Interlude: House of Twilight, Part I
In the end, you had acceppted Zarya's offer. Seeing no reason to refuse the seemingly harmless invitation at the time. Though you can't help but feel as if you are missing something, something quite important.
Even now, having once again returned to the slums in the dead of night, you aren't quite sure why did you even do it in the first place. You had never been so....sociable before, and certainly not to someone who you had just met.
You frowned deeply in thought as the ruined Church of Mavis City had finally come within your line of sight. Zarya, there is something about that priestess that had made you feel so comfortable while within her direct presence. You don't think she is actively controlling you, the negative energy will then have reacted to the intrusion otherwise, but it is still something to keep in mind the next time you will have to interact with the gorgeous blunette.
This is something to ponder about at a later date however as you are currently within the earshot distance of the church. The night is as silent as the grave, and someone inside might have heard of your approach if you were to carelessly disturb the rubble around the perimeter.
You firmly clasp the torn up black cloak you are wearing as you advance with lightened steps towards the Twin's place of worship. While it's only magical function is to badly distort your voice, it is just a simple matter for you to decide how an obvious disguise is still far better than none whatsoever. Everyone knows how the Church has various different methods for them to detect the kind of an existance such as yourself and you are much more comfortable with the notion of your face being hidden in case you make a blunder in this holy site.
Thus, it is with mind running a mile per minute over the thoughts of being discovered did you reach the building which belongs to the oldest religion ever recorded in Altaria. You gently put your back againts it's cold brick wall, trying to quickly even out your breathing in accordance to the books that you had read. There is a demolished section on this side, this you had seen in the distance, and it would make a much better entry point for you than the church's actual entrance.
The Twin's Church, otherwise known as the House of Twilight to many. The concept of the Religion it practiced was simple, yet it grew ever complicated the more that you dig through it. The faith is basically centralised in the act of worshipping two God like beings who was said to have created the world in a long, long time ago. Both are twins, a reflection to the duality of their nature people have said, and they took turns in deciding the fate of Altaria. These twin's are Luciana, she who governs the Day. And Layla, she who rules the Night. Together, they brought peace and prosperity to the world. If it were ever be so simple.
According to what Sister Kas and your teacher had said, the Church has been encouraging the development of Luciana's faith over those of Layla. You didn't quite get what do they meant by that, but apparantly it got so bad to the point there are many interpretation of the Twin's duality that extends far to where it wasn't supposed to be. Luciana being the source of all Good and Layla being the source of all Evil being only one of the example.
This is a religion that possess a long and rich history to the people all around the world. Most of the large scale events that had happened in the past has some kind of their influence attached to it in one form or another. Whether it be through the Church itself or the Angels that was reported to be present in the area doing Twin knows what. It is a faith that has proven itself many times againts great diabolical forces.
Which is why the idea of you prowling around in the church's outer edges, with a body brimming with negative energy no less, will never be believed by the you from four years ago. Even now, you sometimes had thought you are living a nightmare. A long and horrible one, yet still a nightmare none the less. What would have you given to wake up from this unfair life of yours?
Life is just naturally unfair however. This is the reason why did you reach for Necromancy rather than clinging to faith like what your Sister would have wanted. The Gods would have never given you back your Sister. You can only rely on yourself to force life to be fair.
Nevertheless, for now you cut down your trip to the memory line. The large opening you had seen earlier is now directly in front of you and you silently creeps your way towards it. A quick peek reveals there is no one inside and before long you entered.
It's interior is quite different from the one you had remembered, though it is still build in the same style. It makes sense for there to be a slight cultural difference here. Phione is after all, not Varon.
Feeling a little bit disheartened by the unfamiliarity, you instead began to intently study the hall that you were in. Trying to piece together it's condition from what you could found from a quick observation.
First of all, it's clear that the Church is not exactly abandoned. Using the moon's light for illumination, you can see how the place has been tidied quite recently. There are only a few chairs for believers to sit on, but it is clean and dustless. There is a platform at the church's very back, across it's main door, and atop it you can see candles and all sorts of religious items that looks like to still be in good use. All in all, while it would be unpleasant, the church is still operable for prayers.
You were just about to make a further and more through search of the place, but the sounds of people walking in detered you. Giving a hasty retreat to the opening, you can hear the wooden double door creak ominously, and from the corner of your hiding spot you can see who it was that had interrupted you.
It is a Priestess you realized, as if you hadn't had enough for a single day. She is currently alone and appeared to be in her teens. Her garb indicates her to be merely an Acolyte of Luciana, but then where is the standing Bishop?
