Once upon a time, a girl was trapped in a tower - but a hero saved her, and they lived happily ever after. Or that's what should have been.
- monsters!
- no-one left…
- world is quite literally godless… we could become -
- we were finally free -
In this quest, you are Salem, the Queen of the Grimm. You stand upon eternities of existence. You are the last complete magic wielder in existence. You are so very, very alone. What goal do you reach for, what will you do to reach it, and what lives will you sacrifice to carve a path to your freedom?
This is a semi-Strategy, semi-RP quest, with a focus on managing resources, allies, and Salem's own troubled emotional state. At any given moment, Salem - you - has control of a number of loyal servants, intricate plots, and of course the innumerable creatures of Grimm.
In general in this quest, when embarking on a particular challenge, there will be some kind of roll to determine its level of success. This will, generally, be a roll of a number of d10s, with the number dependent on a variety of modifiers and skills from a base of 1d10 (so, for instance, if an agent of yours is trying to sneak into a CCT tower and plant a virus - she's timing this alongside a distraction for a +2 modifier, but she's not naturally inclined to stealth so much as secrecy and lying, so she's also taking a -1 modifier, rolling 2d10 to determine how successful she is). One of the most common groups of modifiers are Goals and Weaknesses; if a task is aligned with a character's Goal they are going to give it more of their effort. Equally, if a task requires strength where they have a Weakness, they will struggle. But the reverse is also true - acting against a Goal impairs a character and playing into a Weakness will turn it into a strength. Bear this in mind before making any choices!
Any roll on one of the d10s of a seven or higher is a success; any roll of a one is a complication (so, in the above example, rolling a one might mean a trainee huntress sees your agent sneaking around on the rooftops and goes to investigate what's going on). Multiple ones can either increase the complication (it's not just a trainee huntress, it's Oz's pet) or give an additional complication (there's a bunch of Atlesian guards there too). I will always say what potential complications a roll can have before it's made!
If a roll has no complications it is flawless and will give additional bonuses; if it has no successes and at least one complication, it is a setback, and will cause some level of penalty beyond the norm.
Additionally, certain rolls may be especially risky (x) or challenging (x). Risky rolls count as generating a complication on the listed number or below - so a Risky (2) roll would generate complications on any roll of one or two; challenging rolls require a higher target number than seven - so a challenging (9) roll requires a roll of nine or higher to count as a success! Obviously, some rolls can be BOTH risky AND challenging!
Rolls will only occur for exceptional tipping points - generally, people will simply Do things.
Salem has a number of resources to draw on - however, due to her nature, she's mostly operated in the shadows over the last few centuries/millenia, and thus she doesn't exactly have 'resources' as most nationstates would define them. Nevertheless, her and her agents are assumed to be able to get 'normal' equipment (weaponry, transport, etc.) without any effort. Sometimes, however, the Queen needs something specific - a virus that can bring down a kingdom, the allegiance of a branch of the White Fang, a key to a hidden chamber dear Ozma made. Any of these would be a resource, generally with their own specific rules as to their usage and effects.
Resources can be gained in one of two ways - Research and Acquisition.
Research is the process of developing or making something from scratch - a new breed of flying beringels, for instance. Research will require a certain number of actions taken for it to be completed, or a certain number of successes, or both, after which you acquire the indicated resource. Research can also be used to gain information about a variety of subjects and 'unlock' other research projects to generate actual Resources.
Acquisition is for things that can't simply be made - the loyalty of groups, special projects made by someone not under Salem's thumb, rare artifacts, and so on. Acquisition of these Resources requires some level of active effort, generally assigning another agent or Salem herself to an Excursion (see below for more on them) to retrieve them.
There is, of course, a special category of resources - Salem's Inner Circle, her Agents.
An Agent is both a resource and narratively a member of Salem's inner circle. They are her hands and eyes outside of her castle - while Lionheart's cowardice might make him a Resource, Tyrian, Watts, Cinder, and Hazel would all be Agents. Much like Salem herself, Agents have several traits, as well as goals they are striving for. It's important to keep Agents (relatively) happy - the more their goals are ignored, the less loyal and more erratic they may become, potentially making irrational decisions or even defecting (!) if not paid attention to.
This makes them sound like they're all downside - but crucially, Agents can be assigned to do actions Salem does not have time for each turn; they can also be sent on Excursions, Acquire resources and do Research. Each Agent is a boost to your action economy, and thus they are exceptionally valuable.
You've probably seen by now I've mentioned the term Excursion a lot. This is one of three kinds of turn that can happen. Each of the time they take is somewhat abstracted, but is generally in the indicated range.
Strategic level turns take, in universe, somewhere between six months and two years. They are Salem playing the grand game and making slow steps towards her goals. Each Strategic Turn, Salem can take three actions, with one additional action per Agent, assigning Agents to it via putting the agent's name in square brackets after the vote (so, for instance, if you wanted Watts to do research on the CCT towers you'd format the vote as [X] Research on the CCT [Watts]). You may always push additional actions, but for each additional action taken, all other actions (including those by your agents!) will become more Risky, more Challenging, or both! Strategic turns contain Research options, and further allow Salem to direct her forces on a continental or planetary scale, marshaling and sending out Agents (or herself) on -
Excursion level turns are for when Salem, or one or more of her Agents, are actively working on a particular, 'short' term plan in a particular locale. They take, in universe, somewhere between a week and two months. Any given Excursion will have a number of available actions Salem, or any Agents on the Excursion can take, depending on the goals of the Excursion and its location. However, taking more than the indicated limit will make Salem's actions more noticeable, potentially drawing in Ozpin's own Agents or increasing the difficulty faced by Salem/her Agents. This, or other decisions, may lead to -
Battle level turns are for when Salem, or one or more of her Agents, are actively engaged in a fight, series of skirmishes, or ongoing armed attack of some kind. They take, in universe, somewhere between a minute and two hours per turn, depending obviously on the kind of battle being depicted. While Salem herself cannot die, her Agents, Resources and plans can be threatened, destroyed or halted on failure. Generally, I will define consequences for a Battle on the turn it starts (i.e.; on a loss x will happen, on a win y will happen), though final results are likely to lead to some mix of both consequences (human error often mars perfection, after all).
All characters can endure a certain level of Stress; this represents harm physical, mental and beyond that a character accumulates over time. In general, the higher a character's stress is, the closer they are to their breaking point - when Broken, they will suffer in some major way, be it physical injury, mental disorder, or outright death! These major Consequences will take time and action to clear.
Stress can be reduced in two ways - taking smaller consequences (minor injuries and problems), or by moments of Catharsis that allow Stress to be relieved through treatment or a venting of emotion. In most characters this is normally achieved through bonds of comradeship and social interaction.
Salem is not most characters, and achieving Catharsis is far harder than normal. Any non-normal methods will have to be discovered, except for one - any time Salem leans into her Grimm half (see her Traits) she automatically clears all Stress and mental Consequences.
End My Curse: "So long as this world turns, you shall walk its face," they said to me. I lived for years so long they cannot be counted. Even before then, I did not want to live more. I want this to end. I just want this to end.
Defy the Gods: The Gods were not just fallible, in the end - they were monstrous. They destroyed humanity for the act of defiance of a few thousand. They struck Ozma down then brought him back over and over again before setting him to a futile task. If it is possible, I would like to stand before them again, and win this time, and bring an end to their existence.
