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 · Nov 7, 2021

[x] No. You have other business to take care of.
-[x] With Ulren's supervision, explore the Limbus side for Tevon-Talab in hopes to butter Mia into helping you to practice spiritology or gather new leads on your own. (-1 Karl's affliction treatment incompetency level, ???)

Aetherstorm · Nov 7, 2021

[x] No. You have other business to take care of.
-[x] With Ulren's supervision, explore the Limbus side for Tevon-Talab in hopes to butter Mia into helping you to practice spiritology or gather new leads on your own. (-1 Karl's affliction treatment incompetency level, ???)

Varder · Nov 7, 2021

[x] No. You have other business to take care of.
-[x] With Ulren's supervision, explore the Limbus side for Tevon-Talab in hopes to butter Mia into helping you to practice spiritology or gather new leads on your own. (-1 Karl's affliction treatment incompetency level, ???)

EternalObserver · Nov 7, 2021

[x] No. You have other business to take care of.
-[x] With Ulren's supervision, explore the Limbus side for Tevon-Talab in hopes to butter Mia into helping you to practice spiritology or gather new leads on your own. (-1 Karl's affliction treatment incompetency level, ???)

uiopion · Nov 7, 2021

[x] No. You have other business to take care of.
-[x] With Ulren's supervision, explore the Limbus side for Tevon-Talab in hopes to butter Mia into helping you to practice spiritology or gather new leads on your own. (-1 Karl's affliction treatment incompetency level, ???)

Should put as at 1 incompetent and 100% chance of healing Karl since he did not increase severity this round (1 roll of +11 [12 - 1] vs 12)

veekie · Nov 8, 2021

[x] No. You have other business to take care of.
-[x] With Ulren's supervision, explore the Limbus side for Tevon-Talab in hopes to butter Mia into helping you to practice spiritology or gather new leads on your own. (-1 Karl's affliction treatment incompetency level, ???)

Teloch said:
"I wish more people in this world thought the way do, Isaac," you replied with a faint smile.

Missing word?

Teloch · Nov 8, 2021

veekie said:
Missing word?

Yep. Fixed

Teloch · Nov 8, 2021

Updated the sheets and ship-o-meters.

As you may or may not have noticed from the last update, Lucy has finally began to fall into the mold of a stereotypical angel and now does pretty angelic things. Take a closer look at her aspects proficiency (you may want to consider/negotiate her development plan in the sphere of magic right now if you were perceptive about the hints I left). The BBQ party brought the group closer together (ribs are op, pls nerf), and the HUGE change in Lu - Seph link is hard to miss. Also, worth mentioning that the rescue raid and Ren's hunt run brought the group's reputation among kherees to "Celebrated", aka you might want to start thinking about how to utilize it. As for the supplies and inventory, the group has resolved the food issue for now (thanks Ren), and has potential pending projects: a possible new outfit, minor rearming for two to three characters, five potions to get their effects, and Seph is due for her very first real armor set. Some of the options to manage the inventory would come after the next update, so you might want to plan this too.

Oh, and I have another goodie for you.

Any idea what's it gonna be?

Teloch · Nov 8, 2021

Oh, and again sorry for the gigantic update: I thought it gonna be more compact >__>

Varano · Nov 8, 2021

Teloch said:
Oh, and I have another goodie for you.

Any idea what's it gonna be?

A head from a wyvern that Ulren hunted, perhaps stuffed at a taxidermist. Maybe a carving of a dragons head?

Genesys · Nov 8, 2021

[x] No. You have other business to take care of.
-[x] With Ulren's supervision, explore the Limbus side for Tevon-Talab in hopes to butter Mia into helping you to practice spiritology or gather new leads on your own. (-1 Karl's affliction treatment incompetency level, ???)
tempting but I guess Karl more important

Teloch · Nov 9, 2021

Varano said:
A head from a wyvern that Ulren hunted, perhaps stuffed at a taxidermist. Maybe a carving of a dragons head?

Gosh, ain't that a bit too gory to commission as an illustration?

SnowSpartan · Nov 11, 2021

[x] No. You have other business to take care of.
-[x] With Ulren's supervision, explore the Limbus side for Tevon-Talab in hopes to butter Mia into helping you to practice spiritology or gather new leads on your own. (-1 Karl's affliction treatment incompetency level, ???)

Teloch · Nov 13, 2021

Scheduled vote count started by Teloch on Nov 7, 2021 at 2:29 PM, finished with 13 posts and 8 votes.

8 people have voted
[x] No. You have other business to take care of.
-[x] With Ulren's supervision, explore the Limbus side for Tevon-Talab in hopes to butter Mia into helping you to practice spiritology or gather new leads on your own. (-1 Karl's affliction treatment incompetency level, ???)
- Varano
- Aetherstorm
- Varder
- EternalObserver
- uiopion
- veekie
- Genesys
- SnowSpartan

Teloch · Nov 13, 2021

Huh. Bailing out the group's mage over helping outsiders? Now, ain't Lucy growing more pragmatic?

Anyway, the side story comes first, and then the mainline update.

Teloch · Nov 21, 2021

Your hands clutch to the pole of the glaive; your frame posed in the middle mobile guard stance to counter the enraged adult baavgur - a monstrous hybrid of a bear and wolverine, and even more furious than those two combined. There is another Roth with a glaive to the left from you - the captain of this hunters group named Inga. Working with you in a pair, she adopted the offensive high guard stance, waiting for the beast to make an opening while you are kiting it. Five more hunters provide cover fire at the beast whenever it angles itself for a precise arrow shot. Hunting one of the apex predators was not a part of the original plan: a pack of uninfested feral elasmores, which you successfully tracked, got spooked prematurely and charged away, with the hunters' group managing to shoot down only one beast. But you weren't even given the luxury of getting disappointed: a wild and, from the looks of it, particularly hungry baavgur from nearby took the risk of pretending for your already humble spoil.

