It's a Girl's World -- And Lilly wants Adventure

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Slyvena said:
Each other's eyes. Valerie's not a monster ;)
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Click to shrink...

This does not reassure me at all!

Hoo boy, I hope the dice are kind for this play here... If we've got a godling coming after us and all, I guess we're about to have an object lesson of "Higher ranks are not necessarily the better choice in Ethos", huh?

Well, at least under the assumption that we just don't get insta-gibbed because "The exception is Apotheotic Ethos, those are basically invincible".

Still.

If you're going to find yourself in likely impossible to avoid conflict with a godling, it's best to do so when they've apparently rejected society in favor of just beelining for power, and had the good/bad luck to meet no meaningful opposition to develop their Ethos, huh?
 
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[X] Vague explanation. Hint at powerful and mysterious forces being at work. That your Ethos is unique from others in ways that would be trouble if it was revealed.
[X] (Power) You're physically stronger now. What are you limits? How far can you push things?
[X] Gushing. You are incredibly grateful and will make sure both your father and Mathew know it.
[X] The best possible time to expand the scope of your abilities is during training. Once in a life-time opportunity. You can trust Mathew, he can probably even give you novel advice you wouldn't think of yourself.
[X] The roots sank deep, searching, yearning, until finally, water.
[X] Brave Blood (Common)
[X] Intuitor (Common)
 
[X] The whole truth. Both of your Ethos and of what reached out to you in the Forest that night. Swear your father to silence.
[X] (Family) Chariot can be put out to graze, feedstock for the pigs can be replaced and bails can be moved. Unlike anyone else, you'll still be fresh and ready when you're done.
[X] Gushing. You are incredibly grateful and will make sure both your father and Mathew know it.
[X] The best possible time to expand the scope of your abilities is during training. Once in a life-time opportunity. You can trust Mathew, he can probably even give you novel advice you wouldn't think of yourself.
[X] Claw scratched and tail lashed, but the bark remained unmarred.
[X] Brave Blood (Common)
 
[X] The roots sank deep, searching, yearning, until finally, water.
[X] Claw scratched and tail lashed, but the bark remained unmarred.

[X] Engraver (Common)
[X] Intuitor (Common)
 
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[X] The whole truth. Both of your Ethos and of what reached out to you in the Forest that night. Swear your father to silence.
[X] Gushing. You are incredibly grateful and will make sure both your father and Mathew know it.
[X] The best possible time to expand the scope of your abilities is during training. Once in a life-time opportunity. You can trust Mathew, he can probably even give you novel advice you wouldn't think of yourself.
[X] Claw scratched and tail lashed, but the bark remained unmarred.
[X] Brave Blood (Common)

My one deviation from Alectai's plan would be:
[X] (Power) [Cleaver of Fortune] has gained a new feature. But you still don't really understand what it could do before that. Experiment and try to suss out how to actively put it use.

Chores are nice, understanding our power over fate itself may be a bit more pressing. Glancing over the discussion, Intuitor might be better for "wider" proficiency if the 7 month deadline was all we had to worry about, but Valerie's a'coming to rip out our soul and we need. Cash. Now.
 
Not intending to double-post, there's a few interesting things when looking over the character sheet and choices so far.

  • For our Level 2 skill for Dream Within the Forest, our sentence descriptors get longer, but the only repeat seems to be "climb toward the sunlight". Which brings up the question of if we can get locked out of a skill by progressing too far, which invites a whole "width vs depth" discussion. Unfortunately, Lilly will most likely never get access to enough information to get that kind of preplanned decision (Lore Wardens might have drafted up skill trees for certain classes, but given our initial interview, they don't seem likely to share).
  • While I will trust that the "Rungs of Wisdom" skill will never intentionally lead us astray, it seems to have a few key limitations: it pops in at random times, it doesn't give context or explanations for why its advice will work, and most importantly, it can respond to questions Lilly directly considers. While it is able to provide abstractions and projections (i.e. Lilly not being able to hide her condition if apprenticed as a healer), it can't warn us about Valerie unless Lilly specifically considers "What's the worst that could happen in the next month or so?".
  • The two big factors for our Ethos seem to be Sync and Divergence. While there has been some hint of the importance of Sync in the story (Service to Man is fading while Brave Blood has a stronger connection than when we first had the option), it's unclear what Divergence is. If I had to guess, embracing our Ethos causes them to level up faster, while neglecting or rejecting it will cause progress to stall or regress. This could be bad for the healer apprenticeship, as I could see this being used to "break them down and build them back up", intentionally provoking a level down and then leveling back up until Lilly picks up a healing skill and then keeps focusing on the path. In that case, it's in our best interest to try and level up the class as much as possible, both to provide a viable alternative to contribute to society, and to hopefully make trying to "fix us" more trouble than its worth.

At any rate, I'm enjoying the story so far, and I look forward to the next update.
 
First draft finished tonight. Bunch'a fun stuff in this one coming up :)

We'll see if I can get it out tomorrow but I reckon the weekend is still looking more likely. The thing is a bit of a hatchet job when it comes to polish.

Also half finished an Informational Post on Ethos development dynamics and common wisdom. Since Lilly is now stepping into multiple possible avenues to gain access to that info, your choices at the end of this chapter will determine how quickly it becomes available though.

edit: Also #sorrynotsorry but it's gonna rival 1.5 in size.
 
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1.7 Acceptance
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] The whole truth. Both of your Ethos and of what reached out to you in the Forest that night. Swear your father to silence.
    [X]     (Family) Chariot can be put out to graze, feedstock for the pigs can be replaced and bails can be moved. Unlike anyone else, you'll still be fresh and ready when you're done.
    -----Synergy Bonus: Partial time for of 2nd​ place vote. Try to suss out [Cleaver of Fortune].
    [X] Gushing. You are incredibly grateful and will make sure both your father and Mathew know it.
    [X] The best possible time to expand the scope of your abilities is during training. Once in a life-time opportunity. You can trust Mathew, he can probably even give you novel advice you wouldn't think of yourself.
    [X] Claw scratched and tail lashed, but the bark remained unmarred.
    [X] Brave Blood (Common)

    - - - - Acceptance
    4th​ Day, 3rd​ Moon, LE 2302

    This morning you would have deflected the question. So much has happened since then. Uncertain futures are rushing toward you uncomfortably fast, unstoppable as the tide. You don't know if you'll pull ahead or get lost in the swell. Your father has opened up to you like you'd never thought possible, that honestly still feels half unreal from the suddenness. You stand here in your father's workshop, watching him slowly work you over for some important project to help you prepare for the future. Seeing the concentration, care and skill being expended all for your sake. A truth blooms, clicking into place for you.

    I don't want to do this alone.

    You thought you were fine. You'd accepted you were different and that you'd have to prove yourself to anyone and everyone before they would give you a chance. That secret doubt that maybe you wouldn't ever be enough was stuffed as far down inside as you could push it. You've been hiding the parts of yourself that would cause strife for so long you could almost get lost in the lie. Today, that wall of separation has been continually sieged by love.

    Right here, right now, is an offer. Do you keep taking burdens onto yourself to bare alone… or share them?

    Maybe you're selfish. You know that that the truth could be dangerous to those who hear it, but the thought that if you commit to secrecy and solitude you might never ever stop is enough to make you sweat with panic. The dream of the powerful respected adventurer, it rings hollow if you can't share each step with those you care for. Now that you've started to reconnect with your family, you never want to lose that again. You'll do almost anything to keep that acceptance.

