Terminal

Printed guns, melded metal - An experimental GM-less Cyberpunk RP

"Fortunate for us he ain't about to go anywhere fast with no limbs and only his essentials still kicking. So once he's on, shouldn't be too trying for you. You seem to know way too much for your own good on how to make a bot talk."

Theron

"Not bots, really. Just...in general. Probably not much better, but those are the breaks." Tracy muttered as he drew independent measures of all three substances via the electronic syringe, which with a quick press of its tactile interface sorted and stored all three separately within. He gestured for Theron to present his arm for better viewing of the small screen on the arm of his jacket. With his arms wrapped around Theron's as the two men sat on the edge of the bed, the Hunter's GENX Olfactory boosters let him get a real good - if not necessarily welcome - read on Tracy's biochemistry.

Whoever this guy was - corporate had run his face, optical data, and voiceprint through their database and come up with absolutely nothing when Theron had consulted them via the kiosk from earlier - he was clearly a lot more than just the homeless bum slash rock-bottom dreckhead ganger aestheric he was rocking. He had been wearing the same set of clothes for the last several days by the smell of them, and Theron's boosted metabolic genetic molecular identifiers let him individually sort and process each individual scent. Unlike a hardware booster, he couldn't identify any of what he smelled unless he had sniffed something similar previously, but binding enzymes in his nasal cavity and tongue could even retain samples of what he detected so corporate could identify anything he couldn't later. Which was great, because Tracy was giving off a lot of scents that Theron had never encountered before that were throwing up all sorts of warning bells. The few he did were already telling.

First and foremost, once Theron got past the thick musk of sebum cortisone Tracy exuded like an excess of cheap cologne, he smelled ionized air, the kind of dirty, polluted heavy murk thick with tension while a thunder-storm rolled by. He also smelled like a tremendously illegal military-grade category three broad-spectrum performance enhancing drug called Xcell, motor oil, a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and isopropyl alcohol, the process-oil whiff of plastic explosives, faint traces of some kind of perfume, and...

Bunched up with all the others was something particularly iffy. He had no idea what it was, but it actually stung his nose a little at some indiscernible level, whatever it was, even though he was only smelling remnants of it in the parts per million range. If nothing else, it might have even been distinctive enough to identify a specific locale, so it would definitely be worth running by corporate when he got back to them.

Beyond that, he could smell the cheap printed plastic replica uzi Tracy had obviously concealed in his overcoat, and he could smell the oils and smears left all over its grip and trigger that belonged to a completely different person. And then there was the duffel bag. Tracy was still awkwardly hoisting the bag around with both his hands on Theron's arm as though putting the thing down still simply had not occurred to him, despite the fact that it had to weigh a decent amount from the smell of all the spare clothes in it. Possibly even heavier, in fact - the clothes in the bag were so odoriferous that Theron could not actually tell if there was anything else concealed inside.

"Ok, I'm not exactly a wizard here," Tracy grunted. "...but all biomonitor hardware is required by Federal and Corporate law to use the same handshake protocols and conversion packets. So that competing corporate profit margins don't get in the way of triage and medical interventions, yeah? And his biomonitor should have his stats..."

He wrapped his fingers and thumbs around Theron's forearm awkwardly as he used the arm-mounted panel's switches to move through the plethora of corporate-aesthetic safe-mode desktop menus, muttering breathily as he went for several minutes while navigating the unwieldy designed-for-consumer plasticrap software. Eventually, he found what he was looking for - Golemeth's CABMI (Cybernetics Adjusted Body Mass Index).

"Good enough." Tracy said hoarsely as he picked up the electronic syringe again, and manipulated the injection measurements for all three separate fluids. He then flipped open the safety-slide for the mechanism and pushed down on the plunger, the device dispensing its contents with a mechanical hiss. Putting the syringe down again, Tracy then yanked on Theron's arm again - somewhat more insistently than was strictly necessary - and spent another minute or so just eyeballing Golemeth's rapidly fluttering vitals.

"Again, good enough. At least for now. Brain-blood toxicity may become a small issue in a day or so once all that gunk finally peels away from his axons, but your bosses can worry about that when they have him on the slab in a considerably more sterile environment. Let's see what he has to say." He spent another few moments navigating panels on Theron's arm-mounted control panel, and redirected power from the biomonitor in Theron's arm to the one in what remained of Golemeth's chest, and then set both to restore functionality to the wiring responsible for running Golemeth's higher autonomic functions. Golemeth's awakening was uneventful and anticlimatic. His eyes flickered open and his slackened jaw opened and closed a few times, his tongue rolling about in his mouth as his eyes blearily traced eddies in the ceiling.

_{"Hey there, we're here to help. You took it pretty bad, but you'll be fine."} Tracy subvocalized, leaning in close to Golemeth's head. _{"We need to ask a few questions to make sure you're alright. You ok with that?"}

"...Shure..." Golemeth slurred drearily.

_{"Ok. First, can you tell me what six times two is?"}

Golemeth's eyebrows knitted together slowly. For perhaps a full ten seconds he said nothing, but finally he seemed to work through the request.

"...Twelve."

_{"That's right, good answer. Now, can you tell us how long ago your last meal was?"}

"'Round fihve." Golemeth said instantly and easily, no sign of hesitation on his face.

_{"Cool. What'd you have?"}

"Meatballs withn' on-ons 'n garc." Golemeth sputtered a little, his lips flapping as though he were blowing a raspberry, but there was no sign of hesitation or confusion on his face. "...so had 'it wit a bunna yellow hots."

_{"Yellow hots?"}

"...yhello shots."

_{"Cool. Was it a party?"}

"Naw, waz a danse wifth a grill."

_{"Cool. Was Lieutenant Davidson there?"}

"No, saw him las'...lasterday. Fur days ago." Golemeth tripped over the words, but it was remarkable how coherent his answers were considered how his eyes appeared to be drifting in different directions. Tracy leaned back away from the side of Golemeth's head, pausing to wipe a single bead of sweat that was running down the side of his face before leaning back in.

_{"Ok. Was the address 5757 Babbage Cell?"}

"'Ink so. Yeah. Am I gunna be good?"

_{"Just checking out your autonomics now, hang with us here a bit please. How do you feel?"}

Golemeth's face was briefly wracked with indecision.

"Fffffffkin picksed." He settled on. "But I also don' eel car."

_{"That's the anesthetics taking off the edge. I'd be angry too, but we're patching you up right now so try and relax. Can you do that?}

"K."

_{"Was anybody else there with Davidson?"}

"Yesh. Nobtook."

_{"Sorry, did you say Nailtooth?"}

"Yeah."

Tracy leaned back upwards again briefly, letting out a long, deep breath of relief, as though he had been holding his breath the whole conversation. Theron could already see his eyes dilating faintly as he Tracy crossed over the threshold of some unknown mental checklist. He then slowly leaned back down and went back to his questions.

_{"Did you arrive with Nailtooth?"}

"Nah."

_{"So why were you there?"} Tracy flinched visibly as the last word left his lips, as though he had only just realized his mistake at the last second. Golemeth looked visibly confused now, his lips shuddering and his nostrils flaring as he tried to both simultaneously recall a memory while also trying to puzzle out his own, unspoken, abstract motivations from the day before. He eventually pulled together an answer, but his eyes were just a shade less cloudy now as well.

"Waz buyin'...and meetin' Nailtook. 'E was thinkin' about hirin' me." He rumbled.

Tracy brought a single finger up to his own brow in frustration, possibly with himself, before continuing.

_{"...Cool. Did Nailtooth have anything with him?"}

"Yeah. Suitcase."

_{"Was it chrome, with colors near the handle?"}

"Yeah. Hainbow 'heel thing. Eel 'iddly."

_{"Why did Nailto-"} Tracy stopped himself short as he almost led Golemeth into another question that was just a hair too complicated than was strictly advisable. He took a short breath and tried again.

_{"Did Nailtooth tell Davidson anything about the case?"}

"Yesh. 'Aid to hand it goff tub some guy, Hazy."

_{"Some guy named Hazy?"}

"'Racy." Golemeth snorted. He eyes both flittered in the same direction for the first time, in Tracy's direction. Ignoring the look, Tracy continued.

_{"Did he say where to hand it off at?"}

"...'Eeptower." Golemeth said. There had been a slight pause before he had answered, and he was now staring firmly in Tracy's direction, his eyes slowly roaming across the skittish man's face as Tracy steepled his hands together just over his nose, leaving his mouth uncovered to continue speaking to Golemeth.

_{"Did Davidson say anything about it?"}

"...Ouo a cup, pug?" Golemeth practically spat his own question in response. Tracy glanced away furiously, wiping at his mouth with his steepled palms before turning back to answer.

_{"Nah, ripperdoc. Gotta stay cool friend, your wetware's gettin' hot."} Golemeth did not say anything in response, but continued to stare at Tracy.

_{"Did Davisdon say anything about the case?"} Tracy repeated.

"...ouldn't do it himshelf." Golemeth slurred. "'Aid 'ed givit to a mug to do it."

_{"Cool. Did Davidson give it to anyone?"}

"'Unno." Golemeth paused, and after a moment actually craned his neck to get a better look at Tracy before speaking again.

"You ain't a hipperock, pug." He said in a flat, unimpressed tone. Tracy glanced at Theron before standing up.

"Well, I'm done here." He announced. "This is where I get off the Davidson ride. The big boy is all yours." He looked at Theron, his expression a carefully sculpted deadpan. "Are we done? You satisfied with that?" He demanded. The hand he had on the duffel-bag's strap began a staccato tap on the faded blue fabric.

"'Ou better lemme up." Rumbled Golemeth from the bed.

---

@The Harbinger of Ferocity

Printed guns, melded metal - An experimental GM-less Cyberpunk RP

Given our schedules seem to be paired at opposing times and I am more than confident this is your character's scene to shine, I have no qualms with Tracy posing his questions. Assuming nothing prevents Theron from asking a few of his own, should any exist, once the other questioning is done, that is all I might have to add directly digging into the information, @Terminal. I suspect otherwise collaboration might just slow down the moment, so feel free to have at it what you will - I can well adapt around it. I appreciate the notification all the same, however.

@The Harbinger of Ferocity

So noted. I'll have a response for you sometime tomorrow.

World of Telduria [Reboot]

@Hour Error and @Zhaliora, I have lobbed a ball into your respective courts in my post.

@OppositionJ, given Ishtar's proximity to the Court Mage, she may or may not wish to attend/investigate the business between him and Hecuba. Just a suggestion.

Everyone else is also welcome to interject if they believe they have good reason to do so!

World of Telduria [Reboot]

Ithell
The Phossos Mountain Range
Mt. Iris
The Grand Observatory of Ithell
The Personal Quarters of the High Astronomer

"...fittingly enough, to this day it is still referred to by the experimental notation given to it upon its first observation a hundred and forty-odd some years ago. The Red Anomaly."

