Vorstallen Magic Preparatory - The Third-Best School for Young Mages in the Nation! Enrol Today!
- Thread starter occipitallobe
- Start date
- Original Fantasy
In_lurk_shadow
[ ]
- Location
- here and there
[X] Male
[X] The Dorms
[X] The Dorms
- Location
- Sweden
[X] Female
[X] Janka Flitter
[X] The Dorms
[X] Janka Flitter
[X] The Dorms
WanderingEye
smol skeleton
[X] Male
[X] The Dorms (Shared)
I'm getting Academagia vibe from this quest and I'm loving it.
[X] The Dorms (Shared)
I'm getting Academagia vibe from this quest and I'm loving it.
[X] Male
[X] The Dorms (Shared)
[X] The Dorms (Shared)
- Location
- Should be a bit higher
[X] Male
-[X] Tooke Flitter
[X] The Tower Dungeon
If we're going to go full beginner's malus for really uncertain later gains then we might as well go the whole way no?
-[X] Tooke Flitter
[X] The Tower Dungeon
If we're going to go full beginner's malus for really uncertain later gains then we might as well go the whole way no?
- Location
- va
[X] Male
[X] The Tower Dungeon
[X] The Tower Dungeon
- Location
- NZ
[X] Female
[X] Ula Flitter
[X] The Dorms (Shared)
[X] Ula Flitter
[X] The Dorms (Shared)
Last edited:
- Location
- Straya
Inserted tally
0.2 : Getting Settled In
- Location
- Straya
As a result of the vote we are Male, and are going to live in the Dorms with a Roommate.
After this update I'll get our character sheet up and running as well.
Ulos scratched his knee. Finishing up the paperwork, he gave it to the old woman who sniffed, handed a third of it back, and pointed up the road.
"Treasury. First on your left."
She then ignored him completely.
Ulos walked along. If he had been in a different college, he would perhaps be marvelling at the grand spires and ancient constructions. Vorstallen, on the other hand, seemed to be all the same. Squat brick buildings that looked as though they were constructed to survive a war, not students, and the occasional statue of a famous mage here and there. The paths, on the other hand, were some sort of smooth blue material, unlike anything Ulos had ever seen before on a road.
He walked up to the Treasury, opening the door and peering inside. A dusty building filled with reams of paper (which so far was every building he had seen) lay inside. He walked up the counter, and offered the note of credit to the man there. A few minutes later, he was walking out with twenty-five silver numismata, jingling comfortably in his money-pouch. The Treasury had offered to cash the remainder of the note of credit for him (well, the remainder not used for accommodation), though he had left three hundred on credit at the Treasury for his future years needs, and a room key. 22-B
Gained Twenty-Five Coins.
He then walked to the dormitories, almost a full kilometre away. This campus was big. As expected, the dormitories were a bunch of squat brick buildings, though in this case they were decorated with vines running up and down the walls, and there were a few small statues dotting the walls. The windows were small, made out of cheap cloudy glass that one couldn't see through from either side. Several two-story buildings surrounded a slightly larger three-story one, labelled "Building A".
"Building B.", he muttered.
He looked up. This was A, so B had to be nearby. He walked to his left, and found C. On the other side of A was D, and behind A was E. Where was B?
"Urgh..."
"Hi, hi, hi!"
[Roommate Roll (Friendliness 71 vs 50 DC, +20 over DC means roommate is extra friendly), (Usefulness: 81 vs 80 DC, bare pass. Roommate has some obvious benefit to room with)]
Ulos looked over.
"Hi. Um, you wouldn't happen to know how to get to Building B, would you?"
"The Parrot's Perch? Aw, man, you got into the Parrot's Perch! Same here! We can be unlucky together!"
The young man talking to him smiled widely. Long curled locks dyed a brilliant pink framed a guileless face wearing a large pair of spectacles. Watery blue eyes were wide open, as if taking in the world for the first time.
"The Parrot's Perch?"
"Well, my father went here, and he said all the buildings had names. Sure, the guys over in Collegiate Governance like to call everything by names and numbers, but this is a place of magic, y'know. If spirits have names, why shouldn't buildings?"
Ulos blinked at this odd chain of logic.
"So, why the Parrot's Perch?"
"Oh, right. Building B is the top of Building A. Basically all the dorms are two-story, but when they started out they decided to go three-story for some reason. So instead of doing the smart thing and just labelling more A rooms, they decided to rename the top of A. Don't know why. You can see off the top of the Perch if you decide to climb up on the roof, but when they built it they sort of... well, let's just say the plumbing is pretty average and the rooms are tiny."
"I see. I'm Ulos. Nice to meet you, thanks for the advice. I appreciate you helping me out."
"I'm Madavian Junotrin."
