A Hero's Quest: Eye of the Demon Emperor
- Thread starter Birdsie
- Start date
- Original Fantasy
Chapter 1: Early Life - Part 2: Months of Training
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
***
Once the two of you were done discussing food business and gluttony, you went back to your room and got to planning a training graph to present to your mom later. As all growing children, you need the permission of your parents to do anything. You remember the last time you tried to hunt a goblin on your own. Mom was really mad because you went out without telling her.
In the afternoon, you go to mom and present her a basic chart for your training over the next three months, which she approved of. You didn't actually write anything down, since your writing and reading is limited to the very basic words, like 'yes,' 'no,' and 'ogre ahead,' or 'here be dragons,' and similar stuff necessary for survival. As such, you only colored certain fields and memorized what each color means.
The next day, you started. After dressing up in some warm robes, you went outside to get some jogging and you continued with some endurance training. You tried your best to get rid of these round pockets of flesh on your belly and generally get fit. The punishing, winter weather was a good motivator to get you to run your assigned quota faster. This training repeated for two days until you swapped.
The next subject was martial arts. Specifically, swords. Specifically, Excalibur. The great heirloom granted to you by your mother, shining with brilliant light that represented the past, present, and future of the entire house. You've learned a few tidbits of cool facts about the sword when training with mom. Baragar apparently obtained it after making a prayer to the God of War, Gorasil. Gorasil sent one of his angels to help him out. The angel arrived and made a pact with Baragar, wherein the celestial entered the sword and hallowed it with his power. Baragar used this sword to drive back the Cotharian army, before naming the sword in the honor of the angel. And so, Excalibur came to be. As fruitful as your training was, the sword still doesn't like you. Mom keeps repeating that it is a bad omen and you have to do something about it in the future.
Next, came the studies of Magical Beasts. In order to beat your enemy, you have to know your enemy. As such, you asked mom to pay for some lessons about dragons since the topic 'interested' you. She still doesn't know about the goal you aim to reach. Perhaps it is time to tell her? Regardless, an old scholar would come to the mansion, give you a few books, tell you about the dragons, answer any questions and leave after taking his due. This repeated and you've learned a confident amount of information about the beasts. The only problem was that the books were practically useless since you can't read, so he had to do it for you. It is about time to become literate. A noble girl of your descent not knowing how to read and write is preposterous in today's society.
Anyway.
The weak spot of a dragon is typically their back. When flying over cities, archers fire arrows at their belly. This caused dragons to evolve tougher scales down there with time, so attacks from below seem dangerous not to mention stupid since a dragon could just lay on you and crush you. The problem is they often have spikes on their back to amend for this exact issue. Other, perhaps riskier spots, include eyes, the mouth, nostrils, and a small spot where the armpits of a human would be. The armor gets very thin in that last one, so much so that flesh is almost on the outside. The eyes are a good spot because blinding your enemy is always good. The mouth and nostrils are a part of a dragon's system too, but they can breathe fire, so attacking those spots is dangerous.
Then, you learned about the two categories. Greater Dragons are the elders of dragon society. Often above 600 years old, the more prideful and arrogant among them have untold treasures. The small contingent of benevolent Great Dragons are, however rare, very friendly and helpful to mortals. The Wyrm Dragons, however, are dangerous beyond compare. Ancients, older than at least one-thousand years, meaning that practically all of them will be from before this very Era started.
Speaking the calendar, time in Albion and practically everywhere else is counted ever since the death of Vykon the Abandoned, the Emperor of the so-called Fourth Dominion. That also means that all Wyrm Dragons remember the ancient times of the Fourth Dominion, or perhaps even the Third. What were the Dominions? Well, you honestly have little idea. Your historical knowledge is only fundamental. Perhaps that's a good area to invest in?
