“Father, you should really reconsider. Flowers grow among the roots of the red-leaf tree that smelled of corpses, and the mad woman in front of the stall, I heard rumor that she had the ear of the queen now. You saw how her bindings came undue with her barely moving at all. It might not be a god, but I believe we have offended something we should have not.” he said, walking through the finely tended gardens of his families’ dwelling.
“Silence. Can’t you see I am working.” Fasthus said, taking a tap and jamming into a weak spot of the tree. The tree was harder than normal, and it took several jabs to lodge it to get at the valuable sap. When finally it dug into the tree, for a moment there was an eerie nothingness. Sound and color seemed to vanish, and when they returned, the crimson hue of the mystical tree was replaced by an eerie purple.
Vines sprouted from the ground, and grabbed around the slavers neck. He manifested a flame within his hand and used it to sever the vines from the ground as his son stood there paralysed. As he did, more vines began to grow around him and grab it which attempted to fend them off with his conjured flame when something shot out from the tap. By time he noticed, thorns covered in the sap impaled his chest. They didn’t hurt, but as he tried to wave the fire around to save himself, it vanished.
He seemed to attempt to recall it or do something, but could not. He grabbed the tap and tried to use it as a make-shift dagger to free himself. Fasthus called out to his son, “Help me get out of this. Help.”
He was still stunned, but he made one step towards his father until he heard a voice, a powerful, cold, deathly whisper, “Don’t.”
He ran.
He ran towards the city with all of his might. As he did, he noticed the area around him change and shift. Tree leaves became either blood red or oddly purple. Thorn bushes and vines sprouted at unnatural speeds, and strange face-like growths expanded outwards from wood. The strange, corpse-smelling flower began to dot the area. At times he would turn around and see more trees than he thought was there before as the forest appeared denser than was moments prior.
He didn’t need to run far, but his mind could try to suppress the thought of what it would be like when the ghastly changes were finished, or how much land was affected by the sudden metamorphosis.
As were, the student of the kindly one was teaching a mystic about augury. She felt something, and that feeling carried over and impacted on the mystic, who could only feel a dark, uncaring coldness from her fingertips that began to creep up her arm threatening to completely subsume them. When the mystic looked up to see the women’s reaction, it was a warm, genuine smile. “And so the defiler feeds the earth for his crime. I suggest avoiding the purple forest as it will be bad for your health.” There was a silence as the presence left, and the teacher continued as though nothing was the matter and continued her lesson.
Fasthus, a slaver who used the sap of a red-star maple as part of a poison for his trade is trying to get more sap while one of his sons tries to talk him out of it as weird things have happened and it seems like he has offended some higher power.
Fasthus ignores these warnings and attempts to draw more sap from the tree. Vines sprout from the ground and try to kill him. He uses magic to fend them off until thorns covered with the sap shot into him and he loses his magic. He calls for his son’s help as he used the tap to try to fend off the vines, but his son hears angry Sirius telling him don’t do that and he runs noticing how Sirius is turning the surrounding woods into a not-good area.
The augur devoted to Sirius in Angebad is teaching a mystic how to perform augury when Sirius tells her that Fasthus, the defiler, is dead. The mystic feels this, but perceives this as the cold of space trying to eat him. The augur is happy, warning the mystic that going into the woods would be bad for his health, before continuing with the lesson.
Starting: 5/5 Ending: 0/3 -2 MP: Small Ecosystem: Shifted part of the ecosystem around Angebad to be denser and creepier.
-3 MP/-2DP: Holy Site: The Magebane Forest Vengeful Woods 3: Plants and fungus in the area are unnatural shades of red and purple and grow in unnatural and unsettling shapes. Any attempt to harm plant or fungus life within the region will result in retaliation through any number of magic means, such as launching thorns, ensnaring vines, swing branches, etc. Retaliations are initially proportional to the damage inflicted, but they get harsher with each reprisal. If a person is compelled to harm the plants, then the plants will attempt to attack the person compelling to do so. If they are unable, they will instead attempt to pull the compelled person through it and to the other side of itself. In addition, they are more resilient to damage and regrow rapidly.
Manabane Poison 2: Certain plants within the region produce a particular poison that causes people to lose the ability to use mana magic but gives them greater resistance to it. It loses its potency after being harvested except by a skilled magician devote to Sirius. The more they exposed to it, they longer the effect lasts until it is virtually permenant. In the very heart of the cursed woods, there are flowers that can cured the ailment.
Hera walked the path leading the village of the True Sons. Her clan had frequently clashed with them, but they were one of the larger and more established clans within the immediate region and gaining their support could be a great boon to the people of the Rest.
She was accompanied by four guards carrying large stone mauls and had slings affixed to their belt, as a Stonemaul druid and a blindfolded watcher. The group walked towards the palisade walls, but stopped a respectable distance away though close enough to call to the three guards wearing quillat hide armor, “On behalf of Queen Kira of the Stonemaul and of Kirin’s Rest, as her sister I have came to discuss matters of peace.”
The three guards exchanged glances, before one of them - the leader - stepped forward. “You may follow me, then,” he said, “but you must leave your weapons here.”
Hera nodded to her men, and buried their clubs into ground and then laid their slings over them, and the group approached.
The leader of the guards shouted a command, and the pallisade gates swung open. Without further words he led them into the village known as Kadan’s Hold. The largest structure in the village was also the most visible; the chieftain’s longhouse, placed atop a hill. That was their destination.
As they walked, the inhabitants were going about their everyday lives, occasionally giving the visitors glances of suspicion or curiosity. They passed the village temple, where a priest within could be heard giving a sermon. Then, eventually, they reached the base of the hill and began ascending it up to the longhouse itself.
The doors swung open and they entered a vestibule area, blocked off from the rest of the longhouse by a long, thick curtain. “Wait here,” their guide instructed - the first words he had spoken to them since their arrival, and with that he stepped through the curtain, leaving them to wait for several long moments.
Eventually, the guard returned. “His lordship will see you now,” he said simply, holding the curtain open.
Hera walked past the curtain and into the longhouse’s main room. There was a central firepit, currently empty, and two tables on the other side. On the far end was a throne, and sitting upon it was the lord of the True Sons. He was a young man, perhaps mid-twenties, who wore furs and a crown of bone.
“I am Lord Ryker. I speak for the True Sons,” he said as she walked in. “What brings you here?”
Hera bowed respectfully, “I came to speak of peace and union. I understand in the past that the Stone Mauls and True Sons feuded, but the highlands are changing and we must adapt. As you must have heard, the Kirin’s Rest is expanding and we wish that you will join us as we march into this new world.”
Lord Ryker snorted. “And why would we do that? What would joining you even entail?”
She calmly replied, “The Dunans have stopped their aggression for the time, but do you believe that this will last? Or what of the next threat to our peoples, whether it be mundane invaders or terrible monstrosity. Divided we were weak, and that is how they managed to gain a foothold into these lands in order to terrorize us. We ask that you respect the authority of the queen, but we are willing to generously compensate for joining this union.”
“You would buy my loyalty?” he asked her. “Pay me to side with one band of heretics over another?” He shook his head. “We do not need your aid. The True Father of Humanity watches over us. We, who have remained loyal, and remembered our history. It is you who should respect our authority.”
“This alliance would be more valuable than what mere materials can afford.” she replied, “But I hold that you have not forgotten how strong we were before, and we have only grown strong since. I pray that we do not turn that against the people of the land again, but do not think I can be easily threatened.”
“I have made no threats. You, on the other hand…” he glared at her for a moment. “If you seek to subjugate us, we have fended you off before, and can do so again. The Ha-Dunans, too, for Kadan watches over us.”
