Alright folks, I'm cutting the vote here. Demons and Hydras won by a landslide, so there's no way that someone could change the vote in the next 13 minutes or so. I'm going to start doing some rolls here in a few minutes, so let's see how things turn out!
Scheduled vote count started by Critian Caceorte on Jun 22, 2024 at 12:39 AM, finished with 32 posts and 9 votes.
[X] Plan Demons And Hydras
-[X] You will overwork yourself-
--[X] By a normal amount (+1 Personal Action, +2 Critical Fail Threshold)
-[X] You will continue ration your current supplies
-[X][Martial][LOCKED] Protecting the Flock 1 (DC 30+)
--[X] Send your general troops (Size 4, Quality 1, Might 0 = +30?)
-[X][Martial][LOCKED] Protecting the Flock 2
--[X] You will join the fray as an independent (-1 Personal Action, Frees up 1 Martial Action)
--[X] Send Sondok to defend the homestead (+23)
--[X] Assign Flaris and Rising Dawn. Plus the Blood Apes and, if needed, our other actual armies.
-[X][Martial] Wrong Kind of Moat (DC 30)
--[X] SPECIAL: Nokun (Ramparts of Obedient Earth)(Hero; +20)
-[X][Diplomacy] Linguistic Drift (DC 10+)
-[X][Diplomacy] Build the Docks (DC 50+)(CONSUMES 1 LUMBER)
-[X][Stewardship] Start Some Farms (DC 60)
-[X][Stewardship] Draw Freshwater (DC 15/25/35)(SORCEROUS)
--[X] Assigned Sorcerer (SPECIAL): Abioye (Hero; +6 -> +16)
-[X][Intrigue] Scouting Ahead (Variable)
--[X] At the enemy army (DC 20)
--[X] Assign Fuvor (Fuvor, +7 Intrigue)
-[X][Intrigue] Build a Jail (DC 20)(CONSUMES 1 LUMBER OR STONE)
-[X][Intrigue] Make the Hydra Yours (DC 40/50/60)
--[X] Yours Forever (DC 50/60/70)
---[X] Assigned Sorcerer: Yourself (-1 Personal Action; Frees Up 1 Intrigue Action; +20 DC for second option)
-[X][Piety] Ask Ulric for a blessing (DC 20+)
-[X][Piety] Ask the Earth Elementals for Military Help (DC 40+)
-[X][Learning] Medical Aid (DC 20+)
-[X][Learning] House of Healing (DC 20)(CONSUMES 1 LUMBER OR STONE)
-[X][Mining] Dirt to Rock (DC 30/40/50)(SORCEROUS)
--[X] Assigned Sorcerer: Your Students (Hero; +7)
-[X][Mining] Build a Mine (Iron)(Variable)
--[X] In the Homestead (DC 10+)
-[X][Personal] Summon a Demon! (Variable)
--[X] First Circle (DC 30)
--[X] Size 2 group of Blood Apes for use defending the city
[X] Get that hydra.
-[X] You will not stress yourself too much.
-[X] You will continue ration your current supplies
-[X][Martial][LOCKED] Protecting the Flock 1 (DC 30+)
--[X] Send Sondok to defend the homestead (+23; Best of 2; Frees up 1 Martial Action)
-[X][Martial][LOCKED] Protecting the Flock 2
--[X] You will join the fray as an independent (-1 Personal Action, Frees up 1 Martial Action)
---[X] Have Nokun, Flaris, Rising Dawn, and your Elite and general troops.
-[X][Martial] Active Patrols (DC 40)
-[X][Martial] Refitting Masterpieces (DC 30)
--[X] Personal Guard
-[X][Diplomacy] Linguistic Drift (DC 10+)
-[X][Diplomacy] Build the Docks (DC 50+)(CONSUMES 1 LUMBER)
-[X][Stewardship] Draw Freshwater (DC 15/25/35)(SORCEROUS)
--[X] Assigned Sorcerer (SPECIAL): Abioye (Hero; +6 -> +16)
[X][Intrigue] Make the Hydra Yours (DC 40/50/60)
-[X] Yours Forever (DC 50/60/70)
--[X] Assigned Sorcerer: Yourself (-1 Personal Action; Frees Up 1 Intrigue Action; +20 DC for second option)
[X] Plan: War Now
-[X] You will overwork yourself-
--[X] By a normal amount (+1 Personal Action, +2 Critical Fail Threshold)
-[X] You will continue ration your current supplies
-[X][Martial][LOCKED] Protecting the Flock 1 (DC 30+)
--[X] Send Sondok to defend the homestead (+23; Best of 2; Frees up 1 Martial Action)
-[X][Martial][LOCKED] Protecting the Flock 2
--[X] You will join the fray as an independent (-1 Personal Action, Frees up 1 Martial Action)
---[X] Have Fuvor, Nokun, Flaris, Rising Dawn, and your Elite and general troops.
----[X] If summoned in time, make use of the Blood Apes.
-[X][Martial] Active Patrols (DC 40)
-[X][Martial] Refitting Masterpieces (DC 30)
--[X] Personal Guard
-[X][Diplomacy] Linguistic Drift (DC 10+)
-[X][Diplomacy] Build the Docks (DC 50+)(CONSUMES 1 LUMBER)
-[X][Stewardship] Draw Freshwater (DC 15/25/35)(SORCEROUS)
--[X] Assigned Sorcerer (SPECIAL): Abioye (Hero; +6 -> +16)
-[X][Stewardship] Rock to Wood (DC 30/40/50)(SORCEROUS)
--[X] Assigned Sorcerer: Your Students (Hero; +7)
---[X] 1 Time
-[X][Intrigue] Pointed Interrogations (DC 20/60/80)
-[X][Intrigue] Build a Jail (DC 20)(CONSUMES 1 STONE)
-[X][Piety] Ask Slumbering Star for a blessing (DC 20+)
-[X][Piety] Ask Ulric for a blessing (DC 20+)
-[X][Learning] Who Can Read? (DC 10+)
-[X][Learning] The Music From Our Hearts (DC 40+)
-[X][Mining] Dirt to Rock (DC 30/40/50)(SORCEROUS)
--[X] Assigned Sorcerer: Yourself (-1 Personal Action; Frees Up 1 Stewardship Action; -20 DC)
-[X][Mining] Ground Survey (DC 60)
-[X][Mining] Build a Mine (Silver)(Variable)
--[X] In the Homestead (DC 10+)
-[X][Personal] Summon a Demon! (Variable)
--[X] First Circle (DC 30)
---[X] Army Group of 2 of Blood Apes
So! Did some rolls for stats offline, and here is a basic outline for your new Sovereigns. I also rolled for their nation of origin with a d10: 1-8 is Uluiru, 9 is the Realm, and 10 is from somewhere else in either the Northern or Western Directions.
The Diamond Aspect is a former royal guard who retired while Queen Ulu was still on the throne and Nuwa still alive. The years have had surprisingly little effect on his ability to fight, and even in his 70s he is still a better fighter than many young men a third his age. Amongst all of the mortal warriors under your mother's employ, his ability to Combat the forces of the fae was among the very best. It was only his hyperfocus on fighting which denied him a marriage offer with one of your family members, and through that admittance to the Fount of Glories. This turn, that will be rectified. Beyond that, while he's not very good with words, and would be terrible as a Diplomat with how little he speaks, his Unbiased nature helps him to see other perspectives more easily.
Male
Diamond Aspect
Essence 1
Best Stat: Combat
2nd Best Stat: Stewardship
Worst Stat: Diplomacy
Personality: Unbiased (+1 Diplomacy)
Rolled Stats: 18, 13, 13, 13, 9, 9, 8 (Yes, this really did happen)
The Sapphire Aspect is actually not a native to your country. You aren't sure where exactly she's from, though her name betrays that she's neither from Uluiru nor the Realm. She wasn't a soldier you recognized either (and neither did Gwai), so you were curious as to why Ekundayo proposed her as a candidate to you. When pressed, your sister admitted that the old woman miiiiiight have been a former member of the Vigilators Royal, specifically a more... "Deadly" element of the Ministry. So, Royal Assassin then. While all assurances tell you that she is loyal to Uluiru, its gods and Yourself above all else, you can't find out much else about her with how Secretive she is. What you ARE sure of is that she is quite good at Combat in her own right. However, perhaps due to her origins, her Scholarly knowledge even with decades of experience is almost nonexistent. At least she can read, you held little desire to educate your newest Sovereign on her letters.
I'll have names and more detailed biographies later, once I get to that portion of Turn 3's results. As part of their Old Age, both characters use X - 10 for their stats for both the mini-turn as well as Turn 4, and will improve to X - 5 for Turn 5 onwards.
[X] Plan Demons And Hydras
-[X] You will overwork yourself-
--[X] By a normal amount (+1 Personal Action, +2 Critical Fail Threshold)
-[X] You will continue ration your current supplies
-[X][Martial][LOCKED] Protecting the Flock 1 (DC 30+)
--[X] Send your general troops (Size 4, Quality 1, Might 0 = +30?)
-[X][Martial][LOCKED] Protecting the Flock 2
--[X] You will join the fray as an independent (-1 Personal Action, Frees up 1 Martial Action)
--[X] Send Sondok to defend the homestead (+23)
--[X] Assign Flaris and Rising Dawn. Plus the Blood Apes and, if needed, our other actual armies.
-[X][Martial] Wrong Kind of Moat (DC 30)
--[X] SPECIAL: Nokun (Ramparts of Obedient Earth)(Hero; +20)
-[X][Diplomacy] Linguistic Drift (DC 10+)
-[X][Diplomacy] Build the Docks (DC 50+)(CONSUMES 1 LUMBER)
-[X][Stewardship] Start Some Farms (DC 60)
-[X][Stewardship] Draw Freshwater (DC 15/25/35)(SORCEROUS)
--[X] Assigned Sorcerer (SPECIAL): Abioye (Hero; +6 -> +16)
-[X][Intrigue] Scouting Ahead (Variable)
--[X] At the enemy army (DC 20)
--[X] Assign Fuvor (Fuvor, +7 Intrigue)
-[X][Intrigue] Build a Jail (DC 20)(CONSUMES 1 LUMBER OR STONE)
-[X][Intrigue] Make the Hydra Yours (DC 40/50/60)
--[X] Yours Forever (DC 50/60/70)
---[X] Assigned Sorcerer: Yourself (-1 Personal Action; Frees Up 1 Intrigue Action; +20 DC for second option)
-[X][Piety] Ask Ulric for a blessing (DC 20+)
-[X][Piety] Ask the Earth Elementals for Military Help (DC 40+)
-[X][Learning] Medical Aid (DC 20+)
-[X][Learning] House of Healing (DC 20)(CONSUMES 1 LUMBER OR STONE)
-[X][Mining] Dirt to Rock (DC 30/40/50)(SORCEROUS)
--[X] Assigned Sorcerer: Your Students (Hero; +7)
-[X][Mining] Build a Mine (Iron)(Variable)
--[X] In the Homestead (DC 10+)
-[X][Personal] Summon a Demon! (Variable)
--[X] First Circle (DC 30)
--[X] Size 2 group of Blood Apes for use defending the city
These 3 months have proven… frustrating to you. For every great success, it seemed that a failure was right behind it to sour the victory. That wasn't even accounting for the sizable army nearly on your doorstep, for which you and many of your more free Exalted were preparing for with haste.
