I must say, if they are trying to discourage Dorian from socialising with Green Flame... They certainly are failing with one of the voices in his head! Ancient battle mage? Living artillery piece? Yes please; talk to us more, teach us more and sign this autograpth right there...
[X] Agree to Green Flame's plan for the day.
-[X] Borrow a cart and some pots from the Gardening Club. Get your dahlias ready for sail.
--[X] Join up with Green Flame and the rest of Cadre 1F.
---[X] Take your cart to the market, sell your dahlias. (Meanwhile, your friends will spend extra quality time with their parents.)
I slightly feel like Green had a point before. Though maybe it was from Dorian sounding rather like he was up past his bedtime at the end there.
I must say, if they are trying to discourage Dorian from socialising with Green Flame... They certainly are failing with one of the voices in his head! Ancient battle mage? Living artillery piece? Yes please; talk to us more, teach us more and sign this autograpth right there...
I was going to say the same thing. The living relic idea/trope is fascinating.
[X] Agree to Green Flame's plan for the day.
-[X] Borrow a cart and some pots from the Gardening Club. Get your dahlias ready for sail.
--[X] Join up with Green Flame and the rest of Cadre 1F.
---[X] Take your cart to the market, sell your dahlias. (Meanwhile, your friends will spend extra quality time with their parents.)
[X] Agree to Green Flame's plan for the day.
-[X] Borrow a cart and some pots from the Gardening Club. Get your dahlias ready for sale.
--[X] Join up with Green Flame and the rest of Cadre 1F.
---X[] Take your cart to the market, sell your dahlias. (Meanwhile, your friends will spend extra quality time with their parents.)
----[X] Visit your parents. Talk with them.
-----[X] On the way back, visit the tavern where Green Flame's former student is wasting his time and money.
I'm really tempted to go to the Astronomy club anyway, and use our recovery potion to get rid of the Fatigue penalty that would cause, but I'm concerned about doing so just after Dorian got out of the infirmary, and I'm not sure that we'd have time. It's something to check out next week, as we know that Venta is interested in it, and it's been hinted that it has a special benefit.
[X] Agree to Green Flame's plan for the day.
-[X] Borrow a cart and some pots from the Gardening Club. Get your dahlias ready for sale.
--[X] Join up with Green Flame and the rest of Cadre 1F.
---X[] Take your cart to the market, sell your dahlias. (Meanwhile, your friends will spend extra quality time with their parents.)
----[X] Visit your parents. Talk with them.
-----[X] On the way back, visit the tavern where Green Flame's former student is wasting his time and money.
But I also feel like maybe we should spend some time with out team maybe Philander so he'll like us more and be inclined to listen or Isolde to be nice, not sure, will think on it, I have decision paralysis.
[X] Agree to Green Flame's plan for the day.
-[X] Borrow a cart and some pots from the Gardening Club. Get your dahlias ready for sail.
--[X] Join up with Green Flame and the rest of Cadre 1F.
---[X] Take your cart to the market, sell your dahlias. (Meanwhile, your friends will spend extra quality time with their parents.)
All in all, I thought that worked out well. A solid lesson in the quest about messing with poorly understood powers, a small but notable boost at mental defenses, and no significant time lost.
Also, Alchemy taught by Professor Kunrath has replaced Potions taught by Professor Snape, but Alchemy is quite a lot more wide-ranging than Potions. You won't just be making potions in that lesson, I mean.
See the thing is, even if Snape did do some good things, he also bullied children for his own personal amusement. Like, a lot. His good actions don't really... erase his multitude of bad ones. Now, Professor Witt is not as cruel as Snape, but I must say, frustration isn't and shouldn't be an excuse for yelling at kids. It's an understandable reason, but he could do better.
I'm most of the way through writing the next update, but it has occurred to me that I should probably close the vote. It's pretty clear that [X] Agree to Green Flame's plan for the day has won, anyway.
I'm really tempted to go to the Astronomy club anyway, and use our recovery potion to get rid of the Fatigue penalty that would cause, but I'm concerned about doing so just after Dorian got out of the infirmary, and I'm not sure that we'd have time. It's something to check out next week, as we know that Venta is interested in it, and it's been hinted that it has a special benefit.
But I also feel like maybe we should spend some time with out team maybe Philander so he'll like us more and be inclined to listen or Isolde to be nice, not sure, will think on it, I have decision paralysis.
If you go along with Green Flame's plan, you will be spending some time with the other members of your team. That's most of the next update I've written so far, anyway.
All in all, I thought that worked out well. A solid lesson in the quest about messing with poorly understood powers, a small but notable boost at mental defenses, and no significant time lost.
