The Lost Files (C:TL/Dresden Files) (CK2-ish)
- Thread starter The Laurent
- Start date
- Location
- somewhere over there.
- Pronouns
- They/It
Do they take people who aren't vanilla humans? 'Cause if one of them steals the wrong person, it could end pretty badly for everyone.
Absolutely, if unlikely. Mostly by raw probability.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Also to note, there's no rule 'Most scary people become most scary Changelings.' Like, Arcadia isn't a 10-week weight-loss seminar. Hell, sometimes Gentry take away impressive people just to watch them break and become shambling wrecks.
Also, this might not apply to Wizards/Dresden-files stuff, but Mages are never, ever seen again, and can't become Changelings. Nor can (nwod) vampires, etc.
But honestly, it's been three weeks. Someone's been taken away by now. I mean, people around the world are disappearing/being replaced by Fetches, it's just not anything you can do anything about. Hell, it isn't anything you can even know about, a lot of the time.
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Noxious
An excellent host
- Location
- South Africa
[X] Take a seat, and maintain a poker face
-[X] She is a wizard then? Warn her about the Hedge, if she could indeed access it. The thorns are not kind to souls, and those who call themselves the Wise do like to overestimate the scope of their protections and understanding.
-[X] Now, could Lillian complete her sentence this time?
Bandwagon, get on it.
-[X] She is a wizard then? Warn her about the Hedge, if she could indeed access it. The thorns are not kind to souls, and those who call themselves the Wise do like to overestimate the scope of their protections and understanding.
-[X] Now, could Lillian complete her sentence this time?
Bandwagon, get on it.
Well, for Fae kidnapping, yeah. The main thing there is make sure they blame the right people, not mistake us for the kidnappers because they see Changelings in the Hedge.
For crossing the Hedge without an escort capable of keeping the thorns off them(like a band of powerful changelings or Gentry), IIRC it works like so:
-Mages - The Hedge's thorns are more than physical in the harm they inflict, and will tear away bits of their Awakened soul. By the time they get anywhere, they'd have lost enough of their soul that they'd be a vanilla human, and then if they escape, they'd be a changeling, no other magic at all. They could of course, force things and drag it out with their magic, but almost everything that keeps the Hedge off them is Vulgar and then it's a choice between soul loss and Paradox death. Also the Hedge is a cheating bastard and changes the roads behind where you travel
-Werewolves - Similar to Mages, except it tears away at their human bits and leave them feral beasts.
-Vampires - The Hedge is hungry for blood and will drain their Vitae away. After that, vampires without Vitae don't really last long even in a friendly environment.
Specifics may vary of course, but the general idea is:
-You aren't going to wind up with a dual template no matter what.
-The Hedge is a dick even if you have the Wyrd to set your ground rules, and is an utter bastard if you don't.
-With variable geography, and no ability to open Hedge gates, any journey can be a one way trip.
-If you enter the Hedge, you'd damned well be part of a Changeling war party.
[X] Take a seat, and maintain a poker face
-[X] She is a wizard then? Warn her about the Hedge, if she could indeed access it. The thorns are not kind to souls, and those who call themselves the Wise do like to overestimate the scope of their protections and understanding.
-[X] Now, could Lillian complete her sentence this time?
-[X] She is a wizard then? Warn her about the Hedge, if she could indeed access it. The thorns are not kind to souls, and those who call themselves the Wise do like to overestimate the scope of their protections and understanding.
-[X] Now, could Lillian complete her sentence this time?
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Yeah, one advantage that you'll have is that, for all the Hedge is a goddamn nightmare, it's *your* nightmare, and it's home territory that other groups have to struggle to enter, let alone conquer.
- Location
- Somewhere!
- Pronouns
- She/Her
You know those little hideyholes that people can make in the Hedge? With dilation and other ameneties?
Any chance we could get like, enough of those for the freehold to duck into in case of Necromancers taking over the city for a night, or the Winter Court showing up, or Outsiders or something?
It seems prudent to have bunkers.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
The Hollows don't have the dilation, that's a single Contract that does have some real downsides, some of which are very notable. But as far as Hollows go, there are quite a few in the Hedge, and so a large portion could indeed live/hide out in the Hedge.
Like, let me use Kansas City for an example. Thousand Trods 'tree-top mega-Hollow'[1] could hold, like, half the entire Freehold if you wanted to turn it into a refugee camp, or even all if you were willing to basically turn the beautiful, vast, ranging court-center of the greatest Freehold in the midwest and perhaps America into basically a squatter village. And there are more Hollows where that comes from.
