Heimurn Chronicles (No, SV, you're a young valkyrie in the middle of a bizarre and dangerous journey)

Teloch · Aug 16, 2017

your team of lunatics so far

Lucifina (aka you, aka Lu, aka Lucy, aka Sparkling, aka Gosling)

Race: the new nameless humanoid species
Gender: Female
Age: biological - around 21 in human years; actual(?) - almost half a year (?).
Background: protege of a natural science scholar, unknown origins
Status: Healthy

Perk(s):
"Follow the white cat" - you have a moody guiding spirit at your side who can boost your spirit aspect advancement should you get on its better side (+1 spirit arcane charge point after passing hard charisma attribute check (18)), expect its occasional interference.

"No one is an island" - you get 1 + n bonus to all social influence skills and CHA rolls when applied to teammates, where n is the number of steps of the target's affection tier beyond neutral (applies to both positive and negative affection dimensions). Additionally, get +3 to the mentioned bonuses if Amalia is around and can provide quick advice. Passive effect: unearth more insights on followers.

"It's in my blood" - you get a permanent +1 bonus to Intelligence and +1 to arcane skill. Actions that train arcane aspects have a 1/6 chance to double the yields unless the base earning equals or exceeds one full level. You are more prone to magic-related actions and thoughts. You might find it harder to resist the allure of magic in some situations.

Attributes	Base value	Modified value	Total value	Dice bonus
Strength	9		9	4
Constitution	16		16	11
Mobility	10	(+2 cond.)	10 (12 cond.)	5 (7 cond.)
Perception	11		11	6
Coordination	14		14	9
Micromotorics	13		13	8
Intellect	18(+1/3)		18	13
Wisdom	17		17	12
Charisma	20		20	15
Luck	4		4	4
Misfortune	2		2	2

Skill	Attribute value	Learned value	Modified value	Dice bonus
Melee combat	1	4		5
Ranged combat	2			2
Arcane skill	7	7	(+1 cnd.day)	14 (15 cnd.day)
Defense	3	4	1 (+2 cnd.w.)	8 (10 cnd.w.)
Objects usage	2			2
Mounted combat	3			3
Willpower	7	1		8
Balance	2		(+2 cnd.w.)	2 (4 cnd.w.)
Sneaking	3			3
Reconnaissance	5	1		6
Persuasion	10	2		12
Intimidation	6			6
Haggle	7			7
Performance	8			8
Seduction	8			8
Geography lore	7	2		9
Nature lore	7	1		8
Arcane lore	7	5		12
Social and cultural lore	9	2		11
Craft lore	7	2		9
Lingual lore	9			9
Daily craft	6	2		8
Pharma and treatment	7	3		10
Weaponsmithing	4			4
Armorsmithing	6			6
Tailoring	7	2		9
Art	7			7
Artificery	6	1		7
Burglary	5			5
Huntsmanship	4			4
Alchemy	7			7
Sorcery	7			7

Flight and wing-related traits

Wings skill level	13
Flight mastery level	advanced
Normal speed	above average, can forcefully accelerate to considerably fast
Maximum range	considerably far, anywhere up to twenty-eight kilometers.
Maximum height	considerably high (up to 250 meters)
Maximum extra lifting weight	low (10 kg)
Balance	above average, withstands weather and can try to regain without landing
Launching surfaces	solid grounds
Air feats	diving, gliding, hovering, thrusting, basic aerial spellcasting
Land feats	dodge extra propulsion, posing, enhanced balance, enhanced surface acceleration, shielding with wings

#1) Thaumaturgy level 7 (6/7 to level 8):

You can sense the activity of the entropic aspects within ~1000 meters radius, and unusual concentration/malfunction of other aspects within ~200 meters radius.
You have gained the permanent +1 bonus to constitution
You have gained the permanent +1 bonus to wisdom
You regain mental strengths a little bit faster during the daytime.
Using thaumaturgy during the daytime requires less mental and physical effort.,
You can allegedly see prophetic dreams
You can temporarily nullify magic in ~30 meters radius or in a 45 meters-long 30' cone a few times a day, or emit an anti-magic field up to ~15 meters radius a few times a day.
you can temporarily amplify the aspects power around you once a day
you can temporarily amplify or suppress the aspects power of a target up to two times a day
You can try to scan surrounding areas for traces of planar breaching with very high odds to succeed and sense the short residue of extraplanar entities.
You can conjure light on the basic level (sparks, flashes, rays)
You can shape light on the basic level (flash explosions, molding into orbs, luminal barriers, luminal domes, wedges of solidified light, sparks strike)
You passively gain +1 to arcane skill when exposed to the sun but also get -1 to arcane skill at night AND in dark places.

#2) Spirit level 7:

You are able of an advanced Nether-realm vision
You can assess the memory traces of objects and entities via nether-realm vision and tactile contact
You can sense soul sparks in ~75 meters radius
You can sense the sparks of the living, undead, minor spiritual beings, bound spirits, phantasms, genius loci, and some other spirits
You can sense concentrations of the Limbus energies, the thickness of the barrier, and traces of spirits from the material plane
You have gained the permanent +1 bonus to perception
You have gained the permanent +1 bonus to wisdom
You can scan the target's soul characteristics and receive advanced-depth results
You can try to smite a spirit
You can try to disperse a spirit
You can try to temporarily bind or scare off a singular lesser spiritual being
You can communicate with discovered spiritual beings

#3) ~Open affinity slot~

Your journal, a comfortable set of clothes, a plain dress, a custom-made set of lightened composite armor, an arming sword ("Holly"), a high-quality rondel ("Mercy"), a decorative blue ribbon, a silver necktie with a bounded spirit, superb leather harness.

Capable of crudely repairing clothes, making basic tailoring items like belts and patches, and producing low-effort/cost items like stuffed toys. Capable of applying first aid to prevent bleeding. Knows how to make and disinfect bandageware.

Ulren Kyres (aka Ren, aka Mountain boy)

Race: Bhiroth
Gender: Male
Age: 68
Background: mercenary, former soldier, outcast
Status: Healthy

Perk(s):
"Not on my watch, not again" - shields Lucy from considerable harm in combat situations at own expense.

"I promise you that" - when in the same group as Lucifina, will make the second set of saving rolls to avoid critical health conditions.

"Odd kind of friendship" - when Ulren and Sephorah are fighting crowd-controllable enemies (not giants, flying creatures, etc.) in the same team, the one who makes the lowest total offensive or defensive score out of two can reroll that offensive or defensive roll set (only the highest score counts).

Attributes	Base value	Modified value	Total value	Dice bonus
Strength	21	+1	22	17
Constitution	21	+1	22	17
Mobility	14	-1	13	8
Perception	12		12	7
Coordination	15		15	10
Micromotorics	13		13	8
Intellect	14		14	9
Wisdom	18		18	13
Charisma	9		9	4
Luck	2		2	2
Misfortune	2		2	2

Skill	Attribute value	Learned value	Modified value	Total value / Dice bonus
Melee combat	9	9		18
Ranged combat	5	5		10
Arcane skill	6			6
Defense	10	10		20
Objects usage	6	3		9
Mounted combat	8			8
Willpower	6		-3	3
Balance	7			7
Sneaking	4		-5	-1
Reconnaissance	5	4		9
Persuasion	4			4
Intimidation	9			9
Haggle	3			3
Performance	3			3
Seduction	5			5
Geography lore	6	5		11
Nature lore	6	3		9
Arcane lore	6			6
Social and cultural lore	5			5
Craft lore	6	6		12
Lingual lore	5			5
Daily craft	6	4		10
Pharma and treatment	5	2		7
Weaponsmithing	6	6		12
Armorsmithing	6	6		12
Tailoring	3			3
Art	4			4
Artificery	5	7		12
Burglary	4			4
Huntsmanship	5	2		7
Alchemy	6			6
Sorcery	6			6

Unknown, but he demonstrated feats of great balance, stability, and hardiness. Perhaps, he might have an undiscovered arcane aspect bound.

A very worn half-plate armor set, worn set of clothes, a glaive, mechanical mace with spare heads, heater shield, hand crossbow, one quiver of bolts, enchanted amulet (+1 STR +1 CON - MOB)

Semi-proficient in the daily craft. Adept in smithing (martial-level weapons and armor). Proficient in artificiery (lesser contraptions). Expert in picking/maintaining war gear, and capable of minor mechanical upgrades of such. Knows the basics of hunting and skinning.

