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  1. - Top - End - #211
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    Triskavanski's Avatar

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    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)

    Feliks grumbled a little as he was pulled back, still he nods to the halfling. "The witch is likely already taken by her." he says, as he follows with the halfings orders. "If there is fire, how likely are those explosives to explode?" He adjusts his own firebombs and devices to try and not get them sparking.
    Animated Spellcards from the Deck of Many Things
    A game I found interesting Aegis: Innocence

  2. - Top - End - #212
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)



    Looking up as Lile turned away and left she sighed to herself, "Wonder what has him so spooked about this place... Should have ask Afsppa'sol to join me, he would love this place since I'm pretty sure one of these statues is him. Though I feel more issues would have arisen if I had tried taking him into the city proper..." Taking one last look around the room she centered herself as best she could. She knew walking into Duvan in her current state was not the greatest idea, not only was she still very much injured but she only recently started gaining back the powers that she once held. Walking up to the waypoint she attempts to walk through it like the previous two had done before, readying herself for whatever might be on the other side.

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show


    Know Abstracts: (1d20+27)[36] or (1d20+27)[34]: For an idea of why Lile didnt want to enter the place.

    Perception: (1d20+13)[27] for the last check over the place

    Perception: (1d20+13)[19] for once i pass through the waypoint


  3. - Top - End - #213
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    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)



    The Cursed & The Immortal - Aden & Feliks


    22th of Rova, Sunday - Time: 8:46 am (Morning) / AR 4707 (Autumn)
    The Lost Coast Road; Sandpoint Hinterlands
    Town of Sandpoint; Town Square


    Aden quickly navigated towards the back of the tavern where the professor had emerged from with the linen before being dragged out of the establishment. Unlike the front entrance, the rear exist was removed from immediate view by a simple tall wooden picket fence but it did little to obscure his vision while peaking out from between the cracks while extending out from the door's exit. It was quiet. Not long ago the sound of cheer and festivities had choked the air with the roil of laughter and merriment. Now there was nothing, only a stifling stillness. He couldn't make out much beyond the 40ft or so which still remained generally un-obscured around the tavern. An uncharacteristic mist had begun to creep over the town, seeming to blow up from the south by some fell northerly breeze which carried a chill that bit to the bone. He was no ranger, but the whole phenomenon felt down right unnatural. Carefully he retreated back into the cover of the building's interior.

    The halfling dug out a set of heavy leathers and begun strapping the armor over his chest hastily. "I don't have much an idea what the business in that letter is about, but if I had to take an educated guess, I'd say we're caught in the middle of something else. Likely related, but the Rellos are shrewd if nothing else, and they tend to consider 'scorched-earth tactics' like this as something as less than viable. It just feels more like somethin' a competitor would resort to. After all, the whole damn town is already under her thumb..." The short man scratched the back of his head, "...The White Crow though? How da' hell's that supposed to work? The Crow was the troop I put together during the dive at Ulbeph. After the job we split, maybe half went on to do their own thing and sign as Nirmathi Irregulars or something. Couldn't much say what happened to the rest; we don't really talk. 'Course, that was before things went sideways, so who knows now."

    With a sharp jerk he finished strapping on the simple armor. He quickly threw on a number of bandoleers with an assortment of tools and items before pulling out a thick cloak and throwing it over himself. "If Affri's got the witch, then so be it. I'm sure she can manage, or just screw with time again, but we're gonna need a plan if we're gonna make it out of here. Assuming we have two groups of killers waiting out there, we'll be something short of friends so don't hold back. However, if we're unfortunate enough to confront Affri herself... Well, if we can't escape just surrender. I've no intention of being murdered off, and even three on one I'd place our chances of winning close to non-existent. The gypsy-folk explain her freakish power on some supposed lineage to the the First Sword of the Knights of Aroden, King Ilsur, and his supposed relation to some nameless man-god. Don't know, don't much care. I don't really buy all that voodoo nonsense. I just know her bow's some kinda mythical Varisian spirit-weapon that can paint my guts across the highland, and I've had just about enough of getting toyed with by witches and ghosts. So with that in mind, we stand a better chance talking it out long enough to wait for an opportunity to get the hell out, if worst comes to worst. I can't say the same for the psychopaths that just poisoned the whole fawking town. That's about the most I can give you as far as what we're up against, at least until we can identify any other involved parties."

    Denil pulled out a brace of pistols, taking a moment to prime the loaded weapons then sliding them away into the folds of his cloak with a nod to Feliks. "Don't worry about the explosives, they won't go off from open flame, but mind the gunpowder... That could cause a bit of a mess." Producing a well drawn map out from his bag he unfolded it on the bar-top, it depicted the Sandpoint Highlands "Wisher's Well, eh? That means we need to head south, that's where we came in from so your wagon and horse should still be on the south-side of town... but we run some heavy risks. If we cut back through the town, we'll have to deal with whatever madness is waiting for us and probably have to fight our way out of town. Meanwhile, the north gate is right in view and at least appears unguarded, though it's potentially a trap. We could exit and circle about outside the town to head south, and-or, grab the wagon on the way out. If we're going to take the long-way around the mountainous-hills on the west-end of the Devil's Platter it'll be crucial to be mounted. Though, alternatively, we could cut through it on foot or horseback, but we'll have to leave the carriage if we're going across the back-country. Though that'll keep us on the east-side of Cougar's Creek. It's the fastest way to press forward, otherwise we'd need to head further south across Ashen Moor til we reach the crossing. We'll need a heading, but i'll leave that call between you boys. Know well though, that if we cut through town we'll likely be put at odds with well-meaning men. That's how Affri likes to pressure her targets, and we don't have time to screw around. So if you're not mentally prepared to kill good men to make your escape, you'll have to circle about and run the risk of dealing what whatever mercenaries she's deployed around the town's perimeter... but if we're expecting pursuit, then it's going to be a sheit-show either way. So might as well do it fast an' dirty."

    Mrs. Corwin sighed pouring a shot of some clear liquor, "Well whatever you're going to do, you boys need to make up your mind so I can get this place shut-up tight." Denil down the shot with a grimace, "Aye. Your call, lads. I'm with you either way."



    Main Quest: Death In Her Smile
    Truth was a fickle thing. It changed form with each new angle with which it was seen; just as it did now. Avecna took great risk delivering a letter of warning to the young Gales, speaking of some unknown danger and grand conspiracy. Now a new threat rose from one which was so familiar. They had to escape the town of SandPoint, and rendezvous with Avecna far away in the city of Korvosa. Preparations were made, but they knew their foes would not make it easy.
    Difficulty: Moderate | Status: On-going | Profit: Unknown | Time: Unknown
    Objective 1: Escape SandPoint
    Objective 2: Flee South through the wilderness to the Ashen Rise
    Objective 3: Meet the transport at Wisher's Well
    Alternate Objective 1: A weaponized disease of some sort has begun to spread in SandPoint. Remain un-afflicted by the blight.
    Alternate Objective 2: Send aid to the town of SandPoint to help contain the disease.




    Main Quest, Global: A Friend Named Nemesis
    A creature which should not be. A threat not yet understood. Nightmarish constructs emerge from buried ancient recesses within the earth. Their purpose is as strange as their appearance. Seemingly unfazed by mundane weapons and built impossibly study, they march forward unimpeded following some unpredictable nature. Whatever these creature's design, for now at least, it was better to simply stay out of the way...
    Difficulty: Moderate | Status: On-going | Profit: Unknown | Time: 2 years
    Primary Objective: Survive
    Second Objective: Find Professor Mayvert & uncover clues to the construct's origin




    (Suspended) Side Quest: The Devil Inside
    Emithy explained that everyone had begun having strange dreams, and even visions, without explanation. The only difference was how those effected interpreted their experiences. Most dismissed it completely. Dreams were just dreams, but some had more acute experiences. The depth of how men were effected seemed to differ based on the individual. It raised many questions, but none more so than if truly everyone across the world was now plagued by these strange haunts within their minds. It was an impossible scale, an impossible magic, but they had seen strange things. The young man advised them against pursuing these visions haphazardly, least they bite off more than they could chew. Maybe the voices were real and the world would be crushed by the endless darkness, but that didn't mean the voice in the blackness would come to their aid when their backs were against the wall. Perhaps the young man was right, perhaps it was better to take things slow. Perhaps it was time to take on a normal job?
    Difficulty: None | Status: On-going | Profit: Unknown | Time: None
    Objective:Find Emithy. Find a job.


    Spoiler: Hinterlands Map
    Show


    Spoiler: Rewards | EXP
    Show



    ֍ Aden XP +450 (5,600xp)
    ⯎ Received [Greyflame Crucible, CR7]

    ֍ Feliks XP +300 (5,950xp)

    ֍ Denil XP +600 (1,000xp)


    Last edited by Mornings; 2018-07-19 at 01:14 AM.

  4. - Top - End - #214
    Troll in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)



    The Returner - Stella Astral




    Main Quest: The World Betwixt
    An alien and foreign world. An even stranger land and people. Rising from the mires, you find yourself in a place unlike any you've seen before. Somewhere between a dream, a spirit land and reality, this world resided. Everything about it seemed to bristle with magic of a different sort, a type which didn't even seem familiar. You had come to be healed, and seeing the strangeness of the universe around you, you felt you had come to the right place. For it was so unique, that it didn't seem a stretch of the truth to believe that such a cure could be found quite easily. Yet, that same thought also drove home a fact; you were a long way from home.
    Difficulty: Challenging | Status: On-Going | Profit: Unknown | Time: None
    Objective:Heal your wounds.
    Alternate Objective: Reclaim "Drejan'sila, Frozen Eternal". Summon the Ra'Dolfaal & heal your wounds.


    There were Murrpau in Duvan, of that much she was certain. Yet, she knew virtually nothing of this place... this, shrine? The thought seemed odd to her as there should have existed no such places of worship centric to the Dalhar D'Inlé. Perhaps to some extent they could be called some manner of gods themselves, but Quarry was repetitively young in comparison to the D'Inlé, who had long fallen into obscurity outside of Isto'thac. Known only as some manner of plotting diabolic evil laying in wait to reclaim the city with blood and fire, their visage and likeness would not be something known to the denizens of this plane; yet here stood such carved idols looming down at those who dared enter.

    By all accounts no such place should have existed here. It's existence was just as unexplained as Lile's caution and her subsequent isolation. As she glanced about looking for some hint as to the sinking ruin's origin, the eerie sense which had lingered since her arrival seemed to press in from all sides. Unexpectedly the light steepened a shade, as if beginning to be smothered by some invisible smoke and a shade slowly pressed forward. No light pierced it, nor could vision carry through the inky blackness. [Stella | Checks - Partial]

    Stella stepped upon the circular dais but unlike the two who came before her, nothing happened. No lights, no flash. The gloomy share continued its advance, bringing with it a sense of impending doom. A distant hissing laughter slowly rose, distant at first, then erupting into a maddening raucous cackle that hammered her ears and pained her head. Growing ever louder in volume with each passing moment. Her thoughts raced, what had those two done which was different!? What was the method of activation!? She was quickly running short on time as even her own thoughts begun to ring horribly insider her own head as the laughter rose and the darkness closed in.


    ??th of Rova, Sunday - Time: ?:26 am (Morning) / AR 4707
    Tangi'thac, The Waking Day; Du'ased'taur, The Sacred Grove
    The City of Quarry; E'Auldordun


    Spoiler: Rewards | EXP
    Show


    ֍ Stella XP +350 (7,700xp)
    [B]⯎ Veilwitch Path Advancement: Veilweaver
    ⯎ Liberation Influence Gained
    ⯎ Community Influence Gained

    ⯎ Gem of Telepathy: 3/5 Charges, 3 min duration - Identified use with UMD


    Stella HP: 1/17
    ✦ Spited (Returner)
    ⭍ Spite increases by 1 (Knowledge: Forbidden)
    ⭍ Severity of spited effects increase due to Knowledge (Forbidden)
    ⭍ Stella's move speed is reduced by 10
    ⭍ Stella takes 5 points of constitution damage
    ⭍ Stella takes 2 points of wisdom damage
    ⭍ Stella's HP reduced to 0
    ⭍ Stella's checks other than Forbidden have failed due to Spite
    ⭍ Knowledge (Local) has been Spited and may not be used until Spite is reduced to 0
    (Some effects of Spite remain active until the current value is lessened or removed completely)




    Spoiler: Spellweaving
    Show


    Spoiler: Veilweaver
    Show

    Veilwitch Path Advancement: Veilweaver

    Darkness. Depravity. The Eternal Black. These were the words of the Veil Witch. Sinister and unrelenting, nothing was sacred, nor would the feeble powers of their kin enough to slake their thirst for true and undiluted power. It was the simple nature of such things to destroy those who pursued it, and indeed, most were. Those who remained stood wholly committed to unearth the abyssal powers of the beyond, fearing no death nor eternity which waited to greet them. For they were damned by an unconquerable desire. Each manifestation of magic slowly corrupted them, changing them and steeping them further into the dark. The further they delved the more their minds were unhinged and removed from the realm of mortals, made mad by the knowing of forbidden secrets. A process known as the Blackening. Veil Witches could bend the Weave, but were far less potent than their kin. Rather, they sowed Veils; constructs of eldritch energies knitted together from countless threads. They could be abhorrent anomalies, physical fabrications, or even Diverged paths of reality. Secrets were precious, and knowledge - sacred, but to those who delved deep into the darkness awaited... Revelation.

    Benefit: Returner Path Advances to Veilwitch.

    Your intelligence & wisdom increases by 4. The base DC of the Veilwitch's Spellweaves is 15 and her caster level while casting a Spellweave is considered 2 lower (minimum 1). The amount of Spellweaves which a Veilwitch may learn is extremely limited. The maximum amount of Spellweaves she may learn is 1d4 per hit dice she possesses. When learning a new Spellweave, she may choose to replace an existing one. The Veilwitch gains the ability to cast Veilweaves, unique constructs of otherworldly magic. Each Veil possesses unique qualities, however most cannot be directly used by the Witch nor other creatures. A Veil can be sentient, but cannot activate its own abilities without the Witch's command, a swift action. A Veil may be wielded by otherworldly entities such as Greater Spirits, but only with the Veilwitch's consent. Veils persist indefinitely until destroyed or dismissed, but the number which may exist at any given point may not exist her Arcane Aptitude. Veil's which require certain conditions to persist can only be maintained by the Witch who created it, or an entity allowed to wield it. The Witch may learn any number of Veilweaves, in addition each time she casts a spell or Spellweave there is a 15% chance a Veil is created. These spontaneous Veils will hold similar properties to the magic which created, while other features may be randomly determined. Spontaneous Veils cannot be learned as Veilweaves, but are unique constructs formed from her magic.

    The Veilwitch begins with the following Veils:
    ⛤ Domain of Black
    ⛤ The Black Veil, Renor'vet




    Spoiler: Veil: Domain of Black
    Show
    [Veilweave, General] Domain of Black
    The Eternal Black was the void-space which existed between the Primeval Dark and the higher world beyond, which the Mother of the Black Veil resided. It was here which the gateway to all great power manifested, but it was violent and destructive. An explosive esoteric explosive within the consciousness of any who dared open the gate. Sacred spaces existed which would lessen the punishing transition to this domain, but Veilwitches were a resourceful lot, and not so ethically inclined. If they could not reach such sacred ground, then they could simply make their own - though at great expense to all life and nature which might exist about them. It was a heavy tax, but one far better to pay than the harm which would be inflicted upon their very minds should they climb the moral high-ground. Many Veilwitches had gone mad after growing a conscious or finally being overcome by their own depravity, which is why most apprentices would be dead. A natural process which the merciless seasoned Witches referred to as 'The Culling'.

    Activation: 1 Full-round action - Skill Check
    Associated Skill: Knowledge (Forbidden), DC20
    Use: Within a Circle of Black, a sacred geographic space, this Veil may be used - dealing 1 point of wisdom damage to the Witch. If the Witch activates this Veilweave outside of her sacred ground, she immediately suffers 6d6 points of wisdom drain and is afflicted with 6d6 points of Spite. This damage cannot be avoided by any source and must be applied to the Witch successfully for this Veil to function when used outside of a Circle of Black. The Witch may also choose to create her own Circle of Black, but doing so requires the completion of a dark ritual. The Witch must gather 10 HD worth of creatures and one child of a civilized race, sacrificing them within a large black circle. The manner which the sacrifices are murdered and the construction of her Circles does not matter. After completing her ritual and spending an hour in uninterrupted meditation with the corpses the ritual is complete. A large 50 ft circle is burned into the earth and all living creatures other than the Witch within 1 mile suffer 3d6 points of constitution damage. All natural life within this zone wilt and dies before hardening into a black petrified state. All sources of natural light in this corrupted landscape is decreased by 1 level and the caster level of magic with the healing or good description is reduced by 2 (minimum 1). A Circle of Black is only usable once every 1d6 days.

    After successfully casting this Veilweave, the Witch fabricates an arcane construct of herself within the Eternal Black where she may seek the council of the Ra'Dolfaal - the terrible master of the darkness between. The function of her Veil may serve one of two functions:
    The wicked entity will answer any one question which the Witch inquires, but his response is limited to one word, which will never be 'yes' or 'no'. The answer which the Ra'Dolfaal speaks is always true, but may be deceptive.

    The Witch may request the Ra'Dolfaal change one thing within an existing Divergence. The amount of words which she may use to provide the request is limited to one per hit dice she possesses. Regardless of the complexity or difficulty, the Ra'Dolfaal will always demand a price for the change, provided in one word. The Witch may choose to either except or decline the tax, and may always choose to make the request again at another time. The Ra'Dolfaal is forbidden from requesting the same price twice from a Witch, even if for the same request.

    After using one of these two abilities, the Veil-body she created is destroyed.



  5. - Top - End - #215
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)



    The oddity of the place sent a slight shiver down her spine, she had no idea why this place existed nor whom built it. The one thing she did know though was that Afsppa'sol had a high chance of knowing the answer to the questions in her mind. Standing on the circular dias she unsure why it is not working for her, the rising laughter sent pain screaming through her head. Drawing on her powers she looked around at it trying to figure out what the method to activate the device was, she tried spitting on the dias in hopes of that causing it to work.

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show


    Know Abstract: (1d20+27)[38] or (1d20+27)[32] to try and see if now that im right on it i can see the method of activation... like a golden thread or something


  6. - Top - End - #216
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    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)



    The Returner - Stella Astral




    Main Quest: The World Betwixt
    An alien and foreign world. An even stranger land and people. Rising from the mires, you find yourself in a place unlike any you've seen before. Somewhere between a dream, a spirit land and reality, this world resided. Everything about it seemed to bristle with magic of a different sort, a type which didn't even seem familiar. You had come to be healed, and seeing the strangeness of the universe around you, you felt you had come to the right place. For it was so unique, that it didn't seem a stretch of the truth to believe that such a cure could be found quite easily. Yet, that same thought also drove home a fact; you were a long way from home.
    Difficulty: Challenging | Status: On-Going | Profit: Unknown | Time: None
    Objective:Heal your wounds.
    Alternate Objective 1: Reclaim "Drejan'sila, Frozen Eternal". Summon the Ra'Dolfaal & heal your wounds.
    Alternate Objective 2: Find another way.


    It was cold. Waves of living darkness pressed in from all sides like violent roiling tides. Amorphous shapes begun to slowly take form. They existed like spaces of absence, spots upon a black tapestry of perfect smooth darkness without distortion nor ripples. Shadow puppets cast upon the falling curtain of some blighted bygone age. The warmth was stolen from the air, replacing it with a lifeless chill that brought the breath from her lips blooming into a soft misty puff of smoke. The sharp crackle and snap jarred her senses away from the mounting pain of the rising tone of deafening laughter as the pools of water about the chamber begun to flash freeze.

    Through the hellish cacophony of deafening voices Stella managed to maintain control of her thoughts and senses long enough to recall the odd gesture Faux had made before vanishing from sight. She spat upon the shrine's floor, hitting the dais with the glob of saliva. The voices went silent. It ended as abruptly as it began, like hitting mute upon the volume of the world. She remembered how Glemphree'El had also tracked his soaked boots to the stone just before; the key was water. Or moisture at the very least. The circular platform flashed to life.


    A grim voice spoke out, old, thundering and immense. It shook through her as if she stood next to the mouth of a titan, who's very voice created a rattling sonic pressure. The light flared brighter, consuming her and drowning out the rest of the world. There was a motionless quiet. A stillness which had begun to grow familiar. Within the void she floated, held suspended within the seemingly infinite vastness. Yet, this was not the same place she had known. It was far more similar to the twinkling dazzle of the world-scape of cosmos she had witnessed when she had met Ulbeelta. This place existed beyond one of the doors, and the voice which spoke was unlike any which she had ever heard before. The voice of a stranger. From the depths the words echoed through her being.


    Dizzied, dazzled, reeling and blinded she staggered about. The world of darkness did not remain long enough to speak her answer. Instead she found herself once again returned to the real, and now she could not see. Never before had the wrap left her completely blind. There was only a hazy white film over all that would be laid out before her, it was a frightful experience which she had never even heard of occurring even in passing. It felt as if she had been tossed about, spun around, then shot across the stars while left to wildly flail about with no sense of up or down, left or right. She ran into something hard, a solid surface. Something shook, then the crash of something hollow and delicate like pottery echoed as it smashed upon the ground.

    "Hm? Oh, well hello. How curious..." The sound had jarred someone's attention who was... here, wherever here was. "You'll have to enlighten me as to how you've managed to cross this Domain, but I suppose we can save that for another time... Are you well? You look quite terrible." She could hear soft footsteps from somewhere approaching, then a hand upon her shoulder, steadying her rocking. "Perhaps you should sit."


    ??th of Rova, Day? - Time: ?:?? am? / AR 4707
    ?????; ?????????
    ?????; ?????????


