Heimurn Chronicles (No, SV, you're a young valkyrie in the middle of a bizarre and dangerous journey)

Teloch · Aug 16, 2017

your team of lunatics so far

Lucifina (aka you, aka Lu, aka Lucy, aka Sparkling, aka Gosling)

Race: the new nameless humanoid species
Gender: Female
Age: biological - around 21 in human years; actual(?) - almost half a year (?).
Background: protege of a natural science scholar, unknown origins
Status: Healthy

Perk(s):
"Follow the white cat" - you have a moody guiding spirit at your side who can boost your spirit aspect advancement should you get on its better side (+1 spirit arcane charge point after passing hard charisma attribute check (18)), expect its occasional interference.

"No one is an island" - you get 1 + n bonus to all social influence skills and CHA rolls when applied to teammates, where n is the number of steps of the target's affection tier beyond neutral (applies to both positive and negative affection dimensions). Additionally, get +3 to the mentioned bonuses if Amalia is around and can provide quick advice. Passive effect: unearth more insights on followers.

"It's in my blood" - you get a permanent +1 bonus to Intelligence and +1 to arcane skill. Actions that train arcane aspects have a 1/6 chance to double the yields unless the base earning equals or exceeds one full level. You are more prone to magic-related actions and thoughts. You might find it harder to resist the allure of magic in some situations.

Attributes	Base value	Modified value	Total value	Dice bonus
Strength	9		9	4
Constitution	16		16	11
Mobility	10	(+2 cond.)	10 (12 cond.)	5 (7 cond.)
Perception	11		11	6
Coordination	14		14	9
Micromotorics	13		13	8
Intellect	18(+1/3)		18	13
Wisdom	17		17	12
Charisma	20		20	15
Luck	4		4	4
Misfortune	2		2	2

Skill	Attribute value	Learned value	Modified value	Dice bonus
Melee combat	1	4		5
Ranged combat	2			2
Arcane skill	7	7	(+1 cnd.day)	14 (15 cnd.day)
Defense	3	4	1 (+2 cnd.w.)	8 (10 cnd.w.)
Objects usage	2			2
Mounted combat	3			3
Willpower	7	1		8
Balance	2		(+2 cnd.w.)	2 (4 cnd.w.)
Sneaking	3			3
Reconnaissance	5	1		6
Persuasion	10	2		12
Intimidation	6			6
Haggle	7			7
Performance	8			8
Seduction	8			8
Geography lore	7	2		9
Nature lore	7	1		8
Arcane lore	7	5		12
Social and cultural lore	9	2		11
Craft lore	7	2		9
Lingual lore	9			9
Daily craft	6	2		8
Pharma and treatment	7	3		10
Weaponsmithing	4			4
Armorsmithing	6			6
Tailoring	7	2		9
Art	7			7
Artificery	6	1		7
Burglary	5			5
Huntsmanship	4			4
Alchemy	7			7
Sorcery	7			7

Flight and wing-related traits

Wings skill level	13
Flight mastery level	advanced
Normal speed	above average, can forcefully accelerate to considerably fast
Maximum range	considerably far, anywhere up to twenty-eight kilometers.
Maximum height	considerably high (up to 250 meters)
Maximum extra lifting weight	low (10 kg)
Balance	above average, withstands weather and can try to regain without landing
Launching surfaces	solid grounds
Air feats	diving, gliding, hovering, thrusting, basic aerial spellcasting
Land feats	dodge extra propulsion, posing, enhanced balance, enhanced surface acceleration, shielding with wings

#1) Thaumaturgy level 7 (6/7 to level 8):

You can sense the activity of the entropic aspects within ~1000 meters radius, and unusual concentration/malfunction of other aspects within ~200 meters radius.
You have gained the permanent +1 bonus to constitution
You have gained the permanent +1 bonus to wisdom
You regain mental strengths a little bit faster during the daytime.
Using thaumaturgy during the daytime requires less mental and physical effort.,
You can allegedly see prophetic dreams
You can temporarily nullify magic in ~30 meters radius or in a 45 meters-long 30' cone a few times a day, or emit an anti-magic field up to ~15 meters radius a few times a day.
you can temporarily amplify the aspects power around you once a day
you can temporarily amplify or suppress the aspects power of a target up to two times a day
You can try to scan surrounding areas for traces of planar breaching with very high odds to succeed and sense the short residue of extraplanar entities.
You can conjure light on the basic level (sparks, flashes, rays)
You can shape light on the basic level (flash explosions, molding into orbs, luminal barriers, luminal domes, wedges of solidified light, sparks strike)
You passively gain +1 to arcane skill when exposed to the sun but also get -1 to arcane skill at night AND in dark places.

#2) Spirit level 7:

You are able of an advanced Nether-realm vision
You can assess the memory traces of objects and entities via nether-realm vision and tactile contact
You can sense soul sparks in ~75 meters radius
You can sense the sparks of the living, undead, minor spiritual beings, bound spirits, phantasms, genius loci, and some other spirits
You can sense concentrations of the Limbus energies, the thickness of the barrier, and traces of spirits from the material plane
You have gained the permanent +1 bonus to perception
You have gained the permanent +1 bonus to wisdom
You can scan the target's soul characteristics and receive advanced-depth results
You can try to smite a spirit
You can try to disperse a spirit
You can try to temporarily bind or scare off a singular lesser spiritual being
You can communicate with discovered spiritual beings

#3) ~Open affinity slot~

Your journal, a comfortable set of clothes, a plain dress, a custom-made set of lightened composite armor, an arming sword ("Holly"), a high-quality rondel ("Mercy"), a decorative blue ribbon, a silver necktie with a bounded spirit, superb leather harness.

Capable of crudely repairing clothes, making basic tailoring items like belts and patches, and producing low-effort/cost items like stuffed toys. Capable of applying first aid to prevent bleeding. Knows how to make and disinfect bandageware.

Ulren Kyres (aka Ren, aka Mountain boy)

Race: Bhiroth
Gender: Male
Age: 68
Background: mercenary, former soldier, outcast
Status: Healthy

Perk(s):
"Not on my watch, not again" - shields Lucy from considerable harm in combat situations at own expense.

"I promise you that" - when in the same group as Lucifina, will make the second set of saving rolls to avoid critical health conditions.

"Odd kind of friendship" - when Ulren and Sephorah are fighting crowd-controllable enemies (not giants, flying creatures, etc.) in the same team, the one who makes the lowest total offensive or defensive score out of two can reroll that offensive or defensive roll set (only the highest score counts).

Attributes	Base value	Modified value	Total value	Dice bonus
Strength	21	+1	22	17
Constitution	21	+1	22	17
Mobility	14	-1	13	8
Perception	12		12	7
Coordination	15		15	10
Micromotorics	13		13	8
Intellect	14		14	9
Wisdom	18		18	13
Charisma	9		9	4
Luck	2		2	2
Misfortune	2		2	2

Skill	Attribute value	Learned value	Modified value	Total value / Dice bonus
Melee combat	9	9		18
Ranged combat	5	5		10
Arcane skill	6			6
Defense	10	10		20
Objects usage	6	3		9
Mounted combat	8			8
Willpower	6		-3	3
Balance	7			7
Sneaking	4		-5	-1
Reconnaissance	5	4		9
Persuasion	4			4
Intimidation	9			9
Haggle	3			3
Performance	3			3
Seduction	5			5
Geography lore	6	5		11
Nature lore	6	3		9
Arcane lore	6			6
Social and cultural lore	5			5
Craft lore	6	6		12
Lingual lore	5			5
Daily craft	6	4		10
Pharma and treatment	5	2		7
Weaponsmithing	6	6		12
Armorsmithing	6	6		12
Tailoring	3			3
Art	4			4
Artificery	5	7		12
Burglary	4			4
Huntsmanship	5	2		7
Alchemy	6			6
Sorcery	6			6

Unknown, but he demonstrated feats of great balance, stability, and hardiness. Perhaps, he might have an undiscovered arcane aspect bound.