It seemed miraculous then that despite your failures, no true disaster emerged to plague you. Yes, you suffered setback after setback, but there was no repeat of your handling of the Festival here. You had not actively sabotaged your own people, your own nation this time, and that was something you could find some comfort in.
There were three things you were certain about now, however. First, this was not Creation, not the world you had grown up in. Second, the current Season was Autumn, with how the weather began to cool even further below its already cold temperatures. Third?
The Green Moon in the sky was a thing of true evil, and it was only your own foresight that prevented its most dire effects. One night in particular, as the Green Moon reached the peak of its size alongside Luna, you could feel the Wyld Essence channels failing to fully redirect the streams of chaotic power, your best efforts breaking down just this once. It thankfully did not damage the Working, your work was too great to be simply erased by an overwhelming tide of Essence, but it did inform you as to just what this Green Moon did. Its light emitted such a grand wave of the Wyld's influence onto the world that mutation was a rampant phenomena… or at least, it should be.
If you had anything to say about it, you would cripple its reach until none in this world would ever be tainted by its rays ever again.
Geheimnisnacht has passed with no ill consequences… this time. Each 4-turn interval or year, a random turn will be selected to have Geheimnisnacht occur in that period. Thus, it will not have a chance of occurring again until at minimum Turn 5.
When it strikes, the local mutagenic factor increases by 1 degree. Currently, the citizens in your homestead will be immune to this change, but it's not strong enough to completely shut out all of the Wyld Essence on this night. In other words, no NEW mutants will be created, but those who already possess mutations will have to roll for whether they gain more.
Outside of your homestead, things are a lot more dire. Right now, everywhere directly outside has a Moderate mutagenic level (1d10 individuals mutated each turn). During Geheimnisnacht, this will increase to Major (3d10 individuals mutated each turn). In addition, the veil between worlds thins, enough for demons to potentially manifest and cause harm.
There is another time in the year where Morrslieb is at its fullest, and unlike Geheimnisnacht, Hexennacht ALWAYS occurs near the end of Winter (Turn 4 is the next time it will happen, I'm going with seasons rather than Imperial Calendar here). It provides the same issues as its cousin, and it's possible for both holidays to occur in the same turn period.
Further Mutation roll (1d6-3): 1 - 3 = 0, No further mutations from your afflicted.
Martial Actions
-[X][Martial][LOCKED] Protecting the Flock 1 (DC 30+)
--[X] Send your general troops (Size 4, Quality 1, Might 0 = +30?)
Enemy Troops: Size 1, Quality 1 - 1 (Field) = 0, Might 1 = DC 20
Our Troops: Size 4, Quality 1, Might 0 = +30 from Outnumbering, +10 from greater Quality = +40 from troops
DC 20 - 15 (God's Blessing) = DC 5
Roll Bonus: +40 from troops, +12 from Gwai's Martial = +52 total bonus
Roll: 77 + 52 = 129, 100 greater than DC = CRITICAL SUCCESS!
At this point, you had deemed it prudent to have your standard troops to constantly patrol around and on top of the walls of the homestead. The former to serve as a first line of defense, and the latter to provide ranged support and spot does from a greater distance. Having your soldiers marching around the walls also helped to protect Nokun as she carefully divided earth from rock. You didn't want your best war engineer to lose her life in a surprise attack, after all.
It was early in the morning, quite soon after you woke up in fact, that one of your soldiers asked to be let into your tent. As he bowed in obeisance, you noticed that he held in his hand a piece of parchment. You doubted that someone would have wasted precious writing material on something trivial, so it must have been important.
When the soldier's head rose back up, he bore a wide grin on his face. "Your majesty, I have GREAT news to tell you!" He waited to speak further as you briefly considered that statement.
You waved your hand towards him and said, "Go on then, what good news do you have for me?"
Nodding his head rapidly, he began to tell his tale. A small contingent of enemy cavalry, caught within the disorientation field, which your men noticed and began to rain arrows down on. With good fortune, they were able to strike the riders yet not the horses, who remained docile enough to be escorted onto some of your fishing boats, transported around the walls and brought onto the shoreline. "But!" He declared with much enthusiasm, "That's not the best part. THIS was in one of the rider's packs."
He held the parchment towards you, and you unfolded the document fraction by fraction, until the entirety of it was revealed to you.
It was… beautiful. This kind of map was the sort you would see in royal palaces and institutions of learning, not carried around by a random scout. It's sheer geographical detail was astounding, the brush strokes vanishing to give an accurate portrayal of the land from many lengths in the air looking down. Whoever created this masterpiece must either have access to flying mounts, have some kind of spell to view the land from heaven's perspective, or had explored every particular portion of this region to exactness. There were, however, some issues.
First, as you expected, it was all written in the language of the pointed-ears people, which your advisors had yet to decipher. That meant that you didn't know the local names for each region. The second was that it was an environmental map, rather than a political one. You had no chance of finding out where any particular nation might be on this landmass. And that led to your third problem.
"This is a continent," you said as you gazed upon the map with more scrutiny. With the size of the mountain ranges involved, this landmass couldn't be much smaller than the Blessed Isle. Worse, none of it looked familiar to you. You knew from historical research that the Balorian Crusade caused a sizable amount of Creation to fall within the grasp of the Wyld, but even that could not explain a locale of this size to be lost. Combine that with the Green Moon which steadily grew in size every day, and one of your theories began to solidify in your mind.
This isn't Creation. This isn't your world. Maybe it was a similar land, given the white moon's presence, but it was NOT the world you grew up in. Before your face could betray your rising panic, you looked up at your still smiling subordinate.
"Good job. You are dismissed." He quickly left you to your thoughts as you pondered the parchment below. Before you could freak out, you needed to quickly make copies of this document somehow. If your scouts had access to this information, it would be a major boon to their navigation.
You have obtained a beautiful, accurate map of Naggoroth! You have received confirmation about where you (generally) are!
Unlocked Intrigue Action: Copies of a Map
-[X][Martial][LOCKED] Protecting the Flock 2
--[X] You will join the fray as an independent (-1 Personal Action, Frees up 1 Martial Action)
--[X] Send Sondok to defend the homestead (+23)
--[X] Assign Flaris and Rising Dawn. Plus the Blood Apes and, if needed, our other actual armies.
To be continued in Turn 3.5…
-[X][Martial] Wrong Kind of Moat (DC 30)
--[X] SPECIAL: Nokun (Ramparts of Obedient Earth)(Hero; +20)
DC 30 - 15 (God's Blessing) = DC 15
Roll Bonus: +20 (Nokun) +12 (Gwai's Martial) = +32
Roll: 23 + 32 = 55, Success!
After the amazing feat that was the walls surrounding your home, you had high hopes for Nokun's next project. Thankfully, she did not disappoint.
Where there was once dry land surrounding the earthen walls, there was now situated a sizable moat five men in width and less than that deep at its lowest point. If it had been wider and deeper than this, it would not just threaten the foundation of your home, but also allow ships to sail through. It was filled with saltwater, save for a single point which remained filled with rock and soil. This point connected to a guarded entrance through your walls, forming a bridge that your troops could use to exit through the moat area. Were it not for a lack of boats to carry all of your troops from the shoreline to outside the walls, you would have avoided such a vulnerability altogether, but beggars can't be choosers.
From what the Earth Aspect told you, this moat would require regular maintenance to avoid future issues, but that she could easily handle it herself. You decided to trust that she had it all in hand, and instead simply basked in how more protected it made your territory.
Your walled-off land is now surrounded by a decent sized moat! From research, these things require a lot of maintenance, but I don't want to simulate that so consider it free of ongoing costs.
Diplomacy Actions
-[X][Diplomacy] Linguistic Drift (DC 10+)
DC 10
Roll Bonus: +11 (Fumnanya Diplomacy) = +11
Roll: 43 + 11 = 54, just short of a Notable Success.
After half a year's worth of time had passed, it was past time to get a survey of the languages spoken by your people. Being involved with trade as Uluiru was, between the Blessed Isle, the tribes of the North and the Isles of the West, it was no surprise that a large number of tongues had been picked up over the centuries. While the nation was founded by a collective of Northern Tribes, its access to the sea created a diaspora among your citizens.
In short, today the average citizen of New Uluiru spoke Skytongue, Seatongue or both. This diversity in language was more of a strength than a weakness, as Skytongue was an easier language to pick up, while Seatongue had an easier time describing things. Indeed, Seatongue was the language used most often for poetry and song, while Skytongue was more for casual conversation. While needing to learn multiple languages just to enjoy their nation's culture was likely a hindrance, that approach did have its benefits.
Less well known was High Realm, owing both to its greater complexity and usage by the Realm, which Uluiru had a hot-cold relationship with. High Realm was used by traders from the Blessed Isle near exclusively, which made it annoying to perform deals with them as most refused to speak any other language to do their business in. With it came several individuals who spoke Low Realm, the… simplified version of High Realm (saying "bastardized" felt too harsh for a culture's tongue).
In total, that meant 2 primary languages, with 2 much less frequent tongues being spoken among the populace. And with the position you were now in, it might be possible to create a council to debate what should be done to preserve these languages.
You have found out what languages are spoken in New Uluiru.
Unlocked Learning Action: A Council of Tongues
-[X][Diplomacy] Build the Docks (DC 50+)(CONSUMES 1 LUMBER)
DC 50
Roll Bonus: +11 (Fumnanya Diplomacy) + 10 (Omake Bonus) = +21
Roll: 88 + 21 = 109, Notable Success!