    Spoiler: Rewards | EXP
    Show


    ֍ Stella XP +450 (8,150xp)
    [B]⯎ 'The Choice" +200xp (8,350xp)
    ⯎ Met [??????] +300xp (8,650xp)
    ⯎ Veilwitch Path Advancement: Veilweaver
    ⯎ Liberation Influence Gained
    ⯎ Community Influence Gained

    ⯎ Gem of Telepathy: 3/5 Charges, 3 min duration - Identified use with UMD


    Stella HP: 1/17
    ✦ Spited (Returner)
    ⭍ Spite increases by 1 (Knowledge: Forbidden)
    ⭍ Severity of spited effects increase due to Knowledge (Forbidden)
    ⭍ Stella's move speed is reduced by 10
    ⭍ Stella takes 5 points of constitution damage
    ⭍ Stella takes 2 points of wisdom damage
    ⭍ Stella's HP reduced to 0
    ⭍ Stella's checks other than Forbidden have failed due to Spite
    ⭍ Knowledge (Local) has been Spited and may not be used until Spite is reduced to 0
    (Some effects of Spite remain active until the current value is lessened or removed completely)




    Spoiler: Spellweaving
    Show


    Spoiler: Veilweaver
    Show

    Veilwitch Path Advancement: Veilweaver

    Darkness. Depravity. The Eternal Black. These were the words of the Veil Witch. Sinister and unrelenting, nothing was sacred, nor would the feeble powers of their kin enough to slake their thirst for true and undiluted power. It was the simple nature of such things to destroy those who pursued it, and indeed, most were. Those who remained stood wholly committed to unearth the abyssal powers of the beyond, fearing no death nor eternity which waited to greet them. For they were damned by an unconquerable desire. Each manifestation of magic slowly corrupted them, changing them and steeping them further into the dark. The further they delved the more their minds were unhinged and removed from the realm of mortals, made mad by the knowing of forbidden secrets. A process known as the Blackening. Veil Witches could bend the Weave, but were far less potent than their kin. Rather, they sowed Veils; constructs of eldritch energies knitted together from countless threads. They could be abhorrent anomalies, physical fabrications, or even Diverged paths of reality. Secrets were precious, and knowledge - sacred, but to those who delved deep into the darkness awaited... Revelation.

    Benefit: Returner Path Advances to Veilwitch.

    Your intelligence & wisdom increases by 4. The base DC of the Veilwitch's Spellweaves is 15 and her caster level while casting a Spellweave is considered 2 lower (minimum 1). The amount of Spellweaves which a Veilwitch may learn is extremely limited. The maximum amount of Spellweaves she may learn is 1d4 per hit dice she possesses. When learning a new Spellweave, she may choose to replace an existing one. The Veilwitch gains the ability to cast Veilweaves, unique constructs of otherworldly magic. Each Veil possesses unique qualities, however most cannot be directly used by the Witch nor other creatures. A Veil can be sentient, but cannot activate its own abilities without the Witch's command, a swift action. A Veil may be wielded by otherworldly entities such as Greater Spirits, but only with the Veilwitch's consent. Veils persist indefinitely until destroyed or dismissed, but the number which may exist at any given point may not exist her Arcane Aptitude. Veil's which require certain conditions to persist can only be maintained by the Witch who created it, or an entity allowed to wield it. The Witch may learn any number of Veilweaves, in addition each time she casts a spell or Spellweave there is a 15% chance a Veil is created. These spontaneous Veils will hold similar properties to the magic which created, while other features may be randomly determined. Spontaneous Veils cannot be learned as Veilweaves, but are unique constructs formed from her magic.

    The Veilwitch begins with the following Veils:
    ⛤ Domain of Black
    ⛤ The Black Veil, Renor'vet




    Spoiler: Veil: Domain of Black
    Show
    [Veilweave, General] Domain of Black
    The Eternal Black was the void-space which existed between the Primeval Dark and the higher world beyond, which the Mother of the Black Veil resided. It was here which the gateway to all great power manifested, but it was violent and destructive. An explosive esoteric explosive within the consciousness of any who dared open the gate. Sacred spaces existed which would lessen the punishing transition to this domain, but Veilwitches were a resourceful lot, and not so ethically inclined. If they could not reach such sacred ground, then they could simply make their own - though at great expense to all life and nature which might exist about them. It was a heavy tax, but one far better to pay than the harm which would be inflicted upon their very minds should they climb the moral high-ground. Many Veilwitches had gone mad after growing a conscious or finally being overcome by their own depravity, which is why most apprentices would be dead. A natural process which the merciless seasoned Witches referred to as 'The Culling'.

    Activation: 1 Full-round action - Skill Check
    Associated Skill: Knowledge (Forbidden), DC20
    Use: Within a Circle of Black, a sacred geographic space, this Veil may be used - dealing 1 point of wisdom damage to the Witch. If the Witch activates this Veilweave outside of her sacred ground, she immediately suffers 6d6 points of wisdom drain and is afflicted with 6d6 points of Spite. This damage cannot be avoided by any source and must be applied to the Witch successfully for this Veil to function when used outside of a Circle of Black. The Witch may also choose to create her own Circle of Black, but doing so requires the completion of a dark ritual. The Witch must gather 10 HD worth of creatures and one child of a civilized race, sacrificing them within a large black circle. The manner which the sacrifices are murdered and the construction of her Circles does not matter. After completing her ritual and spending an hour in uninterrupted meditation with the corpses the ritual is complete. A large 50 ft circle is burned into the earth and all living creatures other than the Witch within 1 mile suffer 3d6 points of constitution damage. All natural life within this zone wilt and dies before hardening into a black petrified state. All sources of natural light in this corrupted landscape is decreased by 1 level and the caster level of magic with the healing or good description is reduced by 2 (minimum 1). A Circle of Black is only usable once every 1d6 days.

    After successfully casting this Veilweave, the Witch fabricates an arcane construct of herself within the Eternal Black where she may seek the council of the Ra'Dolfaal - the terrible master of the darkness between. The function of her Veil may serve one of two functions:
    The wicked entity will answer any one question which the Witch inquires, but his response is limited to one word, which will never be 'yes' or 'no'. The answer which the Ra'Dolfaal speaks is always true, but may be deceptive.

    The Witch may request the Ra'Dolfaal change one thing within an existing Divergence. The amount of words which she may use to provide the request is limited to one per hit dice she possesses. Regardless of the complexity or difficulty, the Ra'Dolfaal will always demand a price for the change, provided in one word. The Witch may choose to either except or decline the tax, and may always choose to make the request again at another time. The Ra'Dolfaal is forbidden from requesting the same price twice from a Witch, even if for the same request.

    After using one of these two abilities, the Veil-body she created is destroyed.


    Last edited by Mornings; 2018-07-13 at 10:38 PM.

  7. - Top - End - #217
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)

    Aden looked towards the north gate, a grimace marring his face. The mercenaries would undoubtedly be better trained and better equipped than whatever townsfolk would be standing in their way should they go south. South should be the easier path, barring any unexpected complications. The sound choice, the logical choice, was to go south.

    Yes.

    Absolutely true.

    So why wasn't he making the call?

    Was he really that squeamish? It wasn't as though he hadn't killed before. It wasn't as though he hadn't killed innocents before. Where he grew up, it was part of what you did for survival. The strong took from the weak, and if the weak weren't smart enough to give in, they got squashed. And since he joined up with the Cotton Club, Aden hadn't been particularly concerned with what each mission entailed. If he needed to hurt people, to kill people, well, all that was justified in the service of his freedom. So what was going on that he couldn't make the decision now?

    "You're right, Denil. The north gate's a trap. It's obviously a trap. It practically is screaming hello this is a trap for the Cotton Club members trying to escape the city." Aden's grimace twisted into a grin. A half cocked, slightly mad, too wide grin. "But it's like me old dad used to say. If one trap is obvious, it's gonna be easier to deal with than the trap you can't see. We're taking the north gate, swinging back around to the south. We'll try and take the back country, grab our horses if we can. We want to be to Wisher's Well as soon as we can. If we can make it to the horses without being spotted, great. But all three of us need to be ready for a fight. Whoever's waiting for us outside the walls will be well armed and have no issues slitting our throats. Anyone who gets in our way is going to die. Preferably in a horribly painful way, involving fire."
    ATTENTION ANYONE WHO I'M PLAYING WITH:
    No news is good news.

  8. - Top - End - #218
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)

    The happiness she gained from having figured out how to activate the waypoint was shortlived as she was thrust into the void. The Grim voice spoke out its words seemed to resound throughout her being, she knew not whom this being was only that it apparently stole something from her and that if she felt ready she could demand it back. But whatever was taken would also be unleashed upon the world, she knew not if she was ready but she did not care if she was or not. If this being had taken something from her then she had to have it back.

    As the Void went away she found that her sight was gone for the time being, the white haze filled her vision as her mind swam laps around itself trying to sort itself out. This was a first for her, never before had she been blinded by anything. A small bit of fear settled into her as she stumbled around her sense of direction was all jumbled she could not even be sure if she was moving forwards or upwards at this time. As she slammed into something hard she listened to the pottery smash against the ground. She froze as a voice spoke to her, the voice seemed friendly enough, though it also seemed to be a bit curious about her. As the hand came up to steady her she the fear grew a bit more, she knew not whom was touching her or if the person meant well or had other motives for playing nice but she did know that she did not have a lot of choices in help at the moment. "Yeah... Sitting might be good, im a bit blind right not... as well as very dizzy, not sure exactly where i am or why i was sent here instead of where i should have gone... Where is here if you don't mind me asking? Would you also perhaps know the date and time as well?" she hoped that whomever this was would give her a good idea of what might be going on or might be able to even assist with getting her to where her destination should have been.

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show


    Know Abstract: (1d20+17)[26] or (1d20+27)[40] for why the waypoint didnt just send her along with the others.

    Perception: (1d20+13)[32] for whatever i can gain from listening to the persons voice and surrounding ambient noises.


  9. - Top - End - #219
    Troll in the Playground
     
    Mornings's Avatar

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    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)



    The Returner - Stella Astral



    Main Quest: The World Betwixt
    An alien and foreign world. An even stranger land and people. Rising from the mires, you find yourself in a place unlike any you've seen before. Somewhere between a dream, a spirit land and reality, this world resided. Everything about it seemed to bristle with magic of a different sort, a type which didn't even seem familiar. You had come to be healed, and seeing the strangeness of the universe around you, you felt you had come to the right place. For it was so unique, that it didn't seem a stretch of the truth to believe that such a cure could be found quite easily. Yet, that same thought also drove home a fact; you were a long way from home.
    Difficulty: Challenging | Status: On-Going | Profit: Unknown | Time: None
    Objective:Heal your wounds.
    Alternate Objective 1: Reclaim "Drejan'sila, Frozen Eternal". Summon the Ra'Dolfaal & heal your wounds.
    Alternate Objective 2: Find another way.



    She felt herself being guided, forwards... then to the right, then upwards as if walking along some curving surface until she had gone completely vertical. A rocking sensation threatened to shake both her constitution and stomach contents loose beneath the staggering feeling of vertigo. Guided down to a seat, the surface felt neither cold nor warm, completely absent of temperature, yet the surface felt porous and hallow yet rigid, like some manner of compressed material akin to a manner of paper - though far stronger.


    "The sense of displacement is a side-effect upon your body I'm afraid. This is not a place welcoming to creatures such as yourself, and so there will be some discomfort. You will learn to bear it should you find yourself here for an extended period, but fear not. Your eyes are perfectly fine. There is neither warmth nor light within this place, nor life; at least within a state which might be familiar. Thus you can see nothing, because there is nothing, at least as far as a more... mundane creature is concerned." The woman's voice paused, "Hm, unfortunately I do not think you would understand even if told, but this is The Black. I'm afraid there is no relative position by which any further direction, nor comparative state which a physical 'location' might be derived. There simply is, nothing else." She was right, she didn't understand, but not from a lack of knowledge. Stella knew what the Black was, but it wasn't a place. It was something akin to a patron and energy, the source of the pseudo-divine power which a Veilwitch channeled with each of her Blackened Spells. It was the reason why Veilwitches experienced the Blackening, the boundless evil and corruption demanded a heavy toll. As she understood it, it was alike to a living sentient reservoir of terrible sentient energy which each Witch of Duvan tapped into to unleash might far outclassing their cousins from the world above.

    Nothing about it made sense. It contested everything she knew, everything she was taught. It was heresy to the Teachings. "I'm not sure I understand your second question. The date and time, of what - where? If you mean Duvan, then it matters not. Regardless if it was very long ago, or perhaps from a point yet come, you will return where you should - when you do. Of course... you're not from Duvan, are you? You're so wonderfully curious." She could feel a hand stroking her back softly... "They measure time by a period of planetary rotations, marking a span of time since the creation of a city, as I recall. A period called 'years', recorded on a calendar named Absalom Reckoning, right? Would you like to know the date on your world? This Golarion?" A tense silence seemed to choke the air. It lasted for what seemed like an eternity. The hand on her back was still.

    "...Tell me, child. Who is that voice speaking to you?"


    ??th of Rova, Day? - Time: ?:?? am? / AR 4707
    The Black; ?????????
    ?????; ?????????


    Spoiler: Rewards | EXP
    Show


    ֍ Stella XP +450 (8,600xp)
    ⯎ Discovered The Black +200xp (8,800xp)
    ⯎ Veilwitch Path Advancement: Veilweaver
    ⯎ Liberation Influence Gained
    ⯎ Community Influence Gained

    ⯎ Gem of Telepathy: 3/5 Charges, 3 min duration - Identified use with UMD
    ✦ Checks failed


    Stella HP: 1/17
    ✦ Spited (Returner)
    ⭍ Spite increases by 1 (Knowledge: Forbidden)
    ⭍ Severity of spited effects increase due to Knowledge (Forbidden)
    ⭍ Stella's move speed is reduced by 10
    ⭍ Stella takes 5 points of constitution damage
    ⭍ Stella takes 2 points of wisdom damage
    ⭍ Stella's HP reduced to 0
    ⭍ Stella's checks other than Forbidden have failed due to Spite
    ⭍ Knowledge (Local) has been Spited and may not be used until Spite is reduced to 0
    (Some effects of Spite remain active until the current value is lessened or removed completely)




    Spoiler: Spellweaving
    Show


    Spoiler: Veilweaver
    Show

    Veilwitch Path Advancement: Veilweaver

    Darkness. Depravity. The Eternal Black. These were the words of the Veil Witch. Sinister and unrelenting, nothing was sacred, nor would the feeble powers of their kin enough to slake their thirst for true and undiluted power. It was the simple nature of such things to destroy those who pursued it, and indeed, most were. Those who remained stood wholly committed to unearth the abyssal powers of the beyond, fearing no death nor eternity which waited to greet them. For they were damned by an unconquerable desire. Each manifestation of magic slowly corrupted them, changing them and steeping them further into the dark. The further they delved the more their minds were unhinged and removed from the realm of mortals, made mad by the knowing of forbidden secrets. A process known as the Blackening. Veil Witches could bend the Weave, but were far less potent than their kin. Rather, they sowed Veils; constructs of eldritch energies knitted together from countless threads. They could be abhorrent anomalies, physical fabrications, or even Diverged paths of reality. Secrets were precious, and knowledge - sacred, but to those who delved deep into the darkness awaited... Revelation.

    Benefit: Returner Path Advances to Veilwitch.

    Your intelligence & wisdom increases by 4. The base DC of the Veilwitch's Spellweaves is 15 and her caster level while casting a Spellweave is considered 2 lower (minimum 1). The amount of Spellweaves which a Veilwitch may learn is extremely limited. The maximum amount of Spellweaves she may learn is 1d4 per hit dice she possesses. When learning a new Spellweave, she may choose to replace an existing one. The Veilwitch gains the ability to cast Veilweaves, unique constructs of otherworldly magic. Each Veil possesses unique qualities, however most cannot be directly used by the Witch nor other creatures. A Veil can be sentient, but cannot activate its own abilities without the Witch's command, a swift action. A Veil may be wielded by otherworldly entities such as Greater Spirits, but only with the Veilwitch's consent. Veils persist indefinitely until destroyed or dismissed, but the number which may exist at any given point may not exist her Arcane Aptitude. Veil's which require certain conditions to persist can only be maintained by the Witch who created it, or an entity allowed to wield it. The Witch may learn any number of Veilweaves, in addition each time she casts a spell or Spellweave there is a 15% chance a Veil is created. These spontaneous Veils will hold similar properties to the magic which created, while other features may be randomly determined. Spontaneous Veils cannot be learned as Veilweaves, but are unique constructs formed from her magic.

    The Veilwitch begins with the following Veils:
    ⛤ Domain of Black
    ⛤ The Black Veil, Renor'vet




    Spoiler: Veil: Domain of Black
    Show
    [Veilweave, General] Domain of Black
    The Eternal Black was the void-space which existed between the Primeval Dark and the higher world beyond, which the Mother of the Black Veil resided. It was here which the gateway to all great power manifested, but it was violent and destructive. An explosive esoteric explosive within the consciousness of any who dared open the gate. Sacred spaces existed which would lessen the punishing transition to this domain, but Veilwitches were a resourceful lot, and not so ethically inclined. If they could not reach such sacred ground, then they could simply make their own - though at great expense to all life and nature which might exist about them. It was a heavy tax, but one far better to pay than the harm which would be inflicted upon their very minds should they climb the moral high-ground. Many Veilwitches had gone mad after growing a conscious or finally being overcome by their own depravity, which is why most apprentices would be dead. A natural process which the merciless seasoned Witches referred to as 'The Culling'.

    Activation: 1 Full-round action - Skill Check
    Associated Skill: Knowledge (Forbidden), DC20
    Use: Within a Circle of Black, a sacred geographic space, this Veil may be used - dealing 1 point of wisdom damage to the Witch. If the Witch activates this Veilweave outside of her sacred ground, she immediately suffers 6d6 points of wisdom drain and is afflicted with 6d6 points of Spite. This damage cannot be avoided by any source and must be applied to the Witch successfully for this Veil to function when used outside of a Circle of Black. The Witch may also choose to create her own Circle of Black, but doing so requires the completion of a dark ritual. The Witch must gather 10 HD worth of creatures and one child of a civilized race, sacrificing them within a large black circle. The manner which the sacrifices are murdered and the construction of her Circles does not matter. After completing her ritual and spending an hour in uninterrupted meditation with the corpses the ritual is complete. A large 50 ft circle is burned into the earth and all living creatures other than the Witch within 1 mile suffer 3d6 points of constitution damage. All natural life within this zone wilt and dies before hardening into a black petrified state. All sources of natural light in this corrupted landscape is decreased by 1 level and the caster level of magic with the healing or good description is reduced by 2 (minimum 1). A Circle of Black is only usable once every 1d6 days.

    After successfully casting this Veilweave, the Witch fabricates an arcane construct of herself within the Eternal Black where she may seek the council of the Ra'Dolfaal - the terrible master of the darkness between. The function of her Veil may serve one of two functions:
    The wicked entity will answer any one question which the Witch inquires, but his response is limited to one word, which will never be 'yes' or 'no'. The answer which the Ra'Dolfaal speaks is always true, but may be deceptive.

    The Witch may request the Ra'Dolfaal change one thing within an existing Divergence. The amount of words which she may use to provide the request is limited to one per hit dice she possesses. Regardless of the complexity or difficulty, the Ra'Dolfaal will always demand a price for the change, provided in one word. The Witch may choose to either except or decline the tax, and may always choose to make the request again at another time. The Ra'Dolfaal is forbidden from requesting the same price twice from a Witch, even if for the same request.

    After using one of these two abilities, the Veil-body she created is destroyed.


    Last edited by Mornings; 2018-07-14 at 10:43 PM.

  10. - Top - End - #220
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    iValkyrieX's Avatar

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    Dec 2014

    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)

    Asiresh

    Upon quick inspection of the sword and the orb, Asir places the sword into his own bag and then begins to fashion the makeshift breather mask onto his own head. Once on his head he makes haste off towards the door to the east trying his best to be quick with the added weight he now carries. While he moves he has the orb in his hand trying to examine it further to see if he can identify it more than just a strange pulsing orb. "Nelrin, how long does that feeding ritual of yours take.....there is enough death down here that you may be able to feed but I would not want to sit in wait for too long while that 'thing' is chasing us." Pressing through the door and looking past it to see what he can inside.

    Spoiler: Actions/OOC
    Show
    Not sure what else to do right now. I hungover AF and need sleep so here. It's been delayed heavily and you dont get much out of me right meow. i need more food.

    Spelly crafty for that orby thingy
    (1d20+7)[21]

    Haunted Child
    An aura of misfortune surrounds him causing creatures within 10 ft to roll twice and take the worst result on any d20. The Haunted is immune to his own aura, however any effects of Spite roll twice and take the least favorable result against him.

  11. - Top - End - #221
    Troll in the Playground
     
    Mornings's Avatar

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    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)



    The Exiled Son - Asiresh




    Main Quest: Goodnight World
    They had crushed your very existence. Scattered your soul across the realms and existence and cast you down into the filth of the mortal's world. Yet still you remained, still you struggled. Still you lived. A few hundred million years had found you in perhaps the worst state you had ever been, feeble and old. Even the body which you found yourself inhabiting could not be called the original. You've suffered chilling nights and blistering mornings, tortured and mangled, waiting for this chance. The devil which once haunted you many lifetimes ago had vanished, never to be seen again it seemed since you came to this world. It had been the first time in a long time you had ever been truly alone. Now it was time to destroy those who plotted against you, reclaim your birthright, and set the Cycle right. You were coming home.
    Difficulty: Challenging | Status: On-going | Profit: Unknown | Time: None
    Progress: (0/2)
    Primary Objective 1: Escape
    Primary Objective 2: Find your brother, Sino'fel
    Alternate Objective 1: Find the Lady of Morning
    Alternate Objective 2: Escape the Great Devourer, Gal'Korhal




    Main Quest, Global: A Friend Named Nemesis
    A creature which should not be. A threat not yet understood. Nightmarish constructs emerge from buried ancient recesses within the earth. Their purpose is as strange as their appearance. Seemingly unfazed by mundane weapons and built impossibly study, they march forward unimpeded following some unpredictable nature. Whatever these creature's design, for now at least, it was better to simply stay out of the way...
    Difficulty: Moderate | Status: On-going | Profit: Unknown | Time: 2 years
    Primary Objective: Survive
    Second Objective: Find a clue to the purpose of these strange constructs



    "It requires little time at all, though not all of these corpses were made recently... Save for this one who had the mask. He is freshly murdered." Asiresh strapped on the mask, it smelt sour; befouled by sweat and filth left to dry upon both its interior and exterior... but it would do. The old man turned the orb in hand, it was such a strange sphere, he couldn't be sure just exactly what it was - yet it seemed somewhat familiar. "That is a Faustian Orb, a sphere of power created by a man named... Gerald Faust, if I recall. A colleague of Professor Kelgore, who penned the codices. It is an early study of the Epsilon, unfortunately not the real thing. Still, it is a valuable find - though useless to me. I've wasted a great deal of time searching for the completed spheres between recovering the Renor..." The horned devil stopped abruptly, turning about with a long pointed finger accusingly directed at the shortsword the old man had just squirreled away in his bag.