    So you tell Dad everything.

    You are so afraid he won't believe you. That he'll think you a liar. The fact that until this moment he would have been right to think that fills you with no small amount of shame.

    So you pick the perfect moment to begin your tale. There are certain points in runecraft where you must finish what you started, you really can't stop. Father has taught you enough that you recognise these points. You begin your explanation right when he couldn't possibly interrupt, hoping he will be convinced of your sincerity by the time that is no longer so.

    Your voice is a whisper, barely heard in your own ear, "I nearly died in that forest." Your father visibly tenses, intently listening as you go on even if he must continue his movements. "There was something else there, when my Ethos came to me, it stepped in too." The memory makes you shudder. Your head feels light and your throat tight, but you must press on, "It hurt so bad Father!" This isn't what you thought you'd be saying, thick tears begin to well, gathering to streak down your chicks where they fall to the floor. "I can't even describe it, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't scream. I was so scared and I couldn't do anything except hope to die!" You are wailing now. More than anything you want to hug your father right now, but as bound as he is to continue so too must you remain still. Between heaving breaths, you just keep going.

    You thought you had decided to share the facts of the situation, but you are a dam with a hole punched through, everything rushing out with it in a single gushing stream. You see now that the unbridled beauty that you've found through [Dream within the Forest] has been a continual escape from the memories of exactly what else happened in that clearing. Now you are laid bare, rambling every worry and fear your little heart has held.

    Somehow between everything else, you get out the essential details. Your father's face going through several cycles of shocked, concerned and blank. Eventually you stop, having emptied your soul. Before you can think another thought, you are swept up in your father's arms as he holds you tightly to his chest. "My dear Lilly, it's going to be okay, we are going to find a way through this," he gasps through heaving tears of his own.

    More is said. Simple comforting things, whispered between each other's embrace.

    And for a while, all is forgotten, the world and workshop fading away. All except for your father and his arms wrapping around you.

    - - -

    You are believed. You are accepted. Also, in your father's own words, "I am not even slightly ready to process everything."

    So further discussion is tabled. That doesn't stop your time in the workshop together from stretching late though. Your father informs you that his Ethos has expanded 'toward you' throughout your tale. The nature of your dual Ethos (which prior to your explanation had been confusing his 'integration lines') has pushed him past some unseen threshold. This of course means, joy of all joys, more measuring. Your conversation turns to lighter topics as the task is resumed. Though for the most part you both remain silent and at ease in emotional release and exhaustion. It is quite late when you both retire for the night.

    You haven't really felt properly tired since your awakening, but today has well and truly taken it out of you. Healing yourself tired you physically and unloading on your father has tired you mentally. You fall into bed already almost half in a dream, Marcus stirring without waking. You thoughts turn to imagined clashes of steel and weapons of more exotic make. Tomorrow might actually turn out to be the best day of your life. Despite the excitement, sleep claims you quickly.



    - - - - -



    Sometimes you dream, even when she is gone. So much has changed since the last time the girl visited you. The thoughtless void banished by the swirling symphony of consciousness. It shall recede again on her departure, but right now your leaves sing and your roots dance with gratitude and adoration. As one grows, so too does the other. If one of you withered, then so too would the other diminish. Through her you have become thick, vast and strong. Yet as you take in your benefactor's form, you feel fear for the first time in your existence. She is a soft fragile thing, so easily unrooted. So vulnerable to both wind and talon. You thrash and whip your branches in concern, growing thorns of frustration. A yearning rises from the core of your being, pushing out into the slowly widening essential strand that connects you. The girl has given you so much of herself, so you gift her your deepest parts in return. She drifts away from you now, but your heart swells in anticipation of her return.



    - - - - - 5th​ Day, 3rd​ Moon, LE 2302



    The first time [Dream Within the Forest] expanded, you slept through it all. This time is completely different. No sooner does the Dream fade that you bolt upright in bed entirely awake, by some miracle not disturbing Marcus beside you. Your whole body writhes and wriggles beneath your skin, like being tickled so bad in almost hurts spread across every part of you. You clutch the covers in fistfuls as the squirming waves wash around and through you over and over. Your eyes take in thick clumps and knots of something continually migrating in visible (and uncomfortable) lumps across your body.

    Before you can make sense of what is happening to you, a familiar cold otherness reaches out from that which is nowhere. A gibbering undulation of nonsensical motion that pierces and deposits some tiny piece of something inside you. As it retracts away into nothingness, you think for a single moment you might have seen a warmth hiding within the centre of the cold, but it is already gone. The choice awaits you again, a new Ethos.

    Perhaps on another day you may have chosen [Intuitor], but you are concerned for what is happening to your body right now, the notion of added strength is a comfort and potential safety net, you choose [Brave Blood] hoping it makes things better.

    And it makes things so much worse.

    In a single moment, shorter than a breath, you gain an entirely new sense. It is roiling infinite explosive potential resonating through everything that exists. An expansive white noise of billions of distinct patterns, each one capable of outworking some profound action, yet lost within the overlap of the others. You are nearly struck deaf and dumb by the sheer enormity of that awareness before you, that the triggers for sudden radical change exist and always have existed around you at all times, a series of taut strings waiting to be snapped. Pithe, you don't know how, but you know it.

    The resonance shifts and clicks, the swirling infinity becoming far off as a pattern locks into place inside you. {Pulse Surge}, its name tattooed on your mind. Your heart immediately ramps up to a sprinting pace, each downbeat momentarily giving you access to strength multiple times your natural limits.

    'Marcus!' You scream internally to yourself, willing and pleading with every fibre of your being to not move as your brother remains blissfully unaware of the immense danger he is in. It is your love for him that holds you still, knowing a single errant flinch might break his tiny arm resting against you.

    Eventually, you manage to ramp your heart back down. The pattern inside you, {Pulse Surge}, ceases drawing from the vibrations of the Pithe Resonance that you can feel in every direction. When you feel it's safe, you gingerly slip out of bed and walk outside; not entirely certain your family is safe near you if you were to have another heart attack.

    You sit on your front porch taking in the scenery, feet dangling in the grass. There is no moon tonight. Your only real sight is Natural Energy, extending out a few times the width of your home in each direction (though occluded by any long dead wood as usual). You are restless and concerned, a lot of what just happened is not normal, especially one thing.

    Forget Pithe. You knew warriors drew upon some omnipresent force. Natural Energy never did anything around members of the Watch in Harmuph that you saw so you were expecting one day to feel the... Resonance, or whatever. It's less threatening now that its receded with {Pulse Surge} locked in place. Even your new ability is actually not that bad anymore, you are increasingly confident you can control its activation now. Something else worries you.

    The fact that you can barely feel the cold night air. Or the coarse grass on your toes.

    You came out here in a simple light shift, you should need Natural Energy to keep you warm. The grass is tough and thick by the porch, it should feel prickly.

    Nope. Almost nothing.

    You hold your hand up to your face. The skin looks like skin, Natural Energy still flows around and from within as it always has. Yet, your wood memory is also there, some sort of confused echo almost as if your hand were half-

    !!!

    You wrap your knuckles hard against the porch.

    -'Thunk'-

    A deep tone. Not the sound of flesh, but of hard wood against wood. You felt it, but your knuckles are not scratched at all. You sit there holding yourself, there is no give in your flesh against anything you press into it. It can move, but possesses a strange duality against any outside force.

