Better than feared. Still horrific but better than it could have been.
So for teachers we have Worst Mum candidate, Worst Grandfather finalist and a pair of unknowns, one of whom has a grudge the other a mere prejudice. Joy.
I see minimal reason to spend xp on a character who will be dead in a few turns.
[X] Plan: Save (don't spend)
So for teachers we have Worst Mum candidate, Worst Grandfather finalist and a pair of unknowns, one of whom has a grudge the other a mere prejudice. Joy.
A bad reputation will do that to you. Most of those that can pop up for tutors will not like Kiritsugu due to his past actions of being the Magus Killer (as shown by his Bad Reputation drawback). That said, they'll still come to the negotiating table for their own reasons, be it alliance (Testarossa), fear (Akemi), greed (Tomoe), or their own plans (Matou).
On one hand, the quest will end when Kiritsugu dies, and his Experience won't transfer to another. On the other, a stockpile of Experience might be useful later on.
On one hand, the quest will end when Kiritsugu dies, and his Experience won't transfer to another. On the other, a stockpile of Experience might be useful later on.
In which case I feel it is vastly better to stockpile against a future need rather than try to guess which of the many skills might be useful in the handful of remaining turns.
Okay lets see...
-We could save to raise Luck to 2, which would be nice(and probably the last attribute raise for a while, its not very cost effective).
-We could raise one of our 1d6 skills to somewhere they don't fuck us. Key points being Empathy, Investigate and Lore, we can try to avoid needing the rest.
-Skill Feats are varied, I can highlight a few:
--Security Specialist - Replaces our crappy craft with our badass Burglary. However its reactive and home based, I think an Einzbern attack would be stopped by it once only.
--Attack the Mind - Einzbern homunculi(and Servants) are extremely physically durable. Mentally? Not so much. Lets us change the fight...admittedly we'd still be in melee with a superhuman.
--Body Language Reader - This is a massive boost, as we use 4d6+4 instead of 1d6+4 to discern aspects(which is descriptors, and we can invoke these descriptors against the character for free if we roll well enough, or spend Luck to press). This is useful against Einzberns, our kids and basically any character...but especially Precia who's a high functioning sociopath, and we'd want to know that before we hand our kids to her.
--Stealth Carry - We'd mainly need this if we need to bug out with the kids. Our Stealth is ridiculous at 5d6+6, like, we could easily hide from any Servant without special perception skills.
So I'd take the one to let us solve our problems better so we don't need to deal with such a large heap.
[X] Plan Character Probe
-[X] Body Language Reader - 7 XP
Huh, just saw this quest today, and I must say that I'm slightly surprised. With how things is going for Kiritsugu, I'd think that he'd try to see what he could do about the curse sooner, or not let Kotomine know of his current whereabouts...oh well, it can't be helped.
[X] Plan Character Probe
-[X] Body Language Reader - 7 XP
Not against Body Language Reader, just considering an alternate plan (Hence why I've left out the X's right now). Stealth Carry won't see as much use, but in situations where it would come up it'll probably be essential.
You put out a couple of feelers among your contacts, searching Japan for possible magecraft teachers for your children. As you expected, the two they managed to locate outside of Fuyuki seemed to be predispositioned against you at best, and terrified of you at worst. In Fuyuki, the three people that might be capable of helping… well, one has an unusual focus on Einzbern homuncli, one hates your guts over the perceived murder of her father, and the last is even more secretive than usual for a magus.
They need magecraft training you can't provide, and quickly, before someone actually gets too close for you to protect the two of them.
Still, while your world revolves around the two of them, that does not mean the rest of the world will. There are things that need to be done, if you are ever going to do them.
Voting for Turn 5 out of 10 has begun.
(Choose 3; Vote By Plan)
[X] The Corrupted Grail Rises: Alert the Second Owner
Its clear to you that the only reason that the Tohsaka girl lets you stick around is because she's not strong enough to do anything about it; she does not trust you at all. Even so, it might be a good idea to let her know about the status of the Greater Grail directly instead of hearing it sometime down the grapevine.