Hera paused, “I did not come here to subjugate you. If we wish to do so, my sister would have brought the warbands to your gates instead. No, instead I offer myself to create a union between Stone Mauls and True Sons.”
Ryker raised an eyebrow in surprise. “And in return, you would have me kneel before your sister?”
“We ask that your respect the throne and its commandments, but you may do so on your feet as lord of this settlement.” she replied.
He leaned back in his chair, much of his hostility and wariness suddenly gone. He was quiet for a time, as he gave the offer serious thought. “If I were to accept such an agreement,” he began somewhat guardedly, “I would only do so if the one I was yielding to would acknowledge Kadan and Endra as mankind’s creators and patrons. And I would expect any woman I married to do the same.”
“We shall build the appropriate shrines to Kadan and Endra, and I shall make the proper commitments to the ceremony. But we can not make those acknowledgements as a kingdom, we would lose to many supporters close to us. It is the one price that we can not pay.”
Ryker frowned. “You fear the consequences of speaking the truth,” he stated simply, his previous arrogance returning. “Whatever fools turn against you for doing so are not worth keeping around. And whatever support you lose will be more than made up for with the support of mankind’s creator.”
Hera stood firm, “We fear the consequences of imposing your truth upon our diverse people, or the consequences of so quickly abandoning those who have built us up into the sky for a blind promise. Would you even think of joining us willingly if we were to force our faith upon you? Why should we expect the same of the others? We do believe this union will only strengthen both of us, but not at the cost of the people who allowed us to make it.”
“The difference is, my faith is true,” Ryker countered. “Tell me. How do your people believe mankind came to be?”
“I can not say, and many of our people can not either. But they still will not be pleased to be compelled to your faith, regardless of how much you proclaim it true. But there is also the matter of those who do have their stories, such as our sister tribe who believe us to be the grand-children of the sun. If you wish, I could sing you a thousand songs of the origin of man, and a thousand people hold them each true.” Hera stated.
“A thousand people would be wrong,” Ryker countered. “And there lies our problem. You may claim you wish to respect our faith. Your sister may even honour that promise within her lifetime. But what of her sons and daughters? What of their sons and daughters? They may break that pact, and turn on us, or attempt to lead us astray. In order for a people to stay united, they must have a common faith, and ours is the only true one.”
True as it may be, a deep, ethereal voice echoed in the minds of all those present. I do believe you have missed her point.
The watcher fell to the floor, with one of the guards quickly catching him and gently bringing him to the ground. Hera’s face paled, but looked to her men and at the watcher and went down on one knee, with her men quickly following.
Ryker seemed just as startled, the aura of insufferably smug confidence he had just been radiating having shattered completely. He placed a white-knuckled hand on the armrest of his throne, pushed himself to his feet, and this quickly fell to his knees. “Your Grace…” he whispered.
Ryker, was it? the voice asked. I believe your father once served as my avatar for a time, did he not? Ryker nodded quickly. Yes. I thought so. It is good to see that you remembered his teachings. Truly, your faith and loyalty are appreciated. But, you should be a bit more respectful to your guests.
Ryker stammered. “Your-Your Grace. I… I only…”
Enough. You cannot convince someone by shouting at them that they are wrong, no more than you can tame a wolf by commanding it to stop eating sheep. The voice fell silent. As for you. Hera, was it? I must say, it is quite disappointing to see how many of my creations have forgotten me. It probably isn’t within your memory, but do you have any idea on how that came to be for your people?
Hera was soundless mouthing a hymn, and did not recognize that she was until the divine voice spoke to her, “I do not. Only that our peoples have been shaped by the highlands, as the highlands have been shaped by us.”
Hm. How disappointing, the voice remarked. It is a rare thing for me to reach out to my more wayward creations, you must know. Anyhow. Ryker. The deal you were offered seems a fair one, and I myself will not be particularly slighted if you accept. If any treachery is planned, then I shall see it avenged tenfold. As for you, Hera, it is my hope that your people shall eventually come to embrace their true history as a result of this union. So know that it has my blessing.
Hera paused, she attempted to hide it but her breathing was heavy. She clasped her hands together, bowed her head, “To the glory of the gods.” as though she was ending a prayer. “And so, in light of your god’s revelation, what is your answer?”
Ryker rose to his feet, with his guards doing the same. He stared at her for several long moments, as if he was still weighing her offer, or perhaps trying to get over the fact that a god had spoken to him at all. “I accept,” he said at last.
Hera and her people also stood, one of the soldiers was needed to physically help the watcher up. “I will then need to return home in order to inform the queen of your decision and to gather my possessions and return with the proper company within a lunar cycle to make the arrangements and plans.”
“I shall accompany you,” Ryker decided. “I may as well meet your queen in person. Besides, it will give me time to get to know my future wife,” he offered her a smile. “You and your men are also free to dine with me and stay the night. And…” his smile weakened slightly, as he had to figuratively swallow his pride for what came next, “I apologize for my previous lack of hospitality.”
Hera’s eyes widened at the mention of meeting her sister, but she quickly blinked it away and attempted to return the smile, “Your apology is accepted, and I humbly accept your invitation of hospitality and company.”
Hera, sister to the queen of Kirin’s Rest, arrives at a village called Kadan’s Hold, owned by a tribe known as the True Sons - a diehard band of almost-fanatical Cadien worshipers who have had a rocky relationship with them in the past. Despite holding only a single village they’re quite powerful and influential for their size.
The True Sons are led by Lord Ryker, whose father is implied to have briefly been possessed by Mekellos (this was after Ryker was born, however.) Hera asks that they peacefully join the kingdom, and Ryker immediately refuses. She attempts to sweeten the deal by offering herself in a political marriage, but Ryker insists that both she and her sister publicly accept Cadien and Evandra as the true creators of humanity.
She refuses on the basis that it would be politically unwise (most of Kirin’s Rest worships their own brand of the Druidic Pantheon, and don’t have common ground on how humanity was created) and a bit of back-and-forth ensues, until Cadien himself intervenes and says it’s a good deal he should stop being such a dick. At the same time he also reinforces Ryker’s beliefs and encourages Hera to accept them. Then he’s out.
Ryker, humbled by this experience, accepts the offer and apologizes for his behaviour. He and Hera make plans to travel back to Kirin’s Rest.
Gamla surveyed the amassing flock of people stacking bags, pots and baskets on sleds and pulks, some tied to elks, some tied to cattle, and some pulled by people. The snow had laid itself thick on the ground, so the trek to Ha-Dûna would be long and arduous. He pulled his woolen socks higher up and his woolen kilt further down over his knees. His plaid was wrapped almost twice around his body in hopes that it would keep the cold out - it remained to be seen whether they would be so lucky.
“Well, Rik,” Gamla mumbled. “This is it, huh. Heading home after two years already…” He took a deep breath. “Admit it - you’ll miss us.”
“Doubt it,” muttered the Queensguard, his club seemingly held ready to beat down any sign of tumult. Next to him stood a blindfolded young watcher wordlessly. Gamla scoffed.
“Come oooon, Rik - we had such great times! Remember during the Helgensblot when we--”
“When you kept the whole town up until dawn and refused to go to bed when we demanded you to?”
“Well, yes, there was that, but we also made you that porridge you like so much!”
“Then your druid Vona said you weren’t to share with us because we were ‘lesser folk’, isn’t that right?”
Gamla rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on, are you still hung up on -that-? We sent her away and everything! What more do you want?”
“Preferably that you all left, but you're in the middle of doing so, so today is quite a good day, indeed.”
Gamla frowned. “Wow, some friend you are, huh.”
