Peril's Origin - A Magical Girl Quest [Complete]

[Naron]

For to find an end, every story needs a beginning.

"I will wait for you, no matter how long it takes!"

She will stand where none of hers ever stood. One who refuses fate and destiny alike, who holds her head high, inspiring those by her side.

"We do not want to harm your friends. Please come quietly."
"...No."

With blossoming friendships most unusual,

"I will-" "Don't say it!" "I will protect you, no matter what. Always!"

Her tale born into a world of sadness,

"Yep, the only problem is that we're going into magical Stalingrad."

Great obstacles have to be overcome.

"Demons, we're busted! Armour up and get to casting!"
""""Aye!""""

On a journey hardly imaginable to many,

"I rise as Magical Girl..."

Peril's Origin, a Magical Girl Quest

---

Of note: this is a spinoff to another Quest, but there is no foreknowledge necessary. Everything you need will be supplied here.

 

[Naron]

You are merely a normal girl, as far as anything can be called normal these days. Well, maybe not even entirely normal, but it is definitely not enough to stand out in the chaos the world became recently.

And you can say that with conviction. Around the dawn of the new millennium, magic became a reality on Earth. World War III took place because of it, with your own country being the victim for once instead of the aggressor or an ally to them; Germany was hit hard in the first days of the invasion, but it recovered well enough.

Well, technically it is now the German region of Earth, as all nations were dissolved after the Grand Crusade. Nothing really changed, they just put it on paper to unify humankind or something. Going by what your father told you, the entire governmental structure is little more than a house of cards waiting for a strong gust of wind.

Following the revelation of magic and that your planet is actually concious, humanity made contact with half a dozen different races living in surrounding 'dimensions', however that works. Elves, Fairies, literal Angels, literal Demons, manifestations of nightmares, and... whatever Dark Stars are, you were seeing the principal during that lecture.

Either way, all those races are aligned in two big blocks and have been waging war on each other for thousands of years. And humanity, now the Akashic Pillar, joined in. Surely it will end soon.

"Heidi?"

You shake yourself out of your contemplations, having stared out the window for who knows how long. Your friend Anna is tapping your shoulder to get your attention.

You are Adelheid Schmeling, or Heidi as you prefer. It is the middle of June, year 2019, and you are on the bus home from school. Summer break has begun.

Your two friends give you amused looks as you wipe your eyes tiredly; watching cartoons into the night was a bad idea right before the last day of school. "See, that's what you get for staying up too late." Of course Sara is right, but you just glower at her in quiet protest.

Anna laughs. "Anyway," she interjects while curling a strand of her blonde hair around a finger. "What are we going to do over the holidays? We're still on for shopping next week, right?" You and Sara nod. "Great!"

You continue to exchange ideas for a bit as the engine rumbles below you; Anna's quirk is infectious and you find yourself curling your own silvery hair around your finger as well. It is all natural, too; from what you heard, anyone much older than yourself needed a long time to get used to having so many different colours around. Something Gaia, the planet, did once she got access to magic; there was strictly none around, and no one knows why that changed when it did.

For you, it has always been that way.

At some point, Sara perks up. "Oh, right, what's your social and working grades?" Anna happily offered her own, having been given above average grades for each. They are mostly extras without much influence on whether a student progresses a year, but you still grimace.

"The usual." "Oh. Sorry."

Sara smiles sheepishly while Anna rolls her eyes. "Well, maybe if you stopped picking fights with the teachers, they would give you proper grades." You had that argument before, at least once a year for as long as you have known Anna.

It is not that you dislike your teachers; most of them are pretty competent and nice if you talk to them outside of the classroom, but... "I'm trying, but it doesn't work." It is the same response you always give. You absolutely hate people trying to tell you what to do, and these people are paid to tell you what to do. No matter how hard you try, not snapping at them is difficult at best.

Your answer has Sara shake her head; Anna shrugs, mostly to herself, and pats your shoulder. "Okay, just make sure you keep doing decent work so they don't get anything on you." To which you nod, fully aware of what she means.

Then your lips curl into a smirk of the kind that tells your friends what is coming already. "Jawohl, mein Führer." Sadly, you are still bad at rolling the R.

Anna groans and Sara giggles, though she unsuccessfully tries to hide it. "Heidi, please! Aren't you ever getting tired of that?"

"Nope," you tell her cheerfully, having successfully changed the topic. "And you're never getting me to stop. But that aside, how are those courses going?"

Your friend is a Practitioner; the one in a thousand humans who hold magic. Her Affinity, through which she actualises magic she casts, is Fire. The only thing worse for a German would be something like Gas or Nationalism, but you make sure to poke fun at your friend anyway. Affinities determine how one's magic works, and more powerful mages usually have more of them.

Anna just blows hot air into your face and turns away. "I don't see why I need it, to be honest. Sure, my magic is pretty dangerous, but I can just suck it back in whenever I want. At least it's online so I can do it from home, but having to refresh them every year...." You heard that particularly volatile Affinities are required to take these courses to learn how to be responsible. Anyone could get magic at any time, so teaching proper conduct sounds like a good idea to you.

Then again, Anna is right; she showed you before how she can set something on fire and then immediately breathe in all the flames. It gave her an anime-aura and made her hair glow though, so you just laughed at her looking dumb back then.

Your circle of friends and family is weird, all things considered. Practitioners are one in a thousand, and you are friends with one while your father is also one.

Anna sighs and takes your mind to another topic: "Ugh, Steffie says she doesn't have to take these. It's unfair, she gets to be a Magical Girl and I get the extra work." Her complaints find some sympathy even with you.

Stephanie, or Steffie, is the last friend in your group of four. She is currently somewhere off-world on the front lines, fighting together with the Unified Light. She is a Magical Girl, the very most powerful thing humanity has at the ready. Restrictions for who can awaken that kind of power are much harsher than even for Practitioners, but they are all incredibly powerful.

At least Steffie will come back to spend a few days with you in a week or two.

"I get that," you tell Anna with sympathy. "But look at it this way: nobody expects you to join the war effort." Which is definitely a plus in your books, and the other two agree quietly.

You do not mention how you would like to have magic yourself; you are actually studying the theory of Brand Craft, one of the universally applicable forms of magic. Basically, magic runes without having to learn runes. Any language works, but things can explode in one's face really quickly.

Your father teaches Brand Craft and Magic Binary, and works in setting up civilian arrays, so you get some theoretical exercises from him. It still bothers you that you can not actually activate any of the arrays you create.

Aside from that, you also dabble in Magic Binary; which is more of a cousin to Brand Craft than an entirely different field. Many effects can be created with either of the two, though the former is exclusively about effects layered over an entire area.

There is also Necromancy in the generally applicable fields, which you never paid any attention to, and two more you forgot.

Shaking off those thoughts, you notice that your stop is up next and press the stop-button, then pick up your bag. "Looks like I have to go. I'll call you later."

"Yup, see you!"
"See you tomorrow!"

You hug them both and quickly make your way to the nearest door; the bus halts not much later and you are on the streets, just a few blocks from home. You have your bag slung over your shoulder and lazily greet some neighbours you know on the way.

After but one turn, someone runs into your side and almost knocks you over, a high-pitched squeak accompanying the collision. You quickly regain your balance and turn, finding a girl somewhere between eight and ten standing there. Her clothes are simple and she is a little weird in her looks, with long brown hair. Another identical girl with short hair stands right behind her, fidgeting and not meeting your gaze.

"Um, I'm sorry!" The long-haired girl quickly pipes out an apology in English, surprising you for a moment. Either she is messing with you, or they are foreigners. And a child that young messing with you like this sounds absurd.

You are almost sixteen, so you figure your English is good enough to talk to people. "It's fine. Are you okay?" The short-haired one giggles, most likely over your accent, and you only roll your eyes while trying to suppress a smile. That soft spot you have for children helps with staying calm at least.

Her twin interrupts that moment by confirming that she is fine, rather enthusiastically. You throw her an amused look. "Are you two alone?"

"Nope, we're with big... sis?" The lively twin looks around as she speaks, realising that the two are, indeed, by themselves. She looks again in confusion.

That is when her sister pulls on her arm. "Blanc said to slow down, now we lost her." You admit by yourself that the way the lively one pouts is funny, and almost get yourself to offer to help look for their big sister. Then you see her round the next corner.

Yes, you can see the resemblance that easily; she is about your age, has the same brown hair, a petite build, and laser-like focus on the twins the moment she sees them. Going from her frown, they are in for a scolding.

You know this is where you should leave it, but the whole situation did make you curious. Instead of saying goodbye, you wave at who you assume is Blanc with a sympathetic smile. The twins see it and turn to look, stiffening immediately; meanwhile, their sister gives them a look before turning to you. "Thanks for stopping them. Argentée just keeps running off."

Her voice is quite calm for a big sister who just found her younger siblings again, but you ignore that and shrug. "It's no problem. Are you tourists?" You know they are, but it is as good an opening as any.

Blanc nods, as do her sisters. "We are," she tells you with no difference to her voice. Then the long-haired twin, who you suspect is Argentée pipes up cheerfully: "Sis wanted to come here to learn Brand Craft!"

Here? That stumps you a little; Berlin and Munich have actual courses about that, but Hannover does not. Except for that big semiar held over the current week, where your father is also holding lectures.

Before you get further in your thoughts however, Blanc shushes her sister and shakes her head. "We take turns deciding where to go on our trips, and Perle wanted Germany. So I figured we can hit two birds with one stone."

You make an understanding noise and eye the trio again. "I understand. Where are you from?"

"The US," she returns without hesitation. So they are Americans. You nod again.

Then Argentée pokes Blanc's side with a mischievous smile. "Sis is crushing on that one teacher," she chirps without a care. Blanc only frowns while you try to remember what 'crushing' means. It takes a moment before you make the connection.

"I'm not. His workshop was just interesting." You believe her, though the idea of an amusing coincidence makes you wonder.

Before the sisters can start bickering, you interject: "Say, uh, what did he do in that workshop?" It is interesting to consider that she apparently took her sisters along; maybe they are all interested in Brand Craft. Or Blanc has no one to leave them with, but you rather not think about that.

The older sister considers you for a moment, her searching look only making you raise an eyebrow. "He, uh, explained layering of magical effects and how to make sure overlap doesn't lead to problems. There was an exercise about finding errors in provided arrays." That is a little beyond the words you know generally, but you get the idea.

"They were really easy," Perle offers shily and her twin nods cheerfully. "Yup, the words were all wrong!"

Sounds very much like something you know. You motion for them to wait and grab your phone to flick through it, talking as you do: "Yeah, I can imagine." You are not... particularly mad.

"Were you there, too? Do you like Brand Craft, too?!" Argentée is getting excited, and you can tell Blanc is wondering about something similar.

"No and yes, I don't need to go there." You find what you are looking for and turn your phone, showing you and a handsome gentleman in a suit standing together. "Is that him?"

The sisters all look at the picture, then at you. Your grin is ear-splitting, and Blanc gets a similar expression moments later. The twins keep looking back and forth until you pull your phone away. "That's my father and I made the arrays. They, uh, they are bad on purpose."

"Ohhhh!" You snort over Argentée's astonishment while Perle still looks at you as if trying to find out why you look nothing like your old man. Blanc shakes her head and mutters something about odds that you do not catch.

To keep your momentum, you lean closer to the children. "Want to hear a secret?" And just like that, their eyes sparkle. You throw Blanc another grin and lean down, the girls lending you their ears. "Papa cheats. He always knows when there is something wrong, even without looking."

For anyone practicing Brand Craft, the ability to tell if an array holds errors on a glance is immeasurable in its worth. As expected of a field where one wrongly set word or combination can potentially create miniature black holes.

The twins make impressed noises while you chuckle and pat their heads; neither minds it, though Perle fidgets a little.

You keep chatting with the three, though it is mostly Argentée doing the talking while her sisters stay quiet and listen. Between answering some of your questions and chattering in French to prove she does speak it, the lively girl asks you how life is around these parts, where they can eat good food, what places there are to go, and you have trouble following with how fast she talks at times.

You still answer her as best as you can, and carefully swallow the quip about not being in WW3's zone of impact before it can get out over the question how life is. She is a child, so that would be more than uncalled for.

By the end of it, after some nudging from Blanc that they should get going, Argentée hugs you without warning. "Goodbye, Heidi!" Though surprised, you hug her back and rub her back with a laugh.

"Yeah, you stay safe, okay?"
"Yup!"

She lets go and Blanc gives you a nod, though there is a faint smile on her face. Perle appears torn over something, but you can not say for sure what it is; you throw the timid twin a smile and hold out a hand to their older sister. "Have fun."

She takes it with another nod and begins to herd her sisters away. Both twins wave back, which you return; Argentée keeps it up until they are out of view.

At that point, you turn back to your original route and get going again. Life can be weird at times; this one was a nice kind of weird in your opinion.

. . .
IDENTIFIED BREAK LINE
. . .​

Home is... quiet. Not that it is unusual, you are back before your father most of the time. After putting out your school report for him, you quickly go about putting your things away. It is summer break, meaning you have six weeks of freedom to spend at your leisure.

School supplies vanish in their respective drawers and your bag is stored at the bottom of your wardrobe. Then you pour yourself a glass of cold orange juice from the fridge and lounge on the couch to watch some TV for a while.

With only three lessons this day, you got home before noon despite being held up by the sisters earlier. Your usual shows are not on yet, but they are rerunning Digimon again; you never catch that one because you are still at school normally.

By the time the clock strikes three, you reluctantly turn off the TV and get into the kitchen. With just you and your father, housework was divided over time; he used to do more, but in time you refused to let him do all of it after working eight hours every weekday.

At this point, the split is about even. Each of you sorts their own clothes, he does the laundry, you are in charge of meals, and all cleaning is done together.

After a few years of being the main cook in the house, you got quite good at it too. Three pots and a pan for noodles, a sauce, some peas and carrots, and a few chicken filets respectively. Your father is inbound and would have sent a text if he was held up, so you get to work.

Half an hour later, you hear a key turning in the lock and the door opening. Good timing, seeing that you just shook out the noodles and put them in their bowl. Everything else is done, too.

Familiar steps tap toward the door and a head pokes in, revealing Julian Schmeling, your father. His brown hair is combed properly and the only wrinkles in his suit are from the long day he had; you do not really get why he wears that thing though, it is not necessary in his particular workplace. He says it makes people trust him more because he looks professional.

"Hey, Papa." You step over and kiss his cheek as you often do. "Hey, daughter," he returns after a moment before checking the stove. "Good time?"

"Good time. I'll bring everything over." He nods and slinks away to put his own bag into the study; by the time you are done carrying the bowl and remaining pots over, he is already seated at the living room table. Your school report was put aside for the time being, you note absently while on your last trip to get the pan.

The meal is mostly quiet, as both of you are hungry; forks and knifes clink on your plates once in a while, but you break the silence in the end: "How is the seminar going?"

His eyes turn to the side for a moment as he thinks. "Pretty well, I think. The children love picking your arrays apart. You're pretty good at appearing less smart than you are," he needles you with a wry smile.

In turn, you shrug and throw a smirk of your own right back. "Learned it from the best." He snorts and you take up the conversation: "I noticed the part with the children. Ran into some of them on the way home."