Regardless, Wyrm Dragons are very powerful. They know magics beyond mortal comprehension and can grow up to the size of castles. Attacking one would border on suicide, but you can accomplish such an attack with some supernatural aid. You'll need good climbing skills to do it, though. Or some kind of trampoline-summoning spell to jump high enough. Hey, is it possible to enchant a pair of boots to act like they have springs at their soles?... Enough dorky distractions.
Next, mother complied with your request of learning something about strategy and tactics and taught you personally. You've learned the essentials of why cover can be useful, how maces work better on well-armored targets, why swords are considered so versatile and cool. You also learned why armor is good and important and why it sucks at the same time. After your lessons were over, your confidence in taking on a Greater Dragon started wavering. But you can't give up. At least, not so early. When you vow to do something to yourself, you have to carry out that promise.
And then, definitely the coolest part of your training. Magic. You were born with a gifted soul. When your teacher arrived, the first thing he said was jealous of how much mana you can produce and absorb from the environment alike. The two of you got off to the very barebone basics. He explained to you what mana is, and while the concept of mana belongs in the domain of Magical Theory, it is required to understand what fuel is to make an engine work. After that, you learned how to agitate and manipulate these small things called 'molecules' with your mind. You could make small bursts of flame, and as time went on, maintain them for longer and longer. Your teacher commended you for steady and somewhat impressive progress, at least for a girl who comes from a family whose magical interest and knowledge was minimal until now.
The teacher also tutored you in alchemy, both herbal and material. After the basics of what equipment is typically required, you've learned the basic recipes for painkillers, anesthetics, soporifics, poisons, and glues, but you also had time to go over some cool stuff. He taught you how to make smoke bombs and a potion he invented himself that he thought might be useful for someone like you. The 'Drink of Seven Days' Rest' causes the organism of the drinker to purge all fatigue from itself instantly as if the drinker had been resting for a whole week. It also has a mild calming effect.
After that, you spent a day or two praying. Praying to the Gods, so that your sword would listen to you. So that Excalibur, the angel, the blade would obey your will. Your calls were unanswered until he came along.
***
You are in your room, on your knees, in front of your window, praying with a gold-tinted, decorated blade with a blue hilt and pommel that lays on top of your knees. Your head is down and your hands are together, while your eyes are closed and your mouth is slowly muttering prayers. The door of your room is open to let some fresh air in. Opening windows in this time of year when it's still cold is rather risky, as it might lead to disease or some other bad stuff happening, so the maids open the doors to every chamber this time of day to let some oxygen flow everywhere.
You keep praying, and then...
"It won't work," a familiar voice says. "The sword, I'm afraid, won't listen to you. Even if you pray for ten years. Or twenty years."
Your eyes open. You look up to the sky but see no one. For a moment, you thought it was an angel, or a God speaking.
You look back, to the open door of your room. There is a man standing there.
"Cervitou?"
The bizarre individual, dressed in a thick, leather robe, with a large, witch hat of black skin, the metal mask of a frowning man looks at you. Numerous thaumaturgical devices, including satchels of alchemical ingredients and books of arcane lore can be seen under his robe or on his belt.
The mage has been visiting your mother ever since you can remember, every, single month. Always punctual. Always on the last day of the month. The two speak in her office. You have no idea about what, but mother forbids you speaking with him. You haven't done so, save for exchanging the common 'good morning' whenever passing by. What they talk about is an enigma, but mother doesn't like the subject and sternly forbids you asking him about it. You are to 'keep away from that man' and 'stay away from him.' Trusting your mother wants the best for you, you've complied so far.
"Excuse me," he says suddenly, somewhat absently, in realization. "I overstepped my bounds," he added, looking away to where he was heading. He realized that he is not supposed to talk to you and vice versa. His voice sounds rather gloomy and empty, but he doesn't seem like a bad person, which is what your mother seems to be implying. Rather, he seems like the kind of person who saw a lot of bad stuff. That kind of 'tortured artist' type of guy, except he's not an artist.
Cervitou, without a word, heads off in the direction he was going toward.