“We were never friends, Gamla - at best, you have been very disrespectful guests and we, very patient hosts.” Gamla recoiled in offense. Out of his pocket, he fished forth a copper clump used for local currency. He flicked it over to Rik and flicked his tongue at him.
“Well, then, oughta compensate our host, no? Here, for your troubles.”
Rik caught the clump and tossed it back. “Don’t need it. Bring it home and show your people that there is such a thing as currency, and that it’s a hell of a lot better than that bartering mess you keep insisting on.”
Gamla had to dig the coin out of the snow and stomped off angrily. Rik groaned. “Finally, he decided to leave us alone. How are you feeling?” He eyed the watcher and lowered his club and head in respect.
The watcher muttered back, “The skies are deadly still. I am concerned about tomorrow.”
Rik looked up. “Will the weather turn?”
The watcher took a single step closer, and lowered his voice, “I can not tell, but it is not mundane weather which I find so concerning.”
Rik’s eyes settled on the Dûnans again, which were slowly making their way out of the stone gates. “Do the stars allude to whether or not they will make it home?”
Despite being blindfolded, he instinctively turned his head, “These times are uncertain. I only caught glimpses of outside the walls. I have seen bandits walk the road, but shadows dance just outside of my vision.”
The Queensguard made a short-lived frown. “Well, they’re not our problem anymore. Come, I reckon the queen would like to know they’ve finally gone.” Using his club as a walking stick, he started trudging through the snow.
As they left, Rik caught glimpses of the Light Wings, Kirin loyalists who were more charitable and accepting than most, helping the Dûnans prepare. Many of them were no less excited about their departure, but they were less inclined to directly state it. They were able to be told apart from the Dûnans by painted wooden butterfly emblems that they attached to their clothing. Hera, their de facto leader and the queen’s sister, was also nearby preparing to sing one of the zodiac songs in order to help them on their way.
Walking through the city, it was less busy than it was before, but still quiet alive with activity. The endless cycle of building and rebuilding had slowed. Not only had the Dûnans begun to leave, but there were other people who wished to remain loyal but no longer needed the immediate safety of the walls and could spread out into the surrounding region. However, instead of abandoning the multistory building, there was a greater focus on slowly building longer lasting and more sturdily built houses from the ground up.
The market was less crowded, but still quite busy. There were fewer stalls, but many of the stalls were larger, permanent ones run by two to three people. Trading was still considered the domain of the youngest son, but there were quiet, heated debates among families on who the stalls should be passed down too.
The part of town immediately surrounding the Nightward Tower was converted into a religious district. It lacked the megaliths or fancy temples of Ha-Dûna, instead there were simple buildings to house the faithful, supplied by the queen’s wealth. Smaller altars and shrines to the gods dotted the area.
The area surrounding the Queen’s Abode was converted into a military district, filled with barracks, training grounds and the like. It was agreed that a new building would be built for the purpose of serving as the religious district and the market, but it was still under construction.
The watcher walked up to the door, and nodded. The Queensguard was permitted to enter as he pleased. Rik nodded back and entered into the abode, approaching the Queen before taking a knee.
“Great queen - the last of the Dûnans are leaving for their home as we speak.”
The queen was turned to face a map carved into a wooden slab resting against supports on one of the side walls, she briefly turned around to acknowledge her guard stating, “You may raise.” before turning back to concern herself with her thoughts.
Rik did as commanded and approached the map. Running his eyes over it, he drew a breath. “What’s the plan now?”
The queen pointed to one of the symbols carved into the wood, “Trolbane, one of the older settlements. It has become occupied by a kin-feaster. We need to slay the unholy abomination and begin resettling our land.” The symbol, while not directly on the road to Ha-Dûna, was in the direction of it.
“A kin-feaster? Do we have the force to take on such a fiend?”
“We can not leave such a thing to fester and grow more powerful off of our blood, or to allow it to spread its evil any further. It must be handled promptly.” she said, glancing towards her maul beside her throne.
“Understood.” He surveyed the carvings around the Trolbane area. “Decent lands, those - the cows and sheep will enjoy the meadows between the cliffes. Are you certain you want to expand towards Ha-Dûna, though? I mean… We just got rid of them. Should we truly invite them back so soon?”
“The Dûnans may have forgotten, but that was the land of our sister tribe. If we ever wish to reclaim it, we need to do it now while they are still weak and disorganized.” The queen pointed to a further point in the map towards Ha-Dûna, “I have discussed the matter with Tak, I am favorable to his suggestion that we expand to here and form a buffer zone between us and them. They speak of peace, but people do not change so easily.”
“Agreed… First chance they get, they will no doubt slit our throats in our sleep, should we form bonds of friendship and complacency. We can have a war party of seventy ready to take down the kins-eater in two days. We’ll slay it for the sake of the heavens’ peace, and then begin fortifications against attacks from the north.”
The queen walked over to her maul and began carefully examining it, “Have the war party ready by the northern gates by that time. I will see to this matter personally.”
Rik frowned. “My queen, please keep in mind the terror we are facing here. A kins-eater is no small threat, and we need your leadership now more than ever.”
“Which is why I must fight. Our clan is the bedrock of this city, and I have the respect of the clan through this.” she said, lifting her maul.
Seeing there was no way to make her reconsider, Rik immediately conceded. “Very well,” he said and hefted his warclub. “But we will not let you out of our sight.”
The queen glared in response, but in two days time, the force gathered on the outskirts of Trolbane. The queen gathered her advisors around a wooden table with a rough map of the city inscribed into it. Among those in attendance was Rik, the midnight watcher that had accompanied him before, Tak, and Hera. A constellar and a stonemaul druid were invited, but they were busy making the necessary divine observance in dealing with such an unholy creature.
The queen invited Tak to speak first, “This was the city I was raised in, and I know it well as I know where the sun rises and sets. It will be an honor to reclaim for the rest. Reya sides with us, if we can drive the monster into the town center then it will have no place to hide from her judgment. If that is not enough, our slingers will pin and injure it until one of our druids can channel Reya’s light into one of our mauls and then we end its miserable existence.”
The queen’s face was unreadable, she merely turned and asked, “Rik, your thoughts?”
Rik wriggled his nose and eyed the light on the horizon hinting at the sun’s awakening. “It will not come out willingly, so we’ll have to force it to come out from wherever it’s hiding. I suggest we light its abode on fire and let the elements deal with it - if we can avoid confrontation at all, that would be safest.”
Tak bit his tongue until the queen’s still neutral face glanced at him expectedly, and he responded, “Surely you jest, we have every advantage. Why should we risk our past and future homes to the elements when we can crush this creature with our blessed might?”
The queen signalled Rik to continue.
“It would just be a single house - a kins-eater is nothing to scoff at, my queen. Without proper strategy, one can surely slay twenty of ours before we can slay it.”
The queen paused and took a deep breath, “The kin-feaster is a terrible blight upon the land, and one not to be trifled with. However, neither are the children of the gods. We will approach with all due caution, but fire is a power that we can not reliably control. Should we use it, we threaten the structure of the entire city, our city. Sister, prepare your singers for the blessings of divine harmony.” Hera nodded and left towards the main unit, though she wasn’t as good at hiding her concern as her sister. The queen turned back to the others, “Does anyone else have final insights before the assault?”
Rik sighed in defeat and shook his head.
“If there are no final insights, then meet him in the front to receive the blessings.” she said, grabbing her maul and heading that direction.
As the sun continued to rise over the highlands and the small army gathered in front of the city, Hera led her six other singers adorned with the butterfly insignias in performing the star hymns. The songs had few words, and those few where spoken in the old tongue that few on the battlefield remembered. As they continued, power emanated from the sound, opening the senses of those who heard it and granted them boundless vigor.
