Shard
One and Many
- Location
- Malaysia
We cripple a Spinewolf and ask an applicant to coupdegrace it.
The Lighthouses and the Pit (Fantasy Mage Quest)
- Thread starter occipitallobe
- Start date
- Original Fantasy
- Location
- Straya
Good catches both. This is essentially what happens when I write a post late at night and forget to refer to any notes. It is one year - will revise this in the post.
InterstellarHobo
Cosmic Vagrant
- Location
- No Fixed Planetary System
[X] Additional Training
A year of training is REALLY nice, like vastly reduce P(lifespan < .05) nice
[X] Caravan Guard
We're sort of kitting up to be protector of the meek here, caravan guard seems fitting
A year of training is REALLY nice, like vastly reduce P(lifespan < .05) nice
[X] Caravan Guard
We're sort of kitting up to be protector of the meek here, caravan guard seems fitting
- Location
- Canada
I like your training here so have my vote
[X] Strike Out On Your Own
[X] The Vagabond
[X] Average, dark-haired, in a way that looks almost like the blue of your names-sake, fair-skinned, and amber-eyed. Your hair is straight and long, very lean. Your eyes are sharp, your nose is tiny. You have high cheeks, long eyelashes, and lilith hands and feet.
[X] Short, red-haired, fair-skinned, and blue-eyed. Your hair is straight and thick, in a loose bobcut that resembles someone just taking a knife to it(because you hadn't gotten out of that habit), very lean. Your eyes are large, your nose is tiny. You have sharp cheeks, long eyelashes, and large hands and feet.
[X] Additional Training
[X] Darkling Hunter (Paired)
[X] Additional Training
[X] Darkling Hunter (Paired)
- Location
- Straya
Inserted tally
Apprentice
- Location
- Straya
"I'll join."
Dagger nods, as though there had been no doubt. That morning, she rousts you out of bed, and begins drilling you again. Back, forward, blades dancing against one another. For the first time, though, she speaks more readily, more easily.
"We need to get you trained up. Normally we'd have time, but the Darklings are savaging trade, as well as our Lighthouse groups. We lost thirty on the last trip, and we're bleeding people. It's not sustainable, Eyes-That-Blind says."
"Eyes-That-Blind?"
"Glimpse. Some point he's making about his future sight blinding others or something. Not really sure. Smart man, though. Probably the closest thing the Guilds have to a leader."
"He's not on the Pit Expedition?"
Dagger barks out a short laugh.
"Glimpses? Are you insane? The closest a Glimpse will get to combat is seeing it in their future visions, and even that is a bit of a stretch."
It takes another full month, but Dagger brings in another man, a Bladebound. He's tall and muscled, a disjointed nose that looks like it's been broken once or twice dominating his face. Below it sits a pointed, well-groomed beard and mustache, and beside it are two startling green eyes. His arms are wrapped around a polearm with a hooked blade on the end, sitting across his shoulders. You know that's not how you're supposed to carry a weapon, but you're not exactly of a rank to speak up.
"Swallow, this is Jagged Edge. Don't mind the name, he's quite nice when you get to know him."
The man looks down at you with little interest.
"You say she has potential, Dagger?"
"Oh, she's bright enough. Works hard, though, and we've done precious little but train since she got here. I wouldn't call her especially talented-"
Your eyes sharpen and you glare at the other woman.
"-but she's hardly another Janissary."
He chuckles.
"Fair enough. You want me to train her to do.. what? Defend?"
"I'm a short blades specialist. Need you to train her against long blades, and get her a little more used to someone who won't hold back so much. When you're ready."
You look at her.
"When I'm ready?"
In an instant, Jagged Edge whirls his halberd down, and with it takes a step. Reality parts without protest, and before you can move the blunt end of his halberd has swept your legs from under you and you're on the ground.
"Up."
You stand, shortswords at the ready.
Again he moves, but this time you're prepared. You slice distance away yourself, moving closer - you know you need to get inside his guard with his long reach, but he pivots neatly and is suddenly behind you after two steps, and again you tumble to the floor. You wince - your thigh is going be bruised tomorrow.