The still image of that monstrous light wavered and wobbled as it was cast upon the rear wall of office; a stark, gray edifice of featureless and nearly perfectly smooth concrete built expressly for the purpose. From near the top of the chamber, the High Astronomer's personal telescope reigned over the interior, a length of brass, with dwarven mechanisms and an organ-like pewter panel of controls in the form of ivory keys. It was not as large or intricate as the Observatory's main telescope in the Depths Rotunda, but as it had been made from the refurbished hulk of the previous main telescope - as had much of the High Astronomer's chamber, as it occupied the former Great Rotunda of the Observatory prior to its renovation - it remained one of the largest, most sophisticated, and terribly expensive mechanical instruments on the entire island.

The eyepiece used for personal viewing had been clasped shut, and a dilating iris-like seal over a secondary opening in the side of the massive apparatus had been opened. A thin line of precisely engraved runes and sigils surrounded the opened port, gleaming with traces of silver. Immediately behind the opened port was a thick plate of solid lead, seated and slanted at an angle within a circular, adjustable bellows-like frame. At the plate's center was a circular latch, holding in place a thin sheet of opalescent crystal which covered an infinitesimal pinhole opening in the plate's surface. The view of the nighttime sky above was projected through that immaculate pinhole at a downwards angle, the light expanding rapidly into a cone that then fell - perfectly - upon the backdrop of concrete near the rear of the room.

"In the recent past, viewing it in this manner with as much clarity and field of depth as you see here would have been impossible. Traditional techniques of lens-derived refraction, as you are likely already aware, are subject to tremendous aberration in viewing, especially at greater distances. The Red Anomaly's portfolio renders the very aether around it birefringent, refracting the light it emits at the source long before it reaches us - and of course, the light that it emits is curiously red-shifted beyond what a Judgment of its profile should emit, its twenty-six rather fantastic blazar jets create geodesic tides that redirect it even further, the fact that it is hidden behind the mass of the Unbraided Sentinel, not to mention its rather naughty tendency to flash-vaporize the viewer's body on direct observation, made it almost impossible to see as anything other than a dim orange smear."

A ripple of nervous laughter chorused through the darkened chamber.

"Oh, that's not a joke. If we were not viewing it indirectly via an obscura projection we would all be piles of rapidly disintegrating slop on the floor right now. The Red Anomaly is hideously malign and in the past, Augurs usually only had enough time to scream that it was torturing them via psychic influence before their tongues dissolved. Their spirits vanished without undergoing soulhome collapse, the remains cannot be reanimated even with the most powerful Necromancy, and Demonic magic is unable to wring any pretense out of the impression of their instar. The Red Anomaly just really, really hates us all."

The laughter died.

"Shouldn't the reflected light still kill us?" A concerned voice echoed in the expansive room.

"Oh, it would. That's what the obscura technique is for. The image we're looking at is technically upside-down, reversed, and depth-inverted, and these measures have been demonstrated to be sufficient to dissuade the Judgment from knowing we are looking at it. And of course, with the recent development of our mirror-based reflecting telescopes, the image we get is much clearer. We can plainly see the concentric trophic field lines around the Judgment's horizon. We still have no idea what its innate characteristics are! And of course, while it is still technically the least coherent observable celestial object to date, examination of dilation-worn stone baths makes it evident that even beyond the darkness of the furthest reaches of the void, there are still more Judgments - simply too far away, and their light too obscured by those we can see, to be seen as anything other than near-complete darkness even at the furthest reaches we can peer to. Be certain, there are more wonders in the heavens than there are or ever will be amongst the conceited imaginings of us mortals."

There was a single emphatic cough in the pitch-black room.

"And you immortals too, Adept Siddhartha. The youngest Judgment is a million times your age, so revel in your own insignificance just this once."

There was a faint clapping noise, and a number of braziers blazed to life about the chamber. The splendid light erupting from the bellowing flames caused the wavering image of the distant Judgment to dim, then fade.

The chamber was occupied by eight figures adorned in gray robes, Human, Elven, and Beastfolk Men and Women amongst them, all standing in a loose semi-circle around the concrete backdrop. Standing just off to its side was the High Astronomer.

Werrill Ormoneric was adorned in a neatly cut, black mantle over a dim-gray robe. Marking his station as the High Astronomer was a lustrous, silken midnight blue split-skirt sash that glittered with silver points of light, representing the nighttime sky. The zenith was crowned by the full moon, and towards the hem the silk turned from deep blue to a orange, with a hint of dawn's majesty shining over the horizon. Ormoneric himself was a diminutive man with a slim build, and the tall and narrow features of his face would have been unremarkable were it not for the curiosity that were his pale orange eyes.

"The lesson here, of course, is that innovation brings danger with it. Cavemen of the dawn-times did not have to worry about accidentally looking upon the visage of an obscene Judgment from untold space and melting." Ormoneric stated dryly. "They would just chart the stars you could see with the unaided eye and consider themselves the height of learned scholars. Nowadays, with all of the new mechanisms and magicks that let you stare unflinchingly at death, one almost wishes Hyperion's Interdict was never disjoined. You adepts have all been tasked with funding and seminary goals to investigate new, more effective safety methods in contemporary Astronomy that will protect our ignorant minds from the merciless rancor of the unfettered cosmic tapestry. Your work will not be without risks. As you blindly stumble and peer into the dark, there is always the chance you will peer upon another Red Anomaly, or worse. So you will follow experimental procedure to the letter. You will keep immaculate project logs in triplicate. You will gain institutional board approval for every spare breath you draw, and of course, you will notify your next of kin." He smiled thinly at the assembled adepts. "But I look forward to the results of your studies, regardless of whether you live or die. Your experimentation will teach us ever more in either success or failure, and you will be richly compensated by the Court of Stars for your work."

---

888888888888

---

Five Minutes Later...

"The Court of Stars doesn't richly compensate me for my work!" Hecuba grumbled with irritation once the lecture had ended and the Adepts had left, leaving her and Ormoneric alone in the well-appointed office, now with the ceiling shutter for the telescope closed. She was a young, silver-haired women with ever-so-faintly pointed ears indicative of Elvish heritage, wearing a dark turquoise tunic underneath a long light-gray robe. Around her neck was a choker emblazoned with a badge of the Grand Observatory and the inner mark of the High Astronomer - The Mythical Leaden Spear of the Prophet and Augur Chalarensis. She leaned irreverently against Ormoneric's desk, covered with enough contraptions and bric-a-brac to turn a Dwarven Craftlord green with envy, some of it in various states of disassembly, with a long leatherbound case filled with craftsman's tools splayed across one corner, its contents missing and scattered across the surface.

"That is because you technically work under me, assisting me with my own personal projects, and are thus richly compensated by way of proxy through the Court of Stars richly compensating me for my work, to then compensate you in turn!" Ormoneric retorted as he breezed past her and settled into the high-backed seat behind the desk.

"I would dispute the 'richly' part of that analysis..." She muttered before straightening up. "So, are we off to Kron-Nesis now? I can't help but notice you aren't dressed for travel. Please don't tell me I got into my work clothes just for the trip to get delayed again."

"Not delayed, we're still going tonight." Ormoneric assured her as he opened one of the desk's drawers and began rummaging inside with one hand. "But I received correspondence recently that suggests a location for one of the materials. I'll be with you on and off in Kron-Nesis, but I will be under much closer scrutiny where I will be additionally visiting, and unable to readily move back and forth without rousing suspicion. You still have my letter of introduction, so it shouldn't be an issue as long as I make the occasional appearance." He finally fished out a wax-sealed envelop, which he handed to Hecuba.

"That's to explain my 'unfortunate delay' due to being momentary detained by agents of the Archclericy." He explained.

"Alright. What should I do if I have to follow up on a field-lead and you aren't around?" Hecuba asked tentatively. Ormoneric shrugged.

"Impress humbly and perhaps go solo for a while. Or else find yourself a helper. Make do. And you have the carboys if you ever need to come back for supplies or to escape. Remember, we've been stocking up on extras down below just for this occasion."

"That's..." Hecuba gave Ormoneric a somewhat plaintive look. "...Rather trusting of you. To let me do this on my own. Thank you."

Ormoneric very carefully did not look back at her as he retrieved a second envelop from the drawer, which he tucked away in the vest-pocket of his robe before standing up. "If you say so." He said flatly. He got up and began walking towards the door out of the rotunda, ignoring the hurt expression on her face and her clenched fists. "Now. You were awfully impatient to get going a moment ago. Let's depart."

---

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---

Kron-Nesis
The Capital City of Tarantis
An Hour and a Half Later

Hecuba wrinkled her face in disgust at the sight of the Jewel of the South. The exterior of the city's walls were not actually encrusted with gems, as popular rumor would have it. But just past the Western Gate's portcullis, the paving stones alone were carved and polished marble. Windows with actual glass - exorbitantly expensive in most regions - lined the sides of every building, set in copper frames. The frames of doors were capped with electrum, and every guard in the city had brilliantly gleaming silver ceremonial armor and weapons with hilts of actual gold, and gemstone pommels. The entire city was one of the most extravagant and impractical displays of wealth and power in all of Telduria, and Hecuba had never in her life ever seen a scene as tacky as it before.

"State your business mongrel - and wipe that look off your face. This is Tarantis, and you will display the appropriate respect for the Royal Family." The Gate Captain cuffed her across the shoulder brusquely to regain her attention as she peered around his shoulder.

"Sorry, sir." She said demurely as she reached into her pack and retrieved Ormoneric's letter. "I'm High Astronomer Ormoneric's personal assistant; he's visiting from Ithell in order to meet with the Court Wizard and to conduct a few matters of business. He sent me ahead since he is going to be slightly delayed."

The Captain gazed at her levelly for a few moments before taking the envelop and breaking the wax seal. He called over one of his Sergeants, who was literate, to assist him in reading the letter.

To Firh Wystan Auleaus Caliean Aibek Sirroc, Court Wizard of the Grand Kingdom of Kron-Nesis, and whomever else it may concern;

As discussed in prior correspondence, I will shortly be arriving in Kron-Nesis for my personal visit. However, whilst traveling, I unfortunately came across complications involving agents of the Valon Archclericy. As of this writing I have been detained, but as a matter of procedure and due to my status I will doubtlessly be released soon, especially once the Ithellan Embassy has been informed. I write to you now to let you know that while I may be a few or several days late, I have sent my personal assistant, Miss Hecuba Amaranth, to conduct and see about my business in my stead until my arrival. I fully entrust her with all aspects of my business and interest in the Grand Kingdom, and request that you afford her every due and available courtesy.

Trusting that this letter finds you in good health and spirits, I wish both you and her good fortune in your respective endeavors, and hope to meet with you in person soon.

Werrill Ormoneric, High Astronomer of the Grand Observatory of Ithell

After perhaps ten minutes of muttered whispers between the two as they puzzled over the contents of the letter, the Captain finally folded it and placed it back in the envelope before handing it off to the Sergeant. "We'll have that run over to the Palace to see if you're actually expected, miss." He said, his voice now approximating a token degree of courtesy. "I would like you to wait in the guardhouse until we receive word back. Security purposes, you understand."

"I understand..." Hecuba said lightly as she glanced between the Captain and the Sergeant as the latter motioned for her to follow him inside.

