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Traces of Veils [Fallen London/Arknights]
- Thread starter thenew
- Start date
- Crossover
- Location
- a place without enough snow
[X] Plan: An Unbroken Figure, Waiting in the Snow, Herr Version
[X] Visit Mr Apples
[X] Visit Mr Apples
[X] Plan: Smiling Amnesiac
[X] Visit Mr Cards
[X] Visit Mr Cards
Vote closed
Turn 3
thenew
#1 Masters of the Bazaar Fan
- Location
- My Lodgings
[X] Plan: An Unbroken Figure, Waiting in the Snow, Herr Version
-[X] Male
- [X] Scars.
-[X] A visible expression.
-[X] Weathered.
-[X] Resilient.
-[X] Kjeragian.
-[X] A through work.
-[X] Full of life.
-[X] Absinthe-Marked.
[X] Visit Mr Apples
-[X] Male
- [X] Scars.
-[X] A visible expression.
-[X] Weathered.
-[X] Resilient.
-[X] Kjeragian.
-[X] A through work.
-[X] Full of life.
-[X] Absinthe-Marked.
[X] Visit Mr Apples
You navigate through the ways of the Bazaar, climbing through stairs and passing through the wide arches of your employer's interiors, ignoring the few neddy men who pace around in one errand or another. They huddle and cower at your passing, but you ignore them.
They are afraid. Despite working so close to you and your fellows for quite some time- a matter of years in some cases, perhaps- they are still afraid.
You do not think any of those will ever cease being so.
It is better if they cease blocking your path with their frozen, frightened forms. And as such, you simply step into the shadows. They will not fear what they cannot realize is there.
Continuing your path unimpeded, you silently curse the distances between your spires.
You pass through the outer parts of the Bazaar for a shortcut. On your way, you hear the heavy footsteps of two Clay Men. Jasper and Frank come through a hallway, carrying an enormous lockbox. They give you a sideways glance and offer you passage, but do not show anything else.
Oh well.
You proceed onwards. It would be far simpler if you could simply fly through its window, but you know it keeps them locked and reinforced- lest the occasional experiment make an escape through them.
That, and it would be a breach of decorum to barrel through in that manner. Things have changed since you first came here, since you left the High Wilderness. Now, even you must respect such things.
Ah, here it is.
You do not bother climbing the twisted stairways that will lead you to your destination. There is an elevator.
Most of the ones you've seen so far are shoddy things, creaking and buckling beneath your weight. This one was a creation of Fires- for all your dislike of it, you must admit it was competent in its designs.
You finish ascending. The door opens, you find yourself where you wanted to be.
The House of Chimes begins to sound. Once, twice and so on. You knock on the door to your colleague's spire- and after a muffled "come in," you slip inside.
Mr. Apples, or perhaps Hearts, sits hunched over a wooden table covered in plants and flowers. It is humming a jovial little tune to itself as it traces a claw along the edge of a hyacinth blossom.
"Ah! You came." it says, delighted. It puts the vase it was cradling aside, and offers you a chair. It is dressed on one of its best robes, this one in the color of scarlet, and given by the stains and certain scents you can pick up on it, is reinforced against even the most fearsome of acids. Over it, Apples has put a large white apron.
The table is set for two- alongside the creeping vines and enormous blooms are several plates chock full of meat, alongside numerous bottles of airag, wine both of the Surface variety and of the mushroom sort.
The smell of pollen and perfume utterly suffuses the room, but it is not as overpowering as the smell of the meat in front of you. You have the feeling those were not purchased at any butchery. The contours of the bones, the pathways of flesh- they are unnatural. Molded by Apples' own claws into a more pleasing shape, into something far more delightful.
You take your seat. Apples walks away from the room, returning with a wicker basket, and… a tray.
"I had almost forgotten."
You spare a glance at the basket, and its selection of fruit. There are pears, apples, plums, and even some peaches.
Come to think of it, you haven't had those in a while.
What is in the tray?
"Muffins!"
And so, dinner goes by without much fanfare. You remain somewhat silent throughout it, as Apples rambles excitedly about some nearest fanciful innovation or another, or questions you on some matter you are not nearly as interested in as it expected you to be.
Your answers are curt and direct. You are not in the mood for that much small talk, today.
And the reason Apples called you here is quite a reason. It wishes to discuss a personal project of its own. It provided you with a few details, but not many.
With the Knife and Candle leagues closed once again after Iron's latest foul mood, there are a large number of profoundly bored players around London. They have been making do with the lesser, informal leagues and by simply stabbing each other to death in the fighting rings or in the Black Ribbon's little games… but they all remark that it is just not the same.
And it sees an opportunity in this. For this, it wishes to introduce a new game, of its own make.
"What do you think of… Heart's Game? Simple, but it does have a ring to it."
"LESS. CATCHY." you snarl out, before pausing to think. Appearance is important.
Apples spares a glance at a locked window as absentmindedly takes on to gnaw on a meatless bone. It then offers you a plate full of... something you can't quite recognize, with a gesture of its hand. It is gant in coloration, and the shapes are wholly unfamiliar.
You take a bite.