    So you're tough now, strong too when you quicken your pulse. It's everything you've ever wanted, and it's all wrong.

    'This isn't how Ethos work,' You think to yourself. Every time one of your Ethos has expanded, it's always gone in some new and reimagined direction. But that's not how it should work, otherwise every adult you know would be spouting all kinds of weird and diverse abilities from the couple dozen expansions even a commoner can reach. An Ethos redevelops and reinforces itself, it doesn't branch out into a reimagined expression every time. That happens sometimes, perhaps one in every five you think. Yours have done it every time. You don't just choose more than one Ethos; each of your Ethos continually reexpress themselves. How much can you be changed until you're no longer the same girl anymore? It's scary and also exciting in a way, but worries you; if each new expansion might temporarily make you dangerous…

    I could have really hurt Marcus. I should start sleeping alone.

    The black early morning sky stretching out above you seems somehow darker still at that thought.

    It's a painful decision, but it's also the right one, the grown up one. You need to starting making more of those, hard but good decisions. That sentiment picks up your spirits a bit actually. Sure, a number of things have just happened and you're not sure what it all means. But you're still here, you know who you are, you're going to a find a way through this. Take it one step at a time, that's something you can do.

    - - -

    It's with renewed vigour that you set about various necessary chores your family would normally need to do by mid-morning after they rose. In the near total dark only just beginning to pull back from the horizon, you shouldn't be able to do much at all. But even long dead (or never alive) things are still dimly lit with Natural Energy. It's easy to change the feeders for the cattle and especially easy to pick the vegetables that are ready. Chariot would normally be grumpy if woken before the actual dawn, but a short push of Natural Energy injects the necessary pep into his step as you put him out to graze.

    You think you spot father quickly rush out onto the porch at one point, watching you working away silently for a while before he returns inside.

    The simple tasks give you time to think. To come to terms with things. {Pulse Surge} was scary, but its actually quite incredible. The rush of physical strength is enough to shatter the more brittle sort of rocks, though you did bruise your fist on a deceptively tough one. (You swear Chariot whinny-laughed at that). A couple times you pulled your own feet out from under you just swinging your arm too quickly through the air, sending you into a half-somersault you're glad no one witnessed. It's very hard to control, only adding strength as your heart beats down, offering nothing extra as it releases. Strong-normal-strong-normal in rapid fire. Super tiring too, you can barely last a minute with it on even just standing still before you're heaving for breath. Gonna take a lot of practice. Thankfully you are able to recover your stamina remarkably fast thanks to the [Dream within the Forest].

    Speaking of which, the unnatural hardness of your body still doesn't sit well with you. It was somewhere between the veggies and the stable that you realised other people will find hugging you uncomfortable now. That bothered you more than you thought it would, but you managed to hold back any tears. Your other sight has a different 'vibe' now too. Whereas before things only seemed brighter or dimmer, there is an element of primal assessment there now. Stronger and weaker. Predator and prey. [Dream within the Forest] has lost some of its innocence, and you can't help but feel that's your loss too.

    With your impromptu chores done, you look out at the reddening sky, dawn still a short time away. You have time before most of your family rises, time before the [Blessed Armsman] arrives. Seeking a distraction in the Ethos that has not unpleasantly surprised you today, you set about trying to decipher the mystery that is the first expression of [Cleaver of Fortune].

    Sitting amongst the grasses some distance from anything, you ponder the question. You have felt a 'weight' within yourself since the power first came to you. You have felt it reach out and interact with other people and things, but as a pebble eroding the side of a mountain, insignificant.

    Lean not on the immense which you cannot change, but upon the fleeting which you can.

    Okay wow. Putting aside the fact that the guiding words can apparently give you advice on your own powers, (because that's fantastic in all sorts of ways) what does that mean? What around you is fleeting?

    Your eyes fall upon a minor hive of activity near your left knee. A small ant's nest has established itself. Natural energy glimmers off the occasional workers that come and go. As you focus on each individual, a sense of each one's 'weight' comes to you. Staring intensely, 'Will find food in three hours' 'Will be eaten by a cricket soon' 'Abnormality in thorax will render vessel non-viable in 3 days', the impressions flow by as each comes and goes. But that is just feelings, seizing upon that last ant, you lean upon it with your intangible weight. 'Abnormality in thorax will render vessel non-viable in 3 days 5 days'. A tiny strand of fate is knocked off course, taking a longer arc to its termination point.

    At that you sit back in the grass against the dawning light of the sun, entirely satisfied. The feeling of the little thing's weights fades away. Being some distance from the house, you call out into the air, "I am Lilly Silas, master of ant's futures, tremble before me!" Falling into fits of laughter at the thought of how profoundly awesome and silly this is all at once. Your laughter lifts the last of the burdens on your mood that this morning's events had cast, just in the nick of time for you to spot something new that makes them soar.

    Because right now, appearing in the distance at the crest of the wide valley you and a few other homesteads reside in, there is a horse drawn wagon. A single individual sits upon it, set to arrive not long past first light.

    You know you should go back inside and wait. You know Father would probably like to speak with the [Blessed Armsman] first. You should go back inside… you really should…

    Dedication and enthusiasm will impress Mathew Lye.

    …

    You take off into a sprint to greet him yourself. Bounding in great leaps and even sometimes calling upon the {Pulse Surge} to propel you forward at incredible speeds. Nearly sending yourself head over heels a couple times, you settle for the normal kind of sprinting since you can keep that up indefinitely with no risk of turning yourself into an unguided projectile.

    You are of course only doing this in case he had poor directions. You are simply a diligent daughter going out to guide the [Blessed Armsman] for the last leg of his journey. You are definitely not just insatiably curious and eager. Your power's words of guidance also obviously didn't factor into the decision at all. You run a little faster.

    The wagon draws closer with each step, though you are more focused on planting your feet one in front of the other as fast as you are able rather than looking that far forward. Arriving before the vehicle, you skid to a stop as your racing charge concludes with aplomb.

    "You've got quite the spirit girl!" The [Blessed Armsman] says from atop the wagon in good cheer. An auburn-haired man clad in thick dark leathers that hint at the subtle weaving of magics within, an impressed smile plays across his face that sends your stomach a flutter. It hits you right away. [The Blessed Armsman], Mathew, is gorgeous. He's the knight that banishes the dark. He's a sculpted statue come alive. He is all muscle and bulk in perfect proportion.

    And you're standing here saying nothing, looking like a mute.

    "-I'm," you race the word out to say something, then need to take a moment to figure out where you were even going with the sentence, "-Mr Silas' daughter, s-sir…"

    "Ha!" He barks out a laugh that startles you with its resounding vigour. He is a solidly built man with a powerful voice. "Well, if your older sister is anything like you, then perhaps the day is not a loss." Despite the apparent misunderstanding, the compliment still makes you feel giddy as you rush to explain.

    "Oh, uh, I don't have an older sister," you say as you realise with some embarrassment you're blushing just talking to him.

    Mathew takes in your words, his expression turning grim as he eyes you up and down. "You. I'm training you."

    "Yes…?"

    His reply is no small part dismissive, "How old are you child? How long have you had your Ethos?" It is obvious he is expecting an unsatisfactory answer.

    "A-almost a month" you reply honestly without embellishment. Your nerves and heart racing too hard for you to think of anything else.

