Knock is nice and worth to level, but while it's still a ways away there'll come a point where we need to start not focusing as much on certain lores as they'll take increasingly more to level.
Oh aye, I don't expect us to go past level two, maybe three. I'm very deliberately not thinking of this as playing Bird's game with a different character/faction, so I have no expectation that Knock three will give "John Wick" Velvet's autosucceed-on-mundane-locks perk.
Personally I'm somewhat inclined to Moth over Lantern, partially due to my own nature, and partially because Moth heavily lends itself towards "discretionary activities" that we as the martial character are likely to pursue.
Oh aye, I don't expect us to go past level two, maybe three. I'm very deliberately not thinking of this as playing Bird's game with a different character/faction, so I have no expectation that Knock three will give "John Wick" Velvet's autosucceed-on-mundane-locks perk.
Personally I'm somewhat inclined to Moth over Lantern, partially due to my own nature, and partially because Moth heavily lends itself towards "discretionary activities" that we as the martial character are likely to pursue.
Moth is useful yeah, but another reason I had for Lantern is that it also helps with the whole Colonel stuff, considering we have a trait related to him, our main focus is Edge, being in a Winter cult will makes it align nicely as a sceondary Lore, just needing Lantern to round it out.
[X] Learn from him, channel that Light into lessons
Fascination is hardly the only potentially harmful thing that we have/will be playing around with, so I say that we get a little experience with how it works now.
Could be utilised, could be weaponized.
...and worst come to worst, we have the fallback of going to the Master to get it removed.
Come on, we have to at least try out the interesting things, right? We even have a safety net below this bridge!
Part of me wants to level it to three just because getting a perk is really neat and it's a often used lore in summonings.
Moth is useful yeah, but another reason I had for Lantern is that it also helps with the whole Colonel stuff, considering we have a trait related to him, our main focus is Edge, being in a Winter cult will makes it align nicely as a secondary Lore, just needing Lantern to round it out.
True, The Colonel is one of my favorite Hours, and we're well on our way to fulfilling his archetype. Agony and Scars are far from the most directly opposed of concepts, even if they must eventually diverge at the end. Aye it could work very well for us, though it would aesthetically tie us to our Master, obligations of oaths and duties being what they are. Hmm, something to consider in the future if not the present.
Fascination is hardly the only potentially harmful thing that we have/will be playing around with, so I say that we get a little experience with how it works now.
Could be utilised, could be weaponized.
...and worst come to worst, we have the fallback of going to the Master to get it removed.
Come on, we have to at least try out the interesting things, right? We even have a safety net below this bridge!
Well I'm not unconvinced, per se, I do tend to pigeonhole myself into always building tall and being amiable until it's time to have someone's guts out. Taking a run at doing something exciting could be fun, assuming it doesn't banjaxe our future interactions with our coworker, or break him for that matter. Or us, Fascination is a pain in the ass to get rid of, trying to think depressing thoughts while in the grip of a manic hyperfixation episode is kind of an uphill battle.
Master would be very cross if we encouraged our Loremaster to drive himself Sun-staring mad, not to mention if she had to fix both of us.
Ah, why not? I'll vote for both things and claim to have been right no matter what happens. Just as planned!
[X] Sit him down, extinguish that Light
[X] Learn from him, channel that Light into lessons
I wonder if the bonus for the third level Lore will be the same as in the BirdBodhisattva quest?
I'm hoping it will be more personalized to Michael. I mean, different principles contain a whole area for different interpretations so it doesn't seem strange that different cultists manifest different powers for the principles.
For example, Velvet is a researcher with a good network of social connections. So all of her powers are focused on gaining new information or maintaining social connection.
But it would be strange if Michael's Fringe manifested as a sense of danger, although it would be more natural for him to learn Lionsmith's fierce strength or the ability to use the Colonel's scars. It would also make more sense if the Grail could manifest for him in its aspect of sacrifice or sentience, rather than its ability to bind people to him.
The rest of the principles can be analyzed in the same way to find more appropriate meanings for Michael.
The Loremaster has Fascination... wait, what? Already?
Okay, the lesson can wait. Arch can literally die if we let his Fascination get worse(and the Master might just kill him too if he doesn't manage to work) and we can't risk getting Fascination.