Stop Ozma's Unity: If the four Relics are brought together, the gods will return. If 'humanity' is 'united', they will 'once again live among you'. This cannot be allowed - I will never submit myself to the tyranny of the Brothers' rule again. No matter how nonsensical the goal of all of 'humanity' living in 'harmony' is, actions must be taken to prevent it.
Weaknesses:
A Charred Toy: Once, there was another chance. A hope. We finally had freedom, and Ozma threw it away. And in the process he - I - one of us, we destroyed the only thing that mattered.
Spite: What do you mean spite? (Salem, while not self aware of this, tends to take slights and grudges seriously, no matter how minor or unintentional. She has the time to nurse them, after all, and her emotions on such subjects fester into irrationality.)
Something They Could Never Be: I watched humanity die. And I watched over many, many, many years, too many to count, as something else crawled to existence. It calls itself 'humanity', but how can it be? It lacks the magic and direction that defined humanity's existence, no matter how poisoned a chalice that gift and that direction were. Whatever people exist on 'Remnant' now, they are echoes, with only a semblance of what once was.
Traits:
You Shall Walk Its Face: As long as the world now known to its inhabitants as Remnant exists, Salem cannot die. At the start of each turn, Salem removes all complications or consequences that are caused by physical harm. If she 'died', she reforms as close to her body as possible. This effect cannot be removed or superceded by any other effect.
A Gift From the Gods: Salem is one of only two magic users in existence without limits, and has never bestowed any fraction of it on others in the way Ozma has - all Semblances and their ilk are pathetic shadows of the power she wields, and she has had uncounted ages to hone her craft. In direct combat, Salem gains +4d10 on all rolls, and those rolls cannot EVER be made Challenging. Additionally, if given sufficient time to study its nature, she can replicate the effect of any Semblance; depending on the Semblance in question this may take up to a full Strategic turn of Research.
The Hearts of Men are Easily Swayed: Salem has had untold aeons to learn how to manipulate those around her, and she wasn't exactly a slouch at it before then. On first encounter with another major character, Salem will automatically learn one of their Goals and one of their Weaknesses. Additionally, she always counts as having at least one success on all rolls required for manipulation, deceit, or subversion.
A Desire for Pure Destruction: Salem sank into the pools of Grimm, and emerged forever changed. For all effects, Salem counts as a creature of Grimm (no need for sustenance, can detect negative emotions, not able to project an Aura, weak to silver eyes, etc.). Additionally, her desire for destruction must be fed - on any turn, any action Salem herself takes marked with a [Grimm] will automatically succeed, but will be completed in the most destructive way possible (recruiting an agent by breaking their mind so utterly they cannot think of disobeying you, silencing a potential defector by openly ripping them to pieces in front of your court, etc.). Moreover, if at any point 3 consecutive Turns (of any kind) go by without at least one [Grimm] action being taken, one will be chosen at random for this effect to apply to on the fourth Turn. Choose wisely.
Current Stress: 1/8
Current Agents (see Cast List for more on all):
Hazel Rainart, a vengeful young man who is on my side because I am a harder target than Ozma. Time may calcify his feelings towards me into weary apathy and solidify his hatred of Ozma but he is not there yet.
Rosie Arourai, my skilled little rat; while not the favourite assassin I have ever employed, the simple spread of her kills has been a treat to witness, as has her quiet competence. Deceased.
Rene d'Aufere, the last of the 'true' Valean nobility, my eyes and ears and mouth, and devoted to my cause. His only flaws are his increasing age and that his veil of secrecy is slowly fading.
Mircalla Umbre, my quiet voice and hand where a nobleman cannot tread; once I might have considered her a candidate for greater tasks, perhaps even stealing Maidenhood, but her temperamental nature renders that a poor idea. Deceased.
Coral 'Giantsbane' Maupin, a mercenary - in truth, a bandit - under my employ, alongside their other 'Giantkillers'. Believes I fight solely for a world 'free' from the tyranny of the wealthy, yet seeks that wealth themselves in a hypocritical act they do not seem to be aware of.
Current Resources:
Evernight Castle: The castle of Evernight. Within are training rooms, meeting halls, research stations, and quarters for those who serve me. While some of its facilities are antiquated, it is the closest thing to a home I can bring to allow myself.
The Pools of Grimm: Once bottomless, now drained by my experimentation and, as ironic as it is, creation, this place where I was reborn still holds many millenia of Grimm-matter with which I may create what I please.
The Giantkillers: A mercenary band sworn to Coral's command. In truth they are little more than a rather more 'professional' bandit clan, and without sufficent loot - or with their leader's attention elsewhere - they would scatter beyond my reach.
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Other Members of the Cast, and what is Known of Them
Other Members of the Cast, and what is Known of Them:
A Note: All information in these cast character sheets are from Salem's point of view. This, naturally, leaves a level of bias in them. Do not take any of these as gospel truth about the way things actually work or are.
Ozma
Goals:
The Return: Ozma and his many reincarnations seek to bring the Gods back to a unified humanity where they may live alongside 'their creations' - as if any of them are still alive but me - in 'peace' once again.
Thwart Salem: Ozma ever seeks to interfere in my plans, regardless of their focus, and will set his servants to my trail as I set mine to his.
?????
Weaknesses:
Lack of Will (?): Ozma lacks the will for the unity he desires - ever he moves with an even tempered, 'balanced', deceitful hand, and thus leaves the seeds of division in his wake for me to exploit.
Devotion (???): Ozma still believes a world where the fallible Brothers sit in judgement upon all 'beneath' them is desirable, or at least, that's what his actions seem to indicate.
?????
Resources and Agents:
The Four Relics: While Ozma has never brought the four of them together, for the past century or so he has had the capacity to do so, holding all four of the Relics granted by the gods secure. Each - Knowledge, Creation, Destruction, and Choice - are unreproducibly powerful resources in their own right, and when pushed to his limits, Ozma will draw upon them.
The Four Academies: In the wake of the Great War, some over earlier vaults and some specifically constructed to house them, Ozma built his four academies of huntsmen to block my path to the Relics. Not only do they churn out generations of peacekeepers who eat into my forces of Grimm, but each is headed by a headmaster in his inner circle, who holds considerable political power - through them, Ozma sits a near-dictator over the 'known' world.
The Four Maidens: A long time ago, Ozma split a portion of his power in four, and imbued it in four young women, as though they could be any substitute for those he killed. The power is passed down, generation to generation, and so the line of Maidens continues. He keeps their identities secret now, and each wields elemental magical force unmatched by any save I myself, and many of his closest treasures and secrets - including the Relics - are barred by doors only they can open.
The Wizard's Many Eyes: Ozma maintains many Agents with which to hinder my schemes, from the unwitting to those who believe they know him. Some of his most powerful he has, over the centuries, imbued with esoteric and specific pieces of his magic, granting them dangerous capabilities.
Unknown At This Time…
Traits:
You Are Never Alone: Ozma can die… for a time. When he emerges into a new soul that resonates with his, he slowly cannibalises their soul to power himself and continue his line, changing subtly in the process over the aeons, learning new skills as he goes. Ozma may never roll less than (?????) on any given Action as instead he draws on his lifetimes of experience; additionally, when Ozma's current host would be killed, his soul will find a 'like-minded' one and bond to it within ??? Strategic Turns.
A Wizard: While he has sacrificed much of his direct power to others, Ozma is still one of the only users of true magic on the planet, and his skill and ability reflect this. In direct combat, Ozma gains +2d10 on all rolls, and those rolls cannot EVER be made Challenging. In addition, he can bestow a portion of his power on others, ?????.
??Flotsam of the Past??: ?????