"You had better actually have business at the palace mongrel, or else my men will enjoy the consequence a lot more than you will." The Sergeant quipped idly as he guided Hecuba by the shoulder into the guardhouse and shut the cast-iron door behind them.

---

888888888888

---

The Jeweled Plains
Outer Province of Tarantis
Off The Beaten Path

"Hey Nailtooth, get this. I just heard word from the last baggage train that came through, and get this. Apparently the Crown Princess and her personal retainer are mustering with the army in preparation for the renewed efforts to suppress the 'rebellion.'"

"Interestin'. Why bring that to me, exactly?"

"You know the boss better. Honestly not sure how she'll react to the news. A Princess is an awfully tempting victim, but...you know."

"I get it. You relax, go and tell her yourself, she'll be fine with it. Might not even think much of it really, she might not be interested in the Princess of all people, but she won't get angry over being told."

"Alright, that's generous of you. Thanks. Speakin 'o which, do we have a hit tonight?"

"Yeah, but nobody terribly nobby. Just another shit-faced junior Knight out for a bit of drinking and whoring."

"Normally I wouldn't complain, but the last few haven't even been putting up any kind of fight, and the boss has been looking more and more...irksome of late. Is that going to be a problem?"

"Nah. That just means she's thinkin'. Back when I was under her command in the army, she would get that way right before a big skirmish. You just wait. Once she gets it all together, whatever she has in mind is going to make all the nobs shit bricks."

---

888888888888

---

The Northlands
The Fortress-Monastery of Atan

Ormoneric walked unflinchingly, but with a suppressed slogging motion as he trudged along the snow-laden path leading up the mountain - seemingly unaffected by the frigid Oceanic Winds of the Cold Sea, but nonetheless hindered by the thick snowfall.

Unlike Hecuba, he would not have the advantage of any advance message - in part, because any message he sent might well have been destroyed without having been read. Or at least, read by the right people. The Order of the Frozen Heart and the Observatory of Ithell, and Ormoneric specifically, did not enjoy enviable relations between each other. They would not be pleased to see him - but he had brought with him a gift with which would permit him entrance, and perhaps more importantly, an excuse that would entitle him to entrance.

And however cold the comfort might have been for it, Ormoneric could already tell that as much trouble as this excursion was for him personally, it would cause all the more trouble within the ranks of the order.

Printed guns, melded metal - An experimental GM-less Cyberpunk RP

@The Harbinger of Ferocity

On second thought, before I proceed some input would be appreciated. I would like to go ahead and do a touch more time-lapsing, since it appears we can get Golemeth running (at least so we think IC) - Tracy has a bunch of questions to ask and I have a list of answers Golemeth can spit out, but I would like to make sure I won't be stepping on your toes by going through the whole scene in one shot. Or alternatively if you would like to try something collaborative.

World of Telduria [Reboot]

Here is profile number 3. Also sent in via PM. @Zhaliora.

Living Eidolon

Hecuba Amaranth

Living Eidolon

Species:

• Human (Elvish Heritage.)

Age:

• Early twenties.

Nationality:

• Ithell

Loyalty:

• High Astronomer Ormoneric

Profession:

• Laboratory Assistant & Busybody

Physical Description

Hecuba stands approximately 1.67 meters in height, with a lithe, nubile build and ivory skin coloration. She has straight, silvery shoulder-length hair. Her face is somewhat rounded, with hints of fair, elvish features. Her eye coloration is golden, and the tips of her ears are slightly pronounced.

Accounts on Ormoneric's Latest Laboratory Assistant

As a common-born apprentice at the Grand Observatory of Ithell, Hecuba has little in the way of a documented upbringing and childhood - though, fortunately, the number of records and firsthand accounts that describe her time at the Observatory itself are numerous.

An Unacquainted Journeyman

"Hecuba? Let me think for a secon- oh! That girl with the silver hair? Quite easy on the eyes. If ever there was a poster-child for the hereditary benefits of interracial comingling between Humans and Elves, she's it. Er. You know what, forget I said that.

I'll admit I don't know her too well. She's been at the university for around four years I think? And I'm struggling over here, but I am blanking on what her exact area of expertise is...

Oh, well, for example, Astronomer Sorcelin is an expert in the field of Aeronomy, Astronomer Tinelt is an expert in the field of Interstitial Aether Physics, Astronomer Wvvnul is an expert in Celestial Meteorology - that sort of thing.

But like I was saying, I don't recall what her specialization is. I've not seen here in many of the seminars here, but from what I've heard from some of my friends she does lots of field work. Field and mountain surveys, leyline tracing, dowsing expeditions, that sort of thing. I've also personally seen her running errands for some of the Astronomers and Lecturers...

Now that I think about it, is she even an apprentice here? I've never actually spoken to her and she's pretty distant most of the time. Might be because most of the men here drool over her, assuming she's not some frigid shrew. Maybe she's an errand girl employed by the Grand Observatory? We have a few of those, you just don't notice them. It's just she is particularly hard to miss. Like I said, very easy on the eyes."

Journeyman at the Grand Observatory of Ithell

A Contemptuous Adept

"That slattern? Oh yes, I know of her. She's a disgrace to the institution, let me tell you. No, she's not an Errand Girl - she's an actual apprentice, but what she has in looks obvious came in trade for intellect. She dropped out of what few seminars she attended, and the rest she got through on her back or on her knees, the little whore.

Yes, I imagine you did. Her diminished faculties are why she takes on so many field placements. Lots of running around getting your hands dirty, very little in the way of actual academics - I don't mean to belittle field placements! They are immensely practical and useful, assuming you have the education and talent to make the most of them. Which she definitely does not. The most cerebral thing she's ever done in those placements is fill out survey logs and charts, and quite frankly it amazes me she is even literate.

Her shameful conduct has only been getting worse over time - she's been the 'personal assistant' of quite a few of the Astronomers here. It would not surprise me if she's been spreading her legs to pay her way. I suppose as professions go that's not unreasonable for unlearned women, but really, the Astronomers here should know better. Then again, maybe they found her particularly hard to resist. She is quite comely, thanks to her filthy mongrel heritage.

It gets worse - just a few weeks ago, I saw her ducking out of the High Astronomer's personal laboratory! Just to make sure I was not going insane, I went out of my way to pass by that way whenever I could thereafter. I've seen her heading in and out frequently since then, so I am forced to conclude she has become the chatelaine of one of the High Astronomer's personal assistants.

High Astronomer Ormoneric...? Never! Such harlotry is beneath his dignity, it's simply out of the question...Although I have seen her speaking with him recently. He was laughing at something she said...Ugh, I'm nauseous even thinking of it. The scandal if she got to him...but no, I'm sure that's not it. Absolutely certain. Gods, please, let enough be enough as far as her licentiousness goes."

Adept at the Grand Observatory of Ithell

A Severe Astronomer

"As a matter of policy I am not really supposed to be discussing any of my apprentices with unaffiliated- Ah. Is that so? Hm. Very well.

To be frank, Miss Amaranth is an atrocious student. She has attended very few of my seminars and did quite poorly in those that she did. She tended to become very confused. Having spoken with her personally, I have to say she is somewhat dim when it comes to mathematics, physics, chemistry, and many other subjects taught here. Under normal circumstances she likely would have been expelled for deficiency, but there is, thankfully for her, an extenuating fact. Specifically, Miss Amaranth seems to have a peculiar native talent, if you will. Just a few days ago, during a field placement out up top in the mountains, Miss Amaranth managed to sharpen a dowsing gem on elemental starlight using obscura scintilla while she was conversing with my personal assistant about Nocturnal Ornithology.

Pardon me. Let me explain: What she did, off-hand and while distracted, exceeds the technical ability and proficiency of very nearly every single Astronomer employed here, including myself, if they devoted their utter focus and attention to it. That may be a faint exaggeration, I could definitely have done it when I was younger before the demons got to the joints in my hands, but trust me when I say the sophistication of the task is such that it is not something she could have done simply by chance. Many of the Astronomers here have to scout out talent, carefully discriminate and hand-pick, and then personally train younger Adepts for years in order to eventually help them do that sort of thing. And Miss Amaranth made it look as easy as knitting. Not only that, she does so regularly in most of her field placements, if I am to understand the wild stories I have heard from my peers.

Ah, yes, that is rather apt, I am surprised it did not occur to me before. Certainly, idiot savant describes Miss Amaranth almost perfectly. Simpleton would be a little too far, Her logical comprehension is more than adequate and she is a composed conversationalist. I would reckon she simply has some sort of canalized maladaptive cognit- ah. I mean, she may simply not be cut out for the more rigorous aspects of our sciences.

Nonetheless, her ability is far too useful to do without, especially in these times. So it is no surprise she is presently one of the High Astronomer's personal assistants now. He had me personally tutor her for a time. Teaching her was quite elementary; I did not have to impart anything of true substance to her. I essentially just taught her basic trade vocabulary and brushed her up on abstract theory; the essential and basic hows and whys of our studies without having to delve into the complex field equations and scientific rigor normally required in our profession. The former was necessary so she could understand more complex instructions as well as describe experimental results, the latter would have been well beyond her ability to comprehend. She can tell you how to achieve a state of limenflux transcience and what such a state entails, but she cannot incorporate any of the requisite field equations or render the circuitous patternings for it. Which makes her worthless for tutoring other students, regretfully.

Oh no, she'll never be a Magister I'm afraid. Native talent only gets you so far; altogether too many warlocks and demon summoners learn that the hard way. If you don't know the underlying science behind magic, one's magical abilities tend to plateau below the level of expertise afforded to Archmages and their ilk. No amount of gut reflex can let you measure out fractal infinitesimals of Platonic Enanfarar and the like, after all. But she will make a fine laboratory assistant to the High Astronomer. We will not see her like again for decades, perhaps centuries.

...Sexual misconduct? My word. I had no idea- Well, I had suspected with some of the apprentices perhaps, she is quite charming, but amongst the Astronomers?!?

With Me?!?!

I never! I cannot - you disgust me. How dare you presume to levy such an accusation at me? This is not the end of this, you hear me? The High Astronomer will be hearing about this! And my good associate the Duke of West Sul! You will rue this day you cur!

An Astronomer of the Grand Observatory of Ithell

A Befuddled Bursar

"Hm, last name Amaranth you say? Funny, it should be somewhere near the front of the filing but I don't see it here. Amaranth, Ama, Ama, Ama...not here. Where in the world...Hrr. Here it is - for some reason it was stuck all the way in the back along with poor Zzzyxas. I'll just move it back where it should be when we're done.

How curious. Miss Hecuba here is not listed as being a sponsored apprenticeship, but there are no records of any payments made to the Observatory on her behalf...and her file is marked with a notice of special dispensation. Quite curious. Special dispensation is usually only used for apprentices from Noble houses or else for the exceptionally talented, but her marks are some of the worst I have ever seen - and there is certainly no Noble House of Amaranth I am aware of.

Let's see...joined the Observatory four years ago...no family or next of kin on record...no listed birthplace or country of origin...Presently one of the High Astronomer's personal laboratory assistants? Well that can't be right, with marks like these. Something is very clearly wrong. Thank you for bringing this to my attention; we have to look into this matter immediately. I'm afraid security here at the records department is not what it could be; it would have been trivial for somebody to have broken in and made alterations or forgeries back when this document was issued. This young woman could be a foreign agent for all we know.

