A Strangeness In Glamsbury (Steampunk Eldritch Cultist Quest)

The next day, you find yourself back at the Regis Gallery again. The empty, mournful streets greet you once more, and you find yourself unfazed by it. After your encounter with Alastair yesterday, you find yourself to be rapidly getting used to the oddities surrounding this place.

You open the door, and immediately make your way inside without any further fanfare. You take a moment to admire the way the walls seemed to shift and separate around you, the way the corridors seemed to stretch and pulse as if they were alive. This entire place was animated with a mad power, the mark of an eternal sovereign.

You stop when it feels right and find yourself in front of a floating door. You open it yet again, and you find yourself face to face with Alastair. "My lady! What can I help you with today?" He grins toothily.

"Well.. I've just been wondering about some things." You respond. "For one, how do you keep this place hidden so tightly? The Inspectorate doesn't take well to heresy, but I'm sure you're already aware of that."

He idly waves a hand in your direction. "You needn't worry about that. This gallery has a way of protecting itself from unwanted eyes. It's just as alive as you and me." He says.

Odd, but you don't have much time to question it. You discuss a lot more with him, but he's surprisingly tight lipped about a lot of things. Maybe he doesn't trust you yet since you're still new.

..Guess you'll have to take care of it yourself then.

What do you want to do now?

---

AVAILABLE ACTIONS:
You have four action points this turn.

[X] Gossip with your Associates
It is within your interest to keep yourself informed of everything that goes on in this wretched hive of scum and villainy. And one must not underestimate how well informed a bunch of nosy high society ladies can be when they are bored. (Chance to unlock a plotline)

[X] Engage in self improvement.
Self improvement is essential to reach higher places in life. If you are to advance anywhere, you must look inward first and foremost (Chance to train a random stat)

[X] Do research about your patron
The Emperor of a Thousand Colors, The Ruler of Canvases, The Thousand Stained Star. You know so little about it even after being introduced to The Society. This will not stand.

[X] Take a stroll
You need a break. Forget all about your existential crises and all your doubts. Just take a walk. Smell the air around you. Go do it. Now. (???)

[X] Create a work of art for the Painted Monarch
It's not a hidden fact whatsoever that your antediluvian benefactor has a particular enjoyment for art. Perhaps if you do something to attract its attention.. it shall reward you handsomely. (Chance to gain a random boon)

[X] Study a spell with Alastair
What's the point in joining a cult if you're not gonna be able to gain illegal spells? Rectify this immediately. (Gain a minor or major spell depending on your degree of success.)

[X] Scout for new talent
You shall travel around the city to find an artist willing to die for the sake of their art. Literally. And then.. you shall judge if they are worthy or not. (Opportunity to gain a new recruit)

[X] Kidnap someone
You don't particularly like the idea of doing this.. but Alastair says it's necessary, and this might be an opportunity to get in his good graces. (Almost certain combat encounters.)

[X] Study rituals with Alastair
The curses of the Painted Emperor are potent and versatile. If you want to, you can truly master their craft. (Gain access to minor or major ritual depending on the degree of success)

[X] Improve your reputation
Attend parties. Perform charity for the poor. Ingratiate yourselves within the good grace of others. If you do so.. well, let's just say that the facade of a saint will do a lot to get you out of trouble. It's not like you don't enjoy the act itself anyway (Chance to gain a Scrap of Goodwill)

Name: Evangeline Hemlock
INCOME: 3 funds a turn.
Current Funds: 4 (-2 at the end of each turn due to financing the Regis Gallery)
SUSPICION METER: □□□□□


STAT DISTRIBUTION:
HP: 15/15
Sanity: 50/50
AC: 12
Mana: 140
Power: 1
Cunning: 8 (+4)
Knowledge: 4 (+2)
Resilience: 2 (+1)
Devotion: 5 (+3)


TRAITS:
Aristocrat: Sickeningly rich. (Passively generates 3 funds a turn. And you don't even have to work!)

Compassionate: Your heart is soft.

SPELLS KNOWN SO FAR:
SPELL SAVE DC: 10 + 4 = 14
SPELL ATTACK ROLL: +4

Still-Life
Mana Cost: 0
Effect: A simple spell that traps objects in a magical portrait that can be dismissed and resummoned at will, trapping them in time. Can it be used on people too???

ACTIONS:
Unarmed Strike
Effect: 1d1 Bludgeoning Damage.

Inventory:

The Monarch's Palette Knife:
Melee Weapon. 1d4 slashing damage.
You can probably use it on someone not in a position to resist, but tampering with a mind is pretty hard.

The Eternal Gallery:
A book about the exploits of an eccentric artist and his works, written from his own perspective. You should be careful about where you leave this. It's technically illegal.