?????: ?????
Hazel Rainart
Goals:
No More Dead Children: Hazel seeks a beautiful world order where his sister would never have been killed by training; of course, he seeks this through me, one who cares little for the survival of this world so much as my own exit from it. This is, however, something he is still somewhat aware of, and managing him will take time and care.
The Purity of Vengeance: Beyond his utopian would-be ideals, Hazel simply wants to hurt those who took his sister from him - the Grimm that killed her, and dear Ozma in his role as Beacon's headmaster. I have managed to divert him from the manifestation of the former that is myself - for now - so he is currently focused on the latter.
?????: Surely, there is more to him, but given his rather recent involvement with my cause, I have not yet discovered it.
Weaknesses:
The Cowardice of Hypocrisy: Hazel, fundamentally, knows that Ozma is only as much to blame for his Gretchen's death as any authority figure would be. But it is easier to be angry with a person with a face than the hordes of Grimm, or the nature of mistakes, statistical errors, the fact that Gretchen herself made a mistake. If forced to confront this hypocrisy or another 'responsible' figure - like, say, myself - he may snap in another direction to maintain his delusions.
Apathy and Rage: Hazel has handled his grief simply - by sinking into a calm so deep it is resignation, and lapsing into rage so hot it heeds little but its own call. While these emotions are deeply familiar, they also currently make him a somewhat unreliable Agent without supervision.
?????: Surely, there is more to him, but given his rather recent involvement with my cause, I have not yet discovered it.
Traits:
Anesthetic Rage (Semblance): Hazel may ignore any pain he is suffering from as long as his aura lasts; until he Breaks, all Stress he suffers may be reduced, and he may ignore all Consequences and physical Complications that relate to injuries he has received (note, though, that he IS still injured, he just ignores the effects).
Journeyman Dust Mage: Hazel has developed some level of skill with manipulating raw dust and its effects - he may, with a sufficient supply and a good way to use it, use Dust in combat to grant himself a +1 modifier to any combat roll.
Current Stress: ?/8
Current Loyalty: Strained
-.-.-
Rosie Arourai
Deceased in My Service
-.-.-
Rene d'Auferre
Goals:
The Will of the Queen: Rene is… genuinely sympathetic to me. To what I want. And he is willing to do what it takes for me to achieve it. This is… rare, especially in one who is not a deranged zealot, or who has been manipulated to the point they might as well be. It has been many years now and I am still not sure how I feel about it.
A Certain Level of Class: Rene requires his actions - and his surroundings - to maintain a certain level of dignity and nobility that has faded somewhat from the world, to his chagrin. He would see the world restored, at least a little, to his somewhat-edited memories of his youth.
A Good Death: For some years now, it has become clear that he will not see me achieve my desires within his lifetime. Since that became clear, he has sought an 'honourable' death in my service before age manages to catch him.
Weaknesses:
The Hand of Age: Rene is now fast approaching seventy years of age. While not incapable, he moves slower, speaks in ways those around him are not accustomed to, and is increasingly burdened by sickness. Worse, perhaps, he has been in my service a long time - while his loyalties are not discovered directly, they are almost certainly highly suspected.
Flair: Rene will never use two words when he can use two hundred; he will never make a simple plan when he can organise an elaborate masquerade full of clandestine meetings and hidden doors. His style is amusing, but it can hinder his performance.
Not a Fighter: While trained for fighting, Rene has never been a prodigy in combat, a fact that has only become more clear as he has aged.
Traits:
A Thread of Gold (Semblance): Rene can connect himself to a place or person, then find his way to them no matter the distance. Only one place or person can be chosen at a time, but as long as Rene is familiar with them, he may 'connect' with them from anywhere on Remnant. The 'thread' is aware of transportation limits and will bear them in mind when planning a route.
Skilled Diplomat: Rene is a master of the quick word and the negotiation. On any roll involving negotiation or generic social interaction, he gains +2d10 on all rolls, and cannot count it as more than Challenging (9). Additionally, he may ignore up to one social Complication on any such rolls.
Many Contacts: Rene has friends everywhere. When he arrives in a location, he may roll 1d6 - on a 4-5, he knows someone who can provide minor assistance, on a 6 he knows someone who can provide great assistance. However, on a 1, he is known and disliked!
Current Stress: ?/8
Current Loyalty: Devoted
-.-.-
Mircalla Umbre
Deceased in My Service
-.-.-
Coral Maupin
Goals:
Cut Down the Chain to Heaven: Once, Coral climbed from Mantle to Atlas, and stole something. The crackdown in response to this crime devastated their family. She thumbs their nose at tradition, and authority, and all who would do this again, and seeks to see them pulled down into the rubble alongside 'the rest of us'.
A Good Time!: While not an out and out hedonist - I would not accept working alongside one, they are deeply tiresome - Coral's wants, moment to moment, are simple. They seek excitement, engagement - a good swordfight, a good mission, a good time.
???Golden Egg???: I believe whatever it was Coral stole from Atlas is still in her possession, and she seeks more for it. However, they have been remarkably cagey on the subject.
Weaknesses:
I Cannot Weave: … it is a rather simple weakness, but it seems as though Coral cannot go a month without finding some new woman to sigh over and seek to 'free'. They will find another next week, but until then her… attraction is her focus.
?????: ?????
Rob from the Rich for Myself: Fundamentally, for all Coral's claims of fighting for 'freedom', Coral seeks to empower themselves. She does not invest the dust she steals in more than their own weaponry and company, and their attitude to societal injustice seems more seeking to be the boot herself rather than removing its existence.
Traits:
Always a Fair Fight (Semblance): Coral may level the playing field to cut down giants; they always hit with the same relative force when empowered, her blows acting the same on a Beowulf as a skilled Huntress as a Megagoliath. When active, she will always deal at least 2 Stress to another character on a combat roll, even on complete failure.
Mercenary Leader: Coral leads a band of skilled mercenaries and bandits, and is generally accompanied by one or two trusted lieutenants. At any given time, she may call for support from them, increasing her chance of success in combat and on wider excursions. ?????
??Connections???: Coral has a number of connections across ?????
????? Thief: ????? stealing ?????
Current Stress: ?/8
Current Loyalty: Invested
Summer Rose
Goals:
A Happy Ever After: She seeks a world without Grimm. Without violence. Without… she seeks the unity Ozma claims to, and she will carve whatever path she must to achieve it. It would almost be admirable, if I didn't stand in her way.
?????: ?????
?????: ?????
Weaknesses:
?????
A Prison of Abandonment: … she knows she cannot survive this. No matter how this day goes, it will be her end. Who has she left behind to make that choice? How has she justified it to herself?
Always an Open Hand: It's hardly surprising from a 'noble' silver-eyed warrior, but despite her vicious skill and defiance against manipulation she is willing to act even against allies to give her foes a 'chance'. That… could be easily exploited.
Traits:
Silver Eyed Warrior: Summer bears Silver Eyes, and is adept in their use. She may ????? in order to instantly Break and kill, petrify, or freeze any Grimm. ?????
The Moment of the Rose (Semblance): Summer's semblance is, from all reports, simple but effective. As long as she fights, she cannot tire, she cannot be fatigued, she cannot stop, until 'evil' is vanquished. ?????
A Simpler Soul: Summer Rose may choose to ignore any social manipulation or diplomacy attempt; if she does so, she gains 1d3-1 minimum of 1 Stress.
?????
Current Stress: 2?/?
-.-.-
Raven Branwen
Goals:
?????: ?????