The other boy waited for a second, as if waiting for some recognition to spark. When nothing came, he spoke again.
"Junotrin, like the Five Families Junotrin. My father is Alasas, you know."
[Diplomacy Roll - 41 + 10 (CHA) vs 50 DC, bare pass)
"Ah, of course. My apologies. I'm from the Empire, so sometimes it takes us a little while to recognise the Families of Vortral. Forgive me."
Stilted and awkward as his words felt coming out, the boy took no offense.
"Well, let's go up and get settled in. A change is as good as a holiday, my father always said, and he should know. He never takes holidays. I'm in room 22, by the way. Where are you?"
"Room 22."
"Hah! What an excellent sign, the two of us meeting like this. I want the bottom bunk, by the way. No objections, you're from the Empire. Are you nameless? Like a flit?"
"Yes, I'm Ulos. Ulos Flitter, I suppose. I've got no objection to taking the top bunk."
They strode up the stairs together, climbing up a tiny stairwell up into an equally tiny corridor. When Madavian had said the Parrot's Perch was tiny, he had not been exaggerating. The Perch hallways were skinny, and two people walking past each other shoulder-to-shoulder simply would not fit. Madavian put his key in the lock, turned, and with a small flash of light the door opened. Runes, Ulos thought. A regular lock wouldn't do that, though why students needed magical locks was beyond him. Maybe it was just to reassure the parents of people like Madavian.
The room inside was a little bigger than he'd expected, a pair of bunk beds sitting at the end of the room, a cupboard built into the wall, and two desks on either side with a small chair. They each had an inkpot and quill sitting ready, which was a blessing. Ulos hadn't thought to bring one. He put his small bag down, containing only a few precious empty books he had scavenged before leaving, invaluable for notes, a little food, and
"Well, let's lock our things away. Father gave me a few hundred numismata for spending money, but I'd hate to see it stolen."
Madavian brought a little chest out of his bag, and used the same key for the room on the cupboard. It had two doors, and was split into two. Ulos opened his half (the lower half) and put his bag inside. He closed and locked it, and Madavian did the same.
"Alright, well, we're settled in. We've got a few hours before they serve dinner in the Dinnerhall, and I know Father would want me to go to one of the lectures early. 'Madavian, my boy, if you become a great enchanter or spellsmith, House Junotrin will rise to even greater heights than before!'. That sort of thing. He gave me the schedules for the second-year lectures, though that was mainly so I could find out where my cousin was if I had to. He's Junotrin too, but not really Junotrin, you know? Anyway, they started two weeks before us. If we run in we might be able to sneak a peek at which subjects are the most boring and which might be worth doing."
Ulos thought for a second. What did he want to do?
[ ] Go with Madavian - Drop in one of the classes. You might learn something useful. As they're taught at a second-year level you won't be learning any spells, but you might pick up a useful bit of Lore. If you choose Go With Madavian, vote for one of the classes. You'll be able to drop in on the top two classes (as you have a few hours before dinner). Improves relationship with Madavian.
The five options below need to be taken with "Go With Madavian" only. If you vote for Go with Madavian, please also vote for one of these sub-options. If the thread decides to do this, the top two options will be taken.
[ ] Hang around the Building - You haven't really met anyone else yet. While you're not super sociable, it might be the right time to meet people before they get a chance to look down on you for being a worthless flit, right? Roll 1D100 + CHA vs 20 DC. If you succeed, Ulos meets one person. For every 15 points above 20, he meets another.
[ ] Go Exploring - It's a big campus, and you haven't seen the half of it. Who knows what you could find? Roll 1D100 vs ???. Success offers ???, failure offers ???.
The Parrot's Perch rooms are a little inferior to standard. The bathrooms don't work sometimes (so you need to go downstairs) and the rooms are smaller, meaning instead of a large cupboard apiece the roommates share a single cupboard. Storage space will be somewhat limited, though this isn't really reflected in any rolls unless you decide to start stockpiling something. However, direct access to the roof is always useful, especially from the highest vantage point around. If you need to spy on someone or pull some sort of a prank, the Perch is the best place to do it from.
After this update I'll get our character sheet up and running as well.
Ulos scratched his knee. Finishing up the paperwork, he gave it to the old woman who sniffed, handed a third of it back, and pointed up the road.
"Treasury. First on your left."
She then ignored him completely.
Ulos walked along. If he had been in a different college, he would perhaps be marvelling at the grand spires and ancient constructions. Vorstallen, on the other hand, seemed to be all the same. Squat brick buildings that looked as though they were constructed to survive a war, not students, and the occasional statue of a famous mage here and there. The paths, on the other hand, were some sort of smooth blue material, unlike anything Ulos had ever seen before on a road.
