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  1. - Top - End - #1
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Lycunadari's Avatar

    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Germany

    cool The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    Continuing
    The incredible!
    The fantastic!
    The glorious...
    THE CHALLENGE!

    If you haven't joined yet, now's your chance!


    Time for a new thread to continue the challenge!

    Many thanks to Rockbird for starting the CHALLENGE concept! And a huge shoutout to Glass Mouse for organising it for several years!

    First thread by Rockbird, the original CHALLENGE
    Second CHALLENGE thread, and the first full one!
    And the third CHALLENGE thread, also full!

    And these are the rules!
    • Each week, starting the week after you accept the CHALLENGE, you are to upload six creative works done by yourself.
    • The deadline for creating your pieces is sunday (your time zone). The deadline for uploading your pieces is whenever I make the status post, which is usually Tuesday evening (CET), so you have enough time to upload on Monday.
    • Every week you meet the CHALLENGE, you'll get a week counter. If you fail to meet the CHALLENGE, your counter will reset. At certain intervals, you earn prizes (see the FAQ).
    • For inspiration, every week a participant picks a theme. Feel free to use the theme in your works, but it's not mandatory.
    • Anyone is free to enter the CHALLENGE, and it continues for as long as there are participants.


    FAQ/Guide

    Spoiler
    Show
    Where can I upload my works?
    Just post it here in the thread or send me a PM with your work. You can post it directly or just a link to where you have uploaded it (DeviantArt, google docs, imgur, whatever you like). Also, if you want me to link to your website/blog/portfolio etc in the first post and the status post, let me know!

    What is a "creative work"?
    The creative work may be drawing, sculpting, writing, anything creative. It needs to be an actual work (no doodles or unfinished pieces), but there are different requirements for different types of works.
    If in doubt, ask. We can usually work something out. Also, I trust your judgement. If you say your piece should be worth a certain amount of points, I’m generally going to believe you.

    Drawings/Paintings
    The rule of thumb is that one drawing equals one piece. But any work with multiple pieces fit to stand on their own can be counted as multiple submissions. A couple of examples:
    Two non-descript generic people playing chess, no background = 1.
    Two distinct characters playing chess, no background = 1 each.
    -//- playing in a cafeteria = as above +1 for the scene
    -//- with a detailed mall/cityscape/other elaborate setting = characters +1 for immediate surroundings +1 for the larger backdrop. Possibly another +1 if there's a notable event or scene in the background. Detailed shading or colouring can also add +1, as can very detailed objects.

    Because it can be pretty subjective or unclear what counts as “detailed” or “distinct character”, please tell me how you think it should be counted when you submit a drawing. (E.g. 2 characters = 2 points, one in an extremely elaborate dress= 1 point + background= 1 point, total: 4 points)

    Non structured writing
    For writing, a piece is defined as 250 words. This can stack, so it need not be finished works (a full week would be 1500 words). Please include a word count anytime you submit writing.

    Structured writing
    Generally, one poem (any length) counts as one piece. Same does a comic script. But if it’s long or has several longer verses, you can either count it like structured writing (250 words = one piece) or you can count each verse as one piece. I trust your judgement if you think your poem should count as more than one piece. (Please don’t just submit six haikus or elevenies. I’m not going to fail you, but I will look at you judgementally. :P)

    Films
    For shortfilms and the like, 30 seconds count as a piece. This can also stack.

    Figurines
    One figurine counts as one piece.

    Music
    One song cover= one piece.
    For original music:
    Lyrics: generally one point, but see the rules for poetry
    Sheet music: one point per page
    Recording: one point for singing, one point for each played instrument.

    Animation
    Generally, one frame = one piece. But if there’s only minimal change between frames/ you are “recycling” frames, one frame might be worth less. Please include how many points you think your animation should give when submitting one.

    Photography
    One photo = one piece. But it needs to be of different subjects (so don’t take pictures of one rose in six different angles.)


    What is the deal with the themes?
    Every week, there's a theme chosen by a CHALLENGE participant. We go through the participant list one by one, and you are free to pick anything.
    A good theme is specific enough to matter, but vague enough to be interpreted in different ways.

    The themes are not mandatory, but it's always fun to see how different people use different themes. In the status update, I will give special mention to whichever pieces followed the themes.

    What if I'm prevented from uploading?
    If you know in advance that you won't be able to upload, just let me know. You must give a return date which becomes your deadline for upload of the intervening pieces. That will not affect your streak at all. If you find yourself unable to give advance notice (due to e.g. a power outage), fair enough, life happens. You get three such "freebies" a year.


    What can I win?

    • For every 10th consecutive week where you both pass and follow the theme, Glass Mouse will draw you a portrait (in the style of her comic).


    The list is kinda short right now. If you have a prize you want to offer, speak up.



    Current participants

    Spoiler
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    Lycunadari
    Current run: 361 weeks
    Longest run: -

    jseah
    Current Run: 200 weeks
    Longest Run: 33 weeks

    5crownik007
    Current Run: 2 weeks
    Longest Run: 2 weeks



    Former participants

    Spoiler
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    Spoiler: More than 100 weeks!
    Show
    Glass Mouse
    Longest run: 290 weeks

    Xiander
    Longest run: 127 weeks

    Spoiler: 51-100 weeks
    Show
    TheWombatOfDoom
    Longest run: 71 weeks

    Allan Dotson
    Longest run: 64 weeks

    Neoriceisgood
    Longest run: 56 weeks


    Spoiler: 21-50 weeks
    Show
    IncoherentEssay
    Longest run: 46 weeks

    LeSwordfish
    Longest run: 44 weeks

    MeanMrsMustard
    Longest run: 39 weeks

    D.KnightSpider
    Longest run: 32 weeks

    Icewalker
    Longest run: 31 weeks

    Rysc
    Longest run: 25 weeks

    'Neath the Moon
    Longest run: 25 weeks

    Cuthalion
    Longest run: 22 weeks

    Jormengand
    Longest run: 21 weeks

    Spoiler: 11-20 weeks
    Show
    Zjoot
    Longest run: 18 weeks

    celtois
    Longest run: 14 weeks

    Artman77
    Longest run: 13 weeks

    GrlumpTheElder
    Longest run: 12 weeks

    Kyouhen
    Longest run: 12 weeks

    C'nor
    Longest run: 11 weeks

    HeadlessMermaid
    Longest run: 11 weeks

    Spoiler: 6-10 weeks
    Show
    Mad Mask
    Longest run: 10 weeks

    Reltzik
    Longest run: 9 weeks

    Neoriceisgood
    Longest run: 8 weeks

    Iruka
    Longest run: 7 weeks

    Mahonri Violist
    Longest run: 6 weeks

    Subproject54
    Longest run: 6 weeks

    Spoiler: 2-5 weeks
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    Rockbird
    Longest run: 5 weeks

    rs2excelsior
    Longest run: 5 weeks

    Fraudman
    Longest run: 5 weeks

    Mercenary Pen
    Longest run: 5 weeks

    Moriwen
    Longest run: 5 weeks

    Duck999
    Longest run: 5 weeks

    Lissou
    Longest run: 4 weeks

    Grozomah
    Longest run: 4 weeks

    nersxe
    Longest run: 4 weeks

    ShadowySilence
    Longest run: 4 weeks

    azuyomi244
    Longest run: 4 weeks

    Shades of Gray
    Longest run: 4 weeks

    redfeatherraven
    Longest run: 4 weeks

    The Fiery Tower
    Longest run: 3 weeks

    Fritzell
    Longest run: 3 weeks

    Concrete
    Longest run: 3 weeks

    Lazy Genius
    Longest run: 3 weeks

    Lovely Vulcan
    Longest run: 3

    hustlertwo
    Longest run: 2 weeks

    UXLZ
    Longest run: 2 weeks

    The Walrus
    Longest run: 2 weeks

    Mindfreak586
    Longest run: 2 weeks

    Viera Champion
    Longest run: 2 weeks

    Spoiler: One week only~
    Show
    Jessicat
    Tyndmyr
    flyingchicken
    KerfuffleMach2
    Oblivion6
    ArkenPony
    Stake A Vamp
    Corphiiel
    Bucky
    InkisRatticus
    3WhiteFox3
    Arutema

    Flyingbooks42
    Last edited by Lycunadari; 2019-12-21 at 06:30 AM. Reason: Updated participants list
    You can call me Juniper. Please use gender-neutral pronouns (ze/hir (preferred) or they/them) when referring to me.

    "We all are vessels of our brokenness, we carry it inside us like water, careful not to spill. And what is wholeness if not brokenness encompassed in acceptance, the warmth of its power a shield against those who would hurt us?" - R. Lemberg, Geometries of Belonging

    Stories Art

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Lycunadari's Avatar

    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Germany

    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    Here's the new thread for you all~ I included the new rules/rule changes, and also sorted the "former participants" list. And if someone has a better idea for a title, I'm open to suggestions.

    And reminder:

    The current theme is Resources.

    The theme for the week from June 25 to July 1 is Artificial.

    The theme for the week from July 2 to July 8 is chosen by Some Android – let me know in PM or announce it in this thread, and I'll include it in the next status. If you don't want to pick a theme, you can let the others chose one.
    Last edited by Lycunadari; 2018-06-23 at 09:53 AM.
    You can call me Juniper. Please use gender-neutral pronouns (ze/hir (preferred) or they/them) when referring to me.

    "We all are vessels of our brokenness, we carry it inside us like water, careful not to spill. And what is wholeness if not brokenness encompassed in acceptance, the warmth of its power a shield against those who would hurt us?" - R. Lemberg, Geometries of Belonging

    Stories Art

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Banned
     
    Jormengand's Avatar

    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    In the Playground, duh.

    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    There is no chance of me fitting everything into one post because my word count is almost the character limit, so you only get a few samples of each thing.

    Spoiler: 34799 Words of Elite 5
    Show
    ## The Vow of Silence

    ...

    - You swear never to speak, or otherwise to perform any activity with the specific purpose of making sound.

    ___

    Speaking through force of habit causes you to become fallen, deliberately making loud noises causes you to become forsworn, and otherwise breaking your vow causes you to become disavowed.
    ___
    ...

    - You are encouraged to be true neutral in alignment and to avoid making sounds.
    ___
    ...

    ### Vow of Silence Spells
    | Devotee Level | Spells |
    |:---:|:-----------:|
    | 3rd | Feather Fall, Silent Image |
    | 5th | Calm Emotions, Silence |
    | 9th | Feign Death, Nondetection |
    | 13th | Private Sanctum, Resilient Sphere |
    | 17th | Telepathic Bond, Wall of Force |

    ### Silent Spell
    When you take this vow at 3rd level, you gain the ability to cast spells silently - devotee spells never have a verbal component for you.

    ### Channel Energy
    When you take this vow at 3rd level, you gain the following channel energy options:

    - **Mute:** As a reaction, you counter one ability which relies on sound. This doesn't counter spells with verbal components just because they have those components.
    - **Shared Silent Spellcasting:** As a reaction, you modify one spell which an ally within 60 feet is about to cast so that it does not require a verbal component.


    ### Least Elite Spellcasting
    At 3rd level, choose one of the following abilities.

    ##### Gravity's Bane (Elite Feather Fall)
    You become elite at casting feather fall. Any of the creatures can choose what rate they fall at (so long as that rate is positive or zero) on each turn without taking any actions, and irrespective of what rate they choose, they take no damage if they land during the fall. You may choose not to give some or all of the targets this choice, in which case the spell works normally for them.

    \pagebreak

    ##### Silent Phantom (Elite Silent Image)
    You become elite at casting silent image, and the image is partially real. Things can't pass through it, so physical interaction with it doesn't reveal it as an illusion. Also, it can damage creatures who believe in it. When you use your action to direct the image, it can also make one melee spell attack dealing d10 psychic damage for each spell slot level you have earned if it successfully hits.

    ### Minor Elite Spellcasting
    At 5th level, choose one of the following abilities:

    ##### Cold Blood (Elite Calm Emotions)
    You are elite at casting calm emotions, and when you cast it, not only can you choose both options, but the effects are permanent (that is, you can make someone indifferent until their attitude changes naturally, or dispel any charm or fear effect entirely). Further, you can also end any emotion-based spell in the area. If the spell is higher than 2nd level, you must take a casting ability check to dispel it (see dispel magic). Finally, you can end a creature's rage if it fails the save.

    ##### Sound Barrier (Elite Silence)
    You are elite at casting silence, and the effects are selective - that is, you can choose whether or not creatures in the area can hear and be heard, and whether or not they can cast spells with verbal components.

    ### Aura of Calm
    From 7th level, each ally within your divine grace aura gets a bonus on stealth checks equal to your charisma modifier, and their verbal components only have to be half as loud.

    ### Lesser Elite Spellcasting
    At 9th level, choose one of the following abilities:

    ##### Damnatio Memorae (Elite Nondetection)
    You are elite at casting nondetection, the duration is permanent on objects or 1 week on creatures, and the target does not show up indirectly in divination spells, for example as part of an answer to a spell which allows an entity to answer your questions or in a scrying sensor that isn't aimed directly at them.

    ##### Vampire Ambush (Elite Feign Death)
    You are elite at casting feign death, the creature has blindsight out to 10 feet, and the creature can end the effect at any time without needing any actions to do so.

    ### Moderate Elite Spellcasting
    At 13th level, choose one of the following abilties:

    ##### *................................................. ................................*

    **Q:** Can my character communicate by writing or sign language?
    ___
    **A:** Yes. It's a vow of silence, not a vow of non-communication. You can't clap, though, because that creates sound - though you can clap in sign language, which looks like jazz hands!

    ##### Secret Base (Elite Private Sanctum)
    You are elite at casting private sanctum, the casting time is only one minute for you, and when you cast it, creatures who attempt to enter without your permission must take a strength save; failure indicates that they are prevented from entering but can try to push through again each round. Also, the spell is automatically treated as though it were cast out of the highest-level slot earned, and if you actually cast it out of a higher-level slot, the benefit is doubled.

    ##### Telekinetic Sphere (Elite Resilient Sphere)
    You are elite at casting resilient sphere, and can trap a creature of any size in it. You can choose whether the sphere is invisible, visible but transparent, opaque but translucent, or matte black. As a bonus action on your turn, you can move the sphere (and enclosed creature) up to 30 feet.

    Elite spells like telekinetic sphere are difficult to defeat. Only an elite variant of a spell or ability which would normally destroy a resilient sphere can destroy a telekinetic sphere - in particular, all is dust (elite disintegrate) can destroy the telekinetic sphere.

    ### Silent Movements
    At 15th level, your motion and action is totally inaudible. Creatures can't detect you by sound at all.

    ### Greater Elite Spellcasting
    At 17th level, choose one of the following abilities:

    ##### Synæsthetic Bond
    You are elite at casting telepathic bond, the spell works even onto other planes, and all affected creatures share each others' senses. This means that none of them can be surprised unless they all are. The spell's duration is one hour per level of the highest-level spell slot you have earned.

    ##### Wall of Void (Elite Wall of Force)
    You are elite at casting wall of force, you can make either a dome or sphere with a radius up to 20 feet or a wall made of up to 20 10-ft square panels, and you can choose whether the wall is invisible, visible but transparent, opaque but translucent, or matte black.

    Elite spells like wall of void are difficult to defeat. Only an elite variant of a spell or ability which would normally destroy a wall of force can destroy a wall of void - in particular, all is dust (elite disintegrate) can destroy the wall of void.

    ### Eternal Silence
    At 20th level, you can silence a creature permanently - by killing it, of course. As an action, you reach out and touch a creature (attack bonus = your charisma modifier + your eliteness bonus). That creature must take a constitution save (DC = 8 + your charisma modifier + your eliteness bonus) or die. If they pass the save, they take true damage equal to half their maximum hit points. True damage cannot be prevented, resisted or mitigated by any means!
    ___
    Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you complete a long rest.
    [...]

    # Explorer
    # Elite Ranger
    ___
    *"There's always somewhere else to be found, and there's always someone else to find it."*

    #
    Explorers are the incorrigibly curious wanderers in the wilds, adept at hunting, tracking, and fighting. They also have access to magic which helps them in their mission.
    ___
    Every explorer has a different goal, and every explorer goes about their goal differently. Some lie in wait to hunt their prey, stalking them for hours or even days before striking. Others go for a single, fatal strike, rushing in swiftly to defeat their targets. No matter their targets or methods, an explorer is not only good at exploration, as the name suggests, but also a force to be reckoned with - indeed, a force of nature. To face an explorer who has made it their mission to track you down and kill you is at best dangerous and at worst simply foolish.


    #### Hit Points
    ___
    - **Hit Dice:** 1d10 per explorer level
    - **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 10 + your constitution modifier
    - **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d10 (or 6) + your constitution modifier

    #### Proficiencies
    ___
    - **Armour:** Proficient in light and medium armour; capable with shields.
    - **Weapons:** Proficient in all simple and martial weapons.
    - **Tools:** Trained in 2. Choose from any artisan's tools, horn, herbalism kit or navigator's tools.

    ___
    - **Saving Throws:** Master at dexterity, proficient in strength, trained in wisdom and intelligence
    - **Skills:** Master in 1, proficient in 2, trained in 2. Choose from Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, and Survival
    ___
    - **Ability Scores:** Trained in any one of dexterity, strength or wisdom.
    - **Initiative:** Proficient

    #### Equipment
    You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

    - *(a)* scale mail or *(b)* leather armour
    - *(a)* two shortswords or *(b)* two simple melee weapons
    - *(a)* a dungeoneer's pack or *(b)* an explorer's pack
    - A longbow and 20 arrows

    <div style='margin-top:100px;'></div>

    <div class='classTable wide'>

    ##### Explorer
    | Level | Features | Tricks Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
    |:---:|:---|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:
    | 1st | Tricks, Wilderness Lore | 1 | — | — | — | — | —
    | 2nd | Fighting Style, Quarry (+1/+1d6), Spellcasting | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | —
    | 3rd | Extrasensory Perception, Hunting Technique, Least Elite Spellcasting | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
    | 4th | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
    | 5th | Extra Attack, Minor Elite Spellcasting | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
    | 6th | Improved Fighting Style | 6 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
    | 7th | Ability Score Improvement, Hunting Technique Feature Quarry (+2/+2d6) | 7 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
    | 8th | Landwalk | 8 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
    | 9th | Lesser Elite Spellcasting | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
    | 10th | Hide in Plain Sight, Ability Score Improvement | 10 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
    | 11th | Fighting Style Mastery, Hunting Technique Feature | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
    | 12th | Quarry (+3/+3d6) | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
    | 13th | Ability Score Improvement, Moderate Elite Spellcasting | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
    | 14th | Vanish | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
    | 15th | Hunting Technique Feature | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
    | 16th | Ability Score Improvement | 17 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
    | 17th | Greater Elite Spellcasting, Quarry (+4/+4d6) | 19 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
    | 18th | Feral Sense | 21 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
    | 19th | Ability Score Improvement, Slayer | 23 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
    | 20th | Death Attack | 25 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |

    </div>
    Spoiler: 11655 words of 5e does ToB
    Show
    # The Crusader

    Devoted knight, divine agent, instrument of vengeance, peerless fighting machine — the crusader is a warrior dedicated to good, evil, law, chaos, or some other cause.



    ## Hit Points

    **Hit Dice:** 1d10 per crusader level.
    ___
    **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 10 + your Constitution modifier.
    ___
    **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifer for each crusader level after 1st.

    ## Proficiencies

    **Armour:** All armour, shields
    ___
    **Weapons:** Simple weapons, martial weapons
    ___
    **Tools:** None
    ___
    **Saving Throws:** Constitution, Charisma
    ___
    **Skills:** Choose two from Athletics, History, Intimidation, Persuasion or Religion
    ___

    ## Equipment
    You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

    - *(a)* a martial weapon and a shield or *(b)* two martial weapons
    - *(a)* five javelins or *(b)* any simple melee weapon
    - *(a)* a priest's pack or *(b)* an explorer's pack
    - Chain mail and a holy symbol

    ## Class Features
    As a crusader, you gain the following class features:

    ### Manœuvres
    From 1st level, you can use a variety of special spells known as manœuvres which follow different rules to normal spells.

    #### Learning Manœuvres
    You begin with knowledge of five martial manœuvres. Each manœuvre can come from any of the Devoted Spirit, Stone Dragon, and White Raven lists (you can pick each manœuvre from a different list; you don't have to choose which list to use). Once you know a manœuvre, you must ready it before you can use it (see Manœuvres Readied, below). You learn additional manœuvres at higher levels, as shown on Table: The Crusader. You must meet a manœuvre’s prerequisite to learn it. See Table: The Crusader to determine the highest-level manœuvres you can learn.
    <div class='wide'>

    ##### The Crusader
    | Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Maneuvers Known | Maneuvers Readied | Stances Known |
    |:---:|:---:|:---|:---:|:---:|:---:|
    | 1st | +2 | Steely Resolve 5 | 5 (1st) | 5 (2) | 1
    | 2nd | +2 | Indomitable Soul | 5 (1st) | 5 (2) | 2
    | 3rd | +2 | Favoured Discipline, Steely Resolve 10 | 6 (2nd) | 5 (2) | 2
    | 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 6 (2nd) | 5 (2) | 2
    | 5th | +3 | Extra Attack | 7 (3rd) | 5 (2) | 2
    | 6th | +3 | Smite | 7 (3rd) | 5 (2) | 2
    | 7th | +3 | Steely Resolve 15 | 8 (4th) | 5 (2) | 2
    | 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 8 (4th) | 5 (2) | 3
    | 9th | +4 | Zealous Surge | 9 (5th) | 5 (2) | 3
    | 10th | +4 | Die Hard | 9 (5th) | 6 (3) | 3
    | 11th | +4 | Steely Resolve 20 | 10 (6th) | 6 (3) | 3
    | 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 10 (6th) | 6 (3) | 3
    | 13th | +5 | Favoured Discipline Feature | 11 (7th) | 6 (3) | 3
    | 14th | +5 | Mettle | 11 (7th) | 6 (3) | 4
    | 15th | +5 | Steely Resolve 25 | 12 (8th) | 6 (3) | 4
    | 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 12 (8th) | 6 (3) | 4
    | 17th | +6 | Favoured Discipline Feature | 13 (9th) | 6 (3) | 4
    | 18th | +6 | Steely Resolve 30 | 13 (9th) | 6 (3) | 4
    | 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 14 (9th) | 6 (3) | 4
    | 20th | +6 | Double Strike | 14 (9th) | 7 (4) | 4
    </div>

    At 4th level, and every 2 levels thereafter, you can learn a single new manœuvre in place of one you already know. You can choose a new manœuvre of any level up to the maximum you can know; you need not replace the old manœuvre with another of the same level. For example, at 10th level, you could swap a manœuvre for a manœuvre of 5th level or lower, as long as you meet the prerequisite of the new manœuvre.


    [...]