When the song was over, half of the singers readied themselves with slings while the others prepared themselves to make further use of their spirit-singing.
The queen signalled the warband, scouts surrounded the region with warhorns to signal if the vampire did somehow manage to escape, while the rest followed the blind-folded watcher into the city, his hidden senses reaching out in an attempt to detect the unholy being. Rik clutched his club and kept a close proximity to the queen.
The watcher led the group to a seemingly innocent building, before walking up and laying his hand on it. He made the agreed upon gesture for signalling that the vampire was here, but the building was trapped.
The queen nodded and signalled the group to surround the house. A group of soldiers, not including the queen or her guard readied themselves to storm the door several steps from it.
One of the lightwings sung and the door flung open, while Hera joined her voice into the song as rocks began to tumble down and roll down hill towards the group and they seemed to slow and roll around the group.
The frontline charged into the building, their mauls ready to bludgeon or guard, and were initially confused as the building appeared empty before one of the soldiers heard something above them, but by that point it was too late as the kins-eater had already dive down and taken a knife to his throat.
The monster lunged forward at the remaining soldiers, managing to deeply gash the leg of one of the soldiers but as the other knife pushed forward, it was caught by a war-club. Through sheer strength, it managed to push through the wood and make it one swing away from cracking in two.
A war club slammed into the back of the kin-feaster, but it seemed to barely have any effect. As it turned around to slash at his attacker, the visage of a spirit leon lunged at him from the side knocking him back. He burrowed his daggers into the spectral form, its paw still reaching towards him as the energy composing it grew dimmer and dimmer until it completely faded.
The queen voice was heard issuing the retreat to the safety of the sun. One of the soldiers stood his ground against the beast and was promptly eviscerated. Only one managed to stumble out into the light as the others were unable to make it the threshold.
The queen looked soberly on the would-be battlefield, her men being sent to die in an honorless battle, she issued her next order, “Clear the area. Burn the kin-eater’s dwelling.”
Rik, who carried a wounded warrior over his shoulder, he himself also bruised and bloody, shouted, “Well, you heard her! Burn it down!”
The warband began to move anything that might burn away from the building, including a nearby shed that was demolished and its rumble pushed away. The magically inclined joined in prayer to Reya, Clar and Bors, asking that the stone and water of the highlands would keep the fire at bay while the sun purifies it of a great evil.
The building was doused with the oils they used for cooking and making torches, and the building was lit. The spirit-singers joined together in a song to the fire, while the druids and soldiers readied themselves in case it spread.
As the fire began to quickly consume the roof and removed the barrier between the vampire and the sun, it screamed in animalistic fury. Looking through one of the windows, they saw one of the soldiers laid on the floor of the burning building, alive but unable to escape. As sunlight pierced the roof and smited the vampire, he smirked. As the roof continued to collapse and feel upon him, they could hear his muffled screams before they abruptly stopped.
Rik gently lowered the wounded soldier to the ground to be tended to by the druids. He then stormed over to the queen and pointed his club at the burning ruins, his face contorting in fury. “What did I say?!”
The queen glared at him, “This is not the time. Everyone, secure the area. I will give further instructions at sunrise tomorrow.”
After the town had been cleared and the remains of the fallen had been attended to, the queen gathered the remaining warband and addressed them, “The vampire has been slain. Queensguard Tak will fortify this location and start making plans to expand towards Ha-Gaard. Queensguard Rik will take the druids and the watcher to scout out the surrounding region to make sure it is safe for resettlement before regrouping with me and the spirit singers in the rest. You are dismissed.”
The Dûnan’s in Kirin’s Rest head home - their home is recaptured, and they haven’t been very good guests. The Kirinians are happy as all hell for this, and decide to take the opportunity while HD is recovering to expand their lands. To do so, they have to go through a vampire located in a town known as Trolbane. A warparty is gathered and they go there and kill it, but not without suffering casualties. They then send a third to scout another town called Ha-Gaard while another third remained to secure the area for settlers and the rest went home.
Sirius Starting: 5/5 Ending: 1/4
Nightward Tower: Impressive Construction 2: This holy site was pulled from the ground by the workings of divine power, it is impressively tall and durable for the region and era.
Celestial Protection 2: This holy site emits divine power covering the surrounding tower in an invisible sphere of protection. This can be manipulated by the chosen attendants of the tower, however they can make it so that segments of it are either permeable or impermeable. The barrier is as sturdy as stone walls, but can regenerate over time if damaged.
The archer, Bran, had read the words of the village chief. It was dire news, a hydra began to slowly stalk up the river and is drawing ever nearer to the village. It has already begun to cause troubles, pushing other dangerous animals towards the village and disrupting travel. There is no telling when it would decide to be a more pressing issue, and with how out of the way the settlement is, it may be before more help could arrive.
Inhale, exhale, release.
The village has two guardians, but one is as old as him and the other older, and it is doubtful that they could face a hydra in their prime. There was also a group of adventurers, however they had the opposite problem, they were still sproutlings fresh from the academy. The Wisteria Academy might say that they prepare their students for anything, but there are things which no school can teach. Beyond that, there were a handful of civilians who could wield hunting bows or slings, and various other means of defense but sadly there were no hydra slayers among them.
Inhale, exhale, release.
Shooting a bow was how Bran could relax himself, but now he was tormented by thoughts of the past and of the future. He muttered under his breath, “Illex, Nymphea, Cade, Lights Above, who has caused my luck to become rotten.”
No one has, a voice replied within his mind.
Bran felt his hands loosen on his bow as he started, but he managed to recompose himself and keep his grip. He took a second to blink and wave his hand in front of his eyes, before trying to reply, “Cade? Wait, that isn’t right?”
Mm, close enough, the voice answered. Let’s see. An archer who can’t hear, but receives visions, and wants to kill a monster. Do I have that right?
“Yes. That is about right.” he said hesitantly.
How well can you shoot?
“Well, perhaps better than I should,” he replied.
Show me.
Realigning his grip with his bow, and notching his arrow, he inhaled, exhaled, and released. The arrow launched from the bow, guided by the invisible winds of mana unseen by most mortals but clearly visible to the gods, his mundane aim was good enough to hit the center mass of the target but with augury, it hit dead-center.
That is not natural skill, the god remarked. But there’s no shame in that. You haven’t let it cloud your judgement, at least. Anyhow, do you have a plan for slaying this beast?
“We lack weapons or magic that critically pierce it hide, or poisons which can even give it a stomach ache. The only thing we can do is attempt to harass it with arrows from out of its reach and hope it bleeds it last drop before we do.” he solemnly answered, knowing such a plan would likely be the death of at least half of whoever is sent.
It is a hydra, yes?
“Yes, terrible things. The only alternative is to wait and hope elite adventurers can reach us before it reaches the town.” he replied.
Hm. It’s always better for people to be able to solve their own problems, I think. Tell me; how attached are you to that bow? Its value as a weapon aside.
“It was my father’s, but a bow is a bow is I guess.” he said, untruthful to his deeper emotions.
That’s true enough, I suppose. I don’t suppose you’d mind if I improve it, then? And without awaiting confirmation, power seemed to surge within Bran’s chest, before shooting down his arm and into the bow, which became coated in a purple light. When the light faded, he was looking at a completely different weapon; the wood was as white as ivory, and stronger, without a single flaw in its craftsmanship, while the string had been made far stronger. Now, shoot it again.
