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Betwixt and Between (Magical Curio Shop Quest)

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Simon_Jester said:
I'm not so concerned with learning names as with getting yes/no confirmation to a very simple question I wish we'd asked:

"Was the previous shopkeeper bloodily assaulted on the floor and dragged out of the shop just now?"

Because in a real sense, knowing that might, as a crudely practical matter, be more relevant than knowing meta stuff about the shop. After all, anything that was willing to assault them is probably willing to assault us, and our capacity to defend ourselves is probably lower than their was.
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"What dangers, to me or the shop, do you know about" would have been a good question. Or stuff on how to do what our apprenticeship-giver wants us to do.
 
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3. And above all watch with glittering eyes.
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] What makes this shop so important? More so than an apprenticeship?
    [X] How can I get my ability to cast unlocked with the resources available in the shop?

    "Hello, Book?" Mahogany said "I've cleaned the shop of... blood. And played along until now. I think I need some questions answered." The silver grey cursive starts to appear on the page.

    Of course Mahogany Gelt. What are your questions?

    "What is all this?!" She snaps out, "I was supposed to meet my Master Magus for an apprenticeship." She pulls the letter from her pocket. "See it says it here clearly, 'Apprenticeship with a Merchant of Destiny.' Why am I now being told to be some sort of magical shopkeeper? What is this place? Why is this better?" She reaches the end of her rant, waiting for the book.

    The book starts to show new text, this time it appears in gold.

    Once upon a time, a boy was crying, he fled those who were attacking him for nothing more than begging in the street. He ran down the streets of the old city until he came to an alley and ducked into the closest door he saw, hoping to hide.

    The door was actually to a shop and he found himself in a room filled with wonder. Glass shining lamps, weapons arranged on the wall, and shelves full of items. He wandered touching items as he passed, a green gem shaped into a cat eye strung on a rope of pearls, a bowl the inside crusted with barnacles and a completely blunt copper knife. He ran his fingertips over all these items walking further into the shop interior.

    The shopkeeper spoke to him, and asked him about his troubles, the boy answered that his life was unfair. That there was no one he could turn to, that the world was needlessly cruel. The shopkeeper nodded listening to the boy and said that they have just the thing. The boy followed the shopkeeper to a shelf and was presented with...

    "Presented him with a deck of cards, golden edged and showing the blank spaces in the sky." Mahogany echoed the words as they were written, a feeling like ice water running down her spine. She knew this story! Everyone knew this story! It was the tale of the Star Shepard, the original Fool himself!

    "So you are the shop? In the story? I thought it was just.... like allegorical." She asked.

    I am all the shops. The book wrote back in that silvery cursive.

    "Ok." Mahogany felt a little shocked. She wasn't just kidnapped, but she had also fallen into what looks like a storybook tale.

    "Alright, so you are a very magical and important shop that sells items to um.... heroes?"

    Sometimes heroes, and villains, all and any. Always marked by destiny. Sometimes people come here looking for items in particular. I also take a trade.

    "But what does that have to do with me!" Mahogany said plaintively "I'm not a hero, I just want to work with a Magus and unlock my potential. If that isn't going to happen I do not want to be here." Marking her words with sharp hand motions.

    You asked for the help of Fate, Mahogany Gelt. Fate has interceded.
    You are being offered the chance to be a part of a chain of people who help Destiny, who bring change and wonder into the world. A lifetime of magic and importance. Is that not what you wanted?

    Mahogany has a vivid memory of her last night at Piecrow Isle looking into the small mirror in the bathroom of her family's cabin. A younger Mahogany looked back, cut lip and bruised eye. 'I'll show you all, I'm going to be one of the great Magus, not one of you can stop me. I'll be in all the books and one day everyone will know my name."

    This place has many things to offer someone smart, hardworking, and ambitious. It is a powerful safe haven, it can travel wherever Destiny wills it, and it has knowledge you will never find anywhere else. Should you take ownership you will have access to all these things.

    Familiar with contracts and deal-making in the summoning hall, Mahogany thought that this maybe sounded too good to be true. "What's the catch? There always is one. Do you want my soul? My memories? Ability to lie?" She listed off common prices for power.

    It is a lifetime position. You will never be the hero, you will be mentioned in tales but people will not know your name.

    Mahogany read over what she had been told. A lifetime of work at the whims of fate, unacknowledged. This was not sounding like a very good deal at all. She twisted her braid in her hands, contemplating the choice.