It would be a dire exaggeration to say that it was a beautiful sight, but the sight of a harbor, no matter how small, was a welcome one. As much as Uluiru depended on its mines in the past, it held plenty of space to store trade vessels in order to facilitate the exchange of metal for food, a vital process for the nation's survival. While you doubted that any amenable trade partner would appear sometime soon, it was better to have the space available for the future. For now, it would help to store whatever vessels you constructed yourself.
Five sizable wooden piers, each situated like teeth from an oakwood comb, provided enough room on each side for multiple fishing vessels or 1 large galleon. In total, that meant that up to 10 Galleons, or several times that in fishing boats, could be stored at the docks. Small for a navy, but enough for less than 2000 people.
It wouldn't serve to hold an armada just yet, but it was still quite sizable. There was even a designated space off to the side where a shipyard could be built, though there just wasn't enough lumber remaining to build it just yet. If wood could be acquired, or conjured, then that might provide the remainder of what was needed.
The Docks are created! With its current size, it can hold up to 10 Galleons, or 10 instances of the Fishing Boats action, or some combination of the two adding up to 10.
Unlocked Diplomacy Action: Build a Shipyard
Due to the Notable Success, Build a Shipyard DC reduced from 50 to 30!
Stewardship Actions
-[X][Stewardship] Start Some Farms (DC 60)
DC 60
Roll Bonus: +12 (Milosen's Stewardship) = +12
Roll: 4 + 12 = 17, Failure.
Unfortunately, the chilling weather in combination with the permafrost soil meant that starting a farm just wasn't viable this time of year. That, and the sudden emergence of the Green Moon in its full strength meant that many of your farmers refused to work until the worst had passed. As frustrating as it was, you could hardly begrudge them for their caution. After all, you still knew little about the Green Moon yourself.
You would just need to try again later, perhaps using sorcery to speed up the growth process for any seeds that germinated.
Thankfully, while your food situation was far from ideal, you were doing much better in regards to your water supply. Abioye had outdone herself, creating a stream from the ocean which flowed through the homestead. This stream had a special enchantment created at the head of it, which sent all of the salt and other particulates downwards as if they held ten times their normal weight. This meant that as the water flowed, all of its contaminants were dragged down leaving only fresh clean liquid to be drunk.
You rightfully praised her for her creativity, though you wished that she had warned you about the urban redevelopment she was going to create by shaping a stream in the middle of where everyone was living. At least they were all just in tents, and not permanent homes. You would have been far more cross if that were not the case.
A stream of freshwater has been created, providing 2/5 of Water each turn for your citizens. Currently, you have enough water to overcome your rationed deficit, and with 2 more uses of this action, you will have enough to end the water rationing.
Intrigue Actions
-[X][Intrigue] Scouting Ahead (Variable)
--[X] At the enemy army (DC 20)
--[X] Assign Fuvor (Fuvor, +7 Intrigue)
DC 20
Roll Bonus: 13 (Ekundayo's Intrigue) + 7 (Fuvor's Intrigue) = +20
Roll: 5 + 20 = 25, success.
Cursing as softly as he could, Fuvor sat back down in his tiny spy boat as yet another guard patrol got near his location. These lance-bearing guards were particularly attentive, and he had almost been spotted twice already. Only his ability to manipulate the winds to distract them gave him the time he needed to relocate his vessel. And that wasn't taking into account the occasional horse riders, or, you know, THE BEHEMOTH WHICH COULD EAT HIM LIKE A SIDE DISH! As it was, he was making no progress on his assigned task. This… was not the first time he had proven a disappointment. Not the first at all.
Eventually, he just had to give up for tonight and return back to his hideout. Tonight was yet another bust, and at this point it might be better to just call it quits and avoid being detected. Getting his idiot self captured would be far more detrimental than showing back up at the earthen walls with empty hands. The only thing he had managed to confirm was the large tent which important-looking individuals gathered within. Probably the war tent, or maybe even the commander's tent, he wasn't sure which. It was definitely important though, he was sure of it.
Once the guards had passed by, he pulled out a short oar and gently moved his vessel away from the shore and back to the north. He would take his meager offerings back home.
You have found out what the enemy commander's tent looks like, nothing less, nothing more. Assassination might still be possible, but it's going to be tough and dangerous.
-[X][Intrigue] Build a Jail (DC 20)(CONSUMES 1 LUMBER OR STONE)
DC 20
Roll Bonus: 13 (Ekundayo's Intrigue) = +13
Roll: 46 + 13 = 59, success! It will now be more difficult for your prisoners to break free this turn and for the future.
Breakout DC: 60
Roll Penalty: 13 (Ekundayo's Intrigue) = -13
Roll: 13 - 13 = 0, Total Failure!
As you observed the movement of the prisoners, both human and pointed-ear, into the stone structure, you felt a small bit of anxiety leave your body. After the breakout a few weeks ago, you immediately commissioned your masons to build a sturdy building to contain the rest of your prisoners in. And they had done a good job, a certifiably tough jail now situated before you. It was perhaps a bit sad that one of your first permanent homes was meant for your prisoners instead of your people, but needs must.
At least the prisoners seemed to have little energy for escape. Perhaps they had heard what happened to most of the prisoners who broke free, perhaps they recognized that this prison would be more difficult to break free from than the last. Or maybe, at least for the human prisoners… they were already used to being locked up in cells. It was a disquieting thought.
Your jail has been constructed! It's a rather basic building, but made out of solid stone that will help to prevent breakouts (increasing the DC from 50 to 60.)
-[X][Intrigue] Make the Hydra Yours (DC 40/50/60)
--[X] Yours Forever (DC 50/60/70)
---[X] Assigned Sorcerer: Yourself (-1 Personal Action; Frees Up 1 Intrigue Action; +20 DC for second option)
DC 50/60/70 + 20 (Out-of-Circle) = DC 70/80/90
Roll Bonus: 13 (Ekundayo's Intrigue) + 17 (Sango's Learning) = +30
Roll: 4 + 30 = 34, just barely not a critical fail.
You would never admit it to others, but this time, for this project… you realized just how badly you were outmatched. Trying to subdorn a behemoth like the one possessed by your enemy would be difficult enough if you had access to flesh samples, or even the behemoth's constant presence. Without coming into contact with the beast, and without defaulting to a temporary enthrallment… it was impossible. More impossible than anything you had ever attempted before.
So you gave up. You gave up, and you hated it. You hated how little you could do to make your people safer against this monstrosity, but there was nothing to be done. You just… just weren't good enough.
You have found no means to control the hydra. It will need to be dealt with in some other manner.
Author's Note: In case you couldn't tell, I'm not good with maps or with Photoshop, I just found one online and then edited out the World Map in the corner. Just assume that the English Characters are replaced with the elven equivalent, and Sango cannot read those just yet. As for why he immediately believes that it's a continent, the sheer amount of mountain ranges in Uluiru NAGGAROTH would never happen on a small island, not without those same mountains being immediately visible to the naked eye. That, and the small size of the tall watchtowers on the map gives him a degree of scale.
The large "general area" is both to account for the disorientation field at play, and also so that I don't need to be precise in where exactly New Uluiru is situated. It's on the coast, it's (relatively) near the mountains, that's good enough for me. Hope that helps.
Sorry for the short size of this update, most of this stuff I just had trouble coming up with more to talk about for them, particularly the failures.
-[X][Piety] Ask Ulric for a blessing (DC 20+)
DC 20
Roll Bonus: 10 (Chinasa Piety) = +10
Roll: 96 + 10 = 106, Notable Success!
"And you said that the name of this new god of Kehinde's was Ulric?" Chinasa asked as she walked alongside you through the mess of tents. "Have you or him seen this god in the flesh?"
"Not personally, no." You answered. "I did see a god-wolf assisting Kehinde in chasing after the escaped prisoners, but that was just a servant of Ulric, from what he said."
Her ruby-red eyes narrowed in thought at that. "And the god's titles are…?" It was clear that she shared several of the same reservations as you did, and you appreciated that. Thankfully, your memory in this case was as good as ever.
"'God of Winter, the White Wolf and wielder of Blitzbeil,'" you relayed, "That's what I remember Kehinde describing to me. He told me later that Ulric is a war deity as well."
"A war god? On top of controlling winter and wolves?" She frowned as she considered that information. "They must be a regional power then, no god could ever claim all three of those titles and cover all of Creation. Even Ahlat from what little I know of him only covers the South when it comes to war." You couldn't say, your knowledge of the divine compared to demons and fae was quite lacking. You also did not comment on the possibility of being another world, that was a discussion the two of you could have another time.
Eventually the two of you reached the small tent where Kehinde was situated, with his makeshift shrine inside. You moved to open the tent flaps, but your sister-in-law immediately restrained your arm and gave you a glare that conveyed her displeasure at your… what, rudeness? She gently tapped at the flaps with her other hand, before backing off and taking you with her. After a few seconds, the flap opened and your (former) guard's head slipped through. "Ah, your majesty, good evening. To you as well, Minister, I had just finished wrapping up my prayer session today."
"I see," Chinasa said. "Apologies for my indiscretion, but is it possible for either of us to come inside your god's sacred space?" And now you were reminded of why you typically pushed dealing with the Divine onto other people. Abasing yourself before your family or subjects was fine, especially when it served a purpose, but to put yourself beneath mere gods felt… dissatisfying.
"Of course!" He said with a smile. "Actually, this is perfect, King Ulric was hoping to get a measure of both of you." King Ulric? Both you and your sister gave each other wary glances before proceeding inside.
Again, despite your attempts to be subtle, Kehinde seemed to know what you were thinking. "Ah, my apologies your majesty, I did not mean that Ulric is a rival power, he's simply the ruler of his pantheon." He stepped to the side to reveal a carved wooden wolf head situated inside of a separate wooden 'U', both covered in patches of applied snow with a stone basin to catch the water. Did he create these ornaments himself? Set on the floor nearby were flint-knapped obsidian tools and the trace scraps of wood, a precious commodity in your current situation. If it weren't for the small amount used overall, you might have been more annoyed at the waste.
"And what pantheon is he a part of, specifically?" your sister-in-law continued. At this, Kehinde looked sheepish.
"I'm still in the process of learning, I must admit. Thanks to our current location, from what I have been told, it has been easier for Ulric to send me dreams compared to some of his other worshippers, so he has blessed me with some knowledge beyond that of how he is to be worshiped. What I know for certain is that he used to be a tribal patron, before eventually forming a dominant pantheon known as the 'Old Gods.' These Gods include himself, his brother Taal who controls nature, his brother's wife Rhya of Summer, Taal's son Manann of the sea and a… 'liminal' figure in Morr, the God of the Dead."