Knowing better than to divide the hide of an unkilled bear, all your focus goes into tracking the motions of the predator, deflecting its lunge by a well-placed thrust to its neck and a swift disengagement follow-up slash on the side of its head. Jumping on the chance, Inga charges at the twice-your-size monster that was stuck in a recovery stagger, landing three deep pokes on its side and a hind thigh before a swirl of huge claws prompts her to regain the distance. The monstrosity recovers its mobility seconds after the lunge, not yielding to pain from neither melee injuries nor the hastily accumulating arrows sticking from its hide. It looked just as fearsome as a couple of moments ago, but you knew that your "condolence prize" was running out of vim with each charge lunge and soon to be done.

As the bloody waltz went for another "spin," a new and yet so familiar sound broke through the cacophony of your heart's drumbeat, Inga's curses, and baavgur's agonizing roars, the sound resembling a distanced rockfall, same as one the day Lilian Dalgaard died.

"Captain, look!" one of the spotter hunters screamed out in a desperate voice. You knew what he saw even without retraining your eyes from the berserking beast.

"Oh fuck!" Inga screams a moment after, even managing to outcry the dying baavgur, "Lindwurm in four hundred steps! Scatter and disengage at once!" she commands.

"Someone switch with me and keep the current target pinned. Archers swap to lindwurm and cover me when the baavgur is down!"

"Have you lost your marbles?!" Inga screeches as you sidestep the bearish beast, slash it on the right side of its neck, and jump backward from its consecutive attempt to maul you.

"I have lost men to a lindwurm before!" you yell back prior to forcefully kicking the staggered predator in its snout to win more time, "are you ready for it too?!" You bark back at her almost instinctively, to which she takes one seizable moment to process.

"If this goes belly-up, I'll finish you myself!" Inga finally responds angrily before issuing a command: "You've heard him! Delgen to me, archers at the ready!"

Immediately with the announcement, you use the initial target's stunned state to disengage, almost colliding with a spear-armed hunter who is supposed to take on your role. Even without looking into everyone's eyes or listening to their whimpers, you have a feeling that all of them, perhaps except Inga, don't believe in everyone - and especially you - coming back to Talab alive. But you pay no heed to this foreboding realization - the force that pushed you to volunteer to occupy the lindwurm strangleholds you, pulling towards the approaching drake as if your frame is no longer under your command. And you run at it, with the mind unearthing the events of the day that cost you honor and the life of the Dalgaard's precious child. She had so much to live for... As a stream of thoughts turns into a waterfall, you struggle to keep the mind clear of what's coming.

And in these last moments before the clash, your attention narrows on the fire-spitting tonnes of lethal flesh ahead of you. The monstrosity, predictably, takes notice of your maneuvers, picking you for its crunchy starter before the main dinner course. Taught by the costly experience, you know that, even without hind legs, the immense size gives the slithering monster high mobility, which it won't hesitate to exploit. And that is precisely how the initial jostle resolves: you forcefully strafe to the right from the reptile's attempt to trample you, managing to land a grazing scratch onto the beast's tail with the glaive's hook. The damage is minor - a misplaced outer scale at best, meaning that you are up against an elder lindwurm with a hardened upper scales layer.

The loud gurgling noises indicate the beast's intent to spray you with flammable secretion, and you duck and roll away from the stream of heat, recovering and striving to close the distance with the monster. But alas - it recomposes and turns around its torso faster than you had hoped, immediately circling in for the second charge. This time, it attempts to grapple you with its clawed frontal arm while on the move - an attempt which you foil with a well-aimed thrust into the monster's paw. The collision force and the beast's recoil push you away from the deadly grip at the cost of almost losing balance. The pain stops the beast in its tracks, after which it swipes a wave of rocks and dirt with its tail at you. The artificial landslide would have sent you flying should you not take a firm side-block stane. With the balance retained, you immediately pedal back and to the left from the potential charge trajectory, through which the drake's belly sweeps in a couple of seconds, finding no disoriented prey to trample over.

In the hunting manuscripts you've read for a day like this, lindwurms were stated to be rather dumb cousins of true dragons, but this particular specimen proved clever enough to swap the tactic after two failed charges. Instead of going for you directly, it began to swipe debris and spew fire at you from a distance, intending to wear you down before the next attack. Yet, to rain all these hindrances at you, the beast had to hold a spot, offering you a risky but still a chance to get close enough for a strike meant to immobilize it. Without hesitation, you jump on this chance, sprinting in a zigzag pattern to avoid waves of dirt and streams of flame. With proper sprint angling, the debris turns insufficient to lower your velocity, but you are still not fast enough to dodge the heat from the lundwurm's fiery secretion; praised be paragons, your armor suffices to absorb and delay the heat to bearable degrees as you close in. From sensing the impending danger, the beast performs a heavy circular swipe over the ground in hopes of whip-smash you away with its tones of flesh, to which you drop your frame to cuddle the ground. The enormous scaly tail whooshes right behind your ears, scratching the shield on your back but failing to swipe you out as you clutch to the dirt.

With this maneuver, the beast kills your momentum but at the same time exposes its vulnerable side, offering a long-awaited opening. Spurred by the taste of blood in your mouth from hitting the backside of your helmet, you spring up from the ground like an ambush predator, not even noticing your own roar as you push all the strength into this quick charge. With the grip right under the blade of the glaive, you leap and deliver a downward thurst onto the top of the beast's side. Its scales absorb some of the force but reinforced by gravity and weight, the blade finds its way between the beast's ribs, sprinkling you with blood from the deep wound. It takes one more heartbeat and your consecutive stab into the new gap for the beast to rock the valley with its deafening screech and spasm its mighty frame.

