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

veekie · Jun 13, 2022

So key things:
-We probably want to talk to the spirit this phase so we have a phase left to use any clues that come up.
-Who was the Voidling's target? What is the motive?
-Where did the Voidling originate from? We want to trace to the source ideally.

KrakenCaller8991 · Jun 13, 2022

Teloch said:
*thonks*

🤔

Where did I put my shovel again...

Jokes, aside, I have a stupid, stupid idea.

Tell Me More! Tell Me More

Teloch · Jun 13, 2022

KrakenCaller8991 said:
Tell Me More! Tell Me More

All in its time

veekie · Jun 14, 2022

[X] Try communicating with the remnant spirit in the watchtower (Exclusive to Lucifina)
-[X] Lucy

[X] Talk to someone regarding the series of murders. (Hard CHA check (20) OR Hard persuasion check (24), Luck roll)
-[X] talk to Elgar
--[X] Sephorah
--[X] Karl

[X] Help seeking for the missing person. (Reconnaissance skill roll, geography lore skill roll, huntsmanship skill roll, nature skill roll, perception attribute roll, luck roll)
-[X] Ulren

Lucy does ghost talking, Karl with Sephorah on the questioning(I'm not sure if Inga is the best pick, anyone got clues on who best to ask?) so he could possibly provide another angle on whatever she pries out.

Ulren's got the recovery down.

KrakenCaller8991 · Jun 14, 2022

[X] Try communicating with the remnant spirit in the watchtower (Exclusive to Lucifina)
-[X] Lucy
[X] Talk to someone regarding the series of murders. (Hard CHA check (20) OR Hard persuasion check (24), Luck roll)
-[X] talk to Elgar
---[X] Do no disclose the leads on the murderer
--[X] Sephorah
--[X] Karl
[X] Help seeking for the missing person. (Reconnaissance skill roll, geography lore skill roll, huntsmanship skill roll, nature skill roll, perception attribute roll, luck roll)
-[X] Ulren

@veekie

I agree with your plan for the most part but I think Elgar might have an idea as he had a mini investigation quest we ignored in favor of learning more spiritology and helping Karl.

Maybe we shouldn't reveal any leads until after the spirit talks and Ulren's hunt.

Teloch said:
"Uhm. I came to ask you for help. Not on behalf of kherees, but myself. Before venturing on that rescue raid for Altan, I could not imagine the scope of your talents when it comes to reading places and sensing entities, so I thought maybe you would be willing to help me find out about my mentor too?"

"Did he also disappear?"

"No. Well, yes, but not in the way you might have thought. You see - he's dead. And was reported dead for several months now. He went on an extermination raid with other experienced hunters and never came back. Those who returned stated that he was torn to bits and devoured by a frenzied behemoth, but..." Elgar stumbled for a couple of moments, thinking how to better relay what was going on in his head. "I know it must sound pathetically sentimental, but I did not have a chance to say goodbye to him or to ask the questions that now will never be answered, so, I just thought, if you could help me to get at least some answers from the memories he might have had in his last days?"

veekie · Jun 14, 2022

KrakenCaller8991 said:
Maybe we shouldn't reveal any leads until after the spirit talks and Ulren's hunt.

I think we only get a say if Lucy is doing it.

Aetherstorm · Jun 14, 2022

[X] Try communicating with the remnant spirit in the watchtower (Exclusive to Lucifina)
-[X] Lucy

[X] Talk to someone regarding the series of murders. (Hard CHA check (20) OR Hard persuasion check (24), Luck roll)
-[X] talk to Elgar
--[X] Sephorah
--[X] Karl

[X] Help seeking for the missing person. (Reconnaissance skill roll, geography lore skill roll, huntsmanship skill roll, nature skill roll, perception attribute roll, luck roll)
-[X] Ulren

Genesys · Jun 14, 2022

[X] Try communicating with the remnant spirit in the watchtower (Exclusive to Lucifina)
-[X] Lucy

[X] Talk to someone regarding the series of murders. (Hard CHA check (20) OR Hard persuasion check (24), Luck roll)
-[X] talk to Elgar
--[X] Sephorah
--[X] Karl

[X] Help seeking for the missing person. (Reconnaissance skill roll, geography lore skill roll, huntsmanship skill roll, nature skill roll, perception attribute roll, luck roll)
-[X] Ulren
seems sensible enough

Teloch · Jun 16, 2022

Mkay, it's safe to assume that the picked scenario won't be overturned.