The Priestess of Dawn is confidently striding through the darkened hall of the church, seemingly assured with her familiarity with the place. You tightly hold your breath the moment she draws near, and release it softly by the time she pass with no signs of her being aware of your presence.
A simple wait is enough to reveal her intentions. She is lighting up the candles while sorting out the items on the table. You only had a vague memory of it, but you are sure it is something that she has done every night.
Suddenly she stopped. You can see her relaxed form had now turned tense. Something on the table had attracted her attention, and before you can give it a guess she instantly turned herself around. Swiftly moving somekind of emblem all around her that glows with soft violet light. It dimmed and brightened seemingly at random, before glowing at it's strongest in one particular direction.
Towards you.
You widened your eyes, but it is already too late. The priestess had already let her staff out and with a cry of 'By Luciana's Light!' a beam holy energy is headed straight at you!
(Intrigue Check: Nat 1. Interlude encounter with a hostile noteable commenced.)
You awkwardly rolled backwards in desparation, managing to only let the blast nip slightly at your cloak.
Retreating even further to the chilly outside, you let your mind race. The girl is snarling while following you, intent on giving pursuit with that damnable emblem on one hand. You don't know what it exactly does, but judging by how quick she is resorting to lethal attacks it is fine to assume she wouldn't miss whatever it is pointing out to her.
You considered your options. You can always flee, this operation is a failure already, but the acolyte definitely wouldn't make it easy. Not to mention how she is obviously aware of your true nature. You would have a harder time in the future if the knowledge of a Necromancer is around spreads. There's a possibility that the emblem is pointing out something entirely different, but you aren't going to bet on it.
That leaves silencing her down. Dead girl after all say no tales. The problem however is you need to finish her fast. A burst of mana or two will be ignored by the Tower as magic is used all the time, but one that goes pretty long with a high intensity? That would indicate a fight is going on and with the Tower on high level alert as it is they would quickly come over to investigate the scene.
You can knock her out and simply took the emblem. That way there will be no prove even if she say something. You first need to get close however as you aren't confident in keeping your spells non lethal. Even Dark Grasp might give her head a rough pounding with the amount of force that it has, but you aren't really in a good place to gave out mercies didn't you?
She is preparing another beam of light at you. Whatever you do you need to decide it now!
[ ] Plan: Fight Offensively
-[ ] Took the innitiave by immediately attacking the Priestess with barrages of Dark Blast. Try to distract her by talking while using Fear Aura. Quickly approach her while using Negative Reinforcement. Grapple her staff away and beat her to unconsciousness using it.
[ ] Plan: Fight Defensively
-[ ] Run to the rubble and use it as cover. Search your surrounding for corpses you can turn into undead and have them attack the Priestess. While she is distracted, concentrate your mana using Focused Magic. Attack using Focused Dark Blast when an opportunity presented itself.
[ ] Plan: Write-In
-[ ] Write-In
Even now, having once again returned to the slums in the dead of night, you aren't quite sure why did you even do it in the first place. You had never been so....sociable before, and certainly not to someone who you had just met.
You frowned deeply in thought as the ruined Church of Mavis City had finally come within your line of sight. Zarya, there is something about that priestess that had made you feel so comfortable while within her direct presence. You don't think she is actively controlling you, the negative energy will then have reacted to the intrusion otherwise, but it is still something to keep in mind the next time you will have to interact with the gorgeous blunette.
This is something to ponder about at a later date however as you are currently within the earshot distance of the church. The night is as silent as the grave, and someone inside might have heard of your approach if you were to carelessly disturb the rubble around the perimeter.
You firmly clasp the torn up black cloak you are wearing as you advance with lightened steps towards the Twin's place of worship. While it's only magical function is to badly distort your voice, it is just a simple matter for you to decide how an obvious disguise is still far better than none whatsoever. Everyone knows how the Church has various different methods for them to detect the kind of an existance such as yourself and you are much more comfortable with the notion of your face being hidden in case you make a blunder in this holy site.
Thus, it is with mind running a mile per minute over the thoughts of being discovered did you reach the building which belongs to the oldest religion ever recorded in Altaria. You gently put your back againts it's cold brick wall, trying to quickly even out your breathing in accordance to the books that you had read. There is a demolished section on this side, this you had seen in the distance, and it would make a much better entry point for you than the church's actual entrance.
