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

Varano · Jul 23, 2019

[X] "You know, since the very first day at Dalgaard's mansion, you always struck me as...
-[X] "very strange"

veekie · Jul 23, 2019

[X] "You know, since the very first day at Dalgaard's mansion, you always struck me as...
-[X] "very strange"

Teloch · Jul 24, 2019

Yeah, that were some damn long ~10 estimated hours

Teloch · Jul 25, 2019

After an awkward moment, you finally spoke. "You know, since the very first day at Dalgaard's mansion, you always struck me as... very strange".

Despite you making a comment, your interlocuter reciprocated with only more silence, betraying the stillness of the moment only with her restless eyes seeking where to glance.
"Oh, you're not the first one to say that," a silly lopsided grin formed on her face, which, although, did not look entirely natural, "the cloud-headed Brant or the sleepwalker hoyden, as they used to call," she continued, unwittingly allowing a faint shivering vibe into her speech. Then, she sighed heavily, "Believe it or not, but it has always been the case, and I think I could've made a little book made out of all the ways everyone reminded me of that. Always thinking about weird things and talking even weirder stuff should a chance to open mouth pop up, which made it advisable to keep me always occupied. Can't blame them, though". The beginning of the reply sounded as if she tried to make a joke out of it, but her last words carried the notes of tiredness and conforming defeatism, if not a thinly-veiled disappointment.

Maybe, it wasn't how you forecasted this conversation to evolve, but all signs were clear: from the more cautious tempo of the speech to Amalia's body language and sitting posture abruptly shifting to such "defensive" signs as her knees pressed against her chest and the fingertips almost digging into the cool springtime soil. Intended or not, but the atmosphere was now tense, with the air seemingly so thick that you could slice it with a knife. And then, after about a minute of the awkward silence.

"But what?" Amalia squeezed out from herself what sounded like a result of her internal struggle, "what makes you think I'm strange". You caught yourself on the thought that you have never heard these notes to her voice and that the emphasis was. The phrase did not sound explicitly hostile or stern but neither it sounded casual. You did not even need to meet her gaze to know that her hazelnut pair was now burning a hole in you. So much for a relaxed evening chatter.

Thus, you
[] Spoke the truth
[] Attempted to lie (persuasion check against her WIS roll)

mentioning that
[] "Your tendency to pour all over is disturbing if not awkward or even disgusting"
[] "The way you reacted to the alien that I was has outright separated you from others"
[] "This ability of yours to embrace and make sense out of the unknown. I'm jealous of it"
[] "Your head is filled with garbage you deem as thoughts"
[] "Your way of thinking. It is conceptually different from what seems to be the norm"
[] "You produce the thoughts and insights one would not expect from an outwardly ordinary person"
[] write-in

and leading to
[] "This exchange just made me feel more confused and irritated if anything"
[] "I have no idea how to use or even comprehend what you told me this evening"
[] "Not sure why or how, but your words made me feel better"
[] write-in

Or, alternatively
[] Silently denied her any answer.
[] Just wordlessly reached to squeeze her.
[] write-in

Emanyzal · Jul 25, 2019

[X] Spoke the truth
[X] "You produce the thoughts and insights one would not expect from an outwardly ordinary person"
[X] "Not sure why or how, but your words made me feel better"

veekie · Jul 25, 2019

[X] Spoke the truth
[X] "You produce the thoughts and insights one would not expect from an outwardly ordinary person"
[X] "Not sure why or how, but your words made me feel better"

Genesys · Jul 25, 2019

[X] Spoke the truth
[X] "You produce the thoughts and insights one would not expect from an outwardly ordinary person"
[X] "Not sure why or how, but your words made me feel better"

EternalObserver · Jul 25, 2019

[X] Spoke the truth
[X] "You produce the thoughts and insights one would not expect from an outwardly ordinary person"
[X] "Not sure why or how, but your words made me feel better"

Teloch · Aug 3, 2019

All the signs and evidence suggested that you ended up in a particularly precarious position when any attempt of defusing the situation without providing actual substance would lead to failure. However, it wasn't ill intent or carelessness that led you here: it was honesty. Blunt and simple. And, staying true to this principle, you assembled your answer without having to invent or fabricate anything.

"I always thought of you as a bit strange because of the way you think. Most people - myself included - normally see overhanging issues and problems as state-of-the-fact circumstances which can only be surpassed in one or more ways. But you see things differently, capable of shifting between the perspectives, analyzing the underlying causes, and procuring insights which would seem to be almost supernatural. Even today, in your attempt to make me feel better after our recent misfortunes, you did not subvert the fear I have for what might be ahead of us but rather pointed me at how to utilize the uncertainty for the better. The comprehension of your way of thinking is beyond me, which makes me think of it as strange - strange in a good way".

Amalia did not answer immediately, meeting your eyes and as if staring behind them, possibly seeking the proof of what you have just said. Then, in a matter of about five seconds, she sighed relieved, easying the clutch of her fingers, stretching her legs forward, and leaning against the tree trunk with more weight.

"Long before Kirhol, Dalgaard's mansion, and the amateur underground literature club I've been a part of along with a few other maids, I have always been captivated by stories. Being a daughter of a young widow who lived in a land ravaged by war decades ago but never really recovered did not provide me with a lot of opportunities to escape - even if in thoughts - the reality of hard and plentiful daily work in our meager property. I found such escape in stories of the alvizian hermit who lived not far away and in the books some desperate locals or travelers were eager to trade for food. At first, my mom was glad to see me having a strong motivation to become literate and taught me the basics. She reconsidered her stance once I became as daydreamy as I am now, with the mind wandering in all those stories I voraciously consumed, which me a sloppier worker". A faint giggle escaped Amalia as she continued her story, "There was even a time when I desperately tried to convince myself to be a character of a big adventure story the likes of which I loved so much, just waiting for the life to set me on some grand journey," a shade of a bittersweet smile fell on her face as she said that.

"But, eventually, I began to notice that from the fables usually told to children to make them behave to the life stories of people from all walks of life, they all contained the seeds of wisdom for all those diligent enough to dig for them. All these little snippets made it easier to understand and perceive things surrounding us, many of which were not as simple as they seemed to be on the surface. And so, my hobby of fleeing reality soon became the hobby of understanding it better by amassing the life lessons from all sources possible. It put me in some awkward situations with people often accusing me of building cloud castles inside my head. But I doubt that it can be helped: it's just a part of me and, probably, the only thing I am good at aside from manual labor".