You are relieved when Green Flame discreetly leaves the room, avoiding any further arguments. The school matron – whose name you still don't know and are too terrified to ask – performs a battery of tests, eventually pronouncing that she can't find anything wrong with you, though not for lack of trying.
After that, you're set free. The rest of the day is yours.
Outside, by the greenhouse, you meet Fenella Ortens and ask her if you can buy some pots and borrow a handcart with which to take your dahlias to market.
'Five copper bits,' she says, offering you a small stack of flowerpots, waving off your assurances that although you don't have the money right now, you'll make sure she gets it. 'Pay me later. You can borrow a cart, so long as you bring it back afterwards. No problem.'
After that, while you're digging up the dahlias, pruning the older roots, replanting them in the pots with some fresh compost, watering them and making them look as decorative as possible, she stops by with some concerns: 'You're sure want to sell all of them now? Wouldn't it be better to leave just one of them, let it go to seed, and then you'll have some seeds ready for next year? Remember, dahlias are very exotic – from the Land of Ghosts, you know – all the way across the Unbounded Ocean. So, later on, if you wanted to buy some seeds, they'd be very expensive. Whereas if you kept just one of these plants, you'd get them for free. Yeah, you wouldn't be making as much money today, but you might make more money in the long run. Think about it.'
What will you do? (Choose on)
[] Sell all five of your dahlias. (You'll be able to sell them for at least 20 silver shards, possibly a lot more, but you won't have any seeds left for next year.)
[] Sell four of your dahlias, keep one of them for seeds. (You'll be able to sell them for at least 16 silver shards, and you'll have some seeds later on, and some spare pots left over.)
Pushing a handcart full of flowers, which is surprisingly strenuous and difficult work – especially since you're a physically frail and weedy young man – you go to where you've arranged to meet with Green Flame and the other members of Cadre 1F.
'Oh, Dorian! They're beautiful!' cries Venta, seeing your cartload of flowers. 'What are they?'
'Dahlias. I thought we'd established that,' you say.
'This is only the thirty-ninth time you've mentioned it, Dory,' says Philander. 'You can't expect Venta to remember everything.'
'Oh, fine. I suppose I deserve that,' says Venta with an embarrassed laugh.
'Are you all ready to go?' asks Green Flame.
'Um… you're taking us to meet our parents, is that right?' asks Isolia, anxiously shuffling her feet. 'You know I don't have any parents, right?'
'I am aware. Which is why I've arranged for you to meet your benefactor who paid for your attendance at this school,' Green Flame replies. 'He says that he's eager to hear of your progress.'
Isolia looks no less anxious. 'Oh… I… uh… all right.'
'Do you know who your benefactor is?' you ask, curiously.
'Yes. He's a great wizard. A few months ago… I don't know, maybe he heard rumours of me. He came to one of my shows, dressed in many-coloured robes, very impressive. He saw what I can do with rats, and mice, and birds, and insects, and so on. Then, he declared that he would make me into a great wizard, just like him. He gave me new clothes, and a place to stay, and a new name, and he told his servants to wash me and cut my hair, and he paid for me to come to this school–'
'Wait. Hold on a moment,' you say. 'Isolia isn't your real name?'
'No. It's the one he gave me.'
You're not quite sure what to make of this story. 'Then… what was your name before that? Didn't your parents give you a name?'
She gives a helpless shrug. 'Never knew my parents. Don't know if they gave me a name. For most of my life, I was "the Rat Girl". Didn't need a name other than that.'
'Don't you think this is peculiar?' you ask, rounding on the other members of Cadre 1F. 'People don't normally pick up random street kids, clean them up, and give them a completely new life and identity. Or do they? I mean… this isn't something which regularly happens, right?'
'Reminds me of the advice my elder brother, Hubris, gave me when I was a little kid,' says Philander. 'Let me see if I can remember his exact words… "Phil, if a strange man comes up to you in the street, says that he's a 'great wizard' and asks if you want to see his magic wand, don't say yes. And don't go with him. He's not a real wizard."' He pauses, considering. 'Yeah, that was it, more or less. Good advice, that.'
You laugh at Phil's joke, but it doesn't alleviate your concern for Isolia. 'This "great wizard", uh… he hasn't done anything to you which you didn't like, has he?'
'He cleaned, straightened, and repaired my teeth with magic. That was an unpleasant experience. I didn't like that,' she replies, showing off her perfect white teeth.
'Nothing else?'
'He gave me ell-oh-cue-shun lessons. I didn't like those either. Boring and repetitive.'