"Very slow. I thought you said she wasn't another Janissary, Dagger?"
Dagger glares at him.
"That's a little too harsh, Jagged. She has no foundations or combat skills, of course, but she's a devoted student and I think she'll be fine."
Jagged Edge looks you up and down.
"Well, I'm here for three months. Dagger will be passing you off onto me, she has duties that have long gone unattended. I won't go easy on you, unlike your teacher here. She's notoriously friendly and easygoing-"
What. You've spent twelve grueling hours a day training, every day and that's easy? No. Your refuse to believe it.
"-but I am not. We will focus simply on the ability to kill and escape, two crucial things for any mageling who might be facing Darklings. At the end of the three months, you'll go out with our next group to the Yellow Lighthouse for a week, scouting ahead and hunting Darklings who might pose a threat. Understood?"
You can only nod.
"Good. Now, there are a few things I think might be worth focusing on before we finish up. What do you prefer?"
[ ] Improve Severing Distance
Right now you can move about half a metre. With three months of training, Jagged Edge believes he can increase that to around three-quarters of a metre, but more importantly increase the rate at which you are able to swing, making you travel more quickly as you become more accurate with each swipe.
[ ] Learn Blade Projection
Jagged Edge wields a halberd, he states, precisely because that's the best way to get really good range. He fights from afar most of the time, and this is his specialty. You won't have much power - your range will increase by thirty or forty centimetres, but even that can be very helpful in a fight. Combined with your distance trick, and you'll be able to dart in and out of combat highly effectively.
[ ] More Swordsmanship! More! MORE!
You don't care about magic right now. Those base skills of yours are going to be superb by the time you leave, and if you focus on nothing else they really can be. Magic can come later, right now you're all about getting to surpass normal human limits. By taking this option you'll reach the first stage of swordsmanship early, which is peak human. (You would ordinarily reach this at the end of your year's training).
The training is brutal and hard, as you expected it to be. After it, though, you're going to be sent on a mission. It's a while away, but if you pick now, you get to choose who you pair up with! Nobody is particularly happy to be shepherding an apprentice, but due to the fewer numbers of apprentices right now, you can at least pick.
[ ] Cloak of Memories, the Shaderunner
Clever and acerbic, Cloak of Memories is a perennial trainer for young Bladebound, as he teaches them to work with Shaderunners. If you get in trouble, you really can just run away and hide. Of course, he won't offer that much on a combat level, so you'll need to pick your battles wisely...
[ ] Jingles, the Spellthief
Jingles is a young woman who dresses like a carnival-goer, with facepaint and rainbow-dyed hair. Unpopular among her fellows, she is taking on this mission largely because she's low on spells and needs some money to purchase more. She's not happy to be there at all. However, if you get in real trouble, she has a large repertoire of magics to resolve the issue. Of course, if she has to use them she'll be angry...
[ ] Grand Axe, the Bladebound
Grand Axe is one year your senior, having just finished his training himself. A little better than you, he uses a large battleaxe, projecting it some distance. Powerful and powerfully-built, he's not very mobile, but very strong. Friendly and jovial, you get the distinct impression he's doing this to impress Dancing Dagger. In most fights, he'll be able to take enemies down fairly easily, but if you start losing, you could face real trouble...
Next turn will be the first expedition to the nearby Lighthouse.
Dagger nods, as though there had been no doubt. That morning, she rousts you out of bed, and begins drilling you again. Back, forward, blades dancing against one another. For the first time, though, she speaks more readily, more easily.
"We need to get you trained up. Normally we'd have time, but the Darklings are savaging trade, as well as our Lighthouse groups. We lost thirty on the last trip, and we're bleeding people. It's not sustainable, Eyes-That-Blind says."
"Eyes-That-Blind?"
"Glimpse. Some point he's making about his future sight blinding others or something. Not really sure. Smart man, though. Probably the closest thing the Guilds have to a leader."
"He's not on the Pit Expedition?"
Dagger barks out a short laugh.
"Glimpses? Are you insane? The closest a Glimpse will get to combat is seeing it in their future visions, and even that is a bit of a stretch."
