Watch Them Fall (A Salem Quest)

This is a semi-Strategy, semi-RP quest, with a focus on managing resources, allies, and Salem's own troubled emotional state. At any given moment, Salem - you - has control of a number of loyal servants, intricate plots, and of course the innumerable creatures of Grimm.

In general in this quest, when embarking on a particular challenge, there will be some kind of roll to determine its level of success. This will, generally, be a roll of a number of d10s, with the number dependent on a variety of modifiers and skills from a base of 1d10 (so, for instance, if an agent of yours is trying to sneak into a CCT tower and plant a virus - she's timing this alongside a distraction for a +2 modifier, but she's not naturally inclined to stealth so much as secrecy and lying, so she's also taking a -1 modifier, rolling 2d10 to determine how successful she is). One of the most common groups of modifiers are Goals and Weaknesses; if a task is aligned with a character's Goal they are going to give it more of their effort. Equally, if a task requires strength where they have a Weakness, they will struggle. But the reverse is also true - acting against a Goal impairs a character and playing into a Weakness will turn it into a strength. Bear this in mind before making any choices!

Any roll on one of the d10s of a seven or higher is a success; any roll of a one is a complication (so, in the above example, rolling a one might mean a trainee huntress sees your agent sneaking around on the rooftops and goes to investigate what's going on). Multiple ones can either increase the complication (it's not just a trainee huntress, it's Oz's pet) or give an additional complication (there's a bunch of Atlesian guards there too). I will always say what potential complications a roll can have before it's made!

If a roll has no complications it is flawless and will give additional bonuses; if it has no successes and at least one complication, it is a setback, and will cause some level of penalty beyond the norm.

Additionally, certain rolls may be especially risky (x) or challenging (x). Risky rolls count as generating a complication on the listed number or below - so a Risky (2) roll would generate complications on any roll of one or two; challenging rolls require a higher target number than seven - so a challenging (9) roll requires a roll of nine or higher to count as a success! Obviously, some rolls can be BOTH risky AND challenging!

Rolls will only occur for exceptional tipping points - generally, people will simply Do things.

Salem has a number of resources to draw on - however, due to her nature, she's mostly operated in the shadows over the last few centuries/millenia, and thus she doesn't exactly have 'resources' as most nationstates would define them. Nevertheless, her and her agents are assumed to be able to get 'normal' equipment (weaponry, transport, etc.) without any effort. Sometimes, however, the Queen needs something specific - a virus that can bring down a kingdom, the allegiance of a branch of the White Fang, a key to a hidden chamber dear Ozma made. Any of these would be a resource, generally with their own specific rules as to their usage and effects.

Resources can be gained in one of two ways - Research and Acquisition.

Research is the process of developing or making something from scratch - a new breed of flying beringels, for instance. Research will require a certain number of actions taken for it to be completed, or a certain number of successes, or both, after which you acquire the indicated resource. Research can also be used to gain information about a variety of subjects and 'unlock' other research projects to generate actual Resources.

Acquisition is for things that can't simply be made - the loyalty of groups, special projects made by someone not under Salem's thumb, rare artifacts, and so on. Acquisition of these Resources requires some level of active effort, generally assigning another agent or Salem herself to an Excursion (see below for more on them) to retrieve them.

There is, of course, a special category of resources - Salem's Inner Circle, her Agents.

An Agent is both a resource and narratively a member of Salem's inner circle. They are her hands and eyes outside of her castle - while Lionheart's cowardice might make him a Resource, Tyrian, Watts, Cinder, and Hazel would all be Agents. Much like Salem herself, Agents have several traits, as well as goals they are striving for. It's important to keep Agents (relatively) happy - the more their goals are ignored, the less loyal and more erratic they may become, potentially making irrational decisions or even defecting (!) if not paid attention to.

This makes them sound like they're all downside - but crucially, Agents can be assigned to do actions Salem does not have time for each turn; they can also be sent on Excursions, Acquire resources and do Research. Each Agent is a boost to your action economy, and thus they are exceptionally valuable.

You've probably seen by now I've mentioned the term Excursion a lot. This is one of three kinds of turn that can happen. Each of the time they take is somewhat abstracted, but is generally in the indicated range.