[1] You know the one? Or maybe you don't.
Probably could, but barring something like evacuating from a Darkhallow, hiding out in the Hedge is even more dangerous than what you're fleeing if you spend long enough.
Also, as already pointed out, the Hedge is tearing open to reach the Nevernever. It'd be closer to say...familiar jungle territory than the previous exclusive, if hostile domain eventually. They can cross over, but those creatures familiar with the Nevernever also know some degree of narrative-based navigation and probably won't be completely helpless.
Also, as already pointed out, the Hedge is tearing open to reach the Nevernever. It'd be closer to say...familiar jungle territory than the previous exclusive, if hostile domain eventually. They can cross over, but those creatures familiar with the Nevernever also know some degree of narrative-based navigation and probably won't be completely helpless.
- Location
- Tarn-Vedra
[X] Take a seat, and maintain a poker face.
-[X] She is a wizard then? Warn her about the Hedge, if she could indeed access it. The thorns are not kind to souls, and those who call themselves the Wise do like to overestimate the scope of their protections and understanding.
-[X] Now, could Lillian complete her sentence this time?
-[X] She is a wizard then? Warn her about the Hedge, if she could indeed access it. The thorns are not kind to souls, and those who call themselves the Wise do like to overestimate the scope of their protections and understanding.
-[X] Now, could Lillian complete her sentence this time?
Sworl
Sparky
I am surprised that only one wizard was present given they assumed that they were dealing with an old, powerful and consequently cunning Black Court vampire.
A thing to consider is that most of the beings that inhabit the Nevernever have neither souls nor humanity and likely would be no more inconvienced by the Hedge if they entered, than your average Goblin would be.
Outright immortals are even less likely to be hampered, given that their static, immutable natures cannot be altered by the Hedges thorns.
I do wonder what these 'tears' are about though. When opening doors/connections between locations on Earth and in the Nevernever, metaphysical resonance chiefly determines what on oneside can be connected to what on the other.
Do these Hedge tears follow a similar pattern or are they completely random in where they open to.
The latter would be a very bad thing as at best people could wind up stranded in a part of the Nevernever that is as metaphysically distant from earth as the stars in the sky.
At worst things that are as metaphysically distant from earth (and the at least somewhat comprehensible spirits & monsters that haunt it) as the stars in the sky might come through the tears into the Hedge. Keep in mind that in theory, through the Nevernever one could access Heaven, Hell and everything inbetween.
A thing to consider is that most of the beings that inhabit the Nevernever have neither souls nor humanity and likely would be no more inconvienced by the Hedge if they entered, than your average Goblin would be.
Outright immortals are even less likely to be hampered, given that their static, immutable natures cannot be altered by the Hedges thorns.
I do wonder what these 'tears' are about though. When opening doors/connections between locations on Earth and in the Nevernever, metaphysical resonance chiefly determines what on oneside can be connected to what on the other.
Do these Hedge tears follow a similar pattern or are they completely random in where they open to.
The latter would be a very bad thing as at best people could wind up stranded in a part of the Nevernever that is as metaphysically distant from earth as the stars in the sky.
At worst things that are as metaphysically distant from earth (and the at least somewhat comprehensible spirits & monsters that haunt it) as the stars in the sky might come through the tears into the Hedge. Keep in mind that in theory, through the Nevernever one could access Heaven, Hell and everything inbetween.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
I wouldn't be so sure of this, depending on how you would define 'altered.'
Considering vampires and spirits in the Hedge...not at all. Unless their nature itself is a fit for the Hedge, it would not be at all fun or beneficial for them.
Sworl
Sparky
Altered means changed which kind of goes against the whole principle of DF immortality.
The general rules with regard to the binding and immutable nature of immortal's Mantles and all the limitations and restrictions that come with them is pretty important in setting for a number of reasons. Especially with the more powerful immortal beings.
Frankly making such power so easily mallable would create as many complications both narratively and in setting from the DF side of things; as would - I don't know, making high level DF fae capable of messing with the Wyrd once they find out about it maybe?
A problem with crossovers is that what in one setting might not be all that remarkable, could be quite extraordinary in the other and have dangerous far reaching consequences.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
At the same time, DF Immortals have been shown to be able to be harmed, even if they're only killable one day of the year. Harm is by its very nature a *sort* of alteration.
If I chop off your arms and legs, you have been altered. And also killed, but eh.
If DF Immortals truly were unalterable, than they wouldn't be able to be harmed in any way whatsoever under any circumstances.