    # The Devoted Spirit
    ___
    *"Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light"*

    *— Helen Keller*
    #
    Faith, piety, and purity of body and mind are the wellsprings of a warrior’s true power. Devoted Spirit maneuvers harness a practitioner’s spiritual strength and her zealous devotion to a cause. This discipline includes energies baneful to a creature opposed to the Devoted Spirit student’s cause, abilities that can keep an adept fighting long after a more mundane warrior would fall to his enemies, and strikes infused with vengeful, fanatical power.

    ## Associated Skill
    ##### Intimidation

    ## Initiating Abilities
    ##### Constitution, Charisma

    ## Favoured Discipline Powers

    ### Opportune Moment
    When you take this favoured discipline at 3rd level, you gain the ability to take a opportunty attack once per round without using your reaction to do so.

    ### Aura of Thorns
    Starting from 13th level, when you take damage from a melee attack, you can use your reaction to deal half as much damage back to the attacker. Apply your resistance or vulnerability to the damage, not theirs (suppose a creature who is resistant to slashing rolls 10 slashing damage against you while you're vulnerable to slashing. You take 20 damage, so the creature takes 10).

    ### Zeal and Fury
    From 17th level, you put your weight into any attack you make while also using your force of personality to guide your weapon. The first time you hit an enemy with a melee weapon attack in a round, the attack deals extra damage equal to your constitution modifier **times** your charisma modifier.

    Use the absolute value of each, to a minimum of 1 - if one of these ability scores slips below 8, this means that as your power drains away, you actually start landing stronger an stronger blows in your desperation!

    ##### .................................................. ..............................
    **Q:** What does "Absolute value" mean?
    ___
    **A:** The abolute value of a positive number equals that number. The absolute value of a negative number equals that number, times -1 - the absolute values of 2 and -2 are both 2.

    ## Manœuvres
    The following manœuvres are part of the Devoted Spirit discipline. To learn one, you must know at least one other one devoted spirit manœuvre per asterisk (*) after the level.

    [...]

    #### Shield Block
    **2nd-level Devoted Spirit**

    **Initiation Time:** 1 reaction

    **Range:** 5 feet

    **Components:** S, M (A statuette of a shield)

    **Duration:** Instantaneous
    ___
    When an enemy attacks an adjacent ally while you wield a shield, you can initiate this manœuvre to reduce the attack roll by 4, plus your maximum manœuvre level.

    #### Defensive Rebuke
    **3rd-level Devoted Spirit**

    **Initiation Time:** 1 bonus action

    **Range:** Self

    **Components:** S, M (a thorn)

    **Duration:** 1 round
    ___
    For 1 round, you gain the ability to draw the aggression of your enemies. Each enemy you hit while this manœuvre is active provokes an opportunity attack from you for every single attack they make which targets one of your allies (other than you), and these extra opportunity attacks do not use up your reaction. These enemies are aware of the consequences of attacking your allies due to this ability.

    [...]
    ## Stances
    The following stances are part of the Devoted Spirit discipline. Each one has a minimum level and a minimum number of devoted spirit manœuvres you must know to learn it, denoted by a number telling you the minimum level and a number of asterisks (*) equal to the number of devoted spirit manœuvres you must know - for example, 5** means you must know two devoted spirit manœuvres and have reached 5th level.

    [...]

    #### Immortal Fortitude (15***)
    Despite the horrific wounds you suffer, the flash of searing spells, and the crash of a foe's mighty attacks, you stand resolute on the field. So long as the potential for victory exists, you fight on.
    ___
    While in this stance, if you take enough damage to reduce you to 0 hit points, calculate the damage you have taken beyond enough to reduce you to 0 (essentially, the number of hit points below 0 the damage would reduce you to if that were possible). Take a constitution save with a DC equal to half of that value. If you pass, you do not fall unconscious, and instead, you are reduced to 1 hit point, instead of 0.
    ___
    Relying on this power is dangerous, however. Each time you successfully save yourself from unconsciousness with this stance, mark a single failed death save on yourself even though you are still conscious. This failed death save lasts until you leave this stance. If you really are knocked unconscious, you start rolling for further death saves as normal.
    ___
    If you pass a third constitution save, you don't die instantly despite having three failed death saves marked on you, but you can't attempt to save yourself from unconsciouness while you have three failed death saves on you, so you will need to leave the stance and enter it again. If you are reduced to 0 hit points a fourth time, you will die outright because you have three failed death saves.
    Spoiler: 493 Words of Mind Games
    Show
    Mind Games

    A game about vying for control of a tormented mind.

    You are not in control. But you could be.

    You are a persona, an alter-ego, a dissociative identity state. You are one of many in a tortured mind. For whatever reason, you are in a contest of control with one or more of your other personae. The contest only ends when one of the personae gains supreme control, or each of their enemies is defeated.

    In Mind Games, each player uses a deck of 30 cards, as well as one persona card, to attempt to increase their control to full or each opponent's control to nothing. The cards can generate emotional resources which are used to fuel each other's power, or directly influence the game state. You start with 50% control, 7 cards in your hand and 23 in your deck, your persona in play in your own zone, and no resources. Each card you play can grant you control or resources, or deny them to your enemies, or have a variety of other effects. In order to win the game, you must either reduce each enemy to 0% control or gain 100% control yourself. Conversely, you immediately lose if you're reduced to 0% control or an enemy gets 100% control.

    Each turn, you draw a card and then play a card. Each card may have a cost, which is the number of each emotion it uses, and has a duration, which is how long it lasts, a target, which tells you who you can aim it at, and an actual effect which tells you what it does.

    Cost: You need to have the correct resources to pay for the card, and you lose them in order to play it. A persona's cost entry is listed as [P] – they aren't played and don't have costs.
    Duration: The number of turns that the card stays in play. {0} means that the card has an immediate effect but is then discarded immediately. {∞} means that the card stays in play until something removes it.
    Target: The target symbol is divided into a lower section representing your own zone, a central section representing the centre, and a top section representing other players' zones. You can play the card into any zone shaded on the symbol. This means that (S) means that you can play the card to yourself, (C) means you can play the card to the centre, (E) means you can play the card to your enemies, (s) means that you can play the card to the centre or your enemies, (c) means you can play the card to any player but not the centre, (e) means that you can play the card to yourself or the centre, (A) means you can play the card anywhere and (a) means the card doesn't target any zone at all.
    Effect: This tells you what the card actually does when played and while in play.
    Spoiler: Resource, target and persona symbols for Mindgames
    Show
    Spoiler: 1655 words of LETHAL
    Show
    L.E.T.H.A.L.
    Less Evil Tabletop Heroism And Love

    The world's most horrible role-playing game, reborn in flames.

    Abandon all hope, ye who enter here

    If you have picked up this weighty tome without already figuring out what it's about, then you most likely do not have the misfortune of having encountered FATAL, which – depending on edition – stands either for “Fantasy adventure to adult lechery” or the more sanitised variant “From another time, another land.” Put simply, FATAL attempts to be a role-playing game, but its rambling, incoherent nine hundred and seventy seven page diatribe not only fails to provide a good gaming experience – or really a gaming experience at all – but is one of the vilest works of humanity ever committed to paper. [CENSORED BEYOND THIS POINT BECAUSE REALLY NOW]


    =48602 words, one picture.
    =195 points.
    =Just over 32 times the CHALLENGE requirement.
    =Just over 8 times the amount I normally do.

    Okay, so once we are quite finished updating the entire Tome of Battle to 5th edition, rewriting most of the 5th edition Players' Handbook, making a card game from scratch and fixing FATAL, what are our plans?
    "That's a good question! We could work on the wargame we're making..."
    "Or we could restart that 100-pages-and-growing RPG that got lost when our computer crashed..."
    "Or we could finish our 3.5 sourcebook!"
    "For the record? I hate every last one of you."

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Barbarian in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jan 2016

    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    Here's my art for the week:

    Spoiler: art
    Show




    A little pixel art/animation. I believe there are enough frames to make the cut.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lycunadari View Post
    The theme for the week from July 2 to July 8 is chosen by Some Android – let me know in PM or announce it in this thread, and I'll include it in the next status. If you don't want to pick a theme, you can let the others chose one.
    I pick Thermal Energy.

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Finlam's Avatar

    Join Date
    Feb 2013

    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    If it's not too late, my entries for the week are:

    The 5e Heroic Mod - make high level D&D 5e feel heroic again - 1385 words

    The Cursed Amulet - 43 words of a short story

    Searing Image - 21 words of joke/humor writing

    The Inner Sanctum of Eros - A custom, magical door for D&D - 45 words.

    Playing low mental stat character advice - 42 words.

    Putting me at a total of 1536 words for the week.
    Just barely =P

    Note: hashtags not included in humor word count.
    Last edited by Finlam; 2018-06-25 at 02:20 PM.
    Hello, I'm Finlam: content creator for D&D5e and writer.
    Playable Slimes for D&D5e
    >>>So You Want To Be A Slime?<<<

    5eHeroic - Make high level D&D feel heroic and fun again.

    -Game Content-
    Roleplay Warm-up - Exercises to get into Character
    3 Traps to Get Your Players Excited
    GM's Easy Creation Kit (G.E.C.K.)

    -Character Builds-
    Building a Super SAD Tank - Using a Paladin/Hexblade to build an unstoppable tank.


    Let's chat sometime.

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Jun 2009

    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    1546 words for AT x HP

    Spoiler
    Show
    "What in the world could that be?"
    Turing gnawed on a chapati his wife packed into his lunchbox. Despite being named for the famous British mathematician, Turing had disappointed his entire family by ending up a physicist.
    Never mind that physics these days was all math.
    The arrival of the Tower was all anyone could talk about. Even his colleagues in the university department constantly speculated on the mechanism that kept the Tower standing or the weather manipulation.
    It made figuring out what was going on with Turing's small particle accelerator difficult. The department researchers consulted with each other on problems regularly, if only to gain a fresh perspective. But it was all Tower Tower Tower for the last month.
    The detector was showing electromagnetic interference. Turing had replaced his Faraday cage three times, used a new QCCD out of the box and even borrowed a photon counter from next door. No go. The damned photons seemed to be coming from nowhere.
    The weirdest part was how when Turing had shifted his detector to next door's setup, in desperation, his QCCD was working perfectly. And the pattern of the photons in his radiation shielded lab, the energy distribution, appeared to be the same regardless of which detector model he used. Implying that he was seeing something real, not just an artifact of his power source.
    It was enough to make his PhD student joke that the lab was haunted and the detectors were seeing a ghost.
    "Michael? Have we tried to see if we can make the detector blind?"
    His PhD student shouted back from his desk, "I tried that last week! The photons can go through the detector cover!"
    Turing sighed, this was going to go down into the annals of lunchtime jokes. He was going to find some forgotten factor way too late to salvage his reputation.
    "Enough, take a break today, Michael," Turing said as he left his office.
    "Professor?" his student looked up and paused as he no doubt saw Turing's tiredness. "All right, I'll see you tomorrow. "
    "You've any plans for this afternoon?" he asked idly.
    Michael shrugged, "I'll finish reading this paper then go help my friend. She's in the geology department across the road and she wants my help with this crazy tenured professor who thinks his stones are singing. "
    Turing laughed a little and left for home, feeling a little better.

    Michael stood in the crazy professor's office, wondering just how someone could so precisely fit the mad scientist mold. Tanya's professor, Yomur, had a shocking head of white hair that seemed to perpetually suffer from bed head. His old eyes still contained the spark of mad curiousity and his excited gestures completed the picture of an absentminded professor.
    That the man was approaching seventy years old and was known as the geology department's fossil did not help Michael think any better of him.
    "Are you sure this professor is... uh..." he tried to find a diplomatic way to put it.
    Tanya grinned mischievously, "batty? Sure, he's completely off his rockers but he knows his stones like nobody else. He's practically a fossilized rock himself! Just do me a favour and listen to him, all right?"
    She batted her eyes at Michael, probably knowing just what she did to the butterflies in his stomach.
    "Fine," Michael said. Like every other time, he just couldn't resist that look.
    The little vixen led him down the geology labs to the professor's office. "Now, he might be a little strange but please don't dismiss him outright. "
    Tanya's repeated warnings was only making Michael doubt the man more but he gestured for her to get it over with.
    Without bothering to knock, Tanya just pushed the door open. Inside, every wall of the office was lined with glass covered shelves, and all of the space on them covered with a bewildering variety of rock. Each sample was labeled and in its own box, to Michael's relief, though the order by which the rocks were arranged was not obvious.
    The man himself however was pacing in front of his desk, tapping a strange contraption with a tuning fork.
    Clamped into a holder was a piece of rock. A microphone wire was held very close to it. Said microphone was hooked up to an amplifier and a speaker, but weirdly, the microphone itself was facing away from the whole setup, leaving only it's cord wrapped in coils near the stone in the apparatus. Since the microphone was the directional sort, almost none of the tuning fork's sound would even be picked up. And even then, Michael could see the red light showing the microphone was muted.
    Yomur did not even look up as Tanya shuffled Michael in, he simply selected a tuning fork from the collection of notes and tapped it against the metal stand before holding it near the stone.
    Nothing unexpected happened.
    "Um-"
    "Sh!"
    The man held up an admonishing finger. Michael quietly shut the door and watched as the professor moved the ringing tuning fork around the stone for a few passes. He gave up after a few seconds and silenced it with a cloth before turning the amplifier down to nothing.
    "Ah, there you are, Tanya," Yomur said finally, "did you find a physicist like you said you would?"
    Michael felt his eye twitch but suppressed his annoyance. "Sir, I'm Michael, I'm a PhD student over at the physics department. Do you mind explaining what is going on here?"
    The professor looked at him with beady eyes for a moment before nodded. "This here is the control experiment. That is a piece of granite. As you can see, nothing happens. But..."
    He dragged over a different holder with an off-white rock in it, "these rocks, an almagation of three related species, sing back. "
    Yomur took up the tuning fork set apart from the others and rang it against the metal frame. Immediately the rock seemed to vibrate in resonance with the tuning fork. Reaching over to the amplifier, Yomur turned up volume until there was an audible white noise. When the tuning fork was brought close to the white rock and its vibration increased, so did the noise from the speaker.
    "What do you make of that?" the professor asked him after silencing the tuning fork and turning off all the audio equipment.
    To be honest, Michael had no idea what to think. The microphone coils and the white noise reminded him of headphones receiving strange noises before a mobile phone rang nearby. "What if you move the microphone nearer to the rock?" he suggested, and immediately regretted making a ridiculous hypothesis.
    It was just a rock after all. Unless there was some white noise generator powered by tuning forks in play, Michael could see no reason why that might even work. Plus the control experiment neatly disproved any tuning fork shenanigans-
    His train of thought screeched to a final crashing halt as Yomur, having moved the microphone closer, struck the rock. The speaker squealed with a massive overload of white noise that nearly blasted Michael's eardrums apart.
    A hasty unplugging of the speaker later, Michael winced as he clutched his hurting ears. "Let's not do that again. "
    The professor nodded, Tanya next to him.
    "So I'm guessing you've narrowed the effect down to the rock?" Michael asked.
    Tanya shrugged, "the microphone is new. But I was asked to examine the rock's resonance with sound in all the other labs in this building. The strangest part is that the professor has had this rock in his office for years, this collection is nearly a decade old. And in all his humming and singing, the rock has never sung back like this. "
    And the rock was generating radio interference when it vibrated. The transistors in the microphone was picking it up and sending the noise to the speakers.
    And the rock had not started to hum until recently.
    "How recent was this?" Michael asked again.
    Yomur frowned and tried to plumb his aging memory. "I first noticed this about three weeks ago," he said finally.
    So, only after the Tower arrived, which also projected a huge and impossible field of electromagnetic interference.
    Plus the Song of Welcome had caused radar interference. Even in the carrier's radar set that had been retracted and inside a faraday cage.
    Just like how a certain photon detector seemed to see an increase in background radiation inside a faraday cage that was next to a stone radiation shield that wasn't regulation concrete but natural stone. Inherited from the previous owners of the lab and without any documentation of where it had come from or what it was made of.
    Michael frowned. But that was ridiculous. Right?
    Well, singing rocks were weird enough and it wasn't as if he had any plans this afternoon. Tanya's eyes were definitely not affecting his willingness to try off the wall ideas.
    "Do you think I could borrow your set up?" he looked at Yomur then to Tanya, "I want to know if I have a singing rock as well. "

  7. - Top - End - #7
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Xiander's Avatar

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    Nov 2005
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    Denmark
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    I have done 1635 words of a new story, I plan to make this one short, but I didn't manage to finish it in one week...
    Anyhow, here it is:

    Spoiler: Shadows and Darkness, part 1
    Show
    Sparks raised into the air as Willem stirred the embers in the ancient brazier. It was the darkest hour of the night, and the sullen glow of the embers only gave scant light to see by.
    From her perch by the ner dead fire, Ina could just make out the shapes of her companions. Willem, large and solid was trying to coax life into the fire. His face was lit from below, and she could see the rumpled shape of his beard, but his eyes were hidden.
    Beside him Mark was barely visible. Silen and sullen the man seemed to be nearly one with the shadows. He was checking his knives, over and over, arranging them and rearranging them. It was clear to Ina that he needed something to do, or he would go insane. So he did the same thing over and over, and only looked insane.
    Gill sat on willems other side, silently watching the embers. What little light found her, gleamed in her golden hair. She held her flute in her hands, like it was a small child and she feared dropping it.
    “They will come for us.” Ina said, almost a whisper, but in the silence of the tiny room, she might as well have shouted. “As soon as the sun gives them light.”
    Willem grunted in agreement. He never used a sentence, if a word would do, and he never spoke a word if he could do with a grunt.
    “We knew the risk.” Said Mark. “And we came here anyways.”
    There was bitterness in his voice, but it did not sound like blame. He had come just as willingly as the rest of them, and hoped just as much to find what he needed.
    They had all come for different things, to these ancient ruins. Mark sought treasure, to make him rich. Gill sought the the mystic healing powers of the ancients who once dwelled here. Ina had come to find truth, answers to her questions. And Willem had followed her, because that was what he did, the big oaf.
    She wanted to be mad at him for following her into this deathtrap, but the only feelings she found inside herself was sadness and despair.
    “What can we do?” She asked, hoping for something to give her hope.
    “Not much.” Mark gestured to the shadows around them. “We are safe here, but if we try to leave, we will have to pass through one of those glowing chambers.”
    Willem grunted in asent.
    They all fell silent, as they thought of the things they had found in those chambers, and what they had done to Trish and Frank. They had been six, now they were four, and only because of Willems quick thinking. He had led them all out of harms way and into this tiny room.
    The things had not followed, there had been no light for them to follow in. Their desperate flight had led them to the safety of darkness, and the night had come and given them more time.
    It had been hours now, and Ina knew in her bones that sunrise would come before long. She feared that there would not be enough darkness to shield them once that happened. And even in they could cower in the deepest shadows and remain safe, they would run out of food and starvation would claim them.
    Her dark thoughts were interrupted, when Gill spoke. Her voice sounded like silver bells in the darkness. It was avoice no one could ignore.
    “I have composed a song for us, for now.” Ina couldn’t see her face, but she knew Gill would be smiling her modest smile. “I call it: Ode to Night.”
    Without any invitation, the goldenhaired girl raised her flute to her lips and sent soft longing tunes into the darkness of the tiny chamber.
    The song was beautifull.
    They all sat in silence, as Gill played. Ina imagined that the goldenhaired girl hat taken a small piece of her soul and put it into the song. Even without words, the song sent sent feelings darting through her, as if injected straight into her soul.
    Sadness and lonelyness danced through her mind, then a hint of fear showed up and the song grew more tense. For a while those three feelings moved back and forth below the music, then as the song drew to it’s end, something else showed up.
    It was like a golden ray of sunlight, pushing on to the schene amidst the darkness of fear and sadness. It was alone and fragile, but still strong enough to make her pause and wonder.
    It was a single strand of hope.
    As hope took its place in the center of the stage, the song came to its end, and the last tune hang in the air for a long moment before anyone spoke. No one wanted to break the spell of the song, but after a minute, it was Willem who did.
    “That was beautiful.” He said. It was more words than he said most days.
    Gill simply lovered her flute and looked down on her own hands. She didn’t need to speak, her song had spoken for her.
    Mark was staring straight at her, but he didn’t say anything. Ina wondered at his thoughts. Was he simply impressed with the song? Or was there something else stirring in the dour man, here in the darkness?
    Her thoughts were interrupted, not by a sound or a word, but by dawn it self.
    Behind Willem was a doorway. It had perhaps once been a door, but time had broken down the wood and left only the stone of the doorway. In the dakness of the night, Ina had not been able to see it, but now ligt came over the horizon and through the open doorway, she could see the sun begin to rise ove the roof of an ancient ruined building.
    Between their tiny chamber and the nearest building was an open courtyard. As the sun rose and its light fell onto the stones of the courtyard, shaddows began to dance around the edges of the surrounding buildings.
    There are no shadows without light, and the things that had hunted them and send them hiding in the tiny chamber could not move into proper darkness. Now, as the sun illuminated the courtyard wierd spindly crreatures made of ragged shadows crawled onto the stones and toward their chamber.
    There were hundreds of the things, and though their movements were restricted by the light, Ina knew that before long, the sun would shine straight through the doorless dorway, and let the creatures come for her and her companions.
    “We have to move now.” Said Mark, his voice bitter but determined.
    “Move where?” Asked Ina. She didn’t want to be caught in the doorless chamber, but where could they go?
    “That way.” Gill pointed at at building. “If we run we can stay in shadows most of the way. And we only have to pass one of the glowing chambers.”
    “We can get out of the ruins that way?” Mark asked.
    “Yes.” Said Gill.
    There was silence for a beat, as they watched the shadows crawl. Then Willem rose to his feet and picked up the Brazier. Everyone looked at him, and Ina felt as they all decided to follow Gill’s plan.
    They ran.
    Most of the courtyard was still covered by long shadows, they covered that part quickly. When they reached the edge of the shadow, they slowed down.
    The shadow creatures seethed and boiled, but they could not reach their prey. Being the prey made Ina feel very small and vulnerable. She did not like that, not at all.
    “We have to run for the door.” Mark whispered.
    Willem responded by reaching one hand into the brazier and grasping a still glowing coal. He didn’t even flinch as the scent of burned skin filled the air. The threw the coal at the nearest of the writhing shadow things. As the glowing ember hit the thing, there was a sound like a scream in a nightmare.
    The thing twisted and boiled, and then it backed away from the coal. It made sense, Ina thought, Shadows can’t exist in darkness, but they cannot come to close to the light either.
    “Go!” Yelled Gill.
    And they ran once more. Willem spread the coals around them as they moved, and the shadows shied away, giving them just enough time to pass.
    They reached the building as Willem flung the last coal. Rushing inside, Ina had a feeling she was forgetting something.
    She was brutally reminded, when they stepped into the glowing chamber. There were huge bulbous growths on every wall, and on the ceiling. They were a pale white, tinted slightly blue, and they glowed with a pale light. And each of the growths were surrounded by no less than a score of shadowy beings.
    This was were they had first seen the things. They had been on this side of the room, looking around for any signs of the ancients who once lived here, when the shadow things had come out of the bulbous growth, like a swarm of angry ants.
    There was a hole in the middle of the room, like a well. Ina didn’t know why it was there, but that was where the things had dragged Trish and Frank, into the well. They had run for safety, and made it to the tiny chamber.
    It was Gill who figured out the shadows, couldn’t move in darkness, but it was never dark in the glowing chambers.
    Now they were back in here, they had to pass this place to get out of the ruins. They had to run for the other side. And the shadows were coming for them.