It also may help with befriending him.
Nuchal cord is when the umbilical cord becomes wrapped around the fetus's neck, which may sound bad ─ and it is ─ it is also pretty common given it occurs in quarter of deliveries. Perhaps we were unlucky and had it wrapped there multiple times.
Maybe we were a badass infant that stared death in the eyes and said: "I do not consent to dying." and promptly lived.
[X] Sit him down, extinguish that Light
I thimk otherwise it would be a small short-term gain for a big long-term loss.
Though, this option can still result in a loss, but there is no good way out of the situation.
[X]Plan: Helping Arch -[X] [BOOK] A well-worn pamphlet about a hidden regiment during World War 2 - Secret Histories Level 1. Costs 7 Funds
-[X] [BOOK] A book on breathing and how to withstand cold weather - Heart Level 1. Costs 7 Funds
-[X] [BOOK] A cookbook with a strangely large section of repairing tools - Forge Level 1. Costs 7 Funds
-[X] On work and the challenges it entails.
--[X] You'll cut a few corners here, leave a bit early (Gain an extra action, will not be noticed if not done often)
-[X] On promotion and improvement (The below actions improve your chance of being selected as Director should Carol be unable to perform her duties)
--[X] You'll put the work in and bust a few gang operations -[X] On furthering the cause.
--[X] Assist somebody else in their task
---[X] Arch (Give him the books, ask for lesson in Lantern)
-[X] On learning the Lores.
--[X] The cult's library has a few texts, go read up on them
---[X] The manuscript on Knock (You will gain 1 scrap of Knock)
-[X] On Rites, Rituals and the things inbetween
--[X] You'll cast The Attention of the Laws (Edge)
-[X] The Mansus, a place of contradictions. It calls to you, reach out
--[X] Explore the Woods and it's many secrets
-[X] A fleeting opportunity (rumor mills spin, opportunities come and go. These actions might never be available again)
--[X] Alicja has just arrived in town and is asking concerning questions. You'll have to figure out how to handle this.
[X] Sit him down, extinguish that Light
"Arch, sit," you said more firmly, pushing him gently but with enough force to get him to comply. His eyes darted toward yours, wide and feverish, but he followed your direction, slumping into the chair with a huff. You took a deep breath, licking your lips nervously as you tried to gather your thoughts.
[Snuffing out Fascination: DC 60]
[Roll: 19+8(Diplomacy)+5(MOTH) = 32]
"You need to take a break," you began, your voice calm but insistent. "Settle down, relax. Clear your head." You leaned forward slightly, keeping your gaze steady, trying to cut through the manic energy that was radiating off of him in waves. You knew that look, that hunger for that brilliant light, the kind of hunger that Glory instilled in people when they looked at it intently for far too long. You had felt its pull yourself more than once. But you had also learned how to deny it, how to turn away before it consumed you.
"This won't do you any good right now. You're too close, too deep into it. You need to step back, take a few days, clear your mind," you urged, your words deliberate, trying to pull him back from the edge. "Come back when you're—"
"You're just trying to stop my work!" Arch's voice cracked through your words like a whip, cutting you off. He sprang to his feet, slamming his hand down on the desk so hard the wood shuddered. His face was inches from yours, twisted in a mask of rage and suspicion.
"You can't stand that you don't get it, can you?" he snarled, eyes wide and gleaming with something dangerously close to obsession. "You're jealous. Of my work. Of my numbers. You don't understand the math! You never could!" He ripped the scattered papers off the desk, crumpling some in his haste as he stuffed them into his bag, the mad intensity in his voice twisting into something darker. "You're just like them, just like the rest of them. You want me to stop, to fail!"
He stormed toward the door, his words trailing behind him like a venomous cloud.
"Arch—" you began, but he was already gone, the door slamming behind him with a finality that echoed through the room. You stood there, frozen for a moment, your hands still half-raised as if to reach out to him, to stop him. But you didn't. You knew better. Grabbing him, forcing him to stay—it would have only made things worse.
With a heavy sigh, you slumped back into your chair, brushing off the flecks of spittle he had sprayed on your jacket in his rant. You shook your head, pushing the thought aside. There were other things you had to deal with today. You gathered up the books you had meant to hand to Arch and tucked them under your arm before making your way out of the office.