He takes a sip from his juice, though you can tell he is curious from the look he gives you. So you tell him a little more of your encounter with the sisters.

By the time you are done, the food is mostly gone and you are both full. The comfortable silence between you only lasts for a short while, though; it turns a little more tense when your father starts to make a show of reaching for your school report.

You brace for the inevitable and wait as he goes over your grades; all decent, some above average, but his mostly suppressed sigh tells you he saw the bad grade on social behaviour. Neither of you actually mentions it at this point, not unless you actually do something particularly bad, but you know he sees it all.

You know that it is not a good trait, and you tried hard not to be like this. It even got a little better, but you just can not help it. You would not even care normally, but your father's disappointment, no matter how well he hides it, hurts more than any amount of extra work or detentions ever could.

Picking fights with older children, refusing the teachers to the point they send you out of the classroom, you can not even talk to police officers without getting worked up. Staying calm is not easy at all, and you know he knows that too.

You are yourself, and nobody is allowed to tell you what to do. At least that is what your feelings say.

And much to your dismay, they hold supremacy over your mind. A state needs rules to be upheld, and people to uphold those rules are also needed; even if you are anti-authoritarian, you have to accept that. Yet your heart does not let you, no matter how hard you try. The best you can do is get over yourself and apologise later. Sometimes. Maybe.

It has never been much different, but actually got worse over the years. For every bit of compliance you manage to wring out of yourself, you get angrier and more defiant on the next encounter. For each apology you give, another refusal already builds.

You do it all for him; he always believed in you, trusts you to do better, and even stopped scolding you because he sees how hard you try. Disappointing him year after year hurts more than losing the fight against yourself.

Just why do I have to be this way?

It is a question you ask yourself at times, and normally there is no response forthcoming.

Today however, something deep within you answers; it is okay to refuse, to be who you want to be and take nothing from no one, unless you want to. Your life is yours, the feeling sings, and you gasp as your very soul joins its song.

"What's wrong?" He noticed your reaction, but you can not say anything; your chest constricts almost painfully for a moment before euphoria surges through every fibre of your being. Your chair falls backward as you get up and step away from the table. Your worries are forgotten as realisation fills you; mind, heart, and soul unite for the first time in ages, no longer divided.

Fate and destiny, weak and strong, good and evil, you refuse however you see fit. Silently screaming against all that would dare to hold you down, words form in your mind. They feel as natural as breathing, and so you intone: "As stolen flame sets fate ablaze, I rise as Magical Girl Defiance!"

Your body shines brightly as magic floods through it, forming clothes. A simple metal bar materialises in your hand, of which you know it is so much more. The light subsides as fast as it appeared, leaving you standing in front of the table; a small shockwave rattled the plates and blew the paper towels down at your father's side of it, the man himself staring at you.

He is halfway around the table, and now visibly confused. "Who...? Where did you come from?"

You stare back at him, just as confused. When he makes to grab for the pen in his pocket, you raise your hands in alarm. "It's me! What's wrong, Papa?"

He blinks, looks again, and lets out a shaky sigh as you continue to stare at him wide-eyed. "Ah. That field really is strong." You have no idea what he is talking about, and he explains a moment later: "It's called Automatic Identity Protection and makes it so people can't recognise you. For a moment, I really had no idea you're my daughter."

"Oh." You had no idea that was a thing. Then your eyes narrow. "And you almost pointed the pen at me." His hand flinches back immediately and for the first time in a long while, he looks actually sheepish.

"Sorry about that. I'm a little on edge these days, with the war and all." He takes another deep breath to calm himself, which you do as well. His pen is dangerous after he modded it with Brand Craft. Using that on you would have ended ugly.

With the scare nearly forgotten, realisation clicks in your mind and you look down at yourself; the weapon in your hand is the most telling one, making a swirl of emotions fill your mind.

So much for being a normal girl. The magic now surging through you disagrees vehemently.

"Anyway, that... is unexpected." You quietly agree with your father's assessment; he has a hand on his chin and is considering you. "Hm. 'Defiance', you said?" He chuckles once you nod, and you can tell why immediately. Of course this had to happen at just this time, and with this particular name.

Though you have to admit that you did not feel as defiant at the moment. Mostly just curious. After giving your father a quick look, you dash out of the room before he even notices you are gone. The Handle, that is what your weapon is called, vanishes with a thought. It can be recalled at any time.

First of all, you check yourself in the big mirror in your room; the you that looks back still appears the same. Sharp features you got from your father, long silver hair, and eyes of a colour somewhere between blue and green, both of the latter inherited from your mother.

However, you are now clad in an outfit of silvers and turquoise, walking on heeled shoes and somehow pulling it off without even trying. The ribbons imitating a cape flutter a little when you spin on one heel, trying to take yourself in from all sides.

A sound from your door makes you turn, finding your father once again; he eyes you with an amused twinkle, to which you stick out your tongue. Then you still and look at him. "Hey, can I test the spell I got? I can't tell what it does, but I know it won't break anything."

It feels weird and you are curious what it will actually do. Maybe some kind of power boost. It stays obscure even though you know quite well what your weapons can do. Yes, plural. You have a whole five of them! Well, technically. It's a little weird.

Your father thinks about it for long moments, making you worry about his response; you know your spell is harmless by itself. It can not hurt anyone, your new senses tell you that much.

In the end, he nods. "Okay, if you're sure about it."

"Yes." You smile, having gotten permission and almost dying of curiousity. Magic surges as you speak a single word, focussing in front of you. "Voyage!" Before you opens a gate, almost translucent and hardly visible to anyone but you who knows it is there. You smile for an instant, before you realise it quickly moves your way. Instincts stay quiet, and you learn your first lesson about magic in that moment: your instincts are not always trustworthy.

Before you can get out of it, the portal envelops you and then... then everything is.

For a timeless instant, you are surrounded by an empty yet filled void, moving from a faint light to another. It is dark yet bright, the silence ear-shattering in a way. You drift through everything and nothing before the other light picks you up, the single moment in time becoming only a memory as you land... on hard earth.

Uttering a grunt as you impact the ground, you need a moment to raise your head and take in the surroundings. Your surroundings are rocky and a single tree stands on a hill in the distance. The small creak bubbling past you is the main source of noise, no animals in sight.

A light fog lies over everything, faintly illuminated by the fading moon. Morning has yet to break wherever you are.

Panic grasps your mind for several seconds, making you freeze up on the ground; getting your head to function takes a while, but you know you must not stay where you are. You need to find out wherever you are and how this happened.

First things first...

-------------
[] Where are you?

[] What happened?


[]EXP-Plan
-[] Write-in what to buy
-[] Save it

Shop is locked, EXP-spending is locked.

=====​

+15xp They Aren't Related to Your Story, but you met Argentée, Perle, and Blanc
+80xp A Most Fantastic Journey Begins
+20xp In An Unfamiliar Land

EXP gained: 115
Total EXP: 115

=====​

(Unlocked Main Character Sheet)
(Unlocked Friends/Allies page)
(Unlocked Level 5 Character Sheet: Julian Schmeling)
(Unlocked Level 5 Character Sheet: Anna Seidel)
(Unlocked Enemies/Opponents page)
(Unlocked Misc. page)
(Unlocked The Timeline)

 

[Naron]

Defiance and her Stuff
Failure States: 3​

(Independent/Unified Darkness) Magical Girl Defiance

Adelheid Schmeling
A.K.A. Heidi / The Dragonslayer
​

Stats

Health: 900
Base Damage: Variable
Base Resilience: 100
Magic Modifier: 1,755


Affinity: Defiance | Interference | Story Maker

Weapon

The Handle
Level 33
Attacks Per Turn: 12
Affinities: Defiance | Interference
Ability: Indestructible | Mode Shift | Telepathy | Levitate | Return | Priority-1


Stardust Striker
Level 20
Base Damage: 1,500
Affinities: Interference
Ability: Auto Max Charge | Supremacy | Laser


Stygian Tempest
Level 17
Base Damage: 595
Affinities: Defiance
Ability: Ray | Unstoppable | Sudden Death | Anti-Infantry


Aetheric Tide (image on character portrait)
Level 35
Base Damage: 1,400
Affinities: Interference
Ability: Slash Hell | Riposte | Vampire | Unerring


Reaper's Will
Level 12
Base Damage: 600
Affinities: Defiance
Ability: Vorpal | Abrade | Superslayer

Spells

Voyage
Slip through the layers of reality, be it either in space or in time
Level N/A
Base Damage: N/A
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Defiance | Interference | Story Maker
Ability: Journey | Dimension Shunt


Argent Star
Silvery spheres that hunt and destroy your enemies
Level 20
Base Damage: 1,300
Magic Modifier: 400
Affinity: Interference
Ability: Homing | Omni Magic | Purge | Anti-Air | Perpetual Caster


Arcane Slash
Wrapped in magic, this strike will not miss. Reaches one metre beyond melee-range of current weapon.
Level 11
Base Damage: 1,650
Magic Modifier: 275
Affinity: Story Maker
Ability: Unblockable | Echo | Trans Smasher | Dragonslayer

Abilities

That Which is Forbidden
Level 6
-Defiance counts as fulfilling any requirement for any Ability, personal or otherwise, at all times. Governs Health.

The Weapon's Secret
-The Handle is always present as the base of the current weapon, and carries Base Damage equal to half of Stygian Tempest or Aetheric Tide, whichever is higher. Weapons can be switched for free, but only once per action. Active effects on weapons are removed upon switching.
-Defiance may seal one of her weapons for the remainder of combat to reset her ApT and increase MM by 100%.

Inhuman Agility
-Defiance can perform feats of agility that beggar belief.

Rage Against Fate
You think that's enough to stop me?
-Nullify opposing Auto Kill effects, mental effects, and Slayer-Abilities within 80m.
-Defiance remains alive for the next two turns after her Health falls below 0; should she heal back above 0 in that time, or the person responsible for this Ability triggering be killed by her, her death is prevented.

Overwhelming Presence
-Defiance is capable of negating spells, and opposing Magic Modifiers are set to 0.

High-Speed Combat (lvl 3)
-Defiance can track and react to opponents moving at up to 270mph

Unmatched Skill
-Spend a single action to nullify an opponent's action.

Defy the Rules
-All instances of attributive Abilities like Silent, Intangible, or Indestructible are treated as if they were not present. Defiance can safely perceive all forms of the Conceptual Language.

Guardian's Excellence
-Defiance is aware of all attacks within 20m of herself and may ignore the Anti-Parry Ability.

Meaningless Slaughter
Level 25
There is no point to it all....
-Complete immunity to damaging non-attacks as well as Overwhelming Presence-effects. Increase Defiance's ApT by 25% per enemy she fights, and decrease the level of opposing movement-related Abilities by 25.

Spell Synchronisation

Two or more different spells may be synchronised to form a single, more powerful spell. It usually requires either a shared Affinity or a matching theme for synchronisation to be possible. Possible, not guaranteed.

Discovered Syncs:
Iron Shell (Paoras) + Conundrum

Paradox Charge
Level N/A
Base Boost: (Iron Shell Boost + Conundrum Boost) x3
Magic Modifier: (Sum of both Spells' MM) x2
Affinity: Iron | Interference
Ability: Boost-Self | Damage Barrier | Boost Weapon | (Synchronize Only)


Argent Star + Hate's Seal (Lucifer)

Satan's Folly
Two spheres of power, one damaging and one recovering. They always strike the same target.
Level N/A
Base Damage: Argent Star's BD x Hate's Seal's level
Base Heal: Hate's Seal's Level x Argent Star's BD
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Darkness | Light | Interference
Ability: Undodgeable | Heal | (Synchronize Only)

Transformation Time Limit: 18 hours​

Shop

EXP Total: 31,525
EXP Spent: 30,500
Current EXP: 1,025

Level Ups

All stats grow linearly.
Health grows by 150 per Level in That Which is Forbidden.
Base Damage grows with each respective weapon.
Base Resilience has no controller and can not be increased.
Magic Modifier grows by 15 for each level in any weapon.

In general, you can get the base value a given weapon or spell grows by by dividing the current value by the current level. (e.g. A level 5 weapon with 100 Base Damage grows by 100/5 = 20 per level)


Improving any level on anything except High-Speed Combat costs [10 x (Current Level)] EXP.
As a rule of thumb, unless the level is noted in braces like with HSC, the above rule applies in every installment of this system.

Examples:
-Improving a Lvl 3 weapon to Lvl 4 costs [10 x 3 = 30] EXP.
-Improving a Lvl 3 weapon to Lvl 6 costs [10 x (3+4+5) = 10 x 12 = 120] EXP.

Shop Contents

Improved Perception v4
-1,600 EXP
Increase the level of High-Speed Combat.

Purchased Items

Determined Soldier
-150 EXP
Protects from harmful effects and improves speed.

Improved Perception
-200 EXP
Gain High-Speed Combat (lvl 1).

Improved Perception v2
-400 EXP
Increase the level of High-Speed Combat.

Improved Perception v3
-800 EXP
Increase the level of High-Speed Combat.

Overdrive Seal
-The Handle lvl 10
-400 EXP
Improves The Weapon's Secret.

Defy the Rules
-Learn your Affinities
-500 EXP
Do the impossible, see the unseeable, touch the untouchable!

Defiant Streak
-Experienced Presence of Light
-Experienced Absence of Light
-450 EXP
You will remain standing, no matter what.

Starfall
-Defeat 5 enemies with Flight (5/5)
-450 EXP
Adds Anti-Air to Argent Star

Shared Conundrum
-Prevent 15,000 points of damage with Conundrum (15,000 / 15,000)
-500 EXP
Replace Conundrum's Boost-Self with Boost-All

Guardian's Excellence
-Master Skill or better
-Negate 20 attacks (20/20)
-600 EXP
Protect yourself and your allies alike.

Deny the Reaper
-400 EXP
You refuse to go that easily.

Transcendence
-1,500 EXP
Upgrades Inhuman Skill

Refuse the Hunter
-Used a Slayer-Ability to kill 10 enemies (10/10)
-Fought an enemy with a Slayer-Ability
-550 EXP
Targeted strikes are meaningless in your presence.

Rage Against Fate
-Defiant Streak
-Refuse the Hunter
-Deny the Reaper
-800 EXP
An aegis like no other will shine.

Glimmering Dust
-Stardust Striker lvl 5
-500 EXP
Adds Laser to Stardust Striker.

Withering River
-Stygian Tempest lvl 5
-Kill 50 enemies (50/50)
-500 EXP
Adds Anti-Infantry to Stygian Tempest.

Soft Mechanics and Their Exploits​

This is where the how of Heidi's magic comes in. You already know what it does, but not how it does things. Heidi needs to find that out by herself, and in many cases practice to use it for maximum effectiveness.

New mechanics are added as they are discovered; they are in the Mechanics-section and cover how a given weapon, Spell, or Ability works.

Passive exploits will apply even without her knowing about them, though you can generally assume she has an idea about what they do.

Active exploits need to be actively trained; some low-hanging fruit and a few important things are auto-unlocked as the story progresses, but most of the actually impactful exploits require practice. The amount of practice depends on the exploit in question.

The 'Others' tab includes any miscellaneous things that might pop up.