As she finished, you looked at her face once more. It vaguely resembled the expression Sephorah had after you tried your best to advocate her before Rosaline. From what you can tell, it was the sign of quiet gratitude for not taking advantage of them showing their more vulnerable sides.

[] "You are awesome"
[] "If you see people as stories in their own right, then what can you tell me about..." (trivial persuasion check (11))
-[] Ulren
-[] Sephorah
-[] Karl
-[] Isaac
-[] Jory
-[] Write-in
[] "Can you tell me more about your..."
-[] childhood
-[] family
-[] days as a maidservant
-[] those adventuring dreams of your childhood
-[] Write-in
[] Do or say something
-[] Write-in

Teloch · Aug 3, 2019

Okay, folks. Sorry for taking so long: had to repel the siege of work it has lain on me of late.

Varder · Aug 3, 2019

[X] "If you see people as stories in their own right, then what can you tell me about..." (trivial persuasion check (11))
-[X] Karl

Varano · Aug 3, 2019

[X] "You are awesome"

veekie · Aug 4, 2019

[X] "If you see people as stories in their own right, then what can you tell me about..." (trivial persuasion check (11))
-[X] Jory

The puzzle we can't solve.
At least with Ren and Sephorah they'd both put aside differences for us, if still biting each other.

Teloch · Aug 4, 2019

Suddenly, there is no bandwagon.
Anyone care to cast the golden share so I can start writing? @Martenzo ?

Martenzo · Aug 4, 2019

Usually I wait until the interactive conversation section is finished to get involved again, but sure, why not. You asked nicely.

[X] "If you see people as stories in their own right, then what can you tell me about..." (trivial persuasion check (11))
-[X] Jory

EternalObserver · Aug 4, 2019

[X] "If you see people as stories in their own right, then what can you tell me about..." (trivial persuasion check (11))
-[X] Jory

Teloch · Aug 6, 2019

Alright, ye little gossipers. Here comes da butter

PS: why does SV's new engine have to hide the dice roller so deep >_>
Oh, and yea - Amalia buttered successfully

Teloch · Aug 7, 2019

"Say, Amalia, if you tend to see people as stories in the making, then what would be Jory's about?"

Amalia squinted slyly, "I haven't seen you in possession of a choker".

"Is sharing a harmless gossip something exclusive to chambermaids?"

"No, not really. But it's one of the prime professional perks. Hard to expect anything different from people paid to dig in others laundry, no?"

You always suspected Amalia in having that slight impish vibe but its display at the moment was going against your plan.

"Come on! Jory acts on issues only after being nudged by those who know when and where to nudge him, and I doubt he would willingly open up to anyone who isn't you even if it is in his and others best interests".

This comment of yours slowly wiped Amalia's larky grimace, swapping it for something mildly resembling concern. "Hard to argue with this, really," she pouted slightly, "In truth, I'm worried about him more than about anyone else in our little caravan. It's not because I don't care about the others but because he's probably the most vulnerable of our bunch".

You shifted weight slightly: early springtime turf is neither the warmest or the comfiest for one's posterior. "How so?" it wasn't that you were doubting this statement but rather wanted it elaborated.

"He feels lost. By that, I mean that he ended up ejected from whatever lousy and uncomfortable zone of stability he scrapped at Dalgaard's mansion. And worst of all - even there he did not fully recover from the first time life thrown him into the deep".

"Do you mean he was through the experience we have now?"

"No. Not at all. You may have seen some of his quirks such as borderline-cowardice cautiousness, undersurface disdain towards more spectacular women, and shacky attempts at drawing everyone's attention by expressing his not-exactly-subtle opinions? I believe those are the marks of his previous experiences. You see, he wasn't a commoner like every one of us except Karl. Back in the mansion, other girls managed to figure out that Jory might hail from an old noble house that still has a lot of holdings spanning from Kirhol to Yern; real old agrarian money. What is also known is that the family in question has had four children - the oldest son, older sister, younger son, and the youngest sister. This particular family, aside from being filthy rich, was known to be in the centers of scandals, one of which was said to be particularly salacious, involved the sisters and the younger brother, and resulted in the disownment of the latter. It didn't slip past you that Jory himself never mentioned the name of his family to anyone, didn't it?"

"I have two comments regarding this: first - the maidservants' informant conspiracy is real, second - do you think that he... ugh... you know - the 'undies discomfiture' was bound to happen, given his 'track record'?"

"No. I am almost sure he wasn't the cause of either that event which you recalled nor the scandal I mentioned. With all his flaws, he's quite clever. Certainly clever enough to know that he won't get away with such stunts and do trust me when I say that he is deeply fearful of being humiliated, reprimanded, or otherwise ostracized. My guts and experience say it might have been his siblings, clearly seeing him as a weak target, set him up for the sake of less competition over inheritance or, maybe, just out of the simple ire. Being the shy and awkward chap he is, I doubt it was hard to conduct. And so, he was kicked out, having to make his living, which eventually led him to the work of madam Holt's assistant, who herself was working under lady Rosaline. Surely he wasn't content about being an errand boy for a madam who wasn't even that much older, but it still was the stability of sorts".

"Not that I am set against him, but hearing you advocate him wasn't among my expectations".

"As rude, clumsy, and cowardly as he may be, he still did what seemed right two days ago, even if with some help from me. He is not malicious or hopeless - just unable to let go of his past grudges and humiliation, still thinking as if almost the entire world is against him. It looks like it's one part of the answer to why he fears you: in addition to being unknown and intimidating to him, you may remind him of people who might have done him wrong".

"And do you have any thoughts on how he can... hatch from this jaded cocoon?" The temptation to say "to pull out his head out of his bum" was real, but also swiftly suppressed, as Rosaline would certainly disapprove such usage of the new Phreinian language which she taught you, not even speaking about maintaining the basic manners and dignity.

"That, I don't know," Amalia replied, slightly lowering her shoulders, "he got very touchy whenever I tried to even approach this topic with him. Maybe his fears or grudges should be deconstructed, or maybe someone fit for it should try to pull him out, or, perhaps, he just needs more life experience to overcome this on his own. But in any case, we should at least try to keep him safe until then, so his story could have a chance for a good ending".