    "Is your Ethos a highly focused martial style?" Something in your face gives him an answer without you needing to say it. "No." Mathew stands from where he was sitting on the wagon, turning to unclasp the bolts of a chest atop its contents. "You are a slip of a girl," he vaguely gestures in your direction with one arm, exasperation in his voice, "can you even handle a weapon?"

    "I'm really tough and strong!" You blurt out, not at all happy with the direction this interrogation is going, "-and ready to learn!" You say, pushing down the butterflies to inject as much confidence into your voice as you can. You really want to impress him. You will bawl your eyes out crying right here right now if he doesn't finish following you home.

    Fetching out what you recognise as a Mace of solid steel from the chest, Mathew leans down and holds it out to you handle first, "here, hold this."

    Eagerly clasping the handle in both hands, its sudden weight as it's released into your grip nearly pulls you over into a tumble. By grace and no small amount of luck, your minor stumble is quickly recovered from and you now stand holding the heavy weapon with careful reverent awe.

    "Hmm," the [Blessed Armsman] says, for his look is no longer dismissive but calculating. Dismounting, he retrieves the mace from your hands and deposits it loosely back within the wagon to stand before you. You look down, aware of how close he is standing to you.

    "Hold out your hand." He tells you, his breath misting a short distance into the morning air. You have a memory unhappily similar to this from yesterday in the Office of Lore, but saying no would be failing some kind of test you know you've found yourself in. So you hold out your hand.

    His hands are covered in some brown and rough yet flexible material that is not leather. Taking your offered hand in his (you ignore the whoozy sensation that ripples through you when he touches you), the [Blessed Armsman] begins to bend one of your fingers backward. "Now, tell me when the pain becomes too much and you want me to stop," he orders.

    He starts exerting pressure, a little more each moment. You feel true appreciation for the changes to your body for the first time today, as you would probably have said stop almost immediately otherwise. You are also thankful there is a bit of pain though, it helps break you out of your swooning and actually concentrate on the test. Mathew's expression slowly turns to surprise and then eventually concern. It is he who stops, not you.

    "I don't want to actually break it," he says half to himself. The look he now gives you is one of mild respect. "Okay, you're strong enough, you have stamina and at least some grit. I stand corrected." Your face is a beaming smile at that remark. Keeping back a blush is getting a little easier too. "What is your name, Silas daughter?"

    You passed. Whatever the tests were, you passed. "Lilly sir, like the flower."



    - - - - -



    The ride back home atop the wagon passes in no time at all, consisting mostly of you peppering Mathew with questions about the Watch and the best fighters he has seen. You frequently pause, cautious to not become a bother with too many questions, before inevitably starting up again when you can't hold on. You also master the art of consistently looking at his face or not at all, you will not start swooning like some delicate maiden again.

    Mathew for his part takes all your questions and enthusiasm in good humour, assuring you it is a topic that though well-trodden, he enjoys all the same.

    By the time you have returned, Mathew has regaled you with tales of the incredible feats even the local Watch can accomplish. There are men who can jump the full height of Harmuph's walls, another whose whole body is the strength of the hardest material he is wearing, another still that eats flame and turns it into a concussive blast to knock assailants away. Mathew has helped train all three of these and many more who have since departed for the larger cities, and now he is here to train you.

    I guess I'm getting shipped to the larger cities too, soon enough.

    The explanation of how one man could possibly help such a diverse range of people is also revealed in part. Since its inception, [Blessed Armsman] has been grown by Mathew to innately understand the mechanics and flow of any fighting style he witnesses. He cannot replicate another Ethos' power, but with the limits explained to him he can intuitively determine a range of optimal uses and compare them against all other styles he has witnessed. There's some even more impressive feature you can tell he is keeping hidden as a surprise, hinting that you'll find out soon. Your pride is enough to stop you from whining about that tantalizing omission.

    You almost ask if you can skip introducing your family and begin immediately, yet manage to hold your tongue. You still practically sprint through the front door to announce Mathew's arrival, slamming it against the wall as it flies open. Mother, Father and Zach are already up, the later two sitting at the table.

    "Lilly!" your mother scolds you from a bench where the morning meal is being prepared. "Mind the door. You're as bad as your brother."

    You and Zach share a significant look, both of you still rather annoyed with the other. The reason you came inside momentarily forgotten, you are about to reply with something snippy. Zach's deflection from talking with you yesterday has silently grown into a lump of resentment in the intervening time, but the words of guidance cut you off.

    He is jealous. Not of your power, something more personal. Only realised it during your prolonged absence.

    Fine. You're still not happy but at least there is a reason apparently, you'll deal with it later. Right now though-

    "The [Blessed Armsman] is here! We shouldn't keep him waiting," you answer to get things back on track. Your desire to begin and conclude the customary greetings as quickly as possible is palpable.

    Your father smiles, "You are so considerate of his time Lilly," his amused tone making it clear he understands the true reason for your haste perfectly, "though do try to not deconstruct the house in your eagerness to be considerate." You note your mother giving dad a questioning look, but before she asks, your guest arrives.

    The exchange turns more formal as Mathew steps into the front door behind you. "Mr Silas. Mrs." He nods to each. "Good weather for it today, though if I have your daughter's mark right I'd say she'd be ready during a winter night's storm." A true unreserved compliment from another adult about you to your parents, a few days ago that would have been the highlight of your month.

    Your mother looks to your father, "Yolun, what is the meaning of this?"

    Your parents share a glance with each other before your father addresses Mathew again. "You'd best take her now then, an early start makes an early finish," he says without any amusement left in his tone.

    "He's here for Lilly?" your mother half whispers looking between the two of you, "you can't expect-"

    "-it's been decided," your father cuts her off.

    Zach, who has been observing everything from the table seems to grasp what is going on. His expression turns sour. "I'm going to wake Micah and Marcus," he says, departing the room without sparing anyone a glance.

    After the awkward exchange, things progress as expected. Your mother offers Mathew food out of custom, he refuses in equal politeness. A few more pleasantries are exchanged as your three brothers return to the main room, Zach seeing to setting the morning meal out for them. Your mother says nothing more in protest, but you can tell the atmosphere is tense between the adults. When Micah and Marcus keep trying to ask Mathew questions about the Watch much to mother's scolding chargrin, it is decided the two of you shall now depart to begin your tutelage.

    You are excited to begin, almost dancing with energy as you make your way out to a rocky field that is nearby to a larger swathe of uncleared trees. Something about your mother and father's exchange bothers you beyond the general disagreement. Mother didn't know about or get a say in what was happening today. While you're glad in a way that she couldn't stop your training (most likely because it wouldn't 'be proper' or some other dumb reason), it still bothers you at the same time. You push the feelings aside for now, they'd be distracting.

    - - -

    The first thing Mathew does, somewhat disappointingly, is ask you lots of questions.

    At first you're worried this will be another repeat of the gruellingly thorough interrogation that was the Lore Warden's interview. But despite the fact that you have more abilities to share, things pass quickly and with a far more practical leaning. Questions are followed by drills, requests to lift certain things, instructions to jump and pivot off a tree in a certain way. Mathew never tells you whether you pass or fail such directives, simply moving onto different questions.

    "Hmm," he says after you finish trying to deliberately punch a tree at his request only on the upbeats of your {Pulse Surge} when it doesn't add any strength. "You have a very diverse and strong Ethos for a base Lilly. Essence based for all passive improvements with a secondary Pithe foundation to overcharge your strength."

