[X] Calm the warrior. Reassure him that everything is alright (Even though it probably isn't).
GOLDEN THRONE: Alright. Calm. Yes. We've got this under control. All we need to do is convince him that we're totally fine.
RHAPSODIST: Lying is easy, after all. All we need do is say things with *conviction*, and they become true. That is our mastery.
GOLDEN THRONE: It's not lying. We don't know it's lying. This could all be totally normal for us.
SYNAPSE [Easy: Success]: It's not.
ARCHETYPE [Easy: Success]: Nope.
SHIFTING TENDONS [Medium: Success]: No… It doesn't feel right.
1. Alright, how do I convince him?
2. Can't I just order him to be calm? He calls me his 'Lord' after all. I probably have authority here.
3. [Rhapsodist - Medium 10] Calm him down.
4. What doesn't feel right?
4. What doesn't feel right?
SHIFTING TENDONS: Everything.
ARCHETYPE: I could have told you that. Want me to start listing off how screwed up we are again?
SHIFTING TENDONS: All of *that* isn't helping, I admit. But there's something deeper here. Something off.
SYNAPSE [Medium: Success]: Your skin.
1. My skin?
SYNAPSE: Your skin feels bare, naked.
ARCHETYPE: We're wearing a robe.
SYNAPSE: Not naked like that, no. But the feeling is similar. There is an openness to your form. A vulnerability to your flesh and bones. The aches are not just painful, they are *unfamiliar* to your body.
1. Why?
SYNAPSE [Godly: Failure]: … I don't know.
GOLDEN THRONE: That is a little concerning, but it's something we should examine later. We've still got a warrior to talk to here.
2. Wait, can't I just order him to be calm? He calls me his 'Lord' after all. I probably have authority here.
OVERLORD: Hell yes, you can.
SHOCK AND AWE: Head up. Back Straight. Shoulders broad. Voice loud and steady. We could do that right now.
GOLDEN THRONE [Medium: Success]: You shouldn't, though. There is a time and a place for discipline like that. You want to ease his alarm, and assure him all is well. Ordering him to dismiss his concerns could bring trouble later.
OVERLORD: Hmm. Not a bad point from the Chair.
1. Alright, how do I convince him?
RHAPSODIST: An excellent question, sire. The knight before us is on alert. Something about us has triggered his warrior's instinct. He believes there to be a threat.
SHOCK AND AWE: Our eyes. Something is wrong with our eyes. That's what set him off.
ARCHETYPE: The only threat here is our bulging muscles and this cool-ass sword we're carrying.
GOLDEN THRONE: That's the only threat of which we know right now. We still aren't sure what happened to us. Although we shouldn't mention that point when we talk to him. Stay *calm*. We are not freaking out, so he doesn't need to freak out.
RHAPSODIST: The main thing is to be confident. What you say is important, but so is *how* you say it.
OVERLORD [Medium:Success]: Correct. This is not a whimpering servant or menial, this is a trained and hardened warrior. He wields that spear like an extension of his body, and he snapped to attention the moment you came around the bend. He is used to duty and battle. Reassure him, but do not coddle him. He would find that odd; perhaps even *suspicious*.
RHAPSODIST: Focus on that, then. His duty. His concerns. Dismiss his alarm with grace and turn the conversation elsewhere.
GOLDEN THRONE: And whatever you, do *not* mention that you lost your memory, or that you pissed yourself.
1. [Shock and Awe - Challenging 12] Order him to stand down.
2. [Rhapsodist - Medium 10] Calm him down.
3. Actually, he's not even looking at me. I can just leave while his back is turned.
2. [Rhapsodist - Medium 10] Calm him down
+1 Don't Coddle Him
-1 A Bit Boring [ITEM: Silken Robe (Unstained)]
DICE: 2, 2. TOTAL: 8
RHAPSODIST [Medium: Failure]: Alright here's what we're going to do to break the tension and make him feel comfortable: Humor. Tell him a joke.
SHOCK AND AWE: What?
GOLDEN THRONE: What???
OVERLORD: Absolutely *not*.
