, 06:23:48 am »

Final Round at Charlie's Chickens
Use Nocebite against charlie and finish him off. Make sure his wife sees his last breaths.
The creature attacks and savagely tears out Charlie's throat!
Possess chicken (one that is burning) and have it set the main farmhouse on fire!
A flaming chicken runs around the yard, setting everything ablaze!  There is no escape for those within.
"BURN, BURN HARDER, MWA HA HA HA..."
INFLAME THE FLAMES OF DESTRUCTION!!!
The flames illuminate the night sky.  Neighbors come running, but by the time they arrive, it is far too late.  There are no survivors.



An object toppled by vibrations or the wind.  An unlucky stumble.  A man attacked by an unseen animal, and a couple burned to death in a tragic accident.  The weakest of spirits can do little more than subtly nudge probability.  Thus far, nothing you have done could be considered explicitly supernatural.

But belief creates mana, and mana feeds magic.  Fear.  Security.  Contentment.  Clarity.  Confusion.  Anguish.  Just as flesh consumes food, so spirits feed upon emotions and beliefs to sustain and increase their presence in the world.

By demonstrating their power, wisdom and benevolence to believers, a spirit's presence expands, and its abilities increase accordingly.

The presence of the Dragon grows.  And spirits begin to take shape...


Chapter 2: Strange Creatures

I will take Unseen Movement, as it would be perfect for a prank!

Let's try it now! Unseen Movement: Attempt to reposition myself in the shelf, changing my position enough to be noticeable. Giggle silently to the confusion of anyone that notices.


A boy runs downstairs, carrying a strange wooden doll.  "Mom!  Mom!  You'll never guess what happened last night!"
"Not now dear, Mommy's busy serving guests and the Collector's coming this week.  Go back upstairs and play with your toys."
"But Moom!  It's the Fool!  He moved all by himself!"
"Now now Garret, what did we say about lying?"
"I'm not lying!  I put him on the shelf far away from my bed, and when I woke up this morning, he was..."
"You probably just forgot where you put him, dear.  Now, what can I get you, Miss..."
"Ginger," the yellow-robed woman sitting at the table replies.  "I'll have the ginger tea, please.  No sugar."  She turns around and continues watching the three men gossiping in the corner of the tavern.
"So, you know old Charlie's place burned down last night."
"Yep.  Seen it all from my yard.  Some folks sayin' it was an accident, but I ain't buyin' it."
"How d'ya figure?"
"They say all kind of crazy stuff was happenin' out there.  Henderson says he saw some kind o' man-thing dancin' among the flames."
"I heard 'em screamin' about a black creature with teeth and claws..."
"They say the chickens was actin' up as well."
"Plus, I hear Ander kicked the bucket as well.  Fell on a knife, according to his wife."
"Ander?  You serious?  Well, can't say I'm too surprised.  The man was an arse."
"Solid breadwinner, though.  Feel sorry for his kid.  Don't know how they're gonna pay their dues this week."
The innkeeper comes to the woman and hands her a cup of ginger tea.  She takes it and begins sipping it lightly.
"Think it was the Dragon's doin'?"
"Why would the Dragon burn down old Charlie's place?  Sure as I can remember, the man always paid his dues."
"Do he even need a reason?"
"I don't know what's more worryin'.  That it is the Dragon, or that it ain't.  Light knows we've got enough worries without other monsters makin' our lives miserable."
"Excuse me," the woman says, "I'm a traveler from the Queen's domain in the East, and I'm rather unfamiliar with the local gossip.  Who or what is this 'Dragon'?"
The men exchange glances.  One of them stands up and approaches the woman's table.
"Listen closely, miss.  If you're comin' from the Queen's land, you'd better finish your business and head right back over there.  You don't want to be around when the Dragon's men come knocking."
"I'm afraid I'll be here for a few more days at the very least.  Why don't you tell me what you know?  For starters, when you call him 'The Dragon', you aren't actually talking about an actual, giant reptile that breathes fire?"
"Well, uh..."
"Some say he's a man..."
"He might be a...dragon man."
The men mutter among themselves.
"You've never seen him, have you?
"Well...not as such, no."
"So what you're telling me is," she says, taking another sip of tea, "this entire village lives in fear of a man or creature who is too afraid to show his face."
The man claps a hand over her mouth in alarm.  "Don't let him hear you say that!  He'll be coming for you next!"
"Listen, miss.  It don't matter that we ain't never seen him.  All we know is, his Collectors come 'round the village once a month, and they collect the Dragon's due.  Anyone who don't pay, they get hit by the Dragon's men.  And let me tell you somethin'."  His voice drops to a whisper.  "Some of them men...well, they ain't human."
"Cats and donkeys, then?" she replies, removing the hand from her mouth.
"Monsters," he says, and the other men nod in agreement.  "Devils of smoke and fire, men with the faces of wolves, witches and the legions of the dead.  If those are his servants, I ain't too keen on seein' the master."
"Well then, that settles it.  I'm not about to be put off by a few puffs of smoke, dog people, little old ladies and sacks of bones.  I will be staying here, and paying for it."  She places a small bag of coins on the table.  "That is what you folks want, right?  Gold to pay off this lizard of yours?"
"You'll be eating your words before the week is out, miss.  This ain't your precious Queen's country anymore.  But you'll find that out soon enough."