It takes another full month, but Dagger brings in another man, a Bladebound. He's tall and muscled, a disjointed nose that looks like it's been broken once or twice dominating his face. Below it sits a pointed, well-groomed beard and mustache, and beside it are two startling green eyes. His arms are wrapped around a polearm with a hooked blade on the end, sitting across his shoulders. You know that's not how you're supposed to carry a weapon, but you're not exactly of a rank to speak up.
"Swallow, this is Jagged Edge. Don't mind the name, he's quite nice when you get to know him."
The man looks down at you with little interest.
"You say she has potential, Dagger?"
"Oh, she's bright enough. Works hard, though, and we've done precious little but train since she got here. I wouldn't call her especially talented-"
Your eyes sharpen and you glare at the other woman.
"-but she's hardly another Janissary."
He chuckles.
"Fair enough. You want me to train her to do.. what? Defend?"
"I'm a short blades specialist. Need you to train her against long blades, and get her a little more used to someone who won't hold back so much. When you're ready."
You look at her.
"When I'm ready?"
In an instant, Jagged Edge whirls his halberd down, and with it takes a step. Reality parts without protest, and before you can move the blunt end of his halberd has swept your legs from under you and you're on the ground.
"Up."
You stand, shortswords at the ready.
Again he moves, but this time you're prepared. You slice distance away yourself, moving closer - you know you need to get inside his guard with his long reach, but he pivots neatly and is suddenly behind you after two steps, and again you tumble to the floor. You wince - your thigh is going be bruised tomorrow.
"Very slow. I thought you said she wasn't another Janissary, Dagger?"
Dagger glares at him.
"That's a little too harsh, Jagged. She has no foundations or combat skills, of course, but she's a devoted student and I think she'll be fine."
Jagged Edge looks you up and down.
"Well, I'm here for three months. Dagger will be passing you off onto me, she has duties that have long gone unattended. I won't go easy on you, unlike your teacher here. She's notoriously friendly and easygoing-"
What. You've spent twelve grueling hours a day training, every day and that's easy? No. Your refuse to believe it.
"-but I am not. We will focus simply on the ability to kill and escape, two crucial things for any mageling who might be facing Darklings. At the end of the three months, you'll go out with our next group to the Yellow Lighthouse for a week, scouting ahead and hunting Darklings who might pose a threat. Understood?"
You can only nod.
"Good. Now, there are a few things I think might be worth focusing on before we finish up. What do you prefer?"
[ ] Improve Severing Distance
Right now you can move about half a metre. With three months of training, Jagged Edge believes he can increase that to around three-quarters of a metre, but more importantly increase the rate at which you are able to swing, making you travel more quickly as you become more accurate with each swipe.
[ ] Learn Blade Projection
Jagged Edge wields a halberd, he states, precisely because that's the best way to get really good range. He fights from afar most of the time, and this is his specialty. You won't have much power - your range will increase by thirty or forty centimetres, but even that can be very helpful in a fight. Combined with your distance trick, and you'll be able to dart in and out of combat highly effectively.
[ ] More Swordsmanship! More! MORE!
You don't care about magic right now. Those base skills of yours are going to be superb by the time you leave, and if you focus on nothing else they really can be. Magic can come later, right now you're all about getting to surpass normal human limits. By taking this option you'll reach the first stage of swordsmanship early, which is peak human. (You would ordinarily reach this at the end of your year's training).
The training is brutal and hard, as you expected it to be. After it, though, you're going to be sent on a mission. It's a while away, but if you pick now, you get to choose who you pair up with! Nobody is particularly happy to be shepherding an apprentice, but due to the fewer numbers of apprentices right now, you can at least pick.
[ ] Cloak of Memories, the Shaderunner
Clever and acerbic, Cloak of Memories is a perennial trainer for young Bladebound, as he teaches them to work with Shaderunners. If you get in trouble, you really can just run away and hide. Of course, he won't offer that much on a combat level, so you'll need to pick your battles wisely...