Bursar of the Grand Observatory of Ithell

A Supportive Peer

"Oh, Hecka? No, I don't think it would be wise to introduce you to her like that. She's had a lot of bad experiences with boys and men chasing after her or else giving her trouble for some reason or another, she'd probably be put on guard.

Well, she's not a lot of help when it comes to writing up formulations or protocols, but she's easily the best out of all of Master Ormoneric's assistant's in terms of magical technique. She can practically spin straw into gold if you give her a decent taproot, doesn't even need a catalyst most of the time. Which is kind of a double-edged sword, she runs through our rocks real fast. I get that she's not great with math, but come on girl, it's not that hard to-

Actually, you know what, who am I to judge? And I shouldn't be talking about her behind her back like this. Hecka is great, loads of help, fun and sweet when you get to know her.

Well, actually, the High Astronomer seems to deliberately distance himself from her whenever they're both around. He's usually a lot more personal with his assistants - calls most of us by our first names! But he's a lot more formal when she's around. There have been some really nasty rumors going around the Observatory about her - unfairly and for no reason might I add - hopefully he'll warm up a bit more to her once she's been around long enough. In fact, maybe sooner rather than later. I hear she got picked to go on visitation with him to the royal court of Kron-Nesis, so she'll be getting her own catalyst totem sooner than most of us did."

One of the High Astronomer's Personal Assistant's

An Awkward Runner

"Y, yeah, I know Hecuba. Uh. Well, know is a strong word, I've...I've seen here around? A lot. She's nice-

No, I don't believe the rumors. She's awfully suspicious of boys really. _{Won't even give me the time of day...} But uh, I admit I have noticed some oddities about her routine. For one thing, I know from taking a peek at the High Astronomer's duty roster that Hecuba is supposed to be all the way in Estorna right now, on an extended field expedition - but she's obviously still here. And it's not the first time that sort of thing has happened. One time, I uh...I may have gone to the docks to see her off_{...without her knowing I was there...}and I actually saw her leave on a carrack, yeah?

Thing is, she was still here at the Observatory the next day. There would be days where I couldn't find her, but she'd be around every once and a while. People would not even act as if anything was wrong; I guess because nobody else knew that she wasn't supposed to be there? Then, just to make sure I wasn't losing my mind to obsession or anything, I was at the docks the day her ship returned and saw her get off of it.

I'm sort of amazed there are no rumors about that going around! I mean, who cares about what she does in her own time? She can practically be in two places at once! That's epic magic right out of legend! I mean, I suppose it's probably just some kind of trick? Or maybe she has a secret sister or something? Gosh, if there were two of her that would be interesting...I mean, uh...

Anyway, I tried to tell some of the other runners about it, and- ergh, it's infuriating, they tried to report her to the Bursar's Office as some kind of foreign agent! And they just ignored the part about her being in two places at once, or else maybe don't really get what I meant? Why does everything have to be so complicated with them?"

Errand Boy of the Grand Observatory

Observational Notations

"Getting in was easy, but this place is weird. Practically labyrinthine, I swear it has to be larger on the inside than it is on the outside. Not to mention all the security. Lots of wards and runes in place - and all the doors and locks in here are dwarven make. Lots of weird mechanical instruments lying around. I almost set off some kind of tripwire alarm prying open a case in the High Astronomer's chambers.

I also made a bit of a miscalculation. There's some kind of interference of dampening effect inside, all my glamours and charms wore off while I was still inside, hours before they should have. That was a nasty surprise, let me tell you! Getting them all set up cost me a king's ransom, I'm just fortunate I was able to duck into a cupboard so I could reapply everything.

Even that wasn't much of a waste of time. I witnessed some strange arcane ritual. There was an array of mirrors, some kind of giant, fancy tunnel lantern chamber, and an elvish girl with silver hair was manacled inside of it. The High Astronomer pulled some kind of latch, and the whole lantern filled with light! I could have sworn she died, because she seemed to burst up from it into dust and ashes! But a second later the High Astronomer pulled her up from...somewhere. I was sort of disoriented from the light so I must have missed something. And there was a picture of the girl on one of the mirrors, like a painting! Only it was upside down for some reason. There was something else in the mirror as well, but I didn't have the best view from where I was and the mirrors got bundled up and carted out by other assistants.

She didn't seem like she had been a willing participant when she was tied up with the manacles inside the lantern, but she seemed weirdly calm when he pulled her out of thin air. Was talking to him like nothing had happened. Downright weird really. It's not the strangest thing I've ever seen, but it was up there. Thinking of doubling my usual fee.

I still haven't found that spear I was hired to pinch, and I feel like I have a cold coming on for some reason. I'll need a couple days to study the mapping I got done anyway, I can use that time to recover."

Notations of a Thief

Talents & Detriments

Talents

• Abstraction Scholar:

Hecuba has received a wide amount of education and tutoring pertaining to abstract magical theory and natural philosophy. She is well informed as to the nuances of most realms of magic and natural sciences and can identify most magical effects on-sight.

• Peerless Adjuvant:

Hecuba has an impressive native talent for highly intricate and sophisticated spellweaving. She can eschew most or all requisite catalysts, as well as somatic and verbal components for most spells, and requires nearly zero stamina and endurance to cast any given magical effect. This impressive degree of talent does not extend itself to the need for both knowledge and power - Hecuba still requires sufficient magical energy for every spell she casts, and it goes without saying that she still must comprehend the functional aspects of a spell in order to cast it.

---

Detriments

• Idiot Savant:

Hecuba has an abysmal grasp of the more arduous and practical aspects of mathematics, physics, and chemistry - which drastically limit her competence as a mage.

• There Shall Come A Reckoning:

She shall be broken upon Kalpa. What returns will be terrible beyond imagining. Let the tally be marked, grieve upon her loss, and despair at her return.

Spellcraft

As an apprentice of the Grand Observatory of Ithell, Hecuba wields a broad swath of utility-oriented light-based magics. These are not, however, garden variety magical light abilities - she does not weave illusion and does not bedazzle the senses. Her magic is of a kind that calls upon the sky and stars, evokes the sun and moon, that charts paths and shapes destiny - amongst other things.

Hecuba may call upon primordial, cosmic magic to reveal, discern, and unravel the nature of the world. In battle she may assist allies and hinder enemies, while out of it her powers lend themselves handily to a wide variety of tasks and purposes.

Equipment

• Heartmetal Tine & Rod:

A curious brass-colored mage's wand, at least at first glance. It has a short handle that splits into two long cylindrical prongs. Hecuba has indicated it is properly called a 'Resonance Fork' and that it is made of a material called Heartmetal. It does not seem dissimilar from steel; it is reasonably sturdy and has decent flex to it. It produces a very pronounced, ringing tone when struck by an accompanying rod. You have seen it catch and turn daggers and blades before, but the scratches and marks in its surface seem to fade over time, as though the metal healed. Hecuba appears to use it both for self-defense as well as a dowsing rod - rigid materials exposed to the tine's ringing tone seem to rapidly become more and more brittle until even light impacts can sunder them.

• A Mysterious Carboy:

A double-wax-sealed, brass cylindrical container about as tall as your head. You cannot see within, but from its weight and the way it handles it likely contains some kind of viscous fluid.

• A Hand-Mirror:

A small, hand-held flip-case hand-mirror made of brass with the emblem of the Grand Observatory on the back. It does not seem enchanted, but as it is actually connected by a thin chain to a metal band along Hecuba's wrist you get the impression it is more important than it looks.

• Scrapbook:

A cheap booklet filled with scrap parchment. From the looks of it, it has gotten some use and there is evidence of several dozen pages having been ripped out. You have seen Hecuba writing out observational logs and records, but those pages always seem to be missing the next time she opens the book.

• Writing & Rite Materials:

An ink quill and pot, charcoal, chalk, even a small lump of wax, all neatly bundled together. There are also several top-wrapped bowls with various salts, and small cigar-like leather wraps with numerous powders therein. Alchemical and magical materials, most likely.

• Dusken Marbles:

These look exactly like children's marbles that have been painted black. They sting your skin faintly when you hold them, and are heavier than they look. Hecuba has been tight-lipped about what they are for, as opposed to her usual coy demeanor when withholding information. She keeps most of them separated in groups of three, in individual hand-sized brass trays rather than heaping all of them together. They seem to attract and adhere to each other if you let them with a fairly powerful force. Hecuba looked like somebody had walked over her grave when she saw six of them from two of the trays all bunched up together.

• Silver Dagger:

A silver dagger, not altogether too different than the sort an apprentice with the mage's guild might carry. Hecuba assures you that silver daggers are staple tools of magecraft, and so of course you have never seen her use it.

Printed guns, melded metal - An experimental GM-less Cyberpunk RP

@The Harbinger of Ferocity I will endeavor to get a response out for you tomorrow at the latest.

World of Telduria [Reboot]

Third profile is nearing completion. In other news, since we seem to have a developing roster and a lot of people coincidentally in Kron-Nesis already, are there any plans for an OP soon? @Zhaliora

World of Telduria [Reboot]

@Delta44 I have no issue with that, sounds great.

Working on a few additional profiles. I'm going to try and cap it at three or four characters for the moment; I have more in mind but I think it would be best to save them for when the plot unfolds a little.

World of Telduria [Reboot]

People of Action

• These are individuals who have been out and about for some time. They have their own agendas and visions, but may be amenable to working with others for a variety of reasons.

The Exhumed Warrior

Andromache of No Lineage

Exhumed Warrior

Species:

• Human

Age:

• Late twenties to early thirties.

Nationality:

• Kron-Nesis.

Loyalty:

• Rabid Brigand.

Profession:

• Knight Errant

Physical Description

Andromache stands approximately 1.82 meters in height, with a somewhat broad build and bronze skin coloration. She has dark, back-length streamers of red hair. Her face is somewhat rounded and and severe, with tight features. Her eye coloration is a dull garnet.

Accounts of the Exhumed Warrior

Details of Andromache's early life are practically non-existent, given her common upbringing. Only the words of those who knew her previously given any hint of who she used to be.

An Anxious Lieutenant

"Yeah, I knew Andromache back...before she turned into some kind of living nightmare I guess. She was one of my Platoon Sergeants. It was part of my duties to know each of my Sergeants well enough that I could have faith in both their fealty as well as their competence, but I admit I never knew Andromache terribly well. Just that she was always a really, really angry woman.

And what I mean by that - well, by example, she controlled her section almost entirely through terror. I sent all my problem troopers to her section. Assholes who I literally could not pay to shut the hell up and do as I told them would get their shit straightened out in days, sometimes hours. She was...is, really, intense. More real than everything else around you. When she got going, it was like the entire rest of the world dropped away. Only because, since she was usually furious with you it was more like the entire world had just ended and she was a wrathful goddess out of legend coming to personally kick your shit in.