He walked up to the Treasury, opening the door and peering inside. A dusty building filled with reams of paper (which so far was every building he had seen) lay inside. He walked up the counter, and offered the note of credit to the man there. A few minutes later, he was walking out with twenty-five silver numismata, jingling comfortably in his money-pouch. The Treasury had offered to cash the remainder of the note of credit for him (well, the remainder not used for accommodation), though he had left three hundred on credit at the Treasury for his future years needs, and a room key. 22-B
Gained Twenty-Five Coins.
He then walked to the dormitories, almost a full kilometre away. This campus was big. As expected, the dormitories were a bunch of squat brick buildings, though in this case they were decorated with vines running up and down the walls, and there were a few small statues dotting the walls. The windows were small, made out of cheap cloudy glass that one couldn't see through from either side. Several two-story buildings surrounded a slightly larger three-story one, labelled "Building A".
"Building B.", he muttered.
He looked up. This was A, so B had to be nearby. He walked to his left, and found C. On the other side of A was D, and behind A was E. Where was B?
"Urgh..."
"Hi, hi, hi!"
[Roommate Roll (Friendliness 71 vs 50 DC, +20 over DC means roommate is extra friendly), (Usefulness: 81 vs 80 DC, bare pass. Roommate has some obvious benefit to room with)]
Ulos looked over.
"Hi. Um, you wouldn't happen to know how to get to Building B, would you?"
"The Parrot's Perch? Aw, man, you got into the Parrot's Perch! Same here! We can be unlucky together!"
The young man talking to him smiled widely. Long curled locks dyed a brilliant pink framed a guileless face wearing a large pair of spectacles. Watery blue eyes were wide open, as if taking in the world for the first time.
"The Parrot's Perch?"
"Well, my father went here, and he said all the buildings had names. Sure, the guys over in Collegiate Governance like to call everything by names and numbers, but this is a place of magic, y'know. If spirits have names, why shouldn't buildings?"
Ulos blinked at this odd chain of logic.
"So, why the Parrot's Perch?"
"Oh, right. Building B is the top of Building A. Basically all the dorms are two-story, but when they started out they decided to go three-story for some reason. So instead of doing the smart thing and just labelling more A rooms, they decided to rename the top of A. Don't know why. You can see off the top of the Perch if you decide to climb up on the roof, but when they built it they sort of... well, let's just say the plumbing is pretty average and the rooms are tiny."
"I see. I'm Ulos. Nice to meet you, thanks for the advice. I appreciate you helping me out."
"I'm Madavian Junotrin."
The other boy waited for a second, as if waiting for some recognition to spark. When nothing came, he spoke again.
"Junotrin, like the Five Families Junotrin. My father is Alasas, you know."
[Diplomacy Roll - 41 + 10 (CHA) vs 50 DC, bare pass)
"Ah, of course. My apologies. I'm from the Empire, so sometimes it takes us a little while to recognise the Families of Vortral. Forgive me."
Stilted and awkward as his words felt coming out, the boy took no offense.
"Well, let's go up and get settled in. A change is as good as a holiday, my father always said, and he should know. He never takes holidays. I'm in room 22, by the way. Where are you?"
"Room 22."
"Hah! What an excellent sign, the two of us meeting like this. I want the bottom bunk, by the way. No objections, you're from the Empire. Are you nameless? Like a flit?"
"Yes, I'm Ulos. Ulos Flitter, I suppose. I've got no objection to taking the top bunk."
They strode up the stairs together, climbing up a tiny stairwell up into an equally tiny corridor. When Madavian had said the Parrot's Perch was tiny, he had not been exaggerating. The Perch hallways were skinny, and two people walking past each other shoulder-to-shoulder simply would not fit. Madavian put his key in the lock, turned, and with a small flash of light the door opened. Runes, Ulos thought. A regular lock wouldn't do that, though why students needed magical locks was beyond him. Maybe it was just to reassure the parents of people like Madavian.
The room inside was a little bigger than he'd expected, a pair of bunk beds sitting at the end of the room, a cupboard built into the wall, and two desks on either side with a small chair. They each had an inkpot and quill sitting ready, which was a blessing. Ulos hadn't thought to bring one. He put his small bag down, containing only a few precious empty books he had scavenged before leaving, invaluable for notes, a little food, and
"Well, let's lock our things away. Father gave me a few hundred numismata for spending money, but I'd hate to see it stolen."
Madavian brought a little chest out of his bag, and used the same key for the room on the cupboard. It had two doors, and was split into two. Ulos opened his half (the lower half) and put his bag inside. He closed and locked it, and Madavian did the same.
