And none of these proposed ideas would be possible through having, say, 2 separate Prayers. A Meditation for setting up the wrapping threads around people over time and then Rotes for expending those threads in different ways?
Prayers aren't really gonna effect Hama, generally speaking. This is not technically impossible, but it's impossible in practice because you'd need to hit them with, as you say, 5 or 6 different effects or something like that entirely unopposed, because if they act in any way, they're gonna be breaking the first effect, so you'll never get there as the effects break faster than you can layer them. You could do it if you had 5 or 6 actions while they just stood there, but that's never gonna happen.
So it's not physically impossible, but it'll basically only happen if they stand perfectly still and let you do it, and if they're doing that you don't need a Feat for it, you can do it with Precision alone, probably, as this is no longer combat. To say nothing of just being able to use mundane rope to tie them up being an option under those circumstances.
Another Web idea. Our strands are wispy and ephemeral, so maybe we could figure out how to make it stick to someone that walks into it without them noticing and use it to track them.
This probably works in theory, though it's not impossible to notice, just hard. Think planting a tracking device, not a tracking spell they can't notice or get rid of. You also can't hear through it or anything, I don't think, so it just lets you know where the marked person it.
Trying to assess the Knight meta is weird because their opposition is so varied. I think our matchup against Norsemen is pretty good, ignoring perfect effects could easily get us a free hit on a young Norsemen who hasn't been on the wrong end of that before and our armor and Hama field stack to make an immediate alpha strike relatively ineffective, which gives us time to try to make them spend resources on their defence. Our stats are rolling better dice than their stats so stat contest defences favor us if those are still a thing.
On the other hand there is one area of Norse competency that is concerning. Persistent Defences(if they still exist) could flip the script on us. If they put up a big persistent defence then they would be able to save the rest of their resources for big attacks without fear. Our best solution to this is to hit them with the most expensive attack we have in the hopes of breaking it outright, which is currently Giant Killing Blow.
Persistent defenses in this iteration of the system, while good, are not 'spend as much into them as you like, they keep that forever and make you unassailable'. They count as a Magic Defense and provide an extra defense against simultaneous attacks (the latter is a big deal), but you can't just put up a massive one with an enormously higher bonus than your baseline stuff and have it stay up forever. That said, something designed to destroy such things is definitely a valid Prayer to look into, and would be good for destroying Hama constructs in general as well.
Barring shape shifts Norsemen tend to be a lot squishier than an equivalent knight(I think most of them only get 10 fortitude per their Soma equivalent), so launching a Giant Killing Blow right away might kill them through a shield, and will ruin their armor either way. It should also put them on the defensive since even if they live through one they won't live through another, which favors us over the long term since resources they spend defending are not available to attack with and if they run out of resources we simply win.
Remember that hitting 'through a shield' is not usually a thing. Not for Giant-Killing blow or something else that doesn't specifically say as much anyway (there are specific Rotes for this). If a shield's 'stop an attack' effect is used, then it stops the attack barring specific wording in the effect it's trying to stop. This does require two 'shield uses' vs. a knight with a two handed weapon (and halves the damage if there's only one use left), but you can't just hit hard and make shields not do that if it still has uses left. That's gonna be 1-3 attacks they stop in most cases, to be clear, and baiting them into using them against things other than GKB is an option, but just to be clear how this works.
A Giant-Killing Blow that is not stopped by their shield will be highly unpleasant for most random Norsemen and will plausibly kill most of them outright barring them having excellent armour, though, it's true. The same is actually true of a lot of random cultivators of other sorts, in fact. The bandits you fought would both have died from one use of the Refined version of GKB even at full health if they were out of shield uses, for instance.
If Grace can be raised with Communion, is it possible to increase it even more by taking vows?
For example, to swear before God that we will allocate a certain percentage in excess of the prescribed tithe as a donation to the holy church. Well, or something like that, which will not interfere with our duties as a knight, but will show the piety of Audrey.