Bran was trembling and shaking, but his grip on the bow did not loosen. He could not begin to describe what he saw and felt within the purple light, as if an ant tried understanding the works of a great philosopher. Parts of the forest vanished and were replaced by walls of black stone, a village filled with color, and a great ocean. As he tried to focus on the target, it was replaced by a majestic throne and as soon his eyes started to decipher who was sitting on it, his sight returned to normal. He readied his bow, time seeming to slow around him and he tested the draw of the bow, an arrow manifested in it
Inhale, Exhale, Release
The arrow pierced the target, and punctured through the target as if the wood was old and rotten. Bran just stood in terrified awe of what he had just experienced, him releasing the arrow was a matter of pure instinct.
Well, there you have it. Now, gather your chosen men. You have a hydra to kill.
---
With his new found blessing, Bran rallied a small militia to fight the hydra. The two guards and two of the three adventurers stood in front of the archers with giant spears and shields, while everyone who could wield a bow was stationed in a half circle around the hydra ready to loose at Bran’s signal. They were to distract it by shooting at its body while he disabled the heads.
The beast laid on the banks of the river, if it had noticed them, they were far enough away to not draw its ire immediately.
Preparing his shot, he yelled, “For Cade, For Arboria.” Releasing his arrow straight through the skull of one its heads causing to go immediately limp. A volley of arrows followed shortly, disorienting the beast, allowing him to make another shot while its remaining heads flailed about, piercing through its mouth. It charged at one of the spearmen, one its heads dragging behind it, as another one of its heads lunged towards him, another arrow launched through its head. Its final head lurched forward biting the man in half as another arrow felled the last head. With that, the beast collapsed to the ground, its hide covered in the few mundane arrows that managed to lodge themselves just under its scales.
---
After returning the fallen soldier to the earth and giving him all of the proper rites and honors, the town spent the next few days preparing a feast to celebrate the heroes who slayed the hydra, a practice the local Arborians borrowed from human travelers.
The celebration was humbly decorated, but involved food, drink, song and dance. Adventurers who came after hearing rumors of the hydra helped with hunting meat for the event. Bran sat in one of the corner’s of the town square watching the celebration while nursing an alcoholic drink, the divinely blessed artifact sitting carefully on his lap.
So, the voice of Cade spoke within his mind again, this time without any sort of prayer. What shall you do now?
“I didn’t think this was real until after the hydra stopped moving, and didn’t expect to survive an encounter with a hydra.” he said, glancing down at his bow, “But I guess since I am alive, I guess my work isn’t quite done is it. This won’t be the last thing to creep at the edge of Arboria’s border.” he said.
Likely not. What do you intend to do about it?
“Shoot them until they stop moving. I am not good for much else.” he replied.
I wouldn’t say that. You did devise a rather sound plan just a few days ago. And these people now think you’re a hero. The champion of a god…
“The man who died can’t be a hero wherever he is at, I am just a hunter’s son.” he replied.
The man who died is dead, but far more alive because of his sacrifice, Cadien insisted. Now, if you truly wish to protect people, you have two options. You can go out alone, patrolling borders, doing your best to fight various creatures and evils, until eventually you die and your new bow passes to whoever slew you. Or, you can build something more permanent. A group of like-minded men and women, who can cover more ground, slay more foes, and carry on your cause long after you die.
Taking a large gulp of his drink, “It appears as though I don’t have much choice in the matter, Oh Great Caden. You seem to be more confident in my leadership than I am, but who I am to argue with the divine.”
Who indeed? Anyhow, you’ll find no better time to gather followers than now.
Bran stood, and began to walk towards the center of the square, shouting, “I have a few words.” After looking around and seeing everyone intently staring back at him, he announced, “Yesterday, we received a divine gift and with it, a beast was slain. Will be so greedy to presume that it will happen tomorrow, or so bold to presume that there will always be someone waiting to save us if we will not save ourselves. These woods hold many dangers, but at least for me, these woods are my home and I would like them to be safe and so I will make them so. Who is with me?” While he could not hear them, as he glanced around he saw several bows raised towards the sky.
And in that moment, a change passed over them. Their vision became sharper, and they could see more clearly than they ever could before. A second, subtly force woven itself further empowering them, only sensed by Cadien and Bran. Then, a voice spoke from within their minds. You know me as Cade, but my true name is Cadien, God of War and Perfection. Know that this man, and those who follow him, shall have my blessing. Now go forth and see his words made true, for I will be watching.
The Arborean Archer from a previous post, Bran, is practicing archery while contemplating the threat to the village he is near, a hydra. While contemplating it, he makes a comment to the gods and Cadien answers.
They have a conversation about what he needs to do, and he mentions how they may be able to fight it but at severe cost, and so Cadien blesses his bow.
Bran gathers a militia in a semi-circle around the hydra, with a spearman in front to protect the archers who were to distract it while he slays the heads. They manage to successfully kill the hydra, but not before one of the spearmen is killed.
After burying the spearman and a few days to prepare, they hold a feast to celebrate. During this, Cadien talks to Brann again asking what he will do and after a conversation about how to proceed, Brann calls everyone attention and makes a short speech about they need to be proactive in the defense of the edges of Arborea.
Cadien blesses Brann and those who follow him as a holy order, which Sirius further empowers, and then Cadien gives his own speech about how he blessed them and we be watching them.
Cadien Beginning MP: 4 Beginning DP: 2 -1DP (discounted to 0 via archery portfolio) to create the title “Infinite Ammunition I”. When the bowstring is drawn back, an arrow of purple energy materializes, already nocked in the bowstring. It is about as strong as a mundane arrow tipped in bronze. It vanishes a few seconds after striking a target. -1DP (discounted to 0 via archery portfolio) to create the title “Power Shot I.” This bow launches arrows with a force that far exceeds its draw weight. -1DP to create the title “Reflex Shot I.” When the bowstring is drawn back, time itself seems to slow down for the wielder, giving them time to readjust their aim. (1DP) -1DP to create the title “Flawless Vision I.” All members of his Holy Order have perfect eyesight. -1DP (discounted to 0 via archery portfolio) to create the title “Easy Draw I.” Members of this Holy Order can draw back even the strongest of bowstrings without difficulty. Ending MP: 4 Ending DP: 0
Sirius Beginning MP: 5 Beginning DP: 5
-1DP to create the title “Imbued Archery I”. The Ranger's Brotherhood practices a form of augury specially adapted to be used with bows. In particular, they have a trick which allows them to briefly see through objects. Most members can only see through foliage and light obscuration, but higher ranking members can very briefly see through thin walls. Further rankings improve the general skill with augury and allows them to access more unique skills.
-1MP to create title “Forester I”: Members of his order find themselves more at home in wooded regions, having greater survival skills in them and being able to move more freely and stealthy through without being impeded.
Her vision was adrift in the far reaches, as it had many times before. Life upon Galbar was difficult, but among the stars, she had found peace. Let today she had stumbled upon something new, no, was drawn to something new.
She saw a figure in strange, black armor that resembled several of the metallic chunks that flew about space. Even weirder, she turned to face her. The augur had seen a great many things, but it was the first time she was seen. Her form was as if it was made of flame contained only by her armor, and carried an exquisite spear. Her attention returned to what she was watching, the space dust whirling around, and slowly forming into a solid structure.
Within this state, words were meaningless, and intention carried across the nothingness. She was Allende, a divine vessel of the starry shepherd. It was by his will that she could see distant things, and it was by his will that she was aware of this nameless space. She was unnerved by the avatar's annoyance, which emitted from her form.
The vision began to fade, but before it ended, she knew the space's purpose and hers. She quietly whispered the name she gave it, "Paradiso."
An augur sees a vision of space, and some new developments there, and is assigned a purpose.
Starting: 5/5 Ending: 0/0
-3 MP, Creating Avatar Allende
-1MP/-1DP Created the Astrologer's Spear, the extricate spear wielded by Allende: Heaven's Key III: (One Free With Cosmic) By channeling cosmic energy, this spear can teleport itself and anything it touches between the Zodiac Stones and the Paradiso.