Roll: Rapport: Target Number: 10; Effects: Rin Tohsaka is made aware of the status of the Grail
[X] The Corrupted Grail Rises: Shatter the Ley Lines
While you can wait, you do want to take action against the Grail sooner rather than later. Using a few explosives should do the trick, causing a small earthquake (common enough in Japan) and nudging the ley lines to move away from Fuyuki. You just need to use your connections to get a hold of enough explosive material…
Note: Repeatable.
Cost: 1 Point Financial Damage; Roll: Connections; Target Number: 10; Effects: Minor Earthquake, Ley Lines start to move to slow Grail's Charging
[X] The Corrupted Grail Rises: Put Out the Word
The Grail is Corrupt. Disaster will befall the world should a wish be made on the Holy Grail. The problem is, no one who knows about it has enough power to deal with it, or simply doesn't care about it. You may be hated by the Magus Community, but if you start spreading the word, there is a slight possibility that someone will believe you.
Note: Repeatable.
Roll: Rapport; Target Number: ???; Effects: Draw attention among the Moonlit World to yourself and Fuyuki, maybe get someone who will do something about the Grail to take a look
[X] The Lost Decade: Bank Heist
Most magi are in relatively well-off positions in society. Between the wealth that their ancestors gathered, on top of their normal abilities above mundanes, it would take a bout of bad luck to actually lose a significant amount of wealth. To that end, you don't know of any magus who had a need to rob a bank for mere wealth. Still, with skills that the mundane side doesn't know of, you might be able to pull it off.
Roll: Large Skill Challenge; Target Number: Varies; Effects: Attempt to rob a bank
[X] The Lost Decade: Konbini Sales Clerk
Your family is well off, but constant expenses could make your wallet too thin at a critical point. If you get a decent legal job, you could reduce the strain there is on your finances. Of course, with the times there are, you can't exactly be picky…
Roll: Crafts; Target Number: 7; Effects: Reduce Financial Damage taken this turn by 1
[X] In the Grail's Wake: Wealthy Donor
The Great Fuyuki Fire has claimed many lives, and you had a hand in it. Perhaps, to amend for all the blood you have spilled, you can donate some of your wealth to help with whatever project is done in the wake of the cleanup.
Note: Expires this turn.
Cost: 1 Point Financial Damage; Roll: Rapport; Target Number: N/A; Effects: Improved Relationship with Fuyuki Politicians, Continue In Memory Questline
[X] Retired Magus Killer: Homunculus Hunt
Exotic, foreign, white-haired women with little emotion. They'll stick out in a crowd when they appear. Catch them before they get too close to your family.
Note: Repeatable
Roll: Notice and Combat Rolls; Target Number: Opposed; Effects: Enter combat against Einzbern Homuncli
[O] Retired Magus Killer: Kotomine Must Die!
NO! Last time you fought him, you won by the skin of your teeth, and that was before you got cursed. He survived, so he knows firsthand more about how you fight than is safe, and you are on the decline. To attack him would be signing your own death warrant.
[X] Retired Magus Killer: Not Me This Time!
Thanks to her guardian, Tohsaka knows who you are. Even though she is smart enough to not try anything directly, due to her father's death in the Holy Grail War, she might be holding a large grudge against you. Perhaps by speaking with her, you can convince her that there is no need for a quest of vengeance against you. After all, you'd be more likely to shoot her father rather than use a blade to stab him in the back.
Roll: Rapport; Target Number: 10; Effects: Hostilities from Tohsaka become not personal
[X] Retired Magus Killer: Possible Magecraft Tutors
As you expected, all the possible tutors you can get in touch don't really like you, or are of questionable stability. There's got to be one magus in Japan that is stable, willing, and doesn't hate you…
Roll: Contacts; Target Number: ???; Effects: Increase list of families in Japan who might be willing to tutor your children
[X] All the World's Curses: Curse Breaking
Its… unlikely you can get rid of all of these curses you received. But maybe… you can see one of your old contacts, and reduce their potency. They're in Misaki, and its close enough you can take Shirou and Illya on a weekend trip there.