A Scrap of Goodwill:
Something that will not leave you any time soon. (25% chance to protect your reputation)

[X] Do research about your patron

Knowledge Roll: 2d6 (5,4) + 2 = 11
DC 10
Success!

The Emperor of Painted Colors is an elusive figure. Over all the questionable books you have splurged your funds on, you have barely discovered any mentions about Him. No doubt due to the censorship of the Inspectorate.

Luckily.. you cash in on some favors with some very questionable people and manage to smuggle in a banned copy of a book titled The Eternal Gallery. It's a book about an eccentric artist displaying all of his works and explaining the thought process that went into each of his creations. Each painting displayed on the page was a confusing mess of colors and lines. An abstract nightmare that made your head hurt to look at.

Nonetheless, when you do further research about the artist's life and death, all records converge to one singular point: He disappeared mysteriously a few years ago. His magnum opus vanished alongside him. Everyone is scratching their heads over where he went, but you somehow know that the Emperor has taken him into that world. The world you saw in your dreams. The eldritch location you've barely seen a glimpse of.

Despite your fear, some part of you trembles in excitement at seeing that place again. If those wondrous patterns were but a sample of the real deal, what would the true wonders be like?

You just hope he's happy now, wherever he is.

When you have finished your macabre musings, you set every book you've scavenged on fire. Just to be safe and sure that nobody suspects you.

Well.. except for one that is.


Learned a bit more about what's in store for those who have gained the Emperor's favor.
Gained a copy of the Eternal Gallery, which will come in handy later.

---

[X] Create a work of art for the Painted Monarch
Devotion Roll: 2d6 (3,2) + 3 = 8
DC 5/10/15
Minor Success!

Finished with your research, you decide to put some of it into action. You stare in front of the blank canvas nervously, biting on your lips. You've never been particularly proud of your art skills. It's one thing to finance artists. It's another thing to be one.

Nevertheless, if all goes well.. something might happen.

You start painting.

As you go on further, the shape of the image you want to draw comes clearer and clearer into your mind. Your movements become more wild and frantic, each stroke of the brush against the canvas like the mad clawings of a beast. Helpless, paralyzed, you are at the mercy of the odd trance that has overtaken your body. He has touched you once, that is enough.

When you finish, you stare at the piece of art. It is unrecognizable from your usual sloppy style. It's like a master painter has descended from the heavens and granted you a smidge of his inspiration.

A hooded figure perched atop a throne of radiant colors, drinking from the chalice of stars.

The Painted Monarch.

Tired and exhausted, you stumble your way to your bedroom for a nap. That work took a lot out of you. It's like something vital has been ripped out of your chest, and you need to rest. Seriously.

You let the comforting arms of sleep take you, and when you awake and return to your workshop, you find that your canvas has disappeared with the work.

An ominous feeling slips down your back, and you cannot help but perceive something staring at you, but when you turn around to look at the environment around you, you notice nothing.

Unnerved, you go on with your day, but the sinking feeling of being watched never disappears.

Evangeline has summoned a lesser horror of the Emperor's Realm to protect her! It will follow her around out of curiosity and defend her from harm, but will become bored in three turns and return to its realm if another painting is not made. ..If you feed someone to it it might decide to stay as well.

---

[X] Study rituals with Alastair

Knowledge Check: 2d6 (3,3)+2=8
DC 5/10/15
Minor Success!

..This is probably the weirdest thing you've ever seen, and that's saying a lot. Alastair is sticking a palette knife into the head of someone currently, an artist if you had to guess from the attire she's currently wearing.

You've requested Alastair to teach you about the magic and rituals of the Emperor, and he has obliged. Still smiling and turning towards you, he twists the palette knife and a sickening squelching sound emerges from where it's impaling the person's brain. Oddly enough, it passes clean through the flesh and doesn't leave any blood stains behind.

"You see, my dear lady, this tool right here." He rips out the knife violently, and you wince. "Is what I like to call.. the Splitter." He jabs it in again and twists around. "It's what allows us to repaint the minds of others. Allow us to remove and incorporate aspects into their consciousness." He smiles, like he's describing something particularly fun or interesting. You suppose it must be fun.. for him.

"And what do you mean by that?" You question him. There's a lot you can do with tools that tamper with the mind. Brainwashing, deleting someone's personality.. nasty things of the sort. "Well I'm sure you understand, no?" He tilts his head playfully. "This knife right here.. is a tool of wonder. You can just rip alllll those bad memories right out!" He rips it out with one violent tug, and withdraws the knife to retrieve a screaming, whirling, black mass from the mind of the artist. It nips at his fingers violently, but he simply drops it and crushes it beneath his heel.

The artist rises from her spot on the floor, noticeably more relaxed than when you saw her before. "What I did was just rip out some bad memories from her head. Really gets in the way of her art, I think." He hands you the knife and clasps it into your hands.