"Alright, well, we're settled in. We've got a few hours before they serve dinner in the Dinnerhall, and I know Father would want me to go to one of the lectures early. 'Madavian, my boy, if you become a great enchanter or spellsmith, House Junotrin will rise to even greater heights than before!'. That sort of thing. He gave me the schedules for the second-year lectures, though that was mainly so I could find out where my cousin was if I had to. He's Junotrin too, but not really Junotrin, you know? Anyway, they started two weeks before us. If we run in we might be able to sneak a peek at which subjects are the most boring and which might be worth doing."
Ulos thought for a second. What did he want to do?
[ ] Go with Madavian - Drop in one of the classes. You might learn something useful. As they're taught at a second-year level you won't be learning any spells, but you might pick up a useful bit of Lore. If you choose Go With Madavian, vote for one of the classes. You'll be able to drop in on the top two classes (as you have a few hours before dinner). Improves relationship with Madavian.
The five options below need to be taken with "Go With Madavian" only. If you vote for Go with Madavian, please also vote for one of these sub-options. If the thread decides to do this, the top two options will be taken.
[ ] Magical Inheritance - How does magic get inherited? What sorts of things can a mage pass along to his or her children. Not really applicable to you right now, but still, it might shed some light on how you have (well, had) such a tremendous Magic Pool. Gain a (very hard) Training Roll for Lore: Magical Biology
[ ] Theory and Practice of Runes - Making a rune is easy enough, it's just a spell you inscribe that can be used time and time again. But what's the theory behind that? How do you actually do it? Gain a (hard) Training Roll for Lore: Runes, and a (extraordinarily hard) Training Roll for Craft: Runes.
[ ] Alchemical Theory - Unfortunately for you, sneaking into an alchemy lab would be hard. A lecture hall with as many as a hundred students? The theory of Alchemy is dry, boring, mathematical and full of minute details that require memorization. Still, learning a few theoretical bits and bobs couldn't hurt. Gain a (medium) Training Roll for Lore: Alchemy.
[ ] Intermediate Soul-Binding - You might get to see a spirit bound! Of course, without basic Soul-Binding you might not learn very much at all. Still cool, though. Not to mention this could have some relevance to your Curse? I mean, maybe. Gain a (hard) Training Roll for Lore: Souls and Spirits, gain a (nearly impossible) Training Roll for Spell: Bind Spirit
[ ] Just Hang Out - Madavian chooses which class you go to. Get one bonus from the four above (as Madavian isn't going to push you to go to two classes, he's a bit lazy), but letting Madavian call the shots will also give you time to observe him and figure out what his deal is. Gain one of the benefits above, gain insights about Madavian.
The below two options are alternates to Go with Madavian.[ ] Theory and Practice of Runes - Making a rune is easy enough, it's just a spell you inscribe that can be used time and time again. But what's the theory behind that? How do you actually do it? Gain a (hard) Training Roll for Lore: Runes, and a (extraordinarily hard) Training Roll for Craft: Runes.
[ ] Alchemical Theory - Unfortunately for you, sneaking into an alchemy lab would be hard. A lecture hall with as many as a hundred students? The theory of Alchemy is dry, boring, mathematical and full of minute details that require memorization. Still, learning a few theoretical bits and bobs couldn't hurt. Gain a (medium) Training Roll for Lore: Alchemy.
[ ] Intermediate Soul-Binding - You might get to see a spirit bound! Of course, without basic Soul-Binding you might not learn very much at all. Still cool, though. Not to mention this could have some relevance to your Curse? I mean, maybe. Gain a (hard) Training Roll for Lore: Souls and Spirits, gain a (nearly impossible) Training Roll for Spell: Bind Spirit
[ ] Just Hang Out - Madavian chooses which class you go to. Get one bonus from the four above (as Madavian isn't going to push you to go to two classes, he's a bit lazy), but letting Madavian call the shots will also give you time to observe him and figure out what his deal is. Gain one of the benefits above, gain insights about Madavian.
[ ] Hang around the Building - You haven't really met anyone else yet. While you're not super sociable, it might be the right time to meet people before they get a chance to look down on you for being a worthless flit, right? Roll 1D100 + CHA vs 20 DC. If you succeed, Ulos meets one person. For every 15 points above 20, he meets another.
[ ] Go Exploring - It's a big campus, and you haven't seen the half of it. Who knows what you could find? Roll 1D100 vs ???. Success offers ???, failure offers ???.
The Parrot's Perch rooms are a little inferior to standard. The bathrooms don't work sometimes (so you need to go downstairs) and the rooms are smaller, meaning instead of a large cupboard apiece the roommates share a single cupboard. Storage space will be somewhat limited, though this isn't really reflected in any rolls unless you decide to start stockpiling something. However, direct access to the roof is always useful, especially from the highest vantage point around. If you need to spy on someone or pull some sort of a prank, the Perch is the best place to do it from.