It is quite good, as usual. You are still incapable of properly recognizing the shape, or even the flavor, but you think it isn't bad. You continue your meal, and find yourself being eased into the conversation. It might be something in the food- words come more easily to you, and you feel less inclined towards silence.
Yes, it is certainly something in the food. Its delighted smile as you chomp down an indistinct chunk of flesh certainly proves so.
That and ...the scents of the room even feel more vivid. The air is suffused with more than pollen as well. Unsubtle, but if it works it works.
"Veils." says Apples. "What I want is… quite simple, you see. This is more than entertainment, but it has to be that as well! I do not believe there is any amongst us that can give me what I want, outside of you."
You understand.
"HUNT."
"Yes. They won't be satisfied with anything boring, will they? And you know what they want. Iron wouldn't ever help me on this, but you… you would, wouldn't you?"
A hunt of poison, it details, excitedly. A hunt of poison and delight. It will hook the craftiest of poisoners, the cleverer of killers, the shattering forces of London- those with a reputation. It will pit them against targets, and keep them hooked- watching as they devise new poisons, new tactics, new methods of inflicting all sorts of toxicological deaths, an arms race of noxious advancement to compete with one another.
It asks what you think of it. You think it is rather boring. Too... much of a game, for your tastes. It asks what might be done to improve it.
With soft comments and offers of food, Apples coaxes you into giving more slightly complete answers to its questionings, and into making questions of its own. Who is it planning to bring? What measures are to be in place to prevent violations of the rules?
Apples pokes and prods you, and you allow it to do so- the food really is good enough to make the annoyance worth it.
It has already scouted some of the correct people for the other half of the game. Crafty, elusive, intelligent, but the most important part- all very similar. Similar heights, weights, appearances, even similar habits and vices. The perfect targets for its game.
As it finishes Apples talking about its game, it details what exactly wants you to help it with. In exchange for some concessions when it comes to your conclaves- a vote here, a favorable argument or a provoked discussion there- it wishes you to sharpen the fangs of this scheme. Only you, it says, will know exactly what it takes to create the perfectly addictive sort of hunt.
"Within limits, of course. This is to be a game of poison above all. A toxicological experiment on an unseen scale! What do you say, my friend?"
You mull it over for a while. Your ears catch the sound of agonized whimpering coming from above- likely one of its experiments. And then you have an idea.
"SKIN."
"Hm?"
"SKINS. ALL SKINS." you spit out, before adjusting your voice. "IT IS… SIMPLE. I wish for… the rights to all skin produced by your butcheries, and a complete forfeiture of the trade of leather for five years. I will purchase any associated enterprises at market price."
An outrageous bargain. But Apples grins behind its red cloak, and lowers its cowl to allow you a glance into its eyes.
"One year. And no purchase. My enterprises can adapt."
"Seven. Seven years, if you want no purchase."
"Well, they can't adapt that far. One year, no purchase, and you get two extra votes on your support." it offers.
"Four, and one vote." you propose.
"I will continue to insist in one year. It is far too much for some advice." it counters.
"You do not value my advice high enough." you say.
From there, you haggle the night away. At some point, the plates are all empty, and your bottles have run dry. Neither of you can accept this, you are yet to be finished. You order the neddy men to bring more wine, more food, both of you are too far gone to be picky.
You discuss all sorts of things. It remarks on your hunting form, on your wingspan, and makes notes of you like it has done many times before. You snarl and toss a bottle of Greyfields 1882- utterly trash sort of wine, but it was cheap and it was there- across the room. It hits something red and full of sores, and Apples blinks. You ask it silently if this creature was meant to escape. The answer is no. You kill it and move on.
At the end of the night, you are both in no condition to speak at all. It leaves with a bundle of notes spread over the ground. A series of instructions, explained by you and annotated by Apples, on the particulars of a good hunt.
The chase, the disappointment of an escaped quarry, the many particulars of random chance that might affect the final outcome. Lessons written in bone, and who may be soaked in poison soon.
It displeases you that direct harm is not to be allowed- but you eventually convince Hearts otherwise. You sow rumours of something you have heard of from your sources in the University- that a certain laboratory has discovered a particular sort of poison- Parabolan in nature- that prevents injuries from regenerating properly, that makes them regenerate wrongly.
After that, it is easy to bargain it from "no injury is to be allowed" to "stabbing your foe with a hidden knife is a perfectly acceptable means of administering poison, as long as no lethal areas are targeted."
You both speak of the Marvellous, of the next Marvellous. It wants it to begin already, but you tell it that is stupid. It hasn't been long enough. It remarks that the last Marvellous started early anyway, why can't this one do the same? You tell it that if you both keep giving that many gifts away you will end with empty coffers. Does it mean to do charity?
It almost tosses wine in your eyes at that, but the glint of your claws dissuades it.
You bare your teeth at it, with your incisors drifting out of your maw to point at its throat- and it does the same back to you, premolars gleaming. You both silently decide that this is going nowhere and put them back inside.
Apples then argues that this isn't a gift as much as payment- the players of the Marvellous entertain you, and you give them their desires in exchange.
Your entire dental arch feels tempted to lunge at it. You hold it back, and it creaks annoyedly before quieting down.
Then you tell it that it literally named the event where the Marvellous winner is supposed to gain their Heart's Desire "the Conjunction of Gifts."
