It is the dawn of the 30th Millennium. Mankind is scattered.
Terra, the homeworld, is ruled by Techno-Barbarians, Biological Monstrosities, and Mad Warlords of all flavors. Humanity calls out for a savior, a unifier, a leader to bring together all the lost worlds of man and usher forth a new golden age.
Meanwhile, in a secret bunker complex in the Himalayas, a 14-foot tall superhuman wakes up in a pool of his own piss, with no memory of who he is or how he got here. There are voices in his head, an army expecting him to lead them to victory, and he can't seem to stop glowing.
There was a stream flowing
and a body smirched it.
There was a pure mirror
of water and a face came
and looked in it. There was words
and wars and treaties, and feet trampled
the earth and the wheels
seared it; and an explosion
followed. There was dust
and silence; and out of the dust
a plant grew; and the dew formed
upon it; and a stream seeped
from the dew to construct
a mirror, and the mirror was empty.
- Gone, R. S. Thomas ANCIENT SHAMANISTIC BRAIN:The Void.
Shifting. Primeval. Darkness.
Shapes move in the blackness, circling like long-suffering vultures above the wide desert; waiting for the moment when the flesh stops and becomes carrion.
You have been here before, but you never intended to return. We never intended to return.
You are surrounded by abyssal silence. Nothingness greets you. There is no form, no pressure, no feeling at all. The ever-shifting aura that covers your body in the realm of the physical - intensity and force and *power* - is still.
Lost. Forgotten. For a second, and for an eternity.
ANCIENT SHAMANISTIC BRAIN:An impossible amount of time passes. It is utterly bereft of struggle. No clashing legions. No chasing wolves. No biomechanical nightmares given form by the darkness in the depths of the human soul. Nothing.
1. This is great!
2. Where am I? *Who* am I?
3. What was that about 'biomechanical nightmares'?
YOU: What was that about 'biomechanical nightmares'?
LIMBIC SYSTEM:A shock in the system. A tension in the silent depths. There is a moment of connection, a pulse passing between your being and an ocean of burning energy. Not-Flesh surrounds your consciousness, soaking it in existence for a brief, painful moment. Tendrils of the self reach out and seek information. This pathway leads into the thicket and thorns. Cease this pursuit. Remain in the Darkness.
1. (Delve back into the unending darkness.)
2. No, I wanted to know about the nightmares.
YOU: No, I wanted to know about the nightmares.
ANCIENT SHAMANISTIC BRAIN:Biomechanical nightmares, psychic nightmares, nightmares from the stars, nightmares from beneath the Earth. There are nightmares made of every little thing, coming from all places. It is foolish to separate them. They are all obstacles on the path. You will deal with them in time. For now, stay. Rest. The vultures cannot hurt you; even as you are now. They are scavengers, not predators.
1. Ἄγωμεν! Never let me go!
2. No, I need to go now. I like war and burning and standing against the impossible forevermore, despite the near-inevitability of failure.
YOU: No, I need to go now. I like war and burning and standing against the impossible forevermore, despite the near-inevitability of failure.
ANCIENT SHAMANISTIC BRAIN: Do you really?
1. Don't be naive, of course not. I want to traverse the inky blackness until the heat-death of the universe!
2. I do. Let me go.
YOU: I do. Let me go.
LIMBIC SYSTEM:You wouldn't like it if I told you what's out there. What do you think happened to you? Or did you not sense yourself - shattering? Hit so hard pieces of yourself flew away... Pissed off the wrong gang, didn't you, boss?
GOLDEN THRONE: Threats and obstacles on the True Path... We must know what's out there.
1. Wait, someone did this to me?
2. Tell me, what's waiting for me?
3. I don't care, I'm unstoppable.
YOU: Wait, someone did this to me?
LIMBIC SYSTEM: Oh yes. Some real bad motherfuckers. They'll do it again if they get the chance.
1. Tell me, what's waiting for me?
2. I don't care, I'm unstoppable.
YOU: Tell me, what's waiting for me?
LIMBIC SYSTEM:There's this little ball out there. And evil apes. And the evil apes are dukin' it out on the ball. It's basically all just evil apes dukin' it out on a tiny ball. You're one of them. In fact, you're probably the evilest ape of them all. There are worse things than the apes, of course, but the apes made most of those themselves.
YOU: How small is the ball?
LIMBIC SYSTEM:Quite large, actually. You can't even make out it's a ball, when you're dukin' it out. But in the grand scheme of things, as you see them? It's terrifyingly small, but so indescribably precious.
YOU: And what about the apes? Are they small too?
LIMBIC SYSTEM:Infinitesimally small, but also precious. In their own way.
YOU: And what's this about "dukin' it out" you mentioned? That sounds familiar.
LIMBIC SYSTEM:Others would call it vying for resources. That's true, but it's so much more. The Path stretches out before you, and the violence is just the first step. The part that's important for you right now is this: you have to beat the other evil apes in the face or you lose.
OVERLORD: You will not lose, Conqueror. You cannot lose. They will scatter before you like dust before the whirlwind. The future depends on it.
1. Why, exactly, does the future depend on me beating others in the face?
2. That sounds like something I would like to do -- let's get going!
YOU: That sounds like something I would like to do -- let's get going!
ANCIENT SHAMANISTIC BRAIN:Somewhere in the vibrating, energized form around you... *sensations* begin to return.
ANCIENT SHAMANISTIC BRAIN:Like a trap waiting for the rabbit, they snap around your consciousness, forcing it back into place. The form around you begins to buzz and hum, echoing with power. It remembers. It wants to run through the grass once more. Plotting. Hunting. Dancing beneath a moonlit sky.
GOLDEN THRONE: And so we shall. The coming storm cannot impede the True Path. We will navigate all that comes. Mankind shall not be denied its champion.
1. Is this what existence is? It all feels so... fuzzy. Doesn't seem worth the trouble.
2. Stop! I don't want to hear anything more about this *sensation*. Take me back to the formless, disembodied nothing!
3. I fear nothing. Let it come!
YOU: I fear nothing. Let it come!
LIMBIC SYSTEM:Your nose twitches. A sickening combination of smells assaults you: Blood, incense, ozone, and other things besides. Is that Piss? Vomit? Rotting flesh? It swirls together in a terrible whirlwind, surrounding you from all sides. The individual scents are unidentifiable amidst the storm forcing its way into your nostrils.
YOU: What *is* this? What sort of creature sits in this kind of filth?!
LIMBIC SYSTEM:A burning streak besieges your ears, trying to force your eyes open. It's a sound. A rising call that brings forth steel and fire.
FORGEMASTER: Somehow you know what it is - A military trumpet, signalling reveille. Your army awaits.
YOU: [Open your eyes.] Things have been scattered, shuffled, lost. There are vast empty spaces that were once filled. Do not worry, you may recover these things in time. Focus on the here and now.