  8. - Top - End - #8
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    TheWombatOfDoom's Avatar

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    May 2012
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    Aldain
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    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    Oh my gosh, by the end of july, Lycunadari will have surpassed the Great Glass Mouse's record! That's certainly an accomplishment. I'm still here and checking this regularly. I have been creative, just not in a way you could easily track. Minecraft blocks placing...level designing...so on. *Dances around in the new thread* Someday, I'm sure I'll be back.
    Scientific Name: Wombous apocolypticus | Diet: Apocolypse Pie | Cuddly: Yes

    World Building Projects:
    Magic
    : The Stuff of Sentience | Fate: The Fabric of Physics | Luck: The Basis of Biology

    Order of the Stick Projects:
    Annotation of the Comic | Magic Compendium of the Comic | Transcription of the Comic
    Dad-a-chum? Dum-a-chum? Ded-a-chek? Did-a-chick?
    Extended Signature | My DeviantArt | Majora's Mask Point Race
    (you can't take the sky from me)

  9. - Top - End - #9
    Banned
     
    Jormengand's Avatar

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    Oct 2012
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    In the Playground, duh.

    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    Quote Originally Posted by TheWombatOfDoom View Post
    Oh my gosh, by the end of july, Lycunadari will have surpassed the Great Glass Mouse's record! That's certainly an accomplishment. I'm still here and checking this regularly. I have been creative, just not in a way you could easily track. Minecraft blocks placing...level designing...so on. *Dances around in the new thread* Someday, I'm sure I'll be back.
    If you want some fun with simultaneous equations, it will take me another 76 weeks to have exactly the same number of weeks counted as Juniper if you count all of my weeks four times over. It will probably take significantly less time for me to get the same total points scored as Juniper, if this week is any indication.

  10. - Top - End - #10
    Barbarian in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jan 2016

    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    Did we lose a Lycunadari? Why does this always happen the weeks I actually manage to post something? Am I cursed?

  11. - Top - End - #11
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Lycunadari's Avatar

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    May 2012
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    Germany

    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    No, no, I'm still here, I just had my thesis defence yesterday and I got sick, so I didn't get around to making the status post yet. Sorry!
    You can call me Juniper. Please use gender-neutral pronouns (ze/hir (preferred) or they/them) when referring to me.

    "We all are vessels of our brokenness, we carry it inside us like water, careful not to spill. And what is wholeness if not brokenness encompassed in acceptance, the warmth of its power a shield against those who would hurt us?" - R. Lemberg, Geometries of Belonging

    Stories Art

  12. - Top - End - #12
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Lycunadari's Avatar

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    May 2012
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    Germany

    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    Status for June 18 to June 24!

    The theme was Resources!


    Glass Mouse is out due to disappearance.

    Lycunadari passes with seven city photos and one character drawing.

    jseah passes with 1546 words of AT x HP fanfiction.

    Xiander passes with 1635 words of Shadows and Darkness.

    Jormengand passes with 48602 words of various homebrew and a bunch of symbols, including some resource symbols.

    Subproject54 passes with 1536 words of article.

    Some Android passes with one pixel art animation.


    Thus nobody FAILs this round!

    Lycunadari, jseah, Xiander, Jormengand, Subproject54 and Some Android PASS this round!


    Current standing:
    Spoiler
    Show

    Lycunadari
    Current run: 285 weeks
    Longest run: -
    Themes: -

    jseah
    Current Run: 124 weeks
    Longest Run: 33 weeks
    Themes: -

    Xiander
    Current run: 103 weeks
    Longest run: -
    Themes: -

    Jormengand
    Current run: 15 weeks
    Longest run: -
    Themes: 3 weeks

    Subproject54
    Current run: 6 weeks
    Longest run: 4 weeks
    Themes: -

    Some Android
    Current run: 1 week
    Longest run: 42 weeks
    Themes: -



    The current theme is Artificial.

    The theme for the week from July 2 to July 8 is Thermal Energy.

    The theme for the week from July 9 to July 15 is chosen by me – it's Oh no, not again!

    -------

    A bunch of city photos, and a character drawing from a really old story idea I've started poking at again.


    Quote Originally Posted by TheWombatOfDoom View Post
    Oh my gosh, by the end of july, Lycunadari will have surpassed the Great Glass Mouse's record! That's certainly an accomplishment. I'm still here and checking this regularly. I have been creative, just not in a way you could easily track. Minecraft blocks placing...level designing...so on. *Dances around in the new thread* Someday, I'm sure I'll be back.
    Hi again! Yeah, it feels kind of surreal- when I joined the challenge I certainly didn't expect that I would at one point be the person with the longest streak!
    You can call me Juniper. Please use gender-neutral pronouns (ze/hir (preferred) or they/them) when referring to me.

    "We all are vessels of our brokenness, we carry it inside us like water, careful not to spill. And what is wholeness if not brokenness encompassed in acceptance, the warmth of its power a shield against those who would hurt us?" - R. Lemberg, Geometries of Belonging

    Stories Art

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    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    I've done another 13717 words of 5e Does ToB. You can view the finished product here. 7944 words of Elite 5 will just about fit into this post:

    Spoiler
    Show
    ## Shorthand

    Some shorthand is used regarding attack rolls and saving throws. In the text, any section which would normally say "An [Ability Score] save (DC 8 + your [Ability Score] modifier + your [Training/Proficiency/Mastery/Eliteness] bonus)" Is shortened. The first three letters of the ability score and first one lettter of the proficiency level is given.
    ___
    For example, "A wisdom save (DC: Con/T)" means that the foe is taking a wisdom save with a DC equal to 8 + your constitution modifier + your training bonus.
    ___
    Similarly, if you are described as making an attack roll with (AB: Dex/M) it means that your attack bonus is your dexterity modifier plus your mastery bonus.
    ___
    "Mag" is used to mean your spellcasting ability, so an ordinary spell DC is (DC: Mag/P) and an elite spell attack bonus is (AB: Mag/E).

    ##### *................................................. ................................*

    Sometimes, sections like this one will be used for flavour text, for clarifying rules text, or for explaining design decisions. There's no real distinction between the rulings in these digressions and actual rules text; the intent is that people will do what's right for their game rather than fussing about whether something is a real rule or not.
    ___
    If you're building a character for some theoretical optimisation exercise, feel free to count or discount them as is more useful to you. I like seeing what you come up with.
    ##### *................................................. ................................*

    ## Virtual Spell Slots

    Some abilities contain text to the following effect:
    ___
    "You are treated as using the highest spell slot you have earned, and if you really do use a higher-level spell slot than normal, the benefit for doing so is doubled."
    ___
    To take an example to demonstrate how this works, consider magic missile:
    ___
    "You create three glowing darts of magical force[...]
    ___
    **At Higher Levels.** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the spell creates one more dart for each slot level above 1st."
    ___
    Suppose you had third-level spell slots but had used all of them so you chose to cast magic missile out of a second-level slot.

    - You get three darts as standard from the spell.
    - You are treated as casting it out of a third-level slot (because you have *earned* third-level slots, even if you don't have any) so you get another two darts.
    - Finally, you actually cast it out of a second-level slot. Normally, this would get you one extra dart. Instead, it gets you two.
    - Therefore, you get 7 (3+2+2) darts.

    ___
    In the case of some spells, which do not scale linearly, the procedure involves not quite taking the statement "The benefit for doing so is doubled" literally. For example, suppose you had this special ability while casting bestow curse, which reads:
    ___
    "[...]If you use a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the duration is 8 hours. If you use a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the duration is 24 hours[...]"
    ___
    Suppose you have earned 5th-level slots, so you are treated as having cast it from one. If you actually cast it out of a slot one level higher than normal (4th, as it's a 3rd-level spell), the benefit for doing so is usually nothing (because there's no increase from 5th to 6th level). However, you should take "The benefit for doing so is doubled" as a shorthand for "you add double the increase in effective spell slot from actually casting out of a higher slot to the highest-level slot you have earned".
    ___
    That is, casting it out of a slot one higher *than its actual level* gives the effect that would normally be granted by casting it out of a slot **two** higher *than the highest level of spells you have earned* - in this case, the 7th-level effect.

    ## True Damage
    Tearing yourself apart from the inside, playing with antimatter, or the direct wrath of a deity: these are the sorts of situations which deal true damage.
    ___
    True damage is a special damage type which cannot be prevented, resisted or mitigated by any means (though a save may be allowed by the ability that actually deals the damage, and a creature can be interrupted before they have a chance at actually using said ability). You may very well be immune to all damage, but true damage will still harm you! Resistance or immunity to true damage therefore does nothing.

    ##### *................................................. ................................*
    **Q:** Any means? But, what if I use...
    ___
    **A:** You're missing the point, or rather, walking straight into it. True damage _exists_ to make sure that yes, even then, you can get hurt. And really, except against people taking pains to be immune to everything, it's only somewhat nice, not amazing.
    ##### *................................................. ................................*

    ## Challenge Ratings
    These classes are more powerful than normal, so in general, challenge rating roughly equates to character level - that is, a fifth-level character built under these rules is CR 5, and consequently has about a 50% chance either way of winning or losing if they get into a punch-up with a CR 5 earth elemental. Where previously, a CR 12 "Archmage" with 18d8 hit dice and an 18th-level wizard's spellcasting power was clearly more powerful than a 12th-level character, a 12th-level character built with these rules stands a chance against the archmage, partly by access to virtual spell slots as high as 16th level! Similarly, you might now finally stand a chance fighting alone against 8 CR 1/8 guards at first level.


    # Fanatic
    # Elite Barbarian
    ___
    *"We do not fight because we can. Nor do we fight because we must. We fight because we **do**."*

    #
    The fanatic fights by channeling exceptional zeal and fury into their attacks. Fanatics possess a will of steel which never fades, and never quite lets them die. The fanatic charges into battle with a shout of pure rage on their lips and a mighty weapon in their hands.


    #### Hit Points
    ___
    - **Hit Dice:** 1d20 per fanatic level
    - **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 20 + your constitution modifier
    - **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d20 (or 11) + your constitution modifier

    #### Proficiencies
    ___
    - **Armour:** Trained in unarmoured combat, trained in light armour and medium armour
    - **Weapons:** Master at two-handed melee simple and martial weapons; proficient in other simple and martial weapons.
    - **Tools:** Proficient in 1 and trained in 1. Choose from brewer's supplies, smith's tools, woodcarver's tools, herbalism kit, drum, horn, longship.

    ___
    - **Saving Throws:** Master at constitution and strength, trained in dexterity.
    - **Skills:** Master in 1, proficient in 2, trained in 2. Choose from Athletics, Animal Handling, Intimidation, Investigation, Nature, Medicine, Perception, Religion, Stealth and Survival.
    ___
    - **Ability Scores:** Trained in any one of dexterity, strength or constitution.
    - **Initiative:** Proficient

    #### Equipment
    You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

    - (a) a greataxe or (b) any martial melee weapon
    - (a) two handaxes or (b) any simple weapon
    - An explorer's pack and four javelins

    ## Class Features
    As a fanatic, you gain the following class features.

    ### Rage

    In battle you fight with primal ferocity. On your turn, you can enter a rage as a bonus action. While raging, you gain the following benefits if you aren't wearing heavy armor:

    - You have Advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
    - When you make a melee weapon attack using Strength,

    <div class='classTable'>

    ##### Fanatic
    | Level | Features | Tricks Known |Rage Uses
    |:---:|:---|:---:|:---:|:---:|
    | 1st | Rage, Unarmoured Defence | 1 |2
    | 2nd | Danger Sense, Reckless Attack | 2 |2
    | 3rd | Incarnation of Rage | 3 |3
    | 4th | Ability Score Improvement, Burst of Power (1) | 4 |3
    | 5th | Extra Attack, Fast Movement | 5 |3
    | 6th | Incarnation Feature | 6 |4
    | 7th | Ability Score Improvement, Feral Soul | 7 |4
    | 8th | Burst of Power (2), Keen Critical (19-20 *3)| 8 |4
    | 9th | Killing Blow (P) | 9 |5
    | 10th | Ability Score Improvement, Incarnation Feature | 10 |5
    | 11th | It Will Not Die | 12 |5
    | 12th | Burst of Power (3) | 14 |6
    | 13th | Ability Score Improvement, Killing Blow (M) | 16 |6
    | 14th | Incarnation Feature | 18 |6
    | 15th | Keen Critical (18-20 *4) | 20 |∞
    | 16th | Ability Score Improvement, Burst of Power (4) | 22 |∞
    | 17th | Killing Blow (E) | 24 |∞
    | 18th | Indomitable Might | 26 |∞
    | 19th | Ability Score Improvement, Extra Attack (2) | 28 |∞
    | 20th | Berserkrgangr, Burst of Power (5), Primal Champion | 30 |∞

    </div>
    you add your mastery bonus to damage rolls..

    - You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

    Your rage lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are knocked unconscious. You can also end your rage on your turn as a bonus action. Once you have raged the number of times shown on the Fanatic table, you must finish a long rest before you can rage again.


    ### Unarmored Defense
    While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier + your training bonus. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.

    \pagebreak

    ### Reckless Attack
    Starting at 2nd level, you can throw aside all concern for defense to attack with fierce desperation. When you make your first attack on your turn, you can decide to attack recklessly. Doing so gives you advantage on melee weapon attack rolls using Strength during this turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until your next turn.

    ### Danger Sense
    At 2nd level, you gain an uncanny sense of when things nearby aren't as they should be, giving you an edge when you dodge away from danger.
    ___
    You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects that you can see, such as traps and spells. To gain this benefit, you can't be blinded, deafened, or incapacitated.

    ### Incarnation of Rage
    At 3rd level, you choose the form that your rage manifests in, which grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.

    ### Ability Score Improvement
    When you reach 4th level, and again at 7th, 10th, 13th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

    ### Burst of Power
    Once during each rage ar 4th level, and once more during each rage every 4th level thereafter, you can use your reaction to do one of the following:

    - Negate the damage you would take from a single attack
    - Prevent the infliction of one condition that would be inflicted on you
    - Double your rage damage bonus for one attack
    - Become elite at a single attack roll, skill check, ability check or saving throw before you make the roll.

    ### Extra Attack
    Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

    ### Fast Movement
    Beginning at 5th level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you aren't wearing heavy armor.

    ### Feral Soul
    By 7th level, your instincts are so honed that you have advantage on initiative rolls and can never be surprised.

    ### Keen Critical
    At 8th level, your attacks score critical hits on a roll of 19 or 20, and you roll the damage dice three times, rather than two. At 15th level, this improves to 18-20 and four damage rolls.

    ### Deadly Blow
    At 9th level, whenever you score a critical hit on a creature, that creature must take a constitution save or take true damage equal to one third of its current hit points (before taking the critical hit damage). True damage cannot be prevented, mitigated or resisted by any means. If a creature passes the save, it instead takes true damage equal to one sixth of its current hit points.
    ___
    The save DC is strength-based, and adds your proficiency bonus from 9th, mastery bonus from 13th and eliteness bonus from 17th level.

    ### It Will Not Die
    Starting at 11th level, your rage can keep you fighting despite grievous wounds. If you drop to 0 hit points while you're raging and don't die outright, you can make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw, If you succeed, you drop to 1 hit point instead.

    ___

    Each time you use this feature after the first, the DC increases by 2. When you finish a short or long rest, the DC resets to 10.

    ### Indomitable Might
    Beginning at 18th level, if your total for a Strength check is less than your Strength score, you can use that score in place of the total.

    ### Primal Champion
    At 20th level, you embody the power of the wilds. Your Strength and Constitution scores increase by 4. Your maximum for those scores is now 24.

    ### Berserkrgangr
    At 20th level, you can fly into a special rage called a berserkrgangr (you don't lose your normal rage). When you are in the berserkrgangr, you are immune to damage and you can make three attacks with the attack action, not just two.
    ___
    However, your berserkrgangr comes at a terrible cost: when you fly into the berserkrgangr, and every single round of the berserkrgangr, just before you take your turn in that round, you must take 20d6 points of true damage or, as the first thing you do in that round, use your bonus action to abandon the berserkrgangr. True damage cannot be prevented, resisted or mitigated by any means (even this ability)!



    ## Incarnations of Rage

    There are many different ways to unleash your inner rage. The black blood cultists grow fierce claws and teeth to attack with, the dervishes transform their rage into a deadly, flowing dance and the frenzied berserkers simply cut loose and kill whoever gets in their path.
    ___
    While these paths may be familiar to some, there are others which are less familiar. Totem warriors set up destructive icons, venom disciples use poisonous attacks to debilitate their foes, and wrathslingers use deadly throwing attacks.

    \pagebreak

    ## Black Blood Cultist

    The black blood cult itself is a specific organisation who venerate their deity with bloody rituals that claim hundreds of innocent lives, but the idea of manifesting one's fury by imitating the savagery of a raging werewolf - or werebear, in the case of the legendary bear warriors - is one far more widespread than the cult is.

    ### Black Blood
    Starting when you take this incarnation at 3rd level, you reduce any damage you take from weapons which aren't silvered by half your level, rounding down.

    ### Feral Rage
    When you take this incarnation at 3rd level, you grow claws which deal 1d6 points of damage and are light weapons. You add your ability modifier to the damage roll of offhand attacks with a claw. At 6th level, the damage becomes 1d8, at 10th it becomes 1d10 and at 14th it becomes 1d12.

    ### Feral Bite
    From 6th level, you gain a bite attack which deals 1d6 points of damage. You add your ability modifier to the damage roll of offhand (offmouth?) attacks with your bite, and you can attack with the bite as well as making a standard offhand attack. You can attack with the bite as a bonus action whenever you take the attack action, even if you don't use a light weapon.
    ___
    The bite's damage die increases to 1d8 at 10th level and 1d10 at 14th level.

    ### Rend
    From 10th level, whenever you hit with both your claws, you rend your opponent, dealing extra damage equal to double your normal claw damage.

    ### Savage Combat
    From 14th level, when you take a bonus action to engage in
    two-weapon fighting, you can make two attacks with your offhand claw and two attacks with your bite. When you use a bonus action to attack with just the bite, you can also attack twice with it.
    ___
    If you hit twice with each claw, you rend twice, dealing a total of quadruple normal claw damage.

    ## Dervish
    A dervish turns their fury into a dance of death, weaving their blades with exceptional skill as they move around the battlefield.

    ### Light Armour Defence
    Starting when you take this incarnation at 3rd level, you can add your constitution modifier to your AC in light armour, as well as while unarmoured.

    ### Dervish Dance
    From 3rd level, you can take the dash action as a bonus action. While raging, your rage damage bonus is doubled so long as you move at least 10 feet before each attack.

    ### Dance of Death
    From 6th level, while raging, when you deal enough damage to a creature with a melee weapon attack using strength, you can make one extra attack with that weapon so long as you move at least 10 feet before the attack.

    ### Improved Reactions
    From 10th level, you are a master of initiative and proficient in dexterity saving throws.

    ### A Thousand Cuts
    From 14th level, you can take a special attack action which allows you to make four attacks, and then two offhand attacks if you engage in two-weapon fighting. Once you do, you cannot do so again until you finish a short or a long rest.

    ## Frenzied Berserker

    A frenzied berserker eschews any level of controlled anger, instead unleashing their fury on anyone who gets in their way, friend or foe. A frenzied berserker can easily be a liability as much as an asset, and those who adventure with one often try to find a way to neutralise them should their wrath lead them to attack their allies.

    ### Frenzy
    Starting at 3rd level, when you go into a rage, you can use your frenzy. During a frenzy, your strength and maximum strength increase by 6, and you can make an additional attack whenever you take the attack action.
    ___
    You must attack each turn if able, and use your strongest available weapon. When you try to end your frenzy, you must take a wisdom save (DC 15); failure indicates that your frenzy continues.

    ### Die Hard
    Starting from 6th level, you always pass death saves. Foes can still kill you by attacking you while you're down.

    ### Inspire Frenzy
    Starting from 10th level, when you frenzy, you can also cause any number of willing allies within 20 feet to frenzy too. Once you do so, you must complete a short or long rest before you do so again, but allies don't use up any rage ability they might have.

    ### Deathless Frenzy
    Starting from 14th level, the DC for your It Will Not Die ability only increases by 1 each time you use it while frenzied.

    \pagebreak

    **Q:** Can I use frenzy with berserkrgangr?
    ___
    **A:** Yes. All told, this means that you make four attacks per attack action, get +6 to your strength and maximum strength, have advantage on strength checks and strength saves, deal 9 extra points of damage on melee weapon attacks using strength, take 20d6 points of true damage each round, attack each turn if able, and must take a wisdom save to end the frenzied berserkrgangr. You can't inspire others to go berserk.

    ##### *................................................. ................................*

    ## Totem Warrior

    A totem warrior places standards, icons, or other symbols of zeal and fury which inspire allies and terrify enemies.

    ### Place Totem
    When you choose this incarnation at 3rd level, when you fly into a rage, a physical manifestation of your rage is formed, called a totem. The totem is about 10 feet tall and a few inches thick. You can place the totem either immediately, or as a bonus action at any point in your rage. After being placed, it doesn't move.
    ___
    The totem has AC 20, a damage threshold equal to your fanatic level, and hit points equal to five times your fanatic level. It has immunity to psychic damage; its other resistances and immunities depend on its exact form. It disappears when destroyed or when your rage ends.
    ___
    Each time you create a totem, you choose anew which of the following abilities it has - it can have one such ability at 3rd level, two at 6th, three at 10th and four at 14th. The DC for a saving throw against a totem is (DC: Con/M).

    ##### Minimum Level 3rd
    - **Burning Banner:** The totem deals 1d6 points of fire damage per 3 levels to each creature except you that enters within 10 feet for the first time in a turn or starts its turn there (dexterity save for half).
    - **Idol of Rubble:** The area within 30 feet of the totem is treated as difficult terrain except by you.
    - **Shrine of Light:** The totem radiates bright light out to 30 feet and dim light a further 30 feet. You can be seen no better in this light.

    ##### Minimum Level 6th
    - **Auxiliary's Standard:** The totem fires a volley of arrows up to 60 feet, which strikes a 15-foot radius, 30-foot tall cylinder, at the start of each of its rounds. It always chooses the location which hits the most creatures possible without hitting you; if there are multiple ways to do this it chooses at random. Anyone hit takes 1d6 points of piercing damage per 2 levels (dexterity save for half).
    - **Vision Icon:** Creatures other than you are revealed while within 30 feet of the totem, preventing them from hiding or being invisibile.
    - **Warding Symbol:** Creatures other than you have disadvantage on attack rolls against creatures within 15 feet of the totem.