Last edited:
Shard
One and Many
- Location
- Malaysia
[X] Go with Madavian - Drop in one of the classes. You might learn something useful. As they're taught at a second-year level you won't be learning any spells, but you might pick up a useful bit of Lore. If you choose Go With Madavian, vote for one of the classes. You'll be able to drop in on the top two classes (as you have a few hours before dinner). Improves relationship with Madavian.
[X] Alchemical Theory - Unfortunately for you, sneaking into an alchemy lab would be hard. A lecture hall with as many as a hundred students? The theory of Alchemy is dry, boring, mathematical and full of minute details that require memorization. Still, learning a few theoretical bits and bobs couldn't hurt. Gain a (medium) Training Roll for Lore: Alchemy.
Yessss, friendship get! Now, improving friendships offers options. Important. Connections are important. Now let's go for the easy class..
[X] Alchemical Theory - Unfortunately for you, sneaking into an alchemy lab would be hard. A lecture hall with as many as a hundred students? The theory of Alchemy is dry, boring, mathematical and full of minute details that require memorization. Still, learning a few theoretical bits and bobs couldn't hurt. Gain a (medium) Training Roll for Lore: Alchemy.
Yessss, friendship get! Now, improving friendships offers options. Important. Connections are important. Now let's go for the easy class..
- Location
- Straya
Yeah, about one-fifth of the kids in the Dorms have something immediately and obviously useful to offer their friends, and you guys rolled high. Madavian in this case is (pretty obviously) a high-up member of one of the Five Families (possibly a Scion, from what he's saying), and his father gave him five hundred coins to take to school as spending money. Your entire accommodation fund for four years is smaller than that!
Character Sheet
- Location
- Straya
Name: Ulos Flitter
Background: Undying Empire, Necromancer's Bargain.
Stats:
4 Intelligence - You are one of the brightest people around. While not a genius, you can keep up with geniuses when they talk most of the time.
6 Channeling - Magic bursts from your skin like a god incarnated in the flesh, flowing outwards at your very whem. Your magic pool is near-limitless, regenerating quickly and your potential is almost unbounded.
1 Channeling - Merely tapping into the Primordial Ether is a difficult task for you, and shaping magic to your desires is even moreso. Practicing spells requires great concentration, and you are not able to practice for very long, inferior to almost all of your classmates. You are the very weakest a mage can be and still truly be called a mage.
5 Willpower - Indomitable in will, you find it easy to veer away from the pleasures of the flesh and submit yourself to the pain of learning. Fear does not strike you easily and while other men give up, you find failure undaunting entirely.
2 Charisma - You are shy, and find talking to others unpleasant and difficult. You do not find it terrifying, and while you sometimes insult people, you have mostly learned to get around this through silence.
3 Physical Ability - You are average human strength, able to run for a distance, lift a reasonable amount of weight, and are fairly fast.
2 Physical Ability - While not decrepit, you are weak. Lifting a great deal is difficult for you, and your endurance leaves much to be desired. You are a little slow, and your reflexes are not always what they could be.
Skills:
Knowledge:
+12 Lore: Souls and Spirits (10/20 next level)
+31 Magical Theory (25/40 next level)
+15 Lore: Necromancy (0/25 next level)
+11 Lore: Runes (12/20 next level)
+10 Lore: History (17/20 next level)
+10 Lore: Six-Fox Pact (14/20)
Crafting and Casting:
+10 Craft: Runes (0/20 next level)
+8 Spellweaving (8/10 next level)
+6 Arcane Meditation (0/10 next level)
Magic Pool: 25/25 (395 points locked behind Curse of Transferal)
Traits:
Curse of Transferal (-5 Channeling, -1 Physical Ability. Only method you know to remove this is death of the necromancer who created it)
Ether Manipulation (Mana pool increased by 25%, currently +5. Through the consumption of Ghost Lotus Tea he can lose a little less Ether to the Curse of Transferal, akin to a prisoner managing to move his manacles to be a little more comfortable. The curse is not weakened in the slightest, but there he is able to exploit the small amount of flexibility it does have. His Mana Pool increases by 25% while under the effects of the Curse of Transferal.)
Paid Up-Front (you've used your money to pay your tuition, getting a large discount for paying for all four years.This has left you with no extra money, but no obligations in regards to tuition).
Trait: True Friend or No Friend (Only those who are willing to help when things are bad are worth having as friends. Ulos gains +30 to all Relationship rolls for characters of Friend status or above, but if his friends do not stand by him when he asks them to, the Relationship will immediately downgrade to Acquaintance.)
Trait: Forging Onwards (Ulos is more willing to take risks. He gains a bonus to learning new spells, runes, and Alchemy, but has a doubled risk of disaster when learning new dangerous magic. He will be more decisive generally.)