A very worn half-plate armor set, worn set of clothes, a glaive, mechanical mace with spare heads, heater shield, hand crossbow, one quiver of bolts, enchanted amulet (+1 STR +1 CON - MOB)

Semi-proficient in the daily craft. Adept in smithing (martial-level weapons and armor). Proficient in artificiery (lesser contraptions). Expert in picking/maintaining war gear, and capable of minor mechanical upgrades of such. Knows the basics of hunting and skinning.

Sephorah of house Terphor (aka Seph, aka Sephie, aka Princess)

Race: Daeva
Gender: Female
Age: Adult
Background: Rosaline's agent, former slave, voluntary expatriate.
Status: Healthy

Perk(s):

"Odd kind of friendship" - when Ulren and Sephorah are fighting crowd-controllable enemies (not giants, flying creatures, etc.) in the same team, the one who makes the lowest total offensive or defensive score out of two can reroll that offensive or defensive roll set (only the highest score counts).

Attributes	Base value	Modified value	Total value	Dice bonus
Strength	15		15	10
Constitution	15		15	10
Mobility	16		16	11
Perception	14		14	9
Coordination	18		18	13
Micromotorics	12		12	7
Intellect	14		14	9
Wisdom	12		12	7
Charisma	18		18	13
Luck	2		2	2
Misfortune	2		2	2

Skill	Attribute value	Learned value	Modified value	Total value / Dice bonus
Melee combat	7	6	1	14
Ranged combat	4			4
Arcane skill	4			4
Defense	6	5	2	13
Objects usage	4	5		9
Mounted combat	7			7
Willpower	4			4
Balance	8	8		16
Sneaking	7	8		15
Reconnaissance	4	4		8
Persuasion	6	5		11
Intimidation	7			7
Haggle	6	2		8
Performance	6	7		13
Seduction	8	7		15
Geography lore	4			4
Nature lore	4			4
Arcane lore	4			4
Social and cultural lore	5	6		11
Craft lore	3			3
Lingual lore	5			5
Daily craft	3	2		5
Pharma and treatment	4			4
Weaponsmithing	4			4
Armorsmithing	4			4
Tailoring	5			5
Art	5			5
Artificery	3			3
Burglary	4	6		10
Huntsmanship	6			6
Alchemy	4			4
Sorcery	4			4

Unknown if any. No signs of her having seeds of arcane aspects bound so far.

A set of clothes and undergarments, a superb set of compositive medium armor (manticore materials), a superb leather harness for bags and tools, a qualitative longsword "Ember", a parrying dagger, a quiver of tossing knives, a kit with burglar's tools.

You suspect she's incapable of legal manual labor aside from the bare basics of daily routines.

Karl Norskov (aka Mage, aka 'that' mage)

Race: Human (unknown heritage)
Gender: Male
Age: appears to be in the late thirties to early forties
Background: elementalist mage, major arcane enthusiast, disowned son of a noble family.
Status: Healthy

Perk(s):

"Old habits die hard" - when making an offensive arcane skill roll in combat and getting less or equal to four, reroll it (only the highest score counts). This perk also applies to combat rounds where Karl makes an arcane skill roll only for the defensive score.

Attributes	Base value	Modified value	Total value	Dice bonus
Strength	11		11	6
Constitution	11		11	6
Mobility	11		11	6
Perception	13		13	8
Coordination	10		10	5
Micromotorics	16		16	11
Intellect	20		20	15
Wisdom	16		16	11
Charisma	14		14	9
Luck	2		2	2
Misfortune	2		2	2

Skill	Attribute value	Learned value	Modified value	Total value / Dice bonus
Melee combat	1			1
Ranged combat	4			4
Arcane skill	8	9		17
Defense	1	2		3
Objects usage	5	5		10
Mounted combat	2			2
Willpower	7	6	-2	11
Balance	1			1
Sneaking	2			2
Reconnaissance	6			6
Persuation	7			7
Intimidation	2			2
Haggle	5	1		6
Performance	6			6
Seduction	3			3
Geography lore	7			7
Nature lore	7			7
Arcane lore	7	9		16
Social and cultural lore	8	5		13
Craft lore	8			8
Lingual lore	8	7		15
Daily craft	8			8
Pharma and treatment	9			9
Weaponsmithing	7			7
Armorsmithing	7			7
Tailorng	8			8
Art	6			6
Artificery	8			8
Burglary	7			7
Huntsmanship	3			3
Alchemy	9			9
Sorcery	8	3		11

#1) Conflagration and radiation level 7:

You have gained the permanent +1 bonus to strength.
You have gained the permanent +1 bonus to intellect.
Your casting in dry weather or nearby fire sources amplifies pyromancy.
You can regain mental strengths faster near the heat sources.
You can sense and read the heat sources in a vast area.
You can channel the arcane powers to temporarily amplify own physical strength.
Your spellcasting uses both mental and physical strengths or the varying proportions of such.
You can temporarily infuse objects (including tools and weapons) with pyromancy powers.
You can conjure heat on the intermediate level (sufficient to melt iron)
You can suppress and channel heat on the intermediate level (rays, waves, charges, orbs, tactile)
You passively gain +1 to arcane skill for every 3 points of STR above 10. This trait also applies -1 penalty to arcane skill for every 2 points of STR below 10. Does not apply in the case of arcane self-empowerment.

A worn set of travel clothes, a backpack, a grimoire (or a diary), an old pocket chornometer with a chain, an intricate smoking pipe

None you know about

Amalia Brant (aka Lia)

Race: Human (Eastlander)
Gender: Female
Age: Young adult
Background: Former maidservant
Status: Healthy

Perk(s):
"Shipper on deck" - +3 To all social skill rolls against the companions with positive affection levels (neutrality affection level excluded). If previously gossiped with about other characters that she knows, can provide a one-time boost of +3 to all types of social interaction skill rolls to the requester.

Attributes	Base value	Modified value	Total value	Dice bonus
Strength	12		12	7
Constitution	15		15	10
Mobility	11		11	6
Perception	16		16	11
Coordination	12		12	7
Micromotorics	18		18	13
Intellect	12		12	7
Wisdom	20		20	15
Charisma	11		11	6
Luck	2		2	2
Misfortune	2		2	2

Skill	Attribute value	Learned value	Modified value	Total value / Dice bonus
Melee combat	2			2
Ranged combat	7	3		10
Arcane skill	5			5
Defense	4	1		5
Objects usage	7	3		10
Mounted combat	4			4
Willpower	8	3		11
Balance	2			2
Sneaking	4			4
Reconnaissance	7			7
Persuasion	5			5
Intimidation	4			4
Haggle	5	4		9
Performance	6			6
Seduction	3			3
Geography lore	8	2		10
Nature lore	8			8
Arcane lore	8			8
Social and cultural lore	6	2		8
Craft lore	8	3		11
Lingual lore	6			6
Daily craft	8	10		18
Pharma and treatment	7			7
Weaponsmithing	6			6
Armorsmithing	6			6
Tailoring	5	9		14
Art	7	3		10
Artificery	8			8
Burglary	7			7
Huntsmanship	7			7
Alchemy	7			7
Sorcery	6			6

Uknown if any

Leather camisole of fair quality, compositive crossbow, a quiver of bolts, a bag of small tools, a rucksack, a set of road clothes, a plain cloak, a knife, a belt water bag.

Master of daily craft and inventory management. Fairly good cook (specializes in fried snacks) and knows how to correctly ration different foods. Good tailor, capable of qualitative repair of clothes and production of professional effort/materials goods like suits and dresses. Her designs lean towards practicality rather than fanciness.