[ ] Jingles, the Spellthief
Jingles is a young woman who dresses like a carnival-goer, with facepaint and rainbow-dyed hair. Unpopular among her fellows, she is taking on this mission largely because she's low on spells and needs some money to purchase more. She's not happy to be there at all. However, if you get in real trouble, she has a large repertoire of magics to resolve the issue. Of course, if she has to use them she'll be angry...
[ ] Grand Axe, the Bladebound
Grand Axe is one year your senior, having just finished his training himself. A little better than you, he uses a large battleaxe, projecting it some distance. Powerful and powerfully-built, he's not very mobile, but very strong. Friendly and jovial, you get the distinct impression he's doing this to impress Dancing Dagger. In most fights, he'll be able to take enemies down fairly easily, but if you start losing, you could face real trouble...
Next turn will be the first expedition to the nearby Lighthouse.
InterstellarHobo
Cosmic Vagrant
- Location
- No Fixed Planetary System
Is it theoretically possible to carry people along on our teleports?
Obviously, not an option right now but being able to grab friends out of trouble would be a pretty good long term goal, and if it's a future option it may be an option worth building around to some degree.
I'm thinking
[X] Improve Severing Distance
[X] Grand Axe, the Bladebound
We act as a mobile foil for Grand Axe, can scout for him semi-safely to help keep things from going to shit, and if things go to shit anyways we have interdiction style to protect the DPS.
Obviously, not an option right now but being able to grab friends out of trouble would be a pretty good long term goal, and if it's a future option it may be an option worth building around to some degree.
I'm thinking
[X] Improve Severing Distance
[X] Grand Axe, the Bladebound
We act as a mobile foil for Grand Axe, can scout for him semi-safely to help keep things from going to shit, and if things go to shit anyways we have interdiction style to protect the DPS.
Barondoctor
The things I chase come to me.
- Location
- The other side of the mirror
- Pronouns
- He/His/Him
Time for vote analysis:
[ ]Improve Severing Distance
Improved speed and teleporting to better our Nightcrawler impression.
[ ]Learn Blade Projection
Allow us to improve our reach and be better able to hit and fade. Not impressively so, but a little.
[X] More Swordsmanship! More! MORE!
Fundamentals. This is where my predilection lies, but I need an answer to a question.
@occipitallobe : Assume a Peak-Mortal Swordsman. How well do they handle darklings? Is this a viable combat level to be on with our minimal tricks, or do we need more?
[X] Cloak of Memories, the Shaderunner
Pick your battles. There is no problem with bugging out if it's just the two of you. Lets you come back and try again as many times as you like until you can win--or lets you attrition your foes down. This is where my preference lies.
[ ] Jingles, the Spellthief
In case of emergency, break glass. Then have her pissed at us because we're not at that level.
[ ] Grand Axe, the Bladebound
Mighty Glacier. We could tag-team with him and play shield to his sword, anvil to his hammer. Him and Cloak of Memories are preferences 1 and 1A.
[ ]Improve Severing Distance
Improved speed and teleporting to better our Nightcrawler impression.
[ ]Learn Blade Projection
Allow us to improve our reach and be better able to hit and fade. Not impressively so, but a little.
[X] More Swordsmanship! More! MORE!
Fundamentals. This is where my predilection lies, but I need an answer to a question.
@occipitallobe : Assume a Peak-Mortal Swordsman. How well do they handle darklings? Is this a viable combat level to be on with our minimal tricks, or do we need more?
[X] Cloak of Memories, the Shaderunner
Pick your battles. There is no problem with bugging out if it's just the two of you. Lets you come back and try again as many times as you like until you can win--or lets you attrition your foes down. This is where my preference lies.
[ ] Jingles, the Spellthief
In case of emergency, break glass. Then have her pissed at us because we're not at that level.
[ ] Grand Axe, the Bladebound
Mighty Glacier. We could tag-team with him and play shield to his sword, anvil to his hammer. Him and Cloak of Memories are preferences 1 and 1A.
- Location
- Straya
Spinewolves are the weakest Darklings, you've learned, and their poison and regenerative capabilities differ greatly on their distance from a Lighthouse. A Spinewolf bathed in the glow of a Lighthouse is a threat, but a peak mortal swordsman could handle one without much too trouble, though two would be troublesome.
