Always Late
Lacking in coffee, sleep, and brains
- Location
- Ohio
Which Liquid didn't.
We kinda stopped that turn one. Wanting to destroy the world because it tore down its rightful rulers is totally different.
Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust (RWBY AU/CKII Villain Quest)
- Thread starter Redshirt Army
- Start date
trooperist
Cinnamon Roll AI
Now I'm wondering how Qrow's semblance would be represented in game terms since depending on how you interpret 'gives bad luck' he could either be outright manipulating luck or influencing opponents.
I'd say it gives everyone in a fight he's in negatives to their combat rolls and gives him better results on intrigue actions.
I'd say it gives everyone in a fight he's in negatives to their combat rolls and gives him better results on intrigue actions.
- Location
- The Surface Of A Hostile Planet
Actually, it forces all rolls to occur twice, with the lower result being the one that actually happens.
Plus some extra stuff, but you'll need to wait for his char sheet to see the details.
Ivan the Not-so-Terrible
AH MEW CHEEKI BREEKI I V DAMKE
- Location
- Mikonyan’s USSR
That's terrifying. "Ha ha fuck your crits" is an amazing semblance.
Always Late
Lacking in coffee, sleep, and brains
- Location
- Ohio
Unless both are crits.
chocolote12
A Penguin Flailing Against The Keyboard Of Life.
[Crits Intensify]
- Location
- Little Rock, AR
Apathy, Stewardship malices, A Traitor Trait. Something like Minus 20 to diplomacy rolls with people who know you ditched your kid.Being a raging asshole is a character trait that doesn't necessarily translate amazingly to stat sheets.
Sword of Mars
Magical Girl Aficionado
- Location
- Canada
So like... How much influence do we have with Vacuo? I doubt we have enough to start any real shenanigans but it would helpful to know how far we are integrated in their society.
Pathetic King
"I Speak To The Audient Void."
- Location
- Colorado
I think a good way to see how much influence we have gained to look at the actions we can take each turn.
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- Location
- Germany
Now I wonder if Raven could kill an Arc pretty easily, despite their bullshit defense abilities.
Turn 9 Interlude: Fuerit Vivet
- Location
- The Surface Of A Hostile Planet
Turn 9 Interlude: Fuerit Vivet
Family Matters
81 (Rolled) + 10 (???) + 10 (Omake) = 101
72 (Rolled) + 1 (Critical Spillover) = 73
Critical Success!
The apartment is small, located in a ramshackle part of a smaller town on the southwestern shores of Solitas. Nevertheless, the balcony looks to be well kept, and as the tired looking woman opens the door, you can see that she's kept the apartment neat and tidy. She clearly doesn't recognize you as Cherise Cheshire, which is just as well - you'd make quite a stir amongst the inhabitants of this district if you were recognizable, you imagine.
"Ms. Kyle? May I step inside? I have some information you should know."
Her ears twitch a bit, but she grudgingly nods, and you step into her home. What you see only confirms your initial impression. It's small and unostentatious, but clearly well cared for. Perhaps a keen eye might note that the quality of the furniture, the large collection of books, the quality of the fabrics, all hint to a more well financed lifestyle then one could reasonably expect a single mother - and a Faunus at that - to earn through petty jobs, but it's all tastefully appointed - not gaudy or overdone.
With the amount you were paying Gervain, you expect she has quite an investment hidden away.
Once the door is firmly shut, you pull out a Dust Crystal. The woman's eyes go wide, and her eyes dart to one of the rooms down the hall - likely her daughters room - but before she can do much of anything, you've already cast the effect, a tracery of runes outlining a circle that just fits within the main room. Stepping into the circle, the sound of neighboring apartments and outdoor markets fades away, and you're able to begin your discussion. "I was your husband's employer for the past few years, in Vale."
Her face falls - she's caught your use of the past tense. Still, while there's disappointment and sadness in her features, there's no real surprise. "I... I see. Then..." She takes a few deep breaths, before steadying herself, heading for the kitchen. "...Would you take a seat? I'd like to know... know how it happened."
