The Way Forward: Helping a mortal navigate the Celestial Bureaucracy (Transmigration Quest)

Updates: Mechanics clarified on per turn. Transmigration mechanics still being debated.

For context, this is the current stat block that, going forward, will be posted in every turn:

AP: 5
RP: 120/turn
Urgent Bank: 0 RP
RP Storage: 0 RP (720 RP cap)
FP: 5

Enemy: ???
[Stats on Enemy Blocked]
+35 to resist enemy action or overcome enemy block attempt.

Ci Xiaomei (Al-Khalia) Awareness: 0
Ci Xiaomei Defiance: 0 (None)

Effects:

• -5 rolls to all Xiaomei actions next turn.

This post covers the setting of the Land of Keria.

---

The Land of Keria comprises of two continents and several large islands. It is a land of magic, both from the universe, and innate, from the soul.

Many races dominate Keria, but the three leading races, the elves, humans, dwarves, deem all others to be Monsters. Whether or not this is true, of course, none can truly say.

With the increase of polities claiming Monster tribal land in the most recent crusade, the world trembles once again. A Hero is needed, to lead the changing of the era, and to protect those who could not protect themselves.



Organizations
The Order of the White Hawk

"In the Year 100 of The Peace of Tair, a movement arose to bring equality in treatment of any race with intelligence. This was started by the Master Magi Alcriah, a Magi from the Principality of Lactovalia. In the next fifty years, it spread across the land. While vested interests, as well as the desire of many greedy rulers to seize land controlled by the various Monster tribes, kept it suppressed, in some places they achieved more results, such as the first Fennebeast Baron, in the Grand Duchy of Molia in the Year 190. In some places, the rising tension began to disperse, as efforts were made to achieve balance between all the races. Ultimately, though, the fire would start in the Year 217..."

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Scribe Kariani, The Histories of the Last Years of the Peace of Tair.

The Order of the White Hawk, and it's political society, Equality for All, are societies dedicated to equality. They are banned in the Principality of Yang and Moncolisian Empire. They have only had minor success officially, but many areas are unofficially friendly to them, seeing the local tribes as partners and friends across Keria.

Guilds

Most nations use the Adventurers Guild systems, with a council of national heads meeting to coordinate policy. This goes as good as you might think on some of the more fractious issues.

They use the following broad classes and ranks

Ranks:

• D - Generic. Anyone in here is the lowest rank, and may not be treated as full adventurers in some locals
• C - Slightly skilled. Able to generally act as stand in soliders in many regions, and in some remote locations, are paid to be part time soldiers for various needs.
• B - Skilled.
• A - Highly Skilled. A class adventurers often act as elite forces against monsters, dungeons, or other worries.
• S - Extremely Skilled. These are often contracted to ruling forces, as they are too capable of toppling nations.
• X - X class adventurers are often once in a century adventurers, and are your Heroes, your Demon Kings, etc.

Classes:

• Celebrant - Worshippers of the Divine. Specializes into Acolytes.
• Fighter- Your generic fighter. Specializes into Samurai, Knight, Archer, etc.
• Ranger - Someone who specializes in dealing with nature and monsters. Specializes into Druid.
• Magi - Magi specialize in the use of external mana. They can specialize into Sorcerers, who augment this with internal qi, Wizards, who specialize in mana usage, and Bards/Songstresses/etc. who use music to amplify mana. (Once you manipulate mana as a thing, you cannot go to internal qi.)
• Adepts - Technical experts, jacks of all trades. Specializes into Experts, which can do a lot of things well even if they do not excel at combat, and Rogues, who specialize in dungeonneering and other things.
• Meditants - These specialize in the cultivation of their inner energy, and the manipulation of it. Specializes into Monks. Can also specialize into Sorcerers.

Pantheon

This Pantheon has no over-deity. Many act only through their worshippers, and most are not considered major.

Major:

• Senian - God of Merciful Justice. Sigil: Scales.
• Tari - God of Order. Sigil: Sword and Pen
• Tarini - Goddess of Love. Sigil: A Harp and Red Silk Ribbon
• Tarizeih - Goddess of Knowledge and Magic. Sigil: A quill and book.
• Kahria - Goddess of Night and Travelers. Sigil: A blue wagon under a star.
• Tdzai- God of the Protectors. Sigil: A shield with a sword embedded.

Calendar

Most nation use the calendar of the Church of the Manifold Divine, as it's a very common religion. They date eras from the last Great Hero. The current era is the Peace of Tair, the Twelfth Great Hero since antiquity.