This time, you couldn't stop yourself from interjecting. "And where precisely do they hold domain? Are they worshiped in these lands or another?"
The priest worked his jaw left and right as he pondered what to say. "Not these lands, in fact Lord Ulric was surprised to find humans free from mutation in this region. He would not say more about its current inhabitants, because they are not among his worshippers and despised by him. All I got was a name: Druchii." He stumbled over the foreign words and grimaced as some feeling of external anger came over him. "He… does not like them."
"You mentioned that, yes." You looked again at the wooden wolf head, feeling as if its eyes were watching you. Instantly, you began to look into the immaterial, and were only mildly surprised that there was no spirit nearby. The wooden wolf DID bear the touch of some entity on it, but that entity was not anywhere close by. Must be a powerful god then to use such abilities from a great distance. After a few seconds of analysis, you hissed and closed your eyelids as a piercing cold covered your eyes, stinging them with a pain that made you flinch. Alright, it seems he wasn't happy with your usual methods of investigating.
Chinasa just rolled her eyes as she somehow knew exactly what you did. How? "Apologies Lord Ulric," she began, addressing the wolf head. "My brother-in-law is sometimes more curious than his sense permits." The temperature in the tent plummeted, and somehow, you got a sense of… understanding, understanding and a warning to avoid trying again. This would be much easier if this supposed god would be willing to materialize or at least communicate to you with words.
She gave a brief glance towards you, and you nodded that you got the same impression. With a sigh, she kneeled down closer to the shrine. "In any case, Lord Ulric, we did not come here for pleasantries. We are sometime in the next few months to be besieged by the inhabitants of this land. They come at us with well-armed soldiers and a massive beast as tall as the treetops. We have soldiers of our own, but it may not be enough even with our strength. We came to you to verify if you were the god which Kehinde claimed you to be, and if so, if you may be willing to grant us your aid against this foe."
For a time, there was no response. Then, a cold wind blew through the tent, and where its touch met your skin, it chilled down to the bone. Yet, there was no pain, no discomfort. It felt as if your flesh had turned to living ice, and nothing could be done to harm it. A wolf howl deep into the distance gave an emotional impression in your mind that slowly deciphered itself into unspoken words:
Your results shall prove your worthiness
You and your soldiers have received the cold blessing of Ulric! Beyond reducing the DC of all Martial Actions this turn (which had no effect on the results for those), it will also grant a +15 bonus to your troops during the battle encounter for Turn 3.5.
You have gained some (limited) insight into Ulric and his pantheon.
Unlocked Piety Action: The Old Gods
Unlocked Piety Action: The Ulrican Faith
-[X][Piety] Ask the Earth Elementals for Military Help (DC 40+)
DC 40
Roll Bonus: 10 (Chinasa Piety) = +10
Roll: 5 + 10 = 15, failure.
Sadly, while the newcomer to your faiths was willing to loan you some strength to the fight ahead, the earth elementals were less willing to do so. The gem-lords who spoke with your priests said that they were concerned about the Essence flows of this land, that they had some serious doubts over whether they would be able to reconstruct themselves should they die even with your people's worship sustaining them. You had to admit, that wasn't a terrible reason for declining, but their help would have been appreciated.
For now, you would just have to proceed with human (and divine, and hopefully demonic) help alone.
No elementals could be recruited to help with the fight.
Learning Actions
-[X][Learning] House of Healing (DC 20)(CONSUMES 1 LUMBER OR STONE)
DC 20
Roll Bonus: 9 (Taiwo's Learning) + 9 (Nkiru's Learning) = +18
Roll: 51 + 18 = 69, success
It might not have been the prettiest hospital to look at, with how it was built from solid stone, but it was surely one that could take a hit. With the current preparations being done ahead of the upcoming battle, you wanted to ensure that your healers would not be at risk of a stray fireball (with behemoths, you never knew what they could pull out of their metaphorical pocket at any time). Hence, your builders created a structure meant to protect those who recovered within its walls.
It was not beautiful… but it was very useful.
Hospital has been built! The DC for Medical Aid has been reduced by 10!
Unlocked Learning Action: Medical Apprenticeships
-[X][Learning] Medical Aid (DC 20+)
DC 20 - 10 (House of Healing) = 10
Roll Bonus: 9 (Taiwo's Learning) + 9 (Nkiru's Learning) = +18
Roll: 51 (AGAIN!) + 18 = 69, Notable Success! An additional bonus has been granted for a double roll in the same category!
It had been rather genius of your two students to suggest that your troops take mandatory healer courses. Only the basics could be conveyed in such a quick manner, particularly with how many soldiers needed to flow through this program until your doctors were satisfied. Yet, even that little amount covered a great deal of ground: How to clean wounds with hot water to banish the influence of disease gods, how to dress an injury with bandages, when to elevate the head or legs. It was all useful information to know, and you never knew when the right piece of knowledge could be used to save your comrade's life.
By the time the enemy reached near your walls, all of your soldiers were practiced enough with what few bandages were available to treat some minor wounds. That left the doctors and their assistants able to treat only the most dire injuries, assuming that your troops protected them and everyone else in the first place well enough.
Your troops will not suffer any permanent reduction in troop size this turn! In addition, the threshold for winning a battle free of injury has been reduced from 25 over to 20 over.
Mining Actions
-[X][Mining] Dirt to Rock (DC 30/40/50)(SORCEROUS)
--[X] Assigned Sorcerer: Your Students (Hero; +7)
DC 30/40/50
Roll Bonus: 10 (Songbird's Combat) + 7 (Student's Learning) = 17
Roll: 68 + 17 = 85, success!
In order to gather the needed stone for both the jail as well as the house of healing, some transmutation was required. While your students were sad that you would not allow them to try their hands again at the mobile lodestone, they understood the severity of the situation once you explained to them what the enemy was looking to do. They went to work with enthusiasm, and thankfully they did not disappoint you on such a simple task.
After several weeks of work, they had managed to transmute a great deal of frozen soil into solid rock, suitable to be used for construction. You thanked them for their efforts, and sent the stone off to be used for the hospital, as the jail was nearing completion already.
+1 Stone Provided This Turn.
-[X][Mining] Build a Mine (Iron)(Variable)
--[X] In the Homestead (DC 10+)
DC 10
Roll Bonus: 10 (Songbird's Combat) + 10 (Omake Bonus) = +20
Roll: 99 + 20 = 119, CRITICAL SUCCESS!
Songbird was not an expert in mining. Even after several months of this job, she still felt like a hawk in water, a fowl simile to be sure. Yet, even with her lack of knowledge, even she could tell that the smiles and cheers on the faces of the miners around her meant good news.
"Apologies sir," she said to one of the oldest miners, his grey beard stained dark with dirt. He too had a small smile on his face as he looked around at the dug-up tunnel surrounding them. "But, could you perhaps explain to this one what the cause for celebration is?"
Giving a small chuckle, he turned to look at her. "Well miss Minister, to put it simply, it seems our luck has turned even better this month. When we found this ore vein back then, we had just thought that it was a small tendril of iron, likely to be used up in a few years. Yet, once we actually started digging around it, we found more ore. And more, and more, and more! Some of this isn't simply hematite, it's natural ore, some of the easiest iron ore to be turned into steel. It's a motherlode that will sustain us for… likely beyond even these young one's lifetimes. Combine that with the silver we also discovered, and it seems our nation will have all of the metal it needs for quite some time."
His cheerful face turned a bit annoyed as a thought came to him. "Assuming that those gods damn smiths can actually start doing their jobs. There's patience, and then there's whatever laziness they're preaching."
Songbird's smile, which had grown as the old man talked, turned brittle as she heard that last comment. Yes, the blacksmiths. While one could argue that the fault lied with them, as their nominal representative as well, it could also be said that their reticence to get started on their work was her fault instead. She knew the old miner didn't mean cruel about what he said, but his irritation prickled her heart.
I will do better, I must.
Her thoughts were cut off as another shout came from further below. "Sir, sir!" The miner was talking to the old man, whose name she sadly forgot. "We found something!"
"More iron?" he questioned, but they shook their head.
"No sir, it's… it's a tunnel leading to somewhere else. It's rather small, you'd have to crawl through it, but the light from our lanterns made something glitter on the other end. Should we try to get to the other side?"
The old man looked over at Songbird, softly nodding towards her. She was the one in charge, so it was her call to make. And right now, she didn't think that was a good idea. Perhaps they could try and slowly shave away at the tunnel's entrance to widen it, but for now, the risk of getting trapped was too great. "Hold off on it for now. I'd rather we not lose people trying to reach something when we can take our time to open the tunnel up. Keep up the work on the iron ore."
The other miner eventually gave a nod at her order and went off to relay the command. And, though Songbird was not one for pride, she couldn't deny the sense of accomplishment she felt at being known as the person in charge.
The Iron Mine has been established! Once the smitheries have been set up, it will start producing +2 Iron each turn thanks to the sheer purity of the ore. Its supply is large enough that you probably won't need to worry about it for, what, a century maybe? Don't know.
In addition, another branching tunnel has been found in the mine. This opportunity reduces the DC for the final Land Survey action by 20 (DC 60 -> 40). What's inside? Who knows! Hopefully you don't botch it and waste the opportunity.
Personal Actions
-[X][Personal] Summon a Demon! (Variable)
--[X] First Circle (DC 30)
--[X] Size 2 group of Blood Apes for use defending the city
DC 30 + 20 (Size 2) = 50
Roll Bonus: 17 (Sango Learning) = +17
Roll: 92 + 17 = 109, Notable Success!
Starting halfway through the second month, you dedicated every sunset to midnight to staying awake and summoning demons to your side. Specifically the Erymanthus, otherwise known as the Blood Apes of Malfeas, a species of First Circle Demon well-suited to combat, so long as you permitted them their tribute in blood. Otherwise, their hunger would get the best of them and they would seek out fresh prey to drink the vital fluids from.
Most sorcerers had trouble stopping these demons from seeking out humans to drain, but you were not most Sorcerers. Even after 40 nights of rituals, every night summoning a Blood Ape and binding it to your will, your expertise and resolve were easily enough to force these beasts into compliance. By the end of it, you had obtained a sizable battalion of these creatures, and had bound them well enough that they would not seek out your citizens for sustenance. You might need to send them outside of the walls to hunt, but that was a better risk than having your citizens be added to the winery menu each night.
You have summoned a Size 2 Group of Blood Apes, who will remain in your service for the next 4 turns (including this one). Due to how well you were able to bind these demons, they will not be a risk to your citizenry or your troops while in combat.