The Fool

Just as a typical monster increases its presence by demonstrating power and sowing fear, a typical trickster increases its presence by demonstrating cunning and sowing confusion.

Your trick certainly confused the boy at first.  But his mother's reassurance diminished his belief in your cunning. (+2)
He's still a bit unsure whether he should be afraid or happy.  Are you a good spirit or an evil one?  (+1 +1)

Now he has you upstairs, alone in his room.  He slowly places you on the shelf and looks you straight in the eyes.

Spirit Evolution - You may choose one of the following abilities:
   Animate Body: Replaces Unseen Movement and Joint Lock.  You may move whenever you want at the speed of a fairly clumsy human of your size.  However, moving under your own power consumes Red Mana at a rate of 1 per 6 seconds.  Moving without being watched reduces mana consumption by half.
   Soul Gaze: You can read the thoughts of anyone who looks into your eyes.  Works passively, and can be used actively to read more deeply at a cost of 3 blue mana.

Spoiler: The Fool's Abilities (click to show/hide)

Nix

The day after the accident, John finds a dog waiting for him outside his house.  He immediately calls it Nix and brings it home.  Although his mother is apprehensive and concerned about the true nature of the creature, she eventually gives in.
She takes on a job as a weaver, hoping to earn enough coin to pay off the Collector before the end of the week.
But she knows deep down it will not be enough.
She considers taking her son and leaving home.  The road would be dangerous, but staying will likely be even more so.

Spirit Evolution: Indefinite Breed
   Your Corporeal Form's base stats are as follows:
   Power: 30
   Defense: 30
   Agility: 30
   You may add 20 points, distributed among these stats as you choose.


Poultrygeist, Grue, and Aximodus

As the sun rises, you retreat from the burning farmyard.

Poultrygeist gained +4 +0 +3 Mana!
Spirit Evolution:
   You may take on a Corporeal Form.  You will manifest as a physical creature.  You do not have enough red mana to maintain your unnatural true shape, so you will assume the form of a large and fierce chicken covered in blood for now.  This replaces your Shove and replaces Possess Chicken with Command Chicken, but it allows you to interact with the world physically.  It becomes much easier to acquire believers.  Taking on a corporeal form is permanent unless said form is destroyed.
   If you choose to remain non-corporeal, you may acquire the ability Spectral Form: You may choose to appear as a hazy apparition at a cost of 1 red mana per 6 seconds.


Grue gained +8 +0 +1 Mana!
Spirit Evolution:
   You may take on a Corporeal Form.  You will manifest as a physical creature.  You do not have enough red mana to maintain your unnatural true shape, so you will assume the form of a large black animal of some sort for now.  This replaces your Unseen Fangs and Nocebite, but it allows you to interact with the world physically.  It becomes much easier to acquire believers.  Taking on a corporeal form is permanent unless said form is destroyed.
   If you choose to remain non-corporeal, you may acquire the ability Spectral Form: You may choose to appear as a hazy apparition at a cost of 1 red mana per 6 seconds.