The next thing you remember is flying for a moment before hitting the ground. The pain from the landing on your back is seizable, even if numbed by the rush of the fight. You suspect that at least a momentary blackout takes place from the impact, but in the fragment of the moment you start to think clearly again, you roll to the side, just as the army superiors taught you. Not even three seconds pass as the wildly thrashing beast hammers in the spot you landed on with its tail. You have but a few brief moments to stand up, realize that you lost the grip of your glaive mid-flight, and raise your shield against the clawed paw of the monster diving at you. Not a second too late, your shield and armor emit loud rasps from the beast's enormous claws. You managed to take most of the impact on the shield, deflecting the force to the ground, but one talon scratched your chest plate. Instinctively, your focus drifts at yourself, verifying that no - your guts weren't spilled, and the armor endured this mighty - if somewhat redirected - blow.

Taking no more chances, you use the beast's recovery time to make some distance from its thrashing zone, locate your glave, and pick it up. As you do so, the chaotic palette of sounds gets enriched by the swirls of arrows. Hunters, most likely have dealt with the previous target and exploiting the chance you provided by immobilizing the lindwurm, step into this game. Their bows arrows don't do much damage beyond distracting the beast, offering the spearmen brief windows of time to poke the frenzied monstrosity before retreating from its counters. Taking a few moments to catch your breath at the safer distance, you register that your plan had worked, but with this idea comes the realization the immobilized beast won't go quietly as the hunters wear it down. It is a matter of time when some of them make a mistake or overestimate themselves, only to be grilled alive or decimated on the spot. The grip on your glaive tightens when a thought sluices your mind like molten metal flowing into a mold: not again, not on my watch! And, once again pulled by the force that made you face the monster, you rush back at it with deadly intent.

On the run recounting the weak spots of lindwurms which you gathered from treatises, you make it back into the fray right at the moment when they retreat from under a strike the beast was about to unleash. You dodge the talons attack and deflect the follow-up with the glaive's blade, all while closing up to the beast's neck. It attempts to slam you in retaliation, but you are faster and slink behind the bestial fangs, almost at the strike distance from the thin-armored neck of the lindwurm. Outmaneuvered, the beast resorts to its penultimate deterrent - emits a jangling sound, and positions its maw to spew fire at you point-blank. Neither willing to retreat nor embracing the fate of becoming a canned kebab, you extend the glaive in a daring pierce onto the lindwurm's inner side of the upper jaw, the beast's maw away from you with the weapon with all your remaining strengths.

The stream of fire erupts in a moment, mixed with a painful roar. As the piercing pain prevents the drake from retraining its head at you or the hunting party, a column of flame passes right above you. The glaive's iron handle gradually heats up to the point when the temperature stings your palms through gauntlets, but you only squeeze it harder, controlling the motions of the injured pseudodragon. Before long, the latter runs of breath and yanks its head backward, exposing its neck. Not losing a moment, you reverse the grip on the crescent blade and, with an advance step and a turn of your frame, plunge the orange-glowing metal near the beast's trachea, where the pyrite gland is supposed to be. Upon landing the deep strike, you tilt the pole a bit, and a brief moment of silence ensues, with you, the lindwurm, and the hunters caught in this moment before the storm.

And the storm follows straight away: the air that comes through the wound reacts with the damaged gland juices, resulting in a localized explosion of blood, gore, and fire that yanks the polearm away from your grasp and glazes your front with a bark of dried reptilian blood. You stagger back while hunters flee, and the beasts begin to twist and coil and thrash in agony. A thought flashes in your mind that you might be screwed right now: the death throes of such a colossal beast produce a lethal zone in which you were now standing, resigned to attempt to flee and pray a random lash won't knock you cold on the way out or...

With the previously undiscovered ferocity, you leap onto the head of the monster, grappling to its horn and sinking sabaton's toe above its lower jaw. The drake continues to thrash and roll and beat against the ground, but your hold persists. The monster tries to spew fire in shock, but all that comes out is a wet, distorted botch of a roar. Hanging right by the beast's left eye, you make an attempt to reach for your dagger, with the clear, malicious intent to run it through the former. But, with an unfortunate roll of the monster, you lose your weapon when hit against the ground and then lifted up again with the lindwurm's head. After a brief moment of the situation recognition, you realize that there's no other way than to get dirty. Suppressing the disgust by the fury, you run your fist-clenched hand into the eye of the lindwurm, sinking it deeper in hopes to mess its brain. Total chaos ensues: the beast screeches, hunters yell, you roar, the whole world is shaking violently as you strike, sink, retract, and strike again as if in a trance. The craze feels like minutes even though it likely lasts for seconds, and finally, the bleeding, arrows-peppered carcass drops to the ground, bending one last time to the dying nerves, and going limp forever.

Your senses return to you slowly, after what felt like a minute of you still clinging to the head of the dead lindwurm, with your palm sunken into the gush of its brain, eye liquid, and blood. The heat of the fight slowly disappears, and the numbness goes away. However, your mind is occupied not with the bruises, burns, and the burst lip but with your emotions or, rather, the lack of such. As the frenzy thaws like a snow mound in spring, it leaves you with nothing: no jubilation, no satisfaction, no relief. Nothing. Is this what you would have felt should your first expedition to hunt a lindwurm succeed? Is this what Rosaline would've experienced should your desperate attempt to avenge her sister succeed? Is the absence of this experience why you found no heart to return to her in the moment of grief? Idiot. You feel like a complete idiot now.

Suppressing the growing frustration, you finally release your left hand from its disgusting prison, jumping down on the ground. The hunters recover from the shock of the scene and erupt in a triumphant choir. Some of them limping, all of them tired, but everyone's alive and up to give you a cheer, especially Inga. You, however, don't share their exultancy despite fulfilling the promise to their captain and achieving otherwise a significant feat. Lilian is still dead, and the only thing you did was slaughter a beast that even might not be the one who stole her life. The mild pain from several impacts begins to make itself known as you limp towards the landing spot of your damaged glaive and give the crowd a half-hearted wave with the not-that-smeared right hand. Only now have you come to recognize how dreadfully do you smell. The only silver lining being Amalia and Lucy are not around to see you like this.

