The Iron Oath (An Oath/Contract Based Cultivation Quest).

Voting is open
The wealth of the Protus family.
I've had a little time and didn't feel like working on an actual update (the next should be for VOTA) and I've figured I'll take some time to give you respective on how rich Aurora family is.

As one of the thirty lower houses, the Protus are an important part of the empire they have various towns and dozens of villages (and hundreds of hamlets) under their rule and they are currently vowing for the control of a city, in total there are around 100k mortals living under the Portus rule and more then double that if we take into account all the retainers and vassal clans that are sworn to them.

In term of straight up power, they are likely on the weaker end but in term of just raw wealth there only like two other houses that can match them within the lower nobility.

But how much wealth do they actually have?

We'll start with the easy the Protus collect around 20K gold a year from taxes in their holdings and another 13k from taxes owed by their vassal houses and clans, although this is almost always actually paid by produce and services rather than cold hard cash (weather grain from peasants or pills for alchemy houses and so on).

Another 10-15k gold is gained from member contributions, weather that's family members who are doing missions through the sects or making money on the side, a small portion goes to the family.

Up to now this is fairly regular, all the houses gain money through taxes and member contribution to one extant or another but 40-50k gold isn't that high on that scale especially among the houses which posses a lot more land or managed to snag a stewardship of a city (which alone brings an average of 20K gold a year on average) but where some houses take up the craft of alchemy or spirit beast rearing to make extra cash.

The Protus are merchants and they do not only possess many investments in local enterprise al over the empire, to the toon of 30k gold dividends a year they also control and maintain a vast mercantile empire which beings in almost 200k gold in gross yearly profits (although on net after all the costs and tariffs they make like 80K net).

To summarize, every year the Protus family makes around 150K gold coins, just to compare the average peasant would make around 40-50 silver a year depending on how good the harvest goes.

And that amount of wealth is not low even when looking at the five great houses who average an income of around 200-300K gold a year.

So, where does it all go to?

Well, 30k is paid to the imperial family as taxes, this is high compared to the Protus peers but they get rebates and reductions in their other noble obligations so its seen positively by the family.

Around 10K gos to maintain their personal holdings, the mansions, the staff, the wards and everything else.

Another 30k is going to either expend the merchant company or to improve their fiefs in some ways (mostly infrastructure).

~50k goes in the cultivation fund to help the family members cultivate and train (this is where your personal stipend comes from) most of this goes to the older members who are more advanced in cultivation and their oaths and the aids to them start at hundreds of gold and can go up to tens of thousands.

Another 10k is paid to various retainer houses for their services (a prime example would be the ninja house) and the last 20K is put into the family vault to be drawn in times of crises, emergency or great opportunity.

The family vault (which is heavily guarded) has a few million-gold worth of gems and gold around saved for a Riney day but the gold is likely worth the least out of all the thing there.

The oath severing Katana (with can sever the oaths of those it strikes) is literarily priceless, as is the chainmail of one thousand oaths, an armor that can absorb 1000 attacks no matter how powerful or whatever oath is enhancing them and whose every link in the chain mail was oath forged over centuries (I.e someone utilized an oath for only a single act which enhanced it considerably).

In summary your family has fuck you levels of money and there are very few who can compare in term of just pure wealth.
 
13. Battle of The Three Emperors.
No, she decided, only she could do it. this was her fight; this was her family killer she would have her vengeance by her hand and no other.

She stepped forward, into the circle made by the spectators' bodies and toward her family killer, his sword already drawn.

She steps forward, and Aurora finds herself back in the white void. Fully herself once more.

That was… something. The way it all but totally subsumed her personality was unsettling Aurora thought she might be able to resist it because she knew about it but it seems that was not the case.

"You choose to go yourself huh?" the voice of White Blade came from behind her. "Well, no one said you were a coward but you should learn when to let others do the work, delegate and all that. can't do everything yourself Afterall".

Aurora turned to face him, the old face of the White Blade now adorning some tattoo, three eyes upon his forehead and two on his cheeks, Aurora didn't know what they represented but it also didn't matter there was only one thing that mattered. "Did I pass?"