    "But it seems you've already managed to find the first clue..." Asiresh knew that jealous menacing air about the devil. Ever plotting and measuring his gains. "That is a Tylonian blade, there are very few, but the one you have recovered is even unique among them. It is one of the Twelve Keys produced by our sister, A'Asllya'fel... If my orbs are anywhere, it will be within the Vault Worlds of the Blessed House... and now we have a key." The sinister creature's declaration was enough to usher back memories of anguish and fear. He had walked the Gardens of the Mother, been smitten and re-created by the wiles of another. He had passed through the White Halls of the Blessed House, he remembered the winding paths through Quortek'vdre which stretched onwards for many years. Just as he could recall the generosity of his once-adopted mother Tansel'ri and the blaze of the Worldfire, Tresk'ri-Chath - so too could he recall the scorn and looks of disgust his sisters had given him. Talri'fel waited for him there, yet now even she seemed like a lesser problem. The damned devil intended to return. Intended to sneak in and try their luck, breaking into the precious halls of the House and steal his runic artifacts.

    He had been fortunate enough to have never met his sister, A'Asllya'fel, but he knew her story well enough. He had heard it many times from his wife, Halja'fel, who loved to dote upon her sister and recount her many accomplishments. Unlike their kin, she had left Faith Holding and was more of a foreigner than a native to the realms of her family. Born within the Garden, she was the voice of the Mother and was gifted a title to display her peerlessness; 'The Worldforge'. He had been regaled many times with stories of the great Cycles which existed beyond from Valpurga, multiverses entirely separate and unalike their own. It had been A'Asllya's tales which had fanned the flames of independence within Valga'fel's heart and led to the three son's inevitable downfall. Only he, only Nelrin'fel, had lived long enough to see the outside of this rotting cage. Within his heart, he carried the embers of those discarded dreams for his brothers who had never escaped this vast prison. There were forces greater than the Houses, greater than the Mothers, than anything within this sad sorry state of existence. He had seen what a Child could accomplish when unchained from the dogma of the institution designed to enslave them. That black Seraph, Kal'fel; the Son of the Morning. The Daughter of Desolation, Lunas'fel... and even that damned Deathweaver; even though her strength also spelled her end, it too served as an example of how far one could climb. They couldn't afford to be captured now. Not after having come so far. Not after having a, fourth... fifth chance, to start back from the beginning. He could change everything this time.

    His self reflection shook a thought loose from his mind. The beginning? He didn't know the day or year... or even the time, but he knew he was somewhere beneath Magnimar according to the kid, Iron Hawk. If this was the beginning, then there was a chance he could have returned just before the Siege of Monuments, the entire city would be annihilated by Gal'Korhal who would emerge from some subterranean gateway beneath the Alabaster District. Last time he had saved the city, briefly, by defeating the remains of the Dread-Beast who would become the abyssal knight named Hollowed Vengeance. It had taken all four of their unified power while merged as Talri'fel to do it. In doing so he had recovered another Renor'anon, but perhaps if he was fast enough he could find the mortal who would become Hollowed Vengeance before he was corrupted and recover the Renor... He didn't know how this would all unfold now, or if it was even possible to escape if he had found himself upon the eve of the Siege. Last time Astrok'ru had taken them away from Golarion as the corruption of the Dread-Beasts flooded the civil world and Sino'fel's Calamity annihilated anything which might have remained. The thoughts and memories kept flooding in as if his two lives had suddenly established some connection with which the Tylonian weapon had served as a catalyst. With Sino'fel at his side, he was sure their combined might would be enough to fight back any threat, but not enough to escape the coming apocalypse. Perhaps if he could find the Lady of Morning, everything would be different. Sino'fel still had the favor of Lady Black, and though they were no allies of the House of Black she would offer them asylum just as she had many times before. They only needed the Lady of Morning to contact her and set their plan into motion.

    Crunch. He'd been distracted and hadn't noticed the floor. A handful of broken teeth were crushed underfoot. Blood. So much blood. The hall was a literal pool of blood and gore, over ankle deep. Corpses of man, beast and monster littered the interior, parts and limbs, organs and torn flesh. An eyeball bobbed on the surface of the blood-tide, belonging to some nameless creature. It was absolute carnage. A number of dogs and even a dire wolf lay dead in the sanguine pond, as the pool did not extend the entire length of the hall it was easy to tell that the stone slightly sagged downward allowing the blood to pool together, becoming deeper the further one tread. It looked as if the entire hallway had become the interior of a massive blender, or whirlwind of teeth. It painted the ceiling and every surface in the carnage. A wounded man stood in the center of the passage with his back against the wall, his side pierced and his leg torn open. He maintained a loose stance, motionless with two unusual pistols in hand - an Offworlder. His bloodshot eyes darted over to the old man, perfectly still.

    "Don't... Fawking... Move, old man."










    Spoiler: Recovered Items - Heavy Bag
    Show

    ⯎ Modified Sewer Mask (Filter Hood) | (2lbs)
    ⯎ Strange Shortsword (Unidentified) - Failed | 1d8, 18-20x2, S/P (2lbs)
    ⯎ Strange Orb (Unidentified) - Failed | (0.5lbs)
    ⯎ 673gp, 412sp, 544cp | (32.5lbs)
    ⯎ Waterproof Bag | (0.5lbs)


    Spoiler: Status | EXP
    Show

    Characters

    ⛨ Asiresh
    HP: 11/28
    AC 15
    Fort +3 / Ref +1 / Will +3

    ⛨ Iron Hawk
    HP 31/31
    AC 20
    Fort +7 / Ref +4 / Will +1
    Momentum 11/12



    ֍ Asiresh +450 XP (3,900xp)
    ⯎ The Twelve Keys +200 (4,100xp)
    ⯎ The Epsilon +200 (4,300xp)
    ⯎ Professor Gerald Faust +300 (4,600xp)
    ⯎ The Worldforge, A'Asllya'fel +100 (4,700xp)
    ⯎ The Vault Worlds of the Blessed House +200 (4,900xp)
    ⯎ The Siege of Monuments +300 (5,200xp)
    ⯎ Survival Influence Gained
    ⯎ Nelrin'Fel casts [Expeditious Retreat] on [Asiresh] - Duration 10/10 min

    ✦ Glass Dagger Lost
    ⯎ Asiresh is nauseated - 0/3 rounds

    ֍ Iron Hawk +0 XP (1900xp)
    ⯎ Liberation Influence Gained
    ⯎ Survival Influence Gained
    ⯎ Freedom Influence Gained
    ⯎ Knowledge Influence Gained
    ⯎ Exploration Influence Gained
    ⯎ Travel Influence Gained
    ⯎ Darkness Influence Gained


    STATUS
    ✦ Asiresh's bow string has rotted. After a number of uses it risks breaking: 12/12 Uses
    ✦ Asiresh is nauseated while he remains in the smog (DC20 Fort to resist for 1d3 rounds)
    [Nauseated]: Creatures with the nauseated condition experience stomach distress. Nauseated creatures are unable to attack, cast spells, concentrate on spells, or do anything else requiring attention. The only action such a character can take is a single move action per turn.



    ✦ Spited: 50 (Exiled Son)
    ⭍ Severity of spited effects increased (1)
    ⭍ Severity of spited effects increased (2)
    ⭍ Severity of spited effects increased (3)
    ⭍ Severity of spited effects increased (4)
    ⭍ Severity of spited effects increased (5)


    ✦ Wounds: Asiresh
    ⯎ Land speed reduced to 10 ft - Cannot run (Healed: Duration - 2 days)
    ⯎ Strenuous actions deal 1 point of damage (Healed)
    ⯎ Strenuous actions have a 10% chance of causing bleed 1d4 rounds (Healed)





  12. - Top - End - #222
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)



    As she was guided around she heard the voice speak to her again, it wanted an answer from her and didn't seem to want to give her much time to think about it. She thought about what it may have taken, it said that if it returned it to her it returned it to the world. She wasn't sure exactly what it meant by that but she did know that now that she was gaining her memories back she would definitely want whatever power it had taken from her back. As she sat down and felt the lack of temperature from the material she sat on a brief thought flitted through her head, "What is this place..." The thought was soon answered as the woman spoke to her explaining the situation. Her mind was even more confused, she was in The Black and that should not be possible. She was a bit glad though, the woman said she wasn't blind that it was just a lack of anything to see and thus she would see nothing. Though this now begged the question as to how she existed in this place at the moment, did she not have a physical body right now or was it just a lack of something else around her that kept her from seeing her own body. As the woman continued to explain everything she couldn't help but be a bit worried. Whomever this person was she was powerful if she existed here, she also wasn't human and apparently wasn't from Golarion either. The womans final words sent a shiver of fear through her body, whatever she was she was powerful and could apparently hear the voice of the man asking if she wanted what was taken. Taking a deep breath she tried to center herself, "Umm, I am not sure who the voice belongs to. I just know that he took something from me and that I would very much like it back, he has offered it as well saying I can demand it if I so choose but he says that it would return to the world as well so I am a little hesitant. If i knew what was taken then demanding it back would be a lot easier on me since I would then know what I was returning to the world." Moving her hand down to the wound that she had gained she felt around it seeing if it was still sore. "I am very much confused though by what you said, you said that we were in The Black... That is a bit much for me to take in as I thought that The Black was just an energy or Patron that we used... Kind of just like a bit of power from which us Veilwitchs channel our spells with. As for the date and time Golarion would be helpful as i am more used to it, Duvan i could calculate as well if needed but i haven't been there since i came from my old world to this new Golarion... Oh forgive me I have not introduced myself have I? I am Stella, it is a pleasure to meet you... I would ask your name but I am worried that it may cause problems like I had with Skullface, he spoke his name and caused a Divergence... I wouldn't like something to happen so if speaking your name would cause something to happen then i would be fine with a nickname to refer to you by, I just feel it would be rude to just refer to you as the Woman in The Black."

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show


    She scares me a bit...


  13. - Top - End - #223
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    The Returner - Stella Astral



    Main Quest: The World Betwixt
    An alien and foreign world. An even stranger land and people. Rising from the mires, you find yourself in a place unlike any you've seen before. Somewhere between a dream, a spirit land and reality, this world resided. Everything about it seemed to bristle with magic of a different sort, a type which didn't even seem familiar. You had come to be healed, and seeing the strangeness of the universe around you, you felt you had come to the right place. For it was so unique, that it didn't seem a stretch of the truth to believe that such a cure could be found quite easily. Yet, that same thought also drove home a fact; you were a long way from home.
    Difficulty: Challenging | Status: On-Going | Profit: Unknown | Time: None
    Objective:Heal your wounds.
    Alternate Objective 1: Reclaim "Drejan'sila, Frozen Eternal". Summon the Ra'Dolfaal & heal your wounds.
    Alternate Objective 2: Find another way.


    Though she couldn't see the absence of space and substance, she could feel the haunting woman smile softly. It felt like an unnatural occurrence, almost foreboding. "Yes, child. I know you, just as I know each soul bound to the Veil. You need not fear repudiation from the names of Greater Spirits nor Patriarch. However, you do not yet possess the strength to receive my own, and so you may call me Aradia. Though, your sisters refer to me as Lady Black." Her declaration was world shattering. Neither in this life, nor the one passed had she ever met a soul or entity greater than Adessa, yet now she found herself here. In a place she didn't understand. Surrounded by a world she could not see, and before the Daughter of Hensa; the master of The Perdition of a Malediction Eternity. It was the stuff of fantasy.

    "...Skullface?" There was a brief pause as if trying to place the name to an identity, "Oh, you mean Astrok'ru? He's still wearing that silly mask? I told him to throw that dreadful thing away ages ago... My, of course he would speak his name to you; As if you would possess the power to suppress him. There are few who can, even within the Circles, let alone within the mundane realms. He is honest, but take care you mind his pranks. They can quickly get out of hand." She felt a hand across her back now resting on her shoulder, firmly. Lady Black's tone shifted, loosing its mirth. "The year was 4707, and once it was the 22nd of Rova according to the calendar of your world. Perhaps such may be true again, in time..." There was a moment which passed, filled with nothing but silence. She could feel the woman's gaze piercing her throughout that painfully long quiet, as if being psychologically browbeaten by the eerie and disquieting stillness absent of sight, sound and warmth. A void. The only thing which reminded her that she physically existed at all was the firm grip which glued her in place as if she were firmly pressed between the crushing jaws of a vice. She was fading. She could feel herself beginning to diminish, as if her essence and the definition of her existence were bleeding away like watercolors running away from the surface of a canvas. Her awareness, her warmth, that something which existed within the nothing was burning away like paper lit aflame. The ashes were spreading... thinner, thinner still. Sinking. Drowning. As if falling within some abyssal chasm in which the very weight of the water above compressed her, squeezed her, crushed her. Smaller. Smaller...

    She couldn't feel the hand upon her shoulder anymore.
    She was...



    Then Lady Black spoke, and the silence ended. The world was real again. She was real again. The vibrating waves of something crashing into the real shook her to her very core. Sound. It was as if without it, there was only the abyss. Only the chasm. Only the maw. There was nothing without it, it was everything. Without it, she too would become part of the nothing. Stella didn't know if it had been a few passing seconds, or countless years. She only understood that for a time, perhaps for a moment; she had been nothing. She wasn't sure she could call it death, for she had not passed from a state of living, but rather she simply was no longer herself. She was no longer anything. She had always been part of the nothing, part of the Black. It was all. The traumatizing experience was enough for Stella to understand, the was nothing which she could hide from the Black. For she was a Witch of the Veil, and just as she was herself, so too was she the Black; and so too would she return to the void when her life was spent and her days were done. Lady Black had made her point. "It appears you understand now..." She could feel the woman's touch pass through her hair, "Each of you belong to the Black. It is you... and more. It is my hand, my word, which sustains you. Which protects you, shields you from that which would reclaim you. Each of you are are as my children. I am always with you. Everwatching... and so I will tell you who speaks."


    "His name is Rhahkhas. A foul abomination which I once took pity upon, and spared the embrace of the Black. He has returned from his exile and spit upon my mercy. He is an enemy of the Veil. An enemy to the House of Black. You must take back everything and anything which he has taken from you, and should the opportunity ever present itself, kill him. He does not rest and will seek any child of the Veil, to taint and corrupt. Do not fall for his trickery and do not allow him to retain any gift which he has stolen."


    ??th of Rova, Day? - Time: ?:?? am? / AR 4707
    The Black; ?????????
    ?????; ?????????


    Spoiler: Rewards | EXP
    Show


    ֍ Stella XP +450 (9,250xp)
    ⯎ Lady Black +500 (9,750xp)
    ⯎ Astrok'ru +300 (10,050xp)
    ⯎ Rhahkhas +200 (10,250xp)
    ⯎ Veilwitch Path Advancement: Veilweaver
    ⯎ Liberation Influence Gained
    ⯎ Community Influence Gained

    ⯎ Gem of Telepathy: 3/5 Charges, 3 min duration - Identified use with UMD
    ✦ Checks failed


    Stella HP: 1/17
    ✦ Spited (Returner)
    ⭍ Spite increases by 1 (Knowledge: Forbidden)
    ⭍ Severity of spited effects increase due to Knowledge (Forbidden)
    ⭍ Stella's move speed is reduced by 10
    ⭍ Stella takes 5 points of constitution damage
    ⭍ Stella takes 2 points of wisdom damage
    ⭍ Stella's HP reduced to 0
    ⭍ Stella's checks other than Forbidden have failed due to Spite
    ⭍ Knowledge (Local) has been Spited and may not be used until Spite is reduced to 0
    (Some effects of Spite remain active until the current value is lessened or removed completely)




    Spoiler: Spellweaving
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    Spoiler: Veilweaver
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    Veilwitch Path Advancement: Veilweaver

    Darkness. Depravity. The Eternal Black. These were the words of the Veil Witch. Sinister and unrelenting, nothing was sacred, nor would the feeble powers of their kin enough to slake their thirst for true and undiluted power. It was the simple nature of such things to destroy those who pursued it, and indeed, most were. Those who remained stood wholly committed to unearth the abyssal powers of the beyond, fearing no death nor eternity which waited to greet them. For they were damned by an unconquerable desire. Each manifestation of magic slowly corrupted them, changing them and steeping them further into the dark. The further they delved the more their minds were unhinged and removed from the realm of mortals, made mad by the knowing of forbidden secrets. A process known as the Blackening. Veil Witches could bend the Weave, but were far less potent than their kin. Rather, they sowed Veils; constructs of eldritch energies knitted together from countless threads. They could be abhorrent anomalies, physical fabrications, or even Diverged paths of reality. Secrets were precious, and knowledge - sacred, but to those who delved deep into the darkness awaited... Revelation.

    Benefit: Returner Path Advances to Veilwitch.

    Your intelligence & wisdom increases by 4. The base DC of the Veilwitch's Spellweaves is 15 and her caster level while casting a Spellweave is considered 2 lower (minimum 1). The amount of Spellweaves which a Veilwitch may learn is extremely limited. The maximum amount of Spellweaves she may learn is 1d4 per hit dice she possesses. When learning a new Spellweave, she may choose to replace an existing one. The Veilwitch gains the ability to cast Veilweaves, unique constructs of otherworldly magic. Each Veil possesses unique qualities, however most cannot be directly used by the Witch nor other creatures. A Veil can be sentient, but cannot activate its own abilities without the Witch's command, a swift action. A Veil may be wielded by otherworldly entities such as Greater Spirits, but only with the Veilwitch's consent. Veils persist indefinitely until destroyed or dismissed, but the number which may exist at any given point may not exist her Arcane Aptitude. Veil's which require certain conditions to persist can only be maintained by the Witch who created it, or an entity allowed to wield it. The Witch may learn any number of Veilweaves, in addition each time she casts a spell or Spellweave there is a 15% chance a Veil is created. These spontaneous Veils will hold similar properties to the magic which created, while other features may be randomly determined. Spontaneous Veils cannot be learned as Veilweaves, but are unique constructs formed from her magic.

    The Veilwitch begins with the following Veils:
    ⛤ Domain of Black
    ⛤ The Black Veil, Renor'vet




    Spoiler: Veil: Domain of Black
    Show
    [Veilweave, General] Domain of Black
    The Eternal Black was the void-space which existed between the Primeval Dark and the higher world beyond, which the Mother of the Black Veil resided. It was here which the gateway to all great power manifested, but it was violent and destructive. An explosive esoteric explosive within the consciousness of any who dared open the gate. Sacred spaces existed which would lessen the punishing transition to this domain, but Veilwitches were a resourceful lot, and not so ethically inclined. If they could not reach such sacred ground, then they could simply make their own - though at great expense to all life and nature which might exist about them. It was a heavy tax, but one far better to pay than the harm which would be inflicted upon their very minds should they climb the moral high-ground. Many Veilwitches had gone mad after growing a conscious or finally being overcome by their own depravity, which is why most apprentices would be dead. A natural process which the merciless seasoned Witches referred to as 'The Culling'.

    Activation: 1 Full-round action - Skill Check
    Associated Skill: Knowledge (Forbidden), DC20
    Use: Within a Circle of Black, a sacred geographic space, this Veil may be used - dealing 1 point of wisdom damage to the Witch. If the Witch activates this Veilweave outside of her sacred ground, she immediately suffers 6d6 points of wisdom drain and is afflicted with 6d6 points of Spite. This damage cannot be avoided by any source and must be applied to the Witch successfully for this Veil to function when used outside of a Circle of Black. The Witch may also choose to create her own Circle of Black, but doing so requires the completion of a dark ritual. The Witch must gather 10 HD worth of creatures and one child of a civilized race, sacrificing them within a large black circle. The manner which the sacrifices are murdered and the construction of her Circles does not matter. After completing her ritual and spending an hour in uninterrupted meditation with the corpses the ritual is complete. A large 50 ft circle is burned into the earth and all living creatures other than the Witch within 1 mile suffer 3d6 points of constitution damage. All natural life within this zone wilt and dies before hardening into a black petrified state. All sources of natural light in this corrupted landscape is decreased by 1 level and the caster level of magic with the healing or good description is reduced by 2 (minimum 1). A Circle of Black is only usable once every 1d6 days.

    After successfully casting this Veilweave, the Witch fabricates an arcane construct of herself within the Eternal Black where she may seek the council of the Ra'Dolfaal - the terrible master of the darkness between. The function of her Veil may serve one of two functions:
    The wicked entity will answer any one question which the Witch inquires, but his response is limited to one word, which will never be 'yes' or 'no'. The answer which the Ra'Dolfaal speaks is always true, but may be deceptive.

    The Witch may request the Ra'Dolfaal change one thing within an existing Divergence. The amount of words which she may use to provide the request is limited to one per hit dice she possesses. Regardless of the complexity or difficulty, the Ra'Dolfaal will always demand a price for the change, provided in one word. The Witch may choose to either except or decline the tax, and may always choose to make the request again at another time. The Ra'Dolfaal is forbidden from requesting the same price twice from a Witch, even if for the same request.

    After using one of these two abilities, the Veil-body she created is destroyed.



  14. - Top - End - #224
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    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)

    Feliks rubbed his chin. "I agree. If we go through the peasantry, its easier for them to hide some assassins within. Not to mention the law would be more justified at getting on us." taking out a vial of chemicals he hands it Aden. "This is an elixer of healing. easy enough to drink. We should probably throw together a quick disguise, but that would likely take too long. Best to leave now and get out of here. I'm already ready to go."
    Animated Spellcards from the Deck of Many Things
    A game I found interesting Aegis: Innocence

  15. - Top - End - #225
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    Her mind was swimming with all the information that Aradia was giving her. Not only did she now know Skullfaces name but she was also speaking with The Lady Black. Never in her wildest dreams did she even think that meeting Aradia was a possibility the thought had never even crossed her mind that she would ever get the opportunity. She knew that if she ever told anyone of this then there was a high possibility that they would just kill her out of spite, this was a secret she would only share with one other Witch... Adessa... Thinking about Adessa she wondered if her teacher had ever had the chance to meet Aradia or if she had even met Hensa at some point, if any other witch had ever met Hensa it would for sure be Adessa.