Strategic level turns take, in universe, somewhere between six months and two years. They are Salem playing the grand game and making slow steps towards her goals. Each Strategic Turn, Salem can take three actions, with one additional action per Agent, assigning Agents to it via putting the agent's name in square brackets after the vote (so, for instance, if you wanted Watts to do research on the CCT towers you'd format the vote as [X] Research on the CCT [Watts]). You may always push additional actions, but for each additional action taken, all other actions (including those by your agents!) will become more Risky, more Challenging, or both! Strategic turns contain Research options, and further allow Salem to direct her forces on a continental or planetary scale, marshaling and sending out Agents (or herself) on -

Excursion level turns are for when Salem, or one or more of her Agents, are actively working on a particular, 'short' term plan in a particular locale. They take, in universe, somewhere between a week and two months. Any given Excursion will have a number of available actions Salem, or any Agents on the Excursion can take, depending on the goals of the Excursion and its location. However, taking more than the indicated limit will make Salem's actions more noticeable, potentially drawing in Ozpin's own Agents or increasing the difficulty faced by Salem/her Agents. This, or other decisions, may lead to -

Battle level turns are for when Salem, or one or more of her Agents, are actively engaged in a fight, series of skirmishes, or ongoing armed attack of some kind. They take, in universe, somewhere between a minute and two hours per turn, depending obviously on the kind of battle being depicted. While Salem herself cannot die, her Agents, Resources and plans can be threatened, destroyed or halted on failure. Generally, I will define consequences for a Battle on the turn it starts (i.e.; on a loss x will happen, on a win y will happen), though final results are likely to lead to some mix of both consequences (human error often mars perfection, after all).

All characters can endure a certain level of Stress; this represents harm physical, mental and beyond that a character accumulates over time. In general, the higher a character's stress is, the closer they are to their breaking point - when Broken, they will suffer in some major way, be it physical injury, mental disorder, or outright death! These major Consequences will take time and action to clear.

Stress can be reduced in two ways - taking smaller consequences (minor injuries and problems), or by moments of Catharsis that allow Stress to be relieved through treatment or a venting of emotion. In most characters this is normally achieved through bonds of comradeship and social interaction.

Salem is not most characters, and achieving Catharsis is far harder than normal. Any non-normal methods will have to be discovered, except for one - any time Salem leans into her Grimm half (see her Traits) she automatically clears all Stress and mental Consequences.

Ozma

Goals:

• The Return: Ozma and his many reincarnations seek to bring the Gods back to a unified humanity where they may live alongside 'their creations' - as if any of them are still alive but me - in 'peace' once again.
• Thwart Salem: Ozma ever seeks to interfere in my plans, regardless of their focus, and will set his servants to my trail as I set mine to his.
• ?????

Weaknesses:

• Lack of Will (?): Ozma lacks the will for the unity he desires - ever he moves with an even tempered, 'balanced', deceitful hand, and thus leaves the seeds of division in his wake for me to exploit.
• Devotion (???): Ozma still believes a world where the fallible Brothers sit in judgement upon all 'beneath' them is desirable, or at least, that's what his actions seem to indicate.
• ?????

Resources and Agents:

• The Four Relics: While Ozma has never brought the four of them together, for the past century or so he has had the capacity to do so, holding all four of the Relics granted by the gods secure. Each - Knowledge, Creation, Destruction, and Choice - are unreproducibly powerful resources in their own right, and when pushed to his limits, Ozma will draw upon them.
• The Four Academies: In the wake of the Great War, some over earlier vaults and some specifically constructed to house them, Ozma built his four academies of huntsmen to block my path to the Relics. Not only do they churn out generations of peacekeepers who eat into my forces of Grimm, but each is headed by a headmaster in his inner circle, who holds considerable political power - through them, Ozma sits a near-dictator over the 'known' world.
• The Four Maidens: A long time ago, Ozma split a portion of his power in four, and imbued it in four young women, as though they could be any substitute for those he killed. The power is passed down, generation to generation, and so the line of Maidens continues. He keeps their identities secret now, and each wields elemental magical force unmatched by any save I myself, and many of his closest treasures and secrets - including the Relics - are barred by doors only they can open.
• The Wizard's Many Eyes: Ozma maintains many Agents with which to hinder my schemes, from the unwitting to those who believe they know him. Some of his most powerful he has, over the centuries, imbued with esoteric and specific pieces of his magic, granting them dangerous capabilities.
• Unknown At This Time…

Traits:

• You Are Never Alone: Ozma can die… for a time. When he emerges into a new soul that resonates with his, he slowly cannibalises their soul to power himself and continue his line, changing subtly in the process over the aeons, learning new skills as he goes. Ozma may never roll less than (?????) on any given Action as instead he draws on his lifetimes of experience; additionally, when Ozma's current host would be killed, his soul will find a 'like-minded' one and bond to it within ??? Strategic Turns.
• A Wizard: While he has sacrificed much of his direct power to others, Ozma is still one of the only users of true magic on the planet, and his skill and ability reflect this. In direct combat, Ozma gains +2d10 on all rolls, and those rolls cannot EVER be made Challenging. In addition, he can bestow a portion of his power on others, ?????.
• ??Flotsam of the Past??: ?????
• ?????: ?????