Isaac

Race: Human (unknown heritage)
Gender: Male
Age: Young adult
Background: Healer apprentice
Status: Healthy

Perk(s):
"We are of one blood" - Any non-hostile actions towards animals or beast folk have +4 bonus to attributes or skill rolls. Can use WIS instead of CHA for interactions with animals and beast folk (aka empathetic approach).

Attributes	Base value	Modified value	Total value	Dice bonus
Strength	13		13	8
Constitution	15		15	10
Mobility	12		12	7
Perception	14		14	9
Coordination	10		10	5
Micromotorics	17		17	12
Intellect	15		15	10
Wisdom	14		14	9
Charisma	7		7	2
Luck	2		2	2
Misfortune	2		2	2

Skill	Attribute value	Learned value	Modified value	Total value / Dice bonus
Melee combat	2		-5	-3
Ranged combat	5		-5	0
Arcane skill	6	6		12
Defense	4	1		5
Objects usage	6		-5	1
Mounted combat	3		-7	-4
Willpower	5	7		12
Balance	2			2
Sneaking	2			2
Reconnaissance	5			5
Persuasion	1			1
Intimidation	3			3
Haggle	1			1
Performance	2			2
Seduction	1			1
Geography lore	5			5
Nature lore	5	2		7
Arcane lore	5	5		10
Social and cultural lore	3			3
Craft lore	6			6
Lingual lore	3			3
Daily craft	6	3		9
Pharma and treatment	6	7		13
Weaponsmithing	6			6
Armorsmithing	7			7
Tailoring	5			5
Art	4			4
Artificery	7			7
Burglary	7			7
Huntsmanship	3			3
Alchemy	6			6
Sorcery	5			5

#1) Body level 5:

You can sense breathing and blood pulse of living entities in ~100 meters radius.
You gain the permanent +1 bonus to constitution.
You gain the permanent +1 bonus to charisma
You can scan the detailed physiological state of a target in many details including sicknesses, inflammations, as well as the state of physical integrity.
You can make an attempt for a minuscule boost of the physical performance of oneself or a target at the cost of own mental strengths.
You can accelerate the metabolism (and so, often times, the recovery from ailments or traumas) of living creatures at the cost of own mental and physical strengths.
You can try to numb the minor pain of a target living creature at the cost of both mental and physical strengths or share it with yourself with the low transference loss ratio

A robe with a hood, a bag with bandages and medications, an old iron amulet, a belt with tincures

Good at applying and synthesizing remedies. Capable of providing first and complex medical aid. Has some skills in inventory management.

Jorgen Ostgard (aka Jory, aka Craven)

Race: Human (Lyflander?)
Gender: Male
Age: Young adult
Background: Alchemist assistant
Status: Healthy


Attributes	Base value	Modified value	Total value	Dice bonus
Strength	11		11	6
Constitution	11		11	6
Mobility	12		12	7
Perception	18		18	13
Coordination	12		12	7
Micromotorics	15		15	10
Intellect	16		16	11
Wisdom	13		13	8
Charisma	9		9	4
Luck	2		2	2
Misfortune	2		2	2

Skill	Attribute value	Learned value	Modified value	Total value / Dice bonus
Melee combat	2			2
Ranged combat	6	1		7
Arcane skill	5			5
Defense	2			2
Objects usage	6	4		10
Mounted combat	3			3
Willpower	6			6
Balance	2			2
Sneaking	5	4		9
Reconnaissance	7	5		12
Persuation	2			2
Intimidation	1			1
Haggle	3			3
Performance	2			2
Seduction	1			1
Geography lore	6			6
Nature lore	6	4		10
Arcane lore	6	3		9
Social and cultural lore	4			4
Craft lore	5	6		11
Lingual lore	4			4
Daily craft	5	3		8
Pharma and treatment	6			6
Weaponsmithing	5			5
Armorsmithing	5			5
Tailoring	5			5
Art	3			3
Artificery	6			6
Burglary	7			7
Huntsmanship	6			6
Alchemy	6	6		12
Sorcery	6			6

Unknown if any

A robe with a hood, a traveling cane, a bag with small instruments, a belt with glasses, a rucksack

Good at synthesizing remedies or other compounds from both organic and inorganic ingredients. Fairly good at understanding how chemistry works and has an eye for experimentation. Capable of locating and recognizing substances. Has basic skills in inventory management and knows a thing or two about craftworks.

General condition: High morale, everyone's healthy, two weeks worth of food supplies, sufficiently-budgeted, low on alchemic reagents.
Money: 1081 Talers
Food: 82 food units (9 full days of sustenance on Bloom 28)
Food consumption: 8.5 food units per day

Lucifina - 1
Ulren - 2
Sephorah - 1.5
Karl - 1
Amalia - 1
Isaac -1
Jory - 1
Mount(s) - n/a (pasturing season)

Medication: 5 medicine units
Alchemy stash: 4 reagent units, 5 blank alchemical basis compounds (crafting boosters & subsidizes)

Free stash space: up to 130 kg

1 Incindiary bomb (great)
1 Regeneration potion (superb)
1 Regeneration potion (weak)
1 Stimulator/painkiller potion (weak)
1 Potion of momentum (Temp: +3 STR +3 SPD +3 COOR - 1 INT - 1 WIS - 1 CHA) (standard)

A bundle of books from Dalgaard's library, Yvie's ulchaar (Morinth's parcel)

Mounts: 1 workhorse (Softie)
Team's reputation:
Kheree hunters (Tevon-Talab militia) - CELEBRATED
The Lyf Kingdom (Lyflanders) - WELCOMED
Eastern Freelanders (Baathorians) - CELEBRATED
Central Freelanders (Tevons) - UNKNOWN
Western Freelanders (Ertanghalians) - UNKNOWN
Nyth-Rhathon (Bhiroths) - UNKNOWN?
Olfadir (Westlanders) - UNKNOWN?

Ship-o-meter

Lucifina

Ulren

Sephorah

Karl

Amalia

Isaac

Jorgen

Lucifina

X

Devotion (96)

Comradery (82)

Amiability (12)

Friendship (70)

Sympathy (44)

Neutrality (10)

Ulren

Devotion (96)

X

Friendship (58)

Amiability (13)

Sympathy (38)

Amiability (20)

Neutrality (4)

Sephorah

Comradery (82)

Friendship (58)

X

Suspicion (-11)

Sympathy (34)

Amiability (16)

Neutrality (0)

Karl

Amiability (12)

Amiability (13)

Suspicion (-11)

X

Neutrality (9)

Amiability (13)

Amiability (14)

Amalia

Friendship (70)

Sympathy (38)

Sympathy (34)

Neutrality (9)

X

Sympathy (47)

Sympathy (32)

Isaac

Sympathy (44)

Amiability (20)

Amiability (16)

Amiability (13)

Sympathy (47)

X

Friendship (51)

Jorgen

Neutrality (10)

Neutrality (4)

Neutrality (0)

Amiability (14)

Sympathy (32)

Friendship (51)

X

Tier	Relative numeric scale	Description
Devotion	91 to 100	You would likely self-sacrifice for each other if necessary
Comradery	71 to 90	You are deeply loyal to each other
Friendship	51 to 70	You have each other's trust
Sympathy	31 to 50	You have common interests, views, or simply find each other nice
Amiability	11 to 30	You are polite and good-willing toward each other
Neutrality	-10 to 10	You are strangers or largely indifferent towards each other
Suspicion	-11 to -30	You question each other's views and values
Distaste	-31 to -50	You avoid and distrust each other, but remain rational
Intolerance	-51 to -70	You dislike and disrespect each other
Scorn	-71 to -90	You avert and loathe each other, even if irrationally
Hatred	-91 to -100	You are at each other's throats

Altom · May 25, 2023

[X] Go camping with Ren and another companion outside the town to spread your wings! (The gains will include flight practice and, along with random stat bonuses, additional benefits depending on whom you'll take with you. You will also have one minor action to spend)
-[X] Take Amalia
[X] Targeted skill training
-[X] Willpower

Camping is a must if we want to keep our wings in shape, taking Amalia is simply because she likes them and I want to see more of the interactions, and training is because I want us to be able to do more magic.

