- Location
- Goose Land
You know, I always forget that we can just ask the QM about things.
@TempestK would you be willing to give us a rough timescale on Foreverwing growth rates since we found those biology books on them?
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For all readers and writers
After much ado, our new tagging system is here and being rolled out to the userbase. Read more here!
Prince Aladdin Quest (Disney Villains *Almost* Victorious)
You know, I always forget that we can just ask the QM about things.
@TempestK would you be willing to give us a rough timescale on Foreverwing growth rates since we found those biology books on them?
- Location
- Wherever I feel like being
- Pronouns
- He/Him
You know, that's fair. It's a composite thing because Zummi had to piece together data points from several different books about Greater Forest Dragons and Foreverwings. When a Greater Forest Dragon is hatched, it's roughly the size of a person. Their diet is omnivorous, with the tusks used to help root up tubers and wild vegetables. A Greater Forest Dragon reaches its "Full Growth" rapidly, within a year. At that point their growth slows to something much harder to measure. At that point they reach 21 feet from the tips of their ears to the ground when sitting on their haunches, roughly forty feet from snout to tailtip, and a wingspan of eighty feet.
In the case of Foreverwings, the smallest Foreverwing was two hundred feet long with a four hundred foot wingspan, and the beginnings of a small forest seeded into the loam on its back. Rough estimates put it at about a century old.
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Every Day A Little Death (Canon)
Edmond Dantes scratched another line into the wall of his cell, using the knife Priest had left him back before he had vanished.
"Why do you bother?" his new cellmate asked. "All it does is remind us how long we've been in here."
"That's precisely why," Edmond said in a listless voice. "It is a reminder of what is lost, and a reminder of a promise. Long remembered and ever faithful."
His cellmate said nothing in reply, but her head rolled over to look at the slit in the wall that let through a tiny, ever-so-small ray of light. When she spoke, it was with a tone of defeat. "I miss the sun."
"And I the stars." He gave a mirthless laugh. "I have one, you know. Picked it out with my love. It was our star. Our promise that wherever the other went, as long as we both saw the star in the sky, we would be there for each other." His head drooped. "I've not seen that star in fifteen years, five months, and thirteen days."
Edmond then let himself look at the little ray of light. "Each day is a lifetime of broken promises and dreams, memories of laughter and joy…a life we should have had together."
"No longer." He said
"Every day a little death, for every day I die," his cellmate sang quietly, mournfully.
"Hmm?" Dantes' head cocked in curiosity.
She sighed. "Just a little song I've been working on in my head. Helps me with my feelings."
"How does it end?"
"Every day a little death, and still, I know, not why."
It was an intriguing way to end as he looked at the beam of light. "Why were you arrested?"
"Weren't you listening to the song? I don't know!" she said in frustration. "For that matter, why were you arrested and thrown in this pit?"
He chuckled, a grim sound. "It's a long story. Suffice to say that I threatened the positions of three men, each for their own reason. And to advance their own careers, to achieve their own goals, I had to be here in the Chateau d'If." His gaze turned flinty. "When I get out, I will make them all pay."
She looked at him with a small mou of disappointment. "You're devoting your life to revenge?"
"Just what's left of it…they've already taken my youth and my future," he said bitterly, "So why shouldn't I take theirs as well?"
"What about the old man you told me about who was your friend? Priest?" At his nod, she continued, "From what you told me, it sounds like he didn't approve of your desire for revenge."
"Father Faria was a man of incredible character…one that I didn't deserve to meet." He said
Silence. Then: "I wish I could have met him. He sounds like a great man."
"The best."
Silence returned to their cell, as Edmond Dantes and Madellaine resumed their respective ponderings.
Some time passed in this manner. Then, as the light disappeared, the slot in the foot of the door opened and slipped in two plates of food and a small bucket of water. Both scrambled for it and ate like they were starving. It wasn't too difficult a look to master, since they were.
Plates empty, they sat back and gazed longingly at it. Dantes finally broke the silence. "Ready for your next lesson?"
Madellaine sat up eagerly. "Oh, yes! Thank you again for teaching me how to read."
Dantes chuckled again, but this time there was more life to it. "Priest did the same for me. Only right that I pass it on."
Dantes grinned as he pointed to the page. "Hmmm…It seems today we are reading The Book of Job. I've always had a soft spot for him. He's suffered like me." It turned out that with the new change of regime in France, one of the alterations had been the delivery of a small Bible to every cell.
If nothing else it made for good material to read. He was half-convinced that Priest had memorized the thing, so often had he made references to its contents.
"Alright..try to start on your own, and if you fumble I will help you," he said calmly as Madellaine started.
While she practiced on her own for a moment he did something on his own,
"Stolen moments gone forever.." He seemed to smile at that, perfect…it was a perfect reflection of his torment.
"Umm, Dantes…what are you doing?" she asked, noting his attempt at singing.
"Attempting to heal my soul and channel my anger. Much healthier than bashing my hands against the door." He said, giving a small sigh. "He who creates a song lives forever, as the singers pass it on."
She nodded, apparently realizing she taught him that. "I didn't think I was able to teach you something that important?"
"Father Faria taught me the skills of a noble life - mathematics, economics, philosophy, swordsmanship, and languages for places I've never seen," he said. "I think it's time I heal my damaged soul with something more tangible, until it is time to see my revenge through."
"But revenge is a fool's game that destroys more than it heals-"
"That's as may be. I hope it does," Edmond snarled. "I hope Mondego loses everything, that his life is destroyed like he destroyed mine!" He stood and started pacing, lesson forgotten. "Danglars! Villefort! I was nothing more than fodder for their careers, their reputations! Why shouldn't I want to wreck everything they gained from destroying all of mine!?"
"It will kill you more likely. And in death you can't do anything or claim any DAMNABLE feelings beyond the cold kiss of death!" she said.
"It will kill me…or it will kill them. There can be no middle ground in this hell." He said coldly.
She sighed, sadness in her eyes. It was an old argument between the two of them, her advocating for forgiveness and him see-sawing between agreeing with her and reverting to his dreams of vengeance.
He felt his anger rise at her pity. "They threw me into Hell! It should come as no surprise to you, or anyone, that I will carry Hell to their doorsteps!"
"You think you understand hell or its works, Edmond Dantes? I've seen the devil and his works," she said calmly. "He's the one who claims that violence is justice, that the hammer of God is freely brought by the pyres." Madellaine gritted her teeth. "He's the one who threw me in here! So please," she pled with tears in her eyes, "don't force me to have to live with one who has become just like him."
Dantes calmed momentarily. "You mean Frollo?"
She nodded.
He took a deep breath. Released it slowly.
"If a man like him claims to be God's holiest servant on this Earth…and the Lord does not strike him down in justice…Then the Lord is lost to us, the covenant is broken."
The quiet realization of fifteen years of pain, loneliness, and agony slowly and surely came back to his mind. A life of betrayal, rage, loss and agony finally came to be.
He looked upon the cross on the Bible, and the cross on the wall, carved into it at Faria's insistence. The last little bit of light shone upon it as the last promise of everlasting peace hung so delicately in his mind.
"I don't want to…" he spoke to the cross as his cellmate seemed to slowly realize the workings of his mind.
"Edmond…don't turn away from the lessons that Father Faria preached….your immortal soul cannot be reclaimed if you turn away from the promise."
He stood silent as the little gleam of light lingered and touched his head. "Give me a sign oh Father…that you have not abandoned us…for if you have forsaken us to evil…I will forsake you as well. I ask-"
The tears of pain flowed. "No…I DEMAND that you listen to a suffering lamb of your flock! why have you forsaken me?!…and let evil walk the earth and say their glories and justice was done in your NAME!"
"So as Job did…I Demand your presence…DEMAND something to see that you have not abandoned us," he cried, slumping to his knees in the stony cell.
"For if you have abandoned us to Evil to suffer the Devil's work. Then you have lost a faithful servant…and a good man."
Soft hands fell onto his shoulders, and Madellaine's voice spoke into his ear. "God hasn't abandoned you, Edmond. He sent us, right?"
Edmond blinked. "Eh?"
She chuckled, a quiet thing. "You needed company. I needed a tutor. I would think we both got what we needed, wouldn't you?" Another chuckle. "Even if it wasn't what we wanted."
He looked up to the little beam of light. "You have been good company at least, though I think that my teachings are…lacking the same grace as Priest's."
"It didn't have to be perfect…nothing is truly perfect." she said.
And so it was that the man and woman, prisoners of the flesh but not of the mind, sat there, taking quiet solace in each other's company. Eventually, they fell asleep, propped up against the other person.
A/N: Thanks to @Cyberphilosipher for helping me write this! This is one omake I've been looking forward to for quite some time.
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- Location
- Wherever I feel like being
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Very nice. Take 6 XP for you and 4 XP for Cyberphilosopher since it was a joint effort.
- Location
- Goose Land
Well.
Looks like I was wrong. Good job on having a better sense of the scale of this!
- Location
- Goose Land
All it'd really take is an opportunity in India I think, though a General has much less time for Adventures than a Hatchet Man so we'll see.