    ##### Minimum Level 10th

    - **Banner of Blood:** Each creature within 20 feet of the totem is healed for half the damage they deal to any creature other than you.
    - **Dusk Emblem:** The light level within 30 feet of the totem drops by one step. You can see no worse in this darkness.
    - **Grim Ward:** Each creature other than you who looks at the grim ward for the first time must take a wisdom save or be frightened of the totem.

    ##### Minimum Level 14th

    - **Banner of the Undying:** Each creature within 20 feet of the totem doesn't fall unconscious at 0 hit points (though they still take death saves) unless you brought them to 0 or attack them while they're at 0.
    - **Skull Legion's Shrine:** At the start of each round, the totem summons 1d8 skeletons into random free spaces next to it (skeletons that can't be placed are not summoned). The skeletons resist the totem's effects the same way that you do, and are hostile to all creatures except you. They fight aggressively while trying to clear spaces around the totem for more summoning. When the totem is destroyed, so are they.
    - **Sigil of Insanity:** Each creature within 30 feet of the totem at the start of its turn, other than you, must take a wisdom save or be confused during that turn.

    ## Venom Disciple
    Venom disciples use horrifying poisons to kill their enemies - their weapons are always dripping with one or more horrifying concoctions.

    ### Venomous bite
    When you choose this incarnation at 3rd level, your body warps to create powerful injury poisons. When you fly into a rage, or as a bonus action on each round thereafter, you can bite an enemy. This only does as much damage as an unarmed strike, but when the attack hits, you can unleash a powerful venom on your enemy. Initially, the venom deals 1d6 points of poison damage per 3 levels and the target is poisoned for one round per 3 levels (a constitution save (DC: Con/M) halves the damage and negates the poisoned effect).
    ___
    At 6th level, you choose an ability score. When you bite a creature, that creature loses 1d4 points of that ability score, or half as many on a successful saving throw. This damage increases to 1d6 at 9th level, 1d8 at 12th, 1d10 at 15th and 1d12 at 18th.
    ___
    At 10th level, choose one from the following list: blinded (3), frightened (5), petrified (2), paralysed (1). A creature who fails the saving throw against your poison suffers the listed condition for the listed duration.
    ___
    At 14th level, choose another ability score from the 6th-level list and another condition from the 10th-level list. You become a master of hitting with your bite but the save DC doesn't change.

    \pagebreak

    **Q:** Can I add my rage bonus to alchemist's fire?
    ___
    **A:** Yes, but only to the initial damage.
    ##### *................................................. ................................*

    ## Wrathslinger
    A wrathslinger launches thrown or slung weapons at their foes with reckless abandon, bearing down on them furiously from afar.

    ### Raging Throw
    From 3rd level, so long as you use strength, you can add your rage damage bonus to ranged weapon attacks. You can even deal your rage damage with a net. Further, you can use your strength modifier instead of your dexterity modifier with a sling.

    ### Throw Anything
    From 6th level, you can throw a weapon that doesn't normally have the thrown property and have it deal its full damage (except, of course, for projectile weapons!).
    ___
    Further, you treat any short range less than 20 as 20 and any long range less than 60 with thrown weapons.

    ### Thunder Hurl
    From 10th level, once during your rage you can throw a weapon as though you were elite, and the target must take a strength save (DC: Str/E) or be thrown back 1 foot for every single point by which they fail and fall prone.

    ### Really Throw Anything
    From 14th level, you can throw anything weighing at least 2lbs you can lift in one hand as though it had a d8 damage die and the versatile (d10) property, and anything you can lift in both hands weighing at least 6 lbs as though it had a d12 damage die and the two-handed and heavy properties.
    ___
    You can also pick up an ally and throw them. You can throw a creature of your size in two hands and a smaller creature in one. There's no real chance of missing, so you just pick somewhere within 60 feet to throw them to.

    ## Fanatic-Only Tricks
    The following tricks are available
    only to fanatics.

    ##### Burst of Speed
    You can use a burst of power to double your speed for 1d6 rounds. If you dash, you can move at quadruple your speed.

    ##### Desperation Burst
    You can use your burst of power ability either outside of a rage, or in a rage where you don't have any uses left remaining.
    ___
    Once you do so, you can't do so again until you complete a short or long rest.

    ##### Enduring Rage
    Your rage, including a frenzy or berserkrgangr, lasts up to two minutes instead of one. If you end your rage after exactly one minute, it doesn't take a bonus action and, if it's a frenzy, you don't need to take a will save.

    ##### Furious Resistance
    Choose 2 damage types. You have resistance to both while raging. You can choose this more than once; choose 2 more each time (multiple resistances of one type don't stack).

    ##### Icon Bearer
    Requires totem warrior incarnation. Rather than setting your totem on the ground, you can pick it up and carry it with you. If you do, any attack that hits you also hits the totem (it doesn't have its own AC of 20) but damage is counted separately against you and your totem, so its resistances apply separately from yours.
    ___
    For example, if an attack dealt 2 points of slashing damage, you would take 1 (because you have resistance to slashing in a rage, irrespective of whether or not your totem does) and the totem would take 0 (because it has a damage threshold of at least 3, even if you don't).

    ##### Killing Blow
    Requires deadly blow ability. Whenever a creature fails a constitution saving throw against your deadly blow ability, it takes at least 3 points of true damage per fanatic level you have. When it passes, it takes at least half that much.
    ___
    For example, at 14th level, a creature with 126 or fewer hit points would take 42 points of damage if it failed and 21 if it passed.

    ##### *................................................. ................................*

    **Q:** Why doesn't Killing Blow kill people outright?
    ___
    **A:** Because save or die effects are no longer a necessary evil that fanatics need to keep up with spellcasters; they're now just unsatisfying to use and awful to have used on you. Allowing such effects with restrictions on them which force you actually to spend some time in combat is fine, but lucky strikes killing outright is less fine.

    ##### *................................................. ................................*

    ##### Life Burst
    You can spend use a burst of power to spend a hit die without having to take a short rest.

    ##### Thog's Gambit
    When you are grappling a creature, as a bonus action, you can pick them up and throw them at another enemy within 10 feet (or into a space within 10 feet). The thrown creature and anyone you hit (you count as proficient) takes damage as though you had hit them in melee combat with a mace.
    ___
    A wrathslinger can use their throw anything ability to increase the range, thunder hurl ability to make the attack as though elite and knock the struck target back, and really throw anything ability to increase the damage.

    \pagebreak

    <img src="https://image.ibb.co/mJvGKy/Iconic_Harbinger.png" align="left" width="700px" height="985px"/>

    \pagebreak

    # Harbinger
    # Elite Druid
    ___
    *"The world can wait forever, but when it chooses to act, only a fool would stand in its path.."*

    #



    #### Hit Points
    ___
    - **Hit Dice:** 1d10 per harbinger level
    - **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 10 + your constitution modifier
    - **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d10 (or 6) + your constitution modifier

    #### Proficiencies
    ___
    - **Armour:** Trained in light armour and medium armour, capable with shields
    - **Weapons:** Proficient in clubs, daggers, darts, javelins, maces, quarterstaffs, scimitars, sickles, slings, spears. Trained in other simple weapons.
    - **Tools:** Proficient in 1 and trained in 1. Choose from brewer's supplies, woodcarver's tools, herbalism kit, navigator's tools, lute, lyre
    ___
    - **Saving Throws:** Master at wisdom, proficient in intelligence and strength, trained in charisma.
    - **Skills:** Master in 1, proficient in 2, trained in 2. Choose from Animal Handling, Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Medicine, Perception, Religion and Survival.
    ___
    - **Ability Scores:** Trained in any one of wisdom, intelligence and strength.
    - **Initiative:** Trained

    #### Equipment
    You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

    - (a) a wooden shield or (b) any simple weapon
    - (a) 5 javelins or (b) any simple weapon
    - (a) a scimitar or (b) any simple melee weapon
    - Leather armor, an explorer's pack, and a druidic focus


    ## Class Features
    As a harbinger, you get the following class features.

    ### Ancient Druidic

    You know Ancient Druidic, the forgotten form of the secret language of druids, as well as regular druidic. You can speak both languages and use them to leave hidden messages. You and others who know this language automatically spot such a message. Others spot the message's presence with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check for regular Druidic and a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check for Ancient Druidic, but can't decipher it without magic.

    ### Animal Companion
    You can obtain the service of an unusually-powerful animal who serves as your companion, assistant and friend.

    <div class='classTable'>

    ##### Harbinger
    | Level | Features | Tricks | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
    |:---:|:----------|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
    | 1st | Ancient Druidic, Animal Companion, Elite Cantrip, Spellcasting, Wild Empathy | 0 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
    | 2nd | Omen, Wild Shape | 1 | 3 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
    | 3rd | Least Elite Spellcasting | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
    | 4th | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
    | 5th | Minor Elite Spellcasting | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
    | 6th | Natural Spell, Omen Feature | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
    | 7th | Ability Score Improvement, Lesser Elite Spellcasting | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
    | 8th | Omen Feature, Plant Shape| 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
    | 9th | Landwalk, Moderate Elite Spellcasting | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
    | 10th | Ability Score Improvement, Venom Immunity | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
    | 11th | Greater Elite Spellcasting | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - |
    | 12th | Monster Shape | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - |
    | 13th | Ability Score Improvement, Major Elite Spellcasting | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
    | 14th | Omen Feature, Thousand Faces | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
    | 15th | Super Elite Spellcasting | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - |
    | 16th | Ability Score Improvement | 9 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - |
    | 17th | Superior Elite Spellcasting | 10 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
    | 18th | Elemental Shape, Transcendental Body | 11 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
    | 19th | Ability Score Improvement, Superlative Elite Spellcasting | 12 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
    | 20th | Omen Feature | 13 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 |

    </div>
    The harbinger's animal companion is detailed at the end of this class section.


    ### Spellcasting

    Drawing on the divine essence of nature itself, you can cast spells to shape that essence to your will.

    \pagebreak

    ##### Cantrips

    At 1st level, you know three cantrips of your choice from the harbinger spell list. You learn additional harbinger cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the 0 column of the Harbinger table.

    ##### Preparing and Casting Spells

    The Harbinger table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these harbinger spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
    ___
    You prepare the list of harbinger spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the harbinger spell list. When you do so, choose a number of harbinger spells equal to your harbinger level + twice your wisdom modifier (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For example, if you are a 3rd-level harbinger, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Wisdom of 16, your list of prepared spells can include six spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell cure wounds, you can cast it using a 1st-level or 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared spells.
    ___
    You can also change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of harbinger spells requires time spent in prayer and meditation: at least 1 round per spell level for each spell on your list.
    ___
    If you know an elite ability for a spell, you always have it prepared in addition to the spells you are normally allowed to prepare.

    ##### Spellcasting Ability

    Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your harbinger spells, since your magic draws upon your devotion and attunement to nature. You use your Wisdom whenever a harbinger spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a harbinger spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

    **Spell Save DC** = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

    **Spell Attack Modifier** = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

    ##### Ritual Casting
    You can cast a harbinger spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared.

    ##### Spellcasting Focus
    You can use a druidic focus as a spellcasting focus for your harbinger spells.

    ### Elite Cantrip/Spellcasting
    At
    1st level, you choose an ability from the harbinger elite cantrip list. At 3rd level, and every 2nd level thereafter, you choose an elite spell from a list 1 level higher.

    ___
    For ease of reading, these abilities have all been put at the end of this class section.

    ### Wild Empathy
    You have the ability to communicate to an extent with animals. You are treated as proficient in persuasion when dealing with animals, and can communicate simple concepts to them (the communication is mostly limited by their intelligence - intelligence of 1 is usually limited to "Attack", "Go here," "Danger" and so forth; intelligence 2 usually allows for slightly more specific concepts like "Take this item to that location" or "Attack that target, then that one".)

    ### Omen
    At 2nd level, you become a symbol of an event to come. You choose an omen, which grants you class features at 2nd level and again at 6th, 8th, 14th and 20th levels.

    ### Wild Shape
    At 2nd level, you gain the ability to take the form of a beast. You can use this ability once, plus once more per two levels you have (twice initially). You recover all expended uses when you take a short or long rest. At 20th level, you can wild shape at will.
    ___
    Initially, you can only take the shape of a beast of CR 1/4 or less. At 3rd level, this increases to CR 1/2, and at 4th level and beyond it becomes one third of your level, rounding down. You cannot take the shape of any creature with a flying speed until 8th level.
    ___
    You can stay in a beast shape for 30 minutes per harbinger level. You then revert to your normal form unless you expend another use of this feature. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action on your turn. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die.
    ___
    While you are transformed, you retain:

    - Your intellgence, wisdom and charisma scores.
    - Your training, proficiency, mastery and eliteness bonuses.
    - Your proficiency levels, such as mastery of wisdom saves.
    - Any abilities except spellcasting which are not form-dependant.
    ___
    You take on the following qualities of the beast:
    - Its natural weaponry, natural armour, shape and size.
    - Its strength, constitution and dexterity scores.
    - Any proficiency levels it has that are better than yours (replacing your level, not stacking).
    - Its hit points and hit dice.
    - Any abilities it has because of its form.
    ___

    You cannot use your own spellcasting or the creature's legendary or lair actions, if it gets any.
    ___
    You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the GM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment.

    \pagebreak

    Your equipment doesn't change to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.
    ___
    If you revert as the result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage is dealt to your normal form. You only fall unconscious if the excess damage is enough to knock you to 0 again.
    ___

    From 8th level, you can also choose to turn into a plant, from 12th, a monstrosity and from 18th, an elemental.

    ### Ability Score Improvement
    When you reach 4th level, and again at 7th, 10th, 13th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

    ### Natural Spell
    From 6th level, you can cast spells in your wild shape, substituting a variety of grunts and growls for a verbal component and limb movements for a somatic one. Your focus still doesn't resize to fit the animal, but some of them can be worn by an animal anyway.

    ### Landwalk
    Starting at 9th level, you can walk through difficult or dangerous terrain, mundane or magical, at no penalty. You are simply immune to any effect which would manipulate terrain against you, even earthquake.

    ### Venom Immunity
    Starting at 10th level, you are immune to poison damage, the poisoned condition and the effects of poisons.

    ### Thousand Faces
    From 14th level, you can change your appearance at will, to the extent described in the disguise self spell except that this does not affect clothing and the changes are actually real changes, not illusory. Further, they are permanent. Changing your appearance like this requires one minute.

    ### Transcendental Body
    Starting at 18th level, you do not age and cannot be aged magically, though you still die when your time is up. You do not need food, water or sleep and can exist comfortably in environments between -30 and 50 degrees celsius without problems. You still need to breathe, but can hold your breath for ten times as long.

    ## Animal Companion

    At 1st level, you gain the service of a beast of CR 1/4 or less. At 2nd level, you can gain the service of a beast of CR 1/2, and beyond that, the maximum CR of beast you can have as your companion is your harbinger level, minus 2.
    ___
    For each level you are above the minimum level for that creature, its effective CR increases by 1 for calculating its proficiency bonus, it gets an extra hit die, and it gets a +1 bonus on all damage rolls.
    ___
    Some non-beast creatures, mostly monstrosities, are also suitable as animal companions. These include:

    - **CR 1/4 or less:** Blink Dog (Fey, Any Good)
    - **CR 1/2:** Cockatrice, Worg
    - **CR 1:** Death Dog (Any Evil), Hippogriff
    - **CR 2:** Grick, Griffon, Pegasus (Celestial; Any Good)
    - **CR 3:** Displacer Beast (Any Nongood), Hell Hound (Fiend; Any Evil), Manticore, Nightmare (Fiend; Any Evil), Owlbear, Phase Spider, Winter Wolf (Any Nongood)
    - **CR 4:** Couatl (Celestial; Any Good)
    - **CR 5:** Bulette, Gorgon, Shambling Mound, Unicorn (Celestial, Any Good)
    - **CR 6:** Chimæra (Any Evil), Wyvern
    - **CR 7:** Grick Alpha
    - **CR 8:** Hydra*
    - **CR 9:** Cauchemar** (Fiend, Any Evil), Wyvern Ancient (Dragon)**
    - **CR 11:** Behir, Gynosphinx (Any Lawful), Roc
    - **CR 15:** Purple Worm
    - **CR 17:** Androsphinx (Any Lawful), Dragon Turtle (Dragon)
    - **CR 23:** Kraken (Any evil)
    - **CR 30:** Tarrasque

    *Cutting off your hydra's heads deliberately so it gets more of them is not approved. DMs should feel free to revoke a player's hydra privileges if they mess with this.

    ** There are some additional creatures listed for the devotee's mounts. This is one of them. You can use any of the listed beasts, too.
    ___
    The animal companion starts with three features that distinguish it from a regular creature of its kind. It also gains more as you gain levels, as well as becoming stronger as stated above.

    | Devotee Level | Mount Features |
    |:---:|:-----------:|
    | 1 | Empathic Link, Nontraitor, Share Spells |
    | 3 | Evasion |
    | 6 | Devotion |
    | 9 | Improved Multiattack |
    | 12 | Defensive Training |

    #### Empathic Link
    While your animal companion is within 1 mile of you, you can communicate with it telepathically.

    #### Nontraitor
    Your animal companion can't harm you, and you can't harm it. This means, for example, that you can aim area attacks so that they hit your companion without harming it.

    \pagebreak

    #### Share Spells
    Whenever you cast a spell on yourself, you may have it affect your animal companion too.

    #### Evasion
    From 3rd level, when your animal companion is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.

    #### Devotion

    From 6th level, your animal companion is immune to any effect which would control its actions, except for your ability to control it.

    #### Improved Multiattack
    From 9th level, when your animal companion uses its multiattack action, it can choose one of its weapons to use to attack once more. If it doesn't have the multiattack action, it can attack with any two different weapons as an action.

    #### Defensive Training
    At 12th level, your companion becomes trained in any armour it was previously capable with, and trained in unarmoured defence.
    Spoiler: Extracted due to theme relevance
    Show
    ##### *................................................. ................................*
    **Q:** What about metal armour?
    ___
    **A:** What about it? The "Natural" and "Artificial" distinction that the druid's metal armour restriction implies is itself more artificial than metal is. Plus, why are metal weapons okay, but not metal armour? No, it's just nonsense. Harbingers have no compunctions about using metal armour.
    ##### *................................................. ................................*

  14. - Top - End - #14
    Ogre in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jun 2009

    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    Oops, almost forgot.

    304 words for AT x HP
    Spoiler
    Show
    "And to think we were looking in the wrong book all this time!" Hermione threw her hands up in the air. Quietly, in case Madam Pince heard them.
    Two days after the incident with the Song, Harry told her about wheedling the identity of the Alchemist's Stone out of Hagrid.
    Hermione responded in her own fashion by berating herself for not having thought of it and started researching everything she could about a famous artifact.
    "

    Cornelius frowned as he looked at the single sheet of paper. Why couldn't the world just make sense any more?
    The Tower was full of wizards that didn't have a Statue of Secrecy. How could that even be possible? Living without a Statute of Secrecy? Nonsense!
    And now the Muggle prime minister had sent him a message through one of the private Ministry letter boxes, one damned message that could sink his entire political career. This was the Fiendfyre that would tear down everything Cornelius had gained!

    To the Office of the Minister for Magic,
    The prime minister informs you that we have granted the Ar Cielan governments Platina, Metafalica, Nemo and Tenba a joint embassy and point of contact within the boundaries of the United Kingdom.
    As we have cause to believe that their technology may result in false alarms of magic use, please be aware that the Cielan delegation will armed and our government will not be responsible for any conflicts or casualties arising between you.
    The Ar Cielans have expressed interested in opening dialogue between your government and theirs. If you wish to establish a channel of communication to them, we will be happy to assist.
    Written correspondence to the Cielan governments can be directed to 10 Downing Street or delivered in the method you favour.

    The Prime Minister's Office
    Her Majesty's Government


    1228 words for a PMMM fanfic
    Spoiler
    Show
    The girl ran blindly, the strange thick fog obscuring the walls to either side of her in the alley.
    The large freaky things were just behind her, ramming fear and nausea down her throat. She couldn't find her way, couldn't see anywhere. She could only try to desperately run away, anywhere, just to get away from them.
    The alley ended in a sharp turn and she slammed into the unseen wall with a slap that would normally draw tears. No, not here! She turned as fast as she could, stumbling in her haste and scrabbling painfully with her fingernails to avoid falling down.
    The alley dead-ended and she turned around. The high-pitched screaming seeming to fit the unnatural white apparitions bearing down on her.
    The leading one reached out to her with a large misshapen hand... and the fear stopped. Everything stopped. She stared up at them, no longer screaming, no longer needing to do anything-
    There was a bright flash and something yellow sped by. But it didn't matter. Not anymore.

    The morning was full of unusual happenings. Riko was nearly late, unusual. She managed to miss her ribbon for her uniform, unusual. And she was actually feeling surprise as she examined the strange object on her way to school. Very unusual.
    Riko stared at the white thing that stared back. The pair of pure red eyes set in the white fur did not look like any eye she had ever seen.
    The cat-ferret-weasel-... thing sat very still on top of the trash can, looking straight at her. No one else in the street, mostly Mitakihara students in the early morning rush, seemed to notice it.
    But those eyes, pure red eyes without any whites or pupils. That was really weird.
    "Are you an alien?" she asked without thinking. It was stupid to expect an animal to reply, but it felt like the right thing to do. Hm, that was very strange. She certainly was not used to 'feeling' so much, maybe she was coming down with a fever.
    The cold wintry air did not deign to reply. The small spark of curiousity faded and Riko was about to go when it spoke to her.
    That is a very interesting question you ask. The thing swished its fluffy tail as it continued to hold her attention. You can hear me right?
    Riko nodded slowly. She definitely did not hear anything, but nevertheless, she was absolutely certain the thing had spoken to her. Without saying anything. More surprises.
    The answer to your question, is yes. I would be known as an alien in your world's culture.
    That nearly floored her.

    Kyubey, as it had introduced itself and Riko was determined to remember its name, could not be seen by normal humans. As was evident after it perched itself on the teacher's desk in the middle of class when she asked it to prove that.
    You are special, it continued, only certain special girls can see me.
    Riko mentally nodded and Kyubey seemed to be satisfied. It was distracting to have someone talking in your head during class but calculus was something that Riko could always read up on later.
    Are you not curious about why I am here? Or how you are special? It asked her, still waving its tail on the teacher's desk.
    Riko shrugged, the question did occur to her, but honestly, Riko was not special in any way.
    You are a strange one. I have the ability to grant one wish for you, in exchange you will become a Puella Magi. Kyubey paused as if expecting an answer.
    He didn't get one. It was getting a bit much for Riko to believe. Aliens? Wishes? Magic? Far too much to believe.
    "Teacher?" she put her hand in the air. The math teacher nodded for her to continue, "I am not feeling well, may I go to the infirmary?"
    Kyubey followed her out of the class. Do you have a wish you want granted?
    Riko thought about it, she may as well play along. She did not really want anything, no. I have decided that you don't really exist. The reflections of Kyubey in the glass walls kept proving her wrong though.
    What makes you think that? Kyubey said as it trotted along, deftly avoiding the feet of other children.
    There is no way that wishes can be granted. You are just an illusion, a hallucination.
    Kyubey climbed up her leg to perch on Riko's shoulder. If you really think that, perhaps I should prove it to you?
    Riko nodded and it went away, leaving her to make her way to the infirmary by herself.