[] Stop Cervitou and ask him why prayer won't work.
[] Pray regardless.
[] Heed his advice without asking why.
***
Plan for the next three months?
Calendar: 1005-03-30
[] Physical training. (Raises physical parameters.)
-[] Focus on strength.
-[] Focus on stamina.
-[] Focus on agility.
[] Melee combat.
-[] Swords.
-[] Spears.
-[] Order new weapon training for yourself. (Write-in.)
[] Ranged combat.
-[] Crossbow, including Auto-Crossbows.
-[] Bows, including Magi-Bows.
-[] Flintlocks.
[] Animal Ken.
-[] Taming.
-[] Riding.
-[] Animal Lore.
-[] Magical Beast Lore.
[] Strategy & Tactics.
-[] "How to defend a castle 101" course from the local knights.
-[] Theoretical Warfare.
-[] Strategy Board Games.
[] Magic.
-[] Countermeasures.
-[] Magical Theory. (ie: how leylines work, the alignments of spiritual realms, why mana exists, etc.)
-[] Practical Thaumaturgy.
--[] Any specific school or desired type? (Golem-Crafting, Hermetic magic, Rituals, Alchemy, Transmutation, Mind Magic, etc.)
-[] Search for excerpts from the Codex Gigas and study them. This will take you down a dark path... black magic, so to speak, but you didn't hear that from me.
[] Diplomacy.
[] Reading & Writing.
[] Logistics and management.
-[] How to run a mansion, maintain servants, and organize affairs.
-[] General logistics and management.
[] Etiquette.
-[] "Why your pinky must be up" course.
-[] Ask some snobby aristocrat to teach you how to speak in his accent to sound more distinguished.
-[] General Etiquette.
[] Art, including painting, dancing, and singing.
[] Piety.
-[] Memorizing the holy book verses.
-[] Miracles.
-[] Prayer in seclusion.
-[] Politely ask the Gods in Heaven to make Excalibur listen to you for once.
[] Write-in.
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Crow
Falling is a Pleasure. Regardless of its Fate
Okay so lest ask him. Of course. And...need to get literate, and magical studies seem like a good potential investment.
Ohhh we may be able to copy the Dragoon archetype to kill dragons. Find a way with magic to heavily augment our movement ability and jump really really high.
I'm thinking using some Glyphs a la Weiss from RWBY if not outright reinforcing ourselves.
Will write something later.
Ohhh we may be able to copy the Dragoon archetype to kill dragons. Find a way with magic to heavily augment our movement ability and jump really really high.
I'm thinking using some Glyphs a la Weiss from RWBY if not outright reinforcing ourselves.
Will write something later.
- Location
- Southampton, Great Britain
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Could we have some more information on what these stats mean and what they do? Also, what is considered average for each stat?
Terran Imperium
[French]
- Location
- Southern France
Fixed , sorry didn't think about that.
EDIT : Wel its a little bit late thought , i really need to get myself together this night *sigh*
[X] Stop Cervitou and ask him why prayer won't work
[X]Plan Dragon Slayer Part 2
[X] Physical training. (Raises physical parameters.)
-[X] Focus on stamina.
-[X] Focus on agility.
[X] Melee combat.
-[X] Swords.
--[X] Excalibur
[X] Strategy & Tactics.
-[X] Theoretical Warfare.
[X] Magic.
-[X] Reinforcement or Enchantement (something to boost our stats)
[X] Reading & Writing. (Essential)
[X] Etiquette.
-[X] General Etiquette.
I think we should stick with our current physical training and training in swords same for tactics , assuming right now that we can make basic strenght/healing/stamina/magic potions , right ? GM ? , we should switch to enchantment/reinforcement or something similar to jump high like really high and of course writing and general etiquette since we are much more naive and incompetent than i thought :/ Actually how old are we ?-[X] Focus on stamina.
-[X] Focus on agility.
[X] Melee combat.