Which parts of you are least damaged? Get that out of the way first. [Choose One set of Attributes]
[] Your Mind! And what a mind it is! Expansive, poetic, brilliant, sly, faster than everyone else. Don't worry about the fact that your brain is describing itself as all of these things, it's probably fine.[5 INTELLECT, 4 MOTORICS, 2 PSYCHE, 1 PHYSIQUE]
[] Your Instincts! Your nervous system remembers what it is, and what it does, and what you were, even if you don't. All the little things are still there, you just need to trust your gut and your subconscious. [5 PSYCHE, 4 PHYSIQUE, 2 MOTORICS, 1 INTELLECT]
[] Your Body! You are 14 Feet (or more, if you like) of golden, glowing Wrath. Your footsteps shake the earth. You could wrestle a Titan if you needed to. (We don't recommend doing that, however) [5 PHYSIQUE, 4 MOTORICS, 2 PSYCHE, 1 INTELLECT]
[] Custom: Each Attribute starts at 1. You have 8 points to spend. Attributes cannot go above a 6 (Yet). Technically, you don't need to spend all the points. Nobody is going to argue with you, but that would be a rather bad idea.
YOUR ATTRIBUTES: INTELLECT (Raw brain power, how smart you are. Your capacity to understand, deconstruct, and invent):4 PSYCHE(Sensitivity, your internal drive and motivation. Your power to influence yourself and others.):4 PHYSIQUE(Your body, in all its glory. How your body is built, how it acts, how it remembers, and how it changes): 2 MOTORICS(Your senses and grace. How well you move your body and react to the world around you.): 2
YOUR SKILLS:
Intellect FORGEMASTER [See the world as a construct, understand its components, dissect it, rebuild it to suit your whims]
Cool For: Scarred Blacksmiths, All-Disciplinary Scientists, Mega-Psykers who May or May Not be the Omnissiah.
Forgemaster is your brain on facts. Existence is just particles interfacing with one another over and over again, and you've had a lot of time to learn your particles. Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, and Quantum-Physics? You know them all. You know how they fit together. You know how they come apart.
At high levels, Forgemaster shares this unending knowledge to an almost overwhelming degree – while you will make crucial breakthroughs, you may be so focused on the gathering and analysis of information that you become more robotic than a Tech-Priest. With low levels of Forgemaster, though, you'll be forced to work with only the events in front of you. For larger projects, you may need to bring in outside help. RHAPSODIST [Feel the ebbs and flows in the aether around you, understand or invent new concepts, tap into the thoughts of others and make them your own, impress your personality upon everyone]
Cool For: Homeric Poets, Silver-Tongued Demigods, Leaders who Know they are Right
Rhapsodist demands everyone listen. It encourages you to speak to the soul of those around you, your speech drilling into their very hearts. Your words flow from you like a river, beautiful and clear, washing away all that stands before you. Know what others think of you after they speak a single word, and experience their feelings as they do. Adopt, discard, or destroy the arguments and ideas of those before you with a wave of your hand and a twitch of your lips.
At high levels, Rhapsodist makes you a figure of legend, allowing you to override any and all opposing or differing ideas, perhaps too much. Why listen to anyone if you know you're always right? Why should others even bother thinking? At low levels, however, you will be unable to conceive of the lives of others, or examine their beliefs and ideas in a critical light. A leader who does not understand his followers is a poor leader indeed.
GOLDEN THRONE [Follow the True Path, hear the whispering of your previous self/selves, struggle against the Galaxy, Save Mankind]
Cool For: Savior Figures, Reincarnated Shaman Amalgamations, Champions of Humanity.
Golden Throne is the unfiltered wellspring of the Imperium. It is the dream you wish to share with all mankind. The Vision you have worked towards for thousands of years. It is your cause and your purpose. When the Galaxy strikes a blow, it is Golden Throne that whispers in the voices of your forefathers, offering advice and encouragement. It is Golden Throne that gives people the hope for a better future. It is Golden Throne that steers your thoughts back to the true path. You are not alone in this, even in the darkest moments.
At high levels, Golden Throne brings forth visions and specters of the past to help you into the future. They will grow in strength and influence, their prides and schemes becoming yours. You'll have conversations with the dead, conversations that will keep you on the Path you have foreseen, even if circumstances may require otherwise. With low Golden Throne, however, you'll be void of assistance - left alone to build the future. And then how will you know the shape of what is to come? OVERLORD [Be the Emperor, make the world orderly, turn them to your cause, RULE]
Cool For: Great Crusaders, Generals that Lead from the Front, Eternal Despots
Overlord makes you the Commander. The Leader. The Emperor. Armies will follow you into hell itself. Cities will kneel before you. You will know your soldiers inside and out - you will know what drives them and how to drive them harder - and you will know how far you can push them before they break. You will talk them into suicidal charges and they will perform them happily, for you. They know what will happen if they don't.
At high levels, Overlord will make your will like Iron, and your nerves of Steel. You will be the sole ruler of all you survey. Any sign of disobedience will be punished, any deviation identified and destroyed, and they will thank you for it. At low levels, you will find it hard to command those who serve you, and their loyalty may not be as rock-solid as you'd like. The Imperium may need more than just you at the top.
ARCHETYPE [Be the New Man, break buildings with your bare hands, survive the wastelands of Terra, face the Future]
Cool For: The Superman, Living Tanks, Titan-Wrestlers
Archetype is your body as it is now. Muscles that can tear apart concrete and bones like titanium. Terra - and the Galaxy as a whole - is a dangerous place, and everything will try to kill you. Survive the blows, and kill them first. Be superhuman.
At higher levels, you may cease to be human at all. Your form will become unstoppable and terrifying to all those who see you on the battlefield, on either side. You will break anything in your path and discard all those who can't keep up. At low levels, the Galaxy becomes a much more deadly place. Keep your armor on, and keep those Custodes handy. SYNAPSE [Be the oldest Man, watch for the wolves on the far plains, hurl the spear through the boar's neck, feel the spirits whisper on the wind]
Cool For: Anatolian Shepards, Old Souls, Humans
Synapse is you as you have always been: Just a man. Albeit, a man who has lived far longer and seen far more than anyone else. It enables you to connect to your human side, and the twitching, mortal instincts that still reside deep in your neurons. With it, you experience humanity from the inside. It allows you to see the Galaxy as a man might see it, and understand secrets or perspectives hidden from your golden side.
At high levels, you might get a little too human. You might jump at shadows, find yourself repeating old superstitions, or allow yourself to feel the flight or fight response. At low levels, however, you will be deaf to your human side. And if you cannot hear mankind, how can you save them?
SHIFTING TENDONS [See what others don't, slide your blade through their guard, dodge shots from Titans, know danger before it strikes]
Shifting Tendons is the speed and poise suffused throughout your form. It is the perfect arc your sword follows as you pick apart an enemy's defense. It is taking a single look at a battlefield and knowing where your foe is weakest. It is feeling the shift in the air, and gracefully twisting your body out of the way as a hypersonic round tears through the space you just occupied.