The Twin's Church, otherwise known as the House of Twilight to many. The concept of the Religion it practiced was simple, yet it grew ever complicated the more that you dig through it. The faith is basically centralised in the act of worshipping two God like beings who was said to have created the world in a long, long time ago. Both are twins, a reflection to the duality of their nature people have said, and they took turns in deciding the fate of Altaria. These twin's are Luciana, she who governs the Day. And Layla, she who rules the Night. Together, they brought peace and prosperity to the world. If it were ever be so simple.
According to what Sister Kas and your teacher had said, the Church has been encouraging the development of Luciana's faith over those of Layla. You didn't quite get what do they meant by that, but apparantly it got so bad to the point there are many interpretation of the Twin's duality that extends far to where it wasn't supposed to be. Luciana being the source of all Good and Layla being the source of all Evil being only one of the example.
This is a religion that possess a long and rich history to the people all around the world. Most of the large scale events that had happened in the past has some kind of their influence attached to it in one form or another. Whether it be through the Church itself or the Angels that was reported to be present in the area doing Twin knows what. It is a faith that has proven itself many times againts great diabolical forces.
Which is why the idea of you prowling around in the church's outer edges, with a body brimming with negative energy no less, will never be believed by the you from four years ago. Even now, you sometimes had thought you are living a nightmare. A long and horrible one, yet still a nightmare none the less. What would have you given to wake up from this unfair life of yours?
Life is just naturally unfair however. This is the reason why did you reach for Necromancy rather than clinging to faith like what your Sister would have wanted. The Gods would have never given you back your Sister. You can only rely on yourself to force life to be fair.
Nevertheless, for now you cut down your trip to the memory line. The large opening you had seen earlier is now directly in front of you and you silently creeps your way towards it. A quick peek reveals there is no one inside and before long you entered.
It's interior is quite different from the one you had remembered, though it is still build in the same style. It makes sense for there to be a slight cultural difference here. Phione is after all, not Varon.
Feeling a little bit disheartened by the unfamiliarity, you instead began to intently study the hall that you were in. Trying to piece together it's condition from what you could found from a quick observation.
First of all, it's clear that the Church is not exactly abandoned. Using the moon's light for illumination, you can see how the place has been tidied quite recently. There are only a few chairs for believers to sit on, but it is clean and dustless. There is a platform at the church's very back, across it's main door, and atop it you can see candles and all sorts of religious items that looks like to still be in good use. All in all, while it would be unpleasant, the church is still operable for prayers.
You were just about to make a further and more through search of the place, but the sounds of people walking in detered you. Giving a hasty retreat to the opening, you can hear the wooden double door creak ominously, and from the corner of your hiding spot you can see who it was that had interrupted you.
It is a Priestess you realized, as if you hadn't had enough for a single day. She is currently alone and appeared to be in her teens. Her garb indicates her to be merely an Acolyte of Luciana, but then where is the standing Bishop?
A simple wait is enough to reveal her intentions. She is lighting up the candles while sorting out the items on the table. You only had a vague memory of it, but you are sure it is something that she has done every night.
Suddenly she stopped. You can see her relaxed form had now turned tense. Something on the table had attracted her attention, and before you can give it a guess she instantly turned herself around. Swiftly moving somekind of emblem all around her that glows with soft violet light. It dimmed and brightened seemingly at random, before glowing at it's strongest in one particular direction.
Towards you.
You widened your eyes, but it is already too late. The priestess had already let her staff out and with a cry of 'By Luciana's Light!' a beam holy energy is headed straight at you!
(Intrigue Check: Nat 1. Interlude encounter with a hostile noteable commenced.)
You awkwardly rolled backwards in desparation, managing to only let the blast nip slightly at your cloak.
Retreating even further to the chilly outside, you let your mind race. The girl is snarling while following you, intent on giving pursuit with that damnable emblem on one hand. You don't know what it exactly does, but judging by how quick she is resorting to lethal attacks it is fine to assume she wouldn't miss whatever it is pointing out to her.
You considered your options. You can always flee, this operation is a failure already, but the acolyte definitely wouldn't make it easy. Not to mention how she is obviously aware of your true nature. You would have a harder time in the future if the knowledge of a Necromancer is around spreads. There's a possibility that the emblem is pointing out something entirely different, but you aren't going to bet on it.
That leaves silencing her down. Dead girl after all say no tales. The problem however is you need to finish her fast. A burst of mana or two will be ignored by the Tower as magic is used all the time, but one that goes pretty long with a high intensity? That would indicate a fight is going on and with the Tower on high level alert as it is they would quickly come over to investigate the scene.