Varder · May 25, 2023

[X] Go camping with Ren and another companion outside the town to spread your wings! (The gains will include flight practice and, along with random stat bonuses, additional benefits depending on whom you'll take with you. You will also have one minor action to spend)
-[X] Take Sephorah
[X] Targeted skill training
-[X] Willpower

I can't in good conscience vote to take the spy with us.

Aetherstorm · May 25, 2023

[X] Go camping with Ren and another companion outside the town to spread your wings! (The gains will include flight practice and, along with random stat bonuses, additional benefits depending on whom you'll take with you. You will also have one minor action to spend)
-[X] Take Sephorah
[X] Targeted skill training
-[X] Willpower

Teloch · May 26, 2023

Varder said:
I can't in good conscience vote to take the spy with us.

"Bully!" (c) Lucy, probably

Teloch · May 26, 2023

Varder said:
The situation is as messy as I've expected.

Hey, at least nothing jumped at Lucy while she was out talking

Anyway, got a bit more room for a breather and will try to come up with a bit of extra today or tomorrow. Rent searching be damned for the weekend.

Oh, and the sheets were mostly updated (any peculiar changes in the ship-o-meter? :3 )

Also, there may or may not be another weebinized art next month.

Teloch · May 26, 2023

veekie said:
Character development!

Morphing from the frightened and aloof pain in the butt to reckless and over-eager pain in the butt. E - Evolution!
~~But I do see a lot of potential in him if he survives this whole trip.~~

Eternal_0bserver · May 26, 2023

[X] Go camping with Ren and another companion outside the town to spread your wings! (The gains will include flight practice and, along with random stat bonuses, additional benefits depending on whom you'll take with you. You will also have one minor action to spend)
-[X] Take Sephorah
[X] Targeted skill training
-[X] Willpower

Teloch · May 27, 2023

Fragment of conversation with Ulren Kyres on Bloom 19 of the year 1469

Roths? You want to hear about roths in general and not something specific? Even with hodaroths and chorots? At what point did I mistreat you so gravely that you didn't even bother to read about my kin or ask Rosaline? Fine, fine, I jest. Couldn't you tell?... What?! Now, I know I'm not the most vivacious fellow around, but that did sting, actually.

Eh - It's alright, bunker comfily, and I'll tell you what I've learned and experienced living as one of your subjects of study. First, you need to know that roths are not as much a group of entities as continuity. We - the bhiroths, at the very least - view ourselves as links in the chain of the ancient kin, stretching from antiquity's depths preceding even the heavily mythologized by the contemporaries' reisors to the classic rhathos, and finally, to the many branches of the modern roths.

Condensing loads of kin-related lore that the mentors bury us under in the first two years of any bhiroth's orientation decade, reisors are believed to be the progenitors of us in our current form, time and a half larger and twice mightier than an average bhioth, possessing incredible vital boon that lets them regenerate from devastating injuries, withstand diseases, and live for many centuries, with many if not all of them having command over elements on top of it all. They are also believed to be related to the great ancient dragons like nephews would, putting it in landers' terms...

Don't give me that look - I was somewhat skeptical myself when I was a wee lad and had to listen to all of this, but I tell you what: they didn't teach all of us a few basic draconic hollers and tones and send us to practice them in the Sud-Dalur colony for nothing! Yes - I've been to it once, brought there by the kennadur mentors with the rest of my tuition group to exercise those skills. Not sure whether it was me doing a fine reproduction of the tone and yells or was it just my black-scaled, interlocutor being a house-sized softie, but we did establish a quick rapport. Be it due to smell, shape, or any other sense, 'em royal dragons still see us differently from the rest of the species. Perhaps, the feral dragons do too, but unlike the ones living in colony-kingdoms, you never know what they would do with it.

As you might have figured out by now, the traits that make us roths - the shape, vitality, and magic inclinations - are attributed to the obscure time-buried intersection of our bloodline with those elder beasts. It is also believed that those attributes diminish as the generations come after another and our kin spreads across the world. This is why rhathos - the forebearers of the modern roth - are believed to be the intermediate step, closer to us than to reisors. But unlike reisors, rhathos were depicted and well-documented, with less room for mythologizing embellishments like the former had. In principle, rhathos were like us but just with some extra. A bit longer lifespans, sometimes reaching up to three centuries, a bit larger frame, comparable to that of my bigger kindred, different brow spikes patterns, and the vitality boons of all the roth branches undivided if somewhat thinner overall.

Rhathos were numerous and constituted the core of the Orn-Rhathon empire on the eastern side of Heimurn. If you thought there are far too many arguments and theories thrown around by the Lyf scholars concerning whether or not Highfather exists, you haven't experienced the sheer number and heat of the debates kennadur lorists and scholars have regarding the causes of the Orn-Rhathon's decline and the subsequent exodus to the west. In the same vein, it is endlessly debated whether or not rhathos were diluted and fractured as a species during, shortly after, or long before the migration wave. If you want my opinion, from seeing bhiroths living among gvuroths far to the south of Eldhaetaed and bearing regular bhiroth offsprings, I will lean to the latter theory.

But here, we come to the next most crucial factor concerning roths: we are the products of resettlement, and our societies are but opposite visions of how our kin should press forward. There are three such visions right now; four, if you still count in chodaroths, whose empire we destroyed in the war of the First Star over thirty cycles ago, with their remnant population now having to survive in the badlands spawned by that conflict and exacerbated by the Gaian flood. I'll start not from them, though, but from the branch I haven't ever interacted with aside from hearing stories and dubious claims about - the hodaroths.

The roths of Hod are believed to inhabit the woody peninsula and islands to the northeast from the North Heimurn's badlands once occupied by the Corethian empire, sharing their domain with northern alvizians tribes. Also, they are told to be the second largest minority of the Yrsengard's southern realms. So, essentially, they are bound to the White Sea, and it is primarily bhiroth sailors and fishermen who ever get to interact with them. Not being either and never being out into the sea, I have never seen a single living hodaroth myself, but others told me they are a bit taller than us yet noticeably slimmer and lighter. Their vitality boon is that of high resistance to exposure and elements, which helps them thrive in the harsh climate of their habitat. From what I've learned, their society is based around clans making up tribes, much like the northern alvizians with whom they share the land. Yet, they are mostly peaceful and isolationistic, preferring the inhospitality of their homeland to the conflicts of the valley nations.

The next ones would be choroths: our eastern neighbors and, until recently, our longest-time bitter rivals. Ever since the tribes of roths settled in Pheotor, bhiroths and choroths set diametrically opposite courses for their societies. While we adhered to the code of the rhathos kin, they absorbed the feudal ways of landers and alvizians, aiming to outdo them and undo us. Needless to say that in twenty-four generations since arriving here, we've had more wars with choroths than with westlanderers, bouncing between odd, upper-hand-seeking truces and times of unbridled total warfare. It was only a matter of time before... Ack, the topic is getting too dark for what you might've bargained for, so pardon my ramblings and the old gripes with which you have nothing to do with.

In any case, when it comes to their frames, they diverged from all other roths the furthest, and their later generations became an odd middle ground between us and landers: shorter and lighter, but more numerous and slightly shorter-living to make up for it. There is a popular misconception that it was caused by them mingling with the Cullanor's "high" - as they call themselves - alvizians, but that's hogwash - a roth and an alvizian can't crossbreed, so something else was in play there. But in any case, they were still roths in the end, possessing the boon of health, resisting ailments easily, seldom going down with sicknesses, and hardly experiencing poisonings or intoxications. Their mages are born with half-similar elemental bounds layout to that of ours, which makes them look and function like a distorted reflection compared to the rest of roths: opposite, but not dissimilar.