-1MP/-4DP Created Paradiso, a holy site in the far reaches: Celestial Construction 4: (Two Free with Cosmic) This holy site is not defined as a particular set or shape of materials, but as a region in space that draws in celestial materials and reshapes it to the needs of those recognized by the holder of the astrologer's spear. Astrological Locus II: Astrological magic is significantly stronger within Paradiso. Empower Will I: Those recognized by the holder of the astrologer's spear and are willing find themselves with a strong resolve while they are in Paradiso.
Drawing another arrow from his quiver, he notched it into the bow. He stared downfield, his vision narrowing, and could see that his previous arrow hit the target he had set up. It had been some time since he had shot a bow, but perhaps he retained the skill well. Though, pulling the draw-weight back was harder with age.
Inhale, exhale, release.
His eyes carefully followed it as flew, he couldn't fully explain but didn't move as an arrow should. He remembered his father teaching him and taking him to his first hunt. As he prepared his shot, he remembered when a druid told his father that the will of the gods carried arrows, his retort that faith feels souls, not bellies.
Inhale, exhale, release.
He tried not to linger on such thoughts; he moved from one side of Arboria to another for a reason. As he reached for another arrow, he felt an arm grab at his, and he turned around to see a young human lady staring angrily at him.
He watched her face, "Do your ears not work?"
Sighing, and gesturing her to continue, her lips continued, "You did not tell anyone one, you were an explorer or guardian. My father has called for all able-bodied fighters to meet with him. You might not be young anymore, but your bow-arm is decent."
He paused, "Listen. I am a hunter's son, and I am not so able-bodied anymore."
He couldn't help to wipe his face, but he didn't need to know what she said next to reply, "Because my ears don't work."
It took a few seconds for the lady to compose herself, "But you managed to dodge out of the way of Rosa when she ran up behind you. How did you do that if you can't hear."
When he didn't answer it immediately, she jumped on it, "It is bad form faking an injury."
He softly replied, "I am not faking, but I don't know how I react to certain things. My muscles twitch in a certain way, and I move. That is when it isn't more involved, and I do somehow hear a whispering voice teaching me breathing techniques."
Her expression softened, "Have you seen the druids about such things?"
Scoffing, "They didn't help any."
She replied, "I heard my uncle also reacted to things that he shouldn't and heard voices. He found a secretive group of druids that helped him, but my father said not to trust them. I will tell my father to leave you be."
A person is practicing archery in a city somewhere near Arboria. He is noticing something odd about his aim and is trying to avoid reminiscing about his past. He is interrupted by the daughter of a local leader. They have a harsh conversation until he reveals he has been suffering from strange sensations and hearing voices despite being deaf. She mentions how her uncle had similar problems and was helped by a secretive group of druids her father distrusted before taking her leave.
Deep in the jungle surrounding Zuanwa, two Ta'zesh approached a cave. Arrows notched, they stalked down into it. Taking cover at a bend, and soundless peaking in, they saw a younger man peering deeply into a fire. His shoulders were exposed, exposing intricate burn marks that wrap around them. The necklace was also around it. It did not seem as though the Rul noticed them, until, without any provocation, he spoke, "Please turn back. Your presence distracts from my mediation."
Akata stepped out, "We are here for the Za'wal's necklace."
He responded harshly, "It is my mother's. I will be separate from it when I rejoin her."
Akata grunted, "So be it." Despite taking careful aim, her arrow completely veered off. The second and third arrows did not perform any better.
The Rul continued to gaze into his fire, "As you can see, I do not fear your arrows."
Sowing her bow, and grabbing her dagger, Akata took one step towards him before pulling back instinctively upon hearing the hissing of a snake. She did not see them until now, but they were numerous. Their skin blended into the caverns, and their bite was lethal.
The other hunter, Uwana spoke, her voice not as confident as her partner, "Just who are. You bare the marks of the Rul and what we are after, but you can not be. You must be a Lota'wal."
Waving his hand over the flame, it turned blue and seemingly jumped up before returning to normal, "I am the Ruanza'ka. The gods speak to me through the fire. They trust in me their secrets."
Akata holding back a shout, "Ruanza'ka? You must be a lying Lota'wal or. or a Loza'zesh wearing the flesh of a dead Rul."
The Ruanza'ka scoffed, "You may believe what you wish, Akata."
Uwana stopped her partner, "I have never heard of a Za'ka. If we believe you that it exists, why would be bestowed to you?"
Holding his hands still over the fire, the hunters could see his badly burnt hands, "An empty vessel has room to be filled. It was by fire and suffering I have become more."
Uwana lowered her voice, "If not gifted by the gods, what fearful thing could he be. We should leave now."
Akata muttered back, "We can not leave with nothing."
The Ruanza'ka responded, "Then return to your Za'watem with this, From water the city born, from water, it shall die. Once the greater light sets, the heavens will cry.
The city sleeps in rising tide, spurred by fools who speak more than they listen. Within the wave, a minnow has washed upon your shores, and the fools would have you think his fins were glided, but if he speaks with another's voice then he must be thrown back. They will yell and scream that it should be obvious at sight, but the gods can see what we can not, and place the greatest proof within the heart.
The Ta'ral and Rul will be the first to awake, and if still bound with bramble, it will only bleed the water for the sharks. Then those who survive might twice awaken from tribulation and become as I have.
Finally, a metal beast bound and tamed by those of distant shore comes. You can't defeat them, nor can you lose to them."
Cave hermit and pet snakes harassed by bow-carrying women.
Two hunters from Zuanwa tracked down a former slave and a necklace he stole, and find him in a cave, surrounded by venomous snakes and arrows refuse to hit him. He calls himself Ruanza'ka, and the hunters believe him to be a Lota'wal or Loza'zesh but the more cowardly/wise of the two decides to leave well enough alone, but the brave/foolhardy hunter doesn't want to leave with nothing. The hermit then tells them a prophecy about how the city about how Zuanwa is doomed.
Starting: 5MP/ 5DP Ending: 2MP/ 2DP
-3 MP to claim astrology port ( Magic related to the stars or zodiac, by itself, it primarily leans itself towards augury, however it can blend with other magic systems taking stronger influence from that magic system than from other astrological magic.)
-2 DP (Enhanced with Augury Port) Thaumaturgy: A more advanced form of sorcerous fortune, which is usually conscious but can be subconsciously used. Thaumaturgy has limited usages, but is more controlled than regular sorcery and can potentially be used without effort. In addition, it can even occur in response to premonitions, for example a person can suddenly be aware of a dangerous object quickly approaching them and it is quickly repelled from them. It can be used for the following purposes, its range is determined by the skill of the user: -> Causing something to change color and/or shed any color of light up to the brightest of a torch. -> Causing something to suddenly move for a brief moment. -> Causing something to persist for longer than otherwise expected, IE food spoiling slower or a candle burning for longer. -> Causing something to slow change temperature, though this can cause an object to reach more extreme temperatures if given time. -> Causing something to emit a particular noise, with more complex noises requiring greater skills. Animal calls are considered immediate noises to produce through thaumaturgy.
-1 DP (Discounted with augury port) Hospitality: Non-intelligent creatures are less likely to attack augurs unless provoked. Skilled augurs, when acting non-maliciously towards them, can sometimes take actions that would otherwise provoke them such as entering or lingering in their territory, touching them, or administering treatment to them. Non-intelligent creatures who still attack them are often less effective at doing so, either hesitating or becoming confused or they act more slowly.