One more omake and that should be the end of my story rush until the next turn comes up. Since Indiana Jones and Frederick Selous came from the same episode of the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles and were friends, it seems to me that this will be a perfect opportunity to have the pair reunite.
Out of the Woods (Canon)
- Location
- Bloomington, IN
Out of the Woods
Who do they meet while escaping Faerie? 1d6 1=The Queen of the Fae 2=Lesser Fae Nobility 3=A Faerie Beast 4=A single musketeer 5=The French Army's front-line 6=They pass through the woods unmolested
With Zhan Tiri at the lead, on the other hand, all of that was absent. They had managed to remain on a single trail all day and Milady felt confident that they had traveled more distance in that time than she had managed in a week on her own. She would have grown suspicious that this was all an elaborate trap for her if it weren't for the subtle cues from Zhan Tiri; the way she was constantly scanning the tree line, or how she tensed up at any unexpected snapping of twigs or birdsong. She may have been more at home in the woods than Milady was, but she still wasn't their master.
Milady could feel the transition from Faerie back into the world that she was accustomed to as it happened. The bird song slowly transitioned from proper performance to natural calls, the faint glow that suffused so much of the air faded away, and the animals grew more skittish.
Despite herself, Milady couldn't help but sag ever so slightly with relief as the small sense of normalcy. This very nearly cost her.
Milady Perception: Intrigue DC 50: 1d100(25) + 29 = 54! Bare Success!
Zhan Tiri Perception: Intrigue DC 50: 1d100(51) + 18 + 12 = 81! Great Success!
Zhan Tiri Perception: Intrigue DC 50: 1d100(51) + 18 + 12 = 81! Great Success!
She caught sight of them just before they caught sight of her. Five men wearing leather armor and wielding swords, each of them with fire designs somehow incorporated onto their uniforms, be it a mere splash of orange and red coloring haphazardly thrown on the front, to some fairly well done stitching for the man in the lead. She didn't have enough time to hide so she settled for changing her demeanor and posture as quickly as she could. An unarmed woman at ease in the woods becomes a lot more threatening when one is dealing with Fae.
She started shaking and tearing up just as the soldiers saw her. Milady looked down to ensure that Zhan Tiri was following her lead, only to find that she had seemingly disappeared entirely.
Just as confusion was starting to settle in, she heard a voice whisper in her ear, "I'll let you handle this situation. Prove that you were worth saving."
"Halt! By order of holiness Pontifex Immortalus Frollo, you are to surrender and identify yourself!" The lead man in the group shouted before he and his men charged forward and surrounded Milady, swords ready to skewer her if she made any sudden moves.
Diplomacy DC 80: 1d100(83) + 28 + 10 + 5 = 126! Great Success!
Milady stared down the formation and thought to herself, 'Very well. If it's an audition you want, then that's what you'll get.' She collapsed to the ground weeping and shouted out, "Oh, thank god! My prayers have been answered!"
It took only a few moments before the leader of the formation carefully approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Miss, are you all right?" he said, though still not letting go of his sword.
"I-it was a horror in there!" Milady blubbered and cried. "There were devils everywhere! And I was so alone, I thought for sure I would perish!"
The soldier's face transformed into a mask of sympathy as he observed Milady's act, though there was still a hint of distrust in his expression and his shoulders were still tense, waiting for her to reveal this was a trap.
"Don't worry miss, everything's going to be okay," The soldier said warily, tentatively reaching out his arm.
Milady shot him a grateful smile, but continued to sob and made a point of touching his sword as she rose, lightly enough that it didn't look intentional, but not so lightly that he wouldn't notice.
The tension drained out of the soldier when he noticed the contact, clearly relieved at evidence that she wasn't a faerie trick. The soldier gave a genuine smile and said, "There, there miss, you're safe now. I'm Lieutenant Alain, follow us and we'll take you back to camp, get you something to eat, get you headed back to civilization." His expression briefly turned sour. "The Captain is a godless heathen, but even he wouldn't deny a lady that much."
"Oh, thank you, good sir! You are the height of chivalry!"
The soldier blushed and replied, "Oh, I wouldn't say that. I'm just doing what any upstanding French citizen should do for a lady in distress. Now come along, miss…"
"Sauveterre, baroness Sauveterre." It was an actual noble family, but one small enough that Milady could reasonably expect that nobody in any given group of soldiers would have any familiarity with them. It was a gamble, but one that Milady decided was worth the risk. People tended to be more willing to help a distressed aristocrat than they would a random peasant.
Alain's eyes widened at Milady's introduction and he bowed his head slightly. "My apologies Milady, I have been quite rude to you."
Milady gave a gentle smile and replied, "Think nothing of it, good sir. I believe that my savior is entitled to be a little rude."
He shook his head, "It's still no excuse. Come, I must get you set up in the camp, it's hardly sufficient for a lady of your stature, but it is the least that I can do."
"Then lead the way."
The group headed out and Milady made pleasant conversation with Alain, managing to get some useful information out of him regarding the camp's dynamics. Apparently, their captain wasn't fond of the new Pope and that resulted in increasing tension between those that supported Frollo, or "good, pious men" to hear Alain tell of it, and those that would rather like to see his head on a pike, or "filthy heretics" according to Alain. All the while, Milady made a point of staying as close to him as she could, flashing coquettish smiles every time he so much as looked at her.
It was only a short walk back to the camp, Milady supposed that she simply had the misfortune of running into Alain's group on patrol. Milady put on an appropriately terrified expression in hopes of avoiding being completely alienated from the anti-Frollo faction; let Alain's group believe it was because of the stories that they told about the heathen infesting the camp and let the rest think it was because she was being dragged into camp by a group of zealots.
A quick look around the camp, a large mass of tents surrounding a small, decrepit village revealed two major things, one, the camp had clearly been hit by Faerie hard, whether that was back when the town at the center was still a town, or after the soldiers arrived was less clear, the only evidence was the disturbingly humanoid trees that dotted the grounds. The other major point was that Alain's group was significantly smaller than he had led Milady to believe, for every soldier decking themselves head to toe in fire imagery to show how devoted they were to their pope, there were at least three more who were glaring daggers at them.
"This way, milady. It's certainly unfit for someone of your stature, but hopefully, it will be able to tide you over until I can get the Captain to sign off on giving you aid." He led her to what most likely used to be a villager's house, a status somewhat ruined by the fact that several trees were growing through the walls and ceiling. "Don't worry about the trees, the walls sealed up right around them, so there's no concern about drafts or pests getting through.
Milady smiled and gave a nod as he led her through the threshold.
"Now wait here, I'll be right back."
As soon as the door closed behind him, Zhan Tiri appeared in front of Milady. Milady's heart raced briefly at her sudden appearance, but Milady didn't let her shock reach her face, she simply observed her and noted that she looked less solid than she had before her disappearance, Milady could see the far wall of the house through her body.
"So, is this something you can do at will, or are you limited to this while out of the woods?" Milady asked calmly, hoping to present an image of unconcern about Zhan Tiri's display and test.
Zhan Tiri smiled at her and replied, "You know, I truly do appreciate an apprentice able to keep calm under pressure. And to answer your question, no, I am thankfully not limited to this form. But enough about me," Zhan Tiri waved her hand dismissively, "You've done quite well so far, about what I expected based on what I know of you. But getting out of this situation isn't enough, we'll need supplies if we're to complete our journey to the Mirror Kingdoms in one piece. I trust that you'll be able to arrange that?"
Milady decided not to question why Zhan Tiri would know anything about her, there was most likely nothing she could do about it and it probably wouldn't make her sleep any better. She shrugged unconcernedly, "We'll see what I can get from this Captain, ideally I'll be able to get him to fund our little expedition, but if not, I have other ideas."
"Well then, I'll leave you to it. And if things turn out well here, then we can see about upholding my end of the bargain."
And with that, Zhan Tiri vanished once more, leaving Milady alone with little to do besides examining the former home that Alain had set her up in. Frankly, it was somewhat unsettling, between the unnaturally vibrant tree growing through the wall and up through the roof and the ever so slightly raised patch of floor that most likely indicated what happened to the house's previous owner, Milady was uncomfortably reminded of her time in the woods. Things certainly weren't helped by the fact that one of the outstretched branches looked perfect to serve as a hanging tree.
While Milady would never show it, she was somewhat relieved when Alain returned a short while later. "I apologize milady, but the captain would like to meet you before he commits to providing you with any aid," Alain said, face worked into a bitter scowl as if it was absurd to think that there was any valid reason not to aid her. Wonderful.
Milady gave a gentle, somewhat vacuous smile and replied, "Then lead the way, good sir."
Their path through the camp eventually led them to a building that was notably larger than the rest in the village. Milady was inclined to guess that it used to belong to a local lord or lady. They couldn't have been particularly important, the manor was only two stories tall, but between the stone facade and the more elaborate construction compared to the wooden buildings that made up the rest of the village, there was no question that whoever used to live here had quite an advantage over their neighbors.
Alain ushered her into the manor, which seemed to serve as a command center of sorts; there were a few men in the building with insignia that indicated that they were officers, only one of which looked at Alain with anything besides withering contempt. He then guided her up to the second-floor room which the Captain had apparently converted into an office of sorts.
"I have brought the survivor that my men found in the wood, Captain," Alain said, icily.