'So, he never… um…'
'No, nothing like that,' Isolia replies, flaring with irritation. 'Dorian, I've lived on the streets for most of my life. I've seen some of the horrible things people do to one another – to anyone smaller and weaker than them who can't run away fast enough – and I've survived. I'm still here. And if I'd thought Dr. Hygmalion wanted to hurt me in any way, I'd never have gone with him. His interest in me is purely intellectual.'
'Wow. Did he teach you to talk like that?' you ask, impressed with her eloquence.
She nods.
'And he didn't teach you how to read?'
'He didn't see any point in teaching me, since I'd be learning it at school.'
'Dr. Humferth Hygmalion is renowned for being a powerful wizard. Also, for his radical and eccentric ideas. He was once a professor at this school,' Green Flame explains. 'However, he had a very public disagreement with the headmaster and was asked to leave. Now, he serves the provincial governor as an advisor and court wizard.'
'His name is "Humferth Hygmalion"?' Phil wrinkles his nose as if he's sniffed something rotten. 'Ugh. It's almost as if his parents wanted him to grow up to be a kiddy fiddler. Poor fellow.'
There is a bang, a bright flash of sparkling light like a brief fireworks display, and then a balding middle-aged man dressed in multicoloured robes is standing before you. He laughs boisterously. 'Hah! You're a fine one to talk, Philander Boole! Hypocrisy, much?'
'What are you talking about?' asks Phil, looking bemused. 'My name's Philander Bidwell. Always has been.'
'Of course it is,' says Dr. Hygmalion, dismissively. 'Now… my girl, you're coming with me for the day, is that correct?' He glances at Green Flame. 'When should I bring her back?'
'As long as she comes back before curfew, I don't think it matters,' the elven woman says serenely.
The garishly-dressed wizard leans forward, giving the street urchin he adopted a more thorough inspection. 'Hmm. You're looking well.' He reaches out a hand and tilts her head to one side, examining her as if she were a dodgy horse someone was trying to sell him. 'I've always wondered where you get that dusky complexion of yours from. Perhaps one of your recent ancestors was Sarnese, or Nemazi, or from the Avanni Empire.' A triumphant smile spreads across his face as a thought occurs to him. 'Ah! That's what I'll do! With a new dress, some jewellery, a few powders and paints, a more elaborate hairstyle – or perhaps a wig? – and some well-armed bodyguards, I'll take you to the governor's palace and pass you off as an Avanni princess! Do you think you can manage that?'
'No,' Isolia replies, honestly.
'Don't worry! You'll be fine!' replies her benefactor, putting an avuncular hand on her shoulder. 'If you have any trouble, just pretend you don't speak the Sambian language very well. Which shouldn't be much of an effort for you, hah!'
'But… why would an Avanni princess have travelled all the way here to visit you?'
'Magic, of course! You're a magical prodigy, come to learn from one of the best. Which happens to be the truth, you know. Now, come on!'
Before Isolia can continue her list of objections, there is another explosion of white light and sound, after which both of them have disappeared.
'I don't think I like him,' says Venta, staring at the empty patch of air where he once stood. 'He seemed very… uh… I think he treated Isolia as if she were a pet dog, or a doll for him to dress up and play with, not like a person he had any respect for.'
'Really? People treat me like that all the time,' says Green Flame.
'Um… maybe, but that doesn't mean it's right.'
While they're busy talking, you turn to Phil. 'Why did you say your name was "Philander Bidwell"? Was that a joke?' you ask. 'If so, I don't get it.'
He frowns at you. 'No, it wasn't a joke. That's my name. Philander Bidwell.' His face twists in a grimace of pain and discomfort. 'It's always been my name. Hasn't it?'
At this point, I decided that Dorian should roll a Willpower check (2d6+3). I rolled a dice and got a total of 10, which isn't enough.
Even so, he gets 1xp towards Mental Defence. (If he had passed the check, he would have received 2xp.)
You think for a moment, trying to answer the question. Suddenly, you realise that you can't remember why you ever believed his name was anything other than Philander Bidwell. That has always been his name. Always.
'Sorry, I suppose I was mistaken,' you say with a sheepish little laugh. 'Silly me.'
Philander gives a noncommittal grunt. 'All right. No harm done.'
Outside of the school gates, you encounter two goblins, a man and a woman, soberly-dressed and of a businesslike demeanour. 'Venta, my dear,' says the man, whom you assume to be her father, Mr. Durgensis. 'You're coming home for the weekend, yes?'
Venta gives Green Flame a sidelong glance. 'Is that allowed?'
'As long as you're back before the beginning of lessons on Oneday next week, it won't be a problem,' is the reply.