Scheduled vote count started by Teloch on Jun 12, 2022 at 6:07 PM, finished with 9 posts and 4 votes.

4 people have voted
[X] Try communicating with the remnant spirit in the watchtower (Exclusive to Lucifina)
-[X] Lucy
4 people have voted
[X] Help seeking for the missing person. (Reconnaissance skill roll, geography lore skill roll, huntsmanship skill roll, nature skill roll, perception attribute roll, luck roll)
-[X] Ulren
3 people have voted
[X] Talk to someone regarding the series of murders. (Hard CHA check (20) OR Hard persuasion check (24), Luck roll)
-[X] talk to Elgar
--[X] Sephorah
--[X] Karl
1 people have voted
[X] Talk to someone regarding the series of murders. (Hard CHA check (20) OR Hard persuasion check (24), Luck roll)
-[X] talk to Elgar
---[X] Do no disclose the leads on the murderer
--[X] Sephorah
--[X] Karl
- KrakenCaller8991

Mmmmm... interesting.

Seph:
Charisma: 17+13 = 30 (Epic)
Persuasion: 2+11 = 13 (Trivial)
Luck: 38=38>2 (no influence)

Karl:
Charisma: 13+9 = 21 (Hard)
Persuasion: 18+7 = 25 (Hard)
Luck: 38>22>2 (no influence)

Ulren:
Recon: 15+9 = 24 (Hard)
Geography lore: 10+11 = 21 (Normal)
Huntsmanship: 3+7 = 10 (Elementary)
Nature lore: 18+9 = 27 (Hard)
Perception: 2+7 = 9 (Trivial)
Luck: 38>26>2 (no influence)

Verdict: good on you for teaming up Seph and Karl for they would compensate for each other's weaker rolls (watchful cop & chatty cop situation). As for Ulren... while not a total flop, it would take him and the search party longer to accomplish their task (he won't be present for the phase 3)

PS: seems like Karl is starting to get into the role of a detective...

Teloch · Jun 20, 2022

Fragment of conversation with Karl Norskov on Bloom 17 of the year 1469

You wish me to tell you about the body arcane aspect? Not that I'm annoyed or anything, but haven't we had a talk about thaumaturgy yesterday, and don't you have Leofric Vaughan's tome with you? Of all the Lyf academics, your patroness used to hold him in high regard, about which she rarely forgot to remind me... Oh, so you'd like an opinion of someone directly associated with the higher arcana practitioner's circles, the workings of the metaphorical kitchen, so to say. I'd give you this, Lucifina: your proficiency with flattery is becoming dangerous. But, well, consider me bought for this one.

So... With your levels of interest and involvement in the arcane spirit aspect, you are undoubtedly knowledgeable about how it is perhaps the most heatedly debated topic in the arcanists', philosophers, and scholars' circles. But, if you would ever need to find an example of people's double standards and the desire to win social points by following the herd, go no further than the debates around ethics of the spirit aspect manipulations and the blatant absence of such in regards to the body one. Why blatant, you ask? You see: the spirit and body arcane aspects are considered "siblings" in most archetypical models that list life belt magic, while mind and emotions are - for the better phrase - their "cousins." That being said, while the spirit aspect operates the very core of all beings, the body facet encompasses the mantle into which this core is nested. It would be a folly to suggest that our frames, through which we not only operate but form, are less important than our souls. And yet, whether it is halls of the Lyf academia or a soiree of the major arcana practitioners, the odds are you would hear about the somatic magic only in the context of someone getting rid of a pesky migraine with its help lately.

