Betwixt and Between (Magical Curio Shop Quest)

It was a day of revelations yesterday, both spiritually in the reveal of the Destiny Engine and the affirmation of her connection to the Betwixt and Between. Even now she could still feel as if she could stretch out and inhabit the walls and windows. Fall into the gears and impossible machinery leading out and into the many harbors of the universe. Mahogany's hand shook slightly as she clenched into a fist. Wonder and Danger both this role seems to come with, she thought remembering the echo play she had just seen. Bloyse she assumed had the same rights and powers she had now and still, he was dragged bleeding, and beaten from the storefront.

It was a strange dichotomy of feeling; the sense of belonging totally and yet unmoored and out of place at the same time. She didn't know enough about this place, the dangers of the role. Her hand clenched tighter, nails digging into her palm. 'I don't have a way of protecting myself if that .... thing comes back.'

Mahogany walked to the Wonderforge with a determined step. She had to finish her work in her manascape. Unlocking her magic only gave her more options, possible weapons, and tools. She settled down in the cushioned alcove of the augers arts and with a deep cool breath, dove deep into the space in her soul.

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A Keen Mind and a Clear Spirit. -AD 6
Completion Counter: 6/10
Failure Counter: 0/10
Skill: Magic of Craft
Difficulty: DANGEROUS
You have managed to find your manascape, in a dark cave in your soul. Spend time filling the basin on the Alter of Craft.

FINAL TOTAL (Action Dice 6 + Skill (Magic of Craft 0) = 6
Probability: 100% Great Success

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24 steps.


Drop the bucket down.


Wait for the splash.


Grasp the rope in cold hands.


Pull the bucket up. Don't let it slip.


Hold firmly.


Bend.


Pick the Bucket up.


Sweat is freezing over on my neck.


Water splashes on the rocks.


Don't Slip, Don't Fall.


24 Steps.


The bucket is heavy.


Clouds of cold breath.


Lift. Pour what remains in.


A stream of starlight.


There is always so much less than I thought.


24 steps.


It's bitter work. All things that are worth it are.
Mahogany found it so much harder to daydream about the end result. On what it might be like to have magic and to use it as she wished. Her body is so present in this place. It felt like each step had to be mapped and calculated. A conscious effort of will.

Completion Counter: +3
Energy : -1

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A Busy Bee - AD4
Skill: Hidden Knowledge (+1)
Difficulty: RISKY
Cost: 2 'Magic' Crystals
The Kitchen has communicated to you that it can create special meals for you. But all wonderous things have a cost.

FINAL TOTAL (Action Dice 4 + Skill (Hidden Knowledge +1) = 5
Probability: 50% Neutral / 50% Great Success
Result: NEUTRAL

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Freezing cold, stumbling and slipping Mahogany curled up by the fire in the kitchen. "This is becoming a regular thing I'm sorry." She said to the room as she held her body together in the violent shudders that rocked through her.

She was so close. So incredibly close. She felt the magic just there under her skin as if she could dig her fingers into the flesh of her arm and it would leak out. A cool, cave-born stream. Her fingers tightened on her arms. She didn't want to do that again, each time felt so dangerous. One slip, one fall and she was sure that there would be real damage to her.

*Tink-at-tink*

She looked up to the bell sound from the Kitchens hatch. There was a red bowl with a steaming towel inside. She picked it up and wrapped her hands in it, circulation returning with a prickling tingle. She then lay it on her face breathing deep through the warm cloth. It smelled of pine and sharp citrus.

Placing the towel back in the bowl. Mahogany smiled weakly. "Thank you, Kitchen. You always try to take care of me. I heard your welcome in the Destiny Engine. Thank you. "

There was the sound of cutlery and clattered plates from the space behind the service hatch. Mahogany thought back to one of the first things that Kitchen had communicated to her.

"Kitchen, what were those special meals you mentioned before?" There was the sound of a kitchen service bell *Ding Ding* and the drum rotated taking the towel and bowl and revealing a small flat dish. The dish had a painted bee on the surface and words that swam in Mahogany's vision before reforming into friendly circular writing reading 'Thanks for Tipping!'