Sephorah of house Terphor (aka Seph, aka Sephie, aka Princess)

Race: Daeva
Gender: Female
Age: Adult
Background: Rosaline's agent, former slave, voluntary expatriate.
Status: Healthy

Perk(s):

"Odd kind of friendship" - when Ulren and Sephorah are fighting crowd-controllable enemies (not giants, flying creatures, etc.) in the same team, the one who makes the lowest total offensive or defensive score out of two can reroll that offensive or defensive roll set (only the highest score counts).

Attributes	Base value	Modified value	Total value	Dice bonus
Strength	15		15	10
Constitution	15		15	10
Mobility	16		16	11
Perception	14		14	9
Coordination	18		18	13
Micromotorics	12		12	7
Intellect	14		14	9
Wisdom	12		12	7
Charisma	18		18	13
Luck	2		2	2
Misfortune	2		2	2

Skill	Attribute value	Learned value	Modified value	Total value / Dice bonus
Melee combat	7	6	1	14
Ranged combat	4			4
Arcane skill	4			4
Defense	6	5	2	13
Objects usage	4	5		9
Mounted combat	7			7
Willpower	4			4
Balance	8	8		16
Sneaking	7	8		15
Reconnaissance	4	4		8
Persuasion	6	5		11
Intimidation	7			7
Haggle	6	2		8
Performance	6	7		13
Seduction	8	7		15
Geography lore	4			4
Nature lore	4			4
Arcane lore	4			4
Social and cultural lore	5	6		11
Craft lore	3			3
Lingual lore	5			5
Daily craft	3	2		5
Pharma and treatment	4			4
Weaponsmithing	4			4
Armorsmithing	4			4
Tailoring	5			5
Art	5			5
Artificery	3			3
Burglary	4	6		10
Huntsmanship	6			6
Alchemy	4			4
Sorcery	4			4

Unknown if any. No signs of her having seeds of arcane aspects bound so far.

A set of clothes and undergarments, a superb set of compositive medium armor (manticore materials), a superb leather harness for bags and tools, a qualitative longsword "Ember", a parrying dagger, a quiver of tossing knives, a kit with burglar's tools.

You suspect she's incapable of legal manual labor aside from the bare basics of daily routines.

Karl Norskov (aka Mage, aka 'that' mage)

Race: Human (unknown heritage)
Gender: Male
Age: appears to be in the late thirties to early forties
Background: elementalist mage, major arcane enthusiast, disowned son of a noble family.
Status: Healthy

Perk(s):

"Old habits die hard" - when making an offensive arcane skill roll in combat and getting less or equal to four, reroll it (only the highest score counts). This perk also applies to combat rounds where Karl makes an arcane skill roll only for the defensive score.

Attributes	Base value	Modified value	Total value	Dice bonus
Strength	11		11	6
Constitution	11		11	6
Mobility	11		11	6
Perception	13		13	8
Coordination	10		10	5
Micromotorics	16		16	11
Intellect	20		20	15
Wisdom	16		16	11
Charisma	14		14	9
Luck	2		2	2
Misfortune	2		2	2

Skill	Attribute value	Learned value	Modified value	Total value / Dice bonus
Melee combat	1			1
Ranged combat	4			4
Arcane skill	8	9		17
Defense	1	2		3
Objects usage	5	5		10
Mounted combat	2			2
Willpower	7	6	-2	11
Balance	1			1
Sneaking	2			2
Reconnaissance	6			6
Persuation	7			7
Intimidation	2			2
Haggle	5	1		6
Performance	6			6
Seduction	3			3
Geography lore	7			7
Nature lore	7			7
Arcane lore	7	9		16
Social and cultural lore	8	5		13
Craft lore	8			8
Lingual lore	8	7		15
Daily craft	8			8
Pharma and treatment	9			9
Weaponsmithing	7			7
Armorsmithing	7			7
Tailorng	8			8
Art	6			6
Artificery	8			8
Burglary	7			7
Huntsmanship	3			3
Alchemy	9			9
Sorcery	8	3		11

#1) Conflagration and radiation level 7:

You have gained the permanent +1 bonus to strength.
You have gained the permanent +1 bonus to intellect.
Your casting in dry weather or nearby fire sources amplifies pyromancy.
You can regain mental strengths faster near the heat sources.
You can sense and read the heat sources in a vast area.
You can channel the arcane powers to temporarily amplify own physical strength.
Your spellcasting uses both mental and physical strengths or the varying proportions of such.
You can temporarily infuse objects (including tools and weapons) with pyromancy powers.
You can conjure heat on the intermediate level (sufficient to melt iron)
You can suppress and channel heat on the intermediate level (rays, waves, charges, orbs, tactile)
You passively gain +1 to arcane skill for every 3 points of STR above 10. This trait also applies -1 penalty to arcane skill for every 2 points of STR below 10. Does not apply in the case of arcane self-empowerment.

A worn set of travel clothes, a backpack, a grimoire (or a diary), an old pocket chornometer with a chain, an intricate smoking pipe

None you know about

Amalia Brant (aka Lia)

Race: Human (Eastlander)
Gender: Female
Age: Young adult
Background: Former maidservant
Status: Healthy

Perk(s):
"Shipper on deck" - +3 To all social skill rolls against the companions with positive affection levels (neutrality affection level excluded). If previously gossiped with about other characters that she knows, can provide a one-time boost of +3 to all types of social interaction skill rolls to the requester.

Attributes	Base value	Modified value	Total value	Dice bonus
Strength	12		12	7
Constitution	15		15	10
Mobility	11		11	6
Perception	16		16	11
Coordination	12		12	7
Micromotorics	18		18	13
Intellect	12		12	7
Wisdom	20		20	15
Charisma	11		11	6
Luck	2		2	2
Misfortune	2		2	2

Skill	Attribute value	Learned value	Modified value	Total value / Dice bonus
Melee combat	2			2
Ranged combat	7	3		10
Arcane skill	5			5
Defense	4	1		5
Objects usage	7	3		10
Mounted combat	4			4
Willpower	8	3		11
Balance	2			2
Sneaking	4			4
Reconnaissance	7			7
Persuasion	5			5
Intimidation	4			4
Haggle	5	4		9
Performance	6			6
Seduction	3			3
Geography lore	8	2		10
Nature lore	8			8
Arcane lore	8			8
Social and cultural lore	6	2		8
Craft lore	8	3		11
Lingual lore	6			6
Daily craft	8	10		18
Pharma and treatment	7			7
Weaponsmithing	6			6
Armorsmithing	6			6
Tailoring	5	9		14
Art	7	3		10
Artificery	8			8
Burglary	7			7
Huntsmanship	7			7
Alchemy	7			7
Sorcery	6			6

Uknown if any

Leather camisole of fair quality, compositive crossbow, a quiver of bolts, a bag of small tools, a rucksack, a set of road clothes, a plain cloak, a knife, a belt water bag.

Master of daily craft and inventory management. Fairly good cook (specializes in fried snacks) and knows how to correctly ration different foods. Good tailor, capable of qualitative repair of clothes and production of professional effort/materials goods like suits and dresses. Her designs lean towards practicality rather than fanciness.

Isaac

Race: Human (unknown heritage)
Gender: Male
Age: Young adult
Background: Healer apprentice
Status: Healthy

Perk(s):
"We are of one blood" - Any non-hostile actions towards animals or beast folk have +4 bonus to attributes or skill rolls. Can use WIS instead of CHA for interactions with animals and beast folk (aka empathetic approach).