It then argues that it was simply lying and that this name shouldn't be taken into consideration.
The debate continues after that. In the end, you leave with a series of promises, and it leaves with some of yours- less of them, but still some. No transfers were made but a small, token gift- a monopoly in the sale of cacao, give away as a proof of goodwill. It wasn't paying off anyway. It was barely worth the trouble to import the damn things. Apples was more then happy to trade that away.
Your host unlocks one of its windows for you to make its leave. Neither of you have much head for decorum now.
Its claw brushes against yours as you crush something with your feet and nearly stumble over the edge, hissing and cursing in a wordless tongue.
"I almost forgot it." Apples notes. "Could you wait there for a little bit?"
You nod, and turn your head towards the sights. London stands before you, in all of its loathsome glory. The buildings are ugly, the people annoying, and there is far too much light. With the talks of electricity, there might be even more soon. It makes you want to kill something- or someone.
Definitely someone.
Apples brings you something, from its own personal coffers. It is some sort of heart- though it was certainly once human, it is not anymore. It is covered in skin, even, so definitely not. It is submerged in a noxious-looking liquid, and it seems to pulse as you grasp it in your hands.
"I have been wondering, recently. Have you heard of the Prehistoricists? It is an ideology that interests me a bit. Slightly so. Tragically naive, I'll say, but still interesting."
You have no patience for this. You gesture for it to get to the point already.
"It is a little toy of mine. It lives off small animals- insects will do- and it periodically sheds its skin like a snake. I thought you might find it interesting."
Human skin is… not something you are in any shortage of.
"But it isn't human skin. It's… something different. Something special. I thought you would like it, but if you don't…" Apples dares to pout. You feel tempted to roll your eyes.
You take the damn thing, tapping the liquid-filled container with a claw. It does not seem to react. Your colleague bids you goodbye, and you take flight.
"See you!"
"LIKEWISE."
You leave for your own quarters without another word- but something like a smile, sharp like a rack of knives, nearly graces your face.
You have gained a Toxin-Soaked Dream. (If you are provided with an appropriate test subject, and the means to conduct proper experiments, dwelling on this will return you the skill of Kataleptic Toxicology.)
You open your eyes.
Ugh.
The blankets are, fortunately, not stained with blood, despite you having soaked the fabric of your disguise in your own blood a few hours ago.
Wounds is increasing...
Your Wounds quality is now 1 - Scratches and Bruises! (Your injuries are becoming troublesome. At 8, they may become fatal. Which would be inconvenient. Or perhaps far more then that.)
...it was still a nuisance. But it was very much worth it.
You look out of the window. he animal is there. It is sleeping.
You do not bother waking it up. It is on the edge of dream, and you have a lingering feeling that it will awaken soon. Pushing it beyond its limits is something to do when you have more assets at your disposal.
The disguise is in the sack. You pause to pay attention to your surroundings- no sounds. If Harlan has woken up by now, he has not moved from his spot. You'd have noticed it, even in your sleep.
You open the bag, and take a look at your creation.
It stares back at you, scarred and marked by agony, and by time. The memories become clearer as you drag your claws across its fur. You have poured of your own life on this cloak. You have fed parts of yourself for it. That, and you spent nearly everything you had in hand to make this one disguise- though it was no issue. You can find more resources, more pelts, more skins.
You can always find more materials later.
You take a look at the hunting tools inside the bag, one of them in particular. A steel knife of rustic make- the one that you cut yourself with, so you could feed this veil. You sigh, and turn your eyes away from them. The disguise is a good work- very good. Even while limited by your tools, you made something you could call worthwhile.
That said, you will be finding some proper materials and equipment as soon as you possibly can. You cannot keep doing this for long.
Your head even hurts now, a bit. You gave the disguise more then your flesh.
Drainage is increasing...
Your Drainage quality is now 1 - Discomfort! (Your mind has been spent, and your exhaustion is not confined to your bones- it seeps into your brain. If this reaches 8, bad things may happen.)
You poured dreams into it, dreams of hunger and of old hunts, dreams of violence. The skin has become marked by it- the way it twists and turns, the way its gaze is focused, the movements of its limbs are all tinged with bloodshed.
It will make your disguise decidedly realistic, for sure. With this, and the amount of life you poured into it, you doubt anyone will manage to see past the skin and into your real self. And perhaps they won't even try to- with the memory you placed inside of it.
One of your scant stories of Kjeragandr is gone, now. It has drifted away from your mind, and into this skin. But what you gained... naturality. Your disguise feels of this land. It does not look like an outsider at all... it feels native, yes.
You have lost 1 Memory of the Snow (New total 1).
Besides that... there's no much else to say. It is a resilient disguise, a hardened sort of skin, it is remarkably expressive thanks to the work you've put on the muscles, and you spent the last of your sewing supplies on it. And two of your pelts.
You have lost a Kit of Sewing Supplies (New total 0).
You have lost two Peculiar Animal Pelts (New total 1).
It is done. That is all.
You now have the Unbroken Figure, Waiting In The Snow. (Your first disguise. It carries a tale of bloodshed.)
Your disguise's Committed Impersonator is 8.