    She pushed open the door to the infirmary to find the nurse missing.
    "Ah, there you are," a soft voice said from the bed, just as she was about to take a look around.
    Riko peered around the curtains. The girl sitting on the edge of the bed had copious amounts of golden hair, dangling in curls to either side of her head. Riko noted the elaborately feathered hair ornament and her detailed dress that was nothing at all like the school uniform.
    The small wheeled table to the side of the bed held two cups of fresh tea, still steaming, instead of the expected first aid kit.
    Riko had a hunch as to what might be going on, "Kyubey?"
    "Oh, have you met him already then?" the girl gestured at the cups of tea, taking one for herself, "I was wondering why he told me someone would be coming to the infirmary. "
    Riko watched the girl take a delicate sip from the cup and decided to try it herself. They drank a bit of tea then the yellow haired girl put down her cup.
    "But where are my manners, let me introduce myself. I'm Tomoe Mami, what's your name?"
    "Riko Namie. Is magic real then?" she plunged straight into the question, still not quite believing that the girl in front of her wasn't a fever-dream of some sort.
    Almost as if she was reading Riko's mind, Mami reached forward and touched her forehead with four gentle fingers. "No, I believe you are perfectly fine. You aren't hallucinating anything. "
    Mami held a soft smile as she took her fingers away. Riko nodded to her question.
    "You asked Kyubey to prove to you that magic exists," Mami said, getting up from the bed, "I can do that. But you should think about your wish carefully, or if you even want anything enough to be a Puella Magi for it. "
    If Riko was pressed, she would have said that Mami had a sad expression for a moment, but as always, she didn't pay it much attention.
    "Is being a Puella Magi hard?" Riko asked her.
    "Yes, it is very hard. It is also dangerous. You will be frightened, you may even die. "
    Riko considered Mami's words for a while. "What does a Puella Magi do that is so dangerous?" she finally asked.
    "We fight against the demons," Mami said, picking up her teacup again.
    "Demons?"
    Mami sighed and put down her teacup, "They are supernatural beings that feed off human emotions. We fight them and kill them, and sometimes, we die to them. "

  15. - Top - End - #15
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Xiander's Avatar

    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Denmark
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    609 words of Darkness and Shadows, finishing the story.

    Spoiler: Darkness and shadows, part two
    Show
    She ran, her legs stinging and her breath rasping, she sprinted for the other side. Her friends were beside her and behind her, and it seemed for a moment that they would make it.
    Then Mark yelled in surprise and fear. Ina couldn’t turn to see, but she knew what had happened. A shadow had gotten to him. She powered on, even as he was dragged screaming to the well.
    Sweating and panting, she reached the exit, and half turned to see Gill and Willem coming up behind her.
    “Go.” Rasped willem.
    He pushed them through the doorway and turned around, empty brazer still in hand. No, she realised, it wasn’t empty. A few glowing coals still sat within.
    As the shadows came for them, She saw willem reache in and grab a glowing coal in his bare hand. Growling with pain and fury, he knelt and stabbed at the approaching shadows with he sullenly glowing lump.
    “Come on.” Gill pushed.
    They started up the stairs.
    In her throat, Ina felt a lump forming. Willems bravery was admirable, but there was no question how it would end, he would be dragged to the well like all the others.
    She focused on the stairwell and her running feet. There was a dim, pulsing light in here. It came from smaller glowing bulbs on the ceiling and floors.
    They weren’t clear yet, ad they had to get out, or Willem’s courage would be meaningless. She picked up the pace. Behind her, Gill breathed heavily as they ran.
    Then she saw it, clear daylight at the top of the stairs. The exit from the ruins, their single hope of escape. And at the same time, Willem’s voice came echoing up from below.
    It was a wordless sound of fear and desperation, and she knew his last stand had failed, that he had been taken by the shadows.
    She sped up and her feet punded the steps of the stairs like angry pistons. Twenty steps left, fifteen, now only ten.
    They had made it, they could escape this place.
    With a high putched squeak, Gill was yanked backwards and dragged down the stairs. Ina could only spare a glance to see the othe woman being dragged off to her fate.
    Then she was out of the building and on the edge of the ancient ruins. The crumbling buildings spread out behind her, but she didn’t turn to look.
    Only ten minutes later, when she had long left the ruins behind, did she stop running.
    She slumped into a boneless sprawl on the ground, without the energy to even make herself comfortable. She had lost her friends to the shadows.
    All of them.
    Gone.
    Her thoughts coalesced around a single emotion. Not fear or sorrow, not the despair she had ecspected. Instead she felt a bonedeep, Unwavering defiance.
    Her friends hadn’t been killed. They had been dragged somewhere, deepe below the shadow infested ruins. They had been taken by creatures she didn’t understand, but they were not gone.
    She could get them back.
    There was a city, not far away, she could get help. Men with torches and lamps, enough light to drown out any shadow. She could find scolars, who might know more. She could arm herselg with the weapons she knew would bite on these creatures. Light and knowledge.
    Änd she would come back and force her way to the deepest catacombs under the ancient ruins and take back her friends.
    With determination in her eyes, she rose to her feet and brushed dirt off her pants. She didn’t have any time to loose.
    She started walking north, the city wasn’t far.


    And 956 words of a new story, about the fate cursed heroine Sandra Cassidy. I plan to finish this one over the next month, the goal is at least ten thousand words by the end of the month.

    Spoiler: Blind Fate, part one
    Show
    In the dream Sandra was running.
    She was in a house of some sort. Old, dilapidated and long abandoned, the place was right out of a horror movie.
    She kicked open a door and rushed into a nearly empty room. There was onere noticeable fixture in the room. A giant mirror standing on lion’s feet. The place was long abandoned and comered in dust.
    The mirror was so smudged, that she could only make out a vague impression of her own reflection. She looked left and right, only to find no exits from the room. In the mirror a shape appeared behind her.
    She whirled and faced the man who was chasing her. He was tall, darkhaired and serious looking. His eyes were ice blue. The gun he aimed at her was a small caliber hand weapon, but it would kill her just as well as a bigger gun could.
    There was a sound behind her. She whirled again, and saw the image of the man emerging from the mirror with the same little gun trained at her chest.
    There was the thunder of a gunshot…


    Sandra sat up in her bed, drenched in sweat.
    A vision.
    She’d had them since she was sixtieen, being twenty four now, she should be used to them. Still, seeing yourself die in a great array of fascinating ways never really get’s boring.
    Deep breaths, vision or not, bad dreams weren’t the boss of her. She calmed herself down, put off discerning the meaning of the dream and lay down to get some more sleep.
    Her alarm clock started beeping frantically, and in her living room, the timer on her tv went off, turning the dumb thing on to the morning news.

    There was no point in fighting it now, when the alarm went off, the morning routine started. Breakfast was toasted bread, fruit and a tal glass of milk. She didn’t pay much attention to the news as she ate.
    In her head, she was turning the vision over and over. The man with the icy eyes had shot her, or had it been his mirror immage? Were there one or two people with guns? What had been up with the wreck of a house? And what about the mirror?
    She popped a slice of apple in her mouth and turned off the tv. Enough breakfast, time for her morning excersise.
    While she did her situps she kept thinking on the vision. It hadn’t just been a dream, she was certain of it. She had nightmares like everyone else, so she had taught herself to recognise the prophetic ones pretty quickly.
    Every one of her visions had shown her a death scene, with herself in the role of future dead person. In the beginning that was terrifying, but eight years later, she had learned to cope.
    She beat fate by planning and excersise, which was why she was currently going through every detail of the vision. The trouble with prophecy was that you never knew which bits were symbolic.
    The mirror might be a symbol of selfreflection, or of hidden feelings or some other freudian bull****. Or it might be completely litteral.
    It was possible that a doubleganger would crawl out of a mirror and shoot her tonight.
    “Oh ****!” She said out loud when she remembered what was happening tonight.
    It was friday, and there was no way she could cancel now, Janet would have her head on a spike. Or at the very least she would never hear the end of it.
    Right, she would have to hope this vision had arrived a few days early. For now, she should finish her workout, take a shower and dress for work.

    **************************

    “You look so serious!” Janet said.
    “I always do.” Sandra quipped. “I made a serious face for too long and now it’s stuck.”
    They were in the breakroom of the store were they worked. Janet was drinking coffee, Sandra was staring out the window and thinking about vissions.
    “You really shouldn’t worry.” Janet smiled a bright encouraging smile.
    She was a short girl, with a surplus of earpiercings and dimpels. Her pixie cut hair looked like it had been dipped in a rainbow. She was fond of saying, that she’d had to open her own store because no one would hire her.
    Sandra didn’t answer her, in her head, she was running through the worn down old house again.
    “Honey,” Janet insited. “What’s the worst that could happen?”
    “I could get shot.” Sandra said distractedly.
    A chortle slipped out of Janets mouth, and she fixed Sandra with and amused stare. With some effort, Sandra managed to table her runthrough of the vision and pay attention to her well meaning boss.
    “Seriously.” Janet said. “What is the worst that could happen?”
    “I dunno.” Sandra shrugged.
    “By now I halfway think you’re afraid of having a good time, and realising you like it.” She chuckled at her own joke. “It’s like you think having fun is too much effort.”
    “I have fun.” Sandra objected.
    “Really?” Janet’s voice was thick with sarcasm. “When was the last time you just cut loose and had a good time.”
    She was going to answer, honestly, to point out that she often had a good time. Only problem was that she couldn’t remember any example good times off the top of her head.
    She was saved by the bell, litterally. A costumer entered the store and the bell over the door chimed. Janet bustled out of the breakroom, but turned in the door and looked back at Sandra.
    “Remember,” She said seriously. “Seven aclock, you’re supposed to meet up at the restaurant.”
    “I know.” Answered Sandra and went back to mulling over her vision.

  16. - Top - End - #16
    Pixie in the Playground
    Join Date
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    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    Oh, how cool! I'd love to join, if you'll put me in :D

  17. - Top - End - #17
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Xiander's Avatar

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    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    Quote Originally Posted by Lagtim3 View Post
    Oh, how cool! I'd love to join, if you'll put me in :D
    Welcome aboard!

    Post your first hall, and Lycunundari will add you to the runnings
    Last edited by Xiander; 2018-07-03 at 03:27 PM.

  18. - Top - End - #18
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    Status for June 25 to July 1!

    The theme was Artificial!


    Lycunadari passes with five nature and city pictures and one drawing.

    jseah passes with 304 words of AT x HP fanfiction and 1228 words of PMMM fanfiction.

    Xiander passes with 609 words of Shadows and Darkness and 956 words of Blind Fate.

    Jormengand passes with 13717 words of 5e Does ToB and 7944 words of Elite 5, including a bit about artificial armour.

    Subproject54 didn't upload/send me anything.

    Some Android didn't upload/send me anything.


    Thus Subproject54 and Some Android FAILs this round!

    Lycunadari, jseah, Xiander and Jormengand PASS this round!


    Current standing:
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    Lycunadari
    Current run: 286 weeks
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    jseah
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    The current theme is Thermal Energy.

    The theme for the week from July 9 to July 15 is Oh no, not again!.

    The theme for the week from July 16 to July 22 is chosen by jseah - let me know here or in PM and I'll include it in the next status post.

    -------

    A bunch of photos and one Asra (from the Arcana visual novel) portrait.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lagtim3 View Post
    Oh, how cool! I'd love to join, if you'll put me in :D
    Welcome! Like Xiander said, just post whatever you created in here, or send it to me in a PM, and I'll include you in the status post.
    You can call me Juniper. Please use gender-neutral pronouns (ze/hir (preferred) or they/them) when referring to me.

    "We all are vessels of our brokenness, we carry it inside us like water, careful not to spill. And what is wholeness if not brokenness encompassed in acceptance, the warmth of its power a shield against those who would hurt us?" - R. Lemberg, Geometries of Belonging

    Stories Art

  19. - Top - End - #19
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    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    Spoiler: 5664 words of Elite 5
    Show
    ## Elite Spellcasting

    ### Elite Cantrip
    At first level, choose one of the following abilities:

    ##### Assistance (Elite Guidance)
    You are elite at casting guidance and the target gets 3d6, not 1d4. The target can use the 3 dice separately, together, or two and one. Only when all three dice are used does the spell end.

    ##### Blackstaff (Elite Shillelagh)
    You are elite at casting shillelagh and elite with the weapon you create with the spell (you can use either (AB: Mag/E) or (AB: Str/E)). The damage die increases to d12 and the weapon gains the versatile (2d8) property (and loses any other versatile property it might have had).

    ##### Bramblescourge (Elite Thorn Whip)
    You are elite at casting thorn whip, the spell uses d10s for damage dice, you can pull any creature struck irrespective of size, and you can pull them as far towards you as you want.

    ##### Produce Inferno (Elite Produce Flame)
    You are elite at casting produce flame, the spell uses d12s for damage, and when you throw the flame, at your option, you may have each creature within 5 feet of the target take half damage (a dexterity save halves this again). If you choose this option, the target is struck by the area effect only if the attack misses.

    ##### Repair (Elite Mending)
    You are elite at casting mending, and the spell can repair any number of breaks of any size so long as all of the repairs to be made fit within a single 5-foot cube, potentially allowing partial repair to a single large break.

    ##### Resilience (Elite Resistance)
    You are elite at casting resistance and the target gets 3d6, not 1d4. The target can use the 3 dice separately, together, or two and one. Only when all three dice are used does the spell end.

    ##### Spit Venom (Elite Poison Spray)
    You are elite at casting poison spray and a creature who fails the saving throw is poisoned for one round. If the target passes the saving throw, they take minimum damage (1 at 1st level, 2 at 5th, and so on).

    ### Least Elite Spellcasting
    At 3rd level, choose one of the following abilities:

    ##### Ally of Convenience (Eite Charm Person)
    You are elite at casting charm person, and at the end of the duration, the creature forgets that it was charmed by you. You are treated as casting the spell out of the highest-level slot you have earned, and if you do cast out of it a higher-level slot than usual, the benefit for doing so is doubled.

    ##### Analyse Poison And Disease (Elite Detect Poison and Disease)
    You are elite at casting detect poison and disease and can do so at will. Elite spells like analyse poison and disease are difficult to resist fully. The spell can be blocked, but it would require 10 feet of stone, 10 inches of common metal, 3 inches of lead, or 30 feet of wood or dirt. It's not blocked by any nonelite effect which blocks divination spells.

    ##### Animal Empathy (Elite Animal Friendship)
    You become elite at casting animal friendship, there is no intelligence limit, and the spell is treated as though you had cast it out of the highest-level spell slot you've earned. If you really do cast it out of a higher-level spell slot than normal, the benefit for doing so is doubled.

    \pagebreak

    ##### Arcane Sight (Elite Detect Magic)
    You become elite at casting detect magic, you sense magic within 120 feet, and you can determine the school of a spell or effect without taking an action. If you do use your action, you can focus on a creature to determine whether it has spellcasting, the class of the spells it can cast, and the highest-level spell it can cast.

    ##### Command Animals (Elite Speak with Animals)
    You are elite at casting speak with animals and you can use your action to force an animal to do what you say unless it passes a wisdom save.

    ##### Cure Mortal Wounds (Elite Cure Wounds)
    You are elite at casting cure wounds (if that matters), you are treated as casting it out of your highest earned slot, and if you actually cast it out of a higher-level slot, the benefit for doing so is doubled.

    ##### Far Stride (Elite Longstrider)
    You become elite at casting longstrider, the movement speed increase is 20 feet instead of just 10, the spell lasts a number of additional hours equal to the highest level of spell slot you have earned, the spell is treated as being cast from that spell slot, and if you really do cast it from a higher-level spell slot, the benefit of doing so is doubled.

    ##### Greatberry (Elite Goodberry)
    You become elite at casting goodberry, and each berry heals 1d4 points of damage rather than just 1.

    ##### Ignis Fatuli (Elite Faerie Fire)
    You are elite at casting faerie fire. Further, the spell is actively harmful to invisible creatures. Any invisible creature who is revealed by the spell takes damage equal to 2d6 times the highest level of spell you can cast.

    Elite spells like ignis fatuli are difficult to resist fully. A creature who passes the dexterity save still has a faint outline of light on them, which causes them to shed dim light into their own square. This doesn't provide advantage or negate the effects of invisibility, but does at least indicate which space the creature occupies.

    ##### Leap (Elite Jump)
    You become elite at casting jump and the target's jump distance is multiplied by your eliteness bonus instead of 3. It ignores falling distance equal to its jump height.

    ##### Nurturing Word (Elite Healing Word)
    You are elite at casting healing word, you are treated as casting it out of your highest earned slot, and if you actually cast it out of a higher-level slot, the benefit for doing so is doubled.

    ##### Overgrowth (Elite Entangle)
    You are elite at casting entangle, the spell lasts as long as you concentrate, and as an action, you can cause the plants to make another attempt to entangle each creature in the area.

    ##### Preserve Food and Drink (Elite Purify Food and Drink)
    You are elite at casting purify food and drink. When you do, the food and drink is protected from further impurity, poison and disease for one week.

    ##### Power Word: Water (Elite Create or Destroy Water)
    You are elite at casting create or destroy water, and are treated as casting it out of the highest-level spell slot you have earned. If you really do cast it out of a higher-level slot than normal, the benefit for doing so is doubled. The spell lasts for 1 minute, during which you can create or destroy water once on each of your turns without needing an action to do so.

    ##### Solid Fog (Elite Fog Cloud)
    You become elite at casting fog cloud, and creatures cannot move more than half speed through the cloud. The spell is treated as being cast out of the highest-level spell slot you have earned and if you really do use a higher-level spell slot than normal, the benefit for doing so is doubled.

    ##### Stormfield (Elite Thunderwave)
    You are elite at casting thunderwave, you are treated as casting it from your highest-level slot, and actually casting it from a higher-level slot is twice as effective. Further, you can choose any distance from 0 to 20 feet to shove each creature who fails the save and each object.

    ### Minor Elite Spellcasting
    At 5th level, choose one of the following abilities:

    ##### Analyse Traps (Elite Find Traps)
    You become elite at find traps and the spell tells you the exact location and nature of each trap in range, not just in line of sight, though it's blocked by 10 feet of stone, 10 inches of common metal, 3 inches of lead, or 30 feet of wood or dirt.

    Elite spells like analyse traps are difficult to reist fully. The spell is not blocked by any nonelite effect which blocks divination spells.

    ##### Animal Synæsthesia (Elite Beast Sense)
    You become elite at beast sense and for the duration, you can see and hear what the beast sees and hear what it hears without using your action, you are neither blinded nor deafened, and you can allow it to see and hear what you can if you wish. Neither of you can be surprised unless both are.

    ##### Burn Metal (Elite Heat Metal)
    You become elite at casting heat metal. At your option, you can cause the metal actually to burn, essentially rusting it. In any case, the spell is treated as though it were cast from the highest-level slot you have earned, and if you do cast it from higher-level spell slot than normal, the benefit is doubled.

    \pagebreak



    ##### Crushing Prison (Elite Hold Person)
    You become elite at hold person. Each time a creature fails the save to free itself from the spell, it takes 2d6 points of bludgeoning damage. The spell is treated as though it were cast from the highest-level slot you had available, and if you really do cast it from a higher-level slot than normal, the benefits of doing so are doubled.

    Elite spells like crushing prison are difficult to resist fully. Freedom of movement and similar effects provide advantage on the save rather than outright immunity to the effect.

    ##### Enhance Creature (Elite Enhance Ability)
    You become elite at casting enhance ability. When you do, you can pick either the bull's strength and eagle's splendour options, the bear's endurance and owl's wisdom options, or the cat's grace and fox's cunning options. Also, you're treated as having used the highest spell slot you've earned, and if you use a higher-level spell slot, the benefit of doing so is doubled.

    ##### Inescapable Discovery (Elite Locate Object)
    You become elite at casting locate object, and you can use it to locate any object you can describe unambigiously, no matter whether or not you've seen it up close or where it is. You can also use the spell to locate every object of a specific type, though it provides no way of discerning which is which.

    Elite spells like inescapable discovery are difficult to resist fully. Nonelite spells which protect against divination, such as nondetection, are ineffective against inescapable location - elite spells like damnatio memorae work fine. 3 inches of lead are required to block the effect.

    ##### Inferno Blade (Elite Flame Blade)
    You are elite at flame blade, you are treated as casting it out of the highest-level spell slot you have earned, and if you do cast it out of a higher-level spell slot, the damage increases by d6 for each one level, not each two. Any creature struck by the blade catches on fire.

    ##### Lesser Invigourate (Elite Lesser Restoration)
    You become elite at lesser restoration and it cures all the listed conditions from one creature. Ignore any part of a nonelite effect which says it can't.

    ##### Living Flame (Elite Flaming Sphere)
    You become elite at flaming sphere, you're treated as having used the highest spell slot you've earned, and if you use a higher-level spell slot, the benefit of doing so is doubled.

    Also, as your reaction, you may have the sphere strike a creature who moves out of the area within 5 feet of it, just as if you'd rammed it into them. Finally, any creature who takes damage from the sphere also catches on fire.

    ##### Locate Fauna and Flora (Elite Locate Animals or Plants)
    You become elite at locate animals or plants and you learn the direction and distance to every creature or plant of the kind specified and a brief overview of their surroundings.

    ___

    ##### Lunar Flare (Elite Moonbeam)
    You become elite at moonbeam, you are treated as casting it out of the highest-level spell slot you have earned, and if you do cast it out of a higher-level spell slot, the benefit for doing so is doubled. Further, you can move the beam as a bonus action.

    ##### Nature's Courier (Elite Animal Messenger)
    You become elite at casting animal messenger, you are treated as casting it out of the highest-level slot you have earned, if you really do cast it out of a higher-level slot than normal the benefit of doing so is doubled, and the message can be up to 25 words per spell slot level. Finally, the creature that the animal is sent to can speak a message of up to the same length, and return the animal to you, and then you can speak a response and send it back to them, ad infinitum (or at least until the duration expires).

    ##### Oakskin (Elite Barkskin)
    You become elite at casting barkskin and the target's AC can't be lower than 12+your eliteness bonus for the duration.

    ##### Proof Against Poison (Elite Protection from Poison)
    You become elite at casting protection from poison, and when you do, you end the effects of all poisons as well as any poisoned condition on the target. The target is immune to poison damage, poisons and the poisoned condition.