Weapon Mechanics

The Handle:
-Base of all other weapons; a metal bar reminiscent of a stave

-It is an Indestructible core, holding the different modes within
--seeing that The Handle is a core, its Abilities are also present and active on every other weapon mode; though only on the parts that are still The Handle.

-Mode Shift: upon a mental command, the weapon can switch forms; the core itself elongates or shrinks itself depending on the form, and forms the additional parts out of magic
--the lightsaber is a special case, as the blade is not solid; all the additional solid parts are inside of the casing
--switching removes active effects on the current weapon; buffs and debuffs alike

-Telepathy: Allows to move the weapon via telekinesis; not much momentum aside from what it already has, though
--the mind-link also gives a feedback for how heavy an impact is

-Levitate: Allows to supply motive force in a given direction

-Return: The weapon immediately surges back into Heidi's hands from wherever it is; does not work when not in the same dimension as her weapon; it always takes the shortest free path, and moves very fast

-Priority-1: Jolts of magic that let Heidi get around having to process information and deciding how to act; basically allows her to act instantly with the full knowledge of what is going on



Stardust Striker:
-A green sword that is good at conducting and channeling Heidi's magic

-Auto Max Charge: Due to calming the flux of mana Heidi draws from, she can pull out a lot more of it at her usual pace, with the usual maximum as a guaranteed minimum amount. This also affects spellcasting while the weapon is active.

-Supremacy: Heidi's magic actively interferes with defensive things her attack comes in contact with, shutting them down to let her strike pass before letting them go back up

-Laser: Heidi pushes mana into the blade, making it shine;
--releasing the charge without attacking saturates the surrounding area with excess mana; boosts modifier rolls, but can be debilitating in higher concentrations (like drugs)
--Magic spillover from her blade begins at 20 charges; before that point, only the sword itself can apply the damage; afterward, Heidi gets an energy wave


Stygian Tempest:
-A double-bladed scythe that is easy to rotate and swing in a continuous circling motion

-Ray: The weapon is easy to swing in a circling motion, allowing the attack to be kept up
--makes it easier to move around while swinging.

-Unstoppable: Both blades are coated in a magical field that reaches several centimetres past them in all directions. When this field comes into contact with an opposing force, it sharpens itself in response to finely cut into it from the best possible angle.

-Sudden Death: Complete shutdown of whatever enemy thing would stop the scythe from dealing damage the moment it is encountered, otherwise inert

-Anti-Infantry: This creates a malevolent surge of magical power whenever weaklings are encountered; even the weapon refuses to fail against small fry.


Aetheric Tide:
-straight lance with a triangular blade and two long ribbons attached to the other end
--Heidi can throw the weapon and hold onto the ribbons for a further-reaching attack
--the ribbons allow for choking enemies if Heidi gets in a good position for that

-Multi-Slash: A surge of speed that allows Heidi to attack several times instead of just once, packing five hits into a single 'strike'.

-Riposte: Passively increases Heidi's eye for exploitable openings, and makes it easier to find correct parrying strategies to make use of those openings. Also yields a burst of speed whenever such an opening presents itself (read, an attack was parried)

-Vampire: This ability lets the blade glow; it sucks life force out of wounds it causes.

-Unerring: Adds a subroutine into the spear that constantly calculates enemy movement patterns and environmental influences on them. It nudges Heidi to adjust her aim in order to guarantee a given strike to hit wherever she intents for it to land, allowing even called shots to specific body parts. This subroutine can not account for active interference with a given attack or any significant reaction from the target, though.



Reaper's Will:
-Lightsaber with blue blade; the blade itself is magical and not solid, but a constantly returning burst of magic that pulses so fast it appears constant
--has an off-button

-Vorpal: The blade itself is technically not sharp, but so incredibly hot that what it touches does not get Burn or Melt but simply melt away and the edges are sealed up; if this happens any faster than at crawling speed, it is a clear cut.

-Abrade: The blade wears down armour and other defensive effects it impacts, weakening the structure of an enemy's protection.

-Superslayer: Malevolent and defiant; there is devastating energy woven into each burst of mana that forms the blade. It immediately adjusts to whatever it attacks and ruptures it.

Spell Mechanics

Voyage:
-This Spell warps space and time to the point they form a gate between two places and/or times; it stops reality from readjusting itself until Heidi and whoever she takes along went through. The portal moves toward her unless conciously stopped, though it is barely visible to most; it adjusts to the size of whoever is to pass through, though Heidi can only take a handful of people along. Touching them directly makes it easier.

-Journey: Adds the capability to pass through time, as well as a notable teleportation from one spot to another.

-Dimension Shunt: Adds the capability to pass through dimensions, reaching up to four dimensions beyond the current one.


Argent Star:
-Forms a silvery sphere somewhere around Heidi, roughly the size of her head. It quickly takes up speed as it shoots toward the target; preferably goes in a straight line, but can curve.

-Homing: Upon casting, Heidi marks targets for each sphere; the sphere will keep following the target no matter where it goes; follows everywhere, but does have a certain turning radius due to possessing momentum and inertia.

-Quadra Magic: Spawns five spheres instead of one, each one individually controllable

-Purge: The silver light is quite aggressive against differently aligned magic; the more different things there are, the more potent it becomes to assure they are eradicated. Spheres explode once they encounter something foreign, as long as it is at least as big as a grown man's fist or directly magical in nature.
--the explosion has a reach of roughly 1m in diameter

-Perpetual Caster: Once the Spell is cast, an echo of it lingers around Heidi for a few turns; it surges every few seconds to recast before fading as it uses itself up.

-Anti-Air: Makes the sphere expand as it flies; it does not grow to a gargantuan size, but the radius does increase a bit. Also produces a magical backlash from active flight-Abilities to strengthen the damage it deals.


Arcane Slash:
-Coats the weapon into a faint magical shroud. Upon swinging, the targeted enemy is hit. Shroud can hit 1m beyond the equipped weapon.

-Unblockable: The mother of all aimbots, in that it works by warping space; a melee-slash is made and contorts space around it to hit the intended target no matter what they do to prevent it.
--even if they move out of the Spell's normal reach once they are targeted, they are still hit

-Echo: The magical shroud resonates with Heidi and produces an echo of the strike that lashes out less than a hearbeat after the actual attack

-Trans Smasher: The magic refuses to bend in the slightest, even against those greater than Heidi herself; it just corrodes the opposing Existence until it gives

-Dragonslayer: Spikes the strike's mana, thus amplifiying its cutting power and sending damaging shocks through the target, whenever it encounters said target holding a Dragon-Affinity. Any defensive property tied to that Affinity is simply cut through.

Ability Mechanics

That Which is Forbidden
Fools reality by emulating Affinities or traits required to access particular Abilities. Does not do anything to Shop-prerequisites because everything in the Shop is already accessible.

The Weapon's Secret
Most already covered under weapons; the weapon-sealing temporarily consumes a mode to free up magic and grant a short burst of speed; with some time out of combat, consumed modes are recreated.

Inhuman Agility
Increases Heidi's flexibility to levels most humans are unable to ever reach and that even sees many Elves wanting. Magically augments her jumping height to several times the usual limit, adjusts her muscles so she can actually move mid-jump, and improves Heidi's sense of balance by an order of magnitude.

Of note is that her flexibility is a permanent change and thus applies even while untransformed.


Rage Against Fate
This Ability has an outward and an inward effect.

Outward is an aura that interrupts and disrupts all Slayers (normal and Super), Auto Kill effects, and mental influences within its reach (not sealing, disrupting after they actually activated and before they can afflict anyone); the affected area glimmers like hot air and feels a little oppressive for opponents to be in. Allies feel themselves lighter, slightly less affected by pain and injury

Inward is a Save from Death in the form of battle continuation; if Heidi's Health goes below 0, a bit of her mana is converted into life energy to keep her body alive and specifically prevent complete desintegration or mutilation from any source; it is fickle and only lasts up to thirty seconds, but it allows her body to go along with the force of her will instead of breaking down; if regular life force is added in high enough quantities to replace the imitation (Health goes above 0), the body returns to normal functionality. Heidi still takes damage as normal, falling further below 0, and can be healed by outside sources as normal.

The mana of the enemy responsible for the body's 'death' is held onto; if they are killed by Heidi, their whole life force is pulled out of them to heal Defiance back to full Health (this also removes all Body Damage Modifiers).

(Note: The timer does not count the current turn, no matter how far it progressed. If this triggers on turn 1, then turn 2 and 3 are where it holds; it would then break at the end of turn 3.)
(Note: the Save can trigger any number of times in the same battle, provided that Heidi returns to positive Health in-between)


Overwhelming Presence
Heidi's presence disrupts the flow of mana in the area. Inherent magic attempting to augment anything an enemy of hers does is dispersed before it can even take effect. Spells, which are of a stronger existential weight, lose that weight instead of fizzling out and can be parried or deflected as normal. This only applies for Defiance herself as the origin of this presence.


Unmatched Skill
Magic reinforces Heidi's ability to "parry incoming attacks"
-additionally improves her body against blunt force trauma and kinetic energy, to ensure she can actually parry vastly stronger attacks without getting hurt by the shock even a deflected attack would lead to
-Heidi's kit is focussed on melee combat; she is capable of using this Ability at range to negate attacks made against other people, but it is more difficult for her. All such ranged negations require twice the action cost, but this only covers the case of Heidi not being able to close into melee range before the to-be-negated attack lands.
-The Skilled-line can be bypassed with significant enough damage. Higher tiers of Skill require more to be bypassed. Unmatched Skill as possessed by Heidi can negate attacks of up to 1.2 billion damage, but no more.


Defy the Rules
-Augments Heidi's entire existence so that attributive effects no longer hold effect on or against her. Together with the emulated divinity from That Which is Forbidden, it can even filter the Conceptual Language into something she can safely perceive and understand.

-Ignored:
--Hypersonic: Whenever someone begins using a technique or effect with Hypersonic X on the field, Heidi is adjusted to have HSC X unless her own HSC is already that high or higher.

--Intangible: The moment one of Heidi's attacks or Spells hits an Intangible target, this Ability throws up a magical field that hits not the physical body but the essence of the enemy, basically targeting their entire 'actual body' at once.

--Silent: Improves Heidi's ears; she can hear magic instead of just the effect it has on regular physics. In most cases, this is just a faint noise which can easily fade into the background. For Silent however, she can hear the sounds the magical effect would normally swallow because they go through this effect first instead of immediately vanishing.

--Invisibility: Same as for Silent; an augment for the eyes that allows Heidi to see magic. All magic is now more colourful to her. Anything invisible is unveiled because its entire outline and colouring is visible to her eyes, traced and counter-coloured by the magical field keeping it invisible.

--Indestructible: Whenever an indestructible object is encountered by Heidi's attacks, her magic lashes out and flash-corrodes that property for the instant it is hit by her. For that one moment, it becomes destructible and may break. Afterward, it or its parts (if broken) are once again indestructible.

--Unstoppable's effect on Intercepts: Where Unstoppable would normally just plunge through an opposing attack, some of the previous augments add an existential weight to all of them that 'blunts' it, basically reducing it to Juggernaut for the duration of the Intercept-conflict.
---not enough weight to trigger Existence Bonuses

--Size-based Defenses: Not technically ignored, but reduced. Size-based defenses grant damage reduction against anything smaller than the colossal being themselves. Heidi's magic, when encountering an opponent sufficiently large, runs off her strikes and tears greater wounds; it does not scale to the target, though. The size of the extension is set, lowering the defense by one step. Large Enemy, the first step, is ignored; the next step is treated as being Large Enemy instead, and so on.


Guardian's Excellence
-This works as a limited battlefield awareness which pings Heidi whenever an attack is made or enters the area within 20 metres of her. Unless someone attacks however, it does not do anything; neither does it tell her where the attacker is if the attack enters from outside the Ability's range. Traps are exempt from this awareness.
-Whenever an attack holds Anti-Parry, her magic ignores the property which makes it impossible to parry


Determined Soldier
-A defensive magical layer sitting right on Heidi's skin that makes her not exist to hostile auras and presences; it also improves her speed based on the number of enemies in her Combat Field, i.e. the enemies she could immediately engage in combat by any means at her disposal (this includes ranged attacks, as long as she can reliably aim them).
--of note is that the bonus ApT adjust immediately, whether opponents leave combat or join it; bonus actions are used up first

Other

-Transformation: Heidi's transformation phrase is "As stolen flame sets fate ablaze, I rise as Magical Girl Defiance!"
--With it comes a feeling that roughly equals a defiant outcry against the world and its rules; by replicating that feeling on her own, Heidi can transform without saying the phrase


-Affinities: Heidi's Affinities are Defiance and Interference.
--Defiance: Due to this, her general temper, and her willpower, she is capable of pushing past pain and most Body Damage Modifiers.
---It also grants the "Defiant Against X" modifier against powerful opponents, or opponents Heidi perceives as powerful. The stronger the opponent, the greater the modifier. ???


--Interference: This grants a great aptitude with the Skilled-line of Abilities, as well as obtaining them.
---It is also related to Heidi's temper and attitude, which often makes her jeopardise her own plans and goals (i.e. she interferes with herself)

--Defiance + Interference: Heidi is particularly vulnerable to Affinities related to enforcing order, but also resists all Affinities related to ruling. Chaos and related Affinities are likely to be immune to her modifiers.
---This particular combination of Affinities is capable of resisting World Sphere effects. With Dragons in particular, it even plugs the hole in reality that is them, which hampers their racial Abilities to the point of outright nullifying them in certain cases.


-Suppression: Heidi is capable of suppressing different parts of her kit, even in combat
--Heidi can suppress her modifier roll by holding back on the additional magic that normally flows into her strikes
--Heidi can suppress the outward effects Rage Against Fate's aura by pulling it back in, similarly to her modifier roll

Passive Weapon Exploits

The Handle:
-Modes previously destroyed can be reequipped; they can just be reformed because the core is still there (Mode-Shift)
-Major Improvement of reflexes and reaction time (Priority-1)
-Impact-feedback allows Heidi to more accurately gauge how sturdy her opponent or their weapon is (Telepathy)


Stardust Striker:



Stygian Tempest:
-So much as touching Stygian Tempest's blade can lead to injuries once Unstoppable is active; even the blunt sides can take fingers and transfer the weapon damage when slapped into someone's face
-Stygian Tempest leaves grievous Body Damage Modifiers upon successful hits because the field ruptures any wounds the blades carve into comparably large gouges.
-Due to Defy the Rules, opposing instances of Unstoppable in an Intercept-conflict are treated as Juggernaut and thus no longer automatically break past Heidi's half of the conflict. Due to Stygian Tempest possessing Unstoppable, she can automatically win against someone else who attempts to combine Intercept and Unstoppable



Aetheric Tide:
-Due to Unerring, Aetheric Tide can be used as a completely accurate throwing weapon. Binding Telepathy and Levitate into this grants Heidi a surprising reach with it as well. Vampire and Slash Hell do not trigger on a throw.



