With Magic of Words we can force it to do what we want without it having personality.
Without Magic of Words we can try to talk it into helping us.
Betwixt and Between (Magical Curio Shop Quest)
- Thread starter Wistways
- Start date
- Original Fantasy
Without Magic of Words we can try to talk it into helping us.
- Location
- Mid-Atlantic
The main practical problem with attempts at persuasion is that the mirror being is kind of an asshole, lies for personal amusement, and seems to have only one real objective, which is to break out.
- Location
- Australia
Yes and if we're just having a conversation I decided I had other things I wanted to do.
Vote closed
8. Into the Mist
Wistways
You friendly neighborhood artist
- Location
- Australia
-[x] Spend time in the Kitchen - AD 4
-[x] Explore the Betwixt & Between AD 4
-[x] A Keen Mind and a Clear Spirit: AD 6
-[X] Investigate what has happened here: AD 4, AD 3
-[x] Explore the Betwixt & Between AD 4
-[x] A Keen Mind and a Clear Spirit: AD 6
-[X] Investigate what has happened here: AD 4, AD 3
[ ] Spend time in the Kitchen - AD 4
Skill: Empathy (+1)
Difficulty: Safe
The comfort of a hot meal and some time at rest.
FINAL TOTAL (Action Dice 4 + Skill (Empathy +1) = 5
Probability: 50% Great Success / 50 % Neutral
RESULT: GREAT SUCCESS
If rooms could hug Mahogany was sure that the Kitchen would be great at them. She wasn't sure how long she napped on the couch. The light outside never seemed to change. But when she awoke her empty soup bowl was gone, replaced by a bowl of oranges perfectly juicy and fragrant that she couldn't help herself from immediately digging her nails into the skin of one to get at the flesh within. "I've lost all sense of my schedule," She thought to herself, looking out the window. How long had she been here? Two days? Three?
Mahogany shrugged, taking another bite of the orange. The time of day was of the lowest importance on her priorities.
Energy +4
-----------
[ ] Explore the Betwixt and Between - AD 4
Completion Counter: 6/10
Skill: Reason (+1)
Difficulty: Safe
Let's have a look around.
FINAL TOTAL (Action Dice 4 + Skill (Reason +1) = 5
Probability: 50% Great Success / 50 % Neutral
RESULT: NEUTRAL
There were two more doors in the Betwixt and Between that Mahogany had not yet explored, or at least two more obvious doors. Picking one of the two at random, Mahogany looked at the doorknob to check for wards. This one didn't have any but the door itself was different. It seemed thicker and heavier, with more intricate carving on the paneling. Pushing open the door Mahogany looked inside.
The inside of the room put its exterior to shame and seemed as if a grand space was somehow layered into a room far too small for it. As Mahogany entered, the air came alive, a deep hum filling the room that was far deeper than sound had any right to be. The deeper she walked into the room, the louder it became, until the hum was enough to set her teeth shaking. The source seemed to be resting in the center of the room- a silver orb the size of two men resting atop a simple wooden plinth. When Mahogany neared the orb, the humming began to fade, and the orb began to glow with a burning silver flame.
It began to rise from its perch, and all around Mahogany, lines started to burn their way through the wooden floor of the room. They pulsed with an invisible heartbeat as if they were the veins of a grand being who had fallen to seed but now remembered its past grandeur. The burning lines twist and warp, forming runic patterns that shine with the same silver as the orb. A great breath of magic now inhaled and filling the room.
Mahogany looked around, astonished as small crannies set in the side of the too-large room became illuminated by the steady glow of the runes. Here lay the glass apparatus and alembic stills of an alchemist, thick with dust, already beginning to burn. There is a scriptorium, with rows of multi-hued ink and paper rusting in a breeze only it can feel. Across the way, the anvil of a smith, hammer beating a steady staccato over nothing, sending sparks of amethyst and crimson into the air. And more small nooks besides began to aglow, each dedicated to the purpose of creation.
Away from them all stood a shelf, a crumbling affair that seemed as if it would fall to shards at any moment. But it stood as strong and as sturdy as any new furniture, holding an odd collection of objects for perusal. Beside it sat a basin of brass and onyx, filled with a bare handful of what appeared to be marbles, each shining a blinding blue, perpetually slowly oscillating in circles around the curve of the bowl.