    ##### Spike Stones (Elite Spike Growth)
    You become elite at casting spike growth, the radius increases by 5 feet per level of spell slots you have earned. The area also has the effects of caltrops at your save DC.

    ##### Surge of Wind (Elite Gust of Wind)
    You become elite at gust of wind. Further, the line's length, the distance creatures are pushed if they fail the strength save, and the number of feet of movement a creature must spend to move one foot are all multiplied by the level of the spell slot used to cast the spell.

    ##### Trackless Step (Elite Pass Without Trace)
    You become elite at casting pass without trace, the bonus is increased by your eliteness bonus, and the beneficiaries cannot be tracked by nonelite means.

    ##### Ultravision (Elite Darkvision)
    You become elite at casting darkvision. The target can see perfectly in any level of normal or magical darkness with no range limit.

    ##### *................................................. ................................*
    **Q:** Catching on fire? What does that actually do?
    ___
    **A:** Naturally, the fifth edition rules for being on fire are of course in the monster manual, because that's a helpful place to put them. A creature who is on fire takes 1d10 points of damage at the start of each of its turns until someone takes an action to put out the flames, presumably having to do something that could conceivably succeed in doing so.

    \pagebreak

    ### Lesser Elite Spellcasting
    At 7th level, choose one of the following abilities:

    ##### Conjure Nature's Guardians (Elite Conjure Animals)
    You are elite at casting conjure animals, the challenge rating of each beast conjured can be up to twice as high, and you are treated as casting it out of your highest earned slot, and if you actually cast it out of a higher-level slot, the benefit for doing so is doubled. You conjure once more as many creatures as listed for every two spell slots above ninth.

    ##### Disjunction (Elite Dispel Magic)
    You are elite at casting dispel magic. Further, you automatically count as using the highest-level spell slot you have earned, and if you really do use a higher-level spell slot, the benefit of doing so is doubled.
    ___
    Further, you can attempt to dispel the magical power of a magical item. This lasts for 1 minute with a 3rd-level slot, 10 minutes with a 4th, 30 minutes with a 5th, 2 hours with a 6th, 6 hours with a 7th, 12 hours with an 8th, 1 day with a 9th, and an additional day per spell slot level above 9th. The item or its possessor can take a wisdom save to avoid this effect.

    Elite spells like disjunction are difficult to resist fully. Ignore any part of a spell or effect which states that dispel magic is ineffective or less effective against it.

    ##### Energy Immunity (Elite Protection from Energy)
    You are elite at casting protection from energy, and the spell grants the target immunity to *any* damage type.

    ##### Frozen Storm (Elite Sleet Storm)
    You are elite at casting sleet storm, and the spell does not require concentration but you can end it at any time.

    ##### Incantation of the Thunderstorm (Elite Call Lightning)
    You become elite at call lightning, and calling down a lightning bolt is a bonus action, not an action. The spell is treated as being cast from the highest-level slot you have earned, and if you really do cast it from a higher-level slot than normal, the benefit of doing so is doubled.

    Elite Spells like Incantation of the Thunderstorm are difficult to resist fully. A creature with evasion or similar takes three quarters damage on a failed save and one quarter damage on a successful one.

    ##### Stonepass (Elite Meld With Stone)
    You are elite at casting meld with stone, and you can move into, out of or through stone without ending the spell.

    ##### Vampire Ambush (Elite Feign Death)
    You are elite at casting feign death, the creature has blindsight out to 10 feet, and the creature can end the effect at any time without needing any actions to do so.

    ___

    ### Moderate Elite Spellcasting
    At 9th level, choose one of the following abilities:

    ##### Assassin Vine (Elite Grasping Vine)
    You are elite at casting grasping vine and a creature grabbed by the vine takes 1d6+7 points of bludgeoning damage.

    ##### Blizzard (Elite Ice Storm)
    You are elite at casting ice storm, you are treated as casting it out of your highest earned slot, and if you actually cast it out of a higher-level slot, the benefit for doing so is doubled. You can concentrate on the spell for up to one minute. If you do, the damage is dealt to each creature who enters the area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, rather than immediately, and the area is difficult terrain for as long as you concentrate, plus one round.

    ##### Conjure Nature's Champions (Elite Conjure Woodland Beings)
    You are elite at casting conjure woodland beings, the challenge rating of each fey conjured can be up to twice as high, and you are treated as casting it out of your highest earned slot, and if you actually cast it out of a higher-level slot, the benefit for doing so is doubled. You conjure once more as many creatures as listed for every two spell slots above eighth.

    ##### Elemental Swarm (Elite Conjure Minor Elementals)
    You are elite at casting conjure minor elementals, the challenge rating of each elemental conjured can be up to twice as high, and you are treated as casting it out of your highest earned slot, and if you actually cast it out of a higher-level slot, the benefit for doing so is doubled. You conjure once more as many creatures as listed for every two spell slots above eighth.

    ##### Emancipation (Elite Freedom of Movement)
    You are elite at casting freedom of movement, and the target is also immune to any condition or effect which would force it to move, either immediately or on its turn, against its will (though it can allow itself to be moved by an effect), and any condition or effect apart from death and unconsciousness which would prevent or inhibit movement, including but not limited to being shoved and the frightened, grappled, incapacitated, petrified and stunned conditions as well as any effect which would force the creature to become prone.

    ##### Giant Swarm (Elite Giant Insect)
    You are elite at casting giant insect and you can affect two categories of creatures or twice as many of one category (for example, ten wasps, or three spiders and a scorpion.)

    ##### Inescapable Discovery (Elite Locate Object)
    You become elite at casting locate object, and you can use it to locate any object you can describe unambigiously, no matter whether or not you've seen it up close or where it is. You can also use the spell to locate every object of a specific type, though it provides no way of discerning which is which.

    \pagebreak


    Elite spells like inescapable discovery are difficult to resist fully. Nonelite spells which protect against divination, such as nondetection, are ineffective against inescapable location - elite spells like damnatio memorae work fine. 3 inches of lead are required to block the effect.

    ##### Insanity (Elite Confusion)
    You are elite at casting confusion and the spell does not require concentration or have a limited duration: it only ends for a creature when they pass the save. The spell excludes any creature you wish. Further, it is treated as being cast from your highest-level spell slot earned; if you do cast it from a higher-level slot, the benefit for doing so is doubled. Finally, use the following table instead of the standard one:
    | d10 | Effect |
    |:---:|:-----------:|
    | 1 | Flees from the closest other creature in terror. |
    | 2 | Moves in a random direction. |
    | 3 | Attacks itself with held weapon (or unarmed strike). |
    | 4 | Is charmed; walks towards you; takes no action. |
    | 5-6 | Does nothing. |
    | 7-9 | Attacks nearest creature if able; else does nothing. |
    | 10 | With a surge of effort, the creature acts normally. |
    ___

    ##### Megamorph (Elite Polymorph)
    You are elite at casting polymorph, you do not need to concentrate, and the creature can be turned into a beast or monstrosity of up to 1 point of challenge rating higher per level of the highest-level spell slot you have earned above 4th. If you actually use a higher-level spell slot than 4th, the duration increases by 1 hour for each level above 4th.

    ##### Possess Beast (Elite Dominate Beast)
    You are elite at casting dominate beast and you need not concentrate on the spell. When you use a slot of 8th level, the duration is 16 hours; when you use a slot of 9th level or higher, the duration is 1 day, plus 1 day per level after 9th. You are treated as using your highest-level spell slot, and if you really do use a higher-level spell slot, the benefit for doing so is doubled.

    ##### Rock Skin (Elite Stoneskin)
    You are elite at casting stoneskin and the spell provides resistance to all bludgeoning, slashing and piercing damage, not just nonmagical damage of those types.

    ##### Sculptor's Wrath (Elite Stone Shape)
    You become elite at stone shape and can affect anything up to huge size, and can create proper mechanical detail on any reasonable scale.

    ##### Wall of Inferno (Elite Wall of Fire)
    You are elite at casting wall of fire, the maximum length/diameter, height, and width of both forms are doubled, the spell is treated as though it were cast from the highest-level slot you have earned, and if you really do cast it from a higher-level slot, the benefit of doing so is doubled.

    ##### Wither (Elite Blight)
    You become elite at casting blight, and the target loses 1d6 points of constitution (or half as much on a successful save). Lost constitution points are restored at a rate of 1 per hour. The spell is treated as though it were cast from the highest-level slot you have earned, and if you really do cast it from a higher-level slot, the benefit of doing so is doubled.

    ### Greater Elite Spellcasting
    At 11th level, choose one of the following abilities:

    ##### Arbor Door (Elite Tree Stride)
    You become elite at casting tree stride, the duration is up to 1 hour, and you can go up to 1000 feet between trees.

    ##### Greater Invigourate (Elite Greater Restoration)
    You become elite at greater restoration and it cures all the listed conditions from one creature. Ignore any part of a nonelite effect which says it can't.

    ##### Insect Storm (Elite Insect Plague)
    You become elite at casting insect plague, and can move the insects up to 30 feet as a bonus action. The spell is treated as though it were cast from the highest-level slot you have earned, and if you really do cast it from a higher-level slot, the benefit of doing so is doubled.

    ##### Karma (Elite Reincarnate)
    You are elite at casting reincarnate, the spell has no material component cost and the DM rolls on the table until they roll two different race, and you pick one.

    ##### Mass Cure Mortal Wounds (Elite Mass Cure Wounds)
    You are elite at casting mass cure wounds (if that matters), you heal each target as much as you would by casting cure wounds out of your highest earned slot, and if you actually cast it out of a higher slot, the benefit for doing so is doubled.

    ##### Plague (Elite Contagion)
    You become elite at casting contagion. Any creature who ingests the sweat or saliva of the creature (or whose wound is contaminated with them) or so much as comes into contact with any of their other bodily fluids risks infection, even if the disease isn't normally transmitted that way. Similarly, other creatures can infect further creatures with this particular instance of the disease in the same way.

    ##### Protection from Living (Elite Antilife Shell)
    You are elite at casting Antilife Shell. Living creatures can't attack through the barrier and spells and abilities of living creatures are blocked by the barrier. You can push the barrier into a creature without ending the spell, which is treated just like shoving them except you're a little further away. You can choose to create a barrier which doesn't block the attacks, spells and abilities of living creatures, like a normal antilife shell, if you prefer.

    \pagebreak

    ##### Speak with World (Elite Commune with Nature)
    You become elite at casting commune with nature, and it provides you with a number of facts equal to your eliteness bonus.

    ### Major Elite Spellcasting
    At 13th level, choose one of the following abilities:

    ##### Cloudstride (Elite Wind Walk)
    You are elite at casting wind walk, and a creature can change forms as an action without requiring a minute to change.

    ##### Conjure Faerie (Elite Conjure Fey)
    You are elite at casting conjure fey and if your concentration is broken, the creature remains friendly to you. The spell is treated as though it were cast from the highest-level slot you have earned, and if you really do cast it from a higher-level slot, the benefit of doing so is doubled.

    ##### Dinner of Champions (Elite Heroes' Feast)
    You are elite at casting heroes' feast, the spell doesn't require material components, and the feast only takes 20 minutes to eat. The temporary hit points granted are 1d10 per level of the highest-level spell slot you have earned.

    ##### Light of Death (Elite Sunbeam)
    You are elite at casting sunbeam and a creature struck by the beam catches on fire. The radiant damage the beam deals is 1d8 per level of your highest-level spell slot you have earned.

    ##### Rejuvenate (Elite Heal)
    You are elite at casting heal and the spell restores all lost hit points and also cures poisons, lost ability score points, lost maximum hit points, exhaustion, paralysis, stunning and being on fire.

    ##### Wall of Brambles (Elite Wall of Thorns)
    You are elite at casting wall of thorns, the maximum length/diameter, height, and width of both forms are doubled, the spell is treated as though it were cast from the highest-level slot you have earned, and if you really do cast it from a higher-level slot, the benefit of doing so is doubled.

    ##### Wayfinder (Elite Find the Path)
    You are elite at casting find the path, you do not need an object from the place you seek, the spell does not fail to find moving or extraplanar locations, and it gives a variety of paths including the safest, the fastest, and the direct, or any other parameter you can name specifically. It can find the quickest physical and nonphysical path to the location.

    ### Super Elite Spellcasting
    At 15th level, choose one of the following abilities:

    ##### Burning Rain (Elite Fire Storm)
    You are elite at casting fire storm and the damage it deals is 1d10 per level of the highest-level spell slot you have earned. Also, each creature in the area catches on fire.

    ##### Gravity Hammer (Elite Reverse Gravity)
    You are elite at casting reverse gravity, you can make gravity go in any direction you like, and the fall damage is doubled. Creatures cannot fly against the force of gravity. A creature who is thrown to the top of the area continues travelling a distance up to the distance they just travelled, although this further distance usually counts against falling damage, not towards it.

    ##### Regrowth (Elite Regenerate)
    You are elite at casting regenerate and the healing the spell grants (initially and over time) is doubled. The spell cures blindness, deafness, poison and disease.

    ##### Rise From the Grave (Elite Resurrection)
    You are elite at casting resurrection, and the spell can return a destroyed or willing undead creature to life (not undeath). The spell does cure magical poisons, diseases, and curses. Ignore the last two paragraphs.

    ### Superior Elite Spellcasting
    At 17th level, choose one of the following abilities:

    ##### Command Weather (Elite Control Weather)
    You are elite at casting control weather and it only takes 1 minute to cast and 1d4 rounds for each change to take effect.

    ##### Lobotomise (Elite Feeblemind)
    You are elite at casting feeblemind, the damage is 8d6, and the target's wisdom is also reduced to 1 on a failed save.

    ##### Solar Flare (Elite Sunburst)
    You are elite at casting sunburst and a creature who passes the save against blindness (initial or to end the effect) still has disadvantage on attack rolls for one round thereafter.

    ##### Worldquake (Elite Earthquake)
    You are elite at casting earthquake. You choose whether fissures appear and where, the damage to structures is 500, not 50, and a creature in a collapsing structure takes 10d6.

    ### Super Elite Spellcastingg
    At 19th level, choose one of the following abilities:

    ##### Even Death May Die (Elite True Resurrection)
    You are elite at casting true resurrection, the casting time is 1 action, the range is 60 feet, the components are V and S, and the spell can bring back the target no matter what, even if the body exists but is elsewhere. It can even turn unwilling undead creatures into their original living selves, but they can take a wisdom save to prevent this.
    ___
    You can restore a creature who died of old age or even target a creature who is still alive. When you cast the spell, you can reduce the creature's age to any age down to the minimum starting age for that character.

    \pagebreak

    ##### Heaven's Roar (Elite Storm of Vengeance)
    You become elite at storm of vengeance.
    ___
    In the first round, the thunder damage is 10d6 and a constitution save only halves the damage and reduces the duration of deafness to 1 minute.
    ___
    In the second round, the raining mix of horrifying substances deals 5d6 acid and 5d6 poison damage to creatures and objects in the area. A dexterity save halves the damage but each creature who fails the save is poisoned for 2d6 rounds and each creature who passes is poisoned for 1d6 rounds.
    ___
    In the third round, the number of bolts of lightning you can call down is 20.
    ___
    In the fourth round, the hailstones deal 3d6 bludgeoning and 3d6 cold damage.
    ___
    In the fifth round, fire rains down and deals 2d10 points of fire damage to each creature and object in the area. Each creature and flammable object in the area catches on fire.
    ___
    In the sixth round, the entire area shakes, dealing 5d6 points of force damage to each creature and object in the area and stunning the creatures for 1d6 rounds. A strength save halves the damage and negates the stunning.
    ___
    In the seventh round, otherworldly blood rains down on the area, dealing 3d6 points of psychic damage and frightening creatures for 3d6 rounds. A successful wisdom save halves the damage and reduces the frightening effect to 1d6 rounds.
    ___
    In the eighth round, a wind of death blows in the area, dealing 4d6 points of necrotic damage to each creature in the area.
    ___
    In the ninth round, a hail of needles rains down from the sky, dealing 5d6 points of piercing damage to each creaturee in the area. A dexterity save halves the damage.
    ___
    In the tenth round, a ray of sunlight breaks through the storm, telling any survivors that hope remains, before crushing that hope to the tune of 6d6 points of radiant damage to each creature in the area, and blinding each of those creatures for 1 round.
    ___
    Elite spells like heaven's roar are difficult to resist fully. Any effect which would reduce damage to nothing on a successful save reduces it to one quarter, and any effect which would reduce it to half on a failed save reduces it to three quarters.

    ##### *................................................. ................................*

    And *that*, my friends, is what a ninth-level damaging spell ought to look like!
    ##### *................................................. ................................*

    ##### Prescience (Elite Foresight)
    You are elite at casting foresight and the target always goes first in the initiative order. If multiple creatures have a similar ability, they all roll initiative as normal.

    ## Omens

    A harbinger is not just a spiritual leader, but a living symbol of things to come. Beastmasters are those who foretell the coming of mighty beasts, shifters are agents of change to come, doomsayers tell of the death of living things, tempest agents come at the forefront of mighty winds and lightning bolts, gaia disciples speak for the world itself, and planar shepherds herald the coming of celestials and fiends.


    The Tarrasque Remastered is 1351 words.

    Thermal Energy kinda comes up several times in both of those (there's even a section about what being on fire is!), but here's something interesting that involves Thermal Energy. Not sure on word count, am in a rush, sorry, might work it out later:

    Spoiler: Less Wrong
    Show
    So, a while ago I was thinking about degrees of wrongness. The reason why isn't important - someone said something that was a few orders of magnitude off-base, pretty much - and I wanted to come up with some comparison points to see how inaccurate a variety of statements are. It's a way of visualising how wrong we really are when we get something that's out by a factor of 10, 100, 1000, and so forth. Here's something that's out by a factor of a little over 7, for example: "A mouse can jump over an elephant".

    That actually sounds surreal, even though 7 is a small number. Here's something that's wrong by a factor of about 58: "Usain Bolt can run fast enough to fire a gun, and then run into the bullet he just fired." "Humans walk at ten times the speed of sound" is a factor of 245, surprisingly low for the disparity between a gentle stroll and a brutal whiplash. For a factor of 439, try "The world's fastest tortoise can outrun the world's fastest cheetah."

    Here's one for a factor of 634: "The surface of the hottest star we are aware of is cold enough to freeze Nitrogen solid." This degree of wrongness, incidentally, is worked out using the kelvin temperature, which is analogous to the thermal energy and therefore an accurate measure of how hot or cold something is.

    "It is literally possible for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle" comes in around 900, though camels and needles both vary too much to put an exact figure on it. At double that, 1800, is "After the Chernobyl reactor meltdown, you could stand next to it for two days without getting a fatal radiation dose." Sitting between them, we have "The longest single-volume novel ever written is less than a page long," which comes in at 1537.

    "Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are all inside the sun" is 2060 - comparing the sun's radius and the distance Saturn is from the sun. "Everybody in the entire world is a citizen of California, Idaho or Utah, AND a member of the Mormon faith" comes in at 2250 "I am taller than the seven tallest buildings in the world stacked on top of each other" is 2377 (at least for me it is: I am 5 ft 11 in tall). "Everyone on Earth is in Buenos Aires right now" is 2436.

    So, if you find yourself thinking that you're only a few orders of magnitude out, then, well, that's enough to put Saturn in the sun.

  20. - Top - End - #20
    Ogre in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jun 2009

    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    Next Theme: Cooperation!

    1520 for Hero's War

    Spoiler
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    I do not have much hope for Morey's attempts to introduce democracy to the post revolution Illastein. The news and rumours that have flowed out of the chaotic post-war mess have been fragmented except for those reports that Amarante shares.
    What they all agree on however is that Amarante's small army of administrators, auxiliary knight parties and proto-militia sent to keep order have done just that. They have also formed an 'interim' government that has turned Illastein into essentially an Inath puppet state. They are lucky Amarante is a well-liked and competent ruler, in peace time at least. A more ambitious Inath would have taken the country offered up to them on a silver platter by the Hero with cackling glee.
    It is only Amarante's sheer reputation for storybook fairness that has Ektal and Ranra not seeing this as a prelude to Inath removing southern opposition before turning northwards to unite the Federation. Amarante has promised Illastein will have an independent government and they believe her.
    Interesting.
    Still, King Ektal is preoccupied worrying about this potential threat when his country is about to send over half its fighting force invading northwards into zombie infested lands. Something that Minmay is going to leverage in the coming negotiations.
    Morey's request that the large and sparsely populated country vote representatives into its government has been met with skepticism here in Ektal. The peasants do not have the education required to make intelligent choices. Such a large country cannot be governed by popular vote when it takes a fast messenger over a month to travel from the desert frontier to the southern border with Inath. The representatives will be populists who will destroy the country.
    All counter-arguments that are valid. Morey's speeches on his route back from Illastein have given the ISL listeners and some of the peasants inspiration to view the country with a national identity, but that is a tiny tiny fraction of the overall population of Illastein.
    Thank whatever gods that might exist here that Amarante's interim government is not going to be temporary at all.
    Similarly, the Greater Circle of elected Barons here in Minmay, while democratically elected representatives on the surface, only the very worst of the Barons have been ousted from their rule. Chancellor Minmay also retains absolute power, the Greater Circle are strictly advisory, much like the regional court before. This is as much a way for the population to air grievances in village election meetings (no rallies here!) as well as an excuse for Minmay to replace Barons that are too unpopular.
    This whole undemocratic democracy reminds me of the transitional state to full independence of the British colonies. Rather than just throw democracy at the people and expecting anything but chaos, this state of affairs is partial recognition of the effects of the popular revolts, one successful and one not. The peasantry have a little more power as their literacy, political awareness and economic importance grows.