The roths of Gvur also have a bit of that "like us yet not quite," but more positively, one might say. Once again, using the landers' terms, they are like cousins: they live just as long, are built almost the same if a bit more toned, and have nigh-identical skull spikes' patterns. The differences begin with their vital boon, which is ridiculous endurance and vim, making them somewhat restless in comparison, and that their mages are born with semi-similar elemental leans. Much more than the marginal physical differences, we diverge in how our societies are structured, as gvuroths prefer city-states-level dynastical and class hierarchies compared to our caste- and merit-based one. Still, despite Olfadir and the cluster of East Kingdoms separating our domains, we are the closest roth branches among all, with many individual instances moving to others' lands when they could not find themselves in their homelands. And I estimate the Bhir-Gvur roth half-bloods outnumber all other roth combinations by four to one ratio. Damn, I myself moved to Ebongale once and almost managed to settle there.

And finally, there's us: the bhiroths. We live up to two centuries and a half. Our women are ordinarily capable of rearing up to six children. When young, we can regenerate severe injuries up to regrowing limbs. However, This vital boon is depletable and can easily become a curse if the recovery goes wrong or fails to stop. I've been hurt badly before and had to experience for myself these months and months of agony, which are enough to drive mad those of frailer hearts. As for how we organized, I told you before that we live in a caste-based society, with three major and three minor castes, united by the ideology of the kin's chain: the modified rhathos code, aimed at carrying the kin's legacy into perpetuity, disregarding the costs...

Ah, sorry: I've got carried away a little. I know it might be selfish, but I can relay only so much about my kin without getting... you know. If you still want to hear more, I'll make sure to oblige the other time.

Teloch · May 27, 2023

@KrakenCaller8991 your food arrived.

Anyway, I'm intending to call the votes on Monday, so make sure you drop your vote before that. Some of the next updates chunks are already drafted, and, for once, it seems like it won't take a month to write and be a 10k+ brick of content... I hope. So, it's possible for the next update to come out next week, even before the one to the spinoff.

Genesys · May 27, 2023

[X] Go camping with Ren and another companion outside the town to spread your wings! (The gains will include flight practice and, along with random stat bonuses, additional benefits depending on whom you'll take with you. You will also have one minor action to spend)
-[X] Take Sephorah
[X] Targeted skill training
-[X] Willpower
i keep putting off voting and then closing the tab, should just bandwagon harder

Varano · May 27, 2023

[X] Go camping with Ren and another companion outside the town to spread your wings! (The gains will include flight practice and, along with random stat bonuses, additional benefits depending on whom you'll take with you. You will also have one minor action to spend)
-[X] Take Sephorah
[X] Targeted skill training
-[X] Willpower

Teloch · May 29, 2023

Scheduled vote count started by Teloch on May 24, 2023 at 4:32 AM, finished with 14 posts and 6 votes.

6 people have voted
[X] Targeted skill training
-[X] Willpower
- Altom
- Varder
- Aetherstorm
- Eternal_0bserver
- Genesys
- Varano
5 people have voted
[X] Go camping with Ren and another companion outside the town to spread your wings! (The gains will include flight practice and, along with random stat bonuses, additional benefits depending on whom you'll take with you. You will also have one minor action to spend)
-[X] Take Sephorah
1 people have voted
[X] Go camping with Ren and another companion outside the town to spread your wings! (The gains will include flight practice and, along with random stat bonuses, additional benefits depending on whom you'll take with you. You will also have one minor action to spend)
-[X] Take Amalia
- Altom

Teloch · May 29, 2023

So, our girl drags her oldies away in an attempt to have a "whatever goes" day.

Hmmm... Lucy gets some flight and thaumaturgy practice, bringing the latter to the cusp of a new tier (6/7), ~~and Jorywith Ren nearly set the shed on fire when they attempt to make an incendiary bomb. He was two luck facets away from it.~~

Jorgen alchemy (bomb frag | bomb pyro | bomb pyro | recovery + base | recovery + base | stabilizer + base) & Ren's artificery where applicable
Bomb HE: 10+12=22 (Normal) & 11+11=22 (Normal) - success
Bomb Pyro: 5+12=17 (Easy) & 3+11=14 (V.Easy) - failure
Bomb Pyro: 13+12 = 25 (Hard) & 13+11=24 (Hard) - success +
Regeneration: 1+12=13 (Trivial) & enhanced potion base usage - pass
Regeneration: 13+12=25 (Hard) & enhanced potion base usage - success ++
Stimulator: 1+12=13 (Trivial) & enhanced potion base usage - pass
Luck: 2 < 4 < 39 (No influence)

Lucy's thaumaturgy practice
WIS attribute: 9+12=21 > 20 (pass)
INT attribute: 6+12=18 < 20 (fail)
Arcane skill: 18+12=30 > 24 (pass)
Perk: 4 < 6 (no trigger)
Total: 1 base + 1 WIS + 1 Arc = 3 CP 3/7 -> 6/7

Teloch · May 29, 2023

While I'm meating-up the next update, here's something that I found.
Not sure if I linked it before or not, but this guy is effin' awesome.

View: https://youtu.be/3hubNmtbmSg

Teloch · Jun 5, 2023

Bloom 19, 1469

Today was an eventful day, albeit not in the "littered with obstacles" way our group grew accustomed to in the latest months. On the previous night, after listening to Inga's rather cathartic testimony of what is being kept under kherees rug, I convinced Ren to have that promised free flight day out in the wilds. Well, "convincing" might be too loud of a term as he did not try to resist my pleas in any way (even though the lack of enthusiasm on his face was evident). Since Sephie was also there, I buttered her to join us too (initially, she was about as eager as Ren, but she's quickly overtaken with fun when it kicks in, and this time was not an exception). And just like that, after today's pretty early wake-up, we packed the camping gear with Amalia's help and departed. Albeit, I feel bad for leaving her behind: she terribly wanted to go with us to tell stories over a campfire, make meat roasts, and whatnot. But we also needed someone to ensure that when we came back, neither would our shed "hostel" be reduced to ashes nor we'll have to seek missing people in the nearby forests at night again. Sorry, Lia. Maybe next time.

We spent half a day marching southwest from Tevon, plunging into the wilderness, and eventually stopping at a lovely glade in sparse woods with a small pond nearby. In the afternoon, we laid down our belongings and established the camp. Since we planned to stay overnight, we bothered to camouflage the campfire site and make small drain trenches around the tents in case of rain, which is about to pour down any moment as I write this entry.

Perhaps, it's worth mentioning the weather a bit more, as for the entirety of the day, the ambients were saturated with cool freshness, lukewarm humid winds, and young, juicy verdancy - the splendidly refreshing experience that offered comfortable background to my physical and arcane exertions, and at the same time made warming up near the campfire so much more pleasant.

But while it was a rarely delightful experience sensations-wise, I noticed that these weather conditions were quite taxing relative to my performances in spell weaving and flying. Particularly with the latter: humid air seems to be "softer" in a way, which makes lift gaining much more strength-consuming, demanding additional effort to redirect flight direction at higher speeds. Even gliding - the most energy-efficient form of aerial movement - felt somewhat impaired by the weather-conditioned air property. I did not dare attempt riskier maneuvers today. Still, ample time in the air combined with the impediment I mentioned above offered an intensive exercise that would most surely leave my wing shoulders dreadfully sore tomorrow morning.