As you lean over and pick up your weapon, the happy commotion goes quiet at the scream of one of the hunters.

"Captain!" He yells and points to the skies, "Look!"

Ah, crap. Here we go again, you think to yourself while reaching for your hand crossbow and looking at the wyvern flying to your location. This would be an even longer evening.

Corvet · Nov 21, 2021

[X] No. You have other business to take care of.
-[X] With Ulren's supervision, explore the Limbus side for Tevon-Talab in hopes to butter Mia into helping you to practice spiritology or gather new leads on your own. (-1 Karl's affliction treatment incompetency level, ???)

Finally caught up, now keep up the quality mate. I want to cure Karl sooner than later, as we now have all of our immediate concerns sorted thanks to Amalia and Ulren. I would vote to go with Issac and Jory would if not for Karl, Isaac is cuuuuute and my personal Husbando for Lucy (I mean, its so thematically appropiate, one heals the body, other the soul, one's speciality is talking, others is listening, both are very empathetic, and in general seeing him blush is AWWWWW), while Jory i feel gets too much hate, and i want him to see him grow as a character, guy had a rough hand and while it doesnt excuse him lashing out, it very much explains it.

Teloch · Nov 21, 2021

Corvet said:
[X] No. You have other business to take care of.
-[X] With Ulren's supervision, explore the Limbus side for Tevon-Talab in hopes to butter Mia into helping you to practice spiritology or gather new leads on your own. (-1 Karl's affliction treatment incompetency level, ???)

Finally caught up, now keep up the quality mate. I want to cure Karl sooner than later, as we now have all of our immediate concerns sorted thanks to Amalia and Ulren. I would vote to go with Issac and Jory would if not for Karl, Isaac is cuuuuute and my personal Husbando for Lucy (I mean, its so thematically appropiate, one heals the body, other the soul, one's speciality is talking, others is listening, both are very empathetic, and in general seeing him blush is AWWWWW), while Jory i feel gets too much hate, and i want him to see him grow as a character, guy had a rough hand and while it doesnt excuse him lashing out, it very much explains it.

The vote's closed (and is still pretty unanimous. No mage left behind, eh?). But with all these plans for the party, you might wanna have a word with @KrakenCaller8991 and @SnowSpartan . Maybe together you would even decide what to do with Jory and draw the *cough* naval maps *cough*.
As of now, the new art is in the making. Here's hoping I gonna be able to post it prior mid December. But until then, little nocturnal adventure it is! And a bit more lighthearted compared to the things the party had to go through recently!

KrakenCaller8991 · Nov 22, 2021

@Corvet

A Man of Culture too!!!!

Isaac is not someone I personally considered as a Husbandono for Lucy but with the factors you mentioned though, I am Intrigued!!

Also Yes, another who joins the "Jory needs a break" Club!!

I honestly don't know how to approach Jory as our entire persona triggers Jory of his horrid manipulative sister. Maybe try to bond with him via an increased friendship with both Amalia and Isaac. Have the three bond more with each other with us at the sidelines to Make him feel more safe and secure? Then approach more directly while trying to have best bro Ulren to ease up ~~and maybe get together with Seph.?~~

Lastly!!
Welcome to the Gang!!!

Teloch · Nov 22, 2021

KrakenCaller8991 said:
Ulren to ease up and maybe get together with Seph.?

Amalia right now:

Ok. How much did she pay you to be her agent?

Teloch · Nov 26, 2021

Huh?

Well, you can see if she misses you too :3
Seriously, though, it was quite a surprise to see how relatively popular she would wind up to be.

KrakenCaller8991 · Nov 27, 2021

Teloch said:
snip

Can You blame us? If Ulren is our big bro, Seph our big sis,and Amalia, our best friend.

Rosaline is our Cool Aunt/Teacher.

Bladesguy · Nov 29, 2021

I've done it! I've finally caught back up! I'm so happy to see that this story I found and adored ages ago is still going strong. Despite not having a particularly large audience, you have continued to update and flesh out this quest for years. With all of the sidestories, lore dumps, and art you have commissioned it shows us that you have an obvious love for the story you are telling. Seriously Teloch, thank you. It's QMs like you that keep me interested in questing and make me jealous of the fact I could never find anyone like you for DMing.

I'll look forward to the next update with baited breath.

Teloch · Nov 30, 2021

Bladesguy said:
I've done it! I've finally caught back up! I'm so happy to see that this story I found and adored ages ago is still going strong. Despite not having a particularly large audience, you have continued to update and flesh out this quest for years. With all of the sidestories, lore dumps, and art you have commissioned it shows us that you have an obvious love for the story you are telling. Seriously Teloch, thank you. It's QMs like you that keep me interested in questing and make me jealous of the fact I could never find anyone like you for DMing.

I'll look forward to the next update with baited breath.

Welcome back aboard, then :3

The reason why this particular story lives on while 96% of other original fic analogs die young is due to a bit different approach I have. I write not just a story of a cutesy angel navigating through a world too grim for her but writing the story of the fictional realm (which is a character on its own). Evident even from the title, the ongoing story is just one of the potential many taking place in this setting. Even now I have at least four premises and plans for the sequel stories. Some of them are legacy campaigns while some others take place in different periods (magicpunk WW1 anyone?), but again, the state of the world depends on the ongoing one. I'll disclose even more: Lucy and her crew already influenced the realm at large in two particular instances with more to come. It's harder to drop work on a tapestry compared to a patch, is it not?

But anyway, don't shy away from posting ideas, discussions, fan stuff, and whatnot in between the updates. The next one is about 50% done with 1 out of 3 scenes covered.