You nod, examining the apartment once more as she comes back with tea, taking a seat across from you. For this woman... she deserves something of the truth, you think. "He did his duties, and fulfilled his roles admirably. But on his last outing, he was caught in a trap intended for a much more powerful adversary, and in the process was injured enough that I could not safely extract him." You look down into your teacup, gathering your thoughts, then continue - "I'll continue to provide some funding for you, and for his daughter. He'd expressed his wishes for such support to be provided in the past, and I see no reason to refuse."
She swallows. "Thank you. For letting me know. I... I'm in your debt. But... " You wait for her to continue. "Was it on the Crown Theft, for the Princess?" Your eyes sharpen. "...he told me he'd be back in Mantle, for a week or so, in a letter. But he never arrived, and he always made time to visit whenever he was on the continent. And it was..." She trails off.
You'd intermittently checked his mail intially, to ensure his loyalty. Apparently you should have been more stringent, if he still shared information of that sort later. You'll need to check that Usagi hasn't done anything unfortunate while left to her own devices either.
"I believe it would be better for both of us if more details weren't spread, Miss Kyle." Her face pales slightly, and she sets her cup down with a shaking hand. "...Yes. Of course. It's just... the Royal Family." She stands up, going towards one of the bookshelves. Among the other books, you quickly pick out what she must be looking for - a copy of Mantelum Conditus. A rare book, especially in these times. A mythological account of the founding of Mantle in the winterlande, millennia ago, by the "gods garbed in human flesh" from whom the royal lineage supposedly descended.
There were only a few hundred surviving copies when you left Mantle, and given the topic... you weren't certain that any other than your own lasted through the war at all. "You took this from Tyronious' library," you note, as she hastily flips the book to a section you know has a print of the full Royal Sigil, from which Mantle's coat of arms derived. It's a reminder of your failure. It's something you see every time you call forth a glyph.
She lets out a shuddering breath as she reaches that chapter, but barrels onwards, her emotions becoming more and more apparent. "They said... they said that the Royals could control Death and Time itself. That they could call forth an echo, so great as to bring the past to the present." Her eyes are pleading, as she looks up at you. She apparently sees something there, because she continues. "It was true. She can. I... I don't have much. Not to her. But if I can say goodbye, if I can see him just one more time, if I can... I'll do anything, anything she asks! Just... tell her. Please!"
You absently trace the wound that the Silver Eyed Warrior made when she escaped your control, as you shut down your Dust enchantment, heading towards the door. You look back at the woman, collapsed on the ground, clutching the book and crying, as you leave. "I suspect I'll be in touch with you again, Ms. Kyle."
Clara angrily kicks over a pile of slag that might once have been an antique suit of armour, her narrowed eyes looking through the snow-covered debris. You stay by the sidelines, observing her, and holding on to a container of coffee for her for once she's finished. The foreman beside you continues to ramble on about the termerity of foreign Huntsmen delaying construction projects, but you tune him out.
He likely thinks it's an intentional slight, but the truth is different. You knew Gervain. He was one of your best employees, and you were present at the moment of his death - arguably, responsible for it. Your success in claiming his soul is a foregone conclusion - all that you need is access to the location it occured. With your full semblance, this would be a matter of a few dozen seconds - but you must do this discretely. And so you slowly pull on the soul you feel, to all the world looking like you're simply lost in thought.
By the time Clara's finally settled, and the foreman calls forward the heavy machines to resume their work, you've easily finished what you came here for.
Control over death itself. The phrase comes to mind, as you call Gervain forth, and examine his posture, his expression. By default, they're nonexistent. He smiles when you express to him your desire for him to act happy, he vanishes out of sight when you want him to hide. But he's an empty shell, nothing more - the information you get from him has no emotion behind it, regardless of the content.
It's useful, no doubt. Proud Aurelion would likely never have bowed to another, and every day you receive priceless information and control from Schnee's facsimile. And yet... this isn't control over death. They're just copies, or so your father taught you as you learned your Semblance.
You'd be tempted to agree, tempted to dismiss the stories as mere mythology and misunderstanding of those beneath the first King's rule... except that not that long ago, you brought a vengeful spirit back to this world, complete with emotions. That it tried to kill you is a mere technicality.