In contrast, the Captain, a well-built blonde man smiled brightly and warmly and replied, "Excellent! Please, have a seat, lady Sauvetere," He gestured toward a somewhat rickety-looking wooden chair, "You may go now, Lieutenant."
Alain gave a nod of acknowledgment before retreating without a word.
"A pleasure to meet you, Captain…" Milady led off, fishing for a reaction so she could tailor her approach. Hopefully, she'd get a good idea of just how thoroughly she needed to distance herself from Alain.
"Phoebus, milady." The Captain, Phoebus, smiled genially before continuing, "And I must say, I do appreciate how thoroughly you've duped Alain."
Milady gently smiled back, refusing to give up any information that she didn't have to. "Why, whatever do you mean?"
"I mean that a pampered noblewoman somehow surviving weeks in those woods where whole companies have vanished without a trace is somewhat unbelievable. Nice touch with the sword, by the way, he was convinced that that proved your story was genuine."
Milady's smile turned thin. If he wanted to feel in control of the situation, then she would allow it. "And how do you suppose that I did survive then?"
"Well, you didn't explode into a mass of colorful, flesh-eating, insects the second you entered camp, so you're probably not some sort of Faerie trap. No, if I had to guess you're one of those poor souls that got caught up in the Upheaval without your homeland, and now you're trapped between the murderous zealot, the Faerie army, and the witch-queen. I suppose you have some sort of talent or magic that let you escape relatively unharmed."
Milady gave a bland smile, revealing nothing, and replied, "I suppose that that's not far from the truth."
Phoebus stared her down for a moment before sighing, "I do wish that I could help you, I really do, but we're stretched thin as it is, and I doubt that you'd be welcome back in France given its current state.
"Believe me, I'm well aware. I was almost subject to the new pope's… affinity for fire myself," Milady replied, allowing a scowl to form on her face.
Phoebus winced in sympathy before offering, "All I can tell you is that there's a small village about three days' travel from here on foot. It's far enough from here that the fae only rarely harass them, they can probably provide you with at least some aid, but you need to leave now. The faerie army attacks frequently and I doubt we can defend you if it comes down to it."
"Hmm," Milady said to herself, "I do believe that I have a reason you might wish to help me."
"And what is that?"
"We share a common enemy, a certain 'murderous zealot' I believe you called him and, unlike you, I'm not bound to military duty."
"Are you saying you can do something about this 'common enemy?'" Phoebus asked, skeptically.
Milady gave a thin smile, "I do have a lead, but I'd rather not say more. The walls often have ears, you know?" A fact that Milady knew from experience.
Phoebus nodded, though he didn't look too happy about it.
"But I can assure you, that if you give me what I need, I will do everything in my power to ensure that that man gets everything he deserves."
Diplomacy DC 60/80/100/120 (Difficulty reduced by prior success): 1d100(35) + 28 +10 = 73! One degree of success!
Phoebus looked conflicted for a few moments before he sighed and responded, "I can offer you a few men to take you to the village on horseback, that'll at least ensure that you make it there in one piece."
Milady offered him a sad smile, "I suppose that that's the most I can ask for."
"I am sorry that I can't do more," Phoebus replied before concluding, "Now, please return where Alain set you up. I'll send my men to escort you shortly."
"Thank you," Milady replied before departing.
As soon as she was in the hallway, Zhan Tiri appeared and snapped at her, "That isn't good enough! Every moment we waste is a moment someone else could use to get the Sundrop before we do!"
Milady filed the name Sundrop away for later, she presumed it was the flower she spoke of when they first met, but simply replied, "Don't worry what matters is that I bought us some time."
"Time for what?"
Milady looked down at the foyer and spotted Alain, passing back and forth nervously. She started the process of tearing up and replied to Zhan Tiri, "Like you told me, I'm getting supplies."
By the time she reached the lower level and Alain spotted her, Milady had already progressed to full-on weeping.
"Milady-" Alain started before being cut off by Milady grabbing onto him, shaking with tears. "What… what did that blackguard say to you?" He finished in a dangerous tone.
Between sobs, Milady let out, "I… he… I can't…"
Alain looked at her with concern and gently asked, "Do you need to go somewhere private."
Wearing an upset expression, Milady nodded, and Alain took her to an abandoned house. It wasn't hard to see why even rowdy soldiers wanted nothing to do with the place. Like with the house that Alain first brought her to, there was evidence of the house's previous owner. Unlike the other house, they were still here, the humanoid tree they became partially fused into the wall; Milady allowed the shiver it gave her to show, it helped the act.
Alain scowled and said, "Sorry about that, but no one ever comes here, so it should be safe to talk. Now, what did that heathen do to you?"
Milady dialed back her tears enough to answer, "He, he wants to send me out with nothing, he won't even tell me what's out there. He said that the only way he would help me was if I… I… Oh! It's too horrible to repeat!"
Alain clenched his fist and Milady had to stop herself from smiling. It was always best to let them fill in the blanks themselves; whatever horror stories she could come up with were always dwarfed by what a man could come up with on their own.
Diplomacy DC 50 1d100(38) + 28 + 10 + 5 + 10 (Positive First Impression) = 91! Great Success!
Alain took a deep breath before slowly exhaling. "Follow me," he said in the most comforting voice he could manage under the circumstances.
He led her through the camp, avoiding as many of his fellow soldiers as he could, though, when he reached where he was taking her, an old building that Milady guessed used to be an inn, he had to shoo away a group of soldiers playing cards outside. Based on the dirty looks they gave him and the lack of fire iconography, Milady guessed they weren't fond of him. Not strictly a part of her plan, but a pleasant bonus nonetheless.
He opened the door, revealing shelves upon shelves of food, water, ammunition, and other, stranger things packed into the inn, where there weren't already shelves to store alcohol, the army had clearly installed more.
"Take whatever you need," Alain whispered to Milady, handing her a pair of saddlebags, "I'll do my best to ensure that no one else bothers you and then return as quickly as I can."
Milady gave him her most radiant smile and replied, "Thank you good sir. Thank you so much," and gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek.
"Well… um… you're very welcome milady!" Alain said in response before running out, face bright red.
As soon as the door was closed, Zhan Tiri suddenly appeared, looking far more solid this time. "Excellent work Milady."
"Ah, I see that you've decided to join me in full," Milady said, not a hint of annoyance leaking into her voice.
"That I have," Zhan Tiri replied, "You focus on food, water, and any survival tools you can find. I need some specific ingredients, and I hope to find them somewhere in this mess."
Stewardship DC 60/80/100 1d100(49) + 13 + 19 + 10 (Interference) = 91! Two Degrees of Success!
Milady simply nodded and did as she was told, grabbing as many non-perishables, waterskins, and general odds and ends as she could.
Zhan Tiri meanwhile searched the back shelves, which seemed to consist almost solely of plants that Milady had to assume had been harvested from the forest, followed by a trip to a section containing gunpowder and cannonballs, before finally grabbing, of all things, a small hand mirror that some soldier must have absent-mindedly left on the counter. Whatever she was looking for, she must have found it, because she eventually returned to Milady's side with a wicked grin on her face and several glass vials filled with plant trimmings and various powders that Milady didn't know enough to recognize. She disappeared right before Alain opened the door and walked in.
Still looking awkward from their last encounter, Alain managed to get out, "I have managed to secure your transportation, please come with me."
Milady smiled and did so. Outside, a horse was waiting for her, a strong-looking, bay stallion.
Alain cleared his throat before saying, "The horse's name is Athos," Milady had to suppress a grimace at the mention of the name. It was petty of her, but she couldn't help but feel that she'd enjoy breaking the horse if they were forced into making a mad dash on their way to the Mirror Kingdoms. "Now, there's a small village just a short way from here. Once you're there you should be able to get transport back to France proper." He then gave her directions that she had no intention of following.
Milady gave him a dazzling smile before kissing him on the lips and whispering, "I'll never forget you, my brave hero."
Alain almost looked like he would freeze up before he finally managed to stammer out, "Yes… well… may the good Lord protect you."
"And you good sir," Milady replied before getting into the saddle with practiced ease.
Alain waved her off and Milady and she headed out. About a mile out from the camp, Zhan Tiri materialized on the back of the horse, "Excellently played Milady. It's good to know that my assessment of you was correct."
"Indeed it was," Milady replied mildly, "I do expect you to uphold your end of the bargain."
"Oh, was saving you from certain doom at the hands of the Fae not enough?" Zhan Tiri asked lightly, "Don't worry, your lessons will begin before we get to the Mirror Kingdoms. I have almost as much to gain from you becoming a capable apprentice as you do from my teachings."
Milady nodded in acknowledgment and urged the horse to run faster. It would only be a matter of time before the Captain noticed her absence, even with Alain running interference for her, assuming he didn't realize the position he put himself in. Stealing from the army to aid a civilian was bad enough, assisting an enemy of the state was the kind of thing that could easily get a man killed. Milady allowed herself to smile, the idea of one of Frollo's pawns being fed to the pyre held a certain amount of justice to it.
Martial 8 - While Milady isn't necessarily helpless and is more than willing to get her hands dirty if the need arises, she has always preferred words and more subtle weapons when it comes to achieving her goals
Stewardship 13 - Milady is a member of the nobility and, while most of her working hours were dedicated to spycraft, she still picked up enough skills to be a passable administrator.