Now I know what you're thinking - that can't be great for morale in a battle. Any kind of soldier motivated by fear will break more readily than other soldiers, yeah? But not with her, no. I...well if I have to be frank about it, it's practically like she managed to instill everyone she commanded with the belief that even if they ran and managed to escape, even if she died, she would haunt their sorry asses and scream them mad in their dreams.

I say that because that actually happened, after the incident. Nobody in her section fled; the neighboring sergeant picked up her spot and got them through the battle. But maybe about two weeks later, two of the troops killed themselves. Now, nobody can actually say why, but there was an awful lot of chatter going around that they offed themselves because they couldn't even stand the mere memory of her rage lingering in the back of their minds, along with the guilt. Mostly being spread by others who had maybe been considering the same thing, if you get me.

Personally, I would have preferred it if she had actually died. That sort of temperament just isn't proper, in hindsight, and while it may have worked while she stuck around, her...leaving basically shattered morale. I shuffled everyone out of that particular section just to stop all the rumors.

Kron-Nesis Platoon Lieutenant

A Perfunctory Sergeant

"Hm. The battle of whidder slope. Yes. I remember it.

There has been a prolonged series of skirmishes back and forth in and around the mountains between the royal army and the Dwarves. The particular variation in elevation of the terrain lends itself to some unusual tactical topography. Trenchworks and sapping lines leading up to the Dwarven holdouts and earthworks. Section Sergeant Andromache was commanding her section in a flanking manuever that led them through one of the tunnels. I observed most of the event, as my own section was holding fast and standing by for a planned, subsequent sally. The dwarves had anticipated our strategy however. Had their own counter-sapping operation going, and collapsed the entire tunnel while Sergeant Andromache's section was still moving through it, dropped the whole lot of them into a lower tunnel where the dwarves had smaller cannons. They poured grape shot into the whole thing. Under normal circumstances it should have been a wholesale slaughter.

However, Sergeant Andromache somehow survived the first volley of shot. She has always been described as being immensely intimidating in person, and although I do not care for speculation I suppose the dwarven gunners must have been momentarily startled when they saw her charging right at them in the tunnels. She then, by some accounts, massacred the gunnery crews and the guards that had been stationed with them. She rallied what remained of her section afterwards and started leading them back up to our side of the trenches.

The dwarves had planned for that eventuality as well however. When their surviving gunners returned to the surface, they either pulled a fuse or knocked down a necessary support for their own tunnel. They were not quite quick enough - the only casualty was Section Sergeant Andromache. She had remained behind to ensure all those that still lived amongst her section were able to escape, and she was subsequently buried alive.

At the time, we believed her to have perished. I assumed command of her section and the battle continued. Afterwards, I delivered my own report on the events that transpired. The Colonel elected to recommend that Sergeant Andromache receive a posthumous knighthood for her peerless conduct in battle.

I cannot speak of her conduct thereafter, as I have not personally been witness to it. I have heard she lived, and will not presume to speculate as to her conduct unless I am otherwise so informed or instructed."

Kron-Nesis Section Sergeant

A Wistful Dwarf

"The battle of whidder slope - that were a bad one, it were. Both sides tore each other up, not an inch given or lost fore it all. An' we right cracked the damn earth itself open where we had to, made it swallow up the Krondites and their knights and their poor bastard soldier. 'O course, all battles end. That one did. Twere eventually a stalemate, and the sallies and cannons stopped.

I got sent in durin' the aftermath. Consequence of making and breakin' so many tunnels, a lot of valuable tools and artillery gets buried - but we make maps of everything we dig, y'see, so we can always dig it back up and refurbish it after the fact.

Now I wanna tell you - whidder slope, that were a real bad fight. Real bad. Went on 'fer weeks. The tunnel I was sent to excavate, it had been collapsed early on, maybe day two or three. An lemme tell you, we dwarves, we know a thing or two about survivors of collapsed caverns. It happens, but even we ain't ever likely to hear about a survivor weeks past after tha' fact.

Tha' thing we unearthed - we mistook it for a monster. Was all clod up in mud and dirt, didna even recognize it as biped! 'An we had 'na gone down there with any real weapons, and wern't expectin' a fight. She tore through us like we was kithkin. It's how I lost me leg. Beat me so bad and left so many cuts in me that it got the gangrene.

Now, after tha fact, I still canna even believe she survived. Maybe there were a channel somewhere that what gave her air, and mebbe she coulda eaten all that rancid man-flesh that was in there with her, but nothin' can live that long without drink - Humans need water every three-day like, right? Mebbe there were canteens down there with 'er or sometin, carried by the other soldiery. I dunno. But even assumin' all 'o that, she should've been weak as a kitten, starved 'o air if not thirst an feast, not to mention blinder than a dwarf from the deep caverns up top during midday! Humans don't have no cave adaptation, she canna have seen what she were doin' or where she were headin'.

But she thrashed us and then went right back home, 'cross the other side of the slope. Had to've been a miracle, ye ask me.

And mebbe it twere in our favor, from what I hear she raised all sorts of hell back over the mountains. It don't surprise me a lick, and I hope whatever it is that it right fookin' stings for them Krondites."

Darakeen Dwarven Field Engineer

A Delicate Socialite

"That vile peasant? Well yes, when they realized she was still alive they had to recant her knighthood. As a matter of principle, that sort of thing is really only socially acceptable amongst the peerage when the knighthood is strictly posthumous. Could you imagine otherwise? A common-born peasant knight who had never even been retained under any of the houses or servants of the royal family? Some rotten, dirty, besotten, wretched churl from common infantry amongst our prized Knightly Orders? The scandal would have been immeasurable. Of course there was a bit of heeing and hawing from certain members of the army and the Knighthoods themselves as I hear it, but that sort of thing is really none of their business. It's within our province to see to these sorts of matters, not them, and I daresay they should be thanking us for the favor we did them. As I hear it she has turned into quite the belligerent terror since."

Kron-Nesis Court Socialite

Wizened Hill Wizard

"Oh ho, yes, I remember her. Came to me many a years ago, all business. Extremely mad at all of creation! She never said it, but you could tell! But she came right up to me while I was in stylite meditation, knocked over the column I was meditatin' on with a mace, then right up and told me I would be teachin' her Earthern Magicks!

So I did. She was very promising, had plenty of untapped potential. She was not ever a particularly patient student, but she was awfully driven. Would sit and dream about wrenching my head off for wastin' her time while lecturing her on discipline, bless her. She never lay a finger on me though, and always afforded me the greatest deference. Think she were a mite afraid of me even. Make no mistake, she could have bashed my skull in or ripped out my throat whenever she liked, but she never did.

Last thing she ever said to me before she up and left one day was that she weren't never going to be trapped again. Asked me to point her to someone who could teach her more Earthern magicks, and so I did. I recognize that sort of drive. Not exactly healthy, but I'm just a crazy old stylite! Who am I to judge?"

Eamonvale Hill Mage

An Injured Knight

"She's not angry with us...or with the nobility...or with the dwarves...she's angry at everything. But...she didn't kill or hurt anybody who didn't get in her way. When I tried to stop her, she just maimed me. Both my legs. I'll probably never walk again. She killed my squire...but she wasn't even looking at him when she did it. It was so offhand...so casually...I'm pretty sure she just wanted him out of her way. Same as with me.

Maybe I'm giving her more favor than I ought to, over sympathy for how she was mistreated when she came back from whidder slope alive. But nothing can excuse what she's been doing. All this killing and stealing, without any rhyme or reason. It's inexcusable. I'm just...trying to tell you how I think she is being driven. She wants something. Something specific. We're all...immaterial to her, like cobwebbings to be brushed aside. We're just not real to her anymore - which means she'll probably underestimate somebody or something, eventually.

There were a few hanger-ons with her. Informal squires, maybe? I got the impression she was putting together a band, or else she might be looking to join up with one."

Sickbed Report of a Kron-Nesis Knight

Talents & Detriments

Talents

• Battle Furor:

Andromache, as an officer of basic infantry in the army of Kron-Nesis, is no stranger to frontline engagement and the chaotic tumult of thronging combat amidst enemy hordes, where confusion and death reign. She is gifted with the ability to remain collected and cerebral admist the pitch of any battle or in the face of any danger, no matter how great. She is also a formidable and experienced combatant and familiar with a number of battlefield tactics and techniques.

• Cthonic Virtue:

Being buried alive affected Andromache in a number of ways, and not all of them were to her detriment. Andromache's appetite has been drastically reduced, she needs little to sustain herself for long periods of time or effort. Having to sustain herself on rotten, rancid flesh from her fallen comrades has rendered her nearly immune to a plethora of common toxins and afflictions. Her senses are also significantly sharper than would be considered normal for most humans. Perhaps most markedly however, is her ability to discern illusion from reality, and to shrug off all but the most potent of mind-affecting magical effect.

---

Detriments

• Monstrous Infamy:

Andromache is not particularly well thought of within the confines of the Kingdom of Kron-Nesis, on account of the numerous massacres and atrocities she is responsible for therein. She is also, as a matter of principle, not particularly welcome anywhere else even remotely civilized due to her barbaric behavior. People in surrounding regions have heard of her exploits, there are wood-etchings of her semblance in guard-towers and local militia barracks, and there are more than a few parties who would leap at the opportunity to upbraid her.

• The Nightmare Never Ends:

Andromache's psyche was terribly afflicted by her time in the dark. Exposure to complete darkness or extremely cramped and enclosed spaces, causes her to revert to a darker, more primal fugue state wherein her formidable skills as a warrior and soldier drop away. She sleeps in terrible fits, and to awaken her is a risky proposition, as it is not uncommon for her to emerge from slumber in a terrible and destructive rage.

Spellcraft

After her return to Kron-Nesis and the subsequent recantation of her knighthood, Andromache journeyed outside of Kron-Nesis and studied with a number of hill mages and wizards from the Eamonvale as well as the Mage's Guild in the use of Earthen Magics. Although Andromache was uniquely driven and motivated, no amount of innate talent or drive permits for mastery in so short a time. In particular, while her ability to influence the earth is powerful when awakened, it takes some time for any of her spellcraft to manifest, and the energies involved are slow, lumbering, and imprecise in their work.

Andromache can influence the forces of the earth - soil, rock, and stone. Influencing metal is hypothetically possible but not an aspect of spellcraft she has actively pursued. The more peculiar application of her magicks is the ability to wield seismic forces both as a weapon and shield, although these are slow to rouse and are therefore not ultimately reliable in brief or surprise confrontations.

Equipment

Andromache has stolen and purloined a number of items from her various victims. As a matter of practice she typically cannot make use of all of them at once, and either has lackeys serving as informal squires carrying some of them for her or else must hoist what she can in baggage to be discarded if the need to fight arises.

• Spoiled Plate Armor

Since her return to Kron-Nesis, Andromache has used her knowledge of the nation's Knightly Orders to ambush and lay low many prominent knights of note, maiming and killing several and subsequently stealing their effects. Her plate-armor is assembled from mismatched, combined pieces stolen from her victims. It is technically fully articulated, although the mismatched nature of the ensemble limits this aspect of the armor in practice - affording her a significantly increased range of motion over ordinary plate-mail, but not so great as would be afforded from a custom-made suit of armor. The plate is worn over a layer of reliable chain and scalemail, which Andromache keeps well-maintained. A drawback of utilizing the stolen plate is that Andromache requires assistance in removing and adorning her armor in anything approaching a timely fashion. Getting in and out of it on her own in the wilderness might take her well over an hour.