Hazel Rainart

Goals:

• No More Dead Children: Hazel seeks a beautiful world order where his sister would never have been killed by training; of course, he seeks this through me, one who cares little for the survival of this world so much as my own exit from it. This is, however, something he is still somewhat aware of, and managing him will take time and care.
• The Purity of Vengeance: Beyond his utopian would-be ideals, Hazel simply wants to hurt those who took his sister from him - the Grimm that killed her, and dear Ozma in his role as Beacon's headmaster. I have managed to divert him from the manifestation of the former that is myself - for now - so he is currently focused on the latter.
• ?????: Surely, there is more to him, but given his rather recent involvement with my cause, I have not yet discovered it.

Weaknesses:

• The Cowardice of Hypocrisy: Hazel, fundamentally, knows that Ozma is only as much to blame for his Gretchen's death as any authority figure would be. But it is easier to be angry with a person with a face than the hordes of Grimm, or the nature of mistakes, statistical errors, the fact that Gretchen herself made a mistake. If forced to confront this hypocrisy or another 'responsible' figure - like, say, myself - he may snap in another direction to maintain his delusions.
• Apathy and Rage: Hazel has handled his grief simply - by sinking into a calm so deep it is resignation, and lapsing into rage so hot it heeds little but its own call. While these emotions are deeply familiar, they also currently make him a somewhat unreliable Agent without supervision.
• ?????: Surely, there is more to him, but given his rather recent involvement with my cause, I have not yet discovered it.

Traits:

• Anesthetic Rage (Semblance): Hazel may ignore any pain he is suffering from as long as his aura lasts; until he Breaks, all Stress he suffers may be reduced, and he may ignore all Consequences and physical Complications that relate to injuries he has received (note, though, that he IS still injured, he just ignores the effects).
• Journeyman Dust Mage: Hazel has developed some level of skill with manipulating raw dust and its effects - he may, with a sufficient supply and a good way to use it, use Dust in combat to grant himself a +1 modifier to any combat roll.

Current Stress: ?/8

Current Loyalty: Strained

Rosie Arourai

Deceased in My Service


Rene d'Auferre

Goals:

• The Will of the Queen: Rene is… genuinely sympathetic to me. To what I want. And he is willing to do what it takes for me to achieve it. This is… rare, especially in one who is not a deranged zealot, or who has been manipulated to the point they might as well be. It has been many years now and I am still not sure how I feel about it.
• A Certain Level of Class: Rene requires his actions - and his surroundings - to maintain a certain level of dignity and nobility that has faded somewhat from the world, to his chagrin. He would see the world restored, at least a little, to his somewhat-edited memories of his youth.
• A Good Death: For some years now, it has become clear that he will not see me achieve my desires within his lifetime. Since that became clear, he has sought an 'honourable' death in my service before age manages to catch him.

Weaknesses:

• The Hand of Age: Rene is now fast approaching seventy years of age. While not incapable, he moves slower, speaks in ways those around him are not accustomed to, and is increasingly burdened by sickness. Worse, perhaps, he has been in my service a long time - while his loyalties are not discovered directly, they are almost certainly highly suspected.
• Flair: Rene will never use two words when he can use two hundred; he will never make a simple plan when he can organise an elaborate masquerade full of clandestine meetings and hidden doors. His style is amusing, but it can hinder his performance.
• Not a Fighter: While trained for fighting, Rene has never been a prodigy in combat, a fact that has only become more clear as he has aged.

Traits:

• A Thread of Gold (Semblance): Rene can connect himself to a place or person, then find his way to them no matter the distance. Only one place or person can be chosen at a time, but as long as Rene is familiar with them, he may 'connect' with them from anywhere on Remnant. The 'thread' is aware of transportation limits and will bear them in mind when planning a route.
• Skilled Diplomat: Rene is a master of the quick word and the negotiation. On any roll involving negotiation or generic social interaction, he gains +2d10 on all rolls, and cannot count it as more than Challenging (9). Additionally, he may ignore up to one social Complication on any such rolls.
• Many Contacts: Rene has friends everywhere. When he arrives in a location, he may roll 1d6 - on a 4-5, he knows someone who can provide minor assistance, on a 6 he knows someone who can provide great assistance. However, on a 1, he is known and disliked!