This calendar is based on the ancient Macedonian calendar. It is a calendar of 360 days, requiring a festival month every 9 years to re-sync it with the calendar. (this month is 14 days.)

Monstary

• Fennebeast - One of the intelligent monsters, this tribe has increasingly vanished into more and more remote forests, and are masters of mana and qi. Their power can be measured by the count of their tails.
• Kitsune - An evolved form of fennebeast, these are considered B-rank threats at minimum. Masters of Spiritual and Illusionist magic, some nations revere kitsune as sages, and there's even a few guilds that require getting a kitsune to teach you something successfully and without violence on either side as a measure of mastery of the Mystical Arts.
• Snowagara - Think a FFXIV Mandragora but snow. Not very smart, but usually quite passive unless they are angered or sense prey.

Currency

There are hundreds of currencies. Adventurers use a common currency that can generally be exchanged almost everywhere. They used to be other metals, but gold and platinum are generally too valuable to use for coins. Prism coins are actually a stamped crystal prism.

• 10 copper coins = 1 silver coin
• 10 silver coins = 1 titanium coin
• 10 titanium coin = 1 prism coins.

The average wages of a worker in most countries are 2 country coins a day.

Notable People

Locations

Phoenix City, in a cleared center of the forests between the Moncolisian Empire and the Grand Duchy of Molia.

It is a heavily fortified city, and the tribes who came with it are working with the existing monster tribes to ensure that the people who live there live there in relative peace.

It is also the new HQ of the Order of the White Hawk. It is the center of a growing nation.

Location: 7.62 S, 32.21W
Height: 252 ft above sea level.
Climate: Fairly warm city, with a temperature range similar to Guangzhou, China. It does receive near constant rainfall, however, and the city was setup to reflect it.

Resources

Phoenix City has several iron and silver mines within it's nearby environs, as well as one gold mine.

One night, Xiaomei dreams..
Roll: [1d6] 5

Xiaomei awakens to see herself on a rainbow cloud in space, floating in an eternal night. In front of her is a dark elf dressed in a barkskin jacket, radiating an overwhelming presence. A blue wagon house, impossibly glorious and radiant is behind her.

The dark elf smiles at her.

"Child, I am Kahria, the Goddess of Night and Travelers."

Xiaomei nods, kneeling in respect, but notes that she feels different. Looking at her reflection, she sees a prettier version of herself, wearing a beautiful dress of the night sky smiling back at her, her ten tails floating in the sky. It feels right, all that it can't be possible.

"This is a reflection of the dream you may be." The goddess says as Xiaomei looks at her reflection.

"But tell me. What do you wish for?"

Xiaomei looks at her, considering. Memories of her old world, destroyed in nuclear fire arrive.

"In my previous world, it felt like no one who could stop it would, and the quiet despair of the people was unanswered. Compassion went unrewarded, and cruelty and malice rewarded. I want to be someone who can stand in the way of malice. To teach others that compassionate strength is the way forward."

The dark elf's eyes light up as she finishes in chorus. "To be a star in the night, so that my wishes will shine on."

This was the ending bit of the oath of an Acolyte to Khaliah.

"I cannot mark you as an Acolyte of mine. I can, though, grant you access to my magic, and a boon. And a caution. Beware those in the heavens who stab with a smile." The dark elf waved, and Xiaomei's sight grew dim as the amulet around her neck took the sigil of Kharia, a blue wagon under a star.

"I look forward to seeing a new star be born." The dark elf says as Xiaomei falls back asleep.

[Gain "Blessings of Kahria" (+3 Resistance, +3 Survival, +10 Respect with all worshipers of Kahria.); "Boon of Kahria": (+5 Empathy (and access to the restricted skill); +5 Healing; Access to the MP pool; ) Gain the Power "The Defender of the Many": +5 to VIT,STR,DEX when in combat or defending others. +10% to checks to defuse combat situations.
Gain Power "Kerian Mystical Art: Khalian Worship" - spend morning in ritual prayer, gain spells "Cure", "Guidance", "Sanctuary", and "Longstride.". Spell potency and number increase with use of power/spells.]

[Amulet of the Seven Moons Unlocked - Gain Sigil of Khaliah, +1 to all rolls at night.]

Xiaomei was granted a second chance by the Goddess of the Night and Travelers!
Xiaomei rolls Resistance vs DC 40 to overcome the curse: [2d100, pick highest: 3 89; 89+12=101]
Successful! Curse removed.