    You have of course not mentioned your three Ethos, simply excluding any information that couldn't be phrased as part of one whole. Wood memory, calming animals, all of [Cleaver of Fortune], etc neatly cut out.

    "Mobility, Stamina, Toughness and Strength, even if that last one is a bit unwieldy. I've seen decade old Ethos with less versatility, you said it's less than a month old?" Mathew assess and questions.

    "Yes Sir," you hope your not missing out on any critical wisdom by lying about your multiple Ethos, but you don't really have much choice unless you decide you want to set your whole life on fire and tell strangers. You might be a bit smitten by Mathew's ruggedly good looks, but you are not a moron.

    "Mathew's fine," he corrects, unaware of your internal monologue, "At the moment your biggest lack is any form of enhanced reflex or combat cognition to put your considerable physical traits to best use. A more experienced or coordination enhanced fighter would simply outmanoeuvre and stab you through the eye. We're going to drill you hard on that today, and if you feel your Ethos expanding in that direction, push toward it."

    The idea of growing your Ethos out in new directions has a bit of a sour association after this morning's near disaster. You still don't want to think about how much Marcus will probably cry when he realises snuggling you just isn't going to be the same now. You'd rather not branch out into more unpleasant surprises. "Can't I simply grow so strong in one or two things that it doesn't matter?" You're thinking in terms of your multiple Ethos, but the question is still true enough for one.

    Mathew shakes his head at your question. "It is ill advised to narrow an Ethos so early in your development, each significant dynamic of your martial style left at baseline human is a lifelong weakness even those far less developed than you will be able to target and exploit." He denotes weakness by slashing a thin blade through the air as he says it.

    Your still not entirely happy with the idea, are you going to wake up on fire one day and that will just be your life from then on? But you do have to admit the logic is otherwise compelling. "So, wider better?" You say as you sit on a pointed rock, its surface not bothering your new body.

    Seeing that you are listening, Mathew launches into an explanation that has clearly been given multiple times from its rehearsed tone, yet without any lost passion, "Cover as many bases as you can while you're young, while your Ethos cares little for synchronous momentum, then focus down on your strengths when things begin to tighten in your 20s. A far better predictor of victory in any battle between two opponents than overall Ethos development is how many distinct qualities each has managed to raise above the human norm. The obscenely strong and tough fighter with no equal will lose to the quicker, smarter, intuitive, misdirecting, preseeing one nearly every time. You can never cover everything, but especially this soon after your awakening, the more the merrier."

    True for everyone else except you you realise. You probably can cover literally every possible vector of exploitation. What would it be like? To be better than everyone at everything?

    Probably lonely…

    Power can be scary, you realised that this morning. You want people to inspire people and be loved; not tower over them like some monolithic force of nature, awed after and feared in equal measure.

    Still, you hold your chin up. Come what may, let it not be said that you didn't try. Your life might still not go where you want, but not due to any lack of effort on your part.

    "Yet," Mathew muses, thankfully not noticing that you had drifted into your own thoughts just then, "It's not always just about straightforward confrontation. Your greatest feature in combat is one you've probably never thought of in violent contexts."

    If he is about to tell you how one of the more peaceful elements of your power is actually somehow super dangerous and destructive, you might just scream in frustration…

    "You might not have realised this, but your ability to see Essence is easily your most impressive, far more so than any physical enhancements. Numerous styles of ambush and occlusion are utterly ineffective against that sight," your not sure how often that would really come up, "more practically, you could easily defeat an otherwise superior opponent if you fought them on a moonless night or in an unlit room." Okay, that does make a lot of sense. There are many stories of valiant heroes sadly slain by a foul creature more comfortable attacking amongst the dark and shadows. The thought of the surprise you'd give such dishonourable wretches when they lashed out expecting easy prey is a pleasant one. It almost offsets the further reminder that [Dream Within the Forest] is more suited for violence than you'd thought even before this morning.

    Mathew stands from the small log he'd made his seat for most of the discussion. "Now. It is time to truly begin, are you ready to see why I'm the best trainer in all Harmuph?" he says as if stating an uncontested fact.

    Your low mood is immediately forgotten. You are so ready. "Yes." You firmly pronounce.

    Mathew nods in approval. "Excellent, then close your eyes and when you feel the pressure settle on you, don't fight it, let it in."

    A strange request, but a simple one. You close your eyes and wait for the 'pressure' to arrive. You are thankfully not surprised when Mathew places both his hands on your temples, having seen him approach you within your other sight. Sure enough, you feel a gentle pressure that is both there and yet not settle over you. Rather than resist it, you invite it in. Like an egg shell gently breaking over your head, you feel yolky globs of something course into you before fading.

    "Figment to reality, Truth in the reflection." Mathew intones with an archaic inflection as you open your eyes, nothing seems to have changed. Though you do feel the Resonance of Pithe buzzing around and latching gently onto you, some sort of parity formed between you both.

    Mathew gestures around the unchanged surroundings before he is quite simply and instantly replaced right before your eyes by an entirely different man in different attire armed with a blade and shield. "Welcome to the {Illusory Fighter}, Lilly," Mathew says in his unchanged voice that does not match his changed face, "We cannot do any permanent harm to each other, so long as you do not reject the illusion, it remains quite real."

    "But doesn't that mean you are making everything invincible? That's incredible!" you reply in shock as much impressed by the seamless illusion as you are by the bold claim.

    "Not quite. Oath Magic, my secondary source aside Pithe, is very complicated. This patch of space around us is now connected to numerous possible and impossible pathways, we can experience one whilst allowing another to remain the 'true' path any outsider would observe. You and I can engage in life and death mortal combat, whilst never endangering a hair on your head. Our other selves don't do much of anything while they wait for us, most of their cognition is consumed by the Oath."

    The implications are incredible, being able to face what you imagine the chaos of live battle must be, yet with no true danger. Honing technique to perfection. "That's remarkable," you gawk, still half lost in all the different opportunities this could present.

    "It is," Mathew replies, "In your case one of the key limits is also removed. Maintaining the {Illusory Fighter} is quite exhausting, but I can push most of that load onto you and allow your remarkable stamina to keep us going for significantly longer, hours at a time even."

    Sure enough, you do feel a slow drain on your endurance. A tiny ebb that you know will slowly widen into a siphoning maw eventually. Before you can ask any more questions, you find yourself in armour and armed with the same mace as this morning.

    "Now, defend yourself."

    The [Blessed Armsman] charges you.

    - - -

    Not only are you incapable of 'defending yourself', it takes you quite some time to move past throwing yourself off balance in wild untamed swings that strike air without Mathew even having to move out of the way half the time.

    You've won plenty of scrapes against other girls and even boys over the years when you were sure word couldn't get back to your parents, this is not equivalent on any level. You are many things; a natural fighter is not one of them.

    Mathew can control almost anything within the illusion with {Illusory Fighter}. To begin, there is no blood and very little pain. However that just means he can be extra relentless.

    Over and over your weapon is knocked from your hands, your feet are swept out from under you, your head is struck and you flail dizzily before being put to the ground hard again. In short order Mathew begins to bark short simple instructions that are always immediate corrections to whatever you were trying to do.

    "Lower," as you attempt a swing against a shield he raised into place.

    "One more step," as you tried to backpedal from a flurry of blows.

    "Roll on the landing," as you tried to get up from another impact with the ground.

    The instructions are never long, never give any context, yet somehow are always exactly what you needed to know to minorly improve (or gain in the first place) your technique.