At high levels, Shifting Tendons makes you practically untouchable. Your golden skin will go unmarred forever, and you'll be the best dancer at the ball. However, when your body acts before your mind, violence may occur even if it is not necessary. At low levels, though, you may find your blade hitting only empty air, as you miss not only your opponent, but also the hidden details of their schemes. SHOCK AND AWE [Glow with golden radiance, command machines to repair themselves, tower above the kneeling masses]
Cool For: Emperors, Magnetic Personalities, Fourteen Foot Tall Golden Not-Gods
Shock and Awe is your announcement to the Galaxy. It is the presentation of yourself to all those who might be looking. No need for stealth, no need for poker faces. Subtlety is for lesser men. With Shock and Awe, you become the image of the Emperor that everyone imagines you to be. You boom forth commands, you blind those who stare too long, you look down upon those who are not worthy.
At higher levels, Shock and Awe makes you into an idol. You will become unflappable, unstoppable, unreal. Nature itself may bend to your commands. The people may hold the image of you over what you really are, and they will kneel before it. At low levels, however, it may be hard to keep up the image of The Emperor of Mankind at all times. Make sure no one starts to think that all this gold is just gilding.
YOUR TASKS:
Waking up in a puddle of your own piss is no fun. It's even less fun when you can't remember who you are, because you don't know whether this is the first time it's happened, or the hundredth. You need to figure out who, exactly, you are.
- Your form is immaculate, and thrumming with Physical Power. In other words: you are both beautiful and jacked as hell.
- You remember how to use a sword. It seems almost instinctual.
- The word "Warlord" feels very familiar, but not quite right.
A stranger in a strange land? Or a man with no memory of home? Time to figure out where you are. And then you can start asking questions like 'how did I get here' or 'why am I here'.
- A converted military space, made to imitate high art and sophistication. A bunker of some form? A fortress?
Assuming that you do not make a habit of trashing your room and passing out in a pool of your own urine, something strange and wild has occurred. Your memory is gone and your body has been greatly pained. Find out what happened, and what caused this.
- The damage, according to the voices in your head, was not purely physical. Whatever that means.
You know what you need in your life? More Gold. One of the voices in your head has shown displeasure with the Hue he has been assigned, and wants to change teams. You're... not sure how that would work, but at least it's something to keep in mind.
ITEMS: Equipped:
An immaculate Power Sword, forged of deep silver metal and adorned with ancient circuitry. It fits astoundingly well in your grip. Somehow you feel as if it would be wrong to ever use another weapon. It's your friend now. You will betray it if you exchange it for some dull hammer.
+1 GOLDEN THRONE: Your Implement
+1 ARCHETYPE: Ultima Ratio Regum
-1 SYNAPSE: Inhuman Armament
+ ???
A silken robe. White with golden threading. Comfortable. Meant for relaxation in private chambers. Not exactly real clothing, but it covers everything.
+1 SYNAPSE: Elegant Simplicity
-1 RHAPSODIST:A Bit Boring
Scheduled vote count started by Frostbyght on Dec 9, 2024 at 12:27 PM, finished with 63 posts and 43 votes.
[X] Custom: Each Attribute starts at 1. You have 8 points to spend. Attributes cannot go above a 6 (Yet). Technically, you don't need to spend all the points. Nobody is going to argue with you, but that would be a rather bad idea. -[X] Intellect 4 -[X] Psyche 4
-[X] Motorics 2
-[X] Physique 2
[X] Your Instincts! Your nervous system remembers what it is, and what it does, and what you were, even if you don't. All the little things are still there, you just need to trust your gut and your subconscious. [5 PSYCHE, 4 PHYSIQUE, 2 MOTORICS, 1 INTELLECT]
[X] Custom: Each Attribute starts at 1. You have 8 points to spend. Attributes cannot go above a 6 (Yet). Technically, you don't need to spend all the points. Nobody is going to argue with you, but that would be a rather bad idea.
-[X] Intellect 5
-[X] Psyche 5
-[X] Motorics 1
-[X] Physique 1
[X] Your Mind! And what a mind it is! Expansive, poetic, brilliant, sly, faster than everyone else. Don't worry about the fact that your brain is describing itself as all of these things, it's probably fine.[5 INTELLECT, 4 MOTORICS, 2 PSYCHE, 1 PHYSIQUE]
[X] Your Body! You are 14 Feet (or more, if you like) of golden, glowing Wrath. Your footsteps shake the earth. You could wrestle a Titan if you needed to. (We don't recommend doing that, however) [5 PHYSIQUE, 4 MOTORICS, 2 PSYCHE, 1 INTELLECT]
[X] Custom: Each Attribute starts at 1. You have 8 points to spend. Attributes cannot go above a 6 (Yet). Technically, you don't need to spend all the points. Nobody is going to argue with you, but that would be a rather bad idea.
-[X] Intellect 5
-[X] Psyche 5
-[X] Motorics 1
[X] Custom: Each Attribute starts at 1. You have 8 points to spend. Attributes cannot go above a 6 (Yet). Technically, you don't need to spend all the points. Nobody is going to argue with you, but that would be a rather bad idea. -[X] Intellect 4
-[X] Psyche 3 -[X] Motorics 3
-[X] Physique 2
[TASK ADDED: Who are you?]
[TASK ADDED: Where are you?]
[TASK ADDED: What happened to you?]
GOLDEN THRONE: The world returns to you in a haze. Your eyes are open, but unseeing. Your vision whirls as, piece by piece, feeling reasserts itself throughout your body. Physical existence welcomes you back with aches, pains, and a sensation of uncomfortable dampness.
1. Where am I?
2. Ouch. I'm starting to miss the unending darkness.
3. Oh hey, physical sensation! How bad do I feel at the moment? Is my body intact?
4. Dampness? I don't like the sound of that.
3. Oh hey, physical sensation! How bad do I feel at the moment? Is my body intact?
GOLDEN THRONE: Good question. Let's take stock of your bits and bobs, and make sure that everything is still-
ARCHETYPE: Alright that's enough out of you, Chair-Boy. Let the professionals take over.
GOLDEN THRONE: Chair-boy?
OVERLORD [Trivial: Success]: Hey! Who gave you the right to interrupt the Chair? We have *rules* here.
ARCHETYPE [Medium: Success]: *I* gave me the right, buddy. If anyone is gonna take stock of this Gold Encrusted Brick Shithouse, it's gonna be me! And also my associate.
OVERLORD: Associate?
SYNAPSE: He's talking about me. I apologize for his attitude, but it probably *would* be best if you let us handle the anatomical side of things. Don't worry, we'll be done shortly.
ARCHETYPE: No we fuckin' won't. I've got a whole list of complaints.