Diplomacy 28 - Milady is a master of manipulation and persuasion, skills that she puts to good use.
Intrigue 29 - Milady's skill in spycraft is second to none, having allowed her to hide behind multiple false identities for years and establish herself as a capable spy prior to the Upheaval.
Learning 11 - Milady has the level of education expected of a noblewoman, which is to say more than many, but not as much as someone dedicated to scholarly pursuits.
Occult 4 - Had you asked her just a short while ago, Milady would have dismissed tales of the supernatural as absolute nonsense. Weeks of hiding from the Fae was enough to disabuse her of that notion.
Sizing Up a Mark: Milady is quite good at understanding what makes other people tick and is even better at using that to her advantage. Gain +10 to all Diplomacy or Intrigue rolls dedicated to manipulating others for Milady's own ends.
Femme Fatale: Milady is uncommonly beautiful, well aware of that fact, and not at all opposed to using it to her advantage. Add an additional +5 to Diplomacy or Intrigue rolls where Milady is able to use her looks to her advantage.
Vindictive: Milady has suffered from allowing those who wronged her to continue drawing breath too many times, she has no intention of allowing it to happen again. Add an additional +10 to rolls dedicated to destroying those who Milady perceives as having wronged her.
Martial 12 - While her current form leaves her ill-suited for proper fights, she can still scrap a fair bit, especially against those not expecting her level of viciousness from a child.
Diplomacy 21 - Zhan Tiri is skilled at corrupting others and bending them to her will, having stolen students from her former partner and maintained their loyalty for centuries.
Stewardship 19 - Zhan Tiri may not have ever administered a noble estate or kingdom, but she's run a few cults in her day and many of the skills are transferable.
Intrigue 18 - Zhan Tiri has a manipulative streak that allows her to work quite adeptly in situations demanding a degree of subtlety.
Learning 24 - Demanitus may have been the more technologically inclined member of their partnership, but Zhan Tiri picked up quite a lot by proximity, even discounting knowledge she simply accumulated over her very long life.
Occult
Childlike Appearance: While Zhan Tiri's current state can have some advantages, it also carries quite a few headaches along with it when it comes to accomplishing her goals. +10 all the rolls that benefit from being underestimated based on her appearance, and -10 on all rolls that rely on being respected or taken seriously. This trait does not apply to those that have reason to believe that Zhan Tiri is not actually a child.
Elementalist: Among the aspects of her power that Zhan Tiri still has a solid grasp on is her control over elemental forces, something she often uses to devastating effect. Zhan Tiri Gains half her Occult rounded down to Martial rolls involving combat or causing destruction.
Spectral: The other major aspect of her remaining power, Zhan Tiri has many abilities allowing her to avoid notice. Zhan Tiri gains half her Occult rounded down to Intrigue and Martial rolls dedicated to avoiding being seen, detected, or injured.
Vote closed
Rival report Turn 9
- Location
- Wherever I feel like being
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Rival Report
South-West Africa
Queen La - 14 + 5 (Consolidated Holdings) = 19
La's proclamation of her power and ability has led to pushback from an unexpected quarter. The Queen of the Jungle, feeling secure in her power, had tried to overrun and take a port on the eastern coast of the continent, within striking range of her "empire". It was an unmitigated disaster as the EITC forces that were on hand routed her leopard men with shot, shell and even the use of creatures that sound somewhat similar to the Sirrush, though apparently not as intelligent and merely released in the right direction. The final nail in the coffin though, was the superlative use of the Endeavor's cannons as artillery to break the cat-men's fighting spirit.
South-East Africa
Scar - 26 +5 (All The Light Touches) = 31
The Hyenas and Lionesses of the Pridelands had attempted to take this opportunity of La being focused elsewhere to their opportunity. They blazed into the jungles, taking prey were they could and then dragging it out back to the Pridelands, in pieces if they had to. Unfortunately the window of opportunity slammed shut on their paws as La returned in defeat. Incensed at the brazen gall of the Prideland beasts, she set her Leopardmen to the task of evicting them from her realm. Many hyenas were lost, and supposedly the Queen has added a new lion-skin rug to her quarters.
South-East Indian Sub-continent
Shere-Khan 69 (-10 due to Selous' influence) - 59
Shere Khan has had enough. With the humans within his Khanate refusing to be snuffed out, his rage has turned to the north, his jackals striking against the animal protectorate that has been under the watchful gaze of Bagheera the Great Black Panther, determined to make sure that the animals there do not forget their fear of him.
Kaa - 13 - 5 (Restricted Space) = 8
For once it appears that Kaa is the one being put under pressure. With Shere Khan looking to regain all lost respect and prestige, his jackals have been everywhere. And for all his power, Kaa still fears the tiger's wrath. His holdings have shrunken to barely large enough to sustain a serpent of his size, only his species' need to eat infrequently keeping him from being forced out of his territory.
North-East Indian Sub-continent
Bagheera & Mowgli - 21 + 5 (Law of the Jungle) = 26
Even as one problem is addressed, another rears its head. Shere Khan's attack came out of nowhere, and while Mowgli and Bagheera were focused on treating with the hunters at the edges of their territory, they were caught on the back foot. Defense against the Shere Khanate is haphazard at best, and the jackals are driving hard into the other animal's territory with callous disregard for the Law of the Jungle.
The Silk Road
Shan Yu - 71- 10 (Emperor No More) -10 (Loss of a Companion) - 10 (Nowhere to Run) = 41
Lord Shen - 35 + 5 (One Down) + 5 (Baron's Men) = 45
The Resistance: 78 - 5 (Tired of Fighting) = 73
Lord Shen - 35 + 5 (One Down) + 5 (Baron's Men) = 45
The Resistance: 78 - 5 (Tired of Fighting) = 73
Word has come out of China that Shan Yu has surfaced once again. He has managed to gather around himself a small band of warriors, and has been going to other small independent groups, beating their leaders into the ground, and then adding them to his forces. It's a far cry from the army he once commanded, but the man is no long alone. There are also some reports that he's also carrying an egg with him of some kind, one that he takes great care of. Speculation is that he is attempting to raise a new familiar to replace his lost falcon.
Lord Shen's own forces have swelled heavily. The last remains of the bandit army that tore across the Satraps and then through Ababwa itself, has placed themselves under his command. Headed by the colossal Baron, these new forces are finding integrating with their intended comrades at arms is a trying process, especially as most of Lord Shen's forces consist of animals that act like people. Several fights have had to be quelled, and it's even rumored that Baron and Shen's personal guard, a mighty gorilla, have come to blows at least once.
Shan Yu's windfalls and beginning of forming yet another coalition of Huns has given the Resistance some much-needed breathing room. Shen's appointed officials are being robbed, their money spread out to the poor across dozens of towns. The contents of their kitchens being made into feasts that appear as if by magic in village centers, and several stores of his infamous black powder have been stolen.
Xiang-Wu
58 + 30 (Ababwan Allies) = 88
Xiang-Wu's timely help from Ababwa has ensured that the raiders that were plaguing them no longer feel able to brazenly swoop across the border. And Lord Shen's men have even moved away from the area, the integration of the former bandit army leaving the force as a whole leery of the army that literally chased them across the entire Princedom and then some.
Greece
Hades 23 +5 (Expectant Papa) - 10 (Tartarus Breakout) = 18
Rebellious Gods and Spirits
99 -10 (No cohesion) - 5 (Conflicting Priorities) +10 (Charismatic Leader) = 94
Rebellious Gods and Spirits
99 -10 (No cohesion) - 5 (Conflicting Priorities) +10 (Charismatic Leader) = 94
Hades... has not been having a great time. With the breakout of so many spirits and gods from Tartarus, even the minor ones, he's scrabbling to keep at least some semblance of order. The fact that said Gods are also agitating the Titans and making them even more destructive is a further strain on the somewhat volatile God of the Dead. His son Zagreus was last seen swimming out to sea, and has yet to appear, leaving Hades relying on the Furies to try and shore up the crumbling order. Even with Thanatos, Eros, Psyche and Mercury all bound by their oaths to assist the God of the Dead, the former captives are showing little inclination to listen to them. They seem to have all gravitated around a singular mortal ghost, rather than one of the minor gods. Sisyphus, the former king of Ephyra; who has cheated death once more. There may be some truth to the old saying about the third time being the charm...
The Mediterranean Sea
Ursula - 2
Morgana - 62 - 10 (Unstable) = 52
Sinbad - 33 + 10 (Profitable Pals) = 43
Morgana - 62 - 10 (Unstable) = 52
Sinbad - 33 + 10 (Profitable Pals) = 43
The self-proclaimed "Queen of the Seas" has been in a foul mood. Apparently while moving through her domain, she ran into a giant squid that was either too smart to obey, or too hungry for her commands to register. She lost several tentacles and nearly had her false eye ripped out, before her newfound pet saved her. The great white sperm whale attacked the squid, allowing his mistress to flee to safety. The encounter has shaken the Sea Witch, who up until now had acted as if the trident she wielded gave her absolute power. Unfortunately her skulking off to recover in private has meant that the Brethren Court and the EITC have had (almost) free run of the seas.
