Arc 1, Chapter 1.1.3: Cute But Terrifying
[x] (Combat Incoming) Intimidate them into surrendering. (Could be a tricky check… But Helen can give you Advantage easily.)
"Are you really that stupid?", you declare firmly, letting your form shift to reveal demonic wings and a tail. You also stop concentrating on detect thoughts, throwing some faerie fire on a chair behind you to cast a purple light behind you - and shadows in front. Classic theatrics.
One of the three immediately stops, and the leader and other one slow.
"Let me tell you exactly how this goes if one of you steps toward us with your weapons out," you continue. "First, you have to keep in mind, the Paladin over there? She's not charmed. She's not faking being a Paladin. She is working with a Succubus, willingly and knowingly, and she has not fallen as a result of it. In other words, her goddess is actively fine with working with me."
The speech is enough to get them to stop approaching, for at least a few seconds, while Eira's working on the door.
"So, let's say you three were to team up on and overwhelm her. You'd still have to deal with me, who is practically immune to those stupid wavy daggers. By that point, our other friend will have the door open, and you'll be the ones committing violent assault, meaning it's not us who the guards will be attacking."
They visibly tense, as you continue. "And all that? That's if I don't, say, use any of my magical abilities to say…"
You smirk. And then you're behind them.
"... Make sure you can't focus in one direction."
One of the assistants shrieks.
"Also, I'm giving you too much credit. Any one of us, alone, could take all three of you out pretty easily. Without even having to use any lethal weaponry. I did that to four of your compatriots, solo, mere days ago." Not entirely true, but they've no way to know that.
"So, do us a bit of a favor," Helen finishes, "and give up NOW."
… You banish the Faerie Fire as all three drop to their knees, dropping their daggers to the ground and kneeling.
Now you use a bit of telepathic communication. Think I should make the point by stepping on the boss?, you ask Helen and Eira.
Eira's the first to respond; having experience with psionics, she immediately understands how to reply, and her response is predictably impulsive. Do it~
Helen takes a second to adjust to the telepathic communication. I think it a bit excessive. But only a bit.
Okay, probably go one step back from that. You walk up until you're standing over the leader. "Explain your orders," you declare firmly. "Do not make me ask twice."
"U-um, so, uh," the man stammers, trying desperately not to look up lest he draw your ire, "The High Priestess said, um, pretend to be Flammites, be loud about wanting to fight evil, join up with whoever looks competent, then stab 'em in the back and flee as if we'd narrowly escaped a horrible death, repeat."
Helen pauses. "And how many times have you done this?"
"U-um. Once."
A 'click' indicates that Eira's been focusing on the door this entire time and just got it open, while Helen continues, "So you'll be reporting to the guards for intentionally murdering one adventuring party, providing us directions to Chaos Mountain and any key knowledge you have, and attempting to repent for your crimes. Right?"
"Y-yes ma'am."
Helen's eye visibly twitches at the "ma'am" part, but she declares, "Good. Lead the way. And do keep in mind, the support of the Keep is optional to our saving it, so trying to screw us over in front of the guards may end particularly poorly."
You nod.
---
They're smart enough to not try anything. Brought to the jail at the bailiff's tower, they're too terrified to try anything like outing you as a demoness. They quickly provide you directions to the northeastish, and then just sulk into the guards' hands.
Eira sighs. "Would've been funnier to see you actually step on them."
Helen shakes her head. "They might actually repent this way. But I doubt we'll be seeing much of them anytime soon regardless."
Their prompt confession to the guards, combined with a quick comb of their apartment revealing they were definitely not consistent with the Flammite faith confirming the claim, probably saved you a lot of trouble. They'd flat out admitted their intent would've been to lead you into Chaos Mountain and immediately try to kill you… And that they were fairly certain they wouldn't even be needed.
It is true, all three of you are new to serious adventuring. Finding some milder opportunities before going for the mountain might be a very good idea.
The problem is how to find the strongest opportunities. Or maybe you're best off just… Going for it.
"So… The question is, how do we start?", you say. "Besides finding out a potential source was in fact out to kill people like us."
Helen pauses. "Well, we've got a few potential things to track down. Those bandits seem like the most immediate concern to me. Deal with them, and the route connecting Arnstey Keep to the rest of the Kingdom becomes more stable."
Eira pauses. "Just as long as we don't go after those spiders, I'm good. But we do know where Chaos Mountain itself is… Starting that way could work. Don't dive right in until we have more know-what-we're-doing and have built our abilities a bit, but seeing what's en route could help us do things.
You ponder a couple other rumors…
[ ] (Objective Seeking Behavior) Continue to rumor-seek around the keep before you go out.