    Would you like to know how to cast magic Mahogany Gelt?

    She looked at the book. "Yes, more than anything." She said, trying to keep the yearning out of her voice.

    Betwixt and Between is a partner with its shopkeeper. We can grant various abilities, talents, and long life. It would be easy to unlock your magic.

    "Can you do it now?!" Mahogany exclaims, eyes shining.

    No. The store is damaged. Find a Wonderitem, and sell it to a person marked by Destiny. Once you have done that Betwixt and Between will have power enough to do so.

    Mahogany pondered on what she had been told. She was a practical person and like to think through her problems. She started to pace back and forth, thinking.
    Pros: Magical, mysterious shop promising food, housing, and magical knowledge. Possibility of unlocking her magic with work (Which isn't what she was going to do anyway), Travel (maybe dimensional travel?), and Job security.
    Cons: Lifetime position, and from the looks of the place when she arrived that life could be cut short. Danger. Messing with Fate and Destiny is well out of her area of expertise. No credit for anything. Can she again point out to herself the vast amount of blood on the floor and the missing previous owner?

    She looked around the room. The empty shelves, the bright tapestries. There was something here, she could see it. Feel it. The potential to make something, real and present and entirely hers. It was dangerous and not at all part of her 10-year plan. Mahogany shivered again. It was exciting!

    "Ok Book. How do I become your partner?" She said.

    The book flipped its pages until it reached the front bookplate. The page had upon it a monogram of two intertwined B's, underneath several names, the first and second are almost completed faded, just a shimmer of gold scribble. The third is written in a strong, masculine hand. Bloyse its says.

    Mahogany gets the gist. Sign the book.

    She pulls her pen from her pocket and without giving herself another second to worry about it, signs her name. Mahogany Gelt.
    As she finished the last stroke she feels a great amount of energy drain from her, sucked down and into the page. The name shines gold, and the book slams shut. She grabs onto the counter swaying. She feels everything... It's too much.

    She staggers back down the hallway and collapses onto the lounge in front of the fireplace. The new weight of everything pulls her into a dark and deep sleep.


    Lose 1 Energy
    Quest Found: Unlock your Potential - Find a Wonderitem and sell it to someone marked by Destiny.

    -------------

    (Reminder: at the start of every new turn you lose 1 condition from the Betwixt and Between, and 2 energy. If energy reaches zero condition effects are doubled as the store has to expend effort to keep you alive.)




    Betwixt and Between​

    Condition: 14/20​
    Energy: 1/5​
    Turn 2​

    Action Dice from Conditon = 4
    Action Dice Results : 2, 3, 2, 6

    Every turn you will have several Action Dice that will be rolled. The number of action dice comes from the condition of the Betwixt and Between. Those dice are then rolled by me (they are 6 sided dice btw) to give you several numbers. This number when added to the skill level you have in the skill listed in the task gives you the probablity for success. Higher the total number, the more favorable the probability.

    1 and 2 - 50% Neutral / 50% Failure
    3 and 4 - 25% Great Success /50% Neutral / 25% Failure
    5 - 50% Great Success / 50% Neutral
    6+ - 100% Great Success

    I have made a comprehensive Mechanics post which details more about all the numbers and extra details on tasks.

    But basically you have 4 action dice right now (see above) Where would you like to assign them?

    I would like plans to be done in the following format

    [X] Very cool Plan Name
    -[X] Task Name One
    --[X] Action Dice - 4
    -[X] Task Name Two
    --[X] Action Dice - 3
    -[X] Task Name Three
    --[X] Action Dice - 4
    -[X] Task Name Four
    --[X] Action Dice - 5

    Tasks may be taken multiple times in the same turn. Tasks will be completed in order from the first in the list to the last. If an action in an earlier task invalidates a later task the dice spent on that task is lost.

    [ ] Investigate what has happened here.
    Completion Counter: 2/10
    Skill: Reason (+1)
    Difficulty: SAFE
    Something has happened here. Have a look around and see if you can figure it out.

    [ ] A Clean sweep.
    Completion Counter: 3/4
    Skill: Perseverance (0)
    Difficulty: SAFE
    There is still that front window with the aggressive statues to clean.

    [ ] Where in the World am I?
    Completion Counter: 0/5
    Skill: Hidden Knowledge (+1)
    Difficulty: RISKY
    You look outside the window and you recognize nothing, maybe it might be good to familiarize yourself.