Follow up to this question, how do we raise Communion?, is it something we naturally slowly raise? Do we need to specify in one of our actions that were doing so?
If Grace can be raised with Communion, is it possible to increase it even more by taking vows?
For example, to swear before God that we will allocate a certain percentage in excess of the prescribed tithe as a donation to the holy church. Well, or something like that, which will not interfere with our duties as a knight, but will show the piety of Audrey.
My impression is that this is not a valid way for most Knights to gain Grace or things would work somewhat differently, but this is really an IF question as it's a world lore thing.
Follow up to this question, how do we raise Communion?, is it something we naturally slowly raise? Do we need to specify in one of our actions that were doing so?
Audrey takes Communion regularly. When she gets enough to increase her Grace it will increase...you could get extra Communion if you really impressed the Church and they wanted to reward you (or impressed someone else with pull with the church), but spending actions on it directly is not an option.
Audrey takes Communion regularly. When she gets enough to increase her Grace it will increase...you could get extra Communion if you really impressed the Church and they wanted to reward you (or impressed someone else with pull with the church), but spending actions on it directly is not an option.
So, I looked at this again. It doesn't seem like that makes sense?
We were 14 at the start of the quest, meaning we had a year to do the entire second Decade. That's 67 Zeal, which is nearly all of our Zeal gain this year, not accounting for the fact that we would have gained less if we hadn't already spent 16 on a level of Hama.
Did you mean 16? Am I missing something?
So, I looked at this again. It doesn't seem like that makes sense?
We were 14 at the start of the quest, meaning we had a year to do the entire second Decade. That's 67 Zeal, which is nearly all of our Zeal gain this year, not accounting for the fact that we would have gained less if we hadn't already spent 16 on a level of Hama.
Did you mean 16? Am I missing something?
[X] Plan Solid Foundation
-[x] [Focus Action] try to ingratiate ourselves with local Thanes
-[x] [Secondary Action] Spend time with Chad
-[x] [Chancellery] Head on a Swivel
-[x] Training and Zeal (12 Training, 12 Zeal)
–[X] Spend 6/6 Training on Vanguard's Prayer.
–[X] Spend 4/4 Training on Hard-Fall Style.
–[X] Spend 2/6 Training on Perfect Footing.
–[X] Spend 8/8 Zeal on Combat.
Audrey's head snaps back as blood sprays from a flattened nose, her traitor legs taking a half-step stagger. Ears ringing, she breathes heavy as she eyes the trio of smiling opponents.
"You're pretty good," the three hazy figures eventually focus into one, broad-smiled man. Well, 'man' in only the loosest of senses. Though his height and width could only belong to an adult; in truth, Chad Howlande was only a few months older than Audrey. Still, with that much strength behind every blow, it is no wonder that Chad alone amongst the Squires could be called Audrey's equal in the martial arts.
Though, if Audrey were honest with herself, it is less that Chad is her equal and more that she is his. As can only be expected of such a scion of the Howling Hills, the son and Squire of the Iron Knight himself, Chad is a monster on the field of physical combat. Rather than foster any resentment in her heart, the presence of such a challenge only invigorates her drive to improve. After all, it would be nothing but disappointing if her fellow Squires were as easily defeated as her so-called Page peers.
"You say that every spar," Audrey says as she resumes her empty-handed fighting stance. Staying light on the balls of her feet, she bounces in place as she keeps her hands up and shoulders tucked.
"And I mean it every time," Chad shrugs, an easy smile on his lips as he plants his feet and raises ready hands. A grappler at heart, his fingers flex as he lowers into a wrestler's crouch.
Twin explosions of dirt heralds a clash of limbs as Audrey and Chad charge as one. Meeting in the centre of the sparring square, limbs flail as strength and speed jockey for superiority.
Audrey grits her teeth as she slips a lightning-fast jab, her counter-blow merely bouncing off a flexing pectoral. Quickly dancing beyond Chad's limbs before a hug could seal off her escape, Audrey's eyes narrow as she considers the facts of the matter.