She giggled and said, "Ok Ok I get it." As she gathered her pouch of currency towards her. She placed two of the 'Magic' crystals she had scavenged around the place in the dish. Once she did another *Ding Ding* rang out and the drum rotated away.

-2 'Magic' Crystals

She sat down at the table waiting on the meal. The swirls of mist outside the window felt even more discomforting now she knew that dangerous beings lurked outside. She indulged herself with a little daydream of the shadow being bursting through the window and her, nobly and dashingly, beating it back with candle flame and salt-ashed iron.

She shook her head and with it away the imaginary. "It's not a boogeyman Mahogany, you won't be able to beat it with innocent wishing. But what could it be? I'm almost positive the large figure was the Koshchei the Captive as mentioned in the logbook. "

Koshchei.... Koshchei....

It was an unfamiliar name to her. Not sounding like anything from Xanzi she knew. But that didn't mean anything. There were a lot of places she hadn't been to. And this already was a different realm than what she was used to. She was disturbed from her musing by the appearance of a closed cloche appearing in front of her.

"Thank you for the meal Kitchen!" She said out loud and lifted the cloche revealing a cloud of steam fragrant and delicious. A woven steaming tray with seven jewel-like dumplings lay before her arranged in a crescent. The first had its dough colored red and was slightly translucent folded around the plump contents in petal-like folds.

When she picked it up and brought it to her lips it burst into a spicy soup tasting faintly like roses on the exhale. The second is a sun-shaped disc, golden brushed turmeric, and egg with a soft creaminess. Third a symmetric spout, ground chicken with lemongrass and shallot. Fourth and Fifth were twins, a nutty savory flavor with a salty richness to it. The six had a seafood flavor, the fresh scent of sea winds under the seaweed-wrapped morsel. The last was the most intricate, a perfect spiral. She placed it in her mouth and the scent of wildflowers filled her mouth as whipped honey and sweet cheese filling was the final bite of this marvelous meal.

Mahogany sat back, satisfied as the meal disappeared. She felt knowledge humming effervescent in the back of her brain.

Insight gained!
Feast: "Sweet to tongue and sound to eye, Come buy, come buy."

Energy +3

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Messy Room - AD1
Completion Counter: 1/4
Skill: Quick (0)
Difficulty: SAFE
Rummage through the belongings of the previous shopkeeper and maybe your supposed to be Master.

FINAL TOTAL (Action Dice 1 + Skill (Quick +0) = 1
Probability: 50% Failure / 50% Neutral
Result: FAILURE

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"A fear understood is a fear conquered," Mahogany thought to herself as she stood at the threshold of the bedroom. She did not want to go back in there with the mirror being. It unsettled her.
"What knowledge does it have? What would it do if I freed it? Would it be better if I bound it?" These thoughts ran through her head. "No, It cannot harm me in any way that matters. And I refuse to free it."

"This is my home. I made a pact. I belong here." She felt the thrum of truth in her words, the icy burn of her magic beneath her skin. Ever closer, infinitesimally far. She gathered up her luggage at her feet. She has been living out of suitcases and sleeping in kitchens. She knows Blaise is not simply absent, and he will not be returning without some sort of intervention. The guilt of her inaction prickles her slightly.

"No. I refuse to be guilty of things I cannot do. I know nearly nothing, I have no magic to defend myself. This doesn't involve me." Even said silently to herself the thoughts tasted like lies.

She pushed her way into the room.

It was exactly as she left it, large half-sorted piles of clothing and objects. Enormous soft bed strung about with magical mobiles and shining geegaws. And there in the corner across from the bed, the brass-backed standing mirror, inside of which was her reflection waving back at her.

"Welcome back little mage. Or sorcerer. Or wizen." It waved its hand dismissively, tossing a dark braid over one shoulder. "Or whatever you call them in the sad little world you come from."

Mahogany placed her luggage down and began to make room in the cupboards for her clothes.

"Shall I guess where you are from? What world sent the Merchants of Destiny this incapable creature? Too scared to step outside. So ignorant and foolish."

Mahogany glanced at the mirror quickly and immediately regretted it. It was back in its 'true' form staring fixated at her with gleeful malice.

"You have no idea what sort of problem you are going to be dealing with. I can feel you have fixed the bond with Betwixt but you do have not the skills you need to protect yourself. Magicless, clueless fool." Its voice was a sharp tone.