Reaper's Will:
-damages melee weapons during intercepts, can easily falsify Cleave when winning, and potentially even break weapons while parrying if Heidi hits them correctly
-can easily leave Body Damage Modifiers if the weapon actually deals damage
-due to how this weapon works, it can even parry attacks that can normally not be parried, such as manabolts or lasers

Passive Spell Exploits

Voyage:


Argent Star:
-if a sphere's explosion hits several enemies simultaneously, Purge triggers on all of their combined Affinities; the same happens if different spheres hit them but their explosions overlap.
-Anti-Air counts every use of the Flight-Ability, even if the user remains on the ground while doing so or creates another effect with it entirely; in particular, ongoing soft exploits of Flight trigger it as well.


Arcane Slash:
-Layering the spell over a multi-hit only attaches its effects to the first hit; if Echo triggers in this situation, it layers itself over an additional hit per trigger.
--The same happens to Ray-triggers.

Passive Ability Exploits

That Which is Forbidden
-Heidi appears as Rule or Death when targeted by Supremacy/Kingdom and Sudden Death; the same goes for every other Ability that is blocked by specific Affinities. Also treats her as specific Affinities which bypass opposing personal Abilities.


The Weapon's Secret


High-Speed Combat


Overwhelming Presence
-Due to how a spell's conceptual weight is scrambled away, it can be parried. At the same time, with the conceptual weight gone, Defiance can intercept it like a normal attack.


Unmatched Skill
-Fools reality into believing Heidi actually can make her own physics for minor stunts, such as bashing someone with the flat side of her sword without repercussions
-soft immunity to Body Damage Modifiers incurred by shockwaves or strong impacts; it is not perfect, but holds quite long
- +500 DR against blunt attacks or kinetic energy


Defy the Rules
-higher sensitivity to magic; can actively listen to magical effects and determine whether they are angelic, demonic, fey, dark star, elven, or human by hearing alone
--Fairy magic sounds the most melodic, angelic magic has a certain reverence, demonic magic sounds rough and deep, dark star magic is sizzling and heated, elven magic is calm and thrumming like drums, human magic is plain weird and keeps making cartoon or anime sounds, and is completely individualised for MGs

-Magic lingers for a while, meaning that Heidi can tell if someone magical was around a place for some time by just listening to the echoes
-perfect sight in magically dense environments, no matter the light level or attempts to obscure her vision
-find ranged casters by following their Spells' contrails, or other magical effects
-target-vision; bodies of magical beings are quite distinct, so Heidi can see people and monsters even through vision-impairing effects, walls, and the like (regular humans are immune, except if they carry active Brand Craft or such)

-untransformed MGs have lingering magic around them. She can identify them, and has an easy time finding Type-3s because their regular bodies are magical constructs
-has a much easier time finding weak points in magical structures, and any kind of magical ambush; also good at detecting hidden Brand Craft (not what it does, just that it is there)


Determined Soldier

Active Weapon Exploits

Proficient:
-Spread the separate attacks from Slash Hell to different enemies [Aetheric Tide]

-String several attacks together like a multi-hit (each attack still costs an action) [1/1]
--Switch weapon mode during a series of attacks to get different weapon Abilities on the unified string [1/1]

-Employ tactical mode-switching to remove debuffs from your weapon (careful, also removes buffs)

-Use Stygian Tempest in an overhead-spin to attack all enemies within its range in a single attack

-Increase the glow of Aetheric Tide's blade to create a light source

-Negate attacks during an Intercept-conflict, cancelling the conflict [3/3]

-Impale an enemy on Stardust Striker and switch to Aetheric Tide, or impale them on either of the former and switch to Stygian Tempest, to inflict nasty Body Damage Modifiers by the expanding weapon being within the enemy's body.

-Hold Laser-charges active even while swinging Stardust Striker to negate attacks, or while casting spells
--Hold Laser-charges active while traveling with Voyage

-When wielding Aetheric Tide, use additional actions to negate each attack in a multi-hit for a Riposte-trigger each; the counterattacks fold into each other


Learning:


Ideas:
-Switch out Aetheric Tide during an attack, Slash Hell's speed boost shorts out, but still allows to add one different weapon to the offensive string; any hits that would normally follow fall away (e.g. if the weapon switches after the first hit, there is no third) [1 Training Action]

-forego the fifth Slash Hell hit to aim the other one more accurately and attack vital areas [Aetheric Tide] [1 Training Action]

-point Stardust Striker's Laser-shockwaves into the correct direction instead of everywhere in the swing arc [1 Training Action]

-falsify the Armor Pierce line with Laser [Stardust Striker] [1 Training Action]

-maneuver the weapon behind the enemy and use Return, then Levitate/Telepathy to run them through from behind (Unstoppable (False) due to speed, Backstab (False)) [1 Training Action]

Active Spell Exploits

Proficient:
-Target different opponents with each of Argent Star's spheres

-set the Argent Star's target as a coordinate in space instead of a living being to set up a mine, or an area relative to something else to make spheres follow it around [1/1]
--assign two or more spheres to the exact same area to make them merge, folding damage and modifier rolls into one stronger attack

-layer Arcane Slash over a regular attack

-spend an action to route more active magic into Perpetual Caster's echo for an immediate recast of Argent Star, using up one of them in the current turn instead of waiting. [2/2]

-have each proc of Arcane Slashs Echo target a different enemy

-have Arcane Slash's Echo carry the weapon attack as well when layering the spell over it [2/2]

-put more force into the corrosion of Arcane Slash's Trans Smasher ; halves damage, but anything of a lesser Existence than Heidi eats a malus to defense: -100% Max Health "Critical Existence Failure" [4/4]

-The 'feeling' of specific moments follows a pattern that Heidi can work out and follow; once she knows it, she can predict how a specific time in the future will feel and send herself there with Voyage to dodge an incoming attack, even some that have Undodgeable or Unblockable

-Journey comes with a weak teleportation-effect; used correctly, the Spell allows her to close into melee-range against distant opponents [Voyage] [1/1]


Learning:


Ideas:
-use Stardust Striker's calming effect on Heidi's magical flow to push Arcane Slash's Echo closer to a favourable result; one failed Echo-proc is turned into a success instead [1 Training Action]

Active Ability Exploits

Proficient:
-slip attacks in-between enemy movements and interrupt them (e.g. cut off their arm in the wind-up for a swing, or cut through a bow's string) [High-Speed Combat]


Learning:


Ideas:
-consume an active mode affected by a negative effect to add that same effect to Heidi's next attack against an enemy. [The Weapon's Secret] [1 Training Action]

 

[Naron]

People at Home​

Julian Schmeling

​

Stats

Health: 200
Base Damage: 510
Base Resilience: 25 (525)
Magic Modifier: 5


Affinity: Pattern

Weapon

The Pen
Level 10
Attacks Per Turn: 3
Affinities: Pattern
Ability: Catastropic Damage

Spells

Array Layout
Immediately set a layout for a Brand Craft or Magic Binary array, or change an existing layout at will. Layouts last 30min and can not be changed once parts of them were drawn out.
Level 15
Base Damage: N/A
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Pattern
Ability: Instant Manufacture


Analyse
Level N/A
Base Damage: N/A
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Pattern
Ability: Analyze


Blueprint Improvement
Level 10
Base Damage: N/A
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Pattern
Ability: Upgrade

Abilities

Perfect Recollection
-Julian has a photographic memory.

Pattern Recognition
-On a glance, Julian can tell what a given schema does and where errors can be found in it.

Practitioner
-Allows the creation and upgrading of Spells.

Thorough Overhaul
-Blueprint Improvement does not just increase weapon levels, but does the same for Spells (excepting itself) and personal Abilities (excepting stat controllers).

Active Brand Craft
-Clothes: Improved Durability (+500 Base Resilience)
-Glasses: Enhanced Mind (High-Speed Combat (Lvl 2))

Anna Seidel

​

Stats

Health: 80
Base Damage: 15
Base Resilience: 5
Magic Modifier: 10


Affinity: Fire

Weapon

Butterfly Knife
Level 1
Attacks Per Turn: 1
Affinities: N/A
Ability: N/A

Spells

Ignis
A shower of sparks, quick to extinguish but yet so very dangerous
Level 3
Base Damage: 30
Magic Modifier: 9
Affinity: Fire
Ability: Burn | Target by Modifier | Stack by Level


Flame Break
Searingly hot blades form in the air and weave a net of fire as they strike the enemy
Level 2
Base Damage: 60
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Fire
Ability: Immolate | Triple Cast

Abilities

Burning Vitality
-Anna may inhale nearby flames, each of which increases her Base Stats by 100% and upgrades her weapons by one level until the end of battle.

Practitioner
-Allows the creation and upgrading of Spells.

Corona
-Anna's Burn-effects may stack up to ten times. She gains additional resilience equal to the Burn-damage she caused since the start of combat.

Inferno
-Multiply Flame Break's Total Damage by the number of Burn-stacks on the target.

Infernal Leadership​

(Unified Darkness / Thirteenth Hell) The Ashen Maiden

Elisabeth
A.K.A. The Gatekeeper
​

Stats

Health: 125,000
Base Damage: 4,000
Base Resilience: 2,500
Magic Modifier: 1,800


Affinity: Darkness | Citadel

Weapon

Ember of the First Flame
Level 20
Attacks Per Turn: 7
Affinities: Darkness
Ability: Juggernaut | Burn

Spells

Abyssal Layer
Level 30
Base Boost: 30,000
Magic Modifier: 6,000
Affinity: Darkness
Ability: Boost-Self | Damage Block | Damage Barrier


Ashen Rune
A moment of meditation is required to set a new rune, glowing in harmless flames. The number of runes that can be set at the same time is twice this Spell's level.
Level 40
Base Damage: N/A
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Darkness | Citadel
Ability: Instant Manufacture

Abilities

Ashes to Ashes
Level 25
-Elisabeth's Burn-effects can stack any number of times and last twice as long; they are applied even if her attack is ineffective, except if it is dodged.

Dust to Dust
-Each time Elisabeth kills an enemy, she heals for 50% of their Maximum Health. While within her sanctuary, she may heal beyond the maximum from any source, shedding excess Health after battle.

Runic Cornerstone
-Any two Ashen Runes may be connected with straight lines; any thusly marked area becomes a Sanctuary. Elisabeth may change the connections at any time at will, as well as remove a Rune entirely. Enemies directly on a Rune have their Current Health cut in half each turn.

Sanctuary
-While within her Sanctuary, Elisabeth's allies deal doubled and take halved damage; allies may use her Runes to teleport to any other Rune connected to their starting point. Everyone inside is always aware of hostile elements within the Sanctuary, though not their exact position. Hostile Presences are halved in effectiveness.

Battlefield Modifier

Infernal Bulwark
-Elements consisting entirely of Demons can not break.

(Unified Darkness / Thirteenth Hell) General Argus

A.K.A. The Spearhead
​

Stats

Health: 180,000
Base Damage: 12,500
Base Resilience: 3,000
Magic Modifier: 7,500


Affinity: Darkness | Knight | Abyss

Weapon

Chasm's Fang
Level 25
Attacks Per Turn: 12
Affinities: Darkness | Knight
Ability: Cleave | Juggernaut | Knockback


Chasm's Aegis
Level N/A
Attacks Per Turn: N/A
Affinities: Abyss
Ability: Indestructible | Auto-Counter

Spells

Conqueror's Wave
A beam attack let loose from but a single swing, reaching far beyond your blade
Level 40
Base Damage: 60,000
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Darkness | Abyss
Ability: Slaughter | Hypersonic 4 | Perpetual Caster

Abilities

Tip of the Spear
Level 30
-Every time Argus intercepts a Spell with Chasm's Aegis, its Total Damage is reduced by 99% before calculating the conflict. Scale To Target-effects caught this way are always reduced to 0.

Master Skill
-Sacrifice 3 actions to negate an opponent's action.

Inhuman Agility
-Argus can perform feats of agility that beggar belief.

Unstoppable Force
-???

The Conquest
-???

Leading From the Front
-While commanding others, Argus gains a free attack against any enemy in his reach targeting someone who is not him. Everyone under his direct command deals doubled damage.

Battlefield Modifier

Infernal Charge: While on the attack, Elements consisting entirely of Demons count as being two tiers higher.

Others​

(Thirteenth Hell) Lucifer

A.K.A. The Fallen One

​

Stats

Health: 39,600
Base Damage: 5,000
Base Resilience: 50
Magic Modifier: 12,500


Affinity: Light | Darkness

Weapon

Blood Soaked Cross
Level 25
Attacks Per Turn: 8
Affinities: Light | Darkness
Ability: Dispel | Riposte

Spells

Radiant Dawn
A fragment of Heaven's light, untouched in sight yet mayhem where it falls.
Level 30
Base Damage: 9,000
Magic Modifier: 6,000
Affinity: Light
Ability: Boost-Self | Angelslayer | Juggernaut | Negate Slayer


Hate's Seal
I'll lock you away... like they did to me.
Level 30
Base Damage: N/A
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Darkness
Ability: Total Lockdown

Abilities

Flight
Level 25
-May take to the air and fly at up to 240mph

High Speed Combat (Lvl 3)
-Lucifer is able to track objects moving up to 270mph.

Absence of Light
Level 66
-All Angel's Presence of Light and derived abilities are sealed so long as Lucifer is on the field of battle.

Daystar
-While Radiant Dawn is active on Lucifer, her counterattacks are unblockable and carry a Slaughter-debuff that applies itself through immunities.

Inhuman Skill
-Lucifer may sacrifice two actions to negate a single enemy action.

Cost of the Crown
-Should Blood Soaked Cross' Riposte ability activate, Lucifer regenerates Health equal to the Total Damage she would have incurred had the attack landed.

Blood Soaked Cross
Why? Why did you do this to me?! It wasn't my fault! I flew as fast as I could to his side, but everything was happening too fast! Oh Light, Michael! I'm so sorry little brother...
-Lucifer's Total End Damage is tripled against any enemy with a Light Affinity. If the foe she is currently engaging is aligned with Heaven, all of their abilities are sealed. Any non-demon allies Lucifer has on the field have their health reset at the end of each turn.

Crusade of One
Ironic, is it not? Since time immemorial, there was no one Demon who spilled more angelic blood than I.
-While in combat with a non-standard Angel, Cost of the Crown may heal Lucifer beyond her limits; in turn, no Angel may heal damage taken from Lucifer until combat ceases. Excess Health is shed after battle.

Neverwas

​

Stats

Health: 45,000
Base Damage: 1,000
Base Resilience: 1,000
Magic Modifier: 1,100


Affinity: Unknown

Weapon

The Mist
Level ??
Attacks Per Turn: 4
Affinities: Unknown
Ability: No-Intercept

Spells

Schrödinger
Level ??
Base Damage: N/A
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Unknown
Ability: Teleport

Abilities

Nothing and No-one
-Neverwas is impossible to quantify until after the fact. One cannot tell whether an attack was more or less effective than the previous attack, or even whether it hit at all. Its attacks simultaneously have all possible results and none of them. It is The Unknown.

Ghost in the Wind
-Neverwas may turn intangible at will.

It Knows
-Neverwas may selectively ignore one offensive and one defensive capability of each enemy they fight.