...and now, you have an entire day ahead of you. You must decide what you must do, regarding...
(You have three personal actions and one hornbeast action.)
(As you have not chosen to go deeper into the forest- a certainly time-consuming endeavour- for today, your options are limited.)
[ ] Find food.
The animals seem to avoid the trail and the cabin. However, a few unlucky ones- small creatures the size of a rabbit- come close at times. A swipe of your claws, a lunge from the shadows, and you will find yourself with some more food for the night.
This is an extremely basic Veils challenge (Threshold 3). You are guaranteed to succeed. It will yield two units of Supplies for Travel, and perhaps some minor curiosity of low value.
[ ] Set up traps.
You have a whole kit full of materials- you believe you can set up some snares for a small animal or two. If you want to get yourself a live animal, something to study, this is certainly the way.
This is an extremely basic Veils challenge (Threshold 4). You are guaranteed to succeed. It will yield a live animal of an unknown variety. It will not consume your Kit of Hunter's Supplies.
[ ] Hunt something larger.
Something big. Prey of a higher quality. It is somewhat annoying to act in this manner when you should have agents to do such menial tasks for you, but your complete self knew how to hunt very well- and those are dire times. You will have to kill it, though- you do not think Harlan's cabin as a good place to keep one such thing, and not everything will be cowed as quickly as your hornbeast was.
Perhaps the rest of its kin have learned their lesson by now, actually. They might avoid you.
This is a simple Irons challenge (Threshold 3). You are not guaranteed to succeed, though it is likely. It will give you three units of Supplies for Travel, a skeleton and a pelt. Failing will give a few Wounds, but still yield the bounty.
[ ] Scavenge for bones.
There is death in the air- as with many others, this entire forest is full of graveyards. It will get your nails dirty, and you'll have to search around for a while- but it may yield bones, valuable materials for many things.
This is a simple Mirrors challenge (Threshold 5). You are not guaranteed to succeed, though it is likely. On a success, it will yield a random amount of bones. On a failure, it will yield only fragments.
[ ] Spy on the hunter's camp
Visit that place, veiled in shadows to ensure you are not detected. They might be there or not- if they aren't, you might have the opportunity to take some things for yourself yet again. If they are there, you can might have the chance to spy on them.
This is an extremely basic Veils challenge (Threshold 3). You are guaranteed to succeed. It will yield either information on the hunters, or another chance to take something from their camp. As you have stolen from them before, the rewards might be less valuable this time.
[ ] With the help of your map, navigate through the trees.
The map is full of pathways and routes, and many seem to lead into places that the mapmaker felt were worth registering. Search for the ones near you, and see what is out there. You will have to pick something that seems worth your time, though.
This is an easy Mirrors challenge (Threshold 6). YYou are not guaranteed to succeed, though it is likely. It will give you a better look at the forest, and discover a new location, with a chance of a new bundle of oddities. On a failure, it will yield something of little value.
[ ] With the help of your map, find the clearing.
The map indicated its presence. The hunters seem to favour that place considerably, as given by how many routes pointed towards it... perhaps it is a location with a great amount of prey? Perhaps something else.
This is an extremely basic Mirrors challenge (Threshold 3). You are guaranteed to succeed. It will give you the location of the Clearing and take you there. You do not know what awaits.
[ ] Find food.
The animals seem to avoid the trail and the cabin. However, a few unlucky ones- small creatures the size of a rabbit- come close at times. A swipe of your claws, a lunge from the shadows, and you will find yourself with some more food for the night.
This is an extremely basic Veils challenge (Threshold 3). You are guaranteed to succeed. It will yield two units of Supplies for Travel, and perhaps some minor curiosity of low value.
[ ] Set up traps.
You have a whole kit full of materials- you believe you can set up some snares for a small animal or two. If you want to get yourself a live animal, something to study, this is certainly the way.
This is an extremely basic Veils challenge (Threshold 4). You are guaranteed to succeed. It will yield a live animal of an unknown variety. It will not consume your Kit of Hunter's Supplies.
[ ] Hunt something larger.
Something big. Prey of a higher quality. It is somewhat annoying to act in this manner when you should have agents to do such menial tasks for you, but your complete self knew how to hunt very well- and those are dire times. You will have to kill it, though- you do not think Harlan's cabin as a good place to keep one such thing, and not everything will be cowed as quickly as your hornbeast was.
Perhaps the rest of its kin have learned their lesson by now, actually. They might avoid you.
This is a simple Irons challenge (Threshold 3). You are not guaranteed to succeed, though it is likely. It will give you three units of Supplies for Travel, a skeleton and a pelt. Failing will give a few Wounds, but still yield the bounty.
[ ] Scavenge for bones.
There is death in the air- as with many others, this entire forest is full of graveyards. It will get your nails dirty, and you'll have to search around for a while- but it may yield bones, valuable materials for many things.
This is a simple Mirrors challenge (Threshold 5). You are not guaranteed to succeed, though it is likely. On a success, it will yield a random amount of bones. On a failure, it will yield only fragments.
[ ] Spy on the hunter's camp
Visit that place, veiled in shadows to ensure you are not detected. They might be there or not- if they aren't, you might have the opportunity to take some things for yourself yet again. If they are there, you can might have the chance to spy on them.