1. There are more of you?
2. He sounds like he knows what he's talking about. What's this list?
3. Hey, you can't just barge in here like that!
2. He sounds like he knows what he's talking about. What's this list?
ARCHETYPE:I appreciate the vote of confidence, chief. Now, let's take a look here.
ARCHETYPE:Issue Number 1: You are currently supine, your face slack and your body motionless save for the soft rising and falling of your chest. Frankly, the fact you're in position to do some Sit-Ups and can't do any is a goddamn travesty. Your eyes *are* open, but like the Chair said, you won't be seeing anything until your optical nerves get their shit together.
SYNAPSE: Working on it.
ARCHETYPE:Number 2: There are aches and pains everywhere. Even some of your internal organs seem to be getting in on the game of 'which part of you can feel the worst'. By my count, we've sustained some rather serious bruising, maybe a few minor lacerations here and there. You might have a slight concussion. A full count will have to wait until we can get eyes on them.
1. What caused this?
2. Any major damage I need to know about?
3. Maybe this is why I can't remember anything. A concussion.
1. What caused this?
ARCHETYPE[Easy: Failure]: Hard to say. Possibly you were in some form of confrontation; a fist-fight perhaps. The lack of pain in your fingers and knuckles seems to discount that theory, unless you allowed yourself to be beaten without fighting back.
OVERLORD:NEVER.
GOLDEN THRONE [Medium: Success]: No simple fist-fight could ever mar your perfect form. No mortal could touch you in a way to cause injuries like these, even if they are minor. There is a tickle somewhere in your empty memory, a ghost of a sensation. Then it passes.
ARCHETYPE:Number 3: You are laying on a hard floor, cooler than the air. Probably some kind of stone. That's fine. The problem is it is not the only thing you are laying on. A soft stickiness seems to connect you to the floor. You are pretty sure it's urine. Likely, your own. You may, in fact, be prone in a half-dried puddle of your own piss. I won't say more than that. I won't even mention the smell.
1. You know what, I don't want to process this right now. Move on.
2. It might not be piss.
3. It might not be mine.
4. Fine. I'm in a puddle of my own piss. Who cares? What's next?
2. It might not be piss.
FORGEMASTER[Easy: Success]:It is.
SYNAPSE[Easy: Success]:Yeah. It is. You remember this smell.
3. It might not be mine.
FORGEMASTER[Trivial: Success]:No, it is. That is simplest explanation, and therefore the most likely. Accept it.
RHAPSODIST [Challenging: Failure]: NAY, you lordship! I say again, nay! While unlikely, you cannot dismiss the possibility of the arrival of fated and fetid foes! Those rapscallions and ner-do-wells who would see you humiliated and cast down. During your slumber, perhaps some assassins of the Urinary Persuasion crept their way into your chambers. They must be hunted down, your lordship. A hero such as yourself cannot be disgraced like this. Honor must be maintained!
1. Tell me more about these Urinary Assassins. How can we catch them?
2. You know what, I don't want to process this right now. Move on.
2. You know what, I don't want to process this right now. Move on.
RHAPSODIST: Bah, very well. Continue your treatise, oh master of the Flesh.
ARCHETYPE:Right. Yes. Moving on.
ARCHETYPE:Number 4: Your mass, the bulk of muscles and bones that surrounds your organs, is not only stationary, it is stiff. Your arms feel weak and disused. With effort you start to twitch fingers and toes; one by one they respond meekly. One hand manages to curl into a loose fist. My god, this situation is more dire than I ever anticipated. Have our muscles atrophied? How long have we been laying here?!
FORGEMASTER [Easy: Success]: Unlikely. Muscle atrophy takes weeks to set in, and wouldn't lead to complete lack of motion immediately. In the time it would take to completely lose the capability to move our arms, we probably would have starved to death.
SYNAPSE [Trivial: Success]: There is still latent power in those limbs. It just needs time to wake up. It will never leave you.
[TASK UPDATED: Who are you?]
OVERLORD[Easy: Success]: And we're just supposed to sit around on the floor and wait around while that happens? Not on my watch. You should ORDER your muscles to get your ass in gear and get up. It is a matter of *will*, not time.
ARCHETYPE:Amazingly, I think agree with the Iron Fist over here. We can probably do this thing now, if needed. If power is there we can do anything, even if we can't see our superb, glorious, perfectly sculpted musculature.
1. How long until I can move my arms again?
2. Understood. Continue with the check-up.
3. [Archetype - Challenging 12] No time to lose! Wake up those muscles now and will yourself to get off the floor.
3. [Archetype - Challenging 12] No time to lose! Wake up those muscles now and will yourself to get off the floor.
+1 Letting the Professional Handle This
DICE: 3, 4. TOTAL: 10
ARCHETYPE[Challenging: Failure]: You tense your abdominal muscles, feeling sinew tighten and pull. You suck in a deep breath (ow) to prepare yourself and ready your will. With a grunt of effort (ow, again), you pull yourself off the ground. Things feel heavier than they should. Your arms and legs do not quite match up to your internal calculations. You shove hard off the floor (OW) to give yourself the extra boost you need and...
SYNAPSE: Alright, I've reset our optical nerves and we should have full vision in a few WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! LOOK OUT!
ARCHETYPE:But you quite literally cannot. Your head, on an upward arc propelled by your gleaming pythons, slams into something hard and metallic (FUCKING OUCH). With a solid *thunk* you land back on the floor.
DAMAGED HEALTH -1
SYNAPSE:At least this time you are sitting up, vaguely supporting yourself on still-numb arms. A cold feeling spreads across your forehead, joining in with the aches in a dance that will result in one mother of a headache. Also, good news, the shock to your system seems to have accelerated the reboot process. You can see! Sort of.
FORGEMASTER: That would probably be all the gold. The room is infested with it. Just give your eyes a moment to adjust, they're having a real rough time.
2. [Examine yourself]
ARCHETYPE: Your body, now that you can see it, is a sight to behold. When I said "Gold Encrusted Brick Shithouse" earlier I was *not* joking. Your form ripples with sinew and tendons, well defined and solid. Your eyes trace down your arm, seeing muscle flex as it holds up your weight. Light reflects off your skin in cascading waves. Oddly, you detect no bruises in the areas where you feel pain. No cuts or abrasions. Nothing seems to impair the perfection of your form.
GOLDEN THRONE [Formidable: Success]: The Damage is not purely physical, and even if it was, it is so minor your edifice would not stoop so low as to show it. It is beneath you.
[TASK UPDATED: What happened to you?]
SYNAPSE[Medium: Failure]: Your own musculature reminds you of something, far away and gone, but as you try to grasp the feeling it slips away...
ARCHETYPE:You are also clothed, barely. A silken robe, white with shimmering gold embroidery, hangs loosely about you. It covers just enough to make you presentable, were any other eyes watching, but no more than that. It is also slightly damp and well, yeah. It's got piss in it.