Teloch · Dec 5, 2021

Another night, another town promenade with Ren and Mia. It was just a week since the last time you had a night like this, but so much has changed over this week that it felt like an entire month, if not more. So, tonight, you treaded through the dusty streets with both confidence and awareness that anything unexpected may transpire. Fortunately, the warm, windless weather, clear sky, and the town succumbing to slumber established a magical atmosphere - something further enhanced by your ability to glimpse into the backside of this idyllic scenery.

Tonight, Mia's motions were sluggish in a way, ridden of the briskness during the first nighttime stroll. Clearly, she was getting used to your attempts of pampering her, but it's not like you haven't learned to enjoy moments like this yourself. Ren, whom you expected to be grumpy or at least pretending not to be such, was in an uplifted mood all of a sudden, humming some tune to himself. Apparently, almost a full day at the smithy did that to him, or maybe it was due to the lack of quarrels with Sephie of late - a streak worth mentioning in your journal, no less! He appeared to be content on just following you with these awkward humming on his lips, but even aware of his presence, you yearned for the more dynamic company - something you began to register regarding yourself in the last week.

With your fingers gliding over the new leather sheath attached to your belt and a pommel of an old knife "reborn" into a high-quality rondel, you initiated an exchange with Ren, aiming to clear out some remaining questions from when he presented it to you earlier today.

"Hey Ren, thank you again for reforging the knife. I hope my sentimental attachment to it did not bother you much."

"Hm? No - not at all. We - Bhiroths - experience attachment to trusty tools and items all the time. There are numerous traditions among hermadurs regarding their weapons of choice, starting from materials and design selection, crafting them, testing them, using and storing them, and ultimately passing or putting them to rest. Even the naming is seen as an essential step and a ritual."

"So, if it's ruled by a tradition, how exactly did you end up calling it Mercy?"

"First of all, the right of naming belongs to a smith, who names the weapon based on its design and their view of the intended owner. The last time you had to use that old knife was to banish the voidling from the conduit, which can be considered purification and, in a way, benevolence. Then, the temper of its intended owner. I don't imagine you using it for any malicious or even belligerent intent, narrowing it down to the last resort or a deliverance tool. And finally, it just fits way better than "heartseeker," "mailbreaker," or some other unimaginative nonsense upstarting smiths like to give."

"I see," you replied, brushing the engraved handle with a faint smile, "Now that you elaborated, I think the name suits it. Although, it does have an ominous vibe to it."

"How so?"

"The implication that the name might also mean putting someone out of their misery through taking their life, which if quite foreboding on its own, not even mentioning how anxious I am about ever winding up in a situation like that."

"Huh. If it disturbs you, then I can rename it to something of your choice. Unorthodox it may be, but as long as it would make you happier..."

"No. There's no need for it - it's just me having a hard time wrapping around my head the idea that mercy can be harsh sometimes, and for some souls, there's just no better way out. Even after us exorcising two void-possessed entities." You looked to the side at Ren, who was eyeing you back with an understanding, almost parental glance. "But never mind my grumbling - thank you again~" you chirped merrily, which instantly put a faint grin on the man's face.

"So, where are we heading tonight?" Ren made an attempt to keep up the chatter, "Or are we just strolling until your ghost cat calls it quits?"

"Oh!" you perked up as this was something you wanted to bring up, "Good thing you asked. Do you remember that night when a local patrol got assaulted?"

"What of it?"

"Before we ran to the scene of the clash, we approached an old ruin that once was a belltower. There was an improvised shrine in the place of its basement, inhabited by a peculiar spirit who even registered our approach. It seemed pretty harmless and definitely not a voidling, so I thought trying to communicate with it would supplement my recent spirification studies with much-needed practice."

"Are you sure about it? I mean the place and that event..."

"Yes, Ren. I've put it behind me already. I'll stay wary for this time and hope nothing of the kind comes to pass yet again. In this specific order."

In response, Ulren just grunted with satisfaction to your rather resolute statement.

"So, how are you progressing in studying this spirit magic of yours?"

"Pretty well, actually," you replied eagerly, motivated by Ren's interest in this facet of yours, "after the recovery raid, I moved closer to accepting this side of my nature and spent the coming days deepening its understanding and proficiency. Guess, this is what people call 'inspiration'"

Ren was about to specify something, but you found it hard to stop now: "For example, yesterday I've learned how to better assess others' souls through contrasting the readings against my own soul spark. And then, I managed to refine the ability to glimpse onto Limbus and witness concentrations of memory traces' on the level of ideas in the ambiance!"

Ren lifted a finger in a gesture that probably meant his intent to specify or ask something, which got ignored under the wave of your excitement. "Also, there seems to be a deep connection between thaumaturgy and arcane spirit aspect even on the level of soul's anatomy. This means if comprehended, treating Karl would be closer to arcane surgery in terms of precision than trying to cut a loaf of bread with an axe, which corresponds to my current metaphorical toolkit."

"So," Ren low-key interrupted you before you bathed him with your theory of how dispersing the thaumaturgic light onto a spectrum can theoretically change the ways it reacts with energies of different arcane aspects, "We are here tonight, so you could both coax the dead cat to be your test subject and for you to practice out the amassed theories in a field environment, which should ideally lead to your better control of the magic needed to get the mage back into shape without side effects?"

"Yes!" you chirped back with a happy ring to your voice, almost like a little gilded bell. However, a moment after this reply, it dawned onto you that you supercharged Ren with cuteness, making it hard for him to pick up the conversation. And so, you proceeded: "But enough about me; how was your day?"

"Mostly around the anvil and workbenches. The news of the day: Hjorn told that baathorians departed from the town this morning, meaning they might have presumed us dead or otherwise missing on the way to Tevon."