Spoiler: The Grue's Abilities (click to show/hide)

Aximodus gained +5 +0 +4 Mana!

Spirit Evolution:
   You may take on a Corporeal Form.  You will manifest as a physical creature.  You do not have enough red mana to maintain your unnatural true shape, so you will assume the form of a mysterious and silent old man for now.  This allows you to interact with the world physically.  It becomes much easier to acquire believers.  Taking on a corporeal form is permanent unless said form is destroyed.
   If you choose to remain non-corporeal, you may acquire the ability Spectral Form: You may choose to appear as a hazy apparition at a cost of 1 red mana per 6 seconds.

Spoiler: Aximodus's Abilities (click to show/hide)

All of you can sense the presence of a large group of humans to the East.  (Encounter with Draoi)
There is also a powerful and malevolent presence to the West.
Alternatively, you may remain in the Village and seek out any of the areas mentioned above.

You may choose to remain as a group, or may go your separate ways.  You may also communicate with each other.  Talking is a free action.


Draoi: At the camp

How far is the camp?

If not very far, I will follow and see what happens.

The sun rises.  Aurelia sets out West toward the village, but something still bothers you.  The man mentioned a "Red Army" of some kind.  You should probably be concerned about that.
You follow his footprints again, to the point that they vanish.  Although you can no longer track him by land, it seems that the trees were aware of his passing.
Following their silent whispers, you make your way to a clearing in the forest, where a large number of humans have set up a camp.  Men and women walk about, many of them in armor or mage's robes.  Most wear some shade of red, though you also see some purples, yellows, browns, grays, and blacks among them.  Rows of tents, crates of supplies, and military wagons meet your eyes.

Not far from the trees, you spot a small group of three men and two women seated around a fire.  Cautiously, you creep closer, not venturing far from the trees.

"Stopping again?  I thought we'd be done and heading home by tonight," says one of them, a wiry man with a bright red headband and a pair of tomahawks strapped across his back.
An enormous axeman in heavy, blood-red armor and a face-concealing helmet polishes his weapon.  "Sir Argent is still waiting for more intel.  Assaulting the lair without a plan could be foolhardy, especially if the creature is a Monster Lord."
"I wasn't talking about the lair."
"Well, it's just as well Argent isn't a bleeding psychopath, Erkan," says a swordswoman in a dull orange-brown tunic.  "We're here to dispose of a tyrant, not slaughter a bunch of innocents."
"Well, if there ain't any more innocents to tyrannize, there won't be any more tyrant, right?"
"It sounds stupid when you say it," says a man in a dark purple cloak.  "But it's not by itself a bad plan, from a strictly pragmatic standpoint.  While the local lord does get a good amount of his funding from trade, the village seems to be his primary source of Red.  Cut it off, and the snake will be heavily weakened."
"But then," the giant man replies, "we won't get to fight any monsters."
"Monsters, humans, what's the difference?  They bleed all the same.  Except for the ones that don't, of course.  Although," the tomahawk-wielding man considers, turning to a woman in a dark gray dress with dull white lace, "I take it Ashelle wouldn't be too happy about that, would you?"
The woman is sitting on a log, a small pile of what appear to be blank playing cards sitting next to her.  One at a time, she is drawing small magic circle-looking diagrams onto the cards, then shuffling them into a deck.  "Oh, it's all the same to me.  Honestly, this whole affair is far below my pay grade."
"Really.  I would have thought you'd be happy at a chance to add to your little collection."
"You'd think so," she says, holding up a card to the sun, "but these border-dwelling feudal Monster Lord types are pretty much all the same.  Once you've spent a few hundred years terrorizing peasants all of your creative spirit just goes out the window.  Calling it now: Giant Bats, a couple of Skeleton Knights and Archers, maybe a Zombie horde or two, a few Werewolves, more Giant Bats, some Giant Spiders, some classical monster like a Chimera or a Griffin near the gates, then more Giant Bats, Skeletons, and Giant Bats.  Yawn.  It's hardly ever worth my time."
"Are you still making more blanks?  Don't you have enough of those things?"
"I do tend to burn through them fairly quick."