Current Stress: ?/8

Current Loyalty: Devoted


Mircalla Umbre

Deceased in My Service


Coral Maupin

Goals:

• Cut Down the Chain to Heaven: Once, Coral climbed from Mantle to Atlas, and stole something. The crackdown in response to this crime devastated their family. She thumbs their nose at tradition, and authority, and all who would do this again, and seeks to see them pulled down into the rubble alongside 'the rest of us'.
• A Good Time!: While not an out and out hedonist - I would not accept working alongside one, they are deeply tiresome - Coral's wants, moment to moment, are simple. They seek excitement, engagement - a good swordfight, a good mission, a good time.
• ???Golden Egg???: I believe whatever it was Coral stole from Atlas is still in her possession, and she seeks more for it. However, they have been remarkably cagey on the subject.

Weaknesses:

• I Cannot Weave: … it is a rather simple weakness, but it seems as though Coral cannot go a month without finding some new woman to sigh over and seek to 'free'. They will find another next week, but until then her… attraction is her focus.
• ?????: ?????
• Rob from the Rich for Myself: Fundamentally, for all Coral's claims of fighting for 'freedom', Coral seeks to empower themselves. She does not invest the dust she steals in more than their own weaponry and company, and their attitude to societal injustice seems more seeking to be the boot herself rather than removing its existence.

Traits:

• Always a Fair Fight (Semblance): Coral may level the playing field to cut down giants; they always hit with the same relative force when empowered, her blows acting the same on a Beowulf as a skilled Huntress as a Megagoliath. When active, she will always deal at least 2 Stress to another character on a combat roll, even on complete failure.
• Mercenary Leader: Coral leads a band of skilled mercenaries and bandits, and is generally accompanied by one or two trusted lieutenants. At any given time, she may call for support from them, increasing her chance of success in combat and on wider excursions. ?????
• ??Connections???: Coral has a number of connections across ?????
• ????? Thief: ????? stealing ?????

Current Stress: ?/8

Current Loyalty: Invested

Summer Rose

Goals:

• A Happy Ever After: She seeks a world without Grimm. Without violence. Without… she seeks the unity Ozma claims to, and she will carve whatever path she must to achieve it. It would almost be admirable, if I didn't stand in her way.
• ?????: ?????
• ?????: ?????

Weaknesses:

• ?????
• A Prison of Abandonment: … she knows she cannot survive this. No matter how this day goes, it will be her end. Who has she left behind to make that choice? How has she justified it to herself?
• Always an Open Hand: It's hardly surprising from a 'noble' silver-eyed warrior, but despite her vicious skill and defiance against manipulation she is willing to act even against allies to give her foes a 'chance'. That… could be easily exploited.

Traits:

• Silver Eyed Warrior: Summer bears Silver Eyes, and is adept in their use. She may ????? in order to instantly Break and kill, petrify, or freeze any Grimm. ?????
• The Moment of the Rose (Semblance): Summer's semblance is, from all reports, simple but effective. As long as she fights, she cannot tire, she cannot be fatigued, she cannot stop, until 'evil' is vanquished. ?????
• A Simpler Soul: Summer Rose may choose to ignore any social manipulation or diplomacy attempt; if she does so, she gains 1d3-1 minimum of 1 Stress.
• ?????

Current Stress: 2?/?


Raven Branwen

Goals:

• ?????: ?????
• The Strong Live, The Weak Die: A basic bandit philosophy, engrained so deep in her bones she could not escape it. If you live you are worthy - if you didn't you were not. I wonder what she thinks of my strength, and her teammate's choice…
• ?????: ?????

Weaknesses:

• ?????: ?????
• Ozpin the Great and Terrible: So… the bandit has no love for Ozpin or his secrets. Does she feel manipulated into accepting her gift? Is that why she returned to her tribe? I had assumed it was Ozma diversifying his assets, but if she left his employ…
• But that doesn't make you Strong: Oh, but look in her eyes - there's a deeper fear there. That for all her power, she isn't Strong. That she won't Survive. That's her truest priority - living, no matter the cost.

Traits:

• Kindred Link (Semblance): Raven may make a portal spanning Remnant's length to those she is emotionally 'tied' to. ?????
• A Bird's Eye: While she may have left Ozma's services - formally at least - she was empowered with that portion of his magic that lets her become one of his 'birds'. Raven may transform into a raven, ?????
• ?Bandit Chieftainess?: ?????
• ?????

Current Stress: 3?/?