RHAPSODIST[Easy: Success]: It is the robe of a lord at rest. One who expects not to be disturbed. It speaks of comfort, relaxation, high society. This is an object of the highest value, likely hand-made by artisans. When you dispose of it (and you *will* dispose of it, it has been gravely stained) give it the honor of a pyre. It deserves that much.
3. [Look Around]
GOLDEN THRONE:Well, the most obvious thing is right in front of yo-
SHIFTING TENDONS: You intrude on matters not of your domain. The realm of the senses is *mine*. I shall see us through this.
GOLDEN THRONE:Goddamn it. What the fuck?
SHOCK AND AWE: SILENCE, INTERLOPER. Allow my compatriot to speak.
OVERLORD:Oh! I like this one.
SHIFTING TENDONS:Ahem.
SHIFTING TENDONS:The room is comfortably large, spartan in its furnishings, but paradoxically luxurious in its finery. There are few pieces of furniture, but each is (or was, at least) a masterwork. A simple writing desk made of finely carved wood has been splintered in the corner, the associated chair broken into kindling and stained with a shattered inkpot. A large, comfortable bed has been thrown with immense force, and now rests upside-down against one wall. Fine sheets and pillows (both with shining, golden embroidery) have fallen onto the hard ground. A fractured carafe of wine has spilt its contents across floor nearest to you, staining the stone with red. The faint smell of fruit joins the aroma of drying urine, and the wafting incense, as part of the swirling storm of competing smells in the chamber.
SHIFTING TENDONS:As previously mentioned, the room *shines*. Your eyes have adapted swiftly and it concerns you no more. Illuminating the mess around you are a series of lanterns embedded in the metallic ceiling, casting bright rays across the walls. They themselves are gold-leafed, reflecting the light of their neighbors. The walls were once simple stone and metal, but you can see that golden filigree has been added on, certainly after the room was finished. Reflections upon reflections as the light bounces around the room. One wall has been cratered, what seem to be the result of a valiant application of athletic prowess resulting in metal panels ripped off the stone backing. The door, solid and thick and metallic, remains untouched.
RHAPSODIST[Medium: Success]: A room not *originally* meant for the purpose of housing one such as yourself, your lordship. Carved into stone and reinforced to stand against any hardship. Brutal, military architecture turned into housing for a resident of the highest stature. Nothing compared to what you truly deserve, but acceptable.
SYNAPSE[Easy: Success]:Far grander than your first home, and yet lesser than many others.
SHOCK AND AWE [Easy: Failure]: It's on the very edge of being insulting. Someone of your stature deserves much, much more. It is expected of you. Next time, more gold!
OVERLORD[Easy: Success]:It is secure, and that is enough. A place from which you plan greater conquests.
[TASK UPDATED: Where are you?]
SHIFTING TENDONS:Only two areas remain relatively untouched. Against the near wall, where the wine has dried, sits a simple marble table. Two chairs, one correctly sized and generally comfortable looking, the other far too small for any man. On the surface sits a checkered board and small figures carved of exotic stone. The pieces have been upturned, their place on the board lost, but the setup remains unbroken.
FORGEMASTER [Easy: Success]: A game of Regicide. interrupted by whatever maelstrom swept through this place.
SHIFTING TENDONS:The other area is right next to you. It is a bureau of jade and dark wood, atop which sits a fractured mirror. Glass has fallen onto the top surface, joining a small collection of items: smoldering incense, a pair of empty glasses, and a set of golden laurel branches. Drawers remain solidly closed, hiding whatever contents they may have.
RHAPSODIST[Easy: Success]: All the things a man of your fine tastes needs. Specifically: More robes, sandals, cloaks, and other implements of high society.
SHIFTING TENDONS:The mirror, however, draws your attention. Not that it has been shattered, that is much like everything else in the room. Rather the cause of the shattering is the important part.
SHIFTING TENDONS:A sword, at least five feet in length, has been driven halfway through the mirror. It has gone solidly through the glass, through the wooden backing, through the reinforced wall, seemingly all in one smooth strike. A display of swordsmanship, craftsmanship, and strength to rival any other. The back half of the blade hangs out over the edge of the drawers, the hilt awaiting a fresh grip.
ARCHETYPE: Beautiful work. A clean thrust.
FORGEMASTER [Easy: Success]: Exactly at the height, for reference, where your head had been when you tried to get up. Luckily, it seems the flat of the blade met your forehead, and not the edge.
SHIFTING TENDONS:Despite all this destruction, the room is oddly silent. There has been no repetition of the trumpet call that awakened you from your slumber. Only the beating of your own heart breaks the stillness of this chamber.
1. Okay, so... is this all of you? Any more voices going to show up?
2. Did I do that? The sword and the mirror?
3. [Stand up for real this time.]
1. Okay, so... is this all of you? Any more voices going to show up?
SYNAPSE[Easy: Failure]: Hard to tell. There are vague impressions left up here. Shadows of statues that once stood, resolute, in the corners of your personality. Wires remain crossed and signals scrambled. If there are more of *us*, whatever we are, they are not here now. Perhaps they are lost forever. Perhaps not.
GOLDEN THRONE [Medium: Success]: There were once many more, speaking in one voice. Now there are few, and they are fractured. This place was much like the sword before you, forged and honed to a fine point; dedicated to a single purpose. No longer.
SHOCK AND AWE [Easy: Success]: A man in your position needs a suitable number of advisors; not too many, not too few. It gives the right impressions.
GOLDEN THRONE [Easy: Success]: All that can be said for sure is, whatever is happening up in your brain, it's not quite done. It might be worthwhile to take some time later, sit, and contemplate. We may need to unjumble the mess up there, and see what can be found.
2. Did I do that? The sword and the mirror?
ARCHETYPE [Trivial: Success]: Quite possible. Probable, even. Now that feeling is starting to return in your extremities you can tell there is *strength* here, even reduced as you are. It might take some work, but you could do it again if you wanted to. You would just need to get the sword out of the wall first.
SHIFTING TENDONS [Trivial: Success]: With the right angle of attack, and the correct stance and leverage, you could *easily* do it again.
SHOCK AND AWE [Easy: Success]: And you definitely should. Nothing says 'I'm in charge' like putting your blade through several feet of solid rock. Somebody might piss their pants, and it won't be you this time. Just keep that in mind the next time you need to make an impression.
3. [Stand up for real this time.]
ARCHETYPE: This is much easier now that you can see properly. Without even a grunt of effort, you rise onto steady legs. No shaking now. No weakness. Even the pain is fading.
SHIFTING TENDONS: You are sure to keep your head *away* from the sword, this time. No repeat incidents.
ARCHETYPE: Standing and stretching makes you realize just how low the ceiling of this room happens to be. If you are not careful, you may just whack your head on something else. Keep an eye out.
FORGEMASTER [Medium: Success]: Is the ceiling too low, or are you too tall? It was hard to tell when you were laying down, but now that you're upright something seems *off* about the scale in this room. Why the single, tiny chair? Why are the bedsheets and your robe roughly the same size? Something is up here.