You quietly back away.  Although it probably isn't necessary to focus on stealth, since you are invisible, inaudible, and intangible, and you don't feel as though any of them can see the invisible passively.  Nonetheless, you feel as though you should be very careful around letting them know of your presence, especially the woman in dark gray.

Spoiler: Draoi's Abilities (click to show/hide)


Akeraun and No One: On the Open Sea

Akeraun

Calico is a smart kitten, best not to go out before a storm. Perhaps make the man curious as to what could be scaring her outside?

You cannot directly influence the man's behavior directly since he does not believe in you!  Nonetheless, your inaction has the intended effect.  He looks at Calico for a few moments, then closes his eyes and seems to focus on something.  You can feel a slight tingle of green magic, then he walks to the upper deck.

No One

No, we’ve made enough money. There’s no reason to drain people just to spite them.

Now, do those other things I’d mentioned previously - talking with Sky, Rosa, and Bruin.

Bruin comes up from the lower decks.  "Hey everyone, I get the feeling that there's going to be a storm soon."
Sure enough, dark clouds appear on the horizon.  Captain Lazulo comes out of his cabin and begins shouting orders to his crew.  Octavian and the other passangers decide to head down below.
Rhodes and the other players gather up the cards.  You want to keep playing later?"
"No, I think I'm done," Octavian says.  "Good game, everyone."  The other players sigh in relief.

Sky, watching Octavian from the side, smiles.  "A wise decision," he says once they are in the lower deck.
"Don't flatter me that much," Octavian replies.  "It's just regular old self-preservation.  I'd rather not have my bodyguard too upset at me when trouble comes knocking."  He glances down at Sky's book.  "So, studying religious texts?"
Sky places his book to the side.  You catch a momentary hint of discomfort in his otherwise collected smile.  "You might say that," he says.  "Though you'd be hard-pressed at finding this particular text in most mainstream Cyan temples."
"So, what's your deal, anyway?  I thought Cyan Monks were all about, you know, sitting around on mountains and meditating, or praying to the Unbroken Light, or however that works.  What are you doing renting yourself out for a ship's crew?"
"Mostly, you'd be right."  Another subtle hint of discomfort.  "But there are always exceptions to every rule."
"Of the three main Orders of the Unbroken Light, the Cyan Monks are the most passive," Sky explains.  "While the Golden Knights are the defenders of the realm and the slayers of evil forces, the role of the Cyan Monks is to provide guidance to lost and confused souls.  Generally, we wait for others to come to us."
"So why did you leave?"
"Oh," he says.  "Well, I just didn't see it as a fulfilling life, I suppose.  Wisdom should be shared, not hoarded."

The rain falls outside.  The sound of the Captain shouting orders comes from above.

"I didn't see you as being particularly religious," Rosa says later.
"Well, I'm not," Octavian replies.  "But making connections is good for business."
She smiles.  "Well, I suppose I can appreciate that sentiment."  She peers over at Octavian.  "Speaking of business, may I see that coin of yours?"
"Excuse me?"
"There's a coin you like to fiddle with when you're contemplating a difficult decision.  May I have a look at it?"

Knowledge Influx:
   Bruin certainly looks tough as nails, but as far as you can tell he's pretty much just a straightforward nice guy.
   Sky seems to be uncomfortable about something.  Perhaps he's having a crisis of faith?
   You can't get a read on Rosa at all.