But as I spent half of the afternoon soaring above, I had to face the limitations of my frame: in today's conditions, I'm not sure I would've been able to stay in the air as long had I been clad in armor even if Hjorn would manage to make it significantly light. Same with the more elaborate air tricks: even though I can stay in the air for hours, my propulsion power is far from sufficient to confidently perform something akin to a "barrel roll" in the air, even with a small load or in the humid air. As much as I'd like to blame it on the insufficiency of the oil coverage of my feathers after their last wash, in the end, Sephie might be right when saying some extra muscles might do me good.

But aside from the physical exercises that delayed my possible embarrassment of ending up in bushes after an unsuccessful take-off, I spent hours dispensing my arcane powers pursuing a breakthrough with my thaumaturgy, all while Sephie was consumed by practicing moves with her new longsword under Ren's tutelage. With neither concerned by my doings, I tried improvising with how I usually project thaumaturgic energies. The first idea on which I acted was inspired by what I saw in Hjorn's smithy: solid molds meant for mass production of parts via liquified metal pouring. I took this idea and tried applying it for two ends: to see if I'd be able to take advantage of the summonable aspect amplification "lenses" and if it would be possible to set the conjured objects aside and "feed" them energy to sustain the luminite matter's form.

The former experiment failed almost instantly: thaumaturgy can't amplify itself in the same way it empowers all other aspects. As I tried to conjure a condensed aspects-shattering beam and have it focus through the amplifier "lense," the output's power remained about as low, meaning that it's less of an efficiency issue and more of a raw power siphoning and condensing problem. Perhaps, if I find a way to utilize higher volumes of arcane force while focusing the outburst more tightly, something like this would be achievable.

The second experiment, which is the attempt to interface with the auxiliary summonables, proved fruitful: I managed to conjure a stationary luminite barrier, cut it from my organic arcane stream, and prolong its existence for a short period via controlled power injections. It lost its rigidity and form quicker than I expected, but this is more of an issue of technique and practice while the concept itself was proven viable. Now, I can't shake off the idea if it would be possible to conjure semi-autonomous light orbs that, with some dedication of focus, would follow me around and serve as pools of reserve ready-to-use power. It might be a long way off due to concerns about efficiency and practicality, but in theory, it can open a swath of new possibilities.

There was also the third and last discovery that I stumbled upon almost spontaneously but which might be a fundamental principle to thaumaturgy utilization, conceptually opposite to the mechanical luminite conjuration. It happened when I was doggedly depleting my magic powers in a bid to evoke a supercharged beam. One of these laborious attempts fumbled in an odd way that resulted in low-powered but highly-condensed and swift projection. I thought nothing of it at first, but then I saw faint signs of smoldering and new cracks on the boulder, which I used as my target!

Sitting on that harassed boulder and pondering on what might have caused the damaging effect, all while Sephie and Ren boisterously practice-sparred and laughed and chased after each other, the closest thing to a theory that I scrambled together was an assumption of a mechanical effect resulting from the violent and swift thaumaturgic force vibrations or collisions against the ordinary matter. Perhaps, it's the similar destructive effect that Hjorn mentioned when he talked about metal losing integrity if it's heated or cooled too fast. If so, was I always wrong when trying to achieve this same effect via a more robust force application instead of sheer speed and focus of the burst?

Alas, due to depleting my reserves faster than usual without the boost from the bright daylight, I failed to replicate the experiment and to narrow down on the theory, stopping infuriatingly close to what might be principal attainment in my practices. Falling short of distilling the hypothesis feels similar to stopping at the doors with a key from them in one's grasp but still being unable to open them because the keyhole got rusty. Still, today's bout of practice was more than productive, and it made me realize how vast thaumaturgy is and how little I know about it, even after all the practice and theory studies.

Continuing the topic of sensations: I felt something odd today when spellcasting. It was a queer, warm, and ticklish feeling left by the circulation of arcane powers through my body - like something heated coursing through my veins. It felt almost physical, and this is the first time I've experienced anything like this. Was it due to the weather effects? It didn't hurt in any way, so I suppose it's not anything terrible, but it did feel pretty odd. Perhaps, I should ask Karl about it whenever he is in a more... collected disposition.

And going forth with feelings: as childish as it may sound, I legitimately felt a little sidelined today as Sephie utterly monopolized Ren's attention, even though it was me who nagged him into agreeing to this little trip. It all began once we set up the camp, with her pulling a prank on him involving spreading the honey from the last jar we've got near Baathor on his palm and then ticking his face once he caught a quick nap. It's pretty obvious what happened next, and, at first, I was reassured by how imperturbably and maturely Ren took it.

That is, until he pulled a prank on her. Yes - I did not misspell it: Ren pulled a revenge prank on Sephie! It happened after I took a little break from flying around and investigated the tiny pond nearby with Sephie. We returned to our campsite, and she unsuspectingly reached into her backpack for a quick snack. I tried to warn her that something was off, but it was too late as she recoiled from touching something she described as "prickly and snorting." Moments later, she scattered the contents of her bag, flushing out a peculiar small critter. Then, being as easily excitable as she is, she tried lifting that prickly beast that turned into a ball, only for the both of us to get startled by the terrific screech the critter emitted! I think Rosaline told me of its kind: hedgehogs or something like that. I recall she chuckled back then, but she neither elaborated on her reaction nor warned me how loud they could be.

Anyway, this mischief of Ren earned a reaction that I expected from Sephie the least: she grew amused by the sudden antic instead of showing any semblance of injured pride or dented composure. So much so that she barely gave him a break from joint activities for the rest of the day. They practiced fencing, armor usage, and maneuvering. Then, she somehow convinced him to jog around the campsite with her for exercise's sake, repaying for playing along with a few songs once they came to rest by the bonfire and then listening to him telling about his race as per my plea. They even indulged in some tomfoolery by tossing a wrapped bedroll at each other like a bunch of jolly juveniles with no care in the world.

It was both queer and heartwarming at the same time to witness them getting along so well for the first time. Over a month ago, by large, they were still two suspicious of each other strangers, but today they were acting like friendly youth, enjoying the shared company and activities, free from the weight of the usual burdens. Although, why "like"? Ren has turned sixty-eight this year, and considering what he said today about the average lifespan of bhiroths, his age in lyflanders' years would be around twenty-eight or so, which means he is still a youngish adult.

And Sephie, despite impishly agreeing to disclose her age only if I'd remember my own, knows very little about the recent history of Pheotor, such as the First Star's war. Considering this, her lower noble lifestyle that she still had ten years ago, and the scaling lifespans of daevas, I'd estimate her actual age somewhere between thirty-five to fifty, which would translate into twenty-three to twenty-six years by the lyflanders' maturity scale. So, perhaps, acting as they did today is how they would've behaved normally if only life was a bit kinder to both of them...

But regardless of today's silly jiggery-pokery, something much more crucial happened: after Ulren finished with his little lecture on roth branches, Sephie amassed the courage to share her past with him, just like she did with me earlier! At this very moment, as I write this entry, she is finishing up her story by explaining how and why she winded up working for Rosaline. In hindsight, this explains why she was so sanguine today, and I assume she considered it the best chance to make the leap of faith and open up to him, with no redundant ears around and with me on the stand-by if things go south.

Honestly, I'm pretty worried right now. Actually, I'm almost scared: Sephie's background is... complicated, mildly speaking, and despite knowing how kind-hearted Ulren is behind his barriers, I'm not entirely sure he would take it in well. All I can do right now is sit in the tent, observe, and hope Sephie hadn't made a mistake by taking this risk.

And, according to the diary entry you just scribbled, you resigned yourself to overlooking two figures sitting by the campfire, staring into the flame, which cast their long shades into a wind-stirred dance. After Sephorah spoke her concluding words on how she ended up in this motley caravan, that same oppressing, almost deafening silence from the night before yesterday settled in. He was sitting to her right, slouching forward and lost in thoughts. She was sitting in a vulnerable pose, leaning onto her long legs, bent in knees before her, while wrapping her hands around them for either warmth or protection. Moments went by, but the only sounds that made it past this dense atmosphere were the crackling of the fire's fuel and the rustle of the fresh leaves hounded by the lukewarm winds.