    As everything seemed to fade away the fear that she had felt the entire time was going with it, nothing existed for her and she as well did not seem to exist. As the world came suddenly back to her she now understood so much more about The Black. Sound seemed to be the only thing keeping her from fading away, she concentrated on the voice of Aradia as fear crept back into her body. The fear of non-existence was something she had never had before, but now having felt herself fade she couldn't help but fear the nothingness that came with it. "Yes I understand now more than I ever did before." as she spoke she felt a tear roll down her cheek. The realization of who exactly Aradia in settled into her being and the fear she felt was all the more real this woman was all that shielded her from the nothingness that she now feared.

    Hearing the name of the being that had taken from her was a bit of a joy, she now knew who she needed to get rid of and that it would most likely also bring her a bit of favor with Aradia if she did so. Rhahkhas was an enemy of House of Black and as such was her enemy as well, she would heed the words of Aradia and claim back that which was hers. Though now that she thought about it she her mind briefly wandered over what she knew of House of Black "Then I shall reclaim what he has taken from me, I assume that he can hear me just fine... Rhahkhas, I demand that you return that which you took from me..." she hoped that saying the beings name out loud would not cause problems, or that if something would happen then Aradia would stop it from happening. She did remember Aradia stating that she had nothing to fear from speaking the name of the Greater Spirits or Patriarch but she was still a bit worried.

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show


    Demanding back that which is mine...

    Know Abstract: (1d20+27)[33] or (1d20+27)[47] for info on house of black

    Last edited by forg99rules; 2018-07-17 at 09:06 PM.

  16. - Top - End - #226
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    The Cursed & The Immortal - Aden & Feliks


    22th of Rova, Sunday - Time: 8:53 am (Morning) / AR 4707 (Autumn)
    The Lost Coast Road; Sandpoint Hinterlands
    Town of Sandpoint; Town Square


    "...The hard way, eh?" Denil paused, nodding. "Alright then; but before you run off and get yourselves killed, you should know my rules for transparency-sake. You don't get old by fighting every fight worth fighting. I've no intention of wasting time trying to kill everything thats gets in my way, that's how you get murdered. If I can avoid it, I will. If I can't, I fight for an escape. Remember lads, we're escaping, not waging a goddam war; and traps tend not to work so well when your quarry wont sit still. So, needless to say, don't expect me to sit around for you if you're going around trying to finish off everyone you cross swords with. I'm escaping, that's the plan. I won't be stopping once stealth is not'a option and I've got something to run from. My combat priorities are harassment and preventing pursuit. With that in mind, I recommend ya don't walk directly behind me."

    Mrs. Corwin rolled her eyes, "Aye, you always were deft at running. Now get out before I lock you in. Try not to die." Denil strapped on a final belt of an assortment of small pouches beneath his cloak before nodding. "Just to be on the safe side, we should stagger when we leave so we're not all together if they come at us. " Mrs. Corwin had already begun moving about the tavern, boarding up the windows and doors which already had solid locks and latches. She absently presented a final word of warning as she worked. "...In or out, gentlemen." Denil, having seemingly completed his preparations moved towards the back and through the modest kitchen. "I suppose I'll go first then." Carefully he opened the backdoor, mist poured in through the exit and carefully he existed, making sure to silently close the door behind him.

    It was time to make good on their escape.



    Main Quest: Death In Her Smile
    Truth was a fickle thing. It changed form with each new angle with which it was seen; just as it did now. Avecna took great risk delivering a letter of warning to the young Gales, speaking of some unknown danger and grand conspiracy. Now a new threat rose from one which was so familiar. They had to escape the town of SandPoint, and rendezvous with Avecna far away in the city of Korvosa. Preparations were made, but they knew their foes would not make it easy.
    Difficulty: Moderate | Status: On-going | Profit: Unknown | Time: Unknown
    Objective 1: Escape SandPoint
    Objective 2: Flee South through the wilderness to the Ashen Rise
    Objective 3: Meet the transport at Wisher's Well
    Alternate Objective 1: A weaponized disease of some sort has begun to spread in SandPoint. Remain un-afflicted by the blight.
    Alternate Objective 2: Send aid to the town of SandPoint to help contain the disease.




    Main Quest, Global: A Friend Named Nemesis
    A creature which should not be. A threat not yet understood. Nightmarish constructs emerge from buried ancient recesses within the earth. Their purpose is as strange as their appearance. Seemingly unfazed by mundane weapons and built impossibly study, they march forward unimpeded following some unpredictable nature. Whatever these creature's design, for now at least, it was better to simply stay out of the way...
    Difficulty: Moderate | Status: On-going | Profit: Unknown | Time: 2 years
    Primary Objective: Survive
    Second Objective: Find Professor Mayvert & uncover clues to the construct's origin




    (Suspended) Side Quest: The Devil Inside
    Emithy explained that everyone had begun having strange dreams, and even visions, without explanation. The only difference was how those effected interpreted their experiences. Most dismissed it completely. Dreams were just dreams, but some had more acute experiences. The depth of how men were effected seemed to differ based on the individual. It raised many questions, but none more so than if truly everyone across the world was now plagued by these strange haunts within their minds. It was an impossible scale, an impossible magic, but they had seen strange things. The young man advised them against pursuing these visions haphazardly, least they bite off more than they could chew. Maybe the voices were real and the world would be crushed by the endless darkness, but that didn't mean the voice in the blackness would come to their aid when their backs were against the wall. Perhaps the young man was right, perhaps it was better to take things slow. Perhaps it was time to take on a normal job?
    Difficulty: None | Status: On-going | Profit: Unknown | Time: None
    Objective:Find Emithy. Find a job.


    Spoiler: Hinterlands Map
    Show


    Spoiler: Rewards | EXP
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    ֍ Aden XP +350 (5,950xp)
    ⯎ Received [Greyflame Crucible, CR7]

    ֍ Feliks XP +300 (6,250xp)

    ֍ Denil XP +600 (1,600xp)



  17. - Top - End - #227
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    Asiresh

    "Well bloody hell. Had I known that, you would be fed by now." Startled by the shear amount of blood and gore lying about on the floor, Asir pauses and looks up only to lock eyes with the man who he can only presume to be the cause of the bloodied bodies lying around him. Asiresh looks him up and down realizing just what kind of situation he walked into. "Oh yes by all means, I'll just be staying over here while you bleed out over there. I can see you're in a bit of a spot here with your leg shredded to bits and your side torn open and what not. Who are you here to save? There's nothing left down here but some boy who got himself caught. Me, who the boy made sure could get out when he got caught, and whatever that lightbearer was looking for." In saying so, points back through the door he just came through. "Oh I almost forgot one more thing. There is this half girl/half machine thing that is rampaging through the halls. I am in no shape to fight that thing but together we may stand a chance to save the boy."

    Spoiler: Actions
    Show
    I'm just gunna try to RP the hell out this one cuz he could kill me if I say something stupid

    Haunted Child
    An aura of misfortune surrounds him causing creatures within 10 ft to roll twice and take the worst result on any d20. The Haunted is immune to his own aura, however any effects of Spite roll twice and take the least favorable result against him.

  18. - Top - End - #228
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    The Returner - Stella Astral



    Main Quest: The World Betwixt
    An alien and foreign world. An even stranger land and people. Rising from the mires, you find yourself in a place unlike any you've seen before. Somewhere between a dream, a spirit land and reality, this world resided. Everything about it seemed to bristle with magic of a different sort, a type which didn't even seem familiar. You had come to be healed, and seeing the strangeness of the universe around you, you felt you had come to the right place. For it was so unique, that it didn't seem a stretch of the truth to believe that such a cure could be found quite easily. Yet, that same thought also drove home a fact; you were a long way from home.
    Difficulty: Challenging | Status: On-Going | Profit: Unknown | Time: None
    Objective:Heal your wounds.
    Alternate Objective 1: Reclaim "Drejan'sila, Frozen Eternal". Summon the Ra'Dolfaal & heal your wounds.
    Alternate Objective 2: Find another way.



    The House of Black. Once, just like every novice, the tales of the fabled primordial denizens had filled her imagination. She couldn't recall the face of her Gran Hexe, the senior Veilwitch who cared for the young apprentices of Duvan, but she remembered her name. Isera'el, and she remembered her stories. As she learned later, true Veilwitches cared very little for their dark goddess and her divine house, and more often then not they did not question the mysteries of their own strange magic. They were complacent; satisfied living as fodder, cogs in the cruel machine which the Covens piloted. They didn't need to think, only bow their head and toil for the sake of their masters. The invisible shackles of their servitude weighed down the ambitious and crushed those with neither exceptional skill nor ability amongst their peers. It was demanding enough to simply become a Duvan Witch, but unless one was exceptional even among the best, then only painful days waited. A life of pain, delivered by the laws of a city without any. The only thing which governed within the city of Duvan, was the strong.


    From what she still remembered, the House of Black was the seat of the pantheon of deities which the Veilwitch's magic was derived. At its head was their patron deity, the Mother of the Black Veil, the high-goddess Hensa. Her children formed the many gods which populated their myths and most secret of practices. As they each understood it, their magic was something in between arcane and divine magic - it was something else all together, perhaps even a blend of the two. The energy which fueled their spells originated from the Black, while the structure and expression of that energy seemed to derive from their own divine connections with the great deities of the House of Black. Yet, despite that, there were no such thing as clergy, at least in the traditional sense, for the Witches of Duvan. While the gods above were almost never seen nor connected to the mortal world, should a Witch loose the favor of the House of Black her magic would no longer function. There would come no warning, nor divine revelation. It was simply gone. The names of the children of Hensa were kept secret, just as their goddess's name was - least their magic be stolen by their rivals above in Tangi'thac.

    There were numerous secret sects dedicated to the Mother of the Black Veil's children, and with their devotion came mysterious and unique spells and magics far unlike the general practice of the average Witch. Those unsanctioned by the Covens were treated as treasonous rabble, it was a capital offense which none other stood above. As the hoarding of information and secrets from the Covens was seen as an unforgivable crime. Only the Covens were permitted to keep their secrets in the lawless streets of Duvan. Regardless if a Witch belonged to a group or not, if she participated in such occult sessions without reporting her findings and research, she would be treated the same. Those criminals who kept such secret practices were known as Eclectics, and the Council of Covens pursued and persecuted these Witches tirelessly, without mercy. Perhaps even Rhahkhas was the patron of some hidden cult, it was impossible to know. The only thing which she was certain was that the House of Black had shaped every facet of their culture and system of magic. It was their everything.

    It was that knowledge which made meeting Lady Black so significant. According to their own mythos, the Chosen Daughter was second only to her Mother within the matriarchy of the House. While almost every Witch knew her by title, it was the first time she had ever heard of an actual name associated with the goddess. While it might not have been her actual name, it was something she had chosen to be addressed by, and that may have been enough to be heard should she desire to garner her favor... and perhaps her magic. That, of course will make her no better than any other Eclectic, should she not report it... and Duvan Witches had refined an exceptionally sophisticated system to identify and punish such behavior. For all of their strength, they were still simple dolls to these eldrich beings. They were slaves to their own arrogance, and her people would never achieve enlightenment. Those who pursued the truth did not last long. Those who reported what they found would inevitably find something which the Covens would find offensive or contrary to their dogma. Such people had a habit of disappearing... All traces of such work were only available to the highest echelons of their caste, while the remainder were left in the dark, not even knowing the functions of their own magic.


    Adessa had devoted herself to unraveling the mysteries beyond, joining the Conclave and waging her own personal war against Duvan. Those who were not with her, were against her. Even with the combined might of the Covens, the Whispering Witch could not be stopped nor dissuaded. The faction which was built by her separatist faction of Eclectics would be called the Black Conclave. Those who emerged from her ranks after the fires of the civil war diminished would be the first Black Magisters, War Witches devoted entirely to further developing their union with the Black and their nameless deities. Throughout the realms, they would inspire fear and become the stuff of legend. In the mortal realms, they were the swords of the House of Black and keeper of their knowledge. That had been her once, she understood that now, having looked back upon the face of her past self. Yet she now knew, that power despite all its grandeur would not be enough to change anything when the final hours of this world drew to a close. She would need to be more, to learn more, to surpass everything she had ever accomplished. The favor of the House of Black would fail her, in the end...


    However, hope still remained, in the form of the Gran Hexe's tales... In legend, Hensa was the middle sister, of three sisters. The second oldest of the Three Mothers, a trinity of almighty goddesses, and the furthest removed of the Three Houses. Between Tangi'thac and Isto'thac the two divided universes were rules by an absolute congregation called the Wheel & Council. Two bodies of representatives, the Council represented all mortal creatures within either world, while the Wheel represented the all greater deities which held control over the three worlds. Upon that council were the Chosen Children, who represented their divine Houses - Lady Black among them. She had never seen the assembly herself, but now she knew without a doubt, outside of the pages of legend and theory that Lady Black was real... and if the Chosen Child of the House of Black existed, so too did the other Houses. [Stella | Knowledge (Abstract) - Success]

    If the House of Black would not be enough to grant her the power to face the end of everything she knew, perhaps Three Houses would.


    It flooded into her, like a madness. Drowning out everything else, even the darkness until she could see the flickering of light reflected from some small glinting window. It shifted and danced, animated and alive. As if watching a piece of time contained within that beautiful small glass-like shard. She smiled at the devil, oblivious to her own folly. Unknowing of all she had done, for those thoughts, those memories were lost with the girl she had once been. That person would never come back, never grow old; that world had ended. Now only the simmering fires of suspicion and curiosity drove her forward to walk within her own footprints, even absent of the memory that she had come here before. Absent of what she had created. Ignorant of what she had filled those pages with. She eagerly flipped open the cover.

    Deafening cacophony. The howl of the void of creation. Awash upon the roaring black seas of the Black. The abyss. The chasm. The maw. The entity of the Three Worlds came crashing into existence within her small trembling hands, tumbling out into the real from the running ink of the ancient pages she had penned. It annihilated existence as the two states of creation collided within a whirling desolate storm that shook the very fabrics of the universe. The quake of the colossus, awoken...


    Stella could feel her mind violently being slowly torn out from some disgusting hole, as if she had been sinking within the consciousness of some foul muddy pit. Her body was far away, screaming, as the familiar golden threads were ripped out from her form. Her mind was detached, left estranged of her physical form, and though she had no eyes nor sense by which to see, the vision of her body shown clearly in mind like a spotlight drawn down upon her to pierce the dark. With a thud her physical form hit the ground like a marionette whose strings had been cut. Somehow, something had severed the fates tied to her, she had been isolated from the Weave - but not her ability to bend and manipulate the strings. "You've seen it... The book."

    The voice of Lady Black suddenly seemed to reel back her senses and reality to an intelligible state, as if everything had run backwards; rewound, and darkened. All of a sudden she understood why she couldn't see, and Aradia's word's became that much clearer. She wasn't real. Nothing was, she wasn't here; not physically at least. Her body had arrived at its destination, but the rest of her ended up here. Her mind, and perhaps even her soul had found its way to the Black. With how time flowed, perhaps it had been some time. It even begged the question of if the physical body was even a necessity and how far one could push this state, or what effects it had on the physical world. Could one spend a century refining their magic here, only to return a god? Never before had she heard of such a state, but that was a concern soon dismissed. She could feel a new and terrible power welling within her, within her hand she still held that familiar token, though it did not appear clear as glass any longer.

    It was a heavy metal card with a deep silver boarder and within its interior lay an animated looping clip, loosely drawn upon the same manner of ancient parchment as the book she had seen. It was a sketch upon the book's paper showing the young girl opening the same book - a depiction of that frightful vision. "The fragments you have collected may now be captured and maintained, or expended once you've learned some control. Some captured fates may simply force themselves into existence while you are still weak. It will be a tremendously powerful weapon once honed."


    ??th of Rova, Day? - Time: ?:?? am? / AR 4707
    The Black; ?????????
    ?????; ?????????




    Silver Fate Captured - Unidentified Card




    Spoiler: Rewards | EXP
    Show


    ֍ Stella XP +450 (10,700xp)
    ⯎ Gran Hexe +100 (10,800xp)
    ⯎ [Memory] Isera'el +200 (11,000xp)
    ⯎ House of Black +100 (11,100xp)
    ⯎ Hensa, Mother of the Black Veil +100 (11,200xp)
    ⯎ Three Houses +200 (11,400xp)
    ⯎ Eclectics +100 (11,500xp)
    ⯎ Captured [?????] Silver Card +100 (11,600xp)
    ⯎ Veilwitch Path Advancement: Veilweaver
    ⯎ Liberation Influence Gained
    ⯎ Community Influence Gained

    ⯎ Gem of Telepathy: 3/5 Charges, 3 min duration - Identified use with UMD
    ✦ Checks failed


    Stella HP: 1/17
    ✦ Spited (Returner)
    ⭍ Spite increases by 1 (Knowledge: Forbidden)
    ⭍ Severity of spited effects increase due to Knowledge (Forbidden)
    ⭍ Stella's move speed is reduced by 10
    ⭍ Stella takes 5 points of constitution damage
    ⭍ Stella takes 2 points of wisdom damage
    ⭍ Stella's HP reduced to 0
    ⭍ Stella's checks other than Forbidden have failed due to Spite
    ⭍ Knowledge (Local) has been Spited and may not be used until Spite is reduced to 0
    (Some effects of Spite remain active until the current value is lessened or removed completely)




    Spoiler: Spellweaving
    Show


    Spoiler: Veilweaver
    Show

    Veilwitch Path Advancement: Veilweaver

    Darkness. Depravity. The Eternal Black. These were the words of the Veil Witch. Sinister and unrelenting, nothing was sacred, nor would the feeble powers of their kin enough to slake their thirst for true and undiluted power. It was the simple nature of such things to destroy those who pursued it, and indeed, most were. Those who remained stood wholly committed to unearth the abyssal powers of the beyond, fearing no death nor eternity which waited to greet them. For they were damned by an unconquerable desire. Each manifestation of magic slowly corrupted them, changing them and steeping them further into the dark. The further they delved the more their minds were unhinged and removed from the realm of mortals, made mad by the knowing of forbidden secrets. A process known as the Blackening. Veil Witches could bend the Weave, but were far less potent than their kin. Rather, they sowed Veils; constructs of eldritch energies knitted together from countless threads. They could be abhorrent anomalies, physical fabrications, or even Diverged paths of reality. Secrets were precious, and knowledge - sacred, but to those who delved deep into the darkness awaited... Revelation.

    Benefit: Returner Path Advances to Veilwitch.

    Your intelligence & wisdom increases by 4. The base DC of the Veilwitch's Spellweaves is 15 and her caster level while casting a Spellweave is considered 2 lower (minimum 1). The amount of Spellweaves which a Veilwitch may learn is extremely limited. The maximum amount of Spellweaves she may learn is 1d4 per hit dice she possesses. When learning a new Spellweave, she may choose to replace an existing one. The Veilwitch gains the ability to cast Veilweaves, unique constructs of otherworldly magic. Each Veil possesses unique qualities, however most cannot be directly used by the Witch nor other creatures. A Veil can be sentient, but cannot activate its own abilities without the Witch's command, a swift action. A Veil may be wielded by otherworldly entities such as Greater Spirits, but only with the Veilwitch's consent. Veils persist indefinitely until destroyed or dismissed, but the number which may exist at any given point may not exist her Arcane Aptitude. Veil's which require certain conditions to persist can only be maintained by the Witch who created it, or an entity allowed to wield it. The Witch may learn any number of Veilweaves, in addition each time she casts a spell or Spellweave there is a 15% chance a Veil is created. These spontaneous Veils will hold similar properties to the magic which created, while other features may be randomly determined. Spontaneous Veils cannot be learned as Veilweaves, but are unique constructs formed from her magic.

    The Veilwitch begins with the following Veils:
    ⛤ Domain of Black
    ⛤ The Black Veil, Renor'vet




    Spoiler: Veil: Domain of Black
    Show
    [Veilweave, General] Domain of Black
    The Eternal Black was the void-space which existed between the Primeval Dark and the higher world beyond, which the Mother of the Black Veil resided. It was here which the gateway to all great power manifested, but it was violent and destructive. An explosive esoteric explosive within the consciousness of any who dared open the gate. Sacred spaces existed which would lessen the punishing transition to this domain, but Veilwitches were a resourceful lot, and not so ethically inclined. If they could not reach such sacred ground, then they could simply make their own - though at great expense to all life and nature which might exist about them. It was a heavy tax, but one far better to pay than the harm which would be inflicted upon their very minds should they climb the moral high-ground. Many Veilwitches had gone mad after growing a conscious or finally being overcome by their own depravity, which is why most apprentices would be dead. A natural process which the merciless seasoned Witches referred to as 'The Culling'.

    Activation: 1 Full-round action - Skill Check
    Associated Skill: Knowledge (Forbidden), DC20
    Use: Within a Circle of Black, a sacred geographic space, this Veil may be used - dealing 1 point of wisdom damage to the Witch. If the Witch activates this Veilweave outside of her sacred ground, she immediately suffers 6d6 points of wisdom drain and is afflicted with 6d6 points of Spite. This damage cannot be avoided by any source and must be applied to the Witch successfully for this Veil to function when used outside of a Circle of Black. The Witch may also choose to create her own Circle of Black, but doing so requires the completion of a dark ritual. The Witch must gather 10 HD worth of creatures and one child of a civilized race, sacrificing them within a large black circle. The manner which the sacrifices are murdered and the construction of her Circles does not matter. After completing her ritual and spending an hour in uninterrupted meditation with the corpses the ritual is complete. A large 50 ft circle is burned into the earth and all living creatures other than the Witch within 1 mile suffer 3d6 points of constitution damage. All natural life within this zone wilt and dies before hardening into a black petrified state. All sources of natural light in this corrupted landscape is decreased by 1 level and the caster level of magic with the healing or good description is reduced by 2 (minimum 1). A Circle of Black is only usable once every 1d6 days.

    After successfully casting this Veilweave, the Witch fabricates an arcane construct of herself within the Eternal Black where she may seek the council of the Ra'Dolfaal - the terrible master of the darkness between. The function of her Veil may serve one of two functions:
    The wicked entity will answer any one question which the Witch inquires, but his response is limited to one word, which will never be 'yes' or 'no'. The answer which the Ra'Dolfaal speaks is always true, but may be deceptive.