RHAPSODIST: No, don't worry. I've got this. Remember when I said we need to dismiss his alarm with grace? There is nothing more graceful than a well-timed punchline.
1. This doesn't seem like an appropriate time for a joke.
2. "Knock Knock."
3. "Did you ever hear the one about the dog who walked into a tavern?"
1. This doesn't seem like an appropriate time for a joke.
RHAPSODIST: Alright, alright. I see you're only interested in *non-standard* humor. Try this one instead.
1. "Better put away that spear. I've already broken everything down that hallway. The most threatening thing left is a robe covered in piss."
2. This is so much worse.
2. This is so much worse.
GOLDEN THRONE: What did I *just* say about mentioning the piss? Oh, there is something very wrong with us right now. Maybe we do need to panic.
RHAPSODIST: Shocking statements are a time-honored method of getting laughs. Trust me.
1. "Better put away that spear. I've already broken everything down that hallway. The most threatening thing left is a robe covered in piss."
SYNAPSE [Easy: Success]: Your voice emerges deep and raw. It sounds unfamiliar, even to your own ears. How long since you last spoke aloud?
[Task Updated: Who are you?]
GOLDEN THRONE: Why did we do this? What did we do to deserve this?
SHIFTING TENDONS: Your words cause the armored warrior to freeze. The spear (with a gun, the gun-spear?) does not lower. His head turns ever-so-slowly, the ruby-red visor coming to stare right at you.
SHIFTING TENDONS [Challenging: Success]: You hear a soft *click-click* from somewhere in the helmet.
FORGEMASTER [Medium: Success]: The sounds of a Vox-channel being opened, and then rapidly closed. Either he was going to send a transmission and decided against it, or he sent a very, *very* short message.
KADAI, THE NINTH TRIBUNE: "I… I don't know how to respond to that, my Lord."
RHAPSODIST: Hmm. Tough crowd.
KADAI, THE NINTH TRIBUNE: "Ar- Are you feeling well? There is no attacker?"
GOLDEN THRONE: Alright, he's not stabbing things. I guess that's a win. Turn the conversation away from this topic immediately. FROM NOW ON, WE NEVER MENTION THE ROBE OR THE OTHER THING AGAIN.
RHAPSODIST: I told you it would work. Obviously his helmet is concealing the merriment and mirth he is feeling at this moment. I bet if we took it off, we'd see him crying from the strain of trying not to laugh aloud.
OVERLORD [Easy: Success]: No, we wouldn't. He is befuddled, confused, but does not allow it to show in his form. Even now he is ready to face anything coming down the hall. What a professional. We should hire him, if we haven't already.
SHOCK AND AWE: Now is the time to project confidence. Take control of the conversation. Start asking *him* questions. Begin innocuously, then get into the real shit.
1. "No, no attackers. All is well. Are you on guard alone?"
KADAI, THE NINTH TRIBUNE: He is silent for another moment, before the spear returns to his side. He turns to face you fully. The servos of his armor growl softly as he shifts to a resting stance.
KADAI, THE NINTH TRIBUNE: "Yes, my Lord. Hasturias is on the floor above with Amon. Exal is scheduled to replace me shortly, at the turn of the hour. I shall call and inform him of your arrival, with your leave."
GOLDEN THRONE: Names. Remember those. We haven't learned his name yet, but keeping track of who is who will be valuable later.
SYNAPSE [Easy: Failure]: Those names twinge something in your mind, a vague sense of familiarity. Histories, faces, details of these men… it feels like something should be conjured in your mind's eye. Nothing comes.
OVERLORD: They must be other warriors, like him. Bodyguards? Palace Watchmen?
FORGEMASTER [Trivial: Success]: Their equipment is too artisanal for mass-production. It is the armor and weaponry of the elite. Whoever this warrior is, he is no mere watchman.
RHAPSODIST [Easy: Success]: And the only thing down here to guard would be… you. At least, as far as we've seen. He calls you my Lord, he guards the hall to your room, he wears the same gold that in which your chambers were adorned. Could these warriors be your own? A personal army of some form?
SHIFTING TENDONS [Trivial: Success]: Wait wait. He's going to call someone about you? Do we want that?