[Gain Quest "Attain the Dream: Be a Defender."]
[Gain Quest "Become Who You Were Meant To Be."]
[Resolve Quest "Welcome to Keria!" +16 XP]
[Gain Quest "Understand the Scroll"]
[1 Curse Removed]


ARC 1:
Will we rise or fall? The fate of victory is unknown until the final moment.
Embrace the divine wind and charge ahead.


Enemy Action Resolve
ENEMY ACTION: Attempt to make your actions harder. Rolled: 74
Your Defense: 1d100+40. Rolled: (97) -> 137
Result: 137-74 = 63; Major Failure
Next turn, Enemy loses one action, takes a penalty of -20 on their action. AP Costs are down 63% to a minimum of 1 AP. All AP actions have a bonus of 63%, rounded down.

ENEMY ACTION: Arrange for a negative encounter for Xiaomei. Rolled: 77
Your Defense: 1d100+40. Rolled: (51) -> 91.
Result: 91-74 = 17; Minor Failure
Next turn, Enemy takes a penalty of -10 to their action.

(Results: Enemy takes a total of a penalty of -30 on their action next turn.)

Player Action Resolve

- Create an ally.

Xiaomei wakes up one day to see a white dove nestling near her, calling softly to her. Xiaomei smiles, and after a brief moment of arranging for food and water, names her Taria. (Gain Familiar: White Dove)

- Improve Your Sight

It takes some effort in concert, but you manage to refine the portal such that it displays more information to your senses as to outcomes. You can see the signs of Celestial meddling clearer, now, but still not who does it.

- Bend Fate: A Butterfly to Guide Somewhere; Make a fateful meeting positive for the character.

Resolved in Random Encounter Actions.

Xiaomei Actions

Xiaomei attempts to understand the scroll for 3 days:
Knowledge(Kerian Mystical Arts) vs DC 50: 2d100 highest (39, 21) + 7 => 46; Minor Failure
(No penalty.)

Xiaomei attempts to understand the scroll for 3 days:
Knowledge(Kerian Mystical Arts) vs DC 50: 2d100 highest (99, 61) + 7 => 106; Critical Success.
(Auto cast; Gain +2 to Knowledge(Kerian Mystical Arts))
The scroll is a simple one, the scroll to Detect Magic, and Observe Auras.
[Resolve Quest. Gain ability to cast spells based on External Mana in the Kerian Magical System. (requires scroll or grimoire). +5 MP, +1 INT/WIS, +21 XP]

Xiaomei spends the next week helping her "employer" clean the tower in preparation for the yearly ritual. She also gets a starter grimoire to copy spells into, and is given the starter spell package.
(Xiaomei Sense Motive Check: 2d100 highest (61, 35) + 2 vs DC 90 (Masterful): 63; Major Failure)

Her employer says merely that he'd like an assistant on some magical experiments, and sees in her a "good" Monster..

Xiaomei can attempt no more Sense Motive checks on this deception.

Xiaomei gains Knowledge(Kerian Mystical Arts) + 2, Spells: Observe Auras, Read Magic, Detect Magic, Ray of Fire, Shield

Xiaomei spends week 3 preparing meals and other things for the yearly ritual.

Roll for Profession(Maid): 93; Roll for Appraise: 91;
Ritual gains +2 bonus.

Xiaomei asks about the ritual, but is told it's one to renew the yearly Blessing of Kati, a minor deity who protects villages with walls against monster attacks.

Xiaomei attempts a Knowledge(Kriean History) or Knowledge(Kriean Mysteries) check vs DC 85 (Extremely Hard)
Rolls for Knowledge(Kriean History): 90, 3
Rolls for Knowledge(Kriean Mysteries): 98, 58
Knowledge(Kriean Mysteries): 98+1=>99 vs 85; Minor Success

There is certainly a minor deity named Kati. A deity of sacrifice for the group. A banned worship, in the Principality of Yang.

(Xiaomei can attempt no more Sense Motive checks.)
[Quest Gained: "Mysterious Sacrifical Ritual"]

The yearly ritual will take place in 2 Turns.

Random Encounters
Currently, there are 5 Random Encounter possibilities due to Xiaomei actions.

Roll Results: [103, 103, 64, 61, 59] - 5 Encounters
Encounter Rolls: [67] => 167; [81] => 181; [39] => 139; [65] => 165 Replaced by FP, now last encounter.; [33] => 133

Encounter 1:
One day, Al-Khalia is out on a task when an adventurer party shanghais her without her ability to resist to help harvest a particular ice herb.