Deep within the part of her, that was connected to the Betwixt and Between, Mahogany could feel in that this, not the showroom, not the kitchen, was the heart of the store. She walked to the central plinth, surrounded by the stations of craft, and allowed that part of her to guide her movements. She reached out, resting her hand upon the orb. It was cool to her touch but the edge of her sleeve began to smolder in the silver flame. Insight flashed through her, filling her with an utter surety about what lay before her.
Drawing her hand back, Mahogany breathed out, "The Wonderforge."
Place discovered the Wonderforge!
Wonderforge Tasks Unlocked!
+ 2 Completion Counter
Insights Discovered (in current Wonderforge inventory)
Sunshine - "Keep your face always to the sun and shadows will fall behind you."
Wounds - "Oblivion cures the old wounds"
Mentor - "Children must be taught how to think, not what to think."
Items of Potential Discovered
Pearlescent Paper
A Vial of water
Knife with Leaflike Blade
A Bundle of Hollow Reeds
** The Wonderforge **
The Wonderforge is where you make wonderitems, the destiny-touched objects you sell to adventurers and those touched by fate. Selling wonderitems and having the adventurer achieve their destiny with them is what powers the store and the shopkeeper.
Wonderitems can be made by combining an Insight, an Item of Potential, and a Magic Skill. Creating a Wonderitem always costs condition.
On selection of the Create a Wonderitem task the thread will be prompted to
suggest which combination of Insight, Item of Potential(s), and Magic Skill they would like to use. The function of the wonderitem, ie what abilities it has and what form it takes, is completely up to thread suggestion. (With a small caveat that it stays within the general vibe of the setting). Wonderitems are not primarily to be used by Mahogany (but there is no reason why she couldn't in an emergency) but by those "Touched by Destiny" who arrive at the shop.
[ ] A Keen Mind and a Clear Spirit. ( Unlocked by the Crystal Towers Origin)
Completion Counter: 3/10
Failure Counter: 0/10
Skill: Magic of Craft (0)
Difficulty: DANGEROUS
FINAL TOTAL (Action Dice 6 + Skill (Magic of Craft 0) = 6
Probability: 100% Great Success
"This is all I ever wanted." Mahogany choked out in a strained voice as she reverently walked around the Wonderforge. This is why she was chosen, this is what she was meant to do. To make beautiful, magical things. She passed by stations of craftworks, laying a hand on items that drew her eye. An engraving pen of blown glass tipped with a diamond, a loom waiting for a weave. Each seemed to reach out back to her, she could hear the thrum, the pull on her heartstrings that started a steady melody.
"Use me. Create with me. We can be great together."
But there was dissonance. As magical as this room was she could tell that it needed more from her than willing and dedicated participation. She walked until she found a small nook, this one filled with a large seating cushion and in boxes at easy arms distance the tools of a diviner. Cards, candles, and an augury knife. Not requiring the tools but seeking out a place of comfort to begin her meditations, Mahogany settled down onto the cushion.
Breathe in, Breathe out.
Sink into the icy center.
Mahogany free-dived into her manascape.
----------------
As she walked the bucket back and forth Mahogany thought of what else could be here in her manascape. She had heard the stories of course of the great manascapes of famous Master Magus. Why Clavidius Ex Libris had every book he had ever read memorized and organized in the great towering library of his soul. He allowed certain scholars to sometimes enter to read extinct tomes of knowledge. There was even a rumor that the aspect of the Hierophant himself had in avatar form requested entry, but Master Ex Libris had refused.
Or maybe she could create a space like Gaspell Open-Handed, rumored to be so perfectly built in line with the natural flows of magic that it sustained her completely. As so she lived entirely on her internal magic steady rhythms, no sustenance or external input required. She wandered, healing and giving all she earned back to those around her. Like a font ever-flowing.
She lost herself in imaginings of Wonderitems and Manascapes as her fingers froze and her legs ached. Anything to distract from a thankless task.