You'd have to check up on him later, hopefully when he had come to his senses.
You have failed to cure Arch's Fascination. He resents you for "attempting to stop his work." Your relationship with him has worsened.
You were unable to give him your books, due to him storming out in anger although perhaps that is for the best.
You stared at the files on your computer, not humming or fidgeting like some people might. You didn't have those habits. Instead, you simply sat there, letting your mind turn over the options. Who would you go after? Which target would bring you closer to your goal?
There were plenty of names, but one stood out. Wraith. His reputation lived up to his name—an enigma. No one had ever seen him, not in person anyway, yet his influence spread like smoke through the criminal underworld. His men did the dirty work, then vanished as though they'd never been there. No one knew his face, his voice, or even his exact location. Wraith's operation ran so tight, it was nearly impossible to get a trace on him.
But you had something. Not much, but enough—a few leads, a few scraps of information. It wasn't going to be easy, but nothing worth doing was. You turned your focus to the data, eyes scanning the reports as your fingers moved across the keyboard. Slowly, a plan began to form.
[Raiding, both plan and execution: DC 50/80/110]
[Roll: 94+17(Martial)+10 (EDGE, doubled) = 121]
"We'll be heading in through the back door," you explained, gesturing at the map laid out on the table. The room was dim, illuminated only by the soft light from the desk lamp. A small circle of your most trusted soldiers stood around you, their eyes on the map as you spoke. "Here's where his armory is. More importantly, this is where the more delicate files are kept."
One of the newer sergeants shifted in his stance, eyes flicking over the map. "So we're hitting the armory first?" he asked, a little too eager, only to get a light cuff to the back of his head from another veteran standing nearby. The sound made a few others smirk.
"No," you corrected, shaking your head. "We're going straight for the top. This is a loud op by design, and if we hit hard and fast, we can grab the intel we need before anyone knows what happened." You pulled out a single, small key, holding it up for the room to see. "One of my contacts came through. This gets us into the secure files. Once we have that, we'll clean up."
The group exchanged glances, their anticipation palpable. They trusted you, as they should. You'd earned that trust over years of operations, leading from the front when needed and from the shadows when it counted.
"What are we waiting for?" one of the grunts asked, a cocky grin on his face.
You smirked back, sharp and cold. "You, so get moving."
The door to an unassuming office building was kicked open with a thunderous crash. You watched everything from your screen, seeing it unfold through the body cam of your lieutenant. Voices rang out as the team stormed inside, ordering the staff to get on the ground. It wasn't a high-security facility, just a front. White-collar workers in cheap suits threw their hands up, faces pale as they were cuffed and subdued.
"Any sign of him?" you asked, voice steady in the lieutenant's ear as the feed streamed live on your screen.
"No, nothing yet," he replied, breathing slow and controlled as he and his men moved methodically up the stairs. Floor after floor, they cleared the building, but it was all the same. More desk jockeys, more paperwork, no Wraith.
"He wasn't here today," your lieutenant said, glancing over a calendar hanging on the wall of what appeared to be Wraith's private office. You grit your teeth, fingers clenched tightly against each other.
"Tear the place apart," you ordered, your voice cold but firm. "Leave nothing untouched."
You flicked through the various feeds, watching as your team swept the building. Inside, your stomach churned with frustration. You weren't the type to sit back and watch, but as a consultant now, you didn't have much choice. Leading from behind a screen was... strange. It should have felt natural by now. You'd learned this role over the years and adapted to it, but there was still a part of you that longed to be in the field, boots on the ground.
"Sir!" The sharp call from one of the younger soldiers jolted you back to the present, your eyes snapping to his feed.
"What is it?" you asked, leaning forward.
"I-I think I've found something," he stammered, excitement breaking through his professional tone. "This file—it's detailed information on Wraith's bank accounts!"
A grin spread across your face, thin and predatory. This was it. A concrete lead, something you could use to track Wraith, to finally pull him out of the shadows and into the light. "Excellent work," you praised, your tone clipped but genuine. "Keep looking. There could be more."