Relationships:
Madavian Junotrin (I3, Cn3, W1, Ch5, P3) , (Close Friend: Whirlwind Friendship) - Madavian seems to like you. You insulted him once, but apologised quickly after, so he forgave you. You've spent most of your time together so far, even accounting for being roommates. He's charming and easygoing, though his dyed-pink hair does draw a lot of eyes. He wears glasses and has big watery blue eyes. He's lazy, but maybe you'd expect that from the Scion of one of the Five Families. Fighting together against an unexpected rival has made you fast friends, bonding quickly in just a few weeks. He's your closest friend so far.
Bonuses and Additional Actions: Madavian's Close Friendship offers Action: Family Money. Ulos may ask Madavian to send home for money. The amount will largely be determined contextually (Madavian will not give Ulos money for no reason, but will be willing to invest in opportunities or help pay for emergencies), and will require Madavian to pass a Cha check. Madavian will also help Ulos in his attempts to meet people, permanently upgrading the Action for as long as Madavian is a Close Friend to Ulos.
Abraham Mazhov (I2, Cn4, W3, Ch2, P5), (Close Friend: Devotedly Loyal) - Abraham is a flit, just like you. He stands six foot seven, over a foot taller than Ulos. Short blonde hair, blue eyes, and a powerful mage as a great-aunt. She sponsored him coming to Vorstal when he was younger when he tested high in magical talent. The two of you bonded over your shared experiences as flits in the Empire, and the way you've been treated by people from the Pact while here. Having saved him, supported him, and tutored him, the two of you have become very close. He looks up to you and obeys you, believing that you look out for his best interests invariable.
Bonuses and Additional Actions: Abraham's Close Friendship offers Action: Combat Training. Abraham's massive Physical Ability coupled with an excellent Magic Pool makes him the perfect combat mage. Already standing near the top of his class, he will be more than willing to undertake combat training with Ulos to upgrade his Combat-related skills as well as his Spellweaving skills. Abraham will also intercede in any combat-related option unless Ulos specifically asks him not to, allowing him to undertake Combat for Ulos if he engages in it while Abraham is nearby.
Henrietta Aufstadt (I5, Cn3, W3, Ch2, P2), (Friend: Intellectual Rival) - Henrietta was introduced to you by Madavian as a member of Family Aufstadt, though a minor member. She is brilliant in her own right - perhaps smarter than you though less driven. Thomas had her suspended as part of an attack on Madavian, and as such you inducted her into your study group and helped her with her school work. She has a fierce desire to be her own person, more than just her family name.
Sunette Kerek (I3, Cn3, W4, Ch3, P2) (Acquaintance: Failed Me) - Sunette is ambitious. The first time you met her, she organised you and Abraham into a study group to 'dominate the year'. She's fat, has short hair, and purple eyes, which are unusual. She's not a member of Family Kerek the way Madavian is of Junotrin, she's just taken the name because her parents work for the Family, which is pretty common. She is no longer part of the Study Group - after Sunette failed to assist Abraham when he was being bullied by Thomas, she drifted away from the rest of the group.
Laila Cartier (Rival: Dislike) - You met her, insulted her by accident, and got into a shouting match in the middle of a bunch of older students. She thinks you're an brainwashed Empire peasant, you think she's a stuck-up Narubite. She has long brown hair that she wears pulled back, brown eyes, and her skin is pale white, which is unusual for a Narubite.
Thomas Aleivas (Rival: Hatred) - You met him while he was trying to bully Abraham out of school. You proceeded to blackmail him, steal his stuff, and move Abraham out. After stealing the majority of his alchemy equipment, an Artifact, and a ton of money from him, he hates you and wants you gone. Blue-haired, and the son of a Narubite Senator, he is a powerful enemy to have.
Current Enrollment (Classes):
Magical Practice and Awareness (Mandatory)
Magical Theory (Mandatory)
Theory of Souls and Spirits (Elective)
Continental History (Elective)
Background: Undying Empire, Necromancer's Bargain.
Stats:
4 Intelligence - You are one of the brightest people around. While not a genius, you can keep up with geniuses when they talk most of the time.
1 Channeling - Merely tapping into the Primordial Ether is a difficult task for you, and shaping magic to your desires is even moreso. Practicing spells requires great concentration, and you are not able to practice for very long, inferior to almost all of your classmates. You are the very weakest a mage can be and still truly be called a mage.
5 Willpower - Indomitable in will, you find it easy to veer away from the pleasures of the flesh and submit yourself to the pain of learning. Fear does not strike you easily and while other men give up, you find failure undaunting entirely.