"B-"

"Monsters like you don't have the right to say no." The leader says arrogantly. Several party members wince.

"Besides, we'll give you arms and armor for this, although you shouldn't need it." The leader is smacked over the head by the priest of Senian for the leer he starts to give.

"Enough. She's able to have that autonomy. You can still be removed as leader." The priest says sternly, radiating dad energy.

He hands Al-Khalia his spare quarterstaff to use.

The party goes to pick herbs, and has to chase off some of the wild hogs.

At the end, she has to give all of it back, but the priest did spend some time teaching her the very basics of making medicine and using it as compensation.

(Rolls for XP: 6d6-5 => 15 16, ???: 1d20 => 5; No Result.)
Gain: +16 XP, +1 Knowledge(Botany), +1 Healing, Proficiency (Quarterstaff) now Adept)

Encounter 2:
An interment Celebrant dressed in blue and black sneers at Xiaomei as she's in the Market and sends a curse at her. No one stops him.

(Xiaomei makes a Resistance check vs DC 40: (43 64) 64 + 12 => 76; Minor Success; Curse reduced to -3 to all rolls.)

No one helps her either as the dark magic seeps into her.
[Cursed 2nd Time]
(Curse starts now, persists through next turn.)
(Gain 1d6+3 XP => 5 XP)


Encounter 3:
Al-Khalia is accosted by a local Herbalist, teaching his apprentice. After a long day of going over rare herbs, she's tired, worn out, and with a new appreciation for the work of herbalists. But his apprentice dislikes the interest in a mere fennebeast...

[+2 Knowledge(Botany), 2d6 XP => 7; Rival(Herbalist Apprentice); Respect -10 with Rival]

Encounter 4:
Al-Khalia is taking the back alleys home in order to evade.. some unwanted attention, and spots something on the ground.
(Roll 1d20+2-3 => 7; meh result)
When she picks it up, she sees a quarterstaff with an old and bruised crystal embedded into it. Picking it up, she carries it home, where she manages to hide it in her room before her "employer" sees it.

(Gain Weapon "Old Missile Staff")

Encounter 5:
Al-Khalia was out to get some crystals as bid by her employer, when a rainbow butterfly flew by her, stopped, and she followed, captivated by it's beauty. (+5 Awareness)

This led her deeper in the Tundra towards the hills most people avoided, but somehow, no one got near her. When she got closer..

(Xiaomei performs a Perception check vs a Stealth check.)
(18 21)+5-3 (Curse)=>23 vs (76, 127, 71); Critical Failure x 3)

.. she spots only a lone figure. A older, five-tailed fennebeast.

Al-Khalia chokes up when she spots the familiar figure, and the figure turns around. It's her mother. Mother and daughter embrace, with Al-Khalia sobbing into her arms for a moment.

After a moment, the two begin to talk to each other, her mother growing more and more upset - at what happened, the collar on her neck, and what she suspects is going to happen.

"My daughter. When you see a violet bloom in the sky, run away. I will find you, and I will save you."

Her smile has a tinge of darkness. "If they want to slaughter our villages..."

Al-Khalia quietly speaks up. "We should be better."

The older fennebeast smiles fondly. "I will try. I promise no mercy if they betray our trust."

She hands Al-Khalia a bracer, which melds into her skin. "Your bracer. I am returning it to you, when you went missing after our village was slaughtered. May it protect you anew.. and I'll see you soon, my daughter. Things are not yet ready."

Al-Khalia sadly nods, and returns back to the village.

(Gain Contact: Mother; Bracer of Armor (+15% chance for attacks to be negated.); Gain 3d10 XP => 11 12)

[Quest "Mysterious Sacrificial Ritual" updated;]

[Level Up => 2; Gain +1 all stats;]
[Xiaomei picks +3 to Sense Motive; +2 to Perception and Resistance; +1 to Situational Awareness, +1 K(Kriean Mystical Arts); +1 to Diplomacy]



AP: 5 (Bonus AP persists until end of this world.)
RP: 120/turn
Urgent Bank: 30 RP
RP Storage: 20 RP (720 RP cap)
FP: 6 (2 completed quests.)

Enemy: ???
[Stats on Enemy Blocked]
+40 to resist enemy action or overcome enemy block attempt.
Sight: +1 (Enhanced) (Gain more information and a +5 to resist enemy.)