    It's hard. It's fast. It's more punishing than you imagined training could possibly be. You absolutely love it.

    He isn't teaching you theory, he's teaching you instinct. You realise throughout the never ending combat that the Pithe Resonance vibrates with each tiny tactical decision you make, through it Mathew is actually intuitively aware of how and why you are taking any action. His corrections are so perfectly timed because he feels every mistake or wrong assumption or flaw you present through the Resonance itself right as you make them. That strange echo your wood memory possesses with your own body pays its own dividends during the endless onslaught. It's hard to explain, but you 'remember' your own actions, are able to mimic and minutely adjust them according to Mathew's instruction. He picks up on the dynamic too, the corrections becoming more exact and precise, rerunning the same motion over and over and over from dozens of slightly altered starting points.

    Occasionally you stop and he ends the {Illusory Fighter} so you both can rest. Your stamina is exceptional, but even your hardened and continually natural-energy replenished body can't throw off Pithe-based exhaustion effortlessly.

    The rhythm of practice is established. Intense visceral combat against an array of interchanging weapons and fighting techniques. You are still unable to follow most of Mathew's movements, but his continual promptings slowly help you develop the beginnings of a 'feel' for how to make your body move as is best.

    Each time you replenish your stamina during a rest break, you feel a small a subtle Strand of Natural Energy between you and Mathew forming, like what happened with Chariot on your journey too and from Harmuph, only much weaker and beyond your ability to do much of anything with.

    At Mathew's instruction, the two of you move on to incorporating {Pulse Surge} into your movements. Where before you could barely keep your balance and momentum under control during the rigors of combat, now you have no hope at all. The less that is said about that one instance you manage to both disarm and punch yourself in the face, the better. You spend a great deal of time learning to hold back your strength on the downbeats until you gain some semblance of control.

    A number of lessons are drilled into you through each session. Firstly, if possible, strike on the downbeat. Mathew informs you there is a quality to your {Pulse Surge} that increases its effectiveness when facing direct opposition rather than just enhancing your own strength. Better to swing a little slower if that gives you the control to ensure your heart is compressing as the hit lands. Secondly, go hard from the start. {Pulse Surge} can't ramp up or down from full effectiveness that quickly, so toggling during true combat is unlikely to ever be a wise option. Once active, aim to overwhelm your opponent with a constant flurry of overpowering strikes as quickly as possible. Thirdly, if it is ever an option, run. Mathew tells you in no uncertain terms that you are an utter novice who, while not lacking passion, certainly possesses no prodigious talent for the art of fighting either. Against an experienced opponent, not even counting their Ethos, you will lose. Though it rankles your pride, your stamina and speed make running a reliable choice.

    As the sky begins to gain the colours of evening, you baulk and reject the illusion for the first time. It's when Mathew introduces gore to the illusion, allowing you to strike his arm and see the result as it would appear in reality uncensored. With a sickening crunch your mace mangles and splits the arm wide open, blood and bone are revealed in their full spluttering splintered glory. Even forewarned you immediately have to fight away the compulsion to retch at the sight, the illusion fractures and Mathew is unharmed once more.

    'Dammit! I'm a stupid girl who shies away from even the image of a wound,' you berate yourself even though you know it's an overly harsh self-assessment.

    "We're done for the day," Mathew says, sitting on the same nearby log as before within the field.

    "Wait, I can do better," you quickly reply, almost pleading, "I- I can be more-"

    "-I'm tired," Mathew cuts you off with a raised hand. "Even pushing most of the strain off onto you, I'm nearly at my limit."

    You notice that the day is indeed nearing its end, but there is still plenty of light left. If only Mathew had the same endurance you did. You can feel the creeping exhaustion already receding again now that the {Illusory Fighter} is inactive. You really don't want your training to be over, the Lye family's favour is repaid now and yet you are if anything all the more aware of the vast distance you have to cross to competence.

    "Still," Mathew breaks you from your rumination with a satisfied smile, "I'm used to going until I can't anymore, but never this long and certainly never with only trainee. You have real potential Lilly, when you turn thirteen, I'd be willing to try and get the Watch to accept you if your parents allowed it."

    It's an extraordinary compliment, lady watchmen are not really a thing, there are certainly none in Harmuph currently. Were it not that the Office of Lore's wishes carried more weight than the local Watch's, it would be a possible solution to the approaching deadline of Arrone. Alas, it is not so.

    If you force open that small link between you, it will replenish some of his vitality. Get consent first.

    !

    "Mathew, can I try something?" you ask, trying to sound like this is your own idea and you're not already certain it will work and getting a little excited about it. You forgive the words of wisdom for every time they've stayed quiet. "Try to push Natural Ener- Uh, Essence into you to help you recover faster?"

    It might only be another hour of lessons, but you'll drink every drop that falls in a desert.

    Mathew looks at you amused, picking up on your blatant attempt to prolong training. "It doesn't really work that way or Aurons like you would be in much higher demand, but sure, I'll never say no to a good ol Essence infusion."

    As he accepts the invitation, you feel the channel (and that's what you realise it is) between you widen. Sitting on the log next to him, you squash the annoying fluttering in your stomach as you touch Mathew's thickly muscled shoulder and begin to push on the channel. It takes effort, at first you're not sure much is happening… but then in short order there is a sudden shift, a thick dense torrent of Natural Energy pours forth from some hidden Well you did not know existed inside you, in fact all the golden strands surrounding both of you begin to fall inward as if Mathew were the centre of a raging whirlpool. The shine is almost the equal to when you healed your finger, but something about this process feels far more natural, quickly becoming a process you would have to work to stop rather than sustain. Vague visions of a Great Oak filled with life and vigour as it towers over a clearing in the forest pass by your mind. There is a toggle in your head now. Until you release it, the torrent shall continue pouring from within the apparently inexhaustible (for it drains you not a drop) fountain within you.

    An impression of shifting weight flows from the sense within [Cleaver of Fortune] you've barely started to grasp. Something important has happened, you caught it just after it occurred, but there's the notion that one day you could feel it before the tilt.

    You've been staring at Mathew's shoulder the whole time. A bit embarrassing, but when you look back at his face the intensity with which his eyes bore into yours almost scares you. Mathew's whole body radiates a tension you've previously only seen when the {Illusory Fighter} was about to spring forward on the attack. He raises his hand, slowly opening and closing it lost in some profound experience. You wonder if you've somehow broken a terrible taboo. The words of guidance told you to get consent first, did you misunderstand?

    "Lilly." Mathew says slowly, his tone perfectly even and calm. "This is- there is no way that-" You keep your mouth well and truly shut and let him finish.

    You are loathe to admit it, but you feel a bit unsafe next to a man so clearly affected and enraptured by something you've done, you quickly disengage the toggle to shut off the torrent of Natural Energy, returning the surroundings to their normal flow.

    This seems to break whatever rapture held Mathew in that distant glazed over look and he returns to himself. Yet you squeal in fright when he bodily seizes you by both shoulders, almost lifting you off the ground at arms-length in a hold that would most certainly be painful were your flesh not recently altered. Mathew's gaze is penetrating, hungry.

    "Forget thirteen Lilly, they'll take you right now! The Watch will give you whatever you want to do this to our members. Do you have any idea, any idea what this means?" He is almost shaking you as he speaks, words rushing out and over each other. "Name it. Name your price."



    …what have I gotten myself into now?