Completion Counter +3
Energy - 1
[ ] Investigate what has happened here. AD 4, AD 3
Completion Counter: 2/10
Skill: Reason
Difficulty: Safe
Something has happened here. Have a look around and see if you can figure it out.
FINAL TOTAL (Action Dice 4 + Skill (Reason +1) = 5
Probability: 50% Great Success / 50 % Neutral
RESULT: GREAT SUCCESS
Rubbing cold fingers together Mahogany rose stiffly from the cushion.
"That was probably enough for today, don't want to freeze solid." she thought. She had a few other things that she wanted to solve today before she ended. One of them was to put to bed the mystery of what happened here. She fished her notebook out of her bag as she walked to the front of the store. Now she had explored a bit more she maybe had a few more clues.
Leaning on the front counter she started to collate her notes.
1) The store was protected. She knew from her cleaning and prior investigations that both the glamor in the window and the dragon door had ways of preventing unwanted visitors.
2) Items had been stolen. The inventory listed several that had been taken.
Mahogany tapped this point with her pen as she wrote it down. She then began to write another line.
2a) Store inventory is currently very low, why was the shopkeeper not dedicating more time to it?
She crossed out shopkeeper and replaced it with the name 'Bloyse'.
She thought on this point. It did look like Bloyse was doing something in his study, maybe that was the project that was distracting him from his duties and allowed a lapse in defence.
Thinking of Bloyse and his current missing condition, she had found no evidence that he had left willingly. No note for her or indicator of premeditated absence, the only conclusion that she could make is...
3) Bloyse was killed or injured badly in an assault of a kind. The body has been removed (taken?) by the perpetrator.
4) Assult was done by something with large avian claws.
She walked over to the scratches that were there on the floor. Blood spilled and the evidence of violence should be enough to divine the past. Strong emotions leave stronger echoes. She pulled at her braid speaking aloud, "It's so frustrating knowing how to do things without being able to accomplish them. If only I had some sort of artifact of psychometry or true seeing... " Her voice trailed off as she looked up to the ceiling towards the bedroom. She knew exactly where to find one of them.
She shook her head. "No, the mirror-being is uncooperative it would never agree to help." She thought to herself. The mirror-being seemed to only want her to smash the mirror. Maybe she could trick it? Or make a trade of information? View this action for me and I will free you.
Orrrrr..... and she looked around the shop. Seeing on a shelf not far from her a simple, brass-backed hand mirror, she picked it up. It became more solid in her hand, something with potential. An idea was coming to her, she could copy some of the runes on the mirror, and with some clever bindings of her own, she could create a linked mirror. Not true freedom but a portal that could be used to allow it to see beyond just the bedroom. Also if it entered the hand mirror she could inscribe it with her own bindings for obedience.
Item of Potential Found - Brass Backed Hand Mirror
Tasks Unlocked - See into the Past & An Echo in my Hand
Task Modified - Mirror, Mirror
Completion Counter: +4
-----------------------
FINAL TOTAL (Action Dice 3 + Skill (Reason +1) = 4
Probability: 25% Great Success/50% Neutral/25% Failure
RESULT: NEUTRAL
Mahogany wandered around the store. She wasn't sure how else she could progress this investigation. "I'm too much of an outsider, I don't even know who the people involved are let alone who would be an enemy."
She walked behind the counter, opening drawers and investigating.
There were a few other books other than the magical ledger in this area, the first was a date planner. Most of it was empty except for a week a few months in the future marked "Old People Complaining Club". The writing was in what Mahogany now recognized was Bloyse's handwriting and had a small frowning face next to the entry.
"Whatever could that be about?" Mahogany thought and set it aside to worry about later.
The other book she found seemed far more promising. It had on the cover a small dragon embossed in gilt and when she opened it listed dates and names. She flipped through, the names unfamiliar to her, Timothy Hunter, Casmir of Extenoboros Sound, Susan Penevesie, and Allison Shaxby.
She flipped to the end of the book and when she saw her name she recognized what this was. It was a record of the names of those who had entered the store!
The last names in the record were as follows:
Ferrow Askinlilt
Koshchei the Captive
Mahogany Gelt
The date of entry of Ferrow and Koshchei by her calculation was about a week before the time she arrived herself. The book didn't seem to record exits so she had no idea if that is when Bloyse was killed or taken. It also didn't have any duplicate names in it so either it only recorded the first time of entry or people never came back.