Attributes	Base value	Modified value	Total value	Dice bonus
Strength	13		13	8
Constitution	15		15	10
Mobility	12		12	7
Perception	14		14	9
Coordination	10		10	5
Micromotorics	17		17	12
Intellect	15		15	10
Wisdom	14		14	9
Charisma	7		7	2
Luck	2		2	2
Misfortune	2		2	2

Skill	Attribute value	Learned value	Modified value	Total value / Dice bonus
Melee combat	2		-5	-3
Ranged combat	5		-5	0
Arcane skill	6	6		12
Defense	4	1		5
Objects usage	6		-5	1
Mounted combat	3		-7	-4
Willpower	5	7		12
Balance	2			2
Sneaking	2			2
Reconnaissance	5			5
Persuasion	1			1
Intimidation	3			3
Haggle	1			1
Performance	2			2
Seduction	1			1
Geography lore	5			5
Nature lore	5	2		7
Arcane lore	5	5		10
Social and cultural lore	3			3
Craft lore	6			6
Lingual lore	3			3
Daily craft	6	3		9
Pharma and treatment	6	7		13
Weaponsmithing	6			6
Armorsmithing	7			7
Tailoring	5			5
Art	4			4
Artificery	7			7
Burglary	7			7
Huntsmanship	3			3
Alchemy	6			6
Sorcery	5			5

#1) Body level 5:

You can sense breathing and blood pulse of living entities in ~100 meters radius.
You gain the permanent +1 bonus to constitution.
You gain the permanent +1 bonus to charisma
You can scan the detailed physiological state of a target in many details including sicknesses, inflammations, as well as the state of physical integrity.
You can make an attempt for a minuscule boost of the physical performance of oneself or a target at the cost of own mental strengths.
You can accelerate the metabolism (and so, often times, the recovery from ailments or traumas) of living creatures at the cost of own mental and physical strengths.
You can try to numb the minor pain of a target living creature at the cost of both mental and physical strengths or share it with yourself with the low transference loss ratio

A robe with a hood, a bag with bandages and medications, an old iron amulet, a belt with tincures

Good at applying and synthesizing remedies. Capable of providing first and complex medical aid. Has some skills in inventory management.

Jorgen Ostgard (aka Jory, aka Craven)

Race: Human (Lyflander?)
Gender: Male
Age: Young adult
Background: Alchemist assistant
Status: Healthy


Attributes	Base value	Modified value	Total value	Dice bonus
Strength	11		11	6
Constitution	11		11	6
Mobility	12		12	7
Perception	18		18	13
Coordination	12		12	7
Micromotorics	15		15	10
Intellect	16		16	11
Wisdom	13		13	8
Charisma	9		9	4
Luck	2		2	2
Misfortune	2		2	2

Skill	Attribute value	Learned value	Modified value	Total value / Dice bonus
Melee combat	2			2
Ranged combat	6	1		7
Arcane skill	5			5
Defense	2			2
Objects usage	6	4		10
Mounted combat	3			3
Willpower	6			6
Balance	2			2
Sneaking	5	4		9
Reconnaissance	7	5		12
Persuation	2			2
Intimidation	1			1
Haggle	3			3
Performance	2			2
Seduction	1			1
Geography lore	6			6
Nature lore	6	4		10
Arcane lore	6	3		9
Social and cultural lore	4			4
Craft lore	5	6		11
Lingual lore	4			4
Daily craft	5	3		8
Pharma and treatment	6			6
Weaponsmithing	5			5
Armorsmithing	5			5
Tailoring	5			5
Art	3			3
Artificery	6			6
Burglary	7			7
Huntsmanship	6			6
Alchemy	6	6		12
Sorcery	6			6

Unknown if any

A robe with a hood, a traveling cane, a bag with small instruments, a belt with glasses, a rucksack

Good at synthesizing remedies or other compounds from both organic and inorganic ingredients. Fairly good at understanding how chemistry works and has an eye for experimentation. Capable of locating and recognizing substances. Has basic skills in inventory management and knows a thing or two about craftworks.

General condition: High morale, everyone's healthy, two weeks worth of food supplies, sufficiently-budgeted, low on alchemic reagents.
Money: 1081 Talers
Food: 82 food units (9 full days of sustenance on Bloom 28)
Food consumption: 8.5 food units per day

Lucifina - 1
Ulren - 2
Sephorah - 1.5
Karl - 1
Amalia - 1
Isaac -1
Jory - 1
Mount(s) - n/a (pasturing season)

Medication: 5 medicine units
Alchemy stash: 4 reagent units, 5 blank alchemical basis compounds (crafting boosters & subsidizes)

Free stash space: up to 130 kg

1 Incindiary bomb (great)
1 Regeneration potion (superb)
1 Regeneration potion (weak)
1 Stimulator/painkiller potion (weak)
1 Potion of momentum (Temp: +3 STR +3 SPD +3 COOR - 1 INT - 1 WIS - 1 CHA) (standard)

A bundle of books from Dalgaard's library, Yvie's ulchaar (Morinth's parcel)

Mounts: 1 workhorse (Softie)
Team's reputation:
Kheree hunters (Tevon-Talab militia) - CELEBRATED
The Lyf Kingdom (Lyflanders) - WELCOMED
Eastern Freelanders (Baathorians) - CELEBRATED
Central Freelanders (Tevons) - UNKNOWN
Western Freelanders (Ertanghalians) - UNKNOWN
Nyth-Rhathon (Bhiroths) - UNKNOWN?
Olfadir (Westlanders) - UNKNOWN?

Ship-o-meter

Lucifina

Ulren

Sephorah

Karl

Amalia

Isaac

Jorgen

Lucifina

X

Devotion (96)

Comradery (82)

Amiability (12)

Friendship (70)

Sympathy (44)

Neutrality (10)

Ulren

Devotion (96)

X

Friendship (58)

Amiability (13)

Sympathy (38)

Amiability (20)

Neutrality (4)

Sephorah

Comradery (82)

Friendship (58)

X

Suspicion (-11)

Sympathy (34)

Amiability (16)

Neutrality (0)

Karl

Amiability (12)

Amiability (13)

Suspicion (-11)

X

Neutrality (9)

Amiability (13)

Amiability (14)

Amalia

Friendship (70)

Sympathy (38)

Sympathy (34)

Neutrality (9)

X

Sympathy (47)

Sympathy (32)

Isaac

Sympathy (44)

Amiability (20)

Amiability (16)

Amiability (13)

Sympathy (47)

X

Friendship (51)

Jorgen

Neutrality (10)

Neutrality (4)

Neutrality (0)

Amiability (14)

Sympathy (32)

Friendship (51)

X

Tier	Relative numeric scale	Description
Devotion	91 to 100	You would likely self-sacrifice for each other if necessary
Comradery	71 to 90	You are deeply loyal to each other
Friendship	51 to 70	You have each other's trust
Sympathy	31 to 50	You have common interests, views, or simply find each other nice
Amiability	11 to 30	You are polite and good-willing toward each other
Neutrality	-10 to 10	You are strangers or largely indifferent towards each other
Suspicion	-11 to -30	You question each other's views and values
Distaste	-31 to -50	You avoid and distrust each other, but remain rational
Intolerance	-51 to -70	You dislike and disrespect each other
Scorn	-71 to -90	You avert and loathe each other, even if irrationally
Hatred	-91 to -100	You are at each other's throats

Unhacker · Jan 3, 2018

[X] Self-study the thaumaturgy aspect -4p
[X] Communicate/interact on the matter of (if your companions are okay) with -2p
-[X] with both

[X] About someone very confused by the fire in the abandoned fort

[X] Dejection
[X] Surprise

TIE BREAK

Mother Nyx · Jan 3, 2018

Unhacker said:
[x] Self-study the spirit aspect -4p
[x] Communicate/interact on the matter of...
-[x] with both
-[x] Just try to lighten the atmosphere. See what works.

[X] About someone very confused by the fire in the abandoned fort

[X] Dejection

[X] Wariness

TIE BREAK

Cries can I convince you otherwise?

Teloch · Jan 4, 2018

Rolling time

Charisma for group interaction: 6 roll + 10 mod = 16 > 15 (passed)

Rolls for studying: 3 roll + 5 int mod = 8 < 15; 15 roll + 4 arcane skill mod = 19 > 17
Luck roll: 2 < 37 = 37 (lucky roll. The failed INT roll amended)
Verdict: yep, our girl gets +2 to the aspect.

Overall verdict: contrary to the previous rolling session, this one is cleared almost perfectly. Lucy gonna start doing some crazy stuff soon.

Teloch · Jan 4, 2018

The lost sense of reality is what you are feeling now. There is a space beyond what people describe as "total confusion", and that is where you are after surviving through the events that you almost taken for your impending doom. You feared and then suspected the dying Beilford or its surroundings to become your grave, chased by the mercenaries all this way North to the land where you have no place to hide and even fewer odds to lie down at the bottom somewhere in the wilds. You found yourself between the anvil of unknown terrain, depleted funds and supplies, hostile towards your race nations, and the hammer of the mercenaries that were sent to capture you and an entire brigade of Olfadir military. But still, you live and breathe.