Perhaps an aspect of the Silver Eyes, that they maintain greater life after death? But... hmm.
You close your eyes, focusing on the feeling of maintaining the construct. In your mind's eye, waves of Aura come and go like the tides, and you feel... you feel...
It's endless.
Darkness without end, without mercy, without pity. It's unfathomable, it's impossible, it is the end of every life, in every time, in every place. It has shaped men, it has shaped nations. It has shaped destinies, it has shaped civilizations. It is. It it all that once was, and it is the fate of all that will be.
And you're connected to it, the thinnest line of thread stretching from your heart deep, deep down into that abyss, beyond sight. To bring a life back in truth, is nothing less than to pull an existence, a reality in and of itself, back out of that gibbering void.
It's undoubtedly difficult. Very, very difficult.
The moment breaks, and you snap back to reality.
You smirk.
But it isn't impossible.
Results:
Closure.
A Heartfelt Plea.
Gervain Rex Semblance Construct!
+4 Piety. (Reached Human Stat Limit: 80!)
+2 Intrigue.
"The Dark Path" Trait progresses towards Grandmaster rank!
"Grimm Tidings" Trait progresses towards ??? !
New Piety Project Unlocked!
Family Matters
Gervain has family in Atlas. Having fallen in your service, it's your responsibility to let them know what occured, and compensate them. Moreover, as his death was a result of your actions... Expressing the imprint he left on the world through your Semblance is not beyond your power. Success on 20/50/100. Rewards: Closure. ???.
81 (Rolled) + 10 (???) + 10 (Omake) = 101
72 (Rolled) + 1 (Critical Spillover) = 73
Critical Success!
The apartment is small, located in a ramshackle part of a smaller town on the southwestern shores of Solitas. Nevertheless, the balcony looks to be well kept, and as the tired looking woman opens the door, you can see that she's kept the apartment neat and tidy. She clearly doesn't recognize you as Cherise Cheshire, which is just as well - you'd make quite a stir amongst the inhabitants of this district if you were recognizable, you imagine.
"Ms. Kyle? May I step inside? I have some information you should know."
Her ears twitch a bit, but she grudgingly nods, and you step into her home. What you see only confirms your initial impression. It's small and unostentatious, but clearly well cared for. Perhaps a keen eye might note that the quality of the furniture, the large collection of books, the quality of the fabrics, all hint to a more well financed lifestyle then one could reasonably expect a single mother - and a Faunus at that - to earn through petty jobs, but it's all tastefully appointed - not gaudy or overdone.
With the amount you were paying Gervain, you expect she has quite an investment hidden away.
Once the door is firmly shut, you pull out a Dust Crystal. The woman's eyes go wide, and her eyes dart to one of the rooms down the hall - likely her daughters room - but before she can do much of anything, you've already cast the effect, a tracery of runes outlining a circle that just fits within the main room. Stepping into the circle, the sound of neighboring apartments and outdoor markets fades away, and you're able to begin your discussion. "I was your husband's employer for the past few years, in Vale."
Her face falls - she's caught your use of the past tense. Still, while there's disappointment and sadness in her features, there's no real surprise. "I... I see. Then..." She takes a few deep breaths, before steadying herself, heading for the kitchen. "...Would you take a seat? I'd like to know... know how it happened."
You nod, examining the apartment once more as she comes back with tea, taking a seat across from you. For this woman... she deserves something of the truth, you think. "He did his duties, and fulfilled his roles admirably. But on his last outing, he was caught in a trap intended for a much more powerful adversary, and in the process was injured enough that I could not safely extract him." You look down into your teacup, gathering your thoughts, then continue - "I'll continue to provide some funding for you, and for his daughter. He'd expressed his wishes for such support to be provided in the past, and I see no reason to refuse."
She swallows. "Thank you. For letting me know. I... I'm in your debt. But... " You wait for her to continue. "Was it on the Crown Theft, for the Princess?" Your eyes sharpen. "...he told me he'd be back in Mantle, for a week or so, in a letter. But he never arrived, and he always made time to visit whenever he was on the continent. And it was..." She trails off.