Mahogany picked up her belongings, it seemed the room had begun to understand what she wanted here. The piles of items trickling and organizing themselves, objects rolling and crawling across the floor to place themselves in large trunks. A small smile bloomed on Mahogany's face, "A home of tiny wonders." She thought warmly.

"Smash the mirror! You can have the room free of my insults. You can have the whole house! SMASH IT!" Mirror being slapped the inside of the mirror's surface, and dull cushioned thuds rang out in the room. "I refuse to be put under bondage again! You always lie! You always cheat. You never keep a promise. Smash the mirror and we will both be done!"

Mahogany continued to ignore the being as it screeched at her. But eventually, the sounds became too much for her to bear. The Mirror being was crying and yelling in a language she did not understand, and it sounded so raw and piteous that she knew that if she remained in the room a second longer she would break her conviction not to talk to it.

No more of this today.

She left the bedroom closing the door with a slam and the sound from the bedroom was cut off completely. She stood on the landing and took a shuddering breath. Never had she felt crueler, more heartless than ignoring the pleading cries of someone. It was even worse when it switched to her voice, the insults mixed with sadness. How long had it been here? Was that what her voice would sound like if she ever goes completely mad?

Completion Counter: +1

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Books, Books and More Books - AD2
Completion Counter: 2/8
Skill: Hidden Knowledge (+1)
Difficulty: SAFE
See if you can figure out the purpose of this collection.

FINAL TOTAL: (Action Dice 2 + Skill (Hidden Knowledge +1) = 3
Probability: 25% Great Success /50% Neutral / 25% Failure
Result: FAILURE.

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Mahogany had been in a few personal libraries before this one. Libraries were curious places and personal ones even more so. A library more than any place is shaped by the intent of those using it.
A place of secrets and strict rules may have deep shelves and chained books. Knowledge is caged and protected. Another library of lighter fiction may have soft chairs and places to lounge in comfortable relaxation. This library was shaped around an obsessive Mahogany thought.

A single desk, books organized not by title, author, or time. Or even the world of origin. The only organizational structure she found was like stories were placed together. Or at least that's what she thought.

She had a moment of confusion reading about the Tiger Prince and the Seven windowed Towers of Poison and why it was sorted with the Fable of the Overflowing cup when she saw that they shared the town name from which the heroes both started. A tiny fleeting reference.

Bloyse must have been drawing some insight from these books. But she failed to see what that was. She pulled another off a shelf and began again to skim through it. "I will figure it out. I'm good at reading."

Completion Counter: +1

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A Puzzle Locked Desk - AD4
Completion Counter: 0/10
Skill: Reason (+1)
Difficulty: RISKY
There is nothing more tempting than a locked box in plain sight.

FINAL TOTAL: (Action Dice 4 + Skill (Reason +1) = 5
Probability: 50% Great Success /50% Neutral
Result: GREAT SUCCESS

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It was a beautiful piece of furniture the puzzle desk. Dark wood grain inlaid with a veneered pattern of interlocking dark and light. It was the sort of fine furniture that had such a polish and feel to it that the wood felt soft and warm under your fingertips.

Mahogany pulled out the high-backed chair and sat down in front of it. Puzzles were something a hobby between the graduates of Crystal Towers. One of the few recreations that she could participate in with her peers at an equal level as using any sort of magical influence on them was considered cheating and worth a creative penalty by the group. She chuckles to herself remembering the scream of shock the Dean of Bismuth tower made when she saw Beringa streak across the courtyard. A fitting punishment for a cheater who used sympathy rather than his wits.

She studied the desk intently and thought to herself, "A desk this size could have any number of locks. But they won't be in too inconvenient places. After all this desk seemed to get regular use. So the first thing would be a secret button or lever. Something to reveal the main mechanism?"

She ran her fingertips over the curves of the desk, over the inlay, and around the decorative scrollwork on the corners. It was on the left side underneath the desk surface that she found a small depression. She smiled and pressed it firmly until she felt it move and then there was a click off to her left as one of the drawers unlocked.

Pulling it open carefully she saw that it was a sealed box drawer, a flat plate scribed with symbols prevented her from seeing what was inside it.