    The Witch may request the Ra'Dolfaal change one thing within an existing Divergence. The amount of words which she may use to provide the request is limited to one per hit dice she possesses. Regardless of the complexity or difficulty, the Ra'Dolfaal will always demand a price for the change, provided in one word. The Witch may choose to either except or decline the tax, and may always choose to make the request again at another time. The Ra'Dolfaal is forbidden from requesting the same price twice from a Witch, even if for the same request.

    After using one of these two abilities, the Veil-body she created is destroyed.



  19. - Top - End - #229
    Ogre in the Playground
    Join Date
    Sep 2010

    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)

    Aden closed his eyes, counting the seconds as the passed.

    One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

    As he slowed his breathing, he could feel the fire recede, no longer bursting out of his skin. For now at least, he needed control, not power. Stealth, and speed. He focused his mind, remembering the path to the north gate, planning the exact steps he would run.

    Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty.

    As he focused, the image of the streets was replaced by another. The black flames called by Weiss, shaping into the faces of those, presumably, that had been consumed by it. The man, who she had embraced. The women, the children, the other men, even the beasts. Each in turn smiling, as though in peace. And, finally, after all the others had faded away, her face. One who Aden now only saw in dreams and waking remembrance.

    Teryn, smiling at him, shaped into being by black, flickering embers.

    Twenty one, twenty two, twenty three, twenty four, twenty five, twenty six, twenty seven, twenty eight, twenty nine.

    For so long, he had been consumed by grief. For so long, he had flitted from one thing to the next, desiring nothing. No, desiring death, desiring oblivion, a rest from the constant pain within and without. The flames no longer felt quite so painful. Teryn's face no longer brought him to tears just in the remembering. Aden felt his muscles tense. He had a purpose now. He needed to stay alive. He would not throw his life away, now that hope had come again. They would escape, because they had to.

    Thirty.

    Aden flashed a grin at Feliks. "See you on the other side."

    And he quickly shot from the door, closing it behind him and following the path he had set out in his mind. Through shadows, behind cover, out of sight to the north gate.

    Spoiler: OoC
    Show
    Stealth roll as part of moving through the city.

    (1d20+10)[16]
    ATTENTION ANYONE WHO I'M PLAYING WITH:
    No news is good news.

  20. - Top - End - #230
    Troll in the Playground
     
    Mornings's Avatar

    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Outside

    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)



    The Exiled Son - Asiresh




    Main Quest: Goodnight World
    They had crushed your very existence. Scattered your soul across the realms and existence and cast you down into the filth of the mortal's world. Yet still you remained, still you struggled. Still you lived. A few hundred million years had found you in perhaps the worst state you had ever been, feeble and old. Even the body which you found yourself inhabiting could not be called the original. You've suffered chilling nights and blistering mornings, tortured and mangled, waiting for this chance. The devil which once haunted you many lifetimes ago had vanished, never to be seen again it seemed since you came to this world. It had been the first time in a long time you had ever been truly alone. Now it was time to destroy those who plotted against you, reclaim your birthright, and set the Cycle right. You were coming home.
    Difficulty: Challenging | Status: On-going | Profit: Unknown | Time: None
    Progress: (0/2)
    Primary Objective 1: Escape
    Primary Objective 2: Find your brother, Sino'fel
    Alternate Objective 1: Find the Lady of Morning
    Alternate Objective 2: Escape the Great Devourer, Gal'Korhal




    Main Quest, Global: A Friend Named Nemesis
    A creature which should not be. A threat not yet understood. Nightmarish constructs emerge from buried ancient recesses within the earth. Their purpose is as strange as their appearance. Seemingly unfazed by mundane weapons and built impossibly study, they march forward unimpeded following some unpredictable nature. Whatever these creature's design, for now at least, it was better to simply stay out of the way...
    Difficulty: Moderate | Status: On-going | Profit: Unknown | Time: 2 years
    Primary Objective: Survive
    Second Objective: Find a clue to the purpose of these strange constructs



    The bleeding man didn't move from his place as he spoke, "I ain't here for no one else, old man. I don't give'a damn about your friends or your machine... As a matter'a fact, how 'bout you piss off and spare me your life-story." CLACK. The sound came again, like a mason's hammer rhythmically tapping on stone. It sounded muffled, yet near. "Awh, sheit..." the man cursed under his breath. Nelrin's gaze swept over the hallway, "...Something else is here."

    While he maintained his facade in front of the stranger, looking at the bleeding man only served to remind him of his own wounds. The injuries the gunslinger had sustained weren't life threatening. He himself was arguably in worse shape, the minor healing he'd received had been enough to close the surface wounds, but the thin tissue did little to detract from the throbbing wounds he had suffered. He could feel it in his aching bones, this body could tolerate perhaps two more blows at best before he succumbed to his own afflictions. Without Hawk's sword to defend him, he suddenly found himself quite naked in the face of adversity. Unlike that lad, this man was plainly not the caring sort. The dirt and blood which covered him wasn't all new, or all his own. The bandanna he wore was stained with markings telling old stories of violence. He didn't look like the underground thugs who lived here, but he didn't exactly look much better either.

    The rhythmic tapping sounded again from somewhere else, then stopped.

    The man's voice was low, sounding nothing short of a hiss.
    "...If you can't fight gramps, walk away."





    Spoiler: Recovered Items - Heavy Bag
    Show

    ⯎ Modified Sewer Mask (Filter Hood) | (2lbs)
    ⯎ Strange Shortsword (Unidentified) - Failed | 1d8, 18-20x2, S/P (2lbs)
    ⯎ Strange Orb (Unidentified) - Failed | (0.5lbs)
    ⯎ 673gp, 412sp, 544cp | (32.5lbs)
    ⯎ Waterproof Bag | (0.5lbs)


    Spoiler: Status | EXP
    Show

    Characters

    ⛨ Asiresh
    HP: 11/28
    AC 15
    Fort +3 / Ref +1 / Will +3

    ⛨ Iron Hawk
    HP 31/31
    AC 20
    Fort +7 / Ref +4 / Will +1
    Momentum 11/12



    ֍ Asiresh +450 XP (4,350xp)
    ⯎ Survival Influence Gained
    ⯎ Nelrin'Fel casts [Expeditious Retreat] on [Asiresh] - Duration 10/10 min

    ✦ Glass Dagger Lost
    ⯎ Asiresh is nauseated - 0/3 rounds

    ֍ Iron Hawk +0 XP (1900xp)
    ⯎ Liberation Influence Gained
    ⯎ Survival Influence Gained
    ⯎ Freedom Influence Gained
    ⯎ Knowledge Influence Gained
    ⯎ Exploration Influence Gained
    ⯎ Travel Influence Gained
    ⯎ Darkness Influence Gained


    STATUS
    ✦ Asiresh's bow string has rotted. After a number of uses it risks breaking: 12/12 Uses
    ✦ Asiresh is nauseated while he remains in the smog (DC20 Fort to resist for 1d3 rounds)
    [Nauseated]: Creatures with the nauseated condition experience stomach distress. Nauseated creatures are unable to attack, cast spells, concentrate on spells, or do anything else requiring attention. The only action such a character can take is a single move action per turn.



    ✦ Spited: 50 (Exiled Son)
    ⭍ Severity of spited effects increased (1)
    ⭍ Severity of spited effects increased (2)
    ⭍ Severity of spited effects increased (3)
    ⭍ Severity of spited effects increased (4)
    ⭍ Severity of spited effects increased (5)


    ✦ Wounds: Asiresh
    ⯎ Land speed reduced to 10 ft - Cannot run (Healed: Duration - 2 days)
    ⯎ Strenuous actions deal 1 point of damage (Healed)
    ⯎ Strenuous actions have a 10% chance of causing bleed 1d4 rounds (Healed)





  21. - Top - End - #231
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    forg99rules's Avatar

    Join Date
    Dec 2015

    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)



    Her mind mulled over what she knew of House of Black, as the memories flooded back in she listened as Rhahkhas responded to her demand for the return of what he took. As the memories flooded through her she let her mind filter the information and set it aside for use at a later date. As her mind filtered the information it paused briefly at the thought of needing to get the power of all Three Houses, her mind rolled over and tried to piece together what she knew regarding the other Two Houses before everything flooded into her.

    The memories that flooded her mind were deafening, the sight of The Book filled her mind as she watched the girl open it up. What came forth was nothing that she would ever hope to contain and she knew it, the powers it held were of a kind that she would hope to achieve but knew would be always out of her reach. As her mind came back she felt the threads tear from her body, she was no longer bound to the weave she was free of its control and hopefully able to control it more fully now. The voice of Lady Black brought her mind to the present, it was then the reality of what and where she was made sense. She knew now she was no longer in her body but instead was just a mind floating in the void that was The Black. "Which Book would that be, I did not recognize it..." The familiar feel of a card in hand was odd, the power that flowed through her was new and exhilarating. She now had back what was taken and it felt good, though she knew she was still to weak to make use of it and would have to train herself to control what she now had. She listened as Lady Black explained a bit of what the power was, she still did not understand fully what she held her mind though still sought an answer to the words Lady Black spoke. "I am sad to say that I don't fully understand what it was that Rhahkhas returned to me, though I am ecstatic to have it back as I can feel just how great of a power it will be. Would you be willing to explain more what I have gained or should I seek the answers while growing the power myself? I am also curious if this is what was taken when I sustained the wound to my gut, slightly disappointed that the wound still remains." She briefly hoped that Lady Black would provide more answers to what she gained as well she wished that the wound had been fixed when the power had been returned. Though she did not know when Rhahkhas had taken the power, her only guess what that it was he that ripped something from her in the city and had caused such a terrible wound.

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show


    Know Abstract: (1d20+27)[41] or (1d20+27)[33] for knowledge on the other Two houses

    Know Abstract: (1d20+27)[29] or (1d20+27)[32] for why im suddenly severed from the weave (expecting it to fail lol)

    Know Abstract: (1d20+27)[45] or (1d20+27)[31] for what these fragments that Lady Black mentioned are


  22. - Top - End - #232
    Troll in the Playground
     
    Mornings's Avatar

    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Outside

    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)



    The Returner - Stella Astral



    Main Quest: The World Betwixt
    An alien and foreign world. An even stranger land and people. Rising from the mires, you find yourself in a place unlike any you've seen before. Somewhere between a dream, a spirit land and reality, this world resided. Everything about it seemed to bristle with magic of a different sort, a type which didn't even seem familiar. You had come to be healed, and seeing the strangeness of the universe around you, you felt you had come to the right place. For it was so unique, that it didn't seem a stretch of the truth to believe that such a cure could be found quite easily. Yet, that same thought also drove home a fact; you were a long way from home.
    Difficulty: Challenging | Status: On-Going | Profit: Unknown | Time: None
    Objective:Heal your wounds.
    Alternate Objective 1: Reclaim "Drejan'sila, Frozen Eternal". Summon the Ra'Dolfaal & heal your wounds.
    Alternate Objective 2: Find another way.


    Knowledge of the Three Houses, even in passing was not a common thing. The Gran Hexe had taught her a number of tales, which had turned out, been more than she should have disclosed; and while she did not remember every fine detail, the general knowledge remained. The Three Mothers ruled over three divine Houses, and jointly they presided over the Three Worlds as an absolute authority. Gods above even the individual gods who ruled within their respective universes. In the children's stories, the oldest sister who was mightier than both her siblings combined was always found in a deep sleep. Sometimes it was an enchanted sleep, while other times she presided over creation from her dreams. Hers was the only House which she did not understand. Even within the stories, the details were very obscure. In legend, she was the only one of the Three Mothers who did not reside within the Three Worlds. Instead, she slept within an enchanted forest filled with primordial terrors from long before the birth of the Three Worlds. It existed some place else, a grand realm of existence which contained the Three Worlds, like marbles in a jar. The oldest sister never visited the small realms of the Three Worlds, in Gran Hexe's story it said that in all her power and age she simply forgot that such an insignificant plane existed, and her sisters could never rouse her from her sleep to remind her.

    The youngest sister of the three Houses had nearly built up the Three Worlds herself. She was the most industrious and invested in the mortal creatures and all the creations which inhabited it. Yet, having created so much she had lost all motivation and creativity, and so she asked her Mother for a page from her book. The very same one with which she had created so much. She passed the page to her only daughter, charging her with the challenge of creating the universes; and she did. Together they filled creation with life, both beautiful and terrible. Yet, there were some mistakes, errors made in haste. By chance her niece visited from the Garden, and delivered unto her a cursed flame which would erase her blunders... and it did, exceptionally. She was so pleased with the results she created a kindler to tend to the flame; the Faceless Man. Wielding the power to both create and destroy, she refined and developed the Three Worlds as she saw fit, manufacturing a perfect harmony. In the stories, the youngest sister was patient and methodical, valuing beauty and perfection but holding a curious appreciation for the foul and corrupt. The children she birthed reflected that nature, pure and perfect, almost mirroring each other in appearance. It was by her will that intervention in the worldly matters of the Three Worlds was delivered.

    There wasn't much else she could recall from so long ago, the stories had a habit of blending together and were usually told late in the evenings while it was less likely they would be overheard. As memory served, she had fallen asleep during the retelling a number of times because of that very reason. As far as to the reason which the Weave had been torn from her and just what these 'fragments' were... she couldn't be sure. If she had to make an educated guess however, they were part of each other - one and the same. These cards or these threads, they were both part of the Weave... perhaps. It was blasphemous thinking, a monologue any intelligent Witch wouldn't utter before her peers, but it was difficult to imagine any other feasible explanation. After all, if the Black could both be an energy and a place. Then who was to say it couldn't be a person, place or thing; or any combination of the three at one time. The same could very well apply to the Weave, after all it was both a thing, and an energy. Who was to say it couldn't become a card, or any other item. Why threads?

    The concept of something such as a fate breaking though... That seemed like something else altogether, and by extension you couldn't have a 'fragment' of something unless there was a 'whole' which the piece was once a part of. It was an outlandish concept that she couldn't begin to understand nor wrap her mind around even in theory. Never had such an idea even been theorized to her knowledge. Standing before so much she couldn't understand had a strange way of making a person feel smaller... [Stella | Knowledge (Abstract) - Partial]

    She could feel Lady Black offer a reluctant smile, "It is a tome manufactured by my sister during darker days. A grim record called 'The Seclusion of Terminating Prescience'. It is a corrupted grimoire which mimics the functions of the the Great Book, the tome entrusted to my aunt by my grandmother to create the Three Worlds. It was fashioned from its very pages. It is an artifact both great and terrible, but it has become a necessary evil. After my brother led the worlds to ruin, it was this same book which allowed us to recreate all which was destroyed. Now the Three Worlds are tied to its pages, along with every darkness and evil my sister's mind could fashion."

    There was a pause, "I see... I had hoped you would regain your ability in full once it was relinquished by Rhahkhas, but it appears we are not so fortunate. This was not your power in the life you once lived, but rather a gift which once belonged to Adessa. Now you have inherited it. I imagine Rhahkhas somehow managed to interrupt this process or something similar, or had perhaps vowed to pass it unto you. Regardless, now it is yours. While you hold it, you are bound to the Terminating Prescience. All life and creation, all that exists is drawn within its pages - living pictures which form the template this world uses to interpret live and existence within the Three Worlds. You are able to pull pages from this book, or rather, copies of these pages. But they are volatile, like pictures drawn in charcoal. They require great care and ability to maintain and employ. Each card is a fragment of the book's pages, copied unto the tokens which you hold. This is the best weapon we could manage to deal with the book, but unlike the true pages, each card is expended after a single use. Fortunately it is possible to copy a single fragment multiple times, though it is not so simple a task. When you have assembled a collection of more than one identified card, you may create the Deck of Terminating Prescience. This is your greatest weapon, allowing you to employ creatures, peoples, spells and weapons from across time and existence when needed. The only limitation... is your own Aptitude."

    Something was drawn into being, like a fire lit within the cold and dark of night. It was a warmth. She felt a hand place something within her own. It gleamed and shined with a radiance. A perfect golden hue. "This is my page. Each card which you collect must be identified. If the token possesses a power greater than your own aptitude then it must be identified with your Forbidden knowledge. It is only safe to do so within a Circle of Black, where your connection to the Black will be strongest. Each card comes in one of three qualities, gold, silver or bronze... this is how the Deck differentiates fates which influence more than one of the Three Worlds. As evident, golden fates influence all three and are the most power and taxing fates which you may control. While bronze fates only influence one, and are typically things native to a particular world. The difference is as vast as being capable of summoning a stable boy with a bronze fate, or calling upon myself with a golden fate. Each have their uses, and each have a cost. You must take great care in how you build your deck, and ensure you are taking the utmost advantage of your fates. I will impart to you knowledge of its basic functions." After a moment she could feel Lady Black's hand upon her head, then a sudden chill.

    Spoiler: The Deck of Terminating Prescience: Introduction
    Show


    The Deck is a powerful weapon designed to combat the corruption of the original cursed book which creation is now bound to. Employing the deck requires careful decision making and strategy to build an effective deck which caters towards the Witch's strengths and weaknesses.


    ACTIVATION

    Activating the Deck is a Standard Action. The Deck remains active for 1d10 rounds before vanishing. The duration the Deck remains active increases by 1 for every 10 points of Arcane Aptitude the Witch possesses.


    CARDS

    Once a card has been identified it's features are revealed. An individual card cannot be used until it has been assigned to a Deck. A minimum of 2 cards are required to create a deck. Each card follows the the format of features below. These features are unique to each card and may change even if multiples of the same card are owned. Unique functions such as Potential, Duration, Activation and Detail may be different between the copies of cards, giving new or unique functions to your familiar favorites.

    If a Witch is intentionally granted a card it is received already identified, while other cards are automatically identified if their Value is equal to or below the Witch's Arcane Aptitude. Unidentified cards must be identified via a Knowledge (Forbidden) check while within a Circle of Black; this check has no chance of success outside of such a zone and requires 10 minutes to complete. The information each card provides will vary based on the type of card which has been received. Further information is gained for every 5 points which the Witch's check exceeds the DC. This additional information is only available for cards which she has identified herself. She may choose to re-identify an identified card without any penalty, however she may only attempt this once per card.

    Categories marked as 'other' provide exceptions to the standard options and are typically massively powerful fates which should be used with reservation. Each card's effect persists after activation for a period of time listed under 'Duration'. The effect may be instant and then expire, last indefinitely, or last for a finite period. The exact time a limited duration fate stays in effect is usually only discovered within its hidden details.

    Each time a card is activated the associated Cost must be paid, which is removed from her Focus Pool (a sum of points equal to her Arcane Aptitude). If the activation of a Card would reduce the Witch's Focus to 0 or lower, the Witch is instantly slain.

    Name: Card Name
    Potential: Certain fates can be empowered if the Witch meets certain conditions before use.
    Min. Aptitude: Minimum AA (Arcane Aptitude) required to use the card
    Value: The number of Deck Points the card occupies
    Cost: The amount of AA required to activate the card
    Activation: Standard, Move, Swift, Immediate, Free, Other
    Duration: Instant, Permanent, Limited
    Fate: Soul, Support, Event, Other
    Grade: Gold, Silver, Bronze, Other
    Detail: A summery of identified functions that card will perform. Some functions may be hidden or obscure.


    DECKS

    Managing Decks is a critical role for the Witch, as is building multiple Decks. For every 15 points of Arcane Aptitude the Witch possesses, she may create an additional Deck. Once each day after receiving the benefit of 8 hours of rest the Witch may assign the cards associated with each Deck. A single card may only be assigned to a specific deck once. Each Deck the Witch owns possesses a limited number of Deck Points (DP) which dictate the size of her Deck. The Witch's first Deck is typically her largest and possesses a number of Deck Points equal to 4 + her Arcane Aptitude. Each subsequent Deck has less points than the last, with her second Deck having half the number of points as her first, and her third having half the value of her second, and so on. Each time she expends cards there is a chance she earns additional DP which she may spend between her Decks to increase their individual sizes (eg: If the Witch earns 4 points she may assign 2 points to Deck 1, and 2 points to Deck 2, etc.) The maximum Deck Points which a Witch may invest within a single Deck cannot exceed three times her Arcane Aptitude.

    Additionally, the Witch may swap decks as a full round action, but may not do so again for 1d8 hours.


    DRAWING

    Once the Witch has activated her Deck, a maximum of 4 hidden cards are randomly pulled from her Deck. The Witch may choose to draw one as a swift action, discarding the rest. Discarded cards are returned to her Deck, but any cards revealed among them are suspended for 1 round. Each round a new spread of cards is generated as a free action. The Witch may choose to reveal a hidden card by paying a cost associated with its grade; 1 point for bronze, 2 for silver, 3 for gold, and 5 for Other Rarity. This choice is a non-action which may be performed any number of times.


    THE HAND

    The Witch's Hand represents the maximum amount of power which she can maintain at once. The cards within her Hand may be paid for and activated at the Witch's discretion. There is no limitation to how many cards may be activated each round, as long as she has enough actions to complete each card's activation. Activating a card functions similarly to casting a spell, and provokes attack, however the card is not wasted should the Witch fail her concentration check. The Witch's initial maximum hand size is 3 cards. The number of cards she may add to her hand increases by 1 for every 10 points of Arcane Aptitude she possesses. If she ends a round with a number of cards in her hand in excess of her limit, she must discard cards until she has reached her maximum hand size.



    It crashed through her thoughts and consciousness like a wave brought on by some crushing tidal storm. The sophistication of it all still left some gray areas, but right now at least, she understood that it was a system. A strange game of power that felt all too familiar to the cards she had once seen before, and that card she had drawn had changed the world. "Now you understand the fundamentals of this magic, though both you and it are weakened in your current state. Your wound did not remove from you anything which you had possessed, but it did diminish your existence. Spite is a dangerous energy. Take care when you meddle with it... Now look at your cards once again."

    ??th of Rova, Day? - Time: ?:?? am? / AR 4707
    The Black; ?????????
    ?????; ?????????



    Spoiler: Cards
    Show


    Spoiler: Silver Fate
    Show


    Silver Fate Captured



    Name: The First's Chapter
    Potential: ✦⯎⯎⯎⯎⯎
    Min. Aptitude: 11
    Value: 1
    Cost: 1
    Activation: Standard
    Duration: Permanent
    Fate: Other
    Grade: Silver
    Detail: "Black. It was as if every light in the world went out. Extinguished by some divine hand. A perfect silence. Then, it came..."