The white blade just sighed at her question "what is it with you imperials, why must everything be in times of success or failure?" he asked "no girl, you didn't pass, for there is no passing. Only what you show and what you don't".

Aurora forced her self to not show her irritation to his blasé answer but form the smirk on his face she knew she failed. Right, he can read her mind, Aurora let out an irritated sigh as she remembered that tidbit.

"Now, now, don't be so annoyed, tell you what" the white Blade began "we have some time before the others finish so why don't you ask me a question? I promise to answer truthfully".

Hmm… he terms it as a question to him but while the man before you is and was a true person in the past, here an now he is the representative of the collective souls of the Ermis ancestors, so in truth he offered you a question to the full collective, the knowledge of hundreds of generations.

You'll need to think about it.

[] What do you ask the white blade and the ancestor collective? (you can ask pretty much anything, from knowledge, techniques, to if they know of any hidden treasures -note, anything they do know would likely be in the north and out of your reach but could likely be given to your family- they will answer truthfully but they might not give you what you actually want).


"Are you sure?" Markus Aurora ask his her father.

"It's too late to back down now" the man replies "we'll have his head before sundown no matter what it takes"

"Of course, emperor" Markus Aurora said, turning his her head to gaze om the army's gathered on the field.

Almost thirty thousand cultivators stood upon the hilly terrain between the two armies, a number not seen for decades, gathered for a single battle. The imperials held the edge, eighteen thousand to the Northman elven thousands.

At the front, tall and proud, stood the metal forms of the iron oath school, soon they will march, a wall of iron and sound and fall upon their enemies like an avalanche, to the sides the riders of the swift oath school set upon their steads, their ranks showcasing plain and exotic creatures from plain horses, giant lizards and to the phoenixes their elders rode upon.

Markus Aurora rarely saw many of the colorful menagerie the Swift oath school boasted and he she truly whished the circumstance would have been different.

Behind them the dancing flames schools stood, its disciples ready to wash the battlefield with their flames. In-between them all, members of the verdant growth school were deployed ready to heal and patch up any injury taken by their brothers.

And in the gaps between the different formation, the nobles and their retinues stood, a hundred different banners flying high in the wind.

Across the field and on the opposite hills, the northerns assembled Markus Aurora did not know enough to make distinctions between their forces but even he she could recognize their famed berserkers assembling at the front, naked as they day they born and their whole body covered in tattoos.

"Well, we stared at one another long enough" Markus Aurora father gruff voice said "forward!" he shouted "chase them from our fields".

The iron oath school moved first, advancing slowly each and every step building up the vibrations in their body. Absentmindedly Markus Aurora noted the power gathering within the dancing flame formations as five large arrows of flames were formed by the combined power of hundreds of their disciples.

The result of their barrage was as impressive as it was ineffectual, large sections of the enemy army covered in bright yellow flames, consuming the land around it but by oath and technique most of the enemy army remind unburnt.

So, they did it again and again and again and with each repetition more and more northers fell consumed by flame unable to keep up their defenses. To this barrage joined the few noble retinues who possessed ranged weaponry, and soon enough the iron oath built enough vibration, enough sound which was harvested and thrown at their enemies vaporizing those who were caught unguard.

Of course, the northers were not without ranged means of their own, a multitude of projectiles flew form the opposing army, javelins and axes and great spiks of ice.

The iron oath school bore the brunt of the northerner ranged assult as they bore it well, their heavy shields stopping many a projectile in its tracks and the few which passed glancing off their iron bodies.

There were casualties, of course, disciples fell form lucky shots or enchanted weapons, most would be pathed up by the disciples of the verdant growth in their midst but not all, this was especially true within the other formation, which might have not been targeted quite as much as the iron oath also did not possess their prodigious defense.

Still, the battle clearly favored the imperials. Inflecting more causalities than they took and massively depleting the enemy defensive oaths.

This changed when the berserkers moved, their bodies lunging over the field. They fell upon the davening iron oath disciples like reappears in a harvest, only the iron oath discipline and their extreme defense stopped the formation form being shattered within the first few moments.

Within moments less the five hundred iron oath disciples remined from the two thousand strong formations as axe found iron wanting, the warth of the berserker penetrating all defenses.