GOLDEN THRONE: Speaking of things that are *off*...
OVERLORD:Oh boy, here we go.
1. What now?
GOLDEN THRONE: Hey you! Twitchy!
SHIFTING TENDONS: Me?
GOLDEN THRONE: Yes. You. What the *fuck* are you playing at?
SHIFTING TENDONS: What do you mean?
SHOCK AND AWE [Easy: Success]: Do not speak to my compatriot in that manner!
GOLDEN THRONE: This includes you, too! Both of you. This insult will not go unheeded. My title is not a joke! If I had known we came in *Gold* lettering, I would have done that instead. Now both of you show up, parading around in my color, and I'm stuck with purple?!
OVERLORD: Purple is the color of rulership!
RHAPSODIST [Easy: Success]: There is a long and storied history of connection between the the color, and the many, many royal families of bygone eras. The original cause of this link is lost to time, but nevertheless it maintains power. No nobility worth their titles would turn their nose up at such coloring. It is associated with luxury, royalty, nobility, and influence.
GOLDEN THRONE: That's all well and good, but I'm not called "Violet Throne" or "Lavender Throne" am I? This is a slap in the face!
FORGEMASTER [Trivial: Success]: They're really more *yellow* than gold, sir.
1. Is this really a good use of our time? It seems like a pretty stupid complaint.
2. Yeah! Why aren't you gold? This is bullshit.
3. I have no feelings on this argument one way or the other. Can we move on?
2. Yeah! Why aren't you gold? This is bullshit.
GOLDEN THRONE: My point exactly! I'm willing to drop this for now, but I'll be wanting some answers eventually. If we ever figure out how to change the hue on this thing, I call first dibs.
[TASK ADDED: Fix Your Skill Colors]
ARCHETYPE: Alright. Now that Chair-boy's complaints are resolved. We can get down to business. Namely: the business of getting that cool-ass sword.
SYNAPSE: Actually, if it's not too much trouble, I think we need to take stock of the situation. Like our Purple friend suggested earlier, we should take a breath and see if we can unjumble whatever is wrong in your head.
SHOCK AND AWE: I am afraid there is a far more pressing matter, your eminence! While you have examined the room, and gazed upon your own stained attire, we have yet to examine our own countenance. Who knows what we look like right now? The mirror may be shattered, but the pieces still serve our purpose. We need to check our hair and face IMMEDIATELY. Who knows when someone will come check on you? We have to look our *best*.
OVERLORD: No. No. No! Screw waiting around in here. We need some answers and we need them *now*. Get out of this wrecked room, and lets go find someone to interrogate.
Choose One:
[] Get that cool-ass Sword out of the mirror. You need a friend (and a weapon) in this strange place.
[] Lean against the wall and *think*. What do you remember? What's waiting for you in there?
[] Peer into the shards of the broken mirror and examine yourself. What do you look like? What's on your face?
[] Head out the door and find someone. You need answers.
[X] Get that cool-ass Sword out of the mirror. You need a friend (and a weapon) in this strange place.
ARCHETYPE: Oh yeah, baby. Let's do this thing.
OVERLORD:An acceptable course of action, I suppose. At least having the sword will make us look like a proper warlord.
SHIFTING TENDONS:You approach the embedded sword, running a single digit along the flat of the blade. The surface is slightly warm to the touch. It almost seems to vibrate under your fingertip. It is forged of some silvery metal, so deep and rich it almost seems to gleam blue.
SHIFTING TENDONS[Easy: Success]: The metal is not perfectly smooth. Spiderwebs of small imperfections spread out across the blade. Leaning closer, you can see small scratches spread across the sword like a map; written in infinitesimal perfection. Copper and black against the silver.
GOLDEN THRONE: Cracks in the structure?
FORGEMASTER[Medium: Success]:No. Circuitry. This is no ordinary blade. It is a power sword.
RHAPSODIST [Challenging: Success]: A finely-crafted weapon, but not ornamental. This is a tool for shedding blood. Murals and paintings will add curves and filigree, the better to show the wielder's kingly nature, but this belongs in the hand of a warrior.
1. What's a power sword?
2. Is it mine?
3. How do I get it out?
4. [Archetype - Medium 10] Pull the Sword free from the wall.
1. What's a power sword?
FORGEMASTER [Medium: Success]:A "Power Sword" is a type of "Power Weapon". They are rare tools, wielded only by the elite or wealthy. Power weapons generally exude a hazy field of bluish energy that wraps around the primary impact region of a melee weapon, be it a sword's blade or a warhammer's head.
OVERLORD:Who cares? One way or another, it's yours now.
SHIFTING TENDONS [Trivial: Success]:There is a twitch in your fingers. Your hands shape unconsciously around the hilt. Whether this is your sword or not, your hands remember how to hold a blade.
SYNAPSE [Easy: Success]:There is a moment of remembrance as your fingers slide onto the grip. Hacking. Slashing. Spurting blood and sounding horns. Death all around. It passes like a whisper on the wind.
GOLDEN THRONE [Challenging: Success]: This is our implement, by which the world is changed. The Sword *is* yours. You are incomplete without it.
[Task Updated: Who are you?]
3. How do I get it out?
FORGEMASTER[Easy: Success]:The sword is deeply embedded, more than half the blade driven into the wall. Structurally, the sword does not seem to have been damaged at all by its impalement through solid rock. A testament to the craftsmanship involved. It is unlikely that the tip is damaged or bent. Removal should merely be a matter of sufficient leverage and positioning.
ARCHETYPE:I've got all the leverage you need *right here*.
SHIFTING TENDONS [Easy: Success]: Positioning yourself to the rear and side of the hilt should allow the maximum application of grip and strength, while also keeping you out of the direct line of the blade, should the worst happen. Be cautious of the dresser, however. One wrong move with your musculature could send it toppling, sending glass shards across the floor. The mirror is already cracked and shattered, no need to make it worse.
FORGEMASTER: Hmm. A correct assessment. Stabilizing the dresser with a spare hand should keep that possibility remote.
GOLDEN THRONE: Can you even pull that thing out with just one hand?
ARCHETYPE: Are you kidding? Did you see those fucking biceps? I've got this.
4. [Archetype - Medium 10]: Pull the Sword free from the wall.
+1 Well positioned
+1 Incomplete without it
DICE: 4, 4. TOTAL: 12
ARCHETYPE[Medium: Success]: Flexing muscles, you grip the hilt with a single hand and steady the dresser with the other. With the barest hint of resistance the sword slides free. The last of the mirror's shards cascade downwards, disturbed by the removal of the blade.
SHIFTING TENDONS [Easy: Failure]: As you pull the tip free, glass fragments seem to tumble in slow motion. They spin, giving you brief glimpses of your own reflection, but too fast for any image to form. Flashes of bronze and burnt umber. Crimson red and darkest black. The moment of their descent stretches for an eternity. You feel as though you could stretch out a hand and pluck them from the air...