'Are you her parents?' asks Philander, glancing from one to the other. 'Oh, wow.'
'Yes, we are,' says Mr. Durgensis, looking at Phil with some trepidation. 'Is that a problem?'
'No, it's fantastic! I mean… Venta, you're allowed to come to this school because you're half-goblin, but there ain't no rule that the other half can't also be goblin! That's genius! What a brilliant scam! I only wish that I'd come up with it first.'
'Actually, the school is open to anyone with at least a drop of Sambian blood who can afford the money to pay the fees,' says Mrs. Durgensis, speaking in a low whisper. 'As it happens, all of the goblins living in this city have at least one Sambian ancestor. You see, intermarriages aren't very common, but they do happen. The children of such unions tend to be looked down on by Sambians, but not so much by goblins. For that reason, when they grow up, they usually marry back into the goblin community. Over the centuries, this has happened many times. There's no such thing as a "pure" goblin anymore, if there ever was.'
'Well, if that's the case… why don't you send all of your children to this school?
'We can't afford it,' says Venta's father. 'Pooling our money together, as a community, we only send those children with proven magical talents. It's worked out fairly well so far.'
While Phil mulls over this new information, Venta takes hold of her father's hand. 'Let's go, dad,' she says. 'Mom?'
'All right, dear,' says Mrs. Durgensis with a fond smile. 'Time to go.' She glances at you, Phil, and Green Flame. 'Have a good weekend, all of you.'
You give her a nod. 'You too.'
Further down the road, you come across an oily-looking man, dressed all in black and with a neatly-trimmed black beard, flanked by two hulking bodyguards. 'I've come to collect the young master, Philander,' he says.
Even Green Flame seems to find this somewhat suspicious. 'You're not his parent or guardian. Who are you?' she asks. 'Philander, do you know this man?'
'Yeah, this is Galenas, my father's manservant,' says Phil.
'Is there any particular reason why he couldn't meet us outside the school gates?' asks Green Flame. Having her planned schedule disrupted in this way seems to have mildly irritated her.
'Well, he's not allowed within two hundred metres of a school, so…'
'Oh, you and your little jokes!' exclaims Galenas with a roar of hearty and utterly false laughter. 'What a wit! And I don't just mean that as rhyming slang.'
'If you go with him, are you going to be all right?' asks Green Flame.
Phil gives an indifferent shrug. 'Yeah. I suppose I'd better.'
Green Flame looks doubtful, but she nods back to him. 'We'll see you later.'
'Have a meeting place in mind, do you?' asks Phil.
'Do you know the Unicorn tavern? We'll meet you there when the temple bells toll five o'clock,' says Green Flame. 'Is that enough time?'
'Suppose it'll have to be,' says Phil, though he doesn't look happy about it. 'Be seeing you.'
'Have a good day, Phil,' you say.
He gives you a nod, then goes off with his father's manservant and the two bodyguards.
You take your flowers to a market in one of the richer parts of the city, in an area closer to – but not too close – to the houses of the wealthy and noble. Here, there are all kinds of things for sale: pottery, fine fabrics, a wide range of fresh fruits, rugs, sweetmeats, caged animals, furs, all kinds of different foodstuffs, and so many other things both splendid and humdrum. Your handcart full of dahlias fits in rather well alongside everything else.
Soon, you attract a few wealthy passers-by, enticed by your exotically beautiful flowers – or by the exotically beautiful elf standing next to you, perhaps? You overhear some of them saying what a fine boy you must be, the son of someone very rich and powerful, to have your very own elf slave to serve you. Undoubtedly, Green Flame hears them talking about her, but she remains as expressionless as a stone.
Anyway, you manage to get a decent price for your dahlias. Not as high as you might have hoped, but as high as you dared to raise it.
At this point, I rolled a Social Skills check for Dorian: 2d6+3 (and an extra +2 for having Green Flame with you) = 13. Pretty good.
Depending on which of the other above options you choose, you'll be able to sell your dahlias for either 26 or 32.5 silver shards (i.e. at a price of 6.5 shards per dahlia).
Dorian gained 1xp toward Strength (for pushing his cart all this way) and 1xp towards Social Skills (for haggling).
After that, you head home. To your real home, that is. Your mother opens the door.
'Dorian! It's lovely to see you,' she says with a beaming smile, throwing her arms around you. 'I missed you so much already.'
'Um. Thanks, mom,' you say, a trifle awkwardly, although you know that Green Flame isn't likely to tease you about this. 'Is there somewhere I can stow this cart?'
'Put it in the alley,' she says, indicating the narrow strip of ground connecting the back garden to the front. 'It'll be out of the way there.'