Not the berserks fared much better, only a hundred remining standing of the seven hundred which strode forth.

Markus Aurora turned toward elder Severus, the only contribution of the unseen sight school and nodded.

Power gathered within the man and space shifted and withdrew the iron school disciples form the field of battle, just as the swift school charged through where they once were, slamming into the remining berserkers without mercy.

With the berserks destroyed, the swift school parted its ranks, allowing the nobles to stride forth toward the enemy position. A whole company of northerns was consumed to ash as red fire rained form the sky, the dancing flame school utilizing their oaths to attrition as much of the enemy before the two forces met.

The northerns did not wait for the imperials to reach, charging down the hill to give pitched battle, the two armies meeting in an expulsion of noise and shouts of pain.

The swift school, divide their force into two and road for the flanks hoping to charge throughout, only to be met by the berserkers which remained in reserve.

The sound of drums sounded, as the shames strengthened their tribes, countered in turn by the nobles utilizing oaths to empower their retinues.

The dancing flame sect has turned to small burst of fire, less powerful but much more precise, as the remnants of the iron oath formation reorganized an strode fourth once more, leaving their brethren to be treated the verdant growth.

More then that was hard to see, as the lines broke and the battle devolved into a brawl rather than anything organized.

Markus Aurora was confidant they were winning, the edge of numbers, knowledge and power all well on their side. Of course, none of that would matter if he she could not do her part.

"It's about time, isn't it?" Markus Aurora asked his her father.

The emperor sighed in response "it is" he simply said as he too to the sky's Markus Aurora right behind him.

High in the sky they met a single man, the white blade was unassuming in appearance, a bland face aside from his white eyes, an even blander robe fully gray with no insignia or any kind of decorations adorning it.

The only thing noteworthy about him was the long white blade he carried, the artifact emitting enough power to rival any treasure within the imperial vault, enough power to rival the crown of righteous rebuke, the masterpiece of the seventh sage of the second eye one of the greatest artificers in the history of the world.

No wonder the man managed to unite the northern tribes under him.

"Well, how nice of you to show up" the white blade voice was light, as if he had no care, he was facing two of the most dangerous cultivators this half of the world.

"Surrender" Markus Aurora called out "your army will soon be turned to dust and you have no chance to win against the both of us".

"hmm.. and bow my head to you? I think not" a moment later Markus hrried to deflect the bald coming for his head and the battel was on.

As the actors moved on the stage, the painting shifted, smudging and plunging Aurora into darkness to protect her mind from things its not yet meant to see when she came to, markus body was heavily injured.

And it was Makrus body, Aurora now fully awake and aware, across form her in the sky The white blade was similarly injured but both of their wounds did into compare to the injuries Markus father -the emperor- suffered.

He was fully missing a hand, and his body was covered in deep bleeding cuts but worst of all was the hole through his chest and the white line of frost that covered his face.

So heavy where his injuries that he fell from the sky, unable to hold himself aloft, his form frozen mid fall.

Time was frozen, as Aurora glanced around, she could not move but she could still think and knew deep in her bone that she must reach a decision on how to procced.

This is a test Afterall, the question is of what. The white bald -the one she met- called this test the battel of the three emperors, so its stands to reason that bringing the battle to its conclusion -win or lose- is the trial here.

So, what could she do?

Aurora glanced at the white blade injured form, she could decide to push forward, its risky and Markus is also injured but if he manages to kill or drive the white blade off the field the battle is as good as won.

She could also fight defensively, hold him long enough and place her trust in the army bellow to win and then support her, the white blade would have no option but to flee if such was to happen.

She could also descend and slaughter her way through the white blade army, hoping to bring it to a close sooner, the white blade would attempt to stop her, or retaliate in the same fashion, slaughtering her army.

But by the end of it, she could gather the remnants and chase the white blade off, less risk to herself but it would come at the cost of blood.

Her eyes turned to the emperor fallen form, she could also sound the retreat and rush the emperor body to best healer in the empire, a cultivator of his caliber would not die so easily to the wound he currently received, the white bald is in no position to chase them so they could quite the field with little cost. It will waste their efforts up to this point but they can always come back later, several secrets were exposed by the pitched battle and they would be better prepared for them next time.