You knew Ulren well enough to notice something quite uncharacteristic of him: he wasn't displaying any signs of frustration from the party ultimately breaking a promise, even if a commercial one. Was he, perhaps, suspicious of something?

"You don't seem even half as upset compared to when we were approaching Tevon-Talab. Why?"

"The rouge told that she counted about three dozen baathorians in the suburbs and around the town, with many remaining untagged. Even without us among them, that's a host too large for a hunting party. Even if the mark is as humongous as behemoths or other Turanian apex beasts, that many people would compile three to five groups." Ulren flexed his shoulders and took a look somewhere ahead before nailing down his theory: "With the signs of tensions between Ertanghalians and Baathorians abound, there's a chance Aela might have concealed the true purpose of the build-up from us. The monster may or may not be an excuse or an asset in whatever she devised."

"So... do you presume we might have dodged an entanglement in the regional affairs at the cost of now having to get back to Lyf via the southern shore of Tzuh-Aran?"

"Can be." He answered dryly, then falling silent for a short moment as if trying to recall something, "Might be more probable than we think given how... what Aela's brother name was? Egon? Argon?"

"Ergon, I recall."

"Right. The way he approached us regarding this mission unseen by his sibling, who is also a nominal clan head, makes it even shadier."

You wanted to tell Ren how things turned out for the better despite his earlier worries. However, since the situation's resolution was still hung in the air, you refrained from voicing a prematurely optimistic comment, changing the topic instead: "Pretty busy day at the smithy then?"

"Aye. Hjorn spent the whole day over the set for the rogue. He back-shelved some mundane orders just to play with the parts and overall construction. Had to back him up with regular clientele so they wouldn't burn his fence out of spite over delays. Felt like nostalgia."

"There's some evidence that he lives in the smithy rather than in his hut."

"Uh-huh. And should you dingle his imagination, you'd never hear him shut up about the design and materials. Like, today, we've argued whether to make hip plates a part of the legs armature or to hang them to the belt. And just when we sorted it out, he mentioned how hard it would be to armor you." After saying that, Ren loudly inhaled some fresh springtime air, "Just like in the field arsenals during the days of the reservists' counteroffensive campaign."

You were about to voice your wonderment of how did they plot to "armor" you without even being polite enough to inform you about it, but an unexpected pulse ruined your plans: you've sensed the reading of Seph's soul spark at some distance behind you.

"Ren, I dearly hope you don't mind surprises..."

"What? Why would you say that?"

You turned around and spoke out, training your eyes at the corner of a typical Turanian loghouse with a carved doorframe: "Sephie, I know you're stalking us - you may as well come out now." Sounds not-so-different from those of an annoyed feline followed, punctuated with an impish grunt a moment before a familiar figure peeked out from around the corner.

"Why in Mother of Pain's grace are you following us?!" Ren, apparently, did not have an appetite for surprises at that eventing.

"Maybe because letting you two roam on your own sometimes ends up in unforeseen obligations?" She replied while approaching you with a heavily emphasized cocky gait. Ren grumbled something incoherent but did not try to protest - her claim wasn't wrong in the end.

"Maybe it is the weather or some unexhausted vim, but stretching legs seemed like a good idea along with preventing you from getting into even more trouble."

"Says the one who nearly set off half the town on us."

"But I would never!" Seph retorted with theatrically exaggerated indignation of a noblewoman while giving your blonde head a greeting brush. Somewhy, you smiled warmly.

"Regardless, do you have a plan in mind or just let your buttocks guide you toward awkward situations and mishap adventures?" Seph inquired while lining up with you and Ren.

"Sure, go on: pretend that you're not with us, and it certainly wasn't you who put us in long-winding trouble at Narvic."

"Ren, don't be a grump," you nudged him into his side with half of your punny strength, "you know she's just teasing you."

"Aw! Here goes my fun!" Seph answered after an exaggeratingly fake gasp, "Quick: chug him with liquor, cast your magic, or bash him over the head with something heavy so he might forget what you just said!" Ren's incoherent but pretty annoyed mumble followed to the other side from you.

"Sephie, I know you like Ren in your own strange way, but yanking him to acknowledge it so incessantly might be counterproductive~."

Ren made his best effort to pretend he did not hear what you just said but, before looking away, he twitched so hard that you almost felt it physically.

"Hah?! Now there, missy, you will leave me no choice but to raise the price for the next session of sweet-talking lessons if you'd use them against me like this. A dish of bagels would be a nice starter."

"I'm afraid there are no pastries to which Mia would guide us, and neither we would find any by the ruined - and likely haunted - belltower we're heading to. So, would letting you brush my wings be sufficient?"

A smile emerged on daeva's face; it was hard to miss her enjoyment from the companionship and being played with verbally. "A haunted tower? Again?! And who's Mia?"

"When we promenaded like this the last time, we approached a place where a belltower once stood. In its foundation, there was a shade - not a hostile one, from the look of it. And Mia is a phantom cat bound to the silver amulet I've picked up from a cave not far from Baitszun bridge." Following this answer, you produced the mentioned knick-knack from your pocket. You summoned a tiny speckle of light for Seph to distinguish the partial " ia" engraving on its back. "Yes, a letter is missing, so I just assumed it was M: it has a nice ring to it, does not clash with Lia, whom we have in our group already, and I'm almost sure it's she."

"Ooh. Do tell me, is she... fluffy?"

"Come again?"

"You know, if you can see her, maybe you can touch her too, and if so, did she feel flossy?"

"Ah, well, it'll disappoint you, but when she taught me how to interact with ghostly shades like herself, she felt like a lukewarm steamy mist."

"Guess with this daeva around, the critter's lucky to be dead already," Ren commented suddenly, reemerging from the earlier "I'm not with them" pretense, "Not much of its fur would've endured, otherwise."

"You do appear like someone who would secretly play with critters when nobody's watching. Are you sure you haven't used to bring home all the stray kittens and now deny it?" You almost suspected the implication of Seph drawing an analogy between you and kittens.