• Morning Star:

A No-Nonsense weapon, with a head adorned with spikes and tipped with a vicious prong. The mace is smaller in scale than a full warhammer, requiring only a single arm to use (albeit still requiring a robust physique to make use of in such a way), but may also be used with both hands if necessary.

• Dwarven Halberd:

A trophy of some skirmish between a Knight and Dwarven forces near the border, taken in turn by Andromache. Made of dwarven metal, the Halberd is well-made but shorter than a standard halberd scaled for Human use, giving it less weight and heft as a consequence - but also allowing it to be used with one hand.

• Marduk's Saber:

A fine, custom-made cavalry saber made for a member of Kron-Nesis' landed nobility. Worth a king's ransom all on its own, but still functional. Stolen by Andromache from its previous owner, now dead.

• Enlil's Kite Shield:

A stolen metal-faced kite-shield, its surface adorned with the family crest of the House of Enlil, members of the Kron-Nesis landed nobility. Their only heir was one of Andromache's first victims, and her use of his shield thereafter features prominently in the stories of her assaults.

• Crossbow:

A common crossbow taken from an unfortunate Pavise Soldier. Of no particularly esteemed make, but crossbows are not known as equalizing weapons for no reason. Andromache is not particularly attached to the weapon, and is as like to simply fire it and then discard the crossbow as try to reload it.

Living Eidolon

Hecuba Amaranth

Living Eidolon

Species:

• Human (Elvish Heritage.)

Age:

• Early twenties.

Nationality:

• Ithell

Loyalty:

• High Astronomer Ormoneric

Profession:

• Laboratory Assistant & Busybody

Physical Description

Hecuba stands approximately 1.67 meters in height, with a lithe, nubile build and ivory skin coloration. She has straight, silvery shoulder-length hair. Her face is somewhat rounded, with hints of fair, elvish features. Her eye coloration is golden, and the tips of her ears are slightly pronounced.

Accounts on Ormoneric's Latest Laboratory Assistant

As a common-born apprentice at the Grand Observatory of Ithell, Hecuba has little in the way of a documented upbringing and childhood - though, fortunately, the number of records and firsthand accounts that describe her time at the Observatory itself are numerous.

An Unacquainted Journeyman

"Hecuba? Let me think for a secon- oh! That girl with the silver hair? Quite easy on the eyes. If ever there was a poster-child for the hereditary benefits of interracial comingling between Humans and Elves, she's it. Er. You know what, forget I said that.

I'll admit I don't know her too well. She's been at the university for around four years I think? And I'm struggling over here, but I am blanking on what her exact area of expertise is...

Oh, well, for example, Astronomer Sorcelin is an expert in the field of Aeronomy, Astronomer Tinelt is an expert in the field of Interstitial Aether Physics, Astronomer Wvvnul is an expert in Celestial Meteorology - that sort of thing.

But like I was saying, I don't recall what her specialization is. I've not seen here in many of the seminars here, but from what I've heard from some of my friends she does lots of field work. Field and mountain surveys, leyline tracing, dowsing expeditions, that sort of thing. I've also personally seen her running errands for some of the Astronomers and Lecturers...

Now that I think about it, is she even an apprentice here? I've never actually spoken to her and she's pretty distant most of the time. Might be because most of the men here drool over her, assuming she's not some frigid shrew. Maybe she's an errand girl employed by the Grand Observatory? We have a few of those, you just don't notice them. It's just she is particularly hard to miss. Like I said, very easy on the eyes."

Journeyman at the Grand Observatory of Ithell

A Contemptuous Adept

"That slattern? Oh yes, I know of her. She's a disgrace to the institution, let me tell you. No, she's not an Errand Girl - she's an actual apprentice, but what she has in looks obvious came in trade for intellect. She dropped out of what few seminars she attended, and the rest she got through on her back or on her knees, the little whore.

Yes, I imagine you did. Her diminished faculties are why she takes on so many field placements. Lots of running around getting your hands dirty, very little in the way of actual academics - I don't mean to belittle field placements! They are immensely practical and useful, assuming you have the education and talent to make the most of them. Which she definitely does not. The most cerebral thing she's ever done in those placements is fill out survey logs and charts, and quite frankly it amazes me she is even literate.

Her shameful conduct has only been getting worse over time - she's been the 'personal assistant' of quite a few of the Astronomers here. It would not surprise me if she's been spreading her legs to pay her way. I suppose as professions go that's not unreasonable for unlearned women, but really, the Astronomers here should know better. Then again, maybe they found her particularly hard to resist. She is quite comely, thanks to her filthy mongrel heritage.

It gets worse - just a few weeks ago, I saw her ducking out of the High Astronomer's personal laboratory! Just to make sure I was not going insane, I went out of my way to pass by that way whenever I could thereafter. I've seen her heading in and out frequently since then, so I am forced to conclude she has become the chatelaine of one of the High Astronomer's personal assistants.

High Astronomer Ormoneric...? Never! Such harlotry is beneath his dignity, it's simply out of the question...Although I have seen her speaking with him recently. He was laughing at something she said...Ugh, I'm nauseous even thinking of it. The scandal if she got to him...but no, I'm sure that's not it. Absolutely certain. Gods, please, let enough be enough as far as her licentiousness goes."

Adept at the Grand Observatory of Ithell

A Severe Astronomer

"As a matter of policy I am not really supposed to be discussing any of my apprentices with unaffiliated- Ah. Is that so? Hm. Very well.

To be frank, Miss Amaranth is an atrocious student. She has attended very few of my seminars and did quite poorly in those that she did. She tended to become very confused. Having spoken with her personally, I have to say she is somewhat dim when it comes to mathematics, physics, chemistry, and many other subjects taught here. Under normal circumstances she likely would have been expelled for deficiency, but there is, thankfully for her, an extenuating fact. Specifically, Miss Amaranth seems to have a peculiar native talent, if you will. Just a few days ago, during a field placement out up top in the mountains, Miss Amaranth managed to sharpen a dowsing gem on elemental starlight using obscura scintilla while she was conversing with my personal assistant about Nocturnal Ornithology.

Pardon me. Let me explain: What she did, off-hand and while distracted, exceeds the technical ability and proficiency of very nearly every single Astronomer employed here, including myself, if they devoted their utter focus and attention to it. That may be a faint exaggeration, I could definitely have done it when I was younger before the demons got to the joints in my hands, but trust me when I say the sophistication of the task is such that it is not something she could have done simply by chance. Many of the Astronomers here have to scout out talent, carefully discriminate and hand-pick, and then personally train younger Adepts for years in order to eventually help them do that sort of thing. And Miss Amaranth made it look as easy as knitting. Not only that, she does so regularly in most of her field placements, if I am to understand the wild stories I have heard from my peers.

Ah, yes, that is rather apt, I am surprised it did not occur to me before. Certainly, idiot savant describes Miss Amaranth almost perfectly. Simpleton would be a little too far, Her logical comprehension is more than adequate and she is a composed conversationalist. I would reckon she simply has some sort of canalized maladaptive cognit- ah. I mean, she may simply not be cut out for the more rigorous aspects of our sciences.

Nonetheless, her ability is far too useful to do without, especially in these times. So it is no surprise she is presently one of the High Astronomer's personal assistants now. He had me personally tutor her for a time. Teaching her was quite elementary; I did not have to impart anything of true substance to her. I essentially just taught her basic trade vocabulary and brushed her up on abstract theory; the essential and basic hows and whys of our studies without having to delve into the complex field equations and scientific rigor normally required in our profession. The former was necessary so she could understand more complex instructions as well as describe experimental results, the latter would have been well beyond her ability to comprehend. She can tell you how to achieve a state of limenflux transcience and what such a state entails, but she cannot incorporate any of the requisite field equations or render the circuitous patternings for it. Which makes her worthless for tutoring other students, regretfully.

Oh no, she'll never be a Magister I'm afraid. Native talent only gets you so far; altogether too many warlocks and demon summoners learn that the hard way. If you don't know the underlying science behind magic, one's magical abilities tend to plateau below the level of expertise afforded to Archmages and their ilk. No amount of gut reflex can let you measure out fractal infinitesimals of Platonic Enanfarar and the like, after all. But she will make a fine laboratory assistant to the High Astronomer. We will not see her like again for decades, perhaps centuries.

...Sexual misconduct? My word. I had no idea- Well, I had suspected with some of the apprentices perhaps, she is quite charming, but amongst the Astronomers?!?

With Me?!?!

I never! I cannot - you disgust me. How dare you presume to levy such an accusation at me? This is not the end of this, you hear me? The High Astronomer will be hearing about this! And my good associate the Duke of West Sul! You will rue this day you cur!

An Astronomer of the Grand Observatory of Ithell

A Befuddled Bursar

"Hm, last name Amaranth you say? Funny, it should be somewhere near the front of the filing but I don't see it here. Amaranth, Ama, Ama, Ama...not here. Where in the world...Hrr. Here it is - for some reason it was stuck all the way in the back along with poor Zzzyxas. I'll just move it back where it should be when we're done.

How curious. Miss Hecuba here is not listed as being a sponsored apprenticeship, but there are no records of any payments made to the Observatory on her behalf...and her file is marked with a notice of special dispensation. Quite curious. Special dispensation is usually only used for apprentices from Noble houses or else for the exceptionally talented, but her marks are some of the worst I have ever seen - and there is certainly no Noble House of Amaranth I am aware of.

Let's see...joined the Observatory four years ago...no family or next of kin on record...no listed birthplace or country of origin...Presently one of the High Astronomer's personal laboratory assistants? Well that can't be right, with marks like these. Something is very clearly wrong. Thank you for bringing this to my attention; we have to look into this matter immediately. I'm afraid security here at the records department is not what it could be; it would have been trivial for somebody to have broken in and made alterations or forgeries back when this document was issued. This young woman could be a foreign agent for all we know.

Bursar of the Grand Observatory of Ithell

A Supportive Peer

"Oh, Hecka? No, I don't think it would be wise to introduce you to her like that. She's had a lot of bad experiences with boys and men chasing after her or else giving her trouble for some reason or another, she'd probably be put on guard.

Well, she's not a lot of help when it comes to writing up formulations or protocols, but she's easily the best out of all of Master Ormoneric's assistant's in terms of magical technique. She can practically spin straw into gold if you give her a decent taproot, doesn't even need a catalyst most of the time. Which is kind of a double-edged sword, she runs through our rocks real fast. I get that she's not great with math, but come on girl, it's not that hard to-

Actually, you know what, who am I to judge? And I shouldn't be talking about her behind her back like this. Hecka is great, loads of help, fun and sweet when you get to know her.