This is an extremely basic Veils challenge (Threshold 3). You are guaranteed to succeed. It will yield either information on the hunters, or another chance to take something from their camp. As you have stolen from them before, the rewards might be less valuable this time.
[ ] With the help of your map, navigate through the trees.
The map is full of pathways and routes, and many seem to lead into places that the mapmaker felt were worth registering. Search for the ones near you, and see what is out there. You will have to pick something that seems worth your time, though.
This is an easy Mirrors challenge (Threshold 6). YYou are not guaranteed to succeed, though it is likely. It will give you a better look at the forest, and discover a new location, with a chance of a new bundle of oddities. On a failure, it will yield something of little value.
[ ] With the help of your map, find the clearing.
The map indicated its presence. The hunters seem to favour that place considerably, as given by how many routes pointed towards it... perhaps it is a location with a great amount of prey? Perhaps something else.
This is an extremely basic Mirrors challenge (Threshold 3). You are guaranteed to succeed. It will give you the location of the Clearing and take you there. You do not know what awaits.
(Harlan will spend a great part of the day sleeping, even if he does wish to entertain his guest. You may only spend one action in here- but he will also speak with you of his own initiative later, during dinner, no matter what you choose.)
[ ] Have a simple chat.
The fire has been extinguished, the room is no longer warm. The wind rattles the tiles. Harlan might have something he wants to tell you.
This requires no challenge. It will increase your acquaintance with Harlan, and might give a single Cryptic Clue.
[ ] Ask for his history.
What is he? Who is he?
This requires no challenge. It will not increase your acquaintance, but it will give more information on Harlan's past. It might also yield a Cryptic Clue.
[ ] Question Harlan about his Infection.
What is it like, being Infected? An insensitive question, you suspect, but the wolf sounds lonely enough to answer even that.
This is an extremely basic Wines challenge (Threshold 4). You are guaranteed to succeed. It will not increase your acquaintance, but it will give more information on the Infection.
[ ] Question Harlan about the village.
What, exactly, does he think of them?
This is an extremely basic Wines challenge (Threshold 4). You are guaranteed to succeed. It will not increase your acquaintance, but it will give more information on the nearby village, including its name.
[ ] Question Harlan about Kjerag.
Get the lay of the land from someone who has certainly spent many years on it.
This is an extremely basic Wines challenge (Threshold 4). You are guaranteed to succeed. It will not increase your acquaintance, but it will give more information on Kjerag as a whole.
[ ] Ask him about the Stone of Kjeragandr.
He certainly knows more about them then you. You cannot learn anything from it yourself anymore, but he might provide some last fragments of insight.
This will give you a Mystery of the Snow. You will not lose the Stone of Kjeragandr.
[ ] Question Harlan on something else. (Write-in.)
-[ ] On what?
There might be other topics you want to discuss.
This is an extremely basic Wines challenge (Threshold 3). You are guaranteed to succeed. It will not increase your acquaintance, but it will give more information on the chosen topic.
[ ] Have a simple chat.
The fire has been extinguished, the room is no longer warm. The wind rattles the tiles. Harlan might have something he wants to tell you.
This requires no challenge. It will increase your acquaintance with Harlan, and might give a single Cryptic Clue.
[ ] Ask for his history.
What is he? Who is he?
This requires no challenge. It will not increase your acquaintance, but it will give more information on Harlan's past. It might also yield a Cryptic Clue.
[ ] Question Harlan about his Infection.
What is it like, being Infected? An insensitive question, you suspect, but the wolf sounds lonely enough to answer even that.
This is an extremely basic Wines challenge (Threshold 4). You are guaranteed to succeed. It will not increase your acquaintance, but it will give more information on the Infection.
[ ] Question Harlan about the village.
What, exactly, does he think of them?
This is an extremely basic Wines challenge (Threshold 4). You are guaranteed to succeed. It will not increase your acquaintance, but it will give more information on the nearby village, including its name.
[ ] Question Harlan about Kjerag.
Get the lay of the land from someone who has certainly spent many years on it.
This is an extremely basic Wines challenge (Threshold 4). You are guaranteed to succeed. It will not increase your acquaintance, but it will give more information on Kjerag as a whole.
[ ] Ask him about the Stone of Kjeragandr.
He certainly knows more about them then you. You cannot learn anything from it yourself anymore, but he might provide some last fragments of insight.
This will give you a Mystery of the Snow. You will not lose the Stone of Kjeragandr.
[ ] Question Harlan on something else. (Write-in.)
-[ ] On what?
There might be other topics you want to discuss.
This is an extremely basic Wines challenge (Threshold 3). You are guaranteed to succeed. It will not increase your acquaintance, but it will give more information on the chosen topic.
(There is much to think about.)
[ ] Study the book a bit longer.
You have no idea of what you are meant to be searching for, nevermind finding. But your head is clearer, and you have a better environment for this sort of research.
This is a difficult Mirrors challenge (Threshold 6). You are certainly not guaranteed to succeed, though it is not impossible. You do not know what it will yield.
[ ] Study the map for anything you missed.
There are some details in the local language that you couldn't translate at first.