The Strong Live, The Weak Die: A basic bandit philosophy, engrained so deep in her bones she could not escape it. If you live you are worthy - if you didn't you were not. I wonder what she thinks of my strength, and her teammate's choice…
?????: ?????
Weaknesses:
?????: ?????
Ozpin the Great and Terrible: So… the bandit has no love for Ozpin or his secrets. Does she feel manipulated into accepting her gift? Is that why she returned to her tribe? I had assumed it was Ozma diversifying his assets, but if she left his employ…
But that doesn't make you Strong: Oh, but look in her eyes - there's a deeper fear there. That for all her power, she isn't Strong. That she won't Survive. That's her truest priority - living, no matter the cost.
Traits:
Kindred Link (Semblance): Raven may make a portal spanning Remnant's length to those she is emotionally 'tied' to. ?????
A Bird's Eye: While she may have left Ozma's services - formally at least - she was empowered with that portion of his magic that lets her become one of his 'birds'. Raven may transform into a raven, ?????
Once upon a time, a girl was trapped in a tower - but a hero saved her, and they lived happily ever after. Or that's what should have been.
- monsters!
- no-one left…
- world is quite literally godless… we could become -
- we were finally free -
In this quest, you are Salem, the Queen of the Grimm. You stand upon eternities of existence. You are the last complete magic wielder in existence. You are so very, very alone. What goal do you reach for, what will you do to reach it, and what lives will you sacrifice to carve a path to your freedom?
Salem's goals are, to most in Remnant, still uncertain. Only she can know for sure what her final plans are. For now, though, as you step into her head, a choice must be made. Salem is a complicated person, and has several desires, but which sits highest in primacy within her thoughts? Which is the final step that she strives towards over the long millenia to achieve? All of the below options will be Goals, as Salem desires all of these things, but only one is her true focus.
Which Goal defines Salem's existence?
[ ] End My Curse - "So long as this world turns, you shall walk its face," they said to me. I lived for years so long they cannot be counted. Even before then, I did not want to live more. I want this to end. I just want this to end.
[ ] Defy the Gods - The Gods were not just fallible, in the end - they were monstrous. They destroyed humanity for the act of defiance of a few thousand. They struck Ozma down then brought him back over and over again before setting him to a futile task. If it is possible, I would like to stand before them again, and win this time, and bring an end to their existence.
[ ] Stop Ozma's Unity - If the four Relics are brought together, the gods will return. If 'humanity' is 'united', they will 'once again live among you'. This cannot be allowed - I will never submit myself to the tyranny of the Brothers' rule again. No matter how nonsensical the goal of all of 'humanity' living in 'harmony' is, actions must be taken to prevent it.
Salem, while no longer mortal, is not without flaws. Some are ones she is all too aware of, others are ones she is blind to, or actively regards as strengths, perhaps even truths about the world. She has several, but one is a defining, fatal flaw, that taints every action she takes.
Which Weakness defines Salem's existence?
[ ] A Charred Toy - Once, there was another chance. A hope. We finally had freedom, and Ozma threw it away. And in the process he - I - one of us, we destroyed the only thing that mattered.
[ ] Spite - What do you mean spite? (Salem, while not self aware of this, tends to take slights and grudges seriously, no matter how minor or unintentional. She has the time to nurse them, after all, and her emotions on such subjects fester into irrationality.)
[ ] Something They Could Never Be- I watched humanity die. And I watched over many, many, many years, too many to count, as something else crawled to existence. It calls itself 'humanity', but how can it be? It lacks the magic and direction that defined humanity's existence, no matter how poisoned a chalice that gift and that direction were. Whatever people exist on 'Remnant' now, they are echoes, with only a semblance of what once was.
Finally, it must be asked - when are you stepping into Salem's shoes? At what point in time will you take the helm of her mind?
Where does this Quest start?
[ ] Summer's End (12 years before the robbery in From Dust til Dawn) - One of Ozma's best, a huntress without peer, a silver eyed warrior, has fought through my Grimm and my circle to the core of Evernight. Aware of my immortality, she seeks not to kill me but to halt my progress as much as she can. If she succeeds, even partially, so much will be lost. If she fails… new opportunities may arise.
Begins in Battle Turns
Salem will have multiple Agents available immediately, though a number may be injured, dying, or dead
Earliest point in the timeline allows shaping of Salem's upcoming strategy the most, but also the most unfamiliarity - the world isn't as it will be in a decade's time
[ ] A City in the Heavens (8 years before the robbery in From Dust til Dawn) - I have made new plans, but I am hampered by my lack of hands in the world beyond Evernight; for that reason, I have made the excursion to the floating gewgaw that is Atlas to prepare to free a serial killer I know I can twist into a willing assassin. And perhaps I shall find my most important piece yet while I am here: a candidate for my new plans for Maidenhood…
Begins in Excursion Turns
Salem begins with only a few Agents, but can recruit multiple Agents on this Excursion, allowing a shaping of her inner circle
Midpoint in the timeline allows major changes to her upcoming strategy while sticking to a degree of familiarity with canon events and characters
[ ] The End's Beginning (2 years before the robbery in From Dust til Dawn) - The circle turns, and I am closer to success than I have been in many centuries. My new hands stand ready to begin my plans, beginning with the acquisition of the Fall Maiden's powers. If I am to change my path at all, this is the last possible moment, before it begins…
Begins in Strategic Turns
Salem begins with her canon circle of agents - Hazel, Tyrian, Watts and Cinder - who are well balanced and (at first) loyal, but recruitment opportunities for others are limited
Salem's plans are starting - while changes can be made, some things have already been set in motion, and stopping them will be a challenge
So cast your votes, then. Divide yourselves. Bicker and squabble, until you come together in unity…
[X] Defy the Gods - The Gods were not just fallible, in the end - they were monstrous. They destroyed humanity for the act of defiance of a few thousand. They struck Ozma down then brought him back over and over again before setting him to a futile task. If it is possible, I would like to stand before them again, and win this time, and bring an end to their existence.
[X] A Charred Toy - Once, there was another chance. A hope. We finally had freedom, and Ozma threw it away. And in the process he - I - one of us, we destroyed the only thing that mattered.
[X] Summer's End (12 years before the robbery in From Dust til Dawn) - One of Ozma's best, a huntress without peer, a silver eyed warrior, has fought through my Grimm and my circle to the core of Evernight. Aware of my immortality, she seeks not to kill me but to halt my progress as much as she can. If she succeeds, even partially, so much will be lost. If she fails… new opportunities may arise.
Alright alright, looks like the following options won - End My Curse, A Charred Toy, and Summer's End. Little sad that A City in the Heavens didn't make it, it was probably my favourite as the author, but I'm not terribly surprised that dangling 'Summer's death' got the near unanimous support it did.
I will be editing the character sheets to reflect these choices in just a moment, but could I trouble someone to roll 1d4 for me, please? I will take the first roll, but don't worry if you roll as well as I do need two rolls, I was just going to do the other one myself.
Evernight. It sprawled upward, crystals and stone and gothic protrusions and extensions and add-ons, the work of hundreds of years built atop the bones of the work of thousands of years, a twisting labyrinthine wreck of architectural styles and the crumbling shale of the so-called 'Dark Continent', a shattered hand reaching for the magenta sky.
Within, deeper, below the levels that had subsided around the fall of the old Kingdoms - not the ones before the Unification Wars, the ones that had existed before that - below the tunnels worn smooth simply by the passage of a single pair feet over their protrusions again and again, below even that, lay a chamber. While that chamber was not normally peaceful, it was normally… minimally disturbed.