[ ] (Objective Seeking Behavior) Look into Helen's book; you may not have enough seed money or the right skills to build something yet, but working on some modernized tech could be a revolution - and very profitable.
[ ] (Objective Seeking Behavior) Just pick a direction (anything from North to East to South) and try going out for a few hours, see what you might find. Risk level unpredictable.
[ ] (Objective Seeking Behavior) Try going directly along the road to the east, until it curves north, then go off to the west. Supposedly, that's the Chaos Mountain area. Risk level high, but lower if you don't actually go into the mountain proper.
[ ] (Objective Seeking Behavior) Try for that Orc tribe to the southeast - they're on the good side apparently, and chances to help them out could provide easy opportunities to build goodwill and also your skills. Though you don't know what's in between you and their area for sure, there's a nonzero chance that's where the spiders are.
[ ] (Objective Seeking BehaviNOPE)Go for the spiders You can feel Eira's glare at merely thinking about this one.
[ ] (Objective Seeking Behavior) Those bandits - if you can track them down, that could be good. You don't know which way they'd be, but they'd need to be nearish the road, right?
[ ] (Objective Seeking Behavior) Those Lizardfolk… Why are they so aggressive? Facing them down could be good. (... But they might be able to kick your ass.)
[ ] (Objective Seeking Behavior) Write-In another target.
… As you consider your options, though, Helen thinks to ask. "What made you suspicious of the Priest?"
"A few things," you respond. "The first was how generic his blessing was. I doubt real Flammites would be so… Whitebread."
Eira tilts her head in confusion, but it draws a laugh from the Paladin - good to know that's still a Good One diss three centuries hence from your time. You continue, "Like, Flamma's the Party Goddess right? So it didn't look right and such a flat blessing sounded wrong, even if I don't know offhand what a proper one would sound like. After that, I felt like I had to test things a bit. So I threw out an odd wording. If it were a real priest, he'd have actually cast detect evil, and spotted something off. If he were real, I'd have needed your help to talk through the situation, but he'd also understand me being a bit paranoid."
Helen pauses for a second or two. "... You were doing more than that, too."
"Yup. Detect Thoughts," you clarify. "Not the ethically greatest pick…"
"But a sure way to catch someone who isn't expecting it," Helen responds. "Not my favorite choice of tools, but effective."
You nod. "I kinda considered more aggressive solutions for a bit… But then, well, he went for the attack before I could switch."
Helen makes the connection to what you're implying but not stating, and nods. "I'm pleased it did not come to that. That you went to less nasty tools first. Hopefully, we won't need to use your mind controlling powers too much."
"Says you," Eira says with her tongue out. Immediately, to prevent a potential argument, you step in - "It's a bit awkward given the entire nature of my wish, but I get where you're coming from," you respond. "Not that I'm going to completely refuse it always, but the less often I use it, the better."
That… Seems to satisfy both Helen and Eira. Still something to keep a handle on, but useful for now. Time to keep moving. "Good news is, the Divine Cartel seems legit."
… Did you just say that out loud?
Based on Helen and Eira blankly staring, you immediately clarify, "Um, sorry, that's what I was taught to think of them as."
Helen chuckles. "I mean, it's not wrong, just… Extremely uncharitable as I'd suspect from one trained by demons. The Fourteen are the major gods of our world, and more-or-less aligned. They're not uniformly The Good Guys - there's a reason the cultists tried to fake being Flammites, since her attitudes can absolutely end up badly interpreted by her followers and become 'drunken chaos' - but they tend to agree on a few things at least."
You nod. "It might be worth some… Um. Review. So I don't use that phrase next time for one."
Helen chuckles. "I'm sure the Priest of Aurora would not like that phrasing, no. So, later in, remedial Gods training, including the boons you'd expect them to have - that one's a good way to catch fakes."
[ ] (God Lessons) Work with Helen and Eira alone on this. (The stable, safe route.)
[ ] (God Lessons) Try asking at the actual church. (They already know something is up with you honestly, and it has a chance of getting an extra clue or two about the region.)
[ ] (God Lessons) Don't bother, you'll be fiiiiine.
***
As a note, all three of the party are currently at 350 XP between Senaz versus the four cultists and the averted encounter with three just now. (Assume Helen gained 200 from fights before reaching the first village and from besting Senaz, and Eira from past encounters before she fled.)
Also, here's what of the area you know so far, courtesy of maps at Breeyark.org ( https://breeyark.org/the-keep-on-the-borderlands-wilderness-map-in-hexographer/ ). West of the edge here is "Making The QM Improvise Stuff, Plz No".