"Well, we can test that theory!" Mahogany said and went over to the door to step outside the threshold of the store. She walked outside with an affectionate pat on the head of the dragon doorknob as she passed. The fog of this place swirled around her in opaque white eddies as she stepped away and out into the mist. She kept the store in view, she had a terrifying premonition of it disappearing as soon as it was out of sight, leaving her abandoned in this empty landscape.
She stood, half watching the store and half watching the rolling fog. Mahogany swallowed, throat dry as a small sliver of fear rose in her, there could be anything in the fog. And she wouldn't be able to see it unless it jumped out at her. She started to move back, the swirls once hypnotic and beautiful in their slow movements now seeming menacing.
"CAW!"
A loud bird cry split the silence and from the fog, a black shape burst out at her. She screamed and fell backward slipping underneath the low-lying fog and onto the hard rocky ground. She scrambled to her feet, head whipping around to find the bird and hand clutching for anything to defend herself with. Why did she leave her staff inside? Why did she not think of her whims though?
She stood up holding a rock and quickly backed up to the doorstep of the Betwixt and Between. The bird flew out of the mist and hopped closer.
"Get out of here bird!" and she lifted the rock above her head threateningly. The bird half leapt, half fluttered away from her, and then with a look that she could only interpret as reproachful, it flew away back into the mist.
"All these happenings have me so jumpy." Mahogany said to herself, feeling her heartbeat start to slow. She pushed her way back inside, rock still in her hand. When she checked the book there were no additional names written after hers. "So it seems it only records the first entry."
Item of Potential: An Uncracked Geode
Completion Counter: +2
---------------
(Reminder: at the start of every new turn you lose 1 condition from the Betwixt and Between, and 2 energy. If energy reaches zero condition effects are doubled as the store has to expend effort to keep you alive.)
|
Condition: 15/20 |
Energy: 1/5 |
Turn 5 |
Action Dice from Conditon = 4
Action Dice Results : 1, 1, 1, 3
Every turn you will have several Action Dice that will be rolled. The number of action dice comes from the condition of the Betwixt and Between. Those dice are then rolled by me (they are 6 sided dice btw) to give you several numbers. This number when added to the skill level you have in the skill listed in the task gives you the probablity for success. Higher the total number, the more favorable the probability.
1 and 2 - 50% Neutral / 50% Failure
3 and 4 - 25% Great Success /50% Neutral / 25% Failure
5 - 50% Great Success / 50% Neutral
6+ - 100% Great Success
I have made a comprehensive Mechanics post which details more about all the numbers and extra details on tasks.
But basically you have 4 action dice right now (see above) Where would you like to assign them?
I would like plans to be done in the following format
[X] Very cool Plan Name
-[X] Task Name One - AD 4
-[X] Task Name Two - AD 3
-[X] Task Name Three - AD 4
-[X] Task Name Four - AD 5
Tasks may be taken multiple times in the same turn. Tasks will be completed in order from the first in the list to the last. If an action in an earlier task invalidates a later task the dice spent on that task is lost.
1 and 2 - 50% Neutral / 50% Failure
3 and 4 - 25% Great Success /50% Neutral / 25% Failure
5 - 50% Great Success / 50% Neutral
6+ - 100% Great Success
I have made a comprehensive Mechanics post which details more about all the numbers and extra details on tasks.
But basically you have 4 action dice right now (see above) Where would you like to assign them?
I would like plans to be done in the following format
[X] Very cool Plan Name
-[X] Task Name One - AD 4
-[X] Task Name Two - AD 3
-[X] Task Name Three - AD 4
-[X] Task Name Four - AD 5
Tasks may be taken multiple times in the same turn. Tasks will be completed in order from the first in the list to the last. If an action in an earlier task invalidates a later task the dice spent on that task is lost.
----------------------
GENERAL TASKS
[ ] Investigate what has happened here.
Completion Counter: 8/10
Skill: Reason (+1)
Difficulty: SAFE
Something has happened here. Have a look around see if you can figure it out.