Morgana has taken great pleasure in her sister's defeat, chortling about it at random even as she moves from place to place. She seems to be looking for something in the northern seas; though no one knows what. She has carelessly sank several of Bludvist's ships on her way through, forcing the Pirate Lord to shift his focus to avoiding her most likely paths; a difficult prospect when dealing with the deranged sea witch.
With both Sea Witches firmly out of his chosen territory, Sinbad and his crew ventured forth once more from Maldonia. Unfortunately their pickings have been slim. Between Frollo's increased movements on the sea, the state of Greece, and the other Pirate Lords' activities. However they had some luck with their cut of profits from acting as transport for the gifts that have arrived from many places for the birth of the new Princess of Maldonia.
The Indian Ocean
Nemo: 87 + 10 (Stealth Sub) + 5 (Varian's Upgrades) - 5 (Missing Varian) - 10 (EITC) = 87
EITC - 19 + 10 (Patron) + 10 (Secure Holdings) = 39
EITC - 19 + 10 (Patron) + 10 (Secure Holdings) = 39
Nemo is taking full advantage of the distraction of the EITC with a vengeance, and has sank several of their frigates and supply convoys. The Eitc has had to begin doubling their convoy protections, and employing the use of powder-intensive depth charges to drive off Nemo when he surfaces. But even so the captain of the Nautilus remains undeterred. There are rumors that he may have set up a new secret base in some remote corner of the earth, or even an undersea cavern that somehow still has breathable air. No one but the crew of the Nautilus knows, and they aren't telling.
The EITC has been suffering greatly. Between the loss of men and resources expended against fighting off Queen La's attacks, to the ships that Nemo has sank, and the rising tensions with Frollo, they are suffering losses at great rates, only barely able to replace what they're losing through liberal application of gold in all quarters.
World's Oceans
Drago Bludvist 29 + 15 (Dragons) = 44
Brethren Court 67 + 10 (Jones in a good mood) = 77
Brethren Court 67 + 10 (Jones in a good mood) = 77
Drago Bludvist, even with his dragons, is having to step carefully as the Sea Witch Morganna roams through his chosen territory at-will. He has already lost several ships to her magic, and dragons to her oversized Tiger Shark companion Undertow. This has led him to tighten his patrol routes, allowing those that would otherwise be caught up in his net to slip through.
The rest of the Brethren Court are in high spirits. Davy Jones' little "talk" with the Prince of Ababwa had led the Pirate King to come away actually amused by the young man. To the point that rather than souls, valuable timber and other supplies to support the various fleets; he instead accepted a tribute of coffee and date wine! Which was then shared with all the other Pirate Lords as a sample of what Ababwa could produce. Long John Silver was said to have been praising the heavens after tasting the brew; while James Hook deemed the vintage "quaint, but with an exotic flair". Maui was reported to have swigged the wine down in seconds; while Blackbeard had no comment on either beverage or the prince that had supplied them.
Agrabah
Sultan & Jasmine - 83 + 40 (Holmes & Watson) = 123
Agrabah is in a mood that can only be described as festive. With the eradication of the evil Sand Witches, the proof that Ababwa and its prince were more than willing to go out of their way to assist the Sultan and Princess; and the introduction of the new occult advisor to the Princess and Sultan, the residents of Agrabah have never felt safer. Trade flows like water, and they sent a very generous gift to Maldonia, a tiger cub from the same lineage as the Princess' own Rajah. Along with the tools and instructions on how to make sure that the young cub came out as amenable and tame as Rajah himself.
Elite Global Huntsman's Club
Elite Global Huntsman's Club - 55
The Elite Global Huntsmen's Club has scoured the north for dragons. While they have bagged a few smaller specimens, more often than not a dragon sighting is quickly confirmed to have a rider and to be one of Bludvist's scouts. Though one dragon they spotted; a small black creature, was sporting an odd, clearly prosthetic fin on its tail. It and its rider were quickly lost in the clouds however.
Atlantis
Atlantis - 9 + 10 (Reunited!) +5 (One Less Worry) = 24
Atlantis is beset by earthquakes and tremors! The underground city was very nearly buried under magma, after a long-dormant volcano was awakened due to seismic shockwaves from deep within the earth. However, the great sentinels of Atlantis, massive golems that were capable of projecting force fields, were activated by the so-called "Heart" of Atlantis; putting up a shield that not only protected the plateau the city sat upon, but near-instantly cooled and then shattered the dome of magma that had covered the city. The subsequent breaking of the rim has left to a reinvigoration of the water cycle within the cavern, but it was a very near run thing. After activating the golems and powering the shield, the Heart was supposedly transported to the laboratory of Milo Thatch; where repairs on the man's roof were already in progress.
---
Rumor Mill
Egypt
Chaos & Mirage - 72 - 40 = 32
Nefir - 10 - 20 (Pissed Off Cats) = -10
Nefir - 10 - 20 (Pissed Off Cats) = -10
An explosion was reported in the vicinity of Dagger Rock earlier in the month, followed by a sudden and savage reappearance of both Chaos and Mirage. The two had apparently been imprisoned somehow by the imp Nefir, and immediately began clawing apart everything he'd done while they were incapacitated. Rains of syrup, monuments to Mirage's "great beauty and wisdom", and more have been happening all throughout Egypt. As for the imp himself? He was very publicly stuffed into a small crystal, which now serves as the capstone to a pyramid in which Mirage is currently residing. Anyone wishing to (for some reason) free the imp, would have to brave all of Mirage's defenses and guardians. And they must know the command word to release the imp from his prison.
Kingdom of Lemuria
Lemuria - 92 + 10 (Patron) - 5 (Dark Rumors) = 97
Lemuria has scrubbed away many of the dark rumors that persisted after the rogue priest was found to be performing vile and perverse rituals. The man and his misbegotten ilk have been washed away leaving the southern kingdom once more in high spirits. Marriages are being celebrated in several small satraps within the kingdom as the governors and mayors become linked to the family of the queen. Word is that the Queen has not taken a consort as of yet, and has set her eyes on a suitable man that is worthy of her.
Maldonia
Maldonia - 78 +20 (Next in the Line!) = 98
Hail to the Princess Eudora Charlotte de Maldonia! The newborn Princess was born with no complications, herself and her mother both in perfect health. Supposdedly Princess Tiana even tried to get up and make dinner after the birth, before her mother and best friend both managed to convince her to let the palace chefs handle things for at least one night. Celebrations and merrymaking has erupted across the land as neighboring powers send gifts for the newborn.
Pope Immortalus supposedly sent a rosary with beads carved of pure Ivory and onyx, threaded on silk. Agrabah sent the afore-mentioned Tiger Cub. Queen Grimehilde sent a series of potions and creams that were alleged to assist in the tightening of the skin, dealing with weight loss, and a few medicines as well. Many people raised their brows at the obvious dig that had been made towards Princess Tiana. Lord Cutler Beckett had several dresses of fine silk for the newborn delivered. But the cherry on top, the most magnificent gift of all so far, was a small black egg, seemingly carved of rock that arrived by way of a massive black raven along with a small scroll.
The bird had studied the royal family intently, and even peered at the newborn Princess, before giving a nod and pecking the egg three times, vanishing in a puff of smokeless green flame. As the royal family tried to parse this, there was a cracking sound... revealing a tiny dragon, the size of a kitten and colored jet black, mewling and stumbling out of the egg's remnants. As of yet the contents of the scroll are unknown to any outside of the Royal Family and their most trusted friends.
Land of the Black Sands
32 - 10 (Zealots) = 22
Even more explosions and shrieks sounded throughout the Land of Black Sands as several ships containing "Crusaders" of the Pope Immortalus had arrived, thinking they had entered Medina and were working to purify the Holy Land. Mozenrath, ruler of the place, was quite wroth as he made clear that the Land of the Black Sands was his domain, no matter what some jumped up judge thought. There were a handful of survivors this time, who spread the tale of the devil of the Black Sands, surely an avatar of the Morning Star himself.
??? - 6 + 10 (???) + 5 (???) = 21
"I'd ask what else could go wrong, but we'd probably have trolls popping out of the ground to try and eat us. Yes I'm sure they saw us!"
??? - 7 + 10 (???) + 5 (???) = 22
"And they call me deranged. At least I'm not working for a guy with a squid for a head!" *Thock* "And I say that with all due respect of course!"
Viggo Grimborn -
36 + 10 (Caution and Cunning) = 46
Reports have drifted in of a small fleet of longships moving down the coast of Europe. However rather than sacking and pillaging, they are apparently stopping and trading at irregular intervals. They're led by a man known as Viggo Grimborn. And some say that he is a man who hunts dragons. Why he has headed south, no one has been able to determine, but the tales that have spread speak of a man with great cunning and intellect. Someone to keep a close eye out, even as he slipped out of Bludvist's territory without conflict.
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jwolfe_beta
Semi Genre-Savvy Overlord
- Location
- Canada
Looks like the EITC got thier mitts on HTTYD dragons to use as attack dogs.
Well Nemo's nemesis has apparently found a new target.
Yeesh, poor guy. If I ever have spare XP I'm tempted to give him a leg up.