Audrey's blows, lacking in sword-strength, can't hurt Chad's body. At least, not in any lasting way. His muscles are just too hard, too dense to get through. Making contact is like punching iron—an activity Audrey was more than familiar with from the punishments of her Pagehood days.
If raw strength alone won't win her victory, then she'll have to apply some extra technique to the mix. Technically, the rules of unarmed day in the sparring field restrict the use of weapons and weapon-manifesting techniques. However, they don't say anything about using techniques that normally require weapons without the weapons themselves.
Her skill with the Giant-Killing Blow has advanced to such a degree that her hands alone can serve the role of weapon. All it needs is a sufficiently wide opening, then she can claim victory so sweet.
Of course, wielding unspoken prayer in friendly battle is the mark of a coward too proud to admit defeat, so Audrey will need to speak her intent if she is to unleash the Giant-Killing Blow.
Fortunately, it seems that Chad has similar thoughts on the matter.
"You know," Chad says as he rolls his shoulders and works his jaw, "you're not making much progress on the whole beating me thing, not as you are now." His eyes narrow as he shifts ever-so-slightly. His hama ripples across his body, shimmering into life as he twists it into a cloak about his shoulders, "So, why don't we make things more interesting?"
Audrey matches his narrowed eyes with her own slashed set, red lightning sparking at the corners of her vision, "What have you in mind?"
"We add techniques to the mix; prayers and feats, alongside a bet," he says as his hama thickens and a vague haze falls across his form, "Loser has to do the winner's chores for a week."
Audrey grins, her own hama gaining a shimmer of its own, "You're on."
The instant those words leave her mouth, Chad vanishes from view.
Audrey's eyes snap wide as they dart from side to side, searching for the foe she knows must be close by. Nothing, not physical nor spiritual, meets her gaze as she sweeps it across the battlefield—but that's no real surprise.
Fervour by itself cannot be sensed, at least not easily. It is why one can bump into a Bishop despite the strength of faith such a role demands. Only when fervour is in use can one detect it and a technique like Chad's would surely mask the expenditure required.
Breathing in and out, Audrey twists her hama to life as she hides the forming grin. Fortunately, though such a technique is surely formidable, it is far from insurmountable. Especially with the feat Audrey so recently learned.
Lending strength to her hama, a glistening network leaps out all across the battlefield. Like the spider uses its web to sense its prey, so too does Audrey's hama drape across the land. Taut strings layer again and again as, like a broken bowstring, one snaps.
There he is.
Pivoting like a dancer, a sharp grin spreads across Audrey's face as red lightning cloaks her fist. Fervour glows, shining through her body as she throws herself into the swing. The clouds shake, the earth rattles, and birds take to the sky as her fist makes contact with iron-strength flesh.
And the flesh is found wanting.
Thunder cracks as Chad stumbles back, a laugh on his face as he concedes the spar. [Gained Hama Shape: Web, at Rank 0, Gained Vague Feat: Strandsense]
A clapping sound fills the air and a surge of easily-quashed anger wells in Audrey's heart at the theft of her basking. Taking a breath-long-pause to soothe her disturbed humours, Audrey turns to the source just as it speaks.
"That was a fine spar," a black-haired boy a few years Audrey's senior says from his perch on a tree branch. A knee props up an arm as he turns a glimmering gaze on Chad and Audrey, "I'm almost jealous of you Chivalrics, always throwing out rattlers like that without a care in the world." He sighs, the gesture exaggerated and playful, "If I were to do that, I'd be dead come Christmas."
"And to whom do we owe the pleasure?" Chad asks as he rubs palm against the platter-sized bruise on his chest.
The boy—a Thane, as can only be the case—pushes off from his perch and drops to the ground in a gentle bounce. Offering a deep bow stolen right off the playwright's desk, the Thaneling lifts his head just before the question dangled in the air a moment too long, "I'm told my name is Hathwic and that I am a Thane of the Aikenings. Though," he tilts his head to the side as he straightens up, "I cannot quite be sure how long I have with that title."