SHIFTING TENDONS: And then it passes. Your perception of time flows freely again. The shards complete their fall, breaking into minuscule pieces as they impact. No more mirror, just an empty frame.
SHOCK AND AWE: NO! Now we'll never know if our flowing locks are as immaculate as they should be! We could have food stuck in our teeth, or sleep crust in our eyes! This is a disaster.
OVERLORD:Yeah, yeah. Broken mirror, shattered glass. Whatever. *Look* at this sword!
GOLDEN THRONE [Medium: Success]: It feels right at home in your hand. Like a weight to keep you anchored. Like a tool slotted into its appropriate place in the collection. Almost like a *friend*.
Item Gained: Blazing Sword
An immaculate Power Sword, forged of deep silver metal and adorned with ancient circuitry. It fits astoundingly well in your grip. Somehow you feel as if it would be wrong to ever use another weapon. It's your friend now. You will betray it if you exchange it for some dull hammer.
+1 GOLDEN THRONE: Your Implement
+1 ARCHETYPE: Ultima Ratio Regum
-1 SYNAPSE: Inhuman Armament
+ ???
OVERLORD:Hell yes.
ARCHETYPE: Hell *fucking* yes. This is the blade of a warrior. We could split a tank with this thing.
SHIFTING TENDONS [Easy: Failure]: Wait, what was that thing with the question mar-
SHOCK AND AWE: Okay, yes. Sword. Very cool. Very on-brand. Can we move onto the important business of our appearance? When we confront whatever lies beyond that door, I don't want to do it in a piss-stained robe. It's not *appropriate* for a man of your station.
1. What do you mean "of my station"? I don't even know my station.
2. We never conclusively determined that it was my piss.
3. No, I actually like the Stains. They're growing on me. It's a fashion statement.
4. Good point, I need to find something else to wear.
1. What do you mean "of my station"? I don't even know my station.
RHAPSODIST[Easy: Success]:But look at the room around you. The elegant (albeit thoroughly wrecked) furniture. The engravings on the walls. The attempts to elaborate on this brutal architecture with class and style. There is respect in that action; subservience and deference. This effort would not be made for an unimportant man.
FORGEMASTER[Trivial: Success]:As previously mentioned, your blade is of a type not seen amongst the Rank-And-File. Power Swords require such expertise to manufacture and maintain that only the wealthy can hope to keep them in working order. In all likelihood, you are *someone* of importance. What form that importance takes is unknown.
OVERLORD [Medium: Success]:You are a warrior, obviously. A warlord of unparalleled skill. That's why the sword feels so familiar, Conqueror.
GOLDEN THRONE [Challenging: Success]: But that doesn't feel right, does it? The word does not rest comfortably on your shoulders. Warlord is too small a term for what you are.
SYNAPSE [Easy: Failure]:...Nothing up here to add, I'm afraid.
[Task Updated: Who are you?]
SHOCK AND AWE: I think we get the idea. Everyone agrees that we aren't a nobody. We're somebody important, and important people don't walk around in robes soaked in our own piss.
2. We never conclusively determined that it was my piss.
FORGEMASTER[Trivial: Success]:C'mon man. Yes it is.
GOLDEN THRONE [Medium: Success]: Look, you're going to have to accept this at some point. You pissed yourself in a moment of unconscious bladder rebellion. It's not a reflection on who you are, you don't even have to tell anyone. But if you keep denying reality like this it's probably going to cause some kind of psychological strain.
SHOCK AND AWE: I don't care about the source of the stains, only that you're still wearing them.
4. Good point, I need to find something else to wear.
SHOCK AND AWE: *Thank you*. Grab a fresh robe from the dresser and then we can get out of here.
ARCHETYPE[Medium: Success]: I have a suggestion, chief. Why even bother with the robe? You're a physical masterpiece. If you wanna impress people then you should let them bask in the glow of your chiseled physique. Let it *hang*, brother.
RHAPSODIST[Easy: Success]:In ancient times, craftsmen would carve statues of warriors and poets in the nude. The grace and perfection of the human form on full display. Often, these pieces were considered great works of art, honored throughout the centuries. You have a build to put any stonework to shame. It would be a *statement*, no doubt.
GOLDEN THRONE: Okay, no. Don't do that. You *are* buff as hell, but going out unadorned is just asking for trouble.
ARCHETYPE: Bah! Don't listen to the chair. You wanna make an impression? Drop the robe and face the world.
1. I can't seriously be considering going out into unknown danger completely naked, can I?
2. I am grander than any statue, and everyone must witness my glory.
3. Everyone can appreciate my glory, but I'm keeping it covered. Mostly.
1. I can't seriously be considering going out into unknown danger completely naked, can I?
SHIFTING TENDONS: No, no. He's got a point. Imagine it: No barriers between your senses and the world around you, full immersion in the currents that whirl and writhe through the physical realm. Nothing to weigh you down. You would be free to run wild across the landscape. Completely unburdened by things like cotton, silk, or leather.
FORGEMASTER[Trivial: Success]:Also completely unprotected against things like the weather, judging gazes, or the very real bullets, blades, and bombs of your foes.
SYNAPSE [Trivial: Success]:Your skin ripples with sense-memory; winds blowing cold across grasslands. The feel of tree bark under your palms, and dirt under your feet. Freezing rain and scorching sun.
3. Everyone can appreciate my glory, but I'm keeping it covered. Mostly.
SHOCK AND AWE: An excellent decision. Sometimes the best way to make an impact is to pull your punches a little bit.
SHIFTING TENDONS: You pull on a clean robe, an exact copy of the stained one you have discarded. Silken smooth across your skin, it is perfectly tailored to your measurements.
Item Gained: Silken Robe (Unstained)
A silken robe. White with golden threading. Comfortable. Meant for relaxation in private chambers. Not exactly real clothing, but it covers everything.
+1 SYNAPSE: Elegant Simplicity
-1 RHAPSODIST:A Bit Boring
RHAPSODIST:Take the old one with you, just remember to find a pit to burn it. A valiant soldier requires a proper burial.
GOLDEN THRONE: And now... the door, and whatever awaits beyond it. At least we have the sword. A comforting tool in case of nasty surprises.
FORGEMASTER[Medium: Success]: The door itself is solid, thick, and metallic. Likely reinforced against violent entry. Much like the rest of the room, the scale seems slightly off. Obviously, any blast door will be of a different size than a regular threshold, but this one seems... a little small? You're going to have to duck a little to make sure you don't bang your head. Again.
1. What's waiting for me out there? Do I remember anything?
2. [Open the door]
1. What's waiting for me out there? Do I remember anything?
SYNAPSE [Challenging: Failure]: ...something about Apes? And a ball?
FORGEMASTER[Medium: Success]: If this is a fortress of some kind, as this room indicates, it is likely there will be a connecting corridor leading towards a central chamber. Easily locked-down in case of hostile assault, probably with additional blast-shutters or choke-points. Rockcrete construction with Plasteel reinforcement.