"I prefer warg mutts and other pooches. Thank you for your concern."

Nigh-immediately, a lively exchange followed, with Seph stressing how fabulous cats are and how she wished to have a pet desert lynx when she was little. Ren recounted the types of northern wildcats to daeva's unconcealed amusement, especially when he mentioned grumpy, chubby, and lonesome grassland wildcats, whose fur is denser than of any other animal. The observation of their latest exchanges getting friendlier behind the initial "tease wall" did not elude you. But as you followed them like a quiet listener you were, you noticed Mia's spark stopping spontaneously. In reaction, you took a moment to glimpse into the Nether, spotting the misty menace frozen on the spot with the tail lifted up and its tip angled at 90 degrees to the side.

Shegoat be clingy. The cat transmitted a message to you through the bond.

In response, you frowned lightly and formed a reply weaved from the memory traces: Some affection from you might do good, too.

Apparently, the cat took your remark as an act of insolence, not even worthy of a counter-point. All that you've got was a singular scornful twitch of the spectral critter's tail. Oddly enough, it fell perfectly within your expectations. Thankfully, Seph's reminding call-out for you saved you the embarrassment, prompting you to pick the pace and not make others wait.

Uneventfully, by the time the exchange between your oldest companions began to resemble a dying bonfire burning through some mundane small talk, you had reached the destination. Just like on that night of the urban incident, the limbus side of the town greeted you with its trademark green sepia. But due to your improved ability to see through Limbus, the eery yellowish phantom lights and a starry mist above the city, to which you were accustomed, were supplemented by cyan-ish hues spread across the town like a cobweb. From certain places where living souls emitted the most of collective ideas, concepts, and imaginations, glowing shapes like the ones you saw flowing from Hjorn's nether version of the smithy gradually soared up to the overhanging dream fog. The mist blazed with short-living localized flashes of cyan, pale green, and dim gold whenever they touched it. Until now, you knew Limbus for its terrors and mysteries, but this scenery made you ponder that the Nether realm isn't all made of grotesque and dread. Mayhaps it's not that bad after all?

Your somewhat mesmerized surveillance spree was rudely interrupted by what you reckoned to be Mia's angry hiss malformed by the Nether's dense ambiance. The ghost critter's cloudy shape has bent in an ark, with its phantom tail turning into a small but thick bush of gray hues. Following its instincts from life, the specter cat trained its glowing eyes at unfamiliar ghostly figure shyly peeking from the ruins of what once was either a belltower or a watchtower post. Momentarily startled (even though you were expecting an encounter like this), you waved your hand to your companions, signaling them to be at the ready; Ren reached for the handle of his mace while Seph's stance cocked up, prepared to spring at any moment.

There, below the weakly glowing spectral outlines of what seemed to be a belltower, a faintly glowing humanoid shape found refuge midst the old bricks and debris. It was hiding behind a pile of stones and weathered lumber, resembling an improvised altar of sorts. However, as if radiating from the times long gone, the specter's dim light lit up and reflected from the interior and objects long-missing - a proof of the entity dwelling the place and reigniting the mirage with its own memories. Although, the being itself did nothing except study you from the ruins of its abode. Even though the shade did not have a face, you've got a feeling that it was more afraid of you than you of it.

Judging by the shrinking of her tail, Mia came to the same conclusion, too, easing up her cattish attempt to look terrifying.

Thoughts? You inquired of your undead familiar.

Old, tired, curious. The cat responded by planting back the associations into your mind. Weirdly enough, if not for the "tired" part, this could've fit as Mia's self-characteristic.

It took you a couple of moments to brave through doubts. Still, in the end, you came up with a decision to directly communicate with the entity the same way you do with Mia. Hence, you reached for the memories of receiving amicable treatment and associated feelings in your heart, packing them into a short signal roughly meaning "Friendly?".

One heartbeat after, the figure startled you for the second time. Albeit, this time with the cheeriness of its reaction and cues: it made a tiny jump characteristic to a child who was offered goodies and even glimmered brighter for a heartbeat. Then, it left its hideout, standing where the entry doors had been and stretching its hand to you. Not the type of response you anticipated, but neither is something threatening.

The "what is going on?" question was written on the faces of your companions who had to witness you look at and interact with something they had no chance to see, and all while having your eyes glow with the light which Sephie characterized as "spooky." Aware of their rapidly growing puzzlement, you made an "it's alright" comment before approaching the spirit and extending your arm towards it.

Friendly. Help. Give? The weak and rough memory traces missives began to flow once your fingers touched the chilly haze of the spirit's form. Apparently, the ghost was so feeble that it needed contact with a medium to interact.

Perhaps, but what sort of help? Your answer took some time to assemble from the vestiges of former experiences and emotions.

Upon receiving your unspoken reply, the spirit also took a moment to process and compile a set of recollections, associations, and visages to form its plea. Then, for a moment, you felt the sentiments of durance and the feeling of being where you don't belong. But before you could inquire if the spirit wants you to liberate it, more signals came through: other, locked, ring, stolen. Upon receiving and parsing the message through the tactile link, you noticed the shimmer of the spirit noticeably fading. Evidently, it was running out of strengths from communicating with you, meaning a prolonged conversation was unfeasible.

But who stole it, or where it could be? And who are you? You weaved the latest reply, having little faith the spirit would sustain enough to answer it all.

Sunset. Leather. Dry. House. Ring. Bring. The faint glow of the phantom faded even more, making it barely visible in Limbuse's ambiance. As the spirit communicated this string of clues, it retracted its hand from you a bit, taking a long moment to gaze upon the mirage of his abode, either pondering or desperately trying to remember something. Then, it slowly touched your index finger again, delivering a labored follow-up: Rene. Guide.