Well, actually, the High Astronomer seems to deliberately distance himself from her whenever they're both around. He's usually a lot more personal with his assistants - calls most of us by our first names! But he's a lot more formal when she's around. There have been some really nasty rumors going around the Observatory about her - unfairly and for no reason might I add - hopefully he'll warm up a bit more to her once she's been around long enough. In fact, maybe sooner rather than later. I hear she got picked to go on visitation with him to the royal court of Kron-Nesis, so she'll be getting her own catalyst totem sooner than most of us did."

One of the High Astronomer's Personal Assistant's

An Awkward Runner

"Y, yeah, I know Hecuba. Uh. Well, know is a strong word, I've...I've seen here around? A lot. She's nice-

No, I don't believe the rumors. She's awfully suspicious of boys really. _{Won't even give me the time of day...} But uh, I admit I have noticed some oddities about her routine. For one thing, I know from taking a peek at the High Astronomer's duty roster that Hecuba is supposed to be all the way in Estorna right now, on an extended field expedition - but she's obviously still here. And it's not the first time that sort of thing has happened. One time, I uh...I may have gone to the docks to see her off_{...without her knowing I was there...}and I actually saw her leave on a carrack, yeah?

Thing is, she was still here at the Observatory the next day. There would be days where I couldn't find her, but she'd be around every once and a while. People would not even act as if anything was wrong; I guess because nobody else knew that she wasn't supposed to be there? Then, just to make sure I wasn't losing my mind to obsession or anything, I was at the docks the day her ship returned and saw her get off of it.

I'm sort of amazed there are no rumors about that going around! I mean, who cares about what she does in her own time? She can practically be in two places at once! That's epic magic right out of legend! I mean, I suppose it's probably just some kind of trick? Or maybe she has a secret sister or something? Gosh, if there were two of her that would be interesting...I mean, uh...

Anyway, I tried to tell some of the other runners about it, and- ergh, it's infuriating, they tried to report her to the Bursar's Office as some kind of foreign agent! And they just ignored the part about her being in two places at once, or else maybe don't really get what I meant? Why does everything have to be so complicated with them?"

Errand Boy of the Grand Observatory

Observational Notations

"Getting in was easy, but this place is weird. Practically labyrinthine, I swear it has to be larger on the inside than it is on the outside. Not to mention all the security. Lots of wards and runes in place - and all the doors and locks in here are dwarven make. Lots of weird mechanical instruments lying around. I almost set off some kind of tripwire alarm prying open a case in the High Astronomer's chambers.

I also made a bit of a miscalculation. There's some kind of interference of dampening effect inside, all my glamours and charms wore off while I was still inside, hours before they should have. That was a nasty surprise, let me tell you! Getting them all set up cost me a king's ransom, I'm just fortunate I was able to duck into a cupboard so I could reapply everything.

Even that wasn't much of a waste of time. I witnessed some strange arcane ritual. There was an array of mirrors, some kind of giant, fancy tunnel lantern chamber, and an elvish girl with silver hair was manacled inside of it. The High Astronomer pulled some kind of latch, and the whole lantern filled with light! I could have sworn she died, because she seemed to burst up from it into dust and ashes! But a second later the High Astronomer pulled her up from...somewhere. I was sort of disoriented from the light so I must have missed something. And there was a picture of the girl on one of the mirrors, like a painting! Only it was upside down for some reason. There was something else in the mirror as well, but I didn't have the best view from where I was and the mirrors got bundled up and carted out by other assistants.

She didn't seem like she had been a willing participant when she was tied up with the manacles inside the lantern, but she seemed weirdly calm when he pulled her out of thin air. Was talking to him like nothing had happened. Downright weird really. It's not the strangest thing I've ever seen, but it was up there. Thinking of doubling my usual fee.

I still haven't found that spear I was hired to pinch, and I feel like I have a cold coming on for some reason. I'll need a couple days to study the mapping I got done anyway, I can use that time to recover."

Notations of a Thief

Talents & Detriments

Talents

• Abstraction Scholar:

Hecuba has received a wide amount of education and tutoring pertaining to abstract magical theory and natural philosophy. She is well informed as to the nuances of most realms of magic and natural sciences and can identify most magical effects on-sight.

• Peerless Adjuvant:

Hecuba has an impressive native talent for highly intricate and sophisticated spellweaving. She can eschew most or all requisite catalysts, as well as somatic and verbal components for most spells, and requires nearly zero stamina and endurance to cast any given magical effect. This impressive degree of talent does not extend itself to the need for both knowledge and power - Hecuba still requires sufficient magical energy for every spell she casts, and it goes without saying that she still must comprehend the functional aspects of a spell in order to cast it.

---

Detriments

• Idiot Savant:

Hecuba has an abysmal grasp of the more arduous and practical aspects of mathematics, physics, and chemistry - which drastically limit her competence as a mage.

• There Shall Come A Reckoning:

She shall be broken upon Kalpa. What returns will be terrible beyond imagining. Let the tally be marked, grieve upon her loss, and despair at her return.

Spellcraft

As an apprentice of the Grand Observatory of Ithell, Hecuba wields a broad swath of utility-oriented light-based magics. These are not, however, garden variety magical light abilities - she does not weave illusion and does not bedazzle the senses. Her magic is of a kind that calls upon the sky and stars, evokes the sun and moon, that charts paths and shapes destiny - amongst other things.

Hecuba may call upon primordial, cosmic magic to reveal, discern, and unravel the nature of the world. In battle she may assist allies and hinder enemies, while out of it her powers lend themselves handily to a wide variety of tasks and purposes.

Equipment

• Heartmetal Tine & Rod:

A curious brass-colored mage's wand, at least at first glance. It has a short handle that splits into two long cylindrical prongs. Hecuba has indicated it is properly called a 'Resonance Fork' and that it is made of a material called Heartmetal. It does not seem dissimilar from steel; it is reasonably sturdy and has decent flex to it. It produces a very pronounced, ringing tone when struck by an accompanying rod. You have seen it catch and turn daggers and blades before, but the scratches and marks in its surface seem to fade over time, as though the metal healed. Hecuba appears to use it both for self-defense as well as a dowsing rod - rigid materials exposed to the tine's ringing tone seem to rapidly become more and more brittle until even light impacts can sunder them.

• A Mysterious Carboy:

A double-wax-sealed, brass cylindrical container about as tall as your head. You cannot see within, but from its weight and the way it handles it likely contains some kind of viscous fluid.

• A Hand-Mirror:

A small, hand-held flip-case hand-mirror made of brass with the emblem of the Grand Observatory on the back. It does not seem enchanted, but as it is actually connected by a thin chain to a metal band along Hecuba's wrist you get the impression it is more important than it looks.

• Scrapbook:

A cheap booklet filled with scrap parchment. From the looks of it, it has gotten some use and there is evidence of several dozen pages having been ripped out. You have seen Hecuba writing out observational logs and records, but those pages always seem to be missing the next time she opens the book.

• Writing & Rite Materials:

An ink quill and pot, charcoal, chalk, even a small lump of wax, all neatly bundled together. There are also several top-wrapped bowls with various salts, and small cigar-like leather wraps with numerous powders therein. Alchemical and magical materials, most likely.

• Dusken Marbles:

These look exactly like children's marbles that have been painted black. They sting your skin faintly when you hold them, and are heavier than they look. Hecuba has been tight-lipped about what they are for, as opposed to her usual coy demeanor when withholding information. She keeps most of them separated in groups of three, in individual hand-sized brass trays rather than heaping all of them together. They seem to attract and adhere to each other if you let them with a fairly powerful force. Hecuba looked like somebody had walked over her grave when she saw six of them from two of the trays all bunched up together.

• Silver Dagger:

A silver dagger, not altogether too different than the sort an apprentice with the mage's guild might carry. Hecuba assures you that silver daggers are staple tools of magecraft, and so of course you have never seen her use it.

Person of Interest

• This individual is not the sort of wayward personage you would expect to go haring off with you on wild adventures - but they just might have some work or leads for you...or else, it might prove useful to take a look into their affairs.

The Starlit Augur

Werrill Ormoneric

Starlit Augur

Species:

• Human

Age:

• Early-to-mid Fourties.

Nationality:

• Ithell.

Loyalty:

• The Ithellan Court of Stars.

Profession:

• High Astronomer at the Grand Observatory of Ithell.

Physical Description

Ormoneric stands around 1.72 meters in height, with a trim build and pale skin coloration. He has dark but graying shoulder-length hair. His face is tall and narrow, clean-shaven, with pronounced brows and thin lips. His eye coloration is pale orange. As this color is not possible amongst Humans normally, this is indicative of some form of mixed interspecies descent, although it is not possible to tell of what nature.

Accounts on the personage of the High Astronomer

As a figure of some modest import in Ithell, there exists a degree of turbulent flux and rumor as to his past and life. The truth of the matter is likely known to those who work with him at the Grand Observatory and of course elsewhere by those of power and influence who make it their business to know such things. But for everyone else, there are but fragments and scraps that provide glimpses into his earlier life.

A Harried Expatriate

"The High Astronomer? Well yeah. You know I used to work at the Grand Observatory. We didn't exactly rub elbows together, but I worked with him a bit back when he was still just a journeyman. You ask any other Astronomer or layman on the street, they'll tell you he got the job out of sheer talent. I'll not fault the man, even when he was younger he could do some pretty amazing things, but no amount of skill gets you that sort of position. You need to have the right connections, know the right people, maybe even get born into the role. It's not an entirely apolitical position, you know?

And the thing is, Ormoneric was not the kind of man who went around bending and scraping with the right sorts of people to have gotten the sort of favor and capital he would have needed to become High Astronomer. He was usually all-business - not a dullard, mind you. Fairly charming and charismatic, although you probably don't need me telling you that. It's just he spent most of his time with his face buried in books or his eye pressed to lens or his back bent over parchment. People had to invite Ormoneric to do anything social, and he was the sort who would get bored and leave during the middle of a party with royalty. That may or may not have actually happened, by the way.

If I had to guess, I would suppose he got interested in the right things at the right time, and that work ethic of his let him exploit the trend harder and faster than the competition. All the innovations in Ithell these days is pretty old news by now, but Ormoneric was talking about things like Mythopoeics, ontological frequency, and transubstantiated allineation back before anybody else in the observatory knew the standard definition for those words, you know? I don't mean any insult to him, but I think he got the job because the real powers knew he didn't have any real ambitions and could trust him to leave politics to the grown-ups while he fiddled with all his toys. The safe choice for High Astronomer in a time of change."

An Ithellan Expatriate

A Doleful Quarry-Worker

"The name didna ring a bell, but ye, I remember the guy from that wood-cutting you showed me. Dressed in robes like some kinda noble prat, but he was quiet, polite, didn't talk down to nobody here. Spoke with him myself a bit. This was mebbe half a score ago? Around that time.

Said he was here studying minerals, but kept ignoring everything the foreman kept trying to peddle. Insisted on talkin' to the common lot like me. Asked me some 'o the most curious things I ever 'eard. Wasn't interested at all in stuff like Mithril or Adamantine, which book-types and mages usually are - not sure if he were a mage honestly, but he spoke like he knew his letters. No, he were interested in all the waste piles mostly. The big heaps and mounds of dirt, rocks, rubble, and detritus we would set off to the side and haul out to pile up in mounds. Asked me about the sort of materials we considered waste here at the quarry, how often we found some of it, whether there were any ways to know where it could be found - right strange questions honestly, because let me tell you, there was nothin' in those waste piles that was even scarcely useful or not some kind of toxic.