1. [Let him make the call.]
2. "Before you speak to… Exal, I require your attention."
2. "Before you speak to… Exal, I require your attention."
KADAI, THE NINTH TRIBUNE: "As you wish, my Lord." The response is instant. Instinctual. But then, a pause.
SHIFTING TENDONS [Medium: Success]: The slightest shift in his stance. A small, unconscious display of discomfort. Unrest.
KADAI, THE NINTH TRIBUNE: "If I may, are you sure you are well? I do not mean to presume, but-" His voice wavers ever so slightly, unease creeping into his tone, "You are speaking to me. With your… words, I mean."
OVERLORD: What the hell does that mean? Shut this line of inquiry down *now*. How dare he question us! We do the questioning around here!
RHAPSODIST: Is he implying we do not normally communicate with words? Are we, perhaps, more used to hand signals? Digital communications?
SHOCK AND AWE: There are other forms of communication: Non-verbal body language, interpretive dance, the sheer magnitude of our personality cannot be transmitted in words alone. Do you feel the need to spring into a ballet to get your point across? We could do it right now.
SHIFTING TENDONS [Easy: Success]: Hell yeah, we could. Give me the word, and I'll have you do a perfect fucking grand jeté right here. I'll dance the *shit* out of this hallway.
FORGEMASTER [Medium: Success]: There is another option. Stories of witches and mutants that speak through the Aether. Tales of horrid beasts that can only be heard in the mind. He may be saying we are a *telepath*, or at least, we were at some point.
SYNAPSE [Easy: Success]: The very thought sends shivers into the recesses of your mind. Disgust. Mistrust. A tinge of… dread? But mixed with satisfaction and pride. Yes, there's something familiar about this.
RHAPSODISTS: Oh, what a triumph that would be! Imagine it, your lordship! To be able to express ourselves in the realm of thought, with no need for petty languages as a barrier. What masterful heights of rhetoric we could achieve!
ARCHETYPE: Or imagine what terrible nightmares we could see in the fucked-up heads of the world around us? No thank you on that Telepath stuff, we've got the only method of communication we need right here: Left fist and right fist, and their professional translator Mr. Big-Ass Sword.
1. Hang on, Telepaths? Those exist?
FORGEMASTER: Oh yes. They are extant. Extant and dangerous. There are many names for them: Mages. Sorcerers. Seers. Witches. Mutants. Abominations. All only a fragment of the whole.
SYNAPSE [Easy: Failure]: There's another name, but it escapes you at the moment.
GOLDEN THRONE [Challenging: Success]: A word rises on the ghostly whisper of long-forgotten memory: 'Shaman'.
FORGEMASTER: An aged title, but apt nevertheless. They are things of superstition and lies, as deceitful as smoke and as destructive as fire. Unbound, they herald ruin. Horror. Old Night and all the monsters that lie within are their domain. Telepathy is but one of their lesser spheres.
GOLDEN THRONE: But also like fire, they offer endless possibilities: Energy unshackled by all the rules of the physical realm, mind and thought weaving the senses into reality. All that can be imagined and more. If only such things could be mastered. Controlled.
OVERLORD: There's something to think about, actually. If these Sorcerers do exist, and we are one of them, it may be another weapon we are to wield in the coming conquest.
1. But where do these Mages come from? What gives them their powers?
2. What other powers do they have? Can they be used as weapons?
3. Why are they so dangerous?
4. I have decided what I think about these Witches. (Proceed)
1. But where do these Mages come from? What gives them their powers?
SYNAPSE [Impossible: Failure]: Mutations! Foul corruption in the genome that leads to insanity and unnatural abilities. In times past (and even in some places today) such threats were burned to rid the community of them, and good riddance.
FORGEMASTER [Medium: Success]: There's more to it than that, you're pretty sure. But it *is* true that many of those with Psychic gifts showcase unusual growths or changes in their biology. They can even cause such changes in others, if they are powerful enough.
GOLDEN THRONE [Godly: Failure]: Hmm. Good question. Something to investigate later, perhaps. If we know where such powers come from, perhaps we can learn to harness it. If, after all, we turn out to be one.