Lastly, her eyes turn to the white blade once more, she can choose to negotiate. Both sides suffered in this fight and both are exhausted, she may be able to leverage this into some benefit for the resulting epic deal, of course the empire may end up needing to pay for it but without a decisive win, little would be gained or given in concessions for peace. Which would make this a bit of a wash as the effort and treasure invested are not recouped by the bounty of war.

All options have their benefits and risks and she must consider carefully… or do they? Does the action here actually have risk? she thought so last time but she didn't actually fight in the last test despite choosing to do so because that is not what the trial is testing, what was it that the white blade said? "It only matters what you show".

The outcomes of the actions don't matter, frankly she doubts she'll see them If its anything like last time. No, what matter is what she shows, what is she willing to risk, what is she willing to pay.

This is what the trial is meant to show.

What do's Aurora Do?

[] Push forward. (risky, chance at decisive victory or decisive defeat).

[] Fight defensively. (low risk, low chance of decisive victory).

[] Descend and slaughter. (no risk, massive causalities, low chance of decisive victory).

[] Quit the field. (defeat, low risk, medium chance the emperor survives).

[] Negotiate. (defeat, medium chance resulting peace deal is in the empire favor, medium chance its in the northerner favor, high chance the emperor survives).


AN: off this is a big one, I hope you enjoyed your peak into large scale battles in the setting (and the rest too), I'm going to put a moratorium of 4 hours in place to allow some discussion. As always, I'm fully available for questions (so don't hesitate to ping me.

Until next time, happy new year (well my new year was like 4~ months ago but still).
 
14. Prelude to judgment.
[X] Negotiate. (defeat, medium chance resulting peace deal is in the empire favor, medium chance its in the northerner favor, high chance the emperor survives).

[X] Of all the oaths of leadership you know, and are willing to share, which one do you think would be best for me?

"What is best?" The White Blade drawled, "best for what purpose? Do you wish to lead your followers in battle, perhaps guide them with honeyed words or even guide them from the shadow manipulating them all like puppets ".

"To ask what is best by itself shows a lack of understanding, to the nature of oaths and reality both but this is fine, you are still young and have time to grow and acquire wisdom".

"Instead of the best oath, I will impart the one I have found most useful, the price is great but the cunning and wise mind could get far more than he paid".

"Sacrifice your talent and in turn peer into the talents of others and empower those who choose to follow you".

"Sacrifice?" Aurora asked, it was not known to her that one could sacrifice something as an oath, the lesson with Elder Septima only covered oaths of restriction, condition and task. In fact the elder outright said those are the only three types of oaths possible.

"Hah" the White blade laughed "you imperials, it always plots within plots with you, all oaths are sacrifice child, the distinction you were taught is both wholly made of man and not fully comprehensive".

Aurora wish she could say that the spirit was wrong, that her school did not omit information form her but she knew he was right, Octevia has detected several lies during that lecture and it is not like the empire hasn't omitted the details of oaths from the uninitiated, Aurora swore her first oath ignorant of its workings.

She could only trust that her family would not have allowed her to enter the school if it would have been to her detriment.

"Trust freely given, means one sees not the knife in the dark" Aurora glared at The White Blade, his ability to read her mind was truly getting annoying.

"Well i answered your question" the White Blade said "off you go" he waved his hand and collor's started painting themselves on the white expanse Aurora occupied.


Eye of talent Oath (Oath rank 12/24/36).

The bearer of this oath diminish his overall talent by a small/medium/large amount and in return may perceive the (oath rank/10) best talent's of all they gaze intently upon and may call upon the power of this oath (oath rank/6) times a year to enhance a perceived talent of someone who is your subordinate by (oath rank/2) percent.

*talent in this case is reference learning speed for skills and techniques, the cost would lower the speed you learn at and the benefit would allow you to increase how fast someone else would learn at.

**There are diminishing benefits to empowering the same talent over and over.


"Few are those who would choose the shame of defeat to save what they have" The White Blade began when Aurora found herself once more in that white expanse. "Perhaps if more were willing to make such a choice things would be different" there was something in his voice but for the life of her Aurora could not say what as she gazed on his childish form, once again changed from his previous form.