Roll: Rapport; Target Number: 5; Effects: Confirm information about curses, start Tohno questline
[X] Children Tie Down: Learn About Shirou
Spend time with the boy you adopted, Shirou. You know little about him, mainly that he's got survivor's guilt, but perhaps you can spend some time learning more. Learn his hobbies, what he's good at, what does he like…
Roll: Notice; Target Number: 10; Effects: Learn Shirou's Aspects and Character Sheet
[X] Children Tie Down: Learn About Illya
Spend time with your daughter, Illya. You know a lot about her, but perhaps in your absence she had some changes in some part of her personality. Did her grandfather let her keep her hobbies, how much magecraft does she know…
Roll: Notice; Target Number 10; Effects: Learn Miyu "Illyasviel" Emiya's Aspects and Character Sheet
[X] Children Tie Down: Learn About Illya and Shirou
Spend time with your children. One of them has survival guilt, while the other was once held captive by her grandfather. You know a bit about your son, but you don't know how much her captivity changed your daughter. Spend time with them, without focusing on one of them, to see what you can learn about them.
Roll: Notice; Target Number: Multiples of 5; Effects: Learn Aspects and pieces of character sheets from both Shirou and Illya, one Aspect for each per 5
[X] Children Tie Down: The Bloody Path of the Magus Killer
In the past, you were not a nice person. Everywhere you went, a trail of bodies was left in your wake, and only a handful knew your reasons. Now, with enemies slowly making their way out of the woodwork, it might be a good idea to explain your past in a controlled manner without enemies dropping bombshells on them that might turn the family against each other.
Roll: Rapport; Target Number: 10; Effects: Illya and Shirou gain your side of the story before another magus can explain how the moonlit world views the Emiya name
[X] Children Tie Down: Tutor: Precia Testarossa
A bounty for Illya's head is imminent, and the bounty on Shirou will not remain comically small forever. While your teaching ability about magecraft is poor, other mages have greater capabilities. Precia Testarossa has an… unusual fixation on Einzbern Homuncli, and is willing to teach your children the basics of alteration, projection, and reinforcement for a copy of Illya's medical records and several interviews with yourself.
Cost: Free First Instance; Roll: N/A; Effects: Your children gain magecraft training, continue Replacement questline
[X] Children Tie Down: Tutor: Zouken Matou
A bounty for Illya's head is imminent, and the bounty on Shirou will not remain comically small forever. While your teaching ability about magecraft is poor, other mages have greater capabilities. Zouken Matou is an enigma, unknowing of your presence, but he has somehow managed to avoid attention of the association for years. Getting him to share information about the basics with your children might require a little convincing…
Cost: Free? What?; Roll: Rapport; Target Number: 10; Effects: Your children gain magecraft training, ???
[O] Children Tie Down: Tutor: Rin Tohsaka
Not only is she learning everything herself, her belief of you having killed her father makes her unlikely to help you out. Even with Shirou making a good impression on her.
[X] Children Tie Down: Tutor: Masahiko Akemi
A bounty for Illya's head is imminent, and the bounty on Shirou will not remain comically small forever. While your teaching ability about magecraft is poor, other mages have greater capabilities. Masahiko Akemi has lost his father to you, and preliminary research shows that he lives in fear of you coming back to 'finish the job'. Still, that opens up opportunities for convincing him to teach your children some magecraft…
Cost: 1 Point Financial Damage; Roll: Provoke or Rapport; Target Number: Varies; Effects: Your children gain magecraft training, ???
- [X] Akemi: Provoke
Intimidate the man into complying, with the threat of you taking his head if he messes up. His fear of you makes this easy.