“Come on, you brats, hurry up! Night’s already upon us and the trek’s long still!” thundered the spearman through a beard so thick that it could’ve been a mask. Before him, he shepherded a train of everything from young children to young adults, all bound together at the hands by a long length of rope. They had been walking from a rebelling village in the centre of the Lowlands, the first region seized by the Dûnans after they took Gleann over Risenberg - it was the second day of their march now. Up ahead, the front guard had already lit fires and set up camp.
One of the captives was already ragged, having long unkempt hair and appeared malnourished. He was clearly impoverished by chance before the war had started. He appeared young, though it was also hard to tell his exact age due to him being small from hunger. He was constantly muttering something just under his breath. The spearman frowned, his torch casting long, crass shadows across his mean face. He stomped over and grabbed the youngster by the shoulder.
“Hey, be quiet! You’ll say nothing before the archdruids allow you to speak, is that clear?”
His eyes were glazed over, he barely seemed to comprehend that he was grabbed or that someone was speaking to him, but his eyes suddenly widened and he whimpered, “Where is the moon.” his eyes pointed directly at it in full view.
The guard followed his gaze in bafflement. “What do you mean, it’s right there? Oh, by… Torrsten, I think we’ve caught someone blind.”
“Well, what did you expect?! We didn’t kill him on the battlefield! Must’a been left behind!” came a distant yell from over by the camp, followed by mocking laughter. The spearman shrunk a bit and blushed before shoving the young man onwards. “Keep moving!”
The captive still didn’t seem to comprehend what was happening around him, and sputtered out, “He is watching. No, they are watching.”
The spearman growled and grabbed the boy by the neck of his rags. “Hey, I told you to--” He was silenced by a large hand clasping his shoulder. It was one of the other guards, his expression a condescending smirk.
“Ian, give it a rest - what harm is he doing by talking?” said the guard. The spearman spat and shrugged off the hand. However, as he did, the ground felt uneven to him, or so it seemed, anyway, for the man stumbled and fell to the ground. The others looked bepuzzled for a moment before breaking out into a guffaw. The guard smacked his hand to his forehead. “By the gods, man, can’t you even stand?! What’s going on with you toni--woah!” The spearman pushed the guard away in a rage and, with effort, rose back to his feet.
“I will -not- be made a fool out of!” His eyes fixed back on the young lad and he unsheathed a copper dagger. “If you won’t shut up, I’ll make an example of you.”
The other guards closed in around him. “Alright, Ian, that’s enough-- hey!” As they neared him, he spun around, jabbing at the air between them.
“Stay away! This bastard had it coming! No one ignores Ian’s orders - no one!”
The vagrant stated, “Death is a wonderful host, but terrible guest. You have invited it in.”
Ian snapped and grabbed the boy’s chin. He turned to face the others, pointing his dagger at them with a knowing look. “This is what happens when you defy Ian - what you get for laughing at me!” With that, he forced his fingers into the boy’s mouth, grabbed at his tongue and brought the blade to slice it off.
However, the second the metal touched flesh, it dissolved in Ian’s hands, becoming ash on the wind. No, not ash - dust. Ian recoiled, as did all the other guards. The spearman looked at his hands in disbelief. “W-what?”
“... It’s a bloody sorcerer…” whispered one of the other guards, picked up his spear and stabbed it at the boy. However, the jab, somehow, completely missed its mark despite the proximity. In trying to correct this mistake, the guard instead swung horizontally, aiming to slice at the boy’s shoulder. Once more, the second the metal came into contact with his flesh, it became dust. They cowered and exchanged looks of fear.
“D-demon!”
The vagrant glazed and confused eyes finally met Ian’s, he softly stated, “Do you not remember Scahach’ scolding about your ego?”
Ian, whose hyperventilation only seemed to egg his panic on, then let out a war cry, lifted both his hands into the air and brought them down on the boy’s head. However, as the fists connected with his skin, they broke, as though the bones inside had been made of glass. The man screamed as bones protruded through skin twisted in all manner of unnatural directions. The onlookers once more cowered or vomited at the sight. The other prisoners stared on with a mixture of terror and morbid curiousity.
A voice called out to Ian from the boy's form, but his lips did not move nor was his voice, "It is shame. Scahach' prayers for you to return unharmed could not be answered."
Ian looked up with tears in his eyes. “Wh-wha? What in--... Oh, gods, it hurts! How,” he sucked in a desperate, pained breath, “how do you know of, of my Scah?!” Efforts to move his hands only exasperated the pain.
The boy was quiet. His eyes were no longer glazed over, but still appeared unhealthy dim. He was facing right at Ian and didn’t seem to react to gruesome sight, but still seemed unnerved by the sound of his pain, flinching whenever his arms made sudden unnatural noises. The guard who had laughed at Ian before drew his own dagger.
“By the gods, Lars, didn’t you see what just happened?!” came a concerned squeal behind him. The guard Lars bit his teeth together and, with a hard grip, snatched the rope holding the prisoners together. He sliced over the knots, and soon, the whole chain came loose.
“I ain’t bringing that cursed child into my city - I ain’t bringing any of these.” He reluctantly looked down at the boy. “You’re free, kid. Go! Go back and be with your demonic ilk!” He tried to push him, but looked down at Ian’s hands again and decided against it, pulling his fist back towards his chest. Many of the other children and young adults started running back the way they had come.
The vagrant kid paused briefly, before starting to run away in the wrong direction.
Lars shouted, “HEY! Go home, I said!” But none dared give chase, for fear of ending up like Ian. They knelt down around him and started to inspect whether there was anything they could do.
”Oh, sister, what have I missed over here… Hey, thanks for catching that kid, Sirius. I wouldn’t have known anything was up if he hadn’t asked for the moon.” Gibbou rolled her shoulders so her chainmail rustled quietly. The two of them stood side by side in Antiquity, gazing at the world below.
“I have been concerned about Ha-Dûna for some time now, but he was the one who drew my attention. It seems rare for someone as talented as him to awaken, it is a shame what that cost him.” Sirius replied.
The moon goddess sighed. ”The Dûnans are… Okay, there’s no way around this. They’ve gone completely off the rails. I’m just glad I managed to get that spell going before that guy could hurt your… What is it you called them again? Ogres?”
“Augurs. And if it was not for your intervention, I would have stopped him. However I would not have been so kind.”
”He was far from innocent, that man, but…” She crossed her arms over her breastplate. ”I’d rather not the Dûnans grow even more accustomed to death than they already have. I’ll let that spell linger for a while, hope that at least stops their wanton killing of the civilians. Ugh, like, why do they do this anyway? I mean, I get that, sure, they want more land to feed that crazy fast growing population, and more land to settle on, and more land to rule and stuff… But, like, c’mon! Do they have to be so gung-ho about it? I dunno, what do you think?”
“... Perhaps it is because wolves are leading the flock.”
Gibbou frowned. ”You’re talking about the archdruids, aren’t you?”
“Not all of them.”
Gibbou squinted and punched her fist into her palm with a metallic clang. ”Got a name for me, brother? If someone’s ordering the butchering of innocents, I’d have to send them a strong worded letter. Yeah, a strongly worded letter that is a gruesome sleep schedule… Or something.”
“It is rarely one person is it? … It is a shame that people of Ha-Duna could be so easily fooled. Unlike us, they can be lied to by other mortals and sometimes it is foolish to disbelieve the powerful even when they are untruthful.”
”I just don’t understand - why are they so insistent on killing and imprisoning everyone? What did their neighbours do to them? The wars in this area are pretty recent, right?” She gave a hum and counter the number of years that had passed to herself. ”Yeah, pretty recently. You been paying attention much? Know their reasons?”