The most popular reasons for this are the ordinary carelessness of people about their health until it gets degraded and the disinclination of audiences to dig below the conventionally-accepted beliefs or thoughts more than required. So, if we roll with the latter reason, an average person who knows at least bare minimum about theurgy would say something like, "the body arcane aspect is a branch of magic which belongs to the life belt division, works through the law of empathy just like its siblings, and focuses on manipulating the innate lifeforce of entities involved." If the said person is not just an amateur but a curious one, they would likely mention a whim of the "Vitae as a bodily substance" theory and list several ways a healer could manipulate it through transfusion or circulation tampering. As cute as it would've been of them, they would barely scratch what the body aspect truly is.

You see, somatic magic is the most scholastic branch of the aspects tree, boasting the highest possible synergy between the distilled knowledge of the subject and possibilities offered by arcane methodology. On this immense foundation, multiple schools and sects of healers and body sculptors were formed. Most of them are of the Alvizian origins, like corpus chorists, who learn to attune to the "tones" of a body and, through parsing it reveal all of its secrets, starting from its general vigor, weak & strong points, and the harmony of the entrails. Or the leechers school, who have chosen blood as their primary medium of operation. By sampling it, they could not just describe the status and processes within organisms but also relay a lot about their lineages' traits, the backlog of phylogenesis, and even the imagery of their possible offsprings; no wonder they are famous in Alvizian kingdoms. Even these savage lands we are now forced to navigate through have their own school of healers: the fleshweavers. As you can imagine from the name, it has a whole lot to do with bones and tissues. Perhaps, I'll pass on the further detalization, if you don't mind.

Due to the persistency and universality of the empathic principle among all the life belt aspects, it's no surprise that the most physically developed mages would have an easier time reaching the immense depths of this domain. But, perhaps the most rawly endowed with the arcane body aspect proficiency are the gvuroths. As you might have guessed, gvuroths are the physically mightiest among everyone recorded with the somatic bound. Their potency in manipulating vitae, modifying the principal architecture of any flesh, and the firmness of control over the corporeal processes are simply unparalleled. While scarce in numbers, gvurothean grandmasters of the bodily magic are said to be able to restore living beings' lost limbs in close semblance to gvuroth's natural gift but without the protracted agony tied to it. Fixing the hereditary flaws of the flesh is also considered to be within their competencies. And I'm not even touching on all the stories of the miraculous restorations from the brink of death or even back from its antechamber.

Suffice to say, even without ever reaching the absolute peak of the somatic domain attunement and after losing some of it due to age, Claudius is still one of the - if not the most qualified flesh sculptor in the Lyf kingdom. However, as a life belt practitioner, you must be more than aware that the life belt domains are just tools in people's arsenal, which bestows the choice and responsibility for how to use them. The shocking stories of malicious body aspect mages committing heinous traumas, hideous amalgams, or creating mockeries of life are not exactly unheard of, but let's not dwell on it for now, shall we? After all, my rant is to educate you a little and not fill your imagination with even more morbid imagery.

Ahh... I told you that the body arcane aspect is way more profound than it appears on the surface. What? Are you, by any chance, think there's a story behind my enthusiasm about it? Well, you wouldn't be entirely wrong: they say that a pasture is always greener on the other side, so as an elemental belt mage, I am drawn towards the fruit I'll never savor. Or, perhaps, I knew someone engulfed in it a long time ago, subconsciously having a soft spot for everything they associated with... And maybe they would've held the same sentiment if only I was a better friend... or even just a better person...

Teloch · Jun 20, 2022

*looks at the codex queue*

Oh nyo! Ren is next in line for Lucy's pestering! >__<

Anyway, the next update is comin' soon. I also preparing another art surprise for you. Any guesses, perhaps?

veekie · Jun 21, 2022

Teloch said:
Anyway, the next update is comin' soon. I also preparing another art surprise for you. Any guesses, perhaps?

Longshot - Voidlings

Teloch · Jun 21, 2022

veekie said:
Longshot - Voidlings

Something more preposterous

KrakenCaller8991 · Jun 21, 2022

Teloch said:
Something more preposterous

Inevitable Anime School au? or Jory being happy and having found his balls?

Teloch · Jun 21, 2022

KrakenCaller8991 said:
Inevitable Anime School au? or Jory being happy and having found his balls?

Although, no. Not exactly.