Now I don't know if it's at all related, but maybe a year or two later routine for the haulers got changed. Certain kinds of waste material would get packed up and shipped out from the quarry rather than us letting it sit. Didn't really think about it until you brought him up again. In hindsight I'd say it seems pretty obvious somethin in all that rubbish is useful to someone.

Hm?

Well no, it's like I told him - anything in those waste piles would'be been worthless or toxic or both. And I mean, it's not like people haven't looked over this sort 'o stuff before. Mages drop by every once in a while to see if we've discovered any new minerals that are worth-while, you know? And they don't seem to think there's anything useful in the waste we ship out. And even if there were, I doubt we'd be the only ones who have it. The stuff we put into the waste piles is as common as dirt, for the most part. You'd find almost anything in our waste piles in any other quarry from here to Kelnore, I'd wager."

An Urland Quarry-Worker

An Irate Glass-Worker

"The fucking High Astronomer! Thrice-curse that stuck-up shit-brained loon!The Grand Observatory practically made up half of our business before he came around and started changing everything! Lenses, you know? Everybody knows proper astronomers and observatories need lenses! Good, quality lenses too! High-grade glass, good purity, precise craftsmanshift - it's tricky, tricky work. I had to study for years to even start to learn how to make them, and I daresay by that point and by now I know a great deal more about astronomy than that ass they call a High Astronomer!

I mean for one thing, you want to know where all the Grand Observatory's business has gotten redirected? MIRRORS. Fucking MIRRORS. It makes no right damned sense, what possible, conceivable reason do astronomers need MIRRORS for? I'd swear. The position of High Astronomer is probably political, I tell you! They probably put some idiot loon up in there with their hands so far up his ass he don't know nothing EXCEPT how to say whenever their finger crooks! The git probably had no right idea what astronomers really need - which is good, high-grade lenses I tell you!

I mean - well yeah, we do still get business from the Grand Observatory. Just not nearly as much as we used to. And I'm not just spouting this all off on a hunch; I wasn't kidding when I said I had to study for years! I keep up with all the new innovations and techniques where I can, and I'm telling you, there's isn't nothing new in astronomy that says you need mirrors instead of lenses suddenly! It makes no damned sense!"

An Ithellan Glass-Worker

A Drunk Contact

"He's obviously a cult-leader bent on destroyin' the world. Now fuck off and let me drink."

An Aemonvale Sooth-Sayer

A Demonic Agent

"I remember him clearly. I was sent to Ithell specifically to negotiate with him in regards to a business matter. I was to seduce him and exploit his vulnerability for the purposes of my employer.

Have you ever seen somebody under the effects of glamour before? A vampire's thrall, somebody cursed by a changeling - somebody who lay with a succubus?

Not everyone can do it. But there are secret ways. If you look into the eyes the right way, take note of exactly where a person is looking, you can see where they hang their thoughts. And once you know where their thoughts are hanging, you can look at them too. It generally cannot be done by us succubi until after, but we can recognize the symptoms of enthrallment. I tell you now, High Astronomer Ormoneric is enthralled to...something.

No. It was not a magical effect, or a curse, or any kind of chemical dependence. It was important to make sure that there was nothing interfering with my own efforts, so I did. There was no external force acting upon this man. The glamour he was affected by had an internal source. It might not be inaccurate to say he is delusional...or perhaps just a particularly foolish idealist and dreamer.

I did not manage to seduce him. Whatever visions he is burdened with are more glorious than the temptations I was willing and able to offer him at the time without arousing suspicion.

Morazuin Succubus

A Trusted Informant

"I think the real reason behind everything to do with High Astronomer Ormoneric is that he is a bit of a yes-man. Not in a sycophantic way, he can shut you down real quick when he wants to. But if you can run a thread by him that he likes, it is almost inevitable he will latch onto it. Just the other day, for example, one of the other journeymen - one of the richer more entitled journeymen who does not exactly know their own business if you feel my meaning - was up for review by the High Astronomer, and had absolutely nothing to show them. So right before the meeting, in a panic, he grabs his lute and goes to the High Astronomer with a half-brained theory about how tavern music can induce mythopoeic resonance in living beings.

Sorry...? Oh. Uh, that's a bit like saying you can bale out hay using tines because individual bits of straw stick to each other. Technically correct but also really obvious and transparently shallow, and when you get right down to it that's not the whole story.

But anyway, this half-assed, last-second idea of this idiot somehow rings a bell with the High Astronomer. He got really, really excited all of a sudden, started drafting some kind of mathematical notation on the spot - the journeyman in question sort of poked at the parchment with their quill every once in a while and pretended they knew what was going on - and after a while, the High Astronomer says that this is going to 'change everything' and hauls the idiot off to their private laboratory.

When I saw the journeyman again perhaps five or so hours later, he was busy getting extremely drunk, and looked utterly miserable. Said that he had gotten into the 'inner sanctum' and that the High Astronomer had just sort of been doing everything on his own up until he actually asked the journeyman something and they had to admit, tactfully, that they had gotten just a little bit lost and out of their depth since starting their 'joint' venture. That the High Astronomer had been 'very disappointed that they could not continue,' and had given them a sterling review and increased their seasonal stipend by a decent chunk before kicking them out. The ass was miserable because now everyone actually expects something out of him now.

As to his history, I had the privilege of dining with him a few times. He told me and a few other journeymen about his childhood. He apparently grew up in the Fens, and his parents cultivated some kind of hallucinogenic flower. He acquired an early taste for it and has always had a sort of sunny disposition because of it, at least according to him. Says he took to astronomy because of how gazing at the stars reminds him of the visions he would have while high out of his mind. Claims he ran away from home, stowed away on a merchant ship, and scraped and begged since he was a boy of a mere seventeen years so he could study with the learned scholars of the Grand Observatory. You were wondering why you could not seem to find out much about his life outside of his employment at the Observatory? That's because working at the Observatory has essentially been his life.

As for the political aspects of his job - he's pretty hands-off when it comes to the real movers and shakers. Nods his head and makes arrangements to do what they need done, and like I said, if they can get his interest he does it, and that's not terribly hard. Which means he's also proven rather adaptable to the changing times. He has no problem working with a mixture of magical and engineering techniques, he enjoys finding new methods of innovation and practice, loves experimentation and getting his own hands dirty. He's made a few inadvertent friends in his time just because he gets things done. He's pretty uninvolved in the scheme of the Great Game, but there are people invested in his ongoing employment.

Mirrors? Yes, apparently he discovered some kind of practical use for them beyond mere aesthetics. Not entirely sure what honestly, it's mostly something he and his personal assistants work on in his private lab. I understand he had to fiddle with the Observatory's budgeting a little to make it work, made some of our business connections upset over pulling a few crowns out of their purses because of it, but whatever it is he apparently managed to convince the powers that be that it's worthwhile.

Waste minerals? Yes, the Observatory receives regular shipments from various ports. He has apprentices and initiates sifting and sieving the stuff. A lot of it gets used for basic transubstantiation practice, so nobody really questions it. He has his personal assistants siphon off a few specific minerals though. I got samples, but honestly I do not recognize most of it - mostly because nearly all of it is so worthless nobody in thousands of years has even bothered to name, much less record the properties of any of it. 'Inert and/or toxic dust' is an essentially accurate description. The only one I even vaguely recognized was some kind of quartz - quartz. One of the cheapest and most common minerals on the continent. You can literally find the stuff by stubbing your toe on it if you walk out in an open field nearly anywhere.

My personal take? Well...he's a powerful mage, fairly wealthy, generally well-liked by most people, somewhat charismatic, intelligent, productive, discrete...nobody is that clean, you know? He's probably hiding something dirty, I'm just not sure what. It's a pretty faint lead, but maybe he's cavorting with demons? I saw him chatting up this woman I could have sworn was a succubus a few months ago..."

A Journeyman Astronomer of the Ithellan Grand Observatory

Ormoneric Himself

"I am terribly sorry, I am quite busy...oh? Well, I suppose I have time for a question or two! Go ahead and walk with me, we can talk while I work.

The most exciting aspect of my job...? Well, not to sound too droll, but I have always liked getting down on my knees and being able to tinker with some of the telescope mechanisms, looking at the sky and the stars to know I was on the right track. I'm a simple soul at heart, I enjoy stargazing and working with fiddly bits of metal with my hands.

You're right, I probably am rather fortunate! I certainly never dreamed of becoming High Astronomer when I came here as a child. About the right time and place, I supp-

Well yes, I have made a number of changes. I will make no secret that we have some interesting experiments going on here that would not have been dreamed of back in the heyday! But the Observatory has always been a place of study and innovation. My predecessor had already lain out some of the groundwork; I like to think they were just keeping abreast of the changing times - and I like to think I am too. No institution operates, or thrives, in a vacuum after all. Little astronomy joke for you there, sorry.

Well I can't really talk about most of them to be honest - national secrets, you understand. But I can tell you we are working quite closely with the Archives these days, using mechanisms and magic to study the heavens so we can better understand this new discipline of 'natural philosophy.' Any mage will tell you magic is the true power of this world, any craftshop engineer will tell you that the future lies with mechanisms and pneumatics - the truth is somewhere between the two! Both are part of the natural order, and that's exactly what we aim to study and explore here.

Anyway, that's really all the time I have for matters not pertaining to business. Have a safe evening, and please always feel free to confer with the members of our staff."

Werrill Ormoneric, High Astronomer of the Ithellan Grand Observatory

A Final Communique

"This man is not who you said he is! I don't know if he's a demon or a vampire or a lich or what, but the things I've seen...I am not going back into his private labs unless you triple my fee. It's just too dangerous. The precautions I already have to take to remain undetected are practically already a king's ransom in terms of expenses. You told me he was a fairly powerful mage, you did not tell me he used dark magic or blood rituals! I have seen him performing profane, unspeakable rites! There are things, entities he converses with that...I cannot even write about them, they are unfathomable. And I think he and his assistants might be on to something being wrong, one time I swore he was looking right at me, like he could see through all the layers of illusions and charms I had thrown up.

Worse, last week, after I stole that weird Spear, this band of LUNATICS started stalking me! Like adventurers out of some idiotic tavern story or something, saying they knew who I was and that I had to return the Spear. I'm lucky to have gotten away at all.

I've felt sick and nauseous ever since leaving that place; I'll need a few days just to recover. I'll contact you again by the end of the week to let you know which dead-drop to pick the Spear up at."

The Final Message of a Thief

Apparent Talents

The High Astronomer's actual skills and abilities are not widely known with any great certainty, but at a minimum it is agreed that he is a mage of some competence and has considerable expertise in the realm of mechanical engineering. As a Human of his age, he is unlikely to be as skilled as an Archmage or as capable as a Dwarven Craftlord, but he would not be in his position were he not capable in both fields.