This will discover new regions in the vicinity that you might have previously missed- at least one important location. Afterwards, the map will not yield any new findings.
[ ] Extract your own blood and investigate its changes.
Since you became Veils of the Surface, you have changed. Your mind has changed, and your body alongside it. Perhaps even your soul has been altered as well- though you'd devilish assistance to test that.
It's best if you get a good grasp of how.
This will give you Wounds. This is an average Mirrors challenge (Threshold 5). You are not guaranteed to succeed, though it is likely. It will yield information on your own bodily changes as Veils of the Surface.
[ ] Investigate the catalyst.
The dreams of the dead are recognizable and familiar. Investigate this Originium artifact. Listen to the voices and to its song.
This is an average Mirrors challenge (Threshold 5). You are not guaranteed to succeed, though it is likely. You do not know what it will yield.
-[ ] Break it open.
You have enough speculation on Originium, and you have heard some interesting things. You could find out what it is through more direct means. Do not touch it. You are not stupid.
This will not cost an additional action. It will reduce the check difficulty by 2 and give you an Originium Shard in addition to anything else you might gain. It will also destroy the Whispering Catalyst.
[ ] Surrender the Stone of Kjeragandr.
You have heard the snow's song, and you know the next step. Take your stone, take this little jewel of protective sigils and ancient promises. Bury it beneath the earth. Release the land from this minuscule fragment of an oath.
It displeases you to let go of this artifact, but you have a feeling there is nothing it can teach you, not by itself. Perhaps if you were to witness it being used, yes, or asked someone about it, but merely studying the stone will yield nothing more.
This will give you two Mysteries of the Snow. You will lose the Stone of Kjeragandr.
[ ] Stew on hatred.
You are indignant, and furious. At those indiginities. At your own weakness, at your own failure. Focus on that. Sharpen your mind and your claws. Spite, hate and bitterness can push you forward.
This will give you a Hateful Gaze. A Hateful Gaze is a Mood will give you +1 on Iron checks, for the duration of the next turn.
[ ] Think of your name. Remember.
Mr Veils is not the only name you have worn. Before, there was another, and before that, yet another. And long, long ago, you received your very first name.
You were once something greater.
This will give you progress on regaining something. It might be considered a good thing. Or not.
[ ] Think of the holes in your head. Forget.
It is cold inside your mind. When you were torn apart, many things failed to survive. Those things are gone, and they will be gone forever. You were Mr Veils- you will not be again.
There's something that isn't here.
This will give you progress on losing something. It might be considered a good thing. Or not.
[ ] Investigate your Hand Mirror.
Can you extend the connection to Parabola it carries? It obviously has one.
...without removing the impression of your Hunter, obviously. Your supplies are limited, so that will be a somewhat complex task.
This is an average Mirrors challenge (Threshold 5). You are not guaranteed to succeed, though it is likely. This is the very beginning of your inroads into Parabola, and will give you progress on regaining your Glasswork skill. You may do this later, with better supplies, for an easier check and a larger amount of progress.
[ ] Investigate a living creature. [Requires capturing a live animal with a forest action.]
It is alive. It is somewhat peculiar. Find out why.
This is an average Mirrors challenge (Threshold 5). You are not guaranteed to succeed, though it is likely. This will answer some questions, and might consume your creature, or not. That depends on Veils' mood.
[ ] Study the book a bit longer.
You have no idea of what you are meant to be searching for, nevermind finding. But your head is clearer, and you have a better environment for this sort of research.
This is a difficult Mirrors challenge (Threshold 6). You are certainly not guaranteed to succeed, though it is not impossible. You do not know what it will yield.
[ ] Study the map for anything you missed.
There are some details in the local language that you couldn't translate at first.
This will discover new regions in the vicinity that you might have previously missed- at least one important location. Afterwards, the map will not yield any new findings.
[ ] Extract your own blood and investigate its changes.
Since you became Veils of the Surface, you have changed. Your mind has changed, and your body alongside it. Perhaps even your soul has been altered as well- though you'd devilish assistance to test that.
It's best if you get a good grasp of how.
This will give you Wounds. This is an average Mirrors challenge (Threshold 5). You are not guaranteed to succeed, though it is likely. It will yield information on your own bodily changes as Veils of the Surface.
[ ] Investigate the catalyst.
The dreams of the dead are recognizable and familiar. Investigate this Originium artifact. Listen to the voices and to its song.
This is an average Mirrors challenge (Threshold 5). You are not guaranteed to succeed, though it is likely. You do not know what it will yield.
-[ ] Break it open.
You have enough speculation on Originium, and you have heard some interesting things. You could find out what it is through more direct means. Do not touch it. You are not stupid.
This will not cost an additional action. It will reduce the check difficulty by 2 and give you an Originium Shard in addition to anything else you might gain. It will also destroy the Whispering Catalyst.
[ ] Surrender the Stone of Kjeragandr.
You have heard the snow's song, and you know the next step. Take your stone, take this little jewel of protective sigils and ancient promises. Bury it beneath the earth. Release the land from this minuscule fragment of an oath.
It displeases you to let go of this artifact, but you have a feeling there is nothing it can teach you, not by itself. Perhaps if you were to witness it being used, yes, or asked someone about it, but merely studying the stone will yield nothing more.