But before long, as you were about to return to your journal to close the day's entry, a peculiar movement drew your attention: Ren, unbeknownst to his freshly-minted confessor, turned his face toward the latter, stealing a contemplative look at her and lifting his left hand, stretching it toward her but suspending it half-way in the air. You perked up almost on an instinct, anticipating what he would do next. You watched his fingers curl, but in the end, he did not live up to your anticipation: he slowly retracted it, reconsidering doing whatever was on his mind. You sighed and returned to your journal once more.

"Well, they neither fought nor argued, so I believe it wasn't that bad in the end..." You put down the observation on the paper as Ren's voice disturbed you from writing a follow-up.

"Hey, can I borrow the rogue's blanket?" He mumbled quietly to you, crouching by the tent's entrance.

Without a word, you obediently shifted your weight away from the soft pile of sleeping bags and blankets you were perching on, surrounded by the conjured luminal bubbles to illuminate your writing. He took the flannel cloth from the tent and immediately set the course toward its owner. A moment later, he gently put it on Sephies shoulders from behind, yanking her out of the contemplative torpor by the gesture and earning himself a quiet, slowly-forming, small, yet piercingly genuine and thankful smile. And then, the silence returned. But, in a hardly-explainable way, it was a different kind of silence, with Ren laying his weary bones by the bonfire casually and Sephie letting go of her legs and relaxing under the warm embrace of her comfy cover, luxuriating like a cat in the rays of the springtime sun.

"Update: I'm anxious about jinxing it, but it looks like they finally made peace with each other! It took them only half a year, hah! I can't wait to see Rosaline's face once she learns it!"

You scribbled excitedly as the realization of the event struck you. Wait, why am I cataloging this? The self-conscious thought followed immediately, causing you to look at the scene again.

"But this entry is way larger than initially anticipated, so I think I'll close it here. It was a splendid day. And, from how it looks, my odd family is now missing someone by the campfire. So, I'll see that fixed."

With a happy exhale, you waved your journal to dry the inks, caringly holstered & hid it away, and cheerfully burst out of the tent with your cover, gourds of drinks, and jovial intentions. And a payback for the day's abstinence from tomfoolery you had indeed as you summoned the unwilling Mia out of her locket and exposed her to amused Ulren and utterly raptured Sephie. Then, you and your older caretaker coaxed Sephorah to tell a folk tale from her homeland, and she obliged, theatrically narrating the fable of the lonesome seer of Maat, residing high in Taruun mountains and fighting back the horrors of the celestial abyss by lighting up the stars every night. She even sang a beautiful traditional kathorian lullaby right before the rain finally poured, scattering your lot to the tents.

There, sheltered from the elements in the tent and still giggling from getting sprinkled with the gentle spring rain, you were catching your breaths after a rarely fun day.

"Hey, Sephie," You said, watching her manage her lengthy silver hair, "just wanted you to know I think you're courageous. I mean, by telling Ren of your past and all."

Alas, your encouragement had a bit different effect from what you expected: she stopped her combing motions for a moment, stole a sideway glance at you, and then diverted her eyes, suddenly growing agitated. "We're bound to reach our destination one day. And our lives will have to return to normal again. Because of this, I thought that maybe, just maybe, it is worth giving a shot at reaching the new normal. I mean, I can still live like this, but..."

"It is alright, Sephie, I understand," you attempted to calm her down, registering her eyes starting to dart chaotically and her finger motions becoming uncannily animated like spider legs. "Say, I heard Ren gave you a new sword. Can I look at it?" you attempted to derail the conversation.

"In a tent? At this hour?" Sephorah gave you a weird look, "Sparkling, are you, perhaps, planning on stabbing me for whatever transgression I might have unknowingly caused you today?~" She replied teasingly.

"But of course no, you silly! I just want to look at it and compare it to the one he presented me with after the solstice celebration last year."

"Fine, then," she said, "But that would cost you surrendering your wings to be my blankets tonight~."

With a bemused grin, you received her new weapon with its sheathe. And once you laid your fingers on it, you proceeded to inspect the tool. It was a peculiar model - a hybrid between what Ren and Hjorn described as a hand-and-half sword and a longsword. Its crossguard was simple yet ergonomic, the rain guard allowed for grip below the forte, and the handle was long enough to use the weapon as a light two-hander, lending itself well to a broad spectrum of stances and fencing styles. But it wasn't the functional features that interested you most: you were vigorously searching for any written inscriptions on it.

"A fancy piece, isn't it?" Sephie commented on your appraising appearances.

"A masterful work it is indeed. I'm almost jealous, to be honest: my arming sword looks like a practice one or even a toy compared to yours."

"Ah, Sparkling, maybe if you practiced with it a little more or grew some extra muscles, he would've made you a new one designed for an adult to fit your needs." To that, you curved your lips in an apologetic grin: she wasn't exactly wrong. But hey! You liked your Holly, anyway!

But regardless of the friendly jabs, by the time you were ready to hand her new sword back without finding what you hoped to see, your eyes brushed against the lonesome "E" letter on one of the pommel's facets. With the reignited enthusiasm in your eyes, you stretched your hand away to get a look at the bottom of the pommel. All except for one of its six facets homed per a tiny letter, making the "E M B E R" inscription in a circle when looking from below the pommel. Knowing what it meant to receive a named weapon from a bhiroth, your face got washed with a broad, bright grin: he really did accept her, after all!

"Hey, what's so funny? Or did you swallow a firefly or something?" She demanded after seeing your sudden reaction.

"Look!" you handed her sword back at an angle where she could see its engraved name.

"Ember... Oooh!" Her eyes widened in surprise, reminding two huge citrine gemstones, "But... Why Ember?"

You chuckled smugly before answering in a teasing manner, "I may know, but I'll recommend you ask him once you get the chance~."

Without another word, she sheathed her Ember and almost readied to leave the tent in the middle of the night and under the pouring rain, only to interrogate Ren on the meaning of it right there and right now. Witnessing her intentions, you clung to her, preventing her from embarrassing herself like that, which resulted in her flopping back at you, wriggling, clutching your wings' feathers, and half-shrieking & half-laughing.

"Oi, ye minxes from the neighbor tent! Just reminding you, we'd have to get up early, so you better sleep while you can!" Ulren's playfully-indignant voice rang from behind the rainfall's veil, calling the both of you back to your senses.

Less than half an hour later, Sephie had already dozed off, with a faint but genuine smile frozen on her lips while her frame rested under your wing. It was the closest to being legitimately happy you had ever seen her. Before surrendering to the gentle oblivion yourself, you exhaled softly, hoping it won't be the last occasion for her to show her real soft heart instead of the cynical facade of Martlet, the rogue from the Eastern Kingdoms.
_________________________

Compared to the day before, Bloom 20 was less exciting: the return route took you longer due to the washed terrain. Once you arrived at Tevon, Amalia happily informed you of the absence of extraordinary situations while you were away, unless bickering with Jorgen about not letting him push himself over concocting potions could fill in the blank. And Karl wasn't a nuisance for anyone either, opting to submerge himself into the books you took from Rosaline's library to pass his downtime.

Using the free time, Amalia finished her co-op project with Hjorn, presenting you the harness for your still-in-the-making armor set and a pair of high boots designed to go with it. And while the former was barely more than just a bundle of belts with pouches and sockets for various attachables, the latter was just excellent! Reaching above your knees with their comfy leather, featuring straps to fix their position and to prevent humidity and whatnot from getting inside, with ingenious amortizing soles to soften your landings, and even with double-purpose heels designed to lock the sabaton part of the armor securely, you sympathized with Sephie's earlier rapture from getting her loadout overhaul. But even more than you from getting this gift, Amalia was happier to receive your warm, grateful hug for her crafting efforts.