You're right that their *nature* is unalterable. Fixed as the north star and all of that.
Of course, if you don't have a soul, thorns can't eat your soul, so there's that.
If I chop off your arms and legs, you have been altered. And also killed, but eh.
If DF Immortals truly were unalterable, than they wouldn't be able to be harmed in any way whatsoever under any circumstances.
You're right that their *nature* is unalterable. Fixed as the north star and all of that.
Of course, if you don't have a soul, thorns can't eat your soul, so there's that.
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Remember they cannot change, but this does not equate to unchangeable. A Fae Lady in DF who is slain the usual way merely passes the mantle down to the next successor, and the same would apply if altered into a form incapable of bearing the mantle.
The Mantle need not change, but the host of it sure as hell could.
The Mantle need not change, but the host of it sure as hell could.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Please do vote, vote'll close tonight or tomorrow morning.
- Location
- Daybreak
Plan Veekie is gonna win by default if there's not 6 counter votes.
deadcrystal
Slaaneshi Cultist
- Location
- The Warp
Sworl
Sparky
Isn't this something of an apples and oranges comparison?
Remember that OWoD ghosts are not prone to any of the weaknesses or limitations that DF ghosts are bound by. In fact relative to DF ghosts and DF spirits in general they are almost brokenly unrestricted and strong.
So does it necessarily follow that the rules and weaknesses that apply to OWoD vampires and spirits with regard to the Hedge, must also apply to the spirits of the Nevernever?
Ghost to Ghost, Part 3
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Ghost to Ghost, Part 3
[X] Take a seat, and maintain a poker face.
-[X] She is a wizard then? Warn her about the Hedge, if she could indeed access it. The thorns are not kind to souls, and those who call themselves the Wise do like to overestimate the scope of their protections and understanding.
-[X] Now, could Lillian complete her sentence this time?
Cora Graves was not afraid. In fact, fear was the farthest thing from her mind at the moment. In fact, what she felt more than anything else was frustration and annoyance. This 'Wizard' was threatening her, and it was such a frustrating half-measure. She'd given up any element of surprise and potentially spoiled any negotiation.
It was a half measure, and Cora Graves thought she saw weakness. In fact, he suspected that's all it was. There were people who acted in certain ways for reasons both moral and personal, and there were people who clung to their own delusions.
One type she could respect, even if she knew that ultimately the things that needed doing had little to do with morality. But this girl here, who couldn't have been much older than twenty-one, seemed as if she was acting this way because of constraints, expectations, and little else.
However powerful she might have been--and here Cora had no easy guide and no examples--she was clearly not experienced. She tensed, but did nothing as Cora walked to a pew and settled down, brushing off her lap as she did. Jeanne circled around to stand near her, glaring this way and that, a pout on her lips, and Cora allowed herself the slightest smile.
Jacques still stood at the ready, ready for death. But Cora wasn't afraid, because she had a measure of what this Wizard would do and wouldn't. She wouldn't attack, not yet. She needed in some way to reassure herself, to fit this all into something that made sense.
Self-defense, or an eminent threat, not a woman walking over to sit down facing halfway away from her.
Lillian bit her lip as Cora turned slightly to look at the Wizard.
"So you are a wizard. If you indeed have access to the Hedge, then I suppose you should be warned. The Rips do not seem to be stable, and the thorns are not kind to one's soul. They rip," Cora said, and she allowed herself to sound as matter-of-fact as she felt, "They tear at the very soul itself, leaving nothing more than tatters to those who do not know its ways."
"I know that those of you who think themselves Wise, who think that their Will can work miracles, tend to have a certain attitude to secrets and mysteries."
The wizard frowned, and she said, "There is something there, I suppose. It's been commented on often enough." She stepped forward, lowering her hand a little, "But are you warning me or threatening me?"
"There are a few things more dangerous than I in the Hedge," Cora said, absently, as if bored. "I suspect that those who enter without the proper knowledge and protection will find themselves seriously harmed, perhaps permenantly. It is not a safe place, and the protections and knowledge that your kind--"
And even if these Wizards shared no rules with Mages, the spirit of arrogance and certainty--as if they had a right to be certain considering how much Cora knew[1] that they didn't--was likely the same.
"Possess will not be enough. I would warn anyone you could to stay out, at least until you have more knowledge."
"And will you be providing that knowledge?" the wizard asked, raising her eyebrow.
Cora ignored her, as Jeanne stuck out her tongue. "Now, Lillian, could you please finish your sentence."