"Perhaps" she simply said, somewhat shocked at the large change, The white blade in front of her could not have been a child older than seven, yet she knew that beneath its innocent expression was an inhuman being, even if it was once human.

"Regardless" The White Blade started, ignoring her thoughts "two trails you have undertaken, two choices that would define you" something in the white expanse shuddered as The White Blade spoke "in accordance with ancient tradition i must now ask you, Aurora Portus, do you stand ready to be judged or are there still more qualities you wish to show to this collective?"

Aurora felt a shiver run down her back, as she sensed the eyes of hundreds upon her, waiting for her decision

What did she decide in the end?

[] She is ready and will submit for the judgment of the ancestors.

[] She isn't ready and will undergo one more trial to show her worth.
-[] The Trial of sight.
-[] The Trial of Fang.

[] She isn't ready and will undergo both remaining trials to show her worth.



A.N Well, this is short but there isn't really a lot going on. It's a more transitory chapter. I hope it was at least enjoyable, I'm of course available for questions should you have any.
 
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15. Maze of ten thousand visions.
[x] She isn't ready and will undergo both remaining trials to show her worth.
AN: Well this took me a little time, mostly because I debated on how exactly I wanted to execute this test and I feel I landed on a good method. I hope you enjoy. I'm putting a moratorium of 4 hours on voting to allow debating, you're going to need it this time.

When Aurora awoke once more, she found herself still aware. still herself.

She was no longer in the white void where the white blade resided but in a small room made of finely carved stone. there was nothing in the room with her, it was totally empty expert for nine doors leading out, three on each wall.

There was no mark definiterating the nine wooden doors, bar their location there was nothing which Aurora could find that made any door different from another. with nothing in the room itself being discovered on second pass Aurora decides to open one of the doors.

The matelice handle was cold to her hands as she pulled it down, pulling the door toward her silently. revealing the sight of her… father?

The sight shocked Aurora but she quickly regained her senses, the white blade could read her mind there is no reason to conclude that he couldn't access her memories for an illusion of her father.

Still, even though she knew it wasn't her father in front of her and yet the wide shoulders, dark hair and blue eyes seemed so realistic, and that smile… that smile reminded Aurora of her home.

The illusion of her smiling father was seated in a replica of his study, she remembers she would spend hours in that room when she was little, for no reason other than to be close to her father.

As Aurora looked closer she felt the ache in her soul calling for the comfort of the memory and knew if only she would step forward the memory of home would heal its pain.

With great willpower Aurora pulled herself out of the trance she fell into and closed the door, she may or may not enter it later but there are still eight more doors she must look through lest she miss something vital.

Behind the second door she opened -the one to the left of the first- Aurora behad a mountain of gold and treasures, deep down she knew this was the treasury of a great king and could feel that should she only step forward she will be allowed to take a single treasure from within.

The third door opened to show a peaceful meadow and Aurora knew that if she stepped forward she would always carry a piece of it wherever she'll go.

The fourth door revealed an old man sitting in meditation in what seems to be a dojo, surrounded by respectful and obedient students and knew that if she entered this memory she would sharpen her techniques under a respectful master.

The fifth door opened to a rushing waterfall and Aurora knew that should she step before it its force on her shoulder would refine her body.

The sixth showcased a throne room, a knight kneeling before a man with a golden crown upon his head, from just a glance Aurora knew she would witness a rare and powerful oath should she enter.

The seventh showed nothing, a void empty from all matter, it would consume a part of her should she enter but it would return as much as it took.

Behind the eighth Aurora beheld her death, the details were vague and ever changing, one moment she was a frail old lady, the next she was young again and had a sword through her chest but she knew that death would provide her experience few would know in their life.

The ninth door, open to a simple hallway with a door on its other end. Instictevlly Aurora knew that she found the exit. Should she step forward she will complete this trail and leave for the next.

But did she wish too? had she shown or completed whatever it is that this test is about? The White Blade called this the maze of ten thousand visions. Why would he do so if finding the exist was so simple and easy?