Ever since you had to withdraw from your one-woman-crusade against the human-stock dealers and the nobility patronizing them, the traffickers and the corrupt law enforcers turning the blind eye on their doings, against the entire Eastern Kingdoms and Gvuroth backstreet system of enforced labour that broke so many lives including yours, you knew that it will be the end of you. They say that "whoever embarks on a journey of revenge, should dig per a grave for oneself and for their enemy". In your case, you'd have to dig a little cemetery for your enemies, because for the time being, you were very efficient. You used direct assassination onfalls against your less wary marks and addressed to more elegant means from charms and social set-ups to burglary and poisoning of more inaccessible individuals. You were resourceful to the degree when the commoners offended by a local lord who raped their vives by the "first night" right, or a guard captain who was indistinguishable from a highwayman (and in one case was a 'former' brigand) and who expropriated their estate, had given you the nickname "Martlet", for your dark skin combined with the elegance of your methods applied on their offenders that also happened to be your marks.

Alas, reputation is the two-sided blade, and if it occasionally proved useful when having to interact with the common folk, it also presumed that you are now the prime target of the vast system you combatted. It was only the matter of time when the network would alert all the guards and militia in the region, and send mercenaries and cutthroats to take you down. And that how it was. About a dozen hired blades chased you towards the northern coast of Pheotor, to the crumbling kingdom of Lasir, cornered by the nations that treat your kind with contempt, by the northern sea, and by the lands startled by the advance of Olfadir, and thus suspicious of any strangers trespassing their borders.

You slightly shift your sore, stretched legs, and watch the hulking figure roasting the remains of the scouting party's war hound. From the years since you left your Eucadian homeland in search of better life, you had to learn about the races inhabiting Pheotor. One of these observations was the assumption that if a Roth is up to something, he or she won't back down 'till the job is done. This particular one confirmed this idea by following you where the others feared - right into the grasp of Olfadir forces. But then, something that you struggled to find an explanation for happened: the one who was hired to take you down and nearly captured you three weeks ago fled the city with you, caring not about the pursuit that led him here but about leading the winged girl and some of the civilians away from harm. Not an attitude one would expect from his type.

And this girl. You have never seen any winged humanoid races neither heard of such even in the most delirious babbles of occasional commonfolk boozers. She tried to help the group of fleeing citizens, attempted to assist you and your inadvertent companion in the struggle for kids lives. Speaking of, you have never heard her speak a thing, but the Bhiroth was treating her as if his well-being hinges on this fragile creature. Who is she and why of all the sudden the man whom you thought of as your enemy behaves as if he has never had this contract on your head? Is it her influence or is there something else? Where did she come from and what does this man want to do with her? Is he one of the slavers or just a random thug who just dropped his contract for whatever subjective reasons? Too many questions.

You shift your gaze from the girl, who looked like someone deciding what to do for the evening, to the fire. This morning, after the struggle with the scouts and verbal exchange with the mercenary, it became clear that you need him for guidance (because of his awareness of the terrain) and he needs you for survival during the march (because of the spare pair of hands and eyes) towards the Lyf kingdom and, hopefully, never to see each other again after.
To validate or discard your suspicions, you used a trick many Daeva are capable of - scanned his and her emotional layouts, fixating no traces of bluff or malice; he was resolute about getting through the situation and dismissive towards you, while she was dejected by all that she had to endure today and tangibly wary. Not of him - of you. This exercise raised even more questions than provided answers, and that pissed you off all the day long.

Today, you fell from heights, fought infantry and ghouls, run from cavalry and covered from arrows, lept through fires and slid on thin ice. Your body aches and your stomach rebels but that is not as irritating as the overwhelming feeling of unawareness. The only but substantial solace is the fact that you still live. And that is what matters the most.

The night turned out to be silent, with the sounds of meat and fat roasting and winds howling outside fusing into a comfy ambience. No one is speaking, which is not surprising considering the lack of trust and mutual interest between you and the guide that led you to this abandoned shelter. The girl, however, after swiping the hall with her studying gaze, aims her two sapphire eyes at you. It makes you feel slightly uneasy. Then, she stands up, filling the hall with the rustling sound of her feathers, and approaches you a couple of steps closer, with one hand wrapped around her wounded belly and the second one bend in the elbow upwards, with the inner side of the palm facing you. It seems like she wants to ask you something...

Teloch · Jan 4, 2018

Made a few editions.
I should really proofread more often

Mother Nyx · Jan 4, 2018

DUskyyyyy. You lovley Lady Assassin youuu!

Teloch · Jan 4, 2018

Lazy Minx said:
DUskyyyyy. You lovley Lady Assassin youuu!

Not sure if you'd consider her lovely later in the story... but nvm.

The next update would probably be ~3k words-big and possibly the last in the first chapter. Unless I decide to break it in two.

Teloch · Jan 17, 2018

Yes, I'm still writing the update.
No, it is not 3k-long. It will be bigger since I found no gameplay value in dragging you through even more camping options in the wilds (and because I'm an exposition addict), making it the last one in the first chapter.

Now, back to typing.
PS: even a bit of creepiness included

Mother Nyx · Jan 17, 2018

THE HYPE TRAIN IS NEAR!

LordFrank · Jan 18, 2018

SV, you're an angel fleeing knight-templars
[] About someone very excited in the army camp

That title and that possible interlude are making me nervous.

Teloch · Jan 18, 2018

LordFrank said:
SV, you're an angel fleeing knight-templars
[] About someone very excited in the army camp

That title and that possible interlude are making me nervous.

Lord Frank the watchful
...
Your nervousness is not groundless. Perhaps, for the sake of our girl and those surrounding her, you should keep that in mind

LordFrank · Jan 18, 2018

My main theory is that "somone very exited" is the one that will send the templars to hunt us.

Unhacker · Jan 18, 2018

Teloch said:
Lord Frank the watchful

...
Your nervousness is not groundless. Perhaps, for the sake of our girl and those surrounding her, you should keep that in mind

PANIC STATIONS EVERYONE!

Teloch · Jan 18, 2018

*checks the progress*
Seems like I'm gonna complete it tomorrow after finishing a few more paragraphs and proofreading/fixing.

In the meanwhile, there's a poll for you above

Teloch · Jan 23, 2018

Finally being able to have some rest and quiet for the first time after the day that may or may not remain as your worst one, you assessed the situation and pinpointed the concerning elements of it: even though survived the grandiose violence earlier, you sustained an injury, unaware and unadapted to this world you were following others towards the unknown destination, with a new person joining the group - the person that doesn't seem to like Ulren much (if at all). You looked at her again while she was staring at the fire with the face of someone who was having hard times embracing the situation. Maybe she was hurt or tired or doesn't feel too well for other reasons or, perhaps, banally saddened. Regardless, you weren't going just to stare at her as your inner voice suggested that it might be a good idea to break this tense silence by figuring out if everyone is alright. Even though your capability to make things better is limited, showing your concern for others won't make things any worse, right?

With this motivation, you slowly stood up, recalling your gestures from the very first encounter to not send Dusky a wrong message about your intents. You captured her attention with the motion and the rustle of your feathers. However, before the interaction began, you felt a careful but firm grip holding you by the edge of the left wing. Apparently, someone big and grumpy made his thoughts on you interacting with the newcomer known. That didn't stop you, though, as you swiftly - almost subconsciously - came up with the decision of how to turn this situation around and to use the older companion as a not-very-suspecting intermediator in your interaction with the newcomer.

After putting a sly smile, you shook the wing that was held by Ulren and waggishly clapped his hand with the edge feathers. This move of yours expectably confused the man, allowing you to capture his attention by slightly raising your hand and opening mouth, pretending that you were thinking of what to "say" him from the very beginning. After holding a theatrical pause, you gestured at your improvised bandages, wrapped around the wound, and pointed at him. The question was clear and simple, on which he simply shook his head and then pressed one's clenched hands on the cheek, and pointed at the floor. He's uninjured but mightily tired. Not handing back the conversational initiative, you (scenically) looked at Dusky (who was studying this spectacle somewhat amazed), and then repeated the "inquiring" gesture while pointing at her and looking at Ulren. He recognized what you wanted and spoke to the newcomer. In return, after a momentary pause, she began to weave gestures to you, showing that she is tired and sustained a couple of strikes and bruises but overall is more or less fine. You smiled back faintly. Ironically, the state of those you were concerned with was much better than your own.