    [ ] Explore the Betwixt and Between
    Completion Counter: 2/10
    Skill: Reason (+1)
    Difficulty: SAFE
    Let's have a look around.

    [ ] Investigate the Warded Door
    Skill: Hidden Knowledge (+1)
    Difficulty: RISKY
    There is a door here that is locked, nothing more sharpens the curiosity.

    [ ] Spend time in the Kitchen
    Skill: Empathy (+1)
    Difficulty: SAFE
    The comfort of a hot meal and some time at rest.

    [ ] Empty Pages
    Completion Counter: 3/4
    Skill: Empathy (+1)
    Difficulty: RISKY
    Communicate with the book? Spirit? in the Ledger.

    [ ] A Keen Mind and a Clear Spirit. ( Unlocked by the Crystal Towers Origin)
    Completion Counter: 0/10
    Failure Counter: 0/10
    Skill: Any Magic Skill
    Difficulty: DANGEROUS
    You were never able to do magic before. But maybe now you are here in a new place it can be different!
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Hmmm... a bit concerning that we only have 1 energy left, and things start going downhill fast if we reach zero.
     
    [X] Plan Recuperate then Explore
    -[X] Spend time in the Kitchen
    --[X] Action Dice – 6
    -[X] Explore the Betwixt and Between
    --[X] Action Dice – 2
    --[X] Action Dice – 2
    -[X] A Clean sweep.
    --[X] Action Dice – 3
     
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    [X] Plan Keep Investigating
    -[X] Spend time in the Kitchen
    --[X] Action Dice – 3
    -[X] Investigate what has happened here.
    --[X] Action Dice – 6
    -[X] Explore the Betwixt and Between
    --[X] Action Dice – 2
    --[X] Action Dice – 2

    My plan to make some progress investigating what happened.
     
    [X] Plan Keep Investigating

    Definitely don't wanna finish cleaning up before we finish investigating.

    Edit: Approval voting literally every plan with the investigation.

    [X] Plan Playing Outside
    [X] Plan: Preparations
     
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    [X] Plan Recuperate then Explore
    -[X] Spend time in the Kitchen
    --[X] Action Dice – 6
    -[X] Explore the Betwixt and Between
    --[X] Action Dice – 3
    --[X] Action Dice – 2
    -[X] A Clean sweep.
    --[X] Action Dice – 2
     
    @Angelform @Noxious

    Your plans involve spending a 3 dice on an action with +1 from skills and a 2 on an action without skill bonus. The 3 gets upgraded to a 4 dice, which has the same effect as a 3. If you assign a 2 instead to the action with the bonus, it gets upgraded to a 3 (better) and you can use the natural three on something wihout a +1 skill bonus.

    [X] Plan: Preparations
    -[X] Investigate what has happened here.
    --[X] Action Dice – 3
    -[X] Spend time in the Kitchen
    --[X] Action Dice – 2
    --[X] Action Dice – 2
    -[X] A Keen Mind and a Clear Spirit. ( Unlocked by the Crystal Towers Origin)
    --[X] Action Dice – 6
     
    This is bad. We need to sell a wonder item to unlock magic, and we need magic to make wonder items. So we better find one quick.
    So we need a bit of urgency.

    Maybe we could get a wonder item by exploring/cleaning/investigating but we don't have a lot of time.
    I'm thinking, what about the warded door? If I was a shop owner that would be the kind of place I would put valuable items. It's also the most likely place to not have been ransacked.

    [X] Plan The Door
    -[X] Spend time in the Kitchen
    --[X] Action Dice – 2
    -[X] A Clean sweep.
    --[X] Action Dice – 3
    -[X] Investigate what has happened here.
    --[X] Action Dice – 2
    -[X] Investigate the Warded Door
    --[X] Action Dice – 6

    This uses dice most efficiently I hope. Both 2 are upgraded to 3. The 3 is not upgraded to 4. The 6 is used on something risky.
     
    [X] Plan Playing Outside
    -[X] Investigate what has happened here.
    --[X] Action Dice - 2
    [X] Explore the Betwixt and Between
    --[X] Action Dice - 3
    -[X] Spend time in the Kitchen
    --[X] Action Dice - 2
    -[X] Where in the World am I?
    --[X] Action Dice - 6

    This plan is all about further getting our feet under us. We try and figure out what happened to the last link of this chain, we have another look around, we hopefully have a nice snack, and then go play outside for a few minutes. If we're going to be selling something shortly to someone coming from the great outdoors, it would probably behoove us to figure out what kind of place we're in.
     
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