Blood Ape Simple Stats: Size 2, Quality 0, Might 2; Advantage: Brutal Ape Pounce (Upon successfully injuring an enemy unit, the Blood Ape can immediately make another attack against the enemy that turn with both sides rolling. If the enemy wins, nothing happens. If the Blood Apes win, another Wound is lost. Can only trigger once each encounter.)
Other Events
Fishing (1 Boat Used)
DC 20
Roll: 68, success, 1/5 of a unit of Food generated.
The first catch in your "acquired" boats was not a big celebration, but it was a welcome sight all the same. With a sincere hope for the future, you were sure that you could manage more than this mere trickle of food for your citizens. You would likely need to find some way to diversify their diet as well, having merely fish for breakfast, lunch and dinner was unlikely to make people happy.
[X] You would begin testing candidates as an emergency order (Choose as many below as you'd like. More options creates a greater likelihood of obtaining more Sovereigns, but also more potential loss of life. By default, you will test 2 candidates from each of the voted-upon groups on Turn 3, and then pause on tests until another decision can be made.)
-[X] You would test the elderly populace (5% of Populace)
After much debate, you and your family eventually decided to test things out by having two of your oldest and most loyal citizens be permitted to bathe in the Fount of Glories. It was a risk, the Fount was already hazardous for the hale and hearty, and their poor constitutions were unlikely to survive if things went poorly. At the same time, in a more pragmatic sense, their deaths would be of far less risk to the health of the nation as a whole than that of any other candidate. And if they succeeded… Well, having 2 more Exalted for your limited group of 12 could only help.
Both of the selected individuals were chosen for two qualities: First, their loyalty to the throne. You could NOT permit someone who might be tempted to engage in treasonous actions to obtain the sheer power that Exaltation provides. Second, their sturdy constitutions. While you could not trust that either of these candidates would survive the process, you could at least hope that being in better health than their peers would improve their chances. The second requirement narrowed your choices considerably, and in the end you went with two martial artists, who had both proven to still be in good shape despite their advanced ages.
You entered inside the crystalline sphere which held the Fount of Glories alongside your family and the two candidates to best tested. The Fount itself was situated inside of a blue-green crystalline basin which in turn was situated inside of the gem-studded earth. It contained within it the white blood of Fallen Aurora, with the rainbow shimmer of the Flame of Exigence burning away the fumes of the divine substance. When one entered into the bath, it was the matter of either seconds or minutes before a result occurred. If there was a success, from what Gwai told you, then they would begin to radiate their Anima Banner and soon exit the pool. If they failed, then the fire which coated the liquid would burn their body, leaving them at best crippled, at worst dead. You just had to hope that neither bad result happened here.
The first to be tested was Manaia, an elderly woman who, to your surprise, you were informed was a former assassin pledged to your mother personally. In her prime, she was a mortal master of Falcon Style, an unusual style to be seen in the North. Then again, though she never spoke of it, she also gave no illusion of being from Uluiru originally, her foreign name and more sun-tanned appearance demonstrating that. Ekundayo never pried, and it was likely that the only one who knew her backstory was Queen Ulu herself. The style she still practiced (albeit with great difficulty, given her age was somewhere in the 80s) was known for its high leaps and jumps. Given her profession, you at first thought that her style was incongruous with the requirements of the job, but an explanation from your sister-in-law resolved that issue.
After all, what could be more effective for an assassin than the ability to scale walls and leap down from ceilings with precision strikes?
The woman stopped near the blue-green crystal edge which bordered the pool of white liquid and began to disrobe. Though the old woman did not seem the type to have much body shame, you still looked away to give her some privacy. Most everyone else did the same, with only Ekundayo and Gwai not bothering. Once her leathery skin was fully exposed, she quickly jumped into the basin.
Exaltation DC 50
Roll Penalty: 20 (Poor Health) = -20
Result: 91 - 20 = 71, success!
Stability DC 10
Roll Penalty: 10 (Poor Situation) = -10
Result: 50 - 10 = 40, success!
It only took a few seconds for a result to happen. Almost instantly, a bright series of lights emerged from her body, the color of pure lapis lazuli dominating all other colors. The old woman leapt out of the pool with superhuman alacrity, her eyes glowing as blue as the open sky. "Sapphire? Not the Aspect I thought she might have," muttered Gwai.
Almost in spite of your brother's words, the old woman paused her walk back to your side to gaze at her body. Though outwardly she seemed just as frail as before, her movements were no longer as hesitant or as pained. She moved her joints in all sorts of ways that on a woman a quarter her age would have been enticing, but here was more sickening. Yet, she smiled all the same, doing a few brief hops on the tips of her toes before eventually traipsing back to her discarded pile of clothing. She seemed more pleased with the results than anyone else here, and you couldn't blame her.
You also couldn't say immediately how useful Manaia would be now that she had regain some of her physical health, but at the onset you knew that she would be a very rare Sovereign. The reason? Falcon Style emphasized large leaps and aerial precision, while very few Sovereigns demonstrated any great degree of mobility compared to several of the Dragon-Blooded you met. This would make her a noticeable exception, and hopefully one who would regain the full use of her skill in time.
Candidate Name: Manaia
Essence 1
Aspect: Sapphire
Best Stat: Combat
2nd Best Stat: Piety
Worst Stat: Learning
Personality: Secretive (+1 Intrigue)
Rolled Stats: 16, 15, 13, 12, 11, 10, 7
CURRENT Stat Schema: X - 10 (X - 5 from Turn 5 onwards)
Final Stats: Martial 11 (+1/+6), Diplomacy (+2/+7), Stewardship (+0/+5), Intrigue 13 + 1 = 14 (+4/+9), Piety 15 (+5/+10), Learning 7 (-3/+2), Combat 16 (+6/+11)
Advantage (Activates on Turn 5): Martial Art: Falcon Style (Can fight against airborne units without penalty. User gains +10 to rolls involving difficult terrain or walls, either benefitting from or fighting against such circumstances.)
Nation of Origin: Unknown (Western Native)
Her fellow testee was Amadi, a former member of the royal guard. Younger than Manaia, he was still an old man in his 70s, retired years before your mother's death. It pained him that he couldn't have been there to give his life to save hers, but an injury to his ankle ultimately meant that he could no longer continue to serve her. Still, he maintained his skill with the spear, his mastery of the White Reaper Style meant that he could avoid moving much on his feet while still remaining a useful defender. In HIS prime, he was among the very best guards your mother ever had. He could take down a whole mob of enemies just by himself, each sweep of his spear meaning the death or unconscious state of at least one individual, if not more.
He was also a reasonable man, albeit a very quiet one. He was well known for serving as a righteous arbiter in those rare times that he adjudicated over criminal trials. But due to his reticence to speak, few knew about this good nature and assumed him to be an useful idiot. Oh how wrong they were… Still, it was only his more lacking qualities in other areas that denied him admittance to the Fount before.
Exaltation DC 50
Roll Penalty: 20 (Poor Health) = -20
Results: 78 - 20 = 58, success!
Stability DC 10
Roll Penalty: 10 (Poor Situation) = -10
Results: 3 - 10 = -7, failure! Fount status downgrades to Minor Damage. Future Stability DC increased to 20.
Today, you would rectify that. Like Manaia, he disrobed once he reached the pool, and again you directed your gaze away until he entered the blood's depths. Unlike her, Amadi took a minute before any results could be confirmed. Worse, all around you the lights surrounding the pool seemed to dim, a result that had Gwai frowning as he looked up. Still, a great white light burst forth from the basin, and you knew that you had your second success.
The man pulled himself out with his arms, finding newfound strength in the limbs. He hesitated before putting any weight on his lame ankle, before giving a soft smile as it once more supported his entire body. His eyes gleamed white before a fireglass spear appeared in his hands. He performed a few katas just as his predecessor did, waving his newly made spear in intimidating strikes, his smile growing with each success. It was only after he had finished his routine that he realized that he was still completely unclothed, both of his unsheathed polearms visible to the naked eye. With a grumble from himself and an uncharitable giggle from Fumnanya, he walked back to his own clothes to put them on.
Candidate Name: Amadi
Essence 1
Aspect: Diamond
Best Stat: Combat
2nd Best Stat: Stewardship
Worst Stat: Diplomacy
Personality: Unbiased (+1 Diplomacy)
Rolled Stats: 18, 13, 13, 13, 9, 9, 8
CURRENT Stat Schema: X - 10 (X - 5 from Turn 5 onwards)
Final Stats: Martial 13 (+3/8), Diplomacy 8 + 1 = 9 (-1/+4), Stewardship 13 (+3/8), Intrigue 9 (-1/+4), Piety 9 (-1/+4), Learning 13 (+3/8), Combat 18 (+8/13)
Advantage (Activates on Turn 5): Martial Art: White Reaper Style (When fighting against battalions, treats their Quality as 1 lower (this CAN go below 0 to -1). Whenever the user inflicts a Wound on a battalion, gains a +5 bonus to all rolls to resist supernatural influence (up to +25) which lasts for that battle.)
Nation of Origin: Uluiru
As you considered this recent success, Gwai walked over to your location and whispered into your ear. "I have never seen this… diminishment of the Fount before. I suggest that we hold off on any further tests for now, at least until the Fount has recovered its strength." His comment did dim your mood slightly, but you nodded in easy agreement. Better to be safe than sorry with such a precious artifact, after all.
Author's Note: Welp, everything except for the mini-turn is finished now. Woo! I had to completely dedicate my free afternoon getting this out, but it's here.
For the newly made Sovereigns, I rolled and they both managed to get Martial Arts for their Advantages. From there, I rolled for the books I would use for them, with Amadi initially getting Lunars and Manaia getting Core. However, I couldn't find a suitable guard style from the Lunars book, so I swapped the books and that made things considerably easier. It will take time for both of them to reverse-engineer the style's "techniques" (AKA Charms), so those benefits won't be gained until Turn 5.
Speaking of which, guess who just double checked all canon Sovereign charms to confirm that they get NOTHING in terms of mobility? Honestly, I thought they would at least get something to help with rushes, but NOPE. They do get a sweet multi-attack charm, but that's about it in regards to speed. Otherwise, they need to rely on external stuff like Martial Arts to approach anything close to speediness. Dragon-Blooded laugh at how slow Sovereigns can be. In that regard, Falcon Style makes Manaia much closer to par with the high leaps the style provides.
Thank you all for your patience! I had to get stuff done for my other quest, and as mentioned before the Ulric section took a lot more time than I expected, which is why this update came after a few days of no progress. If you'll excuse me, I need to go grab some dinner now.