Spoiler: No One's Abilities (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Akeraun's Abilities (click to show/hide)



Badel and Nami: New Friends and a First Class


Badel

I do need to think on better things to do.
I guess there is no danger.
I will use Attention on Kevin to the quite boy boy in the dorms

Kevin extends a hand to the quiet boy.  "Hey," he says.  "I saw you reading on the train.  My name's Kevin."
"Oh, hi," he says, looking up.  "I'm Cole.  I was just reading ahead a bit.  You know, so I know what to expect for the next class.  I kind of got carried away though.  This stuff is super interesting."  He points to the book.  "Did you know that about 20% of people are followed by at least one spirit?"
"You're already up to the part about spirits?  Isn't that like, the last chapter?"
"Oh, I guess so.  Like I said, I kind of got carried away."
"Well, I guess you won't have to worry about studying for the rest of the semester, huh?"
Cole laughs.  "I wish.  I hear that most of the actual classes can get pretty...hands-on.  I'm kind of nervous, to be honest.  Up until now, I've mostly been a book-learner.  I'll probably end up in the Blue school.  But the introductory courses do require some physical training, so it's not like I have a choice."
"Physical training?  At a magic school?  I thought magic was supposed to be for, you know, casting spells and making potions and stuff."
"Oh, not at all.  The Red and Yellow schools are all about physical training, actually."
"Huh."  Kevin shrugs.  "So, spirits, huh?  Any way of telling if you have one or not?"
"It doesn't say.  Apparently once they gain a certain amount of presence they become really obvious, but up until then they're just kind of these...wispy ghost things.  It seems that some kinds can influence the behavior of their partner somewhat."
"I wonder if either of us have spirits."


Nami

Mental pull: encourage Abelia to greet her roommate with a smile and a wave after catching her eye. Oh, and check out the cover of that book she's reading.

Abelia is rather apprehensive at first, but nevertheless she manages to work up the courage to approach her roommate.  Unfortunately, she seems fully engrossed in her book.  Leaning over the desk, Abelia tries to get her attention.  The pages of the book seem to be covered with diagrams and figures of circles, symbols, and circles made of symbols.  You're pretty sure it isn't in the first-year reading list.
"Do you mind?" she says finally, looking up.  "I'm a little busy."
Abelia backs away, signing a frantic apology.  The other girl narrows her eyes.
"What's with the crazy hand motions?  Oh, right, you're that mute student."  She sighs and closes the book.  Abelia motions to the book and tilts her head to the side, looking at her roommate questioningly.  "What, the book?  Oh, it's called "The Uncovered Eye: Permutations of the 36 Gates of Awareness and Associated Magic Circles."  It's fourth-year - I was able to get a copy out of the library.
Abelia holds up her copy of Introduction to the Six Schools.  The other girl laughs.  "Hey, can you keep a secret?  Oh, who am I kidding, obviously you can."  Abelia puts her hands on her hips and looks at her accusingly.  The girl snaps her fingers and her book rises into the air, then flies across the room and slides itself into a drawer.  Abelia stares open-mouthed, then claps her hands excitedly.  "The truth is, I'm already way ahead of pretty much all the things they're going to be teaching us here.  My name's Amy Cruent - I've been raised as a Magenta mage from as long as I can remember.  The only reason my parents made me come here is so that I can 'learn about the other Schools and have a more well-rounded education', but that's a load of garbage.  There's pretty much nothing that the other schools teach that sufficient skill in Magenta magic can't accomplish.  Please tell me you're here to learn real magic and not one of these half-rate joke schools like that ridiculous Esmeralda."
Abelia shrugs.  This is all quite new to her, and she isn't quite yet ready to commit to a single path before even learning about the others.


Badel and Nami: An Introduction to Magic

Professor Iris is a tall and thin woman in a long, colorful robe.  She peers at the class through a rather large pair of glasses, smiling warmly as she speaks.
"As you are probably aware," Professor Iris explains, "Our world is governed by numerous forces, both natural and supernatural.  The ability to shape reality through the power of the mind - magic - is actually far more common than most untrained people realize.  While there are individuals who are naturally gifted in the art, and others...less so, nearly everyone has at least some magical potential - even if they do not understand how to use it.  Here at the Academy of Chromatic Magic, you will learn to see, create, and shape the fundamental forces that govern the fabric of reality itself."
The Professor holds up her hands.  Suddenly, the classroom is transformed into a featureless white void!  Most of the students look around in wonder.  Amy rests her head on her hands, a bored look on her face.
"In this class, we will not be going over the theories concerning the origin of these forces, nor will we focus on the deep practice of any particular school.  Rather, this class is to introduce you to the basic principles upon which the Six Schools are founded."
Three colored spheres appear, circling around the Professor.