2 Charisma - You are shy, and find talking to others unpleasant and difficult. You do not find it terrifying, and while you sometimes insult people, you have mostly learned to get around this through silence.
2 Physical Ability - While not decrepit, you are weak. Lifting a great deal is difficult for you, and your endurance leaves much to be desired. You are a little slow, and your reflexes are not always what they could be.
Skills:
Knowledge:
+12 Lore: Souls and Spirits (10/20 next level)
+31 Magical Theory (25/40 next level)
+15 Lore: Necromancy (0/25 next level)
+11 Lore: Runes (12/20 next level)
+10 Lore: History (17/20 next level)
+10 Lore: Six-Fox Pact (14/20)
Crafting and Casting:
+10 Craft: Runes (0/20 next level)
+8 Spellweaving (8/10 next level)
+6 Arcane Meditation (0/10 next level)
Magic Pool: 25/25 (395 points locked behind Curse of Transferal)
Traits:
Curse of Transferal (-5 Channeling, -1 Physical Ability. Only method you know to remove this is death of the necromancer who created it)
Ether Manipulation (Mana pool increased by 25%, currently +5. Through the consumption of Ghost Lotus Tea he can lose a little less Ether to the Curse of Transferal, akin to a prisoner managing to move his manacles to be a little more comfortable. The curse is not weakened in the slightest, but there he is able to exploit the small amount of flexibility it does have. His Mana Pool increases by 25% while under the effects of the Curse of Transferal.)
Paid Up-Front (you've used your money to pay your tuition, getting a large discount for paying for all four years.This has left you with no extra money, but no obligations in regards to tuition).
Trait: True Friend or No Friend (Only those who are willing to help when things are bad are worth having as friends. Ulos gains +30 to all Relationship rolls for characters of Friend status or above, but if his friends do not stand by him when he asks them to, the Relationship will immediately downgrade to Acquaintance.)
Trait: Forging Onwards (Ulos is more willing to take risks. He gains a bonus to learning new spells, runes, and Alchemy, but has a doubled risk of disaster when learning new dangerous magic. He will be more decisive generally.)
Relationships:
Madavian Junotrin (I3, Cn3, W1, Ch5, P3) , (Close Friend: Whirlwind Friendship) - Madavian seems to like you. You insulted him once, but apologised quickly after, so he forgave you. You've spent most of your time together so far, even accounting for being roommates. He's charming and easygoing, though his dyed-pink hair does draw a lot of eyes. He wears glasses and has big watery blue eyes. He's lazy, but maybe you'd expect that from the Scion of one of the Five Families. Fighting together against an unexpected rival has made you fast friends, bonding quickly in just a few weeks. He's your closest friend so far.
Bonuses and Additional Actions: Madavian's Close Friendship offers Action: Family Money. Ulos may ask Madavian to send home for money. The amount will largely be determined contextually (Madavian will not give Ulos money for no reason, but will be willing to invest in opportunities or help pay for emergencies), and will require Madavian to pass a Cha check. Madavian will also help Ulos in his attempts to meet people, permanently upgrading the Action for as long as Madavian is a Close Friend to Ulos.
Abraham Mazhov (I2, Cn4, W3, Ch2, P5), (Close Friend: Devotedly Loyal) - Abraham is a flit, just like you. He stands six foot seven, over a foot taller than Ulos. Short blonde hair, blue eyes, and a powerful mage as a great-aunt. She sponsored him coming to Vorstal when he was younger when he tested high in magical talent. The two of you bonded over your shared experiences as flits in the Empire, and the way you've been treated by people from the Pact while here. Having saved him, supported him, and tutored him, the two of you have become very close. He looks up to you and obeys you, believing that you look out for his best interests invariable.
Bonuses and Additional Actions: Abraham's Close Friendship offers Action: Combat Training. Abraham's massive Physical Ability coupled with an excellent Magic Pool makes him the perfect combat mage. Already standing near the top of his class, he will be more than willing to undertake combat training with Ulos to upgrade his Combat-related skills as well as his Spellweaving skills. Abraham will also intercede in any combat-related option unless Ulos specifically asks him not to, allowing him to undertake Combat for Ulos if he engages in it while Abraham is nearby.
Henrietta Aufstadt (I5, Cn3, W3, Ch2, P2), (Friend: Intellectual Rival) - Henrietta was introduced to you by Madavian as a member of Family Aufstadt, though a minor member. She is brilliant in her own right - perhaps smarter than you though less driven. Thomas had her suspended as part of an attack on Madavian, and as such you inducted her into your study group and helped her with her school work. She has a fierce desire to be her own person, more than just her family name.