    Choice Time:
    *** So I'm going to experiment with sub-options. Highest voted option wins, then highest voted sub-option inside it wins.
    *** Make sure you copy paste exactly from the options, the only change is adding 'X's, last vote count was a mess.
    * Approval Voting Allowed.

    An unexpected Offer: Mathew has 'informed' you that your ability to restore the exhaustion he was feeling is a really big deal. What are you going to do?
    [ ] I'd be willing to come and help the Watch train.
    -[ ] But I want a lot. Special resources, more mentors, the works.
    -[ ] Just pay me a decent rate for my time. More than usual, nothing crazy.
    -[ ] In fact, it would be my honour to help defend Harmuph.
    [ ] If people want to come here, they could train with us.
    -[ ] And you have to allow anyone who wants to come, girls included.
    -[ ] But I don't want word of my talent getting out. Please. Only a few people you trust.
    [ ] I'm happy to help you. But no one else.
    [ ] Um. I'm not really comfortable with that. And dad might disagree… (Deflect)
    [ ] Oh, that was a one-time thing. I don't think I can do it again. (Lie)

    The Evening:     Ya'll keep choosing family, so Lilly is pretty keen on doing some family stuff tonight before people go to sleep.
    [ ] Hey Dad, watchya working on? (Hang out in workshop)
    [ ] Mum, I feel like I've barely seen you since… well, you know. (Introduction to Sarah)
    [ ] Marcus, Micah, let's play.
    [ ] Zach. Stop avoiding me.
    [ ] Rest. It's been a big day and no one is going to hold it against you for just taking it easy.

    Close to Midnight:     After everyone has gone to sleep however, well, then it's fun time.
    Lilly will probably get two of these done.
    [ ] [Brave Blood]
    -[ ] Push yourself to the point of exhaustion with 'Pulse Surge' over and over again.
    -[ ] Try to puzzle and feel out the sensations of Pithe Resonance and what they mean.
    [ ] [Dream within the Forest]
    -[ ] Return to the site of your first awakening. Try to reconnect with the serenity and peace of the Dream.
    -[ ] Try to improve your ability to heal. Healing sliced fingers isn't really gonna cut it.
    -[ ] Seeing the 'memory' in wood is actually a lot of fun. How else could such an ability be put to use?
    -[ ] This isn't the first time the Dream has caused physical changes in your body. What's going on there?
    [ ] [Cleaver of Fortune]
    -[ ] The thing with the ants was just the tip of what's possible. You're so close to figuring this out.
    -[ ] The words of guidance are fickle and seemingly random. Try to get a handle on how to control or at least steer them.
    [ ] Adventure.
    -[ ] The Silent Sea. With your incredible speed, you could see the coast for the first time and be back by morning.
    -[ ] The northern woods are said to have all sorts of dangerous ilk. You're not afraid.
    -[ ] Play-fight with imagined monsters, have a blast. Innocent rocks and bushes may have to be sacrificed.
    -[ ] Try to find and follow some interesting thing's fate line, something more interesting than an ant.
    [ ] Rest. It's been a big day and no one is going to hold it against you for just taking it easy.

    Mathew drilled Lilly precisely as [Brave Blood] prefers, also adding technique and control to the raw power that was Pulse Surge. Weeks if not months of finesse gained in a day, huge initial exp gains.
    Level up: [Brave Blood] from Lvl0 to Lvl1
    [ ] In their darkest hour, with a great shout, the men rallied.
    [ ] They beat me. But my bruises make me stronger.
    [ ] When I finally saw the enemy before me, my blood quickened in anticipation.
    [ ] 'Tis a grim work bloodletting, 'tis grimmer people still who perform it.





    - Overall you did pretty great for rolls this whole chapter. Certainly your highest average by a large margin.
    - Getting a good roll to get your 'Pulse Surge' under control when you first got it (now wouldn't that have been a disaster, seriously, you're lucky Marcus is alive) synced really well with your existing powers, so I rolled to see if you could finish the jobs early and get on with a 2nd​ choice, you did pretty well.
    - You failed the roll to grasp some of [Cleaver of Fortune]'s Lvl0 power on your own, but that seemed like an opportune time for guidance intercession, and your power succeeded its roll.
    - I'd had it in my head Mathew was a total hunk for a while and you choosing 'gushing' nearly made Lilly make an absolute fool of herself. The dice were in your favour.
    - Training could have been better, could have been a lot worse. But you got the most important bits.
    - Your propensity to choose to be open with complete strangers combined with Lilly's inability to properly judge risk and consequence (so the rolls are difficult unless she has specifically decided to not do a thing) means breaches of info-sec are only going to keep happening…
    - You've met the requirements for a bunch of fun Ethos by your shift toward a more martial style, we'll see what comes up next time.


    Current XP:
    [Dream within the Forest] Lvl 2: 381/600
    [Cleaver of Fortune] Lvl 1: 168/300
    [Brave Blood] Lvl 1: 157/300
    Character Sheet: Public - It's a Girl's World
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • [X] Mum, I feel like I've barely seen you since… well, you know. (Introduction to Sarah)
    [X] [Dream within the Forest]
    -[X] Seeing the 'memory' in wood is actually a lot of fun. How else could such an ability be put to use?
    [X] [Cleaver of Fortune]
    -[X] The words of guidance are fickle and seemingly random. Try to get a handle on how to control or at least steer them.
    [X] In their darkest hour, with a great shout, the men rallied.

    I'll think on Matthew's offer later

    EDIT:

    [X] If people want to come here, they could train with us.
    -[X] But I don't want word of my talent getting out. Please. Only a few people you trust.
     
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    Have to go to work soon but this quest is great! Maybe it's a function of how many rolls happen for events, but every choice feels impactful, and the lore is really neat.

    I don't feel settled on any votes yet, but I do think a mom interaction would be good, and I'm leaning toward "memory" or "investigating physical body changes" for Dream within the Forest. Might help offset Lily's discomfort/any social problems that could come up. Getting a better understanding or handle of "the words of guidance" could be good too.

    So far undecided on the Brave Blood options and the more difficult Matthew situation.
     
    Hrrm. Sooo Our Healing/Restoration is about top notch, but I think we're drawing on that big tree for power. Something to pay attention to, though I think we can run both ways with it, waxing stronger and boosting the tree for it..
     
    [X] They beat me. But my bruises make me stronger.

    Not sure about the rest, but this seems like the one which will make us stronger from our losses, which would be permanent improvements, rather than flat actives the rest seem to be
     
    [X] I'd be willing to come and help the Watch train.
    -[X] But I want a lot. Special resources, more mentors, the works.
    [X] If people want to come here, they could train with us.
    -[X] But I don't want word of my talent getting out. Please. Only a few people you trust.

    [X] Zach. Stop avoiding me.

    [X] [Brave Blood]
    -[X] Try to puzzle and feel out the sensations of Pithe Resonance and what they mean.
    [X] [Dream within the Forest]
    -[X] This isn't the first time the Dream has caused physical changes in your body. What's going on there?

    [X] They beat me. But my bruises make me stronger.
     
    So first off, fantastic chapter. The characters really come alive.

    I don't want to do this alone.
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    In the midst of the whole "call to action"/inciting incident/quest intro, I honestly hadn't really thought that much about how utterly traumatizing that would be, much less to a 12 year old with little exposure to the world.