This will give you two Mysteries of the Snow. You will lose the Stone of Kjeragandr.
[ ] Stew on hatred.
You are indignant, and furious. At those indiginities. At your own weakness, at your own failure. Focus on that. Sharpen your mind and your claws. Spite, hate and bitterness can push you forward.
This will give you a Hateful Gaze. A Hateful Gaze is a Mood will give you +1 on Iron checks, for the duration of the next turn.
[ ] Think of your name. Remember.
Mr Veils is not the only name you have worn. Before, there was another, and before that, yet another. And long, long ago, you received your very first name.
You were once something greater.
This will give you progress on regaining something. It might be considered a good thing. Or not.
[ ] Think of the holes in your head. Forget.
It is cold inside your mind. When you were torn apart, many things failed to survive. Those things are gone, and they will be gone forever. You were Mr Veils- you will not be again.
There's something that isn't here.
This will give you progress on losing something. It might be considered a good thing. Or not.
[ ] Investigate your Hand Mirror.
Can you extend the connection to Parabola it carries? It obviously has one.
...without removing the impression of your Hunter, obviously. Your supplies are limited, so that will be a somewhat complex task.
This is an average Mirrors challenge (Threshold 5). You are not guaranteed to succeed, though it is likely. This is the very beginning of your inroads into Parabola, and will give you progress on regaining your Glasswork skill. You may do this later, with better supplies, for an easier check and a larger amount of progress.
[ ] Investigate a living creature. [Requires capturing a live animal with a forest action.]
It is alive. It is somewhat peculiar. Find out why.
This is an average Mirrors challenge (Threshold 5). You are not guaranteed to succeed, though it is likely. This will answer some questions, and might consume your creature, or not. That depends on Veils' mood.
(As said before, your Throughly Cowed Beast has one action per turn.)
[ ] Order the beast to collect supplies for you.
It's smart. Tell it to scrounge up whatever seems edible and haul it next to the window.
This is a Luck check (Threshold 3). The chance of succeeding is the same as the chance of failing. Success yields a Supply for Travel. Failure yields you nothing.
[ ] Delight in its terror.
It's cowed.
That is not enough.
You will terrify the beast further for your own amusement. This will not yield anything material, but will provide a Sense of Satisfaction, a Mood that will give you +1 on Wines checks for the next turn.
[ ] Tell it to scout the region.
It is not smart enough to provide reports, obviously. It's an animal. But it can provide vague intelligence on whether or not a place is dangerous. That's something.
This will provide a Cryptic Clue relating to the forest.
[ ] Tell it to accompany you in your forest walk. [Requires at least one forest action]
It is not sufficiently intelligent to follow complex directions. It cannot visit a specific location, seek a specific sort of prey, set traps and the like. But it knows the region- following its trail will make some of the tasks simpler, and you might appreciate having it around you.
This will reduce the difficulty of any forest checks by 1.
[ ] Test its limits.
It is certainly cowed, but it is not- it cannot be- a good agent until you know the full extent of its capacities. Check what it can do. Discover its capacities. Push it to the point of exhaustion, push it until you are certain that you know what it can do.
This will reveal the Hornbeast's stats and traits. It will consume its action, but not any of yours.
[ ] Order the beast to collect supplies for you.
It's smart. Tell it to scrounge up whatever seems edible and haul it next to the window.
This is a Luck check (Threshold 3). The chance of succeeding is the same as the chance of failing. Success yields a Supply for Travel. Failure yields you nothing.
[ ] Delight in its terror.
It's cowed.
That is not enough.
You will terrify the beast further for your own amusement. This will not yield anything material, but will provide a Sense of Satisfaction, a Mood that will give you +1 on Wines checks for the next turn.
[ ] Tell it to scout the region.
It is not smart enough to provide reports, obviously. It's an animal. But it can provide vague intelligence on whether or not a place is dangerous. That's something.
This will provide a Cryptic Clue relating to the forest.
[ ] Tell it to accompany you in your forest walk. [Requires at least one forest action]
It is not sufficiently intelligent to follow complex directions. It cannot visit a specific location, seek a specific sort of prey, set traps and the like. But it knows the region- following its trail will make some of the tasks simpler, and you might appreciate having it around you.
This will reduce the difficulty of any forest checks by 1.
[ ] Test its limits.
It is certainly cowed, but it is not- it cannot be- a good agent until you know the full extent of its capacities. Check what it can do. Discover its capacities. Push it to the point of exhaustion, push it until you are certain that you know what it can do.
This will reveal the Hornbeast's stats and traits. It will consume its action, but not any of yours.
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[X] Plan study the forest
-[X] Set up traps.
-[X] With the help of your map, find the clearing.
-[X] Investigate a living creature.
-[X] Tell it to scout the region.
[X] Plan animal studies with Harlan
-[X] Set up traps.
-[X] Investigate a living creature.
-[X] Have a simple chat.
-[X] Test its limits.
-[X] Set up traps.
-[X] With the help of your map, find the clearing.
-[X] Investigate a living creature.
-[X] Tell it to scout the region.
[X] Plan animal studies with Harlan
-[X] Set up traps.