To that, you could only shrug vaguely. There was a certain reason in Amalia's words. Thinking of it, you now felt rather relieved compared to how you felt a couple of hours ago. The conversation turned out quite a few unexpected details, starting from Amalia's propensity to interpret even the vague dreams to the fact that she seemed to consider your judgment on her very important. There was also a feeling that you understood her better after this chatter - something she could say from her side, too. Perhaps, you even felt closer to her, now. But, no matter how good some things are, everything eventually ends, and it was getting a bit too late and chilly for conversations.

You stood up, shaking on your legs a bit after spending some time sitting on them, and stretched your hand to help her up, which she accepted (with about the same grace standing up as you had).

"There may be quite a few doubts and regrets on my mind now and then, but I'm happy that we took you with us," you said, "You are one extraordinary individual, Amalia".

"Aww!" the way she reacted seemed to be genuine, "Just, please, stop calling me Amalia as if we are some strangers who didn't survive a ghost attack, an onslaught on our home, and Karl's perpetual grumbling. Just call me Lia".

"Got it, Lia. Now, shall we head back before our older duo, inspired by our absence, go for another attempt at eating each other alive?"

"Ahh, don't you even mention it. Those two... are the epitome of the word 'complicated'". With that, she began to limp back towards the campfire. After giving her a little bit suspicious eye, you followed.

veekie · Aug 7, 2019

Social supporter get!

Teloch · Aug 13, 2019

(Click to skip dialog)

You considered your luck at trying to build up trust between the two of your oldest companions, but... you decided not to risk lifting the uncomfortable silence that was dominating the lit area around the bonfire. Perhaps, it would be wise to wait and see how the things would go between them without your intervention (for now) and then react based on the relevant context. Moreover, you wished to be heard, encouraged or, simply, understood instead of serving as a 'contentious property' for anyone, which is why your eyes stopped on the one and only candidate who wasn't yet resting and thus was eligible for late evening conversations. In silence, you carefully slipped the journal into your backpack and left the tent, stepping lightly and avoiding stumbling over Karl's stretched hand still clutching a flask. Both Ren and Seph followed you with their eyes, wordlessly looking at each other and then demonstratively making themselves comfier with their postures once it became clear that you weren't approaching either of them.

"Amalia?" you spoke to the lass who seemed to be way too busy with searching for more ways of being productive, "Fancy a talk?"

"Oh?" your inquiry caught her by surprise, "Sure. Just let me do something about our chaps first"

With no excuse, she approached Jory and Isaac. The prior was still lying on the ground while the latter was showing more signs of being alive via sipping the brew. "Come now, finish whatever you're doing and get to your tent," the lass said while lightly poking Jory with her feet, to which Jory reacted with a weak bleat. "I'm not your collective mom and won't be wasting rolls of fabric on your snot if you get sick. Hop-hop, now," she added while Jory the second poke, after which he groaned defeatedly, turned on his fours, and began his crawl towards the tent. Unlike the case with Jory, the emphasis of Amalia's request reached him in a form of his hair being riled up a bit in a sympathetic fashion, to which he reacted with a confirmative nod.

You did not smirk - at least not visible, but it still felt heartwarming to see the little scenes of normality alike those which were many back in Dalgaard's mansion. For the conversation itself, however, you have chosen a spot by the edge of your current camping spot, where both you and Amalia sat down leaning against two alder trees that were already in bloom.

"It feels so distant now - the times when we could occupy the bathroom for hours on end, nab sweets from the kitchen and rattle the skeletal models with no care in the world," your little intro made Amalia raise one of her brows, "I have no footing against others when it comes to experience surviving in these lands but this whole situation appears to be new for us both, which is why I just wanted to ask how are you dealing with the change of pace and the journey as a whole". While speaking, you were unwittingly clutching to some of your loose feathers.

"Oh. I thought that... nevermind," Her slightly confused face curved to normal, "I never expected this journey to be simple, but this week was a wake-up bell by the sheer number of dangers. I did as I thought would be right, but the unfolding of the event showed me in how many horrible ways the situation could've ended. Indeed, we sustained some harm, lost some proviant, and slowed down as a result, but I'm still grateful that we made it out without losing anyone". Amalia wrapped her hands around her chest; even though it was spring already, the evenings were still rather chill. "Not sure I would've been able to forgive myself for provoking Jory to do as I thought was right and if we didn't recover him. But if you asked for my opinion on this journey in general, I'm content about the fact we have such an opportunity and about our progress so far".

You just cocked your head sideway, wondering.

"I was always told that the goal of any person is to find their safe place and establish themselves in it, watching the years go by over pursuing simple desires. However, the person whom I see as my greatest inspiration once said that "there can be no gemstone without pressure". Life is about experiences, and if we seclude ourselves in the perceivably risk-free environments that don't force us to react, adapt, and overcome ourselves, can this be described as living? It may sound crazy when spoken by a person who could've ended up captured, violated and whatnot by thugs just a couple days ago, but I'm grateful for the challenges and would not have chosen to remain a chambermaid in Kirhol should I been offered to again because I doubt that dying is much worse than never living in the first place".

A small pause ensued, during which neither of you made a sound before Amalia interrupted it.

"Oh, sorry if I bored you with my bravado; I-I'm getting carried away sometimes, as you can see. All I wanted to say is that I hope for us all to return wiser, stronger people and that I'll do anything to make it happen. A-anyway, what about you? How do you bode with the lifestyle we now have?"

"We have to see many new places, people, and situations that have the air of wonder about them. Also, all the little things like a shine of good weather, a surprisingly tasty snack, or even a surge of uplifted mood in the camp - these things became much more precious because we can no longer drown them in the general level of comfort we have had surrounding us in Kirhol. Not sure if it would be fair to say that our trip is ridden of its good moments, but it doesn't make much easier getting used to the feeling of the constant, unknown, and overhanging threat, which can manifest any time in any unthinkable form". You took a little pause and then continued: "When Ulren found me, I did not have this problem due to being unable to grasp what was going on. I just reacted to the stream of events with little to no thoughts or doubts, just like a simple critter would. But now, I can't help but think about the adequacy of my actions, where they lead me and all of us and doubt if there wasn't a way to do it better. I'm just afraid of what could be ahead, and these strange dreams of mine - the ones Rosaline said are induced by my arcane affinity and are believed to be prophetic - they don't add up any confidence either".