They're baaaaaack! And they. Are. Not. Happy.
Hmm, looks like Maleficent has taken an interest in the young heiress.
- Location
- California,USA
Welp Mozenrath is Angry and NEW CHALLANGERS Apper!
- Location
- Wherever I feel like being
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Noooot quite. If they'd been dragons then it would have said that. Instead it said that they were creatures that "looked kind of like the Sirrush." And the ship was on the east coast of Africa.
It's a flex thing. Frollo started it, and naturally she has to top him and Grimhilde.
- Location
- Wherever I feel like being
- Pronouns
- He/Him
By the way, here's the statblocks for Helga and Vinny.
Martial: 15 (Helga is a capable combatant and excellent markswoman, with a ruthless streak that permits her to take full advantage of both skills in battle.)
Stewardship: 18 (Helga is a capable subordinate to her boss Rourke, and helped manage logistics and organization for the Atlantis expedition.)
Diplomacy: 15 (Helga is both beautiful and cunning, a dangerous combination for an unwary opponent.)
Intrigue: 17 (Helga is no stranger to skulduggery and other scheming actions, and is skilled at both concealing and uncovering secrets.)
Learning: 11 (Helga is intelligent, but prefers to outsource scholarly activities to the specialists.)
Occult: 6 (Helga has heard Rourke's stories and was awestruck by Atlantis, but has little experience with the supernatural outside of those experiences.)
Traits:
"Femme Fatale" - Helga is a very beautiful woman, and has no qualms about using it as a weapon to seduce, manipulate, or infiltrate. On a competing Diplomacy check, Helga can inflict a -15 Diplomacy and Intrigue malus as her opponent is distracted by her smoldering good looks, and subsequently gain +10 to future Diplomacy or Intrigue rolls as people are more disposed to think well of her because of her beauty.
"I Was Promised A Percentage!" - Helga is just as mercenary and driven by profit as her boss. She gains +5 to all rolls on actions that promise her said profit - and +10 to all rolls fighting those who would seek to steal it from her.
"Aide-de-camp" - Helga is Rourke's chief subordinate, and does her best to support him in his activities. She offers him a +10 bonus to all collaborative actions as their history and familiarity makes them work well together.
Update: "Once Bitten" - Having been persuaded by Milo to turn her coat on Rourke, the subsequent disillusionment and depression has made her even more cynical. She has vowed to never be taken advantage of again like she was by Rourke. Her loyalty is frozen at 25; she is grateful to Ababwa for a second chance and has a decent opinion of them for helping reunite Will and Elizabeth, but her unwillingness to trust easily means that it will take a significant gesture from Aladdin to break through her shell. Currently, she is available for Nationals and can go on Adventures. She retains her old expertise at organization and management, and has a +5 bonus to relevant actions.
"She-Fu" - Helga is strong, limber, and agile, and her mobility lets her out-maneuver foes who might outclass her in sheer power. On a competing Martial check, on a successful roll she can inflict a malus proportional to the magnitude by which she out-rolled them on their next rolls to reflect her agility as she leaps and runs circles around her opponent.
Stewardship: 18 (Helga is a capable subordinate to her boss Rourke, and helped manage logistics and organization for the Atlantis expedition.)
Diplomacy: 15 (Helga is both beautiful and cunning, a dangerous combination for an unwary opponent.)
Intrigue: 17 (Helga is no stranger to skulduggery and other scheming actions, and is skilled at both concealing and uncovering secrets.)
Learning: 11 (Helga is intelligent, but prefers to outsource scholarly activities to the specialists.)
Occult: 6 (Helga has heard Rourke's stories and was awestruck by Atlantis, but has little experience with the supernatural outside of those experiences.)
Traits:
"Femme Fatale" - Helga is a very beautiful woman, and has no qualms about using it as a weapon to seduce, manipulate, or infiltrate. On a competing Diplomacy check, Helga can inflict a -15 Diplomacy and Intrigue malus as her opponent is distracted by her smoldering good looks, and subsequently gain +10 to future Diplomacy or Intrigue rolls as people are more disposed to think well of her because of her beauty.
"I Was Promised A Percentage!" - Helga is just as mercenary and driven by profit as her boss. She gains +5 to all rolls on actions that promise her said profit - and +10 to all rolls fighting those who would seek to steal it from her.
Update: "Once Bitten" - Having been persuaded by Milo to turn her coat on Rourke, the subsequent disillusionment and depression has made her even more cynical. She has vowed to never be taken advantage of again like she was by Rourke. Her loyalty is frozen at 25; she is grateful to Ababwa for a second chance and has a decent opinion of them for helping reunite Will and Elizabeth, but her unwillingness to trust easily means that it will take a significant gesture from Aladdin to break through her shell. Currently, she is available for Nationals and can go on Adventures. She retains her old expertise at organization and management, and has a +5 bonus to relevant actions.
"She-Fu" - Helga is strong, limber, and agile, and her mobility lets her out-maneuver foes who might outclass her in sheer power. On a competing Martial check, on a successful roll she can inflict a malus proportional to the magnitude by which she out-rolled them on their next rolls to reflect her agility as she leaps and runs circles around her opponent.
Martial: 18 (Vinny's eye for detail makes him an excellent shot with weapons of all kinds.)
Stewardship: 12 (Even though he considered it a nightmare, helping run the flower shop did impart some business savvy.)
Diplomacy: 14 (Vinny has an unflappable air and a deadpan sense of humor that allows him to get on with many people. He's also fond of practical jokes.)
Intrigue: 5 (Vinny doesn't really do "subtle" well.)
Learning: 15 (Though by no means an idiot, Vinny's specialty means that he has a somewhat narrow field of expertise.)
Occult: 10 (Vinny's seen a lot ever since arriving in Atlantis, so he's open to the notion of a little hocus-pocus; but he's no warlock.)
Traits:
"That's Nitroglycerin!" - Vinny was one of the foremost experts in the art of demolition to be found worldwide even before the Upheaval. When it comes to determining composition of an explosive, deploying it in battle, potential explosive force of an explosive, or what he needs to blow up a target, Vinny gains +35 to his Martial, Stewardship and Learning skills.
"Does It Match My Dress?" - Vinny's time working with the family business has left him with a knowledge of the so-called "language of flowers". He gains a +20 to his intrigue when seeing floral presentations to suss out hidden meanings.
"Something Sporty" - Vinny comes with his personal ride, an Atlantean "Martek" in the shape of a sleek tuna. This stone fish can only be operated by Vinny, and gives him great aerial maneuverability and a +20 to Martial in combat. Unfortunately its size means that it can only be used in areas with at least some clearance; meaning that in thick canopies, tight mine shafts, or inside buildings it will be of little use.
Stewardship: 12 (Even though he considered it a nightmare, helping run the flower shop did impart some business savvy.)
Diplomacy: 14 (Vinny has an unflappable air and a deadpan sense of humor that allows him to get on with many people. He's also fond of practical jokes.)
Intrigue: 5 (Vinny doesn't really do "subtle" well.)
Learning: 15 (Though by no means an idiot, Vinny's specialty means that he has a somewhat narrow field of expertise.)
Occult: 10 (Vinny's seen a lot ever since arriving in Atlantis, so he's open to the notion of a little hocus-pocus; but he's no warlock.)
Traits:
"That's Nitroglycerin!" - Vinny was one of the foremost experts in the art of demolition to be found worldwide even before the Upheaval. When it comes to determining composition of an explosive, deploying it in battle, potential explosive force of an explosive, or what he needs to blow up a target, Vinny gains +35 to his Martial, Stewardship and Learning skills.
"Does It Match My Dress?" - Vinny's time working with the family business has left him with a knowledge of the so-called "language of flowers". He gains a +20 to his intrigue when seeing floral presentations to suss out hidden meanings.
"Something Sporty" - Vinny comes with his personal ride, an Atlantean "Martek" in the shape of a sleek tuna. This stone fish can only be operated by Vinny, and gives him great aerial maneuverability and a +20 to Martial in combat. Unfortunately its size means that it can only be used in areas with at least some clearance; meaning that in thick canopies, tight mine shafts, or inside buildings it will be of little use.
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Enemy Mine (Canon)
- Location
- Oregon
Enemy Mine
(Roll for Recovery! 1d100 = 95 - 10 = 85. Hans has made a Complete Recovery!
(Magical Discovery overtime has earned + 3 in Occult!)
(New Trait: Heart of Ice = + 3 Occult, + 8 Martial: Pending Mechanics
(Magical Discovery overtime has earned + 3 in Occult!)
(New Trait: Heart of Ice = + 3 Occult, + 8 Martial: Pending Mechanics
His teeth were stuck in a vice, his hand dipped in an open beaker of pinkish fluids; it was lukewarm and non-acidic, a simple failed experiment by the lovely Queen. Yet the cut upon his hand turned what would have been akin to placing one's and in water, into a torturous experience. Hans held back a scream, keeping his palm open and feeling the way the magical presence he could feel dwelling and simmering within the liquid… fought and twisted under his skin.