-[X] Swords.
--[X] Excalibur
[X] Strategy & Tactics.
-[X] Theoretical Warfare.
[X] Magic.
-[X] Reinforcement or Enchantement (something to boost our stats)
[X] Reading & Writing. (Essential)
[X] Etiquette.
-[X] General Etiquette.
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Crow
Falling is a Pleasure. Regardless of its Fate
So now that Im at home time to get to work. a few questions though.
What kind of miracles are we talking about here?
What would "black magic" imply and would that make Excalibur hate us more?
Would taking the how to slay your dragon class again reap more benefits still?
And for the other voters we should try to consolidate. so to discuss should we alternate stamina with strength between turns(but still keeping agility cuz learn to dodge brah) ? and ..should we keep learning how to fight with Excalibur? though well we already started and its not like there's a legendary spear around to change gears huh.
Im thinking the distribution of the last turn works well enough and building atop what we started should work with maybe shifting the last couple categories with our needs. like say piety and animal ken for our purposes while keeping the basics that would help us not die horribly like physical conditioning. magic studies, tactics and combat training?
If these are possible what would the specific schools of magic that we would have to study be? and reinforcing ourselves or using something akin to Prana Burst?
What kind of miracles are we talking about here?
What would "black magic" imply and would that make Excalibur hate us more?
Would taking the how to slay your dragon class again reap more benefits still?
And for the other voters we should try to consolidate. so to discuss should we alternate stamina with strength between turns(but still keeping agility cuz learn to dodge brah) ? and ..should we keep learning how to fight with Excalibur? though well we already started and its not like there's a legendary spear around to change gears huh.
Im thinking the distribution of the last turn works well enough and building atop what we started should work with maybe shifting the last couple categories with our needs. like say piety and animal ken for our purposes while keeping the basics that would help us not die horribly like physical conditioning. magic studies, tactics and combat training?
Terran Imperium
[French]
- Location
- Southern France
I'm not sure about switching btw stamina and strenght since i'm assuming Excalibur is sharp enough (and will be more once unlocked) to cut trought skin/scales. Let's not mess with fate since "Black Magic" and "Holy" tend to hate each other in any settings , reading and writing is essential like really right now we will need it like for the rest of our aventure and how to talk to people too.
Terran Imperium
[French]
- Location
- Southern France
Strength: 29
Stamina: 29
Agility: 34
Intelligence: 25
Perception: 31
Willpower: 34
Fellowship: 19
here's our stats in the character sheet the numbers seems high-level but without a comparison to a base-line human we have nothing to make sure about that.
Stamina: 29
Agility: 34
Intelligence: 25
Perception: 31
Willpower: 34
Fellowship: 19
here's our stats in the character sheet the numbers seems high-level but without a comparison to a base-line human we have nothing to make sure about that.
- Location
- United States
Why does the "dragon slayer" plan have us spend a significant portion of our preparatory training for slaying a Great Dragon or Wyrm in learning to read, write, and general etiquette?
Statistic Rules
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
Strength - General muscle strength and ability to apply it in various situations. Lifting weights, carrying equipment, punching harder, breaking down doors, or restraining a captive.
Stamina - The resistance of the body to various other bodies. Tolerating extreme temperatures, resisting poison, resisting hunger, staving off damage, or disregarding pain.
Agility - Dexterity and speed, as well as the coordination of movement. Maintaining balance on a narrow surface, navigating treacherous terrain, running fast, managing to sneak an attack past the enemy's defense, or climbing.
Intelligence - The sum of knowledge and the ability to wisely use it. Recalling important events, remembering faces, solving puzzles, deducing the cause and effect of certain actions, or knowing how likely a mushroom is to kill you.
Perception - The ability to perceive things, especially concealed ones. Noticing a hidden enemy, gauging a person's attitude, sizing up a situation, locating a secret door, or noticing an odd detail.