"You were rather threatening last time we met. You walk around with ghosts, you were, or so I thought, a Black Court vampire. A necromancer of some type, though Gab said that even if you were, only humans could be punished for a violation, and ghosts didn't count. I thought that was deeply troubling, but--"
"The Law is what the Law is," the newly named Gab said, "I don't make it, and I'm not one to enforce it, in any matter. Not that it matters, you aren't human, and I have seen no evidence that you have magic."
It was as much a dare as a statement, and Cora could guess that she was fishing for more information. Now, she was a proud woman, and the challenge did nettle her slightly, but as well she was someone who knew how to take her time. She knew that rising to the challenge of fools left one in their company and nothing more.
"So," Cora said, and she could have smiled at the way the wizard tensed and looked stung by what she said next, "Lillian, as you were saying, you felt nervous and looked for hidden backup. Which, as it were, was unnecessary, and also rather pointless."
"Pointless?"
"If you wanted backup, you should have hired a team, and found a better hiding place," Cora said. "Very unprofessional."
"She's a wizard," Lillian said, "They're powerful, and she's the only one I know in this city that'd give me time of day."
So there was more than one. It was remarkable, the things people said when they assumed that they weren't saying anything at all. The fact that Gab, likely short for Gabriella, and said 'I'm not one to enforce it' implied that there was a group of magical law enforcement officers that in some way regulated these matters. Moreover, the emphasis on doing magic and on humanity implied that in some way it was limited to human magic users, which did create an interesting question.
To be human or not to be human. In the long-term, it wasn't particularly a choice. Information would come out, and depending on what the definitions were, Changelings either would be counted or wouldn't be counted. In the short term, however, advantage or disadvantage could come with the definition.
"I would give you the time of day," Cora Graves said drily, "It's currently twelve-thirty central time, for instance."
Gab let out an unwilling chuckle and then glared.
"So, how has the Sin-Eater business been proceeding?"
"Fine, fine, just...the other day," Lillian said, then trailed off, uncertainly.
Well, well.
What conversations does Cora follow up on? (Choose 3)
[] The Laws of Magic.
[] Magical Police.
[] Wizard Organization.
[] Gab herself.
[] How is Human Defined?
[] 'The other day, huh?'
*****
A/N: Alright, so!
[X] Take a seat, and maintain a poker face.
-[X] She is a wizard then? Warn her about the Hedge, if she could indeed access it. The thorns are not kind to souls, and those who call themselves the Wise do like to overestimate the scope of their protections and understanding.
-[X] Now, could Lillian complete her sentence this time?
Cora Graves was not afraid. In fact, fear was the farthest thing from her mind at the moment. In fact, what she felt more than anything else was frustration and annoyance. This 'Wizard' was threatening her, and it was such a frustrating half-measure. She'd given up any element of surprise and potentially spoiled any negotiation.
It was a half measure, and Cora Graves thought she saw weakness. In fact, he suspected that's all it was. There were people who acted in certain ways for reasons both moral and personal, and there were people who clung to their own delusions.
One type she could respect, even if she knew that ultimately the things that needed doing had little to do with morality. But this girl here, who couldn't have been much older than twenty-one, seemed as if she was acting this way because of constraints, expectations, and little else.
However powerful she might have been--and here Cora had no easy guide and no examples--she was clearly not experienced. She tensed, but did nothing as Cora walked to a pew and settled down, brushing off her lap as she did. Jeanne circled around to stand near her, glaring this way and that, a pout on her lips, and Cora allowed herself the slightest smile.
Jacques still stood at the ready, ready for death. But Cora wasn't afraid, because she had a measure of what this Wizard would do and wouldn't. She wouldn't attack, not yet. She needed in some way to reassure herself, to fit this all into something that made sense.
Self-defense, or an eminent threat, not a woman walking over to sit down facing halfway away from her.
Lillian bit her lip as Cora turned slightly to look at the Wizard.
"So you are a wizard. If you indeed have access to the Hedge, then I suppose you should be warned. The Rips do not seem to be stable, and the thorns are not kind to one's soul. They rip," Cora said, and she allowed herself to sound as matter-of-fact as she felt, "They tear at the very soul itself, leaving nothing more than tatters to those who do not know its ways."
"I know that those of you who think themselves Wise, who think that their Will can work miracles, tend to have a certain attitude to secrets and mysteries."
The wizard frowned, and she said, "There is something there, I suppose. It's been commented on often enough." She stepped forward, lowering her hand a little, "But are you warning me or threatening me?"