"Strange dreams?"

"Well, yes. There was one just under an hour ago. In it, I saw myself on some unknown island in a company of three... four starkly different versions of myself. Why?"

"I used to parse dreams for girls back at Dalgaard's mansion. You can say, it was a hobby which I picked up from the role model of mine. I may not be an expert in it, but I'll try my best. If you don't mind sharing, of course".

That wasn't exactly what you expected to hear from her, but after a brief consideration, you began to relay the details of the vision that haunted you with immaculate attention to details. Predictably, your story stretched up in time, lasting for long enough to cause you to summon a tiny light sphere to illuminate the surroundings and for Amalia to sit under the same tree nearby you. She did not ask you for specifying questions and neither did she interrupt, which made you glance at her from time to time to acknowledge her attention. You were ridden of all suspicions once you finished the illustration of your dream.

"If we take out the possibility of this dream being a literal prophecy, it may be a sign that you find it hard to accept yourself after what happened near Zogun. At least, that is what the hints are pointing at".

"I'm not saying that you are wrong and that there isn't such a problem, but what makes you think so?"

Your answer made Amalia smirk, "okay, let's see: the central figure of your dream is the corpse of your version that was lying in the pose of the man you took down. As you said, this particular copy of you seemed to be the most identical to the actual you, which can mean that the old - the innocent - version of yourself died with this man. Those three other doppelgangers were looking like you but had very distinctive features, which means that they may be connected to your facets as a person".

Subconsciously, you cocooned yourself with your wings, feeling a little embarrassed by the fact that someone was now digging in the reflection of your mind.

"The one with arrows may be the depiction of your courage and rigor. If so, then her reaction on your intrusion might mean that you are expectant and demanding to yourself regarding overcoming hardships. It may mean that you are often having the inner dialog with yourself on the topic of your preparedness. The fabulous one, on the contrary, can be the facet of your sociality and empathy. Her gesture may mean that you feel frustrated about some social situations from your past, or that you have little confidence in your more social abilities. And the arcane-infused one... her description sounded creepy if nothing else, and I have little to no idea what she might represent. Perhaps, your unity with the philosophy underlying your magic? Or maybe your rationality and intelligence? My best bet is that her "I'm in control" gesture means that you see most of your value somewhere in these spheres or that there is an innate drive to advance the arcane part of yourself.

In any case, I think that your dream means your confusion about who you are as a person or, rather, what is your "personae", how lady Rosaline would say, which was provoked by the strong emotions you experienced".

"Is... is this bad?" You legitimately could not squeeze a better question.

"No, you silly," Amalia's voice was pretty contrasting to your own, "It just means that you're maturing," she nearly lost a giggle saying that. "Say, among those figures that you saw, who of them represented you more closely?"

"There was something odd about the glowing one, something hardly describable. My best estimation of what I felt is a higher degree of that congeniality feeling," you made a short pause to mulch what you have just said, savoring the residue of that hardly-explainable kinship feeling from seeing a creature of thaumaturgy, "and I will be a liar if I deny that the one with the veil and a flower wasn't captivating. Wish I could be as expressive with so little effort and inventory".

"Oh? Oh my. And here I was, about to say how much I admire your boldness~".

"Never knew you are a tease".

"Maybe just a little. But seriously, I did not expect you to answer this way. From what I have seen, you tend to act very formidably when there's danger inbound".

You just weakly shrugged with your wings and shoulders, "Given the choice, I would prefer not to fight. I did what I must for the sake of others and myself, not because I enjoy throwing myself in harm's way".

"I see... Still, it may be something you can be proud of. Certainly, Ulren feels this way about you, and so do I".

You expected to steam off, but you did not expect to hear some pep talk. It felt a little bit awkward. Not exactly unpleasurable bit still awkward, which was registered by Amalia.

"Aww, you are so cute when shy~" she teased you again, which made you visibly blush. "Alright, back to your dream," she continued and put her fingers before her as if trying to enclose your view in an invisible frame defined by the corners formed by them. "So, you say you have a thing for magic and charm, eh?" her intonation was still carrying those faint teasing vibes, "Such an image is neither unknown nor obscure just so you know. There are many legends - especially the older ones - which mention territorial spirits that safekeep their lands and take shapes of alluring women when the need to communicate with mortals arise, or those majestic seers from Pherinian legends, who were told to be the daughters of Highfather himself and thus communicated his will to the world. The visage of mystical mistresses capable of pulling the strings of the world's powers as well as people's hearts have left deep imprints on beliefs and even established religions, and with all your talents and qualities, you do have quite the potential to become such. Maybe, one day, I'll be telling others the legend about you~".

"Sounds fancy, but I can't be any further from being such a figure if I'm unable to manage my troubles without help, not even mentioning making others play nice".

"But you already did!"

You did not voice your question, letting Amalia read the inquiry that was written on your face.

"You did just define the image of whom you would like to be, no?"

"I believe so, yes".

"And this is what ultimately matters: even if the circumstances force you to doubt yourself or your course of actions, you have the vision of whom you wish to be, and so when in doubt, you can and should act as if you are already that person. If the hardships make you reconsider this vision, then you can and should take the chance to improve it. Surrounded by the ragtag misfits such as us, you have a treasure many nobles, warlords, and royals lack: the freedom to invent and reinvent yourself, staying away from the clutches of mediocrity and burdening expectations from the outside".

Maybe, this little speech of hers sounded a bit too cheesy for your tastes or, perhaps, it did strike you with an insight or even understanding. Regardless, you held a little pause.

After an awkward moment, you finally spoke. "You know, since the very first day at Dalgaard's mansion, you always struck me as... very strange".

Despite you commenting, your interlocuter reciprocated with only more silence, betraying the stillness of the scene with only her restless eyes seeking where to glance.
"Oh, you're not the first one to say that," a silly lopsided grin formed on her face, which, although, did not look entirely natural, "the cloud-headed Brant or the sleepwalker hoyden, as they used to call," she continued, unwittingly allowing a faint shivering vibe into her speech. Then, she sighed heavily, "Believe it or not, but it has always been the case, and I think I could've made a little book made out of all the ways everyone reminded me of that. Always thinking about weird things and talking even weirder stuff should a chance to open mouth pop up, which made it advisable to keep me always occupied. Can't blame them, though". The beginning of the reply sounded as if she tried to make a joke out of it, but her last words carried the notes of tiredness and conforming defeatism, if not a thinly-veiled disappointment.