Not willing to let the atmosphere recede to its previous state, you pointed at your first companion and spoke to Dusky in your unconfident manner by syllables: "Ul-ren", on which the burly man grimaced grumpily. Not reacting to his antisocial antics, you pointed at yourself and spoke again in the same bungling manner: "Lu-ci-fi...-na!". Then, with the wide grin, you looked at the horned woman, making it clear that you expect her to self-introduce as well. She hesitated for a couple of moments, weighing if it sits well with her, and then replied, mimicking your manner of speech for your convenience with her smooth, voice: "Se-pho-rah".

Having the contact with her established, you just wanted to dig up more answers that would be fitting for the early stages of acquaintance. With that in mind, yet again you again pointed at your guide and chirped: "Bhi-roth". When you pointed at Sephorah, the answer regarding her heritage came from the unexpected direction: "Dove", the man clung in with his dry voice. After quickly recovering from this not-so-subtle interception of the conversation pitch, the woman looked at you and slightly tilted her head artistically, wordlessly hinting that no one asks such questions without willing to share their answer. But instead of answering, you could only shrug faintly and swipe the floor with your gaze.

Seeing your confusion, Ulren intervened by instigating a dialog with Sephorah and, possibly, offering his explanation on what you are. However, her lack of verbal response degraded this little conversation to a monologue. Instead of responding to him, she met your eyes and began to weave new signs in noticeably fluent and expressive manner. You perceived this new question as an inquiry of how you and Ulren are related. Having nothing to hide, you consequently pointed at the slit in the rocky wall and the wilderness that spans beyond it, at your guide, at the roasting pieces of meat, at the cape you were enveloped in, and at Ulren's shield. Her facial expression looked like the answer failed to meet her expectations, but the slow blink and a node indicated that she accepted it. Unlike your first companion, she seems to be very gifted when it comes to expressions.

Later that evening, after everyone ate the roasted hound meat (which tasted savourless), another short conversation happened between your companions. Well, 'conversation' is a little bit too exaggerating word to describe a brief trade in answers to a single question from each side. Your little interaction with the both of them seemed to primarily put you in the center of attention and only then deal with the issue of trust between these two. Even though it established some basic common ground, you can almost sense that there is a reason behind the mutual distrust of these two. Something that wasn't lying on the skin-deep level and what you could not possibly get a hold on at the moment. It is in the moments like this, not knowing languages except simple gestures felt especially frustrating. Even though you began to recognize (or think that you recognize) some patterns of your companions infrequent interactions, your capability to reliably perceive and express thoughts was still non-existent.

Not willing to give in to melancholy, you decided to preoccupy oneself with something where you have better expertise - the aspects manipulation. Taking advantage of the serene atmosphere that ensued, you recalled your previous practicum that took place in the abandoned manor and where you unknowingly disrupted the flow of aspects in the area. Now thinking of it, you were probably trying too hard to shape the output, hard enough to achieve the result opposite to the one you saw in the dream with the cyclopean sun seeping liquid light and where you seem to be able to channel it with the natural grace.

You almost dropped your jaw when a sudden insight struck you: the channeling and storing. Back in the manor, you were trying to manipulate the light in the area, not channeling it but exerting upon it. But what if it should be conducted and not suppressed? If you are a natural conduit of this aspect, then what if that uplifting and invigorating feeling you often experience in daytime is the proof of the fact that you already know how to absorb light to replenish your inner resources and now only need to figure out how to channel them back into the realm? A wide grin graced your face as you began your cognitive search of how to project your physical and mental strengths back into the realm in the various shapes of luminosity.

Sitting on one's knees, you slightly stretched your hands before you, turning the inner side of your palms upwards as if you are holding an imaginary sphere with your focus point in its center. After a deep breath, you began your search for the sequence of channeling your strengths. The result didn't show itself right away, but somewhere during the third minute about a dozen of tiny golden sparks jumped from the tips of your figure to the place of your concentration center and formed into a tiny glowing orb. Feeling the growing joy and excitement of having your efforts finally result in something, you memorized the concentration pattern and attempted to develop success by manipulating this sphere.

You attempted to channel even more strengths into it while also trying to apply pressure in hopes that it would shape the raw matter into something more complex, but instead of taking another shape, in a moment it squeezed to the sizes of a tiny pebble, increasing in brightness, and then exploded with the blinding light. You heard a clang of metallic plates and a woman shriek right after the flash, and when your sights returned to you, Sephorah was standing at the distance, eyeing you clearly shocked, and Ulren was sitting on the floor by the wall, giving you a strange look. After three of you exchanged glances, you just shrugged apologetically, trying to convey the picture of innocence behind your actions. That seemed to have a limited effect as Ulren sat slightly closer to Sephorah, who slid down and sat on her heels. To calm them down, you decided to demonstrate what was it (without going to excesses).

It was harder to figure out the sequence of projection than to repeat it in practice. As you summoned the sparks, you not pressed them into one big orb but distributed among three small spheres that were emitting gentle light. This exercise made you realize that maybe the target of your focus should be on the proto-lights at the early stage as you shape them in the way you want. With that in mind, you attempted to make a more stable formation akin to those you saw in the dream. You searched your hands and spread them sideways with the palms forward, which resulted in the creation of a slightly glowing, transparent barrier, of what seemed like a solidified light. The shape was the one a tower shield lying on its rib, but it was swiftly shrinking and losing its initial form like a sheet of paper ignited from the edges. This exercise took more of your strengths than you initially expected, hinting that this 'magic' is demanding towards your physique. Well, that didn't dim the fact that you achieved some progress. You were genuinely smiling at your companions, who seemed more perplexed than happy for you.

As you were about to pout after seeing your companions trading in suspicious whispers, your both senses of aspects and spirits began to dingle ominously. In a couple of seconds, a series of weird noises akin to sharp objects piercing the stone emerged. The mildly suspicious of your antics companions instantaneously grew highly suspicious because of the sounds, occupying mobile stances and holding their breath to determine the direction of disturbances. But the sounds ceased, giving space for tense silence. Remembering all well how your first night in this world (the night when the camp was ambushed) you prepared to resist if necessary; both mentally and by summoning more of the small lights, just in case. Slowly, you scanned the surrounding with your gaze, following with it towards the place where your senses registered something abnormal. After two painfully long seconds, your eyes trained on the top of the outer wall - where it crosses with the next floor. It felt like something big, magically composed, and spiritually unreadable was clinging to the wall from the other side upside-down as if descending from the upper levels and clutching to the cobbles just above the embrasure in the wall. This can't be right, isn't it? Regardless of the absurdity of the situation, you pointed your finger in the direction of that weird spot, letting others know that something is there.

Alas, it didn't help much, as the cobbles around the embrasure sustained a couple of mighty strikes, partly shattering after the first one, and collapsing into the hall after the second one, letting that 'something' to elbow into the hall. On a reflex, you raised a barrier of the solidified light, warding your face from the hard & heavy impact with a stray stone and creating an additional barrier with the intruder. Speaking of, the thing that broke the wall happened to be tall and massive, with six limbs adorned with sharpened 'fangs', composed of numerous bodies of varying species and armor scraps, held together by an unknown force and staring in all the direction with the blood-chilling blue glow in each eye-socket of its multiple skulls.

You even didn't have time to squeal, as the huge bone beast lept the direction of you and your companions with the grace of a big feline predator. Even though it met the resistance of your armed friends, it dodged Ulren's countering shield-charge by momentarily changing the direction, clinging to the inner wall, and then hopping past him. As the beast closed to your location, you attempted to blind it to no avail. When the bone construct was about to leap at you, it got intercepted by Sephorah's forward series of swipes, losing one of the lower "hands" to her slashes and one of the 'head' skulls to the bolts Ulren shot at it. A living being would've squirmed in pain, but this bone monstrosity only grew more aggressive. It literally lunged at Ulren through the position where Sephorah was standing, effectively kicking off balance the latter and nailing to the floor with all of its weight the former. Finding oneself on the ground, Ulren had to evade three 'mandible' pecks and two paw strikes by twice misplacing ones head from the strike trajectory, twice absorbing the stikes with the shield, and once striking against the beast's paw with the mace before being able to kick the thing off him. Dusky attempted to press on, tossing one of the charcoaled logs from the campfire at the monster, which sustained the impact with unnaturally loud crackling mixed with hissing, and escaped the area of Kyres' immediate counterattack in the most unexpectable way - by hopping upwards and clinging to the ceiling with its fangs. Even more unnerving was the fact that this uncanny spider-ish mobility allowed it to approach you through the ceiling and to prepare for a killing dive.