As mentioned by your handy benefactor, Jory didn't spend the previous day in idleness either: he acknowledged using the freshly-procured alchemical components and the previously-distilled potion bases to produce handy potions and filling for explosives. Unlike Lia, he was less jubilant: from the three curative brews, only one resulted in mighty quality, from his words capable of mending grievous injuries at the cost of moderate short-lasting side effects. The other two he conceded to be failed attempts, saved from the drain only by the synergy of exotic potion bases, which made their overall potency still passable if somewhat lacking. With bombs, however, he reported more consistent success, producing enough filling for two incendiary and one high-explosive grenade. A bit wary about the danger of such substances, you still gave him an encouraging smile for his efforts before asking to be careful with those and continuing your evening rounds.

With some time still on your hands, you were not in the mood for leisure reading, knowing Karl was still browsing some of Rosaline's books, and the hour was a bit too late for anything effort-intensive. After briefly considering, you decided to train your mental resilience as this world showed you enough examples of how it could screw with one's head. Armed with a whole lot of instructions on how to contemplate situations at hand to avoid getting overwhelmed, which Amalia had in plenty from her maidservant days and was way too eager to share, you moved to a quiet corner of the yard, sitting down, relaxing, and suppressing thought until you could review the groups' and your personal situation with a cold mind, going through the boundaries of what can and can not affect those, questioning whether or not any of the risks that came to mind could be subverted or avoided altogether.

Even though you were a little skeptical about Amalia's methodology at first, soon enough, you gained a bit of confidence from wilfully removing yourself from the hustle if only to rescan your situation in the never-ending stream of events and reaffirm one's goals. Perhaps, you would've pushed your session even further, gaining even more amazement by Amalia's dabbling into self-discipline and practical psychology, if not for the sounds of a new commotion ruining your focus.

The disturbance took the form of Jorgen and Ulren messing by the opposite side of the barn, loudly commencing the process of assembly of some sort. At first, you managed to ignore the irritants, but when you heard a loud hissing sound followed by a muffled clap, you could no longer abstain from interfering. Once there, you captured a peculiar picture: Ulren and Jorgen staring back at you like two disproportionate barn owls: one small and shaky on its legs, and the other big, with a faint smoke spreading from behind its back. To your question of what they were doing, you got a plain "making bombs" answer from the "smaller owl," and to "what exactly happened?" the "pudgy owl" answered, "One of them got spoiled." Finally noticing the smoke coming from behind his larger companion, Jorgen clapped out the slow burn from Ren's back. As you watched him extinguish the "fire" with the imperturbability that bordered with ignoring your presence, you could only shake your head at them both. So much for the peaceful evening meditation...

_________________________

"I've got good news and bad news," was the first thing Inga said when she came with a visit the next day, just as she promised. She looked troubled

"What's the bad news?" you resolved to take the worst out of the way immediately, trying not to shift your wings much under the cloak.

"I wasn't the only one snooping around for clues on the last year's defectors' whereabouts if our local crone Norga is to be believed."

"And the good news?" you asked, wondering if what she had to say is so urgent that she didn't even fancy coming past the gateway into the Hjorn's yard.

"I've compiled places of interest related to all four missing kherees," Inga gave you no room for more questions, immediately explaining the findings: "Ayla and Tymor happened to have their own hideout - something that is usually frowned upon by kherees as by our code, we are implied to share the roof with all of our brothers and sisters. Their hidey-hole is supposed to be rather far away to the northwest from the town, almost at the border of the bhiroths' domain. We might find items you might try "reading" with your spiritual senses, encounter our runaways themselves, or at least get on their trail."

You only managed to give a tiny nod before Inga continued: "Then, I also found out at which one of our remote stations Eljidey preferred to stop for supplies and wait out the nights on his journeys. The catch is it was abandoned last fall as we ran low on manpower and, quite possibly, is now occupied by less-than-friendly squatters. So... it may be the riskiest of the destinations."

"And what about Bodie?"

"I found nothing on him, but I've sniffled the whereabouts of his girl's house... or what's left of it. With some luck, we might find something he left behind there. Maybe."

The gvuroth lady finally ceased her stream of intel, making a shrug with her shoulders and looking at you. "You know better how to investigate such cases, so I'll leave the choice of the destination to you. Just bear in mind that all of these places are more or less remote, and if someone else from my brethren is pursuing the investigation of their own, we might be short on time. Tell me where you think we should go, and I'll wait for you to assemble your team before we depart."

You sighed deeply, feeling you would not have much free time in the coming few days.

[] Proceed to:
-[] Ayla's & Tymor's hideout
-[] Abandoned station favored by Eljidey
-[] Bodie's sweetheart's stead

[] With Inga, Ulren, and...
-[] Sephorah
-[] Karl
-[] Amalia
-[] Isaac

Teloch · Jun 6, 2023

Two weeks (one, if lore drop is to be considered) instead of half a year gap since the previous update. YAY! IMMA ACCELERATING!

Ok, the sheets are updated. You are free to vote for where do you think the trail of the murderer can be picked up. I'll call the votes on Friday тшпре, and until then, I will draft the update for the side story.

If all goes well, there's gonna be a new illustration sometime this summer. Can't wait for it :3

So, for now, have fun and enjoy the latest update~

Eternal_0bserver · Jun 6, 2023

[X] Proceed to:
-[X] Abandoned station favored by Eljidey
[X] With Inga, Ulren, and...
-[X] Amalia

Amalia is pretty good at noticing things. Also, if she is a spy, she will have a chance to impersonate while her attention is diverted by other things.

Teloch · Jun 6, 2023

Eternal_0bserver said:
if she is a spy

What did she do to get bullied like that?

Aetherstorm · Jun 6, 2023

[X] Proceed to:
-[X] Abandoned station favored by Eljidey
[X] With Inga, Ulren, and...
-[X] Amalia

Eternal_0bserver · Jun 6, 2023

Teloch said:
What did she do to get bullied like that?

Nothing. She didn't do anything suspicious, which, as you can imagine, is rather suspicious in itself.

veekie · Jun 6, 2023

[X] Proceed to:
-[X] Abandoned station favored by Eljidey
[X] With Inga, Ulren, and...
-[X] Amalia

Teloch said:
After Sehorah spoke her concluding words on how she ended up in this motley caravan,

Sehorah?

Teloch said:
Ulren messing by the opposite side of the barn, loudly commending the process of assembly of some sort.

Commencing?

Teloch · Jun 6, 2023

Sehorah?

Commencing?

Fix'd. I've got some erratic type-switcher on ma system that I'm not even sure where it's hidden.

Varano · Jun 6, 2023

[X] Proceed to:
-[X] Abandoned station favored by Eljidey
[X] With Inga, Ulren, and...
-[X] Amalia

Teloch · Jun 6, 2023

Genesys · Jun 6, 2023

[X] Proceed to:
-[X] Abandoned station favored by Eljidey
[X] With Inga, Ulren, and...
-[X] Amalia
whee bandwagons

Heimurn Chronicles (No, SV, you're a young valkyrie in the middle of a bizarre and dangerous journey)

Who is the bae? (Yes, we know that it's Lucy, but still - who's your favorite character)

Ulren, because he's a big bro I never had

Sephorah, because of the floor-chair-face dance

Karl, because smug

Amalia, because a cinnamon roll determinator

Isaac, because kuudere

Jory, becuase...

Rosaline, because I miss her

Mia (the ghost cat), because smug^2

Dunno - I need more party members

Dunno - I want more character interactions

Dunno - Where are the shipping battles, QM?

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I might have quest addiction

Tired Cultist

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(Unverified Bookworm)

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(Discrete Mokona)

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(Unverified Bookworm)

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(Unverified Bookworm)

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(Discrete Mokona)