But Is it? so simple and easy? Even now when she found the exit she hesitates on moving forward, drawn to the visions behind her and the treasures within, could she stop herself from losing her way within the visions should she attempt to reach their promise?

She doesn't know but she feel's the claws of this place digging into her soul, the longer she remains the harder it would be to leave.

She must make a choice, and quickly.



You may pick as many as you'd like (plan vote please) but beware that the longer you stay the harder it would be to leave and you may be lost within the maze forever.

[] The first door- A vision of home (gain: heal all of Aurora strain).

[] The second door- A vision of greed (gain: A choice of treasure).

[] The third door- A vision of a peaceful meadow (gain: piece of the meadow ???).

[] The fourth door- A vision of mystery (gain: greatly increase mastery of a random technique).

[] The fifth door- A vision of challenge (gain: 2 layers of iron body).

[] The sixth door- A vision of fealty (gain: knowledge of an oath).

[] The seventh door- A vision of nothingness (loss: ??? gain: ???).

[] The eighth door- A vision of death (gain: 2 experiences toward unlocking the next oath).

[] The ninth door- A vision of the exit (result: complete the test).
 
16. The hungry Void. New
With a final glance to the exit Aurora turns back, not yet ready to end this test, to give up on this opportunity.

Eight doors greet her, each holding something valuable behind their wooden exterior, one holds a great treasure she could pluck but she is rich and possess many treasures it holds no interest to her.

Other's hold behind them time, time saved from achieving that which they will bestow upon her, whether refining her body or improving her mastery over her techniques, all of those doors hold the promise of saved time but what dos Aurora cares for something she could achieve herself? She is no rush, she has yet to complete her second week in the sect and already she is well on her way into the outer sect. she would not risk her neck for something she could achieve herself with some effort, loath as she is to give that effort besides.

No, those doors do not interest Aurora, it's the ones that holds things she could not gain elsewhere which interest her.

With that purpose in mind, she opens the door she stood before and stepped into the meadow beyond it.

Instantly a sense of calm, of peace washed over her, the lush greenery around seemed so inviting rustling in the gentle wind.

She knows not for how long she walked in between the tall grass but she knew it was too much, that she needed to leave before she would fall into this peaceful meadow for eternity.

Would that be so bad? to stay here in this peaceful place forever? With no responsibly or concerns?

Easy Composure (will) check. 6d10 T6 R3.

[10!, 10!, 5, 1, 6, 3, 6, 9]= 3s + [10!, 8, 4, 2]= 5s great success +1 dice to the next attempt.


Yes, to stay here means losing all Aurora loves, her family, her friends her lush phoenix feather pillow and she would not allow this to occur.

With great willpower Aurora marched toward and through the door through which she entered.

But she has not left unmarked, deep in her soul a small piece of the meadow reminds and Aurora suspected there it will remain for eternity.

Gain piece of the meadow.

Wasting no time -to not let this place any more time to sink its claws into her- aurora marches to the second door she decided upon.

Opening it revealed the grand throne room, Aurora has not recognized the design at her first glance and she did not recognize it with a second, nor did she agonize the great banners and tapestries showcasing the sigils of the nobility in this grand throne room.

This meant wherever or whenever this was, was no palace Aurora knew and likely far from the empire of the sun which was her home.

That just increased the value of the oath hidden within this picture.

As soon as Aurora stepped into the throne room, the figures within became animated and Aurora could hear the rustle of whispering as unseen figures observed the knelling knight.

Aurora joined their ranks, watching over the scene egger for the oath to be revealed to her.

"My king" the knight began "I have come to swear myself to you, on the eve of the completion of my training according to the ancient traditions".

The words washed over the throne room hushing the whispering specters, all attention turned to the king's awaiting some kind of response.

"Very well" the king said after moment of silence "you have proven yourself already, proceed"

The knight -well squire turned knight Aurora supposed- wasted no time "I swear upon my soul this oath" he began in the way all oaths are began with stating the intent to swear an oath on one's soul "I would follow the rules set by the legitime monarch of this empire and lands, I will stray not an inch from the written decrees of the crown lest my soul crumble to ash and dust".