Teloch · Jul 6, 2022

veekie said:
Longshot - Voidlings

KrakenCaller8991 said:
Inevitable Anime School au? or Jory being happy and having found his balls?

Alright, folks. As you might have seen in this story, as a writer, I pushed characters through some pretty unpleasant situations to push the story and their development forth. Sometimes, I even feel bad for not letting them have something good for once, but this time, I might have gone even further beyond for nothing more than scientific curiosity.

And this is my partner in this weebinization ~~travesty~~ experiment

Zaealix · Jul 6, 2022

I haven't been following this story nearly as consistently as I should have been since like…A little past Chapter 2 I'd say.
But I'm not sure I get why this Saph is a sadder/angrier Saph then the one we have hanging with Lucifina, playing shoulder devil to Luci's shoulder angel.

Teloch · Jul 6, 2022

Zaealix said:
I haven't been following this story nearly as consistently as I should have been since like…A little past Chapter 2 I'd say.
But I'm not sure I get why this Saph is a sadder/angrier Saph then the one we have hanging with Lucifina, playing shoulder devil to Luci's shoulder angel.

Just a little experiment of shooting a character with japanizing beam and illustrating a few extra facial expressions for the wider overview's sake.

Genesys · Jul 6, 2022

sad and mad for being japanized and then stuck into dress obv

KrakenCaller8991 · Jul 6, 2022

Teloch said:
Alright, folks. As you might have seen in this story, as a writer, I pushed characters through some pretty unpleasant situations to push the story and their development forth. Sometimes, I even feel bad for not letting them have something good for once, but this time, I might have gone even further beyond for nothing more than scientific curiosity.

And this is my partner in this weebinization ~~travesty~~ experiment

First thing's first...... Cute! CUTE!!!! Seph is really rocking that dress!!!

No shame in weebinization as it's inevitable like gravity!

Second, yeah @Zaealix Yeah I can see what you mean with this Seph showing a more sad and vulnerable side to her. Her third expression portrait with the wide eyes is that while she stares, "Kill Bill" sirens play.

This could be what Seph is really like underneath her facade given her past with those syndicate folks.

Also @Teloch was there something like a ball or masquerade story beat planned if we went for the "Milton Hodges, somewhere in Rabenia Dukedome - the former part of the Lyf kingdom to the east."?

Teloch · Jul 6, 2022

KrakenCaller8991 said:
No shame in weebinization as it's inevitable like gravity!

Are you...
<__<
>__>
~~implying there should be more victims?~~

KrakenCaller8991 said:
Also @Teloch was there something like a ball or masquerade story beat planned if we went for the "Milton Hodges, somewhere in Rabenia Dukedome - the former part of the Lyf kingdom to the east."?

It was supposed to be a gothic-themed urban module, so yea. ~~Along with the inevitable sewer level.~~

veekie · Jul 6, 2022

Teloch said:
Are you...
<__<
>__>
~~implying there should be more victims?~~

Are they really victims?

Teloch · Jul 7, 2022

veekie said:
Are they really victims?

Hmmm... Given how the trends in regard to animu male characters (overall, there are way more H illustrations with naughty bits of dudes than the proper ones with their faces n everything), let alone male characters of the race that is hypermasculine by design, the actual victim would be the artist tasked with Ren's nipponization.

But jokes aside, I'm starting to suspect that this setting of mine fits oddly well for the anime-sque visual presentation. Like, even the races' design fits neatly into popular jrpg character tropes and aesthetics philosophy (significant traits hyperbolization while everyone is still conveniently human-looking, at least two racial groups are saturated with ~~fanservice~~ glamor to the brim, optimization for both western and eastern versions of the dirt-old five-man-band trope). And the funniest part - it wasn't intentional. The only thing this setting is lacking to become a viable hotbed for Final Fantasy-like products is intentionally cute miniature (and frequently annoying) mascot creatures.

Varder · Jul 7, 2022

Teloch said:
The only thing this setting is lacking to become a viable hotbed for Final Fantasy-like products is intentionally cute miniature (and frequently annoying) mascot creatures.

Lucy has her cat though.

Teloch · Jul 7, 2022

Varder said:
Lucy has her cat though.

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

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