Now, however, the air was fogged. Thick with the mist that lingered if enough Grimm matter dispersed in a short enough period of time. Through that black mist came the sounds of clashing blades, rending flesh, gunshots. And occasionally, like the flare of some lighthouse seen at night, a light cold and silver and warm.
Another blast of it - I scrambled, compressed the flecks of Grimm matter in the air enough to leave me with a crumbling shell of dissolving rock after the light had faded, flexed my hands then threw them wide, ropes of energy knotting and whipping forward, a single impact enough to light the nerves with agony. A shape through the fog ducked two, a bronzed flash of metal blocking another, followed by an answering gunshot - this, at least, I could accept, letting it pulverise my shoulder before the warped flesh and splattered blood reversed, sealed back together - a gesture brought more Grimm to the fray, momentary distractions to find a new angle before another searing beam of that light could find me again.
It was becoming increasingly clear that whatever reports I had received on Summer Rose had drastically underestimated how competent a fighter she was. Oh, it had been clear she was annoyingly good, but her performance today, storming my castle, showed her to be… well, not the best fighter I had ever seen, but easily within the top twenty. The top twenty! Over my whole life! She and Ozma's stray bird had carved through the Grimm surrounding the castle, entered through the front gate, shattered seals I renewed in strength and fidelity each and every year, marching down to this room with a singular purpose that could barely be slowed, let alone halted -
I should have had her dealt with years ago. Especially given her ties to Ozma. Though perhaps that would not have been so easy - I stepped, again, over Rosie's body, her gasmask shattered, jaw split by a heavy axe blow. I tried not to read accusation in her blank stare, and held down the twitch of jealousy - that she had slipped away from just a single blow after her aura had collapsed. If only, if only, if only.
"Face me." It would have been easier if it was a shout. But Summer Rose simply said the words, flat and firm, woven through with determination that had roots so deep it would take years to root out, if it was even possible. "We both know I can't kill you. What are you afraid of, Salem? Face me."
If only she could kill me. But that wasn't the risk with silver eyed warriors, was it? I hissed, tangled together more strands of magic, fired, this time for the other shadow in the room - a low corvid waark echoed the Branwen's evasion and I resisted the urge to swear, barely.
Against any other opponent, I could end this battle in a few moments. There was a reason Evernight had not been assaulted more than twice in its long life. I could simply walk through the hail of fire I was presented with, reform, and murder every enemy I faced. Even another silver-eyed warrior, while a formidable foe, would not necessarily halt me.
But this Summer Rose… her eyes prevented me from closing the distance, or from fully leveraging my hated curse against her. They also prevented a wide array of magical options - over the last few centuries I had focused myself on Grimm manipulation with my sorcery and it didn't matter how many limbs of tangling Grimm or constructs or even full manifestations I could form with a wave of my hand if just as quickly they could be seared from existence. Now, normally I could rely on endurance to wear a silver-eyed warrior down - using their skills cost them in fatigue, but Summer Rose's soul's fragment of stolen magic halted that. Her Semblance ensured she would not get fatigued unless I pressed her further in combat, which I couldn't do because of her eyes -
And fine, she would need to sleep eventually. She had a comrade I could kill, eventually. But she had also, somehow, found something that could truly harm me, and I could do nothing but fire off more futile blasts of low grade generic magic as another actinic light swept through the fog - not at me, this time, but at what was in the chamber.
The Grimm pool. Maybe not my only one, but my deepest, the one I used for my research. Each blast she fired into it… even allowing for the degrading effect of the light the more densely packed the matter was, and how dense liquid Destruction could become if it was allowed, she was destroying maybe - I slid to a halt, crouched low next to the lip of the pool, judged. Maybe a decade's worth of material, maybe more with each blast. She'd already stripped away at least a century. And the pools were not bottomless. There was a real risk that if I was disincorporated, enough that it took me real time to reform, even if it was only an hour, that I could come back to find this well drained to a few thousand years worth of supply, if not gone entirely.
And that was before the possibilities of what the light could do to me. I had suffered under a warrior's glare before, and while no bars were ready to hold me after petrification, it was a deeply unpleasant experience, like -
- like molten rock pressing down for years, reforming only long enough to scream before I was crushed in an instant -
- like the weight of Destruction itself clawing into me as I realised this wasn't the end at all, this wouldn't grant me oblivion, that it couldn't do it, that maybe nothing could -
- like a castle stone heaving away and seeing fire creep over fur and stitches and realising -
It was best avoided. And worse, perhaps, the potential for it to - to slowly flay the Grimm matter from my body, my mind, my soul, the slow conflict that would cause even if incomplete… I only had to have experienced that once to know that I never wanted it to happen again. Never.
"You can't kill me. Can't defeat me." I tried to make my voice as cold as possible, implacable, not the faintest hint of wavering despair at the idea of more years of struggle rationing my material for further Grimm might cause. "Do you really want to die here?"
"We don't have to kill you to stop you." A twitch in the fog, and I crossed my arms, my wrist taking the heavy hunting round that might have splattered my head apart long enough for her to close the distance, unleash that light on me. "And we will stop you. Or, at the very least, hurt you."
I swallowed a growl. This would be easier with my agents helping, but I had arrived to the fight late, cautious - too cautious, like I was Ozma - and my council lay shattered. Rosie, dead. Rene - my eyes flicked to the pillar he lay behind, bleeding slowly from the deep puncture through his hip from where Summer's axe spur had ripped through him. Hazel, half embedded in the wall, head slumped in what I hoped was unconsciousness. Mircalla, what remained of her chest splayed open, the stink of her offal filling the air as her eyes stared sightless into the fog. Coral slumped, half conscious with the fragments of her sword around her. And - a gurgle as the last of their lieutenants was slain by the Branwen. Not as good a fighter as Summer Rose, but good enough that fighting them both at once…
If I fell for long enough, the damage they could both do would be immense. No, while my curse granted me the ability to endure despite my own wishes, I could not fall here. Not even for an instant. I summoned my will, compressed the air into wind - elemental effects, while I had not practiced them in… what, two centuries? That sounded right. Regardless, they were simple enough that I could tangle them, chill the air, blast the fog apart for a moment - there! I levelled a hand at the Branwen, still posed from having slain the last of Coral's forces, and her eyes widened as a lash of magic struck her, the shield of her soul glimmering orange as she writhed, I just had to keep her down -
A flicker of white in the corner of my eye, the flutter of a cloak. A flash of light.
Barely, just barely, I managed to twist my form into a puddle of darkness, spill myself down just ahead of Summer's gaze, scrambling and flowing round and - and into the swing of her axe, hard enough to splatter me into two halves, one crumbling to nothing as I pushed myself upright, my torso and legs and dress reforming fast enough I could just barely spin out of her followup shots, could summon roaring fire between us so she wouldn't follow.
This was unworkable. I needed more than luck and my curse. I needed…
I needed a plan.
-.-.-
Welcome to your tutorial Battle scene! Where all your allies are down or dead, any Grimm you summon are at an immediate disadvantage, and Salem herself is put in a combat situation that negates her biggest strengths.
… maybe tutorial isn't the right word.
Threats: Each Turn of this Battle Summer is left undisrupted she will damage the Pools of Grimm resource. If this Battle is lost, the Pools of Grimm resource will go from effectively unlimited within the scope of this Quest to needing to be rationed, with a limited number of uses.
Potential Rewards: On Victory in this Battle, ?????