ARCHETYPE [Medium: Failure]: I don't think we're one of those things, Chief. The only mutation here is our glorious abs. I think we've got a sixteen-pack down there. Do some crunches when you get a chance, maybe we can work that up to twenty.
FORGEMASTER [Trivial: Success]: A mutation might explain why you're so goddamn tall, actually.
2. What other powers do they have? Can they be used as weapons?
FORGEMASTER [Medium: Success]: Oh, easily. That's part of why they are hated and distrusted. The lowliest of their kind can do little, but the more powerful examples? It's like the chair said earlier: All that can be imagined and more.
SHOCK AND AWE [Easy: Success]: Conjure fire and lightning. Smite your foes and bring them to their knees.
SHIFTING TENDONS [Easy: Success]: Invigorate the flesh of your allies and twist the flesh of your enemies.
RHAPSODIST [Trivial: Success]: Bend minds to serve your will. Bind them to your whims.
GOLDEN THRONE [Medium: Success]: Know the storm that is approaching, and see the path that leads through its heart.
SYNAPSE [Challenging: Failure]: … No. This is a path best left untread.
3. Why are they so dangerous?
FORGEMASTER: Besides the aforementioned destruction they can wreak? Many of them are, or inevitably become, extremely *unstable*. Wielding power as they do is neither safe nor pleasant for mortal minds.
SYNAPSE [Easy: Success]: The corruption within overwhelms all but the strongest. And those who lose control? Their minds open the doors to suffering for all around them. They are plagues, curses, and bombs just waiting to be unleashed.
GOLDEN THRONE: That is not to say such the lives of such creatures *always* result in mass death and destruction; only that it is the most common outcome for those poor souls. Perhaps there is another way, but alas, we do not know it.
4. I have decided what I think about these Witches. (Proceed)
FORGEMASTER: And what is your judgement, Sir?
[] TAROT IX: THE HERMIT
Hypothesis: Power corrupts, and the Witch and the Sorcerer have power aplenty. Ergo: They must be corrupt as all hell. Caution is advised when dealing with their kind. Torches should be readied and pitchforks sharpened. But where do you fit in all this? If you are one of these creatures, you must be cautious and circumspect. How else are you to control these powers?
Conclusion: ???
Effect: ???
[] TAROT I: THE MAGICIAN
Hypothesis: Knowledge is the greatest weapon in the arsenal of the warrior. 'If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.' Wise words. So wise you're pretty sure you said them yourself, at some point. Anyway, keep an eye out for what you can learn about these Seers. Knowing this 'psychic' stuff may be the key to all that is hidden from you.
Conclusion: ???
Effect: ???
SYNAPSE: What the fuck are those?
GOLDEN THRONE: We'll figure that out later! We've been staring at this guy for too long, and he *just* asked us if we're doing okay. This is not a great way to keep him calm and reassured.
RHAPSODIST: Quick! Resume the conversation with a casual dismissal! Move the topic forward!
SHIFTING TENDONS: Oh shit! Is it time for the interpretive dance? I've got your hamstrings all warmed up! We can do some fucking masterful pirouettes!
OVERLORD: No! No interpretive dance!
GOLDEN THRONE [Legendary: Success]: And even if we were to dance, Ballet is not our chosen form. We would need something with more… bass.
1. "I will speak to you as I wish. Do not question me further."
2. [Shifting Tendons- Medium 10] Perform an Interpretive Dance to communicate the fact that everything is okay and he doesn't need to worry.
3. "I thank you for your concern, but I am fine. Let us move on."
3. "I thank you for your concern, but I am fine. Let us move on."
KADAI, THE NINTH TRIBUNE: He bows his head without a moment of hesitation. "Of course, my Lord. I did not mean to offer disobedience."
SYNAPSE [Trivial: Success]: Woah. That was… really easy. Is that all it takes?
OVERLORD: Ah, this guy knows his place. Good. We must really be his boss.