"And why is that?" Audrey asks as she closes in, her hand extending in good greetings, "My name is Audrey Eotenslaga."
"Chad Howlande," Chad offers his name alongside a dazzling nod. Though his demeanour doesn't change, Audrey can't quite mistake the slight tensing of his limbs or the flexing of the jaw. No surprise, really. There had been a slight scuffle between Aikening and Howlande Thanes only a few years before. Everything was sorted out peacefully, of course, but that could never preclude uncertainty between the youths of either side.
Hathwic hums in answer as he takes Audrey's hand, "My reasoning? Isn't it obvious? My time upon God's Earth is limited in the extreme and I have much to do before it is done." Eyeing Audrey as he keeps his grip firm on her hand, he continues, "Eotenslaga, is it? I had heard you were blooded just a few months ago, is that true?" [Diplomacy Check: 11 successes: Good Result!]
Audrey smiles, her spine stiffening with enough pride to nearly forget her hand still within Hathwic's grasp, "You are correct! I slew a bandit in single combat, laid him low with the strength of sword and a piece of prayerwork."
"Impressive," Hathwic nods as he finally releases Audrey's hand, "I was wondering where your sword was, given the calluses on your hand," Audrey felt herself bristling ever-so-slightly, but reminded herself that calluses are the product of training and are not some blemish upon her skin, "but," he continues with a side-eye at the sparring ground's signage as Chad lifts a waterskin to his lips, "it seems that the master-at-arms wishes to see fisting over those working their swords."
Chad snorts, nearly choking on his water as Audrey tilts her head to the side. Brows knitting confusion on her face, Audrey shifts narrowed eyes between a placidly grinning Hathwic and a sputtering Chad hacking up a lung.
There's something she's not getting here, that much is apparent. And something tells her that neither Chad nor Hathwic will tell her what Hathwic speaks of—or, more that Hathwic will tell her exactly what it is in the most roundabout way possible. She shall have to seek out the library for more information on this matter, perhaps the librarian might be able to help?
This will require further study.
Still, at least she's made a good impression on Hathwic!
0~0~0
"Norsemen," Reinald's teaching voice fills Audrey's ears as he leads her through the trees, their horses taking the rough ground with ease. Reinald, as Audrey has come to learn, has a myriad of different manners of speaking. He doesn't seem to even realise when he swaps, but the careful ear can easily pick out the changes in his tone and enunciation. In times like now, when he is teaching a lesson, his voice is firm and exact, "are dangerous, but can you tell me why?"
Audrey thins her lips, her mind combing through countless memories as she seeks out the proper words. "It," she begins after a few moments of silence, her brows furrowing as she finds her answer, "it is because they are so varied. Two Norsemen can grow up together in the exact same circumstances and one can wield fire while the other does ice. Some Norsemen have strength far beyond mortal ken while others can weather any blow."
"Exactly correct," Reinald says as pride pools in Audrey's heart, "No two Norsemen are exactly alike. Each in the band we hunt will have different strengths and different abilities."
Audrey nods at Reinald's words, her hands gripping the reins tight. Recently, a small group of Norsemen had taken to playing highwaymen on the backroads of the Shire. Reports differ, but it seems that there are five in total. Some even claim that one of them is a Troll of all things!
Utterly ridiculous. Audrey had almost laughed out loud when that rumour graced her ears! While Ettin don't actually feast on the flesh of man, the same cannot be said for Trolls. No Troll could ever work with man, for their hunger would surely drive them to betrayal.
It is much more likely that one of the Norsemen is simply unusually large, tough, and ugly—well, uglier than is normal for Norsemen. Not that she's seen a Norseman in person, of course, but the stories always paint them as a sort most horrific!
"What do we know of these Norsemen?" Reinald's voice pulls Audrey from her thoughts.