[ ] Where in the World am I?
Completion Counter: 0/5
Skill: Hidden Knowledge (+1)
Difficulty: RISKY
You look outside the window and you recognize nothing, maybe it might be good to familiarize yourself.
[ ] Explore the Betwixt and Between
Completion Counter: 8/10
Skill: Reason (+1)
Difficulty: SAFE
Let's have a look around.
[ ] Movement in the Fog
Skill: Quick (0)
Difficulty: DANGEROUS
Was that something moving outside? No, surely not. You must be imagining things.
[ ] Empty Pages
Completion Counter: 3/4
Skill: Empathy (+1)
Difficulty : RISKY
Communicate with the book? Spirit? in the Ledger.
[ ] A Request for the Betwixt and Between
Skill: Destiny (+1)
Difficulty: RISKY
There is something you require the Betwixt and Between to provide you. Flex your connection and see if you can make it happen.
(Please specify the item and its use of it in the plan. This cannot provide magic items or new rooms. Some things cannot be created or are out of setting for this quest and are up to GM discretion)
-------------------
INVENTORY
[ ] Research in the Inventory
Skill : Hidden Knowledge (+1)
Difficulty: SAFE
So there is something you want to know about wonderitems. In here it has the information both past and present.
(Please list what sort of information you want to look for.)
[ ] A Keen Mind and a Clear Spirit.
Completion Counter : 6/10
Failure Counter : 0/10
Skill : Magic of Craft (0)
Difficulty : DANGEROUS
You have managed to find your manascape, in a dark cave in your soul. Spend time filling the basin on the Alter of Craft.
--------------------
KITCHEN
[ ] Spend time in the Kitchen
Skill: Empathy (+1)
Difficulty: SAFE
The comfort of a hot meal and some time at rest.
[ ] A Busy Bee
Skill : Hidden Knowledge (+1)
Difficulty : RISKY
Cost : 2 'Magic' Crystals
The Kitchen has communicated to you that it can create special meals for you. But all wonderous things have a cost.
---------------------
BEDROOM
[ ] Mirror, Mirror
Failure Counter : 0/3
Skill : Empathy (+1) or Magic of Illusion (N/A)
Difficulty: RISKY
The Mirror being is both rude and uncontrollable. Maybe it's time to have a discussion.
[ ] See into the Past
Failure Counter: 0/4
Skill: Magic of Intent (N/A)
Difficulty: RISKY
I know the actions and ritual to see into the past to find out what happened in the moment of violence in the store. If only i had a way to power it.
[ ] Echo in my Hand
Failure Counter: 0/4
Skill: Magic of Craft (N/A)
Difficulty : DANGEROUS
You can modify the runes on the large mirror as well as add your own. This would allow the mirror being to enter the hand mirror and by controlled by your will.
[ ] To Sleep, perchance to Dream?
Failure Counter : 0/5
Skill : Destiny (+1)
Difficulty : DANGEROUS
The objects around the bed seemed to be tuned to have a purpose while sleeping.
[ ] Messy Room
Completion Counter : 1/4
Skill : Quick (0)
Difficulty: SAFE
Rummage through the belongings of the previous shopkeeper and maybe your supposed to be Master.
----------------------
PERSONAL STUDY
[ ] Red strings and Pages
Completion Counter : 0/5
Skill: Reason (+1)
Difficulty : SAFE
What could of the former shopkeeper been tracking?
[ ] A Puzzle Locked Desk
Completion Counter : 0/10
Skill: Quick (0)
Difficulty: RISKY
There is nothing more tempting than a locked box in plain sight.
[ ] Books, Books and More Books
Completion Counter: 0/8
Skill: Hidden Knowledge (+1)
Difficulty: SAFE
See if you can figure out the purpose of this collection.
-----------------------
WONDERFORGE - NEW
[ ] Create a Wonderitem
Requires AD : 4 , 1
Skill : Magic of Craft or other Magic Skill
Create a Wonderitem at the forge. (This will trigger a vote to determine what item.)