Halfway to the Pit, a peak mortal swordsman could handle one with difficulty, and within the Pit itself it might take five or six such swordsmen to handle a single Spinewolf without any losses.
Jagged Edge notes that nonetheless, Spinewolves are still dangerous near a Lighthouse. Their poison is not deadly, but even so you'll find yourself drastically weakened for days, if not weeks if you take a good hit, and three or four would tear even the finest swordsman alive apart.
Jagged Edge tells you that's it's possible, but you do need to carry them. He looks down at you from his additional foot and a half of height, then, and notes that that could be difficult for you. You're not very big.
ChildishChimera
A umbran summon
- Location
- New York
[X]Improve Severing Distance
[X] Cloak of Memories, the Shaderunner
[X] Cloak of Memories, the Shaderunner
- Location
- Germany
@occipitallobe
Which would be better for avoiding injuries during combat ?
Improving Serving Distance and thus our mobility or learning Blade Projections and thus improving our reach
Which would be better for avoiding injuries during combat ?
Improving Serving Distance and thus our mobility or learning Blade Projections and thus improving our reach
Barondoctor
The things I chase come to me.
- Location
- The other side of the mirror
- Pronouns
- He/His/Him
[X] More Swordsmanship! More! MORE!
Solid foundation makes us good at what we do and able to actually be able to handle the odd threat.
[X] Grand Axe, the Bladebound
We're more shield than sword and we need a sword.
Solid foundation makes us good at what we do and able to actually be able to handle the odd threat.
[X] Grand Axe, the Bladebound
We're more shield than sword and we need a sword.
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- Location
- scrabbling
[X] More Swordsmanship! More! MORE!
[X] Cloak of Memories, the Shaderunner
[X] Cloak of Memories, the Shaderunner
- Location
- USA
[X] More Swordsmanship! More! MORE!
[X] Grand Axe, the Bladebound
Actually I'm going to change to Grand Axe. I liked the Shaderunner because hes experienced and we could hopefuly get some contacts with Shaderunners.
But Grand Axe is a strong fighter so we can take on bigger threats. And as a Bladebound he could potentially show us some tricks of his own. And if things go really bad we still have the fate point in our back pocket, using it to win a tough fight wouldn't be a horrible use of it, especially if it increases our power early.
[X] Grand Axe, the Bladebound
Actually I'm going to change to Grand Axe. I liked the Shaderunner because hes experienced and we could hopefuly get some contacts with Shaderunners.
But Grand Axe is a strong fighter so we can take on bigger threats. And as a Bladebound he could potentially show us some tricks of his own. And if things go really bad we still have the fate point in our back pocket, using it to win a tough fight wouldn't be a horrible use of it, especially if it increases our power early.
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- Location
- Straya
Hey guys, sorry I've gone so long without an update - I've taken three separate falls in as many weeks (I'm not clumsy, I swear, I've fallen more in the last month than I have in the rest of my life combined), I'm on crutches and my wrists have been particularly unpleasant in bearing my weight (along with some lingering issues from hand surgery), so I've kept putting it off 'for a few days'. Things are improving moderately, though updates will still be slow - I'm going to try and get back to a pace of one a week now, assuming my absurdly terrible luck doesn't hold.
Thought I'd post that before doing the voting and updates.
Thought I'd post that before doing the voting and updates.
- Location
- Straya
Inserted tally
The First Patrol
- Location
- Straya
Jagged Edge trains you, though not any particular trick. Rather, in the months that follow you find yourself parrying blades, halberds, daggers from Dancing Dagger on occasion, and even thrown projectiles with relative ease. You can't quite manage arrows, but your skills improve at a dizzying rate, and for the first time Jagged Edge brings in other men - ordinary men - to face you.
"Facing men is nothing like facing Darklings."
You look at him, as he gestures them to come into the hall. Even now, you don't speak overmuch. He trains you, and you learn, and in between there is mostly silence. Dagger chattered as she trained, talking about this or that, but Jagged Edge has told you nothing of what has happened in the last few months in the Pit, although occasionally he does look particularly sour when it is mentioned.