Maybe, it wasn't how you forecasted this conversation to evolve, but all signs were clear: from the more cautious tempo of the speech to Amalia's body language and sitting posture abruptly shifting to such "defensive" signs as her knees pressed against her chest and the fingertips almost digging into the cool springtime soil. Intended or not, but the atmosphere was now tense, with the air that seemed so thick you thought one could slice it with a knife. And then, after about a minute of even more awkward silence.

"But what?" Amalia squeezed out from herself what sounded like a result of her internal struggle, "what makes you think I'm strange". You caught yourself on the thought that you have never heard these notes to her voice and that the emphasis was. The phrase did not sound explicitly hostile or stern but neither it sounded casual. You did not even need to meet her gaze to know that her hazelnut pair was now burning a hole in you. So much for a relaxed evening chatter.

All the signs and evidence suggested that you ended up in a particularly precarious position when any attempt of defusing the situation without providing actual substance would lead to failure. However, it wasn't ill intent or carelessness that led you here: it was honesty. Blunt and simple. And, staying true to this principle, you assembled your answer without having to invent or fabricate anything.

"I always thought of you as a bit strange because of the way you think. Most people - myself included - normally see overhanging issues and problems as state-of-the-fact circumstances which can only be surpassed in one or more ways. But you see things differently, capable of shifting between the perspectives, analyzing the underlying causes, and procuring insights which would seem to be almost supernatural in their origins. Even today, in your attempt to make me feel better after our recent misfortunes, you did not subvert the fear I have for what might be ahead of us but rather pointed me at how to utilize the uncertainty for the better. The comprehension of your way of thinking is beyond me, which makes me think of it as strange - strange in a good way".

Amalia did not answer immediately, meeting your eyes and as if staring behind them, possibly seeking the proof of what you have just said. Then, in a matter of about five seconds, she sighed relieved, easying the clutch of her fingers, stretching her legs forward, and leaning against the tree trunk with more weight.

"Long before Kirhol, Dalgaard's mansion, and the amateur underground literature club I've been a part of along with a few other maids, I have always been captivated by stories. Being a daughter of a young widow who lived in a land ravaged by war decades ago but never really recovered did not provide me with a lot of opportunities to escape - even if in thoughts - the reality of hard and plentiful daily work in our meager property. I found such escape in stories of the alvizian hermit who lived not far away and in the books some desperate locals or travelers were eager to trade for food. At first, my mom was glad to see me having a strong motivation to become literate and taught me the basics. She reconsidered her stance once I became as daydreamy as I am now, with the mind wandering in all those stories I voraciously consumed, which me a sloppier worker". A faint giggle escaped Amalia as she continued her story, "There was even a time when I desperately tried to convince myself to be a character of a big adventure story the likes of which I loved so much, just waiting for the life to set me on some grand journey," a shade of a bittersweet smile fell on her face as she said that.

"But, eventually, I began to notice that, from the fables usually told to children to make them behave to the life stories of people from all walks of life, they all contained the seeds of wisdom for all those diligent enough to dig for them. All these little snippets made it easier to understand and perceive things surrounding us, many of which were not as simple as they seem to be on the surface. And so, my hobby of fleeing reality soon became the hobby of understanding it better via amassing life lessons from all sources possible. It put me in some awkward situations when people often accused me of building cloud castles inside my head, but I doubt that it can be helped: it's just a part of me and, probably, the only thing I am good at... aside from manual labor".

As she finished, you looked at her face once more. It vaguely resembled the expression Sephorah had after you tried your best to advocate her before Rosaline. From what you can tell, it was the sign of quiet gratitude for not taking advantage of them showing their more vulnerable sides.

"Say, Amalia, if you tend to see people as stories in the making, then what would be Jory's about?"

Amalia squinted slyly, "I haven't seen you in possession of a choker".

"Is sharing a harmless gossip something exclusive to chambermaids?"

"No, not really. But it's one of the prime professional perks. Hard to expect anything different from people paid to dig in others laundry, no?"

You always suspected Amalia in having that slight impish vibe but its display at the moment was going against your plan.

"Come on! Jory acts on issues only after being nudged by those who know when and where to nudge him, and I doubt he would willingly open up to anyone who isn't you even if it is in his and others best interests".

This comment of yours slowly wiped Amalia's larky grimace, swapping it for something mildly resembling concern. "Hard to argue with this, really," she pouted slightly, "In truth, I'm worried about him more than about anyone else in our little caravan. It's not because I don't care about the others but because he's probably the most vulnerable of our bunch".

You shifted weight slightly: early springtime turf is neither the warmest or the comfiest for one's posterior. "How so?" it wasn't that you were doubting this statement but rather wanted it elaborated.

"He feels lost. By that, I mean that he ended up ejected from whatever lousy and uncomfortable zone of stability he scrapped at Dalgaard's mansion. And worst of all - even there he did not fully recover from the first time life thrown him into the deep".

"Do you mean he was through the experience we have now?"

"No. Not at all. You may have seen some of his quirks such as borderline-cowardice cautiousness, undersurface disdain towards more spectacular women, and shacky attempts at drawing everyone's attention by expressing his not-exactly-subtle opinions? I believe those are the marks of his previous experiences. You see, he wasn't a commoner like every one of us except Karl. Back in the mansion, other girls managed to figure out that Jory might hail from an old noble house that still has a lot of holdings spanning from Kirhol to Yern; real old agrarian money. What is also known is that the family in question has had four children - the oldest son, older sister, younger son, and the youngest sister. This particular family, aside from being filthy rich, was known to be in the centers of scandals, one of which was said to be particularly salacious, involved the sisters and the younger brother, and resulted in the disownment of the latter. It didn't slip past you that Jory himself never mentioned the name of his family to anyone, didn't it?"

"I have two comments regarding this: first - the maidservants' informant conspiracy is real, second - do you think that he... ugh... you know - the 'undies discomfiture' was bound to happen, given his 'track record'?"