    Spoiler: Golden Fate
    Show



    Golden Fate Captured



    Name: Aradia, The Lady Black
    Potential: ⯎⯎⯎⯎⯎⯎
    Min. Aptitude: 15
    Value: 5
    Cost: 2
    Activation: Standard
    Duration: Instant
    Fate: Soul
    Grade: Gold
    Detail:
    ✥ Grants Advice & Council
    ✥ ???????
    ✥ ???????





    Spoiler: Rewards | EXP
    Show


    ֍ Stella XP +450 (12,050xp)
    ⯎ The Cursefire +100 (12,150xp)
    ⯎ The Kindler +100 (12,250xp)
    ⯎ 'The Seclusion of Terminating Prescience' +300 (12,550xp)
    ⯎ The Goddess Who Forgot +200 (12,750xp)
    ⯎ The Goddess Who Forged the World +100 (12,850xp)
    ⯎ Deck of Terminating Prescience +200 (13,050xp)
    ⯎ Received Card: Aradia, The Lady Black +200 (13,250xp)
    ⯎ Veilwitch Path Advancement: Veilweaver
    ⯎ Liberation Influence Gained
    ⯎ Community Influence Gained

    ⯎ Gem of Telepathy: 3/5 Charges, 3 min duration - Identified use with UMD
    ✦ Checks failed


    Stella HP: 1/17
    ✦ Spited (Returner)
    ⭍ Spite increases by 1 (Knowledge: Forbidden)
    ⭍ Severity of spited effects increase due to Knowledge (Forbidden)
    ⭍ Stella's move speed is reduced by 10
    ⭍ Stella takes 5 points of constitution damage
    ⭍ Stella takes 2 points of wisdom damage
    ⭍ Stella's HP reduced to 0
    ⭍ Stella's checks other than Forbidden have failed due to Spite
    ⭍ Knowledge (Local) has been Spited and may not be used until Spite is reduced to 0
    (Some effects of Spite remain active until the current value is lessened or removed completely)




    Spoiler: Spellweaving
    Show


    Spoiler: Veilweaver
    Show

    Veilwitch Path Advancement: Veilweaver

    Darkness. Depravity. The Eternal Black. These were the words of the Veil Witch. Sinister and unrelenting, nothing was sacred, nor would the feeble powers of their kin enough to slake their thirst for true and undiluted power. It was the simple nature of such things to destroy those who pursued it, and indeed, most were. Those who remained stood wholly committed to unearth the abyssal powers of the beyond, fearing no death nor eternity which waited to greet them. For they were damned by an unconquerable desire. Each manifestation of magic slowly corrupted them, changing them and steeping them further into the dark. The further they delved the more their minds were unhinged and removed from the realm of mortals, made mad by the knowing of forbidden secrets. A process known as the Blackening. Veil Witches could bend the Weave, but were far less potent than their kin. Rather, they sowed Veils; constructs of eldritch energies knitted together from countless threads. They could be abhorrent anomalies, physical fabrications, or even Diverged paths of reality. Secrets were precious, and knowledge - sacred, but to those who delved deep into the darkness awaited... Revelation.

    Benefit: Returner Path Advances to Veilwitch.

    Your intelligence & wisdom increases by 4. The base DC of the Veilwitch's Spellweaves is 15 and her caster level while casting a Spellweave is considered 2 lower (minimum 1). The amount of Spellweaves which a Veilwitch may learn is extremely limited. The maximum amount of Spellweaves she may learn is 1d4 per hit dice she possesses. When learning a new Spellweave, she may choose to replace an existing one. The Veilwitch gains the ability to cast Veilweaves, unique constructs of otherworldly magic. Each Veil possesses unique qualities, however most cannot be directly used by the Witch nor other creatures. A Veil can be sentient, but cannot activate its own abilities without the Witch's command, a swift action. A Veil may be wielded by otherworldly entities such as Greater Spirits, but only with the Veilwitch's consent. Veils persist indefinitely until destroyed or dismissed, but the number which may exist at any given point may not exist her Arcane Aptitude. Veil's which require certain conditions to persist can only be maintained by the Witch who created it, or an entity allowed to wield it. The Witch may learn any number of Veilweaves, in addition each time she casts a spell or Spellweave there is a 15% chance a Veil is created. These spontaneous Veils will hold similar properties to the magic which created, while other features may be randomly determined. Spontaneous Veils cannot be learned as Veilweaves, but are unique constructs formed from her magic.

    The Veilwitch begins with the following Veils:
    ⛤ Domain of Black
    ⛤ The Black Veil, Renor'vet




    Spoiler: Veil: Domain of Black
    Show
    [Veilweave, General] Domain of Black
    The Eternal Black was the void-space which existed between the Primeval Dark and the higher world beyond, which the Mother of the Black Veil resided. It was here which the gateway to all great power manifested, but it was violent and destructive. An explosive esoteric explosive within the consciousness of any who dared open the gate. Sacred spaces existed which would lessen the punishing transition to this domain, but Veilwitches were a resourceful lot, and not so ethically inclined. If they could not reach such sacred ground, then they could simply make their own - though at great expense to all life and nature which might exist about them. It was a heavy tax, but one far better to pay than the harm which would be inflicted upon their very minds should they climb the moral high-ground. Many Veilwitches had gone mad after growing a conscious or finally being overcome by their own depravity, which is why most apprentices would be dead. A natural process which the merciless seasoned Witches referred to as 'The Culling'.

    Activation: 1 Full-round action - Skill Check
    Associated Skill: Knowledge (Forbidden), DC20
    Use: Within a Circle of Black, a sacred geographic space, this Veil may be used - dealing 1 point of wisdom damage to the Witch. If the Witch activates this Veilweave outside of her sacred ground, she immediately suffers 6d6 points of wisdom drain and is afflicted with 6d6 points of Spite. This damage cannot be avoided by any source and must be applied to the Witch successfully for this Veil to function when used outside of a Circle of Black. The Witch may also choose to create her own Circle of Black, but doing so requires the completion of a dark ritual. The Witch must gather 10 HD worth of creatures and one child of a civilized race, sacrificing them within a large black circle. The manner which the sacrifices are murdered and the construction of her Circles does not matter. After completing her ritual and spending an hour in uninterrupted meditation with the corpses the ritual is complete. A large 50 ft circle is burned into the earth and all living creatures other than the Witch within 1 mile suffer 3d6 points of constitution damage. All natural life within this zone wilt and dies before hardening into a black petrified state. All sources of natural light in this corrupted landscape is decreased by 1 level and the caster level of magic with the healing or good description is reduced by 2 (minimum 1). A Circle of Black is only usable once every 1d6 days.

    After successfully casting this Veilweave, the Witch fabricates an arcane construct of herself within the Eternal Black where she may seek the council of the Ra'Dolfaal - the terrible master of the darkness between. The function of her Veil may serve one of two functions:
    The wicked entity will answer any one question which the Witch inquires, but his response is limited to one word, which will never be 'yes' or 'no'. The answer which the Ra'Dolfaal speaks is always true, but may be deceptive.

    The Witch may request the Ra'Dolfaal change one thing within an existing Divergence. The amount of words which she may use to provide the request is limited to one per hit dice she possesses. Regardless of the complexity or difficulty, the Ra'Dolfaal will always demand a price for the change, provided in one word. The Witch may choose to either except or decline the tax, and may always choose to make the request again at another time. The Ra'Dolfaal is forbidden from requesting the same price twice from a Witch, even if for the same request.

    After using one of these two abilities, the Veil-body she created is destroyed.



  23. - Top - End - #233
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    Triskavanski's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jan 2011

    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)

    Feliks pinched the bridge of his nose, groaning slightly. Taking the few seconds to eat on a ration, and take a swig of water while the others prepared to go ahead of him. He counted. Waited. Putting away the left overs of his meal, he instead pulled a pellet out of his bag, carefully holding it. Shortly after Aden left, he was quick to follow after, trying to plan his own passage towards the northern gate.


    Spoiler: OOC
    Show


    Stealth (1d20+9)[10]
    Perception (1d20+11)[27]

    Animated Spellcards from the Deck of Many Things
    A game I found interesting Aegis: Innocence

  24. - Top - End - #234
    Troll in the Playground
     
    Mornings's Avatar

    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Outside

    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)


    Plummeting through mist and smoke, they ran. It was a screen of impenetrable white. A choking white miasma. The air was humid and a dampness begun to permeate their cloths. The water which had begun to run off of their brows was not all from their own perspiration. There was an unsettling stillness, an unbroken silence. Only the sound of their own feet and their breath reminded them they were not trapped within some vacuum. TING. It was far away, but the telltale ring of steel sounded from somewhere in the distance then died away. The silence settled in once more and they ran on. The minutes dragged on... They should have reached the gate already, hell, they could have ran around the town and reached the south gate already. What was going on?

    Denil was no where to be found, but they begun finding painted stones left on the ground. Sometimes with an arrow pointing a direction, other times with a word; the last two had read 'magic' & 'attack'. They couldn't be sure if that meant the little man had been accosted, or this strange misty labyrinth was the attack. Each time they followed an arrow they managed to reach a place which told them they had moved forward. It had been nearly thirty minutes since they found the first arrow which brought them to the sign for the Rusty Dragon directing customers to the front. As memory recalled, the damned thing was only about twenty feet from the door they had left out of... after the second and third painted stone they found the well behind the tavern. Whatever this spell was, it was twisting their sense of direction, or perhaps even warping space. Forward was not forward. Backwards was not back.

    Somehow the halfling had managed to find a way to navigate the maze, leaving clues behind. It appeared as if the spell had broken up segments of space, like checkpoints, which was were the old man left his stones. The size of these 'safe zones' varied with each new point. Sometimes merely taking a few steps away from the marker would hurtle them unexpectedly back into the mist, while others, they could find themselves nearly thirty paces away without concern. If the little man had time and the zone was particularly perilous he would write in the dirt about how many paces away one could move before being swallowed back up.

    ...And so the game went on, chasing after clues. Desperately trying to unwind the maddening riddle of the mist.




    22th of Rova, Sunday - Time: 11:41 am (Morning) / AR 4707 (Autumn)
    The Lost Coast Road; Sandpoint Hinterlands
    Town of Sandpoint; Town Square



    The Immortal - Feliks Triskavanski


    It had been hours of grueling trekking, backwards, left and right. Rarely ever directly forward, yet forward they went. This web of magic and misdirection was the creation of the worst kind of wizard; a madhat diabolical Illusionist, without question. The level of complexity and intricacy with which it was made was on a level unheard of. Assuming the magic-crafter who had forged this maze had done so with conventional magic, he would have had to spend years forming each individual corridor and backwards loop himself. A monumental accomplishment from the mentally unhinged.

    His keen eye had kept track of their progress and the directions which it had taken them. He was certain there was no methodology, no pattern, no reason to it all. The path forward has been constructed completely randomly. Yet, the magic could not have been procedural, the maze had been created as a chaotic spiraling mess that even the creator had no knowledge of where he was going. Still, Denil knew the way forward. Either the halfling had suddenly become clairvoyant, or there was some trick - some cheat, which the wily man had at play now to navigate this static metropolis of mist corridors.

    The realization struck him suddenly. There was only way he could know his left from right, even if he'd been handed a map and a detailed description. He'd been here before. Demn had seen a run-in with this supernatural labyrinth before. He'd been on the road longer than most, perhaps even longer than he should. At some point he must have been ensnared by the thing. He had known since the mist begun to roll in, and left first to plot a course out. That was not a comforting thought. For Denil Demn didn't wander aimlessly, he was a veteran explorer of the Tainted Lands, and where that experience was brought to bear, so too were countless dangers... [Feliks | Perception - Success]

    Ͽ ◯ Ͼ

    It was difficult to see with the reduced visibility, but through it he still managed to catch an occasional glimpse of Aden as they pressed forward. They were not too far apart, though that distance often changed with each corridor they cleared. The arrow had directed them backwards, and so backwards they went... for nearly forty minutes. He was glad he had taken the change to eat when he could. The march had taken a toll on both of them, and the scarred man's movements were beginning to become sluggish.

    A woman's scream sounded from somewhere, almost as if bending around a wall to meet them, though there were no walls - at least none they could see. Then it went silent. Multiple slow heavy footsteps could be heard all about them, but no indicator as to their actual location. Then the sound slowly faded away, as the maze brought the strangers elsewhere... There were others. Survivors, perhaps. Or enemies. It was impossible to tell, the only certainty was that people were dying and there were adversaries in the streets preying upon commonfolk. It begun to appear less and less like they themselves were the target of whatever had unleashed this hell. Sandpoint was simply under attack.

    The straight walk finally came to an end as they reached the end of the mist-hall, pressing through the wall of smoke and into the safe zone



    The Cursed - Aden McNeil


    He had a reason to live again, a purpose. It was more than hope, it was something real. He only needed to feel the smooth surface of the orb tucked away within the folds his clothes to know that. Weiss had told him he could overcome this curse; that he could take back everything denied of him. This sphere was proof of that. Denil had recognized it, he had seen its power. That was all the assurance an adventurer needed. He'd survive. Escape this place, and overcome this trail. But that was easier said than done.

    All his mental notes and planning had been thrown into the fire the moment he had walked out of the door to the Rusty Dragon. What had awaited them was a freakish looping maze of magical mist-like halls and corridors, far larger or smaller than what could have feasibly existed within the confines of the small town. This maze was of a scope and size he had never seen before. The halflings clues had led them forward though this place which 'forward' seemed to not exist, but even still it was an arduous task. He soldiered on for hours, taking his time and trying not to create unnecessary sound which might draw attention within the seemingly perpetual silence.

    Despite the fact it had been morning, it had perhaps been days for them, at least by some definition with all of the time and world skipping. Now this grueling task seemed all the more challenging as his strength seemed to diminish while pushing himself forward. He could feel his legs beginning to grow heavy. Even on a good day this trek would have proved tiresome, now he was simply exhausted. They could have hiked the entire parameter of Sandpoint multiple times in the hours which had been wasted within this enchanted mist. The humidity, the water lost from his own sweat and an empty stomach; they were all slowly chipping away at his endurance. If the enemy meant to starve them out, or exhaust them to the point of being unable to resist, they were doing a spectacular job and he'd need to kill the strategist which posed such a plan. [Status | Aden is Fatigued]

    He hoped the damned mist didn't extend all the way out into the Hinterlands. The town was one thing, but miles of wilderland under this spell was a nightmare they weren't prepared to face. If they couldn't reach their wagons at the South Gate and all the provisions they'd brought, they would have no hope of lasting out against this maze in the long term. Occasionally a foot would scuff the dirt, throwing off his attempt to remain undetected. His body felt as if he were carrying bags of sand. There was a scream and some movement somewhere nearby, but it didn't last for long. The silence quickly settled once again and they pressed forward through the longest corridor yet. Reaching the end, they stepped through the mist wall into what he could only hope was the last checkpoint before reaching the exit.



    The Gales - Aden, Feliks & Denil


    They emerged from the mist into a clearing, and a sight which they had not been expecting. Silhouettes of forms about the circular zone were visible, but obscured by the thin smoke which still hung in the air. They absently shuffled about, as if lost or in a daze. Yet, that had not been what so keenly held their attention. It was Denil's mangled form upon the ground which had held them in place. His clothes were littered with lacerations and blood flowed from a cut in his forehead and from a broken nose. One of his eyes had begun to swell and blacken from where he had been ruthlessly pummeled, like a man caught in a bare-fisted brawl. By his labored breaths it was clear he was at least still alive.

    There was a woman there, sitting on a large stone pedestal which didn't belong in the town, but looked as if it were taken from an old church. She giggled as she planted one foot on the short man to pin him to the ground. Her clothes, like her, were covered in dust, soot and blood, but they were of a fashion so old it almost looked as if she had walked off the stage of a Black Play in some Chelish Opera. Behind her a massive war standard of the now non-existent Chelish Empire, accented by the sigil of King Aspex - The Even-Tongued. A sigil not seen except during the country's Independence Day celebrations, immortalizing past glories from some six-hundred years ago. The mysterious woman grinded her heel into the halfling cruelly, chanting playfully "Cheaters must be punished..."

    The red woman looked up at the pair as they entered the clearing, her grin was seemingly almost detached, as if the concept of emotion was a complicated matter that could so easily be lost in context. They couldn't see her eyes. A familiar wrongness pervaded their senses. As if a something that they couldn't explain nor know was twisted and broken. Like hearing a song they had never heard before, but knowing the notes are all wrong. Each second was like a frame upon a length of film, and over the woman's face her eyes had been scratched and blotted out. A constantly animated series of lines and marks which blackened out the features of her visage. Whatever this was. Whatever she was. They knew innately, with all certainty; She shouldn't be here.

    The halfling strained, looking up at them as they entered. He shook his head helplessly, and pointed with a shaking hand towards the north. They had made it. It was in sight. The North Gate. No voice came to his lips, but his mouth moved before his body went limp, collapsing in the dirt.


    They didn't need to hear him to know what he said; 'Go.'





    Main Quest: Death In Her Smile
    Truth was a fickle thing. It changed form with each new angle with which it was seen; just as it did now. Avecna took great risk delivering a letter of warning to the young Gales, speaking of some unknown danger and grand conspiracy. Now a new threat rose from one which was so familiar. They had to escape the town of SandPoint, and rendezvous with Avecna far away in the city of Korvosa. Preparations were made, but they knew their foes would not make it easy.
    Difficulty: Challenging | Status: On-going | Profit: Unknown | Time: Unknown
    Objective 1: Escape SandPoint
    Objective 2: Flee South through the wilderness to the Ashen Rise
    Objective 3: Meet the transport at Wisher's Well
    Alternate Objective 1: A weaponized disease of some sort has begun to spread in SandPoint. Remain un-afflicted by the blight.
    Alternate Objective 2: Send aid to the town of SandPoint to help contain the disease.
    Alternate Objective 3: A strange new threat emerges; Escape with Denil alive.




    Main Quest, Global: A Friend Named Nemesis
    A creature which should not be. A threat not yet understood. Nightmarish constructs emerge from buried ancient recesses within the earth. Their purpose is as strange as their appearance. Seemingly unfazed by mundane weapons and built impossibly study, they march forward unimpeded following some unpredictable nature. Whatever these creature's design, for now at least, it was better to simply stay out of the way...
    Difficulty: Moderate | Status: On-going | Profit: Unknown | Time: 2 years
    Primary Objective: Survive
    Second Objective: Find Professor Mayvert & uncover clues to the construct's origin




    (Suspended) Side Quest: The Devil Inside
    Emithy explained that everyone had begun having strange dreams, and even visions, without explanation. The only difference was how those effected interpreted their experiences. Most dismissed it completely. Dreams were just dreams, but some had more acute experiences. The depth of how men were effected seemed to differ based on the individual. It raised many questions, but none more so than if truly everyone across the world was now plagued by these strange haunts within their minds. It was an impossible scale, an impossible magic, but they had seen strange things. The young man advised them against pursuing these visions haphazardly, least they bite off more than they could chew. Maybe the voices were real and the world would be crushed by the endless darkness, but that didn't mean the voice in the blackness would come to their aid when their backs were against the wall. Perhaps the young man was right, perhaps it was better to take things slow. Perhaps it was time to take on a normal job?
    Difficulty: None | Status: On-going | Profit: Unknown | Time: None
    Objective:Find Emithy. Find a job.


    Spoiler: Hinterlands Map
    Show


    Spoiler: Rewards | EXP
    Show


    ֍ Aden XP +450 (6,400xp)
    ⯎ Received [Greyflame Crucible, CR7]
    Status: Fatigued - Remove fatigue by consuming 1 serving of water and food
    ⯎ Discovered [??????] +100 (6,500xp)

    ֍ Feliks XP +300 (6,550xp)
    ⯎ The Maze of Mist +200 (6,750xp)
    ⯎ The Path through the Mist +100 (6,850xp)
    ⯎ The Insane Magician +300 (7,150xp)
    ⯎ Discovered [??????] +100 (7,250xp)

    ֍ Denil XP +700 (2,300xp)



  25. - Top - End - #235
    Ogre in the Playground
    Join Date
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    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)

    Aden did not look at Denil. He did not look to the gate, to possible safety. He did not look back to Feliks. He stepped forward, slowly, fighting his body as exhaustion pulled him down. His limbs burned. His stomach churned. His head pounded. But though his hands shook, his legs trembled, his scars ached, his gaze did not waver. He could feel it building, that old, familiar anger. The fire was always within him, burning him alive, but also within him was that cold lump. It wasn't mystical, it wasn't born of some otherworldly spirit. It was just the knowledge that people were cruel, that those with power were eternally using it to hurt and control and punish others and he might be throwing everything away but Gods damn it Denil was coming with them.

    "Hey! You!"

    Aden whipped his spear from his back, settling into his favored stance as the flames began to flicker out again.

    "One chance. Let him go. And you walk away from here with all your pretty limbs still attached."

    Spoiler: OoC
    Show


    Approaching, drawing weapon, entering Spear Dancing Style and Intimidate check. Obviously, if approaching initiates combat, Aden only performs the actions he has time to do.

    Intimidate - (1d20+9)[29]
    ATTENTION ANYONE WHO I'M PLAYING WITH:
    No news is good news.

  26. - Top - End - #236
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)



    Listening to Lady Black explain what Book she had seen helped piece together some pieces of the puzzle that was her mind. She now understood what Lady Black had meant when referencing the Book and how special it was that she had seen it. Her mind was still in overdrive as it processed the information flowing through it, so much was being revealed to her that she thought at any moment her head would explode from the amount of knowledge she was receiving in such a short time.

    She listened intently as Lady Black explained about the power she had just gained, it seemed by her words that it wasn't Rhakhahs that had ripped something from her but that he may have taken it during the process of it passing from adessa to her. The way Lady Black explained it to her was interesting, it seemed the card was a piece or copy of a page from the Terminating Prescience and that once she had enough cards she could make her own Deck. The concept made her thing about the Card that she had taken from Skullface, was it of a similar nature or was it something completely different. As Lady Black placed the card into her hand she couldn't help but feel a rush of excitment, such a powerful entity had just given her something of immense value. A smile crept upon her face as she ran her finger over the card, she listened intently as Lady Black explained the basics of how it all functioned and how the cards could be copied so that they would not vanish after use. The she felt Lady Blacks hand on her head, Information poured forth into her mind. The knowledge of how the Deck of Terminating Prescience worked and function flooded into her, she knew this knowledge would do her well in the future and she could not wait to test it out.