A Plan of Attack
Vote for any or all of the actions below to take during the upcoming Battle Turn. Picking more than two will cause increasing penalties to all Actions. Choose wisely.
You may make write-in Actions, but please do not vote for them until I have approved them and added them to this.
Voting will be open for 48 hours.
Remember as well you may enhance an Action with Salem's thirst for destruction, guaranteeing its success, but ensuring it will be achieved as destructively as possible.
[ ] Attack Summer and Raven Directly - Put an end to this. Walk into their fire, weather it, and emerge with nails dripping in blood No. There is currently no way this would work. The risk to myself is too high to even attempt this without further support. [ ] Divide Them (Mentally) - The hearts of men are easily swayed, and half of the problems of this fight come from facing two opponents. If I can distract them, or even better turn them against each other, an opportunity for a more direct assault may become possible.
A target (either Summer or Raven) may be chosen for this Action; mark the preferred target in square brackets after the vote (for instance, [X] Divide Them (Mentally) [Raven]). If no target is chosen, then Salem will choose to target whoever she feels is more open to distraction and division.
If making this vote, an approach may be written in as a subvote of no more than 25 words. If not, Salem will choose an approach she feels best fits what she knows of the target.
Roll Difficulty will be determined by chosen approach and target.
Potential Complications: Hardened resolve, a returned comment that hits close to home for Salem, or a disadvantaged position in combat caused by stopping to talk.
This Action can be taken no more than twice, once for each potential target (Summer and Raven).
[ ] Divide Them (Physically) - Another problem is their easy ability to cover each other's backs. Any attack I land on one opens me to a counterattack by the other, and given that I can only seem to land attacks on the Branwen, that means opening myself to counterattacks by Summer. Unacceptable - my magic and skill in combat should allow me to separate them…
Roll difficulty is currently 3d10, Risky (3) (+4 for A Gift From the Gods, -2 and Risky (+1) for Silver Eyed Warrior, -1 due to difficulty, and Risky (+1) due to Raven's Semblance and A Bird's Eye making it difficult to separate them for long).
Potential Complications: It leaves Salem open for an attack, the attempt injures one of Salem's fallen Agents, or it risks the structural integrity of the subterranean room.
This Action can be taken any number of times - rather than separate rolls, each Action after this first makes the roll easier, with the second dropping the Riskiness by 1, the third increasing the roll by +2, and each subsequent increasing the roll by +1.
[ ] Call Grimm - While… limited in their utility against Summer Rose, cold bodies could be useful in providing a tide of force to keep these huntresses down. A number are already making their way into this room, drawn by the conflict, but if I could call or manifest something truly dangerous…
Each time this Action is taken, gain a pool of 3 Points. These points may be spent on any of the options below to add them to the fight. Mark the chosen options with this Action by placing them in square brackets after the vote (for example, [X] Call Grimm [2xBeowolf Alpha] [Ursa Major]).
[Beowolf Alpha] - 1 Point. Comes with a small pack of Beowolves.
[Ursa Major] - 1 Point. Comes with a small group of Ursai.
[King Taijitu] - 2 Points.
[Feilong] - 2 Points.
[Beringel] - 2 Points.
[Centinel Major] - 2 Points.
[Deathstalker] - 3 Points.
No potential complications.
[ ] Resuscitate an Agent - My Agents are my best hope at evening the field, since they could approach Summer in combat without fear of her greatest weapon. Yet most lie defeated. Still, if I could bring them to bear, if only for a moment…
A target (one of Salem's living Agents - Rene, Hazel or Coral) may be chosen for this Action; mark the preferred target in square brackets after the vote (for instance, [X] Resuscitate an Agent [Rene]). If no target is chosen, then Salem will choose to target whoever she feels is the best to back her up against this threat.
If making this vote, an approach may be written in as a subvote of no more than 25 words. If not, Salem will choose an approach she feels best fits what injuries are visible and what can be done with her limited in-field options for healing.
Roll Difficulty will be determined by chosen approach and target.
Potential complications: Further injury, or being left open to attack by Summer or Raven.
This Action can be taken no more than thrice, once for each potential target (each of her living Agents).
[ ] Negotiate - Fine. Summer Rose has pressed a gun to the head of my plans. But all mortals of this new world want something, don't they? Surely there is something I can grant them so they'll leave and stop, right?
Further information about this Action is obscured. However, taking it will reveal things about both Summer and Raven that make its success on later Turns higher.
You cannot achieve this Destructively.
Potential complications are unknown at this time.
[ ] Collapse the Cavern - There is, of course, a way to stop this. But it would remove the Pool from my grasp for a time, damage Evernight, kill my agents, and not even guarantee the deaths of my foes, ensuring they could return and try this again. Still, as a last resort…
This Action immediately buries the entire area under several hundred feet of rubble as Salem collapses the supports holding the room up with magic.
This does not count to the Action limit.
Taking this will immediately end the Battle. All Agents will die. Evernight will be severely damaged, and access to the Pools of Grimm resource will be limited until it can be excavated.
Summer and Raven may survive.
Turns without using 'A Desire for Pure Destruction' - 0/3
--[X] Undermine her loyalty to Ozma. If the world isn't kept divided, what'll stop Ozma from summoning the gods? His so-called "unity" wouldn't satisfy them.
[X] Negotiate: They're poised to set your efforts back centuries, but they have to know they cannot win. Focus on trying to learn what they actually want to accomplish here.
[X] Plan That Ephemeral Line Between Us and Them
-[X] Divide Them (Mentally) [Summer]
--[X] Undermine her loyalty to Ozma. If the world isn't kept divided, what'll stop Ozma from summoning the gods? His so-called "unity" wouldn't satisfy them.
-[X] Negotiate
I straightened, moving through the mist - I'd need to be equidistant between them for the best impact here, and judging their shapes through the thick, black fog, the faint press of their 'negative' emotions… here. It wasn't a perfect plan, but the situation wasn't perfect. Casting doubt on their work for Ozma, then extending a hand of peace - given all they'd heard about me, it might just barely throw them -
I hissed and leaned out of the way of another of those annoyingly accurate rifle shots.
At least, if I could get them to listen instead of simply attacking me. Then again, I had made my fair share of warlords and warriors stop, if only for a moment. The hearts of men were easily swayed, after all.
So, with a pulse of air to clear the mist - "Enough." Stern, but fair - more of a look Ozma preferred, but with enough differences to make it my own. Eye contact with each of them, hands folded, making it clear that I wouldn't attack for now, but if they tried a cheap shot - "Clearly you know more than would have been shared by… Ozpin. But I doubt you know the full picture of what either of our goals are."
The Branwen's eyes narrowed - a charmingly bloody shade of scarlet, just a little darker than the Grimm-hue of my own; oh, and the scent of blood wasn't entirely my dead allies. It also came rom the barely visible stain against her clothes where her hand had been pressed before it jumped to the handle of her bulky, graceless weapon. Summer Rose cocked her head, rifle still leveled. "I think I know enough," hovering off the trigger for a second before the slightest tension, shine in the silver of her eyes - and a pull, Raven launching forward beside the bullet, long sword launched into her hand, shining and crackling with electricity
"Do you now." A trace of a smirk crawled onto my face, half intended, half because of the sheer, phenomenal audacity. A spire of rock to knock the Branwen aside and then the flat of the palm and fire to block and dissolve the bullet before it could reach me. Maiden's tricks, ones they'd be familiar with, but possibly not executed as cleanly as I could. "So if I were to tell you that Ozpin seeks to summon the gods back to judge the world - " slap the flat of the incoming odachi to one side, channeling the electricity that surged into me from the blow into a shock to jolt the Branwen away, letting Summer's shot hit the palm of my hand and blast it open, " - to see if the world was unified so they could 'live among humanity' again…"
Raven huffed, then launched into a series of wider strikes, trying to herd me out from using her as cover against Summer as my hand wrenched itself back from mangled ruin. "A unified world sounds boring but not exactly shocking from Ozpin."