Before you could think of anything, the Limbus gamma disrupted first and faded after due to a careful but insistent shake of your left shoulder. Ulren's concerned face staring down at you.

"What in paragons' grace is going on and are you fine?"

"I... I'm alright, thank you," you answered while regaining faculties, "Say, do you, perchance, know where townsfolk of Tevon-Talab dry up leather and hides?"

"Uhm... With the significance of hunting to the locals, nearly every yard in Tevon has a rack for skin drying. But if you'd ask me where most of the skinning and leatherworking takes place, it would be the tanneries not far from here - by the western edge of the town. Why?"

Without glimpsing back into Limbus, you felt the hidden presence of the fading spirit who identified itself Rene (you're not even sure if it was a man or a woman in life, and of which race). Apparently, it was recovering its meager strengths after interacting with you. It must be genuinely ancient to be so... weathered? But still, it pleaded for your help and, whether out of pity or the sense of duty, you felt like giving it a try.

"Ren, Sephie, I hope you don't mind a small adventurous detour?"

"Normally, I'm all for adventurous detours, but you better explain yourself and your odd behavior, lady," Even though Seph was kidding, there was some mild shock in her voice.

"Ren, would you kindly lead the way while I explain what did just happen?" you smiled charmingly to bhiroth as if nothing happened at all, getting an uncertain nod in return.
______________________________

And so you did, relaying all the details regarding the encounter. But no matter how thorough you were, the stream of questions from Seph and Ren saw no end. Why did the spirit want your help? If there is another soul bound to the ring, what does this ghost have to do with it? Who and from where stole this ring? Why was this ghost so weak? Even if the ring is found and brought back, what's the point of it? You had no answers to these legitimately reasonable questions flowing from your companions; it felt almost like they teamed up to interrogate you. Even so, some additional spirit magic practice could not hurt, just like a chance to do something good while at it.

While conversing and following Ren's lead, you were scanning the houses and their inhabitants' soul sparks. Most of them were landers, with some roths and even a few alvizians; young, adult, and senior alike. Despite sensing some aged voidling traces in the surrounding, there were no anomalies, no imps, demons, or other ghosts up until a peculiar reading entered your range of senses: it was unmistakenly a spirit bounded to an object. And a volatile one, at that.

You stopped in your tracks abruptly after processing the reading. It was coming from a decently-maintained two-storied loghouse with a decorated porch. Aside from the anomalous spirit, two more souls were inside - both landers, rather young-ish, conceivably a male and a female. You raised your hand and plainly stated: "There."

"Damn it," Ren mumbled when you pointed your finger at the premise of interest, and he saw candlelight coming from the slits of the window shutters, "was too much to hope for it to be abandoned, wasn't it?"

"I see no problem for as long as you don't charge in and turn everything and everyone upside-down, causing half the town to think that a new murder is taking place," Seph commented.

"Why would I do such a thing? And what do you mean by "see no problem"? We are asked to take property from unsuspecting townsfolk on their own turf!"

"The ring is on the second floor," you hushedly commented before the argument between Seph and Ren could escalate enough for citizens to hear, "there is a lander woman and a man on the first floor right now."

"Dining so late? Or maybe..." Seph smirked at the thought without completing it, "Might make the work easier in any case."

"Lu, please tell me there's a hound in the house before our horned rouge broke into it."

"Not in this one," you responded neutrally, "but that's a legitimate point: we might want to consider how do we get the bound item and avoid troubles."

"I sneak in, take the thing, and we get back to that ghost of Rene," Seph whispered nonchalantly, "If it to be believed, we'd be requisitioning a previously stolen good, so it's not even a thievery."

"And what if you get caught or fail to find the ring in time? Don't tell me you expect us to tear down the doors and bail you out."

"Why, thank you so much for having such high confidence in me~. If you were just as creative, I'm sure we would've been unstoppable."

"Maybe, just maybe, we should try talking to them?" You clanged in just in time to diffuse an argument.

"Oh, you sweet summer child, what makes you think they would be hospitable enough to hear out three absolute strangers who came to low-key accuse them of thievery? Like, do we have any sort of leverage that would keep them from flat-out denying possessing the item in the first place?"

"We do - it might raise some eyebrows among kherees once the rumor spreads out, but I can mention having friends in high places, who may or may not be interested in hearing of small-time thieves within the walls if that would help."

"Ooh, feeling creative today? Why won't you come up with a backup plan for my scenario, too? That would be the most flattering~."

"I may try stressing out the dangers of keeping a haunted item indoors. And if things go awry, then, perhaps, some distraction with light would let us retreat safely?"

"Lu, listen, magic is practical and all, but you are aware of just how much we need to keep others oblivious of what you can do."

You did not reply to that - just whined like an upset puppy.

"No time to kill, boys & girls. I'm not going to babysit you 'till dawn." Seph said excitedly, prompting you to make your mind already.

[] Diplomacy (Lucy's or Seph's hard persuasion skill check (24) OR Lucy's and Seph's easy performance skill checks (17), luck rolls)
-[] contingency: bribery (Lucy's or Seph's easy haggling skill check (17), luck rolls)
-[] contingency: intimidation (Lucy's, Seph's, or Ren's normal intimidation skill check (20), luck rolls)
-[] contingency: connections (small hit to reputation with Kheree hunters)
[] Burglary (Seph's very easy burglary skill check (14), Seph's easy sneaking check (17), Seph's normal balance skill check (20), Seph's luck roll)
-[] contingency: outside distraction (individual easy mobility checks (13), luck rolls)
-[] contingency: lights in and out (Lucy's easy arcane skill check (17), luck roll, public magic exposure, individual very easy mobility attribute checks (11), luck rolls)
-[] contingency: violence (big hit to reputation with Tevon-Talab and Kherees)

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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Tired Cultist

eYe Gaze baCk

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(Discrete Mokona)

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