    Hearing from Lady blacks mouth that only her existence had been taken from her when she had gained the wound was both a blessing and a curse. Having your existence taken is never a good thing but at least now she knows that she did not lose anything else from that encounter. Looking back at the two cards she held she wondered why exactly Lady Black had wanted her to look back at them. "Hmm alright lets see what we have then... These cards kind of remind of the card that i got from Astrok'ru in a way..." Looking intently at the cards she tried using her ability on them.

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show


    Know Forbidden: (1d20+29)[34] or (1d20+29)[40] on "The First's Chapter"
    Know Forbidden: (1d20+29)[49] or (1d20+29)[35] on "Aradia, The Lady Black" (the card)


  27. - Top - End - #237
    Ettin in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)

    Feliks paused himself. He was going to run for it himself, after all the halfling knew what he was doing more than any of them. His mind quickly ran through what he had on hand: The Smoke pellet, the acid flask, Tanglefoot bags, alchemist fires, salves and more. He wasn't sure of this woman's abilities, only that she was unearthly powerful. Apparently they were in some kind of game, a game in which the halfling cheated, likely something to with the halfling's unusual ability to pick the paths.

    Still, Feliks was going to run. That was until his companion began banishing his spear and moving forwards. There was no chance the medic was going to be able to do this alone. Suddenly a though occurred to him as he thought back to the events from before the time jumps and world skips. All he had to do is say a word or two, words that carried power. If he was going to go down, he'll drag whatever he could with him.

    "He's been punished. But the rules of the game have not been explained. The rules must be told before one plays the game."
    Animated Spellcards from the Deck of Many Things
    A game I found interesting Aegis: Innocence

  28. - Top - End - #238
    Troll in the Playground
     
    Mornings's Avatar

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    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)



    The Returner - Stella Astral



    Main Quest: The World Betwixt
    An alien and foreign world. An even stranger land and people. Rising from the mires, you find yourself in a place unlike any you've seen before. Somewhere between a dream, a spirit land and reality, this world resided. Everything about it seemed to bristle with magic of a different sort, a type which didn't even seem familiar. You had come to be healed, and seeing the strangeness of the universe around you, you felt you had come to the right place. For it was so unique, that it didn't seem a stretch of the truth to believe that such a cure could be found quite easily. Yet, that same thought also drove home a fact; you were a long way from home.
    Difficulty: Challenging | Status: On-Going | Profit: Unknown | Time: None
    Objective:Heal your wounds.
    Alternate Objective 1: Reclaim "Drejan'sila, Frozen Eternal". Summon the Ra'Dolfaal & heal your wounds.
    Alternate Objective 2: Find another way.


    She could feel a great movement. It was like the super-massive gears of a sleeping clock tower had groaned and creaked; Sharply jerking to life with reluctance. The gears turned, and the unfathomable machine let loose a slow and rhythmic thundering beat. Old fires churned and were rekindled, billows of smoke and a rattling mental sensation of piloting a construct far too great. Far too powerful, that could leave a mind in awe. It wasn't a force any mortal should have lead upon; an unnatural and blighted testament to the achievements of man over magic and the cosmic forces of creation. Yet, despite that, this was an experience both wrong and familiar; and the first time those immeasurable gears had ever turned for her, in this life.

    Many times before, she had stood here, at the head of this terrible creation. From its depth had she harnessed power both terrible and forgotten, but even still, it would avail her not - in the end. The entirety of her previous life had been devoted to this, devoted to the Black. Now standing before it once again, commanding a force beyond description which rose out into the meta-physical expanses of the shifting tides of existence and beyond it's waves... she could not fathom the power which could lift her higher. Which would take her further than she had come. Just what could the other Houses offer which could dwarf this mountain. This titan... This, colossus.

    Perhaps that had been what separated them; her and Adessa. A lack of imagination. Perhaps ambition, or maybe it was simple ability. She always had walked in the shadow of her betters, and under that shadow she had remained. The Whispering Witch had never paused here; had never humored the power nor accomplishment. Had never felt a sense of satisfaction from the achievement, only walked ever forward. Delving deeper, growing further away, piercing the nameless beyond. Her mind cleared, and with a sharp snap her hand snatched out a glowing twinkle of light. A fraction of awareness condensed into a single spec of luminance; it was all she could manage for now, but it was the beginning - a start. With a clenched fist, the stolen knowledge seeped into her thoughts.

    It wasn't the kind of knowing which came with wisdom nor research. It was a deep and profound knowing, most unnatural. It wasn't a matter of an answer. Or if there even was an answer. It was a fundamental sense of near-ascended enlightenment. The Golden Fate which she had been given was weak, by far one of the weakest of its grade. A chip chiseled away from a time which had been, long ago, not born of this world - but the one in which it feigned to be, when it had been held upon the pages of a tome far older... That time, that world, had been destroyed; but the pieces remained. It would empower those Fates which might follow and potentially even her own, but even that, was simply a matter of chance.

    The second, Silver Fate, was not so simple a matter. There was no answer, there was no more. It was sealed. Something suppressed, removed and contained... waiting. There was no purpose which held meaning to a mortal soul. It's function and purpose in existing came inherently from the fact that it should not exist at all. What it offered, was change. The crystallization of something unknown, blanking the pages and creating chaos where there was none. What would follow could not be known, because it had not been written. It was an opportunity to contest the written Fates. Then, just as quickly as the divine wisdom had come, it departed. Leaving only the thoughts and words, lacking the context of the all-knowing all-seeing spark. [Stella | Knowledge (Forbidden) - Success]

    "Even with knowledge, you will learn that not all things are so simple. Nor is the Black without limits..." Lady Black's voice spoke out as her thoughts returned to the impenetrable blackness. "What you see and learn exists only within the confines of existence, as written. As I have spoken, the book gives intelligible definition by which existence may be interpreted... but that does not mean it is the all and only forces which are. A great deal of influences still stand outside of its scope... You would do well to remember that." She felt a hand upon her shoulder and a sensation as she rose to her feet. Rather than being lifted up, it had felt as if she had not moved at all, but the world altered to force the change; sitting to standing.

    "Astrok'ru's cards are far unlike your own, and just as he, they do not function upon what is written. It is the antithesis to your own power, but once such a card has been used to effect this world, it may be added to your own collection..." There was a brief pause, "Unfortunately, your time draws to a close, and great difficulties still lay in wait on your road ahead. You will need this, and others like it..." Stella could feel an object pressed into her hand. After a moment she could see it clearly; a glass tablet with strange runes carved into its surface. She knew what it was, a Fatestone. Their significance was mild or mixed to say the least, but they could potentially form extremely powerful assets in the hand of a Weaver to boost their magics beyond a natural level. Her Cards seemed to operate off of a similar principle, but rather than empowered threads of the Weave, she would find those threads in 'card form'. The strength and power of such stones was seemingly random, but regardless each was useful. Fatestones could be drawn out from the cores left by slain Ramath'barra by a skilled Convoker or similarly skilled synthesist, which was why the Veilbeasts were the prey of other such strange creatures. If the principle was the same, than she could perhaps in turn connect or recover Fates by simply touching things physically, just as one would to pluck the threads from the air, or ground.

    "You will need every Fate you may muster. Spare no effort to collect all you can. Every creature, thing and person potentially may produce a Fate which you may use. This is all the more likely when you make contact with things tied to a destined fate of a soul. Those who shine brightest and exist to create change in the Three Worlds are known as Icons, and they will prove to be your strongest weapon in the days to come. The stone I have given you will guarantee at least some level of quality, never wait to expend them, least the stones be stolen... But know well, I have not offered you this assistance freely. When the time comes, I will send a summons for you, and you will return to Duvan'Ku to complete your training once again."

    "I would use what little time remains here wisely."



    ??th of Rova, Day? - Time: ?:?? am? / AR 4707
    The Black; ?????????
    ?????; ?????????




    Forbidden Knowledge: Memory Recovered

    Arcane-Shield Training I: Convoker's Sphere

    The trusted defense of all Convokers of the City of Duvan. While mildly complicated and taking a measure of skill, it is this skill which forms the foundation of a Cokvoker's training. This is the first spell an aspiring Witch or Magician must learn to earn the privilege of earning the title of Convoker. By performing a staggering transmutation of physical matter into Weave-energy, the magician converts a physical shield into a barrier of light-mass capable of deflecting devastating physical attacks. With further training, immense defensive power is able to be wielded. While the sophistication of a true Convoker's Shield is rarely achieved by outsiders, this sphere forms a staple in the repertoire of every veteran Witch.

    Benefit: While maintaining your Spell Focus to establish a Focus Barrier, the Witch may spend a standard action to form a defensive sphere of energy around herself. The Witch must sacrifice an item which grants a shield bonus upon activating this ability, this item is permanently destroyed and converted into the barrier this ability produces. Items which provide a +1 shield bonus to AC are considered 'light shields'. Items with a +2 bonus are considered 'heavy shields' and anything providing a bonus of +4 or greater are considered 'tower shields'. The Witch may sacrifice an item on her person, with no need to be wielding it at the time this ability is activated. Upon success the Witch gains the item's shield bonus as if wielding it while receiving an additional miscellaneous bonus type to her AC depending on the type of shield sacrificed in this way; Light shields enjoy a +2 bonus, heavy shields +3 and tower shields gain a +4 bonus. This increase to the Witch's AC persists as long as her Focus Barrier is active. Additionally, when the Witch repairs her Focus Barrier its duration is extended by 1 hour. The Witch may extend her Barrier's duration beyond it's standard maximum time by a number of hours equal to two times her HD.

    The Witch's Constitution and Charisma Scores increase by 2.



    Spoiler: Cards
    Show


    Spoiler: Silver Fate
    Show


    Silver Fate Captured



    Name: The First's Chapter
    Potential: ✦⯎⯎⯎⯎⯎
    Min. Aptitude: 11
    Value: 1
    Cost: 1
    Activation: Standard
    Duration: Permanent
    Fate: Other
    Grade: Silver
    Detail: "Black. It was as if every light in the world went out. Extinguished by some divine hand. A perfect silence. Then, it came..."
    ⯍Sealed: An unwritten Fate



    Spoiler: Golden Fate
    Show



    Golden Fate Captured



    Name: Aradia, The Lady Black
    Potential: ⯎⯎⯎⯎⯎⯎
    Min. Aptitude: 15
    Value: 5
    Cost: 2
    Activation: Standard
    Duration: Instant
    Fate: Soul
    Grade: Gold
    Detail:
    ✥ Grants Advice & Council
    ✥ May grant 1 Potential to caster (Low)
    ✥ Increases the Potential of a Card activated within 5 minutes by 1





    Spoiler: Rewards | EXP
    Show


    ֍ Stella XP +550 (13,800xp)
    ⯎ Sealed Fates +100 (13,900xp)
    ⯎ Astrok'ru's Cards +200 (14,100xp)
    ⯎ Fatestones +100 (14,200xp)
    ⯎ Iconic Characters +200 (14,400xp)
    ⯎ Knowledge Forbidden +100 (14,500xp)
    ⯎ Potential Gained: Arcane-Shield Training I +100 (14,600xp)
    ⯎ Liberation Influence Gained
    ⯎ Community Influence Gained

    ⯎ Gem of Telepathy: 3/5 Charges, 3 min duration - Identified use with UMD
    ✦ Checks failed


    Stella HP: 1/17
    ✦ Spited (Returner)
    ⭍ Spite increases by 1 (Knowledge: Forbidden)
    ⭍ Severity of spited effects increase due to Knowledge (Forbidden)
    ⭍ Stella's move speed is reduced by 10
    ⭍ Stella takes 5 points of constitution damage
    ⭍ Stella takes 2 points of wisdom damage
    ⭍ Stella's HP reduced to 0
    ⭍ Stella's checks other than Forbidden have failed due to Spite
    ⭍ Knowledge (Local) has been Spited and may not be used until Spite is reduced to 0
    (Some effects of Spite remain active until the current value is lessened or removed completely)




    Spoiler: Spellweaving
    Show


    Spoiler: Veilweaver
    Show

    Veilwitch Path Advancement: Veilweaver

    Darkness. Depravity. The Eternal Black. These were the words of the Veil Witch. Sinister and unrelenting, nothing was sacred, nor would the feeble powers of their kin enough to slake their thirst for true and undiluted power. It was the simple nature of such things to destroy those who pursued it, and indeed, most were. Those who remained stood wholly committed to unearth the abyssal powers of the beyond, fearing no death nor eternity which waited to greet them. For they were damned by an unconquerable desire. Each manifestation of magic slowly corrupted them, changing them and steeping them further into the dark. The further they delved the more their minds were unhinged and removed from the realm of mortals, made mad by the knowing of forbidden secrets. A process known as the Blackening. Veil Witches could bend the Weave, but were far less potent than their kin. Rather, they sowed Veils; constructs of eldritch energies knitted together from countless threads. They could be abhorrent anomalies, physical fabrications, or even Diverged paths of reality. Secrets were precious, and knowledge - sacred, but to those who delved deep into the darkness awaited... Revelation.

    Benefit: Returner Path Advances to Veilwitch.

    Your intelligence & wisdom increases by 4. The base DC of the Veilwitch's Spellweaves is 15 and her caster level while casting a Spellweave is considered 2 lower (minimum 1). The amount of Spellweaves which a Veilwitch may learn is extremely limited. The maximum amount of Spellweaves she may learn is 1d4 per hit dice she possesses. When learning a new Spellweave, she may choose to replace an existing one. The Veilwitch gains the ability to cast Veilweaves, unique constructs of otherworldly magic. Each Veil possesses unique qualities, however most cannot be directly used by the Witch nor other creatures. A Veil can be sentient, but cannot activate its own abilities without the Witch's command, a swift action. A Veil may be wielded by otherworldly entities such as Greater Spirits, but only with the Veilwitch's consent. Veils persist indefinitely until destroyed or dismissed, but the number which may exist at any given point may not exist her Arcane Aptitude. Veil's which require certain conditions to persist can only be maintained by the Witch who created it, or an entity allowed to wield it. The Witch may learn any number of Veilweaves, in addition each time she casts a spell or Spellweave there is a 15% chance a Veil is created. These spontaneous Veils will hold similar properties to the magic which created, while other features may be randomly determined. Spontaneous Veils cannot be learned as Veilweaves, but are unique constructs formed from her magic.

    The Veilwitch begins with the following Veils:
    ⛤ Domain of Black
    ⛤ The Black Veil, Renor'vet




    Spoiler: Veil: Domain of Black
    Show
    [Veilweave, General] Domain of Black
    The Eternal Black was the void-space which existed between the Primeval Dark and the higher world beyond, which the Mother of the Black Veil resided. It was here which the gateway to all great power manifested, but it was violent and destructive. An explosive esoteric explosive within the consciousness of any who dared open the gate. Sacred spaces existed which would lessen the punishing transition to this domain, but Veilwitches were a resourceful lot, and not so ethically inclined. If they could not reach such sacred ground, then they could simply make their own - though at great expense to all life and nature which might exist about them. It was a heavy tax, but one far better to pay than the harm which would be inflicted upon their very minds should they climb the moral high-ground. Many Veilwitches had gone mad after growing a conscious or finally being overcome by their own depravity, which is why most apprentices would be dead. A natural process which the merciless seasoned Witches referred to as 'The Culling'.

    Activation: 1 Full-round action - Skill Check
    Associated Skill: Knowledge (Forbidden), DC20
    Use: Within a Circle of Black, a sacred geographic space, this Veil may be used - dealing 1 point of wisdom damage to the Witch. If the Witch activates this Veilweave outside of her sacred ground, she immediately suffers 6d6 points of wisdom drain and is afflicted with 6d6 points of Spite. This damage cannot be avoided by any source and must be applied to the Witch successfully for this Veil to function when used outside of a Circle of Black. The Witch may also choose to create her own Circle of Black, but doing so requires the completion of a dark ritual. The Witch must gather 10 HD worth of creatures and one child of a civilized race, sacrificing them within a large black circle. The manner which the sacrifices are murdered and the construction of her Circles does not matter. After completing her ritual and spending an hour in uninterrupted meditation with the corpses the ritual is complete. A large 50 ft circle is burned into the earth and all living creatures other than the Witch within 1 mile suffer 3d6 points of constitution damage. All natural life within this zone wilt and dies before hardening into a black petrified state. All sources of natural light in this corrupted landscape is decreased by 1 level and the caster level of magic with the healing or good description is reduced by 2 (minimum 1). A Circle of Black is only usable once every 1d6 days.

    After successfully casting this Veilweave, the Witch fabricates an arcane construct of herself within the Eternal Black where she may seek the council of the Ra'Dolfaal - the terrible master of the darkness between. The function of her Veil may serve one of two functions:
    The wicked entity will answer any one question which the Witch inquires, but his response is limited to one word, which will never be 'yes' or 'no'. The answer which the Ra'Dolfaal speaks is always true, but may be deceptive.

    The Witch may request the Ra'Dolfaal change one thing within an existing Divergence. The amount of words which she may use to provide the request is limited to one per hit dice she possesses. Regardless of the complexity or difficulty, the Ra'Dolfaal will always demand a price for the change, provided in one word. The Witch may choose to either except or decline the tax, and may always choose to make the request again at another time. The Ra'Dolfaal is forbidden from requesting the same price twice from a Witch, even if for the same request.

    After using one of these two abilities, the Veil-body she created is destroyed.


    Spoiler: The Deck of Terminating Prescience: Introduction
    Show


    The Deck is a powerful weapon designed to combat the corruption of the original cursed book which creation is now bound to. Employing the deck requires careful decision making and strategy to build an effective deck which caters towards the Witch's strengths and weaknesses.


    ACTIVATION

    Activating the Deck is a Standard Action. The Deck remains active for 1d10 rounds before vanishing. The duration the Deck remains active increases by 1 for every 10 points of Arcane Aptitude the Witch possesses.


    CARDS

    Once a card has been identified it's features are revealed. An individual card cannot be used until it has been assigned to a Deck. A minimum of 2 cards are required to create a deck. Each card follows the the format of features below. These features are unique to each card and may change even if multiples of the same card are owned. Unique functions such as Potential, Duration, Activation and Detail may be different between the copies of cards, giving new or unique functions to your familiar favorites.

    If a Witch is intentionally granted a card it is received already identified, while other cards are automatically identified if their Value is equal to or below the Witch's Arcane Aptitude. Unidentified cards must be identified via a Knowledge (Forbidden) check while within a Circle of Black; this check has no chance of success outside of such a zone and requires 10 minutes to complete. The information each card provides will vary based on the type of card which has been received. Further information is gained for every 5 points which the Witch's check exceeds the DC. This additional information is only available for cards which she has identified herself. She may choose to re-identify an identified card without any penalty, however she may only attempt this once per card.

    Categories marked as 'other' provide exceptions to the standard options and are typically massively powerful fates which should be used with reservation. Each card's effect persists after activation for a period of time listed under 'Duration'. The effect may be instant and then expire, last indefinitely, or last for a finite period. The exact time a limited duration fate stays in effect is usually only discovered within its hidden details.

    Each time a card is activated the associated Cost must be paid, which is removed from her Focus Pool (a sum of points equal to her Arcane Aptitude). If the activation of a Card would reduce the Witch's Focus to 0 or lower, the Witch is instantly slain.

    Name: Card Name
    Potential: Certain fates can be empowered if the Witch meets certain conditions before use.
    Min. Aptitude: Minimum AA (Arcane Aptitude) required to use the card
    Value: The number of Deck Points the card occupies
    Cost: The amount of AA required to activate the card
    Activation: Standard, Move, Swift, Immediate, Free, Other
    Duration: Instant, Permanent, Limited
    Fate: Soul, Support, Event, Other
    Grade: Gold, Silver, Bronze, Other
    Detail: A summery of identified functions that card will perform. Some functions may be hidden or obscure.


    DECKS

    Managing Decks is a critical role for the Witch, as is building multiple Decks. For every 15 points of Arcane Aptitude the Witch possesses, she may create an additional Deck. Once each day after receiving the benefit of 8 hours of rest the Witch may assign the cards associated with each Deck. A single card may only be assigned to a specific deck once. Each Deck the Witch owns possesses a limited number of Deck Points (DP) which dictate the size of her Deck. The Witch's first Deck is typically her largest and possesses a number of Deck Points equal to 4 + her Arcane Aptitude. Each subsequent Deck has less points than the last, with her second Deck having half the number of points as her first, and her third having half the value of her second, and so on. Each time she expends cards there is a chance she earns additional DP which she may spend between her Decks to increase their individual sizes (eg: If the Witch earns 4 points she may assign 2 points to Deck 1, and 2 points to Deck 2, etc.) The maximum Deck Points which a Witch may invest within a single Deck cannot exceed three times her Arcane Aptitude.

    Additionally, the Witch may swap decks as a full round action, but may not do so again for 1d8 hours.


    DRAWING

    Once the Witch has activated her Deck, a maximum of 4 hidden cards are randomly pulled from her Deck. The Witch may choose to draw one as a swift action, discarding the rest. Discarded cards are returned to her Deck, but any cards revealed among them are suspended for 1 round. Each round a new spread of cards is generated as a free action. The Witch may choose to reveal a hidden card by paying a cost associated with its grade; 1 point for bronze, 2 for silver, 3 for gold, and 5 for Other Rarity. This choice is a non-action which may be performed any number of times.


    THE HAND

    The Witch's Hand represents the maximum amount of power which she can maintain at once. The cards within her Hand may be paid for and activated at the Witch's discretion. There is no limitation to how many cards may be activated each round, as long as she has enough actions to complete each card's activation. Activating a card functions similarly to casting a spell, and provokes attack, however the card is not wasted should the Witch fail her concentration check. The Witch's initial maximum hand size is 3 cards. The number of cards she may add to her hand increases by 1 for every 10 points of Arcane Aptitude she possesses. If she ends a round with a number of cards in her hand in excess of her limit, she must discard cards until she has reached her maximum hand size.