"You ignore the point of that unity. To call the gods back. And if you know I can't die, you know the gods did that to me. That they killed everyone for my actions." It hurt, to act as if any of what occurred was my fault, but it was worth it for the way I heard Summer's next shot go wide. "Do you think rulers like that would help those close to you? And that is assuming that such perfect unity is even achievable. If he tries to call them back and there is any disagreement, do you know what they have promised to do? Wipe this world from existence."
And I could not help but curl my tongue around those words. Because as much as I wanted these two huntresses to stop, as much as this might be the argument to do it… part of me hoped to push Ozma to the point he tried to call the gods back, or take the Relics and do it myself. Because if what he had said was true, then…
Well. The world would no longer turn if it was wiped from existence would it? I would die, at last, at long last, even if my initial reasons for dying were gone. I'd be gone. And I knew, in my heart of hearts, that the so-called 'gods' were too spiteful to let that happen - they'd forced me to be alone on a barren planet for eternities once before, there was no reason they wouldn't do the same thing again. But it was… maybe the shortest path to freedom. And I could not help but have some of that push through my words. The faintest twitch of my lips upward at the thought of all this being over at long last.
"I cannot allow Ozma to do that," I said, but the conviction was gone from my voice. Spiraling into stratagems where I could convince him the world was unified, that he'd won, while fomenting unrest deep beneath the surface of his society, ready to be revealed in the presence of divinity - no. Not the time. I still had to deal with this conflict. "And if you remove the pressure I can apply to him here, then he will feel empowered push that - impossible goal forward, the balance crucial to your continued existence lost as - "
It took me a moment to process what happened next - in the moment it was simply impact, flash of light, pain, can't breathe. Over the next few instants I realised Summer Rose had shot me in my lung with some form of expanding over-penetrating round - I wasn't exactly a weaponsmith so I wasn't certain of the grain or anything more particular about it - then during the instants where a hole was ripped through me deep enough for light to just barely reach my organs, she'd flashed her fucking eyes, burning my lungs, delaying their regrowth as reinfection with Grimm matter was reprioritised, and stopping me from talking.
I hated being interrupted at the best of times. This? Having an offer be rejected so wholeheartedly was galling, but the method was especially rage inducing. I could barely focus enough to hear anything over the roaring of my blood, the choking tightness in my throat, the twisting, melting corruption of my humanised flesh dissolving over and over as it brushed against the rest of my body.
"You're implying you exist in a state of, what, symbiotic balance with Ozpin?" The click of her working the action of the rifle, of the approach of the Branwen's boots as I slid back across the cracked floor. "I don't think there's much balance in a horde of destruction ripping people apart."
I tried to form a snarl as air wheezed through the bullethole in my chest, settled for simply shattering the lightning-dust blade as it came down on me with a wave of force, stepping into the blow - I would have liked to do it with my torso, there were few pleasures in a fight quite like trapping one of a Huntress's precious weapons within my own body as it healed around their blow, pulling them in close and sinking my nails into their fucking eyes, but it was structually unstable right now; better to do it with my hand than risk being ripped in half. Raven withdrew her sword before I could get a full grip on it, stepping back to resheathe it and add another dust blade, spitting, "Ozpin's a fool if he thinks he can make, what, the whole world peaceful? Foolish and cruel, what a winning combination." A hint of tilted lips, as she redrew with a light blue blade blade so cold my wheezing breath fogged the air between us. "You two truly are a matched pair at least."
Almost as galling an insult as what Rose had done to me. As though I could ever be like him, be cruel enough to do as he had -
"Easy, Rae." The sound of footsteps and I spun aside, away, avoiding Summer's attempts to close in.
"What, you'd defend him?"
"No. But we shouldn't be distracted either. Focus up."
… interesting. I straightened once more, the hole in my chest finally closing as my body and soul recombined into how they should be, and went on the offensive. A simple fireball to split them apart again, reshaping it into a wall of flame that should hold Summer Rose back for a little while, and if the Branwen wanted cold so much… spikes of ice sundering the floor, blunting her attack, as I calmly folded my arms and cleared my throat of any remaining blood, emerging from the Grimm-fog with my best composed, bored expression. "Fine. If you won't heed my warning, then understand this - congratulations." I spread my hands wide, partly as a gesture, and partly to bring my elemental effects together, shatter them in a shockwave to drive the Huntresses back. "You have brought me to the table. If the balance I hold against Ozpin is so distasteful to you, what balance do you seek here? You don't want your world destroyed by monsters of Grimm. I do not wish to see it destroyed by Ozpin or the absent gods. You wish to see the innocent lives of the people - " A flick of the eyes to Summer as she straightened from her crouch, weapon ready, " - of those close to you safe. And you feel I threaten this. What guarantee can I make to prove to you both that I am not the villain you see me as?"
"Nothing," Branwen spat. "We can't trust a single word out of your mouth. You're an adept liar and you'd say anything to get us to leave - "
I couldn't help but let my lips twitch towards a smile as Summer blocked the drawing of Raven's sword with the head of her axe. Her gaze flickered as it held on me. "If you meant a word of that, you wouldn't be fighting us so hard to preserve something that can only be used for destruction. You say you don't want to see the world destroyed - I know enough to know that if you meant that you wouldn't want something that can only be used to make Grimm."
"So to summarise - " Ah, apparently me talking once more was an indication for combat to at least partially resume, since the Branwen was a bird again, then herself as reality rioted around her, already launching into an attack that I parried with a slash of rainbow force, " - you can't trust me, and the fact that I use the resources available to me to fight Ozpin - "
"The indiscriminately destructive resources." Summer Rose, still hanging back, even as I ducked between the blows of the… purple and given the angles she was coming from, gravity dust? Gravity dust blade wielded by her compatriot.
"Well, you killed my less destructive ones too." I gestured to where Rosie and Mircalla's bodies lay.
Raven grunted, then apparently deciding mobility wouldn't aid her resheathed her sword. "Not to sound like I'm a fucking child, but they tried to kill us first." Her sword relaunched, straight for my chin - bold, but like this I wasn't willing to let a blow land that could move my gaze off Rose, give her a chance to sneak up on me. I swatted it aside, noting that Summer was still simply covering for now, as long as I was talking. What had caused her to shoot me before, then? Had it been as simple as me lying, noticeably enough for her to pick up on?
"Maybe your best examples shouldn't be a notable assassin who we've fought before as she tried to kill council members and a former serial killer, either." Summer's eyes flashed again, and I called up a knot of Grimm arms to take the blunt of the blast.
Hmm. I could press her on that - do you not believe people can change, something to that effect - but it might be too naked a blow. Perhaps - "Ozpin's push for unity means I need to find those dissatisfied with how his societies function. Their lack of actual unity, boiling beneath the shiny surface he imposes." I shrugged, sliding back, back, back. "Then again, I suppose you might be one of those who is so… privileged by the surface that any attempt to extend it comes across as mere violence."