Trait Triggered!
What is this? - You know how to read magic and have studied it.

The plate has familiar glyphs on it. This chain implies ownership, this one linking is a ward of binding. "Ahhh... I see." Mahogany thinks, "This is an essence lock. This kind of lock was used by the particularly paranoid, it linked a function to the magical signature of a particular person. Completely ruined the resale value of an item as it could never be rekeyed to a new owner.

Mahogany sat back in the chair looking at the lock and running her hand through her hair. She was probably lucky she had tried to open this desk without having unlocked her magic. It didn't ward against her because it literally didn't detect her. She smiles wryly, classic magus elitism works in her favor this time.

There were ways to copy the essence signature, now that she thought about it. She had never used them on a lock but it was a lesser-known spell that was often used in artifact creation. After all, no one wants to buy something made by the apprentice, they always want something made by the master Artificer. She could modify it to allow her to copy the signature of Bloyse for a time.

All she needed was some item or magical effect she could study and disassemble.

Completion Counter: +3
Energy: -1
Further progress is blocked until the Essence lock is solved.

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She stood up from the desk and stretched widely, back popping and neck clicking. Reading for hours was interesting but probably not great for the body. "What time was it?" Mahogany thought and idly reached out to the Betwixt and Between with her query. She felt the thought run down through the internal walls of the building and sink into the machinery of the Destiny Engine.

At her query, she saw a part of the engine activate, and with a slow realization, the knowledge crystallized in her that the Betwixt and Between had been suspended from both Destiny and Time for her entire stay. As gears spun and moved and reconnected she felt a shudder in the building as everything unpaused and began to move again.

She could feel something coming back to her through the building, visions of the wheel of destiny turning.

An empty tea canister. A shadowed teahouse with a new altar to a lost patriarch in the corner.

A bird winging through a shadowed forest, flies into a tree hollow and tucks its head under a wing, and sleeps.

A man in a green coat slumped in the corner of a dungeon. The breast of the coat blooming a slow spreading red.

A beastlike figure smashes a chair against a wall in rage. It looks at the gleaming sword on the table sheared in half and broken.

A tall shadowy figure stands in the meeting room of a tower, it looks out the window and sees a pale gold glimmer in the swirling mist. It smiles.

Mahogany grips the back of the chair in Bloyse's office, shaking her head as the visions fade. These are things that are happening or will happen. These are events that are in Destiny that intersect with her or the Betwixt and Between's destiny. She knows that she has a choice, she can pursue these. Or ignore them.

If she ignores them Destiny will continue as it will always. But she has a chance here, to intercede and change the ending.

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Wheel of Destiny.

You will receive visions from the Destiny Engine, these visions have a turn count. When the turn count reaches zero Mahogany loses the ability to interfere. These visions could be of potential customers, future plot events in your current location, or Mahogany's personal destiny. It is up to you to choose what you prioritize and chase.

Visions of Destiny do not automatically appear as tasks, but often can be discovered by interacting through existing tasks or unlocking new ones.

(Author note: It is not my intention that you complete every Vision of Destiny, part of the nature of this quest is for you to pick and choose what has the most value to you. Also, the turns on them are not the time limit to complete a Vison of Destiny. But to find it and interact with it.)

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(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.)

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Action Dice from Conditon = 5
Action Dice Results : 6, 4, 2, 4, 1


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BORDERLANDS

[ ] 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.

[ ] Movement in the Fog
Skill: Quick (0)
Difficulty: DANGEROUS
Was that something moving outside? No, surely not. You must be imagining things.

[ ] Seek out the Bird
Skill : Quick (0)
Difficulty: RISKY
Step outside and look to the sky. Let's track down a Raven.
(This task will prompt a longer trip out of the Betwixt and Between, be ready)

[ ] A Mentor Taken
Skill: Magic of Intent (0)
Difficulty: DANGEROUS
See if you can track down what has happened to Bloyse.
(This task will prompt a longer trip out of the Betwixt and Between, be ready)

[ ] Find the Lost Wonderitems
Completion Counter: 0/8
Skill: Magic of Intent (0)
Difficulty: DANGEROUS
Locate the lost Wonderitems and return them to the store.