“Necessity is a cruel mistress. They were compelled to indulge, and now their greed has overtaken them. … I guess apart of it is that they are deceived by their own perceptions, being so far from the battlefield.”
Gibbou pulled her helmet off and rubbed her temples. ”Oi… Alright, I’ll need some time to thing about what to do here. You got any plans? Sirius?” Gibbou looked around, but it seemed as though the star god had vanished into thin air. She pouted and rolled her eyes. ”Okay, fine… Be like that…” Then she stomped her way back to her portal to observe some more from the comfort of her home.
Dûnan POW convoy strolling down the hill when, suddenly, it turns out one of the kids in it is an augur whispering shit! One of the guards gets pissy about him whispering shit, so the augur starts whispering more shit! This pisses the guard off, so some of his co-guards come to calm him down. He won’t calm down, though, and threatens to cut out the kid’s tongue. However, as he tries to cut it, Gibbou turns his knife and all other Dûnan weapons that try to harm innocents to dust. The Dûnans think the shit talker is a demon and get super scared. The pissy guard tries to whack him with his fists, but, surprise-surprise, his the bones in his hands break like glass. The augur starts shit talking his wife and the POWs are released into freedom.
Gibs and Sirius then have a chat about how shitty the whole situation is. They agree that it is shitty and decide to do something about it eventually. Sirius then disappears and leaves Gibbou alone to pout over how shitty everything is.
Shit.
Gibbou - 4MP/4DP 1DP - Curse (Protection): Curse Dûnans so that when their weapons or bodies strike at innocents with ill intent, they disintegrate into dust (if weapon) or shatter like glass (if body). End: 4MP/3DP.
Sirius looked down and peered into a particular cave, though this was perhaps a misnomer. He was feeling the senses of his new praying followers, and yet he couldn't help but rearrange his vision to come from the far reaches.
He felt a tinge of guilt, they were extraordinarily gifted in his new magicks, but there was a steep cost. To open up their new senses, they had to forsake their old ones. They wore heavy gloves and clothes around their mouths and noses soaked in material to dampen their smell. Lighting was sparse, and food was bland and flavorless. The cavern was mostly silent however, occasionally, there were songs sung in whispers or instruments quietly played. Of their mundane perception, their hearing was the most important.
He had taught them of his new secrets, and while he gave them the knowledge of the mechanics to inform their choice, he never advocated for it. Despite his aversion, their merits were impressive. Their whisper-sight was only something he could grant them due to their training, the ability to tap into a small portion of the divine to see through falsehoods. Only one person among the circle had been able to harness it, but they all hold the potential to do so.
As they prayed, they revealed their stories to him, and none of them were particularly pleasant. Not everyone who came was entirely innocent but was duty-bound to accept them as his followers. He could only wish that they would find peace in the new understanding of the world that they were discovering.
Sirius is watching a new druid circle that he had formed after creating Augury, the Circle of Whispering Sight. He is averse to their harsh practices, founded in the knowledge he gave them through visions but not something he instructed them to do, but is impressed by their skill with augury and believes he is now obligated to aid them.
Starting: 5/5 Ending: 0/0
Augury Extraordinary Abilities (-1 MP, -5DP): -> Premonition: By attempting to invoke visions through will and magic (typically mana sorcery, but other methods work such as druidry), augurs can more readily access divine knowledge. Premonitions are often not as involved as regular visions: dangerous items may glow red, they may hear foreign words in languages which they understand, or they can feel the hatred or mistrust a god has towards a particular object or person. Premonitions are a skill, and master augurs can potentially: react faster than otherwise possible, hold a conversation in a language they do not understand, purposely invoke a full-scale vision.
-> Appraisal: Involves opening the senses to the magical and divine, typically through mana sorcery or druidry but other methods are possible. Appraisals occur through focusing on an object an augur is touching and a simple appraisal only rely on this heightened sense, and a moderately trained augur could tell if something is strongly magic and/or divine (but nothing further), a vague sense of what materials it is composed of (they not automatically know what those materials are, but can compare this sense to known quantities, IE all iron has the same feeling and steel would have a similar but distinct feeling) and if it is dangerous (but not how or why, but it will exclude known quantities of danger. A normal bronze dagger would not read as dangerous, but an unidentified veil of liquid would if it contained snake venom) Augurs can acquire more information by either being more skilled, or by having a more complex appraisal that can often involves meditation and prayer, and sometimes involves other magical rites.
-> Sorcerous Fortune: Augurs can use a form of mana sorcery in order to subtly manipulate the ways around them: arrows may slightly veer off an miss them, keys may fall into their reach, cards can shuffle in just the right way for them to win, etc, etc. This can both be conscious and subconscious, though it is more difficult to consciously use this sorcery
Claiming the Augury Port (-3 MP)
Created Holy Order, Circle of the Whispering Sight (-1 MP): -> Augury Adepts I: Members of this circle have an enhanced affinity for augury, allowing them to learn it easier and better use it conjunction with their druidic powers.
-> Whisper-Sight II (Free with Augury Port): An advanced skill that is combination of augury and druidry with requires absolute focus, by depriving the mundane senses, practioneers of this ability can tap into a fraction of a fraction of the divine senses, allowing them to sense any deception or illusion. They do not automatically know the truth, but they can sense if someone is lying, if an image is an illusion, etc.
A dull-eyed scholar from Sancta Civitas watched the night sky, using it as a captive audience to announce his frustrations and fears. Flashes of light suddenly started to streaked across every corner of the sky. After blinking, his eyes opened in a way that they had not before.
Everything except the stars vanished from his sight; the ground, the colorful sky, himself. He saw streaks of blues and yellows cross across three glyphs written into the stars, and the sky turned unnaturally around him, revealing an entirely new astronomical picture with three more symbols crossed over by mystical trails.
His eyes refocused on a giant crook gently sweeping across the heavens, interweaving mana into the celestial markings. Suddenly they were no longer stars in the sky, but arcane formulas with foreign concepts seamlessly integrated in ways beyond the scholar's understanding but attempted to commit to memory.
When the scholar senses returned to normal, he scurried to attempt to write down what they had seen. While his notes did not carry any immediate divine touch, he managed to write about arcane conceptions that would be considered advanced by even expert servants, though in addition to the obviously foreign elements, other oddities dotted the work such a motif of circles and the number three.
Sirius makes astrological spellcraft a thing, comets fly past the constellations associated with physical aspects as an omen, and a scholar sees a vision of Sirius doing this and of a formula for an astrological spell which he writes down. See details about astrological spells in the might summary
Starting: 2MP/0DP Ending: 0MP/0DP
-2MP Extraordinary Ability (For anyone who can create/cast mana spells) Astrological Spellcraft:
Spells can be specifically created invoking one of the physical aspects of the zodiac: spatial forces, undivided stars, comets, asteroids, space dust, or meteors. The created spell must be associated with the invoked aspect, IE spells regarding fire for meteors, cold for comets, or jumping spells for spatial forces.
These spells are typically more powerful in ideal conditions, but require specialized knowledge to create or use. Their power is influenced by the current zodiac period, being strongest in the period of the invoked aspect and weakest on the opposing period. Channeling the spell through an object associated with the invoked aspect also improves the spell, depending on how respective the object is of the period.
Each period additionally influences spells in different ways
Spatial Forces: Are difficult to be manipulated by others, but are the hardest to use Undivided Stars: Are longer-lasting, but easier to detect Comets: Are the strongest, but are weaker against other mana-based magic. Asteroids: Are the easiest to use, but are easily influenced by others. Space Dust: Are harder to detect, but typically shorter lasting. Meteors: Are strong against other mana-based magic, but are the weakest.
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GubGar