Ci Xiaomei (Al-Khalia) Awareness: 5/300
Ci Xiaomei Defiance: 0 (None)
Ci Xiaomei Level:2 XP: 0/250

Effects:

• -3 to all rolls

-[] Level Up
-- [] Pick a feat. Name and desc. Effects should be line with existing feats.
-- [] Pick Skill Increases
--- [] 8 points total; one skill no more than +4. This will resolve during Xiaomei's phase next turn
-- [] Stat Increase
--- [] One +2 or Two +1 skills.
-[] AP Pool
--[] Get Xiaomei a fortunate encounter (1 AP. Spend +2 1 AP to make it more fortunate.)
--[] Burn AP to reveal a hint about an ongoing quest. (1 AP for subquests, 2 1 AP for Main quests.)
--[] Improve RP Pool (1 AP for +10 16 RP. Cost triples every 3 AP spent. RP cost increase is for this world, see transmigration mechanics.)
--[] Gain an ally in the Pantheon, on the sly. (1 AP, ??? Results. Better Results: 3 AP.)
--[] Arrange for an Inciting Incident (2 1 AP
--[] Investigate the Celestial Bureaucracy. Surely, something must be going on. [Sequence] (4 1 AP. Gain more information, unlock the Celestial Intrigue tree. Unlocks the ability to choose the next world. Note your only bonus here is your sight bonus.)
--[] Help cloud your enemies sight. [BLOCKED] [Must identify enemy first]
--[] Counter your enemies blocking your sight. [BLOCKED] [????]
--[] Improve Your Sight.(3 1 AP), +5 to your rolls on Enemy Action, more Information on action results. Cost increases +1 AP each time.)
--[] Send a Omen to the World. (5 2 AP. ??? Effects, mostly beneficial to Xiaomei.)
--[] Gain the favor of the Dao of Luck. (4 Turn Action; spend 5 2 AP per turn. Gain Advantage on rolls against the Enemy, ??? results. This action will become unavailable if the enemy takes this action first.)

-[] RP Pool
--[] Bank RP for later-use. (Banked RP caps at the same cap as unspent.) (Cost: ??? RP)
--[] Spend resources to spawn a friendly organization (Cost 50 RP)
--[] Spend resources to enhance your AP (Improve your magical options) (Gain +1 AP per 55 RP spent.) (Cost increases every +2 AP by +20 RP per AP) (AP is for this world, see transmigration mechanics.)
--[] Spend resources to make your interference less obvious to potential watchers in the Bureaucracy. (Enemy difficulty to directly affect your DCs increases, your bonus on opposing them increases. Cost: 55 RP.)
--[] Create Power/Origin Item [Multi-term] [Expensive] [Awareness Increase] [Defiance Decrease] (Cost: 45 RP other turns.)
--[] Spend resources to create very bad luck for someone.. (Write-In, explain. Better explanations decrease cost, may have other benefits.)(Cost: 60 RP)
--[] Spend resources to better identify other Celestial Bureaucracy operatives, maybe even the enemies.. [Expensive][Sequence Action] (Cost: 60 RP per turn. Note this action must be taken every turn until finished.)

-[] FP Pool

--[] Bend Fate. (Awareness +5)(This is a visible warping of fate, obviosu to Xiaomei and the enemy, as well as anyone of sufficient magical power. Specify type. Certain things cost more FP.) (1 FP+, ??? Effects.)
--[] Set One Good Roll to .. (30/1 FP, 50/2 FP, 70/3 FP)
--[] Ensure a fateful meeting is positive for character. (+2+? FP, ??? effects, +? Awareness)(If no person met is specified, this is QM's choice. The more FP spent here, the more positive effects, basically.)
--[] Change the Fate of a Character. (2 FP)
--[] Cause a sidequest to appear for Xiaomei. (2+ FP.) (Write in quest in *detail.* Note better rewards might make the quest very annoying if you do not also spend more FP, and Xiaomei cannot see the quest details yet.)
--[] Place an OPA in her path. (6 FP)(OPA - Out of Place Artifact. Detail this. Note the effects will be negative/positive.)

---

Transmigration mechanics also updated. Skill list now includes Empathy and an explanation of restricted skills. I hope you enjoy! The dice rolls this time were uh.. wild.

And with the unlock of Magic, the concept of spells and MP/Qi will be added later today.

At this point, I do not anticipate an expansion of the mechanics unless something comes up. Character sheet will update later today. I just wanted to get this out to you before I ran errands.

The nice thing about levelups on turns where the Enemy loses an action is that they can't block them next turn, so I just threw it in this turn.