"No. I am almost sure he wasn't the cause of either that event which you recalled nor the scandal I mentioned. With all his flaws, he's quite clever. Certainly clever enough to know that he won't get away with such stunts and do trust me when I say that he is deeply fearful of being humiliated, reprimanded, or otherwise ostracized. My guts and experience say it might have been his siblings, clearly seeing him as a weak target, set him up for the sake of less competition over inheritance or, maybe, just out of the simple ire. Being the shy and awkward chap he is, I doubt it was hard to conduct. And so, he was kicked out, having to make his living, which eventually led him to the work of madam Holt's assistant, who herself was working under lady Rosaline. Surely he wasn't content about being an errand boy for a madam who wasn't even that much older, but it still was the stability of sorts".

"Not that I am set against him, but hearing you advocate him wasn't among my expectations".

"As rude, clumsy, and cowardly as he may be, he still did what seemed right two days ago, even if with some help from me. He is not malicious or hopeless - just unable to let go of his past grudges and humiliation, still thinking as if almost the entire world is against him. It looks like it's one part of the answer to why he fears you: in addition to being unknown and intimidating to him, you may remind him of people who might have done him wrong".

"And do you have any thoughts on how he can... hatch from this cocoon of jadedness?" The temptation to say "to pull out his head out of his bum" was real, but also swiftly suppressed, as Rosaline would certainly disapprove such usage of the new Phreinian language which she taught you, not even speaking about maintaining the basic manners and dignity.

"That, I don't know," Amalia replied, slightly lowering her shoulders, "he got very touchy whenever I tried to even approach this topic with him. Maybe his fears or grudges should be deconstructed, or maybe someone fit for it should try to pull him out, or, perhaps, he just needs more life experience to overcome this on his own. But in any case, we should at least try to keep him safe until then, so his story could have a chance for a good ending".

To that, you could only shrug vaguely. There was a certain reason in Amalia's words. Thinking of it, you now felt rather relieved compared to how you felt a couple of hours ago. The conversation turned out quite a few unexpected details, starting from Amalia's propensity to interpret even the vague dreams to the fact that she seemed to consider your judgment on her very important. There was also a feeling that you understood her better after this chatter - something she could say from her side, too. Perhaps, you even felt closer to her, now. But, no matter how good some things are, everything eventually ends, and it was getting a bit too late and chilly for conversations.

You stood up, shaking on your legs a bit after spending some time sitting on them, and stretched your hand to help her up, which she accepted (with about the same grace standing up as you had).

"There may be quite a few doubts and regrets on my mind now and then, but I'm happy that we took you with us," you said, "You are one extraordinary individual, Amalia".

"Aww!" the way she reacted seemed to be genuine, "Just, please, stop calling me Amalia as if we are some strangers who didn't survive a ghost attack, an onslaught on our home, Claudius' hugs and Karl's perpetual grumbling. Just call me Lia".

"Got it, Lia. Now, shall we head back before our older duo, inspired by our absence, go for another attempt at eating each other alive?"

"Ahh, don't you even mention it. Those two... are the epitome of the word 'complicated'". With that, she began to limp back towards the campfire. After giving her a little bit suspicious eye, you followed. She indeed keeps an eye for everyone and might have some ideas about what's going on between the troublemakers of your party.

_________________________

One-two, one-two, one-two...
Ren's spark seemed to be of the regular brightness and pattern. Seph's was stirred up a little after the last event. The spirit bound to the tarnished silver amulet (is it an amulet?) that was recovered from the lonely cave was still unreadable. You sighed and took a little pause before going for another attempt at reading the soul spark of the mischievous essence that has dared to poke your nose at night when you were trying to sleep in your bedroll.

One-two, one-two, one-two...
As you focused again, the attempt to send a message, which would be the first real contact with it, went nowhere. Or, at least, that's how you felt. This little spirit grew overly active of late, and now it was observing you, remaining on the same place while your groupmates obliviously proceeded with their evening routines.

As it turned out after the skirmish with raiders, bringing Isaac with you was a sound idea, because, without him, the marching speed of your infantry group would've been reduced by half, due to the pain of those injured limiting their overall mobility. But Isaac was there, quietly doing his best at speeding up the recovery, preventing the risk of infection, and numbing the pain, even if at own expense.

One-two, one-two, one-two...
Perhaps, it was the veil between the material plane and Limbus that made it harder for you to reach this mysterious being? Can it be that you felt it through the veil all this time? It didn't seem to have any manifestable form, after all.

You were now attempting to shift your perceptional paradigm by focusing and orienting against your heartbeat and the slightly pulsating soul spark. It was Isaac who gave you some hints on the relativistic principle of the Life Belt aspects during your exchange, which took place about an hour ago. Initially, he wasn't very eager to spend time on you, but the subtle initiation via signs weaving instead of talking made him feel comfier and kickstarted a "conversation" during which he poured out a whole lot of his worries: from panic anxiety of harming people, not knowing the reason behind this journey, and up to worrying about occasional argues in the group. You gave him the best answers you could muster. By the time you thanked him for his time and efforts, you could legitimately state that he was charmed. He seemed to be very shy, but even under those hues, you could feel some of his concerns regarding you lifted.

One-two, one-two, one-two...
But what if you go deeper down the trance lane?

You still felt cozy from having that chatter with Amalia yesterday but spending time with Isaac inspired you to return to advancing you more... mind-shattering arcane affinity. You felt drawn to glimpsing into this part of your being. Perhaps, there was even a certain degree of guilty pleasure in peeking at secrets which lady Rosaline warned you against. Or, perhaps, you just wanted to take a look in the eyes of the ethereal troublemaker and to make it feel ashamed for its actions (hopefully).

One-two, one, one-two, one, one, one...
Something changed as you felt your face being metaphorically washed in something that felt like a soggy morning mist and your nose got the momentary scent akin to iron or ancient mildew. You could no longer distinguish own heartbeat duplets from behind the pulsation of your soul spark, which now appeared much more noticeable and distinguishable. The feeling of mild pressure enveloped your head, bringing back the allusions of being submerged. The flames of your companions' souls exposed some of the facets you haven't seen before. This altered state has sharpened your supernatural senses, but it also seemed to somehow affect your normal perceptions. You opened your eyes just to make sure...