    "You'll get an official notice later through the mail," Minmay replied. "Muller wants to meet regarding the sewer project and your office is just on the way. Come with me, there's some troubles about infrastructure I'd like your input on. "

    Muller's report on the infrastructure project was both enlightening to the issues as well as troubling.
    The large map of the city sprawled over the table in the businessman's office detailed the network of underground sewers, water and magical power pipes. In the more expensive districts, all three were present densely and marked to show they were of the third generation of such design.
    "And so we have to do more work on the main Market Street, the water pipe there needs upgrading to the new design due to all the demand from the shops. They're already experiencing low pressure downstream of that road and I can't increase the water tower's pressure without bursting the pipes on Market Street. And over down by Ailecourt too, they share a tower. "
    The Chancellor frowned as he considered the plans. Any waterworks would be slow and costly as it held up traffic on Minmay's busiest and biggest road. "Muller, this is the third time you've had to dig on that street. You can't go around digging holes in my city three times a year, and laying a whole new pipe? You're asking me to close that street for two weeks. At least!"
    Muller almost pouted, "I'll probably need three weeks. The higher pressure pipes are bigger and need a deeper hole. Plus the magic power line is also there and will need to be worked around. "
    "And why not use their access holes? They had the sense to leave their pipes accessible if covered. You shared a tunnel with them on Lakeshore road. "
    The construction man shook his head, "no. The Minmay Power magic lines have too small holes, and even the old first generation water pipe is too small. I need to lay a water main, not a small branch line. "
    Cato shuffled the pages detailing the plans of Muller's water lines under Market Street, trying to recall what the Sewerage company spinoff had done there. While not in direct competition, Muller's construction company, Sewerage and Minmay Power were sending their infrastructure across Minmay in their own schedule and in their own way. Magic power lines could be smaller and closer to the surface, did not require the sloping drainage of the sewerage nor the concrete base for sealed pressurized water pipes. Each of the three companies created tunnels according to their needs and their customers' needs and they did not necessarily know what the other companies were doing. With the rising prosperity and the associated demand for utilities, the public works was getting unmanageable.
    "I think this needs a different paradigm," Cato interrupted them. "Public utilities need to lay their infrastructure and their services across Minmay but having three companies doing digging is a problem. Together with the roads themselves, this sort of work comes under the heading of utilities. If we're to eventually extend this service across the whole city, we're going to need a different sort of company.
    Muller and I should bring this up to the Lesser Council about creating a different type of company charter. Public utilities are going to be very important for future development. This problem of upgrading each of the three lines and the road at different times is just one symptom. We not only need a company which is responsible public infrastructure as a whole, we also need to prevent using that access to the infrastructure for commercial manipulation. If a shop here depends on Muller's water pipes, then Muller's company can easily refuse to connect water to deny a competitor.
    Plus we don't want to contaminate the fresh water supply with sewerage leaks. Just having a general policy of 'keep the sewers downstream' is not good enough. Requiring any infrastructure and service designated a 'public work' to file public plans with the Minmay council will help with both scheduling and planning around each other's requirements.
    I recall there was a type of company on Earth called a common carrier which was given responsibility of a type of infrastructure and had to provide a 'fair' cost regardless of who the customer was. In practice, the Lesser Circle should debate the rules and designate regions of the city to receive infrastructure services for this prospective company or companies. This sort of structure should also apply to the mana wells rather than leaving it to the current free for all drilling. "
    Which might work for Muller too. His spin off company to handle sewerage was fine since nearly everyone did not want the city to stink. Running water was a luxury that was quickly becoming a fact of life but not quite cheap enough to be providing it to whole city, and his construction company was stuck managing a few water lines. Magic power rarely overlapped either of them as its main demand was the industrial district rather than commercial or residential areas.
    A public works company that was some mix of government and private that handled sewerage and water while contracting construction companies to lay lines was a more sane way to organize things. And would help prevent wastefully digging holes one month for sewers, the next for water and again for magic.
    Not that Muller or his higher level partners would lose much since they would have fingers in both pies.
    From the Chancellor's perspective, having public plans for utilities would help commercial and district planning while further strengthening central control. Always a good thing for him. Despite Minmay's purge of criminal elements, the occasional corruption problem still cropped up as there was no mechanism to track or control who was doing what and where.
    So it was not a surprise to Cato when the two men agreed to create a proposal for the Lesser Council to debate on.

  21. - Top - End - #21
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Xiander's Avatar

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    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    I managed 1509 words of blind fate. I am running behind my planned schedule.

    Spoiler: Blind Fate, part two
    Show

    ****************************

    Work ended.
    There were three hourss for Sandra to get ready for the evening. She jogged home, because it pays to be in good running shape.
    She decided, that there was little she could do about the vision, other than the usual precautions. So instead she did her afternoon workout routine, took a quick shower, and started putting on her face.
    As a rule she didn’t wear dresses, too many things could go wrong. She gave it a second thought tonight, she had a single dress in her closet, a nice one. After a moment she discarded the idea, what if she needed to run or to climb something? The dress would just get in the way.
    It took a while to pick out a shirt, she needed one that would look good, and still conceal the standard precautions. She didn’t want to seem to paranoid tonight.
    No one ever talks about how much extra times goes into planning when you have oracular abilities. But then most people can’t see the future, and thus can’t comment on the need for planning.
    Maybe she was overthinking it, the vision, but what else could she do? Not thinking about seemed likely to get her shot.
    She wasn’t thinking much about her plans for the evening, she had been distracted by the vision. Thinking about that made her realise that she should be nervous, and imedeately, she was.
    It took her a couple of minutes to wrestle her mind back on track, and she set tor brushing her hair, just to focus on something else.
    In the end, she got ready.


    *******************************

    She got to the restaurant early.
    It was a habit she had formed years ago, to arrive anywhere with enough time to spare to scout out her surroundings. When you are constantly fighting fate, you learn to plan ahead.
    The place was gorgeous. Sandra didn’t eat out often, she simply couldn’t afford to, but she recognised a high quality restaurant when she saw one. Every surface was polished and all the waiters looked like they had been carved in marble and animated specifically for the pupose of serving her dinner.
    One of them, a blonde girl showed her to the table reserved for her and her party. She sat down and took in the place, pondering what she had gotten herself into.
    Janet had set up the entire thing, ordered the table, set the menu and paid in advance. When Sandra pointed out that Janet wasn’t even going to be pressent, Janet had told her to pipe down and let her have fun in her own way.
    This place was way too expensive for Sandra, her wage wasn’t bad, but she did spend a fair bit of it on precautions against fate. Which was the main reason she had ended up agreeing to this at all, that and the hope of getting Janet to mind her own business for a while.
    Janet had money. Sandra didn’t know the details, but her rainbowheaded friend has inherited a lot of wealth from some relative, and now she mostly ran the shop as a way of staving of boredom.
    So who was Sandra to complain if her freind wanted to pay for her to eat an expensive dinner?
    Of course she had complained, but not about the dinner, the venue or who was paying. She had complained, resisted and pushed it off because of Janet’s ulterior motives.
    In the end though, rainbowhead’s endless persistance had overcome her defences and she had agreed to spend one friday evening indulging her friend’s odd desires.
    She had not expected to have a vision of impending doom on the same day, but those never took her scedule into account.
    She was just about to return to pondering her vision, when someone politely cleared their throat right next to her.
    “Excuse me,” Said a soft male voice. “Are you Sandra Cassidy?”
    She almost jumped out of her chair in surprise. She had been way to lost in thought for her own good, and even the polite interruption had been enough to startle her.
    “Yes.” She said, answering too fast and sounding nervous. “You must be Gregory.”
    As she spoke, she looked up into a set of calm, ice blue eyes. Shew drew in a sharp breath as she focused and took in the man’s face. Sharp features, clever eyes and jet black hair.
    She recognised the man at once… From her vision.
    “Yeah.” He smiled, and it looked good on him. “Gregory Pierce, Janet told me good things about you.”
    Her heart started pounding.
    She couldn’t quite say if it was the smile, or her memories of the vision, but something set her entire system on overdrive and she could feel her face growing red.
    “Janet’s a hopeless optimist.” She said, trying to seem casual.
    Was this really the man who was going to shoot her? That’s the tricky thing about visions. Everything you see in your profetic dream can be completely true and you might still find a way to misread it.
    Mythology and folklore is rife with examples of people meeting their tragic ends because they misunderstood a profecy.
    Hell, for all she knew, he might shoot her because she treated him badly, thinking he was going to shoot her. Janet had vouched for his kindness and integrity, but the rainbowhead could be all too trusting at times.
    “Well, you will be happy to know that she has painted near angelic pictures of you.” Gregory said and pulled out the chair across from her.
    He sad down with a graceful movement. It wasn’t hard to sit down in a chair, but Gregory managed to make it look good. He had an air of competence about him, making every movement seem like a part of some elaborate coreografy.
    Over the last few weeks, Janet had taken every chance to talk this guy up, trying to make Sandra believe that he was some sort of super being. Sandra had been carefully pesimistic, but seeing him, she had to admit that he was quite handsome.
    “Like I said,” She mumbled. “She’s an optimist.”
    “Well she didn’t lie about your hair colour at least.” He flashed her and other smile and she couldn’t help smiling back.
    “Let’s make a deal.” She said, trying to calm her pounding heart. “Let’s make this a nice date.”
    “A nice date?” He asked, a curious smile dancing on his lips and in his eyes. “How do you propose we do that?”
    “Promise not to shoot me at the end of the night?” The words were out of her mouth before she got the chance to think them through.
    He barked out a short laugh, and shook his head with amusement.
    “I think I can keep that promise.” There was still laughter in his voice, but when he spoke again he sounded very serious. “If you pormise me something in return.”
    “And what should I promise?”
    She couldn’t help feeling relaxed around Gregory, even though a tiny voice in the back of her head was yelling at her that he was dangerous, that he would shoot her, the visions had told her that much. She ignored it and tried to look friendly.
    “No shop talk.” He stated simply. “I don’t need to know about your work, and I don’t need to talk about mine.”
    That seemed odd, most people like talking about their jobs. Boasting or ranting, it was a familiar topic, a safe conversation space. What had Janet told her about Gregory’s work? She couldn’t remember anything about it.
    “Right,” She agreed, she had no interest in discussing her work either, so it suited her fine. “No shop talk. So what shoud we talk about?”
    He folded his face up in a thoughtful grimace, making a show of thinking it over. Before her got done with the pantomime, the waiter arrived with their entrés.
    Two place loaded with intricate morsels of fish garnished with small bits of vegetables. There was not danger of eating to much and getting fat, the entrees were very much teaser size, but they did look delicious anyways.
    Sandra started eating, and realised that with all the tension and buildup to this blind date, she was ravenous. She was tempted to shove all the bits of fish into her mouth at once, but decided to slow down and at least try to look civilized.
    “Have you been on many blind dates?” Gregory asked as he speared the first morsel on his fork.
    “This is my first.” She admitted. “I did some regular dates, but mostly they went pretty wrong.”
    “Pretty wrong?” He asked. “How so?”
    “One guy caught fire halfway through.” She admitted, as she popped a bit of fish in her mouth.
    “Fire? Is this some sort of metaphor?”
    “No, it was a candlelight dinner.” She explained. “A candle tipped over and set the curtains on fire. He tried to beat it out, and his sleeve caught the flame.”
    “Wow!” Gregory pronounced energeticly. “That is some next level bad karma.”

  22. - Top - End - #22
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Lycunadari's Avatar

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    May 2012
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    Germany

    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    Status for July 2 to July 8!

    The theme was Thermal Energy!


    Lycunadari passes with seven nature photos, one cat photo and two characters going to pride.

    jseah passes with 1520 words for Hero's War.

    Xiander 1509 words of Blind Fate.

    Jormengand passes with 5664 words of Elite 5 and 1351 words of The Tarrasque Remastered, including some bits about thermal energy.

    Subproject54 didn't upload/send me anything.

    Some Android didn't upload/send me anything.


    Thus Subproject54 and Some Android FAILs this round!

    Lycunadari, jseah, Xiander and Jormengand PASS this round!


    Current standing:
    Spoiler
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    Lycunadari
    Current run: 287 weeks
    Longest run: -
    Themes: -

    jseah
    Current Run: 126 weeks
    Longest Run: 33 weeks
    Themes: -

    Xiander
    Current run: 105 weeks
    Longest run: -
    Themes: -

    Jormengand
    Current run: 17 weeks
    Longest run: -
    Themes: 5 weeks

    Subproject54
    Current run: -
    Longest run: 6 weeks
    Themes: -

    Some Android
    Current run: -
    Longest run: 42 weeks
    Themes: -



    The current theme is Oh no, not again!.

    The theme for the week from July 16 to July 22 is Cooperation.

    The theme for the week from July 23 to July 29 is chosen by Xiander - let me know here or in PM and I'll include it in the next status post.

    -------
    A bunch of flowers, one cat and Peet and Tristan going to pride <3.
    You can call me Juniper. Please use gender-neutral pronouns (ze/hir (preferred) or they/them) when referring to me.

    "We all are vessels of our brokenness, we carry it inside us like water, careful not to spill. And what is wholeness if not brokenness encompassed in acceptance, the warmth of its power a shield against those who would hurt us?" - R. Lemberg, Geometries of Belonging

    Stories Art

  23. - Top - End - #23
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    NontheistCleric's Avatar

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    Aug 2017

    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    Quote Originally Posted by Lycunadari View Post
    Jormengand
    Current run: 15 weeks
    Longest run: -
    Themes: 3 weeks
    I think this is a typo.

  24. - Top - End - #24
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Lycunadari's Avatar

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    Germany

    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    Quote Originally Posted by TwoLegsArmchair View Post
    I think this is a typo.
    I don't update the first post every week. For the current standing you'll have to look at the latest status post.
    You can call me Juniper. Please use gender-neutral pronouns (ze/hir (preferred) or they/them) when referring to me.

    "We all are vessels of our brokenness, we carry it inside us like water, careful not to spill. And what is wholeness if not brokenness encompassed in acceptance, the warmth of its power a shield against those who would hurt us?" - R. Lemberg, Geometries of Belonging

    Stories Art

  25. - Top - End - #25
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Finlam's Avatar

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    Feb 2013

    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    Hey guys,

    Sorry I've been incommunicado for a couple weeks. Just popped in to let you know that I haven't dropped off the face of the earth. I should have my entries the week after this weekend.

    Glad to see you're doing well, keep it up!
    Hello, I'm Finlam: content creator for D&D5e and writer.
    Playable Slimes for D&D5e
    >>>So You Want To Be A Slime?<<<

    5eHeroic - Make high level D&D feel heroic and fun again.

    -Game Content-
    Roleplay Warm-up - Exercises to get into Character
    3 Traps to Get Your Players Excited
    GM's Easy Creation Kit (G.E.C.K.)

    -Character Builds-
    Building a Super SAD Tank - Using a Paladin/Hexblade to build an unstoppable tank.


    Let's chat sometime.

  26. - Top - End - #26
    Ogre in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jun 2009

    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    1532 for AT x HP

    Spoiler
    Show
    "And it says here that Flamel conducted a controversial ritual by duping a bunch of muggles to sing the ritual words with him. More than just a threat to the Statute, the ritual itself was said to have been inspired in Flamel by a passing song and to this day, almost no one understands it. The Stone is able to transmute lead into gold as well as create Elixir of Life which allows the drinker to remain young and live forever! Of course Snape wants the Stone, who wouldn't want the Alchemist's Stone?!" Hermione huffed as she pushed the heavy book to Harry and Ron who were looking at the heavily cursive words with a skeptical eye. "I knew Flamel's name was familiar, I just don't recall where I saw it before..."
    As his friend scowled to herself, Harry glanced over the page. He wondered how long until their obviously evil potions professor would make another attempt. Professor Dumbledore was barely around, he often took a hurried breakfast early before running off on other business. The school was practically run by Professor McGonagall now.
    "Um, Hermione," Ron's voice pulled Harry out of his dark musings. The two friends look at him, and the small chocolate frog card resting in his open hand. Unusually for Ron, he looked a little sheepish.
    "That's a Dumbledore card," Harry pointed out, recognizing the bearded old man winking at him from the cover, "like the one you gave me on the train..."
    "-famous for the work on the uses of dragon blood with famous alchemist Nicholas Flamel! It was right in front of me all this time?!" Hermione's voice edged upwards as she nearly exploded in self-directed frustration.
    Harry hid a wince as Ron clapped a hand over her mouth. Her voice had started to sound a bit too much like Petunia on a bad day. And it wasn't just him who had a shock, judging from the clatter of falling books on the shelf behind them.
    He glanced around to see Hagrid standing amidst a fallen pile of books, a broken book holder in his hands.
    Hermione groaned when she saw Madam Pince bearing down on them with the wrath of Merlin on her face.

    Hagrid shuffled guiltily as he was pinned by the flat stares of a certain trio of first years.
    "Uh, sorry 'bout that," he shuffled backwards towards the sweet freedom promised by the central staircase.
    Ron cracked first, mouth twitching with mirth, before they all broke down into chuckles.
    "So Hagrid, it's rare to see you in the library," Hermione nodded at the large man after their laughter died down, "what have you got there?"
    The amusement died a swift and possibly fiery death when Hagrid, instead of explaining, just looked guilty again. "It's nothing much, just a book on raising dragons. You know, for my interests. " His words did not inspire confidence in Harry, much less Hermione.
    "Hagrid, why do you need a book on raising dragons? You don't... actually have, a dragon. Do you?"
    He just looked away from Hermione's questions.
    "Hagrid! You know dragon raising is illegal without a license!" Hermione almost screamed again and this time it was up to Harry to shush her. "And Hagrid, you live in wooden house!"
    "Oh nonsense, it's perfectly safe, it's just an egg," the man waved her off gruffly, "I can take care of it just fine. "
    "What is this about an egg?"
    The dreaded voice made Harry's stomach drop into his feet.
    "Professor McGonagall," Hermione greeted their teacher automatically and then froze.
    "Hagrid?" the stern Transfiguration teacher might as well have turned the larger man into stone with her unamused glare. From the look on her face, they all knew the game was up. Harry was half relieved that his favourite giant of a man would not be injured doing something extremely foolish but at the same time, the promise of grave punishments in Professor McGonagall's eye did not bode well for Hagrid.
    "How did Hagrid get a dragon's egg anyway?" Ron asked, "it's not like you can just buy these things from random people in a bar. "
    Hagrid gave a weak chuckle, "funny story that. I played cards for it with this man. In a bar, too. Funny guy all wrapped up, but you get all sorts down in-"
    To Harry's quiet amazement, Professor McGonagall let Hagrid tell the story. And unlike when he was trying to wheedle information out of Hagrid, the Professor merely had to quirk eyebrows or tap a foot to get Hagrid to yield more information. Ron was also paying attention, a frown on his face.
    "Did the man want anything before just giving you a dragon egg for a game of cards?" Ron asked when Hagrid wound down.
    "Not really, I think he was just a good guy. Wanted to find a home for the poor dragon he found and all. Even asked if I could take care of it properly. Of course convincing him wasn't a problem, all you need to know is how to handle them, like Fluffy, just sing to him and he goes right... to... sleep..."
    From how Hagrid's face suddenly paled and the thunderous expression on his professor's face, Harry did not need to ask to know Hagrid had indeed just told whoever that mysterious man was, how to get past the three headed dog.
    Ron asked anyway, "is that you telling us or did you tell the man-"
    The audible gulp was confirmation enough.
    "Professor, Snape is trying to get the Stone!" Hermione whirled to face Professor McGonagall, "and now he knows how to get past the cerberus and- and-"
    "Calm down, Miss Granger," the professor steadied Hermione with a hand on her shoulder, "I can assure you that Snape is perfectly trustworthy. More important, is how the three of you managed to find out what is beyond the third floor corridor. Though I think I know the answer to that. Yes, Hagrid? I don't know why Professor Dumbledore would have told you what was beyond the corridor. But no matter. "
    She continued with a sigh, "the three of you are not to speak of the item being guarded. Rest assured that the protections are strong and secure. Despite your misadventures-"
    "Professor, I think it would be better to check the corridor. Just in case," Ron interrupted her. "Whoever gave Hagrid the dragon might have intended it as a distraction whenever the egg hatches. But now... Dumbledore's never around and, how long ago did you get the egg, Hagrid?"
    The big man shrugged, "it was yesterday evening. I came up here the moment the library was opened to see how to care for it, you know. "
    "Then since Professor Dumbledore was here for dinner yesterday and breakfast today, whoever is going after the Stone has had nearly three hours to work through the protections," Ron spoke in a distant thinking tone that he had only ever used when destroying a strong opponent at wizarding chess.
    Harry was finding that he had to change his opinion of Ron in the last few days. His friend was still impulsive and lazy but he hid an intelligent mind behind that shell. In a flash, Harry wondered what Ron might be like a few years older.
    "Very well," Professor McGonagall huffed, "I will check on the protections. Hagrid, please see that these three children are returned to the Gryffindor dorms and to stay there-"
    And now it was time for him to act.
    "I will go with you, Professor. " Right after the disastrous quidditch match when Snape had made an attempt on his life, Harry had decided that he could not simply rely on others to keep him safe. Harry had never told anyone, not even his friends. But right now, he had to make a stand.
    It seemed like today was a day where he had to reassess everyone. Professor McGonagall, instead of instantly sending Harry back to his room like an unruly child, stopped to smile faintly. For a moment Professor McGonagall looked every year of her age. "I remember when there was another boy in this school just like you. I never could keep him and his friends out of trouble and it looks like you are just the same. You wouldn't stay behind even if I told you to, would you? Very well, come along, but no further than to confirm no one has disturbed the cerberus. Hagrid, please inform Professor Sprout that I am about to investigate the third floor corridor. "
    Hagrid nodded and his heavy footfalls led off to the staircases.
    Harry turned to Hermione and Ron. Before he could open his mouth both of them immediately interrupted him. "Don't even think about it. " "You'll need someone to watch your back. "
    He grinned back and hurried to follow Professor McGonagall to the third floor corridor.

    They arrived to find Fluffy's door hanging ajar, the soft sounds of a harp playing over the louder triple snores of Fluffy.