You'd intermittently checked his mail intially, to ensure his loyalty. Apparently you should have been more stringent, if he still shared information of that sort later. You'll need to check that Usagi hasn't done anything unfortunate while left to her own devices either.
"I believe it would be better for both of us if more details weren't spread, Miss Kyle." Her face pales slightly, and she sets her cup down with a shaking hand. "...Yes. Of course. It's just... the Royal Family." She stands up, going towards one of the bookshelves. Among the other books, you quickly pick out what she must be looking for - a copy of Mantelum Conditus. A rare book, especially in these times. A mythological account of the founding of Mantle in the winterlande, millennia ago, by the "gods garbed in human flesh" from whom the royal lineage supposedly descended.
There were only a few hundred surviving copies when you left Mantle, and given the topic... you weren't certain that any other than your own lasted through the war at all. "You took this from Tyronious' library," you note, as she hastily flips the book to a section you know has a print of the full Royal Sigil, from which Mantle's coat of arms derived. It's a reminder of your failure. It's something you see every time you call forth a glyph.
She lets out a shuddering breath as she reaches that chapter, but barrels onwards, her emotions becoming more and more apparent. "They said... they said that the Royals could control Death and Time itself. That they could call forth an echo, so great as to bring the past to the present." Her eyes are pleading, as she looks up at you. She apparently sees something there, because she continues. "It was true. She can. I... I don't have much. Not to her. But if I can say goodbye, if I can see him just one more time, if I can... I'll do anything, anything she asks! Just... tell her. Please!"
You absently trace the wound that the Silver Eyed Warrior made when she escaped your control, as you shut down your Dust enchantment, heading towards the door. You look back at the woman, collapsed on the ground, clutching the book and crying, as you leave. "I suspect I'll be in touch with you again, Ms. Kyle."
Clara angrily kicks over a pile of slag that might once have been an antique suit of armour, her narrowed eyes looking through the snow-covered debris. You stay by the sidelines, observing her, and holding on to a container of coffee for her for once she's finished. The foreman beside you continues to ramble on about the termerity of foreign Huntsmen delaying construction projects, but you tune him out.
He likely thinks it's an intentional slight, but the truth is different. You knew Gervain. He was one of your best employees, and you were present at the moment of his death - arguably, responsible for it. Your success in claiming his soul is a foregone conclusion - all that you need is access to the location it occured. With your full semblance, this would be a matter of a few dozen seconds - but you must do this discretely. And so you slowly pull on the soul you feel, to all the world looking like you're simply lost in thought.
By the time Clara's finally settled, and the foreman calls forward the heavy machines to resume their work, you've easily finished what you came here for.
Control over death itself. The phrase comes to mind, as you call Gervain forth, and examine his posture, his expression. By default, they're nonexistent. He smiles when you express to him your desire for him to act happy, he vanishes out of sight when you want him to hide. But he's an empty shell, nothing more - the information you get from him has no emotion behind it, regardless of the content.
It's useful, no doubt. Proud Aurelion would likely never have bowed to another, and every day you receive priceless information and control from Schnee's facsimile. And yet... this isn't control over death. They're just copies, or so your father taught you as you learned your Semblance.
You'd be tempted to agree, tempted to dismiss the stories as mere mythology and misunderstanding of those beneath the first King's rule... except that not that long ago, you brought a vengeful spirit back to this world, complete with emotions. That it tried to kill you is a mere technicality.
Perhaps an aspect of the Silver Eyes, that they maintain greater life after death? But... hmm.
You close your eyes, focusing on the feeling of maintaining the construct. In your mind's eye, waves of Aura come and go like the tides, and you feel... you feel...
48 (Rolled) + 32 (Piety) + 20 (Critical Success: "Family Matters") = 100
Threshold Reached. Special Event.
Threshold Reached. Special Event.
It's endless.