SHIFTING TENDONS [Medium: Success]: Hang on. At the edge of your senses: another sound enters the arena. The metallic footfalls of armor on steel floors, faintly heard from behind the double doors that the Warrior was guarding.
GOLDEN THRONE: What time is it? Perhaps his replacement on the watch has come. What was the name? Exal?
SHIFTING TENDONS: That seems likely. You're about to have company.
SHOCK AND AWE: Shit, that means we're going to have company in a moment. Straighten your back, square up your shoulders, and puff out your chest. Make yourself presentable! Look like you know what you're doing here!
ARCHETYPE: Easy peasy, chief. You always look good.
FORGEMASTER [Easy: Success]: The footsteps cease just as a series of rapid clicks emit from the armored doorway. The tell-tale sounds of locks releasing. The doors swing wide as another warrior steps through the arch.
SHIFTING TENDONS [Trivial: Success]: Like his compatriot, Exal stands tall and proud in bronze-and-gold Armor. His helmet, however, is carried beneath one arm. His face is bare. His burnished features set in neutral regard. The long spear, the mirror of his fellows, is held at his side in one gloved hand. Eyes so pale they are practically colourless stare from his tanned face, shifting quickly from you, to the guard, then back to you. There is a twitch.
EXAL: "My Lord!"
SHIFTING TENDONS: He bangs his fist to his breastplate even as his eyes go wide at your appearance.
RHAPSODIST: Ah, the capital L once more.
OVERLORD: I love these guys! Even when they are freaking out they know to salute you. Damn right. Shows *respect*.
EXAL: "What is wrong?! Are you injured? Your eyes-"
GOLDEN THRONE: Aw, not this shit again.
SHOCK AND AWE: We really have to figure out what's wrong with our eyes, if people are gonna keep freaking out about it.
SHIFTING TENDONS: But before you can speak, the other warrior steps forward.
KADAI, THE NINTH TRIBUNE: "Calm yourself, Exal. The Emperor has assured me all is well, despite his appearance. I was going to contact you, but our Lord wished to speak to me first."
ARCHETYPE: Woah woah woah. Emperor? We're an Emperor?
OVERLORD: Now that sounds appropriate for a man of your stature. Emperor just *feels* right. Note that down for later.
[Task Updated: Who are you?]
EXAL: "But… Kadai- Sir." He stares at your features, then back to Kadai. No emotion plays out across his face, but you can sense there is an internal struggle. "As you say, but should we not call the Guard? Or perhaps the Sigilite?"
RHAPSODIST: Ah, concerns colliding with a sense of duty. There is a clear hierarchy here. Kadai (which must be the name of the warrior next to you) is above Exal, in some form. But you are above them both, no doubt. Perhaps you could step in here, before we have to relitigate the whole 'calming' routine.
GOLDEN THRONE: No more attempts at humor, please.
1. [Let Kadai handle it]
2. "Enough, Exal. It is as Kadai says. I am well."
3. [Tell another joke]
2. "Enough, Exal. It is as Kadai says. I am well."
SHIFTING TENDONS: The reaction is immediate. His eyes shift back to you, and his features go from alarmed to neutral once more. Only a shadow of concern remains. He bows.
EXAL: "As you say, my Emperor. I apologize for my lack of decorum." He straightens up once more, "Does this mean you are returning to the War Council? The Sigilite has been asking when you would be emerging from your chambers"
SYNAPSE [Easy: Success]: There it is again. Just a few words from us and the whole argument ends. Isn't that odd? If he was worried about us, why does he not pursue the topic?
OVERLORD: Because we are his commander, obviously, and you do not question your commander.
1. "The Sigillite?"
2. "War Council?"
1. "The Sigillite?"
EXAL: "Yes, my Lord. He seems to be growing a tad restless. With you occupied these last few days, he has had to deal with the Ambassadors of the Terrawatt Clans alone."
FORGEMASTER [Easy: Success]: 'Sigillite' is an ancient Terran word for 'Seal-bearer', meaning one who carries the authority of another. It is a mark of absolute trust.
OVERLORD: Not just a second-in-command, but an esteemed second-in-command.
GOLDEN THRONE: An ally on the Path ahead. A brother-in-arms.