... And, in the strange ambient lights of Limbus, faced a little ethereal shape with two pointy ears, a tail, and two black eyes with faintly glowing pupils staring back at you. You don't recall seeing a creature like this, but from Rosaline's teachings and maidservants' casual rants, you determined that this is what the Landers call a cat. A ghost cat, in your case. You broke it's hypnotic stare, taking a moment to evaluate your surroundings through the exotic vision. Your groupmates were still there, proceeding with their activities, moving in patterns which would suggest their acknowledgment of your current presence. It seemed like, contrary to the previous time, you did not somehow transport to Limbus, but peek through its veil, which was evident from the increased brightness of your companions' sparks, your sharpened spiritual sense, and the unique ambiance clues of the Nether. But, if it wasn't odd enough to be glared at by a ghost cat, this evening brought you another surprise.

In a few moments after somehow glimpsing through the nether veil, a sudden bulk of information collided with your mind, feeling like a mass of thoughts pressed against your inner voice from beyond. Involuntarily and nearly instinctively, your mind translated this message as follows: "Took you long enough, Fledgling. Now, if you know what's good for you, you would be a good poult and won't look at the skies or the river".

Half-shocked and half-indignant you stared back at the cat, who was now holding it's ghostly (but still visually fluffy) tail motionlessly upwards. As if mockingly stating something akin to "that's right - it was me", the cat blinked slowly at you, conveying the smug vibes you did not feel even from Sephorah at the times of her bickering sprees with Ren.

[] You know what? I'm going back to bed!
[] Try to... talk (?) to it
-[] Write-in
[] Forget the cat: inspect one of your companion's soul in more details while you have such a chance
-[] Write-in whom
[] You won't accept any advice from a cat, neither living or dead!
-[] Look at the skies
-[] Look at the river
-[] Be a contrarian and observe as much of Limbus as you can
-[] Write-in

Teloch · Aug 13, 2019

veekie said:
Social supporter get!

Also, a branch leading to unearthing Amalia's perk dodged, a person capable of deciphering dreams found, and a certain tilt towards one of Amalia's story routes made.

veekie · Aug 13, 2019

[X] Try to... talk (?) to it
-[X] Greet it politely and ask if it was waiting for you and why.
-[X] Also what does it mean by the skies and river? Why are they a problem?

EternalObserver · Aug 13, 2019

[X] Try to... talk (?) to it
-[X] Greet it politely and ask if it was waiting for you and why.
-[X] Also what does it mean by the skies and river? Why are they a problem?

Genesys · Aug 14, 2019

[X] You won't accept any advice from a cat, neither living or dead!
-[X] Be a contrarian and observe as much of Limbus as you can
Cat is suspect and naturally we don't know what's good for us.

Teloch · Aug 24, 2019

Your eyes fixated on the whiskered mass of ghostly fur. The body in question stared back with ita eery, unblinking eyes. For one hand, you could sense a strange urge to touch or even cuddle the thing, but the behavior of this cat ghost thing was suggesting it might not appreciate such familiarity. And so, being a polite lady you were taught to be, the decision was carried out to tread politely.

"Oh, hello there, little one. Were you waiting for me? And what's wrong with the skies and the river?" you spoke aloud.

The only response that you've got was the absence of such. The cat remained mostly motionless, not even blinking, slowly slapping the ground with its tail, and giving you something akin to that familiar "are you stupid?" look. Contrary to your supposed interlocutor, the polite line drawn Ren's and Amalia's attention, causing the former to stop in his track with confused - if not even perplexed - face and the latter to cover her mouth with both palms and staring at your face as if there was something on it. It didn't seem like they took notice of the thing against you.

It suddenly struck you that this particular ghost - unlike Rosaline's many-times-grandfather - don't seem to understand the New Pherinian, so the only way to answer it was to send back the message in the same way it did. It took little time to figure out that the message received by you has been a cyphered scoop of the soul spark's tones, vibrations, and memory trace fragments - a pseudo-spiritual encoding. Answering back was easier said than done, but you weren't that much of a newbie even in your less developed arcane aspect and, with little trouble compiling the signal, you returned a rough reply saying something akin to "Hello. Why did you wait for me? And what's with the surroundings?"

This time around, the reply arrived almost immediately, even though the creature itself did not display any signs of activity.

"I had been waiting not for you but your acknowledgment after you stole my den, you little graverobbing gosling".

A den? What is that supposed to mean, even? Does it consider the silver pendant as its den because of being bound to it? You took the thing in question out of a pocket. Oddly enough, the ghost cat appeared to have an equally ghostly collar around its neck. From the looks of it, the design assumed a pendant part attachable to the leather belt bit. It seems like you have found the owner of the thing, after all, even though not in a way you predicted.

You inspected the necklace once more, focusing on the partially faded engraving.

"Kia? Ria? Or maybe Mia? Still, why warn about the river?"

While you were there half-crouching with the necktie in your hand, more members of your group came out to observe this odd behavior of yours. This time, it was Sephorah with a very expressive "What?" grimace on her face and Karl who was stuffing yet another self-made ciggy into his mouth with the excitement of a naturalist observing the mating games of some rare species.

"In the land of Dark Sun, there is always a bigger fish. Always".

Ignoring the frustration of not having your first question unanswered, you nearly turned around to witness this 'bigger fish' yet stopped half-turn after hearing the presumable sound of it echoing through the strange landscapes of Limbus. It was not the most pleasant sound you have ever heard, speaking mildly. And speaking straight - it made you want to curl on the ground, cover yourself with a blanket, and hope to snap out of the Nether vision before even having a chance to see the damn thing. You returned to your original half-crouch position, finding at least some solace in the fact that the ghost cate itself wasn't stressed or terrified. You companions did not hear it, as it seemed from you occupying the center of their collective attention. The overly-lively banter between Karl, Amalia, Ren, and even Sephorah was indiscernible in your current state, but the width of Jory's eyes and Isaac attempts to tackle him down to prevent the prior backward butt-crawling out of the illuminated borders of the camp were speaking volumes on their views on your situation.

"What do you want?" was the only reasonable continuation of your unlikely exchange "And why bother advising if you're angry at me?"

"Your pack continues doing what it does while I teach you how not to perish here," the cat wrapped its tail around its fluffy feet, "you did just learn how to peek here and speak, don't you?"