'Is dad in?' you ask.
'Yes… he hasn't been feeling too well of late,' says Carmenta Valens, her voice trembling slightly. 'But I'm sure he'll be glad to see you!'
What do you want to say to your parents?
[] Introduce Green Flame to them. Tell them about her.
[] Tell them about Phil, Venta, and Isolia.
[] Tell them about your first week at school.
[] Tell them about Gardening Club.
-[] Tell them that you've already made some money selling flowers.
[] Ask why they decided to send you to the Tyrepheum mage academy.
[] Ask who gave them the money for your first year at the mage academy.
[] Ask about your father's illness.
[] Ask if they know anything about Dr. Hygmalion.
[] Ask if they know anything about Philander's parents.
[] Say something else (write in).
Technically, there is no limit to the number of questions you can ask, but I'm probably going to have to cut this conversation somewhat short so that you can keep your appointment with Philander.
He frowns at you. 'No, it wasn't a joke. That's my name. Philander Bidwell.' His face twists in a grimace of pain and discomfort. 'It's always been my name. Hasn't it?'
Interesting. Doesn't appear to be his own doing. When did that happen? Was it Dr. Hygmalion who did that? He didn't seem to pay much attention to the boy, so I am not sure he'd do that just for payback.
I wonder what he needs a fake Avanni princess for. Is he swindling someone at the court? The governor himself?
[x] Sell four of your dahlias, keep one of them for seeds. (You'll be able to sell them for at least 16 silver shards, and you'll have some seeds later on, and some spare pots left over.)
[x] Introduce Green Flame to them. Tell them about her.
[x] Tell them about your first week at school.
[x] Tell them about Gardening Club.
-[x] Tell them that you've already made some money selling flowers.
[x] Ask who gave them the money for your first year at the mage academy.
Four questions seem to be a reasonable limit, and these ones should keep the conversation flowing naturally, since they bounce off each other.
[x] Sell four of your dahlias, keep one of them for seeds. (You'll be able to sell them for at least 16 silver shards, and you'll have some seeds later on, and some spare pots left over.)
[x] Introduce Green Flame to them. Tell them about her.
[x] Tell them about your first week at school.
[x] Tell them about Gardening Club.
-[x] Tell them that you've already made some money selling flowers.
[x] Ask who gave them the money for your first year at the mage academy.
It seems wise to keep our seeds (corn) and 26 shards is enough to make the trip very worth it. I agree that four questions seems like a good number, and these seem like good questions.
If you go along with Green Flame's plan, you will be spending some time with the other members of your team. That's most of the next update I've written so far, anyway.
I have no idea where I got Isolde from then, my bad and thanks.
[X] Sell four of your dahlias, keep one of them for seeds. (You'll be able to sell them for at least 16 silver shards, and you'll have some seeds later on, and some spare pots left over.)
[x] Introduce Green Flame to them. Tell them about her.
[x] Tell them about your first week at school.
[x] Ask if they know anything about Dr. Hygmalion.
-[x] Tell them that you've already made some money selling flowers.
[x] Ask who gave them the money for your first year at the mage academy.
Also oof, some worrying stuff this chapter, :O
Also I feel like the gardening club, mentioning we made money selling flowers and our first week at school may be redundant so I went with Hygmalion
[x] Sell four of your dahlias, keep one of them for seeds. (You'll be able to sell them for at least 16 silver shards, and you'll have some seeds later on, and some spare pots left over.)
[x] Introduce Green Flame to them. Tell them about her.
[x] Tell them about your first week at school.
[x] Tell them about Gardening Club.
-[x] Tell them that you've already made some money selling flowers.
[x] Ask who gave them the money for your first year at the mage academy.
[x] Sell four of your dahlias, keep one of them for seeds. (You'll be able to sell them for at least 16 silver shards, and you'll have some seeds later on, and some spare pots left over.)
[x] Introduce Green Flame to them. Tell them about her.
[x] Tell them about your first week at school.
[x] Tell them about Gardening Club.
-[x] Tell them that you've already made some money selling flowers.
[x] Ask who gave them the money for your first year at the mage academy.
[x] Ask about your father's illness.
[x] Sell four of your dahlias, keep one of them for seeds. (You'll be able to sell them for at least 16 silver shards, and you'll have some seeds later on, and some spare pots left over.)
[x] Introduce Green Flame to them. Tell them about her.
[x] Tell them about your first week at school.
[x] Tell them about Gardening Club.
-[x] Tell them that you've already made some money selling flowers.
[x] Ask who gave them the money for your first year at the mage academy.