(Maya) Lilie

​

Stats

Health: 300
Base Damage: 150
Base Resilience: 50
Magic Modifier: 1,200


Affinity: Darkness

Weapon

Arcane Claws
Level 1
Attacks Per Turn: 1
Affinities: Darkness
Ability: Spell Boost

Spells

New Moon's Shine
A beam of pure dark that reaches far and constantly brings pain.
Level 1
Base Damage: 300
Magic Modifier: 1,000
Affinity: Darkness
Ability: Mana Charge | Murder

Abilities

Fiendish Grasp
-If Lilie touches her target while casting New Moon's Shine, it automatically charges for half the maximum Magic Modifier on top of the existing charge; the Murder-debuff is applied for her Total Damage instead of Total End Damage, even if the attack is ineffective, nullified, absorbed, or the like.

Flight
Level 2
-May take to the air and move at up to 10mph.

Arcane Growth
Level 1
-Whenever Lilie kills an enemy with basic attacks, she immediately makes a modifier roll unaffected by outside effects and heals for 1% of the rolled amount, even over her maximum. She sheds excess Health after battle.

(Maya) Helena

​

Stats

Health: 200
Base Damage: 100
Base Resilience: 65
Magic Modifier: 1,500


Affinity: Magic

Weapon

Demonic Fairy Staff
Level 1
Attacks Per Turn: 1
Affinities: Magic
Ability: Spell Boost

Spells

Full Moon's Shine
A ray of pure light that messes with enemies' spellcasting where it falls
Level 1
Base Damage: 100
Magic Modifier: 1,800
Affinity: Magic
Ability: Mana Charge | Collateral Damage | Spellbook Lockdown

Abilities

Magic Mix
-Whenever allies cast compatible Spells, they auto-synchronize and Helena gains a copy of the resulting Spell. She may ignore Affinity-requirements or other prerequisites on these Spells.

Protective Flow
-If an incoming attack's damage is higher than Helena's Health, her modifier roll is automatically maxed; Judgement, Smite, and Unstoppable on the incoming attack are nullified.

Flight
Level 2
-May take to the air and move at up to 10mph.

 

[Naron]

UD-Aligned​

(Unified Darkness / Thirteenth Hell) Orux

​

Stats

Health: 2,700
Base Damage: 1,320
Base Resilience: 200
Magic Modifier: 180


Affinity: Chaos

Weapon

Bladed Ax
Level 12
Attacks Per Turn: 2
Affinities: Chaos
Ability: Crush | Intercept

Spells

Blood Lust
Level 10
Base Damage: 500
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Chaos
Ability: Boost-Self | Adamantine

Abilities

Crystalline Skin
Level 10
-Reduce all incoming damage by 50%.

(Unified Darkness / Thirteenth Hell) Dragul

​

Stats

Health: 17,600
Base Damage: 2,200
Base Resilience: 1,375
Magic Modifier: 275


Affinity: Blood

Weapon

Thirsting Spear
Level 11
Attacks Per Turn: 4
Affinities: Blood
Ability: Vampire

Spells

Vampiric Touch
Level 11
Base Damage: ???
Magic Modifier: ???
Affinity: Blood
Ability: ???

Abilities

Blood Ties
Level 11
-Once Dragul's blood mixes with someone else's, loyalty to him is instilled into their mind. Increase their Maximum Health by 1,100 and Base Resilience by 220.

The Red River
-All damage dealt within 20m of Dragul by any party heals him as if it possessed the Vampire Ability.

(Unified Darkness / Thirteenth Hell) Maya

​

Stats

Health: 3,200
Base Damage: 335
Base Resilience: 37
Magic Modifier: 185


Affinity: Life

Weapon

Ethereal Arms
Level 5
Attacks Per Turn: 3
Affinities: Life
Ability: No-Intercept | Pin

Spells

Surging Vitality
Level 5
Base Damage: 450
Magic Modifier: 100
Affinity: Life
Ability: Heal | Instant Recovery

Abilities

Absolute Fertility
Level 5
-Impregnation attempts are always successful; bringing a child to term takes only 10% of the time it normally needs

???
-???
-Maya's children grow to adulthood twelve times faster than they normally would, reducing the time required from years to the same amount of months.

Flight
Level 5
-Can take to the air and fly at up to 40mph.

(Maya) Paoras

​

Stats

Health: 4,000 (80,000)
Base Damage: 2,000
Base Resilience: 300
Magic Modifier: 600


Affinity: Iron

Weapon

Crusher
Level 20
Attacks Per Turn: 3
Affinities: Iron
Ability: Knockback | Smash| Intercept

Spells

Iron Shell
I will not allow it! (Single-target)
Level 10
Base Boost: 1,500
Magic Modifier: 250
Affinity: Iron
Ability: Boost-All | Damage Block

Abilities

Tiny Juggernaut
-Paoras may ignore lethal damage once per battle. If an ally would be hit by a lethal attack, she may step in that attack's way even if she normally could not, as long as she is in range to do so.

Protective Streak
-Multiply Health by Irony Tide's level.

Big Sister
-Paoras may intercept attacks against any of her siblings as a free action.

Irony Tide
Level 20
-Paoras may support an ally and add her stats to theirs, forming a single unit with them; she does not take any actions of her own while doing so.

(Unified Darkness / Dark Star) Epsilon Aaron

A.K.A. Bane of the Fey
​

Stats

Health: 36,000
Base Damage: 6,000
Base Resilience: 1,200
Magic Modifier: 6,000


Affinity: Corruption | Library

Weapon

Dark Grasp
Level 15
Attacks Per Turn: 4
Affinities: Corruption
Ability: Spell Boost | Primordia

Spells

Shadow's Insight
Level 25
Base Damage: N/A
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Corruption
Ability: Analyze | Multi-Caster (Lvl 5)


Wisdom's End
A single swipe, near or far, is all it takes to fall.
Level 15
Base Damage: 3,000
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Corruption
Ability: Judgement | Fairyslayer


Conserving Stream
Make them unable to defend themselves and strike them down, so that you may be able to understand them better.
Level 30
Base Damage: 12,000
Magic Modifier: 7,500
Affinity: Corruption | Library
Ability: Non-Lethal | Spellbook Lockdown


Invisible Hand
Having to carry things around by yourself is inefficient.
Level 10
Base Damage: N/A
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Library
Ability: Levitate | Target by Level

Abilities

The Catalyst
-Every time an ally casts a Spell, Epsilon Aaron may add their own modifier roll to it as a free action.

May all Fey Fall
-Epsilon Aaron's turn in combat is always before any Fairies on the field, even in surprise rounds. If they kill a Fairy with a Spell, they may cast another Spell this turn.

Flight (Boosted)
Level 7
-Can take to the air and move at up to 60mph, capable of accelerating and decelerating at will.

High Speed Combat (Lvl 1)
-Epsilon Aaron is able to track objects moving up to 90mph.

???
Level 12
-???

(Unified Darkness / Thirteenth Hell) Mokutuuk

​

Stats

Health: 16,000
Base Damage: 400
Base Resilience: 160
Magic Modifier: 80


Affinity: Chaos

Weapon

Rending Claws
Level 8
Attacks Per Turn: 1
Affinities: Chaos
Ability: Armor Pierce

Spells

Hellfire
Level 8
Base Damage: 1,200
Magic Modifier: 400
Affinity: Chaos
Ability: Detonate

Abilities

Flight
Level 10
-Fly at a maximum of 90 Mph

High-Speed Combat (Lvl 2)
-Capable of tracking targets moving at up to 180mph

Auto Defense
-Automatically cause damage to grapplers. 1/5 Base Damage + 50.

Armies of Darkness​

(Unified Darkness/Thirteenth Hell) Hell's Foot Soldiers

​

Stats

Health: 750
Base Damage: 200
Base Resilience: 50
Magic Modifier: 10


Affinity: Chaos

Weapon

Bladed Ax
Level 2
Attacks Per Turn: 1
Affinities: Chaos
Ability: Crush

Spells

Blood Lust
Level 1
Base Damage: 50
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Chaos
Ability: Boost-Self

Abilities

Armored Skin
-Reduce magic damage by 10

(Unified Darkness / Thirteenth Hell) Hell's Ground Commanders

​

Stats

Health: 1,500
Base Damage: 300
Base Resilience: 100
Magic Modifier: 20


Affinity: Blood

Weapon

Battle Ax
Level 3
Attacks Per Turn: 1
Affinities: Blood
Ability: Murder

Spells

Assault Blade
Level 5
Base Damage: 500
Magic Modifier: 20
Affinity: Blood
Ability: Double Hit

Abilities

Thick Armor
-Immune to Instant-Kill attacks. Chance of breaking.

(Unified Darkness / Thirteenth Hell) Hell Beast

Stats

Health: 20,000
Base Damage: 500
Base Resilience: 200
Magic Modifier: 100


Affinity: Chaos

Weapon

Rending Claws
Level 10
Attacks Per Turn: 2
Affinities: Chaos
Ability: Armor Pierce

Spells

Hellfire
Level 10
Base Damage: 1,500
Magic Modifier: 500
Affinity: Chaos
Ability: Detonate

Abilities

Flight
Level 10
-Fly at a maximum of 90 Mph

Auto Defense
-Automatically cause damage to grapplers. 1/5 Base Damage + 50.

(Unified Darkness / Thirteenth Hell) Gate Demon

​

Stats

Health: 10,000
Base Damage: 60
Base Resilience: 300
Magic Modifier: 100


Affinity: Brimstone

Weapon

Claws
Level 3
Attacks Per Turn: 1
Affinities: Brimstone
Ability: Knockback


Horns
Level 2
Attacks Per Turn: 1
Affinities: Brimstone
Ability: Armor Pierce

Spells

The Run
Grant all surrounding allies use of the Sprint-Ability at the same level as your own.
Level N/A
Base Boost: N/A
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Brimstone
Ability: Boost-All | Sprint

Abilities

Infernal Traveler
Level 10
-While running, Gate Demons receive 1,000 less damage from all sources.

Sprint
Level 2
-Gate Demons may run at up to 20mph.

Gate to Hell
-After standing still and focussing for six turns, Gate Demons may create a Hellgate in front of themselves, and an entrance in a location within three dimensions of their position; the Gate Demon is rendered unable to move while sustaining the Hellgate.

(Unified Darkness / Thirteenth Hell) Angel Slayer

​

Stats

Health: 3,000
Base Damage: 1,400
Base Resilience: 500
Magic Modifier: 140


Affinity: Darkness | Despair

Weapon

Blood Hound Blade
Level 7
Attacks per Turn: 2
Affinity: Darkness
Ability: Lightslayer

Spells

Brutalize
Level 5
Base Damage: 1,500
Magic Modifier: 250
Affinity: Light
Ability: Armor Pierce | Hopeslayer

Abilities

Flight
Level 20
-Angel Slayers are capable of flying at 190mph.

High Speed Combat (Lvl 2)
-Angel Slayers are able to track objects moving up to 180mph.

Consuming Shadow
-Angel Slayers are immune to the Presence of Light.

Armor of Darkness
-Angel Slayers take half damage from attacks that carry the Light element.

(Unified Darkness / Dark Star) Soul Reaver

​

Stats

Health: 1,200
Base Damage: 500
Base Resilience: 150
Magic Modifier: N/A


Affinity: Corruption

Weapon

Shadow Claws
Level 5
Attack Per Turn: 3
Affinity: Corruption
Ability: Rend

Abilities

Pure Hunter
-Soul Reavers bypass the defenses of those with a positive Affinity.

Killer Combo
-Every consecutive attack against a target does 50% extra damage.

(Unified Darkness/Dark Star) Dark Star Sorcerer

​

Stats

Health: 4,500
Base Damage: 600
Base Resilience: 150
Magic Modifier: 1,200


Affinity: Magic

Weapon

Dark Hooks
Level 3
Attacks Per Turn: 1
Affinities: Magic
Ability: Multi-Slash | Mana Steal

Spells

Wrathful Strike
Level 10
Base Boost: 1,000
Magic Modifier: 2,000
Affinity: Magic
Ability: Boost-All | Boost Weapon


Grand Shroud
Level 10
Base Boost: 2,000
Magic Modifier: 2,000
Affinity: Magic
Ability: Boost-All | Damage Block


Decree
Level 15
Base Damage: N/A
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Magic
Ability: Ability Negation (Flight)

Abilities

Deathtrap
-Whenever Decree seals an enemy's Flight-Ability, all allies in reach may cast a spell at the enemy in question as a free action. This spell does not count toward their spell limit.

Intangible
-Dark Star Sorcerers are immune to physical damage and receive 50% less damage from magical sources.

Flight
Level 5
-Capable of flying at up to 40mph

(Unified Darkness / Dark Star) Fairy Slayer

​

Stats

Health: 3,000
Base Damage: 800
Base Resilience: 100
Magic Modifier: 400


Affinity: Corruption

Weapon

Dark Grasp
Level 2
Attacks Per Turn: 1
Affinities: Corruption
Ability: Spell Boost

Spells

Shadow's Insight
Level 5
Base Damage: N/A
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Corruption
Ability: Analyze | Multi-Caster (lvl 1)


Wisdom's End
Level 10
Base Damage: 2,000
Magic Modifier: N/A
Affinity: Corruption
Ability: Judgement

Abilities

Hate the Fey
-Fairy Slayers count as having Priority Boost while Fairies are on the field.

Flight (Boosted)
Level 7
-Can take to the air and move at up to 60mph, capable of accelerating and decelerating at will.

High Speed Combat (Lvl 1)
-Fairy Slayers are able to track objects moving up to 90mph.

 

[Naron]

Champions of the Light​

(Unified Light/False Heaven) Valkyrie Commander Hildr

​

Stats

Health: 24,000
Base Damage: 4,200
Base Resilience: 1,800
Magic Modifier: 420


Affinity: Glory | Battle

Weapon

Warforged Staff
Level 14
Attacks Per Turn: 3
Affinities: Glory
Ability: Vampire | Demonslayer

Spells

To Glory!
Level 10
Base Damage: 1,500
Base Resilience: 4,000
Magic Modifier: 500
Affinity: Battle
Ability: Boost-Self | Adamantine | Offender

Abilities

Flight
Level 13
-May take to the air and fly at up to 120mph

High Speed Combat (Lvl 2)
-Hildr is able to track objects moving up to 180mph.

Glory of Valhalla
Level 15
-Hildr heals 3,000 health each turn. Every five turns, her Base Damage doubles.

Valkyr Armor
-Reduce all incoming damage by 25%

Underdog's Steadfastness
-Hildr adds 1000 Resilience to her defensive string for each action her current opponent exceeds her own ApT by.

The Unbroken
-Each time Glory of Valhalla triggers, Hildr increases her Maximum Health by 25% of its base value and resets it to full.

Defiant Against Fate
???
-Hildr is immune to Auto Kill effects. After her first death each battle, she revives on the following turn and forever receives 75% less Total End Damage from whoever landed the killing blow. This effect can stack.