"The Six Schools are founded upon the Three Primary Chroma, also known as the Three Virtues."

"Blue, representing Knowledge - to percieve what was, what is, and what will be."  An image of a wizened elder sitting in a study, peering into a crystal ball, appears within the blue sphere.

"Green, representing Harmony - to empathize with others and be as one with the environment."  A young woman in a forest, small animals crowding around her, appears in the green sphere.

"Red, representing Power - the ability to make one's will into reality."  A warrior strikes the ground with his hammer in the red sphere, and thunderbolts and fire erupt around him.

She claps her hands, and the images within the spheres vanish.  The spheres fly out and begin to circle the room.
"Many philosophers have noted that these three Virtues are the very qualities that humans find admirable in others.  A person with Power is feared and respected.  A person with Knowledge is sought for advice.  And one who exudes Harmony is beloved by others.  These three qualities, especially in combination, feed a person's presence, bringing them glory and notability.  Whereas one who is at once weak, foolish, and selfish is almost universally mocked, ignored, or despised."
The three spheres flatten out to create three circles, which move together until they overlap.  New colors form at the junctions.

"The Secondary Chroma are formed by the combination of two Primary Chroma," she continues.

"Power plus Harmony creates Yellow, representing Justice."  A golden-haired knight with fiery eyes and shining armor stands above a fallen tyrant.

"Knowledge plus Harmony creates Cyan, representing Sagacity."  A hermit meditates on a mountaintop, surrounded by clouds, snow, and sky.

"And Power plus Knowledge creates Magenta, representing Control."  An ageless sorceress stands in a summoning circle, magical energies and geometric shapes crackling around her.

"Of course," the Professor continues, "there are many more combinations than just these.  Every person possesses within them a particular combination of Power, Knowledge, and Harmony, in accordance with how much they value these particular Virtues and how much they have exercised them.  The Chroma, combined in different quantities, give us the color of the soul.  And every possible combination of Chroma has a color associated with it."
The three colors suddenly transform into a great wheel, its colors blurring together into an infinity of hues.  Fleeting images appear within it.  Professor Iris claps twice and the wheel vanishes.  The white void returns to an ordinary classroom.

"Belief and Virtue," she continues, "are the source of all magic.  There is no clearly defined boundary between a mundane manifestation of the Virtues and a supernatural one.  A brilliant strategist will see glimpses of the future.  A kind soul will earn the compassion of the wind, the beasts, and the trees.  A mighty warrior will learn to jump canyons and cleave mountains.
 This will happen even without the conscious application of magic."

"With proper technique, it is possible to shape these abilities into specific Spells and channel them into Relics.  For instance, what you have just seen was an Illusion spell - a low-level Magenta technique - channeled through a Place of Power - this very classroom, which was designed to facilitate Illusion casting in particular."

"While the techniques you learn at this establishment will help you learn to gain mastery over your latent energy, the mana that powers these techniques is the manifestation of your own Virtues.  Without an abundance of at least one of the Three Virtues, magic is impossible.  Mastering magic is as much about improving yourself as a human being as it is about spellbooks and icons."

"For your homework assignment, I want each of you to perform one action today that falls under the category of one of the Three Virtues.  You are to write a short essay on this activity and correctly identify the Virtue it is associated with."


Classes are out for the day.  You have free reign of the campus.

Spoiler: Academy Locations (click to show/hide)


Spoiler: Badel's Abilities (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Nami's Abilities (click to show/hide)


Shah: It's going to be one of those centuries, isn't it

Acquire Borrow Senses. Borrow the senses of whoever or whatever is nearby making that noise.