"Then why have me face men?"
He pauses thoughtfully, running one hand down the side of his face.
"You need to understand your fellow man. How weak they are, how slow. How unskilled. Your magics make you naturally a prodigy at the blade, the sort that is only seen once a generation among all human beings. That is not to speak of the magic you hold as well. It comes easily to you, and your accomplishments in months rival what these men must take decades to accomplish. None can rival the combination of your youth and skill - without the assistance of the Lighthouse, it is a simple impossibility."
They look at you, a stripling of a girl, and move towards you warily. You have your blades, but they're wrapped to prevent any real injuries in the fight, and as you face the first one, you realise how slow he is. Not that he is strictly slower than you, but his movements don't reflect what he is doing, in a sense - his blades don't match his feet, and take precious moments to correct.
You move in towards him, reach, size, and strength all inferior. You block his blade with one of yours, twist, and send it flying. A moment later, your blade is at his throat.
"Again. Two."
Two men is something more of a challenge, but still, they cannot move together, and you flick their blades aside with ease, striking them so they turn aside, so that their feet are put the wrong way to their bodies and they are made easy prey.
"Again."
"Again."
"Again."
You fight for the remainder of the evening, and three days besides. At the end, you can face down seven men with ease, eight men with regularity, nine men most of the time, and even defeat ten on occasion. You cannot describe it, exactly, except to say that you can see how their intents and actions are mismatched, that their body does not naturally follow the form of their intent.
For another week he has them hunt you, moving about the halls and the training ground, trying to strike you while you cannot strike back. The longer you survive, the better, though you rarely see a smile on Edge's face. A single strike and you're out, and you need to start again.
"If you are hit once by a Darkling away from a Lighthouse, you will die. Unless you are particularly robust or lucky, or you have a Fleshcrafter nearby, or an Alchemist's potion of cleansing, you will die. Near a Lighthouse their poisons are weaker, and can be survived by almost anyone, but in the Pit a single drop of poison is near-certain death. A Spinewolf is a dangerous and difficult foe in the Pit, and even in the light of a Lighthouse they should not be underestimated."
Another session follows, and you defend yourself well, not taking a single hit for fifteen, and then twenty minutes.
Jagged Edge pronounces himself satisfied, stating "If you were taller and stronger perhaps we could seen you defeat more, but you have defended yourself well and that is the main thing."
It is the day after that that another man comes to your training session. He towers even over Jagged Edge, standing a full seven feet tall, and broader across the shoulders than you are tall. He carries a massive axe with some blades on the haft, and is dressed in what looks and smells like unwashed leather armor.
"Swallow, this is-"
"GRAAAAAND AXE!", the man shouts.
"...Grand Axe."
Jagged Edge looks particularly put-upon and grinds his teeth.
"You are aware he is to be your mentor for this expedition we are setting up. It will be simple - a weeklong expedition to the Yellow Lighthouse, wiping out any Spinewolves you see. You are not to engage anything larger, as you will die. If you get our new Bladebound killed, Grand Axe, I will make Dancing Dagger personally aware of your ineptitude."
The big man wilts almost instantly.
"Don't worry, I won't get her killed. She running interference?"
Jagged Edge shrugs.
"You are leading this little adventure. Work it out yourself. Take chits from the central repository, and head down to the quartermaster's building. Take what you think you'll need. Oh, and do try not to hog all the kills this time."
You get the distinct impression he doesn't like Grand Axe.
Grand Axe extends a hand, and you take it gingerly. He shakes it, and then gestures to you, running off like a great big puppy.
You follow him, out of breath keeping up, as he leads you down the hall, into a room, takes a handful of wooden coins engraved with something, and then races off again. Five minutes later, he takes you to a smaller building outside of the Guild, where there are all sorts of things - helmets, ropes, bags of food, everything an expedition might need. He stops at the door.
He turns to you, and suddenly realises he hasn't spoken yet.