EDIT:
"Are you really that stupid?", you declare firmly, letting your form shift to reveal demonic wings and a tail. You also stop concentrating on detect thoughts, throwing some faerie fire on a chair behind you to cast a purple light behind you - and shadows in front. Classic theatrics.
One of the three immediately stops, and the leader and other one slow.
"Let me tell you exactly how this goes if one of you steps toward us with your weapons out," you continue. "First, you have to keep in mind, the Paladin over there? She's not charmed. She's not faking being a Paladin. She is working with a Succubus, willingly and knowingly, and she has not fallen as a result of it. In other words, her goddess is actively fine with working with me."
The speech is enough to get them to stop approaching, for at least a few seconds, while Eira's working on the door.
"So, let's say you three were to team up on and overwhelm her. You'd still have to deal with me, who is practically immune to those stupid wavy daggers. By that point, our other friend will have the door open, and you'll be the ones committing violent assault, meaning it's not us who the guards will be attacking."
They visibly tense, as you continue. "And all that? That's if I don't, say, use any of my magical abilities to say…"
You smirk. And then you're behind them.
"... Make sure you can't focus in one direction."
One of the assistants shrieks.
"Also, I'm giving you too much credit. Any one of us, alone, could take all three of you out pretty easily. Without even having to use any lethal weaponry. I did that to four of your compatriots, solo, mere days ago." Not entirely true, but they've no way to know that.
"So, do us a bit of a favor," Helen finishes, "and give up NOW."
Senaz's Intimidate Check (with advantage from Helen): (11,20)+6+2 (circumstance bonus for the light trick) = 28 vs. DC 20… You banish the Faerie Fire as all three drop to their knees, dropping their daggers to the ground and kneeling.
Now you use a bit of telepathic communication. Think I should make the point by stepping on the boss?, you ask Helen and Eira.
Eira's the first to respond; having experience with psionics, she immediately understands how to reply, and her response is predictably impulsive. Do it~
Helen takes a second to adjust to the telepathic communication. I think it a bit excessive. But only a bit.
Okay, probably go one step back from that. You walk up until you're standing over the leader. "Explain your orders," you declare firmly. "Do not make me ask twice."
"U-um, so, uh," the man stammers, trying desperately not to look up lest he draw your ire, "The High Priestess said, um, pretend to be Flammites, be loud about wanting to fight evil, join up with whoever looks competent, then stab 'em in the back and flee as if we'd narrowly escaped a horrible death, repeat."
Helen pauses. "And how many times have you done this?"
"U-um. Once."
A 'click' indicates that Eira's been focusing on the door this entire time and just got it open, while Helen continues, "So you'll be reporting to the guards for intentionally murdering one adventuring party, providing us directions to Chaos Mountain and any key knowledge you have, and attempting to repent for your crimes. Right?"
"Y-yes ma'am."
Helen's eye visibly twitches at the "ma'am" part, but she declares, "Good. Lead the way. And do keep in mind, the support of the Keep is optional to our saving it, so trying to screw us over in front of the guards may end particularly poorly."
You nod.
---
They're smart enough to not try anything. Brought to the jail at the bailiff's tower, they're too terrified to try anything like outing you as a demoness. They quickly provide you directions to the northeastish, and then just sulk into the guards' hands.
Eira sighs. "Would've been funnier to see you actually step on them."
Helen shakes her head. "They might actually repent this way. But I doubt we'll be seeing much of them anytime soon regardless."
Their prompt confession to the guards, combined with a quick comb of their apartment revealing they were definitely not consistent with the Flammite faith confirming the claim, probably saved you a lot of trouble. They'd flat out admitted their intent would've been to lead you into Chaos Mountain and immediately try to kill you… And that they were fairly certain they wouldn't even be needed.
It is true, all three of you are new to serious adventuring. Finding some milder opportunities before going for the mountain might be a very good idea.
The problem is how to find the strongest opportunities. Or maybe you're best off just… Going for it.
"So… The question is, how do we start?", you say. "Besides finding out a potential source was in fact out to kill people like us."
Helen pauses. "Well, we've got a few potential things to track down. Those bandits seem like the most immediate concern to me. Deal with them, and the route connecting Arnstey Keep to the rest of the Kingdom becomes more stable."
Eira pauses. "Just as long as we don't go after those spiders, I'm good. But we do know where Chaos Mountain itself is… Starting that way could work. Don't dive right in until we have more know-what-we're-doing and have built our abilities a bit, but seeing what's en route could help us do things.
You ponder a couple other rumors…
[ ] (Objective Seeking Behavior) Continue to rumor-seek around the keep before you go out.