By the moment it released its fangs from the ceiling stones, you have already prepared the aspects nullifying cast. Remembering how you disrupted the flow of those in the manor, which led you to theorize on the topic whether or not arcane-bound creatures might take harm from it, you decided to weaponize this trick against the spawn. A gamble indeed, but it is not like your current physical state and the tactical situation granted you with a lot of alternative options. When the monster detached from the ceiling and already aimed its back legs for a piercing swoop, you shrieked and raised your hands towards it. For a short moment, all the colors left the hall, and then, there was darkness.

Not the ethereal darkness surrounding you in the afterlife but quite literal darkness disrupted only by the dim glow of campfire charcoal and by the sounds of countless bones scattering on the floor and heavy, uneven breathing of three people. Sparkle. After mentally assessing own integrity and feeling no new injuries, you summoned a tiny light orb from your index finger to substitute the light of the now-extinguished fire, catching eyes of your friends scanning you and then the bone-littered floor. Apparently, your theory proved correct, and areal disruption of aspects causes the creatures that manifest through magic to lose their corporeal shells. You can still sense the odd spiritual presence around you, but it was now exorcised from the vicious bone construct, and virtually unable to cause anyone physical harm for the indefinite period of time. Judging from how quick your fellow Dove and Bhiroth began to pick the bones and stash them into the dying campfire, they were not tempted to know how long would the previously possessed remnants stay genuinely dead. While helping others to incinerate the bones, you caught yourself on two conclusions: you are not the only one who can sense magic, as the spirit seemed to awake from its slumber after you practiced with the light aspect, and for the very first time it was you who actually solved the situation. Perhaps, if you practice enough, you would become even better in dealing with various problems.

_________________________

Thin crimson trail of blood leads you through the snow to the inner yard of the fortress. It widens more and more the closer you approach the well in the middle of the yard. You look down and despite seeing only the blood trail leading from the darkness in its depth, you can sense barely audible rhythmic sounds. The unknown force picks you up from your feet, and slowly drags to the depth of the well. You can not move and can not scream as something invisible drags you into the depths. While floating down, you can feel multiple hands touching you in the darkness, like vegetative roots growing from the walls of the well, accompanied by the increasing stench of rotting bodies. You can sense the change of the temperature from crispy-cold to gently warm and then to heaty as you fall deeper and deeper.

When the feelings of fear and disgust were about to take over you, the fall resulted in you flopping in hot, thick liquid. Recovering from the fall, you raise your gaze to the object in the center of this hole of insanity - a huge heart-like formation composed of deformed human bodies tied together with the iron wire. The 'heart' beats slowly and rotates on its axis. With each beat, the pressure from its hot and shimmering like a furnace core squashes the shell made of bodies against the wire, squeezing blood and purulence from the natural and not-so-much holes of the mangled bodies. Each beat is accompanied by the moans, hisses, and squeals of the poor souls. The light from the core of the heart seeps through the cracks in its living "shell" with each expansion, allowing you to observe the vile surroundings - the cave filled with meaty flesh-roots and filled with ponds of blood.

As you approach the state of panic, the rotation of the heart and the intensity of its beating also increase. The moans and hisses turn into the ungodly choir. The blood in the ponds starts to boil and the earth itself begins to moan like an agonizing titan. The heat, the noise, and the pressure rise extremely fast up to the point where you can't even feel the air in your lungs. Your own heartbeat synchronizes with this infernal device, making you want to rip your chest open and tear the damned thing out with your own hands. Mere moments before fear and madness reduce you completely, you open your eyes. This time for real.

It was just a dream. A nightmare, if to be precise. While your real heartbeat was slowing down from the insane pace it adopted during the nocturnal mare, you summoned a single tiny light orb to check the surroundings. You were half-sitting and half-lying, enveloped in own wings and leaning against snoring Ulren sitting by the wall. You were under his heavy grip and leaning as if he was an oversized and armorer pillow or a the samely oversized and armored stuffed animal. Not that comfortable but surely safety-inducing. You sighed in relief and shifted the gaze to Sephorah, who was lying on the floor nearby in the pose of a fetus, covered by own cloak and shivering slightly. Perhaps, she was cold or was experiencing the same magnitude of a nightmare that you just saw. Alas, it

After burning the bones of the skeletal monstrosity that attacked you, it became the matter of safety to search the fortress for more threats and to seek for a new place to rest. For one hand, the building was devoid of other beings or monster or god-know-whats, but on the other hand, the place itself behaved like haunted, with the doors refusing to open for no reason, cobblestones falling centimeters from your heads as if they were aimed to hit you, and, in one particular instance, the floor that began to collapse underneath you. Since the previous camping location was flashed into the wilds by the fire in the hall where the brawl happened, you were forced to retreat to the half-preserved outer wall watchtower. You barricaded yourself in the guardroom right above the entrance, risking not to raise another campfire. You recall Ulren attempting to stay awake for the night watch, but it seems like the events of yesterday worn him down, which is understandable and what you used to your advantage in seeking for some nominal sleep comfort.

You could not see the world outside from this room with all the entrances and holes slumped with junk, but your inner clocks were telling you that the daylight is still distant. You sighed and slightly shifted in the grasp of your friend. It didn't feel like you would awake well-rested if you go to sleep again. The atmosphere if this place was threatening and the uncanny presence was still around, engraved in the very walls. Perhaps, it was cursed, or maybe it has the soul of its own and influences everything and everyone within its boundaries. Anyhow, while even realizing that upcoming nights in the wilds without sufficient equipment will be rough, you wanted nothing more than to leave this forsaken place as soon as possible. With that in mind, you nestled more comfortably and began to replay the memories of the past week, avoiding falling into slumber while waiting for others to wake up.

_________________________

With the first signs of sunrise, your group hastily left the accursed ruins without even trying to pilfer it for supplies. No wonder, really. At the time of leaving the haunted rampart behind, the state of your group members was satisfactory, with no one cold, Ulren slightly hungry, and Sephorah slightly bruised. In fact, your injury was the second worst circumstance after the lack of camping equipment. As you found out later, the state of your little pack at that time was detrimental to the successful exodus from the wilds as the next four days you all spent struggling to survive on the way. Should the condition of one or a few of you be sufficiently worse at that time, your mutual survival would have been significantly less probable.

These four days were probably the most boring in your short lifespan but nevertheless hard as all of you had to walk over large distances and through hard winter terrain each day, searching for the next campfire fuel and food on the march, and spending nights cramped together in attempts to preserve heat. You spent these days in the exhausting march-sleep-march pattern, without any time to spend on yourself or your companions, who in their own turn were only marginally friendlier toward each other than back in the fort (which is not friendly at all).

Perhaps it was luck, but during these four days, you weren't chased by any giant predators, aggressive patrols, frenzied soldiers, or undead. There were three noticeable events, however. During the second evening, your route led you through the hill from which you were able to take a panoramic view of the city far far away, which looked even worse than the one you fled. Dark remnants of the houses, not a single column of smoke rising from chimneys, no lights and traces of life, only debris and grime. What took your attention back then was the expression on Ulren's face after he looked at it. He stopped walking for a few seconds, his gaze slipped into nothingness, and face curved into a sad grimace. You can't possibly know what caused such a reaction, but there surely was a story behind it.

The second case happened later that evening. After the campfire was established, all of you began to hear uncharacteristic noises akin sobs and whispers in the area surrounding the camp. You tried to use your supernatural senses, but the results were negative. The only odd thing that you noticed was the ghastly blue-green color of the larger moon. After the version of possible pursuers stalking around your resting place died down due to inadequacy, your teammates grew uncharacteristically anxious. Willing not to take additional risks of facing unidentified phenomenon or entities, your group had to move for an extra distance and to re-establish the camp further away after the night has fallen. As if being tired was not enough, that night turned out uncommonly cold. You even had to use your wings as plaids for both of your scared and shivering teammates. Ain't no one of them froze to death during sleep, so it was a good move from your side.