Roll: Provoke; Target Number: 5
- [X] Akemi: Rapport
Diplomatically convince him to teach your children. His fear of you may make this harder, but you might be able to reduce the number of enemies this way.
Roll: Rapport; Target Number: 10
[X] Children Tie Down: Tutor: Nello Tomoe
A bounty for Illya's head is imminent, and the bounty on Shirou will not remain comically small forever. While your teaching ability about magecraft is poor, other mages have greater capabilities. Nello Tomoe is a stroke of luck. Although it seems he holds the typical magus dislike of you, if you could get him to teach your children, their proficiency of alteration, projection, and reinforcement could climb rapidly. Of course, considering that the family's specialty is in those areas, it might cost a little more…
Cost: 2 Points Financial Damage; Roll: Rapport; Target Number: 10; Effects: Your children gain magecraft training, ???
[X] Survivor's Guilt of the Great Fire: Psychiatrist for Shirou
You've taken advantage of mages not being entirely there in the past, so you know how dangerous a mental problem can be. It might be a good idea to take Shirou to a psychiatrist to help him heal. However, if the neighbors find out, it could kill your family's reputation in Fuyuki…
Cost: 1 Point Financial Damage; Roll: Stealth; Target Number: 10 (Just don't roll all 1s); Effects: Shirou goes to Psychiatrist to begin healing, don't get Bad Reputation (Fuyuki)
[O] Lord and Castle Are One: Jubstacheit Must Die!
You just got back from Germany. Rest yourself and your wallet a little.
[X] Magus Archaeologist: A Familiar Problem
While transporting the Scrya's latest archaeological find to a buyer, a hawk attacked the carrying familiar. This would be a simple annoyance if the familiar in question wasn't discovered, taken to the vet, and finally adopted by a mundane. While the Scrya family works to retrieve the lost artifacts, the two males have turned to you to deal with the familiar one way or another.
- [X] Yuuno's Favorite: Retrieval
The little ferret happens to be the Yuuno's favorite familiar. Getting it back to his hands in one piece without drawing attention would make the boy happy, though the parents would not approve of the sentimentality.
- [X] Roger's Duty: Kill
Roger would prefer it if you just killed the little thing before attention is raised that its not a normal animal. This would satisfy the adult Scryas, but would break Yuuno's heart.
[X] Something else? (Write-In)
We're almost at the halfway point, and lots of choices have opened up due to your past actions, suggestions, and timing. Of course, there is no way you can take all of the choices, so pick wisely.
[X] In the Grail's Wake: Wealthy Donor
The Great Fuyuki Fire has claimed many lives, and you had a hand in it. Perhaps, to amend for all the blood you have spilled, you can donate some of your wealth to help with whatever project is done in the wake of the cleanup.
Note: Expires this turn.
Cost: 1 Point Financial Damage; Roll: Rapport; Target Number: N/A; Effects: Improved Relationship with Fuyuki Politicians, Continue In Memory Questline
Same old routine of figuring out whats more time critical:
-Rin is a problem, anything involving her takes a Target 10 Rapport roll and our odds of success at that are possible, but we'd likely need to try multiple times....unless meeting her triggers the Body Language reading and we can invoke that. Then its easy.
-Our kids need a tutor, time lost is skill lost.
-Einzberns would need to keep being suppressed for safety and maintaining Precia deal.
-The ferret is This Turn level of sensitive.
-Psychology and kids knowing can wait a little, but not indefinitely, I'm personally meta committing to doing it within the next 2 turns.
-The Curse timer is ticking and if we run out we die.
-The Grail's timer is ticking, but spreading the word indirectly is slow as balls while all the other methods would need Rin's cooperation or escalate.
[X] Magus Archaeologist: A Familiar Problem
-[X] Yuuno's Favorite: Retrieval
[X] Retired Magus Killer: Not Me This Time!