"There are a few things more dangerous than I in the Hedge," Cora said, absently, as if bored. "I suspect that those who enter without the proper knowledge and protection will find themselves seriously harmed, perhaps permenantly. It is not a safe place, and the protections and knowledge that your kind--"
And even if these Wizards shared no rules with Mages, the spirit of arrogance and certainty--as if they had a right to be certain considering how much Cora knew[1] that they didn't--was likely the same.
"Possess will not be enough. I would warn anyone you could to stay out, at least until you have more knowledge."
"And will you be providing that knowledge?" the wizard asked, raising her eyebrow.
Cora ignored her, as Jeanne stuck out her tongue. "Now, Lillian, could you please finish your sentence."
"You were rather threatening last time we met. You walk around with ghosts, you were, or so I thought, a Black Court vampire. A necromancer of some type, though Gab said that even if you were, only humans could be punished for a violation, and ghosts didn't count. I thought that was deeply troubling, but--"
"The Law is what the Law is," the newly named Gab said, "I don't make it, and I'm not one to enforce it, in any matter. Not that it matters, you aren't human, and I have seen no evidence that you have magic."
It was as much a dare as a statement, and Cora could guess that she was fishing for more information. Now, she was a proud woman, and the challenge did nettle her slightly, but as well she was someone who knew how to take her time. She knew that rising to the challenge of fools left one in their company and nothing more.
"So," Cora said, and she could have smiled at the way the wizard tensed and looked stung by what she said next, "Lillian, as you were saying, you felt nervous and looked for hidden backup. Which, as it were, was unnecessary, and also rather pointless."
"Pointless?"
"If you wanted backup, you should have hired a team, and found a better hiding place," Cora said. "Very unprofessional."
"She's a wizard," Lillian said, "They're powerful, and she's the only one I know in this city that'd give me time of day."
So there was more than one. It was remarkable, the things people said when they assumed that they weren't saying anything at all. The fact that Gab, likely short for Gabriella, and said 'I'm not one to enforce it' implied that there was a group of magical law enforcement officers that in some way regulated these matters. Moreover, the emphasis on doing magic and on humanity implied that in some way it was limited to human magic users, which did create an interesting question.
To be human or not to be human. In the long-term, it wasn't particularly a choice. Information would come out, and depending on what the definitions were, Changelings either would be counted or wouldn't be counted. In the short term, however, advantage or disadvantage could come with the definition.
"I would give you the time of day," Cora Graves said drily, "It's currently twelve-thirty central time, for instance."
Gab let out an unwilling chuckle and then glared.
"So, how has the Sin-Eater business been proceeding?"
"Fine, fine, just...the other day," Lillian said, then trailed off, uncertainly.
Well, well.
What conversations does Cora follow up on? (Choose 3)
[] The Laws of Magic.
[] Magical Police.
[] Wizard Organization.
[] Gab herself.
[] How is Human Defined?
[] 'The other day, huh?'
*****
Composure: 3 successes
Persuasion: 1 successes
Composure 2: 1 successes
Socialize: 2 successes
Persuasion: 1 successes
Composure 2: 1 successes
Socialize: 2 successes
A/N: Alright, so!
dpara
slightly confused ascendant
argak, I want to ask everything.
[] The Laws of Magic.
[X] Magical Police.
[X] Wizard Organization.
[] Gab herself.
[X] How is Human Defined?
Gonna go with this, and maybe it end with a soulgaze.. though it would be funny if it's gonna between Jeanne and Gab xD.
[] The Laws of Magic.
[X] Magical Police.
[X] Wizard Organization.
[] Gab herself.
[X] How is Human Defined?
Gonna go with this, and maybe it end with a soulgaze.. though it would be funny if it's gonna between Jeanne and Gab xD.
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- Location
- Daybreak
[] Wizard Organization.
[X] Magical Police.
[X] The Laws of Magic.
[X] How is Human Defined?
Hmm... Changeies can use Wiz... So we need to know if we're under their rules, or at least what those rules are... ... Wiz Org... No... I'd rather her know what the cops look like than the rest of the White Council... Unless we get a Senior Councilwizard in... And we don't know who they are... Then my choices have screwed us?
[X] Magical Police.
[X] The Laws of Magic.
[X] How is Human Defined?
Hmm... Changeies can use Wiz... So we need to know if we're under their rules, or at least what those rules are... ... Wiz Org... No... I'd rather her know what the cops look like than the rest of the White Council... Unless we get a Senior Councilwizard in... And we don't know who they are... Then my choices have screwed us?