You borrow the senses of the nearby creature.  It is rather small, and not far from the chained book that currently acts as your prison.  Seems to be a mouse.  As it looks around warily, you get a better grasp of your surroundings.
It is very dark.  Only a little bit of light filters in from under a nearby doorway.
Surrounding you are some other books.  Most of them have an ominous look to them, marked with images of eyes, magic circles, skeletons, and in one case, a screaming and distorted human face.  Actually, the last one seems to be made of human leather from an actual face.  One of the books just has a picture of a horse and is titled "hors".
Your own vessel is made of black leather and has an image of a man bound to a slab with a magic circle inscribed around him.  There are various black nails embedded in his body in various painful-looking places.  Also his chest cavity is split wide open, made to look like a vertical mouth with sharp teeth.  Despite this, the man's face looks peaceful.  The book's title, "Unbound Mortality", is written in a long-dead arcane script.
How ironic that you are both immortal and bound to this book.  Or maybe that isn't irony.  You can't quite remember what "irony" means.
The mouse sniffs at your pages, decides they probably aren't good to eat, and then crawls over to the edge of the shelf you are resting on, looking around the room.
Well, you know where you are, at least.  Doing something about it might prove to be a bit of an issue.
Maybe you can try thinking really hard.  It never helped before, but hey, you never know.

Spoiler: Shah's Abilities (click to show/hide)

NRDL

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Re: Chromatic Spirits RPG: Ghosts to Gods (Chapter 2 - Strange Creatures)
« Reply #71 on: April 04, 2018, 06:39:38 am »

Add 10 points to Power and 10 to Agility. Try and hunt some small game in the forests, bring them back to John for food or for pelts.

« Last Edit: April 04, 2018, 07:03:04 am by NRDL »
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GOD DAMN IT NRDL.
NRDL will roll a die and decide how sadistic and insane he's feeling well you do.

Glass

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Re: Chromatic Spirits RPG: Ghosts to Gods (Chapter 2 - Strange Creatures)
« Reply #72 on: April 04, 2018, 06:41:46 am »

Ok, two things. One, I'm using the dark theme, so some of your text is hard to read, especially the stuff in Draoi's section; there's one person in particular whose speech is virtually invisible.

As for Rosa... um.
Let Octavian decide for himself, in this case. I have no idea what to do. That said, he should try to figure out why she wants it first, and how she knew about my coin.

Also: are people's speech colors indicative of their balance of traits/soul color?
« Last Edit: April 04, 2018, 06:43:27 am by Glass »
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Quote from: FallacyOfUrist (on Discord, 11/15/21)
Glass is, as usual, correct.
Yep, as ever, I bestow upon Glass the expected +1
I'm gonna say we go with whatever Glass's idea is.

randomgenericusername

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Re: Chromatic Spirits RPG: Ghosts to Gods (Chapter 2 - Strange Creatures)
« Reply #73 on: April 04, 2018, 06:45:54 am »

Well, let's grab Soul Gaze and try it on the kid to know what he is thinking about. Then, attemp this clever prank:

1) Inception: Make the kid believe there is something absolutely fantastic behind him. Make him turn and stop seeing me.

2) Unseen Movement and Joint Lock: Change my position to something that could be seen as "laughing" or "chuckling".

3) When the kid turns back after not seeing anything behind him, he will see me laughing at my own trick and his naivety. He he he!

4) ? ? ?

5)...Profit? I guess?

Also, Soul Gaze again to see his reaction.
« Last Edit: April 04, 2018, 10:30:53 am by randomgenericusername »
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The dog behind the man behind the beard.
Immortality like that would be even more game breaking than four Aaron's in one place.
You're both so obviously scum that this is a surprisingly difficult decision.

IndigoFenix

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Re: Chromatic Spirits RPG: Ghosts to Gods (Chapter 2 - Strange Creatures)
« Reply #74 on: April 04, 2018, 06:54:27 am »

((Quick question about the setting, is my guy and the family he's protecting in a city? A rural town? Is there forests nearby?))

It's a small, rural village.  There is a forest nearby (Draoi is there).

Ok, two things. One, I'm using the dark theme, so some of your text is hard to read, especially the stuff in Draoi's section; there's one person in particular whose speech is virtually invisible.

Also: are people's speech colors indicative of their balance of traits/soul color?

I didn't even know you could change the theme.  Hmm.  I was specifically choosing colors that would be easy to read on the light theme.
Speech colors more or less correspond to their soul color, but it's not exact (light colors like yellows and cyans tend to be darkened for the above reason).
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