Despite the irritation from the dodgy attitude of this feline towards half of your questions, the only thing you could reply with was "That I did," shortly adding "But why do you want us to drag you along? Aren't restless spirit crave for rest?"

"Boredom, gosling. Boredom is way worse than death, as you would find out eventually," the cat indicated that it has done 'talking' to you by turning around its white&patchy-gray shape, exposing its bumhole, and fastidiously twitching its tail. Are the living cats just as difficult? Why do people even consider them as pets, if so?

Before you could pout or send any other display of your indignation into the greenish-sepia of nether, an interference reached you suddenly, taking form in a splash of water in the volume that would keep up Softie the horse for a day. What is more surprising, this unrequested shower washed out your concentration and nether vision with it, returning the normal sounds and colors to the realm.

"What was this for?!" You nearly squealed at nearby standing Ren and bucket-carrying Lia.

"Do tell us: you were standing here with the eyes glowing milky-white and acting as if you were interacting with someone or something invisible in front of you. It did not look very normal if you'd ask me". Ren spoke out his long-winded and masked concern - so characteristic of him.

"It looked like some crazy case of sleepwalking," Amalia said and exchanged glances with Ren before training her confused eyes on you, "Do you feel well? You are looking rather... misplaced right now".

It came down onto you that soggy wings and clothes, as well as the risk of catching a cold tonight, are not the only troubles before you: it is clear that no one among everyone present (minus the cat spirit) has seen what you did, which means their reactions may or may not be strong should you decide to provide the answer they demand.

[] Say everything: about Limbus, your ability to glimpse into it, and your group's invisible (and hard-tempered) pet.
[] Relay a part of it: keep quiet about the furry menace
[] Lie: tell them you were dreaming and relay one of those visions you had before to Amalia should she persist.

____________________

Two days after your little nocturnal misadventure, the tempers in your party subsided significantly. Not because everyone forgot about you behaving odd, but because the hardships of the long road returned, replacing all other issues. As your caravan approached the bend of Tzuh-Aran, the frequency of hostile encounters with the maddened and arcane-infused fauna risen gradually. One particular case was about a whole swarm of crazed burriks - those omnivorous rodents - decided that you looked like a particularly tasty paultry meat and your companions were walking beef of different shapes. This encounter would've been silly if not for the level of threat that it posed: swarms of tiny but berserk animals rendered the combatants without any ability of area control useless, and the only factors that prevented anyone being eaten alive were your barriers (which you learned to push) and Karl's spitfire sprees.

Even more demoralizing was the fact that, despite losing some of the supplies during the messy retreat from the raiders' den, you had to leave the meat of all the slain animals behind due to the fear of contacting their affliction. In addition to this, the combative core of your party hasn't recovered from the costly 'Jory's liberation raid', effectively slowing you down and piling up additional risks in cases of potential skirmishes ahead. Due to all these complications plus the abnormally heightened activity of the local fauna ahead, some of your companions argued for seeking a two to three days stop. Among them, was Seph, who finally reemerged from her self-imposed silence phase, although she still wasn't even remotely cheery. Karl also advocated for a stop, which was hardly an odd request from someone who has been shot with an arrow a few days ago. Amalia and the mansion boys did not state their opinions, but given how they never complained about not having to march, it wasn't needed. Unlike everyone, Ren seemed to be openly hesitant about taking a day or two and pretty vocal about "making people wait" and "letting the troubles catch up". But, contrary to your fears, he did not push the argument to the point past which lies conflict, asking you to lift off and examine the surroundings instead.

And so you did: with some faint relief of temporarily distancing oneself from your group's problems, you soared into the windy springtime skies. Oddly enough, despite your current location being nothing else than boondocks, your very first finding took but a couple of minutes: a few wooden roofs near a shore of Tzuh-Aran, some distance to the north-west through the riverside woods. Wary of the risk of being seen flying around by strangers, you did not approach the settlement to gather more details. While thinking about the prospect of resupplying there and possibly enjoying some hospitality, your mind darted back to the memorized image of the map which Ren showed you earlier: there were no marked settlements in this area. At this notion, your mind quickly processed the justifications, among which were the outdated map, the settlement being new or temporary, or the buildings whose roofs you saw are not a conventional settlement at all. Weighting about the risks and possibilities, you continued your flight.

The second landmark nearly eluded your glimpse - it was a ruin hidden in the woods spanning over the northern hill facing the bend of the river. At first, it did not excite you much, which changed swiftly after you recognizing the materials and the pattern of it, which was similar to the lower hull of the Baitzun bridge. The conversation with your teammates during the transition of that bridge emerged immediately, leaving you with no doubts that this ruin must be a relic of those "precursor races"; well-hidden, visually at least somewhat preserved, and advantageously situated. Amalia would absolutely love to see it, but aside from that, the structure might offer a decent, camouflaged and secure shelter... for as long as it's not occupied by someone of something, that is.

The third and the last point of interest emerged when you were already turning to return. You saw a broad-winged bird soaring above a lonely hut with an adjusted wooden watchtower, situated in the rim between the north-eastern foothills woods and the vast patches of grasslands. You even managed to see a vague trail of smoke coming from the chimney - the absolute proof the property being inhabited and thus potentially open for barter or a rest stop. The bad thing about this destination was abnormal, nearly panic behavior of the local fauna below you. Something that was causing the animal madness was certainly closer to this hut, making it de-facto besieged by rabid animals.

After gathering these findings, you began the slow descent to your group's location, thinking of what to relay and what to suggest them, trying not to grow flattered about your opinion on this matter having all the chances to become the decision-making.

[] No long stops. Push forward.
This would allow sooner arrival to Tevon-Talab as well as the decreased risk of running out of the food on the road and having to spend even more time foraging. The bad part is the higher risks of facing possible obstacles with the not recovered party and a chance for morale decrease.

[] Go for a long stop
-[] at the river shore village
-[] in ruins
-[] near the lonely hut
Thee potential hotspots for more serious camping with each one promising different pros and cons. But regardless of which one you choose, you will make the Tchonun hunters' party wait even longer and risk having to seek for food. At least your teammates will have the time to recover from the beating they sustained a few days ago.

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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(Discrete Mokona)

eYe Gaze baCk

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Tired Cultist

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eYe Gaze baCk

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eYe Gaze baCk

(Discrete Mokona)

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