Applause range out from the faceless shades as the oath was sworn, Aurora could only frown this oath while powerful is useless to her, she might not know the full extent of her family activities but she knows enough to know that here and there the rules are bent to improve the clan standing. Never enough to be a problem or noticeable form the outside but enough that swearing an oath to follow the crown rules to the latter would be too high a cost.

She supposes she was never promised a relevant Oath, still she could not help but be disappointed as she looked at the scene unfolding before her as the knight rises and waves to the crowd of specters.

Actually, Aurora things to herself, why are there spectators in this picture, why did this knight -and the empire he hailed form- swear their oath in front of an audience?

Why reveal their oath to others? When it would be so much safer to keep it as hidden as possible.

The answer did not take long before it revealed itself to Aurora, she remembered her first day in the school, when she swore her first oath alongside the rest of the initiates.

There is only one reason the school would do so, it granted power.

Actually, now that she thought about it, hasn't one of the elders say something about oaths of reveling? This is the same just during the swearing process itself rather than when one would wish to use it.

+knowledge of an oath (oath Rank 25).

Well, Aurora got what she entered this door for and although it might not have been exactly what she wanted every bit of knowledge was useful but now it was time to leave.

Or she could stay, it seems a Gala is starting and already many examples of tasty looking exotic meals are being carted in by servants, would it really hurt to stay for a few mor minutes?

To taste the exotic delicacies of an unknown land?

Easy Composure (will) check. 7d10 T6 R3.

[5, 7, 1, 2, 8, 10!, 9, 5]= 4s + [1, 3, 1]= 4s.

Regular success.


No, no what is she thinking? She can't remain here; she needs to leave.

Her senses regained Aurora makes haste to the exit, she doesn't stop once she's back in the plain stone room with the doors, marching to the last door instead to pass through -excluding the exist- and before she could lose her nerves pushed it open and stepped inside.

Nothing, there was nothing beyond this door.

A void so empty it hungered for anything and everything.

She could feel it, her memoires, her life Devoured by this void replaced by emptiness by the cold of nothingness.

Aurora was so, so cold.

She needed to get out, she needed to get out now.

But try as She might the void pressed heavy around her, devouring her will to leave, to flee.

Little by little, Aurora felt she was losing herself, succumbing to the siren call of the void.

Medium Composure (will) check. 6d10 T6 R3.

[5, 1, 5, 4, 1, 6]= 0s + [9, 3, 6]= 1s…

Fail.


Aurora fell like she was suffocating, the very air devoured from her lungs.

She knew she had to do something and soon, already she could feel the memories of her family slipping form her grasp and despite the void devouring her emotions already she refused to let go of those precious memories.

Medium Composure (will) check. 6d10 T6 R3.

[9, 10!, 4, 3, 1, 10!, 1, 4]= 3s + [2, 6, 4]= 3s…

Fail.


The Void was hungry, the void was always hungry. It consumed and consumed without caring.

It consumed as was its nature and it sought to consume the very last ambers of the girl known as Aurora and yet despite being just a husk of the girl, she once was it still resisted.

Still defied the void.

Hard Composure (will) check. 6d10 T6 R3.

[1, 10!, 9, 5, 9, 10!, 10!, 8, 10!, 10!, 2]= 8s + [8, 5, 7]= 10s.

Great success.


The void was hungry, it already consumed much and it wanted so much more.

Aurora -the little left of her- would not let it consume her in whole.

With great willpower she grabbed to the scattered links of her memories and psyche and began pulling, reclaiming what the void stole each by inch.

She reclaimed the memory of her mother's laughter, of her eldest brother stoic disciple, of Gallus gushing over the latest new fiction from the capital and many, many more memories who made Aurora who she was.

She reclaimed them all and then with an act of great willpower she pushed herself out of the void which sought to consume her and back to the room of doors.

She barely landed back in that stone chamber before she rushed to the exist and left the maze behind.

But despite her efforts, despite the fact she reclaimed all of her memories the void still took its price form her.

Aurora was cold, so, so cold and not from the snow she found herself surrounded by but form within. Her body shivering from a cold emanating in her very soul, a mark that would never leave, the price of the void.