The third event happened next day. As far as you managed to get a hold of the situation, at some point Sephorah grew anxious about the state of the matters and decided to flush her irritation on Ulren. An asymmetrical quarrel ensued, rendering you helpless in averting them from conflicting. However, when you were about to start praying for the divine intervention to calm them down, their angry exchange tone switched to the one you could characterize as mutually mocking, then to joking, and then to neutral. What started as a quarrel transformed into their first (on your memory) conversation that lasted the astonishing twenty minutes or so. After praising in one's thoughts the entity from the dream that preceded your awakening to this realm for not falling victim to the group infighting, a revelation came down unto you: these two become uniquely turbulent when together. Awkwardly turbulent, even. This... can't be a very good sign, isn't it?

During the last day of your route, when all of you were already underfed due to the scarce ratio of wild berries and sporadic small birds, cold from calling nights in unsuitable conditions, and exhausted due to the long and tiresome way, you began to see first buildings and people. You were slowly but steadily approaching a city. The maintained, lively, and well-guarded city appeared before your sights. All of you, tired, exhausted, hungry and cold, moved toward the luring safety lying behind the city gates that featured two big banners depicting silver tree on blue background. As you approached them, more details about the state of the city began to reveal themselves: the outskirts and the main roads were swarmed with refugees (just like you) and the guards who were trying to maintain order. There were also the other soldiers - the ones equipped with less regaled armor and who were busy grouping up, organizing in convoys, and moving away from the city walls. The biggest hustle was happening near the gates as the number of refugees wanting to get past the fortification was way higher than both the ability of the guard to inspect and let those who have passed the necessary checks.

While making the way to the entrance, your bulky friend had to refer to some elbow pushing, as the mob at the very gates was a bit too numerous and agitated. After noticing an unlikely silhouette, one of the guards inquired Ulren of something. Your friend was laconic yet still perplexed the guard who addressed him. After that little display of confusion, the guard let all of you three in but only as far as to the guard room in the gate intersection, sending his younger-looking partner (or subordinate) into the city. While waiting for something in the room, Ulren stuck in the conversation with two older watchmen, pointing at somewhere beyond the gates. It seemed like he was sharing his observation of what happened in the city you fled from before. Sephorah was numbly staring behind the armored iron grates, pretending she wasn't listening. But eventually, your gaze fell upon one of a youngish city guardian who was eyeing you... strangely. The best characteristic that you managed to give to it was the intrusive interest in your person. It made you feel awkward. Then, when he decided to approach you for whatever reason hidden in his mind, it became slightly scary.

However, before the man managed to impose an inspection on you, a ringy slap echoed against the stone walls. Sephorah slapped this creepy individual and fanned a spectacular scandal with the unsuspecting and overwhelmed stalker, who failed to reciprocate in any tangible way. The older guards began to laugh at him as your more recent friend mocked her target. This turn of the event made the creepy guard go in the full defense under Dusky's vicious verbal attacks and nigh-hysterical laughter of his older colleagues, making him effectively forget about the initial intentions regards you. Perhaps you were too tired and were imagining things, but you think you caught Sephora's understanding glance at yourself. Looks like she organized this play to draw strangers attention away from you. But... how did she know?

Soon enough, the guard that was sent by the watch captain returned to his post, verifying something to his superior. Then, you were let behind the city walls, accompanied by another pair of guards. As your feet touched the city cobbles, you tried to assess the surroundings, studying the gothic architecture, the troubled faces of citizens, and the occasional refugees either reuniting with their acquaintances in this city or participating in argue with the locals. One of such scenes took place near the temple, where a haggard group was shouting angrily and throwing stones at the priests that were passing by. This commotion stole the attention of everyone in the street and by the time it was resolved by the security forces, you noticed a change - Sephorah disappeared, leaving you and Ulren with only her rain cloak wrapped around you. Unlike you, the others didn't even seem to care about her disappearance, continuing to walk further down the streets. You grappled the cloak by the edge and harbored a wish to see her again; after what you've been through, it would be sad not to see each other again.

_________________________

Peace, warmth, and comfort. You were resting in the room of a rich manor where Ulren led you. This place was lively, with a lot of serving staff whose souls you could sense behind the walls. Your friend's spark was also nearby - a floor below the room where you were left. Possibly speaking to the master of this household. Well, not a master but a mistress - the elegant lady clad in a posh dress, with the compact pet reptile on her shoulder, and who seemed to know the person who found you in the woods.

By your arrival, she met you in the hall alongside some of the mansion guards and servants, participating in an odd conversation with your guide. You thought of that conversation as an odd one because of the impressions that you collected from it: she tried to conceal her amazement and other emotions by trying to speak impassionately and even somewhat cold, while Ulren was unnaturally communicative with her, with some apologetic vibes in his speech and mimics. It felt like the first reunion of old friends after many years, with one hardly believing that it took place and another one trying to make it look like the last time they have seen each other was yesterday. Despite the mistresses' original intention to keep the emotions at bay, the exchange was far from a cold one. Before she and Kyres began to nearly shout at each other, the center of attention shifted to you as Kyres did something that made one of the manor guards to drop his halberd, one handmaiden to swoon, and everyone to gasp - he unwrapped the cloak that concealed your wings, exposing them for everyone present. The panic ensued with only the mistresses' pet retaining the immovable composure. Soon, a whole bunch of headmistresses led you to this well-decorated and cozy room. And that's where you found yourself after your first two hellish weeks in this world. In warmth, comfort, and safety, surrounded by about a dozen and a half of people who don't seem to possess a threat to you. Finally.

Sitting on a comfy bed, absolutely exhausted physically and, perhaps, emotionally, you ____

(A note from QM. The next chapter will allow you to flesh the personality of our girl in details and to learn a lot about the world, so I endorse you to use the "Write-in" option more actively to achieve the best results. As the next chapter will be more roleplay-ish, this vote is a little demo of what awaits you)

[] fell asleep instantly.
Your eyes have seen some messed up things. It is time for them to rest.

[] gave in to the curiosity and decided to inspect your surroundings and general circumstances for the better awareness.
Everything is so different from what you might have used to. Now, you need and want to feel fully aware.

[] logically assess your situation and where is it heading to.
You've hid from these thoughts for long enough. You need a plan

[] just began to weep quietly, discharging all the repressed emotions that you gathered during these two weeks.
Aye. You've been through much. Way too much for someone as inexperienced and innocent.

[] Write-in

I'll give you more info on what awaits you in the next chapter and the drop-down analysis of your actions after making some minor format changes to the thread. Also, there's a new "font" picture above the main post

LordFrank · Jan 23, 2018

[x] just began to weep quietly, discharging all the repressed emotions that you gathered during these two weeks.

She's pretty much a child and in her first two weeks of life she had to deal with hunger, cold, ghouls, ghosts and crusaders and almost died an insane number of times.
I don't think anything else is realistic.

veekie · Jan 23, 2018

[X] gave in to the curiosity and decided to inspect your surroundings and general circumstances for the better awareness.

Mother Nyx · Jan 23, 2018

I absolutely refuse to play another weepy character. We do not break down and cry, we question why.

[X] logically assess your situation and where is it heading to.
You've hid from these thoughts for long enough. You need a plan

Teloch · Jan 24, 2018

While you are waiting, trying to read that bulk of the text, or thinking on whether Lucy is more ethical, sensory, or logical, I'd give you the analysis of the choices made in the first chapter and where things could've led you otherwise.

1.0 The frosty awakening
1.1 Discovering oneself

These were the most crucial because of the scenario selection and generation in response to the race and background you choose. You might have become a professional Deus-Vulter from Olfadir, storming at the ole Beilford and purging the hek out of things (or not), or you might have become a Freelander herbalist, ensuring that people of your clan are healthy and sane, or you might have even become a bhiroth scholar, hunting for the secrets this world keeps. But you decided to go extreme and picked a representative of the unseen race who have no knowledge and ties to this world. And a charming one at that. Since you survived to the second episode, this is where you will be able to actively use your trump cards. But I'll explain it in another post. What you need to know is that you picked the scenario of the outward and inward discovery.