Sunette Kerek (I3, Cn3, W4, Ch3, P2) (Acquaintance: Failed Me) - Sunette is ambitious. The first time you met her, she organised you and Abraham into a study group to 'dominate the year'. She's fat, has short hair, and purple eyes, which are unusual. She's not a member of Family Kerek the way Madavian is of Junotrin, she's just taken the name because her parents work for the Family, which is pretty common. She is no longer part of the Study Group - after Sunette failed to assist Abraham when he was being bullied by Thomas, she drifted away from the rest of the group.
Laila Cartier (Rival: Dislike) - You met her, insulted her by accident, and got into a shouting match in the middle of a bunch of older students. She thinks you're an brainwashed Empire peasant, you think she's a stuck-up Narubite. She has long brown hair that she wears pulled back, brown eyes, and her skin is pale white, which is unusual for a Narubite.
Thomas Aleivas (Rival: Hatred) - You met him while he was trying to bully Abraham out of school. You proceeded to blackmail him, steal his stuff, and move Abraham out. After stealing the majority of his alchemy equipment, an Artifact, and a ton of money from him, he hates you and wants you gone. Blue-haired, and the son of a Narubite Senator, he is a powerful enemy to have.
Current Enrollment (Classes):
Magical Practice and Awareness (Mandatory)
Magical Theory (Mandatory)
Theory of Souls and Spirits (Elective)
Continental History (Elective)
Last edited:
- Location
- va
[X] Go with Madavian
-[X] Theory and Practice of Runes
-[X] Theory and Practice of Runes
[X] Go with Madavian - Drop in one of the classes. You might learn something useful. As they're taught at a second-year level you won't be learning any spells, but you might pick up a useful bit of Lore. If you choose Go With Madavian, vote for one of the classes. You'll be able to drop in on the top two classes (as you have a few hours before dinner). Improves relationship with Madavian.
[X] Theory and Practice of Runes - Making a rune is easy enough, it's just a spell you inscribe that can be used time and time again. But what's the theory behind that? How do you actually do it? Gain a (hard) Training Roll for Lore: Runes, and a (extraordinarily hard) Training Roll for Craft: Runes.
[X] Intermediate Soul-Binding - You might get to see a spirit bound! Of course, without basic Soul-Binding you might not learn very much at all. Still cool, though. Not to mention this could have some relevance to your Curse? I mean, maybe. Gain a (hard) Training Roll for Lore: Souls and Spirits, gain a (nearly impossible) Training Roll for Spell: Bind Spirit
[X] Theory and Practice of Runes - Making a rune is easy enough, it's just a spell you inscribe that can be used time and time again. But what's the theory behind that? How do you actually do it? Gain a (hard) Training Roll for Lore: Runes, and a (extraordinarily hard) Training Roll for Craft: Runes.
[X] Intermediate Soul-Binding - You might get to see a spirit bound! Of course, without basic Soul-Binding you might not learn very much at all. Still cool, though. Not to mention this could have some relevance to your Curse? I mean, maybe. Gain a (hard) Training Roll for Lore: Souls and Spirits, gain a (nearly impossible) Training Roll for Spell: Bind Spirit
Last edited:
- Location
- Sweden
[X] Go with Madavian
-[X] Theory and Practice of Runes.
-[X] Theory and Practice of Runes.
@occipitallobe Question: will our necromancy bonus be applied if we take Soul-Binding? It sounds like it might be at least somewhat related to necromancy
Last edited:
Shard
One and Many
- Location
- Malaysia
WanderingEye
smol skeleton
[X] Just Hang Out - Madavian chooses which class you go to. Get one bonus from the four above (as Madavian isn't going to push you to go to two classes, he's a bit lazy), but letting Madavian call the shots will also give you time to observe him and figure out what his deal is. Gain one of the benefits above, gain insights about Madavian.
We can get limitless magical knowledge later, now let's learn about our rich and powerful roomate.
We can get limitless magical knowledge later, now let's learn about our rich and powerful roomate.
- Location
- Straya
Yeah. Soulbinding and necromancy are sort of adjacent (necromancy is specific to living things, soulbinding is more to do with spirits from the Ether which can manifest in living or unliving flesh, but they do share some theoretical underpinnings), so you can apply half of your necromancy bonus to the roll, giving you +7 (rounded down) to the roll.
This seems fine, and something I probably should've specified in hindsight.
To be honest, I'm generally fine with people voting for multiple options if they're torn between two. Approval voting has the advantage of helping reduce tactical voting (one of the things that is sometimes frustrating in a quest is having to vote for a suboptimal option to avoid an even worse one).
If the forum systems can handle it (I think they can, but I'm pretty new to using them), I'm fine with people voting for a few different options each time (maybe 2 max, the popular option you prefer and the option you genuinely prefer sort of a thing). I'd prefer people to be able to vote for any option on the table without feeling like they were having to give implicit approval to a choice they disagreed with.