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CedeTheBees
Probably high right now
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Oof ouch my plans
Wistways
You friendly neighborhood artist
- Location
- Australia
CedeTheBees
Probably high right now
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Something like
[ ] Plan: The Dice Gods Are Fickle And Cruel
-[ ] Explore the Betwixt and Between (1)
-[ ] Investigate what has happened here. (1)
-[ ] Messy Room (1)
-[ ] Books, Books and More Books (3)
maybe?
[ ] Plan: The Dice Gods Are Fickle And Cruel
-[ ] Explore the Betwixt and Between (1)
-[ ] Investigate what has happened here. (1)
-[ ] Messy Room (1)
-[ ] Books, Books and More Books (3)
maybe?
WhoTheHeckity
But no one ever asks HowTheHeckity
- Location
- Murica 🦅
What does this mean?
Wistways
You friendly neighborhood artist
- Location
- Australia
So happy to explain! Wonderitem creation tasks are slightly different in that they require a combination of certain dice.
So in this case you need to apply both a AD 4 and an AD 1 to this task.
They do not actually have a chance roll on the creation of the item. (Just edited that, my bad for copying my template)
You will always succeed at doing so if you have the correct requirements.
When I get to the Create a Wonderitem task in the update it will trigger a community vote.
You will all be able to pitch my your idea for wonderitems! Wonderitems must contain 1 Insight, and at least 1 Item of potential. But the effects they can perform are completly up to the community. So everyone will be able to suggest items for approval. I'll gather all the ones I think fit the setting and Mahogany's current skill level and then we will vote to decide which one she makes.
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So, for Items of Potential we have the following:
Mentorship could combine with lots of the above - we could put a tutelary spirit in the mirror, on the paper, or as a voice in the Geode. Or more metaphorical - we could make a staff that guides the user to its destination. The paper could be used for origami - perhaps it could be folded into a bird, or (magically) into a compass?
Wounds and the knife would likely combine well - perhaps we could make a dagger whose wounds never heal (not typically a heroic item, unless we go back to epic heroes). The Knife could also be used with the Mirrorglass - the somatic action of cutting used to trigger shapeshifting.
- Iridescent Feather
- Piebald Staff
- Uncracked Geode
- Pearlescent Paper
- A Vial of water
- Knife with Leaflike Blade
- A Bundle of Hollow Reeds
- Brass Backed Hand Mirror
- Mirrorglass - "Could this be my own face, I wondered. My heart pounded at the idea, and the face in the mirror grew more and more unfamiliar."
- Sunshine - "Keep your face always to the sun and shadows will fall behind you."
- Wounds - "Oblivion cures the old wounds"
- Mentor - "Children must be taught how to think, not what to think."
Mentorship could combine with lots of the above - we could put a tutelary spirit in the mirror, on the paper, or as a voice in the Geode. Or more metaphorical - we could make a staff that guides the user to its destination. The paper could be used for origami - perhaps it could be folded into a bird, or (magically) into a compass?
Wounds and the knife would likely combine well - perhaps we could make a dagger whose wounds never heal (not typically a heroic item, unless we go back to epic heroes). The Knife could also be used with the Mirrorglass - the somatic action of cutting used to trigger shapeshifting.
- Location
- Philippines
Maybe Bloyse was cursed to turn into something maybe a bird?
TimEd
Meteor maker
Like the crow? Could be. We do know of an item that mentions the ability to turn into a bird without any mention of a return function.
Do we need to put the rolls at the same time? Or can we put the 1 roll now and wait for whenever we get a 4 roll to complete it?
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We only have one energy left, so maybe we should also eat?
- Location
- Mid-Atlantic
Self-care is important; let's take an Energy-boosting action.
JayTar
Idea briefcase
[X] Plan: Easy Does It
-[X] Spend time in the Kitchen - AD 3
-[X] Explore the Betwixt and Between AD 1
-[X] Investigate what has happened here. AD 1
-[X] Books, Books and More Books AD 1
Put the 3 on the Kitchen because running out of energy would be most unpleasant. Honestly we run out of energy quite quickly, it would be nice if we could do something about that. Maybe the special meals?
-[X] Spend time in the Kitchen - AD 3
-[X] Explore the Betwixt and Between AD 1
-[X] Investigate what has happened here. AD 1
-[X] Books, Books and More Books AD 1
Put the 3 on the Kitchen because running out of energy would be most unpleasant. Honestly we run out of energy quite quickly, it would be nice if we could do something about that. Maybe the special meals?