Clearing her throat, Audrey quickly rattles off what she recalls from the mission briefing, "Five in total, one seems to possess strength of fire while another commands some manner of ghostly wolves. One in particular is said to be extremely strong and large."
"Didn't the report say he was a troll?" Reinald tilts his head to the side, a brow arching as he glances Audrey's way.
Audrey snorts and rolls her eyes, "He's not a troll! Trolls would never work with humans!"
A slight smirk quirks the corner of Reinald's mouth, "I wouldn't be so sure. There are stranger things in this world than a troll among men."
Audrey huffs and folds her arms, "Trolls don't do things like that. The reports say that the Norsemen let travellers go unharmed if they gave up their valuables. If a troll was really there, it would have eaten the travellers regardless!"
Reinald hums as he nods, "That is a good point. Still," he fixes Audrey with a level gaze, "I've tracked the Norsemen to their hideout, which leaves us with the initiative. To you, however, I leave how we shall proceed."
"Well?"
Audrey frowns, thoughts twisting about her person as she considers the facts of the matter.
[ ] What does Audrey decide?
(You may ask further questions)
0~0~0
AN: Alright, we've got this done and down after a brief rough patch.
What does he know of their hideout? Is it a cave, a hidden building, some tents in a clearing, stuff like that. Do they have a watch, and if so how many is it. Are we liable to be able to catch one or two staying back to look after camp while the others go do bandit stuff, meaning we can snipe them and ambush the others when they return, or do they tend to stick together?
Nice chapter, and seeing Audrey being entirely innocent is really nice
Vague has always been a thing, it means "You have the idea of the move but can't reliably use it in real combat" Rough is "You can use it but you're inefficient with it", Refined is "It works as intended"
Whoo boy, tactics. Norse are generally glory-hounds, which can be used against them. I wonder if the wolves are a fylgja thing or a Kunna. More likely a Kunna, which means they probably can't be used for scouting and watches, but I wouldn't bet on us achieving surprise easily.
Whoo boy, tactics. Norse are generally glory-hounds, which can be used against them. I wonder if the wolves are a fylgja thing or a Kunna. More likely a Kunna, which means they probably can't be used for scouting and watches, but I wouldn't bet on us achieving surprise easily.
Vague has always been a thing, it means "You have the idea of the move but can't reliably use it in real combat" Rough is "You can use it but you're inefficient with it", Refined is "It works as intended"
Mastered is "You've taken it beyond the original scope and can use it with ease", and finally, there's Perfected which is "You've excavated every inch of proficiency out of this technique and it's become something you can do completely without thinking." The biggest advantage is that a lot of stuff that normally has a cost has that cost fall to zero when Perfected for instance.
A Perfected technique usually lets you remove at least one fundamental limitation on a technique, so it's anything from "Costs you nothing to use", to "Can use this along with other moves even if it would normally require all of your attention". The specifics are usually different per move though (Giant Slaying Blow for instance never becomes cheaper than 15 Fervour, but it gets more powerful by a great deal the higher up it goes, and it has a particularly secret sauce attached to it that only starts showing itself in Master and above, though that being said, don't monofocus on it, Mastered Techniques cost a fortune, and Perfected Techniques three fortunes)
What does he know of their hideout? Is it a cave, a hidden building, some tents in a clearing, stuff like that. Do they have a watch, and if so how many is it. Are we liable to be able to catch one or two staying back to look after camp while the others go do bandit stuff, meaning we can snipe them and ambush the others when they return, or do they tend to stick together?
On the one hand, if this is the same kind of troll we've seen in Norsequest, that is scary. They are supposedly Knight level in strength, but are vulnerable to the sun.
I think a good opening would be breaking the hideout itself. If it is actually a troll then that takes out one of their strongest members right off the bat and if not then it deals with any traps they might have.
If the big guy isn't actually a troll we should fight him, since we ar a eotenslaga with the Giant Killling blow well practiced
Okay, the hideout is in a cave, so no breaking it, and they have a fire user, so no idea if smoking them out would work. that's unfortunate.