1. "Last few days? How long was I in there?"
KADAI, THE NINTH TRIBUNE: Kadai speaks up, "According to my chronometer sir, you entered your chambers nearly four standard days ago."
FORGEMASTER: Four days? That can't be right.
ARCHETYPE: That's impossible. You don't feel thirsty or hungry. At this point you would be suffering from serious dehydration even if you weren't dead. They must be wrong.
1. "Four days? And no one came to check on me?"
KADAI, THE NINTH TRIBUNE: "You asked not to be disturbed, my Lord. To keep even the Sigillite away. Only the Captain-General would have the authority to contact you, and he has only just returned from the Tox-Wastes."
[TASK UPDATED: What happened to you?]
2. "War Council?"
EXAL: "The Sigillite has called a general meeting, my Lord, regarding the planned offensive against Nay Monggol. He has asked for your attendance, but as we were unsure of when your business would be concluded, the Captain-General stepped in to represent you."
OVERLORD: Oh hell no. Whatever this offensive is, I want *in*. Let's get up there now.
ARCHETYPE: Too right. We've got a sword. Now we just need somebody to use it on.
GOLDEN THRONE: Wait, didn't we have some more questions for Kadai? Are we just leaving him behind?
OVERLORD: Didn't his watch just end? Let's take him with us.
RHAPSODIST: It would be better to try and get answers out of him while we're alone. That way we can limit the damage if we really screw up. There's a lot of questions brewing.
FORGEMASTER: Also, you know, we don't know how to get to wherever this Council is meeting. We could use a guide.
1. [Stay here and question these two together.]
2. [Take Kadai and question him on the way to the Council.]
3. I can probably find the Council on my own, and get my questions answered there.
4. Screw the Council! Nobody tells me what to do. I'm going my own way. [Just leave.]
2. [Take Kadai and question him on the way to the Council.]
GOLDEN THRONE: Probably for the best. Getting lost in this place would be embarrassing.
1. "Come with me, Kadai. We will continue this conversation on our way to the Council."
KADAI, THE NINTH TRIBUNE: He bows once more, "As you wish, my Lord."
SHIFTING TENDONS: He turns smartly, giving a brief salute to Exal. Then he steps quickly to your side and the two of you depart, the double doors closing behind you. The hallway beyond the doors leads to a set of stairs that carries you up and up, through tight, gray corridors.
FORGEMASTER [Easy: Success]: You begin to get a feel for the construction of this place instantly. The layout of the hallways and the spacing of the bulkheads.
SHIFTING TENDONS [Medium: Success]: You also keep pace with Kadai, reading his movements and turns just before he makes them. It allows you to maintain the illusion that this is a shared journey, rather than you using him as your golden thread in this labyrinth. He is your unknowing guide.
OVERLORD: He does not look at you as you travel. His head turns this way and that, anticipating every intersection and corner, watching the shadows for threats. No movement is wasted. He keeps pace with you without effort, the clanking of his boots on the stone floor echoing while your bare feet make nary a sound.
You have time for one conversation with Kadai before you arrive at the Council. What do you focus on? (Choose one.)
[] Find out what's wrong with your eyes. People keep bringing it up. It must be bad. Maybe Kadai knows where you can find a mirror?
[] Try to get information on where you are.This is a fortress of some form, it seems. But you need more than that: Where is this fortress? What world is this?
[] [Rhapsodist - Medium 10] They call you 'Lord'. They call you 'Emperor'. What do these things mean to you, and to him? You can feel a breakthrough coming…
[] There is only one question weighing on your mind: Where can you get some pants? This robe is nice, but it leaves your nethers unprotected. Surely an Emperor such as yourself doesn't only wear robes.
There is always time for arguing in your own head. What are you thinking of when not speaking to Kadai?
[] Your mind. It is still a jumble. There must be *something* left up there. What can be found if you concentrate?
[] Your past. You asked why they had not bothered you for days. They said you wished to be undisturbed. Why?
[] Your powers. Kadai implied you do not normally speak aloud. Your mind hints that you may have some form of Psychic powers. Maybe you do?