Wistways
You friendly neighborhood artist
- Location
- Australia
You need to put in the rolls at the same time. No banked dice
- Location
- Mid-Atlantic
I think we run out of energy in part because we're doing a lot of the "fill up your magic" action, which is presented as deeply exhausting, something a person could potentially kill themselves by overdoing. I think to some extent it's a deliberate mechanic (at least for now) that Mahogany has to pay at least some attention to self-care, food, and sleep every turn, and there's an implication that turns can take up quite a lot of time.
Hmm, lets see:
Iridescent Feather
+Mirrorglass - "Could this be my own face, I wondered. My heart pounded at the idea, and the face in the mirror grew more and more unfamiliar."
Play on glimmering black and the concept of image versus reality to make an illusion or disguise. A feather could be a plume or a quill.
A quill of animation, that turns what it draws into moving images? Perfect for an artist.
Piebald Staff
+Mirrorglass - "Could this be my own face, I wondered. My heart pounded at the idea, and the face in the mirror grew more and more unfamiliar."
Illusion staff, either mental effects or glamours.
+Sunshine - "Keep your face always to the sun and shadows will fall behind you."
Light and dark, working on the boundaries. The staff is mottled grey and black to begin with, so it could perhaps poke at the boundary of the physical and the spiritual?
+Wounds - "Oblivion cures the old wounds"
Something to have the staff take wounds onto itself, to be distributed out later?
Uncracked Geode
+Mirrorglass - "Could this be my own face, I wondered. My heart pounded at the idea, and the face in the mirror grew more and more unfamiliar."
You never know whats in a geode until you open it up. A geode 'egg' which 'hatches' into an alter ego of a person after incubation?
+Sunshine - "Keep your face always to the sun and shadows will fall behind you."
Polish it until the crystal shows through, an orb of light which banishes concealment and darkness.
+Mentor - "Children must be taught how to think, not what to think."
An orb which highlights clues to questions that the holder is thinking of. Works much better for children, turns your life into one of those Spot The Glowy Thing adventures.
Pearlescent Paper
+Mentor - "Children must be taught how to think, not what to think."
An intelligent reference book, serving as guide and teacher. Think Tom Riddle's Diary, but actually helpful rather than evil.
A Vial of water
+Sunshine - "Keep your face always to the sun and shadows will fall behind you."
Phial of Galadriel. Easy. Same as the geode above, light banishes darkness.
+Wounds - "Oblivion cures the old wounds"
A potion that makes you forget about an injury or deficiency, and thus lets you function as if it wasn't there.
Knife with Leaflike Blade
+Mirrorglass - "Could this be my own face, I wondered. My heart pounded at the idea, and the face in the mirror grew more and more unfamiliar."
A blade that cuts images and peels them off, to be applied over something else.
+Sunshine - "Keep your face always to the sun and shadows will fall behind you."
A blade that cuts light itself, allowing the user to carve the illumination out of the scene.
+Wounds - "Oblivion cures the old wounds"
A blade that only destroys wounds. It can't cause harm, only remove it.
Always wanted to make a healing shiv...
+Mentor - "Children must be taught how to think, not what to think."
What better knife instructor than a knife?
A Bundle of Hollow Reeds
Drawing a blank on this one.
Brass Backed Hand Mirror
+Mirrorglass - "Could this be my own face, I wondered. My heart pounded at the idea, and the face in the mirror grew more and more unfamiliar."
Mirror sympathy. A mirror that lets the girl in the mirror actually go out and about, though not in full, is a freedom we can bargain with, without offering full, unrestricted freedoms.
+Sunshine - "Keep your face always to the sun and shadows will fall behind you."
The mirror is a symbol of the sun, and this casts a shadow behind you. So here, the mirror reflects the past perhaps? Or the shadows of the heart?
+Mentor - "Children must be taught how to think, not what to think."
When you do something, the mirror highlights your mistakes
Just throwing out a bunch of ideas...
- Location
- Attached to a wall
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] Plan: Easy Does It