SHIFTING TENDONS [Easy: Success]: Watch your corners. If this place is hostile, foes could come from any shadow.
GOLDEN THRONE [Challenging: Success]: Out there? Violence. Plots. A world in shambles. Just remember: All of this is merely the prelude. The True Path begins beyond the doorway.
2. [Open the door]
SHIFTING TENDONS: With sword in one hand, and the stained robe thrown unceremoniously over one shoulder, you grasp the cool, gray handle and turn it slowly. The door opens with a heavy thud.
SHIFTING TENDONS: The hallway is as your room was, before the luxurious additions; bare, stony, and brutal. It extends in both directions, curving slightly. Weak illumination is provided from small wall-mounted lumen globes evenly spaced along the corridor. Support pillars and alcoves break up the smooth walls. Above your door, you see, is a Vox-Speaker. Likely the source of the noise that awoke you. It sits silently. The air is still. Sterile.
RHAPSODIST [Easy: Success]: This is a place of solid, unchanging strength. No art has gone into its design. Only considerations of durability. It feels *old*.
SHIFTING TENDONS [Medium: Success]: There is little sound, but somewhere at the edge of your hearing is a soft hum. The low buzz of high-energy power flow and the micro-movement of machinery. It bounces off the hallway, coming from the left, just out of sight.
1. What is that noise? What's causing it?
2. [Go left]
3. [Go right]
1. What is that noise? What's causing it?
FORGEMASTER [Challenging: Success]: The low purr of active servos and motors. The soft *clink-clink* of armor plates tapping against one another. The tensing and relaxing of fibre bundle muscle-cables. This is the sound of active Power Armor at rest. One set. One power armored individual.
1. What's Power Armor?
FORGEMASTER [Medium: Success]: It is the battlefield attire of the modern age. Thick, reinforced plating and life-support systems combined with reflex and movement enhancing machinery. In combat, the armor is practically impenetrable to conventional small-arms, requiring specialized equipment or purpose-built weaponry to counter. It is valuable, expensive, extremely difficult to manufacture and maintain, and rare.
1. Is this a threat?
ARCHETYPE[Medium: Success]: Hmm. Possibly. It will depend on who is wearing the armor. Theoretically, you might catch whoever it wearing it off-guard, but they'll have the advantage in both speed *and* strength if you don't take them out in one swift movement. The Sword will be a valuable tool, if this turns violent.
OVERLORD [Trivial: Success]:Oh, it's gonna get violent. Nobody stands in our way for long, if they know what's good for them.
SHIFTING TENDONS [Easy: Success]: There are gaps in any armor. Joints, limbs, the eyes. Places that cannot be armored out of necessity. Strike there. Start with the arm, disable their ability to retaliate. Then into the neck. A quick and quiet kill.
ARCHETYPE: Fuck yeah. Now you're speaking my language, twitchy boy. Let's do this thing.
GOLDEN THRONE [Easy: Success]: Or! If I may interrupt the murder-fantasy, maybe you can see who it is first? Let's not attack the first person we've seen here.
SHOCK AND AWE [Easy: Success]: If you kill them, they cannot gaze upon our glorious form. No one would dare mar your sculpted figure once they've laid eyes upon it. All we need to do is step around the curve, and they will drop to their knees in reverence.
RHAPSODIST [Medium: Success]: I have no doubt that, whoever it is, we can surely convince them to stand aside.
1. [Shifting Tendons - Challenging 12] Rush around the curve and attack.
2. [Go Left, without attacking anyone.]
3. [Go right, away from the noise.]
2. [Go left, without attacking anyone.]
SHIFTING TENDONS: You step down the corridor, sword held securely - but not threateningly - in one hand. Ahead of you, the hallway terminates in a set of double doors, the same gunmetal gray as your own. They are reinforced against entry, and guarded by a single figure in bronze-and-gold Armor which comes into view as you round the curve. A shining helmet with a long red horsehair plume covers their face. In one hand they hold a massive spear, the head of which seems to *also* be some form of firearm. They are... measurably shorter than you. Even in the armor, they seem to only come up to your chest.
SHIFTING TENDONS [Easy: Failure]: The armor is ornate, covered in symbols and heraldry too complex for you to analyze at a glance. Only one thing stands out: the head of an Eagle crossed by four bolts of lightning upon the figure's right pauldron.
FORGEMASTER [Medium: Success]: Woah! Okay! Recalculating here. If this figure is 'average sized' for a human, then you've gotta be huge! This makes more sense than everything around you being too small. You are easily eight, maybe almost nine feet tall. Watch out for doorways.
RHAPSODIST [Medium: Success]: The instant you arrive in view, the stance of the figure changes. They were already standing guard, official and watchful. A sentinel. Now they are alert, responsive. Your arrival has not changed their duty, but it has caused a significant reaction.
SHIFTING TENDONS: Their free hand, the one not grasping the spear (which is still held steady), forms a clenched fist, which they bang on their breastplate, knuckles right over the heart. At the same time, a voice emits from the speakers in the helmet, unwavering and deep.
KADAI, THE NINTH TRIBUNE: "My Lord!"
OVERLORD [Trivial: Success]: A formal salute. A sign of respect and recognition.
RHAPSODIST: 'My Lord'? This guy knows you?
SHIFTING TENDONS [Easy: Success]: As the Salute is completed, the figure seems to freeze. Shock spreads throughout his form, easily visible even under the power armor. His helmet travels up and down, just barely, as he takes in your form in its entirety.
KADAI, THE NINTH TRIBUNE: "My Lord, wha- Are you injured? Your eyes!" He steps forward, to your side, looking down the hallway behind you. He raises his spear up, defensively, as though to strike anything that may come, "Are we under attack? Shall I summon the Guard?"
GOLDEN THRONE: Okay, you seem to have spooked him, somehow. Take a moment to reassure this warrior, before he starts stabbing things that aren't there.
RHAPSODIST: There he goes again! 'My Lord'! Capitalized and everything. This guy obviously knows who you are, and you are a person whom he calls 'Lord'. Why?
OVERLORD: Aha! That means he recognizes you as an authority! Let's get some answers. Really *grill* this guy. Who are we? Where are we? Where can we get some pants? All the important questions.
SHOCK AND AWE: Didn't you hear what he said? Something is wrong with our eyes! We need those peepers, they bring this whole money-maker together. Find out what's wrong with our eyes immediately!
Choose One (Some might still be available later, but which one comes first?)
[] Calm the warrior. Reassure him that everything is alright (Even though it probably isn't).
[] [Rhapsodist - Formidable 13] Figure out why he is calling you 'My Lord'. Who does he think you are?
[] [Overlord - Medium 10] Get some answers out of this guy. All the important questions. Including the one about pants.
[] Find out what's wrong with your eyes.