(Unified Light / False Heaven) Archangel Gabriel

Commander of the First Host's Fourth Batallion
​

Stats

Health: 360,000
Base Damage: 4,000
Base Resilience: 3,000
Magic Modifier: 400


Affinity: Light | Hope | Salvation

Weapon

Blade of Salvation
Level 20
Attack Per Turn: 7
Affinity: Light | Hope | Salvation
Ability: Slash Hell | Unstoppable | Smite | Demonslayer

Spells

Judgement
Level 25
Base Damage: 7,500
Magic Modifier: 1,250
Affinity: Light | Hope
Ability: Unstoppable | Boost-All | Demonslayer


Blinding Light
Level 30
Base Damage: N/A
Magic Modifier: 3,000
Affinity: Light
Ability: Blind | Target by Modifier

Abilities

Flight
Level 41
-Archangel Gabriel is capable of flying at 400mph.

High Speed Combat (LVL 5)
-Archangel Gabriel is capable of tracking objects moving up to 450mph.

Flash of Light
-When Blinding Light is cast, reset Gabriel's health to max.

Titan Felling Blows
-Each consecutive strike against an enemy has twice as much base damage as the last attack.

Presence of Light
Level 30
-Heals all Allies for 3,000 Health per turn. Damage all Enemies for 3,000 per turn.

Supremacy of the Light
All it takes to hold back the darkness, is a single spark of light...
-Spell-based damage heals Archangel Gabriel instead of damaging her. Any Class 3 or lesser demon that enters the same combat zone as Archangel Gabriel is automatically killed.

(False Heaven) Leliel

A.K.A. Angel of Night
​

Stats

Health: 36,000
Base Damage: 4,000
Base Resilience: 6,000
Magic Modifier: 4,000


Affinity: Light | Night

Weapon

Dusk
Level 20
Attacks Per Turn: 4
Affinities: Light | Night
Ability: Vorpal | Cleave


Twilight
Level 20
Attacks Per Turn: 4
Affinities: Light | Night
Ability: Anti-Parry | Riposte

Spells

Midnight Sun
Level 10
Base Damage: 3,000
Magic Modifier: 500
Affinity: Light
Ability: Judgement | Boost-Self


Starless Sky
Level 20
Base Damage: 500
Magic Modifier: 6,000
Affinity: Night
Ability: Dispel | Boost-Self

Abilities

Flight
Level 25
-Leliel is capable of flying at 240mph.

High-Speed Combat (Lvl 3)
-Leliel can track and react to opponents moving at up to 270mph

Presence of Light
Level 60
-Heals all Allies for 6,000 Health per turn. Damage all Enemies for 6,000 per turn.

The Dark of the Night
-Leliel's traits register as their inversion wherever beneficial.

Inhuman Skill
-Leliel may sacrifice two actions to negate a single enemy action.

Dual Wield
-Leliel can utilize both of her weapons simultaneously.

Armies of the Light​

(Unified Light / Fairy Home Realms) Fairy Battle Mage

​

Stats

Health: 250
Base Damage: 300
Base Resilience: 50
Magic Modifier: 5,000


Affinity: Magic

Weapon

Silver Fairy Blade
Level 1
Attacks Per Turn: 1
Affinities: Magic
Ability: Spell Boost

Spells

War Book of Spells
Level 1 - 30
Base Damage: 500 - 45,000
Magic Modifier: 10,000 - 60,000
Affinity: Magic
Ability: Mana Charge

Abilities

Flight
Level 3
-Fairy Battle Mages can fly at an average of 20 mph.

Omni-Caster
-Fairy Battle Mages can cast multiple spells per turn based on personal experience.

Synchronize
-Fairy Battle Mages are capable of synchronizing their efforts in order to create more powerful magical effects otherwise beyond them.

(Fairy Home Realms) Fairy Combat Golem

​

Stats

Health: 10,000
Base Damage: 200
Base Resilience: 950
Magic Modifier: N/A


Affinity: Earth

Weapon

Stone Fist
Level 6
Attacks Per Turn: 4
Affinities: Earth
Ability: Batter | Knockback

Abilities

Stone Phalanx
-Fairy Combat Golems may automatically intercept all ranged attacks passing by in close vicinity. This includes spells.

Engineered Movement
Level 5
-Fairy Combat Golems possess both the Flight and Sprint Abilities at level 5, being able to fly at 40mph and run at up to 50mph.

High-Speed Combat (Level 2)
-Capable of tracking and reacting to enemies moving at up to 180mph.

(Unified Light / False Heaven) War Angel

​

Stats

Health: 3,000
Base Damage: 1,000
Base Resilience: 500
Magic Modifier: 100


Affinity: Light | Hope

Weapon

Blade of Light
Level 5
Attack Per Turn: 2
Affinity: Light
Ability: Double Hit

Spells

Judgement
Level 5
Base Damage: 1,500
Magic Modifier: 250
Affinity: Hope
Ability: Armor Pierce | Boost-Self

Abilities

Flight
Level 11
-War Angels are capable of flying at 100mph.

High Speed Combat (LVL 2)
-War Angels are able to track objects moving up to 180mph.

Presence of Light
Level 5
-Heals all Allies for 500 Health per turn. Damage all Enemies for 500 per turn.

Armor of Light
-Auto Negate all spell damage.

(Unified Light / False Heaven) Valkyrie Warrior

​

Stats

Health: 4,200
Base Damage: 2,100
Base Resilience: 1,400
Magic Modifier: 210


Affinity: Glory | Battle

Weapon

Warrior's Armaments
Level 7
Attack Per Turn: 2
Affinity: Glory
Ability: Vampire

Spells

To Glory!
Level 1
Base Resilience: 400
Magic Modifier: 50
Affinity: Battle
Ability: Boost-Self | Adamantine

Abilities

Flight
Level 13
-Valkyrie Warriors are capable of flying at 120 mph.

High Speed Combat (LVL 2)
-Valkyrie Warriors are able to track objects moving up to 180mph.

Glory of Valhalla
Level 7
-Valkyrie Warriors heal 1400 health each turn. Every five turns, their Base Damage doubles.

Valkyr Armor
-Reduce all incoming damage by 25%.

(Unified Light / False Heaven) Valkyrie Commander

​

Stats

Health: 9,600
Base Damage: 4,200
Base Resilience: 1,800
Magic Modifier: 420


Affinity: Glory | Battle

Weapon

Warforged Armaments
Level 14
Attack Per Turn: 3
Affinity: Glory
Ability: Vampire

Spells

To Glory!
Level 10
Base Damage: 1,500
Base Resilience: 4,000
Magic Modifier: 500
Affinity: Battle
Ability: Boost-Self | Adamantine | Offender

Abilities

Flight
Level 13
-Valkyrie Commanders are capable of flying at 120 mph.

High Speed Combat (LVL 2)
-Valkyrie Commanders are able to track objects moving up to 180mph.

Glory of Valhalla
Level 12
-Valkyrie Commanders heal 2400 health each turn. Every five turns, their Base Damage doubles.

Valkyr Armor
-Reduce all incoming damage by 25%.

 

[Naron]

UL-Aligned
Careful, major spoilers here​

Spoiler: Careful, major spoilers

(Unified Light/False Heaven) Lucifer

A.K.A. Lucy
​

Stats

Health: 7,000
Base Damage: 12,500
Base Resilience: 2,000
Magic Modifier: 750


Affinity: Hope | Battle

Weapon

Warrior's Blade
Level 25
Attacks Per Turn: 10
Affinities: Hope
Ability: Consume | Multi-Slash | Juggernaut | Demonslayer


??? (Incomplete)
Level 0
Base Damage: ???
Magic Modifier: ERROR
Attacks Per Turn: 0
Affinities: ???
Ability: ???

Spells

Radiant Dawn
Bathe in Heaven's shine!
Level 30
Base Damage: 9,000
Magic Modifier: 6,000
Affinity: Hope
Ability: Boost-Self | Prime Evil Slayer | Judgement | Negate Slayer


Night's Comet
Level 15
Base Damage: 15,000
Magic Modifier: 7,500
Affinity: Hope
Ability: Dimension Hop | Collateral Damage | Demonslayer

Abilities

Flight
Level 18
-May take to the air and fly at up to 170mph

High Speed Combat (Lvl 2)
-Lucifer is able to track objects moving up to 180mph.

Hope Amidst War
Level 20
-All allies heal 2,000 Health and remove a Body Damage Modifier each turn. Every four turns, Lucifer's Base Damage doubles.

Daystar
-While Radiant Dawn is active on Lucifer, her counterattacks become Unstoppable and carry Demonslayer at tenfold effectiveness.

Valkyr Armor
-Reduce all incoming damage by 25%

Masterful Dodge
-Lucifer may sacrifice two actions to dodge an enemy's attack.

Valkyr's Ambition
-The first time Lucifer dies in a fight, she revives at full Health after the responsible attack has ended.

 

[Naron]

Generic Abilities​

This is all the stuff you find on weapons and spells. For those interested, here is a link to LostDeviljho's Ability Bible, the full compendium. No need to memorise it, you can just look things of interest up once they appear.

Fortifications​

Charon's Keep

The main UD-fortification on this continent; it stood for a thousand years and will stand thousands more.​

Stats

Central Spire
Maximum Health: 1,000,000
Base Resilience: 5,000


Outward Spire 1-4
Maximum Health: 300,000
Base Resilience: 1,200

On-Base Effects

Airspace Mine
-All ranged attacks from any of the spires count as having Anti-Air and ignore damage immunities when targeting a flying enemy.

Leyline-Conducted Damping (lvl 11)
-Negate hostile Presences within 11km of the Central Spire. This Ability's level equals the number of lesser bases on the same continent.

Unbreakable Sanctum
-Damage against the Central Spire is nullified for as long as any of the Outer Spires remains standing. Teleportation into the Central Spire from the outside is impossible.

Worldwide Effects

The Frontier
-For as long as Charon's Keep and Naamah's Temple stand, Gate Demons connected to Hell Gates leading to or from Sheol have tenfold Resilience and take no malus from being stationary.

Gear​

Impenetrable Dragonscale Armour

A set of light armour consisting of interlocking, orange Dragon scales, each the size of a hand spread out. Consists of a two-horned helmet, a battle dress reaching down to Defiance's calves, knee-high boots, gloves covering the entire arm, and pauldrons protecting the gap between gloves and dress at the shoulders.


Base Resilience: 10,000
Affinity: (Dragon)

Abilities

Featherlight
-Enchanted to bear no burden, no part of this armour has any notable weight.

Remnant of Strength
-Armour piercing Abilities of any kind are negated against this armour.

Mana Absorber
-Any magical attacks impacting this armour have their Total End Damage cut in half; add the same amount to the next defensive string.

Timeline​

Spoiler: Timeline

Prologue: A Grand Journey's First Step
-Week 1: Defy Convention - New Acquaintances

-Week 2: Path of the Heroine


Arc 1: Stranger in a Strange Time
-Week 3: Dark Musings - The Fallen One

-Week 4 - 6: The Fallen One

-Week 7 - 8: Taking a Break

-Week 9: Sheol - Victor's Lament

-Week 10: Time Flies - Envy

-Week 11: Envy

-Week 12: Envy - The March

-Week 13: The March - Children of Mistilin


Arc 2: Standing Amongst Giants
-Week 13 - 14: The Aftermath - Infernal Leadership

-Week 15: Everyone has Dreams - A Friend

-Week 16: A Friend - Children of Nightmare

-Week 17: Children of Nightmare - The Mother's Vow

-Week 18: War Approaches - Stacking the Deck

-Week 19: Stacking the Deck - The Land of Heroes 1

-Week 20: The Land of Heroes 1 - Run for the Hills


Arc 3: Mastering Time, in Time
-Week 20: Under the Open Sky - Survival

-Week 21: The First Hunt - Memory of Light

-Week 22: A Prayer Named Glory - The Second Hunt

-Week 23: Matters of the Heart

-Week 24: Breakthrough

-Week 25: Darkness in Light - Nature's Wrath

-Week 26: A Calm Week

-Week 27: Clear Skies

-Week 28: Sparring

-Week 29: Wishes in Time

-Week 30: Gentle Giant - Lucifer's Lament

-Week 31: Time to Meet Again - Deep Breath


Arc 4: Ashes of Past and Future
-Week 31: A Legend

-Week 32: A Legend - Graduation

-Week 33: Graduation - Angel of Night

-Week 34: Angel of Night - Adventurers & Goodbye


Arc 5: Final Destination
-Week 35: The Demon's Gift - Homecoming

 

[Naron]

Spoiler: Winning Vote

[X] Where are you?

You need to figure out where you are. That is a priority. Your spell is called 'Voyage', so it definitely is some kind of translocation. If you are lucky, it was teleportation and you are still on Earth.

You doubt you are that lucky, though. The air is faintly off, different. A soft breeze runs past you, rustling through the single tree in the distance and making its branches whisper. Branches that hold only few new leaves.

There is a single moon in the sky at least, standing right above a mountain range.

More importantly however, it is cold. Colder than nights in mid-Summer should be. You shiver and look down at yourself; the outfit comes with long sleeves, but only a short skirt.

With nothing immediately dangerous leaping out at you even after a few minutes of standing around in the faintly luminescent flora, you make a snap-decision and drop your transformation. You only have your indoor-clothes, which are a shirt and a pair of shorts, but you take cold arms over a cold butt.

As you clutch your cold arms against your stomach however, an idea forms.

You have magic now. Which means that if you focus on pushing a little, whatever your father meant with that when he explained... it takes you a minute of figuring it out, but then magic moves from your core. It gathers on your fingertip, glowing faintly in turquoise light.

Your grin is ear-splitting.

After taking another look around and finding nothing there to threaten you, you crouch on the soft ground. Grass grows here as well, but there is a free space right next to where you landed. Patting it down to make sure it stays in shape, you begin to write on it with your not-glowing finger.

Just as you were taught; first is to draw the array normally, without any magic involved.

Hold temperature contstant/21°C
Duration: 2 hours
Reach: 10 metres​

You look over your first draft with a frown. That already looks decent, but you feel that it could be better. Your father taught you to be exact on these things; no shortening units or things get wonky, no leaving things up to interpretation.

After a few moments of thought under the faint light of the moon over the plains, your glowing finger and the faintly glowing grass, you wipe some parts away and do some adjustments. You add a part about only affecting the environment, else it might try to cool down your internal body temperature. You also changes reach to radius and specify to work off of the circle you have yet to draw.

Hold environment temperature constant/21°C
Duration: 2 hours
Radius: 10 metres from circle​

That looks better.

After double-checking what you wrote for typos, you take a deep breath. Heart beating heavily, you bring down your finger aside from the words you wrote. It leaves a glowing line the moment you touch the ground. Anxiously, you draw a circle around the words you set up. It is... round enough. Not perfect, but few people can make a perfect circle by hand.

The circle is important, especially in bigger arrays; it stabilises the array and cuts it off from other arrays. Brand Craft itself can not tell where one ends and the other begins.

You carefully draw out each letter you put down before, finding them all glowing faintly and casting light on your face as you work. The cold is forgotten.

When you are done, you put your hand on the writing and pause. This is it. "Here's to not blowing up," you can not help but mutter before pulsing some more magic into it.

A soft chime fills the air for a moment as the array receives power; immediately after, everything becomes pleasantly warm and you sit back with deep sigh. Not dead, not exploded, and you just made your very first Brand Craft array.

Pumping your fist with a happy "Yes," you look over your work again and can not help but smile. It works just as intended and now you are no longer cold. Yet the warmth surrounding you is nothing to the happiness surging through your very being.