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STOREFRONT

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

[ ] The Dragon and Many Eyed Watcher
Completion Counter : 0/4
Skill : Magic of Craft (0)
Difficulty: RISKY
Improve security of the store and change the rules of entry.

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PERSONAL TASKS

[ ] A Keen Mind and a Clear Spirit.
Completion Counter : 9/10
Failure Counter : 0/10
Skill : Magic of Craft (0)
Difficulty : DANGEROUS
You have managed to find your manascape, in a dark cave in your soul. Spend time filling the basin on the Alter of Craft.

[ ] A Letter Home
Skill : Destiny (+1)
Difficulty: SAFE
Cost : 2 "Magic" Crystals
Surely this job was never intended as an exile. Maybe we could try get in touch with home through the Destiny Engine. But maybe I should be keeping this all a secret.

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INVENTORY

[ ] Research in the Inventory
Skill : Hidden Knowledge (+1)
Difficulty: SAFE
So there is something you want to know about wonderitems. In here it has the information both past and present.
(Please list what sort of information you want to look for.)

[ ] A Request for the Betwixt and Between
Skill: Destiny (+1)
Difficulty: RISKY
There is something you require the Betwixt and Between to provide you. Flex your connection and see if you can make it happen.
(Please specify the item and its use of it in the plan. This cannot provide magic items or new rooms. Some things cannot be created or are out of setting for this quest and are up to GM discretion)

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🐝 KITCHEN 🐝

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

[ ] A Busy Bee
Skill : Hidden Knowledge (+1)
Difficulty : RISKY
Cost : 2 'Magic' Crystals
The Kitchen has communicated to you that it can create special meals for you. But all wonderous things have a cost.

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BEDROOM

[ ] Mirror, Mirror
Failure Counter : 0/3
Skill : Empathy (+1) or Magic of Illusion (N/A)
Difficulty: RISKY
The Mirror being is both rude and uncontrollable. Maybe it's time to have a discussion.

[ ] See into the Past
Failure Counter: 0/4
Skill: Magic of Intent (N/A)
Difficulty: RISKY
I know the actions and ritual to see into the past to find out what happened in the moment of violence in the store. If only i had a way to power it.

[ ] Echo in my Hand
Failure Counter: 0/4
Skill: Magic of Craft (N/A)
Difficulty : DANGEROUS
You can modify the runes on the large mirror as well as add your own. This would allow the mirror being to enter the hand mirror and by controlled by your will.

[ ] To Sleep, perchance to Dream?
Failure Counter : 0/5
Skill : Destiny (+1)
Difficulty : DANGEROUS
The objects around the bed seemed to be tuned to have a purpose while sleeping.

[ ] Messy Room
Completion Counter : 2/4
Skill : Quick (0)
Difficulty: SAFE
Rummage through the belongings of the previous shopkeeper and maybe your supposed to be Master.

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PERSONAL STUDY

[ ] Red strings and Pages
Completion Counter : 0/5
Skill: Reason (+1)
Difficulty : SAFE
What could of the former shopkeeper been tracking?

[ ] A Puzzle Locked Desk
Completion Counter : 3/10
Skill: Quick (0)
Difficulty: RISKY
There is nothing more tempting than a locked box in plain sight.
** LOCKED** Please specify how you want to open the essence lock to continue.

[ ] Books, Books and More Books
Completion Counter: 3/8
Skill: Hidden Knowledge (+1)
Difficulty: SAFE
See if you can figure out the purpose of this collection.

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WONDERFORGE

[ ] Create a Wonderitem
Requires AD : 5, 3
Skill : Magic of Craft or other Magic Skill
Create a Wonderitem at the forge. (This will trigger a vote to determine what item.)

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DESTINY ENGINE

[ ] Realm traveller
Skill: Destiny (+1)
Cost: 4 Condition
Difficulty: DANGEROUS
Pick a new realm to travel to.
(Please note this may change or fail quests/tasks/narrative that you have not completed)

[ ] Touched by Destiny
Skill: Destiny (+1)
Difficulty: RISKY
Locate possible customers for the Betwixt and Between.

[ ] Lay a hand on the Loom
Failure Counter : 0/5
Skill: Destiny (+1) and a Magic Skill
Difficulty : RISKY
Look into a story being woven and make your own edits to the narrative.

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