As your team continued rifling through the files and data, carting off Wraith's men one by one, you allowed yourself a moment of satisfaction. This was an excellent victory on all fronts and a step towards making sure you could claim Carol's chair.
You have captured a majority of Wraith's gang and found crucial information to put the leader himself behind bars. Now you just need to find him
You were wary. Not nervous—never nervous—but a sense of caution thrummed under your skin. Last time you'd dreamed, you'd fought something. Something wild, dangerous, and utterly foreign. Nonetheless, the brilliant pull of Glory was undeniable, and the call echoed in your bones, urging you forward. You took a deep breath, raised the scissors to your hair, and with a sharp, deliberate motion—
SNIP
The Woods greeted you, dark and vast as always. Tall, ancient trees reached skyward, their twisted limbs sheltering you from the brilliance of Glory. The faint glow of twisted crystals clung to the trunks like eerie moss, their sharp angles catching the faintest light. You inhaled deeply, the cool air of the Mansus filling your lungs, and marveled at its strange beauty. No matter how many times you'd entered this place—once, twice, now thrice—the sheer presence of it sent your mind whirling, thoughts sparking like wildfire.
[Exploring the Woods]
[Roll: 63+8(Piety)+5(MOTH) = 76]
Even down here, in the Woods, far from Glory's radiant light, you couldn't help but feel a tug of exhilaration. A smile crept onto your lips as you started to walk, cautious but unafraid. You kept your senses sharp, eyes and ears alert for anything that might be lurking in the shadows. The Woods were never predictable, and you knew better than to let your guard down.
You quickened your pace, ducking under low-hanging branches as they whipped at your face, your focus narrowing on that tantalizing smell. The Woods blurred around you as you chased it, your steps growing faster, more urgent.
It didn't take long before you found it.
A simple stone well stood in the clearing, the trees parting like sentinels to reveal it in the moonlight. You approached slowly, eyes narrowing in curiosity. The well's surface was slick, and as your fingers brushed against it, you realized it was coated in something thick, viscous. Blood—or something like it. Your stomach whined again, the hunger gnawing at you, urging you to drop a bucket into its depths and drink deeply. But you ignored it, leaning over the edge to peer inside.
The liquid below shimmered, an almost glowing red, sloshing gently back and forth as if stirred by some unseen force. Deeper down, flecks of gold flickered in the dark, burning like embers in the bottom of the well. They tempted you, whispering promises you couldn't quite hear, urging you to reach down and claim them.
But you didn't. You couldn't, not yet.
Instead, you examined the well more closely. Jagged blades protruded from its walls like sharp teeth, gleaming in the pale light. Handholds, perhaps, if you were reckless enough to descend. You eyed them warily, knowing full well that if you lost your grip and fell, you wouldn't have time to drown.
Still, something tugged at the edges of your mind—a hunger not just for the red liquid below but for what lay deeper. As you circled the well, you spotted a narrow passage hidden under the liquid, just large enough for someone determined to crawl through.
Your stomach growled again, louder this time, the urge to explore gnawing at you. There were things down there, things that called to you, things you could discover.
But not today.
You shook your head, forcing yourself to step back from the well. Your mind was swimming, hazy with the Mansus strange influence, and you knew better than to dive headfirst into its depths without a plan. There would be time for that later.
For now, you withdrew, letting the Woods fade around you as you returned to wakefulness. When your eyes snapped open, you were back in the Wake, but the taste of that well lingered on your tongue. Your mouth watered, your senses were sharpened, and something deep inside you hungered for more.
You are now under the influence of An Awareness of Appetite (+10 Grail), it will decay to nothingness at the end of Turn 4.
You have seen a deep and dark well that sloshes with a vibrant red liquid and gutters of brilliant gold. You have gained 1 scrap of Grail Lore
You have discovered the Luster-Drowned Well, a Mansus Expedition
-A hurdle will always be countered by one (or more) kinds of Lore. This will not be a use of "Application" or "Knowledge" bonus. Instead, the total sum of the Lore level, across all creatures involved, will be used. Regardless if that Lore level is innate from a pony, or due to an equipped artifact.
-A hurdle will have a specific DC. The creature who has the highest "base" advantage against it will roll against the hurdle, and ALL ponies who have Lore levels on the requisite Lore will help.