After a moment of quiet happiness, you realise you could transform again, but decide against that. You do not feel much more durable while transformed anyway, and you have no idea how long you could stay transformed. Every Magical Girl has a time limit and an exhaustive penalty if they hit it, you know that much. Better to save it for if something dangerous shows up.

With the cold taken care off, you relax a little and stand up, then get back to the problem at hand. Your socks are ruined, you have dirt on your finger, it is close to dawn and you are not on Earth anymore.

Other dimensions are apparently aligned differently than the three normal ones; the only information you kept from the overly technical explanations is that you need magic to pierce dimensional walls and access whatever is adjacent or beyond.

And however your spell exactly works, it seems to have done just that. You are not home anymore and have no idea how to get back. With no idea how to aim your spell, you really do not want to risk casting it again.

Looking up at the sky again, you find one moon slowly fading behind the mountains; the other one, of which you only now realise is not the same moon, remains in sight over the plains.

Definitely not Earth.

Sighing, you look around but find nothing new. At least you can be pretty sure this is neither Heaven nor Hell; no Angels or Demons in sight, and you would have seen some by now if you were in their home dimensions.

However, that brings up the question where you are again. Everyone is at war all around Earth; the Unified Light and Unified Darkness have roughly the same number of dimensions in their territory, so it is basically a coinflip for where you landed.

No endless smoke and fire though, so maybe no Demons?

You sure hope so.

As minutes pass and you find nothing out of the ordinary aside from some small critters darting past, your back starts to itch a little. You reach back to scratch the place right between your shoulder blades, then pause. Tapping your back, you blink and reach lower.

Then you grab your hand with the other one from below; not a bit of strain on your muscles, even though you could barely do it in gym class just a week ago. You were never the sportiest girl around.

Curious, you straighten your arms and look at them; they appear no different to yesterday.

Looking around again to make sure nobody can see you, you angle one arm and pull up your elbow... up to your mouth, no problem. It does not even feel straining to make your bones move in ways they really should not. Is that part of your new powers? Even though you are untransformed?

Your arm lowers as you think about how to test what else you can do before hitting your new limit, wherever it is.

And this is how you spend the time until morning, doing poses you are really happy nobody can laugh at you for, and moving your limbs in ways you are certain are impossible for most humans.

It feels... nice. Lets you forgot that you are basically stranded for a while. These thoughts only return when the sun begins to rise and your array runs out, leaving you shivering slightly even in the bright rays.

Panic grasps for you, but you shake it off with a deep breath. Now is not the time for it; you must stay calm.

In the worst case, you are in UD-territory as a fresh Magical Girl. This is your first time leaving Earth and you have no way to get back safely, your only means of transportation being a spell that might just throw you into an active volcano next.

But you have your new powers and your knowledge. Determination bubbles within you, a refusal to just give up under these odds. You will make it home, no matter what.

As if in response to your personal declaration, you feel your magic shifting within. Something changed, a new power appeared. "Hm. As stolen flame sets fate ablaze, I rise as Magical Girl Defiance!"

Your refusal of these circumstances is amplified into a great wave as you transform, outshining even the sun for a single instant. You quickly wipe the remainders of your array away just in case and examine what just happened.

To your surprise, a new spell formed from your magic. In difference to Voyage, you know exactly what it does; it is protective in nature, giving you a stronger defense. Despite of what happened earlier, you decide to give your instincts a second chance and test it immediately, calling its name: "Conundrum!"

Right after, a softly glimmering shroud seeps out from your skin. You can still see perfectly fine through it even though your whole body is covered in the protective energy. When you take a step, the magic moves along. "Neat."

You dismiss it for now, figuring it is better to have it as an ace up your sleeve than showing it off immediately. Your transformation also vanishes once more as you look around. Your throat is dry, so you quickly wander over to the little creak bubbling past. Its water is clean, so you consider drinking from it.

Before you can finish that thought however, you hear the quiet thuds of something hitting the ground and whirl around.

Only to find a group of Demons march over the hill.

You freeze and take in their large frames; each of them is twice as wide as you and about two heads taller. The one in front, wearing visibly heavier armour, notices you and pauses as well, which quickly alerts the rest. About two dozen of them, all so heavy with muscles that they could probably tear you to pieces without even using those nasty axes they carry.

Literal Demons from Hell, known for their brutality and viciousness.

The group fans out when the leader grunts and you take a fearful step back. Then you remember what you are and intone once more. You refuse to be brought down by a bunch of Demons, not like this.

The whole of them stops dead in their tracks when you transform, obviously surprised. You could run now, but they are bigger and probably faster. And there are more of them, so you stand your ground, the handle held in both hands.

"What the, where did the other one go?" The commander barks his question in your direction, weapon drawn.

Your eye twitches in annoyance and you shout back: "I'm still the same, so are you coming over here or not?!" He growls in realisation and you yourself realise now is not the time to make the big Demon angry. Your hands clench tighter around the steel of your weapon.

The whole group closes in slowly; when you make no move to run or attack, the leader raises a hand to keep everyone behind him. Once they are at a comfortable speaking distance, he eyes you again. "How about you surrender? You're pretty far off for a lonely Elf." You do not like his tone, but are more confused about being called an Elf. The two races look similar, but there are still subtle differences.

"...I'm a human."
"A what?"

You probably should not project your 'are you stupid'-look that openly, but it is the only reaction you can give him. How in the world would that guy not know what a human is?

Shelving the question for another time, you sigh. "Whatever. I'm not surrendering."

Surprisingly, even though some of the grunts start growling and move to charge, the leader barks at them again and they stay down. He eyes you once more, obviously thinking. Then he smirks and you really wish you were anywhere else. "Very well. Then how about this. Orux!"

One in the group grunts an affirmative while stepping forward. He stands half a head taller than all his brethren and eyes you warily. Meanwhile, the leader points at him. "We will make this easier for both of us. He is my strongest soldier and you will fight him one on one. If you win, you may be our guest. If you lose...."

He does not finish the sentence and you almost ask what happens if you lose. But with what you heard, you really do not want to know for certain. He does not need to tell you what happens if you try to run, either. He looks rather impatient, so you quickly nod. "Fine." It really is the best you can get... and if things go bad, you can still brave the unknown.

Then you eye this 'Orux' in the same way he is eyeing you, sizing you up while lifting his weapon. You are not a small girl, yet he towers over you; it is more than just a little intimidating, but you bite back the fear and raise the Handle.

-------------

[] Full Offense
Hit him with everything you have

[] Full Defense
Guard yourself and try to tire him out

[] Mixed
Offense and Defense

[] A more nuanced plan (Write-in)


[]EXP-Plan
-[] Write-in what to buy
-[] Save it

=====​

+10xp Something is Not Right
+15xp In Demonic Territory
+5xp Met Orux

EXP gained: 30
Total EXP: 145

Shop Unlocked

With the Shop opened, you may now spend EXP. For each voting cycle, the players may vote about upgrading leveled parts of Heidi's sheet or buy something new from the Shop. The EXP-vote with the highest number of voters passes; players that wish to save their EXP need a majority for the 'Save EXP' option instead.

Prices are handled in one of two ways: Shop-Items have set prices one can see in Heidi's Shop. Increasing the Level of a weapon, Spell, or Ability all has the same price, which is 10 x [Current Level].

As an example, upgrading a Level 1 weapon by one level would cost 10 x 1 = 10 EXP
Upgrading a Level 3 Spell to Level 5 would cost 10 x (3+4) = 70 EXP

=====​

(Revealed Dimension Shunt on Voyage)
(Unlocked Conundrum)

New Spell

Conundrum
Your refusal to die bends even reality, surrounding yourself with a paradoxical, protective shroud.
Level 1
Base Increase: 75
Magic Modifier: 100
Affinity: ???
Ability: Boost-Self | Damage Block

(New Shop Item Unlocked)

=====​

(Unified Darkness / Thirteenth Hell) Orux

​

Stats

Health: 900
Base Damage: 220
Base Resilience: 60
Magic Modifier: 15


Affinity: Chaos

Weapon

Bladed Ax
Level 2
Attacks Per Turn: 1
Affinities: Chaos
Ability: Crush

Spells

???
Level ???
Base Damage: ???
Magic Modifier: ???
Affinity: Chaos
Ability: ???

Abilities

Crystal-Laced Skin
-Reduce magic damage by 50

 

[Naron]

Weapon Upgrade

Aetheric Tide
Level 1 -----> 2 -----> 3
Base Damage: 40 -----> 80 -----> 120
Magic Modifier: 75 -----> 90 -----> 105
Affinities: ???
Ability: Double Hit


New Ability: Riposte; allows a free counterattack after parrying an attack

Spell Upgrade

Conundrum
Level 1 -----> 2 -----> 3 -----> 4 -----> 5
Base Increase: 75 -----> 150 -----> 225 -----> 300 -----> 375
Magic Modifier: 100 -----> 200 -----> 300 -----> 400 -----> 500
Affinity: ???
Ability: Boost-Self | Damage Block

Ability Upgrade

That Which is Forbidden
Level 1 -----> 2
Health: 150 -----> 300

140 EXP spent
5 remain

---

Spoiler: Winning Vote

[X] Plan Steady
-[X] Trust in your magic and in your instincts. Cast Conundrum and move to confront the demon with Aetheric Tide
-[X] Do not overcommit to a reckless attack, but do not hesitate. Defeat him quickly. Do not forget to dodge either.

You move in an instant.

Priority is determined based on to narrative importance. Outside of ambushes, the main character always goes first. Due to Priority-1, Heidi in particular goes first even if she gets into an ambush. 'Going first' means that she takes her first action before the rest; if both sides have more than one, there is no clear order after the first.

If two characters have roughly the same narrative weight, the number of their ApT and their level of High-Speed Combat usually decide who goes first.

Before the Demon can so much as raise his weapon, you pull your magic up again. "Conundrum!" He takes a guard stance while the shroud bubbles from your skin, wary of what you are doing.

(Conundrum: +375 Base Boost, +403 dice = 778 Additional Resilience)

While the base value is always applied, all spells and most weapons also roll a die as seen above. Their Magic Modifier determines the number of sides on the die. Modifier dice are always rolled on defensive strings.

It encloses you before he can do anything, and it takes him a moment longer to realise no attack is coming. Then he moves forward before you can use his caution to your advantage; the one step you could take back is quickly made up for and he swings his ax.

You are not fast enough to dodge it entirely; all you can do is lean aside as far as possible without losing your balance.

(Bladed Ax: +220 Base Damage, +7 dice, -55 Nimble Opponent = 172 Total Damage
Defiance: +100 Base Resilience, +55 dice, +778 Conundrum = 933 Total Damage Reduction

Attack Ineffective)

Situational modifiers are additional effects on an offensive or defensive string. In this case, Orux takes a malus of 25% of his Base Damage because his target is much smaller and much more nimble than himself.

Instead of a heavy impact and pain however, you barely feel the blade scrape off your magical shroud. It blinks weakly as the weapon moves past you, bringing your opponent right into your reach. Smirking, you command the handle to change and it shines.

ApT, or Attacks per Turn, denote the number of actions a character may take each turn. A turn encompasses an interval of about ten seconds. Having 5 ApT means that under good conditions, a swordsman can fully swing his weapon five times in these ten seconds.

Not all ApT are used each turn, skilled enough fighters may trip up their opponents to lower their effective ApT, and actions may also be taken to traverse the battlefield or do other things aside from attacking.

The red centerpiece slides into the casing, the handle itself elongates a little, an almost diamond-like blade grows out of one end and a pair of metre-long ribbons floats out of the other. You can almost see his eyes widen when you stab forward twice in rapid succession.

(Aetheric Tide: +120 Base Damage, +37 dice = 157 Total Damage
Aetheric Tide: +120 Base Damage, +37 dice = 157 Total Damage

314 Unified damage

Orux: +60 Base Resilience, +6 dice = 66 Total Damage Reduction

248 Final End Damage

Orux Health: 900 - 248 = 652)

The spear leaves two nasty gashes in his chest, making the Demon stumble back with a pained grunt. No one interferes and you begin to smirk; your superiority is already clear, proven by the bloodstains on Orux' hide.

You never thought fighting would come so easily; between your instincts guiding your steps and adrenaline rushing through your veins, you hardly care that one of you may very well die. Even if it happens, it will not be you!

However, your opponent seems to think similarly. He follows your example and growls "Blood Lust" as rusty red magic seeps over and through his body.

(Blood Lust: +150 Base Boost, no dice = 150 Additional Damage)

Spells are special cases. Some are quite generic, as each demonic foot soldier possesses the Blood Lust spell; most are more unique. Every combatant can cast a single spell per turn unless they have a way to cast more. Spells can not be negated or intercepted in the same way as regular attacks; they require dedicated Abilities to do it.

You are a little worried about the way he grabs his ax with both hands, but push back your hesitation. When he raises the weapon, you quickly dart in to stab his chest again.

(Aetheric Tide: +120 Base Damage, +52 dice, +10 Busy Target = 182 Total Damage
Aetheric Tide: +120 Base Damage, +52 dice, +10 Busy Target = 182 Total Damage

364 Unified Damage

Orux: +60 Base Resilience, +1 dice = 61 Total Damage Reduction

303 Final End Damage

Orux Health: 652 - 303 = 349)

It's not enough, he barely reacts to your lightning-fast strikes, even though the Tide's blade tears open his chest and sprinkles you with Demon blood. Then he roars and swings his ax with all the strength he has.

You're too close, his reach is too high, jump-

(Bladed Ax: +220 Base Damage, +10 dice, +150 Blood Lust, -55 Nimble Opponent, x3 Crush = 975 Total Damage
Defiance: +100 Base Resilience, +46 dice, +778 Conundrum = 924 Total Damage Reduction

51 Final End Damage

Defiance Health: 300 - 51 = 249)

Conundrum's shroud flashes brightly when the force of his swing hits, bleeding off momentum but ultimately cutting through it. Pain surges through your side where it tears past your outfit and nicks skin, then the momentum throws you aside with a surprised squeak. Instincts take hold and you bend your arms to catch the fall, rolling with one hand pulling Aetheric Tide's ribbon along. You stand a moment later, flicking the weapon into your hand and bringing it up, trying not to wince as the cut on your side burns painfully.

But your enemy did not pursue. He eyes you carefully for a moment, then lowers his weapon and has it vanish into thin air. "Your victory." The other Demons are quiet; nobody refutes his words and when no follow-up attack happens, you slowly relax your stance. Then you dismiss your weapon as well, gathering some surprised mumbling from the crowd.

When he cancels his spell, you remove Conundrum in turn and carefully look over your side; the ax cut right above your hip, leaving a thin line that feels much more painful than it looks. A few drops of blood, but nothing particularly bad. The Demons watch you carefully, but wait until you are done inspecting your injury.

"Very well," the leader speaks up in a slightly less antagonistic growl. "As promised, we will escort you to the Keep as our guest. The commander will sort out whatever business you have here on Sheol." Some of his soldiers whisper with each other while Orux retreats to join their number, but the leader pays them no mind as he waits for your response.

Sheol. You are tempted to ask if that is the world you landed on, but hold it back cautiously; from what you remember, Demons respect strength. So if you can project a strong front, things might just work out. And if not... well, you still have Voyage, no matter how little you want to use it.