"Hah! Sorry, mageling. I'm Grand Axe. Got caught up in my thoughts. We'll be heading out, killing a few Darklings, heading back. You'll be running interference, moving about, distracting them if necessary while I hit them from afar. I'll try and leave them to bleed out if you want to get a few kills, though with this beauty I carry it won't be easy. Anyway, anything you want to add to that? Jaggedy says you're 'barely acceptable', though from him that's actually praise."
Clear the Wolves Out [ ]
Sure, it's nice to increase your personal kill count, but the real objective here is to clear out the Spinewolves. If you let Grand Axe kill them rather than try and merely maim them, you'll be able to kill many more, much more quickly. You won't see any appreciable increase in personal power though, if at all. A riskier option.
Increase Your Kill Count [ ]
Ok, on one hand you want to kill some wolves, on the other, it's still important to ensure you clear some out. Ask Grand Axe to go through with his original plan, but also to work harder to ensure he leaves kills for you. Will see a minor increase in personal power (about two week's worth of power accretion), but less wolves will die - you might only kill half or a third as many overall. A riskier option.
Wreak Bloody Havoc [ ]
WILL CONSUME ONE FATE POINT.
Play It Safe [ ]
Sometimes what matters isn't killing all the wolves, it's surviving for another day. Kill those who come too close to the Lighthouse, take what kills you can, but don't take excessive risks. This is the original plan laid out by Grand Axe. No real increase in personal power.
"Hmm, well, I guess we can go with that. As long as you can handle it. Next..."
He tosses you a chit.
"Go buy yourself something useful."
You walk into the store, and after a little browing, note only a few things there that might be of use. You can only pick one, though, and Grand Axe notes that you'll need to either return it to the store (for credit) or to the Guild after your expedition.
[ ] Silken Rope and Grappling Hook
[ ] In-Depth Maps of the Area
[ ] Bulls-Eye Lantern
(The second vote doesn't really matter as much - occasionally I'll offer minor choices and items to help with any write-in strategies or notions you might want to come up with or discuss)
"Facing men is nothing like facing Darklings."
You look at him, as he gestures them to come into the hall. Even now, you don't speak overmuch. He trains you, and you learn, and in between there is mostly silence. Dagger chattered as she trained, talking about this or that, but Jagged Edge has told you nothing of what has happened in the last few months in the Pit, although occasionally he does look particularly sour when it is mentioned.
"Then why have me face men?"
He pauses thoughtfully, running one hand down the side of his face.
"You need to understand your fellow man. How weak they are, how slow. How unskilled. Your magics make you naturally a prodigy at the blade, the sort that is only seen once a generation among all human beings. That is not to speak of the magic you hold as well. It comes easily to you, and your accomplishments in months rival what these men must take decades to accomplish. None can rival the combination of your youth and skill - without the assistance of the Lighthouse, it is a simple impossibility."
They look at you, a stripling of a girl, and move towards you warily. You have your blades, but they're wrapped to prevent any real injuries in the fight, and as you face the first one, you realise how slow he is. Not that he is strictly slower than you, but his movements don't reflect what he is doing, in a sense - his blades don't match his feet, and take precious moments to correct.
You move in towards him, reach, size, and strength all inferior. You block his blade with one of yours, twist, and send it flying. A moment later, your blade is at his throat.
"Again. Two."
Two men is something more of a challenge, but still, they cannot move together, and you flick their blades aside with ease, striking them so they turn aside, so that their feet are put the wrong way to their bodies and they are made easy prey.
"Again."
"Again."
"Again."
You fight for the remainder of the evening, and three days besides. At the end, you can face down seven men with ease, eight men with regularity, nine men most of the time, and even defeat ten on occasion. You cannot describe it, exactly, except to say that you can see how their intents and actions are mismatched, that their body does not naturally follow the form of their intent.
For another week he has them hunt you, moving about the halls and the training ground, trying to strike you while you cannot strike back. The longer you survive, the better, though you rarely see a smile on Edge's face. A single strike and you're out, and you need to start again.