(Roll 1d100+10 for Quality of Magical Artifact: 1d100= 49 + 10 = 59)
You are mine, he demanded of the mindless thing that sought only to exist and nothing more. It was a sickening feeling, but Hans was more than aware of his own deficiencies, and that meant he had to partake in things he found… unpleasant. The inanimate being tried, but Hans had experience now, and he stamped down on the wriggling existence, feeling the way it stilled, before it slowly adapted into the sub-system he could recognize as the core of magic that now belonged to him.
Hans has Gained + 2 to Occult! Magic Thief Now Requires ??? Turns to recharge!)
The man took a step back, feeling momentarily hot as he took deep breaths to fight back exhaustion. It was only there for a brief few moments before his newest resident, that being a constant frost, returned in force, his body turning to a temperature he was still struggling to accept as his new normal. The damp surrounding of Grimhilde's dungeon was a familiar presence nowadays to the man; his potential future spouse had spent hours and hours here with him of late.
Often she spent those times fuming, or in deep study.
"How can he possibly have found a way around my mirror?!" She screamed at nothing, Hans calmly sipping from his drink, posture straight even as he leaned forward with a frown to analyze the map.
This Frollo had proven himself to be a fanatic of a new sort, and was warring with any and every neighbor he found, even the 'lovely' Queen Hans now found himself tied to. And while the woman was an academic and familiar in the occult to a frightening degree, she lacked severely in matters of war. Hans, possessing a rather fortunate childhood education in that regard, had quickly made himself useful.
"The general behind his forces is of a keen mind," Hans commented passively, feeling a thrill of excitement at being able to do anything. Grimhilde threw him a withering glare in return, to which Hans sipped quietly, hiding a smile at having riled the woman up. Tonight would be a fun one for the both of them.
"I did not ask to know how amazing the man was! I want to know why I can no longer watch the movements of his troops, nor delve into the chambers of that devil worshipper!"
Chuckling at the memory, Hans couldn't help admitting that he was fond of the Queen. She was wily, and more of a temptress and trickster than he'd given her credit - she played the game as well as he, and both were aware of it. It was a game of seduction, and neither could tell who would be the winner.
Hans dusted himself off, having caught his breath, and enjoying the respite it provided. Returning to his station, he dusted off the Grimoire he'd become so familiar with, flipping through well worn pages. He attempted to peruse a passage he'd been struggling with, one related to the technique he'd learned… a warning. He attempted to divulge it's secrets once again.
(Hans Rolls Occult to Learn the Secrets Within the Grimoire: 1d100 = 33 + 20 = 53 DC ?? = Failure)
With a curse, he gave up. It was similar to reading sanskrit, the language vaguely resembling it. Despite all the tutoring he received as a child, this language was foreign to him, and despite his attempts to learn, it was still locked. Worse yet? He could feel it was related to magic, as if a simple threshold he had not achieved was blocking him from proper understanding. It was infuriating.
With a huff, Hans turned his attention instead to a little stuffed toy he'd been constructing in his spare time. It stared at him with a goofy smile and black button eyes, twig like arms that he'd shaved off of wood. Hans eyed it a moment longer before shoving it in his pocket.
Besides, Grimhilde had wanted to see him in her chambers almost an hour ago. He could make a guess as to why…
----------------------------
Hans felt cool, even with sweat plastered to his skin. It was a feeling he'd grown used to after the last couple of months, that constant chill running along his veins; a second heartbeat that never existed before, now thumped softly beneath his pulse. Taking a look down, Hans felt his gaze become just a touch gentler at the peaceful face that greeted him, his hardened emotions not able to resist the flow of affection that had slowly trickled down.
The ginger haired man had become well acquainted with the bed of the Queen, and Grimhilde slept with a tranquility that had previously never existed in the cold hearted woman.
Even still, Hans couldn't sleep. His dreams had begun to grow uncomfortable as time passed, and it was due to one individual - or perhaps that part of her that had been pushed down, locked away and hidden. It had seemed a simple enough prospect, to pick the brain of the Frozen Queen and use it against her. Unforeseen circumstances had made that… difficult.
Ah, Hans considered tiredly, his eyelids growing heavy against his will. There she is. Damn girl, can't you see I'm trying to avoid you? The rhetoric went unheard, an invisible string being tugged gently by an unseen hand, Hans falling into slumber.
(Long Term Opposed Social Check - Hans Vs 'Elsa': 1d100 = 98 [Elsa]. 1d100 = 34 [Hans]. Extreme Success for Elsa! Hans has gained the Trait [???]
"You're late!" It was a greeting that Hans had grown rather used to, offering the pouting blonde girl an eye roll and a followup smirk as he lifted himself from the snowy blanket beneath him. With a wave of the hand and a minor show of magic, his bare chest and feet were layered over with manifestations of icey cloth and leather. It was something Hans could only manage to do in this place, and it was his hope that one day he may replicate such efforts in the real world.
"I wasn't tired," he lied with a layer of snark, 'Elsa' giving him a piercing look as she criticized him without words. Hans eventually found his willpower dropping by the second, before he eventually let out a snort and reached into his pocket. From his trousers he fetched a small doll that had the girl letting out a gasp.
"You brought it!" She squealed happily, the girl tackling the man as she struggled for the treat, Hans holding it aloft as he snickered against his better judgement. You're growing attached, he thought scornfully, a concept he squashed beneath his boot. I'm coming into her favor. He argued back, to which the voice simply grumbled and quieted down. "This was a rather tough thing to get a hold of," he said aloud with a mock tone of questioning. "And Elsa, you've yet to even say please."
The girl quieted as she took a step away, bouncing on her toes as she nodded rapidly.
"Please, please, please, plea-" she was interrupted by the soft and fluffy doll hitting her in the face. She caught it before it could fall to the ground, hugging the thing closely.
Hans found his heart warming despite himself, conjuring a chair beneath him as he chuckled. "It's just a snowman, no need to get teary eyed," he said lightly with a gentler smile than he cared to admit.
Elsa shook her head even as she hugged the doll he'd brought into this dreamscape with him; it had taken trial and error to learn that the inanimate things he kept on his person often followed him into this world. And also notably why he was forced to conjure a shirt from ice whenever he appeared.
"This is Olaf," she argued quietly, tears bubbling in the corners of her eyes that actually did set Hans on the backfoot, mildly uncomfortable with the prospect that he'd brought the kind child to tears.
Hans did something rather odd, in that only after a moment's hesitation did he approach the child, kneeling down to get to eye level. She sniffled slightly, before her eyes lifted a bit.
"I-I've been alone here so long," she admitted to him, Hans only nodding solemnly. "I missed everyone. Anna, my parents… Olaf too. He was my best friend, but then everything went away. I was locked in here and, and-" she choked on tears, as Hans carefully laid a hand upon her shoulder, severely taken from his comfort zone in this odd show of compassion.
"Being alone isn't something a child should ever go through," Hans spoke with a gentle lulling tone, attempting not to think too much of his own childhood. Years shunned and ignored… for nothing more than a prank. That sense of numbing isolationism that encompassed everything - it felt like a pressure on your chest that crushed you, forced you into the deepest pit of despair to be neglected so harshly. Hans buried that feeling, instead raising his other hand to her, palm face up.
Slowly, with concentrated effort, an apple of pure diamond polish and crystal tone formed inside his hand - the light refracting off of it in a beautiful array of colors. He slowly handed it to the dazzled girl, who eyed it with a childish abandon. Eventually, not to be distracted despite his efforts, she looked back at Hans.
"... you were hurt too, weren't you?"
Maybe it was the soft nature, or the genuine concern in her question, but something in Hans' heart of ice cracked. He waited, not looking away from the blue eyes that shined with an impossible empathy. He silently placed the apple into her hand, wrapping his hand over her fist, and giving her a sad smile.
"Elsa… the first thing in life that we all learn is that pain and hurt are unavoidable. It's how you grow and learn to overcome those experiences that will decide the type of person you'll become." She didn't interrupt, and Hans continued with a serious note in his voice, "Now what you need to decide is are you the type of person to let your trauma's decide things for you, or will you rise above them to become more than you ever could have been? To let them empower you, rather than hinder you. It's your choice Elsa."
Wispy arms suddenly wrapped over his shoulders and around his neck, a body colder than his crashing forth and filling him with a blizzard of icey death. He braced and endured, wrapping his arms around the child.
"I don't know," she whispered.
Hans tried to respond, to comfort and encourage the girl, but he was already awake again, sitting up and gasping for air, shaking in his bed, no longer that comfortable chill encompassing him, now replaced with an unrelenting freeze that threatened to force him into an eternal slumber, to steal all sensation and replace it with white death.
He cursed his own weakness, shaking and hugging his own body, thanking the fact that Grimhilde had rolled away in her sleep, now facing the opposite direction and avoiding the winter like temperature he carried; his haphazard breathing was coming out in a thick mist, a cool frost emerging from his mouth as if attempting to expel the blizzard.
"Stupid," he muttered to himself, clutching at his hair. You're getting too close. You're going to get yourself killed at this rate! And for what, what did you learn from her, what information did you extract, what skills have you learnt?! Hans lacked an answer for the voice. He agreed completely, and all he'd done was expose more of himself for what was likely a subconscious portion of a girl who could possibly want to kill him in the future, were the truth to be uncovered.