Gain:

Void of warmth- Aurora body lacks its warmth and her ability to warm up by external means is extremally limited. This dos grants some benefits to surviving in extreme cold environments but mostly because Aurora now feels as if she is in extreme cold weather conditions at all time.

Mark of the devouring Void- Marked by the void Aurora may call up an echo of its presence supplement an attack, adding her will to the damage as spiritual damage. May be developed further with practice and use.


The low grunt and growl, pull Aurora out of her head and back to her surroundings.

She finds herself in a white expanse, but this is not the place where she met The White Blade, the ground is covered by snow and judging by the way its angels upwards Aurora can reasonably conclude she is on a mountain or at least a large hill.

Another growl forces Aurora to focus on its source.

A white furry monstrosity, it stood twice as tall as Aurora despite its bending legs and hunched back and it armes where thicker than her shoulders, its yellow eyes shone with malice and low cunning.

This would be the frost troll then, Aurora thought to herself. It seems as if the next test has already begun.

Instinctively Aurora clenched her hands around the shaft of her great Axe, surprised to in it in her hands. Setting aside the appearance of her weapon Aurora tired to recall what she knew of frost trolls going so far as to call upon her soul to help assess the creature in front of her.

Pure mind roll +Oath 40D10 T8 R0.

[9, 1, 10!, 3, 9, 9, 2, 10!, 9, 5, 5, 6, 2, 2, 3, 6, 6, 4, 8, 6, 4, 10!, 9, 7, 7, 2, 2, 3, 10!, 10!, 6, 1, 1, 6, 4, 5, 9, 9, 8, 10!, 6, 6, 2, 7, 3, 5]= 13s

Great success.


Trolls in general possessed think skin with Frost trolls possessing an even thicker fur (Physical armor 15) and potent regeneration (10 HP per turn) although frost trolls have trouble with regenerating their broken bones and while fast for their size lack maneuverability.

They are also very strong physically, with this specimen in particular looking on the upper end of physical strength (Body score of 35) and are incredibly hardy (300 HP) but possess low stamina for their size (gain harsher Fatigue penalties sooner).

They are also dumb, extremely dumb and tend to attak and defined in a repeatable pattern which allows the clever attacker to find the gaps in their overpowering attacks (+5 to rolls against them, -5 to rolls against you by them if you find the pattern -and looking at the oath Boosted success we'll say you already have) and perhaps bait or trap them.

Their eyes are also massive weak points which they have trouble regenerating.

There were only two -perhaps three- ways Aurora could go about this she concluded. She could try to focus on one of the creature legs, she was strong enough that with sufficient blows she could break the bone and inhabit the creature movement and then dance around it slowly whittling it down as she broke more and more of its bones, hopefully enough that its regeneration would be able to keep up but everything relies on her being able to break one if its legs.

She could also try to fight defensively, wait for the Troll to exhaust itself or to overextend into a brutal counter attack, the problem is that she would also get tired and that a single hit from its fists could break her in half.

The last thing she may attempt is targeting its eyes, she should just about be able to reach it with her axe but well, it would be at the limit and would overextend her as well as prove troublesome to actually aim competently with her grip on the hilt lowering to the minimum possible.

Alternatively, she might be able to bait it into tripping or something but there is little in the environment for it to trip over.

What Strategy would Aurora attempt for this fight?

[] She will attempt to hinder its mobility and chip away at it until it dies.

[] She will attempt to fight defensively until an opportunity presents itself or the creature is exhausted.

[] She will attempt to attack the creature weak eyes, destroying its senses and dealing (hopefully) massive damage.

[] She will attempt to get it to trip over itself and wail at it while its scrambling on the ground.

[] write in (ping me for approval).



An: well, who's ready for a boss battle? And just to set your mind at ease, you won't die if you lose here (not to say there won't be consequents) but you won't die, like even if you failed the last roll (and haven't gotten insanely lucky) you wouldn't have died, TWB would have saved you but there would have been a greater price to be paid.

It would also not look good for the trail at large.

Anyways, I'm around for questions if you have any. As always there is going to be a moratorium of 4 hours in place.
 
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