Darkness without end, without mercy, without pity. It's unfathomable, it's impossible, it is the end of every life, in every time, in every place. It has shaped men, it has shaped nations. It has shaped destinies, it has shaped civilizations. It is. It it all that once was, and it is the fate of all that will be.
And you're connected to it, the thinnest line of thread stretching from your heart deep, deep down into that abyss, beyond sight. To bring a life back in truth, is nothing less than to pull an existence, a reality in and of itself, back out of that gibbering void.
It's undoubtedly difficult. Very, very difficult.
The moment breaks, and you snap back to reality.
You smirk.
But it isn't impossible.
Results:
Closure.
A Heartfelt Plea.
Gervain Rex Semblance Construct!
+4 Piety. (Reached Human Stat Limit: 80!)
+2 Intrigue.
"The Dark Path" Trait progresses towards Grandmaster rank!
"Grimm Tidings" Trait progresses towards ??? !
「 」
Nobody died in the Season 4 Finale. Too bad, I could have made a death pun now if they had.*
Anyway, what's going on with you is a thing very large in scale, and I wanted to try and get that across. I still don't know if I succeeded - I kind of gave up on fiddling with this and just released it as is.
"Fuerit Vivet" is a vauge reference to a biblical quote, by the by - John 11:25.
*putting all my death pool bets on Zwei was a mistake.
Anyway, what's going on with you is a thing very large in scale, and I wanted to try and get that across. I still don't know if I succeeded - I kind of gave up on fiddling with this and just released it as is.
"Fuerit Vivet" is a vauge reference to a biblical quote, by the by - John 11:25.
*putting all my death pool bets on Zwei was a mistake.
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chocolote12
A Penguin Flailing Against The Keyboard Of Life.
Fufufufufufufufufufufufu...
- Location
- The Surface Of A Hostile Planet
Ivan the Not-so-Terrible
AH MEW CHEEKI BREEKI I V DAMKE
- Location
- Mikonyan’s USSR
Welp.John 11:25 KJV said:
And considering the brackets in the spoiler, I have to ask; is our necromancy basically copy-paste from the Akashic Record?
Akasha?
We're not going to start seeing Death lines everywhere, are we? ...Actually, that sounds like it could be a step on the Dark path.
Huh, next time we see the maidens they are probably going to freak, both at the rather large rise in power (80 piety is probably pretty impressive, even at the level they operate at) and if they can sense the mark of whatever the heck just happened.
That aside we could potentially get Wrachiods mother back in the picture depending on how this pans out and if her souls still kicking about.
That aside we could potentially get Wrachiods mother back in the picture depending on how this pans out and if her souls still kicking about.
- Location
- The Surface Of A Hostile Planet
Nah. Sorry to disappoint, but the only conceptual eye effects in AtA,DtD are Silver.
- Location
- USA
SCORE! Soon we will give the finger to death itself, and make it work!!!
- Location
- Hyperborea
Okay, that is big. It also makes sense in hindsight, considering the list of inspirations you posted once.
Since this was late, as a bonus to make up for it a bit, have a semi stream-of-conciousness list of the stories that have inspired this quest, in (very) rough order of importance.
RWBY (duh.
Various Legends and Fables, too numerous to list exhaustively
C.O.R.E.
Sailor Moon
Touhou Project
Tsukihime/Type-MOON in general
Ar Tonelico/Ciel Nosurge
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Doctor Who
Chronicles of Narnia
Alice in Wonderland
Lord of the Rings
...and many, many more.
Sucks to be you, Arc.Nah. Sorry to disappoint, but the only conceptual eye effects in AtA,DtD are Silver.
- Location
- Down Under
*putting all my death pool bets on Zwei was a mistake.
Not even RT would be that monstrous!
fictionfan
Please sir, may I have some Meows?
- Location
- Tempe, AZ
Can we bring our parents back to life now?
- Location
- Rivendell
AHAHAHAHAHA, DEAD OR ALIVE, ALL SHALL BOW BEFORE US!
- Location
- somewhere over there.
- Pronouns
- They/It
We get to summon dead people to be our Stand?
On the plus side, it's the positive type of necromancy, more "ancestral guidance and seances" and less "unending tide of undead".