[ ] (Objective Seeking Behavior) Look into Helen's book; you may not have enough seed money or the right skills to build something yet, but working on some modernized tech could be a revolution - and very profitable.
[ ] (Objective Seeking Behavior) Just pick a direction (anything from North to East to South) and try going out for a few hours, see what you might find. Risk level unpredictable.
[ ] (Objective Seeking Behavior) Try going directly along the road to the east, until it curves north, then go off to the west. Supposedly, that's the Chaos Mountain area. Risk level high, but lower if you don't actually go into the mountain proper.
[ ] (Objective Seeking Behavior) Try for that Orc tribe to the southeast - they're on the good side apparently, and chances to help them out could provide easy opportunities to build goodwill and also your skills. Though you don't know what's in between you and their area for sure, there's a nonzero chance that's where the spiders are.
[ ] (Objective Seeking BehaviNOPE)
[ ] (Objective Seeking Behavior) Those bandits - if you can track them down, that could be good. You don't know which way they'd be, but they'd need to be nearish the road, right?
[ ] (Objective Seeking Behavior) Those Lizardfolk… Why are they so aggressive? Facing them down could be good. (... But they might be able to kick your ass.)
[ ] (Objective Seeking Behavior) Write-In another target.
… As you consider your options, though, Helen thinks to ask. "What made you suspicious of the Priest?"
"A few things," you respond. "The first was how generic his blessing was. I doubt real Flammites would be so… Whitebread."
Eira tilts her head in confusion, but it draws a laugh from the Paladin - good to know that's still a Good One diss three centuries hence from your time. You continue, "Like, Flamma's the Party Goddess right? So it didn't look right and such a flat blessing sounded wrong, even if I don't know offhand what a proper one would sound like. After that, I felt like I had to test things a bit. So I threw out an odd wording. If it were a real priest, he'd have actually cast detect evil, and spotted something off. If he were real, I'd have needed your help to talk through the situation, but he'd also understand me being a bit paranoid."
Helen pauses for a second or two. "... You were doing more than that, too."
"Yup. Detect Thoughts," you clarify. "Not the ethically greatest pick…"
"But a sure way to catch someone who isn't expecting it," Helen responds. "Not my favorite choice of tools, but effective."
You nod. "I kinda considered more aggressive solutions for a bit… But then, well, he went for the attack before I could switch."
Helen makes the connection to what you're implying but not stating, and nods. "I'm pleased it did not come to that. That you went to less nasty tools first. Hopefully, we won't need to use your mind controlling powers too much."
"Says you," Eira says with her tongue out. Immediately, to prevent a potential argument, you step in - "It's a bit awkward given the entire nature of my wish, but I get where you're coming from," you respond. "Not that I'm going to completely refuse it always, but the less often I use it, the better."
That… Seems to satisfy both Helen and Eira. Still something to keep a handle on, but useful for now. Time to keep moving. "Good news is, the Divine Cartel seems legit."
… Did you just say that out loud?
Based on Helen and Eira blankly staring, you immediately clarify, "Um, sorry, that's what I was taught to think of them as."
Helen chuckles. "I mean, it's not wrong, just… Extremely uncharitable as I'd suspect from one trained by demons. The Fourteen are the major gods of our world, and more-or-less aligned. They're not uniformly The Good Guys - there's a reason the cultists tried to fake being Flammites, since her attitudes can absolutely end up badly interpreted by her followers and become 'drunken chaos' - but they tend to agree on a few things at least."
You nod. "It might be worth some… Um. Review. So I don't use that phrase next time for one."
Helen chuckles. "I'm sure the Priest of Aurora would not like that phrasing, no. So, later in, remedial Gods training, including the boons you'd expect them to have - that one's a good way to catch fakes."
[ ] (God Lessons) Work with Helen and Eira alone on this. (The stable, safe route.)
[ ] (God Lessons) Try asking at the actual church. (They already know something is up with you honestly, and it has a chance of getting an extra clue or two about the region.)
[ ] (God Lessons) Don't bother, you'll be fiiiiine.
***
As a note, all three of the party are currently at 350 XP between Senaz versus the four cultists and the averted encounter with three just now. (Assume Helen gained 200 from fights before reaching the first village and from besting Senaz, and Eira from past encounters before she fled.)
Also, here's what of the area you know so far, courtesy of maps at Breeyark.org ( https://breeyark.org/the-keep-on-the-borderlands-wilderness-map-in-hexographer/ ). West of the edge here is "Making The QM Improvise Stuff, Plz No".
EDIT:
And I remembered to set the Vote Tally this time.
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