  27. - Top - End - #27
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Xiander's Avatar

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    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    2018 words of Blind Fate. And no, i didn't nearly forget to post this week.
    Spoiler: Blind Fate, part three
    Show

    “I don’t know about karma.” She answered sipping her drink. “But the guy was somewhat clumsy.”
    “Yeah.” He said, looking down at his plate. “I don’t really believe in that stuff anyway.”
    “For a moment, Sandra was unsure what he meant, she narrowed her eyes and tried to figure it out.
    “Believe in what?” She asked carefully.
    “Karma.” He said simply. “I don’t think the universe really cares enough to make any sort of judgement on the value of your action and what retribution they deserve.”
    “Maybe the universe is sadistic and just likes punishing people.” The words were out of her mouth before she had time to think about what she was saying.
    He looked at her, an od smil on his lips.
    “Do you believe that?” He asked. “Or are you just making fun of me?”
    “I think,” She began and paused to actually think. After a moment she continued. “That things happen. Some things just happen, other things are meant to happen.”
    “Fate then?” There was laughter right beneath his words, restrained only by politeness.
    “Is it so mad to belive somethings were meant to happen?” She heard bitterness in her own words.
    She knew that fate was real, she saw it ever so often in her visions. No vision of hers had ever failed to come true, not sinse she was sixteen. Not sinse the curse.
    “I don’t know.” He shrugged and smiled again. “To me fate seemed like an excuse to let people avoid taking responsibility for their actions.”
    It annoyed her, that he so casually discarded her experience with destiny. For a moment she wanted to snap at him, tell him where he could shove his preconceptions. But she knew that was a bad idea, if she wanted to get through the evening without earning any bullet holes.
    “Responsibility isn’t the point.” She said and speared another bit of fish, with more force than absolutely necesary. “We all walk our paths and make our choices, but what we choose can’t change the fact that there is a path.”
    He looked straight into her eyes then. His ice blue gaze seemed to pierce straigh into her soul. There was a long, uncomfortable second. Then he spoke.
    “You’ve thought a lot about this, haven’t you?”
    “Sure.” She said, breaking off the staring competition, to look down at her plate. “It seems like an important question to me. Did someone plan for me to face the challenges in my life?”
    “In my opinion.” He explained in a soft voice. “Fate is mostly a word to describe what happened. Since we can’t really say anything about the future. So when things seem to big or to strange, we call it fate and tell ourselves that it’s out of our hands.”
    Sandra thought about that for a bit, chewing on the last piece of fish from her plate. She could see his point, at least from his perspective. But from her own perspective, she knew that parts of the future was carved out ahead of them, that there were things, which were meant to happen.
    “Your point only holds,” She pointed out. “If you assume the is no will behind the scenes. That no one has laid a plan for the world. And you can’t know that.”
    He chewed that over, then placed down his knif and fork before speaking again.
    “Even if some will is trying to shape the world,” he said thoughtfully. “Do you really think our actions are meaningless? I think our choices can shape the future, change things for the better.”
    It struck her then, that she was really trying to prove him right. Everytime she had a vision, her goal was always to make it not come true.
    Until now every vision had occured more or less as she had seen it. No matter what she did to avoide it, the future played out as she had seen it would.
    Still, she had managed to survive. Her visions always threatened doom and death for her, just like the one this morning. And yet, here she sat, after ten years of visions, still alive.
    “I see what you mean.” She said a bit harder than she meant to. “But I happen to know for at fact that fate is a thing that exists.”
    He gave her an odd look, as if he was trying to read her mind. After a second he smiled and shook his head.
    “Sorry, I didn’t mean to challenge you on your personal beliefs.” He said, his tone reconciliatory.
    She couldn’t help smiling back at him, and she felt a knot of frustration loosen in her chest. Why was she getting so angry? This was supposed to be a fun evening, to help her unwind and maybe meet someone she would like. Why was she so ready to turn it into a fight?
    “It’s okay.” She said, and pushed her empty plate a bit a to one side. “I just get a little stubborn about some topics. Not really your fault.”
    He pushed his plate aside as well. He looked relaxed, friendly and pretty attractive. Was this really the guy, the one the vision had shown her? It had to be, his face was burned into her memory, but she couldn’t figure out how this pleasant, if slightly tense, dinner could turn into to attempted murder.
    For a moment they said nothing, and just watched each other, as they waited for a waiter to notice that they had finished their first course.
    Then his phone rang.
    “Sorry,” He said as he pulled it from his pocket. “I should have turned this off.”
    “No.” She assured him. She could feel fate congealing around this moment, but she couldn’t tell wich way it was tipping. She decided to err on the side of being friendly. “Just take it.”
    She smiled an honest smile, and he looked grateful. He rose and stepped away from the table. She heard him answering the phone just before he moved out of earshot.
    “Gregory.” He said, his voice calm and profesionel, he sounded almost like a different person.
    She leaned back and breathed out. She hadn’t noticed before, but she was tense. Even though Gregory was friendly and handsome, this was uncharted territory for her. She didn’t seek out dates in general, too many things could go wrong. And on top of that, there was the vision.
    “Relax.” She told herself and picked up her glass.
    The wine here was pretty good. She usually didn’t drink either, she had never picked up the habit. She took a big sip of the wine and felt the tingling of the alcohol as she swallowed.
    She almost felt relaxed, when a girl in a waiter’s uniform spoke from right beside her, almost scaring her out of her chair.
    “Fate touched.” Said the waitress softly.
    “What?” Spat Sandra, and twisted in her chair to face the girl.
    She was a short, rakish girl. Frizzy auburn hair fell to her shoulders and she wore a mischivous smile. She tilted her head to one side and grinned.
    “You are fate touched, are you not?” The waitress asked her voice nearly singsong.
    Sandra stared at the girl, squinting, and saw her for what she was. There was a cloud of strange magic around her covering her true appearance and making her seem human to any idle observer. It took Sandra some effort to pierce the veil and see the short set of horns poking out from her hair, and the cloven hoves at the end of her legs.
    “I am.” Sandra answered, then she leant closer to the girl and whispered. “And you’re a Puck.”
    “Indeed.” Said the creature. “You are an observant one to realise so soon.”
    “What do you want?” Sandra hissed.
    This was the last thing she needed. There were creatures around, like this girl, hidden in plain sight. Most of them were fairly harmless, or they were very careful not to be noticed. Pucks took their name from the character in shakespeares play, or he took his name from them.
    Like the fairy in the play they were notorious trouble makers. They usually didn’t outright hurt people, but if there was a way to complicate a situation, a puck would always be able to find it. And they loved to watch chaos unfold. As far as Sandra was concerned, they weren’t really malicious, they just had a mean sense of humour.
    “I felt that something would happen here tonight.” Said the puck with a big grin. “So I borrowed a face from a girl who normally works here, and came to se what it was.”
    Craning her neck, Sandra tried to see where Gregory had gone off to. She needed to get this sorted out before he returned. If this date went up in flames, she really didn’t want an audeince for it, much less a manic pixie with a penchant for slapstick.
    She couldn’t spot her date, so she made a quick decision. Trying to drive off the creature wouldn’t work, that would only make it more interested in her eventual misfortune. But maybe she could turn this setback into an advantage.
    “I’ll make you a deal.” Sandra said, her voice laced with a hint of conspiration.
    The puck’s ears perked up and she gave Sandra her full attention. Deals were a dangerous prospect with the likes of a Puck, but they would generally stick to their words, if not the spirit of it.
    “What had you in mind?” asked the creature with a game smile.
    “The man I arrived her with.” Sandra started.
    “You want me to infatuate him?” The puck broke in. “Make him like you? Stir the embers of desire.”
    Sandra felt herself blushing.
    “No.” She said firmly. “That is not it at all.”
    “Then what?” Asked the Puck.
    “If he tries to harm me, I want you to interfere.” She took a deep breath and held out her hands palms up. “What is your price for such a deal?”
    There was a long silence as the Puck thought that over. Then finally she spoke in a sattisfied whisper.
    “A first.” She said simply.
    “I am not giving away my firstborn child.” Sandra said flatly.
    “Nor do you need to.” The puck sounded amused at the notion. “Before the night is done, I will claim a first of yours, and we will part as friends.”
    The last sentence had an odd ring to it. Like a bell ringing under water. Sandra recognised it as the ring of fate. The puck was a fatebound creature, and could at time make predictions every bit as accurate as her own. Further mor, if the Puck spoke with the voice of fate, Sandra knew that it would rather tear out its own eyes than act against those words.
    “We have a deal then.” She said and held out her hand to shake. “Protection from my date in return for a first.”
    “Deal.” The puck smiled as she shook Sandra’s hand, then she leant in and whispered. “You may call me Robin.”
    “Sandra Cassidy.” Sandra replied.
    Robin’s brows lifted into a surprised expression, and she looked Sandra over once more. There was respect in the Puck’s eyes this time.
    “I have heard of you.” She said still smiling. “You are the one who refuses to die.”
    “Refuse is a strong word.” Said Sandra. “It just keeps coming up when I’m busy.”
    Robin let out a short thrilling laughter, like a peal of silver bells.
    “I shal leave you now.” She said and turned away from the table. “I will see you later tonight.”
    With that, the Puck left her alone at her table, with a sense that things had just gotten more complicated. She told herself that she had made a smart deal. Pucks weren’t blood thirsty fighting machines, but they had more than their share of tricks up their sleeves. Having one on your side was never a bad deal.
    Unless the unspecified first was something more important than the Puck had indicated. Which was of course a possibility.

  28. - Top - End - #28
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    NontheistCleric's Avatar

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    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    Quote Originally Posted by Lycunadari View Post
    I don't update the first post every week. For the current standing you'll have to look at the latest status post.
    The same typo is actually present there...

  29. - Top - End - #29
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Lycunadari's Avatar

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    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    Quote Originally Posted by TwoLegsArmchair View Post
    The same typo is actually present there...
    I don't know what you are talking about? The latest status post lists Jor's standing as

    Jormengand
    Current run: 17 weeks
    Longest run: -
    Themes: 5 weeks
    What typo do you see there?
    You can call me Juniper. Please use gender-neutral pronouns (ze/hir (preferred) or they/them) when referring to me.

    "We all are vessels of our brokenness, we carry it inside us like water, careful not to spill. And what is wholeness if not brokenness encompassed in acceptance, the warmth of its power a shield against those who would hurt us?" - R. Lemberg, Geometries of Belonging

    Stories Art

  30. - Top - End - #30
    Banned
     
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    In the Playground, duh.

    Default Re: The CHALLENGE 4: Art block can't stop us

    Spoiler: 2091 Mindgames (Fulfils Theme) TW: Mental health, abuse
    Show
    Disdainful Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[A][C]
    You don't have to be on top of the world to look down on someone.

    Frustrated Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[A][D]
    “I want” does get, with the application of sufficient force.

    Abused Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[A][F]
    You can only bottle up for so long before something explodes.

    Vengeful Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[A][H]
    Why take one eye for an eye when you can take both of them?

    Boisterous Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[A][J]
    It's still all fun and games long after someone gets hurt.

    Protective Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[A][L]
    “Whoever puts a hand on you will lose that hand!”

    Bitter Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[A][S]
    Tears won't drown your daemons.

    Dedicated Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[C][D]
    When one door closes, bash it down.

    Brave Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[C][F]
    Plans don't survive contact with the enemy, but heroes do.

    Malicious Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[C][H]
    If you're going to be a monster, take the time to do it properly.

    Carefree Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[C][J]
    Don't take life so seriously! It isn't permanent.

    Content Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[C][L]
    It feels as though this moment could go on forever...

    Depressed Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[C][S]
    Crying isn't the worst part – the worst part is when you want to cry, but can't.

    Anxious Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[D][F]
    My wildest dreams, my worst nightmares.

    Jealous Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[D][H]
    A fish in the hand is worth about a tenth of your neighbour's fish.

    Lustful Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[D][J]
    Humanity's true purpose is also its greatest weakness.
    Obsessive Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[D][L]
    “Do you want to be with me, or be me?”

    Lonely Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[D][S]
    Loneliness is only fun as a group activity.

    Prejudicial Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[F][H]
    Life is easier with a dedicated enemy.

    Thrill-Seeking Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[F][J]
    When you're living on the edge, you take up less space.

    Concerned Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[F][L]
    Fearing for your life is easy compared to fearing for someone else's.

    Reclusive Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[F][S]
    The world never goes away, but it won't go looking for you either.

    Sadistic Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[H][J]
    There's no point being the top of the pile if there's no-one at the bottom.

    Conflicted Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[H][L]
    Presence makes the heart grow colder.

    Indignant Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[H][S]
    Never sit down. Never shut up. That's how they win.

    Blissful Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[J][L]
    Which came first, the ignorance or the bliss?

    Emotional Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[J][S]
    Ups and downs don't sound so bad, until you realise it's a struggle up and a fall down.

    Heartbroken Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[L][S]
    It's better to have loved and lost than to still love and have lost.

    Curious Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: Draw 2, discard 2.
    Cats have nine lives: they can afford to be curious a few times.

    Changeable Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[?], then (E) chooses [?] and you get that resource.
    Who are you today?

    Draining Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: (E) gives you a resource of your choice.
    “Oh, but I don't want to be a bother... are you sure?”

    Controlling Persona [P]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +3%.
    Take the wheel, and see if you can prevent the crash.

    Avatar of Rage [P]
    (S) {∞}
    Costs of your cards are reduced by [A]
    When the red mist comes down, it stays down.

    Manifestation of Peace [P]
    (S) {∞}
    Costs of your cards are reduced by [C]
    The best way to find inner peace is to stop caring.

    Idol of Lust [P]
    (S) {∞}
    Costs of your cards are reduced by [D]


    Exemplar of Terror [P]
    (S) {∞}
    Costs of your cards are reduced by [F]

    Living Nemesis [P]
    (S) {∞}
    Costs of your cards are reduced by [H]
    The nemesis of my nemesis is me.

    Symbol of Euphoria [P]
    (S) {∞}
    Costs of your cards are reduced by [J]
    Make your last moments happy ones.

    Soul of Affection [P]
    (S) {∞}
    Costs of your cards are reduced by [L]

    Archetype of Tears [P]
    (S) {∞}
    Costs of your cards are reduced by [S]

    Anger
    (S) {0}
    +[A], play 1

    Calm
    (S) {0}
    +[C], play 1

    Desire
    (S) {0}
    +[D], play 1

    Fear
    (S) {0}
    +[F], play 1

    Hatred
    (S) {0}
    +[H], play 1

    Joy
    (S) {0}
    +[J], play 1

    Love
    (S) {0}
    +[L], play 1

    Sorrow
    (S) {0}
    +[S], play 1

    Rage [A]
    (S) {5}
    On Turn: +[A]

    Meditate [C]
    (S) {5}
    On Turn: +[C]

    Yearning [D]
    (S) {5}
    On Turn: +[D]

    Terror [F]
    (S) {5}
    On Turn:+[F]

    Malice [H]
    (S) {5}
    On Turn: +[H]

    Enjoyment [J]
    (S) {5}
    On Turn: +[J]

    At First Sight [L]
    (S) {5}
    On Turn: +[L]

    Tears [S]
    (S) {5}
    On Turn: +[S]

    Roll With It [?][C][C]
    (S) {∞}
    When you would lose %, you lose 1% less instead (minimum 0%).

    Brave Face [?][J]
    (S) {0}
    <Q> when you would lose %: you lose 0% instead.

    Eudaimonia [?][C][C]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +1%

    Ambition [?][D]
    (e) {0}
    +5%

    Sympathy [?][?][L][L]
    (S) {∞}
    Whenever another player gains 1%: +1%
    Whenever another player gains more than 1%: +2%

    Curiosity [?][?][?]
    (c) {0}
    Draw 2, play 1.

    Shrug Off [?][?][C][C]
    (a) {0}
    <Q> when a player attempts to play a card: discard that card before it enters play.

    Never Existed [?][H][C][C]
    (a) {0}
    <Q> when a player attempts to play a card: remove that card from the game before it enters play.

    Writer's Block [?][H]
    (a) {0}
    <Q> when a player attempts to play a card: return that card to its owner's hand before it enters play.

    Possessiveness [D]
    (S) {0}
    Play 1 from your discard pile.

    Envy [?][?][D][D][D]
    (S) {0}
    <Q> when a player attempts to play a card: you choose the zone and <T> for that card (only any choice they could have made).

    What's Yours is Mine [?][L][L]
    (a) {0}
    <T> a card in play: What's Yours is Mine takes its effect, target and duration instead of its own.

    Erode [?][H][H]
    (a) {0}
    <T> a card in play: Discard it.

    Gaslight [?][H][H][H]
    (a) {0}
    <T> a card in play: Remove it from the game.

    Subversion [?][?][F][F][F]
    (a) {0}
    <Q> when a player attempts to play a card: replace all “+” with “-”, “Draw” with “Discard” and “Play” with “Skip” and vice versa.

    Intimidate [?][?][F]
    (E) {3}
    Your persona does nothing.

    Trepidation [?][F]
    (E) {4}
    Your cards cost [?] more to play.

    Seductiveness [?][?][D][D][D]
    (S) {0}
    <T> a card in (A). Put it into (S).
    Reflexive Reaction [F]
    (a) {0}
    <Q>. Play 1, then skip 1. (You play a card now instead of the next card you would get to play).

    Fight or Flight [F]
    (S) {5}
    On play: +[F][F][F][F][F], Play 1.
    On turn: -[?]. If you can't, -5%

    A Problem Shared [F]
    (S) {0}
    <T> a card in (S). Put it into (A).

    Impatience [A]
    (a) {0}
    <Q>. <T> a card with at least {2} on, remove {2} from it and activate any “On turn” effect it has twice.

    Enduring Love [?][L][L]
    (e) {0}
    +{1} to all cards in this zone with any duration other than {∞} or {0}

    Go it Alone [?][H][H]
    (S) {0}
    <T> a card with at least {1} on, and put all time counters in this zone on it.

    Anaesthesia [S]
    (E) {0}
    -[?][?]

    Depression [?][?][S][S]
    (E) {∞}
    On turn: -[?]

    Aggressive Manoeuvre [A][A]
    (s) {0}
    -5%, play 1

    Violence [A]
    (s) {0}
    -3%, play 1

    Coup de Grace
    (s) {0}
    (S) loses all [A]. For each one lost, -3%

    Underdog Play [?][F][F]
    (s) {0}
    -8%, and another -8% if you have more % than (S).

    Running on Empty [A]
    (S) {0}
    Draw 1, play 2, -15%.

    Body Fuel [A]
    (S) {∞}
    On turn: +[A][A], -5%

    Heart's Desire [?][?][D]
    (S) {0}
    Search your deck for a card and draw it. Shuffle your deck. Play 1.
    Spoiler: Guilt 1412 TW lots of stuff
    Show
    Guilt

    I am a monster.

    That's what the feeling tells me, anyway. Not always because of anything I've done. Sometimes because of what I've managed to convince myself I've done, or someone else has convinced me I've done, or even what I might do, or even something that people like me are meant to be responsible for.

    I'm a great believer in redemption, in forgiveness. But the feeling inside me tells me that I am irredeemable, unforgiveable: that my sins, unlike all others, mark me eternally. And that's a thought that terrifies me.

    I've never cut myself or got any real tattoos or piercings. I don't like things that leave eternal marks, from the vilest to the prettiest, for the simple fact that I always want to be able to change. I don't want to be tied to the past. But everyone's tied to the past.

    I remember reading about the ship of Theseus. The story goes that Theseus' ship got repaired so many times, and the original pieces kept each time, that they made an entire new copy of the ship out of the old pieces. Which one, then, is the real ship of Theseus: the replica one, or the repaired one?

    I'm not sure there's really such a thing as a real or fake ship of Theseus. Can't we say that each one is the ship of Theseus for different purposes than the other? I suppose this is my biggest problem with continuity of existence in general. So I don't really think that anyone's much of the same person they were a few years ago.

    But of course, all that philosophising never applies to me.

    I can wax lyrical about how I believe in forgiveness, about how no-one's really to blame for what a younger version of them did, and yet I never forgive myself, and always blame myself. The rules don't apply to me: I'm a monster, I'm evil, I don't deserve the forgiveness that I'd happily hand out to anyone else.

    I never cut myself, but that's not to say I didn't hurt myself – physically, as well as emotionally. I don't think I was ever quite anorexic, but a lot of the time I didn't eat because I didn't feel like I deserved any food. I deliberately burned myself – superficially enough not to leave a lasting mark, but it's not like it didn't hurt. Right now, I'm not drinking anything, just for the satisfaction of hurting myself with the thirst. I'm scratching away at my body, not caring that it hurts. I'm depriving myself of sleep, because I don't feel like I deserve sleep.

    I want to make my pain into a work of art, but I don't know how. Ideas of how to use metaphor for effect race across my mind, allegories mixing in with the pain itself, but it feels artificial – this isn't a metaphor, this is reality.

    Maybe it doesn't have to be reality. There are enough hallucinations in my life at the moment: my darkest thoughts cast as shadows of nothing my malfunctioning eyes; the echo of a sound long gone is discordant music to my ears. Even my bed seems to rock from side to side with the whims of a vehicle I am no longer aboard. Sometimes, the sensation of falling strikes me at random. Others, I am struck blind by a haze of visual noise. I scare myself with noises that never actually existed.

    I feel the touch of nothing at all, run hot and cold without any real change in temperature, and feel tilts irrelevant to my actual orientation. The only sense I have that seems to resist this is my sense of smell, and even that only by virtue of complete nonexistence. Regularly, I terrify myself with my own imaginings, even when they contradict what I know for certain. Even when a sight or a sound is a real one, the sound of running water turns into boiling water, or even raging fire. The sight of something rustling in the wind turns into a lurker in the dark.

    Simple things terrify me. I panic in simple situations, can't bear to use a phone, and have anxious siezures at the barking of dogs or even the sound of floorboards. My body tenses up, I feel powerless, and my agency slips away from me.

    Often, I watch myself from the outside. It's like watching a film, only knowing that the main character is a real person. You can't fail to appreciate the gravity of the situation, but you can't do anything about it except for panic externally. Sometimes, you don't want to watch, but you can't close your eyes, or look away. Your eyes aren't glued to the screen. Your eyes are the screen, and you don't get to choose whether they're open or shut.

    Initially, I blamed this on my alter-egos, the three crazy semi-demi-humans who have the grave misfortune to join me on this fateful voyage. Quickly, though, I realised it was different with them. If they were doing something I didn't like, I could ask them to change it and do something else. In these moments of no control, though, there was no-one to ask, no-one to change.

    To me, it's relatively trivial that I'm insane. Hallucinations, jumping at shadows, and random aversions which don't make sense aren't exactly the hallmarks of an archetype of mental stability.

    I suppose, again, that I'm attempting a work of creative writing. Maybe I should personify my mental illnesses? It's been done before. My depression telling me that I'll never be good enough, my hallucinations whispering warnings to me about things that aren't there, or making sounds to frighten me. Again, it just feels weak. Depression isn't the monster in my head: I'm the monster in my own head. Hallucinations aren't malevolent whisperings of a partisan daemon: they are the imaginings wrought from my own basic mind-stuff, my own pathologies, phobias, and the scars from my past. It's not right to picture them as their own personae – they aren't. If any mental disorder is its own persona, it's dissociative identity disorder, and those personae are no more malevolent than my own. In truth, they fundamentally are my own, as though the matter needed any further complication, but the essential fact is that they are not people and do not stand up to personification.

    Though this started as an attempt at an artistic representation of my most twisted parts, perhaps it's too far gone down the rabbit-hole of plain prose. Maybe I should embody my flaws not with personalities but with a healthy dose of imagery that makes them come to life.

    You may or may not have a significant other in the metaphorical sense, but you almost certainly have at least one person in your life external to yourself who is significant to you. Which of those people is most important to you? And how angry would you be at someone who murdered them brutally with no reason but empty bloodlust?

    Now imagine that you are in a room with blood all over you, a knife in your hand and the body of that person lying dead on the floor beside you, having just bled to death at your hands, from a wound from the knife you wield. Perhaps you now understand self-loathing: perhaps you now understand the pain that the tired cliché character feels when they cry “What have I done?” but perhaps you also feel the hatred I have for myself. But my dearest love yet lives and no-one is dead by my hand: for me, the hatred is simply part of how my mind functions.

    Is it glorious that I should write on the wall that you might read my pain? Does it help you to know how I hurt and why I hurt? Must I detail the thickness of every claw that tears through me so you can calculate its thickness? Need you comprehend the inner workings of the grand machine that is my mind? Is it not enough to know that the pain kills without having to know the whys and the wherefores? I haven't the will or the cause to embark further on the voyage – such as it is – of exploration into the shadows of my mind: it is simple that they are what they are and that one need not know what they are, only how one can help.


    Five drawings here (one's only just visible at the bottom), two here (the one in the top-right is also in the first image so not counting that), one here and two here. So, 24 points total. Also have some other stuff but one of the envelopes has my full address on it and I don't want to edit it out just to show you a couple of bad drawings.
    Last edited by Jormengand; 2018-07-19 at 05:11 AM.

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