EDIT: Realized that Blood Apes should be Might 2, changed their stats.
Zeggrud stumbled, and had time time think 'ah Zog, not again' before the whip came down on his shoulders. The harsh treatment of dark elves was an old friend by now, and even if he'd still harbored hope of slaughtering the elves and running off back into the wild country, it was hopeless with his legs fettered and the huge yoke around his wrists and neck. Nuffin for it but to stagger back up to his feet, even as the blows fell. One way being Zeggrud Da Boi had it better than some of the other slaves-he was tough enough to take a lashing and get back to work, pulling the cart. Across this rough and broken ground, horses and oxen were in some ways, less effective than slaves. But most of the carts had slave teams of two to Many pulling them, while Zeggrud pulled his alone. He was 'da boy' after all, in his head. The only greenskin in the slavepens here, Zeggrud had been singled out by the slaves and the masters.
And it wasn't the good kind of singling out dat got ya a pat on the back and a 'good doin'. Or even a decent scrap. Scrappin' in the slavepens just got ya krumped for 'damagin da material'. He'd seen some good orcs go that way, better boys than him. Yet here he was, still stumbling along. They weren't even feeding him enough, so he was almost skinny enough to pass for a green humie at this point. He wasn't long for da world, not as hungry and battle-starved as he was. But he was holding on, cuz dat was what da boiz did. Fighting and winning was best, running off the regroup and have another go was fine, but if you couldn't win and you couldn't run...you could bear it up. He'd heard about Orcs who'd been pinned to mountains by Druchii lances, left to die and instead stubbornly lived through it all, but unable to pull the spears out without killing themselves, lived on whatever they could reach and shove into their mouths for years. Of course, it was more sensible to take your lumps and just pull da spear out, or yourself up and over. But he supposed like him, they had their reasons for waiting.
Though, he didn't have much of a reason. He just didn't want to get krumped without a good story to tell Gork and Mork. When he stood before the gods o' cunnin' and brutality, he wanted a yarn that would make them roar in triumph, or shake with laughter, and spit him back out as a boy again instead of a some runt or squig. Dat was only fair, right? And who knew when a chance like that would come along. Just had to be watchin'.
-[X][Martial][LOCKED] Protecting the Flock 2
--[X] You will join the fray as an independent (-1 Personal Action, Frees up 1 Martial Action)
--[X] Send Sondok to defend the homestead (+23)
--[X] Assign Flaris and Rising Dawn. Plus the Blood Apes and, if needed, our other actual armies.
It was near the end of the 9th month, also known as the 3rd month of Autumn that your scouts informed you that the enemy was on their way. It would likely take them a few more days before they arrived at your walls, and during that time you would do your best to prepare. Gwai informed you that by dedicating one of your squadrons to the walls, you could have them put down their spears and take up bows to fire upon your enemies from range. A sorcerer(s) you knew could fill the same role, bombarding the enemy from afar, but their spells ran the risk of counterspelling. Dedicating a second squadron would help to not only protect the first squadron, but also help prevent any ladders (if there were any) from being placed along the exterior.
He also admitted, quietly, that he could also push himself to create another army of Eidolons so soon, but that would take him out of the fight as he scrambled to conjure soldier after soldier. If he did this, someone else would need to take overall command. It would provide yet another army that could safely take injuries in the place of your citizens, but it did mean that one of your best commanders was out of the picture. That left yourself and Chinasa for those you fully trusted to serve in his place, though Flaris, Nokun and perhaps Rising Dawn or Milosen could also substitute as well. Needless to say, Three-Color Edge would NOT be taking command, if the god even bothered to show up in the first place.
Ekundayo, meanwhile, told you your options for more insidious acts. The most effective strategy would be to send an assassin (or multiple assassins) to kill the commander before the battle even started. Thanks to Fuvor's report, you knew generally what their command tent looked like, but not what the commander looked like, where they slept or what their capabilities were. That left a number of uncomfortable unknowns that whoever you sent (if you did send them) would need to take into account. IF the assassin succeeded, that would hopefully put the rest of the army into chaos and make them retreat, or at least reduce their coordination. If they failed, that would almost certainly lead to the Assassin's death and put the enemy force into high alert.
Another option, one which was both easier and yet more dangerous, would be to send someone in the middle of the night to cut or destroy whatever chains or restraints were being used for the behemoth. The issue was, you didn't know precisely what was being used to restrain the beast. Worse, that only made it free to attack whoever, instead of just your people. It did nothing to stop the creature from deciding to attack your homestead for whatever reason suited its animal brain(s).
Third had the least risk, but also the least effect. By poisoning the food supply, you could make the army ill, which would hopefully take at least some units out of the fight. But you had no idea if the food was tested for poison regularly, and who ate what, or even where the cooks were located. Still, even if the agent failed, it was unlikely to result in any consequence besides the loss of that one individual.
Finally, Chinasa pointed out that you had two places where this battle could be fought: Outside of the walls, or further out into the desolate wastes. Fighting right outside of the homestead's walls would give you the protection OF those walls, the moat as well as the disorientation field, several notable advantages that you could not discard. Yet, it also carried the risk of any incidental damage potentially harming your precious citizens within those same walls, and if you failed, that was it. Uluiru would truly die as a nation with your downfall.
Alternatively, you could protectively meet the enemy in the middle in the wastes, where there was no terrain to benefit either side. It meant that you had no walls or other emplacements to hide behind, but it held far less risk to your people if things went wrong. And, if you needed to call a retreat, you could return to your homestead to restock and strategize once again, albeit with far fewer numbers. Assuming that the enemy allowed you to retreat in the first place, of course.
You were tempted to send out a marching order to have your troops invade the enemy camp, but you knew too little of their preparation to know if they deployed any traps to protect themselves as they slept. In the end, only your previous two choices would really work.
As a small aside, all of your advisors came to you privately and informed you that, if necessary, they would be willing to contribute to the nation's defense. Their abilities varied in potency, and their participation carried the risk of death, but having more heroes on your side could help turn the tides. Were you willing to allow them to help, if it meant that the Sign of Saturn hanged above them?
All of the following choices must be placed into a PLAN FORMAT. Each section will tell you how many of any given option can be taken. You may use any free heroes at your disposal, as well as your advisors, as you wish. Be warned, utilizing them will risk their lives in this conflict.
Where will you fight the Dark Elf Army? Choose ONE.
[][Location] Near Your Walls
[][Location] Out in the Wastes
If you fight near your walls, you will have the benefits of those walls (and the moat), as well as the disorientation field. It does however risk your citizens in the battle, and you have nowhere else to go if you lose.
If you fight out in the wastes, you will have no defensive benefits, but it will create no risk for your citizenry. If you lose here, you can retreat, suffering losses along the way, back to your homestead.
What manner of sneaky stuff will you get up to? Vote for as many as you'd like, with only ONE sub-option per choice. These will be rolled before the next phase/vote.
[][Sneak] Assassinate the Enemy Commander (High Action DC, High Escape DC)
-[] Ekundayo (Intrigue +13, Martial + Combat = +13)
-[] Fuvor (Intrigue +12, Martial + Combat = +9)
-[] Manaia (Intrigue +4, Martial + Combat = +7)
-[] Scouts (Intrigue +0, Increases DC by 10 but grants Best of 2 for rolls.)
[][Sneak] Free the Bound Hydra (Medium Action DC, Medium Escape DC)
-[] Ekundayo (Intrigue +13, Martial + Combat = +13)
-[] Fuvor (Intrigue +12, Martial + Combat = +9)
-[] Manaia (Intrigue +4, Martial + Combat = +7)
-[] Scouts (Intrigue +0, Increases DC by 10 but grants Best of 2 for rolls.)
[][Sneak] Poison the Food/Water Supply (Low Action DC, Low Escape DC)
-[] Ekundayo (Intrigue +13, Martial + Combat = +13)
-[] Fuvor (Intrigue +12, Martial + Combat = +9)
-[] Manaia (Intrigue +4, Martial + Combat = +7)
-[] Scouts (Intrigue +0, Increases DC by 10 but grants Best of 2 for rolls.)
Successfully assassinating the Commander has the chance of ending the battle before it even begins, but has the most risk. Even if the enemy force succeeds on their leadership check, they will still be a bit disorganized during the battle.
Freeing the Hydra will cause an unknown amount of damage to the enemy forces and might take the Hydra out of the battle altogether.
Poisoning the supplies has a random chance of rendering every enemy unit (save for the Hydra, who would be immune) ill. This will negatively impact their performance, and might even give them wounds beforehand.
If you lose your scouts, you will need to recruit new ones before taking any further Scouting actions on subsequent turns. This will require an Action.
Will you deploy the Bejeweled Eidolon Army? Choose ONE.
[][Eidolon] Summon the Constructs!
[][Eidolon] Let's not do that
Summoning the Eidolon army will remove Gwai from his general position, and prevent him from fighting on the frontlines. The Eidolons are a Size 5, Quality 1, Might 1 battle group.
Who will take overall command? They will avoid the frontlines in order to direct efforts proactively, but will step in if things seem dire. Choose ONE.
[][General] Gwai (Default)(Martial +12, Combat +9)(ADVANTAGE)
[][General] You (Martial +15, Combat +16)
[][General] Chinasa (Martial +8, Combat +10)
[][General] Flaris (Martial +12, Combat +12)
[][General] Milosen (Martial +9, Combat +6)
[][General] Rising Dawn (Martial +9 -> +12, Combat +8 -> +11)(ADVANTAGE)
These units will provide their full Martial bonus to battle groups, and half of the bonus to independent characters.
Who will provide firing support from the walls? Can only be taken if Near Your Walls is taken. Choose up to ONE battle group, and as many Sorcerers as you'd like. Sorcerers will not benefit from Ulric's blessing, but will have the protection of the walls and garrisons to defend them. The Archers will benefit from both.
[][Archers] Personal Guard (Size 2, Quality 2, Might 0)
[][Archers] General Troops (Size 4, Quality 1, Might 0)
[][Archers] Elite Troops (Size 1, Quality 2, Might 0)
[][Sorcerer] You (Learning +17)
[][Sorcerer] Taiwo & Nkiru (Learning +18)
[][Sorcerer] Fumnanya (Learning +5)
Archers and Sorcerers will be protected by any wall guards available. Thanks to both the moat and the walls themselves, they will have plenty of time to shoot down any who try to reach them, since the enemy has no ranged units of their own (as far as you know).