"This isn't really a ritual, hm? But rest assured that you'll do some wondrous things with it. I'm sure you'll figure something out." With a jaunty skip, he leaves you behind with your thoughts and the half conscious artist.

..Okay, so what are you supposed to do with this? Stab someone?

Maybe you'll keep it just in case..

Gained Splitter!
Splitter is placed under your inventory now!

---

[X] Gossip with your associates
Cunning Roll: 2d6 (6,6)+4 = 18
DC 10
Critical Success!

There is nothing, and you mean nothing in this world more well informed than a bunch of nosy high society ladies with too much time and too little activities to keep them busy. You're almost in awe actually. You sip your champagne and adjust your dress slightly to hide your shock at how much they know about what happens in the city.

"Haven't you heard? I hear that the Dresworth Heir ran away from his family to elope with that one theater girl!" And she doesn't even know his name!" A lady says in a positively scandalous tone. You don't know her name, but you do make a note not to ever let anything slip under the scrutinizing eyes of this lot.

"Oh how terrible! His poor family.." They take a moment to nod apologetically, too bad, so sad, all that and what not, but personally you have no sympathy for the twit. "Oh ladies! Haven't you heard? Lots of artists going missing lately.." Someone perks up in the middle of the conversation, and that gets everyone heated immediately.

"Really? Do tell us!" The flock turns to the one woman who's spoken up. "I hear it has something to do with those opium dens opening up in the city recently.. I hear that the artists positively adore them! Then they disappear and never return, that's all I can say!" She finishes her tale with a somber nod.

"That's all? Well I bet those poor dears have simply got themselves addicted! Got involved with some very nasty sorts.. and poof! They disappear! Just like that!" Someone says. You're getting very tired of describing them as "someone" or "that woman" but they're not a very unique crowd, so this will have to do.

The rest of them nod again simultaneously in an eerily synchronized action. It's like they're in a hive mind or something. They quickly lose interest in the conversation and switch to another topic, but you've already made up your mind.

Something odd is going on, and the more artists disappear.. Well, that doesn't bode very well for you. Or for the Society as whole. You need to at least investigate this.


You offer the rest of the ladies a polite goodbye, mentioning that you have to take care of your parents, or they'll be very cross with you. They wince apologetically and assure you that it's completely fine and you take your leave immediately. The sooner, the better.

---

Just like that.. the week is over.

AVAILABLE ACTIONS:
You have four action points this turn.

[X] Engage in self improvement.
Self improvement is essential to reach higher places in life. If you are to advance anywhere, you must look inward first and foremost (Chance to train a random stat)

[X] Do research about your patron
The Emperor of a Thousand Colors, The Ruler of Canvases, The Thousand Stained Star. You know so little about it even after being introduced to The Society. This will not stand.

[X] Take a stroll
You need a break. Forget all about your existential crises and all your doubts. Just take a walk. Smell the air around you. Go do it. Now. (???)

[X] Create a work of art for the Painted Monarch
It's not a hidden fact whatsoever that your antediluvian benefactor has a particular enjoyment for art. Perhaps if you do something to attract its attention.. it shall reward you handsomely. (Chance to gain a random boon)

[X] Study a spell with Alastair
What's the point in joining a cult if you're not gonna be able to gain illegal spells? Rectify this immediately. (Gain a minor or major spell depending on your degree of success.)

[X] Scout for new talent
You shall travel around the city to find an artist willing to die for the sake of their art. Literally. And then.. you shall judge if they are worthy or not. (Opportunity to gain a new recruit)

[X] Kidnap someone
You don't particularly like the idea of doing this.. but Alastair says it's necessary, and this might be an opportunity to get in his good graces. (Almost certain combat encounters.)

[X] Study rituals with Alastair
The curses of the Painted Emperor are potent and versatile. If you want to, you can truly master their craft. (Gain access to minor or major ritual depending on the degree of success)

[X] Improve your reputation
Attend parties. Perform charity for the poor. Ingratiate yourselves within the good grace of others. If you do so.. well, let's just say that the facade of a saint will do a lot to get you out of trouble. It's not like you don't enjoy the act itself anyway (Chance to gain a Scrap of Goodwill)

[X] Investigate an opium den.
Artists are missing. You need to get to the bottom of this. Seriously. Otherwise Alastair is gonna blow a fuse.. and generally speaking, the less artists are around, the more difficult it becomes for you to scout for new talent. (Dangerous plotline)

[X] Hire a bodyguard
You're absolutely not suited for physical combat, and you know this. So why not hire someone to do it for you? (Costs 1 Fund. Come into contact with a hired muscle.)


You gain 3 funds from your passive income and lose 2 from financing the Regis Gallery. You are left at 4.