Worst of all? … he still didn't regret it.
Lifeandlice
Practitioning side-character
- Location
- Usa
Suck it La. Perhaps this will teach you to consolidate before you overreach.
..eh, honestly could be worse. Scar and La war could be interesting. I'd hate to see what La could make from Scar if she won though...imagine the Roar on a Were-Lion thing...yikes.
Hey hey, look at you finally striking back. Might be able to actually shake Selous' influence if he keeps this up.
Oh Kaa, Kaa buddy boy. If you don't get things together soon you'll have many many problems from your resident lazy boy.
Yikes. Now you folk, you aren't doing well at all. Perhaps they could change things next turn.
Shan Yu Bay-Be!!!! I told you he'd fight another day! He's back and he's starting from the bottom again.
Shen, meh. Least the Resistance is having a time eh?
Heh. The army has put fear in the heart of thieves. Good.
Sisyphus...isn't he the bastard that had a habit of killing guest? If so, he isn't worthy of any trust.
Ha, just ha. Ursula finally learned she isn't all powerful and good for it. Now if only she'd have lost the eye.
EITC is now potentially getting to be an enemy so good to see them flailing like fools. Here's hoping they keep the streak.
What can we say? Ababawan goods are the best! Costumer satisfaction guaranteed! Insert long but extremely fast legal disclaimer
Man, they have been doing great, with Watson and Holmes adding such a meaty bonus too they just are having a great time.
Honestly I'm glad for mediocracy. Something spectacular could draw eyes after all.
Mole what did you do! Jokes aside that's just not good at all. They should be a le to bounce back though.
...wtf is happening with Egypt, it's just always so bad. Glad we have some countries between us and that cause I feel like trying to solve that bag of cats would be a headache.
Fuckers. Your day will come, and you will rue it! Dramatics aside, that might make our future actions against them harder.
Hey hey! A little Princess! That's great! We have to send something soon, it'd be bad form not to.
Hmmm. Not sure how to feel about these, need more info. I don't like a dragon hunter coming when we have a Sirrush and a baby Foreverwing on the way though.
Tale Swapper
(Unverified Madman)
- Location
- Lost Among a Sea of Imaginings and Dreams
Helga loyalty quest is a go! Although, are we trying to redeem her, or just help her come to love life again?...
- Location
- Wherever I feel like being
- Pronouns
- He/Him
No, he's the one that cheated death twice. First by tricking Thanatos into his own manacles and then literally locking him in a trunk, and then by instructing his wife to not bury him properly in order to get out to set his burial to rights. This is his third escape from the Underworld.
Edit: It would appear that I am incorrect and he was indeed in habit of viciously violating guest rights.
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- Location
- Goose Land
Diplomatically speaking, our two big ins at the moment are the Chinese Rebellion and Atlantis. Both could do with support and giving that support will do wonders for us. After we get influence in China, we should have the potential to expand into India to some degree, at which point we can see about helping out Team Jungle Book, but that's quite some time away.
I'd recommend sending a late gift to Maldonia if possible, and I'm wary of Frollo's gift. Malificent should be playing by Fey Christening Rules, as long as they don't deliberately insult her or take sides then any gifts from her will likely be Awesome in both senses of the word.
This basically. As long as you're respectful and neutral in Fey Conflicts, and properly invoke Guest Right by inviting them to the appropriate events (or receive uninvited gifts from their Rivals trying to sweeten you up), you can get some baller Gifts from them.
With two Intrigue actions, I'd really like to consistently spend one of them on exposing Lemuria for what they are so we can eventually take over, especially considering they're our largest local threat on a Faction level, with our only other known threats being Jafar, China-If-We-Get-Involved, and the EITC.
Of those, the EITC needs to contest with the Brethern Court who we just started bribing with the good moral stuff, China should have two to three layers of buffer between us as long as we stick to purely material and subtle support ( @TempestK how much would 5000 per turn in material support represent?), and the only thing we can really do about Jafar right now is Adventure for Stats and Loot, Recruit Heros, and develop our Occult infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Lemuria is like, Cthulu Cultists. Maybe Dagon? Point is, literally an Elder God Cult. Removing them ASAP is in our best interest.
So as expected, Helga is a consistent Hero with a broad array of abilities while Vinny is focused on Explosive Applications, including the ability to Carpet Bomb at effective 73 Martial.
Meanwhile, if we can help Helga learn to trust again and get her imbeded into our logistics then she has the potential at add the broad bonus to our National actions. And her Win More Combat Trait is very nice.
....Actually, I think I see a way to make a gesture of trust to her while taking advantage of her traits.
If we set Helga up as the leader of an Adventuring Team, then we've basically given her the same influence her old boss had (leader of an Adventure Expeditions) while also putting her in a position to leverage both her organizational traits (for Adventure Prep) and her personal traits (for the Adventure Proper). Start her off with a supporting role her first turn (maybe helping out with an Intrigue action? That's definitely not something to give to someone we don't trust) to give her time to adjust, then throw her a Soft Ball Adventure (Roc Feathers?) to see how it works out for her.
If that all works out, we can have Helga become our Primary Adventure Troubleshooter/Leader while we handle affairs of state (and maybe she and a certain Cat will get along with each other) giving her an important position of authority while helping us consistently work through the various opportunities that show up.
I'd recommend sending a late gift to Maldonia if possible, and I'm wary of Frollo's gift. Malificent should be playing by Fey Christening Rules, as long as they don't deliberately insult her or take sides then any gifts from her will likely be Awesome in both senses of the word.
This basically. As long as you're respectful and neutral in Fey Conflicts, and properly invoke Guest Right by inviting them to the appropriate events (or receive uninvited gifts from their Rivals trying to sweeten you up), you can get some baller Gifts from them.
With two Intrigue actions, I'd really like to consistently spend one of them on exposing Lemuria for what they are so we can eventually take over, especially considering they're our largest local threat on a Faction level, with our only other known threats being Jafar, China-If-We-Get-Involved, and the EITC.
Of those, the EITC needs to contest with the Brethern Court who we just started bribing with the good moral stuff, China should have two to three layers of buffer between us as long as we stick to purely material and subtle support ( @TempestK how much would 5000 per turn in material support represent?), and the only thing we can really do about Jafar right now is Adventure for Stats and Loot, Recruit Heros, and develop our Occult infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Lemuria is like, Cthulu Cultists. Maybe Dagon? Point is, literally an Elder God Cult. Removing them ASAP is in our best interest.
So as expected, Helga is a consistent Hero with a broad array of abilities while Vinny is focused on Explosive Applications, including the ability to Carpet Bomb at effective 73 Martial.
Meanwhile, if we can help Helga learn to trust again and get her imbeded into our logistics then she has the potential at add the broad bonus to our National actions. And her Win More Combat Trait is very nice.
....Actually, I think I see a way to make a gesture of trust to her while taking advantage of her traits.
If we set Helga up as the leader of an Adventuring Team, then we've basically given her the same influence her old boss had (leader of an Adventure Expeditions) while also putting her in a position to leverage both her organizational traits (for Adventure Prep) and her personal traits (for the Adventure Proper). Start her off with a supporting role her first turn (maybe helping out with an Intrigue action? That's definitely not something to give to someone we don't trust) to give her time to adjust, then throw her a Soft Ball Adventure (Roc Feathers?) to see how it works out for her.
If that all works out, we can have Helga become our Primary Adventure Troubleshooter/Leader while we handle affairs of state (
I was thinking about having Helga work on that second Stewardship action since, with 18+5 Stewardship, she's our first actual Stewardship hero worth anything. Between her, Sinbad, and Aladdin, we roll +49 on a DC of 100. Add XP, and it becomes a DC of 36.
Nottheunmaker
Altman be praised
- Location
- USG Ishimura
We'll have to talk to her first and find out what she wants. I think Rourke is still alive, but he fucked her over somehow.
As an aside, yay for the Pirates! Good showing boys and girls! Put that jumped up trade company and all that underdone seafood in their place!
Another aside, dragons. There's lots and lots of dragons getting around. At first I thought they'd become an unusual specialty of ours, but dragon power really seems to be getting around. Let's hurry up with the Viggo actions. Even if they're hardly unique, we'll have ourselves some of the finist damn dragons and dragon riders in the world!
Remember Helga's a smart cookie, she'll see through an act like that. Assign her to support action on something big with Aladdin. Like maybe we take her and carpet out to meet with Viggo. Something important with the new boss, she'll want to show her stuff.
- Location
- Texas
How is it that, of all people, it's the literal god that's having the worst luck?
- Location
- Where I an right now
Have you guys noticed that Agraba, and Lemuria seem to both consistently get really good rolls, while nearly everyone in Africa and Indian swing from ok to terrible rolls and back?
also, is it a bad thing the most of the court likes our stuff? will we get more raiders, or actual legitimate trade from them seeing as most wouldn't want to attack someone under Davey Jone's rule?
Also, EITC are getting attacked from every direction, I guess they spread out too thin
also, is it a bad thing the most of the court likes our stuff? will we get more raiders, or actual legitimate trade from them seeing as most wouldn't want to attack someone under Davey Jone's rule?
Also, EITC are getting attacked from every direction, I guess they spread out too thin