1.2 First contact!
1.3 Of contacts friendly and not so much

You could've tried to run, be friendly, or try to be manipulative or to pull out something wild, depending on your imagination. At this stage, you could've ended up with one of the three characters I designed, which would lead you either to the Lyf kingdom, to Freelanders plains, or to Olfadir. Alternatively, you might have ended fully feral and alone, eventually settling in the castle from the 1.15 story update or somewhere else. However, you decided to stick to the first companion and thus to the basic scenario I designed.

Yes. More than four absolutely different destinations depending on your very earliest decisions. And yes, you could've reached those places should you used the "Write-in" option and decide to sneak from the camp. Yes, I'm that mean.

1.4 Of men and wolves
1.5 Of stained hearts and the impossible entities
1.6 Of the dead, undead, and not dead

This is where I was actively playing with your perception of risk versus various benefits. You could've earned extra loot should you choose to chase the wargs to their den and dispatch them there (the gruesome scene of digging in the other travelers remains included).

In update 1.5, I wanted to see how do you tend to distribute risks among those surrounding you. It happened that you do tend to risk with others although only if the danger can be alleviated to a certain degree. As a result, you gathered some much-needed loot. Should you not, you would have likely frozen to death eventually.

Also, smart move with helping Ulren to get back in shape. Otherwise, his wound would've become much more of a threat and imposed substantial physical limitations on him, which would have rendered him less efficient at your group surviving (played out very well when you was fleeing the templars). Instead, you passed on the opportunity to seek for food, leaving yourself and Big U hungry and slightly weaker.

1.7 Of the dreams vivid and traumatic
1.8 Of narcissism and esoterics
1.9 Of wicked guests and dying cities
1.10 Of warmth and feathers

In this intermediate part of the chapter, I tried three times to lure you out from Ulren in one way or another, which would've resulted in you meeting Sephorah earlier, having to interact with her a bit, and when the crisis started, she and Kyres would have met, with most likely only one of them walking out alive. Aye, I was dead-set on letting out only one of them with you. However, you avoided all of those traps.

Should you survive with her but not him, the dusky damsel would've taken you to a particular North-Eastern Duchery that look like the perfect stage for a gothic novel. You would have also had an option to engage in the big sis - little sis dynamics with her.

As mentioned earlier, I was planning to leave you all alone in the besieged city should you pay no mind to Ulren when he was anxious about what should he do in the ensued situation. That was the vote where you cemented the pathway where you got out with Ulren and Sephorah. It turned out pretty well for you, ye lucky pragmatists. Now, you will see a lot of the DAO-style Allistair&Morrigan antics by these two with the chance to influence them in one way or another.

And again, I played with your perceptions of risks. Although, you decided to turn the allure of new findings down, missing the opportunity to uncover some interesting objects and maybe even raise some crafting skills. Better safe than sorry, eh?

1.11 Of vicious bacchanalia
1.12 Of smokes and unveiling
1.13 Of bloodied ice
1.14 Of harm and rashness

The part when a poop hit the fan. The first option was to take different routes, depending on your speed versus risk perceptions and the estimations of own capacities. This is the part where you or your companion(s) could've died for good (be aware that I despise "Disney deaths"). This is where the previous chapter led up to. Should your party enter it while more injured/hungry/underequipped? More likely than not, someone would have died (or everyone).

In the first branching, you decided to take less risk by leaving others to die. Doing otherwise would have ensured the better relationship with Seporah but only in the case if you survived it (aka no critical fails). That would have also increased the possible count of survivors who managed to flee the city. Aka, you might have saved more lives. But at least you got pretty good rolls and triggered a story-changing event.

In the second instance, you were left to chose the types of dangers to face. I was somewhat baffled to see you opting for the icy moat escape, as it implied the extra lethal risk for your companion. The dice gods decided to play you, gracing Big U with almost divine rolls on your account. Should there be one more failed check, that would've been the Game Over situation, but the big man paved the way. Still, you acted rashly, going for the visually less dangerous route. Also, your failed rolls killed an additional fleeing civilian, as you were moving too slowly.

The third instance was a bit of surprise to me as you decided to act rashly by throwing our poor freezing girl into the fray. Just... why? Your teammates were more than enough to dispatch the opposition but you still imposed her to risk... I thought you would recognize that I'm leading you into the trap but you just hopped into it willingly. And should the luck roll be 1 point lower, you would have died there. DIED, dammit! But still, you decided to save the kids and loot the attackers. Doing otherwise would have likely caused deaths along the path that was mentioned in the last update or you would have been guilty of the untimely death of the children. Well played (minus the risks-managing part). You nearly failed twice in this group of updates, but the dice gods were merciful to you (and your previous strategy allowed you to increase the odds of staying alive)

As for the last update, there was no immediate danger as you built up the protagonist to be anti-undead and anti-magic nuke. Really, considering the aspects she possesses, she would be able to utterly obliterate all that has magic in it. In addition, the very update itself was the one big difficulty check, where the condition of your party was tested. Should it enter the last update in worse overall shape, not everyone (or anyone at all) would have made it to the city.

With some exceptions, you acted quite pragmatically, trying to find the safest option. Your character progression was a little bit scattered though, with slightly more priority towards magic over practical skills or sociability and basic learning. A tactician magical girl, eh?

Now, the vote that is now running will slightly shift the scales of Lucy's personality and possibly give a few hints of what awaits here in the immediate future.

PS: I'll give you the post on what you should know about the next chapter soon (today-kind-of-soon)

Mother Nyx · Jan 24, 2018

Can we still get big sister vibes from Seph?

Teloch · Jan 24, 2018

Lazy Minx said:
Can we still get big sister vibes from Seph?

Short answer: yes
Long answer: I design characters with backgrounds, likes and dislikes, fears and motivations. Depending on your behavior and inclination, you will be able to build various attachments to those you meet and between those you meet.

Nevill · Jan 24, 2018

Teloch said:
Perhaps, she was cold or was experiencing the same magnitude of a nightmare that you just saw. Alas, it

Some things are best left unspoken?

Did the guard notice the wings and that's why he decided to approach us? I am still not sure what our position on them is - one moment we are hiding them under a cloak, the next Ulren reveals them at the first inn/manor. It is probably not something you want to show if you want to pass whatever procedures the city guard may have quickly and without hassle, but will we continue to hide them once inside the city?

[x] fell asleep instantly.

Yeah, no, after that I'd be sleeping for three days straight while only taking breaks for lunch.
Then started learning the language because while spending an entire chapter as a mime was amusing, it is slowly starting to get old.

Teloch · Jan 24, 2018

Nevill said:
Some things are best left unspoken?

It is either you having particularly vicious thoughts in your mind, me making a mental Freudian slip, or both.

Or maybe she was having a very very bad dream at the time.

Nevill said:
Did the guards notice the wings and that's why he decided to approach us? I am still not sure what our position on them is - one moment we are hiding them under a cloak, the next Ulren reveals them at the first inn/manor. It is probably not something you want to show if you want to whatever procedures the city guard may have quickly and without hassle, but will we continue to hide them once inside the city?

The answer to that contains in one the extra materials that revolve around his point of view. Basically, almost no one has ever seen your average winged humanoids in that world and would likely overreact after seeing one. The reason why Ulren did that was of successfully leading you to the manor of the scholar he worked for seven years ago and instead of justifying his sudden visit by answering all to "where the hell have you been all this time" kind of questions he pulled out the "look what I found!" move.

As for the guards, you were left unchecked because of Phorah's timely intervention. She instigated the "this bastard has just groped me!" scene to prevent the whole guard garrison flying in panic after seeing that you are not all-that-regular-human.

wingstrike96 · Jan 24, 2018

[X] gave in to the curiosity and decided to inspect your surroundings and general circumstances for the better awareness.

Enthusiast#117 · Jan 24, 2018

[X] just began to weep quietly, discharging all the repressed emotions that you gathered during these two weeks.

Heimurn Chronicles (No, SV, you're a young valkyrie in the middle of a bizarre and dangerous journey)

Who is the bae? (Yes, we know that it's Lucy, but still - who's your favorite character)

Ulren, because he's a big bro I never had

Sephorah, because of the floor-chair-face dance

Karl, because smug

Amalia, because a cinnamon roll determinator

Isaac, because kuudere

Jory, becuase...

Rosaline, because I miss her

Mia (the ghost cat), because smug^2

Dunno - I need more party members

Dunno - I want more character interactions

Dunno - Where are the shipping battles, QM?

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