You can knock her out and simply took the emblem. That way there will be no prove even if she say something. You first need to get close however as you aren't confident in keeping your spells non lethal. Even Dark Grasp might give her head a rough pounding with the amount of force that it has, but you aren't really in a good place to gave out mercies didn't you?
She is preparing another beam of light at you. Whatever you do you need to decide it now!
You will have 6 Health
The battle will be conducted narratively with your overall result vs enemy overall result
Battle roll: 2d20 + Stats + Modifiers
You are free to plan whatever you want according to the Skills on the character page and by using basic logic
The Quest Master will be deciding on what stats your action will be using
Martial and Magic stats would both be your offensive and defensive stats
Diplomacy, Stewardship, Intrigue, and Learning stats can be used to either give you an advantage or giving your enemy a malus
Example:
Martial; Grapple away your opponents weapon, if succeed the enemy will lose that weapon
Diplomacy: Distract opponent by talking, if succeed the enemy will suffer a malus
Stewardship: Search your surrounding for corpses you can reanimate, if succeed you would gain a throw away minion
Learning: Study your opponent for either their patterns or their weak spot, if succeed you would receive a bonus in battle roll
Intrigue: Prepare your undead to ambush an enemy, if succeed your undead would gain a bonus on their battle roll
Magic: Bind your opponent using Dark Grasp, if succeed your enemy will receive a malus
Important: Your specification will affect the rolls. For example againts Vecna, if you mentioned her sister in talking action she will then receive a massive malus
Martial roll would receive a 40% malus if you fought in range. Your stats would remain unaffected
Magic roll would receive a 40% malus if you fought in close quarter. Your stats would remain unaffected
Winning a Battle Roll will wound the losing side for 1 Health
A Crit will give an additional 1 wound
Barrier in your equipment would function as a damage dampener, though beware 1 wound would be the absolute minimum unless there is a roll difference of 20 or more
Crit will be 19-20
Crit Fail will be 1
Roll difference with more than 10 will be a Crit for the winner
Please formulate your plan with simplicity to give the Quest Master freedom in creating the narrative
The battle will be conducted narratively with your overall result vs enemy overall result
Battle roll: 2d20 + Stats + Modifiers
You are free to plan whatever you want according to the Skills on the character page and by using basic logic
The Quest Master will be deciding on what stats your action will be using
Martial and Magic stats would both be your offensive and defensive stats
Diplomacy, Stewardship, Intrigue, and Learning stats can be used to either give you an advantage or giving your enemy a malus
Example:
Martial; Grapple away your opponents weapon, if succeed the enemy will lose that weapon
Diplomacy: Distract opponent by talking, if succeed the enemy will suffer a malus
Stewardship: Search your surrounding for corpses you can reanimate, if succeed you would gain a throw away minion
Learning: Study your opponent for either their patterns or their weak spot, if succeed you would receive a bonus in battle roll
Intrigue: Prepare your undead to ambush an enemy, if succeed your undead would gain a bonus on their battle roll
Magic: Bind your opponent using Dark Grasp, if succeed your enemy will receive a malus
Important: Your specification will affect the rolls. For example againts Vecna, if you mentioned her sister in talking action she will then receive a massive malus
Martial roll would receive a 40% malus if you fought in range. Your stats would remain unaffected
Magic roll would receive a 40% malus if you fought in close quarter. Your stats would remain unaffected
Winning a Battle Roll will wound the losing side for 1 Health
A Crit will give an additional 1 wound
Barrier in your equipment would function as a damage dampener, though beware 1 wound would be the absolute minimum unless there is a roll difference of 20 or more
Crit will be 19-20
Crit Fail will be 1
Roll difference with more than 10 will be a Crit for the winner
Please formulate your plan with simplicity to give the Quest Master freedom in creating the narrative
-[ ] Took the innitiave by immediately attacking the Priestess with barrages of Dark Blast. Try to distract her by talking while using Fear Aura. Quickly approach her while using Negative Reinforcement. Grapple her staff away and beat her to unconsciousness using it.
[ ] Plan: Fight Defensively
-[ ] Run to the rubble and use it as cover. Search your surrounding for corpses you can turn into undead and have them attack the Priestess. While she is distracted, concentrate your mana using Focused Magic. Attack using Focused Dark Blast when an opportunity presented itself.
[ ] Plan: Write-In
-[ ] Write-In
Sorry for the premature update previously everyone. Oh my God I am so embarassed. This is a little bit rushed, but I think it came out okay. If you all had any questions about the battle mechanic then you can let me know.