-[X] Investigate a living creature.
-[X] Have a simple chat.
-[X] Test its limits.
- Location
- United States
[X] Plan animal studies with Harlan
[X] Plan: Comestibles, Conversation, and Communion
-[X] Hunt something larger.
-[X] Have a simple chat.
-[X] Surrender the Stone of Kjeragandr.
-[X] Test its limits.
We hunt for plentiful food and other supply for the journey ahead (at the potential price of Wounds that we can afford to take,) chat up with Harlan to potentially have more gainful conversation at Stage 2 Acquaintanceship, and burn up our now worthless stone to continue our insights into (and sort-of commune with?) Kjeragandr.
-[X] Hunt something larger.
-[X] Have a simple chat.
-[X] Surrender the Stone of Kjeragandr.
-[X] Test its limits.
We hunt for plentiful food and other supply for the journey ahead (at the potential price of Wounds that we can afford to take,) chat up with Harlan to potentially have more gainful conversation at Stage 2 Acquaintanceship, and burn up our now worthless stone to continue our insights into (and sort-of commune with?) Kjeragandr.
You can only spend one action with Harlan.
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Evonix
Aspiring Lovecraft antagonist.
- Location
- Canada to 2 sigmas
Is this the matching description? Will asking about Kjerag only give information on the infection?
- Location
- United States
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Plan: Comestibles, Conversation, and Communion
thenew
#1 Masters of the Bazaar Fan
- Location
- My Lodgings
No, that's a mistake of mine. It will give info on Kjerag.
[X] Plan: Comestibles, Conversation, and Communion
BarnabusBarnabus
Something like spice and something like pine.
- Location
- A beach, limned in silver like the painted moon.
[X] Plan: Comestibles, Conversation, and Communion
I always found Apples-or-Hearts one of the more tolerable Masters. The crimes that got it exiled - by my reading - were Aberration (its experiments in... breeding new creatures, to be delicate) and Pursuance of the Treachery of Breath (the seeking of eternal life), and neither of those are particularly bad, just against the restrictive laws of the Suns and the sensibilities of Curatorial society. You can even argue that it was simply in its nature - Apples/Hearts' obsession, the hoard that it built, was "living things which are immortal or induce immortality". Why wouldn't it wish to create new and unique specimens, and why wouldn't it want to become the centrepiece of its own hoard?
Even in the Neath, Hearts is one of the least worst. It was friends with Veils, which is admittedly a black mark against it, and it did participate in the Well Incident, but then all the Masters did that. Other than that, the worst it is guilty of is the creation of the Marvellous - which is honestly not horrendous, Beechwood made a stupid fucking wish and the only other person who might not come out of winning with exactly what they wanted was the Boatman, which requires you to deliberately interfere with the process of repayment - and Hearts' Game, which is what it says on the tin; a game, which involves only volunteers or paid participants and in which no deaths are permanent.
Personality-wise, it's also one of the more pleasant ones. The only major flaws I would describe it as having are the constant unsolicited flirting with just about everything that breathes and a couple things that don't (Frank and Jasper), the severe social paranoia when it isn't in a position of control, and the nervous rambling to fill the air. And hell, I do two of those. Other than that, it's pleasant to its lessers and servants, it keeps its promises, and it doesn't have any unsavory habits save for what it does in the Bishop of Southwark's barn (which is entirely its own business).
I always found Apples-or-Hearts one of the more tolerable Masters. The crimes that got it exiled - by my reading - were Aberration (its experiments in... breeding new creatures, to be delicate) and Pursuance of the Treachery of Breath (the seeking of eternal life), and neither of those are particularly bad, just against the restrictive laws of the Suns and the sensibilities of Curatorial society. You can even argue that it was simply in its nature - Apples/Hearts' obsession, the hoard that it built, was "living things which are immortal or induce immortality". Why wouldn't it wish to create new and unique specimens, and why wouldn't it want to become the centrepiece of its own hoard?
Even in the Neath, Hearts is one of the least worst. It was friends with Veils, which is admittedly a black mark against it, and it did participate in the Well Incident, but then all the Masters did that. Other than that, the worst it is guilty of is the creation of the Marvellous - which is honestly not horrendous, Beechwood made a stupid fucking wish and the only other person who might not come out of winning with exactly what they wanted was the Boatman, which requires you to deliberately interfere with the process of repayment - and Hearts' Game, which is what it says on the tin; a game, which involves only volunteers or paid participants and in which no deaths are permanent.
Personality-wise, it's also one of the more pleasant ones. The only major flaws I would describe it as having are the constant unsolicited flirting with just about everything that breathes and a couple things that don't (Frank and Jasper), the severe social paranoia when it isn't in a position of control, and the nervous rambling to fill the air. And hell, I do two of those. Other than that, it's pleasant to its lessers and servants, it keeps its promises, and it doesn't have any unsavory habits save for what it does in the Bishop of Southwark's barn (which is entirely its own business).
BarnabusBarnabus
Something like spice and something like pine.
- Location
- A beach, limned in silver like the painted moon.
Join us. We don't bite much. (Except the Bag a Legend players, for them I make no promises.)
I'd be happy to ping you some stat boosts once you've got your feet under you.
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