[X] All the World's Curses: Curse Breaking
Seems to me the simplest fix is to convince Rin we didn't kill her father. This immediately solves three problems:
-Our kids tutor, we have a not-insane magus teaching.
-The corrupted Grail, the Tohsakas built the thing, if theres any debugging she's better at it than anyone else.
-Rin would probably stop plotting revenge on us, and may hire us to find the killer(heh).
[X] Plan Befriending
-[X] Children Tie Down: The Bloody Path of the Magus Killer
-[X] Children Tie Down: Tutor: Precia Testarossa
-[X] Magus Archaeologist: A Familiar Problem
- [X] Yuuno's Favorite: Retrieval
We hired the moderately deranged woman, we may as well make use of her. The only argument I can think of for picking Zouken is that it might, might, let us rescue Sakura. But frankly we do not have the actions to undertake such. Akemi I wouldn't trust, either his intentions or his competence. Tomoe is a possibility but expensive and a difficult roll.
The kids have bounties. They need to know why.
Yuuno is an investment for the future. Little immediate benefit but he can be an amazing friend to the kids in years to come.
[X] Operation: Making friends with Children
-[X] Retired Magus Killer: Not Me This Time!
-[X] Children Tie Down: The Bloody Path of the Magus Killer
-[X] Magus Archaeologist: A Familiar Problem
--[X] Yuuno's Favorite: Retrieval
Adhoc vote count started by Random Tale on May 25, 2020 at 7:20 PM, finished with 11 posts and 8 votes.
[X] Magus Archaeologist: A Familiar Problem
-[X] Yuuno's Favorite: Retrieval
[X] Retired Magus Killer: Not Me This Time!
[X] All the World's Curses: Curse Breaking
[X] Plan Befriending
-[X] Children Tie Down: The Bloody Path of the Magus Killer
-[X] Children Tie Down: Tutor: Precia Testarossa
-[X] Magus Archaeologist: A Familiar Problem
- [X] Yuuno's Favorite: Retrieval
[X] Operation: Making friends with Children
-[X] Retired Magus Killer: Not Me This Time!
-[X] Children Tie Down: The Bloody Path of the Magus Killer
-[X] Magus Archaeologist: A Familiar Problem
- [X] Yuuno's Favorite: Retrieval
5 Years, if I recall correctly, which is the basis for the end time for the quest (6 months per turn, 10 turns, 5 years, die on time).
As for the delay on posting, there's been a multitude of reasons. First, work resumed for me, so I have less time to work on this. A little more relevantly, I have spent some time fleshing out more of the details of the Fate in the Shadows system, getting the basis for a handful of non-Aspect drawbacks down and adding non-human characters to the priority table of character creation. Then I had to finalize Illya's character sheet before working on the update itself.
And said update... well, the good news is, everything that was voted for this turn is done. Kiritsugu got to the curse specialist to learn about the nature of the curses, and Shirou managed to open up an oprotunity for you. It took the Invoking of an Aspect, but Rin Tohsaka no longer has a personal grudge against Kiritsugu (its just a standard magus dislike of the Magus Killer now). The retrieval of the familiar didn't go as well as it had hoped, though both Scryas are relatively satisfied for their own reasons.
What's the hold up, then? A number of events have all fired at once. First, the word of the Grail has finally started to have an impact. The bounty on Illya has become finalized, and Shirou's has grown a little (though it is still comically small), but Who Will Bell the Cat? But the biggest delay is the fact that the Einzbern have attacked. I'm still running through combat right now, and while a determined roll on Shirou took out one of the attackers, the other is proving resistant to damage...
As side notes, both Illya and the Homunculus attackers use the 'Non-Human Combatant' starting attributes, while both Kiritsugu and Shirou use the 'Human' as a baseline. Finally, I worry I might have made Constitution too strong...
As side notes, both Illya and the Homunculus attackers use the 'Non-Human Combatant' starting attributes, while both Kiritsugu and Shirou use the 'Human' as a baseline. Finally, I worry I might have made Constitution too strong...