Lesser Horror of the Emperor:
Good at: Mauling people, Driving others to insanity
Bad at: Literally everything else.
Health: 75/75

Stats:
Power: 15 (+8)
Resilience: 6 (+3)
Cunning: 1
Knowledge: 1

Traits:
Unholy Beast: Takes twice as much radiant damage.

Incomprehensible: Each turn, a character who looks at this unit must make a Knowledge roll or lose 10 Sanity. The SAN penalty is halved every time it triggers, until it dissipates entirely.

Self Preservation Instinct: If reduced to 5 HP or less, this creature will cease fighting and begin attempting to escape.

Needlessness: Does not need to breathe, sleep, or eat. Has no sanity, therefore cannot be affected by spells that tamper with the mind.

Selective Perceptiveness: Can turn invisible when dormant. Reappears when performing an action like attacking someone.

Attacks:

Multiattack: Does two Thrash attacks or one maul attack.

Maul: Melee attack. 2d8 piercing damage.

Thrash: Melee attack. 2d4 bludgeoning damage.

A/N: Here is your servant!

[X] Hire a bodyguard

Albert Huxley is a monster of a man, massive and imposing.

You have hired him for one thing and one thing only, so you get straight to the point. "Can you start immediately?" You ask. You press a bag of silver salts into his hand. He accepts them with nary a word. "I trust that we have an understanding. I will be relying on you for the foreseeable future."

Albert smiles, and you can see his teeth gleam like knives under the light of the chandelier.

..Lovely.

---

[X] Improve your reputation
Cunning Roll: 2d6 (3,1) + 4 = 8
DC 5/10/15
Minor Success!

People don't know you, but they do like you.

You perform your role with the excellence that is expected of you, and the results immediately bear fruit.

It's some more of the usual. You engage in idle conversation here and there, learn what someone likes and dislikes.. things such as those.

Eventually, it blends together into nothing but blandness in your mind, it's almost like second nature at this point, really.

You just hope that your reputation will help soften the blow when the time comes.

Gained a Scrap of Goodwill!

---

[X] Scout for New Talent
Cunning Roll: 2d6 (1,6) + 4 = 11
DC 10
Success!

You espy him during an exhibition at the Regis Gallery, during one of the rare occasions where Alastair actually deigns to open the place to the public eye.

Tall. Shaggy red hair. Cheeks dotted with freckles. Piercing green eyes. You suppose he's rather attractive in a cute, naive way. You look at the painting that he's standing in front of, and find yourself amazed at the art.

He stands in the middle of a crowd, blushing at the praise they heap upon him. He scratches his head nervously, and you make your way through the crowd as you attempt to get a closer look at what they're gawking at.

The painting itself is simply breathtaking. A beautiful portrait of a lake surrounded with swans and trees. You gawk at it for a few minutes, admiring every detail, before the crowd disperses and seems to search for other sources of art.

You approach the man slowly, and greet him. "Did you draw this, sir?" You ask. He blushes and nods. "Yes I did, ma'am." You nod and tell him what's on your mind. "Impressive. It's very beautiful." You say, transfixed by the beauty of the portrait. "Thank you, ma'am." He says nervously: "I wasn't expecting it to be so.. popular." He admits.

"Nonsense." You wave off his worries. "This is beautiful. Beautiful enough that I think it'd be a waste not to use your talents." You turn towards him, flashing him a beatific grin. "I have.. connections to the owner of this gallery. If you wish, your works could be displayed here regularly, and I could introduce you to some very important people and.. a special benefactor." You say. "R-Really?! Thank you so much, ma'am!" He takes your hands in his and practically jumps up and down. "It means so much to me.. thank you so much!"

He's practically almost weeping in sheer joy as you tell him what you have in store, and as you leave him be with his thoughts, your smile finds itself to be fading away from your face.

You just hope you're doing the right thing.

---

[X] Study a spell with Alastair

Knowledge Roll: (1, 2)+4 = 7
DC 10
Fail!

..Your studies with Alastair do not go well.

You try, and you try hard, but the specifics always elude you somehow. You find yourself lost in a sea of theories and explanations, unable to catch up to any of it.

After a week has passed, you've definitely made some progress to understanding the boons of the Emperor, but despite this, you haven't managed to learn a concrete spell yet.

Alastair politely says that every journey begins with a single step. Though your work did not bear fruit this time, you feel optimistic about learning more in the future.

The next time you try to learn a spell, the DC is lowered by 5.

---

And with that, another week is over.

You find your mind drifting to the troubling rumor about the opium den. The Angel's Kiss specifically. If the rumors were true, then they would indicate a danger to artists that you cannot ignore. But rumors are merely gossip and hearsay, how much stock can you actually put into them?
[X] Investigate deeper
[X] Leave the matter be