Ulric's blessings do not cover sorcery, but DO cover bows and arrows, hence why archers would gain the +15 bonus.
Who will defend the walls? Can only be taken if Near Your Walls is taken. Choose up to ONE battle group to stand guard, up to TWO if no Archers are chosen. You can also choose to assign Sondok here, she will not take up any space.
[][Walls] Personal Guard (Size 2, Quality 2, Might 0)
[][Walls] General Troops (Size 4, Quality 1, Might 0)
[][Walls] Elite Troops (Size 1, Quality 2, Might 0)
[][Walls] Eidolons (Size 5, Quality 1, Might 1)(Requires Summon)
[][Walls] Sondok (Martial +8, Combat +23, Best of 2)
As with the archers and sorcerers, the wall guards will have the benefits of the walls themselves, as well as the moat.
Finally, who will be fighting the enemy directly? Blood Apes are automatically locked in, as the most expendable units here. Heroes can fight independently, or leading an army, you will decide which is which on the next vote. Any characters you choose here CANNOT have been assigned to the walls, to sneaky actions or being the general earlier.
[X][Frontline] Blood Apes (Size 2, Quality 0, Might 2)(ADVANTAGE)(LOCKED)
[][Frontline] Personal Guard (Size 2, Quality 2, Might 0)
[][Frontline] General Troops (Size 4, Quality 1, Might 0)
[][Frontline] Elite Troops (Size 1, Quality 2, Might 0)
[][Frontline] Eidolons (Size 5, Quality 1, Might 1)(Requires Summon)
[][Frontline] Sondok (Martial +10, Combat +23, Might 3, Best of 2)
[][Frontline] You (Martial +15, Combat +16, Might 4)
[][Frontline] Gwai (Martial +12, Combat +9, Might 3)
[][Frontline] Ekundayo (Martial +5, Combat +8, Might 3)
[][Frontline] Chinasa (Martial +8, Combat +10, Might 3)
[][Frontline] Fumnanya (Martial +7, Combat +6, Might 3)
[][Frontline] Fuvor (Martial +4, Combat +5, Might 3)
[][Frontline] Flaris (Martial +12, Combat +12, Might 3)(ADVANTAGE)
[][Frontline] Milosen (Martial +9, Combat +6, Might 3)
[][Frontline] Innocent Songbird (Martial +5, Combat +10, Might 3)(ADVANTAGE)
[][Frontline] Rising Dawn (Martial +9 -> +12, Combat +8 -> +11, Might 4)(ADVANTAGE)
[][Frontline] Manaia (Martial +1, Combat +6, Might 3)
[][Frontline] Amadi (Martial +3, Combat +8, Might 3)
There will be a 2-hour Moratorium to discuss plans. After that, there will be a 24 hour vote to decide on which plan will be used. PLEASE use this time well.
Author's Note: Realized that I overvalued the Blood Apes, so their Might was adjusted down from 3 to 2. Sorry for not letting people know beforehand.
So, yeah, here's the first part of a multi-phase fight. This first phase will be our battlefield prep, second will detail the results of any intrigue actions, third will be assigning troops to specific commanders and targets, and from there we get to the actual fighting which could last several "turns" of results. I'll be rolling in-thread for the next phase when it calls for it before writing up the results later.
If you're wondering why the time frame for this vote is so short (both the moratorium and the actual voting period), well, for the former it's because it's 8 PM here and I don't want to stay up till midnight just to open and close this vote. For the latter, to better enable a more rapid pace for these mini-turns. Hope that helps.
If you have any questions, as always ping or quote me to let me know. I might be off to bed as soon as the vote opens, so it's probably best to ask your questions as soon as possible. As a final reminder: You do NOT need to use all of the units I've mentioned here (well, except for the Demons, but that's besides the point). Any unit you use will be at risk of death, and holding them back means they won't be at risk assuming the battle is won.
Thank you all for reading, and please please please be civil when discussing plans. I know stuff like this can make things get heated, and I don't want to wake up to issues in the thread because of it.
Oh, and @DeadmanwalkingXI , here's Songbird's Wood Dragon Style Benefits:
Martial Arts: Wood Dragon Style (The User uses their Full Essence score to determine their maximum Wounds as opposed to Essence/2. They can abstain from attacking to heal 1 of their own Wounds per battle, which is reset whenever they inflict a Wound onto an enemy independent character. If the user fights a spirit(s), they gain Best of 2 for all of their combat rolls.)
Alright folks, the time has come to begin voting on plans. I'm heading to bed now, so I won't be able to answer any questions for a while, but I'll try to answer any that appear when I wake up. For now,
The Vote Will End 24 hours from now (June 30th, 10:00 PM PST).
12 hours left until the vote officially closes. Our current frontrunner (and only plan so far) is only 4 votes deep. If nothing changes soon, I might just call things early, so if you have any ideas for a different plan, please post them!
So, we don't seem to have any other challengers, and with only 5 hours left, I'm confident enough to say that any new plan wouldn't get the support needed to dethrone the leader. With that, I will be closing the vote early, with Plan Make a Stand being implemented shortly. I will get started with doing the rolls for the Intrigue actions in-thread, so make sure to stay tuned in.
Scheduled vote count started by Critian Caceorte on Jun 30, 2024 at 12:59 AM, finished with 22 posts and 6 votes.
[X] Plan Make A Stand
-[X][Location] Near Your Walls
-[X][Sneak] Free the Bound Hydra (Medium Action DC, Medium Escape DC)
--[X] Ekundayo (Intrigue +13, Martial + Combat = +13)
-[X][Sneak] Poison the Food/Water Supply (Low Action DC, Low Escape DC)
--[X] Scouts (Intrigue +0, Increases DC by 10 but grants Best of 2 for rolls.)
-[X][Eidolon] Summon the Constructs!
-[X][General] You (Martial +15, Combat +16)
-[X][Archers] Personal Guard (Size 2, Quality 2, Might 0)
-[X][Archers] Flaris (Martial +12, Combat +12, Might 3)(ADVANTAGE)
-[X][Walls] General Troops (Size 4, Quality 1, Might 0)
-[X][Walls] Chinasa (Martial +8, Combat +10, Might 3)
-[X][Walls] Fumnanya (Martial +7, Combat +6, Might 3)
-[X][Walls] Milosen (Martial +9, Combat +6, Might 3)
-[X][Walls] Manaia (Martial +1, Combat +6, Might 3)
-[X][Walls] Amadi (Martial +3, Combat +8, Might 3)
-[X][Walls] Fuvor (Martial +4, Combat +5, Might 3)
-[X][Frontline] Blood Apes (Size 2, Quality 0, Might 2)(ADVANTAGE)(LOCKED)
-[X][Frontline] Eidolons (Size 5, Quality 1, Might 1)(Requires Summon)
-[X][Frontline] Sondok (Martial +10, Combat +23, Might 3, Best of 2)
-[X][Frontline] Innocent Songbird (Martial +5, Combat +10, Might 3)(ADVANTAGE)
-[X][Frontline] Rising Dawn (Martial +9 -> +12, Combat +8 -> +11, Might 4)(ADVANTAGE)
Thousand-Hours Gwai is the Eldest Living Son of the previous monarch of Uluiru, Queen Ulu, the eldest living Sovereign Exalt, and most importantly your eldest brother. He has worked for five centuries advising the crown, first as the Minister of Finance and now as the Minister of War. He earned his title in battle against the Thousand Talon Clan of Raksha, a winged flock of fae who he forced into a ceasefire of 42 days by fighting entirely on his lonesome. This act bought him not just his title, but also enough time for the rest of Uluiru's army to arrive and prepare defenses against further invasions.
Despite his vast array of skills and experience, Gwai is well-known to be a poor people person, only five centuries of life and Charms giving him the ability to conduct himself decently in a conversation. He is without humor, and it is only relatively recently that the anger he felt towards his family following his mother's death has faded. If any irritation remains, it is channeled towards protecting the people from their newfound foes. Despite this, he does love those family members who remain, even if he never had any children nor a spouse of his own.
Gwai takes the form of a old man with sagging black skin and a head covered with short white hair. His matching beard is trimmed in order to avoid look unruly. His physique despite his age is still well-sculpted and shaped, showing how much he trains to maintain his performance. Generally he prefers wrapping clothes around his body akin to togas, his wardrobe filled with blue, black and purple garbs. Thanks to his high Essence rating, his gleaming white eyes quite literally gleam, shining like a diamond in the light. His skin does the same, giving him almost a constant glow wherever light is available. When he fights, he does so using a spear made from white fireglass.
His Anima Banner takes the form of a brilliant white aura with mixes of blues and purples (hence his color palette.) At the Glowing Level, his eyes remain glowing even without other sources of light, as does his skin thanks to the white outline. His Burning Level is largely the same, just extending past his body into the nearby surroundings. His Bonfire Anima takes the form of a multi-headed Eidolon whose movements are out-of-sync with reality, at times moving too slow and other too fast to be normal. Unlike most Exalted, he has access to a level beyond Bonfire: Transcendent Anima. When his Anima Banner reaches this level, it can be seen from up to 50 miles away as the light stretches up to touch the sky. His Totem at this stage becomes even more complex with extra heads and limbs, and a war song can be heard emanating from the totem to terrify his enemies.
So, Thousand-Hours Gwai unlike everyone else here is a canon 3e Sovereign character. Introduced in Across the Eight Directions, I've tried to mostly stick by his short description while still making changes where needed. For example, there is no indication of him being Ulu's child, and it's likely that he was instead adopted into the family after becoming a Sovereign. Uluiru has a history of referring to household servants as "distant cousins," with more success entailing a closer connection until they become actual "cousins" through marriage into the family. Given that Gwai uses the word "cousins" to describe the royal family, its likely he was an outsider brought into the mix.
Being the case that Sovereign Aspects influence personality, I gave him the Diamond Aspect because I felt it fit his dispassionate nature the best. While he's technically described in canon as being a politician before anything else, I made him best-suited for Stewardship instead of Diplomacy because having poor amicability would not work well for a diplomat we would need to rely on. Thus, I went with the next best thing. Finally, I gave him Fount-of-Glories Incarnation (the lone Universal Sovereign Charm) because I felt that as the most powerful example of what a Sovereign could be he deserved to have access to the Transcendent Anima the Sovereigns are known for. Finally, I gave him the upgraded form of Bejeweled Eidolon Retainer because I thought it was really cool.