With your decision made, you step forward. "Alright. Lead me to them." He nods and turns, then bellows for his soldiers to get moving; all of them start marching at a comfortable pace, taking you in the center of their formation with the leader. Your previous opponent marches at the side, with those closest to him laughing and taunting about his loss to a fighter of your size.

You frown but say nothing, fully alert just in case one of the Demons all around you tries something. They keep a bit of distance from you, which you are quite grateful for; it is no secret that Demons rape their prisoners, so you will not give them the slightest chance to catch you off-guard.

Your guarded behaviour does dwindle over the following hour, though; nobody tries anything and the most you get is some curious looks from one Demon or another. The soldiers mostly march quietly, though it is interspersed with some chatter about this and that.

"Hey, I heard the Fallen One is coming here tomorrow. Think that means something?" One mutters this to his neighbours, most of which shrug. One sneers, but you decide not to ask lest they turn their attention back to you.

Soon after, you forget all about it when the place comes in sight. Five grand stone spires reach into the sky, four of them arrayed in a diamond shape around the fifth. And below, spread out far beyond those spires, are huts and houses that form a large village.

You did not even notice you stopped to gawk until a large hand roughly slaps your back, making you flinch forward. "Nothing grand to see here," the leader grunts, then leers down at you: "Welcome to Charon's Keep." His voice is not antagonistic for some reason, but you rather take some distance between you and him instead of thinking about it.

Spoiler: Charon's Keep

You take a deep breath to steady your heartbeat and get back to walking, following the Demons into their base. You never thought such a sequence of events would ever happen to you; just teleporting out of the place is oh so tempting, but you are still not in immediate danger.

The village is odd; it looks medieval, but the place is filled with all kinds of Demons. Male, female, bestial, little wiggly monster, it is many different shapes and sizes. You are particularly disturbed by a Demon woman who could be human if not for the prominent pair of horns; she walks a hellhound almost your size on an iron leash, the beast snapping at people as they pass.

Amusingly, some Demons snap back until the hound whines and hides behind its mistress. That is the last you see of the matter as the group marches on; all the soldiers disperse on the way to the central spire, with only the officer staying around. He eyes a glowing rune on the ground, but then shakes his head and motions for you to follow.

He leads you up a spiral staircase that makes even your magically enhanced legs ache by the time you stop going higher; that is not even the end of it, and looking back down makes you dearly happy to have no problem with heights.

The many layers of the vast building held all kinds of things; you saw more Demons and some of what had to be Dark Stars; purely magical and with bodies that appear more ethereal than solid. They paid special attention to you when you passed by, but no one pursued.

In the end, you stand in front of a large double door; the Demon leading you motions to wait and gives you a look. "You are no Demon, so I will give you some advice: know that the Ashen Maiden may appear benign, but she will not let you get away with disrespect." His words, while helpful, make your blood boil as your mind finally connects the dots.

The base commander or someone of similar station is behind this door. They will demand you be all respectful and whatever else high-ranking Demons expect. Just the thought already makes you want to smash open the door and just march in.

Your guide already turned back to the door and does not see your frown; what he does next makes your thoughts stumble: he knocks. And not even a banging kind of knock one would expect of something so packed with muscles, but a soft rapping that conveys respect all by itself. You eye the Demon owlishly, but find no explanation before a feminine voice answers to enter.

He gives you a warning look and pushes the door open; you follow right after him.

Of all the things you expected to find, it was not a cozy office as big as your entire home. Wide and circular, the space allows quite a few people in and even has a big wooden table placed at the side. Potted plants you could not even hope to name stand in the corners, the walls a dark grey.

She sits behind a gracefully decorated desk, a feather in one delicate hand. Her eyes are hidden by an ornate mixture of blindfold and mask; it sits on her nose and reaches around her head, black and silver except for a blue gem between where her eyes would be. Pale lips pull up into a polite smile at your sight, the creamy white of her face and fingers the only skin she shows; all the rest of her is layered in black and dark blue with golden embroidery, a simple yet elegant gown.

The room smells faintly of smoke and fire, exuding from her without doubt.

"That is a surprise; I have not seen this one before. Your name," she asks of the Demon that led you in; her voice is soft, but you can pick out the note of steel behind it. Your guide is folded at the waist, however he managed that with his build.

"Songraran, twenty-sixth scouting group." She nods once and makes a note after tapping the feather's tip into a vial of ink. Then her head turns to you and you can almost feel her attention. "And yours?"

The urge to give a scathing response is there, almost overwhelmingly so. You bear with it for now, at least until you have an actual reason to make her mad. "Adelheid, just visiting." But you can not stop the quip despite your best intentions.

Thankfully, the feather only pauses for an instant; then the woman raises her other hand in front of her mouth and chuckles quietly. "My, how interesting."

She puts the feather down and rises.

Spoiler: The Ashen Maiden

"It is a pleasure to have you then, Adelheid." The Ashen Maiden pronounces your name with curiousity, apparently unused to the sound. She walks around the desk and motions for the much nicer-looking table to the side. "Why, please take a seat while I listen to the scout commander's report. I had the pot refilled earlier, do help yourself to a cup of tea if you wish."

Her smile does not waver at all as she strides past you, standing a full head taller than yourself. You reluctantly follow her invitation, unsure if it was really meant as friendly as it sounded. If it was an order, she hid it well enough to not make your defiant side rear up.

You slowly slide onto the large chair and look around, finding a simple pot and several cups around an array of symbols you have no idea about. The circle around them tells you all you need to know, though. Checking the pot and finding it almost full, you finally realise that you are quite thirsty after two hours of distracting yourself, your first real fight in your entire life, and an hour of tense marching.

So you carefully push the pot forward until it stands on the circle, which begins to shine and pulls the thing into its center. A careful waving of your hand finds no heat around except for what steams out of the utensil.

You are curious what the writing says, but push it aside for now and look back; the Demons are talking on the other side of the room, another array preventing any sound from reaching your ears. Curious. So curious.

Yet she also appears intimidating to you. Close to 170 centimetres, you are quite tall for a fifteen-year-old girl; she still stands a head taller than you, and one of the guys who is stronger than the guy you beat earlier cowers before her.

You shake it off and return your attention to the steaming pot; it slides off the array by itself and sits there innocently, waiting for someone to make use of it. A small bag of leaves sits next to the cups, so you pick one cup and slowly put some into it; the few times you drink tea is with teabags, how does this work?

A soft chuckle makes your head snap around to the tall woman, who is standing right behind you now. "You are supposed to put the leaves into the pot," she offers and demonstrates while you blush; at least the other Demon is gone and has not seen your blunder. She leans past you without a care, giving you a good look at the fine material her clothes are made out of. Once she is done adding leaves to the hot water, you quickly flick the few from your pot back into the bag.

That is... decidedly not what you expected from a Demon commander.

"Now with this out of the way..." she strides over and sits down across from you, lips curled into another polite smile. "...I heard about the previous events. You are neither Demon nor Nightmare, yet claim to be no Elf. Not to mention your most peculiar magic; would you be willing to demonstrate the anonymity field I was told about?"

You blink at her, then think back to it and sigh; she is nice enough so far, and that irks you. Something is really wrong here; Magical Girls are well known, yet someone as influential as this women says she also never heard of them?

You swallow it for now and drop your transformation; her smile drops in an instant, but you speak before she does: "Still me, I'm also Magical Girl Defiance."

She halts and looks you over once more, taking in your change of clothes before slowly nodding. "I see." Curiousity seeped into her voice now and you clearly heard it; this is getting weirder by the minute.

You wait for a moment as she pours both of you a cup of tea, then takes a long sip of her own. You can barely even hold the hot material and know it would burn your tongue if you tried. When she tilts her head, you shake yours. "Too hot." At which she looks down at her cup and back at you.

"Very well. While we wait for your tea to cool, would you tell me about your origins and species? I do not believe I ever heard of either."

You frown this time and eye her guardedly. This is not possible. "You know, humans. From Earth." No response except for a light frown from her, so you continue with a note of confusion: "Uh... the place that didn't have magic twenty years ago, right in the middle of the Local Dimensional Cluster?"

Now you get a reaction, and what a reaction it is; what little skin you can see of the Ashen Maiden turns white as a sheet. "I-Impossible..." she whispers before darting out of her chair; she moves so fast you can barely follow her, to her desk and back. A map is almost slammed onto the table, holding a field of hexagonal fields and some denotions.

Except that there is a black spot in the center for some reason.

"P-Point at where this 'Earth' is," she all but orders you; the weirdness makes you let it slide, eyeing the map instead. You have to be absolutely certain here. Come on Heidi, which worlds were where?

"Can't read your script. Can I ask for some dimensions first?"

She nods shakily, hands clenching and unclenching where you can almost not see it. So first you point at the one denoted in yellow and with a black X. It is not directly adjacent to the black spot, a little more to the left, but it stands out and you focus on that first. "Heaven," the Demon tells you and you nod. Then you point at one hexagon within the vast of red 'above' the black part, marked with a crown. "Hell."

Okay, the positions fit with what you remember from the maps you studied. Sheol, this world, is probably somewhere in the red bulk. Actually... "Where are we?"

Her head raises and you feel her gaze, but she quietly puts a finger on the leftmost red hexagon, the one that touches the darker parts of Dark Star territory above and Heaven's territory below. "Sheol is in this dimension." You nod and then point at one last spot, the place directly to the right of the blacked out hexagon. It is held in the same green a vast part of the 'south' holds, denoting the Elvin Empire. Except that it should be red.

It should be. "Reluxus," she says. A world that fell to the Unified Darkness only a few years ago, together with Hope which the map denotes as colourless.

It does not make sense. Something is wrong.

You sigh nonetheless and answer her question, putting a finger at the center. "Then yes. This is where I'm from."

"...from the death zone. How can anything live there without magic?" Her question is not even directed at you; your words must have shaken the woman before you more than you thought. "No magic at all, nothing to live off of... first we join the war, now you... what is next?"

...wait.

Your breathing stops as understanding clicks into place. She has no idea about humans, Earth is still a death zone, Hell just started to wage war. Your vision constricts as reality asserts itself, your magic finally giving you the piece of Voyage you had not yet understood.

"What's wrong?" You can barely hear her over your heavily beating heart, eyes wide as you stare at the map. A hand closes around your shoulder and you shriek, stumbling back and almost topping the chair over; the Demon's grip keeps you in place as you heave, trying not to vomit over the truth.

There is no smile this time, she simply holds you steady; it feels like the only constant you have right now, and you are incredibly grateful for it. "What's wrong? Are you certain you are alright?"

Instead of answering her, you take a shuddering breath and focus your gaze. "W-What year is it?" She just tilts her head and you quickly backtrack. "When did the war start?" Your hysteria slowly weakens and you force yourself to take deep breaths while she thinks.

Then she answers: "A litte more than three thousand years ago."

There you have it. You slump back into your chair, your eyes beginning to prickle with tears.

The Eternal War has been going for a little over eight thousand years. Your instincts tell the truth after all, yet you dare not even think it. Mute horror seeps into your very being as you realise just how much trouble you got into.

You are lost in time.

You do not watch what the Ashen Maiden does, only listen to some shuffling and clinking. Then a glass is pressed into your hand, the act garnering your attention; amber liquid sits quietly in front of you, the Demon holding a similarly filled glass. She slowly sits down and motions for you to take a sip, which you do.

Something fruity and soothing runs down your dry throat, the taste like nothing you ever had before. You peer down at the glass, then at the bottle standing between you two. "Is that alcohol?"

"You look like you need it." You do not even want to know how you look like, but her words hold a tender note that surprises you. Demons are not supposed to be like that. But it is just as well, does not matter right now.

You know you are too young to drink. Right now though, you could not care less and gulp it all down in one stroke. Holding back the tears and hiccups is hard, but you refuse to cry in front of a stranger. You refuse to cry at all, but the urge is there and oh so strong.

After a few seconds of oppressive silence, the Maiden sips from her own drink and sighs. "Tell me what is going on." She sounds defeated for some reason, maybe even anxious. You furiously wipe your ears and try to think of a way to get around this, but you have nothing. No way out, no way away.

So you have to be honest and lower your head. "I... come from a few thousand years in the future. That spot," you tap on the death zone, "got magic some time ago. Don't ask me why, I don't know." Your voice is cold and listless as you note it; she does not respond at first.

In fact, she is quiet for a long time; you are happy for it, that gives you time to force yourself to calm down.

When she speaks, her voice is a mix of emotions that you can make little sense of: "You... I will accomodate you for the time being; you can have one of the empty quarters at this spire's base. Take a week... or maybe two, yes two. Take two weeks to sort this out and...."

She trails off for some reason, but you are still thinking about her words. She is... kind. Unexpectedly so. "That's really nice of you." You can hardly believe it, but the other woman just smiles.

She collects herself for a moment and nods. "What is your Affinity?" The question is more calm now, grounding you in the reality of your situation.

You push it away and shrug helplessly. "No idea, I couldn't get tested yet." Papa could have used his magic, but neither of you thought of it. Papa... you shake off the thought of him and quietly endure how your chest constricts.

Thankfully, the Maiden provides you something to keep your mind occupied: "You should head to R&D to get that sorted, then." After a moment of thought, she adds something else: "Oh, and pay Maya in logistics a visit. She can get you some more clothes and other necessities. Actually, you should see her first; she can check you for injuries, too."

You nod quietly and stand to leave, then turn back for a moment. "Okay, um... how should I call you?" It does bother you not to know how to speak to her.

The Maiden made to stand as well, now she pauses for a long moment. Her thoughts remain a mystery, though she offers you a smile once more. "Just Elisabeth is fine. Now run along, I will have an Imp lead you shortly." She quickly bustles over to a large rune on the ground, steps on it... and vanishes, leaving you alone in her office.

You know better than to poke around. After downing the still warm tea as well and shuddering under the bittersweet taste, you leave the room.

-------------

[] Get started on stuff at once

[] Go to your room and sort out your thoughts before you do anything


[]EXP-Plan
-[] Write-in what to buy
-[] Save it

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Class 4 Demons: These are the things that the Counter Force breaks out the True Anti-Demon Tanks for, not those flamethrowers with treads from the beginning. These fuckers are the badasses that tend to send the infantry scrambling for cover. From this point and up, battles tend to become clashes between champions. Anything short of heavy armor, or being a Magical Girl, means that most mortals that try to take these things on tend to die.

Click to shrink...

-Crystalwatcher

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+50xp Defeated Orux
+10xp Met The Ashen Maiden
+75xp That is a Class 4 Demon
+15xp What Are Humans?
+50xp In An Unfamiliar Time

EXP gained: 200
Total EXP: 205

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(Revealed Journey on Voyage)
(Unlocked Level 1 Character Sheet: The Ashen Maiden)
(Unlocked Level 5 Sheet: Charon's Keep)

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For those new, here is a map of the Local Dimensional Cluster from Heidi's time. The only worlds of different occupation are Reluxus (to the right of Earth) and Hope (above Earth and adjacent to Reluxus). Sheol is the one world bordering both Dark Star's and Heaven's territory.

Spoiler: Map