  29. - Top - End - #239
    Troll in the Playground
     
    Mornings's Avatar

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    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)




    The Gales - Aden, Feliks & Denil


    22th of Rova, Sunday - Time: 11:46 am (Morning) / AR 4707 (Autumn)
    The Lost Coast Road; Sandpoint Hinterlands
    Town of Sandpoint; Town Square


    The red woman sneered at the halfling upon the ground, giving his form a firm kick with her boot, jeering in a sing-song voice mockingly. "I know, I know. I know you're not dead yet~" The short man groaned, with a sudden sharp breath as he took the blow to the ribs. His mouth moved, but the words didn't form clearly; likely delivering some graceless insult, for which he was kicked again. The woman's demeanor took an uncharacteristic shift, leaning over the old man with a blank expression, her voice was deeper and firm, as if possessed or playing proxy to something or someone else's words - "I warned you, friend. It seems you have a particular fondness for ignoring such things; both you, and that minstrel... Though still, you bested me. An unexpected calculation. Perhaps, I may excuse your blatant disregard of esotetic ordinance if you were to tell me where she might be. That magic she displayed was quite... fascinating." Denil coughed, hacking up bloody flem left dribbling from his chin, weakly gesturing with his pointer finger at the woman to come closer so that his weakened voice might be heard. ".....Crawl back in dat' hole I put you in.". The figure frowned, plainly displeased with his answer "I see... That's such a shame. I had hoped we might reach an agreement, but it appears you are once again... a disappointment. Goodbye, old friend."

    The persona which seemed to have been in control faded away, leaving the giggling mess of a woman in its place. Seemingly satisfied with the final resolution between them. One of her arms was a black sleeveless ebon limb, with the consistency of stone. Red fissures of light dimly glowed in some places, like pulsing lava beneath the surface of quickly cooling molten stone. The fingers of her twisted limb were cruel jagged claws, which reached down slowly to rip the life from the crippled man... Aden's words cut through the mist and the clearing. The sudden declaration seemed to shock her, motionless, as if she had completely forgotten about them. Her outstretched hand remained extended towards Denil's cringing face. There was a long period of awkward silence as the scarred man approached, ripping off his weapon from his back and readied himself to put the tool to work. The cursed flames flickered to life about him, and a strange tangling sensation begun to crawl over his skin. The woman's head slowly rose from its looming position above the halfling, to look at the spear-wielding man. It was the only part of her which moved. Still her face was crossed out by constant wriggling black lines of ink, as if from some god's quill.

    It burned. He had thought since the feeling had mostly left him, he couldn't feel anything anymore. Yet, it was there, and it was building.... growing. It was alarming, as if something within him that lived twisted around his heart had opened its eyes. That familiar anger, twisted and bloomed into something else. He could feel a rage, a hatred, foreign. It wasn't his own, nor birthed from his own mind or will. It was like some demon buried within his shadow rose up and possessed him with some mystical compulsion that did not move him, only implant the feeling that diminished the mundane and familiar. A feeling which drowned out reason, and it burned. The flames sparked and ignited about him in a shroud of gray-black fire. His mind plummeted though some grim wilting abyss, filled with endless deafening screams. The great chasm was filled with those same living flames, and for the briefest of moments both he-and-it were joined... and he understood.


    Cursefire Training I: Kindled Flame I

    Hatred. Anger. Fear. The endless need for power, to force your wants and beliefs into reality. These were the things every Cursed understood, but there came a moment of realization for each of them, just as it came to you now. A glimpse of truth at the eldrich and unfathomable nature of the flame as their souls were spirited away to that great gaping chasm. Within some horrid barren realm, the flame burned all. Within it existed neither greed nor desire, hate nor spite. The wrongness of the nameless endless planes was all it saw; the discordance sown by the gluttonous souls which claimed rule over it, and their respective 'worlds' named 'self'. The flame held no understanding of such things; feelings and emotion. It only burned ever on, aware of its own emptiness. Caught within the knowledge of its own absence, it was fragmented and incomplete. It wandered, hungered, aimlessly offering change and chance; seeking souls driven ever-forward. Desire. It was the kindling which fueled its blackened cursed flames, it had sought souls like you. Kindled spirits, which burned and overflowed with such raging sentiments that it singed the very threads of their own destiny. It glut itself upon those feelings, those desires and emotions. Offering only suffering and opportunity to devour those souls and briefly fill some small measure of its own empty heart. It would make you stronger, tempting you, pushing you further, until you were out of control. Just as it was with a candle's light, the brightest flames flickered out the fastest; and so too would your life end, should you let your fire burn out. Leaving only the ashes of a smoldering shell.

    Benefit: Your raging emotions and desires have made the flames of your curse more difficult to control. The Cursed must now succeed a DC14 will save to suppress his cursefire. While it is not suppressed the Cursed sheds a dim light, as a candle, taking a -10 penalty to his stealth while receiving a +5 circumstance bonus to intimidate checks he attempts, due to the visible otherworldly nature of the curse. This flame aura is identified as a mysterious evil phenomenon by any creature who witnesses it and often causes a negative reaction from those around him. While active, the Cursed's charisma-based skills (other than intimidate) suffer a -5 penalty. When the Cursed uses a Cursefire ability, receives damage, deals damage, initiates combat, attempts an intimidate check, or is angered he must succeed his will save to prevent his flames from igniting.

    With the strengthening of your fire, you have learned to force blighted magical phenomena into existence, even in places where such things could not exist. The Cursed selects three cantrips from between the wizard and witch spell lists, he may use these cantrips by taking 1d3 points of profane damage as if activating his Cursefire ability. The Cursed also gains Cursefire Resist 1, which reduces the profane damage he would suffer from sources of Cursefire by 1 point (minimum 0). If he already possesses Curefire Resist, his resistance increases by 1. Additionally, the Cursed must choose between learning a first-level spell from the wizard, witch or cleric spell list or instead learning a hex from the witch's hex list (as a 1st level witch). Activating a hex or using a 1st level spell inflicts 1d4+1 points of profane damage. The DC of these spells and hex's are increased by 2 and are constitution based. These abilities function normally in zones effected by wild magic or antimagic and cannot be dispelled conventionally. Creatures effected by Cursefire Magic or Cursefire Hexes must succeed a fortitude save equal to the ability's DC or ignite in Cursefire.

    The Cursed's Constitution & Strength Scores increases by 4


    He could feel a surge of power and strength thunder into his body. His muscles twisted and bulged beneath his skin, his flesh felt taught and thickened. A renewed vigor brought on by a wave of profane power as the fires danced from his form with a sudden burst of gray light. His physical prowess was beyond anything he had ever achieved. Indeed, there were few men not augmented by magics which could know this kind of power. Even his weapon felt lighter in his hand. His traveling pack was hardly a burden. Yet, he knew what he had seen, and the dreadful risk of temptation which these cursed fires offered. This rage, this artificial burning hatred which had been implanted within his chest - it would make him stronger; but if he let it consume him completely... he'd never see her again.

    The silence was suddenly broken as the woman erupted into a mad howling scream, as if filled with a belligerent fury. She covered her face with her blackened arm, drawing her legs in as if to cower, sliding across the ruined stone dais. Awkwardly she briefly flailed before her clawed hand violently reached forward to clutch a rusting blade embedded within the stone foundation of the displaced ancient structure which found itself placed in the middle of the clearing. The weapon seemed to spring to life, twisting bronzed metal shifting and steeped in a near-black crimson. The calcified crust over the black split and flaked away, shed like skin to reveal the surface of the blade beneath. It wasn't black. It was lightless. All illumination which might reflect upon it was drawn into its glass-like surface. It had no edge, it was simply a silent consuming void. Aden had heard of such things.

    The Shoanti tales he heard whispered of small fragments of darkness left in the wake of a great battle centuries ago. He had thought it had been a baseless rumor until he was tipped off by an old pirate in the docks about some happenings in the Shackles. A former crewmen of Leruu Kantiki, before she went soft, he'd seen his fair share. After a few drinks the man went on about a raid to capture a powerful artifact known as the Throne of Nalt, created from some great beast from a battle around there centuries ago. The raid ended in disaster when the crazy bastard collapsed his entire keep down on himself, rather than letting his treasure fall into their hands. They'd got nothing for their efforts, save for the long sail home. But from the rubble he'd recovered something precious, in secret. It was no larger than a baby's fingernail. A small silver of the stuff. It was called Voidwrought Glass. According to the savy swashbuckler, there wasn't much of the stuff left, just small chips, but Shoanti had more secreted away somewhere; sealed away with a crown of fangs. It was no secret that there were things buried beneath Korvosa. After all, the Grand Mastaba had been there long before the city. He doubted the sailor ever found what he was looking for, as word of his sleight found it's way to Lausta Casault, the sworn-sister of the captain of the Hellblood Corsairs; Ozrin Casault, and captain in her own right. After having led the attack to take the Throne of Nalt, rumors circulated of her anger when news of the shards reached her. Captain Casault was not the kind of woman who let anyone get the better of her, and paid back insult with torture and death.

    There should have only been a few handful of minute shards left, so why was he looking at an entire blade made of the stuff? The red woman's other hand snapped out and grabbed her cursed arm, the familiar speaker's voice sounding this time, seemingly speaking to herself. "What are you doing..." Cracks raced through her blighted arm as it grasped the hilt of the weapon, still plunged into the ground. "This is fear? I should kill it." The other persona signed, evidently annoyed "A simulated response... Poorly, at that. I've yet to find a reason to manufacture genuine emotional responses, though perhaps it might hold some benefit to avoid these fits of confusion. Now put it down..." The woman shook her head, her grip on the weapon tightened, snarling as she fought against some compulsion. "It's strong... I want to kill it." Her other hand peeled her clawed fingers off of the sword's hilt, " 'It' is a human, and this man has not broken any rules. So I am afraid I will have to decline your request." The woman thrashed against her own grip's restraint, screaming at her alternate persona's command "LET ME HAVE THIS!"

    Felik's voice interjected between the two persona's, sharply disrupting the internal argument. There was once again a pause of silence, with no response immediately forthcoming from either entity within the woman. She limply released her grip from the sword before shouting something unintelligible in a fit, kicking the weapon. The thundering force with which her foot met the sword sounded with a staggering likeness to cannon-fire, sending the weapon hurtling out across the mist. Rubble rained down, small pebbles of stone bounding off their clothes and upon the ground from the hole in the earth where the blighted weapon had once stood. Once again her demeanor sharply changed into that of the composed and collected 'other-half'. "I see... So he told you nothing then?" The man's proxy-voice was directed at Feliks. "Well, that changes matters entirely... I do apologize for the disruption."

    The way the figure's persona worded the response and his inflection suddenly made him understand just what manner of creature he was dealing with. Triskavanski had dealt with many kinds of people before, but this was the first time he could say he had met one so... indirectly. At least in so strange a fashion. It was as if he had just placed a face to a name. This wasn't a game. He was sure now, they weren't being toyed with, nor did this man speaking through the red woman take such disruptions lightly. Quite the opposite. He despised such things. A sterile environment. Denil had introduced a foreign factor into... whatever this was, and had believed that influence had polluted the rest of them. Whoever this man was, he had known Denil, and the halfling and another had bested him. What he took away from the encounter demanded he not share it with others, a factor which fit within the creature's self-claimed 'calculations'. Calculations. Observations? No, this was no game, it was an experiment.

    This creature, or man, this was his Mad Man. The one who created this insane labyrinth. With renewed outlook he could see it differently. A giant rat maze for men. There was no pattern, but there was a right and wrong, a single absolute path, and when one guessed correctly they were rewarded by the sight of an easily recognizable piece of landscape; a slice of cheese. "This is no game, gentlemen... and these 'rules', simply apply only to those who introduce certain factors that might... unfairly influence the subjects. These are not entirely unwelcome, but there is a degree of tolerance which must be considered when doing so. Those are the 'rules'. Fortunately, it appears your friend did not entirely violate this tolerance, though his clues definitely do stand within a gray area. Further, as it appears you are all exceptional specimens I will not terminate this observation. Though do keep in mind, cases such as this involving direct intervention are typically grounds for the immediate quarantine and euthanization. That being the case, I will need to relocate your observation elsewhere; perhaps in a less controlled environment. You may take this one back as well." Denil groaned on the ground, soaked in bloody mud. He pressed his thumb against one nostril and blew out a stream of coagulated red goo with a dour expression. The short man didn't look entirely pleased, speaking out in a monotone voice at his aggressor "...I hate you."

    "It pains me to hear that, but I'm sure you'll understand with time. With age comes wisdom." The halfling couldn't move much from his place on the ground, but he scowled still, his voice beginning to sound more clearly "I'm seventy-two this year, you fawk." The woman's persona chuckled, stepping away from the crippled man. "...And still so full of energy." She looked at the two men, "Hm, yes. I think I shall move you south - away from the rest of my observations." - "The others won't be happy you did that..." It was the first time the woman herself had spoken in sometime, and it was quite the dejected tone. What 'others' she could be referring to was impossible to know, but at the very least, that meant that all of this - what was happening to Sandpoint right now, was not solely the work of this strange creature. "Hardly my concern. I only agreed to establish the maze, nothing more. Even that was simply two objectives happening to align, and the convenience of the proposition. Their personal purpose or objectives are no concern to me."

    Denil's hand pulled its way through the mud and latch itself on the woman's leg, "...Who?" The mysterious persona looked down at the broken man distastefully "I would appreciate if you did not dirty my fabrications..." "...Don't give'a fawk about your dolls, who is it!" The woman shook off his grip with a kick, "So persistent. If you must know... Though they pose as Imperial Agents of Molthune, they are in fact remnants of the Scythe Mother's followers. You left some business unfulfilled in Maerh Varza, didn't you? How uncharacteristically odd, I've never known you to leave a dispute unsettled." The woman pulled away further to avoid being soiled by the halflings filthy hands, "...Sheit happened, things got out of hand. No, thanks to you." The red woman scratched her chin contemplatively, "Hm, yes. I do suppose I left quite an assortment of tools and failed experiments within that place, but that was literal lifetimes ago. I cannot be held responsible for the actions of mortals who come after me and abuse such trinkets. If I cared for every ant I stepped upon, I wouldn't be able to walk anywhere. Now I must go, though I do hope we meet again."

    The figure looked back at the men, "It is my firm belief you will perform all the better without restrictions, or environments such as this. Thus, there are no rules, nor considerations to be mindful of. Simply, continue living... and show me more of those strange abilities of yours. What you choose to do, where you choose to go, it is of no consequence. I look forward to your many achievements." Without another word, the woman turned away and walked into the circular wall of mist which formed the periphery of the clearing about them. The ground seemed to shift, like a rug being dragged away and their surroundings cycled away almost like the painted backdrops of a stage being cycled out like a scroll. The light grew brighter, the mist less dim. The semi-solid walls of smoke abated, leaving a smog-choked air in its place.

    Ͽ ◯ Ͼ

    The sound came roiling back, banishing the eerie silence. There was yelling and screams, the ring of steel and the sound of battle amid the more conventional calls heard in the city. Beneath their feet lay rough broken cobbled stones, unkempt and covered with filth. Denil still lay motionless in the place he was left. His face was still swollen, and in the renewed light they could see multiple punctures in his abdomen where he had been repetitively stabbed. The fingers of his right hand were broken, and his shoulder was likely dislocated while one of his feet seemed to lay at an off angle. He should have been dead, he'd lost a considerable amount of blood. It was a miracle in itself that he had been able to display such grit and tenacity, rather than falling unconscious. Standing closer, Feliks could smell the familiar foul stink of a tonic he knew very well, and the answer to how the short man had survived the brutal torture; troll septic. It smelled like a giants arse, but in a dire pinch, when teetering between life and death, it would do the trick. Though, while being beaten and mutilated, some would prefer death.

    One of Demn's eyes had swelled shut but his other darted around, "Leg's broke. Git me up. Crazy bastard threw us in Underbridge, and by the sound of it - not at a good time." The halfling tried to prop himself up, but floundered helplessly instead. "Sheit. Think my back is broke." A man in rags dashed through the smog and vanished as quickly as he had come, paying no mind to them. The sounds of battle echoed even closer, drawing near. A woman's voice called out to them, "What are you doing!? Run! we can't hold them forever!" Screams sounded from further away, then footsteps as loosely armored men broke and fled past them with all haste. The woman approached from the mist, still partially obscured, "Are you wounded? Are you bitten?"

    22th of Rova, Sunday - Time: 11:53 am (Morning) / AR 4707 (Autumn)
    The City of Monuments; Magnimar
    Underbridge District; Somewhere near the Irespan



    Side Quest: A Precious Friend
    Your meddling might have saved the life of a friend, but magic has found you stranded hundreds of miles from your destination. Now far away in the dank streets of Underbridge, the Gales find themselves reluctantly dragged to the very place they were told not to go; Magnimar. Chaos envelops the streets, as the embattled bowels of the city run red with blood and a new threat. New allies rise to combat a deathly plague bringing the dead back to life. All the while a crippled Denil lay broken and in dire need of care. The Gales struggle to escape the city and tend to the halfling's wounds. The Gales would learn, saving others took far greater strength than saving oneself.
    Difficulty: Moderate | Status: On-going | Profit: Unknown | Time: 4 Hours
    Primary Objective: Escape Magnimar.
    Secondary Objective: Escape with Denil Demn alive.




    Main Quest: Death In Her Smile
    Truth was a fickle thing. It changed form with each new angle with which it was seen; just as it did now. Avecna took great risk delivering a letter of warning to the young Gales, speaking of some unknown danger and grand conspiracy. Now a new threat rose from one which was so familiar. They had to escape the town of SandPoint, and rendezvous with Avecna far away in the city of Korvosa. Preparations were made, but they knew their foes would not make it easy.
    Difficulty: Challenging | Status: On-going | Profit: Unknown | Time: Unknown
    Objective 1: Escape SandPoint [Complete]
    Objective 2: Flee South through the wilderness to the Ashen Rise
    Objective 3: Meet the transport at Wisher's Well
    Alternate Objective 1: A weaponized disease of some sort has begun to spread in SandPoint. Remain unafflicted by the blight.
    Alternate Objective 2: Send aid to the town of SandPoint to help contain the disease.
    Alternate Objective 3: A strange new threat emerges; Escape with Denil alive. [Complete]




    Main Quest, Global: A Friend Named Nemesis
    A creature which should not be. A threat not yet understood. Nightmarish constructs emerge from buried ancient recesses within the earth. Their purpose is as strange as their appearance. Seemingly unfazed by mundane weapons and built impossibly study, they march forward unimpeded following some unpredictable nature. Whatever these creature's design, for now at least, it was better to simply stay out of the way...
    Difficulty: Moderate | Status: On-going | Profit: Unknown | Time: 2 years
    Primary Objective: Survive
    Second Objective: Find Professor Mayvert & uncover clues to the construct's origin




    (Suspended) Side Quest: The Devil Inside
    Emithy explained that everyone had begun having strange dreams, and even visions, without explanation. The only difference was how those effected interpreted their experiences. Most dismissed it completely. Dreams were just dreams, but some had more acute experiences. The depth of how men were effected seemed to differ based on the individual. It raised many questions, but none more so than if truly everyone across the world was now plagued by these strange haunts within their minds. It was an impossible scale, an impossible magic, but they had seen strange things. The young man advised them against pursuing these visions haphazardly, least they bite off more than they could chew. Maybe the voices were real and the world would be crushed by the endless darkness, but that didn't mean the voice in the blackness would come to their aid when their backs were against the wall. Perhaps the young man was right, perhaps it was better to take things slow. Perhaps it was time to take on a normal job?
    Difficulty: None | Status: On-going | Profit: Unknown | Time: None
    Objective:Find Emithy. Find a job.


    Spoiler: Hinterlands Map
    Show


    Spoiler: Rewards | EXP
    Show


    ֍ Aden XP +450 (6,850xp)
    ⯎ Received [Greyflame Crucible, CR7]
    Status: Fatigued - Remove fatigue by consuming 1 serving of water and food
    ⯎ Escaped Sandpoint +200 (7,050xp)
    ⯎ Nalt Tarbrow - Throne of Nalt +200 (7,250xp)
    ⯎ Voidwrought Glass +300 (7,550xp)
    ⯎ Captain Leruu Kantiki +100 (7,650xp)
    ⯎ Captain Lausta Lee Casault +200 (7,850xp)
    ⯎ Captain Ozrin Casault +100 (7,950xp)

    ֍ Feliks XP +300 (7,550xp)
    ⯎ Escaped Sandpoint +200 (7,750xp)
    ⯎ Demn's Conflict +100 (7,850xp)
    ⯎ The Experiment +200 (8,050xp)
    ⯎ The Mad Man +200 (8,250xp)
    ⯎ Acceptable Factors & Tolerance +100 (8,350xp)
    ⯎ Troll Septic +200 (8,550xp)

    ֍ Denil XP +700 (3,000xp)
    ⯎ Escaped Sandpoint +300 (3,300xp)
    ⯎ Unfinished Business +300 (3,600xp)
    ✦ Broken Leg: movement speed is halved
    ✦ Broken Hand (right): -4 atk & dexterity based checks
    ✦ Blind, partial: vision range halved
    ✦ Broken arm (right): cannot use right arm to perform actions or wield items
    ✦ Bleeding: 1 dmg/round (DC20 heal)
    ✦ Broken ribs: -4 penalty to all skill checks and saves
    ✦ Broken back, partial: movement speed is reduced to 0
    ✦ Broken nose, partial: -4 concentration and scent-based perception checks


    Last edited by Mornings; 2018-07-29 at 10:38 PM.

  30. - Top - End - #240
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    iValkyrieX's Avatar

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    Dec 2014

    Default Re: The Primeval Dark (IC)

    Asiresh

    "Well if thats the case then which way is the exit?" With that said Asiresh continues pushing forward past the death and destruction left by this man towards what he thinks is the exit. Making sure to move carefully to not alarm the outsider. Asir doing his best to try to move with care but also with haste to get out of here and find the surface. "Bloody hell. This place is like a maze. I'm beginning to think this place is not meant to be escaped." While walking moving through the tunnels Asir tries to stay in the shadows as to not be seen and also attempts another heal on himself.

    Spoiler: Actions
    Show
    So when I ask if he knows the way of the exit i intend to move towards where he says it is UNLESS he doesnt say then i will keep going in the direction i was headed. I also dont have my character sheet so im asking very politely, HALP i dont know my heal check spell thing.....pls be kind mornings....plz.....

    Perception
    (1d20+10)[27]

    Stealth (i think its +5)
    (1d20+5)[22]

    Haunted Child
    An aura of misfortune surrounds him causing creatures within 10 ft to roll twice and take the worst result on any d20. The Haunted is immune to his own aura, however any effects of Spite roll twice and take the least favorable result against him

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