Below for the sake of disclosure, I've included his canonical description. From page 302 of Across the Eight Directions:
"No contender for Ulu's throne is more qualified than Thousand-Hours Gwai, who's devoted himself to the smooth functioning of the ministries. His ruthless clarity and dispassion — for which he's sometimes called the city's shadow-king — often tempered Ulu's bold nature. As the eldest and most experienced politician among the Sovereigns, he would be a natural successor... if family and citizens alike didn't despise him as a humorless taskmaster. His support could make or break another's claim. But in his earnest grief over the queen's death, he lashes out; the city's long mourning period made him bitter and quick to anger when any of his cousins fail to meet his standards of orderly and dignified conduct."
Advantage 1: Charm (Fount-of-Glories Incarnation: Can, if the roll result is within 3 points of winning, still succeed at the cost of sacrificing all subtlety and drawing divine attention. Won't matter for most actions).
Advantage 2: Charm: (Bejeweled Eidolon Army: Can, over the course of a day, create up to a Size 5 army of Eidolons for his personal use. They have Quality 1 and Might 1. Lasts for 1 battle which he participates in, and cannot be used on the following turn.)
Nation of Origin: Uluiru
Relation: Eldest Brother
Fumnanya [TO BE CONTINUED]
Fumnanya takes the form of a young woman of a milk chocolate complexion, skin kept meticulously clean via magic as her normal oils are no longer available, and obsidian fingernails betraying her magical nature. Speaking of which, her hair: Before becoming a sorcerer, Fumnanya's hair was a dark brown which tended to curl to a degree she was unhappy with. Since then, she has devoted uncountable hours of study to perform a Working upon herself... to make her hair wavy and sky-blue in color to match her eyes. You didn't have the slightest inclination to dip your toe into that hornet's nest of wasted effort, and instead simply congratulated her on the new look. Beyond that, she tends to dress extravagantly in different shades of blue, or at least mold her Anima into such clothes given the current lack of materials. Her fireglass bow, which rarely see use, tends to take the same shade. Other colors come and go, but the blue is always there.
The same is true of her Anima Banner. At the Glowing level it takes the form of a lazuli outline surrounding her body, with her eyes deepening their color. Her skin reflects the blue glow that comes from her own Anima, creating a pretty reflection. At the Burning level, the outline expands to a full aura, with the top producing a blue aurora trail. Finally, at the Bonfire level her Anima takes the form of herself but more perfected, an image without flaw and formed out of a sapphire luminescent texture. So beautiful is this image that those who see fall into an almost hypnotic spell, allowing Fumnanya to better work her magic on them.
Advantage: Charm (Distraction of the Babbling Brook: Whenever this unit is used to establish a deal of any kind, can insert 1 hidden clause which the other party ignores and goes along with. Once per turn.)
Nation of Origin: The Realm
Relation: None
Evil-Smile Ekundayo is the second wife of your deceased sister Mojisola, after she lost her first in an attempt at Exaltation. As a child, she was the terror of house and school alike, with her ADHD-riddled brain making anything approaching boring academics to be an absolute chore. She would play pranks on anybody available to suffer them, laughing and smiling at the humiliating results. How she managed to attract Mojisola of all people, who was as strait-laced as they came, was a real mystery to your family, but perhaps the attraction of opposites was at play here.
Their relationship helped to curb Ekundayo's edges, bringing the "goblin" back down to a human state. While their love was genuine, and the Queen saw no issues with their marriage, all members of the family knew that she was unlikely to ever be permitted to bathe in the Fount of Glories. While academic knowledge was not the focus of the 44 Distinctions, it certainly played a part, and she wasn't exceptional enough in any of the formal testing areas to outweigh that deficit. Thus, it came as a surprise to many, yourself included, that your mother permitted her the attempt at all. Was there some many of Distinction that she did so well in, her prodigy status made her a shoe-in? That was the thought process of all involved, and you couldn't help but admit to falling into the same mindset. After all, the 44 Distinctions as well as the Queen's approval were the two things that decided whether you could try to Exalt or not, right?
Yet, many of the newer generations of Sovereigns forgot that there was a time when the Distinctions were not held in such high regard. There was a time when they didn't even exist. In those days, Queen Ulu alone determined who would enter the Fount, and in an act calling back to those days, she permitted Ekundayo to bathe in Glory without demonstrated prowess. At least, that was the cover story told to those inquiring. The reality was that your mother took on your sister-in-law as a wetwork operative, an assassin and spy. Keeping the nation secure one dubious act at a time, which no doubt played a part in her prankster nature flaring up again, to deal with the stress involved. But she did her job well, and so earned her Exaltation that way.
Ekundayo takes the form of a very short woman with dark skin and a small beehive hairdo. Her face, when not on the job, is rarely seen without her full-toothed grin, which gives an aura of savagery to those who see it for the first time. Her eyes in the light shine back with a multi-chromatic gleam, creating a kaleidoscope that's easy to draw your gaze in. She often wears more dark and unisex clothing, particularly when working, and wields twin knives to protect herself.
Her Anima Banner takes the form of a mostly blue, green and red collage of lights, calling to mind black opals. At the Glowing level, the color of her eyes darkens from a brighter rainbow to primarily those three colors, and her skin takes on a slight tint of the same. The Burning level is mostly the same, but brighter and with less mixing colors. At the Bonfire level, her Anima takes the form of a hobgoblin with a smile whose tips stretch unnaturally from its face, reaching a length as long as the creature is tall.
Advantage: Charm (Secret Flame Brilliance: Immune to powers which would intrude on the mind: Mind-reading, dream-sensing, sense-sharing, etc. Does not work on mind control.)
Nation of Origin: Uluiru
Relation: Sister-in-law
Chinasa, Blood of the Faith [TO BE CONTINUED]
Chinasa takes the form of a young woman with a shaved head, garbed in leather armor dyed with dark reds and browns on the outer edges. Her limbs are instead protected with brown and black plate, creating a gradient of black to red along her hands and into her core. Her red eyes hold an intimidating glare to them which demands respect. In battle, she wields her fireglass greatsword to devastating effect, cleaving through foes and drenching the already sunset-red material in further crimson.
That same sunset-red can be seen in her Anima Banner, which at the Glowing level creates a crimson layer that refracts off of her skin and eyes. At the Burning level, it expands to take up physical space and becomes bright enough to blind those unprepared to look at her. At the Bonfire level, a scarlet fortress is erected around the location to defend those Chinasa cares about. Unlike most Sovereigns, the light of this Totem is so bright that it sears the eyes, making attempts to fight her seem impossible.
Advantage: Charm (Sacred Presence Illumination: Can see and render any immaterial character visible. Also works on possessing entities.)
Nation of Origin: Uluiru
Relation: Sister-in-law
Co-Ministers:
Nkiru
Mortal
Advantage: Sorcerer (Control Spell: Blood Lash (DC 20 + Wound); Arcane Mark: Dark prominent veins which when bleeding allow for the blood to be controlled and manipulated.)
Advantage: Wood Dragon Style (The User uses their Full Essence score to determine their maximum Wounds as opposed to Essence/2. They can abstain from attacking to heal 1 of their own Wounds per battle, which is reset whenever they inflict a Wound onto an enemy independent character. If the user fights a spirit(s), they gain Best of 2 for all of their combat rolls.)
Nation of Origin: The Realm
Relation: None
The Heroes
Exalt Type: Sovereign
Essence 1
Aspect: Diamond
Personality: Unbiased (+1 Diplomacy)
CURRENT Stat Schema: X - 10 (X - 5 from Turn 5 onwards)
Advantage (Activates on Turn 5): Martial Art: White Reaper Style (When fighting against battalions, treats their Quality as 1 lower (this CAN go below 0 to -1). Whenever the user inflicts a Wound on a battalion, gains a +5 bonus to all rolls to resist supernatural influence (up to +25) which lasts for that battle.)
Nation of Origin: Uluiru
Relation: Mother's Guard
Abioye [TO BE CONTINUED]
In terms of appearance, Abioye has the appearance of a woman in her 30s with her hair arranged into a carefully curated mess of curly tendrils. Her eyes shine a bright green, while her skin in the right lighting reflects a pale mint rather than deep mahogany. She often covers herself in long emerald dresses with gold accessories which reflect the wealth she (typically) holds at her disposal. In the current situation, she has graciously reduced her visible amounts of jewelry to avoid giving off too vain of an appearance. Despite her delicate appearance, she knows at least some basic knowledge in fisticuffs, allowing the second mouth held in her left hand to bite and suck on those it touches.
As she uses Essence, her green Anima Banner coats her body. At the Glowing level, this also magnifies the shine in both her eyes and skin to appear no matter the lighting. At the Burning level, the sheathe of green expands outward like a shield against the world's troubles. At the Bonfire level, she manifests a pile of emeralds as tall as the mountains, which inflames the greed in all who see it. That same greed then transfers over to Abioye herself, allowing her to better convince those interested in what she has to offer.
Advantage: Charm (Deadly Wildfire Legion: Grants one battle group per battle/turn magical/fire attacks. This grants them +1 Might against foes vulnerable to fire.)
Advantage (Activates on Turn 5): Martial Art: Falcon Style (Can fight against airborne units without penalty. User gains +10 to rolls involving difficult terrain or walls, either benefiting from or fighting against such circumstances.)
Advantage: Charm (Ramparts of Obedient Earth: Gains a random amount of points per encounter which can be spent to instantly create/destroy fortifications on the field. Out of combat, grants a +10 bonus to rolls to build and mold earthen structures.)
Nation of Origin: The Realm? (Outcaste)
Relation: None
Exalt Type: Getimian
Essence 1
Caste: Autumn
Personality: Shy (+1 Piety)
Unique Stat Schema: Uses X - 5 for her stat bonus. However, every other turn, the task under her jurisdiction has its Difficulty reduced the by 10.
Advantage: Silver-Voiced Nightingale Style (Users can substitute their Diplomacy stat bonus for their Martial or Combat stat bonus. If their Martial or Combat stat bonus would be higher, add 1/2 of their Diplomacy stat bonus to the Martial or Combat stat bonus. Gains more bonuses with further mastery. Rising Dawn can instruct others in this style, up to the form.)
Very much a work in progress, will add histories and character descriptions at a later date. Will also add the newest Sovereigns at a later date.
EDIT: Changed Rising Dawn's Stat effect, and added Gwai's character description, appearance, design philosophy and canon facts. Please check out if you want to learn more.
EDIT 2: Added Amadi and Manaia's sheets, and added Ekundayo's full backstory and description.
EDIT 3: Added the physical and Anima descriptions for Abioye, Chinasa and Fumnanya.