    Sometimes you dream, even when she is gone. So much has changed since the last time the girl visited you. The thoughtless void banished by the swirling symphony of consciousness. It shall recede again on her departure, but right now your leaves sing and your roots dance with gratitude and adoration. As one grows, so too does the other. If one of you withered, then so too would the other diminish. Through her you have become thick, vast and strong. Yet as you take in your benefactor's form, you feel fear for the first time in your existence. She is a soft fragile thing, so easily unrooted. So vulnerable to both wind and talon. You thrash and whip your branches in concern, growing thorns of frustration. A yearning rises from the core of your being, pushing out into the slowly widening essential strand that connects you. The girl has given you so much of herself, so you gift her your deepest parts in return. She drifts away from you now, but your heart swells in anticipation of her return.
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    I've really enjoyed these segments, we should try to go back there sometime soon(though not without telling anyone).

    You hold your hand up to your face. The skin looks like skin, Natural Energy still flows around and from within as it always has. Yet, your wood memory is also there, some sort of confused echo almost as if your hand were half-
    !!!
    You wrap your knuckles hard against porch.
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    Lol we're an Ent now.

    I could have really hurt Marcus. I should start sleeping alone.
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    That's rough Lilly.

    Being some distance from the house, you call out into the air, "I am Lilly Silas, master of ant's futures, tremble before me!" Falling into fits of laughter at the thought of how profoundly awesome and silly this is all at once.
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    This is gold. If she survives to be a legendary adventurer, this needs to be in her official list of titles.

    "I don't want to actually break it," he says half to himself. The look he now gives you is one of mild respect. "Okay, you're strong enough, you have stamina and at least some grit. I stand corrected." Your face is a beaming smile at that remark. Keeping back a blush is getting a little easier too. "What is your name, Silas daughter?"

    You passed. Whatever the tests were, you passed. "Lilly sir, like the flower."
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    Seems a decent enough sort.

    He is jealous. Not of your power, something more personal. Only realised it during your prolonged absence.
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    Well, this is probably going to be a little ugly.

    Your mother looks to your father, "Yolun, what is the meaning of this?"

    Your parents share a glance with each other before your father addresses Mathew again. "You'd best take her now then, an early start makes an early finish," he says without any amusement left in his tone.

    "He's here for Lilly?" your mother half whispers looking between the two of you, "you can't expect-"

    "-it's been decided," your father cuts her off.

    Something about your mother and father's exchange bothers you beyond the general disagreement. Mother didn't know about or get a say in what was happening today. While you're glad in a way that she couldn't stop your training (most likely because it wouldn't 'be proper' or some other dumb reason), it still bothers you at the same time.
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    Lilly's Dad has seemed a pretty decent sort in spite of the obvious cultural indoctrination, and when she first came back I didn't see any sign of this but this was not so great.

    Power can be scary, you realised that this morning. You want people to inspire people and be loved; not tower over them like some monolithic force of nature, awed after and feared in equal measure.
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    You're a good egg Lilly.

    Mathew gestures around the unchanged surroundings before he is quite simply and instantly replaced right before your eyes by an entirely different man in different attire armed with a blade and shield. "Welcome to the {Illusory Fighter}, Lilly," Mathew says in his unchanged voice that does not match his changed face, "We cannot do any permanent harm to each other, so long as you do not reject the illusion, it remains quite real."
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    Holo-training in a fantasy setting, nice.

    The less that is said about that one instance you manage to both disarm and punch yourself in the face, the better.
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    I'm afraid I have to disagree :p

    "Forget thirteen Lilly, they'll take you right now! The Watch will give you whatever you want to do this to our members. Do you have any idea, any idea what this means?" He is almost shaking you as he speaks, words rushing out and over each other. "Name it. Name your price."
    …what have I gotten myself into now?
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    Good question, and not sure how I feel about this. While he still likely doesn't have the influence to override the stuffed hat, the extra training could be priceless. Just as long as he knows up front.

    [X] I'd be willing to come and help the Watch train.
    -[X] In fact, it would be my honour to help defend Harmuph.

    Pretty conflicted over this choice, it's further exposure but within capabilities we've already revealed(not sure if the Lore Warden knows enough to potentially reveal us depending on what he hears) but within the suboptions for helping in town this one feels the most in-character. We're getting additional training out of this, that's more than enough value.


    [X] Mum, I feel like I've barely seen you since… well, you know. (Introduction to Sarah)

    Don't want to sleep on Zach but after that sequence with Mathew I feel like we should.

    [X] [Dream within the Forest]
    -[X] Return to the site of your first awakening. Try to reconnect with the serenity and peace of the Dream.

    Really want to do this. All the Dream sequences have been top-notch.
    [X] [Cleaver of Fortune]
    -[X] The thing with the ants was just the tip of what's possible. You're so close to figuring this out.

    This could be critical, we have Mathew for Brave Blood and we should probably try to avoid exposing ourselves to further risk or attention by adventuring.

    [X] 'Tis a grim work bloodletting, 'tis grimmer people still who perform it.

    All very tempting, and I can't wait until we've reached a point where we might get some clue of what these mean beforehand, but grim times are ahead. Best get preparing for them.

    - You've met the requirements for a bunch of fun Ethos by your shift toward a more martial style, we'll see what comes up next time.
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    Still really want Heartsworn, especially in combination with Brave Blood, but this is pretty interesting.


    Zaealix said:
    Hrrm. Sooo Our Healing/Restoration is about top notch, but I think we're drawing on that big tree for power. Something to pay attention to, though I think we can run both ways with it, waxing stronger and boosting the tree for it..
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    There's a connection there, but going off that dream sequence it seems a lot more the other way around. The forest called Lilly "benefactor" and it grew enormously in size just off our little dirt nap.
     
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    Deuterium Dawn said:
    Lilly's Dad has seemed a pretty decent sort
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    He is a bit more snippy than usual today. I wonder if the world-shaking revelations and recollection of trauma his daughter dumped on him last night made him lose any sleep...
    (edit: Also, given the time period, the fact Sarah even felt she could question her husband in the presence of a stranger denotes theirs as a remarkably progressive marriage. That is just not done.)

    Deuterium Dawn said:
    I'm afraid I have to disagree :p
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    "Shut your dumb face." -Lilly

    Deuterium Dawn said:
    Still really want Heartsworn
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    Was honestly expecting that one to win.
    Probably best that you didn't combine this chapter's minor case of sudden body dysphoria with [Heartsworn].
     
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    Deuterium Dawn said:
    Still really want Heartsworn, especially in combination with Brave Blood, but this is pretty interesting.
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    With how Brave Bloods ability turned out and the advice we got from Mathew I'm even more inclined to get Intuitor (or something similar, if we get the option) next.
    The description of how to time strikes to the heartbeat etc. makes it sound like something that would fall under "diverse and tricky talents", to me.

    "Cover as many bases as you can while you're young, while your Ethos cares little for synchronous momentum, then focus down on your strengths when things begin to tighten in your 20s. A far better predictor of victory in any battle between two opponents than overall Ethos development is how many distinct qualities each has managed to raise above the human norm. The obscenely strong and tough fighter with no equal will lose to the quicker, smarter, intuitive, misdirecting, preseeing one nearly every time. You can never cover everything, but especially this soon after your awakening, the more the merrier."
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    And this is why I'd really want to go for broad things first next. A narrow focus is not gonna bring us to a level where we can overcome any and all opposition in a short enough time frame. Better to have more options to choose from. (And yes, I am aware that we're supposedly not gonna life into our 20s, probably.)
     
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