"If you are hit once by a Darkling away from a Lighthouse, you will die. Unless you are particularly robust or lucky, or you have a Fleshcrafter nearby, or an Alchemist's potion of cleansing, you will die. Near a Lighthouse their poisons are weaker, and can be survived by almost anyone, but in the Pit a single drop of poison is near-certain death. A Spinewolf is a dangerous and difficult foe in the Pit, and even in the light of a Lighthouse they should not be underestimated."
Another session follows, and you defend yourself well, not taking a single hit for fifteen, and then twenty minutes.
Jagged Edge pronounces himself satisfied, stating "If you were taller and stronger perhaps we could seen you defeat more, but you have defended yourself well and that is the main thing."
It is the day after that that another man comes to your training session. He towers even over Jagged Edge, standing a full seven feet tall, and broader across the shoulders than you are tall. He carries a massive axe with some blades on the haft, and is dressed in what looks and smells like unwashed leather armor.
"Swallow, this is-"
"GRAAAAAND AXE!", the man shouts.
"...Grand Axe."
Jagged Edge looks particularly put-upon and grinds his teeth.
"You are aware he is to be your mentor for this expedition we are setting up. It will be simple - a weeklong expedition to the Yellow Lighthouse, wiping out any Spinewolves you see. You are not to engage anything larger, as you will die. If you get our new Bladebound killed, Grand Axe, I will make Dancing Dagger personally aware of your ineptitude."
The big man wilts almost instantly.
"Don't worry, I won't get her killed. She running interference?"
Jagged Edge shrugs.
"You are leading this little adventure. Work it out yourself. Take chits from the central repository, and head down to the quartermaster's building. Take what you think you'll need. Oh, and do try not to hog all the kills this time."
You get the distinct impression he doesn't like Grand Axe.
Grand Axe extends a hand, and you take it gingerly. He shakes it, and then gestures to you, running off like a great big puppy.
You follow him, out of breath keeping up, as he leads you down the hall, into a room, takes a handful of wooden coins engraved with something, and then races off again. Five minutes later, he takes you to a smaller building outside of the Guild, where there are all sorts of things - helmets, ropes, bags of food, everything an expedition might need. He stops at the door.
He turns to you, and suddenly realises he hasn't spoken yet.
"Hah! Sorry, mageling. I'm Grand Axe. Got caught up in my thoughts. We'll be heading out, killing a few Darklings, heading back. You'll be running interference, moving about, distracting them if necessary while I hit them from afar. I'll try and leave them to bleed out if you want to get a few kills, though with this beauty I carry it won't be easy. Anyway, anything you want to add to that? Jaggedy says you're 'barely acceptable', though from him that's actually praise."
Clear the Wolves Out [ ]
Sure, it's nice to increase your personal kill count, but the real objective here is to clear out the Spinewolves. If you let Grand Axe kill them rather than try and merely maim them, you'll be able to kill many more, much more quickly. You won't see any appreciable increase in personal power though, if at all. A riskier option.
Increase Your Kill Count [ ]
Ok, on one hand you want to kill some wolves, on the other, it's still important to ensure you clear some out. Ask Grand Axe to go through with his original plan, but also to work harder to ensure he leaves kills for you. Will see a minor increase in personal power (about two week's worth of power accretion), but less wolves will die - you might only kill half or a third as many overall. A riskier option.
Wreak Bloody Havoc [ ]
WILL CONSUME ONE FATE POINT.
Play It Safe [ ]
Sometimes what matters isn't killing all the wolves, it's surviving for another day. Kill those who come too close to the Lighthouse, take what kills you can, but don't take excessive risks. This is the original plan laid out by Grand Axe. No real increase in personal power.
"Hmm, well, I guess we can go with that. As long as you can handle it. Next..."
He tosses you a chit.
"Go buy yourself something useful."
You walk into the store, and after a little browing, note only a few things there that might be of use. You can only pick one, though, and Grand Axe notes that you'll need to either return it to the store (for credit) or to the Guild after your expedition.
[ ] Silken Rope and Grappling Hook
[ ] In-Depth Maps of the Area
[ ] Bulls-Eye Lantern
(The second vote doesn't really matter as much - occasionally I'll offer minor choices and items to help with any write-in strategies or notions you might want to come up with or discuss)