Willpower - The fortitude of the mind. Resisting possession, mind control, torture, pain, or finding motivation to do things.
Fellowship - Social experience, charisma, intimidation and subterfuge. Seducing someone into buying you a drink, manipulating a guard, intimidating a thug, inspiring confidence in others, or making a good first impression.
The general average for each statistic is 20-30 for the average adult, meaning the MC already excels in some areas even beyond that.
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Terran Imperium
[French]
- Location
- Southern France
Because its necessary ? Like for the rest of our life , without our combat/magic skills we are just a newborn. So better get rid of it now before we go on our journey and upgrade it as we go.
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- Location
- Southampton, Great Britain
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Because those are important skills for our character to have and it is mentioned in the update that we ought to already have those skills and that we should try and get them?
- Location
- Canada
[X] Stop Cervitou and ask him why prayer won't work
[X]Plan Dragon Slayer Part 2
[X] Physical training. (Raises physical parameters.)
-[X] Focus on stamina.
-[X] Focus on agility.
[X] Melee combat.
-[X] Swords.
--[X] Excalibur
[X] Strategy & Tactics.
-[X] Theoretical Warfare.
[X] Magic.
-[X] Reinforcement or Enchantement (something to boost our stats)
[X] Reading & Writing. (Essential)
[X] Etiquette.
-[X] General Etiquette.
[X]Plan Dragon Slayer Part 2
[X] Physical training. (Raises physical parameters.)
-[X] Focus on stamina.
-[X] Focus on agility.
[X] Melee combat.
-[X] Swords.
--[X] Excalibur
[X] Strategy & Tactics.
-[X] Theoretical Warfare.
[X] Magic.
-[X] Reinforcement or Enchantement (something to boost our stats)
[X] Reading & Writing. (Essential)
[X] Etiquette.
-[X] General Etiquette.
Terran Imperium
[French]
- Location
- Southern France
Actually GM ? What can we do with Excalibur ? (we know we can fire holy light beams once unlocked) , like its base stats or something like that ? I mean do Excalibur in its locked state is as good as an iron sword or is still a damn sharp sword that cut throught steel ?
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- Location
- Southampton, Great Britain
- Pronouns
- He/Him
This plan looks good.
[X] Stop Cervitou and ask him why prayer won't work
[X]Plan Dragon Slayer Part 2
[X] Physical training. (Raises physical parameters.)
-[X] Focus on stamina.
-[X] Focus on agility.
[X] Melee combat.
-[X] Swords.
--[X] Excalibur
[X] Strategy & Tactics.
-[X] Theoretical Warfare.
[X] Magic.
-[X] Reinforcement or Enchantement (something to boost our stats)
[X] Reading & Writing. (Essential)
[X] Etiquette.
-[X] General Etiquette.
@Birdsie Could you spoiler the image on the character sheet please?
[X] Stop Cervitou and ask him why prayer won't work
[X]Plan Dragon Slayer Part 2
[X] Physical training. (Raises physical parameters.)
-[X] Focus on stamina.
-[X] Focus on agility.
[X] Melee combat.
-[X] Swords.
--[X] Excalibur
[X] Strategy & Tactics.
-[X] Theoretical Warfare.
[X] Magic.
-[X] Reinforcement or Enchantement (something to boost our stats)
[X] Reading & Writing. (Essential)
[X] Etiquette.
-[X] General Etiquette.
@Birdsie Could you spoiler the image on the character sheet please?
Crow
Falling is a Pleasure. Regardless of its Fate
Better yet there might be better alternatives for it...more modern ones...just saying~
Terran Imperium
[French]
- Location
- Southern France
Here's a Kid Saber.
- Location
- Southampton, Great Britain
- Pronouns
- He/Him
You do realise that she is wearing modern clothing in that pic right?
Crow
Falling is a Pleasure. Regardless of its Fate
Not what I meant exactly. Forgive my wording. But the picture feels a little behind the times artistically.