That twisting of the truth was apparently enough to bring Summer's riflebutt to her shoulder again, though she'd used her eyes earlier. I caught a little of her expression as well - anger, yes, righteousness, but also a tightness around her mouth. My blow had landed, and at least some of what had provoked her to rejoin combat had been wanting me to be wrong, rather than knowing I was bending truth.
I hadn't achieved my intended goals in bringing up my Ozma's conflicting goals and lies, but I'd learnt so much about my opponents. The Branwen was shorter of temper - and no longer aligned with Ozma, despite the gift of his magic and her presence here. And Summer, while she would have no tolerance for my lying, could be baited - both into going against her ally, holding her back from doing me harm, and into seeing the flaws in the world she stood for.
Now, I just had to use what I had learnt to keep them both on the back foot.
-.-.-
Summer Rose Trait (A Simpler Soul) revealed!: Summer Rose may choose to ignore any social manipulation or diplomacy attempt; if she does so, she gains 1d3-1 minimum of 1 Stress (on this occasion she gained 1 Stress). Raven Weakness (Ozpin the Great and Terrible) revealed!: So… the bandit has no love for Ozpin or his secrets. Does she feel manipulated into accepting her gift? Is that why she returned to her tribe? I had assumed it was Ozma diversifying his assets, but if she left his employ… Summer Weakness (Always an Open Hand) revealed!: It's hardly surprising from a 'noble' silver-eyed warrior, but despite her vicious skill and defiance against manipulation she is willing to act even against allies to give her foes a 'chance'. That… could be easily exploited. Summer Stress: ~2!
Raven Stress: ~3!
Salem Stress: 1
AN: Sorry this one took so long; I was very unwell and had to housesit, then because I'd left it so long I got blocked. Hopefully this makes up for it!
A Followup Blow
As before, vote for any or all of the actions below to take during the upcoming Battle Turn. Picking more than two will cause increasing penalties to all Actions. Choose wisely.
You may make write-in Actions, but please do not vote for them until I have approved them and added them to this. The same rules as before apply to most votes, including Vote Planning being encouraged.
Voting will be open for 48 hours.
Remember as well you may enhance an Action with Salem's thirst for destruction, guaranteeing its success, but ensuring it will be achieved as destructively as possible.
[ ] Tear Them Apart (Mentally) - There is a clear disconnect between Summer Rose and Raven Branwen. Raven left Ozma's service - Summer stayed, even if this action isn't in his name. Summer is willing to let an opponent, even me, speak as long as it's 'truth' - Raven doesn't trust a single word I say. Yet here they are, both working against me, with the long familiarity of combat partners. Sundering them won't be easy, but there are enough cracks that forcing a lever in long enough to gain an opening isn't impossible.
If making this vote, an approach may be written in as a subvote of no more than 25 words. If not, Salem will choose an approach she feels best fits the situation and what she's learned
Roll Difficulty will be determined by chosen approach - remember, you can use Salem's own Goals and Weaknesses and her opponents' to make your lives easier.
Potential Complications: Hardened resolve, a returned comment that hits close to home for Salem, or a disadvantaged position in combat caused by stopping to talk.
This Action can be taken only once this Turn.
[ ] Divide Them (Physically) - They still cover each other so fluidly and easily, even with Summer Rose holding back. I cannot allow a counterattack from Summer to land, but I cannot simply fight defensively either - I have no reinforcements coming.
Roll difficulty is currently 3d10, Risky (3) (+4 for A Gift From the Gods, -2 and Risky (+1) for Silver Eyed Warrior, -1 due to difficulty, and Risky (+1) due to Raven's Semblance and A Bird's Eye making it difficult to separate them for long).
Potential Complications: It leaves Salem open for an attack, the attempt injures one of Salem's fallen Agents, or it risks the structural integrity of the subterranean room.
This Action can be taken any number of times - rather than separate rolls, each Action after this first makes the roll easier, with the second dropping the Riskiness by 1, the third increasing the roll by +2, and each subsequent increasing the roll by +1.
[ ] Call Grimm - Cold bodies might not be useful against Summer's eyes, but the right choice might make arguing or negotiating with her easier. Most Grimm capable of such influence are fragile, though, and I'd need to invest myself in their protection. Still, if they can give me an edge…
Each time this Action is taken, pick one of the options below. Duplicates can be taken, but each takes an additional action. Mark the chosen options with this Action by placing them in square brackets after the vote (for example, [X] Call Grimm [Apathy] [Apathy]).
[Apathy] - How else to get them to abandon their cares? Apathy are both slow and fragile, however - but if I can keep them hidden in the fog, then questions that had once merely been distracting can become stunning.
[Nightmare] - While not immediately useful, fending off possession by one is bound to distract the pair. And if I can get one of them…
[Chill] - The nuclear option, though uniquely vulnerable before it can take a host. If I can get one into one of them though, they're mine, though I'd imagine that a Silver Eyed Warrior would be functionally immune.
No potential complications, though Salem may have to take action in future Turns to keep the called Grimm safe!.
[ ] Resuscitate an Agent - My Agents are my best hope at evening the field, since they could approach Summer in combat without fear of her greatest weapon. Yet most lie defeated. Still, if I could bring them to bear, if only for a moment…
A target (one of Salem's living Agents - Rene, Hazel or Coral) may be chosen for this Action; mark the preferred target in square brackets after the vote (for instance, [X] Resuscitate an Agent [Rene]). If no target is chosen, then Salem will choose to target whoever she feels is the best to back her up against this threat.
If making this vote, an approach may be written in as a subvote of no more than 25 words. If not, Salem will choose an approach she feels best fits what injuries are visible and what can be done with her limited in-field options for healing.
Roll Difficulty will be determined by chosen approach and target.
Potential complications: Further injury, or being left open to attack by Summer or Raven.
This Action can be taken no more than thrice, once for each potential target (each of her living Agents).
[ ] Negotiate Further - Summer Rose will only accept the truth, and a world made 'safe' from my actions. What, exactly, does this mean? Is it possible to hammer out a deal with her at all? There is only one way to find out.
If making this vote, an approach may be written in as a subvote of no more than 25 words. If not, Salem will choose an approach she feels best fits the situation and what she's learned
Summer Rose will reject any attempt at negotiation that does not keep 'innocents' safe.
Further information about this Action is obscured. However, taking it will reveal things about both Summer and Raven that make its success on later Turns higher.
You cannot achieve this Destructively.
Potential complications are unknown at this time.
[ ] Collapse the Cavern - There is, of course, a way to stop this. But it would remove the Pool from my grasp for a time, damage Evernight, kill my agents, and not even guarantee the deaths of my foes, ensuring they could return and try this again. Still, as a last resort…
This Action immediately buries the entire area under several hundred feet of rubble as Salem collapses the supports holding the room up with magic.
This does not count to the Action limit.
Taking this will immediately end the Battle. All Agents will die. Evernight will be severely damaged, and access to the Pools of Grimm resource will be limited until it can be excavated.
Summer and Raven may survive.
Turns without using 'A Desire for Pure Destruction' -1/3
Scheduled vote count started by hellgodsrus on Oct 23, 2024 at 5:54 PM, finished with 15 posts and 4 votes.
[X] Plan Immortality and Pure Destruction -[X] Resuscitate an Agent [Hazel] --[X] Trying to change Rosie's Semblance to transfer afflictions rather than spread them had proven a false hope for release, but not fruitless. Share godly vitality. -[X] Write-In: Exploit Weakness [Raven] --[X] Keep vigil against Summer, feign an opening to Raven. Let her aggression draw her too close for Summer to save. Then, "share" your other affliction.
